Beating Misery with Little Everyday Blessings

Happy Wednesday, friends! Normally I’d be here enticing you with some drool-worthy picture and new recipe to go with it. Sadly, beating misery is the theme instead.

The past week has brought little to my life except the pain and suffering one can expect from strep throat. Fiery pain that intensified with the tiniest of movement had me wincing and dreading every swallow. I quit swallowing as best I could, but do you have any idea the quantities of saliva a human produces in just a few minutes??!

Though I was indeed hungry, I wasn’t choosing from my My Fake Restaurant Menu. My diet consisted pretty much of ice water, jello, and this:

What a stellar way to usher in National Nutrition Month, eh? Don’t worry – I’m not here to spread the dread. Misery does not suit me — and, in fact, aggravates me. In order to go about beating misery, I’m sharing with you the random rays of sunshine I managed to notice amidst my busy couch-lounging, ibuprofen-popping, saltwater-gargling schedule.

Little Everyday Blessings

My sometimes surly 16-year-old cuddling up with his little sister for some laughs on his phone one afternoon.

The abundance of smiles from my daughter’s basketball team after winning their very first playoff game. It was a 12-4 sprint with 75 or so jump balls. Pretty typical for 4th grade 🙂 Nothing to write to Sports Illustrated about, maybe, but every fan there could feel the girls’ excitement from start to finish. This picture says it all.

And, finally, my sweet Siamese, Zena, saw her 19th birthday. She is so loved by every one of us, and can make anyone feel better just by curling up and purring in your lap. Cat therapy.

I’m very happy to be back in the land of the living, and happier still that I have these little everyday blessings to acknowledge in my life. Now all I need is for my  appetite to return, and I’ll be back to making (and eating) foods more interesting to us all 🙂