What makes you happy?

Is it the little things? Is it money? Is it the sunshine on your face? Is it a pat on the back?

Samantha has been a little overwhelmed of late. Grade 9 high school homework is so much more involved than grade 8. I don’t think middle school does them any favours in that regard. She’s getting into her groove, but it’s a challenge. Friday she “fessed up” her French mark to date. Not so good, but we’re only 1.5 months in. Lots of time to improve and I’ll help where I can. That being said it was a quiet ride as I took her to meet her friends dad in the Polo Park parking lot. She’s not quite the open book she used to be. Sometimes that teenage veneer is hard to get through. Friends dad was meeting her there to drive out to Warren MB for a sleepover at said friend’s house. So I didn’t have much time to talk to her. If you know me at all, you know I like to talk it out, make things better, make sure everyone’s happy. I know there are things I can’t control and some of these things she will just have to work out on her own.
On Saturday I drove to Warren to pick her up. Almost 100Km round trip!! I actually don’t mind the drive… anyway, I get there and of course immediately made a mistake, which she calls me on and I apologize for. I reminded her to say thank you to the sleepover mom. “mom, I know how to say thank you!” Oops… of course she does. I’ve taught her well. So again, in the car, a quiet ride. I’m trying to think about how to “fix” it (do I always have to???) then I realize she’s not ignoring me, she’s asleep LOL. So we’re almost home and I stop at one of the garden centres, I think we need some pumpkins. She wakes up (I wasn’t really asleep mom – ya right) and moves slowly through the mass maze of pumpkins. The more she looks at them the more animated she becomes. Can we get two?? Why not! By the time we get to the till she’s practically skipping. We’re looking around as we wait and there’s all these mini gourds, lets get some of those too. Finally ring through – less than $10!!! She’s thrilled! We go home, she works on homework, does some chores, helps me in the kitchen, takes over decorating the house and does all the decorations outside. She was happy. Content, satisfied and happy.

What makes you happy?