Bluebird of Happiness

I love this little bird. A few miles from my home there is a glass and pottery studio that makes these blue glass birds. You would be riveted to watch the artist blow the glowing red glass, then shape it with iron tongs. If the area set up for watching wasn't also used to showcase hundreds of blown glass figurines, we would go there more often. "Bull in a china shop" doesn't really describe what it would be like to have my brood milling around the showroom. But once when my second was still in a stroller, we did go see the artists making the birds. It takes them maybe 3 minutes to make each bird. The whole time I was sure a blob of molten glass was going to fall on their arm or foot. Of course, they are experts who are very good at not melting off appendages with molten glass. Such a relief!

The first time I saw one of these birds was in the one room log cabin we stayed in on our honeymoon. It was a very old cabin that the inn-keepers had purchased and moved onto the property. Perched in a small window, high in the wall next to the fireplace were two bright blue glass bird that glowed when the rising sun shone through the window. Eight years later for our anniversary, I found one of the birds at an antique mall and bought it for my husband. Now it sits on my kitchen window to remind me of eight sweet years and a thousand moments that have flown past. It reminds me of how many things are in my life right now to bring me happiness. Things like my sixth child growing in my belly, a wonderful midwife who will help us have our baby at home, a very wonderful chiropractor who made my hip stop hurting (big happiness there), a home filled with laughter and squabbling from siblings who are learning to live together, a husband who loves me, even likes me, days where I can't seem to do anything productive but it's still alright, a bag of really good chocolate chips that the kids don't know about, another bag of pecans cracked and shelled by my dad who is one of my special friends, a beautiful pink journal from the Valentine's package my sweet mom sent me, a brother who turns 16 tomorrow(!!!), really I could go on and on. What a blessing to have blessings that bring happiness! What is bringing you happiness today?