"Sis, this is really livin'!!"

I learned a powerful lesson about what it means to really live life from a friend I met through my Africa expeditions. There are moments in life that are so sweet and precious that you've just got to take a step back and say, "Sis, this is really livin'!!" Today was full of these wonderful moments and I wanted to share a few of them.

• Walking around the lake with my dear family, watching the kids get as close to the water as possible.
• Listening to Steph tell Jake all day that she was fishing (no fishing pole in sight).
• Sitting on the patio furniture for the first time since the fall.
• Pulling out the 'ol oboe and playing some tunes.

And finally the moment that led me to write a new post after two months. Let me do my best to paint a picture of the moment:

Rick is chillin' on the couch playing the guitar. Holly's in the background playing with her toys.
Heidi's at the table doing a puzzle with the kids. Everyone's happily putting their section of the puzzle together.

Meanwhile, I am sitting at my laptop in the middle of it all, thinking about how grateful I am to be a part of such a wonderful family.
At this point I stop, look around me, and say to myself, "Sis, this is really livin'!"