Thursday, April 30, 2009

You Capture: Joy

A happy life must be to a great extent a quiet life, for it is only in an atmosphere of quiet that true joy can live. Bertrand Russell


When I first learned that this week's You Capture theme would be joy, I was--well--overjoyed. I have so much joy in my life that I thought for sure I'd end up with too many pictures. Right? Yeah, wrong. I had trouble with this. The weather thwarted me by being colder and rainier than I thought it'd be this week. My house thwarted me by being messier than I wanted. Luke thwarted me by being grumpy and not photogenic.

I had to look hard to find my joy, but I found it. I found it by feeling the baby's foot stuck behind my belly button all day. In eating an entire small pineapple and yellow pepper pizza by myself. In skipping working out because I just didn't feel like it. In taking a bath, even though I know it doesn't help sciatica.
And finally, I found it in climbing into a bed with clean sheets, with a new candle and an old book, enjoying the joy found in the quiet moments before sleep.
at

30 comments:

  1. jodiApril 30, 2009 at 4:28 AM

    It's nice that these challenges bring us into an awareness of our surroundings. You may have thought you had a bad week, but instead, you found joy in the little things. Great Job!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownApril 30, 2009 at 4:30 AM

    I like the way that you've captured joy. I too love candles and feeling a baby growing inside is certainly joyful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mom24April 30, 2009 at 5:16 AM

    I struggled with this one too, and I didn't expect to. I love the joy you found though. I miss feeling those little feet. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Crazy BabsApril 30, 2009 at 6:08 AM

    sometimes it is the little things that bring us the most joy, clean sheets are one of the best joys! Hey, maybe I will wash mine today! Love your words and your picture1

    ReplyDelete
  5. tiarastantrumsApril 30, 2009 at 6:17 AM

    oh that was such a lovely post!

    ReplyDelete
  6. *Lissa*April 30, 2009 at 6:19 AM

    Heavenly! :o)

    Pineapple and yellow pepper pizza?! EW.

    ReplyDelete
  7. SherylApril 30, 2009 at 6:23 AM

    A hot bath + candle + a good book = heaven

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sara @ Life With the TwoApril 30, 2009 at 6:47 AM

    Lovely! That will be joy for me in a few weeks when I am reunited with all my stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  9. JessiApril 30, 2009 at 7:33 AM

    You have a wonderful attitude! Beautiful post :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. NellApril 30, 2009 at 7:57 AM

    Now that is joy! Totally.

    Nell
    SheSnaps.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. The Animator's WifeApril 30, 2009 at 8:41 AM

    Great post-- oh so true.

    It's the intangibles that are hard to capture that give us the greatest joy!

    ReplyDelete
  12. IE MommyApril 30, 2009 at 8:43 AM

    Very nice and very relaxing...yes, Joy

    Thanks for sharing! :)
    I'd love it if you'd swing by and check out my photo.
    I hope everyone has an great weekend!

    Christine
    The IE Mommy
    www.iemommy.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. UnknownApril 30, 2009 at 8:51 AM

    Sometimes JOY comes from the simplest things, doesn't it? : )

    ReplyDelete
  14. Stephanie Wilson she/her @babystephApril 30, 2009 at 8:57 AM

    I need to find that, too. Sounds heavenly!

    Steph

    ReplyDelete
  15. Heather DApril 30, 2009 at 9:19 AM

    Isn't it nice to find joy in simple things? Love your photo and your post!

    ReplyDelete
  16. UnknownApril 30, 2009 at 9:21 AM

    I love this one! That is joy!

    ReplyDelete
  17. AnonymousApril 30, 2009 at 9:49 AM

    Sometimes having to look for the joy makes you appreciate it that much more.

    ReplyDelete
  18. aprilApril 30, 2009 at 6:24 PM

    That's so relaxing!! Definitely joy!

    ReplyDelete
  19. sunnymamaApril 30, 2009 at 8:17 PM

    What a sweet post! I love your words and picture of joy.

    ReplyDelete
  20. ShaeApril 30, 2009 at 8:22 PM

    that is very joyful. I loved feeling my babies behind my bellybutton.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Liz FergusonApril 30, 2009 at 8:37 PM

    There was nothing that brought me more joy when I was pregnant then feeling the baby moving inside! I miss that feeling! :)

    Sometimes the joy we find isn't what we expected it to be. At least that's how it is for me sometimes.

    ReplyDelete
  22. swonderfulApril 30, 2009 at 8:40 PM

    That sounds so lovely! Enjoy the peace and quiet-- you will have a different, noisier, wigglier, wonderful(er? haha) kind of joy soon. :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. AnonymousApril 30, 2009 at 8:44 PM

    Those are definitely all things to be joyful about!

    ReplyDelete
  24. anymommyApril 30, 2009 at 9:10 PM

    Now I feel joyful. Great post.

    I'm starting to think about labor too - I've had good experiences and I'm looking forward to it, except for that part at the end there where you're in excruciating pain ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  25. CatieMay 1, 2009 at 9:01 AM

    Sometimes the best joy is the joy we have to look for. I'm glad you found yours!

    ReplyDelete
  26. StillmaryMay 1, 2009 at 9:04 AM

    And you found joy in the story you told to accompany your beautiful photo. No one could read it and not smile...and feel very joyful.
    And thank you for being so sweet about my 'mistake'. You really are an angel.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Sharon - Mom GenerationsMay 1, 2009 at 9:22 AM

    This sounds like HEAVEN, never mind JOY!! You had me at clean sheets!!

    Soulful photograph...

    ReplyDelete
  28. AnonymousMay 2, 2009 at 2:35 PM

    Oh nice. Quiet definitely almost always equals joy for me.

    ReplyDelete
  29. KimMay 2, 2009 at 2:52 PM

    I love how you think! There is so much joy everywhere. The photo is just great!

    I played too...come on over.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Amanda WMay 2, 2009 at 8:42 PM

    That's pretty cool how you find joy in reflecting on your week. Like the shot.

    ReplyDelete

Leave me some love!