Joy is inevitable.
As usual, lots to be smiling about in my life:
• My youngest daughter’s new friend, Paper. Not sure if I heard her right, I asked ‘Paper? Are you sure that’s her name?’ She gave an enthusiastic nod. The next day she came home to explain that her friend’s name wasn’t Paper after all… it’s Paige. (Get it? Paper… page… Paige?) :)
• Listening to Meiko. Especially loving How Lucky We Are.
• While I was making dinner, my daughter comes in and says, ‘Oh, I almost forgot!’ 
She reaches down into the side of her sock and pulls out a small, pretty stone. ‘It’s for you, Mom. I found it during recess and knew you would love it.’ Aww, bless her soul, the sweet dear carried a rock in her sock all day just for me… :)
• Blog Action Day. A great concept. Won’t you consider joining in?
• In a recent note from The Universe, this single line resonated with me so much that I have adopted it as my new mantra: “Joy remains life’s only inevitable.” I love that perspective.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
oh my– this was Inspire Me TUESDAY! Lovely lovely post—
September 25th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
I just about laughed myself into a fit when you explained Paper and Paige! I love kids and their sayings. Also, your new mantra is awesome. Just wonderful.
September 25th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
oh how nice it is to see you smiling…
lolllll…paper. that is so very sweet! So glad to hear she is making new friends, Jader really misses having her to chum with!
bury the bad stuff….yes, perhaps that’s just what i need to do. we always seem to be on the same page.
missing you so much! xo
September 26th, 2007 at 5:20 am
Nice! I LOVE Meiko — she played an amazing show at the Hotel Cafe in L.A. tonight, and announced onstage that her song “Reasons To Love You” will be in tomorrow nights episode of Greys Anatomy!
September 26th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
Love your pages! And what a sweet daughter you have … the rock in her sock is just too precious LOL! My girls are the same … always giving me little treasures that they just know I will like … and I always do, they know me so well LOL!
September 29th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
I love your artwork but especially all the sweet stories sprinkled in!
Thanx for the Meiko link - I’m listening now! Hugs, Laura
September 29th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Melanie,
These are indeed precious, precious intimacies you share about your daughter…I feel it in my heart (I too, have a daughter). These are moments beyond words…and you do a magnifcient job of sharing it. I could actully hear her voice as I was reading : ) Yes…Joy IS inevitable!
And thank you very much for your comments of appreciation on my SoulCollage Card of the Mermaid. I love being a part of IMT!
September 30th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
This is a beautiful post, I love the vibe. And your site is so delightful to browse around.
October 16th, 2007 at 12:32 am
Oh my gosh, that is so strange. When my daughter was in pre-school(She is 13 now.), she also came home and told me that she had a friend named Paper. It turned out that her friend’s name was Paige, too! We still laugh about it til this day! Too cute!
October 24th, 2007 at 5:50 am
Melanie–These are just the kinds of precious vignettes to savor for a lifetime! My four daughters are all grown, but we have stories we remember about each of them which make us smile, and perhaps tear up now and then. To be honest, I got a tear in my eye reading about your daughter capturing a rock for you and keeping it in her sock all day long. Such a touching tale!
December 6th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
That rock in the sock story is the sweetest thing I have heard in a long time. Precious!