Small and simple things

Do you ever stop and think about the small and simple things in life?
The things that pass you by and you may or may not give a second glace or thought to?

I like to think that I like to "stop and smell the roses" when i can.

The other day, Allie asked for a PB&J sandwich for her after school snack. So i made her one and just as I was about done making it, she asked if I'd cut the crusts off. This situation could be handled in one of 2 ways.

1- I could have said "No" and then said something like, "it's high time you eat the crusts i say!"

or

2-Sure i'll cut them off.



Having your crusts cut off at 7 yrs old is still a happy thing. It's so simple. No crust=happiness. But then people grow up and happiness can be harder to find, maybe because we forget to see the small and simple things.

This all came into my mind because the other day, i was standing in the kitchen and Chase came over to me and hugged my legs, not just leaned on them, but hugged them....for reals.
That is the second time in his life that I've gotten a real hug from him.
I force him all the time to give me hugs, but it's always just me, wrapping his arms around my neck and me squeezing him and him humoring me until i stop squeezing him and let him go.
But this hug, this day, was so random and unexpected.
And just like the first time I got a 'real' hug from him almost 2 years ago, i stood there wishing that moment would last forever.

Why autistic kids are not usually the touchy feely type i just don't know. But they're not all like that. My sister's son Gavin, (5 yrs old) who also has autism, is the most lovable kid I know. He's not privy to anyone. For example: My sister and i were eating at Applebees the other day, and the couple in the booth next to us were the victims of many hugs and kisses on the arm and shoulder by Gavin. They were good people and didn't mind the love.

The next day, I went with my sister to Enterprise rental car by the airport and Gavin gave about 15 hugs to the cashier.
He's so quick.
The cashier was kind and didn't mind the love.

For most parents, a hug from their 4 yr old son is probably a small and simple everyday norm. But for me, that small and simple thing was profoundly great!

"By small and simple things are great things brought to pass"~Alma

It's the small and simple things that I love most about life.
Like:
*Crust-less sandwiches (you gotta admit... a finger food sandwich without the crust really does taste better)
*Hugs from our kids
*Simple little love notes left for spouses to see in the mornings before they leave for work, or love notes slipped into our children's lunch boxes
*Eating homemade soup on a cold wintry day.
*Letting someone go in the lane ahead of you while driving down the road and seeing them raise their hand in a thank you gesture
*Anticipating the season premier of your favorite TV show when summer's finally over.
*Chocolate mousse cheesecake
*The smell of dinner in the oven when walking through the front door.
*Putting on your favorite pair of jeans right after they come out of the dryer.
*Going to the beach
*Krispi Kreme's free donuts when you walk in
*Watching the previews at the movie theatre before your movie starts
*Climbing into bed after just putting on fresh sheets
*Finding that 20 dollar bill you stashed away in a drawer forever ago and forgot about...and then using it on a Blizzard from DQ.
Oh DQ how i love you.




Yesterday Chase seemed tired and was cranky. As my grandma used to say, "I think he'd had a bowl of the uglies for breakfast" when i wasn't looking.
He also wouldn't let me put on his black airwalk shoes with little green skulls, instead, he insisted on wearing Allie's tinkerbell shoes that light up. Then when we got to school, he wouldn't get out of the car. Since I can't ask Chase what's wrong...and knowing i wouldn't be getting those Tinkerbell shoes off anytime soon, i decided that Chase didn't need to go to school that day, but instead, we needed Blizzards from Dairy Queen.
Wouldn't ya know it?? It worked.
As i climbed in the back seat to enjoy my blizzard with Chase, i knew we were right where we were supposed to be.
DQ Blizzards=small and simple, yet heals what ails you.