A More Positive Outlook - and a Happy Anniversary

So Jason and I have been talking a lot the last few days about having a more positive outlook on life. We need to go beyond the glass half full debate, and venture further, realizing that even that phrase can be taken with a different meaning. By saying the glass is half full you may be inferring that it could be more full. By saying the glass is half empty you could be inferring that you are glad it is not all the way empty. So anyway, that is the groundwork for our family training themselves to think more positively and with purpose.

Last night I was going about my usual business of doing a million things at one. I needed to wash some bottles and stuff for the baby so I plugged the sink, ran the hot water, and added some soap. No big deal, right??? Then I walked out to the garage to do something, immediately forgot what I was out there for, and got distracted by the "evil email and facebook."

About 10 - 15 minutes later (I'm not totally sure how long since I was so engrossed in being distracted) Jason called me into the house to see this great play that just happened on Monday Night Football. As I entered the house I heard that fateful sound coming from the kitchen ... "what is that noise???"

At once everything began to m move in s l o w m o t i o n as I realized what I had just done. I splashed my way (in my socks) across the kitchen to hurry up and turn off the water! I kept thinking "stop the bleeding!" I couldn't believe the waterfall that was cascading out of the sink and down the fronts of the cabinets! In my memory I see a rubber duckie sporting snorkel gear gliding over the edge, though I know it is just my imagination running wild.

"OH MY GOSH HUN!"

I think that's what I said ... all I know is that I knew I had really screwed up this time. You see, this is not the first time I have done this - but it IS the worst time. Last time it was just a little puddle. This time there was an inch of water making it's way into the living room!! If there is ever a time to be thankful that you DO NOT have the beautiful new wood floors you have been dreaming of, this would be it.

Jason and I spent the next hour sopping up all the water. We pulled the fridge, dishwasher, and stove out to dry under them. We pulled the kick plates off the bottoms of the cabinets and dried under there. Then as I was taking the baby back into the living room for the six hundredth time to try to find something more interesting for him to do than watch mommy and daddy going crazy in the kitchen, AND mentally beating myself up for doing this AGAIN and being so easily distracted, I hear my darling husband from the kitchen say, "It's OK Hun. I know you were just trying to make this anniversary memorable. Just try not to out-do yourself next year!"

At once I was liberated! My mind was completely at ease. I never would have thought that the practice of improving one's outlook would produce such dramatic results, and so quickly!!

You see, we didn't go out or do anything fancy for our anniversary because we have been exhausted from sick kids, insomniac baby, and extreme business. We just sent the girls off to the grammas' houses, ordered Mexican food, and planned for a quiet, uneventful evening. But I think we ended up having a better time together as it turned out. Just the two of us, with a little "help" from the baby, cleaning the kitchen, thinking positively, and being thankful and forgiving. Kinda funny, but I think it's the best Anniversary I ever had.