I asked my four year old son what brought him joy. His immediate answer:"Stuff with fire engines. And pizza. And those cupcakes with the green and blue sprinkles."

Well, okay then.

I then asked my three year old daughter what brought *her* joy. She chewed her fruit snacks carefully and thought hard. "Dresses," she said."Like the princesses."

I looked to my almost ten month old daughter to see what brought her joy and her hand was so deeply shoved in her mouth that drool was absolutely soaking her onesie all the way to her bellybutton. Clearly,teething does not bring her joy, but chewing on her hand *does*.

So what brings *me* joy?

Well, let's start with the simple, obvious stuff: those three little people and my amazing husband. My family. Joy, pure and simple.

But joy can also come from somewhat selfish mommy moments, so let's bring this focus back to "all about me" for a minute, okay?

Joy! The perfect cappuccino with just the right amount of extra foam.Being able to watch the clouds roll by, even if it's just for a moment.Finding those insanely cute sandals I thought I lost in our last move.Two hour phone dates with my best friend. Farmer's Markets. A new dishwasher (replacing the one that was purchased in 1990). Date night.Cookies fresh from the oven. Singing at top volume while showering,cooking, cleaning, and so forth. Staycations. Driving a minivan and feeling cool, not old. Getting my hair done. Having a husband who finds me as beautiful and sexy in a t-shirt and jeans as he does in a dress and high heels. My great relationship with my mom. Making it through a shopping trip with three kids without any tears, tantrums, or emergency diaper changes. The perfect shade of red lipstick. Loving my body not because it's perfect, but because of where it has taken me and all it does in a single day. Chasing the ice cream truck down the street..Rearranging furniture. Again. (And again. And again.) Freshly cut lowers. Being secure in who I am, where I'm at in life, and those I'm traveling alongside. Trying out a new recipe and having it well received by at least 3/4 of the family. Getting lost in a good book. Finding a forgotten ten dollar bill in the pocket of a pair of jeans. Cheap(err..."reasonably priced") gasoline. Realizing when it's worth the fight and when it's just best to walk away. A good thunderstorm,especially when I forgot to water the garden the night before. Coming home to a house that might need a good cleaning and a handful of cosmetic updates but is still very much *home*.

So, what else brings me joy?

Joy is also seeing my three year old daughter beam with pride at"finding" her birth country of Guatemala on the globe. Joy is my four year old son explaining to a perfect stranger that his youngest sister(almost ten months old and visually impaired since birth) won't ever be able to see with her eyes but she can already see with her heart. Joy is a day of crazy errands, a day when there just isn't time to adequately brush my hair, let alone shower, a day where I've heard the same request for (insert junk food item here) no less than ten times in the span of an hour. Joy is my healthy, happy family. Joy is knowing that stress is fleeting, even if it doesn't always seem that way. Joy is life with all its ups and downs, trials and tribulations, hopes and heartaches. Joy is living to the fullest as often as possible, and if falling offtrack--if losing sight of the immense wonder and beauty of the world--getting right back on board and appreciating every single day for what it is and what it's worth.

“This post is part of SOYJOY ‘s What brings you joy contest. Learn more here. ”