Laughter is the shortest distance between two people. - Victor Borge

I don't really like presentations.  I always get super nervous, my hands shake, and I'm pretty sure that everyone is bored to death by what I'm saying.

Today I did a PowerPoint presentation on different cultures' weddings.  I picked three, thought they were interesting, but the students looked board out of their minds.  After the presentation, I had them read a newspaper article on one of the groups and how the elders in the community were concerned that their traditions were being tossed aside and that more Westernized ideas were taking their place.  The students then did a think, pair, share about it.  While they were pairing off, I walked around to see what people were saying.  I got to one part of the class, and two of the students said that I should teach every day, and the classmates sitting around them all agreed.  It made my heart smile to see that what I'm doing isn't for waste, and that the students do enjoy it (in hindsight, I should've realized the students were enjoying the presentation because they were all pretty silent during it, even though they didn't have to write any notes).

(Also, I did a 3-2-1 exit card, and for the 1 I asked for them to write one thing they enjoyed about the lesson.  One of the students wrote, "Learning about different weddings, and your laugh."  That also made me smile.)

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. - Herm Albright, quoted in Reader's Digest, June 1995

My first moment happened sometime last week.  I was on my way home on the bus after school, and the bus driver pulled over and ran into a store.  He left the door open and someone entered the bus while the driver was away.  What made my heart smile was that the person who came onto the bus, even though the driver was away, still paid.  There's so many stories about people being dishonest, but here was a case where a person was being honest when they could've gotten away with lying.  It was just such a nice thing to see.

All week I have been incredibly stressed and sick.  It's just not a good mix and hasn't been a whole lot of fun.  Yesterday I stayed up super late to finish two lesson plans and was really worried that my AT would think they were flops.  I wasn't looking forward to getting them passed by her, but couldn't think of any other way to get the information to the students.  I tentatively showed her my lesson plan, and immediately after reading my first questionable plan, she said, "Love it.  Keep it in."  My heart smiled to know that my work was appreciated and that she has faith in the work that I come up with, even when I don't.  (It also made my heart smile because it means I don't have to redo it tonight, so instead of been cuddling with my cat since she's been neglected lately).

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. - Eleanor Roosevelt

As I've written already, the school and work load is pretty intense right now.  It seems that most of my time is spent doing only academic or work related stuff.  Not really how I enjoy spending my time...

So a little break is always welcomed.  Today a group of us from class went out afterwards for some food and drinks.  It's nice getting to see people outside of the classroom, talking about stuff that's not school related.  It sort of humanizes all of us and is a nice reminder that we're more than just what we read for class.  My heart was smiling so much during our lunch, that I didn't want to leave!  I'm looking forward to more opportunities to get to know my classmates, especially those I haven't had the chance to really chat with so far.

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. - Robert Brault

For the last couple of weeks, it seems as though the only times I leave the house is when I absolutely have to.  I have to go to school, go to work, or got to family's for dinner.  It's not just been about going out just because.  And that gets kind of exhausting.  In fact, I've started to just not want to go out, and instead staying in when I don't have to be somewhere.  Which is good, but also not really all that good because I then start to only do school work when I'm home, so that eventually it feels like every waking minute is consumed by school and work.

Which is why today was so nice.  After school and work, I went out with Chris for dinner and a movie.  It was nice for that little bit to be out in the world and not doing something that needed to be done.  There was no task involved.  Also, the movie was rather entertaining and enjoyable.

So the smiling heart moment for the day was being able to do something that I didn't have to do, and enjoying it.  It was small and simple, but it gave me a much needed break.

Happiness is a form of courage. - Holbrook Jackson

It's funny how sometimes moments that make you uncomfortable or stressed can turn into moments that, when you look back on it, are good moments.

Today in class we had a really uncomfortable conversation on the idea of white complicity.  Someone made a comment that wasn't very well received by the class (myself included).  In moments like that, I often like to shrink back and hope that they just resolve themselves and pass.  I don't particularly like getting involved in conflicts, and my immediate reaction is for flight.  However, as the discussion continued on, I realized that I could offer a unique perspective into the conversation, and could feel that others were waiting for me to say something.  I very cautiously put up my hand, then quickly put it back down, but I was too late.  The teacher noticed, and I was eventually called on.

The thing is, I don't really like sharing personal stories in arguments, especially in tense situations where it could be tossed back at me.  I guess I've just been hurt too many times, so I find it easier to withdraw.  So when it was my turn to speak, my heart was thumping like mad, my face turned beat read, my voice was quivering, and my hands were shaking.  But I got what was needed to say out, and afterwards, people came up to me and thanked me for it.

Yes, it was really hard, both emotionally and physically, to say what I did, but I'm grateful that I did.  In fact, I'd even go as far as to say that it was my smiling heart moment for the day.

Got no checkbooks, got no banks,/ Still I'd like to express my thanks - /I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night. - Irving Berlin, "I Got the Sun in the Morning," 1946

I have to say that if ever there was a time to update this blog, it's on Thanksgiving.  The whole point of this was to remind myself of all the small things and moments that I have every single day to be thankful for.  And even though I don't update this even close to regularly, it has helped me to think about those times.

It's been an amazing weekend.  For starters, it was a long weekend, which is something I am most definitely thankful for.  While I love school tremendously and have met some amazing people and learned some amazing things, it's nice to have a mini break.  Although this break was not nearly long enough.  But enough of that.

The last couple of weeks that I've worked Saturday closes, we've been swamped and the store's been a disaster when it closes.  Which means we get out later than usual, which means it sucks.  However, this Saturday, even though we were busy, my heart smiled when the door closed and I was out of work on time.

Sunday was Thanksgiving with my mom's family.  It was a pigs roast, which wasn't too smiling heart for me, but there was also a kegger, and for that, my heart was smiling.  (Plus I got to see family and all that good stuff). 

Today I got to meet Chris' extended family and have some of his grandmother's homemade lasagna.  It was everything I imagined it to be (super delicious), and his family was very nice and inviting.  My heart is still smiling knowing that that's done and went well.

Everything in life happens for a reason so live it, learn it, and love it. Use your smile to change the world; don't let the world change your smile! - Unknown

I attended a Peace and Justice in Education conference today.  I had to wake up at 6am on a Saturday, and it was absolutely dead downtown when I got there.  Let's just say, I wasn't that happy at first.  But the conference itself ended up being amazing, and quickly I realized that it was worth the early morning wake up.  

On top of all the really awesome information, I also saw how many connections and relationships I'm forming with other classmates.  My heart smiled when I realized that I never once was left sitting alone all day, and never found myself unable to find someone to talk to.

It was nice to know that one of my biggest fears of the school year was completely unfounded!

Nothing contributes so much to tranquilize the mind as a steady purpose - a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye. - Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley,Frankenstein, 1818

This past month has been a total whirlwind.  At times I've felt so overwhelmed by new information, deadlines, and facing my anxiety of public speaking and meeting new people, but I've always felt this sense of "this is where I belong."

However, with being so busy, it's meant that I haven't been around that often and haven't been able to spend the amount of quality time that I like to spend with those I care about.  When I am around, I feel like my head is elsewhere, and a good chunk of the time, I'm just not around.

But, today I got to spend some time with Chris, which felt nice to be able to do.  We didn't do anything spectacular, but play video games, watch an episode of Firefly, and lie around.  And really, that made my heart smile.  Just having the opportunity to turn my mind off and relax for a couple of hours did it for me.

Could we change our attitude, we should not only see life differently, but life itself would come to be different. - Katherine Mansfield

Today was my first day of class!  It went awesome.  After four straight hours of class, I wanted to get home and have some lunch, but I also wanted to get something signed from the registrars office.  My train home comes once an hour, and I was little worried that I'd miss the one by mere seconds and have to wait another hour at the train station for the next one... But not the case!  My heart smiled when all of my running from the subway to the train worked out and I made it to the train in time!  I'm sure this will not be the last time I do this!

There are some days when I think I'm going to die from an overdose of satisfaction. - Salvador Dali

I'm going to do yesterday and then today.

I've been going out with Chris for three months now (maybe longer?) and he's always talking about his friends.  He's known them for 20 years, so obviously he's close with them, which made meeting them a big deal.  Yesterday was finally the big day.  It made my heart smile when we left several hours later and I had a good feeling about the night.

I've been a bit worried about being out of school for so long and now getting back in to it.  It made my heart smile when I finished my homework this morning.

What is possible? What you will. - Augustus William Hare and Julius Charles Hare, Guesses at Truth, by Two Brothers, 1827

I have been waiting for today since early April.  Well, really since last May.  I had a lot of anxiety, but the day finally came and it was great!  Today was my orientation/registration day at school, and it was awesome getting to meet a bunch of people and get a better idea of my program.  Hopefully the rest of the year is just as good!  My heart smiled all day!

Defeat is not bitter unless you swallow it. - Joe Clark

It's been way too long, and way too much has happened for me to do a full update.  So I'm not even going to try, but I will try to be much better at updating in the future!

So without further ado...

I was in a rotten mood today.  Not right when I woke up, but pretty shortly afterward.  A bit of a shock caught me off guard, I over reacted, and someone else hit a real sore spot.  But thankfully a conversation with Chris helped put things into perspective, a plan was made, and my heart was smiling again.  It's amazing how quickly things can turn around when you have someone helping you out.

I want adventure in the great wide somewhere. / I want it more than I can tell. / And for once it might be grand / To have someone understand / I want so much more than they've got planned... - Belle

Today is my birthday!  This day alone makes my heart smile.  But, I honestly had a super awesome birthday.  I got far more than I imagined I'd get, including some really great crocheting books from my sister that have already given me tons of ideas.  Also, we spent the day downtown watching Beauty and the Beast on stage. I have been dropping rather obvious hints that this is what I wanted for my birthday as soon as it was announced that it was coming on my birthday.  Hints such as stating that I'd be really upset if I didn't get tickets, sticking an advertisement for it on the fridge, and making a point of pointing out all of the commercials for it when it came on television.  It ended up being well worth it!  Fantastic show!  Afterwards I got my free birthday drink from Starbucks, nacho poutine, fantastic fish and chips, and birthday cake.

Suffice to say, I can't pick just one moment today that made my heart smile, it was all too good!

And just to make some more hearts smile, here's my favourite song from Beauty and the Beast:

A happy thought is like a seed that sows positivity for all to reap. - Miriam Muhammad

I'm going to do today's and yesterday's again.

After I finished work yesterday, I decided to head over to the Starbucks for the free drink they were giving out.  I got the Cool Lime Refresher, which was, by the way, amazing (and would've been my smiling heart moment if not for the second bit).  After I headed up to my sister's work, waited for her to finish, then we caught the first of two buses together.  The bus ended up being late and if we took it all the way to the station, we would have definitely missed our connecting bus.  So instead we got off a bit earlier, and made a run for the second.  We were cutting it tight and realized this, but we were both so hot and exhausted, that we figured it would be worth the risk if it meant we could be home half an hour earlier.

As we got to just across the street from the bus stop, we saw the bus.  My sister and I started waving frantically, hoping that the driver would not only see us, but also take pity on us being out in the heat and would wait for us.  Both of our hearts smiled when he stopped and waited!  I don't think people often realize how doing small acts of kindness like that can really make a person have an amazing day.  When we both got home, I sent an email to the bus company letting them know how much we appreciated what he did, and I hope that they put that in his file for him.

Today I was incredibly lucky to be taken to the ROM for my birthday!  I love dinosaurs, and the ROM has a special exhibit on for them right now, so Chris took me to see it.  We had a great day, checking out the temporary and permanent dinosaur exhibit, as well as many others.  It was just chilled, relaxed, and the air conditioning definitely helped.  After we went across the street to Gabby's for lunch/dinner, and I was incredibly impressed to see my favourite beer, New Castle Dark Ale, was on tap!  So I'd have to say that my whole day was a smiling heart moment and great start to my birthday weekend!

Being in a good frame of mind helps keep one in the picture of health. - Author Unknown

Today I went for a jog in the morning, followed by a quick dip in the pool.  While waiting to dry off, I sat on my deck, in the sun, and finished reading Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett.  I love the Discworld series, and recently decided to try and read all of them following this reading guide.  As you can tell, I'm not even a quarter of the way to the end.  Before I started this, the Wizards/Rincewind novels were never really my favourite, but they have definitely started to grow on me!

Anyway, my heart smiled when I finished the novel.  The weather was perfect, I was feeling cooled off after my jog, and most importantly for me, I actually went on the jog even though I was trying to talk myself out of it when I woke up.  It was a perfect start to the day!

Be happy. It's one way of being wise. - Colette

Today was pretty simple.  My heart smiled while watching Million Dollar Quartet.  It was amazing!

Laughter is the corrective force which prevents us from becoming cranks. - Henri Bergson

Before I write today's, I have to do yesterday's, which involves a bit of a back story.

About a month ago my mom bought a cat carrier for our one cat, Gump.  He's not the easiest getting to, from, or while at, the vet.  So we all figured this larger cat carrier would make the yearly visit a bit easier.  Just before his yearly visit, we brought up the carrier and placed it in the living room with a blanket nicely folded inside.  We were hoping that he'd go in and check it out, and make himself familiar with it.  Well, he didn't.  Forest, our other cat, has decided it's the perfect bed for her.

Every night I have a bedtime routine with the two cats.  I go into the kitchen, call them, and they get two cat treats each.  Forest eats some of the dry food, then we head upstairs.  Gump immediately gets two more treats in my room, and Forest gets her two when she's finished having a drink in the washroom.  Then Gump goes and does his thing for the night, and Forest sleeps on my bed.

Well, last night Forest quickly came out of the cat carrier for her two treats in the kitchen, but then quickly went back into the carrier where she decided she was not going to leave.  I tried calling her out, went upstairs and gave Gump his two more treats in the hopes that she'd get jealous and follow, continued calling her.  She was absolutely not going to budge.

So I sat down next to the carrier to decide what my next move was.  You see, you can take the top off of the carrier, so I considered just taking the top off and lifting her out.  But, when I thought about it, I didn't like doing that because I think she likes the carrier because it's really hard to get to her, and I didn't want to take that away from her.  So then I thought about just leaving her downstairs.  But, I'm going away for three weeks soon, so I'm trying to get all the snuggle time I can get while I can (plus, she'll just get even more mad at me for leaving if I don't).  So then I considered taking her upstairs in the carrier.  But, I didn't want to do that because I felt it would give her the wrong impression and potentially add another step to our already overly complicated and unnecessary bedtime routine.

After thinking all of this, I couldn't stop laughing out loud.  And I mean really laughing.  Here was this little cat with huge eyes staring at me from inside her carrier, daring me to make a move, and I was over thinking this situation as if she were an actual child and as if whatever action I chose would some how affect how she'd turn out in the future or something.  She can't even poop in the toilet for crying out loud!  Like it really matters how I get her upstairs.

So, while I was carrying her upstairs in her carrier, laughing the entire way at the absolute ridiculousness of the situation and the fact that she won, my heart was smiling.

Here's a picture of the spoiled princess:

Now, for today's.

I think I mentioned in here that I got into Teacher's College.  If I didn't, well... I got in!

Anyway, my school has different cohorts for the students, which kind of allow you to specialize in different things.  For example, there's a Multicultural and Multilingual cohort, an Inner-City Schools cohort, and then basic cohorts that just have to do with different school boards.  Everyone has to list their three top picks, and for all but the basic school boards one, explain why you feel you should be in that cohort.  From there, the school picks which fit is for you.

My first pick was the Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development cohort... and I got in!  So obviously my heart was smiling today when I opened the email that said I got my first pick.

Now I have to go and do the bedtime routine with my cats.  And yes, Forest is in the carrier, eyeing me already.

Laughter is an instant vacation. - Milton Berle

Back in 1997 a movie came out that I instantly fell in love with.  Now, 15 years later, the third of the series has come out and today I got to go and see it.  My heart smiled, and I laughed, while watching The Men in Black III today.  The only thing I missed was the dog.

Also, my heart smiled even extra harder when the person I was with unexpectantly mentioned how one of the characters reminded him of the idea of time travel in Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, which happens to be one of my favourite novels.

It is strange what a contempt men have for the joys that are offered them freely. - Georges Duhamel

Today is stupid humid.  The humidity had managed to seep it's way into my work, making it really uncomfortable during my shift.  I was sweating even when I was doing nothing more than shift from one leg to another.  So when I finished work and walked into my cool air conditioned house, my heart was smiling.

Start every day with a smile and get it over with. - W.C. Fields

I got home late last night, so I wasn't able to post for yesterday even though I really wanted to.

Last night I went to Toronto to see the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's free concert where they performed Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.  1812 Overture is the first classical piece of music I really got into back in grade nine music class.  I was quite obsessed with it, to be frankly honest, especially of a recording that I have with actual canons.  While the TSO didn't have actual canons, they did have fireworks instead.  It really made my heart smile to be able to see this song finally done in person (and they did a really awesome job!)

For anyone interested, here is a recording of 1812 Overture.  You should really listen to the whole thing for the full impact, but for those that have little patience, the canons come after 12:20 when Russia is officially kicking Napolean's ass and continues intermittently from then till the end.

As for today, I woke up exhausted and hot.  I hate humidity.  I figured whatever, put a smile one and get it over with (hence why I picked that quote for today).  I got to work, was almost done my shift (the end was in sight!) and was asked to work for four more hours.  It was one of those situations where I really didn't want to say yes, but the logical part of me knew that I need the money.  So I said yes.  And you know what made it all worth it?  A father and daughter.  Cutest little couple ever, she was six years old, incredibly shy, and her dad was so intent on buying her some dresses and skirts.  Working in retail, sometimes you can see the real ugly in people.  People who are rude, disrespectful, and just all around unpleasant.  So it's always a breath of fresh air to have people who are the exact opposite of that in the store.  Watching the two of them interact brought a smile to my heart.  

Anywhere is paradise; it's up to you. - Author Unknown

I think that somewhere along the way I forgot what this blog is about.  So here's a reminder to myself: It's about the small stuff.  It's unrealistic to expect everyday to have a big wow moment, but everyday does have a smiling heart moment.

Today, my moment was pretty low scale, and hopefully with the summer weather coming in, I'll have more moments like this in the upcoming months.  There was a lovely breeze and lots of sun outside, so I decide to read my book out there on the porch.  It was the perfect temperature and incredibly relaxing.  My heart was smiling the whole time.

What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul. - Yiddish Proverb

I have two things that made my heart smile today.

After writing a long email to my lovely friend in Australia, I went to go get the mail.  To my surprise, I had a package in the mail coming from the same friend in Australia!  My heart immediately started smiling then, because who doesn't love getting international mail?  When I opened the package, my heart was smiling even harder when I saw that her husband had sent me a baseball cap and scarf from his favourite Aussie Rules Football team, the Hawks.  The scarf is already joining the other Aussie scarf I have for the Bombers.  I'm pretty sure I have more Australian sports memorabilia than I do Canadian!

This is so simple, but I have to post this anyway.  One of my cats, Gump, used to be an outdoor cat but is now an indoor cat.  The transition started a year ago and has not been easy.  So on nice days, he is normally sitting at the front or back door watching as the outside world goes on without him and waiting for the perfect opportunity to slip out.  Normally when he is doing this, it's impossible to get his attention.  But today, my heart smiled when I called his name, and not only did he come to me, but he ran to me.  He just seemed so happy to have someone call his name, it was almost like he was skipping!

A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes. - Hugh Downs

I recently took up jogging, which is pretty random for me.  I never really enjoyed running and only did as a means to an end, and never just for fun.  However, I got it in my head that I should be able to run for the Colon Cancer Walk/Run this year.  I trained and trained and trained, and was finally able to run 10km (you could do the 5 or 10km).  Today was the day that I got to put my training into practice, and although I wasn't able to run the 10km (was going to try, but the heat and humidity was absolutely unbearable and my cushy gym didn't allow for factoring that into my training), I was able to do the 5km.

So, suffice to say, my heart smiled when I past the finished line.  This time last year I wouldn't have even imagined that I'd be writing this right now and I certainly wasn't thinking of taking up jogging.  It's always a great feeling when you manage to accomplish something that you never thought you'd be able to accomplish.

And I already have plans to run 10km next year, regardless of the heat and humidity.

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think.

Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.  - A.A. Milne

Today, after a year of wanting to but not doing it, I went back to where I graduated from university last year.  The distance to the school kept me away, but a recent inconvenience that I had to get settled at the university made me go, and I'm glad that it did.  I decided to make a trip out of it.  So, after getting the university administration stuff out of the way, I visited the child care centre that I worked at for four years.  It was great seeing the amazing ladies I worked with.  Catching up, and some really good conversations put a huge smile on my face!  I  miss that place so much!  I only wish I lived closer so that I could visit more often.  After stopping there, I had lunch with a friend I haven't seen since she lived in England for a year.  It was awesome catching up with her and hearing her fantastic stories.  

Overall, my heart was smiling all day.  Who can complain when they get to enjoy amazing weather, great company, and get to see the place that they where lived and loved for five years.  I couldn't have asked for a better day.

Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been. - Mark Twain,Following the Equator

I have two smiling heart moments today.

To begin with, there was a bag that we sell at my work.  From the moment we got it, I loved it, but I'm frugal and wouldn't allow myself to buy it.  Then, a couple weeks ago, the store manager mentioned that we need coins, and if there's anything that I have plenty of, it's coins.  So we agreed that I could buy the bag with my coins before my next shift (two days later).  I showed up for my next shift with more than enough coins to buy this bag and found out that it had been sold.  I was heart broken.  I figured it was no big deal, she bought my coins from me, I put the money I received aside and decided I'd either wait to buy it or when I'm near another store I'd pick it up.  Today I was going to be by another one of the stores after my shift ended.  I checked to see if the store had my bag in stock, and they didn't.  I was beginning to think that maybe this was a sign and it just wasn't meant to be.  But then while checking what new stock we'd be receiving, my bag was listed!  At that exact moment, my heart was smiling.  As soon as we unpacked it, we put the bag aside and after my shift, I bought it!  It wasn't so much the buying the bag that made my heart smile, it was the fact that as soon as I was starting to give up hope on it, it came through.

The second moment has more lasting reasons for making my heart smile.  Nine years ago I was diagnosed as being deadly allergic to hazelnuts and walnuts.  My favourite chocolates could kill me.  It was brutal.  I eventually got used to it, but it still wasn't a lot of fun and makes traveling to Europe a little difficult. Then after a month of eating tons of avocados, I had a reaction to one that was all too similar to my experience with eating those two nuts.  A week ago I went to get a blood test done to check if I'm allergic to those three foods, and since this blog is about positive things, the results obviously came back negative.  My heart was smiling when I found out that I no longer have to check the ingredients for chocolates anymore!

The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet. - James Openheim

I'm not a gardener.  In fact, the full extent of my gardening experience is planting seeds in a Styrofoam cup in kindergarten.  So, for whatever reason, I got this idea in my head to grow a vegetable garden this year.  Of course, I can't just take a garden that is already being used, so my vegetables will be growing at the side of the house in the patch of earth that was being used as a tossing ground for old planters.  Which means that I had to prep my garden.  Which I thought meant getting on my hands and knees and doing a whole lot of pulling stuff up and getting sweaty and who knows what else.

So, my smiling heart moment was when I asked my sister to help me (expecting the huge task of using my hands to pull lord knows what up and out and all other crazy images I had), and she showed me how simple prepping my garden would really be!  We just pulled out the stuff that needs to go to the landfill, and used a rake to pull out the old leaves and twigs and move the soil around.  Hopefully I'll get some top soil to put down this weekend, and will be planting my veggies in no time!

The world is full of people looking for spectacular happiness while they snub contentment. - Doug Larson

My smiling heart moment today was pretty simple, but really just made it a good day.  My sister and I decided we want to see Hunger Games today.  Since neither of us drive, we are reliant on public transit.  Normally this isn't a huge deal, but the bus schedule on Sunday is very wonky, and not many of the buses line up.  So, essentially, our second bus leaves the station two minutes before our first bus gets there, meaning we'd be sitting at the bus station for an hour.  Because the first bus is technically a bus from another town, we're normally told that they can't ask the other buses to wait.  But today, our bus driver immediately asked us if we needed a bus put on hold for us, and, on top of that, the second bus driver waited!  My heart smiled knowing that these two ladies were helping us out and we wouldn't have to wait an hour!  

It's amazing how people can do very little things that can make a difference in another person's day.

If you have the will to win, you have achieved half your success; if you don't, you have achieved half your failure. - David Ambrose

Today isn't even half over, but I already know what my smiling heart moment is for the day!  I've set some goals for myself, one is to be able to run a certain distance, the other to get to a certain weight by July.  Well, for someone who isn't a runner and who has been working on losing weight for a while now with no success, I was a little unsure as to whether or not I'd be able to do it.  But, I refused to give up and wanted to at the very least be able to say I gave it my all and hopefully see some results, if not exactly what I was hoping for.  However, today I did it!  I haven't yet reached my weight goal, but not only did I reach my running goal, but I exceeded it! I ran an extra 1.3km than I planned on!  My heart smiled when I got off the treadmill, my legs shaking like jelly and knowing that I accomplished a goal!

Happiness is your dentist telling you it won't hurt and then having him catch his hand in the drill. - Johnny Carson

Back in the summer I discovered the amazing television show Game of Thrones.  In the fall, I bought the first book in the series that the show is based on by George R. R. Martin.  I quickly burned through all five books in the series, and haven't gotten several other people hooked on the series.  A couple months ago I pre-ordered the television series, which happened to arrive today!  My heart smiled when I opened it up and watched the first episode, and I'm sure it'll continue to smile after every episode!

Joy is a flower that blooms when you do. - Author Unknown

Today was Family Day, meaning no work!  To top it off, the sun was shining and it was fairly warm out there (well, very warm if you consider what the average temperature is for February).  I went for a nice long walk through the park today, which really brought a smile to my heart.  It was nice seeing all the people out with their family, going for walks and playing in the park.  So pretty and relaxing!

It takes a lot of work from the face to let out a smile, but just think what good smiling can bring to the most important muscle of the body... the heart. - Author Unknown

I had an amazing day.  I was asked to do a talk about my trip to Bulembu, Swaziland to a ladies church group.  I don't particularly like doing public talks, but figured that it's worth it to spread word for Bulembu and the amazing work that they do.  Little did I know, I would be told that they would donate $100 to the charity of my choice.  My heart smiled to hear that $100 would be going to Bulembu to help out.  It's truly amazing how generous people can be!

Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold. - Maurice Setter

It's been too long!

My day wasn't a very exciting day.  In fact, it was fairly uneventful.  It began around 9am when I woke up, and my heart smiled almost immediately.  You see, I was able to lay in bed till 10:30am reading and cuddling with my cat, and if that's not a reason for my heart to smile, I really don't know what is!  After finally rolling out of bed and making my way downstairs, I asked my sister if she would like to go out for lunch.  I highly suspected she would say yes, so we went for a nice quiet lunch around the corner in the afternoon.  My heart smiled to be able to have a nice lunch with my sister.  She's going away for a week, so it was nice to be able to have a chat with her before she leaves for sunny Cuba!