Mandy Photo Challenge: Happy

This week Mandy's photo challenge come complete with an essay assignment as well-- find a picture (that I've taken) of something that makes me happy and then explain why it makes me happy.

So, I could choose to take a picture of my wonderful Keurig which makes me happy every morning when it brews the wonderful nectar of the god's known as coffee. I don't know that I can even comprehend the word "happy" (or much of anything else) without coffee.

Or I could post a picture of my curly-headed boys. As my friend Anne could tell you, curly-headed boys have been a source of happiness for me for years. What a blessing that God gave me two of them to raise.

Or I could put a picture of some place I've traveled as travel makes me very happy. Every now and then I get the itch to go somewhere and always come back happier once I've been away for a while.

Or I could post a picture of my shaggy dog, who, while she stinks most of the time, loves me as much as any animal could and she makes me happy when she follows me around the house because she likes to be near me. Her company during the day when I'm home without the family makes me happy.

Or maybe a picture of aerial silks or guitar, new talents I'm learning this year, both of which, in their own way, challenge me to get outside of my perfectionism and both bring me happiness through the challenge.

Or I could post a picture of the wrinkles around LK's eyes. I've loved those wrinkles from the first time I saw them. I told him they give him a certain Robert Redford look. They're wonderful (both LK's and Redford's-- but only the younger Redford, the old and weathered and leathery Redford does not make me as happy).

Or maybe a picture of the new muscles I'm getting with Physique 57, going through the workout and getting the endorphins flowing makes me happy and so does having a stronger body that I think I've ever had.

Or I could post a picture of my camera (that would be tricky to do) but maybe some self portrait of me with a camera because capturing life in photography certainly makes me happy.

Or I could post a picture of food cooking or a table full of friends over for dinner. I love the way food brings people together and the wonderful new friends we've made as we've shared a meal together at our kitchen table makes me very happy.

But I didn't post pictures of any of that- mainly because by the rules say we can only post one picture. So the one I chose to post is a picture of my new living room light. With all the other options, this one won because

1. it gives enough light to room (as opposed to the other older light) that real living can take place in the room now.
2. the contractor wouldn't let me hang the light until all the dirty/dusty work was done, so the light being up means we are closer to having the kids and the TV out of our bedroom and back into the living room (and kids not coming in to wake me up early on the blessing that is known as PopTart Day makes me extremely happy).
3. it has great curves of the light that give off such a natural feel.  It's so organic and peaceful that it just emit happiness to me. 
4. I found it myself- it was my choice and it is the centerpiece WOW! factor to the room.

Hope you feel happy now too,