You Make Me Happy

So I've had that blog post title for some months now.  I even have it highlighted in red in my blog post topics list, but for some reason I haven't written about it.  It was something unexpected, but something that made my day, even though the situation was not a happy one; and it was totally unexpected.

I was in the middle of a phonathon, making calls to families, asking for money for our school, when I got a call from a friend.  I didn't expect this friend to call me at this time of night, so I took the call.  The friend had gotten some bad news and needed someone to talk it through.  I walked outside and listened to the situation and gave advice and was sympathetic to the sad situation and just tried to be a friend in the best way I could.

I didn't help much and I definitely didn't solve anything or make anything better, but sometimes just talking through something, saying what you're thinking out loud, getting out your fears and concerns is what a person needs during a difficult time.  What I didn't expect was what my friend said to me at the end of that call.  She told me, "I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me.  I always enjoy talking to you.  You make me happy."

That little sentence was something you don't hear from people all the time.  You hear, "I love you" from family members and loved ones.  You hear how you're funny or you make people laugh or you're a good person or you're a great person to spend time with, but it doesn't seem common for people to tell you, "you make me happy."  I think it's the biggest compliment I've gotten in a long time.

I didn't know what to think about it.  It made me smile in the middle of the tears of sadness I had been crying as I paced back and forth in the courtyard that night for my friend's situation.  And I haven't forgotten what she said either.

But it's true, she makes me happy too.  There are also people in my life that make me happy and for some reason I've never told them.  Perhaps I will start telling people and see if it makes them smile like it did to me.

The Big Boy Update:  The ever-changing banana word.  My son keeps changing how he pronounces "banana".  He can say it perfectly well if he cares to, but it's been, nana, banana, bwanna, blanna and possibly several other iterations I can't remember so far. 

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:    The little wiper.  My son has no interest in wiping.  My daughter is interested in trying.  Tonight at a restaurant she asked for toilet paper while I stood in the stall with her.  She has to hold herself up on the toilet because she will just fall right in otherwise.  This is something she is very skilled at.  I gave her some tissue and watched as she balanced on her legs and one hand and did a very nice job of wiping herself.  When I realized what she planned to do next, I yelled out, "no!"  She had seen the little metal bin for disposing ladies feminine products on the wall of the stall and to her, it looked like a nice trash can.  She wanted to put the toilet paper (part of which had gotten in the water) into this bin that she couldn't really reach.  Once I got over being startled, we put the toilet paper in the potty, and then did a very thorough job or washing our hands.

Fitness Update:  It was like cardio-yoga day.  First, do something very strenuous like jumping rope slams, and when you can't do any more, tag the next person in the line.  Then, do something that requires you to remain still, like a plank or six-inch hold, until you get tagged again in the circle.  The cardio part was tough, but holding still was worse.