Oh, life is good, friends. And not just in comparison to the long, long, looooooong string of days-from-hell we’ve experienced in the past few months. Some of this stuff is just stand-alone sweet.

And I wish I could scoop it all up, put it in a bottle, and save it forever and ever and ever.

Or maybe I’ll just breathe deep, smile a lot, and embrace every single little moment as the gift from God that it is.

Do you want a list of these wish-they-were-bottleable-moments? Because I’m in the mood for a list.

–This weather. Holy cow, the gorgeous, gorgeous weather. Waking up (I might be turning into a morning person after 36.8 years) is just glorious. Sunshine, cool breeze, chirpy birds, blue skies, puffy clouds. Perfection.

–We’re catching up on bills. Oh, the feeling. Not hospital bills yet, mind you (paying those off will be a whole ‘nother category of party-worthy awesomeness), but wow. Such a weight lifted. Can’t even tell you.

–Homeschooling (okay, unschooling) is a blast so far. I can’t even put it into words, but I’m falling more in love with my sweet girlies than ever (okay, we still have our moments), and it’s puffing my heart up with glee. I will have much to say in posts to come.

–I love 11, 10, and 6. Really, really want to bottle up these ages.

–I love fall soccer season. Love watching our girls glide around a soccer field with skills that are so foreign to me, because they inherited them 100% from Dad. I love watching him coach them. He’s a natural.

–Counseling is a treat. Gabe and I have had 3 sessions together so far, and while I was a little apprehensive before the first one, now I look forward to them like we’re going on a date. Things are just super super good with us right now, and talking to a counselor just kind of cements that or something. Amazing.

–I have such supportive friends and church family. A loved one had a very scary, me-crying-my-eyeballs-out-to-God health scare yesterday, and they prayed and cried right along with me. And HALLELUJAH, everything turned out to be 100% a-okay perfect.

–Gabe’s anxiety is the exception now, not the rule. A small glitch in each day (or sometimes every other), not all-consuming. His humor is back, the light in his eyes. Each anxiety-free moment feels like a gift, and it is.

–The girls’ blogs are almost ready to go. They designed them individually with Dad and are excited to share things they’re learning and passionate about.

–All-we-can-eat-and-freeze tomatoes from our generous friends, Bob and Holly. Tomato pie, salsa, sweet tomato slices with salt, blueberry-banana-tomato smoothies.

–A home that is oh-so-close to the simplified, purged, just-perfectly-enough home of my dreams. We’re learning as a family that the key to contentment is to have less, not more. To keep just what you really, truly need and can use, and give the rest away. So. Freeing.

–I’m writing again. And it feels so good.

Disclaimer: No, everything is not 100% delightful around here 100% of the time, but goodness, we’re basking in all of the above and then some while we can. And even the not-so-great is kind of paling in comparison to some of the stuff we’ve been through. So yeah.

Question for you: What’s something you wish you could bottle up right now and keep forever?