8/5: One Beautiful Thing Monday

Lots of beautiful things have been happening around here lately. I've been the happiest I have ever been and I'm so thankful for all of my blessings. It really stinks to have to work at a job that makes you unhappy and I am so glad that I decided to leave my former job nearly a month ago. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter on my course. Today is the official first day of my new job; my first full-time, year-round job. I'm now the Fitness Coordinator and Instructor at our local Parks and Recreation Center and I really couldn't be more excited. In fact, I'm pretty much over-the-moon excited. I'm working for Dare County and I'm getting paid to stay in shape and help others live a healthier lifestyle. I'll be teaching between two and three fitness classes five days each week and I'll be in charge of all things fitness related for our center. If I could ever think of a dream job, this would be right up there with having my own successful event planning business. And I'm sure that this job will be much less stressful, so it's even better!


Anyway, on with the program... One Beautiful Thing

My neighbor's little girl and her friend had a lemonade stand early in the week. It was the cutest lemonade stand I have ever seen; they even had a cute handmade banner hanging over the stand. They were selling fresh lemonade, lemon bars, and brownie/cookie bars, all for 50 cents each. They were really excited to see customers line up and they excitedly explained to me that they were saving up for American Girl dolls. My neighbor's daughter, Ellie, explained that she wanted to get the doll Molly before she is retired and will no longer be an American Girl doll available for purchase. Her friend explained that she was saving money to buy Molly's friend, so that their dolls can be best friends just like they are. It was the sweetest thing I heard all week; it instantly sent me into a nostalgic mode, thinking about how much I loved playing with my American Girl dolls with my friends. I gladly bought two lemonades and one of each dessert and gave the girls a few extra dollars as well. The looks on their faces were priceless; they seemed so genuinely happy and excited.

Even though Ellie's parents could have easily bought the doll for their daughter, it was so refreshing to see young kids actually working for what they want instead of asking and receiving. I'm glad that my neighbors are teaching their daughter the value of hard work (I'm sure it seemed like hard work for a little girl) and I can't wait to see her grow into a strong and independent young lady.