My “word” for 2012 is wOw! wOw! is one of those fabulous words that fits positive, negative and neutral situations. It’s a word we can use when no other will work. Over this next year of Sundays, I’m going to share some wOw!moments from the previous week. By December 31, 2012, I’ll have shared 2012wOw! moments. I hope you’ll have spotted (and maybe even shared) close to that, too.
Here’s what’s made me say wOw! lately:
10. making my great nieces’/nephew’s 2012 marks on Growth Wall;
11. teaching those same kids to sing “Give Peas a Chance at the NYD meal ~ so they’d eat their black eyed peas;
12. witnessing my brother-in-law cooking the entire NYD meal (including cleaning the collards! :));
13. watching two squirrels perform a mid-air ballet on naked kudzu vines;
14. Mari giving me our secret “I see you” sign;
15. how Mari’s dog Tiki loves to curl up on Mari’s feet;
16. how children’s laughter never seems like noise;
17. the holy honor of cleaning my sister’s body;
18. how contentedly Mari rests after she’s clean;
19. hearing from the new owner of my very first Cheap Therapy customer (Two Sisters Bookery in Wilmington, NC);
20. Mom’s stories of growing up in Yorkshire and London;
21. being reminded that cream always goes FIRST in the tea cup;
22. watching a neighbor child try to walk three BIG dogs;
23. celebrating longtime Cheap Therapist Amanda’s new job;
24. solid morning frost on my car;
25. homemade pineapple cake for breakfast;
26. wonderful treats from wonderful people;
27. pink perfection camellias;
28. Nan Merrill’s version of The Psalms;
29. my sweetheart Tom, who (among other things) will take my mom to Belk’s, GoodWill, TJ Max AND enjoy it;
30. a salad and pizza with my sweetheart at Franco’s;
31. Nan Merrill’s version of Proverbs;
32. the dear friends who gave me this little pink book in which i’m recording my wOws!;
33. Hospice staff and voluteers;
34. dreams about my dad;
35. my church community;
36. compassion;
37. writing my sister’s obituary;
38. realllll y good coffee;
39. being present for The Last Breath;
40. putting ‘our favorite’ lipgloss on Mari’s lips before the funeral home took her remains;
41. watching The Help with my mom, sweetheart and BFF;
42. laughing until coffee shot out of my nose;
43. breaking down all the way to my toenails and then coming back from it;
44. having a mani-pedi with my 13 yr-old great niece Alyssa (she’s be upset if i didn’t mention her name :));
45. the orange (Mari’s favorite color) toenails i now have;
46. my family;
47. “everything” bagels with honey/walnut cream cheese from Carolina Bagel Company;
48. ALL of the people who are loving my family through this hurt;
49. Downton Abbey;
50. a breathtaking moon over LKW;
51. making and sharing butternut squash soup;
52. Lake Stocks’ chili;
53. BobO Crutchfield’s Clam Chowder;
Lisa’s Cheap Therapy blog 
My WOW was to be able to BE during it all!!
You made me cry. Love you Lisa.
It never ceases to amaze how often WOW moments are usually rather ordinary moments that are appreciated for the blessings and joy they bring….. in good and bad, happy and sad times.
Thanks for sharing yours with us!!!!!
My WOW for today was acknowledging the power of a hug.
Lisa… what a wOw list! Made me laugh, cry, and chuckle all within a three-minute timeframe… I have to remember that there are wOw times in the best and worst of times… Peace to you my sister…
Seeing my new granddaughter 40 minutes after she was born, even before she had a bath.
Hugging my daughter as she cuddled her newborn baby.
Watching my younger daughter (with a 2-year-old) coach her big sister on how to breastfeed.
Sharing all this with my husband (of almost 38 years) and the father of our children.
Thanks, Lisa, for showing us how to grieve and still see the wOws. You are something else!
OUR WoW IS JUST SLOWLY READING AND FEELING APART OF ALL YOUR WoW’s’……………..BLESSING AND LOVE LISA
meeting the pilot of the ultralight shortly b4 he led the young Whoopers on their first flight from Minnesota to Florida and knowing I was seeing God in action:/
seeing my just born g’daughter turn toward my voice in the delivery room/;
learning the power of wOw! from Lisa @ a retreat/
discovering the newly opened seed pod on the jasmine vine today/
smelling an odor of roses as my cousin passed this life/;
All I can say is wOw you are amazing. You help me to see things in a different way and I thank you. Bless you and your family. Sending a big HUG. Cheryl
Another wOw: having a “liveably clean home” has helped me clear my brain of unneeded thoughts allowing new thoughts to swirl about! Just wish those new thoughts didn’t keep me awake at 2:45am! 🙂
I take such joy in your ability to live life and know you are living it as you go. I am so sad you lost Mari and so joyful you had each other and knew a sister’s love so completely. Thank you for being you. rox
Orange toenails?!??? wOw is right!! 🙂 Sending you hugs and love after hearing of your loss . Your sister was so blessed to have YOU as part of her caretaking team. May 2013 be full of healing, creativity and laughter!!! Kira
whoops..meant to say 2012…!
A major WOW on Sunday: hearing our church choir director sing a solo based on Jeremiah 29: 11-12, one of my favorite passages. A true moment of communion with the Holy.
One of my recent WoWs was similar to one of yours….frost on a car. I was in a hurry, had to race back home in the morning to get something I had forgotten before my students arrived, and while sitting at a stop sign, a frosty car cruised by, sparkling in the sun as if it had been studded with tiny diamonds. It was a true “WoW” that woke me up from a mindless rush, slowing me down, centering my thoughts on the wonder of Light in all its many aspects and meanings. (And, as always, thank you Lisa, for being one of the Lights in my life! )
Linda, SO THANKFUL you were there, too ~ thanks! xo
Kelly, love you, too.
Judi, thanks for ALL of your great wOws this week!
Shay, PEACE to ou too, dear one.
Amma/Robin, THANKS for sharing your FAMILY wOws. holy indeed.
Cheryl, blessin’s & love all over ya’ll, too~~~
Rox, i’m so glad we’re on the planet the same time.
Kira, yup, ORANGE! who knew? 🙂
W, ::good sigh::
Mary Louise, thanks for reminding me to pay attention to the sparkleY wOws right beside me:)
thanks to you ALL for joining in this fun wOw!-mongering!