It's the Little Things

There are many quotes that start out with the phrase It is the little things... that mean the most, that matter in life, that make a house a home, that make you smile.  You never know just what may be the little thing.

My kids and husband love to tease me about my weird love and fascination for The Muppets. When I was younger I belonged to the Muppet Fan Club. I received a monthly newsletter in the mail. I had watches, collected the glasses from McDonald's, owned the stuffed animals. My TV schedule centered around The Muppet Show and reruns. I even begged my parents for a Muppet theme bedroom. I am embarrassed to say that at 37-years of age my childhood bedroom is still decorated with Muppet wallpaper and bedding, and I have no desire to have it changed.

My mother also loved The Muppets. In fact, when my brother got married this past summer the mother/son dance was to "Rainbow Connection" from the 1979 Muppet Movie. Tonight I was flipping through the TV and the 2011 Muppet movie with Amy Adams and Jason Segel was on the Encore channel. As Kermit and Miss Piggy started singing Rainbow Connection at the end of the movie, it reminded me just how much I miss my mom. It has been 68 days since I last spoke with her. Sixty-eight days since I last heard her voice. There has been so many times in the past two months I have picked up the phone to call her, to talk to her, to vent to her, and a even a few times to cry to her, to instead remember that she will not be the person on the other end of the phone. (Although dad you are great to talk to!)

I was blessed with 37 years of having a mother. That is so many more years than many people get. Don't get me wrong. Not all of them were rosy. My mother was not perfect and to be honest I was many times a pain-in-the-butt daughter. But she was my mom, one of my best friends, and I miss her deeply. There are times when a daughter just needs her mother. (Especially when raising daughters of her own!)

So sometimes it is the little things. Little things like a shared love for The Muppets. Because you never know when the little things, may just be the memories you remember the most later in life.

"Life's like a movie, write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending." ~ Jim Henson