I was told to take a picture of happy

I'm a people watcher. I love just sitting on a terrace, sipping a latte and watching how other people interact with this crazy world of ours. And while I'm constantly watching other people, as I'm sure you are, I often forget that we too are being observed by others.

It's a Saturday morning and J and I are out doing a little pre-rapture looting for the new house, having ice cream for brunch and taking a stroll through the market. Seriously one of the greatest mornings in a long time; running in to friends and soaking up the sunshine. But nothing tops the moment when we decide to leave. 

Organic Jerky in hand we make our way across the market square, prepared to end our morning of procrastination and head home to get to work on the house, when this random woman (later discovered to be Christine Schroeder) comes up to us and asks if she can take our picture. Before I agree, I ask what the photo is for and she says... "oh I'm not a professional photographer by any means. I'm in this photography seminar today and our instructor sent us to the market to take pictures of 'happy'. I saw you and your husband, and your belly and thought, that's happy."

! I know, right!? Why does everyone assume just because I'm growing his baby inside me that he's my husband? But that's another blog for another day.

And even though she can't see the baby punching my bladder, the heart burn crawling up my esophagus, the pain shooting across my back; she sees the glow and the love that J and I are still growing between us and our little parasite. And for that I'm grateful.

So a hug and a smile with a click...

 Yeah, that's Jared's happy face.

... and a "please put your hand on your belly" with one more click ...

Notice the Jerky ----->

... and we're on our way with many thanks to said would be photographer. Then I realize, I have no pregnancy pictures let alone any with my boy in them, so I rush back to give her my card - and she actually kept her word and sent them to me. Too cool.
 
Even if she hadn't sent me the pictures, the fact that the two of us caused someone to think "happy" when they saw us walk by made me pause and relish in the fact that I really am. Through all the craziness that is the pregnancy, the new relationship, the house, the renovations, the job... all of it adds up to happy when you don't focus on the negative. And when you pause you realize the negative is such a very tiny percentage of being.