My daughter has this uncanny ability to spot a spider the size of a pea across a crowded room.  I could be all the way on the other side of the house and I hear the walls vibrating with her adorable helium voice “Spideeeeerrrrrr!”  I have grown accustomed to arming myself with a handful of paper towel before I go into the “danger zone” (a) because I am not a huge fan of insects, anyone who knows me will get a chuckle at this point (b) we have sprickets in my town (google them if you don’t know what they are…I look liked a cat scared of a cucumber the first time I saw one) and (c) I believe my daughter every time.

We have both grown more comfortable with the little buggers, luckily it didn’t take her 38 years to get use used to the idea of sharing space with them.  Audrey has even dubbed the exceptionally small spider’s with the nickname “Tiny”.

I started to pay closer attention to the fact that Audrey was able to spot many tiny things around the house, from a crumb on the floor, to a screw, to a half chewed part of a Barbie hand…courtesy of our puppy LuLu.  The more I became aware of what she was doing, the more I began to pay attention to the little things myself around her.   I recently spotted a lady bug in a small crevice of the sidewalk.  Audrey was so elated at this discovery you would have thought we were going to Disney.  While I continued to observe her way of looking at the world, I decided to make it a point at Audrey’s bedtime last Wednesday to thank God for her special gift to see the little things in life.   She looked at me quizzically?  What do you mean Mommy?  I explained to her how she was the true finder of small insects, and searcher of tiny toys, and that she had a special gift which helped her see the little things in life and to never stop looking.

The next morning we were up doing our “thing”, which usually means if its cool enough outside we have breakfast on the screened in porch.  The porch has a bright orange wicker couch and two wicker chairs, an art easel as you walk in to the right and to the far left a nautical bakers rack covered with collected sea shells and some knick knacks.  The porch also has some toys, games, dried paint brushes and some gardening items, some would say cluttered….I say lived in.

So on this morning I came down the stairs with Audrey and opened the back door to let the dogs out….my husband was away for work traveling so it was just us girls.  As Audrey began to putter around on the porch I walked in to pour her bowl of cereal.  Within a few short minutes I heard “MOMMY, MOMMY I found it, I found it!”  It was Andy’s watch, a Christmas present from this past year, a gift from Audrey and I.  He had misplaced it over a month ago, and with every effort he tore up the entire house, and was really disheartened over losing this precious momento.  I remember him saying, it has to be here, I know it does.

When I saw the smile beaming from her face she knew how exciting it was for her to find this watch.  In disbelief I asked her, where did you find this?  Audrey responded by saying “I saw a little flicker under the rack (meaning the backer’s rack covered in shells) and I bent down and realized oh my gosh it’s Daddy’s watch!”

I immediately took a picture of her with the watch and sent it to him.  As I started writing the message, Audrey yelled with wonderment, “MOM it was my special gift that helped find Daddy’s watch, it was, it was”.   At that very moment my heart filled with rapture….my words reached her, they made a difference, and I meant every bit of it.   YES, Audrey, it’s one of your many special little gifts God gave you.

The chain of events that continued to play out because of her actualization of this special gift came to me on the very same week of the watch discovery.  On this morning, after playing house with her baby sitter, Audrey came strutting in with a sense of purpose,  “Mom, do you know that I have two mother’s?”  I looked at her thinking she was going to say her babysitter and waited for her response.  She replied with “You are my mother and I have a birth mother”.  I felt the small lump in my throat rising….ok, I said to myself, this is happening, just listen and see.  I responded to her with a simple yes…. Audrey, smiled and tugged on my hand, “See mom, kids who are adopted are special because God has a plan.”  My eyes blurry from her wise words and open heart transformed me yet again.  This way of seeing life through her eyes was starting to become metamorphic.

We all have our own ways of looking at the world, new perspectives, new ideas, new creativity, new beauty….and just maybe if we continue to be amazed by the little things….there won’t be a need for the big things in life to keep us going.  Tonight, as I poured toothpaste on her brush I heard her little voice in her bedroom….”Moooooom I found a buuuuggg”, (yes we live in the woods), so as I walked in with a smile on my face….she said to me “Aren’t I a good see-er?, I see a lot right Mom?”  I grinned with peace in my heart….”Yes Audrey you are a great see-er…the best…thank you for helping me see new things all the time”.

Adopting a way of life definitely does not come in black and white forms….it’s not my way….it is your way…and along the way when you catch glimpses of other way of looking at life…. it will shift your perspective just a little bit more.

Because let’s face it, nobody’s life is easy, or filled with unicorns and rainbows….we all stumble, we all climb our mountains, some seemingly more than others at times.  And for many life can seem bleak and full pain.   However, if we begin to find a way to see the little things…maybe life for us all will be:

• A little more loving.
• A little simpler.
• A little easier.
• A little kinder.
• A little brighter.
• A little more sympathetic.
•  A little more hopeful.
• A little more beautiful.
• A little more compassionate.
•  A little funnier.
• A little louder.
• A little stronger.
• A little braver.

Here’s to the girl who continues to help me see a new way….a little bit at a time, thanks Audrey.

This post is in loving memory of Kate….even though she lost her way…she always saw the beauty in others.