So here are some of my "favorite things" about these past few months that have helped take my mind off the storm around me:
Adrian coloring for my birthday - although we've tried since he was a baby to get him to "sign" cards, we usually had to apply all the pressure ourselves...and/or take the crayon out of his mouth. But wouldn't you know, the first time I ever saw Adrian coloring all on his own was on my birthday. I came home to find him on the living room floor with the box of crayons and my birthday card. It was the most amazing gift!!
Seeing Patti again - For some reason recently I was thinking about my friends from grad school at St. John's, and how much I miss many of them. I was thinking about how nice it would be to have some sort of reunion some day, but the thought occurred to me that I didn't have any contact information for one of our cohort members should we ever do something like that. Low-and-behold, just a few days later I open the back door at work to let in the women here to pick up donations for Red Lake Reservation, and there stands my cohort member Patti! I haven't seen her since 2007 I believe, and it was a brief, though amazing encounter again! Great to see you Patti!
The new living room wall - there are some nice areas of our new house, but I have to say it didn't feel anywhere near home until we put up some shelves and pictures in the living room. I really like how our wall(s) turned out - cute kids; loving husband; amazing angel; Holy Spirit...what more could you ask for to adorn your home (not only on the wall)?!
Getting to dance - I worked at the Diocesan Senior High Youth Rally again this year. At the end of the event they have a dance with a fantastic Catholic DJ (DJ Bill), who does a great job with the teens. I love dancing, but almost never get to do it (not enough weddings, and a husband who doesn't dance even if there were). It felt SO good to be able to dance again, even if just a little bit from behind our work table.
Adrian's yard fun - the best part about moving has by far been watching Adrian wander around our new yard, especially playing in the leaves. He loves how they crunch! He's such a fun-loving boy, and it's a blessing to watch him grunt at the door and bring us his shoes when he wants to go out and play, and to have a yard all our own where he can do such!
Welcoming Neighborhood - while playing with Adrian in the yard one Saturday, we ended up following a dog who had wandered in down our driveway to the neighbors (where he belongs); he was like a little prophet guiding us to a great chance to meet some of our neighbors. The next weekend another one of our neighbors brought over some welcome treats and introduced herself after having heard about us from the dog-neighbors. And this happened less than a day after I wrote a reflection for work about how we need to build community...thanks GOD for the opportunity to practice what I preach, and for the kind new community you put around us! (and thanks Junior for starting it off :D)
Lilly's first Halloween - I love Halloween; I always have. And although I realize that the kids are too young to get into it, so all our Halloween costuming and trick-or-treating is really just for me, it is still important to me to be able to give those memories to my kids right off the bat. And Lilly looked so sweet on her first Halloween - I love that amazing little girl!
Back to Curves - It has been since a week or two before Lilly was born since I went to work out at Curves (where I used to go 3 times a week or more, all the way through both pregnancies). That's a Loooonnnggg break - too long! And the longer I waited, the harder it was to convince myself to go back (on top of just being darn-right too busy to be able to get there). But I finally did it - I went back, and it felt GREAT!
Hugs & Kisses - Even though if you ask Adrian if he loves his sister he smiles, giggles and rapidly shakes his head "no," if you ask him to give her a hug and kiss, he will plop down on top of her, bent over her, and lean his forehead against her head. What looks like "squooshing" her, is in fact his amazing hugs and kisses for his baby sister. We still have to pull him off of her when she starts wailing under him (especially when he starts bouncing on top of her :D), but nonetheless its' a blessing to see him being loving in his own special way.
Good chocolate - I don't like dark chocloate; I just don't. I'm not a big chocolate fan in general (sorry all you chocolate lovers), but if I'm going to eat it, I'm going to be a milkchocolate kind of girl. I have tried to convince myself otherwise - dark chocolate is healthier, it comes in fun flavors, it's fair trade. But no matter how I try, each time I have some again I am reminded that I just don't care for it! But last week we ordered some new fair trade chocolates for sale at work - including my personal preference, milk chocolate with almonds! We've never carried it before; it's about time we finally got some good chocolate in! (of course the downfall is that now I am actually eating chocolate - I've got two bars stashed in my drawer on top of the one I ate right away :D)
Bedtime - Despite the slightly new routine with the addition of Lilly, the change of locations, and the craziness of these past months, it still remains that the most incredible and peace-filled moment of my day is bedtime! I can't explain how adorable my little ones look in their PJ's, or how incredible it feels to be able to hold them in my lap and pray with them while they guzzle that bedtime milk before hugs, kisses, (Beluga), and being tucked in. I love bedtime! But I think more than that, I just love my kids!!!!
"When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel...so...bad!"
