A Week of Good Things

Remember when I used to blog at least once a week instead of scarcely once a month?  I'd like to change that, starting with today.  It feels like I've finally come up for air after a long time of trying not to drown, and it's nice to look around and feel the sunshine!  This has been the first week since, oh, January when I have only had to work my "usual" one day and haven't been preparing for travel or company or a birthday party.  I have loved all of those things, but I have also loved this week.  Here are a few good things from our week:

* A beautiful garden.  Magically, when my dad plants the garden, everything sprouts within days.  I know I should try harder to get it planted before he comes, but let's be honest, it is just in our best interest to procrastinate.  It is loverly.

* Hands, fingers, and thumbs.  Henry is OBSESSED with this book.  Like, drag it over to me and bang me in the knee with it until I read it to him.  He likes to drum-diddy-drum-diddy-dum-dum-dum on his belly as we read.  We probably read it ten times a day...so I miss having family around to take their turn as story tellers.  Mom sent the four of us this blog post a couple of weeks ago saying, "This is so you guys!"  I think I will remember "Hands, Hands, Fingers, Thumb" like she remembers "Aunt Annie's Alligators, A, A, A."

* Check!  For at least two days of the week, I checked off all but one thing on my daily to-do list.  Huge accomplishment for the stay-at-home mom in me!!!

* End of an Era.  Jason sold his Eclipse this week, and the next day we drove home in a Highlander.  It's sad to see the car we dated in go, but fun to get our first car together after almost eight years of marriage.  (Also, it will be a bonus to be able to go to Costco without piling groceries around Henry...)

* Work = good.  Perhaps the most surprisingly thing on this list.  Wednesday, for the first day since I started this part-time gig, I walked away from the office without feeling like I was more behind than when I had arrived.  It has been a bit brutal the past few weeks (months), but it's just possible things are turning a corner for the good...

* Downward Facing Dog.  For months I have spent my one or two days at home frantically trying to get the laundry done and errands run with no time to spare.  But this week Henry and I ventured to the gym for the first time together.  Yoga, mmm.  There is nothing in this earthly world better than laying quietly in the dark on a mat in Savasana.

* Belgian chocolate.  Jason took a quick trip to Belgium for work last week and came home with the required box of delicious dark chocolate.  

* End of an Era, Part II.  We really enjoyed the series finale of The Office last week.  Knowing it was the last season, we held out until the end, and we're really glad we did.  Full of both TV and personal nostalgia, since this was the first show we started watching as a married couple.  A nice end to it.

* Into the attic.  Henry's room is officially the room of a toddler instead of a little baby.  We finally got all his outgrown baby clothes--along with bouncers and nursing covers and burp rags--tucked into the attic, leaving room for train sets and Little People and rocking horses.  This was no small feat, given the amazing wealth of clothes he has inherited from his cousins!  I honestly feel like the weight of the world has been lifted from my shoulders--suddenly all the other projects hanging over my head feel small and manageable!  For the record, I am both happy to see the baby clothes tucked away (especially the newborn stuff, since it carries with it lots of angst and loneliness) and also suddenly flooded by nostalgia, certain that Henry is going off to college next week.

Just a few little things to love!