Spring Spoils

It's sunny. Sunny most days actually. A chance of rain is always in the forecast- mostly to cover meteorologist tush, but it's typically pretty nice. We've been opening windows and planting flowers. We're turning our porch into a place to actually hang out instead of scary slanted space. We've got lanterns and wildflowers and vegetables. Spring is nice. Horrendous allergies aside.

I have much to be thankful for today. I'm grateful, first off on this mother's day, for my mom. For foremostly the life giving thing, but also for her humor and compassion, generosity and support. My mom and butt heads like nobody's business- we are pro mutual button pushers- but no one compares to her in terms of a confidant and comforter.

I am thankful for continued strength and health. Pulling 325 in rack pulls and walking 3 miles today, I felt like a pretty tough cookie. Continuing to eat healthy and move more, step by step my friend.

Lastly, never leastly, my RRX <3. Always a cause fir gratitude and smiles. Thank you for continuing all you do- mainly just for putting up with me.

Karma

While we were in DC, my kids and I came across a whole bunch of lost items... One of the boys found $50 in the bathroom of a restaurant. He turned it in to the manager. A girl found $2 on the sidewalk and gave it to a local street performer. In the House of Representatives cafeteria, I found a diamond and emerald earring stuck to my shoe and gave it to a cashier. We could gave capitalized on any of those opportunities, and probably lived with ourselves just fine. But we didn't. And today, karma said thank you.

I lost my engagement ring today. It fell out at the gym and I didn't realize it until I left. I freaked out, got all kinds of hysterical, panickedly raced back and- someone had turned it into the front desk. I was amazingly relieved. You have no idea how good I felt and the gratitude I had for the stranger who I'm SURE has some good karma coming her way.

Patriotic Pride

So I just came back from a field trip to Washington DC with 14 lovely - cranky, tired, whiny, petty - lovely middle schoolers. It was an exhausting adventure filled with monuments and rain and snow and cherry blossoms and museums and fast food and sunglasses and duck faces and photo opps and no iPods and hugs. It was crazy. And it made me grateful for many things- my job, despite the manic fatigue needed, but also grateful to be an American. I know that we can be an arrogant and ignorant nation with a history (present) of bigotry and bias, but we are also a nation of passionate perserverence and ambition. I know that I am privileged to be who I am, where I am and wish I could be more appreciative of the opportunities I have.

springing forward

Standing outside during recess and not chattering, rolling down Jetti's windows, sunshine still shining at 6:00 - that's what I'm talking about. Today was a beautiful blue sky day. 60 degrees and sunshine. First day like that in too long. I took a walk around the hood when I got home. Listened to a comedy podcast RRX recommended and checked out brightly painted houses and looked for budding grass. Nice stuff there.

Time flies when you're grateful

So I realized that some 7 months or so have gone by without me expressing my thanks for all that transpired in that time. I have much to be thankful for and need to stop being a giant slacker and get thanking already. Since last post and the move, much blessedness has occured. I still love our new place and am grateful for many elements of it- the laundry in the basement, the grill out back, a place to park off the street- especially this winter. I'm grateful for a second bedroom for one of us to retire to when sick(which has been too often this winter). I'm grateful for the electric blanket Tracy's mom gave us to keep warm, for pictures on the wall that make me smile, and for a full size fridge for the first time in 6 years.

I'm also beyond grateful for my new job. Where I'm grateful to be a real teacher and have really great kids to work with and staff to learn from and opportunities to do amazing things like kayak and go to DC and actually have students and parents really care but most of all - where I feel challenged and utilized and appreciated and motivated. And blessed every day.

And lastly, but never leastly in this recap, I am grateful for RRX who continues to be the constant love and joy and laughter and other corny but true part of my life. I am grateful to officially be marrying him next year after a sugary sweet October proposal. It'sbeen so much ful touring wedding shows and eating cake samples and knowing our wedding will include great music and lights and photo booth funtimes, and not penguins or spring rolls or old man cover bands. It will, however, include the best bridesmaids ever and a chocolate fountain. Minimum delights you can expect there :)

Over the river

We moved, we moved, we finally moved. Over the river and through the moon with with joy. I am very grateful for all the joys of our new home. I'm thankful to have the space to spread out and to buy new things and nice things. I am thankful for the quiet - SO thankful for the quiet. We've kept our windows open every night. I'm grateful to all the people who came out to help us move - especially to my family who drove out two hours each way to help. I was overcome with love for my favorite brother and favorite sister and favorite Georgie. I was so happy that our neighbor was friendly, that the rain held out til we finished, and that nothing was lost, broken, or left behind.

I feel blessed to be here now and to call this place a home.

Sick

I can't certainly be grateful for being sick... For having pneumonia in the middle of summer and accruing diagnostic fees and copay charges and driving around town trying to see varied doctors. Especially not grateful for having to sleep propped up in a chair. But, I am grateful for the fact that I CAN see doctors and get medication. I'm grateful my work is understanding and I have the flexibility to head out to appointments or leave early. I'm grateful that Robert brings me flowers and rubs my head and asks how I feel, even if I don't warrant the same amount of sympathy I'd like. I understand it's old. And I need to talk to my doctor about it, but I have the chance. And I will get better. And I can still do things like watch movies with Lauren and kayak the Cochituate and shop to move... And I'm also apparently hilarious running trainings on cough medicine. (Which I'm also grateful for - I'm a kick-ass workshop runner).

Time to get back being grateful regularly.