Gratitude Friday

My morning coffee, which, although I battle with the ethics of it, is something I truly love. I’ve loved coffee since I was 12. The way it smells, the warm mug in my hand, the memories with friends… I’ll quit tomorrow. 😉 A quiet evening walk with the dog… also one of my favorite things. Also, with the colder days closing in, I’ve been motivated to create some regular times that I can get together with friends. I have 5 regular dates during the week, and I plan to revisit "date night" with Jeff (which sort of got lost in the mix somewhere…). I’d also love to have more alone time at the library- just to browse… what a luxury that would be! 

My parents generously invited us out to see the musical "Into the Woods" last night. We asked Jeff’s mom to come watch the kids, and she came with her best friend and watched them for a full five hours. The only other times I’ve left Asa it was for a quick jaunt here or there, and then we left for a good two hours once, but this was definitely the first full evening away from him. We first gorged ourselves on sushi (Which is also, like coffee, one of my vices… so amazing, that sushi). We ate so much sushi that it was uncomfortable, and then we ate a little more, and then we had to actually leave some behind. This is unheard of. I LOVE SUSHI. Then we had to power walk to the theater, and arrived just in time. The musical was so fun! It was a clever combination of many different fairy tales- Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella… Anyway, it was really nice. At the end of it all Jeff and I just held hands and talked about how much we needed a night out. We’ll be doing that more often.

I suppose these moments give me a little more perspective, a little more patience, and a little more grace to help me through those daily things- things that, if you don’t have the space, can seem tiring and binding rather than beautiful and inspiring. These little pockets of time give me endurance and feed my soul. Can’t do without them. I suppose the skill I’m building is finding those moments when I can’t go to the theater, or when Jeff is working late and I can’t get out for a walk, etc. I’m learning to find them with Vera, while Asa sleeps and we’re putting together a puzzle or she’s "helping" with the dishes. Or with Asa, after Vera’s gone to bed and we just rock and coo at each other while I watch a movie. I’m just learning more about how to feed myself, so that I can better care for everyone/thing around me. I believe it’s so important to find those places in your life that can help you to recharge and face the next thing with new energy and love. To rely on the old cliche- what good our we to others if we aren’t good to ourselves?