Crazy Week

This is one of those weeks that was way too eventful. To keep from being dramatic, I'm simply going to list 3 hard things I did, and 3 good things that happened.

3 Hard Things:

• Signed the dissolution papers with my soon-to-be-ex.
• Drove back to Cbus from my mom and dad's by myself, thinking about all the scary things I'll have to face in the year to come.
• Undecorated the tree and sorted our ornaments: mine and his.

3 Good Things:

• Faced the signing and conversing with bravery and kept myself together.
• Really enjoyed NYE with college-era friends.
• Feeling sane and at peace, even during this difficult transition.

Giving Thanks

What I'm thankful for this year (like 3 Beautiful Things expanded):

• Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for me (and you)
  
• wonderful, loving parents
• a great husband who also happens to be my best friend
• the coolest kid in the universe happens to be my son
• loving and generous in-laws
  
• a great brother and sister and their spouses
• friends, those who live near and those who are far away, even if we don't get together often
• getting in touch with old friends from my past because of social media - this year has been really fun, learning how old friends are doing and re-establishing contact
  
• knitting - not just for the enjoyment of the craft and creativity, but also for the great friends I've gained through social knitting
• that my friend Carol found Darrell (happy wedding next week!) - hopefully I'll come to know Darrell as well as I know Carol and we can all be great friends together
  
• a free country that allows people to have differing beliefs and ideals
• my husband's job, and that he's making it work and doing it well even though it's not his top career choice
• my own job and a supervisor that has given me latitude to deal with the emotions of the past few years
• Gerald, for his friendship and our new video blog project, even though it's moving slowly
• that the library levy passed and the voters really appreciate what we do
• music and the occasional opportunity to make music with others
• our big vacation in June and the ability to have taken it
  
• the magnificent beauty of nature
• being able to walk
• great books
• both vehicles are working
• a wonderful, compassionate group of people to work with at Driving Park
  

3 Beautiful Things

I came across this article today with 10 tips for staying happy at work. All good advice! In honor of this list, I'm doing all 3 BT's about work today (I know, yesterday had 2 of them about work - weird, huh?).

1. My office window is now decorated with huge retro flowers in bright purple, pink and lime green!

2. I went to help the Ready to Read Corps at the Free Store today, and Abby was so good at working the crowd. It made me feel so good and proud and strong, knowing that CML is doing great things with amazing people in those jobs.

3. A toddler was having a crying fit when I went out to the public area this afternoon, and when he saw me he paused and gave a half smile. He was obviously too tired to stay calm, but I think he's getting to know me a little, and it made me feel good that he stopped long enough to let me read him a quick book.

Bonus BT: planning a little surprise that is going to make my son's eyes sparkle tomorrow. :-)

3 Beautiful Things

1. Reading with 3 little boys today, they all crowded close so we could talk about the Spiderman Villains together. I am thankful that my own (not so) little boy educated me well on this topic!

2. A young girl came in tonight and said "I read those books you left for me last week. They were fun. Do you have any more?" Do I have more? Seriously?

3. Finding a new song on the radio that touches me so deeply that I think "I have to learn that song right now."

1. Seeing the results from a photo shoot of me and thinking "eh, not so bad as it could have been."

2. The smell of Spring-ish rain on the city streets makes me love the city, even though I still have to pause at the shininess of the pavement, thinking it might be slippery.

3. My teenager saying "don't I get a hug?" Cynicism doesn't always reign supreme.

3 Beautiful Things

My SIL has asked - again - that I post more often, and it just occured to me that posting 3BT would be a great way to lift my spirits and post more (win-win!).

1. Seeing the scale stop one number sooner than last week - finally breaking the plateau I've been on for 3 weeks.

2. Sliding through the warm water of the pool with flippers on reminds me that my muscles work, that I am Blessed, and that I am getting stronger every day.

3. My son, reminding me that he has made good choices in the past and perhaps should be trusted to make this big decision about next year, and knowing in my heart that we've done well to get him this far into adulthood so soon. So proud of him.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

My friend Amanda posted a list of 10 things that make her happy and said that anyone reading it should consider themselves tagged and make their own lists. Then I went over the Cheryl's blog and found I was tagged there, too! Here is mine! (these are definitely NOT in priority order)

10 THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

1. LISTS: Lists can really be useful for those of us who are easily distracted. A list can keep me on task, help me remember things longer than a minute, get something off my mind so that I can re-focus on what I'm supposed to be doing. I often keep a list during meetings of ideas/thoughts/stuff I need to do so that I can keep concentrating on the meeting w/o forgetting what bright little idea just occurred to me. I keep paper and a pencil handy on my nightstand so that I can make a list if something is keeping me awake at night (sometimes this doesn't work). Lists are also handy when you don't feel like writing prose.
2. FAMILY: I am truly blessed to have a great family: parents, sibs, in-laws, and a wonderful husband and son. We have a great time when we are together, I miss them when we're apart, and I'm so lucky to have them all. I include our 2 cats in this category, too. Purring heat sources make me very happy.
   
3. SIMON: He gets his own mention because. You know, just because. I am very proud of him. He is brilliant, fabulously talented, and even when things get tough, he will work to get through it. He's caring and thoughtful, too, for which I am extremely grateful.
   
4. CREATING THINGS WITH MY HANDS: I love crafts, and knitting is, of course, my latest obsession. It's lasting longer than any other ever has, I think, and I'm actually making useful finished items, so it's better than many of the things I've gotten into before! I enjoy the creative process, but knitting also allows me to keep my hands busy even when my mind is doing something else.
5. PERFORMING: I love being on stage, the center of attention, making people laugh, entertaining people. It makes me happy, regardless of the medium . . . puppets, storytelling, public speaking, music, comedy.
6. WATER: Swimming, water therapy, water aerobics or just splashing around, it all makes me happy. There's something wonderful about being weightless. Also, it makes me happy that when you exercise in water you don't sweat . . . or at least you don't notice the sweat because you're already wet. Sweating does not make me happy.
7. LEARNING: Actually, I do love learning new things. What makes me really happy, though, is watching/helping someone else learn something new. That is partly why I've enjoyed working with children so much. Young children learn new things every day, and it's delightful to watch that happen. It's like little miracles popping all around you.
8. SMILES: This seems obvious, but maybe smiling makes me a little more happy than just average happiness. Isn't it great to make another person smile? or better yet, to make them laugh?
   
9. SPONTANEITY: I get positively giddy on vacation when we can just roam, with money our pockets, and see where the road takes us. I love stopping at a road-side monument or finding some out-of-the-way diner or just deciding that "today we'll all speak with British accents". It's silly, and it's delightful.
10. ASSURANCE: I believe that I know my eternal fate, and that assurance makes me happy, content in a way to which nothing on this earth could ever compare. Those of you who know me well already know what I'm talking about, but if anyone ever wants to talk about this with me, please ask!

Thanks for tagging me, Cheryl and Amanda! If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged. What 10 things make you happy?

Many beautiful things

I've not posted in a while, and I figure I have a lot of good things for which I can be thankful, so I'll share some with you.

1. My fancy new knee brace makes a good support for my laptop.
2. I'm walking more each day, including going w/o the wheelchair in my house.
3. Getting behind the wheel of my car (did I mention it matches the color of my new knee brace?) and driving for the first time tonight.
4. Although the weatherman predicted a rainy weekend, it's been sunny and thoroughly beautiful both days.
5. My son, of whom I"m so very proud, mowed the lawn today.
6. The smell of garlic wafting in the windows as Si mowed the garlic that has sprouted in the yard (overflow from the garden).
7. Lilies of the valley are blooming! They, also, are taking over the lawn in teh back. I'd be happy to have an entire yard of flowers, to be honest.
8. Sitting in the park this morning with a couple of good friends (and Mike and Si) and playing a few songs (me on mando, Bu-ying on her Chinese flutes)
9. The sound of Bu-ying's gourd flute wafting "Amazing Grace" through the woods.
10. So many kind friends willing to take me to PT.
11. My brother is engaged to a really nice woman! Yay love!
    

3 beautiful things

1. A Canada Goose stands tall, guarding the entrance to the parking area at my rehab center - so regal, and so big!
2. Sunshine lighting up the shrubs outside my back door.
3. A dear mentor and friend takes me to my PT appointment, and, on the way home asks "are there any errands you need to run while we're out?" So thoughtful.

What a blessing it is to have so many folks willing to haul me over to PT. Truly a blessing.

3BT . . . or more

1. Watching a bundle of daffodils slowly blossom all week (thanks, BFF!)
2. Sleeping very well, finally, nearly 8 hours, thanks to the 1.5 inches of memory foam now placed over my (very old guest bed) mattress. (thanks for alerting me to the sale, Mom!)
3. My first cup of "bought out" coffee in over a month - yummmm (thanks DH!)
4. The concussive sound of the hammer as a curb/lip thing gets added to the edges of my ramp, which will provide me more security when I go out. (thanks, Nicker!)
5. Having the doors open and feeling the fresh air. My cats and I all had our noses to the screen earlier, enjoying the scents of outdoors. (Thanks, Mother Nature!)
   

3 beautiful things

1. Warm water and finally being able to enjoy a shower (even with a bench).
2. My sweetie bringing be cold Fruit2O before I even think to ask for it.
3. Heating pad over my always-cold feet, allowing me to really relax in my chair.



Still having trouble sleeping through the night, I went online tonight and ordered a new mattress topper (and new sheets!). Thanks for the tip on the sale, Mom! I sure hope the delivery comes fast! My PT is going well, though, and each day I go a few more steps with the walker. My next appointment with the "sturgeon" is Friday morning, and my sister is going to take me and spend the day with me (yay!).

DH has been ill, and went back to the Dr today to get a diff drug. He's already starting to feel improvement. He should be able to work again tomorrow. My first day alone in a week! I'll be ok, though, I'm sure.

3 beautiful things

1. Mom and Dad sent an edible arrangement for us - yum! Samwise loved this piece of cantaloupe - the only bit he got to before he was unceremoniously pushed away. We did let him continue with that piece, though, on the floor. We're suckers that way.

2. Being able to sleep on a bed again, even if I need a little more pain med to handle it. The cats join me, too, sleeping with me. It's the warmest my feet have been in a month.


3. This lovely, artful video in my email from Mom:

Oh yea, breathing

I didn't mention - my chest X-ray did show a little spot of what might be the beginnings of pneumonia. Seriously? So I'm getting antibiotics for that . . .and I have a cool breathing thing - some incentive breath-something-or-other. Blah. Cough! Thing is, my lungs already feel better. Sigh.

So - icing on the cake for my DH? we have no power at our house. Wind messed it up somehow, and there's about 4 houses in our neighborhood w/o power, including ours. Like we needed more stress!?!?!?!? Pray for DH - handling the household/simon/no power/me in hosp. He's taking the next 2 days off work, which is good for him. I'm encouraging him to spend some of this time just taking care of himself . He needs regular alone-time to stay sane.

3 Beautiful Things (and 2 bonus Things):

1. A fun, relaxed nurse on duty, willing to laugh with me and bring me graham crackers . . . and who put my cranberry juice in an actual cup with ICE! instead of just bringing me those little cupthings with foil lids that always spill.
   
2. The smiles of my DH and DS as they brought me my laptop so I can use my WIFI here!
3. Cable TV in the room that allows me to watch Top Chef and Alton Brown's Good Eats.
4. Dr. Cojones (not his real name) working extra time tomorrow to do my surgery as soon as possible.
5. Knowing that I have lots of people praying for me/thinking of me/caring.

BTW - we have 3 tickets to see the Tannehill Weavers Friday night. I'm encouraging DH and DS to go, but they might have an extra seat - anyone else a fan? Yea, I'm a huge fan and am bumming to have to miss it. Blah.

3BT

Quick post since I'm tired tonight:

1. I found the perfect edging for a thing I'm making for someone I love, and I did it by experimenting . . . all by myself (and abandoning all the tricky patterns I'd gotten from The L.
   
2. Chocolate chunk cookies, warm for when Si arrived home from school.
3. Both DH and Si enjoyed the marinade I put on the chicken - several "mmms".
   

3BT

1. It's my brother's birthday today, and I know he knows I love him.
2. I call my husband to tell him I'm late and he says "I hope you're not angry with me, but I ordered some pies from one of the Boy Scout Moms for a school fund-raiser."
3. Dinner is waiting, warm, on the stove when I get home to a blissfully empty house. Sometimes even extroverts need quiet.
   

3BT

Again, 3 beautiful things:

1. Delicious apricot preserves, no sugar added, make my pork chop perfect.
2. Seeing my son bouncy and energetic again after a week of being a sick slug on the couch.
3. I opened the mysterious package in the front room Friday to reveal NOT a present I'd bought for someone else ('tis the season, afterall), but a totally surprise present for me. Made my eyes moist with wonder.
   

3 beautiful things

1. First snow of the season, making the inner city look beautiful.

2. Street-tough teens coming in with smiles because they've just twirled in the falling snow.

3. My young customer, named Unique, comes to hug me so she can get some of my warmth.

For more beautiful things, and the creator of the idea . . .one of my favorite blogs.

Update and 3BT

I've been very ill this week with bronchitis. The week has been full of mucous - coughing, hacking, wheezing, snoring, etc. Nasties. In an effort to cheer myself up, I'm going to do a quick 3 Beautiful Things post.

1. The sunshine has been increasingly warm each day this week, and the cats have been following it around the house. Their fur becomes so warm, it's amazing to me they don't sweat.

2. My son, bringing me a glass of soda and asking if there is anything else I need.

3. My husband, each evening letting me choose what we watch on TV.

3 Beautiful Things

I love this blog, 3 Beautiful Things and go there often to be uplifted. Today's post is quite delightful.



My 3 things so far today:

1. We're all home today, on a Friday! DH doesn't feel well, but he's functional and on the mend. Kiddo is off school for the snow, and I'm off because I work tomorrow. It's really quite cozy.



2. My skittish cat, Rosie, napped on my lap today for about 2 hours as I snuggled with DH. Towards the end, her brother, Samwise, joined us. Simon got a picture. You can see DH, and my hand and torso. Rose is the black one, Sam is grey.

3. The new snow on the ground is so sparkley and bright. It's the kind of snow that makes it look like midday in the middle of the night.