Things making me happy right now

1. Ross is reading from his childhood prayer book as he rocks MK to sleep. He is reading uber loudly. They are on the story of Jesus getting lost in the temple for 3 days. "Mary saw that her son was happy in that holy place," Ross just read. Now they are on "Learning the Bible." Someone please tell that kid how lucky she is.

2. I got out of an ADPi meeting a little early today and Ross texted me during: "beer and nachos on a patio somewhere?"  Um. Duh dear. Duh. LOVE Sunday afternoons on a porch with a cute husband, a babbling baby and a big ole beer.

3. I have lamented our Mass struggles with our independent little spirit child but we are very blessed. The folks at the 7:30 am Mass (avg age 70) are loving and accepting of the sound effect crew at St. Thomas. Well, all except one lady. She shoots looks and is never happy when we sit near her (disclaimer, I always walk out when MK transitions from "singing along" to "get me the hellsbells out of here.") Anyway- we call her the mean lady except today she wasn't mean anymore. As I stood in the back with MK, she looked back and smiled more than once. She even waved. I was kind of flabbergasted. Maybe MK is less annoying than usual (doubtful) or maybe this lady just softened to the young family. Maybe her life is less hard today so she can manage a smile. Who knows. But it made me happy that she wasn't so unhappy with us anymore.

4. My brother was our houseguest this week and happily exchanged room and board and beer for babysitting. Ross came in after 3 weeks gone late Thursday night. We met for a date at 9pm (aka my bedtime). I wore a dress and we shared a pizza on a deck. I felt 22. Oh it felt good to feel 22.

5. Our other houseguest was my BFF from age 14. Katrina had not yet met Mary Kate and their friendship was instant, much like ours was. We grilled out and then went out for a bad margarita. I love her. I can't describe it anymore. Just love her. I also love that her precious mama sent MK a dress that she herself hand-smocked on fabric from England. It is perfect and the love in that dress makes me cry buckets. Her mom also sent homemade blueberry muffins (all via the mail!!). When I think of high school, I think of countless nights spent at the Smith lazy Susan with blueberry muffins. They soaked up many a tear. I felt like the 7th child in that family and the fact that 12 years later, crazy lady Smith is still caring for me like a child also makes me cry.

6. My husband is finished traveling. Me happy.

7. We just booked a trip in January with the miles earned from the 3 weeks of hell travel. Thanks to aforementioned BFF, we also booked a house for 1/5 of the asking price for the week. The stars are definitely aligning for a trip that otherwise would have been a big stretch for us. I feel like each time I make a commitment to invest in my marriage (like 9pm impromptu date nights and a week away from my baby?!), I get it back 10 fold. We are both feeling young (er) and in love and it is no coincidence.

8. We went on a family run this morning at the river and saw lots of little girls running alongside jogging strollers or dads running alongside little girls riding bicycles. Each time I am there, I see little glimses of what I hope for our family in the future. Love it.

9. I've got major baby fever. What makes me happy is that I have finally been able to forget? or look beyond some of the less fine points of pregnancy and newborns. I also went to a baby shower last night at Noche (p.s. baby showers at tapas restaurants are the bomb) and seeing the two preggo bellys at the table made me nostalgic. I really do look forward to expanding this family!

10. Today started the official beginning of real training for that half-marathon business I have gotten myself into. While I started training early, three weeks of solo parenting + one week of sick baby and sick mama+ crazy weeks of au pair work for me = once a week runs the past few weeks.  I am actually getting a little excited about this very big goal and the glimmer of hope that I'll make it!