L'aventure américaine

Today I talked to an old friend on the phone and met a new friend for coffee. With both dates, I laughed so much and we shared our lives… being working moms, families shifting, trying to exercise and take showers alone… those things that are common to moms of young kids.  I am grateful for these friendships. For sharing my life with some spectacular women and the love and understanding laughter they offer. 

As the beautiful fall weather starts, I have increasingly thought of this poem. This is from a collection that I got in my early 20s and now, as I launch my last week in my 30s, I still love them.   I am grateful for these lovely fall days and all of the other days in between. I am so grateful for the gift of time and the life that goes with it. 

We didn’t imagine when we chose our house in Bloomington that we would be moving onto a street with people who would become some of our closest friends. Last week, I went running with my good friend, Laura. I twice celebrated Rosanna and Jorge who became American citizens last Wednesday. Aria gave Milo Spanish lessons. Samantha and Matthew passed down pants for the kids.  And these are all gifts from our neighbors- just in one week! I am so grateful to share our Bloomington lives with these wonderful people.  (The picture above is from two nights ago. Jorge texted us to tell us his telescope was set up to look at Jupiter and its moons at its closest in 59 years. We all piled out in our pajamas. Milo brought a space book out to tell us about the planets. It was wonderful.)

I had a great weekend with the kids, but felt like I was moving the whole time and little got accomplished. So, today I’m grateful for preschools and elementary schools. We are lucky to have wonderful schools where our kids not only are safe, but learn so much and have so much fun. They have friends; they get to be outside; they come home with interesting facts.  And also… I get time to do the things I’m working on without a chorus of “Mom?” behind me.  I am just SO grateful for that.  Here are the kids on Milo’s first day of first grade!

Randal went to a funeral last week and was gone for a few days. The house ran fine without him… a little more stress and chaos and mess, but the kids and I did ok. But, I was so glad when he came home last night. All of the silly minutiae and inane stories that I had stored up came tumbling out. I could boast about what I had accomplished this week. It was just better.  I am so grateful to have such a partner who makes it all better. 

Today, I’m grateful for my mama. Randal and I are going to NYC in two weeks and Mom is going to stay at the house and watch the kids. Our lives are not simple… schools, classes, picky eaters, pets… but this superstar mom spent the night last night so she could learn the routine and let us sneak away for five days.  I do not take this for granted. So many friends of mine never get away without kids. I am so grateful for this and the tough and fun mom who enables it. 

Day 2 and I nearly forgot. Fortunately, when clearing my inbox on this Friday afternoon, I saw another gentle message from a faithful reader asking about a new post. So… here we are.  This picture is a little old, but I evidently haven’t gotten one of the doggoes recently. I am grateful for having the best dogs. They’re so sweet with the kids, with guests, and with our new kitten who moved in last month. They are low maintenance and affectionate and just the best.  So, thanks dogs. Even though I don’t tell you every day and sometimes I yell at you for being underfoot, I love you so much. 

I got another gentle (ahem!) prompt from a faithful reader about how I haven’t posted in awhile. This, combined with my need to finish designing my course that I’m teaching this fall means I need to relaunch my public gratitude journal. (I’m teaching stress management. Gratitude combats stress.) So, we’ll aim for another 30 day challenge with gratitude.  Starting with this kid. He turned seven a couple weeks ago and he was so fun to celebrate. He’s smart and funny and loving and kind. I love the way he treats his little sister. He’s curious and imaginative. And he lost one more tooth last night. I’m grateful for you, Milo!