Thursday 37 (Week 30)

For some reason, not dissimilar from real life, 30 seems significant. Perhaps its because my year of noting my happiness, laughter and gratitude is more than half over.  I am already starting to imagine what my life will be like when I'm no longer making these posts.  I think I'll be a little sad. I know I'll miss it.  So I'm really going to try to enjoy the last 22 weeks.

1. Returning to the states with no drama, despite barely making the connecting flight.
2. Giving up my first class seat. I'm just that cool.
3. Having the capacity to not get upset about some of the things I can't control. Like planes that are delayed (I can't fly them after all), crazy security (its just a fact of life at this point) and lost luggage (maybe it wanted to spend more time in Houston).
4. My luggage being "delayed" rather than lost, as if it had complete and total control over the situation.
5. The weather being reasonably warm when I returned to Chicago, since my "delayed" luggage contained the "winter jacket" and "pants" I planned on putting on at O'Hare.
6. Quiet -- the kind of quiet that only happens when you don't have children swarming around you -- for the first time in two weeks.
7. Knowing what I'm coming home to.
8. Seeing their little faces and getting those hugs. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.
9. Eva Kay showing me where her tooth once was.  She looks older already.
10. Having the best dentist in the world. Thanks Dr. Richard Scott Hopf.
11. Alexander reaching his hand out to mine. It is the best little hand in the world.
12. Realizing, in my absence, my cats have used my fireplace as a litter box.
13. Sleeping on it.
14. Chatting in the parking lot. I've missed it, my ladies.
15. Giving the children colones. They were each given 1,350 colones, which is about $2.65 and they all feel like they're rich.
16. Finally working on my graduate school applications.
17. Transcript requests: What can I say, everyone makes it easy except Houston.
18. A wonderful 'Welcome back!' upon returning to knitting.
19. Amy: "Jackie, I have missed you. I feel like I've been deprived the last two weeks."
20. Jenny: "If you want to change your life, clean out a drawer."
21. Angela: "I cleaned out a suitcase that has been sitting on my floor since October. I found all my underwear."
22. Duncan in his hat. I'm sad I didn't get to work on it, but Angela and Jenny, it looks wonderful.
23. My Oklahoma socks. Almost done.
24. A beautiful, lovely, wonderful, special gift from Rebecca. Thank you, thank you.
25. Nathaniel and Lily, who made very special gifts for George, Alexander, and Eva Kay. They love them.
26. George: "Why are cats so cute?"
27. Something, just something, isn't quite right, but still, peacefulness.
28. Not being a Republican.
29. An impromptu coffee date with Jen.
30. Coming back to my car after an impromptu coffee with Jen only to find a boot on my car and having the capacity to laugh.
31. Melanie: "It really is inconvenient for me that you have this boot on your car. I needed you to go over to my house and look for my phone, which I think I dropped in the stairwell this morning."
32. The ease with which the City of Chicago removes boots once all tickets and fines have been paid.
33. Beth: "You are handling this way better that I did."
34. The kids looking forward to The Snowstorm of 2012.
35. Making a New Year's Resolution, which I never do.
36. Truly appreciating my family and friends. 
37. Sweet Pain.

So, there you go.

Comments

[Mel]

Well it's a good thing you didn't look for my phone as it was in the stroller. I'm glad you got the boot off as easily as it went on. You know how hard boots can be to get off sometimes.