make a list of things that make me happy

For example, we got home from a long weekend after 11 last night. Before we left, though, I set out everything E needed for camp today, so I wouldn’t have to worry about it. It was just there to grab and go. And I made sure we got a new jug of milk and left it in the fridge so we wouldn’t lie to ourselves and say “oh, we’ll grab some on the way home.” Because we all know we wouldn’t, and then we’d have been whiny this morning.

I like when I have the foresight to make life easier on myself.

When I become so absorbed in something I’m reading that afterward, it lingers in my mind like dreams sometimes do. I love that. Part of my brain is still in the story, even though I might have put the book down the night before.

Most of my work really needs to be done at my desk, because I need frequent access to various binders and reference books, plus I write (with pen or pencil) often and need the desk surface. But every now and then I have a lengthy task for which all I need is screen and keyboard and then I’m so happy I use a laptop! Right now I’m reclining on the loveseat, about to begin such a task, and I have better light and air here in the living room than in the office, I can see the bird feeder, and it’s just so much comfier than sitting in an office chair.

Today while I watered some things, I spattered water on the driveway (by accident) and was reminded just how much I love that smell of water from the hose hitting the tar on a hot summer day.

Oh, that feeling of relief. Is it ever unaccompanied by happiness?

In this specific case, it’s because my laptop is fine, the hard drive didn’t die, and my IT guy was able to fix and reinstall and fiddle and add memory and so on and all my files are there. Sweet, sweet relief.

I was saying to a colleague that it isn’t so much the files that I work on that I worried about, as those are mainly backed up. It’s my email. I refer to things a lot, to figure out when I sent something to someone, what info someone sent me. It’s a part of my brain that just happens to reside outside me. I just don’t allot memory space in my own body to that stuff; I let my email program handle it.

So, relief. Very happy-making.

I haven’t written much about my garden(s) this spring, but they’ve been making me very happy. Each year we put in more perennials, and as they pop up and bloom it’s like I’m opening a gift. I see the plant begin to grow, I see the bud form, I’m giddy with anticipation, and then voila! Beauty!

And it seems like we’ve crossed a bit of a tipping point, where things are filling in pretty nicely and it looks less “in the works” and more established. There are still things we put in this year that are just hanging in there and won’t be impressive until next year. But this year, the big iris bloomed! And some of the peonies! And the spiderwort is so abundant and gorgeous. And the shade gardens, while not quite as full, and getting there.

S and I are such garden dorks. We seriously walk around and admire things and comment on their progress and so on all the time. And we get sucked into this activity when we’re really on the way to the car or something. And then we wonder why E gets sucked into Legos when we’ve sent him to get dressed. He comes by it naturally!

Today is my 15th wedding anniversary. (I’m stealing a moment here while S supervises E’s bath.)

After 15 years, I am as sure and as happy about being married to S as I was when I walked down the aisle and saw his sweet face waiting for me.

I could babble on about all the things that make my glad to be with this man I love. But I’ll just say that I realize I’m so, so, so lucky.

Just ignore me if I’m too treacly, everyone. Something will bum me out soon, I’m sure! :D

This morning, as we were waiting for his bus, E began to sing, “If you’re happy and you know it . . .” and then said, “I’m happy, Mommy. Are you happy?” I said yes, and remarked that in fact, I’d put some things on my happy list on 43T this morning. He asked if he was on my happy list. (Oh yes, buddy, always.) I said that he always is, then told him what I’d put on my list in particular this morning, and then he started listing off things “on my happy list. I have lots of Pokemon cards. I’m going to play at J’s house after school . . .” and then his bus pulled up and he said “I love you” and got on and left a very happy Mommy behind.

• Getaway planning! Last night, S and I booked a room at a b & b for our 15th anniversary. We finally found a place in Rockport that looks nice and doesn’t have a two night minimum on a weekend. (We’ll only be childless one night.) We also booked our two night White Mountain getaway (with child) for next month. And a very happy part of my brain is remembering our week in a rental cottage in Maine that we’ve already got set up for the summer. I feel like we are getting a lot of travel!

• I finally asked the right person at Target about the patio furniture for which I had a raincheck, and he knew it was in the stockroom even though it wasn’t on the floor or in the computer. And they don’t hold things for people, but they did hold the second box of chairs while I ran home with the first box and then came right back to buy the other ones. And even though the second box was ginormous it fit in my Matrix. The hatchback I insisted on is justified! The Target workers were very impressed that it fit. And E was soooooo thrilled that I saved him the boxes to play in. He literally chortled with delight when he saw them.

• We all played Wii together last night. I’ve been too darn set on getting this, that, and the other thing done lately. I am glad that I stepped back and said “Why not?” and played with my guys. We bowled. E won the first game. The kid is great at Wii bowling! He bowled practically all spares. I won the second. I’m pretty good myself! And E enjoyed giggling at S’s results. (Sorry, S!)

• I’m really pleased with my weight loss/fitness progress. I want to achieve more, but I’m already so much less unhappy when I look in the mirror, and I feel so much more energy. And I credit the 43T community with helping me on this. I don’t think I’d be sticking with it if not for the continual encouragement and support I get here.

and having it make me giggle a lot. Blog