What a Difference A Few Years Make

Yesterday was my birthday. Woo-Hoo!! I'm not one to get torn up about my age -- I'm 31 and proud of it! Proud of it because there was a time that I didn't think I'd get here. Or if I did, I would certainly not be this well put together. It is amazing how dramatically one's life can turn around, with hard work and people who love you and believe in you. On a daily basis I think about how grateful I am for my many blessings and tell myself how awesome my life is!

Is any of this earth-shattering news to you? Maybe not, but it is to me. And so I wanted to document it here, to remind myself. I'm trying to learn to be more aware: more self-aware, more cognizant of my feelings, more conscious of the good things in my day, in my life. Ali Edwards has a regular feature on her blog called "Three Things", so in this vein I'm going to share with you 3 Things I'm Grateful For. Hopefully I'll do this weekly!


#1 Camping
Could there be a better way to spend a few days? Outside, maybe sunny, maybe not. Hiking and exploring somewhere new. Cold at night, perfect for snuggling. The smell of the campfire lingering in your hair. S'mores toasted and roasted (or caught on fire). Animal sounds at night, who knows what they are. Laughter drifting from other people's campsites. Sharing (or not) a bottle of wine, knowing the worst harm you can do is run into the picnic table in the dark. Red checkered plastic tablecloths. Fantastic.



#2 My cats
Yes call me the crazy cat lady, but there is something about them that is so soothing. One of ours is large, fluffy, orange, a complete land seal. The other is skinny, gray, wiry, possibly schizophrenic. At the very least I think he had an anoxic birth injury. They're annoying, crying in the morning for food. But also very cute, curling up with me when I'm sleepy or don't feel good. Sometimes they hunt and bring things in the house. This I am not terribly appreciative for. But the purring and love can stay.


#3 Homemade cinnamon-soy lattes
Jason's friend Roger gave us this completely awesome Italian espresso maker for our wedding. Boo-yah!! No longer beholden to Starbucks for my latte fix, I have perfected the art of home barista-ing. The smell of the brewing espresso. The sound of steam in the soy milk. The satisfaction of pulling a great shot with lovely crema and frothing up a good foam. It's part of my morning routine and a slightly meditative way to start the day. Bottoms up.