Mixed Bag

Today I'm thankful for these things, which never fail to make me smile:

You're so next...

Feed the Kitty

Oom vork vork

And this latest addition:

I think this is my new favorite thing.

Let's blow the dust off this thing, shall we. I've been feeling a little....stressed....yeah, that's probably a good word....lately. A little overworked, underpaid, underappreciated. Yesterday I was in the PIT....OF....DESPAIR (100 Gryffindor points to anyone who catches that reference) (wait, is that too confusing to mix my movie metaphors?)

Anyhoo, I've found that there's no better way to drag yourself out of the pit than to count your blessings. So, here goes.

1. My daughter, Punkin, who makes me laugh by acting out commercials for cleansers in the bathtub. "Do you have a problem with dirty tub?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. "Try Scrubbles!"

2. My so creative boy, Bubba, who turns every scrap of paper he finds (even his napkin at dinner) into a paper airplane, who transforms wooden skewers, a bottle top, some yarn, and a piece of cardboard into a catapult, and who devours books like candy -- a boy after my own heart.

3. Gingerbread lattes. The full fat ones, with whipped cream and everything.

Day Whatever

1. pondering modern medicine, which helps my baby get well.

2. birthday cake

3. home fries

4. creative bloggy friends

5. feeling like I'm on a team

Day #8

Some days, these moments are harder to find than others.

1. scratching Toby behind his ears, his eyes closed, leaning into my hand.

2. five minutes of quiet with my Honey Nut Cheerios

3. Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott

Day #7

1. Doggy tails wagging after a weekend away

2. small hands, helping me put away the dishes

3. Target.

4. compliments

5. warm sunshine on my back

Days #4, 5, & 6

1. A whole weekend with Mr. Daddy -- just the two of us!

2. Garlic hot wings at Wild Wings in Savannah -- with Mr. Daddy

3. oak trees dripping with Spanish moss.

4. Listening to writers talk about their craft.

5. Books!

6. Being challenged to think about things that are sometimes uncomfortable to think about.

7. Starkey Flythe! and poetry!

8. couple friends

9. Ann Lamott's books.

Day #3

1. Winter sunrises, pink and orange -- aflame.

2. 30 minutes !alone! in the car

3. grilled shrimp

4. singing Part of Your World to Punkin in the bathtub as she pretends to be Ariel.

5. a cellphone with a QWERTY keyboard.

I'm not going to have computer access for the next day or so, so I won't be able to post on the actual days, but I'm going to try to remember what my moments are and post them when I return.