chevron stripes, new coats and rice pudding.

"Feathers filled the small room. Our laughter kept the feathers in the air. I thought about birds. Could they fly is there wasn't someone, somewhere, laughing?" — Jonathan Safran Foer (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) 

 I do not believe I have ever been as happy as I am today. It is most definitely not because I had a good weekend. Or because its Monday. Its definitely not because I woke up two hours before my alarm this morning or because of the cloudy sky. It absolutely has nothing to do with my box or the way my non-apple work computer screen glows. It has nothing to do with this afternoon's meeting or an oncall shift that has a 98% chance of being called. 

It does have a tiny bit to do with chevron stripes and a brand new jacket from mr. d...oh and the most delicious rice pudding from a couple of blocks down the street. Mostly though, its because happiness doesnt come in the shape of a box or a weather report. It cant be made or bought. But it is so sweet to be found...and I am oh so thankful for it.

Actions speak louder than words but sometimes words are quite more than enough.

rainy monday

Today's weather could not be more perfect for a Monday. This Monday.
This weekend was filled with some seriously high highs,
and some lows which I'd rather not revisit
except to say that I gained some excellent advice from my best friend as a result...
"Don't try to fix everything in a forced manner. Put some things in the Lords hands and let him take the burden off your shoulders."
Its advice that I think I easily agree with, but have a hard time enacting on.
I hate discord...confrontation and unrest. Instead of relaxing,
I anxiously try to do anything I can to fix it.
When what I need to do is just breathe, pray
and let go. 





photo from Canadian Gardening found here.

hello, monday.

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly."

— Siddhārtha Gautama

 I started my new little fling yesterday

and today I am tying up a ton of loose ends at the apartment.

Happy to finally have them tied.

In fact, even though emails from my parents currently in Greece 

have me wishing I was somewhere foreign exploring, 

I am so excited to breathe a sigh of relief tonight.

To feel settled for the first time in weeks.

Thankful. So thankful to just be home. 

photo by Gerald Edwards found here.

Monday, again.

I am alive and well
and back in my box
although the weekend started off with a hitch
it ended quite wonderfully.

Now Im catching up on all the work
I missed while sick. ugh.

photo.

cupcakes and kayaks

Some weekends are made to rejuvenate 

you for the week. Others, are a real drain. 

Luckily, this past weekend was the former.

On Friday, we ate at Georgetown Cupcake for the

first time. Highly recommended...although a little pricey

HOWEVER; if you follow them on twitter....they 

announce a FREE flavor of the day.

(Only the first 100 are free)

Saturday morning kayaking on the potomac was 

perfect - plus the added entertainment of rather large

swimming turtles definitely made it worth while. 

[I cant believe I left my camera tucked away 

at the apartment all weekend. Shoot.] 

photo by cate.

putting off procrastination

One of my greatest weaknesses...procrastination.

Another weakness...making lists and then never actually using them.

But since today is the start of a new week, I am going to actually 

check these things off of my to-do-list...

• starting with the loads of laundry I have mysteriously accumulated around my room ...and maybe on the chair by the door in the living room...
• clean out the refrigerator...and then actually stock it with things I WILL USE the rest of the week
• buy a baby present and a wedding present (both of which I am really struggling with good ideas for)
• sort through the little pile of insurance bills that I avoid eye contact with, at almost any cost, which are sitting on the corner of my writing desk
• finish The Help (which I love and is the one thing that could possibly cancel out all the other things on this list)
• finish and develop my roll of Diana that is half Houston, part Dallas and little bit of DC all in one
• get rid of clothes I don't wear and store away all of my winter clothes

The weekend was lovely and I was dreading starting a new week, but this list has me ready to attack it ...full force...Happy Monday! 

------------------------------------------------

Photo found on A Beautiful Mess by Sherri Dupree

forced air

"A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in totally insane world." - Lois Wyse

I rode my bike to work this morning which turned

out to be more refreshing and appealing than I 

had even hoped. A great way to start the week.

Back from visiting with friends, I feel 

rejuvenated. A reoccuring theme is that

none of us planned to be exactly where we 

are - and maybe we aren't in our dream

situations/places - but we all recognize

the need to be content. Abraham Lincoln

said that "you are about as happy as you

make your mind up to be." Sometimes

happiness just falls in your lap, an 

unexpected blessing in the rush of life, but

a lot of times you have to choose to see the 

beauty and the joy around you. Letting it sink

in - breathing consciously so that it is sure

to fill your lungs. 

I think that is why I enjoyed the bike ride 

so much this morning, it forced me to 

breathe deep. 

*picture is from the new snoflake line

Oh, Monday.

My eyes are bloodshot and itchy and I have a ton of stuff

to do today...but the weekend was wonderful

and I have so many pictures waiting quietly in my camera

to be brought to life.

Meanwhile, my eyes are trying to adjust to being awake.

Pictures coming soon....

photo found here

case of the mondays anyone? anyone.

photo by Anastasia Cazabon