Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Another 10 on Tuesday

So I'm going to copy a friend, and in an effort to blog more regularly try a 10 on Tuesday thing... meaning, a list of 10 things currently making me happy. Now whether or not I do this every Tuesday I cannot say, and I will certainly promise nothing. So, in the spirit of Thankfulness and positivity, here is my Ten on Tuesday:

1. At this very moment, I am sitting next to my 3 year old son Gabriel, who gives me a happiness all his own, but currently I am being made happy by his beautiful and carefree giggle. I love this boy's giggle. Seriously, since the first time we really got him laughing as a baby till now - and probably forever more in my mind - there is nothing better and never will be.

2. Watching baby Maddox learn to walk, and seeing the smile on his face when he knows he did well! I love how he sticks his little arms straight up in the air for balance.

3. My sewing machine. I know, I know, I'm such a nerd, but the crazier and crazier life has gotten (and will continue to get) the more thankful I am for this gift that my husband gave to me even though he didn't have to... and even though it meant spending a LOT of money on something he truly didn't understand the purpose of. But, as always, he was and is supportive and was willing to splurge because he knew it would make me happy. The hours (or hour) of quiet I get after the kids go to bed when I am upstairs sewing away keep me sane. They really do. For that short bit of time, just like math, A + B = C. There are simple steps, and simple answers, and things go together just as they should. Uncertainty disappears and suddenly I am in a place where I have a little bit of control in the middle of chaos. Suddenly I can pull messy scraps of a million colors together into something with straight lines and perfect curves - even if the rest of my world remains in chaos. I can try and fail without guilt, and when I succeed I can feel proud.

4. Don't roll your eyes - my sewing room. Yes, the room is a shared room with my husband's office on one side and my stuff on the other, but never in a million years did I dream I'd have my own dedicated space for sewing or whatever other creative pursuits I try out. Certainly not while we still had kids in the house, and certainly not one where I can truly spread out and feel at home and comfortable. Makes me want to read "A Room of Ones Own" again! Again - thank you Dan for obliging me!

5. My husband and his sense of humor. I make a million mistakes on a regular basis. Some big and some small, and just when I start to really get down on myself, or to think that this time I've really blown it and Dan is going to be super mad, I come to him, confess, and what does he do? He smiles, makes a joke, and helps me make a plan to fix whatever I've gotten into without ever a moments condemnation. How lucky I am. How I love this man.

6. The weather! Yes, I said it, I am happy about the current weather in Texas! A few months ago - or less - I was fairly convinced I could never survive in this climate and had no idea for the life of me why anyone would want to! I couldn't even remember anymore why we left Southern California for THIS!?! Of course I remembered how much it cost to live there, but still. Well, then it started to rain. And it rained buckets. And you know what? I never got sick of it. And now that it has cleared up I like it even better! I don't mind cold - in fact I like it. But the perfect weather for me is probably in the 60's and we've had a lot of that lately. Thank you Texas! I may stay here after all!

7. Planning for Christmas this year. I have been bitten by the Christmas bug earlier than I ever have in my life this year. I think partially because Christmas just wasn't Christmas last year due to a death in the immediate family. It feels like ages since we really had Christmas, and I am ready. This year, after what we went through last year, I am really feeling the spirit of family and tradition, and joy that Christmas is supposed to be all about. And now that Gabriel is old enough to start really understanding Christmas I am so ready to really start teaching him in fun new ways all about Santa, and more importantly, about a little baby named Jesus.

8. New Friends! It has taken me awhile to start getting connected here in Texas, but now I really feel things turning around. I've been in two mom's groups for awhile now, and have finally gotten myself and the kiddos out of the house and to the events often enough that I am really starting to get to know some of the ladies, discover things we have in common and things we can share with each other. And while the friendships we developed over 5 years in California will never be replaced, I finally feel I have some true friendships here that can be developed as well. Goodbye lonely days! Now if I can just convince my hubby to stay in one place for awhile, haha!

9. Being a SAHM. It is not easy. It is actually harder than any job I have ever had...but very different. Hard to find ways to keep my mind active and challenged (in realms other than discipline and how to potty train), and hard to find ways to keep my kids challenged and engaged. There are days I moan and groan and bitch and gripe and lament. But that is mostly because its a steep learning curve. One thing I know for certain though, each and every day, is that I am blessed to have the opportunity to raise my children personally, to be close to them every single day, and for them to know that everything I do is devoted to them. When I was a working mom, although our childcare was phenomenal and we loved our daycare, it always broke my heart to know that someone else was spending more time with my child than I was. I am thankful and happy today to have the opportunity to stay at home that many just can't pull off, and that for a long time, neither could we.

10. Thinking about Baby Sara and counting down until the day we will finally meet this little spitfire. Yes, I already can tell you that she is a spitfire and probably has nothing to fear when it comes to two older brothers... I am fairly certain she will hold her own quite well, thank you. My organs can attest to this! I already have a picture of her in my head...maybe wishful thinking, but who knows. I picture lots of dark brown hair and big round cheeks...wait, this is sounding oddly like what I looked like when I was born...who knows, we shall see!! So far we've got one brown hair/brown eyed boy and a blonde and blue eyed boy...anything could happen... red hair? Green eyes? That is also a possibility when you look at our gene pool! So much to look forward to!

And that's my 10 on Tuesday. What are yours?