January 31

Oh, what a day. It began with some residual emotion from last night (which was hard) and continued with a much-needed spur-of-the-moment coffee meet-up (which did wonders for my mood -- thanks Sherrie!). But the cherries on top were the two calls I got from the kids' schools: the first shared that Isaac had been hit in the eye during PE (though fortunately, he's fine and didn't require a trip to the doctor), while the second delivered the great news that Abby threw up. (On the bright side, that means her long-standing fear of vomiting at school has now been realized and she survived.) Anyway, there is an actual point to this random and rambly post.

Brady had a short-lived stomach bug over a week ago. Given that a) those things tend to rip through my house like a tornado and b) I'm virtually always a victim of said tornado, I worried that I wouldn't be able to say goodbye to my friend before she moved (today). I'm a big worrier, but I tried to push aside the fear and prayed --repeatedly-- that no one else would catch it. And then no one else got sick, and I felt confident that we were in the clear. And I got to have that conversation and give the gift I had in person. And though it was hard, it was good, and I needed that interaction in order to put a bow on the past and look toward the future of that relationship.

It's true that a lot of things that I pray for don't come to pass. And that makes sense since God knows what's best for each of us. But I am so very thankful that this particular prayer was granted. (And I'm definitely hoping no one else gets sick.)

January 30

I had an emotional evening. When I came home, Adam was out with Isaac and Brady was watching TV, so I made a gametime decision to go upstairs to talk with this one.

She's my daughter so of course I think she's amazing, but I think that's an objective truth. She sat with me, listened to me, gave feedback, and even teared up a few times. I'd never really confided in her before and there are definitely things that she doesn't need to know, but it felt like we had a Moment while we sat there on her bed.

She's growing up, this girl of mine. And I don't think I could be prouder of who she is.

January 29

I took Isaac to his first baseball practice of the season this evening. Behold my newly minted AAA Brave in action:

On the way home, he couldn't stop talking about how fun it was and how he was so happy to be starting a new season. He truly does love baseball, and I feel blessed to be able to let him play.

I didn't gush in return, but I'm excited for the new season, too. I chatted with several parents while watching the boys go through their drills and found them all to be genuinely nice people. Being a baseball mom over the years has introduced me to a number of amazing parents (and caregivers!), including a few who wound up becoming some of my very closest friends. So I feel like I have good reason to be hopeful for what's to come this spring.

So let's play ball. :)

January 28

I was rather dismayed when I looked at my phone this evening and realized that I'd taken one lonely picture all day long. And then I was even more dismayed when I realized it was very similar to yesterday's image. But here it is anyway, because there's still some value in it:

We tend to go for long stretches around here with very few clouds in the sky. (That's probably the case since it hardly ever rains between May and October.) Given that truth, we also tend to have long stretches with less-than-colorful sunsets. Clear blue sky is stunning, of course, but the clouds are what give those sunsets true dimension.

That's also true in this life. I think we'd all like our days to be without challenges and free of pain, but the reality is that the clouds (struggles) that produce those spectacular colors (maturity, change, and growth) are what make the days meaningful.

So for the knowledge that my own difficulties will eventually create something unique and beautiful, I'm thankful.

January 27

I laid low most of today. Then this evening, Adam and I took a quick turn around the park. The sun was beginning to set, and it was quite lovely.

No grand observations; just a picture of a beautifully painted sky. Because today, that's what I've got.

January 26

Abby and I did as we often do on lazy weekend afternoons: we went shopping. When we got home, I opened the garage door to plug in my car, and shortly thereafter, a fluffy gray cat ran inside. (We don't own a fluffy gray cat so this was a surprising occurrence.) Since I'm near-deathly allergic (which I realized after owning cats for 38 years), I dispatched Abby to retrieve Fluffy, and she complied.

Although I don't love being near cats at this juncture, I do love how happy my girl was to hold this one. She grinned like a fool, and afterward, declared that she wanted a cat of her own. (Which is not happening.) She even looked up hypoallergenic cats. (Which is also not happening.)

Anyway, it was a blessing to just be with her out and about, and it was a blessing to watch her happily hold this feline. Small things, but good things nonetheless.

January 25

My girl is delightfully complex.

She made me laugh out loud this morning when, after I'd dropped her off at school, she deadpan texted me "There are memes on the bathroom wall. I don't know what to think" along with a picture of said meme.

Then this evening, she randomly sent me the "I love you" dragon (even though she was sitting on the couch literally four feet away).

Yup, complex. Funny. Smart. Quick-witted. Challenging too sometimes, sure, but all in all, she's a pretty great kid to call my own, and I'm thankful.