10 Happy Things - Baby It's Cold Outside Edition

Baby, it's cold outside!

But even though I'm shivering my way through January it never takes long to see that there are other places that I would shiver worse. This makes me glad I'm not. And that feels good.

Every once in awhile days come around that are kind of like that. Days where no matter what goes wrong I don't have to look far to think of worse things going wrong. And it makes me glad they aren't. So it feels like a good day, anyway.

Today was one of those days. And believe me, it had its fair share of wrong! But all except for the 10 things that went wrong in 10 minutes it really only felt happy. And I love that! So I'm going to share. Because I know you're dying to hear.


10 Happy Things - Baby It's Cold Outside Edition

1.  SUNSHINE!!! Sweet, sweet sunshine. With blue skies.

2.  My super overstuffed load of towels got completely dry the first run in the dryer!! Kind of.

3.  I forgot number three. I am not making this up. I completely skipped it. This pretty much makes
     me smile.

4.  I totally sat in my apartment wearing my puffy coat and headband after walking the dog. For more
     than just a little while. I felt really good about this.

5.  I did not get hit by a car.

6.  My weather app says it's 73 and sunny in Miami and 77 and stormy in Tahiti. Which means I'd
    rather be in Miami than Tahiti. This almost never happens.

7.  It was 30 degrees for running. Instead of the 12 degrees I ran in the other day. Yay!
     Bonus: My chin was completely thawed within 7 minutes of walking in the door.
     Double bonus: Unlike a recent run, I totally did NOT recklessly choose to spit like a girl
     before checking to see if there was a swift attractive runner rapidly approaching from behind.

8.  I got a free book from Amazon!! (This may or may not have something to do with one of the 10
     things that went wrong in 10 minutes. I'm not really sure. But I'm happy about it, anyway.)

9.  Hot chocolate. With toffee flavored creamer. And whipped cream. And a sprinkle of cinnamon and
     sugar on top. Mmmm. Yummy. Warm. I did not have this. I just thought about it. Happily. And
     drank it in my mind. Then ate the last seven bites of a piece of Godiva cheesecake.

10. Knowing that by tomorrow night I will be shivering worse. Some of the people I love most will
     be shivering worse with me. But all will be right with the world. Because we will be half way
     through January and well on our way to...

SUMMER!!!!
And nothing says happy more than that. : )

Just Fine

I've taken to saying this thing...

"Just fine."

When people ask how I am...

"Just fine."

When they ask how I really am...

"Just fine."

And when I have an especially weak moment and begin to spill a little too much and then catch myself because I maybe and might be starting to sound a little whiny and I never ever want to sound whiny...

"I'm fine. It's fine. It's all going to be just fine."

So you should know that I made it through the holidays...

"Just fine."

With a tiny helping of not fine at all. And a very large portion of peaceful, beautiful and joyous.
And now I can check that off my list. Along with one full year of firsts "uncoupled". Phew.

So here we are with January 2013. A new year. And today my amazing friend leaves for Ukraine to begin the really long process of being away from her biological kids while she and her husband finish up the really long process of bringing their adopted kids home.

A minimum of 48 days in an unfamiliar country.
Unfamiliar faces,
Unfamiliar languages,
Unfamiliar foods,
Unfamiliar customs.
Really next to nothing familiar at all.
Forty-eight. Long. Days.
Not to mention it is really, really cold there.

I was able to have a conversation with her a few nights ago to find out how she was doing.

Tired? Yes.
Anxious? Yes.
Overwhelmed? Absolutely. 
Scared? A little.
Excited? Very much so!

We talked about the unknowns, the uncertainties, the hopes, the dreams, the fears. And so many emotions in so little space.

And how it's all going to be...

"Just fine."

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Fast forward to last night.

My sister called to chat for a minute while she and her family made the long drive to a Justin Bieber concert in a city far from her own. (Yes, that's right. Justin Bieber. She is five years older than me. And I am openly and unashamedly jealous about this road trip destination. More than a little.)

She told me about some of the hectic, busy and overwhelming things that seem to constantly exist in her life. I don't know how she does it all. Really. I would never want to be her.

But as we finished up the conversation she said...

"It's great. It's all going to be just great."

I had to giggle a little about how similar that was to my "Just fine. It's all going to be just fine". And I quickly realized how much more fun it sounds to be "just great".

So today as my friend gets on her flight, and then the next leg of her flight, and then the next leg of her flight, till she ends up in the city where she will board a train that takes her to her kids, I am changing my ways. I wish her the all the best in this next difficult stage of her journey - safe travels, hopeful and joyful days amid the lonely and missing days, happy reading... and reading... and reading...

And the reassurance that from day 1 to day 48 it is NOT going to be fine at all.

Instead it will be great. It's all going to be just great!

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You can check up on the adoption progress and follow her travel adventures at this link. 

http://truaxadoptionadventure.blogspot.com/

And while they have raised a huge amount of money they are still in need. 

Any support you can lend would be greatly appreciated.