Early Night Night

I have been struggling to keep my eyes open this week… yes this week, even though it’s only Tuesday.  I’m all tuckered out and I’m not really sure why.  I’ve not been getting an ideal amount of sleep for me, so that’s probably a big factor.

To combat my sleepy eyes, I’m going to bed extra early tonight.  I’ll be cuddling up with the second Harry Potter book (I’m reading the series in order) and reading until I begin to doze off and drop the book; if you’re a before bed reader, you know the scene.

After an extra early bedtime, I’m hoping to be well rested so I can make the most of my evenings for the rest of the week.  There’s much to be done, but it won’t be nearly as enjoyable if I’m exhausted.

Good Stuff

Tonight all projects waited.  Housekeeping was quite unimportant.  I came home, made mac and cheese for dinner, followed by a raspberry pie.  Then Karen and I watched Inception.  She hadn’t seen it and was glad for the opportunity to watch it on our big TV.  I saw it in theaters but had been wanting to see it again.  It did not disappoint either time.

Tomorrow Karen will head back to Vermont and “regular” life will resume.  I look forward to quiet nights making yummy dinners and working on my project list.  Casey’s busy season will begin soon enough and I need to keep filling up my time with the good stuff.

First Date-iversary

“Better than I was, more than I am,

And all of this happened, by taking your hand”

Nine years ago in a movie theater in Montpelier, Vermont, Casey reached across his arm rest, offering me his hand to hold.  We were in our last semester of high school and after plenty of adolescent coquetry, we had decided to go on a double date.  The offering of his hand that night, and the first kiss at the end of the evening, made us official.

It also made the lyrics above, from “It’s Your Love” by Tim McGraw, supremely meaningful to us… which seven years after the first held hand made it a wonderful wedding song, demanded by Casey in a rarely shown bit of sentiment.

Although we don’t really celebrate the anniversary of our first date, I feel it’s important to honor it and remember it, because it was the beginning of something truly grand.

Pretty Sky

It is a bummer to get to work when it’s still dark, especially during the time of year when it’s dark when I get home as well.  But every now and then I catch a wonderful part of getting there so early.

Sometimes I happen to walk out into the hall shortly after I arrive and the sky makes me thankful that I did so.  Seeing the sun rise just never gets old.

Back To It

I am so thankful.  Not just because I had a wonderful week long vacation in Vermont, but because I’ve returned to Virginia in good spirits.  After such a long time away, it can be really hard to get back into the swing of things.  But this time seems much different.

The house is not in perfect condition at the moment, with Christmas decorations adorning the dining table, waiting to be put away, and boxes and suitcases still to be unpacked.

But I went to the gym today, got plenty of good-for-us food at the grocery store tonight, and made a delicious dinner when I got home.  The laundry is running and I’ve started the unpacking.

Getting back into “regular life” is a process and diving right in can be a shock.  I’m not going to be a slacker about things, but I’m also not going to fret if I don’t get everything done on the first night home.

I hope this level of ease, and being so close to peace, will last through the rest of the year and beyond.