Oh Sweet Sunshine, Look What You Do To Me

photo by E.M. Photography

While the world seems to be struggling ... I find myself drifting off every few minutes, captured by wonderful summer thoughts. Ever since yesterday evening, I started realizing so many amazing things going on in and around my life. I think it may be the 70 degree weekend that is so close I can feel it or the desire to be AT the place in my life everyone tells me is worth all of my hard, sad, painful nights I have spent struggling through the past 3 months. Whatever it is, it is filling me with so much happiness. For once, my happiness is not attributed to another human, but rather my appreciation for the natural beauty of life. Life is truly about the small things that we tend to forget about in the hussle and bussle of our crazy lives. A few random, fun thoughts:

1. My friend Kristen is currently in Haiti taking care of small underpriviledged children. Check out her blog here to read about her (what will eventually be) life changing experience. It is mind boggling to me how she finds the place in her heart to follow through on opportunities like this. She is incredible not to mention gorgeous, smart, and kind.

2. I can't stop craving the time to practice my cooking / baking skills. I just want to spend one whole day in the kitchen making tons of food!! If you have any great "must-try" recipes, PLEASE pass them along.

3. Every morning I wake up and want to tear back my blinds, open the sliding glass door in my bedroom out to my balcony, sit with a cup of tea and enjoy the fresh morning sun and birds chirping ... only a few more weeks of winter and my wish will come true! (now I am just on the hunt for the perfect balcony furniture)

4. When the sun heats Washington D.C., I enjoy going for "after work runs" around the monuments. I run around the Jefferson Memorial, Tidal Basin, Lincoln Memorial, Reflecting Pool and wherever else my little legs carry me. I spend my whole run swallowed by the thought of "There are people who travel miles to see what I see every day. Boy am I lucky."

5. This morning I was taking care of a few things for work. I stumbled across an uncommon name, Elsie. All I could think about was how precious "Elsie" must have been when she was little. My mind soared to all of the names I would love to name my children. My daughters must have soft, precious names, and my sons must have strong, firm names.

ahhhh, I'm truly in dreamland, but I just can't stop thinking about how fortunate and blessed I am.