When Things Come Together

These days I get ridiculously excited about anything I am able to complete.  I am, of course, using "anything" sorta liberally - I'm not suddenly jumping up and down, squealing with excitement when I drain the last of my water bottle.  No, I'm talking about completing something that I have hoped for, undertaken, put together, worked on, dreamed about and finally am able to see finished.  I step back, breathe it all in, and work to let it fill up some of the large space inside me that still is aching to be filled by bigger things that aren't yet happening.

One of these things I've just finished is the bedding set for the king size bed Jason and I purchased several years ago.  We bought the bed when Jason was mobilized overseas so - although he saw pictures and approved the choice -  it was really me who hunted it, bought it, and got to be the first to settle into the vast reaches of comfy mattress space that is a king size bed (after one is used to a queen/full).

Following the purchase of our new king size bed, I began to haunt websites for cute and well priced bedding.  Then - success! - Pottery Barn had a close-out on some duvet covers and I zeroed in on a blue one along with four matching shams.  Alas, it was not to be and if you missed it you can read the whole sad tale of this unfortunate duvet and our misadventures on craigslist in this previous post (um, click here).

Amazingly, after "feeling, owning and letting go" (mantra swiped from my Auntie Ellen, thanks Auntie Ellen!) of the disappointing duvet, everything worked out as planned.  I did indeed sell the lackluster duvet (and four matching shams) to a very nice and remarkably un-psycho-like craigslist buyer and THEN: I found - while shopping for something entirely different, yes *quite* by accident - the One, the Exactly-What-I-Always-Wanted king size bedding set at Kohl's.  I quickly ran it past Jason and gained his approval and through the following months I stalked the Kohl's website and when sales occurred (or Kohl's cash) I leaped to action and slowly pieced together a spanking new bed set.

And I'm ridiculously pleased to say I now have the entire (and when I say "entire" what I *really* mean is totally open to adding additional cute, matching pillows) bedding set covering my fabulous king size bed.  I tell you, it's a treat to walk into my bedroom and see my beautiful bed.  I step back, breathe it in, and nod slowly.  There's no better feeling that that feeling you get when things just come together.

Inevitable Evolution

My little girl is starting to say her l's.

Of course, when I say "say" what I really mean is that she's beginning to correctly pronounce the letter "l" with the "l-l-l" sound rather than the "w" sound.  She's actually beginning to sound exactly like her cousin Isabella, whose unique way of saying the "l" sound has delighted me since Bella began using it.

While do I of course enjoy hearing Siennalee's speech maturing, in quiet moments I find myself fondly reminiscing of the days of "I Siennawee" and "Oh wook at his wittle wegs!"  Don't get me wrong - I don't wish for my child to spend years in speech therapy (I myself had at least one year devoted to re-learning to say my s's; "My name ith Jethica.") or having fun poked at her by other kids boasting better pronunciation skills (thankfully my daughter is bigger than most of her peers, not that I advocate violence - really just the possibility of it often does the trick).

But moments like these, such as listening to a newly acquired skill being employed and practiced at every turn, moments like these do give a mama cause to smile, step back and wipe surreptitiously at suspiciously moist eyes while savoring yet another of the wonders of this most precious and holy calling: Mommyhood.

Summer Days Driftin' Away

Somehow, I’m just realizing, the summer has passed by in a whirl of packing, unpacking, traveling hither and thither, and cleaning cleaning cleaning.  I feel a pause in the frenetic activity that has swallowed me up these past months.  And I glimpse fall waiting quietly in the wings.

I’m glad for it.  Fall is my very favorite season, so rich in color and spicy smells and good hearty recipes and family get-togethers.  I also rejoice in the tangible proof that seasons do change – especially when one has felt caught in a souped-up version of the movie Groundhog Day.

Yes, many things – blogging included – drifted to the wayside during my summer months of packing, travel, and cleaning.  Oh sure, I began several blog posts, but somehow pushing the “publish” button was simply beyond me.  Heck, at one point, I even re-designed my blog layout for the summer months, but alas, nary a post.  Ah well.

The seasons are changing, and though change brings both loss and gain, I believe my family is ready for them.  There are new plans in the works, new ideas being discussed, and an anticipation we haven’t felt for quite some time.  Sometimes in order to gain the new things, the old things – the comfortable, safe, known things – must be put aside.

So welcome, fall.  I can’t wait to see the changes you bring.