love is....

                                          true love begins
                                                                  when nothing is 
                                                                                           looked for in
                                                                                                               return.


                                                                                                                    ~ antoine de saint-exupery

thoughtful thursday: reading is bliss

“Reading is everything. Reading makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something, learned something, become a better person. Reading makes me smarter. Reading gives me something to talk about later on. Reading is the unbelievably healthy way my attention deficity disorder medicates itself. Reading is escape, and the opposite of escape; it’s a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things up, and it’s a way of making contact with someone else’s imagination after a day that’s all too real. Reading is grist. Reading is bliss. ” ~Nora Ephron

i love Nora Ephron!

thoughtful thursday: live each season

"Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each." — Henry David Thoreau

things that made me happy this week...

* a phone call from brother R2's family.
   - nephew G told me all about his new CTR ring. he even knows what it means.
   - niece L wanted to say hi and i love you. she's almost two so just imagine how cute she is!
   - brother R2 thanked me for sending his wife N a dress, because: "she is smokin' hot in it!"

* josiah came home and has been my shadow. this dog is ridiculously in love with me.

* shopping for baby clothes for new babies with good friend MW. so much fun! and so many cute little clothes.

* buying almost blooming hyacinths--the best smell on earth right now.

* missing someone, whom i hope to keep as a friend.

* waking up a few minutes before my alarm goes off. i hate being awakened by an alarm, so this really makes me smile.

* warm sunshine.

* cleaning my room and organizing.

* falling down stairs and not breaking anything. ouch! all i could was laugh because it hurt.

* this episode of fraser. seriously some of the best physical comedy ever done. i laughed until i cried.

thoughtful thursday: improve your argument

don't raise your voice. 
improve your argument.
--desmond tutu


now if only the republican presidential candidates would...

things that made me smile this week

* a wake up call to announce the news that my newest niece was born and all was well with the world.

* a whiny dog.

* snow!! for real this time.

* yummy dinner at ted's. good friends. the forming of a secret society. an attractive bearded southern gentleman who popped into our booth unsolicited to take our photo as we awkwardly attempted to do the self portrait thing. a great girls night out.

* the return of white collar. lemon pound cake and strawberry ice cream. and a good friend.

* creating space.

* the house to myself for the weekend.

* i love late afternoon movies with dinner afterwards. it makes for an unexpectedly early night which is a nice way to finish the day.

* a run with the dog. actually it was more like a run--stop--walk, run--stop--run, walk--stop--run... well, you get the drift.

* buying a rug for next to the bed, so that my toes have a soft landing first thing in the morning.

* when my boss gives me a to-do-list, it's like a jigsaw puzzle where half the pieces are missing. not only do i have to figure out how to put it together, but i have to look for the pieces too. it's fun!

* i think i actually got to speak with Sec. Clinton the other day.

* clean laundry. new pillows. pjs. socks. big thick sweaters. good gloves. angry birds. audio books. home decor magazines. cooking good food.

thoughtful thursday: modesty defined

But modesty is not defined by, or even primarily about, how much of one’s body is covered. It is about comportment and behavior. It is about recognizing that one need not be the center of attention. It is about embodying the prophet Micah’s call for modesty: learning “to walk humbly with your God.” ~Dov Linzer

Beautiful, just beautiful. I found this article in the NYTimes very thought provoking, and loved how he summed up modesty. It's one of the best descriptions I've come across.

things that made me smile this week

* giving myself permission to dream.

* audio books.

* pound the hill. great friend. travel scrabble. nutella scone and hot chocolate. moroccan lentil soup. perfect evening.

* speaking italian.

* an early morning email from girlfriend SD asking if i wanted to go to dinner at bibiana. the serendipity of already having a reservation for that very evening, along with tickets to see James Earl Jones, who has the best smile ever--it twinkles, literally twinkles, my friends. lots of girl talk, good food, sharing insights and finally swapping christmas gifts. perfect.

* organizing. folding laundry. making a new sign for the front door.

* so, my smart phone was actually making me dumber. then i turned off the the notifications which tell me when someone has posted something new on facebook, or a new email has popped into my inbox. suddenly, i feel less clutered, less hectic and more in control. i now check these things when i need or want, not because my phone is sounding off. this is a very good thing indeed.

* two little girls dropping their toys and rushing across the playroom to tackle me with hugs.

* holding the cutest little 4 month old baby girl at a dinner party.

* playing the piano in primary on sunday. kids are too funny.

* talking with my mom. she read her christmas present to me, which was a photo book with quotes from my nephew G. we were laughing so hard! my favorite was this:
   brother R2: alright, G, i'm gonna show you how a super hero kisses his girl.
   he takes his wife in his arms, dips her down and totally lays one on her while son, nephew G, watches.
   nephew G: so, i throw her down and slobber all over her face then?
mom and I were rolling on the floor.

* making baking powder biscuits and homemade honey butter for my roommate's nieces and nephews. all gone when i got home.