some things i love about my life

1. Waking up to Chris' exclamation of "oh!" He forgot what side of the bed he was on and there was a person instead of the floor when he pulled back the covers. Teehee.
2. People's indifference to my totally ugly cake for Relief Society. It was supposed to be centerpiece worthy and mostly it was just a wreck instead. But it was delicious and we laughed about it, so it didn't even matter.
3. My increasing flexibility. I say this with a LARGE measure of humility, because I am certainly not a very adaptable, easygoing person. At least, not yet! Yesterday I fashioned a desk for Chris out of our coffee table, plus some plastic bins and cardboard. Then I rearranged our living room to accommodate. I'm pleased to say Chris loved the fresh new look and the desk. I figured it was kinda the least I could do when he's so sweet about spending more time at home while he studies.
4. In-laws. We had a fantastic visit with them and I am excited for the next time we visit with them. I'm sure we'll play lots of board games, try new restaurants, and even work on my father-in-law's novel. So glad I married into this clan.
5. Making friends! The longer we live in this ward, the more I see that we are in fact developing relationships with these people, not to mention social skills. We've got game nights, temple visits, and dinners as proof that there are opportunities to get to know people everywhere. Now we just have to work on returning the favor!
6. Chatting with my parents, just because. Last Saturday was a hard day for Chris, so I kidnapped him for a long drive. We didn't have a destination in mind, but privately I decided I'd drive the hour to Indianapolis if he didn't stop me before then, and if he didn't stop me at Indy, I'd drive clear to North Carolina to visit my parents! We took an exit about 20 minutes down the freeway, but I couldn't help but wish we'd kept going. I'd love to give my parents a big hug. For now at least, I'll just anticipate visits from them in May or June, and call them just to say hi in the meantime!
7. Web communities. Many LDS women in the greater Lafayette area (plus some not-LDS women) subscribe to an e-mail list, where people post activity announcements, free stuff, and questions. I love the warmth and trust in these e-mails. It makes me grateful to live where we do.
8. My job. I'm still writing articles for familyshare.com, and still loving it. It's frequently a challenge to sit down and write, but I love the opportunity to grow, as well as share the tiny bits of wisdom that 25 years of life has given me. It's fun to see my readership get a huge boost when the FamilyShare social media specialists (hey, Jared!) post my work. I love knowing that I may have not only brightened the day of so many people with my cheerfulness, but also given them some practical thoughts for making family life more joyful -- like it should be.