May has been good. Really good, so far. And not just because it is. Because I choose to make it good. I know a lot of people say you can't choose happy, but I'm trying. I've had a few rough patches this month, but I'm choosing to let what I can go and be thankful for the rest. What exactly am I loving these days?
Photo by Lavender and Twine
1 // NURTURE. Last month, Robert and I really reevaluated our routines. We realized that we weren't really putting an emphasis on what truly matters - us. For the past however long we've been sleeping in the same bed, Robert hasn't come to bed with me. Instead, I'll say goodnight at ten o'clock or so, and he's in bed around 2 a.m. We made a rule, only last month, that we are both in bed by midnight. I find myself staying up later to spend time with him, and he's content just watching TV (Chopped is on a lot late at night) or doing some work. It's actually changed a lot - actually sleeping next to him all night. It's really nice.
Not only that, but we've been doing a lot of mid-week date nights. Even if we don't go anywhere; Netflix has been a common presence in our living room, though I know that usually isn't anything to write home about. We tend to take a half hour after Jeopardy finishes (yes, we watch every night) and finish up whatever work needs to be done for the day - lingering emails, blog posts, social media, whatever. Once eight o'clock rolls around, we pick a movie and the rest of the night is focused on us. I can say that regardless of whatever difficulties we've experienced in the past few months, just nurturing this has been good for our souls and for our relationship. It doesn't matter that we're just watching a movie. We're doing something together. We're letting each other know that they are the most important. And that is important.
2 // WARM WEATHER AND LONG DAYS. Though I can't say that I'm necessarily appreciating the excruciating weather we're having these days (seriously, it doesn't even get to ninety in the height of summer around here, and yesterday it hit ninety-five), I do love sleeping with the windows open and our evening walks to the park. We have a school about five minutes away from us, and we like to take Olive to run around a bit, since we don't have a yard. Yesterday, there were some kids larping (which was cute to watch because really - at least they're outside getting exercise) and Olive couldn't keep her eyes off of them! She was so concerned that they were hurting each other, she kept running back and forth, not entirely sure what to do. We didn't let her get too close, but it was cute to watch. Needless to say, I'm really, really loving the opportunity to spend more time outside these days. And it's nice to think of what this will all be like when we grow our family and take walks to park...with babies.
3 // SETTEBELLO. Robert and I have found our new favorite restaurant, and it isn't in some cute boutique neighborhood - it's actually at the brand new development that just opened up last year. But, give it a chance! Settebello has some seriously good cocktails and I've been craving their pizza! We don't usually have high hopes for places like this, so we were really surprised the first time we wandered in. We're looking forward to another date there tonight, right before we go see Neighbors.
4 // HOME STUFF. There's just something about the changing seasons that makes me crave my home. I find myself reading more home and design blogs and books, not necessarily to redecorate or anything, but so that I can rediscover what my home means to me. I recently purchased the Nester's Book, the Nesting Place, and it's really opening my eyes to what making a home is all about. We're moving in only a few months, so I can't really do much to our little apartment now, but that's okay! It's not about what my home looks like - it's what's inside my home. It's the people, the meaningful objects, that matter. And I love that.
May has been good, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the year being good too. I guess this is just my (slightly random) list of what I'm choosing to make me happy these days. And regardless of difficult clients or money problems or other curveballs being thrown my way, we all deserve to be happy. Right?
2 comments:
I work evenings so I'm envious of the midweek movie dates! Whenever we do get to spend an evening relaxing together I really cherish it.
It's so neat to see the effort that y'all are putting into your marriage, even when it's hard-especially then. And choosing to be happy, so much harder that it should be it seems. Thanks for the encouragement.
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