After two truly craptastic mothering days (they should fire me!) and some other current stress, I was grateful for the gift of today.
I awoke and texted my sisters, wishing our dad a happy 70th birthday.
I mixed yogurt with chopped fruit and berries and raw oats and nuts as light came in the kitchen windows. That was happy. (And yummy.)
And you know what?
Today, the sun shone.
Even though it was cold, the sky was blue! (Blessing!)
I took valentine decorations off my mantle and put spring up in its place while listening to the Weepies and Claire requested a Tim McGraw song she loves.
(And yeah, if you're in Utah, I know what you're thinking: there's snow outside. But maybe forsythia and boxwood will encourage the outside world to follow suit.)
Late in the afternoon, the girls and I drove to dad's grave to put some flowers there.
When we got back, they headed out with their dad for a while and I went out on a run as light was slipping from the valley. It was dark by the time I got home.
I mixed cake, lit candles on the mantle, and sat down to do some work.
The kids came home, and while we waited for the cake to come out and then cool off, Claire and I sat on the couch singing "The Wheels on the Bus," and then I whistled various tunes and she'd guess the songs.
We put 4 candles in dad's cake (cuz...70!), sang Happy Birthday, dished it up with ice cream, and read together.
And as I go to sleep tonight, I'll talk with God about how grateful I am for a gentler day: for those bright yellow rays that brought hope and joy, for my children, for the opportunity to learn and try again and apologize, the chance to be humbled and see my faults, and for being able to run and move my body. I'll express gratitude for a warm house and food to eat.
But also, I'll thank God for the blessing of a kind and wise father and friend.
I love him so.
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