on the flip side

So to balance out the madness I'm making a list of things that make me happy. I'm totally lifting this from a letter I wrote to Dave about awhile ago and found buried in papers on my office desk (??), but I'm lifting out the mushy stuff so you don't puke. I was going to type the whole thing out in honor of Valentines Day, but I failed miserably at posting this weekend and I don't know how Dave would feel about me putting love letters on the internet.

So here goes.

1. It makes me content to lie in bed before going to sleep and taking stock in the day and think about tomorrow.

2. We own a home and it is full of things that we want- not just things that we need.

3. I like knowing that Jake is in the next room sleeping in a bed that costs more than a full months rent in our first (and second) apartment and it is a bed he can have for the rest of his life, chew marks and all.

4. I like to go through every day knowing that I made the difference in the world to people who don't even know I exist, even if just by doing something as simple as double checking the credentials of their social worker.

5. I am happy that every item under out roof is something that was chosen and wanted, not something we had to settle on or have to make do with. When I was growing up I always promised myself I'd work hard enough to never have to make do.

6. I get to watch Jake learn something new each day. If it is close to his bedtime and I haven't heard him say or seen him do something I've never heard or seen before, I teach him something.

7. It thrills me (and scares me, but mostly thrills me) to know that strangers see our child and fall in love with him.

8. I love knowing that we will support and nurture him in a way that he can take that charisma and save the world with it.

9. Being close to my family makes me happy, makes me feel safe, makes me content. It makes me realize I am strong enough and capable of accomplishing anything I would like to do.

10. Nice temperate weather and the ability to be be outdoors to enjoy it makes me feel impervious. I find beauty and serenity in everything if the weather is warm.

There is more, but I'm stopping at ten.
Am I the only one in Philadelphia working today?
It's the pits.