happiness in a little red cup

Oh yes, it is that time of year, when Starbucks gives red cups and I surrender a cool $4.25 for a taste of gingerbread heaven. I had my first decaf latte today, and I have to say, it was actually really good. There is something about the tradition of holiday tastes that always leaves me feeling a big more satisfied.

I considered writing this week about the "h" word. No, I have not taken up a new habit of swearing but the hormones I have been experiencing in the past 7 days have taken me for a little bit of a loop. I'm thankful to be feeling human again as far as the ability to live on less than 12 hours of sleep a night and think that this is really all part of the journey. Part of my emotions are tied to all of the changes taking place right now, in my home, myself, our life together. We are on the brink of making some more decisions, which truly are not new ones but the timing of them seems to be coming together. So the little baby steps, like the new wood floors being placed in the kitchen not only thrill me but scare me a little bit about the possibility of moving and doing things to prepare our home for that.

We have talked more and more about moving to Holland over the past year or so and as it becomes more of a reality I go between wanting to cocoon myself and dreaming about making a new space our own. Ryan reminded me that either way, the wood floor will be lovely, for us or for someone else. He is also a mere 4 weeks away from finishing a degree that is a few years in the making and I am thrilled for him to have a break from being a student, to apply formally to grad school (seminary) and to start to move forward on the things he has wanted to do in this next season. What I realized is that I have to take things as they come and not let these days pass me by without taking note of all of the wonderful changes.

Including buying my first pair of maternity jeans. I'm sensing that I will thank myself Thanksgiving day when I can fully breathe while sitting down to that meal or more realistically, all day grazing on leftover turkey, pieces of pie and homemade mashed potatoes. I may be the only person who was ever happy about a smaller and more limited section to shop in but I really like the dark wash, straight leg ones that will soon be paired with some of my longer tops, layers and long necklaces.

I am also using this time to hone in on my writing as it has been out there for a little while now and continues to be really important to me. I am going to enter a writing contest, with a deadline and judges and everything and I don't want to put my eggs in one basket but instead, I want to use this as accountability to move forward with something that is important to me to do. So with that, I am back to it, to use the good vibes of this gingerbread latte in my hand to press on.