Random Thoughts

For two days in a row now I have awakened to the smell of fresh baked bread. When I slice into the still-hot loaf, the warmth of the bread melts the butter. It’s like biting into a little bit of heaven. And the homemade strawberry (or blackberry) jam just makes it that much better.

Considering that I’m such a night-owl, I must say I’ve come to love that hour in the morning when I have the house all to myself. Drinking coffee, eating warm buttered bread, listening to the sounds of the people around me sleeping as the world starts to wake up. Sometimes the dog will come downstairs asking to be let out—fortunately every time that’s happened, I’ve remembered to turn off the alarm before opening the door! I like putting her out in the morning. It feels like a very grown-up sort of thing to do. As I inch toward forty, I find myself searching for grown-up-ness in my life. I don’t suppose I really need to; I mean, why push it, right?

The sun doesn’t rise in this season in this part of the world until nearly 8:00 and it sets by about 4:30. My morning commute is Westward, home is East-bound. That means I get the glory of the sunrise and the sunset reflected in the clouds in front of me twice a day without the immediate glare of the sun itself. I must say, the displays are spectacular.

I have moments where I wonder if I’ve made a mistake coming up here, moving my family away from everything familiar, certain, and safe. I miss all my friends, and I know Emily misses her friends, too. But we’re meeting new people every day and settling into the house comfortably, as well as settling into a new routine. I’m glad Kate and family are here. It helps alleviate the workload and the loneliness.