Jan 7: Wednesday was a frosty, foggy morning day. Beautiful morning, beautiful everything (though annoying drive to work). I'm always thankful for cold weather, and for the bit of snow we got that day too. (I wasn't so thankful that the iciness caused our small group to get canceled that night, but oh well. Things happen. Gave me more knitting time.) Also thankful for a curled-up Nutmeg lying on my bed after our chilly morning walk before I went to work. She's just the best. I was also thankful for alpaca-yarn scarves, because they are just so soft and so warm and delightful to have wrapped around one's neck. I highly recommend, and even know someone who could hook you up with one if you were so inclined. VERY thankful this day (and every day since) for my little journal that I bought years ago when I was still living in DC, from the National Archives gift shop (I believe it was when my friend was visiting over Memorial Day weekend the summer of 2010, or else from the 4th of July weekend that same summer when my brother was visiting - either way, it's been sitting around carried in various purses and bags for 4.5 years now, just waiting to be used for the perfect purpose. A gratitude journal that's easy to carry around and always have with me is the perfect purpose for it). Today was also the day I looked at my (one of the many) calendar and noticed that next month, a 28-day-long February, is once again starting on a Sunday, meaning that it perfectly fits into four rows on the calendar. I love it when that happens. So symmetrical, so nice to look at. Also thankful for bad grammar, because it makes me really appreciate when I come across good grammar (especially the things that many people get wrong), which is always a balm to my grammatically-wearied soul.
I never even took off the sticker label.
Jan 8: As always, thankful today for my morning walk. I need those just as much as Nutmeg loves them. Jan 8 was a really warm morning/day (the night before had been approximately 15 degrees, and when I woke up the next morning it had already warmed to mid 40s), and while I was initially bummed that all the previous day's ice had melted - because I had been looking forward to taking pictures and enjoying the pretty sight - the morning was actually really beautiful, and the smell of really fresh snow melting already was surprisingly delicious. And while I don't mind the cold weather, it was nice that it was warm enough I didn't have to worry about Nutmeg's cold level. (She does have quite a bare belly that gets cold.) Also thankful today, as always, for Nutmeg in general, for knitting, and for V8. I often forget about how much I enjoy it until I have it again after not having any for awhile. It's surprisingly good.
Jan 9: At some point this day (Friday) I wrote "...um..." in my journal. It was another really cold day, and very icy (such a yo-yo of a week - 40s/50s to teens to 50s to teens again, to 50s yesterday) and we had gotten a delay at work, which meant that we didn't have to go in until 10, which is only a half hour later than I normally go in. So, that was fine, I guess, but didn't change much for me, and the day at work was just tough for a variety of reasons and I was struggling to find anything. And then, unexpectedly, a little while after I had asked my mom to pray for me, we got a notification that we were closing at 3. And I normally leave at 6, so that was awesome. Because of the nature of our department, often when the ministry gets to leave early we have to stay, but not for weather closures. (Some of us were a little hesitant at first to get excited about leaving early, but indeed, we got to leave.) So I was able to go to confession at the mall (I'm so thankful for that ministry there!), and I took Nutmeg to Palmer Park where we were one of the only people there (it was getting towards dusk - though it was cloudy and whatnot so it was just heading toward dark, and it was like 20 degrees and icy on the ground, and oddly most people don't feel like going to the park in those conditions. Which means I get the park to myself, and I love that so much. So relaxing without other people there). All in all, day turned out really well. And here are now a bunch of pictures from morning and afternoon.
Here are some frosted deer.
But wait...there's more!
Jan 10: Yesterday, a friend and I went up to Breckenridge to go cross country skiing. She's been before, but I never had and have been wanting to try it for a year or two or so. It was fun - I felt quite awkward and very terrified any time there was even a slight incline, but I didn't kill myself and only fell a couple of times. She said the conditions weren't the best (the snow up there was pretty icy, since it's been warmish and they haven't had fresh snow in some length of time), but it was what it was. And it was definitely pretty. I was so thankful for the opportunity to try a new Colorado experience, so thankful I live in this amazing state and that the two-hour-drive to Breckenridge is filled with beauty, and thankful for friends who understand things. :) And then I found $5. (Literally. In one of the pockets in my hiking bag. I had put it in there at some point in the last year or so, I can't remember exactly when, and then didn't take it back out when I got home from that hike. So that was pretty nice.)
I just found this on my computer - it automatically turned my pictures into a panoramic shot, and I had no idea. But I'm enthralled as I've often wished I had that ability with my camera.
Jan 12: Today was actually a pretty crappy day. But thankfully it was book-ended by two of the most beautiful walks I've gone on in awhile (which is saying something). And that's all I've got for today. Outside. Where I'm happy, and where things are good, and where there's silence today.
Until next time, stay grateful, even in the trenches.
