Newness

Yesterday, Ryan started his new job, and he had a great first day: he likes his boss, he met lots of nice people, the work is looking interesting, he's got a tiny little laptop (easy to carry), and he even has a view of Alki and Puget Sound and the Olympics from his cubicle. When I met him after work, he had a great smile on his face, and that is the best.

And the commute....perfect! It's about a 20 minute bus ride, and he's in the hub of downtown. Last night my parents had Tessa (thank you Grammy & Grandpa!) and so I met Ryan downtown for a date night at Dahlia Lounge (Ryan walked from his office) and Paul, Libby, and Joy joined us there. It was VERY fun to be part of the urban downtown scene, and as Ryan was walking to the resturant he was scoping out all of the cool places we should go together (for happy hour or dinners or lunches). Ryan's got his cool Livestrong messenger/bike bag, and his nifty C&P coffee mug, and his new-smaller-sized work clothes, and he heads out early every morning so that he can get home in good time... and things look good. Very good!

And me? I'm trying to squeeze every drop out of life. Yesterday, we had PEPS at our house, and Tessa, Nina, and Anna all played together so well....and I got to catch up with some mommy friends. Then, Tessa and I rushed off to the club, and she and I went swimming together at the outdoor pool (heaven on a hot day!), and were joined by my mom. Then I rushed home to get ready for my date, and had said date in the evening. Now THIS is living! Today, I'm about to go for a long walk by myself (Ryan and I already took Shep for his walk together...he can't go too far yet), then I'm going to do housework (notice that I didn't mention any housework yesterday....this place is a wreck, and needs my time) before meeting Susan and Adrienne for coffee, and picking up Tessa, before coming home for a quiet evening. Tomorrow, I'm participating in a breast cancer study for a couple of hours in the morning, then packing up, and then in the evening Tessa & I will pick up Ryan at his office and head to Crystal Mountain, where we're joining our friends Katie, Mike, Jessie and Emma for a weekend at their cabin. HURRAH!

I am still, obviously, working on finding my routine; on getting all the things I need to get do done, on balancing the different parts of my life. But things are certainly moving in the right direction!

Love,
Kristina

Getting down to the business of living

I rarely find myself in front of my computer any more, as I am just so swamped with, well, everything. I'm occupied by the usual things (caring for Tessa, playdates, laundry, etc.) and the new addition of our puppy, but I'm also trying to squeeze in a year's worth of living into each day. I'm wearing Tessa out with this approach, which makes me smile - at the end of each day she is more than ready to go to bed! Yesterday, for example, we met Michele & Elliott at C&P for coffee and Shep's walk, then came back to crate Shep so that we could go on a 5 mile walk to Lincoln Park. At the mid-point of the walk, we stopped to let the kids play on the play structure for a while, and then came home. Once home, I quickly packed a picnic, and then Tessa, Shep and I were off to the club to have a picnic with my brother, SIL, and two nephews...along with their two dogs (they got a beautiful new puppy, Tigger). We played with the dogs and had lunch, and then the humans went swimming at the pool there. Then, rushing again, Tessa, Shep and I headed off to Edmonds for a girls' night with Libby and friends, stopping to pick up some dinner fixings at QFC (a giant salad - yummm - in this hot weather nothing sounded better to me). At 7:30pm we again made a dash for home, Shep whimpering because he wanted a walk, and Tessa falling asleep in the carseat. Once home, we got Tessa into her PJs & slippers, loaded her into the jogging stroller, and off we went around the neighborhood, exercising Shep and I and hoping that Tessa would be able to manage the lateness of the stroll. Then, Tessa tucked into bed, Shep into his crate, and I started unloading the day's debris: picnic supplies, wet swimsuits, etc. and preparing for the next day.

Every day sounds about like that, right now. I'm wearing myself out too but I don't care. It just feels so good to LIVE! I love being out in the sun, the joy of physical play, bonding with family and friends....it's lovely.

Ryan is in Bend, OR with Paul on their bike trip, and Ryan reports that it has been wonderful. I'm so glad that Ryan could get in some down time (times two - Cannon Beach with us, Bend with Paul) before the "real life" of the new job begins. We're all excited for the job, and I think that it will be great for Ryan, but of course we treasure vacation, as well, and it's healthy and healing to start such a prospect fully refreshed.

I am still working on what my real routine will look like in this new life we're fashioning. I know that each day must start and end with Shep's walk, that I want to get hours in at the Komen Foundation doing volunteer work, that my yard needs lots of TLC that I'd like to give, that I'm eager to help out friends now that I can. It is wonderful to receive, and I have received so much in the past year...but it feels even better to give. Hurrah for being able to do so! I'll find my rhythm soon enough, but right now I don't mind the craziness of going from place to place and packing so much into each day. THIS is living.

Love,
Kristina