five things

{1}
My calendar got a whole lot more cheerful this week. We looked at some dates for Matt's next R&R and I have a ticket home.
Matt's R&R is usually in April & October. This year we've got plans for a Schoenfelder trip to Hawaii in December and a traditional US Christmas, so we moved Octobers trip back to December. Matt wanted to push back his April dates as well, so he didn't agonize over 8 months with no break. He plans to head Stateside for Memorial Day weekend and I will make an early appearance in April.
Even though it's months away, I love having a trip to look forward to.

{2}
I received some new artwork for my birthday and Christmas and my honey finally fulfilled his honey-do. I consider it a bit of an anniversary gift.


{3}
On Tuesday's my morning babysitting gig requires a switch off at pilates. Mama Alice has class at 9 and I have class at 10, so I deliver Archie back to mama at the pilates studio.  Tuesday was our first switcharoo.  I got quite a few double takes by the regulars I see on my pilates walk.

{4}
I recently finished a book called, Friendkeeping. One chapter was titled, Absence Makes the Heart Work Harder.  It discussed the difficulties of maintaining long distance friendships.  My heart grew two sizes larger thinking about the wonderful long distance friendships I have {even though I don't think of them that way... that's a technical term}.  Regardless of being on two separate continents these friendships continue to grow.
I'm a very lucky girl, surrounded {in distance} by amazing, wonderful, kind, and beautiful women.
I wish that for everyone.

{5}
Sometimes when I babysit I feel like I'm 14 again...

especially when I bring a book and my Spanish homework.