Great Stupa of Dharmakaya, Shambhala Mountain Center

1. Fearlessly Creative: A Meditation and Writing Retreat, the reason why I’m posting this on Thursday instead of Friday. I’m leaving this afternoon and have made every effort to get everything I needed to done so I can leave and just simply be on retreat while I’m gone. This is the fifth time I’ve gone on retreat with Susan Piver, and the fourth time to this one in particular. I love her, I love this place, and I adore the practice. I’m so grateful I can afford to go, that my sweet husband agrees to it, even though I’ll be gone for his birthday.

2. Eric. It’s his birthday tomorrow, but since I won’t be here, I made him open his presents this morning. I am going to miss him while I’m gone — walking the dogs with him, hearing him laugh, the way he talks to the dogs when he thinks no one else is listening, the stupid jokes we make that probably only we would find funny, falling asleep next to him, spending the morning while it’s still dark sitting together in the living room with our Christmas tree and lights and Happy Hearth DVD and sleeping dogs.

3. Our Christmas tree. I’m so glad we got one this year. It’s just so sweet and twinkly.

4. A great night out with good friends. We ate an amazing dinner at a fabulous, beautiful place (the Boulder Dushanbe Tea House) and saw a hilarious show (Tig makes me laugh until my face hurts).

Boulder Dushanbe Tea House

5. Ringo. This dude never fails to cheer me up. He’s just so goofy and cute sometimes.

Christmas couching

I use this folding card table to wrap Christmas presents. Ringo uses it to get a better view of the street.

Those ears!

6. Sam. He turned seven years old this week. He’s such a good guy, so sensitive and sweet.

What seven looks like

What eleven weeks old looked like, his first day as a Salahub

7. Morning walks in the snow. So pretty.

Bonus joy: a neighbor’s dog who’d been lost showed up at their back door two days later and barked to be let in — stinky and tired but otherwise fine, clementines, knowing that sometimes I don’t need to give anything away, setting boundaries (I didn’t used to be too good at this), saying “no,” changing my mind, snow tires, practice, getting enough sleep, soaking in the tub, trusting myself, Voxing with Justine, texting with my brother, letters from my mom, the cheer of Christmas in a dark season.