1. Morning walks. This week we heard an owl, saw some deer, ran into Ringo’s nemesis (don’t act surprised that he has one) and lots of garbage trucks. It’s so dark right now in the morning that the sun only starts to rise when we are on the way back home and I need my headlamp on for almost the full walk.

2. The color of the Colorado morning sky, particularly in winter and fall. Something about the moisture and cold makes it especially magic.

3. Practice. Still keeping me here. Sometimes Sam “helps” me meditate. It makes me so happy that he just wants to be with me.

4. Finally finding a new therapist. I have more to say about this, but for now I’m just grateful.

5. My tiny family. Kitchen counter love notes, cooking together, laughing together, watching Guy’s Grocery Games with Eric, reading in bed at night while Eric and the dogs are sleeping, the way Ringo and Sam come in and guard me while I take a shower, the summer red still in Sam’s coat, the way Ringo catches a frisbee, how both Sam and Ringo decide who they love and who they don’t like and that pretty much will never change, seeing Sam and Ringo playing in the backyard (it’s been at least a year since they have), being able to spend so much more time present with them.

Bonus joy: getting all the laundry done and folded and put away in one day, clean sheets, Broccoli Slaw, Sweet Onion Upside Down Broccoli Cornbread, taking a day off from the gym to work on finishing my Yoga for All teacher training and realizing as I work my way through it that I already know a lot more than I realized, planning something fun with Eric, aqua aerobics, sitting in the sauna on a cold day, my infrared heating pad, good TV, good books, good podcasts, a really soft sweatshirt my brother gave me, wool socks, down blankets and pillows, writing in the morning with my HappyLight, gold and red leaves, smelling a skunk but not running into it, teaching yoga.