1. Morning walks. Yesterday we startled something in the tall grass and trees by one of the ponds, but I have no idea what it was. It’s dark almost the full walk this time of year. We leave early and are on our last mile when the sun is coming up. With Daylight Savings Time, that will shift, but it only lasts for about two weeks before we are back in the dark again. That doesn’t mean we’ll ever wait and go later, when there’s more light and other people with their dogs and cars. Even in the dark, it’s nice to feel like we have the world all to ourselves for a bit.

2. Finishing my Yoga for All teacher training. One down, one to go, (I have a bit left for my Curvy Yoga certification, but the plan is to finish that by the end of next week). One of the things we had to do as part of our final was to share our biggest “a-ha moment” or the most impactful thing we got from the training. I answered in two parts: “First, I realized taking this training how excellent my teacher training experience was and how much work I’ve done on my own to learn more — basically, I was pleasantly surprised how much I already knew. The thing I’m taking directly from this training that has the potential to have the most impact is that there are lots of resources and support available for me and my students, but the best resource is our students and their awareness of what they need and what isn’t working. Helping our students cultivate that awareness and self trust and being open to supporting them however we can will have the biggest impact on their experience of yoga. They have so much to teach us.”

3. One year anniversary teaching at Red Sage. The commitment these humans have to caring for themselves and in turn our furry ones is such a gift. I’m so lucky to teach them, to practice with them. I mean, seriously, they are generous and kind and funny and almost every class, there’s a dog or two close by. It’s the perfect gig for me.

4. Random love notes. This one is on the side of some construction equipment working in our neighborhood.

5. Trying new recipes. Last night I made breakfast burritos using this recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I’m really enjoying trying new stuff, the time spent chopping and assembling and especially eating.

6. My tiny family. Sam went to physical therapy yesterday and is doing so well, we finally stopped giving him all his pain meds. Fingers and paws crossed that there’s no impact, but even if he needs to go back on a low dose, I’m so happy he’s recovered so well. In the next few months, he’ll turn 10 years old, which means he will most likely end up being our oldest dog yet. Ringo is turning six the day after my birthday next month and I’m only just now getting used to the idea he’s not a puppy anymore. Last but not least, Eric and I are going to do a float tank and infrared sauna together this afternoon — one of the things from our “25 things for 25 years” list we made on our anniversary last year that we still hadn’t done.

Bonus joy: Hanging out and writing with Mikalina, Chloe’s new niece, good TV (Modern Love on Amazon Prime was sweet), good books (I thought I was almost done with the autobiographies of Maya Angelou, but I just started the final one last night, which means I’ll need to watch the documentary about her next), getting all the laundry done, a massage on my schedule, aqua aerobics, sitting in the sauna, watching TV and “trading some” with Eric, trusting my body and honoring what it needs, an appointment with my new therapist, a clean-ish garage (thanks to Eric), a yummy new essential oil, sitting under my infrared heating pad and my favorite blanket after a long walk on a cold morning, reading in bed at night while Eric and the dogs are asleep, stretching out to press my feet into Eric’s just before we get out of bed in the morning, kitchen counter love notes.

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.