1. The color of Robin’s eggs. Eric was able to sneak this photo of the ones in the nest in our lilac bush this morning. I love that something I planted is now keeping this tiny family safe and comfortable, and that there will hopefully be four more robins in the world because of it.

2. Morning walks. Even better, one of them this week was a hike, and Sam and I got to go along. I’ve also done two walks this week without my knee braces.

Post hike nap.

3. I can swim! During my lesson yesterday, I swam on both my belly and my back, with no props. I also floated, which I wasn’t sure I could do, (the secret is relaxing and letting go, duh). Today when we went to the pool, I showed Eric what I could do and was pretty proud of myself. I’m not gonna lie, for at least part of the time I’m still thinking “I’m going to die” but for some of it I can actually allow some joy.

4. My tiny family. This week I made sure to take pictures of Sam, which means I got a few more of him than of Dexter.

5. This tiny human. Her mom was also one of my very favorite babies ever.

Bonus joy: going to lunch at our favorite Chinese restaurant and eating so many appetizers that 90% of my actual meal came home with us and I wasn’t even hungry for dinner and then Eric and I split the leftovers for lunch today (that’s like three meals for the price of one), my coneflowers and lilies are blooming, after I’m done writing this post I’m going to get in bed to read and probably take a nap, going to the movies with Eric (we saw The Incredibles 2, Baby Jack was my favorite, that and the little kids in our row laughing hysterically), a big glass of cold clean water, air conditioning (it was 100 degrees here yesterday), my new race flippers for swimming, how quiet it is swimming on my back across the pool, Pilates, Wild Writing, being able to cross “clean out the garage” off the to-do list (until next time), meditating and writing in the morning, how cool it is in the morning with the whole house fan on even when it gets so hot during the day, how soft the dogs are after getting a bath, good books, good (and dumb so you don’t have to work too hard) movies, one of my favorite podcasts in season again (Put Your Hands Together, a comedy show hosted by Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher), Pop Tarts, good food and giggles with good friends.

1. Farmer’s market flowers. I know I’ve said it before, but my goal is to have a garden like she does where I can make bouquets like these for myself all season long. Maybe this summer I’ll get up the courage to ask if I can come to her house for a tour. She’s an art teacher, and my theory is that’s why her stuff is so gorgeous — she has an eye for it.

2. Insurance. Sometimes it feels like you pay and pay for nothing, and then a single hailstorm comes along, lasts less than 20 minutes but ruins your roof and both cars and you are happy to have paid because now you need the pay out and the help.

3. The robin and her babies who are living in our lilac bushes survived the storm. One of those balls of hail could have easily killed her or knocked her nest to the ground, but she’s still there, sitting happily on her brood. Our garden got through this storm okay too.

4. Ringo and Sam. Somehow neither Eric nor I took a single picture of Sam this week, but here’s one of silly Ringo.

5. Eric. Two introverts form a mostly functional adult. Thank goodness, because this week felt like we were adulting all over the place.

Bonus joy: swimming lessons (this week I swam on my back, with the help of a buoy and some flippers, and it was actually fun), yoga, aqua aerobics, clean sheets, naps, rain and cooler days, morning walks (Sam is up to 3.5 miles a day!), texting, Wild Writing, clean water, a warm shower and a clean towel, good books, going to the movies with Eric, Pop Tarts (sometimes it’s exactly what you need), strawberries from our garden.