1. Snow. Everyone I know in Oregon was posting pictures of snow, and it was so weird because they never get snow, and we usually do yet we’ve had so little this winter. A few days later, we got about six inches and it’s been pretty cold for the past few days, and I’m so happy about it.

2. Puppies. They never fail to make me smile. In particular this week, some friends brought home a new baby (five months old, so maybe more of a toddler than a baby). Her first family had her for just two months and then brought her back – she’d been their first dog and it was too much for them, (puppies can be hard, not just cute, and some people don’t realize that). I can’t wait to meet her, hope she loves Ringo and he loves her, (Sam prefers to have no more new dogs in his life, thank you very much). I think puppies are just the best. If you don’t believe me, look at these four.

The day we adopted Obi, April 20, 2002

Baby Dexter. We called him Batman when he was this little because he had such a dark mask.

Sweet Sam the baby bear

A baby dingo in the snow

3. Rest. I’ve needed a lot of it this past few weeks. I’ve been super busy and had a cold. Sometimes, when that happens and my anxiety starts peaking, it gets hard to rest. My brain won’t calm down enough for my body to relax. It’s a horrible state, to be so tired but unable to sleep. It makes me appreciate it even more when I can.

Sam decided I needed help meditating this morning

4. Ringo and Sam. The weekend before the snow came, we had a stretch of days where it was in the upper 50s. The boys took advantage of it and lounged in the sun in the backyard, one of their very favorite things to do together.

5. Thirteen weeks!!! That’s all I have left to work at CSU before I “retire.” This week we did interviews and hired two new interns to work with me (one I hired last semester stayed on, so there are three total). That’s the last time I’ll ever interview for that position, and the last two I’ll ever hire. Every day I work there now there’s at least one thing that reminds me why I’ve loved being there for so long, why I stayed, and at least two things remind me why it’s time to go, why it’s the absolute right decision to leave.

Brrr… from their walk this morning

Bonus joy: orange juice, West African Peanut Stew (Eric made this in our Instapot this week and it was SO good), good TV (I just finished Sex Education on Netflix and am going to start Russian Doll), teaching yoga, aqua aerobics, sitting in a 200 degree sauna on a morning when it’s -4 outside, good hand lotion (Aveda’s Hand Relief Moisturizing Creme is my favorite, smells so yummy), computer glasses, a clean bathroom, a warm shower, clean pjs, the blanket my niece made me years ago that turns out to be the best lounging on the couch blanket ever, writing with Chloe’ and Mikalina, Pilates with Carrie and Ashley, being done with another module of yoga teacher training (two more to go!), naps.

1. Morning walks. It’s gradually starting to get just the tiniest bit lighter that early. Sam is going 4-5 miles a day now and even running a little. He’ll never be back to where he was before he hurt his back, but I’m happy he gets to go on the full morning walk again.

2. Paid sick leave. I’ve needed it the last few days. After Eric being sick THREE times already this winter, I finally got a cold. All I want to do is sleep, but I don’t have the luxury. And even though I’m using some sick leave, I’ve still been working, along with all the stuff that needs to get done whether I’m sick or not, like the laundry and teaching yoga and walking the dogs.

3. Date nights with Eric. As I mentioned before, we always take a selfie when we leave the house after dark, just to prove that it actually happens sometimes.

4. My boys. They always want to come along when we pick up the dad from work. They are good company when I’m not feeling so great. Sam especially is a big fan of the all day nap.

Eric posted this on Facebook, with the caption “Bird dog… Ringo saw that hawk and stood there, then barked. He wanted to make it fly. Ringo wants RESPECT.”

5. Only 14 weeks of work left at CSU. The next few weeks are super busy, but I’m hoping after that it slows down a little so I can really start making the transition, tying up loose ends and letting go.

Bonus joy: some of my favorite presents ever (like this meditating dog garden statue or the blanket my niece made me that’s the perfect throw to use on the couch), sunny blue skies (although, we could really use more snow), naps, sleeping in, down blankets, a soft warm hat, yoga, meditation, Pilates, swimming, aqua aerobics, texting, cancelling plans, reading my Kindle in bed at night before I fall asleep, good TV, clementines, orange juice, hot sweet & spicy tea, nasal rinse, computer glasses, dreaming about birds.