What are your joys?

I have come to one conclusion in life.  There is not enough time for me to accomplish all that my brain can conceive.  Unfortunately, I am limited by a few specific parameters.  Fortunately, I have learned (over a lot of time) to prioritize all of these "great ideas" swirling around in my very special Kristen brain to meet those parameters (for the most part).  

When learning to say, "no," I think its best we begin with ourselves.  (It has probably saved my marriage a time or two.  😬🙏)

However, when it comes to chickens...

Please ignore the poop.  It's a frequent part of the chicken life, and I do not feel like editing...or maybe I just want to keep it real, so I'm not out there giving anyone false perceptions of my life.  (We have plenty of those "perfect people" clogging up our misconceptions and belittling our self-worth.  I choose to share the poop, for your sake AND mine.)

I...JUST...CAN'T...SAY...NO!!  (No worries, he said yes, too.  Apparently, people are finally starting to wise up to my genius backyard chicken fascination.  💁🥚🐣)

7/8 hatched in our second batch!! The new incubator is a (literal) life saver. These chicks are so lovey, I just want to squeeze them all up.  Look at these little tail feathers.  

So, yep...we have an incubator and a brooding box in our upstairs hallway.  No one seems surprised when I tell them.  

Can you get any more precious??

(Actually, you can.  I just got a new great-nephew today, and while I'll spare them some privacy with the photo evidence, you can be 100% assured I am one SUPER MEGA UBER PROUD GREAT-AUNT!!! 😍👼)

Anyway...it was my 45th birthday this week.  Perfect timing for chicks and nephews.  Not so perfect timing for my birthday, because I had a busy week and a bunch of sicky-sickertons around here.  Evan had strep...TWICE!  And Eden and Dillon both got down with the sickness.  Here's to prayers for their parents' health...🍻. We have WAY TOO MUCH going on to be side-lined.

I don't think some grief ever really goes away.  It just seems to soften a bit and you find new ways of expressing it.

I have to admit.  My actual birthday was pretty weepy.  I'm not sure if it is the extremely sad book I was reading, or the nostalgia inherent in making my Grandma Carlene's birthday cake for myself (with her mixer)...and I won't even mention how hard my work can be on this tender heart.  I carry a lot with me, and it all seemed to land on my birthday this year.

Thank God, we planned our celebration on a different day: a unique little Friday night date-night in the big city to cheer my soul.  Plus, I was off work all day, and it was SUNNY and HAPPY.

The fun thing about "date night" is how little we get the opportunity.  Being such a rare treat, I think we appreciate it more.

We went to a little wine bar and restaurant called Tannin.  It is a charming little place (though REALLY expensive...it was a rare splurge for a typical penny-pincher).  We drank it in.  (Pun intended.  😁)  I got to taste several quality wines and chose a Slovenian one to take home and save for a special occasion.  According to Matt, the $18 burger was sensational.  (I'll spare him the evidence.) They even had a choice of items for your vegetarian friend.  (I went with the sage and apple risotto...something I would never make at home.)

After dinner, we went to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception for an intimate concert starring "Mozart's Requiem" performed by a local quartet, Opus 76.  It was a lovely atmosphere with faux candle-light, gorgeous architecture and awe-inspiring stained-glass.

I found myself surrounded by timely empathetic response to my birthday emotional faux pas.

“My soul is sorrowful.”  Mine, too, Jesus.  Mine, too.

But, then...I always have to remember that around every corner of sorrow and difficulty is the next moment of beauty and joy.  

This week, I found my joy in chicks and nephews and Chief's wins and rare, unique experiences with the man who stands loyally by my side in the thick of this chaotic life I've managed to create for us.

Like seeing my babies all grown and entertaining the new babies in our lives.

So…what are YOUR joys?!! It’s on a need to know basis, and I NEED to know.

Amen and good night!

Kristen