Valentine-themed lego fun thanks to Sarah!
Newly organized craft supplies. Woohoo!
Dinner with Sarah, Ida, Katie, and Cina. What bright, funny, adorable people! ❤️
U of M cardiology’s very pleasant hold music. What a treat. 😀
Sunshine.
Not being sick!! OMG what a little miracle this is. Feels amazing!!
Toby in the new box. Yay!
The super fun call I got from my mom, telling me how much fun she had playing our new MDFUN bingo game at her doctor appointment. I thought this game could make appointments more fun for and create stronger connections between patients and care-givers. Early reports from my awesome beta-testers (my family), suggest that it does have that effect. Yay!
The inspiring photos and videos from all the marches. I was too sick to go, but it was so encouraging to see all those engaged people (with their clever signs 😊) out there. ❤️
OTC cold meds to take the edge off for a few hours. Phew.
Watching Ida discovering more and more language. I love it! 2 of my faves this week are:
“Getchu (get you) me, Mama!” to ask Sarah for snuggles or tickling and “Nana upstairs, too” to ask me to come downstairs with them to get her ready for bed. Sweet!
Making soup with Sarah as we both coughed our lungs out — and made fun of our sickly household…which then made us laugh-cough some more. One of most silly and fun sick days I’ve had. 😆
My own experience with the MDFUN bingo game. Wow! Even more laughs and smiles during my 4 hours of appointments than usual (and that’s saying a lot!). I love this.
All the new docs I’ve been working with this month. I really, really like the Diana Transplant Team so far! Of course, I am still planning to be a statistical outlier and not end up needing a new heart after all… but meanwhile, I feel like I’m in great hands as we get things lined up for that possibility.
Mckenzie, who very thoughtfully vacuumed the house so it’d be nice and clean for me when I got home from my long day of appointments and tests. Thank you, Mckenzie!
My mom and dad. Not only are they incredibly loving and supportive, but they are also smart, funny, delightful people whom I really enjoy spending time with. Love you guys!
There are so many things I appreciate every day… and while do I notice and revel in them, I’ve been forgetting to write them down! 😆
Here are a few things I remember loving about the past week…
Making happy words out of my new purple legos. Thank you, Sarah! 💜
Being part of the wonderful racism listening and talking group that’s been meeting weekly for the past 6 months. I so appreciate having a safe place to ask my clunky questions, examine my own racism, and process my thoughts and feelings about racism. If you want to know more about our model and what we’re doing, PM me!
Getting ALL green lights on the way home from group on Friday. Woohoo!
My cousin Ivan, the jovial, tiger-booted wit-cracker, who, in response to a challenge, managed to fit a Shakespearean insult into this week’s column. Well done, old pal!
My favorite Bat Girl, the softly-sprighted, fairy-gold heartling, Ida! Every day she brings some fresh new joy into my life.
Silly little Luna, who steals cat toys from Sarah’s cats and then plays with them like a crazy kitten!
Sunlight sparkles and shifting shadows on the snow.
Craft time with Katie and Cina!
Playing with fall colors in my bullet journal. Fun to color. Fun to have a system that works SO well for me to manage my work, play, and energy. 
Eggs.
Bright sunny warm weather in mid-November.
The sun rose this morning. If you are happy about the election, then I am happy for you. I’m not happy about some of it, and I’m not interested in changing your mind or trying to convince you that I’m “right”.
I AM interested in us finding connections and common ground, and in doing all the good that we can for all the people we can.
To that end I want you to know that in my search for joy and hope this morning, I’ve connected with so many lovely people who brighten my life. You brighten my life. ❤️❤️❤️
Sending you hope, solace, congratulations, comfort, care, and love in whatever quantities you need. Thank you for making my life better by being part of it.
Here are a few of the things that have made my life beautiful during the past few weeks…
Gorgeous weather, wind, sunlight filtered through leaves, rain on the roof at night, thunder, the colors and smell of fall leaves, and sycamore trees.
Snuggle time and play time with Ida.
Luna’s face-plant nap.
The excellent effects of using my light box in the morning.
Walks with Jeff & Tom, Sarah and Ida, Katie and Cina.
Yummy dinners with Debb, the Duncans, the Delaneys, the girls.
My evolving, fun, and oh-so-helpful bullet journal!
The return of my internet after a day without it!
Enlightening and helpful therapy, conversations with friends, dreams.
Apple picking with the Duncans, Katie, and Cina – complete with comfortable temperatures and apples as big as Ida’s head!😉 We picked 16 lbs of apples!
Reconnecting with cousins at Dennis’ memorial. The chance to celebrate and remember this wonderful, sweet, funny, talented man.
Getting projects like the side steps, backyard path, and raspberry pruning done (with help from my brothers, my dad, and Mckenzie).
Getting some big work projects done.
Ingrid Michaelson concert with the girls! So. Much. Fun!
Connecting with Terri & Ellis, Sara & Rochelle, Sarah & Ida at our Friday race meeting. What a wonderful connection we made discussing our thoughts, feelings, and ideas about this complicated issue. ❤️
RAINBOW SOCKS!
353. The hilarious Star Trek DS9 model kit David got for me. I love it! 😀 Fresh corn on the cob for dinner with the kids last night. ❤️ Legos.
354. Learning to nap. 😉 Lack of sleep has made things pretty challenging the past few months, so I am actively teaching myself to nap. So far, I’ve done 2 10-minute naps. It’s a start! 😛 Bunbun walk.
355. Another really helpful session with Lynne. I so appreciate her help during this crazy time in my life.
356. Wonderful afternoon and evening with Ruby! It’s always such a treat when we get a long day together. ❤️ Bedtime snuggles with Ruby. There is nothing like cuddling with a 6-year old who loves you!
357. Fun trip to Glam Doll with Katie, Cina, and Mckenzie. Fun way to start the day. 🙂 Nice neighborhood walk. Yummy dinner with the Delaneys.
358. Driving Terri & Ruby to airport today. It was so nice to see them… and to feel useful for a change! Much progress on project Duncan-Move-In. Lots of clutter upstairs, but the new space is looking better and better. 😉
359. Walk up to farmer’s market this morning. I love farmer’s market days. Finally putting paint on walls. So much prep before we actually get to start painting! Katie and Cina for knocking out the first coat on the entire basement in under 3 hours! Amazing!
360. Last night’s beautiful moon lighting up my nighttime walk. 😀
362. Basement is looking better and better… getting closer to finishing all the tasks!
363. Amazing lightning show during late evening walk with Mckenzie. Gorgeous!
Beautiful day with the family. I am grateful that I enjoy my family so much. What a treat to get to see Debb, Tim, and Sawyer, too!
My new mouse pad and robot toy for the office! They will make working even MORE fun! Thanks, Katie, Cina, and Mckenzie! 🙂
After gifts and dinner, the kids and I went out to see Star Wars again. Haha! I so rarely go to movies… but this one is really good! 😉
Today was a day filled with good things to appreciate.
First of all I woke up after a night of much, much more better sleep than I’d been having lately. Still a little short on the hours, but SO much more better quality. Hooray!
Next I had a really satisfying, fun, fascinating meeting with the ever-squooshable John Linn. I have the best job! Srsly.
Then, after getting some of my own work done, I got to meet with a sweet 13-year old girl beginning jewelry designer who “shopped” at my bead “store.” It was so much fun to watch her exclaim over the beads I so lovingly selected during my years as a designer, and watching her pick out her favorites. She was so excited to be able to pick out real crystals and pearls. 😀 Her mom was super sweet, too, and it was such a lovely, wonderful way to send some of my beads on their way!
This evening I caught up on planning things with friends, and now I get to look forward to coffee shop meetings, a trip to MIA, and other future fun stuff. Pretty awesome day. ❤
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