As Winter Continues

Until this winter, I have always ignored the "feels like" number on the weather forecast. I swear it has always been just a couple degrees higher or lower, and I just never believed in it too much. But now, let me tell you. That number has power. Lately it has been "feeling like" almost 20 degrees colder than the real temperature, with our wind spells and our sun that is MIA. So, don't just ignore that number. Otherwise you will not wear enough clothes out of the house and parts of you will suffer. (Mostly the fingers of my right hand. I don't know why my left is having such a better time of it.)

Life goes on though. Just, more so indoors. We made it to a Pacers game downtown when Jimmer and the Kings (sounds like a band) came to play Indiana (Jimmer should totally be in a band). We loved seeing him score a 3 and tie the game at one point - we watched him make those 3s so many times back at BYU. It just made our hearts happy. The Pacers killed his team though... our guys are on fire right now. (Seriously, Jimmer would have so many automatic fans if he started a band.)

Our living room changed colors during the final days of Michael's studying for boards. Being snowed in with a studiously boring husband (no offense, babe) calls for desperate measures. That gallon of grey paint (Gravity, if you want to know the fancy name) had been staring at me every time I did laundry over the past few months, and finally I had no other excuses. So, on the walls it went. You guys, painting is literally the worst. I vow to never do it again [in this apartment].

I went with my "Little Sister" to the Indiana Museum of Art for her first time, and that girl just ate it up. She loved everything about that place, and made me appreciate a lot of stuff that I've just glanced over before. Then they had a craft room where they mixed some Hershey's syrup with paint, to give it a different tone, texture, and smell. I just found that ironic, because, well, you remember. I have since bought Hershey's syrup though. And these too, thanks to readers who have now told me about a better way of breakfasting. 

We met up with some friends Sunday night for some nostalgic Dr. Mario playing. This game, you guys. So dear to my heart. I grew up with an old Nintendo system that was never replaced at our house, and never needed to be. Dr. Mario, Tetris, Klax, Paper Boy... who's with me? Those good ol' days of innocence before Nintendo became a violent, addictive nemesis of functional dating and marital relationships. That's a topic for another day. Michael saw the inner child come out in me strong, and was pretty amused at how competitive she is. Also, muscle memory in fingers is awesome.

We don't have any family pictures printed, from both Michael's family or mine. We need to get on that. So instead, our house has been full of all the framed pictures from our wedding reception, meaning it was a semi-shrine to our love. Now, I'm crazy about our love, but shrine is just not the vibe I ever meant to go for in our home. I decided I wanted to choose a quote as a theme for my year, and add it to my living room. I think quotes in homes are a great window into the spirit of that family and that place. So, here are my current words to live by, including a bird that I traced with a computer mouse. That's hard to do, people. Then I printed this baby on scrapbook paper and we are good to go! I love it. And it has already made me pause multiple times and think about what makes me happy now, instead of what will make me happy later. 

[Leave a comment with your email if you want me to send you the printable version! 

You can print it on any paper to match your house.]

Pictured here: Michael saving the day. We have been the victims of a few potholes around town, one in particular that just really did a number on us. It couldn't be avoided, people. (That may sound defensive, but you will never know who was driving... especially if you ask Michael.) We are so grateful for our friends out here... during our tire ordeal, they picked up our other friend from the airport, made us all dinner, and sent us home much happier than you would ever predict for a flat-tire-Monday. We had a friend come into town for two days to interview for dental school! We're so hoping that he gets in and comes to Indianapolis in the fall. 

So, even with all those happy happenings around here, sometimes winter still just looks like this. Toys abandoned, longing looks outside, wondering what has happened to the green and fresh world that we once knew. And you should know, Kitty deals with all of this through violence. She has long since learned I don't tolerate this, which means it gets channeled into Michael with a vengeance. He seriously has to be on guard at all times these days. You never know when Kitty will suddenly need to deal with her winter emotions and lash out at him, usually his unsuspecting foot or ankle. We have found a coping mechanism for this -- I'll just leave you with that: