What Makes You Happy?

Lately I've been thinking a lot about where I was and what I was doing this time last summer as opposed to this summer.  I ran a lot.  I was sad a lot.  I probably wrote what was my most popular post of all last summer about my split with 3 Putt.  I felt foolish.  I saw my friends a lot.  I read lots of books.  Later on, Em came to live with me.  I took my first week long vacation in years.  I've seen two jobs come and go in that time.  I have felt lots of love around me. 

It's pretty crazy how far you can come in one year.  A whole journey that even I couldn't have imagined.  And I sure tried.  Any given day try to look back and think what you were doing and where you were a year ago -- it really can freak you out.  I never would have told you that I would be here.  With a new job.  With the person I love.  With a new dog.  Stronger friendships.  New friendships.  Lots of summer rain.  Flowers on the patio that are actually still alive.  I still feel lots of love around me.  Some things don't change.  

What I really focused on this week was feeling happy.  Obviously there were things I did last summer and things I have done this summer because they have made me happy.  Some are the same and very constant.  Others are a bit different from the year before.   And I felt like they were worth listing.  And if you would care to leave a little comment on anything that makes you happy, well that would make me happy.  

walking the dogs

cooking

fresh flowers

honesty

nail polish

books

my sweet nieces (got two more after last summer!)

new beginnings

a certain tall, redhead 

laughing with my best girlfriends

a glass of red wine

a good, long run 

summer storms

~the single gal~

Hey, It's OK...

I know lots of bloggers do their ode to Glamour magazine and make their own "Hey, It's OK..." list.  I'm also here to tell you that I'm not too good to make my own, and frankly, I could use some "Hey, It's OK..." reinforcement in my life right now. 

Hey, it's

...to miss him.

...to not make up the bed before you leave for work in the morning. 

...to have deep conversations with the dog. 

...to buy pretty things because it makes you feel just a little bit better about life.

...to want to tell someone to spare you the "You'll find someone/He's out there" conversation. 

...to want to tell the New Girl that once upon a time he thought I was perfect, too. 

...to de-friend people on Facebook.

...to cry about it. 

...to wash your hair twice a week.

...to love Instagram like everyone else. 

...to be angry sometimes. 

...to skip a work out.

...to read Fifty Shades of Grey -- it doesn't diminish your intelligence or appreciation for proper, well-written novels. 

...to come home and do nothing after work every once in a while. 

...to not want to talk about it. 

...to go a little over 3000 miles before that next oil change...just a little though.

...to want to travel back in time to those undergrad years some days. 

...to miss him some more.