Well.

It's coming on a month since my last post.

I know, what a slacker.

But sometimes I don't have much to say. The truth is, sometimes, for weeks at a time, I do the same thing every day, and it really isn't anything to crow about.

Sometimes, for weeks at a time, my day goes like this:

Wake up around 5, when Chad kisses me goodbye... I've instructed him that he MUST ALWAYS do this--otherwise my day cannot begin right later, when I get up for real...

Wake up around 6, when I have to pee--my bladder, I think, is getting weaker in my old age (I am almost 27, after all).

Wake up at 7, when Coren is crying and ready for his chicha (bottle)... HOORAY for dark winter mornings that keep the boy asleep an extra hour! One perk of wintertime! I pull Coren out of his crib and move him into bed with me, where we cuddle while he downs his bottle (and he is very serious about his bottles!). For some reason, I am most maternal in the morning hours, and I find all kinds of ways to get him to cuddle with me--really responsible things, like Disney movies (actually conditioning my child to watch TV. nice.), and songs with all the hand motions. And we "talk," which consists of the dude making noises and grinning while I mimic them. Over and over. This can go on for minutes and minutes...

Then, when the boy goes down for nap #1 (such a good napper, how did I get so lucky?!), I do the productive part of my day: exercise, clean up all the boys messes from the previous afternoon, laundry, shower (or bath, depending on how cold my feet are), and of course, the daily crossword--this is VITAL!

By this time, the boy is awake again, and we go into phase #2 of the day: get out of the house for at least a few minutes in this frigid weather, so we don't become hibernating moles! So I bundle the boy up, and he's so good in the cold--he loves being outside, he sings when we get out there; we chase the geese around for a while, which cracks him up; we visit a neighbor down the way, who is just crazy about Coren; and we get the mail. And that's about all the winter weather I can handle... so sorry, Dude, it's back to the cave...

After a little more playing, it's on to nap #2 for the dude. This is the fabulous one, where he sleeps for a good 3 hours! This is my less-productive time--I read, most often, I read and read and read... and sometimes I sleep. Bliss!

... And then the BEST part of my day--Chad comes home! From this point on, my day is focused around Chad--what I can do that involves sitting next to him... or just being able to touch him.... or look at him.

And still, we don't do anything amazing: watch movies, eat dinner, read books, chase Coren around, (Chad also has his daily Best of YouTube routine), pretty mild, pretty normal. And often, we have night activities: ward things, visiting neighbors and new couples, grocery shopping, etc. Then it's off to bed for the Brooks household.

....And still, my life is a joyful parade! Something I can't fully explain or describe. But my heart holds more emotion for my mellow husband and silly boy than I imagined I could hold for anything or anyone. I have a life so normal, there will never be a book written about us; there will never be a reality show; there will never even be a newspaper article in the local section. But I think I am happier than ALL of the exciting people I have ever met. And maybe that sounds outspoken or exaggerated, but I really think it's true. My life has joy-- the kind of joy that is ever-present, that does not ebb and flow with what's on the weekend activity board, that lurks persistently even behind the times when I am frustrated, angry, sad, or just plain bored-out-of-my-mind. A joy that pulses behind every daily moment... there are no words for it. And strangely, I am sad for the great people with their exciting stories who do not have this normal, joyful joy. I have it. That makes my life something fabulous, I think.