Hello friends and happy Monday! Over in our neck of the woods we are enjoying the tail end of a snow day! Yes folks – I got my one more requested day. Phew – it was nice to have a chance to reset a few things at home before another full week, following a full weekend!
Friday night I had planned to have a night at home working on blog stuff and Danny was headed out to coach a late night game (snow make up). But a mixed shower of rain and ice cancelled all activities and it was a quiet night at home. After a little dinner and catching up on DVR, Danny took to some hockey game watching and I planned to go up stairs and do a few things on the couch while watching some Bravo. How did this turn out? Quinlan and I snuggled and I feel asleep pretty darn quick. OOPS! At least I caught up on my ZZZZZsss.
Saturday morning we were up and at em for a eye doc appointment for me followed by errands and Danny was at home taking care of pup and doing his treatments. The combination of the weather, his busy schedule (all the snow make-up games), and entering his 6 month since a tune-up stay, he is getting a little worn down and “junky” (lungs are becoming weighed down with extra mucus). Tune-up time has been on everyone’s mind – and is likely for the coming weeks. However until then we just try and keep life simple and make sure we are slowing down enough to protect the energy we all have (hospital stays are taxing on everyone), as well as getting life in order in case a break is necessary. So Danny stayed home and rested and I ran errands and stole a little me time in the car.
It is funny – we have this beautiful home that I absolutely adore – but I still can’t shake the feeling of taking a true “pause” in life by disappearing from the normal scenery with a snack or coffee and my favorite magazine or book. Soaking up the quiet completing alone refreshes me better than most things – nothing beats my heated car seats, or this winter afternoon’s view.
Later afternoon I had a LONG list of to dos for around the house with bathroom cleaning at the tippy top! I was laughing with Danny for as much pride and energy I found to shovel out our 29+ inches of snow from the last snow storm just by knowing it was for our own place….I don’t quite get that same sentimental pride for bathroom cleaning. Which is sad cause that one is a little more regular….. sigh. But it is done and the rest of the day was pretty good including some family movie time on the couch.
Most of the time we get into the terrible habit of binging out on Netflix or racing through our DVR stuff – and not really enjoying it together. You can picture it – Dan has a game on his iPad going or I am searching through Pintirest and blogs while we watch something….. but this afternoon we actually watched The Intern together! We talked about it and laughed at all the same parts – it was a nice change of pace and made this regular scene at the Bessette home feel actually purposeful. And let’s not even pretend with our freezing temperatures that any other activity outside our house was going to be an option!
Sunday it warmed up a bit, which was good news as we headed out that morning for what would end up being the whole day! Last weekend wrap I shared with you the celebration for our good friend who is expecting twins. Well this weekend Danny wanted to get in on the celebrating with them so we grabbed some donuts and coffee and headed into the city!
They have just moved and we wanted to visit the new space and enjoy their last few days of adult time before our visits are more focused on the little ones! The wife in this couple has been a close friend for both Danny and I (she was friends with Dan before I knew him that well!) for many years… and her sweet husband his fit into the group like a glove! They are such close friends that you can share anything with and they make you laugh, while also giving wonderful advice. We are so grateful they have been such a huge support in our world and we can’t wait to help cheer on their next adventure!
This little trip into the city was also the perfect way to kick off Valentine’s day. Danny and I spent MANY days and nights our early years frolicking the DC streets so driving around the city while discussing some of the new things we have coming our way made us both giddy and grateful. Giddy that we have a whole life shared that still brings butterflies and heart pounding excitement – even if it is in totally new ways like business ventures versus first kisses. And grateful because we both have come to know the most romantic thing about married life – is the partnership aspect.
After our planned one hour visit that turned into 3 hours – yup we all LOVE to chat – we headed back to my in-laws where my pup was hanging out. Its not that Quinlan is a bad dog and needs supervision (as he always seems to be heading to their house for doggy day care), its more our guilt that most days he is home with Danny all day so when we think he will be alone for more than 5 hours we like to have him go somewhere to be with people. Bonus? He always comes home EXHAUSTED…. and well fed!
Hanging around their house for a bit we waited to go to O’Connell Basketball Game that late afternoon. It is one of Bridget’s last to dance at and the start to the WCAC tournament so for this Valentine’s days – we also returned to our starting place ….DJO!
We had planned to be back home from DC in the early afternoon. Danny would make a special dinner and I would set up my little treats for the boys…. but instead we got a little side tracked with friends and the game and ended up just stopping at a favorite restaurant near O’Connell for dinner and doing our little gift exchange later that night. A perfect Valentine’s Day seeing the many different folks we love – friends and family – while driving all around holding hands.
Over the years we have run the gamut on Valentine’s celebrations. Big and fancy downtown, as well as Chinese at home. Some years we over do it in the gift department and others we agree to no gifts. In a lot of ways I have found this day often reflect the season of life we are currently enjoying. And this year we spent a lot of time reflecting and celebrating the fact that we really are each other’s best friend. Navigating the waters of dating and then marriage we have had to learn a variety of different approaches to interacting, disagreeing, sharing resposbiilities, celebrating…. and right now we are in a really awesome phase of having to divide and conquer. We both agree there are areas of our world we thought would be vastly different – yet we both are amazed at where the journey has led us, and the incredible lessons it has required we learn together. Ultimately finding that we were made to do this life thing together, because together makes each of us and our world better.
We hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s day loving on all of the people important to you in your world!
Thank you of reading and remember to make it a great day!
Jackie
Have A Little Faith in We 