Have A Little Faith in We

Happy Monday everyone!! It is a pretty one here today…. Getting a bit warmer, sunny and the night’s plans include a big O’Connell hockey game! We are into this season’s playoffs which are always a blast! I feel like it’s our version of Friday Night lights (#mygoalisTammyTaylorhair).

That was the start of this post from yesterday. It was so cheerful and full of excitement I decided to keep it….even though last night after a hard fought game, O’Connell lost and we spent the night drowning our sorrows with the DVR instead of finishing my post. It has been a fun season and we wish the best to all the seniors!

This weekend also kicked off with hockey! Friday night I jetted out of work and headed straight to the rink. This particular evening Danny had two games – Varsity first, then a break, and JV late that night. And it just so happened to work out that we were right near a great place of shopping and restaurants. After a mercy rule win for good ole DJO – we had extra time to grab a bite to eat. We headed over to one of my favorites – Vapiano’s. It is a middle of the road price wise for Italian and I find all their food to be really tasty and always consistent. This particular evening I had to switch out my Carbonara’s bacon for salmon – #Catholicproblems #itsLent – and I may have found a new favorite! Paired with a little red wine and I was in heaven!

 

As we sat at the bar chatting and dining, one of Dan’s players walked in on a date. Being the good coach that he is, Danny sent over dessert…. after all he admitted this kiddo had been MVP of the game! Danny has loved coaching. The passion he has for sports in general is one that has always inspired me to find my own passions and interests. That love of the game, paired with his natural skill for hockey and a very analytical mind – always appreciating the mental game involved with sports- Danny has the makings of a fantastic coach (says his wife 😃 ). Being gifted with the chance to share his passion, pass along his wisdom, and grow his own skills to coach has been a blessing.

Following dinner Danny headed off to the last game and I went home to be with pup. He had been having a little tummy trouble so we did not want him to be alone for too long – can you tell who is in charge at our place? Driving home that night I was on cloud 9, so elated with the fun things this season of life has brought us and I am so very grateful that I get to be Dan’s partner in this little adventure. It sounds crazy…but I could just watchi him coach and interact with the kids all day long and never get tired of it.

Saturday we all were pretty lazy getitng up…. including this little face….

But once we did we picked up the house a little bit and then I got to working out! Life is so very full and my brain is so very often on overdrive with what I could be doing, what I should be doing, what I want to be doing…. it seems that exercise is the only thing to bring it clarity and a little peace. That coupeld with the reality of how close the warm weather is – it is time to get back on the horse!!  My preference would be to run – but the dark early hours in the AM and the dicy weather – I have returned to my old reliable circuit training.  We are heading into week two and my thighs are burning – so we are counting it as a win!

After cleaning and exercise – YUCK – I headed over to see one my favorite gal pals Libby! She had planned to host a ltitle shower for our friend expecting twins, but as you may have guessed – when your this close to having your babies – the to do list and stress can pile on…. so our sweet friend stayed home to nest, but some of us gals still got together. French toast cassarole, mimosas, hash browns, yogurt parfaits…. you just try and keep us away, Libby!!

We toasted to our friend and the babies to be and then got down to business….eating, drinking, and being o so merry! Before we knew it, our late brunch had lasted until 5 that afternoon! I ended up staying a little later to help clean up and Libby and I got to chatting until after 7! Friends – I don’t know about you, but seeing my people that I love to just enjoy and chat about life, feels like a gust of fresh air! I am energenized beyond belief and spend the following few hours flitting around high on life, reflecting on the people who I call mine!

That same day my parents hosted a party to toast my cousin who left to start his new life as a marine on Sunday. I had planned to miss it with the shower scheduled for the same time, but Danny was our family representative. As I left Libby’s house that night he confirmed for me this farewell bash was absolutely no different than any other Flaherty event- plans to go well into the evening… So I had a chance to drop by too!

Trevor- we wish you the best of luck in this new adventure. We are in awe of your decision to serve and grateful you have joined our grandfather and the select few who have elected to honor our country and protect its freedom! Ooo-rah!!

As a close to such a full day: hockey! Danny had a JV game that night at 10:40. After some down time, I wandered up to the rink-luckily it was at the ice house right near us- and watched the team that Danny manages with only one other coach- meaning he has a little more opportunity to call the play and select the lines. It was an exciting game and I have never seen Danny this animated- yelling, jumping up and down…..they came close to taking it all- but it was a tie. Even still everyone- including Danny – laughed at the energy this game had for being so late! It was a fun end to a full day!!

Getting home so late from the game … Following a very full Saturday … We spent Sunday morning… sleeping!! I had planned to get rolling – working out, getting errands done early- but instead we had a quiet start to the day.  Once we finally did join the land of the living – it was business as usual: to dos, loft time, weekly store run…. its funny because this is the stuff that we all do over and over again without much thought. Pick up the groceries, get gas, drop of the dry cleaning – it is the mundane. I often wonder if we look like little ants from outer space just running around our little world. On the other hand though, when life is full or health woes set in – these are also the things that can be missed, there is comfort in routine. And even though both Danny and I truly hate the weekly grocery runs, there are moments that still hit me – right in the middle of the frozen food aisle – this is our life. Danny and I are shopping, as husband and wife, to prepare for another week in the little world we are creating. In some ways it is sorta beautiful. This particular Sunday I was also working on combatting the Sunday Blues – and you know what? It worked….

Hope you all had a good weekend and find yourselves in the middle of a lovely week!