This Busy Life

- - - Warning: long post! - - -

It's been almost a week since I got home and I'm still not totally caught up with everything. Add on to that the fact that we leave again in less than a week for our roadtrip, and you've got yourself a woman with a whole lot on the to-do list but little idea as to where to start. I've got three clients in need of some sort of paper good before I leave (one surprise birthday party, one bridal shower, one set of custom birth announcements), another that needs round one - 3-5 designs to choose from - for her wedding, and my regular daily/monthly clients. I'm trying to hold on to the creative juice still in my brain, but it keeps getting pushed aside by the excitement and list of things that need to get done in preparation for the road trip!

Still, I wouldn't have traded in last week for anything. It was one of those impromptu visits made possible by frequent flier miles. Funny thing about frequent flier miles; so often we store them up, waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect trip to use them, but too often time just continues to build and we forget to ever take that perfect trip. I finally realized that it would be the perfect trip simply because I chose to take it. I had a deep need to go home for one of my Mom's hugs, my sister's late-night sessions, my Dad's wisdom and my nephew's giggles. It was a fulfilling visit.

We took Aiden to the zoo and I was reminded at how wonderful and amazing the world is when seen through the eyes of a child. He got a close-up view of an elephant through binaculars, laughed at the monkeys swinging above him and was utterly enthralled with everything in the aquarium. You have to see the video I got of his reaction when a whale swam by! He and another little boy next to him were repeating each other's "wow"s for about 5 minutes. It was too cute!

It is so incredible to watch him grow. He finally said "Bean" (my nickname), but I think it'll still take some time for him to fully connect the word with the girl. It just thrilled me when he would walk over to me, hands stretched up, asking with pleading eyes for me to hold him. Ok, so maybe that had something to do with the cookie in my hand, but at this age, bribery has to count for something. Once Peanut arrived, he had no qualms crawling into his lap for story time.

The reunion was also great. I really, really loved catching up with some friends I hadn't seen in a while. I got to spend some quality time with one of my best friends, too, which made it feel like little time had passed at all. Thanks, Sixx, for a great weekend! I love you!

Once back home I was able to change some things around in my office. The main impetus was my incredible find at the flea market:

I've been searching for a steel-topped desk for so long now and this one even has a drawer! Of course, it was just about two-inches too wide to fit in the alcove in my office, where I'd been planning on putting it, but with a little rearranging, some paint, and a few nails, I am now ready to go! I'm torn between painting "Blue Bean Creations" (the biz name) above the other desk (in the alcove) or one of my favorite quotes. Of course, then I'd have to figure out which quote...

“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” -Kahlil Gibran
"What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?"
"Learn as if you were to live forever. Live as if you were to die tomorrow."
"Seek the wisdom of the ages, but look at the world through the eyes of a child." -Ron Wild

I'm open to suggestions! And I'm leaving in less than a week! S'cuse me while I go make sure I know how to set up the tent...