giving thanks in the sun

i've never worn a swimming suit over thanksgiving break. ever. but over the last two thanksgivings, i haven't shown much leg, either. this being the first thanksgiving i've eaten with my family in 3 years, something had to be different. on tuesday, claire, sophie, henry, steve (the best home teacher ever) and i all drove south of the snow, wind, and rain and into palm trees and pruneville: peoria, az. i got to spend the week with two of my baby cousins: raquel (3) and natalia (1) (fondly known as "batalia"). waking up to a peach sherbet-colored sky every morning and hitting the streets on the fairway for my run at 8am with no one in sight (snow birds like to sleep late, i guess), was absolute bliss! later in the mornings, baby batalia and i would go out for a baby stroll, and we'd come home to lovely french toast and homemade orange juice. jealous? i'd always said that i hate extreme temperature places and could never live in them, but here among the adobe, mild november sun, last chance, palm trees, outdoor pools and the best mexican food you've ever had, i may be changing my mind.

brick

"I can't help myself, I've fallen down, I'm falling hard for you," so sings Crystal Method. I know, I know. But these Steele-esque lyrics are kind of the theme to this week. I have a weakness. Nearly a disease, really. I confuse attraction with like, and liking a few good qualities with love in the span of about 24 hours and multiple facebook prowls later. It's sick. I'm not proud of it, but it's terminal. It's completely my fault why it hurts so bad when you finally realize that of course, anyone handsome, spiritual, smart AND athletic would be seeing someone. Of course. But "unofficially seeing someone" isn't really a hopeless situation, is it? The door is still ajar, right? Glass half-full. Glass half-full...i think that two of my friends and i are riding the same boat...to half-full/empty glass-dom. It's not the worst place to be, but it's a place you don't want to stay for too long. If you get too hopeful you could fall harder in the end, and you don't want to replace faith with doubt either.