The Small Things

I knew something was up last night when I couldn't stop sneezing. Then I couldn't sleep because my nose kept running. And the allergy tabs didn't do anything but turn my tinnitus up to 11 ("Yeh, but it goes to eleven..."). I have a cold, and a really nasty one at that. And after such a great weekend, too.

Saturday night Joel, Heather and I went to Ville's, where we just sat around talking and laughing, playing with my new laptop webcam and watching her silly cats. That was easy and effortless and we had a really nice time.

Yesterday I served up an old-fashioned English pork roast dinner, complete with potatoes and carrots, Brussels sprouts, dinner rolls and Bisto gravy. We all sat at the table, enjoying being together (Lauren is home for a few days during Spring Break).

At one point last evening, as I sat digesting, a feeling of total contentment and belonging washed over me. Our family was under one roof again. The girls were in their bedroom, from where I could hear the slight sound of their laughter. The guys were at their computers, Nettl was working on her book and I was in my chair feeling very homespun and at one. It dawned on me that this is it. This is the family I always dreamed of having. This is the homelife I always craved, and that othing at that moment, not money, not success, not anything could have made it one hair's bredth better. I was totally in the moment and in a state of bliss. It's the small things that matter. I have all I need; what can a cold do to me? Nothing.

Ah-choo!