I'm spoiled. I'm not afraid to say it. I'm spoiled rotten. I can't remember any other time in my life where I've been as well off as I am now. I may know when I'm being spoiled, but I definitely don't take it for granted.
Every time I turn down the A/C a little, I'm thankful I am able to do so. It wasn't long ago when I was living in an unconditioned house, and my car hasn't had a functional A/C since I bought it. I'm thankful I can come home and cool off. I have a retreat now, I have a safe haven.
This winter was a very mild one, but I can still remember the bitter cold of the past few winters. When R and I huddled together out of necessity than anything else. Ever since we've moved into the townhouse we never cuddle in bed, there's no need to anymore. We don't wake up seeing our own breaths anymore. The one heater we had we kept by River because she wouldn't survive without it. I remember what it was like to have no one to cuddle with, no running water, and no heat in the garage I used to stay in. I'm still grateful I even had that place to stay. It was such a refuge for me in a time when I needed one the most.
Still, now I have the option to be a little too cold, or a little too warm. I have food, that's one of the biggest things. When I enlisted I went through MEPs and weighed in at a whopping 97lbs. At 5'4" that's a little more than underweight. For a 21 year old it was embarrassing to be that little. I remember my mom skipping meals so my little sister and I would have something to eat. I remember not having enough money to go out and buy even a little bit of food. BMT was the first time in my life I can ever remember having 3 meals a day. Now if I skip a meal it's because I'm lazy. R and I even get to go out from time to time now, when our schedules allow. We're no longer living paycheck to paycheck, we actually even have a small savings set aside. I'm comfortable, happy, and most of all healthy. Can't say the same for R, it seems it's been his turn this year to get sick. Now that I'm working a job that pays more than minimum wage he has been able to go to the doctor and also take off the time he needs in order to get better. That's the best part. Being able to heal, both of us.
We've come a long way in just a couple of years, but we've already endured more than what most of my married friends have gone through.
I'm happy for the turn of fortune that has been given to me, and I'm happy that I actually am able to give back, to help out those in situations just like I was in.

I'm okay with being spoiled (but who wouldn't be!), but I never want to take it for granted. I've worked hard for this, I'm going to enjoy it, and I'm going to give back.
What's the point of having more than you need if you don't share it?

I found this underneath my glasses on the coffee table this morning.

Hey babe,
I just wanted to tell you that I love you before you head off to work. I fell in love with you because you are incredibly sweet, way too nice, gorgeous, cute, adorably shy, awesome, ridiculously sexy, awesome, nerdy, awesome, and (I found out later) make a mean apple pie. I know sometimes it doesn't make sense to you why I love you, but love doesn't have to make sense all the time- it does make sense to me, though. I know that I love you, more than I know any quote from any movie or TV show, or any given fact about The Lord of the Rings, or astronomy. If I am sure of anything, it's that I love you. Thanks for making life worthwhile. ~your firefly

You know what? All that stress a few months back was totally worth it. I have been in a season of just incredible peace and thankfulness. I'm so thankful that I have a job that allows me to take as much time as I need to get over a sickness. I'm so thankful that I have a job that I truly love and enjoy! I didn't realize how much I hated working at the Stop until I quit. I hated everything about my job except for my coworkers and manager. I do miss them but I love my new job as office minkee ("Cato!!!"), not just the people I work with but the whole job itself.
I'm just so happy to be relaxed! Even though I've been sleeping on the couch this week thanks to sickness, I've still had the most satisfying sleep I can ever remember having. It's almost been too much fun being deathly ill!
So here's an unusually upbeat post update thing. I'm looking forward to trying to get back into the swing of blogging but I've been blowing through my reading list! So awesome to be able to devote my time solely to what I WANT to read!
There's the tiny paranoid part of me that is just waiting for things to fall apart >.>
But the budding optimist in me thinks I'm just being paranoid.

This sums up my day in 5 seconds.

I'm going to go and pass back out now.

Is it just me, or has the sky been particularly amazing this summer?

R is baby crazy. o.0

How is this possible?!

That's his dad's wedding band. This is what was caught between the tree and a bolt in the deer stand when he fell.

I promise this will brighten your day. It certainly brightened mine

Friendly is doing much better than we expected. He's still on the decline and there is nothing to stop that, but I do get more time with my pup. He's stayin the week at my house since my parents are on vacation. It was nice to cuddle up and sleep on the couch all night with him, it's been so long.
Wedge is also enjoying having a new friend around!