spring, in all of its optimism

There's something so ceremonial about the first flinging open of the windows. Opening our home to the rays of sun & the breeze, looking past the pollen & bugs that will find their way inside because that. is love. Looking past the imperfections & wholly accepting the entire package. Spring, you are welcome here. Of the major checklist of things that I was looking for when we found this apartment, "patio access" was the only credential box that didn't get checked. So, here I sit, next to the only window that isn't painted shut & can be opened with ease, feeling the rejuvenation of a warm March day pushing its way into my bones.

We made it through the time change without sleeping through anything or showing up late anywhere. God bless that extra hour of sunlight. Waking up was zero fun this morning, but it's 4pm & I still feel like I have the rest of the day ahead of me. I have stayed true to the promise I made with myself to walk to work when the weather is nice enough, & it is such a peaceful way to start the day. Are there some harrowing moments of wondering if crazy Virginia drivers are going to see me crossing the street? Yes. Do I feel like I deserve a 20 minutes break when I walk in the door when actually no, no you don't? Yes. But it gives me a mile & a half of waking up, thinking through my to-do list & deep breaths of... Well, some street funk but also fresh air.

Everything is new to me this year, & thus, perhaps a bit more sparkly than normal. It will be the first spring that I'm not spending every day of the weekend at work for 4+ events, & thus, the actual first spring that I can visit estate sales & HECK, host a yard sale of our own. It's gonna be the beeeeest.

The optimism that comes along with springtime is nothing short of astounding. I was at my parents this weekend, beside myself with laughter as their dogs (a golden doodle & a golden retriever) absolutely bounded around the yard with energy they haven't shown since October. I took my 14-month-old niece outside with them & it was like they were trying to show off their yard to us. Then I let my niece explore a little & I could practically hear Aladdin & Jasmine zooming around on their carpet. Of course, she was also completely grossed out that I was expecting her to walk around with bare feet. But she eventually got over it, while I evil-genius-laughed about how she has no memory of the pool & my, what fun that will be this summer.

But, now I'm getting ahead of myself.

(I have no pictures from the weekend *gasp* so you get a picture of said niece from laundry day last week.)