domino effect

Getting ready for work today...
I pull the only shirt left in my closet appropriate for work--solid and dark-colored--and it needs to be ironed, stupid ruffle-collared shirt! My hair has decided to stage a revolt against the normal standards of decent hair behavior and has erupted into an explosion that can only be tamed by one thing--the straightening iron. Finally, dressed and hair coup averted, I head downstairs to grab my purse and head out the door and...my keys are not in my purse! Extra 10 minutes to search the house and find them on the desk. As I head out to my car which is parked under a tree--not its usual spot--a low branch catches my hair and entangles itself in my ponytail and threatens to hold me hostage. I successfully free myself and decide to make a quick stop at Einsteins for a power bagel and an iced tea...should be fast because of the time of day...oh no....empty order station...an internal argument ensues, "Leave, you have no time to wait...no, I hear him right around the corner, he'll be right back....but you're already running late....wait, wait...yes here he is!" Food and drink in hand, I start my trip to work and realize I have 15 minutes to get there. It's still possible if I drive just 10 mph over the speed limit...man, there's a lot of traffic today...some nascar tactics may be necessary, but I'm pretty good at that...oh no!!!!!!!!! Police car with lights flashing..maybe it's not for me..damn, it is! Thirty seconds from my exit for work! My first Texas speeding ticket..my first ticket in 16 years. Bummer. But I still made it to work on time with not a minute to spare. :)

a cold day in austin

I awoke this morning to the sound of wind and rain pounding against my window. Luckily I wasn't scheduled to work until the evening so there was no hurry to get out of bed, which made me very happy in spite of the nasty weather. I don't think we even hit 50 degrees today! That kind of cold is quite rare here in Austin I'm happy to say. But sometimes when it's cold outside it makes staying home even more inviting. I'm blessed to share life with literally the 3 coolest kids on earth. Cassie, my home-loving 10 year old thespian, was happy about the rain...she said it makes things so cozy when we light candles on a rainy day and stay home. Caleb, my heartbreakingly sweet 5 year old, was full of love for mommy today...I swear he spontaneously said, "Mom, I love you" about 15 times throughout the day! How great is that?? After a lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches and sweet peas, he and I had a blast playing Legos...his creations much more interesting and complex than mine of course (how do you make a paddleboat out of Legos?!) Alesia, ever brilliant and beautiful, soon to be 15 in July (hard to believe!) was full of inspiration and was at the computer for most of the day pouring herself into the book she's writing. I've been going out dancing and hanging out with friends more on the weekends when the kids are with their dad, and I'm having a great time meeting new people and learning something new too, but there's still something about the art of creating a home that is truly a haven that will always take precedence in my heart.