spring into vacation

Not that I have been good with updating my blog before, but last Saturday we unexpectedly booked a flight back to Chicago and flew out Tuesday. It's been busy to say the least. We flew into Chicago, stayed with my Dani and Bikey for a day and then Liv and I made the long (9 hour) journey home alone. Honestly, Liv is a really good traveller, so the ride was just long...no major hiccups. Well....she did throw up, but I'm so used to it, because the girl throws up every time we fly anyways. However, this was the first time in the plane that I actually caught her puke. It should be a sport really, puke catching...it's an art. An art that I pray that I've mastered.

We have been here since Thursday the 15th and leave next Thursday to drive back down to Chicago and spend the weekend again until we fly out on Monday.

It's been an unexpected and much needed visit with family and friends. I will leave you with some pictures and hopefully not an empty promise to get writing more. It's hard to figure out what to write when I feel like I'm in such a half-way point in my life. Liv being in daycare three days a week and me looking for a job but not finding one leaves me a bit deflated.

on the balcony in chicago

playing with pippa, catching imaginary butterflies.

new outfit.

small acts of kindness

Or not so small...depending on the person on the receiving end.

I went to a scentsy party on Saturday night. Pat watched Liv and brought her to see the Lorax in 3D. I was home by 10 and asleep by 10:30. Pat and I usually switch "sleep-in" days on the weekend. Sunday was my day, but Liv has a tendency to demand I get out of bed and I usually give in. Not this Sunday though. Pat coaxed her out of bed and I woke up at 9am to a very quiet house....eerily quiet. I just kept lying in bed listening to see if I could hear my family, then I crept out to find nobody. The apartment was empty. I called Pat and he said he took Liv to work with him and they were going to our friend's farm after. It was so relaxing, and while they were gone longer than I would have liked :), I was so thankful.

I don't know if it's my marriage, or everyone's marriage, but sometimes It feels like we live according to a system of tallies.

You did this - check!
Well I did this - check!
Well I did this last week - check!
You haven't done that since then - check!
I cleaned up that disgusting mess - check! check!

My point is, It's easy to get caught up in the "he did/she did" and I wasn't expecting Pat to do that. It made me feel appreciated and made me want to do the same for him. It was so refreshing to feel that way and I am currently swallowing my pride for not being the person to initiate it (I can't change overnight), but that was certainly the budge I needed to put a little more "just because" back into our relationship.