I’m back!

This morning I returned from sunny Los Angeles to a much less sunny Seattle. I do love this city, but it is a bit tough returning from shorts and flip flop weather to downpours. ‘Tis the name of the PNW game though, and despite having a lovely vacation I’m glad to be back home with my own bed, my routine, and Mr. BF.

Over the past few days, I’ve been feeling particularly grateful for various things in my life, and none of them actually have to do with running. While I’ve taken some steps back in my marathon training, I’ve been able to spend a little more energy on all the other things that are great…and it’s pretty refreshing. Sometimes I can get really consumed with how much focus I put on running, and I tend to forget that there are actually so many different things I enjoy in life.

With that said, I’ve decided to make this round of Friday Favorites another Thankful edition. Because, you know, the universe needs some positive feedback…just like the rest of us.

With that said…

I’m thankful for my siblings

My sister and brother are two of my favorite people in the whole world, and whenever we get to spend time together we fall right back into the wonderfully hysterical world of inside jokes, childhood recollection, and quoting old movies we’ve all seen 200 times. Sure, we have our share of banter like any other siblings, but there are few people I get along with more than these two people.

And with that said…

I’m thankful my brother will be going to school ten minutes away from me.

Although just about every school in the country would be proud to have my brother in their freshman class, he’s decided to attend Seattle University next year…which is quite literally a ten minute drive from my house. I am ecstatic, to say the least, and I hope he is actually able to make real college friends because I plan on being the most clingy big sister/Seattle tour guide of all time. Kidding Scott…but am I?

I can’t wait.

I’m thankful for chocolate bagels.

There’s a bagel place in Pasadena, CA called Goldstein’s (I know, could you get more classic?) and my family has been going there since I was born. They are famous for these hunks of chocolate cake disguised as a bagel, and they are seriously one of the best foods on earth. They are dense, they are soft, they are not too sweet, and they are full of flavor. There is no one in my family who will deny the deliciousness of chocolate bagels, and I can guarantee my kids will be fed them as well. That is unless I decide to keep them all for myself, which is more likely.

I’m thankful for my knee getting better.

I’ve been feeling better every day, and although running isn’t feeling superb yet, each run is feeling incrementally better than the one before. I am hoping by next week I’ll be able to hit the road pain-free, and in the meantime I’m enjoying some therapeutic cross training sessions to make up for the lost time.

This mini break has helped settle my feelings about my spring marathon. I’ve come to terms with that fact that although it might not go as I’d hoped…there will be many more opportunities, and I’m grateful to just be able to still run in one (we’re hoping…)

I’m thankful for Anne Lamott

So I know some of you may have heard of Miss Anne Lamott, but you should check her out. She is one of my favorite authors, and I got the chance to hear her speak and “meet her” {take a picture with her for approximately 15 seconds} while on vacay. She’s one of the most honest, graceful, and heart-felt writers I’ve ever read, and if you’re at all in need of an inspiring read I recommend any of her books, particularly Traveling Mercies or Bird by Bird.*

Also, she signed the back of my Nook. Happiness.

*If you are interested in literature about writing, Bird by Bird is a must read! Seriously, drop whatever you’re doing and go buy, download, or borrow it asap!

I’m thankful for vacation, and I’m thankful for coming home.

Vacation time, I think we can all agree, is fantastic. Whether you’re on a lavish Hawaiian vacation drinking fancy mai tais, wearing a new sun dress, and watching the sun go down, or drinking a gin and soda water out of a paper cup, covered in dirt, and hiding your greasy hair under a baseball cap…there’s nothing quite like a relaxing break from a regular routine.

I’m thankful that my job allows me to take some time off, and I’m thankful that I have some wonderful people to spend this time with. My family is nothing sort of sensational, and I’m so grateful to be able to see them whenever I can. My grandparents, so lovingly, take our wild clan in with open arms…and I love every instant we all get to laugh and play together. Lots of laughing. It’s magic.

I am also thankful, though, that when I come home I have one of the best people to come back to.

Ya ya, this is where I get all sappy. But I am indeed very thankful that despite all the time we spend together, I still get all giddy and excited to see BF when I return home. In all relationships, I think allowing time to miss one another is healthy and important. Also, I think allowing BF some time to hang around our house without my incessant coming-and-goings, enthusiastic “Let’s go do everything!!!!” energy, and eye rolls at certain inappropriate comment might make him want to stick around a little longer. Right boy? Right?!

I’m thankful that I have not shaved my legs in a week.

No, no photo needed here. And yes, this admission might make BF delay coming home to see me, but I don’t really care. I am normally pretty diligent about my personal cleanliness, however on this trip I couldn’t really muster the energy to shave my legs, and I didn’t care whatsoever. It was refreshing, and sure you have ever might to question my feminity (I do all the time), but I’m proud of the fact that I really took the whole “vacation” thing to the next level.

Interesting, I just told the internet about my body hair.

I’m thankful that Easter is next weekend.

Even though I’ve been celebrating Easter by means of eating and purchasing mini eggs for the past month, I’m thankful that it will be here next weekend, and we’ll be able to really get spring going. I always think of Easter as the official start to the second part of spring, which means that my birthday is almost coming, and then summer is almost coming, and then the sun will be around and life will be warm and perfect. Okay, I’m not that glass-half-full, but I do love Easter and springtime.

Also, Easter means that BF will be DONE with his idiotic highly admirable abstaining from sweets. Which means that we can go on dessert trips once again, and I can start making cookies again.

So there you have it! A thanks to Ali for inspiring thankful thoughts every week, and I hope you all have spectacular weekends. I’m hoping to get in some kind of long run, and if nothing else I’m excited to reunite with my beautiful beach-front running path.

Now please tell me…what plans do you have this weekend? Racing? Vacationing? Lounging? What are you thankful for? Are you planning to load up on as much Easter candy before it’s gone from the shelves like I am? Do tell!