Playing Hooky

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, I was absolutely crushed at work.  My crazy work schedule made me more determined to gear down and take some time off the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.  And, that's what I'm doing today.

This morning, I saw my niece and goddaughter, Kaitlyn, play basketball in a tournament at Overton High School.  What a treat to see her play!  She played well, the team played well and they beat Hillsboro High School handily.  God, I'm proud of Kaitlyn.  She's such a great kid.  My sister and brother-in-law, Tracy and Gary, have done such good job raising her and her brother, Matthew.

After a brief stop off at the house, I went to the gym.  I've been off running - thanks to my broken left great toe - for almost three weeks and it's killing me.  I was able to get some time in on the elliptical and to lift weights for a bit, which was awesome.  I've felt like such a slug, not being able to run, that getting any exercise at all was a bonus.

I had lunch at Eldey's, where I had a Calfkiller (Grassroots APA) and read the New Yorker.  I also spent a few minutes extolling the virtues of Nashville to a couple sitting beside me at the bar, who were visiting from New York City.  Imagine that, a couple from New York City visiting Nashville and doing touristy things, and loving it.  My, times have changed.

I even got the oil changed in my truck - my much loved 2005 Yukon Denali - which I've owned for a decade and which has almost 187,000 miles on it.  When JP was 3 or 4, he used to ask me if I would keep driving until he turned 16, so he could drive it.  I love that truck so much that it just may happen.

Now, I'm sitting at Bongo Java, having a "Mood Elevator," listing to Magnolia Electric Company's "O Grace" and Bon Iver's "For Emma" and "Re:  Stacks."  I could listen to all 3 songs one thousand times and never get tired of them.  Sometimes, I wonder if JP or Joe will read this blog one day and, especially if I'm not around, take the time to listen to songs I referenced and that meant so much to me at a certain point in time.  I hope so.

I'm so lucky to have those boys.  What I really want and what I've always wanted them to get, someday, out of this blog, is to realize how much I loved them and how blessed I knew that I was to have them in my life while I was taking the time to record my thoughts about them and my life, in general.

I can't imagine what my life would be like without JP and Joe in it.  Watching their lives unfold is my reward for everything I do, everything I have done and everything I will do in my life.  It's truly God's gift to me and it's much more than I deserve.