{pretty, happy, funny, real}

 ~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Pretty:

Noah's, no, wait... the boys' room is coming together nicely. A few weeks ago, I hung up the alphabet I made four years ago, while waiting for Noah to arrive. It was my third time putting it up, and I'd like to think I'm getting better at it.

I laid out all the letters on the bed, measured, then made myself a grid with masking tape and attached the letters to the wall with double-sided tape, measuring and eyeballing as I went.

Happy:

A few days ago, I got some happy mail. A while ago, Bethany blogged about her friend Rainbow's first novel, Attachments, that had just come out. I read it and loved it, and when Rainbow offered signed book plaques to anyone who'd request one via email, I jumped at the chance.
I also requested a plaque for my sister (I gave Rainbow's book to her for her birthday last fall), and because Rainbow is a pretty darn cool person (and doesn't speak German), she offered to send me the German translation of Attachments. Of course I didn't say no to that!

Funny:

This is my new favorite photo. Bonnie and I rock the mustache mugs and the crazy eyes.
 
Real:

Roughly four years ago, when I was in the middle of my pregnancy with Noah, I started sewing him a quilt. I completed all the strips for the top before he arrived, and then finished the top a little over a year ago. I bought batting and enough fabric for the back and had the whole thing quilted.

Putting the binding on was not as straightforward as I was hoping for, so I put it off. And off. And... off. Until last weekend, when I managed to finish the last step (cutting off the excess backing fabric, cutting strips and making & sewing on the binding) in half the afternoon and the better part of the evening.
A four-year project, done. Yay, me!
(It would seem that such diligence on my to-do-list would be rewarded with going into labor, but alas... so far, Little Brother is still happily ensconced inside me. We're all waiting more or less patiently.)

Pretty, happy, funny, real is the brainchild of these ladies here, who are encouraging their reader to find contentment in the everyday perfection and imperfection of life.