Currently...

[This gal came over to say hi to me and Rob when we were on a run over the weekend. 

Nothing like a surprise horse cuddle to make your day.]

Reading The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. I had ordered it for myself on Amazon but was too impatient and ended up having my brother check it out for me from Longwood's library. Libraries! I need to visit mine soon. I'm four chapters in and it is gorgeous already. She pretty much had me at page two:
"I close my eyes and lean into Ernest, smelling bourbon and soap, tobacco and damp cotton--and everything about this moment is so sharp and lovely, I do something completely out of character and just let myself have it."

Drinking a billion glasses of water a day. Well, okay, not a billion, but a lot (especially considering I used to go all day without so much as one sip). I try to drink a big mug of hot water with lemon while I'm getting ready in the morning, and then after I finish my coffee, I get started on glasses of cold water. I drink all day now and I feel awesome! My secret is to use a straw--it's all about the straw!

Listening to Mumford & Sons' Babel (still). I took a break for a few weeks and now I'm back. I can't get over it.

Thinking about the future a lot. I don't know what it holds. Sometimes it's really hard to just let go and embrace each day--it's hard to be away from Rob, and it's hard to not really have a definite idea of where he's going to be after his training stint in Northern Virginia is done. But it helps to have such a strong foundation underneath us, and I feel blessed to have him in my life. I know things will eventually work themselves out. And we'll look back and find a way to be grateful for the time we spent apart.

Loving Body Pump at the Y in the morning. I haven't lifted any weight since I quit CrossFit and I've really been missing it. It's hard to drag myself out of bed at 5:00 AM when it's cold out and my bed is so cozy, but it's totally worth it to get so much done before 6:30! And I actually really hate getting ready in a gym locker room, but at least I have it as an option, and then I go take myself out for coffee before work. You can't have it all, right?

Looking forward to a few things. First, I'm working with a really beautiful online magazine on a couple of pieces, and I can't wait to share details with you! Second, my brother broke Longwood University's 10K record last week (he ran it in 33 minutes...no big deal, right?) and qualified for a race in New York this weekend. We planned to go, and then it got called off, and now it's on again, so we're going! I'm picking Rob up in Northern Virginia and then we're driving up the rest of the way on Friday night. This is Sean's last race and I pretty much can't put into words how proud I am of him without tearing up. He's pretty awesome. So I'll take pictures and cry about it on Saturday.

Making me happy that I have wonderful parents, a close relationship with my brother, a sweet and amazing boyfriend, the cutest dog, a great job, a roof over my head, more than enough food to eat, and good health. Sometimes I forget to really take in the everyday things that I should be so grateful for.

What are you up to currently? Thanks, Dani, for providing the inspiration for these posts!