Three Beautiful Things

It’s hard to pick just three beautiful things in a week that involved both Christmas and a ton of family time, but I’ll try.

1. On Christmas Eve, my brother echoes the words of our dad years ago when he warns his boys that they can’t just come running out willy-nilly in the morning, that first, he has to come out first to “make sure Santa came.”

2. Eileen made sure James — who, at just a shade over two years old, isn’t much of a talker yet — learned all our names before we came to visit. Hearing him call me “Annie Sawa” (which is as close to Auntie Sarah as he gets) is so sweet.

3. After somehow not making it to the beach all summer, I finally snuck in a few minutes of beach time with my sister, brother, and older nephews this afternoon. It was too cold to run around in the surf (only in the 40s!) but we collected some shells, dug in the sand, and played soccer.

What has been beautiful in your life this week?

Saturday is nearly over and I accomplished almost nothing on my list, but did have a nice, relaxing day. Before I head off to bed with visions of a productive tomorrow, here’s a look back at three beautiful things from the past week:

1. I didn’t really think I was in the mood for hosting even a small party this year, but once my friends started to arrive for the annual cartoon sing-along, I was glad I decided to keep the tradition alive. It was nice to spend a low-key afternoon together amid the holiday rush.

2. On Wednesday, I went to see the Nutcracker for the first time in more years than I can remember. I had forgotten how much I like it, and how Christmassy it makes me feel.

3. I have a kitten that looks like this:

Beautiful, no?

What’s been beautiful in your life this week?

Que sera, Sarah

Whatever will be, will be Sarah. (Except for when it's Eileen.)

Echoes, Names, and Beach

Host, Ballet, and Cute