Slowing down, taking a breath

We've been going, going, going since returning home from Hawaii, and week 24 finally offered us a little room to slow down and take a breath.  A much needed, soothing to the soul, breath.  A breath that leaves room for simple daily pleasures, a pot of homemade soup, a bit of reading in bed before dozing off into the magical land of "my body simply cannot take another moment of being awake" sleep.  It feels good. 

Our new world feels good too.  We stumbled upon an odd little antiques mall right by the homestead last Sunday and wound up purchasing a little cobbler's bench at what we were assured was a steal of a deal.  Steal or not, it's an interesting little table/chair/we're not really sure, and it fits right in amongst the rest of the quirky casa.  We also found this incredible little workshop where a lady refinishes old furniture into new, vibrant hues that somehow maintain the old feel.  It's clear her work is done with love and care, and it's also clear that someday we will possess a labor of her love.  While our exploration of the neighborhood has just begun, we feel more and more confident by the day that we chose the right spot, and that our house is indeed our home.  We choose to ignore the fact that we need a decent couch, some curtains, all of the furniture for the baby's room, the list goes on and on.  We'll get there, and in the meantime, we'll enjoy the ride. 

Speaking of rides, last Saturday we drove down to Connecticut for Christmas with the family there.  Chris, the mother, Mimi, and I went out for a glorious lunch at Shady Glenn (cheeseburgers and eggnog milkshakes, yum!) before heading to JoAnn's for an evening of celebration.  I only have one picture from our adventure, but I love it, so here you are: 

The mother and the grandmother: they are so cute.