Cup of joe

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you we have a lot to catch up on.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you how proud I am of my husband for continuing to push forward with his business venture, and how eagerly I'm looking forward to seeing it come to fruition.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you (with a huge grin and excited eyes) that I start a new job in less than a month. I'd tell you that the things that are quickly becoming possible for me are outsanding and as good as anything I've ever dreamt and I am just so, so excited.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd recount the last three months of marriage, because I've now been married for over three months. I'd tell you how it still feels brand new, but also as familiar as being wrapped up in a favorite blanket, and how I'm more in love with my husband than ever. I'd tell you that sometimes we get impatient with one another, but we're learning to tease out frustrations with kindness and gentleness and it is everything I hoped.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you that the past few weeks have seen me fighting headaches and fatigue and being frustrated with both, because it's not as if I'm inexplicably busy. I'd tell you that I'm slowly getting my body back to a place of total physical wellness, that I'm cycling more often and eating more healthily and coffee almost always helps.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd talk about my friends. How I've loved being welcomed into such a great community here and how it truly is home. How I sometimes miss my friends from the States with an aching heart, and how I am so grateful that technology allows those friendships to flourish in spite of the distance.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you how wonderfully my perspective has shifted recently. How my heart is more glad and less anxious, how my expectations are more easily met and my wants are far less exaggerated. How I'm learning to live in humility, in a standard of living that a few years ago would have seemed far beneath me, but I now understand to be so far out of reach, it is purely the grace of God allowing me to flourish here.

If you were to sit down with me for coffee today, I'd ask if you wanted to go get a pizza. Because between vegan ice cream and veggie burgers, I feel great, but pizza just sounds so damn good.

If you were to sit down with me for coffee today, what would you tell me? How's life?

Cup of joe

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you all my favorite things about being a newlyed. How the turning of my husband in our bed, early every morning, gently shakes me from sleep. How the door opening each afternoon as he arrives home from work makes me giddy. How the simplicity of vinyls playing while we cook dinner together seems far more exciting than anything I ever did as a single woman.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you that I'm not reading this month as much as I should be, but the book is still good.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you that I've been practicing my hand-lettering and have found it to be totally thrilling. I'd tell you how refreshing it is to know that I am good at something new, to see a far-fetched hobby come into fruition.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you how I'm longing for picture frames. I'd tell you that the last final touches of this first round of new-home-decorating are almost complete, if only we could find picture frames to hang our favorite captures. I'd tell you that this process of settling and nesting has been a lesson in patience and contentment and boy, am I thankful for it.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you my plans for this space over this still new year. I'd tell you my ideas for monthly posts and new series and I'd tell you how excited I am to put new shape to this blog, even if it remains laregly unnoticed.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd speak quietly, because I have lost my voice this week. I'd tell you that I'm enjoying sitting in my own silence and appreciating this month of stillness, because come March, my work rights will come through and life will be far busier than it is these days.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I would thank you for sitting and listening, and I would ask with great interest, what's new with you?

How are you taking your coffee this morning, and what sorts of conversations are you having? 

Cup of joe

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you about the lovely Thai restaurant where I ate lunch yesterday, a farewell treat as I leave my internship/volunteer position with IJM Australia.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you how excited I am to be almost married to this man of mine. I'd tell you that as much as I've talked about my fast approaching nuptials in the past three months, the fact that the joyous day is now only 25 days away has me giddy.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you the count down to seeing my parents and friends in the States is down to less than seven days, and I can't wait.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you how overwhelming it is to set up home in a new place, when not all your belongings are in the same country. I'd tell you that I love the shopping and the decorating and the organising, but I love even more the idea that someday soon, it will all be finished.

If you were to sit down with me for coffee today, I'd tell you that I have a photoshoot scheduled for Sunday, to promote Dressember, and that I'm simultaneously terrified and excited for what this campaign can hold.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you that I haven't quite finished my book for the month yet, but I'm working on it.

If you were to sit down with me for a cup of coffee today, I'd tell you that I think sometimes it's just as important to linger on the small, seemingly insignificant things as it is to examine the larger things in life, and that maybe this could be a regular thing.