love/joy// 5

In college, a friend and I committed to "keeping love and joy alive" by paying tribute to the ideals themselves. Whenever we got together we would "love/joy"- share one way we'd experienced love and one way we'd experienced joy that day. Even on the worst of days, we could still dig and find these things to be true: we are loved & we experience joy. Here are mine for this week:

love//
Jake misses me. He's been calling more. He encouraged me with an "I don't know how you're functioning" text. This new work schedule is downright loony combined with my current grad schedule. We, basically, don't see each other Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday now (I mean, I see Jake, but he's asleep when I leave at 5:30AM and asleep again when I get home at 11PM). So we're counting down the days to the end of the semester, when I'll be on the home stretch to finishing my M.A. (crazy!). My thesis will dominate the Spring, but I'm not taking any evening classes or directing any shows. I plan to have lots of make-up dates with my husband, and lots of falling asleep at the same time evenings. All that to say- it makes me feel loved when I'm missed, especially by Jake.

joy//
I had lunch with three women, all within five years of my age, yesterday. Almost daily we stop by each other's offices and laugh at each other's stories. I think I'm making friends. Girlfriends. I know- this is unheard of and strange, but I'm already thankful for it.  Joy!

Any exciting plans for the weekend? Tomorrow is Jake's birthday and Sunday is mine. We're hoping for some quality quiet on Saturday and maybe some beer brewing, and we're spending much of Sunday in Maine celebrating an early Thanksgiving with friends (also known as Friendsgiving). I think it'll be a wonderful treat of a birthday. Enjoy your weekend, and, hey, what are your love/joys for this week? Don't forget to share them in the comments- I'd love to read them.