Dusting Off My Feet

You know how tired I am of winter?

So tired that I cried today.

Really.  I am so done with winter.  So. Done.

I keep wondering how much longer can it possibly last?  Can we get something green around here!?  Yesterday felt a bit like spring... you know, one of those days with a high in the low 40s and a bit of moisture in the air, hinting warmer days might be ahead?  (This is a very weird thing for me to say.  I lived in Dallas once.  A day in the low 40s was the dead of winter.)

Well, this morning when I woke up, I noticed that the apartment was bathed in this weird yellow-ish light.  I looked outside, and this is what I saw.

No spring flowers, ladies and gents.  We get spring dust storms.  Courtesy of the Gobi desert and the ever-increasing desertification of this land.  Lovely, really.  Just lovely.  (The picture color isn't too far off reality!  Dirt and more dirt.)

***Update: And lest you think I exaggerate, read this: Year's Strongest Sandstorm.***

I was so frustrated, I cried.  It was weird, and I'm not sure what it was all about.  Jacob just grinned at me and said it couldn't last that much longer.  Determined to dust off my feet (heh. bad joke alert.) and pick myself up, I straightened things up around the house, lit some candles, turned on some music, and sat down to make this list of thankfulness...  To keep it simple, I'm focusing on yesterday.

• Yesterday after work, I took my pup for a walk with Catherine.  Catherine and I had a lot of fun singing songs and holding hands as we walked around our apartment complex.  She's such a sweet girl.  When we came back, she curled up on my lap as we ate a snack and talked to Jacob.  I love spending time with her... oh, and then she did my hair and I did her makeup.  And she helped Jacob make mashed potatoes and me make biscuits.  
• Yesterday afternoon I needed a break from my desk, so I hopped over to the foster home and went upstairs to see the babies.  I'd heard rumors of Cora taking her first steps and wanted to see it for myself.  But when I got there, one of the nannies asked me to hold Chad.  Chad didn't seem to feel so good, and after checking his temperature we found out he had a pretty high fever.  Nothing to serious, but enough of a bug to make him fussy and uncomfortable.  So I just kept holding him... walking and rocking.  And he fell asleep in my arms.  He seemed so peaceful and comfortable, I just held him even when the nanny got his crib ready and told me I could put him down.  He spent his whole nap curled up in my arms.  I think it was good for both of us.  
• Last night, Jacob and I invited four Chinese women over to our house.  We attempted to introduce them to an American classic... meatloaf.  But the beef we'd found in our village was of poor quality and not what you'd normally use for meatloaf, and partway through cooking it, we almost threw it out.  But that was 10 minutes after everyone had arrived, and we had no backup plan.  With tension running high in the kitchen, our friends rushed in with laughter and smiles.  They were all gracious and reminded us they "didn't know what it was supposed to taste like," so we forged ahead.  In the end, it was pretty darn good.  They raved.  We raved.  We were all stuffed.  And, one of the ladies brought over all the ingredients to make a yummy soy and ginger chicken wing dish.  So we had tons of food.  And great conversation.  I'm so thankful for our friends here...

Three's a good number... it's put a smile on my face.  Up next on this dismally dusty Saturday?  I think making some bread pudding or some cookies is in order...