sam amidon

In my mailbox this morning was a note from my nana, a wedding invitation, and a big fat envelope.  In the envelope was a blank journal I had ordered with my Christmas money.  Sometime in the mess of moving, I lost track of my last journal, and hadn’t journaled since.  To be honest, I didn’t much feel like it anyway.  But the last couple weeks, it’s stirred up inside of me again.  And when the journal arrived, the timing seemed just right.  A snowy day, a sleeping baby, a new year embarking ahead of us.

Today was a good mail day, and the snow was the sort of snow that glitters.  Winter is a beautiful time of year.  Also adding light to this dark time of year- this wonderful Garrison Keillor article.

Man, I like this kid.

Silence has been on my mind again lately.  The cultivation of quiet.  I am remembering that silence can be prayer, that soundlessness can be service.  Perhaps it is a part of winter.  When I think of last February, I think of silently sweeping the floors in a sunny room.

Silently sweeping the floors in a sunny room.

Christmas is over.  It was lovely.  And it’s lovely settling in back at home, trying to get things tidied, again, and enjoying new gifts and good leftovers.  This week ahead feels fresh and bright.  I’m so happy to be beginning it.

It does feel like a New Year, doesn’t it?

December 26, 2008

I’m a day late. But a very merry Christmas to you all.

Guess who is two months old today?

SouleMama takes a trip down memory lane every Friday, and I like it!  So I think I am going to begin to do the same- Friday, from the archives.

This is from December 18th, 2007.

I just e-mailed the last bit of work off for my Norwegian class. The semester is officially over. And…it feels a bit weird. I know, it was just one class. But the vanishing of that one itsy bitsy class creates a considerable shift in time and focus. Soon I won’t have a free bus pass. And when people ask me “Are you a student?” I can’t say yes. And then they’ll ask “What do you do?” and I’ll say…I’m a barrista? A writer? A wife? Goodness, the simplest questions can be so tricky.

But I tell you, I am heartily looking forward to wading into this new year. I want to fix up my workspace, clean the clutter, and fill it with wonderful things that make me feel at home and ready to write. I want to get a library card, research publishers, and get lost in the kids section. I want to find a new rhythm. I want to learn life more as the non-student-whatever-i-am that I am.

I love this time of year.

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I have been thinking about that time in my life a lot today.  I recently got in touch with old friend I haven’t corresponded with for a couple years.  They asked me if I would be graduating soon.  This time of my life came flooding back to me, the time I decided to step out of academics and see what else the world had for me.  I’ve learned so much about myself since then, so much how I like to work and live.

Happy Friday, everyone.

Sorry, we are just BUSY.

I’ll write some nice things soon.  Until then:

The icicles look like glass.  They are beautiful.

I’m loving reading about the Shakers in my new cookbook.

And baby, it’s cold outside.