You Are My Sunshine...

God Bless Children. Especially Mine.

After my emotionally draining morning, I went upstairs, got dressed, got the kids ready, and we headed out in search of Elsewhere. I just needed to get us out of the house for a few hours.

Last week at a playgroup, someone told me about Beans in the Belfry. It is my new definition of Nirvana.

BITB is a coffee shop inside a church from 1910. Seriously. High ceilings, overstuffed and mismatched chairs and sofas (and even a few church pews, used as benches), a coffee bar and AMAZING sandwiches. (I tried the Old Berlin, which is basically a panini-fied Reuben. FAN-TAS-TIC.) Jack and I shared a sandwich, Toby napped in his car seat, and I sipped a steamy caramel latte.

Spirits instantly lifted, we left there with renewed smiles on all our faces. Stopped at CVS to drop off 4 disposable cameras that have been kicking around since around since Jack was born. Dropped off a bunch of T's work laundry at the cleaners.

We're home now. Jack took his nilla wafers up to his clubhouse for a snack and a nap. Toby is blissfully snoozing in his bassinet.

I really should be napping, as well, but the babysitter will be here shortly so I can go for my walk/jog. I'll try to nap after we take her home.

Funny how a day can start out on such a down note, but the smallest thing can give you hope enough to get you through the day better than you started.

The kids were better than angelic, and Jack hugged me so long and so hard I wondered how much of my blues his 2-year-old brain had picked up on. Every night when he goes to bed, we sing him "You are my sunshine". Today, he reminded me that it's more than just a song -- I really mean it, every time. The 3 men in my life are the ray of sunshine that get me through my dark days.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey
You'll never know, dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away.