I loved today.

Especially when you compare it to my yesterday. Which sucked.

Dev has been very challenging lately and my mood on Saturday didn’t help matters. The medication is definitely helping me in a lot of ways, but the depression doesn’t go away entirely. I have to learn how to handle my negativity and frustration. It’s a learning process, a difficult one, to change 40 years of that type of thinking.

Combine all of that with a husband who had a ton of work to do over the weekend and a couple (us!) that hasn’t had an evening to themselves in months, and this household was a hotbed of tempers and tension yesterday. I was in tears.

This morning, though, the waterworks were over and the optimism returned. It seemed like there was a renewed commitment from all three of us to make this day better. Starting with me making raspberry-buttermilk pancakes — the first time I’ve made a batch in forever. That was followed by a successful trip to the grocery store with the little guy and a cooperative turn at the video store, where he nicely picked out two selections and waited patiently for me to make mine.

Then he…took. a. nap. A miracle!

I had a healthy snack and went to the gym, where I ran nearly two miles, breezed through my weight routine (stopping once to stare in astonishment when I noticed how big my triceps were getting), and took a nice hot shower.

After dinner (sloppy joes), Devin wanted to go outside and slosh around in the slush with his new Spiderman snow boots. (Which, by the way, I hate. Why are there characters on everything in the stores? Why?) He was thrilled to amble down the sidewalk with me, both of us bundled up in our coats, hats and mittens, our waterproof boots kicking the rainy-snowy-icy stuff into the air as we walked.

As we walked, I even came to appreciate his new boots, chosen by him and loved by him. Every step he took was accompanied by flashing red lights, reflected in the puddles and on the glaze atop the snow. His glowing gait meshed so perfectly with the holiday decorations all around us. The streets were quiet except for a few shoveling neighbors, and he and I chatted quietly about the snow, the lights, and other fun topics. I almost felt the tears coming again, this time from happiness.

So, yes, a day can make a huge difference.

And now, some more ornaments to share.

From Leah in Massachusetts…

This little guy, crafted by Diyosa in California, arrived a little worse for wear, but I’ll fix him up.

This one’s from Jen in Pennsylvania and is a “piece” of the photo directly below it.