Life Is Good - Photographic Proof Included.

There is something about the seasonal shift between summer and fall that tends to overwhelm me in the best possible way.  It seems like this shift brings with it an inescapable sigh of comfort and contentment.  Take this weekend as an example of this.

Tracy and I had been planning on leaving town on Saturday and having out of town guests on Friday, but both of those things didn't work out for us for whatever reason.  Well, I'm so glad it worked out this way.  The weather outside has been cool and grey all weekend.  We've invested our time in each other, in Shea, and in getting the house and our work organized.  All of these things seem to have paid big dividends.  For example, last night found us sitting together as a family and enjoying each others company as we watched a movie together.  Just before Shea went to bed, she came to us and told us she loved us, loved being "family".  Our hearts melted.  Then, I couldn't resist grabbing her and tickling her until she almost wet herself.  Afterward we took a moment to snuggle and snap a picture as a family.  Here's some pictures to show you what I mean.

 We put Shea to bed and Tracy and I simply sat on the couch together and watched a couple of movies.  I can't even tell you the last time this happened.  It's nothing spectacular, but it's a nice intimate moment that makes a marriage a continuous joy.  Some may say it is laziness, or time not used to its fullest, but my heart was at rest in those moments.  I felt at ease, off the pressure cooker, and I was simply glad to have that moment with Tracy.

The next morning afforded Tracy and I the chance to return to childhood.  The opportunity came in the form of a fort.  God I love these things!  I used to build them all the time when I was young.  Today I used five dining room chairs, Shea's trampoline with an upright handlebar, the dining room table, two California king-sized blankets and a bunch of binder clips to make the big daddy of forts.  We spent a good two hours in there as a family, having tea parties, chasing dinosaurs, playing with the dog, and just being children.  We forget at times to take these moments to play.  I love being a kid.  My only concern is that Shea is going to grow up before I do.  Oh well, dads are supposed to embarrass their daughters, right?  Here's what Shea thinks about that idea...

It's a dark picture, but she's for sure wearing a frown.