What's making me happy

Is happiness contagious? Unhappiness certainly is. At this time last year, I was struggling. Physiologic factors (my brain's chemical tendency toward depression, being within the first year postpartum) combined with situational factors (living in a new place where I hadn't really met many people yet, adjusting to having a toddler instead of a baby) to leave me at the lowest I had been in a long time. I know it took a toll on those around me. Brian and I fought all the time, and I just don't think it could have been good for Adriana. Okay, so maybe the guy next door and the couple downstairs didn't really notice, but still.

And then I got some help and did what I needed to do in order to feel better.

On Saturday I sat on a picnic blanket at the Christmas tree farm. The sun was warm on my face, and as I leaned against Brian and listened to Adriana babble, I realized that these days there is no one in the world I would trade places with. Moments like that one occur every day now: I watch Adriana run ahead of me along the sidewalk; Brian and I laugh together at a lame joke one of us has made; I hear the low murmur of Brian's voice as he reads a bedtime story to Adriana; or I simply have some quiet time in the morning to sip my hot chocolate in peace.