If Wishes Were Horses

Did your parents say that to you when you were little? "If wishes were horses we'd all take a ride..." I can still hear my Dad's voice saying it in my head.  

For the first time in my life,  I needed new jeans and just bought them for myself.  I don't buy expensive clothing, but I always think long and hard about my clothing purchases (or anything at this point during this season of our lives) and use the time to save. I try to wear the heck out of what I have, and intentionally don't have a lot, but I own 3 pairs of jeans right now, which should be good in theory, but they're not.  There's a cropped pair that are seriously worn out (and my favorites) and just not warm enough now that we're having below-30 temps and freezing rain. There's a pair of "straight" jeans that were my closest attempt at skinny jeans without feeling completely ridiculous and they have a waist that is so high I feel like it's going to hit my chin.  The last pair is a pair of jeans that are too small and, even if they weren't too small, just a little too worn out for me to keep wearing.  So there you have it. I needed jeans. So I ordered them.

It made me think about my current wish list and I laughed at myself. Because just buying jeans felt extravagant.  I just keep getting more and more utilitarian.  My fanciest desire is a new phone case, this one please, but only because I set mine down in SUPERGLUE.  Don't even ask me how, Nick manages to make messes like no one else I've ever met in my life, but the super glue is dried in a big hunk on the back of my phone case and complete uneven and driving me nuts as I constantly try to pick it off. 

Also on the list: this heater stove.  Because I need my home to have a fireplace, our oil bill makes me want to rip my hair out and this sweet photo sealed the deal.  

Next: Rain boots, which apparently don't come in a "super duper wide calf" version unless I want to pay an arm and a leg, and I don't, since they're just to wear in my backyard.  We're talking function, not fashion, here. And I don't want snow boots, but rain/wellies/galoshes/muck boot to wear while I tromp in and out at 6:30am with warm oatmeal for chickens and unfreeze their water.  

Which leads to my next item: A heated waterer for the chickens.  Because this checking every morning is going to be the death of me when there's a ton of snow, that's for sure.  

There's your dose of consumerism for now.  My wishful thinking-out-loud list, but the only one of those things I'll probably get is the heated chicken waterer - Merry Christmas, Girls!  I guess this also is my way of saying I'm thankful.  That I'm content right now to know that I don't need much and that all of our basic needs are covered and that's enough and more than so many people can say.  I'm cognizant of that fact and thankful for that every single day, especially on the days when I wonder why we've made this choice to just go without a lot while the kids are still little and have to remind myself that this is a choice and I'm thankful for that fact.  

So, I think in terms of the little stuff.  The little stuff has been making me happy this week. The ability to just buy a pair of jeans because I truly need them.  John making me laugh because he's ridiculous.  A couple out to lunch and clearly so glad to have the time together.  The time to plan holiday things that we really want to do and the time to sort out the things that just aren't going to happen this year and feel completely fine with letting them go.  Getting into bed after John has gone to bed and having blankets that are warm as a result.  Friends in town and time to visit.  Days off from school to relax.  Kids who ask to watch This Old House.  Sunday morning coffee dates.  Time and room to breathe.  Cardboard boxes that start as a paver and morph into a house, an airplane and a crane.  Kids' Christmas Trees. Quick afternoon snowflakes that make them run to the window to watch. OUR FIRST EGGS!! 

Happy, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!