Thursday

Much like I kind of hate Mondays, although I am working to break this little pattern, I happen to love Thursdays.  For some reason, by the time Thursday comes along I feel like celebrating-- I mean call me crazy, but usually on Thursdays I just feel good!  I think it is because I teach on Thursdays, which is always exhilarating, and because it is almost the weekend.  During the school year, I am much more committed (in every sense of the word :) on weekends, and would have occasion to quote the Dowager Duchess "What is a weekend?" (watch Downton Abbey if you haven't already), because of my glut of church and synagogue jobbing.  But in the summer...ahhhh...it might mean I have no disposable income at all, but I am sure enjoying having time to be.

So Thursdays, I am most likely to come home and want to drink a bottle of wine, just because I feel I deserve it.  Often, I am able to save myself from this temptation by not having any wine at hand.  Tonight, I am stuck with one that needs to be finished, because I opened a bottle for a delicious pasta dish I made last night (Garlicky Tuscan Chicken Pasta with Arugula: it was surprisingly low cal!), and so I feel my temptation this evening will be great.  I have been doing so well, and have lost 16 pounds-- which is not easy for a girl whose favorite foods are pasta and potatoes, but the journey got a lot easier when Joe decided to join in.  One the of the very best things about this summer has been our nightly 3 mile walks!  It has been unbelievable to spend real chunks of time together just talking, something we have so little time to do during the academic year.  Some couples may be concerned that the schedules we keep would be bad for our relationship (my grandmother, for one, is very concerned...:), but it has made us miss each other and be so appreciative of the time we have.  It makes us so thankful for each other too, because we realize how unique it is to have spouses who will support each other's pursuits and passions unfailingly, even when it means that we have to miss out on the whole "come home at 5:30 every night, eat dinner, watch TV, go to bed" American paradigm.  Which, admittedly, often seems really really appealing.  I am so fortunate to have found someone who understands and shares my feelings about the decision to not have children (at least for the time being, minds do change), and stands with me when I feel funny, looked down on, wondered about, and am asked inappropriate questions about it.  I guess I just feel so lucky to really get to marry my best friend.  If I am honest, I always believed it was possible.  I did not doubt it-- because I was too happy being single to settle for someone not perfect for me.  But I didn't realize that anyone existed, man or woman, that I could feel really completely totally myself with in all my weird flaws and issues.

Just another reason to celebrate.  So many many reasons to celebrate on a Thursday evening.