these butterflies deep between my heart and stomach tell me I'm alive

The sun is playing tricks on me this morning. I'm sitting in our living room, staring out at the brightly illuminated trees and grass, working on my child development homework, with this insatiable yearning to be lying on the beach in a swimsuit. This time last year, Bette and I were gearing up for Nantucket, and thrilled that we had at least a few weeks left to wear cute skirts and shoes out in the city. This time two years ago, I WAS lying on a beach in a swimsuit on the island. But why, why is it only 44 degrees out there right now? I want to go frolic with the children, and take pictures, and roll around in the grass! But alas, here I sit inside, with my nose in a book, trying to drown out the shrieks and quarrels of children who have been cooped up inside for far too long.

All I ask is that it gets just a little bit warmer by the end of the week. As many of you may already know, I have a visitor coming to town on Wednesday. Wednesday. That's in two days. The butterflies currently residing in my stomach have HUGE wings. I have a lot of epically romantic events planned for the weekend. Go big or go home, right?

I'm floating right now. On a cloud of pure excitement. I miss all my far-away loves, and I wish you were here to catch me when it starts raining and my cloud disappears, as I'm sure is likely to happen. But, even knowing that it may not last, you can't say you wouldn't jump at the chance to ride on a cloud. Right?