Bell bottoms started it

Today I'm wearing pants I haven't worn since before I had Mirabelle. I bought them seven years ago when I first started my job at UGM (7 YEARS!). Bell bottoms. I probably wouldn't buy them today if I saw them on a rack, but…for whatever reason today was different. Oh, hey, here's a picture of me wearing them…7 years ago.

(when we lived in a basement and had just one kid)

Anyway, I don't know how the pants are related to anything, but today feels almost like a day from the past. The old Jessica is back for the day and after 1 1/2 years of not blogging, I'm here again! And with zero goals of starting again, FYI.

I just got off the phone with my dad, wishing him happy 63rd birthday (a day late…go me), and he expressed how much he loves the pictures I post on Facebook. I thought, well, since there are people who love me and I love them, and we're desperately clinging to every possible thread of connection, I should blog something.

There are no big revelations or meaningful reflections here. So I'll just tell you about my day.

I started my work day, not at the office, but in a 91-year-old man's home, photographing him in his arm chair with the TV on and his caregiver working in the kitchen. A sweet snapshot of him inspired hundreds of our Facebook followers this month so we thought we'd put a small feature of him in our next newsletter. He has been a faithful donor for years, helping women & children in crisis. He hardly said a word while I was there, but I enjoyed him very much!

My newsletter deadline is tomorrow, so I worked at my desk laying out the design -- placing, replacing, arranging, setting type, squinting, tilting my head and such. My last missing element for the newsletter was a fresh shot of our beloved Executive Director to go with his editorial. It looks much like the other countless head shots I've taken of this man, but hey, he has a new sweater on that his daughter gave him for Christmas! As often as I like to suggest change, I also like how some things stay kind of the same. And smiling pictures of Phil's head is one of those things, I suppose. :)

Shortly after lunch (which is free because I eat at a homeless shelter!), I had a quick photo shoot with a mom and her son. Amanda is a graduate of our LIFE Recovery program. She struggled with addiction and homelessness, and now we're considering featuring her in our next annual event or a newsletter because her story is so powerful and endearing. Charlie's birthday was yesterday, (same as my dad's!). This sparked some conversation between us about birthdays during the holidays. He told me about his new Xbox, but how he'd much rather be outside BMXing and Motocross racing. Your future is bright, kid (but stay out of the ER).

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So there are the highlights of my work day. I came home and made dinner from leftovers so Shane could get out of the house for a bit. Then I played hide-and-seek in the house with my kiddos and watched a Daniel the Tiger episode while we ate dinner. I closed the evening by reading some Harry Potter to the kids and then cuddled with Mirabelle until she fell asleep, who requested My Favorite Things as a lullaby. :)

It wasn't a day I meant to say anything about. But this is what normal life looks like for me right now, in case that was ever a wondering thought for you. Lots of good. Lots of routine. Lots of growing, beautiful children taking over my house and surviving the chaos that comes with it.

PS - If you missed it, here are the #2015bestnine of my Instagram: