A weekend of BBQs

Last weekend, we invited a friend of our daughter’s over with her family for a play date and barbecue at our house. The little girls played well together while my husband worked the grill and prepared all the sides for us. I spent most of my time wrangling our 11 month old baby.

We are slowly getting out of our comfort zone and starting to do more things. I like to think of it as transitioning from our inertia of rest to inertia of motion (in baby steps…both literally and figuratively). We were able to have a conversation with parents of similar-aged children as ourselves, and relax a little while our daughter had quite a blast playing with her friend.

The next day, we were invited to a barbecue at a friend’s house, which happened to be walking distance from our place. I met a few of my college friends and their families there. The friend who invited us is someone I knew a long time back but not very well and who moved to our area recently. It was nice getting to know the family and spending an evening talking with everyone. Again, this was outside our comfort zone, but since it was so close to home it was quite easy to slip into it.

I mentioned to my mother-in-law about how we have started doing more things – going out as a family to parks, swimming, and meeting friends occasionally. She said “Ah, vous commencez a vivre!” or “you start to live (again)”. Well, our fingers are crossed that we can navigate this stage and make it our new normal. To be in a frame of mind to choose life over worrying, and to remain grounded while doing so. It's supposed to be normal but it almost feels like "Temptation":

Up, down, turn around
Please don't let me hit the ground

Song of the week (played on full blast in my car while driving to and from work everyday):

Temptation by New Order 
https://youtu.be/iEUVV73aBKg

Oh, you've got green eyes

Oh, you've got blue eyes

Oh, you've got grey eyes

And I've never seen anyone quite like you before

No, I've never met anyone quite like you before

Heaven, a gateway, a hope

Just like a feeling I need, it's no joke

And though it hurts me to see you this way

Betrayed by words, I'd never heard, too hard to say

Up, down, turn around

Please don't let me hit the ground

Tonight I think I'll walk alone

I'll find my soul as I go home

Each way I turn, I know I'll always try

To break this circle that's been placed around me

From time to time, I find I've lost some need

That was urgent to myself, I do believe

Oh, you've got green eyes

Oh, you've got blue eyes

Oh, you've got grey eyes

And I've never seen anyone quite like you before

No, I've never met anyone quite like you before

Bolts from above hurt the people down below

People in this world, we have no place to go

Oh, it's the last time

Oh, I've never met anyone quite like you before

Oh no, I've never met anyone quite like you before