Currently | More of just because; less because there has to be an occasion.

Nov. 1, 2024

We’ve got a birthday boy in the house! “A Dolphin House” to be specific.

I woke up on Cody’s birthday, went to Party City and bought every Miami Dolphins decoration in the store. I decorated while he showered, and when he scooted down the stairs and caught site of the teal and orange, he said, “Oh my gosh! You made our house a Dolphin house!”

It’s a weak representation of the banners and balloons and the amount of teal and orange currently giving a jolt of energy to our otherwise neutrally-colored home, but it’s the only picture I took.

I scooted down the stairs, and I looked to my right to see a perfectly clutter-free table (The table is always cluttered. Note taken.) which was draped in the most beautiful Miami Dolphin table cover with six Miami Dolphin balloons. The balloons are actually more of a baby blue instead of the right Dolphin teal, but I like it. It’s different.

She tidied up downstairs, and it was just decked out in birthday party stuff. I thought, “Oh, this is gonna be a good day.” I’m a believer that when things like this are done with my team, it means they’re going to win. We’re gonna keep it as a Dolphin house all weekend and for the game on Sunday. (He’s already suggested it stays until Christmas gets put up.) I’m gonna enjoy college football on Saturday with all the Dolphin party stuff, and the Dolphins are gonna win on Sunday. But anyway, I just felt so happy, and I thought, “Aw, that was so thoughtful of my sweetie pie.”

Christmas is the only time of year I decorate our house, and though I’ll probably never match the excitement of a Dolphin House, it got me thinking what joy it might bring for him to have a change of scenery. I can’t imagine being stuck in here every day. He handles it like a champ, but maybe a monthly decor theme could be fun. (Rubs hands together at the thought of a creative project) Standby.

(A glimpse into our life in real time:

Cody noticed my pensive look just now, and he asked me, “You thinking?”

“I am.”

“Maybe you should take a walk to the kitchen for a little walking idea break, and while you’re in there you can grab me an oatmeal cream pie if you want.”

He now has an oatmeal cream pie, and I have leftover flourless chocolate cake topped with chocolate ganache from last night. Tomorrow we focus on getting these extra pounds off.)

We hung out in the Dolphin House for a little while, ran some errands and decided to go to dinner at 6:00 since it was a Friday night and the less crowded, the easier it is for him to move about the restaurant.

Our life has become routine and simple, and I didn’t realize until we were dressed and sitting at the restaurant table that this was the first time we had gone to out to dinner, at a restaurant, in our hometown since his accident.

It felt…normal. Like a glimpse of our future, and like a glimpse of something we should start doing regularly.

(Adds monthly decor and dinner dates to our calendar.)