7 Quick Takes from the Burbs

1. Yes, they found our luggage, Fryes intact. The only real casualty was a $4 pottery barn votive holder that, being one of the 3 pieces of home decor that survived our transatlantic move on both ends, I was inappropriately attached to anyway. So, win/win.

2. I love the suburbs. I love living 10 minutes from 2 different Super Targets and 100 different varieties of ethnic and fast food. I know it smacks of American consumerism at its worst, blah blah blah...but you know what's worse than consumerism? Having zero choice in whether or not you will, in fact, be partaking in said consumption. Rachel Lucas, a fellow recent Italy-to-America ex-pat, put it far more eloquently than I ever could. And with more f-bombs. Fair warning. But America, you are good. Some people can't handle the good, take the good to excess, are consumed by the good...but that's not your fault. People are responsible for their own choices, and damn it feels good to have choices again.

3. A quick prayer for my handsome husband who is coming up on 34 big ones this weekend, and who is having a sort of scary but hopefully quickly resolved issue with his vision. We're seeing a specialist this afternoon which, again, makes me want to drop to my knees and kiss the sovereign soil we stand on because a specialized!self-motivated and employed!same day appointment! doctor. Amen, alleluia, let freedom ring.

4. Both boys are having verbal explosions this week, which I credit to the fine Rocky Mountain air, a regular sleep schedule, and a diet consisting of considerably more variety than yogurt and gluten free pasta. John Paul proudly and unexpectedly announced 'Happy Birthday, Daddy' from the back seat this morning, which is technically his first sentence. And yesterday Joey approached me with the offer of "A good coffee accommodation for you, Mommy." I'm going to go ahead and take full credit for raising that kid right.

5. I have gone Mackelmore on every single thrift store in the Denver metro area this past week, and I am now the undisputed queen of all things secondhand. I have scored a mint condition tan-with-espresso-accent-legs microfiber couch ($40), an IKEA kid's wooden table and chair ($8), a Pottery Barn wooden toy kitchen ($4.99), a Fisher Price balance bike with training wheels ($9), a Pottery Barn kid's rocking microfiber recliner ($9), a Target Threshold Collection 24'x48' gilded mirror (with tags on, $24), and an espresso colored leaning ladder bookcase from Pier 1 ($15). I'm literally on fire, I tell you. And our house looks amazing.

6. Daily Mass. I went once! And there were no stairs (or stares, really). And air conditioning! And aside from Joey repeatedly yelling 'Where's the tv?' and dropping every damn kneeler in our row with a resounding BANG during the Eucharistic prayer, it was amazing. Don't ask me why I couldn't make it to Daily Mass in Rome ever...it's too pathetic a tale. Let's just say I needed a mini-van, a sprawling suburban mega-church, and the promise of an easy exit down a handicapped ramp to lead me to the Lamb's Supper.

7. Date night! Tonight. Because I have a sister who lives 10 minutes away and weeeeeeeeeee! We haven't been on a date in 4 months. Any suggestions for a 6 month preggo high on American life and a potentially vision-impaired husband with hugely dilated pupils?

Linked to the finest in weekly roundups, Mrs. Fulwiler the Great.