can somebody please hand me my tiny violin?

Gosh y'all this month has been rough. And I have complained with the best of them. I tried, I really did but it seemed like the more I tried to see the "silver lining" the more quickly I would get a swift kick in the behind. I feel like Sisyphus, rolling that big ol' rock to my happy place only to have it roll back down before I've quite made it there. I don't know what it is about this month. Perhaps it's all that merriment we enjoyed in December or this bitter cold that takes your breath away the moment you step outside. Perhaps it's all the expectations we lay onto the new year and it being a baby of a year and everything, maybe it's just not strong enough to carry all of those colossal plans, dreams, changes and goals. Perhaps we're all just tired. I know I am. 

But alas one cannot wallow in self pity endlessly (how sad) and I was raised by a "pick yourself up, dust yourself off" type of mummy and so after shedding a few tears alongside my baby yesterday afternoon while stuck in some horrendous traffic I think I'm ready to take a deep breath, exhale and give this whole positive attitude thing another try. After all there's only three more days left in this dreadful month and I really believe that february is going to turn this whole thing around. 

So in that spirit I am going to focus on the things that I am looking forward to next month in an effort to focus my mind on something beyond the present which lately, has been disappointing at best. Here's my list:

valentiiiiiiiines daaaay!!!

a little getaway I'm planning for the three of us

making more trips to the farmer's market

getting outside more

doing some re-organizing around the house

visiting some nurseries & adding something verdant to our home

seeing the first signs of spring

writing love letters because - see above

warmer temperatures (and by warmer I mean above 20 degrees)

cleaning out my closet (it's about that time again!)

more dates with friends!

more sun?? maybe? please???

What about you? What are you most looking forward to next month?