Week 15: Grape Green Zen

I found my new favorite place today. No, it's not that new drive-thru margarita bar next to the Taco Bell down the street. That was my favorite place last week. Today I found my favorite place in a slightly more baby-friendly location that doesn't serve refreshing beverages in to-go cups. This place is what used to be the game room in our house.

But compared to last week, this room is completely different. After a monumental effort from a select group of folks collectively known hereafter as the "Gigantors of Room Decorating," that game room has been redecorated and is now painted in a wonderful "grape green" color.

Saturday night, Scott, Ashley, and Julia took care of moving nearly everything out the room and taking everything off of the walls, in addition to filling in the wall-holes and throwing a layer of white paint up. We owe you huge, Scott and Smashers. You're amazing.

On Sunday, the Parks parents came down to the house and threw a couple of coats of grape green paint on the walls and stitched a window valance. Nana and Papi - thank you! We really appreciate your help.

Today, I put another coat up on the walls. While I was painting, I could start to imagine a crib in one corner and changing table near the window. I could imagine what will inevitably be this house's stinkiest garbage can, set right next to the changing table and the hundreds of adorable stuffed animals that would quite possibly fill up the crib. I could picture little hands and fingers and struggling to change a diaper. I could imagine discussing the philosophical metaphysical ramifications of string theory with Mikio Kaku. That's about the point that I realized I was standing in a small, poorly ventilated room with an open can of paint.

Once I opened a window, I got back to thinking about this room. In less than six months (holy crap) there'd be a BABY in that room. She'd be sleeping (sometimes) peacefully in that room. It seems like everyday, it becomes a little more real.

After what had been an incredibly stressful seven week stretch, I had one of those moments where I was completely overwhelmed with a feeling of peacefulness and serenity. It was grape green tranquility. My new favorite place.