PERSEVERANCE

'I want to go swimming' exclaimed Cinnamon as she exited the bus this afternoon. It was quite the change from yesterday when she did not want to go to the pool. Despite my having had other plans for the afternoon, we went to her lesson. The thermometer today said 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit) which was much warmer than earlier in the week.

After taking the kids to the bus stop this morning and sleeping an extra hour afterwards, I got ready to take some paperwork downtown. The journey to the middle of Austin takes 30 minutes without traffic. As such, I tend to minimise my excursions downtown and find it an excuse to stop by The Hideout for coffee.

Driving around on Congress Avenue in the vicinity of the coffee shop for near twenty minutes in search of a parking spot, I gave up and drove back up north. It was almost 11,00h anyways - too late to sit and enjoy a cappuccino or flat white coffee. Disappointed, I vowed to return this weekend with my son.

The day disappointed further when I could not find an item at the store I was needing - hand cream for my dry winter hands which Sage noticed whilst we were at the pool. I did, however, manage to find some later at another store. He asked why they looked the way they did and noticed the small spot of red on them. Then he kissed my hand. The boy never ceases to amaze me.

At the pool, he was delighted I bought the special green and red Christmas M&Ms. It has become a tradition during this time of year to buy these chocolates and the mint variety. The children love them and thanked me for buying them. It's amazing something so simple and small could bring a smile on their faces.

Once back home from the pool, I started dinner early whilst Cinnamon sat down to do her homework. Sage had already done his reading assignment at the pool, so he played whilst waiting for dinner. Salmon with mashed potatoes was our feast tonight.

The fish guy at Whole Foods yesterday ended up giving me far too much salmon. I specified three portions for two children and an adult. He ended up giving me 1.25 pounds of fish - the two largest pieces going to the children. Sage devoured his fish but Cinnamon was getting full near the end. Granted, she had mashed potatoes as well - something her brother is not fond of at all.

My beau came home at the time we sat down to dinner. He had a long day at work but still managed to make time to get on Skype and talk with me after I got the kids to bed. His tired eyes told me how long and exhausting his day was today. The life of a chef is not glamorous and is taxing on the body. Somehow he keeps going and is something I greatly admire about him.

The children's bedtime story - the last two chapter's of Giada's book on Naples - was complete by the time I started the Skype session. We talked about our plans for the future, both immediate and distant. Next year will be an important year for us as we forge ahead with our decision to be together. Somewhere. Somehow. It will not be easy, but all things are possible with dedication and perseverance...and a love worth fighting for until the end despite the ocean which separates us.