I've been pretty low key around here about the recent opening of IKEA. Surprising because I am an IKEA junkie. I even toured the one in Dublin when Mom and I were there last year. I bought the salmon paste that comes in a toothpaste-like tube and we sat in our hotel that evening trying to convince ourselves that we were not eating cat food on crackers. With cheese. (I think my body is trying to tell me that it needs some Omega3s, because that actually sounds good right now and it is not good). IKEA opened here a couple of weeks ago and though I have been very excited about all of this, I was not excited enough to be one of the crowd camping out for the store opening. 

Back in the days when Chris and I were planning our escape from Oklahoma, we had started creating a list of things we'd like the new place to have. Number one thing the new place had to have, absolutely, was a Trader Joe's. The next thing on the list was to be close enough to an IKEA that a trip there would not require a "weekend getaway". The rest of the list was more like Christmas wishes. An REI store. Public transportation. Lots of green space. Curb side recycling. Portland Oregon. Food trucks. You get the idea. Kansas City had none of the must haves from the list when we moved here. They were in the process of building Trader Joe's though, so we had hopes. It is unfortunate that Chris didn't make it to see some of the other things from the list show up here. Actually...he's be really disappointed with our REI store. It's tiny. But I'm sure he's up there some where happy to know that I can now rescue plants from IKEA any time I want. IKEA puts all the house plants in the darkest dankest corner of the store. It's always near the warehouse entrance. You pass this section and you can't help put buy a plant because you feel sorry for it. IKEA should totally team up with a pet adoption service and put pets there. I am certain I'd leave with with some sort of philodendron under one arm and a puppy under the other. He's probably also very happy that he didn't have to be the one to put together the bed we bought on Saturday. I think I had Michael almost brainwashed that IKEA was the most fabulous place on earth until he opened the box containing the bed pieces and the bazillion parts required to hold it all together. He needs some time before our next IKEA visit. 

Though I am thankful for Michael's patience and ability to follow IKEA instructions, and I'm thankful for everyone in this house having a bed that they sleep comfortably on now, I'm really thankful for the plant I bought to go in my office at work. I know this sounds like an odd thing to be thankful for. I bought two plants when we there on Saturday and re-potted them into some pretty pots. I took one of them to work and set it on the windowsill right outside my cubicle. Every time I look over towards that window I see Maxwell (I named him Maxwell) and I smile. When the guys I work with noticed it they all agreed that it was so nice to have Maxwell in our office. And it really is. It's amazing the difference a houseplant can make. In fact...I think Maxwell might be lonely. It's possible that he'll get some new friends soon. For now, I am thankful for the joy he brings to our office. 

I am thankful for this weekend getaway I'm taking to Oklahoma to surround myself with framily. Sometimes there are people in your life that you just need to be around at certain times. I need to be surrounded by these people this weekend. I am beginning to feel the broken pieces stitching together and I think this weekend may be just what the doctor ordered. I am thankful for rainbows without rain, my yoga mat, and you.

Have a truly lovely weekend, but a perfectly Thankful Friday.