Cat Jackson

Back home and resting after a big day. Things are going well so far. ❤️

I would like everyone to contemplate for a minute that this fantastic creature is walking across a vertical surface, successfully coordinating eight legs, and is sometimes capable of moving faster than my brain can register. In other news, sometimes I trip over literally nothing.

This was on Brett’s shirt today. I think it was maybe an inch long? #whatsthatbug (at Sunriver Resort)

Bee Mine. ❤️🐝

#junebug ! ❤️

My Lovey Lamb. Sweet Baby Arie. This time next year, you’ll be in the double digits. Today, you are nine. My big, smelly, brilliant, hilarious, kind, patient, challenging, determined, easy-going, interesting, curious, creative, energetic, loving, affectionate, brave, strong, sensitive, thoughtful, whimsical boy. Sometimes I love you so much it hurts. I’m constantly in awe of you as a person. I love spending time with you, and I’m sure someday you’ll start wanting to spend less time with me, and that’s normal and okay, but for now you seem to be enjoying the time we spend together, so I’ll take it. :) You are a very fun person to hang out with, and you bring so much joy and richness to our family. I’m so glad you had a happy birthday today. I love that talking to your grandparents was one of your favorite parts. Plus a belly full of sushi, and four hours of Doctor Who. Thank you for being you, for all the ups and downs we’ve been able to share, for all that I’ve learned from you, and for the unbelievable amount of beauty and purpose you’ve brought to my life. I love you so much, and I’m so grateful that you are my son. ❤️

At one point I got so close that it crawled onto my phone. 😬❤️🐝 #wasp

As of this moment, 4:48am CEST, I am officially 40 years old. I think I’m supposed to be depressed about this fact. I’m supposed to feel old. “Over the hill.” I’m supposed to be pining for my youth, drowning myself in alcohol, and thinking about all the things I wish I’d done differently, or done at all. But here’s the thing: I’m not doing any of that. I fully acknowledge that 40 is different for everyone. Not everyone loves it, and that’s okay. You don’t have to love it. But this is MY 40, and I do love it. I feel like I’ve won something. Like I’ve just joined a secret club of super amazing people who know things, and have done things, and are sexy and cool and confident and fucking ADULT. I’ve leveled up. So many people will never make it to 40. A few of those people have been on my mind this week. I have made it to 40. The 50, 60, 70, 80 year olds who read this might roll their eyes at me, because I have no idea. THEY’RE the real adults. They know what’s up. 40’s nothing. But to me, 40 feels so amazing. So lucky. Exactly right for me, and like such a privilege. I’m exactly where I want to be. Last year I worked with a couple of women who are slightly older than me, and were already in their 40s. And I remember thinking they were so incredibly beautiful. They had a je ne sais quoi that made them stand out from younger women. You could tell they knew things. They had done things. Adulting was old hat for them, and they were just enjoying being themselves, and being in their own skin. I hadn’t been concerned about turning 40, but that was the point that I started to feel really excited about it. I LOVE that I’m 40. I’m so comfortable in my own skin. I’m so comfortable with myself, and so comfortable with exactly, EXACTLY where I am in my life. I’m going to own this age like you wouldn’t believe. Please enjoy this obligatory photo of me turning 40, complete with poor focus, no makeup, unwashed hair, and my misfit family. It is beautiful.

The tiniest #dragonfly. The thing to its left is the corner of a light switch cover. ❤️

Letting Eli sleep in the car after the field trip. 😴 #naptime #sleep #sleepykid #wesatlikethisforthirtyminutes

Eli’s class went on a ferry boat field trip today and then played at the beach. 🏖 (at Mukilteo Ferry Terminal)

Cleaning out my closet, and staying 100% on task like

Arie Jackson, yellow belt. 💛🏆👍 (at Frances Anderson Center)

Eli and I went to a pet store today, and I wound up buying myself $12 of rocks because

#parenting #kids