I hate to burst your bubble...

The inevitable post-semester, post-graduation bubble burst. Big time. Family left, Kiddo is still in school, and Mario has been out of town all week. My serious lack of sleep caught up with me and, for the first time in months, I had no idea what to do with myself. Mentally or physically. I found this is a common epidemic, as my favorite professor expressed the same woes, verbatim, as I did when I caught up with her yesterday.

So when the professor I'm doing research with this summer told me I could take a few more days off before starting, I was tempted to take her up on her offer. But I didn't. Instead, I focused on sleeping well and eating healthy; working to ease myself into the limbo I'll be in for the next 10-12 months until we decide to put our house on the market (and more importantly, sell it) and my grad school plans are solidified.

It would be easy to get caught up in the exhaustion and what now? feelings, but I refuse. There is too much to be happy about. The landscape has come alive. I have amazing family that rallies around me. I can call myself a college graduate.

I'm joining Lauren for one of my favorite link-ups: High Five for Friday. Participating every week reminds me to photograph (and really, truly embrace) the lovely things around me. To stop and take notice of even the little moments that make life so good. Because it is. I just have to get out of my head and look at the big picture.

1// My brother-in-law and his girlfriend gave me this candle from Anthropologie for graduation. Hands down this is the best candle I've ever smelled. The glass jar is my favorite color and will definitely get upcycled. I haven't lit it yet and my whole living room smells divine.
2// I'm getting paid to do research! I'm totally in awe. First up? Finding the counter tops. In just a few hours yesterday, I made a huge dent in the mess. If only I could apply those organizational skills to my own home.
3//  I live with two boys which means I see a lot of action films. For once I may actually be more excited to see this film than they are. Can't. Wait.
4// Could I love this kid more? Impossible. And now that my evenings are free, I can take him to swim lessons and actually stay to watch.
5// A graduation present from my sister-in-law. She saw these yellow crochet Toms in one of my blog posts and got them for me. They are beyond cute. Love, love, love.

Happy Friday!!