I am at the grocery store walking through the produce aisle.
The sound and smell of the fake thunder in the produce aisle always make me happy.
As I walk past the fresh fruits, I notice that honey crisp apples are on sale.
Not that long ago, seeing apples on sale would not even warrant a second look.
But since I had dinner at John and Meghan's, I notice apples.
Most nights after dinner, Meghan cuts slices of different types of apples and their three boys do a tasting.
They talked about which slice was their favorite.
They describe the texture and taste using words they might have just learned at school.
They talk about which type of apple they would pick if they could only have a single type of apple for the rest of their lives.
At dinner that evening, seeing the boys' faces light up sharing what they liked or didn't like about a particular slice of the Fiji apple made me realize how even a mundane routine can be joyful and engaging.
It got me excited about being a parent, creating family routines, and finding joy and engagement in the mundane things.
Every time I look at an apple now, I get excited about becoming a parent.