With my chronic illness, I usually end up spending a lot of time at home, which can get really frustrating, especially during the dark and cold parts of the year. I often find myself wanting to leave the house and do something—anything—that isn’t just yet another trip to the doctor’s office. The hardest part is finding the energy to make it happen, especially on days when I’m dealing with the chronic pain that comes with EDS.

Today, though, I woke up determined to get out of the house and do something fun with my husband. We don’t get to go on many dates anymore, so I thought, why not force him to drive me to the store, as a “date?” I also had the idea of us making breakfast together because cooking together is always a lot more fun.

So, I made Jakob get up, and I announced that we were going to the store in our pajamas. Jakob’s pajamas are basically just sweatpants and a hoodie, so he blended in pretty well. Meanwhile, I was wearing my cookie monster pajama pants with the word “SAVAGE” brandished all over them, paired with a comically oversized Super Mario hoodie. I threw my hair into a messy ponytail, slid into my knock-off Crocs, and we were ready to go. I am a fashion icon.

We arrived at the store at 9:46 a.m., and I set a challenge: we had to be back in the car by 10:00 a.m. It turned out to be a bit harder than I thought, and we didn’t make it back until 10:02. Challenge failed—but who’s really counting?

Back at home, we’re now making blueberry pancakes, starting up the fireplace, and planning to dive into a few rounds of Mario Kart after breakfast. Oh, and I treated myself to a bag of Nerds gummy clusters because, frankly, I have no self-control, and also, I deserve them.

Today is a good day, and I’m reminded that even small moments can brighten the tough ones. I challenge you to find joy today in something as miniscule as grocery shopping. If you can make a mundane task more entertaining, it becomes easier to enjoy the little moments.