Reaching Out - Holding On

So much violence. So many shootings.

They only seem to be getting worse.

The events that unfolded in Newtown, CT last friday are unfathomable. So many innocent lives lost. I have not written about it or talked about it much as I feel completely inadequate to do so.

Where are the words to heal the hurt?

Where are the words to soothe the suffering?

Where are the words to explain the unexplainable?

I tried to avoid much of the news. I didn't want to feed into the sensationalism. I didn't want my kids to fear. I didn't want to cry anymore. I didn't want to imagine the pain of those who lost loved ones. I didn't want it to be true.

I have been trying to figure out what I can do to help. I come up with nothing. I feel helpless.

I conjure up feelings of love to send out to the families. Love. It has to be the answer.

There is so much anger and fear and violence in the world.

We have to stop hating and hurting.

We must start healing.

How do we heal?

Love

I read about an eleven year old that brings a gun to school to protect himself and his classmates. I think, "Why is this happening?"

I read about a Texas school allowing teachers to bring guns to school to protect their students. I think, "Why is this happening?"

I am a considerable geographic distance away from Sandy Hook elementary, yet it is now in my own back yard.

The sickness seems to be spreading.

A grade school not even 40 miles away finds live ammo on the playground. A teen gets arrested for spouting about copycatting.

Now it is my child's school.

There have been rumors of a threat against the safety of the students and staff at my child's high school. The threat is set for 12-21-12. The police have been investigating.I received an automated call from the principal saying the students are safe as they feel the threats are unsubstantiated. The rumors continue and build. I do not feel it is safe. How can I? 

I again ask myself, "Why?"

I have no answers.

Anger, fear, frustration, desperation.

A lot of ugly feelings are surfacing for a lot of people.

Including me.

I ask that everyone try, try, try to feel love.

Don't feed the negative energy with more negative.

I am working on centering and focusing and loving.

Feeling love for my family.

Love for this life.

Love for the world.

Sirens flew by my house as I typed that last line.

The seventh time in 12 hours.

Sirens. Warnings.

Of what?

I don't know.

I'm feeling so helpless.

All I know to do is reach.

Keep reaching.

Reaching out and holding on to what is good.

If only by a single thread.

We must hold on to love.

Build on the good with good.

Reach. Hold. Love.

My heart and prayers go out to everyone.

I send you love.

For The Dogs

Hubby, Darling Daughter and I were running errands the other night and the first place we stopped was the hardware store. As we were leaving the back of the parking lot we saw a vehicle parked near fencing full of dogs. Hubby drove around for a closer look. I insisted that if he drove us that close, it would be teasing if he didn't stop to see what was going on. We pulled over and met Debbie. She is a volunteer for Luv-a-Chin (a rescue organization for Japanese Chins). Debbie was heading from Minnesota to Florida to meet with some potential adoptees. She had pulled through our local coffee shop and stopped to let the dogs stretch, eat their dinner and do their business. She had gotten the dogs out and organized when her coffee was dumped over. She seemed a bit frazzled so we offered to run and buy her another. We came back with an unspilled version of her drink and spent some time getting to know her.
Debbie lives near the border of Wisconsin and Minnesota. She has grown children, grandchildren and is retired. She volunteers her time with the rescue because she adores the dogs and knows they need people who care. She fosters as well and claims that "once you've fostered them for a while, you almost hope they don't get adopted because you fall in love with them and would love to keep them all yourself." Of course she knows she can't keep them all and wants nothing more than to find good, loving homes for them.
The dogs she had with her had been rescued from a puppy mill. They had been spayed/neutered, treated for worms, ear mites, had their shots and exposed to that which most of us take for granted with our pets but these dogs had not experienced (grass, baths, love). A few of the dogs seemed a bit timid, but for the most part they were all happy little bundles of pup.
It started getting dark so we offered to help Debbie load her vehicle and she gladly accepted. I told her I had a blog and would love to write about her. She was more than happy to have the word spread. We packed her up and wished her a safe and successful trip. She thanked us for our help, we thanked her for helping the dogs. Her sidekick Hunter (German Shepard) hopped on board and they were off. 

This morning I raise my mug of coffee in thanks to Debbie and all the animal rescue workers who work tirelessly to help those who cannot help themselves. I'm also thankful for my husband who has the patience to put up with the fact that I tend to stop and talk to everyone who crosses my path even if it ends up taking all evening.

Japanese Chins

Debbie

Hunter

Animal rescues and shelters are constantly in need of volunteers, donations of supplies and/or funds, and forever homes for their residents. To find a rescue near you, check your local yellow pages or go to one of the following links...

Pet Finder Animal Shelter List

AnimalShelter.org

ASPCA

Whew!

What a trip!

This was the view from our balcony at Cheyenne Mountain Resort.

Breathtaking.

Our trip started out quite well.

I spent the first morning relaxing in the room

while hubby went to a work conference.

We had a lot of fun and saw a lot of sites.

Then came my ambulance ride to the E.R.

Long story short...

illness +  dehydration 

led to off blood levels and irregular heartbeat

which led to faintness and numb extremeties

which led to hyperventilation

which led to oxygen, heart monitor and ambulance ride

which led to testing, medications, monitoring,

and ended with appreciation, respect, and many thanks to the awesome medical staff at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs

and the EMT responders who work hand in had with them.

Came home a day early.
I'm exhausted.
Will post mountain pics real soon.


So happy to be back here with all of you!

Why?

I followed an internet link this morning.

It shows a photo shoot of Lady Gaga with no makeup.

The real woman.

The real beauty.

Natural.

Free from the mask.

Damned if the comments aren't crude, rude, nasty, judgmental.

Downright MEAN!!!!!

What is wrong with people?

She bares all.

She is gutsy.

She is daring.

She is famous, powerful, smart, strong, dare I say beautiful????

I actually prefer to see the real her.

I'm not a big fan of the performer

but I have gained a whole new respect for the woman.

Why is it that people have to be so mean?

Why do people feel the need to voice their negativity?

Why do people choose to be so hurtful?

It is like a bully mentality, this whole internet thing.

The comment sections disgust me.

Everyone hides behind a screen and throws the ugliness around.

I wonder.

For all those judging.

What do they think of themselves?

How is their career going?

How much money do they have in the bank?

What do they see in their own mirror?

I love, love, LOVE au natural.

I love people for who they are.

The raw them. The real them.

I love that my husband doesn't like makeup.

I still feel uncomfortable leaving the house without a touch of a mask.

"Why?" I ask myself.

Now I know.

It is this crazy media driven world which judges on masks.

Who has the best mask?

Me? I would rather live in a world where everyone took off their masks.

Accepted themselves. Loved themselves.

Mainstream Media

Stop the bullying. The judgment.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

No one is perfect.

We all judge at times.

Myself included.

We can all work on it.

Be aware of the words that cross our lips.

Be aware of the impact our words have on others.

Tonight I am attending a presentation.

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to attend locally.

Here's the scoop.

"A one-hour presentation on Rachel's Challenge. Rachel Scott was the first student killed in the Columbine tragedy. This dynamic presentation will challenge each of us to become proactive parents/community members to help support our kids to embrace and respect individual differences, appreciate the value and worth of all people, stand up for others that are being mistreated, know "who" they are and recognize their worth, and to reach out and help others."

For more info.

What an important message.

(total random side note but somewhat related. yes. more of my rambling cranial purge. shortly after seeing the article on Lady Gaga, I saw a whole article on anti-aging tricks and tips. what does that really mean? we're all going to do it whether we like it or not. anti makes it sound like we're against it. wouldn't it be great if we could embrace it? every line, every wrinkle and grey hair represents time, stories, experience, lessons. how about 'aging gracefully' instead.)

I feel extremely grateful for the online communities I have encountered.

My blog connections.

The online classes I have taken.

My CM sisterhood.

Such an amazing and supportive crowd.

I am in love with the positivity, the love, the generosity.

It's out there. I know it is. I see it and feel it every day.

Perhaps it's not the norm. Perhaps it's not everywhere.

But the love is there.

Please keep this in mind as you go about your day.

Pass a little love around today.

Make a ripple.

If we all join in, we'll be making waves.

ripples

Thank you.

All of you.

For being here.

For reading.

For your love, positivity and support.

I love you.

Have a beautiful day.

Hanging On While Letting Go

 I've been MIA for good reason.

Bonding with the Big Boy.

This is a picture of his wheels.

After a summer of searching and test driving

he finally has his first big boy wheels!

It's been quite a ride.

An entire summer of searching. 

Small budget.

We have seen rust bombs, crap cars, a few with potential.

We have traveled hours in every direction.

We watched one car die!

I have dealt with honesty, highway robbery, sexist pigs.

We have met some of the nicest people and some not so nice.

We have laughed and we have pounded fists in frustration.

Searching, searching, searching.

Lots of lessons learned. 

Lots of fun had.

End result.

An awesome car!!!!

 Good looking, safe, reliable, sound.

A huge step toward independence.

It pinches.

Being along for the ride is an honor.

 

Adolescents are not monsters.  They are just people trying to learn how to make it among the adults in the world, who are probably not so sure themselves.  ~Virginia Satir, The New Peoplemaking, 1988

You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back.  ~William D. Tammeus

Making the decision to have a child is momentous.  It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.  ~Elizabeth Stone 

Your children need your presence more than your presents.  ~Jesse Jackson

Guerilla Art Assignment

Remember the online course I'm taking?
Experimental art e-course
Did I tell you I won the spot in the class? Yup. Over at Free Spirit Knits

Check out Shannon's blog.

She's talented, sweet, and full of positive energy.

She teaches a class that is starting soon called Inside Out.

Taking the Experimental Art e-course has been good.

Very, very good.

It has caused me to experiment,

play, broaden my horizon.

It has forced me to post art I would never have posted.

Forced me out of my comfort zone in many ways.


The class has come to a close.
The last and biggest assignment has been posted
and I am IN LOVE with it!!!!

Guerilla Art


I'd tell you more about what I have chosen to do
but when I think about it
I feel as if I'll explode!
To save you that sight,
I will wait to share
until the task is complete.


For now, here's a sneak peek...

Waxing Philosophic (Shower Style)

Waxing Philosophic (Shower Style) - Philosophical thoughts and pondering conceived in the shower. Combine hot steamy water on the crown chakra, absence of interruption, warmth of body creating relaxation, and you have the perfect condition for deep thinking, epiphanies, philosophical pondering. 

6/29/11
Why does it feel good to feed negative thoughts? Why do people love a good train wreck? Why is it easier for people to recall bad times than good? Why is there greed, road rage, violence, harsh judgment of others? It is all ego. The ego wants to feel alive. The ego feels discomfort, power, greed, negativity. We, in human form, are egomaniacs often ignoring our spirit side. Spirit is peace, love, bliss.

People often ask, "What is the meaning of life? Why are we here? What is my purpose?"

Perhaps life is a test. A game. And we are playing all wrong. By the wrong set of rules. No one has figured out how to win because it's not about winning. It's not about how much or how fast as that is ego and in the end doesn't matter one bit. Rather, it is about personal growth and bettering ourselves. Extending our best selves to others allowing them to see the goodness and positivity out there and giving them a chance to grow. Perhaps the idea is to see how close to spiritual pureness we can get in the human form. To battle ego in stead of letting it take over. Perhaps the reward is not here and now and built of material, but is given on the other side. It is the gift of enlightenment allowing our soul to be a bit shinier, a bit brighter, moving a step closer to The Divine.

Ponderings

Ponderings

How is it that something can suck and blow at the same time?
Do these words not have opposite meanings?
 Remember Henry from yesterday?

I could not bear to take a picture of what he has been reduced to.
When the kids arrived home yesterday to see him out there
headless and... well... pretty much everything-less...
they were sad.
Losing him so soon.
It totally sucks and completely blows.
See what I mean?

bumper sticker

I was thinking about our country and its issue with over-consumption and gluttony.
Then I thought of a new bumper sticker to replace
America The Beautiful.
How about...
America the Big and Full?
I know. Bad taste.


Behavior
I often stand in line at the grocery store and imagine everyone as giant toddlers.
It makes me laugh so hard inside!
It also makes time fly.
Imagine if we were all toddlers acting on impulse and curiosity.
What if you turned around and just stared at the person behind you
or shouted whatever came to your mind.
"Why does her hair look so funny?"
What if the guy in front of you had an overwhelming urge to
scream out his frustration at wanting to exit the store in a more timely manner.
What if he just started yelling at the top of his lungs?
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!!!!"
Sometimes I wonder what people would do if I just walked up and hugged them
or poked them
or grabbed things from their cart.


Exposure
Perhaps I have exposed too much of my internal dialogue in this post.
Perhaps I am the only one who thinks these things.
Perhaps not.
What if we all let our quirkiness fly?
What if we let loose more often?
Found humor in life?

How about you? Any strange ponderings lately?
Don't be shy!

Perspective

Looking for something different?

Looking for change?

Are you bored and trying to spice up your life?

Perhaps you are stuck in a rut and not sure how to escape.

Is your situation less than desireable?

Do you wish you were treated differently than you are?

You can change your life drastically with one little word.

Perspective

One of my favorite parts of motherhood is learning from my children.

Lennon (the cat) was playing in the kitchen the other day.

He was batting around two of his favorite toys.

Pipe cleaners and hair bands.

Inevitably they end up piled in a corner or lost under an appliance.

On this particular day, as I was cooking supper, 

he proceeded to bat his collection into a pile at the edge of the room.

He was busy amusing himself while I was stuck making meal #1,785,832.

My Princess Girl walks in the room.

She watches her beloved kitten for a while.

She then proceeds to walk in the next room continually observing Lennon.

As she passes from one room to the next she stops in her tracks,

studies his pile of toys and proclaims, "Lennon can spell!"

Unsure of what she was talking about

I walked to where she was standing

and looked at his toys from a different perspective.

Sure enough, that boy is smarter than I ever gave him credit for.

Lennon CAN spell!!!!

I learn so much from my children.

That day's lesson has stuck with me.

It opened my eyes to the possibility of changing a situation

simply by changing perspective.

I have been thinking about it for days now.

Perspective.

The word has potential to change so much!

Have a problem you haven't been able to solve?

Look at it from a new perspective.

Not happy with a situation?

Change your perspective.

Stuck in an artistic rut?

Get a new perspective!

Bored?

Perspective.

Think of something that has been less than grand in your life lately.

Now turn it around and look at it in a different perspective.

What did you come up with?

Wishing you a weekend full of happiness and childlike wisdom.

Peace to YOU!

Enough

Enough

adj: sufficient

adv: sufficiently, fully, tolerably

pron: a sufficient quantity or amount

When is enough enough?

Why do we own more than enough yet still long for more?

Why don't we ever feel we are enough when we are so much?

The key lies within.

To conquer the insatiable thirst for more

we must realize we already "are" enough.

As is.

Come as you "are".

For you.

Think about it.

Just your mere existence.

Miraculous.

Breathe

The ability to draw in breath.

Inhale, exhale, inhale again.

Life.

You use your eyes to see.

To absorb the beauty around you.

To read and understand the words placed before you.

The words are processed and sink deep into your brain.

Thought.

Miraculous.

Feel.

Can you feel the warmth of your house?

A blanket?

A loved one's arms?

Along with the feel of touch comes the feel of emotions.

Feeling a hug with both body and soul.

Miraculous.

Your life is a gift.

Every day you wake.

Every celebration, every challenge.

Another moment gifted to you.

To learn, to love, to feel, to experience.

Don't wait for more 'stuff'

to feel enough.

Don't wait for acceptance from others

to feel enough.

As you are

You are enough.

Plain and simple.

 

 

You

 

are

 

enough.

 

 

(disclaimer: author has massive head cold. post produced through fog. hopefully comprehensible)

Reverb - Different

Reverb prompt:

December 8 – Beautifully Different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.    Yikes!...and... Egad!  I'm having some kind of strange and negative reaction to this prompt. First I think... "I don't want to speak for others by saying what might light others about me" ...then "sheesh, if I say anything outloud, isn't that being somewhat of a braggard? What if someone judges me? Thinks what I chose was wrong? Thinks I'm a prude for writing something good about myself?"  ... then the real honesty hits. What I do differently? Not much. Those actions or traits that may seem different aren't all that different. I may feel alone in some of them, but there are always others.  I am a devoted at home mom and wife. So are lots of others. I have a strange sense of humor. There are others. I have red hair like a lot of others (although none I know personally).

Perhaps where I am most different is internally (which is probably not so different either, but due to the fact I cannot feel for others, I feel different). I am aware of others. I am an observer. I notice the old woman in the parking lot who struggles to load her car, I notice the child on the playground who is standing alone with his head down, I see the unbelievable beauty of the woman standing in front of me in the store checkout line.

When I see these things, my heart pulls and swells. I feel for them. I want to connect with them. I offer assistance and load the groceries. I walk over to the child and help him learn the skill of self-inclusion in playground games. I tell the woman how stunningly beautiful she is. Sometimes I hold back, unsure if I am being intrusive. Often times the pull is too much and as if to scratch an itch, I act upon my impulse to connect and touch the lives of others.

I find it hardest when there is negativity involved. Standing in line at the store listening to the complaints about the slowness of the clerk. Do I dare butt in and say "but a slow clerk allows us time to meet fellow shoppers" or offer a compliment on the discouraged woman's outfit to help shift her attitude. Usually, I avoid the negative as I am very affected by the energy of others. I have reached out with guidance, good words and help where I have been assaulted with negativity in return.

Perhaps I overstep. Perhaps I am cursed with a big mouth and no filter. But my heart is pure in these actions and I genuinely care, so I like to believe I am gifted with the ability to reach out to and truly care for others.
Again, not so different.
I guess the only thing different about me is the combination of all traits and characteristics that combine to make me unique and truly ME!

Contageous

Today's skies are cold and dark.

My body hurts like hell.

My mood sucks.

I need rest.

Did you know yawns are contageous?

Once one person yawns, another is bound to follow?

I went searching for a good yawn to get my body going.

Yawning is good prep for rest.

Bingo!

Yup. Seems to be working.

Yaaawn (~stretch~)

Pass it on.

Thanksgiving Poem

On this Thanksgiving Day

I am not only thankful

but I pray.

I pray...

 

For those less fortunate

may they feel many blessings

for those feeling pain

may it lessen

 

I pray for hate to halt

for love to grow

the war to stop

for everyone to know

 

The love that is possible

is not just for you and me

it is for everyone in the world

it's called equality.

May this day be filled

with thoughts of peace and love

being sent from our homes

being sent from above

a gift of the spirit

riding safe in the wind

may it land in the hearts of those in need

let the healing begin

I pray for the earth

who feels inflicted pain

to be healthy and whole
to be vibrant again.

 

May the whole world unite

in feelings of love, hope and peace

may the sentiments combine

and the energy increase

Let this feast represent

union of heart

tying love around the globe

doing our part

I am thankful for the ground below

for the sky up above

I am thankful for you

I am thankful for love

~ Lynn Retzlaff

The picture below is from a few Thanksgivings back. We had some cousins over a few days prior.

The adults and children all traced our hands on construction paper and cut them out.

On some hands we wrote something we were thankful for. Others we left blank.

We made a turkey and used the hands for tail feathers.

We took it to the family dinner and taped it to the wall.

The string you see hanging held a pen at the end.

We encouraged other family members to pick a blank hand and add their thanks!

Life (part 2)

I created this mixed media piece the other day.

I left it open for interpretation.

I did not want to influence thoughts.

Interestingly enough, it made people laugh.

Funny.

Once I was done with the piece, I stepped back and looked at it

(kicked my inner critic in the groin)

and felt a sense of happiness myself.

The piece was created to help me deal with a painful situation.

Someone very close to me has anger issues.

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ 

That's me in that ball.

I was thinking how much life is like a hamster ball full of letters.

I spend a lot of time in my little bubble

pulling letters out of the sky to form words.

Words to create the life I want.

love

create

happiness

peace

beauty

nature

comfort

Life in my little ball looks good. I am surrounding myself with positivity.

Then someone comes along with anger and cussing, kicks my ball.

The angry hurtful words penetrate my ball and all my letters are scattered.

I feel dizzy, confused, hurt, insulted.

Until I gather my thoughts and right myself.

Then I look around at the mess and start picking up letters.

I start by breaking apart the hurtful words that have penetrated my ball.

I use the letters along with my existing letters to create new words.

Safe words. 

Positive words.

and I start to feel better once again.

This piece made me feel good. It helped me grow. It made me realize and learn.

I showed it to the person that has been festering in anger for three days.

I thought explaining it would make a difference.

So far no good.

It helped me though.

I'm glad it received smiles.

I'm going to pull those words in and add them to my ball.

laughter

smiles

giggles

I'm off to run around with these for a while.

Happy weekending!

Happiness Continued!

When I was very young I kept a diary.

As I grew older, I grew closer to those pages.

They were safe, they were available, they were a dumping ground.

It was a private playground for my adolescent mind.

Filled with happiness, heartbreak, good times and secrets, my diary was my closest friend.

I wrote, I was honest with myself, I was real.

Life became difficult, confusing, scary, downright mean.

I lost trust.

Trust in myself, trust in others.

I grew up real fast.

My beloved diary changed.

It became a possession.

Something to hide. Something of shame.

Re-visiting the pages made me realize how silly I was,

how juvenile my thoughts and feelings were.

How embarrassing and ridiculously silly a child I was.

I burned that diary.

Many decades have gone by.

I have grown. I have learned.

I have mourned for my lost childhood,

my harshness toward myself.

I no longer live in survival mode.

All these years later, I still have an unhealthy addiction to journals/diaries.

Seeing a beautiful journal I would long to own it,

hold it, have a relationship with it.

I would purchase them

desperately wanting to mark the pages

but I could not.

What if I wrecked it?

What if I wrote something stupid?

What if my handwriting sucks?

What if someone reads it?

What if I can't get real due to fear of exposure?

What if...

It was paralyzing.

Many journals were purchased,

many were gifted away.

 (a few of the many journals I have acquired over the years including the one I made!)

I don't tell you this to depress you or sound dreary or pathetic.

Quite the contrary.

I am being reborn!!!

NOW!!!!

Now I turn over a new leaf!!!!

Remember my post from Monday?

I am so excited about my new journal!!!!

I could SCREAM!!!!!!

Keri's book

is all about getting down and dirty with yourself.

Digging into pages, 

being creative,

being real,

having fun!

There are prompts for every page like...
...glue random newspaper page here
...drip something here
...place sticky things here
...fill this page with circles

Her ideas are more on the creative side

than your average wordy journal.

All the better!

That's what I want.

That's what I crave!

Letting it all out.

Being fearless.

Allowing creativity

and honesty

and fun

into every crevice life has to offer.

What a wonderful life tool

this journal will be.

I would use the word homework, but then I probably wouldn't do it!

Exercise?

Nope.

Same reaction.

How about

playground!

Yeah.

That sounds like fun!

My new playground!

I hope to share some playground experiences with you in the future.

After all, that would be good practice in trusting again.

;0)

Oh Happy, Happy Day!!!!

You Will Never Find Me List-less

Having trouble getting into the blog groove lately.

My fibro is flaring and I'm suffering something fierce!

Anyone out there with fibro?

Man, would I love to talk to you!

Anywho, Amy from Artsyville has saved the day

by giving me something to blog about today.

Lists!!!!

I'm a list-a-holic.

I have so many lists running rampant in my home

I need a list to keep track of my lists!

It's a sickness, really, but one I have found no cure for.

Truth be told? 

I enjoy them :)

The two tablets to the right

are a couple of the ongoing lists

that are milling about my desk.

Sadly, the lists are not just the pages that are showing their faces,

but many pages before are covered in list matter as well.

The Oh So Colorful list to the left

was made especially for this fine Tuesday List posting.

This would all sound more coherent if it weren't for the 

To-do list in my head

that is blocking my train of thought

as it sits untouched today

again due to the fibro.

Seriously, anyone? 

Anyone else deal with the mind-sucking,

body depleting,

pain-inducing,

frustrating condition of fibromyalsia?

Think I'll add that to one of my "to-do" lists.

+ find fibro support group and resources

(p.s. I've been a follower of Artsyville for some time

and thoroughly enjoy every minute spent there.)



UPDATE:

My 12 y/o son spotted my list for today and wanted to do the same.
How brilliantly splendid!!!
I love inspiration and it's that much more beautiful
passed on
and on
and on!

Here is B's list...

Thank you Amy, for starting Tuesday's List.
Thank you all who have visited.
Do you have a list you would like to share?

My Path

(the road to self-discovery - full of unknown - uber exciting!)

My 20 year class reunion is coming up fast. 

Gulp!

and

Yikes!!!

Yes, you heard me right. 20 years. 

Hardly seems possible.

I am doing and have done so much since graduation.

I have grown tremendously as a person,

married my soul mate,

nurture our relationship,

birthed four amazing children,

raise them to be the best "them" they can be, 

worked a wide range of odd jobs for income and pleasure,

morally supported oodles of friends and family members,

travelled when able,

worked childcare for others,

am currently on an intense path of self-discovery,

learning to allow, accept and nurture my creative side.

Most days I feel I achieve massive amounts.

I am worthy, my life is full and successful.

When it comes to this reunion, I am STUCK!!!!

It's titles, facts and figures people look for in order to measure up a life.

"What is your title? What do you do? Where do you work? How much do you make?"

...ummmm

I will say, "I am a nurse, a chef, a chauffeur,

a teacher, a spiritual guide, a life coach, a counselor,

a maid, nanny and candlestick maker.

I do a lot!

I work from home.

My income is zero but the benefits are phenomenal!!!!

I'm afraid people will hear...

"I'm an at-home-mom."

Possible translation?

"I haven't done anything since high school."

The best part about it being 20 years out?

I don't care what they think!!!!!!!

My new title for myself is  "self-expressionist".

What do I do?

I be me :)

Random

Woke up with horrid back pain,
chiro doesn't have opening until tomorrow.
Looked out the window to see that four letter word...
S N O W!!!!
Must find energy and umph to clean house as company is coming for the weekend.

Strangely, my mood is not bad at all. ;)

Actually, I'm
feeling pretty random!
(wait a minute... is that a feeling? it is now!)

So here

is

a

random

photo!

Whatever!!!!!

Here's to Randomness in all it's fun and glory.
Go with the flow.
Be spontaneous.
Throw something random out there.
You never know what you'll get back!

What do you have for me?
Give me your best random thoughts :)

You Never Know What You'll Run Into

Boy oh boy! You never know what you'll run into when out running errands. Literally!



The first picture is a view of a car that drove "into" the UPS store. I was standing at the bed store two doors down. The second picture was taken after the wrecker was able to pull the car out. The stinker part? The store had just finished a huge remodel job. Once I found out no one was hurt I was struck with a case of the giggles!

Sure seems to me as if we all live at warp speed these days.
Us: My schedule is too hectic. I have too much to do with no time to do it. I have to go, go, go with no leisure time to enjoy.Universe responding: You want to slow down? (crash) Now you'll have to stop for a moment!

Think about it.

People are funny :0)