A Week in Review - For Sanity Sake

Nobody I know - just makes me smile
Courtesty of http://go.funpic.hu

Another week in review.  A little reflection of my week.  I love how it puts things in perspective.  Because when all is said and done, coming home and enjoying family and friends is just about the ultimate in joy for me.  So without further ado, here are some things I noticed last week:

Parents who decide to wait til the last minute to reregister their kids for school and then try to be extremely rude and nasty to me and try to blame the postal service for not receiving something that was mailed out in May only teach their kids that it's okay to not accept responsibility for something that is clearly their fault.

I adore parents who come in with checkbook in hand and say to me, "Man, I blew it this time.  I lost what you mailed me.  What do I need to do now?"  Way to teach your kids how to own it and live with it!!  Kudos to those parents.

The love of my life is a wonderful man.  He's good to me.  He just has this "time" thing that is okay for him, but frustrating to me.  When I get past my frustration, I consider myself the luckiest girl in the world that he loves me.  Because as a former coworker advised me, "we've got to call him 'Poor George' because he lives with you, and we know what he's up against."  I know...I probably shoulda been offended...but coming from this coworker, it was funny.

You probably all know I don't believe in coincidences.  I believe that things happen by design.  Whether you name it God's plan or something else, there are reasons things happen.  This week, a woman stopped into my office to enroll her granddaughter in our school.  After five minutes of reviewing the paperwork, we realized that the gram and I went to school together.  And she was one of the persons the reunion committee was looking for.  Right in front of me.  Yep, things happen for a reason.

Only a couple weeks after I made a declaration that I was going to try to mail things more often, I fell off the wagon.  Time to get back on.  I love it when people tell me how happy they were to receive something in the mail from me.  Happy heart!!!

I have not embraced my affirmations and gratitude (A&G) statements lately.  "Too busy, no time."  Such b.s.!!  Because when I don't take time to embrace my affirmations and express gratitude, my world turns to crap.  I can't tell you what a difference it is.  But A&G can take a nasty day and turn it around in a matter of minutes.  I know... duh!!!!

Sometimes, you can get the wrong doctor.  I found out this week that something that has nagged me for a number of years is something that could have been addressed a long time ago.  But every time I asked about it, the doctor brushed it off.  The doc is no longer in my life.  I think that's a good thing. 

Teaching hospitals are good and bad.  Good because you feel like your case is able to give the next group of doctors some hands-on experience.  Bad because you sometimes feel like you are an object while the teaching is going on.  No, I wasn't treated like a guinea pig.  But it's surreal to be the object of discussion yet not join in. 

Courtesy of http://go.funpic.hu

Have an awesome Monday!!  Try not to lick a pig.

My Creative Journey (this month)

I've been busy, busy, busy getting my Craft Cave organized.  For too long, things have gotten away from me and it's been so crowded in the Cave that I couldn't even work in there.  So, inspired by a couple of Big Picture Classes that I am taking/have taken, I'm holding true to my word of the year, SIMPLIFY. 

I've whittled down my paperstock (way too much for one woman to have -- and I really don't even like some of it!!), organized and labeled my embellishments

and alphas, 

and ROYGBIV'd my cardstock. 

By the time I complete my class to Find Your Way at BPC, I should have a good idea of what type of layouts are the ones that work for me. That will allow me to whittle down the paperstock even more.  And I will be able to

embrace imperfection in my layouts, because it really is all about the memories!!

When I'm not in the Cave, I've been going thru pictures, sorting, dating and getting them into plain jane albums (with my PG's help) that will help me find what I want when I want to scrap a page. 

So that's what's been on my creative radar this week.  But I also wanted to share this little tidbit with you.

Back in April 2005, a group of girls got together at my girlfriend's house to work on vision boards.  (A digital version of it can be seen on Leanne's blog, here).  As I was organizing my cave, I turned around to notice that my vision board

 was behind a cork board that had this poster on it. 

Now, I don't want to get all Freudian on you, but I couldn't help but chuckle when I thought about how I was covering up my vision, yet telling myself to keep in touch with my dreams. 

So I ask you...have you been covering up your vision?  Is it front and center so that you can keep in touch with your dreams?   

Have a great Sunday, y'all!

Practicing Gratitude

Hello again!!  Yes it's been a couple of weeks since I've posted.  I've been a little busy at work, trying to get our high schoolers registered and started!!  It's taken almost six months, but after having interaction with nearly 1700 families (with at least a third of them waiting til the week before school to register) they are in school and things have finally slowed down a bit. 

This time away has made me think about all the things I've missed when my main focus has been my job.  This morning, I had an opportunity to enjoy a video that Brene Brown has on her blog.  Brene has done research on authenticity, shame and vulnerability.  It's an interesting 17 minute video that explains why so many of us have difficulty being authentic in our lives.  Also interesting is that Leslie from Words of Me Project has chosen "authentic" as her one word for this weekend.

One of the things Brene mentions in her video is how to become authentic by practicing gratitude.  I've been a little lax in that area lately.  So I'm glad to have taken a little time this weekend to sit and ponder about the things that really ring my chimes, float my boat, give me flight...you get it!

Things like this little girl vocalizing so loudly as she laid on the floor and watched her mommy on the phone, that I was unable to hear what my daughter was saying,

and like this little guy deciding that life is moving too fast to take the time to call me "Grandma" so he now calls me "Gram" (after all, we are talking about saving the time it takes to speak another syllable),

and this not so little guy who is starting 7th grade with his new school supplies that I've happily shopped for each year (this is a joy for me...I don't want to give up the school supply shopping)

and these two who have made me realize that, in spite of what may have been mistakes in raising them, have given me such joy and pride in being able to say I am their mother,

and this man who has truly been my rock and who after watching "Juno" last night and hearing the dad say "Look, in my opinion, the best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are. Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what have you, the right person is still going to think the sun shines out your ass. That's the kind of person that's worth sticking with." says "That's right" (hmmm...)

and brothers and sisters, their spouses, kids and their spouses, and grandkids (26 in all) who have a most special place in my heart and who can't be shown here because a) I don't have an "All In The Family" picture of them and b) I don't have their permission to post their pics,

and last but certainly not least, a very electic group of friends who, when I am at my worst, always see my best!!!

It is for these and so much more, I am grateful.  My life is incredibly blessed.  And when I remember to express my gratitude, to feel how truly blessed I am, I find serenity.  I guess you could say my cup runneth over!!

One of the challenges from the 31 Days Challenge at Words of Me Project was to come up with a list of 50 things I value.  Well, listed above are just a few.  I'll share more with you in the coming days.  In the meantime, please feel free to share with me what you value in your life.

Thanks for stopping back, and thanks for hanging in there with me!!

Everything Old is New Again

It's been an interesting journey going thru old boxes that held items that my parents decided were important enough to save.  Things like keys (and to what do these belong???), eyeglasses (probably my dad's but might have also been my uncle's), religious scapulars, a dance book from Lane Senior Prom, the hospital crib tags when my little brother was born, and a Catholic's pocket manual (Seriously??  A Manual?? Like a manual to fix a car??) 

I also found some class pictures (probably my mom's) and other pictures of people I'm clueless to identify.

All were kept in this very old, very heavy suitcase. 

I suspect this case made its way to the U.S. from Ireland in the hands of my Uncle John when he emigrated to the U.S. and became a citizen in 1935.  Before I came to that conclusion, I was considering getting rid of it.  Now, I have second thoughts. Maybe it's not an antique, but it's a part of my history. 

So today, I've come up with a solution.  It will start a new life.  It will house my scrapbooks.  Now, I could go to Hobby Lobby this week and get 50% off a decorative trunk.  But I've got something better.  Whether or not this case originally lived in Ireland, or whether it started its life here, it's part of my history.  So I'm keeping it!!  And using it!  And remembering! 

And I guess that's my creativity for the day!  So, have you taken something from your past and found a new purpose for it in your life?  I'd love to hear about it!!

Random Thoughts

• Having a dream about the death of a friend of a friend is disturbing. Especially when you're pretty sure the friend of your friend is pretty healthy.  Do you tell your friend about your dream and risk upsetting him, too?
• Crawling up into the attic (thanks to help from my older grandson) is sort of like a treasure hunt.  Things have been up there for so long you forget what's there.  It can be both a sad and a joyous adventure.  And a walk down memory lane.
• I'm hooked on Starbucks' Caramel Frappuchinos. 
• Once you forget about expressing gratitude every day, you open the door for the negativity to walk right in.  Makes getting angry so much easier.  YUCK!!
• Having a weekly chat with a friend sort of centers me and gets me focused all over again.  I hope I give her the same "feel-good" feeling. 
• It is amazing how spending time with your grandkids will fill you with such joy that it changes your outlook on everything!!

• Accomplishing some long neglected things around the house gives me an incredible high.  I love marking things off my to-do (or as Leanne says, TA-DA) list. 
• Digi-scrapping can be the quick fix to fulfill the creative need.  I've found that I enjoy digi-scrapping while my beloved PG sits watching TV.  We can both be in the same room, yet do what we enjoy.
• I love making pasta sauce, love the way my house smells as it cooks and even though it was a weird day to be make it (given that it was 90 outside), I'm glad I took the time!
• I've begun a daily gratitude email with my girlfriend.  We make sure we tell each other each day what we are grateful for.  First steps in getting the law of attraction to bring you more of what you can be grateful for.

So, if you were emailing me your gratitude for the day, what would it be??

Through the Camera's Lens

As I mentioned previously, I'm taking a class at Big Picture Scrapbooking called Picture Spring.  In this class, we receive a prompt every day to look at things in your life with a new eye, and find the beauty in it to photograph.  Everything was going along great, I was having a lot of fun looking at my life each day.  One day you take a picture of what your life looks like first thing in the a.m.

Another day, you had to look up and find the beauty above you. 

Still another day, you had to drop to ground level to find what rocks your world.

And then...the dreaded "SELF-PORTRAIT" day came.  How many of us dread this challenge??  Tracey's email said "Spring is the season of renewal and rejuvenation. Beyond the blooms, our spirits feel alive! Today, as you soak it all in, capture yourself in a self-portrait. Celebrate yourself! You're worth the hoop-lah!"..... Right!!!! 

But I refused to be intimidated.  My reasoning to take this class was to grow in my photography skills.  I needed to do this!!

So I stood in front of a mirror and turned my camera around and snapped away.  I took countless pictures.  And I give to you, a cropped version of the picture I submitted for the class.  

I really don't like looking at pictures of myself but I have spent part of this morning thinking about why that is.  And I've come to the conclusion that it has a lot to do with your life as you are growing up.  I think many of us are told that it is vain if we like to look at ourselves.  Vanity was sinful, as I recall.  Isn't that interesting??  Because I am of the belief that in order to love another, you must love yourself.  Maybe you can love yourself and not like looking at yourself.  Is that it??  

So after all my pondering this morning, and actually looking more closely at this picture, I've decided that those little crows' feet around my eyes are caused by the laughter in my life.  So I will wear those crows' feet as a badge of honor, that I have a wonderful, laughter-filled, joyous life.  A life that brings me peace and serenity.  A life I am delighted to express gratitude for.   

Are you like me?  Do you dislike looking at pictures of yourself, but truly enjoy your life and all the laughter in it?  Maybe all it takes is a change of attitude!  Thanks for stopping by today.    

A Decade in Review

I was chatting with my girlfriend on Sunday, talking about the crazy medical issues that have hit our families in the last two weeks.  We both mentioned that, due to the rocky start, we either want 2010 to be over or maybe just start February now...fresh start. 

It made me think about all the things that have happened in my life during the "aughts".  To wrap it up in a neat little package, let's just say that I come out of this decade with bones repaired, bones removed,

a bachelor's degree

a couple new family members

(my son-in-law

and my #2 grandson),

the opportunity to call myself a two-time cancer survivor,

additional nieces and nephews by way of marriage,

   

 a job lost,

a job gained,

weight lost, weight gained, much more serenity than I had going into the decade and gratitude for each and every day of my life.  All in all, a good decade.  Of course, I choose to focus on the positive.  Focusing on the negative only accentuates the negative.  To what end, I ask??  I'm 10 years older than I was at the beginning of that decade.  That's 10 years more of experience and wisdom.  I'll take it!!!

I really do have a good life.  Looking forward to seeing how good it gets in February!! 

My 2010 Word

My word for 2010 came to me about a month ago. It's funny how when you decide on the word, you actually see/hear it often. You "own" your word. You actually say to yourself, "Hey, that's my word" when you hear or see it.

My word is SERENITY.

se-REN-i-ty

1. The state or quality of being serene, unruffled, tranquil.

2. Clearness, brightness.

So, what is it about SERENITY that makes it my word, you ask. Okay, so maybe you didn't ask, but as long as you're still reading, I'm assuming you're a little curious.

In 2008, I was involved with a mindfulness program as part of my wellness journey after breast cancer.  One of the things we learned in the program was meditation.  Although it wasn't an easy thing to learn (and I certainly haven't mastered it), I persisted and learned that there is an amazingly tranquil feeling you get when you meditate.  You can feel so rested without having slept.  I crave that tranquility in my life right now. 

I want to handle things in my life without getting flustered.  I know I'm better at that than I was a few years ago, but I want more of that.  I want to walk through my somewhat organized home and feel the tranquility.  I want to feel the goodness all around me and I know when you come from serenity, it's much easier to do.  I want to find the serenity in photography.  I know I've made a start, but I want more of it.  I want to feel the strength you feel when you are tranquil.

I thought about whether I wanted to have the word PEACE for my 2010 word (which is what my blog buddy Leanne had as her word of the year in 2008).  But SERENITY speaks to me as "peace within" if that makes any sense.  And I firmly believe that when you work on the peace within, you actuate peace all around. 

I have two dear friends who are also posting their Word for the Year today.  Please visit Leanne's blog and Cindi's blog for their words and what their thoughts are behind their choice.  And as I mentioned in yesterday's post, the original idea came from Ali Edwards.  You can read about her words here. 

I challenge you to come up with your word for the new year.  Make it something that inspires you.  Make it something that nags you, nudges you, tickles you.  Make it something that fills you with passion.  Just know that something as simple as a single word can have a huge impact on your life. 

What's the Word, Hummingbird???

2010 is fast approaching and as many of us do, we reflect on:

• where the heck did the year go?? (yes, Virginia, it does speed up as you get older)
• what did I accomplish this year (besides getting up in the morning and making a cup of tea)?
• did I make it a good year?
• what are my goals (a.k.a. resolutions) for the coming year?

Adding to that, might I humbly suggest you consider finding your word for 2010?

Early in my blogging career (y'like that??), I posted my thoughts about my 2009 word (which came about through my friend, Leanne).  She got the idea of the word for the year from a blog post by Ali Edwards (a.k.a. scrapbooker extraordinaire). Ali says, "a single word can be a powerful thing. It can be a ripple in a pond that changes everything. It can be sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow." Take a minute to think about that statement alone. Have you ever heard a word, a single word that has an immediate effect on you? Either good or bad?? If so, you understand the power of a single word. I say, why not let the power of a single word work to your advantage? Why not let that single word have the power to focus you on what's most important to you in 2010?

This, my dear friends, is not an impossible mission. This, my dear friends, can actually have a cleansing effect.

So your mission, should you decide to accept it, would be to think of words that express what you want in or out of your life in 2010. But before you decide on THE word, sit on it for a day or two. As Ali says, "let it percolate a bit". Even if the words that pop into your head make no sense at the moment, don't toss them out right away. Write them down and ask yourself what they might mean to you. (You gotta give your subconsciousness some play time, y'know!!)

Need more inspiration? Visit Ali's blog post that lists links to all her previous Word of the Year posts.

My word??? I'll let you know tomorrow!  I've been blabbering on too much already.  Until then...enjoy your brainstorming.

Reflections

As I fell asleep last night, thinking about the events of the day, I realized I hadn't taken the time to update my blog on Thanksgiving!  What's up with that?!?!  So let me just share a few reflections on the day (I'm going for full disclosure here, folks!)...

• I seem to go thru a "I don't want to go" thing every year at Thanksgiving.  Although it truly is my favorite holiday, there's something about having the 4 days off that makes me want to stay home and get something done.  I'm so glad my PG talked me out of  "calling in sick".  He SO knows how to play me, y'know?? 
• There's a certain energy I feel when we all get together at Thanksgiving.  I can tell you that it's not just a "feel good" energy...it's an energy that has momentum.  I can't even fully describe it, but I can tell you that it feels like goodness.  You know how it's said that EVERY family is in some way dysfunctional.  (I'm one that believes that, but I also feel that labeling "dysfunction" is a judgment call).  But when we're together on Thanksgiving, I just don't feel that.  So to my brother and sister-in-law hosts, I thank you for providing us with an atmosphere that is warm and loving. 
• I am giddy with delight to see our family growing with the next generation.  We now have 4 grandkids and one on the way.  It's sometimes still mind-boggling to look at my siblings and realize that some are grandparents or mmmm.... grandparents-in-waiting!  (Sorry, kids).
• I admire people who are willing to step into the adventure of trying new recipes.  I tend to stick with the tried and true.  But there's a whole bunch of good food waiting for you when you take the time to watch the food channels.  We had some good stuff to eat yesterday.
• I am so thankful for so much in my life.  From the little conversations I have with my grandson ("Go away, grandma") to where I am in my life right now.  I am truly blessed.  I just wish I was better at putting the little things into words...I'm working on it, but it's likely to be dangerous, y'know...then I'll NEVER shut up!!
• Finally, a dear friend of mine lost his mother the day before Thanksgiving and my heart is breaking for him.  Although his mom was sick for a while, it seems that no matter how well prepared we think we are when it comes to the loss of a parent, it still catches us off guard.  She was a strong woman, a wonderful role model, taught her kids how to fight back from adversity, but it was time for her to "go with God".  To my dear friend, you and your family are in my prayers. 

Have a wonderful Black Friday, all.  I think I'm done shopping for the day, did it all online.  Now it's just a matter of taking advantage of the 3 days left.  I've got some cards to make, some gifts to wrap, and some pictures to take.  Have a happy day.