9 Things

I was browsing through Facebook tonight waiting for my hair to process (no more grey!!) and someone had posted '9 Things you don't know about me', and I have to admit, I love those damn things.

I love learning things about people they usually keep to themselves, because when we start to open up and be honest about who we really are, that's when connections are really made.  That's when we get to the really good stuff.

That's what I try to do on here, but yes, I was reminded today that it's been lacking lately.

So here is my list for you tonight... 9 Things You Might Not Know About Me

1. If I had to, I could survive on cookies, popcorn, and wine.  In fact I'm eating a cookie right now, and it's warm, gooey, and spectacular.  I often say 'this is the best batch ever,' but I really think this one is this time.
2. I would love to have another cat in the house.  I loved Putter more than I ever led on, and still miss that purr.
3. I would rather not write anything than write something bad.  I know, perfectionism is going to ruin me someday, but there are days I open my laptop and just have nothing to say.  Those days make me sad.
4. I have learned that my depression is connected to whether I'm writing or not.  I have never been
   
   happier than when I was writing my book this summer, and quickly slipped when it was over.  Now that I see the correlation I am making sure that it is a natural part of my life.
5. After 30+ years I have finally kicked the Young and Restless addiction.  I watch it on my days off only and even then I'm usually doing something at the time.  I don't record it, and oddly enough, I don't really miss it at all.
6. One of the things I'm the most proud of is how my kids treat other people.  They are, without question, decent human beings.  I know that sounds goofy, but watching them interact with other people just makes me smile with pride.  I love who they have turned out to be.  
7. Every time I go to the movies, the lights go down, and the credits begin to roll, and I dream of seeing my name up there someday after 'Based on the novel by...'  Every. Single. Time.  
8. I can finally talk about my mom without crying every time.
9. I have read some of the best books in the past eleven months than I've read in years.  My favorite thing is to be able to share these books with you, and this year we were especially lucky.

No, there aren't many things about me that you don't already know, but maybe you learned something tonight that made you go hmmmm.  I think it's important that we share a little more every now and then, so try to do your own list.  I am eternally grateful that you're still reading and care whether I'm here or not :)

Hope you're all having a grateful month!!

Day 5

I saw this article on Facebook today and had to admit that it made me stop and think.  I will be the first to admit that after eighteen years of marriage the lines of love can be blurry.  Somedays they're clear, and sometimes the lines are faded.  You know they're there, but it's hard to see them.

Now while I'll be the first to fight for making sure we carve out time for ourselves and creating a life we love, I will agree that a marriage can only survive if we are in it for the other person.  Marriages fall apart when one or both are being selfish and only thinking of themselves, creating a pile of resentment.

This can be said for all relationships really.

Kids
Friendships
Co-Workers
Even Pets

I think when we stop looking for what we're getting out of a relationship, and focus instead on how to make the other person happier, we're really making a connection.  We're making a difference in their lives at that point, and hopefully, they're returning the favor.

Day 5:  Today I am thankful for Toby and all that he does for me.  He makes me laugh more than anyone else on the planet, and never goes a day without letting me know how he feels.  No, it's not always love and roses, but most days it's exactly what we need.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Day 3 & 4

Since I fell asleep about five minutes after I got home last night, I am lumping the two days into one. Also, I've been in Grand Rapids for most of the weekend, in rinks, restaurants, movie theaters, and oh yeah, a corvette.... going about 100 down the backroads of Byron.

It was two days of friendships, bonding, and hockey.  It's funny... I don't usually get to go on tournament weekends, and when I do, I realize how much I miss out on.  Sharing inside jokes, appetizers, and Motrin, all the while cheering on our boys to play their best.  Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn't, but always it unites a group of people who might not normally spend the

weekend together.  And it's the moments like watching the MSU v Michigan game, sitting on the floor with all the other mom's in the rink, giggling like we were back in high school, that I am thankful and grateful for being a part of this team.

Day 3/4:  Every May there is a try-out for the next year's hockey team, and even though I'm usually pretty confident that he'll make it, I always say a little prayer for the other players too.  Not just for the boys, but mostly for the other parents on the team.  I want to keep hanging out with this group, laughing, cheering, and occasionally sharing the misery.  Being a hockey mom is definitely a sacrifice, but it is also one of the greatest gifts too.

So yesterday and today... I am grateful for the gift of hockey in our lives...

Go get 'em tomorrow Boys!  We still got some life in this one.  I'll be watching and cheering via Twitter.

Happy weekend!

Day 2

Halloween was never my mom's favorite holiday till the makers of Snow Village started making Halloween stuff.  Then, she loved it.

Growing up, I only vaguely remember going out and trick or treating.  What I remember crystal clear is dumping the candy on the floor of our living room and my mom sifting through to make sure there were no razor blades in any of the candy bars.

That I remember.

So it's odd to me that Blake is like the Halloween king.  He loves this day and dresses up with gusto.  Evan did too, but not the same way Blake loves

it.  When he asked me Tuesday if he could have kids over, I couldn't say no.

Even when Toby was chirping in the background about all the rain we were getting.  100% chance of rain... possibly a thunder storm.  Did you see all the green coming our way?

But I kindly ignored him, because I can't say no to things like this that I know Blake will remember when he's a dad.  He'll remember that we let him make a big deal about it, simply because he loved it.

He'll remember Halloween and all the goofy costumes he thought up the day before... and playing in the rain... and laughing so hard in the basement I could only imagine what they were doing.

Day 2:  Today, I am grateful for being a mom.  And not just a mom, but a mom who tries really hard to make sure they are going to have memories in the future.  I want them to look back someday and know that nothing was ever a sacrifice because it brought me just as much joy.

Today I got to bake, and fuss over a group of boys who sometimes don't want their moms around.  I know this time goes fast.  I've seen it happen with Evan... poof, he's 6'2 and all hair.  It seems like I spent so much time wanting him to grow up, and now I just want them to want their mom every now and again.  Today I actually got to do that again.

And it won't be until after he goes to bed that I'll look for the razor blades in the candy.

Or maybe just the stray Payday bar....

Direction

How many of you find yourself wandering around through life, and realize that days, sometimes weeks, go by and you have no idea how that happened?

Sometimes you write down the date and think, how in the hell did another month pass me by?

The busier we are, the faster time flies, because we are just getting through it instead of living it. We're not paying attention to what is going on around us simply because we don't have time to. When we have a free moment, we're on Facebook, twitter, or Pinning what we want our lives to really be like.

Twenty-One days from today our first events will be starting for Mids.  I can't even wrap my brain around the amount of work I will put in getting ready for that week, and yet, I sit here right now and I'm calm.  I'm tired of living my life through events and waiting till the next one is over.  One thing I've learned over the past few years is that there will always be another event around the corner, so you might as well savor what you can when you can.

I know I say that now... you may have to remind me in a couple weeks :)

So, I started thinking that I'll need something to keep me sane... something to keep me on my path, so I don't fall into the black hole of work despair.  And I figured that the best way, my favorite way, is through gratitude.  The fact that it's almost November is just good timing divine intervention.

Day 1:  Today I am grateful that I have the day off, because I know that leading up to the event I won't.  Today, I can relax with a cup of coffee and write about things that make me happy.  I can fight with Goldie who will get the chair next to the fire (she's winning right now), and the only thing I really need to shower for is book club later today.  I can relax knowing that the past week was a complete success with the start of our biggest learn to skate session in years.  I can bake, and watch Y&R, and not worry about anything.  I can smile with the fact that when I asked for help this week, it was given to me.

Basically, this is as good as it gets right now...

I hope today finds you in a good place too!

Happy Wednesday.

In the Middle

Does this give you any indication of my mindset lately?  How about this and the fact I haven't written in weeks?  

I am not afraid to say that right now I feel like I'm in the middle of nowhere, however, I am hopeful that this is exactly where I will find what I need.  I know the equation of work + no writing = someone I don't want to be, but sometimes we really don't have that many choices.  We just have to muddle through.  I'm not making excuses, it's just that I don't have a creative thought in my head, mostly because work is a little intense lately and will be for at least the next five weeks.

I have hope that this next month will be like a spotlight on what I do want in my life.  Does that make sense?  It's like sometimes you just have to sit in the middle of nowhere for a while to realize that isn't where you want to be.... and suddenly where to want to be and what you want to be doing becomes crystal clear.

There's a few authors I follow on Facebook, and I'm not sure that's a good thing or a bad thing anymore.  I read their posts and become quite envious of their lives, and while somedays it motivates me to write, there are other days I sink a little thinking I'll never get there.   And then I remember...

I'm in the middle of nowhere.

And that's okay... I've been here before.  I am learning to find gratitude here because I know something good will come from this, whether it's clarity or creativity.  Something good always comes out of it.

I have faith.

Hope you're all well.  

Happy Weekend!

#positivity

"Life is simple.  Your life is made up of only two kinds of things - positive things and negative things. ~The Power

Perhaps it's because I've been re-reading The Power, again, and trying to keep everything in life in perspective.  

Trying to see the big picture if you will.

But the more I try and the harder I look, the angrier people seem to be around me.  It's as if no one is happy anymore, and it's downright exhausting to stay positive in a negative world.  

It makes me wish I were a turtle and had a shell to hide from the world at times.  

So I thought that maybe all of us needed a wake up post and reminders that we are only here for a short time.  We really ought to find the good in life and let the rest of it roll off our backs.

Pay it forward.

Savor a meal.

Text something funny.

Read something.

Pin a happy quote.  Make it your desktop background.

Take an Instagram.

Make a playlist.

Go for a walk.

Breathe.

Watch Modern Family

I know stuff is still going to happen to us daily, hourly even, but keeping our focus on what's good instead of what's bad should be your only goal tomorrow. 

And then the next day.

And then the next....

You see the pattern?  

Am I writing the same post over and over again with different words and pictures?  Probably, but I will continue till we all can see what is important.  Until we understand.

What will be your #positivity moment today?

And if that doesn't convince you, maybe this video will....  enjoy :)