Taking it all in

Good news! Brad left for work at 7:45 this morning. He has not done that for 6 months! It was so wonderful to see him up, dressed, feeling good and for a moment things feeling normal. I think having such a tremendous weight lifted from his shoulders this week, and being one more treatment away from another huge weight being lifted has got to feel good! Thank you God!

Gonna soak up the sun today! The forecast here.............54 and sunny!

Update on the glass jar. After reading my post about the professor and the jar, my friend suggested doing the jar a bit differently. She said she used to use this exercise in training her employees. Instead of just putting the jar together, she suggested taking it apart and actually writing the big things in my life onto the golf balls, and to somehow label the sand. So I took it all apart and did that, however I kept wanting to see what the balls said so i kept trying to put the sand and the pebbles in first, then the balls, when it occurred to me that I was doing what the exercise is meant to teach which is if the jar

represents your life, and the golfballs are the things that matter most they HAVE to and should go in fist then come the smaller things that matter and then the sand which represents the small stuff.  So here is my new version. 

I'm going to spend the weekend practicing with my camera. According to my class teacher we are not supposed to shoot in auto mode anymore! Scary!!!!!!! I need alot of practice.

Also, going to try my hand at making more headbands like the ones I made for Ella's party. Thank God for little sisters that are young and hip. When I first told the girls that they were going to wear the headbands across their foreheads they thought I was crazy, and some actually groaned. Maybe it was because I used the word " Hippy" to describe the look. But then the "hip" aunt came in and showed them online how cool it was, put one on herself, and they all wore them like that for the rest day! So cute.

I love this picture of my neice. I wish I had blurred the background, I'll have to see  if I can do this in photoshop. The headbands ribbon is in the way, but she still looks so cute!

Have a great weekend

Being grateful

I have had some emails asking what a gratitude journal is.  I was going to add the Simple Abundance book to the giveaway, but it was so popular back in 1996 or so that I figured everyone had it already, but then I was reminded that in 1996 my sister, her friends and perhaps others who happen upon this blog were only 12 or 13yrs old then, so they may not know what I am talking about. So here goes, back in 1996 or so I saw this little pink book on Oprah.

It is a  book that has 366  ideas on how to create a more authentic life. There are ideas for everything from cleaning out closets to meditating.On day 14 the author Sarah Ban Breathnach suggests purchasing a blank book to be used as a gratitude journal. She suggests you start with 5 things and list them everyday. Some days you may have several pages to fill, on a hard day, maybe you struggle to get to 5. The idea being that we all have something to be grateful for. To daily give thanks for the smallest of details. You might be thankful for a break in the weather, you might be thankful for the bed you are sleeping in, or you might be thankful for healing of an illness. I just wanted to pass along something that was positive, and uplifting, and beautiful.

So here are my 5  things I am most grateful for today.

1. For the faith in our Father.

2. Last night we ended a three year ordeal. It was agonizing for us as well as our friends and family, but we are so happy to be able to say today it is OVER!

3.Blessed to have the friends and our family that have stuck by us through this nightmare, always listening, offering advice, and supporting us.

4.The  relationship that has grown out of a tremndous loss

5. Driving in the car yesterday, I heard this song ( the one playing now on my playlist) on K-love. It is one of my favorite Christian Rock songs. I heard it before I got the news and I just had a feeling things were going to be alright. So I am GRATEFUL for inspirational music! Yes, today we are free!!!!!

One last thing. There is a video going around today of a woman on Britian's So you think you've got talent show. If you think that one brings you to tears here is Paul Potts on that show a year or so ago. It makes me cry everytime!

REMEMBER PAUSE THE PLAYLIST OVER THERE TO THE RIGHT.

This is such an extrordinary gift! Makes me even more grateful, so here is a 6th. 6.I am grateful to know people that are perhaps seen as different,that the world may not get, but are unique,special, and are EXTRORDINARY! What are you grateful for? Di

What I know for sure....

Is that I could NEVER live in Seattle Washington, London, or a Rainforest! I really don't know how people live there. Latley if it's sunny then it's freezing out, if it's raining and gloomy, then it is damp and cold. Yesterday my dogs were at the back door begging to come in from and Ice pellet storm! Just for the record the first day of spring was March 20th people!

Okay, done with that little rant.

Changed my playlist player to include some of the songs that were on that ultimate wedding dance youtube video I posted. So much fun, they really make wanna get up and dance!

So,I mentioned a little GIVEAWAY!

If you've been reading the blog for awhile you know the last 6 months have been tough. To pull myself out of this funk I have tried, and am trying to do  several things.

1. I have read and am re-reading The Shack. Re- reading from the point of arrival at the shack.

2. Keeping a Gratitude journal.

I don't want to loose you now.... it's very "Oprah" like......

3. Creative visualization boards.

I used to use these alot and they do work.

So, to pay it forward I have picked up a new copy of The Shack and a gratitude journal just for you!

I have done contests,and giveaways before, but the only people that win are my friends because they are the only ones that leave a comment.

I know you are out there because I can see how many views I get a day.

So, ENTER, just leave me a comment. I don't care if you just say" Hi there!"

Below is a story, maybe you've heard it before, I hadn't, so I will share it with you. A copy of it starts out my gratitude journal.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 Beers. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed..

'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things---your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else---the small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Spend time with your children.
Spend time with your parents.
Visit with grandparents.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your spouse out to dinner.
Play another 18.
There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.
Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter.
Set your priorities.
The rest is just sand.
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented.
The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.'
The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.

Or since I don't drink beer, how bout a couple of cosmos?

 The freebie:

For fun:

Happy Easter!

As a little girl I would watch The Sound of Music with my Grandmother every Easter. Whenever I hear the soundtrack I think of her and how much she loved this movie. This morning my sister sent me this video.... This was a promotional video for the casting of a lead part. They did this with only 2 rehersals!I don't think grandma would have liked the remixed version, I can hear her now saying "come on now, sing it the right way" Enjoy! Come back tomorrow I'm having a giveaway!