Perspective

Life with all its ups and downs is really about perspective. When something does not go exactly your way or look like the life you planned for yourself, take a different view. Stand above it, sit down beside it.. or get right down in the middle of and look UP! You might be surprised at how different your problems look from a different view. Life has so much beauty with all the messiness, heart ache and disappointment . For from that springs forth, hope joy and fulfillment! Just try it :)

New Endeavor"s

Almost a year ago, my husband and I began the pursuit of becoming foster parents. We chose to foster to adopt. We began the classes, not knowing what to expect and followed our hearts. We are fully aware that we are choosing to take care of the children until a parent or relative will be able to provide a safe loving nurturing home for them. We know that we will fall in love with each child that passes through our lives ... and then leaves. But isn't it better to love a child and provide a nurturing loving environment for them then the alternative of them remaining in an unstable hurtful environment? To know that though they may grow up and never remember us is OK considering we gave all we were to give them a good start in life and chance of a bright future.

We are beyond excited to complete the process as it is coming to an end. And look forward to this new endeavor in our lives.

Going Going,, Gone!

Spring break is Oooover! So Sad. but I tried to squeeze in every bit of fun and enjoyment with a spoonfull of things I had to do, into my week. Mission accomplished.

Ever notice how time flies by the older you get? Life goes by so FAST. Dont wait to live the life you've always dreamt of. Make those plans and move forward. whatever it is you want to do, to accomplish, to tryout .... DO IT NOW.

As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do. - Zachary Scott

Another year of bliss

Today I celebrated another year of life.Though not every moment can be blissful, I can honestly say I try to focus on the good and my heart overflows with gratefulness. Id hope to think I lived with zest, Ran with the wind in my hair and the sun on my face. Life is beautiful and I choose to see beauty in every day. what a precious gift life is. I pray I wake with joy, Live on purpose and count my blessings daily.

Happy Birthday to Me

Tokens Of Love

When the weeds grow tall and need to be mowed the children go crazy for them. They shreak with excitement. Though we see tall ugly weeds, they see beauty needing to be shared. I can not tell you how many countless "tokens of love" I have received. I find them in my pockets when I go home, in my book bag in my car, in my hair...

But I never tire of being on the receiving end, for they are given with love.

Tokens of Love.

Had to snap this shot of them as the children crowded around.

Beauty Grows Everywhere!

Beauty does not have to be in the perfect circumstances to grow. Today was overcast and cold. On our sunday drive, I had my husband stop at the most random places, so I could snap these pictures. The purple and white flowers were on tree's at a gas station. One right across the street from each other. The pink ones were in the corner of a deserted parking lot and the yellow ones in a feild along side of the road near a subdivision.

So next time you don't see beauty in a bad situation.... Look closer.

Who you want to be?

This is your life... Are you who you want to be?

Permission to Laugh

LAUGH - to show or feel amusement or good humor. Express joy. exult a sense of well being.

In life's daily atrocities we may forget to laugh. We were designed to "enjoy life." So why do so many of us miss the boat? The opportunities present themselves daily.

Give yourself permission to Enjoy the life God gave you. Though we must take care of our responsibilities,we must also give ourselves a break. Dont let life get too serious that you dont take the time to feed your soul with life and laughter. let go. Break loose of the dull routine. Life's problems seems so much more bearable after a good laugh.... So Laugh Often.

The most wasted of days is that in which we have not laughed. - Nicholas Chamfort

Each Moment

When we are present in each moment, the past gently rolls up behind us and the future slowly unravels before us. - Rev. Richard Lay

Being Yourself

I may not be the most beautiful, the thinnest, the most talented person in the world. But I am happy being me.

Stop letting the world dictate who you are. Be yourself. The world needs you and all your uniqueness.

Spread love

So today We decided to spread love. Our Spread love party" began with food and friends and a great game of white elephant gift exchange.(who says its a christmas only game?) Then we all headed out around town. I downloaded the most awesome encouraging words from the bravegirlsclub.com site. Attached them to treat bags full of goodies,lollipops and construction paper hearts ( about 100 hearts!,25 lollipops, 40 candy bars,and 20 goodie bags and along with a cupcake and a smile.) We stopped at local washateria"s( oh.. gave out quarters too), gas stations, grocery stores, fast food restraunt's, Tatoo parlors( best response here!) video stores... and a taco truck. People were surprised and happy. Nico,(he's 5) our prize participant, melted many hearts among the recipiants. It was a great night. One guy at tattoo parlor said wow, why are you all doing this? Nico said "

To Spread love". He said "cool".

Mission accomplished. Love was spread.

Happy valentines day to All

Calling All Dreamers

On another blog I saw a post that moved me, last year.

She got idea from this blog( bravegirlsclub.com It is awe-inspiring.

This art is from her blog) My friends and I are planning on doing a "spread love project"( I named it) that came from an idea that this blog sparked in me. I will post it next week to let you know how it went.

Calling all dreamers out there.

Create a plan and make it happen!

In the Midst of Adversity

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass .... It is about learning to dance in the rain.

I used to wait all the time to get to a better place in my life when I was going through a hard time. But through the years I have learned that life is too short to wait. Waiting is such a waste of precious time. learn to LIVE right in the midst of adversity. Smile and press on! Life only gets better :)

Chasing dreams

Dont ask Yorself what the world needs: ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who come alive. - Harold whiteman

So go ahead. Give yourself permission to chase those dreams!

More than meets the eye

Looking through a lense of our upbringing, values and our experiences we make quick judgment's on people. We assume things based on their looks, actions and thoughts. Just because they look, act and think different does not make them insignificant. People "Are who they are," based on where they came from and the experiences they have come through. Next time you encounter a person whom you think you know what they are all about, start a conversation. Be kind and open hearted. They may really be in need of a kind word "OR" You may be surprised at what they might have to offer YOU from their experiences. We all have something to offer this world to make it a little brighter.Lets learn from each other. Open the eyes of your heart and hang the judgements up! There is so much more to life then what meets the eye.

HAPPY TRAILS :)

Celebrate :)

A book I bought last year reminded me to find ways to celebrate life. Even on ordinary dayz we can find reasons to celebrate. The author talked about having birthday candles on hand ready to pull out on any given day. What a great idea. Pull out those candles and light them up. Life is too precious to wait for an occasion. Life itself is reason enough to celebrate. Today is the last day of the first month of the year 2o12! Celebrate the joys of everyday living.

There are exactly as many special occasions in life as we choose to celebrate. - Robert Brault

An Inspired Life

The year of 2012 is my year of inspiration. I choose to live an inspired life. To chase my dreams and love with abandonment. I will sing in the shower and dance in the rain. I will rekindle my sense of wonder and find beauty in every day. I will stop to smell the flowers and listen with my heart. I will find time for my freinds and family and remember what really matters. I wont sweat the small stuff and focus on my blessings. I will aspire to do great things, dream big dreams and believe it can be done. I will take more chances, conquer fears and have the courage to embrace the unknown. Fill my heart with peace, love and joy. Have faith that can move a mountain and find joy in the journey, what ever lies ahead. To live with passion, be in awe of beauty and be thrilled just to be alive. this is the year of

AN INSPIRED LIFE.

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to alive- to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. - Marcus Aurelius

Though it may seem I have lost the passion for blogging, I have not. There is more than meets the eye. I stopped posting so often when I got this new ANDROID phone. and though they are supposed to be the best things out there, I find them to be less then desirable a and a huge disapointment for my needs. I only use my phone for calling, texting, checking emails and capturing great pictures for my BLOG. So after 2 months of pure frustration thinking it was limited technology skills I find out YAHOO and android are not friendly with each other. So not only can I not receive my emails on my phone. but worst of all I can not send my pictures I take on my phone and send it to my computer! I wrote yahoo several times with NO RESPONSE. Have been up to the sprint store several times asking how I can resolve this issue. No help. I have tried use my cord to transfer pictures and MAC has issues downloading the application on my android. Ive spent hours trying to solve this issue, Ive just about given up. Please help or chime in if you know how I can resolve these issues. I am at my wits end.

The eyes of my heart

A recent sermon reminded me to keep focused. That when I thirst for something greater, I know deep in my soul, it is God. The signs are there. Frustration, unfullfillment, no real direction, discontentment.

No person or circumstance will quench my thirst for something greater, than God. I need not look to any one person or try to obtain any circumstance to give me peace and direction. I know what I need.

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord . . .

Waiting

My husband has learned the meaning of waitng like a rock star. He used to fuss and stress but has seemed to master the art and Bella seems to find this time with him priceless.

We must all learn to master the art of waiting, because its part of life. God know's what is best for us and when. So sit back, kick off your shoes and enjoy the life and time you have right in front of you.

Wait Upon The Lord ,,,

Welcome Rain

Rain rain rain...Welcome Rain!

We have not had any rain here in soooo long. So when it started to rain yesterday it was like the earth welcomed it with open arms. Made me want to do a little song and dance.

Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.- Author unknown

Birthday Bliss

As I was talking with a co worker today, it dawned on me it was Bella

-Boo's birthday. So I texted my husband with the new's and responded, " Lets have a party." After worked I stopped the Dollar-tree picked up this marvelous birthday hat, some party favors and a squeeky toy ( she can never have enough of those). We fed her, gave her a new toy, blew our party favors and loved on her. And naturally a photo shoot followed.

It may seem silly to some. Bella is our family. So we celebrate her.

Find things to celebrate daily. Life is too short to not throw a party.

Things to Remember in an Ordinary Day

Remember that time is of the essence. You dont get to call a "do-over" for a wasted day. You just lose it.

Choose to find your "pink flamingo" in the midst of your day. They are there, look around.

Be the salt of the earth. Spread love wherever you go. A little goes a long way :)

Look for all the things you love about your loved one ( not all the things that drive you crazy)

Dreams

Life is short, God's way of encouraging a bit of focus. - Robert Brault

So what is the purpose of living if you don't have dreams? So what is the purpose of dreaming if you don't act on making them come true? Life is way too short to not actively live everyday. Choose today to be in pursuit of your dreams. Even if life doesn't turn out as you planned, there is a better version to be acquired with hope and action. Keep dreaming;)

Every man dies, Not every man really lives. - Braveheart

Seven years

Celebrating 7 yrs of Marriage! Yaa! Where did the time go? Through the yrs we have blended two different individuals into one shared life. We have woven together a lifestyle that is uniquely ours. Though we are two very different people we have learned to Love, respect and comprise. We cherish the sweet moments and grow together in the challenging times. We try to keep things simple and live a life of Purpose. Each new chapter gives us another opportunity to grow as individuals and become the people we were meant to be. My husband has grown leaps and bound's into a great man of integrity, honor and strength. I am proud to be married to him and excited to see what is in store for our future. We are thankful to for all our blessings and pray for God's guidance as we begin a new year in our marriage.

Happy Anniversary to us :)

Rabbit in the field

Rabbit in the field is sweet little antique/thrift shop I came across yesterday. It was delightful. Full of rabbits and feminine things that would fit into the shabby chic home. It is caddy corner to the original Blanco Cafe on Blanco. So next time you are in the area drop in and take a peek.

Run like a girl

I read this book a couple years ago sipping an iced green tea in the middle of the day at the Barnes and Noble. Loved it. The title enticed me in. It will inspire you to remember about the girl you once were and encourages you to move forward where ever you might be in life. The author truely understands women and how to motivate us to move forward using quotes and tugging on our heart strings.

The intro reads:

In your memory there is a snapshot of a girl on an unstoppable mission to invent,create,take risks and have fun!...

Run like a girl is a celebration of the power and beauty of the girl who still exists in you....

You will be reminded of your own resilience and courage to transition, reinvent and stay true to God's calling.

Fearless

When you are young you live with this sense of fearlessness in your soul. You want to conquer the world, make your print on it and make a difference. So at what age do we tell ourselves that we cant? when do we get so caught up in the routine that we stop living, dreaming? I can say for myself somewhere along the way I lost my way. Fear crept in. That is why I love this particular piece of art. It reminds me to live fearlessly. And as long as I have breathe in my body I will continue to not only dream but to act, plan and believe.

So come one, come All. Lets march onward, put on your armor ... and live with abandonment!

You Are More

I love the song "You are more" by Tenth Avenue North. So many people beat themselves up over past mistakes. Though we are held responsible for or choices, they do not define us. You are MORE. Just to paraphrase my favorite lines:

You are more than the choices you've made

You are more than the sum of your past mistakes.

You are more than the problems you create.

You've been remade.

Stop living in the shadows. Embrace who God created you to be and move into the light.

Baby Steps

Dream big. Make plans. Take steps.

Are you where you want to be? Are you who you want to become? It may take a thousand baby steps to get there, but each step is one step closer. It only takes a step to get towards where you want to be. So what are you waiting for? Put one foot in front of the other and find yourself closer to your dream.

(Arent these shoes adorable? Check out joyfolie.com )

An Ordinary Day

Yes, Id love to say that I receive flowers from my husband all the time, but then they would'nt be so special. Just an ordinary day made special with a thoughtful gesture. I never know when they are coming but when it does they always warm my heart and bring a smile to my face.

Make someone's ordinary day special with a thoughtful gesture :)

Find Joy in the journey

My goal for this blog is to uplifting and encouraging to others on their journey. Teaching us to see the beauty even in the struggles. Life is messy and complicated and tough. But there is a silver lining around those cloudy days. So much of our journey is not about the destination as much as it is about the ride. keep your eyes open and dont miss that beauty in each day along the way.

Find Joy in the journey.

Aspire to be . . .

My Bella-Boo. Look at those eyes of admiration. Do I really deserve such dedication and devotion? Not really but she thinks so. To her, I am alllll that and more. This is her waiting for me outside of my bathtub. She has become quite the little showdog. Staying perfectly still as if she knows, she is the center of my attention. She waited patiently as I grabbed my phone to snap the picture. Look at that show off. She blended in so well into my shower curtain and bath rug. I thought it was just lovely.

We should all aspire to be the people our pets think we are. Dont you think?

Summer Dayz

Yes, summer has begun and I have hit the ground running trying to lap up every hour I have. I don't want to waste one minute. I have been blessed with jobs that allow me to be off for the summer and I take every minute as it was gold delivered right to my door. I usually recharge myself and ignite my passions and creativity again. Each morning I awake with new eyes and excitement for what my day will hold. Mostly reconnecting with friends and family: lunching, going to craft events, going to movies, bookstores. But I have been pursuing my passions also: photography, decorating, shopping. dreaming, starting up projects,completing old projects, finding new ways to be inspired!

What are you doing with your Summer Dayz?!

I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to know I have lived the width of it as well. - Diane Ackerman