A Leap Of Faith :)

Sometimes your only available transportation is .... a leap of faith. - Margaret Shepard

Even on a rainy day

Saturday was a difficult day for me. Just felt sad. The weather was gloomy and I spent the day pondering. But today I woke up with joy. My head was clear and I am pushing onward. I know I can get through this. Rainy days don't always have to hold sadness, for its in those times of difficulty that we grow. The rain ( the trials in our lives) is a necessary part of the journey. There is beauty in the process. Hold fast to Gods truth and his plan for your life. Even on a rainy day.

Looking Above

New blooms awaiting

As time goes by and I begin to rebuild and restart a new life I can't help but look back in sadness. I feel as though I am in mourning. Though most of it was bad, it was my life. I mourn the marriage. I know that great things are just beyond the bend. I feel hopeful about my future. I feel free to be me. A sense of peacefulness is settling into my soul.but my heart also grieves. Does that make sense. It's crazy.its as if a part of me has passed away. It is painful.
As peices of my life are pruned away, they are making room for New blooms.

Enchanted Living

Is it possible to live an enchanted life? I think so.
Through healing comes a deep appreciation for the Simple.
With my eyes shut and my heart open I can feel the warmth of the sun spilling in, the soft breeze blowing through my hair, the beauty in my day, the stillness of the night.
Enchanted living....its a frame of mind.
 Dont rush through your day. Train your eyes, your heart and your mind.
 Close your eyes. Be still,Breathe,open your heart. Then open your eyes"what beauty do you see?" what do you feel? Now ...Find the good in your day. Be thankful....what a blessing life is!
Celebrate an enchanted life.

To do list for today

Finding my way

Each day in my new life I find fresh insight. I see and think more clearly.The heaviness I once carried in my heart is lifting and I am traveling lighter along the path.

Bella-boo

Bella-boo. She is a trooper. Anyone who does not have a dog has never experienced "mans best friend". Even on the terrible days she was always there for me. So loyal. During my lowest times she comes softly, licks my ears and lays her head on my shoulder... As if to say."I am here, it's okay, you can cry." I love her:)

The journey back

If you are going to journey, then you may as well be true to who you are.

As friends and family remind me of the girl I once was - I go soul searching to find me again, only a little bit older and a little bit wiser. What do you do when something bad happens to you?... You use it for good! God can turn any situation around and make it beautiful.
Though I'm leaving a life behind I'd become accustomed to,I have jumped off into a vast ocean of possibilities. Some may call it brave, I call it trust. A trust in God beyond my eyesight. For he knows what's best for me. I humbly relinquish my control and sit patiently in the passenger seat.... Ready for the ride of my life. Join me in my journey.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Blessed Are They

Beautiful things are all  around us ,if we would only stop and look.

Leaving

Leaving... broke my heart....
But, I am in a better place now.
With the sun upon my face and peace in my heart...
God ..... is restoring my soul.

Broken Promises

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As a smal girl I fantasized about getting married, having children and living a joyful happy life full of love and happiness. I trusted another human being with the most precious part of me, My heart. It was to be treasured, cherished, cared for , loved. 

My dreams were all shattered and my heart shredded. Always trying to make the most of every situation I kept a smile on my face and hopeful attitude always positive. If it wasnt working then we could fix it .Nobody saw the pain behind my eyes, nobody saw the disappointment or the dreams dying inside me year after year.Nobody  saw the hard work and struggle I put into this marriage trying to stay above water.

Domestic violence knows no boundaries. It wears down a soul till there is no more to give. Tears at the very core of who you are. Tells you that you are worthless and not good enough.tells you that you are the problem - try harder. The humiliation, guilt,deep sadness,control over my every move. Just pushing forward trying to get thru each day.

I simply couldn't live the lie that all was well. exhausting all my resources. The counselor's, the magic medication that would make him happy with me, help him not constantly yell at me and belittle me, and embarrass me. That would open his eyes to see that I was good. That I had gifts and talents and a heart of gold. No matter what I did or how hard I tried to please him, I was never good enough. Do you know what it's like living under such expectations and not ever being seen. Feeling so low and hopeless.

 I lived in the center of misery accepting, this was my life, letting go of all my dreams and hopes of a good  future, just trying to get thru each day.

All was not well. My soul was dying. .... 

Celebrations

Celebrating my birthday this past week reminds me that there are so many things to celebrate in life. Why wait for birthdays? Each day in itself is reason to celebrate.
If we are ever to enjoy life, now is the time, not tomorrow or next year... Today should always be our most wonderful day.

Good tidings

The Christmas season is upon us! As we rush around and decorating our homes,sending out Christmas cards and shopping for that perfect gift; stop to remember it is also the season of goodness. Reach out those who are struggling, be kind to those who go unnoticed. Spread extra doses of love during this season.

Still Here... Savoring life

Sorry folks , I am still here.Its not that life has ceased to inspire. Only that the time I have to blog is limited .The inspiration flows in daily. The world keeps on turning and you must keep moving right along. I think the thing that has struck me lately is To Savor. The girls are growing quickly. It would be easy to just take care of them meet all their basic needs. But I want to do more. To nurture, to teach, to instill. I am learning to not rush through life but to take time, find the teachable moments and savor.

Don't rush through life just getting through each day. Live, love learn. Take time to savor and celebrate every moment.

Small Things Matter

Today I came home excited to see my husband and rest for a spell from a long day. My husband said ... I brought you a surprise! I LOOOOVE surprises and they dont come too often so I was very happy. He said look in the refrigerator. There I found A large Sonic iced tea with extra ice. I felt happy just that he thought of me. Then as I went back to him he said wait... look in the freezer ( wow, what could it be?) It was a rectangular pink box with a gold sticker on top that read " cupcake Couture" I have wanted for so long to try one of these but we are always too busy. As I opened it, I saw not something yummy, but something beautiful. So I went outside to do what???Take a picture of course.

Yes just a small gesture with a huge impact. It touched my heart, my taste buds and my eyes.

The small things Matter!

A Cloudy Day

When life looks cloudy hold onto hope.
When the world says,"Give up," Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."

100 calorie snacks

Last October I lost 24 pounds in one month and have kept most of it off ( only gained back 5 pounds!) yes it is a little difficult but well worth the pounds. I highly reccomend the hcg diet it's only 21-40 days and then 2 -3 was of Maintenance.It's life changing.as I prepare to try again this year I am reminded of choosing my carefully what I eat. These are all 100 calorie snack ideas to eat. (after the diet and mantenience, hcg is very specific what to eat and not to eat.)Try it!

Weekends

The perfect weekend outfit.

Now that the wether has been cooler the weekends have been fun. Flea Markets,outdoor activities, movies....time with family and friends.Take time to relax and laugh each weekend. Yes I know house cleaning usually gets in the mix, but divide it up into Saturday and Sunday.Use your weekends to rejuvenate yourself. Then you will be ready for your week.

Happy Week!

Cultivating Friendships

Today I had a half day off. I could have shopped, gotten a pedicure, taken care of some business things or caught up on my sleep. So many choices. what to do?... what to do?... Instead I invited a friend to lunch, and then went to visit another friend I hadnt seen in a long time. I could have come home with new clothes, freshly painted toenails. or a rested mind and body. but I came home with a warm heart instead. 

So glad I chose friendship.

We are all on our own unique journey through this life but we all share in common the road we walk on. We might as well support and lift each other up as we go along. It makes a world of difference to have friends walking along side of you.

Take time to cultivate those friendships. They will fill your heart and encourage you to press on.

What makes your heart sing?

What Makes your heart sing?

I simply can not pass up a bargain. Attie and Lucy both got ... a new skirt. It brings me joy.
Dont pass up the small joys in life, for they are what makes up your life when strung all together.

Tell me, what is it that you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? - Mary oliver
May your heart always sing

Embrace The Rain

This morning I dressed lucy for the rain and realized... we have no jeans, no pants, no leggings. just dresses and skirts. A girly girl at heart. So we settled for a jean skirt and a hoodie we received as a gift. she went to the glass door and squealed with excitement at the rain. As I opened the door she ran straight out to the grass instead of staying on the covered patio. I caught myself from being sensible... and let her dance around. She waved her small hands in the air and began to twirl. she loved it. We brought out her little chair and watched the rain this morning. What a wonderous way to start our day.

So what does the rain represent in your life? do you avoid stepping out into it? or do you step out and know, it is just a part of life as when the sun shines in. Embrace the rain in your life. You will find ....that you can dance in it.

Filling My Senses

Though my days of leisure seems to have ceased, small joys are still to be found. After a sleepless night I woke up with a plan. To play hookie. eight hours , just to myself, to do as i please. no demands upon me.I sit by a window drenching my senses. I see the sun beaming across my souffle. I smell the coffee for another customer. I hear the silence of the peaceful early morning, I wrap my hand gently around my warm cup of tea. what could be better then filling my senses.The day seems to say .. come, sit enjoy.

We all need down time. seize yours. you deserve it.

Growing together

Marriage is a long road to togetherness. We learn to compromise, share and care for another. Our personalities,strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes melt together for one common purpose. Marriage challenges us and supports us to grow together to become one as a couple. It is no easy task, but if you work together and learn to function as a team the relationship is strong and can endure hardships, together and double the joys that you share along the way.

Today we celebrate our 8th Anniversary. Happy Anniversary to us.

Free Yourself

I struggle with a touch of perfectionism. I work really hard to have everything perfect. And its very hard to keep up with my expectations of me and what I think others are thinking of me. I try to always have it all together. But truth is,"I Dont" and it is ok. I have been working on letting go of this perfect image that Id dont quite meet up to and expectations people put on me. Nobody is perfect. When someone says" you have it all together... I just wanna say...look at my closets and my junk drawer!
(Saw this piece of Art and knew I needed to have it. It spoke to me visually and emotionally)

BE YOURSELF. Free Yourself from what you think people expect from you. You are good enough just the way you are.

Growing

When we first started taking classes to become foster parents our instructor said we were the cream of the crop. It takes special people to do this. I didnt understand that... till now. This is no easy task. It is not like having kids on your own. where you plan and ponder for 9 months at a time. You are thrown into this wonderful whirlwind of sweet and challenge. appointments, regulations and strangers in and out of your house. bottles binkies and pampers all rolled into one.You try your best to fit into what the perfect parent looks like to the "State" and follow all the rules that any normal loving parent would struggle with.The actual parenting and nurturing is the easy part. You jump in head first knowing your love for the kids will far  outweigh the challenges laid before you.

As we journey Thru parenthood and Fosterhood, we find that we are growing in ways we never knew we could. My husband and I are coming together as a team like never before. When he see's I am exhausted he looks for ways to relieve me. He is finding his own way as a father. I am so proud of him. I am proud of us. We are growing thru this.

Together

Lucys favorite activity is eating. when she arrived she dug in as soon as the food was placed before her. Now She sits in her little chair, holds out both hands and waits anxiously for us all to be present. When we sit together as a family, Pray and give thanks...Then We eat.We all need a sense of "together"

Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!- Albert Einstein

Wonderfully Made

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 

Wonderful are your works: My soul knows it very well. - Psalm 139:14

We all were made wonderfully. Born unique, with so many talents. Find your deepest passions and there you will find your place in the world. 

Adjustments

Bella-boo has been Our family for the last 7 years. She has been our joy. Well.... she has made some adjustments of her own. Her pampered life has had some changes. Though her needs are not instantly met we have tried to give her extra walks and assurance through the process. The first week, she got up with me for every feeding (even in the middle of the night) and followed me around staying close.  Now when the baby cries in the middle of the night... she doesn't bat an eye. And when Lucy goes to sleep she is EXHAUSTED. Lucy taunts her to no end(We have worked on being sooooft) but Bella has risen to the occasion. Even with all the hair and tail pulling, she has displayed as sense of understanding and her and Lucy are working it out. They are actually starting to play together. when Lucy starts to dance and twirl singing with joy, Bella gets excited and jumps around to. When we play outside. Bella gets the ball and runs, jumping out of reach when Lucy gets close. It quite cute to watch. Thank Goodness. All is Well....

Bottles and Binkies

I fall more and more in love every second. How could you not? When all is quiet in the early hours of the morning Attie is awake and alert. Our home is bustling with bottles, blankets and binkies in each room. The transition from no children to two in our home has been so smooth. Though you'd think it would have been a tough adjustment, it has been quiet the opposite. Peace has settled in. It is as it should have been all along. My husband and I are fully content and full of joy.

Lucy and Attie

PURE JOY

They arrived on a friday, July 6th. We welcomed them with open arms and a warm heart. Pure Joy.  Our home is changed forever and our heart will never be the same. Lucy is 2 yrs old. She is a healthy happy joyful talkative girly girl. Attie is a two month old premie. She is only 6 pounds. light as a feather. she is a doll baby. So beautiful and sweet.

Your own Whimsy

Off for the forth of July. We got up late and went to a local spot for breakfast. The day was so beautiful we picked up our dog to take her to the park. We strolled thru hand in hand & leash. With the weather being so unbelievably hot lately it was surprisingly nice and breezy today. It was a delight. We decided to go see a movie and later went to dinner. Sat on the patio with lovely tree's as our scenery. Though we had talked of going to see fireworks, for the 4th of July, we opted for a quilt and pillows thrown outside in our very own backyard. We heard fireworks (we live behind a park) looked at the stars and listed to Pandora. In our Jammie's. We talked most of the night. It was so relaxing and out of the box. and in the middle of the week.Who knew? We had such a romantic setting at our house all this time.

Think outside of the box, create your own whimsy.

My Cheerful Bathroom

I painted my bathroom today! I purchased this shower curtain (For $2.95 at Big Lots) months ago and based the whole bathroom colors around it. I just found these wonderful frogs with lily pads at a rummage sale this week end for .25 cents. The Easter chick, I found at the flea market for $7 and purchased the tray at target. It had all the right colors.The yellow walls pulled it all together. So cheery. On to my next project!

To Do List

I write lists all the time so that I may keep focused and not waste my days. I want to know I used every minute of my life fully. So fill your day's with Productivity, Fulfillment and Fun and don't forget a dash of Whimsy! Here is what I hope to accomplish this week:

Paint my extra bathroom "Joyful Yellow
Lunch and or movie with a friend 
Reorganize the bathroom cabinet

A day of Creativity-decopouge dresser, work on carousel pony, photography

Work on maintaining tan -my backyard or the lake???
Go to the gym at least 2x this week
clean house

Make a Lemon Tart (new recipe)

A Lemon tartlette

I am in LOVE with this Lemon tart. My husband thinks Im insane that I get so excited over a pastry. He did not want to know how much it cost ( he dropped me off in front of the La Madeline as I ran in) I came out beaming like id just won the lottery. We had to run into Walmart before we got home and I refused to leave it in the car, for fear the heat would somehow harm the integrity of the flavor. I guarded it with my life. So I carried my special La Madeline pastry box so carefully setting it in the cart. When we got home I had to take it outside and photograph it before I allowed my self to gently cut into it.

Simply Divinity.

Inspirations to live by

CREATE the life you want. Don't wait. Do it now.

CELEBRATE each day as if it were your last. Don't waste it.

BE TRUE TO YOURSELF. Allow the beauty in your heart to shine through to touch your world.