Run, Laugh, Eat, Repeat

How do you stay on track? With your running?  With your clean eating?  With maintaining kind relationships? OH, are you challenged with that too?  Glad I'm not alone.  The key is to find your way back to the path as soon as you realize you are off track.  Sometimes that's not the easiest thing to do.  And yet completely worth it. Here's my recent realization about getting back on track.  I've done a lot of work recently in the Carry On, Warrior space - with my marriage.  And it's payoff in spades.  Truly amazing!  Although I can say that the first weekend that things went awry I thought, "you've got to be kidding me - I'm working hard here!"  And I took a deep breath.  And carried on.  Realizing that sometimes it's not going to be easy keeping it on track all the time. So today as the movers arrived and the house is in chaos we are not in complete agreement about certain elements of the pack.  Not a big is...

As a follower of Glennon Doyle Melton's blog Momastery , I couldn't resist sharing her message from today - April 28, 2014.  And now to the task of figuring out what my hard thing is ... I'm sorta afraid I have lots of hard things that could use taking care of.  Is today the day for all of them? Here's some hard things on my list: 1.  Purge the junk drawers. 2.  Forgive 3.  Say goodbye to an unhealthy, unproductive relationship that is causing me angst 4.  Be still. 5.  Accept where I am.  Right this minute. One of those require physical labor and the others, although all in my head - are very hard.  And isn't that the reason to get them done today.  The best part is that I CAN DO HARD THINGS!  I do them everyday ... and more than likely with a smile on my face.  Although sometimes its a grimace and even sometimes a tear. My hard things are not other people's hard things.  They are my journey.  My har...

We have quite a bit going on as a family these days.  We're getting ready to move our lives from Illinois to Texas in a matter of two weeks.  And these days are filled with preparation on both ends to ensure that we move in one piece and as unscathed as possible.  There are things like jobs, school, household items, cars, houses on both ends, and all the coordination it takes to make it happen.  Oh, then throw in that wonderful husband's travel schedule has imploded and he's been on the road for three weeks straight.  Not to worry - I can do hard things! And I will continue to do them. So when he was back home for the weekend I was pleasantly surprised when he suggested that we all get outside on Saturday and walk the trails of the local park.  We did four miles together.  Our daughter on her scooter a safe distance ahead of us and us enjoying the scenery and talking on and off about the move. It was wonderful.  The weather was perfect. ...

this is what my answers would be ... and a few more for the road .... 1. What is your favorite word?  Exponentially 2. What is your least favorite word?  Hard. 3. What sound or noise do you love?  Husband's and daughter's laughter. 4. What sound or noise do you hate?  Squeaking. 5. What is your favorite curse word?  One I can get away with .. usually sh*t. And a few more for the fun of it ... 1. Favorite show on television?  Newsroom 2. Favorite movie?  Hard to name just one:  Moonstruck. 3. Favorite Book:  Carry On, Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton 4. What are you grateful for today?   Loving husband, amazing daughter, awesomely awesome friends 5. If you could have anything put on a t-shirt what would it be?  Brave. 6. Favorite meal? that's easy - steak, baked potato and asparagus 7. A talent you wish you had?  Patience.  Is that considered a talent? 8. Favorite song/band?  Sara Barielles...

At least for today, this is what I know for sure.  As sure as the sun rises in the morning after a difficult  night of sleep, these are what I feel in the depth of my heart. I know that when my daughter unprovoked says, "I love you, Mom," it fills me with the very best joy - and a spark of "I can do anything now," runs through me! I know that even at the end of a 'bad' day, that if I 'write it out' before I sleep I have a good chance of having a much better experience the following day. I know that when my husband says 'thank you' for things I do without hesitation for our family, it reaches my heart and assures me that I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. I know that when I see an animal in nature that I don't commonly see, I get excited every time!  This weekend I spotted both a pair of pheasants and a beaver.  Each filled me with wonder and I know for sure that I've taught my daughter to be as excited as me. ...

my personal copy - held close to my heart, and lovingly given to a friend within 12 hours of completion because I didn't want her to miss a moment of being able to know she's a warrior too! I can't tell you the last time I was so eager to read a book AND when I finished I was even move thrilled than the anticipation of starting.  Glennon Doyle Melton's Carry On, Warrior changed my life.  It grabbed me by the heart and held me close as to ensure I was listening - no, really LISTENING! I haven't laughed or cried so hard in a long time - and not at the same time.  Well sometimes the laughter led to tears, good tears.  And sometimes the tears were recognition that Glennon was describing me - my struggles, my challenges, my hopes and dreams.  And then she offered me a hand to grab onto through the book.  A path to follow as I make my way through my own messy, wonderful life. What's wonderful and frustrating is that as she described things, I realized t...

My latest inspirational blog, Liz Lamoreux has a post today entitled:   poem it out . .. which is a great transition to my favorite poem.  I found it many years ago and made tons of cardboard bookmarks with words to share with others. It's again appropriate for the change happening in my life right now.  Changes I've asked for, accepted and am in the middle of making.  Change that involves risk, setting sail and finding comfort in a new shore. Spoon River Anthology  by Edgar Lee Masters George Gray I HAVE studied many times The marble which was chiseled for me-- A boat with a furled sail at rest in a harbor. In truth it pictures not my destination But my life. For love was offered me and I shrank from its disillusionment; Sorrow knocked at my door, but I was afraid; Ambition called to me, but I dreaded the chances. Yet all the while I hungered for meaning in my life. And now I know that we must lift the sail And catch the winds of destiny Wh...

Don't ask where I found Liz Lamoreux because I'm not quite sure.  From a link on another blog, through Pinterest or maybe Brene Brown ... I just don't recall.  And honestly it doesn't matter.  She's a gift.  She writes this blog with advice about being present, being me, trusting your heart ... all the things that we need to be reminded each day .. sometimes throughout the day! She has a shop on  Etsy  where I found this item called, 'a mystery soul mantra chosen just for you' in the form of a metal tag on a necklace.  I'm all about believing there are no mistakes, so I knew that whatever she chose for me would be the 'right' thing. The package arrived today with wonderful cards inside that I will use as bookmarks and reminders on my nightstand to see each day.  They say, 'trust your heart,' 'open up and live,' and even 'dear beautiful soul may you give yourself the gift of five breaths, may you stand tall in the trut...

Baseball Season opened this week! Lots of changes require tremendous fortitude this week ... Argan oil is the most amazing thing for my hair! Chaos ensues as we make another family move to another part of the country.  Few understand ... but it's 'normal' for us! Love, love, love this cabinet!  It was in the model home where we bought our house!

Many words of encouragement have been shared with me as I embark upon this next leg of my journey.  Brave, courageous, fearless are the most positive ones people have mentioned.  Yet there are times throughout that I don't feel quite so strong. Yesterday I watched a Brene Brown show on OWN and she spoke to the vulnerability of living.  In her book Daring Greatly she shares that vulnerability is the keystone to living a life more fully engaged.  This has been a practice that I've been living for several years now.  Mind you, this doesn't mean crying in public, but allowing myself to ask for help, to not have to shoulder the entire burden by 'pretending' to be strong. I admit that this is scary.  I feel that this new adventure is unknown and with the excitement also comes fright.  By not allowing myself to live in a place of fear, but to feel the emotion and find ways to move through it have helped to feel more true to myself. Vulnerable. Yi...