Monday, December 17, 2007

Rachel's Kindness

Bloggers Unite challenges bloggers everywhere, on December 17th, to do something good offline — an act of kindness — and then post about it on their blogs. The Acts of Kindness bloggers unite challenge aims at putting a human face on bloggers who are responsible for so much good in the world. The goal is to expose their kindness and generosity as well as serve as an example to non-bloggers that volunteering for a charity, donating to a cause, or simply doing something kind for another person has a ripple effect around the world.
====================================
I have been granted a world full of blessings... good health, a good job, great friends and most important of all, an amazing family. I have two beautiful daughters, both of whom remind me daily that God is good. Today, I take on the Bloggers Unite challenge by blogging not about myself, but about one of my greatest blessings in life, my beautiful little girl, Rachel.
-
Technically, I'm not following the Bloggers Unite rules. I'm supposed to do the Act of Kindness today and then write about it... but the deeds Rachel has already done are too important to be overlooked, and I want to make sure she gets credit for her kindness, especially when it was done so generously and without prompting.
-
Rachel is 4 years old. She's smarter than most 6 years olds... most 16 years old, too. She has an amazing memory and a desire to learn all things, all the time. But much more important than her brain, I think, is her great big heart.
-
As a mom, there are so many things I try to teach my children, and as a mom, nothing could make me more proud than to watch Rachel living one of the most important lessons I've tried to teach her: Be kind to others and the world.
-
Inspired by the good people at CoolPeopleCare, I decided to take on the Make a Difference Day challenge on October 27 by organizing a "get out, do good" event for my local community. For our event, we visited an assisted living community near our home. Along with some other volunteers, we gave "mini makeovers" to almost 20 women there. They had a great time being pampered, but even more fun watching the kids that we brought along with us. Rachel had such a great time with "the grandmas" that she asked to go back and visit again.
-
On Thanksgiving Day, we spent some time in the afternoon sharing our family with the residents there who didn't have family close by for the holiday. My husband and I called a game of BINGO! while Rachel visited with her "grandma friends." The following weekend, Rachel and I helped decorate for the holidays, and Rachel refused to leave until each and every one of "her grandmas" had a hand drawn picture to hang in their room. Two weekends ago, Rachel patiently and meticulous helped me make holiday decorations, which we stopped by to "quickly drop off" this past weekend. Rachel, however, was unwilling to drop them off and leave. She wanted to hand one ornament out to each of the residents. She walked around the room, picking an ornament to match each person's outfit. Ms. Caroline was wearing green so she got a Christmas tree. Ms. Elsie was wearing blue, so she got a blue stocking. She gave each resident a hug and a smile and an ornament. They love to see her when she visits, and she loves them all right back.
-
I'm not sure if Rachel really understands the magnitude of the difference she's making. I have lots of other stories about Rachel's big heart, her desire to help those less fortunate, and the beautiful examples of her kindness in action. The most amazing part, though, is that her motives are so pure. She knows that she's putting a smile on someone else's face, which in turn puts a smile on hers. And of course, all those smiles put a smile not only on my face, but also in my heart.
-
So Rachel, my amazing, beautiful, selfless little girl... know that Mommy loves you and admires you and is more proud of you than you will ever know. If everyone in this world was even a fraction as kind and open and loving as you are, this world would be such a better place. Thank you for being so kind, so loving, and for making me so proud. Today and always, I love you!

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Bloggers Unite in Acts of Kindness


The words here are not mine, they are taken from http://unite.blogcatalog.com/, but the words in this space on December 17 will be. If you have a blog, I encourage you to join this great cause. If you read a blog, I encourage you to pass this information on to that blogger.

"Bloggers Unite is an initiative designed to harness the power of the blogosphere to make the world a better place. By challenging bloggers to blog about a particular social cause on a single day, a single voice can be joined with thousands of others to help make a real positive difference; from raising awareness for cancer, to an effort to better education systems or support 3rd world countries."

The next event will take place on Monday, December 17:

"On Monday, December 17th, post about some act of kindness you performed — making a donation, helping someone move, volunteering your time, or even something as simple as paying someone an unexpected compliment — and then share your story with a post, photo, or video on your blog. It's easy to do good so please join us. This is our chance to show the world that bloggers have heart online and off. Every post will count!"

Be sure to register at http://unite.blogcatalog.com/ to be eligible to win awards and prizes based on your post!

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Be Thankful

It's that time of year again when everyone starts talking about thankfulness and blessings. I love the opportunity to stop and reflect on all that I have, all I've been blessed with, especially since the day-to-day can often get in the way of remembering these things as often as I should.

A while back, I blogged about some of my blessings in life and how I was trying hard to remember to be thankful for them every single day, not just taking life for granted. Luanne starting doing that on her blog, with a daily list of gifts she's thankful for. For the entire month of November, Julie has blogged every day about 5 things she's thankful for. What great inspirations, both of them!

This morning I decided to randomly look up a website, just to see what would be there: www.BeThankful.com. It's a quaint little site with some wonderful thoughts and nice reminders, definitely check it out. On the main page I found this quote, which I like very much:

"If the only prayer you ever say in your life is thank you,
it will be enough." (Meister Eckhart)

I'm going to pin this quote up next to my computer, in my car, and on my fridge. May it remind me today, tomorrow, and always, to say THANK YOU for my life, for my blessings, for my gifts. But more than that, let me also remember to spread my blessings to others, even if only in very small ways, and to instill this same idea in my children. On Thanksgiving, my husband, 2 daughters and I will spend a few hours in the afternoon playing BINGO and board games with residents at an assisted living facility near our home. On Thanksgiving Day (and always, really!) I want my family not only to remember how much we have to be thankful for, but to also see how important (and easy) it is to share our blessings with other people. This year, we'll share "family togetherness" with people who don't have their family close for the holiday. Sure, playing BINGO might not change the world, but I already know that Grandma Caroline will be smiling for days after we leave because she "got to hug her little redhead" again. Sometimes, what's a little thing to you makes a big difference to someone else.

Here are just 3 of the things I'm especially thankful for this year. Of course, my family, our health, gainful employment, all those "standard" things apply. Below are three things I didn't have last year at this time, but will be thankful for every day from here on out:
  1. Balance! Though I'd definitely like to work less, commute less, stress less and be with my family more, I have to say that I've struck a pretty decent balance in the last many months. My stress level is not high, my workload (at the office) is not too much, and I feel like family life is pretty good. Sure, I have my days... but no one thing is completely out of whack for any real period of time, and for this I am thankful!
  2. Doing Good. For years and years I've talked about the "difference" I want to make in the world... volunteer work, charitable donations, starting a business or a website to promote either of these things. And, over the years, I have done a little bit of each. However, never as much as I think I should. This year, I reconnected with a great group called CoolPeopleCare, who reminded me that sometimes it's the little things that make a big difference. With this in mind, I've started a Making a Difference group in my housing development (complete with website and volunteer activities for all ages). I've gotten my family involved in "doing good" and this year I'm actually doing and not talking about doing.
  3. Being a non-smoker. I was a pack/day smoker for the better part of 13 years. I have not had a cigarette since September 13. For this, I am thankful!

This year, as you're sitting down for your holiday meal, be thankful not only for the food you're about to eat and the people you're about to share it with... but also all those other daily blessings you have that you might not always remember to count. May they be endless on Thanksgiving and always!

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Girlfriends Get It

There are some things in life that just cannot be explained to a man. They will just never make sense, no matter how obvious they appear to you, the woman. And it's not because there's a "right" or a "wrong," but because -- when it comes to certain things -- they just can't think like we do.

Several months ago, my friends Heather and Joe were visiting from out of town. After dinner, Heather helped to clear the table, neatly stacking dishes in the sink as I put away leftovers. She said to me, "I'll wash them all by hand, but I will not load another woman's dishwasher." This made absolute, perfect sense to me, and I thanked her for her consideration. My husband, on the other hand, got a puzzled look and asked what any man would ask. "Why not?"

"Because," Heather said, "she'll just rearrange them all after I'm gone." You know what? She was right, and I love her for saving me the trouble!

Last month, my best friend from home came to visit for a few days, along with her husband and son. It's the first time she's been to my home in the 4 years we've lived in it. Of course, I made sure there were clean sheets on the guest bed and the bathroom was in order. I even bought some wine. But when she arrived, I told her "I did not clean my house for you." She told me she appreciated the compliment, and that was exactly why we'd been such good friends for so many years. Now tell me, how many men could really get that??

Last week, Luanne blogged about her Ratatouille party. She said in her post: I don't know why we are holding stuffed animals - except they were in the kitchen at the time of the picture. Luanne? Holding stuffed animals in pictures for no apparent reason will never require an explanation when it comes to girlfriends (or sisters or daughters, or pretty much any other women on the planet). Also, I'll have to find/post some of my own "matching PJs" pics 'cause you're right, everything's more fun with your matching PJs on!

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Happiness....

.... is when the only thing bigger than the smile is the glasses.

.... is "going shopping" with your sis.

.... is knowing someone will always keep your spot warm for you.

.... is playing so hard that you can't even keep your eyes open until the end of the show.

.... is two happy little chickens in a basket.

Friday, October 26, 2007

October 27

October 27th... not only is it my 32nd birthday, it's the 17th Annual Make a Difference Day! Make A Difference Day is the most encompassing national day of helping others -- a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors.

Created by USA WEEKEND Magazine, Make A Difference Day is an annual event that takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October. Millions have participated. In 2005, 3 million people cared enough about their communities to volunteer on that day, accomplishing thousands of projects in hundreds of towns.

If you've got even 10 minutes to spare this weekend, check out the Make a Difference Day website for lots more info and great ways you can Make a Difference!

On Saturday, I've recruited some neighbors (along with my husband and kids) to spend time at an assisted living facility near our home. In the morning, we'll be giving the women mini-makeovers and probably singing karaoke. In the afternoon, we'll be calling a game of Bingo! In addition, we're collecting unused eyeglasses and cell phones, empty ink cartridges and canned goods to donate to organizations that can put them to good use.

If you do volunteer, please post a comment to let me know... I'll consider that my birthday gift :-)

Monday, October 22, 2007

Hooray for honesty!

Some will say there aren't many honest people left in this world, but today, I was blessed with several of them.

Around 10am, my mother-in-law called to say she got a phone call from someone looking for me, the woman left her phone # but wouldn't say what she was calling about. I called her back, and it was a woman who works at our local Goodwill store. Seems that someone had turned in a wallet that they'd found on the floor while shopping there, and in the wallet were credit cards with my name on them. The lady at Goodwill looked up the last name in the phone book and got my mother-in-law.

I knew this wallet was missing more than 18 months ago. No idea what happened... if I lost it, left it in an old purse, I just knew I couldn't find it. I knew what cards were in it, cancelled them all and periodically checked that there was no activity. No problems, thank goodness!

Today I went to Goodwill to pick up the wallet and would you believe that every single card was still there?? I thought maybe I'd left it in a purse I'd donated, but the woman at the store told me that the place I donate to ships it's donations to a store to the north, this was to the south. She said it wouldn't have ended up there. But somehow, my wallet ended up on the floor at Goodwill. An honest person picked it up and turned it in. And another honest lady tracked me down and saved it for me. Neither one of them took a single thing. Tell that one to the cynics!

Last time I was at my dermatologist, they told me my deductible was met, I only had to pay 15% of the fee. The woman did some quick punching on her calculator, gave me a total, and I wrote her a check... didn't bother to check the math. Today, I got a check for $12.33 from that office, with a hand-written note from the payment lady there, apologizing for her fat-fingered error on the calculator. Here was my refund. Granted, it was technically my money in the first place, but she found her mistake and got the money back to me within a few weeks, without me noticing or saying a word. How often does that happen?

Two honest people in one day? Both to my benefit? Some days, the little things aren't so little! Hooray for honesty!

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Nice Deed of the Day

(Apologies in advance for the funky spacing on this post, Blogger is NOT cooperating with me today!)
This is Chip. I'll tell you about him in a few minutes...


I mentioned in my last post that I had donated a few dollars to a young man in uniform who was standing at a busy intersection collecting for a new Veteran's Assistance Center here in South Florida. Though I believe it's my duty as a human being who has been blessed with life on this planet to give back as much as I can, I admit that I also do it for selfish reasons, too... it makes me feel good! If you haven't consciously done a nice deed in a while (or even if you did one this morning), I've got some ideas for a few things you can do today, with barely a change in your normal routine, to make yourself feel good and help someone else out at the same time. I challenge you to give one of these a try. If you do, I'd love to hear about it!
*******************************
Ever been on a plane?
If you've ever signed up for a frequent flier program, there's a chance you're sitting on miles that (1) you don't use, or (2) you don't have enough of to buy a ticket. Rather than let them go to waste or use them to buy magazines you don't need, why not donate them to someone who could really use them? After all, 3,287 miles aren't going to get you anyplace... but they could make a huge difference to someone else. Click on one of these airline links for more info on their specific programs and partner charities:
*******************************
Ever have leftovers?
If your family is like mine, a full pound of pasta is too much for one meal but not enough for two. Sadly, we almost never eat leftovers. I've got 2 ideas on what to do with the unused pasta.
  1. If you have a child in the house (or if you're a kid at heart), save out a handful of uncooked pasta (this works best with elbows or ziti.... spaghetti won't work). Find a piece of string and some other small holey items around the house (beads, small pieces of colored paper cut into shapes with a hole punched through the middle, etc.) and let your little one make a necklace. Wrap it in tissue paper and present it as a "just because" gift to a neighbor, friend from church or even the cashier at the grocery store. Watch both your child's and the recipient's face light up at this small act of kindness.
  2. Cook the pasta like you normally would, but package up the leftovers in a disposable container. Pack it in a bag with plastic utensils and some napkins, and give it away. You might know of a homeless person who is always at a specific intersection, or you might have an elderly neighbor who doesn't always get a home cooked meal. Give someone a great dinner tonight that they might not otherwise have.
*******************************
Got kids?
My daughter (she's 4) is in love with her box of crayons. She'll draw pictures till the cows come home and I love every one she makes. The problem? She makes a LOT of them. I have stacks and stacks and stacks of pictures that I can't bear to throw away but don't know what to do with. After wallpapering half the house with her drawings, even framing the "most special" ones, I still have dozens left. A lot of them look exactly the same... this month every picture has a house, a rainbow, a tree, a lake, grass, a sunshine, 2 clouds and a bird. What am I going to do with all these pictures? I'm going to give them away. To a nursing home, maybe the VA hospital, a friend down the road who had surgery and could use a good pick-me-up. Might seem like a small thing, but who's day wouldn't be a little bit brighter when they receive a home made piece of artwork from a little girl with a big heart? Of course, I'll have her sign them all so that some day when she's famous, they can sell the pictures on eBay.
*******************************
Got 5 minutes?
Yes, you do! You really do!! Earlier I said I donated money to a man on a street corner. Though my $2 won't go very far, I've been counting... there's an average of 18 cars stopped at each intersection on my ride home at any given red light. If every car that stopped dropped just 50 cents into that bucket, that guy would collect $9 every 90 seconds. Imagine the cumulative effort of only 1 hour's work? Think of the number of veterans that could be served with the change that's just hanging out in our cupholders. It's this "cumulative effort" theory that stands behind this little guy, my new friend Chip.

Chip is from CoolPeopleCare, an organization I can't say enough wonderful things about. CoolPeopleCare is aiming to be THE online destination for anyone who wants to make a difference, and all it takes is 5 minutes a day. They're full of ideas on how to make your community and your world a better place, things that make a huge cumulative impact but you may never think of on your own. Bookmark the site, or sign up for their daily email newsletter and let them come right to you every day.
Want to learn more? Check out their site, see what they're all about, what they believe. If you like what you see, you can even order a copy of their new book for yourself, or to give to a friend. (I've already preordered five, and will give them as gifts along with some fun stickers and t-shirts).
Come on, take 5 minutes out of your day... you'll be glad that you did!
("Chip" logo used by permission from Sam at CoolPeopleCare)

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

He Already Has

Last night on my way home from work, I was waiting for the green arrow so I could turn left at a very busy intersection. Standing in the median was a young man in uniform, collecting donations for a new Veteran's Assistance Center that's opening up nearby. I flagged him down and he said, "God Bless You" as I dropped a few dollars in his bucket. My response was the same as it always is: "He already has."

I would never call myself a "religious" person, and some might even question how "good" a Christian I actually am... I don't attend church regularly, I've never read the Bible from beginning to end, and I married a Jewish guy. What I hope no one ever questions is that I'm a good person, that I do good things, and that I strive every day to leave the world a nicer place than I found it, whether through my words, my actions, my time, my money, or most importantly, my children. There's another post brewing in my head about "doing good things," but this one is about God.

It frightens me a little bit to blog about God, actually. It's not because I think he'd disapprove, but because I know there are people out there who can do Him a lot more justice, who can probably get it "more right" than I can. So this post is about my relationship with God, my thoughts about God, my opinions and perspectives and random thoughts only.

How many times have I prayed when something is wrong? When I need help? When I need answers? Strength? Healing? Acceptance? How many times have I prayed when something is right? When I don't need anything, except to say "thank you for my blessings?" The former certainly outweighs the latter, but it's something I'm working on every day... saying Thank You to Him for my blessings, and to remember that I truly do have a blessed life.

***********************************

In late 1998, an oncologist said "cancer" and "complete hysterectomy" to me in the same breath. I was 23 years old, engaged, and the rest of that conversation is a blur. God sent me a ladybug, and I fought back. I refused to accept that course of action, and today I have two perfect little girls that remind me daily that I made the right choice. Why did God put cancer in my path? Why did he give me that ladybug to remind me not to give up? Would I have loved my children just as much, been as grateful for them, been as amazed by them every day if I'd never been told I couldn't have them in the first place? Maybe. Or maybe, I would have taken them for granted, would have let my career come first, been just another corporate bee who happened to have kids, instead of a mommy who happens to have another job, too. At the time, I asked God why. Today, I thank him for the lesson and the blessing.

***********************************

When my grandfather passed away unexpectedly in late August 2001, I again questioned God. Grandpa was only in his early 70's. He was a good person. He volunteered his time. He had so few "things" but would give you anything he owned if you needed it. If he didn't have it, he'd borrow it from someone else and loan it to you. I didn't get to say goodbye. Why did this happen? Again, God gave me ladybugs.

On my flight home from his funeral, I took a puddle-jumper plane from central New York into New York City for my connecting flight to Florida. I'd flown in and out of NYC over at least 200 times, I'd seen the city from the air at all times of day, from all directions. This time, though, the plane flew east to the Bronx, and then turned south down the west side of Manhattan. For the first time ever, I got to see Yankee Stadium from the air. (If you've ever been to the stadium -- Yankees fan or not -- you'll know why this is so special.) The people next to me were asleep so I didn't feel guilty about hogging the entire window, my nose almost pressed to the glass. We flew past Central Park, the sun shining through the trees. The light bounced off the top of the Empire State Building before we passed Times Square. I looked in awe at the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, towers I'd been in more times than I could count from working in the building next door for 6 months and taking the WTC subway every day. We flew south past the Statue of Liberty and looped back around before heading into LaGuardia. I'd seen most of this view so many times, but that day, it was as if I was seeing it for the very first time. That memory is cemented in my brain. I wondered at the time if my grandpa had ever seen that view, but realized his view was now much better than my own.

Two weeks later, terrorists brought down those towers. Suddenly, I understood why God called my grandpa when He did, and why the pilot took that route on my flight home. As a part of the Salvation Army's Disaster Relief Team, my grandfather would have been the first one to volunteer to go to Ground Zero. They would have told him he was too old, his health was not stable enough. God knew Grandpa would be a great asset, and decided to use him in His own way to help in the aftermath. There's no doubt in my mind that Grandpa was standing right inside the gates of Heaven when those people arrived, ready to do whatever he could. And that pilot's flight path was also a gift, a "one last look" before the world changed. There are no more questions about "why," only prayers of thanks for the blessings.

***********************************

My husband and I were in the process of having our first home built during my first pregnancy. The house was running behind schedule and we moved in only 6 weeks before my due date. I was anxious to get the nursery done, get all the boxes unpacked, blinds hung and fans installed before the baby arrived. Only two things were left: buy a small TV for the guest room (my parents were planning to visit for a while after the baby was born) and make one last set of curtains (also for the guest room).

It was a Saturday afternoon, the curtains were cut, pinned and ready to sew. My in-laws called with an offer to take us to dinner, then to BrandsMart to pick up the TV. We had a great dinner and were waiting to have the TV loaded into their car when, much to my surprise, my water broke. Well, actually, started to leak. It was too soon! She wasn't due for 3 more weeks and there were things unfinished on my list! I didn't tell anyone until after we'd gotten home and my in-law's left. My husband told me to call the doctor. I wasn't in labor, so I ignored him and instead just to bed.

On Sunday morning (and still not in labor!) I called my mom, who convinced me to call the doctor, who convinced me to go to the hospital to get checked. I cried the whole way. It was too soon! What if she's not fully developed? Who's going to make those curtains? This is not my plan! I asked "why" the whole way there.

After she was born (she was perfectly healthy), I learned that another woman who I knew casually from an online "due date club" during my pregnancy also had her little girl on the very same day. Her daughter didn't want to come out, and mine was 3 weeks early. Why did things not go "right" for either one of us? We started talking more and more frequently about our stories and our little "birthday twins." It's been over 4 years now, and she and I still talk every day. There's not a thing in the world she doesn't know about me, and we're only half joking when we say the other one has half of our own brain. We finish sentences, we know what the other is thinking, and we just "get it." She lives more than half way across the country, and who knows when we'll even get to meet in person. But still, she's my "sister" and one of my very best friends. I used to ask "why" my daughter arrived early, now I thank God for the blessing her early arrival brought to me.

***********************************

I could go on and on (as if I haven't already!), but I'm at a point in my life where things just seem to look more like blessings than problems. There's a silver lining everywhere, a big ole' pot of gold, if I'm just willing to look. Some days that's a lot more difficult than others, and sometimes it takes days, weeks or months to find it, even if it's been in front of my face all along. So today, and everyday, I will do my best to remember to thank God for my blessings, to say Thank You for all that's right in my life, to remember that when it comes to blessing me, He already has... beyond measure.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Nice Matters

Last week, Julie at The Surrendered Scribe gave me my first ever blog award, called "Nice Matters." Wasn't that nice? I had no idea you could get a blog award, but I'm honored and I love it. Now I have the opportunity to pass it on to someone else who makes a difference.

A few months ago, I stopped by one of my favorite sites, called Cool People Care. On that site was a link to a blog called Sixty-Six Days, Luanne's story of the goals she was working on in the 66 days leading up to her 50th birthday. Her goals were not to change the world, but to make some positive impacts in her own life, and the lives of those around her. She ran 2 miles without stopping, she wrote a 30-story book, she lost some weight, and most importantly, she learned a lot about herself. Luanne's blog is a big part of what inspired me to add "Be a Non Smoker" to my 5 Things List.

After her 50th birthday, she started a new blog called Luanne @ 50. I'm enjoying this one just as much. Though the days following her 50th birthday were spent recovering from gall bladder surgery, she's back to jogging again, taking life at her own pace, and figuring out how she'd give away $100,000 if she stumbled across it.

I admit, I'm really bad about posting comments to blogs (I rarely ever do it, even when I'm inspired), but every one of her entries inspires me, or puts a smile on my face, or gives me the little nudge I need to get motivated for something.

So Lu, even though you don't know me, I'd like to pass this award on to you, because Nice really does Matter.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

I am Supergirl

A while back, Pepsi ran a promotion in conjunction with the Superman Returns movie, which included the big Superman "S" logo on the side of their cans. One night we had a friend over for dinner and he was teaching my daughter (who was not quite 3 at the time) that "S" was for Superman. After dinner, the two of them played Superman and Supergirl and for weeks after that, she would ask me, when she saw me drinking a Pepsi, if I was Supergirl, too. I was never sure how to answer, as I never quite felt like Supergirl... but to her, "Supergirl" just meant that I'd put on a pretend cape and pretend to fly around the house with her. To my little girl, I was Supergirl.

If you've read my past few blog posts, you'll know that I have recently quit smoking. This has been a HUGE step for me and though I'm only 2 weeks in, I really believe that finally, this is the time that's going to work for me. I was ready, I was motivated, and I'm doing it! Though I'm a perfectionist at heart and my own most critical reviewer (I always feel like no matter what I've done, I always could have done it a little bit better), I have to admit that with the smoking thing, I feel awesome about myself. There's nothing I could have done better, and I am so stinkin' proud!

This weekend I was shopping at my favorite discount store, on my way to the checkout. As I was walking by the aisle with the pocketbooks, I noticed a display of baseball caps. One in particular caught my attention... it was a navy blue hat with a big pink "S" logo on the front. Supergirl. The front of the brim was intentionally frayed in a few places, exposing pink underneath. Made the hat look loved and worn. It was a hat a young person would wear. This hat was cool!

I intended to keep walking toward the checkout, but I couldn't. I had to go see the hat. $9. Not bad. I picked it up. I tried it on. I found a mirror to see how it looked. I put it back. I picked it up again. Why couldn't I put this hat down? The debate started in my head:

"You really don't need another hat."

"But this hat is cute! I love this hat!"

"Superman? You've never even seen the movie!"

"I just got a raise and quit smoking. I deserve a treat. And besides, this hat is only $9. What's the big deal here?"

"Daughter is going to take this hat from you, you'll never get to wear it anyway."

"Fine, so if she loves it that much, I'll come back and buy her one, too."

I bought that hat. Of course, once I get started, I can't stop myself. I also picked up a $6 pink t-shirt to match it. Mind you, I've never really been a fan of pink. Too girly. But lately, I've been drawn to it. A few weeks ago, I even let Daughter (now age 4) talk me into buying a pink cell phone when I went to get my old one replaced. My sister just sent me a pink purse. And now, I choose a hat with a pink Superman logo, and then a pink t-shirt, too? What's going on with me?

So I take the Supergirl hat home. I put it on to show Hubby. I'm feeling pretty darn hip in this hat, I have to say. "You bought a ripped hat?" he asks me.

"Yes, I think it looks cool." He rolls his eyes, but admits the hat is nice.

I got thinking about it more and I've decided that this really is the perfect hat for me. Yes, folks, I am Supergirl. And not only to my 4-year-old. I am Supergirl to myself, and it feels pretty darn good. Though I've got some visible frays and scars on the outside, underneath is a beautiful person. On the outside I may be plain and not overly girly, but I am strong and amazing underneath. And right there in the middle, for everyone to see? Supergirl.

After quitting smoking I know this more than ever: I am capable of anything. I might not be invincible, but I know I can face any challenge head-on and nothing is too big to get through. I might fall down and get a few scrapes, but underneath, I am still strong and determined and yes, sometimes girly. Yes, I am Supergirl.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

The Good, The Bad and The (hopefully not so) Ugly

My husband often asks me, "which do you want first, the good news or the bad news?" I usually ask for the bad news first, with the hope that the good news is so good, the bad news won't matter. Today, though, I'll start with the good news first, because it's just too good to wait for!

As I've posted before, I'm working on a goal to "Be a Non-Smoker." Yesterday was my last day as a smoker. Today, I am a non-smoker. Wow, that was easy... yesterday I was a smoker, and today I am not. Clearly, it remains to be seen if I'm still a non-smoker this afternoon, and tomorrow, and next week and next month, but at least for right now, in this moment, I am a non-smoker.

Unlike with weight loss (something I know a lot of people struggle with and may be able to relate to more than smoking), I can just "declare" myself a non-smoker and as long as I don't light up, then I get to be just that. With weight loss, I can't just declare myself thin and be done with it. For me (as a smoker), this is the good news... I say it, and it's done! Easy as pie.

Of course, there's bad news, too... it's not really as simple as "just don't light up" anymore. Even with The Magic Pill I'm taking to help me, I still feel the signs of withdrawal (headache, inability to concentrate as much for a long period of time, etc.) and the habits are ingrained (reach for a smoke when I get in the car, when I'm hungry, before a long conference call is about to begin for work, etc.). So, the bad news is that I still have to work at not lighting up, and I know it'll be a rough row to hoe, but I'm ready!

With The Good and The Bad usually comes The Ugly, which may well be how I'm acting a few days from now (Quit Day 3 has historically been the hardest for me). However, for now I choose to focus on The Good (I'm a non-smoker) and will mitigate The Bad (cravings and withdrawal) as it comes, in order to avoid The Ugly. Look how much progress I've made already:

Within X time after my last cigarette (last night at 10:02pm):
  • 20 minutes - My blood pressure, pulse rate, and the temperature of my hands and feet all returned to normal.
  • 12 hours - My blood oxygen level has increased to normal and carbon monoxide levels have have dropped to normal.
And I've got this to look forward to:
  • 48 hours - Damaged nerve endings will have started to regrow and my sense of smell and taste will begin to return to normal.
  • 72 hours - My entire body will test 100% nicotine-free and over 90% of all nicotine metabolites will now have passed from my body. I can also expect the symptoms of chemical withdrawal to have peaked in intensity. My bronchial tubes will have begun to relax thus making it easier to breathe. My lung capacity will have also started to increase.
  • 10 days to 2 weeks - My body will have physically adjusted to again functioning without nicotine and the more than 3,500 chemical particles and 500 gases present in each and every puff.
  • 2 weeks to 3 months - My heart attack risk will have started to drop. My lung function will have started to improve.
  • 3 weeks to 3 months - My circulation will have substantially improved. Walking will have become easier. Any smoker's cough will have disappeared.
  • 1 to 9 months - Any smoking related sinus congestion, fatigue or shortness of breath will have decreased. Cilia will have regrown in my lungs, thereby increasing their ability to handle mucus, keep my lungs clean, and reduce infections. My body's overall energy will have increased.
  • 1 year - My excess risk of coronary heart disease will have dropped to less than half that of a smoker.
  • 5 to 15 years - My risk of stroke will have declined to that of a non-smoker.
  • 10 years - My risk of death from lung cancer will have declined by almost half . My risk of cancer of the mouth, throat and esophagus will have decreased.
  • 15 years - My risk of coronary heart disease will be that of a person who has never smoked.

Source: WhyQuit.com

Friday, September 7, 2007

Gap Analysis

In my 9-5 job, I work as a consultant. As consultants, we use lots of fancy-schmancy words (such as "deliverable" and "workobject" and "prioritization queue") in order to make ourselves sound important. Unfortunately, some of these words carry over into my "other" jobs (wife, mother, etc.) to the point that my husband often teases me that he can't do a home improvement project unless I first present to him "a design deliverable, in Power Point, with system flows and required signoffs."

If you've happened to read my other blog, you know that one of the things I'm working on in my personal life is to Be a Non Smoker. I've spent a good part of the past few weeks thinking about and planning for this goal, and in doing so, another fancy-schmancy term from work keeps ringing in my head, over and over again: Gap Analysis

What's a gap analysis? It's a simple concept, really. My job is basically to help large corporations improve their business and technology processes and infrastructure. To do this, the first step is to determine the current process and procedures. We call this the "as is." (Duh!) Next step is to determine how you want things to work in the future. We call this the "to be." (Again, duh!) The gap analysis is just what it sounds like... a long, hard look at the difference (gap) between what you have today and what you want to have tomorrow. (No, it's really not rocket science, but don't tell that to the people that hire us "consultants!") After that comes the "workplan," wherein you lay out all the detailed steps on how to get from "as is" to "to be," thus closing off the gap.

So as I've been thinking about "Be a Non Smoker," I've been doing some soul searching about why now, finally, is the time for me to do this and do it right. There are all the obvious reasons about why it's a good idea to stop smoking... it's unhealthy, it smells bad, etc. But I've tried to quit (with varying degrees of success) more times than I can count and every time I've quit, I've started back up again. Unhealthy and smelly don't seem to be enough to make me quit for good. I needed more than that. Enter my own personal gap analysis.

What it boils down to is that my "to be Kat" is not someone who smokes. She's not someone who relies on chemicals or settles for "I can't do it because it's too hard." This is not to say I'm a wuss... I've overcome pretty much everything else "bad" in my life, and I don't settle for much less than perfection in most things... but this smoking thing keeps kicking my butt, over and over again.

There are lots of other things I'd like to change about myself, some of them small and some of them big. Short of hitting the lottery, quitting my job and moving to a remote island in the South Pacific, some of them will never happen, and that's OK with me. It's a balance I need to find and accept for myself on which of the "as is" things can be incorporated into my life in a "this is OK with me" sort of way, which things I can change, and what a realistic, affordable "to be" looks like. My gap analysis is a work in progress (and the workplan is still in very early draft mode), but it's something I've been giving more and more thought to. What can I improve? What can I afford? What gives me the most bang for my buck vs. what might "cost" more (not necessarily in terms of money) but has the best CBA (cost benefit analysis -- another consulting buzzword).

Not sure where my gap analysis will lead me, though in my mind I'm working on an honest picture of my "as is" and thinking through what's a realistic, achievable "to be." I may or may not post more on it here, and these things may or may not end up on my 5 Things list. But... it's a great, honest, introspective exercise and if you haven't ever tried it, it's something you might also think about doing.

Though it's a lot of work (mentally, emotionally and maybe, even physically) to start tackling my "to be Kat" list, I hope that even when this exercise is done, there will be more to add. After all, what fun would life be if you knew that this is as good as it's going to get? There's always more to work on, always a way to improve, always a "next thing." My next thing is to Be a Non Smoker.... what's yours?

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Perspective

Saturday was a crazy day in our house, as Saturdays always are. 4-year-old fell asleep in the car on the way home from dance class registration (she's going to be a ballerina, you know). We let her sleep, but that meant lunch was late - not until around 2:30.

Sitting around the kitchen table to a feast of Kraft mac & cheese with hot dogs, lovingly prepared by my husband, we were surrounded by the sounds of total chaos. 4-year-old (who refuses to eat mac & cheese) had a sandwich in front of her, made from her very favorite things: ham, cheese, ranch dressing (instead of mayo) and multi-grain bread. Alone, she'd devour any one of them in an instant. But stack them together and convince her to take a bite? It would be less painful to have my teeth pulled without Novocain. She was having a melt-down.

1-year-old, who is more than happy to eat anything and everything in sight, was busy launching macaroni and hot dogs off the tray of her high chair and onto the floor, all the while screaming because Hubby refused to hand her a bottle full of water he was drinking from.

Doggie was hiding under the table, trying to stay out of the middle of all this, though occasionally venturing out to gobble all the food that was landing on the floor in front of him. Hubby and I, trying to hear each other over the screaming, were trying to figure out what we did in life to deserve the constant drama. We deserved a vacation, we decided. Better yet, a nap.

Hubby and I spent the rest of the weekend trying to navigate the waters of our busy, insane, LOUD household, and made frequent comments to each other about what a zoo our place was. In spite of the fact that 1-year-old is truly the happiest, cutest child to ever walk (er, crawl) the face of the earth (biased? me?), she is a complete and total menace. A true troublemaker and into everything, I think her motto in life must be "the louder and messier, the better." 4-year-old, who happens to be amazingly beautiful and much smarter and more articulate than the "average" 4-year-old (again, no bias!), is also the most dramatic person I have ever met in my life. There is no such thing as black & white with her... it's all very complex shades of gray, which she will explain to you in excruciating detail, and then sob like she's lost her best friend when her own perspective is even half a shade off from yours. By Monday morning, I think Hubby and I were both almost relieved to go back to work.

And then on Monday, I read about Miles.

Click on the link, read his story. If you're short on time, this one from Anderson Cooper (of CNN) sums it up the best. Trust me, it'll help you put your life in perspective, and very, very quickly.

Last night, Hubby again made a comment about the insanity that is our life together. I'll tell you, like I told him... I'm glad for the insanity. I'm thankful for the togetherness. I'm grateful for the time we have, insane or not, and never again will I wish myself away from it, even for a nano-second.

"The way I see it, we're not entitled to one breath of air. We did nothing to earn it, so whatever we get is bonus. I might be more than a little disappointed with the hand I've been dealt, but this is what it is. Thinking about what it could be is pointless. It ought to be different, that's for sure, but it ain't. A moment spent moping is a moment wasted." - Miles Levin

Read the article. Get some perspective. Then go on enjoying your amazing, blessed life. I know that I sure will.

Thursday, August 2, 2007

At what age?

Here in the U.S., we drive on the right side of the road. (Well, drunk celebrities don't count... we're talking about average people here.) On a road with 2 driving lanes, the right is the "average speed" lane and the left lane is for passing. On a road with 3 or more driving lanes, the right lane is for the slow-pokes, the middle is for average speed, and the left, well, still the passing lane.

This morning on my way to work (3 lane highway), I watched a giant white Cadillac enter the highway from an on-ramp on the right side of the road. Rather than staying in the right lane until he picked up speed and could safely move left, he proceeded to cut across the right lane, then the middle lane, then into the left lane, paying absolutely NO attention to the fact that he was cutting people off and going about 30 mph slower than everybody else while doing so. A car in the right lane honked at him, a car in the middle lane had to swerve to avoid him, and I (in the left lane) had to slam on my breaks to avoid rear-ending him as he cut me off and then proceeded to break until he was down to a speed of about 40 mph... on a road with a 65 mph speed limit.

Once my heart started beating again (flashback to car accident in February), I signaled, checked my mirrors and blindspot, and moved to the middle lane to pass him. Peeked into his car as I passed and guess what? Old man. Ooooooold man.

OK, so I understand that for much of this man's life, roads were probably not as big, highways not as fast. But as far as I know, the right lane has always been the slow lane, and it's never been safe to cut straight across 3 lanes of traffic on a highway without looking or being at a safe speed. I'm assuming that at some age, this man did indeed know the rules of the road, and maybe even followed them. So riddle me this... At what age do you suppose he decided those rules stopped applying to him?? I need to know this, so I can warn the Department of Motor Vehicles to stop renewing my license when I reach that age, because clearly, I'll feel I'm too invincible to stop myself.

Here's another one... my daughter (almost age 4) decided about a year ago to give up naps. She went from napping 3-4 hours in the afternoon to nothing at all. Cold turkey. There are days that I do the bad mom thing, and I bribe her.... if you take a nap, I'll give you candy! No? How about ice cream? Cake? Cash? (Sometimes a mom just needs a break, you know!) This was not working, so I'd instead ask if she wanted to watch her baby sister and finish the laundry, and I'd take a nap for her. She always agreed, and if she was tall enough to reach the buttons on the washing machine, I probably would have actually made the trade. For me, a nap is a precious commodity. There are days that I think I would actually cut off a limb to have few uninterrupted hours of sleep in the middle of the afternoon. At what age, do you suppose, does a nap go from being torture to your greatest goal in life?? I need to know this, so I can plan now for the time when my children (both) actually want to nap, so I can take one, too!

Even though I said I'd cut off a limb for a nap, I know that I can't actually just crawl under my desk in the middle of the afternoon to take one. I prop my eyes open with toothpicks and hook up my caffeine IV drip when I have to... but I know that I'm not allowed to just go to sleep whenever or wherever I want. Which brings me back to the old people...

Ever notice an old person asleep at a time or in a place that seems completely inappropriate? Like at 10am in church, or 1pm at a restaurant, or while in mid conversation with someone? (Wait, does that only happen when people are talking to me?!) I was once working late at a client site years ago, doing a final review (with a US Government client) on a document that was scheduled to be presented to the US Congress the next morning on the agency's Year 2000 Readiness plans. "Bob, what do you think of this line, should we change it? Bob? Bob???" Zzzzzzzz...... Sound asleep he was, head down on the conference table in a room full of executives. Need I tell you he was old?

At what age do I get to stop caring about if it's actually appropriate to fall asleep at any time, at any place, and just get to give in to the urge? I need to know this because some days, I feel really old, and also very, very tired. I need to know when I qualify...

Anyone with answers, please leave a comment. I don't wish to be old, but I do really, really wish for the nap!

Saturday, July 28, 2007

The Members Project

OK, maybe a cheap plug since I work there, but if you happen to be an American Express Cardmember (or have ever thought of becoming one), check this out... what a great way to do a little bit of good...

*************

Presenting The Members Project (SM), an exciting initiative that brings American Express® Cardmembers together to do something good for our world. Join Cardmembers across the country to vote for one incredible idea. On August 7, American Express will bring it to life with anywhere from $1 million to $5 million in funding. Which idea will it be? The decision is yours. Cast your vote at www.membersproject.com.


Thursday, July 5, 2007

Broken Record

I went back and re-read some of more recent posts. Gosh, do I sound like a broken record or what?!? "Wonderful husband, wonderful kids, wonderful dog, nice house, blah, blah, blah." While it's all true, the intent of this blog was never to brag about my wonderful life. In fact, I started it for reasons very different than that!


Strange, though, how over time, it's sort of turned in to that. At first, I was a bit annoyed. Not annoyed that I have a wonderful family, but that this blog has become, well, sappy! Yeesh! At one point, it even took me nearly a month to blog because I couldn't come up with a "problem" to blog about. Most people might think that's a good thing, and here I was all annoyed about it. What's wrong with me?!? (Wait, don't answer that...)


As I've mentioned before, I have a very long commute, and my commute time is spent thinking and pondering. If I've had a bad day, I try to decompress before getting home to my "real" life. If I haven't, and I'm not obsessing about the office, I make to-do lists or plan DIY projects or come up with blog ideas. I've really be struggling to come up with blog topics lately, though, because, get this... my life is so good. Huh??


Don't get me wrong, I still have my share of stress and frustration and problems. We all do. But somehow, some way, over the past few months, I've noticed a real change in myself. It's a change I've hoped for, prayed about, and desired for as long as I can remember. A change for the better. A change to be a more relaxed person, a happier person. To really exemplify my favorite motto: Live, Laugh, Love


I'm not sure how it happened, what changed. I'm not sure what triggered it, but I've realized all of a sudden that BAM! I've started to become that person. That infamous happy person. Not just content, but actually happy. Don't get me wrong, you'll never see me bubbly, and I'll never be a Type B. But wow, what a change I see in myself. I like it, I really like it!


There's no moral to this particular post, which started out to be an apology for being so sappy lately. Instead, it's just to point out something I've learned about myself recently, something I've been working on for a really long time. It really is possible to live a life where the "stuff" of life doesn't control you. It really is possible to balance a career, a family, and your own sanity level. It really is possible to have everything you need in life, and to appreciate it for what it is. Wow. Just wow!


So, no apologies for sounding like a broken record, just a statement that I realize I might. But, for very good reasons, me thinks!


I guess now that I've got all that out of the way, I should start working on some different blog post ideas... maybe I'll start with Obama. :-)

Proud to be.... Me

What a nice treat to have a day off in the middle of the week, don't you think? The Monday holidays are nice, as long weekends are good for travel and Sunday BBQs (since you don't need to go anywhere on Monday). But for me, the long weekends usually end up being just that... loooooooong weekends. You know, just one more day of doing chores and errands and other "necessary" stuff that makes the weekend less fun that it should be.

Since having a mid-week day off is such a rare treat, I decided to treat the 4th as a Freebie Day, instead of just one more day of chores and errands... everyone would get to do what they wanted to do, and not what was on Mom's to-do list.

For my (almost) 4-year-old, that meant 3 hours of playing dress-up in the morning, followed by a trip to the pool with Daddy. For my 1-year-old, that meant wreaking havoc all over the house, making messes, and eating, with a short break for a morning nap. For Hubby, that meant watching the History Channel and sports, while children crawled on his lap and asked, "Do you love my ballerina outfit, Daddy?" For me, that meant tackling thing #1 on my Next 5 Things list, cleaning out my craft closet.

The day went really well, and was capped off by both kids taking very long naps, which further facilitated the TV watching for hubby and the closet organizing for me. Woo hoo, what a day!!

Both kids fell asleep late in the afternoon, and were still asleep at 8:45pm. We had promised the 4-year-old a 4th of July picnic while watching the fireworks, so Hubby and I woke up both kids for our promised Family Fun Time.

Fireworks are legal in Florida (you can buy them from giant tents on every street corner), so lots of people put on their own shows. We have a really great setup in our house, in that our master bedroom (on the 2nd floor) has a 9-foot picture window from which we can see fireworks shows for 3 neighboring towns, plus all the fireworks the neighbors are doing. We've decided that, at least until the kids are older, our master bedroom is the best vantage point for the displays.

Our "picnic" was set up on our bed, a king size, so plenty of room for 2 parents, 2 kids and a dog. We spread out a blanket and feasted on chicken nuggets, Cheerios and popcorn. This was an especially good treat for the kids on two counts... eating on the bed and also, no vegetables!

My 4-year-old oohed and aahed at the fireworks, and proudly announced the color of each. "Did you see that big purple one, Mom? Hey Dad, there was a giant green one!" The baby, well, she did what she does best... ate and smiled and ate and smiled and ate some more. I popped in a Lee Greenwood CD, belted out "Proud to be an American" (one of my favorites) and taught my 4-year-old about the meaning of July 4th, how it's America's birthday.

I'm about as patriotic as they come. I donate to military organizations, proudly display the flag and look for ways to better my country. I won't get in to all of it here, but I really, truly am proud to be an American, and I don't take the freedoms I enjoy for granted.

At one point, I went downstairs to get a drink and when I came back up and walked into the bedroom, I found my husband and my 2 girls dancing in front of the window to the music of the Lee Greenwood CD. The big one was laughing at Daddy trying to remember all the words, the little one was laughing because the big one was laughing, and Hubby was laughing because the girls both were. I don't think they knew I was there, but I stood in the doorway and watched them dance and smile and laugh until the song was over. This, folks, is what I'm most proud of... this display of love and happiness, right in my very own home. The 4th of July is great, the fireworks are spectacular, and it's a good time to stop and celebrate all that we, as Americans, have been blessed with. But as I watched my family watching those fireworks, I was reminded of all that I have to be proud of not only on the 4th of July, but every single day of the year. I'm married to a wonderful man, we have 2 wonderful children (and a wonderful dog, too!). We've got food to eat and a house to live in, and enough money in the bank to pay all the bills. I credit a lot of this to the fact that we are Americans, that we have the freedom to make our own choices, and that we have chosen wisely... in our educations, our careers and in each other. But there's a part of me that's going to be even more selfish than that, and say that I had a lot to do with this, too. I'm so proud to be who I am... a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend. And watching the three people I love most dance and try to sing along reminded me to stop and remember that, not just on the 4th of July, but every single day. I hope you stop to think about all you have, not only because you're an American, but because you worked for it and you deserve it. I encourage you to be a Proud American, but also to be a Proud You.

Sunday, July 1, 2007

My Next Five Things

In a rare moment of quiet this Sunday afternoon, I decided to do a little blog-surfing and ran into a blog called My Next Five Things. Smitten with the idea behind this blog, I decided to join the 5things Network and start another blog of my own, called Kat's Next Five Things. Check it out, and perhaps you'll also be inspired to start on your own Next Five Things!

PS - I'll still be posting on this blog, too, so don't delete your bookmark!

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Insanity

Several people have asked me when my next blog is coming. Well, here it is! Yes, it's been a while since I posted, but I like to take my time mulling over my thoughts before I write them. Several weeks ago, I had an idea for a blog about the emotional baggage so many of us seem to carry around with us all the time, and why it's not as easy to lose our "baggage" as it is for an airline to lose our luggage. A week into mulling this over, I came down with a cold, which turned into strep throat, fever, dehydration, the whole "knock me on my butt" thing. I was down for the count for almost 2 weeks and I sort of put the blog out of my mind. Now that I'm feeling better, though, I'm just not "feeling" that particular blog post anymore. Back to the drawing board for me!

As I was thinking about what to blog next, I came to the conclusion that I had nothing to blog about. It's not that I don't have a million thoughts going on in my head, it's that I don't have anything deep or troubling or insightful to say right now. And then it occurs to me, why do I have to have issues before I can blog something? Why not blog on the "everyday" stuff, too?

So here it is, a blog about my insanity.

When I say insanity, I'm not talking about the clinical definition. I'm talking about all the "stuff" of life that, if you let it, will make you feel like you're losing your mind. I'm talking about those times that, if you don't decide to just laugh, you might instead end up having a nervous breakdown. My husband and I had one of those moments last Friday night.

Fridays I work from home. It's a beautiful thing, since my commute to the office is 60 miles each way. After getting hubby and the kids out the door, I have about an hour of "free" time before my work day begins. Most days, I actually work during this time, but once in a while I use the time to do laundry, clean, etc. Last Friday, I used that hour to vacuum all my floors downstairs (all tile) and pick up the kids' playroom.

Friday night is pizza night at our house, and we'd settled in for dinner around 7pm, since that's when hubby and the kids get back home. As we were trying to corral the kids over to the table before dinner got cold, hubby and I both looked at each other and said, "I'm not even hungry." Apparently, neither were the kids. The little one (1 year old) was busy pulling everything she could find out of drawers and cabinets all over the house, the dog was scratching and getting black hair all over the newly-cleaned floors, and the big one (almost 4) was dumping out bins of blocks, dolls and crayons all over the playroom. So much for our relaxing evening and my nice clean house!

It was definitely one of those moments where, had I let it, I could have crumbled to the floor in defeat at my day (week?) not going how I'd planned... my clean house now in shambles again, dinner getting cold on the table, and an impending weekend of family events and other commitments. But, at the very same moment, hubby and I just looked at each other and laughed. "This place is insane!" I said to him. "Yes," he replied, "but it's our insanity and I love it!"

You know what, he was right. We laughed and hugged and smiled at our insane kids, our insane dog, our insane house and our cold pizza. Sometimes, you just need to take a step back and realize that even when it's insane, it's yours. The fact that we have 2 beautiful kids (crazy as they are), a beautiful home, a really cool dog and dinner on the table... can anyone really ask for more? Insane or not, it's our life, and it's a beautiful one. It's a blessed one. It's one not to be taken for granted.

So next time life gets crazy, when you feel like rolling your eyes or beating your fists or crumbling to the floor, stop and look at it from a different perspective. It might be crazy, but certainly it's never boring, hopefully it's even a little bit fun. Live it to the fullest, laugh about it when you can, and love it no matter what. You only get one go-round in this world, so try your best enjoy every insane moment of it. Sometimes, it's the insane ones that matter the most.