Thankful

It is the start of Thanksgiving week. We've seen post after post on social media this month about being thankful and the week has finally arrived. 

Many years ago, I decided that every day, I would remember why I am thankful...and grateful. It has worked pretty well and I almost never forget to stop, ponder, and remind myself that I am a lucky gal.

Life isn't roses. I have said that before and I will say it again. There are days that are really, really hard and sometimes those days turn into weeks. With that said, every day that all four of us wake up and go to bed is a success and I remind myself of that every day.

This year, I am especially thankful for so many things.

We were fortunate to get pregnant right away with Jackson. It took a year with Karson. We didn't talk about it much outwardly but it was hard. It had been so easy the first time and I am very impatient so waiting and hoping were hard. It was November 1 when we found out I was pregnant. So, one year ago, I was finally pregnant and hoping that things went well (I had had a chemical pregnancy while trying). I am so thankful for Karson. He is such a joy and I can't imagine life without him.

I am really, really thankful for our family/friends. I don't currently have a relationship with my parents. I could talk about it and maybe some day I will but for now, I want all of you to know that you make our lives so special and that you are our family. We don't have much of a relationship with Jason's family either. We don't have grandparents who can watch the kids when we need time off. But, we have some special people that help us day in and day out and I am so thankful for them.

I see lots of articles about social media driving us apart but on the flip side, Facebook has been wonderful for us. Our friends and out of town family can watch our kids grow and can track things. Just last week, a very special friend brought a ton of train stuff to us for Jackson. She may not have known his passion for Thomas without FB. This isn't a new scenario for us. It has happened over and over. 

See, the people in our lives are there for a reason and they have become our family. Blood relation isn't as important as the actual relationship. We currently have friends that are as much family as any of our blood relatives and I am so thankful for them. My girlfriends are my sisters and they know who they are and that I would do anything for them. That is because I know they'll do anything for me and be there whenever I need them.

I am thankful for Jason. It has been a wild year. We got pregnant, I quit my job, I started a new job, I committed myself to boards and committees, had a baby, and am now starting to train for some long distance races and he is so ridiculously supportive. He has taken on a great deal of "daddy" duty and truly splits time with the children so that I can pursue so many things. He is my best friend and I can never thank him enough for the love and support he provides me.

So, in 2013, I am very thankful. We are healthy and happy. We are finding our way as a family of 4. We are looking ahead to the future. 

Happy Thanksgiving friends!

Looking for Champions for Change

When did we become so selfish and self-centered? When did we lose our ability to say "please," "thank you," and other common courtesy phrases. With that said, when did we stop having common courtesy?

I was standing in line at A.C. Moore on Saturday. Karson was asleep in the car seat in the cart. I had moved to the end of the cart to run my credit card. Apparently, I wasn't moving fast enough because the woman behind me bumped the cart. Twice. Yes, twice. With my baby right there in her face. Literally in her face. The car seat sits right about eye level in those carts. The issue is that I was moving as fast as I could. I wanted to get out quick because the longer we stand still, the more likely it is that Karson will wake up.

When I left, I did what we all do. I went to Facebook. I asked friends for stories and opinions and I got several.

I discovered that we are bothered by an array of issues. I noticed a pattern. We almost all agreed that it would be great if people said "excuse me" once in awhile. And I don't mean saying "excuse me" after someone has bumped into you. If you bump someone then just say, "I am sorry. Excuse me."

I believe that it boils down to selfishness. We are out for ourselves. We don't care about others. Shake your head if you want but it is true. When did we lose the concept of personal space? We are in such a hurry to check out that we creep up on the person in front of us. The woman at the grocery store on Sunday was less than 6 inches from me while I signed my credit card slip. Why? It isn't going to make the cashier move any faster. He can't do anything until I hand him my slip. And, if you are in my way and hovering then I can't reach him anyway.

We get so mad if someone calls us "ma'am" or "sir" but I think of it as a sign of respect. It doesn't make me feel old to be called "ma'am" because I was raised to call everyone that I respect either "ma'am" or "sir." Years ago while working at a local YMCA, I had a co-worker rip me a new one because I called her "ma'am." She was so mean about it that I almost cried. 

I could go on and on. I could post all of the notes from Facebook. We could really go on a tirade here and start calling people out. That doesn't do us any good.

Why not start a movement? Why not be a champion for change? That whole "pay it forward" thing - why don't we "pay it forward" with kindness and compassion and common courtesy.

This week, let's try a few things:
Say excuse me when you bump someone.

Don't stand close enough to bump someone in the first place.

Say please and thank you.

Hold the door open for someone.

Respect personal space (at least 2 feet between you and the next person).

Our children, our friends, our colleagues, and our families mimic what happens around them. It happens naturally. If you bring back common courtesy then those around you will do the same. 

Be the leader and promote the change this holiday season.

Now, if you'll please excuse me, I need to get some sleep. Goodnight friends.

Where have I been?

I started this blog with so much gusto. I think my first post colorfully told the story of a massive toddler diaper blowout and a day filled of ups and downs and overall silliness in the grand scheme of life. I was compelled to tell the world about the day.

I have been hit or miss lately with writing.I am really not sure why. It may be lack of time. Juggling a second kid leaves little time to write or really even think given the rest of my commitments. Maybe it is because I switched careers and don't want clients or potential clients to read poop stories. Maybe it is because I have had some serious writer's block. Maybe it is because I am out living life and not as drawn to the internet and computer as I once was....

It sounds like my absence is a culmination of many factors.

Life is fun....

But, life is hard...

We have this beautiful baby who is growing up too fast already and who has a smile that melts my heart every single time. We have this beautiful pre-schooler who is growing up too fast and who has a smile that also melts my heart every single time. He is also totally infuriating about 100 times a day. Love him but he is stubborn, strong willed, smart, and isn't intimidated easily (I can't imagine where he gets these traits).

Having a pre-schooler is hard. They ask questions and you can't just throw out an answer. Why not? Because your answer will come back to you and it may be glorious or it may be all sorts of wrong. You never know how your child is interpreting what you say so you have to answer every single question with a good deal of thought. The positive side is that it has really made us consider how we answer every single question and how we respond to every single situation. Having a young child is really helping us with our professional lives.

Work is good. I have a great schedule and a great boss who allows me to split time between work and home and who allows me to work a lot or a little depending on client load and my personal life needs. We have really cool clients and I have learned so much in such a short time.

I am finally getting back into running and training. It has been much, much harder this time around. Things after Jackson were so easy. I was running 10 mile long runs within about 12 weeks of his birth. To date, 4.15 is my longest run. My hips hurt, I suck wind, and overall, running hasn't been fun. The fall down the stairs and the potential broken tailbone probably didn't help me but I am hopeful to be back on track.  Luckily, I have been able to hit the elliptical daily and do a lot of yoga.

I am still committed to boards and committees and volunteer activities a plenty. I like that part of my life. I like giving back to this awesome community that has given us so much.

I plan to get back to writing. I hope to write a book one day and I feel like this blog may be a way to start the process.

I also plan to get back to teaching. I had a long talk with myself in the woods today on my run and I was meant to teach, coach, and educate our community on health and wellness. So, look out because I am a woman on a mission.

So, if you like my writing then you should be seeing more of it. It is a great release and I really want to charm you with stories of poop, smiles, laughter, running, exercise, and more.

Stay tuned.