Showing posts with label lists2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lists2012. Show all posts

Saturday, February 25, 2012

gratefulness list!


isn't she sweet...
a friend gave her to me
and i am grateful.

it's been a while but here are the gratefulness notes from this past week:

being unemployerd
the power of prayer
an ear on the other end of the phone
seeing blue sky
a perfect novel
life line texts and phone calls
successful birthday present giving
fresh bread
sleep in's
the irises are waking up
caleb's pizza recipe written in his own handwriting
hopeful thinking
hospice care
my dear owen
cinamon buns
tea with a friend
the colour pink
clean bedrooms
hearing people's future plans
handmade writing paper
blustery winds
poetry by mail
visits with little people
bright yellow nail polish


Tuesday, February 14, 2012

a love list.


warm hugs when feeling cold
affectionate glances from across the room
little notes found unexpectedly
back rubs
being brought warm tea
vanilla scented candles
warm hands slipping into yours when out for a walk
(especially teeny, tiny hands of small ones)
deep sighs over tea dates because you both get how "it" feels
unexpected splashed of red when you least expect them
confetti
(i love confetti)
love making that looks like dishes and vacuuming and grocery shopping
candy hearts with secret messages
turning a "holiday" into a daily practice
special love packages to be delivered
photographs that capture true connection
heart doodles
i love you texts from the curly haired girl
heart shaped pancakes with maple syrup
love cookies
teenage boys awkwardly searching for a way to belong
love letters to ourselves
the little acts of kindness that go on everyday right in front of us
lollipop moments

i sure do love love



Friday, February 3, 2012

grateful for so much...


the sun shone so brightly this morning, john did a kefir drop off for me, owen's daily call, meals planned out so i don't have to think so much this week, powerful friendship stories.

dishes done, stew bubbling, sunshine burning through the clouds, my mom driving me to treatment, hannah's positive feedback on her english assignments, having a very talented husband who can snake drains, a happy hannah.

laughing and singing in the car, a kiss! a spontaneous kiss! company for couch sitting, the calming that comes from scissors, paper and glue, owen making it home safely at the end of a work day, knowing at some level that this upset within me is just the medicine talking, feeling baby in Dorothea's tummy.

power came back on in time for the start of the day, the sound of small ones playing in the neighbourhood, glorious blue sky and sunshine, berry tea, library outing, suprise tea date with jenn, warm sun through the windows.

mail from a friend, we are a team, our bed is so warm, hot baths, reading poetry, discovering the fun of the second draft with a thesaurus beside me, the girl chose to listen.

blueberries in kefir, the ritual of morning tea and coffe, owen has a home day, all the beds are full, time spent with a dear friend, steaks marinating for the men, a Tejan visit, root veggie chips, poetry date night.

therapeutic journaling, gid went for a run, a very quiet house, the lost was found, watching BABIES, laughing, the dishwasher worked today.

she got up on her own, talking things out with Gid is always good, a clean kitchen, ate applesauce, clean slipcovers, discovered Julie daniluck, picked up a yoga brochure, sister chats while driving to East Sooke, yoga.

post yoga muscles, a bubble bath in the middle of the afternoon, sally ann finds, new babies, brave acts all over the place.

honeybees, tea notes, people who save seeds, new inspiration, sudden backyard blanket party, cotton ball clouds, art journaling, the talking of the chickens, driving time with Gid.


Saturday, January 21, 2012

this week's gratitude...



beautiful, soft snow. such a quiet morning. bread rising. art journaling. celebrating Thad's birthday.caring for Caleb.warm hoodies. tylenol. warm hands from washing dishes. a random dime from a stranger. indie stores with quotes handwritten on the walls.

instagram conversations. refund money. snow photo shoot. boys sledding and snowball fighting. candlelight.a happier Tejan according to his mommy.

banana bread to share. perspective gained. thank you notes on napkins. fingerless gloves. the whole family home tonight.the ability to take caleb to the dentist. drop in visits from mom and dad. a whole lot of laughter upstairs. the drip, drip, dripping of melting snow. candlelit lanterns. blog love. wooly tights. letters to mail. letters in my mailbox!

the arrival of a cookie fairy. unexpected dinner guest.

a quiet morning with a hot cup of tea. Gid's last day of school!
homemade almond milk hot chocolate (danger!danger!) handmade celebration signs. poetry that arrives in the mail. a family that is growing closer all the time. sweater warmth.

date night!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

standing knee deep...


(gratitude list 2 of 2012)

a shared cup of tea/coffee with owen before he left for work. sister time with dorothea. To-do list done by 10am!steaming pot of stew on the sotve. gideon's strong hands kneading bread. thesmell of the fresh baked bread(oh my) faith for provisions.

owen able to take the day off. an excellent IV nurse.the power of Benadryl. A beautiful sky. a nap. Encouraging friends.The power of words to draw people together that otherwise would be apart.

The day got easier instead of harder.The beach is always beautiful.The weight of a stone in my hand. Hot soup. Hand warmers. The photo that captures the moment. My mothers great love for me. golden light as the sun sets. So much laughter. Preparing for the chicks. Meat free meals that please everyone.

Family time in the morning. Hannah talking about her growth. Sparkly frost. Midday lunch visits from a best friend. So much laughter. Thoughtful gifts.

So many amazing email connections. The joy that comes from simply creating. Spoken word poetry. Extra layers of warm blankets. Fragile and new baby chicks. Optimism. candlelit spaces. A supreise hair appointment that I really needed. Another full envelope to deliver to sides. So many letters to pop in the mailbox today. TED talks.

i ate a banana.


Friday, January 6, 2012

list one of 2012


(each day i record things i am grateful for-every once in a while i record them here)

no baby gates to navigate, Thad's increasingly confident driving skills, slippers,the ache in muscles that comes from exercise, not sickness., a shared pot of tea with hannah, hannah reading her novel peacefully, stew bubbling on the stove, the soothing presence of my husband, my journals, her ability and willingness to say NO! (so proud, i am),a big blank book to record this year

recognizing fear and facing it head on, sleeping in, the rhythmic pattern of rain, the soothing balm of a perfect poem, hot tears, rain walks, reilizations about oneself, Thad going to the pool to swim laps, spending the entire evening in the presence of my laughter filled family

waking up to the smell of pancakes, even when you can't eat them-they still smell delicious, waking up with much more courage than the day before, indulging in (just one) cup of Earl Gray Tea (caffeine is a no-no for me),the feeling of alive muscles from exercise, tea with hannah, handwritten letters, the satisfaction of slow cooked meals, hannah's laughter, Gideon leaning up against the counter listening to me reading The Chrysalid's to Hannah, Thad cooking for Gideon

the freedom to stay in bed when i am sick, the grace my friends and family extend me when i need to cancel plans due to feeling under the weather, a pot of tea, warm hoodies with the hood cinched up tight, brave-brave mama's doing their very best with honesty and vulnerabliltiy, yoga and the girl, perfect books that find me, turning up the heat and not feeling guilty

Monday, January 2, 2012

why i need to work on my Balance in 2012


i need more practice

to include others in my life
to continue learning to love myself through the fluxuating emotions that surely come
to become solidly rooted
to not retreat into my newly embraced introverted ways
to continue to learn the balance of letting go and hanging on
to learn the art of giving sufficient time and energy to all the important areas of my life, not just the ones that are screaming for attention
to teach my mind how and when to be quiet
to ensure that my face-to-face relationships don't suffer because of my on-line ones
to learn the difference between what i must do and what i want to do
to recognize the value in living a creative life
to continue learning how to say no
to remember the joy that can come with saying yes

what i do with my word?
i mean really, what good is it to pick a word, can that really make a difference?
i believe it can,
 if only in the sense that it is a focus and a tangible reminder of what i am trying to learn.

this year i intend to be more deliberate with my word

i will look for it everywhere
i will treat the word like a research project and try to understand it at a deeper level
i will write the word, photograph the word, include it in my journaling and art
i will make lists of what i want the word to bring out in me (above is list #1)
i will bring the word up in conversations and listen to what others know
i will journal and blog about run-ins and encounters with my word
i won't feel guilty if i forget all about my word for a while
i will find songs and poems that speak about my word.

i think it's gonna be pretty amazing to see what my life looks like after a year
of actively seeking to live a balanced life.