Please Spring COME!!!!

I know we ALL are longing desperately for signs of SPRING. (it's twenty days away!) This has been a LONG COLD winter with more snow than we would have ever imagined. (Staying Positive that snow is over and GREEN is on it's way!) I saw a group of robins near the street on Friday , narrowly missing some that flew in front of my car. The temp is still below normal in our area but at least it's above freezing which feels like a heat wave. The warmer weather triggers Spring Fever after so many weeks of cabin fever!
Last spring my husband finally removed our old jacuzzi from the deck which had been nonfunctioning for several years. I am hoping we can rebuild our deck this spring so we have more room to entertain guests or just to have family dinners. Since I am unable to do the work myself, I am staying positive that my husband and sons in law may get it accomplished!
My garden right now is still covered in snow (and underneath the snow : dog poop) and will require some work to bring it back to it's former beauty. Hopefully the snow was a good insulator and protected my roses from the cold temps. We didn't have any freeze/thaw/freeze action this year which was actually a life savor for all my plants.
Here's to green, splashes of pastels and sun!!!!
The photos below are of my garden in spring!

Will I Ever Learn? Following My Own Advice.

Just when I think I finally have some wisdom or have an issue resolved, it always seems to come back and bite me in the ass!

I spent most of the last two years, just being. I was too sick to do anything else. I had always been about action. I had to always be DOING something whether it was creating, working, planning, controlling or just busy work! But two years ago, I couldn’t. I was physically shot. Oh, I would try mentally to plan, manipulate ( I admit it now but didn’t see it then) control myself and others, and attempt to figure out where I was going in my life and what I need ed to do to get there. But I was hitting the brick wall. That wall named PAIN. I talked to everyone I knew about it. My good friend finally said “Why don’t you give yourself permission to just BE and HEAL”

So because I couldn’t physically do anything else, I let go of my mind and spirit or in better terms, turned it ALL over to my Higher Power. I still read, meditated, talked with friends but the ACTION that had always kept me occupied and vibrating, was gone.

I was able to feel peace. Serenity. Contentment. It was amazing and wonderful. I created a vision board and every single dream on it manifested and came true. (Most of it was spiritual)

So I have been feeling somewhat better physically, a whole lot better emotionally and spiritually and I think I can may be able to DO a few things. I joined a program to help women find their authentic selves. I attended some workshops on The Feminine Soul and Awakening The Muse. I have been getting regular massages, eating well and beginning some baby steps back to yoga and quigong. I decided I could present a workshop on Nurturing Your Spirit. It was magnificent! Nineteen women came and shared themselves and their fears and hopefully learned some ways to better care for themselves.

But I must not have learned much myself. I spent the next two days in bed because I was totally exhausted and hurting. (I have fibromyalgia and Sjogren’s Syndrome, both of which are very painful)

I began talking with others about more groups, workshops, renewing my counseling license (which would require forty hours of workshops ) and then SMACK! God and my husband both hit me figuratively upside the head! I realized I was back on the rollercoaster in my mind and ACTION was taking over, which had landed me in bed to begin with two years ago. DUH!!!! Do I ever learn? Well, yes, I guess I do. And that’s why I have a God, a great husband and dear smart friends I trust who pointed out to me: I need to pace myself (apparently much slower than I have been) practice what I preach (Put on your own oxygen mask first) and be realistic about what I can and cannot do.

Yes, I may be able to present a workshop or facilitate a group for an hour or so every few months. I am chronically ill (a fact) and even though I feel better sometimes, it doesn’t mean I can run myself ragged. Especially like “normal” people do. I tend to forget.

I have a short term (and apparently long term) memory problem.

So today (after I did too much laundry and cleaning around the house) I am sitting myself down and taking slow deep breaths.

I’ll meditate, maybe watch a movie and be grateful that I am still taking in air. Tomorrow I am having a stress test/echocardiogram due to my over doing it and hopefully it will be clear!

So I am taking my own advice, nurturing my own spirit. Some of us just have to learn that way.

Valenbirthday Celebration

Well, it’s my birthday week and it has gotten off to a wonderful start. Hubby and I went to a movie and out to dinner to our favorite local restaurant. We then went home and cuddled with our golden boys to watch the U.S. win their first gold medal in the Olympics.
I also received a much-treasured gift. A beautiful locket necklace (called Lockitz) with a photo of my beloved husband and I on our wedding day on one side and my sweet goldens Selka and Gunner on the other.
Tomorrow I am taking my golden boy Gunner to the vet ophthalmologist in Omaha for his check up. Please pray that he has a good report. Gunnie has golden retriever uveitis, glaucoma and a cataract. He has responded well to treatment but could end up losing his eyes to this horrible disease. After the vet visit we will celebrate my birthday with my oldest daughter and grandsons who live in Omaha by going to lunch.
Tuesday I am having lunch with my friends, Wed. my actual Birthday!! I am having breakfast with a dear friend and then an hour and a half massage!!!!! Fri, having lunch with another good friend and then Sat. my sister is taking me to lunch and a movie and then that night all our kids are going to dinner with us! I have other birthday lunches planned even into the week after!
I am so blessed to have my loving husband, family and very amazing friend s to celebrate with!!
The only fly in the ointment is some worse than usual fatigue, shortness of breath and alittle atrial fib going on so my doctor is scheduling a chemical stress test for me ASAP just to be safe. Please pray that this is just a precautionary measure and nothing serious.
I have been eating very well and plan to continue even with all of the meals eating out this week. Hopefully I can get back to my exercise if we can figure out this exhausting fatigue.

I hope all of you enjoyed a wonderful Valentines Day.
I know I did. I feel very very blessed.

Nurturing Saturday

WOW!!! Yesterday was so amazing!!!! My Nurturing Your Spirit workshop was a wonderful success thanks to the inspiring nurture seeking women who attended!!!
We had a perfect turnout (a great number of women but just the right size for the facility and to keep it comfortable and cozy)
A gentle fire in the fireplace, muffins, fruit and coffee and a cozy circle of comfortable furniture set the stage.
Everyone participated, came up with unique nurturing ideas/images for themselves and broadcast so much positive energy to the rest of the group.
Everyone seemed inspired to make their own Vision Boards. Assets list and use the affirmation badges I made as well as the bibliography of inspiring books.
We ended with a relaxation and guided imagery poem I had written.
It was very powerful and emotionally energizing for me and I am so grateful to all the amazing women who helped set it up and participated!! I look forward to many more great workshops through Amethyst!
I was exhausted, went home and went to bed but my spirit was so nurtured and nourished by these vulnerable women who opened themselves up for this experience. I am grateful to you all.