Do you ever visualize something and build it up in your head? Picture it over and over in many variations until you almost feel like it is real? I do that all of the time (for good things and bad) and then when the big event comes along it often doesn't live up to the hype in my head.
But today was different. Today, all of the hype paled in comparison to the real thing. When I was pregnant with the Little Doodlebug, and even before, I would picture what my life would be like with her in it. Since I waited a long time for her, I had lots of time to imagine. I thought about what each day would bring and how we would spend it. Now there have been some days that didn't turn out like I had hoped, but today was as near perfect as I ever imagined.
Now this day was nothing out of the ordinary. Dr. appt, drop off some work at a clients, walk/run with a good friend, work on a proposal for a new client, read a book, clean the house, fix dinner, etc. etc. But throughout it all, the Little Doodlebug was right at my side. It was her Dr. appointment, she went with me to the clients office, she gave me her huge gummy smiles as I ran with her in the stroller, napped in the swing while I typed up my proposal and then we read a book together. It was a totally normal day, but it was made wonderful just by the addition of one little girl. It was just as I had hoped life would be. A great balance of work and Mommyhood. It lived up to all the hype. Life is good today.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
My Very Full Life
Wow! It has been harder than I thought to keep up with this blog. In the beginning I had visions of updating everyday. Of course I also had visions of posting lovely pictures with each of my posts. You know, the perfect photo to go with each item I am grateful for. Well . . . as you can see neither one of those things is happening at this point. Today I was wondering why I wasn't making time to post everyday and I realized it is because I am blessed with a wonderfully busy life right now.
I am a wife, a mother, a friend, a business owner, and a contract worker. I am also a dog walker, a chef and a housekeeper. A daughter, a granddaughter, & a niece. A seeker of God, knowledge and a great cup of coffee. A facebook poster, and a Bunco player. In between all of those things, I like to sleep a little every now and then.
So rather than beat myself up for not blogging everyday, I am going to enjoy all of my roles. It is a busy and wonderful life indeed.
I am a wife, a mother, a friend, a business owner, and a contract worker. I am also a dog walker, a chef and a housekeeper. A daughter, a granddaughter, & a niece. A seeker of God, knowledge and a great cup of coffee. A facebook poster, and a Bunco player. In between all of those things, I like to sleep a little every now and then.
So rather than beat myself up for not blogging everyday, I am going to enjoy all of my roles. It is a busy and wonderful life indeed.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Choose Your Own Adventure
Remember those "choose your own adventure" books? The ones where you would read a few pages, be presented with 2 choices and then flip to the indicated page to see how things turned out? I loved those books. And I loved the fact that if you didn't like how things turned out, you could start over and make different choices.
Today I realized that attitudes are much like those books. We have to choose, every minute of every day, what kind of attitude we are going to have. Lousy things happen in life. There is no denying that. And no amount of positive thinking can change them. But what you can change is how you deal with it. Are you going to let your family disappoint you and ruin your day? Or are you going to love and accept them for just who they are and move on? Is the no-show client going to derail your week? Or will you use the unexpected time to make a few calls to line up more business? What will you choose?
Lately I have been frequenting a couple of blogs that are supporting a friend with cancer. Yes, they are supporting her with love and prayers, but they are also supporting her cause. At a time in her life when no one would blame her for taking to her bed in self pity, she is choosing to spend her time trying to make things better for other breast cancer survivors by helping to provide lymphadema sleeves for those who can't afford them. Wow.
Today a couple of things happened that made me sad. And mad. And then sad again. But I thought about this person I don't even know who CHOSE to make the best of her situation, and about all of her friends who were in full support of her choice and I decided that I didn't need to feel sorry for myself. I needed to pick myself up, and focus on the good things in my life.
There are so many things I am grateful for in my life - they far outweigh the bad things. And I realize that I am blessed that that is the case. So today, I choose to focus on the good! And the great things about life is that just like in the choose your own adventure books, we can choose another attitude tomorrow if we don't like where the one we had today led us. A cosmic do-over - available at any moment.
Today I realized that attitudes are much like those books. We have to choose, every minute of every day, what kind of attitude we are going to have. Lousy things happen in life. There is no denying that. And no amount of positive thinking can change them. But what you can change is how you deal with it. Are you going to let your family disappoint you and ruin your day? Or are you going to love and accept them for just who they are and move on? Is the no-show client going to derail your week? Or will you use the unexpected time to make a few calls to line up more business? What will you choose?
Lately I have been frequenting a couple of blogs that are supporting a friend with cancer. Yes, they are supporting her with love and prayers, but they are also supporting her cause. At a time in her life when no one would blame her for taking to her bed in self pity, she is choosing to spend her time trying to make things better for other breast cancer survivors by helping to provide lymphadema sleeves for those who can't afford them. Wow.
Today a couple of things happened that made me sad. And mad. And then sad again. But I thought about this person I don't even know who CHOSE to make the best of her situation, and about all of her friends who were in full support of her choice and I decided that I didn't need to feel sorry for myself. I needed to pick myself up, and focus on the good things in my life.
There are so many things I am grateful for in my life - they far outweigh the bad things. And I realize that I am blessed that that is the case. So today, I choose to focus on the good! And the great things about life is that just like in the choose your own adventure books, we can choose another attitude tomorrow if we don't like where the one we had today led us. A cosmic do-over - available at any moment.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Back Again
Wow - its been over a month since I have posted. Its certainly not that I don't have things to be grateful for, I just haven't been posting them for some reason. But since my husband outed me to my friends last night and now they know I have a blog, I guess I better get back to writing!
When I sat down to write this, I had so many things to choose from - my life is quite amazing right now. And for some reason I feel almost guilty about that. Why? I have no idea. What is it that makes us hesitant to talk about the amazing blessings we have in our life? Why is it so much easier to point out the problems, to complain, to focus on the negative? I don't know why that is, but I am determined to break that cycle for myself. I pledge to acknowledge the bad things, but to spend my time focused on the good. To take a moment and find the good in every person and every situation. Yes, there is plenty of bad in the world, but there are also many, many people that focus on those bad things. Since that is covered, it frees me up to focus on the good. The happy. The exciting. The fun. The amazing. So that is just what I will do.
When I sat down to write this, I had so many things to choose from - my life is quite amazing right now. And for some reason I feel almost guilty about that. Why? I have no idea. What is it that makes us hesitant to talk about the amazing blessings we have in our life? Why is it so much easier to point out the problems, to complain, to focus on the negative? I don't know why that is, but I am determined to break that cycle for myself. I pledge to acknowledge the bad things, but to spend my time focused on the good. To take a moment and find the good in every person and every situation. Yes, there is plenty of bad in the world, but there are also many, many people that focus on those bad things. Since that is covered, it frees me up to focus on the good. The happy. The exciting. The fun. The amazing. So that is just what I will do.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Taking it Easy
Christmas around the Cook house is usually a bit of a production. OK, I'll be honest - we go way overboard. We're talking one big (or giant depending on the year) real tree in the living room, a tree in the kitchen filled with kitchen ornaments, and a small tree downstairs with snowmen ornaments. Not to mention the snowman collection, the outside lights, etc. etc. All of this on top of the gifts buying, the wrapping, the baking, the parties . . . .it's wonderful. An often exhausting.
This year the exhaustion set in early with the October arrival of Little Miss. When December rolled around we were still getting used to her and our new life. So we decided to take it easy this year and just focus on enjoying her and each other. So the pencil tree from the kitchen made the big leagues and was put in the living room with the snowman ornaments because they were in the front of the pile of decorations. A few wintry snowmen went up on the mantel and all of the other decor went back into the closet.
You know what? I kind of like the more pared down look. And I'm grateful that we can spend the holidays focused on what is really important instead of stressing over the mile long to do list. Maybe we've started a new tradition . . . but probably not.
This year the exhaustion set in early with the October arrival of Little Miss. When December rolled around we were still getting used to her and our new life. So we decided to take it easy this year and just focus on enjoying her and each other. So the pencil tree from the kitchen made the big leagues and was put in the living room with the snowman ornaments because they were in the front of the pile of decorations. A few wintry snowmen went up on the mantel and all of the other decor went back into the closet.
You know what? I kind of like the more pared down look. And I'm grateful that we can spend the holidays focused on what is really important instead of stressing over the mile long to do list. Maybe we've started a new tradition . . . but probably not.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
The Wake County Public Library
Today I took Little Miss to the public library for storytime for pre-walkers. Yes, I know she is probably a little young, but we NEEDED to get out of the house and it was too cold to do much else. What a wonderful program! The children's librarian very clearly loved her job and was excited to see the kids get excited about reading. This was a Holiday themed storytime and they hit them all. We even sang a Kwanza song. I didn't know there was such a thing. The only thing missing was a song about atheism.
We went to the Duraleigh branch, but I believe most of the branches offer some version. If you have young children, check it out!
We went to the Duraleigh branch, but I believe most of the branches offer some version. If you have young children, check it out!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Watching Our Pennies
At first glance, this may seem like an odd topic for a gratitude post. But its not. We have been watching our money a little closer lately, especially since we took Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University course at our church. (Sidenote: I highly recommend the course. Sidenote 2: You WILL at some point find yourself calling him Damn Ramsey. I promise)
One of the reasons we are watching things more closely is due to the birth of our daughter. My thankfulness for her far outweighs any inconvienences, financial or otherwise, that might come along because of her. Somehow not buying that new whatever doesn't seem like much of a sacrifice.
One of the reasons we are watching things more closely is due to the birth of our daughter. My thankfulness for her far outweighs any inconvienences, financial or otherwise, that might come along because of her. Somehow not buying that new whatever doesn't seem like much of a sacrifice.
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