On Endings and New Beginnings

As the time for me to leave draws near, I'm already wishing many other people well on their new chapters. 

Before you say goodbye, there's this moment where you run through all the happy memories in your head, and even if you're not saying goodbye for good, it's a melancholy moment. I've met so many people this year. I've reconnected with old friends, made new friends and I've learned so many valuable lessons. Several of my friends are beginning their own adventures all over the world, and some of my friends have already reached stepping stones in their life that I can't even begin to comprehend. 

The beautiful thing about life is that despite differences, distance and perspective, people are ever changing and the world is always changing around them. At work, I'm leaving alongside many other travelers and adventurers. Several of my friends are leaving as well, off to new exciting adventures all over the world.  It's times like these when Kingdom Hearts goes through my head. It's a quote from Kairi that says it all. "There are many worlds, but they all share the same sky. One sky, one destiny." 

It's funny how much you think of people when you're away from them. I'm so blessed to have all these people around me, and I know that their lives are wonderful stories filled with ups and downs. I only hope that my story continues to be connected to theirs', and as all these new chapters begin, we will never forget each other. 

Holiday Reflections

Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays, and when I look back on my life, it's the holiday that I remember most out of my past years. 

My family had a tradition to go on a sixteen to seventeen hour road trip to go see our family in Louisiana. Sometimes the road trip was nice, and other times we drove each other crazy, but I loved being on the road, listening to everyone's favorite music, sharing jokes, and telling stories. I also loved the anticipation to get to my aunt's house and enjoy the weekend with shopping, the traditional movie and the big Christmas dinner. 

Over the years, these traditions changed. 

At the Disney World college program, my room mates and I pitched in together for a big christmas tree, and bought each other presents and ornaments. We all had to work on Christmas Day, but after work we met up and watched the Disney Holiday fireworks. I'll never forget that day. 

At UNC, we divied up the Christmas shopping, and sat around the Christmas tree opening presents from each other while baking cookies and watching The Nightmare Before Christmas. 

I remember Christmas at my Uncle Huey's house, surrounded by Barbies and Comics, deep into a philosophical discusion about the makings of religion. I remember the fancy dinners we had in the secret  dinning room through the library at my Grandfather's house, just talking about how nice it was to see everyone, and trying new fancy foods.

The Christmas snow at my Grandmother's house with my cousins building snowmen on top of their cars is a funny memory where the winner had to grab the biggest shovel to knock it down before they could drive back home. 

I remember attending the Christmas mass with my aunt and cousins, standing in a church I hadn't visted since we moved to Colorado. 

Over the years, some traditions have changed. We haven't done the big family road trip in a while, but we still buy a new ornament every year, and put Dad's origami ornaments on the tree. We still buy christmas gifts from the King Soopers tree and have fun shopping for nice toys and clothes to give to the families that can't afford a fancy christmas. 

Some my favorite traditions that have carried on over the years are:

Receiving gifts from my favorite fictional characters. (Gandalf gave me the Evenstar necklace when I was in High School) 

Buying a new christmas ornament every year

Sleeping in on Christmas Morning

Giving the dogs their christmas gift. (Haley would always just stick her nose in the bag and try to get the treats at the bottom. Dingo just rips the tissue paper and goes for the gold)

Having Christmas breakfast, and watching Christmas films with the family. 

What are your holiday traditions? Do you have some favorite holiday memories over the years?

What really matters

I learned a valuable lesson today. It's better to be honest right away than let things build up in your mind. I'm so lucky to have wonderful friends and family who understand when I'm being ridiculous and who encourage me to be upfront and honest. 

I have this really bad habit of viewing everything negatively. It's a pain, and more often causes more problems than I know how to deal with. But I'm working on what I can do to break this habit, and to just enjoy life more, than constantly expect negative outcomes and always be on my guard. 

Believe it or not, always being negative saps a ton of energy, and often makes small things seem huge in your eyes. I'll admit that this is one my faults, to blow things out of proportion and let them sit there, unresolved until I eventually blow up.

It's not one of my best qualities, and certainly not one of my favorite things to admit. But I find that the more I face my faults, and the more I do to improve them, the less energy I waste and the more I can enjoy the things that really matter in life.  

Origami and Happiness

My Dad just posted this commercial on his Facebook, and it made me smile. He taught me how to fold paper cranes and many other neat origami animals. We even have some origami christmas ornaments we put on the tree every year :) 

When I graduated High School, he folded 1000 paper cranes for me that I will keep forever. This commercial reminds me of my Dad, and it makes me smile. Enjoy!

  

For Haley

I know you're watching over me.

Bringing me luck and love.

Sweet Guardian Angel.

Animal Guardian from above.

We still miss you,

and we love you with all our hearts.

Through all the treats and laughter

You've been the sweetest dog

from the start. 

Love you Haley!

Our Hale Bop Comet.

The Mayonnaise Jar Lesson

The Mayonnaise Jar

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and two cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and fills it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “YES”.

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - God, family,
children, health, friends, and favorite passions. Things, that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.” he said.

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “There is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are
important to you...” he told them.

“So... pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Worship with your family. Play with your children. Take your partner out to dinner. Spend time with good friends. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled and said, “I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

Please share this with other "Golf Balls"

www.facebook.com/PassionateParenting


I found out about this from my parents, and I decided to put this on my blog, because it's really important.

Fruits Basket 20 day challenge day 1: How did you find out about Fruits Basket?

I discovered Fruits Basket at a friend's birthday party. It was at a Borders near the shopping area we walked around, and I couldn't put it down. A few days later, I bought the first book and went from there. It was a series that grew on me as I grew up. Each book I read, I related to in some way. The Sohmas were almost real with all their personalities influenced by their past, and I saw them through Tohru's eyes, and I fell in love with Kyo almost instantly. It wasn't an obsession, beacuse I didn't go overboard. I bought the books, read them, and admired the strength that Tohru had to be the glue that held everyone together. I'll admit that I wanted to be Tohru, more than anything. I wanted to be cheerful, kind, happy and trusting, but as the series went on, I discovered that I was much more like Kyo, in the way he viewed the world and himself. I'm not sure who I'd be if I never discovered Fruits Basket. Reading it helped me discover the truth about myself and others. How the world works and how important your point of view is. The characters each had a specific issue that they worked out, and I could relate to and understand many of them. In a way, Fruits Basket was my best literary friend. It got me through tough times and was almost heaven sent at the time I discovered it. It was the solution I found to viewing life through a different lense. Each chapter I read, I felt wiser and more aware of people, their actions, motivations and their personalities. It answered questions for me that I never had the courage to ask anyone. Most of them had to do wih right or wrong, good or bad and selfish or unselfish. Instead of saying that Fruits Basket saved me, but in a way that might be true, I will say that Fruits Basket helped me learn how to save myself from myself. That's probably why I reread it every year. It is a story etched in my heart, helping me grow and change with a new discovery each read. If I were ever to meet the author, which would be pretty incredible, I would thank her immeadiatelty for creating so many wonderful characters and helping them grow and change into the people they always wanted to be. Everyone has a story that speaks to them, and stays with them through out the years. For me, Fruits Basket is one of those tales that I plan to give to my children one day, and recommend it to their children. Yes, it's a manga, but if this story was in the form of a novel, it would be a revelation of the human condition and the ways of the world. It would be an instant classic that stood the test of time. And I can honestly say that I'm not sure who or where I would be if I had never discovered it when I did. 

OUAT Challenge:Day 11 : Favourite Emma and Mary Margaret moment

So I know this is recent, but it is my favorite moment between Emma and her mother.  This scene resolved the tension between Emma and her mother.

Emma: I'm not used to people putting me first.

Snow: Well get used to it.

Haley

You'll always be
My best friend.
You've stuck with me
Until the end.
We had a race
Through sparkling snow.
We sat through thunder
And watched a show.
We had singalongs
Only a dog would understand.
When I was sad
You licked my hand.
You knew you were royalty
In a house of gold.
Loving and sweet,
Brave and bold,
My little sister
Through and through
Beautiful black lab
I'll always love you.

Magazines I'd love to read

 I found these on Tumblr and had to share my favorites.
Find the rest here

(http://www.geekologie.com/2011/12/disney-princesses-as-magazine-cover-mode.php)

Family

Family will follow you
Wherever you go
The memories you treasure
The people you know
What really matters
Is how much you know
The people around you
Help you to grow
Whether friend or relative
Teacher or pet
A family is something
You'll never forget
The lessons you learn
The times you will share
Timeless entries
And endless care
When times get tough
Or life seems a chore
The support they give
Matters more and more
Treasure your life
Value your path
Each moment is a lesson
Whether you cry or laugh

This is dedicated to my growing family and friends. Without you, I would never survive.