Gratitute Challenge Days 25-30

December 3, 2015 my13daychallenge

My annual gratitude challenge is over. It’s kind of weird not to wake up and immediately go to my journal to write down a thankful thought. Here’s my list for days 24-days 30. Day 30 is my favorite. Toilet paper really is a miracle and I love it!

Day 24: Green arrows at busy intersections

Day 25: Oops. I forgot to be grateful today. I did get a lot of cooking done though.

Day 26: I’m grateful for my family, my friends, my faith, warm socks, hot chocolate and those yummy Biscotti that go with the hot chocolate, the Bible, everything I said on gratitude days 1-25, my super cool cousins who I love to hang out with, a comfortable bed with pillows and blankets and a bunch of other blessings. I’ve had so many opportunities and blessings in my life. It sometimes seems unfair that I have so much and others have so little. I’m feeling grateful today.

Gratitude Day 27: Thanksgiving leftovers= no cooking for several days. I love it! I’m also grateful for paper plates.

Day 28: Kleenex. My nose is so grateful for soft Kleenex especially when the allergies are acting up.

Day 29: I’m grateful l grew up in a home where it was okay for my siblings and me to ask questions. I didn’t realize what a gift this was until l got older and met people who were punished as a kid for asking why. Thank you Mom and Dad. You are good parents and amazing people. Sure love ‘ya.

Gratitude Day 30: Toilet paper. Life is much better with it.

The Joy of Green Arrows

November 24, 2015November 24, 2015 my13daychallenge

Some teens dream about the day when they can get their driver’s license. I wasn’t one of them. Driving terrified me. I got my driver’s permit like all my friends at 15 and then I let it expire. In fact, I let my driver’s permit expire three times.

My parents, bless their hearts, kept trying to teach me to drive. Mom and Dad would take me to safe, calm streets and parking lots for me to practice. They kept bringing me back to practice even though I would always tell them that they were signing their death certificate by being in a car with me. I even took one of those driver’s education classes at school. That actually made my anxiety worse as the teacher told me all the ways I could get killed while driving.

What does this have to do with my gratitude challenge? I was at a busy intersection on day 22 of this challenge. The radio was on. I was waiting for the green arrow that allows me to turn left. I’ve always liked green arrows. They are so helpful at busy intersections. I turned and then I drove down the street and got on the freeway. I went to my appointment and then I drove home. When I got home, I started thinking about the green arrow, the freeway and the way I had just nonchalantly driven to and from my destination. I got a little teary eyed thinking about it. I was a driver. Me. A driver. Driving does not scare me anymore. It hasn’t for several years.

This may not be a big deal to you but it is a big deal to me. I was in college before I finally got my driver’s license. I went for years with only taking surface streets and then I’d drive five under the speed limit. (Yes, I’m probably the person you honked at who was driving too slow.) There was one time when I actually said no to a really good job offer because it would have involved a daily freeway trip. I was over 25 years old before I had enough courage to brave the freeways. And at that point, I had to have the Accountant or a kind friend in the car with me while I was driving on the freeway. I was in my 30’s before I could drive on the freeways by myself.

I can drive on the freeways by myself now. I no longer make decisions in my life based on avoiding freeways. I can drive the speed limit and depending on the traffic flow, I can even go above that speed limit to keep up with the other cars. Am I a speed demon who loves the open road? No. I probably will never drive for fun but I can do it now and I’m grateful for that skill.

Day 22: I’m grateful for green arrows and the ability to drive. Driving did not come easy for me but I did learn how to do it. It’s a miracle in some ways. I can drive.

For any one out there who is struggling to learn something, keep trying.

Challenge 14: Gratitude

Gratitude Challenge

November 10, 2015November 10, 2015 my13daychallenge

Wow. It’s now November. Somehow. I don’t know where the last month went. Maybe it went on a cruise. I’d like to think that while I was working away at my job the month of October was drinking a virgin Piña Colada on a cruise deck.

Every November, I have a tradition of having 30 days of gratitude. I wake up and think of one thing that I’m grateful for. Here’s my list so far.

Day 1: Left over Halloween candy.

Day 2: Running water. It’s very nice to just turn on the faucet instead of walking two miles to a well.

Day 3: Teeth. They sure come in handy for eating that left over candy.

Day 4: Music

Day 5: Indoor plumbing. No commentary needed.

Day 7: Oops. Life happened and I forgot to be grateful. Actually, I was grouchy most of the day but I will leave that part out. I want everyone on Internet land to think I’m always happy and put together. Lol.

Day 8: Music and the power it has to take feelings in my head and heart and give them a voice. (Yes, I know I said music on Day 4. I’m doubly grateful for music.)

Day 9: Bug spray and shoes because both can get rid of critters l don’t like.

And on day 10, I’m grateful for the public library. I love the library! I don’t like paying my library fines, but that’s a post for another day. Maybe I could devote an entire month to complaining. It would give me the chance to write a blog post on how the library charges me just because I keep their book a few more days.

What are you grateful for today?

Musings

Getting Older

September 29, 2015 my13daychallenge

It’s official. I’m old.

In my little head, I’m still an 8-year old kid wishing to be all grown up.

In my head, I’m 18 years old and starting college.

In my head, I’m a twenty-something living in my first apartment.

In my head, I just got married. In my head, I’m still very young and that getting older stuff is for people who are old. Not for me.

I had a rude awakening today. Guess What? I’m part of that getting older group.

First, a student told me that I looked really good for being an old lady. (Thank you, dear child.) Next, I got an e-mail message that my 20 year high school reunion is next year. Wait! How did 20 years go by so fast? I remember my mother going to her 20-year-old high school reunion. I just graduated from high school. Oh. That was 19 years ago. I guess I can go to my 20 year high school reunion next year. Finally, I looked in the mirror and saw a white hair.

It must be true. We all get older. To celebrate, I decided to post the picture my brother made for me. This is what I look like when I’m 96. The picture made me laugh. I look great for 96!

Cheers to getting older

And cheers to still being young.

Forever. At least, in my head.

Musings

My Back to School Photo

August 11, 2015 my13daychallenge

Social media is full of back to school pictures. I love seeing all the cute little kids with their new clothes and bright backpacks. There’s something exciting about starting a new school year. It’s a chance to start over, change, grow and become your best self. I get so excited getting my class ready and meeting my students.

In honor of going back to school, here is my back to school photo. I’m relaxing after a wonderful (but very busy) first day of school.

Challenges · Musings

Last Place Ribbon

July 28, 2015 my13daychallenge1 Comment

When I was in 3rd grade, my teacher told us a story about a man who came in last place in a race. The entire crowd stayed and cheered for him. He won even though he lost. I have sad news for everyone. In real life, the race organizers start cleaning up the track behind you when you are the last one. I know that because I was literally the last person to finish a 4th of July 5K race this month. I could see the workers in their clean up van taking down cones behind me. They offered me a ride back to the finish line several times. I told them no several times.

I took a wrong turn at one point, because those overzealous race organizers took down the directional signs before they realized I was still on the course. It’s really easy to get lost when you are far away from home and running in a city you’ve never been to before. I had to ask a friendly neighbor how to get back to the course. Lucky, he knew the way and I managed to make it to the end before they took down the big “FINISH” sign.

I may not have come in first place,but I’m happy to say that I finished the race. My sweet Mom and kind sister were there waiting for me and they cheered when I came in. Everybody else had gone home. The clean up van followed soon after me.

It makes a great story and some day when I come in 2nd to the last place I will stay and cheer for the person who comes in last.

Challenge 14: Gratitude · Musings

Posterity

May 22, 2015 my13daychallenge

I saw a baby bird and a mama bird chirping in a nest this week. Being somewhat of a philosopher at heart, I started thinking about how the baby bird has the mother’s DNA pursing through its little veins. Someday that little bird will grow up and have babies herself. There will be many birds from this one bird and a long chain of posterity will have the genetic memories of that first mother bird. It was all theoretical and very interesting to think about until it suddenly got very personal.

If your DNA dies with you, who is your posterity?

You don’t have one. The definition of posterity is all the descendants of one person. I probably won’t have children. Most days I’m okay with the body I have. I can attend a friend’s baby shower and not feel that God has let me down. I still felt a little sad though when I considered that there are no baby birds who look like me. Then I remembered the second definition of the word posterity.

Posterity is the succeeding future generations collectively.

So, in my own philosophical way, I guess the entire succeeding or future generations on Planet Earth could collectively be my posterity. I better start doing something to make the world a better place to live. I don’t want to let the posterity down.

Musings

Toilet Paper Tower

May 17, 2015May 17, 2015 my13daychallenge

I was walking around a corner at work last week and I saw the most delightful sight. The delivery man had stacked boxes of toilet paper about six feet high into the air. The tower was just sitting there in the hallway waiting for a little kid to kick it. As I looked at the tower, I had a great vision of all that toilet paper rolling out of their boxes and sliding down the hallway. I couldn’t keep the giggles contained. Once I start giggling, it’s rather hard to stop. I hurried back to my desk to get my cell phone. I wanted to take a picture of the toilet paper tower. I knew I would probably never see much toilet paper again in my entire life. Unfortunately, I was called into a meeting on my way back into the hallway. By the time the meeting was done, my tower was gone. I’m sure the toilet paper found a home in the bathrooms but I was disappointed that I didn’t get a picture of the tower.

P.S. This is by no means an endorsement for kicking a 6 feet tall stack of toilet paper. I have to say that. If you should happen to be at a school and see a toilet paper tower, I don’t want it to be on my head that you get called into the principal’s office for making a mess.

Challenge One: Eat Dinner at Home · Challenge Six: Menu Planning

Challenge Update: No Fast Food

March 15, 2015March 15, 2015 my13daychallenge

Yesterday, I had Chinese food for lunch. My stomach said Chinese food and so my car drove me there. It tasted great. It smelled good. I loved every bite. I loved it so much that I even wrote myself a happy note to read while I was eating the food. This morning I remembered that I’m giving up fast food for 40 days. I panicked. I’ve gone 24 days without fast food. If Chinese food counts as fast food, I just blew my Lent. I couldn’t believe that I somehow forgot that I’m not eating fast food. I’ve worked so hard to eat at home and prepare meals in advance. I started to feel bad that I only made it to Day 24 and then I remembered the real reason for Lent. I’m getting ready for Easter. Easter means Jesus and Jesus said to forgive and love. Since that forgiveness and love includes gentleness with myself, I’m not going to worry about eating Chinese fast food on Day 24. Day 25 starts today.

There is one drawback though to eating more meals at home.

Wonder Women

Wonder Women: Meet Carrie

February 17, 2015 my13daychallenge

Have you ever met a healer? I have. Her name is Carrie.

Carrie loves to learn. Her natural curiosity of the world led her to earn a degree in science. After a few years of working in cancer research labs, she had an awakening moment that challenged her to combine her love of people and science to the healing of broken bodies and minds. Carrie is now in school studying to be a physician’s assistant. In addition to her studies and residency schedule, Carrie works part-time as a nursing assistant.

Carrie promotes healing to her patients. That is admirable. Carrie promotes healing in herself by exercising, reading books, maintaining friendships and standing up for her beliefs and feelings. That is grit. That is heroism.

Some may say that taking care of yourself is not heroic. I think it is. It takes a lot of energy to be a Wonder Women. Sometimes the most heroic thing a Wonder Women can do is to do the things needed to heal herself.

Carrie is a Wonder Women.