Year in review

From tears to laughter, Spring Harbor to Boston trips, zoos to swimming at the beach, IBC rootbeer to apple picking, family to decorating the tree, backyard fun to sledding this has been anything but a dull year.

We have had our ups and downs that's for sure, but through it all we have each other...and that's all that really matters!

Peace and blessings to you in this New Year! <3

What a day

Today started off rough.....it continued to be rough. I woke at 3am to the thunder and lightening storm. It was quite amazing...saw a lot of lightening even through my eyelids. Will was in bed with me because he was scared and didn't want to sleep alone. Well, no more sleep for me.

We went out to the car to see the front windows were rolled down!!! Yikes!!! My car was soaked!! I had to run inside for towels to sit on. Everything was completely drenched. Oi vey!

Then we left for school where I had my last meeting of the year with his social worker. Upon our arrival at the school we realized Will's school bag was still at home on the kitchen table. My meeting ended at 9am. Giving me exactly 1/2 hour to drive home, get his backpack, drive back to the school to drop it off, then drive to Saco- a 25 minute drive- to get to a 9:30am staff meeting. I was only 5 minutes late- not to shabby if you ask me.

The staff meeting was very unproductive. The staff while having very valid points were so incredibly negative. Everything was so angry and just complaints. When asked for ideas they gave ideas that were not possible. Given the restrictions we have to deal with, extreme budget cuts (again) we have to be creative. We need staff to understand (even if they don't like it- I mean, I don't think there's anyone in the company who likes where we've had to go to keep our clients from feeling the extent of these cuts) we need staff to pull together and help, even if that's only by understanding and cutting the office some slack. In these times we all need to be grateful for employment right?

My day got a little better, things calmed down for a while. I went to work for reals. Picked up my client and ran errands. On our way back to my clients home I got a phone call from my mom. My parents dog had been put down. It was such a sad thing to hear. I loved this dog Chlowe with all my heart. They had 3 yorkies, and I was certainly sad when the other 2 had to be put down, but Chlowe was always my favorite. She was so timid, for most of her life I was one of the only people she would go to. As she got older she would always come over to me for some REIKI. (this is energy work performed by the laying on of hands). She was a cross between an Ewok and a bear cub. When she was just a baby puppy her ears were curled back at the tips. She looked like she had slept with curlers on her ears. My baby is gone. She is playing with Clarabelle and Rocky again, and probably eating all their food too.

So, you could probably say that I didn't have a great day, some of it was down right miserable. However, I woke this morning having decided (yes, even at 3am) the I was going to be happy today. I was going to enjoy my day. Know what? I did. That's not to say I enjoyed little sleep, a wet car, being late, or my sweet Chlowe. I didn't enjoy any of that. But I didn't let these things ruin my day either.

I had a wonderful day, the only part of my day that really stunk was Chlowe's passing. Even that is a blessing. She had been suffering for a while and today was particularly bad, so the blessing is that she is no longer suffering and is at peace.

Plus I was able to visit with a very dear friend this evening before going home. So I will leave you this evening counting my blessings and falling asleep with a smile on my face this evening despite the roughness in my day. As a wonderful woman I know likes to say: peace and blessings ❤

A little piece of heaven

This would be my camp. I have been going there since I was 6 years old, that's.........a long time. My phone doesn't work there, I have no Internet or tv. It is bliss. It is quiet. It is where I go to rejuvenate my soul and fill myself with peace and love. I also feel closest with God there. For me it is the most God-like place on earth. I don't need a church I only need Empire Grove.

If you've been reading my blog then you know that I have been all over the place emotionally lately. My MS has been flaring up causing a lot pain, fatigue and stress. My son has been up and down lately, and I have been getting back into the dating scene. I have had other ups and downs as well lately, but I don't need to go into it all here.

None of these things have gone away, they are still there and will be, if not always then at least for some time to come. So why do I feel calmer? More at peace with my lot in life and myself? Because I just spent 17 hours at my camp. It wasn't long enough for me, but then it never really is.

I saw some wonderful friends, ate some wonderful food at the pot luck dinner and got to sleep in the best place on earth. To top it all off: Will did amazingly well while there. Nothing like the last 2 years. He was outside playing and letting me visit, he even offered to help set up for the dinner: OMGoodness!!!

I also got to see an amazing man who is finally home after a horrific accident this summer. His circumstances have drastically changed, but his positive attitude knows no bounds and he hasn't lost his sense of humor. He is and will always be my favorite dirty old
Man.

I am hoping to spend A LOT more time there this summer as it always has such a calming, centering effect on me. I came home from such a short visit feeling more rested, calmer, and happier than before I left.

I am so blessed to have my own little piece of heaven I can visit whenever I can get there. Again, it's about finding the balance and making the time to get to heaven.... And this time of year the lady slippers are EVERYWHERE!