Still Here and Yes, I Think About You All the Time

This makes me happy. A day outdoor while golfing with friends. 

When I haven't posted in awhile I immediately feel the need to apologize to whoever's out there reading. It's the same old song about how busy life has been and how I know that so much has happened since my last post so instead of trying to start from where I left off, I've decided that right now is the best place to be and move forward. History may repeat itself and there may be a back dated post here and there with some photos from special moments I've captured the last several months. It's what I do. Probably some form of blogging OCD.

So let's move forward...

How are you? What have you been up to these days? What have you found lately that has been helpful? Are you reading any good books? Have you met someone new? Have you found a new job since we last talked? Are you happy?

I want you to know that I'm doing well. Yes, life has been a six month marathon and in some ways, I'm in the last four miles wondering why in the world did I decide to run this race but I know somewhere deep inside of me, like way down where the soul whispers "carry on" and "you got this" that all is going to be okay...Like more than okay. And that's why I push on and that's what I find most helpful these days. Choosing to trust that in the valleys of temporary uncertainty, you can still remember to choose something better and bigger than you. Recently and because of a work related program, I read Erika Andersen's "Being Strategic." I found the book to breakdown the strategic process in a way that didn't make it seem like some big mountain top but rather the steps that we take to get us there.  No new job to speak of but I can say that I'm enjoying my current one very much since to date, I work with some of the most dedicated, dynamic, creative and just nice to be around people. And to answer whether or not I'm happy...{deep sigh} Yes, I'm happy.

I'm happy that I have a place to share and connect and process how I choose happy each day consciously. Sometimes that's what it takes. That and a lot of prayer. That's where I am but enough about that, where are you?


Are you finding what you're looking for these days? What has changed about how you choose to live and feel on a daily basis? 


I'll tell ya one thing...Let's finish this race together and let's make whatever is next, AMAZING.  

the plan and a hello..i missed you too.

so the plan was to share pics and fun moments of the last few months...since my baby girl turned three i guess you could say i've been on a bit of a hiatus. the plan was to give you just a glimpse of how this summer has been an adventure full of vacations, celebrations, changes, racin' and good talks with close friends.

BUT, instead, i just want to say hello. hello to my one reader or maybe two out there. you understand how life happens faster than can be explained sometimes or blogged about. you totally get that i wouldn't just fall off the edge of the web without letting you know where i was heading.

with that said, my inner writer and let's-talk-about-it-lorelie self wants to over-explain and let you know what i've actually been doing is journaling the old fashion way...you know...with a book full of blank pages and a nice rollerball black pen...sometimes colorful markers will jump in the mix. most of you know that it's a passion of mine...to write, to journal and lately, the ideas have been flowing. no. scratch that. POURING out of me. mainly ideas of what my next writing projects will be...outlines and characters. it feels good to get it down rather than letting it slip through my mind like so many other possibilities.

in addition to journaling, i've been cooking more which in the past, i would loathe but i'm stretching outside of my comfort zone and trying to warm up to the idea that it's a little fun to make delicious food that is fresh and healthy for my family. (having a flashback to the last time i went to a cooking class...i was miserable but even four years later, there is hope.) i'm even using cookbooks that have been bought by me at a bookstore...with my own money. miracles DO happen every day.

so tell me, what have you been up to this summer?

3 Ways to Give the Best of Yourself (by Anita B.)

One of my favorite blogs does it again...Read the entire post here.

“We have to learn to give the best of ourselves in the moment,” Guilmartin says. “And all it takes is the time to take one deep breath. Maybe you don’t have time to do more, but you can do more with the time you have.”

Guilmartin says there are a number of ways to be more successful and have more impact and satisfaction in our work, simply by changing a few bad habits that have cropped up in a non-stop, always-connected world.

Among them:

• Don’t react with angry words. Either verbally or written in an e-mail, “you give your power away when you get furious,” she says. “You may win the battle, but you lose the war.” Instead, when frustrated or angry, pause and then try and regain control of the situation by getting more information. It could be that you misunderstood, the person may have accidentally misspoken, or you don’t fully understand all the issues involved.

• Listen. The workplace today is focused on developing a collaborative atmosphere where ideas are shared to drive innovation. That can’t happen, she says, unless people take the time to simply show respect by listening to another person without jumping in with snap decisions or judgments so they can move onto the next item on a to-do list. “The greatest thing you can have someone say about you is: ‘Wow. She’s a great listener.

• Be honest. “If someone comes to you and you’re waiting on an important phone call, be honest with them and say that you can give them only 50 percent of your attention because you’re focused on the upcoming call. Tell them if that's OK, you can give them what you can at the time. What this does is help the person come to trust you because you’re being honest.”

Wow...

sometimes all you can ask is why

this morning i received sad news about a co-worker losing his twenty-something year old son to a tragic accident. immediately, pain hit my heart twice since he recently experienced the loss of his father and now, his son. it's times like these where you just don't understand. it's times like these where you see how people are so fragile.

not sure whether to send along my condolences...i just did that less than two weeks ago. for now, i pray that he and his family allow themselves time to grieve and soon find a sense of peace in this tragic loss.

loving it

this week has been awesome! there's a lot happening right now at the job as well as personally. mr. wonderful and i are working lots on the casa and enjoying the conversation of marriage and all its fun moments. soccer started again. i missed it during the holidays. on monday, i got to play for the first half with a team and scored a goal. then, i played with another team and lost but thankfully i got to get out there to kick it up before it started pouring so my actual team's game got rained out. too sad since i love my team and we were all looking forward to some good playing time. ms. tracy is awesome! i am so amazed that february is almost here. things are just really moving along! over the weekend, i got to see rock star family and their new little one...pics to be posted soon. also, got to see #1 teacher and my favorite gingee along with my my brown at #1 teacher's new home (she's had it for over a year -- time flies). to top it all off, i heard a great quote today -- "Do what you love and you never have to work a day in your life."