Our Scars

I sat in the dermatologist office this morning waiting to see the doctor for my routine check up.  I'm a very "moley" person, so these check ups are necessary.

While I waited for the doctor, I couldnt help but examine my own skin.  I noticed the scar on my left ring finger from a a drunken fight I got into with an old boyfriend.  I looked at the scar on my right wrist and remebered that I got this scar while sitting in my first car chatting with my friend and when I zipped up a windbreaker it caught my skin.  I looked at the small scar on my knee I got playing soccer.  I looked at my newest scar on my leg I got this summer.  I gazed at my favorite scar - the one I got from my little girl.   I can't say looking my scars were the highlight of my day, but having all of these memories flood my mind was a cathartic experience. 

hgv And as we say goodbye to another year, may our scars from 2014 heal and fade away, but may our memories and lessons from this year carry on to the New Year.  

Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Like The Tides

I was at the gym by 730 this morning.  Matt and Grace were still sleeping when I left the house, so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to start my day.

I was on the bike doing some cardio and on the TV in front of me the news was interviewing one of the American cardinals.  Since my head phones were cranking out some tunes I didn't hear any of the interview but I looked up at the screen and read this caption: 

Cardinal: darkness will end soon

I appreciate the sentiment of the cardinal but I believe that as long as us humans have darkness inside of us -  the darkness will never end.  I'm not naive to think our darkness will ever go away but I do believe like the tides, that the darkness inside of us are ever changing.  The more us humans answer darkness with darkness we will never see the light.  We will be pulled under by the tide into our own darkness.  

So, this Christmas Eve, my wish, my hope is that you take a minute to pause to allow your inner light be ignited by the love, the joy, the magic that surrounds you because the darkness is a lonely place.

Season of Lights

Maybe because its 4am, maybe because I don't have the words to describe the joy I've seen in Grace's face this past week.  But for this post, I'll let the pictures do the talking....

Hope you're enjoying the holiday season and finding as much joy in the little things as we are!

Tradition

Over the past couple of weeks I have shared that I wanted to create special memories during the holiday season for Grace.  Tradition being important to me, we completed our second annual "Christmas Breakfast" pull.

Last year, we decided not to make our Christmas mornings just about presents under the tree, but by incorporating a breakfast where we would get to share as a family.  During most of the year, breakfast time is hectic.  Trying to get three people ready and out the door by 715a doesn't allow much time for us to relax and share the morning together. 

I can remember when I was younger my family would spend Christmas day in our pajamas.  There was no sense of urgency.  No place to rush to.  Everything we needed or wanted was in our home.  We would eat leftovers from our Christmas Eve party.  My dad would toast Italian bread and drink his coffee.  We would throw wrapping paper into the fire to keep it burning (totally toxic...I know).   My mom would inevitably return every gift my dad bought for her.  My sister and I would count up our gifts hoping that Santa would've duped one of us so the other one could rub it in the others face.   We would try on our clothes and play with our toys.  We would laugh, we would yell...we would be us.      
Anointing Christmas morning as the day we spend with each other might seem cliche but to me its tradition.

That's Christmas To Me

Picturesque

The mantle is glistening with white twinkly lights wrapped around fresh garland.  The stockings are hung by the chimney with love and our living room is peacefully lit by the glow of our 8 foot pine tree.    The outside of the house adorns one strand of light across the roof as Grace's own personal small pink tree peaks out from window of her room.

Sounds picturesque, right?  Now for the real picture.

6 trips to Target
2 trips to Costco
1 trip to Lowe's
1 trip to Walmart
1 hour stringing ornaments
1 hour of moving furniture
3 hours of sweeping up pine needles...and counting
30 minutes of untangling Christmas lights
2 hours of bickering with Matt regarding Christmas light placement
and the best of all
2 minutes of Grace actually acknowledging said effort and decorations.

I appreciate the loving, peaceful landscape that comes straight out of a scene from "It's a Wonderful Life."  The scene where everybody is smiling, laughing with rosy cheeks  Where the house and Christmas tree are beautifully lit and decorated.  A scene, as much as I try to replicate doesn't quite exist, because fighting with your husband, consoling your child during her 1000th meltdown of the day is my reality.  It's My Wonderful Life.