Sometimes Forgotten - But Never Too Late

 My hubby and I were married on Dec. 18^th right in the smack dab middle of preparation for the

Christmas holidays. 

Need I say more. . . 

So every Dec. we have the same discussion about when should we celebrate?  Sometimes it falls on our friends annual Christmas Party - 

that we for sure wouldn’t miss. . . 

Then there’s the week before Christmas with all the busyness of shopping and decorating and getting the guest room ready for the arrival of overnight guests - 

or. . . 

the week after when we’re really just ready to do nothing after all the entertaining and eating and

and company and cleaning up -  

or. . . 

maybe we could just wait until January when the world feels too quiet after all the hustle and bustle. 

And so here it is January 28 and somewhere in all the excitement of the New Year and putting things back

together and thoughts of the arrival of spring - 

our anniversary was forgotten. 

I came into my office this morning, sat down at my desk, opened a drawer and as I was moving papers around not even sure what I was looking for - 

there in the middle of all the drawer chaos lay this card - 

that I had totally forgotten about. . . 

and as I turned it over this is what I read -  

Sometimes “right back where you started from” is right where you belong.   

The anniversary card I had bought my hubby months before Christmas was even in view, but never signed and gave to him. 

You see, my hubby is a romantic and things like special dates and cards and old memories and new memories are really important to him.  He still makes me feel like I’m - 

on a date. . . 

when we go out together. 

He does special things - 

like opening my car door or pulling out my chair in a restaurant. 

When we cross a street together he always puts his hand on my lower back and I always feel so protected by him.  It’s his way of saying I’ve got your back. 

If I fall asleep before him he still wakes me to - 

kiss me good-night - every time. . . 

You see, many years ago there was this 19 year old boy and an 18 year old girl who met on a blind date three thousand miles from their homes and after much dining and laughing and getting to know each other - she went here and he went there and then 25 years later - 

fate brought them back together. 

And now as we begin our 25th year of marriage I know we need to make a special date and celebrate the 24^th year that we just left behind in 2016. 

Because. . . 

it’s never too late to celebrate.   

it’s just that we remembered.

 

 

"the life-changing magic of tidying up"

 

 “The best way to get something done, is to begin”. . . 

As much as I love the decorations and atmosphere that fills our home at Christmas, I equally love the

week after Christmas when I help my hubby drag the tree out the front door instructing  

my hubby - 

to please keep the tree on the sheet that is cradling it so the falling pine needles don’t make a home in the carpet on their way out that - 

will  . . . 

for sure -  

randomly show up for the remainder of the year. 

And please don’t walk so fast - 

And who’s going to shut the door behind us so our kitty Abby - 

doesn’t escape. 

 

sigh. . .

This is my week to deep clean and freshen up our home for the coming New Year.  It’s kind of like preparing for a coming out party.  You want everything to shine and sparkle and have a place to greet this New Year and dazzle your friends when they come to visit. 

You wait with anticipation for their arrival when all the ooohs and aaahs will begin and questions like

how did you? and say things like where did you put? or how different it looks or I can’t believe you thought!

of  -  

But in reality we all know that probably nobody will be - 

dazzled. . . 

or notice the hours and energy and thought that went into this coming out party - 

but - 

you. . . 

And that’s ok.   

sigh. . . 

 I’m also continuing on a project my friend and I began together in October.  It all started with a book her friend in California sent her called “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up”.  We both love organizing and simplifying our lives and surroundings so it seemed only natural that we’d love doing this project together.  I love organizing and am always moving objects into the garage and then back into the house and then 

of course -  

back into the garage. 

Or going to my closet and taking clothes off the hanger and then putting them back on the hanger and then ultimately thinking I have - 

nothing to wear. . . 

As I went from room to room, filling box after box I noticed something begin to shift inside of me.  As

my house became free of objects that I no longer valued or needed and that took up space in my mind -

mostly on an unconscious level -  

I felt emotionally lighter.  

And I know that the spaces that held all these objects will never again be used for a holding space.  Because -

I feel - 

so much freer. 

I’ve read about clutter and how even when it’s not visible to us, it’s visible in our mind and affects our - 

peace of mind. 

I was born a natural homemaker.  What some women call chores, I call puttering which in the end still means vacuuming and dusting, cleaning and washing.  But I believe in daily maintenance and spending -

as little time as possible doing this - 

 

puttering. 

My home is my sanctuary and I love spending time here.  Here is where I close the door to the outside noises and chaos that often fill the spaces outside our doors.  Puttering is never an all day event, but is tucked in little pockets of free time.  Being a nature girl at heart I bring nature into our home in the form of indoor trees and plants and water fountains that are present throughout our home and great you at our front door. 

I find serenity in these simple objects that fill our home with peace. 

As I read and pondered this book I learned that clutter is not only in our physical objects that surround us, but also in our thoughts.  Most of us at some time or other have been visited by this little gremlin that sits in our brain and waits for the most opportune moments to fill our mind with negative chatter that travels throughout our body depositing things like headaches, anxiety, stomach aches and fatigue.  Just like de-cluttering our homes we need to de-clutter our mind.  I do this in the form of audio meditation.  

 

After 20 minutes of meditation my mind is clear and happy -  

And my body feels healthy.  

So as I enter this New Year I’m excited about traveling lighter, bringing less in and taking more out. 

And remembering -  

to -  

Not say “yes” to everything I'm asked to do. . . 

to -  

Define my own road in life. . .  

And to -    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

“Bloom where I'm planted” 

And to know I'll pretty much always -

 

be happy!

 

One more for the road.

 

As I'm walking through the world this year over hill and over dale, all hither and yawn,

and to and fro -

 

I have decided to just be me. . .

 

It's so much easier. . .