My Mothers Day Testimony

I was watching a television the other day and I saw this beautiful commercial by Procter and Gamble:




I cry like a baby every time I watch it because I think of my own children and how quickly they're growing into little people with dreams of their own. Even at four and seven, they seem so big to me now because I so vividly remember holding each of their tiny little hands in my own after they were born.

My little girl, age four, and the most beautiful ballerina I've ever seen, is coming into her own more and more each day. She's like a sponge, soaking up every experience and making me pause to appreciate even the simplest of things as she sees them through her own very unique perspective.

Her smile melts me even on the most difficult of days because I know there is nothing but love and adoration behind it. And it is that adoration and love that makes me want to rope the moon for her if I can.

She is my princess and I cannot imagine a more perfect bond than the one I know we will have as she grows older.

My son, seven, is  smart, funny, and so full of life that it's nearly contagious. And as I shuttle him back and forth to soccer, karate, or scouts, I see the wonderful little boy he's becoming and I can't help but smile at how proud I am of how well he's making his way through this world.

He protects his sister, no matter what, and he is always willing to lend a helping hand to me or dad—no matter what the task—simply because he wants so much for us to be proud of him. He loves having a reason to make us smile and say "atta boy" because to him that means everything—and to us that means the world.

His compassion towards others is beautiful to see and I love how he's always leaving me little notes to say how great a mom he thinks I am or how much he loves his family.

He is our little man of the house and even at seven-years old, he's not ashamed to give his mom a kiss and hug in front of his friends in the carpool line :)

My children make every sacrifice worth it for me because their love is priceless and there aren't enough adjectives to express how blessed and favored I feel simply for being given the opportunity to be their mother. They are my divine gifts from above and on Mothers Day and every other I say "Thank You" to Him for loving me enough to send these two beautiful spirits into our lives.

So, from one mother to all the current and future mommies, I say Happy Mothers Day! We are all blessed beyond measure.

Squat-ariffic Workout

Saw this workout for the quads, buttocks, and hammies at one of my new fave sites for all things fit, Blogilates, and thought I might share it with my fit-minded readers. Try it on for size and see how those legs feel come tomorrow morning—I'll tell you I barely got through it without taking a breather or two...okay maybe three.

Yoga: Moving Towards More Than Just Flexibility

Yoga is something that I have danced with, off and on, over the last 5-years, However, it is only in the past five months that I have come to appreciate the balance it offers in my life.

I find that I am more willing to accept the inconsistencies and curve balls thrown my way because I see the benefits in going with the flow rather than obsessing over the details. Even more, the beauty and simplicity of the things around me have become magnified in such a way that it's become impossible for me not to find some level of gratification in even the most mundane moments.

Granted, I still have times where my anger and frustration get the best of me but I feel, for the most part, that I am much more centered and focused on my life as a "work in progress" as opposed to a completed picture with no hope of getting better—I am rediscovering myself as a wife, mother, woman, and friend and enjoying the lessons I'm learning along the way.

I credit yoga for allowing me the avenue to do such things without feeling the pain and disappointment that I might have in the past.

It's as if I have come to accept my bad parts for what they were/are and decided to no longer let them define me. I finally started to realize that the only consistency in this life is that things will always change and my place in that cycle is up to me.

I guess what I'm saying is, the journey does not come in trying to overcome the obstacles that these "changes" represent, but rather in taking those obstacles as symbols of how much stronger your becoming as a person because you have found a way to overcome them on your own.

Yoga has opened up a world within myself that I might otherwise never have found and I am loving it.

Now...if I could just master that darned crane (see photo).

Related articles

• Making Yoga a Priority Tops My To Do List (lifeissublime.wordpress.com)
• Yoga is a powerful practice (fr33domhall.wordpress.com)

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: One Reason To ALWAYS Know Your Limits

I think it's important to recognize when you're trying to do too much because it can help keep stuff like this from happening.



Wow, that's gonna hurt in the morning.

You Have The Right To Remain Informed

I'm a registered voter.

I value my right as a citizen, and as a woman, to play a part in how this country is run. I teach my children, even though they are still too young to understand, that it's important to be counted—even if they find themselves in the minority.

It's about taking a stand, and making a commitment, to be a part of the governmental process. The outcome may not always end in your favor, but that should never be an excuse for not being a part of the journey. However, after the shootings in Arizona, I am less and less enamored of that journey.

The killings in Tuscon, AZ—including the near-fatal wounding of Gabrielle Giffords—reminded me that the time we live in has become volatile. The hatred, the inability to accept the views of others, and the endless need to place blame on someone, anyone, for the mess that has been created seems to take precedence over finding solutions—and that's sad.

Jared Loughner—albeit disturbed—has become representative of where we're headed as a nation if we don't start to check our values at the gate. So many of us blindly follow the herd that we can no longer distinguish our personal beliefs from that of our favorite political figures.

We blindly follow them and all they say because we no longer remember how to lead for ourselves,  and that's unacceptable. If you don't like the world you live in, do more to exact the change you want to see.

Don't spend your time pointing fingers and placing blame because, the truth is, no one is innocent of this mess we've brought upon ourselves. We have all played a part in this debacle and we all need to play an equal part in digging ourselves out.

Step away from the rhetoric and get back to the business of educating yourself and those around you—if they're willing to listen—about the real issues. Because, in the end, that's all that matters—everything else is just hot air.

Related articles

• Jared Lee Loughner Guns Down Nineteen, Kills Six, at Tuscon AZ Political Event (alligatorfarm.wordpress.com)
• Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords Shot by Jared Loughner (buzzfeed.com)
• Staffer: Palin Rhetoric Not to Blame for Attack (cbsnews.com)
• Gabrielle Giffords Shooting: Latest Updates (politico.com)

Day 14: Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say...

Believe it or not, that's a hard concept for some people to grasp. They don't get the difference between talking to somebody and talking at them—trust me, the two are not the same.

It has always been my philosophy to be honest with myself about the point I'm trying to make. Emotions are too easy to get caught up in, and words become like daggers with poisoned tips for you to spew out, rapid fire, until you can emerge victorious—albeit stained with the blood and guts of the person you've disemboweled.

The analogy may seem vivid and violent, but it illustrates just how damaging words can be.

With that said, it's always important to approach, potentially, volatile situations with a plan. Ask yourself where your head is before you engage in an emotional debate with someone you care about. If you know you are angry, hurt, or overly sensitive, perhaps it's best to table the discussion for a later time—when you can be more rational.

However, if you are caught up in the heat of the moment, and the tussle gets harsh enough that the vitriol begins to well-up within you, and make it's way to the tip of your tongue, stop and ask yourself what it is you wish to say—is your ultimate goal to hurt or to educate?

If your aim is to hurt, then it doesn't need to be said. Spite for spite's sake is useless and it causes nothing but more pain in the long run. 

If the aim is to educate the individual about your needs, your expectations, and your qualms, then that's productive. That's a starting point for the healing process and a step towards personal growth for you because you are learning how to communicate your emotions in a more mature manner.

Whatever you do, take care not to place yourself in a situation that you'll be sorry for later and, always remember, words linger longer than circumstances. No matter how your issues get resolved, a person never forgets the way something you said made them feel—don't plant the seeds of negativity that could later spring up and overwhelm you or your relationship.

Neither of you may be able to recover.