When it comes to love, no one does it as unconditionally as dogs. The last year has been hard on my pups with the adjustment of a baby around. Yet their love still shines through as they gently lay with the baby or playful bound over to greet me when I get home. 

Today is National Mutt Day and my fur-babies are the best ones I know. I have been truly blessed by their big hearts, smart minds, and playful nature. They have been so patient and loving with me and as they age it is a reminder for me to be just as patient with them. 

I'm grateful for my fur-babies. I'm grateful for the good days where they have the energy to play. I'm grateful for the days they will just lie around with me and snuggle. I'm grateful for how gentle they are with my daughter. I'm grateful for all the love and patience they give me and how forgiving they are when I am not as attentive. I'm grateful for the many ways they have made my life better and stood beside me through good times and rough times. 

Do you have a mutt? What is your favorite thing about mixed breeds?

May today remind us to give love as unconditionally as a mutt. When the time is right, may we open our homes to a shelter dog that needs a loving home knowing that we will get much more in return. Have a beautiful day!

The process of learning takes repetition and practice. My daughter is learning her favorite song, "E-I-E-I-O" (also known as Old MacDonald). She requests and we sing it about a hundred times a day. 

She is learning to walk so we practice and practice. She also practices the fall and learning to sit when she feels off balance. Repetition on what works as well as what doesn't work is how we learn. It is how we create habits.

It is said that it takes 21 days to create a conscious habit and as many as 90 days to create and unconscious one. But in those days it takes consistent repetition. Every day we create habits by the repetitions we choose. Some of those habits are serving and others may not be.

I'm grateful for my daughter's reminder that every repetition I'm making is a step toward making it a habit. I'm grateful to take a long look at what habits I am creating. I'm grateful for the habits that are serving and that are in the best interests of my self-care and the person I want to become. I'm grateful to recognize the repetitions that I do not want to continue so I can find new ways to respond. I'm grateful for the reminder that not only do we need to practice the skill but also falling with grace. 

What are you repeating? What habits are you creating? Are they the habits to want to see in your life?

May today bring awareness to our responses. May we create habits consciously and may those habits reflect the person we want to become. Have a beautiful day!

The drum of the sump pump plays full force in the background. Last night was one of those epic, may-need-an-ark nights. The rain poured down and the lightning thundered.

The power stayed on and the babies mostly slept so I did not realize the full magnitude of the storm until this morning. My husband found our trash and recycling containers (that had been at our curb for this morning) six houses down, carried away by the rushing waters. The mulch from the path of our backyard was nearly to the front of the house. And the pond that had been empty in preparation of fixing is now full once again.

Living on a hill has advantages. While our yard may become a rushing waterfall, the water will not pool. The full story drop from our driveway to the street is reassurance against flood, at least from the front. Our home will stay "afloat" even while being fully grounded. At that, my friends, is nature's reminder for me today.

Like a tree bends in the wind while being rooted in the earth, I can be flexible and grounded. Like a boat can remain afloat while being anchored, I can ride the waves of life with trust. And like my home, I can allow the rushing waters of life to flow while still having a solid foundation in love. 

I'm grateful for the lessons in last night's storm. I'm grateful to have a solid home. I'm grateful my husband found our containers. I'm grateful my daughter and fur-babies did ok through the storm. I'm grateful to trust and to have reminders from time to time. I'm grateful to be doing my best to balance being afloat and knowing I am still grounded at the same time. 

What lessons is nature showing you? How do you balance going with the flow with staying grounded?

May today remind us that these two concepts are not mutually exclusive. May we blend them to create balance and find joy along the way. Have a beautiful day!

It is National Aunt and Uncle Day. I have been blessed with many aunts and uncles. My dad having eight brothers and sisters and my mom having four meant lots of family around. I love having a big family and the different personalities and events that provides.

My daughter on the other hand has just a small handful. With two aunts and three uncles, over half being out of town; she has a very different experience than I did. In some ways it is even more special because she gets to spend quality time with them. A party with the whole family is much different for her than it was for me growing up.

I'm grateful to have had a big family and lots of uncles and aunts. I'm equally grateful that my daughter gets to experience having a smaller family but more quality time with them. I'm grateful she gets to see one aunt and uncle weekly. I'm grateful for the bond they are forming. I'm also grateful for the out of town aunt and uncles that will become a special treat for her as she grows and we make trips to see them. I'm grateful that all of her aunts and uncles love her so much and are so interested in her milestones. I'm grateful to have a wonderful family.

How big is your family?What are your best memories of aunts and uncles? Who has become and aunt or uncle even if not through blood or marriage?

May today remind us the importance of family. May we celebrate the moments we share with the ones we love. Have a beautiful day!

Yesterday I heard a story of a young woman who is in the position of having to decide whether or not to keep her husband alive. After a bad accident he is in an unresponsive state and according to doctors is brain dead. It is a heart-wrenching story and a situation I wish no one had to face.

When asked what she wanted to do she replied that she was raised to believe in miracles and would give her husband time. I cannot say what I would do in her situation. I have no idea what it is like and I hope I never find out. But what I can say is that I am so inspired by this woman's courage and belief. 

Today I would like to ask all of my followers, no matter what term you prefer to use, to hold this family in your heart. If you pray, please pray for them. Please send good vibes or love or energy or whatever you wish to call it to this family. I believe in miracles. I do not know the master plan of what is in store but I do believe in the power of people coming together. I believe that when we come together, amazing things can happen.

I'm grateful for the people who know this woman personally and are there to support her through this time. I'm grateful for her strength and her powerful belief. I'm grateful for the inspiration she is, even in her hardest time. I'm grateful for each and every person who answers this call for prayer, love, and energy. I'm grateful to trust that there is a plan. And I'm grateful to believe that even in a world of science there is plenty of room for miracles.

Do you believe in miracles? In what way can you positively impact someone's life and help them have their miracle?

May today remind us we do not have all the answers. May it renew our faith and give us hope for miracles. Have a beautiful day!

This weekend was full of abundant gifts. I feel so blessed to have had such a wonderful weekend! And even more blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.

It started out with Date Night on Friday. We had nothing pre-planned and it was going to be nearly 100 degrees outside. It didn't seem like we had many options and then I got a call. My parents' friend was offering us free concert tickets! Yes, we would love to go!

The concert was awesome and my mom not only babysat but stayed late, putting our daughter to bed. Our sweet baby did her part in sleeping pretty well. Even with a late night I was feeling well at work Saturday morning.

At work I voiced that one client in the middle of my day had canceled, leaving a block of time with nothing to do and another client quickly stepped up to claim the opening. My day was booked once again and with it the abundance I needed to pay my bills.

Saturday night it rained; poured really. A thunderstorm rumbled through knocking out our power. I felt abundance not only in the much needed nourishment for the plants outside but also in my love for my family as I camped out on the floor outside my daughter's room, comforting her each time she woke. 

The power was back on just before we got up which was another blessing as the air conditioner cooled the house and breakfast could be cooked. Morning could proceed as normal. And a survey of the yard showed all the trees standing strong.

Family lunch was at one of my favorite steakhouses and the meal was delicious. My generous parents paid for all. The weekend continued its theme of abundant gifts.

Last night I caught up on some much needed sleep. My daughter still woke a couple times overnight but I woke rested and ready to start the day. The weekend of abundance filled my cup and with some much appreciated help from my husband today the theme continues. 

I'm so grateful for an amazing weekend. I'm grateful for concert tickets and a great date night with my husband. I'm grateful for the generosity of our family friend. I'm grateful for my parents' generosity and for not only babysitting but also the amazing lunch we enjoyed. I'm grateful for the rain and extremely grateful for the crews that came in overnight to restore power. I'm grateful for the client that filled the last minute opening in my schedule and I'm grateful for all my clients that allow me to do what I love for a living. I'm grateful for getting some sleep and the help my husband gave me so I could get ready this morning. I'm grateful to be so blessed with the people in my life and to feel the rain of abundance on my life.

What ways is abundance showing up in your life? What are you grateful for today?

May we see the gifts of abundance as they show up. May we see how blessed we are each day! Have a beautiful day!

Last night as I lay in bed I heard a loud noise above the sounds use to sleep. It sounded to me like a slamming door. My husband was still downstairs and I wondered what had happened; he would never slam a door. 

To my husband it had sounded like glass breaking and he immediately came up to check the windows and doors. He worried someone was trying to break in. We went to bed unable to find the source and thinking perhaps it had been something doubly loud outside.

This morning as I took my daughter into her bathroom, I saw it. Her beautiful fish had fallen from the wall and broken. It was a gift from a family friend when she went on a trip just before Lydia was born. Now it lay in pieces in the sink.

Even though it is just "stuff" I was sad. The friend's kind gesture had added true beauty to her bathroom and it held special meaning. Surely there was a positive spin I could find to help start the morning on a good note though.

I'm grateful the pieces of this fish were large so that there is a chance at gluing it back together. I'm grateful for the kind gesture of our family friend. I'm grateful for the idea it gave us on how we want my daughter's bathroom to look. I'm grateful for the idea that perhaps we can take a family trip and get one like this while creating memories. And I am grateful to know that the gesture of love in this gift is what is truly important and the fish itself can be replaced.

How do you find positive in a disappointing situation? What are you grateful for today?

May today remind us to focus on the positive. May we cherish the loving gestures of life more than the physical gifts that come from them. May we take the time to make memories with those we love. Have a beautiful day!

Today I am aware of how many simple services I take for granted in my daily life. As I carry a bag of stinky, poop-filled diapers out to the trash I cannot help but find gratitude for trash service that hauls it away without me having to load it in my car. 

We also have curbside recycling service that makes life much easier. It encourages us to recycle and saves us the trip of taking it somewhere ourselves. It is definitely handy since we can easily fill the bin every week.

Then there is the electricity that runs through our home. It is allowing us to keep the temperature cool in the house despite the upper ninety degree temperatures of Summer outside. It allows me to flip on a light, keep our food cold, and even power the sound machine that helps my daughter sleep. 

The water treatment plants that allow water to be drinkable or at least process the waste water that leaves the house are also generally taken for granted. When I turn on the faucet I trust clean water to come out. All of these services make life so much easier and yet are generally taken for granted.

I'm grateful for trash service. I'm grateful to have a crew come around and take our trash and recycling every week. I'm grateful we generally have more recycling than trash. I'm very grateful to have the diaper trash go each week.

I'm grateful for electricity and water. I'm grateful for all the services that keep our house running smoothly and make life so much easier. I'm grateful for the money to pay the bills to keep these services coming. I'm grateful for all the conveniences that I tend to take for granted each day.

What simple services are you most grateful for today? Which services do you rarely consciously think about but life would be harder without?

May today remind us to be grateful. May we be aware of the blessings we have, no matter how seemingly simple. Have a beautiful day!

Last night I kept having the same dream over and over; or rather one element of it. No matter what the rest of the dream, at some point someone would offer me a ravioli. I would try to eat it and it would be too touch to chew. 

I could feel the slight give under the pressure of my teeth but no matter how hard I tried I could not bite a piece off or chew it small enough to swallow. Each time I would wake clenched on to my mouthguard like a dog to its favorite chew toy. Dream after dream the tough ravioli returned.

As I woke this morning I couldn't help but laugh. Spinach ravioli has been a common sight in my life right now as it is one of my daughter's favorite lunches. The dreams seemed to come every couple hours, the frequency in which my daughter wakes on a normal night. My daughter slept peacefully but I was up chewing the tough ravioli all the same.

I'm grateful to laugh at my body and mind's reaction. I'm grateful to find humor in the tough ravioli. I'm grateful to know techniques to massage my jaw and release the tension I built overnight. I'm grateful my daughter slept well and woke rested. I'm grateful she likes spinach ravioli as they are one of my favorite easy meals too. I'm grateful to start a new day with a smile on my face.

What does your sleep tell you? Do you have dreams or sleep habits that may be trying to teach you something? My awareness is for me to let go and trust that my daughter is well when she is sleeping peacefully. My dreams tell me to relax and sleep.

May today be a reminder to let go of what we cannot control. May we remember to take the opportunities given and just relax. Have a beautiful day!

My daughter is a chatterbox. At ten and a half months old she has quite a few distinguishable words and many more in her own language. 

When she wakes in the morning she has two questions right away. "Dada?" and "Doggies?" She needs to check in and know the location of her loved ones. If Daddy is at work already then she wants to call him. Then it is play time.

I'm grateful for her sweet voice in the morning. I'm grateful for all the words she has picked up, even when it is to tell me "No thank you." I'm grateful for her awareness of others around her. I'm grateful for her sweet way of checking in on the dogs and her dad. I'm grateful for the amazing way the dogs get along with her and tolerate her bugging them. I'm grateful she has such a wonderful dad that she adores and who adores her equally. I'm grateful to be the one there to listen to her and answer her sweet inquiries.

If you could ask any two questions upon waking, what would you ask? Who would you ask about each morning?

May today remind us of our most cherished connections. May we voice the questions we need answered. Have a beautiful day!