I would like to take today to reflect on 2016. My life went through some drastic changes this past year from finding out I was pregnant in early January, getting home projects accomplished, the passing of my grandpa, and the birth of my daughter in August, and adjusting to parenthood. 

In looking back over my blogs for the year, I wrote nearly 90,000 words and wrote about gratitude from everything from my husband, dogs, and baby to imagination, asking for help, and the rollercoaster of different emotions. I can honestly say that this year challenged me more than some years and yet was filled with more beauty because of those challenges. My life will never be the same as it was this time last year and I wouldn't change a thing.

I'm so grateful for how this year has gone. I'm grateful for the beauty and the challenges of pregnancy that I had waited so long to experience. I'm grateful for the birth of my daughter and to be able to go through it as planned, without pain medicine or epidural. I'm grateful to have been by my grandpa's side as he rejoined my grandma in spirit. I'm grateful for all the family time and trips we got to take this year to celebrate different weddings and special moments of loved ones' lives. I'm grateful for my dogs' patience as we have gone through all the transitions of having a baby. And I'm grateful for every smile, laugh, and beautiful moment that has been shared with the people in my life.

What are you grateful for about 2016? What beautiful moments have you had? What challenges have you overcome? How will you celebrate the closing of this year?

May today allow us time to reflect. May we find beauty and blessings in the year behind us and excitement for the year ahead. Have a beautiful day!

Parenting is like trying to figure out a puzzle with only half the pieces... or maybe more like trying to get the pieces to fit together when they are all flower shaped. Last night as we put our daughter to bed, my husband and I just had to shrug. The pieces weren't going to fit. 

We tried lighter sleep sack, heavier sleep sack, no sleep sack, arms in  or arms out, rocking, swaying, walking, new diaper, new pajamas, and feeding. The bitty did not want to stay asleep. The parenting "guide" says this is a four month sleep regression phase. So this is just a thing?! We finally got some decent sleep by going back to what we did with her as a newborn.

Really all of this transpired between forty minutes putting her down for a nap and then ninety minutes trying to get her down at bedtime. Who knows if it will work a second time. But there is no bonding quite like two parents standing over a fussing, refusing to sleep baby, and shrugging together. 

Everyone talks abourt bonding with the baby but there is a new bonding that happens between husband and wife as we work as a team to solve these little puzzles. There is bonding in sharing ideas. There is bonding in taking turns. And there is a special bond in the shrug.

I'm grateful to have a good partner in this parenting game. I'm grateful he thinks in a different way than me so that we can come up with extra ideas. I'm grateful for the shrug. I'm grateful to see the puzzle pieces and know it's ok when they don't fit perfectly, because this is life. And I'm grateful when solutions are found, even if they are temporary. I'm grateful for this parenting challenge and for each one we overcome.

What puzzles are you working on right now? Is there someone who could help you find the missing piece?

May today grant us humor in place of frustration and playfulness to replace stress. May we make life's puzzles pieces work to the best of our ability and know that is good enough. Have a beautiful day!

Over the holiday weekend it became very apparent how much I was missing social interaction with adults that aren't clients. My social calendar became somewhat sparse while I was pregnant just due to going to bed so early and trying to earn extra income during the days.

In August when my baby arrived it dropped off even more. Now that she is getting a little older and I am a bit more rested I am hoping to resurrect my social calendar. And first on the list...Date Night!

I'm grateful to live so close to family so my husband and I have plenty of support. I'm excited and grateful to have our first post-baby date night (without baby in tow). I'm grateful for all my friends being so understanding in my absence and being welcomed back to the social world with open arms. I'm grateful to have more energy to play with my fur-babies too! My life will never be the same as it was before my daughter; I wouldn't want it to, but I'm so grateful to be feeling a little more balance these days. 

What is your favorite social activity? Who do you enjoy hanging out with that you maybe haven't seen in a while? Is there space in your calendar to schedule social time in 2017?

May today renew our friendships and engage our commitment to social needs. Have a beautiful day!!!

I have been up since 2:30 this morning. I tried to sleep but my mind kept going around and around. All my tricks and tips were void against my monkey mind. Around 4:30 my husband woke and we had a good chat for an hour and a half about what was on my mind before he went back to sleep. Sometimes just being heard is the best comfort.

Being able to talk it out and feel like I was heard helped me relieve some of the stress I was feeling. It helped to break the monkey mind loop and settle in for some sleep. I did not end up going back to sleep because ten minutes later my daughter woke and even though she went back to sleep after half an hour, I was wide awake... well, awake anyway.

Despite getting less sleep than I'd prefer, I feel a little lighter knowing I used my voice. I feel a little less stressed knowing my husband understands and seeing his perspective on these topics. I was holding all the weight of it because I wasn't speaking and when I spoke, I realized he had been sharing those thoughts all along. There was no need for me to carry it all. 

I'm grateful to use my voice. I'm grateful to free the thoughts that were going round and round in my head. I'm grateful to quiet the monkey mind and gain a fresh perspective. I'm grateful for my husband's understanding and ability to hold a conversation in the middle of the night. I'm grateful to feel a little lighter as I start a new day. And I'm grateful to know that there will be time tonight to catch up on this lost sleep.

Is there something on your mind that could be freed by talking it out? Who is your sounding board when you need to clear your mind?

May today be graceful with our thoughts. May we see the big picture and may we find someone to lean on in times of need. Have a beautiful day!

I am filled with an abundance of gratitude this morning after a weekend of seeing how I am truly blessed. This is not a surprise to me, I know I am blessed, but a weekend surrounded by family makes it all the more apparent. 

Yes, I got everything I asked for this year but the gift that left me most joyous is still my sweet daughter. She is truly a gift. It filled my heart to get to spend time with my aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, and siblings over the weekend and watch as some of them met my daughter for the first time. It filled my heart watching my husband help her open her Christmas gifts and snuggling her as she got sleepy. 

This morning as I wake from ten hours of sleep I feel renewed. My heart is full. And I feel like a new season has already begun. My husband and I gave each other the gift of new commitments for Christmas. I have also given myself a new commitment to balance that I will begin now and continue through the new year. Even the dogs have a new commitment to cuddling it seems and I am loving it.

So as I watch the sun shining through the clouds this morning, it is like a big beautiful exhale. This is contentment. This is joy. This is abundance. And above all, this is love. I'm grateful.

I'm grateful for this peace and calmness filling me. I'm grateful for the ceremony I did with a dear friend for the Winter Solstice that helped me gain perspective and put into words what I needed. I'm grateful my daughter and husband joined that ceremony as it gave me a sense of connection and support as I spoke my needs and heard theirs. I'm grateful for all the family time I got to share this weekend with my extended family. I'm grateful for all the joy it brings to share laughter with family. I'm grateful for the abundance that showered us over the holidays and I'm grateful to feel so blessed.

What blessings do you feel this morning? How do you want to wind down the year and what commitments will you make for the year to come?

May today give us perspective. May we see the blessings that grace our every day lives. Have a beautiful day!

Happy holidays! Whether you are celebrating Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, or any of the other holidays this season, I wish you merriment and love. Yes there are some differences in the different religions, beliefs and cultures but I believe that is a great thing. And I believe at the core is love. So to all of humanity, I hope you have a beautiful holiday season and weekend!

I'm grateful for the joy and celebration this time of year. I'm grateful for loving support for any sadness that is held this season as I remember who is not with me this year. I'm grateful to know my grandparents are together, as much as I still wish they were with me. I'm grateful to honor each member of my tribe's (humanity) traditions and to wish them the best. I'm grateful to share my "religion" (Love and only love) with everyone I know. I'm grateful for opportunities to do good deeds and give love. I'm grateful for our own traditions that I look forward to sharing with my daughter this year. And I'm grateful to begin thinking of some new tradtions to start with my family as my daughter grows. 

What are your traditions? What do you celebrate this time of year? And what support do you need?

May today and all weekend be merry and bright. May you find love warming your heart and your days. May you find joy in your traditions and support always at your door. Have a beautiful holiday season, everyone!

Last night I had an aha moment. It became clear to me why I keep getting sick. You see, the Universe works to refill our requests but it does not always fulfill them in the way we might hope.

I keep saying my daughter is growing up too fast and I miss the first few weeks when I could just lie around and hold her. I keep saying that I don't have enough time to get everything do and just relax with her during the day. I keep saying I need to find balance and de-stress so that I can rid myself of chest pains. And I keep asking, how do I do this?

Last night as I had to stop three times in less than an hour to calm the frantic feeling of too much to get done in order to just breathe and recenter, I realized that I had been receiving my answer. The Universe had been trying to grant my request. The only thing that stops me and makes me rest with my baby and let go of the stress of getting everything done... being sick. I had a good laugh and had to say thank you for that fulfillment but now it is time for me to ask for something new. It is time for me to start fulfilling that request myself in a healthier way.

Over the last few days I have done a better job of nurturing myself, boosting my health, and asking for help. I am proud of myself for that because it is a step in the right direction. And yet going back to work yesterday I was right back into letting stress and pressure overwhelm me. This is my new task and with it being more conscious of what I request.

I'm grateful for this epiphany. I'm grateful for the Universe trying to fulfill my wishes. I'm grateful to be more aware of what I ask for now. I'm grateful to have regained health and started more healthy practices to keep it. I'm grateful for the opportunity to balance better within my work. And I'm grateful for the opportunity to be aware of my stress and not get swept up in it. I'm grateful for this journey as I work on balance and I'm grateful to take over the reins in accomplishing this in a healthier way.

What have you been asking for lately? Has your wish been fulfilled in some way, even if not the way you intended? How can we be more specific in our requests?

May our words and wishes reflect our true desires. May we be conscious of all the ways we are supported and find gratitude in this support. Have a beautiful day!

A new dawn is rising. Today is Winter Solstice, the first day of Winter. It is the shortest day of daylight of the year. It is also World Peace Day, a day of getting together to hold space and pray for peace. 

What would the World look like if everyone were at peace? If everyone just accepted each other for who they are, their beliefs, their preferences, and their experiences what would that look like as a whole planet? 

As this dawn rises with its beautiful colors agains the melting snow, I hope we can hold peace today. I hope the beauty that is outside my window reflects the beauty in humanity's heart today. I hope that for this day, everyone knows love and respect.

I'm grateful to wake a few minutes before my family to practice my Qigong and just breathe in the beauty of sunrise. I'm grateful for this opportunity for peace. I'm grateful to know the world is a reflection of our hearts and minds and we are always creating. I'm grateful to hold space and create peace today. I'm grateful for all those who participate in World Peace Day in whatever their capacity and belief. I'm grateful for Winter Solstice and the beauty of this time of going within.

How will you promote peace today? What reflections of yourself will you create?

May today bless us with internal peace. May we reflect upon the world the beauty within. And may we take the time to go within ourselves today to find love. Have a beautiful day!

After a night of great sleep, my daughter and I are waking full of smiles, and waking with smiles is something to sing about! Skinamarink seems like a fun one and baby agrees!.

As I happily type, the bitty lays on a blanket happily talking to her ceiling. Our health mantra, along with all the advice we have been following seems to be helping!

I'm grateful to feel better. I'm very grateful my sweet little girl feels better. I'm grateful for silly songs and lots of smiles. I'm grateful for a happily chatty baby. I'm grateful to see the sun shining outside and have the service man ready to look at the heater. I'm grateful for a new, beautiful day!

What are you grateful for today? What is your favorite silly, happy song? What makes you smile today?

May today bless us with health and happiness. May we find plenty to smile and sing about today! Have a beautiful day!

First I want to say thank you for all those who reached out after Friday's blog with advice on boosting my immune system and healing. It was much appreciated! Of all the days, yesterday was the hardest for me as I watched my baby feeling the same symptoms I have had and also facing one of my biggest struggles, the feeling of disappointing. 

I felt disappointment with myself at not being able to protect my daughter from this bug. I also felt I was disappointing clients as I came to the realization I needed to cancel my appointments for today. And yet through these feelings, I felt growth. I could hear the voice of reason beyond it all saying I was doing my best and putting the care of myself above clients was a huge step for me. Slowly a new voice is shining through. A voice that is expressing pride at my choices and how well I have stepped up in my self-care, asking for help, and providing care for my baby. 

We are on the path to health and that is my new mantra. No more talking about what I don't want. I am focusing on what I want, HEALTH, for me and my family. I made this health "patch" to stick to myself today as a reminder. My mantra: I am healthy and whole. I make decisions that are healthy for myself and my family. 

I'm grateful for all the support I received over the weekend. I'm grateful for all the loving advice I received. I'm grateful for the new recipes my husband came up with to incorporate the foods and spices that I needed to support health. I'm grateful for the growth I experienced and the pride I feel at these changes. I'm grateful for my new mantra and for the health my daughter and I are regaining. I'm grateful for this new focus and this new beginning. 

How do you decide what your body is needing? How do you support your health?

May today bless us all with support in body, mind, and soul. May we recognize the next step and take it when the time is right. Have a beautiful day!