There's a Blizzard Outside and I'm Hunkerin' Down

This afternoon, I was sitting in my office catching up on some reports and injecting late-comers with the seasonal flu vaccination at about 2:30 pm today. An email "alert" came across my desk that stated hospital officials supported state weather alert warning by offering over-night accomodations for staff that would not be able to return home after their shift due to the storm. Flash-back to the 2007 Firestorms in San Diego! My mind immediately began to subconsciously check off our "emergency preparedness" supplies at home in anticipation of hybernating for the next few days.

Fortunately, I was prepared with food, water, comfort "treats", lanterns, first aide, etc. if needed. We could lose power, water and the ability to be mobile at any time and still be okay (of course, we'd definitely feel the effects of losing the TV and DVD player with the power loss, but hey...BOOKS are in the many bookcases lining this house!)

There is a feeling of peace that comes with being prepared. There is joy in "hunkering" down with family in a cozy home that is filled with love and laughter and good food! I sit here, right at this very moment, watching a downpour of white snowflakes blanketing everything outside of my cozy "four walls" and I feel safe, warm and happy.

Surviving the storms in our lives make us strong and bring confidence that the next storm will be conquerable. Finding joy and putting color in a flat-light moment attests to our power to overcome.
I wish for you the ability to be prepared for whatever life may hurl your way, strength to overcome and peace in knowing who you are and what you can become.

Happiest of this Thankgiving holiday!

Marti

Saying Goodbye

I have been delinquent with blogging and want to apologize to those of you who look for this every Sunday and Wednesday. I have a good excuse though....

This weekend was a quick trip to Denver, dropping off my dearest four-legged companion with my daughter-in-law (the reason for this is another blog...). The weekend flew by with happy moments spent with Miss Izzy and Miss Abby, and of course Kindall. Delightful to have my granddaughter climb onto my lab and cuddle with both tiny arms wraped snug around my neck as we watched college football.

 Unforgettable as bright blue eyes looked at me with a whispered "ohhh" as her sister discovered once again the bright lights of a familiar toy.

Such joy cannot be contained!

Then came the "goodbyes" and I pulled each of them into my arms, kissed them and promised "HuHu will be back again very soon". I blinked quickly as tears welled and hugged my sweet beagle who looked at me with trusting eyes. I knew these three innocents could not comprehend that this woman they loved would return or what the words whispered to them really meant. Only I knew the depth of the promise left to them. So, I said goodbye and walked away from them, tears now spilling as I saw three faces watch me go wondering why they weren't going along.

How treasured is the trust and faith of the innocent. I felt it yesterday and comforted my feelings of abandonment and guilt through a new resolve to make the trip out to visit again soon, as I promised. That promise is real to me and hoped for by them. 

Until that blessed day when I can gather them all in my arms again...

Marti

Dynamics

Ahhh...the dynamics that dance between adult human beings as we mesh our lives together. Sounds so philosophical, rather "heavy", but it's a true phenomenon that occurs as time creeps forward in subdued steps.



Over the course of the last few months (since the book was released to the public), I've had the oportunity to reunite and reaquaint myself with friends from my past. What an amazing experience it has been to meet once again and share stories of our lives absent from one another. So different, and yet really the same, we tell the same tale of struggle, joys, triumph, hopes, and so on. Kindling the old relationships is life altering, bringing us full circle in one part of our journey. These aren't accidents.
I am convinced we have people in our lives for a purpose. Agreements made and promises fulfilled over and over again, we find our way to each other to enrich and support each other as friends, family, nemeses, lovers. So interesting really when I stop to think of how each of the individuals surrounding my life have touched my life over and over again.



Last night at the book launch party, I was joined at one point by "sisters", not blood family but spiritual friendships, that had blessed my life at one point in my history. Several of these amazing women I had not seen for more than ten years! We hugged each other, spilled our secrets and enriched each other once again in just the brief time spent together.


The power of love is so binding. May I suggest a moment to pause this week and take notice of the people who have chosen to surround you, nurture you and bless you with their friendship. Feel the binding energy that is present when you are near them. Give thanks for the blessing you have been given of reuniting with that person in this lifetime.

I am so thankful for my "people"

Namaste ~
Marti

Walk the Talk

I'm a day late blogging and I apologize to anyone anticipating a typical Wednesday night post. So much is going on around here right now I can't even begin to get clever or inspirational...I'm holding on with my fingernails myself!


Interesting how after only a few months of posting my thoughts about life and "riding the wave", God sees fit to give me another little TEST! My wave just fizzled out and I'm almost too exhausted (and scared) to turn around and face the next one...even though I've been promised it's going to be a FABULOUS ride!
Not easy getting back into life! So not easy saying "goodbye" to family as they move off of their own wave and turn around to face the next, particularly when I'm not included on the ride.

So, to myself and my loved ones...have a great ride and I'll see you one the next one hopefully.
Namaste ~

Marti

9:30 am rolled around this morning and my emotions shifted. I was sitting comfortably in the floral sofa with the big soft pillows that I love to nestle into to write. Kathryn was dodging and weaving the slice of cutlasses, when all of the sudden everything stopped.

Where was I only nine years ago at this very moment?

I asked myself that question almost subconsciously, that's what 0930 on each September 11 has caused me to do for the past nine years.

Ahhh yes, sitting on the edge of my bed watching in horror as the second aircraft plunged into the still intact tower.

My stomach lurched in response as it does each time I replay the visual of that horrific moment.
Today as I drove home from Target, I noticed a red jeep decked out in five US flags, his reverence for this day unmistakeable. As I turned into my neighborhood, the guy across the street had decorated his yard in US flags of various sizes, showering his lawn in red-white-and-blue. It is important to me to show this same kind of rememberance on this day and so I pulled out the flag and stuck in in the planter, straightened the military star flag (there are two on mine) hanging in my window and sat down to write this message.

Remember, please remember those whose lives were lost on this fateful day nine years ago. Remember the valiant sacrifices made by the police, firefighters, civilians, neighbors and strangers...US citizens, my country, my family.
Thank you to those who serve our grand country now, those home and abroad. Thank you for sacrificing your time, comfort and memories with your own loved ones as you serve.

Today will be another Saturday, somber with significance. But as I go back outside to trim the summer's overgrown bushes, my grandson riding his big wheel oblivious to the significance of this day except he is aware of one thing...his daddy isn't here. He's serving in some foreign land because of what happened nine years ago.

Motivated and It's NOT Too Hot Outside

I just spent the last few minutes looking at my daughter-in-law's new blog and I was so impressed by her writing, posting and the general look of it...that I decided to post on my own. So, I'm now sitting outside in the tepid evening air watching my grandson, Boone eat the sand in his new sandbox and holler "'Mon...C'mon" as he pulls my hand and leads me to the new sandbox.

It's a great night and I'm content, looking forward to a waning full moon and the chance to write about a pirate in the Caribbean in 1722.

I think this is as good as it gets!

Comfort Chaos

Several of the sites I write on (ie: Blog) feel more open to a general public review. For whatever reason, this blog feels different...somehow more personal. I have posted the blog below on several sites tonight but felt that I wanted to make it a little more meaningful here. So here goes....

It's difficult to see a loved one leave. I have one son who just landed in the Middle East on his second deployment a few days ago. I have a daughter who will be someone's wife on Saturday. My baby leaves for college not long after that. In the middle of all of these plans, my daughter-in-law arrived with both children. What a wonderful reminder of the circle of life that surrounds us all. As some leave, others arrive. Yesterday's activities are stashed away as precious memories while todays events are relished. All of this blends together into one big chaotic series of experiences we call life. And so it was for me tonight....

My house has been chaotic for the past several weeks. Only six days remain until my daughter is married, five days remain until my son and his family arrive from Denver, four days remain until Wendy is here, three days until the last of the food preparation is planned, two days until I get to go to the gym and one day until work starts again. People are bustling and blowing through here like a torrential flurry of fall leaves on a blustery October evening. I'm not keeping up....but I'm loving it all.

Tonight, my grandson climbed onto my lap, laid his head in the crook of my arm and fell asleep. The chaos circlied us like sharks in a frenzy...but we stayed still, peaceful in the midst of it all as I rocked him to sleep. This moment was mine as I memorized his sweet slumbering face.

The moon just waned and chaos followed, as it should. There is bliss in this kind of chaos and I'm glad for it.

Have a very happy, chaotic week!

Marti