On Friendship

Instead of being a joyful season, I used to find this time of year actually sucked the joy right out of me.  That has improved as my kids have gotten older and life has settled down somewhat.

To continue with my series on wellness, I want to share a brief meditation I hope will boost your morale / spirits.  This week I want to focus on friendship.

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

I have found that true friendship is hard to come by and is a precious gift to treasure.  There are different types of friends ... friends for a lifetime or a season ... confidants ... those you enjoy spending time with ... those you trust with your darkest secrets and those you go to for advice.  The best ones are those who listen to you without judgment.

Over the past six months, I have been struggling with the loss of a friend.  The pain is deep and often cuts to the core.  Just when I think I've got it under control, a wave of grief passes over me and I just want to cry.  There are not too many people I can talk to about it.  In fact, I don't really want to talk to people about it.  I just want my friend back.  (I wrote about this here:  How long does it take to heal a broken heart?)

That said, today I talked to Erica and she heard me.  I told her that I need my brain to shut off, so that at 1:30 a.m. when I can't sleep, I'm not wrought with grief that shakes me for the rest of the day.  She gave me some good advice, some things I need to just say to myself over and over.  She can't know how much she helped me.  She is the kind of friend I want to keep forever.

I love this girl!  She's my person.

Recently I made a new friend.  Her name is Lidiya.  Lidiya is probably one of the nicest people I have ever met.  Being around her and talking to her makes you want to be a better person.  We walk together twice a week and talk about everything.  I mean everything.  I am so glad she is in my life.

Lidiya invited me to the Bible Truck Exhibit at her church last month.  They had a photo booth and we posed for a couple pictures they used to make a bookmark souvenir for us. 

As you rush through the next few weeks, take some time to appreciate your friends.  Who are the people you trust most?  Who listens to you when you feel like you're out of your mind?  Who makes you want to be a better you?  Write them a note.  Tell them what they mean to you.  Give them a hug and thank them for being there.  Say a prayer for them.

Count on Me by Bruno Mars

Occasionally I talk to people who tell me they don't really have any friends.  If this is the case, I suggest you seek out at least one person and try to cultivate that relationship.  If you are a super busy mom or dad, driving your kids all around, try to befriend the parents of your kids' friends.  It could be a text message that says, "What are you doing this weekend?  Do you want to grab lunch?  Coffee?"  Don't just say, "We should get together sometime."  Do it. Set a date and stick to it.  It can take time to see if you're a good fit together.  It's worth the investment.  It is.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 
If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Life is precious.  Friendship is a valuable treasure to hold onto.

Read more from my series on wellness

Radio Silence

The Empty Fridge Syndrome

Put a Little Love in Your Step

Questions for you...
Do you have at least one person you can talk to, who will hear you and listen to you without judgment?  Who is that person?  Write him/her a note today.

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Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

What are Little Girls Made Of?

According to the nursery rhyme, it's sugar and spice and everything nice.  And THAT was definitely the case for me before I started my journey towards fitness.  Yes, give me sugar and throw in a little spice and I was in LOVE.

But in the fall, especially now, it's Pumpkin Spice that I LOVE!

It's really a problem...

I bought ALL of this pumpkin spice stuff at different times.
The Pumpkin Caramel tea by Tea Guys is my FAVORITE!!!
And YES, I did eat that pumpkin donut!

When I got serious about watching my nutrition, I started eating Greek Yogurt and a LOT of it.  It's higher in protein and satisfies my sweet tooth or need for ice cream when I'm in a pinch.  I eat one for my morning snack every day.  I can't resist.  Oikos Triple Zero is my favorite!  It has only 130 calories and 15 grams of protein.  That's a lot!

But, for the Pumpkin Spice Season, I stocked up on pumpkin Greek yogurt.  Yes, I've officially made pumpkin spice its own season!

I've tried them all.  The Dannon Light & Fit tastes a little too "diet" to me.  I think they put artificial sweeteners in it.  Not crazy about it.   The Chobani flavors are good, but my favorite is the Oikos Pumpkin Pie.  It tastes like creamy pumpkin pie filling.  It's DELICIOUS!  

In other news, my son is practicing to get his license.  He's 18 and he really should already have it.  I'm not sure who is afraid to let go, me or him.

It's definitely me!

Saturday, I will be participating in my second Ride to Remember, which is a 106 mile bike ride from downtown Springfield, MA to Boston, MA.  The ride is meant to honor the lives of fallen police officers.  This year, we are riding to honor Massachusetts State Trooper Thomas Clardy and Auburn Police Officer Ronald Terentino, Jr.  Both of these officers gave their lives in the line of duty this year.

Ride to Remember 2015

I got my nails done just for the ride.  Kate did a great job!

I know I wrote recently about how much I love this time of year, but it's true.

Check out the mums I bought today.  They aren't quite fully bloomed yet, but they will be so pretty if I remember to water them.  I want to get a variety of colors.  These were the only ones I could distinguish at the market.  The others were all closed up.  I think the purple and orange ones are my favorite.

What are little boys made of?

Snips and snails and puppy dog tails.

I'm working on a post about body image, and I'm hoping you'll give me some feedback for the post.  Please answer the survey above, or check it out here:  What Would You Change?   You can email me your answers if you like.

Questions for you (answer in the comment section below):
What's your favorite Pumpkin Spice flavored or scented thing?  
Pumpkin Pie or Apple Pie?

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Big Occasions

April marks the beginning of a series of "Big Events" in my household.  My husband and I celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary last week.  It's hard to believe we have been together so long.  I used to believe in soul mates, and then when we went through a rough patch earlier in our marriage, I thought that was just nonsense talk.  At this point in our marriage, I can say he is my soul mate.  I can't imagine my life without him.  He knows how I am feeling just by the sound of my voice or the way I walk into a room.  Sometimes I'll say to him, "Stop invading my privacy, I really just want to be in a bad mood without anyone knowing it."  And he'll respond, "I'm sorry if I know how my wife is feeling after all these years."  And we laugh.  He is my heart.

Today is my son, Joey's 18th Birthday.  I cannot believe he is 18 years old.  Seriously, where did the time go?  He's not a kid anymore.  I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday.

With so much celebrating, combined with the pressure of finishing my degree, it's been a consistent food fest.  Despite the ice cream cake we will have tonight for dessert, I am renewing my focus on balancing my nutrition.  

I am finding that I have a tendency to eat when I'm not even hungry, which is dangerous.  My choices at that time are never smart.  For part of my food prep today, I am going to peel some carrots and set aside some carrot sticks for the munchies (I've been preferring carrot sticks to baby carrots lately...go figure?).  It's no where near as good as the ice cream I want to eat, but there is a sweetness to the carrots and a bulk to them that keeps me from reaching for the cookie jar.  It's a matter of discipline.

I've also been chewing sugarless gum like crazy lately.  That keeps my mouth busy and helps my need to have something sweet in my mouth.  The journey is a constant learning process.  Just when you think you've got it, a curve ball comes your way and you find what was working, no longer works, and you have to readjust.  The key to success is perseverance, working through the trials, and never, ever throwing in the towel.  Learning to have your cake and eat it too is probably a much bigger challenge than learning to say no to the cake.

Happy 18th Birthday, Joey!  I love you!  You are the sunshine in each day.

We went for hike yesterday with our new puppy Leia and my godson, Sam.  This was Leia's first hike and she was tuckered out afterwards!!  Joey is a wonderful hiking companion.

Questions for you:  (Answer in the comments below.)

Do you have anything exciting happening this year?  

What's your favorite kind of Birthday cake?

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