“Love You Forever”

Posted by random olio

I have spent a good part of my life taking care of other people, family members, and probably my favorite of all children. My favorite age is newborn, that are so cuddly, sleep so easily in your arms, and smell so good. (Well most of the time). However, I love the conversation and exploration that happens when you interact with toddlers and onward. The questions at times can get under your skin, and other days they say things that are so completely unexpected that they make you laugh so much you cry. Other times the words that come out of their mouths bring other sorts of tears.

Yesterday a Facebook friend shared this article “The Story Behind ‘Love You Forever’ Is Probably Not What You Thought.” Love You Forever is a children’s book written by Robert Munsch. Now let me tell you, over my 10 + years of marriage I have wanted to purchase baby items, and Chris has somehow won and halted this urge, which I understand. However, I started a bit of a collection of my favorite children’s books well before I met Chris. One on the bookshelf is, you guessed it: Love You Forever. Maybe it is the nostalgia of sometimes feeling like an orphan, or remembering childhood memories with my parents, but this book always brought tears to my eyes as I read it to wee little ones while babysitting, or while working at a day care center in college.

The article shares the true story about the background of this children’s book. You’ll want to read the article and watch the video, but know that it is a teary affair. I cried while reading this article based on not having my parents here to tell me they love me, and now to know that the words in the book actually speak to babies lost, makes it that much deeper. The song the mom sings in the book is:

“I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.”

For those of you that have lost babies, born or unborn, or even your grown babies, this book is for you. I even think it is for those that have lost their moms or dads, as a reminder that they are loved. You are loved.

How often do you act like a victim?

Posted by random olio

I was thinking recently how so often in life we act like victims. We want everyone to wallow in what we do not have, what transgressions have hit our days – the “poor me” mantra. Think about it, how many times do you think “poor me” and want to tell others so they can potentially get on board with your poopy and negative day? How is that helpful?

There are a lot of things I could share about my life that folks would think “wow how do you do it?” I lost my parents when I was 16 (mom) and 21 (dad) and that has meant that a lot of my life has been parentless. You could call me an orphan. I do not have a large extended family. I have a sister and brother, and of course my husband’s family, but as families go mine is small. I could look at that and say “poor me.” Or, I could look at that and think this is my life, this is the hand I was dealt, and how am I going to handle it? As evident in my blog post: Suck the life out of your day, I believe that whatever hand you are dealt, deal with it, and live it to the fullest.

Yes, I think make the most out of what you are handed. Sometimes we take the heat in our home life. Say your spouse is in a phase at work where they have to work crazy hours, so you take the slack at home, making sure your house is stays clean, things are fixed, food is purchased so that the other spouse does not have to think about those day-to-day tasks. The scale might later shift to the other spouse and the tides shift and the roles change. To me that is part of the ebb and flow of life.

Maybe it is a work environment that you do not like, or does not feel right. Sometimes we have to be patient and wait out the tough times and know that sometimes things are happening under the surface. Sort of like how my spring flowers have been growing these past months and last week I saw their stems poke out of the earth, and yesterday I even found a few had bloomed. Sometimes all the trying and tough times lead to a time of growth and color.

Can you look within yourself? Do you act like a victim? Or, do you divert such conversations to ones that are positive, helpful, and meaningful, rather than hoping folks will side with a victim mentality and go there with you? What do you think?

Sand and ice in the UP

Posted by random olio

I spent a few summers in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan. I loved the sand dunes, and the wide shores of Lake Michigan. It felt almost like an ocean, as the lake stretched out so far you could not see the other side. Some days the waves were as high as the waves of the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean. I have not been back since 2000, but I still have great memories, and the nostalgia has not waned in the least. I often talk to Chris about taking a week in the summer and going up to Northern Michigan, playing in the sand dunes, and living the leisurely life of the beach on Lake Michigan. I have quite a few fun memories of sand dogging, trekking down the sandy peaks to launch into the lake at high speeds. Summers of cherry waffle chip ice cream, and amazing food (the bread was to die for, I have pictures to prove that I ate plenty of bread).

So when I saw our crazy, snowy winter make an avalanche of snow on the Upper Peninsula, I was in awe. These are the shores that I swam, and ran down the sand dunes, and to think of the crazy amounts of snow and ice that have pummeled the sandy shores. It made me want to go and play in the snow and ice as I did in the sandy, beach dunes (well sort of, as I am sure it is so damn cold). I think these nature created ice caves are simply amazing, and how often do they happen? How often does nature have a unique way to keep our mouths agape at the wonder in front of us? Be sure to click the above link to take a look.

Circa 1998

If you have never had the opportunity to explore the Sleeping Bear Dunes in Northern Michigan, you will want to put it on your bucket list. It is one of the most beautiful, relaxing, slow-your-life down places in the country. You might not have cell phone coverage, so you will have to check out of your smart phone habits, enjoy your family, the fresh air, and sand coming out your pores, in your car, and in your bed. It is the summer life in Northern Michigan. Can you tell I am addicted?

Lean towards the positive

Posted by random olio

We all have had rotten days, that we thought would never get better, but sometimes we have to look at what we can learn in those moments, and on those days. We can look at those around us, our peers, friends, and family and sometimes we see folks who look like they have it all. We covet what they have, we want their life, we think they have it easier and that their life will make us happier. Yet, is that really true?

Recently I was catching up on my Daily Om newsletters and found this one “Making Life Yours” where this quote stood out to me:

“The individuals who move through life joyously have not necessarily been blessed with lives of abundance, love, success, and prosperity. Such people have, however, been blessed with the ability to take the circumstances they’ve been handed and make them into something great.”

After having lost both of my parents, I have had others ask me: “What a great loss. How do you get by?” There are definitely days when I struggle, usually when there is a big life moment, a birthday or a holiday, but mostly I have figured out how to move on, to continue to grow, learn, and be me. I have heard others that have lost folks in their life say “It is what they would have wanted, for me to move on.” While I cannot tell you if that is true, I can tell you that living my life to the fullest is the only way I know to cope, to take my circumstances and try to make it as great as can be.

I have had a full, roller coaster week. There have been ebbs of goodness, and moments of frustration. At the end of it all, I can honestly say how grateful I am for all the good I have in my life. I may work hard, I may want more sleep and time to myself, but I love the moments where I can connect with others, learn more about how they live and love, an in turn learn about myself. We each can do more, love more, and connect more. If we attempt to lean toward the positive, we are one step closer to bringing our circumstances from good to great to amazing.

Bring it on.

Nostalgia of Girl Scout Cookies

Posted by random olio

I will always have fond memories of being a Girl Scout. I was pondering the impact it had on my elementary school days as I waited for Chris to break into our box of Samoas. You should have seen my face on Monday when I received my boxes of Girl Scout cookies. A huge smile, and pride for what those girls are hopefully learning about themselves, leadership, competition, friendship, and service.

There is a lot I do not remember, but I have tiny morsels of events from being a Brownie (pre-Girl Scout) and then the years I was a Girl Scout. I remember some of the ceremonies we had, that we each had to take turns bringing in the treat for our meetings each week, earning merit badges, and even dad and daughter campouts. I remember learning how to make blueberry muffins on an open fire by baking it in an orange peel. I know, strange that I remember that so vividly. I remember events my troop went to, prizes we won, and even scary moments, such as driving back from an event and almost getting hit by a drunk driver (seconds from impact).

However, what I remember most, and what was my absolute favorite month of the year was selling Girl Scout cookies. I was a fanatic. I lived, breathed, and slept with the idea of selling those sugar filled treasures. I mean, like Christmas, they only come once a year. Each year I attempted to sell more than the year before. I competed against myself and my own goals, the other girls in my troop, and the other girls in my county. See, I was a poor girl, and selling cookies not only benefited and gave funds back to my troop, but it meant winning prizes (such as tickets to a large amusement park, a TV, and a 12 speed bike). All things that were not in my realm or remotely accessible to me. So I sold, I charmed, I conquered. Want to see me in action?

I recently read this Fast Company article: “Lessons from Inside the $800 Million Girl Scout Cookie Selling Empire.” I agree with their five points discussing selling cookies, leadership, and entrepreneurship. It taught me a lot about what is mentioned in the article: money management (it felt like a lot of money to deal with at the time), overcoming shyness (that was never really an issue for me), business ethics (I sold ever single box, no help from the parents), setting goals (whatever the biggest prize was), and group decisions (not something I remember much about).

A message to little Girl Scouts out there: Make sure you make the sale and exchange the cash. Having your parents do it for you teaches you nada. While I am not one to encourage sugar indulgence, it is definitely hard to resist. Especially when you are walking into the grocery store. Go buy a box, and maybe let that girl creatively get you to buy two, three, or ten more.