Want to be amazed?

I saw this video on another blog... and I thought it was worthy to post here too.



Hero from Miguel Endara on Vimeo.


Watch and be amazed! 

A Shout-out to God

"Life is a song, sing it. Life is path, walk it. Life is a 

dance, move with it. Life is a prayer, say it. Life is hope, 

dream it. Life is promise, fulfill it. Life is life, live it." 

(mother theresa)

Sometimes.... when you least expect it, your prayers are answered in a way that is surprising, breathtaking, sudden, and amazing.  At least that's how it is with me.  Once again, I reminded that life is not planned on my time schedule, but God's time. He knows what He is doing, while I often do not know what I am doing day to day.  Thus, I put it in His hands.  Whatever I give to Him, He returns tenfold. And how amazing is that. 

Thanks, God. :) 

(some of) My Favorite Quotes

"The best thing to hold on to in life is each other." (anonymous)

"The biggest mistake is not to tell someone you love them while they are still alive." (unknown)

"Certain thoughts are prayers. There are moments when, whatever the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees." - Les Mis  ... so true. 

"Eventually everything falls into place...until then, live for the moment, laugh at the confusion, and know that everything happens for a reason." 

"The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears." -Native American Proverb

" We get one story, you and I, and one story alone. God has established the elements, the setting and the climax and the resolution. It would be a crime not to venture out, wouldn't it?" (Donald Miller)

"When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you. He's merely opening your hands to receive something better."

"Life is a song, sing it. Life is path, walk it. Life is a dance, move with it. Life is a prayer, say it. Life is hope, dream it. Life is promise, fulfill it. Life is life, live it." (mother theresa)

"Only your real friends tell you when your face is dirty."

"May you be in Heaven a half hour before the devil knows you're dead." - Old Irish Prayer

"Distance is not far when your hand carries what your eye has found." - Dispath - Elias

"That's what all of us do, who make things up for a living. We tell the lies that tell the truth." -Neil Gaiman

"Begin at the beginning and go until you come to the end; then stop." -Lewis Carrol

"It's cold outside yet my heart burns as if to melt the whole world."

"Before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were stars - points of light and reason.... And then you shot across my sky like a meteor. Suddenly everything was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty. When you were gone, when the meteor had fallen over the horizon, everything went black. Nothing had changed, but my eyes were blinded by the light. I couldn't see the stars anymore. And there was no more reason for anything."
-Edward, New Moon

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
-C.S. Lewis

"The pen is mightier than the sword if the sword is very short, and the pen is very sharp." 
-Terry Pratchett

there's a little. . . 
truth behind every 'just kidding'
curiosity behind every 'just wondering'
knowledge behind every' i dont know'
emotion behind every 'i dont care'


‎"listen to the mustn'ts, child. listen to the don'ts. listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... anything can happen, child. anything can be"- shel silverstein


 Real love is not a temporary feeling or emotion. Emotions and feelings change, sometimes daily. But true, unconditional love is constant. Love is a decision to want the best for another, nothing less.
-Dana Trudeau

Reflection of Summer

Well, that was a long break from the blogging world.  Basically what happened was life. So much has happened since the last time I wrote.
Some good stuff, some bad stuff- but "life" stuff all the same.


Today I had my first PSL of the season, which (for me) marks the beginning of the end of summer and the beginning of my most favorite season, fall. I am not sad to see this summer go.  I used to love summer when I was a kid.  Summer meant freedom and fun and doing all the fun stuff we couldn't do during the school year. It meant waking up whenever, eating lunch at 10:30, swimming, being creative, being a kid.  I know that growing up means that summers have to change, and that summers no longer mean absolute and total freedom.  I guess, I just have to get used to that.  However, even taking that into consideration, this summer was one of those eras in your life that test your metal. Like I said, I'm not sorry to see this summer go.


That being said, there is one thing that I really learned this summer - one thing that made the summer realllllllly worth it. I am constantly reminded and am constantly reaffirmed in my husband's love for me - and my love for him.  No matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, I am always in awe of my husband's love for me.  Looking back, his love out-shined the sun.... camping in an airfield where he bundled me up in a poncho and aluminum foil blanket. He gave me his hat.  At one point in the night, there was a freak thunderstorm and I thought we were going to be electrocuted or blown away in the windstorm.  I thought to myself, "Well, If I'm going to die here, at least I'm huddled up next to my Dana."  But when the morning dawn broke, I thought, "We made it!"  And somehow, some way, we were stronger as a couple for having braved that night... that week.... that trip.


Other summer events: a 13-hour trip to Long Island - Laughing nearly the whole way, singing songs at the top of our lungs, laughing at silly stories, reading out loud, sharing a banana split.
Multiple trips to the zoo to plan for amazing race.  Those first planning trips were amazing - whole days spent just the two of us, slowly wandering around the zoo, learning facts about animals, strolling hand in hand, being creative with the photography and the planning, hanging upside down in the tree.


Our movie date to see "Water for Elephants" - buying popcorn and icees to somehow justify spending $20 on tickets in the first place.


Maybe..... just maybe.... maybe this summer wasn't as bad as I originally thought. Maybe my sweet Love has given meaning to all the trials and tribulations of this summer.  He is my rock.

There are some things a guy should always do for a girl - the facebook version

I found this list in an old facebook group I belonged to: "There are Some Things That a Guy Should Always Do for a Girl. Period."


Just in case the rest of the world needed a refresher course on chivalry, here you go: 

1. Open doors when possible - whether it be to a building or the passenger car door. the classic example that's stood the test of time.

2. When in a place of worship (or other places that have aisles and pews), if a man is at the end of the pew, when exiting he should stand in the aisle and let all his lady go before him.

3. A man should tolerate the occasional chick flick, musical, opera, or ballet - whatever her preference is - *without* complaining about it.

4. Play one of the songs that would make any woman weep like the little girl she once was (but in a good way). A brief list includes, but certainly isn't limited, to:

"Love is Not a Fight" by Warren Barfield

"Collide" by Howie Day

"Out Of My League" by Steven Speaks

"Just the Way You Are" by Boyce Avenue 

"One" by U2 

5. Talk! The strong & silent bit goes from intriguing to boring quite fast.

6. Find out what her favorite flower is and buy them for her randomly (regardless of the situation you might be in).  (I encourage the women to not allow a guy to "prove himself worthy" through gifts and flowers and such. Trust is a precious thing and it should take a good chunk of time before he gains it back in your heart.)

7. If you miss her, or love her, TELL HER! Even your friends like to hear it every now & again.

8. Remember: the best gifts you can give are usually free of cost.

9. Leave a note (or send a message) just to say "hi".

10. Ask her questions about herself.

11. Dress nice every once & a while. Any girl likes to see her brother/friend/boyfriend/etc. in a well-ironed button-up with some nice slacks.

12. Read the books she likes, and discuss them together!

13. Tolerate small children as best you can. Meaning, put up with the things that can get annoying. They're children, after all. Show them love and care, teach them how to become a better man than you.

14. Learn to dance! There is nothing sexier than a man who can dance really well. If God did not bless you with the grace of Fred Astaire, at least put forth the effort, it will be greatly appreciated. Always slow dance (even if it's just like you danced in middle school). Also, men, sing to a lady. Even if you're terrible, suck it up! They love to listen to it and will not care what you sound like. It's the thought that counts on this one.

15. Kiss her on the forehead.

16. When she's sick, stay up with her. If you can cook (which is *always* a plus), make her some soup. If you can't cook, there's Campbell's soup at hand for you.

17. Hold her hand while you talk, drive, or just for the heck of it (it's the small things that win you big points).

18. Call her beautiful, because that's what she is (or gorgeous or stunning or captivating or...)

19. Offer her your jacket/sweatshirt. (Note: you may not see that particular item of clothing for a while, if ever again).

20. Don't be too proud to apologize.

21. It's not stalking to watch her sleep if you fall asleep watching a movie. It is stalking to watch her sleep if you're standing outside her window with night vision goggles.

22. When she feels at her worst, tell her she looks her best... and mean it! True beauty comes from within...always! The outside reflects the inside, not the other way around.

23. If you're trying to get more than friendship out of the relationship, take it slow and never rush her.

24. Guys - always offer to pay for the date. No matter how expensive it gets, especially if YOU asked HER on the date. [if she is willing to pay now and again, don't let your "man pride" get in the way of her wanting to give back to you. she should understand money can be tight - especially when you're always buying]

25. Always do everything in your power to keep her as happy as you can. And cheer her up in any way possible.

26. When walking on the sidewalk, always walk on the outside near traffic. 

27. At least do everything in your power to keep cursing to a minimum while around her. If you can, cut it out period while around her, or cut it out of your vocabulary. Women don't want to hear it, guys don't care about it, adults don't want to hear it, it doesn't impress employers, and you sure won't want your children or someone else's to hear it!

28. Sometimes you have to take the initiative. Don't always wait for her to come to you, because if that's how it always is, you're going to lose her.

29. If any lady is walking alone to her car in a dark parking lot/garage, or is carrying a heavy load, always offer to help walk her to her destination and carry things, if not the entire load. 

30. If a woman says no, let that be her final answer with maybe one question of confirmation after her first answer. Do not pressure or force her in any way after that. Don't make her give in to something she doesn't want to do.

31. Always be honest with her. No woman wants or likes a dishonest man. If you can't be honest with her, she can't trust you, and shows you don't trust her enough to be honest. Trust, honesty and integrity are just as an integral part of a relationship and just as important as love.

32. A man should always genuinely listen to women; no matter how bored or busy the man is. Actively listening to the woman will keep him from pain (and bring the man and woman closer together). This works best, of course, when both the man and the woman actively and equally engage in conversation (this includes listening). For the ladies reading this, please talk - always talk - especially if you are having problems with the relationship and to also avoid making bigger problems.

Heat Wave ... and exhaustion

Well, it's definitely been awhile since my last post.  My last post was about spring, well.... its 95 right now! We're right in the middle of a heat wave haha. 

There's much updating to be done, but I'm far too exhausted. So far now, just enjoy a current musical obsession of mine...

Spring!

Finally, spring is beginning to bloom!

When you least expect it.....

Love happens when you least expect it.
Change comes when you least expect it. 
Life happens when you least expect it. 


Sense a pattern here?


Well, it's true.  Sure, some things are predictable, but most of life is a surprise.  We may know that change is coming, but we don't know when .... and it usually is when you least expect it. 


That being said, the past month has been a roller coaster ride of surprise after surprise.  Our lives, while not totally changed, have definitely started a new chapter.  My husband got a new job, I got a promotion of sorts, and a few adventures are being planned along the way. 

"Sometimes, it is the smallest decisions that can change your life forever."  - Keri Russell

Wing to Wing & Oar to Oar

The Master Speed by Robert Frost

No speed of wind or water rushing by
But you have speed far greater. You can climb
Back up a stream of radiance to the sky,
And back through history up the stream of time.
And you were given this swiftness, not for haste
Nor chiefly that you may go where you will,
But in the rush of everything to waste,
That you may have the power of standing still-
Off any still or moving thing you say.
Two such as you with such a master speed
Cannot be parted nor be swept away
From one another once you are agreed
That life is only life forevermore
Together wing to wing and oar to oar

A Candle in the Darkness

Picture it: a dark room and the only source of light is coming from a deep red pillar candle.  The candle doesn't flicker as most flames are assumed to do.  Rather, the flame stands up straight, allowing a clear reflection of the flame to be seen mirrored in the pool of hot wax.  The candle flame draws my attention as soulful music plays in the background.  


Leaning up against the wall, I lose track of time.  Do minutes pass? or seconds? or hours? I don't know.  I am swallowed up in my own prayerful meditation and I lose track of my surroundings.  Although the music is still playing, I can't hear it anymore.  I know other people are walking around, but I don't see them or hear them.  I fall deeper and deeper into this state..... then suddenly someone is by my side and we talk.  We pray together. Although my words were guided from above, these conversations were humbling and my heart goes out to the others.  I wish nothing but the best for you. 


I close my eyes again.  When I open them again, I see the silhouette of someone walking down the hall.  As he gets closer, I begin to smile.  My love.  He crosses the room and my smile grows.  Finally, a very familiar face is sitting next to me, across from the deep red candle.  


Funny, the little snippets of our lives that can be so packed with meaning.  A twenty minute span that holds enough wisdom to write volumes. 

My Current Musical Obsession

I have always loved music - but I'm picky.  A good song can be divided into lyrics and music and each part can stand alone.  To me, a good song can be read as a poem out loud and still hold meaning.  The music can be listened to (without the words), and it still can stir an emotional response within our souls. So therefore, I'm picky.  Real music - music that sacrifices neither lyrical merit or musical genius - is getting harder and harder to find....


Anyway, my current obsession is Adele's Someone Like You.

Friday Morning Inspiration

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. 

- Victor Hugo

Lesson #6

Love one another and you will be happy. It's as simple and as

 difficult as that.  -Michael Leunig

Sometimes love is easy and sometimes it is hard. But real love demands that we choose to love each other at the times we feel the most lazy, selfish, critical, angry.  How can we show our love to each other if we first give in to our selfishness? The answer is: we can't.  We must also choose to love as a first priority. 

My dear husband has taught me so much about love.  Through his words? Yes.  But more importantly, through his actions. I only hope I can  love half as much the way he does. 

Letter #12: To the person who caused me the most pain

Letter #12 is to the person who has caused you the most pain.

To the person who has caused me the most pain:

You caused me to question the very meaning and purpose of pain and suffering.  You made me contemplate which is worse: physical, mental, or emotional pain.  Although, I suspect you caused me all three, rolled into one giant mess.  Because you see, sometimes emotional pain is so great it feels worse than physical pain…. And then when you think it can’t get worse, it actually does morph and become physical pain.  The three types of pain morph into one overall painful feeling.  For some people, they just become numb, but not me. For me, I reached a point in my life – a type of unlocked emotional art supply.  I wrote poetry like never before.  I channeled my hurt and emotions into music, art, poetry, lyrics, and melodies.  It was like my raw emotion held the key to understanding all art forms.

Anyway, you caused me to realize the purpose of this pain.  That pain, while I would not wish to endure it again, made me who I am.  I was like gold tested in fire. When I came out of the fire, I appreciated things – LIFE – in a way unlike before.  You guided me to where I needed to be in life, and for that – thank you, my friend.  

Letter #11: To Someone Who has Died

This is Letter #11 in the 30 Letter Challenge: To someone who has died.... I wrote it to two people. 

Dear Grandma & Mum,

You were both such a huge part of my childhood, which helped shape me into who I am today.  Even after you both died, you still helped to shape and guide me.  I don’t know how to explain it…. But Mum, after you left, I would think “Would Mum like this type of music? What would Mum think if she saw me doing this?”  So, in that way, thank you for being such important influences in my life.  I wish I could bring Dana over to your houses for dinners.  Dinner at your houses were both so different, but that odd mixture is who I am.

I hope you are up in Heaven, finally at true peace, watching over all of us.

I love you both. 

A Strange Fantasy

I want a chicken coop.  To which my husband said, "You want to be a farm girl??  Ha, well ... learn something new everyday!" 


I suppose this was a long time coming.  I'm not surprised.  I'm only surprised I didn't admit it to myself earlier. 


I want to move to a house with lots of land. I want to build a garden and a chicken coop.  I want to live with the land and live off of the land.  I want to take a step back, away from all the hustle and bustle and useless worry connected to the go-go-go aspect of our society. 


Am I "green"?  Maybe.  
Am I old-fashioned?  Probably. 
I just want to treat the earth the way it was designed to be treated.  We are supposed to live on the earth, with the earth... not treat it like a garbage dump. 

The violets in the mountains have broken the rocks.  ~Tennessee William

More waiting....

There's three things for which I am waiting. 


I am waiting. 


Waiting.  


Waiting. 


And now I am waiting for those three things AND my patience to finally kick in. 

Thursday Morning Inspiration

In the hopes of reaching the moon men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet.

-Albert Schweitzer

Blizzard 2011 - update

26 hours of continuous snow fall

22.2 inches 

2 snow days with the husband

2 snowshoeing adventures in the woods out back

lots of pictures 

The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination.  

~Terri Guillemets

Searching

Life consists of many, many crossroads. In fact, life just might be a crossroad. Slowly, I am beginning to realize that.  Life is not just a few monumental crossroads, but rather it is a few monumental crossroad and innumerable small crossroads. 

Thus, here I am at another fork in the road.

I'm looking for a better job, but the areas in which I look for jobs will shape what kinds of jobs, lifestyles, schedules I will have.  I feel like I'm on a brink of a "new phase" of life, but I just don't know where to find it.  So, I'm looking and looking.....


"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" Luke 11:9

A Winter's Reminiscing

Sometimes a picture so perfectly captures a moment's essence that it is hard to say much else. For me, this is one of those pictures.  I love photographs and I frequently like to look at old pictures I have.  When I see each picture, I am taken back to a place, a memory, a feeling. 

This picture takes me back to February 2008.  Three years ago, yet I still remember perfectly well a long, slow walk down to the Spar as the snow came down slowly but intensely.  There was so much so snow packed into each inch of air.  The snow created a muffled silence that was deafening. 

It was peaceful, it was beautiful, and it was my favorite memory of snow. 

New Year's Promises

Hello, 2011.... Bye, 2010.  

I will miss 2010 greatly, probably one of my more favorite years, and so I say goodbye to it sadly.


Highlights of 2010:
- married my best friend 
-honeymoon to the happiest place in the world
-moved out of my parents' house and into my lovely apartment 
-graduated college
-applied to grad school
-got a job at a daycare/preschool 
-first Christmas with my husband in our first apartment together 


Resolution for 2011:
-learn "River Flows Through You" on the piano.... so far, I know the first 12 notes. Ha! 
-make homemade pretzels 
-clean out that one box in our bedroom.... it's starting to grow roots and firmly attach itself 
-more to come.... 

Surprise!!!

My wonderful husband planned a surprise graduation party for me! It was surprising, wonderful, and made me feel completely loved. 

Current lyrics in my head: Coldplay's Green Eyes


Honey you are a rock
Upon which I stand
And I come here to talk
I hope you understand

That [blue] eyes, yeah the spotlight, shines upon you
And how could, anybody, deny you

I came here with a load
And it feels so much lighter, now I’ve met you
And honey you should know, that I could never go on without you

[Blue] eyes

Honey you are the sea
Upon which I float
And I came here to talk
I think you should know

That [blue] eyes, you’re the one that I wanted to find
And anyone who, tried to deny you must be out of their mind

Cause I came here with a load
And it feels so much lighter, since I met you
Honey you should know, that I could never go on without you


Honey you are a rock
Upon which I stand