Mixed Emotions...Bittersweet.

Well...life is sure interesting. I have to say that sometimes it is also really hard. There are some things in life that are just plain miserable to deal with. Unfortunately, I am dealing with one of those things. I will not go into a lot of detail as this is not the time or place to do so...let it be enough to say that I am so thankful for my Heavenly Father and my amazing family right now. I have no clue what I would do without my faith in my Father in Heaven.
I did get into the Management program and I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! I am doing pretty well and have found some wonderful and amazing friends. Thank goodness for the lovely and amazing people in my life! I love that I have a good support system. I am so thankful that I have been able to find ways to still find joy and happiness in a dark place. Yes, my life is probably the most difficult it has EVER been...but because I can see good things and have a good support system, I can enjoy life too. I think it all comes back to those tender mercies I love so much. Little moments that just make life awesome! I just need to maintain my focus and keep my strength and faith up. Life is hard. Life is sometimes absolutely miserable. But most of all, life is incredible and good.

The Adventure of Plant

First, a bit of an introduction. This is a story (based on true events) that I wrote for my sister who is currently serving her mission in Indonesia. I have written numerous short stories for her over the span of the last couple years due to her being away from home at school and me being at my home and us having a message conversation. All of my other stories are here on my blog. Feel free to read through them at your own risk! This particular story is about a plant with no name and in which my mother is the hero.

The Adventure of Plant
One day, there was a plant. Nobody knew what he was called. But he was VERY handsome. He was still young and had a silvery tinge to his pale needle-like leaves. He somehow ended up in the plant orphanage called Superstore Garden Centre. The caretakers there were okay, but he was left out in all kinds of weather. Once in awhile they remembered to water him. Whenever the gate was opened to let the people in who might adopt him, Plant tried to look his best. He just KNEW that there was a place for him!

A couple of days (or weeks, it’s hard to know for sure) went by. Slowly plant became discouraged thinking that no one wanted him. He started to droop and wilt because he was so distraught until...

a lady picked him up and said “You can come home with me! BWAHAHAHAHA!”

A bit confused, Plant tried to perk up his leaves, but to no avail. He would need a lot of help. The lady set him in her cart and he had the bumpiest ride of his life. It was SO bumpy that he bounced right out of the lady’s cart into the parking lot.

Plant tried to get the lady’s attention, but lacking a mouth and not being very large in stature, the lady just continued on her way. Forlornly, Plant watched her as she got to her car, realized he was missing and started to laugh that menacing laugh again. “BWAHAHAHAHAA!! You’ll never survive now!!”

The grouchy lady jumped into her car and drove off, leaving Plant quite relieved that she hadn’t come back for him.

But now what to do? Plant didn’t have any other plants to keep him company anymore. He was starting to feel quite lonely and sad. He heard cars driving by and even got a splash of muddy water as one drove by him. People narrowly missed stepping on him as they went on their way. He waved to his many friends that people were taking to plant in their gardens. Some of them waved back.

All of the sudden, he felt himself being lifted up in the air. He was very frightened. A kind looking lady with blue eyes and silver hair looked at him and said, “Why don’t you come home with me? I know right where I shall put you?”

She took him home and planted him in a planter with some younger plants. He was happy. He still didn’t know what he was, but that didn’t matter anymore. He had a home.

THE END

Did You Know?

I started attending school in January in person as well as doing my Holistic Health Diploma. I've been majoring in English...but am trying to switch in Management. How's that for diverse? Like my about me section states, I'm trying to expand my knowledge and skills and I sure am interested in a lot of things. I really hope that I can get into this Management program so that I can learn more about how to start my own business and run it effectively.
I have the next two months off of one school, so I will be working REALLY hard on my Holistic Diploma. I am hoping to have it finished by July (even though I have until November) so that I can start taking clients.
I am really excited for what the next couple of months will bring as the last few have been nothing short of awesome. Naturally, there have been some really hard things to go through...but overall, awesome would sum it up quite nicely!
My goals for the next three months:
-interview my grandparents (all 4) about their lives and get a good start on my book about them.
-finish my Holistic diploma
-start my own business
- finish enough of my upcycling projects to go to a Farmer's Market this summer

WHEW! That's going to be a lot of work! BUT I CAN DO IT!

Challenge: Think about some of your goals for the next 3 or so months? If you don't have any, come up with something. When you have direction in your life, everything seems SO much better!

Crap! My Corn Got Cold!!

Just a quick note: While reading this poem, start off slow and then slowly speed up throughout.

:) It makes it more fun! Enjoy!

I was sitting on my chair,

When the phone rang, NO FAIR!

I got up and answered fast,

hoping the call would not last.

Oh come on, please hurry up,

I must upon my dinner sup!

At last the call was done,

It really was no fun.

I ran to my plate,

hoping it wasn't too late,

That my food wasn't too old

BUT-CRAP! My corn got cold!!!

His Hand

In the last couple of weeks, both my car and my husband's car decided to break down. It has been a challenge seeing as I work really weird hours and we are now having to buy a new car. One blessing amid all of this has been that one week I was teaching a course and my husband and I had the exact same hours. This NEVER happens (normally I work REALLY early mornings). Because of this we have been able to drive to work together and have some good conversation in the mornings. I love how even through the challenges, God is looking out for us and gives us tender mercies that show that even though life isn't always happening the way we want it to, He is still looking out for us and making our burdens lighter and easier to bear.

I am grateful that He cares for us as an individual.

Challenge for the week:

Look for the tender mercies our Heavenly Father has shown you even though there are 'bad' things or challenges that have been happening. Look for His hand in your life. It's there. I promise.

A New Year...

Well, a lot has happened in the last four months! I found a school to attend where I am currently taking the Holistic Healthcare Practitioner program. The school is GCNM out of California. This is a distance learning program and thus far (I started at the beginning of November) I am enjoying it IMMENSELY!! YAY!

SO, now that I've brought this blog up to speed, I thought I would start off the New Year with listing some Tips (thank Dr. Weil's Guide to Optimum Health for these, with some embellishment from yours truly) to stay positive, lower stress levels(who doesn't want that?!), and increase spiritual connectedness(this doesn't have to be religion, but that could come into play for some people!):

*These are in no particular order*

1. Buy and keep fresh flowers in the home. For some reason, this helps to make your home feel happier and fresh!

2.Spend time with people who make you feel good. This may be easier said than done, but if people are negative, it just goes without saying, that it is easier to become negative too.

3.Have your own "sanctuary" in your home with some of your favourite things. This doesn't have to be an entire room. Just an area or wall with your favourite things in it. This could be something that is easily set up and taken down too, if necessary!

4.Connect with nature and animals. I've heard that people that have pets live longer than people who don't! Ways of connecting with nature can be as simple as going for a walk to the more complex and longer time periods of going for hikes, biking, snowshoeing, camping, etc.

5.Be part of a social network. NO, this does NOT mean Facebook! This means have a club, church group, volunteering, a group of friends, a close knit family, etc. I have heard and stand behind this 100% that if you don't belong to a social network of sorts that it could be detrimental to your health.

6. Doing things for other people. Writing a cheque, while honourable and good, does not fill this need. You actually need to get up and serve other people. Give of your most valuable time and energy to help someone who needs it(whether they think they do or not!). Shovel a neighbour's driveway, mow their lawn, make your spouse breakfast in bed, volunteer for any organization, get your family involved in donating to the food bank, work a soup kitchen, babysit someone's children so they can do something together, the list goes on and on.

7.Learn how to deal with negative emotions and cultivate postive ones. This is one that I am still working on. Stay away from negativity!

So there you have it. Start the New Year off properly, with a big, loud positive BANG! Enjoy and live life to the fullest, you'll thank yourself for it later!

Direction

Well, I have obviously not found time to post in the last month, what with vacation, working more hours than is sane, and trying to keep up on everything I should be doing (a.k.a working more than FT and being a good homemaker)...and then feeling like I am failing miserably in the process! I did not get into school and therefore am floating listlessly in noman's land again. What a frustrating place to be.
Life is too short to be floating listlessly. SO I have decided to really focus on my beliefs. I have restarted the Young Women's Personal Progress goals (I did complete it while I was in Young Womens). Even though I am not a Young Women anymore, I felt like this could provide some direction to my life. I am really going to try and stay focused. I have also decided to learn some new skills; skills that will make me more self reliant. I'm also hoping to reapply for a different school program for next September. With these goals in mind, I am hoping to create new direction for my life, making it an all around better life to be involved in!