Slory's Story

My postings are back - by popular demand!  I started a gratitude journal recently.  While I don't write in it every day, I do make try to list 5 things I'm grateful for, especially on bad days.  On this eve of Thanksgiving, here are my top 5:

My husband.  This year has been a tough one so far with a number of stressful events and periods. We’ve always been there for each other and it’s made our relationship stronger.

My job.  In the worst economy I’ve ever seen, I’m grateful to not only have a job, but to have had opportunity to switch to a much better position in a more stable industry.

Murphy.  He may get on my nerves constantly with all the attention he needs, but he brings me joy every day.   He reminds me of the ultimate simple pleasure: To love and be loved.

My health.  I am the picture of near perfect health and all I have to do is enter a hospital or talk to a patient, which happens often, to be reminded of how fortunate I am.

The ability to help others.  When possible, I give back my time, energy, skills and money because it gives me a greater sense of abundance. 

Test

It's wintertime, which means the cats get more cuddly than usual.  It's actually really nice and you find yourself not wanting to move to disturb them.  If the remote is barely within arms reach - forget it - you'll disturb them and they'll jump down.  Sometimes they'll nestle themselves between me and Tom in bed and make the blanket into a sort of hammock.  We were able to catch them in some snuggle-bug poses.  In the one picture, Tom kneeled on the floor for just a minute and Matty came right over and curled up on the back of his legs.  They also appreciate the toasty radiator covers (that is, when our heat is on!)  Matty is also trying to stay warm another way by playing with his new toy stuffed with catnip, which he absolutely loves!  Just thought I would include it because it's another cute one.  What do you think - should I send these in for next year's "Cuteness Overload" calendar?!

A new year always brings resolutions that are overly ambitious that I don't carry through.  While my situation is not unique, I really want to make an impact in '09.  So I'm reading The Power of Less, by one of my favorite bloggers, Leo Babuta. One of his lessons is to not try to do everything at once on January 1, but to set smaller goals that allow you to form a habit that becomes a part of your routine. 

My main resolution in 2009 is to get more organized so I can use my time doing things I enjoy.   I hope to read other productivity books that allow me to better manage my time.  That will also help me when I go to clear out the clutter in our house, room by room.  This is something I hope to have done by the end of May so I have a good pile ready for another summer yardsale. 

My other resolution is to work on a healthier lifestyle.  The subgoals are to exercise at least 3x/week and make one fish or vegetarian meal per week. 

I'd also like to give up coffee this year, but this one will be hard.  I think I'm going to start by reducing my consumption to a cup a day and then make coffee with half decaf.

Another very hard one for me will be to work on worrying too much.  How will I try to accomplish this goal?  Read a couple of self-help books and practice meditation. 

So you see, these are more long term goals, but I hope by this time next year I've at least made some progress on them.  I have a plan and I think that will make the difference this time. (Of course, if you have any suggestions to help me further my goals, feel free to leave them!)

My Mom is one of the greatest people I know, and last Saturday about 30 friends and family gathered to celebrate her.  The guests came from all over the area, as well as my grandmom and aunt, who traveled from Florida and my uncle, who lives in Maine.  My uncle surprised my mom and brought my two cousins, too.  It was a lot of fun with many laughs and catching up. 

My Mom was actually looking forward to turning 50 and when you spend time with her, you understand why.  She looks so youthful, yet possesses a wisdom that's even beyond her years.  She knows she has a lot to be grateful for, starting with a family that loves her so much.  Mom has lots of great memories and much to look forward to in the next best years of her life.

Happy birthday, Mom.  You are the best and deserve the best.

(Click here for even more pictures!)