Learning to Breathe, Pt. 5

Temperatures are finally getting warmer. Flowers are beginning to bloom. Trees are starting to bud. Summer is on its way.

One of the reasons I wanted to focus on learning to breathe this year is because I often feel distracted. I want to be doing something else besides what I am doing. I think it comes from the monotony that is life - working, cleaning, being a responsible adult. Sometimes there isn't a lot of extra room to just be.

In the recent weeks of nice weather, Luna and I have gone to the park to walk the trails. It is a time to get away from life's noise and enjoy the early signs of Spring. Although going for walks isn't always exciting, it is a short time break - a time out. I can breathe in the fresh air and be without expectation. Not only are these walks good for my health, but they are good for my soul.

And Luna can release some excess energy. As your can tell from the video below, she gets a little excited when she goes to the park.

Reflections on Grace

Snapshots Into My Life

What I am seeing through my lens this week.

Last week was the Glass City Marathon. It is such a fun environment. My mom and I picked up our packets last Saturday. My brother and sister-in-law weren't able to come this year. which was a little bit of a downer.

This year, the 5k participants received medals for completing the race. It was a nice little bonus this year even though I only walked. :)

It is not uncommon for me to wake up and see Luna with her head on a pillow and body all covered up. She is like a little person. It cracks me up!

My precious Brynley! Before my mom and I went up for Easter, my sis-in-law was teaching her how to say my name to see if she would come up with a nickname. Of course, my niece is the smartest kid out there and can say my name with no nickname!

Do You Oil?

Essential oils are quickly becoming a part of my everyday life. I am in no way an expert, but I have had some success with them. While I can't say I have had life altering experiences with the oils, they have been a good addition.

Here are a few of the ways I use essential oils. (I personally use DoTerra essential oils. There are other good brands available so do your research to make sure you are getting legitimate therapeutic grade oils.)

Diffusing

This is my favorite way to use oils. There are tons of ideas on Pinterest for diffuser blends for relaxation, allergies, focus, bedtime, etc.

I have started using Norwex products (which is an entire post in itself) so I don't get the "clean" smell from cleaning products. While I am cleaning I will diffuse Purify and Wild Orange. It gives the room a clean smell and purifies the air at the same time.

I have also started diffusing lemon, lavender and peppermint for seasonal allergies. I was a little worried about the combination, but it isn't bad. Every once in a while I will catch one that seems stronger than the others, but it is a nice smell.

Not only do the oils make the room smell good, I am also breathing them in as they waft in the room. I have used them to calm the dog, too!

Headaches

Like many people, I suffer from headaches and the occasional migraine. Sometimes I try and push through them, but there are times that they get really intense and I can't focus on much. Peppermint is great for headaches. I will put it on my temples, across my forehead and the back of my neck. However, sometimes the peppermint doesn't cut it. My cousin clued me into frankincense. I will put a drop on my thumb and hold it to the roof of my mouth for 2 or 3 minutes. Be prepared to drool! A few weeks ago I had a headache that wasn't going away. I used frankincense on the roof of my mouth and then used it on my temples along with peppermint and lavender. My headache was almost completely gone in less than 30 minutes. I was impressed!!

Wellness

DoTerra has vitamins that have a blend of oils in them called the Lifelong Vitality Pack. I have been taken them for a few months, but haven't been too consistent until about the last 6 weeks or so. I do feel better when I take them. If I remember to take them after lunch, I don't get that mid-afternoon slump that I am prone to. It isn't only that I don't fall into the slump, but I have energy. One Saturday, I was wide awake at 5:30 and was busy until I sat down again at 10 that night. I don't think I have ever had a more productive day. I do credit the vitamins.

Sickness

Of course, I also take them when I am sick. I have had a few colds this winter and the oils have helped me battle through them. Breathe smells like Vicks Vapor Rub. I put that on one night when I was having trouble sleeping because my nose was all stuffy. After rubbing it on my chest and neck, I was able to sleep through the night! That always makes a sickie feel better.

Learning to Breathe, Pt. 4

Are you busy?? I am busy, but I am slowly starting to feel more settled in my busyness. Maybe that is why I have been ignoring my little piece of cyber space. It isn't going to stop so I am learning to take moments to breathe and just stop.

My evenings seem to fill up which hasn't always been the case. I am relishing the evenings that I can just stay home. When I worked in an office I tried to do all my running around after work because Saturday was my one day to be home. Now I don't mind going out on Saturdays and running errands because I get to be home during the day and get some housekeeping done like laundry.

One thing that I do, not so consistently, is to reflect on and write down what I am thankful for in that moment. I want my thankfulness journal to be more than just being thankful for another day. They are specific things that have just happened or are happening. Being able to look back at what I have been thankful for months prior is also really encouraging.

I am trying to be more consistent with my journal because those are short moments in my day where I can breathe.

Snapshots Into My Life

What I am seeing through my lens this week.

I don't think my kitchen has ever been this clean before. The backsplash was reflecting on the countertop like glass. I was pretty impressed with myself. It also made me not want to do anything in my kitchen for several days.

My mom and I have tickets to the Pop Series at the Toledo Symphony. Last Saturday, they showed The Wizard of Oz and the orchestra played the music. They did an amazing job!

I was under the impression that it was spring, but we have had cold and snow several days this week. Luna is so ready for warmer weather...and so am I!

I have been on the hunt for a table or something to go in my entryway. I finally found something! I really like it, but it took me a few days to get used to something being there instead of it only being in my head. Now I am looking for a mirror to go above it and some cute decorations for the top. More to come...

Another little girl will be joining our family in June and I couldn't be more thrilled! I LOVE being an aunt and I am already getting a head start on spoiling this little one.

Learning to Breathe, Pt. 3

Raise your hand if you have been a bad blogger? ✋

I don't even have a good excuse, except that other things became a little more important. But I have missed this little blog of mine. I may not get a ton of readers and I am completely fine with that. This is my place share my thoughts.

This whole "learning to breathe" thing has been a little more difficult for me because I have to be intentional about it. If I am not, then things don't change. One of the hardest things is dealing with the everyday hum drum of life. Sometimes it isn't interesting and I feel like I am plodding through, living day to day trying to get things done.

This week I had to make a really hard decision, but the end result would have a direct effect on my opportunity to breathe. I have been wanting another dog for a while, months actually. And it so happens that a friend was thinking about giving up her dog. I thought this was a great way for us both to benefit. Well, her dog has been here for almost a week, it just isn't going to work. He has jumped over my fence twice just to explore. That is a huge concern for me because I don't want him to get lost or hurt or worse. I also had to think about the financial impact it would have - additional vet costs, food costs, training costs, etc.

While I thought my dog Luna was adjusting well to having another dog in the house, I am starting to see a few chinks in her armor. She is getting angrier when they are playing and I think she misses her downtime. Her little tummy seems to be upset and I am wondering if it is stress.

On Tuesday, when I realized that this was probably not going to be the best situation for the dog or for me, I just broke down. He is a sweet dog and I feel awful for not wanting him. This was definitely one of those big-girl decisions that was horrible to make. I still feel really bad about the whole situation, but I am confident in the decision I made. I didn't want to disappoint my friend. As much as I love dogs, at this point, it doesn't make sense for me to have another one. Luna is content being in an one-dog-only household and I am content with that as well.

This was a defining moment for me to have to think about what was best for me, not just right now, but in the future.  This opportunity gave me time to reevaluate what I wanted because what I want and what is best do not always go hand-in-hand.