Learning to Breathe, Pt 9

Ahhh...September. The start of all things fall. I am have been itching to put up my fall decorations, especially with the cooler weather we had here in NW Ohio last week. I started pulling some out yesterday even though it was hot and humid and will continue to be so for the at least the remainder of this week. Yuck!

August was crazy with traveling and general busyness, but September is looking a little less crazy which I am grateful for! Fall is one of my favorites time of year and I am looking forward to enjoying the change of seasons and welcoming cooler weather.

Over the past few months, I have slowly been meeting my neighbors, but last night I was invited to a little neighborhood BBQ. I had met most of the neighbors there briefly before, but this was a chance to actually get to know them a little bit better.

We sat outside and talked for several hours. It is probably one of the most relaxing evenings I have had in a while. To be honest, I was actually a little proud of myself for going over there alone and interacting with a group of virtual strangers. I don't do well in new environments and my introverted nature tends to shine through.

As I looked back at my enjoyable evening, I realized that it was truly a "learning to breathe" moment. I slowed down without any expectation. My phone was in my pocket, but I didn't pull it out once to look at the time or check Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. I wasn't waiting anxiously to get home or worrying about what the next day would bring. I was invested in the moment.

We have already decided that our next get-together would be a soup party. I am looking forward to it!

Learning to Breathe, Pt. 8

The summer is rapidly coming to the a close. It always seems to fly by. Ads for back-to-school shopping are popping up everywhere. I loved shopping for school supplies. I don't know what it is about new pens and notebooks, but it makes me happy! And I know that fall is approaching!

This past weekend has brought some quiet reflection about life and the loss of life. Two people I went to high school with experienced great loss. One person had to put her dog to sleep. And while that may seem trivial to some, it is quite important to others. I am grateful for my Luna and I would be devastated if something happened to her. The other lost his one-year-old son unexpectedly. I can't even begin to imagine the grief his family is suffering. Both will look back at this weekend as life changing.

I know loss. I know that deep pain that doesn't go away. It becomes a part of who you are. Taking time to enjoy the moments we are given with the people we love is so important. This weekend, I am headed back up to WI to see my brother's family. It is an expensive trip - gas, tolls, kennel fees, eating out - that I am not really prepared to make. But I want to make those precious memories to hold in my heart. To savor the times when Brynley calls me Auntie Colleen in her sweet voice and holds my hand. To cuddle a tiny Addilyn because she will never be this small again.

I didn't expect my learning to breathe journey to take this route, but you never know what life will bring. Learning to breathe in the most difficult times is probably something that is never mastered, but it will make the happy moments sweeter.

Reflections on Goodness

Beautiful Blueberries

My mom and I have been taking advantage of the fruits and vegetables that grow in this area - strawberry picking, joining a CSA and a few weeks ago, we went blueberry picking.

On the way up to the orchard, my mom said that she wanted to do something fun this summer. I asked if she wasn't having fun by just going up to pick blueberries, but I knew she meant doing something special. Being a girl on limited means, special usually means money will be involved. The last few years, I haven't gone anywhere or been on an exciting vacation. I haven't even taken time off just to stay at home and get projects done around my house.

I am okay with that. I am a fall and winter girl, so I grin and bear the heat until the weather cools down. So on a hot and muggy Saturday in mid-July, my mom and I grabbed our buckets and made our way to an orchard full of blueberry bushes or trees (not sure which one it is). The branches were loaded with big beautiful blueberries.

It didn't take much effort to fill our buckets. Even though I was hot and sweaty, I really did enjoy myself. It was quiet and my mind wasn't racing with a hundred different things. That time was special.

I took my 10 pounds of blueberries home with me and made some blueberry sauce and blueberry butter. And my freezer is stocked with frozen blueberries, so I can enjoy the taste of summer even when it is freezing outside.

My mom and didn't plan any fun things to do during the summer. But we are going to see my nieces twice in August and I couldn't ask for a better way to fill my late summer days!

Office Rearrange

I needed a change. Since I work from home, I am in one small room for 8 hours a day. It was the first room that was set up in my house because I started working in my home before I moved in. And even after I moved in, it was my office, family room and dining room. I had no furniture downstairs and was going through a 3-month kitchen remodel. I have spent a lot of time in this one room.

I have actually lived with the bookcase and tv set up in a few of my apartments. It filled the wall nicely, but I wanted something a little different.

This room is extremely large, so I don't have a lot of options, but one I had been mulling over was moving the bookcases to either side of the window. So finally I moved them.

I like this arrangement a lot better. The bookcases were so heavy right inside the door and this is a nicer view from the doorway.

I eventually want to do white furniture in here because the dark wood makes the room feel darker, but it definitely works for the time being.

I love my books so it is nice to have them close by.

My TV is staying on the same wall, but it is sitting on a console table. I really like this table, but I didn't have a good spot for it downstairs, but this is a nice spot for it.

Now I can start hanging things on the wall! Always a work in progress...

Bed Dilemma

All the bedrooms in my house are roughly the same size. What makes my bedroom the "master" bedroom is the size of the closet. It is by far the biggest and has a his/her quality to it. Although I claim it all as my own. The one down side to my bedroom is the lack of options when it comes to arranging furniture. And my bed was no exception.

For about a year, I had my bed at an angle. It was right in between the 2 windows and I had room to walk around it when I made it. But it took up so much space. I also got a little bored with this.

So I moved it. I am limited to this side of the room because the other wall that could be used has a dresser against it.

But the side of the bed was right against the wall. It was such a pain to try and make because I was having to move it. I also don't think Luna was really thrilled with this option.

So I moved it again. This is the option I like the best. I have so much more floor space even with a little bit of room to walk around the bed.

I am also going to get 2 more curtains. When the bed was in the middle it wasn't too bad only having one curtain on each window, but now I don't like it. Now I have to decide what to put above the bed.

Reflections On Freedom