letting go

First things first, it is Spring Break. I might not have words to express my excitement at being on break!

Today I got a massage. Maybe it's my reward for making it to break. :) Anyway, I was laying there as Carrie kneaded the knots out of my shoulders and back, and I was telling myself to relax. I would find that my muscles would involuntarily tense up, and I had to tell myself to relax them. It got me to thinking about how important it is to be able to let go. Yes, in the muscular sense, but also in life.

I think it would be terrible to not be able to let anything go. I got thinking about things I've had to let go of in the past. I got to thinking about how painful it is to hold on to everything and to not let go of anything.

I think this is an important life skill, and that not everybody has it. Have you ever known someone who just couldn't let anything go? Who was always holding a grudge? Who couldn't ever relax because they were so busy holding on to everything that has ever happened to them?

Wow.

I SO do not want to be that person. So here's to practicing letting go.
K

love

My nephew goes to school at the same place where I teach. Yesterday I was walking down to the art room where I eat lunch every day, and he was walking toward me with his lunch to microwave. I asked him if he was OK, or if he wanted me to come down with him. He thought for a couple seconds.

"Ahh...I want you to come down. I like it when I just get to talk to you."

Well. Out of the mouth of a 7-year-old.

I think that might be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me. :)
K

way to live

This sign is for my Mom.

I've already printed it out and posted it on her refrigerator, but it makes me both laugh and think of her every time I see it.

And besides, it's a good way to live.

I'm just sayin'...
K

old people

Today I wrote to my Auntie Carolyn.

She's so cool.

And, yes, she's an old person. But she is one of the coolest people I know, old or not. I was thinking about her lately, so I sat down and wrote her a letter.

I used to do this all the time, but it was to my Grandma Annie. We lived across the country from each other, so when I got to thinking about her, I wrote her a card. And then we started the chain letter, but that's a whole 'nother story. Grandma Annie's gone now, so it would be, well, different to write to her, but I still sometimes have the urge to connect with old people. So I write to the old people I have left: Auntie Carolyn, and also my Grandma Betty. I wrote to her today too. Somehow, even though I'm not actually writing to Grandma Annie, it feels a little bit like I am honoring her by writing to old people.

Anyway, Here is a picture of Auntie Carolyn and me from a couple years ago. We were sitting on the balcony of the Claremont Hotel in Berkley, CA.

Aren't we just the cutest?

I guess my point in saying this is that I'm grateful for all the old people God has put in my life.

I'm blessed for growing up having 6 Grandparents.

I love having my Auntie Carolyn. Even though she is technically my Dad's aunt, she's MY Auntie Carolyn.

I'm extremely blessed for KNOWING and loving my Grandparents, and knowing that they love me.

I'm so lucky that I got to spend time with old people, and that I still get to spend time with the ones that are still around.

I'm sad for kids that don't have any old people in their life - they are missing out.

I hope I can be an old person to someone else, like they were and are to me.
K

lord have mercy...

Yesterday I wrote about my March Madness project: cleaning and reorganizing the spare bedroom. Huge thanks to Rachel at Home Sanctuary for the encouragement to do this.
As promised, here are my pictures of the spare bedroom.

Out. Of. Control.

the crazy desk area

the bed/couch/staging area/sweater drying rack

the rest of the room

And can I please point out that you can't even SEE the wrapping paper on the other side of the shelving...

I am praying for discipline and patience to tackle the mess that I have created.
But this is my attempt to be accountable, and here I go. My first accomplishment is that I did clean all the papers off my desk tonight. Project 1 down. Only 87 more to go...

Here's to using your space, and not having your space take you over. I just watched an episode of "Obsessive Compulsive Hoarders", and that MAY be encouraging me to get this done... :)
K

march madness

Well, one of my blog inspirations, Rachel over at Home Sanctuary, is starting on a March Madness project. It is a HUGE project that she is giving herself 31 days to complete. For her, it's cleaning and reorganizing her tack room.

I have decided that I am going to tackle my own "tack room" - my spare bedroom. At one point, it was pretty well clean and organized, but as Christmas wrapping, and sweater drying, and present sorting has taken place, none of that has been cleaned up and it KILLS me.

So I'm taking it on.

By the end of March, my spare bedroom will have been taken apart and cleaned, and re-organized.

I don't have a picture yet, but when I get home today I will post one.

And you'll see.

So here's to 31 days to a usable spare bedroom. And organized wrapping supplies. And a cleaned off couch. And all the other *stuff* thrown away or put away.

I can't wait!
K