Grateful for young people with enthusiasm, talent, and open hearts

When Amy was in high school, she attended youth conferences with young people from around the midwest. A few of those young people were musicians willing to bare their feelings and thoughts through the poetry and melody of original songs. My favorite was "Boys are Dumb," which is just so raw with vulnerability it makes my heart ache and smile at the same time.

Two of those young people have continued their musical journey, and are now known (with others) as Cobalt and the Hired Guns. I haven't seen them in person yet, although they've played in Milwaukee ... it's usually past my bedtime!

So I'm grateful I just received an invitation to download two new studio-recorded songs to listen to in the comfort of my own home, in the middle of the day.

They remind me of early John Mayer. They make me smile.

If you like youth, poetry about everyday things and relationships, and the enthusiasm of young people who really want to make a living at what they love, please give them a listen. There are other songs available to hear on their site, as well ... but sadly, not my favorite. I'll have to see if Amy still has the CD ....

Enjoy:

http://www.cobaltandthehiredguns.com/freedownload.html

Fill me with beauty, that I may bring others beauty

There's a chant I learned many years ago, that I find running through my head sometimes.

Sacred Corn Mother, come to me,
Make my way sacred, fill me with beauty.
Fill me with beauty, that I may bring others beauty.

Here's some of the beauty I was filled with today!~~~

Blessed be!

Reclaiming Morning

I woke up before 5 this morning. I laid in bed, wide awake, until 5:05, debating with myself.

I could lay there and hope to fall asleep again for about an hour, but why? There was Mack, comfortably resting on my legs ... I hated to disturb him ... he'd been SO good all night -- hadn't awakened me once! -- but he'd get over it if I got out of bed.

Getting up early would also mean rustling around and potentially disturbing John's last hour of sleep ... but it didn't sound as if he was sleeping right now, anyway.

My body wanted to move, my mind was completely rested ... and I've been wanting to MOVE more, use my body, feel better. WHY was I arguing with myself!?!?

I got up. I gathered my walking shoes, and enough clothes to keep me warm in the 50-something temperature of early morning.

I got dressed and gathered my digital camera, key to the house, reading glasses (so I could see what I was taking pictures of) and cell phone, just in case.

Then I headed out the door.

Wow. I'm so glad I did.

By the time I hit the pavement, it was light out. There was just the right amount of chill in the air to make fast-walking feel really good.

There were rain puddles, with the sky and trees reflected in them.

There were neighbors walking their dogs, people leaving their homes for work already, and the fresh clean smell of the newly-washed day.

A song wove through my thoughts, "Morning has broken, like the first morning ... Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird ...."


I'm grateful for a great start to a day filled with energy and joy.






... for knowing my neighborhood well enough and long enough to have very clear memories of the person who planted the two maple trees in this front yard -- these are Ian's trees, and he's come a long way from the precocious pre-teen he was when he nursed the seedlings from "weeds" to "trees" ...










... and I'm grateful that I acted on the urge to take an evening walk, as well ... there's something reassuring and homey about living in a neighborhood where it feels safe to walk alone after dark. I'm grateful for that luxury, too.



This is what grace and abundance are all about.

Mother's Day Gratitude

For my children, without whom Mother's Day would have an entirely different meaning for me ---

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

For my husband, without whom I would not know the joys or opportunities for growth that motherhood has presented to me in life --

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

My sweet husband surprised me with a bountiful buffet brunch on Mother's Day, two dozen roses at just the right stage of bloom, and an evening at the Milwaukee Theater's production of the musical Chicago. What a wonderful man; what a beautiful day!

(By the way -- I'm also grateful for aluminum foil to cover the table where my roses are displayed, so the kitties don't tip it over or munch the leaves!)

To top it all off, one of the kitties I'm "mom" to also had a milestone - Mack (who has been very sick with hepatic lipidosis) was spotted twice eating the REGULAR cat food with his brothers. Hallelujah! No more worrying that he isn't eating anything if we don't lock him in the bedroom with his special foods! Life is truly returning to a joyous "normal."

Kitten Chow!

Thus far, today, I'm grateful for:

1. Purina Kitten Chow -- which is what my sick cat, Mack, chose as his first ORAL intake in a L-O-N-G time ... about a month.

2. Friends, family, and colleagues who have been wonderfully supportive during Mack's illness. It's been a roller coaster ride of emotions and physical challenges ... not as huge as being the caretaker of small children or sick elders, but a challenge nonetheless. Sharing the ups and downs with caring others has certainly lightened the load.

3. Perspective -- which allows me to understand and appreciate that, in the grand scheme of things, a sick cat ... even a dying cat ... is only earth-shattering for a few of us.

4. Self awareness -- which allows me to understand and appreciate that I work best when I'm focused almost obsessively on an attainable goal, like giving my cat enough nutrition to survive until he will again eat enough on his own to survive and thrive. It's not as overwhelming as "save my cat's life," and not as discouraging as "save the world."

5. The jukebox in my head. Today's song is "Feelin' Groovy."