sperlygirl

a little karmic kick in the pants...

i have been feeling like i am simply hovering from one pile to another lately like a hummingbird from flower to flower. starting one thing for 30 seconds and then zipping to something else leaving both unfinished and sprawled all over the place. and then my frustrations mount. but today i got several little reminders from the universe. first of all, a friend sent me an email and gently reminded me to give myself a break and remember 'we can only do what we can do.' (thx andie!) and then when i finally got out for a run today and hit the wrong playlist, realizing it was an interval set, rather than focusing on the fact that i am not where i'd like to be right now with my runs/training - i'd just go with it. start from where i am, build up slowly. at first i resisted, but as i emptied my mind a bit and took the time to listen to that little voice in my heart that whispers truth - and just ran - i 'got' the bigger picture on oh so many levels. my friend's email spoke to me once more. the house is a mess right now, the laundry never seems to dwindle these days, kai's room is piled high on his carpet, there are piles of 'little projects' all over my desk at home and at work. but then a sweet student of mine unexpectedly slipped me this note as she ran out of my room today.

gioia semplice...

 taking great pleasure in these simple joys the last few days...

a walk in some sunshine this weekend

having a lunch at our favorite cafe

visiting with our sweet neighbor and sharing a cafe and conversation

 hearing the birds sing evening songs outside the window

catching up with a dear friend and planning her visit to italy (so exciting)

il mio cuore...

amidst my busyness these past few days, my mind has focused on a simple fact - one that forever changed my life. eighteen years ago this month, my father passed. just like that. and i now have lived without him for as many years as i lived with him. in some ways - glimpses now -the hole his leaving left still feels fresh, raw, and deeply empty; but more so, it feels like an ache that happened a lifetime ago to a girl that i remember. it's not true what they say to you in moments of grief. time does not heal all wounds. but time does offer perspective and that is a subtle gift, if not a comfort. for i am able to acknowledge and feel grateful for the incredible gift of strength that became uncovered through such a personal loss. our journeys are always winding, and whether we know it or not, discover it yet or not, believe it or not...strength (with the force of a thousand armies) lies deep within us - simply waiting.

yesterday, i noticed a beautiful simple rock wrapped with ribbons of white. it seemed to whisper to me from the grass below my feet.

' i am like your heart - broken but bandaged - solid and strong, perhaps a bit fractured but bound together with the strength of time and tenderly polished by the memories of love.' ~ssperl

for my dad...my heart is always with you.

**thought i'd share one of his favorite tunes**

my 'tribe'...

this weekend, we soaked up some much needed time with friends. living overseas, i have found that we have forged friendships that are the kind that create a sense of family. they are the friendships that become extended family - inspiring you deeply, supporting you gently, and lifting you fully. they are gifts, and i am grateful.

(photo by wyatt)

going greener, month 2...

so remember last month, i mentioned participating in this challenge? our first small change was to reduce our dependency on those disposable cleaning wipes. i must say we met this challenge. while we have not eliminated completely, we have reduced our usage considerably. every mess i was met with last month presented me with the choice wipe or rag? and i am pleased to report i chose rag each time! i thought this might create more of a laundry heap than i already battle around here but it really didn't.

this month my goal is to attack the sandwich bags!! we already wash and reuse them several times but i want to go further than that. so i have been checking out some eco-options and this is what i have come up with so far. i hope to order us a set along with these wonderful utensils for packed lunches. here's to another small change...

Food Kozy

Waste Not Saks

Snack Taxi

**there is still time if you would like to join us in 'a shot of inspiration' swap ~ just let me know with a comment here and i will pass on all the details.**

 

a little something...

it has been a long and stressful winter - we are still fighting germs around here lately and are just hoping for the day when we are all functioning at 100% healthy! in the meantime, i have been trying to focus on finishing things on my creative plate. i am working a lot with portraits from misty's class and love that its pulling me way out of some comfort zones. hopefully, i will finish some work and post here soon. i also finished this canvas this weekend with the intent simply to bring more color into our house.

 

5 months love note...

to my little one,

(ryder ~ 5 months)

be sure to seek out the wonder in the everyday. be sure to dance outside in the rain with a dear friend once. stop and listen to the wind. stand barefoot at the shoreline, marvel at the horizon, and feel your body surge with life as the tide rolls in to meet your toes. pick up a beautiful shell but do not discard the broken one next to it - as there is so much beauty to be found also in those fractured pieces. be mindful of your burdens and respectful that others carry their own too. some may be obvious and others you may never realize are there...but they are. lead with your heart in whatever it is you wish to pursue but always remember your greatest resource is the knowledge you allow for yourself. approach all living beings with kindness - including yourself. always remember (and use) your good manners - they have the ability to take you quite a ways in the world. and do not ever forget the genuineness of an unexpected handwritten note. be thoughtful, mindful, fearless, kind, and above all, be happy, my littlest one. ti amo. xx mama

on a winter's day...

filtered sunlight on a cold winter's day. that's how it has felt here lately. the sun ducking behind the clouds only to peek her glowing face out at us occasionally as if to remind us that she is still there. the air is heavy with a damp cold - just enough to hang there. staying in feels good, so does bundling up with a blanket. this must be winter's hint to me...'stay in', she says. 'FOCUS', she whispers. 'rest up', she gently reminds me. 'take good care of yourself', she says softly. ...i am listening...

**a good tune to pass a chilly winter day with**

a journey...

for a couple weeks, there has been one story that i have heard from the aftermath of the quake in haiti that has stayed present in my mind and weighed heavy upon my heart. it is that of a mother who lost four of her five children in the quake only to lose the fifth remaining child after wards. the immensity of those loses seem incomprehensible to me. when i saw the news story, i felt my heart break wide open for her. i know she isn't the only one. our donations felt futile when i thought of the magnitude of her grief. i have held my own babes a bit tighter since. so to this mother, a woman i will never meet, i send you the collective strength of all mothers and i want you to know that i carry you in my heart.

**for the on-going efforts, you can support here**