No Boys Allowed

I went on a girls trip over Memorial Day Weekend.  In California. For four days.  And by girls trip, I mean Elwood did not come with me.  We have spent less than 24 hours apart since he has been born.  We are buds.  Sometimes we eat lunch holding hands.  Sometimes he stops what he is playing with just to run over and give me a hug and a kiss.  Most nights he calls for me, not Dad.  I knew I was going to be fine (to be completely honest I was super excited), I was worried about leaving my buddy for so long.  I was stressed that he would be sad/mad at not understanding where his mom is (because, you know, I'm always there.)  Which in turn made me stress that he would be a bit hard to handle/cry-ey/whine-y/hopefully-not-hysterical for his caregiver. If his caregiver was only going to be Conor I wouldn't have been that concerned but Con couldn't get all the days off work so Woody was spending quite a bit of time with my in-laws.  And they are wonderful and loving and Woody is crazy about them. . . but I am always with him when we are together.  Well, it turns out, I had nothing to worry about.  Woody and I both had a blast on our vacations. Of course I missed Elwood and Conor but it is healthy and good to get away and have some girl time.  It is good for the heart to giggle and chat and drink wine with old friends but its also good to miss home; and to be missed.  Everyone is more appreciative of what we all bring to our little family.  Woody did ask where I was a few times and Conor simply answered, "Mom's on vacation," and that seemed to satisfy his curiosity.  My mother in law sent me plenty of pics of Woody looking adorable doing various fun activities which kept me happy and not missing him too much.  The tours of wine country and the fabulous company also helped.

Jan's Bachelorette In Wine Country, California  

Ya gotta look for the signs

Life is full of ups and downs.  That is what makes life beautiful.  You can learn from the highest of highs just as much as you can learn from the lowest of lows, and the regular everyday times in between.  In the lows sometimes the lessons are harder to see but, perhaps, maybe the lesson is that life is hard sometimes and that experience can then allow you to appreciate the highs with an even greater awareness of gratitude and clarity when life inevitably climbs that way once again.  No matter if my life is soaringly happy and wonderful or sad and challenging, the sun and moon will take their turns in the sky, the seasons will change, rain will fall, flowers will bloom, children will laugh, nature goes on.  And I look for the signs.  They are there and I celebrate with them.  I let them lift my spirits when I am sad and acknowledge them rejoicing with me in my happiness.  Yes, I see you sunflower, blooming on a day when I am sad in my heart, you bring a smile to my face.  Yes, I see you butterfly whimsically dancing around my son making him exclaim with delight at seeing you, I love that little boy so much as well.  It might sound childish but it feels right for me.  It is a spiritual connection to the world around me and I am open and looking for omens, signs, nature, the Universe telling me that all I have is right here and right now.  Enjoy it. Embrace it.

This solitary Sunflower started to grow in our yard; in a place where I have had zero success with other flowers.  It bloomed on a day when my heart was sad.  Sunflowers are special to me and when I saw its sunny face, I couldn't help but think that it was nature showing me my spirit flower.  Looking at its beauty and recognizing the timing of its growth and bloom, I could actually feel my heart become softer and more full of love.    

Then it kept blooming, and we joked that my spirit must be getting happier

Then it did this.  

I've never seen a sunflower with so many blooms, such an energy of positivity surrounding it.  My spirit flower was really sending me a message.  Be Happy. Be Bright.  Smile.  Love. 

Our Buddy

Elwood is usually our top photography subject, followed closely by Elwood and Penny, but every once in awhile we remember to put one of us in the photo as well. 

Relaxing in my Mother's Day present

Woody enjoying Mom's birthday perks

Whaaat?
Out without The Wood?!?