Family

"The happiest moments of my life

have been the few which I have passed at home

in the bosom of my family."

- Thomas Jefferson

Ok, so I know I said I am going to try to live in the present, and I am! In fact, I have been...for almost a whole two weeks now! Go me!

However, I still find myself thinking about the future. Not obsessing like before, but just thinking ahead. That's okay, right?

You see, I got to thinking about the future because we traveled to NOLA for my niece's bday this weekend, and I really enjoyed visiting with the fam!

It got me thinking about how little we get to visit with them and how many beautiful moments we don't get to share with them because we're so far apart. I really don't want my boys' futures to be filled (rather unfilled) with so few memories of their NOLA family! It really would be wonderful if we lived closer and we could spend more time with the Rowan clan!

After all, family really is the tie that binds; without a healthy helping of it ever so often, I feel lost and disconnected!

Even though others might say we're loud, crazy, and dysfunctional - they're MY loud, crazy, and dysfunctional family and I wouldn't want it any other way! Besides, "family is like fudge, sweet but with a few nuts" (me being one of the nuts)! By the way, thanks for loving and accepting me for who I am. I love you all so much!

So, here's to my family!

Thanks for a wonderful weekend and the beautiful memories;

hopefully, the future holds many more, more often!

Learning to Be

"If you want to be happy, be."

-Leo Tolstoy

"Somtimes, the hardest lesson in life is learning how to just be."

I have come to realize that I have difficulty living in the moment.

I am always thinking about tomorrow.

I think it's part of my annoying "OCD" tendencies.

I am always planning, plotting, and pondering;

therfore, I am never satisfied with the present

because I am always obsessing over the future.

I have not learned how to live in the present and just "be."

However, I know that inorder to feel truly satisfied with life,

I have to learn to enjoy it. I have to learn to just "be!"

This weekend was the first time in a long time

that I allowed myself to just "be."

I threw all caution to the wind and just went with the flow.

We had plans to travel to Tuscaloosa

and take the boys to the Alabama game,

but Jeremy and I were so bushed from the hectic week we'd had;

a road trip just didn't sound exciting!

However, I am a stickler for plans and I get all out of wack

if things don't go according to schedule.

So, I was really stressed about changing our plans at the last minute.

I am so glad we did though!

We ended up having a wonderful weekend, and it was nice to just be!

I ventured off track, and it was all good!

I soaked up the gorgeous weather, visited with friends,

and spent quality time with my three men!

I just let myself be, and I found that I was truly happy.

I think I like living in the present;

not worrying about tomorrow is actually a much better way to be!

All this fuss over my job, where we should live,

and what's coming next only causes undue stress,

and I end up missing all the beautiful moments in life

because I am too worried about when I'm going to start living

instead of just living!

So, Carpe Diem!

May it be a beautiful day,

and may true happiness come your way!

"Love your life. Accept it, just as it is. Today. Now.

So that those moments of happiness you're waiting for don't pass you by."