Two In One!

Did I already tell you how much I love my old students?!

There is never a time where I am not touched by their remembrance.

After so many hours of 

working and listening and crying and laughing with them

throughout their years of college

I cannot help but refer to them as my "kids".

...and I am honored when they give me a title of "second mom"

or "mom away from home".

This everyday contact with them is what I miss the most.

  

So it is heartwarming,

that although I only teased them about sending me a postcard 

from wherever they are in the world,

when they actually do!

When I receive my handwritten surprise in the mail,

the acts of buying the card, writing and then sending the card

while they are on their vacations

are meaningful acts that are very much noted by me.

Today I got a two in one!

And his messages just made me smile first thing this morning.

(I didn't realize that I had mail from yesterday 

 I got home late last night and went straight to bed.)

What a wonderful start to a day.

....and this can only mean that I have to continue the gesture to someone else.

So to my chosen person who will be receiving

a surprise hand written note from me,

comment below and share your thoughts 

when you receive your surprise in the mail.

....it's the little things!  

***

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Adventure 10- Mindfulness

 My 10th adventure proposal came like this:

Dear Ellen, So here's my suggested adventure. When I read your request for adventures, I immediately envisioned a far away place or a secret destination. 
But the more I thought about it, the more I recognized that no matter where you go...there YOU are. 
It was something that a friend once shared with me. 
So when I reconsidered this request again, I went inward. 
 I suggest with each of your adventures, you immerse yourself introspectively. 
Find the meaning of life and peace through mindful activities. 
Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present.
 When you are mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. 
Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience. Steps toward mindfulness. Learn how to meditate; take yoga class; or elicit the knowledge of Thierry by convening a group of ladies (me included, of course) to host a Wellness weekend Retreat.. learn more about energy and meditation. Consider this as you begin of your 50th birthday celebration year. Thank you for considering my suggestion. Mindfully yours,C.

So last weekend during the strongest phasing of the super moon, 

I went to a yoga workshop led by a friend.

 

Everything about this workshop spoke of me...
The theme of Harvesting the Season...
the energies brought by all the watery planets' activities...
the moon's entrance into Taurus
bringing illumination and a calming effect,
and clarity and closure to questions.

But most importantly, bringing to me the importance of life...
Family and dear friends.

 Eerily all of these hit my being..
So strong that despite all the opposing powers,
I felt only serenity.

 

A deep calm that shows me the beauty
and endless abundance of my many blessings.

**
I thank you C, for this beautiful adventure proposal...
and am glad that I was able to share with you a small part of the weekend.

...and most of all to all my beautiful friends...
brothers and sisters of my universe
that made this adventure possible.

Thank you to Desilio and Szbadi yoga for the Harvest the Season retreat pictures.

***

***In case you missed it***

Click to read my adventures and story:

Celebrating 50 Story

Adventure 1-Started

Adventure 2

Adventure 3

  Adventure 4  

Adventure 5
Adventure 6 

Adventure 7- Celebrate the past, the present and the future.

ADVENTURE COMPLETED.

Adventure 8- Wine and Paint- ADVENTURE COMPLETED.

Adventure 9- Dance like No One is Watching- ADVENTURE COMPLETED

Adventure 10- Mindfulness- ADVENTURE COMPLETED
***

If you want to follow me on twitter, my handle is @ECKDesign2.

I am also on instagram at @eck_eck

or

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Submit your email address at the top left of my blog page
and you will receive an email each time  I have a new blog post.

In Memory

"To lose a friend is hardship,

 but to forget them is as if you died too."
-Unknown

 This was our hand picked Christmas tree this year.  

Different from the past trees, 

this tree is a Carolina Sapphire from BK Farms.

It's a tradition every year to go to Sue and as a family, pick our live tree.

Still in the pot, it lives throughout the holidays 

and right after, we plant it on our property.

This year, we are planting this tree to remind us that

"in the midst of death, there is life"

"Remember the best times,

the laughter, the song"
One of our fondest family gathering memory is one bonfire weekend.

When the boys cut down a tall dead tree.

  

The stump is still there as a wonderful reminder of the past.

Just outside of the brush, within the reach of the stump's roots,
is where we planted Tad's tree.

It is beautiful.
It's bright and contrasting green color bringing life to its surroundings.

Just like its namesake
A brilliant surgeon,
a loving son,
a caring brother and friend,
a fun Uncle...

we miss you

but you are remembered.

"To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die."

-Thomas Campbell

Slouch Hat

An ambassador of mine loves Edgar Allen Poe.
..and today, one of his quotes was very befitting...

"Sometimes I'm terrified of my heart;
of its constant hunger for whatever it is it wants.
The way it stops and starts"

-Edgar Allen Poe

I felt like crocheting so as not to think about anything but the counts.

Row 1 slip stitch...

Row 2 double crochet...

Row 3 chain stitch 2, 18 stitches total...

We lost a dear loved one today.
Our hearts are heavy.
Rest in Peace, fellow lumber jack, guitar hero ace,
caring, thoughtful and humble friend.
I hope that you are now at peace.

Grateful

I know that it has been a while since I have posted

 but the past month has been just crazy with everything.  

I have been tagged to do the ice bucket challenge.... which I did.
Goodness, I surely respect the folks that are in the Arctic club.

I have also been tagged a couple of times for the grateful challenge.

Unfortunately for this, I have not had the chance to reply back.

So I thought it is apropos to have a post just for it.

Because I am grateful for so many things.

First and foremost is the good health of all my parents, myself and my dear ones.

I truly wish that I could pause time at this particular moment 

so that I am constantly surrounded by those who are near and dear to me.

I am very blessed to be given the support and love of true and the dearest of friends.

They are the ones that I go to to share the weight of any daily hurdles,

 support me in my ever changing endeavors 

and allow me to embrace my true self.

I TRULY do not know what I would do without you in my life.

I am so grateful to have a loving and supportive husband

 who has the patience for my endless quirkiness.

I thank my higher power that with him, I am not alone during the darkest of nights

and that he is the one with me that greets each new day.

I am humbled to be given healthy, intelligent and talented children

who give me daily challenges and experiences

that allow me to continue to grow and be a better person.

I cannot forget to thank those that have mentored me 

through various stages of my life.

,,and am lucky now to be able to pass down what I learned and be a mentor to others.

Each day I am reminded that 

true peace is always around me.

And that I should live for the moment.

Road blocks in my path are there to make me stronger
and to allow me to pause and find the hidden beauty.

...and that lessons are learned from these obstacles

Meditation (or attempts to) has taught me 

that there are many things that are beyond my control.

and that it's okay if I cannot fix it.

But that I find solace in knowing 

that I give my heart and self

at trying to make my world a better place.

and that I am teaching my children these same values.

What about you?

What are you grateful for?

Skipping 27

So I' m another year older...

The good news is, is that I skipped a whole year!

All of last year, I thought I was 28 ;)...

..and that I was turning 29.

But then hubs tells me that I am not turning 29 but 28!

So all of last year I was the wrong age...  At least in my brain!

I guess I could have done the math but I didn't.

So a year younger is a nice surprise!  :)

My birthday?....  Well, let's just say that it sure was memorable.

I was able to retreat and do a lot of soul searching.

I feel happier knowing the direction of certain paths of my life.

One of the things I've decided
is to let go and not worry about things I cannot control.
I just refuse to let things get me down.
So far, the cleansing is good!  ;)

But one thing I'm up and about with is what I am going to do with Area Code 352.

So if you have not been there yet, go take a gander!

Because I really want some feedback.
Should I keep at it?

I would really love to continue that blog and I really believe in its potential.

But it is just too costly.

...and much too time consuming to manage

 with its higher demand of website expertise.

I really don't know if I should stick with it...
Tell me what you think.

Also, there's so much that has happened since my birthday...

...that I still have to write about.
But just not enough time right now
so come on back and find out!  ;)
I should be writing more soon....promise!  ;)


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I hate July... and I've got a virus!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while...
You see, it's like this...
 I hate July...
I hate it because when my babies have their birthdays at the beginning of the month,
I feel old... like, really old..

and then I also know that in a month from their day, I turn a year older...
So it's a vicious cycle every year.
And unless I do something extra special
during the month of July that keeps me busy,
then I always think of that day in August when I turn another year older.

In the past couple of years, we were on vacation for most of this dreaded month
 so the past Julys were pleasant enough.
However, this year, we stayed home.
Don't get me wrong,
I'm getting a lot done around the house that needed to be done...
but this month has been intense.

There's been a lot of questions... 
I mean ridiculous questions...

and soul searching..
and planning...
and changes of plans...
and talking to a higher being...
and just trying to find some peace..
all of which seem fruitless...
Because I still have so many, many questions...
and I really don't seem to know which path to take
and where exactly I would find my answers...
So, yup. I kinda am lost.
...and I'm waiting for that AHA! moment.

Then on another note,the hubs tells me that two of the computers at home have a virus.
And that I am to stay away from the others that are not infected
...and he tells me that I am the cause because it is my tablet that got the virus first.
And that I infected the rest.
And I ask him how I will blog...
because blogging is my outlet...
and when I am blogging,
that's when the answers come...
but then the hubby?... he tells me that I cant blog.
Stay away from the computers, he says...

So I'm breaking the rules...

So now you know why there's been silence.
Hopefully soon, there will be some answers for me...
and a cure for the virus because the hubby seems to be taking his time with the fixing.

What about you?
Have you ever been in a similar place with the soul searching?
I sure would love to hear your story...


Please comment below as I love hearing from you!
But I would love you even more if you become a follower!
Submit your email address at the top left of my blog
and you will receive an email each time I have a new post!
 ...by the way, the pictures were taken earlier this year in Birmingham, Alabama.
Pretty city!  :)