Morning Glory

When was the last time...

... you did something for the first time?

{ We the People }

'Cause It's Alright

"When you wake up early in the morning

Feelin' sad like so many of us do

Hum a little soul

Make life your goal

And surely something's got to come to you"

                        _The Impressions

{ For Like Ever }

_____________________

Perkins Cove

Ogunquit, Maine. 

I've Got the {Colbalt} Blues

FAIRYtales

{ Roots }

 " I like to see a man proud 

of the place in which he lives. 

I like to see a man live so

that his place will be proud of him. "

                           Abraham Lincoln

by the way...

Count Your Lucky Stars {& Stripes}

{ How to } Have a Good Day

{ Moira Rogers }

The Waiting Place

I've been told that the best way to learn something is to teach it to someone else. Better yet, try teaching it to a child. Try breaking down matters of life. Simplifying them for little eager minds to understand. I'm reminded of this constantly by all the questions I'm asked every day (you'd be surprised how many questions a toddler who can barely talk can ask). 'Whats this?' 'Whose that?' and I know its only the beginning of a life full of wonder and curiosity. With endless amounts of knowledge to be taught, where do I begin? What lessons have been important to me? What do I wish to pass on? We teach our children something everyday day, whether we wish to or not. Fortunately, Leo does not have my fear of bugs. yet. (he's quite fond of them, actually). That being said, I know the best way to set a good example is through my behavior, not through my words. And so begins another journey of self discovery.. self improvement. How can I be the best me? And where in the world do I begin? Well, what better place to start than one of my favorite children's books. 

__________

"Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting."

      - Dr. Suess, Oh, the Place You'll Go

__________

Today's lesson - Enjoy life. 

All of it. The good. The bad. The horrible. The beautiful. The days you don't want to wake up, even the night you can't sleep. The inspiring moments. And the not-so-glamorous ones too. Be happy with the ones you have. You'll waste away your days wishing, hoping, waiting for better ones. 

For me, it's being exactly where I am. Striving to be fully present in each moment. Even when Leo is throwing one of his terrible tantrums in the grocery store, remind myself to stay calm.. breath in and out.. offer an apologetic smile to his audience.. pay for my shit.. and leave as quickly as possible. Then give myself a congratulatory hug for having overcome such a horrible experience and know that I've become just a little but braver, a little bit stronger. 

Here's the thing.. Don't wait for a better moment to come. Make each moment better by being happy. Happiness is not the absence of every bad moment, but rather learning to accept and cherish ALL of them. After all, if the bad moments weren't so bad, then the good ones wouldn't be sooo good. 

My Favorite Love Story.

Happy Anniversary to my Love. my Life. my Happy Ever After.

Our story has only just begun

& the best is yet to come...

♥

my kinda kid

{Sunshine} through the pines

                                                             

{John Lennon}

{ beau·ti·ful }

Dawn

"Pretty as a midsummer's morn.."

                 - Four Seasons

Spring Cleansing

Confession: I hate going to the doctors. Even the most simplest routine appointment can make me feel like a 3 year old awaiting a finger prick. It's pathetic, really. But (finally) something positive came out of a visit yesterday. I was flipping through an old Oprah magazine as I anxiously awaited the nurse to call my name when something sparked my interest: A '28-day Plan to Renew Your Mind Body & Soul' by the one & only, Dr. Oz. (I'll bashfully admit, I kinda worship the guy) where was I.. hmm, I suppose I could use a little spring cleansing. So, I started scanning the pages and found Day 4: Forgive Someone. Sure, we've all heard the stats on how this practice can make you happier and healthier, but just for good measure let's hear what the Doc has to say about it; "Studies show that forgiveness can lower blood pressure and heart rate and reduce depression, anxiety, and anger." Yes - more of the same, dare I say, blah blah blah's that I already know I should do but somehow always opt not to.. until it happened.. I read the following sentence and my Ah-Ha moment occurred; "I think Oprah articulated the secret to releasing grudges when she said, 'Forgiveness is letting go of the hope that the past can be changed.'" Ah-Ha! Of course! How simple! Then, like all inspirational quotes, it was over.. now it is up to me to take action; to make an effort to really forgive someone. The only question then, is - who will I choose? We've all had people in our past who have hurt us, and though I don't have a friendship with the person I've chosen, nor do I plan on having one, I wanted to forgive them for me.. for me to be happier (and sure, I suppose to lower my blood pressure). Here's the thing - what happened was horrible, sad and very hurtful.. but it did happen and now it's over. However, because I'm especially stubborn and like to torture myself, I've carried all these negative feelings with me long after, while my culprit is walking around, living their life, unscathed. But Me? By not letting go of hope that the past can be changed, I relive what happened every time I think about it. So, who is being punished here for what happened? Me..? Why not forgive them for my sake? For my sanity? As I talk this through I realize what an extraordinary effort this will take me.. but if it was that simple to renew your mind, body & soul, well I guess there wouldn't need to be an article about it and I wouldn't need to post about it to inspire someone else. It would just happen and our lives would be better having done it. We do not have control over what happens to us, only how we react to it. Life is not simple, but I like to think that broken hearts and scraped knees build character. And emerging peaceful from each experience adds richness and thoughtfulness into our lives. If you take nothing else from this post, let it be this:

life is too short to be anything but

I choose happiness.

{ Coco }

"Who finds a faithful friend, finds a treasure."

                        jewish proverb

My Little Prince..

How I miss the baby you were, 

am so proud of the little boy you are 

& cannot wait to meet the man you'll become..

Happy 2nd Birthday, Leo

I love you.

Like Mike

"I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying."

                                                - Michael Jordan

{Listen} to your heart

"Listen to your heart,

you will understand.

Let it break upon you

like a wave upon the sand."

                         -Disney

_______________________________________

     I once lost touch with a friend.. a best friend. We just drifted apart. I went years without ever finding out what happened.. and I missed her like crazy. (If I haven't already given it away, then I must say that I am a stubborn person. Hard-headed at times, I suppose.) So, I pushed my feelings away.. tucked them under the blanket of emotions, if you will. And I masked them with indifference.. as if losing her didn't bother me a bit. I made new friends, got married, had a baby.. I moved on. But, I often thought of her at every turning point in my life. I thought about what it would be like to have her there with me.. to share our lives together. 

     Then one day, while driving through the city, I stopped at a light.. and there she was.. just walking down the street. At the risk of sounding cliche, she felt so close.. but so far, far away. Was this fate? Nothing unusual, just an ordinary occurrence to run into someone from the past. But it sparked something inside me.. something too strong to be pushed away. There she was.. in the same city I was in.. living her life.. without me. Why was it again we weren't friends anymore, I wondered? The excuses didn't seem to work anymore. It was clear to me that all of those false feelings were well, never real. I missed her, and I couldn't just try to forget about her.. again. 

     Do I dare reach out to her? I must admit, this thought was absolutely terrifying to me.. She must certainly hate me and want nothing to do with me. I was sure of it. But, here's the thing.. What was the worst that could happen? That I would get rejected? That she wouldn't want to be friends with me? Well, I already wasn't friends with her. So, what was more important? Her? Or my ego? I suddenly knew the answer and felt so foolish for not realizing it sooner. I let this continue for far too long. 

     So, after graciously putting my ego aside, I contacted her.. and I bet you're wondering how this story ends..Well, I'm pleased to say it has a happy ending :)

_______________________________________

I shared this story in hopes of inspiring someone. If there is anyone that you wish was in your life, whether it be an old friend or a potential new friend, I urge you to ask yourself a question; Does this person, or the hopes of what this person could be, mean more than the fear of rejection? I understand that not every story has a happy ending, but I decided that I was better off being rejected than living the rest of my life wondering what could have been. Sometimes things fall into place; fate determines our lives.. and sometimes, if you really want something you have to go out there and get it yourself. Because sometimes, happy endings can become very. happy. beginnings.

Good. Clean. Fun.

Jack & Ellie

I am happy to announce that I have become a contributing blogger for Jack & Ellie, a website created by my friend Alexis. Jack & Ellie is "a realistic take on parenting and the everyday balance between work, play, relationships and raising a healthy family." I'm so thrilled to be a part of an outlet where mothers can be inspired and be heard. My contributing blog is called Young Hearts, a spin-off of Among the Young at Heart, that focuses on my role as Leo's mother. Take a look at my profile below for my new blog and be sure to follow Alexis and I on our new journey!

I am a stay-at-home mama who runs a whimsical home surrounded by the people I love, the photographs I cherish, and the things that inspire me. I embrace motherhood with the same drive I apply to my life. I have a creative spirit and enjoy indulging in all things fabulous, delicious, artistic and lovely. I have a passion for photography that I have been able to explore with my son by my side (and through my lens). My tight-knit trio consists of my loving husband, Marco and my free-spirited son, Leo. This boisterous baby of mine is embarking on a chapter that some might consider (present party included) to be utterly terrible. With my blessings counted and my coffee inhaled, I try to live my life with one ambitious mantra - to follow my bliss. 

So, I invite you to follow me, as I follow my bliss. 'Cause if Mama's happy, everyone's happy :)

Young Hearts

A Dog's Purpose

A few days ago, I received a forwarded email from my sister about the purpose of a dog. Unfortunately, I do not know who the writer is, therefore I cannot give due credit, but I was so moved by this that I just had to share. Read on...

A Dog's Purpose (from a 6-year-old).

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience. The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ''I know why.'' Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try to live. 

He said, ''People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?'' The Six-year-old continued,  “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.”

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently. 

Love the people who treat you right. 

Life is too short to be anything but happy.

Valentine

My heart has found the sweetest love I ever could have wished for.

I love you,

             Valentine.

____________________________

Daniel Doke Photography

Happy ♥ Day

"General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around."

                                                    - Love Actually

___________________________________________

This photograph was taken in my sister's backyard. A branch used to grow in this space, which over time has molded into the shape of a heart. An organic occurrence that so beautifully portrays the art of Nature. After all, it is in life's ordinary moments that love happens...

Puppy Love

"Sometimes, the smallest things take up the most room in your heart" 

                                          - A.A. Milne

Life Begins..

Cold Nose {Warm Heart}