Year 29

I recently celebrated my 29th birthday. This year also happened to be my golden birthday. Turned 29 on March 29th. To mark the occasion my family went out to eat for dinner. There ended up being 18 of us around the table. I felt incredibly loved and special to have so many people who traveled to celebrate with me.

Now, I recently was reminded that when we celebrate a birthday, the age we are turning actually marks the completion of that many years. So having said that, I have been thinking on what I have come to learn in those 29 years.

I know that it doesn’t take much effort to be kind. People go out of their way to be mean and rude to each other these days and it boggles my mind, and hurts my soul. If you just take a breath, and think a moment, being kind to your fellow person makes the whole day much brighter. Spreading just a little positivity can lift spirits and it might come back around to you in ways you never expected.

Laughter has become some of my favorite sounds. I treasure the memories of chatting with my siblings or my friends and everything we said would just make us laugh even more. My parents were never afraid to laugh and have fun with us while growing up. They would sing along with us in the car, be incredibly silly with us, and show us that it doesn’t take much to have a wonderful time. Those moments will forever be something I will hold close to my heart.

Finding small moments of joy or positivity can lift your spirit. When I have those days where it felt like everything was working against me, making a small list, just three things long, of the little happy moments, would change my perspective and show me that it wasn’t as dark or bleak as I had thought. Once in a while I reach for one of my notebooks and find that looking back at the happy moments from previous days helped me see that times where I feel like I can’t get any headway, are really not as horrible as I have been thinking.

I have been learning and growing for 29 years, and I will continue to grow and change as I age. So I am grateful for moments like birthdays that remind us to pause and reflect on how far we truly have come.

Thank you to everyone for all the birthday wishes and the love sent my way. Here is to year 30 and all the incredible moments that are to become wonderful memories.

Complicated House Plant Energy

I have come to the conclusion that I am a house plant with complicated emotions. When I am feeling down, sunshine and water help me feel much better. The days where the sun is streaming in through my windows always have boosted my mood.

This last week I decided to change out the curtains in my bedroom. I went from semi opaque white curtains, to a set of sheer panels with yellow panels on the outsides. The day after I got them set up, I woke up to extra sunshine in my bedroom. The extra light made me feel brighter from the moment I opened my eyes.

Erza is also a big fan of the new curtains. She has always taken naps on my bed, but now she will firmly place herself in the sun puddles that stream through in the afternoons. My windows face west, so I get quite a bit of afternoon sunshine, and Erza is thrilled with this whole set up. I have also spoiled her a little bit and gotten a cat hammock that suction cups to the window so that she can look outside while she lays in the sun.

The added sunshine to my bedroom has been helping me feel brighter and more ready for the day. I also have the light that comes from the grow light in my bedroom, that has been placed to try and assist my plants. With a little bit of water added, courtesy of my bedside water bottle, I feel a boost in my overall mood by the time I am dressed and getting ready to face the world outside my bedroom door.

I have heard the comparison of wearing a fitness tracker and likening it to being a Tamagotchi. The little animal that you are trying your best to keep alive is you. I also think it would be wonderful if I could have a tracker for my plants. Either way, I feel like the comparison also applies to myself and my house plants. A little bit of water, and a decent amount of sunshine can do wonders.

Fun Filled Weekends

This weekend I have been getting out of the house and having fun with my friends. Yesterday B. and I went out for lunch and then to a garden center that was hosting a thrift sale for the local humane society. I obviously wanted to go and support them, they have given me five incredible animals the past few years, and I am glad I have the means to give them a little help. Today, A. and the kids are picking me up and we are heading to Action City for a morning filled with games, laughter, and memories in the making.

Some weekends I am not up for having big plans. The week was hard enough and I need the weekend to recuperate my energy levels for the following week. This week though, I am very grateful for friends who make plans. I have been enjoying getting out with them lately and I hope my body cooperates, and lets me continue to have lots of fun. (One of the draw backs of having chronic illness.)

My friends have always been a bright light in my life. They get me and are very understanding. B. A. and L. are my three best friends. Sadly L. lives across the country or I am sure we would be hanging out much more. I am also grateful to have lived in the time of easy communication. I am able to reach out to all three with a quick text whenever I need or want to. That text can sit there, in their inbox, as long as it needs to, and they can answer when the get a moment. Two of them are professionals with busy jobs, and the third is an incredibly devoted mom who is always busy as well. So I am glad whenever they get the chance to message me back.

This weekend is the first in a long time, where I get to see more than one friend, in just those two days. My social battery is being given a workout, but I couldn’t be more thankful to have the time with them. Like I mentioned earlier, it is weekends like these that are memories in the making, and I know I will look back at them and smile.

Fun filled weekends are few and far between these days, especially as adults with responsibilities. So when you get the opportunity to spend a little extra time with someone you love and cherish, don’t let it slip away. Let yourself have those fun packed days every once in a while.

True Companions

Lately I have been reflecting on the relationships that are shared between people and their pets. Our fur babies have major personalities, which is quite evident to anyone who spends any length of time with them. I have always been confused by people who say things along the lines of animals all being the same as each other and that there is no real personality.

Differences make up our personalities as humans, and the same can be said for our pets. Maggie gets excited over a game of fetch anytime of the day, while River will catch a ball if you throw it his way, and Cooper couldn’t care less about a ball thrown for him, and lacks the skill to really catch anything, even a treat. With the cats, Erza enjoys puzzle toys, especially if there are treats involved. Gobi is food motivated but has issues when it is any harder to get to than placed right in front of him. Pho doesn’t appreciate anyone messing with her food, and is particular about the kinds of treats she will eat.

Qualities that we have in common create connections between us and other people. Animals create bonds the same way. As I am writing this, my Mom is entertaining all three dogs by bouncing between their stuffed bears. Each one has a specific colored bear, and they can often be found playing with each other’s. With the cats, they all obviously enjoy a good snooze, usually on their person’s bed. While the toy in question may differ slightly, they all will play in similar fashion, throwing the toys around and giving chase like the little hunters that they are.

The connections that we form with these animals are just as real as with other people. They are parts of our families. They enrich our lives every day, and provide us with plenty of laughter. I will forever be thankful to have grown up in a family that values these little souls in the way that they do.

A Day For All Kinds Of Love

As we approach the Hallmark created holiday of Valentine’s Day, I have been thinking. I am single again this year, like always, so I may not have a romantic valentine, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have lots of love to celebrate. In my opinion Valentine’s Day has always been about showing those we love how much we care for them, and we have just lost sight and narrowed that view point down to just romantic love.

Growing up, my parents always gave each of us kids something on Valentine’s Day. Some of my favorites are my teddy bear that says you are my sunshine on it. My mom calls me Sunshine because she used to sing the song to me when I was little. I have always loved the song, so the nickname stuck. My mom and dad reminded us every year that love doesn’t just mean romantic partners. Love is a connection between people that truly care for each other.

Ever since one of my best friends has had her kids, I have started giving them valentines as well. This year I gave them little stuffed animals. A got a kitty, due to her love for them, and W got a dino that he has dubbed Sparkles due to the gold spikes on the back. I have gotten lots of pictures ever since I dropped the stuffies off with the kids, of them hugging them and playing. W has become pretty attached to his dino, and I am pretty thrilled that I could provide him with something he holds so dear.

When I gave the stuffies to the kids, I reminded them that Valentine’s Day is meant to celebrate all kinds of love. Family love, sibling love, friendship love, as well as romantic love, to name a few. As we approach and begin to celebrate the day of love, it is not only important to remind ourselves that it is about all kinds of love, but we should also show those we care about how much they matter to us more than just once a year.

Here’s to showing those we love how much they mean to us.

A Super Duper Kanine

Cooper was a year and a half years old when we adopted him from the local humane society. He is a blue tick coon hound mix. That means he is black and white. The coon hound part of him becomes very apparent whenever he decides to use his voice. Baying instead of the normal barking that I have grown used to having grown up with plenty of dogs around.

Coop had a bit of a rough start to life. When we rescued him, you could see all his bones. The humane society had put twenty pounds on him already and he was still so thin. We got right to work making sure he knew he never had to fight for his next meal or worry about when he would be fed again. His story from before coming home is a bit of an unknown thing. We know he came from Texas, and was so skinny, but other than that, there is just a big question mark. So I can’t say that anyone ever meant him harm, and I would like to think that he had a loving home that just couldn’t care for him and his brother. His brother was adopted out to a wonderful family around two weeks before Cooper joined our family.

River has become like a brother to him. That relationship was pretty quickly formed. I am guessing because Cooper was used to that dynamic. River is pretty much the same size as Cooper and they love to run around the backyard at top speed. There are patches of dirt that will never grow grass again due to the boys using those sections as racetrack. Cooper looks so graceful when he is running across the yard. He stretches out and can gain momentum with ease. It is a stark contrast to the goofy run he does when one of us humans call his name and he is happy to see us. If you remember the sort of run that Jack Sparrow did in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, then you have a pretty good idea.

It took about three days before he felt confident enough to use his voice. I was actually kind of startled when he first barked at River during a play session. Little steps along the way have shown his comfort level and confidence rising. His silly run, being so proud of himself when he knows what to do for a command, and giving lots of kisses, have been some of my favorite milestones that have come with nurturing Cooper. He really has come out of his shell, and shown us just how goofy and loving he really is.

These days, I am lucky enough to be one of his favorite people. Whenever I am playing games in the living room, he will hop up on my lap and demand hugs. This has lovingly become referred to as a Cooper Break. I must pause my game and snuggle with the boy for a bit. He will eventually get down from my lap and I may resume my game. Being reminded to take time to pause and enjoy the little things like hugs from a giant baby like Cooper, is one of the reasons that I am forever grateful to have him.

I saw on Facebook once, a picture of a dog looking out the window while laying on the window’s bench seat. They were mostly in shadow, because the sun was setting outside. The words on the picture read, “Sometimes I like to look over at my dog, and watch them enjoy the life I have given them.” I couldn’t help but think of Cooper and how much his life has changed since coming home. He is probably chewing on a toy while laying in the giant bean bag chair in our living room right now. He will never have any more worries in life. Just love.

Feline Smarts

In the past I am sure I have mentioned Erza’s intelligence. She has shown me her ability to think through problems and figure things out since the moment I met her at five months old. Her first display of intellect was through her pole vaulting over the baby gate that was meant to keep the kittens in their room. She wanted to explore, and seized the opportunity.

Her latest escapades are what has me writing today though. This whole situation requires a bit of background knowledge. Maggie, the buff colored cocker spaniel who has claimed my mom, has a tendency to be possessive over her toys and her food bowl. This happens less so with the other dogs, because she has to share some of those toys, but her balls are only for her to play with and she likes it that way. When the cats get to close she will grump and growl at them to make sure they are aware that she is watching them and that she will not tolerate them trying to take what she has claimed as hers.

Erza has found a way to negate this perfect storm kind of situation. I have noticed that when Maggie is hanging out in the living room, which she is one of her most likely nap spaces, Erza will start to communicate with Maggie as soon as she enters the same room. Erza has started to use her voice, and will meow at Maggie, as if to let her know what her intentions are for entering the room. It really looks/feels like Erza is letting Maggie know that she “comes in peace”.

Now Erza has certainly never had a problem with using her voice in the past. She will meow at me almost hourly, to communicate her needs, which usually involve food. Erza has also been known to meow at my family members, like she is just having a chat. The moments that will always make me smile are when she meows good night to my parents. She likes to snuggle with my mom for a bit before bed. So I will go and collect my gremlin, the nickname she has gained for her evening antics, and take her back up to my room so my parents can close their bedroom door and sleep in peace. As I leave their room, Erza will often meow at them to say good night.

What has made me a proud cat mom most in this situation is that Erza thought through the problem and found a solution that plays to her strengths. She uses her voice to make Maggie aware of her intentions. The best part though, is that it actually works. Maggie has stopped grumping at her when Erza meows and communicates. I have seen it happen several times now and I was pretty shocked the first time, but now, every time I see it, I feel like a proud cat mom.

My parents have dubbed Erza the MENSA cat. MENSA is a society of geniuses. When I see these examples of her thinking through a problem and finding a solution that works for her, I certainly agree with the nickname. Now, if only I was as proud when she uses those smarts when she is bored. Let’s just say, I will have to start cat proofing multiple things around the house if she keeps up her antics.

An Extrovert and An Introvert

You might have heard of the idea that the way an introvert makes friends is to be adopted by an extrovert and then become friends with their group of people. I certainly have had moments where I felt like I was along for the ride. As an introvert, I must spend time by myself, or even with a few close people, to recharge my “Extrovert Battery”. Otherwise, I am not very pleasant to be around in a social environment.

Some may not be aware that our furry companions also share these tendencies. My brother’s cat, Gobi, is very shy and it takes some time for him to warm up to company and make his way down the stairs to socialize. I would classify him as an introvert without any hesitation. Erza on the other hand, is an extrovert through and through. She wants to say hello to everyone, give them affection, and then receive some in return.

On Christmas Eve, when my Mom’s side of the family gathered at my home to celebrate, Erza started to make her rounds. She set up camp on a dinning room chair and said hello to everyone as they passed by. Once we started to move the furniture to make the table big enough for the whole family to sit around, Erza took that opportunity to try her best to steal a seat at the dinner table. As people started to find their chair, Erza was shuffled around until she ended up sitting next to me. My cousin, the last one to sit down, pulled out his chair and found Erza staring up at him as if to inform him that that seat was already taken. I couldn’t help but giggle a little at her antics as I picked her up and placed her on the couch to allow room for my cousin to join the rest of the humans at the table.

Due to her very obvious social nature, I have been having moments of laughter. This introvert adopted an extrovert. Since I am her link to the outside world, I will have to try and be more social, just to satisfy her social needs. Maintaining her social calendar is just one more duty to add to the list of things I must do as a Cat Mom.

Back To School Memories

The lead up to back to school was always one of those times of year when Mom broke out the important To Do list. Things like clothes shopping, new shoes, and yearly appointments like the eye doctor and getting our vaccines were always included. Supply shopping had its own list that needed to be checked off. There were also those odds and ends that needed to be picked up that weren’t included on the general list for each student. I always had to get a new water bottle because I would find a way to break mine between school years. (One memorial school year required several water bottles because I couldn’t seem to control my klutzy tendencies whenever my water bottle was around.)

When my siblings and I joined sports the list got even longer. We had to add in sports physicals with the doctor. Then equipment for the sport was added to the supplies list. I enjoyed basketball in elementary school, up until I didn’t hit a growth spurt and was the second shortest kid in my grade. Middle school was filled with volleyball practice and games. Sadly it also consisted of many doctor appointments for sore knees. When high school came around, I did a year of color guard. During the last week of the season is when my left knee subluxed and effectively stopped my foray into athletics.

I joined choir, which meant that some fees would pop up during the year, but at least I didn’t have to rent an instrument. (Tried to play the trumpet for a year, that didn’t work out.) My sister was in orchestra, as a violin player. There were supplies she would need for upkeep.

All of those things sound a bit tedious writing them out like this. But I have very fond memories of the moments leading up to the start of each year. I love new stationary and I was very happy to have an excuse to indulge my obsession. New pens and notebooks were treasured items for me. As I got older, I would figure out what to look for as features in the items that I chose for my supplies. Back packs had to have a certain amount of pockets, and the side ones needed to be able to fit my water bottle, and in my high school years, my morning bottle of pepsi.

This year I found myself missing the steps that would lead up to the start of a new grade. Thankfully as a writer I have reasons to still buy some of my favorite school supplies. Maybe one day I will have kids and they might end up changing my mind on how I fondly look back on the days just before the first day of school, but for now, I will hold on to those moments.

Summer Heat 2024

When I was a kid, Summer was spent doing our best to find fun ways to stay cool. Dips in the kiddie pool, popsicles, and running through the sprinkler were the popular solutions to the heavy humidity that weighed us down. Living near a lake for part of my childhood also helped. My family is big into water activities, including going to the local beach, and boating when we get the chance.

Now that I am older, I don’t run through sprinklers anymore. (Bad knees) I mostly only dip my feet in the kiddie pool to cool down. Popsicles will never go out of style, but I much prefer ice cream. Trips to the local beach have become fewer and far between, but they certainly hit the spot when I do get to go.

I recently went to the beach to celebrate W.’s 5th birthday, one of my best friends children. He had a blast getting to swim in the lake with his friends, and play in the sand. I was one of the few adults with a full swim suit on, because when you go to the beach, you wear a suit in my family, so I was out in the water with the kids to make sure they stayed safe as they went deeper. The water certainly helped me not feel the sun’s heat as much. (I will be forever grateful to my parents for the swimming lessons growing up. They really help in moments like that.)

What I didn’t notice while at the party was how red my skin was getting. I did apply sunscreen part way through the event, but I was too late. When I got home, I was already feeling the tender spots on my shoulders and back. My face was pretty red as well. Thankfully I normally recover fairly quickly from sunburn. I am already back to normal, and it has only been a week, only a little bit of pealing.

Taking care of my sunburn is what reminded me of those long summer days when we would spend so much time in the sunshine, but it felt like those nasty UV rays couldn’t touch us. Maybe my parents were more liberal with the sunscreen than I remember.

Today is going to be another warm day, so make sure you stay hydrated and protect your skin from those UV rays.

626 Day

Today is June 26th, also known as 626 day. Stitch, also known as Experiment 626, is celebrated today. The whole idea of this strange alien creature could find a family and a home is very heart warming. Stitch is just one of my favorite characters. Growing up I was very much a Disney child. I watched those movies over and over, and even into my adult years, I still had to see the Disney original movies.

The varied stories that unfolded before my eyes, mesmerized me. Mulan learning to fight in the army to protect her father and family. Hercules fighting for the path in life he wanted, and being willing to throw it all away to save the woman he loved. Pocahontas fighting for a Romeo and Juliet kind of love because she wasn’t afraid to dive into the deep end of another culture. These ideals are the ones that I held on to.

I obviously watched the princess movies as well, and they do hold a special place in my heart. Thankfully though, I have incredible women role models in my life that have taught me to be strong for myself and not depend on a love interest for validation. The songs from The Little Mermaid will forever be part of my playlists. As will several of the other soundtracks. I also will hold the princess movies close because of the memories that are attached to them.

Stitch and all the other Disney character are special to quite a few of us and the fact that we have days like 626 Day to come together and celebrate them and the impact that they have had on our lives is really special in my opinion. These characters reached across cultures, continents, and language barriers to create a community. That is pretty magical if you ask me.

Morning Routines

Every morning I have the same steps to get ready for the day. Most days I get woken up by what my family has lovingly referred to as a Maggie pounce. Our cocker spaniel Maggie loves to run into my room, jump up on my bed and pounce on me. She proceeds to kiss my face until I give in and start to get up for the day. I can definitely think of worse ways to be woken up in the morning.

Erza follows the pup entourage and meows at me until I put her morning scoop of kibble into her bowl. She also gets a fish oil treat crushed up with her breakfast to help with the persistent dandruff that makes her very itchy. If I try and roll over and go back to sleep after Maggie has left the room to grab her ball, Erza with walk on me to get to my face and proceed to lick my eye lids to try and get me to open them back up and give her breakfast. (Again, worse ways to be woken up.)

Maggie will eventually return with her ball and wait for me to get dressed and start to head down the stairs. After I grab my daily Pepsi bottle, and give Cooper his morning dose of Benadryl, (he has so many allergies) I will sit on the large bean bag chair that we have in the living room and play fetch with Maggie. Personally I think Maggie loves to play with me in the morning because I am her personal hype woman. Every time she goes to get the ball and brings it back she is cheered on and praised. She is actually pretty good at catching the ball either from the original throw or off the first bounce.

Breakfast for both me and the dogs happen eventually, usually after Maggie is done playing for the moment. I will spend time cuddling with each dog on the bean bag chair, which has basically become a giant dog bed most of the time. The dogs will actually take turns laying on the bean bag with me and I absolutely love the fact that they each want hugs from me in the morning.

Now, since my parents and sister are out camping this weekend, I have had to do the dogs full morning routine with them. I sleep in my parents’ room with the dogs and they decide when it is time to get up in the morning. Today that happened to be 5 am. When I let them outside, because they normally wake up and have to use the facilities, only River actually did anything. Maggie and Cooper just stood on the step by the back door and looked out on the yard like they were Simba and Mufasa from The Lion King. I felt a little annoyed.

By that time I was already moving around enough that my body was waking up so I just started my morning routine and now I am trying to use the extra bit of time to be productive. It has not escaped my notice that Maggie is currently snoring in the chair next to me, and the boys are asleep in other positions around the living room. At least they get to go back to sleep.