I am so glad we are friends.

We are told about the power of words when we grow up. Our parents try to instill in us how much power mean words have and how we shouldn't use them. But I don't remember having conversations about the power of positive words.

I got an email the other day ... Wishing me a happy birthday (ugh, I'm older) and at the end there were those five words ... I'm so glad we're friends. The power in those five small words is amazing.

They made that moment great.

I think we often forget to say the nice things. I know we think them... But how often do we say them?!

I am going to say the nice things I'm thinking more often. I have an amazing group of friends and they should know how important and special they are to me.

And to the sender of the email ... The feeling is mutual :)

Perspective.

Last year, around this time actually, I posted about a man who was blogging his battle with cancer. The big draw to his website was a birthday video he made for his wife that was beautiful.

I have been following his blog since that time. His battle has been full of ups and downs, but mainly downs. Through it all he has clung to his faith and hope. But he recently received the news no one wants to hear ... He has 3-6 months to live. He has two young boys, a wife he adores, and has 3-6 months left with him. I can't imagine.

Reading his last post was a reminder for me just how lucky I am. I have a husband who I love more and more every day, a son who has a devilish smile that melts my heart multiple times a day, and a daughter who makes me laugh more than I ever thought a 19-month old could.

The love I feel for my family is nothing I could ever put in to words and right now Kristian Anderson (the man fighting for his life) is trying to document his love for his family so that they always know he is in their hearts.

Life is so short. Painfully short. I have always told my children how much I love them everyday - but for the past few days I've stolen a few more hugs and kisses. And I plan to steal as many as possible for the rest of my life.



(should you want to read Kristian's blog there is a link at the bottom of this site)

Jiggle Jiggle.

It's been so long. Too long. I miss blogging. It's cathartic. It's my space. But alas we are so freaking BUSY. The weekdays are bananas and by the time the weekends roll around I just want to hang with James and the kids. But right now James and Adam are playing hiding hide and seek with Toby (our dog) so I have a few moments to myself.

So tonight I write about the jiggle jiggle.

My mother in law always told me that when I turned 30 things would start 'shifting'. I dismissed it every time, she was so wrong. Well, I was wrong. And if she were here right now she would take some delight in saying 'I told you so'.

All of the sudden I have some serious jiggle jiggle (that is a quote from the lips of my darling son ... Thankfully for him he didn't use it on me, yet). I have a um, tire. It's crazy. My diet hasn't changed, it's not like I have this great diet or anything but it hasn't changed. And I'm working out three times per week. But still it's there, a tire has located itself along my mid section.

It's a bit depressing. I've never had an issue with my belly. I've never had a six-pack but I've never had a beer gut either.

I told my mom about it, hoping she would say it was just a quick phase. Nope. Apparently she and many of her friends had the same issue, for quite some time. Blargh.

So tonight out come the crunches. I will defeat the jiggle... After a bowl of icing.