Please excuse the interruption; life was happening

It's obvious that I was missing in action from the blogosphere for a while.  I was insanely busy trying not to go insane, be present for my daughter, changing jobs, and well trying to wrap my brain around some super huge shifts in my world.

We have been in our house for almost a year now, my sweet girl turned three years old, I have been at a new job for six months, and ... well, my family endured a huge blow when my father decided he no longer wanted to be a part of any of our lives. It's personal; I am not sure how public I want to be about it ... most of it isn't my story to tell, but the short version is after 36 years of marriage, my Dad decided to walk out on his entire family.  It's been an adjustment, the journey through the range of emotions has been rough to say the least.  Hearing my daughter ask me where her Papa is breaks my heart every time ... knowing that something in his mind is so terribly discontent that he is willing to not even know his only grandchild just about destroys me every time I think about it.

So we have been spending the last year building our new nest, trying to let our hearts heal, and creating new traditions.  Once the divorce is final and all is said and done, I may share more details of the human experience as I think there is much to learn in times like these, but now is not the right time or place.

However, for those of you that have been looking here for updates, I give you some of the photographic highlights of the past year of living, loving, and healing.

Our Humble Little Home on the Hill

Big news!  We've moved!  We are officially homeowners for the first time in our lives and we are madly and passionately in love with this humble little house on the hill.  She's older and needs a lot of TLC, but we find her charming and loveable! 

 

Oh and she might have the most incredible view of East County San Diego!

What inspires you? What keeps you keeping on?

I have been so bad at keeping up with my blog; it always seems like something is going on.  I am so good at getting things done, making things happen for those I love, but I haven't been making time to write.  Tsk, tsk to me!  I am on the road today ... one of my infamous quick trips to Boston ... back on a plane tomorrow to head home to my handsome groom and my beautiful daughter!

 

We are in the midst of a huge life shift right now, the details of which will unfold and disclose themselves in their right time, but in the midst of this shift I have found myself really focusing on health.  Mine, Sean's and the health habits we are building in our daughter.

 

So I am human - a mom, a sister, a daughter, a friend, an executive (that travels a ton), a role model, and an enthusiast of life.  My default position is positive (albeit it took major life events to lock my dial on positive).

 

So in the midst of all of this, I find myself consciously acknowledging the things that keep me inspired.  So since every success we have as a human depends on how we feel ... every success depends on our health - mind and body.  With that said, I share with you the things that I fight to keep in the forefront of my mind because they keep me inspired to keep my chin up, eyes focused, and moving onward and upward.

 

This is what inspires me to keep healthy, to fight for my best health:

 

1) my daughter

2) not needing caffeine or energy drinks or sugar to keep my eyes open

3) not wanting to miss my bliss because I am not alert or able

4) wanting to be the bitchin' grandma (30 years from now when my daughter is a mother) that can go hiking with her grandkids, that can ride bikes, and jump in waves with my kid and the kids she may or may not choose to have one day

5) 50-year-old, mothers of three who practice Bikram six days a week and have a stronger, leaner body than i have ever had

6) those crazy Phoenicians who at 60+ years old still RUN up Piestewa Peak on Saturdays (you hear me, PHX?)

7) 60+ year old men who still paddle out to the breakers every morning

8) keeping my husband discovering new bliss everyday

9) inspiring my husband to continue discovering how healthy changes in his life overflow into every aspect of his life

10) feeling great on these long business road trips, so that if I have to be away from my family I can be confident that it was worth it and I did work worth being proud of

11) the complete and utter giddiness that washes over me every time an aesthetician or dermatologist tells me I have great skin!

12) wanting to be a positive role model for my two sister-in-laws who are nearly a generation younger than I

13) my undying desire to travel and learn more, see more, experience more

14) my fear of ever not being able to walk on my own

15) my fear of preventable disease

 

These are just a few of the things that have encouraged me and kept me on task as I try to build, shape, and refine my own health practice.  Good health means body and soul.  It starts in our cells with what we feed ourselves and everything expands out from there.  I am finding what works for me and I hope that you all take the time to actively acknowledge what inspires you and allow it to give you power to accomplish what you think you are not capable or worthy of.  Little hint:  you are capable and worthy of so much more than you give yourself credit for.

The last 12 months

I have been silent here for about a year now.  The return to San Diego has brought a lot of change to our world and I have definitely needed to focus on loving my family and learning how to be fair to myself in my new role as a mother. 

Lots of things have changed.  Families members have left their earthly bodies and moved on to whatever it is that is next for them.  Friends have married, started their families, and some have been charging through those curveballs of life and it all has left me overcome.  I am now realizing the truth of adult life that things never get easier, you just adapt, and things keep changing and you just keep having to adapt.

Sean has left the industry he has worked in for the first 14 years of his adult life and has embarked on a new career that he has spent the last twelve months fighting to get into.  If there is one word that describes my husband it is: determined.  I am so proud of him.  So impressed by the man that this last twelve months has helped form him into.

All dressed up for a Christmas party

 

I have returned to traveling quite a bit for work and find myself on the road more than I care to be, but all the while remain feeling blessed and grateful for such a life that has allowed me to see parts of the country that family vacations may have never brought me to.  My career has provided me with friends and colleagues all over this country and a travel schedule that allows me the occasional facetime that otherwise would not be likely.



Me and Bethie at a BoSox Game.  Fenway Park - Boston, MA

I am blessed.  I am thankful.  I am overwhelmed and awestruck by how dynamic life is and how beautiful the human spirit can be.

Our sweet Bella has grown so much.  She is tall and beautiful and hilarious ... the only hints of our baby left are her diapers and her cries of frustration that her tongue has not learned to articulate what her mind is thinking.

Here's just a few of our favorite pictures of Bella's first holiday season, her first snow, and so many other firsts!



Bella's 1st Thanksgiving



Bella's 1st Christmas

 

1st trip to the Children's Museum

Bella's 1st taste of Birthday Cake 

With all these firsts, she takes lots of naps.  Some she gives in to.  Some she fights 'til she can't fight any more.

 

 Seriously ... can you believe how big she is getting?

 

  

With Spring, came Bella's discovery of the great outdoors.  She now brings us her shoes and begs to go outside.  She cares very little about TV, but water and the outdoors seem to call to her.

 

 

She is hilarious and beautiful and fearless and so charismatic!

 

Oh and she loves music!  Here she is dancing with Auntie Dani at her first Farmer's Market this summer.

So that nearly catches us up with the basics for the past twelve months.  I am feeling a pull back into writing and sharing and opening new doors and windows and blazing new paths, so stay tuned!