Refocusing

re-fo-cus transitive verb

1. to focus again

2. to change the direction or emphasis of

I'm making an effort to shift my perspective today, to remember things I'm grateful for. 

Like a funny (and unexpected) card from a good friend. 

Snow boots & warm socks.

Apple Crisp Lotion by Beyond Belief. 

Giant, hand-made snowflakes on my windows...created by a little elf especially for me. 

Little elves...who also paint my toenails. 

Winter break.

Holiday traditions...like taco dip. :)

Puppies with wagging tails.

Favorite Christmas ornaments (one of many).

Wearing slippers at work (don't worry, they look like shoes).

As always, friends and family both near and far.


What are you grateful for today?

I am Grateful...

...for fuzzy bees that sit on flowers long enough to get a few perfect pictures.

...that I took a LOT of pictures over the summer so I can enjoy them in the dead of Wisconsin winter.

...that it is Wednesday and halfway through the week.

...this institution celebrates Sacred Hour each Wednesday. We're given this hour each week to use for reflection, prayer, connection, etc. There is Common Prayer offered each week, but usually I just use the time to close my door, and read or rest, or sometimes even to practice biofeedback!

...for Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies and made from scratch mixed berry muffins.

...for ChapStick.

What are you grateful for today?

Breaking News...

NOTE: I originally wrote most of this last night, so I could post it quickly today after adding a few updates. Well... my day was CRAZY. I barely could keep up with emails and returning calls. What the heck!? It's the. first. day. Ugh. Anyway, this was supposed to be an optimistic post ... I wanted to post it sometime this morning, when much of this was actually "breaking news" ... oh well. Here goes.

My intern is back in town!! I'm so excited to have her back...in spite of my anxiety about the start of a new academic year. She's back and we are going to get some great things accomplished this year.

 source

I picked and ate my first homegrown tomato!! My beautiful Yellow Giant Belgium.

It was very tasty, more mild and less acidic than a red tomato. Only...it certainly wasn't "giant"...hmm. There are a couple of others ripening on the plant and I can't wait!

I worked on a crafty little project over the weekend, which I'll show you later...hopefully this week. I will give you a hint... it involved a glue gun and some memories.

Our new team member starts this week! I'm so excited to have her on board. She seems like she'll be a great fit, will help with our ever-increasing workload, and might even be...{dare I say it?}...friend potential!

Yes, these are things I am excited about and grateful for today. The first day of the new academic year. A year that brings "record enrollment." 

How are you feeling today??



PS- I emailed the flier to The Crush. It took all day to write the email, mostly because I was so busy that I only had time to work on it in tiny bits and pieces. I was trying not to vomit as I composed the email. Sigh. I doubt I'll hear anything back. {Sigh.}

Today I Feel...

Tired. It's Monday. Lately it seems as though I've been trying to prolong the inevitable (i.e., Monday) by staying up a little later on Sunday night. Bad idea.

Hopeful. It's finals week and the end is truly in sight...we all (students, staff, etc.) need a break. I'm looking forward to time off for the holidays!

Worried. As if 14 inches of snow wasn't enough...we now have freezing drizzle and a little more snow. It's supposed to stop fairly early, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the drive home is OK since the temp is going to drop.

gratitude [grat-i-tood, -tyood]

My family has been awesome always, but especially lately with all this house stuff. Last weekend my older sister and her family and my parents came to help move me in and clean some things up, which was great! My sister even wrote about it on her blog here. I'm grateful that they spent their 4th of July to help me and to share in such a big event! Thanks Mom, Dad, Tim, Kim, Ben, and Tessa. My little brown-eyed girl, Abby, even spent the night and helped me unpack and organize things. That 10-year-old girl amazes me with her selflessness ... she just kept saying, "Whatever you want me to do to help you get settled, Heidi." Thanks, Abby.

This weekend, my brother came from St. Paul, MN to help me too. I rented a Rug Doctor so we could shampoo all the carpeting in the house because there was definitely a lingering pet odor in the house and some spots in the living room. Boy did we work hard! Technically, he did the bulk of the shampooing while I did the pre-shampoo vacuuming, moved a few things around, and shampooed the stairs. I cannot believe how dirty the carpet was. We're talking disgusting, black water, kind of dirty!! Even after going over the carpet a couple of times, the water was still coming out very dirty. Blech. And I'm not kidding when I say the carpeting on the steps was nearly as bad as the entire living room! The smell has gotten better, but is probably not completely gone. It's most likely in the carpet pad, which will be nearly impossible to get out, I'm guessing. The previous owners did a great job of masking the smell when we were here for the showings and inspection... or they let it get worse after the offer was accepted. That would be my advice to a home buyer: if the carpet is staying and isn't new, write a professional carpet cleaning into your offer.

Anyway, my brother and I also ran all over the city looking for some new house numbers (you just can't see mine very well), a new mailbox, and other odds and ends. We didn't find everything, but that's OK. It was fun having him around, as always. I think that we're pretty entertaining for salespeople and whatnot, once we get going. So thanks for all your help this weekend, Brother!!

gratitude [grat-i-tood, -tyood]

gratitude [grat-i-tood, -tyood] -noun the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful
Synonyms: thanks, thankfulness, appreciation, gratefulness.

I am grateful for coffee. I love coffee because of comfort. A hot cup of coffee held in my cold hands is lovely....especially if I'm also able to snuggle up with a blanket and good book.

I love the smell of coffee.

I am thankful for the caffeine in coffee... though sometimes a hot cup of decaf hits the spot in the evening...

I'm especially thankful for the caffeine in coffee on those early mornings when I can't seem to get moving (I feel that way today).

So thank you coffee bean growers of the world! Thank you coffee bean roasters! And thank you, local barista, for making customized coffee drinks with that slightly irritating cheerfulness so early in the morning.