Common Miracles (1)

This is supposed to be centered...arrrr.

“Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. 
It actually takes guts. 

Each time we drop our complaints and allow everyday good fortune to inspire us, 

we enter the warrior’s world.”
-Pema Chodron

I have recently connected with a fellow blogger Chel Micheline. She is a fantastic and inspiring artist who not only shares her art but bits and pieces of herself and her family. Her writing is eloquent and thought provoking. Once a week she posts Common Miracles (her own study and perceptions of gratitude) and has inspired me to do the same. Here is the link to her very first post and here is her most recent, the 100th!

Our background with gratitude is quite a bit different but her current views resonate with me on a daily basis which why I have opted to join her in the Common Miracles Project. (I hope I can keep up weekly as she does!)

I have always been a "glass half full"..."find the silver lining"..."it could be worse" kind of girl but after the birth of our first son, Sam I suffered from post-partum depression. I did not seek help because I did not realize I had it until 3 years later when I was pregnant with our second son, Andrew. Thankfully those happy pregnancy hormones cured my depression. Somehow, I managed to literally fight tooth and nail from the moment Andrew was born and avoid a second bout. Unfortunately, after the birth of our third son, Bennett I was not so lucky. I was depressed and it was more than just post-partum. I knew it but I could not muster any energy to fight it or seek help.  I was ashamed and I hid it. From everyone, not even my husband realized how bad it was which of course just made it worse. I was plummeting and fast. I can even say I know where rock bottom is. I don't know what the turning point was, if it was something I read or heard but I was able to consciously make the decision that my children and my husband deserved better. They deserved a healthy mom and wife who took care of herself so that she could take care of them. I made an appointment with my doctor who prescribed medication and therapy. 

Fast forward to today...I am under the care of a wonderful doctor with a diagnosis of chemical imbalance and anxiety disorder. They aren't going away but most of the time I am my old self. I still experience the ups and downs and range of emotions that everyone else experiences but because of the anxiety I am susceptible to sinking lower than the average person when something "negative" arises or a bad day comes along. The most common tool I use to avoid sinking to low or to rise back up is focusing on the good in my life even the smallest things. 

So what's good right now?

It is finally Spring here in Illinois...at least I think it is. I do live in a suburb of Chicago and we have a saying here "If you don't like the weather wait a bit, it'll change." So I'm not holding my breath that there isn't another snow storm out there for us but for right now it is raining any my grass is turning green! We are actually having a thunderstorm which I actually prefer to just rain!

I'm getting my hair colored and a pedicure next week for my trip to North Carolina!

Speaking of my trip... is only 8 days away. I am going to spend 4 days at Donna Downey's studio for her Inspired event. I have been waiting since last July for this...

I began my practice of yoga again this morning...I have missed it!

I have all of the boys registered for their summer camps and activities which will keep them occupied and reduce the amount of refereeing I have to do when school is out in 6 1/2 weeks!

I have recommitted to my physical health and started today with a chocolate banana protein shake. Yum!

Coffee is always good but I need to cut back...I like it sweet and creamy which is contradictory to my healthy eating plan but everything in moderation.  

I got my fancy tea pot out yesterday and made some white ginger pear which was delicious!

I sorted 3 months of photos for my Project Life album yesterday and am looking forward to working on it tonight. (If this thunder and lightning keep up soccer practices will be canceled and I'll have an extra 4 hours!)

Finally...music, color and spring ( I know I already mentioned spring, it's worth repeating!)

Thanks for stopping by! There's a quote out there that goes something like "Enjoy the little things for one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things." I'm honestly too lazy right now to look up the exact words or give credit where credit is due. Sorry :) Have a great day!!