IN PERFECT HARMONY AND WITH GREAT EASE...

WE BEGIN THE MOVE.

HEART-CENTERED,

FULL OF GRACE,

WE MOVE OUR HEARTS

AND SOULS

TO ANOTHER SHELL.

WAITING

SEEMS ENDLESS.

PLANNING TO START

AND BUILD A

NEW BEGINNING.

WE START FRESH

AND FULL OF EXCITEMENT.

WE HUMBLY BOW TO THE

POWERS THAT BE--

THE GIVER OF ALL,

THE FORCE BEHIND EVERYTHING.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO

EVENINGS ON THE PORCH;

TO LAUGHTER AND LOVE;

TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

WE WAKE UP TO

NEW BIRDS,

NEW TREES,

NEW SKIES.

AND CONTEMPLATE

WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR.

THE UNIVERSE WILL TAKE CARE

OF THE REST.

UPDATE

I think I found this image and quote over at Suz's blog. If not, I apologize to the person from whom I borrowed it. I forgot to write down the link.

Today, April 19th seems to be a bright and as sunny as the weather outside. My daughter's husband was released from the hospital late yesterday afternoon. He will need to rest and recuperate but the prognosis is good as long as he follows doctor's orders.

Life is funny isn't it? You can be sailing along thinking that everything is great and going smooth and just like that you hit a bump in the road. But, like the quote says, we can use it as fuel for the journey. No one ever promised each of us a life filled with no pain, no sorrow, no bumps along the way. We must embrace those bumps and learn from them. They are, after all, just bumps. Sure, you can fall down and skin your knee along the way but you must get up, brush yourself off, and move on. There is an up and a down to every bump. Embrace them both and enjoy the ride. Along the journey remember to tell those around you that you care about how much they mean to you...each and every day.

OUR WEEKEND

We spent the weekend at this location: UC Davis Emergency room. My son-in-law was admitted here late this afternoon after spending the entire night and morning in the ER. We have been very worried about him but we know that he is in good hands and right where he should be at a time like this. At this point, we worry about our pregnant daughter and the stress that this has put on her in her pregnancy.

I believe in the power of prayer and of positive thinking so I am putting out a request to anyone that reads my blog to send healing thoughts and positive energy out there for him. I affirm that he is healthy and whole in all ways. Thanks in advance.

AND THE MAGIC UNFOLDS

Last year sometime, B and I started discussing the possibility of selling our house and moving. We have lived here for almost 38 years so it was a really big decision for us to make. We talked about it last year but never made a definitive decision regarding it.

At the end of the year, I attended a Burning Bowl Ceremony at my church where everyone writes down things that they want to give up in their lives. You take it outside on New Year's Eve, light it on fire, and everything that has held you back or has a negative connotation in your life is metaphorically "burned up" and is out of your life. Then, you come back inside and write down your "intentions" for the new year. Some people call these New Year's Resolutions; we call them intentions.

When your list in complete, you seal it up in an envelope, address it to yourself, and it is held in a safe spot until the following year, when in November your "intention" list is mailed back to you and it is quite amazing to see all that has come true. I would say that last year probably 80% of my list actually came true. I even specifically asked for this: "To welcome in a new grandchild, loved and healthy, with happy, loving parents." And that was December of 2009. My daughter found out she was pregnant in August of 2010 and due in May of 2011. I had no idea that they were even discussing the possibility of having a baby. Amazing is all I can say! And so the story unfolds.

When I sealed up the envelope, I was thinking really hard about our discussions regarding moving and so I decided that I would leave it in the hands of the universe to decide. I wrote on the outside of my envelope "Please forward".

On my intention list also was this: "...if it is meant for us to move, that the prospects for a new house are incredible with a good price for our home." We listed our house just before the Super Bowl, despite all we had heard that "no houses ever sell until after the Super Bowl."

One weeknight we received a call from an agent who wanted to show our home before the storm came in. They would arrive when it was dark and would we mind? Heck no. We made arrangements to leave until they were done with their tour. We didn't hear back for a week but then one day we received a call that they wanted a return visit and could they come by on Sunday afternoon. Surprisingly, that weekend it snowed so we thought that we would probably not receive any other visits but early Saturday morning the phone rang and an agent wanted to bring someone by late in the afternoon. Hooray...two potential buyers in one weekend. And IN THE SNOW! We were thrilled and hopeful but you just never know.

Great things have always happened to me and B on days that have (or add up to) 6's and 8's. Our anniversary is on the 17th of December. I graduated from High School in "68. This Saturday was the 8th. I felt really hopeful about this. In addition, I had been working with

Katherine Treffinger regarding Prosperity. She does incredible work for many people and she had sent me an affirmation to read daily. I memorized that affirmation and repeated it many, many times throughout the days that followed. B even recited it himself. The affirmation was as follows: Divine omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence is in charge of selling my home to the perfect person at the perfect time. In perfect harmony and with great ease, my absolute dream home is made manifest in my life. I look forward to celebrating in my new home and feeling amazement after witnessing the magic unfold.

Now here is where it gets really great! Saturday we had a showing with people who had never seen the house (in the snow) and Sunday we had the couple who were returning for their second look. On Monday, the agent's office called to inform us that they would like to present us with an offer. We, naturally, thought it was the returning couple but it was not. When I asked her how the returning couple felt about it after seeing it for the second time, she was not aware that they had come to look and so she called the agent. We waited hours but then finally heard that we had multiple offers now. This was amazing! We then had to decide which couple we would select.

We Googled the couple that came on Saturday and found out that they lived in the Bay Area (Marin County) and that she was a teacher at the Art Academy in SF! This was amazing to me. This was THE PERFECT COUPLE AT THE PERFECT TIME. I have always wanted someone who would really appreciate how special our property and house were. B built it with his own two hands and we have lovingly moved every rock and planted every plant here. It has been a labor of love.

Longer story shorter: we accepted their offer, they came up and walked the property with B and told him that they knew the minute they came through the door that this house was the perfect one. They love the property and intend to use it as a weekend retreat for awhile. Both are artists and writers...these are both loves of mine. I couldn't be happier that they will love our house and take it farther than we ever could. I hope that they get many years of happiness out of this place like we did.

All along, I had been telling B that "we will be out of here by my birthday". And guess when escrow closes? You guessed it: my birthday! I feel as though I have manifested this entire dream with help from Katherine who guided me along the way when I was feeling doubtful. We even found our "perfect home" (with an address that coincidentally adds up to an 8!) that had been on the market for over 8 months with only one offer prior to ours that was rejected. Was this house just waiting for us? I think that it was.

PLEASE FORWARD my Intentions for 2011 will you? I will be "celebrating in my new home and feeling amazement after witnessing the magic unfold!"

APRIL SHOWERS...

BRING MAE FLOWERS

COFFEE "BREAK"

When I stopped in at the drive-in window to get a cup of Starbuck's mocha, I never thought that I would get this kind of "kick" from my java! You'll notice that the "hitter" has sustained minimal damage. Needless to say, I never did get my mocha. The adrenaline rush was enough for my morning.

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

Each year when it gets kind of close to Mother's Day, I am reminded of the close friends that I have that have had to deal with a diagnosis of breast cancer. For them, hearing that diagnosis for the first time must have been devastating. Having heard the "C" word myself before but for something other than breast cancer, it is a real blow to your existence, your focus, your willingness to accept and head in a new direction, and your proof of who you can really count on when the going gets tough.

I hope that a cure for ALL types of cancer comes about soon. My friend Doris, who was diagnosed last year, told me once that she felt so guilty for what she has done to her daughters now that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Doris is a wonderful artist and continues to paint. She is currently the featured artist in our local co-op gallery in town. Her attitude is good and sometimes, as my friend Suzanne said to me on the phone last week "It's all about attitude". How right she is!

I know for me, when I heard that I had thyroid cancer, I felt a bit lost. I only knew one other person who had had this type of cancer before and she was in denial about it so I had no one to consult with. I had to rely on my own ability to research on the internet, talk to doctors, and do many, many hours of positive affirmations surrounding the cancer itself. In the end, it was all up to me. My family could support me but they really never have a true idea of what you are actually experiencing and feeling. Some of it is emotional; some of it is psychological. And some of it is physical. But really, it's all in the attitude. You have to decide to take it one day at a time and deal with what you are handed.

Today, I am considered cancer-free. But it is something that you have to follow-up with yearly and each year, you wait silently to hear those words again. Wouldn't it be an incredible thing if ALL cancer could be abolished? I have lost some dear friends and family because of cancer and I pray that this is the end of the line for it.

I am working on affirmations each and every day now regarding my health. I continue to grow stronger and healthier and I see new things happening in my life now and on the horizon. In reality, that is all we really have, isn't it? We have "this moment" to be here now. We have what we believe in and pray for. We have our friends and the positive energy that they bring to us. And most of all, we have ourselves. We must not let "us" down!

Here's a quote from "Abraham" that was excerpted from the workshop in Sacramento, California on May 13th, 2000 (#30) that was sent to me via Katherine Treffinger that says it all for me:

"The Universe is not discriminating about the rightness or the wrongness of your request. It is here to accommodate all requests. All you have to do is be a Vibrational Match to your request, and the Universe will yield to you."

Here's to Vibrational Alignment!!

A NORTHERN CALIFORNIA DAY

California is not always sunshine and blue skies. Sometimes there is a bit of white landing on the green around here.

Not quite time to plant the garden yet...not with all this white stuff coming out of the sky. It won't be long though. There is a saying here in our town that "it's not Spring until snow falls on the Dogwoods". Well, I think today just might qualify.

BIRTHDAY WISHES

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAKE!

This cute little guy turned 24 today. He was named after my grandfather but my grandfather never got to meet him. I know that he would have loved him as much as we all do. Jake is a very special young man. He is polite, hard-working, smart, loving, kind and compassionate. At it is not because I am his Aunt that I say it. It is actually true. Ask anyone who knows him.

I hope that you have a really happy day. Enjoy the food at the Auburn Ale House tonight.

Love you much,

Aunt T

INSOMNIA AND ITS BENEFITS

I'm a firm believer in the philosophy that there are no accidents in life. And so, the other night when I found myself awake into the wee hours of the morning, I was flipping through the TV channels and happened upon a special on our local PBS channel called "Seeing, Searching, Being".

This show was made by Ken Burns who is known for his documentary on the Civil War, among others. "Seeing, Searching, Being" is a documentary about William Segal, a painter who lived from 1904-2000. William Segal's "religious philosophy centers on the idea that humans should practice silence, stillness and contemplation to discover the secret spiritual forces within themselves". He studied Chinese Zen Buddhism as well as other philosophies and lived his life exploring the world around him. He painted many self-portraits during his lifetime. Ken Burns stated that his friendship with William Segal "rearranged his molecules" (not a direct quote but I paraphrase).

Here is one of the poems that I found that he wrote.

"To wake up to..."

To wake up to

who we are

what we are here for.

To make all life

more poetical, more sane

more livin, lovin.

To experience

the true of all things

this moment...

this moment...

this moment.

William Segal

Needless to say, I got on the computer the next morning and ordered the video. The colors, the story behind his beliefs, the artistic way the film was shot, the artwork created by William Segal, his demeanor...all are part of what drew me to this documentary in the first place. Because there are no accidents in life and, as William Segal whole-heartedly believed: "to wake up to who we are and what we are here for", I found myself this week seeing this thread running through many different blogs I have read. And, even the lesson on Sunday at my church was discovering your mission and your purpose. A quote in the lesson said this:

"When a man has a big enough sense of purpose, he loses himself (yet finds a greater self) in his absorption or dedication to the purpose." (Taken from The Week That Changed the World by Ernest C. Wilson)

It would seem that I am being lead to explore what my purpose in life is. The evidence to me is what I am seeing when I open my eyes..."to wake up to who we are and what we are here for". When you see something reiterated over and over to you, do you listen to the message or ignore it? And, more importantly, do you recognize what it is you are supposed to be seeing? That is the really important part.

Another pertinent quote from Sunday (thank you Mark!) is this:

"This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy." George Bernard Shaw

Make your purpose count. Follow your bliss. Discover the secret spiritual force within yourself.

These are all messages I have seen this week and are relevant in my life right now. And what is on my current reading list: you guessed it: Insomnia by Stephen King! How relevant is that!

STORM CLEAN-UP

Last week, my daughter Kimberly posted this on her blog regarding the tree that fell on her property. It turned out to be my Mom's tree actually, who lives up the hill from her. That was a good thing, really. It had to be removed by a professional tree service and it was pretty costly.

Do you see the young man to the right of the tree? See how small he is and how tall all the trees are? The tree standing at the base of the fallen tree had two forks remaining that had to be removed also. Too dangerous to leave them standing.

Here, the guys are working very hard to take all the limbs off the tree, put them through the chipper, and then cut the remaining trunk up into sections to be hauled off at a later date. This is the hard way to do it though. The branches are all pounded into the ground because of the weight of the tree when it fell. And being pounded into the ground means chunks of rock and mud attached to the limbs. Not great for the chipper blades!

So, what to do then? Bring in the boom truck and cut the branches off of the standing tree before it falls to the ground. This was the plan for the rest of the tree. You can see that the fork that was on the right has already been dropped in this photo.

You couldn't pay me to get up into that bucket and maneuver it toward the tree, wielding a chainsaw in one hand and holding on with the other.

At the end of the day, the tree was safely removed, minus the branches. It was cut up into huge sections and will be hauled away. As of today, the logs are still resting on the ground waiting to be taken away. But, we all feel much safer without this tree dangling over the road each time we drive or walk up and down the road to my Mom's. And a note post- removal: Anthony, the owner of the tree removal service, managed to cut his arm with the chainsaw while up in the bucket! He told me it was the first time ever that he has cut himself while working. I guess there is always a first time for everything. And hopefully this is the last time too!