Pressing On

Some of my best memories are of times shared around the table with family and friends. Something about a table between us seems to bring a comfort and ease that allows us to open up to each other.  To share stories, moments of our days and maybe even revisit the past a little to bring the present to light and hope for the future.  Growing up, it didn't matter what was going on in each of our lives, when my dad got home from work; we came together every night to the dinner table. I would be out front and my dad would whistle ( meaning it was time to come in for dinner). I would get teased from my friends and they would mock " it's dinner" like I was the baby in the group that had to go in for my feeding. I remember being embarrassed but now I'm so thankful for those consistent times around the table with my family. Those were some sweet moments I believe, whether they knew it or not; our parents used to teach us about life. They were also intentional about using th...

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you have seen the plethora of pictures I have posted of the fall leaves. They are incredible in the various shades of color and size. Some days, I walk out back and the wind is blowing just enough to create a sense of it raining leaves. It's gorgeous and I pinch myself that I live here to see it. Most people drive miles and/or pay for a vacation to see this in a lifetime. I'm very fortunate.  However, the down side to all those incredible falling leaves is that they of course, end up in our yard, in the rain gutters, on the patio that track into the house and they need to be cleaned up, bagged up and hauled away.  Jim of course, lives for this stuff. He loves nothing more than to work on the yard. I get it, it's that instant gratification of seeing a job that needs to be done and sitting back hours ( or in our case days) later and seeing the results of a job well done. Overgrown grass, once cut, with rows where the mower ran through...

Last week my new running partner/friend asked me if I wanted to run at 5:15 in the morning. I actually prefer to run early in the morning. Especially if I get to see the sunrise or if it's raining or if it's in Arizona to beat the heat. Here, on the East Coast in November, "early in the morning" is a different game. Our neighborhood is pitch black and it's cold. My reply via text was... " argghh, it's so cold and dark" Followed up with, a little reluctantly..." but I will if you want." I know her work schedule isn't easy. I remember the days I would put in a long shift and the pressure of having to go for a run when I got home hanging over my head was grueling. So, I was willing however, not very cheerfully. She replied with " yes, we'll bundle up and bring our flashlights" " Ok, God, I really would prefer to sleep in a little and maybe have a nice solo run later once it warms up... ( because I would now be getting up...