A new twist on an old concept..

July has been a month that has brought renewed hope into my life.  I am working on new strategies, well really old ones that I am reapplying.  Restoring a sense of order to our home in June has opened up July to explore living with gratitude and functioning abilities.  Larry took a weeks vacation and we tackled some of the neglected tasks; cleaning the garage, weeding and reworking our landscaping, painting and repairing some long overdue projects.
 We also spent time with family and friends over the 4th enjoying visits from Rachelle & John, Sterling & Kathy, and of course Ryan & Klara plus my adorable grand kids.. 

Good Times!

 MarShae returned to Dallas with Rachelle & John and experienced a great weekend including a trip to the Arts District, 
and an unforgettable evening at the Beyonce Concert.

    This goes back to dance parties that Rachelle started with Madie and MarShae to Destiny's Child when she would visit from BYU since her freshman year in 2003.

MarShae is now in Utah until the 25th participating in two weeks of Young Ambassador's camp (YASE) with Taylor and Bailee. She is ending her stay running her first 5K ever with Taylor, while Rachelle and Bailee will run a half Marathon.    

 Marielle wanting her own adventure, captured an opportunity and was soon on her way to College Station for a visit with Sterling and Kathy. 

Friday night their adventure continues seeing "Despicable Me 2" with froyo at Spoons.

Saturday Marielle, Sterling and Kathy hit the water slides...

Not to be out done by Rachelle and MarShae's adventures Sterling and Kathy exposed Marielle to the Hibachi Grill, and she caught the prize! (Shrimp is her personal favorite food)

Did I mention they were having fun?

                           Let the games begin..

Seinfield Monopoly another first for Marielle..How has she never played monopoly?

Sister moments at Jamba juice, another first for Marielle

Back in Houston, Larry and I had a little 3 day weekend spending time together and get some wedding details organized. 

Centerpieces in progress

Two days of shopping- Larry was awesome!  We finally found my dresses for Taylor and Bailee's upcoming wedding, plus these materials to create centerpieces.

As I awoke this morning,I reflected on a sense of accomplishment entering my life again, I decided to take the high of this past week and focus again on gratitude.  It was where my attention was centered when our lives turned upside down in November.  I know our thoughts are incredibly powerful and we do become what we focus our thinking on.  Even with this knowledge I have found it difficult over the past several months to control them as I have grieved losing Madie, and worried about Taylor's injuries and healing. 

This morning, I felt hopeful to try an experiment, mainly because I don't feel as overwhelmed in my life.
I recalled over 30 years ago when I lost and maintained a considerable amount of weight through affirmations and lifestyle changes.  My weight had yo-yoed up and down throughout my teenage years. I felt empowered as I became aware of the potential of our thoughts.  
I taught these concepts to my children. I have observed them set goals, struggle and work to accomplish them. I have watched as they have learned they can do hard things, even move forward through the difficulties each has encountered this year, different to each child as they have experienced the fallout of our family's tragedy. 

 Madie fully grasped this concept and always had goals written on her large bedroom mirror that she would repeat to herself over and over.

  She accomplished some very lofty achievements even with her personal limitations. A few days before her accident she had written several new affirmations and posted them around her apartment. I have watched her friends and siblings take on new goals since she died doing difficult things for them personally.
And yet this seems different...
What if my goals are more intangible like being at peace, feeling gratitude, feeling joyful?  This isn't how I have used positive self talk previously to accomplish short term as well as long term goals. Things like getting in shape, eating healthier, learning a new skill, juggling the addition of a new child, or the exit of a grown one, remodeling a home etc.... 
So here's to the unknown, the experiment is on. 

 As I ran this morning I said these words over and over for two miles...
 Life is great, I feel happy, I am grateful.

So if you see me mumbling to myself, hopefully these are the words being spoken,
 Life is great, 
             I feel happy, 
                         I am grateful...