Love will carry you through

http://vimeo.com/runwild/leading-edge-runwild-marathon

This video always inspires and motivates me to push through.

Last year I ran this race the day after Kari passed away which was the most difficult day of my life. I thought about not going in the race but staying home would not bring Kari back.

I put on my running gear, had a hearty breakfast and went to the race. I am pretty sure I ran it in a state of shock and on adrenalin. My best friend Drina and I started out together but by about the half way mark we split up. It was an uncommunicated..."Go on Katherine you can do it without me right beside you"....I did do it. I actually talked to Kari the rest of the way telling her "I helped you...now it's your turn to help me". At one point my legs felt like they were going to give out but I pushed through and let the love carry me the rest of the way. It was extremely overwhelming once I approached the finish line...I never imagined that I would be able to run a 10 km race...I did it!!! Tony and Anthony were waiting for me at the finish line and it was amazing......

This year I am running it alone as Drina is unable to. I was disappointed of course when I found out she couldn't come but when I thought about it... I was able to finish it alone last year, I will be able to run it alone this year. Even though I will be alone in body I won't be alone in spirit. I know that Kari and Jayda will be flying beside me..maybe they will even let me hitch a ride on their wings!!!

I have a goal set for tomorrow but if I don't meet it that's O.K. I am proud of myself and what I have been able to accomplish. 

We all have things that we are scared to do or feel we can't do but if we let the love carry us through we can do just about anything you set our minds to.  

Forever Love

During the past year I have really taken an interest in gaining insight into the spiritual part of our being. I read, I listen and I talk. I take comfort knowing there are other people who believe that there is a much larger force that guides us, teaches us and prepares us. I read this poem today and it is truly profound. "Mother" would also apply to Grandmother, Father, Grandfather, Sister, Brother, Aunt, Uncle, Daughter, Son or Friend and for each of us there is a peace that comes from believing that our loved ones are in grand hands, while still close enough for us to know that they are always with us. 

I thought of you and closed my eyes
And prayed to God today.
I asked what makes a Mother
And I know I heard him say.

A Mother has a baby
This we know is true.
But God can you be a Mother
When your baby's not with you?

Yes, you can He replied
With confidence in His voice
I give many women babies
When they leave is not their choice.

Some I send for a lifetime
And others for a day.
And some I send to feel your womb
But there's no need to stay

I just don't understand this, God
I want my baby here
He took a breath and cleared His throat
And then I saw a tear.

I wish I could show you
What your child is doing today.
If you could see your child smile
With other children and say

"We go to earth to learn our lessons
Of love and life and fear.
My Mommy loved me oh so much
I got to come straight here.

I feel so lucky to have a Mom
Who had so much love for me
I learned my lesson very quickly
My mommy set me free.

I miss my Mommy oh so much
But I visit her each day.
When she goes to sleep
On her pillow's where I lay.

I stroke her hair and kiss her cheek
And whisper in her ear.
Mommy don't be sad today
I'm your baby and I'm here."

So you see my dear sweet one
Your children are ok
Your babies are here in My home
And this is where they'll stay.

They'll wait for you with Me
Until your lesson is through.
And on the day that you come home
They'll be at the gates for you.

So now you see what makes a Mother
It's the feeling in your heart.
It's the love you had so much of
Right from the very start.

Through some on earth may not realize you are a Mother,
Until their time is done.
They'll be up here with Me one day
And you know you're the best one!

~ Author Unknown

Arizona Inspiration

During a recent trip to Arizona my sister in law Michele and her sister Jacquie went to an outdoor market and came back with a neclace made from a wine cork....who would have thought of that idea? Cool!! They supplied me with some funky corks (not hard to gather those in my house!) so that I could give it a try.



I sat down with my supplies this afternoon and this is what I came up with......fun!

These would look great with your favorite swim suit at the beach, to the park with your kids or maybe even to a wine tasting!! (maybe you'll get to take the corks home!)

The Man and the Butterfly

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly

One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched

the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force

its body through the little hole. Then it seemed to stop

making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far

as it could and it could not go any farther.

The man decided to help the butterfly, he took a pair of

scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.

The butterfly them emerged easily,  but it had a swollen body

and small shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected

that any moment the wings would enlarge and expand to be

able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened!

in fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around

with a swollen body and shriveled wings.

It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that

the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly

to get through the tiny opening were nature's way of forcing fluid

from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight 

once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. 

If we went through life without any obstacles, it would cripple us.

We would not be as strong as what we could have been

and we could never fly.  

~Author Unknown

Sunday afternoon

It was a wonderful Sunday! Cleaned house amidst the aroma of pasta sauce simmering on the stove. Anthony anticipated the lasagna all afternoon and when it finally came time to eat, wolfed down 2 great big bowls!!! Way to go Daddy! DELICIOUS.......
It has been a while since I sat down to make any jewelry and part of my happiness project is get reconnected to the jewelry and Kari......that brings a smile to my heart....I'm sure she would like what I came up with today.

The good life, as I conceive it, is a happy life. I do not mean that if you are good you will be happy; I mean that if you are happy you will be good.

- Bertrand Russell

Happiness

A very good friend of mine had been talking recently about a book that she was reading called the "Happiness Project". It sounded like she was really enjoying it. I hadn't thought much about it until I spent yesterday afternoon with this same friend. We walked into Chapter's and she said "I am buying this book for you". I replied by saying "Well I could just borrow yours when you are done". She would have nothing to do with that and proceeded to buy me a copy. The only thing she said about it after was "Promise me you will read the first chapter...January". I took it home where I was alone for a couple of hours (this is a rare occurrance)...sat on the couch in the sunshine and opened the book. I did read January....February and March! I am hooked. The book enables you to take a look at your own life and find ways that can bring more happiness to it. Most of us are generally happy people. I am for the most part but after reading a few chapters I realize that there are ways that I can change the way I behave and react to the people close to me which can only result in happiness and inner peace. I am grateful for my friends, family and the life that has been given to me. I am the only one that is in complete charge of how happy I am and I look forward to learning and growing and seeing what my Happiness Project will bring. I would recommend this book to anyone........Happy reading!!!

I have been truly blessed to have wonderful people in my life. For the past couple of months I have been walking at lunch time with 2 of my work collegues. We have formed a really nice relationship, alot of which revolves around great conversations exploring spirituality. I am not a religious person but can say that I am spiritual. I believe there is more to life than we can possibly know and I trust that we will all find out one day. One conversation revolved around Anthony and I had said that I am so excited every day when I drive to pick him up after work.... I can't wait to see him and ask him about his day. I was told that this is the way God feels when he sees us. We are his children and he has plans for us. That one little sentence meant so much and really put so much into perspective. It sounds so simple and so easy to understand. When you think about it, it truly is. We are lent to earth to learn, explore and discover and then one day return to where we came from. If you think about your own child being given to someone else for a while and then the overwhelming joy you would have when they were returned! When people pass away you almost always here "They were called home"......We don't understand why some are called sooner than others but I do believe that we will  all see each other again. Each day that goes by means it is one day closer to seeing them again.....

One of Kari's favorite songs...I can hear her singing it to Jayda  while they flutter in the heavenly breeze. Spread your wings and fly pretty butterflies!