All You Need is Love

Pin It

With today being Valentine's Day, I found it appropriate to talk about this little thing called love. 

I've been in love for over six years, and though it hasn't always been easy...I could not imagine my life without him. True love for me is that you simply never give up. That at the end of the day, you look at each other knowing that you would be lost without each other. Love takes an immense amount of patience, understanding and a whole lot of give and take. 

To me, love is about the little things...not just receiving chocolates and flowers on a hallmark holiday. Love is about the simple "I love you's" and the random kisses. It's about coming home at night knowing you won't be alone...the way you can fight and be the most stubborn you've ever been and make up 10 minutes later. Love is the comfort of knowing that despite your faults and mistakes, you won't be judged or looked at differently. It's at the end of the day, knowing you have a best friend, lover, confidant, and soul mate all rolled into one imperfect person who happens to be perfect for you. 

Happy Valentine's Day! 

january 2006. our very first photo together. 

august 2007

october 2008

december 2009

september 2011

january 2012

Humor Me Friday

Pin It

  

 

My Fifty List (Week One)

Pin It

Recently I was discussing with someone about a project they did years ago when they were in grad school. They were told to make a list of 50 things that included anything they love doing/want to do/scared to do but want to over come etc. At first I thought this sounded like a normal "bucket list" until she explained to me the real purpose of making one. She told me how she has kept her list for over 30 years and will go back to it again and again to remind herself of all the things that make her the happiest. She will then take the same items from the list and do those things when she's having a bad day, lonely, or just wanting to do something she loves doing! This gave me the inspiration to make my own fifty list. 

Every week from now on I will add five items to My Fifty List. I was told that 50 seems like an impossible number (which it does) but she told me that if you add a little bit over time, you'd be surprised by how many you can add (she now has 74!)

Stay tuned for more next week.... :)

Sh*t Happens

Pin It

Bad news never comes at a good time. I don't think anyone goes through their life thinking "now is a good time...I can take it!" Life's trials and tribulations do happen for a reason, whether to teach us or to toughen us. We've all heard the saying "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Why yes, of course this is true... but sometimes don't you feel like yelling "OKAY...I'M STRONG ENOUGH!" We've also all heard the saying, "kick me while I'm down"...kind of the feeling like, the knife is already in...and then you have to go ahead and twist it? 

So, how do you deal with bad news? Honestly, I'm not one to have the "right" answer nor am I one to judge how one deals with bad news. But from witnessing others and myself, I tend to see people dealing with bad news in one of three ways (usually a combination of all three)

First, shit happens. IT DOES. You could search the entire planet and not find a single person who hasn't dealt with bad news in some form or another. It happens to EVERYONE. And sometimes, you just have to accept that it's part of life...plain and simple. Second, the end all. Sometimes bad news (or multiple layers deep of bad news) comes and it seems near impossible to begin to dig yourself out of it all. This goes back to my "kick me while I'm down" feeling...where you feel like saying "really? no REALLY?" Third, have a little faith. Accepting that, yes, it's bad right now...but eventually it WILL get better. Life tends to sort itself out in a way, but you have to allow it to. It's up to us to believe that regardless of what's going on in our lives...we have to begin to dig through the layers and keep the faith that it'll all be a-okay. 

Or sometimes, we all just need to accept that....

Wisdom Wednesday

Pin It

Love is in the air (well according to Hallmark and any jewelery store trying to get people to buy shiny things for their significant others on Valentine's Day) but regardless, I'm madly in love and such a hopeless romantic at heart...so I figured I'd utilize my Wisdom Wednesday post for all things love. 

 

 

 

Picture This Tuesday

Pin It For Picture This Tuesday, I chose a photo I took last year at Lake Calhoun of the Minneapolis skyline. I love everything about the cities...Uptown/Downtown, Saint Anthony Main, Minnehaha Falls, Lake Calhoun/Lake Harriet/Lake Minnetonka...I could go on and on. Most importantly though...I LOVE the people! Moving to MN changed my life forever and I am forever grateful for this beautiful city.

Birthday Celebration

Pin It

Happy birthday to the sweetest most amazing boy in the entire world...

Ethan James Ryan

I can't believe you are FIVE already! Where has the time gone? Since the moment you were born, you changed my life forever! I'm so honored to be called your auntie and can't wait to watch you continue to grow each year! Your spirit, intelligence, and imagination never seizes  to amaze me. I love you with all my heart and will always be here for you no matter what!