Women

Posted in Uncategorized by adrianahartley

I love women.

I love how women take care of each other.

I love how we care for kids and build community.

I love women who love their families.

I love how empathetic we are to each other and how we can really feel each other’s joys and pains.

I love how smart we are.

I love our beauty and how we admire each other.

I love our strength and how we endure pain.

I love how we help one another.

I love how we offer to bring meals, to pray, to visit, to call and text, when one of us is suffering.

I love when women are filled with grace, especially when we are hurt and we give up our need for control and accept what is.

I love that we love.

I love women, especially the women in my life who embody these truths.

Thank you for being wonderful you.

Carry on BeLoveD Warrior Women!

Namaste.

9Oct2014

Tragedy

Posted in Uncategorized by adrianahartley

It was foggy on Tuesday. I was happy to see the grey skies and enjoyed the cool air and putting on a sweatshirt, feeling cozy and ready for the change in seasons.

But who knew that the change was going to last forever this day and that the fog probably won’t ever lift, even after the sun began to shine again?

We have lost a young, loved one in our family and we are broken.

I’ve sat frozen and cried and haven’t been able to think or do much of anything and haven’t wanted to be happy or write or share, out of respect and out of shock. I’m just going through the motions of living, in a fog and waiting. I don’t know what I’m waiting for. I think maybe I’ll feel better once I get to go home and be with my family.

I know how to be happy and I’m learning how to deal with grief, but I’m not doing a very good job at it.

I’m not looking for sympathy. I know that everyone has to struggle in life and that there are no guarantees, and sometimes life can be really painful.

I wish no mother ever had to lose a child.

I wish for peace and healing for my family.

I wish that children could be protected from pain and stay innocent.

I wish you love.

Namaste.

6Oct2014

If You Were An Animal….

Posted in Uncategorized by adrianahartley

what animal would you be? My mama always thinks that people look like animals.

My favorite animals are gorillas and elephants. I love their soulful eyes.

I think I’m starting to resemble an elephant with all my wrinkles. I like elephants so I most love wrinkles?!?

Obviously, I’m making fun of my face and the elephant lines around my eyes. Oh, it’s just part of the fun aging process.

But of course, I’ll also want to look at the positive aspects of looking more and more like an elephant.

Elephants are self-aware, like to live near water and with their children and other female groups. (Sorry Jeff!) They exhibit empathy and communicate by touch, sight, smell and sound.

Hmm – sounds like a good life to me.
I’ll keep on the elephant track, or at least accept my wrinkles and maybe live near the water one day, with Jeff and my family and live happily ever after.

So…what animal do you most resemble?

5Oct2014

Indian Summer

Posted in Uncategorized by adrianahartley

We are all ready for fall. Charlie and Jeff got the Halloween boxes down from the attic today to begin decorating for our favorite holiday.
I love that he is so into the holidays and being prepared. I will miss it when his interest wanes one day and he’s “too big.”

It has been so incredibly hot the last few days, that we wanted to wait for a cool morning to climb up the stairs into the stagnant heat. Today was the day, but it doesn’t feel like fall at all. I believe the high for today was 90 degrees.

I had a tennis match this morning and luckily we stayed hydrated and won despite the heat radiating off the court. It’s crazy to me to think that Megan is in Michigan and it’s raining and cold and we are in California and are burning up in the sun. Yin and yang.

When I came home, the kids wanted to go to the pool to cool off with their friends. I loaded up the van with drinks and snacks and pool gear and off we went to enjoy our Indian summer afternoon.

The kids enjoyed cooling off and playing games and I sat in the shade with a couple magazines, getting splashed for sitting too close to the deep end watching them play. Luckily it was refreshing and didn’t get my magazine or phone really soaked.

After the pool, we came home and decluttered the house before working together to get dinner on the table. Jeff used his sous-vide immersion cooker and made a spicy pork loin tonight. Juliana made the sliced potatoes and I made a few vegetable dishes, while Charlie and Christian set the table and got drinks for everyone. I love family meals and working together to make the magic happen.

Hope you had a good weekend and stayed cool in California.

4Oct2014

Life is Sweet

Posted in Uncategorized by adrianahartley

Don’t forget to stop and remember the sweet little kid inside, that’s still part of your soul.

Eat the candy. Jump in a puddle. Sleep in. Have dessert for breakfast. Stay up late. Jump on the bed. Be sneaky. Tell stories and play games.

Life is busy and stressful. Choose to slow down.

Live it up, BeLoveRs. Love it out, and laugh out loud while you can.

Life is good.

xoxo

3Oct2014

TGIF – Rest, Friends

Posted in Uncategorized by adrianahartley

I hope you all have had a great week, just being, giving, loving, playing, and working.

I am glad that it’s Friday and we don’t have to set an alarm for tomorrow morning.

Our weeks are so jam-packed, that I’m excited for our slower paced weekend, although the weekend is pretty full too with practice and games and dinner dates.

It’s important that we have some down time and create space so that we can refresh and reenergize and catch up.

How will you recharge?

Have a great weekend, BeLoveRs!!

2Oct2014

Busy and Stressful Days

Posted in Uncategorized by adrianahartley

Some days are really busy and stressful, not just for me, but for everybody. I know that.

Today was one of those days. Most days include lots of juggling and coordinating and delegating and hoping and praying!!

Charlie woke up at 4am this morning and this just started our day out being tired. He came home from school and practice today and was an unhappy camper.

He was agitated, hot, tired, and hungry. Poor kid!!

He had to keep on going, being the youngest and all, but was such a trooper along with a few tears.

I had barely any time to make dinner tonight and was able to start a meal and then turn off the stove to drop off a kid to an appointment and then come back to resume cooking.

Before we came back home again, I needed to break the whining and demanding cycle. He desperately wanted me to go up in the attic to get down the Halloween decoration boxes and I couldn’t do it by myself.

I decided to stop by the Corn Palace to buy some little pumpkins for him to decorate with Sharpies. This bought me some time to finish dinner and to occupy him while I rushed around the kitchen. He was content and so was I as I got to prepare a healthy dinner.