The little things...

It truly is the "little things" that make all the difference!

My mom was, and is, the Queen of those thoughtful, inspiring, just for me "little things" that found their way into my day just when I needed it...whether it was a phone call, the most thoughful birthdy card (every year!), the right thing she said at just the right time, or even years ago...mom would turn off the light switch in or bedroom after we'd crawled into bed (coming from the kitchen to turn it off) or when we'd ask for a certain something from the grocery store and when she came home from shopping, just what we'd asked for would be on the counter. When I was a kid, in our house there were 4 types of fruit that we would often eat: apples, ornges, bananas and in the summer, watermelon. At that time, I remember specifically asking for a mango...and sure enough, mom remembered days later when she went grocery shopping (when she probably had only a million things on her mind, taking care of 5 kids on her own, running the household, taking care of business things and juggling it all).

Yes...my mom is the Queen of all those thoughtful, little things.... that really are the BIG THINGS in life. The things that matter most. The things that (I) remember most when I look back and reminisce about my life. For all of these very big, little things, I am grateful.

This year of living intentionally is about all those little things. Simple things. Things that don't cost money...just a little time and maybe a little creativity.

Because of my mom, I've loved to create little gestures, create atmosphere, do those lovely little things for others and realize their importance. Over the past couple months specifically, I'm trying to pick up some of the balls that I've dropped, get back in touch with old friends, move slower through my day, be more thoughtful and intentional and really focus on the "litle things" in life that matter so much.

I'm nowhere near where I want to be with these little things...but I'm getting better, slowly, day by day.

Like taking baking over to the hostel. They just love it! Right now, I'm trying to perfect a healthy cookie recipe...and everyone at the hostel are the guinea pigs! I've taken over a number of different variations to my new healthy molasses/pumpkin seed/oat cookies! I think the team at the hostel is happy that we're not done yet with creating the recipe (and they continue to receive plate fulls of cookies...even if they don't really stick together well yet. :) (Mom - what do I do to make the cookies stick togther better?)

Today I was completely inspired by all the "little things" that I was the lucky recipient of...
- Gwen called me early this morning to say good bye
- I had a great breakfast with someone very special.
- Then, got dropped me off at the airport, which was so nice.
- The lady at the Westjet counter gave me exit row - aisle seats (when the ticket machine said there were only middle seats left on the 2 flights to Puerto Vallarta!) YAY!!!!!! Yes...emergency exit row!
- and then there was the stewardess...OMG...she was FUNNY!!! (see photo)
- The airplane washroom was just large enough for my one-person dance party that I had to have b/c I was so excited that I could not sit still. The ony thing I could think to do was go to the bathroom and do my little "dance of joy" to let some energy go and get it out of my system. (I'll show you the Joy Dance one day! You'll love it. Mom...we're going to do it at Xmas with the whole family.)
- The taxi guy in PV was awesome

- And the hotel...OMG...they must have been talking to my mom....b/c this hotel is seriously filled with so many little things that make such a big difference! From the blender (to make my protien shakes in the morning....to the rooftop infiniti pool...or the little table/chairs out on the deck area to enable you to sit and enjoy the ocean view...WOW!!! That's all I can say!

- I also asked my facebook friends to repost the DIVA Retreat information on their facebook pages...and SO MANY people went out of their way to do so, helping us fill a few more spaces on our retreat. WOW. That is amazing! Thank you!

My friend and fellow DIVA Retreat organizer, Melanie Maure, is also a Queen of Detail and all those "little things". She is the one who loves surfing the internet to find just the right hotel in PV for our DIVA Retreat...and then books me a room, knowing that I'm more of a big piture thinker and wouldn't have finalized my accommodation yet. She's amazing! We spoke on Skype tonight and I could hardly contain my excitement in being here to finalize our DIVA Retreat program. Oh, how I wish she was here!

I love our friendship b/c we're so different - yet so similar at the same time. I am thoughtful at giving little gestures and things like that. Mel's thoughtful at the research and details. I'm great at the big picture, at making things happen, and having faith that "it will all work out". Mel's got spreadsheets and details organized better than my accountant. I'm a cautious risk-taker and a bit of a dreamer. Mel's the logical realist. When we're together, God Winks happen like the consistent sound of the ocean waves I'm listening to right now.

Tonight, as I fall into bed, listening to the crashing waves against the shore (that is literally just beyond the balcony), feeling the damp air, I feel so fortunate....fortuate to be alive. Fortunate to be walking in my shoes. Fortunate to be the recipient of a lifetime of countliess little things from family, friends and strangers. And fortunate to spend some of my time doing and sharing the little things for others and passing it on and paying it forward...

Mom, I love you! I wish you were here too!