"You've got two choices."

Tonight, after an exhausting week that ended on a great note with a quick flight and a wonderful visit with Gwen on the plane, I arrived home, greeted by Scotia, who seemed to have had a very relaxing week....

I was also greeted with a leak in the basement that I noticed last Sunday night before I left. Rob took a look at it this week and pulled apart a few things!

And this is what he found! A big fat crack in the foundation!




















I am so NOT impressed!!!
REALLY NOT IMPRESSED....just when the suite was practically perfectly ready to rent out on Vacation Rental By Owner.

I sat on the bed assessing the damage and wondering what to do now with the crack in the wall. And then Scotia wandered into the room, purring like a diesel engine. And I thought of the line I've heard you say several times in the past;

"Well, I guess you've got two choices."

And I guess I do.
Get upset. Let this crack (and the stress) bother me...or...appreciate some of the good things in my life...like Scotia, who seriously purrs so loud that it just makes me feel soooo good and then go take a shower, put on some warm clothes and get to bed.

This week, I could have made the better of 2 choices. I chose to be frustrated instead of being patient in a few situations that I wish I could 'do over'.

One thing I learned though, is to honour what I need and take care of myself instead of putting aside my needs. The only need I had was for quiet and space a bit of time alone. I didn't get what I needed b/c I simply didn't take it. It's my fault for not doing what I needed to to, in order to be my best. It's simple. If you're hungry - you eat. If you are thirsty - you get a drink of water. And if I needed some time alone b/c it was busy 24-7 all week, the time was there to take. I just didn't take it.


Tomorrow is a new day and I hope there's lots of great choices to make...
I'm so glad to be home, even if my house has a crack in it. It's not perfect. Nothing and no one is 'perfect'. This week was just another test in life; not about what happens to us, but rather, about how we respond. And while I might have passed a few tests, I failed in others this week and could have lived much more intentionally instead of just reacting.

I'll take this week as a good learning opportunity and do exactly that - learn from it.

Mom, I love you and I can hardly wait to see you at Christmas. 43 days and counting until Christmas Eve!
love Crystal

Life is SHORT!

Life is SHORT! Very, very short!

Life is too short to let a day go by without finding something to be grateful for.
Life is too short not to tell those around you that we love them.
Life is too short to let circumstances or problems that arise to ruin our day.
Life is too short to blow things out of proportion and let drama reign.
Life is too short to let a moment go by without finding something to be happy about.
Life is too short to hide our gifts and talents from the world.
Life is too short to forget that we can really do anything we imagine!
And mom...life is way too short to say no to that adventure (or motorcycle ride)!

(FYI: Your grandkids were very proud of their motorcycle grandma!)

Life is too short not to hug our nephews at least 3 times when we saw them today!




















And life is much too short not to do a lot of these things mentioned here!

Mom, thank you again for the wonderful weekend! I'm so grateful! And thanks for the directions tonight. Life is too short to spend so much time getting lost! Thanks for being there! We made it back! I'm exhausted! Sweet dreams! Talk to you tomorrow!

Love Crystal

Being Understood

48 Hours - more than a hundred tiny moments of feeling grateful that so many of us were together and only 42 days until we're home for Christmas!

Good morning Mom,
Thank you so much for coming to visit on the weekend! I think we all appreciated it more than you could ever know!

How do you make each of us feel so loved, so important and so 'understood'? Even just a few minutes spent with you is enough to feel this validation from you.

Isn't that all we really need in life?

To feel understood.

To feel loved.

To feel important.

And to be validated.

You just sit back, take it all in, never judging or saying anything that would ever be 'taken the wrong way'. You just smile to yourself. You never try to change anyone. You just love all of us - exactly as we are.

That was amazing to see this weekend, Mom.

I can't even articulate the impact or magnitude of the 'presence' you have and the unconditional love, complete acceptance and patience you share and give to all of us. But I do know that it's rare. Even my closest friends have said, "I wish I had a mom like yours." or "You're very lucky to have a mom like you do."

It would be a big stretch to become more like you in this area Mom. I wouldn't even know where to start.

It's Tuesday morning at 5:30am and Day 1 in Edmonton went really well! Day 2 is going to be great!

We'll call you tonight.
Love Crystal

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Eye to eye...at your level

Mom,
OH MY GOD...it's great to see YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
You look absolutely fabulous! We've been so excited for you and the other sisters to arrive!!!!!!!!!

Tonight, among other things, I was reminded of how you get on the same level, eye to eye, with whomever you are connecting with...even if it's Gwen's bunny rabbits!

A perfect example of what makes you so remarkable in most every way!





Life's just better when you're near, Mom! We need to do this more often! I don't know what I'd do without you!
love Crystal
PS You know your banana loaf is amazing when...Gwen texts me late at night to say "Try the banana loaf! It's soooo good!"

4 Ingredients for an incredible life!

It's been a fabulous week so far! Filled with all sorts of wonderful moments...the best ingredients for an incredible life!

4 Ingredients for an incredible life:
1. Family and friends
2. Exercise & eating well
3. Accomplishment and completion of goals
4. Anticipation & hope for the future

Mom, these are ingredients that you've always put into your life...surrounded by family and friends always; eating well and exercising and all that you do in your day; starting and finishing everything on your list; and always looking forward to something in the future (even when (and especially when) the present wasn't quite so easy).

I'm so grateful every day to be living across the street from Gwen. We all seem to be so happy. It' easy to help one another being so close, to be there for one another and to share day-to-day moments in life. It's true that it had to be right across the street...anything further away would have been too far.

On Monday morning I went for a 90 minute run. Now, there's several reasons why a run on a Monday morning, even in the rain, is a much-appreciated moment in life! To be healthy enough and able to run for that long is a gift. To also have the freedom to get out on a Monday morning, when most everyone else is at work is appreciated and never to be taken for granted.

Finally, I'm getting to cross some projects off my list. Getting some things accomplished, finished, DONE! is a great feeling! The VRBO suite in my house, Parecio Suerte, is finished! Painted! Carpets shampooed! New bedding in the wash and finishing touches finished tonight!!! Rob painted the suite in the rental house (which has not sold) so I'm going to rent it out for 6 months. The kitchen at the hostel is finally painted and looks amazing with the new cabinets and I'm actually getting some work projects complete too! Yay!! (Unfortunately...the garage in the new house...well, um, er...it's not really cleaned out yet!)

And my life is filled with so much amazng stuff that I can't hardly contain my excitement! The anticipation of holidays, Christmas, and future to the anticipation of family coming to visit this weekend is more than I can ask for! Anticipation offers hope, excitement, something to look forward do! And, Mom, I'm so excited for you to come visit!!!!!!!!!

I can't wait to see you! Hopefully, the fall colours and leaves will still be shining brightly on the trees when you get here! It is a gorgeous time of year!

I love you Mom! Can't wait to see you!!!!!!
Crystal



PS: It truly is an incredible day and life to get to watch a sunrise like this today!

Circumstances and people...

I love this photo and quote. It's so true.

Circumstances certainly revealed who you are, Mom. I don't know anyone who could do what you have done in your life...with absolute integrity, courage and faith. Yes...circumstances certainly reveale your strength, values, commitment and loving nature. How blessed we all are to have you in our lives; the center of all of our worlds.

People and circumstances really don't make us who we are...but these things certainly do reveal who we are. Such a great message and one remember when circumstances (or people) are difficult. Those moments would be a great opportunity to reveal who I am. The best of who I am. And in the moments that I may not be my best...may they be a learning opportunity to become better.

It's Monday...and time to get out create some momentum for the day and week! I'm going to start with a big run. When I wait and put off working out, it never gets fit in. The day just slips away.

Like 'mall walking'....probably best done in the morning. :)

So...that's where this intentional day is going to start. Out for a long run. Then a call to Jim, the amazing guy who does yard work for Gwen and I. Yesterday, I attempted to do the leaves at my house, the hostel and rental with the leaf-blower. It didn't work out as planned and I realized that , "This job is way too big for me to handle." I spent almost 3 hours attempting to make a dent in the yard work only to look out the window and find today, that you can't even see what I did with so many more leaves on the ground. Yes...it's time to call for back-up.

And after a few phone calls, it will be great to get into my office, get organized and make some progress in other areas that I can actually make a difference in.

And focus on what I would do if I knew I would no fail...
Mom, I love you. And I can't wait to see you!
Thank you for revealing the best in your kids and for teaching us to do what we would do if we knew we would not fail.

love Crystal