Be Happy Now: Sieze the Day

Remember when I was going to share my 31 days of 'being happy now'?  So it begins... please feel free to comment here or on Facebook, I'd love to make it a conversation! 

How many people spend a ton of timing thinking about how they can be happier?  You know...you'll be happier when: 

• all that weight is lost
• that darn to do list is all checked off
• the next season begins because this one is [too cold, too hot, too dark, too long]

::Raises hand:: Looks around... 

I know it's not just me.  There was a post that someone shared on Facebook last night, and I decided to make it prettier so I could share it on Instagram.  

I have no idea who came up with these so-called rules.  But he or she is right.  On every single point.  Enough that I think I might just have my next seven blog posts.  Because you know what?  As I look at this, it's an instruction manual on how to be happy now. 

So thanks anonymous.  

And CARPE DIEM.  

Sieze the day.  

Think about one of the items above that you could try today to make your day happier.  

See that's the trick.  To be happy now, means that you need to be. happy. now.  Not tomorrow, not two weeks from now.  

We have the power to make any change {small or big} today. 

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So what are you going to do?  What one change are you going to make to be happy now? 

Hello??? Is this thing on??

So, I've been pretty quiet around here, haven't I?  I'm going to blame our move back to the United States, living in an extended stay hotel for six weeks and the two additional weeks it took us to get settled into the town house we are living in for a while.  Plus a few more weeks of adjusting to life, period.

Now three months post move (to the day!) I feel like my feet are under me...mostly.

Here's a secret for you--I was going to do the whole 31 days of blogging series hosted  by the Nester, as I have the last few years.  And then I decided...quit being crazy, Jenny.

BUT I had planned out 31 posts about how to be happy NOW.

See, I find myself thinking next year is going to be better and I will be more happy then, because I'm not going to be doing the whole repatriating thing.  {By the way, the repatriating thing?  It's not as simple as it might look.  A fellow expat posted this article on Facebook, it summarizes where my mind is right now better than I ever could.}

While my mind is thinking next year will be better, the rest of me knows I need to be enjoying the moment this year.

I need to be grateful for the several blessings I have in life:  an awesome husband, brilliant children, family and friends who I get to be around daily, and new friends that I can keep in touch with via Facebook and email.  Not to mention a great job, a comfortable home and and all the comforts of "home" that now surround me again.

All that being said to let you know...I'm back to the blogging game.  And I'm going to take those 31 days I had planned, and spread them out over the next few months.  What better time to focus on being happy now then during the holiday season?

Seriously--have you seen a four year old and two year old understand for the first time what Halloween is all about?

We've already got their costumes waiting in the closet.  And they've been there for a few weeks already too.

Those are the kind of moments I plan on enjoying now.

settling....

Life is finally settling down.

Er.  Scratch that.

Parts of life are starting to settle down.

Fun moments with a 4.5-year-old and 2.5-year-old are still the norm, but right now they are taking place in an extended stay hotel.  Which, while it is supposed to have all of the essential 'comforts of home'?  Is not a home.

But we continue on, trekking through our days creating a new normal and a new routine--for the next month at least.

Then we'll move to another rental, while we build our forever {if I have anything to say about it} home.

I've got some posts simmering around in my brain about returning to life in the U.S.  And how surreal, and somewhat overwhelming AND underwhelming the past several weeks of this journey has been.  However, my first week back at work...in an office...with adults...and thinking about businessy things...is draining my brain of all energy.

So you'll just have to wait just a little bit longer.

In the meantime, check out this great video that my friend over at My Life in Scotland shared.



It's sort of a little peak into the differences of living in the U.K. versus the U.S. of A. and what I'm getting used to as my normal again.

tick. tick. tick.

Time is winding down.

We have just over a month left in Scotland.  And within that month we have visitors that arrive tomorrow for ten days, and then we have another visitor arrive just a few days after that who will be here for a week.

Time is going to fly by.  So the trick will be to stay in the moment.

To not be looking towards the next thing...or the next visitor...and for sure the next flight that will take us "home" to Minnesota.

I'll be working outside the home come August, so my days at home with these little people are limited.

And I'm going to enjoy every last minute {or at least try real hard to, because lets face it...sometimes there are just moments}. 

So if you don't hear from me much around here, that'll be why.

I will however show up over here at least three times every week.

energy

I have all of these thoughts of how I want to be.

The kind of mom I want to be. 
The kind of wife I want to be. 
The kind of daughter and sister I want to be. 
The kind of aunt and Godmother I want to be. 
The kind of friend I want to be. 
The kind of woman I want to be. 

If only I had the energy for all of it. There are days right now {not every one, but a few here and there...ahem, like today} where I am lacking the energy just to sufficiently get halfway to where I want to be with the first two items.

Do you ever feel that way?

I find myself trying to remind myself of my word for the year:  enough.

I'm trying to tell myself that I am doing enough.  That all of the things that are up in the air for our family will eventually work themselves out and settle as is planned for us.

If I could just leave all of the thinking to someone else, maybe I'd get more energy?

So I will try and rest my mind, and take these thoughts to Him. My prayers were answered in one area this past week.  Literally, between prayers, some medication and more accurate testing I am blessed to be able to avoid a medical procedure (at least for now).

I will continue to work on developing more patience, and choosing joy through each day.

I will shift my mind to a positive place, because that is how I am intent on living right now.

Summer 2013 Bucket List

Ooooh, boy girl, do I have something fun for you today!

I saw there was a link-up for summer bucket lists. And I thought, "well why not?" Clearly this is bound to be one of the more exciting summers of our life.

Half of it will be spent in Scotland, where 'summer' may not be the best word for season.  Seriously folks. No air conditioners, because the temps rarely get over 70 degrees.

The other half will be in Minnesota, and after two full summers away, we are excited to get back there, mosquitos and all. (No, seriously. You should see the Jenny Long Legs in Scotland. Look like a mix between mosquitos and daddy long legs.  Gross. They don't bite, but still.  Gross.  And no screens on windows....so.  I'll let you think about that for a second.  Eeew.)

With that being said, I humbly present our 2013 Summer Bucket List:

What do you think?  Anything we should add?  Who's up for a bonfire?

I should have added a bubble gun fight.  Oh, wait.  That already happened. 

Alright, I'm off to find out how to make our own bubble solution, since I have a feeling J#3 and J#4 will be chomping at the bits to take these bubble guns out again.  Pinterest, don't let me down.  

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Linking up with these ladies:  

my ode to stay at home moms

I'll tell you a little secret.  Well, if you know me, then it may not be a big secret. But for those who are just meeting me on this here interwebs, it may be.

I never thought I'd be a stay at home mom.  

I was raised by a working (and from the age of nine, single) mother, whom I respect and admire. I didn't know a different way of life, and I was just fine with that.  I saw myself growing up to be just like her, working daily and spending time with my family on nights and weekends, while entrusting the care of my children to trusted day cares and the superb schools that we are lucky enough to have in Minnesota.

Then my husband got an offer to move overseas for three years.  And I no longer was going to be a working outside of the home mom.

A new world thrust itself upon me, and I have to admit, I've been fighting it ever since.  Perhaps, for my last two months overseas, I'll embrace it.  Eh...maybe.  But either way, I want to make sure I remember this experience.  I want to remember it both for its glory and its trials.

So...a little essay:

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Why stay-at-home mothers will forever be my heroes

by Jenny H.

For the times when you are losing your mind, but you swallow your holler and sing that song or give that hug or fill that milk glass, because you know their precious eyes will startle from the holler.

For the times that you just about trip over your two year old daughter inevitably sending one or both of you to the E.R., but you save yourself at the last minute by grabbing ahold of that vacuum cleaner that you have to push around once too often, because you realize that there simply isn't time for a hospital visit.

For the days when they wake before dawn, and stay up past sunset with nary a nap or school to break up the day, and you maintain even an once of patience.

For the rainy days that seem endless and impossible, but your optimism reminds you that in fact, the sun may come out tomorrow.

For the moments it would just be easier to give in to the whining and crying, but you stand your ground so that your children learn that isn't the way to get what you want (even though sometimes you wish maybe that would work for you).

For all the photos you take and albums you make to remember the madness, that you barely are pictured in but thats okay, because you know you were there.

For all of those days and moments and all of the others that make you cringe, smile, cry, laugh, sigh and that give you goosebumps...you are my heroes.






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Linking up today over at: