365 Days of Gratitude Day 28

I am grateful for dewy mornings when the mist dances on your face and the air is moist and rejuvinating.  Everything looks different in the dense fog with the gentle sounds of water droplets being dispersed by the cars going by. I am grateful for mornings that I get to run in this glorious weather that soothes my soul from head to toe;)

365 Days of Gratitude day 27

I am grateful when we have a little downtime. Time for self reflection and growth. Time when one can be quiet with their thoughts and just be. Time when one can just pick up a book of their choosing, read in quiet calm and learn from others.  I am grateful when even if for just 10 minutes we have that state of pure bliss and inner calm.

365 Days of Gratitude day 26

I am grateful that my family and friends are safe, sound and healthy!

365 Days of Gratitude day 25

I am grateful for clouds........they are beautiful, white, fluffy and spectacular.  It is wonderful to be able to lay on the grass or gaze from the car at these magnificent gifts from nature.

365 Days of Gratitude day 24

I am grateful for the glorious scent of the tuberose plant that I bought yesterday.  The sweet smell is permeating the house and is magnificent!

365 Days of Gratitude day 23

I am grateful for new days. A new day gives one the opportunity to push the reset button, hopefully on a good nights sleep so you can engage and traverse the day from a whole new vantage point.  Sometimes we can run ourselves ragged trying to cram too much into the day -- sometimes, we need to just sit back, unwind, make minimal desicions and replenish.  I am grateful to have had the opportunity to do that :)

365 Days of Gratitude day 22

I am grateful for being able to spend extra time this holiday with my mom and aunt. Being able to have a roof over our head and yummy food to cook for them :)

365 Days of Gratitude day 21

I am grateful for my dog.  She came into my life and has been such a wonderful addition.  I didn't know how much of a void from the loss of our other most faithful hound was still there until she rushed in and filled it with all of her love, smiles, funny antics and adorable personality. I think she gives me more than I can possibly give her -- but I will try :)

365 Days of Gratitude day 20 - The Big One! Thanksgiving

Well, this is the big one.  The day that you hear from people all over, giving thanks and reflecting on what is important.  This is one of mine and many peoples favorite holiday. This holiday is about family, friends, giving thanks and no pressure.  I am grateful to be alive, healthy, have able body, mind and spirit.  I am grateful that I share this day with my husband, mom, sister, brother-in-law, nephews, aunt, cousins, and friends and of course our dog.  I am grateful for technology to be able to reach out to those that are not here. I would not be where I am today without my family, friends, co-workers, clients and patients -- they all give me the support, opportunity, faith, guidance and perspective that I need to lead a fulfilling life.  I am grateful to be given each and every day to try my best to give back to those that give so much to me.  I thank you God for this day filled with all these blessing........I ask you to please guide me in the path that you see most fit to give back and always strive to be a better human being.

365 Days if Gratitude day 19

I am grateful for my husband who is kind, smart, generous, funny, thoughtful and a looker ;). He makes my life fuller and more enriched!

365 Days of Gratitude day 18

I am grateful for flowers.  They are beautiful, smell wonderful and can brighten people's days! There is a rose bush up the street that has the most intoxicating smell......one of my favorite things to do coming back from a run is to literally stop and smell the roses..........magnificent ;)

365 Days of Gratitude day 17

I am grateful for vegetables.........they taste great and are great for you! They are colorful, plentiful, come from the ground and you can grow them yourself ;)

365 Days of Gratitude day 16

I am grateful for apologies.  Whether it is giving them or receiving them.......I do believe that the simple words, "I am sorry", are some of the most restorative and healing in the English language.  They are often so difficult for some of us to say.  I am grateful for the ability to say I am sorry and always very grateful when someone says it to me.

365 Days of Gratitude day 15

I am grateful for rainy days and being able to cuddle on the couch with my husband :)

365 Days of Gratitude day 14

Wow, 14 days already.......that went fast. They say it takes 21 days to make or break a habit, I am 3/4 of the way there to 365 being a habit.
I am grateful for the ability to listen to the little birds chirp so happily and feverishly outside my window ;););)

I will miss you :(:)

Today I lost my best friend, my dog - Woody.

I cannot begin to describe the sense of loss, despair and complete hole in my heart that has been left behind. For anyone that is reading this that has lost a pet that they loved and cherished, you know exactly how I feel. My dog Woody found me 16 years ago when I was not even thinking about having a completely unconditionally loving, caring, loyal and full of life little canine in my care.

16 years ago I went out for hair products, minding my own business I stumbled across this adorable, furry friend that wanted nothing to do with me - that's right, nothing to do with me. Well, me of course being a glutton for punishment thought " I will show you" ignore me, no way -- you will come home with me and I will take care of you:) It was love at first sight for me. I bailed on the hair product and found myself signing some adoption papers and 30 minutes later carrying this adorable little pup and placing him in the front seat of my red convertible Driving home with the wind blowing through our hair, he still wanted nothing to do with me - turns out, he was not well and had a gimpy stomach to say the least.

He was clearly uncomfortable wimping and wining so I put him down on the living room floor with a little blanket and I carefully laid down next to him for the next four nights trying to comfort this sweet little being. Well he perked up like no one's business and within one week and without even asking he became my most faithful guardian and friend.

We of course had our trials and tribulations but like a fine wine, this little hound just kept getting better with age.

I am still numb at the fact that my most faithful friend is no longer here to greet me at the door, wake me up with "snout-hoggling and kisses", patiently and expectantly waiting for his morning breakfast and wagging his tail feverishly while eating it. I will miss all the little nuances to my furry friend and loyal companion. He was full of life. love and happiness - you could actually see him smile.

Here I am 16 years later with my loving friend, losing a year long battle with melanoma of the lip. Three surgeries, a course of radiation and six melanoma vaccines right back where we started -- sleeping on the floor with him for four nights trying to comfort my best friend, desperately hoping he will perk back up. I searched, hoped, prayed and googled trying to find some other solution than what ultimately took place -- to my complete and utter dismay, there was no solution. I never thought that I could have my dog put to sleep as I selfishly wanted him to be with me forever. To see him suffer was more than I could bear - he didn't deserve cancer or to be in the pain that it was causing him - the pain killers didn't make a dent and he was most bravely suffering. Wednesday I took him to my regular vet and that night he got even worse - on Thursday, July 8th I reluctantly but knowingly took him to the cancer specialists who informed me that the cancer had spread to his brain and there is nothing more we can do and it was time to let him go. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I knew that was where we were heading. I couldn't let him continue being in pain. They were extraordinarily kind, compassionate and patient. While I waited for my husband to arrive i cradled Woody in my arms and tried to calm him as much as I could. When my husband arrived we sat with him together - i held Woody in my lap and my husband held me -- the doctor came in and gently explained what would happen and asked if we were ready - If we were not my beloved dog was - he was shaking and whimpering uncontrollably. They gave him a dose of medication to put him to sleep and than a medication to stop his heart - it happened within minutes, there he was looking so peaceful laying in my arms. I burst out in tears immediately feeling my loss. My husband was so loving and supportive and he too devastated by our loss. They let us take as much time as we needed with him and we must have cradled him for an hour. Unable to really fathom what life was going to be like without him we hesitantly had to leave his body behind but brought his soul back home with us.

If you had asked me a week ago if I would have ever considered euthanasia, I would have said there is no way I could do that -- for me, when I saw him suffering I had to put his needs ahead of mine. I love him with all of my heart and I miss him ferociously. We are truly lucky to have had such an incredible friend with his funny side winding walk that loved us with all his heart. i know that we got many more months of quality time that we took wonderful advantage of and we were able to be there with him till the end and hold him in our arms to help him to his next destination.

I love you Woody - I miss you incredibly and I thank you for being such and extra-ordinary part of my life!

Sad But Grateful

It has been six days now since Woody's physical presence has gone - his spirit of course still lies within me. I am sad not to see him everyday, enjoy our daily activities and have his energy encompass our home.

I am grateful for many things. We had the gift of knowing that he did have cancer and that his time would be limited. We took tremendous advantage of that time. We went on a multitude of adventures to my moms (aka his country home), the Four Seasons in Santa Barbara (even got an upgraded Bungalow out of the deal) in fact it was on this trip that at 6am I got up in my robe, no make up to let him out to do his thing - as I am picking up his remnants I run into my old boss that I had not seen in 8 years -- go figure! On his last weekend, 4th of July we went on a picnic in Palos Verdes and a road trip to Dana Point (we got our last pictures of him this weekend). I layed with him on a blanket in the TV room all day and we watched movies together and I tried to comfort him (still of course hoping that he would get better). During these last months, many days we would simply lay around on the grass looking at the clouds while he would often just roll around in total bliss.

I am grateful for my family and friends that loved him and supported us through his life and passing. People that you never would expect that come to your assistance and show their love and support.

Monday took cat to the vet, everyone commented on his handsomeness. The vet called (which I am continually impressed by as she ALWAYS follows up) she said, " I didn't know you had a cat? "I know, I need a frequent flyer card - you are probably going to think I am munchausen by animal', I said. She laughed. $300.00 and a pile of projectile vomit later spoke to the vet on Tuesday (again, great f/u on her part) She said that his blood work was great - we are both surprised as he is 19 - he is just a little anemic. Hmmm, go figure. Somehow I have discovered the "fountain of youth" with animals.

Went for a walk on Tuesday night and ran into a dog named Max - great smile

365 Days of Gratitude day 13

I am grateful for glasses as without them I could not write these blogs or read them.  What an amazing invention.  From what I could find on my internet search, glasses were first invented in Italy about 1286 by the Dominican friar Giordano da Pisa.  Thank you.

365 Days of Gratitude day 12

I am grateful for being!

365 Days of Gratitude day 11

I am grateful for being able to watch my dog run around and frolic in the backyard.  She emits such a huge sense of energy, freedom and playfulness that just can't help but make you smile;);)

365 Days of Gratitude day 10

I am grateful for being grateful :):):):):):):):)

365 Days of Gratitude day 9

I am grateful for crisp, cool Sunday mornings. Lazily lounging in while sipping coffee and watching a movie.

365 Days of Gratitude day 8

I am grateful I got to spend quality time with my BFF :):):)

365 Days of Gratitude day 7

Day 7! So far I am truly enjoying this venture.........I am finding that not just in the am that I write the blogs I think about what I am grateful for but also during the day.  It has thus far seemed to add some extra joy throughout the day.  Today I find I am grateful for the rain.  The rain, to me, has such a cleansing and detoxifying feeling.  It is like the world is getting a shower.  The post rain day we are filled with blue skies, puffy clouds, wind bustling through the trees and a view for miles.  There is a clean, crisp, purifying feel about the air.  Thank you.

365 Days of Gratitude day 6

I am grateful for running shoes. These shoes can take you on all sorts of adventures in any city or place in the world. They are comfortable and functional and after proper use (i.e. running/hiking/walking in them) give you a feeling of elation, exhilaration and inner peace (not to be confused with inner peas). PS., I am also grateful to Amazon for their ability to have them on my doorsteps in two days with free shipping with a Prime membership (don't get me started in Prime, it is awesome) :):):)

365 Days of Gratitude day 5

Today and everyday I am grateful for our dog. She has been such a fantastic addition to our lives. When she found us, it was love at first sight. She is fun, energetic, adorable and full of personality. Even if she does something bad, she does with her magical flare of cuteness. If I have a substandard day, all I have to do is hang out with her and it gets better.  I love her with every ounce and fiber in my body and am so thankful she was brought into my life :)

365 Days of Gratitude day 4

I am grateful for the right to vote.  I think sometimes we forget some of the freedoms and rights that we have in this country.  It was not without much struggle, striff and often peril and bloodshed that both previous and current generations have fought and fight to keep.  We must at the very least do our due diligence and make our voice known at the polls and honor the right we have been given!

365 Days of Gratitude day 3

Today I am grateful for the time change which gives us an extra hour.  I love the am hours when the hustle and bustle hasn't started yet.  There is a quiet calm in the breeze that rustles the wind chimes ever so slightly with the gentle sounds of coffee perculating in the background and the fountain cascading. I feel refreshed, clam and peaceful :)

365 Days of Gratitude day 2

Today I am grateful for technology.  It is so amazing how much information, knowledge and learning is right at our fingertips.  Our access to people, communication and outreach makes our possibilities endless ;)

365 Days of Gratitude day 1

The past couple of years have brought their challenges......certainly no worse than others have seen in fact far less I am sure, by comparison.  I am happy to report that the last year has been filled with such wonderful changes that I am truly grateful for.

I have found that one thing that I feel always seems to start the day off right is declaring at least one thing if not several that I am grateful for.

I have decided to start writing them down and sharing them:

Today I am grateful for my health and happiness - this, I could not have without the love and support of my truly wonderful family, friends, clients and  co-workers.  Thank you!