Tomorrow ...

I will wake up with a smile on my face, despite the rising temperature.

I will not hit snooze on the alarm clock, but instead rise and meet the day with excitement and enthusiasm.

I will take time in the morning for a healthy breakfast.

I will remember to kiss my husband good-bye when he drops me off at work, even if he's too tired to appreciate it.

I will laugh as much as I can.

I will take nothing personally, and remember that, regardless of how certain people act, it is their problem, and not mine.

I will look at my job not as a prison, but as a platform from which to heal, help, and appreciate God's four-legged creatures.

I will appreciate every client that calls or visits the clinic, and know that without them, I wouldn't have a job.

I will not feel rushed or taken advantage of, and remember that I am the sole creator of my life. Time, like life, is what you make of it.

I will not let other people's feelings of hate, anger, jealousy, or unhappiness affect me. I am in control of my own emotions, my own feelings, and my own thoughts.

I will hand out sincere compliments, and honestly wish every person I interact with wellness and peace.

I will give thanks that I'm able to work another day.

I will appreciate my body, and be grateful for its strength and agility.

I will only see smiling faces, hear laughter, and feel love. Anything else will not register on my radar.

I will remember my past fondly, and realize that life is too precious for thoughts of regret or revenge.

I will raise and continue to raise my vibration every minute of the day, so that I will be in conscious connection to my higher self.

I will leave work feeling as energized as when I arrived.

I will start my evening with my family with a clear head, a sound mind, and a loving heart.

I will take time to play with the girls, and appreciate their carefree hearts and unwavering love.

I will go to bed at night thinking only positive thoughts of appreciation and gratitude.

I will look forward to the next day with a sense of expectation and eager anticipation.

I will understand that life is whatever I choose to make of it, and know that I choose to make it good.

I will recognize my worth.

I will appreciate where I am in my life.

I will be happy.



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"Rather than wanting to hold to the past longer, and slow things down, and stop the aging process -- just revel in the power of now! You can't stop time, and you won't stop the recycling process that is taking place upon this planet, nor would you want to -- but you do not have to suffer the moving through time. Every moment can be more wonderful than the moment before."
-- Abraham

Fun with Photography

Baby Joon

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"Art is never finished, only abandoned."
-- Leonardo da Vinci

Unanswered Prayers

There's an old Garth Brook's song that I love. Back in the day, I was totally infatuated with it. It goes something like this:

"Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers

Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs

That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care

Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers."

I've had quite a few. Unanswered prayers, that is.

So and so never called and asked me out. She didn't turn out to be that great of a friend after all. He wasn't the one. The job offer that didn't pan out. The relationship that ended when I didn't want it to...

I could go on and on.

But, ninety-nine percent of the time, when I look back on any one of those prayers, I realize that - even though I was initially devastated they weren't answered - something better always came along. Each and every time, something bigger and more full-filling was just waiting to jump into my life and sweep me away. In the end, I never failed to breathe a sigh of relief when I realized what I could be missing out on if those prayers had, in fact, been answered.

The Universe always knows what's best for us. Our soul, our source, our higher self (or whatever you want to call it) has a much better vantage point than we do from which to view our lives, our needs and, as it turns out, our desires. Nothing is just black and white. There are always, always, always shades of grey.

In fact, if I've learned anything over the years, it's that a silver lining hides in every unanswered prayer.

When Chris and I first started dating, that particular song bounced around in my head almost daily. Because he was better than anything I'd ever prayed for before. It was then that I began to realize just how grateful I really was that certain celestial requests had been overlooked. I realized that if any one of them had been answered, I wouldn't have wound up with (as corny as it sounds) the man of my dreams.

And, ultimately, with the life I have today.

So tonight when I go to bed, instead of praying for something, I'm going to give thanks, give appreciation, for all of my unanswered prayers. And know that, no matter what happens, my life is working out just the way it's supposed to.

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"More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones."
-- Mother Teresa

A View From The Back Seat...

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"Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?"

-- George Carlin

The Best Husband

I've always known that I caught a good one. Husband, that is. I've never taken Chris for granted. Believe me, I know what I have.

I have the best husband in the world.

Now, other women are probably snapping their fingers and saying things like, "Oh no she doesn't! I have the best husband..." "Whatever girl. My man is the best thing since sliced bread." "Yo, yo, yo - you ain't got the best husband... Ain't nobody got a good man." Or, "Puh-lease, sugar. My man is the shinizzle."

(Hmmmm... So when did I become down with my bad self and turn ghetto?)

But in all seriousness, I do have the best husband in the world. The best husband for me, that is.

Chris is the ying to my yang. The Professor to my Marianne. The peanut butter to my chocolate. The Clark Kent to my Lois Lane. In fact, to be as cheesy and annoying as possible, he completes me. (Yes, he had me at hello. Aww...)

It's an amazing thing to be known from the inside out. To have someone look not just at you, or through you, but into you. To look into your eyes and see down to the very depths of your soul.

And still want to come back for more.

My husband knows me better than I know myself. He knows what I'm thinking, when I'm thinking it, and why I'm thinking it. He knows what I want, when I want it, and (usually) why I want it. He'll wait patiently for me to ramble my way through a thought when, more often than not, he knows what I'm trying to say well before I do.

Over the last seven and a half years, Chris has walked beside me through happy times and allowed me to lean on him during the bad. He's sailed with me through even the roughest of waters, never failing to deliver me safely to higher ground. With unwavering love, he's steered my life in directions I would have never dared to go alone.

He has a quiet way about him - a sort of humble intelligence - that somehow seems to fit so well with my excitable, over-the-top personality. He keeps me grounded, yet never holds me down. In fact, most of the time, he chooses to fly with me. But regardless of where his feet are, he's always there to lend a hand. To keep me safe. And to catch me if I fall.

I feel blessed to have Chris as my husband. He sees only the best in me, and therefore brings out the best in me. Around him, my abundance is immeasurable. And my life - purely indescribable.

Because of my husband, I not only dare to dream my dreams, but I have the confidence to live them.
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"There is no Lisa. Only Zuul."
-- Chris

Showing Off

One of the great things about living in the Pacific Northwest is getting to show it off. It's a wonderful feeling to share our beautiful surroundings with guests and see the absolute amazement in their eyes as we truck them along from one fab locale to another.

Chris and I spent this past Saturday at the Pike Place Market with our friends from Sioux City. As usual, the Seattle staple didn't fail to impress.








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"It's not you, I hate having dinner with people."
-- Danny, from Role Models

Friends...

"I'll be there forrrrr youuuuuuu... Like I've been there before. I'll be there forrrr youuuuuu... 'Cause you're there for me too..."

La-la-la-la-la....

Okay, so I can't sing. Anyhoo...

April and I met way back in 2002 while working at 1st Financial Bank. With our cubicles literally stuck together, we bonded instantly over horrid card members, restricting headsets, and credit line increases. Our shared love of wine (especially red) immediately sealed the deal, and we've been close ever since.

I honestly can't say enough good things about my best friend. Beautiful. Honest. Sincere. Fun. Strong beyond words. And completely amazing.

Here are (more than) a few shots of her and her equally amazing husband during their recent trip out to the Pac NW.












April and Floyd - we had a blast. And miss you guys already.

And I'm not BS-ing... 'Cause, after all, you can't BS a Bs-er... Right??

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"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked."
-- Bernard Meltzer quotes

A Taste From Ray's

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"The standard of success in life isn't the things. It isn't the money or the stuff -- it is absolutely the amount of joy you feel."
-- Abraham

A Quickie...

Just a quick post showing yet another reason we love it out here... I know, I know - like we need another reason, right?

(You can all get your minds out of the gutter now.)


* The view from our bar stool at Friday's Crab House. Mmmmm...



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"The Northwest coast is a land of contrasts. At time it is wild and wave-battered, at other times quiet and restful. All along its length there is variety: long, sandy beaches, steep headlands, lush pasture, rocky covers, patches of deep forest. … This is a place for photographers, hikers, picnickers, campers, and for those who want nothing more than a few relaxing moments in beautiful, unpeopled surroundings."
--unknown (The Beautiful Northwest ed. by Krell)

Ode to Love

I was just going through some old photos today and delighting in the fact that my shooting has gotten soooooo much better over the past few months. WOW. So. Much. Better. (Yes, I have a huge, cheesy smile on my face as I type this. Oy.)

With that being said, Chris and I are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our good friends, April and Floyd. They're flying into Seattle tomorrow (which isn't soon enough for me!) and leaving the following Sunday. Four whole days! Woo-hoo!

Now, this trip is special for SEVERAL reasons, but the number one is that this year is their TEN YEAR Wedding Anniversary! So of course I offered up my services to shoot each and every moment of their time here in the Emerald City. We have so much planned, and I'm going to document all of it. All. Of. It.

Do you think they'll hate me when it's over?? Nah...

And because pictures make a post way more interesting, here's a shot from a shoot I did with Chris and Christy wayyyyyyyy back in February. This photo is hardly ideal - I purposely jacked up the brightness/contrast to see what would happen. To be honest, I kinda like how it turned out.

And that's pretty much the point, right? I mean, the great thing about art is that there are no rules... (At least in my opinion.)




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"For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sensitive

Hello. My name is Lisa. And I'm sensitive.

When I was younger, I was more than a little meek, mild, shy, soft spoken, and completely self-conscious. I lived my life based on what others thought. If someone didn't like me, or made fun of me, or (gasp) thought my freckles were ugly, I was devastated. I'd let it wreck my entire day, week, month... One time, a spat with a friend wrecked my entire eighth grade year.

I used to blame it all on being too sensitive.

As a sentimental little girl filled with too many feelings and emotions, I used to drive my mother nuts. "You're too sensitive, Lisa," she'd always say to me. "You need to shuck things off. Be like everyone else."

And I'd try. I really would.

But then something would happen - a boy that I liked would make fun of me or I'd see a dead animal on the side of the road - and almost without warning I'd find my heart riding up into my throat and feel that burning sensation behind my eyes. Within seconds I'd melt into that sentimental sap that I tried so hard not to be.

Now, as an adult, I'm not nearly as meek, mild, shy, soft-spoken, or self-conscious. I've grown. Matured. And realized that my freckles are sort of charming.

But... I'm still just as sensitive.

I've learned, however, that being sensitive is not necessarily a bad thing. At all. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that it takes a pretty brave person to be sensitive.

I feel. Very deeply. And I love it.

I love the fact that everything I experience and every person I interact with touches me to the very core. Life's a never-ending miracle. There's never a dull moment. Watching Chris play fetch with Dehlia, gazing at Molly while she snoozes in my lap, listening to the rain as it slaps against our bedroom window at night, drowning in the salty sea air as we drive along the Coast... It's my belief that being sensitive puts me in the position to appreciate. Everything. Everyone.

Of course, being sensitive isn't all fun and games. If it was, bravery wouldn't be part of the formula. After all, if you open yourself up completely - no holds barred - you unavoidably run into things, experiences, and people that are both good and bad. Torn relationships, letdowns, loss, pain, and heartache can go hand in hand with love, success, joy, happiness, and abundance.

But, I've discovered, it's how you react to life that makes it what it is. Life itself doesn't breed good or evil. Fate doesn't hand out good luck and bad luck on a whim. How you respond to even the most ordinary, everyday occurrences can either turn them into wonderful experiences that you can do anything with, or make them into un-ending nightmares that completely take over your waking hours.

It's your choice.

By being sensitive to your feelings, thoughts, and emotions, you can actually turn seemingly bad situations and experiences into life-altering lessons. Use them to your advantage. Feel your way into happiness. And make life worth living.

Lately I've learned to channel my sensitive vibes into better and better feeling places. I've learned to bask in the contrast that life provides. And I've put my overly emotional, highly attuned sensitive feelings to work - in my favor.

I mean, come on - I'd rather enjoy life than hate it.

And that alone makes being a highly sensitive person well worth the risk, don't you think?


* Here are a few more pics from our 4th of July getaway that make my heart swell... :)







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"I'm Sensitive"

I was thinking that I might fly today
Just to disprove all the things that you say
It doesn't take a talent to be mean
Your words can crush things that are unseen
So please be careful with me, I'm sensitive
And I'd like to stay that way.

I have this theory that if we're told we're bad
Then that's the only idea we'll ever have
But maybe if we are surrounded in beauty
Someday we will become what we see
'Cause anyone can start a conflict
it's harder yet to disregard it
I'd rather see the world from another angle
We are everyday angels
Be careful with me 'cause I'd like to stay that way."
-- Jewel

Dogs + Beach + Crashing Waves = FUN...

... and REALLY DIRTY DOGS.

Here are a few pics of the girls from our 4th of July getaway to Kalaloch... ;)











Lake Crescent




Our lovely Jeep - who carries us safely on every adventure we take... :)


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“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
-- Albert Einstein

An Overwhelming Feeling of Gratitude

I'm a grateful person. I do my best to be truly appreciative of everything in my life - the good and the bad. My job, Chris' job, our Euro-style flat (yup, that's what they call it), our Jeep, my small family, our health, the girls... Oh, and Chris. I'm extremely grateful for Chris. (Sorry, Chris. Love ya, and you're honestly the NUMBER ONE thing I'm grateful for - I swear...)

But this morning - at six o'clock on the dot - I learned exactly what it means to be truly, unconditionally, heart and soul grateful.

All thanks to Molly.

She's a pistol. Or she was. Because, you see, the last few months, she's been gone.

Sort of.

Earlier in the Spring, I noticed a change in my baby girl. Once a hyper, playful, attention-seeking seven-year old, she suddenly, without much warning, did a complete one-eighty. Towards the end of March, she was lethargic, distant, spacy, and - it makes me cringe to say it even now - practically comatose. Our precious little pitbull had gone from lively and energetic to limp and unresponsive within a week.

At first we attributed the change to the beginning stages of arthritis. After checking an x-ray and blood work, I, along with the doctors, assumed she was probably just sore and decided to try her on a week's worth of Rimadyl (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) to see if that would maybe free her from whatever pain she was feeling and liven her up a bit.

No such luck.

The next issue we addressed was possible depression. (Yes, dogs can suffer from the big D, too.) So Chris and I embarked on a new mission - to make Molly's life the best it could be. We walked her, talked to her, tried to play with her, cuddled with her, took her on tons of car rides, gave her extra cookies, and bought her favorite meat-flavored bones.

None of it worked.

Finally, about two weeks ago, after she ignored a particularly smelly meat-flavored bone, I was desperate. With my voice all high and squeaky, I brought her in to work and shakily asked what could be done next. I was doing my best to be positive but, in light of the situation, was barely holding on.

Enter Dr. Frey. Thank God for Dr. Frey.

He put his big brain and tender heart to work on Molly's behalf and, low and behold, came up with a solution.

Since February, Molly had been on Proin for, um, spayed female dog issues. (Slight incontinence. Hey, it happens. Don't judge.) "Why don't we," he suggested, "take her off of that for awhile and just see what happens?" If that didn't work, he assured me that we could try the amitriptyline (the doggie uppers) next. I, willing to try absolutely anything, agreed. Up until that point we hadn't heard any negative talk regarding Proin, but there's always a first. So that night I crossed my fingers, said a little prayer, and pushed the purple bottle of meds to the very back of the cupboard.

Well, as of today she's been off the Proin for exactly one week. And this morning, at six o'clock on the dot, she woke up on her own, trotted into the kitchen and looked up at me as if to say, "Okay, Mom. Where's breakfast? I'm freakin' starvin' here!"

For the first time in months, I saw life in my baby's eyes.

Molly, the precious little pitbull who has had our hearts in the pad of her paw for the last eight years, was back.

And then, of course, my eyes proceeded to fill with tears. (A sentimental sap? Yes, I am.)

At that moment, an intense gratitude unlike anything I've ever felt before flooded through my heart. I can't even express the feeling in words - there are none. It's beyond all rational thought or reason.

My heart swelled, my eyes swelled, and Molly just looked at me like I was a complete idiot.

Oh, well. I'll take it. The attitude, the sassy behavior, the hyperness, the rambunctious late night runs throughout the apartment... All of it.

So tonight I sit with gratitude in my heart and know the true meaning of appreciation. Of love. Of hope.

And of having one hella good veterinarian.



* A very old pic of Molly... Oh, God - I'm tearing up again. (Sheesh!)


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"You may have a dog that won't sit up, roll over or even cook breakfast, not because she's too stupid to learn how but because she's too smart to bother."
-- Rick Horowitz, Chicago Tribune