We Only Get One Chance

BROTHERS

2012-01-22T05:44:00.000-08:00

I have told you about my brothers before but I don't think that I have told you lately how much I love them. We have such a fun, unique relationship now that is pretty rare to find in the world these days. I didn't always feel this way mostly because while growing up, I found myself on the short end of 3 against 1 on almost a daily basis. We have all faced challenges, have lived full lives and somehow along the way became really close. I think it also helps that 2 of them married some of the most amazing women which have also helped to grow our relationships.

Last night was a celebration of family...well a celebration of the winter season and ice, with a huge helping of family on the side. The four of us balance each other really well. We make each other laugh, help each other out and have a real strong appreciation for what each of us brings to the table. There is a loyalty that is like nothing else on Earth. We all feel really lucky that we have made homes within 10 miles of one another and this lends to some good times together. I am glad we are on this journey together, and though I didn't always feel this way, I wouldn't trade them for the world.

WHAT A WEEK!!!

2012-01-21T06:03:00.000-08:00

To say this past week was incredible would be a complete understatement. I am not sure if I can find the words to do it any justice but I will attempt.

It has been exciting, exhilarating, perfect time and perfect place, talking, connection, love, growth, reading, developing, email, introspective, travel, peace, writing, heart-centeredness, exhausting, awesome, long hours, talking, Skype, sharing, Internet, love, books, friends, family, hungry, bliss, planning, creating, nurturing, staring, introducing, hugs, sounds, video, discussions, parents, happiness, pictures, flowing, riding waves, flowers, notes, work, p

lay, counsel, ideas, music, kisses, movies, voice, Facebook, Hey Tell, random facts, quotes, scrapbooks, house, lake, ice, snow, conversation, celebration, glowing, communication, energy, vulnerable, open, raw, wounds, opportunity, practice, planting seeds, simple life, pure, days, one week, favorites, feeling of readiness, special, percentages, names, togetherness, news, unpack, concerns, highlights, tremendous growth, breath, appreciation, thoughts, truth, thinking, greatness, settling in, luck, promises, responses, pleasure and singing.

It feels as though the stars have aligned and they are all on my side. Because of a few different things and my own desire for growth and evolution, and the work I am doing on myself, I can honestly say that January 12th, 2012 was a pivotal point in my life. It is as though my life can be described as "before Jan. 12th" and "after Jan. 12th". It goes way deeper than a love connection though that is a significant part of it. Where is life heading? I know what direction it is going, however I have chosen to surrender to the fact that "I will ride the wave where it takes me". It is uncharted territory for me, unfamiliar and uncomfortable. All I can do is trust that "As I take a step, the next one is revealed".

Have you had an event or a culmination of events that has led to a significant shift in your being or your life? Is there a date or a time frame that you can look back at and see an obvious shift? For me, being able to share my story brings me so much joy. Maybe you feel the same way...we only get one chance in this life. Do more things that make you happy!

BEST YEAR YET!!

2012-01-16T18:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!! It has been pretty busy and hectic start to the year...all good things. Over the past couple years, I have spent a little time brainstorming with a few friends about a "theme" for the year. For example "Life is Zen in 2010" or "There Will be 7 in 2011" or "Life is Heaven in 2011". So we were talking about 2012 and honestly, besides the word "delve", not much rhymes with 2012. I was working it out and trying to figure out a cool catch phrase for 2012 and...it is just not happening.

So I look back at the past and I ask myself "Was life really ZEN in 2010?" NO WAY!!! What about 2011..."were there 7 in 2011?" Yes there were 7 this and 7 that, but nothing that was significant that pertained to that number. "Was life HEAVEN in 2011?" NOT EVEN CLOSE!!! I was seeing a pattern and I began to think that though it is super cute and catchy to make something that rhymes, maybe the rhyming part was the problem...limiting.

This past Saturday, I spent the entire day at a Women's Retreat over in Oxford. It was a day for women, all things women, and lots of local practitioners with interesting topics about things that pertain to women and issues surrounding women's lives. It was a day to escape normal life, hide out in this great little place tucked back in the woods and get reconnected...and I enjoyed every moment of it! It was such great timing with the beginning of the year and such an awesome time to set an intention for the months to follow. So I began to think about this "phrase of the year" thing again. I was eating lunch and writing a short little note to a real special person and it hit me...THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE!! It just struck me, just like that and I thought "HOW PERFECT!!!". Since Saturday, that idea has been stuck in my head and resonating in my being. I had to tweak it a little bit to "2012, THIS IS THE BEST YEAR YET!!!" that way I am open to even better years in the future. Actually I think every year is better and better and I think it is a great time to sit for a moment and be grateful for that fact. Each year reveals to me a little more about me, and the more I know about me, the better.

How about you? Have you set any intentions for the year? What kind of a feeling does 2012 give you? Any plans, moves, changes? Is life how you want it to be or is there something or some role you need to step into? Let's get going...we only get one chance...lets make it THE BEST YEAR YET!!!

DELIBERATE ACTION

2011-12-14T05:31:00.000-08:00

"Hey Erica! There is a sloth right outside our window!" comes from the bedroom of the bungalow I was staying at in Costa Rica. In that particular instance, the girlfriend I was sharing a room with happened to look out the window. It was that particular instance she spotted him, however I am thinking that it is quite possible that she could have looked out at any point that entire morning, and maybe that entire day, and that sloth would have still been there. They do not move fast.

I saw a cartoon a few weeks back that this guy had gone to the doctor to ask why he was turning green. The doctor said something like "I would suggest you start an exercise program. You are growing moss!" The sloth is the same way. You cannot see it from this angle however the fur on his back was green, literally growing moss because he moved so slow! The picture you see is taken with my iPhone and though my arm is extended as far as it will go, the picture itself is not zoomed in. This sloth didn't have a care in the world. We opened our window and then our screen and talked to him, made fake sloth noises (whatever those are), took tons of pictures, made a movie (its a sloth movie and incredibly boring or I would post it) and it is really true, you cannot scare a sloth!

So I sat and watched him. He just hung there, would reach out to grab a branch or a leaf in what looked like a slow-motion movie. I watched him sniff a couple leaves, then open his mouth and bite down on one, then let go of that branch and go back to chewing and hanging around. We had plans that morning which interrupted our sloth-viewing session or I would have stayed and watched for a while. They move so slowly and so deliberately, or so it seems. Their moves seem so well thought out, every millimeter planned and executed with precision. We later learned that they only go to the bathroom once a week and to do that they come down from the trees.

They are interesting creatures and have a rather mysterious feeling about them. I would say there is a real sense of the present-time consciousness when it comes to the activities during their days. There didn't seem to be much wasted energy on stuff that didn't matter. It reminds me of moments when I find myself really present. Its that "work smarter, not harder" idea. Be deliberate with your time and energy. Many people walk around in life almost asleep. Have you ever driven your car and arrived at your destination without even knowing what route you took to get there or what you saw along the way? Have you ever finished dinner without even knowing what the food tasted like? Have you ever logged into Facebook, turned on a video game, or sat down in front of the TV and gotten up hours later wondering how 4 hours passed without you noticing?

This sloth reminded me of being present, making conscious decisions, and taking deliberate action. It is the idea of the "herd mentality" and taking a different path then the rest of the pack. I was standing in line and waiting to bathroom before a 5k this past weekend. I was 3rd in line for what appeared to be a full 3 stall bathroom...or full because the doors were shut. After waiting for the rotation of stalls to clear, I began to notice that the 3rd stall was skipping the rotation. Breaking free from the "herd" to deliberately walk up and check to see if the door was locked revealed a free stall. Who knows how long it had been free, however the line could have moved 33% faster if we were being a little more awake, aware and deliberate. Take the next 24 hours and check in with yourself during all the activities you participate in and make sure you are awake and really living life...maybe be a little more "sloth-like" and deliberate. We only get one chance...

DONDE ESTA LA PLAYA??

2011-12-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

Most of you know that I spent Thanksgiving in Costa Rica...and many of you are waiting to see some pictures. I am waiting to get some pictures from a friend, however until then, I do have a few to post. The trip itself was amazing! It was 10 full days of great friends, new friends, laughter, great conversation, beaches, a beautiful bride, her handsome groom, great chiropractic adjustments, loads of walking, dancing, a few drinks, great Costa Rican food, lots of monkeys, a few sloths, live salsa music, down time, play time, jellyfish stings, monkey bites (yes, the father of the bride got bit by a white-face monkey), surfing, exercising, boat rides, zip-line canopy tours, great accommodations, amazing service, time for journaling and reading, sun-bathing, swimming in the ocean, kayaking, reconnection, silent contemplation, sleeping, music, shopping, delicious fruit, rain, humidity, crazy frizzy hair, girl-time and sunsets. I am trying to think of all the things I did with my time off and that pretty much sums it up.

Some things that were absent: a set schedule, time commitments, a cell phone, text messages and emails continually following me around, bills, layered clothing, goose down, boots, socks, driving, car that needed gas, laundry (although it was piling up), not many hair products (they didn't do any good anyways), and negativity was absent as well.

I find it very easy, once I make it on time to the plane, to settle in and get out of my everyday mode. I am grateful for the ability to leave it all behind, however that is made possible largely because I know that my practice is taken care of by my amazing staff and anything that could potentially come up in my personal life, my family would step in and help out. I am grateful for my life and all those that are in it. I am very grateful to be able to step away and have the ability to have amazing experiences with some really awesome people.

I am not one that obsesses about sunsets...it's not that I don't love a beautiful sunset, I just don't necessarily go and seek them out. That all changed while I was there and I am sure you can see the reason for that...absolutely beautiful!!! The area we were in was very hilly, or maybe more like cliffs. The views were absolutely spectacular and these are a few from the bungalow I stayed in and the beach we played at.

SUPER HERO CHRISTMAS

2011-12-01T09:06:00.000-08:00

Last night I bought a wimpy Christmas tree. I say wimpy because it is only an 7 foot tree and looks so small. Over the last few years, I have been used to my 20+ foot ceilings and I would get 10+ foot trees because I had just the perfect spot. This year I am back to standard 8 foot ceilings and that is very limiting outside of cutting a hole in the ceiling. One of our favorite couples came into the Cafe this morning and I got laughing so hard as I was reminded me of a Christmas tree incident that happened last year. It goes something like this...

I cannot remember exactly what the evening consisted of, however I know that there was some sort of drama involved that left me feeling a little "run over". I remember pulling into my garage after midnight with a distressed feeling and ready to go to bed and start the next day new. I walked into my house, set my keys down, kicked off my shoes and was heading upstairs when I noticed that my 12 foot Christmas tree had taken a tumble and many ornaments were smashed on the floor. "Where is that dog?!?!" ...oh, right, he is still in his kennel being a good boy. There weren't any earthquakes so the only one I could blame it on was the little physics wizard inside of me that was on vacation when I put it into the tree stand...apparently off balance. Then my inner comedian chimed in with "If a 12 foot Christmas tree falls in a living room and no one is around, does it make a sound?"

I quickly accepted the destruction and decided since it was already after midnight and nobody is around to help...this is the PERFECT time to remedy the situation. So with one big heave, I was able to get it mostly upright...well upright as long as I was holding it there...but if I was holding it, who is going to re-do the screws in the tree stand so that it won't tip over again????? BRILLIANT ERICA!!!! Your SUPERWOMAN complex is really getting you into trouble this time around!!! So next decision to make was... 1. Let the tree fall again and go out on a limb and ask for help tomorrow, or... 2. Be grateful for long arms and find some of that SUPERHERO strength and somehow make it happen. Let's put it this way...you all know which one I chose (I mean really, if you have been following this blog at all, you know me quite well), I dove in waist deep in pine needles, it was a dumb idea, and I was sore for days!!! ...and if you do know me, I am sure you can get the visual and have probably let out a chuckle and the ridiculous-ness.

Moral of the story...if you are one person, don't try to do a two-person job! Learn to ask for help when it is appropriate because helping others is human nature and if you ask, I can guarantee someone will step in and be glad to. Running my chiropractic office, I have people coming in all the time because they tried to do a two-person job on their own. Learn from my mistakes...or just buy smaller Christmas trees!!! 'Tis the Season!!!

ITS THE TIME FOR GRATITUDE!

2011-11-14T15:06:00.001-08:00

Some people on facebook are writing status updates about things they are grateful every day through the month of November up until Thanksgiving Day (the 24th). I decided I would do them all at once this way instead.

1. I am thankful for my health.
2. I am thankful for my family.
3. I am thankful to be living and practicing in Fenton, MI. I love this little town.
4. I am thankful for my practice
5. I have so much gratitude for the amazing staff at the Cafe of LIFE.
6. I am thankful for a clear mind.
7. I am thankful to have buddy Choco, my chocolate lab, in my life.
8. I am so very grateful I have the opportunity to be an aunt.
9. I am over the top grateful for the amazing yoga studio/community I am involved in.
10. I am thankful for good friends, and amazing experiences with said friends.
11. I am so grateful for the ability to travel.
12. I am grateful for all the lessons I learned though my relationships.
13. I am grateful for a special someone who is out there right now...you know who you are:)
14. I am thankful for music and the way it can shift me.
15. I am so grateful for the people that are committed to the Cafe of LIFE Book Club.
16. I am thankful for clothes on my back, food in my belly and a roof over my head.
17. I have so much gratitude for the lady that cleans my house and makes life easier for me.
18. I am grateful to have been born into a HUGE extended family!
19. I am grateful for summer weekends on the lake passing the hours with my family.
20. I am thankful to have been introduced to snow sports at such a young age that has led to my love of winter.
21. I am grateful to have lived in many parts of this country.
22. I am so very thankful for the picture window in my office that overlooks the river.
23. I am grateful for beautiful sunsets out said window and the ones at home.
24. I am grateful for my life...at times I forget how big.

This list could go on and on. What are you grateful for?

THE ANTI-FAN

2011-11-07T13:18:00.001-08:00

I attended a football game at Michigan State University this past Saturday "GO SPARTANS!!!". I love going to the campus, I love being in the stadium and I just love everything about a day of college football. It was the most beautiful day for a football game and we sat in some really great seats...well, great seats to watch the game, not so great seats for one particular fan, or "anti-fan", that sat behind us. The entire game, this anti-fan shouted out the meanest things. He was a MSU fan and I am pretty sure one that has been attending games for years and years. He was loud, angry, negative and down-right mean. They would do something great and he would be sarcastic with his support. They would do something bad and he would shout something like "WELL WE HAVE GROWN TO EXPECT THAT FROM YOU GUYS!!!" They would start moving the ball down the field and he would act shocked, they would have a turnover and he would go back to his "of-course-that-just-happened" attitude. It was unbelievable that someone would pay money to come to a college football game and knock their team so much...to top it off, he was not quiet about it. His wife was with him and a younger woman sat on his other side...both of them were ultra-quiet...and it went on the entire game.

There are two things I learned from that...1. I am really glad I do not have anyone in my life that is that negative and 2. if you are a fan, BE A FAN!!! There is a saying "You get more bees with honey than vinegar". If you are looking for positive results, it is important to have a positive attitude. Now some would ask, how much effect could one guy in the stands have on a team that is down on the field? and, does it really matter if one guy is being negative in a crowd of positivity? Have you ever heard the saying "One bad apple spoils a bushel"? I was not letting him effect me on a conscious level, but who knows what he was doing on a subconscious level to my energy, much less everyone else around him. More than anything, if a guy is that pissed off and negative at a wonderful college sporting event, I can only imagine what he is like in a stressful situation. If someone like that is the patriarch of a family, I would wager his negativity infiltrates his family members...and I know for a fact that it is effecting his health.

It isn't always easy to keep a positive attitude, especially when life seems to be throwing you lemons...but what about that saying "When life throws you lemons, make lemonade". By writing about this, I am by no means complaining about him. I am hoping to increase the awareness around attitude. When someone asks "How are you?" let's run through 2 possible answers. "Not bad." is one possible answer...but "Not bad." leans towards negative energy. What if when asked how you are, you answer "I am good." or "I am really great!". Even just saying those two answers, as compared to the first, really changes the energy of how you are feeling...and in essence changes the energy in and around your body.

How are you spending your life? Where are you focusing your energy? What small changes can you make to shift your perspective in a more positive direction? Let's start today...we only get one chance to make this the best life possible!

HALLOWEEN

2011-11-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

Halloween means 2 things to me...COSTUMES AND CANDY!! The costume part of the 2...pure fun! The candy...a double-edged sword. Candy does a weird thing to me. It is fun to eat, tastes amazing, and releases "feel good" and comforting chemicals in the body. I always have mixed feelings about giving away candy at Halloween...and it mostly has to do with the detrimental effects the sugar has on immune system function. I have settled this battle in my head by giving out caramel apples at the Cafe. It allows me to still have fun with candy but also get that apple in there as well since..."An apple a day keeps the doctor away!".

So this year I decided I wanted to do a little more educating when it comes to sugar and the immune system. What is the physiology behind sugar and the immune system and why is sugar so detrimental?

Interesting to note, October-February seems to be dubbed "Cold and Flu Season". I would like to open your minds a little bit to the fact that it may be better termed "Sugar Season". Halloween starts with the candy that can last for weeks, then Thanksgiving is filled with deserts, and December is the month of endless holiday parties, Christmas cookies, wine and other cocktails.

Do you want the physiology? The major players in the immune system, namely the white blood cells, need vitamin C in order to do their work. Vitamin C and sugar have a similar structure and if sugar is around, it will bind to the activation site and block Vit C. When you ingest sugar you can think of your immune system slowing down to a crawl. Not a good thing. Then do that over and over for days, weeks and potentially 2 straight months...guess what? COLDS and FLU VIRUSES set in!!

So let's approach this holiday season with a little more awareness...and a little more will power to steer clear of all that sugar. Indulge some, but keep it to a minimum and I bet you will find more energy to enjoy the celebrations, friends and family, and I bet you will come through the winter season a little happier and healthier.

I am by no means saying that I keep my diet completely clear of sugar. On most days I do however I found myself digging in some on Halloween with all the goodies we had at the Cafe of LIFE. I also found myself experiencing some intense sugar cravings on Tuesday, needing extra sleep on Tuesday night and a good portion of Wednesday and am finally feeling back to normal. It is fun while it lasts...tastes great while it is in your mouth and I feel good about it all for about 3-4 minutes. Then I spend 3 full days recovering from it all. It simply is not worth it.

We may as well do the best we can with the choices of what we put in in our bodies...we only get one chance.

2011-11-02T15:25:00.001-07:00

"We are all just walking each other home" -Ram Dass

FLASH MOB

2011-10-26T04:50:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I had my first flash mob experience!!! How fun! Flash mobs are happening all over the world these days. Have you heard of it? Basically people choose places where there are predicted to be large crowds and start some music and do a choreographed dance. If you have ever witnessed one, it begins with just 3 or 4 people. Then a large group gathers around to watch and a portion of the spectators are actually in on the dance and join. Then usually there is another section of the crowd that seem innocent but are actually in on it too and join and when it is over, everyone goes back to doing whatever they were doing and act like nothing happened. It is about bringing joy to others through the element of surprise and dance.

So I got wind of this group called Flash Mob America and I registered with them to receive their updates. It just so happens they were coming to do one in Ann Arbor...and you know me, always looking for rich, rewarding experiences...so I decided I would make it a point to join in the fun. I arrived at 9am for rehearsal which lasted for 3 hours. We went over and over and over the dance and learned about the specifics of how it develops because there is no actual practice time in the chosen location. There were about 80 people that were at rehearsal and it was awesome to see it all come together.

The flash mob took place at the Artisan Market in Kerrytown area of Ann Arbor (the same location as the farmer's market if you have ever been). The 80 participants walked around shopping leading up to the time it was supposed to start which was 1pm. Then out of nowhere, we here the beginnings of the song "Party Rock"...which literally starts with the singer yelling "PARTY ROCK!!" Then 4 people began the dance and it evolved from there. I was fortunate to have a friend standing by and videotaped the entire thing and I wanted to share it...and my incredible dance moves, jk :)...with all of you.

If you get wind of a flash mob happening in your area...check it out, join in and have some fun. We only get one chance...dance like no one is watching...or dance like the whole world is watching and shake that booty and make it count!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_Wb35o4qOQ&feature=feedu

The above link gets you to the YouTube Clip of the video my friend took. I am in the middle with the black sweatshirt, black hat and boots.

SOMETIMES...

2011-10-17T14:15:00.000-07:00

...wearing the medal the next day actually helps with the soreness that follows a run like that. It makes me smile!

"A journey of a thousand miles (or 13.1) begins with a single step."
-Lao-tzu

ANOTHER HALF DOWN

2011-10-17T09:09:00.001-07:00

Can you say, "HOLY SORE LEGS, BATMAN!!!!" I ran the Detroit Half Marathon for the third year in a row yesterday. It is such a fun race and draws me back year after year.
It started with a cool, fall morning, a few sprinkles and some pretty intense wind. I decided to stay downtown Detroit with some friends because of the 7AM start which was a very good choice. The past 2 years I had to wake up at 4AM to make it to the race on time and that is brutal.

I have a few pictures that I want to share so you can see some of the sights along the race. It is so much fun to run across the bridge to Canada and back through the tunnel to the US.

Also I recently learned how to breathe...after almost 7 years of long distance running, in the past month, I finally learned how to breathe and it is making a HUGE difference. In fact I cut off 26 minutes from my time last year...26 minutes!!! That is 2 minutes per mile difference which is significant. I will let you know what I mean when I say "I learned how to breathe" in a future post but for now, I am just celebrating the accomplishment. Crossing the finish line is one of the greatest feelings in the world and I am sure is what keeps runners coming back for more and more. I didn't have my running buddy with me for this race, but he caught up with me when I finished and those are the best hugs ever!

Every year I get to this point, after finishing my big goal for the year of running a half, I promise myself that I will keep running on a regular basis to include one long run per week...then 2 months go by without even lacing up my running shoes. This year it is going to be different. I am promising myself, and letting all of you hold me accountable to, running at least twice a week and walking once. I'm really going to do it this time...especially now that I am making some headway with my times, I don't want to take any steps back.

Ever considered running a Half Marathon? ...or even a 5K? It starts with putting one foot in front of the other and having the confidence to reach for big goals. Need recommendations about how to start? Come talk to me!

SITTING AND SITTING AND SITTING...

2011-09-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

I am not sure how this is happening... I have been out in practice for over 6 years talking to people about the challenges that sitting all day has on our health. Our culture tends towards jobs that are done in a seated position for long hours everyday…sometimes 8 or more hours…plus an hour drive to and from work. It is one of the most unhealthy and stressful positions for the body to be in. So right now, I have been sitting for almost 4 hours. I have taken three 5 minute breaks to walk around and move. I have another at least 21 hours to go over the next 3 days. I am not sure how this is going to work out.

When I look back to my days of being a doctorate student, we had 35 hours of mandatory attendance

(35 hours of mostly sitting) classroom work and another 15-30 hours of studying (mostly sitting as well) per week. Since graduation and now being in practice, I sit for a maximum amount of 20 minute periods at a time and usually more like 3-5 minutes. So my question is how am I at the chiropractic college and being required to sit for hours and hours and hours when this is the very place I learned how stressful sitting is on the spine and nerve system? Seems there should be some sort of a walking class, or standing desks or something here.

Thank goodness (insert sarcastic tone here) that I learned to sit long hours when I first started elementary school, and kept doing it for 12 years through school and another 10 years in college. Looking back, I have had enough training to know how to do this, however because I have so much more awareness about the body, bio mechanics and health, this is incredibly difficult. You may think that sitting stress has to do with just the low back…but sit long enough and it will effect the upper back, the neck, circulation and nerve supply to the glutes and lower extremities…and all kinds of other things. I understand why elementary classrooms are designed with seats and desks and requirements to stay in them for organization, but maybe…just maybe this is where all of our health problems start.

Our bodies were meant to move, they are designed that way and are happier when doing so. I am grateful that my classes are full of chiropractors and that I can get adjusted frequently when I am here. I also know that I was going to be needing some serious exercise to counter-act some of this stress which I have planned for and will make a priority.

Are you sitting all day? Are you taking actions to counteract those daily stresses? Switching jobs is a much bigger challenge than counter-acting the effects of that sitting job and long drive have on your spine and health...do yourself a favor and take this information into account when looking for after work activities. We only get one chance.

ATLANTA, GA

2011-09-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

I am on my way to Atlanta. It seems like a long time since I have spent any real time there. It is another home for me. I spent a few years in school there and am still quite connected with the chiropractic college and many people that are involved at the school. One thing about Atlanta, I love the diversity. Have you been to Atlanta?

At one point I heard that 75% of the people that are in Atlanta are transplanted…mostly from the north. That makes for the city having an interesting personality of a northern feel with southern hospitality. This small town of Fenton is incredibly non-diverse…what would be the correct word for that? Homogeneous? I don't know…but I know you get the point. When I moved home I was shocked at how far I had to drive for any culture…and not to mention cuisine. I tend to steer away from "American" food and do not care much for Italian either. I had to drive 30-45 minutes to get things like Thai, Sushi, Indian and Ethiopian food. Things are improving slowly but surely but I love being in Atlanta where you can find all kinds of fun food on every corner.

I lived in Atlanta at a really special time in my life. I began chiropractic college and was making the greatest life-long friends and learning and growing so much as a student, but more importantly as a person. It was a time when I began to focus inward and really look at what makes me me and how I got that way. With this amazing group of friends, we spent a lot of time in introspection. Seems we were all digging for answers to the same questions…What is life really all about? Why am I here? What is my purpose? How can I live in a peaceful way? How can I serve others? What do I want to manifest in my life? How can I become more healthy and whole? …and the late night conversations filled with philosophy, connection and laughter are really precious memories for me.

Atlanta was home of the first Cafe of LIFE office I had ever been to. Cafe of LIFE is not a franchise, it is more a concept of shifting chiropractic away from a medical setting. The day I walked into that Cafe, and the first adjustment I received from the chiropractor, changed my life forever. It was a pivotal moment that I will share the specifics of in a later blog in case you haven't heard the story. My path to some deep core healing began in Atlanta, and entering the Cafe of LIFE that day was a catalyst for that.

So when I get back there, I become really nostalgic. All the sights and sounds and smells and feels take me back to a really sweet transitioning point in my life…and also the point when I learned what it means to SERVE. I will spend the weekend in seminar and reigniting my internal flame with laughter and community and the enjoyment of being back on the campus and in a place that taught me so much about me. Have an amazing weekend everyone!!!

I REMEMBER...

2011-09-19T12:43:00.000-07:00

I remember this feeling. I am in a new house and a new bed and I have yet to move the rest of my furniture into the new place. Over the past couple days I have had some upper back stiffness and I feel really hunched over and locked up. I am sitting at my desk and trying to remember when I felt this last...and then it hit me...it was prior to the purchase of my Sleep Number bed.

I remember waking up for years feeling like I got hit by a truck while I was sleeping. I was (and am) working out, drinking lots of water, stretching and doing yoga on a continual basis and at that age (and this age), there is no way my body should have felt (and currently feel) like that. (I am not trying to be a commercial for Sleep Number by telling you all this.) I purchased my bed 2 years ago after stopping in a store on a recommendation of another chiropractor. Everything they were telling me was making sense and when I got it home and tried it for myself, I was really, really impressed and amazed with my ability to rest and feel rested in the morning. It is one of those things that after sleeping on it for so long, I had forgotten the difference...until the past 2.5 weeks.

The biggest challenge I have now is that my Sleep Number bed I have at home is a queen and my new master bedroom has a king and requires a king...so I am going to have to go and purchase a king Sleep Number in the very near future. People that come in and get adjusted at my chiropractic office ask me all the time what bed I recommend. I always give them my personal experience because what else can i possibly talk about besides what I have done myself.

We spend a third of our lives in bed and it is important to make an investment in the quality of sleep we get. How can we possibly move through our days and do what we need to do feeling like we got hit by a truck sometime during the night? Just for the record, there are many really good quality beds on the market. Everyone is slightly different and our bodies have different requirements when it comes to relaxation and sleep. The best advice I can give on sleep position is to make sure your spine is as neutral as possible...making sure there are no twists, extra stress or sagging occurring...and I am grateful to know what I need to do about this and where to go to return to happy sleeping!!!

LESSONS AND LESSONS AND LESSONS...DO THEY EVER STOP?

2011-09-14T06:44:00.000-07:00

Guess what? No the lessons don't ever stop. What i realize in life is if we don't listen and learn the lesson the first time around, it is bigger and louder the next time, and bigger and louder the next time. Life is really grand...however I have been in a lot of transition for the past month or so and I am ready to go into coast mode for a bit and have some peace.

Some things I have learned lately...

-be patient

-keep exercising

-allow others into my personal space

-don't take things personally

-don't make assumptions

-I love a peaceful life

-sitting for hours starting at a body of water is very relaxing

-family is the greatest

-I am very passionate about assisting mothers in their birth process

-I am back home and can really feel my roots

-my body can function for 39 straight hours without rest

-when I lay down in my bed, let the day go

-even if I don't feel like doing yoga, go anyways...that feeling will change

-parking my yoga mat in front of a heater really steps up my practice

-I am grateful for how and where I grew up

-saying a heart-felt deep "I'm sorry" is really powerful

-I love my book club

-people make mistakes in life...really BIG ones sometimes...and it is OK in the end

-I love my work work more and more every day

-friendships/relationships come and go

-sometimes it is best to let go, and sometime I need to hold on really tight

-Fenton is often a little too small for me

-I couldn't live in Fenton without Ethos Yoga Studio so close

-I may give my right big toe to have a Trader Joe's open in Fenton...and I am pretty sure there are a few that would join me

-I love fall

-I really want to go visit New Orleans again...without tropical storms next time

What have you learned lately?

I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES!

2011-08-17T05:29:00.001-07:00

As I walk around the past few weeks, the word "lucky" comes up in my head over and over. It has been in the forefront of my mind lately how lucky I am. Some people will argue that there is no such thing as luck and to some respect, I would agree with that. I think Life puts things in our paths according to the work we have done, the energy we radiate and what we can handle. I have done and still continue to do my work...working on myself, my wounds, my strengths and my weaknesses. I feel lucky because some key areas in my life are coming together all at the same time...that is the luck that is on my mind lately and it pertains to work, family, my living situation and my personal life.

I am a doula (Doula is a word that has most closely become associated with a woman or man[1] who provides non-medical support to other women and their families during labour and childbirth, and also the postpartum period) and this past Monday I attended the most amazingly beautiful home water birth. It just so happens she went into labor on Monday morning and by my lunch period things were well underway. Let me set the scene for you...I walked in to peace, a dim lit home, light rhythmic music playing in the background, a fan blowing, Mom in the birthing tub, friend/doula by her side putting cold wash cloths on her back and neck, husband close by and checking in with Mom when necessary, mid-wife sitting back and waiting and watching with a supportive energy and soothing words, birth assistant ready to be the key support to the mid-wife, and the dog patiently watching over the room from a bed in the corner.

Her labor went on all morning but the actual pushing was a short 35 minutes to the birth of a beautiful baby boy. When mothers are adjusted through their entire pregnancy, labor and delivery times are quick since the body is balanced and ready. It was picture perfect. I checked and adjusted the little one within minutes of coming into the world, did what I could to help for about an hour, checked and adjusted everyone else and headed out and back to the Cafe of LIFE to serve for the afternoon. That was one incredible day!

In the midst of this beautiful scenario, I stepped back and thought to myself...how lucky am I! What an honor to be invited in to the most intimate moments in this particular family's life. I feel lucky to be in this place, at this time and having the experiences I am. When I get to experience Innate Intelligence in its rawest form and bear witness to the strength of a woman in the moment of giving birth, I am humbled and forever grateful to have even been invited. Life is amazing...make sure you are getting out there and living it!

PEACE IS A PROCESS

2011-08-10T05:25:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up in such a profound state of peace. There are a lot of things in life that seem to be coming together like pieces in a puzzle. When I am not busy trying to make things happen (which I have spent a good portion of the past few years doing), I am able to really sit back and be completely present and drink in each and every second. That happened in an amazing way last night.

It started with a run...almost 5 miles with great company. Because of my challenged heart, I have never been able to enjoy running with other people. My body can only carry so much oxygen and I can only breathe so hard, so to run with someone was almost too stressful. I would find myself worried about not going fast enough and possibly taking away from someone else's experience. For as long as I have been running, I have only ever had company maybe 5 times...until the past couple weeks. It is nice to have someone to chat with, catch up with and spend the time with and the run goes by so quickly and with so much ease. It is still difficult to breathe at points but I just keep pushing, and maybe even push a little harder than I would on my own, and in the long run (no pun intended) I am sure it will help me to progress as an athlete.

This particular running buddy has an office in what used to be a yoga studio. It is set up pretty much the way it was when classes were happening there and the space has some seriously good mojo. It is an older building with those beautiful old wood floors, high ceilings and the room feels really open and free. It calls out for you to do yoga or dance when you are in there...and so I had my own private yoga studio, perfect lighting and Coffee House on the radio. There were intense moments of asana practice followed by rest and melting into that wood floor. It was peaceful and comfortable and healing and I seriously could have slept there after the run and yoga session. It was a peaceful drive home, a great night's sleep and a fullness in my heart this morning in a way like I just filled up the gas tank in my car.

So I am going to ride that wave for the rest of this week. Peace is a process and it is something that I work on/strive for on a daily basis. With all the reading, studying, yoga, working out, journaling, practicing that I do, I have come to a place where peace is possible. It is fleeting at times and sticks around at other times. Last night was a culmination of all the right pieces fitting together in just the right places to make all this work worth it.

I truly hope there are moments that you find yourself in that state as well. This may require that you chisel out some time for yourself, dissect out some poisonous people from your life, excavate some bad habits, cultivate some health-ful daily practices and find an amazing running buddy with a cool office like I did:) Start doing what you need to do in order to live your life fully...we only get once chance.

TRY SOMETHING NEW

2011-08-04T13:40:00.000-07:00

It was just over a week ago that i brought a friend to yoga class with me. He had never done yoga and going to the studio for the first time can create a little bit of anxiety not knowing what to expect. The class was amazing as usual and he did great. At the end of the evening I told him I was glad he was game for attending that class...and his response "I am up for just about anything as long as it doesn't leave a permanent scar, I don't have to get a tetanus shot and it doesn't ruin my credit".

Initially I laughed pretty hard...but since then I have been pondering how much power is behind those simple words. Life is all about having experiences, relating to others and learning...and that particular statement is all encompassing. How many times have you found yourself bowing out of something because "Its too cold", "Its too hot", "Its too hard", "Its too early", "Its too uncomfortable", "I don't have time", "I'm too tired", "I'm not strong enough", "I have too much to do". We make those excuses time after time and we watch life fly by and really miss out on some pretty great things.

I do my best to life my life in a way that puts me in places to have rich, rewarding experiences. Sometimes it is intimidating to enter into some of those situations I have no idea about and do something for the first time. Generally I have found that the more nervous I am about something, the more amazing I feel when I am finished. So instead of placing too many restrictions and being a fair-weather participant...how about creating a couple simple restrictions of your own, or adopting those three simple ones...doesn't leave a permanent scar, no tetanus shot and doesn't ruin your credit. Life becomes really, really exciting when you live like that and you will find yourself doing things you never even knew were on the menu...at least that is what I have found so far. We only get one chance...let's make it to the end with no regrets!

TIMING IS EVERYTHING!!

2011-08-01T15:14:00.000-07:00

If you were to ask my Mom, she would say that I am not and have never been the most patient person. I am not one that needs to have things "RIGHT NOW" but I am one that if I get something on my mind, it needs to happen in the "VERY NEAR FUTURE". I used to always say that once I have kids, I will learn patience. Of course I haven't had that opportunity yet and so Life is teaching me lessons using other medium and boy they have been some real stingers lately.

Life always has it's ups and downs and I have learned to roll with the tide. I have come to realize that there is a plan out there that is WAY bigger than me and if I can just surrender to whatever that is, life is simpler and easier than trying to push and make things happen. I have learned this is a lot of different ways however I have to credit my yoga practice with teaching me so much about how to manage and gracefully handle the waves in life. I am still human though and when I know that something is happening in life that is super exciting, I have a hard time not wanting to get to the exciting point as quickly as possible. This lesson has come up pretty strong this summer in two different ways, and in retrospect, it is so clear to see why and how it is all going to work out and for that, I am so grateful!

The past week/weekend was really incredible. I have sat back and watched a couple really amazing things happen. I have been involved in the purchase of a short sale home since early May. It is a great little home in a great little spot and I was super excited to transition out of my condo and into a "Big Girl Home" as one of my friends referred to it. It has been a long 3 months with people continuously asking me when I am going to close with my answer always being "I don't have a date confirmed but I am supposed to close on or before July 31st". So with this past weekend approaching, my realtor and I put an extension on the contract. That very afternoon, just a short 5 hours after signing the extension, another house came up on the market and through a chain of communication I ended up seeing it the next morning and putting an offer on it that was accepted that evening and I will close within 30 days! The lesson in patience was reinforced for me in a really powerful way. "Good things come to those who wait"...I get it now.

The second lesson in patience this summer is private and really near and dear to my heart. It has been guiding me through a beautiful lesson is patience and timing and it is a slow process. This is something I will report back about further down the road.

We have one chance to live this life and sometimes our thoughts and desires are the limiting factor in us experiencing our greatest life possible. There is a plan out there, a much larger plan and no way for us to really predict how it is all going to turn out. I have found that the very best thing I can do is stay present, stay calm, enjoy the people and experiences I have in my life and just keep putting one foot in front of the other, or (I love swimming) taking one stroke at a time as we navigate this sea of life.

THE SIMPLE THINGS

2011-07-27T05:22:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I accompanied a girlfriend to a party on the lake. Besides my friend, I wasn't going to know a single person at the party but it seems that when hanging out around the lake, everyone is so friendly that I was sure it was going to be a good time. Something about the lake makes people happy. My understanding of the reason for the party was this couple got married and bought a house without telling anyone until it was over so this was a celebration of both of those things.

My assumption was correct and the party was a blast. The people were fun. The food was good. The house was beautiful. We stayed well into the night. Around 11pm were all chatting around a fire down by the water and Bob, the host of the party, arrived with a small cardboard box of stuff. It turns out that he had a bunch of Chinese lanterns.

Have you seen the movie "Tangled" the animated story of Rapunzel? Someone had recommended it to me so I watched it a few months back. Rapunzel finally had a day outside of the tower and her only goal was to go towards the lights. Every year, on her birthday, when she looked out the window in the evening, the sky would fill up with small lights. Though it was just an animated cartoon, the scene was really, really beautiful. She spent her free day in search of the source of those lights. Those lights were Chinese lanterns released from the people in the village. Fast forward to the happily-ever-after end of the movie is a beautiful scene filled with these lights, so beautiful I got a little choked up.

So you can imagine my delight when I realized that Bob had Chinese lanterns and that I was going to be able to light one and let it float up into the sky. I had no idea those lanterns existed in real life (though now that I googled it, I realize they are not THAT big of a deal) I don't know if it is the fairytale-like scene that I am delighted by or what but it completely made my night to be able to light one off, actually it made my entire weekend! Its a really simple thing...but finding the joy in those simple little things is what life is all about right? Have you found ridiculous joy in something so simple lately?

JOURNAL ENTRY 4/5/11

2011-07-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

I have looked back at this journal entry a few times and I want to put it up here because I think that it may speak to a few of you and I want to share it. In yoga, we talk so much about coming to our "edge" on a physical level and how that physical "edge" can be a metaphor for other layers of our being. This was part of that particular lesson.

"4/5/11
I found myself at three interesting "edges" today. The first has to do with the cleanse and I'm still trying to figure out where these messages of "let's be done now" are coming from because I know my body is being physically nourished well. The second has to do with the commitment to this process of Yoga Teacher Training with my favorite party of the year this Friday...Tiger's Opening Day ( I am not a die-hard baseball fan, but I am a HUGE Opening Day fan). I was even offered 2 sets of tickets to the game and everything.

The last edge is really personal, but being at that edge I have 2 options...#1 I can back up and go the other way, or #2 I could jump and grow wings after my feet leave the ground. This particular edge is familiar and I have been here before. Last time I went the other way. I'm deciding which to choose this time and wondering even why this is presenting itself again...but it is, and when I flip a coin and make the agreement with myself that I will do what the coin says and it turns up the side of "jump"...I run through the scenario in my head and there is a incredible heart-opening joy and peace involved.

The "edge" takes on many shapes and forms and keeps showing up in many different areas in life. It is dynamic and personal and teaches us about what it is like to be us in that particular moment, at that particular time. The best thing we can do is brush up against it so we know where it is, and see if we can connect with something inside that gives us the strength and courage to push through those limits. This is how we grow and evolve."

Namaste

VEGAN = A BETTER ME

2011-07-12T13:21:00.000-07:00

My life is an ongoing process of "being me" and learning more and more about what "being me" is like on a daily basis. I love having a blog because as I grow and learn, I have an avenue to share some of those lessons with you and over the past couple months I have learned a lot. The following is just one of the many lessons as of late.

At the beginning of Yoga Teacher Training I made a commitment to be vegetarian for 3 months. In the middle of Teacher Training we did a 21 day cleanse that cut out all animal products as well as a few other things, which in essence is when I went completely vegan. After 21 days on that cleanse I felt so great that I continued for another 30 days or so and ever since then have chosen not to return to any animal products, not even eggs or cheese...and at that point I came to an amazing realization in my life...I FEEL AMAZING DAY IN AND DAY OUT!!

Prior to the initial commitment to become vegetarian, I was dealing with feelings of starvation 3-4 times a day, beginning early in the morning and would wake me up out of my sleep. I changed my diet and I no longer have that anymore. Some other amazingly wonderful things that I have noticed...
1. As already mentioned...I do not have to deal with feelings low blood sugar and starvation.
2. I do not have to sleep as much...I used to require 9-10 hours of sleep and sometimes a nap to feel good...now I am feeling great with 6-7 hours per night.
3. I have not been congested at all. I feel clear and free every day.
4. I have massively high amounts of energy.
5. I wake up and jump right out of bed.
6. I have huge amounts of energy when I workout.
7. I have been migraine free for 5 months now.
8. My mind is clear and my mood is good.
9. I have less wrinkles on my skin and less cellulite.
10. There is true, deep, profound peace in my being.

Being a health care provider, people ask me all the time about my diet. I had a very good, clean omnivore diet prior to making that initial commitment without any intentions of changing what I was doing. I was actually really nervous about switching over to a vegetarian diet thinking that I wouldn't get enough substance to keep my blood sugar levels up. That couldn't be further from the truth for me. For the above reasons, and so many more...I will be sticking to what I am doing. There is a bit of controversy about a vegan diet and that it is lacking some key amino acids necessary to build a strong, healthy body. I have taken that into consideration and supplement accordingly.

Our bodies are roughly 80% water and are happier if we consume things that match that percentage which means lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. I am by no means promoting a vegan diet for everyone and I believe we need to continue to explore to determine what is right ourselves individually. I do, however, encourage a "plant based" diet which will include loads of fresh, live fruits and vegetables and organic and local whenever possible. When we put raw and alive food, an apple for example, into our bodies...we are actually consuming that apple's life energy. Wouldn't you want to add more life whenever possible?

We get one chance...one life...one opportunity to experience all that we can in this body. I am choosing to help my body be the best, feel the best and promote health from the inside. Are there areas in your diet that could maybe use a little renovation? a little alteration? There is no time like the present.

TRIATHLON SUCCESS

2011-06-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I have spend the past couple months training really hard for the First Try Triathlon. Well I am happy to report that my training paid off. The event was this past Saturday over in Linden. I have done many races but as we got closer to this event, I was really nervous. To do 300 yard swim had become kind of a simple thing, 9 mile bike ride-no problem, 2 mile run-piece of cake...but to put them all together and do them back to back, I wasn't so sure.

So my morning looked like this...

Alarm goes off, get dressed, early breakfast and hydrate, load up gear, blast loud music as I drive over to Clover Beach, survey the scene, unload my gear, set up my transition area, get body marked with my number and age, put swim cap and goggles on, strip down to swim gear (it was about 60 degree with a treacherous wind and very difficult to part with my sweatshirt), line up in heats, swim, dodge weeds, catch my breath and swim some more, run up the beach to transition area, change to biking gear and bike 9 miles (shoot I forgot to put my sunglasses on), back to transition area, change to running gear, try not to throw up (I was very nauseous), run 2 miles still trying not to throw up (and thinking I wish I had time to use the bathroom), finish, cheer on my family and friends, find my mom and run the end of her race with her, and enjoy and celebrate the completion of my first triathlon.

WOW! That was so much fun! During the entire race I was sure that I was in the middle of my heat...not near the front nor the back...but figured I was right in the middle. I have abnormal anatomy in my heart that limits my oxygen carrying capacity so even though I do a lot of running races, I mostly do them to complete them rather than compete. At the end of the triathlon I go to check my times and of course I start in the middle of the list and work my way down...my name is not there. I thought that was a bit odd, so I scroll down it again. Well there is no way I should look above half way on that list...I have never been above that point. So I scrolled up the list and low and behold I found myself finishing at number 52!!!!!! I thought to myself "this can't be right, there is no way"...but it was and I actually finished 4th in my age group!!!! AHHHHHHHH!!! I was and still am thrilled. I am not one to throw placings around (mostly because I am usually so far back on the list) but this time I have to.

So my overall view is the triathlon itself was incredibly well organized, I had so much fun, I smiled the entire time, I finished and felt great and the icing on the cake is the fact that I actually did really well. Of course you will currently find me trying to figure out when I can fit another one into my schedule.

I am always up for an adventure. I learn so much about myself and about life by taking on challenges like the triathlon. Life is about learning, growing and evolving. Have you been stepping outside your comfort zone to find your limits? The great thing is when we do, we find that our limits are in a constant process of changing and we can usually go farther and do more than we previously gave ourselves credit for. We may as well test our limits...we only get one chance.

DON'T THINK ABOUT IT, JUST JUMP IN!!!

2011-06-22T14:24:00.001-07:00

As the days go on, my love for swimming grows and grows. I feel like I have to get my "swimming fix" on a daily basis now. I pull into my parents house, walk down their gazillion steps to the water, set my stuff down, put my hair up, put my goggles on, walk to the end of the dock and jump right in. I used to be plagued with that silly "the-water-is-too-cold" syndrome. I would sit at the end of the dock and contemplate how cold it was going to be, how bad that was going to feel, how yucky that shock to my system feels, how much of a hassle my hair was going to be once it gets wet (I do not have the "wash and go" type of hair), how much mascara was going to be running down my cheeks and a number of other things. Half the time I could convince myself to jump in and the other half of the time I would try to walk away or dodge my brothers or step-dad trying to push me in.

A lot has changed lately and the ability to just "jump in" that lake is a HUGE deal for me...and you know me, the message doesn't stop there. I have been thinking about how that "don't think about it, just jump in" message is applicable in my life. Everyone has heard the phrase "analysis paralysis" and how we can literally think ourselves out of just about anything. Taking too long to make a decision, can result in not deciding at all. Analysis paralysis is not my norm, however I do fall prey to it at times. I have been using this (almost) daily jump in the water to help me with some of that stuff that holds me back in the background of my life. I will continue to do that and maybe even be a little more deliberate about what the jump really represents for me on that particular day, during that particular week or maybe in a particular situation...a metaphor for life.

When I jump, that first instant when I am all the way underwater, goggles on and I open my eyes...is really, really special to me. Bubbles fill my visual field, often I see my mom or step dad's legs kicking as they begin their swim, I feel the freshness of the crisp water engulf my body, sometimes I see weeds but the picture that sticks with me are the rays of sunlight as they light up the underwater world. It is so beautiful what happens to the sunbeams as they pass through the surface of the lake. I do not think I am poetic enough with my words to do any justice to this picture. Maybe you need to go try it for yourself...and when you get to the dock, or the shore or the pool edge, DON'T THINK ABOUT IT, JUST JUMP IN!!! ...since we only get one chance.

HANDS

2011-06-15T15:04:00.000-07:00

I have a job that I stare at my hands all day. I mean that is not all I do in my job, however I because of my work I am keenly aware of them. Have you ever broken a hand? sprained a wrist? done something that made one or both of your hands un-usable for a while? Usually within about 10 minutes of something happening, you begin to realize how much we take for granted when it comes to our hands.

Just over 2 weeks ago, I fell while running on one of the trails out at Seven Lakes State Park in Holly (I LOVE the trails out there). I landed in a way that severely bruised the soft tissue in my wrist. I was a little nervous about it and going back to work, however I trust my body to heal whatever is necessary and do it in an efficient manner. I did a little work on it myself and was adjusting people just fine that day and for the rest of the week. The weekend came and besides the unsightly bruise, my hands felt great. I consciously let them rest and took it easy over the weekend. On Monday, I showed up at work like normal and after the first adjustment, I knew I was going to have to alter what I was doing for the morning shift (which I am grateful to have a bunch of options for adjusting people because that change is made easily and effectively). I have no idea if it was a manifestation of the fall or not but things just felt off. The afternoon went by okay I finished the day well. The next day they felt great and the rest of the week went well. This past Monday, the same exact thing happened. My first adjustment of the day, I could tell I was going to need to alter things a little bit again. The rest of the morning went well and the day was great. The next day they felt great and the rest of the week has been awesome.

So I am bringing this up because the challenge I was having may be from the fall, however it may be from something else. I have a book called "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise Hay. The back part of the book is a list of body parts, some ailments that could happen and a possible thought pattern that could be feeding into the problem...so I looked up hands:

"HANDS

Probable Cause: Hold or handle. Clutch and grip. Grasping and letting go. Caressing. Pinching. All ways of dealing with experiences.

New Thought Pattern: I choose to handle all of my experiences with love and with joy and with ease."

When something comes up in my life, I go and see my chiropractor and get my spine checked, see my massage therapist, check in with some acupuncture and look at my thought patterns. In doing all this, I want to maximize my potential for healing and health and trust my body to take care of whatever is going on.

Things happen in life. I am a human being like everyone else and there has been a little bit of challenge in letting things go as of late. It is so interesting how much our body can teach us if we look at how it is communicating with us. Life is an ongoing chain of experiences and a process of learning and growing. I am grateful for all the places life has taken me and all the things I have learned. And I am also grateful for this lesson and am ready to let go in a big way. I want to learn as much as I can about life and living...since I only get one chance.

I AM IN LOVE

2011-06-08T09:27:00.001-07:00

...WITH SWIMMING!!! In my trek to my first triathlon, I have discovered a love for swimming. I am so crazy about it and I had no idea I would enjoy it this much. In fact, I find myself so excited during the day knowing that I get to go out there and jump in the water and swim! So in this crazy joy I am finding in swimming, I am taking a step back and trying to understand what is happening in my mind that makes me love it so much.
I do most of my swimming out in the lake and the water has been really, really beautiful. I have been focusing on free-style stroke which I am hoping to do for the entire swim distance of the triathlon. I have been working really hard on rhythmic breathing in order to be able to tackle the stroke which is a challenge in and of itself for my body. The breath is taken through the mouth and then the head goes in the water, breathe out the nose and then coming back up for a breath and start again. I have found such a peacefulness in the time that my head is underwater. I have goggles on of course and can see in the water but cannot see anything because the lake is rather deep. I see the bubbles coming from my nose and I watch my arms as I take strokes and watch the trail of bubbles that follows my hands as they move through my visual field. There is something about that scene that I am completely mesmerized by and I think about during the day. It is really quiet underwater. That peacefulness is contrasted every time I take a breath with all the chaos on top of the water from the sights and sounds of the world above the surface. Then I return to the peace, then chaos, then peace, then chaos. I also notice how much of the water I can feel when I first jump in and the temperature contrast of that first submersion when compared to the air. I have come to really enjoy the slight pressure on my skin as I move through the water and the sweeping sensation the water makes as I begin covering the distance. When I am finished and get back up on the dock, there is an incredible euphoria and sometimes a slight dizziness from over oxygenation of the body. I am hooked...in a really serious way.
Those of you who know me realize that I am continuously exploring and looking for new adventures and new doors to open. In that, I have made some really awesome discoveries. Have you been exploring? Are you finding new and wonderful things in this life on a continual basis? Life is a process of discovery...on many levels. Get out there and try something new...we only get one chance. ...oh, and come cheer me on on June 25th 8:00am at Clover Beach off Linden Rd:)

SUMMER IS HERE

2011-05-31T08:43:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful long weekend!!! It really feels like summer now. For some reason Mother Nature feels that the people from Michigan can handle going from 50s right to 80s and 90s. For those of us that live in this amazing state...if it means we get to see the sun, WE WILL TAKE IT!!! There is a certain feeling that comes along with summer. I think it may have to do with the shedding of all the layers we have to wear during the winter in order to keep warm. Once summer comes, even something as simple as being able to wear flip flops is so freeing.

We are incredibly blessed with all the water and lakes that surround us. In this great little town alone, we probably have 8 or 9. Life on the lake is really nice. I am fortunate that my parents live on the lake just south of town and on the weekends, my brothers and their families gather and we hang out and play all day. We usually gather with food and music and spend the entire day chatting, catching some rays and watching my niece, Charlie, learn about the water, sand and navigating the deck. It is a lot of fun and has become my most favorite thing to do. Yesterday was wonderfully hot, the lake was incredibly busy, and the water was amazingly refreshing. Everything wrapped up around 7 or so and everyone headed home to get some final rest before the week begins again. I headed down a couple doors to a small gathering that was happening, chatted for a few minutes and helped them clean up... And that is when it happened...I had my first bite of watermelon. I don't know anything that says "welcome to summer" more than biting into fresh watermelon. It's summertime. Get out there and enjoy yourself!

"OH MY ALLERGIES..."

2011-05-25T05:14:00.000-07:00

We have had a TON of rain lately and of course everything that comes back to life in spring is doing so in a VERY BIG WAY!!! Which is making the world so lush and beautiful...and bringing on allergy and "hay fever" symptoms. Many times each day I have people coming in to get their spines checked and talking about how miserable "allergy season" is. I have discussed this topic in the past however I always like to re-visit things when they are brought to my attention so frequently.

First off, YES "allergy season" sucks!!! It is hard to get through the day and have to deal with congestion, stuffy foggy head, headaches, nasal drainage, itchy eyes and scratchy throats. It is a total drag because usually you still have to deal with whatever you had planned for the day. So why does the body do this anyways? Let's take a look.

This "hay fever"/allergy thing generally happens 2 times per year, spring and fall, though for some, it happens with every season change. Our sinuses are always filtering and responding to what is entering our bodies when we breathe in and out. It is a lot of work for them to do this with every single breath, however our body is very intelligent and has set things up this way for a reason. The air we breathe is filled with all kinds of particles from our environment and winter air and the summer air are very different. Winter outside air is usually quite clear because most things are dormant however our bodies have to deal with heated buildings and things trapped inside. In the spring, things start coming back to life and our sinuses are dealing with completely different particles and have to change. Then fall comes around and things die off and our sinuses have to change again to deal with filtering different particles...and the cycle continues. When our sinuses go through that change in season they have to slough off the old sinus cells and mucous linings and replace with new and different hence, nasal swelling and drainage, congestion, etc.

If you moved to a different country and your started eating a completely different diet, the linings of your digestive tract will initially be a little upset and then will gradually make a shift to accommodate this new diet. Same thing happens with the sinuses.

"OK doc, so what can I do about this? I am miserable!"

Ahhhh, great question! First off, boost your immune system by eating well, getting some exercise and lots of rest, drinking lots of water and steer clear of caffeine, sugar, and alcohol and stress management. Get on a good multi-vitamin and make sure you are getting enough omega fatty acids from flax seed, flax oil or fish oil. Try adding vitamin C and getting out in the sunshine to get your vitamin D. Our nerve system controls how our body reacts to the environment so coming in for chiropractic care helps a lot. In fact, some people have a noticeably easier time breathing immediately following an adjustment.

So realize the body is doing its best with what its got to work with. Let's focus on getting a few more pieces balanced and start to enjoy springtime!!! ...life is too short not to.

A GREAT WEEKEND

2011-05-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

It was a GREAT weekend, I mean really great. It was the most perfectly balanced weekend that I can remember in a long time. It started with a coaching meeting and getting my hair done on Friday morning. The evening marked the last class of Yoga Teacher Training with concluded with 108 sun salutations to a live bongo band. Awesome! And maybe you are not familiar with what a sun salutation is so let me breifly describe it. It follows the length of about 5-6 breaths and includes 11 postures, standing, foward fold, top of a plank then bottom, up dog, down dog and back to the top of the mat. Multiply that by 108 = A LOT of work. Good work though. Saturday morning began with the Le Leche League doing their cloth diaper sale in the front yard of the Cafe of LIFE. It was great because I came and helped set up and didn't have to stay and work. So I chose to head up north. There is a bike ride called Zoo-De-Mack(http://www.zoo-de-mack.com/) that happens once a year and I have gone up and participated for 7 years. This year I didn't get to do the ride but I went up for the celebration anyways. Mackinaw Island is such a cool place. There is so much to do and see there, I really enjoy it. The evening was filled with friends and dancing and everyone was in such great spirits. I woke early on Sunday and made it home to finish the weekend hanging out with my family and having dinner on the lake.

This is the frist weekend where I actually felt like I was able to catch up with myself. Seems life is so full anymore that I feel I fall behind a little with myself. Great to relax and have some fun and catch up. This morning I woke up loving the fact that it is Monday. Monday mornings are so full of potential. Some people really dread Mondays however I feel like there are so many possibilities for the week when I am staring at the ceiling waking up on Monday mornings. In that same moment, I am so grateful that I play a part in choosing to make the week a good one or not. May as well do our best to make all of our weeks great...we only get one chance.

DUCKS GONE MAD

2011-05-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

This morning I pulled into the parking lot at the Cafe of LIFE to a very disturbing sight. There were 4 male ducks surrounding a dead female duck at the back corner of the building. There were feathers everywhere and fresh blood on her neck. The four male ducks moved away from the female as I approached and it seemed as though they were the culprit. For the next hour, these 4 male ducks squawked and screamed at all windows of the Cafe, from the front to the back, they paced around the building. In fact, as I sit here right now, they are all still swimming under the tree in the river right behind the building. They get out, beat each other up a bit, get back in the river and start it all over again. It is rather disturbing actually. I do not want to have "killer ducks" at the Cafe of LIFE!!!

OK, so I realize that i am being a little dramatic, however I have such a respect for all things that are alive that it was just so disturbing. I also know that during mating season, things can get a little hectic around the duck relationships and maybe this behavior is completely normal, I don't know. I guess bottom line is I am grateful that humans don't treat each other that way...or at least for the most part. I think we all could use a little sunshine and warm temps. Maybe that will help them cool their jets a little bit.

MOTHER'S DAY

2011-05-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful weekend enjoying time outside and soaking in the sun and I always enjoy celebrating Mother’s Day. I am very fortunate to live so close to so much family, and my mom is included in that. I have a wonderful relationship with my Mom and she and I are very close. Moms are moms and life happens which can sometimes create an awful lot of baggage in a parent/child relationship. I am very fortunate and get to spend a lot of time with my Mom. I consider her one of my closest friend and tend to discuss most aspects of my life with her. There are quite a few people that are curious of her and my relationship and most people make the assumption that we have been this close my whole life. I grew up with three brothers and was pretty much carted around with them, doing everything that they were doing and not getting much room to be an individual and almost never getting individual one on one time with my Mom. I never really learned the value of good quality female relationships until I went away for school many years down the road. Then came the invention of Internet and email. I was living in Alaska at the time my Mom first got email. We began to email each other 2-3 times per week and I really felt like I was able to get to know her, and thus get to know myself at a deeper level. This progressed for a few more years and our relationship really began to flourish to the point that I she became one of my very best friends. I moved back home in 2004 and lived under the same roof with her for two years. She is amazing, brilliant, straight-forward, talented, level-headed, caring, loving, balanced and really happy. I admire her and all the trials she has had in life and how that has shaped her to really be grounded in who she is. Though she is not “raising” us anymore, because of the mutual love and respect that the my brothers and I have for her, we are able to go to her when things come up and allow her to guide us when we need guidance. It really is a beautiful thing. For Mother’s Day this year, she spent the entire day working and wasn’t going to be home until 8PM. In my mind, she still deserves recognition, as every Mom does, on that special day. We made a small desert celebration happen last night to surprise her, and we did just that. Without my Mom, there wouldn’t be a Me and without a Mom like I have, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. Thank you Mom!!! …today and always!

A NEW PERSPECTIVE

2011-05-03T09:34:00.001-07:00

I taught my very first yoga class this past Saturday. It was called a "feedback session" which means all the teacher trainees were invited as well as anyone else I wanted to invite. The concept is I teach an hour long slow flow class and the teacher trainees stay after and give me feedback. It was a wonderful process in spite of all the nervous energy that takes over the body when one undertakes something like that and I learned a couple interesting lessons from it.

First, I have been practicing yoga in the room I taught in for over 4 years now. To me, this room is sacred and when you are in it, the rules are you need to obey "noble silence" which means shut your mouth and stay out of other people's business. There is rarely even whispers going on in that room except for if someone is trying to make room for someone else's mat. My routine when I go to take classes is to go in, set up my mat, go to the back, change my clothes (I am almost always coming from work), do some talking in the tea room and when I am done and ready to be quiet, I go in and find my place on my mat and prepare to be present. So in the beginning of the class that I taught, none of my regular routine was happening and it kind of threw me off. There were 8 or 9 people in the class and getting them to lay down on their mat by a simple verbal cue was pretty easy. After working with breath for a few minutes it was time to start the class. I was almost paralyzed by the idea that I had to talk for the next 60 minutes in a room where everyone else was quiet and I had always been silent in for the past 4 years of my life. My lesson...I am a "rule-follower" almost to a fault. It was so funny to see the panic inside of me as I faced this 60 minutes of talking. But I did it and as the minutes slipped past, it became more and more comfortable.

Second, I am a vinyasa student and I was having to teach a slow flow class. The vinyasa classes that I am used to are a little, and sometimes a lot, faster pace than slow flow and some of the moves take a little, and sometimes a lot, more effort to transition in to and hold. I thought I was making a flow that would be great for the level of students I was working with. Apparently it was a little, or a lot, too hard! For 9 years of my life, I was an aerobics instructor and I taught so many types of classes, and even yoga, in a gym setting. During these classes, I was able to gage the participants by their body language and energy. One of the goals of yoga is to build up the capability of peacefully handling incredibly intense moments, both on the mat and out in real life. As my yoga class is progressing, all the participants were peacefully moving through the postures in what appeared grace and ease and to me, didn't seem like they were working very hard....I had forgotten that is part of the whole point of yoga. So after class, some of the attendees were like "Were you trying to kill us?!?!?!" When I look back, it is a really obvious thing and I chuckle at my naivety. The lesson here is in yoga, or even as we walk down the street or around the grocery store, we have no idea what is going on inside of each person that we pass. One of the biggest lessons of yoga is to have compassion for others and extend loving kindness to all people in our lives. Since we have no idea what is going on inside other people, what better way to look at the world than from a place of loving kindness...we only get one chance.

EARTH DAY CLEANUP SUCCESS!!!

2011-04-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

The clouds parted for us on Saturday and the day warmed up to around 65 degrees...it was the most perfect day for our Earth Day Cleanup! A bunch of people gathered right at 10am for a wonderful lecture about composting done by our favorite composting experts, Amy Freeman-Rosa and Brian Rosa from North Carolina talked about worm composting. Airbrush tattoos were a hot item that day. Everyone was sent out into the streets at 10:30 to start collecting garbage. All in all we had around 70 people join us at one point or another during the 4 hours we were out. Everyone who showed up to help was given an aloe plant and a re-usable grocery bag to take home to show our appreciation for their hard work. There is still a lot of work to do, however with as many people as we had, we were really able to make a significant difference in the city this year. As the years go by, we hope more and more people will join us. We will leave the trailer of garbage sitting out by the road for a few days so that people driving by can take a hint to STOP LITTERING!!! Hey Fenton, LET'S CLEAN UP OUR ACT!!!!!!

Click the link below for the story

http://fenton.patch.com/articles/earth-day-cleanup-event-a-success

IT'S MY B-EARTH-DAY!!!

2011-04-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

I love my birthday and I love sharing it with Earth Day. I think that fits me so well and as the years go by, I realize it more and more as I am more grounded and connected with Mother Earth. When this time rolls around every year, I always take inventory of my life. I ask myself questions like "Who am I?", "Where am I?", "How is life?", "Where do I want to go?", "How am I going to get there?", "What would I like to change?", "How am I going to make those changes?" among a few other questions. This year, I do not have that strong strive to revisit those questions or to ponder over the answers or do much evaluating at all. Probably because I am really firmly grounded in who I am and the fact that I don't want to be anywhere else but exactly where I am. I am not going to kid myself, there are pieces of my life that I would like to have come together a little bit better however at the same time, I am also really, really grateful for unanswered prayers. I realize that I have a choice every single day to wake up and make my day and my life the way I want to be. I realize that it is up to me to create peace from the inside out, create health from the inside out, and to love myself first before I can love and serve others. I am grateful I have worked as hard as I have to make it to this place and that I have chosen my career to be in the realm of service to others. I am grateful that I have so much love and support in my life, that I have such a wonderful family and friends, and I appreciate each and every one of you out there reading this blog. In some way, shape or form you have helped me to be the person that I am today. You have, in some way small or large, contributed to these rotations around the sun in which I will finish yet another this evening at 11:12pm. At times I sit in absolute awe of life and how grateful I am for it all. I am asking for one thing this year...since the Earth and I share this day...how about giving all your gifts to the Earth this year and do one thing, even if its just a small thing, to help protect this planet. If we don't, where are we going to live? ...we only get one chance, let's not screw it up! :)

***yes that is me when I just a few hours old***

I LOVE EARTH DAY!!!!

2011-04-21T08:24:00.001-07:00

MEALS

2011-04-19T08:56:00.000-07:00

Since posting my cleanse blog, people have been asking me about what is in my smoothies and what do I eat for lunch...so here it is (and organic ingredients as much as possible)

Smoothie: (this was/is breakfast and dinner for me)
half an apple (I don't know any better apple than organic pink lady apples)
1 spoonful of almond butter
1 scoop of brown rice protein
large handful of greens...spinach, collard greens, kale, mustard greens - choose one or mix
flax oil maybe a tablespoon or so
4 frozen strawberries
almond milk

Lunch: (this is just one recipe of many you could make but my ultimate favorite)
the following blend I would make ahead of time and leave it covered in the refrigerator:
Quinoa
black beans
chick peas
cumin (lots of cumin)
olive oil and fresh lemon juice
the day I was eating it I would put more olive oil in a pan, put however much I wanted to eat that day in, add loads more cumin and cook just enough to heat it all up and put it on a plate.
add: fresh cilantro - as much as I wanted (which is usually tons because I LOVE IT)
squeeze juice of half a lemon over the top
and ENJOY!!!!

Ok, now I am hungry...

21 DAYS PLUS

2011-04-18T12:36:00.001-07:00

Yesterday marked my 21st day on the cleanse that followed the book "Clean". I have had a really great experience doing it and am glad that it is over...however I am not sure how much I am going to change. The cleanse outline is as follows:

Smoothie for breakfast

Vegan lunch - gluten free, sugar free, no animal products and some restrictions with fruits and vegetables

Smoothie for dinner - making sure to have a true 12 hour break before consuming breakfast again.

The premise of the book is to allow the body some time off from having to do some heavy digesting and giving the digestive system time away from inflammatory products (gluten, sugar and animal products) while at the same time taking probiotics to re-build the gut flora which effects the overall health of the body and is a large factor in the immune system. I also take a multi-vitamin, cod liver oil, scentless garlic (good to clean the blood and regulate blood sugar levels), milk thistle (for liver support). The great thing about the cleanse is you still get to eat. In 21 days I have come a long way...worked through some chemical toxicity headaches, some emotional food cravings and have gotten to the bare bones of nutrition and I really feel amazing. My energy is really high, my stress level is low, I feel like I have more time in the day and things are getting done. There is a peace within my body and a real "clean" feeling. I have made it a point to continue my exercise habits with intense, hot sweaty yoga 4-6 times per week and walking. I have had more energy in those yoga classes than I can remember in a long time. I just feel really, really good. Quite frequently I have been asked "what is going to be your first meal off the cleanse?" and I have been pondering that. Even now that it is Day 22, I am still pondering. I am wondering if I feel this good and have this much energy and my body is this peaceful, what will it be?...and when will it be? I am not sure I want to change anything actually. I realize after doing something for 21 days, it becomes a habit. Now let me ask you...if you made something that is really healthy a habit due to a commitment, and benefited tremendously from it, and that external commitment concluded, and you really loved how you looked and felt from making that commitment, would you change it? So maybe this weekend, I will begin to let go of the gluten restriction and maybe add some more variety to the vegetables and fruits that I have been consuming. However, overall not much is going to change. It works well with my schedule and my lack of culinary creativity as well as with my beliefs about health and being someone who helps others re-gain their health. It fits me...and since ultimately we only get one chance to live in this body, I choose to treat it well so that I can be healthy and live a full, vibrant and wonderful life in it.

TIPS

2011-04-13T05:30:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the privilege of being 1 of around 2,000 people listening to Deepak Chopra right up in Flint! The CRIM Foundation brought him in, we had to register early but we got in free and they paid for all the parking downtown so that was free too. AMAZING!!! I need to review my notes and I will write a little more at a later time about the actual lecture, however on each seat there was a brochure with some "Things you can do to become a healthier you" that I wanted to share with you. I think the brochure originated from CRIM and Deepak Chopra and this is word for word right from it.

"Things you can do to become a healthier you:

1. Work out regularly! Do something for your cardiovascular health, your flexibility and your strength at least 4 times per week. Walk, run, swim, bicycle, skate, play tennis...Do Whatever Moves You! You'll feel better, look better and have more physical and mental stamina.

2. Eat to live, don't live to eat.

3. Have an empowering social network. Invest your time with those who are inspired by life and have a greater purpose to fulfill - you'll find that you are more inspired as well.

4. Control the chaos; make your home a sanctuary. Be selective about what you bring into your home - not just in terms of physical things but also the computers, music, television, and other forms of electronic entertainment that compete for attention.

5. Start a daily meditation/prayer/quiet-time practice. This can be as little as 10-20 minutes but research has proven the stress-relieving and health benefits. Not to mention, it's been proven to extend your life.

Personal Commitment Statement:

Starting today, I commit to working toward a healthier me and to helping my family be healthier. I know that by doing so, I am also contributing to a healthier community - physically, socially, and economically."

Good stuff, huh? Simple too! Health is a choice that we have to make every single morning when we wake up. We may as well choose to be healthy since we only get one chance...

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY CHARLEI MAE!!!

2011-04-12T10:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marks 1 year since my precious little niece, Charlei, entered into this world and captured the hearts of my entire family. She really is a precious little girl. She has a big personality and laughs a lot. She is almost always smiling and very easy to be around. This past Saturday we all got together and celebrated her birthday. I love that we all live so close because those small celebrations are the best! Charlei has been very busy lately exploring the world and has taken a few steps so far. She will be running around everywhere before too long, which I am looking forward to. It has been a long winter and Charlei has mostly been spending her time at home. In the summertime, we all hang out at my parent's home on Runyan Lake and I am really looking forward to watching her discover the water and beach and sand and all that good stuff. It is going to be great fun. Happy Birthday little one!!! I love you! -Aunt E

DAY 15

2011-04-11T12:27:00.000-07:00

Today begins the last week of this 3 week cleanse that follows the book "Clean". It has been an interesting couple weeks so far. Easy at times, difficult at times, impossibly to continue at times...anytime I am working hard to change habits, it is difficult. I think that is human nature. The first week was a challenge with detoxification headaches. I live a pretty clean lifestyle however that first physical detoxification symptoms were pretty intense. I experienced a nagging headache for about 2.5 days. Most people wouldnt think that is "intense" however it is so rare that I ever have a headache that it did feel a little overwhelming at times because of the length of time it lasted. Last week I experienced more of just emotional cravings for food. This cleanse is done in a way that you really don't have to walk around feeling hungry all the time. It is a peaceful contentment inside with enough nutrition to keep from feeling hungry but never an overload (overloaded tends to be the American way). Last week was free of physical symptoms but more of a feeling like I wanted to be done. The longest cleanse I have ever done was 10 days so I think it was a part of me inside that was making those requests. The great thing is that there are about 10 people doing this cleanse along with me and having those people to reach out to has been key. This past weekend was full of parties. Seems like I was at one gathering or another with food and drinks all over the place. I had beans, almonds, apples and water and had to skip the chocolate cupcakes, macaroni and cheese and other foods that are usually around when people gather. It is difficult at first however there is a piece of me that refers back to my time running the marathon. By the time I was to 22 miles, I knew I had to just finish though everything in my body was ready for me to be done. I knew that in order to get to 26.2 miles, if I didn't do it in that moment, I would have to run 22 miles again and add 4.2 more and that it was going to be easier to continue than to start all over from 0 again. So now that I am at day 15, it is better for me to just stay strong and complete the full 21, otherwise I will have to do 15 days again and add another 6. Its easier to continue doing what I have been doing and allow my body the full spectrum of benefit, than to start all over again at a later time when I "feel like it". So I am pushing on....I look forward to checking back in with all of you at the end. :)

EVERY YEAR...

2011-03-29T13:39:00.000-07:00

...around the birthday time for the Cafe of LIFE, I ask people for 3 words that describe their experience here. That small piece of paper is then entered into a drawing for some gift certificates, shirts, bags, etc here at the Cafe of LIFE. Last year I decided to post all the words on here so that I had a place to remember them since knowing that people describe the Cafe using these words is a HUGE compliment to the staff and I.

...positive, professional, friendly, relaxing, comforting, peaceful, welcome, kindness, easy, convenient, personable, healing, compassionate, laid-back, cool, friendliness, caring, wonderful, pleasant, fun, calming, helpful, healthy, hopeful, welcoming, complete, calming, enlightening, healthy, friendly, awesome, nice, relaxing, positive, altering, happy, healing, peaceful, wonderful, I love Erica, I love Teri, fun, great people, serenity, practical, makes me feel good, everyone makes me laugh, great experience, relaxing, hopeful, life-changing, convenient, expedient, amazing, fun, life change, positive, exciting, P.S. everyone is friendly, relaxing, rejuvenating, therapeutic, sense of well-being, uplifting, inspiring, amazing, relief, comfort, relaxation, release, healthy, re-aligning with LIFE, enlightening, growth, encouraging, healing, welcoming, did I say healing?, peace, health, calmness, thankful, rejuvenated, health, relaxing, friendly, refreshed, energized, relaxed, relief, learning, comfortable, invigorating, healing, fun, relaxing, stress-release, calming, wonderful, helpful, hopeful, relief, refresh, fun, painless, peaceful, restoring, cheerful, healing, grateful, new, me again, straight, relaxing, new, feel better, friendly, always smells good, relaxed, clear, energized, educational, serenity, rejuvenating, delightful, awareness, awaken, alive, relaxing, inviting, efficient, calming, relaxing, comfortable atmosphere, understanding, gentle, kind, relaxing, helps, relieves pain, wonderful, pleasant, fantastic, relaxing I love Erica, friendly I love Angie, awesome I love Teri, good health, peace, calming...

There were another 20 or more of the word "relaxing" but I didn't want to keep writing it.

Bottom line...I think we are doing our job and we are looking forward to many more years to come. Thank you to all of you for adding to our Cafe of LIFE community!!!

YOGA TRAINING UPDATE

2011-03-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

It is amazing to me how much time lapses lately before I get back on to my blog. My intention is to blog more often that I do however doesn't time just fly by! Anyways we are a month into yoga teacher training and I wanted to give you an update about how things are going. It has been an interesting process to start the day with meditation, become vegetarian and have an asana practice (that means practice yoga) everyday. It has been a good change and addition to my life however I have also noticed that besides the three things listed above, my life is still the same. I am having to do a lot of reading and journaling on a schedule now to make sure it all fits in, however it is what I do on a daily basis anyways. I haven't had anything really profound or any "ah-ha" moments happen just yet, though I also know that during this process, the transition can be really subtle and unnoticable on a daily basis. Today begins a 21 day cleanse from a book called "Clean". An MD designed the plan and wrote the book to allow a way for people to use his system. He comes from a mindset that our internal environment and our overall health come from the building blocks that we put in our bodies and that we never allow our bodies a chance to switch into detox mode. His program is designed around drinking breakfast and dinner (smoothies/soups or fresh juices) with a food meal for lunch and allowing 12 hours between dinner and breakfast so the body has time to get past the digestion mode and into the detoxification mode. It seems like a real simple and easy-to-follow detox/cleanse program that I am looking forward to seeing how my body does. So far so good but it has just been one meal so far. :-) Spring cleaning of the house is such a mainstream idea, I often like to do spring cleaning of my body at the same time to wash away the sluggish-ness of the long winter months.

If you are not interested in doing a detoxification program full force, how about some other simple ways to detox:

-take 10 minutes out of your day to lay and do some deep breathing

-increasing the amount of water you drink

-adding fresh squeezed lemon to your water

-finding time to sweat everyday - working out, sauna or steam room

-skin brushing - light bristle brush used all over the skin prior to showering or bath

-cleaning up your diet and include lots of raw, organic fresh fruit and vegetables

If you haven't started already, it would be really wise to become a little more conscious about what we put in our bodies. Every decision we make has ripple effects into the future...and we only get once chance.

BEAUTIFUL LAKE TAHOE

2011-03-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

It is a place that I had always wanted to go, Lake Tahoe. I had only seen it on movies and pictures. This year I got the perfect opportunity to meet up with friends out there and so I took it! Many of you have heard of my Lake Tahoe stories since I have been back but I thought I would write a little bit about it so that you could get an idea of the scene out there. The weekend before I went, my girlfriend, Lana, sent me a message that said "we better start doing a snow dance, there isn't barely any snow out there"...you do not have to tell me twice, I LOVE TO DANCE...and so the dancing began. On Monday that week the forecast called for a big storm on the way. I think Tuesday is when it started and it never stopped until late Saturday morning. I flew in to about 2 feet of snow and closed roads all over the place. We were actually really lucky to be able to get through to the cabin at all. Some of the group spent 5 hours sitting on a road unable to move. The weather reports actually said "...if you have to go out, bring food, water, blankets and flashlights in your car...". I have never seen a report say that before and mind you I lived in Alaska over 3 years. Friday it snowed another 2 feet, Saturday the same. It was the most snow I had ever seen in my entire life...and mind you I lived in Alaska for over 3 years :) On Saturday we went to a resort called Kirkwood. It was a bit south of Lake Tahoe and around that area, we heard they got the most snow in the world checking in at 13 feet in 24 hours. It was completely unfathomable!!! So the snow was great. The people that were on this trip were super fun and it was so wonderful to have time with my girlfriend and meet her daughter that was just 3 months old. There are not many words to describe the scenery to you, but the pictures do it a little justice. The area around Lake Tahoe is pretty mild and so the lake doesn't freeze over. It stays that deep blue color and framed by so much snow, it is so beautiful! Pushing that much powder around a mountain is a lot of work on a snowboard. In fact one time I fell on my snowboard and it took me 10 minutes to just stand up. People were falling and almost disappearing. One woman said it took her between 2-3 hours to hike back to to a run after falling in the powder...now that makes for a long morning. It was truly a winter wonderland. Hopefully these pictures do some justice. In the future when Lana and I do a snow dance...maybe we will have to tone it down a little...I am glad to have made it to Lake Tahoe and to have experienced that much snow. Seize the opportunities...we only get one chance.

YOGA TEACHER TRAINING

2011-03-03T08:38:00.001-08:00

As many of you know, I practice yoga...a lot. I have been committed to cultivating my inner yogi for the past 4 years and spend 2-3 nights at Ethos Yoga Studio in Holly http://www.ethosyoga.net/.

It is one of my passions and helps to make me a better person in this world. My usual classes are Monday and Wednesday night over at Ethos and Friday afternoon either there or down at Center For Yoga in Birmingham http://www.centerforyoga.com/. It is therapeutic for me; mind, body and spirit. It is absolutely one of the greatest things I have added to my life and spend a lot of time talking about it during the day at the Cafe of LIFE. In order for the body to be and stay healthy, it needs to move. I haven't found a better way to move the body than to flow and twist and turn in a yoga class and would highly recommend it in some way to everyone.

Tomorrow starts a new phase of yoga for me. I am always on the hunt for rich, rewarding experiences and I will begin a Yoga Teacher Training course over at Ethos Yoga. The course is 3 months long and is designed to immerse trainees in the yoga philosophy. We will be practicing yoga on a daily basis on our own or in a class. We will develop a personal meditation practice on our own and in class. We will change our eating habits to vegetarian or vegan. So this is going to be in addition to what I already have going on which is running a really fun chiropractic practice, hosting an amazing Book Club, giving Half Hour to Health lectures, participating in an awesome Walking Club, being a dog mom, and a runner amongst many other activities I am involved in. It means getting up an hour earlier and time managing a little better. It means studying and spending a lot of down time reading and writing. I look forward to it. I will keep you posted during the process.

(pictures are right off Ethos website; Kel Leigh Coale photography)

POISONING

2011-02-24T07:39:00.000-08:00

I will be posting some wonderful pictures from my past weekend in the next post but I wanted to discuss a little about a situation and a lesson I learned about the body. This past Monday, my flight went from Reno/Tahoe to Denver to Detroit. My connecting flight in Denver was delayed. Usually I am running around trying to find a protein bar or something on these types of travel days but since I had an almost 3 hour delay, I decided that I would take the time to sit down at a restaurant and have something healthy to eat. My choice was a salad with mango, strawberry and salmon atop a bed of beautiful greens. When it arrived at my table, it looked appetizing enough to dig in so that is exactly what I did. One fork-full at a time, I was noticing a little tinge of brown on the greens, maybe a little dried out, the strawberries hadn't been run under water in a long time and the mango, though tasted really good, was maybe a little extra slimy and weird. At that moment I thought to myself that since I was at a nice restaurant, it should be fine and I am not one to complain much about what I am served so I finished it all...and everything was good until that evening when I finally reached my destination, I was starting to get a nagging headache. Sometimes a headache will come on if my blood sugar is low so didn't think much about it and continued on to have dinner, Thai food. I went to bed and slept well but was woken up at 5:00AM with nausea, 7AM started the vomiting and my body was so drained and exhausted. I couldn't pull things together to make it to the Cafe that morning and slept for about 3 more hours. When I woke up I proceeded to get ready and made it in to work to serve people for the afternoon. I always feel better when I am helping other people feel better, but that is where it ended. Tuesday evening as I was laying down to bed, my entire body hurt. It was food poisoning for sure, my entire body was poisoned and working overtime to improve the environment. Many people in that situation would have tried to find something that would stop the vomiting and take away aches and pains. If the body is poisoned and trying to get something out, don't you think it is a good idea to let it do that? If it is food poisoning and the body recognizes that, or anything else for that matter, let it do what it is designed to do. Because I let it run its course, my body took care of it and in the long run is better off for it. When symptoms arise, instead of reacting to them, let's watch them and as long as they are not life-threatening, let's let the body do what it is going to do. We will all be better off.

WINTER'S END

2011-02-17T07:18:00.001-08:00

I love the warm weather we are having and it makes me giggle when I see people out in flip flops. It is really amazing how having to wear socks and boots everyday can make one feel really confined and flip flops are so liberating after a couple months of winter. Having been born and raised here in Michigan, I know better than to think that these warm temps are spring. This is not spring just yet and is merely a teaser. I really do love winter. You all know my love for snowboarding and I have found it one of the greatest ways to enjoy the white fluffy stuff. This past weekend I spent snowboarding up at Crystal Mountain, snowshoeing at Sleeping Bear Dunes and playing in Traverse City (what a great area of this beautiful state). This coming weekend I am meeting some girlfriends out in Lake Tahoe...and then my winter comes screeching to an end the beginning of March. What does that mean? The first week of March marks a beginning of a wonderful journey into yoga teacher training at Ethos Yoga Studio in Holly http://www.ethosyoga.net/. It is a serious commitment that I will discuss in a later post, but the class meets every Friday night for 3 months. Being that I work Mon-Thur, during the winter months I spend those long weekends traveling north or out west chasing great snow. Once this class starts, the commitment to it will not allow me to sneak out of town under the radar. I do plan one quick trip to Boyne with my family in March, but other than that, I will be putting my snowboard up for the year and rolling out my yoga mat and living on it for 3 months. I am looking forward to it. Taking yoga teacher training will only add to what I do as a chiropractor. I do not even know if my plan is to really teach classes at all...this process will add to my knowledge of the body, movement, breath, postures, leadership, peace, compassion, nutrition, relaxation, meditation and so much more. I will be updating you through the process as I am going. Til then...RIDE ON!!!

ICE ICE BABY!!!

2011-02-03T21:25:00.001-08:00

My brothers are pretty neat (neat is such an under-used word). I didn't always feel that way and as were were growing up, I actually "dis-owned" them. We never made it official however it was true in my mind. Its hard being a girl with 3 brothers and no sisters. Take a guess at how many times I found myself on the slim side of 3 against 1? Exactly, it was pretty much daily.

As the years have passed, I have grown to have a deep love and appreciation for them, their individual quirks, and all the wonderful ways they add to my life. Fortunately all 4 of us currently live in the Fenton area. It is wonderful to be able to spend so much time together and even better now that they come along with sister-in-laws for me:-) I am number 2 in the birth order and the brother next in line after me is named Garrett. If you have met Garrett, you know that he has a very low sense of self-preservation (that is a nice way of saying he is a bit of an adrenaline junkie). One of his passions is climbing, rock climbing and ice climbing. In the state of Michigan and particularly in this region, there is not a lot of either of those and traveling over long distances is necessary to feed that passion of his...until just a few years ago. We grew up on an apple orchard and some of the old equipment that was used around the farm is still there...including a drag line, which for the sake of simplicity, is kind of like a crane. In the summer, they can get their "climbing-fix" at one of the rock gyms that are close by. In the winter...that doesn't work so well. So he and a friend decided they would start farming ice to be able to have a winter version of a rock gym...and I am in awe everyday over what they came up with. My other two brothers are were able to come together and offer their gifts of construction knowledge and entrepreneur-lism and came up with this brilliant invention. There is nothing like it anywhere close to here. Friends of theirs drive in from all over to spend a weekend doing what they love to do and training on this ice. I just thought I would share a few pictures because I think the ice tower is pretty neat, and my brothers are pretty neat. I am glad to share this lifetime with them...and have learned so much from our relationships that I am grateful for. If I had this life to do all over again, I would pick these same 3 guys. They have help shape me into the person that I am today, and for that I have so much gratitude. Love your family...we only get this one chance.

MY FAVORITE EXCERPT

2011-01-18T07:34:00.000-08:00

"A Return To Love" by Marianne Williamson...

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Enjoy your day!!!

30 MINUTES TO HEALTH

2011-01-12T05:08:00.001-08:00

Last night marks the beginning of our monthly workshops called "30 Minutes to Health". There has been a huge demand for our services here at the Cafe of LIFE lately, to the point that we have quite a waiting list in order to get in for an initial visit. To me, the message in the fact that we are so busy is people are looking to get more out of life, looking to thrive in their life rather than just survive. When we are in survive-mode, we are just making it THROUGH THE DAYS...when we are in thrive-mode, we are actually GIVING TO THE DAYS. There is a very big difference between the two and I am here to help move people towards the latter. Last night our workshop focused around the things that make up health...diet, exercise, rest, positive attitude and properly functioning nerve system. With the 30 minutes, we were able to dig into a few of these topics in more depth. The audience was challenged in getting to the Cafe due to snow and ice on the roads last night though we still had a good turn-out and a very attentive audience. My most favorite part of doing workshops like this is the light bulbs that go off for people as they have an "ah-ha" moment.

If you missed us last night, we will be holding monthly workshops on the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30-7:00pm, our next will be February 8th. Join us! Bring a friend or two! I am here to help you get the most out of this life...since we only get one chance. See you soon!

SOME THINGS TO NEVER POST ON FACEBOOK...

2011-01-03T18:35:00.001-08:00

I was just browsing through this very interesting website and I found some rules about facebook. #4 in the list was "If it came out of your body in a projective fashion, never post it on facebook." I thought that was interesting and instead of posting it on facebook, I would actually blog about it on here. So last week on Tuesday (some of you may know this already), I came down with that flu that is going around. Maybe some of you reading this have experienced this one, if not, it is fast and furious....literally there are people puking in their cars because they do not have enough warning to do much of anything about it. For me, I was hit with it right around 6am and I had enough warning to run 15 feet from my bed to the toilet...thank goodness. It went on for about 3 hours and then it was over and I was happy and feeling good. Some people are calling it a 24 hour bug, however (this may be because of all the adjustments I had while I was in Colorado) my body was over and rid of it all in 3 hours. When you condense that bug down that much, naturally the intensity raises and that is exactly what happened.

So you are probably thinking to yourself, "is she really writing an entire blog about puking????"...one key to the whole story is the part where I said "and then it was over and I was happy and feeling good". You see, there was something going on with my energy level and aura for about 3 months, I would say since the beginning to middle of October. I felt good, but not really good like I am used to. I had enough energy, but I am used to an abundance of energy. When I looked in the mirror I looked presentable, but I am used to seeing a glow behind my skin. I would get a large quantity of rest and I would wake up in the morning feeling like I could sleep all day, and I am used to getting up and facing the day easily. After that morning of puking and the entire day of rest, I FELT AND STILL FEEL AMAZING!!! I feel like I got my mojo back or something. I feel like I was able to finally process something. I feel like I got a little oxygen to my flame that burns on the inside. I really truly feel like I have a new body and I am really diggin' it. Now mind you, I have not puked in a really long time...that is not something that my body does easily. The fast and furious-ness to the 3 hour flu thing is that I also got rid of everything inside of me and my body kept trying to do more...yes this is known as dry heaves. Horrible, long-lasting dry heaves where the entire body is convulsing. Excuse me for being really "out there" with my thinking processes, but to me, I am wondering how awesome that entire body contraction is for stimulating the nerve system and changing a pattern. It was pretty intense and often a major pattern interrupt is exactly what is needed. It did it for me. It changed things up for me on the inside and now I feel WAY BETTER than just "back to normal".

So to sum this up, no it is not fun to be sick, I do not enjoy vomiting, and I am glad it is over. Could that flu been prevented by taking a flu shot (which for the record I would NEVER do), I really do not think there is any reason to ever get a flu shot...and the benefit I got out of the ability to purge whatever that was, PRICELESS. Do you think it is possible that the flu was created by nature or universal forces for us to take a "time out" and get a chance to learn something about ourselves? stimulate something? clear something out? change a pattern? Just some food for thought...

COLORADO = A BREAK FROM MY "EVERYDAY"

2010-12-31T08:35:00.000-08:00

I just spent an amazing week in Colorado. I love Colorado, in fact I tell people that my heart lives in the mountains of Colorado, Summit County to be exact, and I just go and visit it a few times per year. It really is the truth, Colorado is home to me...when I land I have this deep sense of "I'm home" I just haven't figured out a way to move my entire life in Michigan out there yet. Many of you know already, most of my close friends from chiropractic college live right in Denver. They are the kind of friends that even if we never got out and did anything, just sitting around and talking with them rejuvenates me. This past July, another one of my really close friends moved out to Boulder from Michigan, though actually I think he and Choco miss each other more than they even consider me. :) So my time was spent between the mountains, Denver and Boulder. I was able to get 4 full days of snowboarding in which was amazing. Saturday at Vail with friends, Sunday at Breckenridge with other friends, Wednesday at Breckenridge my myself and the last full day at Beaver Creek, my new favorite place. During my time away from my "everyday", I also like to spend some deliberate time journaling and creating an image for how I want my life to be. Have you ever sat and thought about what you really want in your life? Did you know you have a choice in the matter? It is a wonderful, powerful and super fun thing to do if you haven't ever tried it. The great thing about it is once you put it on paper, you get to look back from further down the road and see how much of what you wrote down, actually manifested. Give it a try!

So my time away from my "everyday" was a perfect blend of time in the mountains, time with friends, time alone, time on my snowboard, time in the city, time wandering, time being active, and time resting. The pictures tell the story...

LIFE IS INCREDIBLE!!!!

2010-12-31T08:03:00.000-08:00

This is un-freaking-believable!!! I am sitting in seat 37A (the picture is my view from this seat, back end of this plane is empty) on a Delta flight to Atlanta and I AM ON THE INTERNET!!! Because I flew just last week, I knew free Wi-Fi was happening on these flights so I packed my laptop...I thought, what a perfect time to catch up on blogging!!! So I am heading down to spend New Years Eve with some really great friends. New Years Eve is always a little over-rated however I think the plans that we have are going to be just the ticket to ring in 2011.

I would like to say a fond farewell to 2010 as a lot of wonderful things happened this past year: traveled to Costa Rica, Ecuador, Georgia (twice), South Carolina, Colorado (twice); bought a commercial building to move my practice into and renovated the building; welcomed a beautiful niece into this world and have enjoyed watching her grow; one of my brothers got married so also welcomed another sister-in-law to the family; spent a lot of time with my wonderful family; welcomed a lot of new practice members into the Cafe of LIFE; welcomed a lot of new little ones into the practice since we see a lot of pregnant mothers; took doula training; ran the Detroit Half Marathon for the 2nd time; finished the CRIM 1o mile for the 5th time; dated a super neat guy; made some new friends and deepened some existing friendships; enjoyed a few sweat lodge ceremonies; intensified my commitment to my yoga practice; healed from a nasty shoulder injury; started coaching chiropractors again; started playing soccer again after my 15 year hiatus; and so many other wonderful things too numerous to list here. Looking back on your year, what fond memories have you created?

Some of my friends and I come up with a slogan for the year...like last year was "Life is Zen in 2010"...which for me, really didn't pan out so well (not in a bad way, just not quite what you would call "Zen0. So this year we are talking "Life is Heaven in 2011" but I am not sure sure I want to have quite that high of an aim (no pun intended)...so I am thinking "There will be Seven in 2011". Seven what you might ask? I will be asking the same question and I look forward to finding that out. I kind of dig the mystery of what it might mean... we only get one chance...make your 2011 the best year yet!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

WISH TO YOU...

2010-12-06T15:08:00.000-08:00

"Wishing you a slower pace, some private time, a dreaming place, and all the things that make a happy heart"...

LET IT SNOW!!!

2010-12-01T05:57:00.001-08:00

The snow is here!!! Come on people, it is inevitable that it was coming. How much more sunshine and warm weather could you handle? Sometimes I just get so sick of the sunshine!!! I'm only kidding, who doesn't love the sunshine. I really look at snow like it is a little touch of sunshine. I absolutely love when everything is beautifully covered in the white stuff. It really isn't the holidays without snow so I think December 1st is the perfect time for it to start flying. Of course many of you know that to me, snow means SNOWBOARDING!!! One of my most favorite things to do. My happiest place is anywhere strapped to my snowboard. Since I could walk, my parents had me on skies (and prior to that, I was in a backpack on their back while they skied). Getting to play in the snow like that from such a young age makes for growing up with a great appreciation for winter. I have 3 brothers and together we were busy-bodies. The 4 of us were born within 5 years (my parents were going for 10 kids, stopped at 4 thank goodness) and my parents would get us involved in things that would wear us out. In the summer we would swim 4-5 times per week and in the winter we would ski 4 days per week out at a little private ski place called Kandahar on Foley Rd. (anyone remember Kandahar?). We would ski Wednesday nights, Friday nights, all day Saturday and Sunday would make for 4 very tired children (they were smart parents). About 14 years ago, I took up snowboarding and have not turned back. In fact, every winter I watch skiers and wonder what it would be like to be going down the hill facing forward with feet strapped to their own planks. It seems like such a strange thing. I am sure I would just pick it right back up, but it has been years and years. Big Sky, Montana is my most favorite place I have been, then Vail, Colorado and Alyeska, Alaska would have to be third. People are happy on the slopes, everyone is in a good mood and some of the world's greatest conversations are had on the chairlift. To me, it is meditative, it is peaceful and the closest thing to flying. I will be hitting up Mt. Holly a little bit this year as well. Maybe I will see you on the slopes. :)
Pictures are me in Colorado last March. First one is at Keystone and the second one is smiling on the chairlift at Vail.

THANKSGIVING

2010-11-23T08:40:00.000-08:00

Just two more sleeps until the greatest holiday is the year. I simply love the idea of food, friends, family and fun. I love that there are no presents and it is just about being present. I love the simplicity of joining together to celebrate a day of gratitude. I am going to be spending my day with some of my most favorite people. First off, I will start my day in the hottest way...HOT VINYASA yoga class. I am contemplating a 1 or 2 hour class and am probably going to opt for the 2 hour class. The greatest thing is that both yoga studios that I go to, and probably hundreds more around the nation and world, do classes for donations on those days and then give the money to food banks or charities, etc. It is a great feeling to just be in those classes, however it is even better to know that the place that I participate in is giving back to the community is a powerful way. Then I will probably wander around a bit and find a hot cup of tea somewhere. From there it will be back home to get things put together for dinner at my aunt and uncle's house which is always a lot of fun. My Mom and Dad come from HUGE families and every holiday was filled with tons and people...I am not joking when I say 30-40 was a regular dinner times 2!!! I think this one will be probably about 25 as people have other priorities now that we are grown ups. :) In the evening I will probably head over to another aunt's house for dessert and drinks maybe...then Friday...start the whole thing over again. I will find a yoga class, probably get some decorating done and then head to dinner at my brother's house. The weekend will probably be filled with holiday decorating, probably some shopping, hopefully some left-overs somewhere, a hike or two, maybe a run and some good ol' fashion down time, like curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and listen to Christmas music. ahhhhhhh....the holidays. :) Happy Thanksgiving!!!

JOIN US!!!

2010-11-08T14:25:00.000-08:00

HALLOWEEN

2010-11-08T13:39:00.001-08:00

The fall has been so wonderful and the end of October marks one of my most favorite holidays, Halloween. This year the Cafe of LIFE was bustling with people on our Trick-or-Treat event with the Chamber of Commerce. The Cafe of LIFE was open on Friday the 29th from 1-6 and we had loads of fun. I want to get some of the pictures up so you can check it out. We probably had around 200 people swing in that day. It was Teri's (one of fabulous massage therapists) birthday and there was a little extra celebration for that. Fun times. I hope yours was safe and fun as well. I will post a few more pictures soon.

I AM A RUNNER

2010-10-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

Ok, so now I find myself in a serious mind over matter situation once again. I will be running the Detroit Half Marathon this coming Sunday and am not quite sure how that is going to go. I have been running and walking though the summer and the fall and am pretty well trained for the weekend ahead of me. The biggest challenge is that my longest run as of recent is 9 miles. My plan was to get in an 11 mile run 2 weekends ago but I ended up under the weather and couldn't make that happen. So this past weekend, with lungs still compromised, I made a 9 mile happen on Friday and an 8.25 happen on Sunday (Choco did the full 8 with me as well, what a rockstar he is!). I will head down to the expo tomorrow to pick up my number and I am sure at that time my body will start to get into the race mode. They do a great job with the expos for these races and really gets you in the mood. Sunday I will wake up early and head back down to Detroit for a 7am start. Think of me around 8am when you are thinking about getting out of bed as I will be well on my way over the Ambassador Bridge to Canada. Around 9:00am when you are making breakfast, I will head back through the tunnel to the United States and finish hopefully somewhere around 10am. Ever think of doing a Marathon or Half Marathon? Maybe start with a 5K race around the holidays this year. Lots of Turkey Trots and Jingle Jogs happening around the southern Michigan area. So back to this weekend...and not knowing how it is going to go...I guess there is only one way to find out! Wish me luck!

http://www.freepmarathon.com/

MOMS

2010-10-04T14:35:00.000-07:00

Over this past weekend, my body was expressing some serious symptoms and I spent most of my time in bed resting. You know those days when stuffiness and congestion takes over and it takes so much energy to do anything? Friday night I was driving back from Rochester and started a sneezing fit and that is where it all began. From that point the coughing started and body aches. I decided to retire early since I had a lot planned for Saturday. When Saturday morning rolled around, I just couldn't imagine doing anything that I had planned. I barely made it out of bed but I figured if I just get up and take a shower, I will feel better...and I did. Then I thought if I just get in my car and drive down to the convention in Dearborn I will feel better...and I did. Then I sat for 4 hours and listened to an amazing lecture and could just barely get myself home I felt so horrible. I retired early again that night with hopes that Sunday I would wake up feeling great...no such luck. I finally dragged myself out of bed around 1pm and got in the shower. The entire weekends meals consisted of dried fruit and nuts, due to lack of energy to do much more, and at one point a can of soup. So after my shower, and in tears, I got myself together and drove out to my mom's house. She met me in the kitchen and made me a great breakfast. It was a simple eggs and toast breakfast with a little bit of pesto and it was probably the best I had ever tasted. Of course I was so hungry and depleted at this time, I instantly snapped out of it and have been feeling better ever since. I don't think there was any healing magic in those eggs and toast, nor the pesto for that matter. It was the whole concept of being taken care of by my Mom that made the difference. Thanks for being there Mom!!! Hopefully I can return the favor, either back to her or pass it on to my children, when I have them someday. Moms...they make all the difference :)

(the picture is taken at my brother's wedding early September as we are all bundled up trying to stay warm in the wind)

BEST CASE SCENARIO

2010-09-27T15:04:00.001-07:00

I work with hundreds of people on a regular basis. It is the most wonderful and rewarding work and I feel blessed to be able to serve in the way that I do. At the Cafe of LIFE we see people that are really struggling with their health as well as people that are feeling good and want to remain that way. I learn a lot about people by interacting in the way I do and helping them to express a better them. All kinds of wonderful things come up for people and I love that there are some real break-throughs happening on a daily basis.

I do see a pattern happening that I want to address. I think it is simply a human thing, though I am sure it is largely influenced by our culture. Whether people are starting from a place of feeling really good, or feeling really bad, when something happens, some sort of new symptom or aggravation happens...the human mind goes automatically into "WORSE CASE SCENARIO" mode. Some people have taken very minor things that have been going on for about 2 hours and seriously talked themselves into this may be the end of their lives. I am not sure when we lost the faith in our body's ability to adapt and heal from just about anything, but we did. Instead of saying "Oh this sinus infection has been going on for 2 days, but my body can fight this off and I will be better in the long run for letting my immune system kick in", people are running out for some remedy that will help with the symptom, which almost always compromises the immune system and doesn't allow it to do what it was designed to do. Or "My wrist hurts, but it has only been an hour or so and I am sure my body will handle it" they go to the MD and immediately get it x-rayed to make sure there isn't a tumor. These are just a couple examples to give you the idea of how extreme our thought patterns are.

My point being...let's start giving our bodies the benefit of the doubt. The body's ability to heal is much more powerful then anyone (and especially the media) has lead you to believe. We all have within us an inborn, recuperative power that is in charge of proper adaptation and integration of the many stresses we encounter every day. When things come up, let's start thinking BEST CASE SCENARIO and that have a mindset of "my body can probably take care of this" and watch and wait. If you are doing all the right stuff with diet and exercise, getting good rest, keeping a positive attitude, staying away from toxins, and getting regular checks for your spine and nerve system, a large percentage of the time the body will do just that...TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. When the body is given the opportunity to take care of itself, and it does, we are better off than if we continue trying to combat symptoms with drugs and surgery. We only get one chance...let's keep focused on BEST CASE SCENARIO.

BACK TO SCHOOL

2010-09-15T08:46:00.001-07:00

Wow the town is buzzing with back to school energy. This is a time that our lives take a major shift and a routine is re-established. Even for those of us who do not have children, the back to school time is still a great time to re-organize. It is a perfect time to set some new health goals, a perfect time to check back in with what resolutions you had set in January this year and have confidence if there are things still left undone from that list...there is still time to take action. 2010 is far from over and no matter how far you may find yourself off track, it just takes one step to get back on it. I have a very wise yoga instructor (and you know who you are) that I go and visit 2-3 times a week and she continually reminds me to come back to my breathe. When life gets crazy (or the class becomes ridiculously challenging) all it takes is one thought of getting back to my breathe to pull me through and bring me back into the current moment. If we stay in the current moment, things are simple. It is memories of the past, and thoughts of the future that make things complicated. So sit for a moment and check in with yourself. Are you at a satisfying place with the goals and resolutions you set for 2010? Did you find success so far or do you need to check back in. Here is an idea...tell someone about your goals. When we put it out there to a friend, something happens in the mind that we become more diligent at working towards them since you have to be a little more accountable. And remember, no matter how far you strayed, it is just one step to get back on track. Make the most out of your days and live an extraordinary life...we only get one chance...

THE WEDDING

2010-09-14T09:55:00.000-07:00

It has been a couple weeks since my brother got married, but I still wanted to write about it. This Michigan summer has been a fabulously warm and sunny one...except for that day. The wind was blowing and the temps came close to 63 degrees as a high. The wedding was planned to take place outside and that is exactly what happened. The ceremony was on the small island on Runyan Lake where my parents live. It was a small and short ceremony that was as sweet of a wedding ceremony as I have been to. We all wrapped up in blankets to witness their vows and just as they were completing them, the sun shined through the clouds. The reception followed right after and the wind stopped. There were some big heaters which helped to keep those that weren't dancing, warm. This reception was a party that so many were looking forward to. Not only the bride and groom and family, but the different sides of my family that hadn't seen each other in 10-15 years were also very excited. It was an evening wonderful conversation, reconnecting with family and friends, great food, an awesome DJ, a beautiful setting, and a very happy bride and groom...and Charlei. I look forward to having another sister to share in whatever live brings this family and just making the most of this life...we only get one chance. Congratulations Nate and Rachel!!!

RECYCLING

2010-09-02T08:20:00.001-07:00

My dog Choco cracks me up every single day. He has so much personality and he is incredibly expressive. Yesterday at lunch time I sent him back behind my house to do his business. He usually runs back there, does his thing and comes full sprint back to the front of the house. Sometimes he will stop and grab a pine cone along his journey as he is a retriever at his core and has high hopes that I will throw to him for a while. When he came back to the front of the house yesterday, he had picked up an empty plastic water bottle that someone had left back there. He comes bolting back, head held high, as if to say "Hey Mom, is this one of those bottles that can be recycled?" (I am pretty sure he probably wasn't actually thinking that but I like to think he is a bit smarter than he actually is). The recycling bin sits right by his kennel and so I showed him where to drop the bottle and he did it. He is so stinkin' cute. Thanks for being so environmentally conscious Choco! I wish more people would think like you do! We really need to start checking in with ourselves and making sure we are doing as much as we can on a daily basis to help the planet. We were put on this earth for a reason and we only get one chance...

ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER

2010-08-31T13:10:00.000-07:00

I am really excited about this week as it is the week my older brother gets married. He is marrying a wonderful girl named Rachel that some of you may remember because she worked here at the Cafe of LIFE for almost 2 years while she attended nursing school. I am really excited they found each other. I remember when they first became a couple and I thought to myself, "he is a lucky guy" and then the next thought was "she is one lucky girl". They have a great thing going and I am looking forward to welcoming another sister into my world. As most of you know, I grew up with three brothers, one older and two younger. As with most siblings, I was not a huge fan of any of them. Over the years I have come to really appreciate their unique traits and how much they add to my life. I love spending time with all of them and watching them learn and evolve. This life is about sharing and experiencing things and learning and growing from the lessons that are presented along the way. Life is not easy, there are some hills and valleys and we all go through some interesting times, my family included. But we grow together and become more and more connected as the years go by. I am grateful to be having this life experience and if I had it to do over again, I would pick the same group of guys to grow up with. I look forward to the years to come and we all have such wonderful experiences awaiting us in the future. I love participating in their lives and being the best "Aunt E" that I can be to all of their children. Nate and Rachel have the cutest daughter named Charlei that I had the chance of spending a lot of this past Sunday with. She is 4 months old now and her personality is really beginning to show. I am not sure if she has ever seen puppets prior to Sunday and when she saw these stuffed animals talking to her, she giggled a little bit. As we played she was laughing and squealing so loudly, my brother and I were crying we were laughing so hard. Life is about those moments...and we only get this one chance. I am glad we are extending our family circle by one this week. Welcome to family Rachel! I can't wait to celebrate that with you guys on Saturday!!!

MORE PICTURES

2010-08-24T09:12:00.001-07:00

First picture is me in my haz-mat suit after the ceiling was sprayed. The paint is designed to fall and become a dust that vacuums up. It is like fine drywall dust only black and gets all over everything.

Second picture is me standing in the reception area just prior to putting down the cork flooring.

Third is Ted and I on one of the 5 flooring days.

SUMMER

2010-08-24T08:35:00.000-07:00

It is amazing that the end of the summer season is approaching already. This has been one of the most beautiful summers that I can remember in Michigan and I have enjoyed every minute of it...from inside a building. It is amazing how time flies when you are having fun and that is exactly what happened to my summer this year. Today marks the 8th day the Cafe of LIFE has been in our new home and getting this place ready was truly a labor of love. My boyfriend and I have spent the past 2 months straight here at the building. We worked every night until 11 or 12 and all weekend, every weekend. He was able to do all the skilled work; plumbing, carpentry, electrical, etc...and I did the grunt work; painting, cutting ceiling tiles, cleaning up messes, vacuuming, etc. We ran into some serious challenges however we learned a lot about the building and about each other. Though I have been serving people out of this space for just over a week now, there is a lot of miscellaneous stuff to still finish and we have spent a couple evenings back at it. The thing I have noticed the most over the past couple days is how early it is getting dark now. We were here just last night and the sun set and it was dark before 9pm. That is how we know it is getting towards fall around here. In the past years I could measure the summer coming to an end because my tan would be in full effect. This year, I do not even have tan lines. I know I have been working too hard and not playing when I get on my parents boat and instead of relaxing and watching the water and everyone enjoying it, the boat immediately rocks me to sleep and I wake up about an hour later completely confused. It is time to rest.

Though summer is winding down, it also means that fall is almost here and college football, carmel apples, changing leaves and sweatshirt nights are just around the corner. I love the fall. I think it has something to do with the fact that I grew up on an apple orchard and fall was an exciting time because of harvest. I also loved school and really enjoyed getting back in the swing of things every fall. Over the next month my family has some pretty exciting things happening with the wedding of my older brother and our annual family getaway. I will also be able to keep up with my blog better now that things are settling down.

So enjoy the last couple weeks of summer, get the most out of each day, I hope you get your school shopping done and enjoy preparing to dive back into the books.

CAFE OF LIFE IS MOVING!!!

2010-08-12T08:06:00.000-07:00

As most of you know I have been renovating a building for the Cafe of LIFE to move into and we are finally moving this weekend!!!!!!!!!! I am very excited to share the the new space with all of you. In case you are wondering, we are moving an easy 3 blocks from where we are located now. Directions:

Do you know where the Fenton Hotel is? From the Fenton Hotel, you will head north on N LEROY ST. A block from there will pass a Clark gas station on your right. Continue North half a block and there is a chocolate brown building on your left side. The address is 521 and I have posted a picture so you can recognize it. If you make it to Bush Park, you have gone 2 doors too far.

If you have any questions...call us at (810)629-6023 or email me at erica@cafeoflifefenton.com. We want to make this transition as smooth as possible for everyone involved, so please let me know how we can help. We are very excited to see you Monday!!!

CAFE VOTED "BEST IN GENESEE COUNTY"

2010-08-02T13:57:00.001-07:00

This is so exciting and I am thrilled to announce that Cafe of LIFE was voted "Best in Genesee County 2010" for chiropractic offices. I would like to take a moment and say thank you for voting and participating in that coming into fruition. I am here doing what I love to do and feel so blessed to have such a wonderful practice full of delightful people. More and more families are taking charge of their health and are choosing chiropractic care as part of their weekly routine. I am glad you have chosen to come to the Cafe of LIFE to do that and I look forward to serving you for a long time to come. See you soon!

"WHEN DO YOU THINK?"

2010-07-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

My Grandmother, my mom's mom, has been in town for the past 2 weeks. Some of you know her, some have met her, and if you have met her, you know you have...she leaves a lasting impression. She is a wonderfully, opinionated individual and is not afraid to approach any topic, at any time, with anyone, anywhere. This is one of her most wonderful qualities...straight up confrontation. She is a mother to 10, a step-mother to 6, a grandmother to 50+ grandchildren, and a great-grandmother to around 20 or so (I really should sit down and count them all at some point). She has been married to my grandfather for something like 27 years and they are a perfect yin-yang couple...opposites attract is the truth, for this couple anyways. Because of the vast experiences in her life, she is very wise and I ask her for her opinion on things because why try to figure it all out on my own. She has been through many trials and tribulations, learned many lessons, and loves to share those lessons. I have grown to become very fond of sitting and interacting with her and listening to her talk and interact with others. She says the funniest things...and so often we laugh at things because they are true. Just over a week ago, there were 5 of us women sitting around in a living room as she was discussing one of my cousins. This particular cousin has made some challenging choices in her life and had recently gone down to visit with Grandma and Grandpa in Florida. Grandma said she spent the entire long weekend on her phone texting with friends continuously. When they were sitting and chatting, she would interrupt to send a text, watching TV texting, doing everything and texting. My Grandma, so very wisely said to her "If you are on that phone all the time, when do you think?". For some reason, that question has stuck with me at the forefront of my mind since I heard it. "When do you think?" When do you have time to sit and think about what decisions you are going to make and what effect they are going to have on yourself and the people around you? When do you have time to think about what happened earlier today, yesterday, or what will happen tomorrow? When do you have time to think about what you want your future to hold, what you want to do when you grow up? When do you think about the relationships you have? When do you get to think about your "bucket list" (the things you want to do before you die)? When do you get to think about your family, friends, co-workers, favorite teams, favorite activities, favorite vacations, worst experience of your life, best experience of your life? When do you think about what is for dinner, what foods you really want to be putting in your body? When do you get to think about your health and the choices you make that increase or decrease the quality of it? We live in such a busy world anymore, there is always something pulling us one way or another, however we still need time to sit back and think... It would benefit this world tremendously if we all took a few extra moments to ourselves to think. We could possibly become more informed consumers, more peaceful family members, more productive in our work environment, and much healthier human beings. We only get one chance...

(its the best picture I had of her. I had to crop it so it looks strange, but wanted to give you a face for her)

DID I TELL YOU I AM A RUNNER?

2010-07-19T14:57:00.000-07:00

I am a runner...and during the process of the long runs, I have to remind myself of that and say to myself "I am a runner". Just by saying that, the steps forward get easier. I ran the Bastille Day 15K (9.3 miles) and if you know Fenton at all, mile 7-8 is straight up Denton Hill from the south. It is a really tough route all together and then add that mountain at the end of the course. During the race I find myself saying "why do I do this to myself?"...and then I remind myself that "I am a runner" and it gets easier again and I keep moving forward. During road races, you can usually look on the internet ahead of time and study the course that you will be running to plan accordingly. This is the 3rd time I have ran that particular race and I know those roads like the back of my hand since that is where I grew up. Even though I know the course, I rest easy with the fact that all I have to do is just keep putting one foot in front of the other and follow where I am being directed and I will make it to the end, since ultimately, getting to the finish line is the goal and final destination. Recently I started leaving my iPod at home and running with myself and thoughts alone so that I may take in the entire process. Sometimes I do road races without knowing the course. I have no idea what turn to make though I know if I just keep putting one foot in front of the other and go where the course crew directs me, I will make it to the end. This is such a great analogy for life...we do not always know where the destination is, however if we keep putting one foot in front of the other, and follow where the course crew (our experiences in life) direct us, we will head in the right direction. The difference is that life is not about getting to the finish line...it is about enjoying the journey and scenery along the way. Our lives are filled with distractions...music, TV, people, cell phones, text messaging...that we forget to be with ourselves and take time to think and process. In my life, the key to success or happiness (success means happiness to me) is to choose a particular direction to head, keep putting one foot in front of the other, learn from experiences and enjoy the journey. It really is that simple...let's keep it simple since we really only get one chance... :)

(the first picture is me starting the race in front of the Cafe of LIFE. the second is me reaching the top of Denton Hill)

(Oh, and give credit where credit it due, I have been dating an amazing guy and he was in a chase car with water for the entire second half of the race, cheering me on with his cow bell and making sure I was hydrated enough. Thanks babe!! )

MOVIN' MOMS

2010-07-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

Another dream of mine has manifested and is still in infant stages, however it is such an awesome thing, I have to share it with you. I am not a mom, unless "dog mom" is considered, however I support and help nourish the health and well-being of moms everyday being a chiropractor. What I have noticed over the years is that women need other women. I am pretty sure this dates back to the early times when the women stayed in the villages and took care of things around there while the men were out hunting. I have recently started a Movin' Moms Walking Group that meets every Tuesday morning at 8:30am at the south parking lot of Fenton High School. We walk for an hour and it is great because it is time to be social as well, time to catch up, talk about whatever we want that other women can relate to. I have yet to actually clock it however it seems to be close to 3 miles. Talk about an awesome way to start Tuesday! Plus we have some huge bonus hills that are real butt-kickers. Its great. If you are looking for a walking group, want to meet up with some ladies, and have some time to exercise and socialize...come join us!!! Strollers, kids and dogs welcome too!!! Lets get out and walk...we only live once and it is better to take care of the body that you are in. If you have questions, please let me know.

MUDDY BUDDY RUN/BIKE RACE

2010-07-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

I had heard about this race for a long time and to me, it seemed like it would be a super fun adventure...so I found a "Buddy" and got us registered. Columbia, the outerwear gear company, travels the country putting this race on in different locations. This one was at Stoney Creek Metropark in Shelby Township. The race is about 6 miles long. You have to have a partner and one starts out on a bike, Ted started riding, and the other one on foot, that was me running. After the first 1.2 miles we climb a wall and switch and I bike and Ted ran for 1.5 miles. The next obstacle was balance beams, and we switch biking and running again. The third obstacle was a low crawl under nets and the fourth was a huge inflatable slide. After the last run/bike segment, we meet up and run the last few yards together to a HUGE mud pit that we have to crawl through and across the finish line. And it wasn't just kind of muddy as you can see from the picture...It was mud everywhere and on everything. Super fun!!! We didn't win but we sure had a great time. We will strategize better next year now that we know what to expect. When was the last time you got really muddy? We only live once ya know...go play in the dirt!!! :)

INDEPENDENCE DAY

2010-07-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

The 4th of July is probably one of the greatest holidays of the year. I love the 4th and Thanksgiving because it is all about time with family and friends and food and fun. This past 4th of July was no exception. I made it a stay-cation style of a celebration. I spend the entire weekend with my family at my parent's house out on Runyan Lake. The great thing about their house is it is just 3 miles from my house. And though it is only 3 miles, I actually stayed out there one of the nights, didn't even come home. It made me laugh, and then it made me think I should have just packed a bag and stayed all three nights. I love that little lake. It is all-sports and private so you can have as much fun as you want and be confident it is never going to be too over-crowded. There were a lot of people out because going to the lake was the best option for keeping cool over the scorcher of a weekend. I also sat out front of the Cafe of LIFE and watched the parade go by. I just love Fenton for the holiday celebrations. They do a wonderful parade and freedom festival and there are thousands of people that come to the events. As we were preparing for the festivities in the area, I went out and bought a few small American Flags to decorate the Cafe. My assistant Angie put them in a vase and some are still on the front desk. Having those flags here in our space this past week has reminded me of how beautiful that representation of our country is. The red, white, and blue that create those stars and stripes are so amazingly beautiful I want to leave them out there for a while...and I probably will...we only live once...and I am glad to live this life as an American!!!

HAVE I SHARED THIS YET?

2010-06-22T14:05:00.000-07:00

This is the cutest little girl you will ever meet. She is just beginning to show her personality however Charlei is an absolute doll. I have to share this picture because she is so adorable, though I may be a little partial due to the fact that she is my niece...I don't know....see, I knew you would like it :) This picture was taken at about 6 weeks old, she is 9 now, but how about that Hollywood?!?!?!

NEW BUILDING

2010-06-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I didn't realize I was in the market to buy a building until this one particular building became available. It is located at 521 North Leroy St, across from Dewey's Auto Center, just north of the Fenton Hotel. It has a sign on it now called "Family Optical" and it is recently painted a fresh chocolate brown. There is a lot of work to do on it at this point and it is looking like we will be heading that direction around the middle of July though I will make sure you are all kept up to date when the move is going to happen. Right now we are in the process of hanging drywall and building rooms. As soon as that is finished the drywall mudding can be done, then ceiling and floors and in we go. It is going to be a wonderful place and I am looking forward to sharing it with all of you. We will still have two adjusting rooms and a kids room to serve you from. We are adding a second massage room to the mix so the scheduling is a bit easier having two massage therapists instead of just one. Eventually we will be putting a deck out the back entrance to be able to have some space outside to adjust people when the weather cooperates. It is going to be awesome! Just thought I would fill you in on the progress. Things are looking good!

2010-06-16T05:01:00.000-07:00

I am grateful for my life. I am grateful for my immediate family. I am grateful for my health. I am grateful for my extended family. I am grateful for my friends. I am grateful for my dog. I am grateful for my practice. I am grateful for my practice members. I am grateful for my Cafe of LIFE team. I am grateful for my colleagues. I am grateful live in and serve this wonderful community. I am grateful to have a roof over my head. I am grateful to have food that nourishes me. I am grateful for fresh drinking water. I am grateful to have a peaceful place to rest my head at night. I am grateful for Ethos Yoga Studio. I am grateful for all the wonderful people that cross my path everyday. I am grateful for the Cafe of LIFE Book Club. I am grateful to have a vehicle that gets me around. I am grateful to have clothes to wear. I am grateful for music. I am grateful for dance. I am grateful to live in Michigan. I am grateful to have been born in the United States. I am grateful for running shoes. I am grateful to live close to Kensington Metro Park. I am grateful to have the ability to travel. I am grateful to have visited so many wonderful places. I am grateful for sunshine. I am grateful for green grass. I am grateful for rain. I am grateful for snow. I am grateful for technology. I am grateful for email. I am grateful for Facebook and all the ways it connects us. I am grateful for those health care practitioners that educate about health and make a difference. I am grateful for colleges. I am grateful for Life University. I am grateful for Sherman College. I am grateful for hot peppers. I am grateful for lavender oil. I am grateful for books. I am grateful for flip flops. I am grateful for children. I am grateful for heat. I am grateful for light. I am grateful for fresh air. I am grateful for trees. I am grateful for blow dryers. I am grateful for curling and flat irons. I am grateful for hair products. I am grateful for undergarments and socks. I am grateful for towels. I am grateful for time off. I am grateful to be able to serve people and help them more forward. I am grateful for sweat lodges...and finally...I am grateful for ALL of life's lessons. (...I'm sure I missed a few :)

A LESSON IN TRUST

2010-06-03T12:34:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I spent down in the Carolina's, both North and South. I graduated with my doctorate from a school that is in Spartanburg (aka. Sparkle City), SC and decided to go back and meet some friends for a seminar. While I was there, a few friends and I decided we would take a hike. The North Carolina border is just 45 minutes from the school and we spent last Friday afternoon in the woods of Soluda, NC on a beautiful trek to a waterfall...and Choco was with me. During that hike, there is an overlook to the waterfall that is a 300 foot cliff, and when I say cliff, I mean straight down. Being a good mom, I decided to tie Choco up the path a little ways just so that he didn't make an off-step and get into trouble, which actually worked perfectly. While we were enjoying the views he was tied up, watching and waiting for us. So one of my friends that is with us, has a chihuahua at home and doesn't really understand the retriever instincts of my big chocolate lab. As we go to untie the dog, my friend decides this is the perfect time to throw a rock (the size of a tennis ball) back down to the edge of the cliff. Guess what Choco does? Yup, he chases that thing full blast, which in turn makes me lose hold of the leash, right up to the edge of the cliff and...then the rock stops...thank you, thank you Choco's Guardian Angels... Many of you have met Choco... and if it was inside, you realize that he is pretty mellow. However if you met him and it was outside and he had a ball in or around his vicinity, you realize he is a nut-case. So the next day we were throwing the ball for him over yet another rock ledge, this one only 4 feet high or so. Without testing or looking over the edge, he runs and chases the ball no matter what and basically has the attitude of "I trust where my mom is throwing this ball is going to be fine for me to go to". Basically he runs his life on blind trust and to watch how his mind works fascinates me and scares the b'geezers out of me!!! I know at my core that if that rock that was thrown was a ball and made it off the cliff, my dog would have gone with it and lost his life. In fact, after seeing that action the very next day off a 4 foot rock, I have not gone to sleep one night without the thought of it. It is really frightening. There is a lot of blind trust and faith happening in the world today and many are reaping the consequences of it and some are even losing their lives. Check in with yourself...is there anything that you have blindly trusted? Is there something that maybe you should look over the edge at before chasing that ball? I am a very proud dog owner, I love my dog and now realize I need to look after him and think ahead a little bit more than I do already. Look ahead, what's in front of you? Ya know, we only get one chance in this life...
(the top picture is a picture from the cliff, the second is at the beautiful waterfall destination we were after)

WE CAN NEVER...

2010-05-24T13:33:00.001-07:00

...plan for everything. In fact there are times in life when we need to throw all plans aside and become 100% present to face or assist in a situation that you are not even sure how you got there in the first place. I have found through my life that the universe works in strange, miraculous ways and we are really just along for the ride...and the sooner we recognize that fact, the better and easier life becomes. People plan to be in a certain place, at a certain time, doing a certain thing, being a certain way, and planning and controlling the entire situation. It is great when it happens so simply however sometimes when we are pushed way outside our comfort zone, that is where growth happens. Though it is also the most uncomfortable place to be, it is super beneficial to make it happen anyways. I have been in a number of those spots during my life so far and seem to deliberatly seek them out on purpose on a regular basis. I believe in living a life full of rich, rewarding experiences and that doesn't happen when you sit on the sidelines. Come join me in seeking out some of these experiences...we only live once, ya know...we only get one chance...

ZOO-DE-MACK

2010-05-20T13:03:00.001-07:00

Have you guys ever heard of Zoo-De-Mack? It is a 51 mile bike ride from Harbor Springs to Mackinac City along that northern coast of Michigan...so beautiful!!! This will be my 6th year in a row and it is an event I look forward to every year. Somewhere around 4,000 people participate and this is the 21st year. Each year I have made the trek with different people and this year is no exception. There are 6 girls going up this year which should make it a super fun time. We will travel up to Boyne Highlands tomorrow to stay there for the night. Then Saturday we get up and start the ride. There is a great restaurant called "Leggs Inn" that is half way (26 miles to be exact) and we all stop for lunch which is part of the package. After lunch we finish with 25 miles and ride right into the middle or Mackinac City. We usually regroup a little and hop the ferries over to Mackinac Island...and everyone loves the Island!!! We stay that night on the island and celebrate the completion of the bike ride. What a great time. The best part is that the group of people that attend this ride are not just party-ers, they are athletes as well and really dig doing the actual riding portion of it. Its super great fun...come join us sometime:)

OPTIMUM

2010-05-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend I traveled to Atlanta for a wonderful seminar. I used to attend chiropractic college there and many seminars happen at the college so I end up there frequently. Actually in the past, it was very frequent...not so much as of late. In fact, the last time was 6 months ago. It is a city that is so super familiar to me. Many of my friends still live there and many traveled back there for the seminar. The weekend seminar was called "Optimum Life Experience" and the lecture topics were Optimum Health, Optimum Energy, Optimum Service, Optimum Joy, Optimum Abundance, etc and as you can see there was a theme. We have a plethora of wonderful, world renowned speakers in the chiropractic profession and they showed up at 100% this weekend. So in coming out of the seminar I would like to ask you...where do you find "Optimum Joy"? Is there a place in your life where you have a step-outside-of-yourself moment that you can say you were pulverized with the thoughts and feelings of joy? Is there an event that you can recall that brings you back to that place. If there is a specific event that you can see in your mind's eye, do you call on it to get you back to that "happy place"? Take a couple moments and see if you can come up with one, one event or time in your life that you can anchor that feeling of "Optimum Joy" and visit it often. I bet if you begin to put some energy into that, you will find that you begin to encounter a few more of those moments on a more frequent basis. It is amazing and continually verified that whatever you are wanting to see begins to be brought your way. I find "Optimum Joy" when I am in my Cafe of LIFE, my chiropractic office where I get to serve so many people each and every day. I find myself 100% present with what I am doing as I am serving each and every person and when thoughts of past and future are absent, "Optimum Joy"can easily be attained. I find myself in that "Optimum Joy" place when I am doing my yoga practice 3 times per week and during meditation. I find myself seeking to be 100% present in more and more areas of my life. It is a wonderful way to live. Yes, I slip off the path, check myself back in, slip off again, check in again and the process continues. I think, and often share with others that "Life is just a game of slipping and checking". Check in with yourself. Find what brings you "Optimum Joy" and look to spread that to other areas of your life...and see what kinds of wonderful things come from that...and share them with me:)

ANGEL WINGS

2010-05-05T12:55:00.000-07:00

Have you met our massage therapist Teri? She is one of the most wonderfully happy people you will ever come across. Find a spare moment with her and she will for sure have laughing about something. She is a shining star, a real light in this community and I am so lucky and blessed to have her on staff at the Cafe of LIFE.

This afternoon I walked in and Teri is frantically looking for an umbrella. She had just spotted an elderly couple walking down the road and the drizzle had just transitioned into a downpour. She ran out, got in her car with an umbrella and drove down to where they were. Instead of giving them the umbrella, she gave them a ride the rest of the way to their destination and though they were soking wet, they were less wet then they would have been, and appreciative of her assistance. She is a true angel.

Thanks Teri! ...for being you, and for being an inspiration to the rest of the community. Keep shining your light!!!

MOTHERS

2010-05-03T14:28:00.000-07:00

This is a special thank you to all the mothers out there. My mother is not only just my mother, she has become one of my best friends. Every year around Mother's Day, my brothers and I love to get the family together and celebrate and this year we have added one more mother to the celebration...my sister-in-law to be, Rachel, who just gave birth to my neice, Charlei, 3 weeks ago. I have been fortunate to have a small glimpse into what new motherhood is all about from being a part of Rachel and Charlei's lives. Rachel has been able to find a beautiful, yet delicate balance of caring time and rest with Charlei and it has only been 3 weeks. I see the amount of dedication that it takes for one child, and I have absolutely no idea how my mother did it with four kids, or my mother's mother did it with ten kids. WOW!!! Being a mom is an endless and often thankless job and what I am finding out is that it doesn't seem like anything can prepare you for that role besides just jumping into it. My other sister-in-law, Lauren, is pregnant as well and through all of this (while I let these two raise future babysitters for me) I get to stand by and watch and help. I look forward to the opportunity to be able to experience being a mother at some point in the future (and notice I didn't say "near future") but until then I will do my best to continue my wonderful relationship with these women so that I may learn and grow at the same time. One last special message to my own mother---life is better, fuller, more peaceful, easier, and fulfilling and I have found more success, happiness, and love because you are my mom. Thank you for everything!
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!

GOOD FRIENDS....

2010-04-27T14:13:00.000-07:00

...make life so much sweeter. I have some super good friends that I got to celebrate my birthday with over the past weekend. One of these girls I have known for 22 years, one I have known for 18 years and the other I have known for 2 years. A wide range of years...which makes it even better. The other super fun part of this group of friends is that each of them are similar and yet so different that it makes for fun, engaging conversation. We met up for sushi and then went out for some dancing. It is funny, and a comedian once did a skit about the differences between men and women, one of them being that women get together and want to head out somewhere where there is going to be dancing involved. You never hear about a group of men looking for a place to go dancing together. The differences between men and women are, of course, way to numerous to mention here but I just thought I would bring your attention to that one. My birthday was a good one, the week had just the right amount of celebration, and I am really looking forward to the coming year. I can tell it is going to be amazing!!!

EARTH DAY CLEAN-UP

2010-04-26T14:36:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday Simple, the health food store next door, and the Cafe of LIFE got a group of people together and picked up garbage all over the downtown area. We actually anticipated to be able to cover more of the downtown area, however there was SO MUCH GARBAGE that we weren't able to do much more than just about 3-4 blocks. I always thought that Fenton was a pretty clean area, however if you would have joined me, you would have been embarrassed at the amount of garbage that was out there, not to mention cigarette butts. Amazingly disgusting!!! I am not sure if you all realize that the Shiawassee River is a tributary to the Great Lakes and that everything that happens in those tributaries translates to damage to our Great Lakes. The whole clean-up experience was really eye-opening because we are but just one small town along the watershed. From our experience on Saturday we have decided that instead of waiting until next Earth Day to do another clean-up, we will schedule one about a month from now and hopefully get some more participation. It really does take everyone to keep this community and earth clean and I think it is time to have a little more respect. Come join us!!!

CHARLEI MAE

2010-04-12T14:10:00.000-07:00

My niece entered the world this past Sunday morning. My oldest brother is a dad!!! Between the 4 of us kids, this is the first baby and so of course Charlei is an absolute delight and we have been anxiously anticipating her arrival for a while now. I have to share a few pictures of her because she is so precious. Her mom, Rachel, was a total rockstar and delivered Charlei naturally, attended by a midwife, a nurse and of course my brother Nate. I am so lucky they live right here in Fenton and I will be able to visit and hang out and participate in her life and their lives...Charlei, you picked a great family!

WOW THIS HEALING PROCESS!!!

2010-04-06T13:44:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, this last trip to Colorado ended with a pretty severe injury. This picture below is me just seconds before the incident and it is me giving two thumbs up (thought it may look like middle fingers---I wear mittens people!!!! :) It was the first run on my snowboard on the very first day and I was hit by another snowboarder. For me, I usually brush things off as no big deal. Well this time, when I went to do that, it turned out it was a bigger deal that I had anticipated at first. In fact, such a big deal that we had to call the ski patrols to come and pick me up off the mountain. I was in a LOT of pain, and I mean a LOT! I have been skiing since I could walk and for the past 14 years have been snowboarding and that was the very first time ever that I rode down with a ski patrol. It turns out that nothing was broken and nothing was torn, just a severe sprain of my right shoulder. I am so grateful that just the day before I had bought myself a brain bucket. I had never worn one of those and it saved me, probably not saved my life (I don't think the fall was life-threatening), but definatly saved me from worse injury. So the rest of the day was spent sleeping and icing and heating and filling my body full of supplements to help aid the healing process. The next morning I woke up and though I could barely move my right arm at all, I was in Breckenridge and the sun was shining and if any of you are like me...I cannot miss an opportunity so I was back out there. The guy that I was with spent the entire day clipping me in and out of my bindings at the top and bottom of the runs. I was also with a bunch of chiropractor friends so getting adjusted a lot helped the healing process to begin. It turned out to be a great weekend and since then, simply sitting back and watching my body heal and my shoulder get stronger and stronger everyday is an amazing thing. Can you imagine if we needed to know all the little processes in our bodies that lead to our healing, what to put where and what blood and other chemicals need to flow when in order to orchestrate the process. Thank goodness we have an intelligence inside that takes care of making sure everything gets done, so literally we can just sit back and watch it all happen. In that process I am doing all my usual stuff, which includes eating well, drinking tons of water, getting adjusted, getting massage therapy and acupuncture, doing yoga and getting exercise and taking my supplements. The body has an amazing ability to heal from just about anything, we just have to give it the opportunity to do so. It will be a little while before my shoulder feels 100%, however I am going to continue to trust the process. :)

SURFING

2010-03-31T06:18:00.001-07:00

One more post about Ecuador which I have been meaning to get back to before I got rudely interrupted by the big celebrations around here with the 5th birthday and all:)

Have you ever surfed? I have done a bit in my life, in fact first learning 4 years ago on the Jersey Shore from my good friend and boyfriend at the time that lives there. The entire trip to Ecuador was all based around surfing so I probably better prove that I actually did that while I was there...and I did...a LOT of it. We surfed 2 sessions per day for anywhere between 45 minutes to 2 hours. Exhausting and super fun. The water was wonderful and as long as there was cloud cover, it was a good time. Without the clouds, we would burn through no matter what SPF we put on so the clouds on this trip were a blessing. One of the greatest parts about surfing is just being in the water. Once you get out beyond the break, there is a peace in sitting and waiting. Sometimes it is with other people and sometimes it is all alone with thoughts and dreams and yourself. I learned a lot about reading what the water is going to do. There is a universal rhythm to the way the water moves and an ebb and flow to it all and to learn to watch and listen for that was a very peaceful and wonderful process. Most of the week I spent inside the break line as I am not interesting in getting completely tossed by some of the huge water we were in. The last few days I was beginning to get really daring as I had learned a lot and the last day I caught a HUGE wave, paddled in, caught it, and rode down the face of it. It was a super cool moment in my life. Unfortunately one cannot catch every moment on camera (though I do try my hardest) but it is a moment and feeling that is locked into my being forever. I am a snowboarder at heart, and surfing kind of fits into that as well. So I asked myself when I was out there on the water...if I love snowboarding so much, what is it that is missing from surfing that makes me not "over-the-top" crazy about it. Don't get me wrong I do like to surf...but I LOVE to snowboard. What I realized is that I love the exploring part of snowboarding, almost like hiking but on a snowboard. My favorite places to snowboard are out west in Colorado and when I am there, not only do I get to ride snow waves, I also get to explore the outdoors with some of those places covering HUGE amounts of area. Some think I must be an adrenaline junkie to participate in some of the sports that I do. It isn't that at all and if you saw how I ride, you would realize it is more of a meditation than anything. It is about being present and aware and in that place there is a lot of peace. RIDE ON!!!!

2010-03-15T12:51:00.000-07:00

Unique, pleasant, refreshing, crunchy, complete, friendly, helpful, stress-free, calming, happy, healthy, painless, comfort, relief, friendship, enriching, healing, happy smiling, peace, health, happiness, awesome, great, super, inviting, relaxing, healing, gentle, awesome, relaxing, spiritual, balanced, positive, relaxing, healing, fun, comfortable, rejuvenating, family/love, centering, restorative, awake, clear, happy, pain free, stress-free, soothing, centering, purposeful, effective, pleasant, educating, wonderful, easy, fun, flexible, peaceful, calm, friendly, welcoming, uplifting, genuine concern, caring, warm, needed, enjoyable, tension reliever, different, energizing, invigorating, pain elimination, "spine in line", pleasing, clean, ahhhhhh!, well, love, life, learning, personal, effective, convenient, relaxation, supportive, healthy, water, educational, fun, successful, clowns, helpful, accommodating, good, tranquil, peaceful, wonderful, refreshing, restorative, beneficial, healthful, caring, heavenly, exile rating, inspiring, life-changing, improvement, love it!, feel better, healthful, angel, peace, friendly, health-giving, health-promoting, energizing, warm, neck cracking, exponential, fantastic, fabulous, exciting, amazing, fantastic, better, relax, compassion, caring, tranquil, serene, great feeling, friendly, great, wonderful, fun, stress relieving, calming, bright, restoring, restoring health, positive, pleasant, peaceful, caring, helpful, life-changing, delightful, relaxation, relief, still, great great great!, relaxed, peace, thirsty, relieve, hope, thrive.

These are all the words that describe people's experience here at the Cafe of LIFE, coming directly from them. I do what I do because I love to help people and I love chiropractic and if what I do for other is described from the above words, I feel strongly that is a sign of success...and I am looking forward to many more years ahead!!

PICTURES OF THE FIRST OFFICE

2010-03-08T08:26:00.000-08:00

Some pictures of my first office location:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAFE OF LIFE!!!

2010-03-08T08:12:00.000-08:00

Everyone always told me that the years go faster as you get older. It is so true and I am in complete disbelief that it has been 5 years since I have opened the doors of the Cafe of LIFE!!! 5 years ago I moved home and I remember looking at all kinds of office space all over Birmingham and Ann Arbor. Those two cities were high on my radar for locations that I wanted to be in. Then one day I was driving around Fenton and there was a building for sale that I thought would be a great fit for what I was looking to create and it began to get me thinking of possibly opening my office here instead. That building was not a good fit after all so I began to look at different spaces for rent and ended up finding the perfect fit and opening my doors on March 12, 2005 at 110 Trealout Dr (across the street from Lovey's on North Leroy). Wow! What an adventure it had been. When I first opened, my priority was to make sure that I was only tied into a 1 year lease since I wasn't sure that I really wanted to be here in Fenton, well and maybe because I was a bit of a commitment-phobe at the time:) So the years have gone by faster than I ever imagined possible and I am still so blessed and fortunate to be serving the Fenton and surrounding communities the "Exceptional Chiropractic Experience" and loving every minute of it. Thank you, all of you who have had any part of helping the Cafe of LIFE to grow roots in this community. I am so grateful to have a place her, to serve you and be able to do what I love to do.

DOMESTICATION

2010-03-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

There is a strange things that happens in countries like Ecuador (which I visited last week), as well as Costa Rica (which I visited in December). There are dogs everywhere. All kinds of dogs, mostly mutts and they are all allowed to just roam free and be true pack animals. What was incredibly evident to me this time visiting Ecuador was that none of the dogs are getting hit by cars. Here in the United States, because of how we have domesticated animals and especially dogs, our pets run out into the street with no clue how dangerous the cars are that are heading straight towards them. In these other countries that I visited, the dogs know that the street means danger and that cars are huge dangerous things to be in front of. Now don't get me wrong, I am sure there are dogs hit every once in a while, however if you put a bunch of dogs from the United States down there, it would be a nightmare of carnage. There is an order that is followed, so to speak. The children in those countries are the same way. Many times while we were driving, children around the ages of 3 -5 would be walking along the side of the road without any parents in sight. Donkeys, horses, cows, chickens, pigs...all of them roaming around without limits, all of them staying clear of cars on the roads, all of them contributing to the peaceful life. Now, I am by no means saying that this would be a good idea for this country...not saying that at all. I just thought it was pretty interesting and something to think about...

2010-02-25T13:20:00.000-08:00

ECUADOR

2010-02-25T12:56:00.000-08:00

I spent all of last week on a surf trip to Montanita, Ecuador. I am excited to share pictures and stories with you all and I am so glad that so many of you keep up with me this way. There is an underground group of Great Lakes surfers, yes people actually do surf the Great Lakes. I am not one of them, however the guy that I am dating is and that is how I got hooked into this trip. I do have to say that I didn't really feel like I "deserved" a vacation like that since I was just in Costa Rica over the holidays, however the price was something not to be passed up and so I found a wonderful doctor to cover my practice and off I went. Montanita is an old fishing town turned hippie surfer town...just my style. The people of Ecuador are a simple folk. There is not much money and barely any education in the area I was in and so the people are not living and working to try and get anywhere. They are happy and content and present and WOW that is refreshing!!! There i no "running the rat race" mentality and subsequently, a lot less stress or at least a very different stress. I do my best to take each moment as it comes and be present so as to not miss a beat. I haven't always been this way however I find the most peace in that space and will continue to strive to sustain that. Join me, why don't ya... (picture taken at one of the beaches we surfed at, more pictures to come).

BEST FRIENDS

2010-02-09T12:36:00.000-08:00

Meet Jennifer... she and I have been best friends since high school...a VERY long time. She is one of the most wonderful women that I know. She is intelligent, funny and authentic, probably the top three qualities that I look for in friends. The greatest thing about her is she has been such a dedicated friend to me no matter what. I do not believe that there has ever been a time that she wasn't in my life. I moved all over the country and she came to visit me in all the places I lived. She has been on the other end of the phone for some really wonderful conversations and some really crappy conversations where it is all tears and barely any words. She has guided me in many of my huge life decisions, or at least I always let her have a word about whatever the situation is. She is amazing. She has the biggest entrepreneurial spirit of anyone who I have ever met and she is in the process of materializing her latest "million dollar idea" and this one is going to go far. In the few years, when her and I have hung up the phone, I take a moment to be grateful for her in my life. Thanks Jen. My life is better simply by having you in it:)

SWEAT LODGE

2010-02-04T08:55:00.000-08:00

One of the most disappointing parts of the media today is the fact that something like a "Sweat Lodge" can go from a wonderful and beneficial Native American ceremony to something that "kills people". Just a few months ago, there was some famous someone doing a sweat lodge somewhere and 2 people died while there. I can tell you up front, there was a lot of ego involved when things like that happen. So when I was invited to go with a friend, I was slightly apprehensive. When I first mentioned to a few people that I was going to attend a Sweat Lodge, the first thing out of their mouths was "Don't people die doing that?" Yeah some people have died doing that however so many more hundreds of thousands to millions of people have lived during sweats too...so I went anyways. I have been involved in a lot of life transforming activities however I have to say that this was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. There is a place called "Cedar Water Healing Lodge" http://www.gaylejoseph.com/. in Milford, MI. When you go there, you are instantly accepted as one of their family. The people that run the ceremony have the most loving and giving energy and the experience is one that I would recommend to everyone. The ceremony was explained to us when we got there as well as a guarantee that if something is not going well for you, a phrase can be said and you can remove yourself from the lodge. There were 16 of us for this experience and it lasted about 3 hours followed by a wonderful feast of delicious food. Really and truly a wonderful experience. The lodge in Milford runs sweats every three weeks and I plan on attending as much as will fit into my schedule. Come join me if you would like:)

NEW LIFE

2010-01-19T11:09:00.000-08:00

Back to my Costa Rica trip because I told you guys that I would share...

So one of the highlights of the entire trip was my final walk on the beach of the final morning of my vacation. In the area we were staying, a few miles of beaches were strung together by a path that went up through the jungle. There would be a section of beach, then the jungle, then beach, then up over a huge cliff through the jungle, etc, and this walk pretty much took about an hour there and back. The morning was beautiful, the sun was shining, the surfers were out doing their thing, and it was one of those bittersweet moments; I am excited to go home but sad to leave paradise and my friends. I set an intention for this hike and I wanted to make it about creating the next section of my life. So as I am walking, I am taking it all in; the sights, the smells, the sounds, the feelings, all of it. I am in an deep meditative mode when all of a sudden I come across this group of three people that are intently watching something on the beach. As I get closer, I realize that it is a baby sea turtle that had just hatched and is making its way towards the sea. So I sat with the group and watched him. It turns out that he is the first of a large group of turtles that the locals are expecting to hatch in about 3 days, at the full moon. So this little guy, a few days ahead of the rest of the pack, is flopping his feet and making his way with one destination in mind, to the ocean. When he has finally reached an area that the waves will reach out and take him from there, there was an incredible feeling inside my being. Have you ever witnessed a birth of a child? That pure, love feeling that happens in that moment when the child enters this world? Do you know what I am talking about? It is a recognition of the divine perfection of everything in this universe. This little turtle, without any map or directions from any parents, used all the strength he could muster up to head out and create a life for himself. It truly was magical. So to say this moment of witnessing the divine perfection of the universe was a highlight of the vacation is really an understatement. It is actually one of the highlights in my life so far...

BROTHERS

2010-01-19T10:47:00.001-08:00

I love my brothers. This picture is the most recent picture of my brothers from just this past weekend. Now when I say I love my brothers, I didn't always feel that way. We were no "Leave it to Beaver" family growing up, don't get me wrong. I am the second oldest of the group but trust me, being the only girl, order doesn't matter...it is 3 against 1 no matter what. I remember going through school and the teachers that had my older brother would say things like 'I cannot believe you are even related because you look, think and act so differently'. I actually remember a point in my life when as far as I am concerned I am an only child...what brothers? But today is a different story. I have found so much gratitude in all that these guys have contributed and continue to contribute to my life. I am who I am and they are who they are largely due to the way we have collectively touched each others lives. All 4 of us reside within a 10 mile radius which is also pretty cool. One is married, the other engaged with a little one on the way but each of us are doing our part to make this family and the world go around. As I just mentioned, there will be a little one entering into our foursome and that is super exciting. I still haven't been able to wrap my head around the fact that one of these goofballs is going to be a father but of course it had to happen sometime, right? So we will welcome her (yes it is a girl) into this world in March and maybe make it 3 against 2:) Love you guys!!!

AMAZING FRIENDS

2010-01-11T18:39:00.000-08:00

There are those people in our lives that when you get together, no matter how long it has been, you never miss a beat. These are a few of those people to me. Scott, Marco, and Christine are all friends of mine from our crazy adventure through chiropractic college. Much like so many people, when you go through schooling that is so intense, and there are others doing the same thing, some serious forever bonds come out of that. All three of these friends practice in and around Denver, Colorado. I make it out there to visit them a couple times per year though we have never traveled together. We all closed our practices for the week and spent that time together. They are family. I just thought I would share a picture of part of the crew. This is us opening coconuts and drinking the coconut water and then eating the meat...right in front of our resort. So much fun!!!