Dog with a Blog - sort of

Bekah the #therapydog reported for duty (early!) today for what appears to be the first of many welcomed visits at the Shorewood Senior Campus in Rochester, MN.

We were contacted approximately one month ago to volunteer a couple days per month at an independent living center and assisted living center.  Over 20 people visited with Bekah at the independent living center, about 15 at the assisted living center, and 3 friendly faces in a special visit to the memory care unit - not including staff!  

Stories were shared, smiles were abundant, and to top it off - the sunshine was out! Not a bad first day back to 'work', even if it was during naptime (for the dog...!).

As a coach, dog owner, and plain ol' human being, I was humbled yet again by the simple joy and heartwarming smiles a dog can bring to a person's life, no matter what the time-frame or length of relationship. 

@CoachBurow #therapydog #sunshinesmilesanddogs #blessed #thankful

View from Here

Already today, many reasons to be thankful.  

• Waking up rested was gratitude marker #1!  After a late night and very sore back, feeling physically ready for the day was a blessing immediately this morning!  
• Peaking out the window, glorious sunshine spread over the lush, fresh-cut green grass - YIPPEE!!  A beautiful day!!  
• Getting my [instant] coffee ready, I was thankful that I a) had this fun mug from Caribou gifted to me by a dear friend, b) instant Starbucks mocha coffee when I don't have a coffee maker, c) with a splash of delicious peppermint mocha creamer added delight to what was already proving to be a splendid start to the day.  
• Something felt funny and I looked to my wrist to see a wristband and reflected on yesterday's fantastic day of pizza, wine, and Wii games with a friend during the rainstorm and live, outdoor music with great company when the weather cleared.
• Here is a multifactorial blessing: a) sitting outside, b) in the morning sunshine, c) drinking my coffee and d) having some quiet time reading Scriptures,  I look down and e) my amazing/angelic/perfect/loyal dog is laying at my feet.  

My view - made me think of God's view when we come to sit quietly at His 'feet'.  

Gratitude is a practice that I want to continue to cultivate daily.  When I stop and take the time to look at what is around me right now, I cannot help but smile and feel my heart fill up.  

Thankfulness continues . . . 

• I registered my business with the State of MN today.   Dynamic Wellness, LLC:  'Integrating Healthy Practices for Mind, Body, and Spirit.'  I am thankful for the support of people in my life, past and present, for the encouragement and constructive criticism and ethical advice - as well as the role models that I am blessed to have.
• Calling my dad to wish him Happy Father's Day reminded me how much he has given to me and taught me.  I'm very thankful for my step-dad who been such an incredible blessing to my mom, sister, and me over the last 20 years.
• And then my mind goes to how much is provided for me every second of every day by the ultimate Father.  My mind cannot wrap around all of the goodness.

Those who read this blog and know me, personally, know that I experience life's ups-and-downs just like anyone else and sometimes struggle.  No person is without contextual tragedy.  What I want people to remember about me is that in the end, I choose to be happy; that I choose to see the good.  

Our perspectives create our worlds.  The same external 'happenings' will occur no matter how you respond; if you choose to look through a lens of gratitude, your experiences change dramatically.  

I choose to look with open eyes, a heart of gratitude, and a mind of discernment

And the view from here is pretty spectacular. 

Where to run, next?

This post comes on the heels of a semi-dramatic/traumatic last 48 hours . . . and to be completely honest, the last 2 weeks, the last 2 months, and the last year and a half have been such a series of drastic changes that I am taking the time RIGHT NOW to write down a list of who and what I am grateful for:

1) God, and my faith in God. *note: Faith is not always easy.*
2) My overall generally-good health.
3) Family - for all of them, and right now, my mom has to receive more accolades.  She is such a strong, wise, persistent, faithful woman who teaches me the importance of trusting my intuition ('gut'), relying on my rationale (intelligence and wisdom), and pushes me to be resilient without expecting perfection.  
4) Resilience - and all of the opportunities that have been presented to me thus far to cultivate that characteristic.
5) My jobs, employers, and co-workers.
6) My dog. (Really, she might be my #2, if this were in ranked order!)
7) My education.
8) Along with my formal education, the ability to think on my own!  I have to give credit to my dad for some of this - even though he is a very strong personality and likes to persuade me to think he is right all the time ;-) he has instilled in me the will, encouraged me to practice, and expected me to make decisions for myself.
9) Amazing friends.  Not one of them is perfect, and the ones that know they aren't don't expect me to be, either :-) 
10) The capacity to think, create, plan, act, evaluate, and repeat.
11) Wisdom, discernment, and people who I trust when mine are clouded!
12) The feeling that gratitude and hopefulness creates/provides.

and

13) the fact that I completed 'sanctioned run' #2 this morning with two people who have been such an incredible blessing in my life over the last year.  

Showing our 'race numbers' - and please disregard the slightly crabby faces, the weather was NOT ideal for a run this morning!

Gratitude on a Monday, of all days!

What is this?  Thankfulness?! On a MONDAY??!!  Especially on a Monday in which I am feeling zombie-ish and sugar-hangovery?

Let me explain. 

A four-day "weekend" full of rest, delicious food, and leisurely-to-moderately-paced walks, led to an "OHMYGOSH its Sunday night and I have soooo much writing to do for papers that are due this week!" slight panic last evening.  (Although, that didn't stop me from taking a 2-hour afternoon nap.)  Last night, I suddenly realized that it was 1am and I was still working on a paper for my evaluation course.  "Bedtime for Bonzos!" I said to myself (channeling my mother).  *p.s. mom, I literally say that out loud sometimes.  And, sister said it while she was here visiting me.  FYI.*  I digress. (Typical.) 

Sooooo, this morning I wake and am STAH-rugglin'.  Puffy, sore eyes, achey head, body aches, sleepy sleepy sleep.  Need-to-get-up.  Did this to myself.  Have early morning class.  Lots to do today. Mind-turn-on-NOW! now!!!!  DO IT!! Hm.  That didn't work.  Try another tactic. *snooze* *snooze* *snooze*. Okay, now its really time to get up.  Puttered around and got as ready as I felt necessary and had a few minutes before I thought the bus would come.  "Sit down and read today's devotion," I thought to myself. (Shoutout to youngest-older brother, who gave me the daily devotional book for Christmas last year.)  The last few days have been, fittingly, composed of words regarding thankfulness.  Today's was/is no different.  And in the last few days, I've been really working on making life-decisions and having faith in my needs being provided for me.

Why do I feel like writing about this?  Because I finally got my behind outside and was in the parking lot as the bus pulled up to the bus stop . . . and STOPTHEPRESS! The bus driver waited for me as I sprinted awkwardly across the parking lot, hurdling the ditch and singing prayers of gratitude! I thanked him and thought, "Wow. My needs are provided for.  I am thankful. I took time for the devotion, which said that if I take the time for gratitude, I will be richly blessed."  And I proceeded to start humming How Great Thou Art.  And I started singing it out loud as I walked to class. :)

Sure, I got to finance class and got my grade on my mid-term quiz (::ahem. 62/100. far from norm for me::) Thankful that it is better than the 20/100 that the automated grading system originally posted on our class website!  Eek. *Thankful to be learning...right?!?!?*

Thankful for Walks :)

Happy Belated Thanksgiving :)  Although, I think we can continue to be grateful long after the actual 'day of' Thanksgiving, don't you??  Speaking of - I've decided that Black Friday may be equiv to Good Friday.   Think about it: day of family, friends, feasting, thankfulness, gratitude....followed by a day of madness; likened to a day of family, friends, feasting, humbleness...followed by a day of sadness.  Oof-dah.  I'm thankful that I slept in today :-)

Yesterday was a lot of fun - spent the afternoon with long-time friends and my roommate with a DELICIOUS meal (of course!!), great stories and a LOT of laughter, and a **walk after dinner** :-)  HAPPY!!!  Physical activity, as a group, 5 of us went for a nice, meandering walk around the neighborhood after stuffing our faces with amazingly delicious grub.  ::--SO THANKFUL--::

Want to see?  Check it out . . .

My plate. And I ate it. ALL!

Longtime friend - known since elementary school :)