Reflection and Thanksgiving Thursday

"Sit a while and reflect. All that we have done and have yet to do lead us upward." ~Mama Hen 

I have always been one to reflect upon everything. My mind is continuously going, both day and night. The other day as I was sitting at an unusually long light, I watched an elderly gentleman walking along the sidewalk with his cane. The cars were racing past and the world seemed to be in such a hurry. However, this man who wore the signs of a lifetime in each line on his face and carried the burdens of many years in the exaggerated hunch of his shoulders, walked leisurely amidst it all. I watched his rickety walk and wondered about his story. I thought about my own life and how I continuously seek peace in this ever rapid paced society. I started thinking about when I will be this gentleman's age and sitting upon a bench under an old tree. What will I reflect upon? Will I have lived the life I had imagined decades ago? Will I have passed along enough kind deeds to others and taught my daughter well through example? Will I have done the work God has intended for me? Will I feel whole? While having a mind that is always reflecting can be exhausting at times, it is comforting to know that through this constant reflection and reevaluation I can bring about the changes I want to see decades from now.

Thanksgiving Thursday: 1.) Little Chick and my family. 2.) The gift to change the things we want to see. 3.) Each new day God  has blessed us with. 4.) Rainy days and slowing the pace for a moment. 5.) Horses and the overflowing love Little Chick has for them. 

Cherished Moments Monday

"Fill your days with happiness! This very moment will be tomorrow's cherished memory." ~Mama Hen

The past couple of weeks have been filled with some really fun memories! I took pictures of just a few fantastic things that we have been doing. Last week Little Chick had fun at Mystic Aquarium with her cousin. They loved seeing the beluga whales and going into the bird house to feed some birds. On Monday Little Chick had a great day at the zoo with a buddy of hers. On Friday Little Chick rode a new pony at the farm she spends her days. We became smitten with this adorable pony, Smitten, the moment we say him. Saturday Little Chick went back to the zoo with her friend and had so much fun riding the carousel, seeing the Pygmy Marmosets (her favorite monkeys) and visiting the prairie dogs. She even got to make silly faces with the howler monkey. On Sunday we had a beautiful day back up at Mystic Aquarium. We had a delicious dinner on the way back at our favorite little place on the water. Little Chick was excited to feed her seagull and duck friends. It has been a wonderful couple of weeks filled with many cherished memories!

Thanksgiving Thursday & Choosing a Path

"Choosing a path can be a daunting task. However, the excitement of a new journey and what will unfold along the way is what makes living so spectacular." ~Mama Hen 

 I love the excitement of a new journey! My adventurous spirit and zest for taking in God's great earth makes each new path I embark upon one filled with positive anticipation. I am at a crossroad in my life and I want to make sure that the road Little Chick and I travel is overflowing with many new adventures and cherished memories. I want my daughter to learn through travel, exploring nature and experiencing the many blessed gifts God has given us all. Until now part of my journey has been challenging and there have been many uphill climbs I have had to endure. But what I have learned is that no matter how exhausting the climb is, if I keep pushing through, eventually I will reach the top. And oh how glorious the view is from the top. I hope that Little Chick always knows how important the journey is, no matter how difficult the course. Because only through struggle and adverse times can the outcome truly be appreciated and fully enjoyed. Happy Thanksgiving Thursday!

 

Thanksgiving Thursday: 1.) Little Chick and my family. 2.) The challenges in my life that have taught me humility and true thankfulness. 3.) Little Chick's laughter and love for making others laugh. 4.) Talking with my big sister and knowing that she is always there for me. 5.) My parents who taught me to stay strong, push through, be thankful and to always appreciate everything we have been blessed with.

Thanksgiving Thursday & Horses

"Dreams that come from the heart are meant to be lived, loved and cherished." ~Mama Hen

Little Chick would love to live on a farm. I try to fuel this passion for horses by taking her to the horse farm as often as I can. I wish I could actually give her a horse. She loves and adores them and could spend hour after hour simply being with them. If Little Chick is not taking care of them, feeding them and hanging out with them, then she is riding them. Who knew that when I showed her the movie "National Velvet" at 3 1/2 years old and she said, "Mommy when can I ride a horse" right after the movie ended and did not let up until her fourth birthday, that an incredible passion was kindled. I love helping my daughter's dreams come true.

Thanksgiving Thursday: 1.) Little Chick and my family. 2.) Helping Little Chick's love for horses and wanting to be with them be a reality. 3.) Dinners with Little Chick, Grandma Hen, and my great friend Geri at the beach. 4.) Autumn's cool nights, apple and pumpkin picking, decorations and the warm feeling it creates. 5.) Pumpkin muffins and a yummy cup of coffee.

Little Chick's Love for Animals

"Spend each moment doing the things you love. There is no better time to live the life you dreamed of." ~Mama Hen

Little Chick loves animals! She can spend hours at the horse farm. She asks me every day when she can see her horse buddies. We go rather often. She feeds the horses hay and loves helping out with the barn chores. After a few hours of being an excellent horsey helper I have to pry her away for dinner. This weekend has been filled with horses, seagulls and ducks. On Friday Little Chick had a fantastic time on the farm all afternoon. Saturday we headed up North to one of our favorite lunch places. She had so much fun feeding the seagulls. She likes to order an extra dish just to share with her birdie buddies. Then later that day we headed to a bakery and asked for some bread to feed the ducks. We had such an amazing time at the park with Grandma Hen feeding about twenty five duckies. My battery pooped out on my camera so I did not capture that on pictures other than the delicious bread we had gotten for them. But we sure had fun living in the moment!

A Day at the Beach

"A day at the beach filled with exploring, flying and creating castles is heavenly." ~Mama Hen

We had a fantastic day at the beach yesterday! We explored and collected beautiful shells, ran with the seagulls, went swinging on the swings and had fun simply being in the moment. We were there all day! I decided not to bring my cell, which made it very peaceful staying focused on all the delightful gifts we could find at the beach. Sometimes it can be so easy to get distracted by things that consume our days. I was so happy to live each moment with my baby soaking in God's beauty all around us. It was a lovely holiday with Little Chick and Grandma Hen!