Today marks a sad milestone. I have to say good-bye.

Adios.

Ciao.

The end.

To our weekly family lunches!

Sorry for the dramatic effect. Did I have you a little worried there? No? Okay, then. I see how you feel. Kidding!  

Anyways, today marked the last of our family lunch dates on Thursdays. We did it up just as we normally do with some playtime at the mini park and a standard sandwich/wrap + chip lunch combo.

I picked the two turkey wraps and some original Sunchips for my lunch.

I've had better, but nothing could beat the gorgeous fall day.

Or the fun of time together as a family!

I’m so sad to see this little tradition go, but it marks a good change. The change? Peter got a new job!

He loved where he was working, but a new opportunity came along that he felt compelled to take. A bunch of things just fell into place for this chance, so he rolled with it.  You know how sometimes things just seem to align and you can’t ignore them? That’s kind of how this went.

I’m a little bummed he will be working further from home now, but I trust this change as a good one for him and for our family. His hours will still have him home by 5 pm so we have family time and he won’t have to be “on call” anymore. We’ll just have to figure something else out for our little lunch tradition!

Things may not be drastically changing but it’s still a little unnerving. Change always is, in my opinion! I believe the unexpected always poses challenges. I also believe change is necessary for growth in life. And that we have to be open to new opportunities.

Speaking of opportunities, I found Caitlin’s post from this morning really eye-opening. We can all too easily compare our opportunities in life to others. That does no good! We have to keep our eyes on our own personal ventures and view our current situations as the stepping stones to our futures.

Just like in the success versus achievement mindset I posted about before – we simply must strive to do our best and build up our gifts/talents any way we can with where we are NOW and let things happen naturally. Be open to new possibilities in our own lives instead of dwelling on the circumstances of others’ lives. Easier said than done, I know!

I guess a lot of things have had me reflecting lately on the paths I hope my life takes. Then, I remember that all I can do is be the best version of myself, develop my strengths, and keep an open mind and loving heart. It will all work out..and we each have that option in life.  

• What’s the last change you had in your life?
• For fun - What is your dream job?

Hello, friends! I think it’s time we had a little heart to heart.

I mentioned earlier that I have not been feeling too well. Not only have I felt like my body is fighting off illness and that all I want to do is sleep for 24 hours straight, but I have also felt on the verge of an anxiety attack and like something isn’t quite right.

Yesterday afternoon, Peter & I seriously discussed me quitting the blog.

When I have a passion for something, I go all out. You may have noticed that. You may also have noticed that I have a lot of passions.

I have a passion for my faith.

I have a passion for my family.

I have a passion for a healthy lifestyle.

I have a passion for sharing my story and blogging.

Most of the time, I can give 100% to each of those things without hesitation. Most of the time, I can juggle the responsibilities that come with each seamlessly. Most of the time, I have no problem and manage it all with a smile on my face.

Then, I noticed something. I give and give and give to each of those passions. Nothing brings me down for awhile. But inevitably, I crash and burn.

Peter and I took a closer look at this cycle and, it appears, about once every 3-4 weeks I reach that threshold and go from one extreme to the other. From having it all sorted out to barely feeling like I can keep my head above water. The water being the tears that drop from my eyes at nary a moment’s notice.

Whenever I reach this point, I doubt myself as a mother. Whenever I reach this point, a lot of my healthy habits break down – either with stress eating or feeling too exhausted to workout. Whenever I reach this point, I get angry with myself and lose patience with others. This can not and will not go on.

A lot of topics in my devotional readings, study groups at church, and even just in my heart during prayer, have really forced me to wonder about my own passions.

When looking at my passions, it’s obvious that 3 of the 4 are non-negotiable parts of my life. That left me negotiating the blog.

After much thought, I can’t deny any of those passions of mine. They each bring something to my life which I cannot give up on. So, I won’t. Yes, I still plan to blog. I simply have to analyze where I spend my time on the work and adjust as necessary – likely a lot of the behind the scenes and side work associated with it.

But that isn’t even the main point of this post.

This post is NOT another reflection on my blogging habits or a plea for feedback on what to do. It is not asking for comments to assure me to keep blogging.

If anything, this post is a plea from me to you. A plea to take a close look at your life. Really take the time to consider your goals. Pay attention to how you spend your time. Determine if you ever feel you don’t have enough to give to the things that matter most. This post is not a plea for my benefit. It is a plea for yours. A plea to live the life that matches your values.