{psst! hello! i'm over here!}

www.findingserendipity.com

Come say hello!

the journey

Oh, I've so enjoyed the journey here.

Along the way, I happened upon

some wonderful people and places,

by chance and sagacity.

{I guess you could call that serendipity.}

Serendipity:

"the faculty of making happy and unexpected discoveries by accident".

I looked for serendipity again, but couldn't find it,

because, by definition,

you can't find serendipity when you are looking for it.

So I settled in a place

where I could create my own little joy and happiness and good things

and I hope that those who stumble upon it

find it to be serendipitous.

You will find me there.

It's where the The Way I See It 

photo blog-hop

{yes! it has a name! }

will be hosted.

Come, link on and play along.

{Restoring} Jane will be there on Mondays, too.

www.findingserendipity.com

a funny thing happened on the way to WalMart

 

I drive;  therefore, I am.

-

It occured to me, as I was on my daily run-about, that for far too long, I've been defining myself by what I do.

I drive.

I drive a lot.

I am a taxi driver.

Who doesn't get paid.

I observe; therefore, I am.

-

My husband told me after our first date that he was impressed by how observant I was. He told me that I see things that others don't. {Really, I kinda suspected that.} I had pointed out the dancing lady's flowing skirt in the trunk of the tree.

Weird.

{More weird yet, he asked me on a second date.}

I move perpetually; therefore, I am.

And it's hard for me to find peace,

because of all this movement,

all this running around.

I am conflict; therefore, I am.

The inner war rages.

The awareness of gifts, the frustration from disuse.

The knowledge of blessings, the guilt of dissatisfaction.

The appreciation for what I have, the bitterness for what I don't.

The self-recognition that what I do is important,

the feeling that it isn't.

I seek; therefore, I am.

Sense of purpose.

Accomplishment.

Challenge.

Discovery.

Recognition.

Contribution.

Growth.

I see; therefore, I am.

I see with my eyes.

I see with my mind.

I  see with my heart.

I know the truth.

I endure; therefore, I am.

Like a train on a never-ending track,

I chug on.

I repeat what has been done.

And I repeat it again.

Back and forth.

Again and again.

Once in motion, tends to stay in motion.

I chug on.

I know; therefore, I am.

And then, on the way to WalMart I thought,

I can do this better.

I  know better.

I  am better.

Be gone, self-pity.

Time will pass, and I will have time for that which eludes me now.

I will miss this.

I will miss the driving,

the observing,

the perpetual movement,

{even the conflict},

the seeking,

the seeing,

the knowing,

the enduring.

I remind myself.

 I.am.a.mother;

therefore, I am.

{But I still wonder, do you ever feel this way, too? } 

*****

Please join me this Friday {and every Friday} for my

dat-da-da-DAAAAAHHHH:

"The Way I See It"

Photo Blog Hop.

I will be hosting from my NEW blogsite:

www.findingserendipity.com

{and I will have this oh-so-cute linky thing!}

sunny days

Wishing you blue skies and sunny days!

*****

Joining Darcy at my3boybarians for her Sweet Shot Tuesdays:

{and because i can't wait!, come visit me at: findingserendipity! } 

Restoring Jane: {not} & Taco Soup

As much as I like Jane, I'm taking a break from her today because I think I'm loosing my mind, and I can't restore Jane when I can't think straight. Just sayin.

Have I ever mentioned that I despise change?

I do.

When the instructors at the gym where I taught aerobics all started wearing thongs {oh, you so DO, too, remember those days }, I still wore shorts and t-shirts. Sorry.

And ten years ago when everyone and their mother was blogging? I thought that was crazy... exposing themselves emotionally like that online. Ha!

Texting? Last mama I know {well, besides you, Cathy ;) } to get a cell phone with a texting keyboard.

Digital cameras? What? And risk loosing your images and NEVER printing them?? Oh, no... not I, said this technophobe, content-where-I-am, I-don't-do-that chicky.

And now. Here I am wrestling with this STUPID {don't you just HATE when your kids use words like stupid and hate ?} new blogsite... stretching photos that I'm actually trying to crop, unable to add a logo {logo? what's a logo? can't I just type my blog's name in there??}, trying to keep it simple and clean but there's all these pretty colors to play with!, and a designer? Anyone know a good designer who's available -like- NOW, to make me cute buttons and a signature and a logo, I guess, and maybe give me some advise?

Hello?

Sigh.

I hate change. I mean, I don't like change.

So, as I do battle with this website to make it look even the slightest little itsy bit like I imagine it in my head, I'm letting Jane rest.

Instead, I give you Taco Soup.

This recipe was given to me by one of the sweetest young things in my husband's office. It's delicious and so easy it's almost silly, and forgive me the little tweaks I couldn't resist {to make it that much healthier}:

TACO SOUP

1 lb chopped beef (93% fat free, or most lean you can find)

1 small onion, chopped

3 cans (14.5 oz) chopped tomatoes

1 can green chilies

{if you can find chopped tomatoes with green chilies, go for it & exclude the can of green chilies}

1 can whole kernel corn

2 cans pinto beans

{Canned goods tend to have a lot of sodium in them so look for low sodium and no sugar added varieties.}

1 pk dry ranch dressing seasoning

1.5 pks dry taco seasoning

Brown meat with onion, drain. Put meat, onions, and remaining ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on high for 1-2 hours. This serves my family of six, including four who are {or eat like} men. 

Now, I'm not saying this IS healthy, but it's not bad. Lots of vitamins and minerals in the canned veggies, lots of protein in the beef and beans, antioxidants in the tomatoes, fiber in the beans and corn, low-low-low fat if you are good with the beef, and money in your pocket and time in your schedule {to go running, perhaps?} because this recipe is relatively inexpensive and very quick to prepare.

options: add a dollop of fat-free sour cream and low-fat shredded cheddar cheese as toppings.

DOUBLE-DOG DARE:  Embrace change! See change as an opportunity for growth, newness & excitement.

{Yeah, right.}