Quarter-life crisis, not an option.

So I have been longing to blog these days but haven't had a. the motivation, b. the time (?) not true... or c. inspiration or d. all of the above.

Do you remember that choice on multiple choice tests? It always felt like a trick but then again every time I am asked a question I feel like I am being tricked or tested.

There's a new one for Halloween "trick or test"...





child 1 "I got so much candies in my bag last night!"





child 2 "luuuckyyy. All I got were these Chinese finger traps and pregnancy tests"





...not my best idea...





moving on.





There are many things (besides blogging) that I have been wanting to do these days and my routine this year has been to write it down when I find something that I want to do so that I can remember to accomplish it. I have a list of places I want to go, a list of general things I want to do and then there is THE list.





As some of you may know from either reading it in here in an earlier post or from me taking incessantly about it, I have developed a list of 25 things I want to do in my 25th year.





The rules are the night before my birthday I had to compile the list and make no changes to it after the clock struck midnight. Once the list is made I have to do everything on the list no ifs ands or buts. I made the list with two of my best friends as consultants and took some of their suggestions but left most of them out (you girls know why.)





I have to say this list has truly changed my life. I don't know if it's the sense of accomplishment I get from completing the goals or if it is the realization that I needed to do something about living in the now. I never live in the now. I spend my time regretting the past and mostly anticipate the future. Even if I am enjoying what I am doing in the present, I'm thinking about what's next never really savouring what I once wished for; the moment I actually have.





My list has not only allowed me to plan and accomplish the things that pass me by with time and conquer the things that I fear but it let's me enjoy the moments. When I'm crossing something off the 25 I take joy in that moment. YES! I'M DOING IT RIGHT NOW, THIS MINUTE, THIS DAY, THIS YEAR!





Not only does this give me joy but 6 other people have been inspired to do the challenge for their birthdays this year too. I love hearing people excitedly tell me how awesome they think the list is and then tell me what they plan to do for their year.

Though I cannot take credit for the idea of the list I do get to see people motivated to dream, motivated to overcome and motivated to take joy in the now. I tell people everywhere I go about my 25 things in my 25th and it empowers me even more to keep checking things off.





This year, by far, has been the best year of my life. The crumpled ink marked page with things crossed off in a little book cannot take sole responsibility for this though. It is knowing this:





"This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it" Psalm 118:24 (a quote from the Bible, God's written word)





God doesn't promise me tomorrow, he doesn't even promise me my next breath. He wants me to take seriously each tick on the clock that I have, not the ones that I don't have. Though a lot of items on my checklist are not serious, some of them are.





Matthew 6:27 says: "who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?". I sure can't and as a self proclaimed worrier I need to buckle down and take my moments as I have them.

Don't get me wrong. Worrying about the future is different than planning for the future. Worrying about the past is different than learning from the past.

So as I enjoy the ending of my vacation with the lovely Anna I am thrilled to have accomplished 6/25. I wanted to blog at least once on this time off and I've done it. Pictures and stories re the great Cali/Arizona escape to come.

Thanks for stopping by!

Yours truly,

Meaghan Ellen

Wish you were here

I'm here all the way in the Northwest Territories on a Canadian staycation. It wasn't planned this way but it's how it turned out.

You see, I should be in Calgary cleaning up children's vomit and snuggling babies but alas I am enjoying the sun and warmth of familiar faces in Hay River.

Sometimes you don't realize you needed a rest until rest happens and you are overjoyed by the silence of a house, uninterrupted sleep, scheduling nothing but visiting and being freed from any routine commitments.

I'm not sure I ever have wanted this so much in my life as I do now. A sure sign I am growing old. That and shift work is hard. A sure sign I have a real job.

Normally, when planning a trip, I cram every last moment with something in hopes of not being let down by "nothingness". Nothing is what I am here to do.

It's a good chance to catch up on sleeping, reading, resting, playing the piano in a sanctuary of none, indulging in girly magazines (I'm so into the denim trend ladies), excercise and just being. Oh, and I guess blogging. My true love is to just be (not to be confused with Anna's true love, doing).

Do you ever feel like your whole life is so crazy that even your body is out of sync. Perhaps it's not just the busy of your world but the stress or the worry or the perpetual planning. Shift work has made my stomache say "I don't know if I'm hungry, what time of day is it again?", my eyes look caved in and darkened, my skin puffy and my intestines preparing for world war 3 (I have colitis, I'm not trying to be unlady-like and gross).

It's like running so hard trying to reach a destination and when it finally approaches the brakes on your feet fail you. You just keeping running because that's all your body has known and has been pushed to do for the last however long.

This is seemingly new to me and I feel resilient bouncing back but I just wonder what kind of effect this would have on someone if it were their whole life? It certainly has made me appreciate this week off so much more. I feel like I have won the lottery. Cue game show music *You have just won a brrrrannnd new 12 hour drive to the middle of no where canadaaaaaaaaaaaa. For some you think this is crazy. For me it is really true bliss.

I know this isn't my typical type of blogging but in the spirit of getting back into the things that make me relax I hope you can appreciate this post for what it is (a little bit off, a little bit serious, a little bit like its 8 in the morning and my body won't allow me to be in bed anymore as it's all I've done in the last 30-ish hours)

I'm sure once I have wiped the smug look of my face from feeling like I have escaped normal life and they can't find me in paradise, I'll start asking myself stupid questions or a playful squirrel will inspire more blogging.

I'm not going to end now with a charge for you to seize the day or any crap like that. Get things done on your list, there's a time for everything.

Glad to be back,

Meaghan xoxo

Groundhog Day

So now that I work at the Cottage I don't have as much time to blog. Nor time to think about what to blog.

The one REALLY great thing about night shift is that I sleep all day, get up to go to the gym and then go to work. I hardly spend a dime on anything including gas.

Next week I'm back to days and coordinating going out in the day light is a little less exhausting both physically and mentally.

Nights are pretty quiet. Some kids get up to pee (others just do it in their beds) or cry for a bottle. It makes days at work seem like a breeze except that my body is confused whether it is day or night right now.

Other than that life is normal here in Calg. I'm just waiting for spring.

Happy Groundhog Day!

So now that I work at the Cottage I don't have as much time to blog. Nor time to think about what to blog.

The one REALLY great thing about night shift is that I sleep all day, get up to go to the gym and then go to work. I hardly spend a dime on anything including gas.

Next week I'm back to days and coordinating going out in the day light is a little less exhausting both physically and mentally.

Nights are pretty quiet. Some kids get up to pee (others just do it in their beds) or cry for a bottle. It makes days at work seem like a breeze except that my body is confused whether it is day or night right now.

Other than that life is normal here in Calg. I'm just waiting for spring.

Happy Groundhog Day!

...get it? Groundhog day ... the movie? ...bah, you're too young...