It's in your hand ~ LMNOP

Ladies and Moms Night Out Please -

I wanted to follow through with what I set out to do. Taking the summer off was necessary, but now I must continue. 

I sent out the invites only one week prior to this gathering, not because I was procrastinating, but because of the busyness of summer and then the illnesses that seemed to rotate through the Littles, I didn't think I'd be able to do this, but with the hope that all would be ok, I created the event page online. 

Of course, the whole week my Littlest was sick with fever and if I hadn't alreay planned the theme and been prepared with all the charms, I probably wouldn't have been able to pull this off. 

So as always,  I set up on Wednesday to make sure I had everything I needed, except for the food. 

I think everything came together nicely, I wanted to do infused water only, but then I thought everyone looks forward to the punch. 

A great feeling of relaxation came over me every time I walked by my dining room. It was how it suppose to be. 

It was time to set up the charms: 

Vintage Hankies to remember to be kind to ourselves. Luxury soap to remember we deserve the best. 

Handmade bath salts to take time to relax. 

Knitted washcloths & crochet loofahs to remember our intricacies and the new layers that are emerging after we scrub the old ones away.

....and as always a handout to remember our gathering and embrace each others' journey. 

We are all making changes and striving for growth in one area of our life or another. We gather to remember we are not alone, to share and cheer. 

 That was what this wellness retreat was all about. 

Ladies from my city and one from a hour away came to sit in this circle. I'm starting to think of them fondly as "circle sisters". 

I feel so blessed to have these women in my life. Their words tender me. Their joys merry me. 

Can I share.....

A friend that I haven't seen in almost a decade, because she moved out of state, came and gave me the best compliment without even knowing it. 

She said, "Michelle, you haven't changed in years...you are fluid. " Those words have fluttered in my heart since. 

In the last decade I have gone through the loss of a job, 2 loved ones, a home, a child with heart disease, another with anxiety issues, learning to live with less to accommodate more love, a new Little baby at 42, learning to slow down, and settle into life as a full time mommer. Oh, and  I also had two children move out on their own...need I say more...a lot of  stuff & some that made me question my core, my me, my happy. 

My searching and growing besides the spiritual, which was great, was & is the ability to connect and create. 

Creating is my center, my calm, my cure and connecting feeds my soul and lifts me up. This makes me fluid, it's never really left me, just been second fiddle to my wounded, worried heart. 

 It took this friend of mine, the one I hadn't seen in a decade to remind me that I'm still the same person, my core hasn't changed. It's just been so long that I forgot it was part of me, so much so, that I thought all this was new, when actually it was really just me emerging again. 

Follow your heart, it will serve you right. 

From me to you with love. 

PS.  It doesn't have to cost a fortune, you'll know your on the right track when things fall into place. 

{When I said luxury soap I wasn't kidding, I wanted something good, but I have to be honest and tell you, I bought these at the dollar store. {woohoo } I don't know how it happens, well, maybe I do...it because it always seems to work out simply.} 

Do what you can with what you have, but most importantly share it! Start your own LMNOP, but call me, text me, IG me or FB me if you do. I want to cheer you on. 

Ok, I love you, now go to bed. :)