There she is, Roxy-girl, our beloved dog....

Yesterday, our family experienced suffering and joy in the same moments, as we had to put our sweet Roxy to sleep.  We suffered greatly and cried many tears as we said goodbye, yet laughed, as we thought back on the wonderful memories she had given us. 

I love this picture of Roxy because her eyes are the river to her soul, and her soul was as pure as the clearest stream in nature.  Her love was a constant flow in our lives, no matter how late we came home!  She listened deeply to each family member and gave each of us what we needed at that moment, just as the streams give the lakes the water they need.  Her gentle pawing would remind us to be more present in the moment.  Roxy loved anybody who walked through our door and loved them equally.  There was a kind and gentle way about her soul, like the stream gently moving the leaves fallen from the trees in late October.

I will miss our walks in the late summer hours.  The kids will miss her on the dock, and having her beside us as we cross country ski on the frozen lake.  Todd will miss her on their adventures in the woods. Our family will miss having her laying on her bed during dinner, and her walking to the bread drawer whenever she heard the noise...which was always followed by a disapproving look from Todd!

Even though our family suffered a loss, at least we were given the gift of Roxy's unconditional love, and the joy of her love.  It is possible to experience joy and suffering in the same moment, as long as your heart is open enough to experience both.

Shine Brightly Amongst the Billions

Special Olympics...

Well, it has been a while since I have posted.  Ok, more like a year, but I think I have this new format figured out. 

Why Special Olympics you ask?  Simple.  Working with the athletes and the organization aligns my soul's compass with its North Star...and isn't that what everybody is searching for in life?

All too often, we run around over scheduling ourselves, jetting from point A to B, or "pinning" what we love. Hello, my name is Shelley, and I am a Pinner of the wee hours.  Sorry, I digressed. My point is, find the passion deep in your soul. The kind of passion which lights your heart on fire.  Passion so intense, you are a force to be reckoned with on numerous levels!  Stop looking for your purpose in life if there is not passion behind what you are doing. 

I am talking about the type of passion which evokes a feeling of wonder.  The kind of passion when you look up at the evening sky and think, I am just like one of those stars.  I am the one shining brightly amongst billions.  When we are true to our authentic self and listen to our soul, it will lead us to our North Star. Purpose in life is not always easy to define, but I promise you, when you are aware what your soul is saying, your purpose will unfold before your eyes.  May you find joy in the little miracles every day, but more importantly, may you find your North Star and shine brightly amongst the billions.

Life in general!

The reality is...Life is messy sometimes, but in the end, we have to stop and find beauty.  This picture is a perfect example.  Nobody saw me standing in a mosquito infested area, or that I had to hold the camera still while having the blood sucked out of me!  Rather, I hope you see the beauty of the sunlight hitting the petals, each little hair on the stem, which I am sure has some long scientific name I do not know!  I also want you to notice the one and only mosquito not biting me, located on the leaf. Life comes at us with little mosquito bites every day.  We can swat at them,  but that doesn't guarantee we will get rid of the pesky little buggers.  We can try to make ourselves appear different by spraying some really stinky stuff on our bodies to omit a smell they do not like. Sure, all these actions seem rational when being attacked, but the reality is, we just have to take the wounds as they come, dab a little calamine lotion on them to sooth the pain and move on.  There is beauty in our pain, it's whether we choose to see it or not.  May your day be filled with more beauty than pesky bites, but remember, if you are faced with some challenges, take a deep breath and relax!  Okay, depending upon your situation, you may have to take a lot of deep breaths, but find the beauty and smile.  :)

Holy Guacamole!

AHHH...Guacamole! I know this is the strangest thing to be grateful for, but I have to tell you, I honestly am! With that being said, the real reason I am incredibly appreciative of this particular bowl of guacamole was due to the circumstances which led up to that perfect pile of green yummy! Last week I was able to travel to Palm Desert for a special occasion within the family. On this trip, I not only spent time with mom and dad, but I also was able to see all of my sisters (even my German sister!) and great friends. Seriously, the weekend was beyond words - wonderful! And of course, the guac...need I say more?!

Snowy Days ?

SNOW? Are you kidding me? Shelley Emslie is thankful for snow? Why yes I am! Yesterday I took the kids up to Big Mountain for their first day of the 2012 season. (Thanks Grammy for the lockers...sure does make life easier!) We were shocked to find dirt and rocks popping up from the ground on some of the runs, and

not all of the lifts are open. The kids still had a great time, but I cannot help to think of the poor college kids who depend on that job for the winter! Looking back on some of our stellar, snow fall years, I guess I just took it for granted and complained while I had to shovel the driveway! In short, I am thankful for the snow in the past years...yes, I really did just type that! Furthermore, sit down for this one...I hope it snows a little more so people can go back to work. Gratitude is a crazy thing! Hope you have a wonderful day and maybe you could find something out of the ordinary to be thankful for today?!

Hopefully you will laugh when you see this picture because laughter is the topic of the day! Actually, laughter was the main event last night for Augie, Hattie, and I. The situation, probably too traumatic for the person to have me post it on the blog, but the outcome...a tearful-laughter fest that lasted well into this morning! Here is the miracle part...I have always read that in order to receive things in your life, you need to give as well. Yesterday when I started my class, the kids were not all there, so I did something extremely unconventional. I showed YouTube videos of funny animals doing silly things. (This tied into my curriculum because we are reading about Amazing Animal Adventures!) The class and I laughed and laughed until we had side aches. The rest of the day was fabulous. Kids were happier, I was happier, and then later that night, I received the gift of laughter with my children! I love how the universe works. May you have an event today that makes you laugh until tears flow from your eyes. Your soul will sing with happiness, and you will feel lighter. My love to you!

2012!

2012 is here! As we ring in the new year, I am filled with hope like never before. In years past, I often contemplated the new year, as if I was going to make a difference. Then, the year would unfold, and I really didn't feel I made my mark on the world. What would I want people to remember me by, if God forbid, I leave this world before I thought it was my time? Suddenly, New Year's Eve became a daunting evening where I had to decide how I was going to change the world. A feat I was sure to fail at, so I stopped making resolutions, and stopped enjoying what the new year truly meant. This year however, I had an Ah-Ha moment which changed my thinking. Changing the world is not only my job, it's yours too! Yes, you see, this overwhelming task of making a difference in the world, does not solely fall on my shoulders, but rather, collectively, as a society we must be the change we wish to see in the world. Ah, a sigh of relief! WE ARE ALL ONE HEART BEAT! We are connected with the stars, flowers, lakes, rivers, streams, and everything we look at...but best of all, we are connected with each other. The heart's cells are individual cells and only beat in a rhythm when they come in contact with other heart cells. Think about that for a moment. We are all heart cells, walking around, waiting to be put into rhythm with others so we can beat as one. A beautiful thought for this new year, I think. May you find your true heart beat, and may others align with you in your heart song.