When I was 7 months pregnant, I pulled a muscle in my abdomen and couldn't move at all by myself. My man had to lift me out of bed and help me walk wherever I needed to go. He even had to get me dressed, because any movement on my part put me in excruciating pain. Luckily for me it got better gradually over the next couple of days, and within 3 days I was back to normal. It was horrible having to rely on someone like that, not being able to do the little things we all take for granted, like putting on our own socks. Looking back, it makes me very grateful that I am a healthy, able bodied woman. I am independant! When I was growing up, my grandpa had a series of strokes and towards the end he couldn't do anything by himself at all, my grandma was literally his lifeline. It puts into perspective for me the utter helplessness he must have felt on a daily basis. It also makes me realize what a strong woman my grandma was, to never complain. She is truly my hero, she was so self-less and loving, her life completely revolved around her family. I miss them both very much....

The morning is my time. It's that quiet hour when the baby lays down for his nap, and I can sit down with my cup of coffee and relax for a few minutes. I think about what happened yesterday, whether good or bad, and what that means for the future. I think about what I need to get done today and how my goals (whatever they be at the time) are coming along, and what I need to do today to accomplish them. Then I get up and take life by the horns!

If I am looking for a way to make me feel whole, to remind me that there is more to life than all the everyday stresses, I like to go outside and take in the scenery. I look up at the trees, feel the wind on my face...it's nice to experience things that man has no control over. My favorite place in the world is on the northern California coastline. You can stand on a cliff overlooking the ocean, hear the waves crashing beneath you and feel the wind whipping around your body like you are just another obstacle in it's course. If you get lucky you may see a whale spouting in the distance or find a beautiful shell that reminds you that humans are not the only life on this planet, and instead of destroying all of this beautiful wildlife we need to learn to co-exist in a mutually beneficial way. Unfortunately I don't live as close to the coast as I would like, but if I don't make it there a couple times a year I begin to feel out of touch with myself. There is something about the vastness of the ocean that makes you feel so alone while at the same time filling you with a deep sense of belonging. It is spirituality in it's rarest form, and it is a neccessity in my life.

I would celebrate the little things in my life right now...waking up to a clean kitchen, making a healthy breakfast, having a family that I love and that loves me back, and having a roof over my head. There are so many people that only have one of these things to celebrate, if even that. I think it is important to sometimes look around you and give thanks for the little things in life that you usually take for granted. Thank you for asking this question, it was a good way to start my day!

Well actually it is an ongoing process...I am trying to learn how to cook healthier for myself and my family. We all love to eat, and I love to cook...unfortunately I learned to cook from my grandma who was from the south so it is a lot of high calorie and fat foods, and from my boyfriends mom who is mexican, so not too much healthy stuff there either. But cooking is something that I enjoy, so it has been a lot of fun experimenting with different recipes and techniques. If anybody has any ideas, I would love to hear them.....

The thing that I love the most about my life right now is watching my children grow. My youngest is 6 months, and every day he grows and discovers something new. It is so amazing to see the world through his eyes, as a place that needs discovering. I am so grateful to be able to share this experience with him, and it is something that I will cherish forever!

I would wish that the world would become more empathetic. If everyone took just 30 seconds out of each day to truly try to understand how someone else is feeling I think the world would be a better place. People should learn to step back and stand in another's shoes before judging them. Just because a person has different beliefs or way of life than what we are used to, it doesn't make them less of a person. It could actually make us better people if we took some time to learn from them. I truly do wish that the leaders of the world, especially those that are involved in conflict would take it upon themselves to lead by example in this respect. The people of the world will never be able to reach their full potential unless we get rid of the hatred and replace it with love for our fellow man.