Thursday Thirteen

As people, we are always growing, evolving and learning so, this week's Thursday Thirteen is dedicated to some things I've learned here lately... totally random topic, I know, but it's what is on my mind today:

1. Home is (definitely!!) where the heart is!
Not a house does a home make and with our relocation nearly 3 years ago, we realized that as a family WE are what makes a "home" and boy, do we really love ours! Never did we think that uprooting our lives, moving to the unfamiliar and needing to quickly grow up without the help of family & friends would end up being such a huge blessing in disguise and exactly what we needed to fuse as a family.

2. Sunshine has a profoundly positive effect on my mood.

3. Losing friendships is never fun nor easy but sometimes it's just life and you MUST just go with it. People change, priorities change, and you can't be expected to please everyone so, when things feel too hard, it's probably time to just let them go. Blame doesn't need to be assigned, there isn't always a reason for the rift in a relationship but it sure would be a lot easier to move on if there was!

4. You can be an excellent COOK and an excellent BAKER, it's not always one or the other as a lot of famous chefs claim. With a lot of research, technique instruction from professionals, practice and even more errors, I've come to realize that I am good at both and can continue to grow in my craft.

5. It's not what happened to me but how I chose to react that really counts and defines who I am.

6. I'm not the neat-freak I have always claimed to be... compared to my husband, I'm quite the slob and I will be giving him a lot more credit for the clean, orderly life we lead.

7. I don't have to like everyone and everyone won't like me; I have got to stop trying so hard to please everyone and realize that there are some perceptions, opinions and beliefs that I cannot change nor should I concern myself with them. I'm not Superman, I can't change the world and it's OK for people to disagree.

8. Reading is my one true past-time love and I should do it more often because there really are some excellent works of literary genius out there!

9. Practicing a bit more cautious optimism wouldn't hurt.

10. I don't have to justify my choices to anyone. This is my life, I am in control, and being able to get up every morning and be pleased with the reflection I see in the mirror is all that matters because in the end, those that matter don't judge and those that judge really don't matter.

11. True, unconditional love is rare and an incredible treasure when you find it or when you realize you've had it all along.

12. Knowledge really does = power; the power to learn, prepare and fight back when facing life's injustices like disease.

13. And finally that I can walk into Target and just browse, I don't need to purchase anything. hahaha! :)