meet: maebel.

My newest companion, Maebel the Puppy. She's a cross between a pug/chihuahua and a shih tzu/poodle.



When I'm not waking up to her cries and tantrums every hour and a half throughout the night and standing outside in the dark trying not to freeze while I wait for her to pee, I really am smitten with her :)



But whoa -- puppies are a lot of work. Everyone told me it would be, but I had no idea how miserable it'd be. Here's hoping there's a lot more sleep, discipline, calm, and relief in the next few weeks, so I can enjoy her. And did I mention sleep?




Ever since Stella was put down, I knew I'd eventually adopt another pet. Then December came and the signs were everywhere and when a coworker announced that her dog had puppies and needed to give them all away, I was sold.

So Maebel it is :)

PS: Come visit me on Facebook for more puppy love!

all is within reach

Patience, child, patience.

Remember, life is a journey. If you got everything you wanted all at once there’d be no point to living. Enjoy the ride, and in the end you’ll see these “setbacks” as giant leaps forward, only you couldn’t see the bigger picture in the moment. 

Remain calm, all is within reach; all you have to do is show up every day, stay true to your path and you will surely find the treasure you seek.

:: Jackson Kiddard :: 

{holy moly. these words just went straight to my heart. found via roots of she.}

today.

Some days, despite the unseasonably warm weather and abundant sunshine and your early start which made time for a coffee stop,

things just don't go your way, and life can feel not-so-perfect, still.

Sigh.

But knowing that's okay is pretty okay.

switch-off days

On Sunday, I switched off. After I woke and checked the necessary things that I wanted to check, I put my phone on silent, on used my computer minimally, and then proceeded to stay in my pajamas all day long.

It was glorious.

Balancing my on-line life with my off-line life has felt especially challenging lately. I find myself getting sucked into blogs and Twitter and the Goddess Circle and Pinterest and Facebook and before I know it, my entire night is gone and it's time for bed and I wonder what happened.



Does this happen to you, too? It can be so frustrating. But at the same time, it's kind of revelatory for me. So much inspiration! So many things I want to do! I remember a time in my life when nothing excited me, there was no inspiration, there was no investment in my tiny world. So to now be struck with too much to do, well -- it's a balancing act, but a really, really good balancing act. Finding that balance between both worlds (because my on-line life has become so important in more ways that I ever thought) is what I'm striving for these days -- learning how to both take in the inspiration and connection while still remaining present in my physical world.



So on Sunday, I savored my time. I made tea. I did some sewing and crocheting. I went for a long walk in the snowy woods. I listened to podcasts. I wrote in my journal. I cleaned and showered and didn't drive my car anywhere. At the end of the day, I responded to texts and checked my email. And then I went to bed. And you know what?

It was exactly what I needed.

But now, in the days afterwards, the balancing act ensues. Limiting Twitter to twice a day, only reading blogs on my computer in the evenings, checking email just morning, noon, and night instead of every time my phone notifies me of each one -- these are my goals. I know they won't happen right away. But working them into my daily life, slowly, bit by bit, is making me happy, making me satisfied with my awareness and consciousness of my lifestyle.

And I think more switch-off days are in my future.

why i love dc.

: I can see Rachel in her little DC home in her little DC life and feel so . . . . . inspired.



: I can literally eat my way through the city. 7th Hill, Taylor Gourmet, Founding Farmers, Sweet Green, ThaiTanic, Georgetown Cupcake -- it's never ending. And there's no guilt.



: We can do whatever we want for however we want with whomever we want. Freedom!



: I can wake up late to a quiet space on the most comfortable air mattress I've ever slept on and before I'm even fully awake, there are green smoothies being blended and waffles in the making and a movie already starting.

: We can stay out at a friend's birthday party until the bar lights come on and people start to get kicked out and there's still cabs outside to take you home. With people on the sidewalk. In my town at 3am, there are no bars, no people, no sidewalks, and no cabs.





Until next time, DC.

creating a vision board.

Still catching up around here, but making time for dreaming and scheming and creating, too.

First order of business? Create a vision board to hang in my bedroom, to double/triple/quadruple my intentions of seeing dreams come true in 2012.

Step One : Get a basic bulletin board from your local office supply store. (Or flea market, or basement -- or re-purpose one!) I found this one at Office Depot for just $10.



Step Two : Find a pretty piece of fabric. (This came from my old college DIY drapes.) Cut a piece so it just barely overlaps the inside edges of your board frame. (And, as is in my case, is entirely crooked -- oops.)



Step Three : Fold under the raw edges and secure in place with push pins, staples, or hot glue. (I wasn't sure the hot glue would work here and, honestly, didn't want to go dig mine out. So push pins it was!)



Step Four : Adorn with images of all things inspire-worthy, that remind you of happiness and possibility when you look at it.



Step Five : Hang in a central location to be reminded often. I hung mine at the foot of my bed, to see every morning :)  (Bonus if you have a cute cat to cozy things up a bit.)




Right now, my board's still a work in progress. I wanted to have it filled before I took photos and posted to the blog, but then realized if I waited until it was perfect, I might be waiting awhile. So here it is, in progress and imperfect! So far, my photos are for a sweet pretty home to call my own (with an added black puppy! See it?), the solace and beauty of being free and independent, a tribe of women, and a one true love.

Do you have a vision board? Plan on making one? I'd love to see!

these things I need.

Today I pulled into the driveway, bringing my car to a stop in my usual spot as I ended my podcast and switched off the headlights and heat and turned the ignition, pulling out the key.

It was dark, and I realized my car had become bathed in bright moonlight. I instinctively inhaled deeply and let my hands rest in my lap, releasing the keys and dropping my shoulders and exhaling loudly. It was then that I realized.

I need this. I need this.

You see, since Christmas, I've felt unraveled. Undone. Disconnected. I had gotten swept up in the busyness and chaos and obligations of the holidays and, somewhere in there, forgotten that I had needs.

Tonight, I remembered. These things I need.
I need quiet moments beneath the moon.
I need wholesome, nutritious foods.
I need alone time, every single day.
I need to hear the words of inspirational women.
I need lots of water, probably more than most.
I need to give myself time and space to take deep breaths.
I need to be creative.
I need deep, human connection.
I need movement, in some way.

When these things are remembered, I feel most connected. Filled up. At peace with myself.

These are not things that I want, or things that I need simply for happiness or contentment --

they are needed for my existence.



What is it that you need for your existence? Share in the comments if you feel called :)

on being nicer (to myself)

I stood in front of the mirror at work, alone, determined to fix my hair into some semblance of a style, prepared to remain in that bathroom until some kind of satisfaction for my appearance was garnered (or forced). I gripped my headband between my teeth as my hands worked, hurrying to smooth and coax my hair so the headband could be replaced and I could get back to my classroom.

It wasn't until I finished fixing my hair and reached for the headband that I realized -- I had been holding onto that plastic thing between my teeth so tightly, so rigidly, so violently, that as my jaw released I felt the tension, the stress, the aggression I had been holding in that grip. I looked at my face in the mirror and heard myself say aloud: "Whoa."

The knowing, though, felt good.

a new year.

{Sometimes, a blogging silence is so needed. These days, I've felt so much overwhelm and anxiety and days packed full of things, that keeping my head above the water felt way more important than keeping up with Ruth Writes. But finally, I'm popping back in with a small little post. Perhaps that's where this blog is headed in the new year -- tiny little snippets of posts, reserved only for the really good bits, instead of lengthy fluffy posts that feel hard and unauthentic. You know?}




A few quiet moments from yesterday's woods walk, with our long-term dog-sitting friend Sieta.

I think I may have nature-amnesia -- it always feels so restorative and healing to step outside, and yet I always seem to forget it.

Here's to more remembering this year :)