Stop and smell the juniper

As a mother of 2 young boys, wife of a hard working husband, and artist who values her creative time, it has become apparent to me how simply crazy life is, and easy it is to push through the day, days, weeks. It is also apparent to me that I need to make a few changes in my routine in order help savor these wonderful times. 

It's time to stop and smell the juniper. Okay, that's what you smell in Bend, Oregon! Actually... it is a wonderful smell, and leads me to the perfect anecdote for this entry. We recently returned from our annual trip with the family to Vegas. Upon our return to the Redmond Airport, we disembarked the airplane to a freshly scrubbed Central Oregon, a thunderstorm had swept through earlier in the day. The smell was wonderful. Fresh, clean, and filled with Juniper. It only lasts about 10-15 minutes then you don't smell it anymore, but it is wonderful. It serves as a gentle reminder to pause and appreciate where I live, and with whom I share it. 

So, I've smelled the juniper, and now I'm ready to share my thoughts. 

The craziness of life is a given, and a constant. By stopping for a moment each week to set down some of those crazy thoughts and moments I may be able to appreciate them a bit more thoroughly. Then again, it may just be a good time to stop, enjoy a glass of wine, and vent.