Welcome to the World Blog!!!

To You:

I want to Welcome You to this blog, and Welcome this Blog to the World!  

Happy BIRTHDAY Blog!

As I begin this endeavor, I am so excited!  Recent events in my own life have made me want to share the things I am learning, as well as the lessons of the past.  When I was little, I never wanted to go to bed and miss out on a big party, or a game, or a conversation, or...
I haven't outgrown that.  I like to think I've just been paying attention for a long time.  :)  I do try to live consciously; I'm always trying to learn from my own experiences and those around me.  For me, life is a fulfilling and enriching adventure with its necessary peaks and valleys.   

I once heard a person describe their CD collection as eclectic.  I loved that word!  It was so ME!  A quick mac dictionary reference says eclectic means, "deriving ideas, style or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources."  Webster defines eclectic in terms which I am trying to fulfill in life: "Selecting what appears to be best in various doctrines, methods, or styles."  My interests are diverse and so is my experience; thus, my blog will be as well.  I love reading and history, music and math.  I love nature and all things athletic.  I love conversations with random people and dear friends.  I thought I was a homebody, but after six moves in ten years of marriage (no, we're not military), I've realized that while I always cry to leave and hate being far from family, I also love getting to know new people and places and having friends around the world.  We have had varied opportunities living in places ranging from small town Idaho, to a Caribbean Island, to big city Chicago.  I love my ginormous family.  I love my kids.  I love my husband.  I love what my religion teaches me to be.  While we're on the subject, I love chocolate chip mint ice cream, puzzles, and my toilet paper to roll from the top.  I love Living. 

I'm excited to share with you tips for household management, healthy living, and navigating parenthood.  Ultimately though, the most profound lessons I've learned are the ones centered on our relationships: our relationships with our parents and siblings, our friends and neighbors, our spouses and kids, and our God.  You will probably notice a theme emerge here (if you haven't already!)...Love.  When it comes to surviving sleepless nights, serving aging parents, giving our all to our spouses, embracing the prickly personality, and the all encompassing "just trying to be a good person," I am continually learning that it all comes down to love.  How can we increase our capacity to love and feel loved?  These are life's most important questions.  For truly, "The greatest of these is charity" (1 Corinthians 13:13).  Drawing on my experiences as a daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, wife, mother, and friend, I look forward to sharing with you all things Living and Loving!

I look forward to interacting with you and hope the things I post will help you and your loved ones.  Thanks for stopping by!

Love, Marielle