Strong, a Little Sweet and Light...

AHHHH... SIGH...

Coffee...

Just the word, "coffee" brings a smile to my lips and spring to my step... Almost as much as the word, "tequila."

Each morning, I reluctantly wake up, bump, grind and moan my way to my kitchen, check the coffee is ready for  me, make our daughter's lunch, workout, do a thousand other things, then, if all the stars align, I make myself a cup of coffee before I drive our daughter to school.  I am here to tell you Dear Readers, the stars rarely align. Today, in fact, was not one those mornings.

Today, up at 4am, on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook before I check my email.  Then, bump, grind and moan, my way to the kitchen, check. Take my meds (Thyroid meds, geez!) and vitamins, no check. Make daughter's lunch, check, Workout,  half check. (This is typical, I have to start my workout and finish after driving our daughter to school.) Have cup of coffee before driving our daughter to school, sadly, no check. Do a thousand things before all of the above, sadly, check. (The thousand things and my ability to get side-tracked, the polite way of saying "distracted" is the reason for the half check.)

Like most of you reading this, I am gazing out upon a sea of stuff, school pictures (that still need to be sent), bills (that still need to be paid), newspaper articles and recipe books (that still need to be reread and made and edited), plants that need watering, a sugar pumpkin that still needs roasting (come on! you don't have a sugar pumpkin on your table?), even the stray Christmas decoration we just found this past week (now I KNOW you ALL have that! You know, the decoration you put in the corner of the room, you thought looked "cute" that you find in...March...? Yep! Still on my table...)

Anyway, there are few things in life I do for "me." One is workout (although my family also benefits from having a healthy person), another is drink excellent, strong coffee, and the third is imbibe in something delicious now and again, lets say it's tequila for example.  

I think I was born to be "nurturing." It is probably why I love cooking so much. We nurturing souls need to find what nurtures us, be that coffee, workouts and/or the occasional shot of tequila.  Too often, it's far too easy to get caught up in taking care of others and then resenting the care we give. To nurture is to care with an open heart and with love you willing share from your soul. Cooking is one of the ways I nurture, care for and show my family and friends I love them. Does a person who nurtures expect something, anything in return? Yes, excellent, strong coffee, time to workout and the occasional shot of tequila... Oh, I guess respect and to be valued are tossed in there too. 

I am blessed, I have a great husband who waits to have his cup of morning coffee until I have completed my workout, even if that means waiting until I have done a thousand things first, that's love people! I have daughters who are growing into beautiful, kind, wise young women. I have lovely friends who are like family, better in fact because I chose them. My mother is my soulmate. And, yes, my husband, Russell, loves a shot of tequila as much as me.

Please, search out and find what you need to feel nurtured. Please, take care of you because taking care of "you" makes you openly and lovingly nurture others. Find that "Strong,  Little Sweet and Light" thing you need. I think we ALL need to take care and nurture each other. The world can use it.