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Mother’s Day

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Mother’s Day

Mom and I

The day we celebrate the person who sacrificed alcohol, cigarettes, Tylenol, hanging clothes on the line (old wives tail) and all around being a “normal” human being for 9 months so she could be a healthy host to us; the perfect little parasite!

Yes, for the majority of us we started out leaching nutrients, wreaking havoc, punching, kicking and growing inside our mother. We kept her up at night, caused her to throw up breakfast for a few months, demanded special food for her to crave at midnight, made her feet swell, her beautiful skin etch with stretch marks, her body to become uncomfortably large, her emotions to go wild and then into sheer panic on how and when the heck we would exit the facility!

That is the easy part of being a mother…

 

I have a mother and I am a mother.

It is the absolute hardest job in the world. There are no real requirements, degrees, certifications, or graduations to qualify you for this, on both ends of the spectrum, to be a mother or to have one.

First let me explain a bit about this day for my family and I. Mother’s Day has brought many tears to those I have loved. Both of my grandmothers and my mother in law all choose this day to take their Heavenly Journey. While the actual date differs yearly, the “day” still will always be Mother’s Day.

It has taken years to enjoy a Mother’s Day and not have that sadness take over, it still creeps in, but I have learned to make peace with it. Both of my grandmothers were older, in nursing homes and in poor health, but my mother in law was only 60 years old and it took us all by utter shock! I remember the day so vividly. My children had spent the night the evening before with her and their grandfather. We were all going to meet over at their house for lunch. My kids were 5 1/2 and 8 years old. They found her.  She had died suddenly that morning and our world was turned upside down. Explaining to my kids how Grandma was now an Angel was almost impossible. One thing that helped, she loved Angels and had them all over her house so this seemed to make sense to two little boys and for that I was grateful. Mother’s Day 1996 was by far one of the saddest days of our lives.

My youngest son with his Angel: Grandma Kaye 1992

Through the years my mom and I would joke about still breathing by midnight-01 and expelled a sigh of relief that we escaped the curse of Mother’s Day for yet another year. We have spent a lot of Mother’s Days together and they become more and more special as she ages into her mid 80’s. This year Mother’s Day brings the impending wait for her heart surgery to be scheduled. We both Thank God that regularly scheduled heart surgeries don’t take place on Sundays! She has asked for a date AFTER May 13th for the surgery just to be safer.

Mom and I Mother’s Day 2017

So having a mom comes with responsibility as well.

As children we worry them, as teenagers we make them angry and worry them, as adults we make them proud if we are lucky and still worry them. Then as time moves on we have to make decisions, medical, financial, caregiving, etc., that are difficult, and knowing “someday” is  getting closer and we have to prepare to say good bye and learn to live with them in our hearts…this also worries them.

Not to be too morbid of course, but to also honor a day that for many is filled with fancy dinners and flowers, for others it is a very hard day to get through. There are many among us who have lost our mothers and grandmothers. There are many who have lost children or cannot have a child and this day is extremely difficult.  We must remember to be gentle with people, we may not know or understand their story.

To BE a mother is a full bag of stuff as well.

My boys age 8 and 6

I have two boys that are now ages 27 and 30. Shortly after they lost their grandmother my husband and I got divorced. I became a single mom, although I had felt like one since they were babies. 

Being a single mom comes with all kinds of difficulty and rewards. As I look back on those times when it was just “us three” I am filled with good memories. I am surprised I managed so many things on my own. I taught them to drive a tractor, use a push mower and a weed-eater. I showed them how to make a fire and keep the wood burning stove going, use a power washer, power tools and more. They also learned to cook, use the washing machine and rescue and rehab dogs. We had so many fun times and so many nights I lay awake terrified I was screwing up.

Mother’s Day 2016 Daniel, Devin and I

Now that my kids are adults, I am thankful we still have each other, we have faced some very difficult times together, “us three”. I know I have messed up some along the way, I know I probably still will. It never stops, being a mom, the worry, the tears, the love…it doesn’t even stop once we are gone.

To quote Elizabeth Stone:

“Making the decision to have a child – it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ”

 I also was a stepmom for 9 years, which is a whole different kind of mom, for that you get a warrior badge! 

Here is wishing you all a Happy Mother’s Day and I hope you take the time to pat yourself on the back for being a mom and for having one!

Mom and I Mother’s Day 2014

We love having all Mother’s come to Aqua Serene Wellness for pampering anytime of the year. We are located in Carmel Indiana, home of the never ending Round-A-Bout!

Aqua Serene Wellness offers Colon Hydrotherapy, Digestive Support, Holistic Facial Services, Organic Skin Care by Dr. Hauschka, Energy Therapies, Massage, Acupuncture, Functional Medicine, Health and Wellness Coaching, Ionic Foot Detox and Coolsculpting® Services.

Check out our services here

Disclaimer: As always my blog is for educational purposes only. We do not offer medical advice, treat or diagnose. Check with your medical professional before taking any supplements or undergoing any treatments.

Vacations and finding the perfect Bathroom!

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Vacation, that short stint of time many of us work all year long for. We squeeze in sights, beach time, hikes, local food, drinks, and sports and often our cheeks. We pack too many clothes, not enough money, and usually forget something. We end up with a few trinkets to remind us of our time away and then return home to be paid back for leaving in the first place. Strange food, drinks and even stranger bathrooms.

I remember many vacations in my life. I was “lucky” and got to go on one every summer as a kid. My parents packed up the family car, my brother and myself and off we went to spend July 4th in another state. Those trips took us to Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia Beach, West Virginia, and Georgia to name a few.

I was a kid who got car sick, and I still do. My brother made that trip so much more miserable. Not only did he say and do things to further my suffering, he also punched really hard in the innocent game of slug bug. My father would threaten to turn the car around most of the trip and eventually he would have to separate us. I remember begging to stop and pee and my dad making me wait.  I threw up on the road side in every state south and east of Ohio. We never really went west…

My mom would make my dad stop at a hotel before dark so we could go swimming. My brother and I shared a full size bed in a Travel Lodge or HoJo’s and he would kick me to the floor, where I ended up with a pillow and the hotel bedspread. I cringe to think what was on either of those now that I am an adult.

My dad would always joke that I had “visited” every restroom in every city we had ever been too.  I even had to potty in a minnow bucket under the bow of our boat (my dad’s idea of a cruise vacation). Unless you have done number 2 in a minnow bucket at full throttle under the bow of a boat with nothing more than a Campbells Soup beach towel for privacy then you have not fully committed to the term ” make due”!

make shift toilet

As I grew older the need to “visit” every bathroom (or makeshift bathroom) has never changed. I found out as an adult that I have some extra stuff, 4 renal pelvis(s), 2 sets of ureters, and the smallest bladder in the world! So what this means basically my capacity for filtering and getting rid of fluids is 2-4 times the clip of a normal set of kidneys, and what a joke that I also came equipped with a tiny bladder! Top that off with loosing part of your Large Intestine, that makes me an expert bathroom finder on any given adventure! I am the one who will get up as soon as the seat belt sign shuts off to use the plane bathroom, one of several reasons I am an isle seat girl. 

The”Welcome” sign of relief!

To quote my long departed grandmother: “Never skip the opportunity to empty your bladder”

I have been to some fabulous bathrooms in my day and I have also had to improvise. I will only tell you a few stories so as to save you from my embarrassment!

Yet another sign for relief

Some top notch Bathrooms I have visited: 

The Princeville Resort, Princeville Hawaii (Kauai) the view was amazing!

View of the Napali Coast from Princeville Resort

  

The Signature Room Lounge in the John Hancock Building womens restroom, best ever view of Chicago!

View from Ladies room Signature Room Lounge

The town of Kohler Wisconsin, (nuff said)

The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai  on The Big Island  (they have an outdoor shower) check out their website here

Sax at Keystone at the Crossing. I always use the bathroom there because that is all I can afford to do in that store!

I won’t make a list of the worst, not much compares to a cramped port-a-pot on a 95 degree day that has not been emptied for the entire weekend! #soccermom

 

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I have had to makeshift my way more than a few times. The minnow bucket is one of my earliest memories!

I have hiked up a path in the Red Rocks hoping not to get bitten by a rattle snake.

Several “side of the roads”:

Once along the Blue Ridge Highway and I was walked up upon by some astonished hikers.

In no mans land West Va. We stopped at a gas station that they had either just dressed a deer in the restroom or murdered someone. I was not quite sure, nor was I going to stay around to find out. The side of the road on that rainy fog laden night was a safer choice,  McDonalds napkin in hand!

I’ve dropped my drawers in the Painted Desert, and in a cornfield on the back roads of Hendricks County. Handing off the wheel of my truck to my then 12 year old son because I could not sit upright to drive the rest of the way home from a BBQ. I made him swear to never tell because not only was it illegal for him to drive it was highly embarrassing! (It was field corn btw)

I even left my “Vicky’s” behind on a Greyhound bus in Galveston, Texas on the way to the airport due to a drinking binge on the last night of a cruise vacation. There was no TP, Paper towels or fabric to be found. 

So ironically I find myself in the “potty” business. It really is funny when you think about it. I have the Cadillac of Toilets (Angel of Water Colonic Machine) and you can do your business fireside in our beautifully designed colonic room, equipped with bluetooth speakers for your personal music or podcast, a fire place and wifi.

Our Serene Colon Hydrotherapy Room Featuring the Angel Of Water

There are many funny bathroom stories in my life and my clients usually have a classic to tell me. So if you are interested in sharing your story I am always up for a good bathroom tale.

Meanwhile we have lowered the price of colon hydrotherapy through the end of 2017 for our “Fourth Quarter Blowout”! Ha! Plus we carry several items to digest your adventurous vacation food choices.

Loomis Digestive Enzymes

For those going south of the border we have Absinthium,  (best choice for travelers diarrhea), Intesta Cleanse and let’s not forget Para A for those little friends we may bring home with us often known as parasites!

Marco Pharma Products

Then there is the trusty Enema Bucket. You might want to pack this item in your checked bag.  You could get some funny looks if they decide to unload your carry on luggage at the airport!

Enema Bucket Kit

We are located in Carmel Indiana, home of the Round-A-Bout, kinda what I feel I am on when looking for the ladies room in a strange town!

We offer Colon Hydrotherapy, Digestive Support, Holistic Facial Services, Organic Skin Care by Dr. Hauschka, Energy Therapies, Massage, Acupuncture, Functional Medicine, Health and Wellness Coaching, Ionic Foot Detox and Reiki.

check out our services here

Disclaimer: As always my blog is for educational purposes only. We do not offer medical advice, treat or diagnose. Check with your medical professional before taking any supplements or undergoing any treatments.

 

The Quest for the Perfect Turd

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The Perfect Turd…

First off, let me get the disclaimer out of the way:

This post is based on my personal opinion and experience. It is not designed to treat, diagnose or make any medical claims or advice. It will however most likely offend someone, since no one likes to be told they are full of “crap”

When I started thinking about writing this blog post, I shelved it twice. It is a subject most people find embarrassing, offensive, private and quite gross. I had many titles for it; The Perfect Poop, The Scoop on Your Poop, Tales from the Toilet, but really who gives a $hit what you call it, the point is, here is my blog post and it’s about The Perfect Turd, (I divorced it…twice.)

When you come to my office and fill out the intake from you will see a diagram of The Bristol Stool Chart.

People either skip this little exercise all together or check off every one of the boxes. It helps people understand a bit more about their “habits” Usually the discussion is enlightening and people can set a personal goal and figure out the what, why and how of making The Perfect Turd. Then, once successful they can throw a private cheer party for themselves in the bathroom at home one day, document the moment MENTALLY (please no photos) and have a happy day because they are now less full of crap then the day before!

The Why….

I am going to give you a small bit of history on why I do what I do. I have been a colon hydrotherapist for about 8 years. I had some very good teachers along the way and made many friends over discussing bowel movements. Conversations with me tend to go to crap!  I met my friends Robin and Sharon this way, we worked together in the “industry” Water cooler talk?  Our water cooler was an Angel of Water® Colon Hydrotherapy Machine. Later on, I met Tina and Trina, both became colleagues of mine in the same Crappy Job, you could say we were plumbers of a sort. We are all still friends, even though they have moved on and I am still slinging “it”. We get together on occasion for dinner, a glass of wine, some live music, girl talk and the conversation always turns to what we ate, what supplement is new, the latest on gut/brain research and the scoop on poop.

Angel Of Water Colon Hydrotherapy Machine

How Soccer Saved My Life…

It is with pride that I celebrate the Private Cheer Party in my bathroom, considering I am missing part of my large intestine. This is the story of how it all began:

I was injured in a soccer game, thrown into the wall by another player bound and determined to score and take home the title of “Over 40 Women’s Indoor Soccer Champs 2002” You got a T-shirt and everything! I had several T-shirts as I had been playing for 5 years or more. Our women’s team was the one to beat. Little did I know, that hormone driven adrenaline junkie beast of a woman who slammed me into the wall most likely saved my life! I left the field not by my own accord, she actually felt so bad she scooped me up and carried me off the field and set me on the bench. Sitting there I desperately sucked razor blade laden oxygen into what I was sure were collapsed lungs. Wiping tears of pain from my eyes, I drove home hunched over the steering wheel of my truck.

I never played soccer again…

Two days after my wall kissing event I still could not stand up straight, and I was having the most awful spasms in my back. I could not suck in a full breath.  I was encouraged to get a CT scan, in case not only were my ribs most likely fractured, but my spleen or something else could have been damage as well.

My world came crashing down in a matter of hours. After the scan, several doctors were escorted into the room where I was waiting for results. There were 2 radiologists, and a surgeon. The one radiologist said “ We have your CT results and they are quite “interesting” There seems to be a MASS in your abdomen”. I remember saying, “No you have the wrong CT scan, I broke my ribs” They assured me that my ribs were in fact injured but there was a MASS encapsulating my appendix. I also remember saying “MASS belongs in church, not inside me!”

The next few days were a whirlwind of tests, consultations, big words like surgery, oncology, hemicolectomy, hysterectomy, colostomy bags, chemo, appendix cancer, mucocele, psuedomyxoma peritonei, and so on were coming out of specialist mouths. I did a ton of research on Dr. Google and the prognosis was that of dooms day. I had to do a personal time out and then took control of how I wanted to proceed. Thankfully the one MD on my side was the oncologist. Needless to say I lost a portion of my colon a week later and spent a lot of time (years) undergoing invasive testing and freaking out waiting for the next results to see if “it” had spread.

I’ve learned a few things along the way:

*Think twice before you wear a cell phone or pager on your body (the tumor was right below where my pager and cell phone belt clip was).
*Never take for granted the beauty of being “regular”
*The things we eat, say and feel affect our gut in more ways than one.
*You never know how strong you can be until you have no choice. (Cliche’ I know but true)
*A big burly woman on a path to score at a sport can in fact save your life.
*People can be Turds too.
*Life changing moments take you on a journey.

For me that journey led to my career, opening a wellness center, new friends, wonderful clients, many laughs, a few tears and the Quest for the Perfect Turd! After surgery I went from not going to the bathroom for days to everything I ate came out looking almost like it did on the plate! I spent countless hours trying to figure out what to do. I did a ton of “alternative” things, supplements, essential oils, raw food, elimination diet, fiber, water, cultured foods, acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy and so on. I was a massage therapy instructor during part of that time so anatomy and physiology were my world, I set off on a quest to get to know my guts!

The How….

Colon Hydrotherapy is just a tool along the way for some and for others it is not an option, and that is totally OK. I remind people it is also about enzymes, diet, hydration, implementing relaxation techniques, taking the time to actually go to the bathroom, learning to listen to the signals that tell you to go, probiotics, gut bacteria, supplementation, and seeing a doctor if necessary. Look into the toilet, pay attention to your body, get the support you need. Use a Squatty Potty®

Squatty Potty

 

Digestive Enzymes

Probiotics

Marco Pharma

In Conclusion…

I have decided that in life a sense of humor will get you through many things. I am grateful for the love and support of friends and family. Grateful even for those Turds that I’ve met along the way. Those experiences will give you courage, light your fire, teach you who you don’t want to be in life or in your career. Challenges will push you right out of your comfort zone where then you are forced to grow.

If you want more information on digestive support and colon hydrotherapy, I encourage you to come visit me at Aqua Serene Wellness, we are located in Carmel, Indiana, The round about capitol of the United States. We also have a wonderful group of professionals here that offer Holistic Skin Care Services, Functional Medicine, Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Digestive and Holistic Nutrition Consulting, Health and Wellness Coaching, Aromatherapy and Energy Therapy.

Please leave a comment, or share this blog post if you can, it helps keep awareness of our well being and conversations going.

Thoughts on Holiday Indulgence from a Wellness Professional

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While pondering on what subject I should blog about during this sugar and wheat filled season of guilt, I felt compelled to write about holiday indulgence.

First off let me add a disclaimer: This is just my experience with holiday gluttony and lack of willpower. I am in no way telling you what, why, when or how much you should indulge or abstain. These are just my own observations of years and years of enjoying the guilt of the season. After all January is next and we all know that is when the real struggle begins!

So, for starters there are a few must haves before the indulgence can even begin.
1. A very good probiotic

 

Probiotics

2. Digestive Enzymes for basic digestion

Digestive Enzymes

3. A good heartburn remedy and plan for exit strategy (pooping)

Our Serene Colon Hydrotherapy Room Featuring the Angel Of Water

Marco Pharma

5. Some discrepancy on where your food is sourced

Our Garden

We have 4 of the those 5 bases covered here at Aqua Serene Wellness!

Now onto the indulgence part.

I feel that when you eat with guilt you have just lowered the positive energy in the experience and devalued any nutrition that might have been likely in the first place. So Bless your food. Enjoy and Savor the moment, for it only comes around one time a year!

Baklava

 

The food and aromas trigger those memories of joy and abandon, don’t ruin it with guilt and negativity, and don’t ruin my choices or anyone’s for that matter with negativity either! It is called informed consent when dealing with adults. Our kids we need to teach a little bit of pacing themselves for their own sake and for the sake of those who have to try and put them to bed at night! So as you take each bite into that buttery wheat and sugar filled cookie, pie or cake relish in the memory that comes with it. Just don’t eat the entire plate full, share and then share some more!

My cheesecakes

Homemade Pizzelles

I love to cook and bake and yes some of my foods have flour and sugar, I warn anyone who is gluten, dairy or sugar intolerant what is in the food. I can tell you absolutely none of the food I bake has artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. I use only organic baking goods, backyard eggs (my backyard) real organic butter and dairy and when possible honey from local bees, maple syrup from my trees, and sugar that is organic and sustainably sourced. The absolute most important ingredient in any item that comes from my circa 1950’s kitchen is LOVE! This null and voids any “bad” ingredient hands down in my personal opinion.

Maple Syrup from our trees

I try to mostly feed my soul. In the Winter it is from the kitchen, cooking and baking, canning and experimenting is something that calms me, makes me happy and I love to do. This feeds the people I love and my own passions. I will say, I do miss my double convection bake oven, professional line gas stove and counter space that three people could take a nap on, but still give me a burner, a mixer, a 1950’s basic electric stove and a cutting board and I can still manage to whip out love and a thing of beauty.

 

In Summer I feed my soul by gardening, canning, eating food right off the vine and foraging in my woods for berries. Most of my “Soul Food” comes from my own yard and kitchen, and if not then I go to local markets and organic grocery stores where I tend to lose hours of my time. Did I mention I love food? I have to steer clear of kitchen gadget stores I want them all! I cannot go to a Pampered Chef party…ever!

Black Raspberries from our woods

Black Raspberry Jam

So during this holiday party scene that is once again upon us I want to remind you that it is OK to eat the cookie, drink the holiday cocktail (as long as you have a safe way to get home) and lick the beaters, just don’t put them back in the batter! Bless the food you make with LOVE, as well as the food you eat. Share that recipe, share the cookies and share the LOVE. You are making memories for those you love and visiting memories from those that have left us.

Photo Credit Willie Stark

 

Fermented kefir water

We will have a Cleanse Special in January to help with exit strategies and get you back on track. I want to remind you it will be so much easier to reset your gut if you are eating fermented foods, taking probiotics and enzymes as well as eliminating during the indulgence season. We have 10% off our digestive enzymes and probiotics through the end of the year!

Have you Pooped Today?

We send Love to all of you during this season from all of us here at Aqua Serene Wellness. We are located in Carmel Indiana, and the 100th Round-about just opened up on E. Carmel Drive which is where we are. Please leave a comment about a favorite holiday memory, we will choose one to feature in a drawing for a Gift Certificate for an Ionic Foot Detox!

We offer Colon Hydrotherapy, Organic Skin Care Services, Energy Therapy, Ionic Foot Detox, Massage, Acupuncture, Functional Medicine, Raindrop Technique, Jin Shin Jyutsu® and Digestive Wellness. Visit the wonderful practitioners in our office: Eastern Wind Acupuncture ,

Simply Serene Massage, Wellspring Functional Health, White Wolf Services

Find us on Social Media here: Check Us Out on Facebook,

 

Universe Inspiration and the Butterfly Effect

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blue-butterfly-farie

Butterfly Effect

I live in a world that has a cause and effect factor to it. On one hand I am very scientific, and on the other I am quite spiritual. As the saying goes, both hands are connected to the same body. It took many years to realize they are one and the same. That it all comes back to the Universe and Inspiration.

I read a lot, mostly books about wellness, health, chemistry, scientific energy, spiritual energy, Universe stuff. When my youngest son was eight years old he bought me a book for Christmas. It was Ripley’s Believe It or Not. When I opened up his gift that had half a roll of scotch tape and about a foot too much wrapping paper around it, I smiled. He was beaming as he watched me struggle to open the box and he said “because you like books about facts mommy” Even at that young age he knew his mommy pretty well! He is twenty-six now and we often have some interesting conversations about facts and the Universe. I recently shared a book with him that I have highly recommended to most of my friends lately; The Universe Has Your Back by Gabby Bernstein. It really hit home on many levels. Go out and get it, you won’t be able to put it down!

I get caught up at times in the chaos that is life. I lose sight of the moments because there are bills to pay, business things that need my attention, yard work, housework, meetings, family obligations, etc., and so on. When I turn on the TV it blares the most recent crimes, political bullshit and drama. I tend to only watch comedy sitcoms, no courtroom or CSI or police shows. I don’t watch CNN or FOXNews or any of the 24 hour news stations. These things take me into Fear and away from Love. I catch the evening news here and there, but usually it is to just buy time until the monologue of late night comes on or SNL. I prefer to laugh, smile and feel good and want the same if the TV is on. I much prefer nature, books, music and hanging out with my dog. The things that remind me to feed my Soul, not my Fears.

I like to engage with the energy of the Universe. I enjoy talking to the plants when I am putting them in the ground, apologize to them when I cut them back or pull the ones that are pushing out my flowers. I thank the tomato, beans and corn plants when I pick their bounty from my garden. I acknowledge the sticker bushes that latch on to my shirt or skin when I pick berries in my woods. They usually always release me without a scratch. I leave half the berries for the birds and woodland creatures, they survive on them and after all we are all connected, there is never a reason for greed in that world.

I don’t want to lose sight of the fact we are all children of the Universe, every one of us, good people, bad people, and the lost and broken, the animals, plants, anything with a life force. We all come from the same Source of Love, some people stray very far away from that, they take on traits that all link back to Fear which is the opposite of Joy and Joy is Love. The Universe always knows, is always there, in us, around us always. I like to ask for reminders, when I need reassurance I am on the right path. Recently I did this with Blue Butterflies.

About a month ago I was having a melt down moment. I was overwhelmed with trying to keep up with the overgrowth of weeds and branches that had fallen during our summer of tropical rain and storms. I was way behind because I had broken my ankle right at the beginning of summer.While it is a shared job at home it seemed I was trying to keep the house clean, mow our acres of grass, can the garden bounty, learn about chickens, deal with family drama and such on my only two days off per week. I was putting the stress of everything on my shoulders. I can be stubborn and not ask for help, another one of life’s lessons I have not quite mastered.

My new business also had so much for me to learn, and worry about. Marketing, budgeting, renting space, buying products, bills, reaching out for clients, 12 hour days, etc., It had just gotten to me and as I pulled the 300 feet of weeds strangling out the 100 baby day lilies I had planted two years ago, I broke down and sobbed. I sat on the grassy area between the road and my flower garden, overgrowth galore and begged the Universe for a sign. Was I on the right path in life or should I pack up and sell it all and cut out in the dark of the night? My life looked just like my flower bed at the moment, strangled, messy with spotty yellow flowers trying to rise above the chaos.

As I sat there, I said to the blue sky full of puffy clouds “Thank you Universe for showing me I am on the right path by giving me the gift of seeing blue butterflies” I wiped the tears from my eyes with canvas garden gloves and began to apologize to every weed and baby maple tree I pulled from the ground. I thanked the Lilies for blooming and growing and promised them I would not let the weeds take over.

About thirty minutes into my task I saw a beautiful blue butterfly land on the pile of branches and weeds I had accumulated. Mind you, I asked for BLUE butterflies because I rarely if ever see them. I see yellow, white and orange ones a lot, sometimes I will see a stunning black and purple one, but blue is rather rare. I grabbed my cell phone from my pocket and snapped a photo. I started to giggle, almost hysterically. I was so excited that the Universe had heard my question and was giving me an answer! The butterfly stayed for a bit fluttering from tree to tree then off he went. My heart was lighter.

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Blue Butterfly Visitor From The Universe

I have kept my blue butterfly thing going now for about a month. My question is usually the same, am I doing the right thing, making the right decision? I thank the Universe every time I see blue butterflies and the Universe keeps on giving them to me everywhere. I giggle every time and try hard to take a photo. I did stop myself from snapping a photo at a friends wedding recently. This little old lady was wearing a blue butterfly pin on her lapel, she had a bit of an unapproachable glare so I opted out.

blue-butterflies-more

More Inspiration from the Universe and my mom’s shirt bottom right.

Last week I had arrived at my mom’s house after a long 350 mile drive. I had not mentioned the butterfly story to her, she is very hard of hearing and over the phone trying to explain Universal stuff and having her understand at 83.999 years old was more than I wanted to get into. I stepped into her kitchen and there she sat wearing a blue shirt with powder blue and white butterflies  on it. I busted out laughing, told her the story and she started to giggle. She had just changed her shirt right before I got there because she had spilled something on the one she was wearing!

butterfly-collage

These Butterflies all showed up in one day.

So I invite you to join in on the fun. Ask for a sign, make it simple but personal to you. Be sure to thank the Universe for responding. Remember to lean towards Love, send out the good energy to those you love but also to those that are lost, broken and coming from fear. They are all part of our web and when we send out love it heals us all.
Please share your stories with me, post them in the comments section or come on over for some tea and conversation. We love when you come visit us at Aqua Serene Wellness. We love it even more when you tell your friends about us and introduce them to our services. Please share the Love, after all the Universe is telling me I am on the right path and I so much want to share that path with all of you.

We are located in Carmel, Indiana (round-abouts and construction cones are the city theme at the moment) We offer Colon Hydrotherapy, Organic Skin Care Services, Massage Therapy, Raindrop Technique, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Acupuncture and Digestive support.

Welcome October!

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October leaves

Tony gathering the October leaves in our yard.

(Disclaimer) Let me start off by saying this particular blog post came off as sort of a writing assignment that was prompted by a friend who instructed a Qoya Dance and Writers Workshop that I attended. I apologize for grammatical errors and run on sentences. This particular blog subject has nothing to do with my business and everything to do with creativity, which in turn helps me with my business…I think. So in advance to warn you, this is more of a reflection, my thoughts on a season and the need to help change my perspective on it as well as put pen to paper. Even though this subject is not about a service we offer or a product we sell, please come check us out at Aqua Serene Wellness. I can promise the sharing of knowledge, professional attention, possibly some spiced tea, conversation, a toasty warm Infrared SOQI Spa session and of course love. Here goes….

Welcome October!

It is officially Fall and the smell of wet leaves, apple pie, pumpkins and nutmeg seem to fill the senses. It is a time of year that nature tells us to begin to look within. Time to rest, to reflect, and to slow down some.

I have never been a huge fan of Fall. I don’t like the cold rain, never-ending wet leaves and sweet gum pods all over my driveway and yard. Who on earth thinks it is a good idea to plant sweet gum trees near a driveway or house is beyond me? They belong in the woods, or in a yard beyond the reach of gutters and sidewalks. Stepping on a sweet-gum pod barefoot is akin to stepping on a Lego in the dark! Oh, and my personal opinion of Pumpkin Spiced Latte…yuck!

I miss my flip flops, the smell fresh mowed grass, rose bushes blooming and tending my garden. I miss pitchers of sun tea, the dance of the firefly and the song of the tree frogs and crickets chirping on a hot summer night. I miss the warm sun beating down on my skin, driving with my sunroof open and sitting on the deck of the local neighborhood restaurant overlooking Eagle Creek Reservoir having a glass of wine.

Fall always has brought with it a sense of doom and gloom for me.

As a kid, we didn’t go back to school until after Labor Day. Fall crept in fast after the newness of seeing old friends, unmarked notebooks and a fresh box of crayons wore off. It meant homework, darkening evening skies, going to bed early, getting up in the dark for breakfast, eating a Pop-tart. Digging for the super ball in the bottom of a box cereal before my brother beat me to it. He still managed to get the prize by pulling my hair until I surrendered it up.

Bus rides to school for me were almost 45 minutes long one way, and yes I walked quite a ways to the bus stop..uphill in the snow! The classroom smelled of chalk, dusty books, pencil shavings and blue mimeograph ink on freshly printed assignments. The weekly reader and math puzzles kept us quiet while the “teacher that no one wanted to get” sat at her desk longing for her long lost college days. The best days were always book fair days and classroom parties with cupcakes and foaming sherbert punch.

School lunches consisted of a lukewarm mini carton of milk, something that resembled a brown cow pile that they called Swiss steak over instant mash potatoes.  A pale green square of peas sat in one corner of the tray and a glop of apple crisp that was far from crisp on the other. My mom worked late nights so no one packed my lunch. I would envy my friends with the Partridge Family lunch box harboring a cheese sandwich, ding dongs and thermos of red Kool-aide.

I would eat a bite or two of my designated school lunch ensconced upon an unappetizing flesh colored tray, suck up warm milk in a paper straw that collapsed after the second sip and then fill the carton back up with the peas so I could be excused from the table. If you didn’t eat the vegetable you had to sit there until everyone else was released. If it was freezing cold outside I left the peas, succotash, lima beans or steamed carrots in plain sight. Less time shivering outside at recess! I would feel my stomach growl on the drizzle covered playground, the swings were damp, the slide was wet and the monkey bars were dangerous to navigate in Mary Jane’s and a jumper dress. The boys didn’t care, they wore slacks, us girls could wear tights under our dress of course but the damp air slid right up those baggy things to your ruffled day of the weeks panties!

High school of course changed a majority of that scene. Fall became more sports oriented, pep rallies, spirit week, bonfires, parties, driving to school, cutting out for lunch without getting caught or buying al-carte in the cafeteria. Jumper dresses were exchanged for mini skirts, fringed vests, bell bottoms and cowl necked sweaters. Recess was no longer an option so we did our best to slip outside between classes or after lunch to sneak a puff or two. Halloween no longer meant Trick-or-Treat, it meant haunted houses and sending October out with a monster bash!

Fall is the season of my birth, I am an October child, a perfectly balanced Libra Ha! I lost my father in the fall of 2011,  and my maternal grandmother died four days after my 10th birthday. It was 1970 and she had bought me my first pair of real panty hose, they were just gaining popularity in the US and since mini skirts were all the rage they became a necessary accessory. I wore those brand new panty hose to her funeral, she would have loved that. She knew she was leaving and I desperately wanted her to stay. The Universe had other plans. She was so excited to give me those panty hose and to this day when I wear panty hose (not often I might add) I think of her. Panty hose and I are not friends, either I get the size that has left me with about 6 inches of webbed space between my thighs and crotch making walking like a cowboy a real thing, or the next size up which brings the waistband up over my bra and still  wrinkled nylon at the knees and ankles.

This October I decided to do this mantra: “I will embrace the change of the seasons. I will rejoice in the fact the colored leaves are natures fall flowers. That the rain quenches the soil for its long winter rest and that the smell of burning leaves won’t make my eyes itch or my nose run. I will trade flip flops for fun boots, roses for apples, and sun tea for hot cider. I will listen for the crow’s conversations and bird songs at my feeders”.  I still will avoid panty hose and I will never like pumpkin spiced lattes, but that is OK!

I hope you will join me in welcoming October with joy and reflection, and please remind me to thank my lucky stars that red Kool-aide, Ding Dongs and cheese sandwiches are no longer my cravings for lunch and that David Cassidy is 66 years old. I still believe that lima beans, succotash and peas belong hidden in the milk carton, and if you ever see me in a mini skirt with a webbed crotch pair of panty hose showing from beneath the hem line blame my grandma!

Come visit us at Aqua Serene Wellness. We are located in Carmel Indiana (home of the never ending round about) 317-564-0930 Comments are welcomed and encouraged. If you enjoyed my post please share it. Thanks for reading along.