Just An Iowa Woman

I went into 2026 with a goal of being more present, more mindful and really just embracing this busy phase of my life.  I want to live more purposeful and less resentful!  Through this reflection process, I've decided to go back and revisit blogging.  I've also decided to dive deep into a travel advisory adventure, and honestly just revisit Me! Life is a series of ebb and flows, positives and negatives, and everything in between! My last few years have been beautiful, but I have also had a low vibe energy flow that has been draining.  I went into this year focusing on how I can work to change that low vibe into a high vibe energy, and as I continue to reflect, I think going back to the basics is where it is at. What makes me feel good.  What makes me feel confident. What make me Me! I started with some journaling, working on my health and the biggest thing is taking a few moments each day to 'pray' to the Universe for guidance as well as for healing and happines...

What a month, and what a year!  There are so many good things happening, but a lot of changes too.  I, a Taurus to the core, hate change.  It's uncomfortable and I tend to drag my feet in the dirt the entire time!  It makes me stressed and emotional. But change is necessary!  Change is good! Not just for the mind but for the soul. After a year of changes, both good and sad, I have reached a self-check moment where I need to let go of my stubborn need to stay put in fear of said change.  I need to let go of the emotions and just take a moment to enjoy this next chapter.  The sad part is, sometimes that comes at a cost.  It means saying goodbye to some while saying hello to others.  It means learning to not be so ultra-independent.  It means learning what your traumas are and trying to heal. It means learning what you love and what makes you happy. It means taking a self-check moment to realize what is important and what you can put to res...

When I look back at the last few years, I really admire the woman I have grown into and the obstacles I have overcome.  I am at peace with where I am today.  I am truly grateful for the path I have chosen to follow.  With that being said, there are still things I struggle with and it's an ever evolving process to continue to heal and grow.  We all have parts of ourselves that we struggle to accept and it's so hard to fully love ourselves when there are parts of us that we don't necessarily like.   For me, I have discovered that I am overly independent to the point that it's not always healthy and learning to allow others into my life is so difficult for me.  I don't truly understand how to overcome this issue, but I am all too aware of how it affects my life and my relationships.  I find it easier to put a wall up and dig my heels into the dirt of negativity, than allow myself to be vulnerable and, dare I say it, happy!  I self-sabotage way m...

Every season has it's own pros & cons. Tonight, I sit and listen to the birds! Each with their own song, their own tune and their own timing.  If you take a moment to just sit still and listen, you can hear their excitement for the long awaited spring and summer that we all anticipate.  I have a favorite part of every season, but spring is the one season that always inspires me and even excites me just as much as it does the plants and animals around me.  The days become longer, the temperatures are on the uphill slide, the sun feels so much warmer and the best part.....everything turns green and becomes alive again. We shed our winter coats and hopefully our frowns turn into smiles.  While winter is my least favorite season of them all, spring makes up for it in every way.  I'm excited to play in the dirt and feel the warm sunshine on my face.  I'm excited for the thunderstorms that wash away the winter grime, making way for the fresh growth of the Ear...

 So when I was told about your death, I was in denial.  I spent the better part of the day trying to find out if what I was told was a big fat lie!  It wasn't - deep down deep I already knew that!  I walked up on your porch - didn't have to even see your family and I broke down.  You know me, sensitive as always! Anyways, Val, you and I met through a Sunday School classroom that neither of us really felt like we belonged.  But we made the most of it and we put together some really neat programs for our kiddos.  You were the first person I confided in about my divorce and my scare with breast cancer and my decision to undergo a crazy surgery.  You were always in my corner!  You also took me kayaking for the 1st time, so you had my heart then for sure! You shaped two young men who would offer to shovel out my driveway.  You sent your husband to help me with frozen pipes.  And Emmy, who has your heart!!  We haven't seen each other...

Tonight, I noticed a scar on my ankle that has been with me most of my life.  A scar that is so much a part of me that I actually forget about it.  I was probably 5 or 6, Miranda's age, and was being a kid and cut my ankle on a broken glass bottle. It also started my brain a thinking...I have another scar on my knee that I'd rather forget about. It's a scar from an accident that could have ended much worse and thankfully did not.  I have a scar on my eyebrow that reminds me of a domestic violence situation that I very much want to forget, but also could have ended up much worse. I now have a few new scars that I struggle to accept, but they are also a part of my story.  It also doesn't even begin to cover the internal scars, the emotional scars that are a little harder to heal and escape from. Tonight, I was thinking about how much these scars have impacted me. Over time, they become just another part of me.  But it's a part of me that taught me many lessons!...