We Only Get One Chance

G.R.A.C.E

Many of you reading this blog from the local Fenton area, definitely have hear of the wonderful work of Nancy Stockholm, a social worker in the Fenton area that just gave and gave and gave. Anyways her organization was/is so perfectly called G.R.A.C.E. and stands for “God Rewards All Caring Endeavors”. That name came to mind when one of my practice members, we will call her J, came in today. J has been caring for an elderly woman for a while now and has really become a huge part of her life. J would go and sit with her, drive her around to any appointment she had, take her on small outings, etc. Well the elderly woman was recently put into a nursing home as it became challenging for her to live on her own anymore. This happened within the past two weeks, and in that process actually GAVE J her car. She actually just handed over the car, keys and paperwork for her to just have. Who does that anymore?!?! So J thought she was out of a job because the nursing home would take care of whatever needs that the elderly woman would have. But the woman’s family still wants J to swing my a couple times a week because of the friendship they have created. And wouldn’t you know it, J’s car, which was on its last leg anyways, has finally transitioned to not running. Perfect timing. The Universe always provides…

FALL

Every year at this time there is a tree down Hartland Rd that likes to be the first to warn the area that fall is coming. I am by no means ready to wish the rest of summer away however fall is my most favorite time of the year. The tree is an anomaly…when all of the other trees are going about their summer business of being green, this one decides to switch colors first as a warning of the fall season which will be upon us soon enough. In case you would like to look for it, it sits on the east side of Hartland Road (State Rd) just about .25 miles south of State Road Elementary School. I am pretty sure I am not the only one that has seen this tree, but I never noticed it changes colors before everyone else until someone pointed it out. Mother Nature, please hold off for about another month and then bring on the color show!

KIDS ARE HILARIOUS!!!

Hilarious kid #1:

Two days ago, one of my practice members was in and she has this granddaughter, we will call her “G” with this personality that would best be described as larger than life. G was staying with her for a few weeks over the summer since she was out of school. Just the other day, G had a curious look on her face as asked “Fanny (that is what she called her grandmother), what is an ex-wife?”. So the grandmother took a considerable amount of time explaining the concept of “ex-wife” to little G. At the end of the discussion, little G turned to her grandmother and said “Fanny, I think I want to be an ex-wife when I grow up.” I realize that later in life she will hopefully have aspirations not to be an “ex” anything however it makes sense to her at this point.

Hilarious kid #2:

Three weeks ago this gentleman came in for his weekly adjustment. With him came his 10 year old son with two friends of the same age and their plan was to go to Uncle Ray’s Dairyland where they plus about 15 other people were going to share a 5 foot long banana split. The three boys were sitting and watching intently as the father got adjusted. As my assistant and I were wrapping the visit up and getting things scheduled for his next visit I could hear his son begin to chuckle in the background. As they were leaving the son said under his breath to his friends “My dad just got beat up by a girl!”

This job is the greatest! Because I see so many full families, one of the best parts is watching the children figure out the world. They have an amazing at putting things together in a way that makes sense in their own little minds. I get some of the greatest laughs from them!

Medical Doctor: “You chiropractors haven’t changed in 100 years, while medicine is constantly changing! What do you have to say about that?!”
Chiropractor: “You only need to change what doesn’t work” (true story from Tedd Koran)

LIFE UNIVERSITY

So this weekend will be spent in Atlanta, or “Hot-lanta” as it is dubbed. It is going to be a super fun weekend filled with friends and colleagues and prospective chiropractic students. Life University is located just north of downtown Atlanta and boasts the largest population of chiropractic students in the world. It is a wonderful place, on a beautiful campus, where true philosophically based chiropractic is taught. The weekend is more than just recruiting, it is about pushing these students outside of their comfort zone and introducing them to the idea that the sky is the limit, whether they choose chiropractic as their career field or not. We need more chiropractors here in the US as well as around the world. If you or someone in your life has ever considered chiropractic as a career, please come or send them to come and chat with me. There are some awesome resources out there to aid in the transition into school and financial aid available to make your career dreams come true. See you there!

A VISITOR

This morning, as Victoria was opening the Cafe of LIFE, she realized that there was a HUGE, beautiful dragonfly caught in a spider’s web. She rescued him from and she has become his new best friend. He is super content here in the Cafe of LIFE for the day and we are happy to have him. I wanted to share this photo so you could all enjoy him as well. This is him posing on a rose in our reception area as his best friend takes his picture. The book “When Animals Speak; The Spiritual and Magical Powers of Creatures Great and Small” by Ted Andrews says that “when dragonflies show up in your life, you may need to get some fresh air in regard to something emotional. You may need to gain a new perspective or make a change…the dragonfly remains a nymph (baby) for almost 2 years before it transforms into an adult, which can indicate that an approximate two-year period of change is about to reach its culmination…Life is never quite the way it appears, but it is always filled with light and color. Dragonfly can help you to see through your illusions and thus allow your own light to shine forth. Dragonfly brings the brightness of transformation and the wonder of colorful new vision.” I like the sound of all that!

1 MONTH LEFT

I am runner and I have 1 month left. Did I ever tell you that? I officially am a runner and the only thing that really makes it “official” is that I really love to run. I have always, as far back as I can remember, wanted to learn to love to run. So in January 2006, I decided I would sign up to run a marathon, Chicago Marathon, on October 22 (which is actually my “half birthday” which made it kind of fun). So I started training. From January to October that year, all I did was eat, sleep, work and run. My weekends were spent running, cross-training and recovering and I had it planned out during the week exactly when and how far I need to run on what day. If I varied from that schedule, my training schedule would be off so I was regimented. It was great and on October 22, I woke up, ate breakfast, bundled up (when the race started it was a mere 35 degrees), and ran 26.2 miles (the picture to the right is me running that race). Finishing that race and actually crossing the finish line was one of the most incredible feelings I have ever had in my life. I would maybe do it again just for the feeling at the finish line. Incredible. But in the meantime I still like to participate in some other races and the CRIM (dubbed Coolest Race In Michigan) happens this year on August 22. I haven’t done a whole heck of a lot of running lately, but I can easily pull off 5 miles without any prep. My body just reverts back to all that training in 2006. So over the next 4 weeks I need to get some serious miles in my sneakers. I am looking forward to it. This will be the 5th year running the CRIM, the first year just did the 8K and the last 3 I have completed the 10 miler. It is a great race, a super fun day in Flint and I will be ready. I know there are a lot of runners out there that enjoy that race as well and if you are there….MEET ME ON THE DANCE FLOOR AFTERWARDS!!!!

THE WANDERER

Choco, the wanderer. Yesterday at 6:15pm, while Victoria and I were finishing up with things here at the Cafe of LIFE, we are startled by a big chocolate dog (that would be Choco) charging in through our opened front door. We both just looked blankly at each other as our brains began to run a few obvious panic questions; “Where was he?”, “When and how did he get out without one of us noticing?”, “How long has he been gone?” and “How many cars did he have to dodge to make it to and from where ever his destination was?”. This was the very first time he has ever pulled a stunt like that. YIKES!!! It was an interesting “mothering” moment for me and needless to say I am so grateful to his angels for watching over him on his expedition.

“Dear Angels,

Instead of watching over him during his expeditions, please convince him not to go on them in the first place.

Thanks,

Choco’s Mom.”

Choco, the wanderer.

A REAL TRIBUTE

As many of you know, I spent the last 6 days in Colorado, one of my most favorite places on the planet. I was fortunate to be able to spend a couple days this time around in Aspen. If you have never been to Colorado, you need to take the time to get there, and while you are there, make the drive to Aspen. It is so beautiful, wonderful and amazing there. The crowd is super down to earth the shops and restaurants have something for everyone (a special shout out to the restaurant “Wild Fig”, a restaurant not to miss). Anyways the plan was to stay just Friday and head back to the ranch where I was staying 2.5 hours from there. The plan didn’t quite work out that way and we spent the night and woke up there on Saturday, of course, the Fourth of July. We had a plan to head out early in the morning but if there is a parade happening, I want to watch it. We at an amazing breakfast at “Lu Lu” (yet another not to miss spot) and the wandered down the street to find a place amongst the thousands of people lining the streets to watch the parade. The Air Force Academy is about a 4 hour drive from Aspen though probably a 15 minute flight by fighter jet and so there was a fly-by to start the parade. Then right at noon 75+ motorcycles start the parade, some fast, some slow, some young, some old, some cruisers, some street bikes, some motorcross, some trick riders, amazing and wild energy to kick it off. The next group in the parade were the Veterans. There was about 50 or so and each carrying a sign for the war that they were in. Some walking, some in wheel chairs, some on golf carts, some old, some young, some missing body parts, some sad, some happy, but all were very inspirational and what a tribute. I have seen Veterans in many parades before, but something about the signs they were carrying that made it different. After the race of motorcycles through the streets and then the Veterans, I have to say that I was joined by many in the crowd that welled-up with tears of appreciation and gratitude for those who served and currently serve. We are truly a blessed nation, we have freedoms that many in this world cannot even fathom. As we all celebrated over this past weekend with friends, family, food and fireworks, I hope something along the way inspired gratitude in your being. As the parade continued in Aspen, it was entertaining, and energetic, and fun however nothing could have possibly been more touching than that type of beginning and it will forever been a super fond memory for me. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!!!

(the picture is me standing amongst one of the largest Aspen groves I have ever seen. It is along the road from Independence Pass down into the city of Aspen. Unfortunately the battery on my camera died so I don’t have any pictures of the parade, though maybe I should try to google it…)

THE FATHERS

What an important job. Parents, both the mothers and the fathers, have the biggest job in the world. They teach and educate and raise the children and I do not know a CEO at any company that has a job that is bigger than that no matter how large the corporation is that they run. Thank goodness for parents. My dad lives here in Fenton and I get to see him quite a bit. We have had our challenges through the years but I have grown to have a deep appreciation for him and who he is as he is part of the reason I am who I am today and I wouldn’t change it for anything. Ultimately we are all here to teach one another and we learn a lot from our parents. The good, the bad and the ugly…it is all part of life and so important that no matter what relationship you have with your parents, there is always a place for gratitude. Let’s count our blessings…thank you dad! Happy Father’s Day!