Day 5 - Pancakes :)

My gift today is one of patience (well, sort of patience, still working on that one) and being a peacemaker in my family.  This is not a job I enjoy and one that I often just refuse to do.  But today, with much love, listening and reframing, I think can see some progress between two very hurt and angry people, who just happen to love each other very much.  Gifts are all about intention, and waking up to yelling today, I promised myself that I would help in whatever way I could, despite wanting to simply grab the dogs and leave for many hours.  The dogs and I will still have our little adventure, but I think a couple of hearts are feeling a tiny bit better because I chose to help.

Here's my gift to you today: 

Pumpkin Oat Pancakes 

(somehow everyone at my house is feeling better after a big plate)

2 cups ground whole oats (it will resemble flour)
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon

2 cups buttermilk or whole milk mixed w/ a tsp vinegar and/or part plain or vanilla yogurt (more yogurt results in a thicker batter)
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin or canned

Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then stir together.  Cook on a griddle and serve w/ butter and maple syrup.  (The oat flour results in a somewhat fragile pancake - a little trickier to flip than usual.  If you want easy to flip cakes, just sub some white or whole wheat flour for some of the oat flour).

Enjoy!

Day 4 Gifts

It's bound to happen.  Every time I have done the 29 Day Giving Challenge I'm amazed by the gifts that flood into my life (or perhaps I just start seeing more things as gifts?  That is a gift too).

Today I was not feeling great about some lingering pain I have recovering from a small surgery earlier this month.  After days of phone tag with my doctor,  I finally could speak with him and he gave the proverbial head scratch, and a prescription.   I actually like my doctor (both as a physcian and as a kind human being) but I don't love much about Western medicine and I was feeling a little let down about his recommendation.  (I'll report in a couple days if the script is actually helping me!)  Then my dh texted me:  "Meet me for lunch, I'll take work off early."  This almost never happens, and aha, felt very much like a gift.  We had a really lovely lunch together.

His gift found me in a much better mood because of MY gift:  45 minutes of doula time with a good friend from my work who is feeling challenged by her choices right now.  I listened, gave some info, some advice, a lot of support.  I hope it helped.  She knows exactly the best choice for her birth, she's just having trouble making a decision.  I know she'll get there.

I miss being a doula.  I miss the connection with other women and the sense that I can help the most important day of their lives be a little bit better.  Talking with my friend really filled my heart today.  I think I need to stop saying "I USED to be a doula."  While I may not do this work full time anymore, my doula heart is alive and beating.

29 day giving challenge

 I've read Cami Walker's book, "The 29 Gifts" many times now and taken on her challenge - giving a gift every day for 29 days straight - a few times.  Each time I'm amazed at how this simple act can bring so much healing and happiness to my life.  I felt like I was due for a spiritual/happiness tuneup, so I'm beginning again.

I'm on day 3 of this 29 day giving challenge.  Day one I gave the gift of time - a long lunch and chat and many hugs to a dear friend (really a gift to myself too).  It felt so good to connect with her. 

Day two, I bought a blue and brown striped photo album with a big baby blue bow, for a my brother and his wife, to celebrate their new grandson.  We are not close, and usually I am ok with that, but seeing the two of them holding this new little child, I felt my heart bursting with love and happiness for them.  The birth of a baby, the first grandchild, seemed so special to me, and I wanted to share my joy with them and send a gift.

Today (day 3) is a very funny gift.  Our family has a 6 month old puppy, and unfortunately he has to be home alone for a few hours every day while kids are at school and grown-ups are at work.  He has our other 2 dogs to keep him company, but today he went a little crazy and chewed up everything in sight.  I walked in and took a long look, let out a huge sigh, then saw his sweet face, sending me an apology with those big brown eyes.  Instead of disciplining him I gave him some love and attention.  And then I took him out for some needed exercise.  The rest of this afternoon is a gift to myself - I'm recovering from a surgery and haven't been resting enough, so for the next few hours I'm going to chill out.