May Blogging Challenge Day 7- The Things You're Most Afraid Of

1. Open bodies of water or any deep water in general. I can't swim people and deep water really makes me uncomfortable.
2. Losing Dan. I seriously don't think I could live without him. I would truly be terrified to go through life on my own.
3. Losing one of my kids. Even though I know that we are a forever family I think this would be impossibly difficult to deal with. 
4. Birds. Completely irrational I know, but when birds get too close or fly near by my head I get a little freaked out.
5. Having regrets in my life. I tend to be a bit of a cautious person and am sometimes too afraid to do things I really do want to do. I want to make sure I live my life to the fullest so that I am truly satisfied with what I have done. 

Well I'm sure I could add on but I don't want to think too much about things that make me sad or scared so I will leave it at that!

Jordan

May Blogging Challenge Day 6- 'What do you do?'

If I were asked, "What do you do?" and couldn't answer with my job title, my answer would be something like this:

Even though I could list a zillion things I do everyday that I really don't like (such as laundry, sweeping the floor 10 times, loading the dishwasher, unloading the dishwasher, changing poopy diapers, wiping snotty noses, scraping food off my floor, picking up cars, picking up cars, picking up cars, stepping on cars and "cursing" because my foot hurts so much, wiping poopy butts, changing peed pants- you get my drift) I am very blessed to do the very best thing in the whole world- I GET TO BE A MOM.

While I cannot lie that is is the toughest job I have ever had and I often feel that I am a complete failure at it, I know I am blessed to be a mom. I get to do the most important thing each and every single day- I get to love my children and watch them grow. 

So what do I do?

I snuggle sweet little bodies. I give kisses to owies. I sing songs on repeat. I read books on repeat. I play with cars. I feed hungry mouths. I wipe away tears. I hug sad upset little boys who can't have their way. I listen to stories. I give kisses. I marvel at how quickly a baby becomes a child. I watch trial and error at it's finest. I learn through little eyes. I grow my patience. I watch skills develop. I listen to sweet little voices. I hear simple sounds become words. I feel my heart grow with love every day. I see the simplicity of life. I cherish the moments that will one day disappear. I get to be present when it matters the most. I get to be with my children as they grow and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

My boys back in January.

And something more recent, my two little boys with their cousin. 

That's what I do. What about you?

Jordan

May Blogging Challenge Day 5- Publicly Profess your Blogger Love

So I know I'm a day late on this one but I'm not giving up on this challenge. Yesterday I was supposed to publicly profess my love and devotion for one of my blogger friends.

I don't know if this means I am supposed to profess my love of a complete stranger whose life I know only through the writings on her blog or pick someone I am actually friends with who also blogs.

I decided to go with the latter. Someone who has really inspired me to blog and that is miss Alex K. Her blog is private so there's no point in me sharing a link but she has really been a blog inspiration to me. Why? because she does it to preserve her memories, to write about her family and share funny stories about her kids, to record her personal thoughts and share her ideas. And I really love her blog and the reasons she does it. Besides she almost always make me laugh! She's not trying to get a zillion followers or people to like her, she blogs because she wants to and she enjoys it.

So thanks Alex for helping me have a greater desire to blog and make a record for my family and for myself. I sincerely appreciate your blogspiration!

Jordan

May Blogging Challenge Day 4- Favourite Quote And Why You Love It

Hmm this one is tricky as there are so many great quotes that I love. Spiritual quotes, dream quotes, dance quotes, life quotes, friendship quotes, love quotes. I could probably find a quote from each category that I truly love. However right now I can't seem to get this quote out of my head.

"Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, 

maybe you should set up a life you don't need to escape from.” 

- Seth Godin

My cousin posted this to her fb wall the other day and I just can't stop thinking about it. This is what life is really about right? Living and loving every day to it's fullest? I'm not downsizing the value and importance of a vacation, because I do think it's important to take breaks from the regular routine of life, but maybe we need to try a little harder to create a life that we really love and brings us daily joy so that we aren't always caught up on when we can get away, or how much we need to save for our next trip.

A few posts ago I was talking about change and the desire that I felt for it in my life. At the time I wasn't too sure how exactly I wanted to change or how that change might come into play, but I knew that it was something that was coming and that I was ready to welcome it.

This past week Dan and I have had our eyes opened to an amazing opportunity for our family. I can't share the details yet because things are in the very early stages of discussion and we're still learning more about what this opportunity may hold for us. However it 100% falls hand in hand with this quote.

Awhile back my friend Alex was telling me about some people who just gave up the "lives" they had to go and satisfy a dream. People who did things like walk away from important corporate jobs in the city to live on a farm, or drive across the country in a giant RV with their family. While some of the examples were a little extreme for me I couldn't help but think about what my dreams would be and how I might fulfill them.

I have always been a dreamer, but I am also practical and sometimes even a bit cynical about the fact that some people get to actualize their dreams while others just don't. However the more I think about it I really believe that we are all given an opportunity to fulfill our dreams in some way at some point of our life and that it is our choice how we choose to act upon these opportunities.

I also believe that often the dreams we think we have aren't the best ones for us, and that there is something better in store. You may have to wait and wait and go through much turmoil before you are able to achieve what you really desire. But when that opportunity is finally presented before you, you will likely be ready to accept it.

All I really know right now is that I believe Dan and I have finally had that golden door of opportunity crack open before us. I am over the moon excited about what it holds for us and our family. I feel like I am simply overflowing with excitement all day long. I know Dan is just as excited about this opportunity as I am because we've been staying up super late every night talking about it and how amazing and unreal it feels. I feel like a little kid again just anxiously anticipating the end result and trust I am really praying hard that this is it. I have this calm feeling in my heart that it just might be what I, and now that I have a family, we, have been waiting for all these years.

I hope that I will have more to report on this subject soon. I'm so anxious I can barely stand it!

www.christinehassler.com 

What are you dreams, and how have you fulfilled them? What dreams are you still waiting on to come true?

Happy Weekend to you all!

Jordan

May Blogging Challenge Day 3- Things That Make You Uncomfortable

1. Being pregnant.
2. Being pregnant and sitting on a hard folding chair (that has zero lower back support) for over an hour. 
3. Being in an open body of water, in which I can't see or touch the bottom. Freaks me right out. 
4. People wearing clothes they shouldn't be wearing.
5. Women who breastfeed in public without some form of a cover, keep those boobies to yourself. (I'm all for public breast feeding as long as you're covered up.)
6. Being a passenger while my husband is driving at high speeds in a snowstorm.
7. When my husband decides to climb random mountains, waterfalls and other high ridges/surfaces with zero equipment or proper climbing attire.
8. Wearing tight pants when I'm pregnant. Do not be fooled- leggings don't count as tight pants, they are like stretchy comfortable magic. 
9. Birds. Its true they kind of freak me out.  
10. Cats. I'm super allergic to them. Red eyes, runny nose and the whole shebang. 

May Blogging Challenge Day 2- Something I know a Lot About

Hmmm, when I think about it I don't really feel like I know much about anything. I've got plenty of learning left to do in my life and I'm grateful there still plenty of time for that. The "subject" I likely know best is dance. And even so I don't know everything about dance. Sometimes I wish I knew more about dance history and important dance figures, choreographic milestones, world renowned companies and current choreographic trends. But I don't. Maybe one day I'll have time to spend reading about these topics because they really do interest me.

What I know about dance is a few different techniques, disciplines and teaching methods, I know standard achievements for children based on age and ability. I know a bit about coordination and developing muscle memory, the significance of teaching correct technique and properly strengthening and training the muscles before leaping ahead to things that the body might be able to physically do, but is technically not strong enough for. I know about the safe practices of stretching and its use in lengthening and toning the muscles. I know a little bit about healthy eating and taking care of your body so that you can use it as a physical instrument to the best of its ability.

But these things are kind of boring and while they are incredibly important to achieving success as a dancer what I'd like to really share about dance is this.

Dance is a vehicle of expression and one of the truest ways to expose one's soul to the world. It is a physical manifestation of something to which words can give no justice. It is the most refined form of artistry and also the most raw exposure of human emotion. It is technical prowess and the ultimate discipline of ones body. It is something that is personal and universal all at the same time. It is the most beautiful way to touch the souls of everyone who witnesses it in a completely unique and individual way. It is art alive. It is beauty and grace beyond definition. Dance is the deepest and truest passion of my soul and something that I could never live without. Even in trying to describe it I feel I have done it no justice. It is truly who I am and something so beautiful and magical that I wish to share it with the world.

 

I know that not everyone "understands" dance and some even think it may be strange or weird, but I believe that if everyone were to truly give it a chance without preconceived notions or expectation, but to simply watch and allow it to resonate in your soul you would feel something very special that you may have never felt before. 

And that's my two cents, about something I love and don't really know that much about.

Jordan

May Blogging Challenge Day 1- The Story of My Life in One Paragraph

So I quite literally just stumbled upon this blogging challenge through another blog that I read and while it seems a little scary to try to blog every single day for an entire month I think I am going to give it a whirl! I've really wanted to focus on writing more about my family and thoughts and our experiences so that this blog acts as a better journal for me, us and all of our future posterity and I think that this challenge will be a great way to get me going in that path.



Today's challenge is to write a 250 word, "Story of My Life." I can pretty much guarantee this will be more than 250 words, but I'll try not to ramble too much! Here goes.

I was born in 1984 London Ontario where I spent 17 years of my life. I am the oldest of 4 girls and have always been a bit of a keener and perfectionist. I fell in love with dance at the age of 6 when my parents put me in ballet lessons. By the age of 8 my dream was to become a ballerina. I attended an art school which broadened my understating and appreciation of all arts as I was exposed to theatre, visual arts, orchestral music, piano and singing intensely for 4 years. After graduating elementary school I moved on to high school where I didn't fit in at all because I was super shy and cared way too much about my grades. Fortunately I found the “music crew” in Grade 10 and met my best friend to be in an English class. I spent the next 3 years very involved in band, choir, drama and also danced 6 days a week. I was boy crazy but way too shy to talk to any guys. I moved to Toronto days before my 18^th birthday to attend Ryerson University and pursue my dance dreams. I quickly learned that the dance world was meaner than I expected and underwent 4 torturous years, walking away with my BFA in Dance in the end.  I met my husband in my last semester of University and we were married August 2006. We drove across the country to BC, leaving friends and family behind. After a year in BC we went to Sherwood Park AB for firefighting school and then relocated back to Ontario with hopes of him finding a job as a fire fighter. After a bad year with no success we determined that Calgary was our future home and packed up our little car for one more cross country trek. I had our first son on May 2010 and loved being a mom so much that our second son was born in October 2011. All the while my love of dance has been a driving force for me and I have continued to teach in all areas of the country where we have lived. Being a mom is now tougher than ever (toddlers are hard work!) especially with the upcoming arrival of our 3^rd baby, a girl, in July. I've had many highs and lows along the way but my life has been a journey that I do not regret!

And there you have it, my life in a poorly structured, run on paragraph!

Jordan