Friday, August 27, 2010

Quick Not Even 5 Minute Snack

Layer:

Cracked wheat crackers, your healthy favorite


Fresh sliced tomatoes, seasoned with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper


Persian cucumbers, I like these best for bites. You choose what you like without having to unhinge your jaws. It's a bite!


Hummus
Simple.. Always good!
Perfect appetizer and everday snack. Oh my god! So good!






Saturday, August 14, 2010

Serendipity.

My niece Briana is starting college next week. I have seen this little chick’s face almost every day of her life since she was six months old and I’ve only missed a couple ‘first day of schools’. Well, tomorrow I’m headed to Stockton, California to help her set up her dorm room. This is exciting for me. I’ve missed all the preparations & fights because she’s in Atlanta. So I’m really looking forward to this.. her first day of college, her first day of truly being away from home, meeting her roommate (of which she’s never had being an only child. This should be interesting). I’m looking forward to driving away from campus with tears rolling down my face. Yes, I'm a cry baby.

Briana is entering a new gateway of her life, that time when the seeds that have been planted really begin to take root. This is the time when I know she’ll need the tenderness and guidance and ear and love, and tough tap on the shoulder from her mom, me, and every other strong, positive woman. I know that the steps she’s beginning to take will shape her later moments and I’ve been charged with making sure her transition is as smooth as possible. Because I have the gift of hindsight, I will honestly share with her what I know because the sooner she grabs hold of her bliss, the more time she’ll have to live her splendid life.

I know it’s never too late to learn something new, to take a chance, or a flying leap, but there will never be another moment like this in her life. I am charged with pushing her. She doesn’t know this yet, or maybe she does, but she is also charged with pushing me. In order to help her, I have to be living the life I want. I have to be true to my gifts and talents. I have to be who I’m designed to be.

So, at the moment Briana is entering her college life, I am entering a new gateway of my own as the Health Editor of Mwari, an online magazine for college girls. How perfect, just when I have a spot-on vantage point! This is my moment to be confident. This is my moment to trust my abilities. This is my moment to have guts. This is my moment to be who I am designed to be.

I’m grateful to be walking through new doors with Briana. I think it gives us a special bond. Our steps don’t have to lead in the same direction in order to use the strength that we each continue to gain to bolster and push someone else. That’s what we’re all charged with, nurturing ourselves to sustain our reach. There’s strength in numbers and there are a lot of us girls, over 150 million here in the states. Imagine a world where each of us knew our bliss, nurtured our talents and interests, expected and gave the best, and never stopped asking the question ‘what if’. Yes, I’m shooting for the moon. Just the simple notion of this excites me because I can imagine a utopic world were women are strong and bold, and men are equally as strong and bold, making our children strong and bold.

And because I can imagine, I will continue to nurture my strengths in order to sustain my reach.

Here’s to you Briana! I’m excited for you babe..