Diving in...with balance!

     Gerrrrrooooniiiiimooooooo!  That dear friends, is the sound of this scared nervous girl jumping off the diving board into the ocean of blogging!  Man, I hope all you competent swimmers out there floating on your backs took some of those life saving classes at the YMCA, or I am in trouble!
    This is Day 307 (give or take) of my self induced Today I Love Challenge.  I am preparing today for tomorrow's Slice of Life challenge, but hopefully getting this new blog in the water one day early.  307 days ago (give or take) when I started this whole thing, I was merely setting out to prove to myself, and anyone who would listen, that the trauma and drama on Facebook, and in my day to day life at that time, really didn't need to be there.  I was trying to prove that there really is at least one thing each day to appreciate.  So...as I stopped in one May day at the local public library, I noticed their irises were in full bloom.  Well, I had already been loving those irises for years!  Snap went my trusty camera...tip tap type went my fingers..."I love the flowers outside the library!  They smell just like grapes!"  (They really do!)  Proofread, ponder, post...and, with that an obsession/habit/addiction/responsibility was formed!  
     307 days later I have loved everything from country fairs to coney dogs, from clouds to the concept of LOVE itself.  I can't stop. It's my thing.  It's what gets me out of bed in the morning.  I've told several folks that when this "Today I Love" thing gets to be too much and I run out of things to love, they will know it because that's the day I will love chocolate chip cookies!  I do make a mean chocolate chip cookie, and I make them about once a week, but I have not reached THAT day yet.  In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.  "Today I Love" has gotten me through some really hard days.  Knowing I had this challenge to meet has helped so much...and the kind words folks have sent back to me have made much of the difference as well.
     So...on this diving in over my head day, what is it I am loving?  Today, it is the concept of balance.  The photo up there is the cover of the book my book club was discussing tonight, One Perfect Word, by Debbie Macomber.  The idea is to choose one word, one concept, at the beginning of the year to focus on all year.  Debbie shares bits of her own explorations of various words throughout the book: trust, obedience, faith, passion, and the one that spoke to me...balance.  
     I am married.  I have two kids, mostly grown, but still my babies.  I am a busy teacher of middle school aged kids.  I am starting a blog.  I am insane!  I believe balance may just be what I need to explore for awhile.  Hopefully I can keep paddling long enough to keep my head above water and let you know how it turns out.