The Catalyst For Change + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

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This past week has been a little bit crazy because we had family from Oregon come to stay for a week while they settled their 2 sons into their college dwellings. Their sons are a several years apart. However, one just returned from an LDS mission and another one graduated a half year early and has decided to attend a year of college before heading out on his own mission, so they are both going to BYU (Go Cougs!) at the same time, as freshmen. 

This is the sister that I don't get to see too often because they have been really busy raising their family. In addition, she has worked part-time as a nurse and my brother-in-law is a psychologist with his own practice. But that all changed when they dropped off the boys. They will officially be empty-nesters! It was really great seeing them, even though I was heading off to school each morning, as I started work on the 22nd.

Among other things, we arranged for the family who lives around here to come visit and catch up on everything that has happened since they last saw them. I was so grateful for my Instant Pot and the fact that I had finally started using it earlier this summer. It had languished in my pantry since Christmas because I couldn't handle the quick release valve. It stressed me out about as much as a firecracker in my face, so I waited to work with it until I had less stress to deal with, after school got out. Now, it's the greatest thing I've ever done for the development of my meal prep skills. I can create amazing meals in such a little amount of time that I feel like I've been released from cooking prison! I never liked being tied down in the kitchen, cooking meals, while everyone else was visiting, or doing whatever they wanted. It just seemed unfair, albeit easier than trying to organize an assembly line of vegetable choppers, kettle stirrers, and errand runners. My ribs were to die for and my sauteed green beans were the bomb! Throw in a watermelon and some deli potato salad and you've got a dinner done in less than an hour!

As our visit neared an end, we felt like we had really connected and regained the old familiarity of our former comradeship when it was we who were attending college and meeting up for yogurts or hang-out time. I was surprised to see my sister's eyes fill with tears during our last moments together. There were a few reasons I could see why she would feel this way, and consequently make me cry too! 

First of all, the finality of dropping off her sons at the same time to college, not just one but two, had finally sunk in. Also, the fact that she was returning to Oregon, a beautiful place to be sure, but missing the constant familiarity of family. Sure, friends are there. But the closeness of family can be pretty comforting during hard times, special times, and all times in between. And now, since her boys will be gone, she will go back to work full-time. Maybe the thought of working full-time as a nurse isn't so sweet. Luckily she won't be on the floor, which can be back-breaking. 

I can see one easy (easy for me to say, at least) solution to all of it. She and her husband should move here! They really don't have to be there anymore. Although it would be harder for her husband, Don, to dissolve his business and gain new clientele here, his reputation is pretty stellar. He is the best listener I've ever met. He can pull dialogue out of a tree stump, with his skilled questions and laid back, non-judgemental listening style. Someone would be very fortunate to have a professional of his caliber to work with! I hope that they will finally do something for themselves and make the change, hard as it might be. 

Is there a change you might make that would make your life all-around better? What is it and would it be worth it in the end, even though that change may be difficult?

Today is "My Post Monday!", a curation of the week's best original content. It's all about posts from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize(Affiliate links welcome)