Relationships

Have you ever just wanted to take a break from the man in your life? Picture it - a whole day (or year) without him. Men-on-pause...

"Are you like your mother?"was bold and loud in my mind as I opened my eyes. For some of you that inquiry might provoke some angry feelings or at least a nonchalant eye roll. A few of you might be beaming with pride to know that, yes, you are just like your mother. But, for most, you are like me, knowing that you have carried on some of mom's negative traits as well as some good ones.

For some making friends (and keeping them) comes easily, and for others it seems to be a daunting chore that never seems to happen. Today, I was thinking about all of the people in my life whom I consider to be my friends, how we met, and how we continue to grow (or not) in our relationships. Have I been a good friend? Yes and no...nobody is perfect.

Recently, I posted a couple of articles on women's sexual health - not a complete series by any means. So, I thought it a good idea to throw a couple more points out there on the subject. It doesn't get much more girlie than talking about vaginas. The following article is a guest post by Vanessa Scott, a former vaginal surgery consultant who knows her stuff. We'll just call her the Vagina Expert, for now.

I woke up this morning with an epiphany about relationships. Well, I guess it wasn't really anything new to me, just a reminder of something that I discovered years ago. I've been having a little trouble finding common ground with one of my children lately. So much so that it's concerning. The answer came to me as I lay there thinking about getting out of bed. "You are not giving her love in the way she receives it," my inner voice chimed.

Are you wife of.., and mum of…, and are you spending your days in jeans and t-shirt behind the computer at home? Can you pass a construction site without anyone eying you or commenting on you anymore? Do you find your make up dried out in the back of a drawer? Then it is time to get your sexy back.

Since our focus this week is women's sexual health, I thought it necessary to bring up the fact that countless women deal with chronic low sex drive. Though we actually want to engage in sexual activities, sometimes the body just won't cooperate.

We all want a relationship where we feel fully loved, deeply understood, and deeply valued, and where we walk the journey in complete harmony with another. Many times we are looking to the other person to provide us with what we want and need, when in truth, we simply mirror that in which we give. We often have the idea that when the perfect person comes around, we will begin to be on our best behavior, and that we will change when we meet him or her.

Girl friends help me to see the other side, alternatives, and ways to tackle the issue. Personally I receive girl friends as precious gifts from God. They have given me love, companionship, strength, confidence, peace, and joy! (Not to mention the shoulder massages!)

Do you remember what it was like to be 13, 16, or even 21? It's easy to recall major life events of your adolescent years, but sharing an empathetic moment with your own teenage girl might be difficult as time erases our past emotions - no wonder we find raising teens challenging. The fact is, children, at any age, seem to think that we have been perpetually grown up and never dealt with peer pressure or the physical, emotional, and mental changes with which they are bombarded on a daily basis. The other problem is they are trying to become adults, and we are trying to prevent it from happening- at least for a while.

1. Don't ever, ever wear a flannel, granny nightgown to bed. Don't do it even if you are a granny. 2. Do let your significan't other see you in lingerie that flatters your body.

My Own Loss Ten years ago today, I slept on a pull out bed with my husband and children the night we chose to stay at the hospice care facility where my mother spent her last days. There was nothing unusual about the night, nothing to prompt our need to be there anymore than the night before.