Happy Fountains Day!

Happy Tuesday, friends and fam!

Happy Birthday to Frankie!!

Happy World Mental Health Day!

And Happy 25th Anniversary to the Bellagio Fountains!! ❤

Whaaat!?  So exciting!!  I have loved them since my first Vegas trip 23 years ago (we went with Babah's company pre 9-11, and I distinctly remember walking the strip and watching the fountains with JoBug, Rach, Blake, and Emily while Babah was in a work meeting.)  In my mind, the fountains have just always been a part of Vegas, so I was surprised to learn they were only two years old the first time I saw them!  ...They're still super magical and fun, if you can just ignore the strong scent of pot, the cigarette smoke, and the graphic porn fliers at your feet. lol

Ha Sophie Hudson posted this, and I totally agree with both of them. lol  I can't get onboard with speakers who try too hard to win the crowd before they even get started. #needy

We had a delightful three-day weekend, and I went to Central Park (aka The Station, but I think that's the name of the building, and Central Park is the name of the park and walking trail, plus it's my favorite NYC spot, so I'm going with that now) ...anyway, I walked 7 miles listening to fun Peloton music in really nice weather... mostly pleasant and fun, but my feet are different sizes and my left shoe is slightly too large... so now I'm awkward and hobbling from the blisters on that foot.

One toe was bleeding by the end of the walk, which I didn't know for sure till I removed the tennis shoe and saw the red on my sock.  Definitely made me think of this moment from Romy & Michelle! lol

Today is apparently World Mental Health Day, which feels like a very appropriate day for me to lead my very first solo counseling session (not under observation)! ❤

It's going well so far, and I have two more clients coming in the next two weeks.  I feel very grateful... coupled with some fear of inadequacy, but I have mounting proof that I speak well and think clearly when I've prayed and prepared ahead, so that's the simple plan moving forward!! ❤

Aww, group projects... not my fav, but this one on Narcissistic Personality Disorder was interesting!  Fun fact:  Since I plan to work with individuals as opposed to couples, I am unlikely to ever counsel a true narcissist.  The thought of working with them effectively has felt intimidating to me, but learning that they make up less than 1% of clients seeking help in therapy made sense to me.  They typically come in via couples counseling as the more volatile half of a damaged relationship.  While in counseling, they tend to avoid vulnerability, be defiant and blame-shifting, and prone to power struggles with the counselor.  My hat is off to the couples counselors navigating that dynamic.  Anyway, the research held my interest, and our presentation went pretty well.

Back to World Mental Health Day... I hope you're in a good mental health space today.  And if not, I hope you have grace for yourself and find a safe place to talk through that.  Our close relationships and the stories we tell ourselves about what has happened to us and what it means about us will greatly impact our quality of life!  So here's a reminder that "if you're depressed, if you're anxious, you are not weak.  You're not crazy.  You're not a machine with broken parts.  You are a human being with unmet needs... With the right help, we can understand these problems, and we can fix these problems together."  ~J. Hari TED Talk

Today is also the 7-year anniversary of this cuteness (in the LifeChurch lobby)... aww, the Jaceman! =)  I love his funny little run and that he's kinda timid at first, then he's all about it and dancing along with him when he turns around!! ❤

Now, enjoy this beauti-mous video of the fountains!! lol

So. many. good. memories. there. ❤

Fav daytime fountain pic = this rainbow the day before Mom and Dad's wreck in 2011 -- I took it from their car as they were driving Malori and I to the airport for our flight back home!

Fav night fountain pic = this one I took from the Paris Hotel viewing deck at the top of the Eiffel Tower with Triston last June!

Okay, that's really all for today.

Hope your week is off to a lovely start!