We love our readers!  Every day, you all add the most interesting and thoughtful comments that totally enhance the points we try to make, and the issues we choose to highlight in our posts.  We just knew there was more where that came from.  So last week, Elizabeth and I asked for your moments—your Life in Pencil moments of the past week.  And—no surprises here—you gave us some fabulous fodder for the blog.  Thanks for taking the time to contribute, so that we can all learn from one another. 

Without further ado, here are your Life in Pencil moments of the week:

From Monique:
Yard Sale.  Moving in a few weeks has motivated me to re-evaluate what I have, what I want, and more importantly, what I want to keep. So I decided two weeks ago that I was going to have a yard sale. Nothing has been more “life in pencil” this week than having to sell my possessions. As I gathered the items throughout the house, from a scarf that will no longer be needed in sunny California, to a pair of chairs that were my first post-college foray into combining function AND decor, I reminisced. And then I decided they had to go!

People arrived promptly at 7am to forage, peruse, or completely disregard all the items that had been a solid part of my life (some for more than a few years). As each item was sold (or more likely, bargained for), I realized that these things were rewriting what “mine” meant. No longer were those 4-year-old boots “mine”. Those cute flower pots from Pier 1 aren’t “mine” anymore. Remembering that I’m not a 3-year-old, I realized that these possessions signified moments and they are moments I get to keep, while the possessions move on with someone else. After all was said and done, I was left with  fewer possessions and a few more dollars, I’m taking the first steps to rewriting the next phase of my life, wondering what possessions will mean more to me later than they do now and deciding which ones will be in the next Yard Sale. But the moments are MINE!

From Amy:
Getting to goal at Weight Watchers on Tuesday was awesome, but nothing compared to coming home to my husband and kids singing, “Congratulations to you, congratulations to you! Congratulations, SKINNY MOMMY . . .” They had cards, signs and an I Love Lucy marathon planned in my honor. My kids are always supportive of Mommy meeting goals, as most kids are. But this day was orchestrated by my husband. This was a big moment for me because I have known people who are resentful of their spouses moving forward in life, people whose marriages couldn’t handle someone making more money, having more professional or spiritual growth. Sometimes it’s easier to love someone when they’re down and out than when they “pass you up.” It made me think about all the times in my chubier days when I rolled my eyes at people running on Sunday mornings or people who gave up white flour. I talked about how I was enjoying life and they were shallow. I wasn’t the kind of person my husband is. It’s honoring and humbling at the same time . . .

From Meghan:
I was in NYC last week. I had my Wednesday all planned out: breakfast pastry and coffee at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery, walk across Central Park to the Met to see the American Woman and Picasso exhibits, walk back across the park for a burger at Shake Shack, then to the Theatre District for my 3pm matinee, then off to meet a friend from college for dinner. Well…my almond raspberry croissant at Bouchon was incredible and I was merrily walking “directly east” through the park from the West side to the East side to go to the Met, when I discovered 45 minutes later that I arrive on Central Park SOUTH!! I DID walk east, but I also walked south the whole time and ended up 30 streets south of where I wanted to be Rather than freak out because there was NO way I would have enough time to get the the Met, see the 2 exhibits, get lunch, AND make it on time to my matinee, I took a deep breath and reminded myself that I was in a city I adore and that I had a lovely walk across beautiful Central Park. And, I could maybe see if I could get to the Met on Friday to see the exhibits. And for once, my re-frame worked!

From Eva:
This year Huband and I finally took the plunge and bought season tickets to the Minnesota Twins – because it’s the inaugural season in Target Field, our beautiful new outdoor stadium…With the 90-degree temps and high humidity, we knew there was a chance of thunderstorms. Sure enough, it started sprinkling in about the 2^nd inning. Our seats are under the overhang, so we enjoyed the game while watching other fans file to the protected concourses. The temps dropped, a breeze picked up, and it felt so nice.

At the top of the sixth, with heavier rain, thunder, and lightning, the game was suspended. We took pictures with our friends of our first rain delay. (Nerdy, yes.) We watched the ground crew. Then we went inside to one of the bars. We stood around a high-top, drinking beers and chatting and laughing. We were actually able to talk and connect more than if we were in our seats, all in a row. The atmosphere was electric, everyone in the stadium was giddy and a little goofy from the rain. We were all in this together, and what a fun – but unplanned – diversion.

I’m afraid if it was entirely up to me, if it was only Husband and I at the game without our friends, or if I wasn’t thinking more lately about living my life in pencil, I would have thrown in the towel and gone home early. But I just went with the flow, enjoying the evening for what it was. And I’m so glad I did. Even though the game was eventually called – the last four innings to be played the next afternoon – it was fun to stay out late and catch up with old friends. And to say we were at the first Twins rainout since 1981!

From Nicki:
My Life in Pencil moment has not yet occurred so will be rewritten many times between now and Saturday, I believe. I have plans to get away Saturday. One day without kids (mine are almost all adults now so, no, I am not deserting children) can be a huge refresher. I had the day all planned out. Now I am replanning. I am thinking of blowing off the CD release party as it is so late and I don’t want to be driving really late. I do want to get to another location to meet a friend’s friend who is visiting. So, for right now, one change in my penciled life has come. Question is – how many more will take place?

Our next Life in Pencil Moment of the Week, featuring reader submissions, will be Friday, June 11.  So start rewriting your life in big ways and small and then tell us about it!  Send us your submissions by email by Thursday, June 10.