Ringing in 2012 and Thinking of Italy

Happy New Year to all!  And a belated Merry Christmas!  This past week has been a busy one, and I'm still cattywampus with my schedule.  I missed my blog on Tuesday because I was out of town, so I decided to do it today on New Years Eve. 

Here is an update: my grandpa is feeling much better and was sent home in the middle of last week.  That was quite a relief!  Thank you to everyone who had him (and us) in your thoughts and prayers.  It is greatly appreciated.

As the new year is quickly approaching, I am reflecting on the past year (and my whole life).  I know that I have touched in previous blogs about how I feel very blessed and lucky to be me.  I am grateful for my blessings, and believe it or not, I am also grateful for my hardships.  While I am experience something difficult, I try to remember that enduring hard times can be the greatest learning experiences.  It is not easy to remember this in the moment, but I hope to be able to do that more often in the future.

I am a person who likes New Years Resolutions.  I like to do ones that are attainable.  I learned some time ago to set up smaller goals so that when I reach them I will feel proud of myself.  To be completely honest, I can't even remember my resolution from this year.  I think my New Years Resolution for 2012 is to learn how to handle stress a little better.  I don't think I am a stressful person, but when stress comes my way, I sometimes feel overwhelmed.  Maybe I will join a Yoga class?  Maybe I will meditate?  Who knows? 

A few days ago, I was thinking about a trip I had in Italy with my husband in October 2010.  We were attending a wedding of my cousin who lives there and it was a trip and an experience of a LIFETIME!  I learned some Italian before we went, and I have many wonderful memories.  I was thinking of one in particular last week, and it always brings me a warm feeling.  I will share it with you now:

It was the second to our last night in Italy, and my husband and I were out to dinner with our relatives.  I have two cousins who speak English, and they were angels!  They were translating for us the whole time, and I did my best with the little Italian I knew.  After dinner was done, my cousins husband gave us a ride home.  He spoke Italian and knew just a little English, and with my little Italian, we were able to communicate just fine.  By that time, we had been around the Italian language so much that the language barrier for the ten minute ride to our hotel was not uncomfortable.  This was because we were treated so well and with such kindness.  On the ride, the greatest thing happened.  He and I were able to communicate!  My Italian had grown and it was a wonderful feeling.  At one point, he asked my husband a question, and they were waiting for me to translate.  Well, I didn't understand what he asked, and I laughed and said, "Come si dice 'I don't know?' in Italiano?" ("How do you say, 'I don't know?' in Italian?).  We all laughed.  I was sitting in the back seat, and my husband was sitting in the front.  My cousins husband had a big smile on his face, looked over at my husband, took his hand, lifted it up and squeezed it.  This was a special moment because we all knew that what he was saying to my husband was, "Hey man, it's all good."  In America, men don't touch each other besides a handshake or a very hard hug with a slap on the back.  A lot of times when I see this, I usually think to myslef, "Ouch!"  I saw in Italy that men aren't as hesitant to show affection.  I don't think I have ever seen an American man hold another man's hand in that way, yet it was still a masculine gesture of kindness.  When this moment happened, I found it so touching that tears came to my eyes.  It was such a quick moment, but also incredibly moving and memorable.  They say a picture says a thousand words.  This is a picture in my mind that says ten thousand words, and they all make me feel so happy.  I can't wait to go back someday.

Happy New Year!  Buon Anno!

Happy Saturday to you and yours...  Sabato Felice per voi e la vostra...

Ciao!

A Prayer for My Grandpa

My goodness... this has been quite a week.  Before I go on, I have to note how I have noticed that I have talked about personal stories in my life, but they are rarely current.  I feel a little awkward writing in a blog about something going on that is happening "in the now", but I feel like I have to talk about this.  My grandpa is in the hospital.  He has pneumonia and needs gallbladder surgery.  He was told he needed gallbladder surgery almost a month ago now, and he had to take so many tests to make sure he could get it.  The surgeon took a long time to schedule it.  Then a few days ago he had to go into the hospital because he has pneumonia.  My grandpa is not a frail old man.  Yes, he is 83 years old, but he is active and has a lot of things to live for and to continue to do.  I saw him in the hospital yesterday, and I am happy to report that mentally he is totally "with it", but it is so hard to see him in a hospital bed.

My grandpa and I have a different way of communicating with each other.  We show each other our love by giving each other a hard time.  For example, my mom and I walked into his hospital room, and other members of our family were there, and he looked at us and said, "Who are you?"  Now... I have to admit that for a fraction of a half a second, I thought, "Oh no..." but then I saw something in his eyes that said he was kidding.  I was the first one to pipe up with a grin and said, "Don't you pull that with me!"  And he laughed.  Then as I was leaving, his nurse (who was incredibly kind and funny) was in the room.  I said to her, "You make sure you give him a hard time because he likes it."  For as long as I can remember, my grandpa has always been hard of hearing, so I had to repeat that to him, just to make sure he heard it. 

During my visit with him he had to have an echocardiogram.  For just those moments, I was the only one in the room.  A little while into it, I got to see the sonogram of his heart which was fascinating.  A few moments later, there was sound, and it sounded like a dog lapping up water.  I looked at my grandpa's face, and his back was turned away from the technician and he was mimicking the sound by pretending to lap up water like a dog.  It literally cracked me up.  I didn't want to disturb the technician so I was actually silently busting up, but I could see that he saw me smiling, and I'm sure my face was beet red.

With all of this going on, it makes me sad that it's so close to Christmas.  I am trying to stay positive, so here are a some things I am thankful for:

1. My grandpa is in no pain and seems to be relatively comfortable.

2. He's not really into the "Christmas-thing", so I hope he will not feel incredibly sad if he's still in the hospital on Christmas.

3. I am happy to see and hear our family doing such a great job taking care of his and my grandma's needs.  I know I live far away, and I want them to know how much I appreciate them all.  My mom, uncles and aunts are all showing their love for my grandpa and my grandma.  If anything, now is the time to not only show appreciation for my grandparents, but for each other.

4. I am happy that I got to see my grandpa and grandma yesterday.  I realized it on my way home that I feel like it's my mission to make people smile and/or laugh when they are feeling sad or scared.  I was able to do that for both of them yesterday.

5. I am grateful for the flexibility of the people at my work.  I will be able to take off two extra days this week so that I will be available to be spend time with and help my family.

Although I feel scared right now, I feel comfort knowing that I have a good family.  Christmas is coming on Sunday, and I know I have been thinking a lot about the Savior (especially lately).  Jesus Christ set such a great example for us to live our lives: to be kind, loving, forgiving, understanding, compassionate... the list goes on.  My grandpa and my whole family have been in my prayers a lot this week.  If you feel so inclined, please remember us in yours.

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

The Community Sing

Yes... the long awaited Community Sing was on Sunday evening, and it was great!  The women all wore red tops and black skirts, and the men wore black pants, white shirts and red ties (all the women and men from our church).  We looked very sharp.  It was our turn to go up and sing, and it was so much fun.  I am so glad that I stumbled into our choir over a month ago.  We got to hear and sing all sorts of traditional Christmas songs, and hear some new ones too.  It felt so good...  Everyone sounded fantastic.

Last week, we crossed off two more things off of the Christmas To-Do list!  We went to a Creche Exhibit, and got to see all sorts of different nativities from all over the world, and then following evening we went to see the Temple lights which is about an hour away.  My husband and I went with my father-in-law, and we had a great time all together.  

I would normally write more, but I have a load of things to do today, so I better get to them.

I am loving this time of year so much....

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

Off to a Great Start

The holiday season is underway.  I am very excited to say that my home is all decorated for Christmas!  We got our tree on Saturday, and it is a pine tree.  It has real pine cones on it!  We had one last year, too, but this one is even better than last years.  I spent most of last week doing some much needed cleaning and organizing in my house, and I have to say that it feels fantastic.  What normally happens is that I will clean the house, have the dishes done, and laundry caught up, and it will take just one day for me to fall behind.  Then, it takes a long time for me to catch up.  Before I know it, I've got lots of dishes in my sink, my clothes wouldn't be folded or put away, and the mail piles up...  Believe me, I am not proud of this in the slightest, but this last week, I have kept everything in order, picked up, etc, and it feels great.  I love coming home to a home in order.  I hope to keep it up, and by writing it in my blog, it will help to continue to motivate me.  I have a feeling it will stick this time.

As I type, I've got my Christmas CD playing, and currently I am listening to "Do you hear what I hear?"  I enjoy a lot of Christmas songs, but I also like to be able to come back to them, too.  I will listen to them for awhile, turn it off, then come back to them when I want. 

This coming Sunday is the community sing that my Church choir is participating in.  I am looking forward to it and a little nervous.  On one of our practices last week, there weren't very many people who came; I was singing with two other ladies, and we had to learn and practice how to project our voices.  I noticed something, and man in the choir called us on it, too, and he said that he heard us doing great... we were projecting so well, but it seemed like when we heard ourselves, we got scared and pulled back.  Well, he hit the nail right on the head!  The two ladies and I all laughed because that was exactly it.  Although that was a little uncomfortable to be so vulnerable and singing so loudly, it was great advice, and everyone was very positive and encouraging.  I enjoy it so much.  I will be sad when our choir will take a break after Christmas.  Who knew that I would love it so much? 

I have to say that this season is going great so far.  I feel like I'm off to a great start.  I am looking forward to Christmas day because I will be having a family at my home, and I'm already planning the meal.  From my last blog, you can read about some of my Christmas To-Do things on my list, and I already have one down (getting and trimming a Christmas tree), and we plan on crossing off a couple more things this week.  I will write about them in my next blog.  I can't wait...

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

Tis the Season

I know I am no where near alone with this thought, but this time of you year is one of my favorites.  I love Christmas time.  It gives us a great excuse to partake in festive activities and to share the spirit of the holiday with others.  This is a time for tradition.  I love following traditions, but I also have found that when we have made our own and followed them, it gives me a sense of accomplishment.  I feel weird writing that I feel accomplished after following a tradition, but it really does take effort to do them.  I am going to write about some traditions and things I look forward to each year at this time.  I feel really great when we are able accomplish (there is that word again!) all the things on our "Christmas To-Do List".  Isn't it funny how "To-Do Lists" are usually something that we might grumble about, but when it comes to doing fun activities, we can't wait?

1.) Wrapping presents and watching "White Christmas" and "It's at Wonderful Life".  Sometimes I'll even do them together.

2.) Putting up Christmas lights at our house and my father-in-law's house.  Actually, my husband puts them up; I just hold them and make sure they stay untangled until he's ready for them.

3.) Driving around the neighborhoods and looking at Christmas lights.  I love to do this at least a couple times before Christmas.

4.) Going to my church's temple and looking at the lights they display.  It is spectacular!  It's a great night because we will make a whole evening of it.

5.) Going to the "Creche Exhibit" and seeing the different types of nativity scenes from all over the world in one building.  This really gets me in the mood for Christmas.

6.) Getting a tree and trimming it.  Last year our tree had so many pine cones on it.  I loved it.

7.) Every year I make Christmas cookies and we pass them out to our neighbors.  It was a wonderful opportunity for us to get to know our neighbors the first time we did it in our neighborhood.  This is a tradition that my husband's family had done for a long time.  I loved the idea and we do it, too.

8.) Sitting down with my scriptures and reading the first few chapters in Matthew, Mark and Luke of when Jesus was born.  This is a newer tradition I started.  Last year, I only read in Luke, but this year I want to read in Matthew and Mark, too.   

9.) Spending time with loved ones.  I love spending time with my family and friends as much as possible, but it feels so special to be with them during this season when we share our love, happiness, and blessings with each other.

I know that the last two I mentioned should be at the top of my list, but I always like to save the best for last.

I hope you all get to participate in and enjoy all your family holidays and traditions this year.  There are a lot of traditions we had when I was little, and I wish I could still do so many of them.  I now have a mindset that instead of getting discouraged about not being able to do them, I can just modify them and still partake in their joys.  After all, this is the season to be jolly...

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

Happy Thanksgiving

It is that time of year again.  Happy Thanksgiving to you all.  This is a favorite holiday of mine.  A  time of giving thanks; a time of gratitude...  When I was a little girl, we always had Thanksgiving at our house.  I loved it.  My mom would bake the turkey, and I remember loving to help her baste it.  Another favorite thing I remember about Thanksgiving is afterward, my sisters and I would go in our bedroom and watch the newest episode of "Friends".  Okay, the "Friends" episode is really at the bottom of my list of "What my childhood Thanksgivings were like", but I must be honest that it was a fun part for us.  In all seriousness, I loved it when our family would get together.  When I was really small, I remember my great grandfather being at our home.  We called him "Pop's" and also "Papa".  He was a wonderful man, and lived until he was 92 years old.  I was 12 years old when he passed away.  I remember he would always bring a six pack of Heineken for my dad.  It was Pop's way of showing appreciation.  Heineken is a German beer, and at the time was considered one of the best, and it was not cheap.  It was a thoughtful act on my Papa's part, and my dad always appreciated it.

In recent years, I have not had many Thanksgivings with my family back home, but I have had the opportunity to spend them with my husband and his family.  A tradition that my husband and I have on Thanksgiving is to talk about what we are thankful for while we are at the dinner table.  I am not sure if this is a tradition that his family started, or if it was just the two of us.  In any case, it is what I look forward to most (the second runner up would undoubtedly be the pumpkin pie).  I decided that I would write down some of the things I am thankful for and why.  You may have noticed the word "some" in my previous sentence?  This is because I am thankful for so many things.  I truly could go on and on, but I will only write a few down for my blog.

Here they are (in no particular order):

1.)  The Service Men and Women in our Country...

Each year that passes, I see myself sitting at a dinner table with the one (or one's depending on how many people I am with) I love.  There is good food, good company, and a feeling of love and home no matter where I am.  In that moment, my mind feels a pull for all the men and women who volunteer to serve our country, and I think of the one's who are far away from home.  They are making such a sacrifice each day.  I think of them who are away from their spouses, children, parents, and how much they must miss being home, and how sorely they are missed.  I think of them a lot, but especially on Thanksgiving.  I thank them in my heart, in my prayer, and hope that they know how much someone like me appreciates all they do.

2.)  My Many Luxuries and Freedoms...

It is especially on Thanksgiving where I reflect on the many luxuries I have in my life.  I have a roof over my head, food in my cupboards and refrigerator.  I have a refrigerator, a car, a job.  I live in a wonderful place where I feel safe and happy.  I can't help but feel a twinge of sadness on Thanksgiving.  I usually have a wonderful meal, and I think of all the people in the world who are hungry.  Other things I am grateful for are that I live in a country where I can walk down the street unaccompanied.  I can say hello to a perfect stranger on the street and not feel scared.  These are everyday luxuries and freedoms that so many of us have.  There are too many people who think they should have all these things "just because".  I wish everyone looked at the things I listed above as "luxuries" because that is exactly what they are.  Our grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. did not have many of these things in their lives, and many of these people lived happy lives.  I hope to someday teach my children that these things are not to be expected.  They are luxuries.  I know I am saying that word a lot, but I don't care: luxuries, Luxuries... LUXURIES!

3.) Knowledge...

I am grateful for the opportunities I have to learn.  I can learn all I want.  I now understand that I will be learning forever.  I am thankful for the accessibility I have to books and other resources.  I am a stones throw to a library.  That is amazing.  Last year I was having severe anxiety issues.  I will always have anxiety, but I have learned many ways to deal with it.  I will have times that are better than others, but it is so wonderful that I have that knowledge!  I remember hearing the phrase, "Knowledge is Power!"  That is a simple truth.  Amen to that!

4.) Circle of Family and Friends...

I love my family and friends.  I feel so loved and supported.  Within this last year, I became a member of my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, (say that ten times fast!) and I was very nervous how my family and friends would react to that knowledge.  I was met with unconditional love and support.  This is something I am incredibly grateful for.  I feel the most content and at peace I have in a long time (maybe my whole life).  I feel like I am more me then I ever was.  What a wonderful feeling it is to know that my family and friends love and support my decision to be me.  I love my family and friends so very much.

5.) My Husband...

Yes... my husband is my "family", but he is so much more.  He is a strong man who teaches me every day.  He is level minded, smart, funny, supportive, loving, thoughtful... the list goes on!  I want him to know that I thank the Lord everyday for finding him!  He makes me want to be a better person.  He challenges me to face my fears.  He has many qualities that I strive to attain.  He is patient with me (well... except when I am driving, or have anything to do with the car when he is in it... haha).  In all seriousness, I love my husband am thankful for him every day of the year.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and I hope you have many things to be grateful for in your life.

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

Found Something I Love

A few weeks ago, I was asked to join the choir at my church.  I have been asked before, and whenever I was asked, I would think, "I love to sing in my car (when I'm by myself) and in the shower, but I'm too scared to sing when someone is within very close earshot."  Just a few weeks ago, a very nice woman from church approached me, gently put her hands on my arms, looked straight into my eyes and asked if I was interested in joining the choir.  Actually, she said something along the lines of what would it take to get me to join the choir.  I remember both of us giggling, but her saying that they were in desperate need of people.  The following week, I said I'd do it.  The first practice I came to, I was excited and scared out of my skin!  I was asked if I was alto or soprano?  I didn't know what that meant.  After asking a few questions, I realized that I am a soprano.  I also figured that since I'm new at this, it is the safest bet to go along with the melody.  I've only been a member of the choir for two weeks, and I LOVE IT!  I am learning every week.  I am unable to read music, but I can follow along with the high, low, long and short notes.  For anyone who is reading this and knows how to read music, I am sure that the last sentence I wrote sounds quite amusing.  The best part is that I told my husband about it.  When I decided to join I let him know that we'd have to wait an hour after church before we went home because practice was immediately after church for a full hour.  He was fine with that.  The first day of practice, I am standing there, and I see him walk in.  He is making the long walk from the door to the stand where we all were.  The head chorister said, "Is he joining us?"  I laughed and said, "He should!"  As he was walking closer and closer, I did not want to get my hopes up.  I thought to myself, "There are a lot of seats in this chapel that he could decide to park and sit and listen.  Don't assume he is coming up here and then feel disappointed."  Well, low and behold, he came up and stood behind me!  So, now we are in the choir together!  It is a lot of fun.  A friend from choir asked me, "Do you practice at home together?"  I thought in my mind, "Goodness, no!  I'm too mortified to sing in front of anyone by myself!"  But, I nicely said, "No we don't... I'm too shy."  How funny it feels to be too shy to sing in front of my husband.  I don't feel shy with him at all, except with that.  Another funny thing is that I sing to my little Sunday School kids at church (and even though I am scared, and still feel like I don't use my best singing voice, I still do it and enjoy it.  Why am I not as shy with the little ones?).

Our church gathers together once a year with all the other churches in the community and they do a community sing around Christmas time.  Ours is less than a month away, and I'm looking forward to it.  Our church is doing two really great songs.  I am practicing them at home (when I'm by myself).  Maybe I should get a little more brave and practice when my husband is home?  Baby steps... baby steps...

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

Week of Learning

This week has been loaded with learning experiences.  I have a relative who has been in touch with me recently and asking me questions about my religion for a paper she is writing for her masters program.  This has been a great opportunity because I have learned within the past year that the person who is teaching a topic is the one who learns the most.  Now, I am not "teaching" my relative, but I have been answering questions and doing my best to talk about misconceptions that are out in the world regarding my faith.  I felt that I have learned so much in sharing and talking with her.  I wanted to make sure that everything I touched on was as accurate and easy to understand as possible, and I found out two things.  The first was, "Wow, I know a lot more than I thought I did!"  The second was, "Hey, I'm pretty good at looking things up in my scriptures!"  I not only learned more, but I found some confidence that I did not know was lacking.  I am very thankful for my relative, and I am grateful that she felt comfortable coming to me with her questions. I was a little nervous because I saw how long my answers were.  She assured me that she was happy to read them.  There was one story that I shared that is very close to my heart which I have not shared with very many people.  It is something that is very sad, and I am not sure if she knew about it.  This sad thing did not happen personally to me, but it has had a profound effect on my life.  After sharing the story with her, I felt a little worried because I did not want to make her feel sad or discomfort in reading it.  To be honest, I wont talk about it in my blog, but I just hope that she feels okay with all that I shared.

I still struggle with worrying what people think.  What I am dealing with now is the fact that my worried feeling is more delayed.  In general, I have a fear of causing discomfort to others or offending others.  I know that I don't typically do anything to cause these reactions, but the thought of causing any not good feelings to someone scares me.  Maybe "scares me" is a little strong.  I just find that I feel a sense of guilt  in certain moments in my life, and then afterward, I feel a sense of dread because I worry about what repercussions will happen due to a comment I've made or an action I've performed.  I heard a saying once that 99% of the things we worry about wont happen.  I find that I have an internal struggle sometimes.  There are times when I feel confident in who I am, what I'm doing, and what I'm saying.  Then, if I open myself up and become a little more vulnerable, I worry, worry, worry!  What I am learning is that I think I need to make myself a little more emotionally vulnerable so that I can face my fears.  I need to tell myself that it's okay to talk about certain things, it's okay to cry in front of someone if I'm sad.  I have a feeling that when I am around others who are crying that it is my job to be the supportive one and not to cry.  I have this feeling in me that says, "You need to be the strong one."  Then, afterward, when I am by myself, I cry my eyes out.  This is not saying that I have never cried in front of others before, but there is something in me that tries to hold it back until later.  I find that if something is making me so sad that I'm crying in front of them, I do one of two things (sometimes both): I will hide my face with my hands (or not look at the person at all), or I will apologize.  I don't know why I do that.  Luckily, this type of situation does not come up very much.  You would think that after I have described myself that I might feel uncomfortable with people crying to me?  The answer is, not at all.  I am always available to be a shoulder to cry on.  I understand how good it feels to get a good cry.  I encourage it.  I want my family and friends to know they can turn to me for comfort.  It makes me feel good knowing that I can be of help and service to the people who I care about.  I just have a hard time letting out a good  cry in front of others when I need it.  I know I'm not alone in this, but I sometimes feel like the minority in cases like these.  I think I need to just practice being okay with opening myself up to the people I care about and hopefully my worries and fears will subside over time.  I hope this works.  I know it will.

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

Happy Hallowen!

Yes... you read it correctly.  I wrote Happy Hallowen.  This is a fun memory I have about the Halloween holiday.  When my husband and I were in our first year of dating, I remember going to his house to carve pumpkins.  He said, "Come over on your dinner break from work, and we can clean the pumpkins."  I hadn't done anything with pumpkins since I was in grammar school, so I was pretty excited... and rusty.  I showed up, and I thought we were actually going to "clean" the pumpkins.  I wiped off the outside, and was thinking, "When are we going to gut them?"  He teased me because that is precisely what he meant.  He still teases me about that.  He'll say, "Let's go 'clean' the pumpkins",  with a big emphasis on "clean".  That same first year, we started carving the pumpkins, and he wanted to do a "Happy Halloween" pumpkin (which is what he has done every year since).  It looked incredible, except for one thing... he only carved out one 'e' in Halloween.  He miraculously fixed it, but it's a funny joke with everyone in our family.  We always say to each other at least once, "Happy Hallowen!"  

 

We always have a fun time at Halloween.  We go to my father-in-laws house, carve a lot of pumpkins, get a little bonfire out in front of the house, and have a bucket of candy for the kids to pick from.  It made us feel so good because we have been getting more into it the past three years, and we have parents who say, "We look forward to coming here every year to look at your pumpkins!"  One guy even thanked us and said that we were making people happy.  How sweet was that?  My husband does a lot of the really intricate fun ones.  I like to do the simpler pumpkins that don't take as much time.  I see myself as a pretty patient person, but not with pumpkins!  Last night was a great evening from start to finish.  My husband's brother and his wife came to spend the evening with us, we chatted with fellow neighbors, and even had friends stop by and trick-or-treat with their little ones (and give us yummy muffins, too!).  It was a great night.

I know that Halloween is a time where people spend WAY to much money on candy, and kids have WAY to much sugar in their systems for the days to follow, but it is such a fun experience.  On Saturday evening, my husband and I helped at a Halloween church party for the little kids, and we had a great time!  It was just as much fun for us as it was for the little ones.  You can't beat seeing children decked out in their costumes and excited to share about them.  All the little children had grins from ear to ear that night.  This holiday is so much fun.  I even got a tad dressed up myself on that Saturday.  I bought a witch hat, and wore a lot of make-up.  It was a fun excuse to look silly for an evening.  The funny thing is I forgot that my husband and I needed to go to the store that night before we went home, so it was a tad embarrassing walking into the grocery store with so much make-up on my face!  Oh well... it was all in spirit of the fun holiday.

Happy Halloween to you all!

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

Writers Block!

Good Morning All!  This is the first time I have sat down at the computer and cannot think of what I would like to write about today.  To be honest, I have a few things in my head right now, but I can't make up my mind.... I plan on coming back in the afternoon or evening and making a decision on what my blog will be about.

I laughed to myself just now because I thought, "Maybe I should change my blog to Tuesday Afternoons with Me... 

Until then! :)

A Hug Helps

I think I have a solution to a problem I have at my job.  I actually don't have a problem at my job.  What I have is an issue when I have to deal with very difficult people.  Thankfully these difficult people are not my co-workers.  The people who I sometimes have issues with are the rude, in-your-face, raising your voice to get attention, guests (in case you are reading this blog for the first time, I work at a front desk at a very nice hotel).  

Last Sunday, I was having a pleasant work day, until a woman came in who was just incredibly difficult.  She was doing all the things I listed above.  That's not all, after she checked-in, she continued to be difficult.  She was like a big bully... trying to get me to do things that she knows I wasn't allowed to do (and not leaving it be).  I was getting so irritated.  I was getting angry with her (on the inside of course; I couldn't let her know how I felt) because every time she opened her mouth, my anxiety level would just go up.  My anxiety was rising because each time she talked to me, my natural reaction was to firmly say, "If you come back and talk to me like that again, I personally will pick you up by the shirt collar and kick your 'you-know-what' out of here."  Okay, so you all know that didn't happen.  Instead, what I had to do (what I get paid to do) is to remain professional, calm, and do my job to the best of my ability.  I'm not kidding, though, I saw an imaginary sign on this woman's forehead that said, "When I was a kid, I was a big bully!"  As the night went on, I started to truly pity her and her family (yes, this bully woman has children, and they were very sweet).  I could not help but feel a twinge of sadness when I thought of her family.  What type of example was she setting for her children?  I'll tell you what it was: kick and scream to get anything you want.  Well, I can tell you that she did not get all she wanted from me (the demands were just too ludicrous).

Enough about this lady.  Here is what I learned.  As I am dealing with people like her, I am going to try and remember the people who are so nice.  My husband pointed out we don't remember the nice ones as much.  That is so true because the mean people leave such an imprint.  This weekend my husband and I had a great time at our friends house for dinner.  I was talking to my friend, and she was telling me a story about a person who works at a hotel she just visited, and how nice he was.  As I was talking to her, I remembered a very sweet older woman who I have seen from time to time these last few years.  She would make some reservations for her and her sister & husband.  Her sister's husband was very ill, and by staying at the hotel, it was nearby where he needed treatment, and it was relaxing for him to be by the ocean.  I would always try to help her out as much as I could.  The first few times she made reservations, I never saw her because she came in on my days off, but it was as if I made a friend over the phone.  One day, she came in, and said who she was, and I was so happy to meet her.  She said, "Can I give you a hug?"  I said, "Of course!  I love hugs!"  Then she called me an angel... Well.... I am no angel, but she was so incredibly sweet, and I wanted to help her.  Now, every time she comes in, I get a hug!  I have now decided that each time I have to deal with a guest who gives me anxiety and makes me not feel good, I will think of this woman and her hugs. :)  Even writing about it gets me a little choked up.  I hope to see her again soon, but under better circumstances (when her brother-in-law is not ill).  What I just realized is that she is my angel because when I have a difficult time with guests, I want to think of her and her kindness.

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

George Strait is Right

I love where I live.  Anywhere I turn my head, I see something beautiful: the trees, the hills, the sky, the ocean.  I feel very blessed to be here.  I remember when I was a little girl, I hoped to live in a nice place by the ocean.  I never truly believed it would actually happen, and imagine my surprise when it did!  In all honesty, I remember moving to the ocean seven years ago, and then remembering that thought from when I was a little girl.  It felt so good to see a wish come true in my life.  When I was little, I would always make wishes on three things: an eyelash that fell on my cheek, a shooting star, and a wishbone from a chicken.  The funny thing is that when I was really little, I wished for the same thing every time... a pool.  And we got one!  I guess my track record for wishes coming true is better than I thought.

Getting back to what I was talking about earlier.  One thing I enjoy doing is going for rides in my car.  I will get a CD I feel like listening to, and drive either down the coast or in the hills.  No matter what, it always brings me peace.

Below, you will see lyrics from a song I love.  It is not new.  George Strait sings it, and I think it is truly one of my favorites.  I hope you enjoy reading it.  It is called, "I Saw God Today".

Just walked down the street to the coffee shop
Had to take a break
I'd been by her side for 18 hours straight
Saw a flower growin' in the middle of the sidewalk
Pushin' up through the concrete
Like it was planted right there for me to see
The flashin' lights
The honkin' horns
All seemed to fade away
In the shadow of that hospital at 5:08
I saw God today

I've been to church
I've read the book
I know he's here
But I don't look
Near as often as I should
Yeah, I know I should
His fingerprints are everywhere
I just slowed down to stop and stare
Opened my eyes and man I swear
I saw God today

Saw a couple walkin' by they were holdin' hands
Man she had that glow
Yeah I couldn't help but notice she was startin' to show it
Stood there for a minute taking in the sky
Lost in that sunset
Splash of amber melted in the shades of red

I've been to church
I've read the book
I know he's here
But I don't look
Near as often as I should
Yeah, I know I should
His fingerprints are everywhere
I just slowed down to stop and stare
Opened my eyes and man I swear
I saw God today

Got my face pressed up against the nursery glass
She's sleepin' like a rock
My name on her wrist
Wearin' tiny pink socks
She's got my nose, she's got her mama's eyes
My brand new baby girl
She's a miracle
I saw God today

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity

Good morning everyone.

A week ago today, I had an experience which I will always remember.  I got to go see my childhood home.  With  great and many thanks to my aunt for arranging it, I got to not only go back to the house, but I got to walk inside and outside.  

Leading to the day, I was so excited and a little nervous.  I lived in this home from when I was born until I was six years old.  My memories of this place are very vivid and wonderful.  I can remember what rooms looked like, where furniture was placed, what the yard looked like, and how I felt.  Whenever I think back, I am filled with fond memories and good feelings.  My aunt was driving, and as we turned down the street, the butterflies in my stomach became so much bigger!  I saw all the homes on the street, and remembered our neighbors and riding our bikes.  As we entered the driveway, it hit me, "I'm here... I'm finally here."  The owner of the home gave us a tour and talked about the upgrades they did and the ones that were completed before she moved in.  The very first thing I did was go to a special place where our family had poured cement, and I saw my sisters and my name.  I saw this three other times.  Anytime my family poured cement for a sidewalk or something, the name of the children who were born were written in, along with the date.  My name is only on one, but it was so sweet to see the others, the first with only my oldest sister's name; the other two with both of my sisters names.  It was like we were looking at a time line on the ground.  

My favorite part was walking on the deck and overlooking the beautiful view.  This house (for the past few weeks, I have lovingly been calling it my house), is on a dead end of a very nice street.  Since we were at the end, our view from the deck was beautiful field, rolling hills, and oak trees.  From this point, I could also look down upon the yard.  It was as if the memories of my childhood were playing in my mind... like an old home video.  

It was time to go.  I had taken many pictures, and felt very satisfied.  My aunt took a few pictures of me, and one is of me on the deck with the view behind me, and the second one is in front of the house where my sisters and I took pictures on our first days of school and on Halloweens (when we were all dressed up).  I am so glad I was able to share this special day with my aunt.

I came back home that night.  I felt terrific.  I kept on thinking how lucky I was to be able to have that experience.  How many people have the opportunity that I did?  I'm sure not enough.  I got home, downloaded my pictures, and as I saw them... even more memories (one's I have not thought about in a long time), came back for a much needed visit in my mind.  It dawned on me that when I think back on my childhood, I have so many wonderful memories.  I am truly blessed.  I just cried like a baby that night.  "Cried like a baby" you may think?  Yes... I did.  They were not sad tears, or tears of longing or disappointment.  They were very happy tears.  Happy to have had the childhood I did.  Happy to have the life I live.  Happy to know where I came from.  Happy to be where I am.

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

A Story About a Girl...

There was a little girl who was about twelve years old.  She called her grandma one of her best friends... her buddy.  This little girl and her grandma were indeed quite close, and there were many lessons that the grandma had taught her little granddaughter.  One day, Grandma told Granddaughter a story that inspired her.  It starts out with Grandma washing the dishes.  Above the sink was a windowsill where Grandma would always stack her rings while she washed.  On this day, after the dishes were clean, Grandma forgot to put her rings back on (they were her engagement ring and wedding band).  She went about her day, then suddenly realized her finger was missing her precious rings!  She rushed to the windowsill.... nothing... no rings to be found.  She worried, then retraced her steps for the whole day.  She found nothing.  She went back to the windowsill, again and again... nothing.  At this point, she decided to pray.  She knelt down, prayed with full faith in her heart, and asked to receive help in finding her rings.  She felt prompted to look on the windowsill again, and there they were.  Her rings were stacked perfectly on the windowsill.  Her prayer had been answered.

Granddaughter loved hearing about the experience, and others which her grandmother gladly shared.  Granddaughter had little experiences in her life that were similar, but not to the degree of finding something as precious Grandma's rings.  Granddaughter found: homework assignments, etc.  These were things which were important at the time of an adolescent, but probably not in the grand scheme of things.

Granddaughter grew up and moved away.  She had one experience which she never forgotten, and didn't realize the importance of it until even more time had passed.  Granddaughter was having a difficult time in her personal life and felt like there was no one... no one... to turn to.  She felt sad, lonely, and was sure that no one would want to hear her story.  She couldn't even muster the courage to call a friend or family member.  It was an evening when she was working, and she had an hour for her lunch break.  She drove around, found a place to stop, put her head on the steering wheel, and cried.  She cried, and cried, and cried, and whispered... "I feel so alone, I feel so alone, I feel so alone..."  Without even realizing it, she was praying.  She started to get even more upset because she knew she had to go back to work soon, and she couldn't calm down.  The tears just kept coming harder and harder, and the prayer stayed the same... almost like a whisper.  Then, she felt a wave of comfort inside of her.  Her tears stopped, and she felt complete peace.  For a moment, the sudden shift in emotion almost scared her, but she knew it was going to be alright.  She knew that this shift which took place was not her... it was an answer to her prayer.  She felt such peace that even if she heard the saddest news, she couldn't cry anymore.  She dried her eyes, and drove back to work.  The wave of emotion that came over her was the most comforting feeling she had ever felt.  She felt very thankful.

If you have not gathered already, the girl in this story is me.  I felt like sharing this because it goes well with something I heard today.  I heard a talk which was given recently by a leader in my church (his name is President Dieter F. Uchtdorf), and he mentioned that in the eyes of God, we are all important.  Even if there are times when we may feel: small, insignificant, not special, not important..... that those feelings are not shared with God.  God know us and loves us.  I felt that this idea was true because of the above story I told, and other similar experiences which have happened to me.  I feel grateful for these thoughts and this understanding.  It has brought even more peace and comfort to my life.

I wish I could share these stories with my grandmother.  The thing is that I could, but her memory is not what it used to be.  What I am realizing right now is that I should share these things with her.  She always loved to talk about these things.  Just because she may forget about it a few seconds after the conversation is done, doesn't mean we can't have one of our fun talks again. 

I must be honest.  I was hesitant to write about this topic in my blog because of the subject matter.  I am a firm believer in God and Jesus Christ, but I am also worried of how I make others feel.  It is very important to me to be respectful of others.  I hope that what I wrote today is something that people who read it can understand that I am just writing from my heart, and I mean nothing but good intentions and feelings. 

Thanks for reading and letting me get this off of my chest.  I feel so good right now.

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

27 on the 27th

I am going to make my blog a little shorter today.  Today is my birthday.  I am 27 years old.  I have been looking forward to today because I am 27 on the 27th.  When I was a little girl, I remember thinking, "Wow!  When I turn 27 on the 27th, I'm going to be so old!"  I do not think I'm old, but thinking about that memory makes me smile.  I always try to be awake on the exact time I was born.  My mom had me by cesarean.  I was a scheduled delivery.  My mom got called to jury duty, and her excuse to why she couldn't do it was, "I'm going to have my baby that day."  I tell people that I was born by cesarean, my husband says that I was stolen from the womb.  That comment always makes me laugh.  

I just thought I would write a little something about how my being born 27 years ago got my mom out of jury duty.  I love telling that story.

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

Someone Very Special

It is late Monday night, and I am writing my blog a little earlier than usual.  I decided that I want to write about something that is on my mind this week.  My mind went straight to my husband's mother.  She was a very special woman who passed away three years ago this week.  I must admit that I have been sitting at my desk for the past fifteen minutes grappling with the idea of "Should I" or "Shouldn't I" write about her.  I was possibly thinking the "should not" because it can be very sad... but I decided for the "should" because she was so special.  Her wonderfulness outweighed my insecurities.

I think it is important to talk about and remember the one's you love, even if they are no longer with us in body.  There are a few memories that are very vivid which I cling to.  I have to admit that, sadly, through my own insecurities and anxieties, it took me awhile to let my guard down and feel comfortable and be myself around my husband's parents when we were dating in the beginning.  It was all me.  I remember my own negative self talk I would give myself, and I was so quiet and shy when I was with them.  For those of you who know me, that is very unlike me.  It was within the last year before she passed that I finally noticed my flaws, and I began to open up more and feel so much more comfortable.  Once I realized what I was doing, I was so happy to see myself change and feel relaxed.  The memories I truly love are when my husband and I would go to his parents home, and we would usually be in the kitchen talking: the four of us.  Somehow, my husband and his dad would make their way into the garage, and his mom and I would get a chance to talk... just the two of us.  There are a lot of things I learned about her.  I loved when my husband would come back in after some time and say, "Are we ready to go?"  And I'd say, "No, I'm not", because I was having such a good time with her.  I remember how happy I would get when I made her laugh.  She was an incredibly sweet woman.  She was the type of person you know would laugh at something, even if it was not all that funny... just to be polite.  But, I LOVED it when I made her laugh.  Her nose would crinkle and her teeth would show... I see that expression on my husband sometimes when he laughs, too.  Another thing I remember is that most holidays, I have been unable to go see my family because I had to work (most of my family does not live near me).  My husband's mom wouldn't ask "If" I was coming over for the holiday meal... it was "When".  She immediately made me a part of the family festivities.  It was being around her and the family traditions that made me remember how much fun the holidays were for me when I was little.  She helped me find that childlike wonder of the holidays... and to feel the sense of love and home I so wanted on that particular day (be it Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter... etc).  I have two more memories that are sticking out in my mind... I am thinking back to one day when she mentioned to me and my husband that both she and her husband had gone to a new restaurant nearby and she wanted to take us there.  We asked, "What is it called?"  She smiled and said in a coy tone, "I'm not telling."  She then gave us a hint and said that the city started with a "P" and the restaurant started with a "B".  We had a fun time trying to get it out of her where this mystery spot was.  As time passed, our busy lives were in full swing, and we forgot about it.  After her passing, my husband and I figured out what restaurant that was.  We have looked it up, but still have yet to go.  I am happy to report that we are planning to go there this coming Friday evening.  I'm looking forward to it.  It will be an opportunity to think of a happy memory of us badgering her for more information: "What's the next letter of the restaurant?  How about the city?"  I am happy we know which one it is and that we'll be able to enjoy it and think of her. 

My last memory is a special one that is close to my heart, yet very simply stated.  I will always remember that there were occasions when we would say our goodbyes, and she would tell me, "I love you".  This was always very special to me, but it is especially now.  I remember thinking, even then, she is an incredibly good and honest person, and she would only say something like that if she truly meant it.  I am glad we both got to say those words to each other.  They meant the world to me then, and even more now.  

She is someone who is missed dearly by so many... especially her family.  She had a very calm and sweet personality.  She was incredibly thoughtful and loving.  Her qualities are ones which I hope to attain and strive for.

I cannot help but think of how many questions and topics I wish I could talk to her about now.  It makes me sad to think, "I wish I could ask her about...." or "I would love to hear what she thinks about...."  What makes me feel better is that I know she is in heaven.  Even though I feel a longing to talk to her, I find comfort knowing that she is in a wonderful place.  It's not that I can't ever talk to her about these things... it's just that I will have to wait until we meet again.  I hope she makes a lot of time for me because there is already so much to catch up on.  I wonder if she and I could make our way into a kitchen in heaven and have one of our talks again... I hope so...

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

In Memory

When I was twelve years old, I had to do a book report on a book of my choice.  I found one about Abraham Lincoln.  For my report, instead of writing it, I acted it.  My mom video taped me on her camcorder.  I made a top hat out of construction paper, wore my mom's long black coat, she took her eye liner and colored in a beard on my chin, and I stood on a stool.  My dad introduced me, "And now, the honorable, President Abraham Lincoln!"  My dad and sister clapped in the background (the camera always on me), and I said the Gettysburg Address.  I think my dad still has that tape.  Since then, Abraham Lincoln has fascinated me.  He was a man who taught himself how to read by fire light, lived in a log cabin, became president of the United States in one of our countries most tumultuous eras of division, and saved the Union.  It made me think about how our political leaders are having such a difficult time communicating and getting things done today.  It also gives me hope because I remember my grandma saying that the United States is the only country who has had a civil war and still remained one country.  I am not sure of other countries histories of civil wars, but it really is amazing that ours was truly, truly divided, and that we later remained the United States of America.  Our history is inspiring.  The Revolutionary War was full of farmers who fought back the English Army.  There are many stories about  the Civil War where brothers fought against each other; one for the North and one for the South.  I can go on and on.  I think what I am trying to say is that I hope people are not defining our country on the recent squabbles that our leaders in Washington are having.  I hope that our country is defined by our history, and our ability to stand together as one in the face of tyrants.  I hope we are defined by our courage.

This past Sunday was the 10th anniversary of the attacks on 9/11.  There are no words that I can express that can pin down how I feel.  I can just say that it was a day which I reflected on my feelings of that day.  Some of those feelings felt very fresh and recent.  I understand that some people may not have wanted to watch the dedications and stories about it, but I found it therapeutic.  I shed some tears and remembered how on that day, and the days followed, I would walk down the street and see strangers as my brothers and sisters.  It is no secret that tragedy brings people together.  

I watched several clips of leaders, past and present, giving talks of the innocent and courageous lives lost on that day: the people going to work at the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and flight crews.  The firefighters and policeman, the passengers on the planes...  There are a few quotes that I think are worth sharing which were given during these dedications.  Here they are:

Vice President Joe Biden told people gathered in Shanksville, Pennsylvania a quote which his mother said to him, "Courage lies in every heart.  The expectation, Joey, is that one day it will be summoned."  He said this in regards to the courageous people on Flight 93.  He was talking about how ordinary people can do extraordinary things.

George W. Bush, too, was in Shanksville, and he recounted Abraham Lincoln's speech in Gettysburg.  He also was at Ground Zero the next day with President Obama, and he read a letter that Lincoln wrote to a mother (Mrs. Bixby) who believed she lost five sons in the Civil War.  I have included both documents below because I think they are both important for all of us to read.

The Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

 The Letter to Mrs. Bixby

Dear Madam,--

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

A. Lincoln

May we always remember that through our differences, we are all brothers and sisters...

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

A Lot of "Maybes" in My Mind

Labor Day was yesterday, and it was a gorgeous day.  My husband and I had a day off together and had a wonderful time.  One thing we did was go to an art fair.  Seeing so many unique artworks felt very inspiring.  Being in that type of environment gives me motivation to try new things.  There are some talents that I would like to try and hone, but I always feel like I don't have the time or the finances to pursue them.  For instance, I love the piano.  My grandmother taught herself how to play the piano, and she was the organist at our church when I was growing up.  I remember sitting at her piano and teaching myself how to play some songs by ear.  I would only use one finger at a time, but I felt so accomplished when I could play a whole chorus of a song!  Yesterday, I was at my father-in-law's house for a bit, and I sat at the piano.  Again, I played a song I taught myself, and it made me feel so good inside.  I am seriously considering looking into learning how to play.  I would have to start at square one because I don't even know how to read music.  I decided to put this in my blog so that I can somewhat hold myself accountable for at least doing research on it.  I can talk or even just think about it for days and days, but actually looking into it is a different story.  Usually when I learn a new thing, I like to be the best at it.  I know this is very unrealistic, but I get very frustrated when I am in the learning process of something and I need a lot of help with it.  With this thought of wanting to learn how to play the piano, I feel like I would be okay with being a beginner... even excited. I am now feeling more anxiety about actually calling a perfect stranger and asking them to help me.  When I start feeling anxious about something like this, these questions pop up in my head:  "What if I don't gel with them?"  "What if I end up hating it and have to tell them I don't want to do it anymore?"  I have to remember when these type of questions come up that it's not me talking, it's my anxiety talking.  When the time feels right, I hope I'll have the courage to pursue it.

I also have some other crafty artsy ideas that I would like to pursue, but I have a hard time when I do something and it doesn't look exactly like I want it to (aka "I am a perfectionist").  This is something I need to just jump in, try it, and get over the fact that I'm not Leonardo da Vinci. 

How exciting and scary it can be to learn new things.  I shall keep you posted.

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...

Our Little Red Wagon

Just the other day I was sitting at work, and I heard the cutest laugh coming from a three year old.  It was the kind of laugh that you hear on television commercials.  I don't remember exactly what I was doing at that time, but I remember smiling.  It sounded so sweet, innocent and honest.  Even though it was only for a few seconds, it was one of the highlights of my day.  

There are a lot of children and families who walk in front of my house everyday, and I get to hear and see some pretty cute stuff.  In these times, children have so many opportunities to spend all of their time inside the house, on a computer, in front of the television, on cell phones... you name it.  It makes me feel very good when I see these children out playing in front of their yards or out on their bicycles.  Thinking  about this makes me remember when I was little.  I asked myself, "What did we do for fun?"  I can tell you that we lived in an area where the summers were H-O-T!  There were some days when we could only go out side in the morning and in the late afternoon to early evening.  In any case, I remember my sisters and I playing together.  There were games that we made up which I still can recall the rules to.  There is one thing we loved to do, and talking about it will still make me laugh.  This activity we did was something that my mom did not like.  It had the potential of being dangerous, but my sisters and I were careful (as careful as 11, 7, and 4 year olds can be).  Our house was built on a slant, a hill if you will.  At the bottom of this slant is where my dad would pile the ashes from our fire place.  Before we did anything, my sisters and I would first go and check to make sure the ashes were cool.  Then we would get our little red wagon and pull it up to the top of the slant where the side of the house was.  Since I was the smallest, I sat in the middle with my legs hanging over the side.  My oldest sister (since she was the oldest and biggest) was in the front, legs straddling the black handle.  The handle would be straight up, and it was her job to steer.  My second oldest sister was the "caboose".  It was her job to get us started by pushing the red wagon and to hop on as fast as she could before it got away from her!  She was really good at it, and rarely missed the "window of opportunity" before we were off!  Imagine.... here I am, in the middle (with no job), my oldest sister in the front ready to steer, and my second oldest sister standing up behind the wagon ready to push.  Then, my sister starts to push.... we start gaining some speed, and before we make the turn to be in front of the house, she hops on in the back and is right next to me.  I'm squished between my two sisters, like they were my body seatbelts.  My oldest sister steers to the left to go down the hill in front of the house.  We dodge a plum tree, a big rock, and another big rock, and then we hit our brakes..... the ashes!  We run into the cool ashes, and most of the time tumble out of the red wagon with a feeling of such excitement.  Then, we would get up, dust ourselves off, and pull the red wagon up to the side of the house to do it all over again with big grins on our faces and laughing the whole way.

 I can completely understand why this would make my mom nervous.  Here we were, dodging a tree, rocks, and our only brake system was running into a pile of ashes and falling out of the wagon.  I am happy to report that no serious injuries took place, and it is a memory that I know made us laugh.  I wonder how we sounded to our neighbors.  Did our laughing and playing annoy them, or did it make them smile, too?  I know we had a good relationship with our neighbors, so I am sure (hopeful) that our giggles and playing made them smile.

Happy Tuesday to you and yours...