Oh dear...it's 3:00 in the morning - and that'd be Christmas morning...and the present that I ordered for Anna didn't come in time. Granted, I knew this all afternoon but there was nothing I could do and I had not come up with a POA (plan of action).
And the reality is that I didn't come up with the plan until 2:00 am. Below is what I came up with - a letter, printed in fancy script, 4 pages, scrolled up:
Christmas Eve, 2007
My dear Anna,
Where do I start?
First, I saw your Christmas Wish List asking for Butterscotch. And then I got a note from your mother asking me to NOT bring you Butterscotch.
I discussed this with Mrs. Claus and the Elves and we all agreed that we should indeed bring you Butterscotch. I feel very strongly that your mother really should not have a say in what I decide to bring you! Christmas is between you and me.
But here’s the problem. By the time I decided to bring you Butterscotch there were none left to bring you. The elves have been working overtime and there are just not enough Butterscotches to go around.
So somehow, once we catch up here at the North Pole I will manage to get you your Butterscotch.
I hope you understand and can be patient! I will bring you a Butterscotch as soon as we have more made. Anna, I know that you will be okay this- I do love your outgoing and positive personality! One day, you will find your Butterscotch somewhere you least suspect it!
With lots of love from,
SANTA (and the Elves)
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Thursday, November 8, 2007
The Road To Happiness
I found this in a magazine I got years ago, clipped it and taped it onto the front page of that year's agenda (that'd be 2002). And I thought it's really too good to be hidden in a box or on a shelf so I decided to include here (and it sort of seemed to fit with my previous entry):
We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, we have a baby, then anotehr. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.
We tell ourselves that our life will be complete whenour spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are ablet o go on a nice vacation, when we retire.
The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself adn decide to be happy anyway.
Alfred D'Souza once said, "For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinisged business, time still to be served, a dept to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on methat these obstacles were my life."
We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, we have a baby, then anotehr. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.
We tell ourselves that our life will be complete whenour spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are ablet o go on a nice vacation, when we retire.
The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself adn decide to be happy anyway.
Alfred D'Souza once said, "For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinisged business, time still to be served, a dept to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on methat these obstacles were my life."
Seize the Moment
Two days in a row putting on one of those emails...NOT GOOD....but this one really touched me.
It was sent to me from a woman who I got to know through my business. At one point we were in touch almost every other day - she is bubbly and energetic and full of great ideas. She's also an incredible writer.
We had lost touch - you know that's how life goes - and this is what she sent along:
Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.
I got to thinking one day about all those people on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.
How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word "refrigeration" mean nothing to you? How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched ' Jeopardy' on television?
I cannot count the times I called my sister and said , "How about going to lunch in a half hour?" She would gas up and stammer, "I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain" And my personal favorite: "It's Monday." She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.
Because Americans cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches.. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!
We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.
Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of "I'm going to," "I plan on," and "Someday, when things are settled down a bit."
When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Roller blades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.
My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker cone. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.
Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to...not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?
Make sure you read this to the end; you will understand why I sent this to you.
Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask "How are you?" Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow." And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say "Hi"?
When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away.... Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.
It's National Friendship and FAMILY WEEK Show your friends how much you care. Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND. If it comes back to you, then you'll know you have a circle of friends.
To those I have sent this to... I cherish our friendship and appreciate all of you.
"Life may not be the party we hoped for ... but while we are here we might as well Dance."
end
I of course stopped what I was doing and wrote her a long email explaining what I've been up to...it had been on my list since August!
It was sent to me from a woman who I got to know through my business. At one point we were in touch almost every other day - she is bubbly and energetic and full of great ideas. She's also an incredible writer.
We had lost touch - you know that's how life goes - and this is what she sent along:
Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.
I got to thinking one day about all those people on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.
How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word "refrigeration" mean nothing to you? How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched ' Jeopardy' on television?
I cannot count the times I called my sister and said , "How about going to lunch in a half hour?" She would gas up and stammer, "I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain" And my personal favorite: "It's Monday." She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.
Because Americans cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches.. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!
We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.
Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of "I'm going to," "I plan on," and "Someday, when things are settled down a bit."
When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Roller blades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.
My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker cone. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.
Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to...not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?
Make sure you read this to the end; you will understand why I sent this to you.
Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask "How are you?" Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow." And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say "Hi"?
When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away.... Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.
It's National Friendship and FAMILY WEEK Show your friends how much you care. Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND. If it comes back to you, then you'll know you have a circle of friends.
To those I have sent this to... I cherish our friendship and appreciate all of you.
"Life may not be the party we hoped for ... but while we are here we might as well Dance."
end
I of course stopped what I was doing and wrote her a long email explaining what I've been up to...it had been on my list since August!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Parent: Job Description
PARENT
Job Description
This is hysterical. If it had been presented this way, I don't believe any of us would have done it!!!!
Job Description
This is hysterical. If it had been presented this way, I don't believe any of us would have done it!!!!
POSITION :
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop
JOB DESCRIPTION :
Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work
in an often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication
and organizational skills
and be willing to work variable hours,
which will include evenings and weekends
and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required,
including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends
and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.
RESPONSIBILITIES :
The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated,
at least temporarily, until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule
and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case,
this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars
and coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings
for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be willing to be indispensable one minute,
an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing
of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.
POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :
None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years,
without complaining,
constantly retraining and updating your skills,
so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :
None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.
WAGES AND COMPENSATION :
Get this!
You pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18
because of the assumption that college will help them
become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme
is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.
BENEFITS :
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement,
no paid holidays and no stock options are offered;
this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth,
unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.
Forward this on to all the PARENTS you know, in appreciation for everything they do on a daily basis, letting them know they are appreciatedfor the fabulous job they do...or forward with loveto anyone thinking of applying for the job.
** AND A FOOTNOTE…
THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!!! **
If you are fortunate enough you will become grandparents!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Thirteen
Anna is born on the 13th
We were in Voiture 13 from St Malo to Paris this past summer
She was in seat 113 for the Lion King on Broadway this past April
Our BHC car sticker last year was 113
We were in row 13 from NYC to BTV last April
We passed buoy 13 when we went Whale Watching in Plymouth
She just got 13 stiches on her chin (3 inside, 10 outside)
We were in Voiture 13 from St Malo to Paris this past summer
She was in seat 113 for the Lion King on Broadway this past April
Our BHC car sticker last year was 113
We were in row 13 from NYC to BTV last April
We passed buoy 13 when we went Whale Watching in Plymouth
She just got 13 stiches on her chin (3 inside, 10 outside)
10-25-07
up early. UTD, breakfast, LTD, lunches, DOK. drove to pick up fan parts. electrician here. worked. worked on h2h site, tcn site, gmcm/int site. garbage out. ordered Annie tickets - yes, 13th row. mall for sauces & soaps, lampshade for toothpaste halloween costume, picture frames for mom and dad, food shopping - stir fry tonight. wrapped dad's presents (school into frames, beautiful cutting board, balloons, bday napkins, 66 candles - 65 + 1 to grow on, bday streamers and cards from all). to post office - $36 later...did you know that if the usps doesn't deliver by tomorrow at noon I get my money back? definately going to check on that one. worked on crest toothpaste. made dinner. to school to sign up for soccer. came up with great idea to bring all yellow spring soccer shirts to tela. home. ping pong with Jack - lost, I did. UTD, LTD, cleaned kitchen. fortune cookies.
"Your emotional nature is strong and sensitive."
"Your emotional nature is strong and sensitive."
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
10-24-07
up early. helium balloons and presents for all (grow a pet/grow a mini vacation). ULD. Breakfast. ML. 7:45 Mtg at school re: fundraising. Back home. Checked emails. Worked. CTL. 1:00 TU Board Meeting in town. Shopping - Surf & Turf & fruit tarte. Anna to Carolines. Anna to Dr's stiches out. home. cooked. lots of calls. FTL.
10-23-07
Got up, UDW, LDW, CTL, DOK.
Read emails, worked on site.
CTL, lunch, shower, coffee in town.
Bought supplies for Toothpaste Halloween costume, picked up helium tank, small presents and bday cards for Mark's birthday tomorrow.
MD.
School board meeting, LDW, CTL.
Read emails/wrote emails.
Read emails, worked on site.
CTL, lunch, shower, coffee in town.
Bought supplies for Toothpaste Halloween costume, picked up helium tank, small presents and bday cards for Mark's birthday tomorrow.
MD.
School board meeting, LDW, CTL.
Read emails/wrote emails.
Diary Acronyms
OK I've decided to really keep track of my life on daily basis but I need to set these acronyms:
UDW - Unload Dishwasher
LDW - Load Dishwasher
CTL - Change The Laundry
FTL - Fold The Laundry
PATL - Put Away The Laundry
IYY - Ironing Yuck Yuck
MD - Made Dinner
DOK - Drop Off Kids
PUK - Pick Up Kids
VAC - Vacuum
There will be more....
UDW - Unload Dishwasher
LDW - Load Dishwasher
CTL - Change The Laundry
FTL - Fold The Laundry
PATL - Put Away The Laundry
IYY - Ironing Yuck Yuck
MD - Made Dinner
DOK - Drop Off Kids
PUK - Pick Up Kids
VAC - Vacuum
There will be more....
Monday, October 15, 2007
Ghosting
Have you ever heard of "Ghosting"?
Well, it's around this time of year - October - and it's pretty fun.
You’ve been ghosted!
The phantom ghost has come around
To leave some goodies that you have found.
If you don’t wish a curse to fall,
Continue this greeting, this ghostly call.
First, Post the ghost where it can be seen,
On your door or window until Halloween.
Then to your home no other ghost will visit.
It’s so much fun, be sure not to miss it.
Next, make 2 treats, 2 ghosts, 2 notes
That’s the gist
Take them to 2 friends
So they won’t be missed
You only have one day to act, so be fast.
Leave treats at homes where no ghosts have passed
Remember deliver after dark when there’s barely a light
Ring the doorbell and run fast out of sight.
And last but not least, come join in the season
Don’t worry, be happy, you need no good reason.
Be scary, have fun and try not to be seen
And share in the spirit of this HALLOWEEN!
Well, it's around this time of year - October - and it's pretty fun.
You’ve been ghosted!
The phantom ghost has come around
To leave some goodies that you have found.
If you don’t wish a curse to fall,
Continue this greeting, this ghostly call.
First, Post the ghost where it can be seen,
On your door or window until Halloween.
Then to your home no other ghost will visit.
It’s so much fun, be sure not to miss it.
Next, make 2 treats, 2 ghosts, 2 notes
That’s the gist
Take them to 2 friends
So they won’t be missed
You only have one day to act, so be fast.
Leave treats at homes where no ghosts have passed
Remember deliver after dark when there’s barely a light
Ring the doorbell and run fast out of sight.
And last but not least, come join in the season
Don’t worry, be happy, you need no good reason.
Be scary, have fun and try not to be seen
And share in the spirit of this HALLOWEEN!
Drama
Drama.
It has a way of finding me.
Always.
I don't look for it, I don't like it and I don't enjoy it. But no matter what I do it's always there lurking around the corner. I wish I could write openly about all the drama that I am faced with...never know who might be reading this......
I have work drama, family drama, trip drama, house drama, hubby drama, friend drama, volunteer drama and probably in more areas that I am forgetting......
Drama.
p.s. today thus far I am drama free and it's lovely!
It has a way of finding me.
Always.
I don't look for it, I don't like it and I don't enjoy it. But no matter what I do it's always there lurking around the corner. I wish I could write openly about all the drama that I am faced with...never know who might be reading this......
I have work drama, family drama, trip drama, house drama, hubby drama, friend drama, volunteer drama and probably in more areas that I am forgetting......
Drama.
p.s. today thus far I am drama free and it's lovely!
One of those Email poems
Monica sent this to me this morning and I thought it was pretty funny. It's certainly not one of those sappy email friendship poems:
1. When you are sad, I will help you get drunk and plot revenge against the sorry bastard who made you sad.
2. When you are blue, I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.
3. When you smile, I will know you are plottingsomething that I must be involved in.
4. When you are scared, I will rag onyou about it every chance I get.
5. When you are worried, I will tell you horrible stories about how much Worse it could be until you quit whining.
6. When you are confused, I will use little words.
7. When you are sick, Stay the hell away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.
8. When you fall, I will point and laughat your clumsy ass.
9. This is my oath: I pledge it to the end "Why?"you may ask; "because you are my friend".
Friendship is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the true warmth.
1. When you are sad, I will help you get drunk and plot revenge against the sorry bastard who made you sad.
2. When you are blue, I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.
3. When you smile, I will know you are plottingsomething that I must be involved in.
4. When you are scared, I will rag onyou about it every chance I get.
5. When you are worried, I will tell you horrible stories about how much Worse it could be until you quit whining.
6. When you are confused, I will use little words.
7. When you are sick, Stay the hell away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.
8. When you fall, I will point and laughat your clumsy ass.
9. This is my oath: I pledge it to the end "Why?"you may ask; "because you are my friend".
Friendship is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the true warmth.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Monday Morning
Riding one's bike with one's children to school when it's 45F in shorts and flip flops is just FREEZING! And I tell them they all need to dress warmly... what about me!
It's not yet 11 am and I have spent this morning working, catching up, updating and I've already written 32 emails.
It's not yet 11 am and I have spent this morning working, catching up, updating and I've already written 32 emails.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Brazil vs. Mexico
Yesterday I picked up my boys at 2:30 from school and we drove straight 3 1.2 hours until we met up with some friends.
We were all headed to the Brazil vs. Mexico soccer game at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. The traffic was horrendous. 2-3 lanes wide, bumper to bumper traffic.
Everytime we got to an exit, we thought that cars would be exiting...no one ever got off...it just got worse.
Hours and hours, inch by inch. The game started at 8:30 and at that time we were still miles away in some pretty bad traffic. But it was fun...it had been a beautful day and people were full of energy, and exited for the game.
We were all headed to the Brazil vs. Mexico soccer game at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. The traffic was horrendous. 2-3 lanes wide, bumper to bumper traffic.
Everytime we got to an exit, we thought that cars would be exiting...no one ever got off...it just got worse.
Hours and hours, inch by inch. The game started at 8:30 and at that time we were still miles away in some pretty bad traffic. But it was fun...it had been a beautful day and people were full of energy, and exited for the game.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Sisters
Isabelle sent this to me the other day and I loved it! I forwarded it on to all my female friends who have meant something extra special to me.
Sisters
A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day,
drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother. As
they talked about life, about marriage, about the
responsibilities of life and the obligations of
adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her
Glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance
upon her daughter.
"Don't forget your Sisters," she advised, swirling
the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. "They'll
be more important as you get older. No matter how
much you love your husband, no matter how much you
love the children you may have, you are still going
to need Sisters. Remember to go places with them now
and then; do things with them."
"Remember that 'Sisters' means ALL the women...
your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other
women relatives too. "You'll need other women. Women
always do."
What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman
thought. Haven't I just gotten married?
Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a
married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely
my husband and the family we may start will be all I
need to make my life worthwhile!'
But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact
with her Sisters and made more women friends each
year. As the years tumbled by, one after another,
she gradually came to understand that her Mom really
knew what she was talking about. As time and nature
work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman,
Sisters are the mainstays of her life.
After more than 50 years of living in this world,
here is what I've learned:
THIS SAYS IT ALL:
Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.
BUT.........
Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how
many miles are
between you. A girl friend is never farther away
than needing her can reach.
When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you
have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life
will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on,
praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on
your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the
valley's end.
Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk
beside you...Or come in and carry you out.
Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters,
daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers,
Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended
family, all bless our life!
The world wouldn't be the same without women, and
neither would I. When we began this adventure called
womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or
sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we
would need each other.
Every day, we need each other still. Pass this on
to all the women who help make your life meaningful.
I just did. Short and very sweet:
There are more than twenty angels in this world.
Ten are peacefully sleeping on clouds. Nine are
playing. And one is reading her email at this
moment.
drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother. As
they talked about life, about marriage, about the
responsibilities of life and the obligations of
adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her
Glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance
upon her daughter.
"Don't forget your Sisters," she advised, swirling
the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. "They'll
be more important as you get older. No matter how
much you love your husband, no matter how much you
love the children you may have, you are still going
to need Sisters. Remember to go places with them now
and then; do things with them."
"Remember that 'Sisters' means ALL the women...
your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other
women relatives too. "You'll need other women. Women
always do."
What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman
thought. Haven't I just gotten married?
Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a
married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely
my husband and the family we may start will be all I
need to make my life worthwhile!'
But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact
with her Sisters and made more women friends each
year. As the years tumbled by, one after another,
she gradually came to understand that her Mom really
knew what she was talking about. As time and nature
work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman,
Sisters are the mainstays of her life.
After more than 50 years of living in this world,
here is what I've learned:
THIS SAYS IT ALL:
Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.
BUT.........
Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how
many miles are
between you. A girl friend is never farther away
than needing her can reach.
When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you
have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life
will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on,
praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on
your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the
valley's end.
Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk
beside you...Or come in and carry you out.
Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters,
daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers,
Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended
family, all bless our life!
The world wouldn't be the same without women, and
neither would I. When we began this adventure called
womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or
sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we
would need each other.
Every day, we need each other still. Pass this on
to all the women who help make your life meaningful.
I just did. Short and very sweet:
There are more than twenty angels in this world.
Ten are peacefully sleeping on clouds. Nine are
playing. And one is reading her email at this
moment.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
My Summer
...at the end of July - it's all a bit blurry now - Mark found out that he had a tumor in his femoral neck (which is the top of the femur - the part that starts to curve and bend and then lands in your hip socket). Long story short - he ended up in Boston at Brigham and Women's, tumor was 3 inch by 2 inch (plus) and growing...and it had to come out...
I tell you this came out of no where...he had no pain, no nothing. They only found it because he had had the surgery on his knee in May and he had gone through a series of xrays/mri's cat scans etc. As it turns out I think he knew more than he told me....but he tells me that he was told it was a "benign lession" when they first found out.
But anyway...it all came to a head that last Wed in July when he went to a specialist in Boston who showed him right then and there that had this huge tumor, he was unable to say if it was benign or malignant and it was growing.
Our world as we knew it stopped. Everything I saw, everything I did changed. Even the way I viewed the world at large changed.
And for me, one of the hardest things was that Mark asked me not to say anything.....he didn't want me to share with anyone the information we had received....instead he wanted an answer either way before we started sharing.
The Dr. in Boston ordered a full body bone scan...which I can tell you was up there on one of my worst days ever....this scan was crucial....if there was any other tumor in his bones it would almost definately mean cancer, and if there was nothing there was a good cance that the tumor would be benign. The scan showed no tumors....just some arthritis.
Each day brought new emotions...new fears....what a rollercoaster....I'm still on it but we're on the part that is still crashing down the hill before it starts to slow down and you can get off....(by the way, I love, love love roller coasters....just not his kind).
Mark had also told the Dr in Boston that he wanted this tumor out asap so he'd take the first spot he had...there was a cancellation and on Monday, August 13th, Mark was operated on at Brigham and Women's....
Now that was the longest day of my life.
Michelle drove all the way down from Maine on the Sunday before (6 hours, after I told her repeatedly I would be fine), spent the night with us all at my mothers, then got up with Mark and myself, followed us to the hospital at 6 in the morning and waited with me all day....until I kicked her out because I didn't want her driving back to to boondocks of Maine in the dark. Ha Ha...there was no way I could have done that alone...the sitting and waiting....it was tortutous....(?sp) because I knew they were going to come out and tell me if it was benign or malignant while I waited...I will forever be greatful to Michelle for being there....truly an amazing friend......I couldn't have done it without her...
Ok...I am really going into all the details here...every time I write it it's a bit therapeutic....It has been overwhelming to say the least.
From enjoying your summer, to thinking that your husband might die of cancer and life as you know it may be gone...to the worry of the surgery, the elation of finding out that the tumor is benign to the reality that the removal of a bone tumor, replaced by a bone graft and various metal objects is one serious operation...and life, at least for the short term, is VERY different.
The realities of everyday and recoop time....I have to do everything....it's exhausting but I am not complaining...the tumor was benign....
But all this on top of renovations has been challenging to say the least. As you know we've been through some tough times in our marriage (which and I'd say this ranks pretty high up there on the list).....
I've been lucky in that I have such amazing support and help...which I can't believe that I have even reliquished and accepted help, because that's not me....but wow - it feels good and has been so needed!!
I'll write another entry about doing renovations!
I tell you this came out of no where...he had no pain, no nothing. They only found it because he had had the surgery on his knee in May and he had gone through a series of xrays/mri's cat scans etc. As it turns out I think he knew more than he told me....but he tells me that he was told it was a "benign lession" when they first found out.
But anyway...it all came to a head that last Wed in July when he went to a specialist in Boston who showed him right then and there that had this huge tumor, he was unable to say if it was benign or malignant and it was growing.
Our world as we knew it stopped. Everything I saw, everything I did changed. Even the way I viewed the world at large changed.
And for me, one of the hardest things was that Mark asked me not to say anything.....he didn't want me to share with anyone the information we had received....instead he wanted an answer either way before we started sharing.
The Dr. in Boston ordered a full body bone scan...which I can tell you was up there on one of my worst days ever....this scan was crucial....if there was any other tumor in his bones it would almost definately mean cancer, and if there was nothing there was a good cance that the tumor would be benign. The scan showed no tumors....just some arthritis.
Each day brought new emotions...new fears....what a rollercoaster....I'm still on it but we're on the part that is still crashing down the hill before it starts to slow down and you can get off....(by the way, I love, love love roller coasters....just not his kind).
Mark had also told the Dr in Boston that he wanted this tumor out asap so he'd take the first spot he had...there was a cancellation and on Monday, August 13th, Mark was operated on at Brigham and Women's....
Now that was the longest day of my life.
Michelle drove all the way down from Maine on the Sunday before (6 hours, after I told her repeatedly I would be fine), spent the night with us all at my mothers, then got up with Mark and myself, followed us to the hospital at 6 in the morning and waited with me all day....until I kicked her out because I didn't want her driving back to to boondocks of Maine in the dark. Ha Ha...there was no way I could have done that alone...the sitting and waiting....it was tortutous....(?sp) because I knew they were going to come out and tell me if it was benign or malignant while I waited...I will forever be greatful to Michelle for being there....truly an amazing friend......I couldn't have done it without her...
Ok...I am really going into all the details here...every time I write it it's a bit therapeutic....It has been overwhelming to say the least.
From enjoying your summer, to thinking that your husband might die of cancer and life as you know it may be gone...to the worry of the surgery, the elation of finding out that the tumor is benign to the reality that the removal of a bone tumor, replaced by a bone graft and various metal objects is one serious operation...and life, at least for the short term, is VERY different.
The realities of everyday and recoop time....I have to do everything....it's exhausting but I am not complaining...the tumor was benign....
But all this on top of renovations has been challenging to say the least. As you know we've been through some tough times in our marriage (which and I'd say this ranks pretty high up there on the list).....
I've been lucky in that I have such amazing support and help...which I can't believe that I have even reliquished and accepted help, because that's not me....but wow - it feels good and has been so needed!!
I'll write another entry about doing renovations!
Friday, April 13, 2007
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
50 ways to improve your life
US News & World Report had a great list in it's Dec 25, 2006 - Jan 1, 2007 issue. I found most of them true, inspiring and things that I want to do. Here's the list in short:
Health
1. Get Happy - smile - I am pretty much always happy - never really get in a bad mood
2. Get in shape - workout harder
3. Get rid of your high heels...no problem - don't wear them anymore anyway.
4. Eat home cooked foods - do that - basically no good take out around here
5. Drink white tea - that's a new one to me - it has cancer fighting antioxidants
6. Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
7. Treat your contacts well - dna
Mind
8. Read books that change your life - I bought an Inconvenient Truth
9. Join a book club - I am not a fan! I'd rather a magazine club - and the point is for socializing... 10. Take up an instrument
11. Go tech free a day a week
12. Study Arabic
13. Start your own blog - DONE!
14. Rule your domain - kind of already have in my business
15. Study the Night Sky
16. Print Better Photos - ie Adobe
Family
17. positive parenting
18. make a family cookbook
19. let your teen drive more
20. Save by spending for college
21. Divorce-proof your marriage
22. no to travel teams
23. no TV
24. Travel without DVD's
Community
25. Coach your child's sports team
26. Help out in New Orleans
27. Vote!
28. conserve your local park
29. Help our troops
30. sustainable travel - see International Ecotourism Society
31. Learna bout Islam
32. Darfur - get involved
33. Give books to schools - see Room to Read or read Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
Earth
34. Clean the air - change your lightbulbs to incandescent ones!
35. Biodisel
36. Share a car - see Zipcar and Flexcar
37. Buy a smaller car
38. no to leaf blowers - better to rake for your bod & for your wallet & for the environment
39. Read World-changing: A User's Guide to the 21st Century
40. buy local
41. no to your dryer
42. see a glacier
43. lose weight - save on fuel
Home
44. Don't DIY
45. check your contractor - Better Business Bureau or Angie's List
46. go for the free home makeover?
47. Get your home ready for resale
48. Don't buy near the coast
49. get a new vacuum cleaner with good filtering system
50. put molding in at least one room
love this list!!
Health
1. Get Happy - smile - I am pretty much always happy - never really get in a bad mood
2. Get in shape - workout harder
3. Get rid of your high heels...no problem - don't wear them anymore anyway.
4. Eat home cooked foods - do that - basically no good take out around here
5. Drink white tea - that's a new one to me - it has cancer fighting antioxidants
6. Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
7. Treat your contacts well - dna
Mind
8. Read books that change your life - I bought an Inconvenient Truth
9. Join a book club - I am not a fan! I'd rather a magazine club - and the point is for socializing... 10. Take up an instrument
11. Go tech free a day a week
12. Study Arabic
13. Start your own blog - DONE!
14. Rule your domain - kind of already have in my business
15. Study the Night Sky
16. Print Better Photos - ie Adobe
Family
17. positive parenting
18. make a family cookbook
19. let your teen drive more
20. Save by spending for college
21. Divorce-proof your marriage
22. no to travel teams
23. no TV
24. Travel without DVD's
Community
25. Coach your child's sports team
26. Help out in New Orleans
27. Vote!
28. conserve your local park
29. Help our troops
30. sustainable travel - see International Ecotourism Society
31. Learna bout Islam
32. Darfur - get involved
33. Give books to schools - see Room to Read or read Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
Earth
34. Clean the air - change your lightbulbs to incandescent ones!
35. Biodisel
36. Share a car - see Zipcar and Flexcar
37. Buy a smaller car
38. no to leaf blowers - better to rake for your bod & for your wallet & for the environment
39. Read World-changing: A User's Guide to the 21st Century
40. buy local
41. no to your dryer
42. see a glacier
43. lose weight - save on fuel
Home
44. Don't DIY
45. check your contractor - Better Business Bureau or Angie's List
46. go for the free home makeover?
47. Get your home ready for resale
48. Don't buy near the coast
49. get a new vacuum cleaner with good filtering system
50. put molding in at least one room
love this list!!
Monday, January 8, 2007
My First Entry EVER!
Ok - so I am new at this....Blogging....I love the idea of having a place for me to write because I love to write. But I am unsure of the content and the direction my blog will take. So, I suppose I'll just start and see where it takes me.
Today I also made a new blog for my trip to Honduras with Scott. I am hoping that we will be able to post text and photos while we are there and people can visit it and even post comments that we will be able to read. Pretty cool - this blog thing!
I got my new bible in the mail today - it's called A Perect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder. Ok - so I certainly don't think that I am disorganized as I know where every last thing is in my house, but the books explains how a little bit of mess actually shows creativity and how "crammed closets, cluttered offices and on- the- fly planning make the world a better place." I'll write again about it once I've read it!
The other thing that is a part of my new mantra is a list published by US News & World Report - called 50 things to make you Happy in 2007. I'll do a seperate post about that.
Just enjoyed a rocking pilates class (that'd be with push-uos!) so gotta get back to work!
Today I also made a new blog for my trip to Honduras with Scott. I am hoping that we will be able to post text and photos while we are there and people can visit it and even post comments that we will be able to read. Pretty cool - this blog thing!
I got my new bible in the mail today - it's called A Perect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder. Ok - so I certainly don't think that I am disorganized as I know where every last thing is in my house, but the books explains how a little bit of mess actually shows creativity and how "crammed closets, cluttered offices and on- the- fly planning make the world a better place." I'll write again about it once I've read it!
The other thing that is a part of my new mantra is a list published by US News & World Report - called 50 things to make you Happy in 2007. I'll do a seperate post about that.
Just enjoyed a rocking pilates class (that'd be with push-uos!) so gotta get back to work!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)