21 GRATEFUL YEARS OF SNAPSHOTS - Happy Birthday Scott

There is just something joyful about those who view life as a gift, and who are grateful for the little things. Gratefulness cannot help but be shown or expressed. It is an emotion that alters your life, perhaps humbling you. It changes how you see things, and how you treat others. It compels you to think what life would be like without the thing you are grateful for, and reminds you of how blessed you are. Perhaps we all could be a little more grateful in our daily lives. For some of us, this task is hard to do. But just maybe we could start by giving thanks to God for the little things He has given us. Then praise Him for the big things He has already done. Some of us may need to ask Him to change our hearts to be grateful for the closed doors He has shut in our lives, or for the relationships He has protected us from.

Looking through photos of Scott over the past few days really made me think of all the years we have shared. I, for one, am grateful for my son Scott, who turns 21 years old today! What a blessing he has been. Sure we have had some rocky times, but what parent and child hasn’t. He has been through a lot of adversity in his young age, from losing his father a few years ago, having a friend die in Iraq to break-up with girlfriends. Through it all, he always manages to have a loving heart.

Having Scott was the opportunity I got to experience the purest love known to humans. There is a depth and a dimension to a child's love that cannot be matched - unconditional, focused, intense, innocent love. There are millions of things I have learned since I have had him - things I have learned about myself, about others, about life, about what is really important...about tolerance and patience, about irony, about family.

When you turn 21, your thoughts go to parties, presents and becoming an adult. Officially, you are legal. Turning 21 is an exhilarating time in your life. It has been said that even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. This is another step in Scott’s journey. I wonder what other steps Scott intends to take in his future? I know one thing is certain, you have to look forward and believe in your dreams. You have to trust that everything that has happened in the past, happened for a reason. Learn from them, set your goals, believe in yourself and move on. Life is short so do not waste it by living someone else's life. Do not be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Do not let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. The heart somehow already knows what you truly want to become.

I’m proud of you Scott. Take stock of where you have been and what you want to achieve and reach for the stars! Love you! :-)

EXPOSED

Exposed, what a funny word, eh? It isn’t what you think so get your mind out of the gutter! :-)

I have been talking a lot on this blog about what makes me, well, ME. Sometimes it isn’t easy opening up and sharing all of your deepest thoughts, especially when you starting writing about your conceivable flaws. I think it is interesting to discover what lies beyond a person’s “mask.” I have a friend who is leaving for New York in a few weeks to pursue her dancing career. She is leaving her life, as she knows it, behind. I am so proud of her and her decision to go after her dreams despite any fears or self-doubts she might have. Isn’t it interesting to explore your feelings, fears, and insecurities with your friends, but also share with them your dreams and joys, sorrows and aspirations. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I want to discover and honor my true identity beyond all superficial appearances and to honestly appreciate the life that God gave me.

So along those lines, I thought of things that make me, ME. Not all of it is pretty but hey, I’m honest. :-)

“THE” List, the beginning:

1. Having a relationship with God is first and foremost in my life.

2. My husband is the BEST!

3. I am not ticklish.

4. Having friends is very important to me. Always has been.

5. Being a good friend is even more important to me.

6. I am afraid of losing the ones I love.

7. Confrontation scares the crap out of me. I wish it never had to happen.

8. I am a perfectionist.

9. I am way too hard on myself.

10. I love being around people who make me laugh.

11. I love to encourage others to succeed in whatever their goals are.

12. I have a strong willpower and have amazing self control.

13. God graced me WITHOUT a sweet tooth…… Whewhoo…..

14. Being a Mother to Scott is truly a gift from God.

15. I love lower body workouts……. (I know I’m insane).

16. I am a very timid and shy person.

17. I don’t like to show a lot of emotion when I am hurt or angry.

18. Every time I talk in front of group or a crowd I cry. EVERY time.

19. I am loyal and compassionate.

20. Wild, Wild West (Escape Club) used to be Lou and I's "theme" song; although we were far from being wild.

21. I have anxiety issues.

22. I am trustworthy.

23. I don’t like to admit my faults. But, I do anyhow. Most of the time.

24. I can find stuff WAY faster than my husband can. ALL THE TIME. :-)

25. I am a very forgiving person. I passed that trait on to my son.

26. I can be hard-headed and stubborn. VERY much so at times.

27. I hate feeling rushed.

28. I am NOT a procrastinator and those who do annoy me. :-(

29. I never said a cuss word until I turned 21 years old.

30. I cry when I see others cry and I cry a lot more now than I ever did before. (I think it comes with age)

31. I do not like being told what to do. There is always a way to ask.

32. I am not the best at asking. Better at telling.

33. I laugh a lot. Especially at Kevin. :-) In a good way, of course.

34. I try to excel in all areas of my life.

35. I love to sing with the music I listen to. (I usually don’t know the words to the song).

36. I am optimistic and very positive.

37. I can be prideful but TRY not to be.

38. My favorite movie is Love Actually, used to be Grease.

39. I have benign positional vertigo. Ugh!

40. Because of the above, I am afraid of heights.

41. I do not like to be put on the spot.

42. I do not like to be the center of attention, EVER. For example, surprise birthday parties. It puts too much emphasis on me. I don’t like that. Makes me feel uncomfortable.

43. I love to give gifts.

44. I pray for my family, friends and for others in need every SINGLE day.

45. I always strive to be the best wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend even if it isn’t always appreciated.

46. I talk to God all day long. Even about little silly things. He is my dearest friend.

47. I like to act silly, sometimes Kevin and I ask ourselves if we will ever feel “grown up.” Probably not. :-)

48. I enjoy sitting out on our deck and just taking in the view.

49. I love reading a good book.

50. I don’t like to watch a lot of TV. To me it is a waste of time.

51. I am faithful.

52. I love reading anything and everything about fitness.

53. I do not have a creative or artistic bone in my body.

54. I worked my way through college going to night school.

55. I do not live with regret anymore. I forgave myself for the mistakes I have made in the past (or what I have perceived to be mistakes) and have moved on.

56. I don’t like it when people gossip.

57. I don’t like phony people or those who judge others.

58. I was born and raised in the church but don’t go to the same church as I was raised in. I love the church I go to now and consider myself a Non-Denominational Christian
59. I am a very organized individual.

60. I don’t like it when things are out of place, whether it is at home or at the office.

61. I love the warmth a candle brings to a room.

62. I miss my Grandmother more than I could ever put into words.

63. I used to play a lot of sports growing up. I LOVED it.

64. I LOVE to make people laugh.

65. I don’t like big crowds.

66. I love watching the Toronto Mapleleafs play a good game of hockey (of course, that has become a rare occasion).

67. If there is one celebrity that people tell me I look like, it is Helen Hunt.

68. When I was younger, my parents wouldn’t let me go trick or treating, so the first time I was allowed to go, one of my older brothers took me ALL OVER TOWN. We had candy that lasted almost half the year. NO KIDDING. :-)

69. I love meeting new people and making new friends.

70. The first thing I notice on a person is their smile.

71. I enjoy deep meaningful conversations.

72. I am very indecisive when it comes to menus at restaurants. Ask my husband, this drives him crazy. Another reason why we eat at home 99% of the time.

73. I am NOT a risk taker.

74. My best friend IS a risk taker and scares the you know what out of me at times.

75. I am very competitive but that is because I grew up with four brothers. I had to fight for everything.

76. I have learned to take responsibility for my own actions and not blame others. It can be so easy to point the finger at someone else.

77. I love to hear other people laugh.

78. I make a funny noise when I tell Kevin I don’t feel good. I didn’t even know I did it until he pointed it out to me. Now we laugh when I do it. :-) Hey it makes me feel better!

79. I love to feel warm and cozy. I even sleep with socks on my feet, but end up taking them off in the middle of the night so by the end of the week I have a stock pile of them at the foot of the bed. Don't gross out, they are clean. ;-)

80. I do not like to open up very often to very many people. Makes me feel very vulnerable. Like now.

81. I feel blessed that I come from a great family and have a great family (in-laws included).

82. I am thankful for all my friends and for the friends I have yet to meet.

83. I am learning to love my body! (Thanks Tracy!)
84. I am learning that we don’t have to be perfect ALL the time.
85. I have had the same best friend for almost 20 years and I love her to pieces.
86. I have not talked to my sister for 10 years now. If you knew her, you would understand why. I still pray for her.
87. I have the greatest brothers in the world. They would do anything for me and I would do anything for them. They just need to quit calling me Three Mile Island (childhood joke, sorry I can’t share that one!)
88. I love to go on vacation and travel to places I have never been before.
89. I live by faith.
90. Growing up, I never dreamt about being a wife or having children, I wanted to be a “career” woman so after high school I moved to North Carolina. I was so homesick I moved back after being gone one year.
91. I have always had a passion for law.
92. I have had a successful career in the legal profession for 20 years.
93. I took the LSAT and scored very high.
94. I decided I would rather retire at an early age than become an attorney.
95. My choice above was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.
96. I am older than Kevin.
97. You can’t tell. :-)
98. We make an adorable couple. :-)
99. My son turns 21 on May 31 and I am not sad about that. He has turned out to be a wonderful young man.
99. I have a beautiful life and I thank God for His many blessings.
100. The End. :-)

WHAT LIES WITHIN

First of all, Happy Mother’s Day to all you BEAUTIFUL Mamas out there. To all those that I am close to (you know who you are) thanks for being there for me through the years. Your love means sooooooo much to me. As for my Mother’s Day, I spent the entire day relaxing, watching a few favorite movies and reading. I did not want to go out to a crowded restaurant for dinner so Kevin bbq’ed shrimp (for me) and ribs (for them), which was YUMMY. Scott stayed home all day and we had a great visit. I spent a lot of quality time with those I love and those who love me. All is well. :-)

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

As for the quote above, I was talking with one of my friends about what makes us up, what is it that we are all about, what makes someone whole. Along with morals, honesty and beliefs, I think character is one of the most important characteristics on an individual’s personality. Emerson’s quote really hits home and almost defines the word character for me.

Memorial Day weekend is a difficult weekend for me. If you will recollect, I lost my Grandmother last year over Memorial Day weekend. She was not just a Grandmother to me. She was like a Mother to me and one of my closest friends. I believe I acquire a lot of my character from my Grandmother. She used to always remind me how important it was to give to others, no matter what it was. It didn't have to be material or monetary items. A smile, for example, would suffice. She also reminded me that everything in life can be taken away from you except what lies in your heart. She always instilled in me the notion of how important it is to be a good person and love everyone and not judge those around you. I think it is important for me to use my time in a constructive manner and fortify all of who I am. If I become half the woman that my Grandmother was, I will feel truly fulfilled. Every time I think of her I think of character. She always stood firmly behind everything she believed, loved God with all her heart and never ever thought once of herself. I truly miss her!

My best friend will be flying in from Phoenix over Memorial Day weekend and I CANNOT wait to see her. We always have a great time when we are together and LAUGH until we cry. So having her around will definitely make Memorial Day weekend easier to cope with. :-) Thanks Lou!


As for the house, things are going well. We should be getting our fence material sometime this week and start putting the fence up by next weekend. Stoli will be extremely happy about that. Plus he needs to lose a few pounds. :-) Poor doggy!

Until later.......Have a blessed day!

Just Another Day in Paradise :-)

WHEWHOOOOOOOOOOOOO, WE HAVE SOD! Yes, indeed. We really do. Ever since they have laid the sod, it has rained non-stop and that was last Tuesday. They couldn't have laid it at a more perfect time. Well, let me rephrase that, they could have laid it a month or so ago but we do appreciate the fact that it has rained and we don't have to water it non-stop. In any event, we can now take pictures without it looking like we live in a mud pit! For the first time, we were able to walk around our ENTIRE house. YIPPEE… Now all we have to do is get the fence installed so that Stoli can run around the yard. The materials for the fence are supposed to be delivered on May 15 so just a few more weeks.

Evenings are one of my favorite times of the day. It is a time for us look back, to collect our thoughts, and reflect on the events of our day. When its not raining, we like to sit out on our deck and talk with each other about our day and what we got accomplished and what we still have to complete. It is a time for careful thought and evaluation, for thanksgiving, and for prayer. Yesterday as I was walking through our house, I happened to glance over at the windows that overlook the lake and it literally stopped me in my tracks. What a magnificent view. Because of the recent rain, everything is in full bloom, flourishing and thriving and with the lake right outside our door, it was picture perfect. So instead of putting up that basket of laundry, I stopped what I was doing and just took time to reflect on the many blessings in our life. :-)

Enjoy the new pictures. :-)