A Wonderful Day

Yesterday was one of the nicest Mother's Days I have ever had. My day started with my son, Matty, treating me to breakfast in bed. (As you can see from the post below, he will always be my baby!) He made a delicious breakfast -- has anyone else ever had stuffed, baked french toast? I highly recommend it!

Accompanying my breakfast was this lovely note on my napkin. If you read my post about how I love and keep cards, letters and notes, you will not be surprised to know that I immediately asked Matt for another napkin because this one is a keeper.

After breakfast, we prepared a lunch which we shared with our dear friend, Doreen, and her family after Matt, Doreen and I went to church. Doreen's husband, daughters and grandson were there, too; we had a lovely afternoon.

The late afternoon and evening were relaxing and laid-back, but Matt wasn't quite done with making me feel loved and appreciated. He also made dinner--chicken enchiladas, refried beans, Spanish rice, chips and guacamole--which we didn't eat until quite late in the evening.

Reflecting at the end of the day, I know the only thing that would have made it better would have been to also get to the spend the day with my own beloved mother.

Six-Word Sunday

Motherhood, a lifetime

of countless blessings!

MOMS

While my mom has and will continue to be my greatest role model of what it means to be a mother, I have learned a lot of valuable lessons from the women in my life whom I call sister, friend, auntie, co-worker, or sister-in-law. The mothers pictured here are just a few of the women who have influenced not only who I am as a mom, but also who I am as a woman. Some of the lessons I have learned from these and other women about what it means to be a mom are:

A mom should not only teach her children to fly,

she should encourage them to explore the world.

Sometimes "Because I said so" is the right answer,

because moms usually do know best.

It's okay to say "no" when necessary,

and that makes a "yes" all the sweeter.

If our moms accept us for exactly who we are,

we have confidence and courage to face the world.

A mom living her life day to day, being responsible and determined,

getting things done and always moving forward,

can be the best example a child will ever need.

Taking care of yourself is important.

It's important to take time to play with our kids,

even when they are not kids anymore!

A mother's hopes and aspirations for her children

does not diminish with years or age because

they are always her babies.

Sometimes doing it all or having it all

is not what it's cracked up to be.

There is no one who will ever see a child through the filter in a mom's eye;

she sees beauty and handsomeness in each of her children,

no matter their physical characteristics.

No one understands the challenges a mom is facing

better than a mom who has walked a mile in her shoes.

Teaching your children to use their imagination means

they won't be bored very often.

A hug from your mom can make everything better.

No matter how many miles or years separate from our moms,

we stay connected in our hearts.

A mom is the glue that holds a family together.

A mother's love never ends.

To the dear ones who have mothered me, loved me, supported me, helped me parent, and have shown me how to be a mom, I offer a heartfelt thank you and wish you all happiness on Mother's Day and always.

A Grandmother's Gift

In all my life, one of the best gifts I have ever received was from my Grandma Ethel (my mom's mom). It occurs to me now that I must scan the photos I have of my Grandma and write a post about her.

Anyway, back to the amazing gift she gave me. When her health was declining as she battled cancer, my Grandma went through all of her correspondence and sorted out what she had received from her grandchildren. After she passed away, I received a stack of cards and letters that I had sent her in my childhood up through the year she passed.

I cannot even begin to express how much joy there is for me in reading those childish, innocent letters to my Grandma, recounting to her the important events of my young life. In the one below, I tell her about my Dad taking me and my sister to see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory for my birthday. I have always remembered that occasion because being in a large family, we did not go to the movie theater very often. Here my brief letter captures that event and also shows what surely must have been one of my first attempts at typing. This is from 1971; I was eight when I wrote it. Others, like this one, tell her about family activities like a vacation at the beach the summer of 1975. Oh, how I loved those vacations when we rented a beach house. I think on this occasion we had the house for a month and I loved being able to get up and walk out on the sand, spending the days swimming, building sand castles, and boogie boarding. What fun!

With her gift to me, my Grandma gave me back little details from my youth--a purse I loved and carried everywhere, a memory from her that my brother Gary is the one who made me laugh the most when I was a baby, or that my brother Dave gave me a $1 for my birthday and my sister gave me a pair of socks--that otherwise would have faded from my memory with the passing years. Her thoughtful gesture has rewoven the fabric of my life, putting pieces back together in such a meaningful and poignant way.

As I think about what a wonderful gift this was and will continue to be to me, it reminds me that I need to take the time to move away from the computer and pick up my pen and write some letters!

Thursday Thanks

Today I am thankful for my new friend, Oscar, who is pictured at left. He arrived yesterday courtesy of my aunt's partner, Bob, who handcrafted him. Bob wrote a note letting me know I can talk to Oscar whenever I want, but he said he is not sure if Oscar will talk back!

Every time I see my new friend, I will think about my Auntie Irene and her love, Bob. Theirs is a wonderful story of youthful love, separation, a lifetime with another, and reuniting in the sunset of their lives. Two people happier to be together cannot be found!

It's Raining Joy

Today the end of my work day found me walking from my office to the local library. Before I left work, it had been raining quite heavily, but the rain had mostly dissipated when I headed out. I walked for about 15 minutes to get to the library; most of the way the rain was light.

As I walked along, I felt the rain falling lightly on my face and it felt good. I was absorbing everything around me--the cars with their drivers rushing home, the crack of the bat on the ball at the ballpark, the birds chirping from their perches high in the trees--and I felt very happy and content. I thought about how good it was for me to be walking to the library instead of in my car and the realization that, on most days, I have my car at my disposal made me feel very appreciative of my place in life.

As I neared the library, the rain got heavier and I got wetter, but I heard those birds chirping and I felt the rain drops and my spirit felt lighter. After the last few years, which were fraught with professional and personal challenges, it was like having a veil lifted to realize that my universe has shifted back to one in which I feel joy in the simplest things in life. Each drop of rain was little reminder that there is joy to be found all around me, every day.

It was raining joy today!

I love cards!

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love greeting cards, stationery, pens, notes and all things having to do with writing and correspondence. I absolutely love greeting cards and can easily spend hours looking at cards and choosing the perfect card for the person who will receive it.

I have a stash of cards, note cards and stationery on hand, and still I think I need more. I love card stores, especially independent chains that carry unique cards. Last year when my sister and I were planning a bridal shower for my niece, I spent hours looking for the perfect invitations. Not finding what felt right to me, I eventually decided to make the invitations, which led to delightful hours choosing the paper, the envelopes, the labels, the embellishments, followed by designing and then making the invitations. If I ever make a career change, perhaps I should design and write greeting cards!

Today I had reason to spend time in the card aisle because I am sending a few cards for Mother's Day. I would love to send a card to every mom I know and admire, but these cards are limited to those who are closest to me. Do I go with the funny card, the sentimental card, the nostalgic card? Will my mom, sister, auntie, friend feel my love and appreciation when they hold this card in their hands? Will she know that it was chosen with care and attention to our relationship? Will she think about the fact that the card she holds in her hands was once in my hands?

For me, sending and receiving cards represents love and caring. It says to the receiver that I care about them and I am thinking of them. There might be a special occasion for sending a card, like Mother's Day or a birthday, or I might send one for no reason at all. But each time I send a card, I hope the person on the other end knows that the card they hold represents a little piece of my heart.

As the person receiving a card, I am absolutely tickled and delighted to get my mail and find a card. I know that some people actually toss their cards after reading them, but not me, no sirree! I keep the cards I get; they are little nuggets of love and caring from my friends and family. I have a treasure trove of cards dating back to my childhood. While I don't look at them often, every so often I go through them and remember the occasion for which they were sent.

For me, it's not just Hallmark cards that mean you care enough to send the very best (but what great branding), it is sending any card, note or letter which conveys to the person receiving it that somewhere in this great big world, there is another person thinking about them and sending loving thoughts their way!

Into the Gray

A few months back, my talented and magical hairdresser decided to use some darker colors when she foiled my hair. As it grew out, I decided that I should take a break from coloring my hair. This is a sacrifice because Babs is so talented and has always done an amazing job on my color.

Anyway, it has been interesting to let my hair get back to its natural color and to see just how much gray hair I have now. It's not a lot, just a few hairs here and there, but it doesn't bother me at all to have gray hair. (By the by, my dad has minimal gray hair and he is in his 70's. You can see a picture of him in this post.) I am okay with being middle-aged and I accept everything that comes with the mid-life territory. Okay, I could do without the creaky knees!

As I think about aging and graying, it occurs to me that the older I get, the more gray my there is in my life. Not in a dull, boring or dreary kind of way, but rather in the sense that the older I get, the more I realize that life is not divided into black and white, right or wrong, good or bad. There is a lot more gray than I realized when I was younger.

With the increased gray comes more love, acceptance, forgiveness, tolerance, understanding and openness to new ways of thinking and being and doing. So I will gladly keep on moving into the gray.

Six-Word Sunday

A
dog's

devotion
is

simply

priceless!

Pi & the Sky

Yesterday I got a henna tattoo of Pi.

Today I was enchanted with the beautiful, creamy blue sky!