Are you a turkey lover?

I took a short break from writing this month, in case you've been looking for my posts (please tell me you have ... lol). The truth of the matter is there's just been a lot going on. Sure, there have been the usual parental duties (fortunately many of which are pleasures), my job, my family, cleaning out my perennial flower beds for the winter, and this past week my husband and I  started prepping for the Christmas holidays. I know what you're probably thinking, that I'm one of those people who rush through their holidays. Actually that couldn't be further from the truth. I actually try to savor every part of the process. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Lots of people are either on the road today traveling to visit family and friends for a few days or they're home chopping and dicing and prepping for tomorrow's festivities. Whichever end of the scale you're on, remember to take time to breath along the way.

Thanksgiving is about alot of things; different things to different people. The first thing to take time for is being thankful. What are you thankful for this year? I'm thankful my son is driving home tonight and we'll have 4 glorious days together as a complete family. I'm thankful for my wonderful husband and my beautiful daughter. I'm thankful to have a roof over my head and food on the table. I'm thankful for my extended family, my church, and my church family. I'm thankful I get to get up every morning and have a purpose for my life. Tomorrow my family will join with my husband's family for dinner. We'll eat (probably too much). My husband will get the honor of taste testing his sister's stuffing before anyone else. I'll sneak the first taste of the turkey while my brother-in-law pretends not to notice. My daughter and I will play our annual game of chess (while my nephew's dog, Max, watches our every move). We'll all yell at the TV set watching football and then after dinner we'll all lounge around watching 'Pumpkin Chuckers' (a truly unique experience).

Some of the younger ones (actually the niece & nephew are in their mid 20's now) will scour the Black Friday advertisements and strategically plan their hunt. Although I hope my niece takes the year off since she's expecting her first child soon. We don't want her or the little one getting trampled on over the 'big deal' of the day.

Be thankful for the big and small things in your life: your health, your faith, your family, your financial stability, your morals and values, that your kids can make you laugh, because you fit into jeans last month that were a size smaller, and for your talents. Be thankful for who you are and what you've been blessed with.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Life Is An Adventure

Life is an adventure, full of surprises, and its share of ups and downs. No one ever said that life would be easy and unfortunately life has never come with a handbook. There are certainly times when I wish it did.

I remember being pregnant with my first child. People meant well and were full of insights and advice, but if I'd listened to everything everyone told me I guarantee I would have never made it to the hospital on time and my son would have been born in the car racing to get there. People told me not to panic that my baby would be quiet for a few days before birth, that he was just 'saving up his energy' to be born ... not in my case. My son kicked for a solid week and then through the whole delivery. I guess he was anxious and ready. People told me that when he came home he would need to be fed every four hours. I worried when he didn't want to drink at 2am ... he just wanted to sleep, then a nurse told me 'Are you crazy? Never wake a sleeping baby.' When you're young and it's your first child you try to listen to EVERYONE, but sometimes that just drives you crazy. Eventually you learn to trust your own instincts. One thing I can tell you is that you will have way more confidence the 2nd time around. Luckily my firstborn survived. lol

Six years ago I went through cancer treatments. That was definitely a period in my life when I was scared and uncertain. I had so many questions and wanted answers and insights. I was fortunate to have a great support system. Not everyone could give me the insights I needed, but most were there to make me laugh, be supportive, and make the occasional meal for my family. I did meet two ladies though (both cancer survivors) who were able to share those special insights about symptoms, medication reactions, roller coaster emotions, nutrition, self doubt ... you name it. I don't know what I would have done with Angel Laura or Lori. There were both a real God send.

I like to think that God will never throw more at me than He knows I can handle. I still have doubts often, but I know He is strong and will watch over me and protect me.

If you're experiencing one of life's ups or more importantly one of the downs, remember that you are never alone. Don't try to carry all of the burden yourself. No one's shoulders are meant to carry that much. The load will always be lighter and easier to bear when you share it. I know many of us have a difficult time accepting help. We all want to think that we're stronger than that, that we can do it all on our own. I also know it can be extremely humbling to ask for help or even for someone to just listen. But God never intended for us to be a 'solo act'. Think of all the times you've been there for someone else. Now be willing to let them return the favor.

Amazing How Words Tie Together

I can't believe that the month of October is nearly over. It seems to be flying right by, at least for me. I was thinking about this blog yesterday and realized it had been 3 weeks since my last entry. I think the longest I had ever gone was 2 weeks. Trust me when I say it certainly isn't because I have nothing on my mind or nothing to say. Guess I just need to fall back on the old standby excuse that I was busy, but then who isn't?

Lately I've been caught up in busy schedules, mile long TO DO lists (all of my own making I'm sure), some physical therapy, the Tigers going to the World Series, and the election debates.

So what's on my mind today you ask (I'm sure you're just dying to know ...lol)? Let's see ... I've written blog entrys before about the value of a single word, how much impact they can have, how they can support people and at the same time tear people down. I've talked about how we need to be responsible with our words and learn to use them wisely. Today I want to write about how cool it is that words are often connected in ways we don't even realize. The other night I was helping my daughter memorize lines from Hamlet for her AP English class. Of course I really couldn't come up with a good reason for her when she asked me WHY she had to memorize 10 lines and recite them in front of her class. Reciting lines has never been one of her favorite things to do. The observation I came up with was how 'connecting' words could help her with her task. In Hamlet's case the ending words of a sentence often rhymed, making it easier to connect and lead into the next sentence.

Last night I heard a commercial where they used words to connect thoughts ... not rhyming words this time, but in a different way. Here is an example:

Words can create peacemaking ... it'll give you peace of mind.

Remember to mind your manners ... it's all in a manner of speaking.

Speaking of work ... you look very hard at work ...

because you work for living.

Just be sure that you're not living on the edge ...

unless you're on the edge of your seat.

I could go on, it's kind of like one of those brain games that's supposed to stimulate your mind. What do you think? Can you create an example like the one above? See of you can tell us something about you in just a few quick fun sentences.

It's Been An Interesting Couple Of Days

It's been an interesting couple of days. Last weekend was my daughter's homecoming football game and dance. The team won their game, the marching band sounded awesome, and the kids looked great and had a wonderful time dressing up for their dance Saturday night. What did amaze me though was all the drama that was involved. I guess I don't remember it being that way when I was in high school, probably because we wore our 'good' jeans and the dance was in the school gym following the football game. Sure isn't that way anymore. I saw a funny Facebook post written by one of the neighbor girls down the street. She and her sister had already graduated, but their younger brother was going to the dance. Don't quote me but her post said something to the effect that ...

When girls get ready for the homecoming dance there are hair and nail appointments involved, a new dress, shoes, and accessories, the importance of the right date, and which 'group' you're seen with eating dinner. When boys get ready for the dance (assuming she was referring to her brother) it's about getting his suit dry cleaned, buying a shirt and tie to match her dress, taking a shower, and making sure his socks matched. I would say that the preparation & stress levels are slightly off kilter, don't you agree? I am the mother of both a boy and a girl and I can say that I agree with a lot of what the girls observed. Maybe somethings don't change, although I'll admit that we skipped the salon and my daughter allowed me to do her hair and nails.

Well, the homecoming weekend is over and life does goes on. The dress is neatly hung up in the closet, the corsage is still sitting prominently on my kitchen counter, and the photos continue to pop up on Facebook. It's a wonderful time in the life of a teenager, but yes things will continue to move forward. For me this week has been about a funeral for a friend's mother, my job, about attending a band booster meeting tonight and hoping to 'Win the Band', and a couple of marching band rehearsals and a symphony rehearsal for my daughter.

Oh and then something unexpected happened ... yesterday I won a couple of tickets to a breast cancer awareness and support luncheon for this weekend. Definitely never a dull moment. Something for me ... nice.

So, what's your week look like? Anything interesting coming up we should know about? Maybe we could meet for a cup of tea and see what's new with you.

The 80/20 Rule ... Which Side Are You On?

Have you ever heard of the 80/20 rule? It's pretty common and can apply to just about any scenario that involves people and getting work done. The 80/20 rule refers to 20% of the people doing 80% of the work. I've seen it action ... from volunteers at school, volunteers at church, and homeowners in my subdivision association (although there it might be more like 90/10).

So which percentage do you find yourself in? The bigger question would be 'why?'. Are you part of the 20% who are active and involved or are you in the 80% that sit by quietly waiting for someone else to pick up the slack? If you're in the 20% do you pitch in and participate because you enjoy what you're doing or do you do what you do because you're worried that no one else will do the task and then it won't get done OR if it does get done it won't be to your liking? The important thing to remember is that whatever you do you should be doing it not because you feel pressured or coerced or guilty, but because you enjoy the task and truly want to make a difference.

If you find yourself in the 80% then there must be a reason why. Surely there are seasons in every one's life when they have more time or more energy or more interest. Perhaps you were voted the #1 volunteer of the year when your kids were younger and in school. If that's the case then you've probably earned the right to take a break. BUT if you still enjoy volunteering, find another avenue that interests you now. Volunteer at your church answering the phones, read to someone at the local hospital, spend time with your grand kids, or rake the leaves for the older man that lives next door and can't bend down to do it because he uses a walker now. There are numerous ways to get involved and make a difference. However, if you're in good health and have spare time on your hands AND you're just sitting home looking for something to do then maybe it's time that you switched sides on the percentage ratio. Take a leap of faith and go out on that proverbial limb. Try getting involved. Everyone will benefit. If you're thinking that you're not needed because it APPEARS that all of the tasks are getting done fine without you ... then THINK AGAIN. There is always room for you and always a need for you.

My best advice though would be 'never volunteer someone else'. I had a funny thing happen this week while attending the high school band booster meeting. The friend I was sitting with asked a question about a fundraising possibility. During the discussion someone on the board suggested that perhaps since she was interested she could look into it for them. Immediately she told the recording secretary 'but I don't want to lead it.' The secretary asked for her name for the sake of the meeting minutes to which my friend (without missing a beat, I might add) assertively gave them my name. Obviously some people there knew me and some didn't, but we all got a good laugh because of her wittiness and her timing. Don't worry though, I immediately corrected the situation and spelled out Laura's name for them.

Just some things to think about before you make your next decision about whether or not to volunteer and get involved.

What keeps you motivated?

If you're anything like me, you've probably set a goal or two for yourself  over the years. My history of completing goals would look like a roller coaster at best. Sometimes I'm up and sometimes I crash and burn. If intentions counted for anything mine always start out good. I set my goal, devise my plan of attack, and go after it with all I've got (well, at least for the first few weeks). I'm one of those people who wants to see results; not necessarily instantly, but if I can see that things are at least headed in the right direction and making a difference I'm definitely more apt to keep making the effort. It's when I work really hard at something and I see little or no results that I get frustrated. But then who wouldn't, right? I mean we are only human.

I'll be honest, this past year or so I've been struggling with gaining weight. My doctor says, 'You're not that bad, really. Just eat right and start exercising.' Wow ... and they needed a college degree to be able to tell me that? Could I eat more fruits and vegetables? Absolutely. Could I exercise more than I do? You bet. But at the same time, I feel like I'm rarely ever sitting down - except for the 9 hours a day that I'm at my desk at work (which could easily be contributing to my problem). Two years ago I trained for a 60 mile 3Day walk for breast cancer. I walked more than 540 miles during my 9 months of training. Did I lose even ONE pound during that 9 months? Nope, not a one. I'll admit that my calves were toner than they'd been in a long time and my tan was pretty good, but my weight did not change at all. Then last year I broke my ankle which limited my exercise and walking for a few months. I know what you're thinking ... excuses ... excuses ... AND you're probably right.

I've tried to make some subtle lifestyle changes ... better sleep ... more H20 ... less caffeine ... always parking further out in the parking lot. BUT I know I need to do better.

Any ideas? I know I need to make myself accountable and it would certainly be easier if I had an exercise buddy or someone who was checking up on me. What keeps you motivated when you're trying to improve on something? It could be weight loss, quitting smoking, having a more positive attitude, or accomplishing something you've always wanted to do. I'd love to hear about what works for you.

Back To School ...

Tomorrow is Labor Day which for a lot of people means they have a 3-day weekend. Tomorrow there will be time spent with friends and family, perhaps a BBQ, or maybe even a baseball game. In my case it'll be a local parade. Over the years my kids have marched in several of the local community parades. My son marched in a Sterling Heights parade when he was young with his softball team (they were the city champs that year in their age division). All through high school he marched with his marching band at the Romeo Peach Festival Parade. Now for the last two years it's been my daughter's turn with her marching band. I love to hear the bands play and I laugh when I watch all of the little kids scramble at the curb for the candy that the clowns throw. Labor Day for many is a day for rest and reflection and appreciation. Many veterans will march at the parades and it's a wonderful sight to see people cheer and honor them for all they have given.

Labor Day also says that the summer season is drawing to an end. Yes, we will still have warmer temperatures for a few weeks, but many of us will be so busy we won't even notice. The day AFTER Labor Day (at least for those of us in Michigan) marks the first day of the new school year. The school supplies may already be bought, the football games have already begun, and many of the high school girls are already talking about their homecoming dances.

This year is unique for me. My oldest just got a new job teaching high school chemistry and my youngest is a high school senior. I guess times do change, whether we're ready for them or not. This year will be full of excitement for everyone. Whether you have kids of your own, nieces or nephews, grandchildren, or even have a soft spot for the boy down the street who shoots hoops in his driveway every night til it's dark ... be there for them. Being young and being in school is a special time for every child (no matter their age). Help them to make the most of it. Encourage them. Show them your support. Drive them to a dance class or soccer game. Shout their name from the stands when they score a touchdown or do a cheer. Let them know that this is their time to have fun, experience life, and learn, but it's also important to teach them to be good people.  Kids today face a lot of peer pressure and bullying. Too many times kids feel alone and that they have no one they can talk to. Don't let that be the case. Be a mentor or a coach or just a friend. With everyone doing their part I think we can be ready for another great school year. What do you say? Can I count on you?