Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. I love the idea of giving thanks to what we have, to those in our lifes, and for all of Gods gifts that he bestows on me during the year. There are times when I am down when I think that I have nothing to be thankful for ... but thats not true. I have everything to be thankful for. Most importantly I am thankful for my loving family, my husband Jim, who puts up with my many moods, for my daughters Aarika and Lindsay who everyday make me laugh, and for my son-in-law Tony who treats my daughter like a princess. And I am so thankful for the most amazing 24 years with my son Erich. I have an amazing extended family here in Texas and am so thankful that they have "taken us in" and included us in their lifes.

And I am thankful for my mom and dad who are amazing, they are in their 80's and still drive cross country to visit family; my sister who I don't see much as she has become a world traveler, but who I know I can call up and bare my soul to; to my brother Jeff who endures so much pain yet always has something positive to say to me and to my brother Brian, who sees the best in life regardless of the situation. I love them all and am so grateful for each of them.

I forget sometimes how much I do have in my life and I need to remember this everyday not just around the holidays. Family is what's important.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Erich -

"If tears could build a stairway and memories were a lane,

We would walk right up to heaven and bring you back again.

No farewell words were spoken, no time to say good-bye

You were gone before we knew it, and only God knows why."

Erich you have been gone for six years now and in some ways it seems that it was only yesterday that we were all sitting together in the lving room watching the USC/UCLA game and eating chips and dip, but in other ways it seems it has been an eternity since I have seen you, hugged you, heard your crazy laugh, listened to your quirky jokes and listened to you and Lindsay and Aarika go at it at dinner time! Remember, if you stop talking, its no longer your turn??!!

Life goes on Erich and so much has happened since you left us; I know you keep up with all that has haapened in all of our lifes, but its not the same. Its not the same that you are not here experiencing it with us. I miss you more than these words could ever type on this page or that I could ever express. My heart hurts for you but I know that you are happy where you are and you are without your wheelchair and any sort of pain. You are getting do to do all you were not able to do on this earth and that makes me so happy. I Will always carry you with me and keep you close to my heart.

I love you kiddo.

A Little Late

I know I am a little late on this post but just not had the time to sit down and write it. This 4th of July was probably the most patriotic 4th I have spent in many years and it was really special. It was special because I really got the meaning of what the holiday was all about. It may have taken me 55 some odd years but it was more than just fireworks for me this year.

I went to a concert in the park where they played patriotic music and then had a fireworks show with music and it really did move me. One section they honored all the service men and women by playing each of the songs for each of the branches of the armed services and the people stood up who were in these branches..it was really moving. Then we sang America the Beautiful and Glod Bless America, and more than ever it gave me goose bumps. The whole thing was just real special and I am so grateful to be an American Citizen!

Happy Anniversary

Today is my 9th Year Wedding Anniversary! You may all laugh at this but this 9 years is a record for me, so we must be doing something right! I met my husband actually back in high school and then 30 years later met up again online and before you knew it we were married! A quick courtship. Its had its ups and downs and laughter and lots of tears but through it all we have stuck it out and I am grateful for that. I love you Jim.

Missing Family

Never did realize how difficult it would be to be away from my girls! I surely do miss them ... seeing them every week ... it's not the same 1400 miles away and talking on the phone.

Missing my mom and dad and brothers and sisters also. My dad emailed me today to thank me for his Texas Pecan Pie and I just started to cry.

Don't ever take family for granted ... far or close always love them and cherish them.

Success

It is sometimes strange to me when I am feeling something and then something I read or hear is so related. Today I read the assigned posts from creativity Boot Camp Spring Training and it so applied to my last post ... here is what she wrote:

"...a huge lesson for me was that if I was going to be successful, I had to be successful as myself. I couldn't be successful doing what other people were doing. I had to do what I believed in and what felt real to me and what felt true to me, "because the worst thing to be is successful as someone else." - Shawn Carter

"..I knew that I had to let go of other people's perception of my work. I couldn't base my success on what others thought is successful. I have to define success for myself.

Struggling

Seems lately I have been struggling with what to do in life. I am almost 56 and still dont know what I should be doing and what my real passion is? Do any of you out there have that same problem. I love to create and I see all these awesome some sites of women creating and love their work, but what is unique to me is what I am struggling with??? I can take someones else idea and make it my own by changing it up but whey cant I ever think of my own ideas. It is so frustrating. How do I dig deep into my soul and find out whats there. I struggle with this day in and day out.

Now trying some sewing crafts to see if that is where my passions lie. I like putting things together; don't like drawing but can put together stuff real well, I am creative like that so hopefully I will create something I fall in love with with sewing or with fabrics...who knows.