Day #5 - Sewing Circle

Today two of my lovely sisters and I sewed together 252 squares, which combined (top, bottom and middle) makes 84 total squares...it was soooo tedious to cut all those squares out and I think I am short by about 40 totals for my ginormous quilt, which means cutting out an additional 120 squares (plus or minus)...OY.

I've never really been part of a sewing circle before. I have tied knots in a quilt for a young women's class, but I haven't sat around sewing. It was kind of fun; plus it went much more quickly with both Keri and Amy helping me. We completed all those squares in just over 2 hours and it took me at least 3 x's that amount of time to cut them out by myself.  I kept getting frustrated because several of my squares ended up a bit lop sided, but Amy assured me it would not be tragic in the end ("although, I should try harder to keep it straight") and Keri kept reminding me this quilt will be "home made" and to not sweat it. Sure it is home made, but I still want it to look nice.

What is that saying, "Many hands make light work"? Well, in this case, that is definitely true. I seem to be from the other school of thought most of the time, "if you want it done right, do it yourself". I'm not saying I am a perfectionist by any stretch of the imagination, but sometimes it is just easier to handle things. The problem with this stratagem is it creates a victim mentality (at least in me) "why do I have to do everything?" and it takes very little provocation to utter those words out loud to an unsuspecting loved one in a fit of resentment filled w/"whoa is me" guilt agendas.

On the other hand...sharing the load always should be better than going it alone. When I did Relay For Life, I missed some golden opportunities to get other members of my team to "get 'er done" on different tasks. True, I did try to delegate, but I would get back one gift cert (unsatisfactory, must have more) and end up "doing it myself" yet again only to have the whole thing rained out.

I did have one amazing experience with the various City Youth Councils. A bunch of teenager's met the co-chair and me on a Saturday to pop in on all kinds of shops to ask for donations for prizes at the Relay. I really didn't expect much from a bunch of young kids, but thought it was great they were all willing to spend their precious Saturday running around for us. There were probably 10 youth there; they broke into 2 groups and each took one side of the main street to go down and we agreed to meet up in 2 hours. I kid you not, they came back with handfuls of prizes - some "in kind" donations and lots of gift certs for free sandwiches, ice cream, pizza and other food stuff, car washes, movie tickets, gym punch passes, etc. Do you know how long it would have taken me to do that on my own? Those kids ROCK!! Many hands REALLY does make light work.

I think by the time we started to experiment w/the layout of the quilt today Amy was astonished by how big I really mean to make that bad boy. One thing is for sure...there will be no washing this sucker once it is complete - it will just be too big; I will just have to spot clean it I guess. I can at least congratulate myself that some of my squares might be straight by the time we are done, thanks to Amy.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: “Life is a learning experience, only if you learn.” ~Yogi Berra

PHOTOS: My cuttings...I am prepared for my sister's visit...I should have gotten some shots of us at work...oh, well - hind site and all that.

All those squares turned into this...

I think I like the red in the middle and it will be on the bottom as well...What do you think? It is nice to know some things never change (i.e. Bart has already found his way to sit and lick his paws on the new bedspread - naughty dog).

vs. mixed pattern

Day #4 - Spreading it Out

I'm back to making lists today. Because my new start date got moved back a week I feel like I have all the time in the world to get all my projects done. Well, time is certainly starting to move quickly. I finally sat down to put together a complete and detailed list of everything I want to get done before the middle of next week. It ended up not being as long as I thought it would be, but when I started to break it down into days and times I realized I ought to get focused.

One thing I am extremely excited about is the material I bought yesterday with my Mom and Sisters in tow. I am determined to make that big bedspread I talked about in an earlier post; big enough to cover both mattresses w/out using a bed skirt. I am going to be cutting squares Saturday and Sunday and Amy and Keri are coming up to help me start sewing on Monday. I'm nervous to do this on my own without Amy's guidance because it has been years since I touched a sewing machine and I am not sure I remember how to thread a bobbin or replace a needle...

I am actually looking forward to doing a craft project again. I used to do all sorts of crafty stuff. I used to cross stitch every spare second I had and made some beautiful pieces that I usually gave away. One thing about doing crafts is how much you appreciate a crafted gift from someone else - one person recognizing the efforts of another.

I don't think I will be getting super crafty again anytime soon, but I am hoping this bedspread project will feel like a big accomplishment when it is done and I certainly hope it looks as good as I picture it in my head.

It is pouring down rain right now with violent wind and lightening. I am thinking of the people driving in the Canyon and hope all is well. It is a good night to be snug at home.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "In doing we learn.”~ George Herbert

Day #3 - Wednesday's Child

Today I went to my Mom's house to meet w/my sister's to get some help picking out some fabric for a new bedspread...when you can't find the perfect bedspread, might as well make it yourself.

My Brother Jason and his wife Mel were there and Amy had left her youngest (2.5 years??) at the house w/Mom and Dad for a few hours before we were to meet. I was doing my best to coax a smile out of Elle when she pulled out her binky and stuck her tongue out at me. She DID smile after that showing her big dimple before plopping that thing back in. Jason asked her, "Elle, were you born on a Wednesday?" This is Jason's equivalent of suggesting you need to ride the "short bus" to school. Not very PC of him.

I couldn't believe it - he used to always pat me on the back or the head and ask me "Are you Wednesday's child?" after a melt down or if I got angry at him. Wednesday's Child was a fund raising commercial and I THINK it was based around the Foster Care program. Jason somehow also remembers the terrible theme song and sang it to Elle (and I am sure to me) for big giggles.

I guess what I learned from this moment was how time and distance (and a new 2 year old family member to gently torture) can change ones feelings. We've all heard time heals all wounds...I think I believe this one; not that this Brotherly devotion really wounded me, but I remember how aggravating it was to be teased by my older sibs and how angry it made me. Now it is just a funny memory and a reminder of how time marches on.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Wisdom is learning what to overlook.” ~William James

Day #2 - Bored??

Yesterday I learned what I already suspected...I think I would be bored if I didn't have a job. Since I haven't been blessed with kids of my own, who are in and of themselves a full time job, I think it would drive me bonkers to not have a solid plan or responsibility to handle every day. I am sure I could come up with plenty to do, but I think I like having a job.

My start date got pushed back to May 2nd...trust me, I am NOT complaining. Since I cleaned the house on Thursday I decided to take a break on Friday. I sat around and didn't really give myself any specific job or assignment to do. I worked out (sort of), I ate breakfast, I read, I listened to a book on tape while I cleaned up a few things, I took a bath and shaved my legs, I curled my hair, I did my make up, painted my fingernails a dark purple color and then laid on my bed waiting for my nails to dry ALMOST falling asleep until my phone went off w/a text message about my phone bill posting to my checking account, I got up and started wondering when Trav would get home, realized I was starving and began to consider making a lousy food choice when Trav called...schwew, close one.

Anyway, my point is...I don't know that I am motivated enough to be UBER productive on a daily basis and NOT being productive is...well, boring. As bored as I got, I couldn't seem to motivate myself to do anything about it either. Knowing this, I started to get negative in my head..."why can't you get going, why don't you want to do anything, why does nothing sound like a good idea, why won't these nails dry all the way so you can unbutton your pants and go to the bathroom...blah, blah, blah".

I hope to remember this day in the coming weeks when I begin to feel overwhelmed...being overwhelmed is NOT boring, it is a challenge - a way to filter out the important from the things that can wait, the immediate needs rise to the top of the projects and gives way to process improvements. I think I can handle that. I also think I will, once again, dream of the day I have NOTHING to do...somehow I always seem to want what I don't have, maybe this is the true lesson of the day.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you’ve understood all your life, but in a new way.” ~Doris Lessing

Day #1 - New Focus

I am not sure about the new blog background (too busy?), but I am sure about my new focus. This does not mean I won't still follow my old gratitude theme as well, but I have certainly been learning a lot lately and I really do believe we get more out of life when paying attention. Besides, it seems we are continually given the same lessons in life until we learn them...why not nip those duplicates in the bud?

The reason I have been avoiding putting this up is I am still unclear how to pinpoint and then write about the dailies (daily lesson's). It is easy to pinpoint the days lesson when something big happens, but it is harder to see all the little things and then make them worth writing about...

Right now I am working on reading "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. I thought we already owned the book and remember starting, but not finishing the book. When my new boss mentioned it in passing at one of the interviews, I thought I should pick it up and read it thru to perhaps gain some insight into his methodology. What I discovered is, I have been subconsciously utilizing some of the principles first mentioned in the book...

As I think back over the last few years, I know I have had a great DESIRE to make a shift in my job - NOT because I didn't like it, more because I was stuck doing the same things for several years and needed to stretch my brain and abilities in a new direction OR in a different way. To be true, I also felt I had reached the top of my pay range for my position/job title within the company I was working for and felt there was not much growth potential in that area either.

I did several things over the last 2 years that I believe lead directly to this new opportunity and my readiness to accept it and move forward...I talked to my boss, I talked to the regional boss about my desire to gain more experience and grow my career and I applied for various openings within the company and was always told "you do not have the experience we are looking for". I also put it out there to the Universe (i.e. prayer) that I was ready to take something new on..."bring it" I would say, "I am ready to act". I did not get an immediate answer, but when I did get the call, I was ready to begin considering my options.

I am looking forward to continuing the book...I bet I will continue to see my situation in the words and also bet I will learn many new theories to put into practice.

I Am STILL Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will.”  ~Vernon Howard

Day #376 - The Last Days

Well...that's it.

My last day was a bit anti-climactic really. I did work until 7:15 p.m. trying to spend as much time with Carrie as possible. I feel bad I don't have a few more days with her, but in all honesty, I feel she will rearrange my systems into her own, she will change the forms as needed and sometimes the best way to do a job is just to jump in and figure it out along the way...I guess I did what I could. The next week I have off to get things figured out for my new job and to organize my personal life.

The first thing I plan to do tomorrow is clean out my car. I have been lugging stuff from my office to my car the last several days as I left each night. How the heck did I house so much junk in that little cubicle? There were tennis shoes (for those 4 walks I took during lunch over 15 years), Tupperware, canned food in my "food drawer" for emergency lunches, LOADS of packets of crystal light, alka seltzer, pepto bismal, protein bars, a dictionary, a calculator, files filled with jokes (for later use), old reviews, old business plans (from 2002), an old box filled with shred stuff that I put my feet on all day, like 6 canvas bags from various seminars, giant plastic cups for "water" (wink), thank you cards, zillions of pens, 7 kinds of lip gloss, 3 things of lotion, toothpaste, emergency floss and deodorant, old cough drops, tampons hidden behind pads of paper, rubber bands EVERYWHERE...on and on. I guess over 15 years it is understandable that I might accumulate lots of stuff at the place where I spend 1/2 my waking hours.

Once I go thru and most likely chuck most of that stuff, I will tackle my house...I plan to deep clean and organize. We will see.

THEN I am on to my yard. It is spring clean-up time and I have a list yards long in list language...we will also see.

THEN I plan to work on my NEW business plan...I've been thinking about it a lot and now I need to put it in writing.

THEN I plan to finish 2 books I am reading.

THEN I start my new job...one bite at a time Heather.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote:
"There’s a trick to the 'graceful exit.' It begins with the vision to recognize when a job, a life stage, or a relationship is over — and let it go. It means leaving what’s over without denying its validity or its past importance to our lives. It involves a sense of future, a belief that every exit line is an entry, that we are moving up, rather than out.” - Ellen Goodman

Well said Ellen...HB

Day #375 - Delays, Delays and Lovely Days

I have never been flight delayed before, of course I don't fly much either, but my plane home was delayed by 2 hours. Me, wanting to milk every minute with my friend Deb, scheduled a late flight home on Sunday night, which would get me in the door around 11:30 p.m. I began to doubt the wisdom of that decision about 1 week before I left, but wasn't sure what to do about it (I am not airplane savvy). At about 11 a.m. on Sunday morning I got a text explaining the planes delay - we wouldn't leave until the time I was supposed to be home...Oy...

I rolled in the door by about 1:30 a.m. - I considered blogging before bed, but...JK.

Here are a few favorite things about my trip:

• Seeing Debi...Duh
• The steak dinner Mike cooked us Friday night...I have had GREAT steaks before, but this one melted in my mouth...it was sort of strange actually, but delicious.
• Sleeping in - Debi is a late morning person like myself. The difference is she actually sleeps in until 10 o'clock on weekends. I actually got 8 hours of sleep 2 nights in a row and went to bed rather late.
• Debi's snooze button. I could hear this loud news station turn on...then off...then on...then off...then on...what the heck? I asked how she can stand doing that and she said "I just love knowing I have a few more minutes". I realized I have my own snooze button...it's name is Travis. He wakes up, leaves the fringe lights on (bathroom & hallway), opens the bedroom door, gets things going downstairs, turns on the TV...then I get up. To each his own...
• Talking...and talking. We watched a movie called "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" while I was there. At one point in the movie the boy has a chance to tell his WHOLE story to a man who cannot talk...this is how I felt the first night back w/my best friend. Travis doesn't understand how I spent 3 full days in CO and just hung out the whole time...we did some stuff, but mostly just talked. Tonight, while giving the recap to Travis, he asked, "Well...what did you talk about"...I had to think for a moment..."Everything & Nothing" is the only correct answer to that question.
• Back seat driving...MAN I have a problem. The difference in CO is Debi doesn't seem to mind as much as Travis does. When I told her the light was green (while looking left, right, behind, hands wildly gesticulating and tapping her shoulder) as she came to a complete stop in front of the intersection, she just said "Oh?" and sped up. Or when I asked "aren't you close enough?" just as her bumper scraped the sidewalk in her carefully chosen parking space she gently said "*%^#, my poor paint job" and backed up. Or parking the truck in the garage, while making me stand to the side of the exhaust AFTER the garage door was closed to back up enough to make sure a) the garage door would still clear the truck's bumper & b) there was enough space to still take a bag of garbage out to the dumpsters thru the garage door - OK that was just funny and she told me to not be a baby when I objected - I put on my big girl pants. I know it is hard to imagine, but I can think of at least two other good driving stories, but I will give her a small break. She is not a bad driver, she is not a good distracted driver, but she is a self admitted terrible parker...I love this about her. Plus, we have both hit a poll with our new cars - I am just proud I BACKED into mine...:)
• I LAUGHED HARD - It is always "filling" to see Debi. She fills me up in so many ways...trying to put it into words is actually difficult - I guess she really hears me, she really listens, she reinforces me in ONLY positive ways, she can relate to me, she understands me, she has faith in me...I hope she gets the same things from our friendship.
• The only thing she doesn't fill me with is food..."let's have blackberries for breakfast" "how about cottage cheese for lunch?" "let's do a skinny cow (ice cream sandwich) for dinner"...Just kidding, not that these are not 3 of her favorite meals and I did lose 5 pounds on this trip, but we LOVE to talk about dieting or eating healthy and working out even though she is totally skinny. I brought my work out clothes with me, but couldn't find my shoes so we went and got new tennis shoes. Mine are white with lime green decor. We did one of the weight watcher videos after Travis made fun of me for buying shoes in CO and not using them. I am feeling it in my shoulders and quads today. We spent a lot of time calculating the weight watcher points for lots of food and Deb made me the BEST stuffed peppers (low fat and delicious) for dinner Saturday night and I plan to make them for Trav later this week. I love this and always come home a bit more inspired & motivated.

This is turning into a long post, I can go on and on...I guess the bottom line is, I had a lovely time and, as Debi said to me when we hugged goodbye, "Thanks, I really needed that"...so did I. I love you Debi!!

I Am Grateful,
HB

 Should really have taken a few photos while I was there...this is from

the last time we went for a visit...Oh well...

Diva Quote: "Debi, when you take Freda to Smooch the Pooch tomorrow, tell them you want the ferminator treatment, nails clipped, a complete shampoo and anal sacks clear" Mike Smith (Debi's husband)...If Deb ever reads this she will recognize it as the time we looked at Mike appalled, looked at each other confused and then snorted laughed until we cried when we simultaneously understood...Mike should enunciate better. :)

Day #374 - On the Road Again...

Tomorrow night I am getting on a plane to go visit my friend Debi. I am not looking forward to the flight one bit, such a hassle, but I am certainly looking forward to a great weekend w/my friend. When I get back to town I will only have 2 days left at my current job.

It seems very strange to be wrapping things up. I haven't said a word to my transferee's and I hear myself talking in future tense and I flinch a bit knowing I won't be here any longer. My replacement has been training with me for the last two days and she is going to do a great job. Carrie is SUPER organized and a list master. She is probably going to make me look bad by constantly having updates in the correct tracking systems...oh well, we all have our own ways of doing things and our own strengths.

As my new job looms ever closer I am beginning to get nervous and have started doubting myself...NOT my decision because it is definitely time for a change up for me, but I keep wondering if I'll be able to do what I think I can. I know it is normal to be nervous, but I am both anxious to get going and dreading my start date.

This is the perfect time to take a minute out of this hectic transition period to visit my friend since we have both been in this business for years. I can't wait to run ideas by her, get her input, chat in general about this upcoming opportunity and just reconnect.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "You can't wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time."  ~Pat Schroeder

Day #373 - Happy Easter!!

Easter is a happy time, a happy time, a happy time,

Easter is a happy time, a happy time for me

At Easter I remember when, Jesus came a live again

And this I also know is true, I'll be resurrected too

This is the poem my Mother taught us growing up and something we said every Easter Sunday after we had scoured the family room for hidden candy and found large Easter baskets filled with goodies and stuffed animals and before we dawned our new brightly colored Easter clothes to wear to church.

My favorite dress was white and lavender stripes. My mom made it. It was a tank dress w/a short sleeved jacket. I think the memory stands out mostly because, a) I did love the dress and, b) it was the first time my Mom told me I should probably learn how to shave my arm pits and start wearing deodorant. Ah, the joys of puberty.

Today Trav and I went to my parents house for Easter dinner. There was sooo much good food - ham, turkey, funeral potatoes, french onion green beans, corn, fruit, rolls, Keri's jello that was really desert and then 3 other deserts...I was stuffed.

After dinner we went outside and the kids all searched for plastic eggs filled with Candy, this would have been good enough for the kids, but then Mom, in her way of going over the top, pulled out a package of peeps for each kid and chocolate bunnies that Seerie and Elle made quick work of.

As you can tell, it was an absolutely marvelous day and everyone had a great time. The only thing missing was the Christensen clan...so sorry you weren't with us today.

Today was also Joleen's (Trav's Mom) Birthday. We celebrated early last week and had a wonderful Easter dinner there as well w/the only real difference being Joleen's baked/fried chicken that EVERYONE loves.

I had planned to call and wish Joleen a happy Birthday today, but Travis was very concerned that she wouldn't have anything to do since we all got together last week. I had called on Saturday morning and left a voice mail, but hadn't heard back and Trav was super insistent that I continue to call until I reached her. I actually got a little irritated after several conversations about it and told him to do it himself, but I am getting off topic...When I did reach her, I found out she didn't have plans, took Trav's recommendation and asked her to join us. 

This is one thing I love about my husband - he shows up for the people in his life when it matters the most. I love that Travis made sure his Mother was taken care of on her Birthday and it was fun having Joleen there with us today.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: See poem above...:)

Day #372 - Rock Star

Rock's LOVE ME!!! I am a rock magnet...well, my car is anyway.

My poor car...it is only just over 2 years old and has 55,000 miles on it, I have backed it into a pole, closed the garage door on it 3 times (only once was my bad, Trav gets credit for the others), fixed it up pretty again, got a rock chip repair contract for the windshield (which has been used 4 times until the last rock flew and caused an immediate run through the middle) and just yesterday I found out the fog light has been shattered by a flying rock and another dent is evident in the hood...most likely yet another rock.

Oy - all I can say is "Poor Baby" - and not in a sarcastic way. What is it with Rocks and Parley's Canyon? Travis had his new car for less than a month and his windshield has an almost identical split in it, just like mine.

If I really am somehow attracting all this Rocky attention, I would like to find a way to stop calling forth all those mega hits to my poor vehicle. Surely the universe can arrange a reprieve...if not for me then for my poor vehicle?? She's got enough to worry about just lugging me up and down the canyon everyday without worrying about dodging all those rocks...

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "The road of life is rocky and you may stumble too. So while you point your fingers someone else is judging you.” Bob Marley

Day #371 - Do what you say you will

Today I actually left the office when I said I would. I don't think it made much of a difference when I got home on time except I didn't have an argument w/my spouse, but it did feel good to get home in time to make a new dinner we have planned to make for a while.

Travis loves the Zupa soup at Olive Garden and my friend from work found a recipe to mimic that soup. At the restaurant it doesn't seem so fattening, but it sure has some high fat ingredients including sausage, bacon bits and cream. I decided to follow the recipe exactly the first time and the next time we make it I will do it in a lower fat way to see if it really makes that big of a difference to the taste. The soup was very good (how could it not be) and I was happy to try the home version of one of Trav's favorite foods.

I do try to do what I say I will most of the time. I think sometimes I allow my obligations to people other than my spouse take 1st place. As I have thought about this recently I realized that I take it for granted that Travis, the person that knows me better than any other person in this world, will just understand and accept that I do my best. I know this is not a fair way to think and the expectation that my spouse should just accept 2nd priority is certainly not correct. The truth is that I also know Travis better than any other person in this world and I KNOW better than to set those kinds of expectations on him.

I guess the key to being true to my word is not making promises I cannot keep. This brings with it an additional set of challenges and creates a new set of disappointments, but we can't be perfect and I have faith that someday I will figure out the correct balance between promises, expectations and priorities.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "The best way to keep one's word is not to give it."  ~Napoleon Bonaparte

Day #370 - Too Late to Let Go

My husband has a gift...he leaves work when he leaves work. I tend to bring it along with me wherever I go...how do you let it go? Now, since I will be literally walking away in a few weeks, I can't imagine how I will get everything caught up before I leave. What about Woodruff, Bowcut, Mason & Treadaway? Perry, Nelson & Campbell? Did Daybell get handled? What about my two Fillmore's? The one named Fillmore and the one IN Fillmore? Did the Hull's roof inspection get done, will Meiner and Rytting's deals go well? Did I send the paperwork on Cartier and Pilling, will Billman forgive me for not getting the numbers out to him today? I haven't talked to Gardner's for a while and Bauer...what is going on with him? Who does appraisals in Lyman? Did I cancel the referral and reassign for Walter's? Yes, one thing I did get done, but I did not call the new guy...on and on as you can tell.

As I walked in the door at 7:10 tonight with a less than happy husband wondering why I am working late when I am quitting in a few weeks, I can't help but wonder how I am going to let go of these people? How am I going to make sure they are well enough on their way to just...go?

I don't really think I can...at least not easily. I will have to do what a friend from a class once told me, "Let go and let God"...tonight I am feeling that tight pressure on my chest when I think about "my" people and the mess I'm making for them. I am SURE it is going to be just fine, but I DO care so much about them and they have given me so much over the years.

Today I talked to one of the transferees who shared some of the blessings his move is making in his family's life...They have 10 kids - several were adopted via the foster system and they refinanced their home to provide for and adopt all these children having faith it would work out in the end. When we first got the work order I had my doubts he would do much better than he currently owes on the home based on the current real estate market and trends...His home sold the first day it was on the market with multiple offers for more than he thought he would get for it and they found a much bigger home in their new area for $150K less than their current home...He gushed about how he always tries to live in faith, but he still can't believe how it has all come together. I love these stories and will miss them so much.

I am anxious to get my replacement in place so I can begin the training process...I think that will go a long way to feeling better about my own leap of faith.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Beginnings are usually scary and endings are usually sad, but it's everything in between that makes it all worth living." Sandra Bullock in Hope Floats

Day #369 - How did I get so lucky?

I recently celebrated my 38th Birthday. I will say my life hasn't exactly turned out how I thought it would, but I am OK that all my expectations have not been met out as I planned. What a strange world it would be if everything went exactly according to plan. One thing remains constant in my life, however, and that is my most amazing family.

As you may know, I wrote 10 things I love about my siblings this year as my Birthday tribute to them and my parents as well (with help from my brothers and sisters). This has been a fun thing for me to do and in every case very easy to complete. My sister Amy told me she was surprised that I kept going after about #6...it didn't surprise me, but NOW I know what she meant. Look at what my family did for me...

Each of my siblings and both my parents wrote lists of things they love about me and gave them to me for my Birthday. There were also some pictures drawn by my nieces and Avery especially was so happy to share those with me; to make sure I liked them.

Some of the funny highlights were my favorite parts. My Brother's sense of humor showed up in my Dad's letter...I found this interesting and touching as I see more and more of my Dad's influence on both my Brother's. It is like seeing my Mother's influence imprinted on my personality - I see more and more of my Mother in me as I get older. Reading my Mom's letter was a lot like reading a letter I might write about her - this pleases me a great deal. Road Rage came up in a few of the letters as one of my "endearing" qualities...Huh, I didn't realize I had it so bad...probably should work on that. There were also many great memories within the letters, some I may have forgotten, that I am happy to have on record. Road Rage aside, I sound like a pretty lovely person.

All of those pages are filled with so much love for me and it brings tears to my eyes and warmth to my heart to know how blessed I am to be surrounded by such wonderful people. HOW did I get SO LUCKY?? I hope they know how treasured these pages will be to me for the rest of my life; how much comfort they will give me on the days I do not feel good about myself or on days I feel lost or confused.

I Am SO Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: A poem today...

"Have you had a kindness shown?
Pass it on;
'Twas not given for thee alone,
Pass it on;
Let it travel down the years,
Let it wipe another's tears,
'Til in Heaven the deed appears -
Pass it on.
~Henry Burton, Pass It On