I Met Romeo at Ghirardelli

I have always enjoyed people watching...noticing expressions, interactions, wild outfits, colorful hair, beautiful (or outrageous) clothes, you name it, I take it all in and wonder about people's stories. I think I got that curiosity and eye for people from my dad. And now that he isn't here, I feel a heightened sense of wondering about the stories behind the stories.

It's really just a matter of taking the time to notice others and absorb details.

The other day was a day like that, full of taking just a little extra time to notice people, engage in conversation with them, ask questions, smile, make eye contact, encourage...and be encouraged.


No trip to San Fransisco would be complete without a trip to Ghirardelli. The prices for sundaes have always struck me as outrageous, and as such rubbed me a bit the wrong way, but those kinds of things never really bothered my dad. (To a fault...as much as my mom is tight, my dad was loose...well, maybe generous...) At any rate, it just seemed like the day to splurge on sundaes. In fact, Nicole ordered a banana split. I found edible nirvana in an espresso chip hot dark chocolate sundae with gobs of whipped cream, the real kind swirled on top. YUM. There was a group of older gentlemen who entered just ahead of us and were seated off to our right at the next table. It did not escape my notice that they were having FUN...just pure, unadulterated fun. Laughing, eating their hot fudge, and just having a good time.

I couldn't resist. I had to ask what their story was. And, they told me they are all ROMEO. (And old enough to be my dad...it made me miss him terribly).

Retired Old Men Eating Out. And today they chose treats involving ice cream and chocolate. Smart move. But what really struck me was the camaraderie, fun, and connection they had. For them it appeared to be all about relationship. And that is as it should be.

Peace.

I Can Still Laugh

My friend Shauna met me and Nicole for breakfast this morning. I haven't seen her in ten years. She is a derm PA and in town for the Convention. It was so good to see her and catch up... Then she got to meet my friend Connie who also happens to be in town. Too much. We had a blast.

Today was so therapeutic... I discovered I can still laugh. Yesterday Nicole and I had a great day full of adventure, shopping, and delicious ice cream, but my mood was still very reflective. I noticed people everywhere and wondered what their stories were...I will write more about them later.

For now I am really tired but just want to say I discovered today I still have laughter inside of me. I have had a wonderful break for a couple of days, and it will be back to serious business soon enough...but I saw my friend Connie today. We bought more goofy glasses, this time with palm trees and flamingos on them...and we wore them in joy as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

I'm tired, so just wanted to check in. Lots of thoughts that I will share next time.

Peace.

Blingie Jewelry Makes Me Smile!

Gina, a friend from church gave me one of many perfect gifts this Christmas. Blingy jewelry! And here is the really cool thing, it matched, I mean totally matched the jacket I wore that day. It was worthy of one of those sister chick hugs!

A Divalicious Day

Yesterday I had the most wonderful day of fun and friendship with my friend Connie. It was a celebration of sisterhood and silliness. We all need some of that! Unfortunately today is NOT that for me. Back to work, eighteen charts to review an hour and fifteen minutes away and the morning didn't start out all that great! A moody child (the elder sister for a change) who thought she could roll out of bed having missed the school bus at stop number one, fuss with her hair and I would drop everything to take her to stop number two when her dad was in the car ready to go (he passes both stops on his way to work).

Sigh. I am extra glad I had yesterday! More pictures later! Maybe you'd like to join us next time!

Peace.

Friendship...

I've been thinking a lot about friendship...and with the arrival of The One Year Women's Friendship Devotional by Cheri Fuller and Sandra Aldrich decided it would be a great time to share some of my thoughts. I have been selected to feature this book as part of a blog tour for this newly released devotional from Tyndale.

I value my friendships. All of my friendships. But I know I'm not always the best at conveying my appreciation of that friendship. There are some friends that I can be out of touch with for several years, even, and then simply pick up the relationship where it was left off. I love that!

Then there are other friendships that last just for a season. Sometimes time just passes and drifting occurs. Other times there is a precipitating event that causes a rift. When those friendships pass it is very, very painful.

The authors of the devotional write, "Nothing is more refreshing than time spent with a girlfriend, and who doesn't need that? A friend can quiet our fears, pray for and with us. We all need friends to laugh with." I love that! And isn't it true? A friend can quiet our fears and pray for and with us.

I think about the friendships represented even just here in the conversation on this blog between those of us who post (readers are always welcome to share their thoughts!) We do that, don't we? Encourage each other and pray for each other. We share our thoughts, concerns, challenges, fears and joys. We challenge each other. We are friends.

I admit to being type A. I like lists, crossing things off gives me added affirmation. This devotional contains great stories, ties the stories to Scripture to strengthen our friendship with God and then includes questions for reflection at the end.

As we race through life, take the time to cultivate your friendships with others, including God. This book provides some structure (not rigid, but just right) to help make sure our friendships will grow and blossom.

A friend loves at all times. -Proverbs 17:17. May I communicate love to my friends through my words and deeds. I know this resource will help me do so.

Bojangles Break

Happy Saturday from Virginia. We are at the lake this weekend, me, Howie, the girls, two of their friends, a friend of ours, the two kittens and the hermit crabs. A travelling menagerie.

And here is how pathetic I am. I had to go to the grocery store to get Smores ingredients and I chose the Kroger because it would take me past the Bojangles where for an endless cup of sweet tea I can connect to the wireless and feel connected. And free refills besides...

It is a beautiful weekend. We have gone tubing and Nicole and I fell asleep and napped in the boat while the sun warmed us. Heaven.

My mother is alternatingly glancing at me and her watch, no doubt concerned about the two boxes of Popsicles and three half gallons of ice cream in the car. She is also feeling guilty for not having made a purchase while I check my email, post and send one email that really needs to be sent. So I dare not tarry too long...

The evening plans include Smores at the fire pit and game two of the American League playoffs. The sports fanatics in my family live for Boston sports. When the Red Sox and Patriots win big things in the same year it is cause for celebration. I personally prefer my sleep.

Peace.

What Makes Birthdays Special...

What makes birthdays special? When you hit middle age, or twenty nine and several years of holding, the list is simple...

• Spending it with friends and family. Son Matt and girlfriend Carolyn in photo. There were nine of us, including my mom, Tianna, Nicole and my mom.


• Not having to cook, but not spending a small fortune on a meal, either. We boated to this great place and ate dockside and watched the sun set.


• Stopped on the way home for ice cream. YUM!


• Slept in till almost ten...


• Was just simply lazy (relaxed).


• Realized that Matt and Carolyn were also with us at the lake for Howie's birthday in May.


• Still have my dad living who I share my birthday with. He turned 80 today.


• Don't feel any older. Hope I don't act any older either :)

Peace.

Ramblings, Rantings and Ravings...

I have been wanting to post since Wednesday morning. I actually have so much I want to say that I have to admit becoming overwhelmed by inertia and excuses. So instead of this becoming a huge, boring manifesto, I am simply going to list the highlights of the last couple of days and then get to them one at a time in the form of musings over the next bit of time.

• I am in CA, not sunny CA, but smokey CA, visiting a dear friend from first grade whose birthday was yesterday and has an aggressive form of metastatic breast cancer.
• My travel day was an adventure in itself. While I could refer to it as a travel day from that you know where "H" place, (which it was) I did approach it with a spirit of adventure and ended up with a free meal and free ticket out of the experience, but don't worry, I am still feeling a need to vent the outrageous details of a day in the life of an ordinary air traveller.
• It truly is more blessed to give than to receive, as the gifts I received as a result of my visit with my friend yesterday in my mind outweighed the gift of my presence and time to her. I know she didn't agree, but this is a valuable perspective for all of us to remember: It truly is more blessed to give than to receive.
• I don't watch much TV but had Good Morning America on yesterday and saw a segment about a Hopkins Neurosurgeon who was an illegal immigrant tomato picker in the US. Of course now I can't pull his name out of my clogged brain (which the really, I must say, less than poor quality coffee this morning didn't help as much as my Starbucks half caff) but will before I re-post.
• Then, yesterday, while the TV was also still on, I think it was MSNBC was doing a piece on the mega rich. I was absolutely sickened by what I heard. The gist of it was "once you have made your first billion, it all becomes a game to just see how much more I can accumulate." How about sharing, you bozo?
• Relationships, relationships, relationships. It is all about relationships. There couldn't have been a more important place for me these two days than with two elementary school friends who are both in very challenging life spots. One is terminally ill, the other's husband just decided he doesn't want to be married any more...
• God brought several people into my life the yesterday and today who have reminded me of His providential love and care for us all. There are no accidental meetings.

SO there you have it, a preview of what is to come. Oh, and I also prefer to blog with photos, and haven't taken any, starting with the huge line of my fellow weary travellers who were booted off the 7 am flight to LA on Wednesday, but I missed the photo op. But no worries, I will be back!

Fifth Grade Fun...and Bittersweet Moments

Fifth grade ended today. Finished are the elementary school years for Tianna and her friend Doaa, above. I went to the celebration yesterday, complete with cake sharing all too aware that another milestone has been marked.

So I spent some time in reflection about God's call on my life, priorities, relationships and all the emotional stuff that significant life stage events bring out.

I have to admit I am feeling a little bit down. I think our kids growing up and the realization of how fast the time here on earth goes has the ability to do that. And the realization that as parents we only have a snippet of time to help them build character before they go on to become the next generation of parents. At the moment, I am not feeling all that confident in the job I am doing, and if it has the effect of helping me to focus and build stronger relationships than it is a good thing. If it becomes a guilt ridden pity party it is not a good thing.

So there are several things that have occupied my mind that I hope to develop into habits over the course of the summer ahead.

• Grab or better yet, create moments of joy.
• Listen. Really listen.
• Becoming less of a slave and more of a servant to my girls.
• Getting up early in the morning to do the mundane but necessary chores of running a household so that they don't have to listen to a distracted, unfocused mom say, "Uhhh, just a minute" for several hours each day.
• Delegate or drop as much of the extraneous stuff as I can.

I want my girls to look back at their time with me as fun and special; not a naggy drag, which I suspect might be closer to their current assessment.

I want to honor God with the job I do as a mom to these two lovely girls He has given me; they are both miracles. One adopted from half way around the world, the other conceived after years of infertility.

May the summer be one of nurturing relationships for us all.