Los Angeles November 2010

My life just keeps getting better! This week Bob, Brookley and I have spent the week in California. We arrived on Sunday about 11am (3 hour time difference). We rented a zippy little red Ford Focus and went to the Holiday Inn Express. Randy's Donuts was on our list of first things to do in LA. After dinner at a local buffet, we rested for the evening.

On Monday we toured Hollywood, LA, and the homes of the stars. We also toured The Grove where we met Mario Lopez and had lunch at Johnny Rockets. On Tuesday, Brookley sang for a group. She did very well. After this Bob got pizza and brought it to the room for dinner.

Wednesday we traveled to Long Beach and saw the Queen Elizabeth. We had lunch at a great Mexican restaurant then traveled to Santa Monica beach. I absolutely loved Santa Monica beach! Brookley and I rode the Farris Wheel that looked out over the ocean. It was so hot and Brookley and I wore jeans so we bought dresses from a lady selling them on the pier. It was so neat and they were very pretty. The water was very cold and it was neat to see the ocean touch the mountains. Later we had a lovely dinner at Jino's Pars which served authentic Persian and New American cuisine.

Today we have toured more of Hollywood and met George Lopez. We are going to have dinner out and rest for the evening. We must leave in the morning. :( We will be on the plane for eight hours then home to rest.

I love my life and feel very blessed!

Date Night!

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I went to Charlotte NC for a "date night." He took me to Ruth's Chris and it was delicious! The service was grand. I felt like I was one of the "rich and famous!" LOL. After dinner we walked around in the park and danced through the spitting fish fountain. The weather was in the 70's and very nice.

Date nights are important to marriages! Did I say that clearly enough? Date night are important to reconnect with your spouse. Children, work, church, life in general gets busy and time slips away, and before you know it, you look over at the guy next to you and say, do I know him? Ladies, this isn't the time to give up! It is the time to wake up!

Over 19 years of marriage I have never seen the need for date nights because we were always a close family. But now I do and I can tell you, it is fun to date your husband! So go for it and have fun! You both deserve it.

2010 Beach Trip

We left out for a 10-day beach trip on August 5^th. We went to Kure beach in Wilmington NC. There are about 20 of us in our family and it is great to get together at the beach every year. Bob and I got time alone to go out and eat together, walk and talk about life. These times are important for building our relationship. I enjoy our time together.

Brookley and I went shopping in Wilmington and we ate at a water front café. The food was delicious and the café had interesting paintings on the walls. While we walked through the stores at the Cotton Exchange, Bob took the younger kids to the Battle Ship. They toured the entire ship and got some great pictures. They said it was very hot on the ship. Can you imagine how the sailors felt?

This is the first year in many that I didn’t get to read a novel while laying by the pool. I had too much schoolwork this year. Maybe next year I can plan ahead and get my schoolwork finished before the trip. We will see.

Clifton loves to fish so his dad took him out to the pier a few times. He caught some small fish and had fun. He is like his dad....they love fishing.

We went to Southport for a day. We traveled by ferry and then drove to water front downtown Southport. While there we toured the old jail where Bob placed a police patch from one of his old uniforms on the wall with other patches from around the world. It was neat. We also toured the old graveyard looking for the oldest stone. We ate pizza in a little house that was set up as a cafe. It was good and a neat experience.

We had ice cream every day! Hey it is our vacation!!! Brookley and Clifton ate a whole bucket of ice cream at one sitting. They actually finished it. LOL

Our family has come closer during this 10-day trip and we have pictures and memories that will last forever.

Foster Parenting

Being a parent to other people’s children is difficult sometimes. There are days when everything goes well and other days were all you see are fits and tantrums. These are the days when you question your very existence.

There are days where you spend hours picking lice out of little girls hair and days where you sit and hold a crying child because he or she misses his or her mother.

There are days when you buckle up shoes, brush little girl’s hair, read stories and are called “Mom.” Everyday is a day of tucking in children at night, saying prayers and giving big hugs.

Then there are days when the birth mom calls you and tells you how much she appreciates what you are doing for her child. When a mother calls to thank you for taking care of her child, saying she had prayed for someone to come into their lives to help them. Saying she didn’t know there were people in the world that was willing to take in children and care for them just because they loved them. What an honor to be chosen by a mom to be a mom to her child.

Foster parenting is hard but I believe the benefits far outweigh the pressures of life that is brought on by the decision to nurture and love other people’s children. I am glad I have been chosen for this awesome responsibility.

Weekend in the Mountains

Memorial Day weekend has been a blast! I spent time with friends in the mountains at a friends condo. A beautiful golf course, a beach in the mountains, tennis, swimming and hiking! What else could a person ask for. It is so good to have friends. I love to spend time with my friends and family and just relax. My friend Lhen is from the Philippines and she cooked us a meal that I cannot spell, but just know it was delicious! While there, I rested and was thankful to be where there was no stressors of life. No worries about anything. I don't consider myself a worrier but sometimes life gets stressful. That is when it is important to detach and rest for a while.

On Monday I spent time with more friends at my camper in the mountains. The kids played and we sat a talked and laughed a lot. I took my kids and three more along with my friends kids. They all played in the creek and some of them swam in the swimming hole and fished. I think everyone had fun there. Friends are such a blessing and I sure do love mine!

Titanic

Starting off the day in my boy cut jeans, white shirt and Titanic necklace; yes I am going to the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge TN. The movie was inspiring. What part you ask, Jack died? Yes Jack died in the natural but he lived on in her heart. Rose states: “A women’s heart is a deep ocean of secrets”. Jack inspired her to go on with life, to live it to the fullest, to never give up! When she died at an old age she had accomplished her dreams and went to be with Jack in the end. Her true love stayed in her heart and memory forever.

How does this apply to life? I believe it applies to everyone. There is someone in everyone’s life that makes a lasting impression. Perhaps it is the “first” love or a love that is separated by unseen forces. Perhaps it is the marriage that weathered the times. Whatever it is, it would be sad to know that a person lived his or her entire lives without the feeling of true love, a love that last throughout time.

Here are my Titanic pictures! See my beautiful Titanic necklace my husband surprised me with. It is beautiful.

Good Bye My Precious Pomeranian 1997 - 2010

My precious little 4 pound Pom died yesterday. She was 12 years old and a little ball of fur. I got her before I found out I was pregnant with Clifton. She was so little. Brookley and I went to a lady's house to see her. She was six months old and had broken her leg. The cast was off and she was running around everywhere. We took her home and she has been with me ever since.

She was really my friend. All the long hours I sit and work on school work, she was there. When I go to bed, she would follow. I even had to move her bed beside mine because she was trying to make a bed on the floor to be near me. When I would get up in the mornings, she would be ready to go outside. When back inside, she would stay with me in whatever room I was in, no matter what. She loved going to the mountains. Durning the long drive, she would sit in my lap.

I think she loved me a lot. I am going to miss her so much. I told my son today "don't forget to let Foxy out" before I realized what I had said. He looked back at me and said, "it's okay Mom, I know what you mean."

This is going to take some getting used to. Tears come when I think about her, but it is okay. I will forever miss my loyal pomeranian.

Beautiful Day

Ah, the beauty of the mountains. I am sitting watching a butterfly flutter around a beautiful pink azalea bush. The sun is shinning down on white pebbles lying quietly on the ground while the trees are making shadows all around. The American Flag floats in the wind across the road on a weather beaten porch. The creek is rushing down the winding path. The sound is music to my ears. The girls are passing the football and Clifton is fishing. He has caught six already today. I love being in the mountains on this beautiful spring day. These pictures were taken while walking along a path in the woods. Just beautiful!!!

Prom '10

Today has been a fun day. My daughter has been getting ready for the prom. Of course it reminds me of my proms. Going out to eat then to the dance. It was fun. I remember picking out the dresses. The one I remember the most was a red dress I loved in the store but it was missing something. I took it to the dressmakers shop and had rhinestones placed on it. It was perfect then. Proms are fun. It has been 24 years for me, but I still remember it well. Now I have a beautiful daughter going to her first prom. It is amazing how fast times goes by. It is true that we must enjoy every day, minute and second of our time together. Good memories are a treasure, to be sure!

February Beach Trip 2010

Myrtle Beach in February? It was great! We stayed in a 2 bedroom condo that was just beautiful. Our friends, Mitch and Vanessa went too and it was just "fun". The weather was 61 degrees so coats were only needed in the mornings and evenings. We shopped, swam, walked on the beach and ate way too much food! lol I love weekend trips away, but I am never ready to come home. I love the beach! Brookley and I are trying to figure out how to move there. Who knows, maybe we will find a way! Till next time.....

The First Date

Oh my! What to say. Brookley is 17 years old and just left for her first date! I know it is time to let her 'branch' out. She came to me last night and ask if she could go out with Christian tomorrow for dinner. Of course, I said yes. I mean, she is bright, beautiful, smart and is just a great girl. Christian is a good guy. I know they will have fun. She and Christian have been talking/texting for 3 years. He has come over here and she has been to his house. We have all went shopping and out to eat together. They spend holidays at each other's house. I guess it is time for them to go out alone.

She left at 4:00 and should be home by 6:00. Our family is going shopping in Spartanburg SC later and she said she wanted to go. I think, for a first date, 2 hours is enough. She seemed very happy with that. I do love my child and I hope she is having fun.

Goal Setting

This was an assignment for one of my classes that I thought was good to remember, so I am posting it here. Maybe it will help someone else out there!

What is the difference between short- and long-term goals?

Short-term goals are goals that we set in the near future. Long-term goals are those that may take years or even a lifetime to complete. Short-term goals help us to see the progress of the long-term goal and give us confidence that we are getting closer to reaching our goals.

How does a person align his or her long-term goals to their personal values?

Personal values are important so we are making the correct choices in setting our short-term and long-term goals. In my life, I want to always work with children and their families, but not just as a foster parent. I want to work with them in counseling situations that will benefit their lives. I want to see the breakdown of families start to turn around for the positive. I need my long-term goal of education to meet the desire of my personal value of working with families.

What are some strategies for prioritizing short-term goals?

Strategies include breaking down the goals into smaller parts. The smaller the part is, the closer we get to completion, which will help us to see the end. This way, short-term goals get completed faster and the end process seems to get here quicker. When I think of short-term goals for myself, I look at my course calendar and plan my days for education. After I complete the short-term goal, I quickly mark it off and then I am able to move forward with the next goal on my list.

What are some techniques for maintaining focus to achieve goals?

Remembering to keep the important things first is a good technique for maintaining focus. When I think about my values, I know what I want to do. I have no doubt that I want to continue working with children and their parents. By remembering this, I stay focused on my goals.

My personal situation is being a wife of 18 years, a mother who home-schools two children ages 11 and 17, fosters children in the community, works full-time, goes to the gym daily, and is completing a college education. Techniques that make this possible, is prayer and organization. My life is laid out from 4:00 am until 9:00 pm. My days are full, but very enjoyable.

Although my time commitments are strict, I make time for movies on Friday nights with my family and church on Sunday. I must keep my values a priority in order to reach my end goal.

Busy, busy, busy!

Wow, what a busy weekend!

I went to my nephews basketball game yesterday and it was great! He scored! He is so cute running around out there. Reminds me of Clifton being that small. Time sure flies!

Bob and I went out (by ourselves) for dinner to the Olive Garden. We had to wait for an hour to be seated, but it was worth it. The food was great!

Brookley and Clifton went to a movie and to Subway for dinner. They are the greatest kids in the world. Who would think that a 17 year old girl would be happy taking her 11 year old brother out to a movie and to eat? Well they were happy! They saw the Tooth Fairy movie and they said it was funny. Now I need to go see it. LOL.

Today we had a New Member's meal at church. I had to speak. I always get nervous when I have to speak. You would think I would be used to it by now, with Pastor Terry always making me do it. I don't know if I will ever get used to it, although I have always wanted to be a public speaker, if you can believe that!

I just finished writing three papers for my communications class. I am so tired of writing papers, but I am learning a lot in the process. I like being back in college, but it sure is time consuming. I am going to make it! : )

Did I leave anything out? I am sure I did, but it is time to get ready for another day! Blessings!

Snow!!!

Snow Everywhere! We have just had the most beautiful snow! We have been in all weekend sitting in warm pajamas, eating hot soup, watching movies, and some sledding at Mawmaw Patty's house. I love the snow but honestly, I do not like cold weather at all. I love the Spring and Summer! I do not like coats and layering clothes.... but the snow has been fun!

School Update

Hello Out There!

Wow, school has been tough! I am getting used to my new "busy" schedule now. Tomorrow starts my third week of school. I got my grades back from my first two weeks. So far all A's. Yayyy! I hope I can keep this up. One of my instructors sent me an email to ask if she could use one of my assignments as an example to other students in the future! I could not believe it!! My work? I am happy I am back in college. I very much enjoy it.

Brookley and Clifton are doing well in homeschool as well. They are such neat kids. Last week, Clifton called to let me know he and "Sissy" were going to take a walk and have a picnic. I came home at lunch to find a packed picnic basket and Brookley had put in her Tea Set that is real Story Book China!

When I got home from work, they gave me their assignments for the day. They added in bird watching and poetry writing. I am so glad they love each other so much. We are blessed!

Full Time Student

Today is the first day of full-time classes at college. Okay, yes I am working full-time, have four children, and homeschooling two of them, and I am 42 years old! But, I am only going to be here on earth one time, so lets make the best of it! I am excited and nervous at the same time. Honestly, I really hope I can keep up with the workload. ORGANIZATION has got to be my name! Last year I was a part-time student and kept a 4.0 average. Surely I can continue on! Its my goal.

I have tons of support from my family and friends. Kinda like going through jaw surgery. I made it through much better with all of the support. Hopefully college want be as bad as jaw surgery! Right?

I am so blessed with friends and family. I am so thankful.

Gotta type a paper now, so let's go!