One of the things I've resolved to do better this year is to really reflect on what happens in my life and to find the blessings in everything I do.
One of my greatest blessings is my family. Not just my immediate family, but my extended family. Every year my dad's side of the family gets together for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's actually pretty amazing. Nearly every year, the vast majority of us are able to come together for food, fellowship, and usually football. There are four generations of us! At Thanksgiving, there were 29 of us; this past Saturday, I think we had 20. I mean, really, how cool is that? We all contribute to the meal of the day, which is usually the traditional holiday meal: turkey, dressing, potatoes, pecan pie . . . the whole spiel! For Christmas though, we did something really fun! Heavy appetizers (and desserts, of course). Such a great, stress-free idea!
While the food is important, what's really important is the time we spend together and the connections we have. And the day is always great. We're very low key, and we spend a lot of the day just catching up and talking about life. So thankful and so blessed to have the family, near and far, that I have.
What blessings have you experienced this week?
One day I was talking with a colleague about who knows what, and of course, cupcakes entered the conversation. (That's actually pretty normal in my office.) My response (couldn't tell you what the comment was) - "It is all about the cupcakes!" And so I had a great title for my blog. Will this blog have anything to do with cupcakes? Who knows? But, I think it will be slightly entertaining and hopefully, sometimes as sweet as a cupcake. Happy reading!!!
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Monday, January 9, 2017
Thursday, December 29, 2011
It's That Time of Year
It is that time of year where we get together with friends and family, some of whom we don't see but a few times a year. It's also the time of year that many of us reflect on the previous twelve months and think about the upcoming year. We think about personal, spiritual, and professional goals, as well as big events that are in the near future(I turn 40 in just a couple of months!)I don't always write my goals down, but I always have them in mind. Of course, I have the typical resolutions: lose weight, be healthy, save better, spend less, etc. But after tonight, I'm adding another to my list and I encourage everyone else to think about doing the same. I think the most important thing we can all do is spend time with those we love. In a time of Facebook, Pinterest, Words with Friends, and countless other time wasters, it's easy to fill up what free time we have with things that really aren't that important. It's true social media and gaming do have their places, but it's friends and family, old and new that should receive our undivided attention.
Tonight, I attended the viewing of a dear, old family friend, Bob. And when I say old, I mean he and his family lived in the house behind ours when my parents moved to Farmers Branch in 1971. Both he and his wife, Barbara were like second parents to me and my brothers. Their kids babysit us when we were little. And even when they moved to a different neighborhood a few years later, Bob and Barbara remained a constant part of our lives. We attended the same church, they played bridge with my parents, and they were always there for us when we needed them. Even after my parents moved to Tyler when I was in college, I always had a place to lay my head when I came back to Dallas.
Over the course of time, as it happens to most of us, we simply lost touch. The annual Christmas card was sent and we might see each other at occasional events, but it just got harder and harder to "find the time" (Really? Have you seen the amount of time I spend on Facebook and Pinterest?). The last time I saw Bob & Barbara was three years ago as they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. (Yes, you read that correctly...53 years of marriage after dating only one week.) So to receive that call on Christmas Eve was a bit jarring. And after attending the viewing tonight (Bob's 80th birthday, btw) and seeing so many important people from my childhood, it's reminded me that I need to be smarter with my time. When I have five extra minutes, instead of playing WWF, why not pick up the phone and call a long lost friend? Even better, I need to be intentional and proactive about my time. So, my New Year's resolution this year, is to carve out time to spend time with those who are dear to me. It might be a Sunday afternoon visit, or a 30 minute phone call. I might be a little old fashioned and write a letter. No matter how it occurs, my goal is to spend time with the people who are important to me.
Our time here is limited. Perhaps we should use it a bit more wisely.
Happy 2012!
Tonight, I attended the viewing of a dear, old family friend, Bob. And when I say old, I mean he and his family lived in the house behind ours when my parents moved to Farmers Branch in 1971. Both he and his wife, Barbara were like second parents to me and my brothers. Their kids babysit us when we were little. And even when they moved to a different neighborhood a few years later, Bob and Barbara remained a constant part of our lives. We attended the same church, they played bridge with my parents, and they were always there for us when we needed them. Even after my parents moved to Tyler when I was in college, I always had a place to lay my head when I came back to Dallas.
Over the course of time, as it happens to most of us, we simply lost touch. The annual Christmas card was sent and we might see each other at occasional events, but it just got harder and harder to "find the time" (Really? Have you seen the amount of time I spend on Facebook and Pinterest?). The last time I saw Bob & Barbara was three years ago as they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. (Yes, you read that correctly...53 years of marriage after dating only one week.) So to receive that call on Christmas Eve was a bit jarring. And after attending the viewing tonight (Bob's 80th birthday, btw) and seeing so many important people from my childhood, it's reminded me that I need to be smarter with my time. When I have five extra minutes, instead of playing WWF, why not pick up the phone and call a long lost friend? Even better, I need to be intentional and proactive about my time. So, my New Year's resolution this year, is to carve out time to spend time with those who are dear to me. It might be a Sunday afternoon visit, or a 30 minute phone call. I might be a little old fashioned and write a letter. No matter how it occurs, my goal is to spend time with the people who are important to me.
Our time here is limited. Perhaps we should use it a bit more wisely.
Happy 2012!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Adoption
This week I had the opportunity to travel to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, with my brother, David, and sister-in-law, Shanna. They were at the end of their eighteen month long journey. They finally had a date at the U.S. Embassy that would finalize the adoption of Musse. Musse is a little over 2 years old, although he's about the size of a one-year old, and he is the cutest little thing. He has a gorgeous smile that lights up a room and eyes that dance with laughter. And his laugh! What a beautiful, infectious giggle he has. Musse is also the master of facial expressions; the best is when he rolls his eyes and smiles a very sly grin.
We arrived at the transition home where Musse had lived for the last 10 months to pick him up and bring him back to the guest house with us. It was so beautiful to see how naturally he went to Shanna and David. He had last seen them at the end of May and it was now August, but it was just like he had see them just the day before. And in the four days he's been with us, that bond has already grown exponentially. He walks to them with his arms open wide and grins when they pick him up. When he cries, a hug and simple words calm him down. Despite his limited vocabulary, his eyes and his smile have communicated so much to us. Words can't really express how awesome it is to see the three of them together. It's hard to believe it's only been a few days. And I can't wait to see Kyle (my other precious nephew) and Musse together. Kyle has such a good heart and he has been waiting for a little brother for so long; I am excited to see their relationship grow.
Families who adopt are the ultimate rock stars, in my opinion. It is a long, frustrating, and often heartbreaking process. But despite that, thousands of families adopt children into their families every year. And the process, however painful it might be, yields rewards that are immeasurable. It is a game of waiting - waiting for the referral, for court & embassy dates, and for answers. And it is during the waiting that families grow stronger, closer, and even more faithful.
Many times you may hear people (often strangers) comment on how lucky an adopted child is. And to a degree, that statement has some validity to it. Adoption does afford a child the opportunity he or she might not have had otherwise. There are millions of kids out there who have been orphaned; the reasons are numerous and not even that important. What is important is that these children deserve the opportunity to live a life of happiness without fear of hunger, disease, abuse, or neglect. But a greater than a child's "luck" are the blessings the adoptive family feels. When I think back to the conversations and the tears of joy and frustration over the past 18 months, it's no wonder that families grow closer. As I sit here and think about what to write next, I feel overwhelmed for my blessings are too many to count.
Mostly, though, I think adoption is about love, hope, faith, and doing what is right.
We arrived at the transition home where Musse had lived for the last 10 months to pick him up and bring him back to the guest house with us. It was so beautiful to see how naturally he went to Shanna and David. He had last seen them at the end of May and it was now August, but it was just like he had see them just the day before. And in the four days he's been with us, that bond has already grown exponentially. He walks to them with his arms open wide and grins when they pick him up. When he cries, a hug and simple words calm him down. Despite his limited vocabulary, his eyes and his smile have communicated so much to us. Words can't really express how awesome it is to see the three of them together. It's hard to believe it's only been a few days. And I can't wait to see Kyle (my other precious nephew) and Musse together. Kyle has such a good heart and he has been waiting for a little brother for so long; I am excited to see their relationship grow.
Families who adopt are the ultimate rock stars, in my opinion. It is a long, frustrating, and often heartbreaking process. But despite that, thousands of families adopt children into their families every year. And the process, however painful it might be, yields rewards that are immeasurable. It is a game of waiting - waiting for the referral, for court & embassy dates, and for answers. And it is during the waiting that families grow stronger, closer, and even more faithful.
Many times you may hear people (often strangers) comment on how lucky an adopted child is. And to a degree, that statement has some validity to it. Adoption does afford a child the opportunity he or she might not have had otherwise. There are millions of kids out there who have been orphaned; the reasons are numerous and not even that important. What is important is that these children deserve the opportunity to live a life of happiness without fear of hunger, disease, abuse, or neglect. But a greater than a child's "luck" are the blessings the adoptive family feels. When I think back to the conversations and the tears of joy and frustration over the past 18 months, it's no wonder that families grow closer. As I sit here and think about what to write next, I feel overwhelmed for my blessings are too many to count.
Mostly, though, I think adoption is about love, hope, faith, and doing what is right.
Location:
Euless, TX, USA
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The Perfect Weekend...
No, I didn't jet off to a sunny beach for the weekend and I didn't win the lottery. But I did have a fun-filled, action-packed weekend, overflowing with fabulous things and people.
Here's a quick glance at some of the things that make me happy:
My brother and his family (this includes the world's cutest nephew) came to town so we could all go to the Rangers-Rays play-off game. It was a bit toasty, but we had an awesome time at The Ballpark, despite a 6-3 loss. Baseball is something all four of us love and it's a great way to spend time together.
It was also the monthly meeting of the Burger Babes. What's more fabulous than spending time with some totally spectacular women while enjoying a great burger? This month we ended up at Club Schmitz, an out-of-the way joint that's been around for over 60 years. There's nothing fancy about Club Schmitz, but when you need a good, solid burger, it's the place to go. And the company? Man, I know some pretty amazing women - there is never a lull in our conversations and laughter is never lacking!
The big event of this perfect weekend was my 20th high school reunion. I'm sure additional reflecting on this event will solicit future blogs, but right now all I can say is that it was a blast. It is so much fun to hang out with people who influenced you (in both good and and not so good ways) as adults. And whatever differences we had in high school have disappeared. At this point in our lives, we are all just trying to make a good life for ourselves and our families.
And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I ended up at a pumpkin patch with one of my most favorite families and definitely my most favorite toddler, Lily Pie. My heart got that warm fuzzy feeling when she saw me and came running toward me yelling, "Tia, tia!"
Now that's how to enjoy life!
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