My dearest Hula Hoop

My dearest hula hoop,

I really haven't meant to ignore you these last few months.  It's been cold, and rainy and well, I could use a thousand excuses, but I just haven't picked you up like I've wanted to.

You see, I do think about you a lot.  I hear a good song on the radio and I think of all the happiness you bring me when I'm dancing with you. 

I watch Instagram hoopers and FB hoopers and I dream of the things we could do together some day.

You've taught me so much about myself.  That I can be bold.  That I can feel free to play and have fun regardless of my age.  You've shown me how to step out of my comfort zone and be free to dance in a group.  You help me not to succumb to my eeyore-ness.

Spring is just around the corner!  I see the sun peeking out today!  It'll get warmer and before you know it there will be outdoor concerts and sunny days again!  I'll take you down off that wall and we will go for a spin again.  I promise!

Your greatest fan,
Me

Invisalign Journey

I started this Invisalign journey almost a year ago. I'm on week 40 now!  I've got 15 weeks to go!  It's been quite a year of getting used to my teeth moving all over the place! 

I've gotten used to taking my toothbrush everywhere.  Taking my aligners out when eating-then brushing and getting them back in real quick.  I've felt the pain of them moving each and every week.  I've felt the weirdness of not having them in.  It's strange to say but when they aren't in my teeth feel so loose and awkward.

But the end is in sight now!  I only have 15 weeks to go!  And what a difference!  Looking back on week one --I just can't believe how crooked they were! 

I'm looking forward to the end result.  Looking forward to being able to eat again any time I want and not worrying about the aligners!

And looking forward to that straight beautiful smile!  👧

2018 year in Review

Well, 2018 is almost over and really--good riddance.  It's been a tough year.  We lost all our parents this year.  My mom died early in the year and my dad died after Thanksgiving.  Larry's mom battled a lot of sickness and after a successful move to an assisted living by us she passed away in September.  It's really surreal to be the oldest ones in the family now.  We have no grandparents and now no parents.

We battled some medical things ourselves.  I had a kidney stone. Larry had shoulder surgery.  I had a weird infection in my elbow.  We both had some unusual sickness at the beginning of the year.  I had some eye surgery. (Post on that later) and I started Invisalign too!

But it hasn't been all bad.  We got to go on a cruise in April to the Caribbean with great friends!  We had some beautiful California Closets installed in our condo. We got to go see our son in San Diego twice! We got to see some wonderful friends in Virginia. We spent a great weekend in Corpus with my daughter and her husband and the grand baby!  I got to spend several weekends this year with my dad coming over.

So as we turn the calendar to 2019, I'm anticipating good things!  We will have another grand baby in January!  And a new baby is always a happy way to start the year!  Annabelle will be 2 next year!  My son will be finished with the Marines in March and will be starting some new exciting career.  We will be celebrating our 30th anniversary and we are looking at a trip to Croatia!

There's lots to mourn for last year but lots to look forward for the year to come.

So my word for the new year is RELATIONSHIPS.  Trying to think of my relationships with people.  Not just my jobs or duties to people but what am I doing for the relationship?  How do I build that?  How do I grow and encourage those?  Lots to work but I'm praying God will guide me in this next year.  

Happy New Year everyone.

I buried my dad today

I buried my dad today.
Something I thought I'd never say.
But time marches on
We grow, we get old.
And these are the things we must face.

My dad was one of those awesome old time cowboy types.  He told stories in the slow old fashioned way.  He was never in a rush.  He relished whatever experience he was in at the moment.  He loved sitting and staring at a campfire and watching the stars at night.  He knew pretty much everything about everything-except movies and TV stars and celebrities.  He could speak intelligently about almost any subject because he was well read.  Every time I saw my dad he had a book in his hand or on his chest or right within arm's reach.

Some fond memories I had of my dad:

Climbing on the roof on the fourth of July to watch the fireworks all around the city. 

Being pulled in our wagon, that was attached to the riding lawn mower.

Countless camping trips.

Walking hand in hand in the last few weeks of his life.

Watching many a PBS documentary.

Standing in the kitchen and helping him cook biscuits or feed his sourdough starter or making heuvos rancheros.

Walking out in the yard at my grandparent's house and having him tell me the name of every kind of tree.

Getting up in the middle of the night and going to smell his pipe tobacco.

Staying up late to work a jigsaw puzzle.

I will miss you dad.  I've missed you for years already since Alzheimer's took you from us.  You made me laugh and I will treasure the many memories I had with you.  Thank you for making me the person I am today.

Happy 29 years!

In a few weeks, my honey and I will be married 29 years!  In a way, it seems so short but in a way it seems so long! Hahaha!  JK--mostly 😂

Marriage is tough.  It takes effort.  It's not always romance and flowers and mushy stuff.  It's life and messes and arguments.  It's disagreements and not seeing eye to eye and misunderstandings and annoyances.  It's missed opportunities and different expectations.

But that does not mean we haven't had some fun along the way!  It's also, coffee together in the morning, watching the rain on the balcony together, playing a new board game together, watching Jeopardy together.  All these things have the same word in common--together. 

Marriage is together.  We are on the same team!  We should be working together!  I'm for Him and He is for Me! 

So what's the big secret on how to be married for 29 years?  << here's a few ideas but I really couldn't tell you. I have a lot of thoughts and ideas.  But the main one is just don't quit!  Work at it!  In some aspects,  I'm competitive and so is he and neither one of us want to lose.  (***side note:  Now it goes without saying that in the cases of abandonment or adultery or abuse--get the heck out!  Seek help and counseling!)

A big part of our marriage is friendship.  It's having fun together.  I think that's what keeps us going a lot of times.  Being silly, having fun, dancing like no one's watching! 

Read good marriage books.  Seek counseling even during the good times.  Go on dates! Go on marriage retreats. Be around other married couples. Apologize. Don't always be right. Love with the other person's love language.  Get off your phone sometimes.  Do one nice thing.  Stop the downward spiral. Enjoy yourself. Grow. Change.  Help each other. Learn from others.  Take advice.  Don't get stuck in the monotony.  Mix it up.  Try.

It's like putting gas and oil in the car, if you want the car to keep running you gotta take care of it! Maintenance is pretty important to a relationship. 

So have fun, hang on and enjoy this ride called life!

Here's to another 29 years Larry!  We got this!!  💗 

Get 'er done!

I'm a finisher.  If I start a project, I like to finish it.  I have a really hard time not seeing something to completion.  I'm an accomplisher.  I like to check off my boxes and get things done. 

I understand everyone is different.  And I am thankful for that. 

We need to have the easy going people, the fun people, the peace people, the people that don't want to hurt other's feelings. 

But we also need the finishers.  We need people that can start a project and get it to the finish.  Otherwise, things get started and then just stall and go by the wayside.  I do understand some times circumstances change and the way a project starts must bend and flow and it may not need to be completed the same way we thought it did. 

As long as it gets done though. 

I can look at an overall picture of a project and see the individual steps that need to be taken to get to the end. 

It's a blessing and a curse really.

I love making things happen.  I see all kinds of little check marks and boxes and stuff getting done and I just light up!  But then when it's not happening on my timeline or I see inefficiencies -- I just have to stop and breathe. 

We went to a great marriage conference a few weeks ago "Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage".  He had a great quiz on different personalities and what make us tick.

So basically, we all live in these different "countries". Peace, Control, Fun and Perfect countries. We all are motivated differently, speak different languages and the like. 

It's fun that God made us all differently.  We have to use each other's talents to get along really.  I'm definitely "Control" country. I'm learning to go to the other countries.  I usually can't stay long but it's good to visit them every once in a while.

So if I come across pushy, or gruff, or in a hurry- it's just because I'm trying to finish.

A Life of Joy

A week ago, my mother in law went to be with Jesus.  She was 80 years old.  Mother "in law" is a strange term.  Yes, she was "in the law".  But it was deeper than that.

She was the hub of the family.  She was diligent about calling not only her kids and grand kids, but her extended family as well.  She would call cousins, friends she'd known for years, even some ex-family members.  She truly cared about people.  When she called, it wasn't about what was going on in her life.  It was about what was happening in yours.  Then she would likely call others in the family and make sure they knew what was happening in your life too!  HA!  It held people together.  It connected us all.

Three words that completely described her.

Joy, Prayer, and Thanks.

Her first response in almost every situation was Joy!  No matter the news you told her - whether good or bad- she could find the joy in it somehow. "We are moving to Pittsburgh Grandma!" she would respond "I'm so happy for you!"  "Grandma, I just lost my job"  Her response-Well, I'm glad we will have time to visit!".  Her life took many turns and twists and I'm not sure how she survived a lot of it--but she was always joyful. 

Prayer consumed her.  She would pray about everything.  Automatically.  First thing.  I have to admit, I got a little cozy knowing I had a powerful warrior standing before the Throne!  I will miss all her powerful interventions on my behalf, on my kid's behalf.  I need to step it up and get busy praying!

Thankfulness was her mantra.  She exuded "In Everything Give Thanks!"  She literally did.  Everything.  Whereas my initial thought is usually negative. Hers was always positive.  She was thankful.  She could find a reason to be thankful.   She could pray and give thanks regardless.  I have much work to do in this area.

She was one of the quirkiest people I've ever known.  She was downright odd to most.  But those three little words - JOY, PRAYER, THANKS- were her trademark.  It's who she was inside and out.

I have much to work on in these categories.  I will strife to be the grandma that she was to my kids.

Colossians 3:14-17 "But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.