Sadness & Joy

I sit here with tears streaming down my face and an ache in my heart. A ache for home and all that surrounds it. The foundation of who I am has just left and I can't help but feel sad and happy all at once. Since I was a little girl I saw his wisdom and valued his teachings because I knew that they would build an empire of character. And now as an adult looking back I am filled with a world of gratitude because so many years ago early in the morning while sitting on a bus I listened and talked and the foundation of my house of character was being laid.

I am sad because I know I don't get the privilege of his company each day. I don't get to have cups of coffee, dinner or talks face to face. I don't get to watch him interact with my children. I don't get to witness a relationship build with my husband. I don't get to see him pass his wisdom and knowledge to my children on a regular basis. I don't get to see my children's love for this man while they wrap their tiny arms around his neck. And yet I know that it's the way it is because he's needed somewhere else right now. Someone else needs him much more than me and for that even though it hurts I'm okay.

I am happy because for a moment in time I got to sit at his feet once again and learn. I got to witness my children's love for this great figure and the admiration fill in their eyes. And even with admonishment I saw the love and respect that they had because he taught with gentleness. The same way I remembered as a child. I was able to witness a relationship start with my husband and for the first time in 13 years they were both able to see why I love them both so dearly. I am happy because I was able to have dinner, cups of coffee, talk, listen, learn, love and have his company even if it was a short time. With gratitude and love in my heart I cherish every minute that I had.

This great figure is my dad.

Dad ~ Thanks for your visit, your time, your love but most of all thanks for assisting in making me the woman I am today.

Nice people still exist

In the rush of life and this season, with happiness in my heart I can say nice people still exist. Sometimes I wonder if this statement is true but before I know it life reminds me and I have to admit my soul overflows with joy. I know I am a sentimental fool but I like it that way. I thinks it's better. Maybe those slinging the accusations that I cry to easily or that I'm "mushy" are just jealous that they weren't more sentimental at times. If it's not true I chose to believe it is. (LOL)


Anyways....here are some acts of kindness I have witnessed in the last few weeks.


Today I was driving home after the chaos of the mall and saw a true act of kindness that made my heart leap. A handicap lady in a wheelchair was driving her chair on the side of the road and had apparently dropped some things. She was trying her best to pick them up but was having a lot of difficulty. A gentleman stopped his car and picked up the items for her.


Another small act of kindness....I was dropping off my daughter at school this week and a family I am friends with had made hand painted ornaments with their kids to give to the families at the school. I thought the gift was extremely thoughtful and very kind.


A couple of weeks ago I was with a friend who had dropped a money envelope containing over a hundred dollars in the parking lot of Wal-Mart. She naturaly was absolutely distraught that she had done it. We asked around and apparently another lady picked it up and returned the money to her with every cent still in the envelope. Honest and kind.....


I could make my list longer and as I am writing this I can think of at least a dozen more acts of kindness I have witnessed or had happen to me in the last month. I think kind people are always there we just fail to see them because we are wrapped up in life, our thoughts or what's going on around us. I have to admit that it happens to me sometimes but when the ray of light shines on me and I am able to be aware and see the act of kindness my heart leaps and smiles and I am forced to remember that it was always happening I just failed to see it.

Holiday Memories

I absolutely love Christmas time. Sure I can do without the commercialism that has taken hold of our society. And yes I get quite irritated with how fast it goes by and the rush of the season. But when I really think about it my heart fills with a warmth and runs over with joy thinking about all of the fond memories I have of the season from my childhood. And now as an adult with children of my own, I cherish the memories I am creating with my own children and pray that they will look back on them with the same happiness I do regarding mine. Those memories gave me such joy as a child and still do.

• I LOVED riding around town and the back roads of my home town looking at all of the Christmas lights with my father. He would share memories of his own childhood while commenting on the beauty our eyes were gazing at.
• Each holiday season I would watch the Christmas holiday movies with my mother and the one that had the largest impact on me was "Miracle on 34Th Street". Sharing that time with her was so important to me as a child and still is as an adult.
• Receiving money from my mom to purchase Christmas gifts for my family. I didn't think about it then too much but she gave me a greater gift than what I was giving....the gift of thoughtfulness.
• Decorating our Christmas tree together.
• Christmas caroling with my father. I didn't really enjoy it that much as a child but now as an adult the memory makes me smile and makes me sad that people don't do it as often anymore.
• My mother would buy my brother and I chocolate Christmas calendars each year. It was so exciting to count down the days to Christmas and get a chocolate treat too.

Now that my husband and I have a family we have some traditions we share with our children. Most of them have been adopted from our childhood that we enjoyed doing with our parents and gave us fond memories. Here are a few that we share as a family~

• Each Christmas Eve we congregate as a family, order Chinese food and watch "Miracle on 34Th Street"
• On Christmas Eve we make Christmas cookies
• Christmas day we have crepes for breakfast after opening presents
• We make handmade Christmas cards and some handmade gifts
• Watch the holiday specials with the kids
• Look at the Christmas lights together
• Donate toys for children in need
• Decorate the tree together as a family
• My kids love the chocolate christmas calendars. My mother buys them each year for them.

I hope everyone has a holiday filled with love, peace and laughter. Happy Holidays.....