November 29, 2010 – LEAVES!

Fun… fall memories….

Frolicking in the fallen leaves….

My neighbor came home to me taking pictures and commented that these were the most photographed children in town…

Fine with me.  :)

~K

November 28, 2010 – Generations

I spent Thanksgiving with my great big mixed up happy family.

Kind of like a Brady Bunch of two individually intact families.  Maybe it doesn’t make sense.

But no family really makes sense, now does it? 

Allow me to borrow the words of  Erma Bombeck below. 

The family.  We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.

This quote describes us well.  It makes me smile each time I read it.  This Thanksgiving, this year, we did as we only know. 

What began with ten of us:  three boys, three girls, four adults and -- no idea where this would take us, 20 years later, and now over 25 of us, we now know.  We congregate… coming from far and wide… bringing spouses, offspring, who are now friends and who call themselves cousins.  New generations of one big mixed up happy family.

And I am so grateful for each of them in my life.  And for these beautiful Thanksgiving memories being shared among several generations.   Each person has so much positive to offer, different mixes of people freely mingling and catching up while catching rays in our special spot of the world.  

It is something so rare, so beautiful and for which I am so grateful.

One of these days, I will get everyone together for a wild and crazy, mixed up picture of love and thanks.  And for that I will be extremely grateful.  But, as I said… we are a strange little band of characters….. and in time…. we’ll figure it out.  Don’t hold your breath.

~K

November 27, 2010 – Traditions

Today was ‘Decorating Day’ at our home.  No, that’s not a spelling error.  It is intentionally capitalized.  An event.  Our tradition.  About 5 years strong now.

It starts with cinnamon sticks simmering on the stove.  Warm breakfast rolls and carols playing on the house speakers.   Boxes from the attic unveiling lights, stockings, the tree and decorations.  No bad attitudes allowed.  

The day goes on until evening when the entire house looks and smells of Christmas.  We build a fire and enjoy.

I’ve always loved this day, but the greatest part is now my kids have started to dub this their ‘favorite day of the year’ and wake up with equal excitement and anticipation.

I love that we are starting our own traditions.  Making memories, enjoying special times,…. creating lasting effects.

~K

November 26, 2010 – A lifetime

My parents have been married 39 years.   Thirty nine years is a  lifetime together.

Through the ups and downs, I’m grateful that they have created something of which so many of us all live and build a family beneath.

“A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity. The order varies for any given year."

~Paul Sweeney quotes

Happy Anniversary.

~K

November 25, 2010 – Thanksging.

Simple and Special.  I have so very much to be grateful for.

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy Thanksgiving.

~K

November 24, 2010 – An Inspiration

It was February 26, 2004.   I called my dear friend to share the news.  We’d met the day before and as she left, we hugged and I promised I’d call her as soon as I knew.  She was at the top of my list, people to call as soon as we knew the sex of my baby.

………………………………………..  

No answer.  Again and again.  No answer.

………………………………………..

Over the next few hours I called until finally a strange voice answered her phone.  Answered and told me she was gone.  She’d passed away that night. 30 years old.  Healthy.  My sweet friend.  Shocking.  Incomprehensible.

……………………………………………

She still sits in a moment in time, smiling in my wallet.   My Joy.  I close my eyes and hear her laugh and smile. 

…………………………………………..

Almost 6 years ago since that day.  I kept in touch with her family for some time.   Her mom and I wrote letters back and forth, holiday cards and notes.  I think it may have helped us both.  
…………………………………………..

I often wonder how her parents move forward each day.  Her mom and I no longer exchange regular letters,  but we keep in touch via facebook.   I opened my computer to see she’d updated her ‘status’ on Thanksgiving. 

This woman, who lost her baby girl on the same day I knew I was having a baby girl somehow shares with her world…

"Life isn't about how you survived the storm, it's about how you danced in the rain."

Amazing.  Keep dancing….she would be so proud.   You are an inspiration. 

…………………………………………

Thoughts for today… because most of our days are really easy to dance through.

~K

November 23, 2010 – A boost…

Talking to a dear friend, she commented on my blog.  We talked about how my 365 days were almost over and what changes I’ve seen doing this project and how I felt about continuing or otherwise.

She then said to me, “I’ve read every day, you know.” 

I thanked her and she went on to say, “I promised myself from the beginning that if you were going to take the time to write each day for 365 days then I was going to take the time to be sure I read each day for 365 days.”

I was blown away.  And so appreciative.  For this boost she gave to me, for this project, for having the love of writing and for having friends like this that have such faith in me and a genuine interest in what craziness comes out of my mixed up mind each day.  

~K