Earlier in the week my family was discussing his service, and one by one announced they weren’t able to speak. I knew, I was the one that would speak on behalf of the family. Both my brothers and sister didn’t think I would be able to pull it off without breaking down. It was a challenge I needed to master….for him.
Read MoreAs old and new friends gathered together, the Jingle Babes, as we named our group, headed out by trolley into the brightly lit city sky. People were gathered all around and everyone was in the Christmas spirit. We spent the next four hours exploring the city in all its colorful splendor.
Read MoreWe also broke tradition with the family dinner prayer. When I arrived at my parent’s home, my Dad asked if I would say grace this Thanksgiving. I had no response other than “of course I will”, but what my Dad didn’t suspect, I was a bit nervous to have that responsibility. Whenever he says grace it’s filled with tenderness for any heartbreak or situation that needs additional prayer of healing or thanksgiving, and he always ends his prayer uplifting those that are less fortunate. That is one tradition that has never been broken.
Read MoreEarlier in October, my friend reached out to me to see if I would be interested in seeing a Food Network personality we both follow. The evening would be complete with a book signing and then a couple hours of listening to her story and answering questions. Even though it was almost ninety minutes away and on a weeknight, I was excited to go.
Read MoreHundreds of people came together to honor a beautiful soul; which included overflow seating in another area of the considerable sized church. What I witnessed at the celebration of his life, touched my heart to it’s core.
Read MoreAs part of a recent women’s retreat, we were asked to gather into a circle at the beginning of the day. Chairs were already in place, as each woman arrived and claimed her temporary spot. It’s always interesting to watch the dynamics of personalities as the group of strangers come together.
Read MorePrior to the purchase, the house wasn’t visible from the road, due to overgrown brush and trees. As I pulled into the long driveway, I could see a darling cottage style house peeking through the trees; much of the overgrown brush had been removed. I felt such happiness for my son and his fiancé as their first home together was warmly lit up, and I could see them working together inside. They had done a wonderful job over the last month with their little cozy cottage in the woods.
Read MoreThis past weekend, I went away with my bestie and her husband to Door County, Wisconsin for a long, overdue get-away. My friend and I had planned the weekend for months and had signed up for a “Cultivating Mindfulness” retreat.
Read MoreIn an act of kindness and appreciation I couldn’t believe what they created and shared our last night in the office. They had planned, cooked and beautifully arranged a special traditional meal, called Boodle Fight for us to share as a team, one last time.
Read MoreMy extended business trip will be coming to a close soon. As I look back at the time away from the place I call home, it’s been interesting and rewarding. I’ve met new people, experienced new adventures, learned about a different culture, and feel blessed for doing so.
Read MoreThe first weekend arrived as I pulled out the instruction book of sorts on the appliances, but they didn’t really give many directions, however, the washer/dryer combo looked easy enough to figure out. I sorted my clothes and started to throw in the first load but had to reduce the clothing amount, due to the small size of drum. OK, I can adapt, after all, I had all day if needed.
Read MoreWhile away on a business trip, getting immersed in the culture was important. My colleagues and I were open to experience both the food and culture; however, we were enlightened much more than we anticipated. The people we met or even just encountered during our stay were kind, friendly, giving, and hospitable.
Read MoreA recent business trip took me half way around the world; a thirteen hour time difference to be exact. I try not to worry into tomorrow, however, this time there wasn’t any effort, the flight took me there….HA. For some reason I couldn’t quite figure out the timing for days.
Read MoreA short while ago, I was presented with an opportunity to help improve the life’s of people in a far away land. Helping these people will ultimately affect those presently around me, and some days feels like a heavy burden. The two groups will work together to become a strong united team that’s customer focused and driven.
Read MoreRecently, my daughter decided to have Tillie the kitten spade, and called while scheduling the procedure; wondering if I would commit to bringing her in on surgery day since she would already be at work. I agreed since my schedule was more flexible. I have to admit right up front, I volunteered out of necessity, but wasn’t looking forward to the day.
Read MoreFour of the five ended up having to take two cars because of all the items each person brought. It was quite the spectacle as the unloading began. We needed not one, but two shopping carts that were available for use. The service elevator was jammed full from top to bottom, I couldn’t get to my phone or I would have taken a picture; it was hilarious.
Read MoreMy son and his girlfriend have been dating for five years, and recently put an offer in on a house, and I knew the next step would be engagement. Whenever I get the chance to have one on one time with my son, we always have good conversations. Several months ago he mentioned his goal in their relationship was to buy a house first, and a ring second, however her goal was the ring first and house second.
Read MoreBeing a mid-west girl, I happen to live in between two bustling cities. It seems there’s always plenty of adventures to discover; but there’s certain adventures I find myself going to again and again. A few weekends ago I went with friends to Milwaukee’s Irish Fest; which happens to be the world’s largest celebration of Irish music and culture. It had been a few years since I’d been back; I really missed it. The event was nestled along the rocky shores of Lake Michigan, which made for a beautiful backdrop, and the day and weather couldn’t have been nicer.
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