I’ve started to think about some New Years resolutions to set for this upcoming year, 2022.
Before you were born I didn’t think I had it in me to love someone as much as the ones I love. And then you came along and baby, I’d gladly lay down my life for you.
Even more than that, I’d gladly give every day for the next 100 years to love you and your brothers and your Dad. That’s my hope.
My dreams you interrupt with reality. I stare into your little face and happiness fills every chamber of my heart. God, such a gift. Thank you.
The Christmas buzz has worn away
The streets slick with water
Warm Santa’s cookies paired with vanilla ice cream.
Thinking of our next dentist visit
Our society is focused on health
Learning the balance
Cross fitting the bridge of life.
Not too many at once
Little by little
Slow and steady.
Trying to eat healthy
Needing some vitamins
Drops of oregano oil.
We remember when the pandemic first began
The sequence of events
Cross fitting the bridge of life.
It’s quiet without the loved ones we lost
To think of their smiles
Now just memories to hold onto
And loved ones to hold dear
As we cross fit the bridge of life.
“Do you hear that?” I asked.
“What does it sound like?” He replied.
“It sounds like rain.” I said.
“Pearl is eating a bagel.” We both laugh.
She brings me the sound of rain while I am longing for peace and quiet. And it soothes my heart. I tell myself, just keep going. Soon you’ll be a baby again and forget too quickly to hold onto the sadness.
“What do I do if I keep getting shocked when I plug and unplug the Christmas lights?”
“Probably just don’t plug them in anymore.”
I think about what she said, about the root word of courage being “cor”, meaning heart; the message being to “tell the story of who you are with your whole heart”. (Brene Brown)
“I’m frozen.” She says.
“I’m vulnerable.” I replied.
“I’m going to need you to keep your balance while crossing this bridge.” He said.
“Where am I going?” I asked inquisitively.
He didn’t reply but pointed toward the bridge.
I walked to it slowly, remembering what he said about keeping my balance.
I began to cross. Soon enough, the weight of my middle finger became almost too heavy to carry.
He laughed loudly, “I told you, you have to keep your balance.”
I glanced at him with a stern look on my face and continued.
I started teaching in the classroom so I’ve been a little bit busy. After writing a new script to be made into a patriotic baseball movie and having not the slightest clue how to bring that into fruition the way I envision it, I ended up doing what I love to do… teach.
Baseball. It’s America’s favorite pastime, but why? The game of baseball we love contains magic, the kind of magic that makes us believe in miracles. The truth is, when we go to the stadium and gather together to watch a game, we become a part of the miracle.
The area we walked to in Mc Way Canyon was gorgeous. The view was great for photo opportunities and just a breath of fresh air. The walk is less than a mile and it’s a nice path. You have to pay approximately $10 for parking and can enter any state park with it the same day. You don’t get to go stand under the waterfall at the actual beach but you can appreciate the view from the path. Part of the path was closed when we went so I’m not sure how it usually is. I’m glad we stopped to walk and see the view. It was a beautiful sight.
It was disappointing to learn that Hearst Castle is going to be closed for the next 6-8 months due to road repairs. But a little bit up the road is where the elephant seals are. I watched one flicking sand on itself for a long time and laughed.
My brother found the sea otter nursery. He’s the only one of us who woke up early enough to explore the area we were staying in Morro Bay on our way to Ben Lomond for a wedding of some family friends. It was an area of the water where the sea otters were protected. The mothers were holding the babies on their stomachs while floating in the water. And that’s what they did while we were watching them. They floated peacefully, while caring for their young ones.
As you might remember, I was on a mission to get hired while I’m pregnant. Instacart was a great blessing and now, substitute teaching is now a possibility. With Instacart there’s no telling what you’ll have to carry. Maybe heavy waters, etc. Substitute teaching is a great opportunity for pregnancy work. I’m still trying for my Disney job whatever it might end up being. It still seems out of reach. If anyone has any way to help, please let me know.
Today is my parent’s 49th anniversary. I am happy for them and looking forward to next year’s 50th celebration. We’re going to have to throw them a big party for that one. I am extremely thankful for their being together for so many years. Their stability, as a couple, has helped me through many of life’s obstacles.
Last night I got 3 mosquito bites and today my Mom was telling me I’d better spray some bug repellent because there is some type of illness carried around by mosquitoes in Northern California right now that someone has actually died from.
The school year is approaching soon and we are learning the kids will all be mandated to wear masks. Now it is up to each district to decide how to enforce those mandates. Why not a nation wide guide? Ex: a red light we all wear masks, yellow light means inside masks and outside optional, and green light no masks required…?
The power hour is starting to become a routine. Thank you God, I didn’t know if that would ever happen.
This weekend brings us into mid July and the weather feels hotter than ever. We’re almost to one month left for summer vacation and then school starts again. I’ve been trying to get some great organizational skills in place for the upcoming school year because once it starts, the baby will be on his way shortly after. Lots of changes to make still, but every time I make progress I am happy.
I saw this post recently where two people were talking to each other and there were tiny dots representing how much bodily fluids were exchanged throughout that conversation. Then it showed two people having a conversation the same way, wearing masks. The mask wearers definitely protected themselves and the other person from any type of bodily fluid exchange in the conversation.
This illustration made me think that the normalization of mask wearing could actually be a way to promote the general welfare of all people. If students wear them at school, our kids will probably be healthier than if they didn’t. Receiving proper care while experiencing symptoms is important, but the normalization of mask wearing is an added precaution that can become a daily habit for extra protection.
Equal pay for the United States women’s soccer team compared to the men’s team. That is interesting.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men (and women) are created equal. And they our endowed by their Creator these certain unalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We hold these truths to be self-evident and we of right, ought to be free.”
The Fourth of July is celebrated by us here in the United States and to me, the 4th of July symbolizes the Declaration of Independence quoted above. The fireworks symbolize hope for the runner to be able to run her race, for the pregnant woman to keep her job without being viewed as overweight… We cheer when we see them light up the sky. They’re beautiful in all of their colors, shapes and sizes.
It’ll be 4th of July tomorrow and it’s a Sunday. Independence Day. I both love and miss fireworks shows. Especially the fireworks from our neighbor’s backyard when we were little kids. We didn’t ever seem to care what our parents were doing during gatherings… except when they were putting on a fireworks spectacular for us. I remember those summer nights that fill my mind with great memories. Meanwhile, we are making memories for our kids to remember. What is your 4th of July tradition?
I was telling my youngest son today, go get your shoes on, so we could spend some time with my mom. Then I saw her (our dog) run over to his shoe and push it with her paw. I’m really starting to enjoy how smart she’s getting. Pretty soon, she might start blogging.
Our neighbor boy says: “Are you pregnant?”
Yes, I am. I reply.
Neighbor boy: “Now you have big toes.”
I walk like the hours of the clock.
Lap one, 12, lap 2, 1, lap 3, 2, lap 4, 3……………………………..
And then counter clockwise.
Lap one, 12, lap 2, 11, lap 3, 10, lap 4, 9…………………….
And in that walk I remain timeless in one hour.
It’s usually those days when we work so hard and put forth a maximum amount of effort, and experience challenges, when we go through those moments of thinking… I didn’t quite accomplish what I wanted to today, the feelings of not being good enough, etc. When we first learned how to ride a bike, was it perfect the first time, second time, third time, every time?
A sellers market can be somewhat frustrating for a buyer in some circumstances. For example, the buyer is looking for a good deal and the seller is looking to sell for the most possible money. As buyers, the best possible advice we’ve gotten is to wait until the market changes into a buyer’s market. When will that happen? We’ve been told that what usually happens is that the prices become too high for the buyers and then everyone stops buying. It looks like the gas prices have started to increase lately. Will the gas prices continue to rise?
In terms of real estate, perspective really matters. I was talking to the grandchild of a family friend recently and she was talking about staying with her Grandparents. They live on a golf course so she was telling me how they got to walk around the golf course and visit the pond on the golf course… “And that is all of their land!” she said. I’ve been looking at houses in that neighborhood and was reluctant to continue my search in that area until I spoke with her. She helped me understand the worth of that pricey HOA by sharing her perspective.
The housing market is interesting during these last two years or so, to say the least. Of course, I love real estate and am taking classes to get my license. The reason I love it… I’ve always been quite fond of looking at different houses, seeing possible potentialities with properties and so on. I remember this reoccurring dream I had as a kid where I walked into this house and it had tiny doors leading into different spaces that were somehow always empty and I had to crawl in order to get into them. It was my favorite place to be in my dreams. I remember dreaming of that house at least twice.
The reality is, houses are priced high right now while interest is low. Is this a good time to buy because of the low interest rates? Some say to wait until the prices drop while the interest rates are still low (there should be a tiny amount of space in time where this will apparently happen). Some say this type of trend happens in the housing market about every 15 years. I’m constantly watching the housing market just because I love looking at different properties trying to figure out how one becomes a legend in real estate. Being consistent is what I’ve learned as a great factor. What is your real estate perspective?
Today I decided to visit Lakeshore Learning Center to do a little bit of summer school shopping. I ended up with a mini classroom at home. I didn’t imagine myself buying Lakeshore Learning goods to decorate the kid’s spaces in the house, given I usually am an extremely picky decorator who likes for everything to be perfect. I am excited to have some of that happy magic from the classroom at home. It is imperfectly perfect. Not only do we have new decor for the kid’s spaces, but we also have a classroom type of environment to play and interact with one another. Thankfully, life is starting to look bright again.
The Covid requirements have been lifted in California and here we sit at an Angels game where almost nobody except for the essential workers are wearing masks. Standing in line together, much closer than 6 feet apart and still, no masks. A packed stadium… The seats are so close, we can smell the people around us.
I’m a little bit apprehensive about it all. My kids do not like wearing their masks at all and going back and forth with them helps me to be respectful of choices. Essential workers understandably wear their masks because they talk to so many people at the stadium. The essential workers really should wear their masks to stay protected.
I looked at a post where people are dissing those who don’t want to wear masks. The theme was that people wear masks to be socially responsible. It was a picture of two people talking to each other and all of the tiny particles that fly into one another’s space in the process. Yeah, it probably is more socially responsible to wear a mask.
Baseball is a sport.
But it’s not just a sport.
Baseball is a game, a series of games.
Baseball is about being home and being away.
We cheer for home runs.
We cheer for brilliant plays.
We root for the home team. After all, who wants to be shamed?
Good sportsmanship and peaceable play is required.
“Three strikes and you’re out!”
Baseball is not only a sport filled with games.
Baseball is a common ground.
Baseball is America’s favorite pastime.
“You mean, I can play baseball and get paid for it?” My son asked.
I nodded and thought to myself… yes, that’s what “free enterprise” is all about.
Father’s Day is a special day of thanksgiving for the wonderful Fathers in the world. My Dad has given me so many words of wisdom and important insight over the course of my lifetime.
“You have to step on the field and give it 110%. If you know you gave your 110%, you will be happy, whether you win or lose.” -My Dad talking to me before I stepped onto the soccer field for a game
I told my sons the other day I need to trim their fingernails before going to visit their Grandpa, otherwise I’d have to sit for a one hour lecture and questions about why I’m not taking care of my children.
I remember the times my Dad made us go back outside and re-enter the house when we did not say hello to him when we walked in the door and saw him sitting there. “Hey Dad.” “What do you mean hey Dad? Hay is for horses.”
The cold stare from across the table when he’d catch us crunching our chips too loudly or chewing with our mouth open.
All of these little moments that add up to a lifetime of understanding and happiness are what makes life worth every moment.
Now I am getting to enjoy watching the Father of my children creating these little moments that make memories worth keeping a lifetime of with our sons. The little sayings, the bursts of excitement, the dining places, the music, the laughter, the sports practice, the advice…
I know people sometimes do not have the luxury of spending this type of time together with their parents. I am thankful.
Happy Father’s Day!
It’s Friday night and the Dodgers won, the Clippers won, we got to eat at Olive Garden and we got some birthday shopping accomplished. The kids are sleeping peacefully. What more could I possibly ask for?
The entire concept behind “The American Dream” is really an interesting one.
Does “living the dream” include the same rules, guidelines, monetary system and borders as our reality?
If America is an idea, who is American?
“Let our reality be greater than our dreams.”
It looks like my attempt to get what I wrote:
A
Ford, the American dream.
Failed.
Thank you for your careful consideration and it was great talking with the reps at Ford.
“Dear Suzanne, Thank you for writing to the Ford Motor Company. Yet2 is Ford's innovation partner, working closely with Ford experts to evaluate ideas received from outside the Company. If your idea was eligible for review per the Rules, Terms and Conditions of our website, evaluation has been based on many factors, but two major elements are: 1) improvement upon current technology, and 2) cost. Our technical specialists have reviewed your idea and concluded that Ford will not be investigating further development of your particular idea, nor acquiring any rights on your behalf. More information is available by reviewing your idea online. We wish you success and thank you for your interest in Ford Motor Company. Best Regards, Yet2 Innovation Submissions PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. This is an unmonitored email address and any replies will be deleted without review. |
It’s a breath of fresh air,
Like an old friend who walks back into your life.
Being able to connect to those who help your spirit soar,
Flying you into your greatest hopes and dreams.
It’s a little bit of familiar along with some brand new.
It’s a little bit of sugar and some spice.
It’s the point of relaxation, comfort and ease.
A place of reflection and laughter,
Of giving and living.
A thank you.
Let’s just say we’re in a neighborhood and each house in the neighborhood has it’s own land, divided with normal property lines, decorated with walls or white picket fences, etc. to show where the property lines end or begin. This is our example of the “wall”. Each neighbor knows their property lines in accordance to one another and those property lines are most definitely respected.
When the neighborhood kids play together, these boundaries are usually strengthened by the defining of these so called “walls”, aka, the union between the persons residing within those boundaries. Thus emerges the middle class.
I have nothing to put into you accept for my family, friends, relatives, moments, meals, time, effort, money, work, creations… so there’s tremendous potential with us is the view from here.
You’re worth it.
We look upon one another, in our perfect imperfections, with what each of us has to offer.
Maybe what we have to offer is not much to you.
Maybe what we have to offer is exactly what you need.
But you embody what we want and what we need, just the way you are.
And this is all I have to offer.
