The Holt International DFW picnic will be held on Saturday, June 3rd from 12-3 pm at Parr Park in Grapevine, TX. For those in the area, whether you've attended in the past or not you should have received a postcard in the mail this past week with all the details. If you've never attended one of our local picnics or even if you're not affiliated with Holt International, you are welcome to attend! It's a great opportunity to meet other adoptees (kids to adults), talk to other adoptive parents and to talk to prospective adoptive parents about their experiences. The kids have a great time playing at the splash pad and also on the playground, and the parents enjoy sharing their stories with other parents. So, don't miss out!
I hope to see you there! If you are going to attend, please ensure you register here:
https://holtinternational.org/picnics/
Have a blessed week ahead and enjoy each and every day!!
Sunday, April 23, 2017
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Paying Respects...
Yesterday I attended a Memorial service for someone I didn't know very well, but when I left I wished I had known him better. Per my last post, a sudden and shocking loss of life for my childhood best friend who lost her husband. She was the first friend I made when we moved to Texas so I know her and her family well. She, her husband and I all went to high school together, but I only said "hi" to him once in high school. I briefly spoke to him over the past several years as they had opened a gourmet popcorn and candy shop, so I would see him there when I stopped by. I also had a book signing there when my book first came out and my dad spent most of the time talking to him. So, my dad got to know him probably a little better than I even did!
But, after hearing some of the stories about him over the years, the relationships he had with friends and family and seeing a packed sanctuary yesterday it showed his true character and the measure of the man that he was. His 15 year old son had everyone in tears...and then laughter. There were a lot of laughs, tears and hugs yesterday...and that's how it should be!
Also sadly, it was a mini high school reunion with so many former classmates in attendance. A lot of hugs, wishing we weren't meeting in those circumstances and a lot of comfort in seeing so many familiar faces. However, I think I love seeing the parents more in those circumstances than friends. Knowing that the parents have gone through so much over the years and still seeing their smiling faces gives us all strength and comfort. They just hold a special place in my heart.
Death is hard. It's a part of life...we all know. But, it doesn't lessen the grief or the pain when it comes especially when it's completely unexpected. With a terminal illness you know the inevitable is coming so you can prepare for it...you expect it at some point. But, when someone is suddenly ripped from your life it leaves a deeper hole of shock and grief. As their 15 year old son stated with such rawness and sadness yesterday "It's not fair." It's not. But, I know with God, faith and the support around him he will grow up to be an exceptional member of society. His mother has strength beyond measure and her grace is a shining example for all of us. She truly is the sweetest, kindest person you'll ever meet, so please keep my friend, her son and daughter in your prayers for the days and weeks ahead.
Blessings to you today and every day that you make each day count to the fullest!!
But, after hearing some of the stories about him over the years, the relationships he had with friends and family and seeing a packed sanctuary yesterday it showed his true character and the measure of the man that he was. His 15 year old son had everyone in tears...and then laughter. There were a lot of laughs, tears and hugs yesterday...and that's how it should be!
Also sadly, it was a mini high school reunion with so many former classmates in attendance. A lot of hugs, wishing we weren't meeting in those circumstances and a lot of comfort in seeing so many familiar faces. However, I think I love seeing the parents more in those circumstances than friends. Knowing that the parents have gone through so much over the years and still seeing their smiling faces gives us all strength and comfort. They just hold a special place in my heart.
Death is hard. It's a part of life...we all know. But, it doesn't lessen the grief or the pain when it comes especially when it's completely unexpected. With a terminal illness you know the inevitable is coming so you can prepare for it...you expect it at some point. But, when someone is suddenly ripped from your life it leaves a deeper hole of shock and grief. As their 15 year old son stated with such rawness and sadness yesterday "It's not fair." It's not. But, I know with God, faith and the support around him he will grow up to be an exceptional member of society. His mother has strength beyond measure and her grace is a shining example for all of us. She truly is the sweetest, kindest person you'll ever meet, so please keep my friend, her son and daughter in your prayers for the days and weeks ahead.
Blessings to you today and every day that you make each day count to the fullest!!
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Happy Easter!
HE is Risen!!
Happy Easter everyone! I hope you are enjoying this holy day with your family and friends! And, that you truly take the time to internalize the meaning of this day while educating your children and perhaps those that don't completely understand Christianity why this day is so important. With everything that's going on in our external world, things we can't necessarily control, we need to find a center that keeps us going...that attempts to make sense of all the madness and tragedy...and that navigates our moral compass. God has been and always will be the one constant in my life! The one thing I can always count on even when times are terribly rough, sad or frustrating. God is always there!
Sorry for missing Wednesday's post as I received very shocking and sad news about a very close friend's tragic news. Her husband died suddenly and he was only in his early 40's. We all went to high school together but I didn't know him very well back then. I've seen and talked to him more in the past few years. However, his wife was the first true best friend I made in Texas after we moved down here. She'll always hold a special place in my heart and she's truly loved by many! She and her family have endured so much loss in the past several years. First, a beloved friend from high school that many of us loved for her humor and friendship passed away from cancer. Then, her older sister died from pancreatic cancer less than 2 years after our friend passed. And now another tragic loss...the loss of a son, brother, husband, father and friend. Time is too short! Don't waste a single day!
And remember God's gift to all of us...life! Blessings to you and your family this Easter Sunday!!!
Happy Easter everyone! I hope you are enjoying this holy day with your family and friends! And, that you truly take the time to internalize the meaning of this day while educating your children and perhaps those that don't completely understand Christianity why this day is so important. With everything that's going on in our external world, things we can't necessarily control, we need to find a center that keeps us going...that attempts to make sense of all the madness and tragedy...and that navigates our moral compass. God has been and always will be the one constant in my life! The one thing I can always count on even when times are terribly rough, sad or frustrating. God is always there!
Sorry for missing Wednesday's post as I received very shocking and sad news about a very close friend's tragic news. Her husband died suddenly and he was only in his early 40's. We all went to high school together but I didn't know him very well back then. I've seen and talked to him more in the past few years. However, his wife was the first true best friend I made in Texas after we moved down here. She'll always hold a special place in my heart and she's truly loved by many! She and her family have endured so much loss in the past several years. First, a beloved friend from high school that many of us loved for her humor and friendship passed away from cancer. Then, her older sister died from pancreatic cancer less than 2 years after our friend passed. And now another tragic loss...the loss of a son, brother, husband, father and friend. Time is too short! Don't waste a single day!
And remember God's gift to all of us...life! Blessings to you and your family this Easter Sunday!!!
Sunday, April 9, 2017
Easter Egg Hunts
It's Easter egg hunt time! I'm sure you've seen them advertised all over (your) town...at churches, local subdivisions, your town, etc. My parents and I took my 3 nephews and 1 of my nieces to my town's annual Easter egg hunt yesterday. They had 4 different soccer fields filled with plastic eggs and candy for different age groups of children. My parents took my niece to the 3-4 age group field and I took my 3 nephews to the 7-12 age group field. We were planning out their strategy and wondering about the "silver" egg that contained a prize that was in every field. I thought there was more than 1 "prize" egg, but an Asian mom next to us heard our discussion and told us that there's only 1 "silver" egg per field and the prize was an Easter basket. She said you could just go buy one of those Easter baskets (fully filled) at Target. Ha! So, we decided to forget about the "silver" Easter egg.
The Asian mom was very friendly and told us they'd been there in previous years. We (the boys and I) assumed the actual hunt would be over in less than 5 minutes and it pretty much was! All the build-up and then it's over in a flash! The Asian mom asked me to take a picture of her family and I did and she offered to take a picture of us, but we declined. I took one of the boys before it started, but I did wonder if she wondered what I was doing there with 3 Caucasian looking boys. If she did she didn't say anything.
I stayed close to one of my nephews holding the bag for his eggs, but the other 2 ran ahead to collect theirs. Like I said, it was over in a flash and afterwards I couldn't find the other 2 boys. I definitely had a moment of panic wishing I had told them to meet back where we started. But, we just looked and looked until we found one and then looked and looked harder to find the other. Sheesh! Relief. Then it was off to find my parents and niece and we had established a meet-back spot so that was helpful. The boys were disappointed with what was inside their eggs, but I ensured them our Easter egg hunt today at my aunt's house (their great-aunt) would be much better...much more fruitful for them in the candy department. They agreed.
We've had our family Easter egg hunt before at my aunt's and she does it up big! She has a hunt for the kids and one for the adults. She may have to have 3 this year...one for the little girls, one for the boys and one for the adults. We'll see. But, the best one is for the adults, of course! We all stand ready to go at the door until we get to elbow our way out ahead when the door opens. Then it's a race to find the golden egg! Yes, the grand prize egg. Usually there are prizes in other eggs, but the golden egg usually has the biggest prize. All prizes are gift cards to local retailers. So, it's fun, competitive and exciting for all of us! A well-anticipated holiday by all of us thanks to my aunt!
So, bring on the Easter egg hunts! Many blessings for a memorable week leading up to Easter and all the festivities that come your way this week!!
The Asian mom was very friendly and told us they'd been there in previous years. We (the boys and I) assumed the actual hunt would be over in less than 5 minutes and it pretty much was! All the build-up and then it's over in a flash! The Asian mom asked me to take a picture of her family and I did and she offered to take a picture of us, but we declined. I took one of the boys before it started, but I did wonder if she wondered what I was doing there with 3 Caucasian looking boys. If she did she didn't say anything.
I stayed close to one of my nephews holding the bag for his eggs, but the other 2 ran ahead to collect theirs. Like I said, it was over in a flash and afterwards I couldn't find the other 2 boys. I definitely had a moment of panic wishing I had told them to meet back where we started. But, we just looked and looked until we found one and then looked and looked harder to find the other. Sheesh! Relief. Then it was off to find my parents and niece and we had established a meet-back spot so that was helpful. The boys were disappointed with what was inside their eggs, but I ensured them our Easter egg hunt today at my aunt's house (their great-aunt) would be much better...much more fruitful for them in the candy department. They agreed.
We've had our family Easter egg hunt before at my aunt's and she does it up big! She has a hunt for the kids and one for the adults. She may have to have 3 this year...one for the little girls, one for the boys and one for the adults. We'll see. But, the best one is for the adults, of course! We all stand ready to go at the door until we get to elbow our way out ahead when the door opens. Then it's a race to find the golden egg! Yes, the grand prize egg. Usually there are prizes in other eggs, but the golden egg usually has the biggest prize. All prizes are gift cards to local retailers. So, it's fun, competitive and exciting for all of us! A well-anticipated holiday by all of us thanks to my aunt!
So, bring on the Easter egg hunts! Many blessings for a memorable week leading up to Easter and all the festivities that come your way this week!!
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
2nd Quarter
Can you believe we're already into the 2nd quarter of the year already? If you work for a company that runs off a traditional annual calendar (January - December), you've just closed out the 1st quarter, are waiting for 1st quarter results (and a potential quarterly bonus) and are executing 2nd quarter plans now. I've been wired into that kind of quarterly schedule for pretty much my entire career. Do you have an annual timetable or schedule you go by throughout the year? Is it the school year calendar? Is it a project by project timetable? We all run off of some kind of schedule that drives us to the next goal, phase, chapter, school year, etc.
So, what will the 2nd quarter hold in store for us? As a marketer and planner at heart, it depends on what's been strategically planned out into marketing plans and then executing on those plans...and hopefully they work out the way you planned. But, as an experienced planner I know things don't always go as planned. That goes for life in general, too. We all learn that lesson time after time throughout our lives. So, having a contingency plan or back-up plan is always important. Whether that's at work or in life. Plan B, C, and D can all be as successful as you once thought Plan A would be. Sometimes it just takes a little more effort or a detour to get there.
Whatever is in store for your 2nd quarter, I hope it's productive, successful and full of fun and excitement! We all need a little more fun in our lives...and laughter and love! Wishing you many blessings for a memorable 2nd quarter!!
So, what will the 2nd quarter hold in store for us? As a marketer and planner at heart, it depends on what's been strategically planned out into marketing plans and then executing on those plans...and hopefully they work out the way you planned. But, as an experienced planner I know things don't always go as planned. That goes for life in general, too. We all learn that lesson time after time throughout our lives. So, having a contingency plan or back-up plan is always important. Whether that's at work or in life. Plan B, C, and D can all be as successful as you once thought Plan A would be. Sometimes it just takes a little more effort or a detour to get there.
Whatever is in store for your 2nd quarter, I hope it's productive, successful and full of fun and excitement! We all need a little more fun in our lives...and laughter and love! Wishing you many blessings for a memorable 2nd quarter!!
Sunday, April 2, 2017
April Showers...
It's a rainy Sunday morning...and hopefully the severe weather will stay away. Although, more hail and high winds are in the forecast. Since last Sunday's hail storm we've had a couple more stormy days including today. So, I guess spring has arrived and April showers are upon us!
I actually don't mind the rain too much since my lawn needs the water after my dad fertilized it a couple days ago. And, my garden will thank the skies for opening up since my dad and I also got my garden planted...with green beans (the hearty staple that grows great every year), onions and cantaloupe. No tomatoes, bell peppers, butternut squash, cucumbers or green onions this year. Sometimes they do well but most of the time the heat kills them before any goodness gets grown. But, my dad is also helping my sister plant her garden, so I'm sure they'll be some yummy goodness from her garden, as well.
So yes, hopefully April showers bring May flowers, green lawns, cooler temps and plentiful gardens! Rain is good, but a little less wind and hail would be even better...especially until I can get a new roof up! Thankfully it's still hanging in there and I'm grateful for it's continued protection! Shelter from the storms is a blessing!
I hope whatever storms are passing by you'll realize the nourishment it's providing and you'll enjoy the beauty on the other side of the storms. We are guaranteed to see the sun shine again and the clouds to part as blue skies shine down upon us after we've weathered the storm. Blessings for the April showers in our lives!!
I actually don't mind the rain too much since my lawn needs the water after my dad fertilized it a couple days ago. And, my garden will thank the skies for opening up since my dad and I also got my garden planted...with green beans (the hearty staple that grows great every year), onions and cantaloupe. No tomatoes, bell peppers, butternut squash, cucumbers or green onions this year. Sometimes they do well but most of the time the heat kills them before any goodness gets grown. But, my dad is also helping my sister plant her garden, so I'm sure they'll be some yummy goodness from her garden, as well.
So yes, hopefully April showers bring May flowers, green lawns, cooler temps and plentiful gardens! Rain is good, but a little less wind and hail would be even better...especially until I can get a new roof up! Thankfully it's still hanging in there and I'm grateful for it's continued protection! Shelter from the storms is a blessing!
I hope whatever storms are passing by you'll realize the nourishment it's providing and you'll enjoy the beauty on the other side of the storms. We are guaranteed to see the sun shine again and the clouds to part as blue skies shine down upon us after we've weathered the storm. Blessings for the April showers in our lives!!
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Strong Winds
This past Sunday night we had strong storms and enormous hail in some areas..up to softball size hail. Luckily, I mainly got pea-sized hail with some golf ball size hail mixed in. It hailed for 10 minutes straight with the first 5 minutes being the loudest and hardest. I was praying my roof would hold up and after it was all over I walked through the house just to make sure nothing was leaking. But, I did think one of those hailstones was going to break through my back door window and shatter it because it was so loud and it kept hitting the window. So, a new roof is in order since it's around 14 years old.
Then early this morning another severe storm hit. I didn't sleep well anticipating the storm coming, so when it did come I was half awake. The initial winds were crazy strong! The wildest I'd ever heard or can recall in a very long time. They said some winds ranged from 60-90 mph. And some straight-lined winds that reached 95 mph tore apart some houses in a nearby suburb. A lot of damage from storms this spring and we've got more coming this weekend. I thought the winds this morning were going to launch something through my back door window, but luckily it's still intact as is my roof. So, I'm definitely thankful for that!
Although my sister wasn't as lucky. Their barn and chicken coop was thrown into their backyard and a few hens died. Thankfully her family is fine and their home wasn't damaged. But, there's a lot of debris all over their yard that they can't move by hand. They'll need someone with equipment to move it and haul it away. Like I said, crazy strong winds!
Sometimes the winds of change hit our lives in unexpected ways. The winds can be fast and furious, knock us off our foundation, and even leave us speechless. That's usually when God is saying a change was needed. You weren't going down the right path, or you weren't growing into your potential, or you simply needed a new perspective to get you going in the right direction. Whatever the reason your reaction to the situation will either launch you forward and propel you to something greater or you'll let the excuse of something bad happening keep you in the same place or let it push in backwards. It's really your choice even though it doesn't initially seem like it...it is! It's a forceful shift in your momentum of life. What will you decide to do? Will you be proactive or reactive? Will you step up and into the winds of change to experience something new and possibly exciting or will you retreat and find comfort in the anguish of the situation? Yes, we all have a choice at any given time...good/bad, yes/no, right/wrong, left/right, up/down, etc.
I'm hoping whatever strong winds blow your way will lift you up into fulfilling more of your God-given potential and will allow you to soar to greater heights in your life! May the winds of change bless you towards a more purposeful life!!
Then early this morning another severe storm hit. I didn't sleep well anticipating the storm coming, so when it did come I was half awake. The initial winds were crazy strong! The wildest I'd ever heard or can recall in a very long time. They said some winds ranged from 60-90 mph. And some straight-lined winds that reached 95 mph tore apart some houses in a nearby suburb. A lot of damage from storms this spring and we've got more coming this weekend. I thought the winds this morning were going to launch something through my back door window, but luckily it's still intact as is my roof. So, I'm definitely thankful for that!
Although my sister wasn't as lucky. Their barn and chicken coop was thrown into their backyard and a few hens died. Thankfully her family is fine and their home wasn't damaged. But, there's a lot of debris all over their yard that they can't move by hand. They'll need someone with equipment to move it and haul it away. Like I said, crazy strong winds!
Sometimes the winds of change hit our lives in unexpected ways. The winds can be fast and furious, knock us off our foundation, and even leave us speechless. That's usually when God is saying a change was needed. You weren't going down the right path, or you weren't growing into your potential, or you simply needed a new perspective to get you going in the right direction. Whatever the reason your reaction to the situation will either launch you forward and propel you to something greater or you'll let the excuse of something bad happening keep you in the same place or let it push in backwards. It's really your choice even though it doesn't initially seem like it...it is! It's a forceful shift in your momentum of life. What will you decide to do? Will you be proactive or reactive? Will you step up and into the winds of change to experience something new and possibly exciting or will you retreat and find comfort in the anguish of the situation? Yes, we all have a choice at any given time...good/bad, yes/no, right/wrong, left/right, up/down, etc.
I'm hoping whatever strong winds blow your way will lift you up into fulfilling more of your God-given potential and will allow you to soar to greater heights in your life! May the winds of change bless you towards a more purposeful life!!
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