April Showers Bring May Flowers...

You know the saying, but my flowers are already blooming!  The irises around my house have been blooming for over a week now and my peonies bloomed this week, as well.  I love peonies!  We had a few showers in April but nothing significant, however this week we're supposed to have a few days of rain.  The rain extends up into the midwest and some could be severe with tornadoes possible.  That's not the way we want to kick off May.

I know many states up north are still experiencing freezing temps in the mornings, so I don't think April has thawed out winter quite yet.  But, May is upon us and I think spring-like temps will follow for the rest of the U.S.  We've already hit the 80's here in Texas a couple days which is OK, but I'm definitely not ready for the 90's or 100 degree temps yet.  I hope it's a mild summer...whatever that means in a normally blazing hot Texas!  Actually, last summer wasn't as sizzling as the previous summer.  We had fewer 100 degree days and I'm good with that!

My garden is planted and I'm thankful for the rain coming this week.  If it rains just once a week for the next month or so that would be perfect!  Once July and August get here the dry spell will go on and on with little rain in sight.  But, who knows what the weather will do anymore.  It used to be more predictable, it seems, but now with all the climate change that is affecting our weather patterns it's hard to tell.  Lets just hope there are few and less devastating hurricanes this year!

Whatever the weather is like in your neighborhood, I hope you enjoy what the season offers you and remember to stop and smell the roses!  Many blessings for a great week ahead!!

Register for the 2018 DFW Holt International Family Picnic

Just a reminder that our annual Holt International Family Picnic for the Dallas/Ft. Worth area will be held on Saturday, June 30th from 12-3 pm at Parr Park in Grapevine, TX.  Please make sure you register at: http://www.holtinternational.org/picnics/

Every year we see some familiar faces and meet some new families, as well.  It's a really fun time for all ages to get to know one another in fellowship, share each other's stories, and for all the little kids to enjoy the playground and splash pad.

So, come connect with other adoptees and have some summer fun!  I hope to see you there and if you don't live in the area there are several picnics around the country that you can attend.  You can click on the same link to see the entire schedule.

Many blessings this final week of April!!

Food For Thought...

Have you ever thought about or has anyone ever asked you what you'd want your final meal to be?  I guess death row inmates are "lucky" in that sense since they actually get to decide what their final meal will be.  For the rest of us, "who knows" when we'll actually leave this earth more less be able to actually plan our last meal.  But, I guess if you could decide what the last thing you'd ever eat was what would it be?  Obviously, calories wouldn't matter or even how much you actually ate because it really wouldn't matter...in the end.  The very end.

I think I would have lasagna with cheesy garlic bread, forget the salad and bring on a delicious pizza, ending with a rhubarb pie with vanilla ice cream.  Actually, there are too many desserts I'd want to eat...at the end.  Maybe I would just have a dessert bar with every scrumptious dessert and let that be the end!  What would you have?

On another food note, what's something you haven't eaten since you were a kid and actually still crave?  I saw a box of Honey Combs at the grocery store the other day and don't think I've even thought of them since I was a kid.  I wondered it they still tasted how I remembered.  I almost bought a box just to see if they did, but I didn't.  So, cereal would probably be a big thing...Fruity Pebbles, Captain Crunch, Count Chocula, Boo Berry, Trix.  When I was a teenager, I loved those Snackwells Devil Food cookies.  And, when I was younger the Schwan's man used to come out to our farm and we would get a lot of ice cream, popsicles, pizzas, etc.  I loved, loved their blue popsicles that tasted like raspberry!  That's all I can think of right now, but I'll probably dream about some others tonight.  What about you?

And finally, have you ever thought about how you pull out your eggs from the egg carton?  Do you pull out from the center or from the outsides?  I bet most people pull from the center.  I actually look at all the eggs and pull out the ones that are similar in circumference.  I use the ones that are similar in size together.  Strange?  Well, I know at least one person that also does this...Clinton Kelly from The Chew.  All of these questions were discussed during the show at some point this year.  So, if you watch the show you'll probably remember them discussing these topics.  I thought they were interesting and got me thinking of my own responses.  So, I hope it does the same for you.

Wishing you a very blessed week ahead!!

Suffering through Spring

For all those up north still suffering through winter weather in spring, the rest of us down south are suffering through spring allergies!  Go figure!  One of my cousins up north has been sending me videos of all the snow they've received in the past couple weeks.  Snow, hail, storms and more snow.  Here, it's been windy for about a whole week which has made the pollen swirl everywhere.  Can we make it through this spring?!

Yesterday my dad came over to help plant my garden and fertilize my lawn.  So, usually when my dad comes over to do some kind of yard work I feel obligated to also work on my yard while he's here.  So, even though it was really windy out...again....I started trimming my bushes that needed a good trim down.  But, the pollen from the bushes and the wind that blew it all back on me made my allergies even more insufferable then they already were.  I could barely keep my eyes open from watering so much and my nose was constantly running.  Ugh.  Did I mention I dislike spring?!  It's not my favorite.

So, for all those still stuck in winter up north and for all of us suffering through allergy season...may we find a way to overcome or yes, just suck it up and get through it!  Wishing you a blessed day with melting snow or allergy free!

It's Spring, Right?

My irises starting blooming this past week and my red oak is in fully bloomed!  It's spring, right?  Except that it was near freezing this morning with wind chills below freezing and the wind has been whipping around for days and doesn't look to let up for a few more days.  It has been in the 80's here and there and again this week, but then we get a lovely cold front that drops us back down again.  That's normal, right?

It could be worse.  Minnesota had blizzard warnings yesterday and the Midwest is covered in snow...again.  But, it's April, right?  Where's spring?  It's here, but right now it might be covered in snow.  We have had signs of spring with tornadoes making their spring debut this past week along the southeast.  And, they say we could have 3 massive hurricanes this year like we did last year.  I'm not sure how we'd survive another catastrophe of destruction from hurricanes as we did last year...especially since those affected are still trying to recover from last year.  Let's pray that doesn't happen!

So, whether it feels like spring where you're at or not this upcoming week, I hope it's still a good one!  May blessings of spring show their presence to you this week!! 

Allergy Season

If you've been following my blog for awhile now you know this is my most least favorable time of year...spring, which = spring allergies.  Ugh.  I didn't have allergies growing up, but acquired them when I moved out to California almost 20 years ago.  I actually didn't even know what it was because I didn't know you could get allergies as an adult.  Boy was I wrong!

When I moved back to Texas and told my doctor what my symptoms were she just chuckled and said "you have allergies."  What?  No.  I can't have allergies.  I've never had them before.  Well, welcome to the joys of pollen!  Ever since then it's only gotten worse, particularly the last few years.  Honestly, the only two symptoms I get are a runny nose and I get really, really tired.  I feel like I haven't slept in 72 hours!  And, that's how I feel right now!

Dumb allergies!  I know my symptoms are fairly mild compared to others that suffer more severely, but they are still a pain!  I'm thinking about moving to the desert.  Would that relieve my allergies?  Moving to a place that has few trees sounds pretty good right now.  I remember driving through Tennessee on a vacation when I was younger and thinking there were sooooooo many trees!  And, I visited an old friend up in Traverse City, MI once and actually felt a little claustrophobic with all the trees.  Sad, huh?  I definitely don't think I could move to either location with so many trees everywhere.  I would be sleeping 24/7 during allergy season!

Well, it's just the start of the season and I'm just hoping I make it through it...and waiting on the other side of spring allergies is a blazing hot summer!  That's how we roll here in Texas.  Drats!  Oh weather, how I loathe you at times....this being one of them!

Hoping you have an allergy free season...or at least a tolerable one!  Blessings for good health and runny-free noses this allergy season!!  

Reconciling Sales

I've been meaning to do this for awhile now...a long while, but am finally getting to it today.  Maybe it's because I don't want to go outside today because it's still a bit chilly from our last cold front...yes, 30's yesterday morning and today is what spring has sprung...for now.  But, I'm looking back through all my book sale records and making sure they're all up-to-date, consolidated and organized.  Obviously, the first couple years I was more on top of it all because it was so new and I wanted to make sure I captured every sale and every detail...from my in-person book signings, to my website sales, my Amazon sales and others.  But, the last couple years have been a bit slower, mainly because I haven't been marketing my book as much as in the beginning, so I haven't been as diligent with my record-keeping...or at least it's felt like it.  In all reality, I'm a pretty organized person, so my idea of not being "on-top-of-things" is probably not a big deal at all.

So, I'm finally putting my mind at ease by ensuring all my record-keeping is up-to-date and reconciled.  It's actually been a little fun to see all those initial sales and how many people responded on the out-set.  It was an exciting time!  Launching my first book, seeing the response from people around the country and even around the world, and just doing it all for the first time...book signings, interviews, etc.  You never know what adventures await you around the corner, so keep your eyes open!  An opportunity that you never thought would happen might be knocking on your door waiting for you to answer!!

As the weather warms up to more spring-like weather, I'm hoping whatever you've put off reconciling in your life will become a priority so you can check it off your list and find some peace of mind for finally dealing with it.  You never know what positive results and/or feelings will come from it...so, just do it!

Blessings to you as a fresh new week kicks off!!

Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King

50 years ago today we lost a civil rights leader who helped move our country forward, but in some ways it seems we are still in the same place as we were 50 years ago.  There is still racism in the world and a lot of hate.  Hate that destroys, permeates and even kills at times.  There is no equality for all even though that's what our Pledge of Allegiance states.  We said it every day at school as kids, but that's not reality and it still seems like an uphill battle at times.

Now, we're put in so many boxes and have so many labels it's no wonder that we take so many opposing sides instead of really listening to one another, or compassionately understanding one another or simply just respecting one another.  More love and light are needed to shine on our differences so that we can see them as positives instead of negatives.  We need more brave people to stand up in our local/state/federal government.  More people to stand up as leaders in our communities...of faith, school, law enforcement, etc.  More people to stand up in entertainment to reflex real, true life stories, struggles and all people.  More people to stand up in all industries so that maybe one day we'll be closer to the equality for all that Dr. King was hoping for years ago.

May we remember the profound and still relevant words of Dr. King today....

"The time is always right to do what is right."

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

May blessings of activism and action fill you up in order to move your cause forward...to do better...to be better where ever you are (in the world).  Cheers!!

Happy Easter!!