Shopping Frenzy!

Thanksgiving is barely over when the shopping frenzy begins!  It's that time of year again!  Let the shopping begin...proceed!  I'm sure many of you have already started your Christmas shopping...maybe on Thanksgiving Day, definitely on Black Friday, and probably some more on Small Business Saturday.  Next up...Cyber Monday!  The (seemingly) never-ending shopping marathon for many as the Christmas season kicks off.

Do you love the chaos of shopping on Thanksgiving night or first thing on Black Friday?  Or do you prefer to sit quietly in your pj's sipping the adult beverage of your choice while shopping online?  I've always done a little of both, but I think I'm finally done with going out Thanksgiving evening.  I dislike the rude behavior displayed by some just to grab a product off the shelf and would rather avoid the crowds of people shoving one another around.  It's just not a pleasant experience.

So, I'm halfway done with my Christmas shopping and almost done with my Christmas cards.  But, my cards will definitely be done and ready to be mailed out on December 1st!  It's just tradition (for me).

Yes, the holiday frenzy is definitely in full blast and it doesn't look to let up until the new year.  Sigh.  Are you all ready?  Are you enjoying it?  Hang in there if you're not.  And, try to find those moments that reflect the true spirit of the season.  Slow down, take a minute and enjoy those special moments!

May blessings fill up your holiday season with heart-warming new memories, special friends, family gatherings, and cheerful surprises!! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving this week!!  I hope you enjoy your time off to rest, catch up with family and friends, and of course...to eat!  And then...shop!  I'm not sure the holiday means as much as it once was...when we slowed down a bit more to really engage with and relate to our families, instead of rushing around trying to get to place to place with our heads in our phones.  Now, Christmas is more of the focus than Thanksgiving and it's not even Thanksgiving yet!  The city Christmas tree where I live was up even before Halloween!

What happened to enjoying one holiday at a time?  What happened to enjoying the season as it comes instead of rushing ahead?  Everything is just so sped up now and everyone's in a rush to get ahead of the game, get a jump on things before someone else or get the "prize" before everyone else.  We're missing the joy of each season...of each holiday.  We don't slow down to just breathe and take it all in.  We just keep looking ahead and ahead and even beyond that.  Sigh.

I hope you slow down enough to just take a moment to enjoy your surroundings...filled with loved ones, and maybe even the ones you don't, all the laughter, stories being told, new games played, songs being sung, kids playing, football being cheered or jeered, and yes, all the delectable food to be consumed!  Enjoy it all. Take in the moment...or a few.  Enjoy the day...with waistbands expanded.

And, then rush to the stores for all those Black Friday deals if you must. ;-)

Blessings to you and yours this Thanksgiving!  May blessings fill your days with love and laughter!!  Cheers!!!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Thank you to ALL the veterans who have served and sacrificed for our country. Thank you for standing up and fighting for our freedoms, our safety and defending the honor of those that came before us. May their service never be taken for granted or forgotten! 

And, a special shout-out to my dad for serving in Vietnam where they did not return from war with a heroes welcome at the airport, or have parades in their honor, or receive newly built homes for the wounded, or simply receive the mental or physical care they deserved. They were the "forgotten" heroes that still suffer, sometimes in silence, even today. My dad is a hero. That's simply a fact. He earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star fighting for our country. God bless him!

Please thank a veteran, not only today, but any and every time you see or meet one. They have given more than you know so that you can live the life that you want day after day. Lets make sure we honor them all with the dignity and respect they all deserve.

Blessings to all the veterans that have served our country in the past, present and in the future!!!

Month of "Stuffing"

Are you a stuffing or dressing person?  That's always one of the debates around Thanksgiving.  I guess it depends on where you grew up and what your grandmother or aunts called it, right?  I'm not a big stuffing person myself, but I've seen a lot of good looking recipes for it.

However, I feel like this is the start of holiday eating...and eating...really, really good food!  Actually, at the moment I'm feeling absolutely stuffed.  No good holiday food yet, but just thinking about all the holiday foods...desserts, cookies, cakes, pies, turkey, potatoes, breads, etc....makes me stuffed!  And of course, right now it's all about pumpkin spice this and that!  Ahh, another reason I love the fall....except that I always gain 5 lbs over the holidays.  Ugh.  Again, feeling stuffed!

It's just a given that we all eat ourselves silly on Thanksgiving...until we're in a total food coma!  It's tradition, right?!  It's what we do!  Ohhh, the holidays...what a tasteful treat you are!  There's too much goodness all around.

So, if you're looking forward to getting your "stuffing" on, just remember to drink lots of water afterwards, along with protein, fiber and get your body moving to burn some of that goodness off your hips.  Cheers to all the holiday "stuffing" ahead!

Wishing you a blessed-filled first week of November!!

Love Always Wins

What is going on in the world?!  That's a long and loaded question, but an all too common one these days.  Too much hate.  Too much acceptance of hate.  Too much division.  Too much promotion of division.  Too much lack of compassion, empathy and understanding!  It's just too much some days.

How do we get through it?  How do we move forward?  How do we feel safe in our own neighborhoods?  The world can be a scary place sometimes, but we need to stay focused on the good.  We need to remain hopeful and engaged.  We need to lift one another up and we need to see each other as human beings first...not all the labels and boxes we've all put one another in.  We need to stand up and let our voices be heard!  We need to VOTE for those that represent our values and ideals in the current midterm elections.  I voted early and am encouraged by the large turnouts around the country for early voting.  People are engaged and are standing up to let their voices be heard!  Don't let others speak for you...VOTE!  Get out there, educate yourself on the candidates and VOTE!  VOTE!  VOTE!

We can't let the hateful actions of this past week (in the States) dictate a fearful future.  Rise above the fear, love your neighbor as yourself and lets show that love wins...love always wins!!

Stand up, speak up and VOTE!!  May blessings of hope comfort you in the week ahead!

My First Solo Session...

For the past 2 days, my mom and I attended a local adoption conference.  It's the first adoption conference I've attended where I sponsored a table to sell my book and also spoke during one of the sessions.  It was my first solo speaking gig (and hopefully it wasn't too obvious for those that attended and are reading my blog for the first time), so of course a was a bit nervous beforehand.  But, I think it went well.  I wasn't nervous once I started speaking, but I wanted to make sure I got in everything I wanted to share.  So, I'm hoping the flow wasn't too off.  I received good feedback afterwards, so I'm hoping it helped answer some questions someone might have been having, or gave someone a different perspective on things, or gave someone an "aha" moment where something clicked, or even simply provided comfort to someone who saw themselves in my story.

It was a joy for my mom and I to meet so many wonderful people sharing their adoption stories with us.  We love hearing other's stories because as I've said before they are all different, special and unique in their own ways.  So, it's nice to share with one another and gain insight and understanding from one another.  

This was the first conference my mom has ever attended and she loved it!  She has that warm, friendly and approachable personality that she'll talk to anyone!  So, it helps when trying to draw people over to your table.  She loves to talk so much I had to tell her to dial it back a bit a couple times.  People have to get to the next session, I told her.  She's not a morning person and she got up really early to make it over to my house so we could get over to the conference to set up each morning.  So, I really appreciate all her support, help and waking up early each morning!  I couldn't have done it without her! 

Adoption can be difficult, hard, and messy at times, but it can also be so rewarding in so many ways for families.  The more parents can seek tools, resources, insights and different perspectives from people the better informed they can be, but parenthood doesn't have an exact road map...no matter if you have adopted children or not.  It's a process.  It's a journey.  To try and figure it out and I hope you remind yourself in those trying times that you're doing your best...and that's enough.  

I hope that in some small way, my story, my book can help shine a more positive light on the process and journey for you and your families.  I want you to find the humor in everyday situations or the silver lining in tough times.  Through laughter and love you'll get through it...you all will!  

So, if you missed out on purchasing my book at the conference or have been following my blog for awhile now and haven't purchased my book, now is the perfect time!  It's a great gift as the holidays approach, for your book club, mom's groups, or church groups.  Just go to www.kimfenneman.com.  You can purchase the book there or link to Amazon for the ebook.  Enjoy!

May blessings fill your week ahead with hope, inspiration and the courage to step out of fear and try something new!  

First Speaking Gig

Next Saturday I'll be speaking at the Tapestry Conference.  It's my first solo speaking gig, so I'm excited, nervous and a little bit anxious.  But, I'm sure it will go well!  The conference brings together experienced parents and professionals to teach on a wide range of topics that help support and equip local churches and families with the tools and resources to bring hope and healing to adoptive and foster parents, children and their families.

I'll be there selling my book, Corn-fed with Rice on the Side.  So, if you are local come out and get a signed copy of my book!  This is my first official adoption conference to attend, as well, so wish me luck!!

Prayers for all those affected by Hurricane Michael.  May blessings of hope and resilience lift you up this week!