I took the weekend completely off from the computer when the laptop was put away before a party we hosted on Friday night. While I enjoyed a little down time, I did think of the true meaning of Memorial day. And having come back online this Monday night I find that one of my favorite bloggers has posted a lovely bit from YouTube that puts my feelings about our soldiers into perspective quite nicely. So thanks Christine over at a Deliberate Life and here is the link. (Pause the music player before viewing.)
A Deliberate Life: For our Soldiers......
Have you thanked a veteran lately? What do you know about those from your own family that have served? It's never too late to get to know the important stories that sometimes never get told by those who are so amazingly humble. Sometimes we only get to hear about greatness after someone is gone.
Showing posts with label good people. Show all posts
Showing posts with label good people. Show all posts
Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Can't Keep A Good Flirt Down
With all that I have read lately about the special relationships of many of my blogger friends with their fathers, I had been feeling a little left out. As fate would have it, my biological father is just as big of a mystery to me as it would be to you. However, rather that stew in what I don't have I would like to take a short moment to introduce you to a fun guy that makes a great father figure of sorts. And tell you about his latest adventure!
This guy is one of the members of a dance club that my husband and I belong to. He is gregarious, generous, and seriously funny. He is always there for anyone in a pinch. Recently, this guy ran into his own difficulty of sorts. Over a weekend, he suddenly had a very alarming vision loss. Sure enough, doctors determined that he had experienced a stroke. He had no other symptoms. While all of his friends and family were grateful that he was otherwise healthy, we couldn't help but think that this vision loss was especially cruel for our dear friend. You see, he is an insatiable flirt! He is super visual in every way and just loves to appreciate the ladies of all shapes, sizes and ages. Yes, he has a wife and she is super cool about all of this. He is an older gentleman and this is just part of his personality and charm. So naturally when I heard about this problem of his, I was saddened to think that this situation might change who he is.
Never fear! Miracles do occur! He has worked hard at rehab doing lots of vision therapy exercises and his prognosis is wonderful. His vision has returned with only a tiny bit of an issue leftover in the peripheral area. He has already returned to dancing with our club again. As his wife says: "he thinks he now has an excuse for mistaking a boob for an elbow!"
This guy is one of the members of a dance club that my husband and I belong to. He is gregarious, generous, and seriously funny. He is always there for anyone in a pinch. Recently, this guy ran into his own difficulty of sorts. Over a weekend, he suddenly had a very alarming vision loss. Sure enough, doctors determined that he had experienced a stroke. He had no other symptoms. While all of his friends and family were grateful that he was otherwise healthy, we couldn't help but think that this vision loss was especially cruel for our dear friend. You see, he is an insatiable flirt! He is super visual in every way and just loves to appreciate the ladies of all shapes, sizes and ages. Yes, he has a wife and she is super cool about all of this. He is an older gentleman and this is just part of his personality and charm. So naturally when I heard about this problem of his, I was saddened to think that this situation might change who he is.
Never fear! Miracles do occur! He has worked hard at rehab doing lots of vision therapy exercises and his prognosis is wonderful. His vision has returned with only a tiny bit of an issue leftover in the peripheral area. He has already returned to dancing with our club again. As his wife says: "he thinks he now has an excuse for mistaking a boob for an elbow!"
Monday, February 28, 2011
Right On Target
Having survived my husband's latest actuarial exam, I am now in that in-between-tests mode of shoving every last bit of life into the days that exist between tests. For a few weeks, we move frantically through life getting reacquainted with our other selves- the selves we know are still there waiting for us when we emerge from the haze of yet another exam. Yes, I am so looking forward to the day when the last exam has passed and this household can get back to the business of learning life lessons in the ways that most others do. Until then, these exams serve as life learning that comes up and kicks you in the butt. But then, it feels like we're going around with a note on our backs that says "kick me", so really what do we expect?!
One thing that has come as a side benefit from all this testing stuff is that the friends that we do have are true friends. Especially over the last couple of years, there have been many reasons to sort of trim back on the people in our lives that just don't belong there any more. These tests have certainly taken up enough time to hack off those who need more than we can give.
One person who I have made sure to spend more time with lately is a woman who is battling mightily with colon cancer. (I wrote about her here.) Even though she is on an every other week chemo regimen, she has chosen to take life by the horns and is filling every day to the brim. So naturally, when my friend asked me to take her shooting, I was thrilled. I do love and respect my second amendment rights and I love sharing that experience with others.
My friend was a little concerned that she might not be able to manage the proper handling of a gun because she has had a type of chemo treatment in the past that left her with some neurological problems in her hands. Luckily, I had been a part of training another person who has similar difficulties. So I felt that I could help my friend learn to handle the gun safely and proficiently. It turns out I didn't have to do much. Sometimes the will to do something overrides any physical limitations. My friend was shooting one of my favorite 9mm Glocks' at 21 feet with beautiful accuracy in no time! She did tire quickly so we ended up going back to a nice little laser guided 22 to end the night. I was just so happy to have helped her fulfill one small item on her special 'to do' list. When she remarked what a 'rush' this had been for her, I have to admit that I was experiencing quite a rush of my own.
One thing that has come as a side benefit from all this testing stuff is that the friends that we do have are true friends. Especially over the last couple of years, there have been many reasons to sort of trim back on the people in our lives that just don't belong there any more. These tests have certainly taken up enough time to hack off those who need more than we can give.
One person who I have made sure to spend more time with lately is a woman who is battling mightily with colon cancer. (I wrote about her here.) Even though she is on an every other week chemo regimen, she has chosen to take life by the horns and is filling every day to the brim. So naturally, when my friend asked me to take her shooting, I was thrilled. I do love and respect my second amendment rights and I love sharing that experience with others.
My friend was a little concerned that she might not be able to manage the proper handling of a gun because she has had a type of chemo treatment in the past that left her with some neurological problems in her hands. Luckily, I had been a part of training another person who has similar difficulties. So I felt that I could help my friend learn to handle the gun safely and proficiently. It turns out I didn't have to do much. Sometimes the will to do something overrides any physical limitations. My friend was shooting one of my favorite 9mm Glocks' at 21 feet with beautiful accuracy in no time! She did tire quickly so we ended up going back to a nice little laser guided 22 to end the night. I was just so happy to have helped her fulfill one small item on her special 'to do' list. When she remarked what a 'rush' this had been for her, I have to admit that I was experiencing quite a rush of my own.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
What Is The True Inspiration For Motivation?
There is a question that I have pondered for many moons. It is the question of what the root cause of motivation truly is. It seems to me that I have never found a really good answer to this question. Some people claim that seeing others succeed or not determines much about how motivated they are to do the same. Either they see a good example and want the same for themselves or they witness what brings about a lousy life and want to be sure that they do anything they can to better themselves.
Still there is the flip side of that coin. Take a second person who sees the very same things that motivates one person to do well in life and they may end up doing little or nothing with themselves because they had a great life and didn't feel like they needed to work that hard to get anywhere or their life was miserable and they just never learned how to step above that and ended up wallowing in it instead.
Even two people who grow up in the same household can turn out very different from one another. (Yes, I'm thinking of my sister and I here.) So maybe the question is more about what determines the way that one person will react, as opposed to another, to the very same situation even if both people share very similar back rounds.
What brought this all to mind today was a rerun of an interview that I had seen when the movie 'The Blind Side' first came out. The guy who inspired the story, Michael Oher, was being asked about what a difference the family that took him in had made in his life. I was surprised to hear him say that although the family that helped him had made things a lot easier for him, he always knew that he would be successful. He had no doubt that he was going to be different than his rough upbringing might have justified for him. He was very appreciative that because of the help he received he was able to concentrate on his talents and did not have to work several jobs. He knew things had happened sooner for him, without further hardship, but he had full confidence that he was going to do the things he dreamed of no matter what.
I am inspired by this guy and still left wondering. I too have been asked over the years what it is or was that made me different from where I came from. And in turn why my sister was not similarly motivated. I know that for me it was a simple truth. What I saw around me was nothing I wanted any part of. I knew in my heart of hearts that there was no way that I was going to allow myself to continue life like that. I would do what I had to do to get where I was going and never look back.
But the question remains. It can't possibly be that some people are just born motivated and others are not. I believe there must be some turning point, some reason. No higher power or order in the universe could possibly allow that kind of randomness. God, I wish I knew.
Turn off the music player to watch the video below.
Still there is the flip side of that coin. Take a second person who sees the very same things that motivates one person to do well in life and they may end up doing little or nothing with themselves because they had a great life and didn't feel like they needed to work that hard to get anywhere or their life was miserable and they just never learned how to step above that and ended up wallowing in it instead.
Even two people who grow up in the same household can turn out very different from one another. (Yes, I'm thinking of my sister and I here.) So maybe the question is more about what determines the way that one person will react, as opposed to another, to the very same situation even if both people share very similar back rounds.
What brought this all to mind today was a rerun of an interview that I had seen when the movie 'The Blind Side' first came out. The guy who inspired the story, Michael Oher, was being asked about what a difference the family that took him in had made in his life. I was surprised to hear him say that although the family that helped him had made things a lot easier for him, he always knew that he would be successful. He had no doubt that he was going to be different than his rough upbringing might have justified for him. He was very appreciative that because of the help he received he was able to concentrate on his talents and did not have to work several jobs. He knew things had happened sooner for him, without further hardship, but he had full confidence that he was going to do the things he dreamed of no matter what.
I am inspired by this guy and still left wondering. I too have been asked over the years what it is or was that made me different from where I came from. And in turn why my sister was not similarly motivated. I know that for me it was a simple truth. What I saw around me was nothing I wanted any part of. I knew in my heart of hearts that there was no way that I was going to allow myself to continue life like that. I would do what I had to do to get where I was going and never look back.
But the question remains. It can't possibly be that some people are just born motivated and others are not. I believe there must be some turning point, some reason. No higher power or order in the universe could possibly allow that kind of randomness. God, I wish I knew.
Turn off the music player to watch the video below.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Here's To YOU Thursday/ 80's and Beer, What Could Be Better?
One of my good blog buddies, Robin, over at YOUR DAILY DOSE does a really cool thing every Thursday. Only this week she is feeling so crummy that she wasn't able to do it. And I know that means that she is feeling absolutely horrid. What a bummer. She is super good at finding incredible footage on YouTube and then dedicating it to those she sees fit for, each and every Thursday. I know she puts a lot of work into this and I know she's disappointed that it didn't happen this week.
NEVER FEAR, Robin. Your support for me and this here blog are always appreciated. When I heard rumor that some were posting 'Here's to you Thursday' posts in your honor, I had to join in.
Robin lets people guess why they're getting whatever video she posts for them, but just in case you're not familiar with her I'll let you know that this one is because it's Superbowl week and Robin loves the 80's. I miss how cool the commercials for the Superbowl used to be.
So, Robin, this one's for you: (Pause my music player so you can check out the video.)
NEVER FEAR, Robin. Your support for me and this here blog are always appreciated. When I heard rumor that some were posting 'Here's to you Thursday' posts in your honor, I had to join in.
Robin lets people guess why they're getting whatever video she posts for them, but just in case you're not familiar with her I'll let you know that this one is because it's Superbowl week and Robin loves the 80's. I miss how cool the commercials for the Superbowl used to be.
So, Robin, this one's for you: (Pause my music player so you can check out the video.)
Friday, December 31, 2010
Lottery Christmas Love
Finally getting to that story I mentioned a week or so ago... I figured I'd like to leave you with a little gem while I'm away getting some sun.
We don't indulge in lottery playing much around here. What with my husband being in the business of statistical analysis and all, we tend towards the belief that lottery tickets are a voluntary tax on those who are bad at math. However, once in while even something like a lottery ticket can be a positive force.
Recently, my husband and I were at our weekly bowling league. It was the night of our bowling Christmas party. This party consists of people bringing snacks to munch on between turns at bowling and everybody bringing a small $10 or less gift to exchange. You don't get to take a gift from the gift exchange until you bowl a strike. Naturally, this results in the gifts with the most appealing appearance being chosen first.
This year there was the usual mix of candy, booze and silly Christmas decorations. As the evening wore on and the pile of gifts disappeared, there came a moment when one last person finally got his strike. However, there seemed to be no gifts left. But no, there was something left there on the counter- a plain white envelope, with 10 lottery scratch tickets in it.
The person who got this last gift was exactly who you might have guessed would be the last to bowl a strike and get to choose a present. He's a middle aged guy who doesn't bowl real well. He actually gets dropped off and picked up by his parents because he is somewhat impaired. He lives in a trailer on his parents property.
He took his envelope and went quietly off to a corner to scratch his lottery tickets.
He came back with the BIGGEST SMILE on his face! "I just won $100", he said, with much gusto! Then he proceeded to give us the play by play. He ended up winning on the last two tickets. The 9th ticket was the $100 winner and he got an extra $2 on the last ticket.
Nobody could believe it. We were all just so happy for him. Nobody else would have been as excited as he was about winning this $100. It just wouldn't have meant as much to anybody else. That money ended up exactly where it was supposed to.
He really wanted to thank the person who had put the lottery tickets into the gift pile, but nobody would fess up. Of course a few of us were able to figure out who it was, but nobody told. It was obvious that they really wanted to just remain quiet about it. It was like the person who bought the tickets got a gift just by seeing this guy's reaction and that was more than enough thanks in itself.
The guy who won the money really wanted to spend some of it on something special for his Mom. He mentioned that he would like to get something like the stuffed snowman that I had gotten in the exchange, because his mother collects snowmen. He really wanted something to give her when she came to pick him up as a way of sharing his good fortune. I was more than happy to give it to him. It was a privilege to be a part of such a good moment for him and a sign of all the beauty that was to come for me this holiday season.
We don't indulge in lottery playing much around here. What with my husband being in the business of statistical analysis and all, we tend towards the belief that lottery tickets are a voluntary tax on those who are bad at math. However, once in while even something like a lottery ticket can be a positive force.
Recently, my husband and I were at our weekly bowling league. It was the night of our bowling Christmas party. This party consists of people bringing snacks to munch on between turns at bowling and everybody bringing a small $10 or less gift to exchange. You don't get to take a gift from the gift exchange until you bowl a strike. Naturally, this results in the gifts with the most appealing appearance being chosen first.
This year there was the usual mix of candy, booze and silly Christmas decorations. As the evening wore on and the pile of gifts disappeared, there came a moment when one last person finally got his strike. However, there seemed to be no gifts left. But no, there was something left there on the counter- a plain white envelope, with 10 lottery scratch tickets in it.
The person who got this last gift was exactly who you might have guessed would be the last to bowl a strike and get to choose a present. He's a middle aged guy who doesn't bowl real well. He actually gets dropped off and picked up by his parents because he is somewhat impaired. He lives in a trailer on his parents property.
He took his envelope and went quietly off to a corner to scratch his lottery tickets.
He came back with the BIGGEST SMILE on his face! "I just won $100", he said, with much gusto! Then he proceeded to give us the play by play. He ended up winning on the last two tickets. The 9th ticket was the $100 winner and he got an extra $2 on the last ticket.
Nobody could believe it. We were all just so happy for him. Nobody else would have been as excited as he was about winning this $100. It just wouldn't have meant as much to anybody else. That money ended up exactly where it was supposed to.
He really wanted to thank the person who had put the lottery tickets into the gift pile, but nobody would fess up. Of course a few of us were able to figure out who it was, but nobody told. It was obvious that they really wanted to just remain quiet about it. It was like the person who bought the tickets got a gift just by seeing this guy's reaction and that was more than enough thanks in itself.
The guy who won the money really wanted to spend some of it on something special for his Mom. He mentioned that he would like to get something like the stuffed snowman that I had gotten in the exchange, because his mother collects snowmen. He really wanted something to give her when she came to pick him up as a way of sharing his good fortune. I was more than happy to give it to him. It was a privilege to be a part of such a good moment for him and a sign of all the beauty that was to come for me this holiday season.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
First Award And I'm Already Gonna Cheat...
Robin, over at YOUR DAILY DOSE saw fit to give me this:
Now it is up to me to bestow it onto 7 others. Then I have to give those who read my blog 7 new tidbits about me that I haven't shared before. Oh and dazzle the giver, Robin, back- which is easy to do as she's super cool.
Robin looks at things in all sorts of unique ways. She writes about her life and her BIG IDEA and weaves in some fun and her own brand of wisdom while she's at it. Robin was one of the people who inspired me to start the blog that you are now reading. I would often read her and so badly want to join in. So basically without her (and a few others), there would be no 'A Yellow Rose Of Texas'. Robin loves 80's music and fun TV and likes to share insights, often using video to do so. I only wish that I could write as prolifically as Robin, and have her knack to make that writing be meaningful in some way. Robin was nice enough to comment on everything I wrote when I got started a couple of months ago. I can't thank her enough for her support in this whole blogging thing.
Now, on to the 7 new recipients of the 'Stylish Blogger Award'.
1) The Big Fat Gini Blog Gini is funny and she really lets it all hang out. I like her 'cuz she's from Texas and reminds me of what made me want to move there in the first place.
1) The Big Fat Gini Blog Gini is funny and she really lets it all hang out. I like her 'cuz she's from Texas and reminds me of what made me want to move there in the first place.
2) Loretta's Journey From 460 to 199...One Good Choice At A Time Loretta has an awesome heart and she knows how to read my heart as well. She is a fabulous artist and her weight loss journey is pretty amazing too.
3) Faith, Love, Kids and Me Amber is a real family woman. She makes living at her house sound like all kinds of family bliss. Good, real, chaotic fun going on over there.
4) The Southern Girl Gang Chronicles Candance, Leiah, Aunt Crazy and Michelle make up a tour de force of Southern Charm mixed with some good old fashioned inappropriateness. Makes me wish I was born below the Mason Dixon line, just so I could be as cool as all this.
5) Middle Passages Liza is a real life writer. She's published and everything. She's also just real. Which I like. 'Nuff said.
6) Life In Texas/ Wonder Walking Krista knows how to live in the moment. She is someone who also made a move to Texas, so I can relate. She also touches on many topics I don't relate to, so I learn stuff.
7) A Deliberate Life Christine gets hit with the award stick pretty often, so this is where the cheating comes in. I'm gonna exempt her from actually having to do anything with it, other than accept it. Christine is a weight loss blogger turned 'life liver extraordinaire'. It's good stuff over there- read her.
Now for the second aspect of the cheating I'm doing with this here award. I will be posting my 7 things you don't know about me tomorrow. Thanks for being patient.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
For Those Who Wonder, Why Texas?
Turn off the music player so you can watch and hear the video.
WARNING- EXPLICIT WORDS!!!
I've heard this complaint call has been around for awhile, but I just heard it and nearly cried laughing. I really can't put it into any better words than this why Texas is the place for me, so without further ado, I bring you this:
WARNING- EXPLICIT WORDS!!!
I've heard this complaint call has been around for awhile, but I just heard it and nearly cried laughing. I really can't put it into any better words than this why Texas is the place for me, so without further ado, I bring you this:
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Can't Resist
Before it all goes down, I just have to get my 2 cents or so in on this historic midterm election. I'm going to avoid pettiness or any urge to say I told you so. (I'll just be not-so-secretly doing a happy dance all over the joint!)
So all I have to add to this event is this: I would so much rather be represented by a closer to typical American, not perfectly polished, not a professional political manipulator. The best person for any job is someone who takes in information, makes sound decisions, and tries diligently to do their best at said job. I hope the results of this election can help to get our country on a track to actually be a place where average people can contribute in real ways to our wonderful historic tradition.
If you voted, thank you for fulfilling your honorable duty. If not, I hope you feel more compelled to do so in the future.
So all I have to add to this event is this: I would so much rather be represented by a closer to typical American, not perfectly polished, not a professional political manipulator. The best person for any job is someone who takes in information, makes sound decisions, and tries diligently to do their best at said job. I hope the results of this election can help to get our country on a track to actually be a place where average people can contribute in real ways to our wonderful historic tradition.
If you voted, thank you for fulfilling your honorable duty. If not, I hope you feel more compelled to do so in the future.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Vows & Whispers
Last weekend, I went to the beautiful autumn-themed wedding of a long-time family friend. (What a great opportunity to put one of those dresses in the back of my closet, with tags still on them to use!) I was there on behalf of the bride. Her oldest brother was one of my best friends in high school and his sister became a little sister to me. These people have been in my life for about 15 years.
This bride is very blessed. She comes from an absolutely fabulous family. I remember hanging out at their house as much as possible, just drinking in the acceptance and love that this family offered to everyone that came through their door. This family is not what you would expect from their outside image. Their stats don't speak for who they really are.
Upon meeting these people, the first thing you notice is that there are more of them than in an average size family. There are eight children, making them a family of ten. The next obvious thing about them is that the father in the family is a pastor of a church. These two aspects alone make most people jump to certain stereotypical conclusions. These people do not fit the mold for a typical church family.
Over the countless hours I've spent with this family, I learned many surprising things. I found out that the mother is seriously funny. She is a spitfire. She loves beer and pizza, especially while playing Rummy. She puts her family first, but never loses herself. She blew off her college graduation ceremony to run off and get married because she felt that it wouldn't be right to wear white for the ceremony if she waited much longer! It turns out that this family ended up with eight kids, not by design but, because they had some serious birth control failures which they have joked about on occasion. Each of these eight kids was given the mental and physical room they needed to become exactly who they were meant to be, not a carbon copy of one another or a part of a generic brood.
While they are not a perfect family, their kids are loved and have always felt safe to say or ask anything. I have spent some of my best times as an honorary extra family member for road trips and other events. It's a marvel to see any family that runs well and really cool for it to be one of this size. This family knows how to make you feel truly accepted and it's fun to watch peoples faces when you file into a restaurant or campground as a family of 16, our 'mother' proudly claiming all of us. I've recently found a blog that reminds me a bit of my family friends over at Table For Nine.
During the wedding celebration of my 'little sister', I noticed a few very striking things. The first thing: Having her father be the one to marry her to her new husband was so awesome. It really changed the dynamics of the ceremony for me. This is the oldest daughter and first to be married. You could just feel the bond of a father laying out his love for his daughter and entrusting her dreams to the man she marries. It was as if a torch of respect was being passed between them, for this woman that they both love so much.
The second thing: This one was sad. There were whispered rude remarks about the man that this woman was marrying. He is somewhat older than the bride. He has a fourteen year old son who served as best man during the ceremony and gave a funny heartfelt toast that involved a mad lib treatment. Not sure whether the new husband has been married before or not. I didn't ask about any of these things because it doesn't matter. I had spoken with the bride several weeks before the wedding about how she was feeling during the preparations. We had a great conversation. Although I don't personally know her new husband, I trust her judgement and the family that she comes from. Her family was obviously very happy for her. That's all that should matter to anyone.
The last thing I noticed: the new husband seemed a bit shy and somewhat overwhelmed. He reminded me of my own husband in some ways. They are both men who are quiet when you first meet them. But I'm sure that like my husband, there's a lot more to him once you get to know him. I made a point to go over and talk to him when he was alone. I said, "You did the same thing my husband did. You married the life of the party." He replied in a satisfied tone, "Yes, I did." We both laughed at that and then quietly watched his new wife work the room for a while. I left him with this, "You're going to have a great life."
I'm going to ask them over for dinner in the next couple of weeks. I want to make a point of getting to know my new 'brother-in-law'. He is lucky to be a part of a wonderful family and I want to help welcome him in. I know a good thing when I see it.
This bride is very blessed. She comes from an absolutely fabulous family. I remember hanging out at their house as much as possible, just drinking in the acceptance and love that this family offered to everyone that came through their door. This family is not what you would expect from their outside image. Their stats don't speak for who they really are.
Upon meeting these people, the first thing you notice is that there are more of them than in an average size family. There are eight children, making them a family of ten. The next obvious thing about them is that the father in the family is a pastor of a church. These two aspects alone make most people jump to certain stereotypical conclusions. These people do not fit the mold for a typical church family.
Over the countless hours I've spent with this family, I learned many surprising things. I found out that the mother is seriously funny. She is a spitfire. She loves beer and pizza, especially while playing Rummy. She puts her family first, but never loses herself. She blew off her college graduation ceremony to run off and get married because she felt that it wouldn't be right to wear white for the ceremony if she waited much longer! It turns out that this family ended up with eight kids, not by design but, because they had some serious birth control failures which they have joked about on occasion. Each of these eight kids was given the mental and physical room they needed to become exactly who they were meant to be, not a carbon copy of one another or a part of a generic brood.
While they are not a perfect family, their kids are loved and have always felt safe to say or ask anything. I have spent some of my best times as an honorary extra family member for road trips and other events. It's a marvel to see any family that runs well and really cool for it to be one of this size. This family knows how to make you feel truly accepted and it's fun to watch peoples faces when you file into a restaurant or campground as a family of 16, our 'mother' proudly claiming all of us. I've recently found a blog that reminds me a bit of my family friends over at Table For Nine.
During the wedding celebration of my 'little sister', I noticed a few very striking things. The first thing: Having her father be the one to marry her to her new husband was so awesome. It really changed the dynamics of the ceremony for me. This is the oldest daughter and first to be married. You could just feel the bond of a father laying out his love for his daughter and entrusting her dreams to the man she marries. It was as if a torch of respect was being passed between them, for this woman that they both love so much.
The second thing: This one was sad. There were whispered rude remarks about the man that this woman was marrying. He is somewhat older than the bride. He has a fourteen year old son who served as best man during the ceremony and gave a funny heartfelt toast that involved a mad lib treatment. Not sure whether the new husband has been married before or not. I didn't ask about any of these things because it doesn't matter. I had spoken with the bride several weeks before the wedding about how she was feeling during the preparations. We had a great conversation. Although I don't personally know her new husband, I trust her judgement and the family that she comes from. Her family was obviously very happy for her. That's all that should matter to anyone.
The last thing I noticed: the new husband seemed a bit shy and somewhat overwhelmed. He reminded me of my own husband in some ways. They are both men who are quiet when you first meet them. But I'm sure that like my husband, there's a lot more to him once you get to know him. I made a point to go over and talk to him when he was alone. I said, "You did the same thing my husband did. You married the life of the party." He replied in a satisfied tone, "Yes, I did." We both laughed at that and then quietly watched his new wife work the room for a while. I left him with this, "You're going to have a great life."
I'm going to ask them over for dinner in the next couple of weeks. I want to make a point of getting to know my new 'brother-in-law'. He is lucky to be a part of a wonderful family and I want to help welcome him in. I know a good thing when I see it.
Monday, October 18, 2010
In Appreciation Of An Attorney
True enough, attorneys often get a well deserved bum rap. But today I am thankful for one particular attorney who has taken interest in the life of my beloved nephew, Nathan. Without his pro bono work, my nephew's life would not be headed in a positive direction. Honestly, there might not be much hope for him at all.
As I have mentioned before, I am not a mother. So, from the very moment that Nathan was born, my nephew has been the embodiment of love in its' rawest form for me. That love that you never knew you were capable of- instant and endless. This had made the fact that he has to endure an upbringing that is so heart wrenchingly close to my own all the more difficult to watch. My heart just aches for him. Over the years I have been known to meddle too much in my effort to save him from the pain. Only recently I have had the peace of knowing that I have done everything and more that any reasonable person would do. As I have made the calls, written the letters, and fought the system in general I have never had the privilege of working with someone who actually gets what is going on as much as the attorney who has begun recently working on behalf of my nephew. There is now someone else in the world who seems to be in Nathan's corner as well. I believe he forgives me for for my initial mistrust and knows that my heart means well. I thank this man most for the fact that I can begin to release some of the heavy weight of responsibility to save Nathan that I have felt for so long, instead of bearing it all alone.
This is the 'thank you' that I sent to Nathan's attorney today:
I am so thankful for those that step up and do what they don't have to do, just because they want to. Because it's the right thing to do, not because somebody made them do it. These are the people that make a real difference in this world.
As I have mentioned before, I am not a mother. So, from the very moment that Nathan was born, my nephew has been the embodiment of love in its' rawest form for me. That love that you never knew you were capable of- instant and endless. This had made the fact that he has to endure an upbringing that is so heart wrenchingly close to my own all the more difficult to watch. My heart just aches for him. Over the years I have been known to meddle too much in my effort to save him from the pain. Only recently I have had the peace of knowing that I have done everything and more that any reasonable person would do. As I have made the calls, written the letters, and fought the system in general I have never had the privilege of working with someone who actually gets what is going on as much as the attorney who has begun recently working on behalf of my nephew. There is now someone else in the world who seems to be in Nathan's corner as well. I believe he forgives me for for my initial mistrust and knows that my heart means well. I thank this man most for the fact that I can begin to release some of the heavy weight of responsibility to save Nathan that I have felt for so long, instead of bearing it all alone.
This is the 'thank you' that I sent to Nathan's attorney today:
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