#5 - My husband, My love - Paul

Paul - I truly hope you know how much I love you, and how very thankful I am for you!

You are an amazing husband and best friend!  I cannot imagine a better partner to share my life with.  You are patient and kind.  You are loving.  You support me and lift me up.  And, you hold me and are my shoulder to cry on.  You have an amazing ability to be both strong and sensitive at the same time.  And, you challenge me when I need to be challenged.

I was rereading this passage this week and thought about our marriage:

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (GNB):
Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope and patience never fail.

Thank you for putting into action what these words mean!  I love you!

I love your sense of humor!  You are such a jokester and can make even the worst situations more bearable and give me something to smile about.  And, I laugh when you "get people" with your jokes.  Seriously, haven't people realized that 85% of what you say isn't true?!?!? :)

And, you are an AMAZING father!  Our children are so very blessed to have you as their dad - their role model.  When people comment on how great our kids are, I give you ALL the credit!  You have found a way to raise respectful children who still like to have fun.

While we may not always agree, I am so very thankful that you are my partner.  You are in this with me.  And, regardless of the situation, I always know you want the best for me (and I hope you know I always want the best for you!).

There are so many other reasons why I am so very thankful for you!  Please know that I thank God each and every day that I have the honor to spend the rest of my life with you!  I love you and I am so very thankful for you!

#4 - My sister, Kim

Kim - I hope you know that I am very thankful that you are my sister!

I can list many reasons why I am thankful for you. Being the second born, you helped Mom & Dad to realize each child needs something different.  So, when I came along, it was easier for them (and for me).  You also made it easier because you treated me like your "baby" when we were younger. You always looked out for me.  Your love & support (and late night phone calls) continued through college & beyond.  And, your friendship as we have gotten older. 

While all of those are amazing things, one special thing I have learned from you is your selfless generosity.  The moment you hear anyone is in need, you are willing to drop everything to help that person - regardless of the personal cost. 

You give your time, you spend your money, you cook/bake the best food/cookies (yummy!), you open your home, you sacrifice yourself (and your sleep) - to help those in need. 

So many people in this world are focused on "What's in it for Me?".  Why should they give of their time, money, gifts to help others?  What do they get from it?  And, what else would they have to sacrifice?  Not you!  You focus on what you can do to help others - regardless of the cost and recognition.

Kim - I hope you know I love you and am truly thankful that you are my sister!

#3 - My Sister, Tammy

Tammy – I hope you know how blessed I am to have you as my sister!   

I can list many reasons why it was so wonderful having you as my oldest sister.  You were a great student.  You were very involved in other activities and found a way to balance it all.  You were the first in our family to go to college.  You had an internship that turned into a full-time position before you even graduated.  You were the first to get married, the first to have a child (and then another). 

Many younger siblings can say that about the oldest sibling in their family – the oldest one did everything first. 

Here is my favorite first – your relationship with Christ & sharing that with me.

You started on this journey first.  You showed me the true relationship Christ wants with each of us, individually.  You showed me what it meant to love Christ with all of your heart and to put Him first, always.  You helped me onto the path, you helped me realize when I have fallen of the path and when I jumped off the path, and you helped me get right back on again. 

My faith is my North Star.  It is what guides me and what keeps me grounded, focused, humble, & grateful.  And, most importantly, my relationship with Christ helps me to prayerfully make better decisions – at home, with friends, with volunteer opportunities, at work, etc.  I am a better daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend & colleague.   

Tammy – I am so very thankful you helped me to see how AMAZING a true relationship with Christ is!  I love you and I am so very grateful for you!

#2 - My Dad

Dad – I hope you know that I am so very thankful for you!  And, in writing this, I realize I don’t tell you this often enough.  For that, I am sorry!

When I was younger, you always pushed us to strive for our best.  Good wasn't good enough - not if we could do better.  And, while I didn't appreciate it then, I can see how much that has benefited me as an adult - and how much it is appreciated. 

I am also so very thankful that you allowed me to watch you build & fix things.  Whether it was fixing a running toilet or putting together furniture, you always allowed me to be there, to help you and to learn.  That has be so very helpful throughout my life (even tonight as we finished putting Sarah's bedroom set together).  Now, if you would just teach me how to fix a doorbell (don't worry - it still works :))!

You taught me how to stand up for myself and not let others bring me down.  You taught me to be confident and courageous - especially during the times when it can be a little scary. 

You taught me the importance of working hard and not just doing the job, but doing it right.  Why do it at all if someone is going to need to do it over???

And, both you & Mom taught me that, no matter what - you always love us, you are always proud of us, and we always have a place at home.

Dad, I hope you know how very thankful I am to have you as a dad!  I love you very much!

#1 - My Mom

Today is my birthday.  And, what better day could there be to share my thanks for my mom than on the day that she gave me birth!?!?!

Mom – I hope you know that I am so very thankful for you!  I always knew that you loved me, but it wasn’t until I had children of my own that I fully grasped the depths of your love.  Thank you doesn't seem to be enough to share how much I truly appreciate your constant, unwavering, never-ending love.  Even today, I know you feel that same way.  Truly, Thank You!

I also hope you know that I would not be the woman I am today without your love, support and guidance.  You knew you wanted all three of us to go to college, to get a good degree, get a good job, and to be independent women.  You helped to keep us focused on the future – not just what was fun for the moment.   I am certain I didn't always appreciate that when I was younger, but I am forever grateful for that now!

You were there to celebrate our successes and with a hug and great pep-talk when we didn’t achieve our goals.  You shared your pride in us as people.  Your love was not based on what we accomplished but rather the women we are. 

Even when we made poor choices, you were always there!  You let us know you were disappointed in our decisions – and that you still loved us.  That helped us make better decision in the future.

Mom, thank you for being a great mom!  I love you and am very thankful for you!

Month of Thanks!

A couple of years ago, each day I chose one person / group of people that I am thankful for and shared that thanks on Facebook.  This year, I would love to use this blog to share those thanks!


















Starting tomorrow, I will be giving thanks each day.  Before I start, I want to share "why" I am doing it.  You see, I have so very much to be thankful for! 

We often can get so caught up in this life on climbing the ladder, finding the newest opportunity, striving for excellence.  When doing so, we can lose sight on some very important things:
 - We didn't get there on our own.  Others helped us to learn, grow & develop.
 - Those who helped us deserve recognition & thanks!  Even if they don't want it - they deserve it!
 - No matter what you think about your success thus far (you can think you are amazing or still have tons to learn), there are others out there who would do anything to get where you are, to learn from you
 - It's your turn!  Yes, right now, you have the opportunity to help, share, develop others!  Someone out there thinks you are AMAZING!  Likely, many people believe you are AMAZING!  It's time to "Pay it Forward!"
 - Last, and most importantly, God has given you gifts and placed other people & experiences on your path to help you develop those gifts.  And, I believe He wants us to share those gifts with others.  Here is one of the passages that reinforces that belief:

Romans 12:6-8 (GNB):
So we are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us.  If our gift is to speak God's message, we should do it according to the faith that we have; if it is to serve, we should serve; if it is to teach, we should teach; if it is to encourage others, we should do so.  Whoever shares with others should do it generously; whoever has authority should work hard; whoever shows kindness to others should do it cheerfully.

I look forward to sharing my many thanks with those who have helped me to get to where I am today.  And, while I am very proud of what I have been able to accomplish, I know the best is still yet to come...

He Knows My Name by Francesca Battistelli:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haLkLDfLBok


Father,

I thank You for loving me - even when I was unlovable.  I thank You for forgiving me - especially when what I did was unforgivable.  I thank You for choosing me - even though I should have been the last one chosen (if chosen at all).  And, I know that You had chosen a plan for me, I thank You for still believing in me!

Please allow me to use this blog this month to give thanks to all of those You have brought into my life and helped me to become the person I am today.  And, thank You for all of those still yet to come.

In Jesus' name!
AMEN!

Back to Work

I can hardly believe how quickly those four weeks flew by!  This past Tuesday was my first day back to work post-surgery.  I remember this feeling when coming back to work from maternity leave after each baby.  The first few weeks, I felt completely overwhelmed.  It seemed like so much had changed during my absence – and the task of getting through all of the emails felt impossible!   But then, I got back into the swing of things.  And, within 2-3 weeks, I felt like I was never off.  Since this leave was much shorter (4 weeks vs. 14 weeks), it only took a few days to feel like I was never off (still need a few days to be fully back in the swing of things).

The other difference is – when I came back to work after having a baby, most people knew why I was on leave.  And, if they didn’t know, it was fun to share, show pictures, and brag on our newest little addition to our family. 

This time – it’s AWKWARD (I am hearing my niece’s voice when I right that word J).

Truly, it is much different.  I was only off for four weeks, and work has been hectic, so I don’t know if my absence was truly noticed.  If it was noticed, I am not sure if they know why I was gone.  Here are a couple of examples of “awkward” situations:

-          A former boss called the other day.  I thought he was calling because I was back to work.  He asked “how are you?” so I assumed that he knew.  So I said, “Great!  Pathology was clear – Praise God!  So, I am happy to be back to work and moving forward.”   What followed was…COMPLETE SILENCE!  He didn’t know.  It had been a while since we talked (again, former boss), so it makes complete sense that he wouldn’t know.  So, as you can imagine, the rest of the call was…AWKWARD!
-          After that experience, I decided I wasn’t going to bring it up unless the other person did.  So, I had one phone call and one live meeting with people I haven’t connected with in 6+ months.  They didn’t bring it up, so neither did I.  Now, I am worried that they will find out and wonder why I didn’t tell them – UGH!

Just like my children didn’t come out with “Owner’s Manuals” on how to raise them to be the best God-loving, respectable, kind and independent adults, I didn’t leave the hospital with a “users guide” for talking about this (or not talking about this) with others. 

WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE WRITE THAT PLEASE??  MAKE IT EASIER FOR ALL THOSE WHO WILL FOLLOW?

 With all that in mind, here is what I can offer today:

-          If you know someone who has / has had cancer, let them know that you know.  You can say something like, “I heard about your diagnosis.  Please know you are in my thoughts / prayers.  I am sure you have talked about it a lot, so I am happy to talk about that or other topics.  Just know I am here.” 
-          If you have a conversation with someone who has / has had cancer and you didn’t know – PLEASE DON’T BE OFFENDED!  It is a hard topic to bring up – believe me, it doesn’t just “come up” in conversations.  And, there usually isn’t a good time to share it.
-          If you know someone who has / has had cancer and you didn’t reach out – IN MY OPINION, there is no need to apologize!  At least for me, I know that you care.  I am thankful for the kind thoughts or prayers.  And, our friendship is not based on how much we have connected during this process.  I love you just as much today as I did before this whole ordeal.  At least for me, no apology needed J!
 

Father,

     I thank You for all of Your blessings through this journey.  You ensured we found the cancer early, You ensured we had the right doctors & treatments, You ensured we had the best family & friends for support, and You cured me! 
     Please help me to find the words to share this experience in a way that glorifies You.  I pray that You allow me the honor to use this testimony to help bring others into Your kingdom. 

In Jesus’ name,
AMEN!