Boo Who

Well, it's October 29th, just a few days until Halloween and than, November! As I'd hoped during last month's health scare crisis with my Dad and the simultaneous unpacking of my parents' new home - I managed to survive September!

Just when I expected October to be a month of boring, one of my parents' new neighbors hit my car while parked in front of their house. (sigh) So, I'll spend my last week of the month in a rental car while waiting for the bodyshop to finish repairs on my car!

No big plans for this Halloween - but after the frights I survived in September, I'm thinking an early night with no more scares sounds like a dream!

Hope you all enjoy a safe and happy weekend!

Sprinting into Fall...

It's been such a long time since my last posting and so much has happened.

In August, I celebrated my golden birthday. My sisters all flew in to celebrate with me and we spent a glorious weekend at the Phoenician's fabulous pool and talked and laughed and truly had time to appreciate each other for the first time I can ever remember.

Which leads me to my next comment: Sisters are wonderful!

A mere 2 weeks later, my parents arrived by plane on my Dad's 76th birthday. After 6 years of annual visits to take a break from Vermont winters, my folks finally placed their home on the market and made the move to sunny Arizona. While Dad was not feeling his best, we managed to celebrate his birthday and start their househunting that very weekend. After seeing 3 homes, they put an offer in on the 2nd house they toured, which was accepted on Labor Day. The following week, my Dad was admitted to the hospital. Thanks to Vickie, my amazing friend and super-realtor, my folks became homeowners during my Dad's hospitalization and after a few very tense and tearful days, we we were able to bring Dad directly to their new home. The new house is starting to look and feel like home. Dad is getting better with every new day. And I am enjoying dinners on the patio with my parents and watching them settling into life as Arizona residents.

Thanks to my wonderful family and friends, who have helped me survive the whirlwind month of September. I couldn't have done it with out you.

I've enjoyed a fairly mundane (dare I say boring) October so far.

Let's see what November has in store...

I've Got You, B!

It's hard to believe, but today my friend Bertha turns 50.

What makes this so incredible? Bertha is a mere 13 days older than me - something I remind her every chance I get. (why her son believes she's in her late 30's is a question you will have to ask her.)

We met in 1979 - just 19 and emerging from the protective cocoons of our childhood. I was living away from home for the first time in my life while attending college in New York. We bonded instantly as sisters and have remained that way ever since. Bertha and her entire family welcomed me into their lives with open arms and a fair amount of teasing, which I've come to learn is their way of showing love and acceptance. Along the way, I've acquired an affinity for cuban food, a second set of parents (who are not afraid of exercising their parental rights, sometimes more than my natural set) and the gift of a second language, thanks in great part to the spanish-speaking branch of my family.

Bertha and I have weathered through a lifetime of experiences - graduations, weddings, births, deaths, the occasional emergency room visit and countless family dinners. We've laughed together, cried together, argued and made up, and kept each others' secrets. And we've celebrated every birthday landmark together as well.

In our 20's, we shared our hopes, dreams, first loves and first heartbreaks. In our 30's, we journeyed into adulthood, celebrated our expanding families, discovered first grey hairs and bemoaned our expanding wastelines. Our 40's brought about lots of change, including cross country moves to the great Southwest, where we continue to share more reasons to laugh, cry and celebrate. We've traveled through each decade together, sharing the common bonds of age and experience.

As we reach our Golden Birthday celebration, I think back on those two naive girls full of promise. I reflect on the amazing woman we've become. On the inside, we are still those two 19 years old girls today. Still dreaming, still aspiring to be the best that we can be, both wishing for another 50 years or more to enjoy this life we've been so fortunate to share.

Happy Birthday, Bertha

My Sister

My Friend

Never stop dreaming...

Happy Birthday, Terra!

For Terra

(cue the music...)

da-da da-da da-da

"They say it's your birthday! It's my birthday too, yeah.

They say it's your birthday. We're gonna have a good time..."

I remember turning 30, and 40 and well, I'm not touching upon the next

landmark birthday looming before me...

On this very special day in your life, I search for the right words.

But what pearls of wisdom do I have to offer, if any?

Birthdays seem to be anniversaries for introspection and self-evaluation.

Birthday landmarks are a time to for the people in your life to remind you that

you are worth celebrating!

So, on this anniversary of your 30 years

I wish you:

a feeling of joy with every sunrise

a sense of well-being at every sunset

plenty of play time

a home large enough to hold your personal library of books

lots of wishes come true

endless moments of wonder

very few tears

a reason to smile at least once a day

a heart full of love

and

a lifetime of memories to cherish with every passing year.

Happy Birthday Terra,

with love.

Free Books for Soldiers!

I recently adopted a soldier who is stationed in Afghanistan. I adopted my soldier, after hearing about the Adopt a US Soldier Organization (http://www.adoptaussoldier.org/) from a co-worker, who has already adopted 2 soldiers! A friend of mine, who reads my blog, read my story about adopting Dylan, and has adopted a US Soldier, too! It's amazing how just word of mouth can achieve wonderful things.


Today, I learned from my neighbor, a local bookstore in Phoenix, Dog Eared Pages Used Books, is boxing up used books and sending them to soldiers stationed abroad! All they need is a name & address of a soldier and they'll take care of the rest. Or, if you're interested, you can make a donation to help their cause.

Check out their website: http://www.dogearedpagesusedbooks.com/?page=shop/disp&pid=page_event&CLSN_2929=127808875029293b431247e1a83a2ebb

I come from a family of readers and know what joy a good book can bring. It makes great sense to send books for those soldiers in stationed abroad who can't just pop into a local bookstore to pick up a great read. I plan on giving them the name & address for my adopted US Soldier! If you know of anyone who might be interested in sending books to a soldier serving this country, please pass this link along!



So, now it passes from me to you.... I hope you'll pass it along.

Adopt a US Soldier

Last week at work, a coworker mentioned she'd adopted a US soldier and was preparing to send her a care package. It sounded like such a do good, feel good thing and since I already love sending long-winded emails to family and friends - I figured it would be something I'd be good at! I applied to adopt a US Soldier of my own that very afternoon. Three days later, I received an email from the organization with the name and contact email for my adopted soldier, Dylan.

A week later, I've already corresponded back and forth a few times with Dylan - a 19 year old young man who is currently stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan. I enjoy hearing from him as much as I enjoy writing. His birthday is coming up soon, and I plan on sending him a little surprise package filled with things he likes. It makes me smile just thinking about it.

I'm not going to share too much about Dylan here out of respect for his privacy. After all, he may not want to be included in my not so private blog. But, if you think you'd like to do something good for a soldier serving our country and have a few minutes to spare out of your day something nice for someone you don't know, just because you can, I've got the website for you: www.adoptaussoldier.org

And who knows, the positive difference in someone's life may very well be your own.

The E-Woman Network.......pass it on

Passing on a link and some information about the ewomennetwork.com local chapter here in Arizona. Great group for getting more exposure for your company - and a great forum to meet other professional women like YOU!

http://www.ewomennetwork.com/chapterHomePage/chapterNews.php?chapterCode=AZ101

They're looking for sponsors for an upcoming event in August. See attached flyer for more.