Today is my parents anniversary...58th!
It is a bittersweet day this year. The first that my mother isn't here to share it with my father. The first day in 58 years that my dad woke up on this day without my mom by his side.
My heart is heavy. My heart is full. I cried in the Hallmark store looking for a card. I thought it important to send one to my dad but it's very hard to find one that doesn't mention "all the rest of your lives together". Finally found one that celebrated their incredible love and didn't remind you (in the text) that there would be more time for them to be together.
So, today, love the one you're with. Love the ones that you share your life with. Love yourself and make the love you have in your heart meaningful to those around you.
Love lasts. My parents love was/is the strongest love I've ever seen. I thank them for sharing it with me.
Love....
Showing posts with label moms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label moms. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
National Garden Month!
April is National Garden Month! I love gardening. To me, it truly keeps me sane, calms when I'm stressed and I can never get enough of it. I'm not a great gardener - pretty good, but not and expert by any stretch. I learned my gardening skills from my mother:) It all started when I was younger, but trust me, it wasn't my choice to spend all that time pulling weeds. It was punishment for fighting with my brother or her solution to my saying "I'm bored" one too many times!
But from that, I'm happy to say that I learned a lot. I learned that weeds always come back, so unless I wanted to keep pulling them, my brother and I tried to fight less and we better not ever say we had nothing to do in the summer. My mother taught me that gardening should be a joy, not a chore - and not to take yourself too seriously. She taught me that a garden was more than flowers, it was an ever changing work in progress. If you planted something here and it came up over there, you could either accept it or move it, but don't expect it to stay there forever...maybe it was smarter than you and would grow better where it was!
My favorite advice was her theory on planting. When we moved into our home, I had a clean slate, a huge empty yard to plant in. Where would I put this, where would I plant that? Mom stood in front of my home and said, just put them in and let them grow. I can hear her say "just dig a hole and put it in the dirt". Easy enough. Then there is always the "dig it up and throw it over there" method. Trust me, it works!
It's just getting warm enough here in the northeast for my gardens to start coming alive. This year, that will take on a whole new meaning for me, as my mom passed away in March. She was my gardening inspiration. Most of the perennials in my gardens came all the way from her gardens in WV. The biggest emotional hurdle for me will be when my wysteria blooms. It was started from a seed from the wysteria at my parents home! It bloomed in 3 years when "statistically" wysteria takes at least 7 years to bloom.
We always talked about what was blooming, her plants always before mine. We'd share pictures of flowers and of course, our wysteria's. I'll miss those conversations dearly.
I guess it's fitting that April is Gardening Month - my mother's birthday is April 8th. The beginning of a month that takes us from the cold of winter to the beauty of spring.
Gardening is a 12 months a year hobby though! I created a set of calendars to help both novice and experienced gardeners stay on top of their gardening. Click here to see my entire "gardening" collection.
So, take some time to plant something; vegies, flowers, trees. Teach your kids the joy of gardening - and make them pull weeds every now and then, it builds character! Click here for Gardening with Kids tips.
If you just can't wait til your flowers bloom or want a garden of flowers all year long, order the Comfy Cozy "Magic Garden" glow in the dark Pillowcase. Order one for your mom or granma...trust me, she'll love it!
Click on this link (http://www.quamada.com/months.html) to check out the complete list of "months".
But from that, I'm happy to say that I learned a lot. I learned that weeds always come back, so unless I wanted to keep pulling them, my brother and I tried to fight less and we better not ever say we had nothing to do in the summer. My mother taught me that gardening should be a joy, not a chore - and not to take yourself too seriously. She taught me that a garden was more than flowers, it was an ever changing work in progress. If you planted something here and it came up over there, you could either accept it or move it, but don't expect it to stay there forever...maybe it was smarter than you and would grow better where it was!
My favorite advice was her theory on planting. When we moved into our home, I had a clean slate, a huge empty yard to plant in. Where would I put this, where would I plant that? Mom stood in front of my home and said, just put them in and let them grow. I can hear her say "just dig a hole and put it in the dirt". Easy enough. Then there is always the "dig it up and throw it over there" method. Trust me, it works!
It's just getting warm enough here in the northeast for my gardens to start coming alive. This year, that will take on a whole new meaning for me, as my mom passed away in March. She was my gardening inspiration. Most of the perennials in my gardens came all the way from her gardens in WV. The biggest emotional hurdle for me will be when my wysteria blooms. It was started from a seed from the wysteria at my parents home! It bloomed in 3 years when "statistically" wysteria takes at least 7 years to bloom.
We always talked about what was blooming, her plants always before mine. We'd share pictures of flowers and of course, our wysteria's. I'll miss those conversations dearly.
I guess it's fitting that April is Gardening Month - my mother's birthday is April 8th. The beginning of a month that takes us from the cold of winter to the beauty of spring.
Gardening is a 12 months a year hobby though! I created a set of calendars to help both novice and experienced gardeners stay on top of their gardening. Click here to see my entire "gardening" collection.
So, take some time to plant something; vegies, flowers, trees. Teach your kids the joy of gardening - and make them pull weeds every now and then, it builds character! Click here for Gardening with Kids tips.
If you just can't wait til your flowers bloom or want a garden of flowers all year long, order the Comfy Cozy "Magic Garden" glow in the dark Pillowcase. Order one for your mom or granma...trust me, she'll love it!
Happy National Garden Month!
Click on this link (http://www.quamada.com/months.html) to check out the complete list of "months".
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Quotable Women
My eldest sister gifted a subscription to More magazine to me for no reason last year. More magazine caters to women over 40. I am 38. Hmmm.
I do admit to finding value in the magazine. This current issue was especially poignant. I'd like to share with you three quotes from the magazine that hit me in the oomph spot.
"'We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already.' - J.K. Rowling, 43 in her commencement address at Harvard." (p. 27)
On living in Afghanistan, Jean MacKenzie says:
"If you cannot tell the difference between a sexual come-on and a death threat, then, in the words of one of our great political thinkers, you are in deep doo-doo." (p. 88)
And every corporation in America should take a lead from the following job negotiation between the University of Chicago Medical Center and breast-feeding-mom Michelle Obama:
"...she went to the interview with two-month-old Sasha in her arms. "I had on a breast-feeding top. I strolled in: 'Hi! This is me! New Baby!...'" She launched into her deal breaking list of demands: high salary, decent budget, an absolute right to structure her own hours."
Guess what? They gave her everything she asked for and she built a "whole new arm of the hospital." (p. 214) Don't let anything prevent you from breastfeeding your baby!
Check out www.more.com if you'd like to learn "more" about this magazine.
I do admit to finding value in the magazine. This current issue was especially poignant. I'd like to share with you three quotes from the magazine that hit me in the oomph spot.
"'We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already.' - J.K. Rowling, 43 in her commencement address at Harvard." (p. 27)
On living in Afghanistan, Jean MacKenzie says:
"If you cannot tell the difference between a sexual come-on and a death threat, then, in the words of one of our great political thinkers, you are in deep doo-doo." (p. 88)
And every corporation in America should take a lead from the following job negotiation between the University of Chicago Medical Center and breast-feeding-mom Michelle Obama:
"...she went to the interview with two-month-old Sasha in her arms. "I had on a breast-feeding top. I strolled in: 'Hi! This is me! New Baby!...'" She launched into her deal breaking list of demands: high salary, decent budget, an absolute right to structure her own hours."
Guess what? They gave her everything she asked for and she built a "whole new arm of the hospital." (p. 214) Don't let anything prevent you from breastfeeding your baby!
Check out www.more.com if you'd like to learn "more" about this magazine.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Lessons from my mother
My mother is a saint - or she should be granted sainthood! My father & mother have more patience than anyone I've ever known - they needed it! Life wasn't perfect, we were your typical average "middle class" American family in the 60's & 70's.
I've tried to become my mom on occasion - yes, I don't think "being like your mother" is an insult! Since I had my children she has tried and tried and tried to teach me certain ideas and ways to be a mom.
The other day I asked her advice. Told her she could deny my request OR be honest with me and I wouldn't be offended by anything she said. After years of suggesting things to me, she said "yes"! Sometimes our conversations are going over the same struggles of being a mother - she says I'm too hard on myself and still talk to my boys too much. This time, she said a few things she had never said before - how can that be? Not only that, what she said hit me like a ton of bricks - I could ACTUALLY follow this advice...at least I think I can LOL It was a light bulb moment.
The lessons I've learned from my mom have helped me get thru some rough days of motherhood. How blessed I am to have her and my father in my life. I don't take a moment
of them for granted. I thank God for all the lessons they have taught me, even the ones that took YEARS to make sense.
They helped me when my business was struggling and I thought I'd have to give it up. Our boys were young and I was more of a mom than a business owner. They loaned me money and support. But didn't hesitate to say "Peggy, it's time to either make this company work or let it go". That was an important one.
I hope I can teach a few lessons to my boys that will stick with them and make them better people and great fathers.
I've tried to become my mom on occasion - yes, I don't think "being like your mother" is an insult! Since I had my children she has tried and tried and tried to teach me certain ideas and ways to be a mom.
The other day I asked her advice. Told her she could deny my request OR be honest with me and I wouldn't be offended by anything she said. After years of suggesting things to me, she said "yes"! Sometimes our conversations are going over the same struggles of being a mother - she says I'm too hard on myself and still talk to my boys too much. This time, she said a few things she had never said before - how can that be? Not only that, what she said hit me like a ton of bricks - I could ACTUALLY follow this advice...at least I think I can LOL It was a light bulb moment.
The lessons I've learned from my mom have helped me get thru some rough days of motherhood. How blessed I am to have her and my father in my life. I don't take a moment
of them for granted. I thank God for all the lessons they have taught me, even the ones that took YEARS to make sense.
They helped me when my business was struggling and I thought I'd have to give it up. Our boys were young and I was more of a mom than a business owner. They loaned me money and support. But didn't hesitate to say "Peggy, it's time to either make this company work or let it go". That was an important one.
I hope I can teach a few lessons to my boys that will stick with them and make them better people and great fathers.
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