It's National Spouse Day

A day dedicated to remembering our other half - to make time for that person that we have chosen to share our life with. It isn't necessarily just married people, it's a day for ANY two people who have chosen commitment to each other to celebrate. And I am blessed with a great man.

Is he perfect? Oh but no. Far from it. But he is a wonderful man that I am loving getting old with. We fight like cats and dogs from time to time, but we always make up. We always let the other one know that they matter.

Dennis and I met on April 24, 1982. A life time ago. We had our first date four days later and I moved in with him on January 15, 1983. I'm his third wife so he was in no hurry to marry, but we did. On May 12, 1984 we made it legal. Hard to believe we've been together more than 35 years! And we've had some hard times - and some amazing times. But we've always held on to each other through it all.

He is a proud grandpa of six grandkids - and has enjoyed being a dad to two amazing daughters and a son.

I've discovered that romance comes and goes - and the older we get it's more the latter. But he is always my best friend and confidant. He has a wonderful sense of humor and makes me laugh.

No one knows who came up with a national spouse day - but I'm glad they did. Mine is worth celebrating.

Working Hard for the Money

Here I am, right around the corner from 62.  If I had planned better, I could be looking at retirement now. But I didn't. So, late in the game, I'm making my plans.

If I work until I'm 65 I qualify for medicare. That's important because medical insurance as an individual is expensive! And if I work for three more years the difference in the amount I'll get from my work retirement and social security is pretty significant. So here I am. Trying to get ready.

I thought, how can I have another source of income while I'm still healthy? That's when I came up with the idea to train others in the field I've been in for over 35 years. So that's what I've been doing.

In the state of Oregon, you need to be certified to offer training to child care professionals that qualifies as continuing education. And that requires some work. Last year I became a certified Community Trainer. I can make up certificates and people can get credit for CE hours, but only for the very basics. To become a certified Master Trainer, you must have at least 60 hours of training to apply. And I finally did it!

I've been developing workshops and doing training for free to get those hours. As of last night, I have almost 70 hours! It's pretty exciting to have achieved this.

And through it all, I discovered something I never thought I'd do and that I really love doing. Every group is different and every group teaches me something - either from what they share or from what I observe that can make me a better trainer.

I look forward to building my new business - Early Learning Tools NW - and doing something in my retirement that I really love! Check out the blog and tell me what you think! I'd love to hear your opinion.

Fresh New Year of Adventure

So many people write resolutions on New Year's Day. Lofty plans to loose 50 pounds or read a book a week - and by the middle of February they have just about all gone by the way-side. At least that's what my experience is trying to have resolutions. One year I decided to "set goals". Trust me, that's just a New Year's Resolution with a different name!

Then, back in 2012, my friend Terri announced what her "word" for the year was going to be. I asked her what that meant? She chooses a word each year and that is her focus in the days to come. She reflects on that word and how it plays into her life.  Hmmm....

My Precious Family - Merry Christmas

Amy Grant sings a wonderful song titled Heirlooms.  The lyrics of the first verse go like this:    

                 

                                               Up in the Attic

Down on my knees

Life time of boxes

Timeless to me

Letters and photographs

Yellowed with years

Some bringing laughter

Some bringing tears

Time never changes the memories, the faces

Of loved ones that bring to me,

All that I come from

And all that I live for

And all that I'm going to be.

My precious Family

is more than an heirloom

To me.

I used to sing this song in church every Christmas, and every Christmas it touched me deeper. My family has always been a huge part of my life, and, as I get older, I find I treasure them even more.  

Oh, we're not a perfect family, but we are just right.

Roots Day

December 23^rd is “Roots Day”, a day to celebrate heritage. 

My parents are sort of a mixed bag of ancestry. Grandpa on my dad’s side was born in the US to Czechoslovakian immigrants.  

Grandma was born in Yogoslavia and came to the US when she was three years old.  

Dad was the oldest of four kids - 

Mom, on the other hand, has family in the US going back before the Civil War. Trying to trace her history has been an adventure! We know that somewhere in the distant past, there is Irish and English - even a splash of Native American. I never knew my grandparents on that side. I wish I had - but mom was a great lady.

Mom's cousin traces the family history and used to share with us stories and the things he learned.  

So half of me is third generation immigrant and the other half is 100% United States American.  

I wish I knew more about the people in my family tree and maybe someday I will. I am grateful for the family I was born to - I am grateful for the love that we've shared. I treasure my roots and all the branches that stem from them.

Happy Roots Day.

Do They Know it's Christmas Time at All?

I was driving home from work last night, listening to Christmas music and envisioning the upcoming day with my treasured family.   Then the song, "Do They Know it's Christmas?" came on.  I've heard it before, many times, but I've never really heard it, until now - and it made me feel small.

Back in 1984, a group of musicians got together and formed a "super group" to raise money for the famine that was happening in Ethiopia.  The song that came out of this effort was "Do They Know it's Christmas?" -

As I said, I've heard this song many times.  My thoughts have been, how wonderful of these bands to help people.  But it's never really driven my heart before.  But as I listened I thought about our society and the hustle and bustle and needless over spending to celebrate this season we call Christmas Time.  I thought about my own attitude and my own heart position.  It was an eye opener!

Post Thanksgiving Reflections

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone.  I was busy the whole week preparing so that on the day I could enjoy my family.  And that's what the holiday is all about.  Family.

I think back to Thanksgiving as a kid.  My dad had a pretty large family - two sisters and a brother and their spouses and children...  And we all gathered together for laughter and love.  We would go to grandma's house early on.

Sometimes it would be at our house with my mom's brother's house and we shared the day with his family.