Thoughts of the Day
My life has qualified me as "experienced" on such topics as Army life, parenting, mental health, loss and grief, multi-tasking, and adapting to all things new (good, bad, or indifferent). I will share my thoughts on these topics and hopefully you will find some calm in the chaos knowing that others have been where you are.
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Welcome to the Quinquagenarian Club & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up On the Edge #707
Yesterday, May 30, 2024, at 7:47 a.m. EST, I became an official member of the Quinquagenarian Club. Although I am an official member, there isn’t really an official club for quinquagenarians. Unless you count the AARP. I guess they are actually an official club for people aged 50 and older. But I am not an official member of that club. They do keep inviting me though. Maybe I should consider their invitation. I celebrated my 50th birthday yesterday quietly at home with Jeff and the boys. There was no fanfare because I am not a big fan of fanfare. Ha. Being the center of attention makes me incredibly uncomfortable. I…
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Gifts with Meaning: Thoughtful Presents for the Special Young Girl in Your Life
Finding the perfect present for a young girl can be a delightful yet daunting task. Whether she’s your daughter, niece, or a close family friend, the ideal gift is one that not only brings a smile to her face but also adds value to her life. This effort to choose mindfully goes beyond the fleeting excitement of unwrapping a present to cultivating cherished memories and perhaps even contributing to her growth and development. Below, we explore several creative gift ideas that weave meaning and thoughtfulness into every fiber, ensuring that the gift you give resonates deeply with the special young girl in your life. Personalized Gifts: A Touch of Uniqueness…
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And Just Like That…We Have a Teenager!
Today, we celebrate 13 years with this crazy kid! He is living proof that we are not failing as parents. He is kind and compassionate, sarcastic and silly, intelligent and well spoken. He is wise beyond his years and has a fantastic sense of humor. He is polite and well-mannered (most of the time) and he teaches me something new every day. I am proud to be his mama and honored to call him my son. Happy Birthday, sweet Archer James (a.k.a. Archman, Frogman, Butterscotch Pudding, Big, The Big One, The Elder, Archie)! Celebrating on the edge, Shelbee Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.
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Welcome 2024: The Year of Badassery
Happy New Year, y’all! As we flip our calendar pages from December 2023 to January 2024, it often signals us to reflect on the blessings and frustrations of the past year while planning our approach to the new year to make it even better. That is one of the primary goals of human life, isn’t it? To always seek ways for self improvement. Because improving ourselves really is the best way to improve the world around us. I have never been one to set so-called New Year’s resolutions. They don’t work. They have never worked. For me, at least. Maybe they work for you. And if they do, then you…
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Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season’s Greetings, and Blessed New Year!
This is a Facebook post that I published last week and it seems like the perfect thing to share on Christmas Day… “As we are in the midst of the holiday season, both secular and non-secular, I notice an increase in religious judgments on social media. So I’m just going to put this gentle reminder here today…less than 1/3 of the world’s population identifies as Christian which means more than 2/3 of the people in the world are not Christian. No one religion is the right one for everyone. Please respect that and may all of your days be blessed. Happy holidays to one and all no matter how or…
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9 on the 10th: December 2023-Holiday Would You Rathers
It’s time for Marsha in the Middle‘s 10 on the 10th series. For December, Marsha has returned to her super fun Would You Rather format to present us with 10 questions about the December holiday season. Except she only posed 9 questions, so this month’s post is 9 on the 10th instead! You can see the other silly Would You Rather questions with my answers for winter, spring, summer, and fall. After Marsha shares her questions, we are invited to share our answers in blog post form on the 10th of the month. This series is such a wonderful way to share more information about ourselves and to learn interesting new things about others. Anyone is invited to join…
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10 on the 10th: November 2023-10 Favorite Things About Thanksgiving & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up On the Edge #678
It’s time for Marsha in the Middle‘s 10 on the 10th series. For this monthly series, Marsha usually shares 10 questions about a singular topic and invites us to share our answers in blog post form on the 10th of the month. Her questions are such a wonderful way to share more information about ourselves and to learn interesting new things about others. Anyone is invited to join and answer the questions. It is a great way to start new conversations, make meaningful connections with new people, and have a good hearty chuckle every now and then. For November, Marsha decided there would not be 10 individual questions but instead she has asked…
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How to Show Up for Fostered Teens
As a foster carer of teenagers, you will have a lot of unique experiences. It is a highly rewarding role in that you get to make an astounding difference, and though this could be said of any age, it feels a bit more apparent at times with teenagers. Why? Because this is the age where it either all comes together or falls apart, and while this feels like a major responsibility, it is also a great opportunity to make a real difference. If you are a foster parent of teenaged children, here’s how you can show up for your fostered teens. Be consistent. The first thought when fostering teenagers is…
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What in the World is this Wonderfully Weird Weather?
I have never loved summer the way I have loved it this year. Usually I am good and ready for the autumn temperatures to arrive, but right now I am embracing every last drop of summertime that the planet is willing to offer me. We are expecting a high today of 83˚F (28.3˚C) which is extraordinary for where I live. Last year at this time, Becca and A.J. visited from North Carolina and this is how we were dressed. It was cold, y’all. I can’t remember the exact temperature, but I’ pretty sure it was in the 50’s. I guess fall is just coming a little late this year because…
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An End of Summer Epiphany: My Walls, My Door, My Rules
Last weekend, I had a most wonderful lunch date with a fascinating new friend. We dined al fresco on the bay and it was a lovely time filled with great conversation and delicious food on a beautiful late summer afternoon. We shared all sorts of stories and personal experiences while we dined, happy and sad and all the in-betweens. Nothing in our conversation led immediately to this life changing epiphany, but I have found that when you engage in deep and meaningful conversations with new people who have new perspectives, it can sometimes unlock ideas and concepts inside your own brain that you maybe didn’t have access to before. As…
