So it's been a while since I have posted anything on here. It's been a crazy summer to say the least. I am NOT one that handles change well & this past spring/summer has been nothing but change.
For all of you that haven't heard the news, our little family moved from the quiet country life in Madison Co. GA to the busy city life of Nashville, TN. Why? Because I thought moving to be near my brother, "sister", aunt & uncle would be a good idea. Actually it was Scott's idea. He has never wanted to move so far away before but decided it was time for a change.....a new beginning of sorts. Jackson was reluctant at first but has since had a change of heart. He loves it! He has always been a country kid and has had no neighbors to play with that live anywhere nearby. Now, there are kids in & out of this house all the time. He has found his little peace of heaven right here on our little street....filled with kids of all ages. School just started for him last week so there will be more friends to be made there too. Nashville has made my son one happy kid. For that, I am happy.
Scott decided, for the moment, to try a new career/adventure. He is in the process of going to bartending school and is enjoying it. Maybe for once, he can have a less stressful kind of job where he doesn't have to be responsible for anybody else but himself. Give up management for a while.
For me, this move has been a difficult one. I have moved twice in the past five years. Neither of which I really wanted to do but I did it for the well being of all of us in our family. Please allow me a minute to whine....just for a minute & I won't complain again (maybe). I am not a city girl and this city life is gonna take some getting used to. I am used to walking outside in my PJ's any time I feel like it. The first week here in Nashville, I put on "real" clothes to walk my tiny dog in my yard. Now I have decided....who cares? I stopped that nonsense. Now most of the neighbors who I see on a regular basis have seen me in at least my PJ bottoms. That me & that's the way it is. Just like back home.
Another complaint....I miss my well water. The water here STINKS. It smells bad. It tastes bad. It looks bad. Scott could tolerate it...I could not. So, new purchase of the week....a water filter! At least I don't smell chlorine as bad.
I miss the deer in my front yard, the smell of fresh air, clean water, peace & quiet, and believe it or not...the skunk smell. I knew I was home when I got a good whiff of skunk. Who would have thought I would miss my skunks?!!! LOL
Now for the positives. Yes, there are a few. I am closer to my family which has been nice. I can hear my brother, "sister", and friends sing & play their music without driving for half a day. I am way to close to any food/restaurant I could ever want. A Wal-Mart every where I turn. Lots of Dollar Generals. I don't have to drive for 20 to 30 minutes just to get to the grocery store or find a place to eat. City life is a life of convience. Something I am not used to.
I want to thank everyone who has tried to make my transition a little easier. This includes my family, friends, my Facebook friends/family, new neighbors, and a few new friends I have yet to meet in person. Thanks for your unending support. Thanks for your kind words that lift me up every day.
Now.....back to unpacking boxes. Fun, fun, fun!
Hugs to all!
Leslie
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
A Mother's Journey
A Mother's Journey (Author Unknown)
For those who are fortunate enough to still be blessed by having your Mom with you, this is beautiful...For those who aren't...it is even more beautiful. It takes my breath!
The young mother set her foot on the path of life.
"Is this the long way?" she asked.
And the guide said "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning."
But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years.
So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them, and taught them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike and reminded them to feed the dog, and do their homework and brush their teeth. The sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."
Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her arms, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come."
And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children, "A little patience and we are there." So the children climbed, and as they climbed they learned to weather the storms.
And with this, she gave them strength to face the world. Year after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all...unconditional love.
And when they reached the top they said,
"Mother, we would not have done it without you."
The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she became little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned so much and are now passing these traits on to their children."
And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her their strength, just as she had given them hers.
One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill, they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide.
And mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them. And the children said, "You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates."
And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her, but she is with us still.
A Mother like ours is more than a memory.
She is a living presence."
Your Mother is always with you.
She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she's the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore, she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well, she's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow, she is Christmas morning.
Your Mother lives inside your laughter.
And she's crystallized in every tear drop. A mother shows every emotion ...happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow...
and all the while, hoping and praying you will only
know the good feelings in life.
She's the place you came from, your first home,
and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space...not even death!
MAY WE NEVER TAKE OUR MOTHERS FOR GRANTED.
In loving memory of my mother, Nancy Baird, who reached the end of her journey on May 18, 2007.
For those who are fortunate enough to still be blessed by having your Mom with you, this is beautiful...For those who aren't...it is even more beautiful. It takes my breath!
The young mother set her foot on the path of life.
"Is this the long way?" she asked.
And the guide said "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning."
But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years.
So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them, and taught them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike and reminded them to feed the dog, and do their homework and brush their teeth. The sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."
Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her arms, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come."
And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children, "A little patience and we are there." So the children climbed, and as they climbed they learned to weather the storms.
And with this, she gave them strength to face the world. Year after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all...unconditional love.
And when they reached the top they said,
"Mother, we would not have done it without you."
The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she became little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned so much and are now passing these traits on to their children."
And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her their strength, just as she had given them hers.
One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill, they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide.
And mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them. And the children said, "You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates."
And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her, but she is with us still.
A Mother like ours is more than a memory.
She is a living presence."
Your Mother is always with you.
She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she's the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore, she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well, she's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow, she is Christmas morning.
Your Mother lives inside your laughter.
And she's crystallized in every tear drop. A mother shows every emotion ...happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow...
and all the while, hoping and praying you will only
know the good feelings in life.
She's the place you came from, your first home,
and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space...not even death!
MAY WE NEVER TAKE OUR MOTHERS FOR GRANTED.
In loving memory of my mother, Nancy Baird, who reached the end of her journey on May 18, 2007.
Friday, January 2, 2009
The New Year 2009
Hope everyone had a great Christmas and a good start to the new year. The holidays were bittersweet for our me and my family this year. For me & Wayne, it was the first Christmas and New Year holiday without both of our parents. It also was the same for Jackson with two less grandparents. My father so loved Christmas time and was such a big kid when it came to Christmas. It seemed so strange for him not to be a part of the festivities. Since he had been living with us for the past few years (my mother lived in a nursing home until her passing in May 2007), his abscense from our home during this special time seemed so odd. But you can't be sad when you have a 12 year old in the house. My saddness was not going to disrupt Jackson's holidays and so we made sure we kept our same traditions going. Life goes on!
Yes, life does go on. It may not be the way we thought it would be but life goes on. I started thinking about all of this as Jackson & I were watching the new Indiana Jones movie this afternoon. There was a line from this movie that I found interesting and appropriate. It goes something like this: "We seemed to have reached the age where it seems like life stops giving us things and then starts taking them away." That about sums up my life over the past year and a half. I am at that age as are many folks my age. Kids are born & grow up, parents pass away, jobs come & go, friendships are made & are lost. Change happens - for the good & bad.
My new year is going to be a better one. I am praying for our business to grow & stand on its on. I am reconnecting with old friends and renewing old friendships that I thought were lost.
With all that said, may all of you out there have a great 2009. May it be all you want it to be!
Leslie
Yes, life does go on. It may not be the way we thought it would be but life goes on. I started thinking about all of this as Jackson & I were watching the new Indiana Jones movie this afternoon. There was a line from this movie that I found interesting and appropriate. It goes something like this: "We seemed to have reached the age where it seems like life stops giving us things and then starts taking them away." That about sums up my life over the past year and a half. I am at that age as are many folks my age. Kids are born & grow up, parents pass away, jobs come & go, friendships are made & are lost. Change happens - for the good & bad.
My new year is going to be a better one. I am praying for our business to grow & stand on its on. I am reconnecting with old friends and renewing old friendships that I thought were lost.
With all that said, may all of you out there have a great 2009. May it be all you want it to be!
Leslie
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