Happy Halloween

The wind is blowing, leaves are falling, it has poured down rain all day and it's not supposed to stop.

POSITIVES: My grandbabies aren't upset not being able to trick or treating, because they are too young and don't understand it and my girls have aged out of trick or treating. Well, Brooke hasn't and we did have plans for her to dress up and perhaps stop by my brother's neighborhood, because it has more houses that participate than you can walk. She isn't pleased, but she does have a successful number of years participating in this.

MORE POSITIVES: The rain sounds wonderful and I got off work early. It is officially a perfect day to get into comfy clothes, put on a pot of coffee, enjoy some Hallmark Christmas movies, perhaps find a new favorite Netflix show and I have pasta leftovers and a yummy cake to enjoy.

For my Brooke:

A Hallmark Christmas

I am a day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) Christmas decorator. It's go time once my grateful heart at Thanksgiving is over, I welcome and embrace Christmas the very next day. Christmas music, decorations, hot chocolate, I love to lose myself in the wonder of Christmas.

This year is slightly different, the Hallmark Channel officially changed everything this year. October 25th began their two months till Christmas by starting Hallmark Christmas movies two months early. Thank goodness, because there is nothing on television that I am watching.

The DVR set to record and capture romantic and highly predictable Hallmark movies allows me to turn on television when I want to sit down and relax and watch something warm, wholesome and romantic. 

It's October 29th and I've already watched five movies. Fortunately, there are countless Hallmark Christmas movies that fills my soul when crap on television and the news does not. Scrolling through titles and descriptions I find I always choose mountain Christmas movies. 

I love the mountains. I remember the decades I used to hop in the car by myself and escape to the mountains at my grandmothers house. I would leave early enough in the morning so I would be in the mountains of West Virginia when the sun began to rise. Those mountains became a mighty wall that separated everything I wanted to leave behind. I'd stop at Tamarack for my last cup of coffee, before I crossed over the Virginia border to my grandmothers house. 

It was like stepping back in time in her country home with no internet, no television, where my grandmother would laugh with joy when she saw me. 

She was a mountain woman through and through. Her mind sharp, she had so much to say and share. We would ride in the mountains to Rich Patch, where she grew up in the country and she would tell stories of her life, a life so different so many decades ago. I would wake up in the morning to the smell of a country breakfast being made and we would drink Earl Grey tea together from water we collected from a fresh spring.  

I would make that trip 1-2 times per year for decades. She died several years ago and I really miss her. I also miss my trips to those magnificent mountains and the country. 

I'm a grandmother now and I know my joy when I see my grandbabies and pull them in my arms. I can only imagine my grandmothers anticipation of my arrival when I would come those couple of times a year. She was so proud of me and loved me so much. She would tell everyone about "my Dawn" and of our adventures together. We were grandmother and granddaughter, but we were also best of friends. 

Watching the mountain Christmas movies has an nostalgia of a simpler way of life. 

I know exactly where I want to go for my 1st vacation, I want to be in the mountains. A log cabin or lodge with a fireplace in majestic mountains with quaint towns decorated in anticipation of Christmas. 

Vacation

In all things in beautiful autumn, I was asked yesterday when am I using my vacation time?

Can I roll it over? No

Can I cash it in? No

I have over a couple of weeks of vacation to use before the end of the year. Nice problem to have, but I did have to scroll through my events schedule to see when on earth I am going to be able to slip away for days at a time or weeks at a time in the next two months. 

I will be in Florida in March, so I am entertaining a few different destinations before the end of the year. 

Hmmm... where do I want to go? What do I want to do? Who do I want to vacation with?

A New Destination

My snowbird parents left yesterday for Florida and Brooke & Alex left yesterday for their honeymoon, off to the beach they go. 

Everything is so quiet and this girl has the day off.

A gorgeous autumn day, sunny & 70's, rain not until tonight, I am heading north to check out a new beach today with some quaint shops I was told about. 

It sounds absolutely perfect. 

Today, I choose to not accomplish any tasks; rather, to slow down and refresh in today enjoying a new destination, which is one of my favorite things to do. 

1st Sunday

For years and years and years, I've often hoped and wished my brother would start his own church.

He was a co-pastor at a small church with an older congregation and I always felt he was far too talented a pastor within those confines. There is a season for everything and that is where he was meant to be.

I've also have been wanting to find a new home church and I haven't been settled on one specific church for a host of reasons for quite a long time.

But (That means, wait! There's more!), today.

Today was the 1st Sunday of my brother starting his own church!!!

We weren't sure if there would be 10 or 20 people there and were stunned as those who know my brother well continued to walk through the doors. His first Sunday and there were 70!

It was amazing and my brother is amazing. If he wasn't, I wouldn't say he was.

Coffee, pastries, and fellowship, not a stranger walked into the room. Some said, I will leave my church if he [my brother] ever starts his own church. Today arrived and those waiting to be a part of this walked through the doors committed.

There was excitement in the air and some pretty great preaching!

Put On Your Oxygen Mask

It was time to put the oxygen mask on and rejuvenate. I had an amazing day off.

On a plane, the stewardess always says in case of turbulence and the oxygen mask drops down, put the mask on your face first so you can help your children/others. Well, I needed the proverbial oxygen mask.

With always a productive list of things to do, on my way out the door this morning I grabbed a good book, just in case I found a quiet spot in nature where I could enjoy it. That's what I really wanted was nature, silence and a good book. 

It was a gorgeous autumn day. Sunny and 67 degrees, not a cloud in the sky. After a quick trip to Cleveland, it was a spur of the moment thought and suddenly I found myself at Headlands Beach.

A complement of the sun being hot on the skin, yet the cool autumn breeze off the water had me thankful I had a long sleeve shirt on. Walking in the sand barefoot, suddenly I knew it was exactly what I needed. Time to rest, read my book in this needed setting, walk on the beach, and I found I did this in cycles. 

I ended up spending hours there. When I finally left, I felt refreshed and happy. Almost like I had just had a full body massage, relaxed.

There is no white noise at the beach. It's simply the water, the sand, and the sunshine. I intentionally did not check my email today, because I needed a day of peace and quiet and zero needs and requests from other people. 

Me, I need alone time. I am super resilient with alone time outdoors in nature and I refresh quickly.

Know when you need a day or several hours together to really relax. This does not mean catching up on chores. Know what you enjoy that refreshes you. 

People are not mind-readers, they don't know what you need when you need it. Know when to put your own oxygen mask on. 

Wedding Day Photos

Wedding photos from the photographer are trickling in. We still have many more photos to come, but I want to show you.

My daughter, breathtaking and beautiful. Alex looks so handsome. 

Brooke wanted a princess wedding and she wanted the Belle rose included and so it sat on the gift table next to her card box.

My Sofia's pretty dress.

I am really hoping photos come in with all the candles lit and the uplighting in the background.

Getting my little girl ready her wedding day.

 

Proud Papa walking his granddaughter down the aisle. 

There is something magical in the air when the bride walks down the aisle that takes your breath away. 

My brother, the pastor.

My sister-in-law, Melissa, who created the wedding cake Brooke designed.

Their 1st dance as husband & wife. Dancing on a cloud, complements of my DJ. This is an iPhone captured moment. I can't wait to see the photographers photo.

There are so many photos and I will share them as they come in. 

Windfall

I'm coming up for air after an incredibly busy event season. What I mean by busy is 10-14 hour days, 6-7 days per week. Events have their busy seasons and seasons where events are light, which makes it intense, but a fun career. 

About 5 months ago, I beat corporate's revenue goal for me, but I still had my own personal goal I wanted to reach. I've always said, "If I have nobody to compete with, I will compete against myself." 

I surpassed my personal goal by a good amount. My reward, really more for my dedication and corporate saying they need me to take our location to the next level, I've been professionally acknowledged with:

• An assistant to handle events, so I can focus even more on sales, which is want I want (This frees up my life quite a bit and they are afraid if I burn out I will leave. We all have choices),
• A very significant base salary increase. I cried grateful tears when I heard it. It validates my heart and effort I've put into tremendous growth. 
• I received the invitation a couple days ago that I am included in the corporate trip with General Managers in Florida this winter. The surprise location to be announced in November. How exciting!

Every year corporate meets with General Manager from 150 locations from across the country. Last year, they included top management from each location and I was happy to go, they do this every couple years. I was surprised and thrilled to be invited this year, too! 

I'm looking forward to extending that trip and spending more time in Florida vacationing. 

I am so blessed and I know it. 

Working hard and persevering has paid off in so many ways and it can go in so many directions with financial freedom, professional and personal relationships, and I love the freedom of doing what I want, when I want, and how I want. 

In all things wonderful, there are only two simple things I want: I want this nail polish off and back to my nature nails and I want ice cream. Both accomplished!

In a world knowing I can have significant things, its the simple things that still make me happiest. 

Wedding Gift

My wedding gift to Brooke & Alex was their wedding and a dining room table.

Brooke is quite the suzy homemaker. There is zero similarity from the teenager she was living at home with me to what her home looks like now.

I used to just pull the door shut due to total disaster. She used to wash clothes all the time, because when they are in piles kicked all over the floor, you just never know what is clean or dirty. I would demand every blue moon her bathroom had to be cleaned. 

Today, she can make her eye twitch when she says Alex drops his clothes to the floor or his towel on the floor in the bathroom. I laugh because it's her who shocks me! 

Brooke decorates well and her home is always clean and tidy. She does special touches and effects when guests come over. She reminds me so much of me.

Prior to the wedding (in August), I was asking her what they want and need for a wedding gift. Brooke likes to stay in and cook versus eating out; however, she doesn't like eating in front of the television, because they didn't have a dining room table.

So, that's what I got her and Alex and I gave it to them early to start using. Brooke ran right out and bought a centerpiece for the table and place mats. 

Eating at a table is not what Alex has been raised doing or used to. His mom doesn't cook, they always ate out. The television turned off and dining at the table with conversation was pretty new to him. 

Today, Brooke and I had her name changed at SS and the BMV and went to lunch. When our lunch arrived at the table, I started to eat when Brooke sat still with her eyes closed praying quietly.

I knew what she was doing, but still had to ask in shock, "Brooke, were you praying?" She smiled and said, "Yes, Alex and I pray before we eat. He even said the blessing out loud once." 

Brooke has always prayed on her own and she is vocal that she prays, but since she was a little girl when she would pray for the doorknob, the window, the carpet, the walls ... pretty much everything in the house, I've never seen her do this on her own since she was little.

During marriage counseling with my brother, Alex accepted salvation. I'm so proud of him and I know it means everything to Brooke and all of us. The fact that she has integrated eating dinner at the dining room table together and praying before they eat is a blessing. I'm so proud of her!

I will mention, because I don't think I did, on Brooke's wedding day during the champagne toasts in the wedding reception, Brooke & Mariah toasted with sparking juice while the rest of the bridal party had champagne. 

Neither of my daughter's drink by their own choice. They don't make it a big deal, they just aren't even slightly interested in alcohol and not many parents can say that of their adult children. I'm certainly grateful I can say this. Alcohol equals a lot of unnecessary drama and risks. 

I love that Brooke & Alex pray together and I'm grateful that there time together at the dinner table is important. 

On This Day

Facebook has this feature, On This Day, that captures memories from past years. It makes me smile and remember the little moments in life that made me happy and want to share; yet, they weren't big monumental moments that are deemed an anniversary of any sort and in time you just forget those million little details until reminded.

It's a lovely feature and today I saw Sofia two years ago in a video I took talking to her when she was two months old and sneezed. That memory so vividly captured in a video, took me back to that moment.

Ordinary moments, millions of ordinary moments become our life.

This Sometimes post popped up from several years ago. It was a mix of emotions of remembering how I felt then when I posted it with my sweet caption. I remember being that girl and this boy and what I believed in then and what I thought I had.

People often chase an artificial life. Instant everything and always needing more, more, and more things. Never satisfied. In all the instant, artificial, superficial and endless searching, the pure and real moments in life are cast aside and disregarded. Before long the path is unrecognizable. 

This girl and boy were destroyed. Love is a choice. 

It's the little moments that matter. 

The ordinary moments where the soul smiles and your heart burst with love. The moments where you are just happy and peaceful. The moments where you breathe and you want time to slow down to savor it. 

Those are the moments that matter.