"Is Mariah Coming Home?"

“Is Mariah coming home tonight?”  Brooke shouts across the house yesterday morning. She wants to know if Mariah is coming home or going to her dad’s house.

“Why?” I ask. “Because I want to wear her pink top,” she shouts back. I can hear her upstairs in Mariah’s bedroom, anxiously going through her clothes, but needing the okay her sister won’t be coming home after school.

Oh the memories from years ago! Except it was me going through my little brothers sweaters back in the 1980’s when leggings and big sweaters were in!  I would open the door to our house and tell everyone to close their eyes (as if there was a surprise) then I would race to my bedroom before anyone could see what I was wearing. Jason would tear down the hall after me. I smile now thinking how many times did they fall for that and actually close their eyes?

Decades later, Brooke enjoys Mariah’s clothes whenever she isn’t home.

Today she found another pretty hot pink top in her sister’s closet. Pink clothing selections for the approaching Valentine’s Day.  We seem to be celebrating Valentine’s Day all month.

“After all, they are going to be my clothes anyway someday” a very entitled Brooke states.

Pretty in pink, off to school she goes!

She better hope Mariah doesn’t stop by the house after school.

A Quaint Ice Cream Parlor

Desperate measures brings new pleasures.

The sun came out today and I needed to get my littlest homebody out of the house. Enjoying new magical firsts, I bribe Brooke to go on an adventure to try someplace new. An ice cream parlor called Taggarts.

Quaint. Atmosphere. Interesting ice cream menu.

We agreed that the parlor has a special feel to it.

She said, "It would be fun to work in a place like this." 

I had another new 'first' today, that was the first time Brooke has ever mentioned out loud where she would like to get her first job. Actually, it surprised me. She always says she isn't leaving home. 

It's fun to try new places we have never been.

It's fun to be surprised in the middle of an ordinary day!

Its Greatness

Brooke has found a new passion in drawing art. She spends much of her free time sketching detailed, animated characters into stories.

Her picture stories are about real topics she is familiar with such as Mariah & Mike’s relationship, sketches of family & friend’s individual qualities and interests as well as picture stories of her and her dad.

Brooke is very artistic and musical. Recently, I am seeing story telling interests in her as well.

She has a school project that she is doing on a Desert Rose. Her story starts off with a sketch of one of her characters, a character she uses to describe me, “Hi, I’m Rosie. I am a perfect combination of what happens when the desert sand meets the wind ...”

Her project was supposed to be one paragraph, but she said because of its greatness, she made it two!

Hmmm … someone else in my family likes to capture moments and write.

I think Brookie is greatness, too!

Moisturize

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

Since I have been 15 years old, I have moisturized twice a day, every day. My efforts have paid off with great skin.

At almost 42 years old, I have no crow’s feet or wrinkles. I can tell the tissue of my skin is thinning which is a normal process, so far I have conquered aging wrinkles gracefully.

Recently, I have had men in their late 40’s to girlfriends in their 20’s call me and ask what skin care products I buy?  

Just yesterday, I was so flattered to have a stunning, in her 20’s, girlfriend call to ask what products I use.  She said my skin is amazing!

The trick is to be preventative not reactive.

I tell my daughters all the time to moisturize. They don’t give it much consideration that wrinkles are still a lifetime away.

To bask in the sun is still a guilty pleasure.

To moisturize is daily routine.

To Every Thing There Is a Season

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

When I turned 35 years old, I had 16 years of experience working in the medical field. Even though I had reached my capacity without going clinical, I was in a very good place, yet ready for a complete and total change. I left.

I do not regret my decision and embraced a completely new field of employment in education which more than doubled my salary, opened many doors of opportunities and new relationships.

That was almost 7 years ago. Here I am, again.

I am awaiting a cue to enter a new season in life.

I am ready for change in a moment’s notice.

I need it, welcome it.

I am romanticizing a new place, a fresh beginning in an oceanfront setting in a simple job, travel and touristy. A quaint coffee shop where people from all over the world walks through the door. Sunshine. Warmth. Oceanfront.

A move?  A new job?  A new career?

Change doesn’t scare me.  I am in a good place where I welcome it.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

New beginnings, I am ready and I embrace you.

Double-pierced

When I was a teen, I had my one ear double-pierced.

So many have asked me 'why' through the years and I don't have an answer. I simply wanted just one ear doubled-pierced, not two.

Decades ago, my ex-husband when we were dating bought me a very nice diamond for that special piercing.

Last night our daughter had her one ear double-pierced, too.

She, like me, just wanted one ear done. Sometimes there isn't a reason; however, she is me in so many ways.

Brooke was called for a sleepover at her friends house, which made last night the perfect night for the sushi celebration for good grades and date night with Mariah. We love sushi and we love sharing sushi together.

Mariah text Eric to see if he is okay with her getting her one ear double-pierced. He replies "okay." She is always concerned what we both think, so I called him verifying that Mariah has talked for a long time about wanting to get the 2nd piercing. He was fine with it.

I tell them both that I am giving Mariah the diamond he gave me that has only ever been taken out for surgeries.  Eric was pleased, he remembered.

We had such a fun evening! Sushi, her ear pierced, browsing the mall together looking at belly rings, ice cream at Menchies then home for a Modern Family marathon with Season 1.

A quality evening with my quality girl.

One-on-one time with my girls is so important and they both love their individual time. Mariah shares every detail of her life with me. Mostly TMI stuff with Mike. I never over-react and stay naturally calm because I know where she is with him. There are no mom-filters when it comes to her sharing. I love that about our relationship.

Here is your diamond, baby girl. It was from your daddy.

"I Do!"

I am on the elliptical this evening when Mariah came down stairs to ask me what her text "I do!" means from Papa.  Seconds later, Brooke shouts for me.  She received a text from Papa that read, "I do!"

Just getting off the elliptical, I knew there would be a text for me and there was, "I do!"

When I was a very little girl, my dad would always say, "I love you!"  Being so little I would say back to him "I do! I do!"  It means I love you, too!

My dad was a wonderful daddy and wonderful daddy's make amazing Papa's.

Every morning all three of our cell phones chime with good morning text messages. Our day doesn't end without another sweet message from Papa, my dad.

He is such a good man and we love him!