Working too Hard?

Do you ever feel like your working too hard at a friendship? You don't hear from someone in a while, you call or try to touch base and things... well, they just keep slipping apart. I have to say that I feel that way about a few of my friendships right now and it's sad really.
MaIybe I'm a bad friend. Maybe life just gets complicated. To be honest, there are few people that I expend the emotional labor on to become friends in the first place. Now, to most of you that probably sounds really harsh, but those of you in the Navy will probably understand. The fact is, I'm in one place for 2-3 years usually. Just when I have a beautiful friendship going, it's time to go again. Sure I have many close friends in various places that I do maintain friendships with, but it's a challenge. After a while, you have to ask yourself, how hard do I want to work to make this friendship happen? Will it survive the next move I know is coming? Are we just in different places in our lives? I'm not really sure myself about the answers to these questions. Maybe there is just something about me.
Since I've started back to school, I have been happier than I have been in a long time. I love school, but sometimes it feels isolating. I'm so busy working on homework that I don't have a lot of time for making an extra effort to maintain relationships that are important to me.
What do you think readers? How do you maintain your friendships/ relationships? Especially for those of you that are military, do you ever feel this way?

Life Lessons from a 5 Year Old

The best thing about a blog is that the author has the ability to vent about their lives, predominantly to people who really don't know them. As I have gone through my entries here, I realize that I have been doing a lot of venting. Most likely I have been doing a lot of venting to my friends in real life as well and honestly, most of it is completely unwarranted. Aside from my father's illness, I truly lead a charmed life. I have a husband who loves me and who I adore. We have two beautiful children together and 13 years of happy memories that we have built our family on. We have a beautiful home. I don't really have a lot of negative things to deal with in my life and yet, sometimes I feel engulfed by it. Then I realized that sometimes ,instead of letting my light shine outward, I open the windows and let the darkness creep in. Instead of thanking God for all the blessings that he has heaped upon my life - none of which I deserve - I curse the light and question Him on the difficulties I do face.
I'm tired of the dark and I don't want to let the negativity into my life anymore. I want to be the one who would rather dance in the rain than drown in my own sunshine, and I want to surround myself with others who feel the same.
Today, I was lucky enough to volunteer in Posh's classroom. Let me tell you, we underestimate our children. They do their best - every day. They love and support their friends - always, and they always remember what is important. On those days where they don't do their best or get angry with a friend, they don't let it get them down. The don't wallow in their own self doubt or pity. They simply get up, dust themselves off and try again. Even when you're five, life is too short for negativity. Yes, we could all learn a lot from our children. My five year old loves truly, deeply, and sincerely - in spite of all my flaws, in spite of everything. It's both humbling and refreshing.
I want to love like that. I want those kinds of friendships. I want that effervescence in my life. And my best realization lately? I *can* have all those things because it all begins with me.

The Truth at Last

Several months ago I had a falling out with a "friend" that I had a relationship with for some years. I thought that we were close. I thought that our friendship could weather disagreements and differences of opinion. I was wrong.
For the longest time, I acted like her words and actions didn't bother me. I was so busy I allowed my work to distract me from what I was feeling which was disappointment, betrayal, and anger. I held these emotions in for months. I never really aired them to anyone, other than to her - my sister, my "friend".
It all started with a poorly worded post in a social networking site that I administered. The bruhaha and the subsequent fallout escalated and escalated until there was no room left for friendship.
How can a person possibly have any type of relationship with someone who leaves no room for any opinion but her own? How can one have any type of relationship with a woman who used fake "identities" on said social networking site to personally attack and malign them? How is it possible to turn the other cheek, look beyond the betrayal and try to understand another point of view? Well, the answer is I have forgiven, I do try to understand her bitterness and anger, but there is simply no room for any type of friendship left. Sad, isn't it?
This was a woman that I spent several hours with on the phone every week. This was a woman who, if she called me in the middle of the night for help, she could expect to get it. This was a woman I respected and trusted and now, this is a woman that I have no contact with whatsoever.
The things that she said about me were not only hurtful, they were LIES. Flat out lies. After everything that is the one thing that I just couldn't get beyond.
It still makes me sad, the loss of this friend. I think about her and wonder how she is, but deep down, I realize that no relationship can exist without trust and frankly, after everything, I could never trust her again.

This brings me to my current situation. I left said social networking site, in no small part due to the poison and the lies. I joined another site - Facebook - and I love it there. For the most part, I am friends with people that I genuinely care about - people who I want to keep track of and be a part of their lives. There is one individual there though whose friendship I accepted and now I regret. She was party to the events described above and though she did not actively participate in the lying and maligning of my character, she appeared to be cheering on the sidelines during the worst of it.

I want a fresh start. I do care about this second woman, but I'm unsure whether I am capable of offering her true friendship based on all the hurt and betrayal that I still feel. Any words of advice?

Harder Than I'm Sorry

People always say that it's hard to say you're sorry. I guess that it is, goodness knows that I hate to be wrong. Still, when I am, I woman up and admit it. It usually isn't too hard for me to say that I'm sorry.

Goodbye is the hardest thing for me to say. I hate goodbyes and as a Navy wife, I get to say a lot of them. All this time in the Navy, 11 years now, is starting to take it's toll. As I get older and my children get older, I find it harder and harder to make new friends. I look at the woman around me who have life long friends and I feel envy. I don't know what that is anymore. I don't feel any deep connections, instead, I find myself looking at each new person and wondering how long they will be in my life and whether or not they are worth the emotional labor of attempting to become their friend. I've become jaded.

Each new goodby just adds to the sorrow that I feel. It's like piling on in football - the first goodbye is bad and each successive one gets progressively worse. It's a sad fact of my reality that I really don't do change well, which is almost ironic considering how much I get to deal with on a fairly regular basis.

All things considered, last night was difficult. It was the Hail and Farewell for both our Weapons officer and our Captain. I like and admire both of their wives, and their shoes will be particularly difficult to fill. Our captains place will be almost impossible for anyone to fill in my eyes.

He's a truly good man. He's a good husband, a good father and a great leader (most of the time). I worried less for my husband's safety when he was in command because I trusted him to make the right decisions for the benefit of the entire crew. I'm sure that our new captain is a good man and a very capable individual, but trust takes a long time to earn.

So last night, we said yet another goodbye. eople seem to move in and out of my life in a rapid flurry and even though I won't foget them, my roots feel like they get shallower and shallower with each successive farewell. I long to be more firmly planted.

This is really Cool!

So, as you can see, I have been given this totally awesome award from my friend, Kelly at Telecommuting Truths. Kelly has, for many years, helped women who wanted to work from home by sharing her wonderful wisdom and useful techniques. If you work at home, or are interested in starting, I can't recommend her blog highly enough!

Part of accepting the award is:
*displaying the award
*linking back to the person who gave it to you
*paying it forward & nominating 7 blogs
*adding links to those seven blogs
*leaving comments on their blog telling them you gave them an award
*enjoying the award


In no particular order:

I'd like to recognize Ken at Everything Must Go - A Male Perspective. Sometimes I find his blog illuminationg, other times I find it infuriating, but I always find it entertaining and you will too. It is definitely interesting getting a peek into the dark and often obscure place called the male pysche.

Ariel Rising - this blog is written by a friend of mine from Cafemom. She shares my passion for music and photography. Let me tell you, she has awesome taste, so if you dig music, especially classic rock, this blog is for you!


Under the Sea is written by my friend, Ann, a fellow Navy wife. She just recently had a baby. Her blog is poignant, often thought provoking and absolutely hysterical! I love peeking into her life.

LIfe Happens is written by my friend Steph. We met on an online community some years ago. She is a fellow Navy wife and mom. I love her blog because it's real - she deals with real issues with grace and humor. It gives me hope...

My best friend, Jen, has her blog over at A Night without Armor. She doesn't blog nearly enough, but when she does, it is always amazing!

In every parent's life, a little guilt will fall... and since that is the case, you should definitely check out my friend, Nikki, over at the Guilty Parent. Her blog is fun, full of insight and always humorous. Because sometimes, you just need to laugh.

And finally, a glimmer of hope for all of us Navy wives - words of wisdom from one who actually made it out!!! Check out my friend Kim at Half My Heart. She has heartfelt stories and amazing recipes. You'll be glad you did!

So these are some of my favorite blogs. Check them out and tell them Snow sent ya!

Why Does it Happen?

Sometimes I hate the transience of Navy life - the constant moving doesnt' do alot for building lasting friendships. I have many wonderful friends - scattered throughout the United States - but it doesn't really help me here in CT. Don't get me wrong, my local friends are awesome too, but I miss my sisters.

Heather is in Maryland. She is the sister of my heart. Like me though, she has a crazy life - four kids - a hubby - a job and we rarely get to talk these days. I know we are still as close as ever, but I do miss her. It's as much my fault as anyone else's. Sometimes it's just hard to pick up the phone.

My best friend Jenn moved back to GA almost a year ago now. We swore that we would talk all the time and remain close. Yes, we are still close, but we talk rarely at best. I'm not good at friendship maintenence and sometimes I think that this makes me a terrible friend. Jenn always tells me that to have good friends, a person has to be a good friend. Honestly I don't think that I do the long distance thing very well.

I can remember talking to my husband, a long time ago when we were still just friends, about why people seperate. I get it, we are all going through different things in our lives, different phases and sometimes we lose the ability to relate or the commonality that made us friends in the first place. It still makes me sad to think of the people drifting in and out of my life as I drift in and out of their's...

I haven't talked to Kate since she started back to school. I have called her a couple of times but somehow we can't seem to connect. I am dying to hear how she is doing, but sometimes, at the end of the day I'm so exhausted that I fall asleep without making the connection.

I guess by verbalizing this, I am making a promise to try and do better. To reach out to my friends more and let them know that I love and appreciate them. I don't want to wake up one morning and realize that they are all gone, all because I didn't say the words when I had the chance.

The Pink Rose Award

First, I want to thank my friend, Ann, for nominating my blog for the "Pink Rose Award". ( Check out her awesome blog at Under the Sea I thought this was a really cool idea and I also have some individuals that I would like to recognize.
It's funny really because I haven't written in what feels like forever. I needed a reason to come back. There has been so much chaos in my life lately and this morning, I just decided to buckle down. It really meant a lot to me coming here today to find this award, so thank you very much Ann!

First of all I would like to send this award to my friend Kate. I have been lucky to call Kate my friend for some years now. Seems like forever really... Kate is without a doubt the strongest woman I know. She inspires me every day, and so many other people too. Her writing is like her - thought provoking, inspiring, sometimes brutal and always real. Check out her blog here Jonathan's Closet.

Next, I would like to recognize my real life best friend, Jenn. She doesn't write as often as I would like, but her blog and her poetry are AMAZING! When she does write, her thoughts are always worth reading. Check out my favorite blog - A night without armor.

And finally, I would like to recognize another military wife, someone who is so strong as a woman, as a wife and as a mother. I love reading her blog, hope you will too. Check it out at Chaosmommy.


Here's what to do:
1. On your blog, copy and paste the award, these rules, a link back to the person who selected you, and a link to this post: http://smartone.typepad.com/smartone/2008/05/pink-is-my-favo.html. You will find the story behind the Pink Rose Award and other graphics to choose from there.
2. Select as many award recipients as you would like, link to their blogs (if they have one), and explain why you have chosen them.
3. Let them know that you have selected them for an award by commenting on one of their posts.
4. If you are selected, pass it on by giving the Pink Rose Award to others.
5. If you find that someone you want to nominate has already been selected by someone else, you can still honor them by posting a comment on their award post stating your reasons for wishing to grant them the award.
6. You do not have to wait until someone nominates you to nominate someone else

Hhmmm... Now That's Interesting. A New Meme

No, I wasn't tagged for this one, but I was looking for inspiration this morning and I definitely found it, as always in the most unlikely of places. I was perusing the blog list on The Mom Blogs and came across this meme. Here's how you play:

Rules:

- Pick your birth month.
- Bold the 5-10 that best apply to you.
- Copy to your own journal, with all twelve months.
- Tag 12 people from your friends list.

Click here to get the list of all twelve months.

At any rate, I was reading through September, looking for those things which describe me. In all honesty, I'd love to choose only those things which are flattering but that wouldn't be truthful. Sometimes it's painful to see ourselves in a less than always favorable light, but that is the way it is. Not one of us is goodness and light 100% of the time, no matter how we strive for that.As I was reading through the list, I definitely saw myself but even stranger, I also saw my husband who is also born in September. So a twist on the meme for those of you who choose to do it, also look at your mates month and see if you recognize him or her. I am bolding those things that are like me and italicizing those things that are like him.


SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

It's strange really to see ourselves in this manner. It begs the question of exactly how our star sun and our sun sign influences our nature. For those that may not know, your star sign is your astrological sign, in my case, Libra. Your sun sign is the position of the sun at the time of your birth, in my case Aries. No, I don't think that our lives are totally predetermined, but I do think that this things can and do influence who we are. Just like I believe that dates and names - especially our chosen name - can influence who we ultimately become.

So give it and try and see if you can see yourself. Everyone reading this - consider yourself tagged. Please leave me a comment to let me know that you have written about this, so I can visit your blog and see what truths may have been revealed to you.

An E-mail Meme, If You are Reading This, Consider Yourself TAGGED!

This is from my friend Jennifer. Most of my friends read my blog and are bloggers themselves, so I thought this is faster sometimes than doing it via e-mail. Jen, hope you don't mind!

WELCOME TO THE 2008 EDITION OF GETTING TO KNOW YOUR FRIENDS.



WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO IS COPY (NOT FORWARD) THIS ENTIRE E-MAIL

AND PASTE IT ONTO A NEW E-MAIL THAT YOU WILL SEND.



CHANGE ALL THE ANSWERS SO THEY APPLY TO YOU, AND THEN SEND THIS TO YOUR

FRIENDS, INCLUDING THE PERSON WHO SENT IT TO YOU.



THE THEORY IS THAT YOU WILL LEARN A LOT OF LITTLE THINGS ABOUT YOUR

FRIENDS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE KNOWN!!!!





1. WHAT TIME DID YOU GET UP THIS MORNING? 6 am



2. DIAMONDS OR PEARLS? diamonds



3. WHAT WAS THE LAST FILM YOU SAW AT THE CINEMA?

I know you aren't going to believe this, but it was actually the latest Rambo. What can I say?



4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW? Anyone that reads this blog already knows the answer - I'm a Heroes fanatic!!! :)



5. WHAT DO YOU USUALLY HAVE FOR BREAKFAST? don't usually do breakfast, if I bother, it's yogurt with fruit.



6. WHAT IS YOUR MIDDLE NAME? Lee


7. WHAT FOOD DO YOU DISLIKE? lima beans, I refuse to eat them. Jen, how can you possibly hate mushrooms? They are the food of the gods! So yummy on steak!


8. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CD? Blue Rodeo greatest hits version one



9. WHAT KIND OF CAR DO YOU DRIVE? Hyundai Santa Fe - I LOVE it!



10. FAVORITE SANDWICH? Rueben



11. WHAT CHARACTERISTIC DO YOU DESPISE THE MOST? Ignorance for it's own sake


12. FAVORITE ITEM OF CLOTHING? jeans



13. IF YOU COULD GO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD ON VACATION, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? It may sound lame, but I love English history, so I would really love to go to London



14. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR BATHROOM? Coral, celadon and lipstick pink with frogs. ( The last one is my daughters, but actually really cute. I love frogs!)



15. FAVORITE BRAND OF CLOTHING? Don't shop by brand, I go with what I like



16. WHERE WOULD YOU RETIRE TO? Annapolis or BUST! Just get me back to Annapolis...

17. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? College football, it's all about the purity of the game baby!



18. FURTHEST PLACE YOU ARE SENDING THIS? Hello? It's the Internet! Anythings possible!



19. WHO DO YOU LEAST EXPECT TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? don't know



20. PERSON YOU EXPECT TO SEND IT BACK FIRST: not sure



21. FAVORITE SAYING: Variety is the spice of life





22. WHEN IS YOUR BIRTHDAY? Sept. 29



23. ARE YOU A MORNING OR NIGHT PERSON? Morning!



24. WHAT IS YOUR SHOE SIZE? 7 1/2



25. PETS? Speckles, Minnie and Quest - all fish. But we are getting a puppy this summer!



26. ANY NEW AND EXCITING NEWS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? I lost 7 pounds and counting! I lost one whole size and I'm not stopping there.



27. WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE? A jockey.



28. WHAT ARE YOU TODAY? Busy



29. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CANDY? Trying not to eat candy



30. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER? sunflower



31. WHAT IS A DAY ON THE CALENDAR YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO? March 25 - departure day! So long MIL!


32. WHAT IS YOUR FULL NAME? Laurie Lee (Beadling) Schultz



33. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? MIL's inccesant chatter. Ugh.



34. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Yummy - dinner. Cheese, nuts, broiled tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, kilbosa and broccoli.



35. DO YOU WISH ON STARS? Yes!

36. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Celadon


37. HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW? nice for spring in Connecticut



38. FAVORITE SOFT DRINK? Sprite, when I drink it.



39. FAVORITE RESTAURANT? Olive Garden. Love, love, love that place!



40. SIBLINGS? 2 older sisters



41. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR? You mean I have to pick just one? I guess March 11th. My anniversary, in spite of it being less than stellar this year....



42. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD? My stuffed horse, Wally. I still have him.



43. SUMMER OR WINTER? Fall…



44. HUGS OR KISSES? Kisses!



45. COFFEE OR TEA? Coffee!! I NEED my coffee!!!!



46. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? chocolate



47. DO YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO E-MAIL YOU BACK? of course



48. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? March 11th.



49. WHAT IS UNDER YOUR BED? Books. They're everywhere!



50. WHO IS THE FRIEND YOU HAVE HAD THE LONGEST? Stevie, we've been bests since I was three!




51. WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT? Watched an episode of the Tudors and then had some quality time with hubby! :)

52. FAVORITE SMELL? Lilacs



53 WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? Spiders, heights and being alone



54. SALTY OR SWEET? Depends on my mood, usually both together



55. HOW MANY KEYS ON YOUR RING? 3



56. FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK? Saturday. It's family day

57. DO YOU PREFER GOLD OR SILVER? No preference



58. HOW MANY TOWNS HAVE YOU LIVED IN? Towns? Oh God, I was at 8 with STATES!!! Towns is 16. Ugh.



59. DO YOU MAKE FRIENDS EASILY? No, but once you’re a friend you’re a friend for life



60. HOW MANY WILL RESPOND? no clue!!!! but what the heck, it was fun

Respond and let me know that you are doing it so that I can come and read your answers!

Tomorrow is another Day...

Trying to keep a positive attitude.... trying to keep a positive attitude. I have one week down and two more to go. Maybe we will all actually survive that, although I can not say that with any certitude.
Sometimes things happen that put all the petty shit we are dealing with into real perspective. My friend, Kate, called me tonight - from the hospital. Kate is really sick - she has aplastic anemia, which is like the adult form of leukemia. Not good. She is a widow and all her 14 year old son has in this world. The doctors think that she may have viral pneumonia. She is a blogger and, of course, her blog is listed among my friends - Jonathan's Closet. If you haven't ever read her blog, it truly is a must. She and her son often blog together - alternating entries. Jona is amazing! So for those that pray please send prayers and positive thoughts to my good friend Kate, for a speedy recovery. Thanks!
Somehow listening to Kate and all she has been dealing with, put my demented MIL in perspective. My husband came home at lunch today and gave his mother a much needed attitude adjustment. She has apologized and I have accepted her apology, but I will never forget what happened and I will never leave my children alone in her care ever again. I don't know if our relationship can ever be the same - not that it was ever all that good. It's a lot to think about.

Finding ten things today is going to be a challenge, but it is something that I think, especially on days like today, NEEDS to be done.
1. I am thankful for all my wonderful friends - online and IRL. I love you all and appreciate all your support more than you all will ever know.
2. Earplugs. I am going to start using them - extensively!
3. Lilacs in bloom, or the wonderful Yankee candle.
4. Speaking of Yankee Candles - aromatherapy is a wonderful thing!
5. The taste of fresh, cold water after a good workout.
6. Butterfly kisses and every other kind from my daughters.
7. I'm thankful for Sporty's resilience - in spite of her Grandmother's insanity and keeping her up until after 11 pm last night with her deranged antics, she seems amazingly unfazed.
8. I am thankful for my car - right now the urge to just get in it and drive and drive and drive until I run out of gas is almost overwhelming.
9. I am thankful that I am getting OUT of the house and away from the insanity for almost all day on Saturday and all day on Sunday. There is a GOD!
10. Speaking of God, I am so thankful for all the wonderful gifts He has given me, even if it doesn't always seem like it. I love the quiet sense of peace that just flows over me when I am at Church. Maybe I will stop by there after Curves tomorrow. Maybe that will help me find some peace. Somewhere.

Saying Goodbye - Again....

This is my daughter (in the center) with her two best friends. They have been the best of friends since the girls were 2 and a half and the boy was 4. Their mom is also my best friend. We met their family by chance - and maybe a little divine intervention. They were on the same boat as our family years ago, when we lived in Georgia. My daughter and I received an invitation to a Valentine's day party, but we were unable to go because she was sick. When I called to give our regrets, I asked if we could schedule a playdate when she was feeling better. That was one of the best things that I have ever done. They came over - the children were like peas in a pod from the beginning and so were Jennifer and I. The rest - as they say - is history.
Jennifer and I have been best friends since and so have our children. We have been through illness, broken bones (Jenn, if you are reading this, I'm knocking on some wood!), 4 submarine patrols, 2 moves and so much more.
When we moved from Georgia, the only thing that I regretted was saying goodbye. It was so hard! I had just had a baby - well, she was 8 months old by then. Jenn was pregnant with their youngest. We both got through that move though because we knew that their family wouldn't be in Georgia too much longer either. We moved to Annapolis, and they moved to Connecticut.
Through it all we kept in touch. We visited several times. Kaylee and I went to Connecticut to meet their new baby, they came and visited for Emily's birthday. I even got to have Isabella for a week in the summer - that's the beautiful blonde in the picture above.
Finally it happened that it was time for us to move again and we got orders to Connecticut! We were over the moon!!! I knew that my daughters would love being near their friends again. We have had weekly playdates, sleepovers where Jennifer and I were able to keep up with our passion of scrapbooking, birthday parties, trick or treating... you name it.
Their family is Navy, like ours. We knew that the time would eventually come when one of us would have to relocate again, I guess I just hoped that it wouldn't happen so soon. We had only been here a few months when we heard that they would be moving.
We made the most of all of our time together, but unfortunately, the time finally came where we would have to say goodbye. I finally understand why the Navy came up with the lame saying of " fair winds and a following sea" because saying goodbye to the people you love over and over again is just too painful otherwise.
I knew that saying goodbye to Jenn would be hard. I knew that kissing Isabella for the last time ( for a while anyway) would rip my heart out. I knew hugging little Ana goodbye and missing out on so much of her growing up would be hard. What I wasn't prepared for was saying goodbye to Andrew.
I thought we would make it through it ok. I thought we could joke and laugh and it would be alright. I was so proud of how well I was handling the goodbying when it came time to say goodbye to him. He put his arms around me and the tears started to come for both of us. Then, he whispered in my ear, " Ms. Laurie, I love you and I will NEVER forget you." Even thinking about it now makes me cry. We made plans RIGHT THEN to see them next year. Until then, we will write, e-mail, call, share pictures....
People come in and out of our lives. Some stay a short time, some are friends forever, but all impact our lives. I know that their family and ours will be friends forever. I know that I didn't truly just say goodbye because we will see them again. Still, it was one of the hardest things I have ever done - cheerily waving goodbye....

Variety is the Spice of Life...

That is one of my favorite sayings and something that I always tell my family. Sometimes you just have to mix it up, you know? You can't have vanilla every night, sometimes chocolate, rocky road and even pistachio are preferred. Change and variety exposes us to new things and, at the same time, helps us appreciate our tried and true favorites.

What can be said of ice cream can also be said of people, opinions, food spices, religion and just about any other topic. When I tell my eight year old that the world would be pretty boring if we all liked the same things, I mean it. Life would be pretty dull if we all liked dragons, Harry Potter and vanilla..... Sometimes you need that person who likes pistachio to stir things up.

It is the same with opinions. Everybody doesn't see things the same way. We can't. We all have differing points of view because we all have different life experiences that shape the way we think and feel. That's ok because life would be pretty boring if we always agreed. I actually enjoy having friends who have a multitude of varying opinions on everything from politics to religion. I'm a curious person and I love to hear the varying points of view. I think that this helps me grow as a person. It exposes me to more and it challenges me to really test what I believe.

Some people though just don't seem to have any room in their lives for variety. I find that so sad. I mean, people aren't really connected by a single brain. Occasionally even friends have a difference of opinion. If your friendship can't survive that, how much of a friendship was it really?