Carol

Carol Jean Evans

I am the mother of 3 children; 18 year old daughter, 7 year old son, and 5 year old son.  I moved from my Southwest hometown October 2005 to begin a new life in the Midwest.  Moving has definitely been a challenge. Doors have opened that I didn't know existed & made me a stronger person.  I write about things I am passionate and share information found from other sources.  Some posts are a work in progress.  Hope you enjoy my blog, and feel free to comment. I will respond if you ask me too.  You can find me on Facebook and Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/caroljeanevans
http://www.facebook.com/CarolJeanRichards 

Carol Jean

Christmas 2009

The deep sigh of satisfaction, ... << MORE >>

Thanksgiving Tree & Christmas Decorations

Well, it's that time of ... << MORE >>

Disclosing Our Souls on the Internet

Do we disclose our personal ... << MORE >>

Parents, Educating Your Teens on Substance Abuse. Video begins when link is opened.

H1>WAVE Tools for Parents

The first year of college is a time of major change for your son or daughter. Your teen is in the process of making a transition from being a teen to being an adult. The demands and difficulties are considerable for both you and your teen.<< MORE >>

The Drink Wheel - On-Line BrAC Calculator

h1 align="center">The Drink Wheel

On-Line BrAC Calculator

About
Disclaimer




I have had
over a period of hour(s)2.


I am Male Female
(Explanation of gender differences in Blood
Alcohol Concentration)


and I weigh Pounds Kilograms


and I live in

(so that the result is displayed in the appropriate units).









About the Drink Wheel


The Intoximeters Inc. "Drink Wheel"1 is a form that you can fill out. Upon completion we will instantly compute your estimated blood/breath alcohol concentration ("BAC") based on the information that you have provided and return that estimate to you.<< MORE >>

Susan Borman, A Woman of Inspiration, Dedication, and Understanding

I cannot remember when I first met Mrs. Borman, but it had to have been in the mid - late 1980's.  From the beginning, I knew she was extraordinary. She made me feel at peace when I was near her; welcoming, caring, and genuine.  By knowing her, you would have no clue to the places she had been and the historical people she knew.
 






Valerie Anders (left) and Susan Borman hear their husbands from space

The Astronaut Wives' Club
By Sarah Cuddon
Producer, Astronaut Wives' Club

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Is it really March already?!

Woah, how did it get to be March 8, 2009?  Kind of leaves me speechless, which is not like me. 

Daylight Savings Time started today. I am not a big fan of it for one simple reason, the kids stay up later on school nights  because of the sun being up. They should have DST around the school schedule. But, it is good for baseball practice and playing/hanging out in the backyard.

This winter has seemed long and extra cold. Not much snow, but we did have four inches of it last weekend.  My tulips and daffodils have ...<< MORE >>

Christmas 2008

Merry Christmas!!!

We started off our celebration on December 23 with an Open House for the family at our home on Century Lane.  It was bitter sweet because Taylor could not be with us as she was in New Mexico.  We had lots of love and conversation with Susan, Paul, Garrett, Joliana, Ryan, Julie, Kevin, Kelsey, Kristin, Evan, Elizabeth, Eion, Bill, Karen, Carrie, Eric, Alex, Tommy, neighbors Denny and Jamie, and my friend Deanna.   We ate casually, from the kitchen counter, a wonderful cut of sirloin roast from my friends at Arrowhead Speciality Meats; John and Elaine ...<< MORE >>

Words of Wisdom

Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst, a spark that creates extraordinary results.

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Thanksgiving 2008

This Thanksgiving we went back to Braymer, Missouri to be with the Evans family.  Here are a few pictures I took with my mobile phone.




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Pictures from Arrowhead. I didn't say Chief's on purpose, we're lousy this year.

We have been to a few games this year at Arrowhead; Chief's and Pitt State.  These are taken with my mobile phone.  Has anybody seen our digital camera? lol


These pictures are from the Chief's vs Buc's game on November 2nd
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Halloween 2008

A few Halloween pictures to share. The boys are Pirates and Tim is Captain Hook. Nancy came by and she was a clown ...<< MORE >>

Taylor is 17 years old

Click play to hear the Podcast.
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Saving this on here, sad and hard for me to look at but wanted to keep it.

Jacquelyn McCutcheon Richards
(February 3, 1934 - July 7, 2007)


Happy Birthday Jack!

Press the play button for the Podcast.
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Trip to the Book Store and Things that make me happy and thankful

Tonight I went to the bookstore.  Decided to look around and spend some quite time.  It's been awhile since I have been to the bookstore and it was always a favorite place for Taylor and me.  I have never been overwelmed by books. In fact, just the opposite; I collect books, especially antique and family books.

Tonight was different. I was looking for a certain book but wasn't sure what or what section. I wandered the aisles, taking my time to examine the shelves.  There were so many topics that interested me; so many subjects I wanted ...<< MORE >>

Jack's Classroom Newsletter 10/9/08

 October 9, 2008 @ 11:20 am



Toads and caterpillars…



We started the day by finding a toad right outside the door out to the bus.  It was slimey’s brother, coming for a visit!  we were going to put them both int here, but honestly, aren’t sure if there would be a, ya know….toad fight.

so, today was a cooking day..and of course, Ms. Melissa (who the kids have decided it’s more fun ...<< MORE >>

William's first game of coach pitch baseball. First time up at bat and grand slam home run!










These video clips are from William's first day playing coach pitched baseball. His first time at bat he hits the ball over the fence, foul ball.
The second hit, he hits it over the fence again, but perfectly. Grand slam home run! ...<< MORE >>

Visit to New Mexico in August

A few weeks ago I flew back to Las Cruces with Dad.  Stayed with Jane Ann & Dave and we had a good time.  Saturday night was the Southern New Mexico Community Foundation Gala.  Before the gala at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Museum, there were different dinner parties across town sponsored by different people.  We attended the dinner hosted by John and Ruth Christopher. John is the GM of Comcast and Ruth is CFO of Citizen's Bank.  The dinner was at the Double  Eagle, which made it feel more like home to me.  We sat with Tom and ...<< MORE >>

Hi! I haven't posted in quite awhile........

Hi there! I haven't posted in quite awhile.  A lot going on that I am not wanting to share at this point. Maybe one day soon.  I thank my Guardian Angels for keeping me going; especially Coeli Baker, the world's best prayerer.  I made up the word prayerer, but it fits the scenario.  I also think Robbi from Dr. Tenny's office for calling to see how I am doing.  It's those random calls that help when I don't think I can take another step. They re-energize me. 

Jon Gordon says in his book, The Energy Bus ...<< MORE >>

William's T-Ball games


















...
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Taylor and Carol's trip to Milwaukee, July 2008

Taylor and me in Milwaukee for the annual Northwestern Mutual meeting.


































...
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Control Over Your Emotions - Weird timing if you read my post from yesterday


Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice - 7/3/08 - "Control Over Your Emotions"



When you hit your thumb with a hammer, you know what causes the pain. Do you know what causes the emotion?



All of us have nervous systems that cause us to feel pain. All of us have emotions, too. We feel happy, sad, angry, elated, hopeless, inspired. But where do the emotions come from? What causes them?


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2008 New Mexico State University Volleyball Highlights



2008 New Mexico State University Volleyball Highlights, Jordan Bostic posted on Facebook. Great video! ...<< MORE >>

July 2, 2008

This morning Jack was lieing in my lap after he woke up and I was drinking my coffee and reading the news on the internet.  I was half reading and thinking of mom at the same time. How did a year pass by already?  My mom is dead.  My mom is dead. What? When did that happen?  Looking at Jack lieing in my lap, I realized he was looking at me, really looking at me and smiling.  I thought, "gosh, Mom would just eat him up right now."  I know what she would say if she ...<< MORE >>

The Energy Bus, Jon Gordon





...<< MORE >>

Pictures from William's pre-school trip, field day and graduation

Enjoy all the pictures below. They are from Deanna Rose Museum, Walnut Grove Elementary School field day, and the Early Childhood Education Pre-school Program of which William was a Peer Model for 1 1/2 years. Jack starts next year as a Peer Model and William moves on to kindergarten.

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Saturday, June 7 2008

Hello!  Jane Ann came to town Monday - Friday.  Short and exhausting trip for her, but glad she came.  Tim went to Branson with Mike Hinkle for a weekend of gold.  He needed to get away.

Getting ready to take William to his tball game.

That's all for now. I'm still around, just busy.  Here are some random pictures.

Love,
CJ






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Special Time of Year- Happy Birthday to Martha and me!

June 1, generally the end of the school year and the beginning of the lazy days of summer.  I always loved this time of year.  It's not to hot yet, and the beginning of the summer.  The excitement of Martha and my birthdays was the icing on the cake.  So, Happy Birthday to Martha and me!

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Sunday, May 18, 2008

I am so happy that I got to talk to Cousin Sidnie yesterday.  She is doing great, and in the Coast Guard. Who would think that a girl from the high desert would end up in the Coast Guard?  I remember the first time I saw Sidnie, it was in 1989.  Sidnie is Taylor's 1st cousin, if you are wondering.  Sidnie went to elementary school with my nephew, Mike (Jane Ann's son).  Never knew I had a nephew AND a niece in the same class.  Taylor and Sid have a lot in common. I am so ...<< MORE >>

Notes and future reference

March 31, 2008
Unblocking The Ally
Habitual Anger

Sometimes when we feel anger, it is coming from a deep place that demands acknowledgment and expression. At these times, it is important that we find healthy ways to honor our anger, remembering how dangerous it is to repress it. However, anger can also become a habit, our go-to emotion whenever things go wrong. Often this is because, for whatever reason, we feel more comfortable expressing anger than we do other emotions, like sadness. It can also be that getting angry gives us the impression that we’ve done something ...

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Control of Your Life (Good one and appropriate for me right now)


Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice 4/30/08 - "Control of Your Life"


Do you ever feel like events in your life have gotten out of control? Some  days, it's easy to feel that way.


No matter how diligently you set goals, visualize results, and affirm a positive outcome, every once in a while your life is going to feel as if it's gone a little crazy. Carefully laid plans go up in smoke - sometimes quite literally. ...

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New - Self Portrait Photos of the Children: They took them, too cute! Guess which child took the pictures
































...
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Weekend of April 25 - 27

Hello!  Crazy week and haven't had time to even read the news lately.  Thought I would write a few things in no particular order, and update as the weekend goes along.

Last night Kevin and Julie popped over for a bit.  We sat in the dining room, which we rarely do because normally the laundry is piled over the dining room table.  We cleaned it off to set up the new 22 inch widescreen computer  monitor that I need for work. The laptop monitor is so small and my aging eyes were going batty. 

Taylor had a ...
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Quotes I have saved along the way....for us, for our children, for our familes, and for me

If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere. When the Japanese mend broken objects, they aggrandize the damage by filling the cracks with gold. They believe that when something's suffered damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful. We turn to God for help when our foundations are shaking, only to learn that it is God who is shaking them. If you're in a bad situation, ...<< MORE >>

To Taylor, with love from Mom

As I Watch You Grow

Do you know how much you mean to me?
As you grow into what you will be.
You came from within, from just beneath my heart
it's there you'll always be though your own life will now start.

You're growing so fast it sends me awhirl, With misty eyes I ask,
Where's my little girl?
I know sometimes to you I seem harsh and so unfair, But one day you will see,
I taught you well because I care.

The next few years will so ...<< MORE >>

Carol's Geneology Reports - Please complege any errors in the comments section on the bottom!


Report


 


Name Birth date Death date Marriage date Phone Street 1 City Zip or postal code


Abby Claire Malugen Oct 04, 1994 441 Main Street Herculaneum 63048


Alexandra Nicole Richards Jan 03, 1993 575-650-5395


Barbara Carol Richards Jul 19, 1963 573-438-4204 207 Wreath Street Potosi 63664


Carol Jean Richards Jun 03, 1964 Jun 15, 2002 913-491-5421 11065 Century Lane Overland Park 66210


Christopher Taylor Day Feb 29, 1980 575-621-9673 6735 E. Greenway Pkwy Scottsdale 85254


David James Malugen Jan 09, 1964 Feb 19, 1994 441 Main Street Herculaneum 63048

...<< MORE >>

Mom and Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary

 


Hi! This isn't the one I wanted to post on here, but had a lot of trouble getting the right one on because of the size.  So, ignore my mistakes and enjoy the show!  And if I hear from anyone that their picture isn't in it enough, they can make one themselves. hahahahahahhaha

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Hillary Clinton - Joke


Hillary Clinton goes to a primary school in New York to talk about theworld. After her talk she offers a question time. One little boy puts up his hand. The Senator asks him what his name is. "Kenneth," the boy replies. "And what is your question, Kenneth?" "I have three questions: "First - whatever happened to the medical health care plan you were paid to develop during your husband's eight years in the office as President?" "Second - why would you run for President after your husband shamed the office?" "Third - whatever happened to ...

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Taylor,"The Teenager" Is Here! Visit to Union Station and Bodies Revealed Exhibit

This mother hen has all he chicks in her hen house!  Now, let's see if I can keep some order


















Polymer Preservation: The Process

This ...
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The morning after Garret spent the night


Click on to play ...<< MORE >>

Garrett, William, and Jackson before going to bed


Hit play to hear the boys. ...<< MORE >>

Thank you and welcome to my blog!

Download | Duration: 00:00:56

  Click the play button (triangle) to hear. You do not have to download.

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A Mother's Love


The Apricot Blossom, A Mother's Love
 

Last night, I received an email from the brother of a dear friend I haven't seen in a long time.  I made contact with him through the networking site Linked In.  Little did I know, the Apel family would touch my heart again.  When I first met Andy and Dave, I was 16 years old.  Dave became a very close friend to me, and I introduced him to my family.  Dave and Cousin Rob became good friends and roommates.  Dave gave my mother a very special print by the artist
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Garrett, Papa Bear and Future Teen Star

We drove out to Pleasant Hill last night to watch Garrett in his first grade music class production.  I knew he was going to be Papa Bear, just didn't know he had the male lead.  Not lead from his class, but the entire grade.  He looked so cute with his tan courderoy pants, brown shirt and brown ski cap with bear ears sewn in. 

Before heading over to the high school auditorium, I asked Garrett if he knew his first line.  He recited it to me perfectly.  He knew exactly what he was doing and had ...
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Reason and Emotions


Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice - 4/4/08 - "Reason and Emotions"


The ability to reason and understand is important to our well-being, but so is our ability to feel emotions. Let's look at how the two fit together.  Intelligence is a wonderful thing. Our ability to reason, to make rational choices, and to look at things analytically has given humanity many great things. But when the mind is operating without the heart, when intellect rules without benefit of humility, we often end up in very deep trouble. In the 20th century alone, we saw the most cultured ...

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Dealing with Complex Problems



"Dealing with Complex
Problems"


When you have a complex problem to solve, how do you go about solving it? Today, I'll give you some information that might help you.  Sometimes, when we have complex or difficult problems to solve, our feelings of being under pressure cause us to push so hard for solutions that we wind up spinning our wheels. We study the problem from every possible angle, collect huge amounts of information, ...

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Monday, March 31

Happy Monday morning!  As Jack screams because Tim took away his 'makeshift drum stick' banging on a Diego's travel play kit.  William is trying to defend Jack and get the stick back for him. Let's see who wins the arguement. Back to that by the time I am finished writing.

This weekend.....Let me remember..

Oh, Jack won, he has the stick back. 

K, back to this weekend.  Friday, Tim and I had an after work drink at Garazzo's.  Very dumb idea.

Wait, Tim took the stick away again, and is on his way upstairs to hide it. Jack is ...
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The Good we do for others circulates back to bless us

When we are caring for another person, we are aware that we are caring for a sacred creation of God.  Whether as a parent or spouse, grandparent or guardian, healthcare-giver or teacher, we are nurturing others and helping to shape their lives.

We honor God's creativity as we honor people--children or adults--by caring about and for them.  We do whatever we can to bring greater comfort, healing, and understanding to those who need tender, loving attention.

According to the law of giving, and receiving, the good we do for others goes full circle and comes back to bless ...
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CNBC Video on Life Insurance as an Investment

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=697206891
...<< MORE >>

Wednesday, March 26

Time is going by too fast this week and I feel incomplete since I haven't had the time to write.  How has this week gone by so fast?  Is tomorrow really Thursday?

My dining room is a mess.  I am trying to inventory family heirlooms I have collected, mainly for keeping track of what I have and to document to hand down.  I came home with my great grandmother's china.  It's beauitful and I am thrilled to have it.  We were hoping to come home with the secretary desk that I love so much, but Jane Ann ...
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A Few Fun Videos I Made

Just having a little fun. lol




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The 4:8 Principle, My notes and interpretations, ongoing study

The 4:8 Principle, by Tommy Newberry

Copyright 2007



(The following are my notes and personal thoughts from reading this book. It is purely for personal purposes and not intended to infringe upon copyrighted material)



A prayer for Joy, (page 17)



Lord,



Thank you for all the goodness in my life and the great plans you have for me, my family, and my future. I praise you for my healthy mind and the power you have instilled in my thoughts. Thanks especially ...<< MORE >>

Pictorial of our trip home, the New Mexico adventure


































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Warning-I am against smoking or tobacco products of any kind

I have many friends and loved ones who smoke and use different forms of tobacco.  While I still love my friends and family who smoke, I am completely against.it.  I try not to say anything because I believe in adults having free will and making their own choices.

It is hard for me to be quiet and I have been known to make comments such as "Nothing worse than seeing a pretty girl smoke", etc..  My father's cigar smoking is so bad that it takes me three full washing machine cycles to get most of the cigar odor ...
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Saturday, March 8

Lately I have seen the sides of a few people that have me thinking. ( I am not using any names, nor directing this at any one whom would probably even know my Blog exists.)

Let me start with Greed. Wikipedia defines 'greed' as the selfish desire for or pursuit of money, wealth, power, food, or other possessions, expecially when this denies the same goods to others.  It is generally considered a vice, and is one of the seven deadly sins.

I don't want to confuse wants with greed, such as the desire to earn more money, acquire wealth, ...
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Thursday, March 6

Change.  Are you good with change?  (and I don't mean pocket money kind of change, ha-ha)

Change is very scary to most people, including me.  The unexpected, the unknown, afraid to be out of our comfort zone.  What if our comfort zone is not good or healthy for us?  What we think is comfort, may in fact be uncomfortable and damaging to us but we just don't see it yet. 

Have you read the book, Who Moved My Cheese? It's a short read, maybe 30 minutes, and it is a perfect analogy on how we may need to ...
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Tuesday, March 5

Boys are sleeping, including Tim and Toby.  It's just me, my cup of coffee and the computer.  My quiet time, to reflect on the day, read the news, and basicallly, ground myself before my daily adventure. It's my favorite time of day, even if I rather be curled up in the warm, soft flannel sheets on this cold winters morning.

Busy day, heck, busy dayS.  I am excited about today and what  is around the corner.  Another chapter in my life is opening up.  With all the chapters in my book of life, I wonder how many more ...
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Ride of Katy Jennings

OLDEST HERO AT THE ALAMO: GORDON JENNINGS OF CONNECTICUT Nicholas E. Hollis (All Rights Reserved) Gordon C. Jennings was born in May 1782 in Windham, Connecticut, the eldest son of Joseph and Ruth (Cartwright) Jennings. Joseph had served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and traced his line to the Joshua Jennings’ family, which first settled in Hartford in the 1630s. A farmer, Gordon was among the first pioneers to settle in Troy, Missouri (outside St. Louis) in the early 1820s. In 1833, he and a brother moved with their families to Bastrop, Texas (near present-day Austin). Later, ...<< MORE >>

Lou Tice, including USC Football Coach Pete Carroll


http://www.petecarroll.com/index.cfm/pk/content/pid/400468










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Tickets to Joel Osteen $60, Roundtrip airfair to Kansas City $200, Dinner at Pierpont's $250, Being with your family Priceless

I have been contemplating how to start writing about Tita's visit with us in Kansas City.  I knew the title immediately and published it.  It is the content that has me stumped.  As we know, because I keep bringing it up and it's the reason I started sharing my writing, I have been on an emotional roller coaster for far too long.

Tita and I had been planning her visit for months. She loves Joel Osteen and he was coming to KC, which was a perfect opportunity for her to come up and see the boys and us.  Sometimes you just have to plan to make things happen.  She could have easily cancelled her trip because of my prior three weeks situation.  I am so glad she did not cancel.

Tita and I have always been close. While I have two other aunts, Tita is the one I am closest to, and know the best.  Growing up, she spent Christmas with us.  I have wonderful memories of Christmas going back to about 4 years old when we lived on Mesilla street.  When we lived on Armijo, our holidays seemed to be so grand in the pink house with the stairway and high ceilings.  Even when we moved out to Real del Sur, having champagne cocktails, brings joy to my heart.

Watching Tita play with William and Jack last week was a highlight in my life.  I kept thinking of ways to set up a video camera so they wouldn't know it was on.  But I realized that these were memories I wanted in my heart, not to be stashed away on a video and forgotten in a drawer.  She may not realize how closely I watched her and the boys, but I did.

I often thought of what Tita and I have in common.  We have blood, which she reminds me, is thicker than water. But we do have a lot of differences;   She is an athlete, and I am a spectator.  She's tall and I am short.  She likes to read and I collect the books.   We both treasure momentos from our lifes and prior generations. 

We also have a lot in common, more than I realized.  We are both the baby of the family.  Living in the shadows of our older sisters.  In a way, it's been a life long struggle to live up to the shoes of the J and JA.  Struggle is a harsher word than I want to use, but I can't think of another word right now.  We are both spiritual, and think about what life is about, and our purpose and meaning.  While I am not at the stage in my life to ask or even think about my real true purpose, she has been at that stage for awhile. 

I think about her purpose and might have a pretty good clue as why she is with us but, I won't really know for years to come.  What I do know is that her influence and coaching abilities far exceeds that on a court or track; whether it be volleyball, basketball, tennis or track.  She underestimates herself and how much she means to so many people, which surprised me.

Not sure why it surprises me, as I think most of us underestimate ourselves.  Some of us work our asses off to prove to ourselves that we are achievers.  Others of us are underachievers and don't live up our true potential, living only a fraction of we can truly do.   (I am going to talk about underachieving soon in a separate blog.)

When Tita left Kansas City, I was exhausted.  She is 69 years  old and I am 43.  She flew back to El Paso and two days later was off to Las Vegas for more fun.  Wish I had half of her energy.  While here, she was on the floor with the boys playing flag football, and not just for a few minutes!  She played over and over for days.  To quote her and mom, she's more fun than a barrell of monkeys.  She has been though a lot of physical problems; breast cancer, knee replacement, heart problems and never bitched once. 

The older I get, the more I understand that each of us views life from a different angle.  We cast judgements without walking in anothers shoes.  For example; my view of my mother, father, grandmother, brother, sister, etc. are different than Tita's view of her sister, mother, brother in law, nephew, niece, etc..  Nobody's viewpoint is wrong, it's just different. We have different relationships with each other.

Anyway, I will need to get to some things around the house. It's 68 degrees today and we're having snow tomorrow. Go figure!

Thanks for coming to our home Tita. Mis casa es su casa.  Con mucho amor y besos.  Su nieta y hermana de la Republica de Tejas.  Viva Tejas!  Ha ha ha ha ha xoxoxo






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William's Pre-School Website

This will open a new browser:

teachers.olathe.k12.ks.us/~mthomaswg/index.html ...<< MORE >>

The greatest gift a father could give

Thinking about my mom's birthday coming up on February 3, she would have been 74.

My dad gave me the greatest gift a father could give his child; he loved my mother.

There is not a greater gift you can give your child than to love their other parent. Yes, even if the parents are not married.  I am lucky enough to have parents that married til death do they part.  They honored their committment to each other, and were fortunate to be best friends. That is rare, very rare.

So, to my dad, I thank him for giving ...
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Why do women feel guilty or say we're sorry so often?

Why do women feel guilty or say we're sorry so much more than men?  Do you feel the same way?  I notice I say sorry even if I didn't do something wrong, an event or something didn't go as planned, and I say I am sorry. Huh?   Even guilty, if the home isn't perfect, or half way perfect, I feel guilty.

Pay attention today and see how many times you say sorry or feel a bit guilty. Were you on the phone or computer too long? Did you eat something you shouldn't have?  Was it really deserving ...
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Gratitude Campaign

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Saturday, January 26

I'm glad the weekend is here.  There is so much on my plate, and I needed the weekend to take a few things off so I can focus and relax a bit.

Thursday night Tim, the boys and I met Julie, Kevin, Evan and Elizabeth at Suterra's for dinner.  Our friend is a coach for the men's Oral Roberts University basketball team and he had tickets for us to watch them play UMKC.  Larry met up with us at Suterra's but wasn't able to stay because Evan was not feeling well, and took him home.

It was good to ...
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Friday and Saturday, January 18 and 19

So far, it's been a great weekend!  Tim, the boys and ...<< MORE >>

Surround Yourself With Love

Loving Presence
Surround Yourself With Love

In our everyday life we are surrounded by a variety of people. Some of the people we deal with on a daily basis are a joy to be with, and their loving presence nurtures and encourages us. Others may have the opposite effect, draining us of our energy, making us feel tired and exhausted. Our well-being can be easily influenced by those around us, and if we can keep this in mind, we will have greater insights into the quality of our social interactions and their energetic effect on us.

Once we ...

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Daily Word for January 18, 2008

I am where I need to be to give and receive a blessing today.

Divine Order.   On this day, I pause to consider the people, places and events that have brought me to this point in my life.  I recall times when my being in a particular place, saying a particular thing, or taking a particular action led to the greater good for someone.

In the silence of prayer, I acknowledge that I am in the flow of divine order that is movnig in and through all life.  I am committed to being there for a child who ...
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The problem is that our modern culture says, "go in earlier, stay later, be more efficient, live with sacrifice nor now"--

The problem is that our modern culture says, 'go in earlier, stay later, be more efficient, live with the sacrifice for now" -- but the truth is that balance and peace of mind are not produced by these; they follow the person who develops a clear sense of his or her highest priorities and who lives with focus and integrity toward them.

7 Habits of Highly Effective People
(Thanks Uncle Billy!)
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Wednesday, 1/16/2008

Well, another day has gone by. It's about time to put the boys in the bath and to bed.  While that is our nightly routine, I would call it a far cry from being an actual routine.  Jack normally fights off his bath, which makes me wonder if he is really my biological child. Tim insists he is the baby that came out of my C Section on 10/19/04, so I have to believe him.  Taylor and William love their bath, just as I do.  I can change Taylor and William's mood within 3 minutes, just ...<< MORE >>

What is a family?

Ever ask yourself "what is family".  Who is your family? Do you consder your family your biological sisters, brothers, mother and father?  Or do you have a situatin where your family is blended; step mothers and step fathers, with step brothers and step sisters?  Or is your family, the friends you have chosen to be your family?

As we age and grow as individuals, we leave our original family and make our own family as adults.  Some of us get married and may or may not have children.  Some of us have children but no husband.  Some of ...
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"Balancing My Wants"

Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice - 1/15/08 - "Balancing My Wants"

Did you enjoy your experience of "mind wandering"? I hope so. You see, by taking time to let your mind wander, unfettered by the "have-to's" of the day, you are engaging in a little mental relaxation that should leave you
refreshed.

Today, let's do a little organization of those "wants" you discovered yesterday. One of the tools I like to use is what I call a "balance wheel." We've talked about this before, I am certain. Draw a circle, and then divide
the circle into six or eight segments, ...
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Blaming everyone and everything else for our problems and challenges may be the norm....

Blaming everyone and everything else for our problems and challenges may be the norm and may provide temporary relief from the pain, but it also chains us to htese very problems.  Show me someone who is humble enough to accept and take responsiblity for his or her circumstances and courageous enough to take whatever initiative is necessary to creatively work his or her way through or around these challenges, and I'll show you the supreme power of choice.

(The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People)
Thanks Uncle Billy!
...<< MORE >>

Daily Word for January 14

In God's presence, I know true satisfaction of my soul.

I may long to experience more fulfillment in life but have no idea of what will satisfy that longing.  What do I do? I nourish my sould by giving my attention and time to focusing on God's presence.  The more I am aware of God, the more satisfaction of the soul and fulfillment in life I experience.

Instead of continually thinking of what I need or want, I give thanks for what I have already been given; life and, with that life, the ability to think and plan ...
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Tim suddenly changed, on what I thought was one of our basic foundations in our relationship (wink wink)

It happened, this Sunday morning, from out of nowhere. I can't ...<< MORE >>

Chuckles


Very dramatic chipmunk, he must be related.
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Mom

Mom, I miss you. I have missed you for a long ...<< MORE >>

Blogging

We hear a lot about blogging lately, and I haven't been ...<< MORE >>

"Demanding Attention"

Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice - 1/10/07 - "Demanding Attention"


When your children crave attention, do they throw a tantrum, misbehave or act out inappropriately? If so, perhaps you can show them a better way. You know, children want many things that they don't usually ask for directly. In that way, they're no different from adults. Two things in particular that we all seem to need, but seldom come right out and ask for, are recognition and affection.


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