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The Quiet Sparkle of Thanksgiving

I would have to say that Christmas time is my family's time to shine. We are early Christmas people. Our tree is already up. Our normal decor is put away and Christmas everything has exploded everywhere in our home. Christmas music plays 24/7 from a tiny radio in our living room. This radio belongs to my middle-est son, Bear, and it only comes out once the radio stations start playing all Christmas content. As a child, my husband celebrated St. Nicholas Eve, so it is something that we've always done with the kids. Probably not the way it is intended in its country of origin, but our version is a tradition that we continue, even now, as the kids are mostly adults. We do it as a warm-up to the big day. The kids write their Christmas lists and place them in one of their shoes. Santa retrieves the lists and leaves a small gift and a handful of candy. We've moved from dollar store toys to a little cash these days, but we still have fun. On Christmas Eve, we have a party. Usually...
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Rambling about reading (GBE-R)

I love books.  I remember a member of my ex-family being flabbergasted that I "read for pleasure." I remember her being astounded that anyone would do that. I remember being astounded that there were people who didn't . My parents were big readers. My grandmother too. We had shelves upon shelves of books in our house. Family members traded yard sale paperbacks between each other.  There were no restrictions on what I was allowed to read--except for maybe my mom's copy of 9 1/2 weeks which I sneakily removed and replaced when she wasn't around. I will wholeheartedly admit that I was waaaayyyyyyyyyyy too young to have read that book! But as an adult, I really appreciate the freedom they let me have when it came to books. My father was the epitome of a parent to a Gen-X kid. You know...get outside and don't come back until dinner...don't bother me with this nonsense when I have important adult shit to do...oh wait, that's right I DO have a child, she'...
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Getting to know someone is a beautiful process (GBE-R #7)

  I'm tired this morning. I'm a little annoyed with myself for missing last week's entry. I have to work tonight and I'm going to try to take a little nap. But, before I do, here is a long-ish list of random facts about me. Now, while I nap, you all can get to know me better! About me: Today is my birthday. I am newly 48 years old. My husband and I have been on our journey together for 23 years. We have four children. They are 26, 22, 20, and 17. We have a 7-year-old husky/lab mix named Jasper. He is my fifth child. We also have and 8-year-old cat named Ruby. I went to school and became an LPN when I was 36. My journey to RN came to a halt when my youngest son was diagnosed with Leukemia three years ago.  My plan is to return to school next fall--we'll see what happens. I currently work in a nursing home on the rehab unit. I work night shift. I am a certified make-up artist. Other than a few clients in the past, I really only do my own make-up. I was diagnosed with ...
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Beautiful Humans In Action (GBE-R #5--Beauty)

We didn't really know each other.  We weren't even Facebook friends...not really...more like vague Facebook acquaintances. I'd started following his Facebook after seeing an article about him online--a local "celebrity" of sorts who had a reputation for interesting and inspiring posts. Someone who not only talked about being involved in community, but also actively gave his time and energy to local causes.  We'd never really interacted with each other. A like here...a share there. The way life online often goes. In 2021, Mathias, Jeffrey, and I were living in Ronald McDonald House. When Mathias lost the ability to walk, we couldn't go home. We lived in a small apartment on the second floor with about twenty-five stairs. We couldn't carry our teenager into the apartment, and he was far too weak at that time to "bump" up the stairs on his own. We needed a new place to live and fast. That journey was not easy. A three-bedroom that was wheelchair...
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This post is brought to you by four shots of espresso (GBE-R #4 What's my motivation?)

 I wasn't going to participate this week. I'm really tired y'all.  I just finished fifty-seven hours, of night shifts, as a nurse on a short-term rehab unit. I have spent the majority of the day napping.  I haven't been motivated to EXIST, let alone talk about my motivations for joining this newest version of the GBE. So, I made myself a sugar-free copycat of Starbucks brown sugar shaken espresso. Then, I started reading other member's blogs. How they got started blogging, the friends they made  along the way, why they decided to come back... You know what? I don't even remember how I came to join the GBE in the first place! It's been a long time since those Myspace days. I remember starting my blog. I remember not even caring if anyone read what I wrote. I just enjoyed having a place to collect my thoughts--a place that was all mine. I wrote about my kids, my job, and my spouse. I wrote about being poor. Sometimes, I wrote poetry and occasionally a short st...
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Everybody's free (to wear a band tee) (GBE reincarnated #3)

 Hey Stephy. It's September of 1989. School will be starting soon, and you'll be turning 14 in a couple of weeks. How do I know this? Because I'm you. Only I'm a few weeks from my 48th birthday. I know, I know, that IS old.  Why am I here? Because I'm part of blogging group. What's a blog? Well, THAT is a lot of future that I don't have the time or energy to get into right this second. Anyway, I have been prompted to write a letter to my 14-year-old self who is just about start high school.  And that, my dear, is YOU. By the way, you are looking super cute with your grown out perm and NKOTB t-shirt. You should probably wear it on the first day of school. I know you already have an outfit picked out. That sweater...yeah, I know...it's really pretty. Don't wear it on the first day. The first day of school is going to be SUPER HOT. Septembers in general are going to be getting hotter as the years go by. You are going to sweat your ass off if you wear th...
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Let me tell you 'bout my best friend (GBE reincarnated #2--Topic: 'Time')

  Good morning, my beautiful beloved sunflower. Every morning, for over ten years, I would get this text message. Good morning, my super awesome BFF would be my reply. Ours was an unlikely friendship. We met at work sometime around 2010. Depending on the day, he could be dressed like a hippie, a biker, or a cowboy.  I always knew when he was in a good mood because he'd be in tie dye from head to toe. He loved old cars, old movies, old music. He LOVED Dave Matthews Band and watching old episodes of "Dukes of Hazzard" on VHS.  I do not like any of these things. We didn't always see eye-to-eye and, on paper, it shouldn't have worked but, we quickly became the best of friends. Aside from my husband, this man was my biggest champion. He always had words of encouragement or a verbal kick in the ass if I needed it.  He brought flowers to my nursing school graduation....stood for hours in the pouring rain trying to fix my car.... was willing to let all six of us come live...
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