Missing...

I wonder...

I wonder if anyone besides me is missing Christmas....no, not the stress, the rushing around madness or the hustle and bustle.  I'm thinking of the exact opposite.  The peace and love of the season.  Christmas isn't just a day or a holiday...it's a feeling, a time when most people are nicer and more thoughtful of their fellow man. It's a feeling of being wrapped in an embrace of invisible, caring, loving arms.
As the song would say..."it's the most wonderful time of the year."

All too soon the Christmas spirit has faded away...it's as if the moment the tree comes down, all the sweet emotions go with it.  Please Christmas....please stay a little longer.

Christmas this year was nice...but it won't be complete until Ryan comes home.  He was surely missed by everyone..especially his Mom.  So, we'll get to have Christmas all over again when he's home.
Gigi and I went to a baby shower yesterday for Erica.  It was such a nice time to visit with her and her family.  They are very dear people and we feel blessed to have them in our lives.  The shower was very entertaining...I took lots of pictures of Ryan when he was growing up for Erica to see....sort of "Ryan through the years"  I know she enjoyed the one taken at Six Flags...Ryan wearing his Donald Duck cap, sunglasses, guns & holster.  Please don't be embarrassed Ryan; these pictures represent precious moments. 

In case you can't tell, I love my son very much and I'm thankful he has such a sweet, loving, and caring wife.  She's a remarkably mature and strong young lady.

I can say that tonight...life is good.  I'm blessed with the best family in the world and I pray that each one of them knows how deeply they are loved.

Dearest Blog

Dearest Blog...My apologies for not getting back to you sooner.  You see, I've had a visitor for a few days; a must unwelcome visitor I might add...the name is Diabetes.  My blood sugar has been running high and wreaking havoc in my life, my career, etc.
I've decided to change to another doctor.  I love the one I have now, but he's not helping me to get better.  I know there's no cure for diabetes, but he can't seem to get my blood sugar under control. 
I've missed you dear blog....hoping better days are ahead for us.

The Sound...of Silence

"Hello darkness my old friend, I've come to talk with you again."  Is that not a beautiful song?
What is silence?  Has it become lost in this busy world we live in?  Think for a moment about your day from the time the alarm clock beeps until you finally sign off your work computer and drive home.  How much time in your day was actually quiet?  We drive to our jobs or to college classes or to wherever our individual destinations are...is the radio/cd player on? the cell phone?  How many moments can you count as being silent?  Not many I'll bet!

Sometimes we need silence...with all electronic devices turned off so that we may listen to our hearts, our spirits...it's necessary for us to do this.  If you're lucky enough to have a significant other....take the time (make the time) to connect ...let your hearts speak to each other...a warm cozy retreat with candlelight and the only sounds you hear are the rhythmic heartbeats...just simply be still.

This can work for those of us who are alone...just follow the same instructions and listen to the "sounds of silence."  It can cleanse your heart and your mind and I feel that's something we all need.
Life and all of the people, things, situations that go with it can wear us down emotionally as well as physically.  We diet, exercise, jog, work out, Zumba, etc. for our body but solitude, silence, are essential to our inner being.

Listen to #1 on my playlist.....get lost in the words...and find your own peace in the "sound of silence."

Thank you Simon and Garfunkel

Erica and Rylan....the beautiful baby wreath Erica and her Mom made

The Ryan Lassiter Family...Ryan, Erica, Hudson, and Rylan

FRIENDSHIP

Webster's defines a  friend as "a person one knows, likes, and trusts."  To me, that sounds pretty generic.  A true friend is so much more.  She's like a sister to whom you connect with but not because of genetics...a real friendship goes deeper than genetics.
I think I'm one lucky (blessed) person because I have a special friend..I'm going to list a few of the qualities it takes to build the greatest friend:

1.  Generosity--caring more for someone else than yourself

2.Honesty--telling it "like it is" no sugar coating

3. Giving of one's time unselfishly

4. Understanding--knowing there will be ups and downs; differences of opinion and accepting this.

5. Sharing moments and occasions that no one else would understand.

6.  Acceptance-knowing we can be our true selves and not be rejected, ridiculed, or pushed away.

In the past couple of days I've learned a few things about true friendship; I'm sorry to say these were things I should have already known. 

"To have a friend you have to be a friend."  Like a beautiful plant that must be nurtured,  friendship if not nurtured and cared for will shrivel and die like the plant.  You can't sit back and do nothing and expect it to blossom.

I have a friend and I'm thankful that she still considers me her friend.  I got so wrapped up in my own life, my own problems that I almost lost someone very dear to me.

This person (she probably wouldn't want me to say her name) has always been so good to me...many times over the years she has invited me to her home and made dinner for me; she's never forgotten my birthday or Christmas; when I had surgery a few years ago, she brought dinner to my house and felt at home enough that she straightened up my kitchen cabinets.  I feel that I've failed her but she is willing to put that behind us and work with me to continue to build our friendship.  We've shared our broken hearts, bought lottery tickets together,  had Dr. Pepper can adventures...(you had to be there) she's a very strong person and I admire that; I wish I had half the strength she has.

She does, however, have one thing I don't wish I had.....Roy....Roy is a pet rooster who is like a little child who follows her everywhere.  I felt like I needed to come back and make a change to this post...Roy is a baby rooster not a full grown one; someone left him in a box on my friend's front porch.  I happened to think those of you who read this might envision an adult rooster following after my friend..LOL...he's a baby

She has a man who loves her and I pray he knows how lucky he is to have this beautiful, strong, amazing woman who is loved by many .... including Roy

I LYLMS

HOME

What do you think of when you hear the word home?  The answer to that question is very different for each one of us.  Do you think of family? security? peace? or do you tense up and think of stress, anger, or confusion?  Home can be a safe haven from the storms of life and sometimes it can be an empty place with no roof and the storms flood our lives.

I can say from experience that I've thought of home in all the above ways...mixed emotions from a sometimes happy/sometimes abusive place...I've felt the joy, the happiness that was mine when I was a new wife, a new mother...the sadness and emptiness when love abandons that home.

Home isn't just a place..it's a feeling that fills your heart.  Home is where you can close the door and keep the world from invading your space; the world can be rather rude sometimes and I'm sure we all have felt that from time to time.

Today, for me, home is my comfort place...my place for peace....listening to the rain, no other sounds..the rain is (for me anyway) healing.  It's washing my world clean and new.

I think ET said it well

"Home is a most excellent place"

Dorothy also knew

"There's no place like home"

The Bangles said it best "Manic Monday"

How was everyone's Monday...first day back at work after the holidays?  I hope the ride getting back in our routines wasn't too bumpy for you.
My day was good; new year, new scrubs to wear and work was really good today.

I'm thankful and humbled at what a couple of people told me today...that they always know they can count on me, that they enjoy working with me, and that I'm so nice (do you think they have me confused with someone else???)
It's important to me to always try to be professional, respectful, and helpful to the many people I speak with every day...physicians, nurses, insurance adjusters, and our patients.  If there were no patients, there'd be no job for myself and a lot of other people.  I think you get back what you put into something.  My Mother always said "if you're going to do something, do your best."  I'm far from perfect but I do try to do my best.  Patients and patience...need to work together.  When I was much younger, my Mom was at the hospital trying to get registered and the clerk was so impatient with her.  I've tried to imagine that the person sitting across the desk from me is family....if that was your mother, father, brother, sister, or grandparent how would you want them treated?

Ok, I'm rambling....one of the many things I need to work on.  I guess the point I'm trying to make is simply..be nice.

I hope everybody has a safe and peaceful night...enjoy being with your family.  I picked up a saying several years ago from...well I don't remember from who, but it's "angels on your pillows"   Goodnight...may the angels watch over you.

Thoughts

Well as they say, all good things must come to an end.  For the past 3 weeks my co workers and I have enjoyed a 3 day weekend...tomorrow it's back to reality, 5 days of work.  I think it will be good to get back into my normal routine.
I plan to go back to work with a new dedication to doing the best job I can do.  I pray that my health will cooperate with this.  I really enjoy what I do.  I happen to think I work for the best physicians in the world!

Short blog tonight....I hope everyone has a great day tomorrow...stay safe and warm!

January 1, 2011 Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope all of you are doing well today...no partying too hard.  I had my party at home....and I did as I said I would...I watched as 2010 & it's assorted garbage faded farther and farther away.

A new day, a new month, a new year= a new start ...for all of us.....as my friend Joann would say                              Feliz ano!!