The Mercy That Covers Me

Day Five of 30 Things my Children and Grandchildren should know about Me. What are the five things that make you most happy right now? 1.  My relationship with Ray.  Hard to imagine life without him though for the last few weeks I have been experiencing that.  He's been working out of town.  Definitely appreciate all the things he does when he's home.  Which reminds me, I forgot to take out the trash on Tuesday.  Blast! 2.  My relationship with our children.  Each of them is unique and perfect in their own way.  Gifted and talented, loving and kind.  The investment that Ray and I made/make in their lives has paid off exponentially.  More valuable than gold, silver or precious gems. 3.  The relationship with our grandchildren.  Oliver's multiple daily phone calls are the highlight of my day.  Hearing his voice, "Gigi???   You hear me, Gigi???"  Or the Girls learning to talk to Gigi and Papa on the phone - getting so big.  Fisher turns one next week and soon

Day Four of 30 Things I want my Children and Grandchildren to Know about Me List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could. 1.  You were created with a purpose and a future - don't lose hope. 2.  You are not fat. 3.  Girls can be mean.  Don't put too much stock in the things they say to you. 4.  You don't have to do what everyone else is doing to be accepted. 5.  Spelling Algebra is important but you really need to learn it.  Not that you will ever use it but so you can teach your children. 6.  Take time to talk to the elders in your family.  Ask them about their lives.  One day you will want to know and they won't be around to ask. 7.  Continue to ice skate.  Just because you have been told you have "weak ankles" doesn't mean you have to quit. 8.  Write more. 9.  Stop smoking now.  Don't wait until you have to. 10.  Life is worth living.  Enjoy it.

Day Three of 30 Things My Children & Grandchildren Should Know About Me Describe Your Relationship With Your Spouse I cannot adequately describe my current relationship without starting from the beginning.  I remember meeting Ray in 1972 when I was 13.  The first memory I have, the moment I "knew" he was the one for me, was the end of the school year.  He was on crutches in front of my house and I was walking home from the bus stop.  We met earlier in the school year but I don't remember any of that.  It was a simple conversation:  Ray:  Is your brother home?  Me:  I don't know, I'm just getting home from school."  At that moment, in that seemingly benign conversation - I knew he was the one for me. When Ray and my brother moved to Florida in September 1976 I was a Senior in high school.  I followed one month after graduating from high school.  I loaded all my belongings onto an AMTRAK train and followed my heart. A year later, 1978, Ray and I mar

Day Two of Thirty Things Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears 1.  Spiders.  I do not like spiders.  At all. I'm not sure how I developed this fear.  In 1997, in an attempt to overcome this fear, I got a "pet" spider.  A juvenile black widow.  She lived in a mason jar that I kept upside down.  Her web was in the top and I would open the bottom to feed her.  She lived for 9 months.  Yeah, still don't like spiders. 2.  Being in water over my head. Especially in the ocean.  When I was about five I can remember being caught in an under toe and a big wave crashing over my head and pushing me into the sand.  Scary. 3.  Heights In an effort to conquer this fear, I've learned to fly, gone to the top of the Empire State Building, 30 Rock, the Stratosphere in Vegas and the edge of the Grand Canyon.  I scream like a little girl when riding the ferris wheel.  While I am fearful of heights there is a confidence I get every time I put

I have been given a challenge.  Normally I would just ignore this kind of thing but as soon as I read it I knew it was for me to do.  Thankful for friends who know me well!  So here goes nothing.  My first day of 30 Things my Children and Grandchildren Should Know About Me. Day One - List 20 Random Facts About Myself (in no particular order) 1.  I am a licensed pilot. 2.  My first job was at Manor Care Nursing Home.  I was a volunteer and basically got to play cards and board games with the elderly. 3.  I took six years of French and much to my teacher's dismay refused to quit and take Spanish. 4.  I struggled with an eating disorder (anorexia) as a teenager. 5.  I love helping others especially when they don't know I'm helping them. 6.  I am a semi-professional genealogist.  If you sit too long with me and I get wind that you are ever so slightly interested in your heritage, I will have your family tree mapped out in no time.  True story, and strangers are no