Unexpected Lessons from Disaster in Japan

Last week my home computer crashed. Racked with grief over the lost family photos and other documents, I cried… “I’ve lost everything!”

Then I turned on the TV and saw the disaster in Japan.

I quickly realized my loss was small in comparison. I watched people whose homes, family members and businesses were gone. I watched them picking up the pieces, reaching out to others and bravely making the best of a horrific situation.

I was inspired to handle my small loss with grace and maturity.

Later that week, one of my children ended up in the hospital with some possibly serious issues.  Again, I experienced feelings of personal loss and tragedy.

These events got me thinking about the different earthquakes that happen in our lives. There are many ways life shakes us up and brings us to our knees. There are many ways our solid ground (the things that make us feel secure) can be washed away and leave us wounded and unsure about our future.

We live with a false sense of security, we think we can control the solid ground under our feet, but there are fault lines all around us and this life, as surely as this earth, is not a static arrangement.

It is always shifting and changing.

In spite of the futility of the effort, we, as human beings, try to resist change and control life. We don’t want to grow old, lose our edge, experience tragedy or lose what we have. We do everything we can to hold onto what is… but this effort can be as futile as trying to resist the force of that tsunami.

We are growing old, like it or not.

Everything we have can be gone in a heartbeat.

Bad things happen to good people.

It is just the nature of life.

Eastern cultures, like that of Japan, tend to understand life’s impermanence and suffering better than we do. They celebrate growing old and embrace change and loss with more wisdom and trust.

The people of Japan have taught us many lessons these past weeks but these four stood out to me…

1)      Rejoice in the small blessings:

One lady, whose home and been swept away, wept for joy when her beloved pet was found alive. This inspired me to be grateful for the things in my life that are still okay.  No matter what we lose, we still have much to be grateful for. I am choosing to focus on what I have instead of what is gone.

2)      Rejoice in the now:

Avoid dwelling on fears about the future. The future is always unknown and uncertain but at this moment you are alive and have hope. I have watched the Japanese people focusing on what they can do right now. Now is the only time you have to take action and make choices to improve your situation. If there is nothing you can do, make the best of the now and deal with tomorrow, tomorrow.

3)      Serve others:

One of the most inspiring stories from Japan was about the noodle shop owner who lost his home. Instead of dwelling on his personal loss, he opened his small shop and used his remaining inventory to offer free noodles to all those in need. Focusing on others reconnects you to your highest best self – which brings feelings of peace and self worth.  How can you focus on others, in your current situation, instead of feeling sorry for yourself?

4)      Practice Trust:

The best lesson I learned from watching our eastern friends, has been to choose unconditional compassion and love for whatever experience shows up in your life.

They have taught me the magic of trusting life.

Many eastern religions teach followers to widen their circle of acceptance and understanding to include the good and the bad experiences of life, welcoming whatever comes to their door.

Budda taught that peace and happiness come when you trust that your journey is always perfect. Everything that happens is here for a perfect reason to teach you a lesson or make you stronger. He encourages followers to look for the lessons and trust that every experience is for your good. The tough experiences are making you who you are.

This rings true with our own spiritual beliefs.

A loving Heavenly Father sent us here to learn and gain wisdom – that is the purpose of our life.

Growth, which develops character, requires scary and painful experiences – but you can trust that you are in God’s hands in every moment and will be okay.  He has promised you every experience will be for your good.

You can trust Him.

When you experience loss or other earthquakes in your life, choose to trust God and life. For some reason, this experience is your perfect path.  Choose to walk it in faith.

Remember “It is in periods of apparent disaster, that the greatest improvements in human character have been developed.” –Sir Archibald Alison

You will make it through – and be stronger for it.

Day 116: Kim Confronts Table Robbers

I got a chance to practice confidence and independence last night because I kinda got stood up!   (I’ll explain about the table robbers in a minute.)

A week ago a really nice guy that I’ve been friends with for a while, finally asked me out for the following Friday night.  He had told Tammy that he really liked me and wanted to get out of the friend zone.  I told him that would be great as long as I didn’t have my kids.  I said, “I’ll know by Tuesday for sure, so call me then – but I’m putting you on my calendar – and I’m looking forward to it!”

So Tuesday he texts me about a business presentation he was hoping I could make the next week.  We exchanged a couple texts about the meeting, but he never brought up the date.

I probably should have said, “Hey are we still on for Friday.”  But I was busy at the time and really figured he’d ask – (if he was excited to see me, he would right?)

It turned out that I didn’t have the kids Friday night and it is a big deal to me how I spend those nights, because I only get about 5 nights a month without them, when I’m even available for a date.  So if you’re getting one of those slots… you are someone special.

But Wednesday came and went and still no word from him…

Then Thursday…  and I still hadn’t heard from him.

Then Thursday night another really nice guy asked me out for a concert Friday night and I didn’t know what to do… In the end I said that I couldn’t go because I thought I already had plans!

Surely my date will call on Friday to tell me what the plans are.

But by 5pm Friday night, I realized this dude’s not calling… I ought to make other plans!

Now understand, I liked this guy but I wasn’t crushed over the date falling through – but it’s still inconsiderate and frustrating.

What’s up with standing people up, especially a friend?

Don’t people follow through on their commitments anymore?

I read in an article recently that “Some people are just flakier than others. And sadly, often the most desirable men and women are the flakiest.  Simply because they can be.

Pretty girls, (and hot guys) KNOW that they will be forgiven, and thus they tend to most of the “standing up.”  They also tend to show up late, and seem vaguely uninterested the moment they know that they have you eating out of the palm of their hand.

This works because flakey men and women LIVE for spontanaiety … often they live their lives by the rule “funnest offer wins” … so if they get an offer better than you, they’ll take it.”

So what attitude should we adopt around this situation?

We should stay strong and look out for ourselves, without being guilt trippy or reactive.  I sent him a nice text that just said… “Since I never heard from you, I made some other plans for tonight.  Have a great weekend!”

Bottom line, we shouldn’t sweat it.  It shouldn’t even affect us… because we live in trust, we should hold no negative emotions or fear around it at all.  It was the perfect situation for some weird reason and you just gotta roll with it – no drama!

But… I won’t be making plans with him again.

I let a guy who did this to me once before have a second chance, and in the end my first assessment was right on.  If they don’t care about making you important on the first date – it’s only going to go downhill from there.

Now let me tell you what this confident, independent woman did on her Friday night…

First I decided to see a movie.  There was one out, which I really wanted to see…  so I got dressed up and went to the theatre by myself.  I do this on occasion and feel totally fine with it.  Tammy thinks it’s weird.  I just wanted to see the dang movie.

While waiting for the movie to start I texted some friends and had lots of offers of fun things to do… I ended up going dancing with Brad and Rob.

They were so awesome to me!  They are a blast to hang out with and they protect me from the drunk weirdos.  (Brad’s a big intimidating looking guy and Rob used to be a cop!  Those drunk guys at the club don’t come anywhere near this sweet girl with them around – yeah!!) I just get to have fun and shake my booty!

At one point in the night though, I went back to our table, which had our jackets and drinks (water) on it… and there were two huge black guys sitting there.

These dudes did not look very friendly either!

But being the confident independent woman I am, I started to explain to these two, that this was our table and they were gonna have to move!

But I wasn’t getting much respect.

Go figure!

Rob came up behind me and motioned to let him take care of this.   I went to get more water and when I got back… the table was ours again.

(Rob I really think I could’ve taken those guys though! )

We had a great time and I’m getting better at dancing on those stage thingys.  Especially if Rob will dance behind me real close – so I don’t get to close to the edge.  At least that’s my excuse.

So I started off the night with one flaky guy – and ended up with two really awesome ones!

——————————————————————————————-

By the way, I never mentioned that I saw my ex this week and it was a really weird thing.  I hadn’t seen him in a long time and I was worried about it being too painful.  But when it happened,  I didn’t feel any attraction to him at all.  I didn’t feel pain around seeing him.  I had no thoughts about missing him.  Nothing!  It was weird.

He was finally saying everything I wanted to hear that last year of our marriage.  He is miserable without me, it’s all his fault and he knows he blew it – and hearing all that didn’t sway me at all.  I am glad in some ways that he has realized what he lost – but I hope that he can get over it, move on and be happy.

I knew without a doubt, at that moment, that I had moved on.  I’m over him!  I’m done!  It’s a sad thing when any marriage doesn’t work out but I know that I’m where I want to be. Some weird things had been happening with me that day too – and I was able to see that it wasn’t about anyone else either – I was just plain over him and getting on with my life!

It was an awesome feeling!

Life is good!

Day 108: Oops I did it again!

The really cool thing about driving a Toyota Prius Hybrid is that you don’t actually need to use your keys to drive your car, as long as you have them with you.  When I walk up to my car, it senses that the keys are nearby (in my purse) and the drivers side door just unlocks.  Then, once I sit down the car senses the keys are nearby and allows me to press the power button, start the car and start driving.  The keys never leave my purse!

I thought that this would be great because I would never have to worry about locking my keys in the car – they would never leave my purse, so I literally couldn’t get locked out.

That’s what I thought!

So yesterday I got ready for some business meetings and decided, since the weather was nice, to wear a short little skirt.  Then I realized it was time to start driving to my appointment, so I grabbed my stuff (purse, cell phone, laptop) locked the house and ran out to my car.

When I got to the car I realized that it wasn’t unlocking.

So I searched through my purse to find the keys.  They weren’t in there.

Crap!

I had just locked them in the house!

I’d taken them out of my purse and left them on the counter.  Crap!

I couldn’t drive to my meeting without that key and I couldn’t get back in the house either.

And I was running late!

What could I do to solve this?

Then I noticed the ladder in the garage and realized that there was one window through which you can break into my house.  Only one.

(No, I’m not going to post on the internet which one it is!)

But the one window, that can be jimmied open, is up really high.  The last time we got locked out, I fortunately had a child with me to send up the ladder and through the small window frame – but this time, I was on my own – and wearing a short little skirt!

Crap!

But there was no other way… and I was in a hurry… so I decided it was my only option.

I carried the ladder to the window and climbed up to the only space near the window where the ladder could fit.  (Slightly to the right of the actual opening)  This meant that it was going to be a little tricky getting from the ladder to the opening, in a position that would facilitate climbing through it gracefully – in a short little skirt.

How would you do this?  Head first with both legs dangling out as you tried to slide in head first?  Or one leg first?

Crap!  I wasn’t going to do either one gracefully in this skirt.

I jimmied the window open and pulled up the blinds so the opening was clear.  Then I tried lifting up one leg, to put  it through.  This strategy may have worked in pants but this wasn’t going to  happen in a little skirt!

The only way I was going to make it, was if I just pulled the skirt up pretty much all the way.

I was praying that the neighbors weren’t watching this – because they were about to get a show!

It was the most ungraceful stunt I have ever performed for sure!   The skirt was up around my waist (seriously, I was basically in my underwear)  and I was trying to stretch one leg over to the left far enough to get it through the window.  Then I had to lean in far enough to get my center of gravity up into the window frame.

I scraped the backs of my legs on the window ledge and spent an uncomfortable couple minutes sitting in the window with one leg sticking out either side, while I tried to fit my head and body through!  Let me just say, you don’t want to sit on that metal track very long – it hurts!

Then I basically ended up  falling into the house with a thud.

Would have been a great photo at that moment!

My only thought while laying there was… well this will make a good story for the blog.

I did it again.

————————————————————————

I posted this a day early because I won’t have time to write again until Monday.  I should have some fun stuff to tell you by then.

I’m off looking for trouble!

Watch out!

Day 106: If men ruled the world – Happy St. Paddy’s Day

An Irishman, by the name of O’Malley proposed to his girl on St. Patrick’s Day.  He gave her a ring with a synthetic diamond.  The excited young lass showed it to her father, a jeweller.  He took one look at it and saw it wasn’t real.

The young lass on learning it wasn’t real, returned to her future husband.  She protested vehemently about his cheapness.

‘It was in honour of St. Patrick’s Day, ‘he smiled.

‘I gave you a sham rock.’

———————————————————————–

If Men Ruled The World

• Any fake phone number a girl gave you would automatically forward your call to her real number.
• When your girlfriend really needed to talk to you during the game, she’d appear in a little box in the corner of the screen during a time-out.
• Each year, your raise would be pegged to the fortunes of the NFL team of your choice.
• The funniest guy in the office would get to be CEO.
• At the end of the workday, a whistle would blow and you’d jump out your window and slide down the tail of a brontosaurus and right into your car like Fred Flintstone.
• Lifeguards could remove citizens from beaches for violating the “public ugliness” ordinance.
• Tanks would be far easier to rent.
• Garbage would take itself out.
• Instead of beer belly, you’d get “beer biceps.”
• Instead of an expensive engagement ring, you could present your wife-to-be with a giant foam hand that said, “You’re #1!”
• Valentine’s Day would be moved to February 29th so it would only occur in leap years. (Wouldn’t help — you STILL wouldn’t remember!)
• On Groundhog Day, if you saw your shadow, you’d get the day off.
• St. Patrick’s Day, however, would remain exactly the same.
• But it would be celebrated every month.
• Cops would be broadcast live, and you could phone in advice to the pursuing Cops. Or to the crooks.
• The only show opposite Monday Night Football would be Monday Night Football from a Different Camera Angle.
• Every man would get four real Get Out of Jail Free cards per year.
• Telephones would automatically cut off after 30 seconds of conversation.

Day 73: Made it to Las Vegas…

…Barely!

Sara and I decided to take a road trip because we have no kids this weekend and there was a singles conference happening in Las Vegas!

Watch out Nevada… here we come!

I know you will be shocked to hear this, but we got off to a rough start.

It took us 35 minutes to get 3 blocks…   because we had so many mishaps.

We left Sara’s house at 9am and stopped at the gas station.

Between the two of us we couldn’t get the gas pump to work.  Part of her problem was that she hadn’t had sugar in 5 days and was trying to eat a chocolate covered granola bar at the same time she swiped her credit card.  She was on some kind of a sugar rush.

First it was backwards, then upside down then the machine decided it was through with us and quit working all together – so the gas station chick had to come out and help us because we were so retarded.

We finally got the gas pumping and went back to my car only to discover that Sara had knocked over her MILK and it had spilled all over the carpet of my car.  My new car!

Just so you know – spilled milk in a car (sitting in the hot Las Vegas sun) SMELLS really bad quick.

We both panicked because it would be a long drive to Vegas and back in a stinky car.

Sara ran back into the station and told the gas station chick what happened and that we needed paper towels!  She rolled her eyes and pointed Sara to the rest rooms.

We mopped up as much as we could but it was still a puddle – so Sara went back to gas station chick AGAIN – and asked for a rag or some 409.

The gas station chick said she didn’t have any – but Sara could see both behind the counter and pointed that out!

I don’t think Gas Station Chick liked us.

Go figure.

Sara got the puddle pretty clean but the rag was soaked so she ran back in to rinse it out and come back for a final scrub – but someone was in the bathroom!

There was another sink behind the gas station chick though.  Sara asked if she could use that sink.  Gas Station chick had about had it but agreed.

While all this was happening we were so focused on cleaning that we failed to notice a huge tanker truck right behind us (waiting for us to move apparently!)

Finally the driver came to my window and asked if we were done yet and could we please move.  So I pulled forward into a parking spot and turned off the car.

30 seconds later he was at my window again – “Lady you pulled in right were I need to go!  Can you please MOVE over there!”

Oh! I finally got what he meant!

By this time these people thought we were the stupidest women on earth.

Then we went across the street to the bank because I wanted to cash a check real quick.  Once at the bank Sara realized that she forgot to buy a water bottle which she meant to do at the gas station (but we had forgotten since we were a little distracted.)

So she walked back across the street and you should have seen gas station chicks face when she walked in AGAIN.

We are not her favorite customers!

40 minutes later we were finally on the road.

We made it to Las Vegas without incident – except for that Carl’s Junior we stopped at that smelled like the Zoo and the sales person that asked me if I had any sense?

My first thought was “not really!”

Then I realized she had said “cents.”

We are getting ready to hit the town with Alan and his friends – we will let you know what happens next…

Day 65: Win the War with Women!

(I didn’t write this but it cracked me up so I thought I’d share it.)

If you want to win the war just take all the women of America who are within five years of menopause. Train us for a few weeks, outfit us with automatic weapons, grenades, gas masks, moisturizer with SPF15, Prozac, hormones, chocolate, and canned tuna – drop us (parachuted, preferably) across the landscape of Afghanistan, and let us do what comes naturally.

Think about it.

Our anger quotient alone, even when doing standard stuff like grocery shopping and paying bills, is formidable enough to make even armed men in turbans tremble.

We’ve had our children, we would gladly suffer or die to protect them and their future.

We’d like to get away from our husbands, if they haven’t left already. And for those of us who are single, the prospect of finding a good man with whom to share life is about as likely as being struck by lightning.

We have nothing to lose.

We’ve survived the water diet, the protein diet, the carbohydrate diet, and the grapefruit diet in gyms and saunas across America and never lost a pound. We can easily survive months in the hostile terrain of Afghanistan with no food at all!

We’ve spent years tracking down our husbands or lovers in bars, hardware stores, or sporting events…finding bin Laden in some cave will be no problem.

Uniting all the warring tribes of Afghanistan in a new government? Oh, please … we’ve planned the seating arrangements for in-laws and extended families at Thanksgiving dinners for years … we understand tribal issues between groups.

We’ve divorced enough husbands to know every trick there is for how they hide, launder, or cover up bank accounts and money sources. We know how to find that money and we know how to seize it … with or without the government’s help!

Let us go and fight. The Taliban hates women. Imagine their terror as we crawl like ants with hot-flashes over their godforsaken terrain.

I’m going to write my Congresswoman.

You should too! 🙂

Day 62: Glad I am a Man Song

(This post was donated by a guy – obviously)

Everyday I give thanks to God,

that I was born a man and not a broad.

When Oprah comes on, I turn off the TV,

I don’t shave my legs, and I stand up to pee.

I am glad I’m a man.

I go to a barber, not a beauty salon,

Don’t pluck out my eyebrows just to draw them back on.

I don’t apply makeup in my car’s rear-view mirror,

I don’t think of Bambi when I’m out hunting deer.

I am glad I’m a man.

I don’t spend a fortune on French lingerie,

This is the same underwear I wore yesterday.

I don’t throw a fit when I break a nail,

I don’t buy shoes just because they’re on sale.

I a’m glad I’m a man.

Don’t wax my privates so I can wear shorts,

I use my turn signal and I understand sports.

I a’m glad I’m a Man!

Day 54: Oops I did it again

*

*

*

*

*

*

Saturday was a busy day.  I was running around getting things done, then I  had a friend over for dinner.  The boys had some friends there too – In the middle of dinner my kids say…  “Mom, is your shirt inside out?”

Yes – it was.

It had been all day.

Again.

I am 41 years old and I can’t dress myself.

I have no excuse – but I think I’m going to blame it on the single mom thing.

Day 45: Why chocolate is better than sex!

(The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of this blog or it’s author.)

Chocolate is better than sex because…

You can safely have chocolate when your driving.

You can make chocolate last as long as you want to.

You can have chocolate in front of your mother.

The word “commitment” doesn’t scare off chocolate.

You can ask a stranger for chocolate without getting your face slapped.

With chocolate there’s no need to fake it.

Chocolate doesn’t get you pregnant.

Good chocolate is easy to find.

Your never too young or too old for chocolate.

You can have chocolate on your desk at work… during business hours…  without upsetting your co-workers.

Day 41: He contacted me again.

That guy (the one who blew me off) sent another text today… a very nice apology asking for another chance.  He says that behavior wasn’t the real him and asked me to take a chance and give him another chance.

It was very sincere.

I agreed to talk to him on the phone tomorrow.

We’ll see what happens.

Day 41: A few fun facts about men

Women don’t make fools out of men – most of them are the do-it-yourself types

The part of a woman’s work that is never done – is the part she asked her husband to do.

Men are all the same – they just have different faces so we can tell them apart.

Any man who can dress himself without looking like Forrest Gump is unquestionably gay.

Go for younger men.  You might as well – they never mature anyway.

If you think the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach – your aiming too high.

Day 40: The Cruz of the Problem

The handsome men are not nice.

The nice men are not handsome.

The handsome and nice men are all gay, because…

The handsome, nice heterosexual men are all married.

The men who are not so handsome, but are nice, have no money.

The men who are not so handsome, but are nice men with money – think you are only after their money or their not interested because you have no money.

The handsome men without money are after your money.

The handsome men, who are not so nice and are somewhat heterosexual, don’t think your beautiful enough.

The men who think your beautiful, that are heterosexual, somewhat nice and have money are cowards.

The men who are somewhat handsome, somewhat nice and have some money and thank heaven are heterosexual – are so shy – they’ll never make the first move.

The men who never make the first move, automatically lose interest in you – if you make the first move.

What is a nice, pretty girl supposed to do to find a nice handsome man?

Arghhhhhh

———————————————————————–

It’s all just frustrating.

I heard from one of my married friends today – who was actually jealous of all the fun Tammy and I are having dating… can I just set the record straight – this isn’t that fun.

It’s mostly frustrating and lonely… that’s the reality.

Yes we have fun moments – and we enjoy the freedom… but we’d love to find Mr. Right.

If such a thing exists.

Day 36: The divorce is final!

Yesterday afternoon I got a call from my attorney to tell me that my divorce was final on December 29th.

I am officially single!

Now get this….

That same afternoon, my ex called to say he still loves me and wants me back.

On the same day!  After all this time!

Great timing huh.

I love him and always will – but my gut feeling is that there are just too many problems and the biggest one is that my kids don’t like him.  The kids actually said they would not live with him again – they’d go live with their dad if I let him come back.  That pretty much settles it – my kids come first.

It makes me angry that I had to decide our marriage was over and feel the pain of loss – yet again.

How many times must I do this?

The man makes me cry all the time.

That has to stop!

“All that I’m after, is a life full of laughter”… not tears!

Someone make me laugh!

Day 30: Attraction and a Kind Act

So I’ve been reading more about masculine energy versus feminine energy and it’s really interesting stuff.

Remember that we all have both inside of us.

Attraction in love works very much like two magnets.  If the negative and the positive come together – they attract.  But if a positive and a positive or a negative and a negative come together they repel each other.

It’s the same with relationships.  If someone shows up in masculine energy and another shows up in feminine energy – they will be attracted to each other.

But if a man shows up with masculine energy and a woman who is with him – shifts into her masculine energy – they may repel each other.

Even in homosexual couples – you will notice that one partner usually shows up with more masculine energy and the other more feminine – that’s just how attraction works.

(From what I’m reading at least)

I was interested in this because when I am in a business setting, I do show up with quite a bit of masculine energy.  I am one of the boys at work.  I take charge and often lead – I am a warrior girl!

I sometimes have a hard time dancing because I don’t follow very well.  I am a natural leader and it is probably coming from some masculine energy.

Someone who knows me from work, recommended that I read this book…  “It’s a Guy Thing”  – because it may play into whether or not certain men are attracted to me.

I can be a powerful woman at times and that energy may repel some men.  But I can also be very soft and feminine too.  I can show up very loving, sweet and warm.  I can slip between these two energies at almost any time.

Tammy has a lot of masculine energy too.  In her first marriage she was kinda “the man” in some ways.  She was the aggressor in sex and “wore the pants” to some degree.

This got me looking back at my relationships.  I was the one who paid all the bills, carried most of the financial responsibility and initiated sex.  I often “wore the pants”.  But at times I was also the nurturer and the source of softness, compassion and love.

My husband definitely had a feminine energy side too.  He was the main nurturer of his son.  He was the one who cared for the baby most of the time.  I think that is why our energies fit together.

I wonder if there were times that we were both showing up in masculine energy though and maybe we repelled each other.  Is that part of what didn’t work?   Hmmmm…

So what have I learned from this?

I have no idea.

But it’s interesting.

I also want to thank the gentleman who bought Tammy and I dinner last night at Fiddlers Elbow…

When we were done eating, the waiter came and told us that a man (who wished to remain anonymous) had paid for our meal – but said not to tell us until after he had left.

That was so kind!

Thank you so much for your random act of kindness.

Day 30: Redneck Sports Bra

This photo was sent in by my good friend Scott Lang.

I had to post it on the blog in honor of todays bra theme!

*

*

*

*

Yes – it’s men’s underwear!

They cut out the crotch for a head hole.

Day 26: Tonight there are tears

The real meaning of Christmas hit us hard today as we learned of the passing of our neighbor Kelly Stoker.

He passed away Christmas eve in a  motorcycle accident.   Bishop Kelly Stoker was an amazing person, doctor, father and husband.  His son Jeff has been a good friend to my Mike – we love this family so much – as did everyone in our community.  My heart aches for Kim and her children tonight.

We can’t believe how suddenly someone you love can be gone.

We are so grateful for our faith in Jesus Christ and the best Christmas Present ever given – the knowledge that there is life after death.  We will see those we love again.  We are overflowing with emotion tonight because of our love for our friends.

I know the pain that I have experienced this year in losing my husband to divorce and I can only imagine the pain Kim is feeling – losing her best friend and companion.   Facing the rest of her life without him – it’s breaking my heart because in a small way I understand her pain this Christmas.

Please remember them in your prayers.

Give those you love an extra big hug tonight!

Day 25: Christmas Eve

I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas Eve.

I know there are many of you who are also finding Christmas to be a little different and a little lonely this year.

You may be like Tammy and I who are spending Christmas eve together going out to dinner, instead of being home with our kids.

It seems so weird to me.  So wrong.  But we are determined to stay positive and have some fun.

It’s weird not to have someone I love to share the holidays with.  No one to buy presents for and to snuggle in front of the fire with.

I loved that stuff.  Dang it.

But I’m determined not to cry today.

I am going to celebrate this day with love and trust.

I’ll let you know how our crazy unorthodox Christmas Eve turns out –

Hope you have a wonderful one!

Love,

Kim

Recent Comments:

Kim you are truly hilarious! So REAL..  So YOU!  I miss you so very much!  Talk about a women with strong shoulders! You Go girl!  Thank you for your ability to rise above, and show us how the real ladies do things!  Sending my love!  -Brittany Starnes

OMG! Your blog is hilarious! I just about peed my pants laughing… Good for you cousin, I’m so proud of you for getting back out there!  – Rebecca McCullough

I just checked out your blog! Way cute and funny. The one about the truck in the driveway made me laugh so hard. I almost had an accident. Reminded me a little bit of living in the holler in West Virginie!!  – Carolyn Memmott

Read the one about truck tires – laughed my head off.    Size really does matter…….size of your ♥ heart.   -Norene