Archive for May, 2006

May 29, 2006 @ 3:37 pm | Filed under: Uncategorized

Eight of the ten gals who make up our annual Girl’s Night In gathered in my home on Friday night. Idgy (a.k.a. Cheryl) and Libby, we missed you muchly! (Check out the montage in the left-hand sidebar and make sure your speakers are on!)

The premise for these annual dinners came about a couple of years ago when I began to really take stock of my life and my relationships. I realized that I’m the wife, mother, daughter, writer, etc. that I am because of the people I surround myself with. I try to learn from godly and wise examples.

Like most women I have many, many friends and in all walks of life, in all shapes and sizes, and with a myriad of interests of their own. But I noticed that there are a core group of girlfriends that I am myself with. Just Staci. I cry with these women. I laugh with them. I let them see (horror of horrors!) the sides of me that aren’t always pretty.

And yet they continue to love me, encourage me, and give me the gift of friendship.

I decided that deserved some recognition and celebration so once a year, each May, I pick one special friend and we celebrate her. We eat, talk, eat some more, laugh, joke, and yes - sometimes there are tears involved and always there is chocolate involved.

As my friends gathered in my home this year and we toasted our friendship (with sparkling juice), I shared this poem with them. Thank you, girls, for the way you support me, love me, and challenge me to be a better woman.

I applaud you.

I celebrate you.

I love you all.
                                                 

May 23, 2006 @ 10:30 pm | Filed under: Uncategorized

Jorge is seventeen today. It’s hard to believe my baby isn’t really such a baby anymore. I’m realizing more and more what my mom always told me: "You may be grown, but you’ll always be my baby."

It’s a funny thing though. As Nate prepares for graduation next week and anticipates his move to college this fall, and as Jorge looks forward to his senior year, I’m finding that I’m anticipating a few things myself. Sure, I’m going through the natural emotional tug-of-war of learning to let go and accepting that my sons are indeed young men that are capable of thinking for themselves and may actually even survive on their own without their mom just around the corner. (Isn’t that what I’ve raised them to do, after all?) But beyond the wild roller coaster ride of tears of nostalgia mixed with tears of joyful parental pride, something new and exciting is beginning to bubble inside of me.

Even as Nate and Jorge enter a new facet of life, so do I. As my daily "mom duties" continue to dwindle and become further and farther between, I find more time for writing, more time for projects, and more time to do what I do best: dream. While I don’t look forward to the sound of silence, exactly, I do look forward to some new endeavors. I may actually get an opportunity to put Dress for Success into action, instead of only dreaming about it. This is the time for me to give back and I’m finally getting a handle on how I’d like to be able to do that. Before, I’ve always dreamed of doing something like this but it always seemed so far out in the future.

And now the future is here. And it’s exciting and sad and joyful and bittersweet. The process of switching gears from a 24/7 mom to a mom who must rely solely on prayers and trust that she’s taught her children well and now must trust them to do the right things is tricky, at best. I don’t even pretend I’ve got a handle on it yet. It’s kind of like shedding a skin and welcoming a new you. A somewhat painful process, but one that - though it often takes a long while - offers little glimpses of the beauty ahead all along the journey.

Here’s hoping anyway…

After the birthday dinner tonight we met the grandparents back home for cake. When they finally called it a night we went right back to the home projects that have been occupying our every spare minute each night. What began as a leak in my garden tub led to a flooded closet which led to pulling out the soggy carpet and pad which led to pulling out all the clothes, shoes, purses, etc… which led to removing the wall separating the closet and the tub area which led to new drywall, complete paint job, and a new closet floor. (Yep, that was a run-on sentence - kind of like this project.) As my husband is fond of saying, "Ah, the joys of home ownership…"

Did I mention that I’m hosting a party here on Friday night? As I look around at the disaster area that used to resemble my house I just refuse to believe anything less than I’ll be able to have everything put back together by eight o’clock Friday evening.

The upside is that after this project the house will be ready to put on the market. Our goal all along was to have it ready by the beginning of summer. We just didn’t know at the time that the list of things to do would lengthen to include a practically brand-new closet in the master!

Happy birthday, Jorge. I love you.

May 22, 2006 @ 3:05 pm | Filed under: Uniquely Me

Download 14_if_you_could_only_see_your_eyes.wma

This is simple, this is basic.
There’s no need to complicate it.

You’re beautiful…
and I love you.

If I live for ten forevers, here’s a moment I’ll remember,
just watching you - in this crowded room.

No one else can see through me,
and see the heart that your heart sees.

This is perfect, this is basic.
Words would only complicate it.

You’re beautiful…
and I love you.
Alice Peacock, "If You Could Only See Your Eyes"

- 4 U D

_________________________
Soul mates.

This subject has been on my mind as I’ve been working on sample chapters for Raising Riley, the sequel to Waking Emma. Some of you have been asking me about Riley’s story for a while now. And the truth is that while the proposal for this story has been complete for a couple of years, I’ve needed time. I guess you could say the storyline has been simmering" - allowing time, content, and the readiness of my own soul and spirit to mingle together until just the right time to pour it all out in book form.

Riley’s story is all about soul mates. But maybe not the kind of soul mates you may think. Riley’s soulmate is very real and neither doubt the other’s existence or their importantance in one another’s lives. But it just so happens that God’s will leads Riley in one direction and Ethan in another.

Does this mean they aren’t indeed soulmates?

Does this mean that they must be mistaken about God’s will?

Most movies and novels point us - the viewer and/or reader - toward the thought that one lone person exists somewhere in the world around us and - if we can just find him or her - our lives will be complete, our hearts content, and our futures secure.

This scenario tends to cause the romantics to sigh with satisfaction and longing and the skeptics to snort with derision.

What is a soul mate?

Is it a buzz word being tossed around by New Agers and romance publishers in order to increase book sales and seminar fees? Is soulmate just another term for true love or is it something else - something more, something bigger and deeper?

I’m thinking it’s the latter, but I’m just one gal and I clearly don’t have all the answers.

If you browse the Web, searching under the term "soulmate," you’ll find testimonials of "How I Found My Soulmate on the Web", and pointers to Personals Ads for you to search for a personal soulmate (okay, even I am snorting with derision at that!), but you won’t find much hard and fast information on soulmates or much discussion on what a soulmate is.

According to Thomas Moore, a soul mate "is someone to whom we feel profoundly connected, as though the communication and communing that take place between us were not the product of intentional efforts, but rather a divine grace. This kind of relationship is so important to the soul that many have said there is nothing more precious in life."

I don’t think that there is an unlimited supply of soulmates out there for each of us, but I do believe that each of us has one or more persons who can help us to grow and become all that we can be, who will support, honor, shelter, guide, serve, succor, challenge, adore, and love unreservedly. This may come in the form of a friend, a neighbor, or a peer and it may have nothing at all to do with the tradional thinking of soulmates.

I also think that a lot of folks manage in some way to miss out on these relationships. Therefore they are always searching for the ideal relationship, the ideal partner, the best friend.

A soulmate, if you will.

And then - someday - you might actually meet your soulmate. Like Riley did. You share that connection that defies Webster and his trillion-and-one different definitions regarding the heart and all of its capabilities. There is no rhyme, no reason. It just is.

This is the person with whom you don’t need words. You can stand across the room and communicate without one word being spoken. It’s more palpable than a look. More intimate than a touch. It defies time, space, and circumstances. It remains solid throughout any and every obstacle thrown in its path.

You can go weeks, maybe even months, without one real conversation and then catch up in mere moments as the time spent apart just falls away between you. You go through each day in confidence knowing that the other person is on your side, has your back, and will be there. They may not be in the next room, the next town, or even in the next state. But they’re somewhere much better. They are ingrained on your heart. Their name is always safe on your lips. They’re a part of you and you want nothing more than to see them happy and fulfilled in life.

Even if that same life has led you in two different directions.

Riley and Ethan’s connection is in it for the long haul. It will never end. Not because there are never any difficulties, or any hurt feelings, or any misunderstandings. But, rather, because it’s love in its truest form. It’s free, it’s obedient, it’s well within it’s rightful borders.

This type of connection has the power to bond two people without them even being "together". It’s not about the "getting", but about the "giving". It’s lending support, encouragement, and the sheer, breathtaking knowledge that "I’m here for you. Always. Without question."

It’s simple.

It’s basic.

Words would only complicate it.

But it’s beautiful.

And I love it.