Message from Mom

Okay, I do believe that those who go before us can and do communicate with us. And one of the ways they can use is through electricity (anything electric), including the telephone. I had one other incident in 2006 where this happened after the death of a friend, a triple occurrence with my cell phone that time (trust me, it was an odd enough incident that never happened prior, and never since, accompanied that weekend by 3 other very odd occurrences. I'll write about them sometime).

This time...

I got a voice message from my google telephone number. Any calls to this number generate two types of messages: a voice message that is saved in my email mailbox, and a text message that attempts to transcribe the message.

Here is what I got from a Virginia area code phone number on Tuesday:

"Hi. This is Mom. We're here. I was just calling to find out what channel lifetime is on. That's it."

Now, I was able to figure out where the call was coming from, later on that evening, and it was from my brother's home phone, and the caller was his mother-in-law. In the 10+ years that he has known these really nice folks, Mrs. Gehman has never once had a reason or occasion to call me at my home, and likely does not have the number. He did try calling me over last weekend from his home, but this week he is out of town and the in-laws are at Liz & Darryl's house to help out with the kids. I'm guessing she somehow did a re-dial to me by accident.

But, I'm sorry...the timing of this particular message, at this particular time, after my posting the night before...all I have to say is, Thanks, Mom!

And Pat, and Gramps, and all the other loved ones she's up there hanging out with.
It's a beautiful thing!

Well, the deed is done!

I am finally done with this school program, and I am glad! My hubby's glad! My little guy is probably the happiest! I promised him we'd play games after school tomorrow, "no more homework for Mommy at night" and he was glad to hear that part.

Got my final paper (21 pages) turned in with 10 minutes to spare (the clock is on Phoenix, AZ time). Could have spent another few hours on fixing stuff on it, but it's too late now.

The only thing I wish were different is...I really, really miss my Mom.

How appropriate that the music playing on the TV was "Hallelujah" from the ending credits for a movie Mike was watching. It was a modern and beautiful version.

Today's the Day!

...and see me doing the Happy Dance!....

working on the final report to submit by midnight, and then I Am Done with this program

October 2007 -- February 2010 = a long haul, interesting journey, approximately 2,400 invested hours, but glad it's coming to an end!

woo hoo!

Four. More. Days!

Ahhh, I can almost taste it! Four more days until I'm done with this program. Until I have my MBA, which, I have to say, has meant a lot more invested time than I had originally anticipated.

And then...we're gonna have to do something to celebrate, to mark the beginning of a new journey in life. I love learning new things, and especially in actually finishing a project to the end, but I'm quite done with the pressure of learning teams, deadlines for research and papers, and so on. It will be nice to have a weekend where the only thing I have to worry about is whether Christopher has homework or if he wants to play Monopoly, Connect Four, or Waterworks.

I think I have to do a reality check on the new journey, which has already been in process for awhile. Looking for a job "in my field" in my hometown has proven to be a little more challenging than I have ever experienced before in my life. Today I was turned down for a job that I am fully qualified for, and not even being considered for the interviews, because they are interviewing "candidates who more closely match our qualification requirements". I wouldn't have taken the time to apply if I wasn't qualified, perhaps this is an oversight or a mistake, but it's frustrating! Further, I have a friend who is first on my reference list, that I've known for over 30 years now, and who holds a high position at this company...and still I wasn't called for an interview.

Of course, I know I can go pay them a visit to find out what exactly is wrong with my resume, letter, experience, or otherwise, so I can "fix" it on my next application elsewhere, or I can ask my friend to find out. It's embarrassing and frustrating. I am more qualified to do many of the jobs that I have applied for than most folks who could be applying, and I can't even get an interview. I don't say that in a conceited way, it's just the truth that there are good workers and there are excellent workers, and I've never been anything but the best at my jobs wherever I've gone along the years. Put it all together, and you'd think that an employer would want a skilled, talented, and dedicated employee.

Then there's the part about where I took off 6 years to be a stay-at-home mom, and to finally finish my schooling that I had started when I was 17. Two excellent reasons to make a break in a long career, and now no one will let me back in. Sure, I substitute teach, and I home teach a student. Both positions have their rewards (that have absolutely nothing to do with the pay rates), and I'd even considering doing them for a longer time if they did pay a decent wage. For substituting, I get to interact with my son's school from the "inside" and not just as a parent, and I also get to see the inner workings of the high school system up close and personal. It's more fun for me, because I also get to see many of our nieces, nephews, cousins, and other young friends of those kids. As the other students are more exposed to me in classrooms their levels of "abuse to the substitute" have finally started to subside a little. For home teaching, I get to re-learn 9th grade algebra, english, us history (we're in the 20's now, moving into prohibition times and bootlegging!), fine arts, business technology, and earth science. Most of it is entertaining and interesting, and my student is pretty bright, so it's rewarding on a good level.

And that brings me back to tonight. I have to finish a paper tonight that was due on Monday. Then tomorrow, need to work on the next paper that is due on Sat and in final on Sun. Then on Sun finish up the biggest paper of all, a 5,000-7,000 strategic plan for a company, due on Monday. And-Then-I'm-Done!

On a positive note, at least Chris got his Valentines all written up tonight so he can exchange them with all his little friends in 1st grade on Friday (with help from his Aunt Becky)! Sure, it's February 19th and past the 14th, but the little ones just love that holiday so much, the chance to give and receive their cute valentines and candies.

So, back to focus on homework again for me. A little trouble here staying focused on the deadline, but almost there....

Happy Birthday, Gramps!

Thinking of you, missing you!

Happy #86!

We love you!

Happy New Year!

A new year, time to let all the SH** from last year go by the wayside for the last time!
A good time for new year resolutions. Whoever makes resolutions they keep, for real? I have, and will again. Maybe this year will be a fun one for resolutions.

Did I mention how it's a GREAT time to let go of the junk from 2009? I have to say, of all the years in my life...that one takes the cake for the most challenging, the most enlightening, the most demanding. And that's an observation, not a complaint.

I get daily inspirational notes from the website of Esther and Jerry Hicks. Esther is a channel for a group of spirits named "Abraham", for those of you interested. Yes, I believe in spirits, and yes, I believe people can channel them. Of all that I know in this life, I do know the "spirit" world is the most real of anything we have or do or can connect with. Most of us choose to be blinded by what is often thought to be reality, when in fact, reality is the biggest illusion of all.

Anyway, here is the quote for 01/01/10:

"Complaining about anything, holds you in the place of refusing to receive the things you've been asking for. Justifying about anything holds you in the place of refusing to let in the very things that you've been asking for. Blaming someone, holds you in the place of refusing to let in the things that you've been asking for. Feeling guilty, feeling angry, it doesn't matter what you call it, it is a refusal, not a conscious one. You're asking; you can't help but ask. The Universe is yielding; it must yield. It's a big question, folks: why aren't you letting it in?-- Abraham"

How appropriate for me personally to get this message. Following a week of sitting on the verge of depression, of happiness, of trepidation, of anticipation, of contemplation. And more. I believe I actually said the words, "I hate (the name of someone who I thought caused me grief this year)!" this past week. It's easy to blame, even when it appears that another person did make a significant contribution to the deliberate discomfort of another/others. In fact, she is not to blame for any of this. Rather, I should be grateful that I no longer have to deal with her negativity in any possible way. In the name of the law of attraction, nothing about her lifestyle, attitude, morals, intentions, etc., has any match to any part of me or my life, or my family. And, poof, that quickly...gone from our lives. Proof that the law of attraction works, albeit in a rather odd and unusual way for me and my family. I am thankful for the appreciation and knowing that "if" she were to ever re-enter our lives, it will be in a modified way, or it won't work. And that applies to her, and to several other significant relationships who have moved away from me in the past year or so. I'm not referring to those near and dear to our hearts, that are away due to our moves, but to those who have pulled away. There's a reason to pull away from someone else, and I'm grateful for all those who have...for it means the shift in my life is Working.

And she/that situation was just one of many odd occurrences from 2009.

So, for 2010, here is what I ask:

• a healthy and happy family
• a rewarding, fruitful, well-paying job in one of my areas of interest
• financial relief, and then some
• healthy relationships with my awesome friends
• healthy relationships with extended family, at the levels in which they are able to participate
• inspirations to come on a daily basis
• spiritual growth and awareness
  
• lots of love
• more love

(and, I'm not going to curse anymore)

May you find all that you love and want!
hugs and kisses!

Thanks for the White Christmas 2009!

Merry Christmas!
perfect time for a snow storm the weekend before Christmas...

with a little assistance, Chris made an awesome snowman

and some snow angels

even Maya was loving the change in weather
this was before all the snow finished falling
we ended up with about 8 or 9 inches of snow by Sun morning

fortunately, Santa was able to find his way to our new digs
in case you were wondering, Chris was Very Concerned that Santa wasn't going to find him in time

Christmas Eve and morning, a lot of fun and good memories for our family
...Christmas from the perspective of a 6-yr older...
nothing like it!

and in the end...it had to happen
Adios, Mr. Snowman
thanks for the memories...

and last, but not least
Mike's #46 Birthday Cake
which was made a couple of days late, because he was too sick to enjoy it "on time"
here's to many more!

check out the edible snowflakes on top
thanks, Holly, they are an interesting and fun topping

and now, to prepare for the new year
and a better one it WILL be, for us and for everyone we know
Surely, this is the Truth!