It has been a year

Exactly a year ago, today...heaven gained an incredible angel. Dr. KC Donnelly, my beloved boss and friend...passed away on July 1st, 2009 after his 18 month battle with cancer.
Dr. D was truly a unique soul with an amazing positive attitude towards life, and a loving and generous heart. He cared deeply for everyone around him, especially his students. I feel so fortunate to have known Dr. D and to have been able to be there to comfort and support him until his last breath. He is missed everyday.


Wearing our "Team Donnelly" bracelets...Dr. D's hand is on top


Britta, Dr. D, and I at Relay for Life - May 2009

Thankfulness Journal

I have decided to blog today about being thankful.I'm not talking about being polite after someone's opened the door for you. I'm talking about feeling thankful for the true blessings in your life...the things that touch your core.Oprah talked about this concept a few years ago and she suggested having a thankfulness journal. This is a great idea because it keeps us focused on the positives in our lives.Especially on days we worry or question. It helps us see the great things we have and do, and puts our frustrations and worries into perspective. In addition to our prayer and song each night at bedtime, I have Charlie tell me his thankfuls. He loves telling me each day what he is thankful for! So why don't I do the same??

Imagine the person who is usually in a bad mood. They are always complaining about something, something is broken, their life is so busy, there is always someone who's done something to them and they're always getting the bum deal. This person is hard to be around and it takes a lot of energy to maintain a relationship with them.
On the other hand, think of someone else you know. This person is energetic, and has a certain spark to them. They laugh a lot and have a "can-do" attitude. And when you visit with this person, you feel energized, inspired and thankful to know them. It's safe to say that this person is more fulfilled in their life than the other one. And it is safe to say that this person is most likely more healthy to be around.

So it seems there is a measurable benefit to counting your blessings and looking on the bright side!

I’m referencing thankfulness for the little things...those times in the day where you just stop and think, “Hmmmm… I’m living a great life.” Sometimes we actually have to watch closely to catch those moments. Other times, those moments are highly noticeable; they jump right out at us! It’s important to express gratitude, so today I hope you’ll join me as I explore some of the things for which I am grateful. I am going to strive to list five each day. Don't worry...I wont be posting them everyday! But here are my five for today...

1. Thankful for Charlie and Ryan...my two favorite boys in this world. They bring me laughter and such joy. Their unconditional love is priceless, and I thank God everyday that I have them to share my life with.

2. Thankful for spending time with family. Nothing is more important to me than family. Having family around constantly is how I grew up and Charlie growing up around so many cousins and grandparents makes my heart happy.

3. Thankful for Hayesville. I love my house, and LOVE my neighbors. To say our street is nice is a total understatement. We all get together on almost a daily basis, take turns cooking dinner for each other, our kids ride bikes until dark, pool parties, and we have only been here a month!!! I could not have dreamed of a better place for our family.

4. Thankful for my job. Unfortunately having a good job is a luxury these days and I am thankful to be employed. I would love to stay home and play with my little monkey all day...but because that is not an option, I am thankful for the office of wonderful people that I work with.

5. Thankful for Music, for the little things, for creation, for the the good around me! OK...so that was a few things rolled into one...sorry, I am new at the thankfulness journal!

Remembering a Legend

It has been a year since Michael Jackson died, stunning fans and leaving the world to wonder...what could have been. A year after Michael Jackson's death caused a worldwide outpouring of shock, tears and tributes, the anniversary of his passing was the first thing I thought about this morning as I made my commute to work! We will always miss this smoooooth criminal!

RIP MJ

Spreading his wings

Charlie has attended Bright Beginnings Pre-School from the age of 18 months. We absolutely love the school, the teachers, the curriculum, and the friends we have made at BBPS. The school is divided up into four different classrooms, each classroom is named after a bird! On the right side of the building the babies (18 months-2 years)start their journey in the "green parrot" room, then migrate to the "yellow canary" room at 2-3years old. The left side of the building is where the 3-4 years old children are "red robins" and their last stop is for the 4-5 year olds in the "blue jay" room, where they prepare to take flight to kindergarten the following year.
Charlie recently flew to his next room, to be a red robin! A milestone that hit me a little hard...no longer on the right side of the preschool any more...my baby is growing up! Charlie, however, is ecstatic about the move. He loves his new teachers and is comfortable with all of his friends, most of which have moved with him from green parrots, to yellow canaries, and now are red robins. Surprising to me, he had no issues at all moving up. The new room makes him feel confident, and excited to be a big boy! He is learning so much, and his favorite things to tell me about have been the computer enrichment lab, the animal science lab, and the fun games they play. He has learned to spell his name and is learning to write his name too. He can count to 50 or higher, uses sign language and spanish. The wealth of knowledge he brings home always astounds me!
It dawned on me the other day that naming the preschool rooms after birds is quite fitting. Birds are intelligent, always on a journey, they are lightweight yet strong, birds are social and vocal and communicate through calls and songs....very comparable to our preschoolers stages of life. Charlie has grown strides at Bright Beginnings and although I would like for them to put a book on his head to keep him small...it is comforting having him in such a wonderful, educational, and positive environment.
I asked him the other day, "where did my baby go, when did you get to be such a big boy?"...he said, "I am big because I am a red robin now Mommy!"

Green Parrot




Yellow Canary




Red Robin!

My Favorite Fathers...

Poppa



Poppy



Paw Paw



Daddy


Happy Fathers Day to the wonderful men in my life!

my handsome little model

Fun in the Sun

Last weekend we had some exciting visitors! My sister, aka...Aunt Kat, my cousins Amy and Lori, and their sweet kiddos Alex, Gracie and Kayla came to College Station for the day. They also brought their awesome new summer toy for the kids to enjoy! We invited Nat and Nate over to join in the fun too!

Don't Worry, Be Happy

My blog inspiration today came from an email that was sent to me about How to Calm your Anxiety, Stress and Worry. This is something I have worked on quite a bit lately and it is very helpful in order to lead a healthy, and more importantly HAPPY life, as well as creating a happy life for your family and loved ones. I have been known to be a worrywart but I have worked very hard to change because worry not only affects you, it affects everyone and everything around you. I admit that some worry is unavoidable and necessary. But worrying needlessly about natural disasters, terrorism, 401K losses, Facebook status', global warming, swine flu, falling elevators, aliens, expiration dates, and the return of polyester....or obsessing over things that need to be turned off, put out, opened, closed, switched on, filled up, and emptied....is not only unhealthy for you, but for everyone around you! Creating a healthy environment for your family to grow doesn't only consist of fruits and vegetables, it has a lot to do with attitude in general. Your family will not thrive on negativity and anxiety and worrying about the past, present and future...but will flourish with flexibility and positive encouragement!
The email sent to me this morning listed 10 ways you can stop worrying, and I found these very insightful!

1. Let There Be No Crisis Before Its Time
Don’t worry about something that will take place in a week, a day, or even an hour. The variables will be different then, than they are today. If you have to make a decision on Friday, wait until Friday, and see what the day brings.

2. Stay Grounded in the Present
Squash unnecessary worrying with one question: “Can I do anything about this matter right now, right this minute?” If the answer is “no,” stay in the present moment, jot down the thought, and then let it go.

3. Don’t Let Possessions Possess You
Don’t let objects rule you. Don’t give them the power to spoil your day. No one’s advocating that you don’t react upon losing or damaging something, but worrying over a problem after the fact can’t restore or bring anything back.

4. Set Worry Limits
If you can’t get worry under control right away, then establish limits. Set a timer or a watch alarm for 15 minutes. Tell yourself: “I feel the need to think about ________, but I can only afford to spend 15 minutes on it.” When the time is up, the alarm will be a tangible reminder to let the worry go.

5. Keep a Worry Journal
Write down your worries in a journal on a weekly basis. Referring to this journal often will show you how much time you waste by worrying. It will also serve as a reminder that most of the things you worry about don’t actually happen.

6. Be Your Own Disaster Master
Worrying is a choice, and you can choose not to do it.

7. Stop Playing God
You can’t plan for every outcome. Truth is, you don’t know what will happen five minutes from now, let alone tomorrow, so stop trying to do God’s job. Acknowledge the Divine is in charge with a prayer. Prayer has a calming effect that can center you and drive worry away.

8. Don’t Control Others with Your Worries
Worrying about loved ones wastes a lot of time and opens up the door to permanent estrangement. Let people be who they are. Stop forcing others to do what will make you feel better, instead of what they want.Don’t manipulate them into eating what you want them to eat, going where you want them to go, or doing what you want them to do. Give people credit for having half a brain and knowing what’s good or bad for them. You’ll cut your worrying in half.

9. Rein in Your Imagination
Many worriers are gifted with imaginations. Don’t use yours against yourself. Instead of doting on the worst case scenario, conjuring up negative images of doom and gloom, use your mind to form a positive picture.

10. Practice and Pretend
Practice and pretend not to worry and, in time, anxieties won’t paralyze you. But will I worry about not worrying and make myself anxious? I think not!

So...the moral of this post....DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY!

Handsome like Daddy

Congrats Kat!

I will never forget the night, about 19 years ago, when my Mom and Dad asked my brother and I the most exciting question....."How would you like to have a little brother or sister?" My eyes lit up immediately and I began to scream in excitement. My brother, being 14 at the time did not exactly share my enthusiasm that night, but in time we all got used to the idea of our new addition to the family!
Kathryn Victoria was born! And life has never been the same since!
This weekend we watched her reach another milestone....high school graduation. It made us all feel old! It also made us proud and excited for what is yet to come for Katy.
We celebrated Katy's graduation ceremony and my mom and I wiped away tears as our baby walked across the stage in her pink high heels. We celebrated afterward with the rest of the family...all 35 of us! We all took turns sharing our funny memories of finding out my mom was pregnant at 40! It was interesting hearing everyone's different experience, and how each of us were affected by this little miracle.
Congrats Kat! We love you!