Day: January 6, 2015

Happy birthday to you. I Woke up with a party in my heart celebrating you. Delighted with who are and excited to continue to marvel at who you will become. I remember the days of first meeting you and loving everything about you. That has never not changed over 18 years and I continue to enjoy any moments we can spend together.

There is something about Olivia that is magnetic….

It could be her eyes, her smile, her  quick wit, her honesty, her giggle, vulnerability or her strength.

There is something about this girl that lets you know she is the real deal….

When I think about Olivia I think of commitment, tenacity, values, faith, humor, reading, inspiration, love, loyalty and family.

Olivia, I pray for you every day and ask God to continue to hold you close, love you deep and lead you down paths of great adventure. I pray that he will comfort you when your sad and whisper loudly to remind you of your beauty, value and worth. You have learned well in these last years that the storm can be strong but that Hope anchors your soul….

I am proud of who you are and who you are becoming.

I am proud of your ever-growing faith and how you stand for it and creatively share it.

I am proud of your work ethic and your willingness to give something your all!

I love you Livi lou and always remember you hold a special place in my heart!

 

Today is Aunt Dot’s birthday…

It doesn’t matter how old she is, but we are so very thankful for every year she has been in our lives.

Aunt Dot is my Mom’s youngest sister and has always held a special spot in our family and hearts.

She is my aunt, my neighbor, my travel partner, my friend….

One of our family traditions is to present your Christmas gift each year with a poem. I am not sure what we have come to love more ~ the gifts or the poems.

And so today, on Aunt Dot’s birthday, I want to share the poem that Suzi wrote and presented to her a few weeks ago. It sums up our love and appreciation for Aunt Dot in a wonderful way! Happy Birthday Aunt Dot. I love you very much and look forward to many more years of ordinary moments, great adventures and experiencing all life brings to us!

Ode to Dot

We are a family blessed with so much

in ways most families are not

Many have parents and siblings and cousins

but only we have a Tante Beppe Aunt Sister Dot.

 

What have we done to deserve such treasure?

How could we earn such a gift?

To have one who quietly takes in our humor

and is always the first a finger to lift.

 

Who reassured our parents when

their children’s choices were distressing;

and rocked our babies when

their crying was depressing.

 

I don’t know how families survive without her

We certainly would and could not

We would be the richest family in the world

if we could bottle up the recipe for make your-own-Dot.

 

So how do you honor a person so special?

What kind of gift would be perfect and true?

This was the monumental challenge before me,

until Beppe Dot herself suggested what to do.

 

The first gift is for her soul, in the form of books

to be given to Living Stones.

The second for her body in the form of soup

to warm her heart and strengthen her bones.

 

Merry Christmas, Beppe Dot,

Please know we hold you dear.

And wish you joy and peace and health

today and through the year.