I've got a surprise for you. :)

visit
www.metromom.org to see it. :)

relentless love.

Are you familiar with it? It's hard to put it into words...but I'll try. The kind of love that pursues you with a determined force. It's the selfless kind of love that hops on a plane the minute you call in tears cause you're overwhelmed by your own life. The kind of love that rocks your newborn baby to sleep, when you're beyond exhausted and just want to throw the baby in the snow. The kind of love that empties its pockets to fill yours. The sacrificing love that never expects anything in return. The kind of love that empowers you...makes you believe that you're worthy enough, capable enough to do anything you want to do.

A love you can't shake...no matter what you do- it's there- accepting, welcoming, forgiving. It's love that makes you believe you deserve to be loved like that...even when you know you don't. It's the kind of love that comforts-you can relax, let out a sigh of relief just by being in its presence. A love that will change 40 poopy diapers in one weekend, fold your laundry and do your dishes- just to give you a break. It finds true joy in your success and true compassion in your sorrow. The kind of love that fills a room with joy- and laughs when you run out of gas on your way to the airport at five in the morning.

I hope that each one of you experience this kind of love in your life at some point...if you never have, let me introduce you to God (cause I'm pretty sure that's where she gets it...) And if I dedicated every post, every day to the woman who shows me this relentless love...it wouldn't tell the half. I love you mom. I'll never be able to tell you how much.

Oh the Irony of It All...

So, we're sitting around my parents dinner table back in Cali chatting it up with my little brother (ok, so he's not *little* anymore), his girlfriend, and a few others. We're discussing life, people, you know...just stuff. When my brother begins a rant about inconsiderate people, rude people, mean people. "I've had it with people who just don't care," He says.

Of course we all have a story to chime in with.

So then my husband (always the devil's advocate) says, "Yeah, but sometimes you gotta wonder what's going on in *those* people's lives. I mean maybe they had a bad day, lost their job, etc."

And in all seriousness my brother says, "I don't care about those people."

Of course we laughed at his "not caring about people who don't care". But in the irony of it all, there is truth. We'd all like to think that we're non-judgemental people, kind hearted, giving...but often others must meet a certain criteria to qualify. And as deep as we have to dig...I think we'd all find that there is that bit of *prejudice* in all of us. My hope is not to be perfect, because I'll never arrive there, but this year I hope to dig a little deeper and find out where those little dusty corners of my heart are and see *those* people the way God sees them. It's about perspective.

I once heard someone say that if you have someone in your life who is *truly* hard to love, begin to picture them as they were as a child...see their innocense, see their heart before it was jaded, or hardened. How, why did they arrive at being such a jerk? On certain occasions this has helped me...and then again there's always that twinge in me that rises up and says, "What!?!!! You REPORTED me (sweet, kind, gentle, loving me) to the HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION?!!!! I thought we talked, I thought we worked it out in a neighborly fashion. We'd work it out and you'd still be able to skinny dip. But then you had to sneak in all commando like and measure my play yard (yes PLAY YARD...you know the thing for my CHILDREN!!!!) and file a complaint with the HOA. If you can't love the children who CAN you love?"

Jeez people. I've got a long way to go.

My MVP

"If I was totally into scrapbooking...we'd probably never be six rows back at the scrapbooking convention right now, would we?" I asked my husband last night as we sat just six rows back...I mean SIX rows. I could have reached out and rubbed Amare's newly shaved head...

"Ummm, probably not." He responded with a smile of a husband that KNEW he'd just scored MAJOR "husband points" with his newly NBA obsessed wife.

All I did was say..."Hey wouldn't it be fun to go the the game?" -and it was as if I rubbed a magic lamp. Allacazam...there I was in some of the best seats in the house, watching my boys kill the Shaq-less, Wade-less, Riley-less Heat. Even without a heart wrenching game, you couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

So this post is to give props to the real MVP in my life. While Steve Nash makes it happen on the court...No one...I mean NO ONE, loves me like my husband does. So thank you babe, for giving me a fantastic night...it will not go unnoticed. (if you know what I mean.)

Since I'm too lazy to write...

Photo and video editing at onetruemedia.com

Let the Celebrating Begin!

Today the celebrating begins for me. I've done all I can do (and still have a few last minute things to get done) and I'm ready for the fun to begin. I'm kicking it off with helping to distribute the gifts and food to the needy families at the PHX Rescue Mission. Seriously, you probably won't be able to wipe the smile off my face after today-

Tonight my stepdaughter comes over for the weekend and we'll be living it up! Baking, movies, lights...I've decided that this is going to be a relaxed FUN weekend. So many holidays are wrapped in stress, thinking everything has to be perfect. Not me. Not this year. I'm all about the fun. Why waste a minute more stressing? Not that there won't be reasons to stress- but I'm not gonna do it. Read MY LIPS. NO STRESS. Now whose coming with me? Who will join me on my anti-stress Holiday?

Warm and Fuzzy

Love Footie PJ's
Originally uploaded by metromom.

Being Christmas time and a chilly 72, I thought I'd post something that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside...and I thought of a few things.

1. Footie PJ's. I love them!
2. When my kids do something they are so proud of, like somehow reach the cereal box on top of the counter and begin to roam around the house with it (like I'd allow that sort of animal behavior to continue!)
3. When I discover they've learned something new...this morning I said "One" and he said, "two, three, fou,fi, si,eigh, nine!"
4. When I remember how blessed I am to have great friends...and TWO of them are birthday girls this week. :) Happy Birthday girls!

One thing that DOES NOT make me feel warm and fuzzy:
Certain Employee Christmas Parties. Glamourous? Yes. Expensive? Absolutely. (they raffled off over 200,000 dollars to employess in a matter of 15 mintues...no joke. Thrilled for those who won!) Fun? (ummm...well....there were some nice people...fun would be a stretch.)