Cherries

Monday, September 25, 2017

Goodbye Mom...


So this last week, my mom said goodbye to this crazy world we live in. I'm sad that she's gone but relieved she's no longer bedridden and in pains. The real angel in this story is my sister who cared for our mom and even talked with her the morning she passed, AS she was transitioning - both of them talking to each other until my mom was all the way "up." That part of that whole process is amazing to me, and it would not have happened with anyone but Teri by her side. Be free mom, and you, too Teri, you are phenomenal. Give Buddy lots of extra nubbin. he's gonna miss his mama. 

Monday, September 18, 2017

Sincerely Grateful

I’ve been so overrun with work, Mason’s life, family life, and life life that my Monday Motivators have been living in my head and not in print. I’m starting here and I’ll go back and “catch up” when I make time - or feel inspired, whichever comes first.


As you all know, we are now a boat family, we are loving being a boat family. In fact, if I had known how relaxing it is to take an evening swim, or enjoy a picnic dinner on the lake, I may have agreed to the boat a long time ago. In any case, as long as I’ve known Dave he’s wanted a ski boat. There have been a couple of times that we toyed with the idea but the timing was just never quite right. 

Whenever we would be out dining somewhere that provided for a boat to dock and the people to walk up and eat, Dave would say, “See, that could be us! We could be spending the day on the river, stop to eat and drink, tootle up a little further, stop and listen to some live music…that could be us.” I would typically reply, “That will be us, we’ll have that boat.” Yesterday, that was us! We took the boat to the river and did just that. We had lunch and listened to live music at Swabbies, we tootled in both directions enjoying the views from the river, the beautiful and some unusual homes, and docked in Old Sacramento where Mason took the time to visit Evangeline’s getting ideas for his Halloween costume. It was what I call a “Red Letter” day. Dreams do come true, it’s just a matter of time and timing. This is a good time for us to be a boat family, Dave is not as busy every weekend, Mason is old enough to be learning the ropes and he’s really enjoying wake boarding and tubing, and we live just minutes from the boat launch at Folsom Lake. 

With all of this said, I had a pretty profound experience as our day was winding down, the band at Swabbies played a song I’ve loved for years, I know all the words and I jumped to my feet to dance and sing along. As I started singing, I couldn’t get the words out, it was like I was making the sounds but it was more like I didn’t know the words. But I do know the the words, and I couldn’t say them and sing along…it occurred to me that I couldn’t sing the song because I don’t feel that way anymore. The song is called “Something More” by Sugarland and this is the chorus - “There's gotta be something more, Gotta be more than this, I need a little less hard time, I need a little more bliss.  I'm gonna take my chances, Taking a chance I might, Find what I'm looking for, There's gotta be something more.” The fact of the matter is, yesterday was bliss, it was perfectly perfect in that we are living an amazing abundant life. I’m sure there is something more, but it seems crazy to think that what I have right now and the way I am living in this moment should be any better. We are blessed beyond measure to have the love we have with each other, our health is good, our son who is thriving on so many levels, strong finances, and more opportunities coming our way every day. The verse in the song that I could sing, and I did, goes like this, “Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate, I believe that happiness is something we create, You best believe that I'm not gonna wait.” 

I feel like I’ve taken the actions to create an incredible life for us Partaks and to think there is something more I could need or want, well, I just don’t see it. Should more come our way, great, if not, we absolutely have more than most ever dare to dream of having and I’m grateful, sincerely grateful.

Monday, September 11, 2017

In Honor and Memory

September 11th is always a difficult day. For all the people who lost loved ones, I just can't even imagine. For the rest of us, it's a day to remember those Americans who died on 9/11/01. I want to honor and remember those people, but I don't like the idea of reliving that horrific day. Can we find a way to honor without restimulating all the fear and pain that leads to hatred?

For those that would argue we need those images to "Remember" and that staying mad is the best way to honor those lives lost, I say no. Staying mad and digging up all that painful, negative emotion simply keeps us in pain. We can remember without staying in a dark emotional place, there just isn't anything to gain by staying mad. #MyTwoCents

Monday, September 4, 2017

Viva Las Vegas!

We made it home from camping and did a "turn & burn" and were on a plane to Las Vegas. On one hand I think it was crazy to plan a Vegas trip right on the heels of a big camping trip. But on the other hand, it was nice to be poolside and alone with my guy after a pretty exhausting weekend camping.

I often see the crazy low airfares to Vegas in my email and by the time I go to see what's available, the low fares are sold out. A month or so ago, I got the email and went right to Southwest.com and there they were. I called Dave and asked if he wanted to get away and we picked the dates. We ended up planning the camping trip after Vegas was booked so we just went with it. It worked out and we had a great time.

Dave went to the airport right from work so he was traveling in his uniform. It seems I am not the only one who likes a man in uniform as when we got to the Paris, the woman checking us in said, "Welcome, thank you for your service. Let me see what I can do for you tonight." She upgraded us to a gorgeous top floor suite with an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower and the Bellagio fountains. It was awesome!

We had off the hook pizza at Naked City Pizza, it may just be the best pizza I've ever had, and I've had some pretty epic pizza. We gambled, went shopping, and just had fun being together and away from home. I've said it many times and I believe it even more today, the best gift you can give your kids is happily married parents, and happily married means making your relationship a priority. I love this life I get to live, it really is pretty amazing.