Poem

For those of you who could not read the small writing on the daddy/daughter digital collage I created, here it is written down:

She walks with you
and talks with you
and looks at you with love.
She's your girlie, your "short stuff,"
she's a gift from up above.
Someday...she'll stand beside another
she'll make a vow and say "I do."
But she'll always be your baby
and always stand by you.

Rockwall visit

Well, I was going to tell a little about our couple getaway two weeks ago...

We dropped Hannah off at her friend's house and then headed on out for Rockwall, TX, east of Dallas. It's funny, because when we moved away in 2001, I had noticed the harbor and lake and thought "Oh, no, I never got to visit that place!" And then when we moved back in 2007, I thought, "Well, now's my chance, I've got to visit that place!"

I mean, even from the road, it looks so pretty and is considered to have a Mediterranean island/sea look. Absolutely beautiful. Of course, I'm partial to water/lake landscapes anyway.

So we got there on a Sunday and that evening, of course, I had arranged for us to sail on a sailboat called the Seawolf, built out of spanish cedar by the captain himself! The catamaran is only two years old, so it was in great condition.

We enjoyed our sunset tour tremendously, and most fun, they let me steer the boat, going all over Lake Ray Hubbard! What fun! When we first set out, the captains wife (and First Mate) whispered to me, "this song is for you." It was the theme from the Love Boat! ha! There were only a few of us on the cruise, so the capain walked around and took pictures and just joked around with all of us, but also was good about giving us some space and privacy to enjoy the cruise. If you are in the area and want to check it out, here's the link: http://sailwithscott.com

As you can tell from a previous post, we got some great pix, as well. Then Monday we shopped a little in Rockwall, and then headed over to Dallas and shopped in Old Town. What fun!

Anyway, just wanted to share a little of our fun.

All for now,
Tricia

Dream, daughter, dream

I pray for the sweetest dreams for you, my precious daughter. I love you dearly.

Stenciled/stamped cards

Fort Worth Botanic Garden photos

We took pictures at the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens on Mother's Day weekend. These are just a sample (as is the one of Hannah and her daddy walking in the gardens) of the lovely photos we got of our family. Hannah is, as ever, exquisite. Thank you to her Grandma Williams for the pretty dress she is wearing.

And yes, I will try to eventually send some of these in the mail to family. Who knows, maybe this year I'll write my Christmas letter in July so as to not have to send out any in December.

All for now,
Tricia

A weekend couple getaway in Rockwall, TX. A 40 ft. spanish cedar Catamaran named Seawolf. A romantic time together. More to come...

All for now,
Tricia

Dealing with anger effectively...

These excerpts from a book Getting Over Getting Mad: Positive ways to Manage Anger, are really good:

"It seems that there are chronically angry people everywhere... They act as though life comes with guarantees, and when something doesn't suit them, they sue.

"Some people like being mad. It makes them feel powerful and in control. If they stopped being angry, they might be sad, in emotional pain, afraid or full of despair, and since they don't like feeling vulnerable they carry a chip on their shoulder. The most dangerous people are the ones who don't even know they're angry yet are very hostile. They no longer recognize angry feelings; they life in a permanent state of uproar.

Uproar is a way of making one's own concerns more important than anyone else's. It's the angry person's syndrome. An angry person imagines an insult and immediately hurls insults right back. They overpower others with threats and loud voices.

When my clients who are in a permanent state of uproar speak about themselves, practically every other word they use in should. "I should do this," or "he should do that." When the messages you give yourself are filled with shoulds, you're bound to feel upset. Looking at life from a point of view of "should" will not help you--it will only make you feel angry because you'll so often be disappointed. Can't and have to are two other thought-forms that cripple us and lead to uproar.

To move out of uproar, it helps if you change what you're thinking and saying... To extricate yourself from uproar, you need friends, people whom you can really talk to, who've been there themselves and are ready to share how they have overcome destructive tendencies.... The greatest friend you can have is one who understands your pain and angry but doesn't let you become a permanent victim of it. He pulls you out of the muck, stops your incessant complaining. He tells you the truth and demands the same from you. She asks you to drop the hostility and replace it with goodwill. She brings out the best in you."

Of course, you could always eat a turquoise blue popscicle and make a Grrrrr face like the faux-angry gal above!

I think we all deal with anger but this author really hits it dead on with this page and many others in how to deal with your anger instead of letting it suck the life out of you--or others around you. This was very helpful to me.

All for now,
Tricia

Happy Father's Day a little early

Here's a little taste of the family photos we took in the beautiful Fort Worth Botanic Garden. Be sure to read the poem I wrote dedicated to a wonderful father. This one's for you, John!

All for now,
Tricia