I LOVE YOU

Three words that can mean so much!

However they can be very easy to say. Or, maybe not.

Growing up those three words were rarely said around my home and when I asked Mike he said they were not mentioned too much either at his house. I suppose it was the generation our parents came from, what with war and the economic times. But then when I think about my childhood I felt content and safe, is that not a result of Love?

All around me these days I hear people end conversations on their cell phones with "love you" so very easily said, do they really mean it? And WHY is the "I" not said? Does it make it easier? Should it be easier????

Now yes I do tell my nieces and nephews that I Love them during conversations with them, but I say it sincerely and I most generally get a return I love you and I am pretty certain they mean it! I have said it to my Mom and I think she has been surprised, but I hope she liked hearing it. To be honest I can not remember more than 2-3 times where my Mom told me she loved me, but I know she loves me, without her saying it.

When we come home from being away from our pets we are greeted with such overwhelming, how do I say it....hugs and kisses (jumps and licks) from our Chihuahua, Rico and our Labs, Abby & Lucy and we know they love us, it is obvious, especially when I am dozing on the couch and I open up my eyes and there sits Lucy just looking at me, waiting for a little stroke on her nose and appreciating it so very much. Our cats, well who knows, they may or may not love us. It is my opinion they love us especially when we feed them, but at night when we are sitting around and they come and snuggle by and start purring I really "feel the love".

Mike and I will be married 22 years on April 1st, we have a great marriage after all we are together almost 24/7 and that is the true test for me. Yes there are moments and some tiffs but it is part of the relationship. I used to think it was important to get a present on our anniversary and Valentines day from Mike to "prove his love" for me. I am not sure when I stopped feeling it was necessary, I know he loves me and being with him every day is a gift, yes we have a great love for one another. It reminds me of the scene from FIDDLER ON THE ROOF where Tevye asks Golde if she loves him and she answers by reviewing their life together. And yes I have washed his clothes, cooked his meals, cleaned his house, and shared his bed. No, we do not have children together, our babies are our business' Spieth Photography and The McClure Guesthouse. And if this is not love what is?

Oh yes and The Most Important Part of our Life together is our Love for the Lord, we share our deep faith and we are blessed with a great marriage and life together. I thank God for this every day!

Mike and I do say "I love you" daily but not out loud, after all actions do speak louder than words and by the way this year for Valentines day, Mike surprised me with RED KEDS!

Deadlines

Ahh yes, deadlines are everywhere, don't you think? I do not like them at all. Deadlines are interferences in ones life. I must get the project done, I must get the gift bought, I must cook the dessert I promised to bring, I will lose weight by that certain date, I have a paper which is due, etc.etc.......

Can you imagine the stress less life we would lead if we did not have deadlines? Being spontaneous is a luxury but if there were no deadlines would this be a luxury or an asset?

We are getting closer to being retired from, rather than starting our photography business [it is so very hard to believe it has been 27 years since we started SPIETH PHOTOGRAPHY] and now, we are beginning The McClure Guesthouse, are we crazy? Actually no, this is our dream which is coming true! Last night we were checking over web sites and info from different Guesthouses and Bed & Breakfasts to complete our information brochures and web page. And yes, we have a deadline to complete our info brochures and it is ASAP, as we are hoping to Open May 1st.

In between now and then we have yearbooks to complete, wedding albums to design, Eighth Grade Graduation portraits and the BOF (Best Of Friends) 6 day photo shoot which is the Olnean's yearly fundraiser [yes, with a deadline!]

On top of that I am accompanying my Mom to Florida for twelve days. Now yes, a trip with my Mom will be great, it has been each time I have gone with her in the last 3 years, this time is a bit longer. I think I will be taking the computer with me this time, because I can work in the mornings as I sit on the beach, now that sounds pretty cushy, don't you think! But I will be working towards these deadlines!

Life has been pretty involved lately with the Studio, The Guesthouse prep and I have just found out that a dear friends Mother has cancer and may not be here with her and her family too much longer. (I hope it does not happen while I am gone.) And now I have added the deadline of getting everything ready: home, packing, work completed, all before I leave for Florida, next week!

I guess though this shows that I am alive and not sitting around in front of the TV just zoning out, I have a purpose and I WILL MEET THESE DEADLINES without a doubt. I have to, after all I am committed to the deadlines and yes...... I say stress?.......what stress?.........

Our Lord Works In Mysterious Ways.

Now I am not so blessed to know and experience our Lord the way my husband and others have been blessed. But I do experience how he works in my life. There is a book out called GOD WINKS and many of the stories are great and remind me that I have had many God Winks in my life.

Close calls where I say "Whew!", a phone call from someone I have been thinking about, new people coming into our business life just when we think "now what are we going to do?" A beautiful bird flying overhead when I am staring outside because I am so disappointed in things that have happened and the bird reminds me there is hope for beautiful things to come. Holding the most handsome baby boy and looking up to see the pride and love in his grandpa's eyes. Speaking out loud about the exact same thing at the exact same time as my husband. Hearing a sermon from Father Robert that answers the questions and hopes and concerns I have been having. A little Chihuahua climbing into my lap to snuggle when I am sad. Many years ago standing outside a grocery store with ONLY one dollar to buy something for supper for my ex-husband and I and his Mum coming up out of the blue, seeing my fear and giving me some money to buy some food. A touch on my shoulder from my friend, not for any reason but it is just what I needed! A smile from a child that I thought might not smile.

Yes there have been so very many God Winks in my life. I DO NOT doubt there is a GOD and that he works and is in my life 24/7! I have had one lady, who taught a class I took tell me that I have a deep faith. And I am in agreement and so very glad. Now I just want you to watch for the God Winks in your life. You will be glad.

CHOICES

When did we first learn to make choices? More than likely when we were very young. I can not remember that far back, can you? Sometimes we make the right choice and sometimes we don't. Hopefully we learn from this either way we choose.

I can honestly say in my life I have made many wrong choices! Wrong friends, answers, clothing, business decisions, ways to tell someone about something ( a lie perhaps?), ex-marital partner and then there are my many wrong personal choices which only God and I know about. Then of course I have made many right choices. Right husband, friends, religion, business actions, answers, clothing, pets, being totally honest, and of course there are right personal choices which only God and I have experienced.

Lately Mike and I have been busy making many choices about: treadmills, business upgrades and upheavals, furniture rearranging, and today we begin The McClure House furnishing choices.

WOW this includes: furniture, drapes, dishes, towels, sheets, lighting, rugs, wall decor, light switch and plug in covers, appliances, sinks, faucets and who knows what else. WHEW!

If I were a shopaholic I would be ecstatic, but I am not. However we want this business entity to be just right so we have to make the RIGHT CHOICES.

Thankfully before we begin our shopping venture today, we will attend church, I hope it is a right choice to ask God to make sure to help Mike and I work together to make the right choices. However, I did say I made the right choice of Husband and I am sure God had a hand in that, so perhaps just a bit of reinforcement for working together will be my request at church, don't you think?

Oh and by the way, my wish for you today is for you to make the right choice!

RED KEDS

As a small girl I really wanted to wear Keds and red ones at that!

Being the oldest I usually got the clothing and "new" shoes that were eventually passed on down. Kathy, the next in line got bypassed with the shoes since she had a much wider foot. So I think Patti more than likely got the hand me down shoes. We lived in a time when you had to pass clothing and shoes on, especially in a family of 4 kids. In the end there were 6 kids but during the tighter financial time there were only 4 of us. And you know we did not get "the best" [Red Keds] but our lives were full and we were happy.

I don't remember having a "tude" like kids today do, however I am sure we too were tough to our parents, BUT we had respect for our parents, teachers and for ourselves. I have to look real hard these days to find that in the children around me.

When we were young you were noticed if you were a problem child and disrespectful. Isn't it something that today a child gets noticed for being good and respectful? What is wrong with this picture? But then who am I to judge. I have not been blessed with children, but perhaps that just is the blessing......

I suppose I can judge because I work with children as a photographer, as a Girl Scout Leader, as an aunt, as a step mom and step granny. I just hope I have somehow instilled in these young people a bit of good and respect. Only time will tell. I am lucky to have great nieces and nephews as well as through the years all of my Girl Scouts are really great girls. Oh and yes most certainly the majority of the kids that have worked for me know what respect is. Of course there are a few who have had "tudes", but still they are great kids.

Now back to the Red Keds. Yesterday at church one of the girls had Red Keds on and she most certainly does not have a "tude". I began to think about all of this and then I thought, aha maybe I had a "tude" and that is why I never got my Red Keds.