Every morning and every evening I talk to Ellie and Bill. They share will me the daily stories of what is happening in their world. Ellie has very few words. She loves to end every conversation with "Adios Amigo!" Which I find very funny!
I talked to Bill after Ellie went to bed last night and said, "Now, tell me how it's really going?" He said, "its fine, really. But she doesn't listen that well and she's like a tornado around here making a mess." REALLY!? I had no idea!? This is the same child we've raised for the past 5 years .. she's always been headstrong, doesn't listen and constantly creates a mess. Apparently I must have cleaned them all up so quickly that Bill never noticed! :)
Ellie has been struggling staying in her own bed at night. She finds a reason to go bunk in with Daddy .. bad dreams, there might be a bug in my room, etc ... So the past two mornings I've asked, "Where did you sleep last night?" When she answered, "My own bed - the whole night" this morning I said, "Terrific now that's two nights in a row so that's two prizes you've earned."
She said, "Mommy that's the second time you've told me. Since two and two equal four, that's how many presents I'll get!" I'm not sure whose math that is, but I made sure I have a ton of presents for her when she and Bill arrive in Bloomington in 9 days!!
...You know you've made the right choice. You may wonder how I could possibly feel as though each day is getting better and better without Bill and Ellie here, right? But of course with each passing day that brings me closer to the day they arrive!
But honestly this time for me has arrived in my life for a reason. I'm fortunate that this time has a beginning AND an ending date. The 'during' time has been put in front of me to immerse myself in my new surroundings, new role and new life! I meet new people each day and learn more about the world I'll now work in and feel a sense of glee! I know I'm not adding much value to the process at this point, but I'm soaking everything up like a sponge.
The energy I feel from the people around me is amazing. My journey continues and for this opportunity I'm grateful. I'll make the best of each day, and at the close of each day I'll reflect back on all the learning I've had!
Each day brings me close to Ellie and Bill's arrival. For that I'm most grateful!!
Photo of me from today at my desk at Corporate! I sent it to Bill and he said, "You look so happy!!!" I replied back, "It must be in the air here. It just makes you happy!"
Here was a great story I found today on Success.com
Stepping Up to the Challenge A Leadership Lesson from My Daughter by Mel Robbins March 5, 2009
Like you, I’ve read dozens and dozens of books on leadership. I’ve coached executives and entrepreneurs to be better leaders for more than a decade. There are so many theories out there about how to be a good leader, it is downright overwhelming. Leadership actually boils down to a few simple concepts. And, much to my surprise, I witnessed it firsthand just the other day. I have three kids, all under the age of 9. Before the bus arrives at 8 in the morning, I’m more mom than entrepreneur; orchestrating breakfast and backpacks; making sure they make the bus commands most of my time. But last Monday, I woke up and realized I couldn’t get out of bed. Honestly. I was sick. And I’m never sick. I was full-on flu sick and completely incapacitated. Without even thinking, I figured my husband, Chris, would handle the kids. Thank God for my husband. Until I roll over to realize he’s not home. He’s got his own business to run. Great. Now what? If I’d had the strength, I would have barked orders and tried to enlist the help of my 9-year-old daughter. I was too exhausted even for that. I’m embarrassed to say, I just fell back to sleep.
When I opened my eyes again, the kids were in front of me. Dressed. All three of them. Even though I’m sick, I’m suspicious. “What’s going on?” I ask in a tone I can only hope they thought was genuine. "A true leader steps up without being asked. And that inspires others to find their greatness."
My 9-year-old, Sawyer, speaks for the group: “We made you a cup of green tea. Don’t worry, I didn’t turn on the stove; I used the microwave.” I cautiously accept the offering, wondering what they want. I might be sick, but I’m not stupid. “I heard you throwing up in the bathroom so I got everyone ready. We still have 10 minutes to the bus,” Sawyer continued. My mind was racing. What’s the shift? What happened to the daughter I have to coerce to get ready every morning? And, more important, how did she manage to motivate an 8-year-old and a 3-year-old?
The next day, when I wasn’t feeling as feverish, I told Chris what I had witnessed. He just said, “Our daughter’s a natural-born leader.” I was skeptical. “For a leader she’s a horrible follower.”
Then it occurred to me: A good leader isn’t a great follower. In fact, leadership is all about not waiting for instruction. It’s about stepping up to the challenge and leading by example—exactly what Sawyer had done. I had this leadership thing all wrong. She got her brother and sister ready, from getting dressed to making sure everything they needed was in their backpacks. She orchestrated the pouring of cereal and milk. She made me a cup of tea. Without being coerced, without even being asked, she stepped up. I don’t think I would have believed it if I hadn’t seen it for myself.
I learned from my daughter this simple fact: You lead by example. A true leader simply steps up without being asked—the rest just comes with the job. And stepping up inspires others to find their greatness. Admittedly, that’s a stretch when we are talking about putting a tea bag into a hot cup of water, but the ability to take control is awe-inspiring— at any age. So what kind of leader are you going to be today? What can you step up and do? Who can you inspire? What example can you set?
In this economy, every business needs a strong leader. Don’t wait to be asked. You’ll be shocked at how great it makes you feel—not to mention those around you. Everyone appreciates a hot cup of tea right when it is needed most.
I was born on a Tuesday, the year the number one song was Monday, Monday by the Mamas and the Papas ... try to make sense of that one.
Today I begin another chapter in my career. A new place, new people and new activities. It is not without remembering where we came from that we are able to gather the courage to walk through this new door.
Today I thank Beth who was my friend, confidante and teacher during my two years in Charlottesville. She's a great mom, a great friend and I'm so glad she was in my life. She called me last night to make sure I was feeling good about my new beginning. She is always good for a pep talk and a shoulder to cry on. The next person who gets Beth as their 'work friend' will be very lucky!
Tomorrow I start my new job. I'm trying not to think about it. It all new .. the people, the responsibilities, the not knowing protocol, and worst of all .. not knowing where the bathrooms are!! And you know when you're nervous you need to go more often .. oh well when tomorrow is upon me I'll be filled with the excitement of the first day of school. New pens and pencils and notebooks ready to absorb all they're willing to teach me!
I took a drive by the new house today ... hee hee .. so fun to see the 'Sale Pending' sign! It will be ours in about 2 1/2 weeks! Another adventure and a bit of chaos as we unpack and make it our own. But that's the fun part too, the creating new space .. not because the old space didn't work, but because we have the opportunity to!
I began the drive yesterday from Charlottesville, VA and stopped for the day after 485 miles in Louisville, KY. I didn't expect Louisville to be so pretty. Lots of horse farms and the downtown area on my way out of town was dramatic and really interesting to drive by ... Who knew Kentucky could be so interesting, right?
The drive was not near as bad as I anticipated it. About 8 hours on Friday left me only about 4 today! I was up and out before 7am with a travel mug full of coffee and English muffin in hand. After stopping to fill up the tank I was pulling into the hotel in Bloomington just before 11am. In fact too early for a room .. so I did my banking instead.
The fun part was unloading the car and putting my room together. It's a suite which is nice since I'll be here 3 weeks. Candlewood Suites has a great set up, and even when Bill and Ellie arrive, there'll be plenty of room.
After a few groceries and putting all my things away I'm settling in. Ellie gave me one of her stuffed animals to travel with to keep me company. She told me, "Mommy the bow will remind you of Daddy's ties, and the cute face will remind you of me - which you'll miss the most!" She's so fresh! But she's right I do miss them the most!
I've always believed that. And here I am on the eve of embarking on a journey to take me to the next door. Although I'll spend the first two weeks of this new life without Bill and Ellie next to me it will be a time of learning, growing and doing. I'll be so happy to welcome them to Bloomington on July 9th!! And of course, we'll 'skype' so I can see those beautiful faces!!
On Father's Day morning we accepted an offer on our house in Charlottesville. We're thrilled to have sold it on the 19th day it was on the market. As a family, we celebrated! I needed to use up the end of a pedicure certificate, so Ellie and I went to get our toes done while Bill ran a couple errands! She chose "Christmas Glitter" and I chose, "I'm Not Really a Waitress!" We ended with lunch at Chipolte and home for the two of them to rest for the afternoon!
Our last weekend together for a couple weeks is being spent together .. having bagels and grilling out!
A Story of My Dad Do you know how old my Dad is? My Dad is 36. He has brown hair and brown eyes. His favorite food is Chinese. For fun my Dad likes to watch movies. His favorite color is orange. My Dad can study better than anybody I know. If I could I would buy my Dad a toothbrush for Father's Day. I love my Dad because he is warm and comfy. Happy Father's Day love, ELLIE
Although it has happened in my lifetime (39 years ago they last won in 1972), this one is the one I'll remember! So glad Ray Bourque didn't wait around for the Cup to come back to Boston .. he won it 10 years ago in Colorado. And now Lord Stanley's Cup returns to Boston!
Anna Quindlen remains unapologetic for leaving a mess and challenges the graduates of the class of 2011 to not only do better but to also consider what “doing better” really means. Credit: Blur Media Transcript
"Good morning. Actually, great morning. I feel honored to be the first from this podium to have the opportunity to offer my congratulations to the graduates of the class of 2011 at Grinnell College.
The more I thought about speaking to all of you today, the more I realized that the prevailing opinion is that my speech should be an extended apology. On behalf of the entire country, I think I was expected to say I was sorry that the economy had tanked during your college years, that the job market was looking lean, that the housing market had become uncertain. In other words, that we who came before you were handing off an unmitigated disaster. I’m not going to do that. I just can’t. I’m not going to say that I’m sorry for any of you, because I’m not. Because I think, perhaps, more than any college graduates in recent memory, you have an unparalleled opportunity to remake this country so that it is stronger, smarter and makes a whole lot more sense.
When American generations past felt dissatisfaction with our prevailing culture, with corporations estranged from both line workers and consumers, from politics held prisoner by polls and personal ambition, they had to fight a comfortable and deeply entrenched status quo. During the peace movement, the civil rights movement and the second-wave feminist movement in the 1960s there was tremendous pushback from millions of average Americans who believed that world dominance, military might, segregation and old, familiar gender roles worked just fine. They didn’t want anyone blowing up the old ways.
You don’t have to worry about that. The old ways have blown up all by themselves, fallen under the weight of a system that was a Potemkin village of alleged prosperity and progress based on easy credit and crazed consumerism. A financial system in which it was possible to become rich and powerful while investing and trading in nothing at all. An information system paralyzed and sabotaged by the technology that was outstripping it. A political system for which too many held open contempt. A consumer culture making things that didn’t last and that people didn’t really need. What happens to a country that has developed the peculiar habit of shopping for recreation when it runs out of money? Well, it can either screech to a halt, or it can discover that its priorities need to be recalibrated, and that “stuff” is not salvation.
It’s as though America was a house, and at a certain point the roof was so leaky, the walls so bowed, the termites so widespread that it began to crumble. Now don’t misunderstand me; the bedrock is still there, the bedrock which too often we honor in the breech, but which we honor just the same. The bedrock of a free and fair society based on the constant and open exchange of ideas. But it would be a tragedy and a lost opportunity if all of you rebuilt and constructed a house that looked like what we had before, tried to build the same old house, which we now know was in large part a house of cards. Your parents, proudly here today, and their parents before them, perhaps proudly here today, understood a simple equation for success: your children would do better than you had. Ditch digger, to cop, to lawyer, to judge, that’s how I learned it as an Irish Catholic kid growing up. We’re now supposed to apologize to you because it seems that that’s no longer how it works, that you won’t inherit the SUV, which was way too big, or the McMansion that was way too big, or the corner office that was way too big. That you will not do better. But I suggest that this is a moment to consider what “doing better” really means.
If you are part of the first generation of Americans who genuinely see race and ethnicity as attributes, not stereotypes, will you not have done better than we did? If you are part of the first generation of Americans with a clear understanding that gay men and lesbians are entitled to be full citizens of this country with all its rights, will you not have done better than we did? If you are part of the first generation of Americans who assume women merit full equality instead of grudging acceptance, will you not have done better than we did? And on a more personal level, if you are part of the generation that ditches the 80-hour work week, and returns to a sane investment in your professional life, the first generation in which young women no longer agonize over how to balance work and family, and young men stop thinking they will balance work and family by getting married, won’t you have done better than we did?
Believe me when I tell you that we made a grave error in thinking doing better is mathematical, a matter of the number at the bottom of your tax return. At the end of their lives, all people assess how they’ve done, not it terms of their income, but in terms of their spirit, and I beg you to do the same even if those who came before sometimes failed to do so. And I beg you not to let fear define you. I have enough of a memory of this day of my own to know that at some level it is preposterous to say that right now. You should be afraid; of leaving what you know, of seeking what you want, of taking the wrong path, of not finding the path at all but simply muddling along. Your friends are going in one direction, you in another. From this safe and beautiful place, you pass through an estuary to the great ocean and sometimes, the current out there is harsh and the riptides are rough, and you will be afraid. But you have to learn to put the fear aside, or at least to refuse to allow it to rule you, because it’s fear that tamps down our authentic selves, turns us into some patchwork collection of affectations and expectations, morays and mannerisms, some treadmill set to the prevailing speed of universal acceptability, the tyranny of homogeny, whether the homogeny of that straight world of the suits, or the spiky world of the avant-garde.
The next couple weeks we'll take time to do the things we've loved to do while living in Charlottesville ... minus taking our recyclables to McIntire's :) !!
This morning we visited the City Market to walk around, enjoy the sunshine, people watch and of course, have Ellie get a balloon creature from Mr. George. We enjoyed some fresh baked goods, coffee and the $1 parking spot!
