Making pasta

Kneading the dough ... she knows exactly what she's doing!

Feeding the dough through the machine.

#lovewins

The historic decision made in our country on Friday was powerful and overwhelming at the same time.  This country is made up of lots of people with many different ideas, and versions of their truth. Their truth may be hurtful to others, which is not the reason to have your own truth.  This decision simply states what matters.  Love matters.

At the end of the day we each want to know that we are accepted for who we are.  It doesn't have to look the same for each person.  In fact it shouldn't.  And yet we often believe when things don't look our way it's wrong.  And in the end what matters?  Love matters.

Ellie and I were talking the other day and she said, "Mommy, why are Nick Cannon and Heidi Klum dancing on X-Factor, they are not the same race?"

That question stopped me more so than the ones she has posed about bras, babies and even "mean girls".  I asked her why she thought that was the case.  She said because people at daycare told her that you have to be with people of the same race.  Wow.  I went on to ask if she understood what race meant.  And in a 9-year old mind it sounded something like skin color.  I decided to broaden her perspective to think about more than skin color, but ethnicity and origin.

We talked about Daddy being Italian and Mommy being Irish and German.  Those are different.  From different countries originally.  We talked about what it means to be from Central & South America or from China, Japan, Taiwan, and Vietnam.  We're different from one another - in our looks, in our culture, in our food, in our beliefs even.  And yet, we live, work and play together.  Accepting the differences as part of God's big world.

I asked her if she remembered by friend, Amy and her daughters Maddilyn and Gabriellla from State Farm pool.  Does she remember that the girls look different from their parents, Amy & Ed?  Does she remember that they are adopted?  She, of course, she remembers them, they played together in the pool.  I asked does she think that their parents love them any less because their skin is different color?  Of course NOT!  I then asked her if I thought people might look at them funny because all their skin color is not the same.  Yes, Mommy people probably do.  I asked her if that was fair?  To the girls - who are loved so much, and to my friend Amy who takes such good care of her daughters?

Mommy, I get it.  We don't have to look alike to love.  You're right Ellie.  We're a great big world, with lots of different love.  And you don't have to look a certain way to love, or be loved.

Yes, I did explain that Mommy and Daddy believed this, but not everyone does too.  I asked her not to go to school and tell people our way was right.  The kids who told her that people from different races couldn't dance think their way is right too.  We just think differently.

I did not go into the historic decision made in our country on Friday.  We'll save that conversation for another day.  We haven't talked about having two mommies, or two daddies.  And since she has no context at this point I'll wait until there is a better time to talk about it.  I am very grateful though, that she will be raised in a world where the option to get married is offered to all couples.  I hope she'll see that in the end it is love that matters.

#lovewins

A daisy that stands alone.

one daisy surrounded by yellow leaves

Sometimes its okay to stand out.  To stand alone even.  We were not created to all sound or look alike.  The beauty is in the differences.

Dear Brave-Enough-To-Stand-Out Girl,

It should be the easiest thing of all, shouldn't it? 

But it isn't easy to be true to yourself. 

Sometimes it is a very lonely road, and a very bumpy road. There are days when we all want to look around at what everyone else is doing and then just do the same so we can go with that flow and just fit in. At least it wouldn't feel so lonely. 

Or would it???

You may have tried to fit in, and tried again, and then still again. You may have even "toned it down" enough for a while that you actually DID fit in, but it made your heart hurt and you just couldn't betray yourself for very long. 

If every funky little daisy in the flower garden spray painted herself red so she could hang out with the roses, the world wouldn't have any variety at all, and what a sad sad sad life for that sunshiny, spunky free-spirited daisy. She was born to be a daisy, after all. 

And guess what? the other flowers want her to be a daisy, too. Daisies are WONDERFUL.

Be courageous enough to boldly live your own truth. You are so very very very spectacular. Just BE YOU.

Things come into our lives at exactly the right time.  When standing out like a daisy in a bed of roses wasn't enough, I found a recommendation to read this book in the same week.  Something about blooming where you're planted resonates.  And that was advice that our new Chairman at work shared with me when I was introduced to him several years ago.

Life is a circle.  A big one.  And then sometimes it seems so small.  Pay attention.  It matters. All of it.

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Texas Sunrise

an unfiltered photo of the Texas sunrise out my back door

Happy Father's Day

Ellie makes muffins for her Daddy on Father's Day

Bill's day was filled with food, laughter, friends and family!  Ellie made muffins that she was very proud of to serve him for breakfast.  A bit of puttering around the house and we were off to friends house for fajitas and margaritas for dinner.

Although they don't have children, they have two wonderful dogs that Ellie is now attached to!

What a nice day we had to celebrate Father's Day!

Summer Vacation - Yankee Stadium

Family shot - Yankee Stadium

Ellie with Derek Jeter statue

First photo together at the new Yankee Stadium

Being upgraded to Mohegan Sun Lounge (off in the distance at field level)

Yep, I'm here - Yankee Stadium - FINALLY!

A ballgame is not complete without Dippin' Dots!

Outside Yankee Stadium

Another family shot - at the stadium

We're on the huge board in Center Field!

Summer Vacation

Aunt Mimi, Aunt Lisa and Ellie

Grammy and Ellie

Ellie and Enzo

Me with the cousins - Gianni, Ellie and Enzo

Grammy with her grandchildren 

Gianni and Ellie

Gianni and Uncle Bill

Summer Vacation on the Lake

No surprise that Ellie loves being on the water ...

Ellie and Papa

Ellie on the tube

She had SO much fun!

Denise and I ... years after where we began ... SF babies born in 2006 together

The 2006 babies who are 9 years old now.
Francesca Parisi and Ellie
Grown up girls!

First Day, Last Day

August 2014 - First Day of 3rd Grade

June 2015 - Last Day of 3rd Grade

I don't even have to begin to tell you how quickly this past year has flown by!  This little girl of our is growing up very quickly!

You can see from the photo that over the course of the year she has lost the baby face and now wears skirts instead of shorts.  Yes, the zebra-print backpack remains the same.  And although that smile has changed, she is the same sweet (although smarter) girl from the beginning of the school year.

So proud of her and all her accomplishments this year!!

The time of year for goodbyes

This is what I tell Ellie all the time.  I tell her this because I believe it.  And actually putting it into practice on days like today is really hard.

We began our day with the very last school assembly of third grade.  We were proud of Ellie achieving A/B Honor Roll for not only every 9 week period, but for the entire year.  She finished the year with

93 - Social Studies
100 - Citizenship
88 - Language Arts
91 - Writing
92 - Math
95 - Science
Pass - Art
Pass - Music
Pass - Technology
Pass - Physical Education

Today was also the last time that her principal, Mrs. Shumer would be her principal.  She has accepted another position with the district and will be terrific as the person in charge of curriculum.  Mrs. Shumer is near and dear to our hearts because of her kindness and clear devotion to her students.  She knows the name of each and every student.  And she proves that every day when the kids enter the school.  She is also the person who asked us to consider having Ellie finish the last month of 2nd grade in Texas so that the transition into 3rd grade the following year would be easier.  She was right, and we are very grateful for her wise counsel.  They did her final good-bye and I led the audience in jumping to my feet for a standing ovation.  She will be greatly missed.

Christmas address at State Farm HQ in the atrium
Bill & I had our photo taken with Ed Rust

We arrived at work today to celebrate Founder's Day throughout the company.  It is the day of our Founder's birthday - and since the company's inception in 1922 we have celebrated one day a year.  We were treated to our Chairman, Ed Rust addressing the local audience in Bloomington and the virtual audience via video throughout the country.  It was a moving speech as he announced that after 40 years with the company, and 30 years as Chairman like his father and grandfather before him, he would be stepping down just before his 65th birthday in September.

What a run!  And what a man.  He's been around at the helm for the entire career of nearly everyone I know!  And they have named his replacement as well.  He has been with the company 27 years and most recently as the right arm of Mr. Rust as COO.  Change is good I know.  And yet change is often hard. This will be a big change.  There was a ripple of sadness throughout the company as we wrapped our brains around losing a man that we admire and trust.  I'm so glad he's been leading our company for so long.  I trust that the Board of Directors, in all their wisdom have chosen a worthy successor.

And this day of good byes continued.

I learned today that one of my Supervisors, Andi,  received an offer for an awesome new role in a different department that will allow her normal working hours and more time with her husband and family.  I thought I'd shed enough tears throughout the day to be done.  I was wrong.  I cried tears of joy, being proud and knowing that I will miss her tremendously being a part of our team.  She's grown and helped her team grow.  She is headed for bigger and better things and I'm so very proud of her success.

Wow!

That's a lot of goodbyes for one day.  I believe that tomorrow we'll begin to say hello to new opportunities and new people to fill these cherished roles.

Preparing for 4th Grade

Ellie and Robin at it again together!

As Ellie gets ready to say goodbye to 3rd grade she is very much looking forward to 4th grade.  Next year will be her last year at Whitt Elementary School, so she will be in the helping year of Elementary School.  She'll then move on to Intermediate School (grades 5 & 6)and then Middle School (grades 7 & 8) before High School 9grades 9 -12).

We learned this week that Ellie was selected as a School Safety Patrol or "Road Guard" for next year. The 4th grade teachers all convene and pick one 3rd grader from each class (6 total in the whole school) to represent during the following year.  They didn't tell the selected students who else was chosen.

This is quite an honor as they are responsible for raising and lowering the flag every day, as well as escorting all the parent drop-off kids from cars to the school.  They open car doors and ensure everyone stays safe.  Ellie was thrilled to be selected!

And then she got to school and learned Robin was also selected for School Safety Patrol!  She was ecstatic!  What a team this two amazing girls make.  And they embody all the best qualities for this role.

So proud of her!

Splash Day

Today is Splash Day at school.

When I said to Ellie a couple weeks ago, "Ellie, I cannot believe you only have two weeks left in third grade!"  She replied, 'well actually Mommy, I have one academic week and one fun activity week."

Well she told me, didn't she?

This is the fun activity week.  She survived the final academic week and now is celebrating the end of 3rd grade.  How is it possible that 3rd grade is nearly over?

And as you can see she's loving it!  And watch for more fun to come this week ...

Look for signs everywhere

When Bill and I came home from dinner on Saturday night this sign was hung at the front door.  It was about 6-feet long and very colorful.

Lydia, her sister Kalyna and Ellie made this for me.  I was intrigued what they chose to put on this amazing sign.  Ellie made an awesome coffee mug that says "#1 Mom" and there is a cake, flowers, a cupcake, make-up and a lion.

The lion was the most curious to me.  And so I looked it up to see what it means when a lion comes into your life.

from Animal Speak
"When a lion has shown up you need to remember to trust your creativity, intuition and imagination.  These will add sunshine to your life.  Don't be afraid to roar if you feel threatened or intruded upon."

And here's what happened on the day following this sign.  The sun came out.  It came out after many weeks of constant rain.  My birthday this year took on new meaning.  The sun came out.  There you have it.