Blue Moon

July 31st was the blue moon.

The second full moon during the same calendar month.  What a cool thing to recognize and celebrate.

I connected 'once in a blue moon' friends with the blue moon occurring in July.  We're lucky to have both - one to remind us of what's important, and one to celebrate!

Catch that full, blue moon tonight - since we won't have another one until 2018!

Friends

I found this wonderful graphic and was so happy that it actually had the state of Texas at the top!  It was a great visual of how I feel about some of the most important people in my life.  The wonderful thing about living in 2015 is that between email, calls, texts and FaceTime we can all stay connected.

Even at work we rely on video calls to connect - 'to be able to see your face!' is what we say to each other when we request the other turn on their video!

Thank goodness for the wonderful people, near and far that stay close in my heart - even if they are not close in proximity!

Photos

These photos were taken several years ago in the fall back in Bloomington.  We had a local photographer take lots of options at a local park in the fall.  As I recall it was a sunny October day - full of color and options.

There is something to be said for recalling memories through photos.  It often reminds me of not only the place but also the mood, the surroundings, what else what happening in the world and what I was thinking.  This is was a funny day that started out with us not being able to find the park.  The GPS wasn't dropping us in the right spot and we had to stop and ask for directions.  Let's just say the first few photos didn't have the most genuine smiles.

And, yet, this photo shoot provided some of the most wonderful shots.

The photo at the bottom of Bill and I captures the best of both of us.  We happened to be looking at Ellie who was jumping on one foot - being silly - which caused us to join her joyful mood.  That was captured in the photo.  We'll never forget we were looking at her as that photo was taken.

I've also discovered a new photo app.  It's Walgreen's!  The app allows you to make prints from your Instagram account - makes them into these cool 4in x 4in prints.  So random, and so different.  You select the photos and select which Walgreens and hit send.  I pick them up 30 minutes later on my way to or from work.  Oh the joy of technology and simplicity of photos!

Times are changing ...

A trip to the pool used to be a simple thing.  Now it's a full-fledged adventure.  What used include a towel and sunscreen now involves a pre-teen type pool bag with sunglasses and book!  Oh have times changed.

There was a time when she wanted to swim until her fingers were pruny - not anymore.  She talks about getting a tan, and reading a chapter after a bit of time actually in the pool.

My little one is growing up.

I said something about my baby the other day and she corrected me.  "I'm not your baby anymore Mommy, I'm your girl now."

Well, she's got that right - with the annoyed faces and the special requests - she's all girl!  And what a wonderful young girl she's growing into!

Saturday afternoon

On Saturday afternoon we found ourselves inside to escape the 100 degree heat - so we had to find something fun to do.

Ellie picked Banana-grams and I made indoor s'mores!  She was thrilled.  Although it was tricky picking tiles for the game while our fingers were sticky from marshmellows!

Comes the dawn

At the end of the week I think back to how things started, and how they've changed.  Throughout the week I better balanced my work schedule with my home life.  I picked Ellie up twice from Lighthouse and made dinner several times much earlier than usual.  I got through a challenging Executive report out for one of my Compliance issues.

And last, but certainly not least - my team has officially changed.  I'm down to 4 Supervisors and the longest tenure in role is 6 months!  Funny conversation yesterday with Alberto upon his return to the office after a few days off I said, "well Alberto, now you're the man of house!"  And he laughed!  His mentor, teammate and friend, Jeremy has moved in a Manager role in the office next to mine.  This changes everything ...

Every little thing happens for a reason.

And every morning the sun comes up and a new day begins.

These days are full of lessons and learning that I hadn't anticipated.

And yet, the sun still shines.

Mid-week treat

This week my family has been surprised at just how early I've been able to leave work and come home.  Monday I actually left at 4pm! Picked up Ellie, made dinner and got a meal ready for the crock pot on Tuesday.  It was like a miracle they told me!

Tuesday is my late night - 12noon - 8pm is when I'm in the office.  So Tuesday mornings is when we get all our appointments done over the summer - doctor, dentist, eye doctor, etc.  This past Tuesday was Ellie's eye doctor appointment - and all is well.  Slightly far-sighted, but not enough to need glasses to correct her vision.  She may experience a need as she gets older and spends more time studying, but for now she is just fine.

Wednesday when I arrived home they decided they wanted to go out for dinner - so we made our way to Chiloso for grilled salmon tacos!  Afterward Ellie talked Bill into going to Bahama Bucks for flavored, shaved ice treats.  She was so proud of herself that she knew about the secret flavor, Tootsie Roll only served by request!

Burger Challenge

On Saturday Bill spent time at the office so Ellie and I had some Girl Time!  She decided she wanted to go to Liberty Burger and then head to my office to see some of my team.

We're fortunate that there is a new Liberty Burger right around the corner from the office - which is great for a team lunch, or for the folks who call it lunch but eat at dinner time.  Its smaller than the one in Allen but Ellie decided that burgers actually taste better at this location!

Things are always changing at work.  Which is a good thing, I guess.  Inevitable it really the way it feels.  My team is changing too.  Boy, did I love my team the way we came together and got things done.  But nothing last forever, and this team didn't either.

Andi, who's like a little sister to me, took an amazing opportunity in HR on the recruiting team and we're really happy for her.  We celebrated her last day on Friday, July 17th.  One of my Supervisors is out on medical leave so we have a temporary Supervisor in her place learning her team and finding his spot with us.  Elena joined us as a new Supervisor about a month ago and is finding her stride with her team and in our group too.  And last, but certainly not least, we're announcing that Jeremy - the other half of my brain on some days, will be moving into a Development role as a Manager beginning next week!  WOW - my team is decimated!  These are all good things, they just take adjustment - and burgers apparently!

So Saturday I had three of my Supervisors working.  Great opportunity for Ellie to visit.  She fit right into my family at the office with Alberto, Elena and Jeremy working on Saturday afternoon.  They talked burgers, pets and whether or not she liked pinto beans with her enchiladas!  She took to Elena right away and they were fast friends!

Another Saturday in the books!  What a good one it was!

Friday night at the pool

At the end of the week, after work and school are complete, we find our way to the pool.  Our pool is not grand or fancy, and truth be told, it's a shared experience because it belongs to the neighborhood.  Although we'll take what we can get because Texas in July is constantly over 100 degrees.

We find ourselves, very consistently, at the pool on Friday evenings.  We carry our bag of water toys, towels, sunscreen and happy hour beverages to our spot each week.  Its there that we let go of the cares of the world.  Well, maybe not the cares of the world, but we do let go of the week as we ease ourselves in the water.

On a good Friday night, Ellie is able to meet up with a friend.  This past Friday she had Kalayna and Landon to play water shooters and tag within the water!

Be the change

When we arrived home on Thursday afternoon from work and daycare, I asked Ellie to help me with the mail.  We sorted through bills, catalogs, and junk mail.  Ellie gravitated toward the one from St. Jude's with its colorful kid's artwork on the outside of the envelope.  I told her she could open it.

Inside she found a photo of a little girl, age 2 and she said, "Mommy her name is Elizabeth too!" She went on to read that she had leukemia.  As I was gathering up the piles I noticed Ellie had gone to get her change purse in the picture above.

She looked up at me in a full blown cry and said, "Mommy can I take $25 out of my wallet and send it to help Elizabeth?"  Just at that moment Bill walked in and asked, 'what's all the crying about?"  I explained and he said, "Yes, Ellie we can do that.  Why don't we match your $25 and send $50 from the whole family?"  She thought that was a great idea.

As I zipped her change purse filled with birthday money and gift cards, I noticed the writing on the outside.

Be the change you wish to see in the world.

And that's exactly what she'd done.