Life is short, but if we fill our lives with taking time to enjoy each and every moment of our lives, then the longness or shortness of life won't really matter. It seems like only yesterday, that Donnie and I were taking our 17 year old daughter Danielle off to College. I blinked and now last week we were taking our 17 year old youngest daughter Jane off to College. I don't know where the time went, but I do know, that in these last ten years between the two of them heading off to College, we saw three of our other children off to College, and now they are all adults.
Is life really short? did ten years fly by? I don't really think so, because Donnie and I have so many wonderful memories of these past 10 years ( or actually 27 years) of raising our children into the adults they are today, that time doesn't seem short necessarily, it seems to just keep moving forward.
Donnie wrote on his fb page about the forward progression of life, and I think it is natural and normal to watch our children grow, and become adults, with thoughts and ideas of their own, and each one of them has a different path that they are following. I don't feel old, I close my eyes and I can still see each of the kids first steps, first falls, first milestones....but now I see new first steps, first falls, and new milestones. So how can life be short if these things are all still happening. Forward Progression.....I plan on enjoying each and every moment moving forward in life. I won't take it for granted, and I will appreciate my life for however long I live. We only get to do this once, so whether its 50 or 100 years, my life won't be short because I am living it to the fullest.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
The Circle of Life
Today Donnie and I took our five children, and Michael's girlfriend on our family vacation. Ryan's wife Annie was home sick with a virus, and we missed her, but we were also glad that Ryan still joined us on our family vacation. When I say vacation, it wasn't a vacation in the typical vacation fashion It was one day spent at Six Flags amusement park in Agawam, MA. A longer vacation was not doable this summer, and getting all the kids together is getting harder and harder. So a one day, fun day vacation, was every bit as wonderful as a full weeks vacation.
We began our day, (as we have for many vacation days before) waiting for Michael to wake up and get moving. We all took turns going downstairs to harass him into getting up, so that we could get on the road. And as always, he took his sweet time....but once he's up and going, the party gets started!
Over the years we have always taken our vacations by piling all the kids in the car and driving to a destination....sometimes it was Disney World, sometimes it was destinations that were closer to home. But most all the times, they were car trips that have given us the most enjoyable memories, that Donnie and I cherish.
From the time the kids were very young, these trips consisted of the children singing Broadway musicals the entire trip. Jane and Mary knew every lyric to Les Mis, by the time they were able to speak. Today wasn't any different....Danielle wanted to introduce the family to the Broadway musical "The Book of Mormon" and we all enjoyed it very much. The interesting thing about this, is that, even though our children were raised on Broadway musicals....they all grew up to have very different musical tastes. Danielle still enjoys Broadway musicals to this day, but Michael is the lead singer in a Funk Rock group. Ryan over the years has enjoyed Rap music and Country music. Mary and Jane are both big Country music fans as well as contemporary pop music.
What made today's one day vacation fun day, so special to me, was that, no matter what music they choose to enjoy...they choose to enjoy the music of each others company. And when they all start singing together in the car, it is music to Donnie and my ears. They are no longer children singing Broadway songs, but adults singing all kinds of music, but at least they are still singing....and they are still singing together. At the end of the evening on our ride home from a great day at the Amusement park...one of the last songs that came on the radio was Lion King's , "The Circle of Life" It seemed a fitting song, (coincidentally it ended up being a Broadway song) But the song itself was very fitting as we were celebrating our last day of the summer together before each of the children move on to continue in their Circle of Life. Danielle will be head back to NYC to continue in her career and to finish the book she is writing. Michael's band "The WonderMics" is taking the music scene on by storm. Ryan and Annie will celebrate their 1 year Wedding Anniversary in October. Mary will be heading into her junior year at Boston College as a nursing major. And our baby girl Jane will be heading to Providence College in two days to begin her Freshman year majoring in business. As for Donnie and me.....life will go on as usual, It's the Circle of Life.
We began our day, (as we have for many vacation days before) waiting for Michael to wake up and get moving. We all took turns going downstairs to harass him into getting up, so that we could get on the road. And as always, he took his sweet time....but once he's up and going, the party gets started!
Over the years we have always taken our vacations by piling all the kids in the car and driving to a destination....sometimes it was Disney World, sometimes it was destinations that were closer to home. But most all the times, they were car trips that have given us the most enjoyable memories, that Donnie and I cherish.
From the time the kids were very young, these trips consisted of the children singing Broadway musicals the entire trip. Jane and Mary knew every lyric to Les Mis, by the time they were able to speak. Today wasn't any different....Danielle wanted to introduce the family to the Broadway musical "The Book of Mormon" and we all enjoyed it very much. The interesting thing about this, is that, even though our children were raised on Broadway musicals....they all grew up to have very different musical tastes. Danielle still enjoys Broadway musicals to this day, but Michael is the lead singer in a Funk Rock group. Ryan over the years has enjoyed Rap music and Country music. Mary and Jane are both big Country music fans as well as contemporary pop music.
What made today's one day vacation fun day, so special to me, was that, no matter what music they choose to enjoy...they choose to enjoy the music of each others company. And when they all start singing together in the car, it is music to Donnie and my ears. They are no longer children singing Broadway songs, but adults singing all kinds of music, but at least they are still singing....and they are still singing together. At the end of the evening on our ride home from a great day at the Amusement park...one of the last songs that came on the radio was Lion King's , "The Circle of Life" It seemed a fitting song, (coincidentally it ended up being a Broadway song) But the song itself was very fitting as we were celebrating our last day of the summer together before each of the children move on to continue in their Circle of Life. Danielle will be head back to NYC to continue in her career and to finish the book she is writing. Michael's band "The WonderMics" is taking the music scene on by storm. Ryan and Annie will celebrate their 1 year Wedding Anniversary in October. Mary will be heading into her junior year at Boston College as a nursing major. And our baby girl Jane will be heading to Providence College in two days to begin her Freshman year majoring in business. As for Donnie and me.....life will go on as usual, It's the Circle of Life.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
1,2,3
When I was in High School, and I wanted to write a note to Donnie, and sign it by saying I love you, without my mother finding it and reading it, I would simply sign it, 1,2,3 Kelly. My mother didn't really like that Donnie and I were dating, and so I knew that I secretly had to tell him I loved him, and this 1,2,3 seemed to be the best way.
We would end our phone calls by saying 1,2,3 and whenever we held hands we would squeeze each others hand three times to tell each other I love you.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what the 1,2,3 means, and I am sure there are other people out there in the world that do this same thing. For Donnie and me, it has become a special tradition, that we have passed on to our children. When they were little and still to this day we used the words I love you with the kids, but they also always knew the quiet symbol of a 1,2,3 squeeze or tap. We would all go to church and while saying the Lord's Prayer, the seven of us would hold hands and the squeezing would begin. One squeeze, Two squeeze, Three squeeze. It would begin at one end and continue back and forth amongst the seven of us the entire time we would be reciting the Our Father.
Even now, if I am sitting next to one of the kids or alone with Donnie in a car, whenever I feel like quietly telling them I love them, I will squeeze their hand or tap them three times. This tradition has grown. .
Yesterday, Donnie and I went to see our dear friends husband perform in an emotionally riveting, and beautiful, but sad story about love. There are no words to describe how moving this play was. Our friend and her husband are family to us, and we truly love them. But what exemplifiied my love for my friends husband was a 1,2,3 tap on my shoulder. We went to dinner after the show with old friends, and our dear friends, and at one point during the dinner conversation, I was talking about how it is possible to give emotional love and support to our five children, and how people have questioned the possibility of this. As I was saying this, my friends husband leaned behind his wife and gently tapped me on the shoulder three times....I looked at him, my eyes welled up and I asked, "do you know what this means?" he answered yes. At that moment, Johnny ( I say his name now because I emotionally need to) solidified himself in my heart as my true brother and family member. I've known his wife for over 27 years now, and she has always been a sister of my heart and member of my family. They have been married almost two years now, and I love them so much, but yesterday, the bond was sealed for life....his 1,2,3 tap has cemented him in my heart for always. How prophetic for after seeing a play about the power of love, we ended the day with the power of love. 1,2,3 Johnny, and 1,2,3 to your wife. I love you both, you are "Famiglia", my family. I am so happy to know you share our families secret message of 1,2,3.
We would end our phone calls by saying 1,2,3 and whenever we held hands we would squeeze each others hand three times to tell each other I love you.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what the 1,2,3 means, and I am sure there are other people out there in the world that do this same thing. For Donnie and me, it has become a special tradition, that we have passed on to our children. When they were little and still to this day we used the words I love you with the kids, but they also always knew the quiet symbol of a 1,2,3 squeeze or tap. We would all go to church and while saying the Lord's Prayer, the seven of us would hold hands and the squeezing would begin. One squeeze, Two squeeze, Three squeeze. It would begin at one end and continue back and forth amongst the seven of us the entire time we would be reciting the Our Father.
Even now, if I am sitting next to one of the kids or alone with Donnie in a car, whenever I feel like quietly telling them I love them, I will squeeze their hand or tap them three times. This tradition has grown. .
Yesterday, Donnie and I went to see our dear friends husband perform in an emotionally riveting, and beautiful, but sad story about love. There are no words to describe how moving this play was. Our friend and her husband are family to us, and we truly love them. But what exemplifiied my love for my friends husband was a 1,2,3 tap on my shoulder. We went to dinner after the show with old friends, and our dear friends, and at one point during the dinner conversation, I was talking about how it is possible to give emotional love and support to our five children, and how people have questioned the possibility of this. As I was saying this, my friends husband leaned behind his wife and gently tapped me on the shoulder three times....I looked at him, my eyes welled up and I asked, "do you know what this means?" he answered yes. At that moment, Johnny ( I say his name now because I emotionally need to) solidified himself in my heart as my true brother and family member. I've known his wife for over 27 years now, and she has always been a sister of my heart and member of my family. They have been married almost two years now, and I love them so much, but yesterday, the bond was sealed for life....his 1,2,3 tap has cemented him in my heart for always. How prophetic for after seeing a play about the power of love, we ended the day with the power of love. 1,2,3 Johnny, and 1,2,3 to your wife. I love you both, you are "Famiglia", my family. I am so happy to know you share our families secret message of 1,2,3.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
When Life hands you Lemons
I always thought that the saying "When Life hands you Lemons....you make Lemonade" was a little cheeky, but as I sit here writing my blog today (which I haven't written in a long while) I can actually feel what the saying means.
As a person who has suffered with depression, a good part of her life, and still battles the affliction. Every morning to get up and face the day is a challenge. But I don't let the depression win. I wake up, I look my depression in the face and say....back off!! because today is MY day and you can't have me! It's not always easy to say this to myself, but I welcome the challenge, and because of this, any Lemons life chooses to throw my way, are definitely going to be turned into the biggest darned pitcher of Lemonade that life has ever seen.
I just finished a 3 1/2 week job for Home Goods, where I had to get up at 6a.m. every morning and work over 10 hour days of back breaking and exhausting work. But I did it!, and I did it with a smile on my face, a positive attitude, and an openness to meet the challenge of this job head on. The end result was...an AMAZING photo shoot, and a sense of pride that I helped make this job go so smoothly. I only mention this, because, the old me, would have turned down this big job, and tried to sleep in late every morning and let the depression win.
I had some disappointing news this past week, as well, and instead of wallowing in despair or succumbing to my battle, I choose to find only the positive in this news, and see it as another challenge to overcome.
One of my dearest Uncles has been in the hospital for over a month now, and is fighting to heal his body....when I visited with him, he had nothing but a big smile on his face and the will to get better. Seeing him and knowing that he is working so hard to get well, reminds me, that we all have challenges to face, and its what we do with those challenges that determines our fate in life.
Whether its an illness of body or of mind, we all have the power within us to take these "Lemons, and make Lemonade" May you all have a pitcher close by, so that you are always ready to squeeze those Lemons that life throws your way, and your cup will always be overflowing.
As a person who has suffered with depression, a good part of her life, and still battles the affliction. Every morning to get up and face the day is a challenge. But I don't let the depression win. I wake up, I look my depression in the face and say....back off!! because today is MY day and you can't have me! It's not always easy to say this to myself, but I welcome the challenge, and because of this, any Lemons life chooses to throw my way, are definitely going to be turned into the biggest darned pitcher of Lemonade that life has ever seen.
I just finished a 3 1/2 week job for Home Goods, where I had to get up at 6a.m. every morning and work over 10 hour days of back breaking and exhausting work. But I did it!, and I did it with a smile on my face, a positive attitude, and an openness to meet the challenge of this job head on. The end result was...an AMAZING photo shoot, and a sense of pride that I helped make this job go so smoothly. I only mention this, because, the old me, would have turned down this big job, and tried to sleep in late every morning and let the depression win.
I had some disappointing news this past week, as well, and instead of wallowing in despair or succumbing to my battle, I choose to find only the positive in this news, and see it as another challenge to overcome.
One of my dearest Uncles has been in the hospital for over a month now, and is fighting to heal his body....when I visited with him, he had nothing but a big smile on his face and the will to get better. Seeing him and knowing that he is working so hard to get well, reminds me, that we all have challenges to face, and its what we do with those challenges that determines our fate in life.
Whether its an illness of body or of mind, we all have the power within us to take these "Lemons, and make Lemonade" May you all have a pitcher close by, so that you are always ready to squeeze those Lemons that life throws your way, and your cup will always be overflowing.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Another Opening Another Show
Another Opening, Another Show. I am grateful to my daughter Danielle for guiding me back into the world of performing. About 5 years ago, Danielle signed me up for a group called Basically Broadway, and encouraged me to start singing again. Then two years later she encouraged me to audition for The Reagle Music Theatre's summer shows. And now here I am today enjoying my summer by performing in my fourth Reagle Music Theatre show, Bye Bye, Birdie. I'm having a blast.
When I was 18 and fresh out of High School, I went off to College thinking that I was one day going to be on Broadway. But like I tell my children all the time....life has many forks in the road and sometimes you don't always end up going down the path you set out to go down. I went to one semester of College, got a lead in the Musical Grease, and had a great experience. But I wasn't a great student, and I knew College wasn't right for me. I was also very much in love with my now husband Donnie, so I dropped out of College, and we were married a year and a half later, and then six months after we were married, I got pregnant with Danielle. In the next ten years I had four more children, and I loved being a wife and mother. I never look back with regrets. I wouldn't change the path I ended up choosing for the world. I may not have made it to Broadway, but I shared my love of theater and music with my children, and for over 26 years now (Danielle opened her first recital at the age of 2), I have enjoyed watching my children perform in many musical productions. Danielle actually chose to follow the fork in the road that led her to New York to pursue her dream of Broadway. Is she on Broadway yet? No, but whose to say if that ends up being her true path in life....only time will tell.
Life is a series of Another Openings, and Another Shows, and they are not all theater related. When I am surrounded by my children, and I see them all laughing and enjoying each others company, well that to me is a show worth watching. When we drive to my sisters house for Easter all crammed into one car belting out the songs from our Godspell CD, that is a a show worth watching to me. I wish for my children many new Openings/Shows, may their forks in the road lead them down the path of Joy and Happiness, and that they live their lives with no regrets.
I am no longer 18 years old, and the roles for me to play are of a different nature, but I am back up on that stage pursuing my individual thrill of performing. For years, my kids were a great source of my joy and happiness and now that we all are older, we are all following our own dreams. Mine have me back up on stage where I also love to be. Thanks family for so many years and memories and thanks Danielle for pointing me back in the direction of performing, at this stage of my life.
When I was 18 and fresh out of High School, I went off to College thinking that I was one day going to be on Broadway. But like I tell my children all the time....life has many forks in the road and sometimes you don't always end up going down the path you set out to go down. I went to one semester of College, got a lead in the Musical Grease, and had a great experience. But I wasn't a great student, and I knew College wasn't right for me. I was also very much in love with my now husband Donnie, so I dropped out of College, and we were married a year and a half later, and then six months after we were married, I got pregnant with Danielle. In the next ten years I had four more children, and I loved being a wife and mother. I never look back with regrets. I wouldn't change the path I ended up choosing for the world. I may not have made it to Broadway, but I shared my love of theater and music with my children, and for over 26 years now (Danielle opened her first recital at the age of 2), I have enjoyed watching my children perform in many musical productions. Danielle actually chose to follow the fork in the road that led her to New York to pursue her dream of Broadway. Is she on Broadway yet? No, but whose to say if that ends up being her true path in life....only time will tell.
Life is a series of Another Openings, and Another Shows, and they are not all theater related. When I am surrounded by my children, and I see them all laughing and enjoying each others company, well that to me is a show worth watching. When we drive to my sisters house for Easter all crammed into one car belting out the songs from our Godspell CD, that is a a show worth watching to me. I wish for my children many new Openings/Shows, may their forks in the road lead them down the path of Joy and Happiness, and that they live their lives with no regrets.
I am no longer 18 years old, and the roles for me to play are of a different nature, but I am back up on that stage pursuing my individual thrill of performing. For years, my kids were a great source of my joy and happiness and now that we all are older, we are all following our own dreams. Mine have me back up on stage where I also love to be. Thanks family for so many years and memories and thanks Danielle for pointing me back in the direction of performing, at this stage of my life.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Independance Day
This week, my husband and I will be taking our youngest daughter and her boyfriend to the airport to see them off on a 18 day trip around Europe. If you asked me 28 years ago when I was expecting my first child if I ever thought I would let one of my children travel to Europe at 17 years old with her boyfriend....my answer would have been a resounding "Heck NO!"
After going through all the High School Years with my five children, I have seen and learned a lot! I have learned that children don't always tell the truth...(Surprise?!...Not!), that children make mistakes,and many more things, but mostly, that children need to live and learn. I have done what all the good parenting books say to do (even though I have never even read a parenting book). I have "Talked" to my children. There has been no subject, that I have ever not talked about with my children, and even with their friends. We've talked about drugs and alcohol, sex, STD's, responsibility, moral issues, religion, and you name it we've talked about it. My kitchen table has seen probably every subject the books tell you to talk to your children about.
What I learned from talking to my children over the years, is that as parents we lay the foundation....we teach them right from wrong, and as my Uncle Bobby used to say (by the way he was Chief of Police in our City for many years) , "You raise them until about Junior High, and then you just PRAY" He was right. We are given our children to us on loan from God, and then one day, you turn around and they are grown, and they are independent thinkers. If we have done our job right, and the foundation is clear, then hopefully they will make it through their teen years safe and sound. That doesn't mean they won't make mistakes and do things that we may not approve of, but I believe that if they at least have a solid foundation, then they will turn out just fine.
That is why I am okay with my youngest daughter heading off to Europe at 17. She has seen her 4 siblings before her, make mistakes, and falter through the years, but now they are all adults, and she sees that they are all still firmly planted on solid foundations, and they are all doing well. She too, has faulted from time to time, but in my heart I know her foundation is strong, and that Europe and College in the fall, are just the beginning of her journey into adulthood. I trust her, I love her, and so this year on July 5, a day after the 4th of July our Independence Day.....I will see her off at the airport for a trip of a lifetime, and know that this trip is in a way, Jane's own personal Independence Day....one of of many more to come.
After going through all the High School Years with my five children, I have seen and learned a lot! I have learned that children don't always tell the truth...(Surprise?!...Not!), that children make mistakes,and many more things, but mostly, that children need to live and learn. I have done what all the good parenting books say to do (even though I have never even read a parenting book). I have "Talked" to my children. There has been no subject, that I have ever not talked about with my children, and even with their friends. We've talked about drugs and alcohol, sex, STD's, responsibility, moral issues, religion, and you name it we've talked about it. My kitchen table has seen probably every subject the books tell you to talk to your children about.
What I learned from talking to my children over the years, is that as parents we lay the foundation....we teach them right from wrong, and as my Uncle Bobby used to say (by the way he was Chief of Police in our City for many years) , "You raise them until about Junior High, and then you just PRAY" He was right. We are given our children to us on loan from God, and then one day, you turn around and they are grown, and they are independent thinkers. If we have done our job right, and the foundation is clear, then hopefully they will make it through their teen years safe and sound. That doesn't mean they won't make mistakes and do things that we may not approve of, but I believe that if they at least have a solid foundation, then they will turn out just fine.
That is why I am okay with my youngest daughter heading off to Europe at 17. She has seen her 4 siblings before her, make mistakes, and falter through the years, but now they are all adults, and she sees that they are all still firmly planted on solid foundations, and they are all doing well. She too, has faulted from time to time, but in my heart I know her foundation is strong, and that Europe and College in the fall, are just the beginning of her journey into adulthood. I trust her, I love her, and so this year on July 5, a day after the 4th of July our Independence Day.....I will see her off at the airport for a trip of a lifetime, and know that this trip is in a way, Jane's own personal Independence Day....one of of many more to come.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Today's blog brought to you by my husband of 29 years
Those of you who know me, know that Kelly has had to put up with an 'engineer' for over thirty years now (29 married today). So, she has had to deal with a life time of solutions and odd questions about astronomy and crazy formulas to figure out how quickly the tub will drain, etc. You get the point. But, today we were talking about our relationship, our children, and how we deal with things.
I suggested that we compliment each other. I looked up the defintion for complimentary angles, and it says two angles added together to make a 90 degree angle. That is not us, we compliment each other to move in the same direction, not apart at 90 degrees. I think this has been one of the secrets of our sucess. Our individual strengths are in different areas so, where I have weakness, Kelly has strength, and where Kelly has weakness, I have strenghth. The result is that the road never gets too bumpy.
I can honestly say, that after thirty years, we have had our fair share of 'tests'. But, because of the way we compliment each other, we take turns pulling the other through the hard parts. We stop to celebrate and enjoy the good times. And we have confidence in our plan, but even more confidence in our ability to deal with 'what is' as we work toward seeing our plan get realized. I look forward to continuing to try to figure out this crazy world with the girl of my dreams by my side. Talk to you next time I take the computer away from Kelly. Happy 29th Anniversary to my wife. I love you, Donnie
I suggested that we compliment each other. I looked up the defintion for complimentary angles, and it says two angles added together to make a 90 degree angle. That is not us, we compliment each other to move in the same direction, not apart at 90 degrees. I think this has been one of the secrets of our sucess. Our individual strengths are in different areas so, where I have weakness, Kelly has strength, and where Kelly has weakness, I have strenghth. The result is that the road never gets too bumpy.
I can honestly say, that after thirty years, we have had our fair share of 'tests'. But, because of the way we compliment each other, we take turns pulling the other through the hard parts. We stop to celebrate and enjoy the good times. And we have confidence in our plan, but even more confidence in our ability to deal with 'what is' as we work toward seeing our plan get realized. I look forward to continuing to try to figure out this crazy world with the girl of my dreams by my side. Talk to you next time I take the computer away from Kelly. Happy 29th Anniversary to my wife. I love you, Donnie
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