Random Thoughts

I have experienced several small events lately that have caused me to take pause and reflect.. without mentioning the event, I have listed some of the thoughts I have had while reflecting on the emotion of the experience.. while some of the thoughts have taken a significant amount of time to develop and trust, others came immediately. These are not meant to sound preachy or even to say that I am able to pull even one of them off on a really good day.. these are just thoughts that have come to me during prayer, quiet walks, silent moments, and thoughtful reflections.. I don't know their purpose or why I am driven to type them on my blog and share them.. maybe just for the purpose of admitting that I have these thoughts and am hoping to continue growing as a person through each experience, regardless of if it is positive or negative in its intent.

Maybe by typing them.. I am claiming them and hoping to believe them.. to heal some.. to accept myself.. to forgive myself.. who knows.. but here they are...

1. People do little things every day that give you the feeling of importance, being good at something, and/or being special. I am very blessed to have people in my professional and personal life that are generous enough each day to remind me, through their actions, that I am valuable/special to them. Of course there is the flip side to this and there are times in our daily life that choices are made that seem to indicate that we are insignificant or disliked. At those times I remind myself that whatever the reason behind the choice, it is doubtful that it was made with the intent to be hurtful. It is ok if someone doesn't like me or want to spend time with me.. it doesn't make me less important or special.. it just means that God has created someone for everyone and the opposite someone for everyone! :-)

2. There are people we cross paths with each day that are suffering or hurting and we are clueless to their pain or what happened immediately prior to your meeting - and there is no reason for them to share such personal information with us anyway. However, that does not diminish our responsibility as human beings to be kind and generous - especially when it is difficult (because that is when it is most likely needed). Through prayer, kind words, and generous actions we can make subtle differences in the lives of those around us.. a difference that could mean someone smiles more today than they would have if their path had not crossed your path. My mom used to ask me if I was the kind of person who made things better or worse.. she would tell me to ask myself if when I left a room/situation, were the people in the room blessed by my presence or by my absence! Funny.. but a good question to ask ourselves.

3. Sometimes it is just best to laugh at the things happening around you.. if you spend too much time picking apart the actions and choices of others.. well, you never enjoy one another or see the humor in the little things that happen around you each day. Karen and I have started laughing more at work.. with our kiddos... and it has brought an element of joy to our day and encouragement to our students.

4. Not one of us is the center of the universe and decisions made that impact us are usually designed from a bigger picture and with more information than we have knowledge of.. when a decision is made by someone you trust or admire and it seems to be in the face of all you think is best or significant, remember.. they have different life and work experiences and most likely, more knowledge of the big picture. God has a part in all that is happening and sometimes He is simply saying to us: "Trust me."

5. Make sure you don't just say "I love you", be sure to demonstrate "I love you" as often as possible.. in the smallest ways... it is so precious to those that you love... they hold onto those small things in the darkest of times, those small demonstrations of love make them chose to stay in the game and enjoy life! When we lost Sarah it was such a dark and tormented pain.. and those little acts of love were tiny lights that kept me holding onto hope...

6. Don't hold onto the 'stuff' of life (it is disposable).. hold onto life.. and don't forget to live (Secret Life of Bees...), this is your only chance...

7. Anger and bitterness.. blame.. they are all so lonely and empty.. it is so simple to let them go that it is almost too simple.. I thank God each day for helping me learn to 'let go'.. though, it is still something I have to practice each day. I literally have to say each morning.. 'I let you go' while praying for someone I love that continues to be absent in my life..

Ok.. I think that is all.. just had all those on my heart... don't know why.. but they have all been said, now.... thank you for listening (reading)...

Utah... oh, Utah!

Utah bought a hat tonight and it demonstrates how far away from 'cool' we (Tod and I) actually are... hope this passes like parachute pants, big hair, and members only jackets!

Post Present Party... the fun after the Valentine gifts!

We met some friends and their kiddos at Mad Pizza for dinner.. then came home and exchanged some Valentine's fun. Tuesday is so fun to buy gifts for.. she gets so excited and it reminds me of when she was such a little girl and would clap and dance while she opened presents.. she still claps and dances.. she is so grateful...

A tapestry for her wall...

Utah needed jeans and shirts.. his pants are getting a little short...

So very tired.. late Friday night fun at a friend's house... then a day of shopping and playing with little kids.. such a good kiddo!

Scott's parents lived across the street from us for a while.. they are amazing and generous.. we connected with their son Scott and his wife Nathasha. They are an exceptionally focused and faithful couple.. and a joy to hang out with. Well, we lost touch for over two years.... and then facebook reconnected us and we are starting to spend more and more time together.. their kids are Trinity, Brayden, and Israel. Precious!

Elizabeth, James, and Emmet were a part of our Valentine's fun, too. Utah is showing Emmet how to play Pacman!

Israel!

Emmet....

The crew of goofballs!

Not sure the conversation.. but this picture is interesting!

This is a little flashlight that makes dinosaurs noises that we got Emmet for Valentine's day and he thought it was the best thing ever...

Precious girls.. the oldest of each families...

Just us...

Emmet had an awesome time playing with Rudy and running all over the house.. he is getting so so big! He is the boss of all remotes!

I bugged Utah all night and got some goofy Utah pictures!

Hubb is so weird!

Go Irish!

I got an early Valentine's gift today.. isn't it cool? I am soooo excited. It is a super comfortable chair, too. Tuesday's Valentine gift has arrived but she didn't want it early.. funny girl!

Indian Turkey Burger

Tod made this for dinner tonight and it is SOOOO good. It has turkey meat, curry, bread crumbs, eggs, salt, pepper, and garlic. All of this was served on a whole grain bun with a side of fried green beans (the only fried thing I eat is green beans and french fries!)... yum!

Happy Birthday Daddy...

Virgil Doyle Davis (yes, his initials were V.D.D. and we monogrammed anything we could find!) was our father... there are so many funny stories, many of which I cannot post on this blog due to interesting content, but they are just not the same if he is not the story teller anyway. I can still hear his voice.. see him standing on the front porch of the Hillcrest house waiting on me to get home before curfew.. remember him working in the yard for hours just to be outside...

I remember waiting at the front window from him to come home from a week long sales trip. I remember him telling stories about 'Jojo the Indian' to his grandchildren with such conviction, I had to remind myself that it was his creation.

I remember his Sunday morning biscuits, shaped especially for each of us, and gravy. I remember Daddy singing "Sunday Morning Coming Down" to me on Saturday nights... I remember so fondly, his story about a 'heart museum' after we lost Sarah and it still makes me wonder how he knew about a heart museum and how it would heal.

I remember him telling me once that I could 'turn around, the car is running outside the double doors'.. and I should have listened.

I remember Grandma Davis sharing the story of when he borrowed(?) the school bus to take his first girlfriend on a date. I remember when I wrecked his new Lincoln Towncar on my 17th birthday, he patted me on the back and said, "Accidents happen. Your friends will be here in a minute, you should go get ready. I'll park the car." Nothing else was ever said.. ever asked... ever mentioned.. it was an accident and everyone has accidents...

I remember how he never used his hospice bed, but he did let Utah, Hannah, and Tuesday play on it till their heart's were content. I remember him wrestling with Utah and standing on the back porch under an umbrella with Hannah - both loving to be outside so much that they even wanted to be outside in the rain.

I remember the phone call that he didn't have much longer and me rushing to him and he wasn't home.. a few minutes later he walked through the door and said, "Catherine! If I had known you were coming I would have gotten you some bar-b-que, too!" I just sat their stunned... and pleased that he still experienced such joy...

I remember him asking me to say something at his funeral because he knew it would help me cope.

I remember, Daddy.