So many wonderful things have occurred in our family these last few years.

 In 2012 our daughter, Lauren, was married.  Right after the wedding they moved back to NY and it devastated me.  Especially when she gave birth to my first grandson, Lucas, in June of 2013. I flew up for his birth and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Happily, they moved back here in 2014. They moved in with us.

For about 10 months, we had all of our children and their families with us.

In the summer of 2013 my son, Gary, was married.  Then the following June they presented me with another grandson, Gary Christopher Trivelli III.

While my daughter in-law was in labor, they made a pit stop to the real estate office to sign the closing documents for the purchase of their new home.   Imagine that?

Here they are...........

Aren't they cute?  It's really not a question.  To me, they are the cutest boys in the universe.

My son and his wife are expecting a girl.  This little princess will make her arrival in October.

My life has been blessed more than I could have ever imagined.  I really don't know why I am surprised because God is great.

We have been living in South Carolina for 8 years now and I couldn't be happier here.  The few times we went back to New York, I could hardly recognize it.  The traffic was horrific.  I felt as if the large buildings were going to crash down on me.  Here in South Carolina everything is so spread apart and apart from very few areas there are no structures of the size they are in NY.  Everything is so close together in NY.  As I got off the plane in Newark Airport, I could smell it.  The air stunk.  I had been living in that place for 50 years that I was so used to it.  Used to everything.  Oh, NY has it's perks.  The food is better. Here in SC, I cannot get food items that I purchased on a regular basis in NY.  But, I have adapted.

My vernacular is different.  I still have my NY accent.  But, now I say things such as, "Let me do this right quick" or "I reckon."  Some things that I always said are Clicker instead of remote.  Short end of the stick instead of treated unfairly.

I miss NY diners, bagels, good pizza, ricotta to make Cannolli, pinwheel port sausage (although I can get it at Whole Foods, it's just not the same.) I especially miss Chinese food delivery.

We have a better life here.  It's a slower pace.  You can actually see the stars.  When my sister in-law visited we went to the supermarket.  People were saying "Hi" to us.  She asked if we knew them.  No, I said. The look on her face was priceless.

It has been quite some time since I have updated this blog.  No excuses, no reasons, I just haven't.

Let's see if I still have what it takes to do this.  We will soon find out.

 

People Are Often Unreasonable and Self-Centered

“People are often unreasonable and self-centered.

 Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may cheat you.

 Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous.

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.

Give your best anyway.

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway.”

― Mother Teresa

 

 

Remember me?  My name is LuAnne.  I was born on May 14, 1957.  I do not know what the weather was like on that May day. I do not know what was going on in the world then.  Nor do I know how my parents felt regarding my birth. Or how anyone, for that matter, felt about my birth. No one has ever told me the story of my birth. I have been told, though, of the circumstances surrounding my mother's pregnancy.  I have been informed, more times than I care to remember, that no one was happy about me coming into the world.  I do not remember my early years.  Most of us don't.  The funny thing about it, is that I do not remember much of my childhood.  All I can remember is tears and fear.  There were no good times.  I craved that, this much I can remember.  I do remember viewing my friend's families with disbelief.  Were their families normal and mine abnormal?  Or visa versa?

As a young girl, I looked for love wherever I could find it.  I would situate myself into the lives of those around me.  I lived for those moments when I could feel some sort of a family life.  Some sort of love.  When I became a young teenage girl, I still craved love.  Still looked for it wherever I could find it.  I still never found it.  I guess we cannot find something when we do not know what we are looking for.  How can we find what we do not know?

At 26, after one failed marriage, I found it.  I found a man who loved me for me.  A man who looked at me as if I was the only woman in the world.  He loves me and I knew I loved him.  I threw myself into the family we created.  Relished the birth of my children.  Showed love and felt love.  This man who I married gave me that.  He gave me the truth of what love is. He showed me what I had been looking for.  He showed me how to love. 

I remember the day and what it was like when each one of my children were born.  And, I told them these joys.  Even as little babies, I told them stories of our excitement and anticipation that surrounded their births.  I charmed them.  I, so much, wanted them to know.  I never wanted them to have questions.  I swore to show them love each and every day.  I wanted them to know and always be sure that their mother and father loved them.  I am sure that I have succeeded in doing that as they have grown up into amazing adults who show love and know love.

My life may have started out with questions and even though I never had the answers that I so wanted, my life as a wife and a mother blew away those questions.

Those questions do pop up every so often.  Mostly when I am reminded that I am not good enough for those that caused me to have those questions.  Why do I even care?  There is never an answer.  And, maybe there never can be one.  Who cares?

All I know is that those mysteries have brought me to the place that I am now in.  I am a woman with a loving husband and amazing children who know who they are.  And, now a grandson who starts this wonderful process all over again.

Can I take credit for this?  Yes, I can.  You bet I do.  And, that makes me one happy woman.  Thank you Gary for giving me this life and our amazing children.

A WOMAN SHOULD.....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
one old love she can imagine going back to and one who reminds her how far she has come...
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
something perfect to wear if the employer or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age....

 A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored..

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to fall in love without losing herself...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit a job, break up with a love and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
when to tryharder... and when to walk away...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her childhood may not have been perfect...but its over...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go... be it to her best friend's kitchen table... charming inn in the woods... when her soul needs soothing...
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she can and can't accomplish in a day... a month...and a year...

Good afternoon friends.  I know that it has been a very long time since I have blogged.  I have no excuse for not writing, except to say that I really didn't feel like it.  It's not a very good thing to say, but blogging just wasn't on my mind for the past year or so.  But, at least for the time being, I am back.

I hope that those of you who read my blog, as well as new friends, are doing well.  At the present time, I am in bed.  Yup, Lupus has reared it's ugly face and paid me a visit.  I have over done things for the past three months.  So, I am paying the price.  As much as I am hurting and feeling that paralyzing fatigue again, I wouldn't trade the past three months for anything.

Let me begin by announcing that my daughter, Lauren, and son in-law, Greg have given us a Grandson, Lucas Anthony made his arrival on June 2 of this year.  At the end of May I flew up to New York to be there for my Grandson's birth.  He was a little less than two weeks late.  There were a few complications during his delivery so he was taken to the NICU for observation.  He had fluid in his lungs.  There was a chance that he would have had to stay in the hospital after Mom went home, but Thank God he was able to go home with her.  He was born with a full head of dark brown hair.  He was 7 pounds 8 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long.  Here he is..

My Honey

Good morning.  Sitting here watching television, drinking my coffee on this dreary day.  It's raining and damp outside.  The dogs refuse to go outside to do their business.  My body is not able to fight with them.  When they are ready they will let me know.

My plan for today is to do absolutely nothing.  The activity of the past three months has caught up with me.  I must give in to this or else make it worse.

For me to be able to do nothing takes an amazing husband.  I have one.  This man has been my rock even before I became ill.

It's pretty funny really.  When I think about all those years ago (30) and what my life was like before this amazing man came into my life.  People actually told me not to marry him.  Good thing I didn't listen to them.

I love him so very much!