Tough Lessons to Learn

Being a parent is not easy. There are hard lessons all around us that we need to continually see our children through. We need to guide and direct, insist on bedtimes and eating good foods. We need to laugh and hug and love.

Sometimes we need to pick them back up off the ground and explain why the world or people do things that don't make sense and that skinned hands and sometimes knees happen when others make poor choices. Just the same, we need to wash ourselves off and move forward. Not always an easy job to do. It hurts to be treated poorly, but we could continue the cycle and make others hurt, or offer forgiveness. Forgiveness doesn't mean that we are going to let someone continue to make poor choices that hurt us. It may mean creating some space in a relationship and putting up some boundaries so we don't continue to get hurt. But it also means seeing someone the way God sees them. Choosing to love and rebuild instead of tearing down.

Zach learned the lesson this morning while waiting for the bus. He got skinned hands, and didn't get to finish talking to the child that had been involved. Yet, he did get to talk to me about forgiving someone in our heart and deciding to put it in the past and move on. Hopefully, the other child will see his compassion and learn other choices.

Skill of Asking Questions

Last night I listened to a teletraining session on the Skill of Asking Questions. It was a really good call for my Creative Memories business, but it was also a good call for life. One of the keys to the call was taking the time to be interested instead of just interesting. It's not an easy thing to do, but it puts the people first and what they need. What do they need? A way to celebrate their memories and preserve their photos.

It is an exciting time, and there is so much that people can learn to help them organize and preserve those photos.

Time to get back on the phone and be interested in what is going on with the lives of the people I know.

Spring Cleaning

Spring is in bloom, the grass is green and the junk has piled up! It's time to take back the house, for the winter and all the activities and sort through what is needed and what is not.

The best plan for me is Emilee Barnes 15 Minute Organizer. It allows me to work for 15 minutes at a time and get a small job done before moving on to something else. It's amazing how good it feels just to have the linen closet put back together. Besides, many of the jobs can be done while making phone calls, which for my business is a real bonus!

Happy Spring Cleaning!

Red Hot

What a game! I realize that it has been a few days since the game, but still GO WINGS! Now I realize that the Wings are to Hockey what the Yankees are to baseball (at least for many people) You either love them or hate them, and hardly anyone is in between. Proof of that is listening to many of the NBC and VS commentators.

"Didn't think they could pull it together"
"They are so old"
"With the kid in goal, who knows what will happen"

Well, now I'd love to be called a kid at 35 BUT SERIOUSLY! Ozzy is not a kid, he has been playing a top level all year. In fact it certainly could be argued that he should have been the #1 all year and not just the #1 after Hasek couldn't handle the playoffs. And about pulling it together, the team has not been perfect all year, but did anyone else have that many points or win the Presidents Trophy?

The best commentator so far in the playoffs has been the guy calling the game. He gets excited for both teams when they score and seems to have the ability to stay neutral. I'd rather hear them stay neutral then be one sided for a team.

So, Tuesday night in good old Colorado. Anything can happen I suppose, but when you're on fire you might as well keep burning! Of course if you follow the one commentators advice and put Jose Theodore back in net the fire might get even hotter!

GO WINGS!

Just One Word

Ozzy! That's all I have to say about that! Red hot Wings melt Avs in Game 1

Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy!

There is one thing that follows the word Dominic Hasek at our house, at least by me anyway. And that is "he sucks". Ok, I'm not usually for putting people down, and he was definitely a wonderful goalie in his time BUT HELLO his time has come and gone. Now I'm all for mature players, like Cheli for instance being able to maintain their game and play well for years beyond what others may think is normal. Captain America is in great shape though, and as far as I know doesn't forget to pay attention during a game and doesn't talk to pucks. This all leads me to the point that FINALLY someone seems to be paying attention.

When Hasek got pulled during the series my first thought was great, they'll put Ozzy in, then during the next game they'll switch him. Our son plays hockey and I'm always saying we just need to trust the coaches. And while I'm not directly involved with the Red Wings, we do feel at times while watching that we are involved. So I guess it's back to the saying of trust the coaches.

My husband can verify that I have been saying all year that they should just go with Ozzy. I just read yesterday, probably later than anyone else that Ozzy has been given the nod for the next round.

Some of you may think WHAT??? But around here it's time for the Wizard of Oz! GO OZZY, GO WINGS, GO SHANNY (oh, sorry, some habits are hard to get rid of!)

Incidentally, if you have been reading this blog you may have just seen the pictures of Flat Stanley at Lord Stanley park. I'm praying that is a sign of what is to come.

Flat Stanley Hits Canada!

We just received this letter from our new friend in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Up until now the only thing we really knew about the area was that the Canucks play there. Now we know so much more! Here Flat is learning about totem poles.

Dear Zachary,
Well my friend Sandy sent me Flat Stanley and I and a friend Katrina took him on a tour of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
The first few photos were taken at the campus of the University of British Columbia at the Aboriginal, Native Arts Museum. Flat Stanley met a totem pole that was carved many years ago by a carver from the Haida Gwai Band. They are coastal Aboriginals that are known all over the world for their amazing masks and totem poles.
The next place we took Flat Stanley was Stanley Park!! And he was introduced to Major Stanley for whom the park is named.
And finally, we went down to the beach along the Westend of Vancouver and visited an Inukshuk. If you look at the logo for the 2010 Winter Olympics you will see an Inukshuk. These are made by the Inuit people who are Aboriginals way up North in the Province called Nunivuit. . .near the Arctic Circle. . .The Inuit are what you Yanks would call Eskimos!!
Inukshuks are large stones placed to mark a territory, give directions or to represent something. . .like a man in this case. If you look at the stones they are formed to look like a giant man.
Flat Stanley really liked Vancouver a lot. He especially liked driving around in the car with us. I think Flat Stanley hopes, some day, that you too can visit our beautiful city!!
Right now, we're preparing Flat Stanley for a long trip across the Pacific Ocean to visit the land down under. . .who knows maybe he'll see some roos!!
Have a g'day!
Geri De Stefano-Webre, Ph.D.
Can you believe he went to Lord Stanley (of Stanley Cup Fame) Park??? We can just picture Lord Stanley here hoisting the cup above his head. (I'd be remiss to not type GO WINGS right now!) Anyway, perhaps our little hockey player Zach will also get to hoist the cup someday.