Dinner with Mama, Meeting Billy for the 4th time & My Dad & Sisters....

Last night I had the most enjoyable meal with my mother, Linda. We cooked it together and enjoyed it immensely. It felt like old times and new times, all at once. It was pretty cool. We made a big ole salad with everything but the kitchen sink it, just like grandma used to make when I was growing up. We made sliced steamed beets with balsamic vinegar and Parmesan cheese! Yum! And she made some sort of Okra, Zucchini tomato sauce concoction that wasn't that bad. Hey, she got me to eat Okra. It was actually pretty good. The flavor, not the texture. Sorry, mom. Anyway, it was lovely cooking it together with her because we got to talk and hang out. And it brought back a lot of memories from my childhood, when I used to help her with dinner. I've always been in the kitchen, and food has always been a major part of my family's life. Mom and I set the table and ate off real dishes (not just paper plates like we so often do now because we're too lazy to wash them! LOL!) and had a nice conversation over dinner. It was just lovely! It reminded of all the family meals we had growing up. Granted, much of the time, it has been just me and her at the dinner table--sometimes, Daddy Jim would be there (before they divorced) or Grandma Elizabeth (when she moved in with us) and sometimes now, it is my husband who joins us at the dinner table. But, mostly, it's just been me and mom. And I like that. It is by no means a disrespect to my husband, I love him very much, but it's hard to get him to sit down at the kitchen table and eat. He prefers to eat in the living room, in front of the TV, and usually, doesn't eat an actual dinner anyway. He likes to snack on candy and ice cream and such; which I'm all for, but occasionally, sitting down to a home cooked meal at the actual kitchen table with real utensils and dishes is very, very nice. Colin has sat down with me quite a few times in the past weeks, if I make pasta, he's there! Which I love! But, all and all, it has to do with our family of origin--he grew up eating in front of the TV, I grew up eating at the table. One way isn't better than the other, I just prefer one over the other. Anyway, eating dinner with mama last night was so neat! We got to talk and enjoy, and taste the food as it cooked and smell its delicious aromas! We got to ask one another's opinions about "what's this missing?" and "did we get it all?" It was so much fun! I really like that about my family--a good time to us means being in the kitchen together, creating a meal, talking our heads off and usually laughing! It was great to cook with my mama and it remains a privilege to be her daughter. I love cooking with my husband too, absolutely love it. It just doesn't happen that often--although neither does cooking with mama. Oh well. Cooking is so much fun because it's creative and just plain yummy in the end--hopefully! LOL! Anyway, I would love to write more today but I have to go...work is beckoning me. I love my job, I'm so fortunate to have one and blessed to have one that I love! It's an amazing feeling being a part of the work world, doing something creative and worthy with my time! It's awesome actually, and I mean that literally! I want to write about the Billy Dean concert I went to this past Saturday...he put on a fantastic show and played for an hour and a half! It was fabulous! I got to meet him again, 4 times now and he actually remembered me! How cool is that!? It's so neat! The picture we took is sitting right here in front of me on my desk--we look good, we look really good! I was so happy that he knew who I was and the concert was so much fun and it was just a great weekend all around! Colin and I talked a bit and took a walk or two, and that was lovely as well! We also made ourselves sit down and have a movie night, so we watched a movie together, it was nice. All and all, with the beautiful weather and green trees and blue skies, it's shaping up to be a beautiful day, even though it is a Tuesday! My sister, Jordan, turned 14 last Thursday and had a great birthday--I'm so glad. I got to talk to her and my dad and Joely, I miss Kelsey, but she wasn't around. My little sisters are really, really growing up. Jordan has a little boyfriend and I'm so torn--14 is SO young, but she is a young woman, as scary as that is. I was too, and it seems like just yesterday. Joely's doing well and enjoying middle school, she's playing the Clarinet, I'm so proud! She sounds great too! And next year, Jordan will be High School! Iy yi yi.....it was absolutely lovely talking with my dad, every time he calls or I call and we get the chance to talk, it just expands my heart! Never in my life did I ever think him and I would share the wonderful relationship we do today. But I'm so grateful for it every single day! It's a privilege to be his daughter too! My dad has been my greatest teacher when it comes to forgiveness and the payoffs have been amazing! I consider my Dad one of my friends now, and I love him so much. It's quite liberating to let go, forgive, let the past be the past and move forward together with a heart of love and a lot of hope! I hope I can replicate that same spirit with other relationships in my life right now. We'll see. I wanted to write this entry yesterday, but I got the world's WORST stomach ache last night after that dinner (it was good going down though!), and couldn't. I want to take a moment to wish Miss Erica a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY today! Erica is a wonderful friend and the wife of my cousin, Donnie, and I am just so thrilled that she has been blessed with another birthday, and another year to be a wonderful part of my life--and everyone else's too! She's a strong, courageous, kick-ass girl and I love her to pieces! I hope she has a beautiful birthday today!

Anyway, thank you Lord, for this beautiful day of my own, for the blissful 12 hours of sleep I got last night, for the stomach ache that calmed down, for dinner with mama last night, for precious time with everyone I love, for seeing/hearing/sitting/standing/bathroom functions/toothbrushes, pretty plum nail polish/pretty hair/clear skin/legs/arms/hands/feet/fingers/toes/a car that works and runs well and that is my own--mostly/a husband who loves me no matter what/Tessa/Tessa getting that new job! Yay! Go Tess! Finally!/the gift of love, and life and passion and forgiveness/and of course, thank you BEYOND belief for the wonderful opportunity to meet Billy again and have him know what I was. Very, very, very, very, very cool! Sarah w/ an "H" from Reno, yep, that's me! And I couldn't be more proud of it! Thank you, Lord, for the concert, this nice weekend, a job that I love and bosses that support and encourage me! For my home, running water, hot water, sunshine, cloudy days, plants, delicious food, comfy bed, orange coffee cup, and the ability to read and learn and enjoy life--THANK YOU LORD FOR IT ALL! And thanks Mama, for a wonderful dinner last night--even thought it gave me a stomach ache, it was totally worth it--let's do it again soon, minus the stomach ache, of course! I love you mama!

Happy Tuesday, until next time, take care of yourself, rest, relax, do something productive and just remember to take life ONE DAY AT A TIME! It's really all we have!

Happy Autumn, it's just gorgeous out there!

In Light N' Love,
-Sarah Liz :)