Happy Birthday, Aleece!
I talk routinely about my personal blog webmaster, Aleece. A better word for her would be ‘friend.’ And today is her birthday.
I am grateful for this woman every day. My life is richer in so many ways because of her presence. My friendship with her is one of those lovely relationships in which I know that we’ll be friends forever. We are joined together with this unseen bond that expands and contracts effortlessly.
Aleece makes me a better person in this global community. She always has. She sees things differently than I do, and on so very many occasions, she has shown me new ways of thinking, of approaching a situation. I’m sure that every time I do something good for the environment or the planet, it’s because of her. I’m quite sure that when I think of people in far away places and take some serious time to consider them as being just like me, with the same needs and wants and basic humanity as me, it’s because of her.
As I look around my house, I see pieces of Aleece in every room. Her art is a blessing to me in ways unspoken. Sure, it’s beautiful. She creates amazing images. But for me, there is warmth in each piece because there is warmth in the way in which I think of her.
She painted this huge fish on a tapestry, and I loved that fish. I offered to buy it years and years ago, but at the time, I couldn’t really afford the price. Days after I told her to go ahead and sell it to someone else, I walked into my house and discovered the fish waiting for me… complete with the proper hanging materials.
When we moved, one of the first things I did was hang the fish. I’m pretty sure that if the house were to catch fire, after I made sure the kids were outside and safe, the fish painting would be what I would go back into the house to save. Wherever we are, once the fish is on the wall, we are home. In so many ways, I will always have a ‘home’ feeling connected to Aleece.
I am perpetually impressed with her… grace under pressure, willingness to try something new, ability to see the possibilities, unwavering love.
So, my prayer today is for a day as remarkable as she is.
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Happy at home…
My friend, Aleece, visited this weekend, and we had an amazing time. 
It was so good to have her with us. She has always been comfortable not just with me but with our entire family, and so it is easy to have her visit.
She and I enjoyed a fun girls’ day out on Saturday at Epcot. We rode a couple of rides in Futureworld - the Nemo ride was phenominal! - and then ate our way through World Showcase. We had pot stickers and egg rolls in China, suchi in Japan (my first!), and crepes in France. It was super fun.
We spent the day today with Mike and the kids - including a visit to LUSH… Aleece is the one who introduced me to my favorite store. It was a lovely day.
As I talked to her about what i do at work, about the people I interact with on a daily basis, I realized that I don’t hate my job any longer. You have no idea how refreshing it is to say that! It’s not my ideal job, but it’s not the worst thing ever any longer, either.
More than that, in general, I think I’m pretty content. It’s nice to see a progression in my acceptance of our lives here, with each visit of her’s. I am so grateful for friends like her. She knows me and loves me anyway. She sees the good in me, even when I don’t.
And I think she’s amazing. Talented beyond her imagination. Kind and compassionate, loving. I am honored to know her, to call her friend.
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Wordless Wednesday - Great Art, Great Friend
This weekend, a sweet friend of mine is coming to visit. She is an unbelieveable artist, and I am blessed to have paintings that she has created here in our house.
For her birthday one year, I took shots of her work - like the wild goose pagoda here - and uploaded them to Moo and had little cards made of them. Now, I don’t know what she’s doing with those cards, but I’ve got one of the Tink cards on my computer at work. It makes me smile, which isn’t always the easiest thing at work.
But my very favorite painting of all is my fish. It’s in our bedroom & I adore it.
I’ve got pieces of Aleece all over, but it’s not as good as having Aleece here in my house, laughing with me. Two more days.
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Menu Plan Monday - the Aleece is coming to visit edition!!
As I write this, I’m not feeling so swell. I’m in a bit of a Benadryl haze, and my tummy isn’t loving me so much. Not the best of times to be writing this week’s menu, but I’m plugging on nonetheless.
My friend, Aleece, is coming to visit this coming weekend, and I am SO excited! I’ll plan fun stuff for when she’s here… or maybe we’ll just all go out.
Sunday — I made homemade donuts for breakfast. The kids were surprised and excited. The procedure is remarkably easy…
- 1 package ready-made pizza dough from the Publix deli
- enough oil to fill a skillet
- powdered sugar
Rise the dough. Roll out and cut into squares (come on, now, circles are way too much work). Fry briefly and roll in sugar. Eat right away!
For lunch, we had sandwiches and fruit. Mike grilled steaks for dinner, and I made baked potatoes and glazed carrots.
Monday -Chicken with Sweet Corn and Potato Saute (from Rachael Ray’s “Express Lane Meals” cookbook)
Tuesday -grilled sandwiches (grilled cheese for Eliza, Boars Head lemon pepper chicken for me and Mike, roast beef for Griff) with butternut squash home fries (from the Hungry Girl cookbook)
Wednesday - chicken ravioli with alfredo sauce
Thursday - tacos (with Boca crumbles) and fruit salad
Friday - Woohoo! Aleece arrives, and we’ll have dinner somewhere on the way home from the airport.
Saturday - Mike has soooo kindly offered to hang out with the kids all day, so Aleece and I can have a girls day. I’ll leave cinnamon rolls for breakfast, pizza for lunch, and BBQ for dinner. Yummo stuff they’ll all enjoy.
Sunday - Dunkin Donuts (Aleece’s favorites)… lunch out … dinner on the way back to the airport
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Happy Tuesday News… all around
I’ve got lots of big happies tomorrow! (And one belated happy… oops.) I was going to post this in the morning, but I’ve been off for four days now, and there’s no way I’ll gt up in time to post before work. So a little early, a lot late… here I am.
My friend, Courtney, is celebrating a birthday today. It’s her first as a mother. Isn’t that fabulous? I’m sure little Ally Grace is going to give her mama a wonderful present.
Like so many of the friends I have today, I met Courtney at the college where Mike and I both previously worked. Courtney was one of my student workers, and I am deeply grateful that Linda and I had the opportunity to know and love her… then and now. Happy Birthday, Court!!
(Courtney and little Ally Grace)
And today is also the 13th anniversary of our friends, Aleece and Warren. You know Aleece’s name because she’s my personal webmaster/all-around computer guru. I met Aleece - again, at work… she was a student… yeah, everyone’s younger than me - when she and Warren had just gotten married. Mike and I had just celebrated our first anniversary, so Aleece and I have gone through new marriage and old marriage and babies and jobs and big kids together. And I can’t imagine this journey without her.
(Linda and Aleece at dinner with me during my May Louisiana trip with Griff.)
And, with much shame and embarassment, I must admit that I missed my brother and sister-in-law’s anniversary. Six years they’ve been married, the sweet things. Their son is 11, and they’re expecting a baby in the spring. I can hardly wait!!
I’ve already decided the baby’s a girl. I’m working on a gonna-be-a-big-brother gift for Zachary, and I keep thinking of things to make for my new little niece. I mean, I’ll wait till they’re sure she’s a girl because I’d hate for a little boy to be surrounded by the pink things I’m envisioning.
Regardless, John did himself well when he married Nicole all those years ago. And he did our family well by bringing Nicole and Zachary into our lives. We’re blessed to have them.
(Nicole…looking lovely, as always)
And for general happy news, our dear Mandy got a promotion that she SOOOO deserved. She is now the news editor at the paper she’s reported for since college. She’s an amazing reporter - she’s Mike’s best former student - and she’s going to be an amazing editor. The paper, and the reporters lucky enough to answer to her, are truly fortunate to have her.
Go, Mandy!!
(Josh, Mandy, Olivia, and Griff during our May trip.)
… And yes, for anyone keeping track, I met Courtney, Linda, Aleece, Mandy and Josh at that same school. Mike, too, for that matter. That place and that place in time brought many, many dear people into my life. And I am grateful.
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