sweet blue boy

My beautiful baby Indian Ringneck~~ Sultan♥ 

Godspeed, sweet friend ♥

Earlier this week my beloved Mojo passed away. My heart is broken and I miss him terribly. Mojo was a brilliant, beautiful bird. He was a true companion and friend. He was sweet, spunky and charming. I miss his conversation, his chirps and squawks and his larger than life personality. Parrots are remarkable creatures, so smart and endearing. I feel blessed to have known this wonderful soul.

I know my sweet Mojo is flying free now. ♥

This is my baby birdie girl. She was born on 1/31/12 and is being hand-fed by her breeder. 

She can home to our house in about 4 weeks. She is a Half Moon Conure. 

She is helping my heart heal. 

♥

make it good

Misery not only loves company, it loves to drag others

down into its dank pit of unhappiness. 

I don't get it. 

Ultimately, it is self-indulgent.

We all have our moments, but even in times of trial,

ATTITUDE is what matters, what we control.

I am an optimist. I CHOOSE to see the bright side.

And I CHOOSE to disassociate from negativity.

I count my blessings a lot more

than I lament what is lacking in my life.

I choose JOY~ not every single second

of my life, but mostly. 

Gratitude begets a peaceful heart.

I LOVE my crazy, beautiful life!

happy day...

Today my son passed his A School Comps at 

Navy Nuclear Power Training Command. 

He graduates on Friday and will be a Third Class Petty Officer.

He has a lot more hard schooling ahead of him, but this

is a great accomplishment. Nuke school is generally regarded

as the most academically demanding school in the military. 

I am so proud of my sweet son. 

It is a happy day! 

And~ I am going to Charleston to see him graduate!! ♥

love one another...

This is what I believe.

I am so blessed with good friends! 

Just reminding myself.

~♥~

sweet liberty

Ahhh, what a joy it is to have a mild winter! 

I am doing some major decluttering at my house.

Not only does my house feel lighter and brighter,

but so does my spirit! It is remarkably liberating

to free oneself of too many things! 

I am, thankfully, mentally in the right place

to let go the emotional attachments I have held

for many things. I realize how they 

have weighted my life!! 

I still love pretty things, 

but I can love less of them! 

My real treasures are in the photo above~

my beloved family. 

I also treasure my sweet, true friends.

I feel so free and blessed!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

It is appropriately chilly and Christmas preparations are well underway.

My shows are done and now it is time to finish up my shopping.

My Sailor son will home in two weeks! 

I'm so excited to know that soon all my children

will be together. 

That is the best gift I can imagine.

~♥~

https://www.facebook.com/events/228068070595826/

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

My Christmas decorating is done!

Now I need some shopping elves.

My Sailor son will be home for 10 days! 

I am so excited to see his sweet face.

Life is good.

~♥~

some days you need some magic...

 My son is a Sailor. Graduation was amazing. We had a few hours

 with him over 2 days and then he flew to Charleston, S.C. 

He will be there for 2 years attending Nuclear Power School.

I miss him more than ever now...

Love others like your dog loves you...

just sayin'...

just sayin'...

I ♥ the mail carrier

What a wonderful thing is the mail,

 capable of conveying across continents 

a warm human hand-clasp.  

~Author Unknown

The Navy teaches you things, lots of things~ 

like an appreciation for the U.S. Postal Service. 

In these days of instant communication, the thought of waiting

for a letter seems rather quaint, but when a loved-one

is in boot camp, letters becomes golden.

So far I've gotten two~ the form letter

and a nice 3 page letter last Friday.

It was so good to "hear" my son's "voice",

to see his new "military handwriting".

He is doing well and says parts of boot camp

are FUN!! And some parts suck. He has made some friends and is learning to deal with sleep deprivation. He misses us.

Today he started his 4th week and graduation

on 9/30 doesn't seem so far away anymore! 

I am so proud of him. He is working hard

to become a Sailor, but...

he is still my boy, my sweet son who remembers

that his mom likes to know where her babies sleep.

So, this made my day. 

~♥~

signed, sealed and delivered...

No, I was not as sad as I look in this photo, I promise!!

Yesterday was the big day. My son did his final swearing-in

and boarded the plane to Great Lakes. 

He was able to text me and even called from the airport.

And then at 12:32 I got "the 3 second" call.

He sounded strong, wide-awake (I'll bet!) 

and the teeniest bit nervous. I said a few encouraging words

and told him we love him and that was that.

Mostly I am relieved that he is there safe and sound.

I know he can handle boot camp. 

Yes, I miss him terribly, but I am refusing to give over

to sorrow when there is so much to be grateful for! 

This is what he wants to do! Qualifying for Nuke School

is an accomplishment in itself. I am so happy for him 

and I have confidence in the US Navy. 

This is what they do~ they take boys and girls

and make them men and women and United States Sailors.

It is an honor and privilege to serve.

Today begins the wait for "the box" containing

his clothes, the form letter where we can write him

and the next call (in 3 weeks hopefully) and the first letter.

If he can do boot camp, I can do Navy mom!

Having the support of  loving family and friends,

the amazing US Navy family and a strong faith

comforts me and reminds me to focus on the good.

So~ I give the Navy my precious son with confidence

and gratitude and a fervent prayer that these 

8 weeks go swiftly and without complications. 

HOOYAH! Go Navy! 

~♥~