A Change of Seasons

This season is bittersweet for me. It was 3 years ago this month that I lost my father to cancer. As the mornings turn cool and the leaves begin to change colors, I am reminded of the change of season in my life when my dad was here one day and gone the next. It happened so quickly that I still sometimes still find it hard to believe. It's like when autumn is at its peak and you want so badly for it to stay that way for longer so you can enjoy the fireworks of colors God splatters on the landscape... and before you really get a chance to take it all in, the leaves turn brown and fall off the trees. That's how it was for me in October of 2006. My parents had just moved into a house they built after sacrificing for so many years. My dad was getting ready to enjoy his retirement. I was finally able to give him the granddaughter he grew to love so much. We had just opened the B&B and everything was going great. It was a colorful life. Then it all changed and suddenly everything felt brown and barren. But I keep pressing on knowing that my dad would want me to enjoy this season of my life. Each day is such a gift from God. So I take time this autumn to reflect on my dad and how he helped me enjoy the seasons of life here on earth and to not be afraid of moving into the next life in heaven. I'll never forget his words "It's beautiful there", spoken with such conviction just the day before he died. I truly believe he got a glimpse of a place even more beautiful than the most perfect autumn day with those spashes of many colors dotting the landscape in a way that only God could paint.

This is what my parents' front yard looked like the week before my dad passed away. I had taken the picture and brought it to his hospital room so he could have a piece of his home with him there.

20 Years Together

Paul and I celebrated our 20th anniversary yesterday! We booked a CRUISE as our official gift to each other and will be leaving November 21st for a 9 night get-away to the Caribbean! We are sooo excited, and it's a line we haven't been on before so we are anxious to see how it is different from Royal Caribbean and Carnival. Here's a picture of the ship (It once serviced Alaska, which explains the background).

Roselawn for Sale

It's official... we signed the papers to put Roselawn on the market today. I am excited, sad and nervous all at the same time. We put a lot of ourselves into making our home and business what it is today. I hate to let go of it... but we are excited about making the space above the Anique Mall into a cool urban loft! We plan to keep as much of the structural integrity as possible, but we will need to upgrade the bathroom and add a kitchen. The goal is to be able to focus all of our energy into that business. It should be much easier living right above it and not having the responsibilities of keep up a 5,000 sq foot house and 2 acre lawn. I also plan to start working part time (for the same agency) beginning in November. Sooo... we have a lot of changes coming our way. Those of you out there who have been meaning to come visit the B&B over the last 3 years but haven't better do it soon! Roselawn, we will miss you...

Happy September!

I love the cool, crisp mornings and the change of seasons! I was helping Kiara study for her test on the regions of Virginia last night and thought to myself, "We do live in a pretty awesome state." We get all four distinct seasons (although sometimes winter lasts just a little longer than I'd like). We have the mountains to one side and the ocean to the other. There's urban and rural and everything in between. Virginia is a nice place to live. (Although, I've never lived anywhere else so maybe I'm just being narrow-minded.) Where would I choose to live if Virginia wasn't an option? Well, in all of my travels I'd have to say the hills of Tuscany in Italy were pretty awesome. I wouldn't mind a Caribbean island either... But until I learn how to make wine or weave seagrass hats, I'll enjoy living in good ole' Virginny!

Watermelon Smoothies

Melissa and I made a refreshing and filling summertime drink that's so easy. You should give it a try:

Mix the following in a blender and pour:

2 tbsp lime juice

1 - 2 cups ice

1 cup raspberry sherbert

1 cup fresh watermelon

*You can add mini chocolate chips to the top to make it look like watermelon seeds, if you want.

Past Two Weeks

We have been busy the past two weeks trying to squeeze in a few final days of summer fun before beginning the new school year.

Kiara, my mom and I went to a "Cowboy Day" and got a taste of the pioneer days. Couldn't believe how tall this corn grew...

Getting together with friends after school makes the transition a little easier. Here's what it looks like when your daughter figures out how to get V-Cast t.v. show clips on your cell phone (hope it's something covered on our plan. Guess we'll find out when our next bill comes in!)

Kiara entertains company with her "granny" skit.

Roselawn hosted a tea party/baby shower last weekend. Turns out the guest of honor was Kiara's 4th grade math teacher! Didn't realize it until half way through the event!

This past weekend we had two of our closest friends visit from Richmond. They have come to Roselawn often and somehow missed the honor of being presented on my blog in the past... So this time I want be sure to introduce to you... Kevin and Melissa...

(Previous photo courtesy of Kiara, which is why our bellies are the focal point!)

It was so much fun hanging out with them, and I'm sooooo glad we've managed to keep in touch despite the distance! I really do believe that "friends are friends forever if the Lord's the Lord of them". This is truly a friendship blessed by God!

Now on to a full work week and possibly a trip to NJ to see some family this weekend. Still working on the plans.

Happy August

It's getting late and I'm too tired to download pictures to post, but thought I 'd at least write a quick update for this last full month of summer.

Yes, summer for Kiara is almost over. She starts 5th grade a week from today! Hard to believe it is her last year of elementary school. Seems like yesterday I was enrolling her in preschool!

Paul's business has been going well. The ice cream shop is a huge hit in this small town. Give people somewhere to go on a warm summer evening. Not sure what the plan is one the weather turns cool. Maybe try a coffee shop inside.

We had some other B&B owners over yesterday for a social/networking event. Started at 3 and thought it would last maybe an hour or so. We had so much fun the last guests didn't leave until almost 9 pm! Then we headed over the the drive in to see Ice Age 3 with Kiara. It was pretty cute.

We have a tea party lined up at Roselawn this weekend and a shower the following. The fall looks promising as several overnight guests have made reservations. May not have time to blog much for a while, but I'll try!

Years Gone By

Kiara's sister and family came to visit over the weekend. The girls had a great time catching up with each other! They are both growing up sooo quickly! Here's a picture of them as preschoolers (before we adopted Kiara), then one of them taken during the recent visit...

Newborn Kitty and Ice Cream Shop

We found a newborn kitten on the side of our house. It couldn't have been more than a day or two old. Luckily, a friend had a momma cat that is still nursing, so we are going to try to see if she'll take it. Isn't is soooo adorable???
Also, Keysville Station (our new business in town) now has an ice cream shop! It just openend on Thursday, and so far it is doing quite well! Here's a picture of the local newpaper in which it is featured. Our friend Kim Henry is managing and operating the business, but they are NOT all of her kids (only 2 of them are). You'll notice that the child on the far left is our very own Kiara. And, yes, she has had ice cream everyday since its opening!

Last Weekend's Beach Trip

Fun at Ocean Breeze Park.

The kids got to drive around the military base on our friend's Gator.




Paul entertained us with his Mad Scientist experiments using dry ice during our down time.




Say hello to "Hermie", Kiara's newest pet. She chose the shell painted like a bunny. If Hermie only knew what he was carrying around on his back!



The governor of Virginia stayed a few doors down in this beach cottage on base. We saw him hanging out on the front porch.

I got to visit with a friend from college that I haven't seen in 18 years!





A family pictue.

Country Friends

Who needs human friends in the country? Although Kiara has several friends, her favorite playmates are Kenai and Belle, our goats. Here's what I often see when I look out of our window...

When the goats have gone in for the night, human friends will have to suffice...

Why is the Grass So Tall??

Figuring that a B&B should always have a manicured-looking lawn, we went ahead and splurged on a nice zero-turn mower less than a year ago. I volunteered to take over the grass mowing job since Paul is at the building so often, but I'm thinking that I might be fired very soon. I had to go get him once to get the mower out of the mud it got stuck in. Another time I had to report that I had accidentally bulldozed into the brick side of our steps crumbling it into pieces. (My argument was that it waws over 150 years old so it was about time to replace it anyway!)

But this time I think I've really done it. I filled the mower with gas and proceeded to cut the lawn. After a while it started to sputter and die much like a mower does when it runs out of gas. That couldn't be though because I had just filled it. I lifted the seat (where the tank was on our LAST mower), took off the lid which read "Do not top off" and looked inside... yep, plenty of gas. Then I looked to the right and noticed a big black container-like part. Hmmm- what goes in there? I took the top off and looked inside. It was empty. Then it hit me. That's where the gas should've gone.

Sooo, the lawn will have to wait until Paul can flush out the system and add new hydrolic fluid 'cause that's where the gas went. We are praying it didn't do any damage to the mower. If all is well with it, I bet he'll have the grass cut before I even get home from work! I guess I don't blame him for wanting to take the job back!

Pertinent Quote

I happened upon a quote in another blog that ties in well with my last post. Couldn't resist sharing...

“I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.”~Martha Washington

41 Tomorrow

Tomorrow is my 41st birthday. I am spending the day with Kiara at my mom's house. As I reflect on lessons I have learned so far in my life, I think these would be at the top of the list...

1. Contentment is easier to hold onto when you can find be thankful in every bad situation. When you loose $5, be thankful it wasn't your whole wallet. If your boss is annoying, be glad you aren't married to him! If you are having a bad hair day, be glad you haven't lost it all from chemo.

2. When people ask "How you are doing?", they really only want to hear "fine" or "great". People do not want to hear much more than that... especially complaints and problems. They have enough of their own. God doesn't want me to complain, and I've really tried to get better as I grow older (and I seem to find more things I feel are worth complaining about).

3. My goals here on earth must be Christ-centered. There will be no corporate ladders, salaries, IQ tests or beauty pageants in heaven... so why focus on worldly things now? I try to focus my thoughts on what matters to God and brings Him glory. This isn't easy, but it is one of the most important things I'm realizing in life.

4. Enjoy every single moment of life because it really does go quickly. Study the beauty of your child's eyes as she looks at you. Take a deep breath to fill your lungs with crisp morning air before heading to work. Watch the deer out in the yard even though you're in a hurry to start dinner. Those little events in life may become a memory you will later cherish.

5. As I grow older, I think more and tend to analyze more-- which lends itself to becoming more set in my ways. Yes, age brings wisdom, but I hope all the wisdom I'm gaining doesn't make me more judgemental. I am cognizant of this tendency and will strive to keep an open mind, accepting of others, and willing to think differently about things even though I might know a lot about it.

Well, I'm sure I could come up with more... but the smell of a birthday cake that my daughter is now baking for me is reminding me to get off of the computer and enjoy a little time with her and my mom. Life is for the living now. I must go seize the day...

A Future Rachel Ray

So, what do kids in the county do when they're bored? Well, if they love to cook, they get creative outside! Yes, Kiara is a mud pie makin' girl, and when summer arrives it brings forth all kinds of "ingredients". Today, she's making her signature dish: Pecan tree leaves with a hint of seed pods.

Tomorrow she may make her Hay and Goat Poo Casserole... mmmm. Anybody wanna come over for dinner? Hey, any practice she can get to take over the B&B is good with me!

We did drive to the Richmond Zoo last weekend to give her a break from all the culinary stress...

We especially loved feeding the giraffes!

And the little prarie dogs were sooooo cute!

Here's what the zebra thought of us taking pictures of his family...

Look at the tiger in her cage... Oh, wait... that's our cat Ellie on the stairs! :)

Problem Resolved

Thanks, Joan, for your thoughtful comment on the previous post. It really meant a lot to hear the kind things you had to say about our family! By the time I had gotten to school, Kiara had already resolved the issue with her friends. (But I didn't hesistate to tell the one girl what I thought about her teasing anyway!) And you are right... Kiara has gone into summer mode full force. She had a sleepover at a friend's house on Friday night, then we had friends over our house until midnight last night. She's at a birthday party right now, and I'll pick her up just in time for a visit with my mom!

The Day Finally Came

I was wondering when this day would come. I picked Kiara up from school and she was upset to the point of tears. It was so painful for me to hear the words, "My friend teased me because I'm adopted." It appears they got in an arument and this girl tried to get back at her by saying some hurtful things like her birthparents didn't love her and gave her away and we weren't her real parents. I can't tell you how much this hurt me to see my baby girl's pain. I tried to explain how special she was BECAUSE she's adopted and reassured her that we were her "real" parents.

Tomorrow is the last day of school. I'm going in to eat lunch with Kiara and to talk to the friend. I pray all goes well with that and that it at least shows Kiara that I'm willing to stick up for her. Kiara asked me to do that, and I really want to start the summer off on a good note. So hopefully things will be resolved. But I wonder if those hurtful words will linger in Kiara's mind and create some insecurities. We've always celebrated adoption, and I hope the positive light we've put it in through the years gives her the reassurance she needs during this time.

Mother's Day Memories

I spent Mother's Day at my mom's house. She has been raising a calf that lost its mother recently after giving birth. It was a sad story, but the calf is doing remarkable well and seems to be enjoying the company of her foster humans! Here are some pics of our time with Daisy...

Finally Back

I've been away for different trainings for almost two of the past three weeks! Things should settle down a bit now... just in time for Kiara's school year to end. Yes, 4th grade is almost over for her and, boy, will she be GLAD! It has been a bit of a challenging year, so I'm looking forward to a break from it all.

We have a full house at the B&B this weekend and next weekend. Both with family of friends in town. The Antique Mall is doing well. We are trying to get creative on other things we can add to get people in. We have a smaller storefront connected to the large area that no one has rented out yet. Any ideas? I was thinking of a soda shoppe selling limeades and milkshakes. Or maybe an ice cream or coffee shop? It would be nice to have something with very little overhead costs.

On another note... a friend tagged me with this picture on Facebook. Can you find me?? I'm #6 My, that was a long time ago! I think I was 15 or 16 years old.

Small Town Memories

When Paul is working at Keysville Station, Kiara gets off of the bus in town and hangs out until the business closes. A friend her age lives across the street above the Chinese restaurant her family owns. It has become an almost daily ritual for them to look for each other across the streeet, then call one or the other over to play. It's neat to watch the whole exchange which usually goes something like this...

"I see you over there... can you come out to play??"

"I'm coming as soon as the coast is clear."

"Yeah! I'm here!"

"Hmm... now what should we do? Wanna come back over to my restaurant and check out the bubble gum machines?"

Kiara has loved the freedom to explore the town on her own. Of course, we have a certain perimeter where she's allowed to go. It includes another friend's mother's business down the street, a playground, the dollar store and a few friend's houses. These are the small town memories she'll look back on fondly.