For Today...

I felt very loved today! A good friend of mine took me out for a pedicure and Mexican food this evening- her belated birthday gift to me. This was my first pedicure as a grown-up. (When my Mom was in beauty school, she would practice on me, but it tickled so much I could barely be still and she would get frustrated with me.) It tickled today too and I laughed some, but I held still. I picked shiny Periwinkle toe-polish and the nail tech put that on, then painted beautiful, sparkly floral designs on my big toes. (Very girly for this little tomboy, but you know, the older I get, the more comfortable I get with femininity- especially now that I have 3 daughters!) Gotta hand it to the ladies folks, they sure know how to relax and enjoy some pampering! First, we sat in massage chairs with our feet soaking in warm water and talked, then Vietnamese girls came and massaged us. Then they scrubbed our feet with some rough stuff that smelled really good and made our feet soft. Supper was YUMMY- I'm still stuffed! Ahhhhh, muy bien!!!

Recently I've been contemplating the difference between stubbornness & determination. There's a fine line between the two. One is a negative trait while the other is positive and often the call is made based on the attitude of the one who is assessing you. Overall, I am NOT stubborn- though at times I am & don't realize it. I am more determined than anything else and I'm not ashamed of that...

My man has been putting his carpentry/construction know-how to good use- making some money. It's SOOOO nice to have him around more!! He's got great skills & I'm proud of him! I know this will have to end sooner or later, but time with him is what I enjoy most!! Things continue to pick up for me at the YMCA, but still this is not going to be enough to feed, clothe, educate & medicate a family of 6. Waiting on The Lord to come through for us....
I encourage everyone out there to have some marketable trade skills. Yes, college education is a great step to take in life, but there's still a big need for people with a trade these days. To be able to work with your hands is a valuable skill. Yes, you get dirty and you sweat, but you certainly won't starve. My brother is a self-made millionaire at 30- he never set foot in college. He simply worked hard at his trade, saved money faithfully & made wise investments. I'm SO proud of him, considering how many odds were stacked against us from early on. He, like me was unjustly labelled "white trash" who would never amount to anything. I love it when people from our past ask me how he's doing- I enjoy the look of shock on their faces when I tell them my brother is actually quite successful. (No need for me to rub it in, it just goes to show you can't judge someone's potential by their upbringing.) My brother is very shrewd and handles his wealth nicely. He lives well, but doesn't go around flaunting it.
My trades are Interior decorating/painting, Equestrian management & Riding Instructor/trail boss, Poultry management, Personal training. My supervisor at the 'Y' says I have a "bright future" there and that things will continue to pick up for me there. :o) Super!! Anyway, to all of you out there who don't have the most flashy jobs in the world, I wish to thank you!! Without constructions workers, paramedics, mechanics, farmers, plumbers, welders, electricians and other tradesmen- where would we be?! A regional bank manager or Statesman would not have been more appreciated than was the man who fixed our AC/heating unit last winter. I was so relieved, I wanted to hug the man for making our house warm again!!!!! Nobody appreciates the plumber until their toilets are backed up all over the floor. So, we can boast about our Dr's, Lawyers and Scientists- they certainly deserve recognition, but if there were no farmers, what on earth would we eat?? Tradesmen & women are unsung heroes. We need to appreciate them more. :o)