The kindness of strangers

You all are such wonderful friends. Such big hearted, loving friends.

Your thought and prayers from the last post were so very kind. And I know they were felt. Your kindness, sharing your love to a complete stranger touched me.

There is a prayer service for the baby tonight. And I know it will be so beautiful and the love will pour over this family.

When I spoke with my friend today she acknowledged that she's doing ok right now but that she'll probably have bad days/weeks and then good again. So, my friends, if you think of this over the next few months, please send a little prayer up for this lovely family.

I can't thank you enough for being as kind and loving as you are.

xoxo

Loves, a request

It is rare that I come here to share things about my friends. Perhaps even more rare to ask things of you all.

But this time it is so needed.

One of my best girlfriends was due to be induced on December 28th. A baby girl was going to bless her and her husband's life.

On Wednesday morning she went into labor and when they got to the hospital and the doctor checked the baby's vitals, there was no heartbeat.

The baby didn't make it and the parents are devastated.

My heart aches for them.

If you'd please, in your happiness of the next few days, please lift this family up in your prayers.

Hope you'll all have a wonderful Christmas and cherish your loved ones.

A time to Gather, a time to laugh

We're heading to see Mr. Potts' family in Louisville The majority of his family live within a 5 mile radius.

We're hopeful that Meme, his grandmother, will be feeling better. She's currently back in the hospital. She gets weekly blood transfusions for her leukemia and this time there were complications.

I think that she is trying to hold on for one last Christmas with every one there. We plan to laugh while we're with her.

Since we'll be in KY over Christmas we went to my mom's tonight and celebrated Christmas with my niece and nephew & my mom & brother. We were so happy to be there to be able to share this with them.

But when I left tonight, I was sad that I would be missing the time with them.

It's quite the trade-off, isn't it?

One family has more support for everyone, but a sick matriarch.
One family has little support (basically Mr. Potts and me) and struggle daily.
They always love to hang out with us & it was magic to see their faces as they opened their presents.

To be away from my babies breaks my heart, but to be able to see Meme and the rest of the family, also tugs at my heart.

I think in my mind that those babies of mine will always hold first place.

Are you all ready for Christmas & everything that comes along with it? I hope so!

Happy Holidays, Happy Christmas, Merry Christmas, Peace for the Coming year.

So may different ways to wish you well.

Here's an easy one.

"You've touched my heart and I will never be the same.
I hope that this season your heart will be touched in a way that will change you forever.
God bless you and your families (Pets are DEFINITELY included).
All our love,
The Potts' Family

It was a COLD day in December

I was in Maine again this week.

When I arrived there it was actually warmer than it was in NC. That quickly changed.

There were days when the high was 19. Personally, when it is that cold, I think it is too cold for it to even snow.

So this past week I was in a meeting with my boss and two of my coworkers. The offices in Maine are older (1970's-ish) and haven't been very well maintained. We were in a conference room and had opened the door because it was so warm in there.

I was a little stuffy so when I thought I smelled something I attributed it to that stuffiness. Yet the smell kept getting more intense and I thought it may have been burning rubber.

We sat at the table calmly discussing it, as all reasonable people would do, when the fire alarm went off.

My immediate thought was that it was a drill. Until we saw the smoke in the hallway.

So I did what any Southern woman would do. I ran for my bag. And then pulled on my coat and scarf. Because as I mentioned, the highs were barely close to the 20's.

My rationale was that if the building went up in flames, I still wanted to be able to get home, which would require my license, which was in my purse.

And if it turned out to be a false alarm, I didn't want to be out in the cold without a coat.

I was bundled & then panic hit. I looked at my boss and said, "I have too much on my laptop to lose!"

So we both, bundled & with our bags, ran to the conference room and shoved our laptops into our bags and hightailed it out of the building.

Y'all, it was COLD. So cold that after 20 minutes standing outside my hands hurt and I looked at my boss and told her that we should head to our hotels - no telling how long we could be standing outside.

Which we did, because being as Southern as I am, my constitution is not built for such extremes.

Everyone was safe, the building didn't go up in smoke (fortunately or unfortunately) and we were able to head into the office the next day.

But I wasn't worried about the building, because I had rescued my laptop and would be able to get home since I'd rescued my bag.

BIG happy face.

And now I'm home for the rest of the year and don't have to go anywhere until 2011.

Happy Saturday, y'all!

Touching my heart

During the course of the holiday season, we often focus on gifts for those close to us. The people that we hold near and dear to our hearts.

Sometimes we focus on ourselves just a little. Or at least I do, because let's be honest, every once in a while we need to do that.

But what about the people we don't know?

There are angel trees in malls for children. There are organizations which will help you adopt a family for Christmas. There are websites devoted to "love-bombing" people in need.

Every way you could want to help people in need is out there.

The holidays bring my thoughts back to my grandparents and the emptiness in my heart that they're not here. And I so wish that I had had more time with them. Time to show them the woman I've become. Time to just sit and hold their hands and listen to their stories.

I don't have that luxury, so instead, I shower that attention on Meme, Mr. Potts' grandmother. She's had health problems this entire year and has been in and out of the hospital. She's recovered from two staph infections - amazing, right?

So this Christmas, we're journeying home to Louisville and we'll make sure we spend extra time with her. Because you never know when a holiday may be the last one you have with someone.

But this isn't the focus of this post today.

The holidays bring my grandparents to mind. When this happens I often drift to the elderly people alone in their homes or in nursing homes.

A coffee shop in Charlotte, Dilworth Coffee, partnered with a local organization to help people in our area "Be a Santa for a Senior". I was so touched by that and the thought behind it since so many seniors can be forgotten during this time of the year.

While children (my munchkins and the babies of my friends) bless me, seniors tear at my heart. Mr. Potts will laugh with me, but sometimes when I see an older couple I just want to hug them.

In fact, I've been known to do this to random strangers.

Not like in a random, scary way, but in a, "Hi, I think you're wonderful & beautiful & now I'm going to hug you."

The reaction is always immediate. The hug is returned, I walk away with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face.

It brightens my day and so often I'm thanked for that simple kindness.

I try to think regularly about how I can brighten days and bring smiles to people's faces; the holidays tend to bring that out in me a little more.

I hope that I manage to touch other people's hearts, because God knows, so many have touched mine. Including many of you.

Can you find the Elf?

I have a special place in my heart for Christmas. It is such a magical time of year & my munchkins love it. We make cookies & snuggle and decorate trees & snuggle and drink hot chocolate...yep & snuggle!

There doesn't seem to be anything much better than that.

We recently spent a Saturday making & decorating cookies & decorating our tree with them. It is an annual tradition that they look forward to each year. Honestly, we do too.

As you can see by the posed shot in front of the tree, she's going to be a natural!


They were very proud of their cookies - as they should be!


We also did a bit of holiday decorating. I found these pretty trees at Target & love how they turned out!


For our table, we have a small vase filled with miniature ornaments in shades of gold & bronze.


And now for my hair. This next one is one of the last of me with long, blonde hair. It was taken at our annual Friend's Thanksgiving.


Mr. Potts and I post cut.


Where you see the hair hitting the scarf in front is where my hair now ends. And for some reason, it doesn't show as well in the pictures, but I can tell it is darker.

And nice nude bra, huh? You'd think I'd know better & would have worn a black one!

Eh, who cares!

Happy Friday, y'all!!!

PS: From the title, can you find the elf in the picture below?
He likes to lay under the tree!

Dear Me

Dear Stomach,

Please quick thinking you're bigger than you are. Otherwise you WILL end up being bigger, knocking all my hard work out the window.

Thanks much!

PS:

Dear Brain,

Could you knock it off & quick eating because I'm tired/stressed/bored. If eating were an Olympic sport, we'd be like Michael Phelps and all his medals!

Thanks much!

Anyone else feel like this during the holiday season when it's all about food & drinks? Food at the office, food at parties, etc.

January 2011

May as well start planning for January since December is already gone.

Kidding, but only kind of. Because when I look at the commitments that Mr. Potts and I have lined up for this month, I realize that the month is already "gone" in a certain way.

I remember that my mom always told me that time passes more quickly as you age. She was so right.

She also told me that I wouldn't be able to eat what I wanted forever. That time would catch up with me. I think I thumbed my nose at her then.

She was SO right!!

One important thing that Mr. Potts and I must decide upon is our Christmas movie. We escape it all the night of Christmas and head to a theater for a late night movie.

And some popcorn & Sour Patch kids - YUM!!!

I'm looking at The Tourist or The Fighter. Any movies you're looking forward to seeing this month?

Biggest news of the weekend! Three inches gone from my hair & a little bit darker. Once I upload pictures, I'll have to share them.

Happy Monday, y'all!