Oh My..my mind works in mysterious ways!

I don't know where to begin.....my mind is spinning. First I guess I'll say I believe everything in ones life happens for a reason...everything! I think maybe we individually can alter events in our lives consciously or unconsciously...or maybe not? But reviewing..in my thoughts...my life journey...I believe for me that is the case. Most importantly...I have a strong faith in God...and I believe that people come into and out of our lives...touch our lives...for a reason...and we don't even know why! In the following text when I say ...for a reason. I realize that I had my own conscious reasons, but I feel there were other reasons with which I may not have been in touch. When I agreed to move across country with my husband and children in 1980...for a reason; even my choices of where I worked...

• a wonderful Social Service Agency-Harmonium as an office manager for awhile...for a reason. Several specific people touched my life there...for a reason; and when I made the decision to separate from and then divorce my husband....for a reason;
  

I left Harmonium and went back to college...for a reason; even my choices of where I worked.....

• part-time office manager at a Architect's office while I went back to college;
  
• Executive Assistant at UCSD Department of Psychiatry;
  
• Senior Executive Assistant for CEO and COO at a several BioTech companies;
  
• Alpine-Viejas Kumeyaay Reservation in Tribal Government where I was Assistant to the Tribal Government Manager...for a reason. Yes, all for a reason!!

All this time I grew in faith...and in spirit....special people touched my life throughout my "life journey"...and I learned from them valuable lessons of life. All the while I felt God was guiding me and looking over me. Like it is said......yours is not the only footprint in the sand even when you think it is....He is with you! Even when I had a heart attack and later strokes, I felt comforted.

I met my beloved husband in 1983-1984 and continued to experience changes in my life. There were also positive changes in his life over the years and in the lives of his children. His wife had died of cancer a few years before. He and is family were in trouble..."dysfunctional"... I believe the term is. I knew I loved this man deeply, but I also knew I had to be sure to take care of myself along my life journey...or I couldn't help them. The beauty of this story is that we ["my Bear" and I] are happily still together and married ...he is a recovering alcoholic for many years now...and his sons have had (through there were ups and downs) positive changes in their lives and people in their lives. I believe I was one of them. So you see....the fabric or the journey of our life is so complicated...people touch us and we touch people...for a reason.

But, let me get back to why my thoughts began to ramble on this morning. After a discussion with my husband....certain things triggered my memory (this is what usually happens to me..lol) and I thought back to Harmonium. I thought fondly of a gentle co-worker/counselor there named Larry Laveman. So, I (of course)googled him. He is still at Harmonium and also has continued with his private practice in California....and he authored a book which I just have to get to read! It's called "Mysticism & Modern Life: Ancient Wisdom for Personal Growth".

Another very special person who touched my life was Penny Culbreth-Graft. As I mentioned above she was the Tribal Government Manager and I was her assistant. Penny was by far the most wonderful and supportive bosses I have ever had! I admired her abilities...her strength. She was also a very generous and supportive boss. I am forever grateful she ...for a time...was a part of my life.

On another line of thought...I think that some of these Blogs are a tool for reaching out in a healthy positive way also. I'll close for now....wishing all of you out there a very Merry Christmas....love, peace, joy to all.... Tricia/NWlambear

My youngest daughter - Santa's Helper

Tis the Season for Love...and Giving! xoxoxoxo


And.....sometimes the most precious gifts do not cost any $$$$$. In these financial times it is difficult for most of us.

But the gifts of your love...your time....even a hug are priceless. I know I get such pleasure when I get to visit my children and grandchild via Windows Live Messenger. We all have cameras....so we actually see and hear each other "real time". I Love it!!!

This year my daughter in coastal Virginia decided to give of her time and some inexpensive gifts (which of course she beautifully wrapped and decorated in her special "decorator" way) to a local hospital. She was a Santa's Helper....."Santa" and his wife both work at the hospital and are also clients of my daughter's decorating/design business.

I'm so proud of my daughter...Michele.......my "baby girl" (she's my youngest daughter).You go girl!

She has no children of her own..as much as she would have loved to have had babies...it just wasn't meant to be and I think she has come to terms with that as difficult as it was.

But, she is a wonderful, loving "Auntie" and "Godmother". God Bless my daughter ~ Dawn Michele.
In time I'll introduce you to all my family. Michele....she has gone by her middle name since a teen...(pictured at left in 1999 on a visit to Maui) is my second child, her sister Terry was first, my third was their brother, Tommy.

There all grown up now and I love each one of them soooo much and am very proud of them. They are my pride and joy and the best thing in my life that I have ever done...is being their mother!



Merry Christmas Everyone . . . . . . .