There I was, lost in a million thoughts as I drove to work. I got to a red light and saw a pedestrian crossing the street. Still a million miles away…..my eyes caught the girl/pedestrian. She walked with a strange gait and every 5 steps she took, she stopped and threw her head back and looked at the sky and smiled. Then she continued walking. I watched her as she got to the other side of the street, still on her journey to see the sky. I could see clearly that she had special needs but her special needs taught me something that I won’t forget for a long time. I no longer need to remind myself to stop and smell the roses….I need to stop and look up at the sky and smile and think of God’s beauty and blessings in my life. There are so many that hurriedly cross my mind as I go through my day but I fail to just stop where I am and look at the sky and smile. My challenge to you today is to stop and look at the sky and smile!!

My daughter, Married Boo may look a lot like her dad but I swear, she has truly gotten her goofiness from me. I have to admit that I'm flattered that she's goofy. There's too much not to laugh or have fun about. My tribute today goes out to my oldest that I still call Baby because she is and will always be. She is celebrating her first blog birthday as apricot-tea.com so if you have a chance, head on over to wish her a happy blog birthday. PS --- the girl has got it going on with her fashion sense and writing style. When I get rich (with money, not love cause I am already there), I'm hiring her as my personal style coach. In the meantime, here's a little glimpse into my special girl, Ev'Yan. buttercup, don't break my heart. :[ from Ev'Yan Nasman on Vimeo .

I'm astounded! Who would've thought that I'd have that much to say! In honor of my 100th post, I'd like to send a shout out to all of you who have listened to me vent, whine, be silly and talk about nonsensical things. Instead of me boring you all with 100 things to know about me, I've decided to post a quiz of something that is very dear to me.... The Little Rascals My twin sister and I love watching the Little Rascals. Especially when I'm feeling down....they really make me laugh. So, in honor of them...I'm posting a quiz. What Little Rascal are you? Me????? I'm.... You are Buckwheat. You're loyal to your best friend, who's kind of like your alter-ego. You also love to say, "Otay!"

My newest blog, On Being..... has a special guest blogger this week. She is answering questions on having a child with ADD and ODD. I hope that you'll stop on by and ask her questions. She has tons of insight. Jill, thanks so much for volunteering to be a guest blogger. It's much appreciated. Also, if there's a topic or a guest blogger you'd like to recommend, please email me. I'm always open to suggestions. Thanks!

If you haven't seen it, you should. I'm the type of person who reads deeply into the movies that I watch. It's like analogies come alive for me and before long, I'm ready to go out and hug a tree, adopt an elephant, change my career....you know heartwarming stuff like that. What I got from the movie aside from the obvious messages, was sistership and friendship -- there's no color boundaries when it comes to that. It just is. I loved how the sisters immediately accepted and embraced the two people that showed up on their doorstep and made them "theirs".....in other words, a part of their family. It made me stop and think, "How often have I opened my door or my heart to someone and made them mine?" As much as I'd like to say that I do this daily, I don't. It comes from failed adoptions, a disappointing marriage, backstabbing so called friends and unethical employers that have caused me to build walls and shut my heart instead of opening it...

He may look innocent but he committed a horrible crime this afternoon. It all started when I took him to the groomers for some tlc. I normally do it myself but figured he'd get pampered and I wouldn't have to worry about it this weekend. The groomer immediately fell in love with Sam. She kissed him on his head, his face, his mouth...personally, if she knew where his mouth has been...... Anyway, I felt relaxed that Sam felt comfortable with her so I left her in charge. Three hours later, I was back to collect Sam. One of the ladies came out and asked if I could come back to where the kennels were. Gulp. I knew something had happened. Apparently, the groomer, the one that had been kissing all over Sam, went to get Sam out of the kennel and he bit her lips and took off a small portion of the top and bottom of her lip. She was applying pressure to stop the bleeding while others surrounded her, wanting her to go to ER. I felt like the parent of a convict. I glared at Sam but instead...

Good news! There's a new addition to the hospital that should be arriving this week. His name is Josey. He is a Border Collie, trained to scare the goose away. Supposedly, he's going to save the hospital $40,000.00 in poop clean up fees. Sheesh! I'll clean up some poop for $40,000. Anyway, we are not to feed Josey, pet Josey, coo or throw a ball to Josey because he is "an employee" and is on the time clock. (I wonder if he gets paid vacation too??? How about sick leave???) Either, I guess I won't be cooking goose after all. By the way, these are Canadian geese and are under protection (some sorta eye witness program) but they just don't have a clue why they've all decided to stay here and multiply. I think that there must be some Viagra in the water or something.

Before I start rambling about geese, thanks all for the sympathy in having a lousy Valentine's day. It was what it was but today is a new day and I'm hoping for a better understanding of what it is that I need and want. I would recommend watching the movie, Fireproof if you're feeling like your relationship needs rekindling or maybe more of a oneness. It's not the greatest movie but the concept is good. I purchased the Love Dare journal for myself, mainly, to take the Love Dare for 40 days straight...working on a new assignment each day. Boo saw it while we were talking yesterday and asked if he could take the Love Dare challenge for 40 days instead. I'm all for him learning a few things about romancing, empathizing and working towards a closer relationship.I am a bit skeptical that he can stick with it for the 40 days but we'll see. Now, on to the goose... I work at a very lavish hospital that is known for celebrity and governmental officals being admitted. The...

I'm sorry but I'm not in the best of moods so if you want to move pass my blog, that's fine. I'm going to lay it out right here. Boo isn't romantic. He doesn't seem to give a rip that it's a special day for lovers. He isn't sentimental when it comes to holidays either. So, mix that with someone like me that loves, gets silly, lights up, anticipates the day and it's a spontaneous combustion. I didn't even get a card. I got an email yesterday from him, although he's in the same exact house, that said, "Happy Valentine's Day". Nothing more, nothing less. I hate to admit this but for honesty sake, that's totally a turn off for me. I need someone that lights up or at least understands how silly and sentimental I am on days like this. I'm trying not to hit the "reminisce button" the one where I think about my ex and I and how he knew that Valentine's day meant the world and where gifts were special, treasured and...

I can't believe it…I won the big Valentine's day package from a jazz radio station here in my area. I got the phone call and thought to myself, "What happens if I've won a cruise? Should I scream? Fake cry? Or just say over and over agin, 'thank you, thank you, thank you so much'? Well, unfortunately, it wasn't a cruise for two but I did win tickets for two to a Marilyn McCoo/Billy Davis concert, a flower arrangement AND a spa package…Spa Under the Stars. It's 50 minutes worth of a massage or facial and then, sitting in fluffy, warm robes, eating h'ordeurvs (can never spell the stupid word) and listening to live music. Sounds heavenly? Well, it would if Boo was going but his work schedule and mine collide. There's no changing the fact that I'm a weekend widow and at home at night when he's working. What a tease!! So, I gave the concert tickets away to a couple that is hard up financially. I know they will enjoy going to the concert. I...

I have to confess that I tried it because, well, sometimes I can be a copycat. I had grand illusions of contacting and communicating with people that I hadn't heard from in years - bonding once more and possibly getting together for dinner and to hang out. Not!! I'm not feeling this Facebook thing. People that I can't even remember from my high school days or people that know someone else from my high school days are adding me as a friend. What do you say to a person that you have no idea who they are, where they live or why they want to be your friend. Plus, some of the "mean girls" in high school have now forgotten that they were "mean" back then and are suddenly wanting to be nice. I really don't care that they now have four grandkids, three dogs and a husband that is in real estate. I just want to know why you were such a snob and so evil way back when? There's nothing reminiscent or warm fuzzy about seeing classmates again after 28 years. Ye...

I've discovered that although I'm one that likes things pleasantly quiet where I can reflect and gather my thoughts, I also love a little noise. I find that when it's too quiet, it lives my mind with too much time on it's hands or brain. When Baby Boo is with us, pure quiet is out of the question. She raises enough ruckus for 5 even though there's just lil ol her. She's at the fun part of being a baby…the almost two part. She mimics, answers back, attempts to carry on an interesting conversation and most of all, has picked up some extremely bad retorts from her older siblings. Just today, she called her dad, Boo, a faggot and then cut him a dirty look. Now, she's NEVER heard that at our house although I am almost positive she's heard it at her bio mom's house. I'm so not used to having a cute little girl hurling out stuff like that out of her mouth, just because she's heard it before. She has also told Teen Boo to shut up when she wasn...

I'm excited to introduce a new blog that will hopefully inspire, bring together, challenge and evoke awareness of the beauty of our cultures, religions, preferences in careers, marriage, health issues, addictions and any other things that make up who we are. Sandi, willingly volunteered to be the guest hostess/blogger and she's all set to answer questions on Remarriage. Please go HERE to ask any and all questions pertaining to remarriage. Sandi's a tough cookie and she's ready to be put on the hotspot! Please link to the blog as there will be a different guest blogger and a new topic each week. See you there!!

After I began the journey of being black, I discovered that there were many questions and of course, with those questions came answers. From that, a spark grew. What is it like to be Mormon? What is it like to be Asian? What is it like to be anorexic? Hispanic? Schizophrenic? Remarried? The questions abound and only those people who have walked in those shoes are able to answer those questions candidly, honestly and openly. For that reason, I've started a blog that I hope you will all bookmark, for one. For two, will volunteer to be guest bloggers. I will be taking a week to week guest blogger spot on a single topic. If you are interested in being a guest blogger and answering questions on the blog, please email me and let me know when you'd be available. I have a huge list of topics but I'm open to many more so if you have suggestions, please throw them my way. The topics and guest bloggers I'm looking at are: On being... OCD Asian Mormon Childless Remarried SAHM Home...

In my 25 random things, I mentioned that I was lonely after moving to a new town. The town that I now live in has the ratio of about 85% senior citizens and the rest a bit younger. Don't get me wrong, those seniors are zipping around in their golf carts and dressing like 20 on a good day! But it also makes it challenging to have friends that are close to my age to hang with. In the meantime, I've had three elderly ladies adopt me as their new friend. They want to "hang out" with me. One lady in particular asked for my phone number and is so wanting to take me out to lunch. She talks my ear off about her medical diagnosis and treatments so I have a feeling, that's going to be the topic at lunch as well. As much as I love them because they are so cute, I'm also afraid of their dependency on me their "hip" friend. Boo thinks it's great! He says that at least I'll stay out of trouble! Little does he know that where I am, trouble follows. I just h...

As crazy as this may sound coming from a 45 year old, I sometimes wonder what I want to be when I grow up. When I was younger, I used to say I was going to be at teacher. Then, the dream expanded when my twin and I decided that we were going to marry honeys that would be able to afford a mansion that we'd all live in. They'd have the upstairs and we'd have the downstairs AND we'd adopt every kid that didn't have parents and every animal that didn't have homes. Gone are those days and of course, that dream never came to pass. I looked at my talents and abilities and passions and I discovered that I have too many things on my plate. I adore writing and creating. I love babies and kids. I enjoy reaching out and helping people. I enjoy cooking. I'm fascinated by the medical field. Music is number one for making my day. As old as I am, I'm searching myself with hopes that what I find will be a place of contentment. Where will I find my niche? Heaven only know...

I'm taking a break from Being Black since I've been tagged by Danica to name 25 random things about me. If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged! If you'd like to join in, post a link back to my blog letting me know. 1) I love the movie, Beaches because of the friendship between the two ladies. 2) I sing when I'm in the car, in the grocery store and whereever I go although only to myself. 3) I tried to have another baby and even looked into tubal reversal a few years before my ex cheated on me. 4) I eat hot sauce on just about anything. 5) I miss my dad. 6) I hope that he never forgets who I am. (He has dementia). 7) I hate for my food to touch or to mix together. 8) I am very silly and once I get going, it's hard for me to stop. 9) I yank out my gray hair even though I refuse to color it. 10) I don't associate or hang out with any of my co-workers on my job due to trust issues from my last employer. 11) Old people seem to navigate towards me. 12) I...