Reflections on 2014

As this is the last day of 2014 I reflect upon what this past year has been like for me and my family.  It has been a crazy year, but it has been a good year.  It has been a good year because of the simple fact that my family and I are alive and healthy.  We were blessed this year with the ability to experience life every single day that the sun rose this year.

Now I would be lying if I said everyday was perfect, because of course it wasn't.  I just don't believe that it is possible for everyday to live up to the unattainable perfection that we sometimes place upon ourselves.  But, everyday can be an adventure.  The adventure can end on a high note or a low note, but as long as you lived it was a good day.

We have had our share of struggles, but our triumphs outweigh anything bad that may have occurred in life.  This year my family and I got to spend a lot of quality time together and that is the most precious gift that we were blessed with in 2014.  We played games, visited family, explored every inch of the House of Mouse our feet would allow, we met new people, and we close out this year as the Gambles 5.

Are there things that I wish my family was able to do this year?  Absolutely.  Are there things I wish my family had?  Of course.  Am I sad that all my desires for myself and my family weren't realized?  No.  I am not sad because tomorrow is a new day and it is the start of a new year and with a new day and a new year brings new possibilities.  Most people believe that the start of a new year is a chance to start fresh; a chance to create new beginnings and new memories.  However, I believe that everyday that you wake up provides that opportunity.  Why wait for a new year to make a new memory, or to try and make a new start, or to meet new people, or repair relationships.  Those are all things that can be done in the here and the now.  I have learned the hard way that when you continue to wait to do something or make something happen that it may take a toll on you in a way that you did not expect.  It is a lesson that I take to heart and will try to reconcile within myself.  It will not be easy, and I will falter in the things I want to change as a result of this lesson and other lessons that I have learned, but I know that God is with me no matter what and that is what really matters.  I know that my husband and my kids and my family love me and support me no matter what and for that I will forever be blessed.

The year 2014 has afforded me the opportunity to do a lot of self-reflection.  It has afforded me the chance to experience things that not everyone in life gets to experience.  I reflect upon a year that has brought ups and downs, but has given me a beautiful journey to treasure.  That journey is called LIFE!!

I Love You Spring 1998: The Majestic Heirs of The 25th Legacy

Today is a special day because it marks my 16th Deltaversary. What is a Deltaversary? Well it is a day that members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated celebrate each year as the day they marched into Deltaland. Sixteen years ago today myself and 16 other amazing women became members of this amazing sisterhood and have been in the bond ever since. These women who I went through hell and high water with will always and forever have a special place in my heart.

I have learned many lessons from these women. I have learned that you can be a woman of faith and still be stylish and have fun. I have learned that it is ok to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. I have learned that you have to take life one day at a time. I have learned that there is nothing wrong with being a little selfish once in awhile and doing something for yourself. I have learned how to be a better woman and friend. I have learned more than you can possibly imagine and I know that as life goes on the lessons I will learn from my line sisters will continue.

Each one of my line sisters is accomplished in their own right. Some of them are very talented dancers, choreographers, and singers. Some are accomplished attorney's and health professionals. Then there are those who have chosen to help mold students of all ages as school administrators, guidance counselors, and college advisors. We even have an engineer, women who have worked on Capital Hill, and women who work for worthy non-profits. All 16 of the ladies that I call my line sisters mean something dearly to me; especially our fallen Angel Charmane.

Charmane was a very intelligent, accomplished, beautiful, stylish, and loving person. She had a smile that could light up a room. I remember road tripping with her, Aseelah, Nikki, and Erica to Tiffany's wedding. It was a blast and it is one of the trips I will never forget. I also remember when her, myself, and Nikki stayed up all day and night at FSU's Dance Marathon. We were tired as hell, but it was well worth it and yet another memory to cherish. This fallen Angel, and Dani, will always be remembered because they had so much still to give but we honor them everyday by remembering who they were and what they stood for.

When you become a member of Delta Sigma Theta you become a member of a great sisterhood, and as a Soror who came through Kappa Epsilon you have an even tighter bond with the other women who have had similar experiences, but your line sisters mean so much more. They are the women you have formed a special bond with that can never be broken. Before I came to Florida State I never really had a lot of female friends, much less close friends. The last really close friend that I had was in high school. Then I came to Florida State and was chosen to become a member of this illustrious sisterhood along with 16 other women and instantly gained sisters for life.

Are we all perfect? No of course not, but then again nobody is. Do we always get along? Again, no we don't and if we did that would make life a little boring and dull. I may not always like what some of them has to say either to me or someone else, but I value their opinions and feelings nonetheless. I think that I can honestly say that all seventeen of us are strong women with strong opinions about many things and that can often create a little friction, but if you were always around people of the exact same mindset as you then you would never grow and you would never change, and these women have helped me to do that.

Change has always been hard for me. Even though change is good, for me it is still hard. Each one of these women at some point in my life has supported me through major and minor changes and even coaxed me into making changes for the better. Like the decision to move. Many of them have been telling me for years that I needed a change and my husband and I should move out of Tallahassee. Well, I didn't listen for many years but we finally made a move to the Central Florida area and it feels good. My line sisters, as usual, were right.

The picture above was the pictoral tribute my front, Wendy, created for our line last year on our 15th Deltaversary. These women have been there through birth's, marriages, job changes, death's, and so much more. I know that our bond can only get stronger if we continue to confide in one another, open up to one another, and love one another. Of course everyone has someone they talk to more often than others, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, at our core we remain the same. At our core we remain smart, talented, strong, independent, beautiful, stylish, fun-loving, creative, amazing, and extraordinary women. I could go on and on about these women because they mean so much to me and I will tell each of them individually how I feel because they are part of my heart. But for now let me say that the world should continue to look out for The Majestic Heirs of the 25th Legacy because the KE Spring 1998 line is not done yet!! Happy Deltaversary Wendy, Yeura, Brischelle, Chantina, Tiffany, Raishell, Erica, Charmane (our fallen Angel), Dechauna, Rasheedra, Alero, Kim, Morneque, Aysha, Nikki, and Aseelah. I love you all and I wish you all of the happiness and success that your heart and hand can hold.

Easter: What is it about? What do you do?

The holidays are a terrific time to gather with loved ones and celebrate special occasions. This past weekend people across the United States celebrated Easter, or as many have come to call it: Resurrection Sunday. The purpose for celebrating this holiday is to honor the sacrifice that Jesus made for all mankind. He gave his life and died on the cross so that all sins could be forgiven. Over the years families have developed their own traditions for this special holiday and even intertwined some secular events with the holy day. For example: the Easter bunny, Easter egg hunts, and every child's favorite the Easter basket.

There are some who may not engage in the secular portions of the holiday for one reason or another, but primarily for religious reasons. Just because a parent gives their child an Easter basket or takes them to an Easter egg hunt does not mean they don't believe in the sacrifice Jesus made. They are simply allowing their child to engage in something fun that brightens their day. There is nothing wrong with letting a child have some fun and some treats as long as you also make sure they understand the reason for celebrating.

Of course every parent must make their own choice. But, do not prevent a child from Easter egg hunts if you still put up a Christmas tree. Do not refuse to give them an Easter basket if you let them dress up and go trick or treating on Halloween. My husband and I have chosen to allow our kids to participate in all of these things, but we also make sure that our kids understand the reason for celebrating every holiday and that they know what is most important is being with loved ones. So remember next time you think about what you do to celebrate Easter, or any other holiday, always remember your reason for celebrating; but don't be so high and mighty that you can't have a little fun too.

Update on Life

My last post was in December 2013 and a lot has changed since then.  Most importantly my family and I have made the move to the great city of Orlando.  Orlando is one of my favorite places to visit and now I live here.  So instead of travelling all the time to a vacation spot I live in a vacation spot so that means I can staycation; which will be just as much fun.  My kids have transitioned well and next year my daughter will finally be starting Pre-K.  The hubby is liking his new job.  It is stressful, but he loves it just the same.

The things I don't like between Orlando and Tallahassee are the fact that I spend more time in a car because it takes longer to get everywhere.  I also do not like the tolls.  After awhile I will be adjusted to the distance between point A and B and the tolls will become part of life.  However, the trade-off living in a bigger city is the amount of things to do.  I love that there is so much to do here and that there are other families and couples in the area that we can hang out with.

I can see many great adventures in the future for the Gambles 5 and I look forward to writing about them all.

Don't Forget the Everyday Moments

Recently I have been caught up in a massive personal project creating my Vision Book.  It includes my 40 Before 40 list as well as my Life Bucket List.  Well this morning I was sitting with my daughter and I realized that it doesn't matter how many truly awesome and inspiring things I do and want to do if I don't remember those everyday moments.  For example, this morning my daughter and I were drinking tea and hot cocoa on the floor while watching the Disney film The Aristocats.  Before that we sat and read a couple of stories (well I read because she is 4 and can't read yet).  She sat in my lap and listened and was so excited.  It was a moment of realization for me.  I will continue to work on my Vision Book, but I must stop every now and then and relish in those everyday moments that make up life.

The everyday moments of life, much like the Everyday Awesomeness of God that I wrote about in my last post, are what get us through life.  They take us from minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day, month to month, and year to year.  Everyday moments can sneak up on you when you least expect it.  Some of these moments hit you right in the face.  Whether you create these moments intentionally or these moments just create themselves, always keep them close to your heart.