Long Hollow

Happy 15th Birthday, Belle!

February 15, 2025

Belle turned 15 in January. So of course we threw her a party with a cake that she and her two nieces shared.

We've never had a dog this long. And as of right now, judging by how she'll still chase after the neighbor's truck if we let go of her collar too soon, and how she loves to chase her niece Sadie, there is no telling how much longer we'll have her.

And that's okay with me, of course. All of our other dogs were "daddy dogs" – they loved me, but Tom came first in their eyes. Belle is the first one who has been a "momma dog." She loves Tom, but is truly my shadow. (Well, unless her older brother or sister are here.) She's my coach, my assistant, my guard dog. My best friend.

We've been through a lot together in 15 years. And with few exceptions, we always take a morning walk, no matter what the weather.

Ever since Max passed away, she has been an inside dog. Sure, we have hair everywhere, but having her nearby brings me such joy. It makes me regret that the other dogs weren't inside dogs, until I remember how much they loved being outside. And how allergic I was to them when they did come inside during cold weather. For some reason, Belle hasn't had the same effect on me.

We have a basket full of pills for her and special food, and she occasionally has an accident in the house. Her paws have turned white, with splashes also on her eyebrows and muzzle. Her hearing and eyesight are fading. But her sense of smell is still amazing. If I ask her where Daddy is, she is off on his trail.

I know my days with her will end sooner than I am ready.

Her sense of duty is strong. She keeps an eye out the front window (when she isn't napping) and barks at the slightest movement, and every evening we do a "perimeter check", circling around the house on the porch/deck before calling it a night.

She learned from the best, though… her big brother, Max.

She loved him so much – and the feeling was mutual. She was his puppy, after all. He was so despondent after Charly died, and so happy to have a little sister.

It was fun going back in time tonight to those first days with her via my old posts, especially "Meet the Belle of Long Hollow", "Belle, Day 4", and "Getting to Know You". So many photos I'd forgotten about, like this one of Max, Belle, and our guinea Frankie going on a walk together.

They grow up… and old… too fast, don't they?
Breakthrough – my word for 2025

January 12, 2025
In "The Millionaire Real Estate Agent", Gary Keller says "Natural ability can only take us so far. No matter how gifted we may be, each of us will eventually hit our own ceiling of achievement. There is no if to that assertion, only when. So the most important achievement question you may ever have to ask yourself becomes: 'When I hit that ceiling of achievement – whether it is low or high – how will I break through?' "

He goes on to show how we can add proven models, systems, leverage and creativity to break through each ceiling we hit – because there is always one on the other side after we break through.

For the last few years I have added leverage – I have an amazing admin assistant, a great transaction coordinator, and a few favorite showing assistants who open doors for me when I am tied up elsewhere so my clients don't have to wait for me.

I have learned to 'let go and let them", which was actually a huge breakthrough for me.

In July 2024 I celebrated my 11th anniversary of becoming a Realtor. Since that first day there I have experienced so many breakthroughs, when I really think about it. First was a mindset breakthrough about money. I didn't realize I had a scarcity mindset instead of an abundance mindset.

That had a huge impact on my life and my business. Because of it, we were able to achieve financial freedom in about 5 years after decades of being weighted down (essentially drowning) in credit card debt, student loans, our mortgage, etc. Now we have no debt. Our mortgage is paid off and we have even bought, and paid off quickly, two new SUVs. In 2023 I went to France with friends, and Tom and I traveled to Greece. I have been able to donate to so many causes that are important to me and help out friends and family who were in need.

It is a much better feeling. "Money is good for the good it can do."

I was fortunate that I started my career with Keller Williams Realty, and specifically, with the Northwest Austin Market Center. Because of the culture and the support of colleagues, it has been a continual path of growth, both personal and in business.

I knew nothing about the traditional real estate process when I started. Tom and I had taken a couple of classes decades ago, but otherwise my real estate journey involved:
1. buying a new construction condo when I was 20 (without agent representation)
2. leasing out that condo ourselves and self-managing when Tom and I got married
3. bidding on a HUD foreclosure home in an open auction – losing – and then winning it in the closed bid auction when it became available again. (We had an agent submit the bid but didn't keep in touch with her, and I don't think I ever met her)
4. leasing Tom's house out once we moved into the foreclosure and self-managing it
5. going through 3 evictions on our rental properties because tenants stopped paying rent (and cleaning them up after they were destroyed by the tenants)
6. buying raw land outside of Austin (this time with an agent, although I only have vague memories of it)
7. selling Tom's house to the last couple who leased it, without agent representation (they still lived there last time we checked)
8. selling my condo and our foreclosure (now fixed up after living there 10 years) using my neighbor who had just gotten her real estate license.
9. finding a house to lease in Lago Vista, via the local newspaper, and being tenants for 8 years while we built our home on the raw land (we underestimated how long it would take to build the house – by about 7 years!)
Becoming a Realtor was probably last on my "dream career" list. An architect or interior designer, perhaps, because I loved looking at houses and even designing them. But what I knew of being a Realtor sounded boring.

The decision was borne of pure desperation. First of all, as I mentioned, we were broke after sending 3 children through college and building a house, essentially on one income because this blog, my multiple part-time jobs, my handful of published writings, and other handful of photography gigs didn't pay much.

I still had my dream of finishing my college degree, but couldn't make up my mind on a major or a career path. But it would take time, and also, as we knew, more money. Would it pay off enough to warrant either of those? We were in dire straits.

Tom had suggested getting my license, but it was my sister-in-law who finally convinced me that it would be quicker, easier, and much more lucrative financially than a college degree. She had just earned her master's degree right before going into real estate, so I had to believe her. (If you are in the Phoenix area and need a Realtor, call Kim Shallue!)

That is how, and why, I ended up becoming a Realtor. But to my surprise, this gig wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I was honestly lost the first few months.

You see, KW is different from some other companies. Instead of giving agents buyer and seller leads, KW teaches them how to go out and find them, and to keep them coming, based on that old saying "“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

But I didn't have the right mindset. That image of a slick salesman was stuck in my mind – the last thing I wanted to be – and it created a conflict within me. Also, I didn't realize it, but I had an issue with money -that scarcity mindset.

My first breakthrough came in a class KW offers called Bold. A huge part of it was about the power of affirmations and positive thinking (I was a little cynical at first, I admit) and in thinking Big. We learned a lot of quippy sayings, like "There is no try" and "What you focus on expands" which I realized a few years later probably came from Napoleon Hill's book "Think and Grow Rich".

Another big one was "Come from contribution." It helped me understand I wasn't selling anything – I was helping people. The better my skills and knowledge, the better I could help them through some very stressful times in their lives. For that reason I have continued to take classes and mastermind with other skilled agents. We learn from each other.

It doesn't hurt that I'm a little competitive, and that most of the agents I work with are at least a decade younger than I am.

Now I feel I am bumping up against another ceiling. It's January, goal-setting season, and I have to admit that for two years I haven't hit my goals. What do I need to do to get to the other side?

This year I dove a little deeper into what has worked over the past year or two, and where I can improve. What do I enjoy, what can I let go of, or hand off to someone else? I didn't have as much time to spend on it as I hoped, of course. However the little bit of analyzing I was able to do helped me clarify in my mind what my 20% should be and what I can do to make it more effective.

There is another book by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan that helps with it – The One Thing – but it is still something I have to review often. It is about choosing the one thing in the different areas of your life – physical, spiritual, family, business, etc. – that has the biggest impact on that area. In other words, "“What's the one thing I can do, such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary?"

My biggest challenge right now (and I think it is common with everyone) is time. That is where I need the breakthrough – creating a system or hiring the right leverage that will free up my time, so I can spend it doing the thing that will help me reach my goals.

I have been listening to other solo agents and taking notes on what they have done to grow their business. Some of their ideas will work with my business and life, but others won't. That has been another breakthrough for me… learning to stop grabbing onto new ideas before really reflecting on whether they are a fit for me. As a Realtor, I am a huge target for salespeople who are sure they have the answer to my problems. I am learning to tune out their voices.

It seems kind of strange to be 65 years old and still intent on growing my business, when most of my peers are talking about retirement. Tom just retired so everyone is asking me when I'll quit – if not directly telling me I should.

Yes, I work hard, and essentially work every day, although I've learned to set boundaries on when I'll receive phone calls or make appointments (another past breakthrough) so that I don't totally burn out. I make time to pray, meditate, work out, and spend time with my family and friends. I enjoy my life, and feel fulfilled, and it has been via a route I never expected.

I love this career, love how I've been able to help people both directly and indirectly. I love helping newer agents, and love learning from top agents, or even from clients and transactions. There are always new challenges that help me grow as a person and as a better Realtor. And with Tom retiring (and a house that needs to be finished, and more destinations that need to be explored around the world) I plan to continue working until I just don't enjoy it anymore.

Meanwhile, I'll focus on breaking through this next ceiling…

…and only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out just how far one can go. ~T. S. Eliot, 1931

All dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible. ~T. E. Lawrence
2023 Part 1 – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”

November 26, 2024

"…it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair."

~ Charles Dickens

If ever there was a year of ups and downs, it was 2023.

We lost too many loved ones, and yet also experienced amazing new adventures and made memories to treasure forever.

David was Tom's best friend. He was his roommate and the Best Man at our wedding, and an amazing dancer. He took some of the first photos of us together that are still the best. His passing in January came as a surprise. But I'm grateful he gave us a goodbye call days before, which gave me the chance to tell him how much he meant to me. A priceless gift.

Paul and Vanita were one of my favorite couples in our church – – always joyful, with just the right spark of mischief in their eyes. They had suffered a fair share of health issues over the past few years – only to be expected in your 80's and 90's, though.

A few years ago they asked me to come by for a visit. They told me that when one of them passed, they wanted to sell the house, and they wanted me to list it for them. I agreed to do it, but told them "Let's not be in a hurry."

Thank goodness it wasn't until January that Paul's health went downhill. I was able to visit him in their house and promised him I would do a good job selling the house.

Vanita moved into an assisted living community in a neighboring town. My friend Karen and I visited and Vanita gave us a tour. I really didn't think that would be the last time I saw her – Karen and I were planning our next trip when I got news that Vanita had passed.

Before March ended, we said goodbye to my wonderful mother-in-law. She had been battling health issues but was still able to live at home, thanks to the help of one of her sons and his wife who lived nearby, and also because each of her other 8 sons took turns staying with her for two or three weeks at a time.

What a testament to this amazing woman!

In April we gathered with Tom's brothers and their families to honor her and her legacy.

But there were also some joyful moments scattered throughout the year.

In January, the grandsons came over for a campout. It made me so happy when they started playing Candyland with me. My favorite!

In February, we experienced an ice storm. I enjoyed walking with Belle and my camera, capturing the magic that ice can wield on a landscape.

I flew to Anaheim for our annual Keller Williams Realty "Family Reunion" convention.

And we had fun with grandkids. My oldest grandson took the first photo. He is a natural!

In March, I enjoyed visits with my daughter, son-in-law and my grandpuppies. They love to run and play with Belle and be country dogs for a little while.

I welcomed the first bluebonnets and enjoyed the wonder of their beauty with my grandsons.

In April, I celebrated my 64th birthday.

I took several trips to Houston visiting my sister, and on one of them, I stopped on the way to visit my friends/past clients in their antique store in Paige, Texas. (Broadway Paul's – you should go check it out!) I'm happy I help them move on to this dream by selling their house in Lago Vista!

At our KW market center awards ceremony that month, I found out I was #2 Individual Agent in our office for the previous year!

And we had more fun with grandkids. A campout, a small fire and S'Mores! And Monster Jam!

In May, I had another visit with my sister. Some long time friends also paid her a visit, which meant to much to both of us.

I enjoyed lunch with my awesome assistant and my transaction manager – a way overdo thank you to them!

I have been a Steve Martin and Martin Short fan for decades, so I couldn't pass up buying tickets to see them in person. No photos allowed during the show – this is the best I could do to capture the memory.

We celebrated Tom's birthday at a new (to us) restaurant in Georgetown, TX with my daughter and son-in-law.

And we also celebrated my granddaughter's 1st birthday! Growing too fast!

It is rare to get a still photo of my grandpuppies. These turned out so good!

It is hard for me to believe it now, but our pond was full of water in May of 2023. The boys enjoyed canoeing.

That was just a year and a half ago! We entered a drought soon after this and the pond is now completely dry. Please pray for rain!

(Stay tuned for 2023 Part 2, and thanks for taking a trip back in time with me, if you made it this far!)

We do not remember days, we remember moments.

~Cesare Pavese

And I remember moments through photographs!
I don’t have time NOT to take time for this…

November 15, 2024

Belle just took me for our 4th or 5th, maybe 6th, walk. It isn't often she has me home for the whole day and she is taking full advantage of it, all in the pretense of seeing something suspicious through the window that we have to go check on, and then doing perimeter checks around the house that have even lead us down to the pond a couple of times.

Today is an absolutely gorgeous day – blue skies, no humidity, temps in the 70's – so I can't say I mind the breaks from my home office and computer. At least twice she has sprawled on the huge dog bed we have on the porch and I have just sat near her on a bench, working via my phone, both of us enjoying the fresh air and the quiet.

However, there is only so much I can do on my phone. When one urgent bark occurred minutes after we came in from a pretty good walk, and I had just gotten a fresh cup of coffee, I started to say "I don't have time to go out again right now!"

Instead, remembering she is now 14 3/4 years old, and that I am lucky she is even still with us, I said "I don't have time NOT to do this right now." And out we went for another excursion.

As I was walking behind her along the trail, I thought of how that applies to so many things… spending time with friends, playing with my grandkids, checking on my elderly neighbor, visiting my sister…

Even blogging.

So here I am, stealing a few minutes away to work on a blog post I started writing over a year ago – in my head. It has been hard to justify the time this takes away from my real estate business, so it has steadily fallen to the bottom of my priority list, because in reality, it rarely just takes a few minutes.

I recently listened to a podcast about business planning, and they mentioned "White Space" where you just dump it all out and see what you have. It helps you see what is worth keeping, what needs to go, what needs to change, and where you have gaps. And I was also reminded during that podcast of a book I read a while back by Keith Cunningham – The Road Less Stupid. He is a huge proponent of Thinking Time.

My mom told me that when I was about 3 years old, I told her "I think a lot." And that is true. Too often I have overthought things!

I realize my blog is my personal white space, a blank canvas that triggers thoughts and makes me sort through them. And there are a lot of gaps since the last time I wrote a post. Whether anyone else reads it or not, it has served as a place to preserve my memories and stories and photos, and sort my thoughts, for over a decade. And I have been letting time whiz right by me without much more than a post on Instagram or Facebook.

So I'll steal a quote from my last post and remind myself that this Thinking Time and White Space are very important for my business life as well as my personal life.

You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage – pleasantly, smilingly, nonapologetically – to say 'no' to other things. And the way to do that is by having a bigger 'yes' burning inside.

~ Stephen R. Covey
2023 – A Year for Gratitude

January 2, 2023

Gratitude.

That's my word for 2023.

While I've faithfully written in my gratitude journal every morning for a few years, and have gotten better at noticing my blessings and telling God thank you, I realize I've become neglectful in telling the people around me thank you and showing my appreciation when they help me, my family, my clients or my business in some way.

I plan to change that this year.

One challenge I foresee is the same one I faced in 2022 – time. It went by way too fast.

It's natural that some priorities have to fall by the wayside when life gets busy. My goal is to keep this one at the top this year.

You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage – pleasantly, smilingly, nonapologetically – to say 'no' to other things. And the way to do that is by having a bigger 'yes' burning inside.

~ Stephen R. Covey

Thanks to Facebook photos, I spent a little time today reflecting on the past year, wondering where it went in such a hurry. I was relieved to see that mostly it was time well-spent, with a lot of good memories made last year. So much to be grateful for!

For one thing, I now have a granddaughter! I grabbed every opportunity I was given to spend time with her and her brothers, and I'm grateful I was given a lot! I savored every minute.

Tom and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in August by spending a weekend in Port Aransas. We had some rain, but also some sunshine (pretty symbolic of 40 years of marriage, right?) and overall it was wonderful. I am so very grateful he asked me to dance 41 years ago and grateful I was smart enough to say yes.

Belle turns 13 years old this month. She gave us a scare a couple of months ago. I am so grateful that New Hope Animal Hospital in Cedar Park let us bring her in and treated her (it was a Saturday and our small clinic closed early). She has been fine ever since and is still running and jumping and taking great care of us.

I was able to spend a long weekend before Thanksgiving with Tom's mom. I don't get to see her very often but treasure whatever I can get.

And because of Belle's age and temperament, I wouldn't be able to go at all if it weren't for my middle son who housesits for us whenever he can.

My daughter steps in when she can, as well. But…she and her husband are the proud parents of two precious rescue dogs. The love and care they give those puppies makes my heart proud, too.

In October I tore the meniscus in my right knee right before my 45th high school reunion which I had been helping to organize. I needed a walker to get around, but Tom had to stay home with Belle, and there was no way I could drive myself. Two dear friends insisted I ride with them, and I am so grateful. It was a priceless weekend making new memories with long-long-long time friends.

Thanks to my awesome physical therapist, I am now able to walk without pain. I'm doubtful I'll ever be able to run with Belle again, though. She was impatient at first, but has gotten used to our slower pace in the mornings. She still gets me out every day, rain or sunshine or snow.

There are so many other things I'm grateful for this past year, and that includes my clients and those who referred me to them, along with my assistants and the vendors I work with. It was my best year in real estate ever, and since Tom plans to retire in a few months, I am especially grateful for their support and trust.

If you took time to read this, I wish you a blessed 2023 and hope you go through it with eyes wide open, savoring the minutes and finding something to be grateful for in each one.

Much love,

The best way to show my gratitude to God is to accept everything, even my problems, with joy.

— St. Teresa of Kolkata
Time

January 7, 2022

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

I am grateful I started blogging so many years ago. I love looking back at my old posts, where my thoughts are preserved and photos keep loved ones and experiences alive in my heart. It's an archive of our lives during the past 13 years.

Or at least a pretty good archive until 2018. That's when blogging lost out to other parts of my life that were demanding more of me … my real estate business, grandchildren, friends and family.

Those are all important, for sure, and worthy uses of my time. But I miss having that archive. I miss being able to revisit moments and memories whenever I want to. And I have begun to realize that my time spent blogging was important in other ways. It helped me process what was going on in our lives, to either celebrate the good times or find the joy in the sad and tough times.

I've been faithful about writing in my gratitude journal every morning. I will continue that, but there are no photos in my gratitude journal. Photos capture moments in ways that words can't, and vice versa. My blog allows me to do both.

In the beginning, it was about the words. I was a writer. Then photos took center stage, as my photography addiction grew. And I enjoyed connecting with other bloggers, writers, photographers around the world. Many of them have stopped blogging, but I've stayed connected to them through Facebook, and I'm grateful for that.

I realize I don't care if anyone else reads what I write now. I am truly doing this for me.

Of course, last year I had good intentions of blogging at least once a month. By the end of December, I had published two. I started many posts, but finding the time to finish them was the challenge. My real estate business grew and there is always something I should be doing for it or my clients.

Time slips away too easily. I'm really not sure where 2021 went. Or 2020. Or 2019. So this year I'm focused on the motto "Life by design, not by default." I'm going to block time in my schedule for the important things related to my business, clients, family, friends, spiritual life, physical health, and mental health. I've done that before, of course, but I'm determined to do a better job of protecting that time and being intentional with it.

I've decided blogging is one of those important things, because it brings me joy, so my goal is at least one post a week.

Time is precious, and I want to relish what I've been given. And since 2021 was such a blur, I'm going to reflect back and preserve each month with some photos and memories, before I lose them…. both the photos and the memories.

But that will be my next post. I'll end this one with some highlights from the first week of 2022…

I get up before dawn each day. I eat breakfast, write in my gratitude journal, then head to my office to plan the day.

I'm not sure how many beautiful sunrises I've missed because I'm glued to my computer, but I'm grateful I looked up and out on this morning.

Belle doesn't let me linger in my office very long before herding me out for our morning walk.

The highlight is the view from our neighbor's hill.

On cold mornings the hollows near the lake fill with clouds.

I'm still finding heart rocks on our caliche road.

We had a stretch of unusually warm, spring-like weather, but a few days ago winter arrived and Tom got the first fire going in our stove.

It heats our whole house.

I'm so grateful for it!

In the first days of the new year, I already felt stressed and overwhelmed.

I'm sure it's because I was thinking of all I needed to do but wondering how the hell I would fit it all in my schedule, because getting enough sleep is one of my priorities, also. What should get my "yes" and what should get my "no"?

Then a friend posted this quote. It's something I knew and have practiced, but I had let it get away from me.

I needed the reminder, so I'll share it here, in case someone is reading this who also needs it. It may be me again in a few months!

No offense to Ralph, but I have to add that I believe occasionally reflecting on the highlights of all the yesterdays isn't wasted time if it brings you joy and helps you remember how rich you really are!

Happy 2022!
10 Things I Learned from Father Raj

August 15, 2021
Our small parish had the same priest for about the first 20 years that we lived here. Father Joe founded the church, first holding Mass at a campground on Lake Travis. By the time he retired (in his 80's) the current church had been built, expanded, and a parish activity center built. Also, I had become a Catholic!

You can imagine how tough it must have been for the 2nd priest, Father Don, following in Father Joe's footsteps. He instituted quite a few changes in his 8 years as our priest before he, too, retired (in his 60's). Some people were happy with the changes, but some were not, of course. You just can't please everyone, and change is hard when you've become set in your ways. And we were all pretty set in our ways.

Father Raj was our next priest. Several decades ago, he had come to America from Tamil Nadu in India, where he grew up in a large Catholic family. His sister is a nun in the Missionaries of Charity, the order started by Saint Teresa of Calcutta. Father Raj once gave communion to Saint Teresa.

He came in with a "watch and see" attitude, not making huge changes but tweaking here and there, and only making big changes after much thought. He was calm and funny (he started every homily with a corny joke) but also confident and determined.

He also had a giving spirit, personally starting and running several charities in India, including a home for the elderly.

We were fortunate that he was our priest during COVID. With some parishioners' help, he started recording Mass live so we could watch at home. He remained positive and hopeful, which helped us remain that way, too. When we were able to return to church, he enforced rules that would keep us safe.

The plans we had for removing the decades-old carpet and replacing old chairs with pews had been put on hold during the pandemic, but as things started opening up and we thought it was behind us, he began moving in that direction again.

So it was such a surprise when he announced he would be leaving us for another parish after only 3 years at ours! It didn't seem fair to him or us, but having a true servant's heart, he accepted it as the will of God and helped us accept it, too. He said he would miss us because we were such a peaceful parish. I told him we really weren't – he was the peace in our parish.

We threw him a big party before he left to thank him for all he did in his short time we were blessed to have him. I shared the "Top 10 Things I Learned from Father Raj" at the dinner. When I was asked for a copy of them afterward, I decided I would just write them here and share them with everyone, because I think they are lessons we can all use.

So here they are….
1. Listen for God's voice and step out in faith
2. Be the calm in the storm
3. Maintain joy in all circumstances
4. Don't let others steal your joy
5. Lead by example
6. Look to scripture and the lives of the saints for guidance
7. Be humble
8. Be available when others need you
9. We are a family working together for a common goal and purpose
10. Life is wonderful – focus on the good, be hopeful, and make a difference in the world.
My grandmother once told me that the key to survival is flexibility. She lived well into her 90's and always had a playful, joyful spirit, so she knew what she was talking about. We now have a new priest – Father Ed. He has already made some changes, but I feel he is probably just what we need at this time. God has a way of knowing, doesn't he?

As we slip back into our masks and social-distancing, I pray that each of you stays flexible, safe, healthy, and hopeful.

Be the peace in this constantly changing world.

"The only constant in life is change."

~Heraclitus
My Word for 2021: GROW (Happy New Year!)

January 3, 2021

"If nothing ever changed, there would be no such things as butterflies." ~ Wendy Mass, The Candymakers

I found this sign in a Florida thrift shop a couple of years ago.

It's been hanging above my desk ever since, a good reminder that I need to keep pushing forward out of my comfort zone.

But while I've experienced some growth during that time, I've also sidestepped some changes I knew were necessary to break through a ceiling I kept bumping up against in my career.

The changes involve moving into a new role and new territory where I have never envisioned myself, and especially not at 61 when so many of my friends are focusing on retirement.

I'll be stepping into a big unknown, and the unknown can be scary. I truly don't even know enough to know what questions I should be asking, and by asking them, I reveal how ignorant I am about it.

"One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again." ~ Abraham Maslow

Sidestepping and looking for a shortcut has been much easier… but I haven't moved forward.

So this is the year I'm embracing the word GROW and all of the pain, frustration, exhaustion, and vulnerability that will come with it. I’ll be hiring an assistant this month, someone who can take over tasks that will free me to better help my clients and family, and ensure I have a personal life. I also have a new team member who is eager to learn and succeed, so I'm determined to grow my business to ensure her success, too.

That may not seem like such a big thing to you, but after being a solo freelancer for so long, even in my real estate business, involving someone else in my daily routine is going to be a big adjustment.

I'm grateful for the training, encouragement, and support that Keller Williams Realty provides for growing our businesses. I've actually been preparing for this for awhile, but the fear of the unknown and unfamiliar was still greater than my belief that it's the right path for me.

Until now, anyway. As uncomfortable as it will be, I do believe this is where God is leading me.

“Personal growth is not a matter of learning new information but unlearning old limits.” Alan Cohen

Wish me luck!

One of my team leaders at my office posted the following on Facebook. It's perfect for the start of a new year, so I'm sharing it with you.

Excerpts from “My New Year Wish” by Neil Gaiman-

May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art — write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.

…I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind.

I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

It's a New Year and with it comes a fresh opportunity to shape our world.

So this is my wish, a wish for me as much as it is a wish for you: in the world to come, let us be brave – let us walk into the dark without fear, and step into the unknown with smiles on our faces, even if we're faking them.

And whatever happens to us, whatever we make, whatever we learn, let us take joy in it. We can find joy in the world if it's joy we're looking for, we can take joy in the act of creation.

So that is my wish for you, and for me. Bravery and joy.

Be kind to yourself in the year ahead.

Remember to forgive yourself, and to forgive others. It's too easy to be outraged these days, so much harder to change things, to reach out, to understand.

Try to make your time matter: minutes and hours and days and weeks can blow away like dead leaves, with nothing to show but time you spent not quite ever doing things, or time you spent waiting to begin.

Meet new people and talk to them. Make new things and show them to people who might enjoy them.

Hug too much. Smile too much. And, when you can, love.

I wish you all a healthy, happy, blessed 2021, full of love, mistakes and growth!
I blinked and somehow it’s November, so Happy Thanksgiving!

November 25, 2020

It is a glorious autumn day here in Long Hollow.

The window behind my monitor is filled with cloudless blue sky and shimmering leaves of orange and gold.

Tomorrow I will be focused on cooking and celebrating with a few of my kids, so today I'm indulging myself with reflection and the sharing of a few major "sweets" since my last post in May.

First and foremost, we have a new grandson!

Because of COVID, I haven't been able to spend as much time with him as I did his big brother (who turned 2 in June!) but I'm grateful his mom is so good about sharing photos and videos.

I did snap this one of my baby and his baby, though.

Any minute now my middle son will be walking through the front door and Belle will go nuts!

She hasn't seen him in a few weeks because in October he started a new job in the Dallas area. He loves it!

While I miss him being in Austin, I am grateful he was given this opportunity for change and growth and he grabbed it.

I had a couple of days on the beach in Port Aransas, thanks to my daughter and her husband who let me join them for a part of their get-away.

They had a condo right on the beach.

Definitely one of my happy places!

The real estate market here hasn't slowed down a bit!

(Which is why I'm especially grateful for that escape to the beach!)

Happy hours, classes, masterminds with Gary Keller, and a convention, all via Zoom!

Even my grandson's 2-year-old birthday party!

I experienced a drive by birthday for a 90-year-old friend and a drive by baby shower.

I've been intentional about sorting through photos in albums I inherited from my parents, grandmothers, and aunt.

Eventually I'll mail them to my relatives.

Our 13-year-old grandpuppy came for a visit in July as the new baby's arrival became imminent.

We've always enjoyed having her and she loved being a country dog.

It was meant to be a temporary visit, but she was soon diagnosed with bladder cancer.

I became very familiar with doggy diapers.

I'm grateful we were able to care for her in her last months, giving my son and his wife peace of mind about their first "baby" while working from home and handling the challenge of two little ones.

And I'm grateful she was able to meet her new little brother.

She was always a wonderful big sister.

Despite the turmoil and sadness and challenges that have surrounded us in 2020, I am especially grateful that my own family has remained COVID-free and employed.

I know there are so many who haven't been that fortunate, but I pray they are still able to find some beauty and goodness in each day.

May God bless each one of you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Remember God's bounty in the year. String the pearls of His favor. Hide the dark parts, except so far as they are breaking out in light! Give this one day to thanks, to joy, to gratitude!

~Henry Ward Beecher
This is where it starts (thoughts on Memorial Day)

May 25, 2020

This is a repost originally published on my other blog almost 5 years ago. I was thinking about it this morning and felt it was a fitting tribute to those we are remembering on Memorial Day. I'm proud to say this young Airman is now my son-in-law.

I was honored to attend the Air Force Boot Camp graduation last weekend of my daughter's boyfriend. It was two days of ceremonies plus leave, then two days of leave.

A lot of time to be away from home and my business, but who knows when they'll see each other again?

The actual Graduation Day fell on September 11.

It was a reminder that there are a lot of people working hard to ensure the freedoms we enjoy and take for granted every day.

And for some reason, every day more young men and women sign up to do it, even though they don't get paid much, they are ordered around, and have to pay for things they are required to have.

Most of us would raise hell if that happened in our jobs.

They just feel it's an honor to serve.

Very humbling.

All I can offer are photos.

The drummers caught my eye, of course.

These two young men fulfilled their requirements to become United States citizens while also performing the challenges of boot camp.

They were sworn in during the ceremonies of the first day.

A wonderful thing to witness!

Each new airman was awarded a coin to commemorate the end of boot camp.

After the ceremony, the airmen had to remain standing at attention until they were tapped out by a friend or family member.

On the second day, they donned their blues and hit the parade ground for the graduation ceremony.

It is often a life of separation from loved ones, for loved ones.

Kisses and hugs aren't taken for granted.

My prayers and gratitude go with them all!

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