Strange Fortune

“An hour with one friend is worth more than ten with strangers.”

Lately I have not had enough time with my friends. Spending a lot of time with strangers – nature of retail, but not enough with friends. We will message back and forth about getting together for a girl’s night, but it hasn’t happened recently.

These ladies, these amazing friends that I treasure – I miss them. We connected through our kids at various points in our lives and blessedly, even though our kiddos have grown (mostly) we have been able to maintain the connection. Even if we don’t talk or see each other on a regular basis, we click when we are together.

I am blessed to know these women and men. (Yes, I am one of those people who believe you can be friend with a man without ending up sleeping with him.) God puts these people in your life for a reason. We may never know why we connect with the cashier at Albertson’s or the Mom at your son’s first basketball practice – who ends up being like the sister you never had.

There are people that enter your life everyday – you might meet them through your kids, through work, standing in the line at the grocery store. Maybe they are one of the strangers that you end up spending ten hours with. What matters is that you are open to letting them in.

I write this with a heavy heart, I miss my friends. Desperately, truly miss my friends. There is one incredible woman I miss and think about constantly – she is in my prayers, my thoughts and my heart. If there was anything she asked for, I would be there.

I am actually going to make this a fairly short post, because I am going to look and my calendar and see when I can get a girl’s night planned.  I think we all need to reconnect – couple of margaritas, some sangria and maybe a box…umm..bottle of wine!

“An hour with one friend is worth more than ten with strangers.”

Here’s hoping that I get ten hours with my friends!

With friendly vibes –

Vanilla Mama

PS- your lucky numbers…11, 13, 19, 21, 25, 28. If you win – take your best friend out!

Hard Fortune

Please, can I have for Christmas?

Advancement will come with hard work.

Promise? Really, can you promise me that? Cause, I have been working 60, 70 hours…sometimes more…and I seem to be spinning my wheels. 

It seems like the harder I work, the more I do, the further behind I fall. How is that possible?

I have two jobs right now – one I really enjoy and the other, I have been doing so long…I don’t know what else to do. The stress of both jobs together seem to be part of the fiber of my being, as does the constant clutter on the flat surfaces of my home. I really am an organized person trapped inside a hamster wheel of never ending tasks. 

The loves of my life…my family, my friends, my home, my writing – that is where I fall behind. The time that I spend with my family is precious. The time I spend with my friends I cherish. The hours I spend in my home – I crave! The moments I get to write, I long for. (Let’s not even mention crocheting, reading and taking some classes.)

I have friends that I consider family, God has blessed me with them. I have no blood sisters, but I have women in my life that I am honored to call my sisters. (We need a GIRL’S NIGHT!) When their hearts hurt, I hurt; when they have joy, I am happy. All of us are so busy with “hard work” and we struggle to find the time to dedicate to this amazing gift we have been given! 

I miss my family with a passion so great it hurts. I want to be there for my grandpa, or at least be able to call him on a regular basis! This amazing man that has survived so much – I look up to him and I am so proud of him! My aunts, uncles, cousins – too much time has passed since I have been able to be with you. My parents, my brother and his family – we used to have dinner almost every weekend. Recently we had a family game night with my brother and his family and I was struck by how much I MISS them! My Mom and Dad, they are a source of strength and inspiration to me. I appreciate their support and love and I hope they know how much I treasure them. (Lord knows, I have been remiss in telling and showing them!)

My husband – I consider us still newlyweds. We’ve been married 5 years and heaven only knows why this precious man puts up with me! He has a wonderful sense of humor, loyal heart and incredible mind, I am so blessed that he loves me! He is my rock and without him, without his love and support I would be lost. 

My own kiddos, I am sorry I cannot even begin to describe how much I miss spending time with them. My oldest, in college – I miss him, he is not terribly far, but it feels like a lifetime away. His caring heart, warm personality and infectious smile…I would prefer to have on a daily basis. My middle son, in high school – what a strong, funny and incredible young man. He is intuitive, random and makes me laugh and think all at the same time. His future is so bright! My little guy – what a trip every day. I have been raising these two older boys, ran a home daycare for 10 years and I have never run across a little boy like him. I can’t wait (oh, wait – YES I can) to see the man he will become. Each of my kiddos, each of their beating hearts and working minds are such a blessing to me and I would/will move heaven and earth to experience each moment I can with them. 

I have truly digressed – 

Advancement will come with hard work. 

I am not afraid of hard work. What I am afraid of is losing precious moments with the people I love. 

Advancement is something I need to be able to support my family, to be able to help them realize their dreams. I will work hard to make sure that I am able to lift them up in any way I can.

To all my online friends that read and follow me…thank you for your patience with me. I know that I am not very consistent with my posts. I do follow back and I do read as much as I can. Thank you! 

Plugging Away here ~

Vanilla Mama

BTW – Seriously, I NEED to start playing some of these numbers…maybe my hard work would be a thing of the past. 24, 33, 37, 41, 42, 44.

Fortune of Good News

“Good news will be brought to you by mail.”

Please! Please! I could use a little good news…no more bills, just good news. And, NO I don’t count the Publishers Clearinghouse!

When I think about it, and it doesn’t take much thought, I don’t get much mail. I get plenty of bills, sales notices, coupons, but not letters. What is even sadder is I don’t send mail. I don’t even get Christmas cards out most of the time, let alone birthday cards, Thank You notes, just everyday thinking of you cards. Ask anyone who has known me for years…I am great at emailing, I respond on facebook, I text like a mad woman possessed. But, a simple letter, well frankly, I suck!

Yes, there is my confession. Ask my pen pal in Germany from the 9^th grade, oh…wait, you can’t, I wrote ONE letter! Ask a lovely, lovely lifelong friend in New York, ask my family. They will all tell you I suck!

It is a strong way to put it, but I am a realist if nothing else (except when I am wearing my rose colored glasses) and I know it, I own it. I wish I could say, I will work hard to change it, but I know it would probably be a lie. I wouldn’t mean it to be. In my heart I see a neat clean organized desk with lovely Marthaesque stationary where I would sit with a LeBlanc pen and write heartfelt notes to my loved ones. As I gaze upon my desk…umm, kitchen table…I have a nice basket with stationary and envelopes, I also have a pile of paperwork and bills to plow through. Where will that stationary end up?

Why do I even have it out? Because I sent my son in college a care package. Yes, me the queen of not sending mail, I sent a care package. It had coffee, boxers (sorry Pop!), school supplies, an awesome Papo Mutant Gorilla and a letter on my stationary telling him how proud of him I am. I cannot tell you how excited I was for him to get his package, I know he loved it, he was on the phone when he opened it. I will see him this next weekend, so I probably won’t send him a care package this week – but I look forward to surprising him.

“Good news will be brought to you by mail.”

In this day and age of the fast and faster gratification, tweeting and posting, I don’t hold out much hope of good news in the mail. What is truly sad - most of the good news I get in my email inbox is just a chance to order Viagra at 20% off with free shipping or I have won the Lottery in Sweden based on my email address. I know you have the same emails, sitting in your junk box…

THAT’s WHAT I NEED!! A Junk Box for my MAIL box!! If only the mail man could filter it as he puts it in my box – Bed, Bath and Beyond mail – Ok! To Current Resident – JUNK! I could even set it up for him, a separate slot and everything. But, since it is probably the Junk Mail we receive that actually keeps our tried and true Mail Men/Women in service, I shouldn’t complain too much. I just need to send more MAIL!

Maybe if I would send more mail, I wouldn’t rely on my Ebay or Amazon purchases to make my mail nirvana happen….

Live, Laugh, Love~

Vanilla Mama

PS…Your lucky numbers: 11, 13, 15, 26, 35, 40 – Oh 40, I am going to face you down next year! I am finally starting to feel the age I am in my heart.

Frugal Fortune

Frugal Fortune

“You shouldn’t overspend at the moment. Frugality is important.”

As our country dives deep, deep, deep into debt with numbers that if my 5-year old would ask if possible, I would say – of course not…that will never happen to you! But, it is. It is happening to all of us.

We are raising the debt ceiling, our credit rating is falling…does any of this sound familiar? Is this happening to you?

Is the United States government finally facing the reality that most Americans face every day?

Too many finical obligations….too little cash.

Where do you make cuts? Where do you choose not to spend your money? (as I sit here with acrylic nails that are desperately in need of a fill, unpainted toe nails and gray roots showing…store brand staples in my cabinet and Groupon pinging off the roof…) Small changes are happening here. A coupon diva I am not – post about that later.

The government choices are much harder. But, I think that if some of the trust fund babies that can afford to get elected would give up some of their benefits…it might make a difference, a small one.

We live in an entitled society. From the Congress Man who is entitled to a lifetime of benefits and retirement for his service, to the poor who are entitled to health care (– and as a member of the uninsured for a couple of years – I DO NOT say this lightly!), to the 16 year old who is entitled to a new car, to the 4 year old wanting a cool toy with his Happy Meal. (and Apples Fries!)

“You shouldn’t overspend at the moment. Frugality is important.”

On a more personal level…I have a son going into college. Thank God for Pell Grants, for scholarships, for parents working together to put him through college, for grandparents offering an amazing amount of support. But – all the same, it is an expense. He is moving…moving…(getting into emotional territory with no tissue available) to another state. There are expenses. Being frugal is very important, overspending must be avoided, we need to try to set an example.

I want my son to grow up without debt, without unnecessary financial obligations. I want my children to not rely on our government for their welfare, I want them to be financially independent.

The same with everything…I have to try to set the example, and I will admit, I am not always the best, our government is not the best, but I pray that they learn from example. In some cases, we all must learn for the example of what NOT to do! I always stress the importance of education to my kiddos…I never finished college, did not finish medical transcription training…at this point, I am where I am. I am entering a new phase in my life, I want to write…but have little time raising 3 kiddos, being a wife, having 2 jobs – I feel like my house will never come together, I am not spending enough time with my family, my parents, my spouse, my friends, on my jobs, on my writing, on myself…I am overspent. Overspent finically, emotionally and physically…I need to learn to be more frugal. Smarter about my time, smarter about my money, pay more attention to politics and turn my air up to 80 to avoid the rolling blackouts that may happen here in Texas.

“You shouldn’t overspend at the moment. Frugality is important.”

How do you try to live this fortune? How are you frugal and avoid overspending? Tell me, I want desperately to find the balance I need.

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

Cannot forget the lucky number…is it the path to financial independence or just another unnecessary expense? I promise to let you know, if you do!

16, 17, 20, 26, 29, 30

(as a side note…all of these are AGES I have passed…SIGH!)

Coming up will be a money saving post, and hopefully a couple of book blurb posts…

Worthy Fortune

“Past experience: He who never makes mistakes never did anything that’s worthy.”

Boy, I have made some mistakes in my life!

What have I learned? Never, Never believe the color that is on the box (esp. when you buy it on clearance it Kroger), never drink cheap wine…never do them both at the same time! There is nothing worse than a hangover with orange hair.

I have made worse mistakes to be sure, but most of them I am not willing to share in open company. But, what I will tell you is that from these mistakes I have grown as a person.

There is no better teacher than experience, sure there is a lot you can learn from books…but, unless that book hits you upside the head and takes you down a notch will it actually help you move forward in your life?

Maybe…maybe not. Same can be said for making a mistake, can you learn from a mistake? Maybe…maybe not.

It depends on if you are open to even admitting that you’ve made one.  

Accepting responsibility for a mistake is something that has become as rare as a day without a reality tv show in the primetime lineup. To grow, to move forward, to do something worthy after a mistake requires that atypical step of taking the blame…and the consequences.

Past experience, something worthy?

I will say that my past experience has brought me here…I have three wonderful children, a wonderful hubby, a great job and I am writing this blog…is it worthy, I hope so! I am a product of everything I have done, and all that I have been through…so, I will...

Live, Laugh, Love~

Vanilla Mama

Will my mistake be not playing these numbers? Maybe, but I will try to learn from it –

3, 20, 14, 5, 42, 10

PS - Gotta give a huge shout out to Jen over at Makobi Scribe who featured me as a guest post! Check it out by clicking here.

Finishing Fortune

“Never give up until you reach the finish line.”

I am trying, boy I am trying, but it really seems as if the finish line keeps moving? Or maybe it’s not that but that I have so many different finish lines.

Every day is a series of deadlines of some sort. There is a flight to book, a contract to write, a web page to update…that’s for one job. There are shipments to receive, guests to help, sales to make…that’s another job. There are kids to get to school (work), dinners to make, scholarships to apply for, insurance claims to file and follow up on, and time to spend with them all before everyone grows up…that’s a whole other ball of wax that I call my life.

At this point the only finish line I seem to be focusing on is the one that hits at the end of each day. You know the one…BEDTIME!! Glass of red wine, pajamas, kiddos to bed (hopefully), computer shut down, TV turned off and audio book in my ears to fall asleep to.

“Never give up until you reach the finish line.” Since for tonight my finish line is bedtime, I will never give up until that time hits. One more load of clothes in the dryer, a load of dishes to put away, one last webpage to tweek, one final email to send off…I won’t give up until I reach the finish line! (I just need to stop moving that one back!!)

Live, Laugh, Love~

Vanilla Mama

PS – Wouldn’t you love to reach your finish line with the winning lottery numbers, I might push bedtime back and make the drive to Austin for that!!

41, 25, 27, 52, 11, 24

Lucky Fortune



Silly Dog and Tortuga



“You will be showered with good luck tomorrow.”

OH – PLEASE!! I could use a little.

I apologize for being MIA, I have had quite a bit on my plate. The opportunity I had hoped for came to pass, and today was my (very sad) last day at one full time job. My Pop graduates on Saturday from High School. They are coming to drill through my master bedroom closet for a slab leak and also into my garage floor to compare soil samples tomorrow. I cracked a tooth and it had a HOLE in it – got a filling in it yesterday and hoping I don’t end up with a root canal. Adopted a tortoise – named her Tortuga.

SOOO….needless to say as I am sitting here with my glass of Merlot with stacks of cloths piled around me that came out of my closet, I am actually feeling guilty as I sit to write. But honestly, I do not know where to start with anything that I need to do in the house. If I fold laundry, where will I put it? There is truly NO ROOM in my house that is not piled up, cluttered or otherwise screwed up! I am behind on my non-profit work, sad to leave one full-time job, totally excited to start another, emotional beyond belief over Pop’s graduating and overwhelmed by everything hitting at one time. Poor Tortuga to come into our home at this point in time – but I am hoping that the awesome collard greens I got her will make up for it!

“You will be showered with good luck tomorrow.”

All this being said, perhaps I should get a little cheese to go with my Whine?

I am SO blessed!! So Blessed! I have to praise this wonderful Creator of the Universe – I have a wonderful hubby, Pop, Tart and Frosting, a roof over my head, three jobs that don’t want to lose me (okay – technically two right now, but the FT job I just left offered to keep me on part-time.), a good dog, a tortoise and amazing friends and family to share it with!

The fact that I can get up each morning and face the day – I am showered with good luck, love and fortune (cookies).

Thanks for your prayers and support –

Live, Laugh, Love~

Vanilla Mama

Lucky Numbers – 1, 2, 29, 36, 40, 47. If you are showered with good luck, please let me know!!!

Exciting Fortune

“An exciting opportunity lies ahead of you.”

Oh man, I hope so! I really, really hope so! I have been praying for change lately and part of my prayer was, “Lord, I know that you have something planned for me. Please, lead me to it.” A few things have transpired just by listening to that inner voice that I call the Holy Spirit. I am not going to go into a lot of detail in my post today, because I don’t know anything for certain yet…I am in Wait Mode.

You know what Wait Mode is, right? It is that limbo between knowing and not knowing. Taking the test and waiting for the grade. Having your pictures taken and waiting to see if you look fat in them. Setting up a blog and hoping people read. Going into labor and having the baby…Wait Mode. That feeling in the pit of your stomach while you…just…wait…and wait…and it has only been A DAY!

I do not do Wait Mode well. Seriously, let me say that again – I do not do Wait Mode well. Despite the fact that I am a patient person, this is killing me. It’s like watching paint dry while someone is scratching on a chalk board. Especially today!

Imagine my joy when I got this Fortune today, “An exciting opportunity lies ahead of you.”

I know, I know…I cannot put a whole lot of stock into a Fortune Cookie when it comes to life decisions, but give a girl a break! Maybe God is telling me something.

Every day we are given opportunities, some possibly more exciting than others. It could be the opportunity to make a new friend, give someone support, change jobs, grow closer to your husband and children.

While I am waiting for my exciting opportunity to come through, (please, please, please God – I am not above begging…ummm…praying extra hard!) I am going to try to take my opportunity and let God’s grace work through me and give me some peace today knowing that He has this. No matter what happens, if this exciting opportunity comes to pass or not, if another exciting opportunity will come along. Besides – my Fortune Cookie told me so!

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

OOOhhhh….here is an exciting opportunity for you: 10, 15, 29, 31, 35, 44. And as always, if you win – please take the opportunity to share with your Vanilla Mama!

A to Z Challenge - L

A to Z Challenge – L

L is for Lover! Now, Now…don’t get all hot and bothered it is not that kind of Blog!

Yesterday I got my Hot and Sour soup fix taken care of at PeiWei (found a ROCK in my rice, but that’s another story!), and my friend who knows that I love Fortune Cookies grabbed a big ole hand full of them for me. Out of this new influx of Fortunes I grabbed on – “You are a LOVER of words, someday you should write a book.”

My wonderful hubby and I looked at each other, we have been trying to fit more time in for me to write – this blog is a writing exercise of sorts for me. I have so many things inside my head that I need to get out, writing these short little posts helps me to organize my thoughts.  It gets my mind moving again – it has been stagnant for way too long, dormant in a world of busies.

I actually have written a book, I had it published, I got some great reviews had a handful of book signings and then got busy with everyday life. It is really easy to push aside something that you love, that you are a LOVER of. I am a lover of words, how they fit together form a thread and story. When you are a lover of something, there is a certain amount of guilt associated with it.

I do feel guilty when I am sitting here in my padded seat at my kitchen table with paperwork strewn everywhere. I do feel guilty when there is laundry piled up on the bed that needs folding. I do feel guilty when there is a sink full of dirty dishes – I feel so guilty through all of this when I am sitting here being a lover, it is like an affair of the heart.

Choices, balance – I am not really good at them. For many years I made the choice to say that I will start writing again tomorrow…recently I realized that tomorrow never comes.  Did you know that? Think about that for just a second….Tomorrow never really comes, because no matter what it is always today. Today I am sitting here wishing that I could get my life together tomorrow, today I am sitting here wishing that I have time tomorrow to do yoga, today I am wishing that I sit down and make the outline for my next book tomorrow….but tomorrow NEVER comes. It is always today – I need to do these things TODAY. Otherwise the list grows, the piles grow, the depression grows.

L is for Lover – (Again THANK you Dictionary.com)

I am going to skip the first 3 definitions, they don’t apply!

4. a person who has a strong enjoyment or liking for something, as specified: a lover of music.

5. a person who loves, especially a person who has or shows a warm and general affectionate regard for others: a lover of mankind.

What are you a lover of? I am a lover of my family, a lover of my wonderful hubby, a lover of Pop, Tart and Frosting, a lover of words.

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

BTW – THANK YOU so much Danni, I am honored that you selected me for the Stylish Blogger Award! Tomorrow (yes, I know what I just said – but REALLY!), I will get the badge up and pick my winners too!

BBTW - LUCKY NUMBERS - 10, 13, 18, 31, 35, 36

Touching Fortune

“You have the ability to touch the lives of many people.”

How true is this? I think that this is true of everyone. From the cashier at your local retail outlet to the President of the United States – everyone has the ability to touch the lives of many people.

How do we touch people? Do we make a minimal impact, barely remembered after the door closes? A negative impact – cringing and avoidance? A positive impact that makes people actually smile on the inside when they think of you? Do people put their guard up around you or do they look forward to being around you?

Ugh – really this one is so sappy that it is a tough one to write and dig deep about.

Honestly, I know I have the ability to touch the lives of many people. If I didn’t realize that what kind of bubble would I be living in?

I don’t have the same chance that the President, a CEO or priest has, but I have my own little corner of the world that I touch. I have my family, my friends, co-workers, random strangers that I come across on a daily basis. In all truth, the random strangers are probably the hardest to “touch.” Mainly because so many of them at this point irritate me to no end…Ouch, did I just type that? Yes, Yes I did.

There seems to be a thoughtless stream of totally selfish, self absorbed, self centered people that I come across constantly. I am going to guess that they haven’t given a whole lot of thought about how they touch the lives of people around them – or if they have I don’t register on any kind of scale that matters.

In all seriousness, what kind of consequence am I to a total stranger as they are driving down the road and cut me off as I try to merge on the highway, to the point I am going to run into a concrete barrier? What kind of consequence am I to a rude person who swears at me over a DOLLAR price mistake (really happened – in front of a lot of people!) – the answer? None! Did they touch my life? YES – especially the overweight, middle aged, obviously balding man in a baseball cap that was so frustrated over a dollar that he felt like he had to yell and swear at me in front of an audience.  (The driver might have made a little more impact if I had crashed into the concrete barrier, but eventually he flipped me the bird and gave a little.)

To that person driving down the road who really felt it necessary to give me a parting gesture and then tailgate me to show his irritation that he had to actually obey the laws of traffic and force me into a concrete wall, to that person who apparently is so frustrated with their own menial life that he feels it necessary to belittle a lowly retail clerk – congratulations!!!  You have touched my life!!

“You have the ability to touch the lives of many people.”

Did you even realize that? Wow – you touched me, heart and soul, and have made me strive to be nothing like you and to never treat anyone that way. My hope for you is that you don’t have to have someone treat you like that to have that particular wake up call. My response to both of these situations could have taken that moment in a totally different direction. I could have flipped off the driver in return and slammed on the brakes, letting him crash us both into the wall…ummm, not a great idea! I could have gotten hostile back at the aging, turkey-hiney of an excuse for a man and called him out then and there for being a rude person – but, I did hold my tongue in check. Yes, I am going off a little right now, but I don’t honestly think this person would ever check out a silly little blog called Vanilla Mama’s Stuff – and if he ever did, he has probably done it to SO many other lowly clerks in his quest to feel better about his life, he wouldn’t recognize me! I offered to take care of the problem – I offered to fix what was wrong, but that was not what was wanted…I couldn’t make him happy, unless I was crying…that might have helped him feel better?!

In both cases it came down to a choice - and, I'll continue to make the same choice (I hope!).

“You have the ability to touch the lives of many people.”

So, if I have touched your life in some way, shape or form – I really hope it is positive. I hope that when you think about me you smile a little. If not, if for some reason you cringe when you think of me or you avoid me at all costs – I am sorry. I know that I am not everybody’s cup of tea but I will treat you to a cup of coffee and we can chat.

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

Lucky Numbers (cause think of the lives you could touch with a million dollars!): 16, 19, 35, 38, 42, 46.

FYI – I do not have anything against retail clerks – I am one! I do however notice that many people seem to think we as a customer service profession, are human targets to vent at. Next time you check out at a store – smile J! Most of us do this job because we like people – we’ll smile back. (At least I will!)

Twisted Fortune

“Be careful! Straight trees often have crooked roots.”

My first thought – DUH! Doesn’t every tree have crooked roots? Have you ever in your life heard about a tree having straight roots? For that matter, any living green thing with straight roots?

So, why would you need to be careful? Makes it sound like the crooked roots are dangerous –

If we compare ourselves to trees, and from time to time I identify myself with a willow tree, I am grateful to have a complex root system that I can feed from and get nourish from many different sources. Sometimes water is scarce and roots have to adapt in order to continue feeding the tree.

My sources in my crooked roots – I have my Bible, my faith, my family, my friends, my writing….all sources of strength and nourishment for me. Are my roots crooked? You betcha! There are many times in my life that I am in serious need of the strength that I can draw on from all my roots.

I have always read that in a forest many trees have a connected root system so that they can communicate and draw on each others resources – isn’t that how we are all? We are all connected somehow, deeply or more shallowly, and I am able to take nourishment from them and I hope they take nourishment from me.

 “Be careful! Straight trees often have crooked roots.”

What’s so dangerous about that?

I was talking to my 14 year old son about this, it is the fortune that he picked for me to write about – “What you see is not what you get.” So what if the crooked roots hide a dark and twisted nature? He has watched a few movies lately, The Stepfather and The Sitter, where you have seemingly perfect people enter your life and they turn out to be anything but. I will readily admit that I have not watched these movies, but based on his description (blow by blow), I see his point.

We all know these people that are not what they seem to be…we may even have a sense of it. They seem perfect, wonderful, but when you get a little deeper with them, their dark and twisted roots are a little scary. Then there is a choice to make, take them at face value and don’t dig deeper or weed them out of your life and root system. They are not nourishment for your tree (soul), they are a parasite that feeds off your energy.

There is one thing that I rely on, and in fact most trees do – my Tap Root. My relationship with Christ. It doesn’t matter how much I rely on my root system if I allow my Tap Root to wither. If it did then no matter how deep and complex my root system is – a strong storm may blow me over or tear up my root system.

I can’t speak for everyone, but honestly we all probably have a secret/twisted root that we hope never comes to the surface – but in the long run, it is part of who we are. I am a product of what I have done, where I have been and how I was raised. Everything I have ever been through is in my root system – everything you have been through is in yours.

Am I totally proud of everything I have done, of everything that is hidden in my root system – my crooked roots – of course not! I have made a very conscience choice though to let my tree grow straight (or straightish)!

Live, Laugh, Love ~

Vanilla Mama

Despite the constant mess that my desk – kitchen table – is in, I did manage to hold on to this fortune.  The lucky numbers are: 10, 23, 29, 31, 35, 40.