September 29, 2008....

Today was not the funnest day. It was Monday to begin with. Of course, as I complain to my mom on the phone that it is Monday and I am stressed out I pass Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital and there is an adolescent boy on the lawn in a wheelchair enjoying the sunshine...so I shut up quickly.

I then went to meet my friend Tami for dinner. My mind is full of the images I saw on the news today. The stock market, the bailout failure, I am worried about the economy, my job security, how will I take care of myself and my mom, if and when that need arises. I tend to be a "downer" at times, I prefer to call it being a "realist". My ever so optimistic man is starting to rub off just a little on me. I almost canceled tonight and just went home by myself. But thankfully, I didn't.

Here is what I would have missed if I had:
1. Seeing that little boy at the hospital...a gentle reminder that life is not as bad as it seems, that there is always someone who suffers more than we will know, and in spite of any circumstance we are in..sunshine seems to make everything a little easier to deal with.

2. Snorting more times than I can count at my crazy friend from Savannah who grew up alot like me and understands that going barefoot in public places will not kill you, although it is not a desirable trait, that there are coupons to be found for everything on earth and the best lip gloss shade should just be named "LIP".

3. Finally getting to try hair extensions on and wondering WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE THINKING??? Ouch....

4. Listening to Delilah as I drove home and hearing a husband call in to request a song and let his wife know that even though he can't always verbalize how much he loves her, he does with all his heart and soul. Setups like that make a love song EVEN better...

So, that is my blog for today, Monday September, 29, 2008.

Assorted New Stuff

Hey Ya'll,

I can't believe the year is flying by like this. Wow. So much has happened, 2008 has really been an amazing year for me, personally and professionally. ALL AROUND, it has been LOVELY!!

I just had the opportunity the last week of August to go to my hometown of Manning, SC to the school district I grew up in and give out a pair of shoes to every child in the Manning Early Childhood Center courtesy of Soles4Souls. Clarendon County has a poverty index of 80.6%, 71% of the children in the county live in single parent homes and this part of the state is along the I-95 corridor, where the median poverty index is 82.7%.

The children's ages ranged from 3 years old to first grade, and it was such an amazing day! I met so many beautiful children, and got to fit them with a new pair of clogs that they could wear. I saw, tickled, and touched tons of little toes and feet and got millions of hugs and kisses and sweet moments with the kids. It was a great opportunity and I owe a BIG thank you to the volunteers, teachers and staff of MECC, especially Betty Harrington, the principal.

I was reminded that day how powerful the human touch is. The kids had never seen me before and some of them were so shy, but taking the time to stop and chat with them and reach out to them was eye opening to me, they warmed up so quickly.

I will now be working with Soles4Souls more as a spokesperson, something I am honored and thrilled to be doing!

Have a great weekend, more later...
Tif