Posted in Personal Journal Blog

Happy 2024!


Paul looking out at Kapiti island

The last time I wrote on July 10, 2023, I was “waiting until the day…” for Paul, our stuff, and the dogs to arrive in NZ. They did and it has been bliss and stress. I realised that over the 5 months I was a non-dog mom, I had become very comfortable with not having the added stimulation and responsibility of having pets. It was nice, I could be selfish and think of myself and my schedule not theirs and there was no dog hair to clean up or additional pet cost. It’s taking a minute for me to get back into the swing of being a pet Grammy (Molly, Sabrina, and Zoe are the dog’s moms now). I love snuggling them and feel for them but I am ready to be all care and no responsibility.

2 Dogs at home

Paul arrived and it too has been a mixed bag of emotions. I am elated that he is by my side and love him with all of my heart but again the added stimulation of sharing my space has been difficult.

As I get older it seems like conversations, and the movement of the dogs and everyone in the house causes confusion that is sometimes hard for me to cope with. To my mind, a group of people talking is loud, and fast and feels almost aggressive when there are too many all at once. There is a lot of this when we are all home. We are a tight-knit family and love being together but looking back over our life I have noticed that I spent a lot of time slipping away to my quiet safe space, our room. I sit there and read, play solitaire, sudoku, and crossword, blog, and sometimes nap.

This is my way of coping with the overstimulation. I’ve done it my whole life and had not noticed it was a pattern until now. This is a healthy habit for me. I know when things become overwhelming I have a quiet space to go to where I can collect my thoughts and recharge. I’m taking care of me first and then everyone else and that’s ok.

Paul waiting for me and helping me down heaps of steps as we hike

Since Paul arrived there have been some beautiful memories made too. It has been wonderful laughing with him, seeing his sweet face daily, holding his strong hands, hiking with him, having a buddy to snuggle with while watching movies, and someone to wipe my tears when I cry. He is my best friend always and forever and I am thankful to have him by my side. I am no longer “waiting until the day…” it has arrived and not every day is perfect for anyone but my days are sweeter now that Paul is near, our immediate family is together, we live on the same continent as our children and we have our health, home and most importantly safety and love. Happy 2024 ♥️.

Unknown's avatar

Author:

I have had a wonderfully colorful life, rich with varied experiences. My ability as a singer and career as an administrative assistant/marketing communications manager; have presented me with a wide range of opportunities. I have been fortunate to work with and learn from some accomplished and intelligent business owners, executives and artists. I have explored the world, markets and non-profits I would have never dreamed of exploring. I started out performing in community theater then professionally in night clubs and working as a studio vocalist at the age of 12 in Naples Florida, my home town. My vocal studies began at the age of 8 with my mother who gave me my first vocal lessons. I have had the opportunity to learn with some talented vocal coaches since those lessons with my mother. With them I developed the ability to sing Classical, Jazz and Pop; which allowed me to make a living in the music industry for over 30 years, in America, Europe and NZ. I became proficient in handling the business end of performing and teaching and developed administrative skills that would be used more prominently later on in my life, which I cover further down in this piece. I managed all my own performance bookings and began promoting myself as an up and coming singer, beating the pavement in Nashville TN and learned how to sell my talents in a place where everyone and their mother can sing. Performing in front of large audiences has forced me to be more than skilled at holding my own. I have also been a studio singer and voice over artist, taught choir and private lessons and was the president of a local non-profit music school in NZ for 3 years. Once my husband and I began a family, my career focus shifted more to assisting others in their businesses, along with marketing and often selling their products. I took on the roles of Sales, Marketing Communications and Administrative Assistant full time. Environments where I have worked in these capacities have varied. The most joy I find in my career is having the ability to tap into my creative side where I have been encouraged to indulge in my love for creative and copy writing, both personally and for professionally. I worked in our own residential and commercial playground company and for a Website development/social media management company and cherished watching the birth of our new products become known to the public and seeing our client base grow. I have developed the skill for marketing and promoting products and services through the written word, but I am also a strong and persuasive sales person face to face. We moved from NZ where we had been for 12 yrs, back to Naples Florida in 2015. I took the position as the Administrative Assistant to the Pastor, at the church I grew up in. In my position there I used every skilled I had acquired over my lifetime, from administrative to performing as a vocalist/worship leader. I am a passionate employee and business woman and find it easy to fully immerse myself in my work while still finding joy in the day to day, what I do and the people in my life. My passions are still singing, promoting, creative writing, encouraging others to pursue their dreams while achieve their goals and being outdoors. I love my hometown of Naples and take advantage of all the beauty and outdoor opportunities it has to offer on a regular basis. Being an active person I work best when on the move and busy, socializing and intellectually stimulated. I also thrive in a situation where I have the opportunity to continue learning new skills. I work on being the best version of myself and strive to give it my best shot every day.

Leave a comment