Happy Birthday Miss Bee!

       ‎20 years ago yesterday a beautiful baby girl was born, we named her after my favorite English authors & poets the Bronte sisters...think Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre. And the female version of my husband's middle name Alan, her name Bronte Alana. We truly felt blessed with her arrival since we had several scares during my pregnancy. Labor and delivery was quick & fairly easy. She was healthy had all ten fingers & toes. Dark hair, big eyes.. A true beauty. I couldn't believe how lucky I was to have first a son, then a daughter...it was just how I had imagined it to be.

She has the most amazing smile!

    I discovered though that things don't always remain as you imagine! She was definitely different than my son. She went from crawling to running! There was no real walking time. She always seemed to be going somewhere fast & important, reminiscent of the White Rabbit of Alice in Wonderland.

    There was a time that we couldn't get her out of a dress. Which really was fine by me...both my mother-in-law & I truly enjoyed buying dresses for this little princess of ours. Let me also say that she ruined plenty of those dresses! She was outside playing rougher than any of the neighborhood kids...climbing trees, riding bikes, throwing rocks and just plain getting dirty!  I remember one neighbor lady, who had two boys of her own say to me "She looks so sweet & innocent ...until you get to know her!" WHAT?! She later clarified her answer by explaining that she always was so "girly" looking with her dresses & hair bows but had this strong will & confidence about her that let the boys (who were all older) know she wasn't going to take any of their shenanigans.

Look how sweet! Christmas 2005...oh how they grow!

       She has always been a GREAT kid! Intelligent, confident, full of laughter & a beautiful spirit. Yesterday, was the first birthday that we didn't get to spend together. There was no special dinner of her choice or cake at Honeybee Cottage. My mother's heart ached but my head told me that she is pursuing her dream, her goals & there is no way that I would take that away from her..ever. That's the toughest part of motherhood for me...not always having them with me...it was a wake up call for me. I became fully aware yesterday that she is on her path to adulthood.

       She has always dreamt of becoming a mermaid! Silly, I know, but I encouraged it by telling her she could be anything she imagined or wanted to be. Now my beautiful girl is on her way to becoming her version of that dream...studying to be a Marine Biologist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

      I was once asked if I ever wonder what it would be like to not have as many children...five kids is a lot. Honestly, no I don't. Each of my children has given me something. They provide me as much joy, sense of pride & accomplishment than anything I have ever done in my life.. they are the best part of me. I truly couldn't imagine ever having less.

All lined up by age: Laban, Gillian (my niece & child of the heart), Bronte, Zane, Simone & Kiernan

      Without her, I would have missed some of life's greatest mysteries.  She is an exceptional person.Whom I am proud to call my daughter. My wish for her is that she realizes all her talents & dreams. To never compromise for anyone else; follow her own star (even if it is a sea star). People see her beauty, her selfless spirit, her grace, the way she owns her own life – and are awed. She has a wonderful sense of idealism, a voice that drives her, & a promise of achievements yet to come. She has the power to carry her dreams & talents to fruition. She inspires me. She has the desire to make the world a better place & I have no doubt that she will. She already has. Her Dad & I  see her determination & ability to be truly successful & happy in any & all endeavors. She is one of my greatest sources of pride & hope for the future.

 Happy Birthday Miss.Bee.

 Love you always,

XOXO~Mom

The Pursuit of Happiness

Dear Honeybee Cottage,
  
         In this day & age, the days, weeks, months & seasons seem to fly past me at a breakneck speed. The simple pleasures that I once celebrated as a child now seem to often get overlooked. I was reminded of this recently when we experienced winter's first snowflake...then what seemed to be a deluge of snow. It was a glorious sight! There is something to be said about the glory of all that white! 

Blanket of white on my lilac tree

        In my Grandparents time, the four seasons were linked with traditions and certain activities. The seasons were savored & celebrated for what each had to offer:

Arrival of Autumn gold

Dezi (our Scottish Terrier) in Winter's first snow

Sprouting of spring daffodils

Sipping lemonade on a hot summer's day

 So I have declared that my wish for each of us is to step off the dreary highway of today's accelerated life & to find happier moments with our family & friends. 

The highway doesn't look as dreary from here

I realize that at the end of a long grueling week that it is often hard to know how or where to begin...let alone muster the energy to do it!

Miss. Emma (my English Bulldog) 

   Hopefully, this is where we help each other out. I love traditions & am going to share my seasonal traditions with you (as I hope you will yours). My belief is that family traditions, no matter how simple, are what creates the cement that holds families together. There is nothing more joyful than four generations (or more) sitting down sharing memories & swapping stories. These are the ties that bind.
          Grab a cup of tea & come back often to join me in the pursuit of happiness & life's simple pleasures.

Are you there?

Dear Honeybee Cottage,
    Here it is my very first post. I am not sure what I expect from this blog or if anything...all I keep thinking is:
Are you there? Is there anyone there?
     It seems a little strange to have a conversation with "nobody". Hopefully I will find a few readers, make a few friends and maybe, just maybe, I will find that keeping a diary of my family & home will do me some good. What I know for sure is that I want to share the love of my cottage & family.