About a week ago, Hannah and I planted some flower seeds in three flower pots. I put them of the front porch and we promised to water them daily. Every day, when we walked past the pots, Hannah would check to see if the seeds had started to grow.

I have never seriously planted anything in my life  in seed form and had no idea how long it would take to see anything growing. Two days ago, as we walked by she said "Mommy it's growing......see it?" I peeped into the pots and saw nothing but dirt. No evidence of anything growing. Hannah on the other hand declared in her 3 year old know it all tone, that she sawsomething.

Well wouldn't you know, the very NEXT day, green was above the soil. The flowers are growing! When I showed Hannah she said, "See, Mommy I told you." She knew we had planted seeds and she was expecting something to grow. She saw with faith eyes the flowers forming before they actually did. I am the queen of faith. I believe all things are possible and refuse to accept anything other than what it is supposed to be but this little conversation with my daughter reminded me that I was not seeing our flowers with faith eyes. I needed to get on board. I was slipping!

I was waiting on a physical manifestation as opposed to seeing the beautiful blooms before the beautiful bloom.

Thank you Hannah Alexandria Perry for reminding Mommy of exactly what faith is. Plant a seed. Expect the harvest. Receive the harvest. Period! See the harvest when there is only dirt in the ground. Feel the softness of the petals before they bloom. Smell the fragrance before any is produced.

I got it baby girl.
You are right. You told me.

It is said that the highest form of flattery you can give someone is to imitate them. Imitate their dress, their personage, their body of work. That may be true but imitation robs one of creative expression and is not solid.

Your personage and body of work should be uniquely yours. God created you an original so be who you are. Do what you do. Sure, all successful people have mentors. Guides. People that are trustworthy to offer advice and support. That however, is not to be abused.

Whatever you do in life has to stand on it's own legs if it is going to survive. You cannot ride someone else's coat tails. You must stand on your own. Your body of work if compromised by imitation will be unsuccessful because that in its core is dishonesty.

Dishonesty will not be rewarded and it will not prosper. Why was precious creative energy being what already is. Be who you are and that always will be good enough!

Ummmm is the place I am in right now and it feels so good. When I sit back and take my life in, my response is ummm. You know the ummm you make when you are enjoying a bowl of your favorite icecream or eating a piece of triple chocolate cake layed in a rum sauce and whipped cream? Or the ummmm you make when you are experiencing a heated stone massage with just the right pressure?

My life is good. I have moved out of struggle into peace. I like the woman that I am. I like the mother that I am. I like to partner that I am. I understand my relationship with God and I am at peace with my conflicts, my humanity. I understand Who He is to Me and what He is to me. I rest in the safety of His arms.

Make no mistake about it, I am not suggesting that my life is cookie cutter perfect and that adversity does not exist, I am simply saying that whatever comes my way, it comes to pass. I am more than a conquerer and that is good enough for me.

So enjoy your day and get the "ummmm" of your life on. It feels wonderful!

Relishing in the moment. Enjoying the sun....set. Watching the birds settle into their home for the evening. Feeling the warm air, sippin something sweet.  Admiring the beauty of the hour.....not wanting it to end. Inhale.......no exhale. No, not yet.

I am so grateful for the life I have, the bullets I was pushed from in front of, my lessons, my faults, my successes, my victories. They are all an intricate part of the woman that I am. I am not perfect by any means but I am truthful. I am willing to face the ugliness within myself in an effort to be a more beautiful spirit.

I have made some interesting choices. I hold some challenging positions but I stop fighting with the person that I am. I fully embrace my wonder....my splendor.....my dana-ess. It ain't always pretty but it's always me. If God loves me unconditionally, I can love me unconditionally. Hell, if He can deal with me....who am I not to.


My life. My lessons. My story~
A masterpiece in the making, clay on a potters wheel. may not look like much now but masterpieces never do.........................

I am quiet because I am listening.

We are  already in the seventh month of 2011. Time seems to be moving at lightening speed and I want it to slow down just a a bit.

My son is half way to adult hood. My daughter will be starting school next year and it seems like I just had both of them in my arms yesterday. I held Evan extra tight before he left to be with my ex-husband for his half of the summer. I know when he returns, he will be inches taller. Evan is starting his own online business that I encourage and he is quiet the basketball player and model student. He is smart as a whip and is starting to notice the opposite sex. I told him that if a little girl comes to my door, I am just going to slam it!

My daughter, Hannah does not want me to do anything for her anymore. At 3 years old, she folds her own clothes (not neatly but it will do), makes her own bed, picks up her toys and tries to even bathe herself. Whenever I try to help she declares "Mommy, I can do it!".

We are already cooking together and so far she has scrambling the eggs in the bowl down. She is such a little mini me. I love her confidence and that she wants to be so independent but  slow down already. I enjoy being a Mommy. You both are moving too fast. Moving too fast.

I love Miami. I love the rich, food. Cuban coffee, cuban cigars and the music.  My salsa classes still come in handy as I rock to the latin groove with the locals.

There is a spot on South Beach that makes a rum banana bread pudding that use to call my name in the middle of the night when I lived here. Nikki's still have the sweetest and juiciest crab legs I have ever tasted and the Royal Palm's (MIA's only black owned five star hotel) suites over looking the Ocean makes it to easy to sleep in when it is time to get up. The sounds of the waves crushing against the sand is music to my ears and the saltiness in the air makes me thirst for something sweet. If I close my eyes and listen in the midnight hour, I can hear what I normally can't. This place makes me feel wide open....more alive.

MIA is known as the place where the world's most beautiful people play and let me say when in MIA you play hard. I do not ever want to go home. Looking forward to the day when MIA is home.....again.
At least a few months out of the year.

I have decided that my family is going TV free. I had my cable service disconnected for a summer trial run.
One, I have concluded that my children (my son in particular) spends too much time in front of the idiot box. Hannah is in love with Elmo and Barney (and she can watch DVD's of her fav characters).

TV is a distraction and it consumes precious time.  Our family game nights is often interrupted by what is on.
We enjoy watching American Idol together, Master Chef and I love the food network, Barefoot Contessa is my favorite but enough already.

After consuming my last episodes of Basket Ball Wives and SIngle ladies, I have had enough. Although, I like Single Ladies, I will have to indulge and catch the episodes via web. We will be spending our summer, learning to plant flowers in a bed, playing in the yard, riding our bikes and discovering new things.  Our new home is conducive for entertaining with a wrap around porch, beautiful deck, breath taking sun room and lots of space!  Dinner parties, Ladies night, Book Clubs, sleep overs, etc. etc. The t.v will be off, but fun will be on!
Hannah has toys she has never played with and Evan has books he has never read. Ummm....not!

Evan is working on his own business and I have confiscated his DSI and Xbox remote. He is limited during the summer months to two hours of video play and one hour during the school year. He gets the remotes back when he turns his in one page report summarizing the book he read for the day.  I refuse to have lazy, inept, dumb kids. It is not an option. Hannah will be on tour with me promoting Hannah the Great, and Evan will be along side of me selling his stuff.  More on that later. His project is to work on his website and have it ready to go before school starts.

I am serious about education and business. I want my kids to enjoy their childhood and have balance but we must also have responsibility and accountability.  I am not removed from the situation. Less tv for me means more writing and fresh ideas. And the bonus will be a peaceful, quiet home full of engaged people who actually like spending time with each other.....and do.