Against my better judgment, I made a small comment on a politically related facebook post yesterday. I haven't made comments previously; I don't know why I didn't listen to that little voice telling me not to do it this time, but what's done is done. In response to my rather simple comment that in essence stated that neither the views of Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton fit what I wanted for America-I was called a part of the ignorant masses...apparently unwittingly spewing the conservative conspiracy theories. The response to my comment came from a complete stranger-someone I have never met, probably will never meet...someone who knows not one thing about me as a human being, and yet, because I don't share the same opinion, knows that I must be ignorant and brain-washed by the corrupt conservatives of the world out to get us all. And this, my friends, is what is wrong with America today.
That little response on social media got me thinking about how every one of us is special and unique. We all have our own stories and our own experiences that have shaped who we are today. My story started in a small town with two parents who were hard working and taught me the same values. We weren't rich, but we had all we needed in life. They did what all parents are ultimately supposed to do. They raised two children who became kind, hard-working, responsible adults.
I graduated from high school in that small town with plans to go out and conquer the world. I was going to college and I was going to do great things with my life...but at 18 and just a few weeks before starting college, I found out I was pregnant. That was certainly not part of the plan for my life, but as scared as I was, I didn't stop to think about what I was supposed to do and without telling my parents, I went off to college as a pregnant teen from a small town with no real experience in the world- because I was supposed to go to college...and nothing was going to stop me.
That first few months at school I was almost a normal college kid, except I was struggling with the decision of how to handle my pregnancy-there were options and I had to figure out the best one for me. Through morning sickness and heartburn and feeling the baby kick for the first time, I also had work and classes and studying. Oh the fun life of a college freshman. And then, on the first day of the Spring term my freshman year, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. A week later I was back in class...my dad took a week off from work to drive me to my classes and to take care of Nicol while I was in class. My parents, her dad and his parents were all great during that term, helping care for her while I finished school for the year.
When I came back for my sophomore year, we moved into family housing. Her dad and I were now both at MSU and raising a daughter together. For the next 3 years, I worked 29 hours a week, went to school full-time, studied and took care of a baby. I didn't ask for handouts, I never used medicaid or food stamps...I worked hard and sacrificed. And in four years, plus one additional Summer term to complete my internship, I graduated with my BA with a 2.95 GPA...not too shabby if you ask me and for many years my biggest accomplishment.
We made many other sacrifices over the years as we raised our daughter to be a kind-hearted, strong-willed, independent-minded, free-thinker not afraid to be who she wanted to be. I think we raised her well. She is a college graduate herself, having graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Kentucky. She is now off shaping young minds as she teaches reading comprehension to elementary school children.
Now that we've successfully done our jobs as her parents and sent her off into the world to contribute in a positive way to society, I have time to do so many other things. I volunteer my time to animal rescue. I volunteer at food banks and as a meals-on-wheels driver. I occasionally buy a meal for the homeless guy who stands on the corner near my office. I give both my time and money to charities that I feel are important. I believe that I am pretty fortunate...I am not rich by any means, but I have enough to take care of my basic needs and more. So I am happy to help others who are not as fortunate. I believe that the best society is the one where we help each other.
This is my story so far...it is who I am. I just think that maybe if we seek to understand where others have been and how they have gotten to this point in their lives, it could help us heal as a nation.
I know so many good people who voted for Donald Trump and so many good people that voted for Hillary Clinton...and several good people who voted for neither. I know that ultimately they all want nothing more than what is best for our country. There is just so much negativity in this world today. No one wants to listen to the opinions of anyone else, they just want to jump immediately to name calling and hatefulness the minute they believe that someone has a differing opinion. There are so many people who are claiming to be tolerant of differences who are in fact the most intolerant...they are so angered that someone disagrees with them that they don't take the time to listen and understand. I hope that we can change this and begin to heal as a nation.
Monday, January 23, 2017
Sunday, January 15, 2017
Our 2016 Journey
We recently finished the Hike100NCT challenge which involved
hiking 100 miles on the North Country Trail in 2016 in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the National Parks. We (and you know by we, I mean I) signed up
for the challenge at the end of 2015 and anxiously awaited January 1, 2016 and the opportunity to start hiking. We
were in the Upper Peninsula, the only place I was familiar with the trail at
the time, and I was determined to start as close to January 1 as
possible so we could have the whole year to complete the challenge. So as we drove through Munising on January 2 on our way home from a few days in Copper Harbor, we stopped to get in our
first mile.
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| View of Munising Bay from the North Country Trail |
And so it started. I
had big plans for this challenge. I was
going to make more trips North and to the UP this year. I was going to join group hikes. I was going to find new and exciting places
to hike. I was going to see more of this
State. Most importantly, I was going to
spend some quality time in the great outdoors with the girls discovering that I
didn’t ALWAYS have to be North of the Mackinac Bridge to enjoy the beautiful
State in which we live. In many ways I
achieved most of my goals and even though I didn’t accomplish them all, I
accomplished so much more.
First order of business was to familiarize myself with where
I could find areas closer to me to hike the trail. The North Country Trail is massive. It covers 4600 miles from New York State to
North Dakota with many of those miles right here in Michigan so I had to be
able to find some great places to hike! Little did I know when we started that Trail's Headquarters is in Lowell- just 45 miles from home and at one point the trail runs within 30 miles of my house- giving me the opportunity to get out on some weekend adventures. Who knew that the majority of my miles would be completed within an hour and a half of home!
 |
| A familiar site |
But as is my nature, I had doubts about if I could really
finish. As we worked on our challenge,
we also followed the progress of others who were working toward this goal. I read stories of day hikes, weekend hikes and week-long hikes where people would finish 20, 30, 40 miles and more at a
time. I read about people who completed
their 100 miles in a couple of months. I
compared my progress to theirs and thought "how can I compare to these
people? I am finishing 2, or 3, or 4
miles at a time...I'm never going to do this." But I stuck with it, reminding myself that 2
miles at a time we could finish and it's not about how fast you get there; it's
about sticking with it and working toward the goal and continuing to make
progress despite setbacks (like work schedules and knee problems) and enjoying
every step of the journey! So we continued on, making regular progress, and slowly working our way, mile by mile, to 100. It's amazing what happens when you stop worrying about others and focus on yourself!
A couple of weeks ago we received our Certificate of Completion and patch for finishing the #Hike100NCT challenge. A great reminder that despite my doubts-we had finished! But even better, in my opinion, was an update given at the end of the year by the NCT Association. Over 5000 people signed up for this challenge in 2016, but just under 1800 people had actually completed it. That's less then half. And I was one of them! That really put things into perspective for me. I enjoyed this challenge tremendously, learned some valuable life lessons, and spent some quality time with the dogs. However, most importantly, I proved to myself that I can accomplish great things if I really set my mind to it!
I'm excited that the North Country Trail Association has decided to do offer this challenge again this year. Bring on the 2017 Challenge! We're ready!!
Saturday, November 26, 2016
The why
It seems these days, there is a blog for every topic. So every time I sit down to write, I think to myself, why are you doing this? What do you possibly have to offer to the world? I lead a pretty average life so why would anyone care to read what I have to say? But I've realized it's not what others gain from my perspective that really matters to me, but that I learn to be more open and willing to share and to let others in...plus what I write here becomes a sort of record of my life: my own personal history, a memoir of sorts that allows me to remember where I've been and a guide that reminds me where I am going- a way to reflect on my journey and hopefully to inspire myself to do one thing each day to make the world a little better. So I am going to go full-steam ahead with this blog and try to make an entry at least once a week. Wish me luck!
Sunday, September 11, 2016
15 years later
9/11...at one point in time it was just another day. And then it wasn't. It's hard for me to believe it's been 15 years since that day. It changed so many lives and impacted every one of us in ways we may not even realize. It changed America.
It started just like any other day. I got up and took Nicol to school and went to work. I'm sure I stopped at the Marathon and picked up a Mt Dew just like I did every other day. I got into the office, turned on my radio, and started my work day. I remember Tim Baron's voice on the radio telling us about the first plane crashing into the first WTC Tower. I remember thinking what a horrible tragedy that was...and then the second plane hit. I remember the immediate thought "Are we under attack?" It was a scary thought. I made a call and wondered about the safety of my daughter...she was on a field trip at school that day. Everyone in our office began to gather in the training room to watch the events of the day unfold on the TV we had there. I couldn't join them; I needed to keep working and to be alone. I kept listening to the radio and heard about the crashing of the other planes and about the Towers falling to the ground. I stayed there, alone in my office the rest of the day.
I made it through the day at work and came home. Up to that point, I hadn't seen any of the TV coverage of the day. But at home, coverage of what had happened was everywhere; there was nowhere to escape from it. I remember thinking I just wanted it to be over. Hours and days of coverage on this event...and selfishly, I just wanted it to end so I could get back to my normal life. I wasn't heartless, I knew how many people had been affected by this tragedy, but I thought that it was time to move forward. But for hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, of people, they couldn't just move on...they were there, living this horrible nightmare. They had loved ones in the buildings or on the planes, they were the families of the first-responders, they were on vacation, they were normal people just like me who went to work that day like they had many other times, but then it was no longer like just any other day.
Unless you've lived under a rock, if you are an American who was alive on that fateful day, you've seen the coverage. The flames from the planes crashing into the buildings, the towers crumbling to the ground, the people in the streets scared and confused. I haven't gone out of my way to watch any of the news specials or features regarding 9/11, but I know what it looked like in New York City that day...out here from the safety of my living room through the screen of a TV. But last night I watched some of the 15th anniversary coverage and got a better glimpse of what it was like there on that day. Our experience is so much different than those who lived and worked in NYC...especially of those who were right there on that day.
I have a good friend, Janie, who I've known for about 10 years. She's a New Yorker and she was there, right there at the heart of it all that day. I remember the first time she told me that she had walked through those buildings on her way to work that day. It made it a little more real for me. 15 years later it is still raw for her. She doesn't speak much about the happenings of the day or what she saw, but I know that it has shaped who she is today and is still very real for her. There are so many others out there, just like her, who really lived through this day. This is an American tragedy, but to them it was so much more personal. So, on this September 11, 15 years later, I send my love and prayers and my admiration for their courage to make it through the day. We're thinking of you all.
It started just like any other day. I got up and took Nicol to school and went to work. I'm sure I stopped at the Marathon and picked up a Mt Dew just like I did every other day. I got into the office, turned on my radio, and started my work day. I remember Tim Baron's voice on the radio telling us about the first plane crashing into the first WTC Tower. I remember thinking what a horrible tragedy that was...and then the second plane hit. I remember the immediate thought "Are we under attack?" It was a scary thought. I made a call and wondered about the safety of my daughter...she was on a field trip at school that day. Everyone in our office began to gather in the training room to watch the events of the day unfold on the TV we had there. I couldn't join them; I needed to keep working and to be alone. I kept listening to the radio and heard about the crashing of the other planes and about the Towers falling to the ground. I stayed there, alone in my office the rest of the day.
I made it through the day at work and came home. Up to that point, I hadn't seen any of the TV coverage of the day. But at home, coverage of what had happened was everywhere; there was nowhere to escape from it. I remember thinking I just wanted it to be over. Hours and days of coverage on this event...and selfishly, I just wanted it to end so I could get back to my normal life. I wasn't heartless, I knew how many people had been affected by this tragedy, but I thought that it was time to move forward. But for hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, of people, they couldn't just move on...they were there, living this horrible nightmare. They had loved ones in the buildings or on the planes, they were the families of the first-responders, they were on vacation, they were normal people just like me who went to work that day like they had many other times, but then it was no longer like just any other day.
Unless you've lived under a rock, if you are an American who was alive on that fateful day, you've seen the coverage. The flames from the planes crashing into the buildings, the towers crumbling to the ground, the people in the streets scared and confused. I haven't gone out of my way to watch any of the news specials or features regarding 9/11, but I know what it looked like in New York City that day...out here from the safety of my living room through the screen of a TV. But last night I watched some of the 15th anniversary coverage and got a better glimpse of what it was like there on that day. Our experience is so much different than those who lived and worked in NYC...especially of those who were right there on that day.
I have a good friend, Janie, who I've known for about 10 years. She's a New Yorker and she was there, right there at the heart of it all that day. I remember the first time she told me that she had walked through those buildings on her way to work that day. It made it a little more real for me. 15 years later it is still raw for her. She doesn't speak much about the happenings of the day or what she saw, but I know that it has shaped who she is today and is still very real for her. There are so many others out there, just like her, who really lived through this day. This is an American tragedy, but to them it was so much more personal. So, on this September 11, 15 years later, I send my love and prayers and my admiration for their courage to make it through the day. We're thinking of you all.
Monday, June 6, 2016
Bridge to adventure
After three very long months away, we finally returned to the UP over Memorial Day weekend. I don't know how I made it being away for so long, but once I can see the Bridge in the distance, all that time becomes a distant memory and I feel like I am home once more. My little brown spotty adventurers realize what is happening too, as I get off of the highway at Exit 338. They know the routine and it is clear that they understand where we are. The excitement builds as we drive toward the parking lot, toward the Lighthouse and Bridge view. We park in "our" spot and they wait not so patiently for me to get them harnessed and ready to go. I am sure that they wish it were February and not May, because if that were the case, they wouldn't have had to wait. They would have exploded out of the car door and headed directly for the beach. But tourist season has begun and so they must wait. As we get out of the car, they sniff the air, stop for a quick potty break, and then head directly to the water, ears blowing in the wind. It is a brief stop, enough time for us to stretch our legs, get a drink, feel the lake air on our faces and stick our toes in the sand and then we are off to head over the Bridge headed for adventure. Although we never stay long, Mackinaw City holds many happy memories and every trip to the UP starts there.
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Being a Mom
Mother's Day...it means different things to different people, but ultimately it is all about appreciating the one person who has been with us from day one-our mom! Whether you realize it or not, your mom probably loves you more than anyone else on this Earth...and why wouldn't she? You are an extension of who she is...you truly are a part of her. That's a pretty special relationship!
Had you told me 28 years ago that I'd be a mom one day, I would have laughed at you. Being a mom was not part of my life plan. After all I had big plans to be a fancy lawyer living in an apartment in a big city with lots of dogs. Funny how some things change and other things never do! Move ahead to today and I can't imagine my life not being a mom. I've spent 60% of my life as a mom. It is really what most defines me. I AM a mom! And I think that is a pretty great thing to be!
I can tell you that as a daughter, I am not always good at appreciating my mom. However, I think that being a mom myself has given me a much greater appreciation for my own mom. I think we all have those moments as children when we under-appreciate our mom. Some of us are better kids than others (and I think mine is pretty great!). Sometimes our moms drive us crazy, I'm sure my daughter would agree that I drive her crazy at times-I'm willing to own that. But no matter how angry or crazy they make us, we never stop loving them. And hey, I bet we do a pretty good job of making our moms angry and crazy too, but she never stops loving us. I just don't think it's possible for a mom to not love her child.
For me, today is also about my journey through motherhood...from the day I found out that I was pregnant to this moment in time right now. I think about all of the things I have experienced because I chose to take this journey and what a journey it has been! From feeling her kick for the first time, to the first time I saw her, to leaving her on her first day of kindergarten, to her college graduation and so much in between, it has all been pretty amazing. And the pretty awesome thing about being a mom is that even though we each have our own experiences and in some ways we take our journey alone, I feel like I am part of a club...the Mom Club! And only other moms can understand how we feel about our children and how we feel about being a mom. It's a great club to be a member of because I believe that what we do and what we bring to the world is pretty special.
I must add here that I don't share the belief that in order to be a "real" mom, you must have given birth. I do believe that there are other ways to be a mom too. Having kids just isn't possible for every woman, but I know that there adoptive moms out there that love their children just as much as I do. I know that there are foster moms acting as a mom to kids who have ended up in some unfortunate situations and there are surrogate moms-the women who take other people's children under their wings to offer extra support, guidance and love when it is needed. And of course there are the moms whose children have four legs and fur. I'm lucky enough to be one of those too and can tell you that I love my girls just as much as I love my daughter! All of these great women are loving, caring, nurturing people who put someone else's needs before their own and isn't that what being a mom is all about?
Although Webster's dictionary defines a mother as a woman who has given birth, I much prefer the Urban Dictionary definition of Mom-"The woman who loves you unconditionally from birth, the one who puts her kids before herself and the one who you can always count on above everyone else." Moms are pretty awesome people!
Thanks mom, for all you've done for me! And thanks to all of the other mom's out there who are giving of themselves every day.
Had you told me 28 years ago that I'd be a mom one day, I would have laughed at you. Being a mom was not part of my life plan. After all I had big plans to be a fancy lawyer living in an apartment in a big city with lots of dogs. Funny how some things change and other things never do! Move ahead to today and I can't imagine my life not being a mom. I've spent 60% of my life as a mom. It is really what most defines me. I AM a mom! And I think that is a pretty great thing to be!
I can tell you that as a daughter, I am not always good at appreciating my mom. However, I think that being a mom myself has given me a much greater appreciation for my own mom. I think we all have those moments as children when we under-appreciate our mom. Some of us are better kids than others (and I think mine is pretty great!). Sometimes our moms drive us crazy, I'm sure my daughter would agree that I drive her crazy at times-I'm willing to own that. But no matter how angry or crazy they make us, we never stop loving them. And hey, I bet we do a pretty good job of making our moms angry and crazy too, but she never stops loving us. I just don't think it's possible for a mom to not love her child.
For me, today is also about my journey through motherhood...from the day I found out that I was pregnant to this moment in time right now. I think about all of the things I have experienced because I chose to take this journey and what a journey it has been! From feeling her kick for the first time, to the first time I saw her, to leaving her on her first day of kindergarten, to her college graduation and so much in between, it has all been pretty amazing. And the pretty awesome thing about being a mom is that even though we each have our own experiences and in some ways we take our journey alone, I feel like I am part of a club...the Mom Club! And only other moms can understand how we feel about our children and how we feel about being a mom. It's a great club to be a member of because I believe that what we do and what we bring to the world is pretty special.
I must add here that I don't share the belief that in order to be a "real" mom, you must have given birth. I do believe that there are other ways to be a mom too. Having kids just isn't possible for every woman, but I know that there adoptive moms out there that love their children just as much as I do. I know that there are foster moms acting as a mom to kids who have ended up in some unfortunate situations and there are surrogate moms-the women who take other people's children under their wings to offer extra support, guidance and love when it is needed. And of course there are the moms whose children have four legs and fur. I'm lucky enough to be one of those too and can tell you that I love my girls just as much as I love my daughter! All of these great women are loving, caring, nurturing people who put someone else's needs before their own and isn't that what being a mom is all about?
Although Webster's dictionary defines a mother as a woman who has given birth, I much prefer the Urban Dictionary definition of Mom-"The woman who loves you unconditionally from birth, the one who puts her kids before herself and the one who you can always count on above everyone else." Moms are pretty awesome people!
Thanks mom, for all you've done for me! And thanks to all of the other mom's out there who are giving of themselves every day.
Utah
I spent some time with a good friend earlier this week, one of those friends who isn't on facebook, so I actually had to pull out my computer to show her my vacation pictures. Lucky for her, she got to suffer through every single picture I took! It was nice to sit back and look through my pictures after being home for a little over a week and talk about my time out West. As I was looking through them, it reminded me of a thought I had as I was driving Eastward toward home. That thought? The entire State of Utah should be a National Park.
There are lots of amazing places in this big awesome country of ours, but Utah just seems extra special. Last fall, when we traveled out to Oregon and Washington, we drove through Northern Utah on our way home. I remember thinking then how beautiful and unique the landscape was there and knew then that I would have to go back to Utah. I guess I just didn't realize how soon I'd be back. And after seeing more of it this trip, I know that I will go back again.
Anyone traveling to Utah needs to make the drive along US-89. It takes you from the dry desert-y area near Page Arizona, through some beautiful canyons and then becomes a curvy drive through small mountains-with some stunning views along the way. You get amazing views of the edges of the Grand Staircase-Escalante monument with its ever changes rock formations and amazing colors from bright reds to deep grays. We only traveled as far North as Bryce Canyon on US-89, but you can take it all the way North to Provo and I bet it would be beautiful for the entire drive!
There are lots of amazing places in this big awesome country of ours, but Utah just seems extra special. Last fall, when we traveled out to Oregon and Washington, we drove through Northern Utah on our way home. I remember thinking then how beautiful and unique the landscape was there and knew then that I would have to go back to Utah. I guess I just didn't realize how soon I'd be back. And after seeing more of it this trip, I know that I will go back again.
 |
| Great Salt Lake |
From the Great Salt Lake to the spot where four States meet and so many places in between, I think Utah is just amazing.
 |
| Four Corners Monument |
There are definitely some extra special places in Utah and it already has several National Parks and National Monuments, but what really amazed me about this place was just the awesome views you can experience simply driving down the highway.
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| Along I-80 in Northern Utah |
 |
| Driving on US-89 Near Big Water, Utah |
 |
| Grand Staircase Escalante |
Our ultimate goal for the day was to see Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks. But we got way more than we bargained for with the views along the road.
After leaving Utah for several days to explore other areas of the Southwest, we returned on our trek home, this time traveling along US-50...also known as the Loneliest Road in America. A very fitting moniker for this highway because you can drive 100 miles and not see a town. But the views along this route are absolutely stunning!
If you really want to explore Utah, I say get off of the expressways and onto roads like US-89 and US-50, you will not regret it! Just be prepared not to see a lot of other people and make sure to have a tank full of gas and lots of snack and water! I'm in no hurry to leave Michigan again any time soon and we still have several other States we plan to visit, but I know for certain that we'll return to explore Utah even further some day.
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| Nevada Utah Border |
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| Roadside "lake" |
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| Farmland |
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| A view of US-50 |
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| Mountains! |
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| Imke and Maddie at Bryce Canyon |
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