Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Back In Business!

Well, I am in search of my "new-normal" in my life right now and have decided to jump-start my Mary Kay business! I believe this re-focus will push me in the right direction to re-establish a new routine while driving in solid revenue to pay the bills :)

I am frequently asked if I am still working my business so the answer is a resounding YES! And I am also often approached about ways that someone could help me at this time. So, here are a few of great ways (in order of importance) that YOU could help support our family at this time by helping boost my business. I am working to largely expand my customer base so here is how you can help.

#1 Host a MK party with 4-6 women who are over 18 and don't already have an MK consultant (if you don't live in Houston..that is ok..I am traveling A LOT this summer and chances are, I am probably coming to your area) Just give me a call 832-661-1651 or email me at jwims@marykay.com and we will book a really fun party for you and a few girlfriends!

#2 Book a facial to try all the latest and greatest products & bring a friend with you!

#3 Order some fantastic Mary Kay products from my online website at www.marykay.com/jwims
If you don't live in the Houston area..it is not a problem...I have a great mailing system and I will mail right to your door!




Thanks for all the love and support that you consistently show to our family. We are so blessed to have each of you in our life. Lots of hugs!

My Little Helper

Brad's flowers have all come back this season in full force. It is reassuring to see something that he loved so much to be flourishing right before my eyes. I absolutely love it.

No need to worry about hiring someone to tend to our flower beds because I am fortunate enough to have Kaelyn's help with all the plant pruning. One of her favorite joys is picking of the "mommy flowers" (the bigger ones) and the "baby flowers" (the smaller buds). She is a great help!







Fun Lunch

Congratulations Alli & Scott!

Scott asked Alli to marry him on Tuesday evening, May the 5th. We went out to lunch yesterday afternoon with the Hanna's to celebrate their engagement.

We had a great lunch and had lots of entertainment in watching the boys run around like maniacs!

Swim Class

BEFORE:



DURING:

AFTER:

Kaelyn has been taking her ISR swim classes over the past two weeks. She is doing well with them, but they are super-intense. She really likes her instructor Lenie, and goes right up to her but as soon as Lenie takes her into the pool she starts to cry. I know that the skills she learns from the lessons are so valuable, but I do feel sorry for her in the middle of them...they are tough!
Kaelyn is fascinated by Baby Macie. K came up to me on Sunday, stretched out her arms, scrunched up her face, cocked her head to one side and said, "can I hold it, pease, I hold it?"
In the picture where Macie is screaming her head off and Kaelyn is whispering to her, "is ok Macie, is ok, is ok baby, is ok Macie." It is doubtful that Macie could hear K's soothing attempts...but it was so funny to see Kaelyn try to calm her down.

Mother's Day

On Sunday evening our life group came over to the house to help celebrate an emotional day with us. The guys in our group expressed their love for Sandra by presenting her with a corsage to wear to church on Sunday morning. The girls were so sweet to think of me too...they gave me a gift certificate to a local spa :)

We had dinner catered by Antonio's...lots of yummy lasagne & chicken alfredo...we ate and then just sat around and enjoyed each other's company. I know that it gave our family an extreme amount of comfort to be with Brad's closest friends on that day. I am so appreciative for the gift of time that they gave us.






In a matter of just a few days, Sandra & David received over 30 cards in the mail...sending support to her during a time that everyone knew would be difficult for them. Sandra received 5 large bouquets of flowers...our house closely resembles a flower shop right now!

Saturday, May 2, 2009

A Surprise Visit from Uncle Matt!

Matt decided after work today that he would drive to Houston to come see us. He got here at 6:30pm and will only be able to stay until lunch tomorrow, but we were thrilled that he was able to come at all. We realized this week that if he wasn't able to come this weekend, then he wouldn't be able to see the kids for over a month. That just wasn't satisfactory for him, so he decided to make the drive.

He played a great spinning game with Zeke & K...they loved it, of course. About halfway through Matt got so dizzy spinning Zeke that he nearly fell into the big screen & started to fall over Kaelyn...but he caught himself (just in time). Whew!


2 Months

I gave Zeke a haircut today and realized once I got started (and could hardly get the clippers through it) that it had been exactly 2 months since it was last cut. On March 2nd, the day Brad passed, Allison Garcia had come over to the house to cut his hair for me. It is hard to believe that it has been 2 months. But, in some ways it seems like such a long time has passed...I guess because so much has happened during that time.

David Smith, my preacher from the church I attended in high school asked me the other day how I was doing. He specifically asked about what the biggest blessings to me these days and what are the most trying?

My response was one of the biggest blessings recently have been my time "alone." The kids spent all of last week in Kerrville with the Bosse/Robertson clan and I was left at home all by myself...I was able to think, meditate, relax, sleep without interruption, sit, not talk, and think some more :) I am not someone that usually needs a lot of alone time, but over the last couple of years I have been so starved for it....I stayed very close to my house that week just enjoying the solitude and loving every minute of it!


Other blessings are my kids who are willing to tell me things/ remind me of things about their daddy without any hesitation. I love their open and telling hearts...they express things just as they see it...with beautiful innocence, unclouded by the world's position on death. It really is an amazing thing to witness. I do love to hear about what they are thinking...Zeke is so intuitive about so many things. Just tonight I was letting Zeke shower in my bathroom for the first time in quite a while. He was using all of our bath products that were set on the side of the tub. As he lathered up with soap he said, "and now I smell just like my daddy!" That made me smile because he did happen to pick a soap that I specifically used to bathe Brad with in the last few months. He did smell just like his daddy.

Another blessing that God has given us is the ability to be loved so openly by so many. Never in my lifetime have I ever had the opportunity to witness such love for one family. God has truly provided for our every need. My friends and family find ways to serve us again and again and I cannot tell you how wonderful it feels to accept those gifts. I continue to be consumed by love shown to us each and every day. I am so grateful that God used this circumstance in my life to show me the depth of that love through those that surround me.

And for the most trying, I believe in my particular case the thing that has been the hardest is not only losing my spouse & the husband of my kids, but losing my very best friend. On more difficult days, all I want to do is talk to him and hear his response. Brad had a gift of showing me how not to worry and how to keep many things in perspective. Sometimes I miss that perspective. He was a really dependable, loyal, loving friend and I really miss seeing that friend's face every day.
Zeke wanted to take a picture with me, showing off his new cut!

Kaelyn said, "my turn, my turn" and had to take a picture next.