Happy Birthday Friend Series: Happy birthday Traci!

Twelve years ago, our family joined a new church with a tiny group of young families. Conner joined the AWANA program that same year and one of his leaders was another mom named Traci. She really loved working with the kids and brought her three young boys to the same program as well. The next year, Traci became leader of Conner's program and set out to help him learn. The year before, Conner had not finished his book which was very sad for him.

Traci learned that Conner could listen to a CD to memorize his verses and gave him one. Not only did he finish his book that year, he did extra credit as well! Traci believed in finding Conner's learning style and working with it. She was truly one of his first champions in life.

We soon became phone pals, Traci was a stay at home working mom and we became friends through our long phone chats. Life had been tough for her, we had both faced battles with family leaving us and letting us down. She had a lot of walls to climb but God gave me an open door through the walls and she slowly but surely let me in and let me be her friend.

Rarely in life do I look up to people, we're all on the same level playing field in my book. I do however admire Traci's faith. She has a humble and honest faith, she sets up no pretenses and doesn't pretend to be perfect. Through the years, she has come to me, asking for prayer, showing me her downfalls, taught me many lessons about a true faith with humility, grace, honesty and dignity.

Traci used to be one of my biggest homeschooling skeptics, we had many debates about homeschooling during our phone calls. Then one day, Traci pulled her boys out of school and graduated two sons through homeschooling. She is a true champion for homeschooling now and has actually taught me many things!

She has lived a mother's worst fear, having your child diagnosed with an incurable disease. She has been a caretaking mother to her son Josh for many years. She has taught me many things about motherhood, living in the face of adversity and carrying on.

During the years Marty was ill, she was a huge supporter. Her perspective came from a place many don't understand or get because she has lived it in her own home. I truly couldn't have made it through without our many phone calls.

She won't like this blog because I have said too many nice things for her liking. She never pretends to be perfect, holier than thou, or anything other than someone trying to live their faith with flaws and all. She is real with real struggles and imperfections. Truth is, that is why I admire her.

Happy birthday Traci, I miss our phone chats or dropping by your house to chat. Though miles apart, we are still dear friends even though we may not talk as often. Wishing you a very happy birthday filled with many blessings!

Happy Birthday Friend Series: Happy Birthday Melissa!

When this blog started in 2005, on the now defunct Myspace, I had a four loyal readers two of them were family and two of them friends. Not sure if the other three read any longer but I know Melissa is still reading this blog. She gets them in her email and sometimes will email me comments on them.

So it is only fitting after nearly ten years, ( that is right, next year Just Jules is celebrating 10 years of existence) that Mel get her own birthday blog!

Melissa was one of my first online friends back when making friends online was strange and weird. We never would tell people we made friends with someone on a message board! She was one of my first bible study students online. 

We're the same age and grew up in the 80's, we love a lot of the same things and our commonalities are many. For years, we've had our phone chats and emails where we've shard our truimphs, struggles and joys together. She was there for me when my grandparents were dying, she was actually the first phone call that I made from Stanford the first time we went there and were accepted into the transplant program. So the morning of Marty's transplant, she was the first person I called.

She is one of those friends who you know will always be there when you call. We haven't talked as much as we should in the last couple of years. Life has taken us in different directions, she has faced difficult times, quietly and bravely. 

She came out to California to visit me back in 2007. We had a fun weekend driving around LA and hanging out together.

We had a wonderful talk on the phone a few weeks ago, it had been too long. Both of us felt bad and lamented the fact we've been out of touch. I felt bad when she shared some tough words for me, sometimes when you have many friends, you can lose some in the shuffle. It's not intentional on my part, nobody is more important than anyone else. Some of you are just louder than others, Mel isn't loud she is quietly always there waiting in the wings.

She has been there through some of the weirder parts of my life, the parts that very few understand or have been through. Listening, giving advice and helping me through has been her specialty and I really couldn't have made it without her.

It's been a joy to watch her go from dreaming of children, suffering a heartbreaking loss and then becoming a mother. She is a hard working mom, who has worked hard for her career, gone to school all while raising two kids.  Melissa is the kind of friend that I look up to and am inspired  by.

Thanks for being there on this crazy journey Melissa. You will always have a special place in my life and heart. I am always just a phone call or email away when you need me and never feel like you aren't special to me.  Should we start a club 40? nah.....doesn't sound as fun as club 30 was let's just pretend we aren't heading to 40.

''The Friend Collector''

''You're a people collector'' stated my Dad, one morning over coffee at my dining room table. He was visiting from California for the holidays, I was introducing him to Tennessee and talking about some of my new friends recently acquired in Tennessee. It took a moment, thinking about his words to me, mulling them over in my head. He is right, I do happen to collect people but I like to think of them as friends.

Apparently, this has been a life long habit according to my parents something that started at an early age. It's not intentional by any means or stretch of the imagination. I meet someone, we click and boom, we're friends. Are there people I don't click with? absolutely, when it happens it throws me into a tailspin. Meeting someone that isn't a friend is rare, so rare and I always try to ''fix it'' thinking it is something that I can fix.

It's like the parable of the lost sheep, when a friend goes missing, I feel it acutely and mourn the loss. You see, people aren't just numbers to me. They aren't some wall trophy that I count as a bragging right. People are precious to me. If you're a friend, I like to know you, about your family, about your job, pets, siblings. I find everyone has a fascinating story and just as I like to share mine, I love to know your story even more. Really I enjoy hearing about others more than I enjoy hearing about my self.

My oldest friend Christena and I both are the same. We come from broken family situations that have caused us really tough circumstances emotionally. Instead of putting up walls, we opened the doors wide and allowed many people in to fill those holes in our lives. Struggling through feelings of abandoment is tough, it can truly break and ruin a person if you let it.

I once lost a friend for over twenty years, when I found her and re-connected with her, my heart was full of joy. In twenty years, I never got over the loss of that friendship nor did I close the hole in my heart where she fit in my life.  You see, we people lovers don't handle loss of a person well, it devastates us. You can replace money & things but you cannot replace a person. Believe me, I have tried and it just doesn't work that way.

Don't mistake my soft, sappy ways for weakness. There is a very tough side to me, I will not let anyone walk all over me and I most certainly am not a doormat. I have had to end friendships and relationships and I am not afraid to do that any longer. I took years of emotional abuse at the hands of a few people and finally stood up and learned how to be tough. I still love those people but they have no place in my life any longer.

Marty, Conner, E and my parents simply cannot keep up with my friends. They're always glad to meet them, get to know them and go along on meetups. My parents will help friends if they need help in their field of expertise as well as Marty. They just get confused and unsure of how I know this person? In that respect, I really can't spend a lot of time with friends.

I have to turn down a lot of invitations to go do fun things, you all outnumber my family and my family comes first. So if I tell you ''no'' its simply for that reason. I would love to go do all the fun things but my family cannot keep up with it. Someday my kids will be grown and I want to enjoy ever minute with them while I can.  Thankfully, my friends understand we come as a four pack and almost always travel together. So often, you aren't just meeting up with me, you're meeting up with my entire family.

Sometimes I am closer with some than others. When you just click with someone, you click and it is a supernatural bond that always is mind blowing. It just happens there is no method or way, it doesn't matter who the person is, when it happens it just happens. Those easy friendships that are effortless, the one's where you can just pick up where you left off after twenty years. The friend who you can call on the phone and talk to after months or years, picking right up like it was just yesterday. It just is a special kind of vibe that cannot be replicated or created, it just simple is.

I count myself as blessed, ''The Secret Life of Walter Mitty'' has nothing on the Real Life Adventures of Just Jules. The one question that is asked of me over and over is, ''How did you meet that person?'' and the answer is always the same, '' I just did. I wasn't trying and it just happened..''

I'm not trying to collect friends, not trying to be better friends with someone over someone else. In my way of believing and thinking, I have been given a gift to use and I am just using it. My gift is the ability to love on people. My super memory makes it easy to remember so many people, their families, their friends and their lives. My Rolodex for a brain makes it easy to flip through and find your place, my vault capacity is seemingly endless to keep secrets for people.

Moving to Knoxville, I came having built in friends. I was introduced to a couple more before moving who have become very good friends. One of my customers at the store Natalie and I were talking one day, I told her that I didn't move here to make friends. She asked me, '' you will be my friend though, right?'' of course! I am not out to make friends but I have made friends here and I love them all dearly. So nice to have a local support network to lean on and to go do fun things with!

IF anything, I may disappoint you because I try very hard to keep up with everyone but sometimes people fall through the cracks. I hate to hurt anyone's feelings, make them feel unimportant or forgotten but sometimes I just cannot keep up with everyone. I do my best though. It helps when friendships are a two way street and the keeping up goes both ways. There are some friends who are such wonderful friends,  they are who I look up to and strive to better myself to be more like them.

So maybe I am a friend collector. I could myself blessed, rich, grateful and humbled to know so many people in life. It is good to have one good friend, who you can always count on and I am blessed hundreds of times over in that respect. Each person is special to me and I am so thankful to call them friend.

My friend Kay sent me a quote yesterday, this is my mission in life:

"Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.'' 

Mother Teresa

Blessed to know that no matter where I go in the world, I will always have a friend.

I'm Turning Fabianese

I'm turning Fabianese, I'm turning Fabianese, I really think so.

Have you ever wondered what is Fabianese?

Ever wondered why I mispell words in tweets with the hashtag #Fabianese?

In 2010, I followed one of mine and Conner's favorite cyclists on Twitter. I had a locked account, didnt follow anyone cycling related besides a few riders. Fabian was my first rider that I followed on Twitter, his tweets had the effect of bringing me pure joy and laughter. You see, Fabian Cancellara is a smart man who speaks seven languages. He is a rider from Switzerland who is very fast, so fast he once was accused of having a secret engine in his bike. Fabian is pure class, style, he isn't called Fabulous Fabs for no reason.

Fabian's tweets would make me laugh. I would save them to read later because they made me so happy. Then I opened my Twitter and started following cycling fans, I mentioned my love for Fabian's tweets and they told me, ''Oh that is called #Fabianese by other fans on here''  and so I started following #the Fabianese hashtag.

Fabianese is fun. It's basically all seven languages he knows rolled into one sentence and tweet at a time. Add in his special Twitter hashtag love and you have a Twitter goldmine

 Even Fabian himself loves the #Fabianese hashtag and often plays into the fun. A few months ago, he had a Twitter question and answer session. I had a burning question, one that had often nagged at me. Was Fabian okay with us speaket #the Fabianese and was it okay if we did? I hear they could hear me screaming in California when he answered me.

I got permission to speaket #the Fabianese as long as I don't make too meany( many) mistakes. 

He also told me I could have a #suissequality American fan club. Evericing is posible

The same day he apologized to #canada for being more popular than it on Twitter. #truestory

Evericing is possible, that is #the Fabianese theme song for those who don't know.

3/4 of the fun of Fabianese is trying to figure out what he is saying or meaning in his tweets. My friends Maiko, Deb, Mary, Caroline, Beth, Naomi, Jen, Dot and Heidi and I all have fun trying to figure it out. Maiko is #Fabianese go to gal, she knows of where to find old Fabianese tweets. We just have fun and as long as he doesn't care we are having fun then even more fun is to be had.

We love speaket to each other in the fabianese. We lovet to decipher the Fabianese. We lovet the Fabs and the Fabianese.

When I am sad or having a bad day, I will go back and read old Fabianese tweets for fun.

My all time favorite Fabianese tweet and one of his very first:

he no wonna airco

The infamous planket tweet

The famous beginning of #unclass. How could a hotel not have a stocked minibar?

Don't worry he found it! Too bad he didn't have coins.....

I am no expert, I didn't coin the term but I sure do love talking about Fabianese with my friends and laughing while we do. I love that Fabian loves it himself and has just as much fun with it.

Heidi @heidimo6 recently compilete a list of the Fabianese. This is a very small list of the meanings, she gave it to me to share on my blog. Thanks Dave #fastinationperfectimous

It is a start of a list. If anyone has anything to add just leave a comment for it to be added. What is your favorite Fabianese tweet?

Fabianese Compilet

meany = many

busparking space = refers to stage 1 of 2013 TdF

#iamexcite = excited, with a hashtag

#the = the, made special with hashtag

defently = definitely

twitterfreaks = (self-explanatory)

normalo = normal

#askFabian = because Fabs is all knowing

evribody = everyone, all people

maket = made

hole, hohle = whole or entire, also can mean an opening in the ground, interchangeable

tiered = tired, exhausted

evricing = everything, all of it

fullgas = putting forth a great effort

unluck = the opposite of luck, not lucky

unclass = the opposite of class, not classy

 unwin= not winning, bad, not good

excitet = see “iamexcite”

#WorldRankingLeader = Fabian on the UCI rankings

shure = sure, certain

#paininthelakes = sore legs, with a hashtag & lakes in place of legs

befor or bevor = before

startet = started, began

one ball wonder on fire = Markel Irizar

beasy = busy

littel = little or small

Pink = songwriter, one of Fabian’s favorites

disturbet = disturbed

#legendmovie = Dumb and Dumber

gratulation = congratulations

belive = believe

#tetrapak = something purchased at a store, acceptable with milk but not with wine #badwinefoshure

eny = any

menschen = mention

explodet = exploded

bustoillette = where flies like to hang out

obligation = something done in the bustoillette

#pizzaofen = creates bad smell in the house when #fullgas is on

woack = woke

large hail = comparable to eggs

terrasse = terrace

#happyeastern = hashtag holiday greeting

#emptyminibars = see #unclass

hugh = huge, very large

#thatwasasteepfu = climbs of 18% or more

perfectionismus = perfectionism

planket= blanket, preferably one not stolen by Stuey O’Grady

wona= want to

gona= going to

airco= Air conditioning which is bad in Fabian’s world

fullgaspaininthegamba= going so fast you hurt your legs

fastination perfectiomous= yeah, we are still trying to figure that one out!

Dedicated to my unee Maiko who makes Twitter fun and is my Fabianese soul sister from another mother. Thank you for teachet me and always finding my favorite fabianese tweets for me.

Y'all are Jealous of My Auntie Em!

I have a family on Twitter.......a complete made up family of friends who've become a part of my everyday life and I love them like family. This past summer when I hit the wall, they were there to pick me up because we interact on a daily basis.

I've got sisters galore, besties, a couple of brothers, an adopted mom and dad. Then a few hundred friends on top of that!

Auntie Em is one of my favorites, she is my Tennessee neighbor and friend. She was introduced to me by the famous Anita, who is my TN tweep as well. I moved to East Tennessee with a whole Twitter family. I have my Auntie Em, Dad Burnett, Sister of the heart Anita and my southern momma Jane. I am a very lucky girl and many will attest to this fact.

Auntie Em often gives me blog ideas, heck she and her husband recently gave me a title for my book that I am writing next year! She is just awesome, she prays for me, sends me scripture, listens to me on the phone when I need her. She is like a mom, older sister and aunt all in one. She has become a mentor to me and I rely on her greatly.

She has even sent me little care packages. Came to visit me at work and hug on me!

The best is when she, Kay, Debbie and I go back and forth with Jeff ''DadBurnett'' because we end up often saying, ''y'all aint rite'' to each other!

Tonight, she and our ''little'' Dot, one of the sweetest girls on Twitter and I were going back and forth about what I should blog about. Then it hit me, I got the sweetest package( again ) from Em in the mail today and she has given me many blog topics. She is one of my biggest blog supporters and she deserves a shout out!

If y'all aint followin @IamAuntieEm on Twitter, then you're missing out on a blessing!

Truly one of my things to be thankful for this past year is Auntie Em! So it is high time she get a blog braggin on! Just another one of the many reasons to love Twitter!

A/N I wrote this in a TN accent just for her.

The story of Mr.Fitz and Jules

My phone starts whistling on Saturday afternoons, yes, it is a happy little phone. The reason it is whistling is a text message is blazing across the country from sunny San Clemente, California to crisp East Tennessee. I know who it is and what its about. It's from Fitz and its about football, its our weekly thing of the past few years. It involves good natured ribbing, mostly on his part and my attempt to learn about college football. He watches the ''whiny, overpaid babies of the NFL.'' for me and I try to keep up with the Ducks and Irish for him. Who is the man and why is he so important?

The story of Jim Fitzpatrick and I goes back to sometime around 1983. My older sister Kim was involved in the youth group of our parish St.Bruno's in Whittier, Ca. She would come home talking about the youth minister Jim, I really don't know the details other than our family started participating in events with the youth group. My very first memory of Jim was during a youth camping trip that our family tagged along on. The youth were camping on the beach and we were nestled in our trailer. It started to rain and Jim came busting in, I ended up having to share my bunk with him.

He was a young twenty something, unmarried, trying to get into the fire academy and he became buddies with my Dad. I remember Saturday mornings Jim would come running to our house during his training runs and I would make him an egg in the microwave...no butter, no seasoning, just a scrambled egg in the microwave. It was true friendship that he ate my eggs!

We just had a bond, not sure that bond can be explained outside our mutual admiration society. Since I was seven years old, he has big brother, mentor, confidant and friend. He used to call me his little ''Meggie'' when I was really young. He is really tall and I have always looked up to him and adored him.

Jim was a fixture in our house, always popping in and hanging around. He was friend to my Dad, long after he was done being youth minister and friend to me as well. One day, he brought a beautiful young girl with brown hair to our house. I remember that I was jealous, I didn't want her to marry my Fitz!

They did get married and we fell head over heels for Jim's bride Jen. She is beautiful on the inside and out with the voice of an angel. Eventually they would have children and I would become their chief babysitter. I always tell people that Chris my nephew, Kevin and Caiti Fitz were my first children. Kevin and Caiti were my babies before my babies.

We would spend every weekend together. Jim bought a boat, took Jen and I out and taught us to water ski together. Saturday morning's after my Friday night babysitting gigs, he would put me in the driver seat of his blue Nissan truck and taught me to drive stick down Stage Road, patiently teaching me through me jerking us through stops. I will never forget once Jen said to me, ''Jim never goes the same way twice, he is always finding little shortcuts here and there.'' 

As an adult, my father likes to complain about my driving. He says, '' You never go in a straight line! You always are going a different way'' I always tell him, ''Please forward all complaints to the Fitzpatrick school of driving'' ( or his sister Maggie)

Jen would curl my hair, talk to me about boys and makeup, pick me up from school on Friday's and drive me home. They paid my way through high school with my babysitting money from them!

One day Jim and Jen moved away, I got married, had a baby of my own and moved away myself. We didn't see each other often. Only at family events here and there, weddings and my grandparents funeral. Jen played for my Grandpa's funeral and helped us give a true wake in his honor. 

Though he did break my heart at my Grandmas funeral by telling Brianne, my cousin that she was his favorite of the Brown cousins. He always has maintained that is true but that I don't count in that group, I am different!

Then text messaging came along and bridged the gap. Jim took to texting me about football and it has stuck, I love our weekly tete a tete's. I always love when he texts that he is visiting my Dad and staying the night. One of the last things before I moved away was go to stay with Jim and family. He and my Dad didn't want me to move and I know why. Aside from Marty and Conner, they are the two men I love most in this world and it was going to be hard on all of us for me to move.

That last night I spent with the Fitz's was something I will remember for the rest of my life.

Mr.Fitz and I, December 2012

Thank goodness for college football and the NFL. It doesn't feel like we are far apart at all. Two weeks ago, I did get chastised for not paying attention to the scores of Jim's teams which led to me making a public apology on Instagram to Jim. He loves the social media as much as me, I need to get him a Twitter account!

To know me is to know of my love of Jim. This blog has been a long time coming, I was maybe going to write it next year for his birthday. As we were texting back and forth tonight, it only seemed right to tell you all about him. He makes me laugh, loves me and is truly one of my life long best friends. Everyone who knows me well, knows about Fitz. Even my Dad knows that he shares his friend with me!

Jim knows that I love him, I tell him often just as I know he loves me right back. I've been lucky to call him friend for over thirty years now. Never discount children, I truly maintain that friendship can withstand age gaps, when you have a bond with someone, you just do, age doesn't matter at all!

The year I met Jim. I always thought this was a picture of he and I. It is my Dad and I though, Jim was there that day though.

I love my cop husband but I love my fireman friend Fitz too. Three of the loves of my life talking to each other.

All of my babies together. My kids and the Fitz kids 2006

The best thing Jim ever did is marry beautiful Jen

Jim being Jim, dancing with my Dad on my wedding day

Jen Fitz and I, December 2012

Jen knows if she sings, '' You are my Sunshine'' that I always cry. My own private concert 2012

Kevin demonstrating the fire phone. I made many a phone call on that phone during my babysitting years

I love this picture. My Dad and Fitz, two most important men after Marty and Conner

Dancing with Kevin and Caiti on my wedding day

Caiti and I on my wedding day in the famous Princess Di pose

Jim sends me these in texts, just to make me smile and laugh

Kevin and I, 2012

Caiti and I, 2012

The Bachelor and Dolly

As you know, my life is an adventure with lot's of weird stories that make sense to me. I hear it all the time, "Julie, your life is so weird." I haven't lived a cooKie cutter life.  My experiences have made me unique and I'm content with that.  So I just share my random life stories with my readers instead.

I remember in 2006, Travis Stork was on The Bachelor and I wanted to know who he would end up picking.  I found a website and started reading. These amazing women could figure out the ending by looking at screenshots and other information.  I loved reading this website and watching the Bachelor.

It was on this website,  I met some wonderful women. These women would chat about life and I started joining in. I realize now,  once again God was using something random to lead me to much needed friends.  Right around the time I started joining in, Marty was diagnosed with renal failure.  These women ended up becoming my prayer partners and some of our most ardent supporters.

One year, they all decided to meet up in Pigeon Forge, TN. We all know this story in my life. ...I had to say "no". I cried and felt like I was missing out. This happened for several years. The day Marty got his transplant,  the ladies all said "now you can have your turn too!"

Sadly,  that year it wasn't meant to be either. That fall, I met up with two of the ladies in Georgia and South Carolina.  Finally the next summer, I was able to meet up with another one of the ladies in Pennsylvania.  It was such a wonderful day.

This year, we laughed. I now live the closest to Pigeon Forge instead of being the farthest away. I couldn't wait to see the ladies.

Last month, my dream finally came true.  The ladies and I met up in Pigeon Forge. It was an amazing dream come true.

We ate, we laughed, we cried and went to Dollywood together. We even went to  church together.  These ladies have become some of my best friends and confidants.  We all pray for and support each other through thick and thin.

I'm so glad I finally got my chance.  It was an amazing weekend with much happiness and joy. Truly a dream come true.

P.S. 1: I typed this blog on my phone 2: No, I don't watch the Bachelor anymore!

Wrestling with Life, How I Hit the Wall and Bounced Back

Sometimes, life becomes an inner psyche wrestling match. August and September were inner turmoil months for me. We finally hit some hard realities of our move, nothing bad but obstacles to be overcome. At the same time, I helped some good friends through some really tough things. A huge door was thrown open for me that left me with a extremely difficult decision. Nothing major in the scheme of things but enough to throw me for a loop internally. I basically spent two months in near constant prayer for myself and others. It was a short time of great growth personally.

August first came in with a bang, a conversation with a friend turned out to be the last before life changed for us both drastically. I would spend twelve days wondering what happened to that friend only to find out the friend was seriously injured and life had changed forever. This friend was a huge ministry for me in the past eight months and I was devastated. On top of that, several other friends were facing difficulties and I was heavily in prayer and help mode for them as well.

Then we found out some things with both Marty's health insurance and pay. It was tough, something we weren't expecting and really took us out. Marty also was involved in a rather bizarre incident with a car at school as well. We wondered why us? but knew God was in control of these things. It became a match of trust and worry. One second the ball was in the court of worry only for something to happen to make us trust.

 We also knew our schedules weren't working with our long term homeschooling arrangements. As a family, we were focused on getting through while making changes and plans for the future. E is still trying to find her way, new friends and re-starting life in Knoxville. Conner is in high school, work is getting harder, we are looking toward driving, college and the future.

August is a month where I normally struggle with my looming birthday of 9/11. So add all of this together and it was UGLY. Thankfully, I was already on a path of confiding in several close friends, they upped the ante and really picked me up, listened and started helping me through. These women are my rocks and I am so thankful for all of them. The listened to a very ugly me for 60 days.

It was during this time E challenged me to a two week Twitter break. It was a good idea, it helped me focus on all the things I needed to deal with and made a quiet time for me to reflect, refresh and renew.I love it when the 13 year old knows best. It was during this time, that a lot of things started to happen.

Two friends asked to take me to lunch for my birthday. We sat out by the water, talked about life and suddenly a door opened. They told me I would be a great fit at their national company, the job description was every single thing I needed at the moment. I had to think about it though, it would mean leaving my friends Lee and Flavia. I decided to apply, had a list of five things I needed in this job and went to prayer.

The doors started flying open for me. The day I got the job offer, every single thing was on the list and I knew, I had to accept the job. So I did and the battle began, it was the first time, I knew that I had to do something for myself and family over helping someone else out. I wanted to stay working for Lee and Flavia but knew that I couldn't. In the end, after struggling, I finally was able to tell them and have a peace, they will be blessed too. Something good will come out of it for all of us. We are lucky to be friends and be able to support each other. I can still go in and work in the store, helping out on holidays and weekends.

I am really excited about my new job, it is a huge opportunity and career path for me. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. I am so thankful for the opportunity to move to Knoxville, to spend time with Lee and Flavia helping grow their business, to be able to have made new friends that led to this job.

Oh, I thought you might like to know, I got this job in a roundabout way because of Twitter and New Kids. I was introduced to Abbie by Lori when I moved to Knoxville. Abbie introduced me to Melani and Sherri, who are all fellow New Kids fans, we bonded and love each others company. So there you have it, make fun of Twitter and New Kids all you want, it was beneficial in other ways!

I feel a huge peace, burden lifted and a return of my happy go lucky ways. I am so thankful to those who stood in the gap for me, lifted me up and kept me going. You all know who you are and how much you mean to me. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart, you know that I will always return the favor.

Marty, you are my rock. You put up with so much wild and crazy from me. Thanks for listening, lifting me up and helping me through. I know that I wasn't easy to live with and you listened to the same things over and over again. So thankful for you.

Still would love prayers for the transition, praying for the little details that need prayed over. Excited to see where I am headed and excited to be able to be home with the kids again during the day. God is so good!

Happy Birthday Friend Series: Happy Birthday Lee

When I was twelve years old, a boy got off the bus one day in junior high and caught my eye. ''Hey, he looks like Joe Mc Intyre from New Kids on the Block.'' I said to myself. ( I don't think Lee knows this story...) My quest begun to know who that boy was! I used to make our friend Carrie walk home from school the long way, so we could follow Liviu. I truly think, that sometimes you know when someone is important to your life.

As we went to high school, from my many days of following Liviu home. I started going to Christian club with Carrie so I could hang out with her and Liviu. I am truly thankful that I made that choice, being the little Catholic girl I was, I went to enough CCD that I didnt feel the need to go to Christian club. I am so glad that I followed them both there, it became a time of seed planting in my life.

As the high school years waned on, Lee and I got stuck in ''special math'' with a football coach together. He loves to tell the story about how we stink at math because we were taught by a football coach! That is when we truly bonded as friends.

Our senior year was a great year. We had nearly every class together and spent much of our time together along with our friend Gaby. We were the three amigos and enjoyed joking around together. '' U R A Dork'' was our affectionate nickname for our group. We had fun laughing, crying and supporting each other through our senior year. We realized, we had a special bond as friends, we just knew that we were brought together by God to be friends.

Gaby, Lee and I homecoming 1994

Lee and Jules prom 1994

We all three went off to college together continuing our friendship on a third campus. Eventually we all went our separate ways. I last saw Lee at my wedding to Marty, it would be years until I talked to him again. We went on with life.

Senior Yearbook picture. ''Most likely to cry at the movies''

In 2001, I called Lee's parents house and his dad got me in contact with him. We chatted, he was in a tough place in life and this time I could be the one to lift him up. I remember having some tough talks with him and praying for him. He came to visit my family in Visalia, I remember him saying how much he wanted a family like ours.

Lee the prom king with our favorite teacher

He moved away to TN, changed his name to Lee, met Flavia,got married. I still laugh when I see pictures on Facebook that he has commented on in years past. He kept telling Marty and I, ''y'all should move to Tennessee'' to which we just shook our heads and laughed. ''Crazy Lee'' we would say.

We would see each others pictures, comment on them and that was it. Until Marty decided he wanted to move to Tennessee and I wrote Lee a note. By the end of that day, we were moving to TN, so I could work for Lee.

It has been fun being together again. For me the best part has been finally getting to meet his better half Flavia and darling daughter Nora. I have a new sister of the heart and niece whom I adore. Working together has taught us a lot about each other. We have learned some tough lessons from each other about each other and I truly know it has been God using us in each others lives. I like living nearby and having our families together.

 Best thing Lee ever did was marry Flavia!

Sometimes we have special friends come into our lives. Lee has been a friend that has always challenged me, we have learned a lot from being friends with each other. We have been through a lot of things together that most friendships wouldn't survive. We always overcome obstacles and remain friends. We have gone from being friends, to best friends to being like brother and sister. We've known each other longer than we've known our spouses and most other people.

I love little Nora!

Lee, you big dork. I am thankful for all you've done for me throughout the years. Thank you for being my friend through thick and thin. God brought us together, kept us together and will keep us together. So thankful you taught me to love him at a young age. We have survived so many things as friends and always will as we keep our eyes fixed on him. Most people don't get our unconventional friendship, I am just glad that we do. Thanks for all you've done for me this year. Happy birthday, wishing you a year of blessings and happiness. I love you Dork!

Happy Birthday Friend Series: Buon Compleano Dave a.ka. Heidi

I know we all make fun of my love of Twitter but Twitter has brought me some of the very best friends in life.  Heidi and I met through our mutual love of cycling on Twitter. One night a group of us were talking about the AMGEN Tour of Ca and I invited her to come stay with my family for the next years race. We had known each other a few months at the time. I know that sounds crazy but when you know a kindred spirit, you just know.

The next year, Heidi and our friend Jen, came and took me up on my offer. It was great to have them come stay with my family. We laughed, met riders and had the best of times. In fact, she is the one who made my picture with Christoph Riblon happen!  Heidi and Jen became friends for life that week and we had an amazing time. I was so sad to see them both go.

Heidi and I get along very well, we both have the same outlook on life and people. She is a golden rule kind of person and a great listener. During my challenge of self awareness this year, she is one person I have chosen as a confidant. She really has stepped up to the role and been a great email sounding board for me. Very thankful that she has entrusted me with the very same role in return.

The best part about Heidi is she is just as wacky as me! I love her love of all things Italian, men, the language, the wine, she has immersed herself in Italian culture and it makes me smile. A few weeks ago, when I was on my Twitter break, it came to me. Heidi is our very own Dave!

Who is Dave you might ask?

 

Now I lovingly call Heidi ''Dave'' with a smile and laugh. It is fun to have great friends like Heidi, who my whole family loves and calls friend. She brings a lot of happy and joy to the kids and I via Twitter. It is people like her that make me love cycling more.

I used Google Translate, it is most definitely probably wrong but it's the thought that counts....right?

Grazie Heidi per essere un buon amico. Ho soprattutto vi ringrazio per avermi aiutato gli ultimi due mesi. Sono contento che siamo in grado di sostenersi a vicenda e sollevare un l'altro come sorelle del cuore fanno.

Happy Birthday Friend Series: Happy Birthday My Tam!

In 2002, we took our son Conner to an AWANA program at a neighborhood church.  He was four years old and loved it, taking him to that program led us to many life long friendships. He started coming home and talking about a little girl named Olivia. He had made friends with her and just loved talking about her. Finally one week, I went to pick him up and asked who the little girls parents were and that led me to my dear Tam.

Tammy is Olivia's mom, we started talking about the kids sweet little friendship and making friendly conversation each week. The same time Marty was in the police academy, her husband Matt was in a similar academy. Both these jobs were life changing for our families, very much needed, so we started praying for each other weekly.

Conner, Olivia and Elizabeth circa 2005

At the same time in 2004, we were both facing really difficult extended family situations. Tam and I, both have wonderful husband's and children. We both were struggling with different extended family issues but could understand the trial each faced. We formed a bond and we helped each other through some really difficult times over the phone. Weekly we would have hour long phone conversations talking it out and praying each other through. I truly can say, without a doubt Tammy helped me change my life and survive some really difficult times and choices.

We both made it through and God blessed both our families with answered prayers numerous times over. Both our husband's got jobs working at different agencies right next door to each other. The carpooled together, we all went to church together and we even vacationed together once. Conner adored their son Zach and Olivia, Elizabeth did too.

Conner, E and Liv at Disneyland

Family vacation Disneyland 2005

When my friends from around the world would come to visit, we would take them to meet Matt and Tam. Last summer, they made a new friend from France in my friend Fanette. They had us over for their annual fourth of July and invited her along. How amazing to have my friends meet up and not only that, now they are friends too!

The day we found out Marty was sick was an AWANA night. Matt and Tammy anxiously awaited the news with us. They went through the really dark, hard things nobody else saw. They were at the hospital when Marty would pass out and be taken by ambulance. Matt watched Marty at work, Tam talked to me for hours on end listening ad nauseam to my struggles. The day we got the call, they were the first phone call we made and they rejoiced with us. They drove up to see us at Stanford and bring us that needed piece of home. In turn, we have been through many crisises with them and a few health scares, I loved being able to have Zach and Liv come stay with me and be like a crazy aunt to them.

Oscar loves Liv

Max loves Zach

They live on a beautiful little ranch, Tammy is amazing at taking things and turning them into treasure. She has one of the most elegantly decorated homes of anyone I know. God blessed her to live in her grandparents home and make it her own. One of our many answered prayers throughout the years. They host lovely parties and bbq's for friends and family. We love going out  to their little piece of heaven and enjoying the tranquility of their home.

Together, our families have really experienced it all. Matt and Tam have been our rocks, they have seen us through better, worse, sickness and health. Truly one of the hardest choices we made in moving was leaving this family behind.  We wanted to bring them with us! We had made our own little extended family but life has taken us on different journeys and now we are apart. I know it has been so hard for Tam and right now, she hasn't been wanting to talk to me. I understand Tam and I know in time, you will want to talk again. 

Our going away bbq at Matt and Tammy's

Tam, you are my first sister of the heart. You were the one who made me realize I could have a sister outside of blood. You have been there for me through thick and thin,  I am so grateful for your love and support, I miss our weekly chats and hope we can start them again soon. No matter how far I go, I will always need you and love you. I hope you have a wonderful day, I know Matt will give you a wonderful birthday and I will have him hug you for me too. I miss you so much it hurts and know you're hurting too. We will survive like we always do. Your birthday came on a perfect day, a reminder from God that we always overcome and everything always turns out okay. We have seen it all and be blessed many times over. Have a happy birthday, I love you, Jules

Love Your Friend Day

''I love you friends, you mean the world to me and when you hurt, I hurt too''


Recently many friends have come to me sharing heavy burdens. It seems like one after another friends are struggling through rough times. My heart has been very heavy laden lately from the sadness around me from friends. I am so thankful to be able to share in their burdens and help make their load a little lighter.

Proverbs 18:24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
As I have my prayer time each day, the list seems to grow longer and longer. Thankfully my own prayer list is very short and it is my pure joy to pray for my friends. Last year I had two friends that I was committed to praying for on different journeys. One finished her journey while another one continued on her journey. Earlier this year, I commited to praying for a friend daily as their job called them out of the country. It has been a joy to pray for this friend each morning and be a supporter.

Being a sounding board, listener and friend is truly one of my callings in life. It is one of the things I love the most and enjoy doing. Sometimes it is really easy and sometimes it is really hard. Right now, with so many I love struggling, it is a hard time. One where I can feel the full weight of the burdens and my heart is heavy. This song really speak for my heart for my friends right now





Friends, I am so thankful for each of you. I am privileged to have so many wonderful friends in life. I decided today that I would tell you each I love you. There are so many of you, that would take me weeks to do on an individual basis. So I am sending a giant hug, love and prayers for those who need them.

I would love prayer in return for strength to help carry the burdens for others.
Romans 12:12 ''Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.''

Praying for my friend's health crisis, friends with ill parents, friends with struggles at home, friends looking for new jobs, friends making big decisions, friends struggling with loved ones, and for friends that are well and happy.

Inscription found in a hiding place of Jews during the holocaust

 

MTTB Series: The Knack of Reality Bites

For My Jennay, Christena and my cousins:

This blog had already been planned, I was tweeting with my daily music group on Twitter about it this week and this morning one of my favorite tweeps mentioned something that made the blog come spilling out across the page.

The winter of 1994, I sat in a theater and watched a movie that I highly identified with in fact, I ended up dragging everyone person I knew to watch that movie as the summer months wore on because it was at the dollar theater. Friends, cousins, anyone who would go with me. The soundtrack was played on loop endlessly in my car, my bedroom, my friends cars, I was obsessed. It was the first movie that I ever identified with so strongly though it really didn't match anything in my life at the time.

Jules circa 1994

The character played by Winona Ryder was a mix between me and my friend Christena. She reminded me of us and our style at the time. We were kind of her and she was kind of us. I think Christena will understand what I mean by this statement. I actually am a bit more like the Jeanne Garofalo character...except I am a goody two shoes.

There is a scene in the movie, where the group of friends goes to the gas station to get food. Lanie's dad had given her a gas card for graduation and they could charge the snacks. As they are in the gas station, the song ''My Sharona'' comes across the radio in the store. What happens next is one of my favorite scenes in a movie..ever ( and no, I have never smoked pot in my life, so don't think I was a stoner because people really? me a stoner? I am crazy enough without drugs)

Now I had heard this song before, it meant nothing to me. Every single time that I have heard this song since seeing this movie, I have immediately thought of this scene and did the same exact dance Jeanne does in the film. Now granted, I already danced this way before. Truly, this is my dance that I do whenever I dance, so sad but so true. I am a nerd, I admit it.

When my friend Jenni got married, I wanted to dance to this song at her wedding. When my cousin Rissa got married, all of the cousins got out on the dance floor and re-enacted the scene together. It is one of our songs. My cousin Jill loves this movie after me insisting she watch it a few years ago, she was too young the first time around.

Jenni and I 1994

Marty and I circa summer of 1994

One morning this week, I was sad after receiving some upsetting news about a friend. I shared the song with my twitter song group and said we needed to do this on a road trip someday. Then this morning, one of my favorite tweeps Nicole, said she cannot hear this song without doing the little ''Carlton'' dance .  It was time for this blog to come out and be shared!



I really don't identify with the lyrics of the song. It is all about the tune and the way it makes me feel. It takes me back to a time long ago; For me, when I hear this song, I go back to the summer of 1994, friends, college, new love and life being lived. I think of my childhood, friends and family. Of course, I really just love to bop around the room to this song being carefree and dancing, it makes me happy and cheers me up!

A/N: For my readers who are using Bloglovin, now you can add my blog to your feed! Thanks Flo for the heads up!Follow my blog with Bloglovin

MTTB Series: The Name Game

Deanna Fanna Bofanna fe fi fo fanna, this blog is for you

Everyday in high school,I would sing this song to my good friend Deanna. It was our little game, one of many that have with several  different friends. You see, I have this thing......I am a serial nicknamer. I love to have nicknames for my friends. 

My friend Staci is ''Foxy Momma''

My cousin Brianne is ''B-Annie''

My NKOTB friends. '' LL Fancy'', ''KTDQ'', ''MM'' ''LS"  and the famous ''A2'' 

Twitter friends have a million different nicknames. I call my fitness accountability girls ''Momma'' but I cannot take the credit for that one.

The list goes on and on...........I have a million nicknames for Elizabeth. The whole using the initial thing was actually something I picked up from my friend AB. 

When I meet someone, I vary rarely forget their name or face. This can be awkward at best because most people aren't good with names and faces. Very often, I just pretend like I don't know someone if they don't remember me when we meet again. Lately, the customers at FIG and Co., get shocked when I remember them and their purchases. They love that I remember them and it makes them feel special.

This is attributed to two things in my brain, one being my super memory. My memory is like a giant Rolodex and photographic. It is easy for me to remember names and faces, I didn't ever know this was strange until I was an adult. 

Second, coming from a large family. You automatically have to remember a lot of names when you're in a large family. My family is all very good with names and faces, we remember each others friends and extended families as well. 

Not sure where I picked up this nickname habit. I think it is a way for my brain to remember large numbers of people and make people feel special at the same time. 

I hear this song and automatically think of Deanna and our wonderful high school days. What a special time that brings back fond memories. I heard this song the other day and knew that it had to be part of the MTTB series.

Have fun singing along. Hit me up and challenge me, I am pretty good at this game!