What's Your Story?

I was reading a favorite blog of mine by Dr. Kathleen Mc Coy (Living Fully in Midlife and Beyond).  One of her latest posts  (click HERE) really spoke to me ---and gave me an idea for a post myself.  Dr. McCoy says that if we are willing to 'change our story',  we can change our life.  We need to let go of bitterness and anger, and to get rid of  old 'family roles'.  This can free us ---and help us change our story.

As I read this blog post (she gave several examples of people being 'stuck' in their stories, etc.),  I thought about my own life.  What is MY story?????  Well----long before I read Kathy's blog post,  I stepped out in faith,  definitely changing my life ---and story!

As background to this,  I will say that I had a wonderful childhood and fantastic parents.  I got married very young --and my then husband and I had 3 wonderful sons.  However, the marriage gradually deteriorated,  and lack of communication along with other issues finally ended that marriage --after almost 20 years.

I moved and raised my two younger sons by myself (older son was in college by then),  all while being employed fulltime AND while working on my Master's Degree.  Times were not easy--but I was one 'driven' lady...   I worked for another 20 years ---and most people who knew me then would say that I was definitely a 'work-a-holic'..... I loved my work--and worked many, many hours a day/week. 

Once my sons all grew up and after my good friend moved,  I began to realize that I was LONELY.   I had never even dated since my divorce,  and frankly,  hadn't wanted to for many years.  I hadn't even had much of a 'social life'.   BUT--as I got older and as the kids got married and had families of their own,  I knew that I needed a change.  I needed to 'Change my Story'...

This change was not easy --and my family and friends in Texas certainly didn't understand why I was leaving a good job and leaving my family...  I moved by myself to Tennessee in 2000  to begin a new job.  In the back of my mind,  I was hoping that I would meet that special someone sometime (although I wasn't sure I EVER would since I had been single for SO long).

WELL---I did meet George Adams when I moved to Tennessee,  my life TOTALLY changed,  and I found that true happiness I had lived so long without.   We got married in 2001.  I retired from that  'new' job in 2003 --and we moved to our beautiful little home here in Fairfield Glade.

BUT--as beautiful as my life was/is for me,  this new life wasn't always easy for my children and grandchildren.  My sons saw their 'work-a-holic' mother turn into a gardener,  a birder,  a hiker ----all things I had never done much of when the children were young.  I think for awhile (without my knowledge at the time),  my sons and families struggled with the 'new' Mom/Grammy.   I was oblivious of what was happening at the time since my happiness with my new husband became EVERYTHING to me.    Maybe I was ignoring my children/grandchildren---but I certainly never did it purposely.

These days,  I have a great relationship with all three sons ---but there's still tension within the rest of their families.   I have had to just 'let it go' ---and pray that someday,  those family members will understand that I love them all very much,  and that,  by getting married,  I never ever meant to hurt anyone--or make them feel as if I didn't care about them...

Would I change any part of my story?????  NOT a DROP of it!!!!!  I have the most wonderful husband that any woman could ever ever ever want... I am a blessed woman.  I wish that members of my family  could know George like I do.  BUT--the miles between us make that impossible.

I have learned that all people make choices in their own lives.  I pray that time will continue to heal those strained feelings within the family.  I love them --and hope that they will know that someday.  In the meantime,  I'm still the happiest woman in the entire world ---and have enjoyed these past 12 years with George more than one can imagine. I know that I'm still a 'work in progress'  ---and I pray this happiness will remain in me until the day I die. 

This photo is NOT me --but it could be.  I feel that kind of JOY each and every single day with George Adams.  Thanks be to God!

I'll close by saying that ALL of US can 'Change our Story' ---if it needs changing... I encourage each of you to step out in faith ---and find that deep HAPPINESS which may be hidden deep within you. 

Betsy playing in the Leaves!!!

All of the pictures except this one are from the internet.  I love quotes --and you know that if you read the ones I put on my sidebar each month... So many of these little quotes can speak to me---and hopefully to you.

George took this picture of me on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013 ---while we were raking/blowing/mowing leaves.... I was sitting deep in the leaves ---showing more of the HAPPINESS I feel!!!!!  Yeah for MY life!!!!  I wish this kind of life for each and everyone of you. God Bless!!!

Be sure to check out Kathy's blog... She may speak to you ---just like she does to me!

Don't forget to THANK those who sacrificed so much for our freedoms.  Happy Veteran's Day!

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Yellowstone Visit 9/20/13 --Day 2 Continued

Hayden Valley in Yellowstone

If you want to see my posts so far from our Yellowstone trip in September of 2012,  click HERE.    I am posting info on that trip in the order that it happened... So---today,  I'm posting the rest of our day (Day 2) from that trip.

We left the Canyon area and headed south --since I wanted to see HAYDEN VALLEY--which I had heard so much about.  IF you go to Yellowstone and want to see LOTS of wildlife,  this is the place to go,  especially early in the morning.  We however got there late in the afternoon...

Birds and mammals alike are drawn to the lush wetlands along the Yellowstone River,  which meanders through the length of the valley as it flows northward toward the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.   Above is a photo I took of Hayden Valley ---with LOTS of BISON in the distance.  You can also see the Yellowstone River.

Click on the photos for enlargements.

Bison at Hayden Valley, Yellowstone

Here is another photo from Hayden Valley -----using my long lens.  You can see the Bison a little better in this photo, and you can see a tiny bit of the river.

BISON crossing the road near Hayden Valley, Yellowstone

We got in a traffic jam (which is common in Yellowstone) as the BISON crossed the road.  I got this great photo of a couple of them up close and personal!!!!

Mud Caldron at Yellowstone

As we headed south (leaving Hayden Valley),  we saw some geothermal sites.    The only accessible geyser basin in this area lies between Hayden Valley and the LeHardy's Rapids.  The photo above is of MUD CALDRON.  There is no excess water---so the discharge is a thick mud.

Close-up of the thick mud at Mud Caldron, Yellowstone

Here is a close-up showing that THICK mud at Mud Caldron.  Wanna take a mud bath????  Yuk!!!

Sulphur Caldron,  Yellowstone

This is Sulphur Caldron ----and if you have ever smelled sulphur,  you will know that it smells like rotten eggs.  It is not a 'pretty' smell at all!!! ha

Mud Volcano,  Yellowstone

Here  is a Mud Volcano...  See all of that mud????  Mud Volcano has acidic waters that leach clay particles from the lava rock below.  These particles are kept suspended in the waters,  resulting in the grey mud that distinguishes this spring.

Dragon's Mouth,  Yellowstone

And---here is the most popular thermal area here,  a hot spring called Dragon's Mouth.  This one gets its name from the manner in which the water surges out from the superheated source--like a flicking, liquid dragon's tongue.

LeHardy's Rapids,   Yellowstone

After leaving the thermal area,   we checked out the LeHardy's Rapids.   After seeing the calm Yellowstone River flow through Hayden Valley,  this was an interesting place to visit.

LeHardy's Rapids,  Yellowstone

Here is a photo of George standing at the overlook at LeHardy's Rapids.  It was great standing there and hearing the sound of that amazing water!

Fall Colors at Yellowstone

AND--not only could we enjoy those rapids,  but we could also enjoy some beautiful FALL COLORS on the other side of the river.  Aren't they pretty?

At the Fishing Bridge,  Yellowstone

We drove a little farther south to see the fishing bridge.   George took this photo of me on the bridge. You can see that the water is calm here...This bridge is located very close to Yellowstone Lake.

Yellowstone River,  taken from the Fishing Bridge

Here's a photo taken of the Yellowstone River from the Fishing Bridge.

Virginia Cascades,   Yellowstone

Since it was getting late,  we turned around at the Fishing Bridge and headed back to the Canyon Village for dinner... After dinner,  we checked out the Virginia Cascades.  We had tried to see it early on the 2nd morning --but there was smoke in the area.  SO--we went back.  This beautiful 60 feet waterfall is in a heavily forested area of lodgepole pines which make for great photos.  (NOTE:  We saw 19  different waterfalls in Yellowstone plus 3 more in the Tetans area while there those five days.)

George took this photo of me at the Virginia Cascades.  Out came the sweater toward the end of the day --as it was getting cool outside.

Sunset in Yellowstone,  Sept. 20, 2012

AND--on our way back to West Yellowstone (where we were staying),  we captured a beautiful sunset....

Hope you enjoyed seeing the remainder of our Day 2 photos from Yellowstone.  There will be lots more to come!!!!!   I'm having fun re-living this wonderful trip--as I go through all of my photos.   Yellowstone is one place I would go back to in a heartbeat!!!!


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