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So… Today is my anniversary… married 28 years.

I’ve spent some time looking through old pictures.  Ah… memories!  We have had some eventful years!  So many lessons learned!  Some lessons tested our marriage.  All lessons add strength, personally and as a unit.  Some lessons brought great happiness and a few sadness in those 28 years.  All of our experiences together have taught me that I have found a person that makes me want to be a better person.

It is Thanksgiving Day at my house.  In between the making of all the “fixin’s” and the arrival of the guests, I decided to do a little research as to how this day came about and what might have really been served for dinner.

The “traditional” meal includes roasted turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie.  This holiday feast originated in November 1621.  The Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians gathered together to celebrate a bountiful harvest and new friends.  This gathering is regarded as our “first Thanksgiving.”  However, is wasn’t a national holiday until much later.  In 1846, Sarah Josepha Hale, an editor of the Godley’s Lady’s Book magazine, campaigned for an annual national holiday of thanksgiving after discovering some writing mentioned the gathering of 1621.  In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln declared two national Thanksgivings: one in August commemorated the Battle of Gettysburg, one in November to…

Okay… not the most attractive picture.  It helps me make a point.

The sea oyster, injured and irritated, places layers of its tear-like fluid called nacre over the damaging “grit” on its tongue.

Naga Pearl Farm

Slowly, over time (maybe even 5-6 years) this irritation, this hardship transforms into a breathtaking pearl!

Poetic!

The thing is… we all face adversity and set backs.  We all experience that little grain – a stressful work week, illness, set backs in expectations.  It’s hard to be your best when you feel life is at its worst.  It is hard to remember that learning from adversity and transforming it into something beautiful and worthwhile take time.

As mentioned last Tuesday in my Thought Tuesday Blog Adulting 101, I believe I have contributed to the growing problem of teens entering adulthood lacking basic skills.  Despite and education system that focuses dollars and hours on testing skills, I can’t find any evidence of testing life skills of students before graduation.  Basic skills such as basic household tasks, etiquette, community resources, getting a job, and finances are lacking.  I also believe that the missing knowledge is an oversight on my part… on our part.  We missed teaching these skills in an effort to cram reading, writing, math, science, extra curricular activities, etc. into their overloaded brains.

Thus… today I begin to change that.  Look out teen who lives in my house.  Here it comes! (all you other teens can listen up too!).

Lesson 1-

“10 minutes early is on time.  On time is late,  Late is unacceptable.”

This…

My life is still so fast paced that I haven’t been adventurous with food.  I haven’t even taken pictures of what I am eating.

I will do better this coming week.

Again, I ate veggies or a smoothie for breakfast.

Again, I had a salad or soup for lunch.

I made Asparagus and Sunny Side up Eggs over Grits

I made Hannah’s Roasted Tomato and Bell Pepper Soup

I made Wendy’s Cabbage Soup

I made Japanese Ramen Soup

My husband took me out for dinner on Saturday for my birthday.  We went to Mexican food and I got a Vegetarian Enchilada.  I remember to ask for no sour cream, but I forgot to ask for no cheese.  oops.  I have also been drinking Country Time homemade.  Not good.  I gained 5 pounds.  Water it is.

For my actual birthday we made Greek Hummus Pizza

Instead of cake my husband made