mportie32

Somethin’ so out of the ordinary

If anyone has ever read my blog they know that I was devastated by divorce. Some posts were angrier than others and some were dripping with tears of sadness. Throughout the journey and my posts, I always knew and held onto the promise that GOD would use all the things (even the bad ones) to his glory and restore what was lost. Beauty from Ashes – and I made reference to that very statement many times – claiming it and willing it to be true, although I didn’t quite know how the restoration would look.

Of course, you know that GOD provided such an amazing man in Dean and I have a beautiful relationship but my worry was more about my kids and what they didn’t have and the intact family that was taken from them. How would God ever restore that? Would the generational curse of dysfunctional relationships and broken marriages/divorce continue in my kids?

In the day to day trenches, the foundation you lay sometimes gets overlooked and it isn’t until life blesses you with a little glimpse of perspective from those you are trying to impact the most that you actually sit back and think – “OK God this is what you were doing and your way was worth it!”

Just a couple of examples over the last year….

I recently had a conversation with my youngest daughter. She was detailing out for me the qualities of her perfect “boyfriend/relationship. I chuckled because the qualities she described were those qualities she sees in Dean… and those she sees in Dean and I’s relationship.

Maddie recently was excited to have me listen to this song she loves and told me the song reminds her of Dean and I. The song is called Ordinary. Here is a verse from it “The angels up in the clouds are jealous, knowin’ we found… Somethin’ so out of the ordinary”. She gets it! I think they all do. They see how beautiful our relationship is. Finding a “Dean” is now a verb when I talk to my girls about finding their person.

My big kids are grown adults with their own lives but Dean impacts them as well. He has stood in the gap for my son at his wedding, modeling what real men do when they love their families and is just as much of an example to my oldest daughter as he is to my younger daughters.

What has happened over the past 7-8 years has been a gradual identification and recognition of a true love story and a love that has set the bar for future generations. And that is worth all the pain and heartache I have endured to get to this point. God knew what my kids needed and He remixed my life to provide the most beautiful example of a love story – marital love in action and on display for all to witness and strive for in their own lives.

Journey to Baptism

I am sitting and reflecting on this weekend and how we got here and have so much to say, so I decided this was the best platform for that. Let me start from where I feel the story really starts.

Mia’s 8th grade year has been hard, really hard. We have all been there – Middle School is hard and these days kids are mean and embolden behind the phone screen to say whatever they want to say. But throughout this year she has been searching for something more, something meaningful. She started going to mid-week bible study at church after a friend invited her. Then she asked for a bible – one that helped her understand the scriptures and she could take notes in. Then she started studying her bible and making notes daily – then she wanted to study with her friends before church at Starbucks. And as she continued to seek, the more peace she gained in her life and the more that she realized that Jesus is the answer… the answer for many things that a 14 year old deals with.

She came to me one day and told me she felt the call to be baptized and asked if I could bring her to a meeting with the youth pastor. She initiated the process and prayed about it and then scheduled it. And here we are at this weekend, where she stood in front of a body of believers and professed who her Savior is! She was nervous but when she came out of that baptismal she was smiling ear to ear!!!! Her people came from far and wide to support her, because it was important. It was a 14 year old that was seeking the Lord our Savior! – Who wouldn’t want to rejoice in that?!

She knows its not an easy button but she is seeking HIM out and the seeds that were planted along the way are starting to bear fruit! I am so proud of her!

Proud Tennis Mom

This past weekend I was a proud tennis mom. Both the girls played in their High School State Tennis Tournament. Let me back up a bit and give some back story on each.

So when Maddie was a Freshmen in High School, her volleyball coach and the athletic department in her school decided to start a tennis program. Before then Maddie had tinkered with a tennis racquet only because I was so involved in tennis but never played officially. She decided that she would play tennis for the school team and she would play doubles. Fast forward – her and her partner won the State Title in doubles. The next year, Maddie’s doubles partner went away to Boarding School so she decided to play singles. She made it to the State Tennis Tournament and lost in the first round to the girl who State that year. Now…. she was sad but only for a minute. After that minute passed, she was Determined. Determined to go back the next year and WIN.

For the 2024-2025 school year, EDS Tennis was blessed beyond measure to get a new tennis coach, Fernando, who is an amazing tennis player himself and who is also an amazing teacher of tennis. He not only coaches the team but both Maddie and Mia have been taking private lessons from him. (we will get to Mia shortly). He worked tirelessly with Maddie, he retooled her grip, worked on her strokes and helped us find the right racquet for her tennis.

Tennis season begins and Maddie is ready! First tournament she blows through her first 2 matches no problem. Then…. third match we have the girl that beat her and won State last year. Good match but she loses in the Semi Finals. This fuels her fire even more. She continues working. Next tournament, she wins overall but “the girl” isn’t at this tournament. Maddie keeps working. Finally it is time for the State Tennis Tournament. Maddie rolls through the bracket and her competition playing some great tennis and makes it to the Finals! And yes, you guessed it, her opponent is “the girl” – last year’s State Champion. Maddie played some amazing tennis! Her and Fernando talked strategy and she executed perfectly! She wins in a match tie break, coming back from being down 0-5! All her hard work pays off! She immediately comes off the court and looks for Fernando and cries tears of Joy. That is what Maddie is about – just pure Grit. Putting in the hard work for the end goal. That girl sets her mind to something and she goes after it! Now to go back and win it again. I hope she has realized how good of a tennis player she is and loves it as much as I do!

Now let’s get to Mia. Mia is also playing tennis as an 8th grader for the JV tennis team for EDS High School. Mia is focused on singles. Singles is a lonely sport… you are out there all by yourself grinding it out. Mia is emotional and when you are by yourself on the court it takes a level of mental toughness to get through some hard matches. As a 13 year old girl, mental toughness isn’t ….. well you know. lol Mia like most kids wants to win only so Fernando has been working with her not only on her technique but just having fun. I have been working on the difficult part of trying to toughen up a child who is very emotional connected to world – lol. Fast forward through many tennis lessons with Fernando – with tears – to the first tournament of the year. Mia loses her first match but in a match tie break – cries when she gets off the court then collects herself. Her next match she loses the first set and is down in the second and something kicks in and she mentally tells herself to dig deep. She wins in a match tiebreak! She played great tennis this day and Fernando helped her see the bigger achievements than just the win, even the achievements in the loss.

The next tournament, she lost her first match badly and again was emotional about losing. She dried her tears and got on the court for her 2nd match. This was an easier win from an obviously less skilled and younger player. Mia was so gracious on the court. She didn’t go all out because she didn’t need to and kept encouraging her opponent throughout the match. That’s a WIN beyond the score!

Mia also got to play in the State Tournament. Her first match was the girl she lost so badly to during the 2nd tournament. And sadly she lost again. But! Fernando helped her see the vast improvement in just a short time. She won more games, the rallies were longer, she pushed her to deuce more. And just like that she was smiling and high fiving. Overall she had a successful season and definitely saw some growth! Barbe High School tennis here we come!

There are so many valuable life lessons that Tennis teaches. Mia doesn’t realize it yet but she is learning Grit, mental toughness, how to fail and keep going until you get to success, how to be strategic, how to win and lose graciously and how to work hard. Her tennis is a work in progress but she is determined and has committed to playing 3 more tournaments this spring/summer (in exchange for another social media app) – I am not beyond leveraging the things she wants to keep her playing – lol

I tell my girls all the time – Tennis is a gift I am giving them. That gift as an adult, if they keep playing (I hope they do) will yield them a community of like minded people who will enrich their lives. Keep playing my girls… Keep playing..

Reception Speech

For those of you who don’t know me I am Melissa, Christopher’s mom. I am the mom of 6 – 3 girls and 3 boys – Chris being the oldest.

March 26, 1994 seems like yesterday, I was a baby myself holding my baby – and then I blinked and here I am standing at my sweet boys wedding. But we all know that life slows for no one and the days pass slow but the years go quickly by. So here we are… today celebrating this beautiful couple – Chris and Emily. And with the addition of Emily to our family – the balance of power now goes to the girls!!!!

Being a mom to Christopher has been one of the most rewarding experiences, one that has taught me the art of adaptability and one that has yielded sooooo many great stories. The overall theme of Christopher’s life was similar to that of the movie the Absent Minded Professor. My dad made countless trips running forgotten books, homework assignments, lunch money, uniforms, shoes and anything else that was needed. One morning Chris wakes up for school, gets ready and leaves heading to school. His drive is a good 15 minutes. So this boy drove his vehicle for 15 minutes, arrives at school and realizes he has forgotten his shoes. Now, for those of us that drive – it almost seems impossible considering the sensation of your foot against the gas pedal and brake feels dramatically different with just a sock on compared to a shoe – right. I can only imagine the moment he realized – like stepping out of his truck onto the concrete parking lot in his socks thinking – shoot I need to call mom.

We rebought library books, uniform shirts, wallets, drivers licenses and even ties. until such time that Chris took matters into his own hands. Knowing he had lost his uniform tie for the 3rd time in a school year and that I would have been livid to now have to buy yet another uniform tie – he went to the local thrift store, bought a navy jacket, ripped the sleeve off the jacket and used the fabric to wrap a purple paisley tie and secure the fabric with scotch tape. ( I still have that tie – and always joked that I will be saving it for him to wear at this wedding)

These are great stories and I could go on and on telling you more, but I say all this to say Emily you are now officially in charge of all lost passports keys, wallets, credit cards, etc. Forgotten shoes, clothes and EVEN responsible for getting him and his luggage on the plane or in the car.

But honestly that part of Chris that forgets or loses things is one of the things that I love about him – the thing that makes him uniquely him. When he was a little boy he was the most loving, caring, inclusive, intelligent, compassionate kid – and all of those qualities have carried forward to the man he has become today – and he’s funny (even if Lizzy doesn’t think you’re funny – you’re funny) I have watched proudly as he has navigated college, relocating to a new city, forging ahead with his career and building a life of his own. And while he was working his way through all that – he was still a son – a son that was my rock during some difficult times, an advisor who always shared his wisdom that was far beyond his years, and the one that held the keys to the kingdom and so graciously passed them along when it was time. He was also a big brother, fully engaged with his siblings even from afar, – He is the pied piper/activity coordinator for the littles, the helper of all math homework, the assistant with law school acceptance essays and the best prankster of all time.

I just love the man He has become and I love even more the man He is WITH Emily.

I have prayed since my kids were little that they would find a suitable mate – someone that loved them in a way I couldn’t but with the same depth of love that I do. When I first met Emily and saw how she looked at Chris, how she embraced everything about who he was – I knew he had found “His Person”. And I cannot say enough about who Emily is. Our family is a lot – we have lots of activities going on – lots of big personalities – we have grown kids but still have little kids – and she showed up and made herself at home with us. She is kind, funny, smart, welcoming, loving, witty, compassionate, vivacious and attentive – she sees people and makes them feel known (such a rare quality in a young person) and she is so much more. AND she has the best taste in music – I mean who from my generation doesn’t love Stevie Nix (Emily is just an old soul) I have witnessed over the last 6 years the beauty that is Chris and Emily. Him championing her, her doing the same for him. Both being respectful of each other and loving each other for everything that they individually are – embracing each other in their individuality fully. As a mom – you just can’t ask for more!!!!

Here is the part of the speech where I think I probably should give some advice on marriage – although obviously I am not the best person to be giving advice on that topic – however I do know that Choice is important in marriage. Starting with choosing the right person to spend forever with (which yall have – so good choice there)

When things get tough and they will – choose to love each other through it

When one is having a moment – choose to be kind and understanding (this one will be super relevant when you both experience menopause together – ask Dean lol)

When kids come along (and I cant wait for them to come) and the hustle and bustle of raising a family is in full swing – choose to be connected and communicate with each other and put each other first even before your kids.

When your faced with temptation – choose to be faithful, trustworthy and honest

When you want to give up – choose to be loyal and stay

When the world tells you that you need more – more stuff, more money, more more more – choose contentment, connection and family.

At least once a year – choose vacation

and this one is in honor of your poppy – In Life, no matter its circumstances – always choose to eat the cake!

I look forward to your journey through life together and I will be there alongside of you both – offering any support you need and cheering you on!!! Watching and admiring your dedication to each other and the life you are building. Everyone Raise your glasses and toast to Chris and Emily, may you love each other more every day going forward until eternity.

A little wisdom from the month of May…

This morning I was riding my Peloton and I looked over and noticed this picture (below) and it struck me hard this morning.

Today is my dad’s birthday. He would have been 79. That isn’t what struck me about this pic. This picture represents the man my dad was to me and to my kids… always showing up for us – no matter what – big or small – he was always there. This is also wedding month for my oldest son and that ….. well there’s that. Death is brutal – it leaves a void and you feel it in everyday life but it feels deeper and wider when the big stuff rolls around that my dad is not here to witness and celebrate with us.

I want to tell a story (I have probably told before) for my son and for anyone that needs to hear it.

My dad, as a young young man of 18, made a choice to leave a life that wasn’t for him. To leave a family that wasn’t always his biggest cheerleader and forge a life of his own – create his own family. He did just that and he ran that family the way he wanted – with the value system he prescribed to. And he did well. He continued that philosophy throughout his life and with his grandchildren – showing up and standing in the gap for them when they needed. Son, now is your time to forge ahead with building your family the way you envision it. Those that want to be part of that and want to witness its beauty will tag along – I promise. Those that don’t … well.. you continue to forge ahead.

I recently saw a clip of Tyler Perry saying – Some people are like rocket boosters – when the rocket gets to a certain point, the boosters fall off but the rocket keeps going soaring to heights that the boosters can’t go. Don’t let those people that can’t and/or shouldn’t ascend with you to tag along – they only hold you back.

We were blessed to have such a wonderful example of love, grit, dedication and loyalty in my dad. The example he leaves is priceless. He never explained his legacy, it just is what it is by the example he left us – one that is worthy of us paying attention and following. I hope that his legacy resonates with all of my children – he left a lesson that surely applies to all of their lives at some point.

Today we will celebrate my dad with our annual “Eat the Cake” celebration – because throughout his life and even when he was the sickest (and didn’t feel like eating) – he always ate the cake! The sweetness of life! We embrace him, his legacy and we too will eat the cake! Wedding Day…. well I will surely be eating a piece of cake for him too – knowing he is smiling from heaven!

Quietly entering 2024

As I always do, this time of year leads me to take a look back at what I have accomplished and forward at what I want to accomplish in the coming year. This year doesn’t have grand goals of conquering new business conquests and racing forward to become queen of the world in 2024. When I think of 2024 the first words that comes into my mind are “Slower Pace”, “Take A Breath”, and “Being Ok with Slow and Settled”. Previous to divorce my life was a swirling hurricane of chaos. After divorce, my life wasn’t as chaotic but there was a lot of change and to cope I kept moving and shaking. Now, after a period of healing and being happily married it is time to take a breath, look around and enjoy the sights.

Having just muddled through the Christmas Holidays again this year, it definitely needs an application of “slower pace” , “take a breath” and a complete overhaul. For the last couple of years I have not been in the Christmas Spirit and even in 2022 skipped the Holiday all together. After talking with some friends this year, I have finally figured out what was so unsettling about Christmas for me. Christmas has become this overdone Holiday that overlooks the real reason for the season and is riddled with mass amounts of excess! It is just nauseating to think what has become of Christmas – now “the celebration of me buying you a gift when you have everything you need or want.” Many years ago, Christmas was necessary – small gifts were exchanged of necessity driven items. Now – this is not the case – everyone has so much and people have the means to buy what they want all year long – instant gratification. When I think back to Christmas celebrations when I was a little girl – my memories are of big family gatherings – togetherness – laughter and lots of food. I don’t remember gift exchanges being the center of all activity. Not sure how and when we let the glutenous commercialized version of Christmas overtake the simplistic, family oriented Christmas’ of past generations. And the same goes for Easter, Valentine’s Day, etc. I, for one, will be righting this wrong, soooo – starting with 2024 going forward, Holidays as a whole will be focused on Time spent being together, taking a breathe and enjoying the simple things of life- And instead of the hustle and bustle, it will be spent embracing a bit slower pace.

In 2024 we will be spending more time at our little camp where things are a little bit off the grid with very little cell service and no internet. Where there is a whole lot of togetherness – kids share rooms and bathrooms and there is nothing to do per se but be together. Although we know we will get a ton of push back from the kids, they will be spending their fair share of “family time” at the camp. It is so important (even if they hate it) for them to decompress and have some time off of the phone and social media. So many people I talk to long for the simpler times, that of their parents and grandparents – before social media drove the excess of every day life – the must have’s, the bigger and betters, the trendy and the over-documented. For me and mine – we will embrace that simple and slower pace – family focused existence, even if just for weekends. Some solitude and peace is better than none.

Another area of focus that I think gets marginalized, minimalized and hijacked by mainstream America is marriage. I am going to be intentional with leaning into my marriage. Taking time to cultivate respect, communication, transparency, togetherness at a whole new level. Dean is so old school and hasn’t allowed the world or his past experiences to move the needle in providing the very foundations of what marriage should be. I have been lagging a bit, allowing my past traumas to take center stage and to be my go to. It is way past time for me to rise above those things and make an active choice to do different and show up in my relationship with the same love, trust, healthy communication and resolution skills that Dean shows up with EVERY DAY!

And even though we want to slow life down a bit it doesn’t mean we will be sedentary. We will still be engaged with Tennis and our Tennis family, Mardi Gras and my beautiful circle of friends. I will be adding more activities where Dean and I do some couple focused activities – from biking to nature driven activities – even things as simple as taking a walk together on the lakefront. Activities that drive time together and connection. I want my life to reflect that relationship means more than things do. My tennis family suffered a devastating loss of our friend and teammate this past year and it reminded us all that life is fragile and tomorrow is never promised – and that at the end of your life all that really matters are the memories you made and the people you made them with.

As for 2023 – I more than accomplished what I set out to and am ready to turn the page and do something different and against the grain. I hope I look back at the end of 2024 and feel as accomplished as I do now. This year will no doubt be just as big a challenge – but its so needed and wanted. SO goodbye 2023 and cheers to a 2024!

I will leave you with some pictures from 2023 that represent some fantastic times of togetherness and connection (which was last years theme)!

A Tribute and some Tennis Stories

I have not written in quite a while. I tend to write if I am in the valley or on the mountaintop. Sadly its the latter. Me, Dean, our group of friends and our tennis community lost a good one yesterday to a tragic accident. We are still stunned, in shock and devastated at this loss.

When I write I like to tell stories as I think stories connect the dots for me and helps support the point I am trying to make. So I am going to tell some tennis stories about my friend.

Let me start by saying that tennis connects a lot of people. It is a beautiful community of people that spend a lot of time together. If you look and evaluate tennis friendships you will notice some similarities in personalities – highly competitive, has a general love of people, Type A (large and in charge) just to name a few. Tennis has been a growing part of my life for some time and now have a strong group of friends that have gravitated towards each other, whom I just love. Jeff Manuel was part of this group. He, in fact was my mixed doubles partner – a well paired match as we are both highly competitive – Step on Your Neck Competitive! Sitting back this morning after hearing the tragic news I find myself thinking about Jeff and tennis. You can learn a lot about someone through the lens of a sport.

Jeff approached tennis with the same tenacity, grit and fight he did his own life. He was a fierce competitor. He had 1 speed – fast and get it done. At a recent state tournament we were playing a team we should have been beating but were struggling. It was a different pace of game play and I pulled Jeff aside and told him slow down, we need to change the pace. We lost – the only loss of the season together and neither of us were happy about it. After this match when we were about to go on court for our next match he told me that he was going to play HIS game – He was going to play “Jeff Tennis” and we were going to go and kick ass. I looked at him in all his confidence and said – Let’s play some Jeff Tennis! Jeff lived by his own rules – no one was going to determine the pace of his life – he went out everyday whether on or off the court – whether he won or loss and played Jeff Tennis. I respect a person that lives by their own rules and forges ahead in life following their own plan – even when there are missteps – living authentically.

If you haven’t gathered, we play a lot of tennis and I have so many stories…. Recently I was playing a mixed doubles match at a State Tournament. For this match I happen not to be playing with Jeff but Jeff and Dean were spectating. In this match the opposing guy was extreme and his goal was to intimidate the opposing female on the court and he took several opportunities to hit the ball as hard as he could straight at me. It was intentional and he wasn’t remorseful – he laughed about it. On the sidelines, Dean was watching and told Jeff that If the opposing guy hit me he was going on the court to confront him. Jeff’s response was classic – “I will be on the court before you!” He fiercely protected his people. Which is one of the reasons he played half of our season with a broken hand. He loved big and disregarded his own safety to protect his people. He wasn’t afraid to speak up if he felt something wasn’t right. He would do anything for his friends! He also brought that same fierce love and protection to his family. He loved his children and would do anything for them!

Jeff was also funny, witty, a coach and a mentor, a fantastic dad and a great friend.

Death is brutal – it takes your breath away. Your left standing there thinking what just happened. We had plans – He had Plans – and all of that just disappears, vanishes as quick as the person that left this earth. I wish we could have a redo of yesterday, a rewind and redo it differently. But we can’t and here we are.

I think I speak for my friends, my tennis team and tennis community when I say that Jeff will forever be missed on and off the court. Our hearts are forever broken and we will likely not get over this loss for quite a while. For me, he will forever be on my mind when I step on a tennis court. And for those of us who will be traveling to Sectionals without Jeff now – I say we all commit to playing some “Jeff Tennis” and win it for HIM! #JeffTennis

May GOD hold close and comfort his children and family and may Jeff forever Rest In Peace!

Goodbye 2022 – Hello 2023

I know it is well past New Years Day – but I have been taking stock of 2022 and really thinking about what I want 2023 to look like. I jumped over some big hurdles last year to accomplish some really hard things. Change was the overall theme for 2022 and with change comes the uncomfortable. So I knew at the beginning of last year I was going to have to get really comfortable with the uncomfortable. No doubt Change is Hard. And it was – but I didn’t die from it.

We kicked 2022 off with a doozie of change – and I sold my house that held so many memories for me (both good and bad) and trekked through uncharted waters to buy a home in Lake Charles. I had never lived anywhere but in Sulphur so this was super scary for me. The house in Lake Charles was a great buy but it needed some remodeling work. Simultaneously I was neck deep in a massive rebuild/remodel project with some storm damaged apartments that I bought. It was a struggle to manage both projects but it showed me that I CAN do whatever I put my mind to.

We got settled in the house and after a few months finally started loving being in Lake Charles. The new apartment complex finished its renovations and came online – filling up within a month of advertising them.

Lizzy went away to law school making this the furthest we have ever lived apart. That has been hard but I am a proud mama watching her work hard for what she wants.

An appearance on a game show rounded out the summer. We are so excited about getting the air dates and letting our whole community watch along with us. We loved that we could represent our small corner of the world.

I played a whole lot of tennis! A whole lot! I improved my game and had an amazing year. 5 of my teams made a state appearance with 2 of them advancing to sectionals. My level of play got bumped up officially and this year along with me playing on some of my teams from last year – I will be captaining my own team.

With my State appearances I got connected with some amazing ladies in Lafayette and have some new friends, new tennis regulars, a tournament doubles partner and a dream opportunity as a travel agent! (Its quite amazing how GOD opens doors, connects people and brings opportunities and drops them at your feet)

Travel is ALWAYS a part of my year. We started the year with a friends trip to Fredericksburg, Tx. We were deeply entenched in NCAA basketball and traveled near and far to attend games. We topped off the season with a trip to San Antonio to attend the Elite 8 as well as a trip to New Orleans to watch the Final Four. Dean and I took a tennis focused trip to Key Biscayne, Miami, Fl and made some new tennis friends that we hope we can connect and play with again! We celebrated our friends birthdays on a biking trip through Vermont! I also made time for my girlfriends and joined them on a trip to Nashville and a trip to Fort Worth. We rounded out the year with a family trip to Myrtle Beach, SC for thanksgiving.

Wow – what a year. It’s been a good one but not without its struggles along the way. When I think about the previous year I think I accomplished what I set out to… And I am proud that I can do the hard stuff – whatever it is. Usually by the end of the each year the next year’s theme arises and so it has….

2023’s theme is Connection. Let me back up a bit. What I have found over the course of recent years is that the entire world population is distracted.. some might say we are “connected” because we have instant access to endless information and social media platforms. However, we are less connected than we ever have been in history! I see my littles being so consumed with their phones that sometimes they don’t even hear me when I speak to them. I see them getting a lot of needless information from the internet/social media but missing the good stuff – the good stories that my uncle tells, the opportunities to connect with family and friends, etc. I even see myself getting consumed with social media. I do not want that… I want to be connected in a way that people feel seen and known when they are with me. I recently read Glad You’re Here – by Walker Hayes (the country singer that sings “Fancy Like”). THIS Book! It was written along with Walker Hayes friend and neighbor, Craig zCooper who also led him to have a relationship with Jesus and become a believer. He did it by meeting him where he was in life – making Walker feel welcomed, SEEN, KNOWN and LOVED. We cannot do that if we are invested so much in social media and our phones. Connection is what drove Walker Hayes’s transformation! I want that to be my story – I want my circle of friends and family and those that I come in contact with throughout this year to feel that I am connected…..present…- seeing them, hearing them and knowing them.

A big part of connection is openness to perspective… For me I gain a broader range of perspective when I read books about real people’s stories and watch documentaries – so instead of having my head in Social Media – I will be expanding my mind that way. I hope to read 12 really good books this year! I highly recommend “Glad You’re Here” (as mentioned above) #walkerhayes #craigcooper

I also have some tennis goals (duh lol) this year. I Love sports as a whole and well… women’s sports are highly underrated and under attended and really 2nd in comparison to men’s sports. This year I am going to champion women’s sports – We will watch, buy tickets to women’s sporting events, etc. Maddie sees the disparity and I want her and I to be part of the change that puts women’s sports in equal footing with men’s. #girlpower

I am looking forward to another great year with alot of growth personally. I just turned 50 and like I have told my friends and family – that doesn’t make me sad at all!!! It’s just a number and I must say I am pretty proud to be 50 and do the things that I do. Most 50 year olds don’t or can’t!

So Cheers to 50 and cheers to 2023! I hope you and yours have a wonderful year full of good times, good people and good things!

Conversations with an Old Athlete

I ran into a man that played ball with my dad. He remembered me from when I was a little girl following my dad around at the ball fields and basketball gyms. He is an old man now, and like me, is in need of Physical Therapy. So as we sat together in Physical Therapy we chatted. It did not take long for the conversation to go to all the fun times he had playing ball for many years. He talked about my dad and his competitiveness and wasn’t shocked at how competitive I was (Noone who knew my dad is shocked lol) and even shared a specific story of my dad – I laughed and treasured him sharing that with me. It was such a treat and a great conversation that brought back a lot of my core memories of my childhood and got me to thinking…..

Here this man sits, in his 70’s now, ailing with a bad right arm and what brought a smile to his face and a sparkle to his eyes were his memories of the good times he spent playing ball – it was a way of life for him and many like him – namely my dad. The comradery, the sportsmanship, the competitive spirit, the love of the game and the lifetime friendships that came from playing was evident.

Fast forward to why I am I being treated by a physical therapist – I have tennis elbow – from PLAYING TENNIS… wayyyyy to much tennis. But I have the bug – bad! And it is definitely a love for the game that my parents loved so much – but it is also because of the comradery, the sportsmanship, the competitive spirit, the love of the game and the friendships! I love my tennis friends and we are making the BEST memories.

And here is when I write specifically speaking to my teammates and more specifically to my doubles partners (I play on several teams). I am a lot. I know that I am. I am the offspring of a highly competitive, extremely athletically talented and spirited dad (and mom)…. And although I don’t necessarily like to lose – the full experience of playing alongside and with some amazing people resonates more than the win loss record. Getting to know everyone – cheering my team on – making memories and lifting one another up as we win or lose fills my cup! It is the very thing when I am old – I will reminisce about with whoever will listen. Money can’t buy these memories I am making. Thank you for tolerating my intensity! I love being connected in competition with each one of you.

Me and 2 of my tennis teams are heading to Sectionals, representing Louisiana in a couple of different divisions this weekend. I am so looking forward to having a great time with some AMAZING women! #LetsGo #WeAreGoingForTheWin #TomBrady

PS – My comradery, encouraging my partner and being positive on the court does not always come through when I am playing with Dean…. I love him dearly but I don’t always make it fun for him. But he has the best attitude and we laugh alot about it. I am working on it though….lol (I am good with him as long as we are winning :))

Travel with a Dose of Opportunity

I love travel. My travels have taken me all over the world. Some have even had a specific purpose – to bring babies home to their forever family. After my divorce, travel was my therapy – it allowed new sights, new experiences and new people to sav my broken soul. Now – 7 years down the road – it is a way of life for me. Travel is so heavily engrained in my every day life – my husband calls it “my hobby”. What a FUN Hobby!!!

I have been given the unique opportunity to emerse myself into travel even more! God knew my heart and knew what I always wanted to do… bring travel to others and NOW I am able to do that as part of the Avenues 2 Travel team!!!! and I am soooo excited to start this chapter of my life. Avenues 2 Travel is a full service, independent travel agency that has been locally owned and operated since the early 80’s.

I will be blogging about some of my recent travel adventures including some specific MUST DO’s and MUST SEE’s. And….. be watching for some group travel trips that I will be putting together as well as some awesome travel specials and deals.

There are so many more places I want to go and explore. Please reach out if you would like my help booking or you just want to talk travel. You can email at melissa@avenues2travel.com and definitely check out my new Avenues2Travel Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/avenues2travel

Just wanted to share a FEW of my favorite travel pics.