THE ORNAMENT THAT HOLDS MY HEART..

The Lachel Family Memories

(FAMILY MEMORIES ORNAMENT)

Write your favorite family memories from the past year on the slips of paper.....

This was such a thoughtful and beautiful gift I received from a friend last week.   I really wanted to write down all our family memories from the last year and hang it on my tree, but honestly I actually thought about giving it away to another friend who's had an abundance of memories this year to fill it up.    I hung the ornament on the tree, but never put the memories in.   It's something that I've pondered over all week.   Trying to come up with "memories" that I would want to save.

For me 2010 was fast and really mostly a blur, and for the most part pretty uneventful.  Not bad and not great.   I think 2010 has been really hard for so many people.   I've seen it with the people I work with, I've seen it with my friends, I've seen it with hurting families in my church, I've seen it with most of my clients, and I've see it in my own family.   Times are tough right now.    It's not really my intent to write a depressing blog.  I keep typing and deleting, trying to come up with something inspiring to say.  I've even Googled various words trying to see what pops up for "Good Memories or Events" for 2010.  I'm having a hard time finding anything worth writing about.

I may not have climbed a mountain this year, or went on a fabulous trip, or won the lottery or some other memorable event, but 2010 will be the year that I will remember that I was very blessed.   I have two great boys, who I am so proud of.  I have a nice home that we get to live in.  I've been blessed to help many clients work through their hardship, I've sold homes, I've worked with buyers, I've put lots of people in rentals who had terrible credit,  My husband has a job and has been able to pay the bills. We have good health.  We have a great family. We have a few great friends. We have an abundance of clothes and we have been warm and have had food to eat every day.   

The memories that have been special this year is that my son, Brian, graduated from High School and he bought his first car,   I drove Keith to school every morning and we've had lots of laughs listening to Carman's 7am prank call and time to talk,  He got his permit and started to drive,  Keith went to homecoming with a girl that was special to him and he looked so handsome, and I celebrated my 21st wedding anniversary with my husband.

The truth is I have lots of great things I could write down to put in the ornament that really do not have much to do with 2010, and everything to do with whats in my heart.... Love & Faith.
 

What would you put in your ornament?   YOU ARE LOVED!



~The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the
  most credentials, the most money...or the most awards.

  They simply are the ones who care the most.

TEXTURE OF OUR HEARTS...

When I first became a Realtor it was exciting.   I loved helping people find the homes they love and selling their homes within 30 days.   It was awesome!   At times I was so overwhelmed with the amount of work I had to do it was crazy.    I'm not sure how many people I've told my story to about how I got into Real Estate?   I was one of those people who would go to every new development to look at the model homes.   I loved looking at houses and I loved searching for homes for friends who were looking.  I was one of those crazy "buyers" that Tyler would say... "Get out of my car!" .. Jokingly of course.   At that time I was a mom and working as a part-time dental assistant, and after about 10 years of doing that, circumstances changed and left me with an open door to investigate one of my dreams.   I was really scared.   I "thought" I wasn't a great student and the thought of passing an intense test that contained math!  OMGosh!!  I didn't tell anyone that I was even doing it... not even my own mom.   I was scared I was going to fail.    I loved it though and I studied my BUTT off!! (wish it was littoral).   I ended up passing my class with an A and I passed the Real Estate Exam on the first try!   I was shocked and so excited that I called my mom in the car and told her what I did.   I had prayed often asking God for direction and wondering if I was making the right decision.   I was really nervous to start up a business after working and receiving a steady paycheck for so many years.  I was a good dental assistant too and one of the top paid assistants.   I started questioning my decision and went and applied for some dental assisting jobs.   I got the interviews and the dentist raved about how they would love to hire me, but every door was closed!  I thought, ok Lord you obviously don't want me doing that anymore so I'm going to trust that you've open this new chapter in my life for a reason.   I interviewed with a number of brokerages, but ended up going with my gut on my decision and chose to work for Kim McGuire at the new Prudential office.  I just felt a connection to Kim and felt she was a genuine and honest person.... and she is.  I was blessed in my new career as Realtor right from the start and took off running!!   Our teacher told us in class that 90+% of the people who attempt real estate don't make it their first year.  The Lord has really opened so many doors and provided so many blessings for me that I am grateful for.  

The best blessings have truly been my clients.    Everyone of them have a story and it's always so exciting to see how it turns out and why our paths connected.    Lately those stories have changed.   Now I'm a counselor and a financial adviser.   Times are really tough for people and there is so much pain in the world right now.     We are listing and selling homes due to hardship.   People can't pay their mortgage, their marriages are stressed and falling apart, their dreams have been shattered, they've lost their jobs and can't find any employment.    It's heart breaking.    But I LOVE IT!  Not the circumstances but being able to be there to listen, to let them know I want to help and to create a solution that's going to work.   As much as I loved being able to put food on my table and pay my bills, it's not always about that anymore.    Circumstances have changed for my family too and we have to live off of a whole lot less than we were accustom too, but God is good and it's so evident to us his blessings.  If I didn't have to worry about paying my bills.. I'd honestly just work for free and continue helping and counseling hurting people.   As cruddy as I am in math, I've found I'm really good with finances and creating solutions quickly.   People just need to know that there's someone who cares, who can give them direction and let them know they have options.  The worse possible thing you can do in that situation... is nothing!  The heartbreaking thing for me is talking with those people when it's already been a year or two years that they have been frozen in their path, and scared not knowing what to do.  Doesn't mean it's hopeless though!   If you know of anyone who's struggling financially please please let them know they have options and I would love to help educate them on what they can do.... and a lot of times keep them in their homes.    I don't have all the answers, but I definitely have the heart... and the understanding.... by the grace of God truly.  YOU ARE LOVED!

"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  

Are you not worth much more than they?  

And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?"  .... 

For your heavenly Father knows you need all these things." Matt 6