Saturday, June 30, 2007
Now moments!
"The greatest thing in all the world is Love.
The greatest way to express your Love is through Time.
The greatest Time to express your Love is now."
I have been blessed to know that there are many people who understand this concept...that Love IS the most wonderful thing. That Time IS precious and says more about how much we love than our actions do often times. That even when I have nothing to say- whether I am too busy, too up, too down, too reflective, too introspective, too off-the-wall, too all-over-the-place...I am who I am because I love and I love my time with those most important to me!
I love that when I think my teens don't need me or want me around we spend a day together and we talk about it for days after...because we need and want to be together.
I love that when my little one thinks she just doesn't get enough "mommy" time and needs a hug, a cuddle or to hold my hand that I can remember to stop and do that.
I love summer because we find so much more time to stop and LOVE NOW! I love that the sunshine gives us so many more NOW MOMENTS!
link | posted by Heather McTaggart at 11:58 PM
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
The Haunting of Rubber Duckie's
After many months of thinking the rubber duckies were just a lack of my own laziness to throw something away....I realized that NO I had been throwing them away but they are haunting me! On my deskS at work, in my work kitchen and other places my butt sits we find rubber duckies coming out of heaven! See, I have 2 desks at work, one in the office and one in the Facility workroom, then I spend TOO many hours in the kitchen at work because that is where the majortiy of my job takes place. I have been known to halucinate after 15 hour work days...BUT this is finally becoming obvious! THE RUBBER DUCKIES ARE APPEARING OUT OF NOWHERE! They are numbered, dressed up and place strategically....
I wonder who is the culpret?
(PS. Facility boys....I do realize you are terrorizing me with red roses!)
link | posted by Heather McTaggart at 4:20 PM
Thursday, June 21, 2007
A friend...can we?
Ok the question was asked...opinions were given, so I will give mine. Here is the question:Can men and women be friends without one of them liking the other "like that"? (Thank you Allison!)
I have lots of guy friends, I have always had lots of guy friends. These have been lifetime friends...friends I still have in my life with my husbands 100% approval! See lots of my guy friends have become my husbands good friends. He is grateful for these friendships, they have been there when I and we needed them, they are good for a laugh, we have been there for a meal, place to hang, and just great bonding time. These are NOT romantic relationships and NEVER have been. We use great moral judgement and maturity when we spend time together, and we bond as a whole family. This is the healthy way to pursue a friendship with the opposite sex!
Here is my example of a real lifetime GUY friend:
Tino (TRY to those closest to him) and I have been friends for almost 27 years. No matter when I hear from TRY or he hears from me or us...our conversation can be picked up where we left off, we can drop whatever we are doing to help if needed, we can be there for a great laugh, good story, or pure joy. Tino is my lifetime guy friend but he is not the only one. He has and always will be part of our life, whether I see him tomorrow or in 2 years...we will ALWAYS be friends. I called him tonight and posed the question to him...he strongly agreed that we are and always we be the closest of JUST FRIENDS! We both agreed that it is a sad life for people who don't get this opportunity to have such a great friend in their life. He was saddened that people would miss such a great chance in life to have someone like we have had!
My best friend in high school was a guy...John. Today we are both married, 3 kids a piece and a solid friendship to example our lives after for our families! NO matter what we will ALWAYS be best friends...I would tell you how many years later BUT that would give away my age, ha ha! We both have been there when we got married (if he had been a girl and I a guy, we would have been each others maid of honor and best man), had children, seen crisis and joys in each others lives. This is another lifetime friend that my husband will tell you he is grateful for because John showed me what a true friend and man should "look" like for me...he told me to only deserve the best and expect the best! He is my lifetime friend!
SO...to answer the question posed....with my husband's approval and 100% open and honest relationship and communication my answer is and still will be:
ABSOLUTELY YES!
(Sorry to those blogger "commentors" who are missing out on this experience of healthy friendship no matter what the sex is!)
link | posted by Heather McTaggart at 9:40 PM
Saturday, June 16, 2007
WORK and THE BEACH!!!
I am being honest here....I want to go to the BEACH today so bad it pains me! I love love love to journal on the beach, watch my kids at the beach, sit on a solitary beach alone, be at the beach, get a tan at the beach, get wet at the beach, sip water with lemon at the beach!
What is it about the beach? I love the fellowship on the beach, I love the talks I have with my husband on the beach, I love the talks we have with our friends, I love when my best friend and I just sit and watch the waves and talk, I love the talks with my kids, I write better on the beach! I love the beach!
Really, no half hour wasted time sitcom to entertain me...you can accomplish more on the beach in a half hour than you can at home, work, etc.
It's God's medicine....I LOVE IT!
BUT......Really I am.....BUT.....Really I am....
I am going to work.....
I miss you Beach and I will see you Monday! Have great plans for me that day...okay!?!?
link | posted by Heather McTaggart at 12:29 PM
Friday, June 15, 2007
MY NEW PHONE IT FINALLY ARRIVED!!!
So, it finally arrived the GREAT AWESOME WONDERFUL TREO 650! Yes, I love it, well I think I will! Those who know me know that I am not computer saavy so it is a little overwhelming but with the patience of my best friend who also owns the WONDERFUL AWESOME GREAT TREO 650, I am sure I will be in PDA heaven!
One downfall or reality in the whole thing is...I have already filled the calendar and so I have to REALLY get a good look at how overwhelming and stressful my life is...but it I am working on it and by August...I will be a much more relaxed mommy!
Thanks Pete for all your patience while waiting for me to get the GREAT AWESOME WONDERFUL TREO 650! Can't wait to share PDA stories soon!
link | posted by Heather McTaggart at 11:15 PM
Monday, June 11, 2007
Time to re-evaluate this thing called "life"
I have felt challenged quite a bit lately. I feel challenged to look at how we do "life" as a family, with friends, work and time spent. I feel like after Rick's message and then his email that I need to look at all of it. I don't know where to start and feel unorganized about starting but realize it's time. So, just some prayers nothing more:
1. That the McTaggart's work as a team to make these changes.
2. That Heather works on balancing family and work
3. That the people that are in our life are meant to be there even through changes.
4. That the time spent is quality for everyone involved, all are considered.
5. That Holly finds her place in this thing called "life" with the guidance of some great influences.
It's almost the beginning of summer for our kids, I am hoping for some new great memories, laughter, quality time spent with each person (including mom and dad), and deep and meaningful friendships.
Let the summer begin...and the challenges difficult and easy take hold!
link | posted by Heather McTaggart at 11:01 PM
Friday, June 8, 2007
Space between Breaths
http://www.spacebetweenbreaths.com/Trailer.wmvMost of you don't know our story but those that do will know that this can still be a very painful yet loving story. I had a friend, without dating myself...I babysat for this family when I was 11 years old, making their middle daughter 2 at the time. I stayed closely in touch with this family most of my life. I was always especially close to the middle daughter, Kristina. When Krisi was 16 she came to live with my husband and I (newly married) because of a troubling family situation. She became our daughter, to take on a teen was difficult enough but Kristi chose a life of constant running from her pain, this lead her into constant trouble! Kristi finally got herself on the right path not without David and I losing tons of sleep first.
Fast forward...our first born Holly was 9 when she accepted Christ and so did Kristi that Easter. This set her on a wonderful path...finally finding her happiness. Fast forward again 4 years later. What my story didn't tell you was that when Kristi was 16 she found a mole on her neck, wanted it removed, and it came back cancerous. After the doctors telling us they "got it all" we felt relief.
Well, what the doctors didn't tell us was that it could and probably would come back, it was melanoma.
In October of 2003, Kristi called me at 5am, she was driving herself to the hospital. That started a whirlwind. After finding cancer in her entire cavity of her belly, the doctor come in and said "take her home and love her, it won't be long." Devastation had set in...5 months to that day, she died in our arms. Loving her wasn't always easy but it was worth every moment! I found this wonderful site...hence the long blog to share with all of you, I wish I could go to Kentucky to see it. I don't know how to put the actual movie on my blog but you can go to the link at the top to see it, it's a wonderful trailer! I will figure out how to scan a picture on my blog someday and I will post a picture of our loss and the beauty that God has today in heaven!
link | posted by Heather McTaggart at 1:43 AM
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Summer is so close, we can taste the salt water!
The McTaggart Family with two more in tow, Brian and Keean, decided to start summer TONIGHT even though officially my kids tell me that there is 13 actual school days left on the calendar!
We went to Old Man's Beach to hit the waves, barbecue some dogs, roast some marshies, and laugh (mostly at Brian...I will leave it at that..ha ha)! The kids were so happy to be back to the Monday Summer routine. I hear the water was cold, never left my chair in front of the fire...absolutely freezing! Holly gave up her BRAND SPANKIN NEVER BEEN USED NEW 9'3 SURFBOARD to Brian once her toe touched the water!
All in all, it was fun, great and refreshing to know that the firepits were ready for the Summer routine, join us if you are a "wave hitter" or enjoy roasting some marshies some Monday night!
PS. Welcome Home Keean and Christian, we look forward to MANY Monday nights with you!
link | posted by Heather McTaggart at 12:40 AM
Friday, June 1, 2007
It takes my breath away...
Today I catered a funeral reception for a 6 week old baby, it tore my heart to see the family in SO much pain...it took my breath away! That moment when you could actually feel the sadness in someone so deep that I just couldn't breath for a moment. It was a moment when something occured that was so momentous that I literally gasp.I left with that feeling that I wanted to bask in the greatest of what I have in life. I wanted to feel that pit in my stomach when I thought of all God has given me. The first thing that came to mind is HOW INCREDIBLY LUCKY I AM!
1. I am a child of an amazing God, who loves me despite my "stuff!"
2. I am the wife of a super supportive, hard working God loving man, who loves me for me!
3. I have 3 kids who God has blessed my life and filled each day with.
4. I live in a country where I have the freedom to worship MY God!
5. I have some amazing life friends!
6. I am safe and warm, and happy, and get the best this life has to offer.
What I truly feel is that I am humbled that my list is so lengthy (I could go on for hours with reasons to be thankful) and God consistently gives me more than I deserve!
I spend most of my life living ordinary days. Those uneventful days which pass from one to the next without fanfare and without us taking much notice of them.
These are the normal days of our lives. These are not moments that take our breath away. The ordinary days of our lives are the most important. Because those ordinary, typical days define our lives - not the moments that take our breath away.
There are so many moments in life that really do Take My Breath Away.....Moments that are etched in my mind, that I can never forget....Chapters in my life that have closed as new ones have opened...Endings and beginnings.....Things that come full circle....sorrows, happiness, and bittersweet memories...
I love the feeling of my breath being taken away when it is reason to be happy:
My husbands touch
Watching my kids sleep
Hearing my kids laugh
Watching my kids succeed
Sharing a moment with my husband or kids without even talking
Hearing an old friends voice on the phone
Hearing "I love you" for no reason
Then there is the feeling of my breath being taken away because of pain and sadness:
Today...when I saw that mother in such a deep sadness
When my 7 year old daughter told me that she missed her big brother because he has been gone too long...and she really meant it!
When I think of my best friend who died in our arms!
When I see one of my children hurt or hurting
When I watch the pain of parents whose child is hurt or hurting
This list is long too...but all in all...what is the great thing about losing my breath for that split second is knowing that God gave me the ability to keep breathing and wake up everyday breathing!
It's an amazing feeling either way!
link | posted by Heather McTaggart at 3:33 PM
