Day 163 ~ A Thankful Heart

Yesterday I woke up in a great mood enjoying everything the morning had to offer.  Then in a matter of one phone call everything went south!  

In a matter of minutes I went from happy to angry and cynical.  Most of my day was spent upset and angry at all the obstacles in my life, and the shortcomings that I have been faced with.  

My car situation, my sons, Calley, bills, money, the future, work and lack of, my mother, my sister...  AAAHHH!!

Now, all the while I am fighting these aggressive thoughts... WHY ME? etc... (I'm sure everyone of you has experienced something similar at some point in your lives)...  I am having an argument with my sister (rightfully so,) getting phone calls from Dino (my husband,) [where I basically told him that it would be better for him to leave me alone so I don't bite his head off,] and my mother in law is calling me ... reminding me of the strength that I possess.  

As soon as I opened my eyes this morning I had already decided that I was not going to allow life to get to me as it did yesterday.  Before my feet hit the floor I had prayed over and over for  God please see me through this, God please see me through this ... Please let some good come out of all of this, .Please let some good come out of all of this ...  over and over again.

Before my morning went on, I decided to take a few moments to shake off any bad feelings that may have stuck around from yesterday's "negative" ordeal.  I reminded myself of what I needed to be thankful for, the priorities of my life, as well as all the loving people in my life.

2002 Ford Explorer on loan from
Preowned Motorcars of Dallas

Then, what at first I was afraid to accept, was in all actuality a pretty great thing that was being offered to me...  a wonderful family friend, member of my Dream Team and my "li'l sister," Nicole, (her mother Yvonne and father Masoud included), has given me the use of her extra car!  A great running, dependable vehicle!  

Even though this is Nicole's car, it was a gift made possible by her father.  Therefore, my thankfulness goes out to her parents as well.  Through the years that my family and I have known Nicole and her family, I have gotten to know a family who is caring, loving, respectful, full of good principles and values, true believers of their faith in God, a true blessing in our lives.  

So here's my plug...  (one way I am able to show my gratitude ;)  )


Furthermore, if anyone in the Dallas area needs a great, dependable car... go see Masoud at Preowned Motorcars of Dallas.  I will never make the mistake of not purchasing my next family cars from him!  I am forever grateful to you and your family!

I can not find the words to express my gratitude, other than to simply say thank you!         

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues.    ~ Cicero

I am thankful because I am surrounded by such wonderful, positive, supportive, and loving people on a daily basis. 

Blessings to all!!

202 days to go...

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 151 ~ Love is Having A Girly Weekend!

Picture by Stuart Miles

First off... YAY!! 6,000 HITS!   WOW!!  I am humbled!  Thank you for your new and continued support.   


As I finally sit down after a busy weekend, I gaze upon the wonderful times shared with my family.  


Mine and Calley's weekend started when I received a call from mom (my mother in law) late  Friday morning asking, or rather letting me know that Calley and I were being invited to manis and pedis by her and Nicole (close family friend- actually one of my brother in laws old girlfriend, who is like the most special little sister a girl could have, see Day 36.)  How can a gal say no to mani and a pedi?!

Photo by Digitalart

So there we were (ay! I wish I would have gotten a picture!) the four of us getting pampered!  What a treat!!  Oh and Calley, well she was in heaven!  She loved every minute of it!  "Mommy, I want purple on my toes and pink on my fingers!  Once again, Thank You Mom and Nicole!!

A good portion of Saturday was spent at a business development seminar, at which a person afterwards is guaranteed to always walk away all fired up!  There is something to be said about being in a room full of positive people.


I know we were supposed to gain an hour this morning with daylight saving time ending, even so, how come no one slept past seven?  Well, I guess one good thing came out of that... we had plenty of time to get to Dean's aunt's home for the family's traditional Sunday brunch.  


Afterwards, Calley, mom and I ended the weekend by going to the big Christmas Bazaar at the El Paso Convention Center.  By the time we were done, we were done!  Let me tell you, having a wonderful weekend takes the energy out of you!  

I am thankful for my mother in law~  Mom thank you for being such a great example as the wonderful, caring and faithful woman you are.

Blessings to all!!

214 days to go...

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 36 ~ Forgiveness, Releasing Part of the Past One Day at a Time

Today was a good day with the exception of not starting my workout until almost three in the afternoon.  I think that is why I have been dragging all day!!

The reason for that... well sometimes "life" does not care that you have to workout in the morning- it wants it now!!  In other words, sometimes one has to be flexible.  

Courtesy of Bing images

Needless to say, I have a problem with flexibility.  Meaning that I like to plan things ahead of time, and sometimes when it is not going according to plan I FREAK OUT!!  I recognize that, and I have to allow life to happen for me,  if not I am going to drive myself crazy.  I am learning to stop, and take a deep breath and step back and enjoy (sort-of-speak).

Even though I had to run errands in the morning, so that Dean could have the car in the afternoon, I did have a good day.  

Great thing happened to me on the way to run errands today, I got to see a wonderful friend of the family, Nicole.  What a surprise!!  I love that lady!  Didn't always feel that way... Don't get me wrong, it was me, not her.  

You see, I have allowed my history with my parents, as well as other things that have happened to me, cloud the way I saw people and life itself.  It's not that I was jealous or envious of Nicole, and other happy beautiful people like her...  As Nicole put it, 

"bad things have happened to you in your life and they made you look at life, people and things differently than others...you are who you are because of your experiences, which have made you a strong person."

Courtesy of Bing images

I have walked around with a frown on my face long enough.  Every day something would happen to me.  Whether with my dad, my boys, my ex, my mother, my sister... you name it, it seemed as if something new would happen everyday and if not I would still be getting over what had happened the day before.  YES EVERYDAY!  How can someone possibly walk around with a smile on their face when there's bad things constantly happening to them?

Then if that's not bad enough, you have to live and be around the happy people!  How can anyone possibly be so happy?  And then after a while, no one calls you, why? Because your sad all the time, or every time you are invited to go somewhere, at the last minute you always cancel.

With Nicole, I think deep inside, I too wanted to be that happy... She was and always is so happy, not to mention very loved and protected by her family.  Something I never had.  After all, my family had always hurt me!  My father belittled me, my mother was never there for me, my sister constantly hurt me, and even though my brother and I always have gotten along wonderfully, he was and is never there for me in the sense that he does not have time for family, his work comes first.

Calley and Nicole

Not that I was completely crappy to Nicole, I feel that I did not welcome her with open arms- mind you, she has been "part" of my husband's family longer than I have!  I had a wall up.  I don't know what changed in me.  Maybe it was that no mater what she was always so kind to me, and very, very loving to Calley.  I finally started seeing through the dark clouds... she was and is an awesome and beautiful person.  It is not her fault that I have had the life I've had!

Courtesy of Bing images

So one day, we finally went out to lunch and I apologized to her.  She open-heartedly accepted my apology, and more importantly now calls me her sister.  

Nicole, you have helped me in more ways that you can imagine.  You have shown me how to love the simplest of things, and you have helped me to accept myself a little bit each and every time I see you.  I could not ask for a better person to be on my "Dream Team".  You will always be a part of my family, and an inspiration!  When I grow up I want to be like just as kind and loving as yoU!!  I love you!!! 

 It is not the events of life but how we respond to them that defines the joy and success of our lives.  ~  author unkown

Blessings to all!

329 days to go.

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.