The ABCs of My Life

The ABCs of my life was a post I started over a year ago – just something to sit and write about as I reflect on who I am and what currently makes up my life. I hope you enjoy this read, and perhaps you will get to know me just a little bit more.

The ABCs of My Life

Alyssa – my daughter (the first born girl) who came into this world with an easy-going, nurturing, and inquisitive spirit. She teaches me everyday about being true to yourself and about seeking out adventure. I love that she has found her tribe – the young farmers of Aspen, CO.

Bernese Mountain Dog named Dakota  –  My lovable and huggable 90 pound lap dog that simply loves to hug. Dakota is truly a gentle giant.

Coffee – it’s what gets me going every single day! I love my mornings letting out the dogs, pouring that first cup, smelling the aroma, and savoring the first sip all before sunrise.

Dominick – my stepson that loves to talk at the dinner table about all that he is learning in school. He has an amazing easy-going spirit and a smile that beams. He is always willing to help out and brings a sense of peace to the family.

Eating dinners with our family of eight is always a good time. Laughter, debates, sharing of our days, and even deep conversations fill our dinner table. You never really know where the talk will travel to when all of us are together. 

Friends! What can I say – I am blessed with friends from early childhood through adulthood. They are there for me and I hope that I am there for them. They are the spice and substance of my life.

Gavin – my husband, the man by my side as we travel this life together. We share laughter every day, deep conversations over coffee, the worries of child-rearing, and an affinity for world exploration – he supports my crazy ideas and holds me tight when I need a hug.

Holidays – they bring the family together. When your kids are grown and living away the holidays bring them home.

Ideas are always swirling through my head. As an Aries, I have been known for being really great coming up with new ideas and getting them started. Learning to follow through has been a lifetime challenge for me. I am getting better at it!

Jeans are the best piece of clothing that was ever invented! Nothing beats being able to pull on your favorite pair of blue jeans. The fact that we celebrate everyone’s birthday at work by making each birthday a “Jeans Day” says it all.

Kilts were worn by my husband and sons in our wedding ceremony. The three looked extra handsome!

Lilly Mae and Lucy – two of our pets. Lilly, Nicole’s 10th birthday gift, is a 12 year old pound cat that meows incessantly. Lucy is our nine year old standard sized Golden-Doodle that loves her morning walks with Gavin.

Marching in the Women’s March on D.C. was a first for me. This event showed me that I need to stand up for what I believe in and to be fully aware and involved in the political process.

Nicole my baby even though she is now 22. Her caring spirit; dogged determination; hard work studying Molecular, Cellular, and Developmentally biology; and working as a scribe will all help her be an amazing doctor one day.

Olivia – my eldest stepdaughter that is as creative as the day is long. She is the champion of the underdog and makes friends where ever she goes. I know that she will carry this sprit with her in whatever life road she takes.

Paris is one of the most beautiful cities that I have ever visited, and it continues to pull at my heart strings today. On my visit there with my daughters, Nicole and Alyssa, in 2011, I placed a lock written with “Stacey <3 Gavin” on the  Pont Neuf. The love lock worked!

Quiet is something I relish when I actually get to experience it. With six kids, two dogs, a constantly meowing cat, and spending my work days with 72 middle school students, quiet does not happen very often.

Robert my first born son and child that taught me all about a mother’s endless love. A brilliant, creative and empathetic child that grew into a man that makes this momma proud. I love seeing how he has merged two of his loves, baseball and writing, into a career in media relations for the Sacramento River Cats.

Sophia my youngest stepdaughter full of her endless energy and hugs for everyone. With her love of science, horses, and dragons she is a child that explores the curiosities of life. I love watching her grow and learn everyday.

Today is cherished as tomorrows are never guaranteed. This was a hard lesson learned when my sister died in a car accident at the age of 23. I try to always live in the moment, at the same time as planning for the future.

Uncorking a bottle of wine is music to my ears. I tend to drink white oaky chardonnays in the summer and rich heavy cabernets in the winter. I know I took growing up in the middle of wine country for granted as a child. Today I belong to too many wine clubs!

Vacations round out my life. As a teacher, I get 13 weeks off each year. That is a lot of time. Some of the time is devoted to grading papers and playing catch up with school work, some has been devoted to teaching summer school, many summers were devoured by my children’s sports and the traveling teams they were a part of, and this vacation time gives me the time to travel. I am lucky. 

Wanderlust – Getting out and exploring the world is a calling I feel deeply. The world is full of kind and good-hearted people – we just need to smile and say hello. Every time I visit some place new, I realize just how large yet small our world really is.

X has to be for our ex’s. Both my husband and I have one and without them we would not have our incredible children. With them we co-parent and share our children’s many milestones and accomplishments. They are part of our stories. 

Young at heart is how I feel. In a recent conversation with my girlfriends, many of them said that they felt that they were born too late – as if they were meant to belong to an earlier generation. Not me. If anything I feel like I was born too early. I think I’d make a great millennial.

Zzzzzs.. I am always wishing that I could just get a little bit more sleep. When my husband and I were dating, he commented on my busy lifestyle and limited amount of sleep that I required. I told him that sleep was overrated. He has yet to let me live that statement down. I am a woman that loves a good nap.

So there you have it – my life in an ABC list. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I had putting it together. Try this exercise for yourself – it really gets you thinking.