Hi friends! 

Well, well, well it doesn’t feel like it has been a week. And guess what? I really don’t have anything new to report! As a business gal, no news is ALWAYS good news! ;) That is lesson one. So I will give a quick update on Grant and give some insight based on my lessons learned this week! Grant is doing great and kicking tail! He had an amazing second week of school. He also did amazing in rehab! We have our follow up appointment with doc on Tuesday, and I think we will be back into school full days with no restrictions. Grant is inquisitive as to why he can’t play on the playground! We better kick these “rules” to the curb. My lil rebel child. I joked with a friend this week that had this been Parker instead of Grant…we’d still be in the hospital. Same mom but totally different personalities!   

Now into life lesson number two. We had P’s sneak-a-peak about two weeks ago. At that time, I saw a Parker E. (shortened for Parker’s middle name but not disclosing full names) and a Parker E. Luke on the class list. Ah ha! You are thinking what I’m thinking, right!? Of course you are! Who wouldn’t?? They included him twice on the list, and his teacher was lucky that he will be one head count down in an already overcrowded class. My very bright self (with a wild assumption) went ahead and told his teacher I think they included Parker twice!! I mean if there was a time my assumption was going to be 100% right, this was IT! Yep, totally it! GUESS WHAT? I was WRONG! There is a girl in his class by the name of Parker E. and then there is my son, Parker E. Luke. What a lesson to learn. I’m here to tell you if you make an assumption of any sort, you will be wrong 100% of the time. You see…if there was ever a time in my life that I would have made truth out of an assumption…this was it…and I was STILL wrong. Are ya’ll with me!? You may think you have it all figured out, but our minds will always build a storyline that will never be true. As the saying goes and will firmly stand, if you assume anything than you are making an a$$ of u and me. So true! If you make assumptions, you might as well go ahead and ask for a side of grace and mercy because you will be wrong! There’s no telling how much we have gone through life and not given people the benefit or chance because of our wild assumptions. Think about all the things you have potentially missed out on. If you make any assumption, let it go! You will NEVER (strong word and I stand by it) be right! Seriously…the sweetness of life that we wish we could get back if we would learn to communicate and trust others and NOT make assumptions. I am guilty. But let’s work together to make less assumptions and give more grace. Start today! We are a beautiful mess of people!   

Continuing on this wild note, ya’ll have inspired me to start a blog. I received so many messages on my writing, and how much ya’ll thought I had a gift for writing and loved reading these updates. It is NOT a gift but just me sharing my heart, which was not easy at first because I had to be vulnerable…but now it doesn’t feel like vulnerability. Nevertheless, I will continue to update you guys on life, my heart, lessons, goals, dreams and who the hell knows what else…but on a different page…and we will smile and dance through this thang called life! Please come dance with me!!!! Have patience…it will take me a while to get it up and going. The site will be www.humbleandshine.com! Bookmark it…so when it goes live…you are ready! There is SOOOOOOOO much I want to share with you guys…and of course I had to play on words…but the most important line I speak to my boys (it is even written on Parker’s black belt in Korean)…is to always be humble and kind. So together…we will be HUMBLE, we will be KIND and inevitably that will make us all SHINE! I can’t wait for this new adventure with you!

Shine, shine, shine bright you beautiful souls! Ya’ll are amazing. If you ever doubt yourself…listen up…you are amazing, and loved, and incredible and this world needs YOU because you are the ONLY one like YOU! 

Nadine xoxo <3 <3 <3 

P.S. I know no one likes public shout outs, but I have to express my thankfulness to some amazing folks! So many hands and hearts have taken Parker and cared for him while we were in the hospital, given him rides after school or taken him after school while we go to rehab. So my heartfelt thanks to the Dunson, Hosterman, Henson, Zarring and Zelski families! And of course, my parents. Thank you for constantly demonstrating what love means and loving Parker. There is something special when people unconditionally love your child. I promise, I will NEVER stop loving your kids like my own! From the bottom of my heart…THANK YOU! 

P.S.S. I’m not sure how we got on the topic of weight while taking our boys to get ice cream (frozen yogurt) after school yesterday…but I wasn’t told I was getting too skinny but that I looked FIT! YA’LL! I have lived my life to try to look fit (and I really still don’t) BUT…I wasn’t told I look too skinny, lanky, lean, you need to eat a hamburger because your bones, boney, etc…BUT for the FIRST time FIT! It made my yesterday, my today and my tomorrow! FIT…did you read that? I’m still smiling over it…you couldn’t catch me running today if you tried…I was simply on cloud nine! Whether the words were true or not…I’ve already caught hold of them and won’t let go! FIT! Dangit!! FIT! I better snap a pic and not forget this moment! 🙌 🙌 🙌 

P.S.S.S. The Braves loss today!? Oh my. The worst loss of the season. WTH happened?!! Whomp whomp!