it's you i like

here we are, all on this boat together, this floating planet...together. i feel blessed even in times of trouble. i wonder how human beings get that feeling. i guess it comes from a long line of people in our lives who have, in one way or another, "sung" that song:

it's you i like.

it's not the things you wear.

it's not the way you do your hair,

but it's you i like.

the way you are right now,

the way down deep inside,

not the things that hide you,

not your toys-they're just beside you.

but it's you i like,

every part of you-

your skin, your eyes, your feelings,
whether old or new.

i hope that you'll remember

even when you're feeling blue,

that it's you i like, it's you yourself.

it's you. it's you i like.

-"many ways to say i love you" by mister rogers

could you be loved

barry is an amazing dad. loving and caring and a true protector. a wonderful playmate and father. ethan made him a video to tell him just how loved he is. enjoy it. oh and happy father's day to all the wonderful and caring dads out there. you are all loved.

smile for the horsey

i had the pleasure of witnessing the pure joy on ethan's face during his first pony ride today. pure, pure joy. this baby makes me smile and see the good in the world every single day. we are blessed.

how music, food and dancing can change the world

this week i had the pleasure of joining edelman colleagues from around the globe at the annual leadership academy in chicago. it was an intensive 4-days of learning, role-playing, knowledge sharing and getting to know more of the edel-family. the highlight for me was spending time with richard and dan edelman. it's taken almost 6 years but i finally got to tell both of them just how much this company means to me. how i truly believe this is the best company to work for and how blessed i am to be part of the edelman network of smart and inspiring people.

i was honored to receive an amazing education that i will definitely apply to my communications approach moving forward. part of that communications approach and education was learned through sharing food, music, dancing, stories and libations with my colleagues from argentina, india, england, italy, germany, sweden, japan, china, hong kong, brazil, spain, indonesia, australia, singapore, canada, amsterdam, france, dubai, belgium, ireland, russia, mexico and the u.s.

let me tell you the #1 key learning: regardless of where someone lives or what language they speak, everyone is hungry for good food (especially deep dish pizza from gino's east - YUM!). everyone craves movement and learning. everyone (almost everyone) enjoys music. we are all one unified people. i will always try to remember how interconnected we all are and that at our core we all have similar needs and cravings. i truly believe if we all took time to remember that there would be less hatred and more acceptance. amen.

you've just got to endure

you know those crazy weekends where there’s so much going on you’re more exhausted after it rather than more rested? that was this past weekend. 99.9% of it was awesome. friday night barry celebrated philip (and julie’s) upcoming nuptuals with his best guys. i got to have a relxing evening at home with monkey. saturday morning i went to see deb (she's doing so much better!) while ethan took a nap. barry got to rest, too. then mom and marty came and got us and we endured ridiculous traffic to costa mesa to drop off ethan at the snyders. ethan LOVES being with his cousins and had a blast. he is truly so adaptable. love him. us adults drove to manhattan beach to celebrate val and chris' engagement! yay! so excited for them. after the party we drove back to costa mesa to pick up ethan and then endured a nighttime drive to san diego. we got to the nasty place where we stayed around 12:30am and got a couple of hours of sleep while we endured a really disguisting room. roaches in the bed. fecal matter on the wall. i mean really, really nasty. poor mom, marty and barry had to endure my crabiness and complaining about the situation but really it was so nasty. we then got up at 5:15am and got to see jamie and david at the starting line of their first 1/2 marathon. so exciting to see the anticipation and joy on these folks faces. really wonderful. we then endured the closed roads while we tried to find jamie and david [and jen, doug and emily] along the race path. we never found jen, doug or emilly but we did find jamie and david around mile 12. we watched as thousands of people endured the pain of stiff joints, warm sun and sheer exhaustion. we then walked the last 1.5 miles to the finish line. we then got to watch thousands of people make it across the finish line. such glory! truly remarkable. we then had lunch with jamie and david, stopped at the snyders to pick up our shoes that we forgot at their house and endured more traffic back home...the last 45 minutes of which were stinky thanks to ethan. exhausted but we endured it and i'm glad we did. here's what i learned...you don't have to run a 1/2 marathon to endure a whole lot of shit. smiles. happy monday.

saying a prayer for deb

today i witnessed humanity at its core. i watched as one of my best friends, deborah, went in for surgery to have her thyroid (and the cancer) removed. the good news is that deb is doing really well. the doctor believes she is cured and she is already talking. yes, she's in pain (which sucks!) but she is cancer free and that is a blessing.

ronnie and i walked into deb's pre-op room just as the hospital rabbi was saying a blessing to our dear friend. there stood dahlia (deb's mom) and larry. it was emotional and raw. i stood there watching my brave friend - mother of three, wife to one of my oldest friends, devoted friend - and all i could wonder is when did we get to be the age where we have to deal with these raw and all-too-real life events? i loathe this part of being an adult.

look, i don't know how it felt for deb to go through that today however i do know where she mustered up her strength. she got it from being a mom. she got it from closing her eyes, saying a prayer, and remembering that she is a strong and powerful woman.

i love you deb and i'm very thankful everything is ok.