Memorable Thanksgiving Moments: Food, Fun, and Family

What a magical Thanksgiving it was! This year, the gathering took place at Anna and Parish’s house, and it felt extra special because we had so much fun preparing for it. Everything just seemed to fall into place with cleaning, yard work, crafting, and friends and family being available to celebrate together. Although the weather…

Intentional Living: How to Expect and Embrace Blessings

Expect a blessing. That was the topic of the article I read as we prepare for the holiday season. Instead of counting our blessings, the author encouraged us to expect a blessing. I was chatting with a friend. I was curious to see how she would answer some questions in my new daily planner, and,…

Treasures for a Lifetime

Gifts I Will Cherish Always Turning a new decade is always a moment for reflection, but this year, my 60th, was marked by the most profound gift: a letter from my daughter, Valentina. I know how much words matter, both to her and to me, and reading her acknowledgment of our journey has left me…

Ohana Hebb 7th Annual Family Reunion

Date: October 17 – 19, 2025 Location: Bear Creek Lake State Park Weather: Sunny, 50s in the evening, 70s during the day; the leaves were starting to show color Theme this year: We rented a shelter, Carrie designed our t-shirts, and we tried a Seafood Boil (we used mild sausage vs spicy) with Roasted Oysters…

A Heartfelt Birthday Conversation with My Father

I was writing another post that I just saved and left. In the middle of my post, my Echo Show (Alexa) blurted out, “Message to Anna, Happy Birthday, Tom, Happy.” What? I did not set that to go off, and when I asked her who did this, she did not have an answer. I laughed…

Finding Stillness: Reflections on Time

Tanya Tucker was featured on NPR a few years ago. She made a comeback album in her later years. I decided to check it out. One particular song called “Bring My Flowers Now” intrigued me–the concept of embracing time now, don’t wait. So if you got love, then you’re sittin’ on a gold mineAnd you…

You Never Walk Alone

Work has been busy with travel and deadlines. Sitting across from a colleague over dinner, we were catching up on family, art, and the latest books we’d read. We have a lot in common; she asks the questions your heart wants to answer when you feel safe with someone. We exchanged updates on family and…

Summer Vacation 2024 Day 2 “Laugh”

I noticed that last year, I took a yoga class at Rebel Soul Yoga on Sunday! It’s good to start the week with centering, prayer, and healing the body. The instructor discussed the importance of smiling, laughing, and knowing that your true self is filled with joy and kindness. Parish and I rode our bikes…

2024 Summer Vacation Day 1 “Together”

This week of June 29 – July 6, we are in Oak Island (The Lambs) and Southport, NC (Parish, Anna, and Valentina). I’ve decided to share our memories through one word each day. The first night together brought joyful laughter as we ate pizza at the Southport house. We both set up our homes, then…