thoughts on 2010

i love the new year.
i know its just a day, and any day could be and is the first day of the next year to come.
i just love fresh starts.
its encouraging and inspiring and i love encouragement and inspiration.

and speaking of encouragment and inspiration, i present to you the following:

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Joseph E. Preston "Joe"

Joseph E. Preston "Joe"

SHREVEPORT, LA -

Mr. Joseph E. Preston, 81, passed away on Sunday, December 27, 2009, after a lengthy illness. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until service time on Wednesday, December 30th, at Osborn Funeral Home. Service will begin at 11 a.m. on Wednesday in the Chapel of Osborn Funeral Home. Officiating will be Dr. Carl E. Rhoads of First United Methodist Church. Interment will follow at Forest Park Cemetery, St. Vincent Avenue.

He was born Joseph Edward Preston, on October 25, 1928, in New Orleans, LA. Joe was the only child of Ella and Henry Preston. He attended Holy Cross High School where he excelled in football and track. He attended LSU on a full track scholarship and graduated with a BS degree in Education. He later earned his Master's degree from UCLA.

While at LSU, he set several track records and was the 1951 SEC champion in the 100 yard dash and the 220 yard dash. He also qualified for the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. He briefly coached football at Fair Park High School.

He was commissioned into the United States Air Force and proudly served his country in Greenland. His service continued with the 38th Medical Squadron at Barksdale until he retired with the rank of Major.

Joe married Medy Thomas in 1954. They spent most of their married life and raised their daughter in Shreveport. He was an avid LSU fan and loved fishing.

Mr. Preston was preceded in death by his father, Henry Edward Preston; his mother, Ella Brand Preston; and his father-in-law, Troy K. Thomas. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Medreth "Medy" Preston; daughter, Laura Preston Roe; three grandchildren, Stephen Roe and wife, Natalie, Michael Preston Roe and David Patrick Roe; and one great grandchild, Bennett Michael Roe.

Pallbearers will be Fred Roe, Jr., Stephen Roe, Michael Roe, David Roe, Randy Wilson and Bill Grammer.

The family requests that memorials to be made to First United Methodist Church, or the charity of donor's choice.

The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to Willis-Knighton Cancer Center, Odyssey Health Care, his nurses Sarah and Jann, Dr. Maxwell "Chip" McDonald, Melanie and Tammy, Dr. Michael Durci, Dr. Travis Henley and especially the nurses on the 2nd floor of the Cancer Center.

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everyone i know who has read that has said the same thing:

"i had no idea he did all of that!"

and that is because joe preston was not defined by his worldly accomplishments.
he was defined by his easy going spirit;
his dedication to his church and faith;
his quiet, simple humor;
his propensity to take a mans word for his word whether it came back to bite him or not because he still lived honestly and expected others to do the same;
and his undeniable love for his family, each and every "boogie woogie" 

it really puts things into perspective

and perspective is something i want to focus on this year

not sweating the small stuff,
but making big deals out of the simple pleasures in life


worrying less about the things i cannot help or change
but taking the initiative to change the things i can {and stop complaining about them}


focusing less on "success" as the world would define it
but relishing in the accomplishments that hold true for us

challenging creativity
  ...in the kitchen
        ...behind the camera
               ...with my work
                     ...in my son
                          ...on the blog
                                ...through my hobbies
                                      ...in time/clutter management
                                           ...with our BUDGET

finding humor in my shortcomings
but always striving to better myself
which includes but is not limited to: accepting criticism, thinking before i speak, showing more compassion, practicing greater patience, talking less and listening more, and being a better  

CHRISTIANwifemotherdaughterSisterFRIEND

that is my dear dad, with the hunter's orange hat i knitted him for christmas

the hat that even an elephant would be lost in
the hat that stretched my patience with "all things hand made" and taught me
that reaching for the stars is great and all, but come on natalie lets be realistic...
that yarn is far too small to ever amount to anything good {at least at your skill level}

the hat that my dad good-sportsmanly decided would work "great" over his cowboy hat.

thanks for the support daddy

and lastly,
but definitely not leastly

i would really love to have

another one

of these