Bonnie joined us in the real estate business just as the graphs of home sales everywhere began to resemble that old Disney program showing thousands of lemmings diving off a cliff. In other words, she's had to work hard for every sale. If there was an Eagle … (2 comments)
12 days of christmas: This Year I'm Giving Gifts From My Soul For the 12 Days of Christmas - Day 7: Memories
- 12/19/10 12:48 AM
Fortunes disappear. Material possessions wear out, break down, get stolen or lost. But there are some things we can keep forever that give meaning to our lives and happiness to our hearts. These are our memories. When I asked my oldest son what he wanted for Christmas this year, he said he's come to realize that experiences are more precious than any possessions. So to him this year, I give these memories of experiences we've shared: Dear Kenyon, I've always loved going on a walk with you - just the two of us. Remember the time we woke at dawn to … (4 comments)
12 days of christmas: This Year I'm Giving Gifts From My Soul For the 12 Days of Christmas - Day 6: Tradition
- 12/18/10 07:40 PM
This year I have been blessed with the return of loved ones to our family and the addition of new ones. My daughter-in-law Elaine spent her first Thanksgiving with us here in the mountains of Murphy, North Carolina. I wanted her to feel at home and give her a sense of the family her husband grew up in. So we carved out a couple of hours from that busy weekend and made a batch of the special Christmas cookies my son remembered having at Grandma's house when he was a child. The first batch was eaten still warm from the oven. … (5 comments)
12 days of christmas: This Year I'm GIving Gifts From My Soul for the 12 Days of Christmas - Day 5: Roots
- 12/17/10 09:06 AM
I was 4 years old the first time I remember seeing my father. Mom and I were shopping at the mall and she stopped to talk with a couple. The woman had a toddler in her arms. As they said their goodbyes, the man asked if I’d like to go out for ice cream with him some time. When they turned away, my mother asked “Do you know who that was?” I said no. “That was your father.” It was years before I realized the toddler with him must have been my brother. I never did get that ice cream. Everything … (0 comments)
12 days of christmas: This Year I'm Giving Gifts From My Soul For the 12 Days of Christmas - Day 4: Forgiveness
- 12/15/10 09:33 AM
For 25 years, I mourned the loss of my mother. The holidays were always the hardest. She didn't pass away. Oh no, she is very much alive. But it was one of those things that happens in families. I was young and headstrong. She was stubborn and convinced she was right. I felt I had to choose between my mother and the man I loved. She and I parted ways. That man and I celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary this year. Along the way we raised my two sons and his 3 children, plus 2 more we were blessed with. We've … (1 comments)
12 days of christmas: This Year I'm Giving Gifts From My Soul For the 12 Days of Christmas - Day 3: Creativity
- 12/14/10 04:27 AM
I've had to be creative over the years. I've always been self-employed. So depending on how business went, some Christmases the gifts have come from big name stores. Other holidays, I had to squeeze every last nickel to put packages under the tree for everyone. After three years of acting as a grief counselor to desperate sellers more often than attending closings, this is one of the Christmases that my creativity will have to triumph over my cash. My youngest is in high school now, so I don't have to worry about facing a teary-eyed child who didn't get that expensive … (2 comments)
12 days of christmas: This Year I'm Giving Gifts From My Soul For the 12 Days of Christmas - Day 2: Attention
- 12/12/10 10:02 PM
It's a Snow Day! I'm giddy as a child over this unexpected gift of TIME from the Universe. Here in the North Carolina mountains I've learned that when school is canceled, everything else is too. Then, by around noon, the sun has come out, the snow has melted and the entire population goes to Walmart since they never close. So I have an unexpected morning off - one where I can't head for the office to squeeze in some paperwork or dash to the store to cross off a few more presents from a list. This year, even the Universe is … (3 comments)
12 days of christmas: This Year I'm Giving Gifts From My Soul For the12 Days of Christmas - Day 1: Laughter
- 12/12/10 12:02 AM
It's been a tough year for those of us in the real estate business. And Christmas with its endless opportunities to spend money we just don't have can be a very anxious and depressing time. Instead of enjoying this seasonal celebration of peace and love, we can end up feeling stressed, deprived and jealous of those people bustling through the mall, shopping bags stuffed with gifts. But what do our loved ones really want? They want US - and all the things we bring to their lives. As infants, they want to be cradled next to a warm body with milk. … (3 comments)
At this special time of the year, I'd like to tell a special person how much I appreciate having her in my life. It's Bonnie DuPree, a Rainmaker here on Activerain. She's someone I see every day - my neighbor, my friend and my co-worker on our Country Homes and Land team.
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