A Timehop Thanksgiving

I've recently discovered an app called Timehop. It's a fun way to review posts you've made on social media in the past. It goes back five years. (Warning: It can be kind of embarassing) Let's just say facebook has changed as much as I have in the past five years! Apparently I used to spend a ridiculous amount of time "farming" and "harvesting". Good Lord. Like I said-embarassing!

Five years ago, we were in Texarkana, blissfully unaway of the many changes about to come our way. Greg was still in college, Amanda and Kyle were newlyweds and Thanksgiving was at our house. I have always loved to entertain, and I have especially enjoyed creating traditions for our family. Here I am, whipping up the famous sweet potato casserole that I never eat.

 Soon after, Amanda took over Thanksgiving duties, and I relinquished the role of hostess to her. I  helped out with the cooking, and I still made the sweet taters. Here's Greg and Sarah and Grandma at Amanda and Kyle's place in Mt. Vernon.

And then things got crazy. We had to close our store in 2011.Greg and Sarah got married. John started his third career with Hobby Lobby. And we soon found that we would be moving. I realized that this would be the last Thanksgiving spent in our home. Amanda came and helped. It was bittersweet to say the least. Sweet Sarah took photos of us in front of the home that the kids grew up in, and that I had lovingly created so many of our family traditions in. 

And then we moved. It was hard. So hard. I was lonely. I missed my friends. I missed my kids. I missed "home". I wondered what I could ever be Thankful for again.I tried really hard to maintain a positive attitude. And waited upon the Lord. And waited. And waited...
And then God showed up again. Like He always does. Oh me of little faith. 
This picture was taken last Thanksgiving. Amanda took over Thanksgiving hostess duties again. I helped her with the cooking. I made the sweet tater casserole. And then THIS happened!

And this year, we have so much to be thankful for. So many MORE changes for the Schwartz family. John is enjoying his fourth career selling cars. I'm a secretary. Greg and Sarah are in Los Angeles. 
We'll have an extra chair at the Thanksgiving table, A highchair. And sweet Nolan will get to experience his first Thanksgiving with his family. Amanda and Kyle will introduce him to their own family traditions. And they'll never dream how much life can change in five years.
I'm almost afraid to ask what's next! But I know that God will show up. He always does.
There is always something to be thankful for.
Thank you Lord. We are blessed...

Ageism and the Modern Woman

After turning 50, I started noticing something - Something trivial, but still annoying. Advertisers apparently no longer spoke to me, a 50 something, empty nester woman. The only commercials and ads directed to my generation seem to be Viagra, Cialis, those horrible undergarments with that catchy twist tune, and numerous other pharmaceutical products that will take care of my urinary incontinence and depression.  

Heck, even so called “anti-aging” products use stunningly gorgeous 27 year old models that wouldn’t know an age spot or wrinkle unless it bit her on her butt. Seriously. Guess what advertisers? Just today I used shampoo and conditioner, soap and razors. I’m wearing makeup. I did the dishes and washed two loads of clothes. I filled my car tank with gas yesterday, after shopping at Target (another advertiser who seems to think that only 25 year old girls shop there). Shampoo commercials only show young girls with long tresses, shining and blowing in the wind (after they’ve tied their hair into some ridiculous knot or something). Laundry detergent commercials always center on a young family with unruly kids smearing popsicles or pudding or mud all over themselves. They should see my husband’s grimy clothes after he’s mowed the lawn; now that would be quite the demonstration!

When a 50 plus year old woman, or man for that matter, is used in advertising or media, it’s either for the above mentioned Cialis ad, or they’re made out to be a buffoon who can’t negotiate the internet or their smartphone. Those “funny” parental text memes? Yeah, they’re offensive. Mom’s and Dad’s are stupid y’all! LOLz.  Whatever. Remember seeing the SNL skit featuring Sally O’Mally? The message? If you’re 50 you must be obnoxious and wear stretchy jumpsuits!

But most 50 something year old women I know are pretty amazing. Accomplished. Hilarious. Active.  We’re conservative, liberal, educated, parents, grandparents, wives, divorcees or widows. We’re caretakers to our aging parents, sandwiched between time spent with our children and grandchildren. We’re people. We matter. We have value.

* Like my friend Robin, who works out like a fiend, has the body of a 25 year old, can sing better than most girls from Nashville, organizes giant charity events and wears slammin’ stilettos like it’s nobody’s business.

* Or my amazing girlfriends Terri and Lynn who I had the pleasure of spending a leisurely few days with last week. We danced to JLo, sang at the top of our lungs, and had more fun than you can imagine. Terri mentors pageant contestants and Lynn is one of the most dynamic women I know. (just don’t take her high heels away from her, she will cut you)

* My friend Judy, who is a talented, accomplished artist.

* Her sister Sandy who is not only a breast cancer survivor, but a barrel racer!

* My facebook friend Denise, whose sense of humor has seen her through hard times and the long distance separation from her grown son.

* My friends Donna and Judy, who created a wine beverage that sells like crazy, employ and empower other women, and generously give back to their community.

* Carla, who survived kidney disease, and is an amazing mom and example to her wonderful son.

* My former teacher Connie, who is a diehard Jimmy Buffet fan and  an incredible example of resilience, and is one of the coolest women I know.

* Me? I know how to use the “interweb” and am proficient in Adobe Photoshop, Word, Excel and Quickbooks. I navigate social media and embrace and enjoy using Instagram, facebook and Twitter. I’m a wife and a new grandmother.

We aren’t caricatures, and  wouldn’t be caught dead in a red stretchy jumpsuit if our lives depended on it! We lived through the 80’s, been there, done that!

Yes, I’m older- maybe even wiser. (Maybe) But I’m tired of being insulted. So here’s to my sisters. All of you, because even if you’re not here yet, you will be one day! (Sooner than you think), and I hope that the existing ageism in our society is dead and gone by then, along with pharmaceutical ads and Viagra commercials!

(I’d love for you to give a shout out to your favorite fabulous 50 something woman!)