Today we celebrate Labor Day, but what is Labor Day? Without looking at a calendar most of us can quickly retort it is the first Monday in September; the gateway holiday that leaves sunscreen and popsicles behind and ushers in pumpkin spice lattes and all things Halloween. Labor Day shows itself each year as a national holiday giving many workers a day of respite from the grinding work week, and kids get that last little taste of summer that remains in their grasp before the school year becomes more hectic.

For the women who are carrying a bowling ball sized baby in their wombs, Labor Day means something very different. They are hoping for labor on Labor Day. This nine-month journey has been another theory about the existence of Labor Day. The truth about this holiday is very simple. It is not about scheduling one last backyard BBQ (although you can count me in!) or birthing an infant. Labor Day was implemented in the 1800’s when working conditions were poor. The government stepped in to raise the spirits of the laborers and allow them a dedicated day to rest. Yes, it is as simple as that. It is a holiday that has been celebrated for generations and most likely will continue on for many more.

Now that you know the facts about Labor Day, the only subject to be debated at your BBQs is whether or not it is appropriate to wear white after Labor Day! I’m not a fashionista so do not ask me. What are you doing (and wearing) this Labor Day? Let me know in the comments.

As an author writing is my focus, but I also try to read as much as I can. As a trained musician I also listen to a lot of music in a variety of genres. I spend my days writing as much as I can which leads from breakfast directly to dinner time. After a few chores I am ready to put my brain to bed and reading falls on the back burner as I drift off to sleep.

My favorite books may seem very cliché as they are romance novels most people have read, but it is what it is. You might be wondering how the books that I read correlate to what I currently listen to on repeat. I have spent the most time submerged in books by Nicholas Sparks. Yes I am that cheesy and I love the romance but stick with me. The first Sparks book I read was “The Notebook.” I prefer to read books before I see the movie as was the case with this book and movie. I cried as I read and then I cried my eyes out the entire 124 minutes of the movie. (Believe it or not “The Notebook” isn’t my favorite of the Sparks movies or books -we’ll get into that another day.) The music in “The Notebook” was well themed and highlighted the emotional aspects of the movie. When Allie played the Chopin Prelude on the piano I fell apart.

Here I am twenty years later and this beautiful book-turned-movie has become a Broadway musical. I knew flying to NYC to take in Noah and Allie’s journey on the stage was out of the question for the foreseeable future so I did the next best thing- I began listening to the recording for the musical over and over, everyday. I listen and think about when my time will come to make it to the northeast to be delighted by their music in person. My preferences of music vary from day to day, season to season but at this time “The Notebook” on Broadway is what captivates my interest. I find it interesting how the creative outlet of writing inspired a well-loved movie with charming music. Then it was taken one step further into the world of music taking it all the way to Broadway. Can we even count how many artistic minds collaborated on each of these? The old saying goes we should stop and smell the roses. I believe we should stop, read, watch and listen a little more. Enjoy what creative minds have put in front of you.

What are you reading, watching or listening to?

I’ve always heard that either you’re a dog person or a cat person. For a long time I thought I was a cat person but in more recent years we have been a dog family. When I say dog I mean dogs that are the size of cats. I love being a dog mom. Our oldest pup has just moved beyond her wild puppy phase and into a more calm adult while her little brother is still full of puppy bouncing through the house as crazy as crazy gets. When he wants something he has the proudest puppy yap to tell you, followed by a quizzical look as to why you did not immediately respond.

My usual dog interactions were interrupted this weekend when I spent my time cat sitting while my daughter and her fiancé took a well-deserved vacation. After only a few hours I could see different personalities emerging. There was the Mama who made sure everyone was accounted for and if not she would cry out for them. Like a good mom she would occasionally bathe her kittens. She was followed around by her kitten daughter who was quite shy and skittish. This little girl was very pretty like her mom. Then there was the boy kitten. My goodness! It didn’t take long for him to warm-up to me and I could see immediately that he was much more out-going and would be the trouble maker. He found it amusing to sit on his sister’s head and then bat her around with his paws, or dive at my legs while I was walking through the house.

These three amused me every step of the way. However, when I returned home to my pups I found myself on the couch with both dogs by my sides cuddling more than the cats did all weekend. I loved my time with the cats but for right now I’ll remain a dog mom.

As promised, here are the August traditions embraced by our family. I admit August is a slow month for celebrating, but none the less we made it special and fun. Of course we needed to do our back-to-school shopping. This meant three kids scouring the school area at Target with lists in hand that teachers had already sent. The kids found it exhilarating while I deemed it the second worst trip to Target each year, only followed by the first worst trip -Halloween costume shopping! (I sew with a glue gun, so no I never made their costumes. No guilt.) I always mustered up the enthusiasm for these Target trips. Afterall my RedCard is my bff and Target is my home away from home.

Our not too big August tradition meant waking up at the time which was about to be the new normal school time. No this day was not the first day of school, but the morning before. The entire family was pulled from their slumber to enjoy a big family breakfast. There was buzz in the house about which beginning of the school year diner we would patronize that year and when we were leaving the house there was always a consenus. Following breakfast, the challenge was to stay awake the entire day with the hope that bedtime would be easier, everyone would fall to sleep quickly and wake the next day alert and ready for school.

No, this isn’t earth shattering or mind blowing. But for our family it was a special morning repeated every year. We had time spent together as our family unit and it put smiles on the kids’ faces which made it all worthwhile.

The decision to make an author’s read was the easy part of this post. The difficult decision was choosing which part of “Beneath the Surface” I was feeling most passionate about (for today) to share with you. I hope you enjoy!

“Our chosen family includes people ready to lend a hand whenever needed, mirroring the commitment we have to them.”

“Family Is a Choice: The true essence of family lies not in obligatory ties but in the choice to love and support each other.”

After reading these two passages which are found in the beginning of “Beneath the Surface,” it seems silly to say that I am speechless. Yes, that would be a writer with nothing to say, especially since there is an entire book to follow these quotes where I had a lot to say. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for each one of our friends, our chosen family, who have supported us every step of the way, from the time our children were born (and before!) until today.

“Creating Traditions Creates Bonds: Establishing traditions…can be a powerful way to cultivate a sense of belonging and togetherness within your chosen family. These rituals become the threads that weave the tapestry of our collective memories and experiences.”

I worked tirelessly to make sure my children had something to celebrate no matter what time of year it was. I am going to begin posting at the beginning of each month what events we celebrated in those corresponding months. In return I would love to hear about the traditions and celebrations in your family.

Always wear a smile and choose happy!
Annie

I am truly blessed knowing I’m not sitting in my office alone writing like my fingers are on fire. It’s fantastic to know that with a click of the mouse I’m in a different time zone far off in another country speaking with other authors. How cool is that? Today you can escape my Monday web blog and go directly to my videos and see the chat about my book “Beneath the Surface” with Mankonnen Sankofa. Enjoy!