Family

My Brother is Now One of the Cool Kids

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parker1

 [photo credit: @JohnLegend Instagram]

My blog post this week is slightly delayed by one day….for pretty good reason I believe! On Sunday I spent the majority of the day on the phone with my mother and reading all the reviews of the new romantic comedy movie premiering at the Sundance Film Festival called Southside with You.

No, I am not a huge movie buff. I honestly can’t even remember the last time I went to the theater and what I saw. Don’t worry…I did go in the last calendar year. I have heard about the Sundance Film Festival. I know Hollywood essentially relocates there for a few days to brave the bitter cold temperatures of Park City, Utah which is a dramatic difference from the warmer weather in the Los Angeles area. To be honest, that was probably all I knew about Sundance…..until last year.

For those who follow me via my social media networks, you know my brother is an actor and relatively new to the scene. Matter of fact, he really has only been acting for a little over three years. Who would have thought the little boy I used to boss around our house in Indianapolis would eventually become an actor….a pretty good one if I say so myself.  Technically, I’m the older sister even though I’m nearly a foot shorter than him and our other brother Patrick. [I clearly received my height genes from both of my grandmothers, one of which was barely five feet tall and the other is probably right at five feet!]

In late 2014, there was news about a new film in the works to chronicle the first date of the future president and his first lady. Tika Sumpter was chosen to play Michelle Robinson, and then the world discovered the name Parker Sawyers, aka the little boy I bossed around the house, who was picked to portray a young Barack Obama.

And thus the whirlwind adventure began for my younger brother.

I have said it a thousand times on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, but Patrick and I along with our mother are so unbelievably proud of Parker. There are just not enough words to express how excited we are to know the world will now see his incredible talent. To see bloggers and movie critics gushing over his portrayal of Barack Obama has been so surreal. Naturally, in my mind, I was saying “DUH! We get it from our mama!” LOL!

Seriously though…we are so happy for him!! My brother is now one of the cool kids…the really cool kids.

Kudos also to the entire Southside with You cast and crew. I was able to spend a couple of days in Chicago over the summer while they were filming, and everyone was so kind and sweet to me.

I can’t WAIT until the rest of the world is able to see the great work from this amazing team in movie theaters this year!

As always, these are just a few thoughts “From My Hart.”

Today is Your Day!

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seventeen magazine revised

On October 5, 1951 a queen was born by the name of Paula Michelle Parker.

To most, Paula has been knows as the following:

  • President of Girls State
  • Indianapolis 500 Princess
  • Model for Seventeen Magazine after being selected as one of the top 20 U.S. high school girls in 1969
  • Northwest High School graduate (and subsequent member of the Indianapolis Public Schools Hall of Fame)
  • Indiana University graduate (Bachelor’s and Master’s)
  • Recipient of Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Butler University
  • First female Deputy Mayor for the city of Indianapolis
  • Former City County Councilwoman
  • Philanthropist
  • Director of Indiana’s Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives
  • Indiana University administrator and professor
  • Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated

Your other titles:

  • Daughter
  • Sister
  • Wife
  • Grandmother
  • Aunt
  • Friend

To me…..she’s known simply for three letters: MOM!

Happy birthday mom! You have broken the glass ceiling, mentored many, fought (and still fighting) to reduce Indiana’s infant mortality rate, been a shoulder for my tears and stood right by my side during the good and bad times.

Today is YOUR day! You have earned it! ENJOY IT!!!!!!!

I love you!

As always, these are just a few thoughts….”From My Hart.”

My Daughter = My Motivation

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A'Layla

Today is September 30 and the last day of Infant Mortality Awareness Month. If you follow me on social media sites, you know I work in public health. It’s part of my daily responsibilities to inform the public (and media) about all things related to public health. Some days I discuss light topics such as encouraging people to get their flu shots but others are rather heavy like infant mortality. There’s absolutely nothing fun about babies dying in utero or before their first birthday. 

I am good at what I do. Yes, I said it, and it’s the honest truth. When it comes to medicine and public health, I just have a way of using my communications expertise to educate my community.

Of course, it isn’t always easy when you have your own personal story. It’s difficult to talk about babies dying when your own child was stillborn. I only publicly talk about my daughter a few times a year…usually on her birth/death date and Mother’s Day. Generally, I don’t speak about her vocally either only because it more often times than not leads to tears falling down my cheeks. I had a normal and rather healthy pregnancy until one day I became ill….very ill. Matter of fact the rest is really a blur.

For whatever reason, A’Layla (my daughter) was heavy on my spirit today and really this entire month. A part of me believes she was reminding me to keep pushing even through my own personal feelings because no other mother should have to endure the agony and pain I did. I constantly think back to 2006 and wonder what I could have or should have done differently. 

Infant mortality can occur for a variety of reasons…..from prematurity to babies not being in a safe sleep environment. If you are a woman of child-bearing age, be sure to take your daily dose of folic acid which helps prevent serious birth defects of the spinal cord (such as spina bifida) and the brain (such as anencephaly). Get plenty of physical activity before, during and even between pregnancies. Know the ABCs of Safe Sleep. Babies should always sleep ALONE, on their BACKS and in their own CRIB. 

What happened to me and my daughter was very much a freak occurrence that even the physicians couldn’t explain, but I will continue to use my situation as motivation to preach the same messages. We can reduce the infant mortality rates in our communities if we all work together. 

As always….these are just a few thoughts “From My Hart.”

 

I Hope I’m Still Making You Proud

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dad and me1

I haven’t been in the greatest spirits for the last week, and it hit me as to why. This Saturday, August 22, marks nine years since my dad, James Sawyers, earned his wings and went home. He may not have been my biological father, but he was the only father I knew, respected and who raised me from the time I was two years old.

With every passing day, I wish I could have just one more conversation with him…one more heart to heart discussion about career….life…..and yes, men. I will never forget the day I graduated from Alabama A&M University and dad telling me just how proud he was of me. After watching me struggle my Freshman year to flourishing as a news reporter for one of the local radio stations my Senior year, dad took me aside privately before the ceremony and told me I could achieve absolutely anything I put my mind to doing.

For those who lived in Indianapolis in 1978, you probably remember the infamous Blizzard of ’78. Even though I wasn’t even born yet and he and my mother hadn’t met at that point, I have heard story after story about how amazing he was as the Communications Officer for the City of Indianapolis. Little did anyone know I would follow in his footsteps as a public relations beast a few decades later.

The day before you died you called me….just to say one thing. You called to tell me you love me. And while my heart still hurts because you’re gone, I am so grateful those were the last three words you ever spoke to me.

This one’s for you dad. I hope I am continuing to make you proud. I love you, and I always will.

As always, these are just a few thoughts “From My Hart.”

Gone but Not Forgotten–Happy Birthday Dad!

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dad and me

His name was James Sawyers. He was born January 20, 1943. He was my dad.

No, technically he was not my biological father (that’s another story in and of itself….stay tuned to a later blog), but he stepped into the role with basically zero hesitation when he married my mother. I remember when he and mom would tell me the story of the day I first met him. Evidently I hid underneath the table which most two year olds do, right?!?!  I mean I didn’t even know this guy!

Fast forwarding to my adolescent years, I played pretty much every sport imaginable, and my dad was essentially my personal coach. From basketball to soccer, he was always there to support me, cheer for me and yell at the opposing teams! LOL!  No matter how busy he was, he always managed to be there. He knew it meant the world to me even though I would be embarrassed and mad when he cussed everyone out because the referees would call a foul on me. The nerve of them….Ha!

High school was definitely a difficult time. I was a teenager. Enough said. But no matter how strained our relationship had become, he beamed with pride when I graduated from North Central High School. Go Panthers!

Then came the time for me to leave for college and thus began the most tumultuous yet most memorable years.  

I left college after only one semester. To make a long story short, I had a boyfriend back home and well you know how that story ended. I will never forget dad taking me aside to remind me just how important my college education is and even though I was not in school I still had to work a 40 hour a week job. When I realized just how much I did NOT like living back in my parents’ house at the age of 19, I remembered our talk and very quickly applied to get back into my beloved university. That was the best decision I have EVER made.

Because of my dad and the love of his career, I graduated in 2004 from Alabama A&M University with my B.A. in Communications. Because of my dad, I decided to dive into the world of public relations.

He communicated while he was in the U.S. Navy. He communicated with the media and public while working for multiple politicians. He communicated with at-risk youth as both an educator and community volunteer.  He communicated for a living. Yet, his communication went silent on the morning of August 22, 2006.

2006 was by far the WORST year our family has ever experienced (more on that in a later blog). I remember it like it was just yesterday. On August 21st, dad called me and my brothers (all separately) just to tell us how much he loved us. He randomly made those phone calls so it really didn’t surprise any of us. Little did I know that would be the last time I would ever talk to him.

Dad loved me like his own. He held my hand and cried with me during my darkest hours. He was one of my biggest cheerleaders.

With all that being said, today I want to publicly scream to the heavens HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!! You are so greatly missed.

As always…..these have been just a few thoughts “From My Hart.” 

 

Goodbye 2014, Welcome 2015!

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2015

Well, this is it. The end of 2014 is here, and it has surely been an eventful year.

I lost friendships but gained new ones. I lost weight but then gained it back and then some. I helped to create three mobile apps for my employer (that was pretty exciting)! I celebrated my 34th birthday both in Memphis and Indianapolis (I always go big for my birthday….more on that in a future blog post). I colored my hair red….like serious fire engine red. That was fun while it lasted! And yes, you can have red hair and still manage to look professional. I was introduced to online dating (more on that later). I bought a new car! I had an opportunity to not only attend but give a presentation at a national conference.

This blog entry though isn’t just about what happened in 2014 but what’s in store for 2015! Many new adventures are on the horizon, including my quest to fulfill 35 things on my Bucket List during my 35th year on this earth. I am determined to do things I have either never done or done in quite some time. I am determined to truly live MY life this year. I am determined to smile more than frown. I am determined to laugh more than be stressed. I’m claiming love in my life!

God works in such mysterious ways. As I’m typing this, one of my favorite songs just started playing on my gospel music station. “For every mountain You brought me over…..For every trial You’ve seen me through…..For every blessing…..Hallelujah, for this I give You praise!”

For all things I have had to endure in my short amount of time on this earth, I am truly blessed to still be given the opportunity to see yet another year. And for this, I give Him ALL the praise!

I am really looking forward to 2015! I believe this is going to be an exciting year!

Please be safe tonight and get a designated driver if you are going to drink!

Until next time…….these have been just a few thoughts “From My Hart.”

Alzheimer’s Sucks

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Grandmama and me

Alzheimer’s sucks. Yep, it does. It is a horrible, horrible disease I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. I am pretty sure I have said that at least 1,000 times in the last couple of months but even more so after spending the last several days visiting my beloved Grandmama in my hometown of Indianapolis who currently suffers from the debilitating disease.

So, who is Grandmama? 

Grandmama is my maternal grandmother. She is the heart and soul of our family and is by far one of the strongest women I have ever known. From the moment I was born, she has been my biggest cheerleader….even when I knew I had done wrong. When I have needed anything, whether a ride to physical therapy after knee surgeries or a home cooked meal, she has always been there for me.

It’s Grandmama’s fault I started watching Young and the Restless! We used to discuss those crazy characters every weekend when I was a student at Alabama A&M. (Don’t judge me. Yes, I scheduled my classes around the long-running soap opera). 

Grandmama taught me how to play cards. She taught me how (and why) to cut coupons before going to the grocery store. She taught me the importance of making lists every morning before starting the day. She taught me how important it was to exercise the brain by doing word searches and completing (or attempting to at least) crossword puzzles.

Now, this same woman’s memory is fading and fading fast. 

The last several days has been tough to watch her, but I know seeing my face brought her so much joy. Even when I want to cry as reality slaps me (and the rest of my family) in the face, I find comfort in knowing her memory is not completely gone. She still remembers some people and periods of time.

It’s not easy seeing someone you love and have always admired become the latest Alzheimer’s statistic. 

DID YOU KNOW?

  • More than 5 million Americans are living with the disease.
  • Every 67 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s.
  • Almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women.
  • In her 60s, a woman’s estimated lifetime risk for developing Alzheimer’s is 1 in 6. For breast cancer it is 1 in 11.

For more information, visit the Alzheimer’s Association at http://www.alz.org/.