Pet Names, Peers, and Podcasts

Happy Friday, RISERS! I hope you are not out braving the Black Friday sales, but if you are…good luck and “may the odds be ever in your favor.” With this being the official start of the Christmas season, it is TOTALLY acceptable to blast your Christmas music wide open. Personally, I plan to listen to The Polar Express soundtrack. Happy shopping!

Quote of the week: “Nothing ever seems too bad, too hard, or too sad when you’ve got a Christmas tree in the living room.” –Nora Roberts

Movie of the week: Max is one of the most popular names for a male pet, and I have lobbied to name several of our animals Max, only to be outvoted. So, what did I do? I penned a book with a cat and named him Max. But the best Max in all of petdom is the dog from How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I want to recommend the 2018 film version, The Grinch, starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Max is easily the best dog ever, and it shows in this telling. I absolutely laugh at three particular lines every single time I watch the movie. The first one is at the beginning, when the Grinch has run out of food. He asks, “How much emotional eating have I been doing?” The next one is when the Grinch tries to sneak past Bricklebaum’s house. He’s tiptoeing through the crunchy snow and says, “This is the loudest snow I’ve ever heard in my life.” But my very favorite quote is when the Grinch finds Fred. He says: “Well, Santa had eight. He looks like he ate the other seven.” 

Joke of the week:  Why is Santa afraid of getting stuck in the chimney? Because he has Claus-trophobia.

Nugget of Wisdom for the week:  This week I want to ask you to be intentional and really enjoy the holiday season. As with Thanksgiving, take time to do special things with those in your circle. My family likes to drive around looking at Christmas lights, then stop at Krispy Kreme and get doughnuts. Invite a friend who may not have anyone close to them to have fun with you. It may make the difference between a wonderful holiday and one they are just trying to skate past. Have a great time creating new memories.

Good News of the week:  It is time to reveal that special something I wanted to share a month or two back. Beginning December 3rd, my weekly blog will include a link to a podcast. I have the privilege of sharing podcasts from three incredibly special people, all of whom have a connection with the culture supported by RiseUP Cooperative. My friend Simon Benn is an adoptee from England who encourages other adoptees to thrive in their environment. Rhonda Sciortino, another good friend, was a child in the foster care system and now advocates in many areas in the foster care culture. And lastly, Dr. John DeGarmo is a foster care advocate and speaker. All of these precious people will share encouraging words and help you with the diverse needs you are experiencing. Finally, on the fourth Friday of every month, I will post a link to a RiseUP workshop of interest. Thank you for checking in on the blog. I hope you’ll get encouragement from these talented, caring people.

Have a great week. Remember, you are most awesome and YOU ROCK!

Marion Rhines is a foster-turned-adoptive parent. She lives in Knoxville, Tenn., with her husband and five children. She has written and published two children’s books as well as two foster-care-themed novels. She has a Facebook blog, Tips from the FLIP Side, and enjoys working with children of all ages.

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