A Dedication to My Mom & Dad

Hi, Everybody!

 

Well, it goes without saying, but today’s blog post is very special to me, mainly because I’m dedicating it to one of the cutest couples that I’ve ever known—Benjamin & Danielle Stewart.

Yes, I am aware that I have dedicated plenty of blog posts to my mom and dad in the past, but hell—I can dedicate another one to them! I do, however, want to put out a disclaimer: Just in case this blog post is somewhat reminiscent of its predecessors, that’s only because I’m speaking the truth. It has been said that the truth is so special that it can be told over and over again, and it’ll never get old.

There is also a modus operandi for today’s blog post: You see, in the two and half years that I’ve been up here at Rust, I have made it known that I truly love my mom and dad, and I still hold true to my claim that they are indeed the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be. It’s no secret that I have such a strong relationship with my mom and dad, but ever since I’ve been away from them, I have a newfound appreciation for them. I guess it’s true that absence really makes the heart grow fonder, because everytime I step off that plane at LAX and run into my daddy’s arms, I hug him real tight and I give him a kiss on the cheek and pretend that I’m stuck. And then there’s my mom—lately we’ve done this thing where we met forehead to forehead, and simultaneously raise our eyebrows. And I also realized that my mom and I share the same middle name… matter of fact, my mom gave me her middle name as a tribute to her legacy, plus the name Renee is French for “reborn.”

That probably explains why my Uncle Ronnie calls me “Born Again… Again!”

Well, there y’all have it—another blog post dedicated to my mom and dad. I’m almost certain that I’m gonna dedicate another blog post to them in the very near future, but for now, today is their day. And of course, y’all can expect a future blog post dedicated to my entire family. Yes, I am aware that I talk about them a lot, and I am also aware that I put them on a pedestal, but I realize the blessing that I have in having them in my life. I also realize that there are people right now who would love to be in my shoes—some grew up in single parent homes while others don’t know their parents at all. This is just all the more reason to be grateful for Benjamin & Danielle Stewart.

Mom & Dad, it goes without saying, but I’m gonna say it anyway—I LOVE Y’ALL!!!


Smooches,

Natasha

The Christmas Spirit, Still In My Heart

Happy After Christmas, Everybody—and Happy Friday!

 

So, just like my pastor said in our Christmas service yesterday, the commercialization of Christmas has come and gone, but the true spirit of Christmas lies within the hearts of those who know the true meaning.

 

I trust that each and every last one-a-y’all had a great Christmas yesterday. Y’all already know that my greatest Christmas present involved spending time with my family. Incidentally, Christmas was celebrated with over at Mom and Dad’s house this go-round. Seeing as how we were the gracious hosts, we all had on our Santa hats, and we also invited our next door neighbor Mrs. Patterson over to celebrate with us. Usually, she goes to Detroit to visit her sister, but her sister passed away over the summer; as a matter of fact, Mrs. Patterson’s sister passed away just a week after my family reunion. So, you can imagine how gracious Mrs. Patterson was to have been invited to celebrate Christmas with the Stewarts.

 

Looks like a new Christmas tradition is starting with my fam and Mrs. Edna Jean Patterson!

 

And lest I forget, in addition to Mrs. Patterson celebrating Christmas with us, I received yet another precious Christmas present: I got a surprise visit from my old kindergarten teacher! That’s right, y’all—Mrs. Martin showed up at our doorstep, and she brought along some apple cider. Apparently, she made my mom and dad promise not to spill the beans about her coming to celebrate Christmas with us. Well, Mom and Dad did a damn good job of keeping that information very clandestine, because I was thoroughly, genuinely, and legitimately surprised.

 

I tell y’all—India.Arie was spot on when she talked about the little things, and the joy they bring.

 

Well, y’all, I had better close up today’s blog, but I’ll definitely holla at y’all tomorrow. Until then, y’all take care.

 

 

Smooches,
Natasha

My Secret Admirer Returns... In A Manner of Speaking!

Happy Thursday, Everyone!

So, check this out, y’all… well, as you can tell by the title of today’s blog post, my secret admirer has—for lack of a much better term—made his first appearance of 2014. He presented me with a letter via Ruby, and I gotta say, this is perhaps the most sweetest letter that he’s ever given me.

And yes, I am aware that “most sweetest” is a touch redundant, but that’s how sweet it is. Just listen to this:

Dearest Natasha:

Even though we are sixteen days in, I still would like to wish you a Happy New Year. I hope that your 2014 will be just as great as this past year, if not better.

And now for the real reason behind this letter: You see, everyone looks to live happily ever after long before they check out what happened once upon a time, and it’s very easy to pretend that you’re not pretending—that is, until the naked truth makes itself known. Now, I don’t know what will happen in the future, but I do know this much: You are totally different from these other girls… as a matter of fact, you’re not a girl—you’re a woman. I’ve seen how you carry yourself, and I like it! I like how you have confidence in yourself; it shows in the way you walk and talk. You’ve got a no-nonsense side that is second-to-none, and I like how you have a silly, playful side as well. It goes without saying, Natasha, but you’re a total package.

I don’t know what your plans are for Valentine’s Day, and if I am too late, then that’s just a cross that I’ll have to bear. Nevertheless, I am a man of my word, and I want to get you a small gift, just to let you know that I think you are truly special.

Until next time, you have a great day, and God Bless.

Sincerely,

Your Secret Admirer

So, it appears that I’m finally gonna meet my secret admirer in about four weeks’ time. I truly hope this is not a game, because my heart cannot afford to be played with. I’ve already said that I refuse to be a fool again, and besides, it’s gonna take a very special guy to figure out the combination to my heart. That’s right, folks—my heart is still on lockdown! Granted, Craig is a nice guy, and this secret admirer is quite a charmer as well, but for now, I cannot take a chance on another heartbreak. I truly hope they both understand.

Nevertheless, I do enjoy the attention… a lot!

Hugs & Kisses,

Natasha

A Great Christmas, In Spite Of...

Hi, Everyone.

I trust that everyone had a very Merry Christmas. All things considered, I too had a great Christmas, thanks to an understanding family. However, I can’t deny that my heart still hurts from the recent events of last Friday. I really thought I’d be over this ugly feeling, but the truth of the matter is that I’m still not over Ray. I’m so confused—I mean, I set him free and told him to go ahead with this Naomi chick, but yet and still, I have deep feelings for him. After all, he was my first true boyfriend.

And Lord in Heaven knows that I did my damnedest not to think about Ray at all, but to no avail. Everytime I took my mind off of what happened to me last Friday, I was given an ugly reminder of what happened. And I gotta be honest with y’all: It got so bad that I found myself being jealous of my mom and dad, my aunts and uncles, and even Cousin Keith & Cousin Jade. And hell, even Gramma Jewel and Mr. Hawkins didn’t help matters any, sitting next to each other, just laughin’ and shit!

I was so upset that I ran into the bathroom and slammed the door rather aggressively.

I really wanted to be left alone, but I guess God had other plans on account of Becky came in to check on me. All I wanted to do was sit on the edge of the bathtub and weep to myself—I swear that I wasn’t gonna do anything drastic! Well, anyway, Becky sat next to me and just hugged me. Without even saying a word to me, she let me know that it was okay for me to have a good cry on her shoulder. I tell y’all, I really felt a helluva lot better after that. Whether she knew what I was going through or not, I was very grateful that she gave was there for me.

Maybe about forty-five minutes later, I came out and apologized to my family for how I was acting. I let them know the ugly truth behind my attitude, leaving out no detail. And for those of you reading this, I apologize to you as well. Y’all know that I’m really not a bitter person, and believe me when I tell you: I freakin’ hate this feeling. I feel like I’ve lost my joy—that certain spark of life, that certain je ne sais quoi that makes me Natasha Renee Stewart. Well, needless to say, the greatest Christmas present I received this year was that of an understanding and loving family; not only did they forgive me, but they also let me know that they were all there for me. They also warned me about the dangers of bottling up my feelings.

So, in sum, I had a great Christmas with my family yesterday, but yet and still, I’m not over Ray…