I am a positive, healthy, active and successful 59 year old who loves God, family, friends and life.  

I am the product of a corporate salesman father who travelled a great deal and a stay at home Mom, who prior to having children was a secretary to the President of Campbell’s Soup.  I was raised on the "Main Line of Philadelphia" in Wayne, PA. which is in the Philly suburbs, with my 2 brothers and 2 sisters.   So, now that I painted the "rosy picture", I will simply say that it wasn't always rosy!  We're not "going there". The past is past and I moved on a very long time ago.  I Only Have TODAY!  TODAY is the ONLY day I have to make a difference and have an impact on my life and the lives of others. 

I married, at a young age (by today's standards) and was blessed with 2 beautiful sons - only 14 months apart, I might add - Oh what FUN that was!  I was the victim of an abusive marriage, which ended after 10 years - And, then, I was a SINGLE MOM!  Reflections on the years that followed are bitter-sweet, but the good Lord walked with me - and carried me through it making me stronger and wiser with every challenge along the way!

So many years have passed since then.  AND, WE MADE IT!  It wasn't all perfect and beautiful.  It was always interesting, challenging and at times frustrating and I'll even go so far as to use the word SCARY, and here we all are on the other end, and all is well. I thank God daily for giving me the strength to get through some of those years!!  I thank Him too for the friends who were so supportive, always willing to lend a hand and be there if I needed them.  When I think back, I remember only the fun times and the good times and the blessing of two wonderful guys!

 Before the boys graduated from High School and started off to college, I made a decision to go back and get my degree and I graduated from Immaculata College in Malvern, PA only 3 months prior to my oldest son starting at Pitt.  Wheww!  Then there was a period of 3 years where I had 2 of them in college simultaneously, YIKES!

When I was in my early 30’s, I decided to go into business for myself and spend a whole lot of years in the retail and rental business.  In 2000 I retired, sold the businesses.  It was a 24/7/365 proposition and I had had it!  Though I do miss the people, I have never for one moment missed the feeling of being OWNED by a business.

MY RETIREMENT LASTED a whopping 5 MONTHS!  After all the work around the house that had been neglected for so long was taken care of, I GOT BORED, and I did the only thing I could do, what I had been "conditioned" to do- I went back to WORK.

 I remarried 19 years ago and am blessed with a best friend and companion beyond anything I ever believed possible.   At 59 years old, I am fun loving GRANDMOM!  I have my wonderful hubby, and 4 terrific and beautiful grand children. Working for someone else has been a whole new challenge.  When the grandchildren started entering the picture, they presented a huge incentive to be at home with a great husband who is retired.  I intend to have the time and the opportunity to spend time with him and the little ones. 

A passion and pastime of mine is Mother Nature, birds and watching them. Years ago, I was given a bird feeder as a gift.  It was love at first site as I began what would be a lifelong hobby. I created a backyard habitat and have been an avid bird watcher and lover ever since.  My most recent endeavor is an ecommerce website http://www.birdessentials.com where I sell nothing but bird feeders, bird houses and baths and binoculars.  Building it was a challenge for me, and I have learned so much. It has been an exciting and rewarding process and I am now turning my efforts toward marketing the website, though I must admit that I am finding that more difficult than building the site. 

Coming to the realization that I "deserve" success, money and freedom was a PROCESS.  Enjoying it, living life to it's fullest after being a work-a-holic for so long is also a process.  I am seeing now that I had a huge LEARNING CURVE in accepting that is OK to kick back and just relax.  The opportunities to move forward and improve my life and contribute to the improvement of the lives of others are astounding.  Every day a new door opens.  LIFE ROCKS!  (Wow, I am sounding a bit trendy, aren't I?)  I am confident, sometimes even courageous, and the excitement and enthusiasm is keeping me "bubbly". 

 Every day I thank God for the blessings He has bestowed on my life.  I believe that SUCCESS IS A CHOICE!  I believe that if we expect the best, then that is exactly what we will get.  Through the trials of my life God never gave me more than I could handle at any given time.  I have now learned that He will take care of everything as long as I turn it all over to Him and stop being a control freak!  I also believe that by giving of ourselves to others, we will receive 10 times that in return.

I choose to have a great day everyday – and I do!

Judy

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