The newly renovated Potter & Marks Law Firm building has been a part of Texarkana’s history since the early 1900s. … From the research Josh Potter has done, he learned that his family’s ties to the building date back to the 1940s or 1950s when his grandmother worked for a business located in the building. In 1997, his father, Charles Potter, bought the building along with his law partners at the time and set up an office for the Arnold and Arnold law firm.
Several years ago, a group text was created with my mom, my Aunt Mommy (my mom’s identical twin sister), their daughters, and daughters-in-law. When Apple’s update gave iPhones the option to name a group text, Momma named this one “Cool Group,” thinking she was the only one who could see it. We initially giggled at her originality, but it has stayed ever since and is an active text thread every day. Cool Group contains seven wives who have given birth to 19 children collectively, ranging in age from 42 to due in April.
Seven Attributes for Success … Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” —Winston Churchill … “Fail faster to succeed sooner” similarly describes the effort required to succeed and reinforces that failure is an integral part of success. I always found that to be accurate and realistic, yet also motivating. It’s a reminder to dig in and keep trying. We often think success happens overnight, like some kind of luck.
For all fifteen years of our marriage, my husband Fred has wanted a camper for traveling. I grew up camping, and I loved it, but because of my experience, I know how much work goes into owning one. It is not like a hotel where you arrive and immediately start resting. After pulling into your destination, a camper then requires you to hook up all the pieces, set up all the things, make everything level, and do a good amount of organizing before you can relax and enjoy yourself. Then you get to do it all over again when you are ready to head home.
Dressing in (Pantone®) Color for Spring … The Pantone® Color Palette for spring contains bright and bold colors that will look dazzling as the weather warms up. This year’s colors include shades of red, pink, orange, yellow, green, and blue. There are so many great outfit pieces and accessories available in these colors currently that can be added to your wardrobe. I am sharing some of my favorites that you can make a colorful statement wearing this spring. … This adorable jumpsuit is giving me all the spring vibes! I love the flowy design of the pants and ties at the neck.
Register as an Organ Donor … Your donation could save a life like Texarkana resident Madeline Piña’s. … Most people know there is a need for organ and tissue donors. Still, they need to understand how urgent this need is. According to midamericatransplant.org, 95% of Americans support organ donation, but only about 60% are registered to donate. … February is American Heart Month, and one Texarkana family understands why a heart is a valuable gift. To the Piña family, every day is another day they wait for the call that a heart is available for eight-year-old Madeline.
Get Organized … Order and organization give me such a sense of peace. It might seem silly to some, but when everything has a place, I feel more at ease. I have always been a very organized person, but it seems like it is still always a work in progress. Things get out of order, new things are added to the mix, and items no longer used add clutter. It can be overwhelming if you let it all pile up. My best advice is to start small with just one drawer or cabinet. This method will give you the momentum to keep going with your organization.
Wouldn’t it be Loverly? … As I descended the stairs the other day, I was reminded of the 1989 Bobby Brown hit “Every Little Step.” Every little step I took made me wince in pain. I can do stairs, but I don’t like doing stairs. Between my arthritis and the suitcase I dropped on my foot ten years ago, it hurts my feet, my knees, and my pride. I don’t want to do it multiple times a day anymore. … Which is the basis for our latest project. We’re adding a downstairs master bedroom to our house, where we already have more room than any two people need.
I was working at my computer one day when I received a notification on my phone that a photo memory slideshow had been created just for me. I clicked on the memory suggestion, and the highlight reel of my life began scrolling across the screen. I was immediately overwhelmed with gratitude. These were not just vacations and Instagram-worthy moments; these were real life. I was reminded of moments cooking dinner with my kids, the time I got the lawn mower stuck in the pond, and lazy moments lounging around the house with our dog. It was a collection of the simple things we do every day:
Look to the Future, Live for Today … As the new year starts, many of us traditionally choose to make some “New Year’s Resolutions.” Perhaps we make a few changes to how we spend our free time, i.e., exercise more... eat less... blah, blah... yada, yada. Or maybe we remember the things that we put into practice last year and vow to continue pressing on in those endeavors. Others just say, “To heck with it!,” and throw caution to the wind. I typically fall into camp number one: