It is hard to believe that this will be my last blog email sent to everyone. Sometimes in life, experiences come to end. I am doing this last entry to tie the bow on a wonderful sorority year package! In addition, to let those Texas Sisters know who were unable to attend, including our Corresponding Secretary - Joyce Smith and TESAN Editor - Sarah Fox that we had a wonderful convention and how it all went!
Convention in League City at the South Shore Harbor Resort was wonderful thanks to District 2 and Debbi Morris, General Convention Chair. I have already heard from ESA Headquarters and two IC Officers that our Texas Convention was great! I wonder who might have spilled the beans??? Could that be IC Officer, Miss Sandy Alexander, our representative... perhaps??? That means we excelled as we normally do! Thank you to all those involved! You deserve a rest before we start anew under the leadership of Susanne Dullack.... Sweetheart, as I said when I presented you our treasured gavel and block.... Tag you are it! I know you will use that gavel wisely and well!
To recap, there were skits Thursday, Friday, and Saturday! Music from “Thanks for the Memories” to “Happy”, “Best Day of My Life” to “I’ve Been Everywhere Man”, “This Girl is on Fire” to “Roar”, and finally “So Happy Together”. We did selfies on Sunday with duets by Cheree Harper and Cassie Harper. Presentations produced by the Bell’s Angels and Sue Ann’s Storytellers. Of course, business was conducted, reports given, votes cast, and outstanding members crowned. The workshop was filled with a guest speaker on domestic violence and future needs of ESA as a whole by our IC Representative to Texas. Special recognitions were done for the Executive Board, prior Board Members, and former Outstanding Members over the years. Members did spend the Saturday morning shopping at Kemah, Kohl’s, going to NASA, visiting sisters, and sleeping in. This seemed to have been a great success!
I would like to share some of my remarks that I gave on Sunday.
“Last year in my acceptance speech, I walked around the room telling the story of the little boy, the cocoon, the old man, and the butterfly. The morale of the story was “without the struggle, there is no flight”. At that time, I was referring to my adventure, my journey to the point of becoming your State President. Now fortunately, my year as State President was not filled with many “struggles”, and “flight” was predominant. The “struggles” we encountered were those of trying new adventures through change. Some of those changes were successful and others need to be adjusted should they be continued. This is expected and this was the “flight”.
As elected officers, we realized we need to shift our paradigm to attract new members, to achieve growth. We, the elected board, have discussed this numerous times, not impetuous ideas to modify some of the things we do, but think of new ways, revolutionary ways to make our ESA life better and greater in numbers. Now, growth is not a new discussion during board meetings and conventions either. We have spoken of this many times and truly; growth is a critical, as we step up, tackle it, change it make it happen, and the outcome will honor the traditions.
With all of that, this year has been successful, because of you! This was a wonderful year. It was not perfect. It never can be perfect. We cannot please everyone. However, I will take away that we made a difference and we tried. I am proud of that, there was “flight”, and as Mickey Rooney said he wanted to be known that, he tried. So, I tried! I hope you take that feeling with you as well!
I want to thank you for the journey, the experience of being your State President. This experience is one I will treasure. I am grateful – THANK YOU for the opportunity. I know I will look back in years to come and know that we made a difference and touched a person, helped a person, loved a person.
This is the point of which this year was based, a simple movie theme, in Bedford Falls, America, a simple man, George Bailey learning that he did in fact make a difference.
Before I end, I must take a moment to offer my thanks to my chapter, those who are here, Holly, Jon, Cheree, and Cassie. Our chapter is small and actually meets in a chat room, but we sure have done so much and multi-task. I love you all. And to my district,
Thank you for your patience, advice, and love. You stepped up when our chapter shifted from one district to another. In addition, thank you to the “Sisters” of my district as you were there to encourage the support by the district. May I also thank those within another district no longer in existence, as you were there in the beginning for Joyce and me – we adore you!.
To my friends here and at work, thank you for listening and loving. I appreciate your thoughts and wisdom.
To Joyce, my best forever friend, we did this journey a decade apart. You were there through the loses and the wins, the successes and the rough patches, the fears and the joys, the smiles and the tears, the I have been thinking and the ideas. Thank you for sticking with it! I love you!
To my family, my sister, my parents who gave me the goal setter attitude I have. Without you, the drive for a goal would not be there. And mom, thanks for joining ESA when I was born! I literally would not be here without you.
Now to Nick, Emma, Julie, Holly, Jon, and Owen – you are the loves of my life. As you can see, not everyone was able to attend this weekend, but I want to publicly thank you for the support, encouragement and the love you have given me over the years in my journey as a State Officer and President! You did this out of love and sacrifice for me, as it was my goal, not yours. I could never repay what you have given to me.
To Holly, what can I say to you? You and I were raised in ESA, just different generations, different state councils, and different goals. You helped buffer issues, listen, advise, and love. You also helped with your brother and his developmental issues to help me make this all happen. And Jon, you are wonderful and Grammie’s favorite… boyfriend.
Moreover, to Owen, you came into this in the midst of the journey. Wow, how you have had to figure this out in a very short period of time. Jimmy Cain told Owen (and Owen still remembers this), “Son, you had better get use to this really quick, ‘cause it ain’t gonna change.” I have loved you since the moment we met. Thank you for the love, support, friendship, our life…..!”
Several of you have asked, including Owen, what are you going to do with the blog after it is over? I have given this some thought. In all likelihood, I will initiate a new one, more focused on recipes, life, and more. We will see what develops!
Good News…. No IAWL Trivia Question? It is true. You are in luck this final blog posting!
Before I close, allow me two more statements:
• Continue to send me recipes, as I will start working on this special Disaster Fund project.
• If you are attending IC Convention in Portland, please consider attending my workshop on Tuesday, July 15th.
Sunday’s third general assembly, I completed my remarks with the following… and ESA Wonderful Wednesday comes to an end!
“May I offer this, Mizpah, may the Lord watch over thee
while we are absent one from another.
Finally, as I said one year ago on a stage much like this
May you have the wisdom to find your purpose
And the courage to make a difference.
So believe you can and you’re halfway there.
Be the EveryDay Angel I know you are, because you have
the wisdom, courage,
And belief to touch another… Why?
Because, ESA’s … A Wonderful Life!
Thank you and I love each of you…”
sue ann
(aka – susieQ to friends and family as they too have gotten the blog each and every week!
Thank you! I love you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
