Letter to a Role Model: Mike Feaga the 33 Year Old (or) Happy Birthday,Husband! (or) 10 Reasons Why I Love You

Tomorrow is Mike's 33th birthday! My love, my soul mate, my ginger. To celebrate, I will honor him on social media, the only true way to express love to your spouse.

Dear Michael,

Happy birthday! I am so grateful for you in my life. You constantly challenge me to be a better, cooler, more productive and giving human being. This challenge stems mainly from trying to keep up with how great, cool, productive, and giving YOU are. Since you love lists so much (This shirt is NOOOT black) here are ten reasons, in no order of importance, why you should have a happy birthday.

1. You're an amazing daddy. Yesterday when I was fixing dinner and was telling the kids to "stop bickering and just be nice to each other" (super effective.) you swooped in and took them outside to plant seeds and distract them from fighting. You always know how to switch gears when the tension is high and I can't get myself in the right state of mind.

2. Sexiest. Redhead. Alive.

3. You somehow manage to avoid the grips of social media with your iron will and headstrong opposition to it, and encourage me to do the same. Maybe someday you'll succeed.

4. You are the cutest farmer in all the land. This is just the latest example of your desire for lifelong learning, and it is such a pleasure to watch you work the soil and discover new things with child-like wonder and amazement.

5. You always read non-fiction. Somehow 10 hours a day at an engineering job isn't enough exercise for your smart, smart brain. Because "I like to break a mental sweat, too." This past year you read ONE fiction book. My challenge to you in your 33rd year is to read TWO fiction books. Can you do it??

6. You know how to make me feel beautiful even when I am a huge pregnant whale. MAJOR HUSBAND WIN!

7. You have single-handedly taught me how to budget, how to love a budget, and even how to make budgeting fun.

8. Our joint desire for "the simple life" -  your awareness and help in protecting our precious time from too many activities, social commitments, and too much travel.

9. You are able to set the tone for our whole household with your strong, quiet, hardworking nature. Weekends spent working in the garage and in the garden are relaxing yet productive, challenging yet fun, simple yet complex. You show us (your whole family) by your example what it is to truly live this life humbly and beautifully.

10. I love dreaming with you. The current dream of owning a winery/brewery is such an exciting and cool prospect! I love how you are dreamy but practical at the same time. You're simply the best.

Happiest Jesus birthday to the love of my life. God grant you many more years!

xoxo Philo

Letter to a Role Model: Patty Papas

In typical fashion, I am not on time for this post, as it would have been appropriate to post on Mother's Day. So, oops. No excuses, just humanity at its finest (or most mediocre?)

 

Patricia Papas cruisin' around Galveston, TX

Patty Papas is my MOMMY!

Here is a list of attributes that I admire about my mom, and things I try to emulate:

1. She started the married-name-alliteration trend. (Patty Nemanic --> Patty Papas) So hot right now. (Phae Papas --> Phae Feaga and also my college roomie/soul mate Dessie Xenakis --> Dessie Dobbins)

....but seriously, though:

2. She's never afraid to try new things and continuously challenge herself.  She ran her first full marathon at age 50! "Can't teach an old dog new tricks" is definitely not in her vocab. (Not that she's old!!)

Mom and Dad after the 2013 Austin half

3. She is probably the most patient woman I've ever met. I don't think I knew this until I was a parent of a toddler and realized she RARELY lost her temper with my siblings and I, even when we were being totally obnoxious.  She takes care of Zoe, and I think this go-round she's even MORE patient (if that's possible.)

4. She makes life-long health a priority.  She's a labor &delivery nurse, so her schedule is never in a set routine.  Sometimes she runs at 5 am before her 12-hr shift, sometimes she'll consider playing with Zoe and walking to the park her workout for the day, sometimes she does a workout video at 11 am on her day off.  Regardless of when or where her exercise happens during the day (or when it doesn't), she's happy to fit it in.

5. She puts the needs of others before her own in a Christ-like way.  She's always taking care of others despite the fact that she hasn't eaten, slept, or peed for 13 hours.  One particular example that is on my mind lately: she stayed home with my siblings and I when we were little (until the youngest was 5 and off to kindergarten), putting her nursing career on hold in order to care for us, be present in our lives, teach us, and LOVE US like only a Mama can.  This is particularly relevant in my life right now since I'm on the brink of this decision myself.

6. She is super easy-going.  She's always up for anything, no matter what the activity.  If it's not her favorite, no big deal.  She's happy to be spending time with people she loves. 

7. She's an artist's muse.

Patty the mermaid

8. She knows how to french braid.

Mom, me, Reney, & Zoe sporting Mom's handiwork

9. My dad's the cook of the family, and my mom is the baker!  She bakes the best pastries, fresh home-made wheat breads, and blueberry muffins.  And she's generous enough to pass along the skillz! 

Teaching Zoe how to bake her divine oatmeal cookies



10.  She knows how to unwind and relax!  Stress management is such an important aspect of health.  It's not often discussed (maybe I should do another post about this) - but it is definitely a pillar in the balance of overall health.  Patty P. can unwind with the best of 'em, with or without alcohol (I don't want to imply that alcohol is necessary to relax) - - but especially with some red wine or tequila.  Next time you see her, bring her a sample of either of those and you will definitely win her favor... :)



At Noah's wedding

I love you Mama...
xoxo Phae

Letter to a Role Model: Papou

Yesterday was my Papou's 80th birthday. He's my dad's dad, he came to the U.S. from Greece when he was 15 to go to school, and he is truly the kind of role model I am lucky to have. Reaching a big milestone like an 80th birthday is a perfect time to reflect on the impact someone has had in your life. So, here I am, reflecting.  One of my favorite things about growing up is having the privelege of getting to know the adults in your life, as an adult yourself.  In childhood, we idolize our parents and grandparents.  For me, I always thought that Papou, the engineer, was really good at driving trains....

Petros Papas: he doesn't always carry paint buckets, but when he does, he does it with a smile

Here is a distilled list of qualities about my grandfather that I would like to emulate throughout my life.

1. His passion for life-long learning.  Even into late adulthood, especially after his retirement, he's known to sit in his office working out differential equations, reading about new technologies, and keeping his mind sharp. 
2. He is dedicated to his faith in God in an ongoing way.  I never realized until I was an adult how faithfully he attends services at St. Michael's Orthodox Church in Greensburg, PA, and how faithfully he serves on different committees, helps out with events, and fills any need the church community may have.  It doesn't have to be in a capacity that he is familiar with either - he just steps up to help in a prayerful, humble way - counting on the Big Guy to fill in the gaps.
3. His patient, caring, sacrificial love for his wife.  I can only try my best to give of myself so much to my husband over the next decades.  The love is obvious to anyone who witnesses them together.
4. His ability to stay active even into maturity.  He always did "calisthenics" (his words, not mine) as an adolescent and young adult, and now he routinely goes on walks around his neighborhood to stay fit, mobile, and agile at his age.  This, I'm confident, contributes greatly to his quality of life!
5. Papou is the patriarch of a family of engineers.  Several of us chose that profession, likely because of an inspiration seeded by his enthusiasm for engineering, math and science.  See #1.

If I make it to my 80th birthday, if I've been able to mimic Papou in the above attributes just a little bit, then I would say I've had a pretty successful life on this earth. 

May all of you be inspired to live your whole life well!

xoxo Phae