What is Finding Emma “Who Am I” about?

August 13th, 2010

Finding Emma: Who Am I? is a story of one woman and every woman. Emma Sutherland

embarks on a journey of discovery after she wakes up one morning and finds she feels

alone after her life has fallen apart from divorce. Grieving that she has lost her identity,

she starts to question herself? “Who am I?”

Who we are is all too often described in terms of who or what

surrounds us, missing the opportunity to give a description of ourselves,

the individual. Our identity is not who’s in the room with us, but who’s in

the room when we are alone.

Emma slowly learns that she has worth, value and something to give back. She finds

the strength to heal inside, to redefine herself and become a strong mother, daughter

and woman. Emma rebuilds her life as she rebuilds herself.

Finding Emma celebrates Emma’s journey out of the heart of darkness of divorce,

as layer by layer, she discovers the path to peace and self-confidence through an

understanding of the world beyond herself and the world within herself. No matter

the source of darkness in our hearts, her example will illuminate the way…

Get your book today… Enjoy the read

Donna Marie Trapp

Strength comes in many ways....

Family means everything…

August 9th, 2010

When I was a young girl my mother told me “When others walk out on you, your family will always be there.”  I never really put much thought to it until I was older.  Now that I am a grandma and see these beautiful babies I can’t help but think of what my mother said to me.  My children and my husbands children mean the world to us and we will try to always be there for them no matter what .

There are those out there that don’t think family is important and have chosen to walk away from those who loved them, but they will only find that they have entered into a lonely world… For those who have I feel sorry…. Never loose site of how important family is … To all my family out there… I love you very much.  May   God’s richest blessings be yours…

Love to you all … Donna Marie Trapp

"Yeah I get fed!!!"

Life is like the Butterfly….

August 7th, 2010

This friend of mine takes these beautiful pictures.  These ones of the butterflies seem to really catch my eye.  I remember watching the movie “Patch Adams” and when the girl passed away there was this butterfly that showed up to let him know she was okay.  Our life is kind of like the butterfly … We start out one way, and as we learn and grow we can become this beautiful person just like the butterfly comes out of the cocoon so beautiful.

I want my life to be such that I can make a difference in this world, to love everyone I meet,  to help others become what they were destined to be.

The butterfly makes no sound, doesn’t bother anyone, but fly’s around with such beauty and grace and puts a smile on peoples face just by seeing it.

Lets all become like the butterfly and spread beauty and happiness to others.

Have a great day everyone…

Donna Marie Trapp

There is beauty right outside your door…Go out and see it!

July 26th, 2010

When you take the time to go out into nature, you can’t help but praise God for all that he has created.  This weekend we went with friends to a place called Cedar Grove and we saw these majestic and massive sized cedars  It is hard to find the right word to describe these beautiful trees.   It was like finding a hidden treasure in the state of Idaho.   They remind me of the red woods in California.  Some of these tree’s,  I have been told could be thousands of years old…  When you see nature like this you can’t help but realize that Gods hand was in it.   Take time to see the nature where you live, I found it was a great place to connect with your Heavenly Father and thank him for the beauty he has created.

Have a great  week everyone.. Go out and enjoy it…

Donna Marie Trapp

Whose watching you? What example are you leaving with them?

July 23rd, 2010

If you think your kids are not watching your every move , think again.  Children live what they learn.  Some parents will blame the other parent for the way the child turns out and say “Oh it is genetic from your side.”  Maybe talents can be genetic, or their mannerisms can be genetic, but behaviors are learned at a very young age.

I think that more likely that most children end up mimicking their parents because of what they see.      I think we as parents  need to look at our self in the mirror and see what we have done, or are doing in front of our kids ..

There may be a small % of parents who have never drank or smoked, or many of those habits, but there kids do it anyway, but I have found that those kids are looking for the attention from the ones that love them the most and don’t feel like they are getting it, or they do it because they want to belong or fit into the crowd they think is important.  I think it really started at home, and they are  not getting what they need from home, so they follow the crowd to feel a sense  of  belonging.  They follow their peer’s instead of leading.

I have known many kids and I have watched how they  hate that their parents drink, and they call them down because of it, and say they are embarrassed by their behavior, but on their face book, or twitter, or other forms of internet communication tell how they got so drunk to their friends, or say “Hey lets go out and party”, or say “Hey wish that you could have drank with me this weekend,”  but yet they think that what they are doing is different than what their parents are doing.  This   learned behavior can be learned at early ages even under the age of  5, just by what they see.  Many kids eventually do the very same thing and deny that they are doing the very thing they hate.

This is only my opinion, and I am not a Dr or psychologist, but I think that first we as parents( if we so take on that role) need to be responsible in how we act in front of our children.  Before a child becomes a adult there is a great deal of responsibility that lays in the parents lap as to how they behave in front of their children, and what example they leave, but when a child becomes a adult, no matter what background they come from they need to take responsibility for their behavior…… if they can say I hate how my parents acted or I hate that they are drunks, then they themselves have acknowledged that it is not right what they saw and that they and only they can make the change to not follow the same path.  Blaming our mistakes as a adult on our parents is to me not taking ownership of what we do.    There  may be a hurt from the past, but as a adult you have the choice to make your life different.

If we are to grow in this life then we have to take responsibility for our actions and take ownership of them.  There comes a time when we become a adult that we have the freedom to make the changes in our life to make our future better and we need to do it.  If we find we are stuck, then seek out help to get you through, there is always a way.

There comes a time when you have to ask when does a person take responsibility for what they do???

The reason I write this blog with such conviction is because I feel if people are to heal from their past then they have to take ownership, and if you want the next generation to be raised having respect for themselves or others around them, then you as a parent need to watch what you do and what example you are leaving with your children when they are young.

Stop making excuses , stop blaming others for what you do and who you are… Take ownership and own it…Some people don’t want to acknowledge mistakes from the past because once you acknowledge it then you are faced with the fact that you need to make a change and many don’t want to make changes.

May you find the peace in life by being true and honest with yourself.  Remember that what you do is like leaving footprints for your kids to follow behind you…..

Donna Marie Trapp

“I am proud of you”… Simple but powerful words

July 14th, 2010

Today I was listening to Bret Michaels  song from his album Rock my world, and his song Raine really made me think about my children, and how much I love them .  The lyrics that he writes are beautiful.  Here is just a few versus to share with you.  I recommend you buy this album or even this song on I-tunes.

Raine:  When I hold you in my arms, I can feel you breathe.  When I look into your eyes, makes me believe, in a God, in a place, that brings me hope , gives me faith.  Before our time is done, I want to be the one to …. Give you love, give you strength, get you through your darkest days.  When you cry I’ll dry the tears for you.  Through the years, through the pain. Times of heartache , times of change, I’ll be your sun you be my Raine.

I have found through my own experience that children only want to be loved and heard.  One of the biggest things no matter how old they are they want their parents to say “I am so pround of you”…. If you have not told your children that then it is time….

There is nothing better than loving a child and them loving you back….
The greatest thing you can leave with your children is the example that shows them how to love…

Hug your kids today… Tell them you love them….

Donna Marie Trapp….

When others put you down to build themselves up…

July 11th, 2010

Always remember:  Life is way too short to care what others think. If they are low enough to criticize you, their opinion isn’t worth valuing.

…If someone makes a rude gesture towards you, ignore them. It makes them look stupid.

…Learn how not to care what people think about you. The only way to do that is not to care what they think about you. That means that you have to stop trying to get their respect.

…Remember that happiness is the key to value.  Enjoy your life as much as you can and make the best out of every situation. If you are truly happy, then other people won’t be able to bring you down with their judgments.

People want a reaction. If you ignore them, they will realize it’s no fun to taunt and make fun of you. Show them you don’t care, and they’ll get the message.

  • Don’t walk around trying to come up with clever answers to people that try to hurt you.
  • Ignore people who think they know more about you than you do.

Donna Marie Trapp

Count the blessing you have when you have a bad day…

June 29th, 2010

Have you ever had one of those mornings that everything that can go wrong will go wrong?  How do you get through it, or past it or around it… Somedays are easier than others to just snap out of it and get things on the right track again… but then there are those days where you can’t seem to move around it , through it or even under it… When I have had those days I have just sat back and let myself have a bad day, just stop the anxiety of trying to fix it… Just rest… Because I have found that the next day things always have a way of turning around…I think that sometimes when life is always going right we forget that life does have some bumpy roads and when we have them every once in awhile it makes us stop and appreciate the beautiful days… I hope you are having a great day…but if not then ride through it, rest in it and know that tomorrow it could change and always know those bad days are a time to stop and reflect of the blessings in your life… Enjoy your day …

When you start out in life….

June 17th, 2010

When you start out in life you are dependent on your parents to guide you, to teach you to be the best person you can be.  Then there comes a point in your life where I have found that when you are almost at the age of being a adult you try and break away and be your own individual person.  Some will push there parents away by arguing, or thinking at that moment they know more than their parents, but they soon realize when on their own that there Parents were not so dumb, that the advice they give was good advice.  I was always taught as a young girl growing up that you treat others as you wish to be treated.  I have lived with that principle my whole life.  My children are 19 and 17 and I have tried to give them that same advice that I was given, and I know at times they think that they know better than me, but I know one day if they don’t take that advice that it will come back to bite them, and I guess that will be there lesson to learn.  My prayer is that children given a good upbringing will know that life can give hard knocks, and if they listen to the guidance of their parents, the road may not be as rough to travel on, as both their parents have gone down the road and know where the pits in the road are.

Beautiful Flowers

June 3rd, 2010

Have you ever seen such a beautiful Rodadendron .  They grow like trees on the coast by Long Beach Washington.  The ocean was beautiful, and any of you who have read my book Finding Emma and have gone to the ocean will know why my character loves the ocean.