Ancient Things and America

It was the last chance to complete this project with Shelby before she was swept away to spend Thanksgiving with Gweedo and his family. The first time I saw this project on Shawni’s blog I knew I had to put it on my list of things to do with my family.  I had been putting it off and then have been sick for almost two weeks, but I grabbed a box of Kleenexes and sucked it up. I had to have this done last night – HAD TO and I am so glad I did.

I was lucky that it feel into the theme for Mama Cat’s Writing prompt for this week. It was perfect – ask your child what they think Thanksgiving is and what they are thankful for.

First off for the past three weeks the public school system has been pounding the meaning of Thanksgiving into Shelby’s head. She knows names I have never heard of and locations I didn’t even know exists. Of course, JAG knows all the details – all I know is the pilgrims and the Indians and the true story about Christopher Columbus – American Literature it was eye opening.

In true Shelby fashion when she was asked what Thanksgiving was about she cleared her throat, folded her hands and proceed to say that  “it is the day where we think about all the things we are thankful for”. Then she continued with the Pilgrim and Indian story and how they wanted to have their own religion. She knew all the details prompted by JAG to include all the correct names. Me? Well I was kind of stuck in the middle with my mouth open.

After I spent some time trying to determine if they just teach more these days or if I didn’t retain anything from elementary school we moved onto our thankful list. Each of us got one piece of paper to write our list, compare and create our tree. Shelby was oh so proud that she schooled us in the Thankful department. Here twenty one items more than doubled what I had – not that I am not thankful, but I was also working on the tree.  Shelby’s list was very original. She had the expected mom and dads – yeap dads. Shelby also had things that I thought were so adorable here are a few.

She had “ancient stuff.” She explains this as “all the stuff we got from Meme,” so she mean antiques.

She had Cypress which is where JAG’s parents live and where we will be spending Christmas.

It was a good night, good times with my family.

Go check out other Writers. They will be up on Thursday.

I Cry – I Don’t Think There is a Normal.

Yesterday was All Saints Day. I am sorry to say that I do not know all the details of this day and the meaning in the Lutheran Church, but I am learning. I didn’t even know it was a day/service until JAG quickly told me as we walked into church. He had forgotten that the pastor made sure to tell him – you will see why. All I have to say is Pastor if you are reading this we really need to get boxes of Kleenexes in the sanctuary next year. Especially in the back left (my left, your right) you know where I am every Sunday.

When JAG pulled me aside and told me I didn’t think too much of it – I was sure I could handle it – it wasn’t that big of a deal.

Let me stop because I know there are a few of you that are just completely lost right now. Since I introduced you to JAG I have kept a story to myself mainly because it was not my story to tell, but the realization is that it is has now become a part of my story. I am just going to type and see what the Lord gives me to share with you today.

I am JAG’s second wife. I have dealt with dating (and even marrying) a divorced man. In many ways divorce is so much easier then what JAG had for me. His first wife, his first love, the one he would have never divorced passed away from cancer.

I think I knew more about her then I did him when I decide to meet JAG in person (we met online incase you hadn’t heard).  I swear I have typed and deleted about a dozen sentences so far in the paragraph. Lets just say I was a very cautious girl and did my homework which lead me to meet JAG’s first wife via obituaries and blog posts by JAGdad before I met JAG. This helped me, it helped me to have a face. Looking back, I think it help me with the bond I feel to her.

Even though looking back on our time together so far things have never gotten bad enough for me to run, it hasn’t always been easy. Since the beginning I believed we were put together at this exact time for a reason. When we met my father was just diagnosed with cancer and I was about to face the 1 year anniversary of James’ death. We understood each other. We both faced cancer with a loved one and we both lost someone who was close to us too soon.

To be honest with you – it has been hard. Harder then I could ever imagine, but at the same thing I would not change a thing. I struggle with loving someone so much who was in love me, but still so in love with her. That is understandable – I read articles on it in the beginning. I was very careful not to rush him I just sat back and let him lead. Her death was not sudden and if there is one thing that she did well was prepare. She prepared ever detail – she knew who would get what piece of jewelry, she knew the scriptures she wanted during her memorial service – she made lists galore. She also had a long talk with her husband – wait that is their story. I want to be very careful when giving this to you that I do not try to tell a story that does not belong to me.

Besides knowing that he loved someone still so much my other struggle is the knowing that all this awesomeness I am in now would not be if is wasn’t for her death. I think that gets me more than anything. It’s not guilt, it’s sadness. You know how I feel about grief. I am also a healer so if it were up to me she would be here right now and there would be no pain in her family or in his. Again, I have to think – things happen for a reason. Urgh…I am rambling aren’t I?

Let’s just say there are books about there, but they do not do any good because I don’t believe there is a right way – or a wrong way – to date, fall in love and marry a widower. I am kind of making it up as I go.

With that said I didn’t think that All Saints Sunday would affect me, but man I was so wrong! I opened up that bulletin and saw her name. I realized then that this would not be just a brief mention – I started bighting the inside of my mouth trying to fight back the tears, but it didn’t help. I felt it in my throat – the starting of my balling – full out balling. New purse equals no Klennexs. I looked around the pew – nothing. I jumped up and walked as fast as I could to the nearest bathroom. I pulled at least half of the box out – sorry I will bring a new box on Sunday – and proceeded to have a little out loud sobbing before going back in. My hope was it would be over by the time I got back. Of course that didn’t happen – someone upstairs thought I needed to face this. I am sure all you could hear during the moment of silence was my crying and Shelby asking “why is she crying?” over and over again. I regained composer after a few minutes, then turned to JAG and said “I am glad it is get a shot of wine Sunday. I so need it.” – I hope that doesn’t offend anything we really needed some comic relief at that moment. I think I cried enough for the both of us because JAG sat there as manly as ever – you could tell he cried on the inside, but you never saw a tear.

After service a younger woman that have I started to get to know came over. She had good intentions, but her statements are what led me to type this blog. She asked why I was crying and if I lost someone recently. I just looked at JAG because this was JAG’s church since he was a child – you have to have been sleeping through every service if you didn’t know the loss that JAG went through. She knew, but she just couldn’t grasp how it would affect me. She reassured me again and again how I was part of the church family now. Urgh how to do I say this with out sounding tacky – she had the best of intentions and I feel blessed that someone was concerned for my crying, but I think most people around me knew why I was crying. This is where I make it up as I go – I am not sure if it normal or not, but I cry about JAG’s first wife. I mourn for her. I feel like I have grown so close to her as well so when Pastor said her name it didn’t feel like he was saying my now husband’s first wife’s name, but that he was saying the name of one of my dearest friends. Many pictures of her still sit through out our home and she will remain there. If God gives us children, then they will know. Those are JAG’s memories and I will preserve them as long as he wants me to.

Again, it hasn’t been easy, I wish things were different, but I am so blessed to be the one going through this with him.

Sorry that I did not include a name. I mean you don’t even get JAG’s name, so I definitely wasn’t going to include her name. She is in this blog – there is a blog with a picture of her – I snuck it in.

I want to leave you with something pretty. While typing this I listened to Mindy Gledhill. This is one of my favorites for you.

Flashback Friday: 18 Years Ago

Happy Friday! I thought I would go way back – well almost 18 years ago. It is Homecoming Season, so I thought this would be fitting.

Yeap – that oh so young girl was me at the age of 15. JAG is looking at this cannot not focus on anything else, but that HUGE mum. As I have told him before football in Texas high schools is huge and it was even bigger in South Texas. Now I do agree the mum was overkill. I was HUGE, HEAVY and it was REAL! It was so beautiful and I thought I was the bee’s knee’s.

The guy three years older then I was the love of my life at the time. He was so dreamy (then). He was my first mistake in relationships – and continued making that mistake for almost three years until it all ended in – ummm yeah I don’t really think it is appropriate to get into the details. I believe he is living in another state with a career from what I seen on Facebook – we stopped speaking even by an every once in awhile email about 12 years ago.

I do have to say though – that girl was nothing like I am today. That guy, that relationship is what truly began the change into the person I am today. Again I say, “Oh if I could go back.” I would tell that girl to take of the over sized obnoxious mum and RUN! Run as fast as you can away from him. I am sure he has grown and is just as different as I am today – saying this incase anyone else would like to date him.  

Oh, I am giving you way too much for a simple flash back – sorry. Want to see more flashback with hopefully less baggage then mine? Go visit Christopher and Tia.

After Post Edit: Well not really edit, but I have more I want to share with you today. I debated on putting it into another post or just forgetting about it, but I feel I need to write to get it out. I really makes the post above seem like nothingness.

My eyes are puffy this morning. They show signs of the morning I have had already. If there is one thing in this world that I just can’t seem to stomach it is grief. As I have said before grief is the worst emotion of all – I think everyone would agree. I am still shocked that I can still find myself sobbing in the shower over a year and a half later. Because it really has been that long since I have spoken to James, but sometimes a dream or a simple thought can pull me back into the pain all over again.

This time I think it was brought on by the combination of James’ sister Susan posting this beautiful picture on the memorial site I created for him in Facebook.

Then finding where she wrote about him there too – Facebook does not update me when things are done even though I created the group, so I stumble upon them. Then last night I had a dream that he was back, but just for a short time and I knew in my dream he would be gone again – sorry got teary for a second. URGH! I don’t understand why I still have these surges of emotions – well I know why, but I wish it would stop – really I don’t because that would mean I would have forgotten about him and what he means to me.

Anyway – I needed to share that. Will it get better? I was hoping I would be better then this by now. If you are new to my blog please got here and here to learn who James is (I prefer not to say was) and what he means to me.

Knowing What I was Missing Before

I was planning an writing on this topic anyway today, but then I read- as I do each morning – NieNie. I am telling you now that if you are not reading her you need to – really…remember this post I did about her here?

Each Monday Stephanie does a NieNie asks segment on blogher and today she asked “What Make You Lucky?” Oh it was perfect!!!!

What makes me Lucky is knowing what I was missing before…

Before I was blessed with a beautiful daughter.

Before I met JAG.

Before I experience what a true, loving, healthy and respectful relationship feels like.

Before I put God before anything else in my life.

Before I was able to take pictures like this…

I keep no secrets about how lucky I feel to be where I am today. I just want to tell that one reader who I am not sure if I know in person or not that he will come. I still think back to that Valentine’s weekend where I sat alone in my house. No Shelby, no big Valentines date – just me, some wine and some chick flicks. During that weekend I made things right in myself. I looked around and said “I am fine right here. If God chooses to not bring anyone to continue my life with I will be perfectly fine right here”. Then of course I said “Please please God. Ok ok…it is in your hands”. I was done with dating. I was content being single – it was a hell of a lot easier then dealing with the loser market of men that came my way. Most of you know how the story goes – a chance email check which lead to a website which lead to a picture of a man which lead me to read his story. Which in that exact moment I knew, cheesy as it may sound, that the big man upstairs said, “you needed to go through what you did, so that you would be ready. You are ready, so here he is.” Well, probably not in those exact words.

I am lucky in that respect. I used to pull my hair out when people would say, “maybe if you take a break from looking he will come to you”. My statement was always, “the next one will be the one…I know it”. That never happened.  I know all of my single readers will cringe when I say find peace within you. Love you and where you are on this exact minute. I am not Dr. Ruth – is she a love doctor or a sex doctor – anyway I am neither, but I do know that I would not have been able to even if I had met JAG before to be where I am if I did not find comfort in being single, step back, and put it in God’s hands. Also enjoy your time. The quiet time to read a book or watch whatever you want to watch on TV or to dance in the kitchen to anything you want. To do those things that us girls do when no one is at home – like spend an hour in front of the mirror removing blackheads – oh wait that might just be me. I also talk to myself… a lot – is that being alone or crazy? Anyway, take the time to enjoy your space before you do this with your life.

My stuff stacked in JAG’s garage.

Don’t get me wrong – I am ecstatic about my move and my starting of a new life and family. I wish I could hug every one of my single readers and friends. I understand what it was like, I was there. My hope is that you will feel what I am feeling now – because I appreciate it so much more then I would have a year ago – for that I am lucky.

 For my lovely reader who asked here is the start of my cross wall. Gweedo, the first husband, would never let me have one – I won’t go into why, but I didn’t even have to ask JAG.

He (JAG) did correct the order of my Faith Hope Love crosses though – what would I do without him – my crosses would be all wrong.

No go visit Stephanie’s blog the Nienie dialogues and check her link to blogher to read what makes others Lucky!

Blended Families

As I drove into work this morning I listened to Paula Dean’s autobiography, It Ain't All About The Cookin'. I was listening to her advice on blending families, she didn’t have the easiest time blending hers when she married Michael, but she survived. Hearing her stories made me think about my soon to be blended family and our struggles.

I have to say I really didn’t think that this would be as difficult as it is, but JAG’s children are so spoiled. You see they ruled the roost for the past 9 plus years. His youngest son, Moby, is mean, rude, and does not play well with others. His breathe stinks and his body odor is even worse some days. He has no care for your personal space and he loves to breathe right in your face. Also did I mention he was spoiled?

Yes I am talking about a dog. I am also talking about two dogs I love and adore. You see JAG and I have no issues blending our human family, but there have been so hiccups blending our canine/rodent family.

I bring to the mix one 8 month old 60 pound boxer puppy, Duke, and a year old hamster, Jackson (or Jack or Jack-Jack or crazy hamster).

JAG brings a 9+ (not sure) miniature schnauzer, Gus, and one 7+ (again not sure) miniature schnauzer who is an Alpha – with a capital A- male, Moby.

Let me say right now my children (including the human) are no dream, remember this post just last week? Duke is a handful and a half – especially since he ate an entire bag of rolls last night. And that Jack is trouble too. Little info on him – he is picky about food. He dumps and entire bowl of food out and picks through it until he finds the pieces he likes best. Also you can not sit anything by his cage because he will pull it in and tear it up. He has no fear. He has been known to roll over a cat while in his big plastic ball. So, my children have just as much attitude as JAGs – especially the human one.

I never imagined the excitement and trauma the four of them would bring to this relationship.

First – Duke and Moby in regards to personal space. You see Beau learned pretty quickly before he passed away (not by the hands of Moby) that Moby could care less about anyone else’s personal space, but you better not dare get into his. He is serious about this – don’t step on him, breathe on him, lick him or smell him. Duke can’t seem to understand this and goes back time and time again to say “hello.”

Next – Moby and Jack – Jack stays at JAG’s house, in his office because there is not place at my home to put him where Duke can’t reach and still give Jack the view he prefers. He is the office because Moby lets out the loudest highest pitched bark every time he seems him. It’s like he is screaming “RODENT!”

Duke and Gus – Gus is laid back, mainly because Moby has beat the poo out of him for the seven plus years they have been together, but the one thing that irritates him most is Duck standing over him. Duke hovers over him constantly as if to say “yes, I am taller than you.”

That is them together…individually they are all crazy. I am going to single out just one because it never fails he does his weird stuff when his father is gone. I so hate to put this out in public and defame JAG’s son, but I feel it need to be said…

This picture was taken to prove his crime to his father and now the world.

Moby is a murderer.

It is awful and I know the PETA people are probably going crazy right now, but that is his bread (or so I am told). And he is proud of it therefore he prefers to be called “Killer” and shakes his tail in excitement every time I say it. Normally it is birds, as seen in the picture above. This past weekend it was a squirrel who decided to bite back. Don’t worry Moby is fine. The squirrel I hate to say did not make out as well as Moby. No reason to cringe I was freaking out too bad to snap a picture of the scene.

So my family is blending with JAG’s and it is interesting, a little scary (especially for Jack) and can be pretty traumatic at times, but I think we will make it as long as Moby keeps his killing to when his father is at home.

Just so you know...I love love love Moby. Love the sinner not the sin, right? 

Happiness Project: My Father

My parents have been staying with me for a few weeks. It’s been different. They have taken over my house and that is all I am going to say about that. That is not my happiness…haha…sorry mom.

My happiness is getting to see the pictures of my dad ringing the bell at MD Anderson once he completed all of his cancer treatment! This was a few months ago, but last week was my first opportunity to see them!

Here he is



That funky thing in his hand is his radiation mask...it's creepy looking to me.

Doesn’t he look different without the mustache? It’s actually not as hard as I was to see him hairless. As you remember from this post it was very sad for me.

And here is the inscription on the bell.

Thank you MD Anderson for making my not so big anymore Daddy well!

Need more Happiness on your Tuesday? Go Visit Leigh's blog!

Forty Years Ago

Yes I said forty years ago and no it was not when I was born – how rude! Let me give you some facts about 1970. If you were alive and kicking in 1970 you would have paid $23,450 for a brand new home. Yes, I brand new home and we probably aren’t talking a two bedroom one bath number either. The average income in America was $9,400 which would allow you to afford gas at 36 cents a gallon – oh those were the days.

Also in 1970 a young man met a nice young lady in a happening local establishment. He was fresh out of Vietnam all thin and handsome with gorgeous green eyes. She was…sorry I can’t type this with a straight face. Let me just let my mother tell you.

When I decided to write a blog about my parents meeting and marriage 40 years ago I did not want to misrepresent the fact – especially since she is reading my blog now, so I decided to interview her about her marriage.

Me: When did you meet him? Him being my father.

Mom: June 1970

Me: Where were you? It’s ok meeting at a bar is normal these days.

Mom: The Marke Two on Harry Hine Boulevard

I have been told this was a really nice bar, but seriously now it is a dump. I would not be caught in that area after dark even in a car.

Me: What did you think when you first saw him?

Mom: Good looking, dressed nice, hoping he was single!

That answer cracked me up!

Me: What did your parents think when you told them you were getting married?

Mom: Very happy – they thought I would was going to be an old maid at “23” and did not like the fact that I was going to bars every weekend. 

Me: Were you nervous about tying the knot?

Mom: No, not at all- knew that he was the right one for me.

Me: Where did you get married?

Mom: Madill, Oklahoma
Yes, mother you were spelling it wrong, this is the correct spelling.
 

Me: What are your memories of that day?

Mom: We arrived in OKLA about 10:00 AM Saturday to get the license, however the County Clerk had gone to a football game and we had to wait until late afternoon before she could issue the license and we were finally married about 7:30 PM at a Baptist Minister's house just off the square and he was in his late 80's. We drove back to the state line to a bar called Johnny's and had barbecue, played a game of pool and drove back to Irving. Sunday we found an apartment, moved in (that is back we you could move into an apartment in one day) and both went back to work Monday morning! 

Me: What is the key to a long and successful marriage?

Mom: Be there in good time and bad. Keep your sense of humor. Give without expecting anything in return and be thrilled when you get something in return. Laugh, love, forgive and try to forget.

Me: Here is the kicker…would you do it again?

Mom: Yes!! With all we have been thru, I would be lost without my Dave…

Small tear! I love you guys! Happy 40^th Wedding Anniversary! I am so proud you all held it together this long!

My Granny

I have told you a lot about my Meme and her struggle with Alzheimer’s, but I don’t think I have ever really mentioned my Granny.

Granny is/was (however you want say it) my father’s mother. Her name is Lola, but my mother says they have called her Granny since my father was a teenager.

Granny and my grandfather, Lurther who pass away when my dad was six, had my father late in life. So, she always seemed older then the other mothers. Sometimes I sit and imagine what it was like to be born in 1908 and live through all changes in the world until her passing in August of 2002.

I have so many fond memories of my Granny and some that I use as excuses. I say that my bad body image came from her saying, “You will always be my fat baby.” She continued to call me that even in my twenties.

I learned so much from her:

You only make chicken and dumplings from scratch…no biscuits.

You don’t need a measure cup or measuring spoons. Just use your hands.

A fly-swatter is used for more the killing flies. It is great to scare grandkids.

Microwaves are over-rated, make things fresh.

Peach Schnapps in the fridge is always a good thing.

Save bottles that have just a little shampoo left in them-you made need it.

Clip obituaries of people you think you may know because you might know them.

Don’t use paperclips; tie everything up with pieces of scrap material.

A peddle sewing machine is much better then those dang electric ones because you can sew when the power is out.

Always have at least three blankets with you because it sucks to be cold.

Along those lines always carry a half dozen Kleenex in your house dress pocket.

Remember to take the Kleenexes out before you do wash.

She was very set in her ways and could be considered a little off, but aren’t we all?  She was the one who taught me to cook and help with my sewing. She taught me that family is more important than anything. Today she would have been 102. I miss her.

Oh Where Would I Be…

Without these two people.

Nope, they are not my parents, but if my family believed in God Parents, these two would probably be mine. This is my Aunt Becky and Uncle Kenny. Aren’t they adorable!?!

Let’s start with my Uncle Kenny. This man has saved me many times and I appreciate him so much. My first memories of him were sitting on the sofa looking through JCPenney catalogs, you know those really think ones they had back in the day. I used to have a thing for catalogs and my Uncle Kenny would sit and flip through them with me. Man, I was young like 6 or 7. I remember he seemed like a giant to be back then. He is still is super tall, but I have caught up to him a bit.

When I got older (18 or 19) I had an awful clunker of a Honda Accord as my first car. It was a piece of poo, but it was mine. It never failed that my car would break down or blow black smoke out of the hood when my mom was out of town, so my Uncle Kenny would always come to my rescue. The men at his shop spent many an hour working on the piece of junk until finally I got rid of it – thank goodness.

My love for cars that were built prior to the 1970s comes from this man. Let’s just say I like they way they look on the outside, but I have no clue about what is under the hood. I tell people I know nothing about cars that is what my Uncle Kenny is for.

Today, even though I am a grown adult, I know that if I have an issue even if it is not car related that I can call on him to help me. I am so very thankful to have him and I am not sure if I have ever told him, but I love him very much!

Now let’s move to his beautiful wife, my Aunt Becky. Oh man, I get a little teary eyed with this one. Becky is my mother’s older sister. Little history: my father has no siblings, so the only aunts, uncles and cousins I have come from my mother.

I have been blessed to have grown closer to my Aunt with age. I think when I was younger and rebellious we had our differences, but as I have matured I have been so lucky to have her.

Again, I could call on her for anything and she would be right there for me. I am so grateful to have that. It hit home that I meant something to her a few January’s ago when she showed up at my house right when I needed her (they both did). I am not going to go into details, but I am not sure she knows how much it meant to me to know that she cared so much about me at that moment. Urgh..tears…sorry. Breathe…ok I am good.

Let me just say that my love of vintage everything (that JAG isn’t sure how he feels about) comes from this woman. We could spend hours (especially since she got herself a brand new knee) walking through antiques. My favorite thing is the line she gives me each time she gives me something she knows I love, but hates to part with herself. She says “Now I am going to give you this, but you are not allowed to get rid of it.” Which I quickly answers “yes ma’am” to before she changes her mind.

I really hope that God blesses me with a niece, so that I can pass down recipes and items that my Aunt has shared with me. I also hope that God blesses me someday with another girl because her name will be Rebecca…urgh…more tears! I love you Aunt Becky!

I think my Aunt and Uncle are a matched pair. I could never imagine my life without the both of them. No words could ever express the love I have for them and how blessed I am to never be alone even though I live so far from my parents and my sister. I am one lucky girl!

Tell Them They Are Awesome!

If there is one thing I learned on February 26, 2009 it is that you need to tell people you love them as many times as possible before your chance is gone.

Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Others stay awhile, make footprints on our hearts and we are never, ever the same. ~Anonymous

James knew what he meant to me. He was one of my closest friends even though he was many many hours away. I am not going to sit and reminisce in this blog because it still brings me to tears. If you haven’t heard of my beautiful friends please read this blog, here.

Why am I bringing this up? I want to make sure each one of you know that the only thing we are promised in life is death. I am not trying to get morbid on you, but you don’t know when your time will be. You may live like my Granny to see your late nineties or you could be like so many of my beloved friends and not make it your thirties. Either way we need to use the life that God gave us in a positive way why we are here.

I have many many ideas of my positive way. When I was little I wanted to be somebody. I want to be known, be on the cover of Tiger Beat…I will give you a second to stop laughing.

Are you good? Good. Today I want to leave this earth knowing that the people I love and cherish know exactly how much they mean to me. I still want to make an impact, but not as large as before. 

So, if you get a cheesy email or facebook post from me telling you that you are awesome know that I working on my life’s mission. I sent one to Courtney (Cjane) yesterday – Yeap…even people I don’t know in person still get an Awesome message.

And yes, I know, I was supposed to break myself from using the word Awesome, but I can’t stop. It a lot better then saying Whatever (which was my word 10 years ago).

If I don’t know how to contact you each personally, please know I think all of you are AWESOME and when I look at my map of readers each one of those dots mean so much to me!

You May Be One Person To The World But You May Be The World To One Person. ~Anonymous

Not a command, but a small nudge.

Today I am wearing my Nie Nie necklace by CrystalB. I won it awhile back from Matthew Mead and wear it as much as possible because it is an awesome (can’t stop saying that word) saying. I also wear it because it reminds me of one of my favorite people, Stephanie Nielson.  If you haven’t heard the name then you don’t read my blog enough…tisk tisk.

Yesterday, Stephanie and her husband celebrate their “2-year-we-escaped-death-day.” I am not commanding you, but nudging you on over to her blog to read her entry from today.  Then I am commanding you to read through the rest of her entries! I was going to give you my favorites, but there are too many to count. So I suggest you start where I did with Nie Nie: On Being Proud - here and work your way to today.

Little back ground for you. I found Stephanie’s blog not too long ago. You can read my blog about it here. Since then, if you are a regular reader, you will know how much Stephanie has impacted my life.

Let me make one more comment before you go run off and read. Yes, Stephanie is a Mormon and if that is going to make you stop in your tracks and not read her blog and her story, then you have learned nothing from me and I am so saddened by that. As I said when I posted Stefanie’s video in May - I am not Mormon, but I have spent the last two months (now almost 6 months) learning more about the Mormon Church, not that I have plans on becoming Mormon. I am very much the type of person who believes that it is a good thing to know and embrace people who see things differently then you do. I have yet to find areas where Stephanie and I have a difference of opinion religiously, but I am sure there are some. I strongly believe that Stephanie and her story will touch you not matter what religious denomination you consider yourself to be. Sorry to get snippy, but I think that care for someone stretches further then what book we read.

Ok, I am done. Thank you for letting me boss you around, again. Just so you know if I say words like “here” or if a word shows up and in a different color that mean there is a link there. If you click on the word it will take you to another website – don’t worry I WANT you to go there. I put the links there for you.

100th Post

I sat of awhile on this post. I even wrote other posts and scheduled them for later in the week. I wanted my 100^th post to mean something, to give you something besides details on my life. I wanted to teach, I wanted to help this is what has been really weighing on me this week. I know that all my blogs and vlogs help someone in some way either by giving them a laugh or helping them see that they too can share their life with people.

Last night I sat at the kitchen table completing my Beth Moore bible study for this morning’s class and this verse popped out at me.

²² Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. ²³ They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-33 NIV 

 I know it may mean nothing to you now, but it means something to me. My hope is that there is at least one person who is reading this that it touches. If that occurs that writing this blog was worth it.

Just so you know that beautiful picture was taken by my ohhh so talented future father in-law. It is one of my favorites. I did the “ask for forgives not for permission” when I searched this picture out and snagged it…sorry. Did I even tell ya’ll that I was marrying into an extremely talented family? Some days I do not feel worthy and then someday I think…I have talents too.

I really hope that all my readers have a wonderful day and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for getting me here, to my 100^th post.

Thank you Thank you Thank you!

I Wish I New More about Eleanor

The rhyming just happened…I like it.

The other day I was searching for weight loss quotes and found this one.

No one can make you feel inferior without your permission

And this one

You must do the things you think you cannot do.

What do they have in common?

hey are written by the wonderful Eleanor Roosevelt.

I hate to admit that the most I know of her is her character in Annie and her quotes. Oh, she was a wise woman…I so just want to spend hours reading about her (I wish I had that kind of time).

I really hope that none of my readers come along and burst my bubble about her.

Do you know her quotes? Have you read them?

I feel sometimes like my blog does not provide any information for anyone other then me (and JAG), so today let me give you a lesson in the BEST Eleanor Roosevelt quotes.

These are my favorite:

Friendship with ones self is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.

I think that somehow, we learn who we really are and then live with that decision.

In all our contacts it is probably the sense of being really needed and wanted which gives us the greatest satisfaction and creates the most lasting bond.

Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.


The giving of love is an education in itself.

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'


You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.

Don’t you just love it? Those are just a few…she was a woman after my own heart and the major gift of gab!

PS…yes I am on the weight loss kick…I have posted some awesome Video Blogs on a website, but I am not sure I want to share them with you yet…I know…rude huh?