THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME. . . THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME!!

Ya-Hoo we're heading home today!!

I really didn't want to come up to the cottage this year after CHRISTmas. I just didn't feel up to it. I have so many things I wanted to finish at home and I'm. . . just. . .plain tired out after CHRISTmas. But hubs loves his cottage and wants to spend every second here he can. He has a highly stressful job, so if this little place is a piece of heaven for him, I'm right here with him.

But. . . he decided we should go home (Yeah!!) due to the storm a brewing later today. Yes, more snow!! We left for the cottage on Saturday afternoon. Yeah, it was fun at home Saturday morning trying to pack to leave too. Our power went out just as I was getting ready for the day. I packed, put on my make-up by candlelight, and my hair, oh, let's not even go there. Just think, no blow dryer, no curling irons, aauugghh!!

It was so foggy the last half of the drive to our cottage that I was scared to death!! I honestly think we could only see about 2 feet in front of our car at times. That is too dangerous for my liking. I was praying the entire time. We arrived at the cottage to find the guy we hire to plow our driveway DIDN'T - this time!! We called and got his voice mail and he came out the next morning with his snow truck/plow. Too late, we still had to truck in ALL our stuff from the street upon arrival because there was 3' of snow in our driveway. No way was our car going to plow through that stuff. The snowplow guy put us on the wrong list. The "plow when I get a call list" and not the "plow when we get 3" of snow list!" Hopefully, he made the correction!!! He did apologize, so that was nice.

It's very windy and cold right now so the kids don't want to go outside sledding, or skating ~ the usual things they do up here. So we went to see Marley and Me yesterday. Great movie, the ending stinks. That's all I'm going to say. It's a movie that you are laughing at until the last 10 minutes, then you're crying.

So, I'm off to pack up the cottage now and head home. Home. . . it's where I want to be.

Blessings. . . until next time,

R E M E M B E R I N G!!

Remembering the lives lost, and those whose lives were changed forever, on that terrible day 7 years ago.

Continue to pray for peace and God's mercy and blessings upon our country.

DON'T FORGET 9-11-01



Blessings. . . until next time,

Kind Of Creepy!!

Life is so precious. . . live each and every day to the fullest and make sure your family knows that you love them!

I've been so busy around here the past week. Wednesday afternoon, while at work, my good friend's husband had a massive heart attack and died!! Thursday evening I took her and her kids dinner to find her not in a good state. She was definitely in shock and not thinking, or talking properly.

Sunday evening was the funeral (I've never been to a funeral on a Sunday evening, but it was a "memorial" type service and it's what he/she had wanted apparently.) I got up at 5 AM this am to take her husband's sister back to the airport. I didn't want my friend to take her alone, in her grieving state, so I offered to pick them up and drive them. We got in all the AM rush-hour traffic, but her sister-in-law made her flight in time.

On the way home my friend asked if I would stop at the funeral home so she could pay her funeral bill. We entered the funeral home, which was unlocked, but all the lights were off. No one was around. There was an unplugged vacuum in the middle of one of the viewing rooms so she wanted to "go look" around for someone. It was a little too creepy for me. . . walking around that place. . . in the dark. . . looking for someone "living!" Finally, I heard footsteps "upstairs!" Upstairs we went to find someone "living" and on the telephone!! Aaaauuuuggggghhhhhh. . . she took care of her bill and then told the funeral home "I" would be back later that day to drop off the memory board. It was a board that we used to pin pictures on at the memorial service. Sooooo, home I took her, helped her remove the pictures. . . and back to the funeral home "I" went. Of course, NO ONE was around again.

. . . I left the empty memory board laying against a chair and got out of there. I called the funeral home from my car and let the person who answered know where the board was. No way was I roaming around that place again. Sorry, stuff like that just creeps me out!!

Please remember my friend in prayer. She and her children are going to have some very rough days ahead of them. Once all the craziness is over, and they actually have a moment to breath. . .and be by themselves, it will probably all hit them like a ton of bricks that. . . Dad's not coming home ever again. Thank you!!

Now, ladies, go and hug and kiss your husband and children. . . we never know when they walk out the door if that will be the last time we will see them. Life is so fleeting. . . thank God I have Jesus!!

Blessings. . . until next time,

Exhausting Day at the Hospital(s)!!

What a day!!

Our youngest daughter had two medical tests today. . . at two different hospitals (across town from each other!) We are home now and the poor little darling is exhausted. Our adventure began at 12:30 PM when I picked her up for an early dismissal from Junior High School. We now officially have T.B. , also known as Tired Butt!!

. . . It all started with a cheer injury. She hurt her wrist, oh somewhere. . . way back in January. At that time we were told she had torn a ligament and sprained her arm. She rested it for 2-1/2 weeks and resumed her cheer workouts/routines. Only problem? Her wrist NEVER got better. In the meantime, she started having chest pains. Yikes, for an almost 14 year old that scared us. . . especially since my husband had a heart attack at 17!! It also alarmed our doctor. So that's how these tests all began . . .We are praying this is only a virus or some type of indigestion thingy.

First, the doctor ordered an Echo Cardiogram. Of course, the hospital on our northern side of town doesn't do them on anyone under 16 so that's why we had to go to the Pediatric Diagnostic Center on the other side of town at the Hospital's Southern location. It's about an hour away. We had a little bit of a wait before our test and then after her test, we drove all the way back across town the other way. We stopped in between for a bite to eat and for a potty stop.

A MRI was ordered for her wrist because after not healing, as her wrist should have, we were referred to a Hand Specialist who discovered some type of a growth. Of course, this test (MRI) was back on our side of town at our hospital. The MRI department was a bit behind so we were delayed again. The test procedure was about 40 minutes. We are praying it's only a cyst. Our daughter did very well during the MRI, but was very happy to get out of that tube when the test was complete. It does help that patients are able to listen to music during the procedure.

I was able to complete my entire week of my Bible Study (Beth Moore, When Godly People Do Un-Godly Things - excellent study) during the waiting times. We arrived back home at about 6:00 PM. Not a fun day for our youngest, or the mom. We did her homework (Civil War - yuck) and are now going to lay on the couch and watch the tube (something "I" never do) for the rest of the night :)

Please pray these tests come back with nothing seriously wrong. Hopefully, they were just for precautionary measures.

Blessings. . . until next time,

B. J. Thomas. . . Remember???

. . . Tripping down Memory Lane:

Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head; Eyes Of A New York Woman; Hooked On A Feeling; Rock and Roll Lullaby; and I Just Can't Help Believing . . .

One of my "goals" for 2008 (I don't call them resolutions - just sets one up for failure. A goal is something to work at and achieve, a resolution is something that one resolves to do, or never do again - I like the word "goals" better. More flexibility!) is to spend more time with my hubby, go on more dates and not just "go out to eat." Not going out to eat will also help me achieve, hopefully, another one of my "goals!" That is to drop a few pounds. Eating and cooking at home is much healthier and I can control how our food is prepared and the portion size.

Anyways, back to the topic of this post. We went to see B. J. Thomas a few Saturdays ago and thoroughly enjoyed the concert. Talk about a flash from the past. It took me right back to the early 70's - and I enjoyed the trip. What a smooth voice B. J. has. . . and not to mention his testimony. Being caught up in the fam took B. J. down a road of alcohol and drugs like so many musicians. He is recovered from these addictions and giving all the Praise to the Lord. His blessed wife, of almost 40 years, stayed right by his side and prayed him through. What a blessing for him to have a praying wife.

My hubby and I enjoyed the concert (along with all the other middle agers) and being together so much that we are going to be planning more "couple time" outings very soon - minus the eating out part.

Now, I think I'll check AMAZON for some B. J. music. I could use a CD or two - I enjoyed the stroll down memory lane and wouldn't mind visiting again!

Blessings. . . until next time,

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

God's Richest Blessings to You and Yours on this Thanksgiving Day!!

Take a moment to reflect on all He has blessed you with and THANK HIM.

Blessings. . . until next time,

9 - 11 - 01

Can you believe it's been 6 years since 9-11-01? That tragic day where so many lives were lost and other's lives were changed forever by their loss.

I think about that day so often. . . . Like every Monday when my husband boards a plane for his job and every Thursday when he boards another plane to come home. I especially think about that terrible day frequently now. . . while he's on a project in New York. . . so that's where he's flying into and out of weekly.

How do "I" personally cope? I had a lot of anxiety at first after 9-11. My husband was stuck in one city for a month because his company didn't want employees to fly right away after the 9-11 incident. Employees were "grounded." That means the girls and I didn't see him for a month! You see, his company lost some key employees during that terrible day. On those terrible flights. They didn't want to take a chance of employees flying immediately afterwards. Heads were still shaking, people in shock and the country was in a fog. When my husband was given permission to start flying again, I would start stressing on Sunday afternoons knowing he was leaving the next day.

Anxiety. That's what it's called.

. . . and then while reading my bible I was led to this verse. . .my verse. I've claimed it for my own.

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

I Peter 5:7

Anxiety. All of it. That's what scripture instructs us to do with it. Give it to Him. Now when my husband leaves for the airport, I pray over him, as I always have. I once again ask for God's hand of protection over my hub's vehicle to and from the airports and to once again place the plane in the palm of His hand and allow him to arrive safely to his destination.

. . . what else can we earthly beings do? I turn my hubs over to HIM and that's that. No more anxiety. I feel this peace. His peace. God's peace.

We only have today, actually we only have NOW. We don't know what tomorrow holds. A terrible tragedy like the one that happened 6 years ago can change so many lives. . . forever!

Please continue to pray for our country, our troops and for guidance and wisdom for our leaders.

Blessings!