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1月26日 Life ExplainedOn the first day, God created the dog and said:
'Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years.' The dog said: 'That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?' So God agreed. On the second day, God created the monkey and said: 'Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span.' The monkey said: 'Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?' And God agreed. On the third day, God created the cow and said: 'You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years.' The cow said: 'That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty, and I'll give back the other forty?' And God agreed again. On the fourth day, God created man and said: 'Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years.' But man said: 'Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?' 'Okay,' said God, 'You asked for it.' So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves.
For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family.
For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren.
And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.
Life has now been explained to you. There is no need to thank me for this valuable information. I'm doing it as a public service. ~Molly~ 1月6日 Meredith, Abbey and God Every now and again you need to read something that touches your heart. This is one of those stories. It was emailed to me by my sister who knows I'm such a sap for these types of stories. I have no idea if it is real or not but as far as I'm concerned - it is. I need to believe that there are caring hearts out there who reach out to others .. angels not just in heaven but here on earth as well ... even in such unlikely places as a post offices' dead letter office...
The "story" goes like this ...
... "Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:
Dear God, Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her. Love, Meredith.
We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.
Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, "To Meredith" in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, "When a Pet Dies." Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:
Dear Meredith, Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away. Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.
Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.
By the way, I am wherever there is love. Love, God"
Anyone need to borrow a tissue or two? I think I might still have a couple left. *smile* Lovely story, wasn't it? What a darling person that was to realize the need of a young girl to know that her beloved dog had arrived safely into Heaven. I know in my heart that there are more angels, like this dear one, out there in the "real" world - it's just that we don't always hear about them. May you feel the touch of an angel and may you be able to see and reach out with an angel's heart to someone in need.
Hugs, Molly
9月30日 Time FliesI can't believe how quickly time flies these days. I remember when I was a kid and time would seem to stand still .. months truly felt like they took months and now months feel like they are only a few days long.
Fall is upon us here on the East Coast. The leaves have started to turn colours. I love my drives through the country side as I go from house to house. I get to marvel at nature - watch the beautiful colours appearing as I drive by each day - feel the crispness in the air - I'm very lucky.
I keep meaning to try and write more. I want to write more. I want to visit my friend's blogs more. Life keeps getting in the way. *smile* The boys are getting older and with that means more sports they are involved in .. more friends to visit .. more activities to be a part of. It's a great time in their lives and I don't mind being the chauffer. It gives me a chance to chat with them .. we're trapped in the car together. It's a nice time for us to catch up on what is happening in each other's lives.
Work is busy. I still love it. I'm rather booked solid for the next month and a half as it stands right now. There is a chance of a break come mid-November when some of my little kiddos turn 3 years old and transition to their local schools. There is also a chance that they will find more families to fill the little gaps I may be getting when those transitions occur. It's okay. Have I mentioned how much I love what I do?
Things at home are going well. My little guy is continuing to have some challenges with his health but we are hoping the colder weather will see him overheating less and able to participate more in his gym & recess activities.. We are looking to see if there are any tests that can be done to find out why he keeps over heating and if there is anything at all we can do on the hot days besides keep getting him wet and making him watch from the side lines (which no 8yr old is happy about doing - especially one who seems to be a natural athlete and who loves all sports). We are getting quite good at playing soccer and basketball at night under lights, though. *smile*
The older one is in his last year of middle school - had his first summer "fling" (lol - 3 week "girlfriend") and is trying to figure out what he might want to do with himself as preparing for college is getting closer and closer.
I have now been "blogging" for two full years. WOW! I guess I have to go back to how time flies. I didn't think I would still be around doing this - and as you can see, I don't do it as much as I use to or, honestly, as much as I would like to. I've seen some friends disappear and have found some friends still hanging in here with me - writing and blogging and emailing. Two years.. wow .. hard to believe... I know I mentioned once that the average blogger usually doesn't make it to 1 year ... I'm glad that there are still some friends out there blogging away because although I may not get a chance to comment as much as I would like I still stop by to see how my friends are doing out there..
Well, it's getting late. I just wanted to add a few thoughts before I all into my bed. I love these cool nights, sleep comes so much easier and seems so much deeper. With that said, time to let the dog out one more time, grab some hot cocoa and crawl under the covers and dream some wonderful, wonderful dreams.. (on a seperate note - for those with kids out there - I saw a wonderful little cartoon that had a little girl getting ready for bed - she had all her teddy bears and then she had a remote control. When asked why she replied that it was for when she had bad dreams, she just took the remote and changed the channel! I love it !! so I will find an old remote and head off to bed .. just in case. LOL).
Hugs to one and all.
don't be strangers..
~Molly~ 9月9日 Fly the Flag .. 9/11/07I thought this one was worth passing on, maybe you do too!
Please join us in this FLY THE FLAG campaign and PLEASE forward this message. If you forward this message via email to at least 11 people and each of those people do the same... well, you get the idea.
THE IDEA IS THIS: On Tuesday, September 11th, 200, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States. We do this in honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends, and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherised freedoms. In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds. Action Plan: So, here's what we need you to do... (1) Forward this email to everyone you know (at least 11 people). Take a moment to think back to how you felt on 9/11 and let those sentiments guide you. (2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11.
7月24日 As we grow up ...we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will.
You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time.
You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken.
You'll fight with your best friend.
You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast,
and you'll eventually lose someone you love.
So take too many pictures, laugh too much,
and love like you've never been hurt
because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.
Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin. 5月16日 Amen ...Thought you might enjoy this interesting prayer that was shared with me by my dear friend Cynthia. It was given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems prayer still upsets some people. When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:
"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!" The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea. Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called "one nation under God." Think about this: If you copy what is written here, paste it into an email, and then forward it to everyone on your e-mail list, in less than 30 days it would be heard by the world ... and that .. well, that might not be such a bad thing, would it? And this is coming from someone who isn't overly religious but who still believes that we need to believe .. we need to have faith ... we need to pray ... for our future, but more importantly for our kids futures .. hugs,
love,
and
prayers, Molly 4月29日 confessionI have a confession ... I am a "techie". I love any type of gadget.
My newest acquisitions is a Garmin GPS unit for my car. It is one that you attach to the windshield and after having it for the past two weeks I just don't know how I have been able to get any where before now. I have all my client/familys programmed into it already.. I have the mileage reset every morning so by the end of the day I know exactly how many miles I have traveled for my monthly mileage reports. It's GREAT!
I call him "Dan". I'm not sure why - the boys came up with the name. I have it programmed so he speaks with an English accent and the boys and I get such a kick out of some of the pronounciations. Even when we know where we are going they ask me if "Dan" can give us directions.
I have to laugh though, two days out of the week I travel to the more country areas of CT and, um, well, I tend to go a wee bit faster then I should and occassionally miss the "turn right" or "turn left" instructions and so Dan, very nicely and politely in his sweetest british accent, will state "recalculating .... at the next street take a ..." . He never gets upset! LOL Though some times I could swear he gets a little frustrated with me when I decide I'm going to go a different way then the one he suggestions and every few minutes he comes out with "..recalculating ...". I'm sure it's my imagination but I could swear his voice gets a little more edgy after the 3rd or 4th "recalculating". I'm just waiting for him to let out a hugh sigh and say "look Lady, if you don't want my assistance turn me off for crying out loud!".
I think it would be a hoot to sell a GPS with a sense of humour ... just think of it - you miss your turn and you hear "okay, wake up, you missed the turn now I have to recalculate and waste both our time ... " -or- "HEY! Pay attention, you just missed that turn I was talking about!" -or- "Hello! Wake up! We should have taken that turn!" -or- "ok, pull over, you obviously need another cup of coffee because you sure aren't awake yet."
hee hee
Have a great Monday! Dan and I will be off and traveling bright and early.
 4月8日 Molly's Movie Recommendations ...Wow - I LOVE 3 day weekends! I can get so much done and still have time to "play"!
This was a movie weekend for us. We rented The Guardian, Benchwarmers & The Marine. Remember, I have 2 boys and our movies tend to be more along the lines of the adventurous ones or the animated ones then the romantic ones. So - here is my take on the movies we saw:
We have watched The Benchwarmers twice together and I think the boys have seen it at least another 3-4 times by themselves. It definately has some of that silly humour in it but it also has a great moral and some really good scenes about bullying and over coming - without being too preachy. Quite a few laughs and just a good movie to sit back, have some popcorn and enjoy.
The Guardian was what I expected it to be. It's a good movie - with Ashton Kuscher (not one of my fav actors but he surprised me again with his acting) and Kevin Costner. If you have seen A few Good Men with Richard Gere then you will recognize a few scenes as they are quite familar - and there are a few other scenes that you know are going to happen just because it's that kind of story. Again it is a good movie.. a bit long .. but worth the watch.
Now, my favourite one - and I was really surprised at this - was The Marine with John Cena in it. John is a wrestling champ and my boys love him so I've become quite familar with seeing him "in the ring" during the various wrestling matches the boys have had on over the last couple of years. I have also seen nearly all the Steve Seagel movies so I'm quite use to the small bit of acting and the heavy fighting scenes. I was expecting this to be just like that. Well, I was half right. There is actually a story line - not a strong one but still .. a story line. There is also a twist towards the end but the two things I really enjoyed were ... (1) it was funny! There were a few times I was actually laughing out loud. It had suspense in it but it lightened it by adding a few laughs and funny moments. and (2) my 8 year old could watch it with us and we only had to hide his eyes during one small (and not too involved) make out scene!! Yes, people got killed (shot & stabbed) BUT (and this was the most refreshing part of the movie) you saw the act of the shot or the stabbing begin and then nothing else - no gore. You did not see the bullet hole or the blood pouring out of those killed - you didn't see the knife going into the person and blood all over everyone... You knew what was happening - you knew someone died but you didnt' have to see all the gorey details. It was GREAT! Especially when now a days there is so much gore and blood seen in the movies and on the tele every day. It was refreshing to be able to see a movie with some drama and some fighting without it going over board and trying to gross everyone out. This was a movie I didn't mind the boys seeing - some car chases, some big explosions, but no sex, no swearing, and not blood & guts yet there were still times we were at the edge of our seats ... And, an added bonus is that John Cena is quite nice to look at - with shirt on or with shirt off... and don't fear guys - there are two very nice looking women in it for you!
So .. all in all a good movie weekend. We'll probably end up buying The Marine as it was our favourite one - a good escape movie with some fighting, some eye candy, and some laughs. Who could ask for anything else? LOL
It was also nice to be able to sit with the boys, cuddle a little, colour some eggs, eat some popcorn and enjoy a few movies. I hope everyone else had an enjoyable weekend!
~ hugs ~
Molly 4月4日 Windows Live SpacesI've been feeling bad that I have not had the chance to write as often as I had promised I would try - I feel even worse now that I've looked at my stats and found that a lot of visits were from the http://spaces.live.com/ website where my blog is listed under "What's your story" with a little note stating "Inspiration to give you strength throughout your hectic week".
When did that happen? and why wasn't I warned ahead of time? *sigh* I doubt that anyone has gotten too much inspiration from me lately - I've been running around trying to catch up with life - which I think has some how managed to get a head start on me each day! I swear someone is taking hours out of my day but leaving the same amount of stuff to get done ... I don't know where the time goes ....
so .. I guess I should try and leave a little inspiration before I head off to bed and try to get a head start on tomorrow ...
hmm.... don't eat yellow snow .. no, that's no good - winter is already over ...
how about ... make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other's gold .. no, that's no good either ... because I strongly believe that some friends come into our lives as we need them the most and there are times when our old friends do leave, never to return because their "friendship job" with us, and us with them, is finished ... and we could make new friends each day if we kept our hearts open and a smile on our face ....
so, let's see .. what else .. what else .....
how about ... an apple a day keeps the dr. away .. hmmm, that might not be so good either .. with a daily apple you may keep the dr away but I'll bet you end up spending a lot of time in the bathroom ... so it's not going to really help you out in the long run, is it?
ok .. ok .. let me think here .. inspiration to help you though your tough week ..
what about - There is nothing to fear but fear itself ... yeah, right .. guess whomever came up with that never saw any of the Friday 13 movies, or Rocky (what number are they up to now?), or sat through a State of the Union address ... so, no .. no good..
*sigh*
I think I may just be having an inspirational mind block ... so, I will ask you - dear reader - do you have any inspirational sayings that help you get through tough times? I promise if you share some of yours I will have a more inspirational blog posted on Monday!
Until then ...
I remain ...
tired... 3月13日 Why we out live our pets ....A veterinarian had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa,and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker and they were hoping for a miracle. The veterinarian examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. He told the family there were no miracles left for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.
As they made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told the veterinarian that they thought it would be good for the four-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience. The next day, the veterinarian felt the familiar catch in his throat as Belker's family surrounded their deeply loved pet. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that the veterinarian wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. They all sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." Startled, they all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned everyone for they had never heard a more comforting explanation. The young boy said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" The four-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long." Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply, Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God. I love this story - not just because I am an animal lover but because I have been lucky enough to have been loved by some wonderful animals. My pets have always been considered a part of the family. They have been loved deeply and, in turn, have shown me just as much love. Pets come in all shapes and sizes ... they have wonderful ears to listen to our problems and never miss a chance to hop intou our laps or rub up against our legs and lean into us to offer affection. Is it not surprising that when a cat or dog is allowed in a hospital or nursing home the health of those it comes in contact with has been found to improve? Pets are also known to help some people who suffer from depression. They don't even ask for much in return - just to be loved, to be shown affection, to have food and a place to rest their heads ... not much more then most of us ask of our own lives, is it? So if you have a pet, please give it an extra cuddle of thanks... if you have a few extra cents left over after all the bills are paid, perhaps consider giving a little to your local humane society or pet shelter ...
~hugs~
Molly 3月4日 how to get through 2007Sleep as much as you can ...
Read books that you enjoy ...
Play with simple things ...
Do whatever you want whenever you want ...
Look for affection when you need it ...
Get serious once in a while ...
Forget about diets ...
Show some affection ...
Get angry once in a while ...
Change your look ...
Be happy, above all, regardless of what your challenges may be ...
May your troubles be less, your blessings be more, and may nothing but happiness cross your door..
Happy Monday everyone - may these little words of wisdom help guide you throughout the week - or at the very least, may the pictures bring a smile to your face.
2月25日 I shoulda read the book ....DISCLAIMER:
If you did not read the book "BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA" or have not already seen the movie, be forwarned I am going to talk about the movie and may spoil the ending for you.
I took the boys to the movies on Saturday. They had been asking to see Bridge to Terabithia and from the previews I saw on the tele it seemed like a nice way to spend the afternoon. The previews had me to believe it would be a movie similar to that of Narnia. I love stories of fantasy - and creatures of our imagination (as long as they are not of my nightmares!) and it looked like it would be a fun movie to watch ...
WRONG!
Ok. I will be the first to admit that I did not read the book and perhaps if I had I would think differently. I did not research the movie either - as I do often - because I thought it was a Disney movie and what could possibly go wrong with a movie by Disney? (Only later did Bambi come to mind)
So, we are sitting there .. me and my two boys (aged 8 & 13) and their best friend (age 12). The two older ones were talking through some of it - making their own comments and the little guy was munching on his popcorn, eyes glued to the screen. The audience was slightly abuzz with little kids laughing and making the occassional comments.
and then it happened... and I knew something was going to happen ...
** 2nd warning - spoiler .. spoiler **
I realized when they had the girl looking back at the boy and smiling and she suddenly switched to slow motion and had that fuzzy sweet blur around her .. I knew .. something is going to happen ... BUT never in a million years did I guess what actually happened. My thought was she was going to be moving .. here are two best friends .. learning to stand up to the bullies in their lives .. learning to appreciate one another .. learning to allow their minds to be open and enjoy their imagination ... learning to appreciate the skills each other has .. and helping each other through the tough times in their lives ..
yep, I thought to myself .. she is going to end up moving .. I just know it..
WRONG
She died! And what's even worse is that if the boy had made a different choice about how to spend his day that morning - she might not have died... and he has to live with that the rest of his life. I was stunned - to say the least. I was mad. I was ready to walk out! This WAS NOT the way I wanted to spend my afternoon. How could the writer do this? Why couldn't the girl have just moved away? It would have been just as effective... *sigh* So I sat there, tears running down my cheeks, my little guy reaching up every now and again to wipe them away for me (because I was trying not to in hopes that no one would realize I'm sitting there crying!) .. and all around me I suddenly realized that the audience had suddenly gotten very quiet - except for the sound of little sobs here and there ... my two older boys were not longer chatting back and forth. One sat right far forward in his seat - the other sat slouched down in his seat... no more comments were made around us .. no more little girls laughing ... just an overwhelming feeling of saddness...
The movie went on a little longer and ended - with an attempt at a happy ending...but it wasn't one to me. And from the sound of the other parents & kids talking as we left - there were many others that were not happy either.
I am disappointed in Disney that a) the previews made this movie out to be something totally different then it ended up being and b) all the fantasy creature moments were shown in the previews with very little new footage seen during the movie.
I did do some research afterwards and found out that the book was written because the author's child had a dear friend who died and she wanted to help them with their saddness.. fine.. then something should have been mentioned in the previews to make us aware that this wasn't a "happy ever after" fantasy movie ... a kids movie .. a disney movie .... I also found out that anyone who read the book loved the movie because of how true to the book it stayed... good. I'm glad for that but again I must rant and rave that some mention should have been made .. there is no need for some of the younger unsuspecting children who were at the theatre to have to leave with sad hearts because of the death. The girl who died was someone we all would have loved to have as a friend - a beacon of light & laughter .. a warm hand to move us in the right direction and to believe in what we can do - how sad to have that special light & force die ...
I guess the moral of the story for me is to read the story first OR wait until the movie has been out a while and then read up on the real person reviews of it - not the paper reviews .. I have had best friends die .. I have felt more loss then I think someone my age should have to feel .. and I don't go to the movies to experience that loss all over again ...
but that is just my 2 cents and I will now get off my soap box. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend with no unpleasant surprises ... 2月11日 RIP Anna NicoleIf anyone needs to be able to Rest in Peace it is this poor lost soul. I, for one, was sadden to hear Anna Nicole had died suddenly this weekend. I do not know too much about her - except for what I've read in the papers and heard in the news. And I will admit that I did watch a few of her late, late night (or early morning depending on your view of time *smile*) shows during a period of insomnia. They were kinda surreal but entertaining in a odd sort of way. My heart broke for her when her son died. What a horrible way to remember the birth of your daughter - forever combined with the death of your son. I also held a degree of admiration for her because she never seemed to give up when she believed in what she was fighting for.
She did seem to have a very interesting life - one that captivated many people - and, of course, many more reporters and tabloid publications. To me it seems her whole life was always one of battles - growing up poor, her way of life before she became famous, her first marriage and the legal fight that continued to follow her, the weight gains & losses, her son's death, her daughter's birth and paternity questions that followed... what a lot for one person to be able to handle. I know that there are people who say she made her life what it was - yes, but then it was also magnified by the tabloids .. anything she did seemed to be made public news and plastered all over the papers.
Now will come the sepulations on how she died, the judgements from people who knew her and who didn't know her regarding the type of person she was and the type of life she lived, the custody battle over a dear little girl (who might always be wondering if her father wanted her for her or for the "fame" and fortune she inherited.)
Personally I think Anna Nicole ultimately died from a broken heart. Whether drugs were or were not involved, in the end it doesn't really matter does it? I can only wish and pray that this women, who did not seem to have any peace while here on earth, will now be able to find some peace and her soul to find some rest. 2月5日 Where did the weekend go?I can't believe I'm sitting here looking at the clock and wondering how the heck it go to be so late! Where DID this weekend go? Ok, well .. Saturday was a day of basketball games. My younger one was at 11:00am and then the older one at 2:30pm (of course it was a 40 minute drive to get to where his team was playing).. and in between, well it was lunch, finding uniforms and getting ready to head out (have to find a few things to keep the little guy from getting bored *smile*). What a great game it was though! We have a neighboring town that has beat our team twice by only 3 points - and displays such poor sportsmanship on the court it gets more frustrating each time we lose to them. Well, the boys showed them! They remained good sports and beat the team by 10 points!! Wahoooo!!! Go Team! AND what was even more satisfying is that they beat this team AND their referees who could find no wrong with that team and kept finding everything wrong with our team.. It was so nice to watch the boys pull it together and not get upset on the court and play a really good game. So now they are ranked 4th in our small town league out of 12 other towns and are off to the finals.. Should be fun!
Sunday came and went just as quickly. My volunteering with Make*A*Wish seems to always come all at once. I have either no wishes happening at all and then suddenly here I am with three wishes in one weekend!! AHHHH .. so I helped paint a room for a decorating wish, ran to pick up pizza and balloons for another wish delivery and then on the way home picked up some fun things for another wish delivery I have to make tomorrow evening. I'm not complaining. I knew what I signed up for .. it's just that .. well... geez . . I would have liked just a few moments to breath! *smile*. I did get to listen to the Super Bowl (GO Colts!!) while catching up on some paperwork (which is also never ending) and really enjoyed listening to my eldest and his dad discuss some of the players and the good & bad plays that were happening - and, of course -which commercials where the funniest.. The little one decided the game was boring and wanted to take a bath in the jacuzzi tub with his GI Joes instead. LOL
So, that was my weekend in a nutshell. It was busy and I don't feel like I actually had any time off - BUT it was a great weekend nonetheless. I just love watching the boys .. watching them play .. watching them grow and learn .. watching them interact with their friends. I never get tired of standing on the sideline (so to speak) and watch them grow. I'm very lucky because they are two wonderful boys and even though they may try my patience (what children don't), I see and feel such good hearts in them. (case in point - I was upset with the hubby one night last week because I got home and no supper was started and it was late and we had to run out to .. you guessed it .. a basketball game .. and the uniform was missing and I was tired and I had to quickly try and help the little guy with his homework and he was having a hard time with it and getting frustrated at me and, well, I lost it a little - loudly asking hubby why he can't just step up once in a while and help out without me always having to ask him or tell him what needs to be done. I didn't cry but I was upset. I was tired too. He doesn't work in the winter and he use to get dinner ready during the winter and then during the spring/summer when he is working hard I would get the dinner ready - and I reminded him of this and asked what was going on ... and why was it up to me to get everything ready when I am the one working and he is the one home. Well long story short my little one left the room to get something from his backpack and when he came back in he looked at me. I was just standing by the counter trying to figure out what I could throw together quickly and he came over and just hugged me. No words. Just a hug and a smile as he looked up at me ... melted my heart. Here is a wee little 7 yr old who knew just what his mum needed. See - good hearts! *smile*). Gives me hope for this mixed up world of ours.
Well I must get off to bed. My eyes are tired and I'm starting to ramble. I hope everyone had a great weekend and had some time to relax, to enjoy, and to step back onto the side lines and watch with a smile at what was happening around them.
10月17日 Something to think about ...Something not to laugh about ...
If they know of him at all, many folks think Ben Stein is just a quirky actor/comedian who talks in a monotone. Just in case you don't recognise Ben Stein by name - he's the one that does all those commercials in that dull monotone voice!!!! He's also a very intelligent attorney who knows how to put ideas and words together in such a way as to sway juries and make people think clearly. The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on a CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.
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Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart: I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important? I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife. Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are. If this is what it means to be no longer young. It's not so bad. Next confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don' t feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away. I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat. Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to. In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking. Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?" (regarding Katrina). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"
In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK. Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about and we said OK. Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW." Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing?
Funny how when you read this blog, you will not share it or forward it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it. Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Whether you are a believer in God or not .. it does make one think, doesn't it?
I've always thought it was sad that we can not be open enough in mind and heart to allow ourselves to realize that perhaps, just perhaps, there is a God and that he/she is watching over all of us .. and that perhaps, just perhaps, he/she is the same God that each religion believes in even if each religion sees him/her in their own way and with their own beliefs ...
It kinda reminds me of the Indian legend of the blind men and the elephant ...
There are various versions of the story of the blind men and the elephant. The blind men and the elephant is a legend that appears in different cultures - notably China, Africa and India - and the tale dates back thousands of years. Some versions of the story feature three blind men, others five or six, but the message is always the same. Here’s a story of the six blind men and the elephant: Six blind men were discussing exactly what they believed an elephant to be, since each had heard how strange the creature was, yet none had ever seen one before. So the blind men agreed to find an elephant and discover what the animal was really like. It didn’t take the blind men long to find an elephant at a nearby market. The first blind man approached the beast and felt the animal’s firm flat side. “It seems to me that the elephant is just like a wall,” he said to his friends. The second blind man reached out and touched one of the elephant’s tusks. “No, this is round and smooth and sharp - the elephant is like a spear.” Intrigued, the third blind man stepped up to the elephant and touched its trunk. “Well, I can’t agree with either of you; I feel a squirming writhing thing - surely the elephant is just like a snake.” The fourth blind man was of course by now quite puzzled. So he reached out, and felt the elephant’s leg. “You are all talking complete nonsense,” he said, “because clearly the elephant is just like a tree.” Utterly confused, the fifth blind man stepped forward and grabbed one of the elephant’s ears. “You must all be mad - an elephant is exactly like a fan.” Duly, the sixth man approached, and, holding the beast’s tail, disagreed again. “It’s nothing like any of your descriptions - the elephant is just like a rope.” And all six blind men continued to argue, based on their own particular experiences, as to what they thought an elephant was like. It was an argument that they were never able to resolve. Each of them was concerned only with their own idea. None of them had the full picture, and none could see any of the other’s point of view. Each man saw the elephant as something quite different, and while in part each blind man was right, none was wholly correct. There is never just one way to look at something - there are always different perspectives, meanings, and perceptions, depending on who is looking. 7月21日 how does your brain work?
Okay.. this is actually very accurate! It really does fit me to a tee. (does anyone else hear that twilight zone music besides me?) * special thanks to Jeankfl for I found this link on her site ! * 7月9日 seen while drivingOn the back of a car seen during my travels this past week:
"If you can read this, thank a teacher -and, since it's in English, thank a soldier" 7月3日 EmpathyHe prayed - It wasn't my religion.
He ate - It wasn't what I ate.
He spoke - It wasn't my language.
He dressed - It wasn't what I wore.
He took my hand - It wasn't the colour of mine.
But when he laughed - It was how I laughed.
And when he cried - It was how I cried.
~ By 16-year-old Amy Maddox of Bargersville, Indiana ~
From the mouths of babes ...
What a shame that more adults can not see the world as this 16 year old sees it.
It reminds me of my son and his twin... I may have already shared this once but I think it is worth sharing again:
When my oldest son was in preschool he came home one day so excited.
"Mom! Mom! Guess what! I have a twin!!" he said excitedly as he ran through the door.
"You do!?", I said surprised, for this was sure news to me! LOL
"Where is this twin and what's his name?" I asked him.
And my son proceded to tell me about this boy at his preschool named Robert.
"Mom, we both are the same tallness, we both have the same smile, our names both begin with 'R', we both love playing tag and we both love colouring! See!! We're twins!!"
I laughed and told him that I was looking forward to meeting his twin.
As it turned out Robert would come into daycare after my son and leave before we picked him up so it was weeks before I was to meet him but every day I would hear about the adventures he and his twin would get into.
"Mom, Robert doesn't like carrots either!"
"Mom, Robert and I both wore jeans today!"
"Mom, everyone says Robert and I are always laughing and happy!"
"Mom, Robert and I both kicked the ball the furthest today!"
"Mom, Robert and I both played at the water table today and got all wet!"
I just had to meet my son's twin so I made the point of picking my son up early one day. As I walked into the classroom my son came running up to me, followed closely by another adorable young boy.
"Mom! Mom! This is my twin, Robert!"
and both boys stood there, side by side, shoulder to shoulder, smiling the same smile.
One young man with fair skin, blond hair and blue eyes and his twin, a young man with dark skin, brown hair and brown eyes ... yep, 4 year old twins.
They remained friends for another year until Robert moved to a neighboring town. We tried to stay in contact and they had a few play dates but as life would have it, things happen, new friends are made and we lost touch with one another but to this day a smile always comes to my face when I hear the name "Robert" and I'm reminded of the two of them standing there, big smiles, shining eyes, oblivious to how two open minded and open hearted 4 year olds could teach the adults of this world a thing or two. I am always amazed at how children don't look at another child and see what is different - they look at each other and see what is the same .. they see first a friend. 6月6日 You know I love you.I made my bi-weekly phone calls to family this weekend. Catching up on how they were all doing and sharing how my boys were doing. We only live 2 hours away from one another but at times it seems more like 200. I've found if I don't make the effort to call and say "hey" I may not hear from them for weeks on end. I don't have it in me to allow that much time to pass without hearing from them.
Some times our calls last only a few quick moments and other times we chat about life, love, and what's happening in the world around us. Occassionally we'll talk about growing up and where we've all gone with our lives. We'll make plans to get together or laugh over things that have happened during our last visit. I never know what or where our convesations will go but I look forward to them. No matter whom I'm talking to our conversations always end with "I love you" and a returned "I love you too". We may be your typical divorced step-parent dysfunctional family but we always end with those words.
My last call is usually to my dad. Mainly because I enjoy talking to him and some times we get into some really great discussions but also because I never know what mood my step-momster will be in and I don't want my other conversations to be tainted by my words with her if she is in one of her moods. This past Saturday was a great day. She was in a wonderful mood and we had a very nice 20 minute talk. My dad came on next and we chatted for nearly an hour. We talked about how he is getting the pool ready for the summer, working on his car, the garden and helping out grandpa. I shared how I'm starting my new job, enjoying the boys baseball games, and trying to get my veggie garden started. He asked if I had heard from the others (my sisters & brother) and I shared what I knew. We laughed over some memories, talked about our plans for the summer and made promises to get together real soon. He ended not with the typical "I love you" but with "You know I love you". I was taken back for a quick moment and then replied smiling "Yes, dad. I know and I love you too".
"You know I love you". Simple enough words but filled with so much .. I knew he loved me and he was proud of me. I knew this without a single doubt in my soul. Those words stayed with me for the rest of the weekend. I thought about them often smiling. "You know I love you". How wonderful for him to be able to say that with complete confidence that I did, indeed, know that and how wonderful for me to be able to know those words held nothing but truth. My dad raised us after my mom left. He tried hard to give us the things he thought we needed. Some times he was right on spot and other times way off. He tried to make sure we would be able to stand on our own two feet while holding our hands so we wouldn't wander too far alone. Whenever I needed him, no matter what, he was always a phone call away and on at least 2 occassions that I can remember has gotten in his car and driven to be with me during more difficult times in my life.
Yes. I do know he loves me. Not just because he is my dad but because of so much more. And I am so happy he knows I know that. Should anything happen to either of us I am comforted to know that we will not wonder if the other knew how much we cared. What greater gift can a parent & child share then the knowledge that they do, truly love one another?
Whether you are a parent or a child, if you truly love someone in your life make sure that they know how you feel .. whether you say it with words or write it in a lovely letter/card...
Don't wait until it's too late and then wonder if they knew how you felt.. make them aware of it - be sure to say "You know I love you!" and mean it.
6月3日 a little rant ...ok .. I'm going to rant & rave for a bit ... I don't usually do this but I just need to get this off my chest and, well, this is my blog so I'm allowed to do a little yelling and pouting and stamping of the feet if I want to ...
I just got back from the movies with my boys & a friend. We went to see X-Men - The Last Stand. Now let me give you a little back ground info first. I am a HUGE X-Men fan but -not- because of the X-Men movies .. oh no .. I am an old time, before they became popular, die-hard X-men comic book fan. I use to read them in bed, under the covers, with a flash light after "lights out!" was called. I even still have some of the older issues tucked away in my hope chest. And, of course, I always had a crush on Wolverine... you know how it is .. bad-boy attraction but it also doesn't hurt that Hugh Jackman plays him in the movies! I can't tell you for sure why I loved them so much, perhaps partly because the X-men were all misfits and growing up I could relate to that feeling .. perhaps because they would fight for the little guy .. the person who didn't fit in .. and they made a family amoungst themselves... or it could be just because they had such cool super powers ...
At any rate, there I was sitting in the theatre, already loving the first 2 X-men movies and looking forward to this one.. (WARNING .. If you haven't seen the movie you may want to stop here because I am about to spoil it for you as I am about to stand up, stamp my feet and complain about a few things ... ) After about 10 minutes .. Scott Summers/Cyclops is killed off ... then in another 10-15 minutes Professor X is also killed. "Huh?!! What just happened?!!! What the ...??!!! WHAT!!!!! Whoa .. this has to be some mistake" (I'm thinking as my mind is racing and my heart is pounding)" .. this can't be happening..." But it is, and it did .. I won't even go into how Bobby (Iceman) and Kitty are attracted to one another, geez everyone knows Kitty and Colossus were an item! And what the heck happened to Nightcrawler? *shakes head*
Now I realize that many movies deviate from the written material that they are taken from. I undestand about "poetic license" but I don't have to like it - and I didn't like it at all tonight . I absolutely hate how much the movie was so different from the comics I had grown to love as a child. The boys all enjoyed it but they are the newer generation X-men fans. I am the older generation. I went expecting to see a story based on the comics that I read ... but it wasn't to be and I'm very disappointed... and I want to scream.. and yell "How can you be allowed to get away with this?!!!!" and "Did you not read any of the comics before you wrote the dang screen play?!!!!" Where is Chris Claremont? Where is Stan Lee? *holds head in hands now shaking it*
*sigh* Guess I'll just go through my hope chest, pull out my bag of comics, find a working flashlight, pull my blanket over my head and not come out until I have forgotten this travesty of a movie .... so if I'm not around for a while you know where I am ....
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