I Pray You Enough

I Pray You Enough - this is an e-mail I have received a few times over the years. I thought it was worth posting on the blog to share with all the readers out there.


Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged, and the mother said, 'I love you, and I pray you enough.'

The daughter replied, 'Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I pray you enough too, Mom.'

They kissed, and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy, but she welcomed me in by asking, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?'

Yes, I have,' I replied. 'Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?'

'Well...I'm not as young as I once was, she lives so far away and has her own busy life. I have some challenges ahead, and the reality is - her next trip back will be for my funeral,' she said.

'When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I pray you enough.' May I ask what that means?'

She began to smile. 'That's a prayer that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.' She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and she smiled even more. 'When we said, 'I pray you enough,' we wanted the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.'

Then, turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.

I pray you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I pray you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I pray you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I pray you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I pray you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I pray you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I pray you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

Then, she began to cry, and walked away.

They say, it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but an entire life to forget them.

TAKE TIME TO LIVE..... To all my friends and loved ones, I PRAY YOU ENOUGH....

Faith Will Pay

God is always there. He is always there for us no matter what we do, where we have been, or what our past actions have been. He is and always wants to be our rock. We just have to let him be our rock we lean on when times are hard or our life isn't going quite how we want it. We must have FAITH in Him. That can be easier said than done many times.

Have you ever noticed when life is good and we are floating on our own little cloud, we tend to pull away from God and not lean on him so much? It's true if you think about it. When we are content with our life or current situation, we don't need to pray as much and ask for guidance because we think we know where we are going. Just remember that God brought us to those happy and content times so even though we are at a happy patch in life, we should never stop praying and thanking Him for the many blessings he gives each and every one of us.

Think about this ~ when times are tough, or we find ourselves in a situation with no one else to turn to, where do we often go? Or let me rephrase the question ~ where SHOULD we go when we are backed into a corner with no one to talk to or no where else to turn? You know the answer without the words leaving your mouth. Yes, God is the right answer ladies and gentleman. He is the one we should lean on and have faith in when times are tough. Only He can bring us out of a hole we get ourselves in.

It's FAITH in HIM that will lead us where we need to be. It's FAITH that will help us reach our destination in life as to where He wants us to be. It's FAITH that will show us where we are meant to be if we just BELIEVE with our entire heart and soul. When we lose faith, we lose trust in the Lord. We must always keep the faith going even when it's difficult to do.

We must stop relying on ourselves to accomplish whatever it is we are trying to complete in this world. We have to ask for direction and guidance or we will always end up in the same place over and over again. We will not be able to move forward and live happily ever after if we stay stuck in the same place forever.

So remember 'Faith Will Pay.' Faith in Him will lead us to His plan for our lives. And the sooner we have FAITH in God, the sooner we will receive word for our direction and where we are meant to be on this earth. He loves each and every person on this earth because He created YOU. Even before you were born, God created YOUR life for a purpose. And you will soon find out that purpose if you keep the FAITH. So even if it's hard to do, have faith starting right now. And I can promise you in the long run you will be glad you did. Because FAITH will lead you to your life's destiny!

6 Years Ago Today...

It all began in September 2002. I found out I was pregnant with my second child. Then we went for the exciting ultrasound in January 2003 to hopefully find out what the gender would be and to see the baby on the screen for the first time. The ultrasound tech did not indicate there was any problem of any kind. Then my doctor walked into the exam room with a strange look on her face and asked me if the ultrasound technician had said anything to me. My response was "no, and is something wrong?" Then I received news that no parent ever wants to hear. My daughter (we at least knew it was another girl by this point) had a diaphragmatic hernia and I was to be sent to the specialist the very next morning.





My first response was a "diaph.... what?!?!" The doctor than repeated it and little did I know by the next day, I would be able to pronounce it and explain what those terms meant. So I thought to myself, no big deal. Things with babies are irregular all the time, so it couldn't be anything of great concern. What I found out on January 7, 2003 changed and permanently altered my life. We arrived at the specialist's office the next morning and had another ultrasound. I was just laying there in my own little world wishing they would hurry up so I could get back to work until I heard the words I can still hear him say today "Only about 50% of these babies survive." "WHAT??" was my only response. Then my tune quickly changed and I immediately realized how serious her condition was.





In my own terms, this is what I learned a diaphragmatic hernia to be. The diaphragm is supposed to close up when a fetus is approximately 10 weeks old. Well, for some reason our baby's did not close up and there was a hole in the diaphragm. This made all of her inside organs and intestines move into places they should not be. Basically all of her intestines and organs were pushed up into her chest and her heart was positioned into her right chest instead of in the center.





So we were then escorted into a room with a counselor. We basically had two options ~ carry on the pregnancy and take the 50% chance that our daughter would survive or do the unthinkable and abort the pregnancy and not deal with the consequences that were slammed in our faces within 24 hours. Well, there was NO decision to be made. My child had a 50% chance to live and I could not live with myself if I didn't give her a fair fighting chance. Statistically her condition was a fluke thing (nothing genetic) and only happened in 1 out of every 2500 babies. Oh, and we were the 4th case of it to be seen in that office in the last few months. Like the old saying goes, "when it rains, it pours" and even though her condition was rare, it must have been the chosen one that year.





The counselor also told us a little bit about what would happen the next few months. Then the doctor informed us that when the day came and our baby was born, she would immediately be put in the newborn intensive care unit and would require surgery within a week or so of being born. The surgery was necessary so that her intestines could be moved into their proper places so that she could survive on her own. So not only would our daughter have a 50% chance of surviving, she would require surgery to even give her a fighting chance at life.





So the next 4 months presented a series of tests, finger pricks, amniocentesis procedures (which was excruciatingly painful), and several more ultrasounds. Plus knowing 4 months of ahead of time that our daughter only had a 50% chance to live gave us time to prepare for the inevitable, even though deep down in my heart, I believed heart and soul that she would live and be a normal child someday.





We told my oldest daughter who was 3 at the time that she had a baby sister who would be born, but that she was sick and had to stay in the hospital for awhile after she was born. Even though my oldest didn't fully understand, she was fully aware of the fact she was going to be a big sister and she was excited no matter what.





We were trying to pick out a name for our daughter. We really liked the name Mindy, but we had no idea what middle name could work with Mindy. I liked the name Anna because I had a great grandmother with that name but "Mindy Anna" just didn't work for my taste. So I was walking through my kitchen one night and it hit me like a ton of bricks. The word grace just flowed out of my mouth. I put the two words together and now my daughter had a name ~ Mindy Grace. It was an instant agreement with my husband at the time, and big sister who we allowed to have a vote too.





Then fast forward to April. We decided the big day to induce labor should be May 20. So it was set, written on the calendar and all. Little did I know, God had other plans for my child. He chose this day, 6 years ago, for Mindy Grace to make her entrance into the world. It was a Sunday morning about 6:00 a.m. I was laying in bed and all of a sudden I thought I peed my pants. Lord almighty, it was something that can happen to pregnant women but I was annoyed! So after doing some investigating, something was different. I ran and got my What to Expect When You're Expecting pregnancy book and read the signs of labor. Yes, I had been through labor once before, but they broke my water at the hospital so this was all new to me. I quickly realized I had signs of labor so I called my doctor and he said it sounded like my water had broke and I'd better get to the hospital. So off we went to the hospital, not completely sure I was in labor, but had a feeling I might be. I think it was more of the fact I was in denial because I knew it was too soon for Mindy Grace to be born because she was already going to have a rocky start into the world. And being born 3 weeks earlier than originally planned made her chances even slimmer.





So we arrived at the hospital and the nurse checked and said I was dilated to 7 and I would be delivering my daughter that day. I had a moment of panic breakdown reaction and started screaming "no, no, no, it's too early." But I had no choice and ready or not, I was going to help bring Mindy Grace into the world that day. One thing I always think about, even looking back, was that Mindy Grace was safe and alive while she was still inside me. And reality told me I could not stay pregnant with her forever. But once she was no longer inside of me, safe and secure in the womb, the battle began for her tiny little body to keep herself alive. I could no longer protect her, she was in God's hands at the point she entered the world. So at 11:48 a.m. Mindy Grace made her grand entrance on this earth only to be whisked away 2 seconds later off to the NICU (newborn intensive care unit). I was then taken from high risk pregnancy unit and moved to a normal maternity room. A regular maternity room that normally housed a mother and her healthy baby; not a mother who had to walk downstairs to visit her daughter in the NICU. But that was ok because I knew it was up to God at that point what plans he had for Mindy.





I stayed in my room for about 4 hours before I was permitted to go to the NICU to meet Mindy. I remember they made me ride in a wheelchair and I hated that. I am so independent and could walk on my own but I had to follow the hospital's procedures and be a good little patient and ride in the darn wheelchair. I remember my mom was there at that point. So she went with me and Mindy's dad to meet her. I took one look at her and knew she was mine. She looked so much like her daddy. Even through all the tubes and needles and wires, it was clear who she belonged to. She was beautiful and had a full head of brown hair. No wonder I had so much heartburn during the pregancy with the amount of hair she had!





The next couple days we had a few visitors that came to the hospital to see us. We were allowed to bring one visitor at a time and her dad or I had to be with the person. Life was a roller coaster ride from hour to hour with a newborn baby in the NICU. One minute she was doing fine, and the next minute changes were made to keep her more stable. Well on Tuesday morning, or day 2 of her life, we received a call in my hospital room at 9 a.m. They told us to come down to the NICU immediately. We ran downstairs only to hear devastating news. They expected our daughter to live maybe an hour, if we were lucky. So all of a sudden as we prepared for the worst, a team of about 10-12 doctors and nurses were surrounding our baby working on her trying to stabilize her. It all happened so fast but they were only doing their job. She had to have a blood transfusion and I do remember signing the paperwork for that. Well I can say without a doubt, Mindy Grace was a little fighter because not only did she survive that little ordeal, she lived another 7 days for a total of 9 days on this earth.





I remember I was released from the hospital to go home later that day. That was the strangest feeling ever. I walked out to my truck to go home after just having a baby. Only something was missing ~ the newborn daughter I had just brought into the world a couple days earlier who laid in the NICU fighting for her life. But again, it was ok because it was all in God's hands and I was not in control of the situation anymore.





The next few days were the biggest roller coaster ride of life I have ever been on. Things were good one day, and not so good the next. The doctors assured us that was normal. They were trying to get her to the point they could stabilize her so she could have surgery. The surgery was high risk and a very serious operation so she needed to be stable to have a chance of surviving the surgery. We did receive some good news though ~ it was cold season among young children and the NICU would not permit anyone under 12 years old in the NICU. Well, the next weekend, they lifted that ban and would allow children under 12 in to the NICU. So this now meant that my oldest daughter would get to meet her younger sister she had waited months to meet. So the very day we could take her, we did. And she got to meet her 1 week old baby sister on Sunday afternoon.





Looking back, I now understand why Mindy Grace was here for 9 days on this earth. If God had taken her from us on day 2, then my oldest never would have met her younger sister. So that was God's way of allowing her to meet Mindy. And I thank God everyday for that huge blessing.





Day 9 ~ Tuesday May 6, 2003 - Disaster strikes. We received a call at 5 a.m. to get to the hospital immediately. Mindy had fought for 9 days but she was worn out. Her little body was tired of fighting and it was time for her to be called to Heaven that day. Her heart rate was fluctuating all over the place and they unhooked the machines shortly before 8:00 a.m. They was nothing more they could do so they placed Mindy on a pillow and both her dad and I got to hold her for the first time. She took her last breath and went with the angels at 8:20 a.m. while laying in her Daddy's arms.





It was hard watching our daughter lay there lifeless, but it was also kind of a relief. She was no longer fighting for her life and struggling each day. She also had a curvature in her spine so she would have had other difficulties if she had survived. She might have been confined to a wheelchair her entire life, we don't really know. But I won't do the "what if" scenario because God chose to bless us with our second daughter for 9 days and not spare her any more pain or heartache. And we are so thankful for that.





Mindy Grace was laid to rest 3 days later. She was buried next to her great grandmother who passed away 3 months before Mindy was born. So I know in my heart that she is in Heaven being taken care of by my wonderful grandma. In fact, when we buried Mindy, a family member of mine painted a picture in my mind for me. The funny thing is I had seen the same image before he even told me what he envisioned. I pictured my grandma sitting in her rocking chair with Mindy in her arms. Rocking her and taking care of her just like she used to take care of me when I was a baby. So I know she is ok in Heaven because she is with my grandma, and the angels and God and Jesus.





Back to present day ~ Mindy was born 6 years ago today. Much time has passed but it also feels like it was just yesterday. I can remember all the nurses names, what they wore, and all the details of the day she was born and the day she passed. It is a memory that will be forever engraved in my mind. I wouldn't change a thing about what happened because we were meant to be Mindy's parents, and she was meant to go to Heaven sooner than others in our family. I am so grateful that I had the chance to have her for 9 days, even though it was a short time span. Mindy Grace taught me so much about life. She was a little helpless child that fought for her life with all she had. I have learned to thank God for my blessings and to be grateful for what I have been given in this world. I have learned that each second I breath is a blessing. I have learned if I can make a difference in one person's world, then it was worth what I went through to be able to do that.





One thing that helped me tremendously was the fact that my doctor's office put me in contact with another mother who had a child with Mindy's condition. Her son was born a couple years prior and had survived the surgery and was a perfectly normal healthy little boy. I have never met her but I have been in contact with her all of these years. She really helped me get through some of those tough moments, especially in the beginning.





I have also been able to help a couple of people who have lost a child or had a miscarriage or something of the sort. Our 7 year old neighbor was killed 3 years ago and I have become good friends with his mother. I have changed as a person because of losing Mindy, but it was a change for the better. Everyone deals with death differently, and there is no right or wrong way to handle death. I believe I handled it well, considering the circumstances. And knowing 4 months ahead of time made all the difference in the world. Time heals all wounds. We will never forget Mindy Grace but dealing with her death has became easier as the years have flown by.





We have an annual tradition where we let a balloon off at her grave each year. We get her a "Happy Birthday" balloon and send it up to Heaven to her each year. Normally we always watch the balloon disappear into the sky. It's a tradition that began on her first birthday, and will continue each year.





If you have read this post, thank you. I'm sure there will be some tears shed over reading it, I cried a little bit myself while writing it. I have always wanted to share Mindy's story with someone, so the blog is a perfect place for that. For those of you who knew Mindy, you know what a remarkable little baby she was and how incredible her story was. For those of you who never met her, I hope she has touched your life in some way or another. She was a beautiful little girl who will always be a part of me, her daddy, our family and friends, and anyone who takes the time read her story.





From Earth to Heaven ~ Happy 6th Birthday Mindy Grace. You are loved and missed everyday and we will meet again someday!

Never Settle

Never settle for anything less than the best. This has been my motto in the last year. This motto could apply to alot of things in life. In my particular case, I would never settle for less than I deserve because I know my self worth. Along with this motto came my sense of independence. I am more independent than I have ever been and it is good to be that way. People who are independent tend to have a bit more self confidence than people who depend on others for everything. And when people rely on others and forget who they really are, it is bound to come to a painful crash landing eventually. I have been on both ends of the spectrum and neither way is good or fair for that matter.

So, never settle. Plain and simple ~ don't do it. Because if you settle for something, you will always be searching for more. You will always be looking for something you do not have or wondering what else more is out there to explore. So with any decision you make in life, make sure you are 110% concrete sure that whatever it is you have decided is what you want. Decisions are like concrete ~ once they are made, you cannot go back and undo what has already been done. You can break up the concrete or change your mind about the decision, but there is damage that cannot be undone. There is nothing worse than making a decision when your brain is still not settled on what it truly wants, and then realizing you made a mistake and wish you could take that decision back.

After the many changes I've had to roll through in life, I will never settle again. I might make choices or compromises, but I will never sacrifice who I am or what I am to please someone else. And if you find yourself leaning on something or someone so much that your world would crumble if they disappeared in a second's notice or if you make sacrifices you cannot live with in the long run, then you, my friend, are settling. And what happens when you settle? It will come back to haunt you in the long run. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not even next year, but it will come back to bite you in the rear end at some point in time.

I love the song "Settlin" by Sugarland. This song refers to a girl who will not settle for anything less than everything. She's had enough "so-so" for the rest of life. I found this song very powerful last year when I was going through some major changes in life. If you know it, listen to the lyrics again and really think about it. And if you have never heard it, this would be a wonderful time to listen to it! Never again will I settle, and neither should you!

So if you have read this so far and are pondering if you are "settling" for something or someone, that should open your eyes. If the question "am I settling?" is weighing on your mind, then it sounds like you probably are. Your current scenario may be great to pass the time and pacify yourself, but if you settle for anything less than the best, you will regret it later on down the road. And when you reach the point that you can answer truthfully that you are not "settling," you are right where you should be. Stay there, be content and explore what more life has to offer! For when we are happy and not "settling" that is where we are meant to be at that moment in time.

Changes in the Path of Life

It happens all the time. We are headed down a certain path in life and then all of a sudden we hit a road block in the middle of the trail that stops us. Often times we are blindsided by the road block and want to go around it but we cannot go around it. We must work to move the road block which means we have to stop skipping along life's path, make a CHANGE and develop a power strong enough to move the road block. When we become strong enough to move the road block, it's then that we can continue down the path of life and see what more or new exciting things that God has in store for us.

So many times we receive signs from God that point us in a certain direction. The key word to that statement is a "certain" direction. Often times we think we know what the end result will be when we choose to follow a certain path. But what we must realize is that just because we follow a certain direction, sometimes the rainbow at the end of the trail might be something totally different than we thought we would receive when we reach the pot of gold. Sometimes God takes us down a certain path in life to make us see things we never saw or make us realize things we never knew before. God will never mislead us, but we must follow His direction and we will then see what He has in store for us.

God brings every person into our life for a REASON of some kind. Sometimes it is to make us see the light about a situation, or the truth about another person. Everything happens for a reason, and there is something we learn about life through every obstacle we overcome and every person that crosses out path. Remember that things happen in God's time, not ours. We must continue to pray for guidance on a daily basis to arrive to our destination in life.

So if you hit a road block in life or are afraid to make CHANGES in life, remember to ROLL WITH THE CHANGES. Sometimes people get hurt in the midst of the situation, and other times people find out exactly where they are meant to be in life. God will never intentionally hurt us, but we must go through trials and tribulations to make ourselves stronger so that we know when we reach the place in life we are supposed to be. God will only bless us as long as we ask for guidance from Him above. And if we think we are where we are supposed to be and then thunder strikes BAM, that is NOT where we are supposed to be. We must keep moving forward and take lessons learned from the past and apply them to our current scenario so that we can reach our future destination.

I am amazed at some of the paths God has taken me down in life. One minute I think I know exactly where I'm headed and have everything figured out, and then lightning strikes. The lightning is never a bad thing because if lightning strikes, it means we are supposed to change direction or take another path than we were heading. And when I have made changes down the path I am headed, I have been blessed so abundantly I can't even describe it. I know now that I am exactly where I am meant to be, and who is supposed to be in my life for a reason, who is supposed to be in my life for a season, and who is supposed to be in my life for longer than a season.

God works in mysterious ways. He uses people to send us messages whether they are good or bad. He will never steer us wrong if we listen to Him. He also uses people to show us when we need to make a change in the direction we are going. Thank you God for all the blessings you have given to me. I cannot begin to imagine my life any other way than it is now. As I always say, live and love happy because life is short and we never know what can happen from day to day...

We All Need Some Inspiration Each Day

I thought I would share some more inspirational quotes I received in an e-mail this morning.

You may not realize this, but the following is 100% true. Think about some part of it daily.

There are at least 2 people in this world who you would die for. And at least 15 people in this world who love you in some way. ~ And if you think about it, there are probably many more people who you give your life for, and that love you in return. And I love 'em every one!

The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you. ~ Now that is so and completely true. If someone is envious of you, or wants what you have, it is only natural for that person to develop feelings of hatred towards you. I personally never use the word "hate." I substitute "strongly dislike" because "hate" is a strong word in my opinion. So if someone "hates" you, the best thing you can do is be nice to that person and pray they find what they are looking for. You never know, maybe one day you could help that person in some way that once "hated" you.

A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone even if they do not like you. ~ I love the phrase "smile, it looks pretty on you." Try it sometime. I know I have been smiling to the fullest extent lately and what a difference it has made in my world. Whether it's because of someone or a reference to an inside joke (cute fella), smiling releases negative energy and brightens the day, even if just a little.

Every night, someone thinks about you. You mean the world to someone. ~ True. Each night, at least one person thinks about you, or more if you are lucky. I know I mean the world to someone and others mean the world to me.

You are special and unique. Someone you don't even know - loves you. ~ Often times we come into contact with new people that will have a dramatic impact on our life. God has a plan and a reason for each and every person we meet. Lord knows I am discovering that lately!

When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it. ~ AMEN! Sometimes our biggest mistakes lead us to blessings we would have never even discovered if we hadn't make the mistakes we have in the past. I am living proof of that because I am right where I need to be right now.

When you think the world has turned it's back on you... take another look. ~ When you feel all the world is against you, it's normally quite the opposite. It is you that has turned your back on the world.

Always remember the compliments that you received. Forget about the rude remarks. ~ I deal with negative remarks all the time and the best thing I can do is blow them off. Normally people say things in the heat of the moment, and then later regret it. Thank God I have enough compliments that come my way to outweigh the negative words my ears hear.

Always remember... when life hands you a lemon ~ ask for sugar. ~ I love this one! When life throws a curve ball or things at us we don't want to handle, pray for some sweetness from God above. Eventually all lemons turn into blessings at some point in time. It may not be right away, but things happen when the time is right.

Good friends are like stars, you don't always see them but you know they are there. ~ Very true. I also have friends I have never even met that I have relied on to get me through certain scenarios. Thank you =-)

I would rather have one rose and a kind word from a friend while I am there - than a whole truckload when I am gone. ~ Say what you need to say, and do what you need to do while you have the chance. Don't wait until it's too late if there is something you have been holding back on saying to someone or a chore you need to do. It's better to living knowing you took care of your to do list, then living with regret that you never accomplished something you should have.

Happiness keeps you sweet.
Trials keep you strong.
Sorrow keeps you human.
Life keeps you humble. ~ Again, true. I know that when I am happy in life, I am in a fabulous mood and not alot can bring me down. During my trials and hard times in life, I found myself closer to God and came out stronger because of what I went through. We all must have a little bit of sorrow and sadness to balance out the good times in life so that we can appreciate our blessings and not take them for granted.

Success keeps you glowing, but only friends keep you going. ~ It's wonderful to be successful at something, and yes, when things are good, I do have that glow about life. But in the good and bad times, my friends have always held me up through them all. And I am so grateful to have the friends I do!

Have a wonderful Friday and remember to apply one (or more) of these ideas to your life each day!

Jelly Bean Prayer

In observation of Easter this coming weekend, I found this spiritual prayer referring to the colors in a bag of jelly beans and how they can relate to the Lord and the gifts he has given us in this life. Enjoy!

Jelly Bean Prayer

Red is for the blood he gave
Green is for the grass he made
Yellow is for the sun so bright
Orange is for the edge of night
Black is for the sins we made
White is for the Grace he gave
Purple is for His Hour of sorrow
Pink is for our new tomorrow!

Have a safe and happy Easter!

Are You "Fireproof?"

Are You "Fireproof?"


The recent movie release of "Fireproof" has stirred alot of talk and emotion in this world full of people. This is a movie targeted for couples who have been married for a few years and are either on the verge of divorce or are at a point they take each other for granted. Even though this no longer fits my current life scenario, I was still really drawn to the movie and bought it the first day it came out on DVD. I have watched this movie twice now and WOW what a movie it is!


I could relate to the wife character in the movie because I was once in her shoes when I was married. It amazes me how the movie was based on a story; however the scenes of the movie are so real and do tell the normal story of a couple who has been married for a few years. Not only does the couple portray the average "married for a few years" couple but it also has many lessons that can be learned in the movie as well.

One of my favorite parts of the movie is how the husband is skeptical of the Lord in the beginning of the movie, and then about halfway through he realizes he has pushed God aside most of his life and never really fully let the Lord into his heart. He has an "AHA" moment when he is having a conversation with his father about how Jesus should be the most significant part of our lives. He is a good person because he is a fireman who saves lives, he his faithful and honest so in the husband's eyes, he is right with God because he is a "good person." His dad begins to question him why he is so frustrated with his wife. The husband claims the wife is stubborn, makes everything difficult, is ungrateful and is constantly griping about something. He does nice things for her, has tried hard to please her, taken her insults and sarcasm, and in his eyes, has done everything he could to demonstrate that he cares about her. And after all his effort, all she does is spat in his face. Then he asks the ultimate question that I believe is the most important line in the entire movie ~ "How am i supposed to show love to somebody over and over and over who constantly rejects me?"

God loves us unconditionally even though sometimes we do not deserve it. Even though we have rejected Him and spat in his face, God sent Jesus to die on the cross and take punishment for our sins because He loves us unconditionally. When we finally come to Jesus Christ, it is then we truly began to love others and realize how much we need Him and His forgiveness.

When the husband realized he had never really accepted Jesus Christ into his heart and broke down, his life took a turn and the movie begins to show how he changed as a person after he accepted Christ. His heart began to soften and he went from being a resentful person to a lighthearted easygoing soul. His wife eventually asked him what had changed in him and then he was later able to lead her to the cross as well.

What I truly like about the movie is that it is Christian based. This does not mean you have to be a Christian to relate, but it shows how important it is to have a connection to God. It also portrays that when you have a strong connection to the Lord, your life will be better than ever as long as you pray and remain on the right path in life. Only He is the one who knows the plan for each and every person in this world. I think we all have moments where we slip away from our connection and relationship we are supposed to have with the Lord. We all get caught up in our busy lives and our "to do list" of things we have to accomplish each day. Even though we don't intentionally mean to, we sometimes take our family and loved ones for granted and don't take the time to slow down and spend with them as we should. We sometimes put tasks and work in front of what is truly important in our world.

"Fireproof" brought me back to reality and made me see the light about some things in life. After watching this movie the first time, I felt God pulling me back into his grasp with such a pull that it had an effect on me. And when I watched it the second time, that feeling was reaffirmed just as strong the next time around. Things finally make sense to me for the first time in months and it's a wonderful, refreshing and relaxing feeling. I finally have a sense of direction to where He wants me to be and what He wants me to do in this world. I have realized that there really are people who love me for me and who I am, and who will not try to change me into someone I am not. I have been hugely blessed by God in these recent few weeks and am so grateful that I am on the right path for my destination in life.

If you have not had the opportunity to watch this movie, regardless of your status (married, single, divorced, in a relationship, etc.), I highly recommend grabbing a hold of this story and watching it in the near future. I promise it is worth the couple hours it takes to see this heart wrenching story that has changed the future for lots of couples and people as well.

One of my favorite lines in the movie is as follows: "Fireproof doesn't mean that fire will never come. It just means that when it comes, you will be able to withstand it." In other words, we all have situations or circumstances that get us down and attack us in life. But when those times come, we have to be strong enough to endure the hardships and rough adventures in life. And when we come through those hard times with our head held high, we have then proved we are able to tackle what life throws at us and come out stronger than ever. Remember this is all with God's help, not taking on the world by yourself all alone.

So I will ask the question again - Are YOU "Fireproof?" If you are, good for you! Keep on living, keep on praying, and keep following the word the Lord gives you. If not, I pray for you right now that you will be able to accept Christ into your life and start living right and do the things God would want you to do. For when you do this, you will be "fireproof" to withstand the flames of life and the flames of hell as well.

When the Wind Blows - Story

Here is another wonderful e-mail I received and wanted to share on this blog.


Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him.
"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him.

The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming!
Tie things down before they blow away!"
The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows." Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm.
To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm. We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God. We don't need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the middle of storms.

I hope you enjoy your day and you sleep well at night!

Where Will Your Path Lead You?

God has a path for everyone in this life. The question is how do we know if we are on that path he has paved for us or if we have ventured off the trail? There is one good answer to that question ~ pray about it, and then wait for an answer. The waiting period is unknown often times. It could be right away or it might take some time to receive the answer you have been searching for. One thing I have learned though ~ the longer it takes to receive an answer to the direction God wants us all to follow in our lives, the more we encounter and the more we learn from all experiences life throws at us. The trying and difficult times makes us stronger because we can learn from our weak moments. The storm will always pass eventually, we just have to have patience and faith through the raindrops that fall down on us. I have been so blessed in this life. I thank God every day for each and every blessing he has given our family on this earth. It's when I stop to listen and really focus on where He wants me to be, that is when I typically receive an answer as to what path he has carved for me. I do not want to make my own path through the woods of life, and neither does God want that for any person in this world. God will always come through for us no matter what choices we have made in the past. One other lesson of life I have learned is that when I truly listen to God's word, He will show me which direction to follow. And when I follow the direction He wants me to, the blessings are so abundant that I cannot begin to describe them. There have been times in my life where I was on top of the world and thought I had it all, but little did I know that was not where God intended for me to be. When I have been struck by lightning, it was hard to endure the effects of the storm, but it is so worth going through life's experiences and pain I have endured to get where I am today. I would not trade where I am today for anything. I am right where I am supposed to be at this very moment and I believe God will only continue to direct me as long as I stay true to His word and what plans he has for me. Just by chance the song Hallelujah is playing in the background at my house right this instant. Just another sign from God that I am where I need to be and I need to keep up the faith.

Where will your path lead you in this lifetime? Ask God that question and you will receive an answer when the time is right. Continue to pray for guidance even when you have no idea what He wants you to do or where He wants you to be. Again, you will not always know the answer to your path of life immediately. It takes time and patience to reach your destination. We can learn something each and every day. Take life one day at a time and you will receive the answer when you are meant to. I will leave you with this quote that I created over a year ago when I was going through the roughest time of my life:

"The key elements of life are patience and that things happen in God's time, not ours." <- When we learn patience, we learn a very important characteristic of how God wants us to be in this life. And when we remember that things will happen when the time is right, which is God's time, then we will walk further down our path of life. For when we make our own path, we are not listening to God and will not receive the blessings He has in store for until if we take the time to listen. I pray that each person reading these words takes time to slow down, pray and listen to the plan He has for your life. It could make a big difference if you stay on the right path rather than venture off into the hills or valleys of life!

Spring is Here!!!!

Yes, it is the time of year we have all been waiting for... SPRING! After a long dreary snowful winter, it is time to transition to warm sunny days, birds singing and green grass again! There is something about the feeling of spring that is refreshing and gives me a warm glow about life. And with the entrance of spring comes the anticipation of something greater that follows the season... summertime!



So what's not to like about spring? Maybe the fact the grass shoots up a foot tall even when you mow it once a week, or the fact we no longer have an excuse to sit around and be lazy inside since it's no longer cold outside. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. I personally love to go outside and take a nice walk. That is my favorite exercise; I could walk everyday for miles and enjoy every moment of it. And the smell of fresh cut grass is a nice change for the old nose as well.



Spring has this power trip that seems to lighten up the world and put people in a cheery lighthearted mood. The days seem brighter with the glowing sun and the world seems to be a little bit less stressful. There are so many more options to choose from ~ playing outside, getting those bikes out that have been trapped up all winter, jumping on the motorcycle, and the plain fact that we can be outside and not freeze to death! That is enough right there to put anyone in a good mood. The days aren't as hot as they soon will be, and they aren't as cold as we've been used to dealing with the past 5 months; they are just right. And there is only one time a year where the weather is so enjoyable we could stand it year round. At least that is the way Indiana weather is. It's nothing for it to be 65 degrees on a given day and then down to 10 degrees the next day. I have been known to switch from heat to air conditioning back to heat all within a 14 hour period in one day! So depending on where you live in this world, spring temps might be great or not so good, but to me, they are the best temps of the year!



Have you ever thought about this? We usually have 50-60-70 degree weather a couple times a year ~ spring and fall. In the spring when it's 60 degrees out, everyone is running around in short sleeves or yanking out their flip flops as if summer is already here. Then summer comes and we complain about out hot it is and that we are ready for a cool down. Then September rolls around and we get the cooldown of the same 50-60-70 degree weather we had in the spring. But in the fall everyone is running around in sweatshirts and yanks out their winter shoes or boots. So the same temp, two times a year, but the dress code is completely different! Funny how that works out...



Here is a warm welcome to spring! It won't be long until the girls can play outside again, I can take my daily walk in the hayfield, and warm temps will be here to stay for a few months! I absolutely love cruising in my ride with the windows rolled down, radio blasted and soaking in the golden sun. There is nothing better than that fresh spring air! Oh, and not to mention that those good ole truck and tractor pulls will be starting soon. Just not soon enough! My little one and I could hit a tractor pull every weekend and be happy as larks (I do believe that saying is permanently stuck on the inside of my brain). So spring into action, take time to enjoy that lovely spring air, and remember it's only here for a little while! Now off the girls and I go to get some delicious ice cream to kick spring off with a yummy start...

This Post is For Ladies!

This e-mail came to me today and I absolutely loved the poem. It's so completely true. I have some old and new girlfriends who have helped me through alot in life and listened to me rant, rave, and blab on and on about the same darn thing over and over and over again. I suppose this poem should be dedicated to not just my close friends, but to all the women that make the world go around =-)


God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people you NEED. To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be. <-- WOW, I need to remember this phrase! And for those friends who have listened to me for hours on end lately, you know EXACTLY what I am talking about...



One Flaw In Women
Women have strengths that amaze men.
They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy
and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in.
They stand up to injustice.
They don't take "no" for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution.
They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel
and cheer when their friends get awards.
They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies..
They grieve at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they
think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss
can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you
to show how much they care about you.
The heart of a woman is what
makes the world keep turning.
They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideas.
They give moral support to their
family and friends.
Women have vital things to say
and everything to give.
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN, IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

I actually have a dear friend who reminds me of that last phrase on a daily basis. He claims I am too hard on myself and he is actually right. I take on way too much and I'm always on the go. It's not that I want to be, it just kinda happens that way. I have a bad habit of "sure I'll do this, sure I'll do that" and before I know it, I'm bogged down! So this poem was a fresh breath of air for me today and was a small reminder to slow down, even if just a little.

Down the Road We Go

Have you ever been at a crossroad in your life and not really sure which direction to follow? I think we all have at one point in time or another. And often times we are at many crossroads at the same time with different options to choose. I choose to live life one day at a time and not worry about tomorrow until it is here. We all often wonder what our future holds or where we will be down the road.



There is a new Kenny Chesney song out titled "Down the Road." I have found this song to be very inspirational and I think this tune relates to real life in numerous ways. It talks about seeing what life is going to hold down the road. And it also talks about the importance of being right with God so that you will be successful down the road. I do think it is important to plan for the future. But I also think it's even more important to be open minded to know that the future you have planned could sometimes be different from what your actual future will be.



The one certain thing on this earth is that God knows our future. God knows everything about our life ~ past, present and future. We cannot hide anything from Him because he know all things. He knows the good things we have accomplished in life. He knows the good things we have done for others. He knows the sins we have committed. He knows all the wrong things we have done in this lifetime. God also knows what is in store for our life down the road even when we do not.



When we reach a crossroad in life, we must take time to think about the different choices we have to make. We must take into consideration the outcome our choices could lead us to down the road. If we make rash or hasty decisions, we might end up at another crossroads in the future because we did not take the time to think things through clearly. We must evaluate our options and weigh out the bad with the good. And hopefully we will make the right choice so that in the long run, we can look back and know our decision led us to where God wanted us to be. But most importantly when at a crossroad in life, remember to pray! Pray for what direction God wants you to be and then follow the path you believe the Lord wants you to follow.



It is important to follow the road we think God is pointing us towards because sometimes it is the opposite direction of the road we want to follow. We often want to be in charge of our life and make our own decisions that we believe will benefit us down the road. And there are many times we must make a decision but are still unclear about which road to follow. Or there are other times we come to a stopping point and refuse to make a decision because we do not know the best choice to make. Sometimes when we wait too long to make a decision, we take a chance on losing what we could have. It is extremely important to make decisions while at a crossroads in life, but be sure that you take the time to evaluate choices, but not so long that we miss out on an opportunity.



Our crossroads we have been at in the past and the decisions we make about which direction to follow determine what our future crossroads will be. We can look back at past decisions about which path we followed and determine whether those decisions were good or not. When making decisions and taking into consideration what God wants us to do, I believe we will travel further down the road if we follow His word. We can make any decisions we choose but without guidance at any crossroads, the end result may not always end up where we had hoped it would be.

So remember if you are unclear about which path to take in life, the most important thing to do is pray about it. Make choices that you think are pleasing to the Lord and you will travel farther down the road of life. Live your life so that you are happy and do not worry about what others around you think. You are the one who makes all the decisions about your life, what you do, where you go, who you meet and so forth. God has a direction for all of us if we take the time to listen. In the most quiet times, that is when we learn the most. When we stop carving our own path and LISTEN to Him, we will be shown which direction to go. So start today ~ pray, sit tight and listen. When you feel as God is speaking to you, He probably is. Listen to what He has to say and you just might be surprised. Sometimes what we think is best for us is not what God has in mind for us. So be open minded, lend a listening ear and you WILL find out the plan for your life down the road...

KEEP GOING

Keep Going. Two simple words, but when put together these two simple words give a powerful meaning to a simple statement ~ KEEP GOING. I recently saw this inspiring phrase on a good friend's cell phone. I was looking at pictures on his phone and I noticed the headline said "Keep Going." I asked why he had that on there and he said he put that on his phone one day when he was having a bad day to remind him to keep going no matter what the circumstances. He has been through alot of similar life experiences that I have so I completely understood what the phrase "keep going" symbolized. Of course I was immediately drawn to those two little words and realized that we can all benefit from the phrase.

We all must live life day to day whether we want to or not. We all have circumstances or situations we have had to deal with in the past or are currently dealing with that we wish we could avoid. Life isn't always beautiful, but it can be a beautiful ride. The moments of darkness and weakness seem to be treacherous and unbearable at the very moment we encounter those times. But all situations come to pass in time. We must keep moving forward or "keep going" to get through those tough times and move on to the future. We often times do not know what the future will hold or what will happen tomorrow but we can be certain that if we keep going, the light will shine at the end of the tunnel. The sun shines brightest after the storm ~ that is one of my favorite quotes. I remember seeing that on a sign while driving to work one morning when I was going through a really difficult time in life. That saying hit me like a ton of bricks and I have never forgotten it since. But if we really think about it, that is so true. We have to go forward, move on and live life or we will be stuck in the same rut until we decide to lift ourselves out of that rut onto higher ground.

Here is a prime example ~ Have you ever taken a truck or 4-wheeler mudding? The country girl in me thinks that is fun as long as the vehicle is in forward motion. I would hate to be on a 4-wheeler running through deep mud for the all terrain vehicle to break down and then I'd be stuck sinking in the mud. I like to cruise through mud but not stand directly in it! Think about that for just a moment. That is a good comparison to life and what we go through. We all want to be happy and life to be easy and perfect all the time, and at times that can be the case, but eventually the thrill of life will hit its peak and then we start sliding downhill again. Reality is that we all have ups and downs, valleys and peaks, but if we KEEP GOING through the mud that life throws at us, we will eventually get to dry ground and to where we need to be. We have to encounter some messy situations from time to time in order for us to come out stronger and learn from the "mud" thrown at us in life. And always remember, during the muddy times in your life, that is when God wants to clean you up and refresh your body and soul. With God's help and self determination, we can make it through ANY situation in life. We can overcome any obstacle thrown our way with the right attitude and the will to keep going. Keep moving forward and do not look back. For when you look back, you miss what is currently in front of your eyes or what could be in the future.

So if you are having a bad day or going through storms in life right now, remember those two little words. Keep Going. And when you keep going, you will eventually reach your destination. Life is a everchanging continuous battle but it doesn't have to be. Life is what we make of it and if we choose to keep going through the mud and the storms that pass, that is the best decision we can make. Our choices effect our outcome of where we will end up in this world so if we stay focused and keep going, we can have a brighter future.

I have chosen to remember these two little words and believe it or not, it has really helped me a few times when I have been down or wanted to give up hope or crawl under a rock and not deal with a certain scenario. I have always lived by that philosophy but just to hear or read those two words together makes a world of difference. It has reminded me that no matter what lemons are thrown at me in life, it's all part of the big plan that I often times do not understand. There is a reason for everything that happens, a reason for every person I have ever met, and a reason that some things work out in our favor and some do not. I have found that usually when something does not turn out the way we expected, it was normally a blessing in disguise. Don't get me wrong, there are still some situations I have questioned the outcome or do not understand why something happened the way it did. But I also do not have the ability to see the big picture; only God has that authority. And I have to trust in that even though sometimes it has been difficult. There will be storms of life throughout our entire time here on earth; but there will also be wonderful moments that we cherish forever. But if we KEEP GOING throughout everything in life, we will find out God's plan for our life sooner than later.

Along with this Keep Going theory often comes a word most people are strongly against.... CHANGE. Things change, people change, circumstances change, I change, you change, friends change, family changes, you get the idea? Everything changes at some time or another. And we can either go with the changes and make life flow easier or we can fight the changes and stay in the same rut we landed ourselves in. Again it comes down to this - only you can decide if change is necessary or if you want to keep yourself in the same place you have been struggling and fighting. Change is scary (I know firsthand) but through all changes, I have kept going! And looking back, I wouldn't change a thing because everything that has happened in my life has made me who I am today. And I can honestly say I'm proud of who I have become. I have faults just like every other human being on this earth, but I made the decision to KEEP GOING through it all. And I learned from those mistakes or faults and have become a much better person because of it.

To sum it up, if you remember nothing else, plant those two little words in your brain somewhere. Through the good, bad, fabulous, rough, wonderful or trying times in life, KEEP GOING. Keep going through all of it, keep your head up and moving through everything thrown at you in life and you will become a stronger and better person in the long run. I am grateful for all that I have been through, even the hard times. Because after the smoke has cleared, the blessings have been abundant. I look back and see things now that I couldn't see then at the time. I will keep going and I pray that each and every person in this world keeps going. That is the best choice we can make for ourselves and for those around us. Because when we keep going, we are doing exactly what God wants us to do. We are living and moving forward just like we should be. When we keep going, there is no greater pleasure to God. He will be pleased with our attitude and our will to push forward. And we can also be an inspiration to others when we keep going. In fact, the creator of the KEEP GOING phrase tells me all the time he keeps going because I have inspired him. But I was so inspired by this phrase that I have made changes in my life because I have been reminded to keep going even when I didn't want to. So hold your head up high no matter what you are going through in life, and always remember to get the best results in life's journey, KEEP GOING no matter what the circumstances.

My Baby is Growing Up!

Today was a very exciting day. My "baby" turned 4 years old on this lovely day. So immediately after waking me up bright and early she began asking when her friends were coming to her house. So after deciding that she wasn't going to allow me to sleep in I should jump up and get the day rolling since it was such a special day, I did just that. A few minutes later she opened the front door and told me she was watching for her friends to arrive. I told her she still had a few hours before her party excitement would be in action, but she was convinced that her party guests were going to come right then, bright and early with the sun rising. So she propped herself down at the front door and sat at the entrance watching for her birthday guests! After refusing to listen to her sister and I sitting there for a few moments, she finally decided sitting and waiting was boring. She didn't even want to leave her permanent sitting place to eat breakfast because she was so convinced her party needed to start right then!



So after finally deciding to eat some breakfast, and passing the time til lunch came the famous question twenty four thousand times a few or more times "WHEN IS MY PARTY GOING TO START?" I tell ya if I had a penny for every time that child asked me that today, I wouldn't need to go to work this week! The first few times I answered her literally ~ 6 hours, 5 hours and 59 minutes, 5 hours and 43 minutes, 5 hours and 12 minutes, 4 hours and 23 minutes... I finally decided my little one didn't get the concept of hours and minutes! So I decided to try a different approach and told her the party would be here in awhile or in a bit! That kept her content for a minute or two... until she would ask me when the party would begin 2 minutes later!



So the time came to get dressed and ready for the big extravaganza. She is on a dress kick lately so she chose her new pretty party dress she got for her birthday. So after the excitement died down that it was warm enough to wear a dress for the big day, it was time to fix her hair. I decided we need to change it up just a bit and thought she would be adorable just like her mommy =-) in pigtails. So amazingly enough she cooperated for me to fix her hair. Then I decided I would make her cuter by adding some curls to the piggie tails. Well that was fine and dandy until her hair touched her neck after being released from the curling iron. Being the drama queen that she learned from her big sister that she can be at times, she started screaming "HOT, HOT, HOT!" Well that was enough to give big sis and I a laugh because she was not hurt in any way shape or form, just felt a tad bit of the heat once the hair was released from the curling iron. Then the little drama queen proceeded to grab a towel claiming she needed water on it. And Little Miss Stubborn and yes she gets it honest was not going to accept the fact she didn't need water to cool her "hot" hair down. But once reminded that her party was nearing, she forgot all about cooling down her "hot" hair with water and was once again in party mode!

Then came the big anticipated moment after months of waiting. Yes, we hear about her birthday party months in advance. In fact, later in the evening, she asked me when her next birthday party was going to be. I don't know why it is kiddos want to grow up so fast!

Granny arrived with her cake, and this wasn't just any cake... it was a Dora cake. And not just a Dora cake... a Dora cake with pink icing! Yippee yi yay, how exciting!!! She received lots of pretty new gifts, and even a couple new dresses to satisfy her dress habit for now. She went from the birthday party girl, to a cheerleader, then to a princess, then back to birthday party girl all within 15 minutes. Tons of excitement for the little birthday princess!

Anyway, her party was a huge success and she was so excited it almost brought tears to my eyes. I don't recall seeing her happier than she was on her 4th birthday. It just reminded me how fast she really is growing up and that my "baby" is really no longer a baby! *Pout, sniff, pout, cry* =-( But that is ok because she is more comical and loveable each day that passes.

So after a couple hours of birthday jubilee, the little princess decided she was extremely tired. She grabbed her new Dora sleepy doll and pillow and curled up with both of them to take a nap. It was peaceful and quiet once, for a bit anyways! Then after a bit of a nap, little birthday girl woke up but decided that her doll was not ready to get up yet. The Dora sleepy doll was still taking a nap all curled up snug and cute in the birthday girl's bed. But the best part of all the fact she went around to each and every person in the house and told them they had to be quiet or they would wake up the baby. So when Granny yelled to big sis that "everyone was to be quiet," the birthday girl scolded her grandma! "You are going to wake up the baby" she exclaimed. It was certainly a priceless moment!

I guess I have another year until birthday time rolls around again. The sad thing is it will be here before I know it. I guess the next big step will be preschool this fall. Then kindergarten. Then 1st grade. Then middle school. Then high school. Then college... Oh my I need to slow down and remember to enjoy my day to day as I have been living my life lately! So Happy Birthday to my little 4 year old Princess. Time sure flies... I remember the day I brought her home from the hospital. It's crazy how quickly the days roll by and before we know it, the days turn into years. So enjoy each day to the fullest and don't rush the future. It will come quickly enough, and too quickly at that!

It's a Beautiful Day!

Yes, the day is just full of beauty today! For some reason I woke up this morning as happy as a lark (I love that phrase lately LOL) and ready to tackle the word today. I even woke up early and got some extra things done around the house this morning before jetting like a plane driving to work on this jolly day. I don't know if it's the fact that it is Friday, or that it's the end of a long busy week, but I am just chipper as a birdie today. It made me think (this certainly has been a "thought"ful week) that everyday should be like today. Wouldn't it be wonderful to wake up every morning with happy thoughts and no negativity? I think that would be fabulous but reality kicks in and unfortunately some people don't have my positive outlook on life.

But then again, here is a well known fact: YOU choose your outlook on your life, your day, and everything going on in your world. YOU are in charge of deciding if you want to see the positive or negative side of the coin. So Heads Up, Tails Down! Remember those 4 words together and maybe that will help give you some positive energy. It really comes down to a 50/50 chance. You can be happy and roll with the flow or you can choose to be pessimistic and negative. It's your choice, and solely your choice. No one is going to tell you to be happy or unhappy ~ only YOU have the power to make that choice!

I choose to live and love happy because what's the fun in living and loving unhappy? I know from experience it's not worth the battle! And when I choose to be positive, I produce some glowing energy that I hope floats to others around me. Have you ever smiled at someone just out of the blue, just smiled at some stranger for no reason? The majority of the time if you do that, that person will smile back. Maybe they have had a bad day and it lightens their mood just a little to see someone else happily smiling. So if you've never tried that, try that simple little gesture. You might be surprised at the reaction you get!

So remember to see the good in all situations, be a positive influence on others, live happy even when the odds are against you and you will overcome many obstacles in life! Be optimistic rather than pessimistic. Do not plan every second of the future; let life happen day by day. It's alot more fun rolling down that road with an open mind! Take my advice; try it and you just might enjoy life a little bit more!

Mantyhose... made just for men!

I have never in my life heard the word "mantyhose" until this morning when my local radio station made it publicly aware that there is such a thing. I believe the exact phrase was "mantyhouse... pantyhose for men." Of course that caught my attention because #1) was this a joke? and #2) who in the world came up with such an invention and #3) was such a product actually a success? So after listening to some testimonials written by construction workers and men that work in offices, there were some phone calls from local listeners that began rolling in. One lady told about how her boss used to wear womens' pantyhose under his polyester pants 30 years ago to keep warm. Wow, he must have been very proud of that to let that little secret out of the bag! So after hearing about mantyhose, I had to do some research for myself and get the scoop on this unbelievable product. If you are so inclined, go ahead and do that. Right now, go to google and search "mantyhose." But beware ~ you might do a search on this product and fall in love with the product so much that you will have order yourself a set of those within the hour. In fact, I'd love for someone to order a pair and write a testimonial about them. And the first person writes their testimonial wins... wins... um... let me think about this one... how about a date with me? HA HA HA! Let's just say if you are so inclined to order yourself a pair of those, you aren't the type I date!



Now I am sure this might be a practical product for some young lad out there who works outside or is like me and freezes all the time. I read a couple of the google links and it sounds like mantyhose might come in handy if you think long johns (which if you think about that word, why in the world are they called "long johns" anyway... but I will get off that kick since this blog is about mantyhose and not where words come from), anyway if you think long johns are too thick or uncomfortable. Me, myself and I personally think long johns are hugely uncomfortable and I am not one to wear them. I'd rather throw on my thick insulated carrhart bibs than wear a layer of clothes under my shirt and jeans! But I guess there are those select manly few who think mantyhose is the way to go!



From a woman's perspective, I do wear pantyhose on occasion. Lately I have worn them a few times with my knee high boots when I feel the desire to dress it up just a bit. I love my knee highs but I'd sure love to kick them to the curb for winter and move the spring sandals in their place! Anyway, I am not a big fan of pantyhose at all. They are the most uncomfortable pieces of stretchy fabric on this planet! And it doesn't seem to matter what I do, it never fails that EVERY time I put on a pair of pantyhose, I end up with a run in them before the day is over. Why is it that I ruin every pair of pantyhose that I touch? I have no clue, but pantyhose runs run in my history of pantyhose! I am fortunate in the fact I do not have to wear pantyhose to work everyday. Then I would have a reason to dread coming to work! So I guess if I only ruin 1 pair of month, that is better than 30 a month. But then again, as soon as the weather breaks and spring is here (which seems like that will never happen), I won't have a reason to wear pantyhose. I can enjoy sporting my bare legs for 6 months of the year! And for us women, that is something to cheer about.

So whoever invented mantyhose, congrats! You have given me blog material and something for the world to think about. I am sure the person has been successful and hats off to them! So men, next time you are a bit chilly, maybe you should consider this new gadget. You never know, it might just warm your hairy legs up! Then you can recommend them to your buddies. Better yet, maybe I should make a flier and start handing out to my farmer buddies. I'm sure that would go over real well. I can see it now... good old farm boys wearing mantyhose while combining corn this fall. Now that would be a sight...

Farewell to Our GP (Guinea Pig)

Let's begin this story February 10, 2003 (yes I am a freak about remembering dates!) I was pregnant with Mindy Grace and we were in Indianapolis for 2 different doctor appointments and a scheduled visit to the hospital as well. Well in between all the doctor appointments that day, we had a 3 hour span to kill in the afternoon. At that moment in time, I had been wanting a tri-colored guinea pig. And for those of you that don't know me well, I normally get what I want when I put my mind to something! Well, we so happened to stop by the pet store and guess what the pet store had that day? None other than a tri-colored female guinea pig!!! Well after some begging and pleading with my now ex-husband, he agreed to let me take her home. So $80+ and a cart full of supplies later, I was on my merry way with a 7 week old guinea pig, a new cage, bedding, food, a bottle, some treats, and whatever else the little GP needed to be spoiled at her new home. The only problem that day was that she had to ride around in the tiny with no room to breath temporary home the pet store sends their pets away in lovely cardboard box the remainder of the day until we were back home that evening. So we took her out a few times while in transit and I can remember how adorable she was. At least she was cute until she pooped on my ex's shirt and then that was the end of that. He made her ride home in the cardboard box the rest of the trip!

So then after a long and exhausting day, we finally arrived home with our new bundle of joy. Ok, so MAYBE that's exaggerating a tad, but it was a new addition to the family and the center of attention for awhile. So after being wollered to death handled by my daughter who was 3 at the time, she became pretty tame. She would run around the living room while we "guinea-pig sat" her. We would put up a "guinea pig gate" of pillows and block her entrance to the kitchen so she had access to the living room area only. Well that was a great idea until one day she ran behind the couch and the cat was in hot pursuit of her. It took 3 people to detain the feline and rescue the poor little GP but we saved her!

Have you ever seen those plastic balls that hamsters like to roll around in? Well I had a GREAT idea one day when I found a guinea pig ball in the store! It was just like the hamster ball but of much larger capacity built just for guinea pigs. That was the best invention of the day when I found that GP toy! So of course I had to purchase our GP a new toy. So I took it home all excited with visions of her running rapidly through the house in her new toy. That way she could be loose and not worry about the ole mean fat cat trying to eat her! Well to my disappointment, the GP just sat in the ball and would not move. I even tried to demonstrate to her how to use it (ok so I didn't crawl in the ball and try it out myself) but I did give her a little push thinking she'd pick up on it. Nope, not a chance. She wouldn't have anything to do with walking around our house in the GP designed travel ball. So my great idea plummeted when I gave her ball away a few months later!

Now I don't know what the average time that a GP is supposed to live. I think I had one for 7 years as a child, but on the average I believe their life span is anywhere from 2-4 years. So as time has passed over the years, our GP began to show her age and I always wondered when the day would come... She had a little plastic house she hid under most of the time so I would always wiggle the cage and say her name to make sure she was still moving!

Well.. the day came. Yesterday. I came home and my normal routine is to feed the cats and the GP right when I get home. So I looked down in the cage and did a double take. Yes, her time had come and she was called home on March 3, 2009. 6 years and 3 weeks to the day after we got her to be exact. She had a long and good life but she was old in GP years.

Another weakness of mine ~ I have a fear or anything dead. I don't know why that is, but there is something about a person or animal laying lifeless that scares the jeebies out of me. It's some phobia I've had since I was a child and I will probably never outgrow it. Well maybe I will outgrow it one day when I am there too but hopefully that's far far away! So in order not to scare my kids with our passed on GP still in the house, I grabbed my phone and dialed up none other than the person than can handle dead pets... my mother. Or allow me to introduce her new given name... "the guinea pig mortician" otherwise known as the "GPM."

So after feeding the rest of her clan of alive animals, the GPM came over to retrieve what GPM's take with them... the lifeless body of our tri-colored 6 year old GP. The GPM did a marvelous job of removing the GP, cage and all from our house. I also told the GPM she was in charge of taking care of all the burial arrangements as well. She was up for the challenge and told me she would take care of it. No worries for me since the GPM can handle matters such as this that I cannot bear to handle.

I guess I should also mention that the GPM not only handled her job well, but she brought a friend with her. Now this is no ordinary friend. This friend was black and white and fat and furry. Or should I say FAT is an understatement. This cute little critter was prego and ready to pop out baby GP's at any moment! The GPM thought that since we lost our precious GP, we needed an immediate replacement that was going to have babies to boot. I told the GPM thanks, but no thanks. No more pet GP(s) for awhile. Maybe someday, but not today. So away she went with our beloved GP, and the alive GP with alive baby GP's in her belly...

Thanks GPM! You did a fabulous job and I couldn't handle dead pets without you GPM. Now this makes me wonder what initials GPM will change to the next go around... GM (goat mortician), SM (sheep mortician), DM (dog mortician), CM (cat mortician) or HM (horse mortician) Hope not!

Happy as a Lark?

I am in thought mode for the moment and thought I would ask the question have you heard the phrase "happy as a lark?" Think about that for a moment. Honestly, what does that really mean? And what is a lark anyway? Maybe I should go look it up on www.dictionary.com which this blonde girl my daughter uses sometimes. Actually the truth is I don't have time at the moment to look it up because I am buried in paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork. I just thought I would you search down deep in your brain for a moment to see if you could define what it meant. If you are so inclined to share with the rest of the world what "happy is a lark" means, please feel free to comment and tell me what it is. You know I once heard the phrase that a woman was "happy as a lark" and guess where it was? It was in the divorce class that parents have to attend. Yes, the woman was happy as a lark to be getting a divorce. I thought it was rather funny then. I have caught myself lately using the same expression lately and told others that I am happy as a lark. I guess I've heard it so many times, it just entered my daily language. But when I stopped to think about it, I realized I didn't even know what a "lark" was. Now my thought on the matter is that it means someone who is happy, go lucky and skips through life with a smile on their face each day. Now this would describe me on most given days. Don't get me wrong; there are some days I am not "happy as a lark" but rather "sappy as a shark." Ok, so that just made absolutely no sense but it sounded good anyways! So are you happy as a lark? I hope you are happy, and not just happy, but I hope you are happy as a lark. Now have a good day and go comment on what this phrase means!