Friday's Blessings...

1. Wonderful friends that are there for me, and are on my side - and tell me when I'm wrong.
2. A loving and compassionate husband who only wants me happy.
3. Two awesome kids that really want to work on being a "family."
4. Neighbors that are like family.
5. Insurance
6. Washing Machine & Dryer that work very well... even though I hate doing laundry!
7. A Home...not just a house with walls etc...but a peaceful, calm HOME!!
8. Memories of my parents... the good is now overcoming the bad!

Thanks for checking out my blog. Things have been very calm and peaceful here...and we heard from our foster son...he is doing well and we are going to see him soon.

Our Great Sadness...

Our oldest foster son has left. It's a long story that I can't share...but our lives will never be the same...and my heart hurts.

Quote

Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor. Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting. - Mother Teresa (1910-1997, Albanian-born Roman Catholic Missionary)

....pressed on every side....

2 Corinthians 4:8 (New Living Translation)

"We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit."

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Well, since my last post in September. Life has been crazy. I've had some major things happen with our foster kids. Hopefully some things will slow down soon.

The first weekend in October, my neighbor Lacy and I went to my ladies groups "Advance" (it's like a retreat). It was so much fun. We went to Youth Haven Ranch in Rives Junction, it was so peaceful and relaxing. The place is a charitable organization dedicated to meeting the emotional and physical needs of today’s disadvantaged children. All children attend Youth Haven free of any charge. We stayed in the Hayloft Conference Center, it was so beautiful.

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On another note... How come some people say they love you. That they will be there for you, and be honest with you. THEN they ignore you, they don't take your phone calls or better yet they get their phones turned off. When they do see you they treat you like you are just a "casual acquaintance" not their COUSIN, not their NEICE, not their AUNT, or even better NOT THEIR SISTER!!! Yep I have "family," blood family.... they've hurt me. What do you do when your FAMILY doesn't want you around or they LIE to your face and then go behind your back and say mean hurtful things, what are we in 5th grade?!?!?!?!?

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As most of you know I've had a lot of loss in my life in the last year...and I don't have time for people that are like the above mentioned. I will not be a door mat ANY LONGER! Love me or hate me... I could care less. I would rather have people say they hate me, than have them say they love me to my face then be two faced behind my back!! If there is ONE thing I've learned from the losses I've had in the past year.... LIFE IS WAY TOO SHORT TO BE WAITING TO BE LOVED BY STUPID PEOPLE THAT DON'T DESERVE MY LOVE IN RETURN.

Look, I'm just venting here. This is where I can do it, without screaming... because I'm NOT in 5th grade!! If you want to be my friend, okay I have no problem with that... just don't go behind my back or use me to watch your kid or do stuff for you..... be my FRIEND!!

Friday Late Night Crop @ Luv 2 Scrap

Friday night was a sad but exciting night for me. It was the last Late Night Crop for my home away from Home, Luv 2 Scrap. It's the closest scrapbooking store in my area. I just love the people there. I've learned so much from not only the employees & owner of the store but from other customers that I've come to know as friends. I don't know what really draws me to that place. Even when I have no money I want to go in and just walk around or sit and talk to Louella or one of the other girls that work there. My heart fell to the bottom of my toes when I got the email. It's like another death in a long line of deaths. Michigan's economy is really bad, a lot small businesses like Luv 2 Scrap are going under because they just keep up. Not to mention high cost of gas (it was $4.25 the other day!!) and people are spending their money on bills, food and other NEEDS, not the wants of a scrapbook or supplies.



It was really exciting because she gave us this really COOL coupon, 75% off our entire purchase!!!! I felt really guilty, because I don't like gaining at someone else's expense...especially someone I count as one of my dearest friends. It was a lot of fun and I got 5 layouts finished for our family book. (I'm about a year behind, working on September 2007). I got to see a lot of friends that I haven't seen since my parents deaths and I met another lady, who I count as a new friend. It was so busy, if only it could have been that busy before...then the store wouldn't be closing.


I got 2 more pages done today, so adding those to what I did this week... I finished a total of 19 pages done this week...YAH ME!! Thanks for your comments left on my scrapping space. I've added paper racks, a lamp and a computer chair all from Luv 2 Scrap. When I went to pick up the chair Louella told my kids, "We're retiring your momma's chair," I almost started crying!!


On a personal note: The meds I am taking for the migraines and the new glasses are working...I think. I've only had 3 headaches since I got my glasses about 3 weeks ago. YAH!!! But the meds are having a weird affect on me. My face has turned into an oil slick, UGH I've had more zits than when I was a teenager!!! (Thank God for Photoshop!) And I will start crying for no reason... geesh I'm tired of that...and so is my husband!! And for those of you who want to see a pic of my new glasses... I will add one of them... I don't like my face right now, because of the oil slick make-up doesn't stay on long...I will try and get a pic before church or after...

Until my next blog update, be blessed, hug someone today - you will live longer!!

More pics of my scrap area...

Hi guys.... here are some pics of my scrap area. It has rained here in Michigan all day on Saturday and all day today. Geesh, we've got some of our streets flooded, and our churches basement had a lot of water in it (the sump pump broke), so my hubby was out in the pouring rain and fixed it... I LOVE my "Mr. Fix-It!!"

My scrapping plans for Sunday was to sit at my table and scrap... Okay I got 2, yes TWO pages done. Well, two is two more than I had done before this morning. LOL!!

I have a doctors appointment on Monday (nothing major, just physicals for the agency, so we can be foster parents).

If I were a flower I would be.... a daisy. I don't know why other than daisies are my favorite flower and I love them for their beauty. It's that simple... I think they are pretty...so I love them. I would rather get a dozen daisies over a dozen roses anyday! Now don't get me wrong, I will accept any flowers any day.... but if I had to choose...it would be daisies.

A quick HELLO

Hello friends, I wanted to stop by and say hello. And to show you my new scrap area. There is one good thing that come out of my favorite Scrapbooking Store closing. I got a bookshelf for my scrap area. I don't have an actual room, I have a corner in my bedroom. I got the small kitchen table and chair at a yard sale for $5 two years ago. Then I have this heart shelf that I got at another yard sale for $1. I have all the stuff that inspires me all around. The empty shelf is for some paper racks that I got from that scrap store, but they are not ready yet, they still have paper on them.

Never Forget...

We need to NEVER FORGET what it cost to be FREE!! Continue to pray for those who lost loved ones on that dreadful day. Hug your family... and be there for them. Tomorrow is NOT guaranteed, we only have NOW...and now is the time for LOVE!

Back to School....

Back to school was this week... it's been so crazy here. My husband is finally all better from his kidney stones!! Praise God, he is done being crabby!!! LOL We have half days for the first 2 days of school, (don't ask me, I think it's crazy!) so my boys started on Tuesday, entering into 4th and 2nd grade. Man it seems like just yestreday my oldest was starting 1st grade!! Then after school on Day 1, we had to go get physicals done for DS #1 and DD, that went fairly smooth. (DS is Dear Son, and DD is Dear Daughter). Then we relaxed at home most of the night, at least that is my story and I'm sticking to it!! On Wednesday we had a very busy day, DS #1 & #2 went to school, DD had KINDERGARTEN Orientation!!! Whaaaaa!! Then last of the physicals for DS #2 (And oh my goodness, I thought their ears were all plugged, because all three of them touched everything in the exam room, going through drawers and touching everything they saw. By the time we got out of there I said their names at least 20 times!) Ran out of the doctor's office and picked up my DH (Dear Husband) and then off to therapy....by the time we got home at 6 pm I didn't feel like making anything!!! UGH!!

Then on Thursday my DD started Kindergarten.... she came home off the bus with a frown on her face...here is how the conversation went...

Me: "So how did you like school?" (kind of hoping she would hate it and want to stay home, she is my baby... :( what am I gonna do while she is gone every afternoon?)

DD: "I'm done with school, I hate it!"

Me: "Why honey, what happen?"

DD: "NOTHING, I don't want to talk about it...."

Later at home, DD comes up to me crying...

Me: "What's wrong?"

DD: "I was really bad at school."

Me: "How, what happened?"

DD: "I was talking in line and my teacher told me to stop and I didn't, and I had to sit in time out!" (You must know she loves to talk...and so does her mother! LOL)

Me: "Oh honey, it's ok. Just try to do better tomorrow."

DD: "I'm not going back, I'm staying with you!!"

On Friday my DD came off the bus happy and said she loved school. So that didn't last too long.

So today is Saturday and I had big plans for today, I wanted to clean around my scrap table and organize some of it.... yeah didn't happen yet. It's 4:36 PM (EST), and I haven't even touched any of it. I think it has been so busy here... that I just needed down time. Kids have been playing and being really good and I have been playing on the lap top. Maybe soon, I will get off my but and get to cleaning!! I am really embarassed to show you this pic of my desk...but here it is...

I hope you all have a GREAT day!!

Why dogs are the best pets!!

Hello all.. I found this quote in a training book. I thought it was cool, so I wanted to share it with everyone. (Don't get me wrong, I like birds, I like cats and any other pets... but in my opinion Dogs are the BEST!)

"Dogs are honest. They don't lie. The don't change their minds in the middle of something. They also don't understand gray areas such as sometimes, maybe and it's okay this time but not next time." This is so true, all they KNOW is Love, Loyalty, Companionship, and Play with me.... :) They are completely dependent on you, and you are the one person (or family) that they look to for protection, love, instruction and food.

And puppies, man it's a really good thing they are cute, because when I walked in the door last night I almost fainted. Some how Tucker unlocked his crate, and got into the trash, then somehow pushed the shut bathroom door open, and got into the trash and chewed up on the loose tile around the toliet. (granted my hubby wanted to fix it this weekend because it was loose, but now he has to replace it completely). What a mess!!! But he is so cute, and when we walked in the door, he ran to use and wagged his little tail and was so happy to see us.

And really who wouldn't want to cuddle a puppy?! The most therapeutic thing I can do is cuddle my puppy. Their warm little bodies and fresh odors (except for the time his is sleeping in the middle of the room with your friends there, and he farts! Ewwww, that was horriable!!), including the milk breath, are wonderful!! It settles my soul and clears my mind. When my puppy & my older dog, my best friend and companion is cuddled up next to me on the sofa right at my feet or on my bed while I read...I feel so loved and all is right with the world!

There is a reason dogs are considered "Man's best friend" Well okay, "WOMEN's Best Friend!!"

More than a Father....

More than a father, more than a friend, our love has no limit, our friendship no end. Although I cannot see you, I known I'm not alone. 'Cause my daddy's always with me, Even though we are apart, I know because you told me, you'll forever be in my heart'. Sometimes when I close my eyes, I see you sitting there in your chair and I climb on your lap and lay my head on your shoulder...and I am a child again.

By: Sherry Lyn Carsten (5-20-08)

Ok gang, I'm really missing my dad. Don't get me wrong, I miss my mom still... but my dad was there every day, my dad was my last connection to my past. With my mom, I feel there was closer, I made peace with her, and I did all I could to keep my promises to her. My dad was a different story, I was very close to my dad even though growing up was hard, once I became an adult and stuff we became closer. Ever since my grandpa died in 1997, I knew that I was left "in charge" of his things, and in the hospital. Well at the end he changed it all to his "friend" who's his ex-girlfriend...and I like her don't get me wrong, but I felt like he didn't trust me or that, well that honor was stolen from me. My dad had lung cancer and it was bad, and his suffering only got worse. I think back to those last couple days at the hospital. I know he loved me, because when I got there on Friday afternoon, I came up to the bed and leaned over and said "Daddy I'm here." and touched his hand and he grabbed my hand and wouldn't let go, even when I tried to sit down, he held on tighter.

Maybe I sould take down his photos and not look at them anymore. Maybe those are reminders....I just miss him so much. I feel like I am an orphan. I really don't have any family left. My grandparents are all gone, my siblings all live too far away, my neices & nephews all have their lives and live all over the place and both my parents are gone. Now I have some aunts and uncles but none that I am close to at all....I just feel all alone (family alone, does that make sense?). Thank God for my husband, his family and my friends... I would be alone then.

Well it's 12:22 am on Thursday and I don't feel like blogging about the blog challenge, so I will say goodbye for now...

Much Love from Michigan,
Sherry Lyn

Before I go to bed tonite, I'm going to...

....Hug all of my kids and husband, tell them I love them and always will love 'em!

Ok, I'm being very sappy today. I woke up this morning and something was weighing on me. I am missing my family, so very very much. When something is important to you, you show up... you make it happen... you work your butt off to be with that person. And it's sad to say sometimes you don't know that it is important or that people are in your life are really important. As we grow up we just think those people that are in your lives are just always going to be there...and they're not. I so want to just pick up the phone and call my dad, my mom, my sister, my grandma & my step dad. I just don't feel like there was enough closer with some of them...and really I think that is what is weighing on me.

Ok, so we are planning a trip for Labor day to spend time with my husband's family. So I will not be around from Friday to Monday... then school starts... YIPPEE, I am so ready for the kids to be in school and to have a break. :)

Tremendously Sad News!

I am in a load of shock, because my Local Scrapbook Store is closing down. :( I am really tremendously sad. :( Michigan's economy is so very bad and the store isn't making a profit. I am so sad. I sat and cried for an hour when I found out. Not to sound selfish...but how on God's green earth am I gonna get my pages done!?!?

My friend from Faith Sisters made me this really cool siggie. I love it!!

Creativity...

Why is creativity important?


Dictionary.com says that Creativity is the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; Creativity isn't just about art. We can be creative in many ways... the language we use, the sounds we make, the clothes we wear, the way we dance. Anyone can be creative even if they can't paint, dance or sing....they can SCRAPBOOK! Anyone can scrapbook, even if you don't think you can do it! I was talking to my new friend the other day, she was showing me her scrapbooks that she is working on. She made the comment "I know they're not very good, I just don't know how to do scrapping very well yet." And without thinking I commented back... "No one can tell you what is right and what is wrong, scrapbooking is about getting the memories that you and your family make. And about having fun! Going to crops, meeting new people and making lifelong memories and friends."



Now why is it important to me, well I have lots of ways that I "think" I'm creative in different areas of my life and I am surrounded by many creative people. I do crafts with my children, we have so much fun painting and creating different works of art. I love seeing my little girls' face when she is creating her masterpieces, and both my boys are so proud when they come home from school with a new "gift" for me, and when I "oooh" & "ahhh" over them they are even more prouder, makes me smile. My husband is a very creative trim carpenter and he has been creative in wood shop and art class. He has a couple of really cool snow mobile pitcures and a tin stamping of a snow mobile... he had given them to his grandparents and his grandmother gave them to him when his grandpa died. It was really awesome to see the look on my husband's face when she gave it to him. And when he shows me the stuff that he does in the houses that he works on.... man he is like a peacock. Now me, I guess I'm creative, I mean I LOVE to scrapbook and I know that is creative [to a point, I mean I scraplift a lot... shhh don't tell ;)] and people have told me that the photos I take are so creative. I sing almost every Sunday at church, and that expresses my creativeness. I write poetry, that runs in my family on my mother's side. My sister, mother, grandmother and great grandfather all wrote poems and my mother's sisters (my aunt's) also write poems, maybe some day I will share some of my or my mother's poems and my mother also crochet blankets for all her children and grandchildren. On my father's side, my grandmother did some beautiful embroidery on just about anything on top of other sewing that she did. My father and grandfather did their own kind of art when made their own fishing lures and my father created lots of leather pieces such as wallets and belts. So I have had creative people around me my whole life. And it rubbed off. :)





I believe God is the author of creativity. Really look at the world and all it's beauty. Like a sunset or a mountain top. The colors, the details, and the complexities of the many pieces that make up any of God's creations. I would like to think that when I create my art, either by photos, scrapbook pages, poems or even singing I honor God. How do you create?



These photos are just some of the art that surrounds me. I hope you enjoy them.

Sassy Saturday... UGH

Well, the Yard Sale was a flop, we made $20!!! All that work for NOTHING!! Our new neighbors came over and hung out with us, so we got to know them better... and guess what.... she is a new scrapbooker!!! How cool!!! We've made plans for when the kids go back to school, for her to come over and scrapbook together, and she wants to learn how to do some things. Hopefully I've made a great new friend. :)

Now on to the challenge...

Something nobody knows about me is...

Well, I guess nobody (but my hubby) knows that I secretly dream of learning to play the violin. I would really love to play at church. Most everyone knows that I love music so this shouldn't be a shocker for those people. And really I am an open book.

So my husband finally passed his kidney stones... YIPEE!! He is finally feeling better!!

Everyone have a GREAT Sunday and be blessed!!

Fun Friday!

One thing you want to accomplish today?....

Well, I want to finish pricing things for my yard sale that I am having on Saturday. The yard sale is part of my organizing effort. I went through my kitchen, my bathroom, the kids' rooms & my bedroom... and now everything is piled in the livingroom. I wanted to have the Yard sale this saturday so if I don't get it done today then I am going to have to aim for another weekend... which I'm sick of having all this junk in my living room... so I might just chuck the whole yard sale idea and donate the whole lot to Goodwill or something.

On a personal note, I still have a headache, not as bad.... but it's still there. I'm still waiting for my glasses to get in. Hopefully when I call today they will be there, and I can get there and stop these headaches!!

Vacation Pics... (Blog Challenge)

Hey friends, today's Blog Challenge is "When you do vacation pic. Do you make a different book for each vacation or all in one book?"

Well, I don't do a different book for each vacation. I do, however, do different books at the same time. I have a family book, that contains everything we do as a family, kids' school pics and special family events such as birthdays. I have just finished a book about my husband growing up (kind of like a baby book). I have three special 8x8 books one is a memory book on my grandparents. I have lots of different photos of them and their life together. The other 8x8 is of Marty & I and our life together, from dating to 2005. And then I did a "Book about me" for a challenge last year. I have our wedding album that I just finished last year, it's a 12x12. I have other books that I am working on, 1st a book about my childhood (since I got some more pics from my mom's estate) and the other one is on my roots, really on my great grandparents... Other books I want to do is memory books on my dad and mom now that they are gone. I still have a ton of pics of my neices and nephews so I probley should do something on them.

Now vacations are fun, and they are spent mostly up north at my in- law's place. My favorite places in Michigan to visit is the Mackinac Bridge and Mackinaw City. I love the fudge and all the history.

Well, I still have a headache...but I am supose to get my eye glasses today, this afternoon, waiting for hubby to get here to pick me up when he gets his check. We got some major grocery shopping to do and get my glasses. So maybe my headache will go away after I get my glasses.

Headaches...!!!

I don't blog as much as I used to because I've had these really horriable headaches. I've been to my family doctor, a Neurologist, and now to an eye doctor. Ok, my family doc sent me to the neurologist, the neurologist gave me anti-depressants to control my headache (can't tell you how many times I have found myself cyring for absolutely no reason) and then sent me to see an eye doc and told me to never go to a chiropractor, so I went to see the eye doc... and he told me to go see a chiropractor and gave me the news that I have to have glasses!! (I'm too young to have glasses... I am too young, right?) Does anyone have any experience with a chiropractor, should I go? What do you think about chiropractors?? Ok, well that's it for now. :)

A little bit about Walker

Hello my friends, having Tucker here, reminds me so much of Walker. I wrote this little piece just after we lost him, yes I got some ideas off of a rainbow bridge site, but it just fit him so much....I wanted to share it with you but I couldn't... after 4 months, I think I am ready.

"Walker our Beloved Friend and Companion"

October 29, 1995 to April 12, 2008

Walker was 13 years and 6 months young. Yes, young. Even though parts of him were old and slowing down he was still young at heart. Still game to chase a toy when he could see where we threw it. Still ready to insist that he follow my husband anywhere at anytime. Some days it was so hard for him to get up and down stairs, most days he took long naps & watch Maggie try to get him to play...and some days he did play with her, but he still wanted to please us with all that he was. Even at the end, Walker was charming all those who met him, even at the vet's office where we had him put down. He and my husband had a special bond, they were more than owner and dog, they were best friends, I still can see Walker wagging his long tail in love when he heard my husband's voice or when he heard my husband's truck pull into our driveway. He met every new experience with a smile, ears forward and tail aloft (oh that tail it knocked over plently of nick nacks or photos!). He was foremost among the elbow nudgers, and just plain in your face until you pet him; he saw no point in a hand lying idle when it could be put to better use scratching an ear, head or better his rear end.

Time is cruel, but Walker's light heart carried him through the years cheerfully. His life was well lived. He blessed every life he came in contact with. How could we ask him to go on in pain?

We love you Walker and can't wait until we see you in Heaven! But until then, enjoy your time at the rainbow bridge... we love you buddy!

Please vote for Maggie

Hello Friends - I was wondering if you all could vote for Maggie at Greatest American Dog

Thanks.

More pics of Tucker...

He is so smart! I've already taught him to go up and down the stairs and how to sit. We are still working on the potty, but that will come in time.

We had to take my husband into the ER this morning. He woke up in severe pain, the doctor says that he has a kidney stone... OUCH!!

Well after 4 months of not having Walker, my husband just couldn't stand it, he was talking to our neighbor and her sister is a breeder, and we got a 12 week old Shetland Sheepdog. He is totally cute, and Maggie is already loving having a dog around to play with. We named him Tucker. He is so beautiful, and so very smart. I've started training already, he isn't house broken yet and is wouldn't go up and down the stairs when we first got him, and he is doing that now (he is really freaked about going through doors.) and we went for a walk tonight and he walked some. We will get there... it's just really hard training when I've got 3 kids talking to him and confusing him. LOL!!

I saw my husband smile tonight, and I think it's the first REAL smile since we had to have Walker put down in April!! Tucker is his dog already, even though Maggie is getting really jealous! Oh yeah, we are not getting him "fixed" because the breeder would like to stud him with another puppy when she gets old enough. (NOT related to Tucker!) LOL!

Our family needed something to smile about!!

It's Thrify Thursday!!!

Hey gang... Well I am having a Yard Sale in a couple of weeks so I've been busting my hinney off to clean everything!! My husband and I cleaned out our kitchen, I can't believe that we had so much JUNK!! We have lived in the same place for the past 13 years, so things just kept piling up... literally! We set a date for the yard sale, and I started with my scrapbook area (because there was more than just scrap stuff there), then I went through the kids' rooms (toys & clothes), then went to the kitchen... now today is a relax day, Friday & Saturday I'm gonna bust out my living room, the rest of my bedroom and the two sheds. Then maybe I will be ready.

My goal for the yard sale is to clean out our house and get more organized. So here is my question... I would like you my readers to place a comment on this post and give me your organizing tips... :)

Thanks guys!!

Jeans Purse

Hello my friends...

I got a call this morning from my friend, she was in tears and finally she tells me that her 5 year old was in extreme pain and can't find any one to watch her other kids. Of corse I tell her to bring here it will be no problem for me to watch her 3 other kids. So today I had a 13 year old boy that thought he knew everything, told me I was changing diapers wrong to that I was cooking grill cheese wrong... UGH, my 9 & 7 year old foster sons, my 4 year old foster daughter, my friends 2 year old, and her 6 month old foster daughter.... AHHHHHH!!

Even though I had SIX kids I did some really fun stuff!! I made a purse out of a pair of old jeans. Anyone wanna know how I did it, just email and I will let you know how I did it.

BTW: Thanks for the comments on yestreday's blog. :)

It's been a while....

Hello all... I know I know, I've been gone for an aweful long time. My life has been crazy crazy and yep you guessed it crazy. All three of my foster kids where in baseball. UGH, Sunday to Thursday nights were spent at the ball field. I had my surgery as you know in May. Well I still have some moments when my throat just doesn't feel the same. Like at a baseball game I was yelling for my 9 year old, he was up at bat and wasn't doing very good, and I yelled his name and half way through yelling "It's okay just shake it off," I lost my voice!!

Since I've been to the Neurologist and started the meds he put me on I've only had ONE headache and fewer daily headaches. Well, except for when I ran out of meds and the pharmacy couldn't get me the meds without talking to the doctor, then I had a MAJOR headache... what was happening was my eyes were twitching, [okay this is hard to explain...so please excuse the really hard explaination :)], what I saw was flashing light - kind of like a stroub light - very annoying, and it felt like my eyeballs were spinning which made me very dizzy and I was very sick to my stomach... Oh boy it was aweful!! But better now that I'm back on the meds.

My husband hurt his back at work... 5 days with him on muscle relaxers and pain meds.... UGH!! That wasn't fun. But he is all better now and back to working like a crazy man. I thought I would share this photo of him... lol it's one of my favorites. I love him so much!!

I got to scrapbook last Friday and Saturday, I got 14 pages done!! I would share, but they have my foster kids on them and I can't share their photos.

Well, goodbye for now, and God bless you all!!

Quick Hello!

Hello all. I went to a Neurologist on Thursday to find out why I keep getting these horriable headaches!! I'm all healed from my surgery, and talking fine. I haven't scrapped in a while...I just haven't felt like it. Hoping to get to it soon. I would like to get last year's school year done before a new school year starts. LOL

Thought I would share a quote from Beauty & the Beast

"The rarest kind of love, to surrender yourself completely to your heart, to trust in it fully, to believe in it without doubting, to let it guide your life...."

Surgery scheduled...

Yep that's right, I have to go and have my tonsils out. I go for out-patient surgery on May 28th. One tonsil is much larger than the other, and is causing a lot of pain. The doctor is really concerned because of the larger one. He will be doing a biopsy on it, also he thinks there maybe something inside of the larger one. I will not be able to do a lot, no picking up, no bending, no talking etc... YUCK!!

But the doctor said that doing this will help with all the infection that I've been having and the headaches and other problems.

NEW Genealogy Blog

I created a blog at blogspot to put any new information I get on the families I am researching, (both mine and my husbands). I have also added a listing of research resources. So if you have any that you think would be helpful please send me the links. You can also comment on the entries and leave any research you have found.

You can find it at http://sheritasgenealogy.blogspot.com/

If your interested in Genealogy come on by and check it out... :)

How you live... by Point of Grace

I found a new song that is just awesome... it's what I think my parents would say to me now.






Enjoy!! I hope you Turn up the Music!!

Maggie!!

Hello friends, I don't know if I've ever talked about my Shih Tzu, Maggie. Maggie will be 6 years old on June 14th. We adopted her in the month of July of 2002. You can read all about how we got Maggie on her webpage (I haven't updated it in about 2 years, and now I can't find the password... so don't laugh!!) She is really missing Walker so I thought I would post a little about her. She is my baby, but she has been really hanging with my hubby... I think she is sensing his sadness... playing with him and laying with him etc. It really cute to see him play with her. She is mooping around the house and laying around in Walker's spots, she keeps whinning when we leave and she walks around looking for Walker.

Everyone have a GREAT day!!

Congrats Thad & Jeanette!

Friends of our got married over the weekend, and I took their wedding photos... I had so much fun and I think I got some really great shots

This is our Wedding Wishes to the Happy Couple!

May you always find shelter in one another's arms...

May you always find warmth in one another's touch...

May you always find love in one another's heart.

Starting to heal...

I've been to the doctor about a million times, and finally after going to the After Hours clinic, the doctor there said she "knew exactally" what was wrong with me!! She gave me cough med and an antibiotic...and she said after 10 days I should feel better!! YIPEE!!!

I found this photo somewhere here on the internet, but I fell in love with it, the dog is a Border Collie, just like our Walker was. And the the little girl in this pic is just so beautiful!!

Another death in our family!!!

We had to put our beloved friend and companion Walker to sleep this morning. He born October 29, 1995. We rescued him from the Humane Society in January 1996. He was really getting up there in age and was in a lot of pain. He couldn't hear anymore, he couldn't control his potty times, he was really having a lot of problems walking and to top it all off he was falling a lot. We noticed this weekend that his back legs and hips were out of wack and he looked in a lot pain. We also noticed that all he was doing was sleeping.

We are going to miss our baby. My husband is having a hard time, this was his buddy. I hope we did the right thing, it doesn't feel like it, because he isn't here to trip over.... he was 88 lbs :)

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Check out Walker's website... http://shihtzuluv_mi.tripod.com/walker.html

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Happy Birthday to me.... :)

I got this wonderful bouquet delivered to our house yesterday!! My wonderful husband sent these to me. I think I have the best hubby in the world. I am 36 years old today. :) Yes I can admit my age...now my weight? NO WAY, Nobody but my hubby and my doctor know my weight! LOL

It was kind of weird to have a birthday without one of my parents calling me or sending me a card. To those of you that read my blog, I think I am going to counseling within the next few weeks. I'm just not feeling better and all the meds that the doctor is putting me on isn't making me feel any better!

Things I've heard....

....in the last 2 months since my father's death...

1. I don't know HOW your making it.


2. I would be devastated.


3. It was just your parents, not like your husband or child (yeah I heard that!).


4. Your (mom/dad) would be so proud of you.


5. Really, HOW are you doing it?


6. Well, at least you weren't very close to your parents. (WHAT?!!)


7. How are you doing?


8. You are stronger than you think.

............. and........................

9. You remind me of your (mom/dad) so much!!

I just can't believe how much I miss my parents. Yes, I wasn't very close to my mom, but I loved her so very much!! My grandma passed away in June of 2007, so since June 2007 I've lost my grandma, my mom, my great uncle, my husband's grandpa, & my dad...so if they come in "3's" then I got one more.... but I don't think I can handle one more!! This is a pic of my dad, me and my grandma (yes there was other people in the pic, but I cropped them out because I cut around their heads, and I couldn't crop it so it looked good. So I cropped!) This pic was taken at our Vincent Family Reunion August 17, 1997; 14 days after my grandpa died.

I really love that song "Heaven" by Andy Griggs; there is a line in that says "If Heaven was a town it would be my town oh on summer day in 1985, and everything that I wanted was out there waitin' and everyone I loved was still alive...." I think if I could pick a year to go back to it would be 1994, I was married for a year and everyone I love was still alive... my grandparents (all except my grandpa Lash he died before I was born), my parents, & my sister they were still here and I would take as many pics as I could... maybe I would go back to my wedding day, so I could get more pics of my family together.

Well enough of my rambles... Have a Blessed day and Hug your loved ones and NEVER put off til tomorrow what SHOULD be done (or said) today!!

April Fools.... LOL

Hello my friends... Okay so I know that April Fools is only on April 1st...but really who really cares?! LOL

I'm starting to feel a lot better!! I've spent more time at the Doctors or at our pharmacy's waiting room and on the phone with my insurance company more than I ever wanted to be! Again, I'm on a ton of meds (5 total) and I hate taking pills. It's such a horriable thing to be on this many pills.

I haven't done much scrapbooking; digital or traditional. But I've spent a few days working on genealogy. I love genealogy, almost as much as scrapbooking, and I forgot how much I love it.

Well I am gonna let ya'll go for now... Have a blessed April!!

Doctor Frustrations...

Hey all.... I went to see my doctor this morning. She wasn't concerned with anything that I was there to see her for. I went there orginally because I was really tired and thirsty and seeing spots, she did blood work and found that my C holesterol was real high, and so was my Triglycerides; ok so those are high and she says they are not what are making me tired and etc, she says that has to do with stress... OHHHH no really?!?! I am gonna be on a very limited DIET! I can't eat this or that, and I have to eat things I don't like. UGH!! And she wants me to start working out, but I'm not gonna until this dizziness is gone!! I still feel like I don't have an answer.

Evening in the ER

Hello friends.... I spent the night in the ER last night. I was extremely dizzy (I felt I was on a Merry-go-round that was going really fast!), nausea, vomiting, severe headache, extreme weakness, palpitations, and that strobe light in my eyes... well the doctor said it was Vertigo... can you believe it?! Basically it is thought to be caused by a virus infection involving the inner ear or an unusual migraine headache. She gave me a prescription and sent me home at 1:15 AM!! I slept most of the day.

Side Effects :( UGH!

Hello Blogger Friends... Yep I have had some major side effects. I took the Prednisone, along with all the other meds and YUCK! I had serious problems, massive muscle pain, weakness, dizziness, my vision was really messed up- it was like a strobe light was going on in my eyes, I was shaking very bad, very nervous, and then I started vomiting. I called the doctor and got the service and they had a covering doc to call me, and she had me stop taking the meds and wants me to call my doctor on Monday. I have an appointment Monday so I will talk to her then. Right now my head hurts, my muscles are still sore (just not as bad as it was last night), and I am really tired. Last night was very scary, my legs and my arms got really stiff like, like all my muscles tightened up and wouldn't release. UGH!! Well, that's it for now... gotta lay down. Thanks for the prayers and the emails & comments. I love ya guys!

MIA...

Hello friends, I know that I've been missing in action for a few days. But I've been really really sick. I just haven't had any energy at all. I just have wanted to sleep all day long. I went to the doctor on Friday the 14th she ordered blood work, pregnancy test (which was negative) and finished the antibiotics I got when I went to the After Hours Clinic last Sunday. I still didn't feel good at all, so the doctor wanted to see me again. I went yesterday afternoon. The blood work came back, I didn't have Mono... Yippee!! But my cholesterol was real high, and so was my Triglycerides. The doctor told me I was a very sick girl... I knew that... Haha! I have Bronchitis again, which she is VERY concerned that I've had Bronchitis 4 times since December. She believes that I have Asthma again. I had Asthma as a child and have since been borderline asthmatic, so she has be on a Nebulizer with Albuterol at least 3 times a day (or as needed for cough), my insurance didn't cover the Nebulizer so I barrow a friends until my insurance covers it, it only needs pre-authorization from a doctor or something like that UGH! The Nebulizer is $215, so there is NO WAY we can afford that now, so pray that the insurance will come through and pay for it!! She also has me on a steroid called Prednisone, which is a pain in the butt because I have to take 6 pills for two days then 5 for two days, then 4 for two days, then 3, then 2, then 1. She was thinking I cracked a rib with all my coughing or at the very least bruised one, so she gave me Tramadol for that pain. I haven't taken any yet because since I got a good night sleep last night I haven't had the pain in my ribs or chest... and it says 'as needed for pain' so I haven't taken any. She also prescribed Phenergan with Codeine to take at night for the cough, and boy did I sleep last night. I woke up in the same position I laid down in... LOL!! This morning I woke up so rested I thought 'Wow already?' I got up, the kids don't have school today, so I made breakfast. Then I swept and mopped the kitchen floor, helped the kids with their chores and started a load of laundry. Now it's after lunch and I am tired, so little princess is taking a nap, and the two princes are playing in their room. And I am gonna lay down and take a nap myself. Marty is working today and is very close, so if there is any problems he can be home in like 5 minutes.

Speaking of the kitchen floor. In a past post I told you about the IPod Shuffle Marty got me from doing a friends' floor. Well, the other cool thing about that is that for doing the floor he got enough floor to do our kitchen, so I have a new kitchen floor it's so nice! I didn't know if I would like wood floor, because we have it in the bathroom and it collects everything in the seems, and it's VERY hard to get out... but this floor is "seemless" so that's VERY cool!! Here are some pics of the work, and the finished product.

15 Years!! :)

Well today is my wedding anniversary, 15 years of marriage sure went by fast. :) Marty & I went to Applebees for a lunch date. I had Potato Cheesy Soup and a salad, Marty had steak and potatoes. Never anything different with him the same stuff everytime we go anywhere to eat!

Our wedding day was so snowy. We almost had to cancel the wedding because the roads were almost all closed down. Even so we had over 150 people at the wedding. They had to start feeding the guests before we were even done with the photos, because it was standing room only down stairs. The weather was really bad, when we went from the church to the car I was walking really slow because I was walking on ice. Marty had a hold of my dress and my vail blew away when I bent down to get in the car. We laughed so hard. Today sure doesn't look like it did 15 years ago. It's Sunny and 43 degrees. Surely NOT the blizzard we had that day.

Chills and Fever

That is what I am dealing with. My fever broke this morning at 5:30 AM. I am so very tired. My throat hurts so bad, and right now I can't really talk. Talking comes and goes, yestreday when I ate ice cream I could talk for about an hour.

Well, Friday I will know what the doctor says. Thanks for the emails. :-)

Went to see a Doctor

Sunday afternoon, I went to see the After hours doctor at a local clinic. I have a sinus infection and Bronchitis. She told me that I need to not have any stress in my life for at least a week, because she thinks that I've had too much going on in my life. Ha ha ha, that is too funny. 2 of my brothers and I met at an attorney's office yestreday - trying to get things done that needs to get done for my mother's will. It's been 3 months and still my brother hasn't done anything! UGH!! My neice is moving to Florida, and may not be back for a very long time!! I'm on a heavy dose of Penicilln, and I am so very tired. Hopefully start to feel better soon, our 15th anniversary is on the 13th, my middle son has a birthday on the 14th.

Thoughts for the day...

Hey guys. I found this pic on an email that Maureen sent me for Sister's week. I thought it was totally cute! I laughed and laughed. I don't feel like laughing much anymore....but this did it for me. :D

I really don't know what to blog about, so I checked out the 2 peas challenge for today, and it is "Do you try to memorialize someone that has passed in a special way? If so how..." Ha ha Maureen is this for me?? Yes I memorialize people that have passed away. I make sure I have their photos up in the house, so we don't forget them. I scrapbook them, I have tons of pages on those who have passed away, grandparents, parents, and uncles. I go to their graves on special days and I leave flowers, balloons, cards and photos. I have made slide shows of those that I love. I remember them every second of every day! I have saved all of my grandma's clothes to make a quilt, but I haven't learned how to quilt, and I don't like to sew...but one day I will find someone to make a quilt for me with low cost. I saved 2 of my dad's flannel shirts and I am gonna have made a teddy bear. My kids and I have balloons and write letters to those we love that are no longer with us and let them go, so that they will get them in Heaven. We talk about my dad with the kids to help them remember what he was like.

What gives me JOY!!

Today's blog challenge~ What five things in life give you joy?

1. Scrapbooking
2. Spending time with my husband
3. My children's laughter & happiness
4. Seeing my dog having fun... and cuddling with me on my bed
5. A Clean House!!!

Wow, things are going better. I keep remembering of that day in the hospital with my dad, and none of the trouble, abuse or hurt was there, it was just me & my dad - he loved me and I loved him! So I did this Layout of the letter I found and a photo of my dad holding me 3 days old.

Journaling: (okay, I can't really read the first paragraph and my dad's spelling isn't the greatest...) "Having your children with you, and having them around all the time, and growing up with them, and to love them all the time. For I have a Daughter her name is Sherry and I love her a lot, for to be with her would mean a lot to me.For I would give the world to be with her right here and now. For she is everything to me she is my life, my hope and my world all in one. For I pray the Lord god is with her all the days of her life. For I hope she will be with God laws, and grows to love God as I do. For if she lives with God and pray for what she needs, God will give it to her."

Credits: Paper by Raspberry Road, Heart from the "sbs hearts" kit by Pineapple Plantation Designs and the Photo frame is "Candy Jar" by TammyKat Designs

2 Peas Challenge

Share something you were able to created this weekend.

Ok, here is the last thing I created on February 29, 2008.

Journaling: "In 1980 my dad became a clown, he did that for a couple of years, he had a lot of fun with it. His name was Cupcake and his friend's name was Pockets."

Credits: Raspberry Road

Oh yeah, my husband got me an iPod Shuffle last night. He is doing a floor for friends of ours and she said to Marty "If you get this far, you can have this..." and he did it!! So I have a new iPod Shuffle... :)

Daddy & Momma

Hey guys... I am doing ok. There are days that I miss my daddy & momma so much... it's really weird because I never had a great relationship with them, but now I miss them like crazy! This isn't a great pic of my parents together, but it's the only one I have of them together. It's on their wedding day August 11, 1971. My mom was 1 month preggers for me... :)!!

I really am doing better day by day. It's just so much death in so little of time.

• June 21, 2007 - my Grandma died. My mother & I started talking again, and regaining a relationship. The last time we really had a relationship was before my other grandma's funeral in June of 2000.


• December 6, 2007 - my momma died, and we were just starting to really reconnect.


• December 30, 2007 - my husband's grandfather died... it was really hard because Grandpa was such a sweet guy.


• January 9th, we had the anniversary of my sister's death, she died Jan. 9, 2006.


• February 16, 2008 - my daddy passed.

I'm really tired of people telling me to get some grief counseling or a support group. I really don't think I need that. Thanks for all your prayers.

Numb...

I feel so numb at times. My dad went into the hospital in mid January, and I've noticed since then that there are times I am just fine & awake one minute, then the next minute I am exhausted and even fall asleep. But in the last week since we were done at my dad's apartment and I've been home, I've noticed that when that happens I am extremely thristy for water, which makes sense why I've been running to the potty A LOT! And yestreday I noticed that when I bent down to get something off the floor and I got back up I was seeing stars... or dots. I don't have health insurance so this is really putting fear in my heart... but isn't that what the devil will try and do??

Last night I was at Bible study and someone said the word "dead" and that kicked me to the hospital room. I was holding my dad's hand telling him how much I loved him and how much I will miss him, and him struggling to say "I love you" back to me. I talked to my dad's "friend" who he put in charge last night and she said she found more stuff for me in the paper work she had to go through... and she was going on and on how this little girl that lives in the apartments and came to see my dad a lot, is having a really hard time. I think something is going on with me... because I'm jealous of the relationship my dad had with this girl. His "friend" goes on and on how much this little girl was important to my dad. And gives her some sort of importance or place in everything.... UGH I guess I'm just being petty... I don't know... I KNOW that I need to get over this, because it could be so easy to just fall into a depression and become useless, and that isn't what my dad would want or it ISN'T what I WANT!!