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!!"