Random

Apologies to neglect this little blog again. I'd be surprised if I ever keep faithful readers! To those out there... Many, Many thanks!

* House buying is proceeding nicely.... Praise God! Right now closing is July 13 and I am buying carpet for one room that will be slash Ed's office/my craft -scrapbooking area, and guest room. The room is pretty big! I want to buy nice soft and warm carpet. But it's in the spilt foyer basement. I am really hoping it will never get water.... decisions, decisions.

* The children are accepted into the private school. Again Praise GOD!! They have tried out the playground and gave two thumbs up. They are not ready to talk about the classroom yet.... if they bicker anymore though, I'll be checking into summer school.

*2 weeks of swimming lessons start tomorrow. Leah's hair is left down without braids to allow for daily rinses from the chlorine. Good Mother-daughter bonding times ahead! I'll have to be renting lots of princess movies!

* We enjoyed our small town celebration days. The parade was wonderful.... until I was hit in the right eye by a carton of chocolate milk. Yes, when you live in a dairy town they throw out milk.... Too bad it wasn't ice cream! But they did hand out rootbeer floats yum! Leah loved the horses until they left a deposit in front of us..... thank goodness for the clean up crew! And we got to see BMX demonstrations and super skateboarding! I'm praying for no broken bones until this fascination period is over.

* Right now I'm packing and cleaning closets, woodwork as a go; sending my husband to Pastor camp, and planning for ordination details. Back to the boxes!

Interesting

Another busy week. I'll try to post life happenings tomorrow. For now...... I can't stop thinking about this email......








No matter what your political convictions are this is an eye opener....What a thankless people we are!!!

David Letterman, on President Bush. (Surprising)

David Letterman wrote this; it's the David we don't often see...

'As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, nor have I ever been, but this is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hit the mark.'
'The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some Poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?
The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President.. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, 'What are we so unhappy about?'

A. Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 Days a week?

B. Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?
C. Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

D. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

E. Maybe it is the ability to drive our cars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state.
F. Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

G. I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.

H. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

I. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.
J. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family, and your belongings.

K. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

L. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

M. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the US . , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?
Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad? Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the 'Media' told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.
Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an 'other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans?

Say what you want, but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by 'justifying' them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane!

Turn off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.' 'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, 'Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'
-David Letterman


EDITED ON NOVEMBER 4
My inlaws read this post and had read one that Jay.Leno wrote last year, very similar wording. Still made me think and appreciate what Blessings America and God provides! I should double check these posts on Snoops though. Thanks R and M!!

Christmas

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. We did many times over. We enjoyed 3 family Christmas' and received an overflowing van's worth of gifts. But the best part was celebrating Christmas eve with a young church that we helped to start about 5 years ago. 5 years ago, there was not enough members to do a Christmas eve service so the church was used by another denomination who was in the midst of building a church. We attended that service with a tiny baby....dressed in her Christmas finery. This year there was almost 100 people in the congregation. 12 children performed the initial singing and there was a beautiful candle lit "Silent Night" near the Christmas Tree. My tears would not stop flowing....with all the hope there is for this wonderful congregation. Even if we are not to be members....we love this young church. We praise God for blessing this congregation. They are soon to ask for chartership and a good friend is finishing his schooling to help lead them.

I am waiting for pictures from home as I forgot the camera.....Can you believe it? ...but my family took lots of pictures for me to scrapbook! Aunt M. can you send me the one of MG in her pink cowboy boots and santa dress?

We were very blessed to slip into our hometown between snow storms. Although we missed an uncle and cousin, we were glad they stayed safe. Since Christmas, I have been working lots to try and get a little extra money for a trip to CA. Yes!! 12 more days to see good friends, D & M and their little girl K aka __????__. MG is coming with me and is SOOOOO excited to see K. We are not doing much tourist activities or Disney, because of the cost. But especially because SB is not coming and I would be the worst mother in the world if his little sister saw Disney, the ocean and had a plane ride before he did! She will take a plane ride and see the ocean...but he was ok with this because he want's to see Owen's new home this summer. 4 year girl fun bores him crazy anyway! We will love to see our friends...but the real reason we are going is to see how I react to an arid climate. Dr. Cooper even said I could "trigger" my sinus' into behaving. I have no medical rational how this would work...but I'm all for the idea!!!

*I need to think of an aka for K. "spunky girl" is already taken! I have writer's block -- even with the thesaurus!! I need to get to bed. Today must have been more stressful than I thought. I even had the hardest time remembering my password --- and it's my old favorite. GOOD NIGHT!!

Blessings, Patty

For Spunky girl

Here you go Spunky Girl! Maybe Mommy will print it off for you.

"Little Tree"

Well we knew it would happen. We are just thankful the tree is only been found leaning a little just once. I just KNEW it would be crashing in the middle of the night....but she has been a good girl, although there are still 12 days until Christmas! When Checkers and Dustie were kittens....the tree was placed in a playpen, so Skittles must be much more careful! (It's a good thing...because we are fresh out of playpens in this house!)

This little tree (3 1/2 feet tall), has really served it's purpose! It was for our first Christmas in the apartment. When we became home owners...it was live Christmas trees all the way and the tree spent a few years with my sister in her apartments...but then we hung onto it for some reason. When Shark Boy was 7 months old and again when Mermaid Girl was13 months old....it came out for sheer "Mommy Sanity" those years. It has returned to apartment/rental house Christmas', and although it needs to sit on plastic tubs for a little height...it still brings a lot of cheer! We are looking forward to a larger tree in our own home next year....but we just might hang on to Little Tree.

Some friends of ours back home, (J and V), have a second tree just for displaying Christmas cards and Christmas photos. I hope our next home will be big enough for 2 trees... because I think this little tree would be perfect to display the Christmas Cards (and letters) I just love to receive!

Hopefully, SB's red throat is better tomorrow. I'm working evenings and can get about 2 hours of shopping in sans MG. She CAN NOT keep a secret and spends too much time on looking for Santa ideas to be helpful. Although - she has the Christmas Spirit and is addicted to DVR Frosty the Snowman this year!

Hope your Advent Season is bringing JOY!

Blessings,

Patty

my first meme

10-20-30 years ago

10 years ago: I was working as a nurse for substance abuse treatment center. I loved the nursing part....not the group therapy sessions I was doing. I had started volunteering for hospice every week and loved it. I did not want to work for Hospice as I did not want that experience to change! I was waiting not so patiently for a baby. I also realized my husband was spending an awful lot of time working at church! Little did I know how different life would be for us!

20 years ago: I was in my senior year of high school. Senioritis had really sit in and I dropped band to allow me to work more at my job as a cook for a nursing home. Yes....I was the cook! HA HA! Ruined my desire to cook I tell you...76 meals every time! I lived on a farm 7 miles from town. I thought a farm was the very worse place to raise kids. Now I think it would be the best place to raise a family! But I deliberately did not marry a farmer!! I was going to the big city and become a nurse and live far from a farm.

30 years ago: I was 7. We lived in small town usa. We walked everywhere and only needed to report to Mom at supper time. The world was a much safer place. I learned to ride a bike when I was seven. My 6 year old sister learned an hour before I did. I was so mad!!! I no longer was scared of the thing. I wanted to be a social worker or a nurse.

Wow. This exercise -- has brought back lots of good memories. I wonder what 10 years from now will bring......

FYI

Some times it is a bit frustrating when your husband needs the computer to type papers for 2 full days....when I have important blogging and emails to check. As if the computer should first be used for its original intended purpose. :-) :-) I don't think he intends to write more papers until the weekend....so my new addiction(mild) is safe for a few days.