~Living by Faith ~ now where is my coffee?!

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Banner

2009-06-24T15:14:38Z

Optimus prime rules!

2009-06-24T15:10:44Z

Transformers rocked last night!!!
Our fam went and had a blast. If you saw the first movie you will love the 2nd.
We went to the midnight showing. The line wasn't bad for tickets. We went and got them around 10:30pm and then ran a block down the street to a local coffeehouse and had a quick dinner. When we got back to the theater there was no line until we got to the snacks. Gosh. I've never seen Hollywood Theater so full of people. The best part of the night for me was when we were in that snack line and my son turned to me and said, "I"M LEGAL!" I said, "Excuse me?" He repeated, "I"M LEGAL!" I just looked at him in puzzlement. He grinned really big and said, “For the first time I'm seeing a PG13 movie and I'm thirteen!” LOL Only my son would be so excited and thrilled about that.
We waited for about 45 minutes and when the movie was supposed to start at 12:15am the manager came in and said there was some kind of digital key that wasn't working and he was sorry but we'd have to move to a different theater(they have 12). Phew, when he started talking I thought we weren't going to get to see the movie at all last night. One man jumped up and threw his popcorn and swore at the manager. The manager offered refunds to anyone who didn't want to move. I immediately said to my husband, "Run, get there first!" He grabbed his stuff and took off faster than I'd seen him in a long time. Z and I got stuck in the long line of people moving down the stairs. By the time we got there he had perfect seats and was smiling and waiting for us. Other people complained because they didn't get the same seats they'd had in the first room. One guy was flaming mad about it. Said he'd stood in line for an hour and wanted his seat in the same place back. Well, it didn't work that way. There was no kindergarten teacher making sure everyone went to their assigned seat.
Finally the movie started and it was an exciting movie. I kept jumping and grabbing my husband. There were funny moments, moments I was in tears but mostly adrenaline pumping moments that kept me on the edge of my seat.
I think that they added a lot of cursing and some sexy stuff so that is why the rating went up to PG13. I thought that wasn't necessary but I wasn't the movie creator.
Loved the movie, definitely recommend it and would see it again.
Did I say they had a car just like Bumblebee parked outside the theater? What a gorgeous car!

edit: I forgot to mention that after the movie was over the manager gave us free tickets to come to the theater again, that is $25 dollars worth of movie!! Whoo hoo!

make your own here

Wow, the time has just disappeared

2009-05-25T19:50:42Z

It is memorial day today. I can't believe how long it has been since I wrote here.
For the most part I was just too discouraged to write about anything.

Tigger has something wrong with him. I can't do anything about it either. I have to wait for the regular vet tomorrow because we can't afford how much it would cost at the Emergency pet clinic. Something is wrong with one of his back legs and he just doesn't want to walk on it at all. I first noticed that he wasn't eating like he usually was. Then I noticed he was limping.
I'm not sure what is wrong. I thought he wasn't eating or drinking but when I take it to him he acts like he is famished and eats it quickly but will only eat wet food right now. He wasn't getting in the kitty litter yesterday and I wondered if it was just to high for him. I took him to the kitten's little box and he got right in and it was like he had been saving it for days. Poor guy. I wish I could just fix whatever it is instantly. I am really hoping and praying that whatever it is is easily fixable and won't take a lot of money. We just don't have extra cash right now.

Did you notice the mention of the new kitten? I'll have to write about her soon or I might just backlog it to the date we got her.

The boys have been fighting a lot. I am sick of being referee. I just don't know what to do to help or make a difference.

I'll try and get back in the groove here. I'm just not sure if I have the energy. I haven't been doing much gathering either.

Sunny Snowy Wednesday

2009-01-29T05:02:06Z

The sun came out today and Z had loads of fun with the snow.
Here is my snowy backyard.

And here is Z's snow angel, a present for Mom.

China was a little worried that the snow might be whiter than she is.
I told her she didn't need to worry at all.

We ended up going to Panera for their free coffee day. Thanks Ed for telling me about it. The coffee was delicious and you can't get better than free but they were all out of their free samples of their new breakfast products by the time we got there.

Z had been pleading all day to go sledding at Jordan Valley Park. Several years ago we went with some friends (K and family) and had a wonderful time. They couldn't go with us today and I know Z was disappointed but he had a good time anyway once we got there. He talked to others waiting in line to go down the many hills and didn't stop smiling and laughing even when he tumbled off of his sled.

You've got to love a good snow day.

faithib @ 2009-01-27T23:18:00

2009-01-28T06:00:43Z

We had sleet all day. My son was so excited about something white on the ground he went out sledding on the sleet.

This isn't snow. These are little ice pebbles. What was strange was it wasn't slick to walk on at all. It stayed separate little pieces instead of packing like snow. After it snowed this evening I tried to take a picture and slid.

Our car this afternoon covered with sleet and the sleet still coming down.

Me and my son. It is rare to get a picture with us with a white background.

My husband was mainly interested in getting the ice off the car.
However, he did have some fun with Z and the sled first.

The sleet on the deck table yesterday.

Our table on the deck with real snow tonight.

Hours later our car with SNOW! At least there isn't as much ice under the snow now.

The snow coming down this evening.

Of course this made my son's day. He has been waiting for snow since last October and we finally got some and it is still coming down.

He wants to make plans to go sledding at the park with the best hills in town tomorrow because it may all be melting and gone on Thursday. We just listened to the weather forecast.

That is the way weather goes in MO.

The ice storm is here

2009-01-27T05:40:34Z

My husband drove to Walmart for food after work. A lot of people were having accidents but he said he drove 1/2 the speed limit and did okay. He and Z played in the ice for a while. You would have thought it was snow but they were skidding up and down the driveway and came in totally soaked.

The news is saying the major ice storm hasn't even gotten here yet.

We are snuggled in and hoping that our electricity won't turn off. Warm and safe and hopefully we'll stay that way.

I can hear the ice hitting the window.

The ice drops reflect the light from my flash.

China keeps looking out different windows. She seems bewildered by the white stuff outside.

Here is what she is looking at: ice on the deck that looks like snow.

Here is my patio table covered with little tiny ice granules.

Saturday turns......

2009-01-26T03:34:44Z

Z had a ball game this afternoon so that was our main thought to get done.
It was a great game and B actually got footage of Z making a basket.

We raced to get food for our church class friends who just had a baby but by the time we got it there they were eating something else. So, I just handed it to them and said, "Put it in the Refrigerator for another meal." The baby was sweet. The kids were funny. I felt kind of stupid but oh well we tried.
The hard part was they didn't need the meal that night and we could have used the money to buy supplies and brought them something on a different night, but hindsight doesn't help.

I was going to upload the video of the game but it is 5 minutes long and LJ had trouble uploading it. When I get it edited I will put it on here!

A quiet Monday

2009-01-20T03:57:22Z

Kitty Love ~ Hold Paws and Snuggle....
I wish every part of my life was as peaceful as they are in this shot.

Some friends in my class had a baby early this morning (Congrats to Andrew and Andrea and fam!) and I didn't find out until early this evening so I'm co-ordinating meals for the rest of the week for them.

Today we had a lesson on Martin Luther King (since it was his day) and Brent actually found the words to a wonderful, amazing wonderful, sermon by MLK that he found on Huckabee's website. The sermon was entitled "The Drum Major Instinct." It was amazing. Please go find that sermon and read it or listen to it. I had no idea that MLK had such a heart of faith as well as all he did for civil rights. It puts a whole different perspective on it than the spin you here in the news nowadays.

Z also started writing a report entitled: What it Means to be an American Citizen. Seemed like a good topic for today.

I baked cookies today and made supper. B was home all day but ran out to check out the stuff he wants to buy at Surplus City. Hopefully next paycheck he can do that.

Z wants me to watch Cody Banks 2 with him so I'm ending this for now.

Sunny and quiet Sunday

2009-01-19T04:54:31Z

Sweet China enjoying the sun.

A quiet day.
I woke up sick again so we just stayed home for a quiet day.

Played Monopoly and Pet Society and watched a lot of Star Trek movies.

Time for bed.

Saturday's end

2009-01-18T05:21:16Z

Pink at Sunset. A gorgeous end to this Saturday. I was walking across the parking lot after Z's Upward Basketball game and dropped everything but my camera on the parking lot to catch the pink while it lasted. I'm glad B was behind me and picked up my purse, book and camera bag.

I woke up too high again so spent all day working on getting blood sugars to a normal level. Felt awful too.
Poor Tigger. Z thought that he could spray him with Febreze like you can with water to stop him from scratching the furniture. I noticed when Tigger came close and reeked of the stuff. I looked online and all I could fine said that it wouldn't hurt your cat or dog to have it sprayed on its pillow or bed. Of course no spraying directly on fur. I couldn't find anything except one stupid website that wanted me to pay 3 dollars for an answer, that said what could happen to him or what to do for him. After talking to a couple of cat people friends I decided to go ahead and give him a bath to get it off his fur. I clipped his nails first. So glad I thought of that.
Cleared out the kitchen sinks and got the crew ready and prepared to help including big towels to wrap him in afterwards. It took all 6 of our hands to get it done. Poor Tigger was so frantic.
What a wet rat he was. I held him for a while and then he started licking his paws and I let him out of the towels (after changing to dry towels for a while) so he could start the licking process. I think he licked non stop for more than an hour. Poor baby doll Tigger.
What has been wonderful is that he didn't hold a grudge at all. He has been loving and friendly all evening and I am so thankful for that.

Let's see, Z's game. He played fast and hard and is trying new moves that tell me he is growing up but they ended up losing for the first time this season. Z was disappointed.
Z jumping for a shot.

Z being blocked while bringing the ball down the court.

We ran to Mama Jean's health food to check out some acai berry stuff a friend had recommended and had a lot of fun checking out new spices and teas.

We came home and I made some pasta stuff and we watched From Russia With Love.

It was a little warmer today and I was really happy to see that.
All that cold with no snow is no fun at all.

As far as what I am thinking and feeling about what is going on? I don't even know what to say. I'm still very discouraged about my insulin pump or lack there of and other things around here have also been very difficult.
I'm just not sure what to say.
Beautiful sunset though, eh?

faithib @ 2009-01-16T23:57:00

2009-01-17T06:14:03Z

LOL
Here I am again and I am just too tired to think.
Let's see.
Let's see.
Let's see.

Thursday Jan. 15th Z spent most of the day decorating his white pants for the 60's party at Constellation Club. It was a much more time consuming project than I expected it to be. He and I had searched the internet for pictures of what people wore in the 60's and found this one picture of The Doors where one of the members(I have no idea which one) had white jeans with this same kind of decoration on it. Here is how Z's turned out.

Z at the 60s party looking groovy

Z making the peace sign like they told him to and trying to look his interpretation of 60s.

A 60s Z

My son Z at the 60s party.

It was fun and just didn't last long enough. Z insists he is going to wear this to church. I hope he does. Not bad for spending just a few dollars at a couple of thrift stores.

We had given a ride to the party to K and her girls. After the party we went to Hobby Lobby and spent some time looking around. It really was fun. I rarely have another woman with me to talk to while I shop. Oh the main reason we went there was because we needed a frame for Z's picture for the Art Contest today.

So Friday came and it was again inordinately cold. I was low at 3a.m. and ended up being
high when I woke up. Z and I had a quiet morning.
Oh B only had to work a half day today. The whole place got shut down and given the 1/2 day off to celebrate 1 million work days (or was it hours?? I don't know) with no work related injuries. Evidently that is a very big deal.
B came home and we all took off to deliver his art project in the 10am to 2pm window to drop it off. Phew. That was a load off of my mind.
We ended up eating lunch at Aunt Martha's, something we hardly ever do. It was pretty good today. I had a gingerbread waffle and shared a slice of ham with B. The waffle was amazingly yummy. I will definitely go back for another one of those.
We went to the Library Station and just spent some quiet time browsing. That was fun.

Quiet night at home. Z and I are watching old Star Trek Next Generation episodes and I made veggietale chili.

Z was really disappointed today that our 1/4 of an inch of snow wasn't sticking enough to sled on. He has snow and sledding on the brain and the weather is just not cooperating. We don't often get much snow that accumulates enough for sledding here.
We picked up B late from work(he was expecting this) and went home.

faithib @ 2009-01-15T22:26:00

2009-01-16T04:38:33Z

Too tired to write
Too tired to share
Though I try with all my might
It is just too much of a bear.

So I am going to bed
and in the morning after java
an explosion in my head
will pour forth all my lava!!

Ok,
So I tried.

Too tired to pop.
Pictures and talk of today tomorrow!
Yeah and ta-ra!

What a busy Wednesday!!

2009-01-15T06:15:49Z

I took B to work again this morning because today we were meeting Louise Ho mid-morning for coffee at the Coffee Ethic. I ended up calling her because mid-morning has no corresponding time in my mind. That could be anywhere between 9:00 and 11:00 depending on when your day started and when you are eating lunch. I called and her immediate response was "10:30." Now I know what mid-morning is, at least if you are from the Netherlands!
I had trouble finding a parking space so Z and I had to walk a couple of blocks.
The Coffee Ethic is one of the only places around here that create coffee art(Google coffee art if you don't know what that is) in each cup. I really enjoy watching them do it. I keep meaning to video it but forgot again today.
Here is my sugar free vanilla latte with 2 splendas added

Here is Louise's latte:

and even in Z's hot chocolate:

Here are Louise and I just before she took off - What a delightful visit we had!!.(Z took this picture of us, didn't he do a good job?)

AND here is picture of Louise Ho herself:

Louise is one of the most delightfully exuberant and excited about life and about Jesus people I've ever met. Somehow she is also very practical and down to earth at the same time. She asked all about how we were doing. We talked about so many things: homeschooling, geocaching and Freecycle to name a few. She shared about her family and their ministry goals(She and her husband are missionaries to the Netherlands). I ended up encouraging her to work on her blog and offered to post things for her if she emailed them to me if it would help. She seemed to like the idea but we'll see if she actually has time to do it.

Z and I returned some items to the library from home and then hit a couple of thrift stores. Z is going to a 60's party at his Constellation Club in honor of the 40th Anniversary of NASA landing on the moon. We had a lot of fun looking for pictures on the internet last week from that era and today we actually found some things that will be lots of fun. I think he is pretty excited about it. I found a perfect shirt for work for B and it was only $1.50. I felt good about that one too.

At the 2nd thrift store I found 3 little plates that look like depression glass and Z hit the jackpot and found an almost new looking bicycle. He'd been needing one that was bigger and this was just perfect. In fact it looks very similar to his Dad's bike.

After we got home for a late lunch we went and picked up my Dad to take him for some shopping for necessities at Walmart. I'm glad we got him there today so he doesn't have to be out in the bitter cold that is supposed to be here for the next 2 days.

B and Z went to church. I stayed home because of the still raging of the blood sugars that I am attempting to get under control.

A busy day and a long day.

I'm just praying for peace in my family tonight.

faithib @ 2009-01-13T21:08:00

2009-01-14T03:17:35Z

"EXCUSE ME! I think it's my turn!" I was hoping he wouldn't notice. Shoot. I wasn't done with facebook.

Today was a pretty good day. We got a lot done around the house and Z got a lot of school work done.
I woke up with my blood sugar extremely high so I didn't really want to get out. I did email my dr to get a prescription for another insulin in hopes that it would work better. I didn't mind staying home, it was extremely cold, much colder than it was yesterday. High yesterday was 55 and it was 27 today.

B came home from work and took Z to Basketball practice so I wouldn't miss the beginning of the new season of American Idol. They brought chinese food home tonight and it was fun to watch together. B actually suffered through it and didn't get upset about it.

OH I had a nice phone call from my niece Monica in CA! It was a great surprise. I miss her.

China was fascinated with the first portion of American Idol but lost interest with the first commercial. I guess it wasn't anything she wanted to buy. They should have cat food commercials.

Monday Monday

2009-01-13T05:02:59Z

I am so tired I am having a hard time remembering what we did today.
it was basically a day for school, editing pictures, playing on pet society and moshi monsters and doing laundry and picking up and and and .....
You get my drift.

Z went to Boy Scouts and got hurt in the game they were playing again. He was upset about another game where one of the older boys threw a football at Z's head and told the people around him that he did it because he hates Z. Nice example there Boy Scout. Sigh.

My sweet Chai girl enjoying the afternoon sun today.

Tigger says, "She's all mine!" Silly Jealous Kitty. Little does he know that she actually belongs to me.

I'm hoping to be out and about in the morning. Hopefully I'll feel well enough to do that.

Today was National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

2009-01-12T05:51:31Z

It has been in my thoughts a lot.

That people are sold and treated as slave in this day and age is horrendous.

Even more horrendous is the fact that many of them are very young children who are used as sex slaves.

God have mercy on us all.

How can we make a difference? I'm still researching, but I know there are a lot of organizations out there making a difference. Rescuing women and children and helping them with education and counseling to start a better life. Giving these people hope.

I can't go myself but I can help support organzations that do.

Ever since I heard the story at a concert of the singer walking the streets in a city in India and seeing a 5 year old girl in a 2nd story window in a cage. She asked what the girl was in a cage for and was told they do that to them to break their will so that it is easier starting them in the sex trade. I cried a lot about that little girl and had nightmares and daymares thinking of something like that happening to my own child.

There are slaves right here in the US too. Hidden in our midst.

I want to find a way to make a difference.

This shoud never be happening to any human being.

Sara Groves (Christian contemporary singer) talks about this on her website.

I'm also reading a book called Be the Change by Zach Hunter. He talks about being an abolitionist today.

Check out the website of the International Justice Mission too.

Maybe you know of some other helpful organizations. Please share them if you do.

faithib @ 2009-01-11T23:24:00

2009-01-12T05:28:08Z

Cold but good.

We made it to our class at church. It has been weeks since I was able to go, just sick in some way every weekend since Christmas.
We got there a bit late and B went on to class while I searched with Z for the kid he was supposed to sit in church with. One of our class teachers had said Z could sit with his son and this is a nice kid who I have been hoping Z would get to know better. Z and I couldn't find him and we wandering out in the upper foyer when my teacher came bounding up the stairs! Yeah. He took Z and went and found his son! Yeah. Z was a little nervous since this was the first time, he's only sat with his Papa before this in church.

Class was great. We are listening Gary Smalley videos in class. It was interesting. He talked about the way a man's mind works in the context of marriage and communication. Basically his thought is that men and women speak entirely different languages and we need to realize that to really achieve communication.
Here are some notes from class:

Men's strength is in decision making.
Most of the time the things that bug us about our mate were put there by other people(parent, grandparent, etc)
Real love is fact finding.
Love says "What do you need?"
What it takes:
1. Security - The reason we have so many petty arguments is because of insecurity.
2. Meaningful Communication -
-The average woman needs about one hour a day of meaningful communication.
-Women make men feel inadequate (often by their facial expressions as well as their words).
-Men speak left brain language. Speak language they can understand.
-Women need to make their husbands feel capable and adequate.
-Start praising and stop criticizing.

We also have a love dare from a book with that name to work on every week.
This week we are supposed to:
___Choose today to respond with patient instead of irritation.

B fixed omelets for our lunch. We are short on cash this week so we are trying to eat what we have at home, a true adventure in itself.

After some chores and fun time on the laptops, we took Z for bell choir. He called about 5 minutes after we dropped him off and said no one showed up. They had said before Christmas that it would be starting today so I don't know what happened. He stayed to go to choir and they never showed up either. These are both new groups for Z so I hope he goes back and tries again next week. I'll call the office and find out for sure what is going on with the times.

B and Z went to Rangers. I was going to go to a monthly group during church but read the day wrong and it is next week not today. So, I went home for an hour and then came back to pick them up. Z and some of the other boys were riding these giant tricycles and when I pulled up and he came to see me he had such a look of pure joy on his face. IT was a joy for me to see.
I don't see that look on his face often enough.

We came home and B and I made biscuits and gravy together. We have experimented and found we enjoy making it with this maple flavored gravy that just fills the whole house with the smell of maple syrup and pancakes. Z doesn't like gravy so he had biscuits with cheese melted on them (that was his choice).
We got some more chores done and had more laptop time as well as watching another Dr Who.

I am feeling wiped out.

Today was National Human Trafficking Awareness Day and it has been in my thoughts a lot. That people are sold and treated as slave in this day and age is horrendous. Even more horrendous is the fact that many of them are very young children who are used as sex slaves. God have mercy on us all. How can we make a difference? I'm going to do some more research tomorrow. I know there are organizations out there making a difference every day and I want to help them.

Saturday seemed like a long long day

2009-01-11T04:41:59Z

I think it is because I was so sick last night and stayed up late checking blood sugars and watching Battlestar Gallactica with the dh.

We ended up sleeping in and B made muffins for breakfast.
We all played laptop tag and then got ready to get to Z's Upward basketball game. He had a great game. He is doing much better on offense. The team they played today were all shorter but had great team play and everyone of them could make a 3 point shot from 50 feet away. I've never seen any other junior high team like them.

We went and looked at several stores. We even puttered around Pier One Imports. I haven't done that in years and I'd forgotten how much fun it is to see their stuff. Found a few great bargains but didn't see what I was hoping to. At the Coffee Rendezvous they have a coat hangy thingy in the Ladie's restroom that I really like and we were hoping to find something similar for our house. They didn't have it. Maybe I just need to ask the next time we are there to find out where they got it.

Home and B made cookies! LOL Like I needed that but he was sweeter than the cookies anyway.

Here is Z still in his sport glasses from his basketball game:

And last but certainly not least at least in his eyes he is king of the castle:
King Tigger enjoying the box.

I am hoping and planning to make it to church tomorrow. I've been sick too too many Sundays in a row.

Thursday is for...

2009-01-09T05:27:17Z

The end of another day and I feel good about what we accomplished. We got a lot of work done around the house, the tree taken down and Z started a new course on the Constitution. He had to do some research that was different than what he has had to do in the past and I felt good about that. Stretch those wings and learn some more!

I was asked to take a picture of the pencil drawing that Z is entering in the Unschool Art Contest and send it in. It may be used in an article in the local Community News. I hope so. Z is very excited about the idea about being in a newspaper again so I hope they use it. I told him there wasn't any certainty until the article is published.

We started our day by me oversleeping and throwing clothes on to take B to work instead of all the nice shower and clothes and hair I'd hope to get done before we had to leave. It ended up okay though. I picked up Z and my Dad at their respective abodes and we headed out for breakfast. We were going to go to the Maple Inn but their parking lot was full. I had an inspiration and we headed downtown to Gailey's Breakfast Cafe. It was a slow morning for them so we had an excellent meal and great service and were able to enjoy our conversation and watching downtown go by as we stared out the big picture window. It really is a great place for breakfast. I did make a discovery. If you order off their side menu you can save a lot of money!!

I took Dad to the bank and to the pharmacy to pick up his prescriptions. At the pharmacy he didn't see a couple of stacked up hand baskets(the kind to carry your purchases around in and he fell over them. It was pretty scary. Thankfully he was okay and there was a big burly guy at he counter who helped me get Dad up on his feet. It was a reminder of how frail 92 can be.

Later after we had dropped Dad off we went to our pharmacy. This was the first purchase after the new year and our deductible went up another 60 dollars so it is 110 a piece! Yikes!!! Thankfully, Freestyle has a new card for people who use their strips and they actually paid 50 dollars of my deductible! I am so very thankful for that!! B had been told there were no changes in the policy but I guess no one told that to the insurance company!!

I put gas in the car and we came home for lunch. Z got some school work done and we took down the tree which Z was very sad to do.

B worked until 6 tonight.

I had forgotten to get more cat food so I had to run to Dillon's and get some for hungry China.
It was strange being a at a store by myself. I just so rarely have moments away from home or at home for that mater without Z being my constant companion.

The dishwasher is running, the cats are fed, the boys are both already in bed.

That is where I am heading.

I'm thankful for a productive day and time I had to spend with people I love.

Good night cats, Good night moon, Good night God. Thanks for loving me so much.

A pretty good day

2009-01-06T03:36:45Z

We're back doing school and it was a pretty productive day.

I am trying something new that a friend recommended. It is called Chore Wars. It is a website with a game that is a private game. You choose a character, name it what you want and then set up chores to do and points for doing it. Every time you do it you can enter it and earn more points. Z has been gungho so far to get chores done so he can get points. It has been pretty fun so far.

I've been sick again today. Coughing a lot.
Right now whatever else we get to do or not do I just want to get well. This has just hung on too long.

Remember what I said?

2009-01-05T03:49:04Z

Yes, that crazy MO weather.
Yesterday it got up to 71 and today it was in the 20s. I hate the back and forth.

Another day sick at home. I ended up sleeping most of the afternoon so hopefully that will help in the healing process. I am so ready to be well.

Tomorrow things start to get back to normal. The PS kids are back in school, we are back to a school or at least semi-school day and hopefully I'll be well enough, have energy enough to get some stuff done around here.

Tigger has turned into a real snuggle lap cat in the last week while I've been sick. He comes and sits next to me or just climbs right up on me and snuggling in, getting comfy, stretching and going to sleep. I am loving this. I have always wanted a lap cat.

So there are my thoughts.

Trying to keep up the writing every day.
I remember a friend telling me that they had a teacher in high school who made them journal every day even if all they wrote was "YUCK" and nothing else that day.
I have a lot of days when that is all I could write.
Other days I am just so exhausted emotionally and mentally as well as physically that I don't have the "oomph" to write a single word.
I may just have to start on the "yuck" trail but hopefully I won't have to resort to that.

Hope. An elusive important feeling that is motivation for striving on. For putting one foot in front of the next one for another minute, another hour, another day. For not giving up.
Hope. A much maligned and neglected feeling that really is vitally important.
In Christian circles people talk about Faith and Love and they are vaunted as the loftiest and most important, at least that is what I have seen and heard. My experience has been that without Hope you really don't experience a lot of Faith or Love. They really have to all be there and maybe that is why 1 Corinthians 13 puts them all together.

Today was an odd day

2009-01-04T04:04:50Z

It got up to 71 here but it is Jan 3. Just doesn't seem right.
I was coughing more today so I stayed in and got laundry done and played with my pet on pet society.
Just a weird day.
Z did run around and play basketball and play outside. We had the window open and the cats were glued to the screen staring outside.
Weird MO weather. It was 71 today and frigid last week and it is supposed to snow next Tuesday.

I guess I don't have a lot to say today. I just want to get used to writing every day.
I am worn out with being sick.
Really low energy levels.

Yuck.
I wish I had something more wonderful to post.

Oh, B was making dinner and I chopped up onion and carrots for it. It turned out really delicious. We used a 3 cheese hamburger helper and added and added and added to it. I think it turned out better tonight that any other time we've done it.

Z is really hyper tonight. Not sure why. Too much warm fresh air????

Happy New Year 2009

2009-01-01T23:05:06Z

Hard to believe it is New Year's Day again. 2009. It just doesn't seem real in my mind.
I'm not sure where I am going this year but I do feel a little bit of hope. That is a very good thing. I had such a rough December from the boys fighting excessively to having to quit using my insulin pump because I can't afford the supplies even with my insurance, to having the worst month we've ever had not having enough money to pay our bills. We didn't have enough money to get the gifts I wanted to for my son and I feel so bad about that. He's had a good attitude about it but I feel bad.
It has been a lonely month too.
I don't know where I belong or if I belong anywhere. I'm not sure of people as friends and not sure where to find more friends.
I'm also sick and not getting over it quickly.
BUT in the midst of all that I do find a glimmer of hope, just a quiet little warm flame still burning quietly deep in the depths of my soul. I know that glimmer is because of Jesus, the biggest source of hope and strength in my life.
That is a very good thing.
I needed that.

I have thought for years that New Year's resolutions were a crock and never made them because they have no meaning. People make them and forget them in less days than it takes for the month of January to unfold.
This year I am thinking of things I want to change in my life.
Things I want to add in my life.
I want to write every day.
I want to work on my pictures every day, either taking them or editing them.
I want my house to be uncluttered enough for my Dad to come over.
I want Z to get his school work done and I need to find ways to inspire him to study, to salt the oats for that horse that won't drink when you lead him to the water.
I want peace in my heart and in my home.
I want to volunteer somewhere. (I already volunteer a lot of time for my local Freecycle(tm) group but I want to do something that is with people in person).
I want to geocache every week because it is fun and it gets me walking outdoors.
I want to figure out how to do ebay so we have some extra money coming in.

I am taking steps in my life to be all that I am right now, learn new things and enjoy the life I have been given.

No more waiting for it to happen.

Tigger and the indignity of the bow on the head. I don't think he liked it. But we thought he looked cute.

catching up again

2008-12-18T05:22:21Z

Is probably going to have to wait for another day.
Too pooped to pop again.
I did get a lot done today. I think we are close to being ready.
Tomorrow I have more clutter patrol and we need to run to the store and get some things in the mail.

I think I need a pause tomorrow too.
Z and I need to stop and consider the reason for the season in a personal way.

David Tennant on Doctor Who exit - BBC One

2008-12-16T22:43:21Z