Bring It

This lady continues to amaze me.  Reading her blog today I was reminded of the saying, “Go big or stay at home.”  Angie is grieving, her heart is broken and she’s not afraid to tell God that she’s mad, confused, hurt and exhausted.  How many of us are that real with God?    Keeping it short today, thank God for your healthy children today!

1 Corinthians 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Healing A Broken Heart

I had a hard time figuring out my favorite 2008 post, but I think this is it.  Stop by Tip Junkie to see everyone’s favorite 2008 post.

I have to say I think this is my favorite 2008 post.  I am a caregiver and I guess part of me hopes this post might help another mom with a broken heart.  I’m spending the month of Feb. celebrating Baby James life and the love I will always have for him.  Please join me I need all the cheering up I can find.

This is my all time favorite picture, I am working on getting this turned into a sketch for Carl for Father’s Day.  The journaling reads, “I couldn’t get over how perfect your fingers and toes were.  I kept kissing them and rubbing them…they looked just like your Daddy’s fingers and toes.”

I have been asked several times to share James’ book and just never felt comfortable doing it.  I’m writing an article for SNR for next month about scrap therapy (I’ve saved some pages for that article) and it made me realize I did these pages at the time for me, but maybe another grieving mom would get a blessing from my pages.  I scrapbooked late at night for the first couple of weeks because it was hard for my family to understand the pain and heart break that these pictures brought out in me.  What no one knew was I needed to still be James’ mommy, I wasn’t ready to let go of this little guy and my role as his mother and making this book was something I was able to do for him.  I was being a mommy, I was celebrating my relationship and connection to this little boy and I am so glad I did.

The second page is actually a “lift” from Jen McQuire and to this day it’s one of the pages that makes me smile..some of the journaling says

• Did an angel carry you to heaven?
• When you fall asleep at night do you know I’m laying awake thinking about you?
• Will you keep an eye on Shane when he starts to drive?
• Is Granny rocking you to sleep?
• Do you know I tell you goodnight every night?

 

Today sharing these pages have really made me step out of my box. 

The last page was done for CK and a call they had for pages about your hero.  The page didn’t make the magazine but was mentioned as a page that caught their eye.  It’s one of my favorite pages.

The journaling reads, “There are turning points in every relationship and I think everyone recognizes that turning point for the two of us was February 25, 2005.  When we received the diagnosis about Baby James you became “my protector.”  You took over and basically everything you did centered around me and what was best for me.  You made the phone calls that needed to be made, you surronded me with family and friends, you stayed by my side while I was in labor for three days and you handled all the arrangements for the memorial service that I couldn’t handle.  I’m always the planner, the thinker, the problem solver and all of a sudden I couldn’t do anything and you handled everything.  You were my husband, my friend, but most importantly you were and always will be “MY HERO.”  The death of James is by far the hardest thing I ever dealt with and you, and you alone made that bearable.  I cherish the time we spent with him and I appreciate the strength you showed and the love you showed not only me, but the love you shared with James.  I love you with my heart and soul!  Because of Baby James I know that no matter what happens in my life I’ll have you by my side, you truly are “MY HERO.”

If you are still reading I hope you have gotten a blessing from my blog today.  I will be writing an article at SNR next month and if any of you know someone else that has used scrapbooking for therapy (I’m not talking “retail therapy..ha) please let me know and I’d like to share their experience in my article.

 

Random nonsense

I worked today, it was a long day.  I’m off tomorrow and I am pretty sure it will fly by.  I have very little planned I’m going to make spaghetti and meatballs not only for my hungry bunch, but also for a friend and her children.  I posted the other day that I’m going to do more for our troops and I was reminded today that we can do things for our troops by helping their families.  I’m thinking some chocolate chip cookies may also be in order.

I haven’t had a soft drink in 10 days, yes I’m counting.  I have to admit it’s been easier then I thought, I’m getting use to the water.  I have decided not to go on a diet but to really work at making changes in my yo-yo weight by truly changing my eating habits.

I’m still loving my laptop, it might cause me a divorce, but I love it.  Carl says it’s the worst decision we ever made because I’m addicted…ha.

Tomorrow I’m going to post some scrapbook pages from Baby James’ scrapbook, I’ve gotten some request and I’m going to share tomorrow.

 

I Am All About Freedom BUT

I am all about freedom, rarely have an opinion about someone else’s religious beliefs, political views, parenting styles, beliefs about guns, drugs etc.  I have my views and I try to install those beliefs to my kids.  For the record I believe guns don’t kill people-people kill people (I have a father and uncle that have enough guns for me, you, the neighbors, etc. and as far as I know they haven’t killed anyone), I could care less what church you attend or don’t attend I hope you believe in Jesus Christ and if you don’t I won’t judge you, but I will pray for you. 

I say all of this because of some down right anger I’ve had for two days.  Do any of you understand demonstrators feeling it their God given right to demonstrate at fallen solidier’s funerals?  This is a serious question, if you understand it please help me. 

I was going to link to the bigots but decided I didn’t want the filth and ignorance attached to my blog.  I saw a picture today at Cincinnati.com where The Patriot Guard was blocking the view of protesters at SSgt. Keith Matt Maupin’s funeral today and I admit I didn’t feel very Christianly.  I was down right angry, my exact words were, “Who the heck do they think they are?”  If this country is so horrible and God is punishing us all for the sins we’ve committed, I have a suggestion take your ignorance to China.  Oh that’s right they’d have no part of your ignorance, you’d be locked up or killed.  I’m amazed that you picket young men and women who have paid the ultimate price so that freedom exist in this country.  God bless The Patriot Guard, the men and women fighting daily for our freedom and their families. 

 

Matt Maupin: A Final Farewell

April 9, 2004 the news came that Matt Maupin had been taking captive.  I still remember that first glimpse of the Maupin Family, you could see their strength even in those early days.  They held out hope Matt would come home, and today he did.  Matt’s father, Keith Maupin, said he would not allow Matt to be left behind in Iraq and today Matt came home.

You can read all about Matt and his family here.  I have two teenagers and I can not imagine either of them being in Iraq.  The Maupins motto, “Love never loses it’s way home.” was clear today as Clermont County showed them that they love them and that Matt is our hero. 

At one point the cameras showed Carolyn Maupin waving from the limo to the crowds of people and it just made me wonder not where she gets her strength (the Maupins are Christians and have been vocal about getting their strength from God above) but wondering what has she done in the past four years to keep that strength.  I may have to go Yellow Ribbon Support Center and meet this classy lady and ask her that myself.

For some reason my pictures keep changing..so if the captions don’t make sense..sorry.

I love this picture!  The man at the left saluting Matt is his little brother Micah, who re-enlisted on the anniversary of Matt being taken captive.  Micah escorted his big brother home today!

We have had a lot of news coverage about this today in Cincinnati and then I saw it on the world news a little while ago.  I realized today I take my freedom for granted.  I have done so little for the men and women fighting every day to protect all of us.  I am ashamed and am vowing today to change what I do for the troops.  I have been so sad today and have thought of Matt’s mom so many times, but then it hit me how many other moms have felt the pain that she is felling today and how many more will feel this heartache in the months or years to come. 

pretty pretty princess

Alyssa had a Princess Party at church tonight, here are a few pictures!

I love this close up!

 

 

I love…

Let’s see I’ve decided to chat about what I love right now…I am so blessed and have so many things to be happy about…

• Scrapbook News and Reviews I am having too much fun!  Come by, the talent is unbelievable, the ladies are all fun and we don’t bite!
• National Take Your Daughter To Work Day and the cute little girl that spent half the day with me today.  The best quote of the day, “Can we go back to your work so I can meet some more Peeps?”  Those “Peeps” ranged in age from 75-95 and they loved having Lyss there. 

• Being a mom!  Good days, bad days, eventful or uneventful-I love being a mom!  Lena was in a bad mood today, Shane is being Shane but even with them being less then pretty I can’t imagine life without them.

 

 

I am an enabler…

Today at 2Peas the challenge was what did we do before the internet?  I talked on the phone a lot more and read a ton of books and yeah I actually scrapbooked…now I just sit on the computer…ha

List of sketch blogs

What a great list of sketch blogs…love it!

 Great Online Class

I think this is the cutest project!

Pure Talent

Have loved this girl since I took her Christmas Journal Class.

Jennifer McQuire

I am a Jennifer stalker

Calgon Take Me Away

Is it Friday yet?  Work is kicking my butt and how do I deal with stress I eat.  Not good. 

Our dog is out of control.  She snapped at the cutest kid in the world last month (my nephew Tyler) and then did the same to Alyssa last night.  We are considering putting her to sleep, but will make a trip to the vet and visit a shelter (no kill) before we make the decision.

I haven’t had a diet or non diet soft drink since Thursday.  Not really missing them as much as I thought I would.  Drinking tons of water, not bottled water though because I bought a Brita pitcher.

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”

–Washington Irving

Experienced a huge disappointment today, let me just say motherhood is not for wimps!  I find myself just watching Alyssa at times and wondering how this sweet child will turn into a nasty teenager in a few years.  I truly believe that you can teach someone right from wrong and then you have to sit back and without guilt watch them fall on their face.  I “fix” things, but today I have admitted defeat and have turned a situation over to God and hopefully will leave it with God and not take it back in a day or so.  I finally understand how you can love someone too much, how you can not see faults that you should see-I also know without a doubt that although I never experienced unconditional love from my own mother I love my kids unconditionally.  I may not always like them, but I love them unconditionally.

I thought this week about password protecting my blog because I still have the Oklahoma Stalker visiting almost daily, but a few of you reminded me that’s not my problem.  If I offend, oh well.  I am amazed at the decisions made by men in regards to their children.  I wonder if they just don’t “get it”, are stubborn, or are they so worried about their own egos and agendas that they can’t “man up” and be the adult in their children’s lives.  How do you justify stupidity?  How does a 40+ year old man leave teenagers to take care of themselves and believe any good will come out of it?  How does he do this once with disasterous outcome and then turn around and do it again?  He does it because he isn’t really worried about his kids, he isn’t concerned about their future, about their hearts-he worries about what others think, he worries about outward appearances (Lena’s tattoo has made her “white trash”), but he isn’t worried about teaching them right from wrong especially where I am concerned, as long as they look the part and can put a “show on” for the latest girlfriend or who ever is putting up with him at the moment he could care less about teaching them how to be productive, loving human beings.  I hate that I see his influence on one of my children more and more, the negativity, the judging, the chip on his shoulder-sad that’s what it makes me.  Not surprised just sad, afterall I have seen this in another child just a few years ago and now that girl is doing EXCELLENT-tattoo and all.

UPDATE:  our church sermon this week was about “When Jesus Stops By” well it’s funny when and how he chooses to “stop by” after I finished by blog post I searched randomly for a blog and I found this blog. 

 

Is There More To Life?

I had this conversation today with one of my closest friends and at the end of that conversation nothing was any clearer!  Is there more to life then going to work, coming home fixing dinner (tonight we had gourmet turkey sandwiches), helping with homework, watching GH on DVR, taking and picking up Lyssa at dance class, and cleaning the kitchen?  I’m frustrated today, frustrated with work, frustrated with kids, heck I’m even frustrated with GH so I guess I’m not being very warm and fuzzy.  What I am not frustrated with is my new laptop that I am sitting on the couch playing with!