Reflection

I am an avid audience of good phrases. Take this one: "When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier." Roy Disney, nephew of Walt said this. This is something I did not learn in completion until I was all grown up. Up until then, making decisions was a wishy washy thing for me, always trying to make everyone happy, wondering Was that the right decision? Ridiculous....know your goal, make your choices.
Charles Dickens stated this: "Have a heart that never hardens, a temper that never tires, a touch that never hurts." In my book, this would describe the most loving of mothers. He didn't know he was painting a portrait of Mother Teresa with these words. Of course, this doesn't mean you are putty in your child's hands...that would be contraindicative! (contraindicate?)
"You have many choices. You can choose forgiveness over revenge, joy over despair. You can choose action over apathy...." Stephanie Marston, family therapist, author. This is pretty much common sense, but whom of us does not need to be reminded of it once in a while?
How many of us have looked back and seen room for improvement? Or looked forward anticipated seeing your choices coming in to fruition? How wonderful life is.
Life is a small part of what you make of it and mostly how you take it. My sister once told me that perception is everything. That was long ago, when we were both young. Perception is a SMALL part of it; how one handles their perception of something is huge.
I think we all have voices which need to be heard, but it's not the loudest nor the bossiest nor the harshest that will be heard. God said "Blessed are the meek, they shall inherit the earth." and Colossians 3:10 "Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience..."
I love God's word. Except for the bad language I seem to have adopted lately (hey I work with a bunch of medical people) I love to live God's word and pray for His grace and love.

Okay

How the heck do I add a picture to my posts!!!

Being blessed

My beautiful daughter and her equally beautiful husband have blessed us with a sweet granddaughter.  Ava Anne born Dec 14, 2008 11:05pm, at home with midwives, daddy, nana (me) and Momma of course, present!  8 lbs, 11oz, 19" long.  Beautiful, healthy and so so sweet.

Went to Phoenix this weekend for Sophie's shower. It was a wonderful time...lots of ladies, laughter, good food and gifts. Ava will be the best decked out little peanut in the valley! Sophie looked lovely...positively glowing! Now THAT'S an original description of a pregnant woman. But so true.
After the shower she went home with Mike and my mother and I went back to her house, after stopping at Sonic for a burger as big as my head. I can't believe I consumed the whole thing, usually it's a burger every 2 years. I have hit my allotment for the next 4 years. Yuck. By 7:45pm me, my mom and my dad were lollygagging in the dining room, trying to stay awake. So we didn't!
Sunday Gary came back from Ajo, and we all went to breakfast. We got on the road by noon and ended up being held up for THREE HOURS between Happy Valley Road and New River Road. The highway was shut down due to a diesel hauling gas flipping over and slipping. I hope nobody was hurt. But 7 hours home...unheard of. I am beat.

8 things

All right then...carrying on another fun round of information for all!

8 Shows I Like to Watch:
Bones
House
LipStick Jungle
Law and order SVU
The Office
Mad Men
Barefoot Contessa
CNN

8 Places I Like to Eat:
Olive Garden
Mother in law's home
Mom's home
Oreganos
A greek place in Phoenix, cannot remember the name!
Matt's Big Breakfast (Phoenix, owned by old high school bud)
PeiWei
Gilligans (???) in SC

8 Things That Happened Yesterday:
Skipped walking
Read a book
Worked
Left work early
Wrote bills
Snuggled with honey
Emailed parents
Spoke briefly w/son (who was moving)

8 Things That I am Looking Forward To:
Baby Ava!
This weekend
Holidays
Changing furniture around in my little abode
Seeing Tricia and Hunter soon
A visit to Phoenix and Ajo
Reading
Buying my IMAC and writing

8 Things on my wish list
Next big vacation
Health and happiness for my loved ones
Bring Justin home safely
Success for Mike & Sophie w/schooling
Happiness and success for Josh
Honey gets his turkey this weekend
Honey comes home safely!
Loose that last 5 pounds!

8 People That I am Tagging
I don't know many people who blog! So I'll email it to:
Mom
Karen
Gretchen
Kristin
Nona
Minerva
Darcie
Dolly

I would like to be a writer. To write stories, either true or fiction. It's been my life long dream and I will accomplish it someday. When we were kids, my sibs would tease me about having my "nose in a book" all the time. Yep...love to read. The other day I picked up 8 library books and have already read two of them. I read to get ideas on how to write, but also because of course I just love to read. I love to analyze the content of a story and the manner in which the author writes. Editing is also a passion of mine.
A post on my daughter's blog has made me even more thoughtful over my future. Should I pursue a journalism degree? I probably have enough credits for one. Should I start writing short stories for magazines? I would, am just waiting to purchase my laptop. A college writing class may be in order in the next year or two. Working as a secretary has been fulfilling, and I love not having to bring my work home with me...but would love to do a passionate pasttime!

On another note...girlfriends and I talking today about gossip and how destroying it can be. Growing up I was not a gossip and don't consider myself to be one now. If I have unconfirmed info, passing it on is NOT something I strive to do. If it's tentative info, I'll preface with a disclaimer ("Don't quote me on this, it's just what i have heard....") and never do I try and slander another. Over the past few years I have been part of gossip and I don't like it. I am one of those people who can be sarcastic and in conversations just pop off a smart remark to be funny. Unfortunately, some of those remarks can be taken seriously and passed on as fact. It's damaging and saddening to some extent. Gossip mongers can take a toll on people, cause strife and make a person previously happy and carefree, silent and misgiving. Gossipers can induce a person to wrap themselves up in a cocoon and be close-lipped in fear. I live in a small community that has proved so many times over it can be so small minded. Yes...small communities have their good points...you usually know where your kids are and who they are with, you can call on a neighbor or friend and they'll come right away, etc...but small communities can be great harborers of gossips. Not something I am interested in. Give me fact and justice! You might think this would make me want to hold my cards closer to my chest and not be "me" but it's actually taught me that freedom of speech is much more than just talking about whatever..it's talking about what's right and true. I guess some people just don't have the hang of it yet.

Memories

1. As you comment on my blog, leave one (or 2 or 3 or 10) memories that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember.
2. Next, repost these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty fun to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you are playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave a memory about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you do not have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.
Have fun!