Fancy Friday...Rings and Things

I've been spending a lot of time at the ballfield this past week since our baseball season kicked off last weekend so I am ready to fancy this Friday up. 

I really had nothing specifically in mind for this Fancy Friday so I just surfed the net for some fancy things I liked but seems I am a little obsessed with rings this week.  Probably has something to do with the one I got for my birthday from Charlie.  

My childhood bff  made it but it was a little small so we had to send it back for stretching.  I got it back yesterday and it now fits perfectly and I love it!  It is like this one she made only my stone is a little lighter shade of blue.  Check out her site.  She makes some beautiful stuff.

Today is not all about rings though.  I found this essential summer dress  at Garnet Hill.  Comes in black, coral pink floral and retro dot.   So Summery!

I do believe I've mentioned how much I love me some cute shoes.  I found these two pairs of fancy sandals at piperlime.  I REALLY like the second pair with that cute little brooch thingy.

The first ring I found while conducting my fancy surf was this sterling silver oval turquoise ring from Target.  Don't ya just love Target?

A summer must have for me is a cute little straw tote like this one.

Or for something a little fancier, how about this one?

No fancy outfit is complete without earrings.  I found this flowergirl drop pair by Betsey Johnson  at Piperlime.

And I found this pair of White Glam Drama earrings at avon for 19.99.  Though you can keep your drama, thank you very much.

I so wish Vicky's Secret sold their clothes in the stores because they really have some awesome things on their website. I love the "boho vibe" of this crochet trim blouse I found there.  It also comes in black and passionberry.

And this lace trim v-neck top...

I found this beaded print blouse at Boston Proper.  I am absolutely in love with this top and that turquoise color though I would vow to wear pants with it. This girl, bless her heart, forgot to put hers on.

Wouldn't it look great with this turquoise ring by Lucky?

I found this kobalt paisley print koftan top at White House Black Market.  Though for $108, it is a bit of an investment. 

And how about this black jeweled ring I found for 13.99?  Fancy at a bargain!

I found it at Ruche.  Along with several others that are now on the top of my wishlist.  Here are 3 more of my favorites but it was really hard not to just post all of them. 

Every woman needs a red dress or two in her closet.  I found this one at Boston Proper.  Love the butterflies.

I feel that this Fancy Friday post would not be complete without a cute pair of wedges.  I found this fancy little pair at Piperlime.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly. ~Epictetus

Tomatoes and Treasures

Remember that quote from Ouiser in Steel Magnolias about Southern women growing tomatoes in the dirt and wearing funny hats when they get old? 

Well, I think I must surely be getting old cause me and the Dracenator set out four tomato plants today and if y'all recall, I did a post about how much I like fancy hats a few weeks ago. 

The Dracenator is super psyched about his tomato plants and those school fundraiser strawberry plants we planted in the bags.  He really wants a full vegetable garden of his very own here at the house but until I get a chance to take a course in farming 101, his garden at Popaw Bob's will have to do.  

He has had his own little side garden over there for the past couple of years.  He gets as excited about a pack of seeds as I do over a new pair of wedges.  

He and his brother made it back to school today.  The doctor's office finally called this afternoon to tell me Devin's test came back positive. yesterday.  Umm...I think yesterday is when I should have received this call.  He already had two doses of Dracen's antibiotic in him, per doctor's orders, but of course we had to go pick something up for him that he has to take for 9 more days. 

I.hate.strep.throat.

And.10.day.antibiotics!

Li'l Bit did great with her laparascopic spay.  I have, in fact, had a hard time keeping her from jumping and running today. 

I did a little jumping myself in boot camp this morning. First time I've made it to boot camp since the move and lemme tell you, I'm feelin' it already.  I may or may not be able to walk tomorrow. 

After boot camp, I checked out an antiques mall I haven't been to before.  I am becoming more and more fond of those places.  Probably has something to do with my age and the whole growing tomatoes and longing to wear colorful hats.

Here are a few of the little treasures I found today.

I've been meaning to replace my salt shaker and pepper mill grinder since I threw my old ones out with all the 15 year old spices I discovered during the move.  I found this set for $3. 

I liked the distressed look of this red napkin holder.

I thought this little sewing basket (though I assure you I will most likely never be keeping sewing materials in it) was a steal for $2.99 

And my favorite find of the day was this little antique set of satin portraits.  I have no idea where I'm gonna put them yet, but I just had to have them.

It's Just My Thing

I meant to write a post yesterday but most of my day was spent in doctors' offices waiting rooms reading and playing I Spy.

Devin woke up yesterday morning with a sore throat and headache and then Dracen announced that he was also unwell.  I had my serious doubts about this but I kept him home from school too.

Glad I did cause he was the one who tested positive for step while Devin, who had all the classic strep throat symptoms, tested negative. 

Say what?

I am suspecting one of three things:
1.  Devin's culture will come back positive.
2.  Dracen is a carrier of strep.
or
3.  They mixed up the darn tests.  

 The Dracenator did start to run a low fever when we got home yesterday though so maybe it's 1 or 2 or none of the above.  I just thought a sore throat always accompanied strep throat but perhaps not.

Either way though, they are both home again today and still in bed asleep. 

Li'l Bit is at the vet's this morning, getting a laparascopic spay.  She was supposed to already be spayed, since she was adopted, but there was some confusion as to whether she actually was or not and turns out, she's not. 

I don't like leaving my doggies, plus I'm a huge worrier, so I'll be on pins and needles until they call to tell me she can be picked up.  

Devin told me last night that I am obsessed.  "Obsessed with what?", I asked. 

"With dogs", he said.  I laughed and said, "Well, I can't help it.  I like dogs.  It's just my thing." 

Charlie then laughed and said, "yeah, you are pretty obsessed with the dogs". 

For as long as I can remember, I have not only loved animals but I have felt a certain sense of responsibility towards them and they never cease to put a smile on my face. 

We all have our "thing" like that, I think. 

For me, it has always been animals. If y'all ever hear about me getting locked up, it will probably be because I took extreme physical force against someone abusing an animal.

Today, for all my fellow animal lovers, I'm making a list of some of my favorite animal quotes. 

Enjoy...


"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."  ~Anatole France

"A man's soul can be judged by the way he treats his dog."  ~Charles Doran

"Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog."  ~Sydney Jeanne Seward

"Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms". ~George Eliot

"You enter into a certain amount of madness when you marry a person with pets". ~Nora Ephron

"An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language."
 ~Martin Buber

"The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too." ~Samuel Butler

"Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really." ~Agnes Sligh Turnbull

"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive." ~Gilda Radner

"One reason a dog can be such a comfort when you're feeling blue is that he doesn't try to find out why" ~Unknown

"My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am". ~Author Unknown

"To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring - it was peace". ~Milan Kundera

"I love a dog. He does nothing for political reasons". ~Will Rogers

"It is much easier to show compassion to animals. They are never wicked."  ~Haile Selassie

"The best thing about animals is that they don't talk much" ~Thornton Wilder

“Nobody can fully understand the meaning of love unless he’s owned a dog. A dog can show you more honest affection with a flick of his tail than a man can gather through a lifetime of handshakes.”~Gene Hill

"I talk to him when I'm lonesome like; and I'm sure he understands. When he looks at me so attentively, and gently licks my hands; then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat. For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that". ~W. Dayton Wedgefarth

Fancy Friday....I Now Have a Thing for Red Poppies

It's Fancy Friday time again and since I am currently a little obsessed with home decor and I've had some requests to post pics of the new house, I thought I'd post a few of my fancy things around here.  I still have a whole lot of decorating to do so I'm not ready to take full room shots yet.  

I decided that I won't tackle the painting project involving the cathedral ceilings and arched windows in the living room and sunroom so I hired a painter yesterday who is supposed to paint them the week after next.  

After picking up way too many of those little paint swatch cards at Lowe's and holding them in the light and squinting and shoving them under Charlie's and the boys' noses and asking, "which one do you like best?" and then saying, "hmm" when they didn't pick the one I was leaning towards, I believe I have finally decided on colors.

Fudgecicle for the living room, which I am really hoping doesn't make me crave fudgecicles all day and Veridian green for the sunroom.  I was leaning more towards a turquoise color but I picked this swatch up yesterday and it just feels right.  

 I mentioned in my first Fancy Friday post how I just love a tiffany style lamp and my sweet mother gave me one for my birthday this week.  It is currently in my furnitureless sunroom.  I don't think the picture does it justice but it is so pretty and I just love it.

And this is the one I have had for years.  It was in my living room at the other house but is currently in my bedroom on my antique dresser... 

I bought that beautiful cloth underneath it in Ronda, Spain last summer from a Spanish lady who handmade it.  It is one of my very favorite fancy things...

I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond this week to use a gift card we've had since Christmas and found the cutest little poppy chair cushions for this kitchen table and chairs Charlie brought home this week that belonged to his grandmother, Mama Dernie.  Aren't they cute?

I was really on the fence about whether or not to do red accents in my kitchen but these chair cushions decided for me and I had already put some of my little redbirds in there.  I love to see this one peeking out of the cupboard at me when I'm at the sink...

I think the boys gave me this little redbird snow globe one year for my birthday or Mother's Day.  It is sitting on my Southern Living plate. Those little holes are for a decorative ribbon but I don't currently have one to match and I know that a starfish has absolutely nothing to do with redbirds but for some reason, this just went together for me.  Remember the school fundraiser I told y'all about awhile back that involved jar candles and plants and seeds?  Well, the stuff came in this week which is where the vanilla scented candle in the pic came from.  It actually smells really good but I haven't lit it yet.      

I believe the boys also gave me this little perpetual redbird calendar one year too. It sat in my windowsill above my kitchen sink at the other house but since my windowsill is too narrow here, I placed it on this beautiful, fancy cake plate that Charlie's dad and stepmother gave us as a wedding gift.  I thought it was just too pretty to keep hidden away in the cabinet and brought out only on "special" occasions. 

While at Bed, Bath and Beyond, I also found this little poppy mat for the front porch.  I'm really digging the poppies right now.  

While coveting the paint swatches at Lowe's and buying potting soil for all those strawberry plants and sunflower seeds the Dracenator insisted I buy from school, I bought two of these beautiful planters to sit in my empty plant stands on each side of the front door.  And good grief, there's a lot of yellow pollen on the porch that I need to tackle.

I also found this cute little red box for the kitchen counter at TJ Maxx.

I love my little fancy polka dot oven mitts.  I found these at Target.

I ordered this area rug for my living room but it just didn't work for me in there so instead it will be in my dining room which is currently unfurnished since we don't yet own any formal dining room furniture.

While I went to TJ Maxx in search of home decor, all the fancy furnishings in the world could not steer me away from browsing the shoe aisle where I found the cutest little fancy pair of sandals which just also happen to be super comfortable since they are Aerosoles. I LOVE them and they were definitely worth every penny of the $24.99 I paid for them...

Well, I think that is plenty of fancy for today and I need to get ready to head to the sporting goods store in search of white ball pants (which will be impossible to keep clean!) and green ball socks for the Dracenator.  See why I need Fancy Fridays? 

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Say Cheese

I am a proud mama today. 

The Dracenator got an award for meeting his reading goals, good conduct and Terrific Kid.  Yay for Dray!

And Devin got AB Honor Roll.  Way to go Dev Dev!

Dracen's awards ceremony for first grade was earlier this morning and then Devin's was a little later for fifth grade.  Something happens around 3rd or 4th grade that makes it uncool for your parents to show up at school, Mama equipped with the zoom lens and waving like a maniac.

Dracen was all like, "I wanna go home with you, Mom" while Devin stood in line to leave the gym, looking straight ahead and  praying under his breath that we would not step one foot closer to him and embarrass him in front of his buds. 

I, of course, did it anyway. 

I even took it one step further by patting him on the back and congratulating him which I could tell infuriated him so I then asked loud enough for his friends to hear if he would like for me to walk him back to class and hold his hand. 

This brought out a few giggles from the fifth grade peanut gallery and he mumbled real mean like under his breath, "get outta here". 

Ahhh...Sweet Success.

Giving paybacks to your kids is one of the greatest joys of parenthood, is it not?   Score One for Mom!

Here we have the Dracenator, all proud and posing with his bumper sticker and upside down certificate.

And here we have Dev.  This was the best I could do from the other side of the gym but I knew there was no chance of him agreeing on letting me take one close up afterwards.




When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator,
and I wanted to paint another one.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you feed a stray cat,
and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you make my favorite cake for me,
and I knew that little things are special things.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I heard you say a prayer,
and I believed that there was a God to talk to.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I felt you kiss me goodnight,
and I felt loved.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw tears come from your eyes,
and I learned that sometimes things hurt,
but it's alright to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw that you cared,
and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I looked...
and I wanted to say thanks for all the things
I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.

~Author Unknown

39

Since I am 39 today, I'm making a list of 39 discoveries/highlights of my past year:


1. Traveled to the continents of Europe and Africa for the first time and the countries of Spain, Morocco and Gibraltar.  The best part about this was the spontaneity involved.  Thanks, Jenn C.!
2.  Took a family trip to Disney World and vowed to never, ever go there in June again.
3.  Dracen lost his first baby teeth and cut his first big boy teeth.  I love his little squirrel smile.  
4.  Discovered a love for Zumba. 
5.  Celebrated the 20th year anniversary of my high school graduation and reconnected with some friends I had not seen in  many years...nothing like "old" friends. 
6.  Said goodbye to my beloved Dixie Dog.  I was blessed with 14 years of unconditional love and while I still miss her so much every day, I will always be grateful for the years I had her in my life.  She will forever be in my heart.
7.  Adopted Brisco and Charlene Darling and highly recommend adoption to anyone considering getting a new pet.  They have so much love to give and are just so grateful to be with me. 
8.  Celebrated one year of marriage.  Thanks for the Love, C.!
9.  Celebrated Devin's 10th birthday and 10 years of being a Mom.  Most challenging yet rewarding role God has ever blessed me with. 
10.  Rekindled my love and passion for reading.
11.  Decided having a real tan is not worth the risks involved.
12.  Discovered a love for self tanners.
13. Marveled as I watched both my boys excel at a new sport.  Football for Devin and Soccer for Dracen.
14.  Experienced my first broken bone of motherhood when Dracen broke his collar bone which just also happens to be the only bone of my own I have ever broken.
15.  Entered the 21st century by getting our first flat screen t.v.
16.  Got my first crackberry blackberry.
17.  Surprised myself by crying hysterically over the death of a hamster.
18.  Agreed to get the boys guinea pigs for their birthdays and discovered just why it is that they are called "pigs".  Like I needed one more thing to clean!  I'm such a sucker for cute little critters.
19.  Found a new love in velvet cake flavored yogurt.
20.  Went sledding for the first time in eons and remembered why I loved it so much as a kid.
21.  Convinced myself that time travel really is possible.  I strongly suspect this has something everything to do with the Diana Gabaldon books I've been reading though I have been fascinated with the idea of time travel for as long as I can remember.
22. Went back to an artificial Christmas tree since I finally made the startling revelation the year before that my stuffy head and sneezing during the Christmas season may in fact have something to do with the live tree in my house. 
23.  Rediscovered how the emotion and grief brought about by a great loss creates an overwhelming drive and desire in me to connect with others who can relate.  Losing Dixie Dog introduced me to some wonderful new online friends. 
24.   While in Spain, I realized just how "hurried" we always are in America.  I wish we could learn to slow down the pace a bit.
25.  Experienced divine intervention.  We can push and force with all the will and might we can muster up but it's not gonna happen until God says the time is right.
26.  Though I've been a homeowner for many years now, I actually bought a house for the first time.  
27.  After 18 months or so of looking for a house, I now understand why the three most important factors in buying a house are:  Location. Location. Location!
28.  While I have always known that we are creatures of habit, I discovered during my move just how great a truth that really is. 
29.  Also discovered how much "stuff" I had that I just didn't need, want or even know why I ever had in the first place! 
30.  Found out, in yoga class, that I'm still flexible enough to do a shoulder stand.
31.  I am no longer, however, able to ride every roller coaster in the park without getting nauseous.  I know this because I almost vomited and crashed to the floor when I got off one that started going backwards halfway through at Disney.  Took me hours to shake that one off.
32.  Found out my oldest niece, Beth, is having a baby this year which will make me a great aunt and it's gonna be a girl so I get to buy baby girl clothes again! 
33.  My great aunt, Carrie, went to her eternal home in heaven this year.
34.  Experienced, with the discovery of some old books, how we can connect with souls we've never met and some, even long after they've left this earth. 
35.  Decided that I would not beat myself up over eating something decadent and full of empty calories on occasion.
36.  Came to the discovery that I am officially "old" in the eyes of my children since they absolutely can't stand my 70s and 80s music I like to play in the car and I can't understand how they can listen to that stuff they listen to.
37.  Devin did tell me that I was now cool when I got my blackberry last summer though.  
38.  Realizing now how many 39 actually is since it has taken me 3 hours to do this and I thought it was gonna take me no more than one.  I was gonna have a hundred other things done around here by now.  Oh well, it is my birthday!
39.  Started this blog and so glad I did!  

An Unfancy Fancy Friday

I had really planned on and looked forward to finally sitting down last night around 9pm and putting together my Fancy Friday post but for the second night in a row, we could not get online.  All lights are green but no go when we tried to sign in.  Charlie says they must not have the capacity to accomodate all the users they have.

Well, this is just not acceptable.  Looks like I'll be making a call to AT&T when I'm done with this post.  Mama is gonna have to put the smackdown on somebody. 

I thought about centering this post around fancy things I'd like to see in my house since I do have an entire house to decorate but I'm just not really feeling fancy today.  Instead I'm gonna talk about things I like to wear when I'm in an unfancy mood but still need to look presentable. 

I absolutely love these linen pants by Ann Taylor Loft.  I have a similar pair in cotton that I bought there last year and remembered how much I love them when I wore them Sunday afternoon and again yesterday.  I've gotta have a pair of these linen ones.   

I love, love, love a good fitting pair of denim capris though I have a hard time finding any kind of denim to fit me right.  I'm thinking I may have to stop by Old Navy the next time I'm near there and try on a pair of these...

Don't they just look so comfy?  

Gotta have a comfy tee to go with those capris and one of my favorite brands is Land's End.  This one comes in 18 different colors!  Gotta love that.

Everyone needs a good hoodie especially this time of year when it's so chilly in the mornings and evenings and hot during the days.  I really like this one from Gap.  It comes in 5 colors for $39.50. 

When it's cool out, my choice of casual shoes are my cute little Skechers.  I have the gray and green but they come in about 3 other colors too.

I had rather, however, be wearing a pair of flip flops.  I found this Clarks spa pair on Piperlime.  

Well, since it has now taken me over half the morning to collaborate this unfancy Fancy Friday post seeing as how the internet went out yet again and I had to jump through hoops with AT&T tech support, (who is now at the top of my you know what list), I'd better go get busy unpacking some more boxes!

Maybe next Friday I can muster up a good dose of fancy for y'all.

Happy Weekend! 

Ponderings

I know I've been a bit slack on keeping up with my "daily" blog posts but I said it once and I'll say it again. Moving has beat me down. 

Tuesday I finally made it back to the gym but don't give me too much credit cause I just went to yoga.  I thought I could really benefit from the stretching and relaxation.

Apparently I was right since I did something I never, ever even come close to doing.  I dozed off during the relaxation time at the end of class.  I came to just as she was telling us to bend our second leg.  I had already missed the wiggling of the hands and feet and bending of the first leg. 

I lied to myself and said I would go to boot camp yesterday morning but I woke up feeling like I'd been thrown from a train.  Instead I did something else I never, ever do.  I went back to sleep on the couch after taking the boys to school and that was after two cups of coffee. 

The sun is back today and I'm beginning to feel a bit like myself again.  I will go to zumba and toning today at noon, come hell or high water. 

Right now I'm still working on hitting the bottom of that coffee pot and pondering what color I'm gonna paint this living room.  It's not a bad color but I'm just not feeling the pale yellow in here.  I've got to change it before I do any decorating. 

It's making me a little nervous about my painting skills though because it has cathedral ceilings and I'm trying to picture myself that high up on a ladder trying to tape off that arched window and highest point and then painting it without making a huge mess of things.  

What's the going rate on a professional painter these days?  If I mess it up too bad, I may need a pro.

On another note, I'm having a birthday in 4 days and can't seem to get my mind fully around the fact that this is my last thirtysomething birthday.  Next year is the big 4.0.  How is that even possible?  

I remember watching Thirtysomething in the late 80s, early 90s and thinking how old and so far off that sounded.  Now here I am coming up on my fortysomethings. 

Wow.  Life certainly has a way of speeding by on us, doesn't it?

It always amazes me how I still feel I look the same as I did 10 or 15 years ago until I see an old photo of myself and think how young I looked which can only mean one thing...

 I look older now. 

 I'm okay with looking older as long as I am also feeling smarter and wiser.  I think wisdom kind of creeps up on us.  We don't realize we have any until we look back on things and think, Wow, if I had only known then what I know now. 

 Don't get me wrong now.  I'm not by any means suggesting that I am wise beyond my years or that I don't still have lots to learn but here is a list of some of the things I have learned in my (almost) 39 years:

1.  True friendship never dies.  You may go years without seeing or speaking to a true friend but you can always pick up right where you left off and feel as if everything though nothing at all has changed.

2.  All the many trials and tribulations of life really do build character if you choose to learn and grow from them rather than wallow in them.

3. The best memories have nothing at all to do with things or the best money can buy.  My greatest memories are of little everyday moments and times spent with special people or pets.

4.  If a feeling in your gut tells you something is wrong then you'd better rethink it.

5.  Having a child changes everything.  For me, becoming a mother made me a better person and made me look at life through a whole new set of eyes.  Every move and decision a mother makes not only affects her life, but those of her children as well.

6.  Never assume anything.  

7.  A true love will never tell you he just isn't quite sure about you yet.

8.  Never say anything that you may regret tomorrow or in 5 minutes.  Think before you speak or type.

9. We are our own worst critics.  It is impossible to see ourselves through the eyes of others which is why compliments are so important.  I need to do a better job of dishing them out.

10.  God never moves.  Sometimes we do but He is always there, patiently waiting for our return. 


Y'all have a good Thursday!  Fancy Friday will be back tomorrow.


  

You are here.

I'm back.

And I'm beat.

This whole moving thing has kicked my butt and took my name. 

Have I ever mentioned how much I despise dealing with incompetence?  Well, I do and I was given a great big hefty dose of it yesterday, courtesy of the contractor's employee who installed my DirectTV. 

I think it was a life test of my patience and ability to contain my thoughts and words while simultaneously refraining from taking physical force against another human being.

I passed, but only barely.

But, the good news is, we have t.v. again so yay for that!

I love the new house and we have so much more room but I am still feeling like I just have all my stuff in someone else's house. I suppose this is normal for someone who lived in the same house for 13 plus years. 

We should have our fence put up in about a week but for the time being, we've been taking Big Boy and Li'l Bit out on leashes and they seem to have some sort of aversion to doing their business while attached to a leash. 

Big Boy points his nose towards the woods and tries with all his might to pull me in that direction while Li'l Bit just seems to be along for the sight seeing.  

They broke out of the sun room yesterday when I was gone and left me a package in the bonus room which just happens to be the only room in the entire house with carpet.  

Why do dogs do that?!  Every single one I've ever known prefers   carpet or rugs to hardwood and tile. 

Must just be a dog thing.

Enough of the complaining though because truly, I have nothing at all to complain about.  I have had countless blessings bestowed upon me and as I sit here in the quiet stillness of this beautiful room surrounded by unpacked boxes, I am reminded of each and every one of them.   

God is good and I am so humbly and eternally grateful for Him and His unending love and patience with me and all of my human imperfections.  His everpresence in my life is what keeps me grounded and reined in when I  start to feel my temper flaring and my blood pressure rising. 

I hear His voice saying, "Diane, this is a minor, insignificant thing that you have no reason to get upset about.  Look around you at all that I have blessed you with" and that brings me back to reality and puts a smile back on my face.

I haven't quoted my treasured Marjorie Holmes book in awhile so I leave you with her words today,

WHEN THE WINDS CRY I HEAR YOU

     Oh God, my God, when the winds cry I hear you, when the birds call I hear you,

when the sea rushes in it is like the rushing of my being toward yours.

You are voice of wind and bird and beat of sea.

  You are the silent steady pulsing of my blood.

I would know you better, I would taste your essence,

 I would see your face.

Yet these few small senses of mine cannot do more.

You have defined their limits, you have set them within

a framework from which we can only see and touch and hear and attempt

to know these marvels that you have made.

But this too is the marvel-that you are within each of us as well.

As we are drawn toward your greatness we are drawn

toward the greatness within ourselves.

We are larger beings, we are greater spirits.

The hunger for you kindles a holy fire that makes us

kinder, gentler, surer, stronger- ever seeking,

never quite finding, but always keenly aware that you are

all about us and within us.

You are here.