"Stairway to Heaven"

Weather forecast for tonight: dark.

George Carlin

Today was a good day. I taught school, exersized, ate lunch, cleaned out the frige (found a couple of food items that were missing, gross!), went to the doctor (I'm doing well), took a good nap, my husband came home and cooked me a wonderful meal, served me and then he cleaned the kitchen. Does life get any better?

My daughter and her little family will be arriving two weeks from tomorow. I'm so excited... My son is getting married in three weeks. I will be acquiring a new daughter. It's so exciting. My son and his fiancee worked in Texas this weekend at "Austin City Limits" and guess who was performing?????? Robert Plant of Led Zepplin and Allison Krauss. Doesn't get much better than that. Later.........

No do-overs

Life is a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish, but you can only spend it once'

Anonymus

There are no do-overs. Only apologies. Personally, I find the need to apologize too much. I need to slow down and make sure that I'm spending my life as Jesus would want it done. I'm getting ready for my son's wedding. I'm doing a major spring cleaning. Why? Well, it's certainly not to impress anyone, we live in a trailer for goodness' sake. I just function better in "order." But, is my personal "preference" stepping on toes or making anyone unhappy? I want to be responsible for myself but, none of us lives in a vacuum. We must be responsible for our own actions and how they affect others.

As I watch the daily politico, no one wants to take responsibility for any of the wrongs and everyone wants to take credit for the good. Why doesn't the citizenry absorb some of the blame. Too many people are not being vigilant nor realistic about money, self-preservation, you name it. I can only be responsible for my behavior. Want to fix alot of the world problems...take care of yourselves first and then help those who are needy. That's not the government's job. THE CITIZENS ARE THE EMPLOYERS OF THIS COUNTRY NOT THE GOVERNMENT!!!!! HELLO!!!!!!!CHECK THE CONSTITUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I received my daughter's and her family's portraits in the mail today. They are all the cutest anyone can imagine. I wish I could live in that portion of my life all of the time...priceless.

Responsibility revisited

Happiness depends upon ourselves.

Aristotle

How is it that some people can find themselves in the worst of circumstances yet have a smile on their face? Conversely, there are those who only rarely smile? I would say to you that Aristotle got it right. There are those in my life who, I would think have every reason to be happy yet are sad too often. Then, there are those who struggle everyday with unfixable issues and have the most pleasant attitudes.

My son had a friend who, placed in the worst of circumstances while he was growing up, turned out to be a most honorable person. His role models were less than respectable, in almost everyway. When asked how is was that he became a good guy he said, "I don't want to be like that." He is one of my heroes. No one would have blamed him if he had followed the footsteps of his parents but, he chose a different life for himself (Thank God).

I have a student who was born with problems that may never be able to be fixed. She has never given up and neither have we, as teachers. This young lady has more grace than me. She has alot to teach me. Unfortunately, for me, she's graduating this year. She is accomplishing things, in her studies that, many professionls told her previously, she would never be able to master. I wish she could remain in school longer--I have so much yet to learn from her.

In both cases, both people found happiness where it always resides--inside of ourselves (and that's where the Holy Spirit lives.)

One day maybe.......

The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding.

Leonardo da Vinci

Yesterday, my husband and I went to Houston for an appointment with my specialist. You see, I've not mentioned this before but, I have Multiple Sclerosis. I do not want to be defined by my disease. I take very good care of myself and am very vigilant in my own care. It must be mentioned that M.S. does not have me. Since my first symptom 32 years ago, my progression has been slow (thank You, Jesus.) I told my children that there may come a time when I can no longer take care of myself but, it will not be because of something I did to myself or did not do for myself. I want to be in charge, by the will of God. Anway, I digress...my appointment was wonderful and I'm still doing really well.

This afternoon my boyfriend (husband) and I are going to view some property. We live in a casa con ruedas (trailor). It's not bad really, considering that we own it free and clear but, I would like a house one day. Problem is that I think that property values are over inflated so, we'll wait.....one day. It's not the highest priority...happiness is.

Land of the Free????

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.

Abraham Lincoln

I believe that this country is bordering on self destruction. The population is becomming increasingly dependent on government. Businesses are now becomming dependent upon the government. The next generation is less knowledgeable about everything but entertainment. Why have we become so lazy. Sure, there are many people who are self-reliant. Lately, I've been paying attention to the people who are not. I've lived through hurricanes Camille and Andrew, both were catagory 5 storms. After Katrina, no one can seem to survive without the government's help. No one hears about Katrina and Mississippi or Alabama, no--New Orleans--where so many of the people that were seen on the tv were wards of the government. They learned early on that they didn't have to make it on their own, the government gave them stuff. Now it's their right to receive handouts. Wake-up!!!!! Take care of yourselves. Our way of life is at risk.........

Clearing the cobwebs.......

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.

Rather we should thank God that such men lived.

George S. Patton

Well, I'm cleaning out the house, one room at a time. It is essential, for me, to clean out, and organize our belongings from time to time. One room at a time, I'm moving down the hall. Today, I've started cleaning the office. How does one find the space to collect such meaningless junk? This is going to take a few days. Not only am I cleaning but, I've got pre-organized piles and the pre-piles will be fully-organized at a later date. While pre-piling, I found some of my grandmother's writings. She did have the gift of composition. I found some poems that she wrote after I was born. My mom said that I saved her life. You see, when I was 3 weeks old her two oldest sons were killed in a one-car collision. They were my dad's older brothers. I just can't, as a mother, imagine losing two children at the same time. They were 23 and 22 years old. I have trouble comprehending how my dad handled the loss. I really thought the world of her. She taught me so much about life and she told the best stories; it's as though when she was telling a story, I was watching a movie. She left for me and my brother 13 years of journals. They tell of her childhood, being a wife, being a mom, being a grandmother--a wealth of information. They are just priceless to me. This is a poem she wrote for me:

*******

For Lisa

Blue are my darling's eyes-

I stare, until it is pain

To see your blue, blue eyes

Telling me so plain

Of those, who were once little boys.

One who's eyes were very blue

The other a soft, soft brown.

********

Was this mere chance, my darling, or

Was this coming together, you and me,

God's way of showing my need for you?

Teach me patience, Lord, and

Let me remember that little children need

Not only material things, but also laughter.

********

As Patton said, "Don't mourn, but be thankful for God's gift"--my grandmother.

Cuddle up a little closer...

Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.

Albert Einstein

As usual, this morning I was driving to school and listening to my MP3 player. Most of my favorite music is on it and I like to listen to it in the schuffle mode. I do have alot of music from the fifties and sixties on it. Every morning when I arrive, the other teacher and myself sing, to the class, a short snippet of a song. I think some times that the students think we're nuts (we probably are but, we ARE good teachers.) The songs are completely unknown to the students but, we know the words and melodies. It really adds brightness to our day. I can only imagine what I would have done if my teachers in high school had sung a few bars of some out-dated song to our class. There is a certain priviledge that goes along with teaching in a private school.

My mom stayed over last night. We had a lovely evening. She left this a.m.--at 5:30 to visit my daughter and her family. I got up at 3 a.m. with her and drove her to the airport at 4:15 a.m. (notice the stress on A.M.). I helped her get all the way to security. I left, then guess what? I went back to sleep as soon as I got home. Cuddling up a little closer to my husband, I woke-up late. No make-up, only a shower and clothes. My face feels like a prune with no moisturizer.

My husband is the best in the world. My teacher friend and I agree on this point. Hers is the best too. We also agreed that we were starting to acquire these little pains occasionally but we are still, both soooo cute. Our husbands love us, our kids are great, and that makes all of the material things in this world so small. Life is great and I am blessed.........

Oh, when I called to see if mom arrived, my daughter said, "The Eagle has landed..." Too cute.