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| Happy Birthday, Dear Andrea |
| 12.29.06 (9:21 pm) [edit] |
In all of the rush of the busy week, I almost missed this wonderful opportunity to wish my dear Andrea a great big, happy birthday! So, everyone, on 3...Happy Birthday, dear akelso! happy birthday to yooooouuuuu! and many moooorrrreeee! xoxoxoxo |
| Angel Wishes |
| 12.29.06 (6:55 am) [edit] |
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D id you make any New Year resolutions? I have to confess that I actually gave that up years ago. Mostly because it seems like typical resolutions focus on the negative – to stop doing something or to restrict yourself in some way. Instead, I find that it's better to go at things from a positive point of view. You give yourself a much better chance of succeeding when you emphasize what you want to welcome into your life, rather than what you don't want anymore. S o what I do to help things along even more is to give those hopes and wishes a physical form by making myself a special calendar. After all, you need a calendar for the new year, don't you? It's simple and fun, and you might like to try it too. First, get a simple, cheap calendar from one of those discount stores. Then, take some construction or scrapbook paper and cut pieces to the size to fit over the pictures that are on the calendar already and then glue the pieces over the pictures. N ow, look for pictures from magazines or catalogs or print out images from the Web that represent what you want to come into your life. You can combine these with phrases from headlines or ads or write out your own encouraging words. Then arrange and glue them over the construction paper, and you'll have a visual reminder all year that acts like a trigger for what you want to attract into your life. A fter all, if you can see it, you'll believe it! |
| My Tribute to You All at Tblog: The Passing of the Year, by Robert W. Service |
| 12.27.06 (4:10 pm) [edit] |
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robert W. Service
Robert William Service, the renowned poet of the Yukon, was born in Lancashire, England, on January 16, 1874. The son of a bank cashier, Service was the eldest of...
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The Passing of the Year
by Robert W. Service
My glass is filled, my pipe is lit,
My den is all a cosy glow;
And snug before the fire I sit,
And wait to feel the old year go.
I dedicate to solemn thought
Amid my too-unthinking days,
This sober moment, sadly fraught
With much of blame, with little praise.
Old Year! upon the Stage of Time
You stand to bow your last adieu;
A moment, and the prompter's chime
Will ring the curtain down on you.
Your mien is sad, your step is slow;
You falter as a Sage in pain;
Yet turn, Old Year, before you go,
And face your audience again.
That sphinx-like face, remote, austere,
Let us all read, whate'er the cost:
O Maiden! why that bitter tear?
Is it for dear one you have lost?
Is it for fond illusion gone?
For trusted lover proved untrue?
O sweet girl-face, so sad, so wan
What hath the Old Year meant to you?
And you, O neighbour on my right
So sleek, so prosperously clad!
What see you in that aged wight
That makes your smile so gay and glad?
What opportunity unmissed?
What golden gain, what pride of place?
What splendid hope? O Optimist!
What read you in that withered face?
And You, deep shrinking in the gloom,
What find you in that filmy gaze?
What menace of a tragic doom?
What dark, condemning yesterdays?
What urge to crime, what evil done?
What cold, confronting shape of fear?
O haggard, haunted, hidden One
What see you in the dying year?
And so from face to face I flit,
The countless eyes that stare and stare;
Some are with approbation lit,
And some are shadowed with despair.
Some show a smile and some a frown;
Some joy and hope, some pain and woe:
Enough! Oh, ring the curtain down!
Old weary year! it's time to go.
My pipe is out, my glass is dry;
My fire is almost ashes too;
But once again, before you go,
And I prepare to meet the New:
Old Year! a parting word that's true,
For we've been comrades, you and I --
I thank God for each day of you;
There! bless you now! Old Year, good-bye!
Larger Type | Home | Help | Contact Us | Privacy Policy Copyright © 1997 - 2006 by The Academy of American Poets.
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| when the going gets tough, I take a nap! |
| 12.26.06 (10:07 am) [edit] |
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well, to sumise the holidays for mimi, et al, it was better this year than it's been in many...this year i actually made my famous "no-fail" fudge and i made a batch of turtle bars..never made them before. they turned out pretty good. guess i am getting out of the "the only reason i have a kitchen is because it came with the house" mood!
had to work all day christmas eve, so i had dropped off my goodies and gifts at "son's" house, in case i was late and someone left early...
granddaughter was beautifully dressed and beautifully behaved...she knows that, for the most part, it's all about her, but seems to be handling it well for 5 1/2! she "sang" the blessing before we ate and only altered one part so it went "bring us presents, bring us presents!"
needless to say, the foods were plentiful and delicious and i shouldn't have to shop or cook till after the first of the year! yeah!
received a few very nice gifts and gave a few (remember my last sunday's tragic broken dog leg story which put a screeching halt to any and all shopping)nice one's too.
grandbaby fell asleep on aunty april's lap...sweet vision...my two favorite girls loving one another on Christmas eve...both bright spots in my otherwise dull life.
april did well...better than anticipated...a few tears and lots of hugs. difficult to be so happy when everything is so screwed up for her...but, her staples are out of her head, she is not having to anticipate any more surgeries...now it's just the long haul back to whatever normalcy we can find and lots of work on her part with therapy galore.
her and i decided that next year will be better! i am just grateful to still have her and to have the potential for "next year"!
i spent christmas day with the puppies. only thing i managed to accomplish was a hot, long bubble bath and a nap! had yummy leftovers to eat and watched lots of corny, old movies! took a nap and then, when my friend came home from her family, we had hot chocolate and watched "santa claus" and "santa claus 2", or at least i tried to watch "2" but fell out!
love to all and here's to a better 2007!
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| Merry Christmas, to all my friends at tblog |
| 12.25.06 (10:30 am) [edit] |
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Friends, family, loved ones and acquaintances who make you feel more alive, happy, and optimistic are some of the most important treasures in life. All the money and power you can imagine are not likely to be as satisfying as good conversation, trust, dependability and laughter. Today, take a moment to think about the special people in your life, and ways you can keep those relationships strong. Make it a priority to spend some time each week with at least one of them - whether by phone, e-mail, in person, or through a letter. Human connectedness is a powerful healer, one we should all embrace. Merry Christmas to you all, and to all, a good Night! xoxox |
| 44006 visits |
| 12.23.06 (2:04 pm) [edit] |
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I would venture to guess that of the 44006 visits to my blog, 44003 were of love and support from you, my dear tblog friends. Just wanted to say a word of thanks, for sometimes in the middle of the night, when things are at their bleakest and/or lonliest, I knew I could always find some support and comfort from you...I could always know that I wasn't ALONE and that somewhere, someone cared enough to keep my "bad" thoughts away. Thank you, one and all...and have yourselves a "Merry Little Christmas" .... With love, Mimi xoxoxo |
| there goes Christmas! |
| 12.18.06 (4:08 pm) [edit] |
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well, to tell the truth, mimi has been practicing the art of frugality for some time, now, and it seems that every time i get two steps ahead, i fall 3 or 4 steps back! yesterday, i got up early and went out to work my "part-time" job. after working all day, i stopped at wally world to pick up stuff to make some fudge in lieu of "gifts" for friends and family for Christmas. must be frugal,,,must be frugal! i get home and the dogs are all wound up, as usual...sometimes they get so "excited" that they will grab hold of an ear and not let go and it turns ugly...sometimes, i will come in an all is calm...but there might be evidence that they fought earlier...it disturbs me to see/hear this...but i feel guilty if i lock them up because i am gone so long during the day. i had doggie doors installed and a 6-foot wooden privacy fence installed so that they could be free and comfy. guess they don't realize this. i let them out and notice, in the dark, that my little, female boston is limping...i go to reach to see if she has picked up a burr or whatever, and her whole little leg just turned in my hand...awwwgggghhh! oh, no! what have you done! i get the other two dogs inside, find the yellow pages and locate an emergency vet...where is the closest one to me? i inquire...ok...call the closer one...pick up boogie and off we go....they take her back...i tell them "i have no money"....they come back with a $600 estimate..."oh, dear jesus, now what do i do?" i remind them again, i have no money...they reconsider the estimate...and get it to $309. the good news is, after giving boogie sedation, the doctor came back in and said that he was able to manipulate the joint and popped it back into place! he felt there were no fractures, but without x-rays, couldn't be sure. they splinted her up, gave me some medications for pain and for infection and we went on home. she was able to sleep through the night. i have done my best to hold my own and not ask my family for financial help. i work two jobs and sell my cosmetics...that usually carries me....but this time i finally had to call in for backup...thank God my oldest son was kind enough to not just yell and say "i told you so, crate those dogs, you shouldn't have them, etc." he paid with a credit card for me... this morning, i had to take her to follow up with another vet, and luckily, after taking x-rays, she determined that everything the doctor did last nite was sufficient and this won't require surgery. i guess from here on out, guilt or no guilt, my pups will spend the day in their crates. |
| April's fight against the "bah humbugs"! or, Hope is what we are left with : ) |
| 12.16.06 (10:03 pm) [edit] |
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Today, I did some errands, then called to see what April was doing. Got no answer...tried the cell...still no answer. I didn't think that they would be far from home, but even if they were, I decided to go over, anyway. Surely there was something I could do to help out whether they were at home or not. When I got there, I found their dog way down the street! Sasha, what are you doing out of the yard! Come on, girl...come home with me! So, she did... When I got to the house, the gate was wide open...hmmm! that's odd... When I got in the yard, both vehicles were there...but all was quiet inside...maybe they are asleep....so, quietly, I wandered around in the kitchen...got some items out and decided to make some homemade macaroni and cheese, a cake mix was there, so why not, since I have the oven on, anyway...so, as quietly as possible, so as not to waken the sleepyheads, I started cooking. Now, mind you, I don't cook anymore, these days...so I am way out of practice! : ) I get the mac and cheese just ready to put into the oven and I hear Dave's footsteps...they were down the street visiting neighbors : ) April and he had wandered down to the mailbox for a little exercise and got to visiting...which explains why the dog was out of the yard and the gate was open! Dave had come back to get the car because April had gotten weary and it is a long walk. To explain, their "yard" is about 3 acres!...a walk to the mailbox is about 6-8 city blocks...not just some Zero lot line neighborhood...they live in the country : ) Dave said they were hungry and were going to go out to eat...he then realized what I was doing and said he would ask April what she preferred to do...I told them it would be fine...I was just putting a couple of things together for them to have...but she chose to stay and eat at home. So into the oven went some fish filets and a veggie and dinner was on.... I think they were both pleasantly surprised and delighted. For the most part, they have been either eating out or eating a lot of "prepared" foods that Dave can manage. He really only cooks on the grill, so the every day meal thing can be a challenge. They were also happy just because I took the time and energy to devote to them...something I hadn't been very good at until recently. Energy, I mean. After dinner, I cleaned up and April and I made a grocery list of the Cookies that she wants to make for Christmas! DIL is planning to come and bake with her....one recipe is in a notebook that has yet to be relocated, so I determined it was a recipe from Dave's sis...so we called her, did charades to figure out which favorite cookie it was and sis emailed the recipe...added the ingredients to the grocery list and wrote the recipe into April's personal collection recipe book. : ) By then, April was truly worn out...but, the point of the story is that I am feeling good and that April is making an effort to make the holidays special, even though she is feeling quite "bah humbug", but admits Dave needs to be treated well, and she and I decided that we will muster through this year in hope that next year will be better...in the words of my girl, "HOPE" is what we are left with! April's strength is returning and she is walking on her own again. I didn't think she would stay in the wheelchair for long. She is such an awesome example of strength and dignity. So, that's my story...... The saga continues : ) With love. |
| Angel Therapy : ) | |||
| 12.16.06 (8:52 am) [edit] | |||
I know that angels are very popular and powerful symbols that influence and guide the lives of so many. Here is how you can use the power of angels to help support your desire for healthy living. Remember the end of that old Christmas movie classic, It’s A Wonderful Life, with Jimmy Stewart? This is where Jimmy Stewart tells his daughter that "Every time a bell rings, an angel get its wings." To this day, every time I hear a bell ring, I think of that image. Today, I want to use that image and ask you to consider the following. Every time you make a healthy choice, imagine an angel gets its wings. Every time you make a decision that moves you toward your goal, imagine an angel gets its wings. Every time you have a positive thought about yourself, imagine an angel gets its wings. Ever time you eat something healthy, imagine an angel gets its wings. Every time you choose to exercise, imagine an angel gets its wings. Get the idea? Now if you make a negative choice, nothing bad happens. The next angel in line simply has to wait a little longer to get his or her wings. I call this Angel Therapy and I hope it moves your spirit, rocks your world and changes your life! The line is forming and the angels await your decision. Wishing You Great Health! Dr. John H. Sklare
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| 12.16.06 (8:27 am) [edit] |
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How the Grinch Stole Christmas Every Who Down in Whoville Liked Christmas a lot... Welcome Christmas Fah who foraze! Welcome, welcome! Fah who foraze! Fah who foraze!
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| Habit | |||
| 12.14.06 (9:51 pm) [edit] | |||
Habit is the enemy of change! The force of habit is what draws you back to old, negative, self-defeating behaviors. Habit is a very powerful force in our lives and, once it gets a hold of you, it’s very difficult to break free. This is how habit becomes the enemy of change and how habit provides the background music for your life. In order to bring new music into your world, I offer you the following activity. It is designed to allow you to be proactive regarding change. I call it the TIDE technique. It’s a formula for increasing awareness and enhancing change. Here’s the simple 4-step procedure: T – Think It: What new dance steps (behaviors and thoughts) do you want to learn? I – Imagine It: Take a few moments every day, find some quite time, close your eyes and actually imagine yourself performing these new steps (behaviors and thoughts). D – Declare It: At least once every day look into a mirror and declare these new behaviors and thoughts as your own. E – Experience It: Practice these new thoughts and behaviors in real life situations Change requires that you break the bonds of habit by creating new background music for your life. Choose something that you want to change and apply the TIDE technique today. If you do, you may be dancing to a different drummer tomorrow! Wishing You Great Health! Dr. John H. Sklare |
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| For Light, Hope and Renewal |
| 12.14.06 (7:09 am) [edit] |
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Why not "light up" your life this holiday season? It's a good way to banish the holiday blues that can creep up during this festive time. Actually, that blue feeling has a lot to do with the shortened days of light during the winter season. And that feeling even has a technical name – SAD, or seasonal affective disorder. Our bodies' biological rhythms are meant to take in the sun in the morning, so when it's still dark when we get up, it has a disorienting effect. A good trick to try is to get some high-intensity light bulbs and turn them on about a half hour after sunrise. And it also helps to be outside in the light as soon as the sun does rise, to make the most of the daylight, which helps to "tune" your biorhythms. T his way, you'll be in sync and able to celebrate the holiday season properly. After all, whether you're celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or indeed the Winter Solstice, this season is all about light, and hope, and renewal. |
| Charlie Brown Christmas! Not! |
| 12.14.06 (6:55 am) [edit] |
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| lip gloss quiz! |
| 12.13.06 (10:17 pm) [edit] |
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Don't forget to check out the "Biography" channel on Friday, December 15, 2006 @ 8 PM, eastern time to catch the special about Mary Kay Ash! then, go to my website and take the lip gloss quiz! have fun! if I can sell 100 lip gloss between now and Jan. 15th, I can win a wonderful place on stage at the convention in Dallas this summer! Could you help me make that goal? xoxox |
| Holiday Meteor Show! |
| 12.13.06 (3:51 pm) [edit] |
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It’s prime time for holiday meteor show
Annual Geminid meteor shower due to reach a reliable peak
By Joe Rao
Skywatching Columnist
Space.com
Updated: 1:12 p.m. ET Dec 12, 2006
It's hard to imagine anything more bone-chilling than lying on the ground in mid-December for several hours at night. But if you're willing to bundle up, the reliable Geminid meteor shower is due to reach its peak late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
The Geminid event is known for producing one or two meteors every minute during the peak for viewers with dark skies willing to brave chilly nights.
If the Geminids occurred during a warmer month, it would be as familiar to most people as the famous August Perseids. It's a very fine winter shower, and usually the most satisfying of all the annual showers, even surpassing the Perseids. Studies of past displays show that this shower has a reputation for being rich both in slow, bright, graceful meteors and fireballs as well as faint meteors, with relatively fewer objects of medium brightness. Many appear yellowish in hue. Some even appear to form jagged or divided paths.
Unfortunately, as was the case this year with its summertime counterpart, this year's December Geminids will be hindered somewhat by moonlight, although to a much lesser degree than the brilliant gibbous moon that wreaked havoc with the Perseids.
On Thursday morning, the moon — a fat waning crescent, two days past last quarter — will come up over the east-southeast horizon by 1:30 a.m. for most locations and will light up the sky in its general vicinity through the rest of the overnight hours. On Friday morning, the moon will come up about an hour later and will be less of a factor for meteor-watching.
Where to look
These medium-speed meteors appear to emanate from near the bright star Castor, in the constellation of Gemini the Twins — hence the name "Geminid."
The track of each one does not necessarily begin near Castor, nor even in the constellation Gemini, but it always turns out that the path of a Geminid extended backward passes through a tiny region of sky about 0.2 degree in diameter (an effect of perspective). In apparent size, that's less than half the width of the moon. As such, this is a rather sharply defined radiant as most meteor showers go, suggesting the stream is "young" — perhaps only several thousand years old.
Generally speaking, depending on your location, Castor begins to come up above the east-northeast horizon right around the time evening twilight is coming to an end.
As Gemini is beginning to climb the eastern sky just after darkness falls, there is a fair chance of seeing some "Earth-grazing" meteors. Earthgrazers are long, bright shooting stars that streak overhead from a point near to even just below the horizon. Such meteors are so distinctive because they follow long paths nearly parallel to our atmosphere.
By around 9 p.m., Gemini will have climbed more than one-third of the way up from the horizon. Meteor sightings should begin to increase noticeably thereafter. By around 2 a.m., Gemini will stand high overhead.
Because Geminid meteoroids are several times denser than the cometary dust flakes that supply most meteor showers, and because they encounter Earth's atmosphere at a relatively slow speed (22 miles/35 kilometers per second), Geminid meteors appear to linger a bit longer in view than most. A Geminid meteor moves only about half as fast as an Orionid or Leonid meteor, which can whiz across your line of sight in less than a second.
When to watch
Earth moves quickly through this meteor stream, producing a somewhat broad, lopsided activity profile. Hourly rates began to increase on Sunday, appearing roughly above one-quarter peak strength.
Late Wednesday night up until early Thursday morning when the moon rises, a single observer might average as many as 60 to 120 meteors per hour.
After Wednesday night, the rates are expected to drop off more sharply: The rates on Thursday night/Friday morning will have diminished to about 30 to 60 per hour. Yet, there is good reason to keep watching for Geminids even after their peak has passed, for those "late" Geminids, tend to be especially bright. And renegade late stragglers might be seen for a week or more after the night of maximum activity.
Make sure you're warm and comfortable. Likely your local weather will be more appropriate for taking in a hot bath as opposed to a meteor shower! Warm cocoa or coffee can take the edge off the chill, and provide a slight stimulus.
A final point to note is that Geminids stand apart from the other meteor showers, in that they seem to have been spawned not by a comet, but by 3200 Phaeton, an Earth-crossing asteroid. Then again, the Geminids may be comet debris after all, for some astronomers consider Phaeton to really be the dead nucleus of a burned-out comet that somehow got trapped into an unusually tight orbit.
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| Feelings |
| 12.12.06 (10:27 pm) [edit] |
 Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for the truth.  — Benjamin Disraeli |
| Perhaps I've died and gone to heaven! |
| 12.12.06 (7:02 am) [edit] |
Affogato “Drowned Coffee”
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| A message from the Angels |
| 12.10.06 (9:32 am) [edit] |
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Don't let your holidays be like the song playing. Slow down, take a breath and embrace the Spirit of the season. The following is a message from Ann and the Angels..... My dear friends, we love you so very much. What gifts will you bring to the surface dear friends, during this holiday season? Will they be the gift of your kindness to a stranger, the gift of forgiving someone in traffic, the gift of your culinary or creative skills, the gift of your compassion, the gift of your laughter, or in any form, the gift of your very great love. The present of your presence dear one is the gift of greatest value here upon the planet earth. Slow down, breathe deeply when you feel rushed. Sink into your heart and ask yourself, what is truly important to you at this time of year. Be the courageous lightworker who smiles at a stranger, makes a kind remark to someone who looks harried, or stops to say a little prayer for someone you've never met. Dear ones, heavenly peace exists inside of you at all times of the year. Find it now, in this season of giving. Choose to RECEIVE God's love and then you will have an abundance to share. Choose to RECEIVE God's grace by taking the time to honor your hearts. Remember that the light that came into the world at Christmas is a representation of the light that already and always exists within your own hearts. Unwrap the present of the presence of the Christ, the divine consciousness within you, this season, by slowing down, breathing deeply, and finding that peace. This is your gift to yourself and the world. God bless you. We love you so very much. -- The Angels
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| April's home |
| 12.08.06 (9:33 pm) [edit] |
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There's no place like home, and should you not believe me, ask my girl! She is tired, a bit weak, and yet she is happy. We watched America's Funniest Videos tonite while the boys went to the grocery...she kept laughing and then "headache"!&nbs p; She is so funny...she really makes me laugh...conversations are a constant game of "charades" and guessing! I have gotten much better at getting it before she gives up with "sorry"... but her words keep coming and for that I am grateful....in a few days, she should be stronger and i believe that this being behind her will propel her forward faster. she is mad at Santa...that's when she got "sick" last year...but is conceding to do a little decorating and shopping for hubby...he deserves it. so, today, we are all tired and i will bid you good night...and thanks to you all and to God for keeping my girl here and positive and we will work through all of this. xoxoxo |
| Seasons |
| 12.08.06 (3:41 pm) [edit] |
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There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge
things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at
a pear tree that was a great distance away.
The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in
summer, and the youngest son in the fall.
When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe
what they had seen.
The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.
The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.
The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so
sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever
seen.
The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with
fruit, full of life and fulfillment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they
had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.
He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season,
and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that
come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons
are up.
If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the
beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.
Moral:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Don't judge life by one difficult season.
Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come
some time
Aspire to Inspire Before You Expire!
Live Simply. Love Generously. Care Deeply. Speak Kindly. Leave the Rest to
God.
! Happiness keeps You Sweet,
Trials keep You Strong,
Sorrows keep You Human,
Failures keep You Humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only God keeps You Going!
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| Holiday Sale |
| 12.08.06 (6:57 am) [edit] |
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good morning, all in the spirit of the holidays, and who, more than me has many reasons to celebrate...i would like to offer my mary kay website for your last minute gift ideas...and, a 20% discount for any and all of my tblog friends! just go online and place your order...i will get a notification and apply your discount! now, how's that work for you! : ) hurry, the countdown has begun! |
| moving right along |
| 12.07.06 (9:47 pm) [edit] |
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Tonite, we are all very tired. April had a good day. No major complications. She is weak from being in surgery and from being in bed. She has some pain, but is upbeat and positive. She got frightened when, for the first time getting up, she could not support her own weight and she cried. Her "good" side is feeling some "sensation" presumably from the surgery "messing with some nerves". patience has never been her strong point, but she is learning. tomorrow, she will receive help from the therapists and she should, believe it or not, be home by the week-end! amazing, isn't it? thank you all for your continued prayers and positive thoughts and for your support. xoxoxo |
| the overnight team report! : ) |
| 12.07.06 (7:14 am) [edit] |
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Just got the overnight report from oldest sister...April had a good night...no headache, no nausea and good sleep. April was awakened at 5 am for a CAT scan...she wanted her hair brushed, her lipstick on (she is her momma's baby, after all) and she is thirsty AND hungry. Sister says "I don't know if I am imagining it, but her speaking is better pronounced and more clear and April looks better than she has looked in 'I can't remember'!" I say this is the miracle of the power of prayer... will share more later....off to work i must go. xoxox
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| a new song for you all...thank you, for loving me! |
| 12.06.06 (9:34 pm) [edit] |
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| btw, allow me to introduce |
| 12.06.06 (9:17 pm) [edit] |
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hey, all i was recently contacted by a new t-blogger...his name is judebaker...i had not heard of him but he sent me some awesome tmails in regard to my daughter and what we were facing...this man is a trappist monk and has written some poignant blogs...i know my friend akelso will be especially moved by his stories...his comments are not open, but if you care to, you could tmail him to make him feel welcome and i know you will want to see what he has written... xoxox |
| Go, G-D!!!!!!! |
| 12.06.06 (8:15 pm) [edit] |
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Go, G-D!!!! April is good...the surgeon is thrilled and April is asking questions, asking for her glasses, asking to go home! Within 1/2 an hour out of surgery, she was lifting her head and co-operating with the nurses...within about two hours, she was drinking fluids and asking for dave and asking to go home. within 4-5 hours, she asked me "how you doin?" and kisses and i love you's and then "bye"...and off to sleep she would go. late in the day the anestesia and/or pain meds made her nauseous..but, so long as there are no unforseen complications such as swelling or seizures, she should be home by the weekend! amazing, isn't it...and truth be told, it did my heart good to see the fear gone from her eyes...and the truth of the matter is, she was really afraid that this would be such a set back to the progress she has made...now, i believe, she will progress more and faster! Praise God and thank you ALL from the bottom of my heart for your prayers, kindness and love...I don't have too many places to turn when I am alone in the night...my family is my passion but the nights are mine to find my own way and this place, this wonderful, accepting, caring place is somewhere I can wander into without fear of rejection, knowing that my lonley cry for comfort does not go unheard or unnoted. I thank you, one and all, for caring....With love and much joy in my heart, I am yours truly, mimi xoxoxoxoxox |
| Pieces of April...I am humming the tune |
| 12.05.06 (9:43 pm) [edit] |
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Source: http://www.sing365.com |
| 'I am not a racist | ||||||||
| 12.05.06 (8:41 pm) [edit] | ||||||||
There's a lot to be said about this opinion.
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| April's Tumor |
| 12.05.06 (10:41 am) [edit] |
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Meningioma
These tumors grow from the meninges, the layers of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. As they grow, meningiomas compress adjacent brain tissue. Symptoms are often related to this compression of brain tissue, which can also affect cranial nerves and blood vessels. In some cases, meningioma growth can also extend into the bones of the head and face, which may produce visible changes. Most meningiomas are considered nonmalignant or low grade tumors. However, unlike nonmalignant tumors elsewhere in the body, some of these brain tumors can cause disability and may sometimes be life threatening. In many cases, meningiomas grow slowly. Other meningiomas grow more rapidly or have sudden growth spurts. There is no way to predict the rate of growth of a meningioma or to know for certain how long a specific tumor was growing before diagnosis. Meningiomas are graded from low to high. The lower the grade, the lower the risk of recurrence and aggressive growth.
The WHO classification divides meningiomas into three grades:
• Grade I Benign Meningioma
• Grade II Atypical Meningioma
• Grade III Malignant (Anaplastic) Meningioma
Characteristics
• May arise after previous treatment from ionizing radiation or excessive x-ray exposure
• Common among women and men in their 40s-50s, but can occur at any age
• Twice as common in women as in men
• Accounts for over 30 percent of all primary brain tumors
• In very rare cases, can invade the skull or metastasize to the skin or lungs
• Women with meningiomas can experience tumor growth during pregnancy
• In rare cases, multiple meningiomas can develop at the same time in different parts of the brain and/or spinal cord
Symptoms
• Seizures
• Headaches
• Nausea and vomiting
• Vision changes
• Behavioral and cognitive changes
• Sometimes no symptoms occur and tumor is detected incidentally
Treatment
If there are no symptoms, the doctor may monitor the tumor with MRIs. Otherwise, surgery is the standard treatment. If the tumor cannot be completely resected or if it recurs, radiation therapy may be given as well. Chemotherapy for unresectable, aggressive, atypical, or recurrent meningiomas is being tested through clinical trials. Follow-up scans are needed indefinitely, because meningiomas can recur years or even decades after treatment.
(This information was written, in part, by Nancy Conn-Levin, M.A. For more detailed information about meningiomas, please contact her at Mngioma634@aol.com)
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| april update |
| 12.02.06 (2:22 pm) [edit] |
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ok, here's the scoop...april and i had fun together doing nothing. when i called her this morning she didn't want to do anything, but she said "i miss you"...i told her i would come to visit...i took little "patches" with me because he is her favorite and she loves him...he got intrigued watching her fish tank and then playing with sasha, april and dave's big golump of a dog : ) since we would be at home, i wore my "work" clothes to help with any chores she might need...we ended up cleaning out her closet and i got to "shop"... i had brought oatmeal and raisins and offered to bake her some cookies or make her some dinner...actually, it was entirely too hot and muggy here to turn on the oven, anyway. she wanted to work with her flash cards, which by the way, she is improving in that regard very well. after a couple of hours, she was nappy, so i gathered up my stuff and headed home... her anxiety level was extremely high...i knew this was coming but had not been told till today that on wednesday of this coming week is when her brain surgery will be done. certainly understandable....i am of the "if it's broke and we can fix it, let's get 'er done" .... this is not a malignant tumor...but it is growing and can and probably will affect her speech center and possibly her "good" side, which would hinder her recovery. so, dear friends, please put us in your prayer's...my prayer is that removing this thing will enhance her ability to gain back her life and physical abilities. it is so hard to watch your child struggle so...it takes so much physical and emotional effort for her to do so many things. it tears my heart out to see her broken. this, i pray, is her chance to move forward and back into her life as we knew it. |
| after a BUSY week, today is an "APRIL" day! |
| 12.02.06 (9:39 am) [edit] |
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I have had a BUSY week...my house is a mess and my laundry is piled a mile high and I must work tomorrow, but today is "APRIL" day! She and her hubby went away over the holiday...I saw them for dinner one evening with the entire family and then had dinner with her and hubby at home one evening before they left...and of course, we chatted on the phone numerous times, but I have not seen my girl in two whole weeks! so, the laundry and other chores can wait a few hours while I go get showered and dressed and head over to be with my girl! I don't know what she has in mind to do, but, believe me, what ever it is is what we will do and that is OK with me! : ) I will let you know later what trouble we get in to : ) Until then, have a great day! xoxoxo mimi |
| inspiration |
| 12.02.06 (8:44 am) [edit] |
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Passion, purpose, personal giving from the heart. These words so aptly define our beloved Founder, Mary Kay Ash. She would be so proud to know this spirit of giving is alive and well throughout the world, and there are so many who share this same spirit. On Tuesday, Dec. 5, please tune in to The Dr. Phil Show when Mary Kay Inc., as sponsor of the "Heart of a Woman Award," presents a $50,000 donation to Angel Faces, an innovative healing retreat for teenage girls with facial or body disfigurements resulting from burn injury, illness, accident or abuse. The "Heart of a Woman Award," established by Dr. Phil McGraw and his wife, Robin, is presented to a woman who lives her life with passion and purpose and works to enrich the lives of others. Dr. Phil and Robin will present this award on behalf of Mary Kay Inc. to Lesia Cartelli, founder of Angel Faces which is the only program in the United States designed to inspire adolescents with disfigurements to enhance their self-esteem and achieve their optimum potential. During the show, Dr. Phil will personally thank Rhonda Shasteen, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Mary Kay Inc., who was in the studio audience to represent Mary Kay Inc. As Rhonda shared with Dr. Phil and Robin, "When we heard about Lesia and the work she does with Angel Faces, how could we not support her through the 'Heart of a Woman Award'?" In addition to this donation, Mary Kay also provided approximately 300 audience members with a complimentary bottle of Affection™ Eau de Parfum and a copy of the Fall/Holiday issue of The Look. So make plans now to tune in on Tuesday, Dec. 5, for this heartwarming story. Please check local listings for stations and airtimes in your area. Or visit www.drphil.com and select "Local Listings" under "The Show". www.marykay.com/tracylaganer |