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Friday, October 19, 2007

A Journal Topic...

On a forum that I am on, the daily journal topic was "Complete this sentence - I hope my child(ren)..." I thought it was a great topic and wanted to share what I had posted there.

I hope my child....
~ I hope my child grows up to be a strong, happy women that is loving and accepting of others and of herself.
~ I hope my child continues her educations well past high school.
~ I hope my child always tells me "I love you, mommy" every single day.
~ I hope my child continues to grasp the meaning of love and shares it with everyone she comes into contact with.
~ I hope my child grows to have a balanced life of love, career, and children of her own.
~ I hope my child will strive to do her best no matter what.
~ I hope my child will never be afraid to use her imagination.
~ I hope my child will be a example to others in her life.
~ I hope my child's dreams will all come true!
~ I hope my child will always be involved with her friends and family as she grows older.
~ I hope my child will be able to travel all over the world.
~ I hope my child will have a happy marriage when she is old enough to get married.
~ I hope my child will be a success in her chosen career.
~ I hope my child will never forget where she comes from.
~ I hope my child will excel in any given situation that comes into her life.
~ I hope my child will always be as happy as she is now!!!

There is so much more that I hope my child will be or will do. I want all the best for her and I hope she gets everything she wants out of life!!!

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

A Love Letter To Myself!!!

My Dearest Self,

Growth is a wonderful thing. Growing with and around others and yourself is a wonderful thing. The growth that you have done over the years has provided a powerful foundation for your future. You have grown from the emotional, physical, and spiritual impact that has been put into your life. I applaud you for your determination to overcome, to move forwards when you felt you could not.

The love in your heart is unique and tremendous. I am proud of the love you have, that you share, that you give. I am proud that the pain and hurt from the past has not taken that from you. You are a strong soul. You are a strong source of love for those around you.

Strength... Oh, what I can say... The strength you carry is a special thing. You have been blessed with the strength to carry on no matter what happens, no matter what has been put on your path of life. Your strength has formed a glow around you that others can see. A strong soul and a strong heart to push forward in life.

I love you! I love your growth, love, and strength. I love your soul. I love you!!!

Love,
Yourself

Sunday, October 14, 2007

100 Ways To Be Happy

I have also received this from someone. I really liked it and thought that I would post it here.

___________________________________

100 WAYS TO BE HAPPY

1. Never put yourself last.
2. Always own a pair of old, faded jeans.

3. Count your blessings every day.
4. When you extend a helping hand to one person, be careful not to kick someone else in the teeth.
5. Acknowledge your successes along with your downfalls.
6. Burn the candle that has been in storage for the last two years.
7. Strive for progress, not perfection.
8. Remember, the voice telling you that you cannot do something is always lying.
9. At least once a day sit and do nothing.
10. Don't close your heart so tightly against life's pain that you shut out life's blessings.
11. Celebrate all your birthdays no matter how old you get.
12. Examine your life for limitations and ask yourself why you put them there.
13. Plant a tree, pull weeds, or get your hands dirty.
14. Diminish your wants instead of increasing your needs.
15. Cry when you feel like it.
16. Rejoice in other people's triumphs.
17. Don't wait for someone else to laugh or express joy.
18. Forgive yourself for any mistake you make, no matter how big or small.
19. Keep good company.
20. Never take a pill for a pain you need to feel.
21. Use your enthusiasm to put yourself in forward gear and give yourself a spark to move ahead.
22. Look in the eyes of the ones you love when you are talking to them.
23. Remember that one is a whole number.
24. Walk in a summer rain shower without an umbrella.
25. Do a kind deed for someone else.
26. Keep your eyes and ears open to get the messages you need from people and events in your daily life.
27. Be patient.
28. Eat something green.
29. Change what you can and leave the rest alone.
30. Walk hand and hand with truth.
31. Make laughter and joy a greater part of your life than anger and grief.
32. Embrace solitude instead of running from it.
33. Be zealous, not jealous.
34. Forgive anyone you've been holding a grudge against.
35. Slow down and enjoy the present.
36. Walk in others' shoes before judging them.
37. Send yourself a kind message.
38. Remind yourself that the company you keep is a reflection of what you think of yourself.
39. Go on a picnic.
40. Accept your fears, no matter how crazy they seem.
41. Don't let other people's opinions shape who you are.
42. Say a prayer.
43. Never attribute your accomplishments to luck or chance.
44. Know when to say no.
45. Look at the positive side of negative situation.
46. Remember that you are a spiritual being in a physical body.
47. Avoid seeking out other people for constant approval, because it make them the master and you the slave.
48. Go fly a kite.
49. Avoid fads and bandwagons.
50. Accept the things you cannot change.
51. Look inside instead of outside yourself for answers to life's problems.
52. Remember that all feelings are okay.
53. Shield yourself from bad influences.
54. Stand up for what you believe in.
55. Respect the wishes of others when they say no.
56. Seize every moment and live it fully.
57. Give away or sell anything you haven't used in the past five years.
58. Never downgrade yourself.
59. Take responsibility for what you think, feel, and do.
60. Pamper yourself.
61. Never say or do anything abusive to a child.
62. Let yourself be God powered instead of flying solo.
63. Volunteer to help someone in need.
64. Refrain from overindulging in food, drink, and work
65. Finish unfinished business.
66. Be spontaneous.
67. Find a constructive outlet for your anger.
68. Think about abundance instead of lack, because whatever you think about expands.
69. Think of yourself as a survivor, not a victim.
70. Cuddle an animal.
71. Be open to life.
72. See success as something you already have, not something you must attain.
73. Experience the splendor and awe of a sunset.
74. When you score a base hit, don't wish it were a home run.
75. Learn to be in the present moment.
76. Instead of believing in miracles, depend on them.
77. Take a child to the circus.
78. Change your attitude and your whole life will change.
79. Never turn your power over to another person.
80. When your heart is at odds with your head, follow your heart.
81. Always remember that the past is gone forever and the future never comes.
82. Live your life according to what is right for you.
83. Acknowledge your imperfections.
84. Plant a tree and watch it grow.
85. See "friend" instead of "enemy" on the face of strangers.
86. Watch an army of ants build their houses and cities and carry food ten times their weight.
87. Believe in something bigger than yourself.
88. Let the playful child within you come out.
89. Make haste slowly.
90. Work through your problems step by step and one day at a time.
91. Accept compliments from others so you can see the truth about yourself.
92. Sit on the lawn without worrying about grass stains.
93. Don't condemn yourself for your imperfections.
94. Do a humility check periodically by loving the truth about yourself.
95. Tell someone you appreciate them.
96. Never live your life according to what is right for someone else.
97. Talk less and listen more.
98. Admit your wrongdoing and forgive yourself for it.
99. Thrive on inner peace instead of on crises.
100. Affirm all the good things about yourself.

Ways to Put a WOW in Every Tomorrow

I have received permission from the writer of this to post this. I thought it was very encouraging and helpful. I hope you like it as much as I did!

________________________________________

Ways to Put a WOW in Every Tomorrow

~DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.

Even when you are experiencing tough times, remember the blessings in your life. It's like sprinkling sunshine on a cloudy day.

~ENCOURAGE OTHERS.
When someone has a goal, most people point out the obstacles. You be the one to point out the possibilities.

~GIVE SINCERE COMPLIMENTS.
We all like to be remembered for our best moments.

~KEEP GROWING.
Walk a different path. Take a class. Read something inspiring.

~GIVE THE GIFT OF FORGIVENESS.
Forgiveness is a blessing for the one who forgives as well as for the one who is forgiven.

~TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
Exercise, eat a healthy diet, sing, and dance a little bit every day.

~DO RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS.
The most fun is when the other person doesn't know who did it.

~TREASURE RELATIONSHIPS.
Eat meals together, talk walks, listen, Share laughter and tears. Make memories.

~SHARE YOUR FAITH.
You can wish someone joy and peace and happy things, but when you share your faith - you've wished them everything.

~By: Alice Gray - Inspiration conference speaker

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Self Pampering

I feel that everyone needs to treat themselves with a little love each day. Do something for yourself to release the stress, to release the worries of the day. Some things may be more extravagant then other things, but we are all different and even love ourselves differently.

Treating yourself, or self pampering, doesn't have to cost you money. You can do things at home, in nature, alone, or even with family. You deserve to feel special. You deserve to feel good. You deserve to be pampered...

Here are some things that I do to self pamper:
~Cuddle up with a warm blanket with a hot cup of tea.
~Relaxing, hot, scented bubble bath with candles and relaxing music.
~Watching the sun rise.
~Watching the sun set.
~Look through old and newer photos.
~Take pictures.
~Read a inspiring book.
~Writing in a journal.
~Meditating
~Visiting with old friends.
~Talking on the phone with distant friends.
~Buying self a gift.
~Self-pleasuring
~Watch a romantic-comedy.
~Dressing up for no reason.
~Pursuing a dream.
~Act like a kid.
~Take walks.
~Writing what you feel for 20 minutes upon wakening.
~Read for 20 minutes upon wakening.
~Wear a favorite scent (perfume).
~Burn candles.
~Watch a fire.
~Turn everything off and enjoy the peace and quite.


Taking time out of our busy schedules to do something for yourself can be heaven sent. We work hard on a daily basis to support our families, clean the house, pay our bills, give attention to other family members, feed the family, and so on. We need 'us' time. We need 'me' time.

So what are you waiting for, get out there and do something to self pamper yourself!! And have a great time at it!!!

Friday, October 12, 2007

I Will Never...

I will never...

So many things to list that I have told myself that I would never do. Things that I felt would make me less as being a human or a mom. Things that was done to me as a child or teenager that I vowed I would do.

Here's a few:
~ I will never lie to my child.


~ I will never abuse my child in any way.

~ I will never turn my back on my child in what she is telling me.

~ I will never lock my child in her room.

~ I will never not feed my child.

~ I will never push my child away.

~ I will never argue in front of my child.

~ I will never not be there for my child emotionally or mentally.

~ I will never be afraid to have a open relationship with my child.

~ I will never force something upon my child.

~ I will never leave my child.

~ I will never leave my child with just anyone during times needed for babysitting.

~ I will never teach my child to cheat, steal, lie, or hate.

~ I will never turn against my child.

~ I will never live in a dirty house.

~ I will never let failure overtake me.

~ I will never abuse trust.

~ I will never misuse friendships.

~ I will never allow my daughter to do without the needed items.

~ I will never fail at being a mother.

~ I will never be an organized person...lol

~ I will never dislike someone for their life-style.

~ I will never choose a man over my child.

~ I will never knowingly allow my child to be misused, abused, pushed around, or hurt in any way.


The list goes on and on, but I will stop here. My "will never's" are something that I put into every single day and always will.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

What Makes Your Heart Sing?

What makes your heart sing with love and joy? What makes your heart happy? Is it your kids? Is it something that you treasure doing?

I ran across a post in a site group that I go on that asked this very question. I thought it was good and something to really think about. Can you list some of the things that make your heart fill up with love and joy?

Here are some of the things that allow my heart to sing with love and joy:

~ Every morning I wake up and look at my daughter as she is sleeping.

~ Knowing that she is the best gift that I have ever been given from our Lord.

~ Every time my daughter comes up to me and asks for a hug and tells me that she loves me.

~ Every smile that my daughter gives me.

~ When my daughter and I just dance to the music in our hearts with each other.

~ When we talk with each other and she actually says something that deep and profound for her age (4).


The list goes on and on..... My heart sings with joy and love every single day as we learn something new and we strive to make things happen. My heart sings every day with the love I have for my daughter and knowing that she loves me just as much.

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Ramblings of the Heart and Mind

Ever get in those moments where everything is running through your mind all at once? Things that you just can't help but to think about, knowing that they are going to interfere with your daily activities? And the past is catching up with you mentally?

That's been happening to me a lot lately. I feel like I've lost so much. So much mixed emotions - pain, hurt, emptiness, heartache, loss....

It's been four and a half years since my grandmother passed away. I have never really had a chance to grieve. I was pregnant at the time and so much of life was going on, I had to be strong. I had to be strong for myself, for my mom, for my dad, for the child I was carrying. Then four months later, a miracle was brought onto me - my daughter. So then, I needed to be even stronger than I was before.

Then the time comes of losing who I thought was the love of my life. I though that things were great for us. We were together - a family. But I guess he wanted more, so he went out on me and had a son with one of my family members - a cousin. He claims that the reason being that the child we had together was not a boy so he had to move on. Our daughter was only eight months old. How can someone in their right mind leave a child for that reason? But that's alright, I forgave him and moved on... But then they got married. Not once has he tried to visit, write, or call since that has happened.

My daughter does not know who her father is. She is in the same position that I was as a child. Not knowing the man that is supposed to be there to protect her from the pain. The man that is supposed to take her fishing or dancing. The man that is supposed to walk her down the aisle when she gets married. The man that she is supposed to call daddy. And how can I explain to her that he choose not to be there for her? That he choose to be a daddy to another and not to her? That he doesn't even support her financially even though he's been ordered to by court? How do you explain something like this to a four year old girl who wants to know who daddy is?

Being the strong one is not as easy as it may seem to be. Being strong for two people is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Losing someone who you have known all your life, who you were so close too, who you called your best friend and then losing who you thought to be the love of your life, who left you to fend for your own and a child all in less than a year - I was heartbroken. I had no time to grieve. I had no time to cry. I had no time to take it all in. And now, the past is catching up and it's finally taking it's toll on me.

I need to cry. I need to grieve. I need to release the hold it has on me. But I also need to be strong. I have a child who does not need to see my pain, my tears, my burdens. She needs to see me happy, loving, strong. She needs to see her mommy.

Friday, October 5, 2007

A Few Favorite Quotes

"There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again." ~Elizabeth Lawrence

"Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter." ~Carol Bishop Hipps

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." ~John Muir

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting, and autumn a mosaic of them all." ~Stanley Horowitz

"The prime purpose of being four is to enjoy being four - of secondary importance is to prepare for being five." ~Jim Trelease

"Kids: They dance before they learn there is anything that isn't music." ~William Stafford

"Dancing is like dreaming with your feet." ~Constanze

"Love is like friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable." ~Bruce Lee

"Hugs: That's when you put your arms around each other and squeeze until your hearts kiss." ~Lil' Ms. Devon (© 2007)

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Weekend Pictures

This past weekend (September 28 - 30, 2007), Devon and I went over to my sisters. Saturday, we ended up taking the kids to the park and had lots of fun in the process.


The picture to the right is lil' Ms. Devon. At the park, they had a wood carving of a whale and I thought it would be cute with Devon standing by it. She had some purple flowers that she held over her head and then tried to pose. I didn't get the pose shot, but this is what I got. I think it's cute and very much her.






This picture to the left is Ms. Devon once again. I had her take a moment out of her busy time playing to let me take a picture of her. She loves having her picture taken, but this time she was more interested in playing and having fun.

And there she is with those flowers again. The whole time we was there, she did not want to put them down. She is very fond of flowers and loves having them and holding them.








In the picture to the right, you will see Devon again as well as her cousin Makayla. There was this cute train cutting and I thought it would be cute to take a picture of the girls sitting up there. That was the first time I ever saw anything like it and though it would be cute for Devon to look back at when she's older. Reminiscing in the old times...

The girls are only 9 or 9 1/2 months apart. Makayla being the younger one. Devon is very fond of her and loves being around her and playing together with her. They usually have a blast together, until one of them get to tired or gets hurt. But that's how it goes.




To find more pictures, you can check out my photo site at: http://s85.photobucket.com/albums/k55/devongirlandme/

Mini Update on Things Here

Well, it sure has been a while since I last posted. Sorry about that. Things have been out of control here. So much going on and not enough time for it all.

We have gotten new cabinets and window put in the kitchen and the bathroom. It looks great. In the kitchen, we also got a new sink, counter top, paint job, lighting, and garbage disposal. I'm very happy with it all. In the bathroom, we got a new sink, paint job, new ceiling (the old one caved in not long ago), lighting, and a medicine cabinet. I couldn't be happier with it all.

I have also been out job hunting. I've put in lots of applications, but I'm really hoping for one at one of the local credit unions. It would be ideal for me. It would be part time work, and when they open their new branch I would be able to transfer and train others. They would even be willing to work with me on my school hours. It's what I'm looking for and it would be a great start to a career. I'm keeping my fingers crossed with this one.

I can't believe that Fall is already upon us and that October is here. Time is flying by and it seems to keep going faster and faster. Soon enough, December will be here and then Christmas and then the new year. But I am looking forwards to the Fall season this year. Devon is growing and is really noticing things and it's all grabbing her attention. I'll be sure to take lots of fall pictures of her and the leaves and the fall decorations. She'll be going trick-or-treating this year too. I'm looking forwards to that. This year she is going as a bride. She looks adorable in the outfit.

Today, while I was cleaning things up from all the work that's been going on here, I put up some fall decorations. Some window clings to the front screen door and a wreath to the door, a purple spider web on the wall along with a scarecrow hang-up from the dollar store. Devon can home and she was so happy with it. She said "Mommy, I love the fall decorations! They are so pretty!" I was just happy that she liked it. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't of even put them up.

Tomorrow will be a busy day for me. So, I need to end this and get ready for bed and get Devon ready too as well as getting her ready for school tomorrow. Good night and sleep tight!