Okay... I have sat here staring at my empty blogger post screen for the past hour trying to figure out what to say and how to say it. Actually, I've been trying to decide if I want to share something that I'm dealing with at the moment. I would really like to post something fun, funny, or light-hearted. But I also need to be real and honest as I write my posts. So......
Since you're reading this, I've decided to share it. One reason I hesitated was that I don't want to write from a place where I'm down. Closer to the truth is that I'm not down - I'm more concerned. One reason I've decided to write about it is to ask you prayer warriors out there to be praying for me and my new condition.
Wednesday I had a doctor's appointment. I made the appointment because I've been experiencing certain symptoms and was pretty sure I knew what was going on. Yesterday morning, my doctor called me to tell me that, yes indeed, I have Diabetes.
I have to go back in this morning for more blood tests and a glucose test. They'll know more after getting the results from these tests. Please pray that it's Type 2 (as opposed to the more severe type - Type 1) and that it be mild and treatable with little or no medication. Some people can control this type with just diet and exercise.
Another reason I'm writing about this is because it's all that's on my mind since I found out. But I don't want to be constantly thinking (and, yes, worrying) about it. We're entering into my favorite time of the year and I'm struggling to find the desire to shop, decorate, write my Christmas letter, or anything that is connected to Christmas. So I could also use prayer for motivation. I want to have the holiday spirit and have all the necessary stuff done so I can really enjoy the season.
By the way, I want to thank all of the sweet comments that were left on my i'm no hero post. I wrote that post in hopes that I could work through my personal feelings on what happened. You ladies really helped me accomplish that. I can't thank you enough.
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link of the day:
http://www.structuredsettlement-quotes.com/fun/family.html
Friday, November 30, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
our vacation in pictures
Visit Wordless Wednesday to check out all the participants.
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link of the day:
http://www.theweekinblue.com/
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
i'm no hero
In my post yesterday, I briefly stated that something happened on vacation that has continued to bother me. I'll be honest, I'm a little hesitant to write about it here because I'm not very proud of how I acted - or is it reacted? But I see life as a giant classroom where there are lessons to be learned, and I would hope if something like this happened again, I would act in a different manner.
A week or so ago, I wrote about a scary night where we were woken to the sounds of alarms and a voice over a loud speaker making an evacuation announcement (read post here). There had been an electrical fire in the the kitchen directly below us and the entire hotel was evacuated. As Don and I entered the stairwell, the smell of the smoke was thick and pungent. We were on the eighth floor and followed others in descending the stairs while trying not to panic.
You could tell the smoke was getting thicker the lower we went. As we came to the fourth floor, those ahead of us stopped. People were yelling down to the ones lower than us asking why we had stopped and could we get through. The thought that crossed every one's minds was that the fire was near this stairwell and could we get through. The unsaid fear was that we would become trapped in this stairwell.
Don and I decided to try to get to another stairwell. As we stepped out and into the hallway on the fourth floor, we came upon a woman standing there with another woman in a wheel chair. The one pushing the other was very panicked. She frantically told us that she had no way of getting the other lady down because the elevators weren't working. At some point, a third lady appeared who seemed to be with them.
Don told them something to the effect that we could carry her down if we had to. But I think he was unsure of how to do that. We were still thinking we needed to find another way down. I stepped back into the stairwell to see what was happening and noticed no one there on that landing. I yelled back to Don that evidently the stairs were clear because all the people were gone.
You have to imagine what this all looked and felt like. It was surreal. We were awaken from a sound sleep so I'm sure our thought processes weren't working to full capacity. We were surrounded by an invisible, foul smelling smoke and trying not to go into full panic mode. Somehow we turned away from those three ladies and went back into the stairwell and continued our descent to the lobby.
When we got to the bottom, there was a security guard there holding the door open for us. We told him about the ladies on the fourth floor and he immediately took off to find them. So that made us feel better about the situation. But what didn't feel good is that we left them there in the first place.
It all happened so fast. In replaying it in my mind, I don't remember what the ladies were doing as we returned to the stairs. Did they feel abandoned by us? It seemed like the other lady was working at a way to get them all down - or is that just what my mind tells me so I feel better about turning my back on them? I really don't know. It's human to rationalize it all and come up with some scenario that allows me to find comfort in the decisions I made.
I'll tell you, I have a new respect for heroes. A person that can act in a way that puts someone else above themselves in the face of danger. I was put in that situation and I couldn't do it. I was so concerned with my and Don's safety, I couldn't stop to think and help out someone who obviously needed our help.
If something like this would happen again to me, I think I would try harder to help the other person. Not because I wouldn't be frightened or that I would want to be a hero, but because I wouldn't want to feel like I do now. Like a coward and a selfish one at that, or to be haunted by these words:
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Phillipians 2:3-4
***************
link of the day:
http://thingsyoushoulddo.com/
A week or so ago, I wrote about a scary night where we were woken to the sounds of alarms and a voice over a loud speaker making an evacuation announcement (read post here). There had been an electrical fire in the the kitchen directly below us and the entire hotel was evacuated. As Don and I entered the stairwell, the smell of the smoke was thick and pungent. We were on the eighth floor and followed others in descending the stairs while trying not to panic.
You could tell the smoke was getting thicker the lower we went. As we came to the fourth floor, those ahead of us stopped. People were yelling down to the ones lower than us asking why we had stopped and could we get through. The thought that crossed every one's minds was that the fire was near this stairwell and could we get through. The unsaid fear was that we would become trapped in this stairwell.
Don and I decided to try to get to another stairwell. As we stepped out and into the hallway on the fourth floor, we came upon a woman standing there with another woman in a wheel chair. The one pushing the other was very panicked. She frantically told us that she had no way of getting the other lady down because the elevators weren't working. At some point, a third lady appeared who seemed to be with them.
Don told them something to the effect that we could carry her down if we had to. But I think he was unsure of how to do that. We were still thinking we needed to find another way down. I stepped back into the stairwell to see what was happening and noticed no one there on that landing. I yelled back to Don that evidently the stairs were clear because all the people were gone.
You have to imagine what this all looked and felt like. It was surreal. We were awaken from a sound sleep so I'm sure our thought processes weren't working to full capacity. We were surrounded by an invisible, foul smelling smoke and trying not to go into full panic mode. Somehow we turned away from those three ladies and went back into the stairwell and continued our descent to the lobby.
When we got to the bottom, there was a security guard there holding the door open for us. We told him about the ladies on the fourth floor and he immediately took off to find them. So that made us feel better about the situation. But what didn't feel good is that we left them there in the first place.
It all happened so fast. In replaying it in my mind, I don't remember what the ladies were doing as we returned to the stairs. Did they feel abandoned by us? It seemed like the other lady was working at a way to get them all down - or is that just what my mind tells me so I feel better about turning my back on them? I really don't know. It's human to rationalize it all and come up with some scenario that allows me to find comfort in the decisions I made.
I'll tell you, I have a new respect for heroes. A person that can act in a way that puts someone else above themselves in the face of danger. I was put in that situation and I couldn't do it. I was so concerned with my and Don's safety, I couldn't stop to think and help out someone who obviously needed our help.
If something like this would happen again to me, I think I would try harder to help the other person. Not because I wouldn't be frightened or that I would want to be a hero, but because I wouldn't want to feel like I do now. Like a coward and a selfish one at that, or to be haunted by these words:
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Phillipians 2:3-4
***************
link of the day:
http://thingsyoushoulddo.com/
Monday, November 26, 2007
more of Him
Welcome to MORE OF HIM Monday
You can encourage others or you may be encouraged by sharing part of your spiritual journey. If you post today under one of the following themes, please leave a link to your post on the Mr. Linky below.
Share a specific piece of scripture that has spoken to your this last week. Share what you feel God is telling you through that passage and how you plan to apply it to your life.
- or -
Share how God is working in your life right now. Is He telling you something or helping you through something? Do you hear His small, quiet voice? Or is He hitting you over the head with a two by four? Are you on a spiritual high? Or low? Share as you are led.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scripture speaks to me...
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Phillipians 2:3-4
I read this passage at the beginning of my vacation and the words stuck with me in several situations. I would be watching a family (I'm a people watcher), trying to figure out the dynamics and found myself thinking thoughts that made me and my parenting skills feel superior. And then these words would come back to me.
Or there were times when I found myself in a situation where I maneuvered myself to be closer to the front of the line, or in a better position to see something, or something along those lines. Again, the words would come back like Jesus was whispering them directly to me. There were many times when I felt like I could feel His gentle breath in my ear.
I've come to the conclusion that it is not easy to consider others better than myself. And in trying to follow God's words, where do I draw the line in preventing myself from becoming a door mat? I know I will be working on the first, and reflecting and asking God's guidance on the second. I really feel like He has spoken to me through this passage and wants me to be more aware of how I treat certain people.
I did have a very specific event happen during vacation that continues to haunt my thoughts. I did not do a good job of putting someone before myself. I will write about it in length in an upcoming post.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can encourage others or you may be encouraged by sharing part of your spiritual journey. If you post today under one of the following themes, please leave a link to your post on the Mr. Linky below.
Share a specific piece of scripture that has spoken to your this last week. Share what you feel God is telling you through that passage and how you plan to apply it to your life.- or -
Share how God is working in your life right now. Is He telling you something or helping you through something? Do you hear His small, quiet voice? Or is He hitting you over the head with a two by four? Are you on a spiritual high? Or low? Share as you are led.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scripture speaks to me...
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Phillipians 2:3-4
I read this passage at the beginning of my vacation and the words stuck with me in several situations. I would be watching a family (I'm a people watcher), trying to figure out the dynamics and found myself thinking thoughts that made me and my parenting skills feel superior. And then these words would come back to me.
Or there were times when I found myself in a situation where I maneuvered myself to be closer to the front of the line, or in a better position to see something, or something along those lines. Again, the words would come back like Jesus was whispering them directly to me. There were many times when I felt like I could feel His gentle breath in my ear.
I've come to the conclusion that it is not easy to consider others better than myself. And in trying to follow God's words, where do I draw the line in preventing myself from becoming a door mat? I know I will be working on the first, and reflecting and asking God's guidance on the second. I really feel like He has spoken to me through this passage and wants me to be more aware of how I treat certain people.
I did have a very specific event happen during vacation that continues to haunt my thoughts. I did not do a good job of putting someone before myself. I will write about it in length in an upcoming post.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, November 23, 2007
i've been tagged
I've been tagged by Karen's Scribbles. Here are the rules:
Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs. Let each person know that they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
1. I am a very inconsistent bowler. Last night we went bowling in which I bowled two games. My scores: first game-88 and second game-140. I always bowl this way. If I had bowled a third game, my score could have been up towards 200 or down around 50. The really important thing here, though, is that I beat Jake in that last game and that was my only goal ;)
2. I do not like pumpkin pie. I used to as a kid, but I got sick on it and never was able to stomach it again. And since I don't like it and don't make an effort to have it during the holidays, my kids don't care for it either. Poor Don - he never gets pumpkin pie... and he loves it.
3. Here's a random one for you... if you're at the foot of a bed looking towards the pillows - I sleep on the left hand side.
4. I get car-sick pretty easily. It was worse when I was a kid. I used to throw up every year going up to camp. Summer camp was always located in the mountains and that meant a long winding road. Sometimes we would take family drives into the mountains. I would always throw up. (aren't you glad you know that about me :])
5. I am a people-watcher. I love to watch people and try to figure out what's going on with them at that moment. I can gather a lot of information by just by observing someone for a short period of time. Most people wouldn't care, but for some reason, I do.
6. I used to design and publish newsletters and flyers for friends, companies, and churches. Newsletters used to be a bigger deal before the internet came along. Now you can get information out through a website. Before, it was an art form in itself. I remember doing them before there was clip art on the computer. I used to buy clip art books, snip out a picture, and then glue it onto the paper amongst the written words. Boy, computers sure have made it much easier to produce media of this sort.
7. I learned to body surf when I was in the third grade while living in southern California. We went to the beach often and one of our (my family's) favorite beaches was Huntington Beach. This beach is known for it's big waves and that's where I learned to ride the waves. I remember getting munched by some of those waves but I also remember loving it and spending hours in the water.
And here's who I'm tagging, but would invite anyone who is interested to play along, too.
Lynne @ Mi Casa es Su Casa
Dana @ Sunshine's Blog
Sharon B @ Quiet Reflections
Leigh Ann @ Living to Learn and Learning to Live
Liza @ Liza's Eyeview
Melissa @ Mejojac's Memos
Karenkool @ Kool Daze
***************
link of the day:
http://www.eyegas.com/flashgames/lemonsdemo.html
Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs. Let each person know that they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
1. I am a very inconsistent bowler. Last night we went bowling in which I bowled two games. My scores: first game-88 and second game-140. I always bowl this way. If I had bowled a third game, my score could have been up towards 200 or down around 50. The really important thing here, though, is that I beat Jake in that last game and that was my only goal ;)
2. I do not like pumpkin pie. I used to as a kid, but I got sick on it and never was able to stomach it again. And since I don't like it and don't make an effort to have it during the holidays, my kids don't care for it either. Poor Don - he never gets pumpkin pie... and he loves it.
3. Here's a random one for you... if you're at the foot of a bed looking towards the pillows - I sleep on the left hand side.
4. I get car-sick pretty easily. It was worse when I was a kid. I used to throw up every year going up to camp. Summer camp was always located in the mountains and that meant a long winding road. Sometimes we would take family drives into the mountains. I would always throw up. (aren't you glad you know that about me :])
5. I am a people-watcher. I love to watch people and try to figure out what's going on with them at that moment. I can gather a lot of information by just by observing someone for a short period of time. Most people wouldn't care, but for some reason, I do.
6. I used to design and publish newsletters and flyers for friends, companies, and churches. Newsletters used to be a bigger deal before the internet came along. Now you can get information out through a website. Before, it was an art form in itself. I remember doing them before there was clip art on the computer. I used to buy clip art books, snip out a picture, and then glue it onto the paper amongst the written words. Boy, computers sure have made it much easier to produce media of this sort.
7. I learned to body surf when I was in the third grade while living in southern California. We went to the beach often and one of our (my family's) favorite beaches was Huntington Beach. This beach is known for it's big waves and that's where I learned to ride the waves. I remember getting munched by some of those waves but I also remember loving it and spending hours in the water.
And here's who I'm tagging, but would invite anyone who is interested to play along, too.
Lynne @ Mi Casa es Su Casa
Dana @ Sunshine's Blog
Sharon B @ Quiet Reflections
Leigh Ann @ Living to Learn and Learning to Live
Liza @ Liza's Eyeview
Melissa @ Mejojac's Memos
Karenkool @ Kool Daze
***************
link of the day:
http://www.eyegas.com/flashgames/lemonsdemo.html
Thursday, November 22, 2007
gobble gobble
Wishing you a day filled with love and happiness.
A day that you can reflect on your many blessings
and share your good fortune with others.
Hope you all have a wonderful day.
and share your good fortune with others.
Hope you all have a wonderful day.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
wave + rock =
It's Wednesday....
I'm Wordless....
***************
link of the day:
http://www.funlol.com/funpages/amazing-white-tiger-under-water.html
I'm Wordless....
***************
link of the day:
http://www.funlol.com/funpages/amazing-white-tiger-under-water.html
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
paper vs. electronic
I've just heard about something, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I encourage you to follow the link(s) to read more about it for yourself. And I would love to hear your thoughts on this new gadget.
It's called the Amazon Kindle. It is a wireless reading device and is being
touted as "revolutionary!" By following the link, you can read about it, watch a video describing it and giving it's features, see photos taken from several angles, read reviews from authors and users, see some of the books that are available for download, etc.
When I first saw it on Good Morning America this morning, I was skeptical. And part of me still is. I'm thinking I don't want to read a book through an electronic device. I love the look, feel and the smell of a book. I like turning the pages and knowing how far along in the story I am. I can't imagine reading a book in any form other than flipping through paper pages. But then I think about all the trees we would be saving if we didn't print as many books.
That leads me to some of the other benefits. There are some features that make me wonder if I might actually enjoy this reading device. Again, I encourage you to follow the link to read for yourself the product overview.
One feature that really appeals to me is being able to change the size of the font. My eyesight isn't what it used to be. They tout a new display technology that gives the reader a screen that is sharp and natural as reading ink on paper. I'd like to at least see this - sounds good.
You can "try out" a book before buying it. Read the beginning and decide if it's something you'd be interested in. It holds 200 books - or magazines, newspapers, and even blogs. Go read for yourself, because there's more.
So, let me know what you think. Would you read a book (or other printed media) through this device? Could you give up a book made of paper? I would really love to hear your opinion.
***************
link of the day:
http://www.freerice.com/
(thanks Susan)
It's called the Amazon Kindle. It is a wireless reading device and is being
touted as "revolutionary!" By following the link, you can read about it, watch a video describing it and giving it's features, see photos taken from several angles, read reviews from authors and users, see some of the books that are available for download, etc.When I first saw it on Good Morning America this morning, I was skeptical. And part of me still is. I'm thinking I don't want to read a book through an electronic device. I love the look, feel and the smell of a book. I like turning the pages and knowing how far along in the story I am. I can't imagine reading a book in any form other than flipping through paper pages. But then I think about all the trees we would be saving if we didn't print as many books.
That leads me to some of the other benefits. There are some features that make me wonder if I might actually enjoy this reading device. Again, I encourage you to follow the link to read for yourself the product overview.
One feature that really appeals to me is being able to change the size of the font. My eyesight isn't what it used to be. They tout a new display technology that gives the reader a screen that is sharp and natural as reading ink on paper. I'd like to at least see this - sounds good.
You can "try out" a book before buying it. Read the beginning and decide if it's something you'd be interested in. It holds 200 books - or magazines, newspapers, and even blogs. Go read for yourself, because there's more.
So, let me know what you think. Would you read a book (or other printed media) through this device? Could you give up a book made of paper? I would really love to hear your opinion.
***************
link of the day:
http://www.freerice.com/
(thanks Susan)
Monday, November 19, 2007
more of Him
Welcome to MORE OF HIM Monday
You can encourage others or you may be encouraged by sharing part of your spiritual journey. If you post today under one of the following themes, please leave a link to your post on the Mr. Linky below.
Share a specific piece of scripture that has spoken to your this last week. Share what you feel God is telling you through that passage and how you plan to apply it to your life.
- or -
Share how God is working in your life right now. Is He telling you something or helping you through something? Do you hear His small, quiet voice? Or is He hitting you over the head with a two by four? Are you on a spiritual high? Or low? Share as you are led.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scripture speaks to me...
And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” [Psalm 112:9]
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
2 Corinthians 9:8-11 New Living Translation
Isn't God's wisdom and His plans amazing? I read and reread this piece of scripture in amazement. Not only does He pour His blessings on us, but He gives us even more so that we can in turn give to others. And then they will thank God for their blessings.
I know I don't need to remind anyone of this. We all know that we have so much to be thankful for. I've enjoyed coming home from vacation and reading so many posts on what bloggers are thankful for. When we have an attitude of gratitude, it changes our perspective on any given situation - and we then realize we have an attitude of sharing with others. And it's all part of God's plan. I'm sure He is smiling down on us all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"More of Him" Monday Participants
You can encourage others or you may be encouraged by sharing part of your spiritual journey. If you post today under one of the following themes, please leave a link to your post on the Mr. Linky below.
Share a specific piece of scripture that has spoken to your this last week. Share what you feel God is telling you through that passage and how you plan to apply it to your life.- or -
Share how God is working in your life right now. Is He telling you something or helping you through something? Do you hear His small, quiet voice? Or is He hitting you over the head with a two by four? Are you on a spiritual high? Or low? Share as you are led.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scripture speaks to me...
And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” [Psalm 112:9]
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
2 Corinthians 9:8-11 New Living Translation
Isn't God's wisdom and His plans amazing? I read and reread this piece of scripture in amazement. Not only does He pour His blessings on us, but He gives us even more so that we can in turn give to others. And then they will thank God for their blessings.
I know I don't need to remind anyone of this. We all know that we have so much to be thankful for. I've enjoyed coming home from vacation and reading so many posts on what bloggers are thankful for. When we have an attitude of gratitude, it changes our perspective on any given situation - and we then realize we have an attitude of sharing with others. And it's all part of God's plan. I'm sure He is smiling down on us all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| 1. Heather - Not a DIY Life 2. Mary@notbefore7 | 3. Liza\'s Eyeview 4. barb |
Learn more about "More of Him" Monday here.
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Wednesday, November 14, 2007
the view from here
Guess what? It's Thursday where many of you are. But, it's still Wednesday here. So, I'm posting a Wordless Wednesday. Even though it's supposed to be wordless, I have to say a few things; this was taken from our balcony this morning, if you look closely, you'll see that it's a double rainbow and... they don't call Hawaii the rainbow state for no reason.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
a scary night in paradise
Vacations are times when memories are made. Well, I now have a memory I wish I didn't have.
It happened Sunday night, around 11:40. I was awoken by a loud voice, but projected from somewhere. At first, I thought it was someones music being played very loud. It stopped, and then played again. I got up, went to the door, and looked out the peep hole. I didn't see anything, but could tell it was coming from within the hotel, echoing off the walls of the atrium where our room is situated. It was some kind of announcement. It again, stopped.
When it started again, I stepped outside to try to figure out what it was saying. Once I stepped outside, I could see people looking just as confused as I was, until... we smelled the smoke. Then it wasn't confusion anymore. It was a sense of urgency and a little bit of panic.
I ran back into the room and woke up Don. He checked outside as I scrambled to get dressed and scoop up any valuables I could think of [my cameras :)]. We left the room and headed for the stairwell, along with other guests and amid a constant siren, the evacuation announcement, and the smell of smoke.
I should mention here that the smoke smell was a different kind of smell. It was definitely smoke but it smelled like it came from an electrical fire or some kind of rubber burning. As we entered the stairwell, the smell of smoke was stronger. In fact, as we descended the stairs (our room is on the 8th floor), the strength of the smell grew even stronger. We even got to the 4th floor and the descent suddenly stopped.
I'm telling you, at this point it got pretty scary. Everyone was trying to remain calm but no one was sure where the fire was and we couldn't be sure that it wasn't somewhere near the very stairwell we were following down. Don and I even left the stairwell thinking we should move to another one, but when we looked back, the flow of people had once again started moving and we decided to continue to follow it.
We made it out of he hotel and joined everyone outside. It was surreal. People everywhere. Some in their pajamas. Some wrapped in blankets or towels. Parents holding and comforting their young children. Elderly people huddled together. Don and I sat there, with everyone else, watching the building. We could smell the smoke, hear the alarms, see the strobe lights flashing from the smoke alarms in many rooms - but no evidence of a fire.
After a few minutes, Don and I decided to walk to the other side of the hotel. We realized that if there were no fire trucks where we were, they had to be on the other side. Sure enough, that's where they were. And the smell of the smoke was even stronger. All the commotion was located directly under our room. As it happens, that's where the kitchen is. We didn't find out until morning that it was a dishwasher that had caught on fire.
An hour after we had first heard the alarms, they gave us the okay to return to our rooms. Don and I waited awhile. We sat on pool lounge chairs for a little bit, and then headed closer to the hotel, waiting for a time when we felt safe to go back up. One of the problems was that the elevators were still not working. After a while, we decided to walk back up through the stair well. There was still the smell of smoke but not as bad, and thankfully, it didn't carry into our room. From our balcony, we watched the fire trucks leave the premises. The crisis was over.
I tried to take pictures but my flash wouldn't travel far enough to catch anything. You'll just have to take my word for it - it was surreal, chaotic, and scary. It took me a long time to get back to sleep and I didn't sleep well the rest of the night. But, it goes without saying, I am very thankful that the situation wasn't more serious. No one was hurt and we didn't lose anything... except for a few hours of sleep.
It happened Sunday night, around 11:40. I was awoken by a loud voice, but projected from somewhere. At first, I thought it was someones music being played very loud. It stopped, and then played again. I got up, went to the door, and looked out the peep hole. I didn't see anything, but could tell it was coming from within the hotel, echoing off the walls of the atrium where our room is situated. It was some kind of announcement. It again, stopped.
When it started again, I stepped outside to try to figure out what it was saying. Once I stepped outside, I could see people looking just as confused as I was, until... we smelled the smoke. Then it wasn't confusion anymore. It was a sense of urgency and a little bit of panic.
I ran back into the room and woke up Don. He checked outside as I scrambled to get dressed and scoop up any valuables I could think of [my cameras :)]. We left the room and headed for the stairwell, along with other guests and amid a constant siren, the evacuation announcement, and the smell of smoke.
I should mention here that the smoke smell was a different kind of smell. It was definitely smoke but it smelled like it came from an electrical fire or some kind of rubber burning. As we entered the stairwell, the smell of smoke was stronger. In fact, as we descended the stairs (our room is on the 8th floor), the strength of the smell grew even stronger. We even got to the 4th floor and the descent suddenly stopped.
I'm telling you, at this point it got pretty scary. Everyone was trying to remain calm but no one was sure where the fire was and we couldn't be sure that it wasn't somewhere near the very stairwell we were following down. Don and I even left the stairwell thinking we should move to another one, but when we looked back, the flow of people had once again started moving and we decided to continue to follow it.
We made it out of he hotel and joined everyone outside. It was surreal. People everywhere. Some in their pajamas. Some wrapped in blankets or towels. Parents holding and comforting their young children. Elderly people huddled together. Don and I sat there, with everyone else, watching the building. We could smell the smoke, hear the alarms, see the strobe lights flashing from the smoke alarms in many rooms - but no evidence of a fire.
After a few minutes, Don and I decided to walk to the other side of the hotel. We realized that if there were no fire trucks where we were, they had to be on the other side. Sure enough, that's where they were. And the smell of the smoke was even stronger. All the commotion was located directly under our room. As it happens, that's where the kitchen is. We didn't find out until morning that it was a dishwasher that had caught on fire.
An hour after we had first heard the alarms, they gave us the okay to return to our rooms. Don and I waited awhile. We sat on pool lounge chairs for a little bit, and then headed closer to the hotel, waiting for a time when we felt safe to go back up. One of the problems was that the elevators were still not working. After a while, we decided to walk back up through the stair well. There was still the smell of smoke but not as bad, and thankfully, it didn't carry into our room. From our balcony, we watched the fire trucks leave the premises. The crisis was over.
I tried to take pictures but my flash wouldn't travel far enough to catch anything. You'll just have to take my word for it - it was surreal, chaotic, and scary. It took me a long time to get back to sleep and I didn't sleep well the rest of the night. But, it goes without saying, I am very thankful that the situation wasn't more serious. No one was hurt and we didn't lose anything... except for a few hours of sleep.
Monday, November 12, 2007
aloha
My apologies to anyone looking for More of HIM. I am on vacation and am minimally writing and reading this week. Come back next week and we'll be up and running.
But while I'm here, I'll write a little bit about my trip thus far. Don and I arrived in Maui Saturday afternoon and have done very little except to soak up the sun and play in the water, but that's just what the doctor ordered. It's been very relaxing and we are enjoying ourselves.
I was thinking I would post a few pictures, but at the moment, this is all I have. I brought three cameras with me; my little cheapo [Hewlett Packard Photosmart] that I always carry in my purse, my first digital camera - a nice Fuji (small, but too big to carry in my purse), and then my good Canon along with a zoom lens. I only have taken a few photos with my little HP Photosmart when I used it coming onto the island and into the resort. I used my Fuji most of today.
But guess what? I didn't bring my cable for the Fuji camera. Actually, I thought the cable I brought was universal to all cameras. I was wrong. Sooooo, I obviously can't share any of the photos I took today. Now I have to make the decision whether to stop using that camera completely, continue to use it but not share any of those photos until I return home, or buy a universal card reader here. Not sure what I'm going to do yet.
But while I'm here, I'll write a little bit about my trip thus far. Don and I arrived in Maui Saturday afternoon and have done very little except to soak up the sun and play in the water, but that's just what the doctor ordered. It's been very relaxing and we are enjoying ourselves.
I was thinking I would post a few pictures, but at the moment, this is all I have. I brought three cameras with me; my little cheapo [Hewlett Packard Photosmart] that I always carry in my purse, my first digital camera - a nice Fuji (small, but too big to carry in my purse), and then my good Canon along with a zoom lens. I only have taken a few photos with my little HP Photosmart when I used it coming onto the island and into the resort. I used my Fuji most of today.
But guess what? I didn't bring my cable for the Fuji camera. Actually, I thought the cable I brought was universal to all cameras. I was wrong. Sooooo, I obviously can't share any of the photos I took today. Now I have to make the decision whether to stop using that camera completely, continue to use it but not share any of those photos until I return home, or buy a universal card reader here. Not sure what I'm going to do yet.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
photo contest
Slurping Life is having a hippie photo contest. No, not that kind of hippie. It's where you have to shoot a picture from the hip - without looking in your view finder or the LCD display. I had a great time with this. I took so many pictures. Most of them didn't turn out but a few did. We can only have two entries, so here are my two favorites.
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link of the day:
http://www.seussville.com/
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link of the day:
http://www.seussville.com/
Friday, November 9, 2007
i heart snowmen
It's Show & Tell Friday. If you would like to participate or check out all the participants, head on over to Kelli's place.I purchased this little snowman and snowwoman at a craft show a week or so ago. I thought they were so cute. I might as well come clean here. I'm a sucker for snowmen (and women). I only started collecting them about four years ago, and I have quite a collection.
I usually start bringing them out the day after Thanksgiving and some stay around until Spring. I'll have to share a few of my favorites in future Show & Tells. These two sit on a little bench, are beautifully made, and really have character.
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I hope everyone has wonderful weekend. If you read my previous post, you know I'm on my way to Hawaii tomorrow. Even though some of you thought I should take the week off from blogging, I am planning to check in occasionally. My kids want me to report on what I'm doing each day. I don't think I'll get on-line every day, but I do want to post some pictures and keep family updated. So, we'll see.
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link of the day:
http://www.kidzui.com/
Thursday, November 8, 2007
is this week over yet?
Well, once again, my heart is heavy. I'm sorry my past few posts have been more on the negative side. It's been a hard week. Next week will be so much better, and I'll get to that here in a minute.
Right now it's late Wednesday night and I am not looking forward to tomorrow morning. By the time most of you read this, I will have had to take our family cat, Snickers, into the vet's office to be put down. I'll spare you all the details. The bottom line is that he has cancer and it's got to the point where he is not living comfortably. We've known for a year or so that his time was limited. We are thankful that we've had him for as long as we have.
But it is still a hard thing to do and a sad time, especially for Danielle and I. It's Danielle's cat and the two of us were the ones that loved him and took care of him. We will truly miss him.
Here's the really hard part; Dani can't come home from school, but she wants someone to be in the room with him when he's injected and takes his last breath. We've had to have dogs put down before and it's always Don who takes on this responsibility. I've never felt strong enough to do it. But now I have to, and I'm not looking forward to it. I know it's going to stay with me the rest of the day, if not longer. But I know how much this means to Dani, so that's why I'm doing it.
It's been a tough week. We need a vacation. Good thing we have one planned for next week. Oh yes, we do! This vacation has been planned for months and it's perfect timing. You can't even know how much Don needs to get away from his job, even if it is only for a week.
Where are we going, you ask? The same place the photo I posted yesterday was taken. My favorite place in the whole world. Okay, I haven't been to too many places in this world, but it's still my favorite. The photo was taken in... and Don and I are going to... the beautiful island of Maui. Oh yes, we are!
We leave early Saturday and will be gone for a week. We [just the two of us] will be in a tropical paradise in the middle of November with no responsibilities except to decide what kind of drinks we want to sip by the pool or what fresh fish we will order for dinner.
I hesitated telling anyone about this trip. I'm not even sure all of my family knows we're going. It seems like a pretty extravagant vacation to be taking in light of Don's job situation. But it was actually paid for long ago and we had to take it before January 1st or we would lose all the money we put into it. The resort is going to want us to buy a time-share, but that won't be happening due to Don's job situation.
So, we're going to go spend a week in paradise, enjoying time spent with each other, with very little to do, and hopefully leaving the stress thousands of miles away.
note: I am still planning to blog, but we'll see how that goes.
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link of the day:
http://www.uptoten.com/
Right now it's late Wednesday night and I am not looking forward to tomorrow morning. By the time most of you read this, I will have had to take our family cat, Snickers, into the vet's office to be put down. I'll spare you all the details. The bottom line is that he has cancer and it's got to the point where he is not living comfortably. We've known for a year or so that his time was limited. We are thankful that we've had him for as long as we have.But it is still a hard thing to do and a sad time, especially for Danielle and I. It's Danielle's cat and the two of us were the ones that loved him and took care of him. We will truly miss him.
Here's the really hard part; Dani can't come home from school, but she wants someone to be in the room with him when he's injected and takes his last breath. We've had to have dogs put down before and it's always Don who takes on this responsibility. I've never felt strong enough to do it. But now I have to, and I'm not looking forward to it. I know it's going to stay with me the rest of the day, if not longer. But I know how much this means to Dani, so that's why I'm doing it.
It's been a tough week. We need a vacation. Good thing we have one planned for next week. Oh yes, we do! This vacation has been planned for months and it's perfect timing. You can't even know how much Don needs to get away from his job, even if it is only for a week.
Where are we going, you ask? The same place the photo I posted yesterday was taken. My favorite place in the whole world. Okay, I haven't been to too many places in this world, but it's still my favorite. The photo was taken in... and Don and I are going to... the beautiful island of Maui. Oh yes, we are!
We leave early Saturday and will be gone for a week. We [just the two of us] will be in a tropical paradise in the middle of November with no responsibilities except to decide what kind of drinks we want to sip by the pool or what fresh fish we will order for dinner.
I hesitated telling anyone about this trip. I'm not even sure all of my family knows we're going. It seems like a pretty extravagant vacation to be taking in light of Don's job situation. But it was actually paid for long ago and we had to take it before January 1st or we would lose all the money we put into it. The resort is going to want us to buy a time-share, but that won't be happening due to Don's job situation.
So, we're going to go spend a week in paradise, enjoying time spent with each other, with very little to do, and hopefully leaving the stress thousands of miles away.
note: I am still planning to blog, but we'll see how that goes.
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link of the day:
http://www.uptoten.com/
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
soon...
Hop, skip, or jump over to the Wordless Wednesday headquarters to check out all of this week's participants.
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link of the day:
http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/index.asp?area=main
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link of the day:
http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/index.asp?area=main
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
in the light of the morning
My heart is heavy.
So heavy that I didn't want to write last night for today's post.
It is now morning,
and my heart, and my day, continues to be weighed down by the reality of what he has endured, and what he continues to endure - all in the name of keeping a job that he may lose in the end anyway.
If you are reading this today,
can I ask a favor....
say a prayer for Don (my husband).
thank you.
So heavy that I didn't want to write last night for today's post.
It is now morning,
and my heart, and my day, continues to be weighed down by the reality of what he has endured, and what he continues to endure - all in the name of keeping a job that he may lose in the end anyway.
If you are reading this today,
can I ask a favor....
say a prayer for Don (my husband).
thank you.
Monday, November 5, 2007
more of Him
Welcome to MORE OF HIM Monday
You can encourage others or you may be encouraged by sharing part of your spiritual journey. If you post today under one of the following themes, please leave a link to your post on the Mr. Linky below.
Share a specific piece of scripture that has spoken to your this last week. Share what you feel God is telling you through that passage and how you plan to apply it to your life.
- or -
Share how God is working in your life right now. Is He telling you something or helping you through something? Do you hear His small, quiet voice? Or is He hitting you over the head with a two by four? Are you on a spiritual high? Or low? Share as you are led.
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Scripture speaks to me...
In Acts, chapter 16, there's a story of Paul and Silas sitting in a jail cell when an earthquake occurs allowing the doors to open and giving the prisoners a chance to escape. But they didn't. I always wondered about this story. I could never understand why Paul and Silas wouldn't take off. In my child or immature christian mind, I just didn't get why anyone would stay in a bad situation when they could escape from it.
But as you continue to read this story, you realize God had something in mind for Paul and Silas; he had a plan. And His plan unfolds in the verses that follow. Here is part of the story:
"The jailer got a torch and ran inside. Badly shaken, he collapsed in front of Paul and Silas. He led them out of the jail and asked, "Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved, to really live?" They said, "Put your entire trust in the Master Jesus. Then you'll live as you were meant to live—and everyone in your house included!" " Acts 16:29-31 The Message
If Paul and Silas had escaped when they had the chance, they wouldn't have been around to witness to the jailer. In fact, the jailer had contemplated suicide before he realized the prisoners hadn't escaped. By Paul and Silas staying put, they kept the jailer alive.
They not only talked the talk, they walked the walk. They believed in what they told the jailer; put your entire trust in the Jesus and you will be saved. My footnotes say that the Greek word for "salvation" has to do with deliverance for the future but also living a new kind of life in the here and now. That is why The Message translated "being saved" to "living as you were meant to live."
And that's the part of scripture that really spoke to me.
Don and I are faced with a situation that could change the course of our lives. He may lose his job. We've never had to go through this kind of situation. It's all new to us. It's scary. It could be exciting. It could change where we live and how we live financially. We're trying to keep an open mind about it and the consequences from it.
Most of the time we know God will take care of us - no matter what the future looks like. Other times, it's easy to doubt and worry. We try really hard not to fall into that trap. When I read this piece of scripture this week, I felt like God was telling me, "just trust Me - and you will live as you were meant to live." I needed to hear that. Thank you, Lord.
You can encourage others or you may be encouraged by sharing part of your spiritual journey. If you post today under one of the following themes, please leave a link to your post on the Mr. Linky below.
Share a specific piece of scripture that has spoken to your this last week. Share what you feel God is telling you through that passage and how you plan to apply it to your life.- or -
Share how God is working in your life right now. Is He telling you something or helping you through something? Do you hear His small, quiet voice? Or is He hitting you over the head with a two by four? Are you on a spiritual high? Or low? Share as you are led.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scripture speaks to me...
In Acts, chapter 16, there's a story of Paul and Silas sitting in a jail cell when an earthquake occurs allowing the doors to open and giving the prisoners a chance to escape. But they didn't. I always wondered about this story. I could never understand why Paul and Silas wouldn't take off. In my child or immature christian mind, I just didn't get why anyone would stay in a bad situation when they could escape from it.
But as you continue to read this story, you realize God had something in mind for Paul and Silas; he had a plan. And His plan unfolds in the verses that follow. Here is part of the story:
"The jailer got a torch and ran inside. Badly shaken, he collapsed in front of Paul and Silas. He led them out of the jail and asked, "Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved, to really live?" They said, "Put your entire trust in the Master Jesus. Then you'll live as you were meant to live—and everyone in your house included!" " Acts 16:29-31 The Message
If Paul and Silas had escaped when they had the chance, they wouldn't have been around to witness to the jailer. In fact, the jailer had contemplated suicide before he realized the prisoners hadn't escaped. By Paul and Silas staying put, they kept the jailer alive.
They not only talked the talk, they walked the walk. They believed in what they told the jailer; put your entire trust in the Jesus and you will be saved. My footnotes say that the Greek word for "salvation" has to do with deliverance for the future but also living a new kind of life in the here and now. That is why The Message translated "being saved" to "living as you were meant to live."
And that's the part of scripture that really spoke to me.
Don and I are faced with a situation that could change the course of our lives. He may lose his job. We've never had to go through this kind of situation. It's all new to us. It's scary. It could be exciting. It could change where we live and how we live financially. We're trying to keep an open mind about it and the consequences from it.
Most of the time we know God will take care of us - no matter what the future looks like. Other times, it's easy to doubt and worry. We try really hard not to fall into that trap. When I read this piece of scripture this week, I felt like God was telling me, "just trust Me - and you will live as you were meant to live." I needed to hear that. Thank you, Lord.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
facts, figures, and winners
Fall, Y'all bloggy giveaway is over and done with. Here's some facts and figures I'd like to share with you.
As of this writing, there were 665 links on the Mr. Linky for giveaways. I say links instead of bloggers because some people screwed up on their links and had to re-enter, making for two links for one giveaway. Or, some bloggers had more than one giveaway on their blog so they entered a link for each day or giveaway. Still, 665 is impressive. That's a lot of giveaways, and a lot of cool stuff.
I left comments for around 60 giveaways - and guess what!? I won something! That's right, I'm one winner out of, well... a lot of winners (don't know exactly how many). I won a handmade beaded bracelet from Christine of From Dates, to Diapers, and Beyond. Now all I have to do is figure out what kind of bracelet and what color beads. Thank you Christine. I'm thrilled.
I had 230 comments to my giveaway. There were a lot of people who wanted such a good movie. So, without further delay, I'll let you know who the winners were.
Holly @ 2 Kids and Tired
and
Sarah @ Sassyfrazz
Thanks to everyone who left a comment and entered to win the movies. Let me just say one more thing about the movie, The Ultimate Gift. If you haven't already seen it, or read the book, please go out and rent or buy this movie. It has such a powerful message. One that could change the world if people realized what was truly important in life. It's an excellent movie. And if you do go and watch it, send me an email or comment letting me know you did and what you thought of it. I'd love to hear from you.
Lastly, this falls under the "fact" part of the post; I left my giveaway post as a sticky post that stayed at the top of all of my other posts. I don't know how many readers knew or didn't know that I continued to post during the week. I just wanted to let everyone know that and that there may be three posts that you didn't get a chance to look at. A couple of them have some funny, funny pictures =]
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link of the day:
http://www.mywhitecloud.com/momandbaby/index.jsp
As of this writing, there were 665 links on the Mr. Linky for giveaways. I say links instead of bloggers because some people screwed up on their links and had to re-enter, making for two links for one giveaway. Or, some bloggers had more than one giveaway on their blog so they entered a link for each day or giveaway. Still, 665 is impressive. That's a lot of giveaways, and a lot of cool stuff.
I left comments for around 60 giveaways - and guess what!? I won something! That's right, I'm one winner out of, well... a lot of winners (don't know exactly how many). I won a handmade beaded bracelet from Christine of From Dates, to Diapers, and Beyond. Now all I have to do is figure out what kind of bracelet and what color beads. Thank you Christine. I'm thrilled.
I had 230 comments to my giveaway. There were a lot of people who wanted such a good movie. So, without further delay, I'll let you know who the winners were.
Holly @ 2 Kids and Tired
and
Sarah @ Sassyfrazz
Thanks to everyone who left a comment and entered to win the movies. Let me just say one more thing about the movie, The Ultimate Gift. If you haven't already seen it, or read the book, please go out and rent or buy this movie. It has such a powerful message. One that could change the world if people realized what was truly important in life. It's an excellent movie. And if you do go and watch it, send me an email or comment letting me know you did and what you thought of it. I'd love to hear from you.
Lastly, this falls under the "fact" part of the post; I left my giveaway post as a sticky post that stayed at the top of all of my other posts. I don't know how many readers knew or didn't know that I continued to post during the week. I just wanted to let everyone know that and that there may be three posts that you didn't get a chance to look at. A couple of them have some funny, funny pictures =]
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link of the day:
http://www.mywhitecloud.com/momandbaby/index.jsp
fall, y'all giveaway
This is my first attempt at a "give-away." Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer and Bloggy Giveaways.com is hosting another carnival of giveaways. I remember seeing her summer version and not really understanding all of it until it was over and done with. I didn't want to miss the boat this time.This will be a sticky post and remain at the top of my other posts for this week. Make sure you scroll down to see what else I have to say.
Here's what I'm giving away...
I wanted something that reflected me or my blog. I had a few ideas but settled on this because I love movies and this is not only a current movie (DVD released a few weeks ago), but one of my all-time favorites. I love it so much that I just can't give one away, so... I'm giving away TWO!
Here's a description of the movie: When his wealthy grandfather dies, trust fund baby Jason Stevens anticipates a big inheritance. Instead, his grandfather has devised a crash course on life -- twelve gifts designed to challenge Jason in improbable ways, sending him on a journey of self-discovery and forcing him to determine what is most important in life: money or happiness. This movie is rated PG and is great for all ages. And let me add this; if you don't win this movie, I highly recommend you going out and renting it. You won't be sorry.
All you have to do is comment this post. And if you've seen the movie, comment how much you liked it. I'd love to hear if this movie meant as much to other people as it did me. And even though you've seen the movie, I'll still include you in the drawing =]. Please only enter one comment and I will only be able to accept US and Canadian bloggers because of postage. I will close comments at midnight (mountain time) on Friday, Nov. 2nd. I will then randomly pick two winners and announce those two winners on my Saturday or Sunday post.
Now, you need to click on this link to check out the very loooonng list of other bloggers who are giving something away. There are some really nice give-aways out there. On second thought, don't check out the other give-aways. You'll only reduce my chances of winning.
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link of the day:
http://www.tribbit.com/
Friday, November 2, 2007
in pursuit of the right school
It's Fall break here for Jake and that can only mean one thing for my senior...
visiting college campuses.
Thankfully, we only needed to hit two local colleges. Jake's a pretty bright kid and wants to go to a good engineering school. Well, as luck [depending on your perspective] would have it, two of the best schools in Colorado, and even the country, are within an hour of where we live.
Jake liked both of them but for different reasons, and now he has to decide if he wants to look at other schools. He's looked at a few out of state schools on-line, but he's not sure if he wants to go out of state. I think it will be between these two schools, but he's really undecided at the moment. It's a good thing he has a few months to figure it out, because it's a hard decision.
I always enjoy visiting college campuses. I don't quite know what it is, but there's just something about the atmosphere of an educational institution that makes me want to be a part of it all. Maybe it's because I never really took advantage of the opportunity I had to pursue higher education. Once I graduated from High School, I only attended one year at a community college before I decided I didn't need college. What a mistake - one I regret to this day.
If I could go back and change one thing in my life, that would be it. I think I would have done well in college and I think it would have been fun to be a student. But it is what it is and I have accepted that. I never really had a desire to try to be a student once I had kids, and family became my priority. This is why I am so happy that my kids have made the decision to further their education by attending college. They won't have the same regrets I have.
Here's a picture I took on the campus of the school we visited yesterday. It was a beautiful Fall day and the campus was absolutely gorgeous. It's old, and big, and has beautiful old buildings, and sits up next to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. I tried to get Jake to pose but he was having nothing of that. As we were taking the walking tour, he was probably thinking, "I'll be so glad when I'm away from my 'constantly taking pictures' mom and on a campus where I can explore being my own person." To which I respond, "you can be your own person, but that person will be studying their butt off on one of these campuses." bwahahahahaha!
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link of the day:
http://www.badfads.com/home.html
visiting college campuses.
Thankfully, we only needed to hit two local colleges. Jake's a pretty bright kid and wants to go to a good engineering school. Well, as luck [depending on your perspective] would have it, two of the best schools in Colorado, and even the country, are within an hour of where we live.
Jake liked both of them but for different reasons, and now he has to decide if he wants to look at other schools. He's looked at a few out of state schools on-line, but he's not sure if he wants to go out of state. I think it will be between these two schools, but he's really undecided at the moment. It's a good thing he has a few months to figure it out, because it's a hard decision.
I always enjoy visiting college campuses. I don't quite know what it is, but there's just something about the atmosphere of an educational institution that makes me want to be a part of it all. Maybe it's because I never really took advantage of the opportunity I had to pursue higher education. Once I graduated from High School, I only attended one year at a community college before I decided I didn't need college. What a mistake - one I regret to this day.
If I could go back and change one thing in my life, that would be it. I think I would have done well in college and I think it would have been fun to be a student. But it is what it is and I have accepted that. I never really had a desire to try to be a student once I had kids, and family became my priority. This is why I am so happy that my kids have made the decision to further their education by attending college. They won't have the same regrets I have.
Here's a picture I took on the campus of the school we visited yesterday. It was a beautiful Fall day and the campus was absolutely gorgeous. It's old, and big, and has beautiful old buildings, and sits up next to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. I tried to get Jake to pose but he was having nothing of that. As we were taking the walking tour, he was probably thinking, "I'll be so glad when I'm away from my 'constantly taking pictures' mom and on a campus where I can explore being my own person." To which I respond, "you can be your own person, but that person will be studying their butt off on one of these campuses." bwahahahahaha!
***************
link of the day:
http://www.badfads.com/home.html
Thursday, November 1, 2007
halloween shenanigans
Danielle came home at the last minute to spend Halloween with us. Her presence always brings a great deal of goofing around, which then leads to endless laughter. Today, all we needed was a mask, a wig and a mustache. The mustache wasn't really a mustache - she just made it into one. She also continued to speak in a Russian accent and called herself Helga. Thank you, Dani, for making my Halloween a real treat.
Brody did not like the yoda mask. After a while, he just wanted to eat it.
Then Jake came home from his girlfriend's looking like this. What can I say... he's a goof-ball. He and some friends went out trick or treating and then went to a costume party. His girlfriend dressed up as a guy, so I guess it all worked well together. I just can't believe that this was my little dalmatian or cowboy (see previous post). I was impressed with one thing: look at those legs =] hehe.
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link of the day:
http://www.joshhosler.biz/NumberOneInHistory/SelectMonth.htm
Brody did not like the yoda mask. After a while, he just wanted to eat it.Then Jake came home from his girlfriend's looking like this. What can I say... he's a goof-ball. He and some friends went out trick or treating and then went to a costume party. His girlfriend dressed up as a guy, so I guess it all worked well together. I just can't believe that this was my little dalmatian or cowboy (see previous post). I was impressed with one thing: look at those legs =] hehe.
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link of the day:
http://www.joshhosler.biz/NumberOneInHistory/SelectMonth.htm
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