May Is Mighty Fine !!!

Thought I'd show you where I stayed last week,
or at least,
my friend's driveway
because that was my favorite part!
Sometimes, you just know
when you start down a road that you have
definitely
made a turn for the better!



When I got home,
I snapped this picture of one of our three little deer.
They are yearlings and not so afraid yet.
They gather in the front yard
and eat the clover.

I planted more tomatoes yesterday.
I found several mint plants at the garden center too.
Wonder if the deer will eat the mint?
By the way, if you are trying to keep deer from your flowers,
scatter moth flakes around the flowers
you are trying to protect.

My Mom called yesterday to say
that my Uncle Carl is very sick.
They say he is not responding, whatever that means.
It doesn't sound good, does it?
I would appreciate your prayers for him and his boys.

We got a better call last night.
PolarB and Lovie will be here in just one more day!!!

My friend, Jean, turns 39 again today too!

The kids are officially out of school
and packing for a trip out West.

I'll be volunteering with some of "our kids" for the next few days,
and looking forward to a long weekend!

There is always so much going on in May!
Love it !!!

Hope you are busy and happy too!

Volunteering In Heaven

I spent most of last week in the mountains of North Carolina,
but as I look back,
Perhaps, it was heaven?

 

Happy Mother's Day !!!

Dear Friends & Moms,

As Mother's Day is approaching shortly, just had to share this message with you. Happy Mother's Day (yes, it's a little early) to all Moms !!!

This is for the new mothers who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can't be comforted. This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse. This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It's all right honey, Mommy's here."

This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors. And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it. For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the (grand) mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes. And for the mothers who lost their baby in that precious 9 months that they will never get to watch grow on earth but one day will be reunited with in Heaven!

This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat. For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."

This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home -- or even away at college.

This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them. For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14-year-olds dye their hair green.

This is for all the step-mothers who raised another woman's child or children, and gave their time, attention, and love ... sometimes totally unappreciated!

For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting. For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.

What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time? Or is it in her heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time? The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby? The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home? Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?

The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation ... And mature mothers learning to let go.

For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.

Single mothers and married mothers. New mothers and Seasoned mothers.

Mothers with money, mothers without.

For grandmothers, godmothers, adopted mothers and step-mothers too. For the men who have volunteered for or inherited the duty of momship (Bella, you helped me invent that word!) too.

This is for you all of you. For all of us. Heroes every one.

Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can. Tell them every day that we love them. And pray.

"Home is what catches you when you fall - and we all fall."

Happy Birthday To Me !!!

     

Happy Birthday To Me !!!

 Thank You ...

Thank You Very Much !!!

   

I've learned...
  that you cannot make someone love you.
All you can do is be someone who can be loved.
The rest is up to them.

  I've learned...
  that no matter how much I care,
some people just don't care back.

     

  I've learned...
  that it takes years to build up trust,
and only seconds to destroy it.

  I've learned...
  that it's not what you have in your life
but
who you have in your life
  that counts.

     

  I've learned...
  that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes.
After that, you'd better know something.

  I've learned...
  that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best
others can do.

     

  I've learned...
  that you can do something in an instant
that will give you heartache for life.

  I've learned...
  that it's taking me a long time to become
the person I want to be.

     

  I've learned...
  that you should always leave loved ones with loving words.
It may be the last time you see them.

  I've learned...
  that you can keep going long after you can't.

     

  I've learned...
  that we are responsible for what we do,
no matter how we feel.

  I've learned...
  that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

     

  I've learned...
  that regardless of how hot and steamy
a relationship is at first,
the passion fades and there had better be
something else to take its place.

  I've learned...
  that heroes are the people who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.

     

  I've learned...
  that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

  I've learned...
  that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing
and have the best time.

     

  I've learned...
  that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

  I've learned...
  that true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.

     

  I've learned...
  that just because someone doesn't love you
the way you want them to
  doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

   

  I've learned...
  that maturity has more to do with
what types of experiences you've had
  and what you've learned from them
and
less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

   

  I've learned...
  that you should never tell a child their dreams
are unlikely or outlandish.
Few things are more humiliating,
and what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.

     

  I've learned...
  that no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a while
and you must forgive them for that.

  I've learned...
  that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you are to learn to forgive yourself.

     

  I've learned...
  that, no matter how badly your heart is broken,
the world doesn't stop for your grief.

  I've learned...
  that our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are,
  but we are responsible for who we become.

     

  I've learned...
  that we don't have to change friends
if we understand that friends change.

  I've learned...
  that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret.
It could change your life forever.

     

  I've learned...
  that two people can look at the exact same thing
and see something totally different.

  I've learned...
  that no matter how you try to protect your children,
they will eventually get hurt and
you will hurt in the process.

     

  I've learned...
  that your life can be changed in a matter of hours
by people who don't even know you.

  I've learned...
  that even when you think you have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you,
you will find the strength to help.

     
 
I've learned...
  that the people you care about most in life
are taken from you too soon.
  
  I've learned...
  that it's hard to determine where to draw the line

between being nice and not hurting people's feelings and standing up for what you believe.