Monday, January 31, 2011

Quotes

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. 

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. 
-- Winston Churchill

"The soul can split the sky in two and let the face of God shine through."     -- Vincent Millay

Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises.
-- Pedro Calderon de la Barca



Genius ain't anything more than elegant common sense. --Josh Billings

Love does not dominate; it cultivates. -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Read nature; nature is a friend to truth. -- Edward Young


"It is a great consolation for me to remember that the Lord, to whom I had drawn near in humble and child-like faith, has suffered and died for me, and that He will look on me in love and compassion." -- Wolfgang Mozart

Sunday, January 30, 2011

If wishes were true...


Then.... Ozzie. Is. White. Cat.
Yes! I'm bitter. 
But you would be too after this morning's episode. 



(There. I've complained three four times . It's out of my system.)

Thursday, January 27, 2011

From the Queen of Randomness

The show went well! In fact, it went really well. Once up on stage, my nervousness vanished and I was able to play and sing and enjoy myself.

Several musicians and friends of Michele's are coming to stay the weekend and we have been preparing. Last night, Michele made turtle cheesecake (it's a new recipe and she made her own caramels, which are wonderful but didn't quite turn out the way the recipe said so she is worried about serving the cake to company and I wondered since she had enough ingredients to make another one if we shouldn't sample this one just to make sure but she said no. Twice.) (there, I knew I could write a run-on sentence! ;-)) and lasagne, which I am quite looking forward to. I get to make french bread to go along with it!! Yay.

Went to the theatre meeting yesterday for the Easter play. It looks like it's going to be a murder mystery of sorts. I'm not sure if I am going to have a part or not. I have never memorized so many lines (well, I've memorized entire books of the Bible but that's a little different!) and I've definitely never been in a play that required so much  from me. It could be a good experience. :-) That being said, with everything else going on, I might regret committing. We shall see.

I've been reading "The Princess Bride". And laughing. Interesting thing: the book is not better than the movie. They're both equally creative. And funny.

One of my students wants to learn how to play "If I Die Young" (The Band Perry) on the piano. So I have been trying to learn it so I can teach her. I like the challenge. And I like the song. It's a bluegrass number with really nice words. Kind of a Appalachian Anne of Green Gables song.

It was *30 F (-1* C) yesterday!!!! Wow. I ran outside with no long sleeves on and I was not cold at all. I love this weather.

I watched "Appaloosa" the other day. I was so annoyed at the end of it. :sigh: Seriously, three very good actors. Three of my favorites. You wonder if any of them had ever read any westerns at all. :-P Plus, Ed Harris' character randomly loses his temper for no real reason and nearly beats a teamster to death. Interesting. I wonder why he put that into the movie? Just because he'd always wanted to randomly nearly beat someone to death? Can you tell I'm still annoyed? ;-)

And while we're on the topic of movies, has anyone watched "Young Victoria"? Opinion?

Anyone a Doctor Who fan?

I should go eat something and try to stem the tide of my cold. Or allergies. Or whatever it is. I started getting a sore throat when I began dealing with all of deceased Yoda's hair. Now my nose is running like a faucet. Lol. I'm taking zinc in case it is a cold. Maybe I should be taking more stuff. Hmm.

I am so glad God loves me.

Anyways, this is my random-ist post ever. Enjoy, Bekah dear! ;-) (And anyone else who may read this.) 

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Show Time

Show day. I am excited and a little nervous... the usual. ;-) Michele and I had a pretty intense rehearsal yesterday morning and I discovered how to fake some stuff on "Home Sweet Home". Lol. After the show, I would really like to figure out this rhythm, though. I need to learn it. Anyways, here's to fiddle music across Canada and the people who's dreams and efforts keep it alive.

Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated! :-) Have fun today, my dear readers.  

Friday, January 21, 2011

So much to learn...

The show is on Sunday. We're having one last rehearsal today.

It has been interesting to play so much lately. I've noticed a difference in my playing and I have come to the realization that there is so much for me to learn about the piano. I have been forced to take a good look at myself and have seen areas in which I could be better. I am so glad for this time of my life.

There is one thing I am concerned about. Among the tunes we are playing on Sunday is a medley of three. It is called "Home Sweet Home". The songs are amazing and I love them. Michele plays them really well!! But the piano accompanist style is different (and more complicated) than I have played before. I am feeling slightly panicky because I *have* to get this part down. If I don't, the song won't have it's electricity. 

If you think of me and are so inclined, your prayers regarding wisdom and rhythm are greatly appreciated. 

May your day be as glorious as mine. :-) (I get to see Jesse!) (And watch my friend Emily play in Seussical!) (And rehearse with three phenomenal musicians.) (Does life get any better?) :-) 

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Rehearsing

Michele, Ben D. and I have been rehearsing quite frequently lately for Michele's January 23rd show in Redvers. Michele, fiddle; Ben, guitar; myself, piano. We have gotten Jesse to play on a couple numbers, as well. I am really excited about this opportunity to play and sing. It is such a awesome thing to share music.


(Jorgina and Marie Stang -- 1910 -- Norway)

But wow, is the time ever flying by quick! I always have butterflies. (Do I know the songs well enough?!) I have just mastered a few of the pieces in the past few days and I feel a little shaky. Michele and I have been meaning to play together for the past three days. Saturday, for both of us, tiredness took priority. Sunday, I got home later from my excursion with Jesse. Monday (last night!), I came down with a sudden case of stomach upset which had me stretched out on my bed until past midnight. :-P (I think it may have had something to do with me slipping when I walked earlier in the day.) (At any rate, I'm feeling much better now. :-))

So I'm hoping that the rest of this week, we'll not only be able to rehearse, but rehearse the show in the way that we're going to play it. This morning, I intend to get supper figured out, lesson prep and organize my music into the binder Michele got for me. I am looking forward to the day when I will be able to do everything by ear.

If you are so led, please pray that God will open my mind.. give me wisdom. Also, that He will bring joy to those I am around. :-) All things are possible through Jesus Christ. Including the Jerry Holland Set!! ;-)

Monday, January 17, 2011

All About Driver's Ed, Ozzie and other things that fill my life with color

Just to give my readers fair warning, this post is long and bitter and only slightly humorous. Read with discretion.

Sunday, January 16th, 2011

The alarm clock begins ringing at 6:45 am and my benumbed brain beckons to my fingers to turn it off. Finally finding the off mode, the annoying noise ceases and my subconscious state resumes for fifteen minutes. At 7 am, I promptly come awake and get dressed. I wondered what to wear exactly, then thought that good old denim wouldn't mind keeping me warm on this chilly morning...

Points of morning: 
getting foot stuck in leg of leggings and losing my balance. Thankfully, my bed was right there for me to hit. 
making sandwich for lunch.
eating the last piece of the leftover pizza for breakfast.
saying a sleepy good morning to Michele. 
feeling nervous butterflies.
wondering if I should have studied for the in-class instruction.
enjoying the drive down to Griffin.
arriving at the old school just a half hour after dawn had arrived. 

Six hours of instruction. The instructor is quite the lady. After she welcomed us to the class, she went through a brief list of things which are the leading cause of accidents. Then, she clicked on a video and left the room, leaving the class to watch in horrified fascination as two girls in a car were distracted by their cellphones and did not notice that their car was drifting until it was too late. Seconds later, one girl was dead and the other was injured for life. And it wasn't only their lives that were touched... in the end, at least five vehicles were involved and a little child in one of them whimpers, asking her parents to wake up. 

When our instructor came back into the room to turn off the video, I think the looks on our faces were satisfactory. Lol. I have never been in a major car wreck or even seen any terribly serious accidents (other than motion picture) and even though this was a staged video, it seemed startlingly real. 

The rest of our time, we covered drinking and driving, distractions and driving, drugs and driving, sleeping and driving, skids, skids, and more skids, road rage, seat belts, snow driving conditions, gravel driving conditions, accidents, etc, etc. Six hours. Hehe. My brain hurt. The last thing that was said was this, "So, you can do all of right things and accidents still will happen. My conclusion is that it's simply by the grace of God that we're all not dead right now." I appreciate what they're trying to do. I understand. But that didn't help me from feeling pretty depressed by the end of class. ;-) 

And when Michele came and picked me up, we hadn't gotten very far at all when we decided I should drive. You can bet that I was white knuckling the steering wheel for the first fifteen minutes. Lol!! But it was good. I drove the entire distance home and by the end, I was feeling kind of okay. Almost comfortable. Thanks to the excellent work of the class however, I was still a little depressed. So when the phone rang and it was Jesse inviting me to come with them to visit his Grandma, I was delighted. 

Jesse's Grandma is 95 years old and she still lives in her own little apartment. I really appreciate listening to someone talk who is that old and still has a mind as sharp as a tack. She is a tiny little thing and pretty quiet but when she would say something, you can bet that people listened. We ate supper there and visited for a few hours. Right as we were about to leave, she looked at me and said, "You seem happy." :-) :-) Sam, Jesse's sister, is back home now and it's been fun getting to know her, as well. And, of course, the happiest thing about the entire evening was spending time with my beloved. That cured any and all depression. Hehe. 


But I still had one remaining adventure of the day: Ozzie. That cat has been trying to decide whether she is Ozzie or whether she is a cat. Ozzie is a weird, alien cat shaped creature. I am being extremely generous in my guess that The Cat might actually be slightly likable. Because Yoda was suffering, Michele decided it was time to put her down. Ozzie has never been an only cat. This is really new for her. Therefore, she has been... annoying. She interrupted one of my piano lessons last Wednesday. She was scratching at the door and I was ignoring her. Then, another student arrived (a little bit early) and she mentioned it. Without thinking, I replied, "Oh, we had to put her mum down the other day so she's been acting.." I never got to finish my sentence. Immediately, two little girls were flying to the door and jerking it open, "Ohhh!!!! Poor kitty!!!! Can we let her in!!!!!" And I was sitting there with my mouth dropped open. I could have sworn that Ozzie winked at me. My thought, "Naomi, you are a first class idiot." Well, the rest of that lesson was ruined. And she only stayed for four minutes, max. How does she do that?! [Okay. So I admit that I'm smirking. It was funny. She is clever in her own stupid annoying way.]

Last night, while I was having my wee bit of a bath, Ozzie decided that she liked water and wanted in. Of course I said who was she kidding. So, she got mad and invaded my room. I had shut the door but it must not have latched properly. When I had finished, I found her ensconced on my bed, purring like a thousand cats were residing in her sinus cavity. I gently booted her off my bed (no cats were injured in the process) and prepared for my well earned sleep. Then, came the first scratching. 

She scratched at the door. First gently, then not so gently. 
She meowed. Loudly. Well, it was more like wailing. Btw, did you know that cats can communicate rather well? She was saying stuff like, "I am lonely. I am scared. You are a nice person. I know you'll let me in if you only knew how sad I am."
I ignored her. She went away. 

I was just drifting off when suddenly, she was scratching like a maniac at the door and the wailing resumed. "I miss my mum! Yes, I know she wasn't terribly fond of me but no daughter ever deserves to lose her mother!! Please let me in! I'll be good. I promise I won't sit on your stomach and cut off your oxygen, even though it's my favorite thing to do." 
I told her to be quiet and leave. She left. 

Again, I was just asleep and quite abruptly, it sounded like she was hurtling her body against the door, all the while, wailing, "Okay! So I'm bruising my fat side here trying to alert you to the presence of evil in this house. Like, a thief that's creeping around in the dark, which you can't hear right now because I'm making too much noise... but you know that sound in the office five minutes ago? I know it sounded like me but really it was Mr. Evil. He's stealing the magnets off the fridge!" ::silence:: Then, "You mother murderer! Yes, I know Michele took her away but you were the cause! The least you could do to assuage your conscience would be to let me in!" 

By this time, I was more than a little annoyed. I had been so startled that I'd nearly hit the ceiling when she had arrived this time and was frustrated with an hour and a half of wasted rest. I debated whether I should allow myself to talk back to her or not. I decided not. By that time, she was sounding a little hoarse and once again she abruptly left. I lay and listened for awhile but by that time, I was pretty tired out and fell soundly asleep. If she came back later, I haven't a clue. 

Right now, she's laying on my bed sleeping and occasionally meowing at me. I've turned off my cat translator and am still annoyed at her. Not terribly bitter but a little malicious. After talking to Michele this morning, I was given permission to put Ozzie downstairs, where she has food, water and litter box. So, if she comes prowling around my door again tonight, I am going to calmly get up and do exactly that. ;-) 

And that, my dear readers, is the end of a long post about drunk driving not being good, nice boyfriends and their grandmothers and Ozzie, the fuzz-ball alien creature who was sent into my life to test my patience. 

Now, off to prepare supper (mexican!) and practice music after. I need to learn "Farewell to Nova Scotia". I know it a little. I need to know it a lot. The show is next sunday. Yikes!! :-) May your day have been as good as mine was. 

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Random Thought of the Day

Love is...
...a mystery
...a miracle
...a gift
...something I can scarcely comprehend and...
...so thankful for. 

I love you, Jesse. 

Friday, January 14, 2011

I Have A Seven Year Old Brother


Check out Jostie Flicks for more humor and great, clean videos. :-)

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Chicken and Lemon

There is a site that I always go to when I'm looking for good recipes and it is... http://www.tammysrecipes.com/. Today, I wanted to find a recipe for chicken breasts. Believe it or not, I've never cooked/baked/created deliciousness with just whole chicken breasts, so I needed some help. I found this recipe: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/grilled_lemon_garlic_pepper_chicken and loved the idea of marinating chicken in lemon juice. But I am not that experienced with the grill and being as the temperature was in it's normal frostbitten state, I decided that I shouldn't be that brave today.

So I went and talked to Michele. :-) Here is the recipe that she gave me and the one I intend to rave about to everyone I come into contact with in the next two weeks.

1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 TBSP chopped garlic
1 TBSP oregano
1 tsp salt
dash of cayenne
4 thawed chicken breasts

Combine the first six ingredients in large bowl with lid or bag. Pierce chicken breasts with knife and place in bowl or bag. Make sure the chicken breasts are coated with mixture, then seal it up and place in refrigerator for at least an hour (my schedule dictated 6 hours). When ready to cook chicken, cut each breast into thirds and place on a broiler pan. Broil approx. 4-5 minutes on each side, or until meat is cooked through.

I have never had chicken like this before. It was tangy and a little spicy and Greek all at once. We ate it with Basmati rice (which is, in my humble opinion, the best rice in the whole entire world) and green beans. I think I'm going to cut up the leftover chicken tomorrow and put it in a pasta dish. That sounds rather yummy to me. :-)

the poor guy just doesn't get it


There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. (1 John 4:18)

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

I realized something this evening: There is nothing Satan would like more than to use fear to make me ineffective. He would love to slap all of my joy and hope away. He uses every opportunity to throw my faults and uncertainties and stupidities into my face. He especially loves it when I lose my focus and try to make others as miserable as I am. But his work against us humans is not about you or me. It is about his conflict with God and ultimately, himself. How can he hurt God?

 I had a startling thought the other day: the deceiver is, in fact, the most deceived.

But we have been given power: our minds. Satan has no more power than we give him. Why do we think he is more powerful than he is? Why give him all the credit for anything that 'goes wrong'? Well, it isn't surprising. He has always taken great pleasure in taking credit for what isn't his.

On a brighter note, I believe God works on the same basis. He does not force us to believe in Him. He does not force us to cast ourselves at His feet in worship. He does not force us to commune with Him. But He asks for our trust. He asks for our fellowship. There is such delight in having a conversation with Someone who knows us best. There is such peace in the belief that He loves us. There is such power in that joy.

I find the differences in the two very striking: Satan always throws my faults and fears into my face; God heals me and brings happy thoughts and memories into my head. Satan is quick to take all the credit for anything I've done wrong (this is partly my fault as I always love saying, "I couldn't help it."); God never takes more credit than is His due, even though it is all due to Him. Satan encourages negativity and dark thoughts, thus tempting me to throw my misery and self pity onto those I love most; God reminds me of His love, which brings me to a place of self forgiveness (before we can truly love those around us, we must accept God's love of us) and peace... which bubbles over from my heart and touches everyone I am with. Satan revels in self hatred, self pity, selfishness (self, self, self!); God delights in love.

All things are possible through Jesus Christ. All power is given unto us. No, it's not a choice! We already have it. The choice lies in the question of what we're going to do with it. :-)

And my brain has stopped. The funny thing about this post... it was only going to be a short, two verse post. But I suddenly had these thoughts and felt inspired to share them. I don't think I've ever written a post this late at night. ;-) If it shows... well, what can I say?? Lol! I am going to get chicken out of the freezer for tomorrow's dinner (chicken breasts, rice, etc) because I'm not up early in the morning and the refrigerator is a lovely place to thaw chicken breasts out overnight. :-) Then, I'm going to bed. Lord willing. Goodnight, peoples. :-)

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

From the Queen of Randomness

I love seeing pictures of happy people. :-)

I love talking with God.

I love that look on Jesse's face when he tells me that he loves me.

I love movies that leave me feeling uplifted and hopeful.

I love clean laundry.

I love cheese bread.

I love seeing that beautiful look in my students' eyes when they realize something about music.

I love discovering beautiful things (Bonnie Dobson via YouTube :-)).

I love playing the piano and seeing all of my emotions expressed in colors.

I love rehearsing... learning new songs... creating new sounds.

I love realizing Truth.

I love the keeping of old friends and the making of new.

I love snow. Fluffy snow, slippy snow, dirty snow, crusty snow, stinging snow, melting snow...

I love random blog posts.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Amazing People




Hannah

Once upon a time, there was a night in which something spectacular and marvelous happened; a miracle was brought into existence and great joy reined in the hour: a little girl was born. She had dark brown hair (lots of it!), blue eyes and a vivid personality from the first. They named her Hannah Caroline after her grandma and she became my sister. The world was never the same again. 

My first memory of Hannah, or at least, of her existence, was the night she was born. I woke up briefly when my grandmother was picking me up and carrying me across the yard to their house. I remember sensing the excitement and all the lights and people and... promptly going back to sleep again.

My second memory of her consists of something I'm ashamed about but it sheds light on the way our relationship was... kind of... is... ;-) 

Second memory [::drum roll::]: 
Hannah (2): being irritating
Naomi (4): irritated
Naomi: seeks revenge
Naomi: does something to make Hannah angry
Hannah: is angry
Hannah: bites Naomi
Naomi: tattles
Hannah: gets into trouble with parents

Yes, it's funny and a little sad. I am sitting here hitting myself on the head and wondering at the devious thoughts of young children. Scary! 

Hannah and I get along much better now than we used to. ;-) There are many subjects we don't agree on and she's very annoying sometimes (I don't think that's going to change) but in spite of that, I have matured enough to realize that my sister is amazing. (I am quite serious about this, Hannah darling!!) Here are some reasons why: 

She is very determined and does not give up easily.
She works hard and laughs harder.
She is very creative and you never know what to expect from her!
She cooks/bakes WONDERFUL meals. 
She sews, crochets, writes, etc, etc... basically, works willingly with her hands. 

Her conscience is very tender... if she senses something amiss in her life, she will do everything in her power to get back on track. 
She loves children. Working at camp with her last summer was a wonderful experience. She usually had the littlest cabin of boys and oh... did they respond to her. Something about her... 
She has a generous spirit. It simply shines. She gives and gives and gives. It never seems to dry up! 
When she decides that God wants her to do something, she does not wait around for it to happen. She makes it happen. 
She is sincere and honest. If Hannah says something, she really believes it with all of her heart. 

And she makes the best smoked chicken in the entire province! She made her own smoker with an old range, a tunnel underground and who know what else. ;-) Whatever she did, it was right. I still have dreams about it. 

Hannah, you are a beautiful, brilliant, wonderful person whom I am so glad to have for a sister. I love you! May you find joy in being who God created you to be.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Because I'm Going To Enjoy Today

I woke up this morning feeling so much better. :-) I have discovered how hard it can be to force yourself to eat but how necessary it is. ;-) Yesterday, I ate supper and drank ginger tea afterwards. It seemed to help settle everything. Hopefully I'll soon kick this and have my usual dosage of energy!!

"...if anything matters then everything matters. Because you are important, everything you do is important. Every time you forgive, the universe changes; every time you reach out and touch a heart or a life, the world changes; with every kindness and service, seen or unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing will be the same again."  -- William P. Young (The Shack)

Random thoughts of the day:
1: I love Jesse.
2: How much God has blessed me.
3: God gives us a free will but wishes for our fellowship.
4: True happiness is found within that fellowship.
5: Making meals is awesome.

Yesterday, for supper, I made burritos (black beans, garlic, Thai Chili sauce, black pepper, salt, sour cream, cheddar cheese) and salad. I rolled them up, place them on a cookie sheet and baked them for 45 minutes or so.  They wouldn't have to be baked that long, it just happened that people weren't ready to eat until that point in time. (I was also making the salad/setting the table/etc.) Today, I have roast in the crock pot and Yorkshire pudding on the menu. It's a lot of fun experimenting. I also love that I can run and ask Michele for advice. She's such a good cook and so creative in creating meals! This is definitely the best way to gather experience.

I have always worked in the kitchen and know how to cook a lot of meals but we always used ingredients in different quantities ... and from different sources (i.e. in bulk, from the garden, etc). I want to learn how to cook economically but tastefully. What a challenge! However, this is something worth learning well.

Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you'll be able to see further. -- J.P. Morgan

I have been learning a lot lately. It seems that no sooner is one lesson complete, another begins. I suppose that it is either moving ahead or falling behind. I would rather move ahead. I am learning about love. It is such a little word but the world balances on it. Love is many faces. What can I do today that will cause God's love to be shed abroad in hearts? What will brighten the faces of those I am with today? How will love appear in lives I touch?

I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall always rest in hope. -- The Psalmist

This morning, I was feeling frustrated. I finally sat down and thought through what I was feeling... and realized my feelings were centered around myself. It was about me. Then, I began thinking about everything I had to be thankful for (not me!) and suddenly, I was the most blessed. Truly. I have so much to be glad about!

May each day find our hearts seeking and finding love... and enjoying very random blog posts from a much better Naomi who has decided she is going to enjoy today and the people in it.

Don't find fault. Find a remedy. -- Henry Ford

Friday, January 7, 2011

Well, I haven't been bored! ;-)

It seems like I've been crazy busy for the past few weeks... Before Christmas, I worked for about two weeks on a Christmas present for Michele. It was a scrapbook about camp 2010; pictures, memories, quotes, etc. I spent about 8 hours a day on it and rarely left my room in that time. Lol. I really should start my projects a bit earlier in the season... I finished it last minute, as usual! But Michele liked the finished product so I'm not complaining. And, FYI, I do love scrapbooking. :-)

However, there were some very frustrating moments and I would complain bitterly to myself and my friend (fellow scrapbooker) Lindsey. Because it was a secret, I couldn't exactly write about it via my blog. So, you missed all of the really sarcastic remarks about how much I love the person who decided 12" x 12" scrapbook paper should not be exactly 12" x 12". So frustrating!!! Trying to get the paper on the page and having it go crooked, etc. Ahhhh!! Lol. Another one of my greatest moments of sarcasm was directed at the sticky things I'd bought instead of double sided tape. Mistake. Finally, I was smart and went into town and found some of said tape (somewhat of a miracle, according to the people I had asked!) which made my existence a whole lot easier. :-) 

Christmas for the first time in 15 years was lovely. I really enjoyed the dinners, the games, the conversations, the gifts, the decorations, the people... The best part of it was seeing Jesse again. He arrived safely in Saskatoon after spending his two weeks in Europe and oh, was I delighted to look into his face again... :-) :-) After Christmas, we went up to see my family in Endeavour. It went over quite well. The kids really liked him and Mom said they did, so I'm happy. :-)

Next day:
I meant to post this yesterday morning but I wasn't able to finish it in time. Jesse took me to Regina for what he termed our 'big date'. It was very fun and both of us were feeling quite well for only having just recovered from the flu. We enjoy our road trips because they give us time to talk and feel like we're accomplishing something at the same time. ;-) :-) We went shopping at comics/used books stores and ate a lunch with my dear friends Ray and Tahnis. We also saw The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 3D which was amazing. I really enjoyed that movie. :-) For those of you who haven't seen it, I would recommend the experience.

Back to the flu topic, has anyone else gotten it? It seems like almost everyone here has... nasty bug. I didn't have it nearly as badly as some, however. For that I am grateful. I have been taking some preventatives and hoping that tides me over. I am so glad I only felt sick and didn't actually have too many symptoms. Vomiting automatically sends the flu to a completely different level. :-P

So, this is my brief update. I am sorry to let it go for so long. May your weekend be beautiful and full of joy. Hugs!

Monday, January 3, 2011

Hello 2011!

I suspect this year holds great things... exciting things... happy things... prayerful things... sad things... amazing things... stupid things...

But guess what? I get to walk this path with those I love most. :-) May we all take great comfort in the love of each moment. God's love never fails. :-)

Happy New Year!