A New Start

Ahhhh! A new month. My calendar is clean, and that makes me happy! There are just birthdays and weddings and holidays listed. YAY! I like fresh beginnings!!

That is all for now....I have something happening tonight, and I will be lucky if I figure out what it is!! I didn't write it down anywhere...so, if I am s'posed to be doing something with you tonight, let me know so I remember!

Sickness sucks.

T.M.I.

This post is not for the weak of stomach...

And don't say "TMI!" if you happen to read this whole post - you were warned, and it's your own fault you got TMI.



I have carrots in my sinuses. How, you ask? Let me tell you...I'll start from the beginning (but not the way beginning when God created Heaven and Earth).

It all started Sunday, when I went to Lukas's for Kendra's wedding shower. (or maybe it started earlier Sunday morning at Erickson's) Dan was sick. Yuk. Had fun at the party, tho! Haven't seen or heard from Kendra in forever! (and if you are reading this, Kendra...I lost your email address when my other computer crashed - can you please send it to me again?) See all the pictures here!


Moving on to Monday (and the rest of my story!) I went back to Lukas' since Tuesday is Halloween, and the kids will be out trick'r'treating. Gretchen is by now sick and Dan is better. Dan is outside with the Tree Cutting Guy. I am inside with Gretchen, Hailey and Ezra. Gretch is running around somewhere and the kids and I are at the window watching the guys outside. I turn around and see these trails of brown things that look like leaves and ask Hailey, "Why are there leaves in the living room?" (and all over the white carpet??) When I bend down for a closer look I realize that the spots aren't leaves...Ez has been drinking tons of chocolate soy milk. (Jen knows the implications of this!!) So, Ez gets a bat and the carpet gets cleaned and the night continues, with one funny thing after another happening! (I won't go into them here, tho!)

Fastforward to this morning...I start feeling woozy about 9:30 and decide by 12 that when Mel gets back from lunch I will be going home and sleeping...but I didn't end up leaving until 3:45, the usual time I leave...mostly because I was in the bathroom throwing up the 5 carrots and one piece of bread I'd eaten - very hard...I'll leave the rest to your imagination.

I can't stand the sight of carrots right now. And everything smells bad.

Goodnight!

Bump in the Night

A man is walking home alone late one foggy Halloween night, when behind him he hears:

BUMP...
BUMP...
BUMP...

Walking faster, he looks back and through the fog he makes out the image of an upright casket banging its way down the middle of the street toward him.

BUMP...
BUMP...
BUMP...

Terrified, the man begins to run toward his home, the casket bouncing quickly behind him

FASTER...
FASTER...

BUMP...
BUMP...
BUMP...

He runs up to his door, fumbles with his keys, opens the door, rushes in, slams and locks the door behind him.

However, the casket crashes through his door, with the lid of the casket clapping

clappity-BUMP...
clappity-BUMP...
clappity-BUMP...

on his heels as the terrified man runs.

Rushing upstairs to the bathroom, he locks himself in. His heart is pounding; his head is reeling; his breath is coming in sobbing gasps.

With a loud CRASH the casket breaks down the door. Bumping and clapping toward him. The man screams and reaches for something, anything, but all he can find is a bottle of cough syrup! Desperate, he throws the cough syrup at the casket and…

(hopefully you're ready for this!!!)

The coffin stops......

Unloween Has Come Again

Happenings

And in no particular order:

First off, let me say "I got filled up my gas tank today and spent under $30." I can't remember the last time that's happened!!!! Woo Hoo!

I had fun tonight hanging out at Russie's. Don't do that as much as I used to...the Russie house used to be my second home. I miss that...

on to the picture stories...

First up, I see that I visited Oma's garden again! Mom was raving aobut these flowers, so I had to drive over and check them out. :-D

Second, I got some pictures of Dad's back brace. He broke his back this summer, and the doctors are finally believing him that his back still hurts, and they discovered that there was more damage than they first thot, and now he has a brace. (in this picture he was trying to hide!)

Mom's project is starting to come along. There are a few new pictures in the set here. They found barstools for the breakfast nook that will be once the new countertop arrives, and have samples of new floors!!!

Hailey is such a sweety! I get to hang out with her and Ez and Gretchen alot! Woo hoo!!! See the pictures from this night here.

Sadly, the church where I grew up has sold the building, and I will not be getting married there. That was always one of my dreams. My parents were married there (tho the 'Jesus' in the background was red at the time) and I grew up going to church and school in this building. Sad times. Maybe I will never get married now... My great grandma Dodge painted 'The Reeds' (as we called them) on the baptismal and mom painted the door in the nursery. So, family artwork is waving buh-bye. :-( But, if you want to see more pictures about of the church I grew up in, along with some memories, go here. These pictures are from last week when me and a few cousins went back one more time...

Then we have Jars. I love this band, tho one of my pet peeves about music should indicate otherwise...but, who cares? They are a good band!!! Thank you, Nate, for the ticket!!!

Marcus & Katie have a couple pretty cats. Anyone want them?!? Katie and Marcus have been looking for a good home for Bella.

Last, but not least, Nick and Amy got married this past Saturday. It was a pretty wedding and the food at the reception was amazing! At the reception there was also one of the photo booths, where all the guests got thier picture taken and kept half the pictures and the other half was taped in a guest book for Nick and Amy. That was a really neat idea!!!

Hard at Work

• Deadlines are wonderful, especially the whooshing sound they make when they go flying past.
• Reality checks can bounce.
• On the keyboard of life, keep one finger poised near the escape key.
• If you don't suffer from stress, then you probably are a carrier.
• If you are good, you will be assigned all the work. If you are really good, you will get out of it.
• When you don't know what to do, walk fast and look worried.
• Remember that, when the bosses talk about productivity, they never talking about themselves.
• There will always be beer cans rolling on the floor of your car when your boss asks for a ride home from work.
• You always are doing something marginal when the boss stops at your desk.

Don't Forget Either

Only two defining forces have ever died for you:

Jesus Christ and the American G. I.

One died for your soul;
The other for your freedom.

MANY SEEM TO FORGET THEM BOTH…

THE LATEST VICTIM OF E-COLI

A Dream Come True

My tickets for the Michael W. Smith concert came today!!!

And...
Spent a fun, relaxing day with Katie yesterday. And Jules and Bella. Pictures are here.

Smile!

A Woman

This is written in the Hebrew Talmud, the book where all of the sayings and preaching of Rabbis are conserved over time. It says:

"Be very careful if you make a woman cry, because God counts her tears. The woman came out of a man's rib; not from his feet to be walked upon; not from his head to be superior; but from the side to be equal and under the arm to be protected, and next to the heart to be loved."

I'm On My Way

I get to go to see Smitty! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got tickets for Row 9 on Floor Center! Right up front! Woo Hoo!

That is all...


PS - I like the Procaimers. They have some awesome music....

Will Wonders Ever Cease?

So, I wish for Michael W. Smith to come to town for Christmas (see previous post) and seconds later I discover my wish has been granted!!!!!

So, this Saturday I will be up and buying tickets to go see my favorite recording artist of all time: Smitty!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyone wanna go with? I will be getting not the cheapest tickets.....I don't know which ones, yet! Just let me know by Friday night! :-)

YAYA! I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fun, Courtesy Jen

Looking for something fun to do on a Tuesday night...
and found it when I read Jen's blog!!!

Here ya go:

My dream Christmas gift would be this:

getting to see Smitty in concert again!
Unfortunately, it is not to be as he doesn't come here anymore...
:-( = Ubber sad me

Pirates (of the Caribbean) Unite!

Time

A young man learns what's most important in life from the guy next door.

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday" Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

"Jack, did you hear me?"

"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said

"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important...Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.

Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture....Jack stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.

"The box is gone," he said

"What box?" Mom asked.

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.

Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. "Mr. Harold Belser" it read. Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.

"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.

Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:

"Jack, Thanks for your time! Harold Belser."

"The thing he valued most was...my time"

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need some time to spend with my son," he said.

"Oh, by the way, Janet, thanks for your time!"

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away,"

1. At least 2 people in this world love you so much they would die for you.

2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.

3. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.

4. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.

5. You mean the world to someone.

6. If not for you, someone may not be living.

7. You are special and unique.

8. When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you probably won't get it, but if you trust God to do what's best, and wait on His time, sooner or later, you will get it or something better.

9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good can still come from it.

10. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look: you most likely turned your back on the world.

11. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.

12. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.

13. Always tell someone how you feel about them; you will feel much better when they know and you'll both be happy.

14. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are great.

To you, "Thanks for your time"

Traveling Angels

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.

The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you helped him, she accused. The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem."

Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every out come is always to your advantage. You just might not know it until some time later...

Blind Eye

New Virus

A dangerous new virus is being distributed electronically. It is called the Worm Overload Recreation Killer (WORK). You can get WORK from your boss or colleagues. Do not touch it. The virus will wipe out your private life. If you come into contact with WORK, there are two antidotes. You can purchase Work Isolating Neutralizer Extract (WINE) or Bothersome Employer Elimination Rebooter (BEER).

They're available at your local grocery store. Take repeatedly until WORK has been completely eliminated.

Send this warning to five friends. If you don't have five friends, you're infected with WORK and it is controlling your life.

When you think you've had a bad day...

These are some accidents...

Note the markings on the street reads, "Slow School Zone"
Note the direction the pillars are leaning.
Most of the damage was done when he backed up!
This phone is definitely out of service!

The more you look at this one the more questions you have.
Just how do you roll a steam roller upside down?
Or get it righted for that matter.
Why am I reminded of Barney Fife?
Wow! How fast do you have to go to get an SUV airborne?
Do you get out of the vehicle?

Yep! We're having fun now!

WIDE Load
Phone wires do tend to get in the way if you are flying low.
Or if you... like to have your boom up.

Just remember these guys had to explain to their boss
or someone from the insurance company.

See, your day could be worse!

Most Beautiful

This goes out to all my girl friends:

Girls are
like apples on
trees. The best ones
are at the top of the tree.

The boys don't want to reach
for the good ones because they
are afraid of falling & getting hurt.
Instead, they get the rotten apples
from the ground that aren't as good,
but easy. So the apples up top think
something's wrong w/them when in
reality they're amazing. They just
have to wait for the right boy to
come along, the one who's
brave enough to
climb all
the way
to the top
of the tree.