HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

Collage me crazy

I just learned how to do easy collage work with my photographs. I am still learning but BOY oh BOY its fun!  I just hope I haven't created a monster!

A giving heart.

You go through life in a bubble.... hard times happen in the world, but never to you or your loved ones.
The horrible pictures on the news seem far away, far removed from your reality.
Life goes on day to day and you live your life in a happy oblivion.
You read your bible, you try to be a good Samaritan where you can.
You give money and food to homeless and try to be generous.
You keep love in your heart for your friends and family.
You work hard every day to have a giving heart. To be a blessing to those near you.
Every day you go home to your warm comfy home and live your life. 
You Snuggle up with the ones you love and watch a movie, go for a stroll in your neighborhood, take a shower before crawling in to your warm bed....all the little day to day things that you take for granted.
Then comes a day where your resolve is tested, you see friends and family left with out a home, with out a place to lay their heads, with out clothes except what they are wearing, without a place to work, some not knowing where their loved ones are.
You see broken homes and broken hearts.
These are the moments when you can have a giving heart,
You can give your time, your resources, your energy and help those around you.

The tornado that hit sooo close to home in Joplin has been a time where I have truly seen the giving hearts and goodness of people around me. My hospital took in as many victims as we could hold, staff worked all night to get them situated and have been caring for them since. I have seen so many volunteer that it was overwhelming. I have seen local groups mobilize and almost instantly provide shelter and assistance for the displaced. People have been caring for people and animals. Reaching out in full force. The amount of clothing donated was so overwhelming that they actually had to stop taking it! There is no way to describe to outpouring of love and grace that has been shown. Even today (four days later) the radio stations have gone from playing frivolous (but fun) music to being a place where people can call to give and receive information and you hear over and over the people wanting to help and volunteering all that they can. People are giving and giving and wanting to give more to help this community get back on its feet.  Scott grew up there and was blessed that his parents and other friends and family were relatively unharmed (aside from lack of power) and our friends were safe. I can only hope that donating all the goods that we could and putting in as much time at work providing medication for the victims in the hospital has in some way helped. It seems so small in comparison!

Chocomize Me Baby!

Okay I know I don't blog about it much but I am a little bit of a foodie.... so the blog Cooking in college ( http://thecollegiatecook.blogspot.com/ )    is a little treat for me to read and get inspiration from.... well you all should hop over there right now and check out her latest blog HERE for a givaway after my own heart! DECADENT DESIGNER CHOCOLATE!!  You heard me.... CHOCOLATE! She is oh so generous and giving away a giftcard to CHOCOMIZE an online company that lets you build your own chocolate bars!  BRILLIANT!

This pic is from Cooking in College's blog, I just wanted to show you how yummy they look!

Weekends............

I know my weekends off could use some spice, some fun, some excitement! (might lead to EXCITING blog stories)   WELL hopefully that will happen sometime soon, but until that excitement comes I am content spending spring/summer afternoons with my boys being a river rat/ local trail blazer!

Yep Duncan was usually running circles around us and at the front of the pack!

I know this pic is blurry/not so good BUT I couldn't resist showing you all that happy face :)

Rare pic of me....YIKES!

The Big C

You never assume you will hear those words. I have Cancer
You never imagine the sound of silence on the phone seconds before you are told that someone you love has been diagnosed.
You never imagine that beyond the diagnosis can be hope, love, support, and yes even a dash of luck.
You never imagine them being strong enough to bear it.
You never imagine being strong enough to take up the banner and help them fight the fight ahead.
You never imagine that someone you have relied on will rely on you!

BUT YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE IT, YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR FEELINGS ASIDE AND YOU DEAL WITH IT! 

You cry, you stare in disbelief and are angry.
You are weak and cry and ask why.
You do endless research into what all is involved (education is power)
You realize you are blessed because it was caught early and thank God that it was.
You realize that beneath the brave face, they are scared and need  you.
You realize that each moment is a gift, precious and rare, never to be taken for granted.
You realize that they will survive!

These bracelets are sold and Maurices and the proceeds go the American Cancer Foundation

*This is for the cancer survivors and their families...... we all have hope, and for now there are treatments, someday there will be a cure!  As we walk in relay for life this summer (My local Relay for life is this weekend) Lets keep fighting hard for that cure! This year Relay for Life has a new meaning as my mom was recently diagnosed with breast cancer (we were blessed that it was caught VERY early).