Sunday, September 28, 2003

homecoming dance

The dance last night went well for my daughter and her friends.  There were 5 couples along with their parents that came before dinner for pictures.  I took about 60 pictures of them all so I can put them on a CD slide show.  After pictures, they all went out to dinner at a Japanese restrauant where they had dinner cooked right in front of them.  It was a nice dinner for them.  After that, off to the school for the dance which they only stayed about an hour and ended up back here at 10:30 to play pool, listen to music and watch movies.  The boys ended up leaving around 1:00am and the girls stayed till morning.  All seemed to have a great time.  I'm just glad everything went smoothly!  Their a great bunch of kids and I enjoyed helping them out with having the party here. My daughter looked beautiful and it shown through with her smile of having a good time.

Friday, September 26, 2003

wondering

I often wonder why certain circumstances bring people together if not for a reason.  Why do people cross paths at specific times in their life?  Why is it that ones strengths guides the other to see things in a clearer light?  How often do we miss those times when you meet, only to realize later the impact of that person?

Carol 

question

........I think we all have the power to change someone else's life....question is....are we going to use it?

Carol

Thursday, September 25, 2003

dance

My walk this morning felt good.  It was enhanced by the coolness in the air and the appearance of the sun beaming through the trees.  Every day should be like this!

Looks like the homecoming party will be at our home  this Saturday.  My daughter and 3 other couples have made their plans. Pictures will be before the dance and all the parents will also be here.  A house full of 16 year olds should be interesting to say the least.  The girls are staying the night while the guys will be kicked out hopefully at a reasonable time. How did I agree to this??  lol

 

Wednesday, September 24, 2003

:)

Keep smiling.... and remember it only takes a few seconds of looking in ones eyes to see amazing things..... and that in turn comforts those in need of it.  :) 

literacy

I started yesterday up at school volunteering once again for the literacy program.  I have two second grade boys this year.  One of the boys I had last year was so excited about me helping him again.  I remember last year his comment was "this is better than playstation".  Having kids myself, I know what a huge compliment that was. All they want and need is some attention that is lacking in their home setting.   This is my 4th year helping  kids with this program and it has been great.  When we were in Pittsburgh, I was involved with the school board, fundraisers, and mainly dealing with adults.  Now, I've changed all that and only deal with things directly with the kids.  Much more rewarding I would say. 

Never discourge anyone...who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.  Plato 

Monday, September 22, 2003

After the rain

I love it after a good rain.  Tonight was one of those times.  There's a certain smell of the air, feel of the mist and sound of the the quiet that does wonders to my senses.  It's those times that I appreciate nature at it's best. 

Trip

Just got back from driving my son to college. I'm exhaused. We left 5:30 this morning and drove through lots of rain. Saw an accident about 5 miles from our home exit and the car in front of me ran off the road because he was too busy rubbernecking the accident.  I was lucky he didn't crash also.  But, I'm home safe and sound. :)

Sunday, September 21, 2003

Dad and Soccer

This is a picture of my Dad at age 18 or 19.  He's 68 now.  He played soccer when it wasn't popular in this country but was popular in Pittsburgh.  He received the Dapper Dan award one year.  When my parents  married at 19 and 20, he received 10 bucks a week for playing. How did they ever make ends meet!  When us kids started arriving,  he got a "real job" as my Mom put it. The Pittsburgh football team was trying to recruit him for their kicker.  Would have been more money, but he wasn't interested.  Soccer was his thing.  I remember being on the soccer field every Sunday for games.  I remember the oranges they got at half time and how I would always try to get some.  My brother also played  all through grade school and high school.  There were no girl teams at that time and I remember thinking how unfair that was. But, fun it was to be around it in early childhood and high school.   My older son has played and now my youngest is in his 4th year of playing. Saturday games this time....but what fun.

To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.  Chinese Proverb

 

My Surprise

To my surprise, my son was standing in my kitchen last night when I got home.  He rode back with a friend who also lives in Atlanta and wanted to surprise me.  I was elated.  Should I say he missed us.  Yes, I think so. He goes back Monday and I will make the 8 hour round trip to take him back.   It is wonderful to see him.  This was just the day to take my camera everywhere and snap some kodak moments.

We went to a barn wedding reception tonight.....only in Georgia I'll tell you.   I wanna go back to Pittsburgh!!  I volunteer there every week  with hippotherapy and  kids with disabilities. I get to be around horses and help those sweet kids. It's the best of two worlds.  The PT that I help got married and had the party there.  She loves horses and thought what better place.  They had a band that played CCR, so it wasn't all that bad.  lol   I tried to dance with my cute little high heels, but the sandy floor just wouldn't cooperate.  Kept getting stuck in my toes and all.  Where's my cowboy boots when I need them?!  lol  

 Quote:  The gift of happiness belongs to those who unwrap it.  Andrew Dunbar

I have been unwrapping my gift for what seems like forever.....and it feels good.

Friday, September 19, 2003

IRS...just in time for the weekend.

Gosh, getting audited by the IRS again.  Last time it took 1 1/2 years to get it cleared up. Their mistake, not ours. (Yes, it does happen!)  So I guess we are red flagged for the long run.  This time, our fault, not theirs.  ( yes, that happens also!)  Let's see, Quicken and Turbo Tax was all in order.... must have been the nut behind the keyboard....I'm sure I can find the answer there!

The weekend

Sometimes disappointment hurts.  Dave is not coming home this weekend from college.  He called last evening and told me that he had a big calculus test Monday and another test Wednesday.  He still wanted to come home, but I told him to just stay there and do his work.  I miss him. 

Kelly is going to the  homecoming dance next week.  The weekend's mission  is to find a dress!  She looks good in everything so it won't be all that hard.  Apparently all her friends are coming here after the dance for a party.  Sounds like fun. 

Today I will approach the day with gusto once again.  The sun was huge this morning rising,  and it looked like you could reach up and touch it.  Beautiful and very peaceful.  It was like telling us, I'm here... look at me....I will raise every morning no matter what happens, just be patient.....

Quote:  Not merely an absense of noise, Real Silence begins when a reasonable being withdraws from the noise in order to find peace and order in his inner sanctuary.   Peter Minard

Tuesday, September 16, 2003

A beautiful morning

What a great morning it is here.  Air is cool, birds are chirping and the excitment is here to begin another day.  :)

Tennis is this morning and I'm wondering if I should go. Starting next week I won't be able to make it because of helping with the literacy program at school on Tuesdays.  Anyway, it interupts my walking in the morning!  Yesterday I used my pedometer to see how far I've been walking the last 3 years and it clocked in at 4 1/2 miles.  I figured it would be around that distance and was glad my trek was that far.  It's a good way to start my morning.

Talked to my son yesterday at college.  He wants to come home this weekend.  We haven't seen him since he left in mid August.  Seems to like it there at GA Southern, but misses his friends here.  I'm doing the last coat of paint in his room today so maybe it will be done for him.  I'm not sure he's going to recognize his own room.  I don't think I've seen it that clean!  lol

Quote for the day:  You are not here mearly to make a living.  You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, and with a finer spirit of hope and achievement.  You are here to enrich the world.  You empoverish yourself if you forget this errand.  Woodrow Wilson

This is one of my favoroite quotes and it fits so well in my life. My vision is seen for others and my spirit is never ending....enriching the world is easy.   :)

Saturday, September 13, 2003

doctor's call

Well, I got the call from the doctor.  There is a cyst on my left ovary that the doctor wants to remove.  It's about 2 inches.  At this point we're not sure what type it is .  I'm making an appointment with an oncologist for a second opinion. Most likely I will have it removed within the next month or so.  It doesn't hurt and if it wasn't for the extra tests they do on me, we would have never known.  With my sister passing away 6 years ago from cervical cancer, I have been real thorough in having these test done.  But now that it shows something......I don't know.....it's still better than not knowing whats going on with my body.  At this point I'm worried but positive and optimistic about fixing this problem.  Haven't told my Mom yet.  I assume I'll wait.......

Quote:  The greatest discovery of my life is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude.  Williams James

Friday, September 12, 2003

Fall

Sun is shinning and it seems like fall could be in the air. That is the Atlanta fall which is mabe long sleeve shirt instead of short sleeve!.   How I miss the fall weather of Pittsburgh. How I miss the fall weather of Virginia. Will I be saying that about Atlanta someday??  I'm  wondering where the next stop will take us.? Has 3 years in Atlanta been enough??

Hiked Dowdell's Knob last weekend at Pine Mountain.  Wasn't too bad at 4.3 miles but you'd think my family thought I was trying to do them in!  They were good sports though and hung in there till we finished.  Then we went to Callaway gardens to see the Hot Air Balloon festival.  They waited in the hot sun about 2 hours so I could take a ride up in the balloon.  Once again, they're such good sports.  lol  The only question I have is why no one else wanted to take a ride. ?

Quote for today would be:

We  act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about.  Charles Kingsley

I have comfort, luxury and  things to be enthusiastic about.......  I would say it's been a good day.  :)

 

Thursday, September 11, 2003

Remembering

Sept. 11....what a sad day to remember. Flag is up, going to a service, but feel helpless....

Quote:  There are some things best leaned in calm,  and some in a storm.  Willa Cather, The Song of the Lark. 1915

Wednesday, September 10, 2003

A new day...

And yet another journal.....my life seems to be filled  on pages upon pages in books,  but now will be written on the computer.  For some reason it seems to feel......different.?  Maybe with the thought of it being open to many eyes.  I wonder.....will I hold back?

Tonight is the classic husband at work late, kids in bed and Mom trying to fill in the time with things to do.  Why not just go to bed and catch up on some much needed rest?  nah........not yet.  :) 

My quote I found for today was: "When it comes to the future, there are 3 kinds of people, those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened."  I find this quite amusing because of  those who wonder what happened people.  I have met many in my life like that.  Sometimes I just want to shake them and say "What were you thinking?"!  Since that one and let it happen doesn't work for me, making it happen seems to fit quite well.  Enough said.  :)