I love to love!

Yesterday, while out with Mom doing my monthly grocery shopping, I founds some really great things to celebrate Valentine's for my family. In recent years I have been doing the card and candy ritual, but wanted something better this year for some reason. I went with Mom to Michael's (she was picking up some tempura paint to do crafting with Corrie Lynn), and I found a whole rack of delightful things...mostly on sale!

Yippee!!!
Such cute little bric-à-brac. Sweet nothings really, but I loved them, and I know the girls will love them too. :-D  Then I wandered around and found a raspberry colored basket to hold eggs and a "Happy Easter" sign to sit on my desk at school.

Later at Walmart, I found some red heart tinsel garlands on the cheap at to add to the festive decor. Now I need to look back in my storage room to see if I can locate my red heart wreaths of the front doors...

GreaThings & Thankfulness

It is Veteran's Day today, hence, I get a day off from work, and I can finish healing from whatever sickness that I have. A fever hit me on Sunday in the middle of the night. What a miserable week...I am not used to being sick. :-(

Recently, I gave an assignment for my  students to write about someone that has impacted their lives and made a difference in a positive way. One of the girls had a blank look on her normally expressive face and said passively, "No one has impacted my life that I know of." My immediate thought was that either she was completely shallow and ungrateful for the mentors and teachers and people in in her life, or she really doesn't have anyone that takes an interest in her.

Her comment spurred me to thinking about how thankful I am for my God, my salvation, my life, my family, my upbringing, my sister Tricia, my harvest ministry, my friendships, and my blessings. During the month of November, I want to post a series of blogs about different things or people that I am thankful for (see my schedule below!).

Since today is Vet's Day, I am reminded to be thankful for the men and women who have fought to keep this country's freedoms in tact.

Not to be cliche, but they defend our nation's constitutional freedoms.

The force our adversaries to back down.

They address threats to national security head-on (at least the ones that they can).

They fight terrorists in an attempt to stem the tide of evil in the world.

They strengthen our nation's defenses.

They defend our rights to a republican society.

They remind us of our history: freedom is never free.

Young men and women, like my own Daddy was, who are aimless and unguided, needing direction and a firm hand of discipline in their lives.

Middle-aged people with planned careers and plans for making rank and supporting their families.

Wizened old vets who sit in dank paneled VFW halls, playing bingo and smoking stinky cigars.

And in memorial to those who have given their lives in service to the US.

One of my heroes, the great statesman Ronald Reagan, once said, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."

By chance, I found out that Chantel (whom I know through bloggyworldness via YLCF) is hosting this year's GreaThings Blog rally!!! :-)

Nov.11- G (Blessings starting with this letter)

Nov 12- R

Nov 13- Scriptures that have been a special blessing this year

Nov 14- E

Nov 15- A

Nov 16- Answered prayers and miracles

Nov 17- T

Nov 18- H

Nov 19- Difficult experiences you're now thankful for

Nov 20- I

Nov 21- N

Nov 22- Special lessons God has taught me this year

Nov 23- G

Nov 24- S

Nov 25- Thanksgiving Day!

And Fall Break begins...

So my first day of Fall Break went well, unlike the first day of Spring Break earlier this year (my beloved English springer spaniel Hershey died in my arms). It's hard to believe that it has been seven months now. I miss my dear boy!

I slept late (woohoo!), read a little, helped Trish tidy up the house a bit, did laundry, and got a two-hour Young Living oils massage from my friend Melanie. What a wonderful belated birthday gift that was!!! Thanks, Melanie...may Jesus bless you for blessing me! Class afterwards, then grocery shopping with Mom, dinner at home with Tricia, "Castle" and Lie to Me," and more reading before bed.

Mom brewed a pot of coffee this morning and left me a cup. Yum! :-) I feel quite reclusive today. I've been studying for both classes and working on a book report presentation. And I am blogging. :-)

So, the two south end bathrooms at Mom's house are "no more." Daniel cracked and bashed and sawed and hauled and demolished them. He is off on a bike ride to GA right now, so we are (im)patiently waiting for work to commence. There is a great deal of electrical, plumbing, and cement work to be done that is daunting. In the meantime, I am eager to get our new laundry room completely set up (Sarah's old bedroom). It is in working order, but is still cluttered with storage items, furniture, etc. Two weeks ago, I tackled the linen closet "clean and pitch," so while I have off this week, I am going to attempt the laundry room "empty and move." :-)

Saturday we attended Katie Callow and Jeremy Empie's wedding (it was also the wedding day of Luke Dove, Abigail Paul, Josh Showalter and Mrs. McWha). I guess 10/9/10 & 10/10/10 were busy wedding days around the country. Here are some of my pics from the day...