We Are The World 25 For Haiti (YouTube Edition)

Awesome Sky

Tonight when I took Rocky out to go potty the sunset was MINDBLOWING. These pics do it no justice. I tried to get a good pic but alas this is as good as it gets. Enjoy!!!!

Health Update

I have been asked a lot lately about my health. While I am currently in REMISSION, I continue to have several health issue that will likely linger for years. This is very frustrating for me. I haven't felt "great" for a long time. I am frustrated because I honestly don't remember what it feels like to feel "normal". I have good days and bad days still. There are more good than bad for now but yet I still struggle. My immune system is still very susceptible to illness and therefore have to be careful around sick friends and co-workers. But alas, I am alive and breathing!!! How amazing is that? Pretty amazing if I do say so myself.

I think we all take many things for granted, especially me. It is days like today when I am home from work cause my bones and joints are so painful that I struggle the most with this. I am blessed with a great husband. He takes amazing care of me and never utters even a muffled complaint. He has seen me at my very worst both physically and mentally. I have THE.BEST.FRIENDS.EVER!!! They truly are amazing. They bless me everyday. They share their children with me and let me tell you..... Nothing soothes my soul life snuggles and hugs and smiles from all their sweet miracles.

I am not one to make "resolutions" but I DO love to make goals alone as well as with Phil. I am surprised with what I came up with this year. I will try and remember to post some soon. For now I will continue to count my blessings daily and I encourage you all to do the same.

What is the moral of this post??? Yes we have trials, struggles, health issues, and general CRAP that we get dealt in this life but if we try harder, look deeper, and think longer, we are all truly blessed.

Here are the lyrics to one of my favorite hymns:

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
*Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
[*And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.]
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings—wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Holiday Recap

Well the holiday season has now passed. Boy was it a whirlwind. I can officially say I am completely partied out for awhile. We had a wonderful Iverson (Phil's Mom's side of the family) family reunion/Christmas party on the 23rd. We had 58 people in the house. Can you say CRAZY??!! We have some amazing food and even better company. I will post pics soon. I need to upload them still. Phil and I enjoyed a quiet-ish Christmas eve. I honestly can say that I witnessed a true Christmas miracle at 10:31 am on Christmas eve. My wonderful friend Laura had her baby. I was able to be apart of this miracle in more ways than I ever imagined. You can read her amazing birth story here. I will warn you though that when you read it you will see why I keep telling her she is the woman that all mothers envy. I have never in my medical career seen such a fast birth.

Christmas day was filled with a wonderful and huge breakfast, presents, snacking, and dinner. All the while enjoying spending time with my favorite family! I am truly blessed to have such great in-laws! We also had another little shindig with some more family for new years eve. HOLY JUNK FOOD!!!! We ate and played and had a blast. Pictures to come.

So here is my quick holiday recap. I pray everyone had a safe and wonderful season. Until next time.......

Senior Citizen Flash Mob - Lawrence,KS - Meadowlark Estates

Christmas, Shmistmas

Everyone that knows me knows that I am not a fan of any Holiday, especially Christmas. This is a hard time of year for alot of people. I am blessed for the people and things in my life. I have a hard time getting excited for anything at all these days. I thought this year was going to be different. I even started listening to Christmas music in September. Well here we are 13 days until the big day. I don't have a tree up, no lights or any decorations. I have not bought 1 single gift for anyone. Does it bother me? NO. I wish I could be crafty and excited for holiday like my friend Laura. She goes all out for all of them. I however am the polar opposite of her on that topic.

I had a surgery on my right elbow last week. It is supposed to alleviate the steady pain in my joint. So far I am feeling ok not healed but better. I recieved an amazing 2 yes 2 full meals from my visiting teacher Britnee! Thanks for that! The next day my friend Laura and her daughter came and brought lunch and spent the afternoon just visiting me. I was spoiled. Did this help my sour mood about Christmas? NO.

WOW I am a whiner. I an going to stop this RIGHT NOW!!!! I am in a bad mood but that will end now!!! So here's to a better mood, and life!!!!! Happy Holidays!

Random Factoids!!

Q. Why do men’s clothes have buttons on the right while women’s clothes have buttons on the left?

A. When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid’s right! And that’s where women’s buttons have remained since.

Q. Why do ships and aircraft use ‘mayday’ as their call for help?

A. This comes from the French word m’aidez – meaning ‘help me’ – and is pronounced approximately, ‘mayday.’

Q. Why are zero scores in tennis called ‘love’?

A. In France , where tennis became popular, round zero on the scoreboard looked like an egg and was called ‘l’oeuf,’ which is French for ‘egg.’ When tennis was introduced in the US , Americans (mis)pronounced it ‘love.’

Q. Why do X’s at the end of a letter signify kisses?

A. In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.

Q. Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called ‘passing the buck’?

A. In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility of dealing, he would ‘pass the buck’ to the next player.

Q. Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?

A. It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would only touch or clink the host’s glass with his own.

Q. Why are people in the public eye said to be ‘in the limelight’?

A. Invented in 1825,limelight was used in lighthouses and theatres by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, a performer ‘in the limelight’ was the center of attention.

Q. Why is someone who is feeling great ‘on cloud nine’?

A. Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares.

Q. In golf, where did the term ‘Caddie’ come from?

A. When Mary Queen of Scots went to France as a young girl, Louis, King of France, learned that she loved the Scots game ‘golf.’ So he had the first course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure she was properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her.

Mary liked this a lot and when returned to Scotland (not a very good idea in the long run), she took the practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced ‘ca-day’ and the Scots changed it into ‘caddie.

Q. Why are many coin banks shaped like pigs?

A. Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense orange clay called ‘pygg’. When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as ‘pygg banks.’ When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a container that resembled a pig. And it caught on.

Q. Did you ever wonder why dimes, quarters and half dollars have notches (milling), while pennies and nickels do not?

A. The US Mint began putting notches on the edges of coins containing gold and silver to discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the precious metals. Dimes, quarters and half dollars are notched because they used to contain silver. Pennies and nickels aren’t notched because the metals they contain are not valuable enough to shave.

source:http://www.lotsofjokes.com/did_you_know.asp