Zoolights

We went to Zoolights tonight. It was a little chilly, and nice to wear a coat again! I saw a few teenagers and one little girl with flip flops on...brr!

Lots of people, lots of lights, lots of fun! We met up with Tony's Mom, Tony's sister Kim and her husband Mike, and our friend Katy. We talked to a 17-foot high giraffe, and saw flying moustaches all over in the fish/reptile exhibit. It was fun.

I've worked a bunch in the scheduling office this week, and don't have to go in until 3pm tomorrow-yay! I work from 3-5:30, and then home. Yay again!

My car has been making an awful squealing noise when I turn it on, until it warms up. And, the brakes have been squealing as well. Today I took the car to the shop and asked them to fix it. I got a call about 3, asking why I wanted to replace the belt. I told them it was because the belt was squealing. He said I had another 5,000 miles on it, but I told him to go ahead and change it. He also replaced the brakes. Now, when I start my car, there is no squealing!! It's wonderful to drive (and stop) without worrying!

I am looking forward to another 3-day weekend. Maybe I'm getting lazy in my old age...I feel like I need to sleep in again!

What a Great Christmas we had...

Blessings, blessings everywhere, and what an awesome day! Every year before Christmas, I think "I wish I'd done more, I wish I could have gotten this or that for the kids, or for Tony." But somehow, every year is enough, every year is special, and every year I realize how blessed we are.

This year, our son Ben and I had the opportunity to volunteer at St. Mary's food bank with my company. We packed food into boxes for the elderly, who receive these boxes once per month for 12 months, in order to help them survive for a year, hopefully until other services kick in, or they get back on their feet.

My husband and I both still have our jobs, and Tony has another book idea that may be picked up by the publisher of his other book. I have changed to a much better position at work, and I have an opportunity to start a marketing website for locally pulished authors.

We have great kids. Ben still plays clarinet, and Julie now plays trombone (it's nearly bigger than she is!). We have a good house that we can afford, and we can pay all our bills (especially if I pay attention and get it done on time every 2 weeks!). I graduate with a bachelors degree in business and marketing in May.

My parents are still relatively healthy, and we're able to enjoy time with them. We're far away from some people we love (and miss), but we're able to stay in touch with all the new technology the world has to offer.

It is a good life. God made a wonderful world.

God's Creation

Hey. I know-been awhile since I updated this. I wasn't feelin' it for awhile. I thought I would resurrect (and I mean that in a totally non-offensive-to Christians-type-way) this blog in the wake (so to speak) of Michael Jackson's death.

I'm not happy that he died. I know that some people are glad, because they have labeled him a pedophile based on the accusations leveled against him at different times, and his outward appearance. I've heard people repeatedly call him a freak, wacko Jacko, and everything else under the sun.

I am sad that he died. I'm very sad for the cards he was dealt. I'm sorry that his father felt it was okay to violently abuse his children, including Michael. I'm sorry that Joe Jackson, Michael's father, would beat his children with a belt if they messed up in rehearsal, or when they didn't win a competition over Donny & Marie, or for whatever reason he chose. Yes, they're all talented people now, but at what cost?

This whole thing makes me physically hurt. I am so sorry for what he had to deal with in this life, and I'm sorry that he died so young, seemingly without ever finding himself. I'm sorry that he was never comfortable in his skin, never seemed to find peace. But maybe he did. I guess I don't know for certain that he didn't.

Michael Jackson had his faults. I know, pedophile is an emotional word that gets lots of attention, but he was never convicted of anything. I have faults. So do you. There is no competition-we're all equally imperfect. I believe that God views all sin equally, as do many Christians. If this is true, then we are no better than Michael Jackson. The harvester who comes to work at 5:00 p.m. gets paid the same amount as the one who started at 8:00 a.m. (paraphrased from the Bible for modern reading). Who's to say whether or not he knew God? He certainly thought he did.

I am certain that God loves MJ. God loves all of His creation. I hope Michael can feel that love now. It doesn't seem like he got much here on Earth. Rest in Peace, Michael.

Hey! Here's some good news...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/16/nyregion/16rescue.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion

Can you believe, a jetliner landed in the Hudson River in New York, and NO ONE was seriously injured, let alone killed! Everyone involved worked together as a great team to make the rescue happen. Good Job, all!!

Pray for the President

Clickety on the links below to see how you can help our country. I tried to copy and paste the letter, but it did not work.

On Tuesday, January the 20th, 2009, we invite you to
Pray for President-Elect Obama

Home
Download the Prayer Guide
A Letter from Max Lucado

We're not politicians, either; we are Americans. Let's pray for our leaders...they will need it.

Check it out...

http://www.menasharidge.com/home.php


Click on the link, then scroll down to "Featured Author." That's my husband!!

I like him.

Guess what I got for Christmas??

Not a new hat.
Not a new cat.
Not a new claw hammer.
Not a new bat.

It's useful but fun.
For more people than one.
It isn't a car.
Nor is it a star.

My husband worked hard,
Both day and at night.
It took him four weeks
To get it just right.

It's a beautiful place
With lots of new space.
It is a new kitchen
And boy, is it wonderful!
(I didn't want to rhyme that last one!)

Yes, my husband suddenly got really interested in hanging out at Lowe's with me, choosing cabinets, paint, and flooring. I wondered why, but didn't argue, of course! We chose cabinets to replace the ones that were built into the house 56 years ago! They were very spacious, but I am height-challenged, so I would have to climb on a step stool to reach anything over the first shelf. The doors on the original cabinets stopped staying closed years ago, and two doors had fallen off! They each weighed about 10 pounds, so I'm glad no one was under them at the time. But anyway...

Tony put the cabinets in, with the help of our fabulous friend Chris, in one day. ONE day!! He rewired the kitchen with updated wiring, which, it turns out, makes a huge differences in the number of appliances that can operate at the same time! Apparently, the electrical world has come a long way since 1952.

It turns out there was a method to his madness...the weekend after Thanksgiving my parents came over. We were hanging around talking, when all of a sudden, a delivery truck pulled up. My parents had bought us a brand new stove! It has TWO big burners instead of one, and two little ones, plus a warming unit which looks like a third burner between the two back ones. The oven has a window, a light, and it cleans itself!! It also has a timer! It's beautiful!

We painted the walls an olive gray-green, and the new counter top is a very dark green formica with flecks of different dark colors. The new cabinets are hickory, which is a light wood. It's so light that it lightens everything around it, hence the dark countertop. When we get the floors in, they will be a gray ceramic/Mexican tile. We decided not to do the floors before Christmas, so that we could, well, have Christmas.

On Christmas Day, I had three burners, the oven, two crock pots, the microwave, and the dishwasher running at the SAME TIME!! Nothing tripped the breaker! It was so amazing that I kept finding things I could cook for Christmas Dinner, and cooked myself into a stupor so intense that I fell asleep at 9:00 that night, simply because I could no longer stand on my feet. It was AWESOME!

I will try to post some pictures later, if I ever find my camera...