You are God alone!

tonight we were invited to do an event for praise in motion! i was so excited we did a new song called alabaster box!

but the highlight of the night was definitely redeemer. three weeks ago is the last time we did that song - at papa hoyt's funeral. it was his absolute favorite and before we started it, i got up and talked a little about him and how the last time we were doing this song, it was for him! now, my papa hoyt is praising Him forevermore and seeing his living Redeemer! it was a tear-jerker...not only for me, but for my grandmother. granny duh never would have been at there "alone," he would have been right by her side. and memeow would have been there, too, supporting us 100% and giving us hugs and kisses when we were finished. it's amazing the gap you feel, knowing there will be this hole forever. but as we were doing redeemer, granny duh stood up and just worshipped - both hands in the air, tears streaming. i have never seen such heartfelt worship from her as i did tonight. after that, our family had tears in their eyes for the rest of the evening. i guess it was the start of another aspect of the healing process. it hurt like crazy, but it felt good at the same time.

gary, one of my friends i've met through karate (an extremely talented guy), dedicated this song to our family...

You are not a god
Created by human hands
You are not a god
Dependant on any mortal man
You are not a god
In need of anything we can give
By Your plan, that’s just the way it is

[chorus]
You are God alone
From before time began
You were on Your throne
You are God alone
And right now
In the good times and bad
You are on Your throne
You are God alone

You’re the only God
Whose power none can contend
You’re the only God
Whose name and praise will never end
You’re the only God
Who’s worthy of everything we can give
You are God
And that’s just the way it is

it was definitely a fitting song for everything! especially In the good times and bad, You are on Your throne, You are God alone ...amazing!

earlier in the day, i had went to spend some time with my other widowed grandmother, more affectionately known as meme (don't ask! haha). she had a rough spell while my cousins and i were there. just started crying and shaking a bit. thankfully, she was able to still think straight and we were able to get her laughing not too long after.

it's so difficult to have both grandmothers widowed at the same time. and at first, when we went to the hospital with granny duh when papa hoyt was rushed in three weeks ago, she was asking how we were going to handle it i wasn't sure either, but just kept assuring here that somehow, someway our family would find a way to survive and come out fine on the other side. we're still very much in that process of coming out on the other end, but i take comfort in the fact that He will continue to provide little doors, little openings in which we can glean hope, laughter, joy, and peace until we do reach the "end". He has always given us a way to be okay in the end, what in the world would make me think this could be otherwise?

friday's feast

Appetizer
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how polite are you?

i'd like to think i'm a 10 - but honestly i'd probably have to give myself a 7 or so...i have my moments!

Soup
What was the last thing that made you laugh out loud?

listening to my grandmother talk about how her sister and her cousin went out tonight and saw someone from the backstreet boys (or so they claim! haha). she said they didn't know who he was, but that he was dark completed and handsome! and they went on and on about how they talked for a few minutes - and even touched the cousin's shoulder, "don't wash that shirt for a while, betty" said the sister! lol

or my granny duh (other grandmother...both are widowed) being taken out by three guys today after we told her no running around with strange men! apparently, her "big boss" came in and took her and two other guys from work out. we enjoyed giving her a hard time!

Salad
Who is your favorite cartoon character?

i used to be a cartoon buff...i'd have to say either daphne in scooby doo...she was always the pretty one and got the cute guys or superwoman - she always worked with the hot guys! lol

Main Course
Tell about the funniest teacher you ever had.

well, that would have to be between my parents and two teachers i had at the local christian school i attended part-time (i was homeschooled!)...i'd either have to pick dad or mr. b. dad could have some pretty good math classes going, but mr. b (bible teacher) had some great comebacks to some wise cracks from the other kids in the class.

Dessert
Complete this sentence: I strongly believe that...

each of us are here to complete a spectacular purpose, but we have the choice to either fulfill that role or to run from it.



links to other friday feasts...

thankful thursday

finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things

Thankful Thursday: What no_average_girl is thankful for this week grandmothers for which you can learn how to be true women, how to handle a crisis, and how to follow Him! mustangs to run my grandmothers around in - makes them feel young again! hugs they help when you're feeling a little blue. fellow bloggers (better known as my bestest friends!) who are always willing to be there when the road gets a little bumpy, but are also there to rejoice at peaks of life with me! the Bible because it's His love letter to me. my labrador retriver who's always offering a wagging tail, a hearty bark, and willing to literally down me in "kisses"! this blog to share my life and record my daily happenings, feelings, and pleasures. Links to other Thankful Thursdays

Click here for the Thankful Thursday code


Click here for Chrixean's blog


Trackbacks, pings, and comment links are accepted and encouraged!

View More Thankful Thursday Participants

when you can't sleep...blog

well, once again i can't sleep. it's the same type of feeling as last night. don't feel good, headache, and just ready shed a tear or two. difference is, i'll take something to help me rest before 4:00 a.m.

i think as we're slowing down a bit and getting back to the "routine" of life, i'm realizing things aren't going to ever be the same. while i knew this before now, it's a bit different when that reality sets in and makes a permenant residence in you.

the reality that you can't just go see pawpaw and listen to his words of wisdom, for him to buy circus peanuts - as he started a tradition of a long time ago when we thought faith was allergic to nuts and wanted nuts so bad, being loving pawpaw, he found a way to give her "nuts"! the reality that i won't hear another funny joke followed by a hearty laugh from papa hoyt, to hear him put on a fake accent, or see him fight in another civil war re-enactment (oh, how he loved those, and we'd dress up with him in period dresses!). the reality that memeow won't be calling and reminding us about our family reunion this year, bringing her legendary patato salad to thanksgiving and christmas dinners, or hearing her rant and rave about the latest guy!

both men shaped me into who i am today. one man raised the best father i've ever seen, the other helped bring stability to my mother's and grandmother's lives in midst of confusion. both were men of God and loved their family. both men, i miss greatly. after losing pawpaw, i thought we'd be able to be close to papa hoyt and enjoy him even more. but things change, plans fail, storms rise, and hopes fade - just as the past few weeks have proven.

i guess i am getting to the "why?" stage of the process. i know questions are a part of it, but something i won't have the answer to until years later - or perhaps never will.

well, it's helped to just get this out...it's amazing therapy. :-) i know things won't feel this way for long, because there's promised joy to come in the morning after the night!

time of day & other quizzes

i haven't been feeling all that great lately...head hurts, "jittery" muscles, just don't feel good. i had a hard time going to sleep last night - and i'm not used to having trouble going to sleep. maybe take some magnesium (vitamins), read a little, then try to rest again. not so last night.

i have a hard time getting bored (especially with a computer around!) but last night was crazy and i was so bored. when i was still wide-awake at 4:00 a.m. i finally decided to take something to help me rest and thankfully by 4:30 i was asleep.

today, i still don't feel so great but hopefully i can finish resting it off. to keep my blog buddies busy (try saying that five times really fast!) i've got a couple of quizzes below...

You Are Noon

You are upbeat, ambitious, and never at loss for energy. You have a lot that drives you in life. The desire to be the best, and a secret hope of fame and power. And while you definitely have a Type A personality, you are still fun to be around. You have a ton of charisma and a genuine interest in others. You are adored by many.

What Time Of Day Are You?

You Should Drive a Ford Shelby Mustang Cobra

You have an extreme need for speed, even when you're not in a hurry. And while your flying by, you don't want to look like every other car on the road!

What 2007 Car Should You Drive?

You are Milk Chocolate

A total dreamer, you spend most of your time with your head in the clouds. You often think of the future, and you are always working toward your ideal life. Also nostelgic, you rarely forget a meaningful moment... even those from long ago.

What Kind of Chocolate Are You?

Your Linguistic Profile:

65% General American English

25% Dixie

10% Yankee

0% Midwestern

0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

tag from ages ago...

i was tagged twice with this one - like centuries ago! lol i'd bet they'd given up on me doing this one! ;-)

my dear friend eph2810 ran over to apply the tag as thoughtful viamarie offered it during a period when i needed to think about simple pleasures! both of these ladies are just so sweet and have been there through our recent family trials - there supporting us in prayer, through words, and e-mails! :-)

the tag is to name ten of life's simple pleasures that you like most, then to pick ten people to do the same. try to be original and creative and not to use things that someone else has already used - i'm not sure which others have been used, but i'll try to be original!

in no particular order:

1. going to sleep with my grandmother beside me each night (at least for this season in life!)
2. this is one i can't enjoy now, but it's one i find a joy to recall... for the time i went on a boat with my pawpaw on his last boating adventure...before he even got sick
3. for raisins to eat...right out of the can!
4. the joys of a great book as a best friend
5. going to my meme's (other grandmother's) house and watching movies with my cousins
6. giving an offering of praise and worship through interpretive dance - i will always remember my papa hoyt when doing redeemer!
7. the peacefulness of the setting when visiting my pawpaw
8. snuggling my "baby" sis when we're watching a movie and i'm freezing
9. waking up to a nice, clean, fresh room after i've spent some time cleaning and organizing
10. the journey of life as a child of God...even though it sometimes seems to have it's "downs" it definitely has more ups!

now for the fun part!!!

bill ~ berrymom ~ loni ~ luke ~ dionna ~ crazydaisy ~ miss erin ~ jana ~ shash ~ randi

ok, i think that's 10....sorry if you've already been tagged, as i'm a little behind in this it's hard to know who's already been tagged! just....do it again! lol

You Are Vanilla Ice Cream

Flexible. Easygoing. Classic.

What Flavor Ice Cream Are You?

friday's feast

yaaayyyyy, i am getting back to somewhat normal! i should be, after all, it'll be a week tomorrow since the latest happened.

Appetizer
List 3 things you keep putting off.

1. cleaning out and organizing my hopechest for the arrival of precious items i picked out at memeow's house
2. visiting bloglines and reading all the latest posts from my dear blogging friends
3. going to the dentist and getting a retainer to keep my teeth all nice, neat, and straight

Soup
What do you feel is your greatest responsibility?

to be a woman of God, to be a beacon to light the way for others to follow.

Salad
If you could have starred in any movie, which one would you have wanted to be in and why?

could i choose to star in a tv show instead? like...smallville! i just love superman "clark kent" - he's my hero, after all what guy do you know that is raised with such morals, hard work, character, that's taught how to be a man - there's times for sacrifice and times for standing up for who you are and what you believe. who's also incredibly cute with adorable features? ok, that could just have to do with tom welling and not really how "clark kent" really looks! lol

Main Course
What is an expectation you had as a child about being an adult and, now that you are grown up, you realize you were wrong?

that adult life was fun, responsibility-free, carefree, and able to do anything you want...probably a common expectation!

Dessert
When was the last time you had your car serviced?

lol, actually last week! but wait before the applause, that was the first time we've had it serviced since owning it.....we bought it in august! haha

hi guys...i know it's thursday thankful time, but i'm still running crazy from everything. i had hoped to get back on a regular schedule and able to get the thankfuls up, but there's next week! i hope you all are doing well. may you have many reasons to smile today!

praising Him every season of the soul

awww, you guys are just so precious. i wish i could have all you guys over for cake, cookies, and ice cold water (or better, tea!). we'd all hang out and talk into the wee hours of the morning. then, i'd set another evening for you to come over and i'm day-dreaming about all of this.....

today was rather difficult. at memeow's funeral, i think all three deaths hit home at once. i sat in the same funeral home, same chapel three times in the past month. it feels like each time i would walk into the parlor during viewing, there would be a different close family member in the casket. it's almost like a nightmare. i guess this time period in life is a nightmare.

but, that's not to say there isn't valuable lessons to be learned. such as He can be seen through the hand-squeeze of a loving sister, the touch by a grandmother, the flowing tears by a second cousin, the reassuring hug from a complete stranger who feels your hurt. He can be seen in the beauty of the flowers sent, the delicious meals provided by loved ones, the innocent cry of a newborn who can feel the tension. He can be felt through the peace that settles over your heart when you see anguish all around you. in the beauty of the chirping birds while you are weeping where a loved one is buried.

He can be seen anywhere, if only you open your heart and look. here's a song i signed a few years ago, when i was signing for the church's praise band. it's been on my heart lately...

Let everything that, everything that
Everything that has breath praise the Lord
Let everything that, everything
Everything that hast breath praise the Lord

Praise You in the morning
Praise You in the evening
Praise You when I'm young and when I'm old
Praise You whem I'm laughing
Praise You when I'm grieving
Praise You every season of the soul

If we could see how much You're worth
Your power, You might, Your endless love
Then surely we would never cease to praise

Let everything that, everything that
Everything that has breath praise the Lord
Let everything that, everything
Everything that hast breath praise the Lord

Praise You in the heavens
Join with the angels
Praising You forever and a day
Praise You on the earth now
Join with creation
Calling all the nations to Your praise

If they could see how much You're woth
Your power, Your might, Your endless love
Then surely they would never cease to praise

well, we're getting ready to head the the funeral. t and i have been asked to do everything to me, a song memeow loved! little faith will join in with us this time - they really wanted her to.

last night, i was just so emotionally tired from everything. it seemed to hit, and hit hard. everything still doesn't seem real, it doesn't make sense. but, i'm sure it's to be expected and i'll continue to take things day by day and deal with them as they come, not crossing bridges until i get there. i've spent too much time of my life crossing potential bridges i never came to nor had to cross. not to say i'm bouncing to the other side and going to ignore the "warning signs" that are posted on the journey and bury my head in the sand. there's a balance somewhere along the way.

with that, i've got to finish getting ready. i apologize i haven't had the time nor energy to visit your blogs and comment - please don't take it as a lack of gratefulness for you all. i have treasured every single comment and have re-read them many times. i pray His blessings be poured on each of you until you're to the "drowning" point! :-)

it's been one month...

....since pawpaw's blessed journey to heaven. while we miss him here, i'm sure he's having the time of his life! he wouldn't want to join us again, he's able to breath perfectly! he made my daddy into the man i love and admire so much! he was so full of wisdom, grace, knowledge, and care - full of passion! he loved his God, his church, his wife, his kids, his blue truck - and his blue boat!

pawpaw, you're dearly missed! but i'm so thankful for your life and legacy! you'll forever be remembered in my heart! and your life will be carried on through your loving children, grandchildren, and your future generations!

i was scanning new posts and found this on ryan's blog... definitely worth sharing, especially since losing 3 close family members in 4 weeks.... i couldn't have said it any better myself!

Live life to the fullest. Enjoy every moment. When you love, love as if everything in life depended on it. Smile. Tackle those you love with a smothering embrace, and be the last to let go.

Don't overlook the oft-unnoticed beauty around you. Stop to do more than just smell the roses; explore them with the same fascination that life held when you were still a child. Ponder the miniscule detail in the leaves and the tender beauty of the petals. Breathe, and when you do breathe, don't just merely fill your lungs with air. Inhale the fragrance of the world.

Be a light among light, or a light among darkness. It doesn't matter as long as you shine with a brightness that illuminates everything around you. Just glow!

well, memeow has went to be with our precious Jesus. after suffering what the doctors believed as a slight heart attack, her heart rate stayed about 40 beats - extremely low. they tried to put her on a pacemaker, but she didn't respond. we didn't want her going on life support. she went into a coma while in icu and a few hours later went to see papa hoyt.

just last night, granny duh was planning on going home and taking memeow with her this eveing - and spending the first night since everything with papa hoyt at her house. we were having a cookout with the family and she was coming. then her and granny duh were planning on going to church for easter. oh, how we never would've thought this...only a week after papa hoyt.

i'm thankful for her life and legacy she left for us. she was such a precious, yet fiery woman. you never had to guess what she was thinking - she'd flat out tell you!

well, i guess that's all. we're trying to continue on as best we can. and coming together as a family. thank you so much, my dear blogging family, for all you've been. just please keep dad in your prayers too, he hasn't had time to grieve the loss of pawpaw, his father, just yet. we're trying to rally around each other, but it's hard to know who to rally around, you know?

as the week anniversary of papa hoyt's unexpected passing is upon us and the 4 week anniversary of pawpaw's is upon us, we're once again destined to visit the hospital. my memeow has been rushed to the hospital with chest pains and feeling cold to the touch. her granddaughter and her husband went to check on her and found her yelling for help.

update: she seems to be doing alright. her blood pressure is a little low, but seems stable. prayerfully and hopefully, that's all that it was - a simple scare

update 2: she's had a heart attack, appears like. she's getting weak, heart rate down. probably going to hospital...

good friday

warning: graphic video from the passion...it serves as a reminder of what my Jesus endured willingly and how much He loves me!

friday's feast

Appetizer
What movie soundtracks do you own?

hardly any...the passion is the only one that comes to mind. we're not big "soundtrack" fans, obviously! haha

Soup
How much cash do you usually carry with you?

i'm usually broke when it comes to cash - like $20 maybe? if you include change!

Salad
Are you more comfortable around men or women? Why?

usually guys - they are more honest with what they feel and will tell you to your face what they think about you. females can hold grudges over your toe nails being painted the wrong color for your dress until kingdom come! but, my close girl pals who i can trust not to talk behind my back are very valued!

Main Course
What is the most mischievous thing you remember doing as a child?

unfortunately (well, maybe fortunately), i wasn't able to do anything without everyone knowing exactly what i was doing - good, bad, or ugly. perhaps i just didn't learn the right techniques, haven't figured it out just yet...

Dessert
Who is the funniest member of your family?

out my parents and sisters, it would have to be my dad! he can tell stories and laugh and laugh! of my aunts, uncles, and cousins, next would be uncle marty (dad's brother). when him and my dad get together, there's no telling what stories will come up or what you'll laugh about. my cousin andrew is pretty hilarious, as well. he could almost be a stand-up comedian!

today & a challenge...

i've been out and about with granny duh today. we started off with karate (she went to the weight room and did a few things in there...nothing heavy! lol). then we went to get the car serviced (long overdue!). ate at wendy's. off to get her allergy shots, which papa hoyt went with her to do and she had to tell the story to those ladies. then off to get his cell phone disconnected - good news though, her contract with that company is up which means she can switch to the one we and aunt sonya use and we cant talk 24/7 for free! :-) then to see about getting the papers to get his will probated. then to wally world to print a picture of papa hoyt so she can tell him "good morning, darling" when she wakes up - a tradition they had.

then back to see crustae (my cousin who's my age...who is married and has two kids) and billy & stephanie (papa hoyt's son and his wife). they had been waiting on us for a few hours! lol

things are alright, i guess. just still seems so unreal. i guess it will hit home when i visit the grave site and see his name engraved on the grave marker.

well, i need to try to get things going again and "resume" life as it was...although it's been forever changed twice in the last three weeks.

beckie at passion has given a challenge...

I'd like to see what other people think and how many different ideas there are. The question is: "Imagine trying to fit at least one small act of kindness into every day. What kinds of things could you do to achieve this goal?"

It's so simple, just think about what you'd like to have done for you! Let's see what we can come up with

she got a list to start us off. here are some of mine (and perhaps a few of the other ladies have beat me to the punch...but i just don't know it yet! lol):

as you walk past a stranger, look them in the eye and genuinely smile! this is a personal favorite!

when you check-out, crack a joke to lighten the cashier/bag boy's day. they've been there for a long time so they could serve you, go ahead and help make their day a little better.

when you meet someone, look at them and repeat their name, making sure you pronounced it right.

if you see someone with a hair color, shirt, scarf, a pair of sandals, anything that you like, gently get their attention (heaven sakes, don't scare them to death doing it though!) and give them a true compliment. not just a general, "I like your shirt," but, "i just love the color of your shirt. it looks so good with your complexion!" you've just achieved two things...one, you gave them a true, detailed compliment and they know you weren't just giving a general compliment good for just anyone. two, you made them feel good about themself and given them a reason to hold their head a little higher and smile!

when you bake some bread, cookies, goodies for your family, bake a little extra and just "pop" in to your elderly relatives with it and visit for a few minutes. they love the surprise and it's an extra bonus if it goes great with coffee!

write a letter to a family member and leave it in the car, on a mirror, or nightstand (where they'll find it) so they'll get it as they get their day started. what a wonderful way to begin your day!

when at gatherings, offer to refill someone's drink if you see it getting low. a way to let your family know you love them is to offer to refill their drink (or get them one) while watching a movie or while you're just around the house.

ok, that's my list of good deeds for the day! lol you know, that felt good! maybe i need to start serving and loving more, that would probably be just the prescription to get out of feeling so drab about everything! i can focus on others! thanks, beckie, that was a wonderful challenge - please let me know if/when you have others!

well, we're home now...all of the services and arrangements are now complete and i sit in utter shock. this feels like the worst 3 week period in my life. i've lost the only two grandfathers i really knew. poor little faith has lost both of her grandfathers, who did so much with her and taught her so much, in three weeks. that has got to be such a compressing feeling in her little heart. she'll be sitting and just start tearing up. we'd be going through some of papa hoyt's belongings (trying to find documents we'll need, etc.), and she couldn't do anything but cry.

you can see the evidence in his expecations to return...his bed unmade, notes about a television program coming on sunday evening (he died that morning), projects started. everywhere, you see him.

oh, how can this be real? how can it be? i'm amazed myself, but not once have i asked why? maybe i'm too stunned. i don't believe this. i just don't believe it...

as we sat at his and granny duh's house after the funeral, i just kept waiting on papa hoyt to walk in and ask why's everyone at his house. to walk in, see the long faces and tear-stained faces and crack a joke or two!

thankfully my grandmother has been staying with us since sunday. and i asked if she wanted someone to sleep with her (she was in my bed, after all! haha) and she said if i could stand the snoring. well, i quickly thought i has spent the night at her house several times as a girl, and it was always a special treat to sleep in her bed..."well, granny duh, it's never bothered me before!" so, i've been sleeping with her. yes, we've both tossed and turned and i would wake up to her just laying there.

the first night, sunday night, we stayed up and talked until 3 a.m. i told her the next day she was either taking a sleeping pill or i was taking a caffeine pill! lol needless to say, she went with the sleeping pill!

it's amazing, but through all of this she's gotten more beautiful by the day! she's was gorgeous before, but now she's radiant...her inner beauty is showing itself in full form. she's become one of the most beautiful, most graceful women i know! she manages to keep a smile on her face!

it was so hard to do those songs today. but i'm so sure he was looking down and just beaming! i couldn't bear to look at her, but i heard granny duh was just smiling and nodding at us as redeemer was done. i just pray i've got a fraction of her strength and beauty!

well, they should be back soon and she had mentioned getting in bed earlier! she's also mentioned sleeping in - we've been waking up at 5 a.m. and getting out of bed at 6 a.m. after going to bed past 11 or midnight and talking even later! i hear them now...i still can't believe everything.......how long until it "soaks" in?

Sometimes I don’t know where I’m going
Where the road this leading me
Life can be full of so many changes
So many uncertainties
But there’s one thing that’s constant in this heart of mine
It’s knowing that you’re gonna love me, come rain or shine

(chorus)
I have no doubt
That you will never leave me
That you’ll be there to keep me safe and warm
I have no doubt
No matter where you take me
That nothing can separate me from you, lord

I don’t know what you’ve planned for tomorrow
Or what lies up ahead for me
Pleasure, pain, worry or sorrow
Today is as far as I can see
You may see fit to take me through the valley, lord
Or on the mountain
It makes no difference where I go

(bridge) 1
I wanna run away
From that voice that I hear calling
But I’ll be quick to answer and obey

(chorus)
Nothing could separate me
Nothing could ever separate me

wow, what to say...the viewing was last night. so many friends, family, co-workers were there. many of who we saw for pawpaw's viewing. the same room, of the same funeral home - exactly three weeks later.

the funeral is today. i can't believe it. pawpaw's death was just starting to be real...now this?

bless my meme's heart, she's been taking such good care of granny duh during this time. she's made sure we've had plenty of food and hugs! you see, my granny duh is the supervisor of housekeeping at the hospital - so while pawpaw was in the hospital, she made sure his room got extra cleaning and got anything for meme. meme told me last night, "your granny duh took great care of me and pawpaw while he was there, i want to make sure i take care of her now. i know just how she feels." it was such an incredible feeling to see them come together last night!

the last night of papa hoyt's life, we had a signing/interpretive dance event which he loved dearly! especially a song called redeemer. well, he got to see it twice that night! he was praising the Lord before he went home to praise Him forevermore!

well, as soon as granny duh realized she'd be planning his funeral, she turned to me at the hospital and through a tear-stained face and asked if i thought we'd be able to do redeemer for him, one last time. i'm still not sure how we're going to, but by His strength and for papa hoyt, we'll pull it off somehow, someway. he'll be looking down, praise Him with us!

well, better go attempt to get the process of getting ready going...this is just so hard. two grandfathers in three weeks is way too close, way too soon. both parents are now in mourning, concerned about their mothers. not only that, but uncle dee is faring worse and my great-grandmother (granny duh's mother) likely has cancer or something along those lines. i pray not, but it looks as if we've still got more rocky roads in the near future......

be near, oh God, be near, oh God of us, your nearness is to us our good...

Be Praying!

I just wanted to let everyone know that Maegan's Grandmother on her mom's side had her husband pass away of heart attack last night. They had all spent some time with him just a few hours before his death, and he had seemed to be perfectly fine. He had went to work at like four in the morning, and was at work when he had the attack. This is a huge shock to them and I ask for your prayers and support during these times of her and her families life. As you all know they now have lost two people who where very close and family. Although He was not blood kin to them he has been like a gradfather to them for many years, and was a fun person who was always making you smile. I knew him well and know He loved the Lord, and now he is in the presence of our Father God... This is Josh a close friend, and she wanted her friends to know. I ask for your prayers and support of Maegan and her family as they go through all this. They are woderful people who I care for very much. Please pray!! Thank you all for your support in these times!



thanks, bro! i can't believe we're doing this all over again...it's been almost like deja-vu at the hospital - same "quiet" room where we dealt with papaw's death. leaving someone behind when you walked out those doors. same horrible feeling. this time was different, no goodbyes, just instantly taken from you. this is the last of my gradfathers...i claim three. my grandfather (who died in '93), my papaw (who died three weeks ago), and now my papa hoyt.

my grandmother is in a state of stock - as we all are. trying to figure out how to handle it. how to take care of the things left behind.

it was sudden, so sudden. my grandmother called at 6 a.m. saying a lady from his work at called and said he was having seizures and they were taking to him to the hospital. my great-grandmother (who's been having lots of tests run, and isn't doing so well herself) has been staying with granny duh and papa hoyt for a little while now, and granny duh needed someone to stay with memeow. mom and i went with granny duh to the hospital while dad, faith, and tarah stayed with memeow.

when we got there, they said they were going to get us to a quiet room - from being there three weeks ago, i knew exactly what was meant by a "quiet room." it's the chapel, where you find out the worst news possible.

evidently, he died instantly. they tried for 30-45 minutes to restart his heart and get him breathing, but they said he never responded. the lady he was going in to relieve was still there and she said he didn't feel well, he said he was dizzy and sat down. then everything happened.

here's our family again...what feels like square one. thankfully, He will not put on us more than we can bare. He must think we're stronger than we feel, for it seems so difficult, so hard.

my 1st friday's feast...

Appetizer
Name a trait you share with your parents or your children.

wow, i share lots. but among my top 5 list is being "real" with people.

Soup
List 3 qualities of a good leader, in your opinion.

1. honesty
2. caring/gentle
3. non-passive (not agressive either, a balace in the middle)

Salad
Who is your favorite television chef?

i learn to cook from little cards or notebook paper filled with recipes! lol

Main Course
Share a story about a gift you received from someone you love.

the first "gift" i remember receiving was when i was about two years old and i was in the hospital (my only stay in the hospital...knock on wood!). i had to stay in a little "tent" because my bronchitis was acting up and giving me bad asthma (among other things, i'm sure). my parents had little money back then, but i remember being so bored in there. mom was always there with me, having left my baby sister (almost a newborn) with my grandmother. dad would come straight in from a long day's work and check on me. i remember this one time especially when he walked in with a few toys - how my bored heart jumped with joy! he had been to the dollar store and had cared enough to spend a little money for my delight! not only did he just buy me a few dollar games - which made me feel like a princess - he also sat down and played with me. i particularly remember a fish game, you know the kind where you have to catch them when their mouth is open and a magnet goes in? we played that game over and over!

Dessert
How do you react under pressure?

umm.....unfortunately, i react.

something to think and pray about...

as most of you know, karate has become an important part of my week. my family enjoys it very much, as well, but i seem to just have "connected" there - i guess it doesn't have to do with the fact i'm a social butterfly or anything! lol

well, one of my instructors approached me with an idea. to give a brief history, this instructor and i have built a friendship over the time i've been at karate. he's got me into helping teach his kids classes, something i would've never attempted without some pushing and prodding. and i've been enjoying it very much.

anyway, he called me after he left the studio last night and said they were needing a teacher for a kids class, and he had seen how i enjoyed working with the kids, so my name was the first to come up. he wanted me to take some time to think and pray about it before answering, but wanted me to seriously consider it.

the class is three times a week, 45 minutes to an hour per class. on two nights it does interfere with my class, but he said we could move the times around a bit.

i've got other instructors encouraging me to accept it. i just want to be sure i'm ready and can be committed as i'd like to be - because if i do something, it's with all my heart!

oh, and why you're praying please just say a little prayer for dear iris (otherwise known as eph2810). she's got a lot on her plate that she's dealing with. and remember crystal as she's looking for a job, as well. you can read about her last job experience here.

in other news...i spent this morning with meme, my grandmother, running around. she had to get pawpaw's will probated, turn something into the newspaper, and got the info for what she'd need to get the land and his truck in her name. then, i went to karate (hard class! lol) before rushing home to work on some songs for our praise in motion group. then went to meme's house to learn how to make her signature peanut-butter oatmeal candy! mmmmm, it's so good!

anyway, now it's close to bedtime ~yawn~ i got up way too early for the night hours i keep!

thankful thursday

finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things

Thankful Thursday: What no_average_girl is thankful for this week phone calls which are a guaranteed day brightener! another day to rejoice in my Creator, to give Him glory, to love Him. baking to see others smile, to lighten their load - if only a little. friends who are always willing to be there when the road gets a little bumpy, but are also there to enjoy the peaks of life! comments because i jump with joy at each one given! karate as an outlet when the days been stressful, for a place to meet new friends, and to find the "socialite butterfly" in me making an appearance! blogs to re-connect with olds friends - even those who have moved miles and worlds away from my heart Links to other Thankful Thursdays nightingale beckie loni tyra ~If you participate, leave your link in the comments and I'll post it~

Click here for the Thankful Thursday code


Click here for Chrixean's blog


Trackbacks, pings, and comment links are accepted and encouraged!

View More Thankful Thursday Participants

lots of x's...

You are
[] short, under 5'0
[] 5'0 - 5'3
[x] 5'4 - 5'6
[] 5'5 -5'7"
[] 5'8"-6'1"
[] tall 6'2 and up

NATURALLY
[] blonde
[] redhead
[] auburn
[] brunette
[x] dirty blonde/brownish
[] light brown
[] dark brown
[] black
[] dont remember

[] blue-eyed
[] brown-eyed
[] green-eyed
[x] hazel eyed
[] gold/gray-eyed
[] silver/gray- eyed
[] blue/green-eyed
[] blue/grey-eyed
[] they change colors

[] glasses
[x] contacts
[] neither
[]both

Hair Length
[] short hair
[] medium
[x] long hair
[] mohawk

You've been:
[x] rafting
[] water skiing
[x] camping
[x] horseback riding
[] surfing and skim/wake boarding
[] water polo
[] snowboarding
[x] skiing
[]street luging
[x] cheerleading
[] lacrosse
[] street hockey
[] gymnastics
[x] martial arts
[] bmx
[]tubing

You can`t stand listening to? (what dont you like?)
[] country
[] classical
[x] techno
[] oldies
[x] opera
[x] reggae
[x]emo
[x] 80's
[] disco
[x] metal
[x] hardcore
[x] rock
[] rap/hip-hop
[] r&b
[] classic rock
[x] polka


The pets you have HAD or have?
[x] cat
[x] dog
[x] lizard
[] rat
[] ferret
[] bunny
[x] fish
[] duck
[] horse
[x] bird
[x] frog
[x] hermit crab
[] prairie dog
[] none
[x] turtle
[x] hamster
[] snake
[x] gerbil
[x] guinea pig
[] pig
[] goat
[] chinchilla
[] tarantula
[] geese
[x] chicken
[] sugar glider

Clothing Brands you like?

[x] American Eagle
[x] Hollister
[] The Buckle
[x] Abercrombie & Fitch
[x] Wal-mart
[] wet seal
[] PacSun
[x] Aeropostale
[] Dickies
[] Roxy
[] Anchor Blue
[] Guess
[]Hot Topic
[] Lucky
[] Champs
[] Salvation army/goodwill
[] other thrift stores
[x] if i like it i'll wear it
[] Old navy
[] Nude
[] Volcom
[x] other
[] Forever 21

States I have been to.

[x] Alabama
[] Alaska
[x] Arizona
[x] Arkansas
[x] California
[x] Colorado
[] Connecticut
[] Delaware
[x] Florida
[x] Georgia
[] Hawaii
[x] Idaho
[x] Illinois
[x] Indiana
[x] Iowa
[x] Kansas
[x] Kentucky
[x] Louisiana
[] Maine
[x] Maryland
[] Massachusetts
[x] Michigan
[x] Minnesota
[x] Mississippi
[x] Missouri
[x] Montana
[x] Nebraska
[x] Nevada
[] New Hampshire
[x] New Jersey
[x] New Mexico
[x] New York
[x] North Carolina
[] North Dakota
[x] Ohio
[x] Oklahoma
[x] Oregon
[x] Pennsylvania
[] Rhode Island
[x] South Carolina
[x] South Dakota
[x] Tennessee
[x] Texas
[x] Utah
[] Vermont
[x] Virginia
[x] Washington
[x] Washington DC
[x] West Virginia
[x] Wisconsin
[x] Wyoming

Your confessions:

[x] I am really ticklish.
[] I've collected comic books.
[x] I read and watch the news.
[x] I love Disney movies.
[] I don't kill bugs.
[] I have/have had "x"s in my screen name.
[x] I cook well.
[x] I have worn pajamas to class.
[] I like Martha Stewart .
[] I am guilty of tYpInG lIkE tHiS.
[x] I'm self conscious.
[x] I love to laugh.
[] I can't swallow pills.
[] I bite my nails.
[x] Gotten lost in the city.
[] Gone out in public in your underwear.
[] Made out in an elevator.
[] Been skydiving
[] Been bungee jumping.
[] Bitten someone.
[] Egged a house/car.
[] Ding dong ditched someone.
[x] Crashed into a car.
[] Been fired.
[]Been skinny dipping.

Have you ever...

[] stolen a sign
[] danced in the rain
[x] seen a shooting star
[] proposed to anyone
[] gotten stitches
[] eaten Sushi
[x] gotten the chicken pox
[x] ridden in a taxi
[] went on a cruise ship
[x] driven over 400 miles in one day
[] been on a plane by yourself
[] had surgery
[x] seen a movie more than 3 times
[x] been on stage
[] gotten a black eye
[x] memorized all the dialogue in a movie
[x] watched an entire baseball game on tv

Do you like...

[]musicals
[x] blasting music in the car
[x] donuts
[x] animals
[x] coffee

In 2006 You...

[x] broke a promise
[] made a new best friend
[] fell in love
[] fell out of love
[x] done something you swore never to do.
[] lied to my mom and dad
[] stole
[] went behind your parents back
[x] dissapointed someone close
[x] hidden a secret
[x] pretended to be happy
[] got arrested
[] kissed in the rain
[] slept under the stars
[]kept your new years resolution
[x] forgot your new years resolution
[x] met someone who changed your life
[] met one of your idols
[x] changed your outlook on life
[x] sat home all day doing nothing
[] pretended to be sick
[] left the country
[] almost died
[x] given up something important to you
[] lost something expensive
[x] learned something new about yourself
[x] tried something you normally wouldnt try and liked it
[x] made a change in your life
[x] find out who your true friends were.
[x] made a total fool of yourself
[x] met great people

01-02-03-04-05-06

i'm sure most of you have already seen this or heard it mentioned, but i thought it was unique...


Call it a coincidental sign of our digital times or a reason to stay up late and stare at the clock. Either way, early Wednesday morning the time and date will be 01-02-03-04-05-06.

At 1:02 a.m. and three seconds on Wednesday, April 5, 2006, it will be the first hour of the day, the second minute of the hour, the third second of that precious minute in the fourth month and the fifth day of ... uh oh. It's not really the sixth year.

It's actually 2006 — only in our shorthand is it '06.

"It just happens to be a chronological oddity," said Geoff Chester, spokesman for the U.S. Naval Observatory, an official world atomic clock timekeeper. "If you were to use the full year, that would [mess] things up completely. You do have to bend it a little if you want to make it work. That's what you call 'Finagle's Law of Best Fit'."

Even numerologists, such as Rob Ragozzine, who runs the SimplyNumbers.com web site, dismiss the 1-2-3-4-5-6 moment as merely "a neat coincidence" because of that pesky 2006 thing.

There are less bleary-eyed alternatives. There's 1:02 p.m., but Horkheimer said that's really 13:02 p.m. and doesn't really count.

Chester recommends celebrating universal time, the standard scientific time, which is four hours ahead of eastern daylight time. So 01-02-03-04-05-06 can be celebrated at 9:02 p.m. EDT by calling up the U.S. Naval Observatory's "master clock" then and waiting for the universal time pronouncement, he said. That number is 202-762-1401.

The clock is also on the web at: http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/what1.html.

For much of the world, especially Europe, this odd line-up of numbers doesn't really happen until next month. That's because many countries put the number of the day first, then the number of the month. So for many places, 01-02-03-04-05-06 happens at 1:02 a.m. May 4.

sloganizer

go to this site & enter your name in the box & hit the sloganize button.

DON'T CHEAT, KEEP THE FIRST ONE THEY GIVE YOU.

what's your sloganized name?

Maegan - "You'll Look a Little Lovelier Each Day with Fabulous Pink Maegan." --gotta love it!

no_average_girl - "Super no_average_girl is Almost Here." --almost here?

karate tournament - april 1st

let's see...the day officially starts off at 1:30 a.m. when i finally head to bed and faith is laying in bed crying because her stomach hurts. now, this kid is tough and she doesn't cry much so i know she's really in pain. so, i get mom and let her know what's happening. dad soon joins us in the waiting game to see what's going on - as well as moral support and making sure we get her coke, jello, a bath and anything else she wants to help her get better. we all get asleep around 3:30.


the next memory is at 5:30 when we're all waking up to get ready to head to the tournament 2 1/2 hours away. we've got it scheduled to meet up with one of our instructors, tim, and nathan to go down together.



we get there and do some stretching and goofing off.


faith is the first to go...with her form placing 1st!


next up, my forms! now, remember "t's combo" from last week? well, i decided to go along the same lines - except a little opposite. i started out in basic 1, and finished in basic 2.

tim (who i didn't know him while he judged me!) later said i looked like i added a little of chun gee in with it! unfortunately, i had two united judges who knew the form and knew i had messed up (with tim being one of them) and couldn't give me a high score. but, i was very pleased to have taken home 2nd - even with a combo kata!
frankie (far left) & marlin (in middle) both said that my facial expression was fine, i didn't show i messed up, but i wouldn't do so great because of those two united judges. i'm just glad to come out with a story to tell! lol

faith's fight is next...she had to fight a tall girl for 1st place. she just turned 8, which put her in the 8-9 year old's. the score was 4-4 and the girl got a reverse punch in for the winning point. faith did get 2nd - and we were soooo proud of her!


at first, nathan wasn't going to enter the tournament at all. but as things got rolling, he decided he really wanted to fight. so, he went back and paid his entry fee to fight! then, come to find out, there was no one to fight...so he did an exhibition fight against a guy we called goliath! this guy was simply huge! btw, look close at this photo and you'll see nathan getting his headgear knocked off!


t did tung goon for her form. she got 1st in forms. she, like nathan, had no competition for fighting - which means she got 1st as well! go t!

my fight followed. i had 5 girls in my division - one was from my school and also was her first tournament. i had two fights to win for 1st... two tough fights, i might add!
thankfully, i had several united "cheerleaders" shouting what to do next and with their help, i was able that last fight off for 1st place!

during the course of this day, t and i have officially met "daniel" who's an amazing fighter, traveled to germany for his fighting and won a gold medal while there, and is simply awesome! so, of course, we're all for seeing his fight. well, as the fight starts, the other guy is in a retreating position and throws a back-swing-kick (basically, an extremely powerful kick), nailing daniel in the jaw/chin area. it doesn't knock him out, but puts him in a daze and lays him on the floor for about 5 minutes. after laying there, he gets up, "i'm ok...i want to fight!" about 10 of us were ready to jump in the middle saying he wasn't going to finish the fight!

for the next 8 hours he can't remember much - at one time he thought the year was 2004. he would ask one single question about a hundred times and couldn't remember the answer. he said, "i wish i could wake up at a tournament every saturday!" about 75 times - no exaggeration! got a call this morning saying he was much better! he's been told not to fight for a week by his instructor.


marlin does his form in the ring next to me! he does a great job and pulls off 1st place!

nathan then wants another exhibition fight with goliath...why, we're still not sure! lol t was so worried about him getting hit or something. he only loses 5-4 - he almost had him!


marlin (brown belt) & frankie (red belt) fight. frankie beat marlin, but we couldn't be too disappointed because they were both united! it was so hard to keep from yelling "go marlin" - instead, we were yelling "go united!"

tim's forms and fight are last - because he is a black belt. he gets 3rd in forms and because of a bad call, got knocked out of placing period. hopefully, he'll have better calls next time!

click on a photo to see more that i have downloaded onto the flickr site!

*Important Notice re. Internet Cleaning!*

As many of you know, each year the Internet must be shut down for 24 hours in order to allow us to clean it. The cleaning process, which eliminates dead email and inactive ftp, www and gopher sites, allows for a better working and faster Internet.

This year, the cleaning process will take place from 12:01 a.m.. GMT on April 1st until 12:01 a.m, GMT on April 2nd During that 24-hour period, five powerful Internet search engines situated around the world will search the Internet and delete any data that they find.

In order to protect your valuable data from deletion we ask that you do the following:

1. Disconnect all terminals and local area networks from their Internet connections.

2. Shut down all Internet servers, or disconnect them from the Internet.

3. Disconnect all disks and hardrives from any connections to the Internet.

4. Refrain from connecting any computer to the Internet in any way.

We understand the inconvenience that this may cause some Internet users, and we apologize. However, we are certain that any inconveniences will be more than made up for by the increased speed and efficiency of the Internet, once it has been cleared of electronic flotsam and jetsam.

We thank you for your cooperation.

Interconnected Network Maintenance staff, Main branch, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
*****************

Please notify your friends relatives and business associates on this event so they too will be prepared.