Nakita is actually watching Tessa walk up to the house. I am sure she was relieved to not have someone climbing up on her. I have not been able to capture that moment yet. Have a great weekend! It is snowing a tiny bit and I look forward to a quiet night here. Till next time...
Glitterfy.com - Glitter Graphics
There is a factory in Northern Minnesota which makes
the Tickle Me Elmo toys. The toy laughs when you tickle
it under the arms.
Well, Lena is hired at The Tickle Me Elmo factory and
she reports for her first day promptly at 8:00 AM.
The next day at 8:45 AM there is a knock at the
Personnel Manager's door. The Foreman throws
open the door and begins to rant about the new
employee.
He complains that she is incredibly slow and the whole
line is backing up, putting the entire production line
behind schedule.
The Personnel Manager decides he should see this for
himself, so the 2 men march down to the factory floor.
When they get there the line is so backed up that there
are Tickle Me Elmo's all over the factory floor and they're
really beginning to pile up.
At the end of the line stands Lena surrounded by mountains
of Tickle Me Elmo's. She has a roll of plush
red fabric and a huge bag of small marbles.
The 2 men watch in amazement as she cuts a little piece
of fabric, wraps it around two marbles and begins to
carefully sew the little package between Elmo's legs.
The P personnel Manager bursts into laughter.
After several minutes of hysterics he pulls himself
together and approaches Lena.
'I'm sorry,' he says to her, barely able to keep a straight face,
'but I think you misunderstood the instructions I gave you
yesterday...'
'Your job is to give Elmo two test tickles.
The house is still quiet here. I am NOT talking anymore than I have to. Julie, I have even tried the salt water, UGH!!! The tylenol with Codeine helps, but only slightly!
Tessa has had my undivided attention this afternoon. I watched Narnia with her and then we all settled in for our favorite, a cheesy Sci-Fi Movie! John and Tessa are chatting back and forth on their DS Lites. Last night I played Trouble with her and Connect Four. I kicked her little butt!
She thinks her throat is starting to hurt, I can only PRAY that she is not going to end up like me. How is your weekend going? Till next time...
For the past week I have felt like someone turned my energy to zero. I am just getting by and hate feeling like this. I could hardly sleep last night and I know it is because my throat is SORE! I am not going to whine about it, just stating the facts.
IT was great to see Mom and Dad yesterday for a few minutes and Juls came through on the way to Fargo. We will see her again either Sunday or Monday. She was thrilled with the little birthday gift.
It is only 3:30 and I am in my pj's. Could we please just make this all go away! Tessa is NOT home and that is not helping with my mood. I have to clean out the files in the cabinet. I think I will just take then into the living room later and sit on the floor and try to figure out the mess. It seems like all I do these day is shuffle paper.
The week the vouchers checks had to be stuffed, sealed, and stamped, all 400 of them or so. I think we amazed ourselves at how fast that was done. Then I had the fun job of indexing them into the system. I was so happy to finish the last of them this morning!
There is one thing I really dread doing this weekend, taking down the tree. I LOVE the lights! It always feels so empty when it is done. I hope all of you are doing well! Have a great weekend. Till next time...
"With these blessings, I hope that it's over. I hope our bad luck has changed, and we're going to have this miracle for the rest of our lives"
(Colorado)—When it came to being parents, Chris and Susan Spiegel of Eagle, Colorado, knew mostly tragedy. They had three sons, and lost each one to different tragedies. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome claimed Scotty at the tender age of 2 months, sixteen-year-old Skylar was killed in a car accident on his way to homecoming, and three years ago, their 7-year-old, CJ, was hit by a car and killed. (Photo: Channel3000.com)
"Every morning, I'd get up to go to work and I didn't know why I was doing it," lamented Chris, on the disparaging sorrow of their loss. The couple had all but given up on Christmas, not wanting to even hear the carols.
Still longing for children, however, the two decided to try parenting once more, and enlisted the aid of a surrogate mother, as Susan had been left unable to carry a child due to a previous procedure.
Months later, they found out the surrogate mother was pregnant with triplets. On Christmas Eve, Caden Scott, Shelby Sky, and Billy CJ Spiegel were born—each baby carrying the name of one of their siblings who’d gone before, as a middle name.
The couple looks ahead to better days—albeit cautiously—as Susan remarked, "With these blessings, I hope that it's over. I hope our bad luck has changed and we're going to have this miracle for the rest of our lives."
Thanks to all that gave Tessa gift cards. I so greatly appreciate the honor of taking her SHOPPING! 
That was what I did yesterday and watching her try to pick something was a to say the least, a trial of my PATIENCE! She does NOT like to spend her money, so we still have money to use at another time. OH JOY! She came home with a Bratz doll, dog tag with Will Turner on it and a calendar. I came home with tired feet. John thought it was all very funny.
We had to stop at the pet shop. Oh my, they had some cute puppies. One was so close to what Nakita looks like. I noticed the Min Pin's, which Tessa did NOT like. How is everyone doing? Till next time...
Susan, I thought of you as I was reading this.
"In God's economy, there's no such thing as coincidence."
(Albany, Oregon)—Christmas 1987 brought a gift of peace to our family that truly surpassed all understanding. It brought hope, faith and trust as well. For all you readers out there struggling with unresolved fears, regrets, and the temptation to give-up, this story is for you.
At the age of 36, having already given birth to two beautiful children, I found myself desperately wanting another one. Never mind that at my age, after several years of trying and having a miscarriage, I should have resigned myself to contentment with my two. But hormones aren't rational; neither is faith.
The miscarriage I suffered was devastating. I had blamed myself for not resting at first, but the doctor had assured me nothing I would have done could have prevented it. For months I was angry at God. So angry, that I couldn't even worship Him. In the fall of 1986, my husband talked me into going to a church play. The theme was faith, and God powerfully used the main character in the play—a woman robbed of everything she owned but her tiny gift of faith—to speak directly to me.
He whispered to me, "Do you believe I am real?"
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and whispered back, "Beyond a shadow of a doubt, God, I KNOW you're real."
We were jump-starting our relationship again, God and I. Back to square one. One month later, two weeks before Christmas, I found out I was pregnant again. A coincidence? I don't think so.
But, on Christmas Eve I began to have symptoms of another miscarriage. This time, instead of panicking, I prayed. And this time God told me to rest, despite what the doctors had said. It's hard for a mom to rest on Christmas, but I did. My family prayed for me, and I experienced an indescribable, saturating peace that day. I KNEW I was in God's hands and that nothing would ever separate us. You can't put a price-tag on that kind of peace. Nothing the world offers can come close.
The symptoms of a miscarriage continued for a few more days as I continued to rest. One elderly and Godly prophetic man in our church prayed for me. He said, "You will have this baby and it will be a perfect 10." Within 24 hours the cramping stopped and almost 8 months later I gave birth—via C-section—to a healthy, beautiful baby girl.
C-section babies generally score lower on the newborn Apgar test, of which 10 is the highest (perfect) score. Imagine my reaction when the nurse took my baby and exclaimed to the doctor, "Wow. This baby is a perfect 10!"
A coincidence? I don't think so.
Have a blessed, miraculous Christmas one and all!
Says referee: "God sent her to be at that place, at that time, for a reason. So many things had to happen for me to be alive, and they all fell into place."
(Minneapolis, Minnesota)—49-year old Dale Wakasugi was refereeing a game last week at Fridley High School when he suddenly fell to the floor. He was having a serious heart attack.
In the stands was 16-year old student, Lindsey Paradise, who had recently completed a CPR and Automated External Defibrillator course in health class. She didn't hesitate. Rushing out on to the basketball court to help Wakasugi, Paradise was reportedly soon joined by two nurses who were in the crowd, and another adult.
According to a report on KARE 11 News, after CPR did not produce a pulse, Paradise sent someone to quickly get one of the school's A-E-D machines.
Said Paradise, "I pushed it [the button], it shocked him, I'm like, ‘oh my gosh, it's amazing, it actually worked.’"
Subsequently, Wakasugi had a stent implanted in his heart and was discharged from an area hospital. He is anxious to meet the student who saved his life.
"God sent her to be at that place, at that time, for a reason," he said. "So many things had to happen for me to be alive, and they all fell into place."
Author Unknown
I have a list of folks I know, all written in a book,
And every year when Christmas comes, I go and take a look.
That is when I realize these names are all a part,
Not of the book they're written in, but of my very heart.
For each name stands for someone who has crossed my path sometime,
And in that meeting they've become the rhythm in each rhyme.
While it may sound fantastic for me to make this claim,
I really feel that I'm composed of each remembered name.
And while you may not be aware of any special link,
Just meeting you has changed my life much more than you may think.
For once I've met somebody, the years cannot erase
The memory of a pleasant word or a friendly face.
So, never think my Christmas cards are just a mere routine
Of names upon a Christmas list, forgotten in between.
For when I send a Christmas card that is addressed to you,
It's because you're on the list of folks I'm endeared to.
For I am but a total of the many folks I've met,
And you happen to be one of those I prefer not to forget.
Whether I have known you for many years or few,
In some way you have had a part in shaping things I do.
And every year when Christmas comes I realize anew,
The best gift life can offer is meeting folks like you.
So, may the spirit of Christmas that forever more endures
Leave its richest blessings in the hearts of you and yours.
This was in a card I received last year and just wanted to share!
I found these really lovely quotes and just wanted to share them with you.
"Never be afraid to trust in unknown future to a known God." Corrie Ten Boom
"Friendship is the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful, friendly hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of comfort, blow the rest away." George Eliot
IF A FAT GUY GRABS YOU AND PUTS YOU IN A BAG, DON'T WORRY I TOLD SANTA I WANTED A GOOD FRIEND FOR CHRISTMAS!
Tessa does this sort of thing when I would like her to be doing something else. I just have to laugh at what is going on in her head!
"He became a different person. He opened himself up to having friends. From being a kind of mean, angry person, he became caring and loving and very outgoing. He would go out of his way to do anything for anyone."
Chris Dunn remembers that Crouse had been medicated to control a psychiatric disorder and was living on welfare. "He [Crouse] was kind of hateful, part of a bad group of people. His family life was pretty hard," said Dunn, adding that when a couple people at the church tried to show Crouse that they cared about him he stormed out of the church saying he would never come back again.
But Crouse did return a few weeks later saying that he wanted Jesus Christ to save him.
On the morning of Sunday, December 9th, Crouse was one of two YWAM workers gunned down and killed in Colorado.
Till next time...
Time flies, bringing us closer to the end of the year. Are you taking time to enjoy this special time of year? Do you have family to spend time with? Can you just enjoy walking around the stores holding hands and watching and listening to the sounds of this season? Right now, John, Tessa and I are sitting and watching that movie "Santa Claus3".
Mom is down again and soon we will get together for supper and hopefully just drive around and look at the christmas lights. The weather here has been cold, but sunny. The snow is beautiful and for now there is so much of it. I know I have complained about the fact I know my shovel way to much.
John and I had the fun of just driving around checking out the sights, BY OURSELVES! John was busy catching the children on film while they sled down the dike at Lincoln Park. I just need to get my camera out and see what I can catch. I tried to use in Friday and it seemed to NOT like the extreme cold and promptly frosted up and would NOT work. The sky was so beautiful that morning as I walked to work. Oh well, there will be other mornings to catch. Time to sign off! Till next time...
Found this in my email and thought I would share it with you.
"At 1:30 the Lord had me call my wife again, and say ‘Honey, I am troubled for you and Ben, and am praying for you both…'"
EDITOR'S NOTE:We at Breaking Christian News, join with many people around the world, praying for comfort for those who lost friends and family members in the Omaha mall shooting this week, and healing for those who were wounded. We also pray for the family of this troubled 19-year-old, whose anguish claimed eight lives, as well as his own. In the midst of this tragedy, however, there are undoubtedly stories of survival and heroism—one of those has been made known to us, and we have decided to share that with our readers, to the glory of God. –Aimee Herd, BCN.
(Omaha, Nebraska)—This week, Joe Smith, a resident and pastor, living in Omaha, Nebraska, learned firsthand, the value of listening to the promptings of God's Holy Spirit. (Photo: AP)
Because of his prayers for the protection of his wife and son—which he felt specifically led to pray over them on two separate occasions, just a little while before the mall shooting this week—Joe's loved ones narrowly avoided being part of the tragedy, when 19-year-old Robert Hawkins opened fire, in the crowded Omaha mall.
Below is Joe's account, in his own words, of what happened on Wednesday, just minutes before unsuspecting holiday shoppers were gunned-down….
"[Wednesday], my wife called me at 12:00 [noon], and said, ‘Let's meet for lunch at the Westroads Mall.' [I thought], ‘Great, I love that teriyaki chicken from Sarku restaurant.' The 3 of us met, my wife Gayle, my son Benjamin, and I.
"We finished lunch at around 12:45 or so, and I had to get back to work. Before I left the mall, I pulled my wife and son to me and said, ‘I am led to pray for you both before I leave.' We prayed, (I pleaded the blood of Jesus over them) and I left.
"At 1:30 the Lord had me call my wife again, and say, ‘Honey, I am troubled for you and Ben, and am praying for you both, but I am deeply troubled in my spirit for you both….' She was going [to go] into Von Maur, to the girls department (on the 3rd floor of Von Maur, where just minutes later there would be a massacre), to shop for our 10 year old daughter, [but] she decided to leave the mall.
"At 1:35 or so, she and Benjamin walked out the door (from the Von Maur side of the mall), and got in the car and left. At 1:42 the shooting started!
"My God is SO FAITHFUL!
"All last night, the Lord kept speaking to me and reminding me of Matthew 4:4 (Man does NOT live by bread alone, but by EVERY word out of the mouth of God)..
"He showed me how when we hear His voice, we LIVE!.. We are deeply saddened by this event and for the victims' families and all, but I praise the Lord that I still have a wife and son!"
After having a day to think about the trauma she narrowly missed, Gayle, Joe's wife, put down her thoughts on the couple's ministry website. Here are a couple excerpts….
"At about 1:30, Joe called my cell and asked what we were doing, I said, 'Still shopping,' and he said 'Gayle, I am really praying for you guys, I'm not sure what is up, or if it maybe has to do with the President being in town, but God has me really praying for you guys.' I said, 'Great, keep it up,' not sensing any danger, any urgency, just totally enjoying my time with Ben and the joy of the season. At 1:35, I left the Younkers store heading into the mall, and glanced at my watch thinking I had time to still hit Von Maur's girl section.
"It was at that moment that the thought came to me that 'you do not have time to do that, you need to go to the bank and get Jaymie from school.' I turned to Ben and said, 'We have got to go, we will have to do Von Maur another day, we are just out of time.' We walked straight to the exit through the food court and stopped by the doors. I knelt down and struggled with Ben's gloves and hat and all, he could not seem to get his fingers into his gloves properly and I felt stressed that we weren't out the doors yet. So I told him to leave them on and I would straighten them in the car. We loaded up and pulled out, driving directly by the Von Maur store, at what must have been about 1:42, which is exactly when the shooting started…"
To read Gayle's full, inspiring account, follow the link provided.
The more you get to know the Lord, and get into His Word (the Bible), the greater becomes your perception of His voice (usually not an audible voice, though sometimes it is), in your heart and mind.
As we hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit, to pray for those around us, or specific situations, let's not dismiss it, but let's begin to heed what God might be saying to us. You never know when it could directly affect those you hold dear, or even some you may never meet—this side of Heaven!
The alarm is going off and that means a little bear will be coming down soon. I looked out to see more of that blessed snow falling. UGH! I wonder if this is going to be one of those winters that all it does is snow? Us with our snowblower in the shop waiting for us to get the repairs paid for. 
I had thought my wipers broke yesterday when I had to run Tessa's tennis shoes to school. John figured out that there was a huge ice dam under the hood that kept them from working. Can you hear my big sigh of relief? We just got that darn car out of the shop with a HUGE bill!!!
It was so good to talk to Dad last night and hear that he is doing well after his visit to the hospital. I have orders to pray that the next set of stents will NOT need to be placed! He was telling me about the South Beach Diet and telling me that I need to read the book. Julie is already on me about that one and says she is going to get me a copy of that book.
Tonight is Mariah's Christmas program at school. It is going to be interesting to see if she can remember her lines. I was with them last night, and to watch her talk about this Pat is rather funny. She is so young to be liking boys. I think that Alicia is going to have her hands full with that little miss.
My silence the past couple of weeks was nothing more than being busy and really not wanting to sit at the computer once I was home. I need to close and starting yelling upstairs for the little miss that needs to get her bottom out of bed. Hi, Dad and Mom! Till next time...
January cold desolate;
February all dripping wet;
March wind ranges;
April changes;
Birds sing in tune
To flowers of May,
And sunny June
Brings longest day;
In scorched July
The storm-clouds fly
Lightening torn;
August bears corn,
September fruit;
In rough October
Earth must disrobe her,
Stars fall and shoot
In keen November;
And night is long
And cold is strong
In bleak December.
Written by Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)
Mix:
1 c. flour
1/2 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. brown sugar firmly packed
1/2 c. butter
Combine above ingredients until crumbly. Press into ungreased pan. bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
Mix:
1 can pumpkin (I used a small one.)
1-13 oz. can evaporated milk
2 eggs
3/4 c. white sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
1/4 t. cloves
Combine and beat well. Pour into baked crust.
Mix:
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. butter
Sprinkle over filling and bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool before serving. GREAT WITH COOL WHIP OR ICE CREAM!!
I know that I mentioned going to Tessa's class to help with beading. My biggest impression is that they keep that room much too warm. I looked at Tessa and thought at first she was not feel well. Her cheeks were so rosy red! The heat made it hard o think, I would find myself fighting sleep in that class room.
The different personalities of the children, make me very happy that I never wanted to become a teacher. Tessa really did not want my help, but she received it anyways! 
This will probably be the last time I get to help in her class room. I have done it almost every year since she started.
Today is soup day at work. I have a coworker that has requested I bring soup, as I guess she likes it as much as I do. I am relieved to have the care back so that I can drive the crock pot there. I hope you are all having a great day! Till next time...
This past weekend was nothing but frustration most of the time. The computer acting up and John and I wasting over 8 hours between us trying to figure it out is really irritating. Then I had another of those headaches that lasts all day. This is the reason that I have NOT been here to write anything in days.
Friday at work the office was decorated for Christmas, and I must say, I like this better than Halloween. The photo shows the area right over my desk, MUCH BETTER than spiderwebs!
We also put up the tree and that leaves less to do over Thanksgiving weekend. John has his company party and to be honest may not ever want to think about decorating the next day.
I have to run now, my presence is required in Tessa's class. I get to help with the beading project they are doing. I am glad the weather is nice, as I do NOT have the car. Hope to see the parents afterwards. Till next time...
I found this in an email I recieved this morning. I love drawings like this. Have a great day! It is COLD this morning!
The day started with a zipper that would not work. I must say that it was rather disappointing! The people at work always seem to put a smile on my face. Do you ever just sense if someone is having a rough time of it? This one lady left me with the feeling that it would NOT have take much to see tears. It is tough to see that and not know the rest of the story.
Alicia brought this cute little fiber optic tree for her office. I helped her set it up before I went home. Later, Tessa and I walked back to the office so that we could ride with her and Mariah to church. We first enjoyed a meal at the village Inn. I am not going to repeat the conversation on the way to Church, but Mariah had us all in stitches! I wonder where she comes up with some of the things she says. I guess she lost another tooth tonight, eating cotton candy. She really can say "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!"
John and I were able to spend some time together, SHOPPING! 
I know just how much he loves it. I did some of it while he was sitting in the mall by the fireplace eating a sub. The rest was a mad dash from store to store before he had to go and get Tessa.
It looks like I will be able to work a few extra hours to make up for having Monday off. The car crapped out and the repair was EXPENSIVE!! Thank Goodness for a service man that trusted us to make payments. Time to sign off, another day finished! Till next time...
Tessa sent this in email. I have gotten emails like this before. It is rather odd to actually read and understand this mess. See what you think?
fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too. Cna yuo raed
tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.
i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was
rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a
rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr
the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit
and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can
sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos
not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig
huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can
raed tihs forwrad it.
This has been a beautiful weekend weather wise. Having the car end up in the shop, was irritating to stay the least, and I hope the part that needs to be replaced is the cheaper of the 2 options! John and I got rid off most of the old flower stalks and found one hardly little plant still blooming. The rest of the bed is SOO depressing, that I almost can not wait for the snow to cover it till it gets to be green again. My mind is tired and so I will close for now. Till next time...
"France will never forget the sacrifice of your children. To those 20-year-old heroes who gave us everything, to the families of those who never returned, to the children who mourned fathers they barely got a chance to know, I want to express France's eternal gratitude. On behalf of my generation, which did not experience war but knows how much it owes to their courage and their sacrifice; on behalf of our children, who must never forget; to all the veterans who are here today…I want to express the deep, sincere gratitude of the French people. I want to tell you that whenever an American soldier falls somewhere in the world, I think of what the American army did for France. I think of them and I am sad, as one is sad to lose a member of one's family."
(Washington, D.C.) —On Wednesday, November 7, French President Nicolas Sarkozy addressed a joint session of the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Although it was an historic occasion, it is doubtful that many people were able to watch his speech in its entirety. Others, due to the translation process, may have had difficulty following his comments. Towards that purpose, excerpts from his riveting speech are provided below. (Photo: Sarkozy, Investor's Business Daily)
They are well worth an entire reading.
America did not tell the millions of men and women who came from every country in the world and who—with their hands, their intelligence and their heart—built the greatest nation in the world: "Come, and everything will be given to you." She said: "Come, and the only limits to what you'll be able to achieve will be your own courage and your own talent." America embodies this extraordinary ability to grant each and every person a second chance.
Here, both the humblest and most illustrious citizens alike, know that nothing is owed to them and that everything has to be earned...America did not teach men the idea of freedom; she taught them how to practice it. And she fought for this freedom whenever she felt it to be threatened somewhere in the world. It was by watching America grow that men and women understood that freedom was possible. What made America great was her ability to transform her own dream into hope for all mankind.
Ladies and gentlemen, the men and women of my generation heard their grandparents talk about how in 1917, America saved France at a time when it had reached the final limits of its strength, which it had exhausted in the most absurd and bloodiest of wars. The men and women of my generation heard their parents talk about how in 1944, America returned to free Europe from the horrifying tyranny that threatened to enslave it.
Fathers took their sons to see the vast cemeteries where, under thousands of white crosses so far from home, thousands of young American soldiers lay who had fallen not to defend their own freedom but the freedom of all others, not to defend their own families, their own homeland, but to defend humanity as a whole.
Fathers took their sons to the beaches where the young men of America had so heroically landed. They read them the admirable letters of farewell that those 20-year-old soldiers had written to their families before the battle to tell them: "We don't consider ourselves heroes. We want this war to be over. But however much dread we may feel, you can count on us."
Before they landed, Eisenhower told them: "The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you."
And as they listened to their fathers, watched movies, read history books and the letters of soldiers who died on the beaches of Normandy and Provence, as they visited the cemeteries where the star-spangled banner flies, the children of my generation understood that these young Americans, 20 years old, were true heroes to whom they owed the fact that they were free people and not slaves. France will never forget the sacrifice of your children.
To those 20-year-old heroes who gave us everything, to the families of those who never returned, to the children who mourned fathers they barely got a chance to know, I want to express France's eternal gratitude.
On behalf of my generation, which did not experience war but knows how much it owes to their courage and their sacrifice; on behalf of our children, who must never forget; to all the veterans who are here today and, notably the seven I had the honor to decorate yesterday evening, one of whom, Senator Inouye, belongs to your Congress, I want to express the deep, sincere gratitude of the French people.
I want to tell you that whenever an American soldier falls somewhere in the world, I think of what the American army did for France. I think of them and I am sad, as one is sad to lose a member of one's family.
Ladies and gentlemen, the men and women of my generation remember the Marshall Plan that allowed their fathers to rebuild a devastated Europe. They remember the Cold War, during which America again stood as the bulwark of the Free World against the threat of new tyranny.
I remember the Berlin crisis and Kennedy who unhesitatingly risked engaging the United States in the most destructive of wars so that Europe could preserve the freedom for which the American people had already sacrificed so much. No one has the right to forget. Forgetting, for a person of my generation, would be tantamount to self-denial.
What was so extraordinary for us was that through her literature, her cinema and her music, America always seemed to emerge from adversity even greater and stronger; that instead of causing America to doubt herself, such ordeals only strengthened her belief in her values.
America's strength is not only a material strength, it is first and foremost a spiritual and moral strength. No one expressed this better than a black pastor who asked just one thing of America: that she be true to the ideal in whose name he - the grandson of a slave—felt so deeply American. His name was Martin Luther King. He made America a universal role model.
The world still remembers his words—words of love, dignity and justice. America heard those words and America changed. And the men and women who had doubted America because they no longer recognized her began loving her again.
Together we must fight against terrorism. On September 11, 2001, all of France—petrified with horror—rallied to the side of the American people. The front-page headline of one of our major dailies read: "We are all American." And on that day, when you were mourning for so many dead, never had America appeared to us as so great, so dignified, so strong.
The terrorists had thought they would weaken you. They made you greater. The entire world felt admiration for the courage of the American people...For me, failure is not an option. Terrorism will not win because democracies are not weak, because we are not afraid of this barbarism. America can count on France.
This is the annual Missionette Sleepover that Tessa just waits for, even though this year it is later than usual. She has a couple of friends joining her which makes it even better. Mariah will come here so that Mom and Dad can go out for supper. She is too young to sleep over night, but can be there for a couple of hours of play.
Last night I was wrestling with invisible dust bunnies or something in my closet. I must say, it all took my breath away and left me with this stuffy headache. UGH!! I need a bigger closet! Can this get anymore exciting? Tessa is disappointed that my office is closed on Monday. She was really hoping for a day to herself. I guess I will be my duty to drive her crazy. It is really hard to make up all those missed hours though! Have a great weekend! Till next time...
If you need a good laugh try reading through these children's
science exam answers.
Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard, and vinegar.
Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink
A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.
Q: How is dew formed?
A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.
Q: How can you delay milk turning sour? (brilliant, love this!)
A: Keep it in the cow.
Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?
A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature hates a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.
Q: What are steroids?
A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.
Q: What happens to your body as you age?
A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.
Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.
Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.
A: Premature death.
Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? ( e.g., abdomen)
A: The body is consisted into three parts -- the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain; the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels A, E, I, O, and U.
Q: What is the fibula?
A: A small lie.
Q: What does 'varicose' mean? (I do love this one...)
A: Nearby.
Q: Give the meaning of the term 'Caesarian Section.'
A: The Caesarian Section is a district in Rome.
Q: What does the word 'benign' mean?'
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.
From one pumpkin to another!!!!!!!"This was probably the first time since the destruction of the Temple [1,937 years ago] that the Priestly Blessing was delivered on our holiest site."
(Jerusalem)—It is believed that for the first time since the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, the Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:24-26) was recited there. According to a report in Arutz Sheva, a group of 25 Jews paid a visit to the Temple Mount to commemorate the 842nd anniversary of Maimonides's visit to the Temple Mount.
Said Rabbi Chaim Richman: "This was probably the first time since the destruction of the Temple [1,937 years ago] that the Priestly Blessing was delivered on our holiest site. At times like these, when there is talk of giving away our precious places, and when despair is sometimes in the air, events of this nature serve to remind us that God has not forgotten about us, and that He still has big plans for both us and the Holy Temple, and that the Temple will yet become the focal point of the world once again."
This will be quick, but I wanted to get that photo here for you too see Mom. It was so nice that all of you were able to get to Grand Forks and for Jerry to see Alicia's home. You all know how much I love goodbyes. NOT! I will try and write more later, for now I need to find my pillow! Till next time...
This was in an email. John and I could NOT help but laugh. Hope you are all having a great day!
Yesterday, one of the ladies in finance brought us all treats. She is way to creative and patient. It was nice to have something to nibble on. The 'fingers' were made out of bread sticks with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on them. Are you ready for your day? Till next time...
Here is some early morning humor!
My ex-wife started taking flying lessons about the time our divorce started and she got her license shortly before our divorce was final, later that same year.
Yesterday afternoon, she narrowly escaped injury in the aircraft she was piloting when she was forced to make an emergency landing in Southern Tennessee because of bad weather. Thank God our kids were with me at the Beach House this weekend.
The NTSB issued a preliminary report, citing pilot error: Judy was flying a single engine aircraft in IFR (instrument flight rating) conditions while only having obtained a VFR (visual flight rating) rating.
The absence of a post-crash fire was likely due to insufficient fuel on board. No one on the ground was injured.
Photographs were taken at the scene show the extent of damage to her aircraft.
My sister Julie wrote these words to explain the excitement of our brother coming home. Our memories of him are different. I do NOT even remember some of the things she has written about, but I did get a good laugh out of them. I wonder if Grandpa Glenn were still alive, what he would say about that bb gun. Yikes! The rest of this entry is hers, from her blog at Loneprairie.net.
Today is Jerry day.
When I was little, my brother once hid hot sauce in an ice cream cone and gave it to me.
He once put a plastic jack-o-lantern in my bedroom window, lit it up, put a hat on it, and told me a scary story about an evil pumpkin that killed kids. All right before bed, when I went to my room and found an evil, glowing pumpkin head in my window.
He once hid in the hay loft and shot at the cattle with a BB gun, making grandpa Neidlinger swear up a storm out in the pasture, trying to herd the ever-scattering animals, not aware of why they kept scattering.
Using parts of things he disassembled, he rigged up a loudspeaker system outside of his room on the second floor of the house, and would announce things across the back yard. Things like "time for supper!"
He joined in playing "tag" one night where we all were running around the yard and throwing firecrackers at each other.
He took me on a trip to the mountains in Wyoming where we and some of his friends rode horse and camped out up there for a week.
It took him almost ten years to finish remodeling his tiny house in Nebraska because he was such a perfectionist. He had a sheet for a front window curtain for a long time, and during one visit there, he and I pretended to "shoot" and "stab" and beat each other up in front of the sheet so that, during the night, from the street, our shadows performed a bizarre shadow play for the neighbors.
A few years before he moved to Australia, he whipped into the yard to recreate his youthful habit of spinning his car in circles at the end of our driveway, but instead lost control and smashed into the deck on the side of the house. I was in the, uh, bathroom on the other side of that wall and it was not a pleasant moment.
Tonight he flies in to Bismarck, and this weekend, my sisters and their families are coming up. It's going to be a lot of fun. It's been a long, long time since we've all been together. I can't wait.
This is a true account recorded in the Police Log of Sarasota, Florida... .
An elderly Florida lady did her shopping and, upon returning to her car, found four males in the act of leaving with her vehicle. She dropped her shopping bags and drew her handgun, proceeding to scream at the top of her voice, "I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car!"
The four men didn't wait for a second invitation. They got out and ran like mad. The lady, somewhat shaken, then proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into the driver's seat. She was so shaken that she could not get her key into the ignition. She tried and tried, and then it dawned on her why...For the same reason she did not understand why there was a football, a Frisbee and two 12 packs in the front seat...
A few minutes later, she found her own car parked four or five spaces farther down.
She loaded her bags into the car and drove to the police station to report her mistake. The sergeant to whom she told the story couldn't stop laughing.
He pointed to the other end of the counter, where four pale men were reporting a car jacking by a mad, elderly woman described as white, less than five feet tall, glasses, curly white hair, and carrying a large handgun.
No charges were filed.
MORAL OF THE STORY?
If you're going to have a Senior Moment, make it memorable
I sat and wondered what kind of a night I was going to have with my little darling. I think that was always the part I dreaded, sleeplessness! I should have taken advantage to having nurses that could have let me get some sleep. I have to smile now, as I have such a hard time getting her to wake up for school.Today was the official day of her birth, but we are NOT going to celebrate it until the 19th. She brought cupcakes to school for her treats. I guess they were a hit. This was photo of her was taken today in her classroom. The other photo is from the hospital when she was 2 days old. She was already looking like a little pumpkin.
Tessa is sitting on the couch looking at her baby book and wondering why I saved and wrote what I did. Thank goodness I did, as I am sure if I tried to write something now, my memory would NOT be able to recall anything right. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TESSA, you were the best birthday present I had that year! Till next time...
I am sure that John really dreaded this day. I had hinted that I wanted to do yard work as it was probably going to be the last chance we would have. The next two weekends are spent busy with family activities. A long awaited visit from my brother and Tessa's big moment. (I can not wait till this is past me!) Tessa is very happy with the banner that Julie made for her. She was amazed that all the colors were used like she asked.
It is always much easier to shop when the little people stay at home. John and I were able to pick out clothes with out the constant "Come here!" I think you all know what I mean, especially if you have ever been in the store with Tessa.
I can now sit here and breath a sigh of relief because the yard work is done. John dug up the butterfly plant as it was just to aggressive where I had put it. He found a cocoon stuck to the side of the house and I hope to get a photo here of it. We are all getting ready to watch another Sci-Fi Thriller. What can I say, we are hooked on these rather cheesy saturday movies! Are you going to be watching it to night Juls, or did you have to set the DVR for later enjoyment!! Till next time...
Hi Mom, I know I did not get to talk to you today when you called. I was in the middle of another service call with the cable guy. I really hope that is the last time that I have to see one of those guys for a very long time.
My day went really well, actually I just have to say it was a great day. It was full of laughter, being amazed by coworkers and the silliness that sometimes comes out when you least expect it. I was asked out to lunch with some of the administrators to the Panda Buffet. Tessa was so jealous when she heard that.
I finally pulled out that cross stitch project I have been working on for 2 years. I just want to get it DONE! I just wish my eyes could not get so tired while trying to see the little squares. Brenna, you may get this stocking before you are old and grey. John had to put in a LONG day again. I am just hoping he will not have to go in on Sunday. How are all of you doing? Time to close and get some sleep. YEAH!!! Till next time...
Mom, you are not going to like this little poem someone sent to me in my email. I had to smile when I read it!
He didn't like the casserole
And he didn't like my cake.
He said my biscuits were too hard...
Not like his mother used to make.
I didn't perk the coffee right
He didn't like the stew,
I didn't mend his socks
The way his mother used to do
I pondered for an answer
I was looking for a clue.
Then I turned around and smacked the shit out of him...
Like his mother used to do.?
