My babies are too cute!

I was sitting at my puter responding to a few e-mails when I heard one of my dogs sighing.  If you have never heard a dog sigh, it is like a hmmm or an ahhhhhh. Samantha makes this sound when I ask her to tell me her 'sad story' (usually when she acts like she has missed me!).  It is when we are catching up on what has happened during the course of our respective days.  Faith does it when her belly is rubbed.  It is a sound that is not a 'grrrr' but more of an exhale coming deep from within their diaphragm.  Sometimes it is one of pleasure and other times it is one of exhaustion.  They do it to get or keep my attention.

I looked up after her third time trying to make me look her way and there was Samantha laying against the slider likes she normally does during the day with little Sophie snuggled up next to her tummy all curled up in a ball.  Oh how cute!  I tried to take a few pics with my phone but finally went in search of my son's camera.

One thing to understand about Samantha is that she usually doesn't like anyone touching her when she's tired.  She won't tolerate it.  For her to allow Sophie to rest next to her is a huge "give" on her part.  That's my girl!  And Faith has been scared to death of Sophie since she arrived.  She runs in the opposite direction of the kitten.  Faith is scared of most things in life.  When it was thundering the other night she literally jumped up in my lap when I was in my chair.  She never does that.  My baby does not enjoy storms.

After the pics, Samanatha had had enough and moved to a different resting spot so Sophie toddled off to find Faith sleeping up on the couch.  She hopped up and curled up next to her other new buddy.  Sophie must miss her mama and siblings!  What a sweetie she is...  She is just looking for some comfort and love...  something we all wish for, hope for, and want in our own daily lives.

There is nothing better than spending time with my babies and watching them interact. It is healing time for the heart.  They always have a way of making me smile, no matter how I feel.  I love them so very much. Only other animal lovers will ever understand the connection to the soul that they have with us. It is unexplainable...  love is like that though...  unexplainable.  Love just exists.

Here is Samanatha and Faith resting with Sophie...  fast friends!
At least, Sophie thinks so.... lol

Edited to add:

And hours later... they still are resting.  

Oh to live the life of a pet!  *giggle*

♥ Wishing You Love at Christmas and Always ♥

Yesterday, after a particularly difficult few months, there was a burning question on my heart: 

What is love?

During the day, I received numerous texts and e-mails and calls from people wishing me a wonderful holiday.  Friends sending me love, just because it was on their heart to do so.  Long time friends...  work friends... brothers and sisters in the wind...  and my children.  All of this contact unexpected.

In the mail, I received cards from many of you and gifts with wishes for a wonderful holiday.  An ornament I will always treasure (thank you Dave!).  A t-shirt from overseas that I can't wait to wear (thank you Suzanne & Albin!).  So many cards with thoughts and well wishes that filled my heart with overwhelming gratefulness for God bringing each of you into my life.

Sometimes people listen to that voice in their heart, reach out, and make a difference without ever knowing what they have done.  They give us what we need in the moment when we feel at our most alone.  Thank you my friends...  for listening...  for sending me what I needed without you even knowing it.  Many of you know how difficult Christmas has been for me these past few years.  You have given to me all that I need.

I have said this all my life:  I have the most caring friends in the world.  You are the best Christmas gift I could ever receive.  I wish the same for each of you.  I wish you love beyond measure, joy abundant, and hope for all good things in the approaching new year.

Last night, my son and his girlfriend brought home a new member to our family for Christmas.  Her name is Sophie and she's got a lot of spunk!   She is enjoying climbing on all the furniture, running through the hallway into the living room, and standing on my keyboard as I type... HA!  LOL  (I'm loving it!)

And then I knew...  I knew what love is for me.

Holding her, loving her at first site, love just "is" for me.  I don't choose who I love although I do choose who will be allowed beyond my defenses.  My only choice when I love someone is how much do I trust you...  not how much do I love you. And it has nothing to do with whether or not you love me.

Love...

For me it exists the minute you touch my core. It stays with me always.  What I feel when I love is seared into my soul. It will never go away. Helen Keller said, "What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us."

Know this my friends...  you have become a part of my heart forever.

Sometimes it seems that loving others brings us pain.  It's not the loving that hurts us.  It's never painful to love someone else.  It is what comes with the act of giving your love away that can bring us to our knees and cut us to the core.  If you are feeling a loss this Christmas, always know that eventually you will get back up again.  Never regret loving.  It is the most valuable gift you can give someone else.  Never stop loving.  You will die if you do.

And always remember:  Love heals.

When you can separate the pain you feel from the love you feel, you can then move on and breathe again.  Breathe through whatever it is you are going through today and know that people care for you.  Never doubt it.  You are loved.  Don't give up.  Don't lay down and die.  Put one foot in front of the other and know that loving someone is never wrong.  It might just be that it is not right for them to love you in return. 

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends.  May love embrace you this new year and give you all of what you need in life.

Laugh always.  Live without regrets.  Love without expectations.

Meet Sophie (getting to know Samantha and Faith below).
She is a cutie!!!  Thank you Amira and Joel, for bringing her home for me to love...  she is wonderful!

p.s.  She needs a kitty house to claw... my chairs are gonna be in shreds soon!  LOL  :)

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Decorated the tree last night...

My son asked me when we would be doing it for several days now.  I didn't think much of it other than I wondered at his insistence.  He hadn't been in the spirit of Christmas decorating for a long time.  Years.

His girlfriend came over and, as we were adding the strings to the ornaments I found at the dollar store (thank you to my daughter for that tip on FB!), I mentioned how nice it was that he was so enthusiastic about helping decorate.

A long time ago, in years past in another life, sometimes it was like pulling teeth to get my family into the Christmas spirit and want to decorate.  Some years were better than others.  I remember those times when I wanted everyone to be up with me, singing "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas This Year!"  I always bought those red Santa hats and I'd take videos and still pictures of my family decorating.  A fire would be going and the Christmas music on.  Oh what great memories those years were!  Oh how I miss my pictures and videos lost to Hurricane Ike of what had been wonderful times.  It seemed like forever last night...  those Christmas' from years past.  All that is left from them is inside of our minds.

My son said, "I thought this would be a good Christmas present for you... decorating the tree.  And you could take your pictures."  He was giving me the gift of making new memories.  There are no words to describe how my heart felt at that moment.

It humbles me when I realize that my children understand just exactly what is important in life.  When they show me that they "get it" and, on top of comprehending "it", they want to be a part of it.  Last night, my son understood what has always made me happy and brought joy into my life.  He showed me that he understood what is important.  What a tremendous gift I received!

Christmas has not and never will be for me about the monetary things people buy.  It's not about gifts or shopping or spending or looking for what others will spend on me or what I can spend on others.  It's not about food or baking or doing anything special or out of the ordinary.  Even though I do all these things... that is not what Christmas means to me.

Christmas is simply about being with the ones you love and enjoying every minute of it.

Christmas, as is the rest of the year for me, is all about time.  Time spent with those most important in my life.  It's about being present in the moment with the ones I want to share the rest of my moments, while I can still breathe, live, see.

Christmas is about bringing joy into the lives of those I love and sharing my joy with them.  Making them happy always has made me content.

Christmas is simply about being "there" for each other.  It's about allowing others to give of themselves to you, for you to receive their gift, and then give back to them what is in your heart.

The circle of love.

Christmas is about the circle of love.  Loving others without looking for anything in return.  Giving love without expecting anything back. Receiving the love that others want to give to you, in any way they choose to do for you, and letting them know that it is more than enough.  They are more than enough.  Without stipulations, regulations, or expectations.  

Christmas is allowing others to be who they are and loving them with all your heart unconditionally, simply because...

Simply because they are who they are...  valuable, irreplaceable, one-of-a-kind... a treasure.  A joy immeasurable.  A gift for you to unwrap every day and find all things new. 

I wish all of you will have the wonder of a Christmas full of love and joy and time spent with those you love!  Our Christmas will not be totally complete until after the new year when my daughter comes to visit.  Even then, we will be without her fiance', so it will be bittersweet.  But we will enjoy what we do have and not fret about the rest.

Christmas is not a single day in the year.  It is every day when we can be together as a family.  When we are together - it is always Christmas Day.

As long as we're together, every day is always a gift for me.

 

 

Congrats Heather!!!

My niece, Heather Dawn, graduated from college last week.  She went to school against all odds.  Two young kids and a husband and lost her mom, my sister, during her journey.  She stuck with it.  She kept going and moved herself one foot at a time into a new life and a new career.  She has done something that I never could do when my kids were little.  I so admire her.

Heather,
I love you so very much.  You remind me so much of your mom every time I look at you.  You are going to go far, do many things, and be able to take care of yourself.  You've proved it by finishing.  You've done good.  My heart is filled with joy for your new journey!  Your mother is so very proud too...  she's watching from Heaven and is with you always.  Never doubt that.

We have another college grad in the family... woo hoo!!! :)
Congrats!!!
Love you!

dedicated to your greatness

carb pics