honoring Stacy

Today is my sister's birthday.  I will always miss her.  She had a way of living life fully and in the moment like no one I've ever known.  Towards the end, she didn't feel well but even in the hospital she told her best friend Crystal, "Don't be sad.  I've had a good life."

It's strange to think at 45 years of age that this is all there is but she was ready...  even if none of her family was....

I miss you Stace... ♥
Happy birthday baby!

I know you've got God laughing His ass off up there!!!  LOL

Honoring my baby sister

oh baybee!!!

Look what fell into my lap today...  :)

Edited Saturday, December 4th, 2010 ~ UPDATE HERE:
http://hediishope.blogspot.com/2010/12/you-dont-forget.html


Edited Sunday, March 13th, 2011 ~ UPDATE HERE:
http://hediishope.blogspot.com/2011/03/learned-little-bit-of-wrenchin-this.html

the joys of my life

"I am proud of you Mom."

The statement was more than I ever could ask for from my son.  Out of the blue he sat down on the couch and reiterated the sentiment, "I am very proud of you."  He went on to tell me how he watched me after what had happened from Hurricane Ike and how in one and a half years I could come all the way back from devastation.  Totally rebuilt my life from nothing.  He said, "You not only went back to college but you did it really well."  All A's baby!  lol ~ "Not only did you get a job, you got a good job!" he continued.

He spoke of my ability to get back up and move on with life and to live it with all that is within me, giving it my all.  In those few words he was telling me that he not only loved me, but he also honored me for the person I am... the one I've become.  My world has circled back around from personal as well as material destruction and we are home again.  He sees me as I am. 

There is no greater gift a mother can receive than the respect of her children and their desire to keep her in their lives.  Today, my daughter called me long distance to say she found the car for her.  She was excited and tired and happy.  She shared her life with me.  She is keeping me in her loop.  Then my son and his girlfriend sat with me and gave me their time and care and love.  Today was mother's day for me all over again!

I am a very blessed woman.
I am loved greatly.
I have all I will ever need or could have ever hoped for...

I am humbled by how far I have come in six short years and excited about how far I am going to go.  I know it.  There are still so many more things on my "I want to do EVERYTHING!" list to do and see and feel and enjoy and love!  And for today, for all of my future todays ~ I am overwhelmed by the love given to me.  I will hold it in my heart forever.

What more could a girl want from life than to be so very greatly loved?
There is nothing more I need...
I've got it all.

I love you Bethany and Joel Jr.!  You both make me proud every day.  Always live your life honestly ~ no matter what, no matter who, no matter where.  Don't worry about how others live their lives.  Yours is the only one you have control over.  That is all I do.  Honor your core and live by your own rules.  If people disappoint you, understand that they are simply human also.  We all are doing the best that we can with what we've been given in life.  Honor them for trying to be the best that they can be.

Live honestly, love deeply, care gently, expect nothing in return for what you give ~~~ and understand that there are no guarantees in life.  No one can offer you a guarantee.  Accept what you can control and leave the rest to God.  This is it...  today is all we have to hold.  Love your life no matter your circumstances, change what you don't like about it, choose who you want and love with all your heart, and always always always choose what's best for you.  Your core.  The center of your universe.  You are worth it.  We deserve the best in life!  Never settle for anything less.  Never settle for less than what you deserve...  and you deserve the best this world has to offer.  You both make me proud every day.

You are my greatest joy!  I couldn't have imagined when I asked God for children, that He would have been so generous by giving me both of you.  It will always amaze me.  I have no regrets for my life...  you both are proof that I've done it right.  My legacy.  I am honored to be your mother.

I love you,
Mom


Vivere Senza Rimpianti ~~~
Live for the moments you can't put into words!
˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Love Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•٠·˙

♥

the happiest people

“The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything they have. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God."
~Unknown

ALL A's BAYBEE!!! w00t!

The last grade for Philosophy of the Mind populated in MyUH overnight and it's official... all A's!!! Omgosh! I can't hardly believe it!!!  I don't mind one bit those little minus signs in front of an A...  lol

What a great semester I had at U of H. Great teachers... learned a lot.... made many new friends. The whole experience was positive and uplifting. This has cemented the fact that I need to continue on for my degree. College is now an essential element of the rest of my life. I can't wait to see what next semester brings!!!

My joy overfloweth.
My heart is full.
My mind is expanding with new "everythings" and I'm lovin' it!
'Every thing' is once again going my way... :)

Class Grades - Spring 2010

Official Grades   Class Description Units Grading Grade Grade Points ENGL 2305 Intro To Fiction 3.00 Letter Grade A 12.000 ENGL 3311 John Milton 3.00 Letter Grade A- 11.010 HIST 1378 The U S Since 1877 3.00 Letter Grade A- 11.010 PHIL 1334 Intro To the Mind 3.00 Letter Grade A- 11.010

the choice is yours

"We can throw stones, complain about them, stumble on them, climb over them, or build with them."
~William Arthur Ward

the power of ♥ love ♥

"It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui."
~Helen Keller

at the end of the day

"Some people are all wrapped up in whether the glass is half empty or half full. In truth we miss the most important fact, that we have a glass to begin with."
~Anonymous

a life well lived

"Success is to laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.  This is to have succeeded!"
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

hope is...

"Hope isn't what you expect... it's what you never dreamed of."
~M

It's always better than what we thought it would be!  :)

i have waited patiently and been rewarded with joy

"Patience is the key to joy."
~Rumi

the power of ♥ love ♥

"There is no limit to love's forbearance, to its trust, its hope, its power to endure.  
Love never fails."
~I Corinthians 13:7-8


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i ♥ you

look within ♥ not without

"Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."
~Carl Jung

dance anyway

"People who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music."
~George Carlin

Don't be afraid to live

"Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live."
~Dorothy Thompson

just sayin'

"Resolutely non-partisan... a documentary everyone should see."
~Jeannette Catsoulis, The New York Times

http://www.iousathemovie.com/

http://www.PGPF.org
http://www.IOUSAtheMovie.com
http://twitter.com/NationalDebt
http://facebook.com/nationaldebt

Reality is...

"All blame is a waste of time. No matter how much fault you find with another, and regardless of how much you blame him, it will not change you."
~Wayne Dyer

no guarantees necessary

"There are no guarantees. From the viewpoint of fear, none are strong enough. From the viewpoint of love, none are necessary."
~Emmanuel

integrity begins with courage

"With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity."
~Keshavan Nair

Bethany ♥ Tommy

I got a call somewhere around midnight last night.  My daughter was in the city (New York that is!) with her boyfriend Tommy.  They'd been out on the town.  She said, "Mom, we tried to think who'd be up at this hour & I told Tommy, 'I know my mom will be!'"

Their exciting news?


Tommy asked Bethany to marry him!!!
And she said "YES!"
They are officially ENGAGED!

They both said that I couldn't post about it till they told everyone else today.  Just got the text now with the 'go ahead' and am free to tell everybody....  :)

Tommy, you are an awesome young man.  If I could have ordered from heaven the type of man my daughter would fall in love with ~ you would be him.  I can't tell you how much it means to me every time you call me "mom" when we're speaking.  Although the engagement is official as of early this morning New York time, I have felt you as part of my family since the beginning.  I have treasured you as my son early on since that first Christmas dance where I could see the love you felt for Bethany.  What more could a mother want for her daughter than a man who truly loves and respects her unconditionally?

Bethany, I am thrilled for you!  I know how very much you love and respect Tommy.  Your life together is going to be the ride of your life!!!  Having Tommy as your partner, the word you embrace to describe your relationship, is going to be full of good things and opportunities to grow and learn and live and love.  You two understand the importance of not losing yourselves simply to be with someone else.  When you are with each other, you support each others dreams and hopes for your individual futures.  You can truly see that being with someone isn't the totality of your life, but the cherry on top of an already delicious hot fudge sunday.  You both realize that a marriage is two people wanting what's best for the other ~ and not allowing the other person to lose who they are inside just to be together.  You grasp the concept that unconditional love isn't about possession and jealousy but letting go and allowing the other person to breathe and be who they are at their core...  who they are meant to be.

You two have grown into adults that make me proud every day.  You honor and respect each other every moment, whether you are together ~ or separated by the distance of your current living arrangements.  It is a gift to call Tommy my son and know that he will be a constant in your life, no matter what life brings.  I know Tommy will hold you in the palm of his hand Bethany, and cherish you always.  As I know, you will love him the same way... endlessly.

Oh, and you two are going to make gorgeous grandbabies!!!
But I can wait....  lol
Love you both!!!  Congrats!  

I'll sign off with one final thought for this wonderful news today.  These are the inspirational words that Bethany uses in her e-mail sig and they capture succinctly exactly what we all should remember in our relationships as we walk down our separate paths and encounter each other loving life and enjoying the moments of our days ~

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Love always; respect unconditionally; speak out. Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•٠·˙