A Leap to Better Living...............

Practicality as most know is my long suit without a doubt. Things I do have to go through my mind list a)is it good for me b)is it life changing c)how is it going to affect others d)and finally what is it going to cost. Too many times I have let cost get in the way but this is one time I decided take the leap and just go for it. I joined Weight Watcher's. May not seem like much to some of you but other times when I thought about it "d" always ended up winning out. This time "a" was my #1 priority. I have been going to Weight Watcher's for 3 weeks now and am doing some serious evaluation of what I am eating and making a very conscience effort to eat better and exercise. What's funny is I could probably write a book on all I know about diet and exercise, but for today I am going to put into action steps I need to take to follow what I know and just "DO IT"! If anyone wants to share their battle with weight I welcome your comments.

Relay for Life................

August 8th I walked for Albert Lea's "Relay For Life". Brandy,Kailey and Brayden walked with us too. Relay For Life is a celebration of those who have survived cancer as well as a healing time for those of us who have lost a loved one due to cancer. It was a very memorable night with families and friends remembering loved ones and honoring those survivors. Making the lumanaries is a healing process in itself, as a lot of memories go into the making of them. My cousin Mary had given us a picture of mom with a red hat on, laughing. Brandy made up lumanary bags with this picture on them, it is such a fun picture to remember mom by. I made up two bags with a picture we had taken of mom at Christmas time and the other bag I made for the grand & greatgrand children with a humming bird on it with the words "We miss you grandma, you will always be in our hearts". Many of you will remember how much mom liked to watch the humming birds at the cabin and in her backyard. John brought back some of mom's things from the cabin and Brandy and I went through them last Monday night. There is joy and sadness in going through the things brought back. The joy is the story behind who had given her something and talking about how much she enjoyed saving things. On September 5th and 6th we will be going through the things we have stored at my dad and Carol's. Darlene, Brandy and I will be sorting through these things and Todd and I will be going through and organizing it during the week. I am sure there will be more story telling on these days too. For when all is said and done, our personnal legacy we leave behind is the stories and ideals our families pass on.

Shhhhh it's a .................

It sits alone in a quiet corner downstairs, I give it a fleeting glance every now and then thinking "yes I should" but I just don't have the time.... So, Wednesday I seem to have gotten the "itch" and Thursday night after work I found myself at JoAnne Fabrics looking for material and supplies. After supper I started the "project" now keep in mind I haven't used "Ziggy" for awhile (like since we sewed patches on Bill's Army uniform before he went to Kosovo 3 years ago). I pulled her out of the cabinet thinking she would need a complete overhaul, but everything seem to be just right! I then went and laid out the fabic - it felt good to have scissor in my hand again - when we made Abram's quilt, Angie did all the design and cutting and I did the sewing on my mom's old portable machine. A few crisp cuts later I was down sewing the "project". It is quite soothing to hear the hum of that old sewing machine and to be whipping up a "project" that I know someone will enjoy. So, what is it? Can't let you know until after Monday.

Why Women Cry by Anonymous

A little boy asked his mother, "Why are you crying?" "Because I'm a woman," she told him.

"I don't understand," he said. His Mom just hugged him and said, "And you never will."

Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?"

"All women cry for no reason," was all his dad could say.

The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry. Finally he put in a call to God. When God got on the phone, he asked, "God, why do women cry so easily?"

God said: "When I made the woman she had to be special.

I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort.

I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.

I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining.

I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly.

I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.

I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.

And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed."

"You see my son," said God, "the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart - the place where love resides."

The Fishermans Wife................

When your husband is gone on a fishing trip, here are five things the fisherman's wife enjoys:
1. Having alone time
2. Finishing a project without interruption
3. Having lunch & shopping with a friend and being gone the entire day!
4. Lazy Sunday afternoon curled up on the deck with a good book
5. Having a sandwich and calling it "dinner"