Just an FYI, the pic is of Liam and not a girl. LOL Meliza (My good friend and Liam's care provider) took the pic while he was sleeping in her daughter's bouncer. I just love the pic though, it is so adorable. She took the pic because she wanted to show me that "He found his thumb." Awwww....
Everything to Be Thankful For
Current mood: grateful
Category: Life
So, the trip turned out to be a wonderful time after all was said and done. Most of my friends and family know why I am so happy about that. My mom sent a beautiful email letting us all know how meaningful this year was to her. Thanksgiving at her home with all her children, children in law, grandchildren etc. pleased her so much. I said many prayers to ensure we would be able to celebrate as a complete family, and those prayers paid off. Funny thing is, and I know it's silly to some...but I have this thing about seeing the numbers 666 and 333. If I see the evil number I know something bad is going to happen, but if I see the blessed number, I know something good will happen. Well, right before we left, I saw the evil number and the following morning I woke and looked at the clock and it was 3:33am. And sure enough, we thought Lincoln wouldn't be able to join us at all for Thanksgiving on Wednesday night before....but the following morning....he was on his way. I know my faith should be stronger and I should have known God would take care of everything.
My sister in law threw me a baby shower and it was great to see my friends. We had fun playing all the games and I was blessed with wonderful gifts for Liam. My glider arrived yesterday also, we will be putting that together this weekend. Dad sent us a brand new laptop for Christmas. Cheyann will get the old one...now she will have her very own laptop. She has a desktop PC in her room already, but as a pre-teen, the laptop is cooler. LOL
I realize it is too early for New Year Resolutions, but I decided to make one already. I will make an attempt not to post anything negative on my MySpace blogs because after Thanksgiving, I recognize that I have alot to be thankful for. I do not want to take anything for granted. So, I will leave all of my problems in God's hands and know that he will work it out for the good of all concerned.
Yeap, only HAPPY STUFFS from now on....unless it is something directly affecting me and my own feelings. Otherwise, I will save all discussions of drama for the privacy of my husband and I and our closest friends/family who can offer advise and support.
Here are some pics from Thanksgiving (all the food wasn't even on the table yet in this pic, and from the size of my belly...it looks like I ate it already) , the Baby Shower and one of Cheyann being goofy at home. I have more pics coming from the shower, with other friends and my sister in law and my mom and Cheyann but they are on other cameras. Just waiting to get them by email. Yeah, my belly is about as big as the Turkey we had for Thanksgiving!!! LOL Will post more pics later. Thanks for stopping by..and I hope your holiday was just as fabulous. Now, on to Christmas....and having this baby!
THE ENTHUSIAST (Id, directingSOCIALIZER or drivingEXPRESSIVE)
We break each main Style down into four Substyles. Yours is the Id, directingSOCIALIZER or drivingEXPRESSIVE, which we like to call The Enthusiast. Below is a snapshot of TheEnthusiast Substyle… as such, it's a closer look at you!
The primary goal that motivates you is influencing people.
You enjoy symbols of authority and prestige. You feel uncomfortable with any kind of confinement or restriction of freedom. Your high level of self-confidence enables you to withstand criticism from others. Each new person and situation is interesting to you, so life seems continually fresh.
COMPARED TO OTHERS IN YOUR PRIMARY STYLE QUADRANT, THE ENTHUSIAST IS MORE LIKELY TO:
Seek and enjoy status symbols
Admire people who express themselves well
Dislike routines, slow paces, and needless details
Be comfortable delegating as well as taking charge
Exude a positive, enthusiastic outlook on life
Be persuasive and inspirational
Trust other people quickly and give them a lot of latitude
Become soft or evasive when under pressure
YOUR GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
With Tasks:
You focus on the big picture and keep moving from one new opportunity to the next. You may not fully understand what's involved in accomplishing difficult or complex tasks. You can strengthen your performance by: (a) showing more commitment and follow-through on key tasks; (b) trying to be a more analytical thinker and listener; and (c) staying current with changing know-how.
With People:
Try to be less impulsive, especially when a low-keyed approach is more appropriate, such as during conflict. You can help yourself by working more closely with people who are task-oriented.
PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT POINTERS
Improve your ability to deal with the substance of tasks by targeted reading, training, and asking the help of mentors or colleagues.
State your positive views and intentions in more low-keyed ways while providing plenty of opportunity for others to express themselves.
Learn from Relaters how to better focus on routine, from Thinkers on how to be efficient with tasks, and from Directors on efficiency with people, including dealing directly with resistance.
A Little Something I Learned About Myself
Current mood: surprised
Category: Life
I took an individual assessment in school this morning. It was called an "Ethical Awareness Inventory". Here are my results. I found it very interesting. YOUR ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE
You tend to base your ethical perspective on what it is good to be, rather than what it is good to do . You believe that attention to ethics should focus on the achievement of moral excellence. When asked to judge whether an individual's actions are ethical, you look beyond the actions to the individual's character. Uprightness and integrity are key. You look for evidence of virtue in people, including such traits as honor, justice, and benevolence, believing that a virtue is not just an abstract principle. It is reflected in the quality of an individual's character, and character is more important than an individual's actions. In your opinion, mere compliance with rules, no matter how well-intentioned, does not make anyone an ethical person without being accompanied by consistent voluntary striving to be a morally good person. This category is most closely aligned in philosophy with virtue theory (Aristotle and Alasdair MacIntyre).
YOUR ETHICAL STYLE
You believe that ethics relies on the ability of individuals to make sound moral judgments. You do not believe that it is enough to comply with some preset standards or principles of right and wrong to find the solution to a complex ethical dilemma. Ethics relies on exemplary character to make the difficult choices. You value such qualities as honesty, wisdom, and integrity, and you place greater emphasis on demonstrating these qualities than on following the rules. You believe that an individual would be incapable of choosing between conflicting rules or standards of right and wrong without already possessing good character. Your approach to ethics calls for developing practical wisdom within individuals to serve as the basis for ethical decision making. Your ethical style compels you to strive to be a person of wisdom and integrity.
FRUSTRATIONS YOU FACE IN ADDRESSING ETHICAL DILEMMAS
Because social inequalities exist in our society, not everyone has an equal opportunity to develop the virtues you value so highly. In ethical discussions, you may be frustrated as you begin to realize that not all people have similar values.
You believe that development of character within individuals is a slow and deliberate process that has been neglected in recent years. This kind of ideal goal is not compatible with the tendency for some people to look for "quick fixes" for problems.
Although you strongly believe that mere compliance with organizational rules is not sufficient to develop ethical character within individuals, you may work for an organization that relies heavily on some system of ethical rules and sanctions. You view this as an "artificial" ethical environment that is less than sincere.
You are frustrated when ethical considerations appear to be tacked on to the "real business" of organizational decision making - almost as an afterthought. You believe that this disregard for ethics is a reflection on the character of the decision makers.
The people you work with may not have had the benefit of appropriate moral guidance throughout their lives, and they may not understand your perspective.
The word "integrity" is used by many in ethical discussions, but modeled by few.
"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) Accepting Nobel Peace Prize, Dec. 10, 1964
Wow, really makes you stop and think. How sad....I can't imagine being the type of parent to raise my child without values, morals, respect and above all faith in God. There are people out there who should be focusing on these things, instead of how to deteriorate the lives of others and tear down Christian faith.
Here is the preface to the prayer, sent to my Dad and Stepmom from a friend. I couldn't have said it better myself.
Barry
I thought you and Gail might understand this stupidity encroaching and invading over our Christian lives and values.
It was sent to me from friends in the US.
Peter G
New Pledge of Allegiance!
Since the Pledge of Allegiance and The Lord's Prayer
are not allowed in most public schools anymore
Because the word "God" is mentioned....
A kid in Arizona wrote the attached NEW School prayer.
It is sad really. Somehow it reflects the erosion of values of every sort that will eventually lead to the undoing of an entire nation. The Roman Empire was the last example I can think of.
Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.
If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.
Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.
For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited;......by the State
We're allowed to curse and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
They've outlawed guns at school, .....but FIRST the Bible.
Something I Really Need to Work On
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Religion and Philosophy
How To Forgive
One day a while back, a man, his heart heavy with grief, was walking inthe woods. As he thought about his life this day, he knew many things were not right. He thought about those who had lied about him back whenhe had a job.
His thoughts turned to those who had stolen his things and cheated him.
He remembered family that had passed on. His mind turned to the illnesshe had that no one could cure. His very soul was filled with anger, resentment and frustration.
Standing there this day, searching for answers he could not find, knowing all else had failed him, he knelt at the base of an old oak treeto seek the one he knew would always be there. And with tears in his eyes, he prayed:
'Lord- You have done wonderful things for me in this life. You have told me to do many things for you, and I happily obeyed. Today, you have told me to forgive. I am sad, Lord, because I cannot. I don't know how.
It is not fair Lord. I didn't deserve these wrongs that were done against me and I shouldn't have to forgive. As perfect as your way is.
Lord, this one thing I cannot do, for I don't know how to forgive. My anger is so deep Lord, I fear I may not hear you, but I pray that you teach me to do this one thing I cannot do - Teach me To Forgive.'
As he knelt there in the quiet shade of that old oak tree, he felt something fall onto his shoulder. He opened his eyes. Out of the corner of one eye, he saw something red on his shirt.
He could not turn to see what it was because where the oak tree had beenwas a large square piece of wood in the ground. He raised his head and saw two feet held to the wood with a large spike through them.
He raised his head more, and tears came to his eyes as he saw Jesus hanging on a cross. He saw spikes in His hands, a gash in His side, a torn and battered body, deep thorns sunk into His head. Finally he saw the suffering and pain on His precious face. As their eyes met, the man's tears turned to sobbing, and Jesus began to speak.
'Have you ever told a lie?' He asked?
The man answered - 'yes, Lord.'
'Have you ever been given too much change and kept it?'
The man answered - ' yes. Lord.' And the man sobbed more and more.
'Have you ever taken something from work that wasn't yours?' Jesus asked?
And the man answered - 'yes, Lord.'
'Have you ever sworn, using my Father's name in vain? '
The man, crying now, answered - 'yes, Lord.'
As Jesus asked many more times, 'Have you ever'? The man's crying became uncontrollable, for he could only answer - 'yes, Lord.'
Then Jesus turned His head from one side to the other, and the man feltsomething fall on his other shoulder. He looked and saw that it was theblood of Jesus. When he looked back up, his eyes met those of Jesus, andthere was a look of love the man had never seen or known before.
Jesus said, 'I didn't deserve this either, but I forgive you.'
It may be hard to see how you're going to get through something, but when you look back in life, you realize how true this statement is.
Read the following first line slowly and let it sink in
If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.
When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you!
MY DEGREE CAME IN THE MAIL
Current mood: accomplished
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes
I finally got my Associates Degree in the mail this week. WOW! It looks so pretty....I just started my 3rd class towards my Bachelor Degree. I can't wait to put that one up along side it.
I have a jewelry show tonight. And I will be taking a Christmas Centerpiece class at Michael's with Meliza next Monday. Can't wait to go home next week. One thing about the holidays, being home with family and friends is a wonderful thing. Good food, warmth and fun. I will bring board games with me of course.
I'm pretty certain next holiday will be spent in New York...so I will be making the most of this one. In fact, I'm not looking forward to the cold weather when we go in January/February. Brrrrr! But, it will be nice to see my friends at Ft. Drum etc. And I know Lincoln cant' wait to see Abby.
My husband's re-enlistment ceremony and my dad's retirement ceremony from the U.S. Air Force. He retired as a well decorated Lt. Col. The video is not very good quality ...but you'll get the idea.
pleased
grateful
productive
surprised
hopeful
contemplative
accomplished
cheerful
