Take time for friends in 2009.....

This was sent to me earlier today, and I thought it was worth sharing:

Too Busy for a Friend...

One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name.

Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down.

It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers.

That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual.

On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. 'Really?' she heard whispered. 'I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!' and, 'I didn't know others liked me so much,' were most of the comments.

No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another. That group of students moved on.


Several years later, one of the students was killed in

Iraq and his teacher attended the funeral of that special student. She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. He looked so handsome, so mature.

The church was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved him took a last walk by the coffin. The teacher was the last one to bless the coffin.

As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to her. 'Were you Mark's math teacher?' he asked. She nodded: 'yes.' Then he said: 'Mark talked about you a lot.'

After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates went together to a luncheon. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher.

'We want to show you something,' his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket 'They f ound this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it.'

Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him.

'Thank you so much for doing that,' Mark's mother said. 'As you can see, Mark treasured it.'

All of Mark's former classmates started to gather around. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, 'I still have my list. It's in the top drawer of my desk at home.'

Chuck's wife said, 'Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album.'

'I have mine too,' Marilyn said. 'It's in my diary'

Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. 'I carry this wit h me at all times,' Vic ki said and without batting an eyelash, she continued: 'I think we all saved our lists'

That's when the teacher finally sat down and cried. She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.

The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be.

So please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are special and important. Tell them, before it is too late.

Rest in peace, unknown kitty.....

Well, we had to put the unknown kitty to sleep. He didn't have bad injuries (other than some old scarring from fighting, etc), but the vet said his temperament was so bad that she doubted he could ever be domesticated. She said we could pay $200 to neuter him and put him back outside and continue feeding him and hope for the best, but we thought that would be cruel. If he stands no chance of ever being domesticated, it's cruel to put him back out where other animals could attack him or he could get hit by a car or worse. Isaak is bringing him home and we'll bury him in the yard. And darn it, I'm crying over a cat I didn't even know or have a chance to bond with. If there is a place in Heaven for cats, I hope this poor cat makes it there.

Now we're going to turn our attention to rescuing Zorro. I feel if his injuries aren't too severe, he does stand a chance of being domesticated because his temperament is much better. He's let me get really close to him, and he's even let me touch him and eaten out of my hand once. So please pray that we get him in the trap and that his injuries are treatable.

It was the wrong cat :(

Well, no jubilee yet. Isaak no sooner left here with what we thought was Zoro when the real Zoro limped onto our porch! I guess we had his twin in the cage. Isaak took it to the vet anyway, and turns out, it has an injury, too. In the same leg. Now I am suspicious that someone might have shot them. If that's the case, the humane people will be called in and they'll take it from here. Keep praying we catch the real Zoro. We're going to set the trap and hope for the best.

WE CAUGHT HIM!

Just a brief update for the post below this one. WE CAUGHT THE CAT!

Twinbrook Animal Clinic in Middlesex was the ONLY PLACE AROUND that would treat a feral cat if we caught him. So they gave us a cage to use to trap him, and we put it out, baiting it with tuna fish. I never thought he'd go in it, but we found him out there in it a few minutes ago. The clinic is closed now, so we'll take him in first thing in the morning. Wish us luck.....and a not so costly vet bill. We're not exactly financially fit for this right now with my husband off work, but I wouldn't be me if I let that poor cat suffer.

Amen Jesus---because he does answer prayers----even ones about saving a feral cat. :)

Outdoor kitty is hurt......:(

You're all going to think I'm crazy, but please pray for my outdoor kitty, Zoro. We hadn't seen him for 2 days, and I was getting really worried. I saw him on the porch this morning, curled up on an old blanket I put out there for him. I was so excited I ran out there to greet him. When I went out to feed him, he "cried" a lot. He doesn't usually "talk" to me at all. In fact, for awhile, I wasn't sure he could meow. Once I got close, I figured out why he was crying. When he came to eat his food, his left front leg was hurt. He can't even move it. In fact, it's basically just hanging there. I suspect maybe he got hit by a car or another animal got him. He's clearly in a lot of pain. But here's the bad part......he will not let me get ahold of him. His trust only goes so far with me, which is letting me get no more than a foot close to him. Last week, I did manage to touch him on the head when he was eating, but he quickly ran off. I've been trying to get him to trust me enough to nab him for months now, but nothing works. I tried everything this morning because I was desperate to help him, including downright chasing him once I couldn't get him any other way. For a cat with a bad leg, he's surprisingly fast.

He crawled under a huge pine tree in my neighbor's yard, and I tried, but I can't get under there. I'm so worried he's going to die. I just am not equipped to get ahold of him. He has claws and teeth, and I have no guarantee he wouldn't use them if he thought I was going to hurt him. And the last thing I need is to go to the hospital since we have no health insurance. I called Animal Friends to see if they will come try to trap him for me. If anyone has any better ideas, I'm all ears. For now, I'm waiting for someone to get back to me from Animal Friends. Please pray that I can get to Zoro and get him help. I'm really worried he might die, and darn it, I've become attached to him! Life has been pretty sucky lately, so if this poor cat that I've befriended dies, it's really going to send me over the edge. :(

Ho! Ho! Ho! And a barfy Christmas......

So this year for Christmas, Santa brought us the stomach flu. No joke.

Connor wasn't acting at all like himself on Christmas Day. It started when he woke up and wasn't at all happy to see that Santa had visited our house and left him toys. He just screamed "NOOOOOOOO!" for about 20 minutes and then hid under his blanket on the couch.

He didn't eat anything all day. And at 4:30 this morning, he woke up throwing up. It was swell. The poor kid threw up about 4 times before he finally went back to sleep. And he didn't understand that he couldn't drink a bunch of stuff, because that just made him throw up more.

So far today, he's been able to keep down only fluids. He's done nothing but lay on the couch with his blanket. When my kid doesn't move, I know he must not be feeling well.

We have no idea where he got this. We were around a lot of people Christmas Eve, but none of them appeared sick. And to the best of my knowledge, none of them are sick yet. So the only thing I can think is Santa brought it with him. Thanks, Santa. Next time, could you leave us some toys instead?

Double Trouble!

Back in July, I started feeding a stray cat that was hanging around our house. I was pretty sure he was a feral cat, as we had a pregnant female cat in the neighborhood last year that nobody knew who she belonged to. I am pretty sure this is one of her offspring.

Being the animal lover that I am, I started feeding it. I tried my best to make nice with it so I could grab it and take it to the shelter. No dice. It only lets me get so close, then it runs. I was even laying on my belly on our cold cement porch this morning, inching my way toward him, thinking I'd be less threatening that way. It was good until I got close enough to nab him. As soon as my hands went up, he took off. Because we have no idea where he came from or where he goes when he's not here, we dubbed him "Zoro, Cat of Mystery."

When the weather got cold, Isaak built Zoro a house. I've never seen him use the house, but it's out there.

Today, I have been doing my best to get my hands on him, because it's only 4 degrees outside and I am worried he's going to freeze to death. I was busy admiring him sleeping on an old quilt I put on a chair on our porch, when I noticed another black cat come sauntering up to the food dish. Our neighbor has a black cat, but it is about 4 times the size of Zoro and is very easy to discern from Zoro. But this one looked exactly like Zoro! And when Zoro saw the other cat, he didn't chase it. Instead, they wandered off together. Now, I'm not sure how long these two have been playing switcheroo on me, but I'm pretty sure I've been fooled this entire time into thinking I was feeding one cat. Now I am facing the realization that I have two cats I have to rescue from this weather. God sure has a funny sense of humor.......

YIPPPEEEEEEE!

WE ARE DONE!

When I say we, I mean me and my dad. And when I say done, I mean with his 40 radiation treatments for his prostate cancer. For the last 40 days, we have been going to Pittsburgh every day for the treatments (except on the weekends). It has been a very time-consuming event for both of us, and I'm not sure which of us is happier about it being done----OK, I'm sure my dad is happier since he was the one getting the radiation. But I come in at a close second. :)

While all that driving to Pittsburgh----and sometimes sitting around for an hour or more if the radiation machine was having problems (which is did often)----it wasn't that bad. I got to spend extra time with my dad. My dad is cool. He knows lots of stuff and he's the kind of guy who tells it like it is, whether you like it or not. So getting all that extra time with him was a bonus. I will sort of miss that.

But we're done for now with the daily road trips. He goes back in March to measure the levels of his prostate to see if the radiation worked. I'm praying it did. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers for a successful outcome.

Just call me Scrooge.....

I'll be the first to admit it: I am definitely a candidate for playing Ebenezer Scrooge this year. I'm just not in the holiday spirit.

Normally, I am one of those annoying people who deck the halls and spend the entire month singing Christmas carols. I used to put my tree up right after Thanksgiving. But this year, I was lucky to get it up at all (which was just 2 days ago, by the way).

I guess I just have one too many reasons to be down in the dumps lately, and I am letting it affect me and my normal Christmas cheer. I'm not really sure how to get in the spirit, because at this point, I'm skeptical that even the ghost of Christmas past would have a hard time getting my behind in gear. So I guess I'd better start practicing saying Ba Humbug now.

Je t'aime et bon nuit!

So, the other night, I went to the secret sister dinner at church. Then I had band practice. When I came home, my son was counting to 10 in French. Yes, my husband is from Canada and they speak French as a second language there---primary language if you live in parts of Montreal. I was pretty impressed Connor could count to 10. Then I was blown away when he learned to say "oui, s'il vous plait," which means "yes, please." And tonight, he learned how to say good night and I love you in French---Bon nuit et je t'aime.

I am so blown away that he's picking it up that easily. It took me 6 years of French (with a teacher who was actually from France) to be able to speak somewhat fluently. My 3 year old may surpass my ability here pretty soon! I wonder how you say smart cookie in French? I can't remember. Better go look that up. I might be needing it. :)

Oh the irony!

So, my dad has been mentioning that he wouldn't mind having a Vietnam Veteran hat since he's been seeing all the vets down at the VA Hospital wearing them. For Christmas, I decided to get him one, because he'd never buy one for himself. I had to special order it because they are in such high demand.

Well, it came in the mail today. When I opened it, I expected to see the stamp on it say "Made in China," because let's face it: it's hard to find anything that isn't made in China these days. But much to my surprise it wasn't made there. Oh no. It's much worse than that. I'll give you three guesses where it was made. Are you ready for this? It was made in.....Vietnam. I'm not sure if this is a joke or what, but I'm pretty sure my dad will not find it amusing that the very country where he was sent to war is the country now manufacturing his veteran hat. I should probably just send it back now.

The right attitude.....

So last night, I forced myself to stay awake to finish watching the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie Front of the Class. And I was glad I did.

The movie was based on the life of Brad Cohen, a man suffering with Tourrette's Syndrome. He was diagnosed at age 6 and back then, Tourrette's wasn't widely known or accepted. He had a pretty rough childhood, and some of that came from his own dad, who thought his son was just goofing around and could learn to control the ticks that come along with having Tourrettes.

The thing I liked most about this movie was this man's overwhelming "can-do" attitude. He didn't let anything stop him from becoming a teacher, or getting people to accept him for who he was instead of penalizing him for having a condition he can't control. It made me realize that if someone like Brad Cohen could keep a positive attitude about life, then darn it, so can I.

Thumbs up to Hallmark for realizing this man deserved to be showcased in such a way. The actor who played him the movie did an excellent job as well. And anytime a movie makes me realize I should be grateful for what I have and never be satisfied with not achieving my dreams, it's never time wasted.

If you want to learn more about the real Brad Cohen, visit his website at: http://www.classperformance.com/

Happy Holidays? I think not!

IT'S MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Say it with me now:
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I have to say that one of the most annoying things about this time of year is all the people walking around telling you "Happy Holidays." Um, no. It's not "the holidays." It's CHRISTmas. That's right. I'm one of those annoying Christian people who wants to remind the rest of the world-----which has commercialized Christmas into something so warped I don't even recognize it anymore----that the reason for the season is to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It's not about Santa Claus. Although, as our pastor preached last Sunday, the man on whom the fictional Santa Claus is based was actually a very good Christian man. But what that real person has been turned into is a crying shame. Somewhere along the way, people got the idea that Christmas was about how many gifts you'll get, being good enough to put one over on Santa so you still get those gifts, or whether your parents were able to trample everyone else in line at Walmart to get you the hottest item this season.

No, I hate to break it to you, but Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus. I have taught my son---who is only 3---to say "Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus." And let me tell you, it annoys the majority of people we meet. In Target last Wednesday, several people were telling us "Happy Holidays." But Connor, in the way that only a child can, gleefully responded by saying "Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus." Some people thought it was cute, some did not.

I realize to a great portion of the world, Christmas isn't about Christ. And how sad that is, because they are missing out on the love, joy and peace that comes along with knowing the greatest reason for the season.

What Christmas is all about.....

Today, me, Isaak and Connor had a very wonderful visit with a nice lady named Barbara at St. Barnabas nursing home.

We visited Barbara as part of the nursing home's Presents for Patients program, in which St. Barnabas partners with WPXI to bring local families together with residents at the facility who might otherwise spend the holidays alone.

Barbara was at the nursing home recovering from a bad fall. At some point, she likely would return to her home. She does have family in the area, but was very happy to receive visitors. We brought her a gift and spent about an hour talking with her. It's my understanding WPXI will use some footage of our visit to promote the Presents for Patients program on TV, so at some point, you'll be seeing my ugly mug on Channel 11.

I really enjoyed talking with Barbara, and spending time with her reminded me of the many years I spent with the residents at my parents' small personal care home in Blairsville. They had residents there who, without my family, would have had no one on Christmas. Those residents became like family to us, and now that my parents no longer have a personal care home, it sometimes seems weird for us not to be sharing our love with them on the holidays.

There is always going to be someone...somewhere....who is faced with spending not only Christmas, but every other day of the year alone. Many people are in need of our love and fellowship. If you're interested in spreading a little holiday cheer and remembering what the true meaning of Christmas is, I encourage you to get involved with Presents for Patients, your local food bank or any other organization reaching out to the community in which you live. I assure you, it will be an experience you will treasure for the rest of your life.

Spare no one

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27996349/?GT1=43001

So, police are saying that Walmart didn't train its employee well enough, and that is why the poor man got trampled by masses of people who just couldn't control themselves long enough to get inside like civilized human beings. Uh huh.

I am no fan of Walmart, but where is the personal accountability here? The real fault lies with the hundreds of people who trampled this man to death because they just couldn't wait to get inside and get their big screen TVs and toys. I'm not sure all the training in the world could have prevented this given the mentality of those shoppers.

Police say they are reviewing video of the incident but doubt they will be able to charge anyone. Here is my thought: they need to check receipts from the first hour of check outs at that store. Most people pay with credit cards these days, so it wouldn't be hard to track them down. I think anyone....and I do mean anyone....who was in that store right after that incident should automatically be charged with involuntary manslaughter. I realize this sounds harsh, but maybe if people realize there are consequences to such horrendous actions, they will not be repeated in the future.

Black Friday claims another life.....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081128/ap_on_re_us/wal_mart_death

OK, I'm sorry, but there are just no words for this. This poor man was trampled to death by shoppers who just couldn't wait to get in the store. And for what? $4 slippers and half off TVs? What has the world come to when people resort to this kind of brutality in the name of getting a shopping bargain?
The worst part of all was when the story said that when shoppers were told they had to leave because someone had died and they were complaining because they had stood in line for 3 hours to get in!
Like I said, there aren't words for this. Well, maybe there are a few, but I'm too polite to use them here.

Blech!

I don't know what this is that I have, but it is the hardest bug to get rid of!

I first got sick 3 months ago. I was so sick I sent Connor to my mom's house and I spent the next 3 days in bed. I haven't been that sick in a long time. After about 4 days, I felt better. Thought I had kicked it. A week later, my cough was back. So I went on antibiotics. Two weeks went by, I felt good. That lasted about 7 days. Then I got sick again. Sore throat, coughing, massive congestion. Ended up with a sinus infection, and I haven't had one of those in 5 years. So I got more antibiotics and was feeling pretty good....until 3 days ago. I have the sore throat, congestion and coughing all over again. AHHHHHHHH!

I saw on the news the other night that there is some sort of "super bug" going around and it's really hard to get rid of once you have it. Gee, I have no idea what that's like. :P

Must Read Author!

Last week was my birthday, and my darling husband came home with presents for me. I'm the first to admit that his presents don't usually make me smile. Sometimes, they perplex me. But it's the thought that counts, right?

Well, this year, he clearly thought very hard when buying me a gift. Among the things he got me was a book by author Lynn Austin. The book he got me was entitled Until We Reach Home. It's about three immigrant women from Sweden who flee to America to escape some pretty terrible circumstances. It takes place in 1897, so it is an historical novel. But more than being historical, it is very religious in nature. The things these three women endure (and no, I won't tell you, cause I don't want to spoil it for you) during their journey is incredible. But the author uses them to show how the women come to find God. It is very well written and very powerful. I was in tears by the time I finished. I highly recommend it.

I was so moved by this author that I searched for more books she has written. I just finished one called Candle in the Darkness. It takes place during the Civil War. Again, an historical piece with religious undertones. Again, I found myself in tears when I read it. This woman is remarkable in how she weaves an accurate historical tale, all the while making you think long and hard about your faith.

She has written many other books, and won a Christy Award in 2001 for her historical novel Hidden Places. That is the book I am reading next.

I highly recommend this author. I think even a person who isn't remotely Christian would enjoy and be moved by these books, so it might be a great way of reaching out to someone you know who needs a nudge toward Christ.

In Honor of our Veterans.....

You have to listen to this. It was sent via email to me today, and I just had to share it with everyone. Here is the full message:

Get a load of these high school kids. At the conclusion listen to the high notes on the trumpet . . . played by a high school kid? One of the fathers
recorded it, added some graphic enhancements to the recording, and posted it on the web. The song, of course, is the 'Battle Hymn Of The Republic.' Be prepared . . . it will definitely send a few shivers up
your spine. Click below!


http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/Battle%20Hymn/index.htm

An arm, or a leg....or both?

I'm sure you've all seen the spoof of a gas station price sign that says the cost of regular is "An Arm," the cost of mid-grade is "A Leg" and supreme is "Both." Well, that's how I'm starting to feel when I leave the grocery store.

I could understand it when gas prices were skyrocketing. But now that the price has come down some, it seems like the prices in the store just keep rising. When I went for groceries this weekend, I came home with six bags and a $100 bill. And I didn't even buy any of the pricey items, like meat or cereal. I kept wondering what in the world I bought for $100 that fit in so few bags.

Today, we went to Target to get pull ups for Connor and some other essentials, like tissues and toilet paper. I nearly had a stroke when the clerk told me my bill was $67. I had two bags of stuff, and it came to $67.

At this rate, we're going to have to raise our own cows and chickens and have a garden, because pretty soon, I won't be able to afford real food at the store anymore.

Don't let the door hit ya....

...where the Good Lord split ya!

Sorry to be so blunt, but quite frankly, I'VE HAD IT!

In the last 24 hours, I've heard a lot of people complaining because John McCain didn't get elected. The bulk of those complaining have threatened to leave here and go to Canada to escape Barack Obama's extreme liberalism and socialistic ideas. For those of you who have never been to Canada, you clearly do not know what you are saying. Ask my Canadian husband, and he will happily explain to you that Canada is far more liberal and socialist than Barack Obama could ever be, so your escape plan to our northern neighbor might not be such a great idea. Trust me on that one.

While people who voted for McCain have a right to support their candidate, threatening to leave their own country in protest is just ridiculous. And I'm sorry, but it's also, in my opinion, a COP OUT. So you don't like who is president? Stand up for your rights! The fate of this country isn't in the hands of one man or woman. No president has absolute power, that is why we have Congress and the courts. And I just don't understand how otherwise good people, who claim to love their country, can threaten to duck and run the minute things don't go their way. As the daughter of a U.S. Veteran, I find this line of thinking very offensive. My dad fought to secure your freedoms, so you could live here and enjoy them and cherish and RESPECT THEM, not so you could run to Canada the minute things didn't go your way. If you really love the United States, then you stick it out, through thick and thin, and do your best to make the changes you want to see. It's not up to our government to save people's souls, help the poor and needy and make everyone happy. That is up to us. So if you are really that unhappy, then by all means, leave. It's your God-given right, and the right of every US citizen, to exercise their freedoms. Just don't expect me to understand it.

I also want to remind my Christian friends about one passage that a wise man shared with me today (thanks Bob!). Read it and then think really hard about what it is God wants us all to do right now, because I think this passage is pretty clear:

Romans 13

Submission to the Authorities

1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

The country has spoken....

We have a new president-elect of the United States.

I fought to stay awake last night until all the votes were in, but gave up the battle of my weary eyes after I saw that Obama had taken both Pennsylvania and Ohio. I figured it was pretty much in the bag at that point. And sure enough, when I woke up this morning, I discovered I was right.

I realize many people are unhappy with this turn of events, and I can fully understand where they are coming from, as a Christian and as a fellow American. But honestly, I think this country is going to face some really hard times in the next few years, and that wasn't going to change no matter who got into office last night.

And love him or hate him, you at least have to admit that this is history in the making. On Aug. 28, 1963, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have A Dream" speech. Dr. King's vision, his dream, was to see blacks and whites living harmoniously together, sharing equal rights and privileges. While I'm still not entirely sure the two races are living together "harmoniously," this is a huge step in the right direction. I wonder what Dr. King would think if he were still alive today.

In 1966, blacks finally gained the right to vote, like every other American citizen, after a bitter civil rights battle. I couldn't imagine what it would have been like to live in this country, pay taxes, and still not have the right to vote. To that community, I'm sure this is an exhilarating moment. I must admit, that I never thought I'd see a black president in office during my lifetime, and I'm not all that old yet. :)

As one of my friends said yesterday, there's no reason to panic. God is still in control here. So whether you're candidate won or not, just pray for the future of this country.

It's election day....

DID YOU?

And no, I'm not telling you who I voted for, because I like to keep my politics to myself. :)

On a side note, I forgot to mention that I saw John McCain on his tour bus Sunday, headed down Route 22 toward Pittsburgh. He was sitting right up front, waving to people as he drove by. It was priceless.

Take time for the important stuff....

This next week is going to be nuts for me, especially tomorrow. I have to take my son to school, then find time to vote, then take my son for another assessment for his autism treatment, then take my dad to Pittsburgh for his radiation therapy. I have a feeling I'll be wondering if I'm coming or going before the day is over.

A very wise friend of mine (thanks Bob) sent me this poem this morning. I wanted to share it with everyone, because it's so true. Enjoy!

TIME TO PRAY

I got up quite early one morning

And rushed into the day,

I had so much to accomplish

I took no time to pray.

The problems just tumbled about me,

And heavier came every task;

“ Why doesn’t God help me,” I wondered,

He said, “ WHY DIDN’T YOU ASK ?”

I saw naught of joy or of beauty—

The day sped on, gray and bleak:

I asked “ Why won’t the Lord show me?”

He said,” BUT YOU DIDN’T SEEK !”

I tried to come into God’s presence;

I used all the keys at the lock,

God gently, lovingly chided,

“ MY CHILD, WHY DIDN’T YOU KNOCK?”

I woke up quite early this morning,

And paused 'ere entering the day:

There was so much to accomplish

I HAD TO TAKE TIME TO PRAY !

Hallowween Fun

I'm not a huge fan of Halloween, so I was a little surprised when Connor's preschool--- Christian preschool---decided to have a party for the kids. With Connor's sensory issues, he hates wearing certain clothes, so finding a costume was a challenge. But I found a baseball player one that he liked, so he wore it proudly during their parade.

Kick in the pants....

Every once in awhile, something happens to remind me that my life isn't that bad, and that I should just shut up and quit complaining. Today was one of those days.

I write feature obits for the Post Gazette's North edition. This morning, I had the pleasure of writing one on a lady from the Karns City area who died at age 49. While it's awful to have a life ended so young, this woman taught me a few lessons, even after her death. She was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. She was told she had less than a year to live. So what did she do? Cry, sulk, get mad or lock herself in her house? Nope. She spent time cherishing the moments she had left, telling all of her friends and family how very much she loved them, taking the time to write each of them a personalized letter about just what they meant to her. The more I learned about this woman, the more terrible I felt about myself. She truly was the type of person to put everyone before herself, a true image of what being Christlike means. Here was someone who really had a reason to be glum, but she chose to spend her last days looking on the sunny side, appreciating what she had, counting her blessings and thinking about everyone but herself. I may not have known her, but she has made an impact on my life today. Hopefully, the lesson I've learned from her will stick in my brain, and I won't need someone to kick me in the pants to remind me.

Fun at the patch....fun in the dirt

Connor decided to help his pap dig a ditch at their house a few weeks ago. Pap said he never had so much "help" in all his life.
I guess it's true that boys like to play in the dirt. :)



Below, we're on our field trip to a local pumpkin patch with Connor's preschool. It was loads of fun.

Reality check Thursday....

I know this is the second post in one day for me, but my friend just sent me this, and I thought it was worth sharing. Feel free to share it with anyone YOU know who may need a reality check today:

WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE POOR

Being poor is knowing exactly how much everything costs.

Being poor is getting angry at your kids for asking for all the crap they see on TV.

Being poor is having to keep buying $800 cars because they’re what you can afford, and then having the cars break down on you, because there’s not an $800 car in America that’s worth a damn.

Being poor is hoping the toothache goes away.

Being poor is knowing your kid goes to friends’ houses but never has friends over to yours.

Being poor is going to the restroom before you get in the school lunch line so your friends will be ahead of you and won’t hear you say “I get free lunch” when you get to the cashier.

Being poor is living next to the freeway.

Being poor is coming back to the car with your children in the back seat, clutching that box of Raisin Bran you just bought and trying to think of a way to make the kids understand that the box has to last.

Being poor is wondering if your well-off sibling is lying when he says he doesn’t mind when you ask for help.

Being poor is off-brand toys.

Being poor is a heater in only one room of the house.

Being poor is knowing you can’t leave $5 on the coffee table when your friends are around.

Being poor is hoping your kids don’t have a growth spurt.

Being poor is stealing meat from the store, frying it up before your mom gets home and then telling her she doesn’t have make dinner tonight because you’re not hungry anyway.

Being poor is Goodwill underwear.

Being poor is not enough space for everyone who lives with you.

Being poor is feeling the glued soles tear off your supermarket shoes when you run around the playground.

Being poor is your kid’s school being the one with the 15-year-old textbooks and no air conditioning.

Being poor is thinking $8 an hour is a really good deal.

Being poor is relying on people who don’t give a damn about you.

Being poor is an overnight shift under florescent lights.

Being poor is finding the letter your mom wrote to your dad, begging him for the child support.

Being poor is a bathtub you have to empty into the toilet.

Being poor is stopping the car to take a lamp from a stranger’s trash.

Being poor is making lunch for your kid when a cockroach skitters over the bread, and you looking over to see if your kid saw.

Being poor is believing a GED actually makes a difference.

Being poor is people angry at you just for walking around in the mall.

Being poor is not taking the job because you can’t find someone you trust to watch your kids.

Being poor is the police busting into the apartment right next to yours.

Being poor is not talking to that girl because she’ll probably just laugh at your clothes.

Being poor is hoping you’ll be invited for dinner.

Being poor is a sidewalk with lots of brown glass on it.

Being poor is people thinking they know something about you by the way you talk.

Being poor is needing that 35-cent raise.

Being poor is your kid’s teacher assuming you don’t have any books in your home.

Being poor is six dollars short on the utility bill and no way to close the gap.

Being poor is crying when you drop the mac and cheese on the floor.

Being poor is knowing you work as hard as anyone, anywhere.

Being poor is people surprised to discover you’re not actually stupid.

Being poor is people surprised to discover you’re not actually lazy.

Being poor is a six-hour wait in an emergency room with a sick child asleep on your lap.

Being poor is never buying anything someone else hasn’t bought first.

Being poor is picking the 10 cent ramen instead of the 12 cent ramen because that’s two extra packages for every dollar.

Being poor is having to live with choices you didn’t know you made when you were 14 years old.

Being poor is getting tired of people wanting you to be grateful.

Being poor is knowing you’re being judged.

Being poor is a box of crayons and a $1 coloring book from a community center Santa.

Being poor is checking the coin return slot of every soda machine you go by.

Being poor is deciding that it’s all right to base a relationship on shelter.

Being poor is knowing you really shouldn’t spend that buck on a Lotto ticket.

Being poor is hoping the register lady will spot you the dime.

Being poor is feeling helpless when your child makes the same mistakes you did, and won’t listen to you beg them against doing so.

Being poor is a cough that doesn’t go away.

Being poor is making sure you don’t spill on the couch, just in case you have to give it back before the lease is up.

Being poor is a $200 paycheck advance from a company that takes $250 when the paycheck comes in.

Being poor is four years of night classes for an Associates of Art degree.

Being poor is a lumpy futon bed.

Being poor is knowing where the shelter is.

Being poor is people who have never been poor wondering why you choose to be so.

Being poor is knowing how hard it is to stop being poor.

Being poor is seeing how few options you have.

Being poor is running in place.

Being poor is people wondering why you didn’t leave.

On the road again.....

On the road again
Just can't wait to get on the road again
The life I love is makin' music with my friends
And I can't wait to get on the road again
On the road again
Goin' places that I've never been
Seein' things that I may never see again,
And I can't wait to get on the road again.

I've been singing that old Willie Nelson tune for the last 4 days as I drive my dad to Pittsburgh for his radiation treatments. I don't think he's amused. But darn it, I think we need a theme song if we're going to be driving to Pittsburgh every day for 8 weeks, don't you?

I've thought about writing my own song, but that usually just ends up getting me in trouble. :)

So, if you have any suggestions for a new theme song for our trips to Pittsburgh, I'd be happy to hear it.

Palin endorses Democrats.....

OK, I saw this photo a few minutes ago and I just could not resist sharing it with everyone.

Look closely: Sarah Palin is wearing a red, white and blue scarf that says VOTE on it. But it also has donkeys all over it. Erm, the last time I checked, the donkey was the symbol for the Democratic party. And the last time I checked, Ms. Palin was the VP candidate for the Republicans. Way to endorse your opponents there, Sarah.

I think she gets the dumb dumb politician award of the day.......

Is it Nov. 4 yet?

I'm Shari Berg, and I approve this message..................... :)

I'm not sure which of these two chuckle heads needs help more: Obama, for holding the phone the wrong way, or McCain, for holding a microphone at a recent rally upside down. Someone told me Obama at least has an excuse, because it is common practice to turn a phone upside down if the person you're talking to is speaking way too loud. So he may have an excuse here. But McCain......dude....I've never heard any such thing about turning a microphone the wrong way. Let me offer you a little advice here. Generally, if you want to be heard, you have to speak into it.

That being said, has anyone else gotten tired yet of all the robo-election calls? Just today, I received five from Mr. Obama's camp. Four of those were automated, so I couldn't really yell at them to leave me alone. Well, I could have, but it wouldn't have really helped. But the fifth one was a real person, so I told him that the quickest way to not get my vote is to call me every hour, asking me to vote for him. The guy got really quiet, then promised he wouldn't call again. Oh, if only he meant it.

I haven't gotten any calls yet from the McCain camp, and I must say, I feel a little left out. I guess he doesn't think my vote is important.

All I know is at this point, Nov. 4 can't come soon enough for me. And then, God help us all, because no matter which of these two get in office, we're going to need it.

Adding to the family

My husband has been itching for another baby since Connor was 2 days old. Of course, he wasn't the one who was up every 45 minutes breastfeeding for the first 2 months straight, so to him, parenting was a breeze. :)

I wasn't opposed to adding to our family, but a series of events sure seems to have stopped us dead in our tracks. The biggest (and obviously most important) is the fact that we don't have health insurance that covers maternity. We have to pay for our own insurance, and when you're buying as an individual, your options are pretty much limited. The only insurance company that offers maternity to individuals is Highmark. Well, Highmark won't insure me because they claim my allergies----for which I take no prescription medications and receive no treatment that is charged to them----is too expensive to cover. But that's a rant for another time. So we have one of those bare minimum plans that really covers nothing. That includes having a baby.

For awhile, my husband was of the thinking that we'd just pay for it out of pocket. When I showed him statistics that the average pregnancy, including prenatal care and delivery, costs over $20,000, he almost had a stroke. And that $20,000 is for an unmedicated, uncomplicated pregnancy. If I needed any intervention, such as a C-section, it would cost a whole lot more. So he gave up that idea pretty quickly.

Me, I see all of this as God leading me toward an option I've been thinking about for a long time, and that's adoption. A close friend of mine adopted her daughter, and they have a great relationship. She gave a child a home, and she has the love of that child in return. The thought that this isn't her biological child has never once stopped her from treating her daughter like her own. I watch those "adoption of the week" segments on KDKA news every week and my heart aches for those kids, some of them as old as 16, who have never had a family of their own and have been shuffled from one foster home to another. I know that I want to provide a home for a child like that, because I have room in both my heart and my home for it. I realize not everyone can love an adopted child the way they would a biological child, but I am not one of those people. I have talked to my husband about all of this, and I think he's starting to realize just how serious I am. Maybe, God willing, he will be led in the same direction.

Vote....or I'm telling everyone you didn't!

I saw this story today and I was dumbfounded. As a member of the media myself, I am not quite sure how this newspaper got away with publishing the names and addresses of people who didn't vote. Voter rolls are public information, but publishing them, along with a person's voting preference and their home addresses, is not. I can't understand why this paper hasn't been sued yet. But just in case they inspire any local newspapers to follow suit, I guess we'd better all get out there and vote, or it'll be our names we see published next!

Here's the story:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A Nashville newspaper published the names and addresses of thousands of registered voters who did not go to the polls in the 2004 presidential election.

The paper said it is a way to encourage voter turnout in Nashville.

Some people listed such as Terrence Alexander said the list violates their privacy.

"The tactic is dirty," he said. "I think they should have had the decency to at least call me."

He said he did not vote in the last election because of a medical condition. He intended to vote, but he can't drive.

"I had a ride supposed to come to get me through the election services. No one ever showed up," he said.

"We have people over here who won't go out and vote," said Rosetta Miller-Perry, president and publisher of the Tennessee Tribune. "It's ridiculous. It really hurts."

The African-American newspaper based in North Nashville reaches more than 150,000 people each week, according to the paper's Web site.

The paper plans to publish the names of voters in four to five districts with predominately African-American voters in them.

"Sometimes when you embarrass people they do the right thing," Miller-Perry said.

The paper published a list during the 2006 Senate race. She said in one district voter turnout went from 37 percent to 65 percent after the list was published.

"We need to live up to the civil rights that have been given to us," she said.

Some people listed cited work, lack of transportation or illness among the reasons of why they didn't vote in 2004.

One woman said she had every intention of voting but went to prison right before Election Day.

Miller-Perry said these may all be valid excuses but there are hundreds out there who don't have a good excuse and they need to know their vote is important.

"I intend to vote. Will they come and pick me up," Alexander said.

Since the list cost thousands of dollars to print the paper plans to publish the names online instead of in print for the next election.

It early voting started Wednesday in Tennessee. For details regarding times and early voting locations, contact the local county election commission office or the Tennessee Department of State Division of Elections.

No, the cat isn't a horse......

After three years of hiding under the bed in hopes that Connor would go away, our cat, Gabe, has finally accepted the fact that yes, Connor is a permanent part of the family and he won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

So Gabe has been making nice with Connor, letting him pet him and even cuddling with him on the floor at times. One night, I even found him in Connor's room, trying to figure out how to get up on his bed with him. I thought we were making progress. That was until this morning......

One of Connor's favorite things to have his daddy do is give him a giraffe ride on his shoulders. Well, he got it in his head that Gabe could do the same. All I saw was the cat come tearing into the room and under my desk, with Connor following him saying "Come on, Gabe, you give me a giraffe ride!" Poor cat. Just when he thought it was safe to come out from under the bed.......

I need a vacation.......

I think it's been two years since I've had anything that could even remotely be called a vacation. I'm starting to think I need to do something about that, as lately, I've been very frazzled.

However, I have good reason to be frazzled. Things have been hectic. My dad is about to start radiation for his prostate cancer, we're in the middle of desperately trying to finish the renovations on two bedrooms, and this past weekend, I had to wear 3 hats at church because we were short handed. Follow that up with preparing and serving dinner for 7 people, and I am ready to fall down in a pile.

Yep, I think a vacation is in order. Somewhere warm, exotic and where I won't find cell phone or internet service
so that I can truly be left alone.

I'll be shouting from the rooftops.....

.....if there still is a rooftop to shout from when my husband is all done with renovations, that is.

For what seems like an eternity (really, about 8 months), my husband has been renovating two of our downstairs bedrooms in the house. While I'm glad he has the knowledge to do the work (he used to work construction in college), his time to work on it is severely limited, so it is taking a long time to complete it. He's saving us a lot of money by doing it himself, so I try to look on the bright side when I find myself ready to scream bloody murder because it's taking so darn long.

But I think we're finally entering the final stretch. He's doing wiring today, plus adding an attic access door. Currently, if we want to access the lower attic, we have to climb through a ridiculous hole in our master bathroom on the second floor. Whoever designed that lovely hole was, I'm sorry to be so blunt in saying, an idiot. It has made accessing the attic very difficult.

Once he finishes up the attic door and the wiring, we can put the drywall back up and get at least one room done. We're hoping to have it done before Christmas. It'll be a nice present if it is done by then!

Brings new meaning to multitasking.....

Since cell phones became all the rage a few years ago, it seems you can find people talking on those darn things all the time---while driving in a car, waiting in line at the store and now even while on the toilet. Yes, you read that right---ON THE TOILET.

I have seen this happen more than once in the last two days, and I have to admit, I find it incredibly disturbing. Just this morning, in Panera Bread, a lady was chatting away while doing her business in the stall next to me. And last night, the same thing at the local gas station. And two weeks ago, the same thing happened in the bathroom at the Burger King in Shaler. It was like second nature to these folks. If I were talking to someone and I realized they were on the toilet, I think I might be a little grossed out. That's just TOO MUCH INFORMATION for me to hear and know while you're on the phone with me. These people aren't exactly quiet about their activity, either, so I'm sure the folks on the other end of the phone realize they are in the bathroom. But the conversation goes on like it's perfectly normal and acceptable. Maybe I'm weird, but it just seems wrong to me. And gross. And unsanitary. And I find myself wishing those people would accidentally drop their phones in the toilet. Although, from what I've witnessed lately, that probably wouldn't stop them from continuing to talk on them.

Has our society become so obsessed with staying in touch via cell phone that we can't even keep the darn things in the closed position while we take a pee, or worse yet, a poop? I'm not sure what this says about the people who make calls while on the potty, but it doesn't say much for the people who receive them and just tolerate it. Personally, if I knew someone was calling me from a toilet, I'd hang up on them. There are just some things that are meant to be done in private, not with me on the other end of the phone.

If you read just one book this year, read this one.....

I have been reading a lot lately, mostly because it gets boring watching my 3 year old play for 12-13 hours every day (he doesn't nap anymore, but that's a lament for another time).

Anyway, I saw this book, called The Shack, in the Family Christian Store in Cranberry a few weeks ago. I almost bought it, but wasn't sure I wanted to spend $19 on a book I'd read once then never look at again. So imagine my surprise when last Thursday, I found it in our own public library! I knew then I had to get it and read it. It was like God was telling me to read this book that I was too cheap to buy just a few days ago by making it readily available and free.

I am so glad I read it. This book made me cry, laugh, and then laugh so hard I was crying. In it, Jesus is a black woman who sings soul and wears funky clothes: the Holy Spirit likes to garden a lot; and Jesus is just an average Jewish guy who, as the author puts it, isn't all that strikingly handsome. There are serious undertones to the book, as it is the journey of a man who has had a rough life and has pretty much given up on God. If you haven't read the book, I don't want to ruin it for you. But even the least religious person on the face of the earth would find this book a great read. It's on the New York Times Best Seller list at #1 for a reason, people! Here's a link to the website for the book if you want to learn more or order your own copy: http://www.theshackbook.com/

So if you read only one book for the rest of the year, make it this one. You won't be sorry you did!

PETA is stupid.....

There is no nice way to say it. PETA is stupid. I have seen many stupid suggestions and ads from these folks over the years, but their latest----an ad campaign suggesting cow's milk causes autism----really has me worked up. As the parent of a child with high-functioning autism, I find this appalling and offensive on so many levels it isn't even funny. There are studies about eliminating casein---which is not just found in cow's milk, but other products as well----along with wheat gluten. Personally, that diet did not help my son and many others who have tried it have not had success with it, either. So PETA is being very irresponsible by stating this as fact when the studies they are using to back it up are sketchy at best. PETA seems to care more about animals than they do about their fellow human beings. Here is their latest ad, along with a story on it, if you've not heard of this yet. If you find it offensive, tell PETA. I know I have.

GOT AUTISM?
Parents, heads up. Recent studies have suggested a link between dairy consumption and autism. Since many people don't know this, PETA is planning to run a billboard in Newark, New Jersey. Even though it won't please the billion-dollar dairy industry, parents have a right to know the truth about milk.

In a study at the University of Rome, researchers noticed a "marked improvement" in the behavior of autistic children who were taken off dairy products, but how dairy might worsen or cause autism is still unclear. Some suspect that casein (a component of cow's milk) harms the brain, while others suggest that stomach problems that are often caused by dairy products cause distress and thus worsen behavior in autistic children.

Not so surprising, considering that milk has already been strongly linked to Crohn's disease, certain types of cancer, and other serious health problems. But I digress.

Thankfully, there is hope. Testimonials suggest that some people with this devastating disease may be able to find relief by simply removing milk from their diet.

There's a whole world of information out there for parents and for women who are pregnant or nursing about how to raise their kids dairy-free. Be an informed consumer and check it out!

*The Newark area had the highest rates of autism occurrence among 14 states studied in one report.

There's no place like home.....

It's true what they say: There's No Place Like Home! And boy did I miss mine over the last week.

I had to spend the entire week at my parents' house in Blairsville, PA because the incompetents that are Duquesne Light did not have my power on until late Thursday night. Then they turned it off again to do more work. The long and the short of it is, I was without power for a week. It was ridiculous. If there is ever a real disaster around here, I am quite certain we will be in the dark for months.

It was a fun little vacation at my parents' house for me, my son and our cat. My husband was in Canada, so it was nice to have some extra help with my son while he was away. And even though I am eternally grateful to my parents for putting up with me all week, I was really glad to sleep in my own bed last night.

But you HAVE lights, dumb lady!

That is the motto on the top of Duquesne Light's website. I laughed really, really hard when I read that. And then I got mad and yelled at my computer. Sure, it's not my computer's fault that Duquesne Light is incompetent, but I had to yell at something.

We haven't had power since Sunday night. But that's news to Duquesne Light. Our entire neighborhood is on save six houses on my street. Our transformer blew. We've tried to tell them that. But because their computer says our lights are on, we must surely be mistaken. I don't know about anyone else, but I remember how to throw a switch to turn the lights on, so when I do that, and nothing happens, GUESS WHAT? IT MEANS I HAVE NO POWER! But tell that to the electric company. I actually had a so-called customer service representative tell me this morning that she would not put a work order in for our street because the computer shows power has been restored there! Me and my five other neighbors are very upset, but we don't know what to do at this point. There's no chance our power will ever come back on when the power company refuses to acknowledge that it's not on, despite what their computer says. This is so frustrating! Where is that "bang head here" sign......I need it again. :(

Bang Head Here.....

Those of you who know us know we've had a spate of what could only be called bad luck lately. Or, as one of our friends at church put it Sunday, "the Devil is really at work here." No kidding.

My husband was without work, I've been really sick and we've had some problems getting our son the therapy he needs for his condition.

Then my uncle died, out of the blue. No one expected it. We were all shocked.

My husband's grandfather died Friday. He had had a stroke 10 years ago that left him pretty much unable to do anything. It had been hard to see him like that, because he couldn't talk. The most he could do was squeeze your hand and make some facial expressions to let you know he knew you were there and to communicate with us. He's finally with his beloved wife, Vi, who died 3 years ago. We're not sad for him, we're glad. Now he can be free of the body that has held him captive for so long. So my husband is on his way to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, for the funeral. We had to stay behind because, sadly, airfare is ridiculous. No one offers bereavement fares anymore, and only two airlines fly into Canada. So we had little choice.

Add to our woes the fact that we've had no power since Sunday, and you can imagine, I'm banging my head A LOT. Our entire neighborhood now has power save the five houses near me. Our transformer blew. We've been trying to tell the electric company this, but they keep telling us THE POWER IS ON because their computer says so. Gee, I guess we all just forgot how to turn our lights on, then, because they aren't working. No matter who we call, we can't seem to get them to put a work order in for our transformer. Looks like we may never have power. I'm currently at my mom's house, because being at home with a 3 year old and no power is just not a good thing. But at this rate, we may have to move in here permanently since, you know, our power is really on, we just can't see it.

So if the next time you see me, I have a huge bruise on my head, you won't even have to ask what happened.

"C'mon, Mom, let's go back to kid school!"

That's what my excited 3 year old shouted at me yesterday afternoon. Repeatedly.

Yesterday was his first day at The Preschool Place. He had attended a different 2 year old program last year, but as you may remember from an earlier blog post, that experience was very bad thanks to an ill-equipped teacher. But this new place seems like it's a perfect fit.

For starters, his teacher has a master's degree in special education. The aide is special ed certified, too. So children who have special needs don't phase them. They reported Connor did well on his first day. And he must have liked it, too, since he demanded to go back less than an hour after he had come home from there. It's a shame it's only 2 days a week, because I think he'd go there every day if I let him!