and the FORTUNE COOKIE says...

I just hope they are good changes.

No Tomorrow...

It has been 10 years since my beautiful Grandma Leah passed away. As this anniversary has approached, I have found myself thinking of her a lot and all the things that she taught me. I have so many amazing memories of her that I will always cherish. I loved being with her. Sleepovers at Grandma's with my cousins were the best! We would make sugar cookies and she would cut out our hand prints in cookie dough for us to bake and decorate. Sometimes we would make popcorn balls, but no matter what...we would always make a mess. Grandma would always let us play dress up and wear her nightgowns, fur coats, jewelry, purses and heels and we would pretend that we were princesses, because that's the way she made us feel. She LOVED to travel and she had this incredible guest room with a huge hawaiian beach mural on it. We all loved the "Hawaii Room" because spending time at her house really was like a vacation. She would tuck us in at night and tell us stories and sing songs until we fell asleep. She had a beautiful voice and she knew the funniest, clever old folk songs that we all loved. I have an old cassette tape of her singing all of my old favorites and I still throw it in every now and then and think about her and her amazing influence on my life. She was so beautiful, I never remember a time that her finger nails and toe nails were not perfectly polished. And she almost always wore pearls and heels. If she wasn't in heels she would be in bright, fun keds that would perfectly coordinate and match her outfit. She always wore bright lipstick and I never remember her not smiling. She was the kindest and happiest person I have ever known. She was the only person in my entire life that ever called me Kimberly (not even my parents) and she always called me Kimberly, never Kim. Still to this day, I don't like anyone else to call me by my full name...I get a little sad. I kind-of feel like it was her special thing and no one else is quite good enough to call me that. Wow, do I miss her. I have always prayed that I would someday have a daughter that I could name after my beautiful and beloved grandma. It continues to be my prayer, today.

4 generations...

Me, Mom, Grandma and Great Grandma Martha- not too long before she passed away at age 96.

My cousins Alicia, Wade and I, playing dress-ups on the beach at Grandma's house. Oh my goodness...what wonderful, happy childhood memories those are.

Of all of the things that I learned from my grandma... her love of life, her kindness and service continues to be what I cherish the most. I remember many times going out to her garden and helping her pick some of her beautiful roses or dahlias and then heading to a nearby nursing home and asking if there was anyone who was lonley or could use a visit. She was always serving others, only it didn't feel like service because it was just who she was. She was visiting others, delivering treats and brightening lives until the very day she died.

Today, I feel incredibly

thankful

for her love and legacy and for the example that she has left for me.

Grandma also wrote beautiful poetry and as I was going through some stuff recently, I came across one of her books of poetry and found one of my favorite poems that she ever wrote. It perfectly captures who she was and the things that were important to her, the only difference is that she DID do these things, all of them... regularly. This poem reminds me of all she taught me and continues to teach me and wow, do I have a long way to go.

I love you, Grandma!

NO TOMORROW

I promised myself I’d begin anew,
By doing the things I had neglected to do.
I’d mail the cards I had meant to send,
To the sick and the lonely, the forgotten friend.
To the one pressed with sorrow,
I’d visit tomorrow.
I’d speak kind words, I’d take his hand.
I’d let him know I understand.

My crippled friend was lonely and sad.
I’d pay her a visit and make her heart glad.
The boy overseas was depressed and alone;
He longed for a letter from folks back home.
I loved my mother, I was sure she must know;
But just to make certain, I’d tell her so.

My thoughts were noble; my intentions were good.
I really meant to do as I should.
But the days passed by like a swift moving stream,
And lost in the current were my aims and dreams.
When I hadn’t kept faith, excuses I’d borrow.
I kept telling myself I’d do it tomorrow.

Then one day, as I paused to regret.
I received a call I shall never forget.
The words that were spoken were harsh, but clear.
My crippled friend was no longer here.

What remorse filled my heart; I had sealed my own fate.
I had waited too long; it was now too late.
What help does it give the heart that is broken,
If the words that could heal were never spoken?
Maybe the card I didn’t send could have brightened
the life of my crippled friend.

Will you be found guilty, will you be to blame,
For that longed for letter that never came?
You can dream of your deeds and the good they will do:
But they’ll remain only dreams if they are not carried through.
A good thought without action, no pleasure brings.
It stands without motion, like a bird without wings.

In this world of ours, it is plain to see,
Time will not wait for laggers like me.
As I reflect in sadness, my heart seems to say,
There is no tomorrow, there’s only TODAY.

~Leah Pyne Rowley Meldrum~

one of those months...

{OH MY GOODNESS}

Here's a sampling of things already filling the November calendar...

and we aren't even a week into it yet!

However... keeping with my "November Thankful Theme"

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I am very thankful for friends and loved ones' upcoming occasions and the opportunity to celebrate

GREAT and happy things!

tHaNkFuL

It's the perfect early November day and I am
feeling a little

INTROSPECTIVE

ˌ{in-trə-ˈspek-tiv}: a reflective looking inward : an examination of one's own thoughts and feelings

and also very...

today.

I hope I can remember to stop and feel this way, not just during this month of gratitude, but throughout the year!

Just a few of the many things I am thankful for: down comforters, hot chocolate, democracy, giant snowflakes outside my window, clean sheets, phone calls from loved ones, leftover Halloween candy, fluffly slippers, steam cleaners, diet coke, warm towels, good neighbors, the mister, my health, funny emails, my friends, pictures of my nieces and nephews that always make me smile, fall sweaters and boots, my parents, half eaten tub of cookie dough in my fridge that I bought from my nieces school fundraiser, good books, pretty packages with beautiful ribbon, quiet and solitude, crossing things off my to-do list, the soft lighting of lamps on during a gray & gloomy day, fresh smelling laundry, my "i voted" sticker, leisure suits, my sisters, days off from "work" work, the crackling of the leaves beneath my feet when I walk outside, the extra hour of sleep this week and mostly just having another day to face the battles.

{Happy} November...

be GREAT & be thankful

Friday Funny

a little holiday humor for this political season...

*hApPy HaLLoWeEn*

I wonder...

I wonder how much longer dinner will look like this?

or this?

I wonder how many more nights Chris will eat Trix in a styrofoam bowl for dinner, while sitting on the floor?

(Sorry about the blur...not sure if its me, or my camera)

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I wonder if I will even remember what to do in the kitchen?

Is it like riding a bike? Will it come back to me?

Will I enjoy it even more after going without for so long?

So many wondering questions.

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In the meantime...

I am thankful for amazing neighbors who bring us warm, pumpkin chocolate chip bread to remind us of all we're missing out on.

...if we could just get them to us some bring proteins and veggies,

we'd never have to finish our kitchen!

Hah!

TAKE THE TIME...

I have read several blog posts about this kind of thing lately, but I think it bears repeating...

HUG YOUR LOVED ONES...

TELL THEM THAT YOU LOVE THEM...

...EVERY SINGLE DAY!

I recieved a heartbreaking call yesterday afternoon that a friend and co-worker of mine and her husband were involved in a terrible car accident on Saturday night. He did not survive. They have been married less than a year, just purchased a new home and were expecting their first baby. It is so devastating and my heart breaks for her. I saw her on Saturday and we talked about our husbands, how she was feeling with pregnancy and our "Saturday Night" plans. Just over 3 hours laters...her world was turned upside down, in ways that I cannot imagine. It is so tragic. This is just one of many things these last few weeks that have reminded me how fragile life is. Never take one single minute for granted. And please... Slow Down and Wear Your Seatbelt!

Just what I needed...

It's been one of those weeks.! {period, exclamation point}

...so, imagine my delight to open my front door this morning to 3 people I love standing there with this:

and this:

Thank You!

I needed this little "pick me up"...

I love you!

It's a date! Me, The Mister and Neil

Saturday morning found the Mister and I out running errands bright and early, making final selections for our still not finished kitchen. As we were on our way back from the west side, enjoying the drizzly weather and just being together, CJ starts mumbling/humming what sounds a little bit like Sweet Caroline, but the words are all wrong. He does this sort of thing often... usually he doesn't actually know the words to the songs he sings... he just makes them us as he goes.

"WHAT!?!" I yell, clearly annoyed..."HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW THE WORDS TO SWEET CAROLINE?!?IT'S ONLY THE BEST KARAOKE/SING ALOUD SONG EVER WRITTEN!?!"

My frustation, embarrassment and disappointment was hard to contain. I scrambled quickly with my IPOD to see if I had any Neil Diamond that I may have downloaded at some point for a "mixed tape" and there it was... we blasted Sweet Caroline as loud of the stereo would play. I tried to help him with the words... I needed to ensure that this kind of embarrassing exchange never happened again. So there we were, driving across town in the rain, singing at the top of our lungs... (neither of us any good, mind you) and CJ still making up words as he pleased. We sang and laughed hysterically as I teased and made fun of him for not knowing the words and he teased and made fun of me right back FOR knowing all the words. As we drove, I couldn't help but to think of how much I loved this guy!

End of Story, right?

Wrong!

Last night, as I was getting into bed, I pulled the shams and decorative pillows off the bed (see previous post) and there was a piece of paper laying there on my pillow with a very sweet note from the Mister. As I looked closer, I realized what it was...

A receipt for 2 tickets to see Neil Diamond LIVE in Concert on December 19th!

So, there you have it! We have 2 months to practice all the words and be ready to belt them out!

I never could have imagined that I would ever be going to a Neil Diamond Concert! It's so random and funny that I can't stop smiling!

What on earth will I wear? How about CJ? Is his trademark sweater vest appropriate or does he need a true "Leisure Suit"? What kind of people will be there? Who goes to Neil Diamond concerts anyway, besides the crazy Johnson's? Will he sing all my favorites? Do I know all the words? Will we be prepared and ready? I mean, he is an american icon after all.

No matter what, I have a feeling it's going to be an insanely fun night....just me, the Mister and Neil!

Thanks CJ! I love you!

...and this is what we woke up to Sunday morning.

...and it's still coming down.

I wish I could have a sick day from church and all my meetings so I could just stay inside and watch it snow, snuggled up with a hot chocolate in hand and football blaring in the background.

Ahhh....if only!