A sad day...

I've had a hard time stopping the tears for the last 4 hours... I'm thankful it's not due to a loss in my family, but just the same, my heart is broken for my dear friend who is going through the loss of a child.

On the evening of 5 January, a car accident occurred in NSW that left the driver and one of the 4 children in the car seriously injured.  Later that night, the 9 year old girl lost her fight.  Her auntie is still in the hospital, still in critical condition, so she needs prayers.  The other 3 kids are ok.  But Kate and Matt lost their beautiful Liv...

To pay tribute to this sweet little angel who was taken from her loving parents too soon:  she was a gorgeous redhead... shy sometimes, but others, take you off guard with how bubbly she was when she was warming up to you.  She was thoughtful and intelligent, and so so sweet.  And this all from a lady who really didn't know her all that well.  I was lucky enough to meet this gorgeous girl more than once, and lucky enough to have her over when my oldest was a newborn.  I can't imagine what they're going through right now, but Kate, if you're on the net trying to take your mind off things (as I know you do dear girl), please know that I'm shedding buckets for you, Matt and the kids, and that Liv has a special place in my heart...

Grab your kids, your parents, your brothers and sisters, your friends.  GRAB them, HOLD them, and tell them how much you love them.  Because it's not just a cliché - we really don't know how much time we have left.

Much love,

d.

ps: Kate has a blog, and just a few days ago did a lovely slideshow of pics of her kids in 2009... have a look-see over there:  The 6 of Us

New year, new resolve

I've started a new blog.  


No, I'm not shutting this one down, I'm starting a daily gratitude blog, that is combined with a photo-a-day blog. It's a photo-a-day of something I'm grateful for.  That said, I'm not STARTING it, I HAVE STARTED it.


d's gratitude



My aim with this is that my daily activity on this (theoretically) shorter-posting blog will increase my devotion to this blog that I started FIVE and some years ago.  Yes, this blog has been around that long.  And so, I should step up to the challenge of COMMITTING to being part of the blogosphere, since I've technically been part of it for more than 5 years.


Anyhoo.


Goal for this year?  Hit 100 followers for EACH of my blogs.  Wanna help?  TELL YOUR FRIENDS! ;)


(((hugs)))

hack hack, cough cough

See, I get frustrated when I make a goal, and then come NOWHERE near accomplishing that goal.  HMMMMMM... happens ALOT to me.  Like posting on my blog.  Like sorting through photos and getting them printed/up on facebook so the fam doesn't disown me. (kidding, kind of.)  Like reading more.  Like exercising.  Like scrapbooking more.  Oh wait, that one I'm ACTUALLY making headway on. :D  yes!

Then this cold.  Coughing for 8 days.  Realising that, wait a sec, I've had FOUR COLDS in the 3.5 months I've worked at my job.  HMMMMM....  Dr's office tomorrow.  Friends think it may be environmental.  How much would that truly suck?  Oh, just ALOT.  This job has been an unbelievable blessing.  My boss is so awesome, my hours are flexible (like, as in 24 hr/day flexible), and for what I do, I make good coin.  But, I've been sick alot.  And now with not being able to sleep due to the hacking up of my lungs at night... I feel like I'm even more behind the 8-ball.  I just want to have some time to get stuff done - like calling my youth parents to set up a meeting, like calling about rental units in the paper, like so many other things... but I talk for longer than 60 secs and I'm having a conniption fit.  I'm not even talking right now, and I'm coughing.

Please pray for my cold to go away.  I know it's silly, and dumb, but after this last 15 months... well, these silly and dumb straws are gettin' pretty heavy.

Hugs!

Time certainly flies...

... the more you don't WANT it to!

This last year has gone so amazingly fast, my head spins just to think of it.  I was thinking about my blog the other day, thinking, hmmm, it's been awhile since I've done a post.  I come on here today, and realise, holy cripes, it's been over 2 months!

Not that we don't have reason for our time to fly - I've been working full time, we've all gotten the flu bug (not sure if it was H1N1 or not!), my dad was here visiting from Portugal, Thanksgiving holiday (visiting with mum, and bro and fam), kicking off our Student Ministry @ WLAC, working through the Changeways program (just me), starting up my Scrap club and doing my first cardworkshop (with Stampin' Up!)..... yeah, lots of stuff!  Some days I was lucky to even have the energy to check my email.  And let's not forget: a preschooler and a toddler are tough work, even at the end of a day of outside-the-home work!  They're sooooo much fun though, so it's totally worth it.  They just whittle away the time so fast.  I could spend hours tickling either of my boys - the sound of their laughter is addictive - it's my drug of choice. :)

I still have lots to do, enough to make myself feel overwhelmed yet, but I feel that things are heading toward some sort of organisation.  The key thing in our life is that we need to have a calendar with all of our events and commitments on it - that will make life IMMENSELY easier!  BUT.... to find the time to make one big enough to put all the deets on it......  ha!

I have finally posted some project photos to my group on facebook, took me long enough.  I've got the projects in there from September and October Scrap Clubs... and in time, I'll have the cards from my last card workshop, and the next one (it's on Tuesday).  Next Scrap Club is 21 November, so I'll have 2 more layouts and one card to show then.

We will be moving soon - although when, I'm not so sure.  We have to be out of Grama's house by the end of February, that's the deadline we've been given... so, to find a house cheap enough, yet suitable for life with 2 boys and a self-employed web designer (a 3 bedroom house will do the job), that'll be the deciding factor as to when/where.  The thought of moving in February is daunting, to say the least (hey, no one wants to move when it's 30 below), but that's what we've been dealt, so we gotta play the hand we've got.

Well, should go do some domestic duties... dishes done, and bedding in the washer, but have the HUGE task of sorting through boys' clothing to give to Sally Anne, keep and pack, etc.... should probably stop procrastinating and just do it!

Hugs to all!