Friendship

A friend is the hand that is always holding yours., no matter how close or far apart you may be. A friend is someone who is always there and will always, always care. A friend is a feeling of forever in your heart.

This is how I am feeling today. I spoke with dear friend of mine today and she is having a really hard time. She has had a rough few months in her personal life which has been difficult. And then yesterday she went to the dr. and now is going through testing for a serious disease. The poor thing - it just seems like one thing after another. I wish I could do something to help her. I feel helpless when I see my friends going through a difficult time and there is nothing that I can do to help. I am the kind of person who needs to jump in and do something, fix it, make my friends feel better. And this time I can't do anything. All I can do is hope and pray that the doctors are wrong. And if they aren't, I can only be there to help her if she needs it. I only wish that I could do more. What do you say, what do you do when your friends are going through this and you want to help? It seems like no matter what I say or do, its not going to be enough.

I pray that God will protect and care for her - more than that I don't know what to do. I feel helpless - I want to do something!

What a great day!

This morning I was getting my kids old toys and clothes packed up to take to Winnipeg for my nieces and nephew when I got a phone call from 2 of my darling nieces. Brianna is 3 1/2 and Aliyah is 22 months. Brianna was phoning to invite me over for supper ("we haf fre fries and kicken") and Aliyah was watching her favourite movie "Annie" and wanted to sing the song "Gum Gog"(Dumb Dog) to me. Then my sister sent me this photo. I miss them sooooo terribly much. I haven't seen them for a year and I am so excited to get to spend a couple of weeks with them. Outside of my own kids, there are no kids that can put a smile on my face like these two little girls. They are so excited that we are coming to visit. The countdown has already started in our house. Only 18 more sleeps until we go to Winnipeg

And then to make things even better my Scraptivity kit came today. I can't wait to start playing with it. Between that and the 3 cjs I am working on, life is pretty busy this week.

I want to leave you with this thought today! I really liked it and wanted to pass it on:

God has put something noble and good into every heart His hand has created. Mark Twain

Good Morning

What a wonderful husband I have. I have been having terrible back pain for the last 3 days and sometimes I can barely move. This morning I woke up to him rubbing my back. He said that he figured that if he started rubbing it while I was sleeping then I would wake up and maybe it wouldn't hurt! What a guy - didn't actually work, but the thought was there. Then he made me breakfast and headed off to work. I am still trying to figure out what I did to deserve that this morning. Then I read my "Quote of the day" that I get in my email and thot I had to post it here because it was perfect for how I am feeling about Chris today.

When I say I love you, its not because I want you or because I can't have you, it has nothing to do with me. I love what you are, what you do, and how you try. I've seen your kindness and your strength. I've seen the best and the worst of you. And I understand with perfect clarity who you really are.


I realized today, just how lucky I really am

Get to know me

I saw this on Mary's blog this morning and thot it would be fun to do it myself, so here goes:

1. First Name: Ramona
2. Were you named after anyone: no - I was supposed to be named Maria after my grandmother, but my mom decided to end the tradition at me.
3. When did you last cry: While reading the book "A Slant of the Sun"
4. Do you like your handwriting: Absolutely not
5. What is your favourite lunch meat: Tomato Basil Chicken
6. Do you have kids: yep 2 of them
7. If you were another person, would you be friends with you? not sure - I am very stubborn and can be difficult to get along with
8. Do you have a journal? Yep, right here
9. Do you use sarcasm alot? Definitely
10.Do you still have your tonsils? yes
11.Would you bungee jump? Not in this lifetime
12.Do you untie your shoes before you take them off? Never altho most of my shoes are backless
13.Do you think you are strong? I have to be
14.What is your favourite ice cream flavour? Strawberry Banana
15.What is your shoe size? 9 or 10 depending on the designer
16.Red or pink? Definitely red!!!
17.What is the LEAST favourite thing about yourself? I am OCD and I am a LARGE woman
18. Who do you miss the most? My grandfather - he died when I was 14 and i wish my children and he would have gotten the chance to know each other
19.When and where were you born? Women's Pavilion in Winnipeg Manitoba in 1970
20.What colour pants and shoes are you wearing right now? Pink camoflage pjs and a white tshirt
21.What is the last thing you ate? chocolate
22.What are you listening to right now? My kids talking to each other and to me
23.If you were a crayon what colour would you be? Dark blue
24.Favourite smell? Brewing coffee
25.Who was the last person you spoke with on the phone? my mom
26.The first thing you notice about the people you meet? I can be very superficial - I give them a once over to see how they carry themselves
27.Do you have a special talent? nope
28.Favourite Drink? Beer
29.Favourite Sport? I watch but don't play. Love CFL football
30.Hair colour? red
31.Eye Colour? hazel - they change from green to blue depending on what I am wearing
32.Do you wear contact lenses? Yep - I couldn't live without them
33.Favourite food? Chinese food
34.Scary Movies or happy ending? Happy ending
35.Last movie you watched? The Family Stone
36.What colour shirt are you wearing? white
37.Summer or Winter? Summer
38.Hugs or Kisses? Hugs
39.Favourite Dessert? Kahlua Cheesecake
40.What books are you reading? The Boy who Loved Windows, Every Woman's Battle
41.What's on your mouse pad? just my mouse
42.Favourite sounds? sound of thunder, my son's giggle, music
43.Rolling Stones or the Beatles? The Beatles
44.The Furthest you have been from home? Montreal, Quebec
45.If you could pick any two people to have dinner with, who would they be? Temple Grandin and C.S. Lewis

What a day!

All kids are gifted. Some just open their packages earlier than others.

Yesterday was quite a day. Harder than I hoped it would be. Because it is the end of the school year, we always take the kids to see their paediatric autism psychiatrist before we leave for summer holidays. You keep hoping that they are getting noticeably better and that they have major improvements and its always disappointing when they don't. Kiana hasn't really improved over the past year. She has regressed in alot of ways and her "comprehensive" age hasn't really improved much. Sure, she's got an 8 yo body, but she has a 4-5 yo mind. I keep hoping that her mind will catch up with her body, and maybe it will, but its not happening at the speed that I want it too. Thank goodness the school year is almost over because they aren't helping one bit. They just point the finger at me and bad parenting. Hopefully next year we will get a better teacher - one who will understand what Kiana is actually going through.

And so, we keep on keeping on. It just means more rigid scheduling with less "free" time to do what we want. It means making sure Kiana knows what is going on every second of every day. Well, we gotta do, what we gotta do!

We read to know that we are not alone. C.S> Lewis

Reading is one of my favourite things to do. Next to scrapbooking, I read virtually everything that I can get my hands on. I just finished a book called "A Slant of the Sun" It was a moving book about a mother who has to deal with the fact that her child has just been diagnosed with autism. It looks inside the mother to see her struggle to accept the diagnosis of her son, while still attempting to find the best therapies that will perhaps teach him to speak and to learn. It isn't necessarily a book for parents of autistic children, but also for anyone who wants to get a small glimpse into the life of a family with autism.

A friend emailed me a list of the top 1000 books you need to read before you die. Not sure where she got it from, but I have decided that I am going to read through this list if I can. I have perused through the list and realized there are about half a dozen that I have read that are wonderful reads so I am sure there are more to come. Some of my favourite books from this list are: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, The Poisonwood Bible, Memoirs of a Geisha, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Beloved, Schindler's Ark(original title of Schindler's List), To Kill a Mockingbird, Lord of the Flies, The Little Prince, Of Human Bondage and Tess of the D'Urbervilles.

If you have the desire or the time, I challenge you to read through this list. Post here and let me know - I can give you a copy of the list. I think there is NOTHING better than to read a good book. It takes you to a different world if only for a little while. Even though life is extremely busy and time is extremely short, never forget to take the time for yourself to relax. If I didn't have that, I would have been locked up a LOOOOONG time ago. Kay, I am coming down off my soapbox now. Hope you all have a wonderful day!

UYO!!!

Today I noticed a Unidentified Yellow Object in the sky! I am not quite sure what it is, but it is making for some warm weather thats for sure! I think its about 2 weeks since this object has made its appearance in the sky. I am hoping that this phenomenon lasts a while longer.

Anyway, I was looking for motivation today! I wanted to scrap but I think I am blocked. Then I was reading A Designer's Eye (for like the 3rd time) and I came across this quote that I have placed on my computer moniter:

Mu ideas usually come not at my desk writing but in the midst of living. Anais Nin
And sure enough, not 1/2 hr later, my ds lost his first tooth. Naturally I took a picture and I printed it and its going to be one of my next pages. Then my dh looked at me and said "You can find inspiration in ANYTHING!" Maybe I'm not blocked, I am just spending too much time looking at my computer screen. I have been blocked for a few days and I was spending so much time online looking at other los hoping that they would inspire me that I forgot to look at my little inspirations sitting at my feet. I will definitely have to post the lost tooth lo when I get finished.

Thanx for listening to my rambling. I really feel like I don't have alot to say, but I say it anyway! Have a nice day.

I am turning into a duck!

We have had so much grey and wet weather that I am starting to grow webbed feet. Its ridiculous. I forget what the sun looks like these days. So I thot since the weather is crummy I would go and buy myself the new Crop-a-dile. But, of course, there isn't a store in town that has them. WHY didn't I pick one up a month ago when they had 20 on the shelf?!?! Because I didn't know anyone who had them and I wanted to find out if they were worth the buy!! Now that I know they are, I can't find one anywhere. Isn't that just the way?! But, on a positive note, I got my tickets for Scrapfest today. I CAN'T BELIEVE that I am taking 2 of Ali's classes. I love love love her work and I cannot wait to learn from her. I am also looking forward to meeting Roslyn, Anam, Rosalie, Carol, Carla, Jayme, Caroline and Melissa from S! Its going to be sooooo much fun. Only 3 more months.

Want to leave you all with this quote today. I really love it:

Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. Oliver Goldsmith

Today is a thinking day!

The sky is grey today and has been for the last few days. I think it kind of matches my mood. Today really is a thinking day. For the last few months I have been contemplating the person that I am. Where have I come from, who am I now and where am I going?! I found this great quote from e.e. cummings that says

It takes courage to grow up and be who you really are.

I think that is what I am trying to figure out. Who am I really? I know that I am Chris' wife and Kiana and Malachi's mom, but who am I. I know I am a child of God and that He created me to be the being I am. I want to be true to me and to my family and friends. I want to be a person that people feel better for having known me. I want to be able to look in the mirror and really be happy with what I see. I just want to BE!

Well, here I am

I think I am finally starting to "get" this blogger thing. I was a little confused(being the computer illiterate that I am) but I think it's coming to me. I just think I need a place where I can post my thots, you can see my stuff and I can just post what's on my mind. So, my thot for today is this:

I am afraid to show you who I really am, because if I show you who I really am, you might not like it -- and that's all I've got. Sabrina Ward Harrison

Alright, here we go

I too have taken the plunge and started my own blog. Not sure if anyone will even read this but, its a start anyway. This is the perfect time of day to do this. The kids and Chris are all sleeping - we got a house full of sickies right now so its really quiet around here. Drop me a note to say hello - it would be great to hear from you!