Happy Little Trees

This blog will be temporarily out of order for a brief period of vacation.

Until that time, here's some random pics to view. If you want to blog a story about them (using all pics in sequential order), go for it. The best post wins a $5 Starbucks gift card. Ciao.

1976 Reese Witherspoon (actress)
1975 Beth Richards (superstar)
1972 Elvis Stajko (figure skater)
1959 Matthew Modine (actor)
1952 Bob Coastas (tv news and sports reporter)
1948 Andrew Lloyd Webber (composer)
1936 Glen Campbell (singer, actor, host)
1931 William Shatner (actor)

1. Good hair days are usually good days. The great curly or straight debate can keep on, but I have the right to choose my own hair for the day.
2. Just when I think I’ve got my life all planned out, usually things change. And change is okay. But requires a heap of prayer time.
3. I now understand why MTV VJs are usually “let go” once they hit 30. Adam Curry, I miss you!! You were my favorite!
4. Make-up is a good friend to me.
5. My life still has meaning and purpose even though I might be the only one single and childless from my graduating class of 1993.
6. It’s okay that my job does not match the major listed on my diploma.
7. Nothing is impossible with God. Don’t freak out.
8. It’s important for me to look at the majesty and intricacies of nature and appreciate it.
9. God hears me. And it’s important for me to be still and hear Him.
10. Times when I am most dissatisfied with life, are times when I am wrapped up in me, and not God.
11. I love to laugh, and find great joy in making other people laugh.
12. We usually all need help at one time or another. It’s sometimes stressful to be a one-man show.
13. I’ve got so much more to learn about God, life, other people, love, and myself.
14. I need friends and family. I’ve been so blessed by them.
15. Birthdays are fun days. :)

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

1.Scrub bathroom with Comet, and spray Tilex where needed.

2.Wash dishes and put them away—don’t just leave them drying in the sink.

3.Sweep up all red hair dust bunnies and shine a few spots on the wood floor.

4.Dust entire apartment—or just places where you can write you name in dust.

5.Lower Windex level since last visit either by dousing bathroom mirror, or emptying a bit into sink.

6.Dust off all other cleaning supplies she purchased during her last visit and make last weak attempt to figure out how to use them.

7.Throw away handy pre-moistened dust cloths and “Swiffer Wet” cloths that have dried up under the sink since mom purchased during her last visit.

8.Hide all personal journals from 2000 to present.

9.Stock the frig with Diet Pepsi.

10.Make a space for her suitcase.

11.Have remote handy and channel preset to HGTV.

12.Don’t forget to pick her up at the airport!

Today is my mom’s birthday. She’s 60. Whoah. That’s a chunk of change!

I wish I could e-mail my mom, and make you e-mail her, but she’s a Renaissance woman. And doesn’t have an e-mail.
Since you probably don’t know my mom, here’s her story:

My mom was born near Owensboro, Kentucky, and my Uncle Gordon had to trek through the snow to find the doctor (so legend says). At the age of 15, she moved from the third largest city in Kentucky, to the third smallest city. That’s where, at the age of 16, she met my dad. She married my dad at the age of 18, had her first child at the age of 19 (teenage pregnancy!), and then my brother at 21, and she thought she was done. She and my dad moved 13 times all around the state of Kentucky, before finally settling into their beautiful farmhouse estate in Dundee. They had to move because of an unexpected surprise (“Well, we wanted you after we saw you!”) of me being born to my mom when she was feeling really old at the age of 28.

My mom has had a few jobs, but has spent most of her life serving the community, church, and her family with amazing devotion. She’s the busiest woman without a fulltime job that I know. She’s been known to do crazy things sometimes like mow the lawn with a flashlight, put on wigs to go undercover, and vacuum at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday. She doesn’t stop. In later years, I think I’ve figured out that my mom carries the family gene of something called “A.D.D.”

My mom loves to laugh and is always smiling. She likes to sing everything she says. And she likes fluffed hair and Aqua Net. She likes to shop, but just because she needs stuff. She loves to talk. She loves to decorate houses and “detail” cars to cover flaws (with creative uses of stickers and ducktape). She’s not scared to kill bugs. She loves to watch movies. She’s a very hard worker (it makes me tired to think about it). She also is “Grandmother Judy” to six grandchildren and the favorite mother-in-law to two.

Growing up with my mom was like being part of a comedy series. I was her sidekick for many years. She didn’t believe in babysitters, so I had to—I mean--got to--go everywhere with her.

Mom, Happy Birthday. I love you very much and even though it scares me that I stand like you and sometimes things pop out of my mouth that are from you, I love you love you love you.

I've told quite a few of my single lady friends this story (in more detail of course).

My friend, Stephanie, has a beautiful love story about how she and her honey-bunny met. Brief synopsis: They met as kids, kept in touch by letters, and later starting dating again. All those years when praying for God to bless her with a husband, she prayed, Brian or better. Well, ladies, Stephanie married Brian, and she now lives happily ever after with Mr. Crazy Irishman.

I love this picture. Stephanie, we will all keep praying for you! :)

1.Sammy Davis, Jr. was on my bus today. He was dressed in a black suit, white patent leather shoes, had a gold hoop earring, Ray Ban jazz sunglasses, and a white cabbie hat. He was telling a crazy story to the lady across from him reading a book, but she couldn’t understand him because I think he forgot his teeth this morning. I really don’t know why he had a toothbrush in his hand. Maybe that was part of his story.

2.While standing at the sink in the work bathroom, I noticed a sweet lady’s pedicure and almost screamed. She had hot pink tootsie nails that hung over the toe about an inch on the big guy that went to the market down to about ½ inch for the little guy that went wee wee wee all the way home. How in the world would you wear sneakers with those monsters?