Catching Up!

I haven't written since spring time. Wow!! So much has happened since then. I've been very busy with everyday life.

If I had any regular readers they've probably long ago given up on me. I do have a few new pictures to share. My husband bought me a horse about two months ago. What a great surprise! He did a great job and picked a real sweetie pie!

I haven't ridden seriously in almost 20 years. I've started lessons (Hunter) and am re-learning everything. It's a great challenge but it's also great fun.

Here are some pictures of Tucker. He is a 14.1 hand Paint gelding. I'll try to post more soon.

Spring? Are you coming or not? I have plans....

Spring!

It's 40 degrees here today but yesterday was the first day of Spring!

I'm so excited to know that it is here and soon the flowers will be blooming and the temperature will be rising.  I bought an indoor seed starter and some seeds and I'm looking forward to giving it a shot this year.  I will need to figure out a good place to plant my little spring garden in my very sloping backyard.  Most likely, I'll need to do a raised bed in order to level the garden.

If I want a farm one day, I suppose I should work with what I have and be a good steward before venturing off into bigger and more difficult things.  Despise not small beginnings!

It's Party Time!

My daughter turned 10 years old yesterday.  She is my baby and it's hard to believe that she is growing up!

We had a rock star themed birthday party for her.  It was a lot of fun even though several of her friends weren't able to make it.  There were a total of 6 girls, and believe me, that's plenty of girls to make some noise!  They all came dressed in rock star attire, and were given gold or silver sunglasses to wear.  They made their own V.I.P. passes and had to present them at the door of our game room to security, played by my 12 year old son.  He enjoyed that role very much.

They played Guitar Hero, Freeze Dance and enjoyed junk food and popcorn.  The kids loved it.

The Snowman

What a crazy week of weather we've had here! Last week we had a snow storm that gave us about 7 inches of snow! The public schools were closed for 3 days.

The kids had a blast. By the weekend, all of the snow had melted and we were enjoying 75 degree weather two days in a row! Only in Virginia!

As a tribute to our fun, albeit brief, snow experience, I wanted to share this short clip from one of the best animated movies of all time called 'The Snowman". When my oldest son (now almost 14!) was a newborn, we got him a soft stuffed Snowman that attached to the side of the crib and played this song. I still have it hidden away in the attic. Hearing the song makes me cry! Snowmen don't last long and neither do newborn babies.



An Old Man's Winter Night - By Robert Frost

An Old Man's Winter Night

All out of doors looked darkly in at him 


Through the thin frost, almost in separate stars, 


That gathers on the pane in empty rooms. 


What kept his eyes from giving back the gaze 


Was the lamp tilted near them in his hand. 


What kept him from remembering what it was 


That brought him to that creaking room was age. 


He stood with barrels round him - at a loss. 


And having scared the cellar under him 


In clomping there, he scared it once again 


In clomping off; - and scared the outer night, 


Which has its sounds, familiar, like the roar 


Of trees and crack of branches, common things, 


But nothing so like beating on a box. 


A light he was to no one but himself 


Where now he sat, concerned with he knew what, 


A quiet light, and then not even that. 


He consigned to the moon, such as she was, 


So late-arising, to the broken moon 


As better than the sun in any case 


For such a charge, his snow upon the roof, 


His icicles along the wall to keep; 


And slept. The log that shifted with a jolt 


Once in the stove, disturbed him and he shifted, 


And eased his heavy breathing, but still slept. 


One aged man - one man - can't keep a house, 


A farm, a countryside, or if he can, 


It's thus he does it of a winter night.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday - Loaded Down

Desperation

Yesterday my husband and I attended the funeral of a very important person in our lives.  This person was a friend and a trusted mentor.  He died much too young and we were shocked when we heard the news.

What made the realization of his passing even more shocking was learning that he had not died from a sudden medical condition as we originally thought, but had taken his own life.  This person seemingly had it all; a highly successful career, a great family, lots of friends, etc. One would have never guessed the torment he was suffering internally to have done what he did.

The first thing that you think of when somebody passes away is the last time that you saw or spoke with that person.  Then, you wonder what you should have done differently.  It's especially difficult when someone commits suicide because you feel that you somehow could have/should have made a difference.

It's difficult when we are going through our day to day routine to remember that each and every person that we deal with has their own struggles.  Imagine if we could train ourselves to be more sensitive to the still small voice of God when He wants to use us to bless, encourage or uplift another.  I urge you and myself to be as sensitive as possible to everyone who crosses your path.  You never know when a kind word can make the difference between life and death.

If you know of somebody who suffers from depression please be aware of the following:

Warning Signs of Suicide

• Ideation (thinking, talking or wishing about suicide)
• Substance use or abuse (increased use or change in substance)
• Puposelessness (no sense of purpose or belonging)
• Anger
• Trapped (feeling like there is no way out)
• Hopelessness (there is nothing to live for, no hope or optimism)
• Withdrawal (from family, friends, work, school, activities, hobbies)
• Anxiety (restlessness, irritability, agitation)
• Recklessness (high risk-taking behavior)
• Mood disturbance (dramatic changes in mood)

Additional Warning Signs of Suicide

• Talking about suicide.
• Looking for ways to die (internet searches for how to commit suicide, looking for guns, pills, etc.)
• Statements about hopelessness, helplessness, or worthlessness.
• Preoccupation with death.
• Suddenly happier, calmer.
• Loss of interest in things one cares about.
• Visiting or calling people one cares about.
• Making arrangements; setting one's affairs in order.
• Giving things away, such as prized possessions.

A suicidal person urgently needs to see a doctor or mental health professional.

In an emergency, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK

Wordless Wednesday - I-95 Off Ramp Last Week