We are Family!!

Ok, my family is filled with democrats, republicans, conservatives, liberals, Christians, undecided, longhair, short hair, overweight, skinny fitness buffs, working moms, stay at home moms, the well to do, the not so well off, great cooks, can not even boil water!, the hairy, the bald, the freckles, the organized neat ones, the sloppy maybe I can find it in a week or two people, the young full of energy, obnoxious teenagers (please insert eye roll here!), the youth just out of college trying to find their way, the middle age, the upper middle age, and the senior citizens, the meat lovers, and the vegetarians. My family is filled with pretty much any type of person you can name. Where am I going with this you are wondering (stick around I promise I have a point!)
Family is precious - you might not always get along, in fact the better you trust your bond of love the more you will feel to speak up when you disagree!! You learn to listen to other points of views, you learn to see the world through someone else view, you might be lucky enough to inherit some tried and true recipes that have been handed down through the generations! IF, and I do emphasis the "IF" you may be real lucky to have a hot line to call to ask all those cooking questions to if you are trying a recipe for the first time, if grandparents are still alive!!
It's where you learn to accept others that are different from you, or who think different from you!!! Your family allows you to never be truly alone!! You will never have to wait in the waiting room at the emergency room alone, if you loose your job, somebody always has room or extra to give! If your heart is broken someone is there to help you glue back the pieces and help it heal again! Family fills in when someone decides to bow out from not being there (my hubby's grandfather taught him to shave, and how to put on a cup!) The good, the bad, and the ugly occurs in family situations we are not always at our best but we hopeful learn and get to see love triumph over all! We learn the act of forgiveness! We learn how to give and share! We also learn how love seems to multiple to be given to a lot of people!!
I think that is what has bothered me most about the story of the lady who adopted an orphan from Russia - where was the love? where was the forgiveness? where was the acceptance? I have yet to hear any of that -regarding her, or her family and what they did to try to make possible (I will give the benefit of the doubt here) a difficult situation better?? It also has hurt the chances of other good individuals who would love to be parents who are currently trying to adopt a Russian orphan, as well as crushed the dreams of some orphans to have a family of their own! Family is such a blessing, a gift you give yourself - my heart is full of sadness when learning of this story -However I believe this story plays itself out here in America every day. My heart also hurts when I hear stories of unforgiveness that have broken and splintered families apart, or unacceptance that have shattered the bonds of love. When a spouse chooses to not honor the vows the made to their spouse. I pray that we would recognize today the value of our family and remember that things usually happen so slowly that we do not recognize the ripple effect it has!!! There is a song at right now (please forgive me I do not know who the singer is) where one of the lines says "families do not crumble in a day" so true - guard yours well, respect the individuals, forgive them when they mess up, and hopefully the will forgive you as well!! Sorry for my rambling this has been on my heart!!!

What I love

I want to thank my "Blog" friend, and my IRL friend Jonni over at That's Baloney! For giving me this award!

Well I have to tell you 1o things that I love (I feel like Ophah doing her favorite things show!)

1. I love my God, who is so awesome that he gives Grace freely and loves imperfect, weak, shallow little me!!!

"My Grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" 2 Corinthians 12:9

2. I love My hubby! Brent is my best friend, a wonderful father, and the person that makes me laugh the most!

3. I love my girls! I have three daughters, and life is never boring, and never without estrogen or a little drama around my house! I do tease and say "It is really hard to be the Queen around here when everyone is trying to borrow your tiara!"

4. I love My Girlfriends!!!! Life would be soo boring without them! I have such a good group of friends (and they do not even all know each other). I have Wendy who is my encourager, and my Fun Friend!!! The friend I would want to go grab a drink with anytime! She is a positive, sweet friend that God has blessed me with (everyone who meets her just loves her!)!! I have Jayna who is my coupon Diva and funny friend who can always make me laugh!!! I have Heidi who keeps me on my toes! I have Jonni who is the Hostess with the mostess and always inspires me, (she does the neatest coolest things, and finds the coolest things!) and she always includes me. We have so many common interest, conversation is never boring! I have Kerry and Amy W who are my sexy friends who always remind me that I am a woman, and I need to focus on myself -after all even an old barn looks good with a little paint! Shannon who knows me when...(Scary thought I know!), Katie my prayer warrior friend, Doesn't everybody needs someone else they can go to with a prayer request and know that their friend will really pray for them! Danetta who is my newbie friend who can just come over, and drink a glass of wine with me on my front porch! and My mom who knows me well and loves me enough to boss me around! Here is a picture of Kerry and Wendy from Jonni's Halloween party:

5. A good book!!! I love to curl up with a blankie in my favorite chair and read (some of my favorites are "The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Society", "The Little lady Agency", and the "kill Artist" and the Twilight series - I read a diversity of books!)

6. Crafts - I love the sense of accomplishment you get from finishing something!

7. Having friends over at my house, where you can kick your shoes off and there is no closing time!!! Here is a picture of one such get together:

8. Laughing- you notice all my friends make me laugh, and so does my husband... humm... a common theme!

9. A good movie (one I want to see over and over and never get bored with: "It's a wonderful life" , "Momma Mia", and "Pride and Prejudice", and yes even cheesy Twilight) Here is a picture of Jonni and I at the movies, can you guess which one?

10. What life could be complete without Chocolate and Coke Zero!!!!

Those are 10 things I love and would not want to live life without them.
It is now time to spread the love!!! I am passing this award on to the following bloggers:

* C'estLa Belle Vie

* Sweet Tea