Life's Biggest Blessings

2010-12-20T14:33:00.002-05:00

The funniest thing happened today. This is especially funny after writing what I just wrote about the cat burglars two days ago.

I bought both Ben and Jerry a toy and a can of Fancy Feast for Christmas. I wrapped each gift up and buried them under the other gifts by the winter village. This morning I woke up and Jerry (I caught him in the act, that’s why I know it was him) had dug out the gift that said “To Jerry from Santa” and had opened it. I came out into the living room to find a can of Fancy Feast, Jerry playing with his new toy, and a clawed up piece of Christmas paper on the floor! He had even managed to remove the toy from it's cardboard holder!

How that cat ever learned to read is more than I know!!!

Cat Burglars!

2010-12-18T14:14:00.000-05:00

We should have named our two grey cats Frank and Jesse (James) instead of Ben and Jerry, because they steal!!! Among the many items that they have stolen from us are a baby sock, which we haven’t yet found, a sledder from our winter village, which I recently found in back of their food dish, a package of hamburger rolls from the kitchen counter, which they KNOW is OFF LIMITS, (they pulled them though the kitchen, through the living room, through the cat hole in the basement door, down the basement stairs, and proceeded to shred the bag and eat some of the rolls; a pkg of rawhide pig ears I bought for my daughter’s dog, Brinkley, for Christmas, the wrapping paper is totally shredded; my Christmas snowman mini paper notebook, which I recently found, various pencils and pens, and last (but I’m sure not least) my wooden toast tongs! They are a couple of regular little thieving gray balls of fur on four legs!!!

The Secret

2010-08-15T09:28:00.000-04:00

Okay, after 32 years Jim and I are ready to give away our secret.

How Twins Are Made:

Time Brings Change With It

2010-08-13T17:12:00.007-04:00

One thing I've learned in my 51 years of life is that things never stay the same. Often times we find ourselves in difficult situations or circumstances and we tend to think it's never going to get any better. But in those times we must remind ourselves that it will change. Time marches on and change follows after it.

Yesterday my husband and me, along with our daughter and son in-law, got together and assembled the grandparents crib in our bedroom. This is a day I began to think might not ever come. We've all waited a very long time to have a baby in our family. Many of us began to wonder if we ever would. But God answered our prayers and here we are.

I closed my eyes last night, hoping to capture sleep, but before I did I took one more look at the readied crib against the bedroom wall. Dreamless sleep did eventually come and I woke this morning ready to face a new day. As I swung my legs over the edge of the bed to sit up I saw the crib and this thought immediately came to mind: that exactly one year ago in that very room we had a hospital bed which cradled my Mom's dying body. She died in that very room, in the very spot that I now lay. But over against the wall, only one year later, we now have a crib waiting to contain the new life that God has seen fit to give our family.

God gives and he takes away. He knows the best things for us and the best timing to bring them around.

Yes. Time does bring change with it.

But The Greatest Of These Is Love

2010-04-28T15:26:00.005-04:00

Our house is just a simple little ranch house, no frills, nothing fancy. Between Jim and me, our children and all of our friends, it has a steady stream of feet that walk its floors anytime, day and night. The floors are made of hardwood and they creak with each step. Lately I have come to realize the floors are not creaking from old age or the stress of the footsteps, they are creaking with joy because of them. They creak out happy and joyful "hellos" with every single step, leaving themselves bare and vunerable, they welcome everyone who walks on them.

The doors in our house swing wide to let in all the smiling faces that appear, and we have often talked of "needing to add on" just so our house could contain all the love of our family and friends that it holds. It always seems our house is bursting at the seems with love. If I had artisitc talent I would draw our house with the walls bowed out.

We bought our kitchen table new, not long after our girls moved out on their own. It was a beautiful wooden table and chair set. Now it is marred with scratches and dents. But I wouldn't change it. Each scratch or dent was the result of the hand of a sacred loved one who sat at our table, broke bread, and supped with us.

Our living room furniture used to wear beautiful, vibrant fabric. Today it is worn thin and the stuffing peaks out. But I know it is peaking in excited anticipation of who will be the next one to sit down and share their heart, or their tears, or their laughter. Anticipation as to who will be next to sit and share the love and blessings of God. Who will come and sit, and talk, and share themselves with us?

Many around us have finer houses, filled with finer things, but I am content to stay in this little house of love forever. Monetarily, it isn't extravagant, but it is what money can't buy. It is what Jim and I have built together with our own hands, our own hearts, and the exorbant love of family, friends and God. Two soul mates working together, side by side, hand in hand. In my heart, it doesn't have a price. You cannot put a price on this meager little home.

Like Motel 6: "We'll leave the light on for ya."

Smiling Through The Tears

2010-04-15T21:40:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I went to the cemetery to visit my parents grave. It's about a 1 1/2 hour trip one way. About the time I rounded the corner on Fairfax Road the tears began to flow. Just being in the area where my parents used to live was very difficult for me. I passed the old trailer that Mom lived alone in after my father died. She was there about 15 years after Dad passed away.

Mom was a woman of strength. She was the kind of person who would figure out ways to do the things that she really wanted to accomplish. One of those things was to paint her garage. To give you a true picture I must tell you that Mom had polio when she was two years old, which left her with one shriveled leg on which she limped. In the very last few years of her life she used a walker.

When Mom decided that she was going to paint her garage, she pulled a folding chair out to the side of the garage, poured the paint into a pan, and placed it near the chair. She didn't have a paint brush so she used an old sponge mop! That served two purposes as far as Mom was concerned. It was her paint brush and her long handled "roller". Sitting in the chair, she would paint a section as far as she could reach, stand up, and with her walker, move the chair and all her paint supplies to the next section needing paint. I really don't remember Mom telling me how long it took for her to finish the project, but the bottom line is: she finished it!

Driving by there yesterday with tears flooding my eyes, that is the memory that entered my mind. I couldn't stop the smile that pushed its' way through the tears. Out of all the memories I could have recalled, that is what came. I don't think I know of any other old lady, or anyone for that matter, that has ever mopped their garage!

Forest Gump's mother used to tell him, "life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get." Through the grief and the pain there are wonderful, awesome memories that make you smile. A flower won't bloom without both sun and rain. I don't think I'd want my life to be any other way.

Chisled In Stone

2010-04-13T18:10:00.005-04:00

I've been really missing my Mom lately. She has been gone eight months now; my father, 18 years.

This is a picture of my Mom sitting at her parents graves.

Sometimes when I think about Mom I smile, sometimes I cry, sometimes I push the thoughts back and refuse them all together.

With Memorial Day approaching I have been thinking about making a trip to the cemetery to place a flowered cross on the grave. I dread it. I know my Mom and Dad aren't "there", but still, being at that site seems to make me feel closer to them.

I have been putting it off, I suppose because it allows the reality of their absence so much more. Somehow, standing at the foot of the stone where both my parents lie is a very solemn and lonely place. It is warm and it is cold. It is dark and it is light. It is happy and it is sad. It is final and it is everlasting.

Standing there and looking at the dates on my parents stone provokes the pain in me and gives it no choice but to bear its' face to the world around me. It brings to my mind the lyrics to a song I used to sing years ago by a country music artist, Vern Gosdin. The title of the song: "Chisled In Stone".

"You don't know about lonely,
Or how long nights can be,
Till you lived through the story
That's still livin' in me,
And you don't know about sadness'
til you've faced life alone,
You don't know about lonely'
til it's chiseled in stone."

Live Your Life

2010-04-03T09:41:00.011-04:00

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.

I got to thinking one day about all those people on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.

How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word 'refrigeration' mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched ' Jeopardy ' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said , 'How about going to lunch in a half hour?' She would gas up and stammer, 'I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain' And my personal favorite: 'It's Monday.' She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because People cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches.. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!

We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm going to,' 'I plan on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down a bit.'

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Rollerblades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.

Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to...not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?

Make sure you read this to the end; you will understand why I sent this to you.

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask 'How are you?' Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? Ever told your child, 'We'll do it tomorrow.' And in your haste, not see her sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say 'Hi'?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away.... Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

Author Unknown

A Trip To Harry’s

2010-03-20T10:42:00.003-04:00

I remember a trip to Harry's Discount store (equivalent of Wal-Mart 30 years ago). My girls were just 3 months old. Back then there was no such thing as a stroller for twins. I bought 2 umbrella strollers and clamped them together and it worked great, only it was so wide it wouldn't fit in a lot of places.

I got both babies ready to go, in the car, headed down the road. I get halfway between "Nowhere" and "A Hole in the Wall" and I have a flat tire. Of course, I don't know how to change a tire (back then) so I'm stuck. No cell phones back then, no houses around. Can't leave my babies, can't really bring them with me and walk somewhere. There were no houses to walk to. I'm standing outside my car and along comes a motorcycle carrying a nice young man. I had to take my chances and let him help, which he did.

While he was changing my tire both babies are screaming to the top of their lungs to be fed. I can't feed them because the car is jacked 14 feet in the air and I can't get in it!

When he is done I continue on my way to pick up my mother in law to ride with me to Harry's. When we got there the stupid strollers wouldn't fit through the door! We're standing there looking forlorn and along comes an older man who offered to help. He picked up the stroller, turned it sideways and carried it in for me. Seeing this made me aware that when I leave I need another helper.

We get over to the photo department and everything is going okay. Then, it's my turn! The photographer (a young man) obviously knew nothing about babies. He's trying to make them sit up. I'm trying to tell him they can't sit up and suddenly both babies fell towards each other and smacked heads. The screaming started all over again. I was so ticked!

I got them calmed down, pictures taken and when it was all over I bent over to pick up one of the girls and my bra strap broke! And with ME that is not a pretty sight; not something you can disguise easily! By then I was so angry that my eyes were squinting together bad enough that I looked like a Chinaman. When I made out the check for payment for the photographs I debated as to whether I should use Debbie Berry for a name or "OneHungLo."

It's been over 31 years since that incident and I haven't forgotten a detail of it. It was a very stressful day, but that one stressful day made for many fun moments in the last 31 years. Times of laughing so hard my stomach hurt when relaying this story to friends. There's always a silver lining behind every cloud!

And It Came To Pass

2010-02-21T16:15:00.008-05:00

So often, when reading through the bible, I have come across the words "and it came to pass." I never really stopped to think about those words until this last year. One day while reading, those very words seemed to jump off the page at me. It was during a very difficult time in my life, I was caring for my terminally ill mother in my home.

One day towards the end of my Mom's life her doctor stopped by to see her. We stood in the kitchen before going into Mom's room and he asked me how I was doing. "Okay", I said, "but very, very tired." I told him I was physically tired, but also completely emotionally drained as well as spiritually weary. He looked me in the eye and said, "This isn't going to last forever, Deb." As odd as it may sound, those were comforting words at that time. The struggle needed to end, for us and for Mom.

I recalled a time, a few years ago, I was riding in the car one, listening to the christian radio station. The speaker talked about how his little son would come into the bathroom every day and watch him shave. As Daddy shaved and hurriedly tried to get ready for work, Jr talked his ear off and got in his way. Daddy was sharing on the radio about how the Lord showed him that there is already a day set, an appointed time, when Jr won't show up in the bathroom any more. He will have out grown that interest and will be on to other things.

I realize that God knows all about my situations, however difficult they may or may not be, and he cares. I realized the day those five little words jumped off the page at me, that there is already a day set aside in which my current struggle or pain will be over and the light will shine through again. Whereever I find myself now, I can remind myself that this current trial did not come to stay, it in fact does have an end...And it came to pass.

How To Say Things

2009-10-11T09:43:00.004-04:00

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy.

That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?" The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." I wrote: "Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it." Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear. The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling¦ And even more beautiful is, knowing that you are the reason behind it!!!

Grief And Beauty

2009-09-01T08:46:00.008-04:00

I haven't written for a while. I've been very busy. My Mom came to live with me a few months ago because she was very ill. She went to be with the Lord a few short weeks ago.

During that time I devoted all of myself to her care, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Without realizing it, I became lost in her and her situation. She was unable to be left alone, therefore I could not leave the house unless someone could sit with her. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and her physical condition quickly deteriorated.

Those were very difficult days. It seems each one brought new struggles and challenges for Mom and for me. Many of those days I secretly cried and prayed for God to get me out of the situation I was in. It was just "too hard." I soon became physically and emotionally exhausted. I had read books on caring for aging parents and they warned against getting "burned out."

Through it all I was determined to be loving, patient and kind to my Mom. I was determined to honor her, to lay down my life for her, to give up my own desires and needs to serve her. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. Matthew 26:41 says, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Now I better understand what that really means.

I never let Mom know my struggles and tears. Somehow though, simply because she is my Mom and we are a part of each other, I think she had some understanding of the fact that it was really hard on me. I remember the day before she died, I was changing her diaper; she said, "Deb, I never intended it to be this way." I smiled through teary eyes and said, "I know Mom. It's okay."

Our family had kept a strong presence in her room the last two weeks of Mom's life; someone was there at all times. She was never alone. Jim and I took turns sleeping in the spare bed in her room. Needless to say I never got much sleep. Mom would wake up in the night and shine her flashlight on me in the spare bed to see if I was there. When she saw me she would once again be assured and go back to sleep. I told her early on that we were a team and sometimes I would remind her of it.

Mom passed through the veil on Thursday, August 6th, at exactly 8:16 a.m. Jim and I sat up all night with her, sitting in chairs by her bedside. Her false teeth were in the cup, her mouth sunken in because of it, her face was ashen in color, dry and wrinkled; and as I sat there looking at her I was looking at the most beautiful woman in the entire world.

At times she tried to talk and we watched as her voice went from a whisper to only being able to mouth her words, she was so weak. We began by putting our ear right up close to her mouth so we could hear, but as time passed that no longer worked and we tried to read her lips. Once I sorrowfully told her that I could not understand what she was trying to tell me. Up to that point though, she had talked of seeing light, seeing the church, an oasis, and seeing a place where there was no evil. She said, "Goodbye. Goodbye everyone."

At about 4 a.m. her breathing changed and became much more shallow. She would still occasionally open her eyes and look at us. Many of those times we would see a faint smile come across her face.

At about 6 a.m. her breathing changed again, this time more shallow, and much more erratic. She never opened her eyes again. I can still hear the sound of the wall clock ticking away the last few moments of time I knew I had with my Mom.

Shannon and our nurse Sue joined our vigil at 7 a.m. and the four of us sat quietly, watching and waiting. We sat without speaking, without any noise at all, so Mom's passing through the veil would be complete, uninterrupted peace. And that it was.

At 8:16 a.m. Mom breathed her last breath. It was not a noticeable last breath, no heavy exhalation, she just simply stopped breathing. Everyone of us sat there looking at Mom, then at each other, then back at Mom. Her breathing had been so erratic that sometimes several seconds would pass before she would breath again, so we all knew it was very possible that this wasn't her "last." But we knew. We all knew. Something in the room had changed. We all knew because we all felt it. Mom was gone.

I stood up from my chair and laid myself over my Mom and cried. I said, "we did it Mom, we did it. You made it." A part of me died that day too.

Caring for my Mom and watching her die was by far the hardest thing I have ever done. I learned a lot from it, and one of the things I learned was to never again judge a situation while I'm still in the middle of it. We should never judge until we are through it, to the end of it. There were many, many days I wanted to bale. Now I am so glad that I didn't. I saw a hard situation through to the end. I learned that beauty can often be found under layers of difficulty and struggle.

Many people have said what a blessing it was for Mom to have me to care for her. I suppose that is true. I say, "what a blessing that I had my Mom with me those final years, those final months, those final days, those final hours. What an honor. What a privilege. I was given a gift that others were not given. I was given the gift of Mom. Truly, that is one of my Life's Biggest Blessings."

Right Brainers Vs Left Brainers

2009-06-12T12:19:00.000-04:00

Lately it seems that I can’t get a straight answer from anyone. To me, a severe left brained, Type A individual, it seems clear and concise. The answer is either “Yes” or “No”. Giving an answer or making a decision does not hold a great deal of difficulty for me. Just give me your “yeah or nay” and free me to get on with the next item on my “to do” list. “Thank you. Have a nice day.”

How in the world do severe right brainers survive? Flitting from one subject to another, often within the same sentence, causes me, the lefty, to utilize everything within me to refrain myself from running from the building, screaming, or look at the right brainer with “shake my head puzzlement”.

Please don’t give me all your reasons why or why not; your maybes, what ifs, howevers, ands or buts. Please. Just a simple Yes or No. It’s all I require.

And competence vs. incompetence: I imagine a right brainers’ desk, papers scattered every which way, the right brainer scratching his head with a puzzled look on his face saying to himself, “now where did I put that paper I’m supposed to sign?” This behavior will drive a left brainer mad.

The left brainer simply reaches to the correct pile on his desk. All piles are either color coordinated, in numerical, or alpha order, thus making locating the needed item simple and effortless indeed. He then extracts the exact piece of paper, signs it, seals it, mails it, and continues on to the next task at hand.

It is very clear that being a left brainer is a blessing. Logically speaking, it’s the correct way.
Now I ask you, wouldn’t everyone want to be a left brainer? (Remember, answer with a simple yes or no.)

Blessings From God

2009-05-31T21:57:00.004-04:00

Amidst the battles and suffering I have been experiencing lately, I am becoming acutley aware that because of certain people in my life I have made it this far.

Shannon, you've been a friend, a shoulder to cry on, a person I can vent to, and you understand.

Cesar, you've done jobs I could not do. You also have been someone who listens and understands.

Kelly, even though you are farther away geographically, I know you are thinking of me and praying for me. I feel it. You are faithful that way.

Glenda, you always bring a smile, a hug, an understanding ear. Even when you don't say anything, you're saying something. You're my best friend. You are a breath of fresh air in a very stale and mundane day.

Sue, a new friend, a friend that I know cares and prays for me. A new sister. I'm so thankful for you.

And Jim, you are my soul mate, my best friend ever, the one who meditates on how to help me, how to encourage me, how to make things easier for me. The one who holds me up, the one who never puts me down. The one I reach for in the night, the one I wait for at the end of the day. My life, my dream, my love.

I thank God for each of you. You are truly "Life's BIGGEST Blessings!"

Honesty and Integrity

2009-05-13T19:15:00.004-04:00

I recently read an awesome story on a blog that I follow. I'm sure you would like it too. To read it click here.

Wayfaring Stranger

2009-03-16T13:39:00.003-04:00

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

2009-03-16T13:25:00.003-04:00

Go To Sleep Little Baby

2009-03-16T12:50:00.002-04:00

2009-01-30T10:46:00.006-05:00

A few years ago, my husband Jim, and I, took my daughter Kelly to town to do some shopping. Jim parked along side the street curb. He and I were going to wait in the car while Kelly did her shopping.

The roads and sidewalks were quite icy. As Kelly was getting out of the car Jim said to her, "watch your step."

Kelly got out and started walking very slowly and carefully up onto the sidewalk, looking down all the while. She was being very dramatic about it.

My husband said to me, "what is she doing?", at the same time I was saying to him, "look, look, she's watching her step."

We had a good laugh about it then, and have laughed about it over the years when we think of it.

I know...we're a weird family. It doesn't take a lot to entertain us.

Is God Hard of Hearing?

2009-01-16T08:41:00.011-05:00

There have been times in my life when I have wondered if God heard me at all when I talked to him. Sometimes when you talk to him and you don't see any immediate results you can end up feeling like he wasn't listening. He didn't even hear you. Of course, that is not the truth of the matter, even though that is how we might feel.

There have been other times when I have recieved answers to prayer, but the answer or end result was not what I had prayed for. In times past that has left me to wonder "did God pay close attention or was he preoccupied, perhaps listening to someone else at the same time, and didn't hear exactly what I said."

Am I the only one that has ever felt this way?

I will share a comical story with you that happened recently.

My 30 year old daughter was unemployed. She was looking through the classifieds and spotted an ad for a job opening at a local laboratory. It immediatley peaked her interest and she grew excited thinking that she might get that job. That kind of work really interested her. She went to the interview with resume in hand, silently praying that God would help her get the job in the laboratory. A few weeks passed and she regularly prayed that God would help her to get the job in the laboratory.

Finally the letter came. "Thank you very much for your application. Unfortunately we are unable to employ you at this time as your qualifications exceed those necessary for this position." Needless to say she was very disappointed.

About 3 days later she recieved a phone call from a woman that she used to go to school with and hadn't heard from in years. She owns her own cleaning business, and wondered if my daughter would be interested in some part time work. Wow! Right out of the blue!

I still remember from 45 years ago, sitting in Bible Class in school. My bible teacher's name was "Miss Bonnie." She told me once that God always answers our prayers, but he doesn't always answer them the way we think he might or the way we want him to. I always remembered that.

Now...times being what they are, of course my daughter excepted the offer. She began work the very next day!

So here she was, on her hands and knees, cleaning the outer base of a toilet in a home of complete strangers and talking to God. She was telling God that she believed that he provided that cleaning job for her. She was thanking him, but at the same time questioning, wondering why he wouldn't help her get the laboratory job but wanted her to clean toilets instead.

She shared her thoughts and feelings with me that night when I saw her and I said, "Well that's easy! You were praying to work in a laboratory and God thought you said lavatory!"

I ask you...do you think God has a sense of humor or is he just hard of hearing?

The Great Pressure

2008-10-27T06:52:00.017-04:00

A couple of weeks ago Jim and I ventured down an old dirt road on our mountain bikes. It was a beautiful autumn day, the sun was warm and the air had just the perfect fall crispness in it.

Riding along the dirt road we followed the river for several miles and my eyes took in as much of the beautiful surrounding scenery as possible. I was so busy looking at what was around me, I was totally oblivious to what was below me.

At one point, nearly an hour into the ride, I looked down at the road I was on. There, beneath me, were beautiful leaf prints embedded into the soft dirt road.

In my family I am known as "The Kodak Queen" because I take my camera everywhere I go. You never know when you might come upon that "once in a life time picture". But this day, I carried only my cell phone. Luckily I had that with me and I did snap a few shots of the embedded leaves.

I have marveled over the beauty of what I saw there that day, in that dirt road. It wasn't until many days later that I began to see lifes' message through it all. It is quite obvious that the leaves on the road had been run over, perhaps even several times to make such imprints in the ground on which they lay. They had willingly let go from their source of life, strength and nourishment, surrendering themselves to the damp and dirty ground below, a vulnerable path in which lie the assurance of an absolute pressing.

We don't often stop to think about the fact that, like leaves, when we stop trying to be so strong on our own and we offer ourselves to the Lord, ("let go and let God") that a unique beauty will be the result.

It is true that in order to have this beauty produced the pressing will come. It is inevitable. The leaves would have left no beauty at all had they lain gently on the ground with no pressing. But when the pressure came and they offered themselves to it, an imprint remained that will forever be in my memory.

I am not the only person touched by their submission. I thought about entering the photo in a contest, but decided against it since I had snapped it with my cell phone and the quality was not as clear as I would have liked. A week later I saw a picture in our local newspaper of a leaf imprint in a dirt road.

By surrendering our lives to the will of the Creator of Heaven and Earth, a great beauty is born that otherwise may never be seen.

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

2008-10-05T20:34:00.008-04:00

Years ago my husband Jim worked in our local supermarket as a produce manager. One bitter cold winter morning he got up to go to work and decided that he would go out and start the car so it could be warming up before he went to work. He stepped into his work pants, slid on his socks and boots, threw on his winter jacket, zipped it to the neck and went to start the car. He came back into the house to have his first cup of hot morning coffee and stoke the wood fire.

It was quite cold in the house since the wood fire had died down during the night so he left his jacket on. After stoking the fire, brushing his teeth, and kissing us all goodbye for the day, he drove the frosty 10 mile trip to work. That night when he came home he told us that he walked into work, big as life, cozy and warm, entered the produce room, unzipped his jacket, and much to his surprise and dismay, was bare chested! He had forgotten to put on his shirt and tie when he had come back in from starting the car. He and his store manager had a good laugh and the store manager (who was just about Jim's size) just happened to have an extra shirt and tie at work! How lucky is that?!

2008-10-05T09:21:00.019-04:00

Here are a few photos of some

of my life's biggest blessings.

When Life Hands You Lemons...

2008-09-29T08:38:00.007-04:00

Jim and I had not been on a real vacation for 8 years. The hotel was booked, plans were made, our suitcases packed. At 8:00 p.m., the night before we were to leave for our 6 nights/7 days stress free, relaxing on the beach vacation, Jim broke off one of his front teeth. Needless to say we were devastated.

I called our dentist and much to our relief told me to have Jim come right over. He did a temporary fix, something he said he thought would at least get Jim through vacation, with the plan that Jim would come in for a permanent fix when we returned home.

Well, sometimes life doesn't work out the way we plan or would like. Tuesday night on our vacation, while watching a movie, Jim bit into a piece of bread and that tooth broke off again! This time almost to the gum. Of course we were devastated all over again. I took the tooth and placed it in a baggie to bring home to the dentist. Then Jim said "there is NO way we are going to let this taint our vacation." We both agreed we had waited too long for this long deserved time to be together and that we would in fact make lemonade from this lemon we had been handed.

Later that night when we were getting ready for bed I got the baggie with the tooth in it, handed it to Jim and said, "don't forget to brush your tooth." This started the series of jokes for the rest of that time.

The next day I went to the Dollar Store and bought 2 sets of fake teeth. We both put a set in our mouths and sat on our hotel sofa and took pictures of ourselves.

(Jim is scheduled with the dentist for Tuesday to have a permanent fix!)

That same week I saw a coffee mug in a gift store that read, "People laugh at me because I'm different and I laugh at them because they are not."

2008-09-15T10:30:00.011-04:00

A friend of mine stopped by "Life's Biggest Blessings" to read my latest blog, "Knock And It Shall Be Opened Unto You." She then sent me the following story.

She said, "I was stopped for going 66 in the 55 zone, on a rainy day..not the brightest...and at the time the song that was playing on my car radio was..."Bail Me Out Again Lord..Bail me out again....can you imagine...and he did...just a warning...WOW....LOL.....I can laugh now...but at the time I was like holding my breath....yes the Lord does have a humor!"

That jogged my memory to recall yet another story that yet another friend told me last year. She said she was at the church working and had been there all day. It was late at night, she had been on her feet all day, cleaning, etc. She finally finished her work and decided that before she went home she would soak her feet. She found an old pail or something in the kitchen, filled it with nice hot, soapy water, pulled up a chair, pulled up her skirt and stuck in her feet. She was feeling very weary.

There was a sound crew there working on the sound system most of the evening, but she hadn't paid them any mind. She had kind of forgotten that they were there. As she sat there soaking her feet, feeling tired, she began to talk to the Lord. She said, "Lord, how come it seems that I had to do all this work and no one else offered to help?" Then, in the dim light of the night, she heard the voice come over the loud speaker, "TESTING. TESTING."

Yes. Definitely! The Lord has a sense of humor!

Knock And The Door Shall Be Opened Unto You. It Will. I Promise! I've Seen It Happen!

2008-09-13T09:30:00.009-04:00

Surely the Lord must have a sense of humor. He created some of the strangest and funniest people and situations I know.

Take my friend Glenda for instance. Several winters ago we were having a church gathering in our house. Glenda was planning to come, but it neared the time for the meeting to begin and she hadn't shown up yet. The meeting was to be held in our basement so everyone that was in attendance went downstairs and assumed that either Glenda couldn't make it after all, or she was just running late. We knew she would let herself in and into the basement if she did arrive, that is where we had all been meeting on a regular basis.

The meeting began and those of us in attendance began to sing and praise. For those of you that know us, you know that when we sing and praise we do it with all our hearts. So it was rather loud in that little room.

When we finally stopped singing we could hear pounding on the little basement window. Oh my goodness, it's Glenda! Somehow the last person to come into our house had accidently locked the door. So there was poor Glenda, locked outside in the cold, pounding frantically on the window, trying to get us praisers to hear and rescue her. She was wearing a skirt and dress shoes and she was in the deep snow, on her knees, pounding on the window.

After the meeting was all over Glenda told us that while she was there on her knees pounding on the window, she suddenly realized the song that we were singing and she burst out laughing.

"On Bended Knee I Come."

Now you tell me why God wouldn't laugh at that!

2008-09-11T22:18:00.008-04:00

This is my best friend, Glenda.

Recently, she sent me a few quotes regarding friendship that she said reminded her of me.

Now, I would like to share some quotes with you that remind me of her.

Glenda is priceless, more valuable than the most precious gem. Like the song says, "you are more beautiful than silver. You are more costly than gold." I love you, my friend!

"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."

"A friend is one who believes in you when you have ceased to believe in yourself."

"A Friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you anyway!!!"

"Friendship is one mind in two bodies."

Up Against The Wall

2008-09-09T16:30:00.009-04:00

We have known the Smithers for several years. And even so, we still choose to be friends with them.

They are so weird. Once I took my camera to church because of a special church function. After church I said to them, "Get up against the wall and I'll take your picture." This is how they posed. Hey, I told you they were weird.

We have so many fond memories of them. They make you laugh till your belly hurts.

Janet's personality is RIGHT OUT THERE! She is so fun loving! She is known in our circle of friends for her misspelled words. She once made a brochure for a church function and invited everyone to "join us at 7:00 for sinning and refreshments." Playing Pictionary with her is exceptionally fun. She is supposed to be drawing a griddle and she is drawing a girdle! I quickly learned to never be on her team! LOL!

We love Peter for his very dry sense of humor. He says things that he doesn't even intend to be funny and we are all in hysterics. Of all the funny things I've ever seen him do or say, my memory takes me back to an "Oldies Party" we had several years ago. Everyone came in costume. Peter showed up as a 50's greaser with a pack of cigarettes rolled up in his sleeve and a temporary tatoo on his shoulder. He imitated a song from the 50's (which I can not recall the name of) and I thought I was going to have to call 911 to be administered oxygen.

Yes, anytime we are feeling like we need a little fun we call on the Smithers. They are our priceless friends!

Okay, I'm Turning 50!

2008-09-08T18:55:00.001-04:00

Yesterday my family and friends all gathered to give me one heck of a party.

Because I have a blog entitled "My Own Sandbox", my darling family buried all of my gifts in a sandbox and gave me a kids plastic shovel to dig them out with. It was no easy task either. But it was a BLAST! Thoughtfully, Jim gave me a pair of gloves so as to not ruin my brand new manicure.

My friends dressed me up in weird attire. No, I do not usually wear hats, gloves to the elbow, or beads! And I certainly am not the feather boa kind either.

I must say, I really love being 50!

Let Them Sing Psalms

2008-09-04T08:50:00.021-04:00

My husband is a professional painter. The name of his business is "Heavenly Homes Premium Painting." He does interior and exterior.

During the years we have been in the business we have employed mostly family members and close friends. Now, our family sings together a lot. In fact, our niece lived with us for 2 years and once made the statement that we are always either singing or brushing our teeth. Maybe subconsciously we want to make sure that when we sing our breath is fresh?

One day our paint crew was priming a house and we were working under the eves. It's bad enough painting over your head, you always run the big risk of becoming a human drop cloth. But priming! Priming is another animal all together. You see, primer is much different than paint, and given the right kind of primer, can also be a lot thinner. So if you are priming over your head with very thin primer it will inevitably run down the handle of the paintbrush, down your wrist, down your arm, and who knows where after that. Usually it just soaks into your shirt sleeve and you end up getting assigned an Indian name like "Painted Cuff."

So here is our paint crew...priming, under the eves. Then, suddenly, without warning, someone starts to sing: (To the tune of the old gospel hymn: "Bringing in the Sheaves") "Priming in the eves, priming in the eves, The ladders we are hoisting, Priming in the eaves."

Okay, so by now, if you've read any of my previous posts on this blog, you know that our family is just plain WACKED! Priming in the Eves led to another old hymn, and then another. By the end of the day we had written our very own hymnal. We entitled it "The Heavenly Homes Hymnal." "From the church of the "Ladder" Day Paints."

Allow me to share some of our creations. (To the tune of "The Old Rugged Cross") On a hill far away, stood an old crummy house, a house I've always wanted to paint. Though it's crummy and rough, and the paint's falling off, If I paint it then I'll be a saint." Oh, I'll paint on the old crummy house, till my paintbrush at last I lay down. I will paint on the old crummy house, Till I pass out and fall to the ground."

"Jimmy loves me this I know, for my paycheck tells me so. Little drips do we detest, Some are good but we are best. Yes, Jimmy loves me, Yes, Jimmy loves me. Yes, Jimmy loves me...My paycheck tells me so."

To the tune of "What a Friend We Have In Jesus"...What a friend we have in Latex. All mistakes just scrape away. Use your oil base if you want to, That is all we're going to say."

And to the tune of "Shall We Gather At the River"... Shall we gather at the ladder, scrapers, putty knives in hand. We will scrape your house completely, and if you pay us more we'll sand. Shall we gather at the ladder, the beautiful aluminum ladder. Shall we gather at the ladder, with a paint brush in each hand."

(Amazing Grace)... My painted face, looks like a clown. With specs all over me. I once was washed, but now I'm drowned, In oil base permanently."

(Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling)...Loudly and forcefully pain pills are calling, calling for me and for you. The ache in my back is down right appalling, My knees are killing me too. Go home. Go home. My body tells me go home. Loudly and forcefully pain pills are calling, Calling for me to go home."

And LASTLY.....to the tune of "Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory".....

Mine eyes have seen the wonder of the drying of the paint. My paycheck says I'm happy, but my body says I aint. We will scrape and prime and paint the house till the Pope declares us saints, Our paint crew marches on. Glory, glory hallelujah, Just a little dab'll do ya'. Glory, glory hallelujah, the paint crew MARCHES ON"...........................................

Just HOW Friendly Should Good Friends Be?

2008-09-01T20:10:00.015-04:00

We have known Jim and Ann for almost 20 years. They have 3 sons, we have 2 daughters. There oldest 2 sons are the same ages as our daughters. Our kids pretty much grew up together as brothers and sisters. In fact, our daughters joke with the boys and say, "you are the brothers we never wanted."

With Jim and Ann we have always felt completely comfortable. If we are visiting each other's houses, any of us would feel comfortable going into the kitchen of the other one and making ourselves a cup of coffee or getting into the fridge for something. Any of us feel comfortable giving a quick knock on the front door and walking in when visiting each other.

They are family to us. Over the years we have shared some tears together and a LOT of laughs. Their family is a lot like ours and together we can belly laugh so hard you almost get afraid that you might pass out from not breathing. No one could ever put a price on our friendship.

A few years ago one of their sons called me on the phone. He said, "Mrs. Berry, I'm going to ask you a question that probably is going to sound REALLY strange. I'm going to be in a play at school and I need to dress in costume. I need a bra and my Mom's isn't big enough to go around me. Can I possibly borrow one of yours?"

Needless to say we have had a few good laughs about this over the years. Not every friends' son calls me to ask if they can borrow one of my bras. To me this is priceless and a memory I will forever cherish.

I'll always love you, Josh!

Laughter Really IS The Best Medicine

2008-08-27T11:07:00.006-04:00

My daughter Shannon went to college in British Columbia. There was a woman there who was very proper and well mannered.

One day this woman heard Shannon laughing hysterically over something. She approached Shannon and told her that it was her belief that a young woman's laugh should sound like a gentle whispering brook.

When Shannon told me about this I burst out laughing. I said, "I wonder what she would think about MY laugh. How do you supposed she'd feel about a RAGING WATERFALL?"

A Cat's Tale

2008-08-26T09:39:00.004-04:00

For your reading enjoyment...

A true story: told by Sparky Berry
Written by Debbie Berry (cuz’ Sparky never learned to type)

I remember a few months ago when my good friend and brother, Bud, had his tail stepped on. I realize now how he must have felt. Therefore, I felt compelled to tell you what happened to me. (Man, even thinking about it makes my eyes get as big as half dollars and my tail quiver.)

It all started with that stupid garage door! Debbie’s remote control had a short in it and it kept setting off the door. The door would go up, and then down, and then it would start to go again and sometimes stop right in mid cycle and make this horrible noise. (I really don’t understand why humans think they need all that electronic stuff anyway!) Well, I guess that’s beside the point. Getting back to my story…

The key to all of this is that I knew it was Debbie’s remote control causing the problem, but Jim and Debbie couldn’t seem to figure that out. And far be it for me to tell them. They wouldn’t have believed me anyway! After all, they think I’m just a cat and that I don't know much. Hmf! So they finally started catching on to the fact that maybe Debbie’s remote was the problem. (Um…HELLO!? This isn’t rocket science here!)

Well, last Friday Debbie came home from work for lunch and I, quite by mistake, had been locked out of the house. I wasn’t very impressed about it either, and when Debbie drove in the driveway and pushed the remote control, the door started to rise and I decided to make a run for it! I was clear across the lawn so it took me a little time to get there.

I am not a scaredy cat, but, let me tell ya’, THIS is scary! The the thing is, I have an image to keep up. Just between you and me…THIS shook me up!

So I’m running as fast as I can go across the lawn, which seems like the hundred acre wood, and just before I got to the door it started to close! Well, being as skilled as I am I knew if I hurried that I would have enough time to scoot under the door. But, lo and behold, I was just seconds too late! The door closed right on me! Well let me tell you, that door came down right in the middle of my back! My head and shoulders were IN the garage and my legs and (well, you know) were outside!!! I squirmed and wriggled and pulled but I could NOT get out.

Meanwhile, Debbie was pushing the remote control button, trying to get the door to open. Well, that didn’t work of course, because the remote was the problem in the first place. (oh God, I wish now I had told them) Well, Debbie just THREW the remote and by the sound I could tell that it landed on the hood of the car. She ran back into the car to grab her keys so she could open the front door to the house, and get into the garage to open the garage door manually. Oh, the poor dear, she was SO upset! She was crying and praying right out loud, saying, “Oh Jesus, don’t let him die.” Now THAT scarred the heck out of me! Don’t let him DIE? You mean ....I COULD DIE???

Well, I’m telling you, I thought with having nine lives and all, that I had it made, but at that very moment I saw eight of those nine flash right before my very eyes!

All of a sudden the garage door started to open! Man, I started scrambling, but Debbie was right there and grabbed me. I heard her tell Jim later that she was afraid that I would run off because I was hurt. (we cats do that sometimes) It’s really a “pride thing” I guess, we just don’t like anyone to see us when we aren’t feeling well because it’s harder to be cool and keep up our image.

Well, she carried me into the house and just then Jim came home. When he came into the house Debbie just burst into tears and told Jim what had happened. All the while they were both petting me and loving me up. I took advantage of it to, and quite frankly I didn’t know that they loved me THAT much!

For days now they have been taking special care and concern, and watching me closely to make sure I am all right. Oh man, this is the life! I wonder how long they will keep this up. I could REALLY get used to this!

So that’s my story. I am all recuperated now, except like I mentioned in the beginning, that I still get shaky when I tell about it. And my tail involuntarily puffs up. Maybe that will get better with time. I didn’t mean to ramble on but I really felt a need to tell someone. I tried once to talk to Bud about it, but he seemed rather disinterested. He turned his head, flicked his tail and walked off. Geez, sometimes he gets such an attitude! I won’t even go into that. That’s another whole story in itself!

Anyway, I overheard Jim and Debbie talking and saying that they just couldn’t bear it if anything had happened to me. Maybe this is the very thing that will make them see once and for all, how wonderful I REALLY am!

Miss Susan

2008-08-22T16:19:00.008-04:00

This is a real rose! It belongs to my hairdresser, Sue. I asked her if I could photograph it.

Have you ever seen the old classic movie, "Mrs Miniver?"

A man grew a beautiful rose and named it after his friend. I have named this rose "Miss Susan."

Shannon said to get it to look like this you split the stem into 4 sections and soak each one in one of the primary colors.You can see the red, green, blue and yellow.

I think it is just awesome and I wanted to share it with you, my awesome readers. :)

My Mom, The Internet Savy

2008-08-20T21:02:00.014-04:00

This is my Mom.

She is on the internet, reading this blog, "Life's Biggest Blessings."

Her first experience with using the computer/internet was last year. I taught her to shop online for Christmas. I told her, "Mom, it's so easy. All you need is a credit card and you have one." I helped her buy her first item and she was so excited she wanted to do all the rest of her shopping online! She said, "I can't believe how easy this is. And they'll deliver it right to my door!"

Yeah, my 83 year old Mom is hip n' happnin'!

Can You BleevAt?

2008-08-18T21:57:00.004-04:00

I was browsing the Internet under "Google Images" for an image of something "family like" to post on my page. I found all kinds of nice plaques, etc, that said, "The Johnsons" or "The Smiths", so I thought, "hey, I'll get more search specific and I'll type in "Berry family." So the first thing that came up is a gravestone that said BERRY on it! OMG!

Not wanting THAT on my web page, I typed in various different phrases that had to do with "Berry family" and it also gave me a cartoon picture of an axe murderer! Heh?

I must note here that this is AFTER posting the story of "The Axe Murderer!"

Can You BleevAt?

Well, Blow Me Down!

2008-08-17T21:38:00.008-04:00

One day my elderly Mom and I went shopping. She brought along her grocery list and asked me to get her groceries for her while she sat in the car to rest. I decided that maybe I should go over her list with her before leaving the car in case I had any questions.

She had the usual items listed and one of them was spinach. Only she had spelled it with an "e" on the end. My mom has always been an excellent speller. And has proudly told stories of when she was a girl in school and won many spelling bees.

I said, "Mom, you spelled spinach wrong." She argued with me (good naturedly) that she had NOT spelled spinach wrong. She said, "I KNOW it has an "e" on the end. And furthermore, I am an excellent speller, I won many a spelling bee in my day. And I KNOW that spinach has an "e" on the end of it."

So being the competitive challenger that I am I said, "Okay, I'll tell you what. I'm going to go buy your groceries, complete with spinach. And if you're right then I owe you a dollar. BUT....if I'm right, then you owe ME a dollar!" And being so sure she was right, Mom quickly agreed.

Well, I bought her the two cans of spinach that she wanted and when I got to the check out I asked the cashier to bag them separately. I told her about my bet with my Mom and I said, "I've got to have these easily accesible so I can show her when I get back out to the car."

I paid for Mom's groceries and made my way out to the car. After placing the groceries in the back seat I got in the driver's seat next to my Mom, handed her the single bag containing two cans of spinach and said, "You owe me a dollar."

Mom opened up the bag and much to my surprise she said, "They must have spelled it wrong on the can!" We both had a good laugh over it and I let the whole thing go, never pursuing the fact that she owed me the dollar.

About 2 days later I got my mail and I had an envelope with the return address being from my mother. That puzzled me since we live less than 2 miles from each other. I wondered why in the world she was sending me somthing in the mail when I see her everyday.

I opened the envelope and found a note scribbled on a small piece of scrap paper which said, "Spinach(e)" and clipped to the back of it a one dollar bill. Needless to say I burst out laughing.

I still have that note and the dollar bill, and intend on placing it in my scrapbook.

There is a saying, "Hindsight is always better than foresight." Man...how I wished I had bet her 50 bucks!

Talkin' Trash

2008-08-16T22:10:00.013-04:00

Have you ever heard the story "Country Mouse-City Mouse?"

A few months ago Kelly moved from the country to the suburbs of Boston where much to her delight there is a Dunkin Donuts on every corner. She had been in the Boston area only a few short weeks when we reunited with her in Maine for a church convention.

During the very first evening church service I started feeling really sick. I left the meeting and returned to my room to go to bed. A few minutes later Kelly knocked on my door. She too, was sick, so she climbed into bed beside me. We visited a while and Kelly suddenly began to laugh. She told me the following story.

She and her friend, Noami had gone to do some errands and decided to go to one of the Dunkin Donuts drive thrus for coffee. Kelly was driving and all the while talking and laughing with Noami. She pulled up to the drive thru speaker to give her order and quickly became puzzled when there was no voice on the other end welcoming her to Dunkin Donuts. She started to try and place her order and then turned to Noami and said, "how the heck do you use this thing? Where is the speaker that I talk into?"

You know how sometimes your brain has to catch up with your mouth? As soon as she asked the question a little light came on inside her mind and told her....

"Um, Kell. You're talkin' to a trash can." As soon as they realized what had happened they burst into gales of laughter and quickly pulled ahead. After quite a while they were able to pull themselves together enough to order their coffee. (In the right speaker, I might add.)

As funny as all this may sound, the next day when Kelly retold the story to a group of her friends, one of them burst into laughter, stood up, pointed his finger and said, "I know EXACTLY which Dunkin Donuts you went to. I did the SAME thing!!!"

Oh Lord, help us all!

Coin Drop Drama

2008-08-16T21:53:00.006-04:00

Are you familar with what a coin drop is? For those of you who are not, it is a group or organization who will sometimes stand in the main traffic flow of a town holding signs advertising the fact that they are collecting money to support their cause. They hold baskets or pails that you can drop money into as you slowly drive by.

About 5 years ago Kelly and I were passing through a town when we came upon a coin drop. Let me just say that I don't like coin drops. And I happened to be in a "not so good mood" anyway. So I started to "go off" about the fact that there was this coin drop and I didn't like them, and blah, blah, blah. And then I said to Kelly, "I don't even know what this organization IS and they want me to give money? What the heck is S A F A L E E N?" (That is how I pronounced it) Kelly immediately BURST into hysterical laughter. About 10 minutes later when she was able to catch her breath enough to speak she said, "Um Mom, I think that said Safeline."

The Axe Murderer

2008-08-15T14:01:00.007-04:00

Once upon a time... long, long ago......

Shannon and I were lying across my bed in the early evening, visiting. It was in the summer and all of our windows were open. Suddenly we heard a loud noise, like a bang or a crash, and then the most God awful yelling just up the road from our house.

We got up off the bed and came into the living room. It was kind of like "The Night Before Christmas" you know...when all through the house. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Well, we heard something...it was out on the lawn, and there arose such a clatter, that we arose from my bed to see what was the matter.

Anyway...Shannon went to the front door in the living room to open it and look out to see if she could see what was going on. We never use this door, no one ever does. It is a regular wooden door and once you open that there is the screen door.

She opened the wooden door and pressed her face into the screen door to peer out and a man's deep, husky voice say HI! Thus began a comedy of errors!

She screamed REALLY loud and slammed the door so hard I thought it would come off the hinges. She then proceeded to run into the bathroom, STILL screaming hysterically and running in place. She screamed and screamed and though I tried my hardest to calm her down it was to no avail.

What I haven't mentioned yet is that my husband was down stairs in the basement. When he heard the loud slam of the door and then Shannon's unbelievable screaming, he was sure there was an intruder in the house. It took him about two steps to reach the top of the basement stairs. He came up those stairs with fire in his eyes, fists doubled, ready to tackle whoever dared to get in his way.

Shannon was STILL screaming and I was STILL trying to calm her down. So when my husband didn't actually SEE an intruder he looked at me with wonder and confusion in his eyes. (As he naturally would.) Busy at my own task of trying to calm down my daughter, I could only point to the front door.

Soooo....my husband went to the front door, WHIPPED it open, and the poor man with the deep, husky voice was STILL standing there! He immediately jumped back down off the steps, held up his arms and said, "I'm sorry, I really scared your daughter."

Well what happened was...the man and his wife had driven off the road just around the corner from our house. Thus, the crash we heard. He was walking to our house to ask for help and his wife was yelling some instructions at him or something. Thus, the yelling we heard. My husband went out of the house to help the man and his wife.

Meanwhile.....I'm STILL trying to calm down Shannon!!! My husband was out of the house for a while helping this man fix his car. I FINALLY got Shannon calmed down and we went back to lay across my bed again. Suddenly the absurd and wacky humor of all of this hit us. We laughed hysterically for a LONG, LONG time!

We laughed about the fact that we are SURE this man will NEVER come back to our house for help ever again, no matter what. And that he probably told everyone he knows about how weird we all are. We laughed about the fact that my husband could have just told the man that Shannon hadn't taken her medicine yet that day. We laughed about how this man could tell everyone they had better go the next house down if they need help, and on and on.

After everything was all over Shannon said the guy's voice sounded like an axe murderer to her. She doesn't normally react THAT badly to situations like this. But I realized that she must have taken me very seriously when she was a child and I told her to "never talk to strangers." hahaha....

A Band of Indians

2008-08-14T19:27:00.012-04:00

My husband has a painting and wallpapering business. Oh how we all LOVE to paint! (Yeah, right!.)

I know it's hard to believe that you could get bored painting clapboard after clapboard, but one day we did. So to have a little fun and help pass the time we decided to make up Indian names for ourselves.

Here are our results:

Jim: Chief Crow Killer
Debbie : No Dogs Barking
Shannon: Dances With Ladders
Kelly: Painted Cuff

Leslie: Reaches A Lot

Mike: White Warrior
Cesar: Well, this was before he was in the picture so he didn't get an Indian name. But now we call him "the Cuban."

I'm A Dork

2008-08-13T13:46:00.009-04:00

Sometimes I wonder why my parents named me Debbie. On any given day I can think of an array of more suitable names for myself. This particular day while shopping, I think I would have chosen Ima. Yes, I'm pretty sure it would have been a much more suitable name for that day. Ima Dork.

I was shopping in a large department store and needed to use the restroom. I knew where it was, I had used it on previous shopping trips. I proceeded to venture down the long hallway where I plainly saw the "Men's Restroom" sign. Now I know what you're thinking. You think I'm going to say that I went in the men's room. NOoooo.....

I walked past the men's room to the next door, which of course would be the what? Yes, right, the "Ladies Restroom." But much to my dismay, because my bladder was screaming, there was a man standing in the door way of the Ladies room with a mop in his hand.

Thinking that he is cleaning the Ladies room, and even though my back teeth were almost floating, I patiently and politely asked him, "are you almost finished in there?" He just stood there with a very odd expression on his face, looking dumbly at me. So I gritted my floating back teeth and said again, "Sir, are you almost finished in there?" Still he stood there looking lifelessly dumb, just staring at me.

I was a bit aggitated by then so I peeked around the open doorway a little farther to look inside, thinking that it might jar his memory and he would "come to" and realize that he was just standing stupidly in the open door of the Ladies room holding a mop, and I was hoping that maybe he would get the hint! But he just kept staring at me like I was crazy.

It was when I peeked around the open doorway that I realized this man was standing in the open doorway of the utility closet.

Pathetically written by:

(Yep, you guessed it.) Ima Dork.

My Daughter Is Weird!

2008-08-13T10:30:00.011-04:00

A few years ago my husband and I had the luxury of being able to spend three weeks in Scotland. Our daughters, being grown, responsible adults of a sound mind, (hmmm...???) stayed in our house and watched over things for us while we were gone. One of the volunteer responsibilities that they took on was taking care of our elderly, cranky (and very finicky) cat, Sparky.

One of my daughters (and we won't mention WHO) went to the supermarket to buy more Ocean Fish flavored Friskees, which was the ONLY brand Sparky would eat. She was standing in the cat food isle searching desperately for his favorite food, only to realize that it was all sold out. Unaware of the other shoppers in the pet food isle, and without thinking, she exclaimed aloud, "Great, Sparky is going to be ticked."

Yeah, I told you she is weird!

Life's Biggest Blessings

2008-08-13T10:03:00.006-04:00

Jim

Kelly

Shannon

Cesar

Mom

This is my family. My husband Jim, my twin daughters: Kelly & Shannon, Shannon's husband Cesar, my Mom, and me.

We are very zany people. Weird actually. And that's the biggest reason I love them. They are fun to be with, they act crazy most of the time and they are full of laughs.

I was looking at some photos of our family recently and I was struck by the fact that all of our pictures are of us laughing. We laugh all the time. And then I thought, of course our pictures are of us laughing. I mean how many people do you know that run for their camera when someone is sobbing their guts out so they can capture the moment? That would be very odd, now wouldn't it?