God be with you until we meet . . .

. . . the song follows with "again". However, since I have NEVER MET my mother-in-law, in person, I can't say that.

Judith Mercedes Hernandez de Zapata was called home to her Heavenly Father yesterday, at 8:16 am. She was an amazing woman . . . I know this because her 7 children are all responsible, loving and caring adults and parents.

My dear husband is beside himself, understandably. She has been the go-between for Jorge and his children . . . receiving the money that we send, and distributing it where it needs to go. Besides the fact that she's his mom and he hasn't seen her for 10 years.

Thank goodness for the eternal plan of salvation, and the knowledge that we have that we can all be together again someday. I look forward to that day when I can meet her and give her a big hug and thank her for all her love and caring that she gave (and taught) her son!

Consider Your Yard Tagged. . . . with $50 bills!

What the heck, right Beth?? As long as you are you are imagining something in your yard!!!
Anyway, Happy Birthday to Beth . . . I believe that today is her 29th birthday! Congrats, Girl! LOL

Seriously . . . I loved being a part of the yard decorating, and YOU KNOW that if I could, I would use $50.00 bills to decorate your yard! I hope that you had a great day! Love ya!

It's a Brand New Day

Download and Watch America's Song

I like this message! The tune seems a little repetitive, but the message of the lyrics is a good one!
And, I just happen to love all of these voices . . . brought together on this historic day in history.

I love this country and what the Constitution stands for. Here's to four years of change! Let's do our part to make it all work out!

An Amazing Week of Firsts . . . and it is only Monday!

So, here's how this week of firsts started out:

First TIME EVER for me to watch, much less CARE about. an AZ Cardinals game! I'm not a "naysayer" as Beth would say, but I just haven't ever cared to care about the cursed, losing team that they were before! What fun is it to root for a losing team? I've been there enough times with the Suns, sad to say!! (I mean no disrespect . . . they are still MY Phoenix Suns!!)

Then, FIRST TIME EVER that the AZ Cardinals are going to the SUPERBOWL!!! WOOT WOOT!! That's exciting stuff! And, for a few minutes, yesterday, it was snowing in Glendale!! Yes, the "snow" was red and white confetti, and it WAS fed from a machine, but it was very much falling like a heavy snow in a blizzard, so humor me! ;)

Then, on Tuesday, for the FIRST TIME EVER, an Afro-American President will be sworn into that important position. He promises to bring change . . . and if it all comes about as he has promised, then that will be another FIRST TIME EVER! LOL I'm just sayin' . . . politicians embellish, regardless of party, creed, race or religion. They can't help themselves! And we MUST keep our sense of humor, people!!

Yet, I digress from the point . . . I am truly proud of the voters of this country, because it wasn't too many years ago that this miracle would have NEVER happened. Let's hope that over looking skin color can serve to unite us in purpose, God's purpose, for this country. No ONE MAN should run a country according to his heart's desire; that is why our system is set up the way it is!

I'm hoping for a LOT more "FIRST TIME EVER"s for our country! If you have any questions as to what I mean, you can check out Garth Brook's song, We Shall Be Free. (I'm sorry, but I am not net-savvy enough to look it up on YouTube, and link it!) But that is the message I am hoping that we can adapt, embrace and share!

Oh, and last little (tongue in cheek) FIRST TIME EVER . . . I actually wanted to have today off, in honor of Civil Rights Day, but it wasn't an option! Boo hoo, poor me, right??? LOL

Happy Birthday, "Manimal"!

Manimal is the nickname that my "little" nephew, Chase, has earned from his football coach. He is so aptly named because he is 6'3 and weighs 210 pounds. He can eat all of us under the table, when he wants to, and if you're serving bread for dinner, you better make a loaf for him alone!
He's the one on the right, with the scary face, and was the instigator of the coloring on the face trick!!

Anyway, Friday, January 9 was his 16th birthday! He had a . . . er, small . . . get together for cake and ice cream that night. (Thanks, Marie, for the scrumptious cake!!) And of course, there were gifts!

Chase LOVES an audience . . . it doesn't matter when or where, or degree of appropriate . . . HE LOVES TO PERFORM! The little kids love him - he is, after all, a clown, without the scary make-up and big red nose! He just loves to be a goof-ball! That is what we love about him.

He is also a big snuggler and hugger - he always has been! I started getting all teary-eyed on Friday night, as I was driving to his little party, thinking of the cute little infant that we almost lost to respiratory problems a few times, and remembering his antics with Grammy's glasses and just his overall Chase-ness! We've got some great memories of him and he didn't disappoint on Friday, helping us make some more memories with his antics!

Then, on Sunday, he was ordained a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood. He advanced, according to his age, to a higher level of responsibility in that order. He has shown, in so many ways, that he is ready to step up and be the man of the house, and he can be amazingly adult, sometimes. I guess if Heavenly Father can trust him with so many responsibilities, then we can trust him, too.

I sure do love you, Chase, and am so blessed to have you in my life!

Ringin' in the New . . . with a vengeance!

GOOD-BYE and GOOD RIDDANCE to 2008 - that year seemed like one long trial of faith, patience, endurance and sanity, almost from start to finish! And, I know that I'm not the only one, but hey, it's my blog, and I can cry if I want to! LOL

Seriously, though -- How great is this year starting out, that I already know that I have to find a new job (my employer officially closed our plant on 12/29/08, and so . . . I have a job guaranteed through the end of February, but there's no telling, after that!!) and then our landlord came by on New Year's Day, cordially inviting all tenants to vacate the premises by 02/05/2009? WOW!!! I was hoping to get away from that kind of luck, for 2009, but hey, it's a new opportunity for growth, and we can NEVER turn those down, right???

I got a new attitude! I'm not stressing over the small stuff, that I used to consider big stuff, and it's ALL small stuff now! With the exception of my spiritual and physical health, and good relationships, starting with God right on down the line to my acquaintances. That's it, that's my resolution!

Hey, enjoy the year . . . you've only got 360 more days!!