Today, I am thankful for...

...music! I love music. I love all kinds of music. My playlist, that you are listening to right now, changes all the time. Right now, I feel like I want mellow music. Sometimes I like fun, crazy music. We had a good laugh at the retreat over my choice of songs for the CD mix, right guys? LOL

Robert and Juan - so faithful and vital to our music program!

I love to sing. Unfortunately, my voice has been getting lower and lower and lower. I got really sick in college and developed nodes on my vocal chords. Never dealt with it properly and now I lose my voice very easily and can not sing like the first soprano I once was. I actually am a very low baratone/bass now. Oh, well. I still love singing. Especially praise and worship music.

One of my favorite CCM groups - their song lyrics! Oh, my word!

We had a special group come and sing and play at our church tonight. It was so inspirational. I really needed it and my heart was comforted after being all roughed up this week.

I sing in our church worship group and I enjoy it so much. We sing in Spanish and English.
A little over two years ago, my family and I went through some big changes. I clung to certain songs during that time. It was like a healing salve on my broken heart.
I am thankful for music. I like all kinds. I love classical and opera. I enjoy hearing children sing and I don't even mind hearing Bon Qui Qui bust the occasional rap. =]

Marco and I celebrating our 15th anniversary. We love musicals.

Wordless Wednesday: Buddies...

Today, I'm thankful for...

...my little brown bear, Taryn. She is my second child and she turned 9 today! My husband has always called himself Papa Bear and called me Mama Bear, Hannah is Sissy Bear, Naomi is Baby Bear, Little Marco is Bear Cub and Taryn is Brown Bear. We even have a dog named Oso which means bear in Spanish. LOL Anyway, it's just a little endearment for the Bear Family.
We will be celebrating her birthday with friends and family on Saturday, but I took her out today and just had a blast spending time with her. We went to see HSM 3. This was a big deal for her because Hannah has not even seen it yet. I let her pick where we'd go for lunch and she chose Pick Up Stix which is a Chinese type fast food place. After that, we stopped at See's candies and when they found out she was celebrating a birthday, they loaded her up with free samples and even a "SEE"gar. It was a giant, solid chocolate that looked like a cigar. She gave it to her daddy and they thought it was funny that she had a SEEgar.

9 Things I Love About Taryn:
1. She has a tender heart.
2. She is very funny.
3. She's a great conversationalist.
4. She's loyal.
5. She's competitive.
6. She's a good cook.
7. She's a girlie girl.
8. She likes to dance and sing.
9. She makes the best Senseo coffee ever!

Taryn with her SEEgar... =]

Ready to go sing and ooh and ahh!

Me and my brown bear...I have been crying on and off all day - my eyes felt all crazy. =[

Simple Woman's Daybook...

Adapted from Peggy's Blog, The Simple Woman

FOR TODAY... November 11, 2008
Outside my window... the sun is not yet up and it is down right cold! (I love it)
I am thinking...that each day is a gift, never guaranteed.
I am thankful for...this day (Veteran's Day) and I am thankful for my father, grandfather and great grandfather. They all served and sacrificed for this country.
From the learning rooms...the books will stay closed, because they officially have the day off. =]
From the kitchen...beef cocido (soup/stew) for dinner with squash, corn on the cob chunks, potatoes, carrots....mmmmmm....
I am wearing...my light green and pink pajamas and try to stay warm, but too lazy to get my robe.
I am creating...cards, page layouts and whatever else strikes my fancy today.
I am going...to take Taryn out today for some one on one fun. She turns 9 today!
I am reading...Written on the Wind by Judith Pella, my Bible and my last issue of Creating Keepsakes that just came in yesterday.
I am hoping...that a dear friend of mine will call me, once and for all, and we can fix some long misunderstood hurts.
I am hearing...the news from the television.
Around the house...I need to get things organized for the big church yard sale.
One of my favorite things...is sleeping with the windows open when it is chilly and waking up to a room that is too cold and then being able to snuggle into the blankets for a few minutes more.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Special day today for Taryn, church tomorrow, birthday party shopping on Friday and Birthday Party for Taryn on Saturday.
Here is picture thought I am sharing...

WWII Memorial in Washington D.C.

With a view of the reflecting pool, The Freedom Wall at the west side of the memorial, holds 4,048 gold stars, each one representing 100 dead American soldiers. About 76% of causalities were Army personnel, 21% Army Air Corps, 15% Navy, 6% Marines and 2% Coast Guard and Merchant Marine. Surprisingly, the Merchant Marines had the highest percentage of casualties, close to 4%, slightly higher than the Marines at 3.7%. Over 14,000 airmen, soldiers, sailors and marines also died as prisoners of war. (photo by Jaime Morales, Jr.)

Today, I am thankful for...

...so much. At the same time, I am so sad. I got a call early this morning that a very good friend of mine went to sleep last night like any other night, but she did not wake up this morning. I was (and still think I am) in shock. It is late night now and I have been crying off and on all day. I did not know what in the world I could be thankful for after receiving this news.
"When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. "~ Harriet Beecher Stowe

When I started this challenge at the 1st of the month, I knew it would not be easy. Things are kind of tough all around for a lot of people. The last thing I expected was to get news of a friend passing away. She was not a lot older than me. She seemed to be healthy and without complaint. Her family has already been through so much. She had a son that was hit by a car and killed over 10 years ago. She kept going. She and her husband had some hard times and were separated. She kept going. During this time, less than a year ago - he passed away. She kept going. She was always the one that was there for everyone else. Such an encouragement to others. A hard worker. Served in her church. Taught at the school. Volunteered countless hours everywhere. I named my second daughter after her daughter who was a student of mine. I just can't wrap my head around it. I had to stop and just pray. I had to "gather" myself and realize that there are just some things in this world that we will never understand. I truly believe that God has a reason and timing for all things. I have to trust Him.


This is what faith is all about. Faith is believing in something you can not see.


So today, I am thankful. Thankful to have known and been influenced by such an amazing woman. She was an incredible mother and teacher. She was such a motivator! I am thankful for my family and the way they gathered around and wanted to comfort me.


I am thankful for my friend Michelle that came over today and just sat and talked with me. She let me cry, we laughed and we were just together.


I am thankful that I knew you, Sally Ramirez, and I will never, ever forget you.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Sally and her only grandchild taken just this summer.

Today, I am thankful...

...for my DONUT. "What?" you say. I know you are laughing, but just read on. I broke my tailbone. Twice. I don't know if any of you have had the displeasure of knowing what that feels like, but it is not fun. A friend of mine bought this "donut" for me a few years ago and I love it. I was so worried when I went to a weekend scrapbooking retreat and forgot it at home. I ended up sitting on a balled up jacket for support.

Well, today, THIS is what I am thankful for. I guess I could make a cute little slip cover for it or something... Now stop laughing.

Today, I am thankful for...

....my laptop. Why? Because my friends live inside. LOL Well, of course, I am joking...but I am so thankful for my connection to far away friends and family via good 'ole email or Facebook. I have had the privilege of befriending many women that I've gotten to know through a scrapbook message board. I have even had the chance to meet some of them at a retreat and nearby.
If it weren't for Facebook, I don't think that I would've had the chance to have that wonderful get together this past summer with two of my best friends from college. I wouldn't be in touch with so many of my students who have graduated and started their own families. It has been great to be able to see pictures and exchange message conversations with my siblings who all live so far away from me.
I love that you can Google just about any topic (or use Wikipedia like Michael Scott) and have answers right at your finger tips. Speaking of Michael Scott, I love that I can watch t.v. episodes on-line when I miss my shows.
Blogging has become a way for me to be creative, to express myself, to write, to share and to unwind. I love it.
So today, I am thankful for my laptop and everything inside it. (pictures to follow later!)