Thursday, June 23, 2016

Life keeps happening...even on your Anniversary!


"LIFE IS TEN PERCENT WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU AND NINETY PERCENT HOW YOU RESPOND TO IT "
I have heard this saying many times in my life and I believe it is true!
Today started out fine, I got a few things done around the house, then headed off to my Physical Therapist in hopes that he could give me some relief from my back pain lately. The appointment was in Bellevue. After that appointment...I was suppose to meet a friend and then on the way home I was going to stop and get a card and stuff to make a special dinner for Jeff tonight. After all , it is our 34th wedding anniversary!!!
But as I was heading to the appointment, only blocks away from the PT's office, as I was turning on the green light, someone coming the other way ran through the red light and hit me. I kept thinking as I saw him come closer ...that he is going to stop, but then when I put on my brakes, I realized that there is no way he wasn't going to hit me and he did. After we got to the side of the road and I called 911 and the insurance, I was still shaking. My neck hurt, my knee hit the dash board and my lower back was hurting. I first thought ...what are the chances that I would get hit ...on my way to the PT for back pain in the first place? Then I thought...am I going to have neck and back pain for my whole life? From then on the thoughts were getting worse and coming faster.
After all the calls and exchanging of numbers and insurance cards...I headed back to the PT office and told him what happened, he worked on my back and neck.
It was after the appointment when I was sitting in my car for awhile (because I still felt light headed and a headache was coming on)...that I thought...I am very lucky that I was able to see my PT right after something like that happened. I was blessed that it wasn't worse. I was grateful that the man did stop, admit he ran the red light; and that he had car insurance.
So even though I have a headache and a pretty bad neck and back ache, I realized that I am blessed. It could have been way worse.
Jeff and I will have to celebrate our anniversary later, but I just came home and laid down and have been keeping ice on my neck and back.
Though I am blessed to have had 34 years with Jeff by my side. Have they all been blissful and wonderful...nope, but we have continued to work at it and he still is my best friend and the love of my life! We truly have had many wonderful years!
I just need to remember this quote again today, life is still good and we have much to be thankful for.
Good Night dear friends!
P.S. I have posted this article before, but I feel like it is worth reading again!


A LOVE LIKE THAT
I was 23, and all the way to the hospital I'd been composing what I would say to Mama before they took her to cut into her heart, whose center I supposed myself to be; hadn't she told me all my life I was the most important thing in the world to her?
Threading my way through the hospital corridors, I practiced my opening line, which  had to strike just the right note. Who but I could give her strength and confidence she would need? Whose face but mine would she want to be the last one she saw before they cut her open and died probably? Whose kiss but mine...?
I turned a corner and there was my mother lying on a stretcher in the hall, waiting for them to come for her. My father was standing over her. Something about the two of them made me stop and then, as I watched, made me keep my distance, as if there were a wall between us, and around them.
It was clear to me at that moment that for them, nothing existed outside them, nothing; there was only the man, the woman. She didn't see me, nor from the looks of it care much whether she did. They weren't talking. He was holding her hand. She was smiling into his eyes; and they were, I swear, speaking a language that at 23 I hadn't begun to understand, much less speak myself. But I could see them do it, literally see them, and I moved closer to see more, stunned, fascinated, very jealous that I had fallen in love with someone, married him, divorced him and never once come close to what I was looking at in that hall.
Next time, I said, I will know better. I will love like that.   ~ Linda Ellerbee

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Stand in the Light!

My son Lee called the other day and told me to look up this music video by Jordan Smith. The song is called Stand in the Light
Funny that he would send that to me this week, as I am trying hard to get ready for this first paid LynnMade video, and for a presentation that I am going to give at a Quilt Guild on Monday.
I am excited for this new venture... but I'm still a bit unsure of myself. I want it to work, because I love to people and teaching others how to create and feel good about themselves. I love that my family believes in me and so ...
I am going to stand in the light and be seen as I am!
Wish me luck!
Good Night dear friends!



Listen and watch the video here:

Didn't I tell you I hear what you say
Never look back as you're walking away
Carry the music the memories and keep them ins
You laugh everyday
Don't stop those tears from falling down

This is who I am inside
This is who I am I'm not gonna hide
Cause the greatest risk we'll ever take is by far
To stand in the light and be seen as we are
So stand in the light and be seen as we are

With courage and kindness hold on to your faith
You get what you give and it's never to late
To reach for the branch and climb up leaving sadness behind
You fight hard for love
We can never give enough

This is who I am inside
This is who I am I'm not gonna hide
Cause the greatest risk we'll ever take is by far
To stand in the light and be seen as we are
So stand in the light and be seen as we are

Riding the storms that come raging toward us we dive
Holding our breathe as we break through the surface
With arms open wide, with arms open wide

This is who I am inside
This is who I am I'm not gonna hide
Cause the greatest risk we'll ever take is by far
To stand in the light and be seen as we are
So stand in the light and be seen as we are

Cause the greatest risk we'll ever take is by far
To stand in the light and be seen as we are
So stand in the light and be seen as we are

So stand in the light and be seen as we are

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Just a little over a week ago!

Just a little over a week ago, our son Lee and his fiance Caitlin got married.
Amy and I were the lucky ones that got to drive there with her 3 little girls.
Hard...yes! Long...yes! Exhausting...yes!
Fun...yes! Lots of bonding time...yes! Worth it...YES!!!


I have to admit Amy drove more than I did, still eating is the only thing that kept us awake!

Girls were troopers but after a whole day of driving we decided to get a Motel room and rest for the night!

You can see how excited the girls were to get to do a Sleep Over in a Motel! Actually so were we!



Arriving in Salt Lake and being with family and friends, was so fun! I have missed my great nieces and nephews! I love how the cousins all connected!

Two of them, we met for the first time. Oh how I instantly loved them!
Look at those faces...aren't they the sweetest?
We all got to be together for meals!


For a special trip to the Dinosaur Museum, where the kids got to actually dig for bones,


while their parents got to reconnect!

Hard to imagine my own kids, neices and nephews grew up but now to see the next generation...was a Priceless gift!






Stuffed animals have always been near and dear to our hearts, only fitting that Amy's girls got to go home with one each!

Then because we got to Utah a few days early, we were able to have breakfast with some old friends, ones that we hadn't seen in over 35 years...what a treat!

I love, love, loved seeing all the kids and grandkids together.
What a powerhouse of women, these 5 ladies are!
Then after Lee and Caitlin got married, right before they came out of the Temple, Jeff and I came out and acted like we were the newly weds! It was too funny, people starting clicking their cameras then they stopped and I heard someone say... " who are they?" It was too funny,  
What we were really excited about was...we just had our last child get married! Can't you just see the excitement on our faces?

Ok, here is who they were really waiting for, but Jeff and I looked just as excited ...right? :)
All the kids couldn't wait to tell Uncle Lee congratulations!


When I look at these young men, I am grateful first of all ...for Bradley and the great older brother he has always been for Lee. Then as I look at the rest, and I am so thankful that Lee has such incredible friends in his life. Good friends can make all the difference!


Here is the Bride ( our new daughter in law ) and her sweet sisters and friends!

So blessed to have all our family together for such an amazing wedding!


We are glad to see our family getting bigger.
And congrats to Lee and Caitlin, your journey has just begun! We love you!

10 Inspirational Quotes Of The Day:

Good Night dear friends!




Friday, June 10, 2016

38 years and counting!

I am so behind on writing in my blog, that I am not sure where to begin. So for now, I will just start for today and catch up a little at a time.
We got home from the wedding trip on Tuesday night and yesterday and today, I just worked on the house, unpacking, laundry and cleaning. Then I took down all my Spring decorations and put up 4th of July decorations. I love those decorations, because it means that Summer is really here.
Jeff's car broke down a few days ago and so as soon as he gets home from work, he has been working on it. But tonight, he took a break and asked me out for dinner, what's the occassion you might ask? Well, 38 years ago today...Jeff asked me out on our first date! We went to a movie and then dinner. We ate at a Pizza Hut and all I can remember is that when he said goodbye that night, he kissed me on the forehead. I knew in that moment he was a true gentleman and that I was falling for him fast!
So tonight on this beautiful evening, we went out for Pizza and a Salad. No, not a Pizza Hut... but at one of our favorite places MOD Pizza!
#time #love #life:

What a blessing to be able to still go on Date Nights...with my Best Friend for 38 years now, and counting!
Good Night dear friends!
Marriage Advice, 1886: friendship, courtesy, bending, and children.: