It was a good day!

In the background I hear Maybee whining because she is having to stay in her new "bigger, better" kennel, Tony making popcorn and the tv about to start so we can catch up on some programs we have missed.

All in all it has been a good day! Christmas decorations are put away....as much as I disliked only putting out 1/12 of what we have (2 out of 24 boxes) I really enjoyed putting it away :)

I spent time with my mom which is always a good thing.....but it was at 2 p.m. and she had just gotten out of bed and had not had anything to eat...not a good thing! I stayed and visited while she had a bowl of cereal and banana. Hopefully she stayed up longer and saw the girls come home. I know with inactivity she does not want to get out of bed.

I made the bottom part of a pair of pajamas, fixed dinner, and then scrapped with my sister. Showed her how to change papers on her digital.....I think she is getting the hang of this. Fun times!!!

Today's cup was filled!

I attended my once a month Spirituality class this morning and our director began with a quote from St. Augustin....."Our hearts are restless until they rest in God". Quite a profound statement especially since last night when we discussed the "health" of our individual relationship with God. I mentioned that there was something missing and didn't know if it was me or just the place I'm in or the situations that have presented themselves. But something is missing! hmmmm...restless heart indeed!

But then on top of that she asked us "Who has been your God for you today, yesterday, last week or last month???? This was hard to answer until I thought of Marianne's nurses who have cared for her.....they have been God for her and if we "trust", they have been God for us who sit on the sidelines and are not with her on a daily basis. So thank you to the NICU nurses, the Special Care nurses who watch over the tiny lives they are charged with.

We watched a great video....."For the Love of It"
It spoke to many of us who do things just to do or because they have to be done or because they pay!!! The message was to "work for the love of it....not for the $$" Find joy, inspiration, ignite your passion, follow your bliss. Find a new way of looking at the job you have to do. I didn't gather this was just for those who work for a living but for any of us who live, are alive and are doing "things".

One of the challenges mentioned in the video was to write five things that brought joy.........and write the date of the last time you actually did it!!!! Something to think about.....perhaps within my "journaling".

Another important factor in this "for the love of it" was to come with a full cup....can't fall in love with work unless you come with a full cup...realize how essential it is to fill our cup~~~~when we take time to do this~~~~it spills over to everything we do.

Fall in love with everything we do. There were two men working on a project, when asked what they were doing the first man responded "I'm chipping away at the stone". The second man responded by saying "I'm building a cathedral." (They were indeed working out side the site of a new cathedral) The second man loved what he was doing......full cup!

Say 'thank you' ~~~a factor determined to increase your happiness was gratitude....so be grateful.

I'm grateful I went to my class today.....easing my restless heart!

#1 joy~~~~my husband~~~~I spent time with him today, just watching a basketball game!!

It can be done!

Just finished 5 pages in 2005 scrapbook.....good feeling. Will begin my marathon sewing tomorrow after class in Boerne. I also have a ton of wash to do and would like to visit with my mom.



We bought a new crate for the dog, hoping she would have more room to stretch when she needs to be kenneled.....she whinned and complained. Needed to give her some calming meds so she could settle down. I guess we'll have to do this until she accepts the fact that she must sleep in kennel.



Left the condo this morning, we're glad to be home, attended our SCC meeting and now Tony has been writing cover letter and application....so I've spent time with my computer and pictures.

Just Do It!

I find this difficult to do.......writing everyday, I mean. Three days into the new year and I'm already whining........


Taking a walk, having a great cup of coffee with my honey, digi-scrapping, going shopping for more fabric, taking a donation to Goodwill and coming home to fix Calabacita......seem so insignificant and ordinary, yet when I look at the list of things done, that, oh, by the way, included taking a short nap and I thank God that I was able to do these things without difficulty. So I guess writing on a daily basis is not too difficult to try to accomplish! I should include prayer in there too!

Thanks for a great day, God!!

New Beginings for a New Year

At the beginning of the new year we have been working hard at preparing our place for us and for those who visit. We've changed dishes, cleaned out pantry, the kitchen, changed faucets in both bathrooms and in the kitchen, thrown out items we haven't used in 4 years......nostalgic at the fact that Margaret brought these things here and now that she is gone it felt wrong to get rid of "her" things yet they had not been used and someone else may find comfort in them. I feel I've kept the important items....a hanging quilt, sea gull mobile, country pictures, barometer, clock, a couple of signed watercolors......these were the items that felt right for "our" place. These items will always hold a special quality about them and the previous owner of the condo on Laguna Madre. This place very much enjoyed by our entire Patino Pac and their families.

On another note, Tony has OD-ed on football, watching Masterpiece Theater now....I have cut out 21 patterns for skirts, pajamas pants and shirts, dresses, jumpers, and aprons. Wonderful time reminiscing the times I used to do this for my girls and son. Now for the grandchildren :). The patterns are different, the fabrics are fabulous and colorful and the feeling doing this is just GREAT!!!! Can't wait to get home and start sewing.

So, okay I was a day late in "journaling" but I did meet my week deadline....hopefully I will be able to keep the daily or maybe bi-weekly "journaling".

Happy New Year!!

Last day of 2010! God has been good to us and we are thankful for all of His blessings....in January I had a wonderful opportunity to be with my girls...my daughters all of them....to celebrate Gina's 40th birthday. I remember like it was such a short time ago how tiny she was (5 lb. 14 oz. 18 in long) and bringing her home from the hospital...how scared we were to have such a fragile life and be responsible for her....I pray that we have been faithful to being good parents!

In early spring I helped my sister as she struggled with injuries from dog bites, she is still struggling with this. We had JP, Meg, Carlos in early March join us at home and at the coast, then we had the munchkins from Dallas come for Spring Break....such fun!!!
In April, I journeyed to Utah to celebrate Lora's birthday, Rebecca's 1st Communion and help Gina after surgery.

I had a wonderful birthday month....I've always liked the month of May :).

In June, we shared some fun times at the ranch and the coast, 13 of us...found out we were to be grandparents to numbers 11 and 12....more blessings!!!! Tony and I celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary giving each other a Caroline Skiff...named her "Forty One"!!

July was a sisters week at the coast, Mary stayed 3 days and Esther stayed 4......our planning didn't quite work out the way we "planned". Rita and the kids joined me for the rest of the week and we enjoyed the surf and sun and the new boat!!
We boated in August and then I took a trip back out to Utah to celebrate Jonathan's Confirmation. Such a grown-up thing to do and yet he passed all the requirements and we did it!

September brought about a trip to St. Louis....we visited with JP, Meg & Carlos in their new home...very nice. Great trip with between homework, classes, trips to the park and helping with some minor chores.

The guys made it to the "guys' weekend" modeling after our January girls' weekend....but they went fishing, we scrapped, they played cards, we watched chick flicks, they drank Wild Turkey, we had wine & Shiner Bock......but most importantly we ate out and had pedicures!!! October also brought challenges as our youngest grand-daughter decided to come early--very early, at 28 weeks. It has been back and forth since then....emotions running up and down. Lots of prayers, tears, undecided moments and heart tugs as to what to do. I just want to hold Rita and tell her all is going to be okay, let her rest, allow her to just cry but I see a strong woman.....my little girl, all grown up, with her family, struggling to make sure they don't see the stress. As I reflect on her, I remember where I was at 35 years of age......I had four children, 14, 9, 7 and an infant with a husband who was very ill....undiagnosed....was it cancer? was he going to be alright??? Lost 25 lbs in 2 weeks....lethargic....frail....not going to work.....couldn't figure out what was wrong...........many novenas to our Lady, to St. Anthony...........no support, no family close by...........but it worked out.....for I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. And the plans we have seen the Lord work out have not always been according to ours but surely better than we could have ever hoped.

I went to a quilt show in Houston with my favorite mother in law and Carrie....had a great time. Found lots of patterns and fabrics.....then, I flew up to Portland to visit with Lora and family....grandchildren bring such joy!!! I loved reconnecting with the sewing machine and the love of sewing for my children!!! But now it's for the grandchildren....I am having so much fun doing this!!!

We spent Thanksgiving with Rita and family....celebrated Lydia's birthday and anxiously wondered when Marianne would come home......we began a new chapter in our lives as we face a forced retirement...Tony's contract was not renewed and so he is home.....we have had lots of time together, more time than we ever had before we were married and after....honeymooning sometimes and other times some space is needed. I married a wonderful man! :)

We celebrated my sister's 50th birthday but more importantly we celebrated reuniting with my brother, Manuel. This was the best!!

We went back to Dallas in December and we pray that our little miracle comes home soon.....perhaps a new home....but we will leave all of this in God's hands, only He knows what's in store for them and for us.

I have spent some time with my mom....probably could try to spend more time with her, sometimes I feel like I am asking permission to visit with her and it is up to him as to whether he will "allow" me to visit or not. Other times I feel as if she just doesn't want to see anyone and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Her health is good, her memory is not. We keep re-directing the conversation so she can focus on good memories and not the bad, or the stuff that makes her sad. I just need to remember to stay positive myself and not give up or want to quit seeing her. She needs me and I need her!

Today is the last day of 2010 and the resolution for next year is to try to "journal" daily.....oh, okay.....once a week!!!! It is 11:15 p.m. on Dec 31, 2010.....God has been good to me....to us....thank you Lord for your many blessings, for our children and their wonderful spouses, for our grandchildren. Thank you Lord for our family and friends.....bless them.

Merry Christmas!

I know that giving is better than receiving, yet when we delivered the gifts to our adopted family this evening we received so much more than we gave. The tears and grateful expressions of thankfulness were more than expected and more than we deserved.

We are thankful for the blessings we have received this year and the opportunity to share. Merry Christmas!!