March madness.

Easter Sunday was a busy one. Not only did we recognize and honor the day that Jesus gave us life, we celebrated the birth of my mom, Brecken, Jagger and Cole. After our tradition of egg knocking (my mom won) and guessing the amount of jelly beans in a jar (I won- picked the exact number! 546!- I should have bought a lottery ticket that day!), we made our way over to the Doubletree Hotel so my nieces and nephews could go swimming. My dad even saved the chocolate chip cookie for me- that is the best thing about that hotel!








Although I feel much too old to exert the energy required to hop in the pool for ten minutes, Kennedy brought me down memory lane as I watched her style her hair under water. Remembering doing this as a kid?









Oh, the innocence. The imagination. The lack of inhibitions. I miss that.

promises of spring?

It just won't go away. Every morning I have high hopes of opening my door to the warmth of spring. Instead, I typically am greeted with a blast of arctic air and another inch of snow. In these rare occasions of the sun shining, I caught this red cardinal (trust me, it's red- I just couldn't get close for fear of getting stuck for the third time!) who was probably swearing under it's breath as it attempted to retrieve the grains of food with its beak pecking through the fallen 10 inches of snow. I am sorry little red cardinal, I'd invite you to come inside for warmth but I can't afford to heat my home any longer.


WARNING: THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS MAY BE DISTURBING. VIEW AT YOUR OWN RISK.

The rays of sunshine streaming around my angelic dog are a promise of spring around the corner...










...as well as the pile of poop in the porch.











It's all a matter of perspective.
pooper scooper, anyone?

God's up to something...

Jo sent me this in her excitement as I sent her this email of a news clip I saw on the TODAY show.
I was still in bed wiping the sleepies from my eyes when this clip played on the TODAY show this morning.
I do believe God is up to something, Jo.
I need to meet Gabe and Izzy. It's all part of my refiners fire. Just click on the video clip of "A Woman's Best Friend".

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032633/

...and if you know Gabe, please make the introductions.

'tis the season...

Thanks to a friend that I worked with over ten years ago, Dave Horne left a bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs on my desk. I was forever hooked. Even more so when I discovered that they are only available during the Easter season. Excitement is certainly in the air when I hear the sound of birds chirping, the sight of grass peaking through the melting snow and the task of setting the clocks...Spring ahead!

But nothing can match the feeling of purchasing my first bag of mini eggs. This year it was a mini bag of mini eggs from Walgreens as my tight budget doesn't allow for spending such as chocolate covered candies. It is not a necessity but definitely a treat! I think it is even more a delight as they only appear as a reminder of good things to come!

the biggest loser

The day of the pageant started at 1:47 Saturday morning when things were coming out of both ends. The year long celebration of not throwing up in my new home was over. I called mom and "bless her heart" she came over and held the bowl and my hair while I tried to hold myself up. After a very long night of purging everything in my body, my alarm sounded and I knew the show had to go on.

After a full day of private interviews by a panel of judges, a lesson in self-defense (no-lie) and many trips to the freezing restroom the gala began. I had to deliver my speech first followed by the other contestants. We then were asked to draw a judges name from a hat and answer a serious and humorous question from that judge. My humorous question: "Like the TV show, The Biggest Loser, (but not talking about weight) who would you consider The Biggest Loser?

HUH?! I replied, "Hopefully not me after tonight!" I got the laughs but obviously not the points from the judges...I am not wearing the title of Miss Wheelchair Michigan.

What I am wearing is a bit more clarity as to what God wants me to do. I got a bigger nudge in a different direction I should take. I swallowed a bit of my pride. I grew a bit more determined. This chapter is over and this path is a dead end but the road ahead is big. I just have to keep traveling. I felt and still feel the support and love of family and friends. That's all I need...

...and for this darn flu bug to fly away.