Tuesday’s Thoughts!

Hello my friends!  It is supposed to get into the 50’s today,  is it really December?  I will say it does make it more enjoyable to go look at Christmas lights when its warmer temps.  We want to go to a Christmas Village which is amazing with all the kinds of lights it has!  But the walk through the Village is much more enjoyable if your hands and face aren’t numb!

Whether you go out and see Christmas lights or not, I hope that these quotes can light up your heart and face.  Have a wonderful day!

 

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4. Anyone agree?  Our favorite restaurant is a Mexican Restaurant and it has the best salsa! You can make a meal out of their chips and salsa…. now I am getting hungry!

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9.  Love this picture!  Never Stop Dreaming!

10.     May all your Christmas packages get delivered to the correct address!  🙂

 

Whether or Not….

Do you send Christmas cards?  The Christmas season is one time that I enjoy going to the mailbox.  One time that I know I will receive more than  bills, junk mail and more bills.  

I received a special Christmas card today.  It was what was personally written inside that made it really special.  I always try to write personal notes in my cards. 

 The note doesn’t have to be long to make it special.  It’s the words not the length of them.  They can make you laugh or go “Awh”… either way they add a little special touch.

In a way its like the “comments” on a post.  I am glad when I see that someone “liked” my post, but when I see a comment, it makes my smile a little bigger.  Sometimes depending on the comment it may add a tinge of red to my cheeks as well, but….it can also choke me up and possibly bring a tear.  Due to being easily emotional at times.

Either way, like the notes in Christmas cards, commenting on a post  is like your own added unique touch to the post.

I hope that whether you received a sentimental card or found a sparkly, glittery card that you sent off with a big smile.

Whether you received a touching comment on your post or one that made you laugh.  

Whether you have half wrapped gifts and empty cardboard tubes.  No more tape and no more sugar for your half baked cookies.  

Whether the person in front of you  bought the last carton of Egg Nog and  even if you are certain that someone stole your car.  Certain because you walked up and down the same row 3x now and you are positive this is the row that…..oh wait is that your car way over there??  How on earth did your car move there on its own!  Wow!  You always knew that you had  a magical car!  No wonder things jump out at it!  They want its magic to run off on them

No matter what,  may you be able to slow down, breathe, and smile,  while  feeling the warmth of love and friendship!  The greatest gifts of all!

Surprises!

There were several reasons that I woke up with a smile on my face today!  First of all just the simple fact that it is another day to be lived makes me smile!  Second the fact that I did not have to get out of bed to an alarm clock was great!   I realized something to.  When you get up very early, it changes the way that you feel about 7:30am.  Before I considered that early, now today I woke up at that time and was shocked to feel awake.  I was awake, but it was nice to lay in bed and take my time getting ready.

Of course a special reason that I woke up smiling is that it is our 22nd Anniversary today and my husband only has to work a few hours this morning.  He usually sends an email or text for me in the morning since he leaves so early.  This morning though was different.  I woke up to several texts, 22 to be exact!  22 delightful Anniversary memes and  a few emails as well. I was surprised!

But we do still love the Non-Electronic greetings too and yes there was a card waiting for me on my dresser.

In one of my many messages he informed me that he had 3 surprises for me today!  To those that know my curiosity streak, that is all it took to really wake me up!  Really glad that I will find them out today and not have to wait longer.  I had thought I knew the plans for today, but apparently there is more that I don’t know!

Surprises are a wonderful thing in life, even if they do cause my mind to wonder!  I was also smiling and laughing this morning due to messages passed between my dear sister and I.

Let’s just say that something she had planned as a surprise won’t be quite the surprise she planned and no its not my fault.  It just kind of came out as we were “texting” and I was innocently showing her something that I thought would be really cool to get.  She did warn me that when little kids try to guess  what their presents are they get taken back to the store!! But I wasn’t trying to guess!  I still am laughing.  I told her how very sweet she was and how much I loved her.  Plus that now since I know, do I really need to wait until Christmas to get it??  🙂

I hope that your Saturday can be filled with Smiles and who knows perhaps even a few Surprises as well!

Friday’s Super Short Stories!

Anybody can “talk”….. Its the walking that shows one’s true colors!

22 years ago our hearts were aflame with anticipation…..Knowing that the next day down the aisle we would walk!

Not all puzzles are made out of cardboard…

Helping Hearts to Smile

I held a lady’s hand to calm her.  She grasped it tightly until she fell asleep and her grip loosened.   I sat with a man and let him talk, it didn’t matter if I understood the things he said,   he was glad to have someone to talk to.  I held a lady’s hand as she cried because she longed to go home.  She had to get back to her children.  Could I please take her home?  Her eyes pleaded with me as my eyes tried not to cry.

Yesterday was my first day of working with residents who suffer from Alzheimer’s and it went well.  Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I know there will be challenging days ahead.  I pray I have the strength to get through and that I can make at least a small difference in the lives of these special people.

There is a  dog that roams the halls every day, bringing smiles.  He will sit on the laps and be petted and spread his love around.  Oh the wonderful power that animals have to lift spirits!  The gift they have of knowing just who needs their attention.

The day started by me being greeted so affectionately by one woman.  She told me over and over again about how pretty I was.  How sweet I was.  She hugged me and gave my cheek a kiss.  When my day  was over and I told her goodbye, she looked at me with a serious face,  who was I?  Why was I telling her goodbye?

That’s the reality of Alzheimer’s, they are very much in the moment.  The next moment everything can change.  Will I be greeted affectionately again tomorrow or treated like a stranger?  I don’t know, but I do know one thing.  I know that I will warmly greet her and all the others.  I know that I will try to take one moment at a time and that I will be grateful for the chance I have to make a difference in someone’s life.

 

The Beauty of Pets

When too tired to write a post…I will let these pictures of our Beloved Pets hopefully bring some SMILES!

Tuesday’s Thoughts!

Good Morning!  What is on your mind today?  I am thinking about how I will start my new job bright and early tomorrow.   Will hopefully be bright eyed and bushy tailed!  I am not exactly known to be a morning person, but I have been slowly making progress.  That is a good thing since I will need to leave the house around 5:30 am!

I am excited to be starting my job and look forward to getting to know the residents.  I am sure that it will have its challenging times, but looking forward to this new adventure.  In time I will get used to the early mornings.  I won’t be working full time, so I will have days that I can sleep in.  For now here are some quotes to perhaps help you wake up or to just bring a smile to your face.  Have a wonderful day.  Remember to slow down and enjoy this time of year!  There is so much beauty in it, if we let ourselves not be consumed by all the busyness!

 

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10. We watch this movie every year! 🙂

1000x and counting!

What have you done at least 1000x?   Things besides waking up every day,  driving,  going to the grocery store, or going to work.

I have written in my journals over 1000x, have sent out over 1000 emails, texts and things by snail mail.   Have given/received 1000 plus hugs,  had way over 1000 chats with friends and shared well over 1000 meals with friends and family.  Have listened to over 1000 songs and the list goes on.

Last week I was notified by WordPress that I have shared 1000 posts!  I know many of you have passed that number and for the ones that haven’t, keep going, you will get there!  I really wasn’t keeping track of my number of posts, so it did shock me some when the little notification came up for me.

When I started blogging I didn’t even know if I would do more than 2 posts!  Didn’t know how it would go, but day by day, week by week, month by month the posts added up and here I am!  1000 posts and smiling!

I started blogging on an impulse to be honest.  I really didn’t think about it much, just thought hey, this could be fun, why not give it a try.   As a lot of my friends and my family know, I can be an impulsive person.  Sometimes the results of my impulsiveness aren’t always in my favor.  Okay maybe a little more than sometimes.  They may result in me “smacking my head”!  Is there anyone out there that can relate?

Fortunately my impulsive decision to start blogging has had wonderful results!! The pushing of buttons has resulted in over 1000 posts.  Posts that have hopefully brought  joy, hope, and laughter to your hearts.  As well as times of serious thoughts and perhaps even some tears.

The 1000 posts have helped to result in “The Odessa Chronicles” coming out in 2018!  A book of stories for all ages, that Colin and I have written.  A book that all started because of one impulsive post about a clever, mischievous  cat named Dewey.   Oh how the stories went on to grow from there,  with Colin working his magic with the characters.

Thank you all for helping my impulsive decision to blog turn out to be a very good thing!  For if it wasn’t for your faithful reading and your comments, I  wouldn’t have made it anywhere close to 1000 posts.  Its been a great adventure that I plan on continuing!  If only all my impulsive decisions could turn out this well!

 

Snow Animals

Happy Sunday everyone!  Time for some smiles. Who wants some snow?  I am ready for it!  I love snow in the month of December.  It adds the perfect touch to the Christmas season!

In thinking about snow and in remembering last night I thought of  my post from a couple days ago.  Once Upon a Snowy Night

Last night I was curled up on the couch reading late at night.  I love reading on my Kindle with just the lights of the Christmas Tree on. I was reading a new story and I came across a statement in it that made me say “Awww”….

Why?  A lady was remembering her husband who had died.  Now like I said I had never read this story before…all I knew is that it was a Christmas story.  Anyway she is remembering her husband,  thinking back to their early days.  Back to when she had her first date with him. Does it sound a little similar to my post?  Well there is more.  What flowers do you think he gave her on their first date?  Poppies!!  Sometimes you just have to smile!

Here are some more Smiles for you!  Some more animal pictures to put captions too and this time they are in the snow! Tell me, what are they thinking?  Have fun! 🙂

 

 

 

 

Friday’s Super Short Stories!

Sometimes the one who doesn’t want the hug is the one who really needs the hug!

Chocolate always makes a good gift.

What you see isn’t always what really is…..many layers to an onion.