Things I Want My Kids To Remember

• Numeric palindromes
• TTMAB
• TIAB
• Manners
• That a lot of times tears are simply joy overflowing.
• good mom's embarrass you AND make you do things that you don't want to.
• sometimes I'm not a "good" mom.
• (Jhinel) the night that you found out that you had been accepted to FSU!!!
• ".........shhhhhhhhhhhh, don't tell your sister"
• visit your grandparents and call your momma.
• say "I love you" as often as you can.
• Hugs and kisses are awesome!
• Be careful of what you put out there on the WWW.
• (Jhinel, Angela, Jennifer)  You are so beautiful. And true beauty shines from within!
• You can't get by on cute forever, so just stop it right now.
• I lied. TALK to strangers!  It's good for you to stretch your social skills, and how else are you ever going to meet new people and make new friends??
• Always remember "the buddy system",  it's not just for kids!
• I love you.
• Jesus loves you far more than I can even imagine.
• "Someday you'll be best friends"
• If God had asked me to make a list of what I wanted in children......It wouldn't have even come close to the ones that He gave me. That's why I think I'm His "favorite."
• Praise God in ALL things, even the ones that break our hearts.  I believe this!  He never promised us that living for Him would guarantee wealth or a life without sorrows.  In fact, In the Word we are told that because of our faith, we will suffer.  God doesn't cause bad things to happen, but sometimes He does allow them.  It is not our place to know why, it is only our place to trust Him.  (read Job).  God's ways are bigger than ours.  Praise Him, even when it hurts. 
• God will never, ever leave you or abandon you.  
• Faith is not a feeling and feelings don't define our faithfulness.
• Worship is about honoring God, it's not about making YOU feel good.
• Some of these you may not "get" yet.  (print it out and tuck it away for later)
• I still think that it's a good idea to write out a "wish list" of what you desire in a mate at least once a year.  Jhinel, New Year's might not be such a good time anymore, maybe St. Valentine's Day?  It's only necessary to include the "must have's" and the "deal breakers".
• Never, ever drink and drive. Not even "just this once" or after "just one."  Never, ever ride in a vehicle with someone who has been drinking.  Not even "just this once" or after "just one."  If you need a ride.  Call me, I'll be there!
• better yet, never drink????  (Hey, I'm your momma, what do you expect?)
• Don't kiss a man before the wedding ceremony.  (Unless it's your grandpa Krupa)
• It's really expensive to get tattoos removed.
• "Yes, when you turn 18 and I no longer legally have that authority over your life"  is a really creative way to say, "NO" to your children!
• Go to college!
• Find your passion!
• If you work where your passion/love/heart is, you'll never "work" a day in your life.
• Don't use "plastic."
• Cars and houses are the only things you should ever put on credit.  Try to pay cash for those if you can too. 
• Take Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class.
• Now you are beginning to CREATE your very own family. (friends are part of your family.)
• Change your windshield wipers every six months.
• Make your bed every day, even if the rest of your room is a mess, it STILL looks good!
• If you're "not sure", ask yourself what you would tell your own daughter to do if she were in the same situation.
• If you SMOKE I will come back and kick your a**!!!!!! 
• "Hatching" baby chicks

• more will come.

My Little Black Book...

Just this day I found myself jotting in "my little black book."  Repeatedly!

No, "my little black book" is not a directory of phone numbers of attractive men - darn! I thought 50 is supposed to be a woman's "prime" - just my luck!  "My little black book" is my book of notes to myself that I always carry with me.  Often ideas for blogs are written, more often lately, it's my "to do" and grocery lists.  Not all of my notes make it to the page.  One day I was in an ice cream store and pulled my book out as we were ordering.......my daughter, "uh oh-ed" as she explained to our server what that meant.  I think sometimes it embarrassed her that in the middle of ANYTHING I could stop and pull out that book!  (That particular time the comment had to do with something he said about superman ice cream.)  Anyways, I'm excited!  I feel as though my life is slowly but certainly coming to a new norm.  Part of my "writer's block"  has certainly been my grief over the last year plus.  Part of it is that I know that to be real, I'll have to write some of it and parts are still too painful.  Some details will never make it to this forum, which is as it should be.  For today, I'm just so happy that "my little black book" was so active! 

Enjoy The Blessings!