A Year in the Life

I have MANY things in my life to be thankful for.  Much more than I deserve.  Today is Harry's birthday, he's 17, where did that time go?  Hopson's birthday was yesterday, I won't tell you how old he is, but he's one year older than me.  If you need to know my age, click here .  :)  I was able to do something earlier this month that was one of the coolest things ever. I love to dance.  I always have.  My friend Steven, who was my boyfriend in middle school, used to put his hand on top of my head to try to stop me from dancing.  My theme song back then was, All She Wants to Do is Dance .  You know, not much has changed.  I hear music & I just have to dance.  (granted, things to move quite like they did 30 years ago.)  So does Elizabeth.  I'll be cooking dinner; music is playing; E & I are dancing around the kitchen.  Yes, it's a personal problem, but a good one if you have to have a personal problem, but...

Merry    Happy    Blessed These are all things we wish each other during the Christmas/New Year season.  But sometimes the season is not merry, happy or blessed.  Sometimes it feels quite the opposite.  How well I have felt the opposite. This year I have said goodbye to two men very close to me.  We were not related, but for all intents and purposes we should be.  I have friends who have parents and spouses in the hospital right now hanging on for dear life.  Where is their merry, happy and blessed? From thefeministintellect.com I know where it is.  I know exactly where to look.  I know that despite any circumstances this world throws at us; the merry, happy and blessed happen.  Emmanuel.  God with us.  God with me.  God with Ashley.  God with you too.  He didn't leave us alone to suffer through our hardships.  He came to be with us, always.  The King of Glory shed his ma...

...It's my birthday too,  yeah!   I was going to put the clip from 16 Candles on here, but they say a few not very nice words & um, I couldn't bring myself to put a link to the clip.  So, there's a video of the Beatles singing it live.  It's amazing how sensitive I've become over the years. Me at 42 Well, it is my 42nd birthday & this blog's 2nd blogaversary.  Wow, I'm 42.  I remember when I used to think anyone 40 & over was old as dirt.  (That included my parents. I thought they were ancient.)  Funny how when it's you facing the numbers they don't seem so old anymore.  I still feel like I'm in my young 20's...I just don't look like it anymore...and I'm not quite as fearless with some things as I used to be.  I mean, I  used to jump from high places.  Counters, stools, stairs, chairs...no fear.  Don't judge, I'm 5'2.  I need a stool to climb up on my bed.  Now if I have to climb up on a bar...

"MANNERS!" I love this line by Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games.  I wish there were more moms and dads out there that stressed manners to their children.  If the did we might not have so many kids acting a fool, and then posting their foolishness on social media sites.  There are just some things you don't do, and you know what, it seems even adults need to learn these things. 1.  When you're at the dinner table, don't be on your phone.  I don't mind if you need to see who is calling or texting you, but if you are going to answer said call or text, excuse yourself from the table.  Do NOT initiate a text or call.  If you are with your family, your friends can do without you for 20 minutes.  Believe it or not, there was a time when we didn't answer the phone at all during dinner. 2.  Know how to act in public.  No one wants to see you being a selfish brat in a store, restaurant or really anywhere for that manner.  Quit thinking...

...and the agony of defeat. This is going to be my honest take on last night's Iron Bowl, and then, I'll be silent. The phrase above perfectly sums up the 2013 game.  All of you know where I stand, but just in case you don't, I bleed orange and blue.  3rd generation and all that with the 4th generation currently an AU freshman.  I try to not be a fan.  Fan is short for fanatic.  A fanatic is, according to Websters: fa·nat·ic     [ f uh - nat -ik ] noun 1. a   person   with   an   extreme   and   uncritical   enthusiasm   or   zeal I like to think of myself as, what an AU grad and former AU AD, David Housel said:  "an Auburn woman".  I don't just cheer for my team, I love them because they are a very small part of my school, my home, my Auburn.  But I digress...here's the honest take, for what it's worth. First of all, no one believed Auburn could pull out a win, except t...