40 years.

Our parents died on Sept 30, 1973.

It has been a long time but the love remains.

It remains and grows and pushes out the sadness.

Pain throws your heart to the ground

Love turns the whole thing around

No, it won't all go the way it should

But I know the heart of life is good

I know it's good.

~John Mayer

Always love.

Donna

A quick birthday round up.

I was blessed with two visitors for my birthday.  Mary Z from Chicagoland and Susan from Switzerland/Alaska came all the way to Madison to celebrate my birthday with me.  We talked and opened presents and went out to lunch at my favorite Thai restaurant.  On the way to the restaurant I spotted the Weinermobile in the parking lot at Walmart.  I phoned the ladies and said..."Do you want to turn around and go see the WEINERMOBILE? They said yes.  Let's!

And so.  We took picture after picture, laughing all the way.

Thank you SO much for the wonderful birthday party!




Katie came home.  She was starving for something sweet.  I hear they did not have dessert at camp.
That's just weird.  Katie loves dessert....after breakfast, lunch and dinner.  We went right to Michaels custard for a peanut butter sundae.  
She came home with chap lips.
And bed bugs.

One room had them at camp.  Only Katie's room.  How is that for luck?

We are delighted she is home.

Emma came home this morning.  Got on the bus at six am to come and see her momma.
I am very blessed.




We went to the dog park this morning and when we came home Patrick had gotten us all our Starbucks.

The celebrating continues!!!


Thank you for the fabulous birthday greetings!!!

It's good to be here.

Today my shoes were not scuffed.  But my shirt was inside out.

Brilliant!

Love
Donna

Chapter One. I am born.

Once upon a time a little girl was born.  They called her Booba because she chubbed up so nicely.
She was a happy little girl.

Her shoes were scuffed then
and they are now.

But she has never cared too much about that sort of thing.

She is just happy to be here,
loving and playing and skipping along.

Encourage one another,
Booba.

Hi!

You won't believe this.  I forgot to blog this morning.
Ginny and I are having so much fun knocking around the place by ourselves....

Do you forget things when you are off your routine?
I do.






“My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished 2 bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.” 
~Dave Barry


“You rarely have time for everything you want in this life, so you need to make choices. And hopefully your choices can come from a deep sense of who you are. ” 
~Fred Rogers


It's so much easier to be happy. It's so much easier to choose to love the things that you have, instead of always yearning for what you're missing, or what it is that you're imagining you're missing. It is so much more peaceful.”
~One True Thing


Encourage one another,
Donna

Favorite fall poem.

SOMETHING TOLD THE WILD GEESE

By Rachel Field



Something told the wild geese
It was time to go,
Though the fields lay golden
Something whispered, "snow."


Leaves were green and stirring,
Berries, luster-glossed,
But beneath warm feathers
Something cautioned, "frost."


All the sagging orchards
Steamed with amber spice,
But each wild breast stiffened
At remembered ice.


Something told the wild geese
It was time to fly,
Summer sun was on their wings,
Winter in their cry.


***








Happy Fall!
Donna

Emmy Red Carpet 2013

If you do not have expanded cable with channels like HBO and Showtime and if you do not get Netflix then you really do not need to watch the Emmys.  I was so bored with most of it I switched over to watch Breaking Bad (which is on basic cable) and forgot to go back and watch a large chunk of the Emmy broadcast. This telecast pretty much broke bad in my opinion.  Elton John sang the most boring song...to Liberace.

The shows you may know...Modern Family won best comedy and the Voice won for best reality show.

Many of my favorite dresses were worn by people I do not know.  But that's okay.
The pre Emmy show on "E" was dull and the stars stayed away from Guilanna and Ryan.  The men stopped and a few women but it was weird.  I have a theory about this.  I think the ladies hate Joan Rivers and know that she will pick them apart.  So they stay away from the "E" crew.  The last two years the visitors to the "E" crew have dwindled!




Sandrina Holt.
I liked this because it was unique and pretty on her.
I'm so tired of the same shiloutte.



But then.  This classic look was a fave on Alison Williams.  Notice her large ring.
Almost every wore a huge ring.




I just loved Jane Krakowski's whole look.  Love her hair and makeup and dress.
She looked fabulous.



Of course I loved Kerry Washington in this pretty dress.  Feminine and beautiful.




Malin Ackerman.  Another pretty and feminine dress.




Do you remember Diahann Carroll?  She looked so gorgeous and I loved her dress.  This is the best picture I can find of it.  So nice!!


I actually think people over dress for this show.  It's in the summer.  It's tv.
I don't know....

Best dressed of the night...I will go with a crazy pick.
But it really is my favorite dress I saw all night.







Keirnam Shipka is from Mad Men.

Her shoes are just right.  The colors are fresh.

I love it.

****

What do you think?

Encourage one another,
Donna

Katie got a hair cut.

Saving for Locks of Love.




Katie's words. "It's Awesome!"

She is so happy with her short hair.
I'm so happy she is happy.

Encourage one another,
Donna

Mike McCoy comes to Blessed Sacrament.

On Tuesday I attended an assembly at Katie's school.  The jr. high teachers sent out a little invitation to the parents letting us know what the presentation would be about.  I thought it sounded really good.  And it was really good.  I am very thankful that Katie and her classmates got to hear from this remarkable man.

The fact that he was a football player for Notre Dam and the Green Bay Packers makes him more interesting to the kids, I think.  He was a good story teller and shared his personal experiences along with the stories of friends and family.  He told how attending NFL chapel before the games lead him to a more serious personal relationship with Christ.  He also stressed making wise choices and challenged the audience to read thru Proverbs; one chapter a day.  His parents were not exactly positive role models for him so I think that is why he stressed how important good friends were to a successful life.
(Two of Mr. McCoy's Notre Dame friends were in the audience.)

His ministry says 'Reaching Students in Catholic Schools' but I see no reason why any school that is allowed to have 'religious' speakers come to school would not love to hear Mike McCoy.



Mike McCoy Ministries



(not my picture)


*****



Katie is getting her hair cut today.  Really short.  Like Twiggy short.  Carrie Mulligan short.

She woke up early today she is so excited.

I'm nervous.  But I don't know why.  She will be fine.  As Melinda says, it's just hair.
So get ready for a new Katie Gracie!

omgeeeeee!


Encourage one another,
Donna

DWTS: Season Who Knows.

Dancing with the Stars started on Monday.  The show will only be on one day a week which is very fine with me.  I was seriously disappointed with the cast.  I didn't know many of the names and I felt it was lacking.  But I watched it because that's what I do.  I love to watch.

And I enjoyed the cast tremedously.  

Snooki and Sasha Farber

Snooki is from a Jersey Shore show which I have only seen snippets of.  Snooki was falling down drunk in most snippets I saw.  I don't really care to watch her dance but she is now a mom and she says she has changed.  But I still don't care.  Not my cuppa.  

Keyshawn Johnson and Charna Brugess

Keyshawn is a football player.  He was probably my least favorite dancer of the night.

Valerie Harper and Tristan McManus

Valerie is from The Mary Tyler Moore show.  She was Rhoda.  She is exuberant and positive and altogether a lovely woman.  She has cancer between her brain and her skull.

It seems to be in remission.  

She is actually a very pretty dancer.  She is 72 and really dances so much younger.  She is full of grace.

Brant Daugherty and Peta Murgatroyd

Brant is handsome and he can dance.  I have learned he is an actor.

Christina Milian and Mark Ballas

Christina is an entertainer, I guess.  She was okay, but I was so confused the whole time because I have never seen or heard of her before.  And that's saying something.

Bill Nye and Tyne Stecklein

Oh Boy. Bill Nye the Science Guy.  He can swing dance and I would like to dance with him.  But for the cha cha he was terribly awkward and geeky.  He is beloved by the crowd and I hope he stays around.  He is an odd ball.

Elizabeth Berkley and Val Chmerkovskiy

Elizabeth was on Saved By the Bell.  Then she was in a stripper movie.  She was fine.  I'm not really a fan.

Corbin Bleu and Karina Smirnoff

Corbin was in High School Musical.  He is a dancer/actor.  He is one of the 'unfair' members of the cast.  But what are you gonna do.  He may win.

Amber Riley and Derek Hough

Amber is on Glee.  So she is in the 'unfair' group too.  She is a chubby girl but boy can she move.  She's representin' for the big girls.

Bill Engvall and Emma Slater

Bill is a comedian/actor.  He is a nice enough guy who has a natural ability to dance.  I would have thought he would be a joke. But no.  He is graceful and nice to watch.

Jack Osbourne and Cheryl Burke

Jack is the son of rocker Ozzie Osbourne and Sharon O. He is a little chubby and has MS.  I could not have been more surprised!  He is a lovely dancer.  I was most surprised by him.  He is one of my faves.  

Leah Remini and Tony Dovolani

Leah is from King of Queens.  She is also a pretty dancer.  She is one of those girls who will lose a lot of weight doing this show.  Mark my words.

Who do I think will go home first? 

Keyshawn is my guess.  

Bill Nye scored the lowest but I think he will get a lot of votes. (My sister Cindy voted for him 12 times.)

Here is Jack Osbourne.  Look at those lovely feet.  

Sweet.

*****

Thank you all for being such a beautiful community.  You help me.  You help others.  I think we are very blessed to have one another.

With love,

Donna

  

from the comments/Stuart Townend

When sufferings cease and sorrows die,
And every longing satisfied.
Then joy unspeakable will flood my soul,
For I am truly home

~Stuart Townend & Mark Edwards


Thank you Stephie for sharing this in the comments.  
How I love Stuart Townend.
This song is beautiful and touched my heart today.

the shadow of death

I know you are expecting that DWTS post.  But it was not meant for today.

This morning I went to a lovely Book Study for the faith group I attend here in town.  It was a sweet time of sharing and learning and encouraging.  When I got in the car I turned on my phone. (Before I drove off) and there was a message from Janet (my sister).

"Katie Wagner is in heaven with Jesus.  Our hearts are broken."

My heart breaks too for them.

Our human hearts are meant to love.  That is the very best thing they can do.  Love.
This is what Jesus wants us to do most of all.
So when our loved ones are not with us it is crushing.
It is painful.  It is horrible.

And yet.

We must go on.

So many dear friends have had to say goodbye for now to their husbands and children and siblings in the last three years it really is quite shocking to me.  I was just thinking yesterday that I didn't expect this in the 50's.  But I didn't expect it when I was 16 either.  And I will never expect it for the  young ones.

I will never understand.

So I cling to God's promises.

Psalm 23: 1-6

1	The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want;
2	he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters;
3	he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4	Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
5	Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.
6	Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

With love,
Donna

Maggie and Me.

Maggie and Me

I went all out and bought Maggie three sparkly cat toys.

Can you say...impulse item?

Maggie is not much of a player.

But the balls were so colorful and how could a kitty cat just not love sparkly balls?

But she was not impressed.

Licking her behind was much more interesting.

She is a master at ignoring me.

And my sparkly little balls.

Come back, Maggie.

Here, kittykittykitty.....

I miss homeschooling....

Oh kitty. You are so pretty.

Please come play with me.

I am her slave.

She is the master.

I can not please her.

Someone send me an adoring dog.

ASAP.

(the post above was written in Sept. 2009.

B.G.)

*******

Maggie is still here.  She mostly stays upstairs because she is terrified of Ginny.

Ginny is now the one who wishes, so desperately, to play with Maggie.

Maggie gets all the attention she desires and continues to play with my yarn and elastics (rubber bands) in the middle of the night.  I look forward to winter when she drags the hats up the stairs and leaves them in the hallway.  I wouldn't know she is ever here except for the oddball stuff she drags out and plays with.

I'm heading to school (back to school) in a bit to hear a motivational speaker at Katie's school.  His name is Mike McCoy and he is a former Packer.  Should be nice.

Tomorrow I will post about Dancing with the Stars.

I was totally NOT going to like it this year.  Even said the 'hate' word...which my sister called me on.

But I watched it last night and I am charmed by many of the dancers!

So I'm in and I will tell you all about it tomorrow!

Have a wonderful day!

Love ya,

Donna

And We'll Never Be Royals.

I love this 60's sounding song.


I was inspired.




Oh you should have seen me trying to do this eye makeup.  Katie ended up just doing it herself.
We really didn't try too hard.  It was pretty dark and well....I'm just too lazy to be honest.

We did just enough to have fun.


****

My Tivo is on her last leg.  No.  I didn't think they were suppose to break or wear out.
But it is happening.  The cords attached to the TV, Tivo and VCR boggle my pretty little head.  I will have to wait for dh to come home and take a look.  I can trouble shoot a little but not a lot.


First world problems.

Moving on.

*****

Did I tell you I made this delicious dish?
Well.  I did and it was awesome.






Encourage one another,
Donna

Funny and True.

Oh my. That's funny!





Well said, Pooh. :o)



*****

Speaking of lunch.



Found these potatoes on Pinterest.   They were super delicious.






Parmesan Bacon Potatoes



*****



Happy Week. End.



Encourage one another,
Donna

Don't forget how much I appreciate you all!
Mean it.