My Song of the Moment

I have a playlist on my iPod of "theme" songs - songs that have spoken to me or touched me in some way.  The newest addition to my theme song collection is "Invincible" by Hedley.  I heard a little clip of it on TV in an ad for Hedley's new CD, and liked it enough to buy it from iTunes.  And then I listened to the lyrics.  And I felt like they were talking about me.  I can identify with the lyrics in a lot of ways, particularly when I think about what I went through when I was sick before my transplant and then during my recovery.  The lines that hit me the most are:
"But I found the strength inside to see, found the better part of me, and I'm never letting go..."

I found this great site for looking up lyrics, and they have a thing where you can put in what you think the song means.  To me, I think it's about finding the strength to fight your demons, regardless of whether they're physcial, emotional or spiritual.  When I was sick, I had a lot of demons I was facing, and with the grace of God, I overcame them.  But I'm still facing other things, and some of those have been harder to overcome.  This song is a great reminder to stand strong and know that I can overcome the challenges that life is throwing at me.

This is a scrapbook page that I made on this song for a Book of Me challenge at scrapbook.com.  I joined the challenge to help me get some more pages done in my album, and one of the first challenges was to do a page on a theme song or a song that had a lot of meaning to you.  Picking my song was a no-brainer, and the page came together really quickly once I knew what I wanted to do.

Paper: "Amy Tangerine" by American Crafts
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics
Photo Turn: Unknown
Other: Computer and printer

Until next time,
J.

Scrapbook journal layouts & an "Awwwww...." moment

As promised, here are some pictures of the first two layouts I made for my new scrapbook journal.

This is one of the fastest, easiest layouts I've ever done! The Bible verse was made by printing the words on Dymo label strips.  Then I outlined the leaves using two shades of green pen (they were supposedly metallic pens but you can't actually tell that from looking at them) and gave each of the birdies a rhinestone eye.  And done! Paper: kI Memories, Pens: Creative Memories, Rhinestones: Kaisercraft

This one also came together quickly.  Choosing the Bible verses actually took longer than writing them out and adhering them.  The background is actually the back side of the paper used for the layout above - gotta love double-sided paper! Paper: KI Memories, Journalling Boxes: Unknown (the purple one was received in a swap), Pens: Marvy Le Plume II

And now for some sheer cuteness...

My little pumpkin is just over 6 months old, and getting so big! How could you not love that little face?

Until next time,
J.

Happy New Year!

So much to do, so little time! As usual, far too much time has passed since I've been here, and a lot has happened.

On November 18th, my darling Sarah earned her angel wings.  Her kidneys were failing rapidly, and she was getting really sick.  The weekend before she went home to heaven, she stopped eating and drinking, resulting in a trip to the vet.  There was a treatment that Dr. Forbes suggested might help, but because she was going downhill so quickly it would only be a band-aid solution, if it helped at all.  I decided that I couldn't put my baby through something that may or may not help her, so I decided it would be better if I let her go.  I took her home that day, and on Friday we went back for the last time.  One small belssing that came about was a blizzard that hit on Thursday, keeping me at home.  I got one last day to spend with Sarah, cuddling, taking pictures and making some last memories.  We laid her to rest next to my mom's dog Mugsy (they were the best of friends when he was alive, and now they're together again), and in the spring I'm going to plant some pink roses next to her grave.

Having Molly has helped a lot, which is what my mom was hoping for when she bought her for me.  She is such a little clown - so full of personality! I could write a novel about her and exploits, and I've only had her for four months! Her favourite game is playing fetch with her ball, although she also likes tug-of-war fetch.  This is exactly what it sounds like: she brings the toy and we play tug-of-war until I manage to get it and then I have to throw it for her to run after and retrieve.  If I try to stop before she's ready, she'll push at my arm or leg with the toy/ball until I start playing again.  One of her stranger quirks is that she loves, and I mean LOVES, to shred Kleenex (as well as napkins and other paper).  And she's fast too!  Apparently this morning while I was at work she managed to get hold of the box of Kleenex from the coffee table and was happily shredding away when Dad caught her; fortunately she'd only gotten through 2 or 3 when he found her.

Christmas, as always, was wonderful.  James was able to come home, and he brought his dog Hemi with him.  I'd been hoping that Molly and Hemi would make friends, but she was terrifed of him and squealed like she was being eaten if he so much as looked at her.  I suppose though that her fear was understandable - she's really only used to Nicky who's not much bigger than she is, so to suddenly have this great big 170-lb. beast in her house was probably scary.  Although she was getting better with him by the time James left: she had pretty much stopped squealing if Hemi came near her, and wouldn't immediately run and hide if Hemi entered the room.  She needs some oedience training, and I'm hoping that will help her get socialized more.  And I'm thinking in the spring she and I may take a road trip to visit "Uncle" James and "Cousin" Hemi. 

With a new year comes some new creative projects: a scrapbook journal, a 6"x6" scrapbook of favourite scriptures and inspirational songs, and a "baby" book for Molly.  With all these new projects, I've set myself a goal of one layout a week, and I've joined a couple of challenges at scrapbook.com to help me out.  I'm also going through the stack of scrapbook magazines; I'm saving only the articles/ideas that I think I will acutally use, and getting rid of the rest of the magazine.  I've found a bunch of ideas for Molly's book in the process, and I'm thinking I may make a separate section in my scrappy binder for pet ideas so I can find them easily.

I'm just about finished my room re-decoration.  There are just a few projects left.  I want to get a wall-mounted lamp (or possibly two) for better light for reading in bed, I need to get curtain rods and window treatments, and I want to re-hang my bulletin board.  And I found the cutest pink LED lights at HOme Hardware before Christmas that I want to hang up; I just need to figure out how to do it!

Well, that's probably enough for now.  Over the weekend I'm hoping to post pictures of the first two layouts of my scrapbook journal.

Until next time,
J.

Where were you? Part 2

Where Were You

~ Alan Jackson ~

Where were you when the world stopped turnin' that September day?
Out in the yard with your wife and children, or working on some stage in L.A.?
Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke
Rising against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger in fear for your neighbor,
Or did you just sit down and cry?

Did you weep for the children who lost their dear parents?
Did you weep for the ones who don't know?
Did you rejoice for the ones who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below?
Did you burst out in pride for the red, white and blue
And the heroes who dies just doin' what they do?
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of sign
And look at yourself for what really matters?

I'm just a singer of simple songs,
I'm not a real political man.
I watch CNN but I don't think I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran.
But I know Jesus and I talk to God,
And I remember this from when I was young:
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us,
And the greatest is love.

Where were you when the world stopped turning' that September day?
Teaching a class full of innocent children; driving down some cold interstate?
Did you feel guilty 'cause you're a survivor;
In a crowded room did you feel alone?
Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her?
Did you dust off that Bible at home?

Did you open up your eyes, hope it never happened?
Did you close your eyes and not go to sleep?
Did you notice the sunset for the first time in ages,
Or speak to some stranger on the street?
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow?
Did you go out and buy you a gun?
Did you turn off the violent ild movie you're watchin'
And turn on "I Love Lucy" re-runs?

Did you go to a church, hold hands with some strangers?
Did you stand in line to give your own blood?
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
And thank God you had someone to love?

I'm just a singer of simple songs,
I'm not a real political man.
I watch CNN but I don't think I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran.
But I know Jesus and I talk to God,
And I remember this from when I was young:
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us,
And the greatest is love.

I'm just a singer of simple songs,
I'm not a real political man.
I watch CNN but I don't think I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran.
But I know Jesus and I talk to God,
And I remember this from when I was young:
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us,
And the greatest is love.

Where were you when the world stopped turnin' that September day?

Where were you?

On September 11, 2001 two planes hit each of the towers of the World Trade Center.  A third crashed into the Pentagon.  And a fourth was driven to the ground in a field in Pennsylvania by the brave men and women aboard, determined that their plane would not become another instrument of death.  Thousands of lives were lost.  And our would was changed forever.

Today we remember those awful moments when we first heard about what happened in New York, in Washington and in Pennsylvania.  We grieve for those who were called home far before their time.  We celebrate the heroes that emerged, the people who gave up their own lives so that another family wouldn't lose their loved one.  We thank those who answered the call of their country and went to fight for freedom of our world.  And we say to those enemies of peace "WE ARE NOT AFRAID!"

The following is an original poem, author unknown, that was posted on an online journal-keeping group I belonged to slightly less than a month after the 9/11 attacks.  To the men, women and children who lost their lives that day, and to all those who have lost their lives since fighting for peace and freedom, this is dedicated.

Two thousand one, nine eleven,
Five thousand plus arrive in heaven.
As they pas through the gate,
Thousands more appear in wait.

A bearded man with stovepipie hat
Steps forward saying,
Let's sit, let's chat."

They settle down in seats of clouds.
A man named Martin shouts out proud,
"I have a dream!" and once he did.
The Newcomer says "Your dream still lives".

Groups of soldiers in blue and gray,
Others in khaki and green then say,
"We're from Bull Run, Yorktown, the Maine."
The Newcomer says "You died not in vain."

From a man on sticks one could hear,
"The only thing we have to fear..."
The Newcomer says "We know the rest.
Trust us, sir, we've passed that test."

"Courage doesn't hide in caves.
You can't bury freedom in a cave."
The Newcomer had heard this voice before,
A distinct Yankees twangs from Hyannisport shores.

A silence fell within the mist.
Somehow the Newcomer knew that this
Meant time had come for her to say
What was in the hears of five thousand plus that day.

"Back on Earth we wrote reports,
Watched our children play in sport,
Worked our gardens, sang our songs,
Went to church and clipped coupons.

"We smiled, we laughed,we cried we fought.
Unlike you, great we're not."

The tall man in the stovepipe hat
Stood and said "Don't talk like that!"
"Look at your country, look and see
You died for freedome just like me."

Then before them all appeared a scene
Of rubbled streets and twisted beams.
Death, destruction, smoke and dust,
And people working just 'cause they must.

Hauling ash, lifting stones,
Knee deep in Hell but not alone.

"Look! Blackman, Whiteman, Brownman, Yellowman.
Side by side helping their fellow man!"
So said Martin as he watched the scene.
"Even from nightmares can be born a dream."

Down below three fireman raised
The colors high into ashen haze.
The soldiers above had seen it before
On Iwo Jima in '44.

The man on sticks studied everything closely
Then shared his perceptions on what he saw mostly.
"I see pain, I see tears,
I see sorrow - but I do not see fear.

You left behind husbands and wives,
Daughters and sons and so many lives
Are suffering now because of this wrong,
But look very closely - you're not really gone.

All of those people, even those who've never met you,
All of their lives, they'll never forget you.
Don't you see what has happened? Don't you see what you've done?
You've brought them together, together as one."

With that the man in the stovepipe hat said
"Take my hand," and from there he led,
five thousand plus heroes, newcomers to Heaven,
On this day two thousand one, nine eleven.

God bless America

Until next time,
J.

But Mommy, I wanted a pony!

Alright, so if Sarah could have told me what she wanted for her birthday it probably wouldn't have been a pony.  But I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have been a baby sister either! But that's what my mom got her - a six week-old Shih Tzu puppy.  Meet Molly:

Is she not the cutest thing you've ever seen? And she's not only cute, but smart and brave too! She's already figured out the pet door, and today she followed Sarah down the bank to the carport.  Sarah and Nicky aren't crazy about her at all, but I think given time they will warm up to her.

Until next time,

J.

Two More Finished Projects!!

As per a previous post, I've been working really hard on finishing some of my Un-Finished Objects before starting anything new.  Here are my two most recent creations:

This is a box I made to hold my extensive collection of bookmarks.  The pink and green yarns are a mixture of wool and bamboo fibers, and it's super soft!

I made this cross using 2 pre-cut crosses and a third cross I hand-cut from ultra-stiff canvas to make a sturdy core.  It's currently residing on my bedroom door.  The darker pink yarn is the same bamboo-mix I used on my bookmark box.  It's hard to see, but just above the left tulip is a pink ribbon hanging loop.

Until next time,

J.