My life, an open book

Lately, I have been compelled to share my life. Not just part, but all. I have no secrets. Now some would say that I have lost it and maybe I have, but you never know until you try.

So, if there is anything that you want to know, just ask.

Its Birthday time again

Today marks what would have been my mother-in-laws 61st birthday. She was a wonderful person, who raised three very bright and caring children. She also managed to find a man that she loved enough to stay with for 40 years. Isn't that amazing in today's society? A lover of diet Pepsi and three musketeers (the candy bar), a loyal follower of Jesus Christ and a good friend she is still loved by all who knew her. Here is a photo of her from my sister-in-law Dee Dee's wedding. (One week from today (Dec 8) marks the 1 year anniversary of her passing.) Wish us luck getting through it in one piece.

I am told that she loved the snow, though I didn't see that first hand, she would have loved today. Well, maybe, we haven't exactly gotten any snow. Just a full days worth of sleet and freezing rain. When will it end? :)

All day I have been asked, by my hug-a-bunch (Sierra-Lynn), "mommy, when can I go play in the snow?" My reply "when we get some snow." I know how frustrating it can be to want something so badly and not be able to get it. My want is a day of quite. Is that possible with a 4 year old? I'm thinking not. I'll deal with the noise, why? Because I wouldn't change to a life without her for the world.

One Down, A Million To Go

Christmas is one of my busiest, yet funnest times of the year. Every year I like to make the people that I love something for Christmas, I feel that it means more than going and getting them something that everyone can get. My favorite people to make things for are my beautiful little girl Sierra-Lynn and my niece Hannah.

Here you see the stockings that I made for Mark, Sierra-Lynn and myself. Aren't they cute? You can't really tell, but Mark's has yellow, red and green stars on a swirled background and mine is light blue with glitter and angels.

Last year they both got brand new wardrobes (which Hannah still can't wear), Sierra-Lynn also got a complete bedding set (pillow sham, comforter and canopy (which she has decided she no longer wants)). This year its embroidered blankets and Christmas Stocking and I am happy to say that they are done. I do still have to make 3 aprons and 2 table runners, along with Sierra-Lynn's Christmas dress. It will be white with a light blue over skirt (it has sparkles), the only issue that I have is shoes. She went from a size 9 to a 10 overnight and none of the dress shoes this time of year are light in color. I guess that I'll have to make it drag the ground so that no one can see that her shoes don't match. I'll figure it out (hopefully).

Well night all and I'll be back either tomorrow or the day after.

We've gone digital

That's right, the Bennetts have gone and gotten themselves a digital camera. God bless those after Thanksgiving sales. After Blitz shopping and a little relaxation we decided that it was time to put up our tree. Last year I was left alone to put up a 7 1/2 foot tall artificial tree by myself, telling my husband that just for making me do that he was responsible for putting it up this year alone. I meant to stick to that, but didn't. I'm such a softy. Oh well, we can't all be mean, I leave that to him. My nut. Pictured left, you see him how he usually is, topless, yet he doesn't want everyone else to know. How bizarre is that?

Once we finally got it all put together it was time for my favorite part, DECORATING. Sierra-Lynn helped us last year, but I don't think that she really got it, this year, however, she had lots of fun. She would have had more, but daddy was being a butt, thus bringing on a Bennett-fit (our name for her tantrums). Of course you would throw a fit too if every time you went near the tree to put on an ornament someone was yelling at you, letting you know that, according to them, you were doing it wrong.

When the dust settled (figuratively speaking) we were finally able to get back to the fun of getting the house ready for the holidays. Last year at a yard sale I found this adorable mother/daughter ornament. Its a two part ornament that is magnetic, Sierra helped me put it up and was amazed that it "stuck together" as she put it. Its got little mice on it that are gardening and it has 2002 on it (the year she was born). What do you think of the outfit she in? Its another thing that I made for her, a birthday present this year.

We finally got the last of the ornaments (as of now we could add more) up on the tree and were now ready to put up the Angel/North Star. After five minutes of talking Sierra-Lynn out of her room, she and her daddy put the topper on the tree. Isn't it beautiful. The presents are tucked under the bed waiting patiently for the chance to go under the tree, well all of them except my camera and the blanket that I made for her, I also made one for her cousin. She talked me into giving it to her early, isn't it pretty? She doesn't really need it on her bed, so it hangs on her wall, it goes well with the bedding set that I made her last year (blanket, pillow sham and canopy).

Isn't Christmas a wonderful time of the year? I sure think so. My only wish is that everyone has someone to spend the holidays with. I know that some people have no one. My Uncle David is one of those people. His girlfriend broke up with him two years ago on Valentine's Day and he has been alone ever since. I may just get to see him this Christmas though. He said that he might come up while his work is closed this year. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I miss him a lot. He was the one that taught me how to drive and took me to church where I was saved. He's one of a kind. No matter what the rest of the family thinks. Hey, they don't really care for me either.

I'm not a picture perfect carbon copy of my sister. Thank the Lord for that, I have no desire to be like her. She does drugs and steals and sleeps around. I do love her, but I don't agree with her life style. I pray for her to find peace and happiness. If somehow she finds this, I want to say that I love you Missie and I always have. I have missed you these last three years and all you have to do is leave a comment with contact info and I will get back to you.

I gotta go to bed now, I'm still trying to recoup the sleep I lost on Friday. Til next time.

Giving Thanks

In the spirit of the day, I'd like to say what I am thankful for this holiday season. First I'm thankful for a wonderful and loving husband, and for my sweet (when she wants to be) :) little girl. I'm also thankful for my friends, both old and new, but what I am most thankful for this year is that it is coming to a close. 2006 was one of the worst years in my life and that is saying a lot considering all that I have been through in my life. Here's to 2007 being a better year, with more time with family and friends, with more time for love and more time for fun. Because what is life without family, friends, love and fun. Its nothing more than a way to pass the time.

In tradition with the way I have done this blog I would like to tell a little something about my life. (Yes, I use this as a form of therapy, deal with it.) This time I would like to go back before I met Mark, back to shortly after high school graduation. For me college was not an option, I would have done good, but there just was no money for it. So, I did the next best thing, or so I thought, I signed up with the US Navy. I know what you are thinking, why would anyone want to do that? Well, the cold hard truth is it got me away from my sister and her kids. It didn't last long though. Two weeks before I was set to leave for basic, I got the living daylights beat out of me by my sister's boyfriend.
While at boot camp I had major pains in my back (they have never gone away) and was feeling a lot out of place. Anyway, one of the first things that you do is undergo a mental evaluation (the physical is before you sign your contract). Let's just say I didn't pass. I was sent to speak with their head shrink (pardon the pun). After more testing, on the computer, I was told that me and the Navy was not going to happen. Truth be told I wasn't to broken up about it. What I was upset about was the other thing that he told me. I suffer from depression, sure, and the Easter bunny lives with Santa at the North Pole. Of course, he wasn't wrong, shrinks usually aren't.

Well, that's it for today. Time to play Deal or No Deal.

"Summer Love"

On an unsuspecting summer morning is where this story starts. I remember it as if it were yesterday. Before the mist of dawn left the sun kissed sky, a small girl named Monica was walking to summer school. Monica was a small girl who got picked on a lot, mainly about her weight.
She was thinking about the boy she loved. His name is Ronnie. The night before she had stayed up half the night writing a note to him.
When she got to school she got Nathen Shoup to deliver it to Ronnie. A few hours later the note was given to him. He did not even read it, he just tore it up.
A while later Ronnie got with some of his friends and they put the note back together. Well when Monica found out that a boy named Clint was reading her note she started whining and saying "My life is over."
After a few days of listening to Monica's whining, a few of her friends told her to get a life.
She told them to get out of her face. She went off by herself and sat there until class was over.
She never came back to summer school........ever.


Now before you pass judgement of this story remember that it was written over 11 years ago by a freshman in high school. The who has yet to be determined, the author hasn't claimed it, yet.

I suck at titles.

I'm feeling much better today, thanks Juli. I guess that's what good friends are for. I had a nice long chat (IM) with her the other day and she did what she has always done, been my friend. The world needs more people like her.
I also received an email from ... wait for it.......my father. Yes, shocking, I know. Showing a real interest. Maybe there is hope for the boy yet (I'm not gonna hold my breath). What did he want? He wanted a picture or two of Sierra-Lynn's birthday party, ok, so there was a little prompting from me, but he still emailed. Non of it was readable, but he sent one, and that's all I asked. For him to make an effort.
I also received an email from Stoney Point Baptist Church in the Knoxville, TN area. Shane Gregg is going to put me in touch with some of my friends from there. I do miss them, Lord knows that the churches up here in the St Louis area leave much to be desired. I miss the down home God is in the house and you know it feeling. I miss the singing and the fellowship that followed. And I miss the way I felt when I was there, like I belonged.
You know, its funny. Life can take you all over, and you can meet hundreds of people, but very few will touch your heart and change your life. I have made friends all over this country and its seems like this is the predestined time for me to find them all again. Now if I could just find my best friend from Kindergarten, Jessica (Mason) Ford. The last thing that I knew, she was getting married to a man named Jeff Ford and they were moving to Amarillo, TX. They were supposed to work together at Southwest Baptist Church in Amarillo. I would really like to catch up with her. We haven't seen each other in about 20 years, but we had always managed to keep in touch, that is until we graduated from High School. If you know her (or are her) leave a comment or email me. We have so much to catch up on.
I'll be back.............in a minute with a story written over 11 years ago. Bye.