MICHELLE * 's Story

MEMORIAL DAY 2010- Celebrating the Day We Met.

memorial day is a special day for craig and i. its the anniversary of the day we met. each year we celebrate by going out to a mexican restaurant. when we met we went dutch to a favorite mexican restaurant that craig liked. 5 years of knowing each other. 4 years of marriage. we must be doing something right! :) these are pics of the dinner we had. ENJOY! MICHELLE FRESH GUACAMOLE! YUM!! me eating some guac..YUMMY! BIG HAIR (channeling the 80s..lol) APPETIZERS...queso cheese, chips, salsa, and live guacamole..YUM! DINNER! burrito, salad. look at the size of this thing! craig enjoying his dinner me enjoying dinner. celebrating with dessert!

MY BIRTHDAY GIFT TO CRAIG GETS A NEW POT TO LIVE IN

for my birthday, while we were out looking around at a lowes on the other side of town (because we were there, and had an idea we were thinking about trying out, i convinced craig to buy a plant that resembles a palm (to some degree). craig has regretted not bringing his plants he had at his home in SC when we moved to OK. and unsuccessfully we havnt been able to keep any other plant alive since weve been here..i blame myself (i can kill a cactus!) anyway, i figured this plant would be durable. so, after much talk, i convinced craig to buy this plant for my birthday, as a gift to him. on may 30th he decided because the weather was warm enough, to transfer this plant from its original pot to a pot we had for a different plant that died. craig seriously enjoys plants, we dont have nearly enough for him, i feel, and we often talk about landscaping the back yard (of course it would HAVE to include a garden railroad..lol) these pics are of craig making the transfer. ENJOY! MICHELLE the final product. and as of today (9/1/2010) doing just fine in her new pot and placement. MICHELLE

TJs (our Cat) INJURY

we wernt exactly sure what this was a result from. i suspected a spider. if the grass gets any kind of length in it here in OK, there seems to be a flux of WOLF SPIDERS, and id also assume BROWN RECLUSE, as well. the bite looked like a spider bit, from a brown recluse...it was pretty deep...raw, and dead on the outside (where you see the black at) i watched this wound for several days. (a week or two, actually) and would squeeze puss out of the wound when TJ would allow me to do so. it hurt him, we could tell, if we messed with his paw, hes do a deep moan/groan. wasnt fun. eventually, after some time had passed, and with the continuous attention by TJ himself, the wound dropped the black off, and there was nice fresh pink skin there waiting to heal. a little more time, and it scabbed up, and eventually, he was back to normal. while he was hurting, he slept allot in the house. were pleased hes back to normal. MICHELLE

PICS OF SHADOW (our Dog)

great pics of shadow, our dog...shes a great dog. and true to her name, is almost always in any room with you when your there. ENJOY MICHELLE

PICS OF PUMPKIN

took these at the same time craig was transferring the fish and the turtles. pumpkin has come along way since we first got her. ENJOY! MICHELLE

NEWS - 2 DEAD, INCLUDING BISHOP , IN SHOOTING AT CALIFORNIA MORMON CHURCH.

Two Dead, Including Bishop, in Shooting at Calif. Mormon Church Published August 29, 2010 VISALIA, California -- A Mormon church official was shot dead between services on Sunday, and less than an hour later, the man suspected of the crime also died after a shoot-out with police. Clay Sannar, 42, a lay bishop with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Visalia, southeast of Fresno, died after being shot in his office, said Visalia police chief Colleen Mestas. Soon after the first shooting, a caller identified himself to police as the shooter. Police responded, and there was a confrontation with several shots exchanged, said Mestas. The suspect was hit multiple times. He was taken to nearby Kaweah Delta Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. He has not been identified yet. No officers were injured, Mestas said. Tulare County sheriff's deputies are taking over the investigation of the shoot-out involving the police officers. The sheriff's department did not immediately return calls for comment. Visalia police continue to investigate Sannar's shooting, but have not identified a motive. "We have several detectives out actively investigating this so we can come up with answers, especially for the family," said Mestas. "It's just tragic." Sannar was the general manager of Soil Basics, a fertilizer company in Visalia, according to the company's website. He had six children, including a 6-month-old infant. Ralph Jordan, a church leader, said the suspect walked into the church complex, asked for a leader of the church, and shot Sannar. He seemed to not know Sannar. "The suspect is not a member of the church," Jordan added. Other church members described Sannar as a well-loved family man. "We're devastated," said Scott Henriksen, a church member. "There's only one word: Shocked. This is something that should not happen."

TEST RESULTS ARE BACK FROM SURGEONS OFFICE

got the call today. message was left. said the office got my results back on the 4 vials of blood drawn,1 for each test, one happened to be a lipid test, which i had done the week before and my BAD cholesterol was down (a good thing) my good cholesterol was up (a bad thing) and my triglycerides were up...not a good thing. anyway, she said the tests came back fine, so i guess the cholesterol meds are doing their job. everything else was good as well. :) some people who read my blog would have wished it was worse. sorry, IM blessed! MICHELLE

IVE SPOKEN TO ANOTHER AMOUS PERSON...through FaceBook

half the time i dont believe the people who say they are who they sy they are ARE actually those individuals. i mean, seriously, what are the chances that if i hooked up on facebook, myspace, or some other social media site with BONO, id actually be speaking with HIM?!?!?! minimal. so, i go with a grain of salt into any conversation where theres a celebritys name involved. i happen to watch a show on tv called HUGE. LOVE IT! shows about a group of (i hate to say this) Fat kids at a fat camp. and how they deal with life as personal, social, and emotional, and sometimes mental situations creep up in their lives. one character..WILL (is a girl, by the way) is allot like me in her personality. but i ADORE and so enjoy another character on there..ALISTAIR. hes just a really sweet, kind, "innocent". and i say innocent in that way to reflect he has a 'innocent' way of seeing the world. always hopeful, but not over bearing...hes not a "BE HAPPY, CAUSE YOU CAN BE HAPPY" preacher kinda character. he doesnt walk around filling everyone with positive self affirmations, he just...is...happy. onto the reason i wrote this post... i happened to catch one of the episodes online, watched it, and wondered what the next thing to happen was.. ill give a brief synopsis. Alistair happens (or appears to be ayway) gay. and i have nothing against them, i worked with them, and hung out with them, and enjoyed myself allot with them...so im drawn to Alistairs character. in this one episode there was a truth or dare point, and someone dared another guy to go kiss Alistair. and...he did. i was left at the end of the episode wondering if Alistair develops a relationship with this guy...or any guy. and on facebook, the actor HARVEY GUILLEN had Just posted something about that particular episode. so, i knew he was watching his tweets, or, was online in his own facebook account...so i asked about a relationship occurring... to which HARVEY GUILLEN answered me with this: "Harvey Guillen also commented on their link. Harvey wrote: "HAHHAA..YOU HAVE TO TUNE IN AND SEE!!" so, there ya have it! ive spoken to a real live TV celebrity! and hes a really neat guy too. MICHELLE

SCREAMING - By : Bob Perks

"Screaming" By Bob Perks It was a simple thought, but it held within it answers I've been searching for most of my life. I knew it to be true. You see, I say it all the time. Not in the same way. Not using the same words. Not in the same tone of voice. Yet, when I said it last night I felt like I was screaming at the top of my lungs. I was talking with my wife about issues in my life. Yes, like you, I have issues. Right now, I have five things written on a small tablet in front of me. Each were meant to be a separate story. But just this very second I saw them all come together. Why? Because of what I said last night. "Most people walk to the edge of the ocean and are overwhelmed by the enormity of it. All they see is this massive thing before them. It is wonderful, breathing taking and awe inspiring. What they miss are the details. The ocean is made of tiny drops of water. Together they make an ocean, but without each drop there would be nothing at all." I have been blessed and burdened with the gift of seeing life's details. Blessed because it makes me feel alive, fulfilled and one of God's "interpreters of life." Burdened, for the very same reasons. It is an obligation I feel strongly about. That's where the first item on my list came from. I'm now "screaming at the top of my lungs." To some, life is like the ocean, big, overwhelming, breathtaking and awe inspiring. They stand on the edge and fail to see the details. Life is made up of tiny moments and elements created by God. Each one is so important that, like the drops of water in the ocean, without them there would be no life. Which brings me to another thing on my list. You can drown in the ocean. You can drown in life, too. Life is full of hurts, pain and disappointment. But it is the hurt that comes before the healing that makes us feel like we are truly alive. Next..."Who knows where the time goes?" I wrote that on the list one day because on my last birthday I tried to step off the train that was going 60 and discovered that I couldn't. The number is more than your age. It is a measure of how fast you appear to be traveling. Finally, the last thing on my list was scribbled recently. My cherished friend and spiritual counselor, Nathaniel Bronner, wrote this message to me: "As I was reading "One More Day" (note: he is referring to a recent story I sent everyone) I heard the Holy Spirit speak, "Within 30 days I am going to bless him beyond." I thought, "Beyond? Beyond what?" But that's all that I received. Perhaps in 30 days you will understand." I was humbled by that thought. I am already blessed beyond. Being human I immediately thought of good fortune, like a million gazillion dollars I've been asking God for so I could help more people. I want to pay their bills and mine so I don't leave my wife in debt. Buy more meals for strangers, deliver more flowers anonymously to people who no longer get flowers, and pay for a few haircuts for a family that my barber knows is struggling financially. Also being human, I realized that there was no further explanation of what the Holy Spirit meant by "Beyond." In today's terms, that was like being on the phone with God and the call was dropped..."Can you hear me now?" I worried that God was calling me home. That's where the last note on my list came from. He would "Bless me beyond." I love life so much I thought I'd live forever. The last note says, "This is my forever." No, I'm not dying. But I am dying to know what "Beyond" means. God blesses me so much already, I can't imagine "beyond." You see, we all live forever. Our forever is measured not in where our time goes, but in how much we lived, how much we noticed, how we interpreted life for others to appreciate, how much we hurt, and when called upon found it necessary to, "scream at the top of our lungs..." Today face the ocean, stand on the edge of life and scream... "LIFE IS IN THE DETAILS!" "I wish you enough!" J Bob Perks I encourage you to share my stories but I do ask that you keep my name and contact information with my work. If you would like to receive Bob's Inspirational stories, please visit http://www.IWishYouEnough.com and submit your email address. "I Wish You enough!" © 2001 Bob Perks

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER

If I Had My Life to Live Over ============================== I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day. I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life. I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner." There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's"...But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it... live it...and never give it back. Stop sweating the small stuff. Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what. Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who Do love us. Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with... and what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, as well as spiritually. Life is too short to let it pass you by. We only have one shot at this and then it's gone. I hope you all have a blessed day. by Erma Bombeck (Written after she found out she was dying from cancer.)

IF A DOG WERE YOUR TEACHER

If A Dog Were Your Teacher =========================== IF A DOG WERE YOUR TEACHER ..... You would learn stuff like this: When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy. When it's in your best interest - practice obedience. Let others know when they've invaded your territory. Take naps and stretch before rising. Run, romp, and play daily. Thrive on attention and let people touch you. Avoid biting, when a simple growl will do. On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass. On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree. When you're happy, dance around and wiggle your entire body. No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout - run right back and make friends. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough. Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. ~Author Unknown~

SC NEWS - "I BELIEVE" LICENSE PLATES ARE LEGAL

New ‘I Believe’ license plates are legal By SEANNA ADCOX - The Associated Press South Carolina drivers might be able to buy a license plate with the words “I Believe” and three crosses, despite a federal judge’s ruling against a previous attempt to make similar tags. Nine months after a federal judge barred the state from making legislatively approved plates with the religious message, Attorney General Henry McMaster says a similar plate designed by a nonprofit group is legal. The plate under review at the Department of Motor Vehicles reads www.IBELIEVEsc.net along the top. It features a golden sunrise and on the left, three crosses symbolizing the site where Jesus was crucified. The nonprofit group applied for the plates in February under state law that allows private groups to create specialty plates. It officially changed its name to the Web site address, in hopes of meeting new DMV rules that require tags bear the sponsoring group’s name. “The specialty license program has a secular purpose — allowing all nonprofit organizations to identify themselves by a logo or symbol,” McMaster wrote in his Aug. 16 opinion. “It is our opinion that the Establishment Clause would not be violated by approval of the plate. Indeed, it is our opinion that denial would infringe upon the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment.” DMV spokeswoman Beth Parks says agency officials are reviewing the opinion. A group that advocates separation of church and state sued in 2008, after a bill creating the previous “I Believe” plates — featuring a Christian cross superimposed on a stained-glass window — sailed through the Legislature. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer took the idea came from Florida, but the proposal failed there. Washington-based Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed that lawsuit on behalf of two Christian pastors, a humanist pastor and a rabbi in South Carolina, along with the Hindu American Foundation. They successfully argued that legislative approval amounted to the government promoting one religion over another, noting that if private groups wanted the plates made, state law provides them a way to do that. McMaster’s backing of the plates comes as no surprise. He issued a memo last August supporting the previous tags. Three months later, a federal judge ruled those unconstitutional. But McMaster said the new plates involve no government endorsement. South Carolina drivers already can pick from 127 specialty plates, from “Gone Fishing” to “No More Homeless Pets.” The 21 plates created through the nonprofit process include the “In Reason We Trust” tag, created by the Secular Humanists of the Low Country, according to the motor vehicles agency. The most popular plate reads “In God We Trust,” Parks said. “Almost any cause you can imagine is represented on DMV license plates,” said Oran Smith of the Palmetto Family Council, who served as consultant to the nonprofit that applied. “We knew it was a good idea and good way to proclaim the message but wanted to do it in a way that was legal and fit state guidelines.” The director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State said he wouldn’t have a problem with the proposed tags, as long as the group’s application gets no special treatment. “If everyone is treated identically in preparation of these plates, then there is no problem. This would be a private group being handled precisely like any private group,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn. However, he’s uncertain about allowing a Web site on a plate. While the official state tag gives the address of the state’s parks agency site, other specialty plates don’t feature a private group’s site. “Just saying ‘I Believe’ and having the cross is one thing,” he said. “The aspect of allowing the promotion of a Web site may raise significant issues.”

NEWS - 56 YEAR OLD CHIMPANZEE GIVES BIRTH

56-Year-Old Chimpanzee Gives Birth Regan Slonecker KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A 56-year-old chimpanzee at Sunset Zoo in Manhattan, Kan., gave birth this week. The zoo announced Friday that Susie, the chimpanzee matriarch, delivered a healthy baby on Wednesday afternoon. Susie is the third-oldest chimpanzee among Association of Zoos & Aquariums accredited zoos. In the wild, chimpanzees live between 40 and 45 years on average, according to Sunset Zoo officials. The zoo said Susie has been under the medical care of the Kansas State University veterinary team since her pregnancy was confirmed. “Susie was removed from birth control because of medical concerns. The feeling was that she was too old to get pregnant and while this was certainly unexpected, we’re very happy that both Susie and baby appear to be doing well,” said Sunset Zoo Director Scott Shoemaker in a news release. Zoo staff and trained volunteers will continue to monitor the new mother and baby chimp.

PICS OF OUR DOG: LITTLE GIRL

little girl, is one happy dog! always happy! unless pumpkin is in her face, and its always a shock when she snarls and barks at pumpkin, we have never understood WHY she doesnt like pumpkin, because sometimes they actually play together, but if pumpkin is ever in her face, little girl never hesitates to inform and let the house know it. little girl is otherwise a very friendly and happy dog, and we know because her tail notifies us of her emotions. when we look at her, the tail starts to beat on the surface of whatever its laying on, like a drum getting louder, the tapping gets faster..lol when we lost our cat ANNA (Partridgeinapreartree) Little Girl was sad for about 3 days. we didnt see the tail wag, and she would check the large dog crate frequently for anna, too see if she was there. and a small whimper would often escape Little Girl as she mourned the loss of her friend. Lttle Girl is our "teddy Bear"...lol shes a sweet girl and cant imagine why ANYONE would have wanted to get rid of her. shes an absolute delight to have around. these pics were caught as craig was putting fish and turtle in the kiddie pool. ENJOY! MICHELLE

PICS OF OUR DOG CARLEY

carley is our "pretty girl". she has the best demeanor and personality, and character. rarely ever a problem to deal with. she LOVES her alpha human male, and at times we believe we can see her smile when craigs around her..lol these pictures were taken when we did the transfer of the fish and turtle. getting any image of carleys face is rare at best, shes camera shy...lol. i got these sitting across the yard as she sat in one of her favorite spots, lounging in the seasonal elements. ENJOY! MICHELLE