Graditude Journal

Just the other night when I went to bed I was thinking of a million things. So, I got up to write something down and grabbed a notebook. It happened to be a journal that I had started last year during Lent. I had decided that I didn't want to give up chocolate or bread again for Lent. Instead, I would write down 5 things each night that I was thankful for. It was interesting to see what I had wrote down. There were things like being thankful for smooth shaved legs and sometimes being thankful that I only ate one brownie instead of the whole pan. But the one that I wrote often was that I was thankful for a husband that loved me. I will always be thankful for that.

There were sometimes that I was thankful just to talk to each of our kids that day. One day I was thankful to see the first hummingbird. There were days that I was thankful for the boys taking long naps or Taylor doing his homework by his self.

I challenge you to write down things that you are thankful for each day. Even if you are the only one that reads it. Imbrace each thing that makes you happy. You just never know when your life will be changed forever. And you will need to always remember the things that made you the happiest.

Today I can write down in my journal that I am forever grateful for the awesome family and friends that I have. And a husband that loves me forever.

My sister Donna

Today Donna (my sister) e-mailed me this letter. I love it and wanted to share it with you all.

She said:

I wanted really bad to get up and talk at Jay's memorial service but every time I started to get up my legs wouldn't work. Not very often have I been spechless, but this was one of those times. I decided to write down what I wanted to say to everyone. There are soooo many good, funny stories to tell but this one for some reason sticks in my mind.

I know Jay had several nicknames: Mudbone, Jaybone and Jaybird are some of them. I'm not sure where they came from but I remember calling him Jaybird in college. A couple of years ago I remember him telling me that all his life every school he went to or coached at, the mascot was a bird. From Jr High where he was a Gosling, to high school where he was a Honker. Then on to College of the Siskiyous where he became an Eagle, then on to OIT where he was an Owl. Finiallyon to coach at Stayton High School were he once again was an Eagle. This cracked me up because here we have this fierce competitor that would have been so happy to have been a bear or a cougar or maybe a gladiator, but all he ever was, was a bunch of feathers. I laughed so hard when he told me that. Now that I think about that, I can't imagine there being a more appropriate mascot for Jay than an Eagle. They have such similar qualities: strength, beauty, freedom, majestic, mighty hunter, leader and someone that others look up to. Somehow it just makes sense to me. So I would say to you "Jaybird", as you now sit on your perch up in the sky, watching over all of us, I know you will continue to inspire others including myself to be the best we can be at all things and never settle for less. To not be afraid to venture out and take risks, otherwise we would not know what we are capable of. For this I will always be grateful.. Please remember that birds of a feather flock together, and all of us in your awesome family will help to take care of and support each other as we approach each day missing you and loving you. You are without a doubt the wind beneath our wings.

Now, if I had been able to get up and talk, it would be at this point that I would break into a Celine Dion type voice and belt out the song Wind Beneath My Wings and take everyone's breath away. Oh well, it was a nice thought.

Love Donna

Overwhelmed and Thankful

I am overwhelmed with sadness for losing my best friend, my husband. Overwhelmed with how I am to carry on. But thankful for the awesome children and grandchildren and family and friends that will help me get thru this. I am overwhelmed with the love and just knowing that I am not alone. I am thankful for a God who gives me so much and overwhelmed with wondering why He needed Jay right now. As I look around me all I see is love and sincere people who Jay has touched and I am thankful that I got to have him with me for a while to show me how to live life to the fullest. Knowing that I am not alone gives me comfort and knowing that I will see him again gives me joy.

Valentine Bunny

This is a Valentine bunny that I got the other day at Ruthie B's. ( not a very good picture)She is so very cute. I love to find things that make me happy and they don't have to do anything but just sit there and be cute. If only that was the way it was. Everything in it's place, just as cute as can be. I have been on a needful mission lately. I need things to cheer up this gloomy, dreary atmosphere. Sometimes all it takes is a little Valentine bunnny. Other times it is more. Like repainting the walls in my hallways. I started that last year an stopped when I couldn't reach the top of the stairs. Now I really need to do the rest before the sunshine comes back and I won't be able to stay inside. But today I will probably just think up some reason to go out and about and find more needful things to sit around and make me happy.

Making Pretties

There is a little grange hall by where I live. Every year they put on a clam chowder/soup dinner as a fund raiser. I have been in charge of it for the last 6 years as I am the only one under 80 years old. Anyway, I have been making hearts (with Brandie's help) for the table decorations. We went to Goodwill in Albany and found lots of cute containers for primroses and we are putting valentines on sticks and putting them on the tables. They are so cute. I will show you a finished one later when I get the moss on them.

When we were in Albany we went to the Vintage Roost. It is a very cute little shop opened only a few times a year. But it is so fun to go to. Next time I will take my camera and show you. Then if you go down town there are some adorable shops there, too. All in all it was a very fun day.

If your not busy Sunday come on over to the grange and have some soup.

Roses? For me??

Last night Jay came home with these pretty roses for me? " What did you do? " I asked. "Nothing" he said. "What are you going to do?" I asked. "Nothing" he said. " I am just proud of you for getting up so early to get on the treadmill and for trying so hard to do this diet thing. " So I put the ice cream bar back in the freezer and came in here to read blogs instead. ( it was a skinny cow, only 2 points but what the heck)