Is It Really ALMOST Over?

Election Day is over but we still have to get through today. I am so ready for the commercials to stop and the signs to come down. Anyone else feel that way?

Most people who know me know I am a registered Democrat but I really think I should be an Independent as I do not entirely agree with either party ever and I have over the years voted both ways. I, like a lot of people I think, would like campaigning to get back to focusing on themselves and get rid of the negative talk. Somehow I am not sure that will ever happen. I would like to hear more about the people that, should they be elected President, they will be appointing because those are the people who will be advising and influencing decisions.

Now that this historical election is for all intents and purposes over, no matter what outcome you were hoping for, I think we need to begin praying for God to give Obama the wisdom to do what is right for our country. I for one am rather excited for the future but have no illusions that things will get better quickly. We will not be able to get out of the mess that has been created over the last 8 years overnight and I think it will take work on our part as citizens as well. I do give hats off to McCain for his concession speech we should all be so gracious.

Here in SD the hottest topic on the ballot was Measure 11 that would have banned all abortions. With exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother but that came with stipulations that I could not agree with. I have long been a supporter of Pro Choice. No secret there either. Now in saying that I absolutely am not Pro Abortion and I resent the suggestion of those who say that Pro Choice makes you Pro Abortion. The key word is choice. I have a problem with the government making that choice for me. I also have learned a long time ago that until you have walked in anothers shoes you have no idea what you would do. I do not think it is my business to make moral decisions for others. I remember the days before Roe vs Wade when the back street abortionists were in business and girls were dying. I find it a little ironic that some of the same people who so passionately support this measure would not vote out video lottery which destroys families and in the long run affects us all. I am pretty sure that I could find verses in the Bible that support how dangerous gambling is. In the end the Measure has been defeated once again but not dead.

So as I said it is over, the choice has been made for better for worse it is what it is. I think we should all be grateful that we live in the land of choice where we have a right to disagree with those in power. With all that is wrong with the country I for one would live nowhere else. The United States of America is still the greatest country on earth.

Selfish Me

So isn't one of the purposes of blogging a way to get things off your chest? Life is not always full of good times and happy moments if any of us believe that we are kidding ourselves.

It has been a couple of really tough weeks. Just when I think I am so ready to move on with my life and leave the past behind I am so reminded of how alone I feel. Last weekend it was my Mom's stroke,. I felt so alone when I had no one to go home to for comfort and support. Praise be to the Lord she only had a small stroke and the only thing really affected is her speech which the doctors feel will come back to normal with time and some speech therapy. She sounds like she talks with a mouth full of marbles and it is very hard to understand her on the phone. We are so very lucky that is the worst of it and she was home in time to spend her 87th birthday on Saturday back at home.

This weekend brought more feelings of hopelessness and loneliness. Bob's family came to town on Saturday, spent some time at Chris and Nikki's and went out for dinner. They spent the night at the Ramkota but it was so difficult for me to know they were in town and I was not apart of their time here. It is so frustrating for me that I just cannot get over the whole divorce and just move on. I have worked really hard at it but I guess not hard enough.

I know in so many ways I am blessed how does everyone else do this? What is wrong with me?
Sometimes I so hate my life. I know that Lora will be so disappointed in me but it is what it is.

Today I was told that I was selfish. Maybe I am.

It's My Party and I'll Cry if I Want To!

Well it is no secret I am another year older.............. I didn't really cry but I could have. Thanks to my friends my birthday was more then just another day. I have such good friends!



Here I am with my Birthday Cake (cheese cake yum) Not the best picture but I never take good pictures so I am using the the one where I do not look so old. LOL.

So my friends

Karleen



Bev

Susan and Jeanne

Came out to my place we played bean bags, Susan and I were partners and Karleen and Jeanne played as partners against us they won but it was really not fair since every time Susan stepped up to toss a bean bag Jeanne tormented her. I thought I might have to break up a fight.You would have thought they would have let the birthday girl win.
We had some snacks then played Mad Gab and Catch Phrase then just sat and talked. It was a nice evening.

Thought you might like to see the cards I got.

And some of the gifts:

A Harrisburg T-shirt for me to wear when Morgan plays or Kylee performs with the Variety Club during half times. She is so cute.

A book from Susan:

Fun stuff from Jeanne:

Friendship from everyone.

Stay tuned I will tell you all about my trip to CO.

Lifelight 2008

What a difference a week makes! Labor Day weekend I spent my evenings at Lifelight and it was WARM. This past weekend not so much.

Lifelight,the biggest Free Christian Music Festival in the country,it began on a Church lawn with a couple of hundred people outgrew the lawn and was moved to the fairgrounds and then outgrew the fairgrounds and now is held at Wild Water West outside of Sioux Falls. It has been happening every Labor Day weekend in Sioux Falls for 11 years and this year was the first time I ever went. I don't know why. It was awesome! People come from all over the country it was so amazing to look out over the sea of people.




I have been to more then one outdoor music fest in my life and this has to be most well thought out and organized I have ever been to. At the Main Stage was the big acts, Switchfoot,Michael W. Smith and Casting Crowns, I heard for the first time Natalie Grant and Lincoln Brewster and many more. Lincoln Brewster was really awesome. He used to play for Steve Perry of Journey but did not feel a purpose until he started his own Christian group. There were 4 other stages, The World Stage which featured more ethnic music, the Children's Stage, Souled Out, which was jam packed with teenagers listing to alternative Christian music and the Coffehouse,with a coffeehouse feel. Something for everyone.

It was absolutely pleasant even though they estimated that there were 130,000 to 140,000 people there Sat and Sun not quite as many on Friday but still a very big crowd. It was so nice to enjoy great music, rock and roll included with people who were not loud and obnoxious,drunk and cussing. This is a place you can bring your kids hang out and relax and not have to worry about what your little ones are going to see and hear. Everyone was happy and kind to one another.

I really needed this weekend. I have struggled a lot in the last couple of years in my faith and have pretty much stayed away from Church. Not because I am mad at God but because our Church was one thing that always brought Bob and I together to start the week. It was something we did together and it has been a hard place for me to be. I found myself on the verge of tears or crying most of the time so I avoided it. The weekend has renewed my faith and made me realize the power of prayer and turning things over to God. I also owe some of this to my friends from support group.

This is Karleen sitting next to her Mom. She and I probably have the most in common.



Then there is Susan, with her around things are never boring




And Jeanne from Chicago who always makes me laugh.



I will be back next year to share a weekend with a whole bunch of people each in their own personal Faith Journey.

Purple Pride

One of the things I like best about fall is football,especially Vikings Football. I used to like fall because of my birthday but I got over that a loooong time ago.
2 weekend's ago I took my friend Susan to her first professional football game,pre-season but I don't think she cared. Sanford has several season tickets that you can sign up for a chance to buy every home game. I usually get to one a year, this year happened to be a pre-season game.

After a rocky start we left on Friday for Glencoe. The plan was I was going to get off work at 1:00 and pick Susan up at Brandon then stop at Manleys Tire and Oil by Valley Springs to get new tires put on the car(it was getting dangerous), then proceed on our way to Glencoe to spend the evening with Joan. Well you know what they say about the best laid plans.

It must have been about 11:30 when Susan called me at work and I knew right away something was wrong. She had made her last stop on her list before leaving town, went out to her car and nothing. She was very upset but I said there was nothing going on that night that we had to be there for so we would just play it my ear. Actually things went really well. She had her car towed to Graham Tire, they thought they could have it done in about 3 hours. Turned out she did not have her packing done so after I left work I picked her up took her home to pack and I went to get the new tires put on. That did not take long! I barely got sat down, read about two pages in my book and they were calling my name. I headed back to Susan's we got her stuff in the car stopped at the post office then went to get her car. We only had to wait about 15 minutes, a new battery,a starter and about $400 and we were out the door. Since I had not had any lunch I told her I was running through Micky D's for a hamburger so I would meet her at her house. Who ever thought it would take longer to get a Big Mac then to get new tires on your car! But it did and I am not exaggerating! Susan thought I got lost.

Anyway back to the trip. We finally got on our way and made really good time to Joan's where we had a really nice dinner.

Saturday Joan and I let Susan sleep and we went off to search the Glencoe citywide garage sales for bargains. Found a few. (no books, I could have bought some but I restrained myself)Back at the house Susan had awoke and was ready for the day. She and I headed to Hutch to have lunch with a co-worker of mine who just moved to Hutch and my girlfriend Maureen, after which we went to Maureen's shop and tried on some REALLY expensive clothes. OMG I had no idea that expensive clothes feel that different! If I only had the money! Sadly I had to put them all back on the hangers and walk away. We headed to the cities where we went to the Mall of America and I settled for 2 pairs of $12 jeans at Old Navy.

So here is where the Purple pride comes in... we drove into Mpls and found a primo parking place, that we did not even have to pay for right across from the Dome. I am sure Susan had no idea what to expect but she was so excited even though she did not really know a thing about football. It was fun for me to explain the game and answer her questions of "why did they have to give them the ball." Being a pre season game it was not very exciting for me but it was for her. We had alot of fun and Susan being Susan made friends with everyone around us. I hope someday I can take her back for a real game! Doubtful that I could embarrass her with my enthusiasm for the Purple and Gold, I mean this is a women who yells at the screen in the movie theatre,but I sure think it would be fun trying!

Hate to see summer go but I sure love the fall!

Olympic Spirit

I have been spending most of my evenings watching the Olympics. I have watched every Olympics since I was in high school going back to Olga Korbit making history with her unbelievable moves on the uneven bars. What seemed like an impossibility in the 70's is now routine. And so it goes. I remember Mark Spitz and his 7 gold medals won with out a swim cap and a store bought swimming suit. No doubt Michael Phelps accomplishments are amazing but they still do not take away from Marks amazing feat 30 some years ago. I love watching these amazing human specimens do things with their bodies that most of us consider impossible. I love the emotion of it all and can feel the joy of the winners and feel the pain and disappointment of those who fall short. I have seen some of the most heartwarming moments some absolutely unforgettable. Who will ever forget the rag tag American Hockey team that was not even supposed to medal win Olympic Gold. Hard not to be proud to be an American when you watch history like that being made. There was the gymnast named Kerri who landed a vault on one leg after she sprained her ankle so that she could help the US win a medal. What do these athletes have that the rest of us don't beside the talent. What drives them do be so disciplined to train for so many years for one brief moment. Even more heartwarming then the winners are those who do it all knowing there is absolutely no chance of winning a medal. This year the women's beach volleyball team who play for gold tonight have captured my attention. Go USA!
I guess when they talk about someone having heart they had these amazing people in mind.

Catching Up, Again

I got in trouble again today from my daughter. "Mom I am tired of looking at the same blog." I guess sometimes my life is just that boring that I really do not have much to say. But I suppose I should be able to find something to talk about after 2 weeks.

Toby and I are doing pretty good.The training is going really well and he is really catching on. We are starting to develop a kind of routine. We try to take a walk in the morning and in the evening. He has started to go to the door and just sits there until I let him out then he always goes poop or potty. The leash is going well too. He no longer flops around on it like a fish on a fishing pole. He does love the kids and is always distracted by them. They love him as well. There are a lot of dogs in the neighborhood and some tend to go a little crazy when we walk by but so far he has not barked back. He rarely barks at all but he does know how to cry when he has to go into the kennel. At night when it is time for bed he is always ready to settle down. He has only woke me up 3 times in the night since I brought him home. One evening I decided to get comfortable pretty early and as usual he followed me up the stairs then cried to get up on the bed he thought that is where we were headed so I guess he has figured that out too. I know he has grown quite a bit but since I see him everyday I do not notice it as much as someone else might so I am anxious to see how much weight he has gained when we go back to the vet this month. I love my Toby he will probably be the only male I ever have in my bed again.

Lets see, I did make a trip back to Glencoe to go to the shower for the kids cousin Michael's fiance's shower. Even though Bob and I are divorced I still think of all the kids as my nieces and nephews so I am just going to call him that. Michael is Lora's age and I know she is really bummed that she cannot get home for his wedding. Anyway it was so nice to see everyone there. I was so happy to see everyone and Bob's Mom made me feel so good. The minute she saw me walk in the door she held her arms out for me to come to her. I honestly wanted to cry. She has been my mother-in-law longer then she has not and I divorced him not his family. I love them all as much as ever.

Toby and I stayed with Joan and her puppy Charlie. Joan really liked Toby but I am pretty sure that Charlie was very happy for us to go. He does not like to share Joanie with anyone.

Last Friday night my friends and I got together to watch the opening ceremonies of the Sumner Olympics. It was amazing and I can only imagine what it must have been like to actually be there. I remember the year after my high school graduation the Olympics were going to be in Canada,a bunch of us had talked about going to see them. It did not happen but it would have been a good time.