Nativity Scene Drawing/Giveaway

Please take a look at http://autumnaskswhy.blogspot.com/ to enter your Comment for a chance in the drawing for a nativity scene.

Here is what I wrote in the Comments:

Sad to say, I have ZERO nativity scenes. Zip. Zilch. Nothin'. :-( It's high time I added one, right? This one would be lovely! :-)

My 6 year old daughter picked up my oldest daughter's 2000 Millinium Baby ornament as we were decorating the tree and reverently said, "Is this the baby Jesus?" So sad. She needs a real nativity set!

My favorite set was the one my mom had when I was little. The was late 50's though the 60's. The stable had real hay glued on the roof and the little figurines of the wise men, shephards, baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, et al, were made of painted chaulk! You could pick up each one and scratch a little white powder off the bottom, if you were sneaky. :-)

In the 70's, my mom and my grandmother took a ceramics class and made LOVELY (and huge) sets that are still in use in my mom and oldest sister's homes. Who knows where the humble chaulk and hay set is?

I'm off to post to my Facebook and my blog. Thanks for entering me!

All the best from Colorado.
-Holly

Santa 2009

Irene's 7th BD and World AIDS Day 2009

Today we celebrate the 7th birthday of my middle daughter, Irene!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Irene!! Her heart's desires for her presents were an iPod and a suitcase. LOL! We gave her a three piece suitcase set in her favorite color -- red! I told her she may not pack it, or I will have to pack mine to go along with her and daddy and May and Jane will have to pack theirs, too. We belong TOGETHER as a family. She giggles at me. :-) We have made such HUGE progress in the last two years! Grandpa sent her the iPod and she LOVES it. Look how cute she and Jane are together. I can see them as teenagers. :-)

It is also World AIDS Day. I will wear a red ribbon ... Education ... Awareness ... Research ... Fight ... Prayer ... and one day ... Cure!

Safety and Anonymity

Just a quick reminder that I keep our last name, city, location, name of schools, etc. all private on this blog. I may be fooling myself, but I believe this allows for a greater level of safety.

Thank you for respecting our "anonymity" when you post comments to messages.

XXXOOO,
-Holly

Fall/Autumn

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." -- George Eliot

I love Fall.

I sometimes wish I could recall my life in such detail that I would know if something fabulous happened to me in the Fall, and this time of year somehow brings back that feeling, or if I just like it for itself and all its coolness, beauty and change.

-Holly

Sad News About Skippy

We have enjoyed our little Skippy dog (rat terrier/chihuahua) for a year. During this whole time, she has had a seizure disorder. Normally, she seizes and recovers with temporary blindness and wobbliness that lasts for a short time (under an hour). She might go a month between seizures. But, a few days ago, she had a day that was practically ENTIRELY filled with seizures. She never had time to recover before another one was on her. The following morning, her breathing was very labored and she was nonresponsive. I took her for what would be her final visit to the vet. They kept her for about 6 hours, but she was gone. I made the extremely sad and hard choice to have her euthanized.

I have cried buckets. My heart has not been this broken since 1976.

I miss her terribly. I never had a pet who adored me like Skippy did. If I sat down, she was ON me. She always snuggled beside me under the comforter at night. She was my faithful friend.

I am so happy I got to know her for that short, short year. She gave me a feeling of Hope when I had little. She made me feel love through a very tough period in my life.

I am thankful.

RIP, Skippy, precious friend.

On a similar "doggie news" note -- I came home after my final visit with Skippy and I hugged our other dog, Cosmos (red heeler). His chest "felt closer" to me than it normally did. I backed away and noticed a tennis ball-sized lump on his throat! It was just as if he had swallowed a tennis ball! I called the vet and made an appointment for the next day for him to have surgery for an abscess. They kept him overnight. It was VERY HARD for me to be dogless for a night. Sad. :-(

When I went to pick Cos up, and CONFIRM the payment arrangement I had made the day before, the owner of the place came out to talk with me. He was extremely rude, belittling, mean, and downright cruel. I have given this man far too much of my time and energy, so I won't go into details here. But, let me say that after 6 years of our family's business -- he lost it with his 35 minute tirade. I will go further and tell you that I definitely DO NOT RECOMMEND DUBLIN ANIMAL HOSPITAL in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I have mixed opinions of the vets and office staff there. But, I will not be giving the owner any more of my money than what I have agreed (and WHEN he and I agreed). Period.

Having given this a lot of thought, I really feel sorry for him. Either he has really been burned by people not living up to their financial promises and obligations to him, or this economy is really hurting his business. Maybe both? But, I am a person of integrity and am offended by his treatment of me as his personal whipping post.

I find that you get what you expect. Since he expects the worst -- he seems to get the worst. Perhaps a fresh approach would be in order? Maybe my living up to my promises to him will help him begin on a new path toward belief in the Good that surrounds him? :-)

OK. There. I'm done.

Rest in peace, my sweet little Skippy.

-Holly

9-11-2001 Never Ever Forget

You can hit us, but you cannot knock us down.

9-11-2001. Never forget.

A Summertime Challenge

Most of us freely support our local food banks at Thanksgiving time, and via a few canned food drives at our children's schools, right?

But, people need food all year 'round.

And, in today's economy, food banks are stretched to the limit. They often find themselves with nearly bare shelves, due to demand exceeding supply.

A challenge ... as you are making lists of fun things to do with your children this summer, please add one more thing:

* Provide service to a food bank

This can look like a donation of canned and dry goods (we usually think of canned foods, but they also take boxes and bags of cereal, canned meats, baby food and baby supplies such as diapers, and even pet food, too!). Or, you could call and ask if they need help organizing their supplies.

There is a lot of nasty talk these days on the political side about "Socialism" and "keeping my money." Have we all forgotten what The Great Teacher, Jesus Christ, said in Matthew 25:35-40 (NIV):

35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40 "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'
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And, while you are gathering those items for the food bank, please consider adding a little prayer of thanks to God for the job that allows you to share. Sharing is good and kind. It is the right thing to do. It is not Socialism. It is being part of your community and providing love to your fellow human beings. I know you have it in you! :-)

Make a deposit in the food banks today. You never know when it might be YOU who needs to make a withdrawal.

Thank you.
-Holly

Easter 2009

Back to Spring Break- Play Date

Sooooo ... way back in early April, the girls had two weeks off school for Spring Break. One of the favorite things that happened was that they had their friends A and E over for a play date. They baked brownies, had a frantic and CRAZY scavenger hunt in the house, played outside (put their heads in the snow drift. LOL!), made charm bracelets, jumped on the mini trampoline, chewed bubble gum and blew bubbles, and had Chinese food for dinner. I am sure they did other things, but I cannot now recall them. :-)

The girls were SO HAPPY to be with each other again. We have taken this past year off Chinese school, and that was where we mainly saw one another. So, we have all missed one another.

When I took A&E home, I got to see baby R again. Ahhhhhh ... so sweet! Look below at her tiny hand in my hand. She is a miracle. ALL our kids are!!

Here are some of my favorite photos from that day so long ago. HAHAHA ;-)