Autobiography

Life has a way of moving forward. A new day comes as an old one passes away. We measure time with the passing of events. I often wonder, "Why am I here?" What purpose do I serve? I came into the world on December 21, 1961 as the third child to young parents. I did not chose to come, but am very blessed that I came and to whom I came.

I grew up in what would probably be considered a low income family. My father was the bread winner, my mother would stay at home until I entered 7th grade. We were happy. I lived in the same house from the time I was one year old until the age of 16. We knew our neighbors and they knew us. I grew up in the day that if you misbehaved, some other mother would reprimand you immediately and call your mother to insure she was aware of your transgressions. I had the same best friends from my toddler days until now really, although we don't see each other often I still keep in touch with Pam and Paula, fraternal twins who spent many a summer day, playing 45's on the record player and telling secrets. Life was simple then. We did not have air conditioning in our home, our car or our school, so you did not stay indoors and cook. We spent our days outside running, playing, and swimming in the lake.

I was not a great student in school, I started first grade at age 5 and graduated shortly after my 17th birthday. I was a B, C student. I was more of the social butterfly, enjoying friends and parties and dances. I can never remember a discussion of college in my household. I don't think it ever crossed my mind that I would or could go to college. I knew I would be expected to continue working, I began at the age of 15 and loved the income. However I was expected to purchase all my own clothes, buy my own car and pay for all my entertainment desires. Graduation came and I had already met the man whom I would marry. He was four years my senior and was a sailor, romantic or so I thought. I now realize I was much too young to have married but at the time I was in love.

Marriage was what I felt I was suppose to do. I think even my ex husband would say I was a good wife, and a good mother. I found my purpose in caring for my family. I am one of those people who truly enjoy making a home. I like to cook, I even like to clean and keep things in a comfortable way. Motherhood brought me the most joy. If you have read my blog long you know I LOVE MY CHILDREN. They have brought me my greatest joys and my deepest sorrows. The are truly unique individuals who have minds of their own and I am proud to be their mother. I hope always they are proud to have me for a mother.

The work I do came out of my love of children. I was a stay at home mom for many years, but I wanted to contribute to our families financial needs so I kept children in my home. It was not a huge money maker however it allowed us to go out to dinner and purchase special things on occasion. When I moved back to Florida from Maryland in 1991, I found a job as a preschool teacher. I loved it! I enjoyed seeing children grow and learn. I found joy in the teaching a child a fingerplay or seeing a four year old write his or her name for the first time. Teaching for me was a purpose. When it became obvious that my marriage would end, I needed something that would support me and my three children so I moved into an administrative Position. I became the director of a preschool, which has now become a primary school of which I would now be principal. My purpose in life is to provide a place, weather in my home, or at my school for children to learn and grow in an atmosphere of love and respect. I have expectations of children, I demand respect, but give it back in equal share.

I know my life has a purpose beyond that of my profession and my children; even my grandchildren. My life has purpose through my faith in Christ. My life has purpose in my love of Philip. In the love of my family and my friends. I have been given a gift, it is a life and at the end I want to hear, "You have lived it well, my good and faithful servant."

Que Sera` Sera` (What ever will be, will be)

Today I helped my boyfriend Philip start sending out resumes` to various companies around the southeast in search of a new job. He works for a company in the transition of bankrupcy and being sold. Although he may not need a new job, he felt it necessary to be proactive instead of passive waiting for someone else to chart the course his life will take. I won't lie and say this was an easy task, but he asked for my help and I would never have dreamed of saying, "no". My heart skips when I think of him moving to far off place... ok, north Georgia is not a foriegn country but we will not have the same ability to see each other as we do now. He has promised we will work things out and I know he will do all within his power to do so. He has also in all fairness applied for positions here in Jacksonville, which for me would be more convenient.

After all the letters had been mailed today, we went for a walk on Jekyll Island Beach and this song kept playing in my head. I know that change can be good and things in all probability will work out, but I will have to learn to say Que Sera` Sera`

Que Sera, Sera
Doris Day

[Written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans]


When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother
What will I be
Will I be pretty
Will I be rich
Here's what she said to me

Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be

When I grew up and fell in love
I asked my sweetheart
What lies ahead
Will we have rainbows
Day after day
Here's what my sweetheart said

Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be

Now I have Children of my own
They ask their mother
What will I be
Will I be handsome
Will I be rich
I tell them tenderly

Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be
Que Sera, Sera

Happy girl!

I like Lizards!


Isn't he beautiful!

Huntsville, Alabama

Well another wonderful excursion with Philip. We took off to Huntsville, Alabama this weekend for a visit to Philip's past. I must admit I was excited to be headed to see a place I have never been. We traveled up through Gadston and Atallia and then into Huntsville.


Philip had checked the weather and said it would be mild, but what do weathermen know I needed warmer attire first thing Saturday morning with temperatures hovering in the low 30's.


After a quick trip to Target and a pair of gloves and scarf, I was ready for an adventure. We met Philip's son Patrick and headed to the United States Space and Rocket Center.


I have visited Kennedy Space Center in central Florida and was looking forward to seeing how the two compared. I found Huntsville to be more of a tribute to the scientist Werner von Braun and although it had a large collection of rockets and engines and the like, I think it was a little smaller. But all in all it was a very enjoyable and educational tour.

We did go outside to see all the rockets and other super large space items on display and I nearly froze, Philip had no hat or gloves on but was quick to say; he was not cold...tough guy! We then went up Monte Sano to Burritt overlook and what an amazing view. I loved it! I found north Alabama to be a beautiful place, clean and somewhat on the high society side. It also appears to be a growing town with much ahead.

I think my trip to Philip's past was one of pure joy and fun. Thanks Philip for a wonderful time.

Stress Management

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a
glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?"
Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.
The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter.
It depends on how long you try to hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.
If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.
In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the
heavier it becomes."
He continued,
"And that's the way it is with stress management.
If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden
becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. "
"As with the glass of water,
you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.
When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."
"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down.
Don't carry it home.
You can pick it up tomorrow.
Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if
you can."
So, my friend, why not take a while to just simply RELAX.
Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now.
Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.
Life is short.
Enjoy it!
Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:
* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the
statue.
* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat
them.
* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the
middle of it.
* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their
maker.
* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was
probably worth it
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a
warning to others.
* Never buy a car you can't push.
* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because ! then
you won't have a leg to stand on.
* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
* The second mouse gets the cheese.
* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the
world to one person.
* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
* We could learn a lot from crayons...
Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird
names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the
same box.
A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour. Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you
today......I did.

Good things in Life

It is interesting how we each come to the conclusion as to what the good things in life are. I am sure if I polled 100 people they would each have their own opinion what things would be the good things in their lives. I am someone who can really say some of the most simple things in life are best.

I love my family. I enjoy spending time with them, but in recent days I also have realized I love quiet moments of solitude as well. I love being with my sweetheart, quiet conversations, hearty laughs and time spent doing the simplest of things. I have dear friends, those close to home, and those who live far away whom I only converse with on this wonderful thing called a computer. They are a golden thread in my life and are so very dear to me.

As 2006 comes racing in...I wanted to take a few minutes to enjoy the good things in my life, and say thank you to those who mean so much to me....You know who you are. God Bless

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Well tomorrow marks another historical event the 53rd Birthday of a wonderful man. In his honor I have googled up all the events that happened on the 7th Day of Janury through out History. As a man who loves trivia and history I hope he will enjoy. If I had not been down with the flu all day I would have done a better job! But HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!

07/01/0754 - Pope Stefanus II arrives in Ponthion
07/01/1325 - Afonso IV succeeds Dionysius as king of Portugal
07/01/1558 - Calais, last English possession in France, retaken by French
07/01/1566 - Antonio "Michele" Ghislieri is elected Pope Pius V
07/01/1566 - Michaele Ghislieri is elected Pope Pius V
07/01/1579 - England signs an offensive and defensive alliance with Netherland
07/01/1584 - Last day of the Julian calendar in Bohemia and Holy Roman empire
07/01/1598 - Boris Godunov seizes Russian throne on death of Feodore I
07/01/1601 - Robert, Earl of Essex leads revolt in London against Queen Elizabeth
07/01/1608 - Fire destroys Jamestown, Virginia
07/01/1610 - Galileo discovers 1st 3 Jupiter satellites, Io, Europa and Ganymede
07/01/1618 - Francis Bacon becomes English lord chancellor
07/01/1622 - Germany and Transylvania sign Peace of Nikolsburg
07/01/1630 - Composer Pier Cavalli marries rich widow Maria Sosomeno
07/01/1654 - Fire after heavy storm destroys 2/3 of De Rijp Neth, 1 dies
07/01/1698 - Russian Czar Peter the Great departs Neth to England
07/01/1714 - Typewriter patented by Englishman Henry Mill (built years later)
07/01/1761 - Battle at Panipat India: Afghan army beats Mahratten
07/01/1782 - 1st US commercial bank, Bank of North America, opens in Philadelphia
07/01/1784 - 1st US seed business established by David Landreth, Philadelphia
07/01/1785 - 1st balloon flight across English Channel (Blanchard and Jeffries)
07/01/1817 - 2nd Bank of US opens
07/01/1822 - 1st printing in Hawaii
07/01/1822 - Liberia colonized by Americans
07/01/1830 - 1st US Railroad Station opens (Baltimore)
07/01/1835 - HMS Beagle anchors off Chonos Archipelago
07/01/1842 - Gioacchino Rossini's opera "Stabat Mater" premieres in Paris
07/01/1861 - Florida troops takeover Ft Marion at St Augustine
07/01/1862 - Battle of Manassas Junction, VA
07/01/1862 - Romney Campaign-Stonewall Jackson march towards Romney, WV
07/01/1868 - Arkansas constitutional convention meets in Little Rock
07/01/1868 - Mississippi constitutional convention meets in Jackson
07/01/1879 - Dutch King Willem II marries Emma von Waldeck-Pyrmont
07/01/1888 - Start of Sherlock Holmes adventure "Valley of Fear" (BG)
07/01/1890 - W B Purvis patents fountain pen
07/01/1892 - Mine explosion kills 100, Krebs, Okla-blacks trying to help rescue white survivors, driven away with guns
07/01/1893 - Hermann Sudermanns "Heimat," premieres in Berlin
07/01/1894 - Motion picture experiment of comedian Fred Ott filmed sneezing
07/01/1896 - Fanny Farmer publishes her 1st cookbook
07/01/1899 - Walter Camp publishes his 1st All-American football team in Collier's
07/01/1903 - Start of Sherlock Holmes "Adventure of Blanched Soldier" (BG)
07/01/1903 - Vincent d'Indy's opera "L'etranger," premieres in Brussel
07/01/1904 - Marconi Co establishes "CQD" as 1st intl radio distress signal
07/01/1907 - Clyde Fitch' "Truth," premieres in NYC
07/01/1908 - England beat Australia by one wicket at the MCG
07/01/1910 - Stanley Cup: Ottawa Senators sweep Galt (Ont) in 2 games
07/01/1911 - 1st airplane bombing experiments with explosives, SF
07/01/1911 - Dutch Scouts Organization established in Amsterdam
07/01/1913 - William M Burton patents a process to "crack" petroleum
07/01/1914 - 1st steamboat passes through Panama Canal
07/01/1916 - German troops conquer Fort Vaux at Verdun
07/01/1923 - Baltimore Sun warns of Ku Klux Klan
07/01/1925 - Musical "Big Boy" with Al Jolson premieres in NYC
07/01/1927 - Coml transatlantic telephone service inaugurated between NY and London
07/01/1927 - Harlem Globetrotters play 1st game (Hinckley, Ill)
07/01/1929 - "Buck Rogers," 1st sci-fi comic strip, premieres
07/01/1929 - "Tarzan," one of the 1st adventure comic strips, 1st appears
07/01/1929 - 1st telephone connection between Netherlands and East Indies
07/01/1930 - Edwin Justus Mayer's "Children of Darkness," premieres in NYC
07/01/1932 - 1st game played at Orchard Lake Curling Club, Mich
07/01/1933 - 1st edition of People and Fatherland published in Netherlands
07/01/1934 - "Flash Gordon" comic strip (by Alex Raymond) debuts
07/01/1934 - Princess Juliana marries German prince Bernhard von Lippe-Biesterfeld
07/01/1935 - Z”e Akins' "Old Maid," premieres in NYC
07/01/1936 - Tennis champs Helen Moody and Howard Kinsley volley 2,001 times (1h18m)
07/01/1939 - US worker's union leader Tom Mooney freed (jailed since 1916)
07/01/1942 - WW II siege of Bataan starts
07/01/1944 - Air Force announces production of 1st US jet fighter, the Bell P-59
07/01/1945 - Lord Haw-Haw reports total German victory at Ardennen
07/01/1946 - Cambodia becomes autonomous state inside French Union
07/01/1947 - Aust v Eng at MCG drawn in 6 days, 1st cricket draw in Aust since 1882
07/01/1948 - US president Truman raises taxes for Marshall-plan
07/01/1949 - 1st photo of genes taken at U of S Calif by Pease and Baker
07/01/1950 - "Happy as Larry" closes at Coronet Theater NYC after 3 performances
07/01/1950 - Hank Snow's 1st appearance on "Grand Ole Opry"
07/01/1950 - Mental health wing of Mercy Hospital burns, kills 41 (Davenport Ia)
07/01/1952 - French Plevin govt falls
07/01/1953 - Pres Truman announces development of hydrogen bomb
07/01/1955 - Marian Anderson becomes 1st black singer to perform at Met (NYC)
07/01/1955 - WCIQ TV channel 7 in Mt Cheaha, AL (PBS) begins broadcasting
07/01/1956 - Vinoo Mankad scores 231 v NZ, 413 opening stand with Roy
07/01/1958 - USSR shrinks army to 300,000
07/01/1959 - US recognizes Fidel Castro's Cuban govt
07/01/1961 - 1st NFL Playoff Bowl (runner-up bowl)-Detroit beats Cleveland 17-16
07/01/1961 - Trucial States (now UAE) issue their 1st postage stamps
07/01/1962 - AFL Pro Bowl: West beats East 47-27
07/01/1962 - Assassination attempt on Indonesian president Sukarno, fails
07/01/1962 - Bollingen Prize for poetry awarded to John Hall Wheelock
07/01/1963 - 1st class postage raised from 4› to 5›
07/01/1964 - Bahamas becomes self-governing
07/01/1964 - Dick Weber rolls highest bowling game in air (Boeing 707)
07/01/1965 - France announces it will convert $150 million of its currency to gold
07/01/1966 - Dance Theatre of Harlem debuts
07/01/1966 - Gene Kiniski beats Lou Thesz in St Louis, to become NWA champ
07/01/1967 - "Newlywed Game" premieres on ABC TV
07/01/1968 - "GE College Bowl" quiz show premieres on NBC TV
07/01/1968 - 1st class postage raised from 5› to 6›
07/01/1969 - US Congress doubles president salary
07/01/1970 - Farmers sue Max Yasgur for $35,000 in damages caused by "Woodstock"
07/01/1971 - -40øF (-40øC), Hawley Lake, Ariz (state record)
07/01/1972 - Iberian Airlines crashes into 800' peak on island of Ibiza, 104 die
07/01/1972 - LA Lakers chalk up 33rd consecutive win (NBA record)
07/01/1972 - Lewis F Powell Jr becomes a Supreme Court Justice
07/01/1972 - William Hubbs Rehnquist, sworn in as Supreme Court Justice
07/01/1973 - "Purlie" closes at Billy Rose Theater NYC after 14 performances
07/01/1973 - British Darts Organisation founded in North London
07/01/1973 - Jo Ann Prentice wins LPGA Burdine's Golf Invitational
07/01/1973 - Johnny Watkins bowls six overs 0-21 v Pakistan Never again
07/01/1973 - US poet James Merrill wins Bollingen Prize
07/01/1973 - WNPB TV channel 13 in Marquette, MI (PBS) begins broadcasting
07/01/1974 - Dutch rations gasoline
07/01/1975 - "Shenandoah" opens at Alvin Theater NYC for 1050 performances
07/01/1975 - Bollingen Prize for poetry awarded to AR Ammons (Sphere)
07/01/1975 - Gary Geld and Peter Udell's musical "Shenandoah," premieres in NYC
07/01/1975 - Led Zeppelin fans riot before Boston concert, causing $30,000 damage
07/01/1977 - Huyman Rights Charta '77 established in Prague
07/01/1978 - Angola revises its constitution
07/01/1979 - Vietnamese forces capture Phnom Penh from Khmer Rouge
07/01/1980 - Minn ends Phila Flyers' NHL record 35 game unbeaten streak ends
07/01/1982 - "Fame" premieres on NBC TV
07/01/1982 - Islander's Bryan Trottier's 10th career hat trick
07/01/1983 - Australia regain the Ashes with a 2-1 series win v England
07/01/1983 - Reagan ends US arms embargo against Guatemala
07/01/1985 - "King and I" opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 191 performances
07/01/1985 - Japanese space probe Sakigake launched to Halley's comet
07/01/1985 - KHQ-AM in Spokane WA changes call letters to KLSN (now KAQQ)
07/01/1985 - Lou Brock and Hoyt Wilhelm, elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame
07/01/1986 - Chicago Bears defeat New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX
07/01/1986 - Netherlands Bank issues 250 guilder notes
07/01/1986 - STS 61-C mission scrubbed at T -9m because of weather problems
07/01/1986 - US president Reagan proclaims economic sanctions against Libya
07/01/1987 - French airplanes harass Libyan positions in Duadi Doum
07/01/1987 - Kapil Dev takes his 300th Test wicket, at 28 the youngest
07/01/1989 - Akhito becomes emperor of Japan
07/01/1989 - Intl Conference on Limitation of Chemical Weapons opens in Paris
07/01/1989 - NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers longest win streak (11)
07/01/1989 - Cleve Cavs block 21 NY Knick shots tying NBA regulation game record
07/01/1990 - Lynn Jennings runs world record 5K indoor at 15:22.64
07/01/1990 - Tower Of Pisa closed to the public after leaning too far
07/01/1991 - "Nia Peeples Party Machine" premieres on TV
07/01/1992 - ATandT releases video-telephone ($1,499)
07/01/1992 - Last day of Test cricket for Imran Khan
07/01/1992 - Tom Seaver and Rollie Fingers elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame
07/01/1994 - South Africa beat Australia in the Sydney Test by 5 runs
07/01/1994 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Tonya Harding
07/01/1994 - United Express commuter plane crashes in Ohio, killing 5
07/01/1995 - "Christmas Carol" closes at Richard Rodgers Theater NYC after 18 perfs
07/01/1995 - "Passion" closes at Plymouth Theater NYC after 280 performances
07/01/1996 - "Crazy after You" closes at Shubert Theater NYC after 1622 perfs
07/01/1996 - "Fool Moon" closes at Ambassador Theater NYC after * performances
07/01/1996 - 16th United Negro College Fund raises $12,600,000
07/01/1997 - Newt Gingrich, narrowly re-elected speaker of the House
07/01/1998 - Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky signs affidavit denying she had an affair with President Bill Clinton
07/01/1999 - President Bill Clinton begins his impeachment trial in the Senate.

Philip and I wish you all a Happy New Year!

Our best wishes to all.

Happy New Year

The New Year is here and as we begin 2006, my prayers and hopes for a God Blessed Year to all! I think as we enter the year we take time to resolve to make 2006 a year where we are determined to have a healthier, happier year.

I can't remember a new year in my adult life, where I have not recommited to loose weight and eat healthier and exercise...now if I keep that resolution all year you would think I could skip a year every now and then. I resolve to live more frugal and save for retirement. I also determine to be a better friend and keep in touch with my friends who have all somehow moved to other parts of the US. I am sure that resolutions are made each year with the best intentions.

As each of you plan and prepare for 2006, my prayers for a very blessed year.