Bring it on!

Oh, dear Lord, please hear my prayers. I pray to you here and now on my knees, please help my family to heal as we prepare to bury another dear sister. As we recently buried my Mom on September 30th, now, my dearest "Aunt Cookie". OMG, what a woman she was! Talk about an almighty woman of God! The strength I saw in her so many days for so many years, a long marriage and raising eight of the most beautiful children you could ever imagine!!! "Aunt Cookie" was one of those women I always wished I would become some day when I grew up. Fortunately for me, I honestly believe there are numerous qualities I did actually inherit from her.

With my Dad's passing so many years ago, my Mom and "Aunt Cookie" had grown really very close over the years. They had a lot in common with regards to their favorite pasttimes --- crafts and sewing!!! It seems only natural that they both would pass within approximately 6 weeks of each other. They both were strong women in their own rite. Some of the things both of them had to deal with and over come one would not wish on their worst enemy!

Over the years in my 'old' age, I have learned that the Lord does not present us with anything that we cannot handle. It is and will be a very long, long road without our mothers, learning to have them in our lives in a more deep and spiritual way. She is always with us. Is this the best you have Lord? Then, bring it on! We were raised by such strong women, we're much stronger than this.

Love, hugs, prayers and peace to you, my dear cousins, as I truly "feel your pain".

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Julianne

It's my "Honey Bunny's" birthday today!!!

No, my "honey bunny" is not Sean. It's my oldest brother, Paul. How old is he? Well, actually I lost track a long time ago. Paul is the most AWESOME Sports Director (aka Apostolate) for the St. Louis Catholic Archdiocese. What can one say about Paul? He is outrageously fun, some times quiet, used to be shy, quite the character really. He's the one his siblings love to tell the "bean up the nose" story about. With our dad passing at an early age, Paul is the one who stepped in and assumed the 'father figure' role for me at the ripe young age of 12. I cannot tell you how many volleyball practices he dragged me with him to at the old Vogt School in Ferguson or how many volleyball tournaments he LET me help him work. I mean, so many that his numerous volleyball teammates seemed more like an extended family of big brothers. I mean, they all watched out for me - some more than Paul ever knew about (ha, ha)!. Luckily, only one of them I grew a teenage crush on (wink, wink Paul - you know who that was).

Paul is the bestest older brother anyone could ever have, want, need, or ask for. He walked me down the aisle at my wedding. Paul has been there so many times and in so many ways for me that I don't dare try to count them. I hope one day I can express to him how much he means to me. I don't know what I would have ever done or do without him.

I love you honey bunny. Happy Birthday!

Jesus Take the Wheel

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Lazy, rainy day Sundays

What a lovely thing to wake up to! Went downstairs to put the dogs outside and there is a river running through our basement! Okay, so it wasn't quite a river, but you could actually see the water moving, running through to the drain. From where? It seemed like the water was coming from everywhere! You guessed it. The first thing I did? Went running around getting any and all of my scrapbooking supplies up off the floor! We have not had such a hard downpour with so much rainfall that caused this bad of a leak in a very long time. After I stopped fretting over moving my scrapbooking supplies, then I sat down. I took a breather and thanked God that number one, I have a home to have to clean up this lovely wet mess in, and number two, that this little bit of water was nothing compared to what the poor people in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida have had to deal with lately. Hopefully hurricane season will be over soon!