The true Meaning of Stress (as taken from an email)

The True Meaning of Stress    
 
A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and explaining stress management to an audience; with a raised glass of water, and everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?'..... she fooled them all... "How heavy is this glass of water?", she inquired with a smile.


Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.


She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I 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." She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress.   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 - holding stress longer and better each time practiced.   So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down.   Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... pick them up tomorrow.


Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment.   Relax, pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short.   Enjoy it and the now 'supposed' stress that you've conquered!"

1 * Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue!
2 * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
3 * Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
4 * Drive carefully... It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker..
5 * If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague
6 * If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it..
7 * It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
8 * Never buy a car you can't push.

9 * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
10 * Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
11 * Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
12 * The second mouse gets the cheese.
13 * When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
14 * Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
15 * You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
16 * Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.
17 * 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.
18 * A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
19 * Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today.
20 * It was I, your friend!
*Save the earth..... It's the only planet with chocolate!

many have asked me how i deal with things... this email sent to me by my  husband said it all....

Love n hugs and have a wonderful Monday!

today the wind blows...

and with the change in the wind so goes the change in Marthas Mind....I am so sad for her it really seemed as though she had finally had enough but, She let him talk her into believeing him AGAIN.  So shes giving him ANOTHER chance... I hate to see her put herself though this crap again but, to each his or her own and I can not make the decisions for her. 

Bradley was dressed too cute for easter... Stephanie had just gotten here to pick him up and take him to see her family and to go easter egg hunting with the other kids :)

 Mr. Big stuff is a total mess... Yeah I know you all know that.

 he likes this hat Jordan :)  it will fit for a bit if he does not hit a massive growth spurt!

 Yesterday Michael and I got the garden planted we did most in Straw bales, and some in the ground... so far all the plants are very happy!

 another view :)

 we also got the shade garden planted and found most of the shade loving plants we were looking for.

 all of these except the marigolds will come back year after year and will grow and fill in the garden

 I am loving it

 Bleeding hearts are so pretty and so epidomize how i feel way to often

 this rose bush has been here forever... we have totally cut it down a few times and it has done amazingly well... It is covered in beautiful sweet blooms.

anyway Hope you had a good easter, and have a great week ahead!

good news

Martha decided to come home. :D   She has a hard road ahead but is strong and hopefully can stick to her guns about what she wants for herself and Halo... that first step is always a hard one. 

I AM WORKING HARD TO KEEP MY BIG MOUTH SHUT AND TO LET HER WORK IT OUT and to just be here to help along the way :)

Keep those wonderful prayers coming....

Michael and I are about to head out and get the plants we have been getting the gardens ready for!
have a wonderfu lEaster Weekend!
Love n hugs!

through the twisted corners of my mind...

usually I come up with a title to my post long before I begin typing, or I have some photos to base my blathering on... tonight I just feel like typing :)  I really should be taking a hot bath or shower while waiting on the dryer to stop... but instead here I am thinking of all of my bloggy buddies.

there are so many that I have followed for a very long time and have had the awesome privilege of actually meeting a few people in person too.  With facebook there have even been a few more, some I will get to meet in the future and many many more who have such a wonderful impact on my life that I will probably never get to meet in person :(

But it's one of those nights where I just feel like letting you all know that you mean so much to me.  You are my contact with the real world outside my 4 walls, you come in have coffee with me, sit on the porch and talk about anything and everything and share your thoughts prayers and friend ship with crazy me :)  that's precious! 

I realise that we are all so blessed to be living in the age of electronic bliss, to be able to contact and interact with people all over the world.  I remember growing up living for Saturday morning and watching THE BIG BLUE MARBLE... the biggest thing I remember about it was that it took me all over the world to places that I could never ever begin to imagine... being a kid who grew up in the country and the closest town was a little historic river town. To realise that there was MORE beyond Hannibal was a revelation in and of itself.  I also remember that they connected kids as pen pals... my pen pals name was Melissa, she lived in DEEP RIVER CONN.  I don't recall her last name and keep praying that one day when I least expect it her name will come to me and in this awesome age I will be able to hunt her down. 

In some weird way I think you are all my pen pals, sharing your lives and hopes dreams Ideas and sorrows hurts anger pain... all the stuff that comes from being a part of, sharing, living.

THANK YOU ALL FOR being Bloggers, For deciding to step out there in the scary web world and proving over and over that there is so much more GOOD than BAD on here.

Love hugs and Coffee :)
God Bless you and keep you
Laura

Sunday Wrap up

I took these pics the other morning when Cory andStephanie came to drop off Bradley.  Halo was up and had been for over an hour in fact both kids stayed up most of the morning before finally giving in and napping.

The pics came out adorable I think.

 Now if we could just get Halo to smile more :) she is smiling more just not when the camera flashes.

Friday I spent running Martha to do what she needed to get done before prom and grocery shopping, I was beat by early afternoon but still had Bradley Friday evening, He was really good however, so that made it better.  Apparently Martha came by for me to see her all dressed for Prom but Bradley and I had run to Harlem to get some catfish for supper and she left a few minutes before we got back.
Saturday we had big plans to get plants and get them planted but since the weather service kept telling us to seek shelter for the tornados, THAT NEVER CAME :) ... not even a drop of rain came.... we ended up sleeping most of the day away.

Sunday... Have I mentioned that I LOVE LOVE LOVE my KINDLE???? well anyway since friday I have read 3 books.... I cant put the darn thing down and It's so easy to hit amazon.com and buy books... I am in DEEP TROUBLE!!!!! LOL...I got 9 new books.... 7 of which were free so maybe I am still ok.  I have not opened my amazon bill yet (it came friday)
ANYWAY ... sorry got sidetracked there.... Today We had Bradley again, and he was good as gold.... except for that minute or two just before he fell asleep....anyway papa was working in the garden and I was chasing Bradley all around the yard... the boy runs... while looking over his shoulder and trying to avert accidents is a full time job...little shit can open doors when he wants and he shut and locked me out on the front porch then would not open the door,  I knew the back door was open but was barefooted and not looking forward to the walk around through the rocks and sticks ect... eventually I headed around the house to which he went into complete hysterics ... but He got over it.
eventually momma and daddy came to get him and he was just too darn cute with his BYE BYES....
and thats it for my boring weekend... pretty much got nothing accomplished... but I do feel better... :)  back is not as stiff and knee even is acting better for the most part... I kinda think I way over did it Friday and thus brought on my own pain... Sigh...

Hope you have all had a wonderfull weekend and are gearing up for an even better week to come!
God Bless!

Physical pain sucks.

just over a month ago... ok mybe a month and a half I hurt my right knee.  Most likely its simply worn out.  it swells up daily and depending on how swollen depends on how well i can straighten it out.  it pops it creaks and it has been known to totally give out and I find my self on the ground praying that no one saw that....
to add insult to injury my lower back has decided A WEEK AGO tomorrow that it was being neglected and need to make its presense known... (this i do think is a pinched nerve) it aches it hurts it gets loose it gets stiff and it shoots pains down my butt cheek into my thigh at the strangest of moments... At first i thought it was from my last fall that I choose to tell no one but martha about (because she saw my elbow torn up and asked or I would not have told her.  I took a hard fall from 2 steps up, backward landing on my right side (when i was in missouri) I was super tired over loaded and my knee totally gave out and I knew and could see and feel the fall as if it were in slow motion.... was totally upset and angry about it all...
NOW i am just sick of being in pain. I cant get anything accomplished, I seem to retreat to my bed entirely too much and I am unable to do things i need to do with the babies... I actually was feeling pretty good until last night after supper when I decided to give Bradley a bath... He needed it badly, i was very careful yet my knee swelled up insanely and when he finally went to sleep sitting on my lap last night I could not get up to put him to bed... TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE ....

I had big plans to get the plants and get them planted for my flower bed and garden today.... I have not made it past the front porch... have spent most of the day hidden in my bed and totally unhappy at the pain in my back.  I can only consume so much tylenol out of respect for my liver... and since i can not take NSAIDS or NARCOTICS... there is just no freakin relief.... I am getting close to giving my Ulcer a run for its money and take an aleive.... and see if I can have just ONE flipping days relief maybe one Hours.... SIGH 

Am frustrated... but will be fine eventually.... just venting so no panic out there guys and gals...

speaking of plants and planting... I did a bit of research... on shade loving plants... I have a list of 6 kinds that love shade and do well in MY HOT DRY ZONE.... but I am not sure how to plant them in my flower bed... see the roof has no gutters so in the past years we left a 6 or 8 inch section down the middle with no plants just gravel to help prevent washing... so that leaves 6 to 8 inches in the back part and about the same in the front half to plant plants...
the plants I am looking in to are bleeding hearts, crested lady ferns, Lily of the valley, blue hosta, green and white hosta, royal standard hosta.... any thoughts ideas of what to place where would be greatly appreciated... the flower bed is probably 20 plus feet long and like i said have the front and back third to place plants in.... as when it DOES rain they would be beat to death in the middle... and I plan on putting Marigolds (my favorite annual ) in the holes of the blocks... there are 58 holes :) 

well my back timer says my sitting looking at the computer time has ended ... so will wander back when i am able. 
God Bless :)

AI, babies and prayers.

American Idol is without a doubt having it's best most talented year ever.

of the 8 remaining all are really  good in their own ways, a few stand out as exceptionally GREAT in my opinion.  Those who know me know that Jacob is over the top my favorite, then comes Casey and Lauren and Scotty and Stephano and James and Halley and last Paul.  This year I think no matter who wins ALL are winners but most of ALL we the people who love music WIN the most as I do believe we will have so great NEW artists to choose to fill our musical libraries with.

that all being said... Bradley is doing amazing THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRAYERS!

other than some redness that In time I do believe will go away you would never know he has been through a nightmare of epic proportions.

 Halo got a turn in the swing and she loves it.  this contraption is the best 15 bucks I have spent in years as both kids have loved it and it works perfectly as if I had paid the small fortune it woudl have cost new. Got to love the good will store :)

 We are all so happy that our stinkey little boy can have bathes again cause there for a few weeks sponge bathes were all he could have.  *yes all little boys are stinky little girls too:) its just a part of who they are

I reckon I am over the blahs and just tired I really must get my vites and minerals straightened out and get to feeling human again.  The babies are great therapy in the right direction of course ... well ones here and one will be in a few minutes so... Have a wonderfully blessed day...
and please keep my bloggy friends in your prayers as they go through and face the anniversary of the death of their son, Brother, grandson, nephew, friend.

 you are so missed CJ. 

God Bless.

Got a HUGE case of the BLAHS

I have a HUGE case of the blahs...I know part of it is simply being tired, and sick of being in pain.  My knee has been a pain for more than a month now and simply does not seem to ever get better. Then Sunday my lower back decided to join in the pain game which I am sure is from 1900 miles of driving just after 1850 miles of driving less than a month ago.

It  is a beautiful day here, 67 degrees with a wonderful breeze and I have all the windows open but, I should be out buy plants and getting them in the ground. 

I have come to the realisation that I am not 24 any more and doing things with babies simply drains me.

I love keeping the grandbabies but, I am totally limited as to what and when I can do things even around the house and that frustrates me as I have always done just about what I want when I want.

Some days I really would just like to be a normal grandma and see my grand kids for an hour or two then have them over when I WANT.  Instead I have them 6 days a week (one or the other or both) but, I am relucant to say anything to my kids because they will not understand and will feel like I dont want to keep the babies.  I do want to keep them I love keeping them I just wish I had the energy and patience I used to have.

I hate having to lie to mom about Halo and having to play the secret games with her on so many things, Yet to keep peace I have to ... and where my mother is concerned peace is important.

This pic is of her and her favorite Aid, Nikki, is great with mom and I am really glad she is there.

 Yesterday Halo got a bath at grandmas house, Martha gave it to her so I could man the camera :)

 she loves the bath, she kicks back and totally relaxes the little spaces for bottles fit her elbows perfectly.

 somewhere I have a picture of me, cory, bradley, martha and now halo in this position... Halo absolutley looks like her mama did when she was this size... love all the baby fat rolls they are just soooooo squeezy!

 Jeannie got halo this t shirt it is just too cute and I have my little cross stitch that says the same thing... they just make me smile.

ohhhh what a nummy baby, shes getting so big so fast. she now has a bottom and is so very strong to be just 3 months old,  she talks and now makes spitty bubbles which are so cute.  she still sleeps many hours a day and on occasion will stay up for a good number of hours she is really such an easy baby it is unreal. 

well i am trying to get out of the blah blah mood and get some things accomplished around here.
Have a wonderful Tuesday.
God Bless you and keep you Till we meet again.

Home safe

Well I made it to Missouri again and back...
You will all be in shock (those who know me) I took a grand total of 15 pictures!  
ok pick yourselves up off the ground,
I really had some things I wanted to take pics of but when driving I could not or would not did not stop and camera and driving are kinda along the lines of texting and driving... not the best idea. 
Mount Eagle was amazing as ever I love spring time and seeing the rushing waterfalls but there just is no safe places to stop and take pictures.
I went OVER a couple bridges and flyovers that I would have liked to take pictures on but with my fear of heights and general panic when driving over them again, not conducive to taking pictures.

I got to see some people I have not seen in over 20 years but at my first stop I simply forgot to carry my camera in... I stopped in st louis to see my cousins Glenn and Martha, had not seen them since I was 17, I think .... THANK YOU FACEBOOK for allowing us to reconnect....
Also stopped for supper Monday night with Billy and Nikki,

I had not seen Nikki since high school and Billy, he and his first wife (my cousin) are who took me in off the streets when I was 16, I lived with them for 2 and a half years.  Had not seen him in 20 years AGAIN THANK YOU FACEBOOK for allowing us to reconnect.  absolutely LOVED getting to see and spend some time with them :)

Mom was good, I actually got two of my cousins to go with me to visit her and she totally ... ok sort of behaved herself...she behaved well with Mindy and sort of well with Beth... I was so glad they both came with me to visit.  Sometimes those visits are so hard. Mom can be so demanding, and toss in on top of it all I just did not feel the greatest this trip. 

I got to go to supper with Ron and Kimmy and Aunt Betty at a place in Quincy Il, called THE PATIO it was delish and other than being a bit dark inside a really nice place. We had a wonderful supper and even more wonderful company :)

I actually made awesome time driving but am so darn stiff and sore today... GAH
Cant wait to see my babies tomorrow I did miss them...
Am so ready to get into my OWN bed... and hopefully sleep more than 3-4 hours...

Hope you have had a wonderful week will be attempting to catch up with you all soon!
God Bless.

am preparing to

be on the road again, heading to missouri tomorrow, hope the weather channel is wrong as it appears that the entire way will be rain and nasty... but hopefully not.  either way will be at least a week before I am back to blogging will attempt to keep up with you all but ... WE ALL KNOW how that goes when on the road.
Mother has big plans for me... Nothing new there... to go through ALL OF HER photos again, clean her closets out AGAIN get potting soil for her plants and of course carry her meals into her  at least 2 times a day :)   not bad really just exhausting along with the other things that I must accomplish while up there.
and in between I hope to get to see a few people and friends that I only get to see once a year if then.

this appears to be the year of traveling alone as this will be my second trip across the south east alone.  this one is a bit longer than the last by about 150 miles but thats just a number. 

my honey is filling up my flower bed with dirt today and when I get back I need to plant flowers they must be shade loving as this particular bed is shaded by the house ... so any suggestions from my flower loving friends will be appreciated :)

Hope you all have a wonderful wonderfilled week. 
Love n hugs and God Bless :)