class

"Real courage is when you know your licked
before you begin, but you begin anyway and you
see it through no matter what"
taken from to Kill a Mockingbird


well yesterday I took my first step and entered the college world
I had my first math class pre-algebra
I had a lot of home work for the 1st day
but what did I expect it was in fact the first
day!!

I was full of anxiety & stress
because I thought I would
be the oldest kid in class ( so I meditated a bit)
but to my dismay
I was not there are more class mates my age
and a little older in fact we are the majority!

the homework was hard but I think it was
basically just getting my mind back into
doing math mode and trying to learn
the new math, math that I did not have to take
when I was in high school or my early days of college
well I am going to try to muddle through this
almost through the week the class is only 3 days
a week for 5 weeks.

one week almost down 4 more to go
wish me luck!!!

truthfully it was not as bad as I
thought it would be.

Instead

Do not think of what you do not have
Instead~Appreciate what you have
and can still have

Do not think of things lost
Instead ~ value what you still
have and yet may find

Do not cry over spilled milk
Instead~ rejoice in what was left

Do not think of what you are not
Instead~ be humble with what you
are and can still become

Do not think of what others say
Instead~ concern yourself with
what you affirm to be

Do not think of the hours and days past
Instead~look eagerly to times that are
yet to come

Do not think of mistakes committed
Instead~ count the things you did right

Do not think much of the pain you have
caused
Instead~ plan for ways to make amends

Do not think of what you failed to do
Instead~ think of those that you were
able to do and can still best do

Do not think of the sufferings you now bear
Instead~ look to draw the comfort when
relief draws near

Do not consume yourself with thoughts
of what could have been
Instead~ marvel at what has become
and will become

Do not be anxious to attain greater happiness
Instead~ content yourself with the bliss

Do not aspire to fill your cup at once
Instead~ have the patience to do it
little by little and if by chance you
fail do not fret over the empty part
on top
Instead~celebrate the space filled up

Do not condemn nature when it is at
it's worst
Instead~think of times when it was at
it's best

Do not blame luck for things you miss
Instead~ learn from things in which
you have been remiss

nor should you curse luck or others
for life's misfortunes
Instead~ accept them as a part of life

I say then Live Fully, die a little,
learn much,but question less
have enough but give much more
be contented each time to crave much less

doubt less and affirm a lot
understand more and be
understood less

worry little but hope you must
accept all resist the least
for all things happen
in due time
they must

Banjo's and Keith Urban!

Yesterday, (since my daughter was camping
my husband Jeff and I and our son Kiel
pronounced (kyle) went to do one of our
favorite pass-times, going through Antique Shops.

we had a blast! Kiel is very musically inclined and
he loves to teach himself any kind of instrument
he also loves antiques so we ended up in one of
the many stores and Kiel came about a banjo

so we of course bought it for him. for being in the
early 1970's it was in great shape. we then went
to buy some extra strings and Kiel is now learning
to play ( he is pretty good already since he is an avid
guitar guy!) took Kiel home and Jeff and I headed
to San Jose for a concert with Keith Urban !

(if you ever have the opportunity to see
Keith Urban in concert I recommend that
you do)

The girl band the Wreckers played first
for about 30 min. then at 9:00 pm
Mr. Urban came out and played for
two hours straight.playing his old stuff
and new ( Jeff and I had
floor seats so it was a great view)

I was not sure that Jeff would like the concert
he just knew that Keith was the Australian country
singer,and married to Nicole Kidman by
the end of the night he was blown
away and hooked! we had such fun

so 6-15.07 will always be to me
Banjos and Keith Urban!!!

"life isn't measured by the
number of breaths we take
but by the moments that take
our breath away"

The First Step

" All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them"
Walt Disney

I have always admired Walt Disney's work (Disneyland, Disney Movies, Books, Etc)
and found him to be a fascinating Man.

my friend Shanna's husband is the biggest Walt Disney fan I know.
Walt's words are Chris's philosophy in life and he has built a thriving
business of course he had a great deal of help from Shanna!

I love the above quote because I am about to embark on making one of my dreams
come true. At the age of 44. I am returning to college and earning my degree.

I have taken this path before but somehow sidetrack myself I have never finished.
This time I am bound to finish with out any sidetracks.

I am full of emotion, excited and scared at the same time, through my journey of
self discovery.I feel that this is the first step I must take and hopefully
it's the right time.

I begin this step Monday and only taking one class Pre Algebra, math has never
been my strong suit.
my two teenagers at home have graciously volunteered to
be my tutors and help me through ( hope they know what they have gotten themselves
into!!)

Am I CRAZY!! I wonder? for me this going back to school is to say that I accomplished that
in my life time.

"If You can dream it, You can do it"
Walt Disney


well I hope Mr. Disney is right.

alice through the looking glass

Last night I had a dream about
" Alice through the looking glass"

I am not sure why this dream occurred
it is one of my favorite classic stories
and this is the part I cherish the most.

A boat beneath a sunny sky
lingering on ward dreamily
in an evening of July

Children three that nestle near
eager eye and willing ear
pleased a simple tale to hear

long has pulled that sunny sky
ecohs fade and memories die

Autum frosts have slain July
still she haunts me phantom wise
Alice moving under skies
never moving by waking eyes
children yet, the tale to hear
eager eye and willing ear

Lovingly shall nestle here
in a wonderland they lie
dreaming as the days go by
dreaming as the summers die
ever drifting down the stream
lingering in the golden gleam
LIFE what is it but a dream
Lewis Carroll

I Wish

I wish you enough sun to keep your
attitude bright no matter how gray
the day may appear

I wish you enough rain to
appreciate the sun even more

I wish you enough happiness to
keep your spirit everlasting

I wish you enough pain so that
even the smallest joys in life
may appear bigger

I wish you enough gain to
satisfy your wanting

I wish you enough loss to appreciate
all that you posses

I wish you enough hello's to get
you through the final good-bye


Last Saturday, my family and I attended one of
my cousins son's high school graduation picnic
it was really great to see my remaining aunts, uncles
and cousins who you tend to only see at weddings or
funerals, I love hearing them reminisce about
the family members that have passed and stories
about their youth, and it caused me to realize
how many final good-byes they have had to
say to siblings and family members they have
lost through the years.

but for as many good-byes as they have said
they have had many hello's with the new that
are born to the family that is what is great
because they tell the new about the old.

I then thought how lucky I am to
have had the pleasure of knowing
these people of being apart of their family
and I also thought how great I feel about
my own Nephews, Nieces, and I hope that
someday their children will go to a family
gathering and listen to their Aunts, Uncles,
Cousins, reminisce about those we had to say
the final good-bye to and have many Hello's