TOOK A BREAK FROM CHRISTMAS

Yesterday, I took a break from Christmas boxes

to make a frame that has been ordered for a while

by one of my young friends, Shawn.

She lost her Popee months ago and from her

posts on faceboook, I could tell she is feeling

very lonesome right now.

Time to give her some loving from her Popee.

So, I awakened early and started by praying,

the way I start all my mornings.

This morning I prayed that Popee could guide my hands.

I always ask for some information about the one

I am making the frame about.

Shawn shared that he loved gardening and working

on his boat. He was a WW II veteran (Like my daddy)

and had the most beautiful blue eyes.

I go upstairs and start pulling papers and ephemera to use.

I want to use a certain paper to cover the frame,

yet I keep coming back to another that has musical

lines on it. The paper is a tad feminine but the part

I would use would not show, still I didn't want 

to use that paper. Yet, each time I put up the paper

I wanted to use, I just could not cut it.

Finally I send Shawn a text,

"Did your grandpa like music?"

Then I explain what is happening.

"Yes, he loved music and he was a stubborn old man…"

Well that does it, I use the paper this Popee wants

me to use. Shawn and I text a little through the day

and the more she shares with me, the more I feel like

he is guiding me. I know this sounds spooky but

It's how it happens. I want to make my frames things

you will not buy at a store, too personal.

I finished the frame and I must say it is beautiful.

Not sharing photos here because I want to surprise Shawn 

and will deliver it to her on Thursday.

I guess I should thank her Popee because most of the

ideas were his…lol.

Sweet Shawn and her love, Cru.

So strange to have watched these kids grow since they were

little children and now they are all grown up and awesome adults!

BENGALS ARE THE WINNERS NO MATTER WHAT THE SCORES SAY

If you watch football, you have at least

heard of the Bengals player whose little girl

is fighting cancer. 

This morning I turn on the television to watch

Hoda talk about a commercial she helped make

about childhood cancer. She speaks of, how ironically,

when number 75 of the Bengals little girl was chosen

for the casting no one realized it 

"was the football players little girl"

I was intrigued to watch the story.

What a brave little girl, but there is also

so much more to this story.

The story about a football team called the Bengals.

I am sure most teams would do some of the

same things and maybe have and have not gotten

the recognition, but today, the Bengals get the

thumbs up.

Devon Stills and his daughter Leah,

the light of his life, fighting a battle,

a battle I fought as a child.

Devon spoke of not blaming the Bengals for 

cutting him, he just could not make practice,

could not concentrate and could not

keep himself from the hospital where his precious

daughter was fighting for her life.

But then the Bengals did something completely

unexpected, the offered Devon a spot on their

practice squad. May not sound like a big deal if

you know little about what this means, as I did.

What it did mean was not only would that keep he

and his little girl close together, in the same place

that she was receiving treatment, but offer him

a salary that would keep him sustained through this 

ordeal. Keep him and his family insured so the mounds

of bills could be paid. 

After that, he never left his little girls side.

If you google the story you will definitely learn more

and probably cry a tad if you are like me, sappy.

This child, like all given no choice but to fight

cancer, is a hero. Devon even says how much she has

taught him. She recently has had the cancer removed

but her battle is far from over. as I, she has

many months maybe years of chemotherapy and radiation.

But yesterday, Devon Stills was taken off the reserved list

and entered the field to play with his team, to give

back a little to a team that has rallied around his family.

He entered to every cheerleader wearing his jersey number

75

he watches the big screen to see his little girl and

the commercial she starred in.

With tears running down his face, he watches

and is overwhelmed with pride.

Pride for his girl, pride for his team.

It did not matter who won that game,

I don't even know who did, because

no matter what the scores said,

the Bengals are the winners.

FINALLY, SHE IS HERE!!!

 Sweet Natalie Marie Doucet is finally here,

coming in at a whopping 6 pounds 15 ounces!

A little peestoche (peanut)

Her Mommy is doing fine and her Daddy is beaming.

So happy for her grandparents on both sides but

mostly my pals, Sue and Foe who

were always able to have there one son, Scott

and I know they always longed for a sweet baby girl.

All kids are like magnets to Sue so this 

little princess will be no different.

Congrats to you two, Scott and Laurie.

Never forget the love you guys feel for each other right

now, forever. It will get you through some very rough times.

Love to you all.

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL...

I am a Christina Aguilera fan.

I think she is beautiful, I think she has a beautiful voice

but she is also is a very smart woman.

Yesterday, while "scrap jobbing"

I was listening to MTV when her video for

BEAUTIFUL came on:

Every day, is so wonderful
And suddenly, it's hard to breathe,
Now and then I get insecure
From all the fame, I'm so ashamed

I am beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring me down, oh no,
So don't you bring me down today,

To all your friends, you're delirious
So consumed in all your doom
Trying hard to fill the emptiness
The piece is gone and the puzzle undone
That's the way it is

You are beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring you down
You are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring you down, oh no,
So don't you bring me down today...

No matter what we do 
(no matter what we do)
No matter what they say 
(no matter what they say)
When the sun is shining through
Then the clouds won't stay

And everywhere we go 
(everywhere we go)
The sun won't always shine 
(sun won't always shine)
But tomorrow will find a way 
On the other side

Cos' we are beautiful no matter what they say
Yes, words won't bring us down, oh no,
We are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring us down, oh no,
So don't you bring me down today

Don't you bring me down today
Don't you bring me down today

What beautiful words and the video is perfect 

for those words. I remember being a teen 

and having so many things that I wished I could

change. My kinky hair, my crooked back.

Of course, I didn't share this with anyone, I kept

it inside. Anyone who knew me back then would 

have believed there is nothing I struggled with.

I was a funny, outgoing gal. 

Then I grew up and honestly love myself exactly 

as I am. Age is a beautiful thing.

The older I get the more comfortable I am with me.

I know who I am today.

I wish that for all the children of the world.

They are beautiful. I look at all my nieces and nephew,

my great nieces and nephews, some in their teen years,

and I would want them to know this, these words,

that each and every one of you are beautiful 

and don't let the world bring you down.

OH, they will, the commercials, the actresses who 

have the money for Botox or photoshopping,

it is not what you see outside.

MY back remains crooked and their are rolls where

there was once none. I have wrinkles on my forehead

and between my eyes, probably from fussing too much

when the babies were young. But I still

know for 51, I am beautiful. YEs, I still struggle with

wanting to loose weight, to eat healthy but these days

it is not because I care of how the extra pounds look but

to live a long and healthy life.

It is all about how you carry yourself. I have no doubt that

I am 51 years old. I know I don't act that age. that 

is my choice. Yesterday, I picked up Bean at school 

and she wanted to go to the park. It was hot, Ive had

a cold but you know, grand babies get what they want

when its about the park. While we were there, there

was another little girl her age with her Momma.

Of course, Bean asked,

"Mumsie" can I go play with her, make me a new friend?"

So I explain all those things about strangers but if

she really wants to meet her I will go and

make sure the little girl and her Mommy are okay 

with that. Sure they were, Momma was a tad overweight

and her little girl being Bean's age, she was having trouble

keeping up with her. Eventually we all end up at the swings.

"My Mumsie can push me and then she can swing because

she likes to play." Bean shares with our new friends.

The little girls Mommy asks me if she is my little girl.

"Oh No, I am her Mumsie, her daddy is my son"

"Wow, I thought you were her Momma"

"No she is my Mumsie, silly!" Bean shares with her giggling.

I tell her that I am 51.

"Fifty one!!! Damn, I thought you were the Momma!"

well that can make for a good afternoon,

especially when I am a tad under the weather yesterday.

But it all goes back to the lyrics of Christina's song.

We are all beautiful, no matter what they say,

don't let words bring you down.

You are beautiful…..

It's all about how you feel inside.

Beautiful!

( can't end this blog without this beautiful baby who 

I also got to play with yesterday, she definitely is beautiful!)

EBOLA IS REAL!

The story I heard on CNN news had me livid last night.

When a hospital is so busy that they won't listen the

the history a patient is trying to tell me it makes

me sad to see just how far medicine has grown for the worst.

Let me line up the scenario:

(gotten from CNN website)

A GENTLEMEN ENTERS A PLANE WHERE

HE HAS BEEN IN AFRICA FOR SOME TIME. ON 9/19.

HE ENTERS OUR STATES WHEN HIS VOYAGE ENDS

IN DALLAS ON THE 20THE OF SEPTEMBER.

ON 9/24 HIS SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS BEGINS.

ON 9/26 HE REALIZES THAT HE IS VERY SICK

AND BECAUSE HE HAS JUST COME FROM

AFRICA WHERE EBOLA IS RAMPANT HE

PRESENTS HIMSELF TO THE ER IN DALLAS

AND TELLS THEM HE JUST TRAVELED FROM

AFRICA. THEY DO NOT TEST HIM, THEY MAKE

NO CONNECTION BETWEEN HIS STATEMENT 

AND EBOLA…. PROTECTION PEOPLE!!!!

ON 9/28 HE IS STILL NOT BETTER AND KNOWS

HE MUCH FIND SOMEONE TO LISTEN TO HIM.

FINALLY HE GETS ACROSS THAT HE HAS BEEN

TO LIBERIA YOU KNOW AFRICA, WHERE

PEOPLE ARE DYING DAILY FROM THE DISEASE OF

EBOLA. FINALLY SOMEONE LISTENS AND THEY

PUT HIM IN ISOLATION AND ON 9/30 THE

MAN TESTS POSITIVE TO THE VIRUS AND IS NOW

IN POOR CONDITION.

People, medical people we need to listen to the patient.

If you cannot understand him, then get and interpreter for 

yourself. Now this man who tried his best to 

stay quarantined as best as he could, has now been 

around millions of Americans many children many elderly 

and just many Americans. We don't need this fear.

Things like this is why I love the small town hospitals

like my dear old "stomping ground" 

Lady of the Sea where patients are still listened to,

where everyone is treated the same and individually.

Where the staff is all family and the patient is the only 

one they care about. Our country is filled with small hospitals

like this that just don't get enough recognition or government

money to stay open. Thankfully our little LOS has

found a way to keep their heads above the water and

give the quality care they always have where the patient

is heard. Hoping the man with Ebola gets well and I pray

that not many will have been exposed in a way we have

a pandemic.

( I also wonder if this is a ploy by Africa to kill us off

but thats a whole other blog…lol)