Thursday, March 26, 2009

Red Envelope Campaign


I don't know how many of you feel but I honestly believe that our current government, is making decisions regarding funding for abortions and stem cell research and is asking tax payers to pay for it.

I have been researching stem cell research and nothing has been proven that anything science has done to this date has any reasonable data shows that stem cell has cured anything. Nothing. Yet science keeps pushing the current administration to allow further testing of stem cells of adults and really wants the stem cells of embryos to cure things like Parkinson's, diabetes, cancers, and a list of other things. Nothing has provided any solid findings to show that any further research will provide the answers people are desperately seeking for.

I applaud former President George W Bush's policy to ban stem cell research. You don't need to sacrifice a life to save a life. This is where I believe that science has overstepped it's boundaries and the current President doesn't care.

I am asking those of you that believe that abortion is wrong to join with me in the Red Envelope campaign scheduled for March 31, 2009. It asks that everyone address a red envelope to President Barack Obama for every baby that has been aborted. You are to leave the contents empty as it symbolizes a life that has been wasted and the fact that Obama believes that we should pay for these services. Never has the need for our voices to be heard than now. As professing Christians, I believe it's our right to stand up for the voices that can't be heard and to show people that Christians have beliefs we are willing to stand up for.

Please click on the link above for more information including what to write on the envelope, where to mail it, as well as where you can purchase red envelopes to mail out. It's a non violent response to something I am passionate about. Won't you join me to send a voice out for the ones that can't speak for themselves? I believe life begins at conception!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The Ultimate Mother's Day



I am curious if any of you have ever had the most memorable, incredible Mother's Day? If so, would you like to share? I have had a couple and let me share them with you.

I was cleaning out my master bedroom side tables, you know the one's that we fill with everything imaginable. In mine, I found all kinds of medicines that one might need but doesn't want to get out of bed to take, cold meds, nasal spray, cough drops, neosporine, Advil and some others, and since I always take a glass of water to bed with me, it makes it so much easier. I found tons of books I have read and just filed away to perhaps pass along to a friend who needs inspiration or a really great story. I love inspirational books so I collect those. I think at one point I had every Chicken Soup for the Soul volume before they began making them for every personality type.

Also I am a sucker for anything relating to Christmas. So tucked inside one of these books were a handful of cards that I had been given throughout the years by friends. Inside these cards I kept were the most inspiring and motivational words. Now in reading them, I was taken to the time when I received them and by whom and I remember why I had saved them. They were meant to go into a rainy day box, to keep for whenever life hands you not only one lemon but a whole bag. You are supposed to look inside that box and be filled with those happy thoughts again.

So one of my most memorable Mother's Day began with a request from a lady whom lived on the east coast in Florida. She was a registered nurse and we met when I formed a forum for "40 Somethings" in Self Magazines website. For over a year, this site became one of the top three busiest forums. I was asked to submit a picture and do a phone interview with the magazine as to our success since the forum was one I created. I met some great friends that I never met, but felt a kindred bond with.

So just before Mother's Day we were chatting on line and were talking about how so many Mother's days were a flop and a let down simply because our families didn't really know what to do. There was the traditional brunches, flowers, breakfast in beds and cards but we always felt something was missing. So we agreed to send each other a care box of sorts filled with all kinds of stuff we thought the other one would like. We didn't set a money limit and we let our hearts decide just how to fill it. We agreed to send it one week before Mother's Day and call each other when the packages arrived.

I sent Kari, all kinds of things, cute travel coffee mugs, lotions of her favorite scents, scented candles, chocolate, inspirational books, stress kits with hand massagers, oils, and fuzzy slippers. I pictured my box as a spa in a box. I topped it off with a beautiful handwritten card.

It was such a great surprise when during that week, we were each expecting a great box filled with love. I was like the biggest kid waiting for the UPS man to arrive. Mine was no disappointment either, I got lotions, chocolates, fuzzy socks, books of all kinds, candles, a beautiful Mother picture frame, and some Disney pins since I was collecting them from the first Pirates movies and Florida had some I just couldn't get.

Let's just say, women really know what women need and want! Another year, I wanted to just have a day alone, since being a busy, working mom at the time of two girls and a working hubby, that on that day, I just wanted a day of peace and quiet. So hubby and the girls made me breakfast in bed that morning. After clearing away my dishes, they brought in my DVD collection of chick flicks and a ton of snacks, and said they were leaving for a day of movies and lunch. They would be calling later to see if I wanted anything special for lunch. Nothing was off limits. I called for chili dogs from Wienersnitzel. They topped off the day with dinner from my favorite restaurant, Chilis. I loved a day where I got to just enjoy the peace and quiet of a day of well deserved rest and the only needs that I had to met were my own.

I would love to hear about some of your most memorable Mother's Days and what made them special to you! Can't wait.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

New Products Review


I have decided to take a spin from my usual posts and help some of you moms with some new products I have tried to see if they are really worth what they are selling. I signed up for BzzAgent from another blog site to test new products. I love doing this. I love free stuff and I love giving them a try.

I tried a new product you may have heard about called Glade Sense and Spray. It's a motion activated room spray that comes as a starter kit with either Clean Linen or Apple Cinnamon. I love the Apple Cinnamon. I guess I am a country girl down deep and I hate the Clean Linen because it smells like a box of laundry detergent, which I don't particularly care for. It works by installing the spray container inside the container. It comes with batteries already, and you just sit back and watch it work. No more plug ins, no more messy oils, just a burst of spray whenever something passes within 5 feet of the container. It will also lock itself if it detects more than one movement within 30 minutes to prevent overspraying the room. If you need a quick refreshening of the room, you can always manually hit the spray button.

Gotta say, I was really impressed because I buy the plug in oils all the time. They never seem to last the whole 30 days and after a week or so, I don't smell them any longer. Love this one though. If you want to try it, comment me and I will email you back for your address for a $4.00 off coupon so you can try it too! It retails at Target for about $8.44 so with the coupon, you save almost half.

Let me know if your interested and hope you're having a wonderful weekend. God bless!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Just One More Thing!


Hello and blessings to all my readers,

I just wanted to update all of you on what's been going on. Just when you think your life just is so full that nothing can possibly fit, Surprise! Just one more thing! Here is what has been going on.

My oldest daughter, Caitlyn has been suffering from severe "shin splints" from what I feel is over training from her track and field coach. She trains 5 days a week for at least two hours each day, she has weekends off. She has meets on Wednesdays and Saturdays and will compete in 3 to 4 events with shin splits. We have taken her to the doctor because despite a mom's best intentions, her coach believes she can still run as long as she is taped up to prevent the pain from occurring. Does this sound correct and even logical to you?

So we took her to our family doctor who has pulled her from all running, and put her on strict rest for 1 week and has referred us to an orthopedic sports doctor to review her Xray's. His advice. Shin Splints are painful and should be taken seriously.

We are waiting for that doctor's evaluation to see if she can continue with her sports this year. While picking her up from school today and after saying goodbye to hubby for another week or so, he was home for a day, just enough to get some well needed rest and loving care. So we are sitting at a red light looking at an accident to our left that had pulled to the center divider, when "BAMM", we were rear ended. The girl that hit us wasn't paying attention because she too was looking at the accident and hit us.

Our girls were visibly and emotionally upset and crying. The car took the hit really well. May I recommend the 2003 Saturn L200 4 door to any of you looking for a great car. No skid from the driver which means she stopped when she hit us. Can you imagine the phone call I had to give hubby? Hi honey, I know you are in the middle of your drive but we were in a car accident but OK. Yup he kinda freaked out. Wanted to come home and be our hero, but we insisted he continue on to work and finish this job out. Did I do the right thing?

I came home, called our insurance company and realized how God blessed us. Most people these days, have let their insurance slide to save money. Thank goodness we didn't do that. We even added uninsured motorist just in case. The car didn't really have much visible damage which was another reason to be thankful. No one was seriously hurt, the car was still drivable and hubby wasn't with us. God in His mighty way, placed His hand between the cars to keep us safe. Did you know your seat belts don't lock in place when your stopped at a light? You have to be moving before they will lock to prevent you from moving? I didn't know that.

We will see how everyone feels come the morning since I know most soft injury can occur the day after. Please keep our family in your prayers today and as always I thank God daily for each of you!

Love and Hugs ~ Kat

Monday, March 16, 2009

A Gift From God


I had to add this extra blog in as a super surprise and at the majesty of just how God can bless your life at the lowest of hours! I got a blog award from Sitka on All God's Creatures! This truly made my day and it's so hard to get passed up by all the little things in life, but this one was just like getting an academy award.

Two rules accompany this award:
1. Confess 5 things you are addicted to
2. Pass the award on to 5 deserving bloggers

Task one: 5 Things That I Am Addicted To:


1. Grey's Anatomy. Never miss an episode if I can help it. Yes, I am one of those people filled with the hope that Meredith and Derek will finally get married and live happily ever after.
2. Chocolate. Perferably the darker and sweeter the better. Plus I heard it's good for your heart too! I especially love See's Dark Chocolate Bordeauxs.
3. My Hubby. I was loving him far before he ever fell for me. He helped me through one of the most difficult times of my life, and now loves me in spite of my many shortcomings, too many to list here.
4. My kids. Yes, they can get on my nerves sometimes, but I would never trade a day without them. They help mold me into the mom I am today.
5. God. He is not only the period at the end of each sentence in my book on my life, but the author, publisher, editor, and creator! Some may wonder why I placed Him last instead of first, and the truth is, He is always first in my life but He is also my last. He completes who I am and even though I leave Him sometimes, He never abandons me. He is always there for me.

Task Two - The blog award is being passed to:

1. Caitlyn at Dear Craisin . She is my daughter and its her first blog, I think it's amazing that she is writing from a teenager's point of view. My goal for her was to continue to write as a journal and be able to look back at both the high and low points of her life and see the amazing ways God has blessed her. A mom couldn't be more proud.

2. Samm at Samm's Inspirations. Again another teenager that I know quite well that has used her blog to help her through a difficult time in her life. She is working on advancing her photography career as well as her spiritual walk in a home where her parents are hard on her. Keeping the faith!

3. Michelle at Scribbit. She has the most amazing blog and has inspired me to follow suit. I can only hope at some point to live up to her blog. She is a mom who lives in Alaska and I find myself living through her eyes what life is like in Alaska. She gives great advice to bloggers and I look forward to reading her post everyday!

4. Layla at the The Lettered Cottage. She is super amazing designer and the ideas and pictures she shares has given me some hope that some of my ideas might not be so far off. She will even do a consultation for you via her site and email for a fee. So if you have that hard to decorate room or like me, have tried in vane to find the right paint color for the room, she is the answer.

5. Rachel at Made With Love and Glue. Again she is amazing with creative, low cost ideas that will not only inspire you to join in but will give you the faith to step out on your own as well and try some simple things. Love this site.

Thanks again to my wonderful friends for all your wonderful blogs and amazing ideas.

God Still Teaches Daily!


I find myself so grateful for the many people that have commented, emailed or called, and sent along prayers of strength and protection during this time of separation for my husband and I. It gives me just enough to get through my day and find some shimmer of light in the midst of what can seem like overwhelming darkness and depression.

I have spent last night in a session with God where He has enlightened me on my role during this process. Let me share if I may. Last night I tossed and turned to sleep in a lonely, cold, empty bed while my husband and I finished our conversation. He was just starting work for the evening and I was heading off to bed.

After we hung up, God spoke to my heart and shared with me a few things that this experience has done. Before this, you could say without a doubt I was co-dependent. I could not experience any peace or contentment while my husband was away even for a weekend. I hated that life of being lost and alone. During these long months and weeks of absence, God has patiently walked with me, holding my hand and showed me that I can do this. What would have seemed impossible months ago, is now doable. I am handling life! I am experiencing for a second time, what life without a husband is like. I have to manage finances, pay bills, deal with bill collectors, attorneys, take care of home repairs, and all the while, still homeschooling one child and carting the other one off to high school, track practice, fashion club, Christian clubs, church, and if you can name it, I have either done it or can do it at this point. Plus if you are sick or in need of something, I have learned I can bite the bullet and move through the pain to another day.

I would have never thought this was possible, but God is amazing and has shown me that even though Steve is missing right now, God still remains with me and never leaves me. In those lonely dark moments at night when missing my husband is the most difficult, God wraps his arms around me and holds me while I fall asleep.

I still am a work in progress however. I still lose patience with my girls, who seem to think I have become a Super Mom, and can do everything, but I am trying harder to teach them to become self sufficient women as well. This from sprinklers breaking, circuit breakers needing to be reset, car failures and even a gall bladder ER visit for me in the last week has been a bit overwhelming.

So to recap here's my lesson from God:

1. I can do this even though I thought I couldn't.
2. I am a lot stronger than I ever thought possible in all ways, spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically.
3. I have some amazing friends I can always count on. This has also shown me, who isn't as well.
4. God is only a prayer away.
5. I have 100% complete confidence, I want to be married to Steve for the rest of my life. I am not meant to be alone on this earth. I am meant to be a married woman.
6. This job is not for our family, nor is any involving out of state travel.
7. God brings things into your life to help you through difficult circumstances, such as long lost family and friends.
8. Thank God for email and blogs!
9. I am teaching my daughters a lesson through these difficult economic times, what it takes to be a good wife and mom.
10. I need to take things one day at a time. God only guarantees to supply my needs daily, not weekly, monthly or yearly.

I ask if you are reading this that you stop and take a moment and pray for us, asking God to work with us and help us to find something that works for our family. I also ask that you lift my health and gallbladder up that I won't require surgery to remove it at this time, while Steve is away. Thanks again for being some amazing people in my life! God bless each of you!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Out of Touch But Not Out of My Mind!


Sorry for those of you that have been following my blog. I guess I feel like an addict that has fallen off the wagon. It started with a bad 45th birthday for me. My hubby was still out of town for work and somehow I had it deep in my heart that possibly he may just sneak home as a surprise and not tell me.

However the 8am phone call the morning of March 3rd, confirmed my sadness and disappointment, that like my 11th year anniversary, my birthday would be pretty much the same thing. On one end of the phone line, was a very sleepy and overly tired husband who wanted to wish me a Happy Birthday before he went to sleep that morning. He works from about 9pm to 8am every night. No days off. I couldn't begin to explain to you what I was feeling at that particular moment, and I often admire women who can hold their tongue until they process their feelings and emotions. It's a bit of a fog now, but I believe I said some really harsh things, and hung up on him.

You know in that small silence you are experiencing at that moment, so much happens in that time. Tears pour from your eyes, thoughts come into your head that it's so not fair, anger begins to burn up inside, nothing is worth this, and all hope seems lost. Throughout the day, I heard God's voice speaking to me, but I was too proud and hurt to listen. I wanted to handle my day. It was supposed to be special. It was suppose to mean something. It was the celebration of the day, God created me to be a unique being. I wanted that acknowledgment. I wasn't getting it from my husband so I felt it was going to mean anything coming from anyone else. My friends called all day to wish me birthday greetings, but I just screened calls. The only thing in my mind to make it right, was my husband wasn't going to be with me.

My brothers, opinion, also hubby's boss, said to celebrate it when the job is complete in about 4-8 weeks. That's a solution? I never thought I would feel so out of touch, lost and hopeless.

Gifts arrived from hubby all day, first flowers that a friend had been asked to purchase and deliver since Steve knew he wouldn't be home. I could honestly say, they didn't mean anything although the gesture from my well meaning friend, did. She is a fellow Christian, and allowed me to pour out my heart to her. It was something I needed to do. I felt much better because for once, someone understood the heart of a woman. Her hubby works from home as well but not gone for so long as mine. Hers is only gone for 4 days most weeks and within an hours drive from home, so she stays with him when she can.

Later that day, God hadn't given up on me just yet when I was reading Max Lucado's book and I came across a story about a man who was only 200 feet from the summit of Mt. Everest. He was preparing for his last climb since to make it to the summit without bad weather is a bit on the rare side. When people struggle on their way to the summit, they are often passed up by other hikes not willing to take the risk to help and forfeit their climb. Sounds a bit heartless right? Not to these men who spend years training and trying to make it. Very few despite all the attempts ever do.

On that particular day, 8 people had died and they had come across their bodies on their way to the final camp. When they were prepared to set out, they noticed a flash of yellow to their left and upon closer inspection found it to be a climber, who was thought to have died that day, hanging off a dangerous precipice. In those extreme temperatures, he wasn't going to be hanging on for much longer, and this man was faced with a choice; to forfeit his climb to the summit and save the climber, or to continue on to his only possible journey to the summit being that close. What would you have chosen?

His choice was an easy one and an easy one at that, he chose to save the climber and help him to receive help. He got the climber to medical attention by being airlifted off the mountain. His reward, well let's just say that the climber's wife appreciation to this man as well as his children was more than enough of a reward. He saved a life! Makes you wonder why so many others, chose differently.

That day, God spoke to my heart and told me, that like this climber I had a choice to make, to either stay mad at my husband, or take the better path. His words, "Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me!"

The outcome, my hubby and I didn't resolve anything that day, but we did talk. We talked about what really mattered and it was that both of us hated this situation the current economy has stuck us in. We hated the fact that not only did this job keep us from celebrating our anniversary, it also impacted my birthday as well. Every day without my hubby is a challenge. It's hard to go from spending time with someone all the time or at least the expectation that your hubby comes home every night, mine doesn't. I have had to learn to deal with life's hand without any preparation that it was coming. It was like learning to swim by being tossed in the water and told to swim or die. I guess some days I feel like dying and most of them, I am learning to swim.

If it wasn't for the support of my Christian friends, my family and God, I would definitely be sinking for sure. I would have given up since it's so much easier. However, God in His infinite wisdom, keeps His children close and constantly watches over them.

We are much better today for that difficult circumstance. With our pastor's help we have come to realize that this job is great for us financially at times, but on the back end with God, the cost is too great for this family. We are continuing to look for something that does not require my hubby to be gone from home, one that has him home at the end of the day and no traveling required. For some people, it's a no brainer. They can handle lengthy separations. For my hubby and me, we are connected too close to allow anything to come between us including this job.

In the midst of how you handle difficulties lies room for growth, and we have been growing a lot lately!