Christmas planning...

I have to share these adorable pictures of the girls visiting Santa. I LOVE that Molly still has such a strong belief in "The Christmas spirit"...if you KNOW what I mean! (wink, wink)

Kate is SUCH a cutie.... she REALLY wanted Santa to know she is 4 years old this year!

These are MY little elves! Aren't they just adorable? : ) In spite of the economy, my girls are going to have a FABULOUS Christmas! I am SO excited...I made a Coupon book for both girls, with 18 coupons per book (to be used throughout the year) for things like ...A day with just Mom... dinner and a movie at home, their choice!... a picnic day at Mohican....a day at our "home spa" complete with facials, hair do's and manicures... an afternoon at Kingwood Center..... a day at COSI (our local science museum) with Dippin' Dots icecream!... a day at the Columbus Zoo and also the Newport Aquarium... a day exploring somewhere we've never been before....Art day (we will go to an art museum of their choice, and then come home and work on a special art project like one they have seen.) I also added A day playing in the fountains at Easton Town Center, and lunch out in Columbus.... "Darwin Day", where we will buy "bling" at our local craft store and decorate our tortoises shell with new and excting designs to be posted on the blog....

I'm giving them each their coupon book in a small treasure chest they can paint! I have a VERY strong suspicion Santa will be bring them some rockin' art supplies this year, so it should be pretty neat! They're also each getting a "message in a bottle" from Santa, complete with sand and shells - which entitles us to a family day at Castaway Bay! I'll let you know how this idea goes over.....

My wish for you...

"May you allow fear to soften and melt away. May you release all regrets and resentments. May you see the world with wonder, and may you imagine only good things. May HOPE rise within you. May peace wash over you. May you hear the voice of wisdom, and listening, may you act with trust. May your heart soften. May joy emerge. May love flow through you, and may you heal, and help others."

Misty and Persephone

These are the newest members of our family. Both arrived last week, just before Thanksgiving. "Misty" whose proper name is "mist walker dreamer" is a leopard gecko, who is native to Afghanistan. She is sweet and wonderful, and a beautiful shade of yellow, blue, purple and brown and black stripes. She is striped as a juvenile, and as she grows, she will become spotted. She should not exceed 10 inches in length, and will live in captivity for approximately 20 years. The girls are VERY much looking forward to growing up with her. Especially Molly, who has really taken Misty under her wing. Molly came up with the name "mist walker" after a book she is reading about wild horses in Hawaii. I thought it fitting. Kate immediately advised she wanted to name her "dreamer" and I also thought that was fitting. He has decided now, we need to change her name to "pinkish" which makes no sense to me, since she is in no way "pinkish" - so we are not doing it. Sorry Kate. The world is tough.... best to learn that now.

This is "Persephone"... otherwise known to us as "Percy". Percy has a sweet and wonderful story. She was given to me by one of my hospice patients, who has had her for 14 years! She is an African clawed frog, whose life expectancy should be only 4 years! She has more than tripled that. My patient was VERY concerned that Percy would end up in a pond somewhere when she passes on, and so is was bringing her a great deal of stress. After much debate and discussion, I advised I am VERY familiar with exotic pets (interject conversation about Darwin here) and I would be VERY glad to make sure Percy lives out the rest of her days as "the queen" of the 10 gallon hexagon aquarium in my girls room. Percy, like Misty, is sweet and wonderful - and croaks all evening long. My patient advised that means she is content. I certainly hope so.

* On a side note, the police investigation is well underway with my stalker situation, and the girls and I remain safe at this time. We appreciate all the prayers and good thoughts that have been coming our way.

Wish me luck.....

Well friends... today is an exciting day. I am nervous but looking forward to the experience I will have this evening. I am giving a VERY long (45 minute) presentation about grief and surviving the holidays. I have quite a bit of my presentation prepared, and the rest of the time will be spent as a question and answer period, where I will be forced to "fly by the seat of my pants"... so to speak. I can't believe people are actually coming out to listen to ME talk about grief! Who would have thought. I look forward to educating the community, and hopefully helping others get through this difficult holiday season. I pray my words are helpful to someone; and I pray my experience with grief benefits others in some fashion.


On a completely unrelated but equally important subject..... if you're the praying type, I would appreciate a few. True to form, my stalker has started his pattern again. A Friend of mine received a very threatening note left on the door this week, advising that my stalker "will bury" me. Needless to say - tensions are high for me and for my friend, who is an innocent victim of this sordid past I have with this psychotic man. I am angry - not for me, but instead- because my stalker has consistently victimized those I care about in my life - including the vandalism of my daughters grave in July and August this year. Additionally, when I returned home from our family Thanksgiving dinner last evening, I also found a threatening note at my front door, with the same message. I have contacted the police and have taken further preventative measures. So much for restraining orders.....

From our family to yours.....

Happy Thanksgiving! I know we all have things to be thankful for..... If you're reading this - you're special in my life, no matter if we see each other, talk on the phone, or just check up on each other through our family blogs.

Sending everyone much love, this Thanksgiving and every day...

Favorite photos

These are some of my favorite pictures from Spain and Portugal. I just had to share them.....

This is a garden in the city of Ronda, where the bridge that i so dearly love, is located and I did a LOT of rock climbing and hiking,

This is the Plaza De Espana, where scene 9 in Starwars Episode II was filmed.

This is where i went cliff diving in Portugal

This is a perfect pool of water formed below the Cueva Del Gato, just south of Ronda Spain

This is part of the Roman Ruins in Italica Spain, just west of Sevilla.

Names in the Sand

I have to share something wonderful a friend of mine named Emily is doing. She has a blog on Blogger called "Names in the sand" where you can submit the name of a loved one who has died, and she forward the information to her sister, who loves on the North shore of Oahu Hawaii. Her sister then goes out to the beach and writes their names in the sand. Below are the names of my angels, she wrote in the sand for me just yesterday. I am printing these photos off and putting them in a memorry album.....

Below is a picture I took in Southern Spain a few summers ago. Everywhere I go, I always write Emily's name in the sand, and this particular location is the base of the Rock of Gibraltar. It's not the best angle, but it was the only way I could get the rock, water and her name. I have always loved this picture.