The Break In ~

“Who would steal from Children…!??” my 8yr old cried out in disbelief with tears rolling down his face as he came home from school and walked into the family room.

Last Thursday our home was burglarized around 11:15am. They broke the frame that holds our sliding glass door and snuck in. The alarm was intact, so they had plenty of time to take stuff. It was when they dropped the vases that our back-up sensor detected the change in pressure in the room and set the alarm off. The officers came within 9 minutes. They phoned my husband and told him that they were at our residence and that our home was broken into. Joe met them there and called me at work to break the news. He was calm, but clearly upset and asked me if I could come home. The detectives wanted me to see what else I was missing and get a statement from me. The first thing that came to my mind was that I wasn’t wearing my wedding rings and I couldn’t get home soon enough to check to see if they were missing.

I had a knot in my throat and was sick to my stomach as I drove up. This has never happened in our neighborhood much less to our family. I walked in the house stepping over all the mess and couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I ran into my bathroom and found my rings…they never saw it. My closet looks like a hurricane went through it…our drawers were opened and emptied all over the floor and the kid’s rooms were in shambles.

The thieves basically took every electronic thing that we owned except for our flat screen TV, which was hanging by a security hook (Joe installed that as a child safety precaution and is so tricky to remove.)

The detectives have a good lead…a neighbor that came home early for lunch took a picture of the car and tag. It’s a black Impala and when they ran the tag, it was registered to a lady that lives about 20 miles away. He described the thieves as 2 guys between the ages of 18-25. The officer sent a P.I. to wait for that Impala to arrive at the residence, but there has yet to be any activity. They also weren’t wearing gloves so they got a whole bunch of fingerprints, which they’ll run today and see if they get a match.

They took our computers, laptop, DVD players, digital camera, video camera, PS3, Gameboys and the boy’s movies and DVD games. I don’t know, but if this is the “change” that’s coming, I am going to move…seriously…to Utah (McCain won that state by a landslide) where things seem to be much calmer. I hope they catch these guys even if I don’t get the stuff back, I don’t want them out there.

In the meantime my husband and I explained to the boys that we need to pray for those who stole from us…that their hearts have a conversion and realize what they did was wrong and not to do it again. I reached out to Scarlet and told her what happened; she always has an ear to lend. I love her! She actually heard my son tell me that he was not going to pray for the bad guys because they have to learn their lesson and hope that Jesus takes them to the hell. From the mouths of babes! Scarlet and I had to hold our chuckle as I corrected him and told him that I would not have that kind of talk in this house.

Little by little we’ll replace what was taken, and the sense of security is being restored with our faith.

GOD IS GOOD!

Joe the Vet ~

I received this today and it really touched me. I'd love some of your thoughts. ;)

John McCain's most powerful ad -- an open letter to Barack Obama in which an Iraq War veteran criticizes his stand on the war -- didn't cost the Republican candidate a dime.

In "Dear Mr. Obama," army veteran Joe Cook stands in front of the camera and scolds the Democratic presidential candidate for calling the Iraq war a mistake. The two-minute video, which was posted on YouTube, has gotten more than 11 million hits and is the most popular election video on the site.

In the video, Cook tells Obama why he disagrees with his Iraq war policies and says he's supporting McCain. At the end, he walks away from the camera, revealing that he has a prosthetic leg.

Cook, 23, was wounded in Iraq in June and returned home to Wauconda, Ill., to recover. He said he enlisted three years ago because of his family's dedication to serving their country. His parents were both marines, and he has two brothers in the military.

Now that he's back from Iraq, Cook continues to help his fellow service members, running a business with a neighbor that provides valet parking services at veterans' hospitals.
"When I first got back it was all about the recovery and everything like that, but as the race starting going on, I got more involved," he said, explaining why he made the video. "I started reading about McCain and stuff. He's a leader. I can really respect him, seeing as he's a vet as well."Cook said he has already cast his ballot in Illinois early voting.

Video director Michael Brown, who teamed up with Cook to create the video, said he was inspired to make the video because he wanted to share the experiences of soldiers that aren't reported in the media and to lend support to McCain for his position on the war.

"Obama has been squealing since 2002 that Iraq is a mistake," Brown said. "He's using the military as pawns, he has not brought our troops home and he has not done any good. When he says it's a mistake, he's disrespecting our guys.""I'm not connected with any campaign," Brown said. "In fact, what's interesting is, before this the only thing I've ever done politically is put a sign in my yard."

Brown said he contacted Cook about making the video after meeting him at a parade the town held in Cook's honor in July. He said he thinks the video's effectiveness comes from its simplicity.
"Joe collaborated on the script to ensure its authenticity and truthfulness, which was important," he said. "That's what works so well."Both Cook and Brown are surprised by the popularity of the video.

"Obviously we didn't think it was going to get up to 11 million hits," Cook said. "It's a little crazy, but anything I can do to help. I think it's a good way to express what I felt and I thought it was good. I thought Mike Brown did a phenomenal job."

Link:

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/31/joe-vet-endorses-mccain-youtubes-popular-election-video/

GOD IS GOOD!

My Boys ~

Here are the 2 most precious and beautiful gifts that the Lord has blessed both my husband and I with: Garrett (8) and Blake (5). I love this picture because it is SO them. Separate and apart from each other they are perfect little angels, but put them together and complete chaos! They bicker, they argue, they don’t share, BUT when they are away from each other, they miss each other tremendously. Is that love or what?

When school is out and we have to work, my Dad comes to our home and stays with Garrett and I’ll drop Blake off at my parent’s house. It’s incredible that they can not be together for longer than 7 minutes (I have timed it) before the “Mommmmmmy, Garrett’s looking at me!” or “Mommmmmmy…Blake took my Pokeman cards!”…so in fairness to my parents that I adore, and I don’t want them to go through the aggravation,...one child goes with one grandparent and the other with the other grandparent.

Growing up, it was just my sister and I. We were well behaved and played nicely together, except for a couple of occasions in our early teens, when she wanted to wear some of my clothes. My husband Joe tells me that brothers behave that way and not to get crazy about them bickering. He comes from a family of 3 boys and 1 sister. He tells me stories that send chills up my spine. All I can say is my poor mother in law!

I hope the boys pass this stage soon because I don’t like monkey business and I’m all for well mannered, polite and respectful children. I’ll nip it in the butt right away. They really are good hearted children and I’m happy to say they are “Mamma’s Boys”, BUT the LOVE their Daddy!

I really am truly grateful to have been blessed with 2 such wonderful miracles that: I Wanted even before they were conceived, Loved before they were born and Would have died for the moment I held them after birth.

GOD IS SO GOOD!

I'm so glad I did it ~

I mentally prepared myself Friday night to cast my early vote on Saturday morning. The polls opened at 9:00am and I got there at 8:30am. The line wrapped around the library as I walked to the end with my coffee and a magazine in hand. I immediately noticed all the “campaigners” from both parties putting up their signs and getting ready to hand out their “paper goodies”.

What I didn’t prepare for was being so annoyed with the aggressiveness of the Obama campaigners...they stuck signs in my face, tried to fill my hands with bumper stickers and a very enthusiastic lady wanted to put a “Change” pin on me. You’ve got to be kidding me, right? I was like “Excuse me, but
you have 30 signs in front of my face…you are only reminding me of how blind all of you are”…Needless to say, they left me alone. Don’t get me wrong, I would have felt the same way if it were McCain-ers doing this as well.

Okay…right on schedule, the doors opened at 9:00am and the line started to move. I walked through the library doors at 9:15am. I saw a forever snake line weaving through the bookshelves. In a nutshell my total wait time was 2 hours and 30 minutes. My vote was casted, I’m so happy that I’m done with it…now all I can do is pray. I know that it is God’s will and I pray that McCain wins, so….let’s see, I could start with Joshua 1:9 (I will be strong and courageous. I will not be terrified, or discouraged; for the Lord my God is with me wherever I go.)

What did I walk away with? - Two things: How you can strike a 2 ½ hour conversation with a complete stranger standing behind you in a matter of minutes, that otherwise wouldn’t happen if you were standing in line at a grocery store AND a sticker on my shirt that read “I Voted Today”

God is so very Good!

Politics Shmolitcs

When you do what you’re supposed to do like “Not talk about Politics” at work...everyone seems to be breaking that rule by buzzing around just waiting to hear something. Our office has been pretty good about that, but yesterday during our lunch hour with a room full of 8 people…(Including John - the poll taker for every category in life)…I found myself as their next target.

While I was out, it seems that everyone spent their free time last week exchanging their thoughts on who they were voting for. I walked in the lunch room with my delicious hummus, cucumber and turkey spinach wrap. As I sat down, I was hit with the question “Hey B, who are you voting for?” You’ve got to be kidding me, right? So… I did one of those “cross my leg and flip my hair over to the other side” gestures” and said “You guys know better than to ask me that”!

OMGosh!!! Curiosity was killing the cat big-time!! They were all insisting… - they wanted a hint… - some assumed I was an Obama Girl while others were positive that I loved older men with the name John. This went on for 10 minutes and during all this, I was sooo wanting to take a bite from my wrap!

So, here goes: The last thing I ever want to do is to offend someone, so I apologized beforehand as I apologize to all of my friends who are reading this. I vote for what is sacred to me based on my upbringing and the integrity of bible truths. Jesus is the Living Word of God (John 1: 1).

For me, the bible gives God's precise rules for conducting all areas in my life--including my participation in this whole political thing. I believe we’ll have to give an account of our lives, it is very important to realize the choices we make in the voting booth will someday need to be defended before God.

I don’t go around preaching the bible publicly or try to change anyone in being who they are, I am not a Saint or pretend to be, but what I do, do on a daily basis is walk with the Lord and remind myself that I live in this world, but I am not of this world.

Everyone says you’re not suppose to mix religion with politics, but I have a real problem with the Democratic Party and Liberal judges supporting and declaring that "The Ten Commandments," "In God We Trust" on our currency, and "One nation, under God" in the "Pledge of Allegiance" is dangerous to our school children and our society.

I guess Jesus would never be invited to be keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention, that's for sure! Oh, and "yes"... John took his poll and checked me off as voting Republican. ;)

God Is Good my friends!

I'm Feeling like a ...~

The term slacker is commonly used to refer to a person who avoids work, but because I don’t consider “blogging” work, I’ll call myself a “Slackerblogger or a Bloggerslacker”. My friend Scarlet always makes me feel better. She tells me, “Don’t worry, blogging is the best, you do it when you can and think of it as your journal” So, today I just wanted to take a moment to get back on track. There is so much to say, so I plan on spreading it out in several posts.

I’ve spent a couple of days out of the office participating in off-site meetings and getting things ready for Jan’09! These past two weeks have been extremely busy for me with school projects, volunteering at church and participating/serving at the Woman Emmaus(Luke 24:13-35) Retreat. On top of all this, last Friday 10/17 was my son’s 8th birthday that I arranged for his class after school. OMGosh! When I walked in the classroom with the tray of cup cakes, those kids looked like they had won the lotto and I immediately became the “Coolest Mom” ever! Well, we celebrated that 8th birthday Friday evening at a restaurant and had a Saturday afternoon lunch with friends and Sunday as well with all of the cousins, grandparents aunts and uncles..okay, the whole family.! Needless to say, we had a full house!

In midst of all the chaos we did go to Saturday’s 5:30pm mass. Joe (my husband), the boys and I usually go to mass every Sunday, but with all the festivities we were happy to go Saturday night. Every weekend we look forward to going to church and thanking our wonderful Jesus for all the blessings that surrounds us.

I feel terrible that I haven’t been checking in with my blogger friends. I look forward to having that cup of green tea in my jammies with my laptop tonight and catching up on all the latest and the greatest!

Okay, so no excuses, and I know that there is always a price to pay for slacking off. Was I having fun being bombarded with a gazillion things? You bet! And isn't that what life is all about?

God is SO GOOD!

An Organized Mess ~

My neighbor Linda has a total of 6 children: A son from her previous marriage who is in college, and with her husband Tommy of 15 yrs, have 5 girls ranging from 3-11 yrs old. I just don’t know how she does it. It amazes me! I get so overwhelmed with my 7 and 5 yr old that I need to go visit her just to feel like the house is not coming down on me. I went to visit her last night.

Linda has been wanting to show me how they’ve converted an extra room (that was basically a storage room full of stuff) into a finished playroom. With all those toys, that was a smart thing to do. When I walked in I started laughing because there was not one single toy in there. It was full of “stuff” that she just can’t bring herself to get rid of. She had a whole wall of garage sale stuff, she had piles and piles of things that “eventually” she plans on putting on Ebay. Then another side had mounds and mounds of girl clothes that she hasn’t had time to sort through. You name it…it’s in there.

As I tipped toed through the piles, I asked her “Where in the world did all this stuff come from?”..She giggled and said “From the garage” What?? I could not believe it. I ran to her garage expecting to see it cleared up and OMGosh…the other half was still in there! We just started cracking up and laughing hysterically! As I walked back though the house, I noticed piles everywhere…laundry and costumes, movies, toys, and bags filled with stuff….well, my eyes captured a lot. Linda told me to pop over at anytime whenever I thought my house was a mess. She is an awesome person and real funny. I told her that I am considering calling TLC and have them come to her house and do a "Clean Sweep!" I’m also guilty of hanging on to stuff, but not as bad as Linda.

Here are my top 4 reasons why I find it hard to give away or throw away things we never use. - Feel free to add to it.

-My major one is— Habit of holding on to things: "It's perfectly good, I can't give that away!" ..."I might need it one day" or “It was handed down.”

-I am so attached to memories– I have never used that gigantic silver fish serving dish that was a wedding present 11 years ago, AND I can't get rid of it! UUrrgghhh!

-I'm afraid of hurting someone's feelings- "Grandma made this blanket!"

-I don't want to make decisions – “I just don't have the time or energy right now.”

God Is Good!

Sidewalk Entertainment ~

Now seriously…a funny/beautiful thing happened to me on my morning walk to Starbucks. There was a group of 15 woman, all senior citizens dressed in colorful workout clothes and they were standing on the sidewalk exercising with Hula-Hoops! They each had one and were counting out loud as they slowly warmed up, jumping through the hoop. Needless to say a crowd had gathering in and around the block where Starbucks is located.

The instructor (which was an older, very sun tanned, cosmetically enhanced Pamela Anderson double ) shouts out “Okay ladies, let’s shake it up now, let’s get those hips moving and spin that hoop!” Then she pushed a button and Olivia Newton-John’s song “Physical” came on. Those ladies were “working it”! OH MY Gosh! I could not contain myself. I began singing along (I can not believe that I remembered all the words), clapping and cheering for them.
For those 10 minutes I forgot where I was and was just so amazed at how these ladies could swing those hips and shake their booties! One woman’s glasses flew off and she just kept on going, assuring the crowd that she was just fine. Wow! What a ZEST for Life! God Bless them with continued health, energy and spunky zest!

A huge line had now formed at Starbucks, so I didn’t get a chance to get that cup of coffee, but I did walk away very energized with a happy feeling inside and realized that this life is short, and many of us never do the things we want to because we're always waiting for something or other, but when an opportunity presents itself, take it! Jump on that Hula-Hoop bandwagon and do the things you've dreamed of doing. It's now or never and these women proved it to me. You go girls!

God is so very GOOD to us!

Sleep Violation ~

Last night while I was sleeping… I was violated by a gang of mosquitoes! I am assuming that it was a gang because I don’t think one mosquito can hold that much blood in its belly.

The examination: I am itchy everywhere! Every bite is swollen! The left side of my neck has 4 huge bites (looks like I was attacked by a vampire) both of my lower legs, ankles and feet have bites and of course they attacked my lower back, butt cheeks and thighs. I was so grossed out!! Ewwww!!! I showered and when finished, instead of lathering on my yummy smelling girly body lotion from Origins, I am wearing cortisone cream. Lovely!

So now, I’m running late and walking around my closet wondering what to wear to work. I need something with easy access to my bites because I’ll need to apply more cortisone later on. I started to throw stuff on…whatever I could find and walked out of the house with a white tank top, black blazer, black slacks and a matching scarf tied around my neck. Of course due to the humidity, my hair is picked up in a French twist and I’m wearing some sling back open toed sandals. Final result? I look like a flight attendant. What’s the first thing I hear from a co-worker? “Good morning Brooke, did you have a nice weekend?… (snicker, snicker) what’s up with the scarf…got a hickie?” I’m thinking, real nice…did I just go back to Jr. High? Then someone else asked “So, when does your flight take off?

It’s going to be one of those Monday’s, but the difference is I’m scratching through it and because I’m such a germ-a-phobe…I'm sitting here wondering if I’ve caught the West Nile Virus or will show signs of Encephalitis with in 24 hours....not to mention O.D.-ing on corisone cream. It doesn't look very proper for a lady to be scratching your bum in public.

Today is one day that I’m glad I didn’t stay under the covers! - I don't even want to guess where else those mosquitos would have bitten me!

God is always GOOD!

The Miami Frizz ~

The weather in Miami is sunny and beautiful, but has a dramatic effect on how well my hair looks and holds up when I blow dry it. I have a lot of long, thick hair with body, so it’s all about maintenance.

This is going to sound funny, but along with air quality, pollen and UV index’s… Miami has something called “The Frizz Index.” This uses a step by step measurement of atmospheric humidity with other weather factors that create hair frizz. (Did’ja get that?)

The Index gathers the level of frizz that can be expected under various conditions:

» Frizz Watch = Light frizz and flyaway hair are possible for frizz-prone hair.

» Frizz Advisory = Some frizz is possible, especially for people with naturally curly or wavy hair.

» Frizz Warning = Frizz is likely for all hair types.

» Frizz Emergency = Frizz is unavoidable! Sticky weather affects all hair types, so anyone may

have a "bad hair day".

Needless to say…today is a bad hair day! 90% humidity and I feel like I’m stuck in the 80’s.
I guess I’m forced to find a company logo baseball cap in the stock room and just try to “work it”.

GOD IS GOOD!

Take a Rest ~

My friends and family that live in Spain are far ahead of “us Americans” when it comes to getting their rest. It’s normal for them to take extended vacations each year averaging between four and ten weeks! Okay…what is that??? Every time they send pictures, they are always on a vay-kay! Between school holidays, my husbands schedule along with mine, coordination is huge as we struggle just to take a two-week vacation every year. When the kids have a teacher planning day, we are the ones that head out Thurs evening and take that Fri off. Some of my neighbors don't take vacations at all.

Our next “big” vacation will be Christmas and New Year. For the first time in my whole life I will not be with my family or in the United States. We will be spending the holiday in Lima, Peru. My husband is Peruvian and hasn’t celebrated a holiday in his country since he was 13. To be honest, it’s like taking bad medicine, but I’ll just plug my nose and swallow. I know it would be selfish of me to put up a stink for a simple trip to his homeland to be surrounded by his family and friends.

My husband Joe decided that this was going to be a restful vacation…that we were gonna go with the flow…and not have an agenda or schedule. I have never traveled without a To-Do list…that’s just how I am. So, in a way this will be a mental vacation as well…I won’t have to think of anything. I’m curious to see how I’ll do without actually arranging anything.

I think I’m correct in saying that every working creature needs a rest — that goes for people and animals. Even the Creator rested on the seventh day.

Remember…GOD IS GOOD!

Shop 'til you drop your DSL connection ~

I love talking to people, I love watching people, I love being around people…but not at "The Mall." I mean, when did this happen to me? How could this have happened to me? I was your typical girl that loved going to the mall to shop for whatever was needed and not needed.

Around 14 or 15, my friend Scarlet and I were mall rats. Every Saturday we were dropped off at 10:30am and picked up at 4:00pm. Buying cute matching solid t-shirts and standing in what seemed like a forever long line to get an "iron on" of Blondie wasn't even an inconvenience. We especially loved running into friends from school chit-chatting and trying different foods at the Harvest House restaurant was always a treat.

Fast forward 25 years, a marriage and 2 kids….I now dread shopping! I avoid the stores like the plague. Window shopping, sampling perfume and trying on different shoes are now a thing of the past. I have analyzed myself, along with my husband's 2 cents and it all comes down to "patients"..lack of patients. I have very little and pray for that daily.

I have easily resolved my shopping issue…I do as the “techie’s” do. I shop on-line. Yes, I am an online shopper. Not that there aren’t any negatives about online shopping, but I’m just sticking to the positives. Here are my top Top 10:

No lines, pushing or shoving – It’s just to hot in Miami to deal with that.

No public bathrooms. - It seems every time I shop with my kids, I hear, “I have to go to the bathroom.”

I can work and watch TV while I shop. - Throw in some sushi and a diet coke and I’m having a really good time.

No rushing around to finish shopping before the mall closes. - This is 24/7!

Safety First - Less of a chance that my kids will be abducted while trying to pay.

Your hair will always look great! - Walking out in the parking lot during bad weather just won’t happen.

Every store around the world is in my house. - Tiffany’s to Target & Amazon.com

Any attire allowed! – PJs, bra/panties, your husband’s t-shirt…anything goes!

In and out of stores in a click. Absolute efficiency. Can you see me smiling?

No heavy lifting involved - The UPS guy has to deal with bringing all the packages to your door.

Advance sale notification, promotion codes and free shipping just add to this convenient experience.

Grocery stores are the exception and I try to go before work or during my lunch hour to avoid the crowds. Seriously, I actually go to the mall about twice a month and spend about 1 hour there. Now that Fall is here and my bosses are out of town today, I better start making my list. Shhh….don’t tell them, but I’m sure "John" will make note of it.

Be Blessed!
God IS Good!

Uh...hello? ~

I am going out of my mind today….and for a really shallow and dumb reason…I’m even upset with myself for being upset. Alright, here it is: I don’t have my cell phone with me. Pathetic, right?...Why am I so depended on that darn thing? Well, maybe it’s because - I figure that today of all days will probably be the day that I’ll really need my phone. What about that important call I’ll miss?…that text message that needs an answer ASAP?...a flat tire? a car accident?...or even an emergency call from the school!

Late Saturday evening, my 5 yr old asked if he could play a game on it. Then about 15 minutes later, my 7yr old told me that he wanted a turn. I asked my little one to please share with his brother…he said “I’m not sharing, and if he wants a turn he’s going to have to find the phone, because I forgot where I put it.” I asked again semi-smiling, “Where is Mommy’s phone?” He just shrugged and told me that he hid it in so many places that now, he can’t remember where. (Lovely!) We’ve searched everywhere and nothing, but of course it doesn’t help that I had the phone on vibrate and by now the battery is dead.

Growing up my parents didn’t have cell phones - everything ran smoothly. I didn’t have a cell phone is high school - my friends and I didn’t have any difficulties communicating with each other. This society loves electronics and technology, but this is crazy: The other day when picking my son up from school, I saw some of the children in his second grade class that had iphones. What?...for what?

As for myself, I’m hanging in there…it’s been now 5 long hours, but I did send out a blast email to all those that I have daily contact with and see if they’d throw me a pity-party for not having a phone today. Tonight is family night…so instead of playing Chutes and Ladders we will be playing “Whoever finds the BlackjackII is the winner!” I’m just really hoping he didn’t flush it down the toilet. :)

God is GOOD! All of the time!

Questions, anyone? ~

I sat in the conference room yesterday for several hours. It was the intro to our “Fourth Quarter All Employee Meeting”. Since I assist the President, I prepared the agenda and knew what topics were being covered. I found myself zoning in and out at times. I doodled on my pad, made a mental to-do list on stuff I had to finish at work, home and for the weekend.

It amazes me that everybody has something to say - something to comment on – something to complain about prior to an employee meeting, but when that infamous closing statement from the President of the company: “Does anyone have any questions, comments or concerns that I can address?” There is silence….15 seconds of silence. This is actually my favorite part of the meeting, when I wait to see what questions are asked. Then that’s it! Your train has passed, you had your moment to speak up and ask that question, but you didn’t…oh well, maybe next time, which is next quarter, which is next year.

It’s obvious that during employee meetings no one wants to ask that “silly” question and fears looking stupid or feeling embarrassed in front of others, but chances are that someone else is curious about the same thing. If the shoe were on the other foot, you probably wouldn't make fun of someone else for asking questions, well at least not at that moment.

Do not be afraid to ask dumb questions. They are easier to handle than dumb mistakes.


God is Good!

Smelling memories ~

I made a big pot of spaghetti/meat sauce yesterday and an hour later the whole house smelled like garlic and tomato. Mmmmm! I love it when I walk into an Italian restaurant…because of the smell. If it smells like Mrs. Balsamos’s (our 80 yr old Italian neighbor in Rochester) kitchen, I am transported back to when I was 4 or 5.

It’s incredible how smells can take you back in time. It’s not just food smells that put me into a time capsule…it’s also the smell of incense/candles at church. There is just something really holy about that smell and immediately it transports me back to my catholic elementary school days. The perfume “Loves Baby Soft” or “Sweet Honesty” is sooo junior high! My 13 yr old niece had those 2 bottles on her dresser and I couldn’t hold back…I had to take a sniff, then I dabbed some on my wrist just to remember the “good ‘ol days”.

If you haven’t seen the movie French Kiss with Meg Ryan & Kevin Kline…you must rent it. It’s a fun romantic comedy. There is a sweet and sexy scene where he takes her to his bedroom where he grew up. He shows her a project that he did when he was a kid regarding wine that his family made at their vineyard consisting of herbs and flowers. It was so great when she took a sniff and knew what it was...THEN she drinks the wine and says she tastes the CURRANT. Very cool!!!

Some of what I love to smell now:- the sea-salt air at the beach, freshly cut grass, my kids laundered clothes, the smell of freshly brewed coffee, baked bread, hot apple & pumpkin pie. Speaking of pumpkin pie…today is the first day of Fall. I can’t wait to start planning my Thanksgiving dinner menu…now that’s a great smell!

God is Good!

Just say "No" ~

I’m blessed, but so busy! My job is demanding, I try to stay in shape, have wonderful friends, maintain a organized home with my husband/2 boys, and volunteer for causes I support, but in trying to do all this – at times simultaneously – I often have even less time for myself.

Joe (my husband) and I were talking about this last night during our “coffee talk”. The boys go to bed around 7:45pm and he gets the coffee going, I’ve got the mugs in hand, we get comfy on the couch and just talk. I rambled on about how the week has flown by and how booked our weekend was going to be with 2 kiddie birthday parties on Saturday, a housewarming brunch on Sunday and of course Church. Compassionately he said, “You just have to learn to say one simple word: “No….flat-out, No.” What?...me say “No?”

Joe is right it does add unnecessary stress, but anyone that knows me knows that it’s very difficult for me to say “No”…I mean, it's easier said than done, right? On those rare occasions that I do say “No”, which I hate because it makes feel so guilty. I find myself needing to give a lengthy explanation on why I’m saying “No.”

I promised Joe that I would work on this and make it my 2009 New Year’s Resolution. As for now, I’ll just go with the flow, multitasking as usual until 2009 and remind myself that the Lord does not give me more than I can handle.

God is SO Good…all of the time!

All things eventually pass ~

My beautiful new water feature at work is making me feel a little philosophical. Today I’m stuck in a rut. I've got the routine thing going on, problems and deadlines. During a coffee break one of my co-workers was talking about the “seasons" in life, kind of like she had to “add” a little spice here and there, but I’m not going “there”…remember now, I’m feeling philosophical. ;)

To me, “seasons" in life refers to an idea that nothing in life lasts forever, and with time, all things change. It’s a shame that this also applies to the good times as well, like when you’re going on vacation and getting away from it all or you’ve gotten that unexpected promotion.

When I was about 21, my father told me that no one in this world is completely happy, but that there are only moments of happiness. I think of those words often.

I guess the sweet, sour, bitter and pungent must all be tasted, so I’ll reflect on the sweet times and minimize the sour ones. I hate those sour ones, but it’s not a biggie…I know it’ll pass.

God is Good

Chinese water torture? ~

Okay, today I’m annoyed. I work with the guy named John who, for most part is quiet but oh-my-gosh…so nose-eee! He’s worked here for 8 yrs and I’ve worked with him for 5. He sits in a workstation about 30 ft away from my office, which is next to my boss's office.

This morning, he couldn’t wait to open the Corporate Calendar and see who’s out of the office to make his usual daily comments on “why is so and so on vacation again”, “why is so and so traveling again”…”isn’t it funny that so and so is out sick again”?

Our office carries voices, so you can imagine…John is in heaven because he can hear it all! Because I’ve had it with his nose-ee-ness and Because I’d like to have some privacy…last week I made a suggestion during a marketing meeting I had with my boss that we should get one of those relaxing, spa-like 10ft water fountains with river rocks to place between his office and mine. I told him why we should spend the money on this and he commented that it was a pathetic reason, but agreed that it was a good idea and could possibly work in muffling our phone and meeting conversations.

The fountain arrived early this morning and it is beautiful! The sound of rambling water is so relaxing and it really looks nice where I had the installers place it. My boss loves it and told me we should get another one for the other side of the office.

After lunch, John approached me with a grunt. (I've never seen him do that and it was really weird) “Why did you just grunt at me??” I asked. He said “Not at you, at that stupid fountain…geez it’s like some bad *ss Chinese water torture!” What??...Is he kidding me?? This is like working at a spa? I have received compliments on top of compliments on how great and relaxing our office feels.

After 5 years of working with him these are the little things that I know:

41
Looks like a younger nerdy version of Larry Bird
Irish- Catholic
Originally from Cleveland, OH
Never married
Sits in the parking lot at 7:00am until the office opens at 8:00am
Never eats lunch
Has 1 sister that’s married
Moved out of his parents house last year
Extremely intelligent – Like the “NASA” type
Loves Coffee, watching “House” and “Weather Channel”

If there are any takers, I’d be happy to introduce you! ;) He might just need companionship and therefore, would have a life.

He was really and truly upset over the fountain. I couldn’t believe it! Very professionally, I express my relaxed “new” self with an apology and told him he’d just have to get use to. Misery LOVES company, so as I write this, he is taking a poll to see if anyone else agrees with him. Of course he’s upset…now he can’t hear what is going on in the office and can’t hear what others are talking about! Uugghh!!! I wish I had the guts to tell him “Dude, if it doesn’t’ effect your job or your productivity, then you really shouldn’t spend all day looking into what others are doing…obviously you don’t have enough to do if you are so consumed with being so freakin’ nosey!” BUT, then the Christian in me comes out and I realize that wouldn’t be very kind for me to say, so I just reserve it.

Whenever I see John, it's like he has a sign over his head with the second commandment written all over ~ 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' I guess it's the only positive thing that I see when I run into him and it's a good daily reminder.

Let's look at who Jesus says our neighbor is: You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:43)

Okay…I’ve ranted and raved so I’ll pray for John.

God is Good!

Mistaken Identity ~

During my lunch hour, I decide to go to the market to pick up some stuff for dinner. I was in the pasta isle and heard a woman’s voice calling out the name Sylvia. Then I heard it again, a couple more times “Sylvia…Syyyllllvvviiiaaa” She got my attention, so I turned to look at her. This nicely dressed woman, who most likely works in the area approached me with a handful of cereal boxes. She began placing the cereal in my shopping cart while telling me they were on promotion “buy on get one free”. I was stunned and looked around thinking she was confused, but there was no one else nearby. I said to her smiling with an apologetic tone “I’m sorry…. I’m not Sylvia”. She looked me straight in the face and said “Oh my Gosh…you’re a twin! Do you have a sister?” I replied “Yes, but her name isn’t Sylvia” She told me Sylvia was a coworker that accompanied her and was somewhere in the store. She insisted that I didn’t move because we had to meet. I became curious myself and wanted to see her.

This woman pulled the cell phone out of her bag and dialed her number, but didn’t get an answer. Just then her phone rang and it was Sylvia. Apparently, Sylvia walked out of the market and back to the office to get her phone & wallet that she had left behind. Disappointed, the woman asked if she could take my picture with her camera phone. I didn’t see any harm, so I stood there holding on to my cart. As she saw my image on the screen she said “Amazing, the two of you are even dressed the same …a white blouse with black/white plaid pants!”

She apologized for the mix-up and thanked me for being kind. As I walked back to work, I thought “Okay, I’ve made this lady’s day, but how is it possible for two people who are not genetically related to look so much alike that they are mistaken by someone else?” Incredible!

God is Good!

"It has to run its course" ~

Oh,....... how those 6 words make me go nuts! When I was growing up Pediatrician were different…they did it all! In the Dr.’s office, they drew blood/urine, burned off warts, swabbed for strep, stitched you up and even took x-rays.

Now-a-days it just seems like pediatricians are only there for shots and prescriptions. Even the yearly physical exams aren’t as detailed as they were back then. And it’s not only my pediatrician, I speak with lots of other moms that have different doctors and they say the same thing.

I brought my 5 yr old, who has had a sore throat for the past 3 days to his pediatrician today. “It’s a virus, it has to run its course”...uugghhh, those 6 words! How does he know it’s viral if he can’t draw blood or swab his throat? Then comes “Antibiotics won’t help if it’s viral”. (Like I didn’t know that) :(

So, I took him to Urgent Care just to have these 2 simple things tested: blood and a throat swab. My mommy instincts kicked in and I needed piece of mind. The doctors examined him and decide just to swab his throat. In about 30 minutes the results came back…he has a bacterial throat infection. With ½ of a day wasted, $150 later and a prescription in my hand, I’m confident that by Sunday he’ll be feeling better.

I am too blessed to be stressed! God is Good!

Remembering where we were ~

My thoughts and prayers are with all those that were affected in any way by the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. I believe that every single one of us can remember where we were when this happened.

I was at work, doing my usual morning thing. My boss, the COO of the company was in the boardroom in a meeting with several others that flew in the night before from different parts of the county.

My direct line rang and it was my husband. I remember his words, his tone was different and he sounded anxious. “Honey, did you hear… did you hear what happened?” “No, what?...what’s the matter…what happened?” I asked. With that tone and not knowing what he was going to tell me, I felt my heart beginning to race. “A plane just hit the World Trade Center!... put the TV on!”

I was sure that those men in the boardroom had no idea of what was happening, they were way deep in charts, graphs and discussions. I was debating - Should I interrupt? Should I just wait until they adjourned for a mid-morning break? I made an executive decision to interrupt and tell them. I lightly knocked and opened the door at the same time. They all stopped, turned around and looked at me…“Excuse me, I’m sorry to bother you, but I just heard that a plane hit the WTC and it’s on TV”.

I recall the tall, rail thin, Woody Allen looking man standing in front of the whiteboard with a marker in each hand…he said in a sarcastic voice, as to embarrass me for interrupting his moment “That’s impossible, my office is in Manhattan and I would have heard something…someone would have paged or phoned me on my cell”. My boss replied, “This room has terrible cell phone reception, everyone let’s have a seat…Brooke, please flip open the wall panels and turn the TV on”. I grabbed the remote and turned it on. There was silence as we listened to the news.

One of the attendees from LA seated in the back shook his head and said “It’s a clear day, how could this have happened?” Not 10 minutes had passed and we all saw the 2nd plane hit the other tower. We knew this wasn’t a coincidence, we were being attacked. Others in the office that were walking by heard the news and went to their computer.

Our office phones were ringing off the hook and my direct line, along with my cell phone rang simultaneously. It was my son’s school (he was 11 months old at the time). The director explained that for security purposes they would be closing and that I had to pick him up. It was a little after 12:15pm as I drove out of the parking garage. I noticed a lot of businesses/restaurants where closing, children were being rushed home and panic was all around. There were even newspaper guys standing in major intersection selling the evening edition of the Miami Herald and it wasn’t even 2:30pm.

As I drove home on automatic pilot, I could not believe what had just happened. I glanced at my rear view mirror, I saw my son smiling, carefree and playing with a book. I remember thinking to myself that this event was going to make history and in the future he’d probably have to do a project or write a report about this catastrophe that will never be forgotten. I have a storage bin that holds newspapers of that tragic day. One day my boys may want to read the same headlines as I did.

Ephesians 4:31-32, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

This is easier said than done and is where the rubber hits the road, but we can find strength in those words.

God is Good!

1983 and Scarlet ~

Life was great in 1983! High school was about to start and I was becoming a senior. I loved Madonna…Michael Jackson was at his peak…Tina Turner’s “What’s Love got to do with it” was one of my favorite tunes…I had a boyfriend that was a “baseball jock” in high school, had a cool car and was part of the Rochester Americans (Amerks) Hockey Team - farm team of the Buffalo Sabers. I think my biggest dilemma was “What was I going to wear tomorrow”?

I didn't have a driver’s license, but I considered myself an “experienced” driver...after all, I did have a learner’s permit for one whole year. I decided to take on the road with Scarlet as my co-pilot. We were about 1 month into school and spoke the night before. We planned that I would pick her up in my boyfriend’s car and she could attend my school (Scarlet’s school was about 5 miles away from mine) and come as “My cousin that’s visiting from Buffalo”. We did just that! Oh what fun we had…pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes. The senior guys would say.” Hey, Brook-ee…who’s you’re friend”? I’d grin and walk away with Scarlet saying…”She’s not my friend, she’s my cousin from Buff-a-lo”

Looking back, my stomach turns with the thought that I drove without a license, could have crashed a car that wasn’t mine, and risked our lives. God and all of the guardian angels were with us. Incredible!

To this day, our parents don’t even have a clue that this happened, but I can say with certainty, and rightfully so, we’d be dead meat! After so many years, our mom’s probably would get the “Chancletas” (Flip-Flops) and let us have it. For some reason, chancletas that belong to Latin mothers have some type of remote control…even if you run around the corner, the flip-flop will end up getting you.

Scarlet and I agreed that we wouldn’t do that anymore, well at least for another 3 months. Yes, there are more shenanigans! Oh my gosh…our parent’s would have killed us!

God is Good!!

got faith? ~

Five months ago I was asked to speak to a group of woman between the ages of 19 and 65. These ladies were attending a woman’s Christian retreat called “Emmaus” (pronounced: e-may-us).

The Walk to Emmaus gets its name from the story in Luke 24:13-35

Luke tells the story of that first Easter afternoon when the risen Christ appeared to the two disciples who were walking together along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Like Christians who are blinded by preoccupation with their own immediate difficulties, these two disciples' sadness and hopelessness seemed to prevent them from seeing God's redemptive purpose in things that had happened.

And yet, the risen Christ "came near and went with them," opening the disciples' eyes to his presence and lighting the fire of God's love in their hearts. As they walked to Emmaus, Jesus explained to them the meaning of all the scriptures concerning himself.

When they arrived in Emmaus, Jesus "took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them," and their eyes were opened. They recognized him as Jesus, the risen Lord, and they remembered how their hearts had burned within them as they talked with him on the road.

Within the hour, the two disciples left Emmaus and returned immediately to their friends in Jerusalem. As they told stories about their encounters with the Lord, Jesus visited them again with a fresh awareness of his living presence.

My talk went something like this:
I was born with the “worry” gene and without patients. I worried about everything and anything, however my only sister that is four years younger is totally the opposite…there isn’t a worry gene in her and she has the patients, as I call it “ketchup out of the bottle” patients. She can just sit there holding the bottle upside down and wait for some ketchup to spill out. Not me…I have to dig into that bottle with a knife…I have no patients.

In October ’07, I arrived at this retreat in the same condition… with worry, lack of patients and subconsciously my faith was weak. I always said that I had faith and believed that I had faith, but didn’t realize that I wasn’t feeling the faith. This retreat opened my eyes and changed me.

Taking the walk to Emmaus made me realize that I didn’t have any real situations and that I constantly worried about nothing. God does not want us to waste our time being anxious because it is a distraction. Being worried and distracted are not things from God.

So, what was my problem?
Absolutely nothing except for the fact that I was blind.

What I didn't see was how extremely blessed I was with:
-A wonderful husband of 11 years who is kind, considerate, loving and extremely patient -Two beautiful boys
-We both have decent full-time jobs
-My parents are healthy and help me with my children when called upon
-My maternal grandparents that are in their late 80’s are alive and kicking

Looking back, I get upset at myself and even sad thinking about the burden that I was putting on my husband with all this “worry business”, but yet he never said one mean thing or complained.

Where am I now?
This retreat made me realize that the Lord knows what he is doing…"Thy will be done”. Now, how many times have I/we said that in prayer? Was I even paying attention? Well, I do now.

I put 1Peter 5:7 into practice on a regular basis. I give all my, worries, cares and fears to the Lord. By doing this, I have freed myself from that distraction. I’d like to say that I’m 100% worry free, but I still get concerned, so I put it all in prayer.

I have conversations with the Lord, thank him for all that he has blessed us with and ask for wisdom and discernment. He is the first thing that I think about when I open my eyes and the last before I close them.

I pray more. My husband and I pray together. Along with my children, this is so important to us and for our spiritual foundation.

I enjoy serving those who are less fortunate, after my first priority…serving my family. The rewards are great!

God is SO Good!

If I had one extra hour ~

I want to say I'd do something productive like clean out that kitchen drawer. That drawer haunts me! It has everything you could possibly need in it, because everything that's small and doesn't have a home gets tossed in there. I hope there are others out there that have this same type of issue.

If I were back in the early 70's, I'd love to dump all that crap into a purse and sit in the "Let's Make A Deal" audience. I'd wait for the game show host, Monty Hall to walk through the isles and enthusiastically say in that game show host voice "For our next contestant, I'm looking for a person that has a hideous blue rubber jar opener that's shaped like a sunflower!" I could just pull it out and wave it in the air!

So, getting back to "If I had one extra hour"...I'd probably just sit outside with 70 SPF and do nothing. Sometimes, nothing is a good thing...it's when I get my best ideas and can just recharge my batteries. As for batteries, we need to stock up on a couple along with water and other goodies as we get ready for Ike. The rule is: Prepare for the Worst and pray for the best!

God is Good!

The Dr. and some Good Times ~

The Consultation:
As I sat on the examination chair the Dr. walked in and asked “What brings you in today”? I pulled out my notes, a folded piece of paper that I had tucked under my leg. I wanted to make sure not to forget a thing. The Dr. flipped a switch and this super fluorescent light was now directed towards me. She walked around the chair, looking at my face lifting my chin with her index finger. I began telling her my “wish” list:

-I’m looking for a procedure that will change the texture of my skin.
-Buff away some minor skin discolorations that only make up can cover-up.
-I would like a bright, fresh, smoother complexion with a little skin tightening.
-I don’t want to be a slave to expensively prescribed “at home” night and day regimens that
promise you’ll see some results in 6 to 8 months, which the fine print reads “results not
typical.”
-I don’t want to be injected with anything.

Okay, I think the only thing missing on my list was “A Partridge in a Pear Tree”. I had my expectations, but who doesn’t? I’ve read so much on noninvasive procedures and different types of lasers like: Fraxel Repair, Active FX and IPL, so I’m thinking “This is what they’ll probably recommend and do”. I was excited as I believed I was the perfect candidate. Well, almost…

The doctor suggested:
STEP 1
- Vibraderm combined with a very mild Lactic Acid Peel - 6 sessions divided up every two
weeks. When all six sessions have been completed it’s time for Step 2.

The doctor explained that Vibradermabrasion Therapies, which is the new way to do microdermabrasion is a fast, comfortable produces with exceptional results. 75-85% of the stratum corneum (top layer) is removed in minutes and prepares the skin for additional procedures such as Lactic Acid Peels. The result: Skin will become soft and smooth with tone and texture improvements after one treatment, but realistically I’d see more of a difference after the 3rd session.

STEP 2
- Active FX with Tightening – 6 sessions
(I’ll get to the description when I get there…If I get there. I might only need to complete Step 1)

Lunch with Scarlet:
What a pleasant surprise to get a call from her at 11:00am. I didn’t even get a chance to say “Hello?”…and she blurted out “I’m OFF Today…let’s do Lunch!” and we did just that! I told her I’d let “her” blog about it. http://scarlet1216.blogspot.com

We had a wonderful lunch at “Origins” (A. Rod’s Thai, Vietnamese and Japanese restaurant) We were up to our shenanigans and of course she had the camera, then she did a video…too much! Good times, like the Ol’ times…

God is good!

It's All in the Face ~

Question: What’s the longest word in the dictionary?
Answer: SMILES… because there’s a MILE between the first “S” and the last “S”

Two weeks ago an 18 yr old bag boy at the grocery store grinned at me and said “Hey, smile…it’s a beautiful day” I thought I was smiling, so I gave him a bigger smile in return as I pushed my cart away.

Last week as I stood in line at the bank, the lady in front of me kept glancing towards the back of the line shaking her head and making eye contact with me. Then she turned around once more and said “Yeah, I’m upset too!…this is ridiculous, we still have two more people in front of us and only one teller open?” (I’m thinking “Okay…I haven’t said a word to this woman and actually I’m not in a rush, so I’m not upset…why would she say this to me?”)

On Labor Day our family went to a great Italian restaurant for an early dinner. We ordered, the kids were well behaved, our food arrived promptly and presented beautifully. When the waiter came to check if we needed anything else, I looked up at him and before I could get a word in, he said with a worried look on his face “Is your food okay?... you don’t look happy with what you ordered, is it all right?.” I shook my head in disbelief and with a smile, nodded and told him that it was delicious.

Yesterday a co-worker came up to me as I was getting coffee and said “Smile!... we have a 4 day work week!” Well, that was it! Why does everyone think I’m upset? I now find myself playing with my face, staring at my complexion from every angle and making conversational gestures in the bathroom mirror, in the rear view mirror and any reflective object that I come across. As I slightly stretched the area between my eyebrows, it was like magic! I didn’t look “mad” anymore! It finally hit me last night…I’m not upset, I need BOTOX!

I really try to take care of my skin and stay out of the sun as much as possible. I love sun block, am a non smoker and go “organic” as much as I can. I tend to be a hypochondriac, so the idea of injecting botulism into my face scares the crap out of me! There has to be another way. I’ll find out soon enough… I have my first consultation tomorrow with a dermatologist.

God is good!

Here’s looking at you, Scarlet!

After many months of entertaining the idea or maybe it’s been longer…like a year, I have decided to start my own “Blog”.

I was introduced to the idea after I read my friend Scarlet’s blog. http://scarlet1216.blogspot.com. Then I began reading others. It was like having my very own collection of different “reality” books. So many subjects and so many interesting topics to choose from, I found myself wanting to start one, but could never get motivated enough to start.

When Scarlet and I would speak on the phone, she’d remind me about “The Blog”…when I’d get an email from her, she’d end it cheering me on to… “Start the Blog”, when I couldn’t get to the phone she’d leave me a voicemail message asking me in a confused tone… “Have you started your blog?” She even blogged about my blog on her blog.

Here is her excerpt:
Brooke, I was hoping you'd read this. :) You and I have so many funny, wild and wonderful stories...I could write a book. You're like the sister I never had. Now get your ass in gear, and start your blog. NOW!!

You get the picture, right? Well, coming from a mom of 2 boys, I’ve realized that just like planning to have a child/children, it’s never the “right time”, but it always seems to work out.

Scarlet and I have been friends since we were 3 years old. We were two Cuban families living next door to each other in upstate NY, which was very rare since the majority were Italian families. I consider her my very dear “Amigita de la infancia” (My little friend since infancy.) We have shared SO much through the years and basically, most of our teen years were spent together and because of that, I know I’ll be writing about those wonderful memories that I’d like to pass on to my children and give them a chance to know what a wonderful, happy and loving childhood I had.

God is good!