Cody and Laura's honeymoon to Italy

Pictures and adventures of my Cody and Laura's honeymoon in Italy...

"ate gelato three times, met some fun dogs and cats, saw a free classical concert, and oh yeah got locked into an underground museum of an ancient Roman city in the middle of Perugia... plus scorpions!" ~ Laura

"Teaser of the day - museum closed early without telling us and turned off all the lights...while we were underground in Etruscan-Roman ruins. Using the flash to light the way to the emergency exits (that were locked) and making it upstairs just in time to see the front door close and lock and to set the alarms off. Yay! (Filed under 'things that only ever happen to us1)" ~ Laura

Florence, Italy

Venice, Italy

 

 

Not that I have nothing to say, but...

Eat, Pray, Love

For Mother's Day I received some beautiful gifts. The first being the gift of being a mother to an amazing son. I know I have mentioned it before, but it's worth repeating over and over and over again. I'm not meaning to brag by any means, I just feel so fortunate to have been given such a wonderful child.

Along with seeing the beautiful faces of him and his girlfriend and receiving the most endearing hugs, I got some yummy brownies that they made from scratch. Yes, my son knows how to cook as does his girlfriend. Yummy!!

They also gave me a book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I can't remember the last time I read a book and I admit I was a little hesitant to start this one. I have no idea what it's all about, they wouldn't tell me and neither would my mom, who has already read the book, but it's definitely my kind of book. Chapters are short and among the seriousness is a sense of humor. The author focuses her first four chapters from her bathroom floor while sending you off to many places she's going through in her mind. Note: This is MY interpretation which may be completely different as I read further, but to me it's a remarkable one that I can relate to completely! (Have I mentioned how my son also seems to have the knack for giving the "perfect" gift?)

Included with the book was a bookmark of The Pirates of the Caribbean with, of course, the handsome Johnny Depp!

Then there is the card. A black and white picture of 2 kitties cuddling in a hammock on the front (I love kitties!) and inside he wrote to me the following...

Happy Mother's Day!

No matter what you think or say, you have been a great mother to me and I don't know how or where I'd be if someone like you hadn't raised me and taught me the true lessons in life.

Thank you for always supporting me and what I do.

Love, Cody.

"Eat, Pray, Love" is not only the title of what I'm sure is going to be an amazing book, but it also defines what I believe to be the basis of love.

My Hero...

For my Uncle Leonard...
 

I haven't seen or heard from my Uncle Leonard in years and I miss him very much. He is my hero, just like the man in Big & Rich's video, "The 8th Of November". Why? There are lots of reasons, but the main one is because my Uncle came from a small farm in Minnesota and when his number came up in the Vietnam draft he chose the front line for one year. A true Norwegian... strong and mighty, yet humble and loving, he went with full honor, as the Norwegians I know would do. I have no idea what he must have experienced in the time he spent in Vietnam, but this video seems to pull me close to what I can only imagine he went through.

So, this goes out to my Uncle Leonard. I love you and want you to know that you are and always will be my hero...

Don't Forget to Dance for my sister

To my sister, on her birthday...

To my sister... I love you and I am so proud of you. You have accomplished so much with so little and I have and always will admire your stamina and determination.
I found a card you wrote to me when I was in college, over twenty years ago. Inside was a poem. Reading it again reminds me of another card you sent to me. It ended with a quote from The Kinks, "don't forget to dance, don't forget to smile".
So, this is my gift to you. It's not much, but it's from my heart. I love you and I am honored to have you as my big sister... Happy Birthday! 

Sometimes I get lonely
and thinking about you helps remind me
that there is a person I cherish so very much
always close in spirit
even when you are so far away
 But sometimes it hurts even more
to think of you...
your laugh, your touch...
and to remember just how much
I miss your gentle face,
your tender ways
your presence in my life.

Promise Yourself by Christian D. Larson

Love is a hard feeling to truly express, at least for me. I'm never quite sure if those I love really know how much they are loved... how much they mean to me.

I'm posting this poem again because I neglected to mention the person who gave it to me... my mom.

When I was in my late teens she gave me a little book called, "Keep Your Face to the Sunshine, A Collection of Creeds". There were a couple of poems she had placed a star next to and this was one of them.

Promise Yourself...

Promise yourself to be so strong

that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness and prosperity

to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything

and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best

and expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others

as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and

press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and

give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself

that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry,

too noble for anger,

too strong for fear and

too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

~Christian D. Larson

I love you, mom

I will miss you, Michael...

"Evening Cross" by woodsy

The world lost another beautiful soul on July 14th, 2007. I can't seem to find the words to describe how much he touched my heart so for now I'm leaving it up to one of his favorite bands, Guns N' Roses.

My dearest Michael, thank you for sharing your kind and sweet heart with me. I will always cherish my memories of you and hold you near and dear in my heart forever.

I dedicate the following Guns n Roses song, "Don't Cry" to my friend Michael...

 

  

If change is supposed to be a good thing ...

If change is supposed to be a good thing,

would it please slow down so I can catch up?
~ Meesharie

I guess I should be grateful that I'm not Britney or Paris... but my heart goes out to them. The world is changing much too fast and if it doesn't slow down, that brick wall we're heading for might just hurt more than we had planned.

Just a thought....

Biopoem from Darcy

The following is a Biopoem a friend wrote about me. I was surprised at how much she noticed. The funny, little things I didn't think anyone paid attention to, but she did. It meant a lot when she first gave it to me some ten years ago, and it means even more today.

Energetic, Bright, Talkative, Generous

Lover of... love, beads, Dreamsicles
Who feels the need to... send & receive lots of mail
Who needs... freesias, dancing, honesty
Who fears... betrayal, a new career, ignorance
Who would like to see... her rarely seen selfish side, more good people in the world, all the money people owe her
Resident of... a happy, hopeful home

No more Dew for you!

My friend had a cat that looked just like the one in the picture. His name was Jax. Unfortunately, the she lost him to the coyotes so this is my tribute to Jax.  Bless you, Jackie... long live your memory!
P.S.   I love Mountain Dew :)

Time for an Escape!

I've used visualization before. I believe it's what helped me get my Camry. Yes, I visualized myself owning a Toyota Camry and the next thing I knew I had a Toyota Camry!

I've been without a car for the first time in my legal driving life for over two years now. My last car was declared "totalled" after it was hit while parked in front of my home.
Believing in the philosophy that "everything happens for a reason," I have learned to appreciate alternative means of transportation and it couldn't have come at a better time with the rising gas prices and all. But even so, having your own vehicle does allow you a certain freedom. A freedom I once took for granted and now highly appreciate...

... going where I want to go when I want to go there!
And what better way to get there than in my own Ford Escape!

Is it coincidental or can you actually acquire anything, even materialistic things, through visualization?

If we create what we desire, and our desires are of good intention, then I believe it works with all things.

So... here is a picture of my new titanium green, metallic Ford Escape. (the windows are tinted, but I'm the one in the driver's seat!)

Just feel better...

Music is full of emotion... I am full of emotion.

Music can be loud... I can be loud.

Music can make you happy... I like to be happy.

Music can make you cry... I feel better after I cry.

My son....

For one reason or another I've been having a difficult time putting my thoughts into words. Not verbally, that rarely happens, but in writing. It has been frustrating, VERY frustrating and the more frustrated I got the harder it was to write... so I didn't ... until now.

I was blessed with the most amazing child, my son, Cody.  In his second year of college he made the President's Honor Roll.  He didn't do it by taking easy classes either, he had Calculus, Chemistry and Physics!  And not only is he keeping his grades up, he works full time, is financially independent, and spiritually sound. He sees the light through the tunnel and does not let that veer from his sight.

That's him in the picture. It was taken during his baptism. It has not been retouched with Photo shop or anything else. That's exactly how the picture came out. Prior to taking it, Cody had been crying and yet there are no signs of tears or unhappiness in his eyes.

Yes, I believe he is my angel and that I have been given a gift.  As to why?  I haven't a clue.  I am no one special.  I haven't done anything extraordinary in my life but yet I have been blessed with a child who has touched my heart and brightened my world so immensely. The world can be pretty ugly and mean and people aren't always nice and respectful. I haven't kept my son sheltered from  all the hatred and ugliness. He has seen many sides of humanity and yet he is prevailing and shining in spite of it all. He gives me strength just by his presence. He listens to my incessant babbling even when I can't listen to myself anymore. He’s steady and steadfast and has grown into a fine young man.

Is it how I raised him? I tried but it sure wasn’t by example. Maybe by an example of what NOT to do. Yes, I am his mom and I believe he is my angel but I also believe we all have faults and it's our faults that make us strong and compassionate.  I have never tried to hide mine from Cody and there are times I just plain couldn't. It wasn’t always the right thing to do but it happened and we survived. To quote Izzie from Grey’s Anatomy,  

"I believe in the good.

 I believe we survive.

I believe that believing we survive is what makes us survive.”

Cody wants to be an Oceanographer. I don’t know a whole lot about Oceanography, in fact I don't care for the ocean much at all. But it's not what I like that's important, it's what he likes. There is no doubt in my mind he will succeed in whatever he chooses to do. That’s just how he is.

Cody,
There are no words to describe how proud I am of you!

You deserve the world and more.

You make things shine with your peaceful serenity and I know that you will achieve whatever you believe.

Stay strong, calm and true.

I love you!

"Always and forever" ... Mom

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

"There are only four questions of value in life, Don Octavio.

What is sacred?
Of what is the spirit made?

What is worth living for and what is worth dying for?

The answer to each is the same: only love."

 

 ~ from the movie, "Don Juan DeMarco"

 

 

Today and every day...

Cherish and honor the ones you love,

and the ones that love you.

As I Wander...

"All that is gold does not glitter.

Not all those who wander are lost."
~ J.R.R. Tolkien

 

 

(Pictured: Edited version of "Wandering", by Patricia Gale)

My nephew

Andy

picture by Andrew Hull

My nephew, Andy, will be graduating this year with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts. He will be continuing his education at one of 3 very notable Universities of which he will receive his MFA (Master of Fine Arts) degree.

Amazingly gifted, Andy has been the inspiration of many, including my own son and I am certain he will be a positive contribution to the artistic industry.

I love you, Andy, and I am sooooo very proud of you!

~ Aunt Sheryl

Beautiful Peace for Beautiful Birgit

 

My friend's mom, Birgit, passed away the other day. I only knew her for a short while but I felt as close to her as I do my own mom. So much like my own mom I could talk to her about anything. Share with her the simple, silly things that only a mom would listen to. But my feelings can in no way be close to what my friend must be feeling. The only thing that makes it better is in knowing that I have been blessed with having two wonderful mom's in my life. Two beautiful angels who are, in my eyes, what God is all about... kindness and caring without judgment.

I love you, Birgit, and I will miss you
 

Where do I begin? Well, that would have to be with what I cherish the most... my son, Cody. He's a tough act to follow but I'm his mom so it can't be that tough... right?

Captured by Cody

Cody drew this picture of a man he saw playing guitar down by the beach where we live. I have never met him nor have I heard him play, but his music will forever warm my heart.

Mr. Music Man...

May you feel the warmth of all the hearts you have touched...

Thank you for touching mine.

~ Meesharie