I really do not understand how people (or children) can take their parents for granted. I am sure that I have done this on more then one occasion, but I do believe that was when I was younger. I hope that age I am at, I would never use my parents like I have seen others do.
This is for my parents:
To Mom and Dad,
I love everything you have every done for me and my life.
You both have raised us Stremming kids in a loving environment.
Not all the time was it fun, but you were also teaching us about life.
I know that there were some that criticized your "raising" techniques,
But I think the four of us turned out just fine and on certain days, better than fine.
We were all raised to work hard for what we have and never spoiled us to where we expect.
You are both there for us to confide in and also to yell at us for our protection.
When the days are hard, I miss not being able to go to my purple room and just escaping.
I never did mind getting grounded and sent to my room as a child/teen.
In our home, there was always a protection and comfort.
Like in the song "The House That Built Me," I hope that I never get lost in the world to the point that I forget where I came from.
There is something and truthfulness in the advice I was given before getting married,
"Enjoy the last times and days in your parent's home."
"The older you get, the closer you grow to both your parents."
I am grateful to you both and the way you raised me.
I love you two more than words can say.
There is no one on this earth that could replace either of you.
Love always and forever,
Your ever grateful daughter,
Bethany
I am glad that I married a guy that love his parents, as well. I just hope that when we have kids, I have the sense and ability to raise them like I was raised.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The World Traveler...They Who Will Not Be Named!
There is a certain person, whom I shall not mention any names, that just recently moved to a completely different state. This is the jealousy part of me coming out and being shown the world right now. I would love to be able to move from place to place...almost like a gypsy, but with an actual apartment or house to stay in. I am able to travel for my job and I love that; but there is something about moving to a different location totally where no one knows you or anything about you. I like to think this is the secret service (James Bond) side of my personality coming out of me...rabbit trail (need to get back to the blog at hand). Anyways, the jealousy part comes out of me because "they who will not be named" (an yes! I realize I compared her to Voldomort from Harry Potter) gets to start a new life. Its amazing the things that she or he will see on their travels.
I proud of this person for having the strength to move on and around the country. This is for you! The greatest Dr. Seuss book ever written.
Oh, the Places You'll Go!
by Dr. Seuss
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.
You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
And you may not find any you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course, you'll head straight out of town.
Its opener there in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen and frequently do
to people as brainy and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.
OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!
You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.
You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don't
Because, sometimes, you won't.
I'm sorry to say so but, sadly, it's true
and Hang-ups can happen to you.
You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You'll be left in a Lurch.
You'll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then, that you'll be in a Slump.
And when you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.
You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confused that you'll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place...
...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.
NO!
That's not for you!
Somehow you'll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You'll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.
With banner flip-flapping,
once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you're that kind of a guy!
Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. there are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.
Except when they don't.
Because, sometimes, they won't.
I'm afraid that some times you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.
All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
All will be something
you'll be quite a lot.
And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.
But on you will go though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.
On and on you will hike
and I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.
You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)
KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!
I proud of this person for having the strength to move on and around the country. This is for you! The greatest Dr. Seuss book ever written.
Oh, the Places You'll Go!
by Dr. Seuss
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.
You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
And you may not find any you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course, you'll head straight out of town.
Its opener there in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen and frequently do
to people as brainy and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.
OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!
You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.
You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don't
Because, sometimes, you won't.
I'm sorry to say so but, sadly, it's true
and Hang-ups can happen to you.
You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You'll be left in a Lurch.
You'll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then, that you'll be in a Slump.
And when you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.
You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confused that you'll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place...
...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.
NO!
That's not for you!
Somehow you'll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You'll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.
With banner flip-flapping,
once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you're that kind of a guy!
Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. there are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.
Except when they don't.
Because, sometimes, they won't.
I'm afraid that some times you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.
All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
All will be something
you'll be quite a lot.
And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.
But on you will go though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.
On and on you will hike
and I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.
You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)
KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Issues In Our News...or Issues With Our News?!? Not sure which one...
OK! Here I go!
One of the biggest controversies going on right now is if muslims should purchase a building to put a mosque in that is located close to Ground Zero. I cannot say if it is right or wrong, but my opinion is that they should not. There is something called respect. Respect for those who lost their lives in the towers..there were inocent victims that lost their lives on Sept 11, 2001. But a few questions that pop into my head would how far away is approporiate to build a mosque, why did the muslims leaders (or whoever is trying to purchase this building) pick this certain location when there are other places, and are the muslims trying to make a statement cause whoever is actually trying to purchase the building is willing to pay 25% over the listing price.
Also, the another controversy going on right now would be the pastor that has declared (maybe he called it off now...news cannot get the true story) a koran burning day. I commend the pastor for having the nerve to announce this and standing up for what he believes in the first place, but I also cannot say whether it is right or wrong. That is a judgment to be left to the One and Only...God.
I feel so strongly about these issues right cause every time I turn the news on, there is something about Muslims and how they are not being treated properly in America. I am sorry for you mistreatment, but come on! There are millions of people from different religions, orientations, and races that are mistreated everyday. I don't see Buddhists, Christians, or any other religious groups all over the news.
I believe in freedom of religion, but I also believe in freedom of speech. I am a Christian and I am proud of that fact. If another religion were to build or purchase close to the site of the World Trade Centers, I would not see a problem with it. I basically see a problem cause it was a radical Islamist group that caused those two towers to tumble.
One of the biggest controversies going on right now is if muslims should purchase a building to put a mosque in that is located close to Ground Zero. I cannot say if it is right or wrong, but my opinion is that they should not. There is something called respect. Respect for those who lost their lives in the towers..there were inocent victims that lost their lives on Sept 11, 2001. But a few questions that pop into my head would how far away is approporiate to build a mosque, why did the muslims leaders (or whoever is trying to purchase this building) pick this certain location when there are other places, and are the muslims trying to make a statement cause whoever is actually trying to purchase the building is willing to pay 25% over the listing price.
Also, the another controversy going on right now would be the pastor that has declared (maybe he called it off now...news cannot get the true story) a koran burning day. I commend the pastor for having the nerve to announce this and standing up for what he believes in the first place, but I also cannot say whether it is right or wrong. That is a judgment to be left to the One and Only...God.
I feel so strongly about these issues right cause every time I turn the news on, there is something about Muslims and how they are not being treated properly in America. I am sorry for you mistreatment, but come on! There are millions of people from different religions, orientations, and races that are mistreated everyday. I don't see Buddhists, Christians, or any other religious groups all over the news.
I believe in freedom of religion, but I also believe in freedom of speech. I am a Christian and I am proud of that fact. If another religion were to build or purchase close to the site of the World Trade Centers, I would not see a problem with it. I basically see a problem cause it was a radical Islamist group that caused those two towers to tumble.
Monday, August 30, 2010
The Little Things
It doesn't take much to make me happy. Here are the little things that I enjoy the most:
~Spending time with my husband
~A cup of coffee
~Family get togethers
~Watching a new movie
~Seeing all my nephews and nieces smile
~Compliments
~Taking a walk
~Catching up with an old or long lost friends
~Piece of cheesecake
~Talking to my sisters
Like I said, it doesnt take much to make me smile or be happy.
What are your little things that make you happy?
Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
~Spending time with my husband
~A cup of coffee
~Family get togethers
~Watching a new movie
~Seeing all my nephews and nieces smile
~Compliments
~Taking a walk
~Catching up with an old or long lost friends
~Piece of cheesecake
~Talking to my sisters
Like I said, it doesnt take much to make me smile or be happy.
What are your little things that make you happy?
Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thursday, August 19, 2010
We Make the Day
Last week was ruff getting out of the bed...all together. Lately, I have been getting up before my awesome husband calls at 6:45 (he sometimes has to call so that I am not late for work). This morning was different. A few minutes after waking up and getting in the shower, I knew it would be a different day...in a good way. First, it is the halfway point in the week (Wednesday). Second, the phone that I dropped in the toilet was working. Third, it just felt good to be alive for another day (the last thought came after that delish first sip of goodness coffee).Everyone that knows me well will attest to the fact that I am not a morning person. It should be a
Came to work and went directly to the cafe to start on my iced coffee for the day (You know...that deliciousness). As I walked in, there was a fellow co-worker making his coffee. I am not a morning person, but I was going to be nice and asked him how he was. His reply: "I am happy!" I was not expecting that response because I knew a little of what he had been going through lately. That statement right there basically made my day.
I started to think about that statement and how we can make our days remarkable if we just try. Strive to think about the good things we have to live for or all the things we have, in general. Starting out in the morning (I suggest after that delish coffee), your attitude will make or break your day and, possibly, your week. Waking up in the morning, we have two important decisions starting off:
1. Will I get out of bed at all?
2. What type of day can I make this?
We make our days!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Women Have Rights Too...Thank the Lord!
As today marks a historical event in American history, I am taken back to the 2 weeks (several years ago) that some of my family and I went over to Greece to visit one of my sisters and we were also able to travel over to Egypt.
Today marks 90 years for the women of America to have the right to vote. I appreciate the women from the past that worked hard, and even were arrested, to get this Amendment passed. As I think about the 19th Amendment, I especially appreciate it more since going to Egypt. We were able to see first hand how the women have no rights in other countries. Granted, I am not saying that every other country is deprived. Americans take for granted the rights we have been given.
I may not make it out to vote for every single election, but I definitely try to vote at the majority of them. Even if the individual(s) I vote for does not win, then I am still thankful that I have the right and privilege to vote.
One woman that had a great impact on our nation was Susan B. Anthony. She was arrest in 1872 for illegally voting at the presidential election.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Dont Stop...Get Up and Get Going
Challenge: get up in the morning, turn on your iPod to the Journey song "Don't Stop Believing" (or something that gets you energized), and get on that elliptical or go running. I will try this tomorrow morning and post about my day. Good luck to everyone! Its not the easiest to get out of bed so early.
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