One Shoe~

The Feathered Nest

If you aren't one of those readers that checks out the blogs to the right that are some of my favorites, then you're missing such a treat!! One of them is The Feathered Nest. She sells, too! And lets you have free prints from her site! Not to mention the ideas, tips, and techniques she shares. Here's a sample!

Driving Fast, Were We?

So I was driving home

and this policeman pulls me over.

Walking up to my door, he asked

if I had been driving fast.

Of course

I said "No!"

and I think

he may have believed me,

if he hadn't looked in the back seat

and seen my dog.

Hold the Presses~

or maybe I should say, Make a Book! I was blog hopping tonight and went to The Adcock's page. Now, I don't know these people but they seem like a family I'd like to live beside. They are friends of friends I've met through Jenny. Aaannnyway! she found a site that will make a book from your blog!! I've wondered myself what would happen to these entries I've made with pictures, etc. should Blogger ever decide to shut down!! Surely not!! But things do happen. So I have bookmarked this site and intend to do just this. A book per year, I think. Thought some of you that enjoy blogging as much as I do might like knowing this~And if you don't care about this, well, come back tomorrow. Maybe you'll enjoy that one!

Okay, so maybe~

About the time I think 'hey! I'm feeling better!' then I don't. Now I think I have a bladder infection. Yuck. Double yuck! Leslie recommended Uristat several years ago when I got one while visiting them in Mississippi. Ladies!! if you ever suspect a bladder infection and you can't get to a doctor, get it! You can buy it off the shelf!! At a phamacy!! Or Walmart!! Or Kmart or Target!! And it works!!! It takes those nasty urgings away!! Won't cure you, but you won't suffer with having to go every fifteen minutes! Now, nothing can make me feel worse than having a bladder infection. Well, maybe a raging sore throat. Okay, a yeast infection is also a downer for sure. But that's about it!! Right?! Ah well, for those of you that still have your uterus and your ovaries, then there's probably something just as bad. But I don't have all that stuff anymore!! Yay, me! And let me tell you, if no one else has informed you, it is soooo nice not to worry about that once a month thing anymore! When Jenny was much younger, she told me, "I want to have a boy and a girl and then a hysterectomy." After dying laughing, I told her it didn't quite work that way. And with all the innocence of youth, she asked why. Be nice if it could be that simple.

Wow, after telling you what could be just as bad, and then remembering what I don't have to worry about, I feel better! Thanks!! I needed that~

(Jen, you are so NOT going to believe this!, but when I went to Photobucket to look for a silly picture to match this post, I found this snapshot and immediately clicked on it. Guess what the name of the kid is that has fallen between the seat and the back?! Ian!!! The name of the picture is 'What happened to Ian'. Cracked me up!)

Yucky, Yuck

Okay, so maybe it's a bit of an exaggeration but I have not felt good this weekend! I felt fine until about 3:30 pm Saturday and it hit. And when it hit, it hit fast. To the point that I told John he better hurry up and finish his ice cream because we were fixing to be "outta here!" He got me home and it's been up and down ever since. It's now 6:30 pm Sunday and I feel I'm on the up side of being over whateveritwas. But then, I haven't had anything to eat either. That remains to be seen. One good thing is that I am now four pounds lighter than I was Friday! I just don't recommend the diet.

You're Tagged!

I found this while blog hopping and thought it would be something different for those of us that always check in with each other! So consider yourself tagged~and I'll be checking in to your page to see if you decided to do this!! The rules are:
1. The book you chose must be over 123 pages.
2. Find page 123 in the book.
3. Find the first 5 sentences.
4. Post the next 3 sentences.
5. Tag other people.
So, let's see ~ the book closest to me is The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. It has 214 pages in the small hardback version.
---
She smiled, thinking the same thing, and they watched the fire and smoke, holding each other.
"Noah, you've never asked, but I want you know something."
"What is it?"
---
Ah, one of the most compelling love stories you will ever read.
So, now it is my turn to tag others and to see what you are reading ~

Still February!!

And I'm still celebrating!! I met Deborah Aldridge late this afternoon for a yummy meal at Ruby Tuesday where we spent two hours laughing, eating, and sharing!! Deborah taught across the hall from me at HES and is now retired. We have always been great friends but now, that I am not working, we're able to spend more time together. This has given us time to grow even closer and she is such fun to be with~so Deb, here's to many more birthday meals for both of us!!

Johnny has the next two days off and it's going to be so nice having him around! I was always the mommy that hated seeing school roll around because I enjoyed my girls so much! and I'm one of those wives that love having their men around! Now notice I didn't say 'having their men in their back pocket'! Johnny loves to hunt and loves to fish even more, so there's always many hours of alone time for both of us. And it works for us. But we have such fun together that I just know retirement with him will be a delight. We have many dreams and look forward to more of them coming true. What are your dreams? And what are you doing to make them come true?! I'll tell you about some of mine in a later post. For now, though, you can see some of them listed to the right and there are pictures (also on the right) towards the bottom of this page. Have a blessed evening!

Still celebrating!

And the birthday celebration continues! When I came in from Jenny's yesterday evening, I found roses by the backdoor from my mom! They are beautiful and it was so good talking to her last night~I just hate I missed her visit! Today, a man called at 8 am (waking us up!) to say he had flowers that were to have been delivered yesterday, but Hwy 82 was blocked so he couldn't get through (due to storm debris). He brought them out this afternoon and they were from Leslie!! And they are beautiful, too!! The last time I remember having this many floral arrangements in the house was when I was hospitalized! and I'm not even sick! ha ha

There have been cards in the mailbox every day, messages on the answering machine, and notes left on Facebook and MySpace. A dear, dear friend from north Alabama called and I got to catch up with her this afternoon (Sandygirl, I do so miss being with you) and it's just been a really great month thus far. And I know it'll only get better. Aren't birthdays fun?!

A Day with Best Friends

I would be remiss if I didn't tell you about my Saturday! Two of my bestest friends, Lisa McMichael and Kay Mayfield, came to Prattville and we spent the day together!! It was such fun. We shopped for Lisa's guest room and Kay's living room, and I didn't spend a dime! ha ha (Don't get too happy about that, Johnny Hood, I saw several items I want to go back for!) Lisa paid for my lunch at Chili's!!! YYYYUUUUMMM and Kay paid for my dinner at Pablano's! Again, YYYUUUMMM We laughed and shopped and ate, laughed and shopped and ate. We hit Prattville, Montgomery, and Southern Homes. It was a true treat. AND another bestest friend, Deborah Aldridge, is taking me out this Wednesday!! Am I loved or what?! I was supposed to go tonight with four friends from our congregation that also have February birthdays and we were going to celebrate at Applebee's. Sadly Applebee's was damaged in the storm and the area is locked down after dusk, so that will have to be shelved until next year. But we sure would've had a good time!!

It's My Birthday!

It's my birthday! and it's been a really nice one. Johnny took me out to eat, and although he had to go on in to work I did get some time with Jenny and her family. Ian was asleep when I got there, but his eyes got so wide when he saw me that I just fell in love all over again. He said, "Nan, I was wanting you to come see me on your birfday 'cause I got you a pwesent". And it was Seasons 1 and 2 of Dallas !!! I'm fixing to settle in with some munchies and start watching!! I can remember exactly where I was when I saw the first show. We were living in Aurora, CO and the hype leading up to the show that night was so heavy I'm sure every household had their channel set. And after that night, I wanted a black Mercedes convertible just like Pam's! ha ha Those were the days! Leaving Jenny's I had a message from Stacey and I got to hear Austin and Alaina saying "Happy Birthday, Nan!" and it made me homesick for them!! Got home and my mom had left an awesome bouquet of flowers by the backdoor!! and Leslie called asking if her flowers had made it here. (They didn't, but I loved the thought, Les!!) It's been an awesome day and a shout out to all of you that left me such sweet messages on MySpace and Facebook! It's nice to be remembered.

Johnny and I were out earlier this morning and drove over toward east Prattville. Police had all roads leading to the Walmart area blocked off and were checking ID to see if you lived there. But even from Hwy 82 you can see the damage. The Montgomery Advertiser has hundreds of pictures and several videos showing the extent of damage. We are all very thankful that there were no fatalities. The city of Prattville swiftly and efficiently put into effect their emergency plan and from what we've heard from friends that lost homes, cars, and those with minor damage help was on sight within mere minutes. Our phone line, from what Knology told John today, will be out indefinitely. Their station was hit hard and it's going to take time to repair it.
With cell phones, though, that's the least of worries. I'm sure the 200+ families involved out there just wish that was all they had to deal with. Please remember east Prattville in your prayers. I'm sure they can use them.

Happy Valentine's Day, Johnny~

{Picture accidently erased}
Okay, so I told him not to hold the camera quite so high. And he listened to me! And it didn't get all of his Alabama cap! Horrid! That's what he thought, anyway. I couldn't believe he listened to me! But this is for the man who has made so many of my dreams come true. The man that has given me a place to hide, wings to soar, and a warm and safe place to return home to. Happy Valentine's Day, my love~

We Are God's Workmanship~

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. -- Ephesians 2:10

I love visiting Susanne Goodin's blog and found Heartlight through a beautiful scripture she has at the top of her page. Now I get, via email, a daily scripture, short lesson, and prayer each morning! Thank you, dear friend, for bringing one more smile to my life. I can say the same for Melissa and Kelly, whose blogs I found by exploring Leah Hunt and Jenny Maddox's blogs. All are daughters of the King and I love learning from them. Reading their writings, blog hopping on their friends lists and finding other stories and tales uplift me daily~

BUT back to the scripture above!!! As a second grade teacher, one of my primary goals was to have each child believe how perfect and miraculous they were. If I could help just one child hold their head up higher or hear them say with conviction, "Miss Hood, I'm going to be President one day!" or "I'm going to be a doctor, Miss Hood, and take care of you when you're old", or even, "I'm going to be a Ninja turtle and take all the bad men away!" {the last actually was told to me by a darling during the Ninja Turtle craze!}, then I would be a successful teacher.

After the accident and ensuing early retirement, I began losing my belief that I mattered. Oh I know my family and friends still love me and I realize that I'm important in ways that yes, I am needed. But I'm talking about feeling needed, really really feeling needed and being able to help someone think more of themself. For nineteen years I had a dream job, worked with some of my bestest friends, and laughed more at little seven year olds than I'd laughed my whole life up to that time. Now life is different and there are days when I feel adrift, wondering if I am important anymore

Aha, see how easy we flip flop?! After spending so many years telling others they were important, that "God doesn't make junk!", here I am not believing it myself! Then today, a loving nudge through the Yahoo mailbox~God saying, 'you ARE important, your works ARE important, because I MADE YOU and you ARE a miracle of a creation'.

Thank you, Lord, for Your patience with me and for using today's chosen scripture from Heartlight to remind me that I need to practice what I preach. I promise to hold my head up higher and believe that I, too, could be President, or a doctor, or even just a volunteer, but that whatever I do, it will be to praise You, and to remember I am an awesome work of art. Your art.

Yay Huckabee! More Winter!!

Okay, so no one has commented on which blog they prefer. I am going to assume that it really doesn't matter to you and that it's now up to me as to which one I keep. I've also been playing around with another layout that I may put up for awhile. There are advantages to the three column but it can look confusing. To me, anyway.

We just heard that Romney has withdrawn! We liked him and would prefer him over McCain, but that means Huckabee is still in the running and we're so happy for that!! If you have a MySpace page, you can go to Huckabee's website and add him as a friend for updates, pledges, etc. Makes for good advertising, too, in case some of your friends are still undecided! I urge you to use your right as an American citizen and take a stand. Regardless what you think of my choice or I think of yours, we still need to be passionate of our system of free choice.

In other news, well, there isn't any. Both Johnny and I are still battling this coughing mess, headaches, and sneezing. It gets better, then it gets worse. Maybe if the weather would just stay one way for a week or so, we could get better-and stay that way!! Of course anyone that knows me, knows I just adore winter, so I'm voting for more cold weather!!!!

A practice blog~

I'd like for you to do something for me. Before I step out and change over to a new template, I'd like to get your ideas and suggetions! Please go to my new blog and tell me what you think!! Thanks Leah, for telling me of Teale. I've gathered from other comments that she is good with this sort of information, so I'll certainly keep her in mind if I need information on transferring the posts and pictures!!

I would love feedback on which blog you find easier on the eyes. Let me know which one you like!! Don't forget to vote Tuesday! Our household is voting Huckabee!! Please join us in prayer that God will bring the best man into office~

I Did It!!!

I did it, I did it, I finally finally did it!!! I've been wanting to expand into a three column blog without purchasing one, so I've Goggled and Goggled and read and read and finally!!! I was able to follow some directions and after much practice, I did it!!!!!! Yay, me!!! BUT now I don't know how to transfer all of my posts, widgets, pictures, and the like to the new format without losing them. Does anyone out there have any suggestons?? If it's a lengthy tale, then send an email at jandnhood@yahoo.com. I really really want to get it up and begin using it.

John and I are finally feeling somewhat human again. This coughing and hacking had just about gotten the better of us. My nose looked like Rudolph's by Friday morning. The medicine our doctor had me on created horrid tummy problems and nausea, so I decided to take myself off of it. (And John just had to make that sarcastic statement, "and just when did you get YOUR doctor's degree?!") But I am beginning to feel much better than I did this time last weekend. I hope your household is well, that all are happy, and that you feel extremely loved. Have a beautiful day of worship tomorrow~