Friendship...

Friends come and friends go. Each person you meet has the potential to be a friend. It could be the person next to you in the check out lane, or at the next gas pump. Maybe it's someone who hands you your dropped glove on the sidewalk, or someone online even. It could be your mail delivery person, or the bank teller. Maybe it's your best friends cousin, or and old friend from childhood's spouse. You never know who's going to be your next friend so be sure to always wear a smile when you meet someone new. Sometimes these friends become super close and sometimes they are here and gone. Even so each person that comes into our life does so with a purpose. Once that purpose is served they move on or you simply just move in different directions in life. The ones who are your friends for always are still in your life for a reason too. We don't always know what these reasons are, but there is a reason I assure you.

Sometimes friendships blow up or fizzle out in a bad way. In these cases, no matter how hard it is, it's sometimes better to end the friendship. "I'm sorry but I don't think I can be your friend anymore because our friendship is only hurting us both." Sometimes that's not always an option. You still see this person at social functions or smaller intimate gatherings. In these cases both parties just have to let everything go and be civil to each other. You don't have to pretend to best buds, the way it used to be, but you can just be civil and polite. It's called having class. A person with class can continue to socialize without making anyone in the room feel uncomfortable from tension.

Some friends are instantaneous friends. The moment you meet it feels as if you've known each other since you were in small pants. It's like you've been searching for this person forever without even knowing you were missing them, but once they are a part of your life you wonder how you ever survived without them. These are the friends you can go to with anything and not worry about being judged. These are the friends you should try your damnedest to never lose touch with no matter what direction life takes you both.

Sometimes a person is more of an acquaintance than they are a friend. Don't ever discount these people as not important, or classify them as "just someone I know" because you never know why they're in your life. Be grateful for those in your life, no matter who they are. And if you are in the belief that you have no friends and you are reading this, then I'm here to tell you that you DO have a friend. You have me. I will be your friend if you'll have me. All you have to do is say Hi.

Also remember, Friendship isn't about what a person can bring into your life but rather what you can bring to theirs, and if both people are willing to give to the other you can have something special.

I wish you all a wonderful week full of smiles, joy & lots of laughter!

Kisses
CoreyJo

Daily Thanks: Day 5...

Day 5: I'm thank for the kindness of others.
     I'm thankful to our friends the Olivers for allowing us to borrow their truck while my car was in the shop so that we could have a vehicle that would legally transport all four of us. Also it was kinda hard for me to get into the Sailors truck. There is no sidestep to help and with an 8" lift I kinda need a bit of help, especially with a bad knee and a halfway jacked up foot. So thank you very much for your kindness, my knee and foot thank you very much. Trick or Treating was also much easier with one vehicle rather than two.

Here is Kiera (7) hanging from the Sailors truck if that helps you to see how big it is. (i think the tires are 35's).

This is the truck the Olivers let us borrow. Yes it practically as tall if not as tall as the Sailors, but it holds all of us and it has a sidestep to help me when getting in. Thanks again guys!!

Kisses
CoreyJo

Daily Thanks...

Since today is the second day in November I'm post two things I'm thankful for, one for yesterday and one for today.

Day 1: I'm thankful for good car insurance.
     Two Sundays ago, on Maggie's birthday, we were on our way home from dinner out to celebrate her birthday and I hit a deer. Those of you who live in the area know of a little stretch of M43 called the Glendale Flats.... Yup!! I'm yet another victim of the Glendale Flats deer vs. auto jousting matches. However  we, the family & my car, did fare much better than the gigantic doe I T-Boned...  Finally I get to pick my car up from the body shop later today! Yay!!

Day 2: I'm thankful for amazing friends.
     One of my closest online friends, and closest friends to my heart, Rafa, wrote me a poem. He writes all the time. Things that are funny, silly and often a bit naughty. Sometimes he writes something that touches my Soul and stays there. This is one of those times. Not only does he write things, he creates beautiful pieces of art also. Sometimes from scratch, sometimes from altering & combining images. Every year about the time of Maggie Alice's birthday (10/21) and the anniversary of her death (10/30) he creates something special for me in honor or memory of her. This year my gift is a little bit different than previous years. It's more about the feelings of those of us left behind than it is of the one who has past. It's very soulful and touching. I don't know how he does it but yet again he has managed to capture all of my feelings and translate them into something magical and combine them with an image that is as beautiful as He and my Maggie Alice are.

Undaunting Grief

It's beautiful, it's soulful, and I love it. I can't thank you enough for always being there just when I need you whether I know I need you or not. You, Rafa, are and amazing friend. You will always have a special place in my heart. I am thankful that you are my friend. Love you & don't forget to SMILE!

Kisses
CoreyJo

p.s. to read more of Rafa's writing and see more of his amazing artwork follow this link to his blog, Ramblings From My Typer.

Time Flies!

     Time may not heal everything (as I discussed in a previous post), but is sure does fly. Like most of you, I cannot believe that it's already the second day of November, of the year 2012 at that! I remember being in school and have to change the date on my homework from 1989 to 1990 and thinking wow!! Then later in life when I had to start writing the year 2000 on my checks I thought to myself that if this feels weird for me what must it feel like for my aunts and uncles and grandparents? My grandparents were all born around 1919-1921. What must it be like to be born in an era when not everyone had automobiles. Some people still used horses & buggies, and the reason had nothing to do with their way of life, simply that the automobile hadn't quite eliminated horses as transportation yet. Some people didn't have electricity or running water yet. What must it be like to be born in a time period of transition from 100% man power to the ever increasing world of technology? If I thought it weird to change a number on my checks & papers they must be completely blown away with the way the world has changed in just one lifetime. As a kid watching movies and everyday television whenever they would mention the future, the year 2014 or 2053, I used to think nothing of it. As if it was future I would not be around to see. Then one day after having my first child I did the math to see how old I would be at the time of her graduation.... it will be WHAT year!! 2019 is the year my oldest is scheduled to graduate. Then I started thinking what year will it be when I'm at the retirement age of 65?  2045!!! Holy wow!! I live in the future!!! If I live to be at least 85, God willing, the year will be 2062!! Just thinking about how much technology has advanced in the 35 years I've been alive makes me wonder will we be living like the Jetson's before I pass on to a greater place?  Will life be like it was in the movie Demolition Man? With the speed in which technology advances everyday (faster each day at that) one never really can predict what life will be like in the next 50 years or even 10 years.

     The saying "Time flies when you're having fun" has been around probably for all of time it's self. I'm here to tell you that "time flies" even when you're not having fun. It's been 3 years now since Maggie Alice past and life has felt like it's been moving in slow motion. It has not been all sad times, but the majority of it was. In saying so it only makes sense that everyday it feels as if time is dragging on. Yet in reality time has sped by me at a rate that makes me dizzy just thinking about it. It's already the year 2012 and my children are in grades 6th & 2nd. Really? I'm almost 35 years old. My sister has just turned the age our mother was when she made her a first time grandmother at the age of 37. My twin nieces just turned 18, the age my mother was when she had my sister (older of course ;)  ).

     So I guess the saying could just be shortened to just "Time Flies", because really it does not matter if you're having fun or not. Now back to it being November 2nd....

     I'm noticing everyone on Facebook is putting a status a day up telling what they are thankful for that day. I'm guessing it's one way to embrace the real meaning of Thanksgiving, outside of pie that is. I wasn't informed of this, nor was I asked to participate in this (pouts). However I shall endeavor to do this once a day thankful post here on my blog as well as on FB. Now for those of you who are on my private fb and follow me here publicly you may find that from time to time some of these statuses won't match up. That's because I will be keeping things a bit more G-Rated for the blog, at least that's my goal. With me you never know what you're going to get.

     Now I'm not done with this never-ending post yet so I will post my Thankfulness on a separate post in a bit. First I want to give a shout out to a wonderful friend of mine.


Paul Atreides is an author and playwright, a very talented one if you ask me, and well you are on my blog so in a way you are asking me. And I say he's talented!! His stories have made me cry, laugh, and even cry from laughing. He's an amazing friend, always kind and thoughtful. Not to mention open minded and hilarious. He has a new web page I'd like to share with you. On his web page you will have access to his blog, short stories, sneek peeks of up coming publications, a bookstore and even some links to other wonderful writers.  His latest book, (Marvin’s) World of Deadheads, has just become released. I've read the sample pack for this book and I have to say I will definitely be rushing out (clicking buy on my Kindle) to get my copy of the full book. For more information On (Marvin's) World of Deadheads just click on this LINK. Please take a few moments to pop on over to Paul's web page and check everything out.

Paul Atreides, Author & Playwright

Paul, I love you and think the world of you. You are the best kind of friend a person could have. I wish you luck in all your endeavors. Never stop writing or believing in yourself. Much love to you!

Kisses

CoreyJo

Who would a thunk it??!

Seems I've been given an Award and tagged to play a little Q & A.  Yay!! The wonderful Becca from Everyday Life has chosen me as one of her eleven. Thank you Hon!!


Here are the rules:

Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
Answer the 11 questions the person giving the award has set for you.
Create 11 questions for the people you will be giving the award to.
Choose 11 people to award and send them a link to your post. Go to their page and tell them.
No tag backs.

11 Things about me:

~I'm addicted to taking photos with my phone.

~I'm sporadic at best when it comes to blog posts.

~I am the BIGGEST procrastinator you will ever meet.

~If I could live on a deserted Island with a shelter & unlimited sources of food I would be hard pressed to try to find a way home. I'd always be nekkid and spend my days swimming & sunning.

~I have been on the hunt for the perfect pillow for over 12 years, ever since my pillows didn't make the move to California successfully when I got married :(

~This summer I got caught by my neighbor, Earl, sunbathing topless on my back deck... more than once.

~My 7 year old told me my hugs are the best because I'm all "squishy like" and surprisingly it doesn't bother me....much.

~My dog has been my main source of entertainment for the last 10 months.

~I love techno music

~Even though I'm a stay at home mom/housewife, every year I try to convince the Sailor to let me hire a house keeper...

~I love to read, but I'm a sissy. I can only read scary books during the day...

My questions from Becca:

~What are you currently reading or would like to read?

     ~Flanked by Cat Johnson

~If you could have dinner with one person living or dead who would it be?

     ~My Maggie Alice of course.

~If you could go back in time to one day in your life which day would it be and why?

     ~I would go back to a couple of days before Maggie Alice died. The day all three girls and I were locked in the kitchen carving pumpkins for Halloween. Maggie was throwing the pumpkin guts around faster than I could fill the bowl. It was an amazing day all around.

~Long or Short hair?

     ~It doesn't really matter to me. I've had all. Currently I have very short hair. See Here or Here.

~Favorite cartoon as a kid?

     ~Smurfs

~Morning or night person?

     ~Definitely a night owl!

~If your life was a movie what would it be a comedy, drama, horror?

     ~A dramatic comedy with a few horror scenes tossed in here and there.

~If you found yourself pregnant at this moment would you want a boy or girl?

     ~I would hope for a boy only because I don't have one, but I would love & accept it whatever the sex.

~Hit shuffle on your iPod or if you don't own one turn on the radio and name the first song that plays?

     ~Forever by Medina

~If you were a singer and had to pick a duet partner who would it be and why?

     ~Bruno Mars. He's an amazing artist who has a proven talent for collaborations.

~Name the last movie you watched be it on TV or in the theater?

     ~Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

My 11 questions for you:

~What are your favorite shoes and why?

~What's the #1 website you buy stuff from and what is your favorite item?

~As you read this, what is the first memory you have from your childhood?

~If you had to enter the witness protection program and could choose your new name what would it be?

~If you could be or do anything in the world (career wise) what would you/it be and why?

~You receive an unexpected package in the mail. Who would you want it to be from, and what would you hope to be in it?

~What do you think your wardrobe says about your personality?

~If you could change one thing about the town you live in, or near, what would it be and why?

~If you and your closest friends (in real life or online) were a gang, what would be your Gang Name be, and what would your nickname in the gang be?

~At what age did you realize that "growing up" wasn't what you thought it would be?

~If you and I were to hang out what would we do & where?

So there you have it. Probably more than you wanted to know about me, but hey what ever!! Now I know I'm supposed to tag 11 people for this, but quite frankly I don't know 11 bloggers here well enough to tag. So here is what I am going to do. If you are reading this (I Love You) and you want to participate please snag the award (all of you deserve it), post it on your blog and follow the instructions. Please let me know if you do decide to play along, I would love to see what your answers are. Otherwise you can just answer the questions here in the comments, send me an email at coreyjo77@gmail.com if you'd like to not be public, or ignore the follow up all together. Either way thank you for stopping by and visiting me & my crazy blog.

Love ♥ Huggs

CoreyJo 

p.s. Who would I be if I didn't post at least one photo? :))


This first one is a photo collage of one of my mornings last week.

This is a photo collage of a my view as I drive the girls to school each day.

Poetry & Pictures...

Fairies dance among the 

tears of the moon

as the golden 

sun kisses the morning.

Mother Nature breathes a 

sigh of awakening

as Father Time lays to 

rest another day.

                  

                                                 ~CoreyJo

Natures kiss gleams bright

As fingers of gold caress

Luminous dew drops

                                                         

                                                            ~CoreyJo

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love ♥ Huggs

CoreyJo

And the winner is...

It's always exciting to win things. It doesn't matter what they are. If they're expensive, or only cost a dollar. It's the thrill of knowing that for what ever reason your name was picked. I guess for me the joy of being picked comes from when I was growing up and always fearing that I would be picked last. Oh I know NOW that someone has to be picked last and that it's not necessarily a bad thing, but that doesn't mean that I knew that as a child. Also being the youngest in our house meant that you usually were last at most things, either because the others were stronger or faster, or just because that's the way it was. So for me having my name picked, whether through chance or merit, is always a thrill for me.

Twice now I've won cd's in raffles held by a fellow bloggers. It was such a thrill to get a package in the mail. Thanks to Becca & Mistress Maddie I now have 2 new amazing cd's, a new eye liner & a new found love for Gin (the latter two were bonus gifts courtesy of the mistress ♥).  Now there's another raffle being held by the wonderful Becca over at Everyday Life. You better hurry on over and get your entry in, this one's going to be very popular.

This raffle is for a "Date Night Package", sponsored by KY brand personal lubricants, including:

• Premium intimacy enhancement products 
• A voucher for $10 off movie tickets for two
• $25 voucher for Restaurants.com

Now that's a prize worth entering for! It's simple, it's quick, and it's free! Don't miss out on this one ladies & gents. Head over to Everyday Life now and enter your name.

Love ♥ Huggs
CoreyJo

Tissue Time...

Grab a tissue, your coffee and a bun or muffin, and pull up a seat for today's ride down emotional lane.

It's been a tough couple of weeks emotionally. I wouldn't have made it through this tough time had it not been for   my family and friends.   I have the best friends a woman could ask for. Whenever I needed a shoulder to cry on there were many to choose from. Whenever I needed a kick in the arse there were many a feet willing. Most of all whenever I needed someone to just listen there was always an ear to listen accompanied with a hug. A few of those friends went the extra mile to comfort me. With pokes, pinches, huggs & kisses some made me smile and feel the warmth of friendship. Some with just their company, or a bottle (or three) of wine & laughter. Others were practical and reminded me that it's okay to feel this way. It's okay to still need to cry and scream once in a while over the pain of the void in my life. One said friend also reminded me of this:

"Little Maggie came and brought a lot of joy and hapiness. She has become a little light that brings people together to share friendship and love in the name of her sweet personality. She came to give all of us a message. She came to remind us something we were not really paying attention to anymore. Once her job was done, it was time for her to go!"

I must never forget this, thank you for not letting me forget.  

Maggie loved in such a complete and unconditional way that anyone who met her was a better person for having done so. I believe she came into our lives to teach us how to love, and to remember what's important in life. I also believe that her death, and the pain felt because of it, were necessary for me/us to learn from her. She taught me that the way we treat others directly affects the way in which we are treated. That life is too short to not enjoy each day, and each person to the fullest. Also that just because the odds are against you doesn't mean that you can't overcome an obstacle or situation. She taught me what Love was really about. Because of her I've learned how to love my husband, my children, family & friends in a way I didn't, or couldn't, before her. I owe to her my ability to appreciate life and my ability to love all of you unconditionally.

Another friend wrote a poem for me about Maggie. He claims they are my words as I described them to him. I may have told him the stories of fading giggles and blurred glimpses out of the corner of my eyes, but he made my musings into magic. My sister, Valisatie said this to him:

 "Yes my sister can paint a picture with her words - be it good or bad. (Love ya Sis & you know it to be true)
With that being said, for you to turn what she described into poetry so beautiful & accurate that it cannot be described with mere words, only felt with the heart, is a talent all its own."

I agree whole heartedly. I would like to share with you his words. My dear friend Rafa left me this poem as his comment on a previous post.

Margaret Alice:

Pitter patter, through the halls

Pitter patter, I hear your calls

A giggle here

A whisper there

Search the house, you're EVERYWHERE!

I feel you when I lay me down

I touch you when I sleep

Yet when I wake with morning's light

I try and try with all my might

To hear your pitter patter

To track where you once were

To find that bit of glimmer

That once shone in my eyes

I know you're all around me

Shining bright and strong

I feel you tugging at me

Wanting to bring me near

So you can whisper something

Before you disappear

I try to hold you tight

You slip right through my fingers

Then off with pitter patter everywhere you go

RafaDe

Still the words escape me to fully express my feelings about this poem other than Simply Magic. I will treasure and cherish this for the rest of my days. Thank you my Darling Rafa.


It's amazing what my life is like. Growing up I never pictured myself having a family and being a stay at home mom. Sure I planned on getting married. After feeling so alone for most of my life I knew I wanted someone who would love me for me, Not because they had to, but because they wanted to. Someone I could trust to always be there for me. I thought maybe I'll have a kid in my mid 30's. Never did I imagine I would meet and fall in love, to the point of no return, at the age of 22 and start a family at 23. I'm about to turn 34 here soon and I look at my life with wonder & amazment. I'm simply amazed at the path my life has taken and think to myself would I do it differently, any of it?  No, I wouldn't. If I did I might not have gotten the chance to snag the most wonderful man in the world. I might not have had my children. I might not have made friends with the many people whom I'm proud to call my friends. I might not have had the honor to have my life blessed by the most precious Angel ever. It's because of the love that Maggie taught me that I am able to look at my life and be able to appreciate what it was, what it is, and what it may become.

It's because of Maggie that I met Rafa, and in turn became a fellow blogger & devoted follower of my online friends and their blogs. It's because of the dinners, emails, phone calls, pinches & pokes, visits, and words of encouragement & sympathy from all of my friends and family, off line and online that I have been able to cope with the many pitfalls life has put in my path the last couple of years. It's to all of you that I send my gratitude and many Thanks. Without all of you in my life to keep me grounded I probably would have lost touch with reality a long time ago.

I wasn't exactly sure which direction this post was going to go when I started it. I knew I wanted to give my many thanks and show my appreciation to my family and friends, the rest just sort of came pouring out. I know it's hard to follow my wandering mind sometimes, so if you're still here, I thank you.  Hopefully now with Maggie's birthday and the anniversary of her death behind us for the next year things will get back to normal in my life and on the blog. However with Jason on nights for the next month who knows what's going to happen.

Again thank you all, for everything, and now for some photos. I know I kind of missed the fall colors this year. Sorry about that. Here is another photo of the maple tree in my front yard. It was a Mothers day gift from all three girls 3 years ago. Here it's about half way turned, in color.

Thanks to my friend, Amber, who is always thinking of me. I have a photo of what my tree would have looked like in full color if I had remembered to take a picture. This is her tree, but it's the same kind as mine I do believe.

Here's the sunrise from yesterday. Very golden, made me think of India. The sultry weather and all of the beautiful gold jewelry the people wear.

When I took the sunrise photos I noticed all the frost on the ground and decided to go check out the back yard. The first photo is of the neighbors tree frosted over with the sunrise lighting it up. The second photo is of our back yard. The sun is only touching the trees, it hasn't yet risen high enough to touch the ground.

There was one last rose that was trying desperately to hang onto life.

Everything was so beautiful with it's layer of frost.

Today's sunrise was incredible. It started out with an orange horizon and deep purple clouds above. My camera today just didn't want to co-operate so forgive me for any blurriness in the photos. It also wouldn't capture the colors until they had changed to the following.

It was the coolest thing ever. The sky was full of all these brilliant colors and the whole time they changed and transformed, as the sun rose, you could see this beam of light shooting straight up from where the sun was hiding just below the horizon.

It's mornings like these that I wonder what my friend, TICKLEBEAR , is going to capture with his camera. That and it's an amazing way to start a day.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day, it's Hump Day!! Half way to the weekend. Enjoy the day and be happy.

Huggs ♥ Love
CoreyJo

...

This weekend went well. Chinese for dinner on Friday, and cupcakes for Maggie's birthday.  We released balloons on Saturday morning with messages of love and birthday wishes from all of us written on them. Company came over Saturday afternoon. All in all it was a good weekend with good food, delicious wine (lots of it), and the best friends a girl could ask for. Thanks everyone for helping to make our weekend wonderful, and for celebrating the beautiful Soul that is Maggie Alice. Love you Monkey♥

As you can see by the first photo I did not make this years cupcakes. It was too hard last year and I really wanted to avoid crying into cake batter this year. I wasn't all that impressed by these so next year I'm either finding a better bakery or I'm going to make my own sans the tears.

Because it was raining so much last week I really don't have very many nice photos to show you so here are some taken in Iowa by my sister in-law on the theie way home from our house to theirs in Nebraska.

I can't remember if this next one was from Kristen, or my friend Melissa. I do believe it's one of Mel's photos from here in Michigan. I know the fall colors is Mel's though.



Lastly since I don't have any new pretty flower photos from my yard here are some photos a friend sent to me not too long ago. Thank you Pat. You're a wonderful friend and person. You always know just how to brighten my day. ♥

Thank you to everyone who left comments on the last post and who wrote emails. Your love was much needed and much appreciated.

Hopefully I'll have more to blog about this week. For now, I'm off to the dentist to get some repair work done on the work that the last dentist messed up. Wish me Luck!!

Wishing all of you a wonderful week.

Love ♥ Huggs

CoreyJo

Friends

I have to admit I have some pretty awesome friends. Old and new a like. One of them I've know since my first day of Kindergarten. Some for 15-20 years. Some of them only a few months. Some I've never even met face to face. No matter how, or for how long, I've known them, I cherish each and every one of them for the loving, caring, and most times funny, souls they are.  They have been there for me through thick and thin. They have helped to pull me back from the edge when it seemed all was lost. I always have a grand time when I'm with them. And sometimes they just KNOW with only a look or a few words. I only hope that I am as good a friend to all of them as they have been to me.

What prompted this post was a text I received yesterday from one of the very best people I know. It simply stated, "For you :)" and attached was this photo.

This is taken from the front steps of a local church over looking Lake Michigan. Look close and you'll see the beautiful Rainbow. To me that's the best kind of friend. One who will take a moment out of their busy day to send you a beautiful photo they took, along with a smile, just because. Thank you! I love you!

Then again today I got a couple of more texts with photos from another friend. Only this time they were from 30,000 feet in the air. The first one said this: "I know how u like your sunrises! Here it is at 30,000 feet. Somewhere in the middle of CA."

So beautiful. Thank you! I love you too!


The next photo is at sunset Monday night. Looking East just after the storm clouds passed over. Just look how fast the leaves are changing.

This is the same sunset looking West just a few moments later as more clouds were rolling in.

This one's not as colorful. Even so, it's just as beautiful. This is Tuesday night.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed the beautiful photos as much as I did.

Wishing you a wonderful day with lots of laughter & smiles.

Huggs,
CoreyJo
♥