For those of you who missed it, I am a quote freak!! I am not exaggerating one bit either. It's kinda sad. I can't read a book, watch a movie, or even watch Oprah without thinking to myself, 'What a great quote' and then proceeding to scramble for my 'quote journal'. (I told you it was sad!!)

I was looking through my quotes yesterday, re-reading some of them, knowing exactly where the ones that I want to read are, when I read this one...

All the best love stories have one thing in common.

You have to go against all odds to get there.

It's the fight that makes it all worth it.

I saw this quote online a while back. I have yet to figure out who penned it. I love it though. It automatically makes me think of Romeo and Juliet, Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy, Catherine and Heathcliff, Lancelot and Guinevere, and of course, more modernly, Edward and Bella.

I just think this quote is beautiful though and so true.

We all appreciate the things that we work for, not those that are handed to us...

I got an award! Wonders never cease!! HaHa I am so surprised that Tabitha thought of me. I would have been the last person that I thought of!!

Tabitha is a wonderful, beautiful young woman! I am proud that I have the opportunity to know her. She is wonderful with children, mine included!! She is also very talented, check out her blog for her pictures. I am sad that she is going to be moving away again. Thank you so much Tab for thinking of me!!

Now...who am I gonna nominate??

Rosanne and Cynthia (even though they have both been nominated already). There is no way I could do this post without mentioning them. These two women I look up to immensely. They love my children unconditionally. They have helped and influenced me in ways they will never know. In my mind they are just wonderful!! I secretely wish I could be half the mothers that they are. I feel very blessed that I can call them my friends.

Joy Tubb of Simply Joy Catering. She is a wonderful woman also. She is very active with her church, loves to help people, and is always in a good mood it seems!! I am greatful that she has been placed in my life.

Tabetha Sullens. I have only known Tab about a year now I guess. Even so, I can tell what a wonderful friend and mother she is!! She is also very talented and crafty (check out her blog). I never expected a friendship to form when I met her.

Amanda. What can I say about her?? I have known her for over 14 years. I am proud to call her one of my best friends. She knows things about me that no one else knows. I can tell her anything. She loves my children and I love hers. Even though we aren't related, we are family.

These are the rules:

1. The recipient must link back the the awards creator

2. You must post these rules if you receive the award.

3. You must choose 5 people to receive the award after receiving it yourself.

4. You must fit the characteristics of the recipient of the award.

5. You must post the characteristics of a recipient.

6. You must create a post sharing your win with others.

7. You must thank your giver.

Characteristics for the Smile Award:

Must display a cheerful attitude. (not necessarily at all times--we are all human)

Must love one another

Must make mistakes

Must learn from others

Must be a positive contributor to blog world

Must love life

Must love kids

Conflict

I know I am probably going off the deep-end here. I have been reading these books, Twilight and New Moon by Stephanie Meyer. You know...everyone is in love with Edward Cullen. Yeah well that includes me! Ha! Me in love with a 17 year old vampire...who would have thought?? [I'm getting off subject though.]

These books, being about vampires and such, have really made me start thinking about the good/evil conflict that goes on around us. Really in everything we do. Edward is supposedly evil since he is a vampire, but chooses to do good. I think everyone is in that same situation...no not the whole vampire-thing! Don't we all have choices to make every day that determines whether we are good or not?? And I am talking about tiny, miniscule things also, smiling at a stranger, holding open a door for someone, etc etc.

I consider myself a good person, but what if I'm not?? Obviously, I'm not gonna kill anyone, or kidnap a baby, or burn down a house...but what about the little things?? Do I ignore them too much??

I am grateful that this series has given me something besides butterflies in my stomach!! I am definitely working on the little things now. I always want to strive to be a better person, but sometimes I think I get stagnant and don't progress in that area. But then again, don't we all??

Hell Explained by a Chemistry Student

I hope no one gets offended by this but I thought it was hilarious!! It was sent to me by a girl that I used to babysit when I was a teenager. She is a student at UT and I am so proud of her! (But that's beside the point!!)


HELL EXPLAINED BY A CHEMISTRY STUDENT
The following is an actual question given on a University of Washington Chemistry midterm. The answer by one student was so 'profound' that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well:

Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?

Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant.

One student, however, wrote the following:

First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving.
As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Most of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially.

Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added.

This gives two possibilities: 1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the Rate at which souls enter Hell, and then the Temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose. 2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.

So which is it? If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my Freshman year that, 'It will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you,' and take into account the fact that I slept with her last night, then number two must be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and has already frozen over. The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it follows that it is not accepting any more souls
And is therefore, extinct......leaving only Heaven, thereby proving the existence of a divine being which explains why, last night, Teresa kept shouting 'Oh my God.'

THIS STUDENT RECEIVED AN A+.

We will never forget...

With all that has been going on, I had totally forgotten today's date! I turned on the tv to see what was on the news this morning, and was suddenly reminded. I felt like I needed to post something as a reminder.

I was actually in bed when I heard the world trade center had been hit. I was working 2nd shift at Walmart and didn't go to bed until late the night before. When I heard it on the radio, I thought the guys on the radio were telling a story or joke or something...then the reality hit. I had classes at Motlow, which was why the alarm/radio was going off in the first place. I went on to school, where we proceeded to do nothing but watch the tv in my first class. The teacher in my second class finally sent us home. We didnt have a tv at home at the time, so I spent the rest of the day at my in-laws house watching the horror unfold.

I will never forget the sickening feeling that I felt that day, the sadness that I felt for those who were in the buildings and also for their families and loved ones. I also felt much pride for those who gave their lives for others, and continue to do so. Many heroes were created that day.

I just want to say thank you to all the emergency personel that risked their lives, those that chose to sacrifice themselves in the Pennsylvania field, those that volunteered their time to search for survivors, and especially the many troops that are serving overseas, as well as those that have come home already.

To be the mother...

I found this on Paula Wanamaker's blog a while back. I have been saving it for the right time, I guess. Well today is that day. It is a beautiful piece. I'm not sure who wrote it, I evidently didn't copy that part. It brought me to tears, and does each time I read it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit.
This year, nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of disabled children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of disabled children, or special needs children are chosen?
Somehow I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to make notes in a giant ledger.
"Armstrong, Beth, son, patron saint, Matthew. Forrest, Marjorie, daughter, patron saint, Cecilia."
"Rudledge, Carrie, twins, patron saint...give her Gerald. He's used to profanity."
Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child."
The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."
"Exactly," says God. "Could I give a handicapped child a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."
"But has she patience?" asks the angel.
"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it.
I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has his own world. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."
"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."
God smiles, "No matter. I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness."
The angel gasps, "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"
God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a "spoken" word.' She will never consider a "step" ordinary. When her child says, "Momma" for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or a sunset to her blind child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations.
I will permit her to see clearly the things I see....ignorance, cruelty, prejudice....and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."
"And what about her patron saint?" asks the angel, pen poised in midair.
God smiles. " A mirror will suffice.":)