Still learning in 2004

Hi everyone, I am still learning as it's 2004. I am leaving tonight to go to Indiana for the holidays. The holidays are going to be interesting because we are penniless...so please pray for my family. Here are some more learning experiences:

1. Never underestimate the power of a good photo! Always take pictures at every available moment because those are what you hold on to in times of trouble!

2. Christmas is never about presents. Even if there is none under the tree, it still feels great to know you'll be eating your mamas cooking and playing board games with your crazy sisters!

3. A gift as simple as a homemade cd can make someone smile if they really love you!

4. Wind chimes are one of the prettiest sounds at a cemetary because they are the only thing that reminds you..you are alive.

5. Your real friends are the ones who will take you to the airport and pick you back up!

6. When the world walks out on you, the best friends will have a drink with you!

7. You can learn to do anything, it's just it is not always that fun.

8. Just when you think someone forgot about you, they didn't!

9. The biggest moments of your life can be captured by just closing your eyes and forcing yourself to make a memory. You can go there again anytime if you use this method.

10. The holidays are harder when you have lost your grandparents. They are the best people to keep Christmas happy!

11. There is nothing good about Christmas Eve being your death date.

12. Morphine patches are a new drug craze and they kill people!

13. I have learned all of the belts in Karate and quite a few other tidbits of knowledge about the art of Karate and Christopher and Joel are both doing it :)

14. The word Joel literally makes me smile from ear to ear...I don't usually notice..others do!

15. You should never let someone else determine your morality but do things because you believe them and find out why you believe them. (Thanks for that one Joel)

16. Journaling is one of the most therapeutic things anyone can do. It releases all of your pent up feelings and completely helps you to not have to disclose everything to actual people.

17. I like things that I thought I never would like. I have turned over a new leaf in being experimental.

18. There are few people who I want to be around a lot ...when I find those people, I should back off and give them space in order to understand their merit in my life.

19. The cell phone has a time and a place to be turned off. Some of those places are obvious like a funeral but others are not so obvious but essential like when spending time with a person you love a lot and don't get to hang with very often.

20. The best calls are never expected but come when you think the person has forgotten you are alive. HE didn't forget! :)

Well, that's today's learning experiences. I am getting ready to get on a plane and head to Southern Indiana for 11 days. Please pray for Safety in my travels and for a good holiday with my fam. Indiana now has 2 feet of snow so I am looking forward to some snow angels, snow men, snowballs, and cabin fever. I will take pictures and load them onto the web-site. I have new pictures today of Joel and Gavin. I will be loading those on in Indiana. Have a great Christmas Eve Eve and I will hopefully write tomorrow as well. Much love and ~Shalom~