Kat Talk

On Gratitude

2007-08-03T09:50:00.000-04:00

By Oprah Winfrey~

I live in the space of thankfulness - and I have been rewarded amillion times over for it. I started out giving thanks for smallthings, and the more thankful I became, the more my bounty increased.That's because what you focus on expands, and when you focus on the goodness in your life, you create more of it. Opportunities, relationships, even money flowed my way when Ilearned to be grateful no matter what happened in my life. 'Say thank you!'

Those words from my friend and mentor Maya Angelou turned my life around. One day about ten years ago, I was sitting in my bathroom with the door closed and the toilet lid down, booing
and a hooing on the phone so uncontrollably that I was incoherent.'Stop it! Stop it right now and say thank you!' Maya chided.

'But you don't understand,' I sobbed.

To this day, I can't remember what it was that had me so far gone, which only proves the point Maya was trying to make. 'I do understand,' she told me. 'I want to hear you say it now. Out loud 'Thank you.'' Tentatively, I repeated it:'Thank you - but what am I saying thank you for?''

'You're saying thank you,' Maya said, 'because your faith is so strong that you don't doubt that whatever the problem, you'll getthrough it. You're saying thank you because you know that even in the eye of the storm, God has put a rainbow in the clouds.

You're saying thank you because you know there's no problem created that can compare to the Creator of all things.'

'Say thank you!' So I did - and still do.

Only now I do it every day. I kept a gratitude journal! , as Sarah Ban Breathnach suggests in Simple Abundance, list at least five things that I'm grateful for.

My list includes small pleasures: the feel of Kentucky bluegrass under my feet (like damp silk); a walk in the woods with all nine of my dogs and my cocker spaniel Sophie trying to keep up; cooking fried green tomatoes with Stedman and eating them while they're hot; reading a good book and knowing another awaits.

My thank-you list also includes things too important to take for granted: an 'okay' mammogram, friends who love me, 25 years at the same job (and loving it more than the first day I started), a chance to share my vision for a better life, staying centered, having financial security.

I won't kid you, having money for all the things I want is a blessing. But as I look back over my journals, which I've kept since I was 15 years old, 99 percent of what brought me real joy had nothing to do with money. (It had a lot to do with food, however.)

It's not easy being grateful all the time. But it's when you feel least thankful that you are most in need of what gratitude can give you: PERSPECTIVE. Just knowing you have that daily list to complete allows you to look at your day differently, with an awareness of every sweet gesture and kind thought passed your way. When you learn to say thank you, you see the world anew.

And as Meister Eckhart so eloquently stated: 'If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is 'Thank you God', that would suffice.

Article re: Food For The Poor

2007-07-20T13:22:00.000-04:00

Teaching Haitians to feed themselves for a lifetime—Food For The Poor brings modern fishing technology to primitive Haitian villages

COCONUT CREEK— Destitute fishermen in Haiti who once struggled to feed their children can now catch 300 to 400 pounds of fish per day, thanks to a recent gift of state-of-the-art fishing equipment from Food For The Poor.

“They only want a better life for their children. These fishermen used to row leaky boats a few hundred feet from shore and catch fish you could fit into a small aquarium. Now they’re hauling in hundreds of pounds of queen snapper that can feed a small village,” said Robin Mahfood, president and CEO of Food For The Poor Inc., Florida’s largest charitable organization.

The South Florida charity installed three model fishing villages in impoverished communities on Haiti’s north coast in May. Poor fishermen were outfitted with everything needed to catch deep-sea fish such as queen snapper, kingfish and yellow-eye snapper. Each fishing village received four 24-foot fiberglass boats with outboard engines, 100-quart coolers, safety equipment, a locked shed for equipment storage, global positioning system (GPS) fish finders and kerosene freezers to store catches and sell them to local markets.

The villages were funded by generous donations from churches and donors in the United States. Food For The Poor also mapped the coastline of Haiti to find the best fishing areas and trained the fishermen on how to use the GPS systems and market their catches. Each boat is commanded by one captain and up to five men or women. Like crop rotation taught to farmers, the fishermen were trained to prevent over-fishing and depletion of fish stock.

Mahfood explained that the fishermen are required to contribute a minimum of 5 percent of their catches to feed the community’s poorest residents and are also responsible for training the younger men and women so they can pass along the new fishing skills on to the next generation. Food For The Poor’s staff in Haiti monitors all of the fishing villages.

The poorest country in the Western hemisphere, Haitians lose one out of three children to the deadly effects of malnutrition, according to the United Nations.Food For The Poor started humanitarian aid in Haiti in 1985. The third largest relief and international development organization in the nation, Food For The Poor works in 16 countries across the Caribbean and Latin America. Since 1982, they have provided clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and emergency relief to the poorest of the poor across these countries. More than 96 percent of all donations to the organization go directly to programs that help the poor.

For more information, please visit the charity’s website at http://www.foodforthepoor.org/.

The Reading of Psalm 23

2007-07-05T09:20:00.000-04:00

There was once a Shakespearean actor who was known
everywhere for his one-man show of readings and
recitations from the classics. He would always end his
performance with a dramatic reading of Psalm 23. Each
night, without exception, as the actor began his
recitation -- "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not
want" -- the crowd would listen attentively. And then,
at the conclusion of the psalm, they would rise in
thunderous applause in appreciation of the actor's
incredible ability to bring the verse to life.

But one night, just before the actor was to offer his
customary recital of Psalm 23, a young man from the
audience spoke up. "Sir, do you mind, if tonight, I
recite Psalm 23?"

The actor was quite taken aback by this unusual
request, but he allowed the young man to come forward
and to stand front and center on the stage to recite
the psalm, knowing that the ability of this unskilled
youth would be no match for his own talent. With a
soft voice, the young man began to recite the words of
the psalm. When he was finished, there was no
applause. There was no standing ovation as on other
nights. All that could be heard was the sound of
weeping. The audience had been so moved by the young
man's recitation that every eye was full of tears.
Amazed by what he had heard, the actor said to the
youth, "I don't understand. I have been performing
Psalm 23 for years. I have a lifetime of experience
and training, but I have never been able to move an
audience as you have tonight. Tell me, what is your
secret?"

The young man humbly replied, "Well, sir, you know the
psalm ... but I know The Shepherd."

It really makes a difference.

Author Unknown
Jeremiah 24:7 "I will give them a heart to know me,
that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will
be their God, for they will return to me with all
their heart."

It's Done!!!!

2007-06-15T15:34:00.000-04:00

After many attempts, lots of frustration, and a lot of prayer (thank you, everyone)...

MY HOUSE HAS FINALLY SOLD!!!

I couldn't be happier! I feel as if a weight has lifted off my shoulders. The millstone is no longer around my neck!

Praise God!!!!!

Can You Sleep When the Wind Blows?

2007-06-11T13:11:00.000-04:00

Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic
seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands.
Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the
Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged
across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings
and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for
the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.
Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age,
approached the farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the
farmer asked him.

"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the
little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the
farmer, desperate for help, hired him.
The little man worked well around the farm, busy from
dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the
man's work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from
offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a
lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's
sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled,
"Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before
they blow away!"

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No
sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."
Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to
fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to
prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered
that all of the haystacks had been covered with
tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens
were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The
shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied
down. Nothing could blow away.

The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant,
so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind
blew.

MORAL: When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally,
and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you
sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired
hand in the story was able to sleep because he had
secured the farm against the storm.
We, as believers in Christ, secure ourselves against
the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word
of God. We don't need to understand, we just need to
hold His hand to have peace in the midst of the
storms.

Luke 8:22-25 "One day Jesus said to His disciples,
‘Let’s go over to the other side of the lake’. So they
got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, He fell
asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the
boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
The disciples went and woke Him, saying, ‘Master,
Master, we’re going to drown!’ He got up and rebuked
the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided,
and all was calm. ‘Where is your faith?’ He asked His
disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one
another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds and
the water, and they obey Him.’"

New York Event

2007-05-15T10:04:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to let everyone know about Food For The Poor's next event in New York City. Please visit the New York City Event website.

Homesick

2007-05-12T20:19:00.000-04:00

It's amazing how time flies when you are busy and living in paradise ;) I love my new home state -- the weather really suits me. I feel spoiled by the year-round warmth and I don't miss the changing of the seasons. I loved being on my back patio Christmas morning, soaking in the morning sun. And every chance I get, I spend my mornings out on the patio with my coffee and a good book -- my Bible, a novel, study materials, whatever. I really enjoy my job and feel like I'm making a difference. I can't really imagine moving back to Ohio right now (or maybe ever).

But, I miss everyone so much. This Sunday is Mother's Day and I won't be with my mom. I just received an evite for my youngest nephew's 1st birthday party which I won't be home for. He's not going to grow up knowing me the way my other neices and nephews do. I miss my family to the point of heartache. And I miss my friends -- girls' night, coffee at Starbuck's, having a good cry or laughing until your sides hurt, planning showers/parties together, all of it!

I've met good people down here and I get along with all of the women in my department at work (which is such a relief after the stressful job I left in Ohio). I've attended a couple of churches. But no really good "bosom friends," yet.

I go home in August. I really can't wait!

what was accomplished?

2007-05-07T21:32:00.000-04:00

we had a busy weekend, but we didn't "do" much...

saw spider-man 3, went to sears, macy's, jc penney's, sam's club, publix, best buy (a lot of shopping, and no, we don't have a lot of money as my sil quipped, just needed a lot of things -- plus, we didn't find everything we were looking for so we had to go to a bunch of places searching for the same thing), laundry, cooked out last night, etc.

but we talked a lot and spent time together -- so we "accomplished" having a good friendship!

it was a really good weekend :)

The "Season"

2007-04-29T10:04:00.000-04:00

The social season in Palm Beach and Boca Raton is over for the summer. For the first couple months of the year, I was entrenched in our annual fundraising galas -- planning, executing, and post-event paperwork. In the midst of that, our other event coordinator quit and I had to take over the event she was planning -- a 3-mile walkathon. That event went well and it was fun, but boy am I glad it's over :) Now, I'm working on an event in New York City in June, one in Rockford, IL in August, our annual gala in Boca in February, and an event in Atlanta in May. Plus, I'm developing a business plan for doing eBay auctions. It's a great place to fundraise for charities, but I have to convince the president of Food For The Poor that it will work for us. And on top of everything else, my boss has been on jury duty for over a month and I've been doing her job.

We did hire another coordinator -- yea! She's really great and I love working with her. Her name is Rachel. Not only do we get along great, but we've joined LA Fitness with another co-worker, Gigi. It is so helpful to have motivation and support in getting to the gym 3-4 times each week. I feel great -- still haven't lost the weight that I want to, but I know it is good for my heart, that I'm building muscle, and that eventually I'll be in the shape I want to be. Plus, it's fun. I go to a class called Latin Impact every Thursday. Wow, can that girl move her hips and her butt in ways that I never thought possible ;)

I hope to be back to blogging regularly now. I've missed everyone!!!

A Very Merry Christmas

2006-12-26T09:38:00.000-05:00

So, with all of our expenses this year -- the wedding, the move, the car -- we decided not to buy gifts for each other. We planned on having breakfast souffle (a tradition from both of our families) and enjoying the day together. Besides missing my family, there are so many things to be grateful for and we both decided that there was nothing that we 'needed' besides each other to have a wonderful Christmas. However, there was one thing that I wanted this year -- a Christmas tree. Because of my upbringing, we didn't celebrate Christmas until I was a teenager. So, when I moved out on my own, I just didn't see the need for a tree, especially when I was living by myself. But this year, I wanted to start new traditions with my hubbie. But, because of the the aforementioned expenses, I just couldn't bring myself to buy a tree and all the trimmings. I don't own any ornaments or lights or anything.

Imagine my surprise when I woke up Christmas morning and there was a sparkly tree in my dining room and a gift from my husband underneath it -- a beautiful silver bracelet. Words cannot describe how touched I was!!!

I didn't even feel like a dork for not getting anything for him. I could tell that it meant a lot for him to do this for me -- and to pull off the surprise. I'm too observant and (thankfully) he's no good at lying to me :)

Monday Madness

2006-12-11T09:46:00.000-05:00

1. What song gives you the most holiday cheer? I love the carols, especially Hark the Herald, O Come, All Ye Faithful, Emmanuel, We Three Kings
2. Who is the hardest person to shop for on your holiday list? my husband
3. When do you start your holiday shopping? usually I shop early (like August), but this year I haven't even started, yet
4. What food or drink do you love when it's cold out? (Recipes andrecommendations, please!) hot chocolate, hot cider
5. What do you do to get rid of a cold or flu? lots of rest and fluids

To participate: Monday Madness

Ring Them Bells - by Bob Dylan

2006-12-08T09:27:00.000-05:00

Ring them bells, ye heathen
From the city that dreams,
Ring them bells from the sanctuaries
Cross the valleys and streams,
For they're deep and they're wide
And the world's on its side
And time is running backwards
And so is the bride.

Ring them bells St. Peter
Where the four winds blow,
Ring them bells with an iron hand
So the people will know.
Oh it's rush hour now
On the wheel and the plow
And the sun is going down
Upon the sacred cow.

Ring them bells Sweet Martha,
For the poor man's son,
Ring them bells so the world will know
That God is one.
Oh the shepherd is asleep
Where the willows weep
And the mountains are filledWith lost sheep.

Ring them bells for the blind and the deaf,
Ring them bells for all of us who are left,
Ring them bells for the chosen few
Who will judge the many when the game is through.
Ring them bells, for the time that flies,
For the child that cries
When innocence dies.

Ring them bells St. Catherine
From the top of the room,
Ring them from the fortress
For the lilies that bloom.
Oh the lines are long
And the fighting is strong
And they're breaking down the distance
Between right and wrong.

Copyright © 1989 Special Rider Music

::choosing::

2006-11-30T10:46:00.000-05:00

I had already begun "choosing" earlier this week, but I was inspired by Sam's blog.

I am choosing to believe that God is going to provide.

I am choosing to expect the release of our inheritance.

I am choosing to not worry.

I am choosing to be thankful for all the blessings that I already have.

I am choosing to rejoice instead of fretting.

I choose to live!!!

prayer needed

2006-11-28T14:45:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I know I was sooooo happy to go to Cleveland. It was good to be 'home'!!! It made me miss my family even more, but it was worth it. I know that Florida is my new home, but part of my heart will always belong to Cleveland -- and, of course, I always want to be with my wonderful family, especially at the holidays!!!

I came back to Florida and on the way to pick me up from the airport, my car died on Christopher. I ended up having to take a taxi (that was expensive!!!) and we had to have the car towed (that was expensive, too!!!). It may have blown a rod -- which means re-building the whole engine. It could be as much as $5,000. The car isn't even paid off, yet. Of course, it would then be guaranteed for 3 years or 75,000 miles. That would be excellent -- but I don't know how we could do it. We just don't have the money. So, we may end up being a one-car family. And his car is the one we were thinking of replacing next year. We expected mine to last at least another couple of years....

Please pray for our financial situation! We believe that God opened doors for us to be in South Florida. And we know that we are meant to be together :) But, we have had so many financial set-backs. I am clinging to faith, but it feels like my grip is slipping.

Monday Madness

2006-11-21T11:07:00.000-05:00

Fill in the blank...

1. In order to protect my computer from viruses, I use Norton.
2. I also use Windows Defender and some other one that I can't remember the name for protection from spyware.
3. I don't spend nearly enough time working out.
4. The first person I usually talk to in the morning is my husband.
5. It takes me about 90 minutes to get ready in the morning.
6. I keep all my appointments in/on Outlook and DayTimer.
7. It takes me about 15 minutes (unless I fall asleep watching TV which means I'm awake one moment and OUT the next) to fall asleep at night.

food for thought

2006-11-13T11:10:00.000-05:00

I walked a mile with pleasure,
she chattered all the way,
but left me none the wiser,
for all she had to say.

I walked a mile with sorrow,
and never a word said she,
but, oh the things I learned from her,
when sorrow walked with me.
-- Anonymous

$4.7 Million & Happy Birthday

2006-10-30T10:02:00.000-05:00

My husband's company participated in an auction of domain names this past week. The sales totaled $4.7 Million. None of my husband's client's names were included in the live auction and we are waiting to see if any were sold in the silent auction. Nonetheless, it was very exciting!!! The biggest sale was cameras.com which went for $1.5 million.

We are going to invest in some names ourselves -- maybe we'll come up with the next million dollar name!!!

Today is also my honey's birthday...

Happy birthday to the greatest man I know! You are my very best friend and I will follow you to the ends of the earth (except Alaska). I appreciate your strength, loyalty, hard work, commitment, and dedication. You are so intelligent and practical and logical. You are a great leader. You make me laugh -- especially your impersonation of Horatio Caine!!!

I love being married to you. I love seeing your cute face every day. And I love YOU beyond words!!!!!

playing along

2006-10-14T18:55:00.000-04:00

The things in bold are the things I’ve done! Copy it and publish your list!!Make bold what you've done then copy and paste into your blog post. Easy-schmeezy!

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you’ and meant it!
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables (in my mom's garden)
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Visited all 50 states
40. Taken care of someone who was drunk
41. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
42. Watched wild whales
43. Stolen a sign
44. Backpacked in Europe
45. Taken a road-trip
46. Gone rock climbing
48. Midnight walk on the beach
49. Gone sky diving
50. Taken a train through Europe
51. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
52. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table, and had a meal with them
53. Milked a cow
54. Alphabetized your CDs
55. Sung karaoke
56. Lounged around in bed all day
57. Gone scuba diving
58. Kissed in the rain
59. Gone to a drive-in theater
60. Started a business
61. Taken a martial arts class
62. Been in a movie
63. Crashed a party
64. Gone without food for 5 days
65. Gotten a tattoo
66. Got flowers for no reason
67. Performed on stage
68. Been to Las Vegas
69. Recorded music
70. Eaten shark
71. Buried one/both of your parents (my dad)
72. Been on a cruise ship
73. Spoken more than one language fluently
74. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
75 Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
76. Had plastic surgery
77. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
78. Wrote articles for a large publication
77. Lost over 100 pounds
79. Piloted an airplane
80. Petted a stingray
81. Broken someone’s heart
82. Broken a bone
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Parasailed
86. Skipped all your school reunions
87. Shaved your head
88. Caused a car accident
89. Pretended to be "sick"
90. Surfed in the ocean
91. Saved someone's life
92. Fainted
93. Been in the room while someone is giving birth
94. Hitchhiked
95. Adopted a child
96. Been caught daydreaming
97. Been to the Grand Canyon
98. Called off a wedding engagement
99. Donated your blood
100. Saved someone’s life

::Orlando Gala::

2006-10-09T13:57:00.000-04:00

Hi everybody! I know I haven't posted in a while....

I just wanted to give you all an update of my first event with FFP. Saturday was our gala in Orlando and it went really well. We drove up Friday morning and went non-stop the whole time. Friday evening we went to dinner with Dr. Lynne, the event chairwoman. She is really sweet and genuine. She loves the Lord and has such a heart for the poor!!! Fr. John joined us for dinner, too. We ate at Bahama Breeze (yummy!).

Saturday morning we started set-up at 8 am and went all day. It ran VERY smoothly. We didn't have any major issues except that we didn't have enough room in the ballroom. It was a good problem to have -- too many guests. Dr. Lynne kept trying to add tables and we just couldn't.... All told, there were 260 guests. There was a silent auction that raised about $17,500. Then we did a house rally that raised $120,000. In total, we raised over $250,000!!!! AMAZING!!!! All of this money goes to build houses in Haiti!!! When I get them, I'll share some pictures....

We got done tearing down and re-packing everything around 1:30 am. I was in soooo much pain with my back. It was too long of a day and I did too much lifting. So, I couldn't wait to get in bed, do my stretches and go to sleep. Unfortunately, my roommate was sick ALL NIGHT! I was up every time she went to the bathroom. On top of that, the stretches only helped so much with my back. At some point, I got up and asked her if I could pray for her. In the morning, we stopped at the drug store for a icy/hot patch for me and Imodium for Denise. I wish we both would have had those things the night before -- what a difference?!

Yesterday, I was wiped out and so happy to get home. I missed my honey so much and it was really good to see him!!!

Prayer is powerful

2006-09-18T09:16:00.000-04:00

The devil smiles when we make plans. He laughs when we get too busy. But he trembles when we pray.

- James 5:16(b) - The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Provided by Lehrmangroup.com

::being creative::

2006-09-13T19:02:00.000-04:00

i don't feel very creative these days. i am worn out from my job and i feel drained at the end of the day. i am still learning my position and i get stressed when i don't know what i'm supposed to do. i can't wait until i know my job better and i feel like i'm contributing something. maybe i'll feel better after our next event (my first event) which is October 7. i know it will feel good to actually work an event.

i wish i felt more imaginative. i don't even know what to write about these days. it's always the same. i love being married. i love living in a warm state. i miss my family and friends like crazy. i am anxious to get out of debt. i want to be successful at my job. i really hope to be able to go to Ohio for Thanksgiving...... same feelings. same dreams. same stesses. how can i feel so stuck in sameness when everything is new for me this year?!

Chel tagged me

2006-09-05T20:45:00.000-04:00

At This Very Moment
1. Are you craving anything, and if so, what? I am craving ice cream, but I am really full from dinner...

2. What is the weather outside and do you wish it would change? It rained all day today and most of this past weekend. I would have preferred it to be sunny. We tried to get some tanning in and only got to stay for an hour before the sky opened up.

3. What two websites do you think you'll go to next after here? I will check out my friends' blogs and then sign off. I've been looking at my computer all day...

4. Do you wish you were somewhere else, and if so, where? I love where I am. I just wish my family was with me!!!

5. Do you wish you were someone else, and if so, who? I believe I am who God made me to be (along with my own issues). I wouldn't dream of being anyone else. Not even if I could have Halle Berry's body :)

So now I tag Kimber and Sam and Crystal and Bek and Bekaboo and Bonnie and all my blogger friends :)

::happy labor day::

2006-09-02T17:55:00.000-04:00

i really have nothing to post -- nothing exciting -- no new news -- just a nice relaxing holiday weekend with my honey :)

we are having a couple over tomorrow for a cookout. it should be lots of fun!!

my family called me from the camping trip last night while they were around the campfire. when my niece, Ellie, got on the phone, i burst into tears. she wanted me to be there and continue my reign as the 'Canoe Queen'... last year her Aunt Karen kept ending up in the pond, taking lots of kids with her and then on the next trip out, their canoe had a hole in it. they were always getting wet, but i stayed nice and dry!!! i know they are having a blast and i wish i was there... thank God for my husband! he's so good to me and i love him beyond words ;)

hope everyone is doing fun things and spending time with loved ones this weekend...

Or Not

2006-08-30T13:04:00.000-04:00

The storm has passed by -- although it is still windy and a bit rainy -- and we are fine!!! It really wasn't worth all the hooplah. Thank God for that :)

Thank you all for praying!!!

Ernesto

2006-08-29T11:32:00.000-04:00

I am off work today -- we are under a tropical storm warning/hurricane watch until Wednesday night. The winds will be 40-70 mph. The schools are closed today and tomorrow. The courts are closed until Friday. It's starting to get cloudy... the storm will hit us late this afternoon and throughout the night. The weather is supposed to be awful tonight and tomorrow. I don't know if our office will be open tomorrow...

I'm not really worried, but I hope it isn't bad. Actually, I'm concerned about the weather this weekend in Ohio. My family will be camping when the storm is supposed to be affecting the weather up north. According to the weather maps here, bad storms will hit Ohio Saturday night to Sunday morning. I hope the storm dies out before then!!!

one week down...

2006-08-25T12:47:00.000-04:00

I'm almost done with my first week of work. I'm at lunch right now. It has been really good to be back in the workforce, back doing events, and I'm looking forward to my first paycheck. I need gas and food and to catch up on the bills ;)

The events that we do are so much more intricate than anything that I've ever done before. I love it!!! It's a bit surreal, though. The committees for these events are made up of businesspeople and socialites that are at the top of the socio-economic scale. Most of the residents of Palm Beach are millionaires. And the people that we serve are the poorest of the poor -- living on less than $1 per day. I obviously feel very poor compared to our committee members and very, very rich compared to our beneficiaries.

One thing that I am looking forward to is that I will probably get to go on a "pilgrimage" to Jamaica or Haiti sometime to see the people that we have the priviledge of helping. Of course, I'll post pictures when that takes place. I don't know when it will be -- I still need to get my passport.

I miss Ohio like crazy!!! My family is going camping next weekend (4th annual trip) and I'm not going to be able to go :( I can't take time off from my new job and the airfare is outrageous for the holiday weekend (if I leave Friday evening and come back Monday). I am sooooo bummed... I'll try to get to Ohio for Thanksgiving. Of course, the airfare is high that weekend, too. God, please provide extra $$$ for lots of travel to Ohio!!!

I actually live here....

2006-08-21T22:11:00.000-04:00

Well, I had my first day of work today and it was great. My co-workers are really nice and helpful and expecting me to fit in and be a part of the team. I am so grateful to be working again!!! Plus, it feels like I actually live in Florida.

I mean, who goes to work on their vacation???!!! Being here has felt surreal--looking for work, but also working-out, getting a tan, reading books on the treadmill or by the pool, unpacking and organizing, doing laundry and dishes. And all the while feeling like I'm visiting. Now it feels like I live and work in South Florida :)

And the work seems like it will be very rewarding. Our next event is in Orlando in October. Meanwhile, I will also be working on an event scheduled for February 2007. I need to put together a committee and get corporate sponsors for the event to raise money for our housing projects. I'm not sure what the focus of the event is going to be. The West Palm Beach event is a wine tasting. We also do one called 'an enchanted evening.' But, at most of the events, we have a silent auction and a live auction. We auction off donated items like jewelry, gift baskets, trips, etc.

I got the job!

2006-08-15T11:23:00.000-04:00

I start work on August 21st at Food For the Poor. I will be one of the special events coordinators. Currently, they do about 6 big events each year. They want to grow that number and increase sponsorship and donations. A big part of my job is finding sponsors and doing fundraising. I don't know much about that part, so I am a bit nervous. But, God led me to this place and He has provided a job -- and I've only been here 2 weeks -- so I am trusting Him to help me to succeed. I am glad for the challenge and I am so grateful for the opportunity (and for earning a paycheck).

If anyone has ideas for fundraising events, please feel free to post them in the comments!!! I'll take all the help I can get :)

Thank you all for your prayers!!!!

job possibility

2006-08-11T14:09:00.000-04:00

i may have a job opportunity with Food For the Poor. i would be the special events coordinator -- raising funds for countries in the Caribbean and Latin America... i added a link to their page on my blog because i believe it is a worthwhile cause, whether or not i get the job :)

please pray for my job search! thnx!

No excuses!

2006-08-05T09:54:00.000-04:00

I have no excuse for not getting some unpacking done and concentrating on my job search. My husband left yesterday for a trade show and he will be home tomorrow night just long enough to do laundry and re-pack. He leaves Monday morning for a trade show in California. Thankfully these trips don't last very long and they aren't always back-to-back like this.

I've pretty much finished the kitchen and I'm working on our clothes. We both have our own walk-in closets, so it's just a matter of putting everything away (and doing Christopher's laundry). He came home Wednesday and commented on one of the benefits of married life -- I was ironing his clothes :) I love spoiling him! He's working so hard for us, I want him to know how much I appreciate him!!! Plus, I don't know how he would have packed for his trip without me. He only had about 15 minutes to throw clothes in a bag. My honey would've been smelly and wrinkly at his trade show -- and we can't have that!!!

I better get back to my cleaning and organizing.....

P.S. just for fun, here are some more wedding pictures:

I'm in Florida

2006-08-03T18:46:00.000-04:00

I made it to Florida -- finally! Actually, I've been here since Monday night. I had to drive down here by myself after packing the rest of my belongings in my little Cougar. Christopher left right after the wedding to get back to work. I have been unpacking and organizing -- and I have a long way to go :)

It is so weird being here. I feel like I'm on a vacation. Obviously, it's going to be a long vacation because I'm moving my stuff in. And Christopher leaves for work every day. So... it's weird...

I haven't even been here a week and we are talking about getting a hibachi grill and bottled water to make sure that we can weather tropical storm Chris. Fortunately, it doesn't seem like it's going to be upgraded to a hurricane.... I'll let you know if we will be in any danger....

I can't wait to find a job. I need to start earning money -- SOON!!!

Mr. & Mrs.

2006-07-27T09:55:00.000-04:00

wedding pics - getting ready

2006-07-24T14:47:00.000-04:00

getting ready with my cousin Jen (helping with makeup), my sister Kimber (covering me with some sparkly lotion), and my mom (on the left) and Aunt Jenny (both just being so cute!)...

I'll post more pictures soon... the computer is not really cooperating -- arrgghh!!!

more wedding pics

2006-07-24T12:04:00.000-04:00

here are some more pics from our big day: :
My sister did my flowers and she did such an awesome job!!! I couldn't have loved them more !!!

I really wish that I could post more than a couple of pictures at a time, but I am having a lot of trouble trying to upload.... I'll keep trying....

We did it!!!

2006-07-18T17:53:00.000-04:00

We finally got married -- YEA!!! It was so wonderful. The weather was cooperative. It was sunny, warm, and there was a breeze. I was hot in my dress (and a bit sweaty), but it didn't matter :)

As soon as I have pictures, I will post them...

update and pictures of the apartment

2006-06-10T08:27:00.000-04:00

My honey did not make it to Coconut Creek early enough to get the key and the leasing office was closed on Sunday, so he had to stay in a hotel until Monday. He started his new job living out of a Days Inn. His cousin helped him to move in Monday night and he is getting settled. He was able to get the cable hooked up, so he's got everything he needs :) Except me!!!!

Isn't this just amazing???!!! God is really good to us and we are so excited :)

P.S. I finally got to hold Matthias on Sunday and he is adorable and wonderful and amazing!!!

my honey left, i'm an aunt, and my sister is amazing

2006-06-10T06:57:00.000-04:00

this has been the busiest, hardest, most frantic week i think i have ever had....

because they want my honey to start his job on june 12th, we had to scramble to find an available apartment in Florida -- ready for us to move in immediately. we had to go through an extensive application process all via telephone and fax. the area that we are moving to has a MUCH higher cost of living than where either of us is currently. so, they want all this background info... i swear they would like a blood sample and the promise of your first born child, if there was any way for them to get these things legally!

so we thought we had everything settled on Wednesday and at the last minute the place we were going to move into turned us down. as you can imagine, i was panicked over where my honey and my kitty were going to live. in the midst of this, we are packing his apartment and most of the stuff in my house. we are exhausted! we have to find another place with an immediate opening. we did and started the application process all over Wednesday afternoon. and this place needed a deposit and an application fee (certified check or money order only) overnighted to them. i was still trying to track down my refund of the deposit i had put down on the nautica queen and my house still hasn't sold, so i had to borrow money from my sister just to get the money order. i got to the post office at 5:08 and the express mail stopped being taken at 5 pm. they could only guarantee delivery on Friday. i needed it there THURSDAY because if we didn't get approved, we didn't know what we would do... and they won't run the application without the application fee (non-refundable application fee, at that). i nearly burst into tears right at the counter. the guy tells me that i can drive to the post office at the airport. maybe they could get it there by thursday (maybe the plane hasn't taken off, yet).

i don't have time to drive to the airport... my sister in-law is at the hospital, they just broke her water, and i want to be with her. plus, i still need to pack everything in my house that i am sending with christopher. so, i find a federal express station and get the money orders into the mail -- the pick up is at 6 pm and it will be there THURSDAY morning!!! Yea God!!!

i call kimber and we head to the hospital for a brief visit to see what progress is being made. julie isn't progressing very much, and they want her to rest. her blood pressure was way too high and they are "concerned". they pretty much send everyone home and tell us that the baby probably won't be born until the morning. they'll call us...

kimber -- my amazing and wonderful sister -- goes with me to my house and we start packing. it is already well into the evening. by 11 pm we are making good progress, but we run out of boxes. i am emotionally exhausted and physically tired, but kimber convinces me to go to the grocery store and see if they have boxes. we head to Tops and we hit the jackpot. they were just unloading and shelving stuff and hadn't broken down the boxes, yet. we went back and continued packing until 1 am. we slept together in my bed and set the alarm for 5 am -- all the while anticipating a phone call that baby szilagyi is finally coming.

when the alarm goes off at 5 am, we have to head home so i can shower and get ready for work. i have to be there by 7:30 am. since we haven't heard from keith or julie, i decide that i should go to work and get things finalized for the apartment. i need a fax machine to send the application, etc. plus, it is really hard to take any time off and i didn't feel that i could call at the last minute and request the day off. and like i said, i had to have a fax machine. i head into work, fax all the paperwork, and around 10 am i get the call that they are going to take the baby via c-section. i try to help my co-workers be prepared for the day -- and they graciously let me leave to go to the hospital. by the time i leave, baby szilagyi has arrived!!! Matthias David was 8 lbs 13 oz and julie made it through surgery without further complications.

by the time i got to the hospital, julie had already nursed the baby. unfortunately, he choked and turned blue and was having breathing troubles. so, he was taken to the nursery and had his stomach pumped and his esophagus cleared. they kept him in there to monitor him for quite a while. my first look at the baby was through the blinds of the nursery. i could only see him in part. i still cried!!! the good thing was that they decided that he didn't need to go to the NICU. before i left, i did get to see his cute face and kiss his forehead. i couldn't stay and hold him and love him and give him kisses. i had to borrow money from kimber (again) and i needed to go rent the U-Haul and help my honey pack. we still didn't know if we had a place to live, but we had to get him down there to start work on Monday!

after running a couple of errands, we checked the email and discovered that WE WERE APPROVED for the apartment!!! we packed and moved things until 1 am. at that point, i could no longer function. i had to get some sleep. i needed to work on friday because my co-worker had a funeral to go to and there is no way for 2 of us to be gone. i drove home and had the scariest driving experience of my life. i couldn't see because my allergies were acting up and my contacts were fuzzy. i started hallucinating and seeing things running out into the road. after slamming on my brakes, i realized there was nothing there. that happened a couple of times. finally, i took one of my contacts out and threw it out the window. i drove with one eye closed, the window open, and the radio blasting. i made it home by the grace of God!!!

4 hours later, i needed to get up and drive into work. i took donuts and muffins to thank everyone for letting me leave and be with my family. i worked the whole day and they went to say goodbye to christopher and my kitty. we actually still had some more packing and the final loading of the truck to do (i was in my suit from work -- i don't recommend moving in heels). it took us 5 more hours. we didn't have any help. my brother was at the hospital. my b-i-l was on his way out of town, etc.

by the time christopher got on the road, it was close to 9 pm and my honey was going to drive through the night. i decided to head to the hospital to finally hold my newest nephew and be with my brother and s-i-l. i was only there for a 1/2 hour when my honey calls. he is freaking out at me. the credit card that he is using for gas wasn't working. and the cat was not settling down. he was shedding like crazy (Christopher is allergic!!) and crying and crying. so i had to go meet my honey down I-77 past the turnpike (coming from Westlake) and pick up the cat. i have no idea what i'm going to do with him, but i cannot have him frustrating Christopher while he is driving a 26 foot truck, towing his car. he's tired and stressed enough already!!! and i'm nervous enough about the drive!!! i truly felt like his life could be endangered if i didn't take Gibson.

so, i drive home and put Gibson in my room. the main reason that i didn't bring him with me is because kimber and james already have a male cat. i was afraid that the "boys" would be territorial and spray around the house. plus, kimber and james are out of town, so i can't even ask them if it's ok. but i had no choice!!! i forgot his food in the cab of the truck, so he's pretty hungry right now. but i know that he is happy to be with me and Christopher is much calmer without him and able to focus on driving!!!

Christopher has now been on the road for 10 hours. things are going good. he only slept for about 45 minutes at a rest area, so I am praying for his body to be awake and alert and for him to have the wisdom to stop and sleep when he needs to. he is trying to get to our new apartment by 5 pm today (that's when the leasing office closes and they aren't open on sunday). i don't think that is going to happen! so, we still need to pray for him to be able to get a key. thankfully, he has lots of cousins that live down there who can help him move into the apartment! we also still need to give them a check for the first month's rent, etc. they said it needs to be a certified check/money order. there's no way that christopher is going to find a bank open on saturday evening to accomplish that. we are hoping that we can write a personal check. we finally got the check from the nautica queen, so the money is in the account. i know that God has been helping us and that things will work out!!!!

i have been talking to Christopher regularly while he's on the road. i am checking mapquest for him and keeping him awake.

maybe today i'll actually get to hold Matthias...

He got the job

2006-05-31T20:58:00.000-04:00

my honey was offered a job today in Pompano Beach. he starts on June 14th -- YEA!!! he's moving down to florida next weekend and he'll come back to cleveland for the wedding. then i'll join him in our new home. he's down in florida now finding an apartment for us to rent.

i can't believe that we are getting married in only 45 days!!! YEA!!!!

Only 52 Days!!

2006-05-24T10:41:00.000-04:00

it has been a while...

my house still hasn't sold -- please God, can it be today? -- but we are moving forward with our plans. i can't believe it is only 7 weeks until i marry the man of my dreams who is also my very best friend!!!

we have had to change our plans. we cancelled our reservation on the nautica queen -- it costs too much money. so we are getting married in the park and taking our family out to dinner. i am disappointed and excited. disappointed that we can't do a big wedding with all of our friends and people that mean so much to us. excited that we are having the small, intimate wedding that i have always wanted. the only real bummer for me is NO DANCING.

my honey leaves for Florida on sunday. he is having a 'final' interview and they have pretty much told him that they will be offering him the job. yea, God!! once we know his start date, we will move his things down there and get set up in an apartment. he'll look around while he's down there and find us a great place. i'll move down after the wedding. i am going to miss him so much because he will be away from me for about a month. i'll be super excited to see him and kiss him and hug him and marry him come July 15th!!!

I bought a dress!

2006-04-22T11:17:00.000-04:00

I found my dress this week and it is perfect for me -- totally simple! It is white (of course) with no beading, no lace, no embroidery, no train.... It is the vision (or close to it) that I've always had for myself. I'm not even sure that I'll wear a veil. My daddy isn't here to lift it over my head, so what's the point?! It would just be something to fuss with. And I hate fussing!!!

The only "fussing" that I may do is having my hair in an up-do. I'd like to wear it down because that is how I always wear it. It seems more natural -- more me. But, I don't want the wind to ruin it (we're getting married on a ship and it's always windier on/near the water) and I don't want to fuss with it all night (tucking it behind my ear, keeping it out of my face, etc.). So, it will probably be put up so that I don't get cranky about my hair :)

P.S. I'm not going to post a picture because sometimes my honey comes to my blog -- and he's not supposed to see it, right?!

P.P.S. My dress was VERY inexpensive -- thank You, God! It was definitely a gift from my Heavenly Father :)

P.P.P.S. 4 people came to see my house this week -- Yea! Still praying that it sells VERY soon!!! God, please let there be an offer made today. Thank You!

loving and hating the springtime

2006-04-09T07:33:00.000-04:00

well, spring is trying to make it's way to northeast ohio. yesterday, it was cold enough to snow (but was really sunny -- yea!). a few days ago it was in the upper 60's.

i love:
*sunshine
*flowers
*warm days
*daylight saving time (coming home from work when it is still light out!)

i hate:
*allergies
*medicine that makes me tired or gittery or just doesn't help

thankfully, the good outweighs the bad :)

only 97 days until the wedding... no real progress on anything to report. i still don't have my dress. i don't know what color my girls are going to wear. i haven't finalized the guest list (although it is pretty much 'family only'). ---- it's still going to be a blast and i am marrying my best friend, so nothing else really matters...

no one has made an offer on the house, yet. please God, let my house sell this week!!!

the move went great

2006-03-29T11:57:00.000-05:00

i moved into my sister's house last Wed. and things are going great! i have my own room -- thanks Brandon and Derek for sharing a room again -- and Kimber bought a cute little comforter set for me to make the room more girly (it used to be the boys room). i love it :)

this past weekend we had the girls' horse show and Maddie's birthday. how fun for them -- a couple first place ribbons each :)

this upcoming weekend is Julie's shower. can't wait to welcome Baby Szilagyi :)

only 108 more days until the wedding -- so much to do! but i can't wait for it to get here :)

a week at the gym

2006-03-17T18:55:00.000-05:00

i didn't write this, but thought it was funny...

If you read this without laughing out loud, there is something wrong with you. This is dedicated to every woman who has ever attempted to get into a regular workout routine.

Dear Diary...

For my fiftieth birthday this year, my husband (THE DEAR) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me.

Although I am still in great shape since playing on my high school tennis team, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.

I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Bruce, who identified himself as a 26 year old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear.

My husband (THE SWEET DEAR) seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started.

The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.

Monday:

Started my day at 6:00 am. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Bruce waiting for me.

He is something of a Greek god - with blond hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile....... Woo Hoo, let's get going!!

Bruce gave me a tour and showed me the machines.

He took my pulse after five minutes on the treadmill. He was alarmed that my pulse was so fast, but I attributed it to standing next to him in his awesome Lycra aerobic shorts.

I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which he conducted his aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring!

Bruce was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the entire time that he was around.
WOW! This is going to be a fantastic week!!

Tuesday:

I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door.
Bruce made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air - then he put weights on it. My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile and Bruce's beautiful rewarding smile made it all worthwhile.

I feel GREAT!! It's s a whole new life for me.

Wednesday:

The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over the damn brush.

I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.

Bruce was becoming impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered all of the other club members.

His voice then became a little too perky for early in the morning and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is VERY, VERY, annoying.

My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Bruce put me on the stair monster.

Why the hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators?

Bruce told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. He mumbled some other stuff too.......but who listened.

Thursday:

Bruce was waiting for me with his vampire-like teeth exposed as his thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl.

I couldn't help being a half an hour late, it took me that long to tie my F---ING shoes.

Bruce took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not looking,
I ran and hid in the men's room. He sent Lars to find me, then, as my punishment, he put me on the rowing machine which I sank.

Friday:

I hate that Bastard Bruce more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of this world.

Stupid, skinny, anemic little cheerleader fruit. If there was a part of my body that I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat the shit out of him with it. Bruce wanted me to work on my triceps.
I don't have any triceps!!

And if he didn't want dents in the floor, he shouldn't have handed me the *&%#(#&**!!@* barbells or anything else that weighed more than a sandwich.

The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

Saturday:

Bruce left a message on my answering machine in his grating, shrilly, girly voice wondering why I did not show up today.

Just hearing him made me want to smash the machine with my planner.
However, I lacked the strength to even pick up the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.

Sunday:

I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over.
I will also pray that next year my husband (THE BASTARD) will choose a gift for me that is fun -like a root canal or perhaps a hysterectomy.

it's going to sell... i hope

2006-03-12T08:10:00.000-05:00

my house is officially on the market. it is listed with Realty One.
here are some pictures :)

please pray for it to sell ASAP

it's been a good home for me and now i am ready to pass it on.....

Florida, here we come :)

Sisters' Night

2006-03-04T09:53:00.000-05:00

the other day, kimber called me and suggested that we have a sisters' night. last night, all my sisters (kimber, karen, and julie) came over to my house. we went to heinens and made ourselves salads at their fabulous salad bar (trying to be healthy and fit into dresses for the wedding) and we watched 'Must Love Dogs.' it was a lot of fun and the movie is really cute!!! it was especially cute because the movie is about family (esp., sisters) as much as it is about relationships.

thanks for the idea and for bringing the movie, kimber! i'm really glad that we got to hang out together as sisters :)

the 'honeymoon'

2006-03-02T18:49:00.000-05:00

we are not going on an official 'honeymoon.' the move to florida IS our honeymoon. it is actually going to be fun -- going on our first trip together, starting a whole new life, a roadtrip adventure, getting a tour of the east coast, sneaking the cat (my baby-kitty, Gibson) into our hotels along the way, taking turns driving the truck...

the 2 bummers:

1. we won't be riding in the same vehicle because we will need to drive one of our cars down there, tow the other one, and drive the moving truck.

2. unpacking when we get there, all tired and worn out -- from the drive down, of course ;)

for those that have asked:
we are moving to the Ft. Lauderdale/Pompano Beach area -- yes, i picked the palm trees for our wedding page because that is where we are headed -- which is north of Miami on the east coast of florida.

Winter blues (and whites)

2006-02-19T11:37:00.000-05:00

It is so nice to see the blue sky on this COLD, snowy February day! I love it!!! I can't wait for the warmth of summer, for love and romance as the wedding draws closer. The sun is only flirting with us today. It is hiding coyly behind the clouds and then coming out to shine brightly. I'm not fooled, though. It isn't warm and welcoming. It is 14 degrees out there!!!

So, I am looking longingly for the future. I am so excited to be getting married and heading south. I am anticipating the deep thrills and the excruciating pain as I start the next chapter of my life and leave the only home I've ever known. I am going to miss my family -- that may be the understatement of the year.

I am not going to miss COLD, snowy February days!

Why do I cry???

2006-02-11T11:23:00.000-05:00

Ok, I love that God made me an emotional being. I love being passionate about love and compassion and justice and mercy and truth and romance and LIFE.

But, why do I have to cry???!!!

My honey fell asleep watching a movie with me. I sat in the chair watching him sleep on the couch. He is so amazing -- cute, sweet, strong, sexy, creative, passionate, assertive, cute, driven, hard-working, cute (did I mention that one already???!!!), optimistic, thoughtful, analytical, hopeful -- just amazing. So, I began to think about how lucky I am to have him, to love him, to be loved by him.

At the end of the movie, I kissed his forehead and said goodbye. He woke up enough to say goodbye and apologize for falling asleep. I told him that it was ok and that he should go back to sleep. And then I started crying.

Well, that woke him up! He was all nervous that he had done something -- yelled at me in his sleep or something. I kept trying to explain that they were happy tears. That I love him so much that sometimes it makes my heart hurt. After reassuring him again (and again) that everything was ok, I told him to go back to sleep and I left.

I was only home for a minute -- still had my coat on -- when my phone rang. See, he (like most guys) HATES it when I cry. He had to make sure (again) that I was ok.

I love having strong emotions! I love the love that I have for him. But this is one time that I wish I hadn't cried -- My honey just doesn't understand happy, overwhelming love, amazed, ecstatic tears!!!

time for me

2006-02-05T09:46:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I didn't really have time for this, but I spent most all of yesterday just having 'me' time. I was already behind on housework (see previous post) and other stuff. But I read 2 novels yesterday, worked out, went to the market with my brother and sister in-law for a 'sausage sandwhich', visited briefly with my little sister, and did the dishes (my one 'had to').

I only got about 5 hours of sleep last night, but I feel more rested than I have all week. Yea! This morning I have completed 3 people's tax returns, including my own. Now I have to pay bills -- YUCK! But, at least I feel productive :)

being tired (all the time)

2006-02-04T09:26:00.000-05:00

this week, i went to bed at 8:30 pm (or earlier) 3 times. that is not right!!! i have been really struggling with being tired and trying to get everything done. if i get enough sleep (8-10 hours), i have to go to bed early. i get up at 5 am to work out and then get to work by 7:30 am. i am NOT a morning person. and, if i go to bed at 8 pm, i don't get much done around the house -- laundry, cleaning, etc. plus, if i fall asleep downstairs right after eating dinner, when am i supposed to have quiet time???

this past week, i skipped working out to have quiet time in the morning. i like starting my day in His Word. but i didn't work out at all because i fell asleep so early all this week. last night i got about 12 hours of sleep -- and i already feel like i could use a nap. yikes!

the last time that i was this tired (about 4 years ago), i went to the doctor. she ran a bunch of blood tests and found nothing there. her conclusion was that i was depressed. at that time, it had been a little over a year since my dad had died and the stress and grief may have been catching up with me. even still, i didn't really feel depressed then and i don't now. so, should i go back to the doctor (maybe a different one) and have more blood tests or do i just "tough-it-out"???!!!

picking a wedding date

2006-01-11T11:25:00.000-05:00

For a calendar-minded girl marrying a calendar-challenged guy, this is the hardest decision to make!!!

I keep thinking that we need to pick a date -- and settle on it -- for the following reasons:
1. we need to ask our pastor to set aside the date (and he's the busiest person I know)
2. my out-of-town friends and family need to make travel arrangements
3. my boss needs to know when to start looking for my replacement
4. I have to sell my house and get ready for the move to Florida
5. I NEED TO START PLANNING!!!!!!!!

He just wants us to move to Florida as soon as possible. He also would like the whole thing to just 'happen' without muss or fuss. And he has other things on his mind right now that he feels he needs to work out first (like the move to Florida, where we're going to live, where he's going to work -- all good things, true). But, I feel that we could be further along in our Florida planning, if we knew when we were going to get married. He says Florida first, wedding date to follow. It makes more sense to me the other way around. Aren't we quite a pair?!

Back to Reality

2006-01-02T08:46:00.000-05:00

this past week, i have been off of work and i am off again today. tomorrow means going back to reality.

i didn't get as much done as i would have liked, but this was probably the best holiday season that i have had in a long, long time. i got to see Christopher almost every day for the last week and a half. what a treat!! usually, we are both so busy with work, that we only get to see each other 1-2 times each week.

plus, my honey proposed on December 23!!!! i know i told our story in my last blog and said that we are getting married in the spring. and we are. he just hadn't officially popped the question, yet.

it was really sweet -- and i totally didn't see it coming. we were just watching a movie (Independence Day) and relaxing. there is a scene in the movie where Will Smith's character is getting married and he says, "I'm sorry. I should have done this a long time ago." and Christopher comes over and kneels down in front of me and says, "I have a question to ask you. I have been calling you my fiance for too long without asking you if you will marry me. So, will you marry me?"

i cried -- and said YES!!!! i'm so blessed to have him in my life and so grateful!!!

Two blogs for the price of one (Blog 2)

2005-12-15T18:38:00.000-05:00

I've been tagged, so here goes... 15 facts and preferences about books.

1. My favorite books from my childhood were all the fairytales with the princesses -- Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty. -- I especially liked the bit with the mirror in Snow White. It always made me laugh when the mirror told the witch that Snow White was prettier. Hah!

2. In my early teens, I got hooked on Christian romance novels. I read Janette Oak's Love Comes Softly series over and over. I love to read series. I like to follow a character that I have already gotten to know (and love). Especially if the first book didn't end as well as I would have liked. Yes, I do like happily-ever-afters. But, no, I don't make up endings to movies/books like some of you do. Another series that I loved was The Stonewycke Trilogy by Michael Phillips and Judith Pella. In recent years, I turned a lot of people onto The O'Malley series by Dee Henderson.

3. My favorite Christian fiction is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. In fact, I like all of her books. But this one is the most intensely engaging book I have ever read. In fact, I couldn't put this book down (ok, so that happens a lot, but this was different). I was invited to a Superbowl party back in January 1999. I knew that my brother was going to propose to Julie that afternoon and I was taking champagne to the party to celebrate. I was so happy for my brother and future sister in-law, but I really didn't want to leave the coffee shop where I was sitting, reading by the fire. Of course, I went to the party, celebrated with everybody, and went home and stayed up all night finishing the book.

4. My second favorite Christian fiction is The Oath by Frank Peretti. It is superior allegorical writing that is equal in caliber to C.S. Lewis whose Chronicles of Naria I love. I plan on reading all of these works again, soon. And, of course, I'm planning on seeing "Narnia" soon!

5. Reading can be a totally emotional experience for me: I cry for sad AND happy things when I'm reading. And I laugh. out loud. which is sometimes startling to those around me.

6. Two study refences that I like to use when I'm studying the Scriptures are The Institutes of Biblical Law by Rousas John Rushdoony and The International Bible Commentary edited by F.F. Bruce. With the former, I have to have a dictionary handy! Both are great tools for digging deeper.

7. I read a lot of murder mysteries/thrillers and romance novels. I couldn't possibly list them all. I can read a novel in a day. And I like to read to relax. So, I read a lot. At the dental practice where I work, our hygienist also likes to read. a lot. We started sharing books with each other. But, what do you do when you're done with those books?! We decided to put a bookshelf out in our waiting room. Now, patients can bring us books and take whatever books they want. It's neat to see people just drop by our office. It makes it a fun place to come instead of a dreaded task to check off their list.

8. My homegroup is reading Boundaries right now and going through the workbook. It is really helpful, interesting, and encouraging (once you know how healthy relationships can be).

9. I read while I power-walk on my treadmill. I only tripped and fell once.

10. When I was in high school, I read a couple of books on serial killers and thought that I wanted to join the FBI and track down these murderers. I still want to be a psychologist, just not the forensic kind.

11. Long, long, long before I was even dating anyone, I started reading books on marriage and building relationships. I still read every article, email, and book I can on these subjects. I will one day fulfill my dream of becoming a marriage counselor.

12. I've never been enticed to read the Left Behind series even though soooo many people are completely hooked. But, I have read a series where I was out buying the next book as soon as I was close to finishing the book I was on. That was The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers -- I really do like her stuff!

13. I can't stand the liberal slant that most newspapers put on the news, but I do like to know what is going on in the world. I read a daily e-mail newsletter called "Today's Paper" from www.slate.com. It is a synopsis of the top stories from the big papers -- The New York Times, The Washington Post, the L.A. Times, USA Today. And I read Newsweek pretty thoroughly each week.

14. I love to read the recaps on www.televisionwithoutpity.com. They write snarky reviews of tv shows. Currently, I read the recap for Alias, Desperate Housewives, and House. The recaps make me laugh out loud -- every time. Even though I like these shows, it is funny to read someone poking fun at the ridiculous plotlines, etc. You can tell that the reviewers love to hate the shows that they are reviewing.

15. I also love to read blogs!!! I may not always comment, but I read the blogs and the comments and follow links to other blogs (by people I don't know), etc.

still here, still enjoying everyone's blogs

2005-12-03T10:44:00.000-05:00

I haven't blogged in a while because of 2 things -- busyness and possible carpel tunnel syndrome. My right hand has been slighly numb lately. Also, I have a hard time holding things (even light things like coffee mugs) and opening bottles and such. When I try to carry something in my right hand, I have pain in my index finger and wrist.

This is bothersome for so many reasons. It hurts to write which I love to do and have kept a journal for years and years. I can't seem to do routine things like type or use a mouse without noticing that my right hand feels "weird." And I miss blogging and commenting on other people's blogs.

So, I'm here, but trying to take it easy. The less I do the better, I think.

P.S. Had a great Thanksgiving!!!! Yea for me! I came up with an activity for the kids (7 of them) that kept them quiet and occupied for at least 30 minutes (maybe even 45). That may not seem like much, but it was enough to get dinner served without 14 little feet traisping through the kitchen -- "when are we going to eat?!" "I'm thirsty!" "what are we eating?" "I don't like _____!" "do we have to have _____?!" etc.

Instead, the kids were making lists of things they are grateful for and doing a search for the secret word that I had hidden in one of 20 "hidden picture" sheets that I had tacked to the wall. The older ones helped the younger ones with their lists and they all had a different color marker so I could tell who had found the special word, which was justice. I had made a list of things that I am grateful for and hid them in the pictures (using colored pens). Ellie found the special word, so she got the prize ;)

When dinner was ready, we called the kids upstairs and had a fabulous dinner (thanks to all my siblings and my mom who all helped me cook in my tiny little kitchen and I didn't even get freaked out or clausterphobic). Oh, and I read the President's Thanksgiving Proclamation for this year. It was AWESOME!!!

Thanksgiving

2005-11-13T14:58:00.000-05:00

I can't wait to give Thanks!

This is the way the feast was described in a first-hand account presumably by a leader of the colony, Edward Winslow, as it appears in Mourt's Relation:

"Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, Many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest King Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."

Internet quizes

2005-11-12T17:11:00.000-05:00

How You Are In Love

You fall in love quickly and easily. And very often.

In relationships, you tend to be a bit selfish. (not really)

You need your space and privacy. You don't like to be smothered. (only to a degree)

You love your partner unconditionally and don't try to make them change.

You stay in love for a long time, even if you aren't loved back. When you fall, you fall hard. (Absolutely true of me!!!)

How Are You In Love?

Keys to your heart

2005-11-09T20:53:00.000-05:00

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to good manners and elegance.

In love, you feel the most alive when things are straight-forward, and you're told that you're loved.

You'd like to your lover to think you are stylish and alluring.

You would be forced to break up with someone who was insecure and in constant need of reassurance.

Your ideal relationship is open. Both of you can talk about everything... no secrets.

Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment.

You think of marriage as something precious. You'll treasure marriage and treat it as sacred.

In this moment, you think of love as something you thirst for. You'll do anything for love, but you won't fall for it easily.

What Are The Keys To Your Heart?

i hate time zones

2005-11-09T07:37:00.000-05:00

i know that it can't be 7 am in China right now because the sun is setting and they are gonna go to bed in a couple of hours... whereas i just woke up...

but the changes in time zones make it really difficult to talk to friends around the world. examples: my friend that lives in the United Arab Emirates is about 6 hours ahead of me, so i can't call her past 3-4 pm (which is when i am at work) and my cousin in California is 3 hours behind, so i have to call after 9 pm (so that she is off of work).....

it's very frustrating! with all of our modern technology, i am still stymied by the clock...

it's voting day

2005-11-08T06:32:00.000-05:00

everybody needs to go vote today! if you aren't a registered voter, then get registered before the next election :)

for cuyahoga county, you can visit the board of elections at http://boe.cuyahogacounty.us/boe/default.htm

God Enjoyed

2005-11-06T17:15:00.000-05:00

from a book of Puritan prayers:

Thou incomprehensible but prayer-hearing God,
Known, but beyond knowledge,
revealed, but unrevealed,
my wants and welfare draw me to thee,
for thou hast never said, 'Seek ye me in vain'.
To thee I come in my difficulties, necessities, distresses;
possess me with thyself,
with a spirit of grace and supplication,
with a prayerful attitude of mind,
with access into warmth of fellowship.
so that in the ordinary concerns of life
my thoughts and desires may rise to thee,
and in habitual devotion I may find a resource that will
soothe my sorrows, sanctify my successes,
and qualify me in all ways for dealings with my fellow man.

I bless thee that thou hast made me capable
of knowing thee, the author of all being,
of resembling thee, the perfection of all excellency,
of enjoying thee, the source of all happiness.
O God, attend me in every part of my arduous and trying pilgrimage;
I need the same counsel, defence, comfort I found at my beginning.
Let my religion be more obvious to my conscience,
more perceptible to those around.
While Jesus is representing me in heaven, may I reflect him on earth,
While he pleads my cause, may I show forth his praise.

isn't it ironic?!

2005-11-06T17:05:00.000-05:00

you ask and ask and ask for something. then it finally comes and you either don't believe it, can't receive it, or you just plain don't want it anymore (the latter isn't true at all in this case).

i believe that God is answering a prayer of mine that i have prayed for such a long time... yet, i am afraid to receive the answer i have been looking for. what if i'm wrong? what if He really isn't giving me the answer that i want? what if He does? what if it isn't as great as i think it's going to be? what if it's even better and i can't hold onto it?

i'm a mess...

Out of the Zone

2005-11-02T18:08:00.000-05:00

Well, we have left the Twilight Zone (at work)... We haven't had too many patients in the last couple of weeks and the reaction to that has been varied by each of the staff members. I am usually the CALM one. But, since I am responsible for the schedule and meeting production goals, I have been stressing out. The doctor is usually the one who is super stressed and contemplating a career change -- maybe I shouldn't be a dentist, maybe I'm just not any good at this, wah. wah, complain, complain, life is awful, etc. -- even though he's been in practice for over 20 years and he is a phenomenal dentist (spoken by a true dental-phobic who has let him do major procedures on herself). However, instead of being whacked out, he's been totally calm and planning major purchases/improvements to the office. Of course, since I also pay the bills, I have been "concerned" (read, "freaked") about our finances, as well. He just kept saying, "just give it time -- it takes time to see results -- I'm comfortable with the new way that we are doing things -- and other positive, upbeat remarks that are usually heard from me!!!"

Then, yesterday, I was doing October's month-end statistics and realized what I really knew all along -- we're doing just FINE!!!! We had a great production day, so that helped, too. I guess the hardest thing is that ever since we had a consultant come in in September, the focus has been on meeting our goal. That is, don't forget about the doctor's production goal. Oh, yeah, by the way, did you know that the doctor is supposed to meet his production goal. every. day. And did I mention that the doctor must meet his goal or the practice is clearly not going to make it??!!

There is a reason that I did not go into a commission-based career. I do not function well under that kind of pressure. There is no excitement in cold-calling. I don't thrill over a large payoff when there has been nothing but drought for many days/months. Anyway...

I think that I have learned a very valuable lesson -- at least I hope I learned it. Don't take responsibility for things that are outside of your control (I can't "make" people schedule -- even if they do have cavities and need to have something done). Do your job to the best of your ability. And let God bless the work of your hands. I prayed that He would and He did!!! We are getting a bonus for how well our team performed over the past couple of months! I feel very blessed and also vindicated. The consultant said that we were only collecting 80% of our production (which would be very, very bad, indeed). I have actually been collecting 100% all year and now our whole team is getting a bonus based on collections!!!! Yea!!!

Pursuing Life (Languages)

2005-10-27T19:40:00.000-04:00

The very first time that I heard about the Life Languages(tm), I felt like I had found my new career. I was working at WVCC and Kenny brought in Carolyn Weis to give us our profiles and teach us about the 7 languages. After she was all done, I went up to her and said, "I want your job." That made her think that I was really a high mover. Although I'm not really a mover, I was moved. I love the uniqueness that God gives each of us and, yet, He gives us a way to identify and communicate with one another.

For those who don't know what the Life Languages(tm) are, they are the communication styles that each of us speak. There are 7 languages: Responder and Influencer (the emotive languages), Mover and Doer (the kinetic languages), and Shaper, Producer, and Contemplator (the cognitive languages). After taking the profile test, you receive a score for each language. The higher the score, the more fluent you are in that language (i.e., the more you think, act, work, etc. in that language). For example, if you are a high Doer, you will like to make "ToDo" lists and check things off that list. You will be very organized, efficient, and dedicated. You will have an eye for details. And you will be very task-oriented. You will not be able to rest until you have finished everything on your list.

Each of the languages has it's own set of characteristics. And ALL of the languages are good. In fact, the languages corresponde with the motivational gifts in Romans 12:3-8 Responder - Compassion, Influencer - Encouragement, Mover - Prophecy, Doer - Serving, Shaper - Leadership, Producer - Giving, Contemplator - Teaching. No language is better than any other. Each language has lots of strengths, as well as potential weaknesses.

Anyway, if anyone is interested in learning more, please contact me. The cost of the test is $45.

Also, I am putting together a proposal for taking the languages into the schools. There is a direct correlation between the language(s) that you speak and the profession(s) that you would excel at. I wish that someone would have given me my profile when I was in high school or college. Then I would have known that, being a low Doer, I wouldn't be very happy being an accountant (my degree). I pursued the degree for all the wrong reasons, but I had no idea how unhappy I would be trying to do something that doesn't fit my profile at all!!!!

For my proposal, I am looking for testimonies of anyone who has taken the profile test. Please just give me a sentence or two about any changes it made in your life, insights you gained about yourself (or others), etc.

You can post comments and/or questions on this site or email me at kszilagyi@hotmail.com.

THANKS!!!

The Twilight Zone

2005-10-24T22:09:00.000-04:00

It wasn't even a full moon...

Today, we had no patients for Dr. Hagen to see, I got to work late, one of our assisstants (who already gave notice) walked out before the day even began (she was mad that we hadn't called her to let her know that she could've slept in since we didn't have anyone in the schedule), one of our assistants was home with her sick kids (who turned out to be fine), our camera wouldn't work (for the one patient we needed to take shade pictures on), one of our patients burst into tears and then hung up on me, an old patient walked into the office requesting his son's dental records for the orthodontist (when we talked to the orthodontist, he said that he never asked for any records), and through it all the boss kept a positive outlook (hard to do when your staff is not there and you aren't making any money).

I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow, but it can't possibly get any weirder...

Strategic Repositioning

2005-10-23T08:16:00.000-04:00

I told Christopher that I was going on a women's retreat this weekend. He asked me where the retreat was. I said, "Independence." He said that is more of a strategic withdrawal than a full retreat. That made me laugh. In fact I kept thinking about it all evening. Except that I had changed the word withdrawal to repositioning in my mind. And it was the exact pefect definition of what I did this weekend. I strategically repositioned myself to hear from God :)

The speaker's name is Kathie Walters and she regualarly walks in the supernatural. She said that we will receive what we believe. We do not have to "qualify" to receive visions or angelic visitations or miracles. We just have to believe that everything that is in the Scriptures is for us. The Word says that if we believe, WHEN WE PRAY, then we will receive -- we don't receive and then believe. She also told us to STOP PRAYING for things that God has already promised you (in Scripture) or said yes to. When you keep praying for it, you are starting over at square one and you have lost your answer. For example, the Scripture says that if we humble ourselves and pray and turn from our wicked ways, He will hear from Heaven and forgive our sins and heal our land. So, once we have done our part, our "prayer" should be something like: "OK, Lord, You said that You would heal our land. It needs healing, so we are expecting You to move. In fact, Your honor is at stake here because You promised." Then stop praying. Quit asking for things He's already given you. Start acting like they are already yours (because they are) even if you haven't seen the manifestation, yet.

So, I have several things that I am not going to pray for any more because God has already said "yes." I just need to start acting on the yes. He has told me that I can be a marriage counselor and a public speaker for Life Languages. I don't have to keep asking Him if/when I can do that!!! What a relief! I "danced through changed"* at the retreat and I am truly going to change my approach to what I am supposed to be doing with my life. I know I don't belong in dentristry (although I am so grateful for my job). I'm going to be pursuing the true call of God on my life (no accounting and no dentistry!!!).

The doubt has been lifted off my faith!!!

*At the retreat, Kathie had all of us empty our change on the floor at the front of the room. Then we started a dance line and "danced through change" as a outward sign of our new mindsets. It was so much fun! We danced and laughed for an hour :)

The best days include friends!

2005-10-19T19:06:00.000-04:00

I went to coffee and the mall today with my good friend, Jenn. She is one of those people that make you want to believe the best in everyone. I never pass up an opportunity to spend time with her. She has such a big heart and a great smile that lights up her face.

We talked (and laughed) about everyday life and, yet, we shared something much more important. It is amazing how much perspective you can gain just by listening to what is going on in your friends' lives. Yeah, my car broke down 3 times last week. And yes, my job is quite stressful. No, my house hasn't sold, yet. And lots of other things could be going better. But then there is laughter. And life is good.

Thank you, God, for my friend.

The best friend I mentioned!

2005-10-18T22:12:00.000-04:00

Me & Christopher

I've thought about this for a while...

2005-10-18T20:14:00.000-04:00

I have been considering starting my own blog for a while. Then my sister, Kimber, started hers and I figured it was time to just do it.

Now... what to say???!!!

I guess I just wanted an outlet for my thoughts on life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. I have a great life -- doesn't always feel that way, but it's true. My family is always there for me. I am gainfully employed. I have great friends, including my very best friend and love of my life, Christopher. I have never truly been happier. And the pursuit has only just begun.

I am almost 35 and I can't say that I imagined life to turn out the way that it has (so far). But God does work all things for our good. If I had followed a different path or made any of a million other choices, I wouldn't be on the verge of the greatest time of my life. Of course, every moment should be looked at as an adventure -- something I'm not always good at. I guess I'm just starting to "get it." There is so much peace in knowing that you are doing what you are supposed to be doing -- saying "yes" to the right things (and learning the magic of "no").

I think it is hard for people to say no -- harder than we even think. I changed my major in college because I wanted to please the people that I knew at the time. I have served on countless teams and committees that I didn't have the time for (or the grace). But, I didn't know how to say "no." None of the things that I was doing were bad, just not all right for me at the time.

Anyway, today I am full of hope. joy. peace. EXCITEMENT. I am secure in knowing that I will get to where I am supposed to be going because I am not alone in the journey. Thank You, God, for being with me and giving me the best travel companions :)