The birds only sing when the sun is shining.
The frogs croak every night.

The Gulf is so very beautiful.
Thank you God for giving me this.

I sing every day. I cry a lot.

When I was a little girl I always had this weird attraction to pretty bathrooms.  No there aren't many out there, but I always had to find out.  Must have annoyed my mom something fierce! Everytime we would go anywhere, I had to go look at the bathroom.  Usually they were just plain old stalls, but sometimes, they would be really nice.  I always liked the kind with a little sitting area, you know with sofa's in them. As if a bunch of women would actually sit in those sofa's in the bathrooms and have a chat, perhaps some tea....

Of course I'm talking about "public" restrooms here.  The kind you find in a department store, or casino, or hotel (not the rooms) or well, anywhere in general where my mom might have dragged me and I would feel compelled to go check out the bathroom.  Really I can remember coming up to her and saying, "Mom, they have the best bathroom here!" And I meant it!

Anyway, years passed and I didn't think much of this little habit of mine.  Of course it's perfectly natural to like a nice bathroom.  It's important that the space be asthetic and pleasant.  One day, I am out with my wonderful sister Christine (go see her, she's awesome!) and I commented on the nice bathroom I had just visited, and she cracks up laughing! She apparently doesn't share my interest or taste for a nice bathroom.  But I am sure that many others do! Therefore, as I want to help all you you in blogland, I will occasionally be posting bathroom reports as I deem necessary and as I come across them in my travels.   Please feel free to refer any other bathroom lovers my way, as I do think it is important to compare notes.

Have a great day and God Bless!

Well, here's what happened.  I've been wanting a dog for so long I can hardly remember. For one reason or other we didn't get one.  Really every time it's been because we were not living in a home that allowed pets, or that we thought had a good yard for a doggie. 

I've always liked big dogs. I like Rottweilers and Labs. Dogs are great! If you 'd asked me I'd definitely have chosen a big dog.  So, finally we moved to a new place with a big yard and the owner is okay with us having a dog.  But, then he says, no big dogs, they tear everything apart. Well, bummer.  I'm thinking that I really am ready for the dog of my dreams and we're having problems again.  Okay, I am not going to make waves when I just moved in two weeks ago.  So, off I go to find my dog.

All of the shelters in town have only big dogs.  I could easily have fallen for one of those.  But, my hunt for perfect small dog got into my blood and I'm all but consumed with the idea that the perfect little dog is out there for me.  Finally, after checking with everyplace in town, and checking back with them all again.  I decide to call this shelter that is about 1 1/2 hours drive away.  And what happens? Well, of course they have my dog. I'm talking to the lady who works at the shelter and I told her I need a small dog, but no yapping please.  Plus, I don't want hyper bounce all around dog either.  She describes this small Bichon Mix.  I look online at the picture of a Bichon Frise and I'm thinking "oh, no! Horror of Horrors! what a scary looking little fur ball." But something in me said, go look at the dog.

So I loaded the family into the car and drove them all the way to this shelter to meet a dog named (God help me) Cuddles. We get there and they bring her out to meet us.  The first thing the dog does is go to my husband.  Okay, what's the problem with this picture? I'm the dog lover in the family, he isn't! But, sure enough, she decides he's the nice one and off she goes.  Well, I think this might  be okay, since he was the toughest person in the family to please, her immediate friendship with him could bode well. The nice gal at the shelter ended up staying late because we spent over an hour just talking and loving on "Cuddles". In no time I discovered this furry little white ball of fluff, has captured my heart. 

I couldn't think of anything else for the next two days.  She had to go to the vet to get spayed before she could be adopted. So, I'm calling the shelter "How's Cuddles? Is she feeling well after her operation?" "When can I take her home?" Worry, worry, fret, fret.  She might as well have been my baby for all the worry and fret and fussing I did.  Sure enough, they called yesterday afternoon and said she was feeling better and we could come and get her. 

Yay! So, now I am the proud owner of a little tiny ball of fluff who's new name is Katie Cuddles. I am convinced she is in fact the best dog that has ever lived and I'm completely head over heels! No matter what she does, it's the cutest thing in the world.  This morning she was playing in the yard and having so much fun, my heart was jumping.  What a beautiful thing, a dog.  Even a little white fluffy one. 

This is my new baby. She has stolen all our hearts.  My family is overjoyed to have her with us.  Yay, I've got a dog! She's awesome! I'm totally in love!

I am someone who thinks about God alot.  For a long time I didn't know if such a person even existed.  Who is this God guy anyway, and why should I care? 

In my family we were supposed to accept that God "is "and that's that.  But it wasn't that for me.  I don't generally accept other people's word for things.  I'll hear what you have to say, but I don't accept it personally if I haven't experienced it or seen something to make me accept that it is true.  So, just telling me God "is" meant nothing. 

Life goes on. As I got older I started to question my reason to be.  Does everyone get to that point? Where they start to wonder what the heck we're doing here and why we should continue.  After all, if life is a game there should be some point to it right? I felt there was no point.  Of course I had explored many "spiritual" concepts, but realized that ultimately they didn't answer this one question that I needed to answer.  Why bother?

So once again I started asking about God.  I said "Hey, if you're really there, help me to know you and know that you're there".  Well, and so he did.  That's one thing I am sure of.  If you sincerely ask God to reveal himself to you, he will.  Perhaps, if you are thick headed like me, it will take some time, but eventually he will make himself known.  This is what happended in my life.  I asked, and then I was very interested in trying to understand him and why so many people seemed to accept the existence of someone they couldn't see.  I read books from different religious teachings and philosophies.  Trying to just understand where others were coming from.  Eventually, God did make himself known to me and in such a way that I am quite certain of his presence in my life. 

So, now he is a special person in my life.  Someone I love and want to have a relationship with.  Just like with any relationshiip, it takes time and work.  But he is a very nice guy and is always patient and willing to work things out. 

I'm not a religious person.  I don't believe in organized religion.  It's been my experience that people want to put you in a category and label you so that they can file you away somehow.  You're a Catholic, or Christian, or Jew, or Muslim.  Whatever.  I resent the label system.  I believe that we are all just people here trying to live our lives the best we can and be happy.   I don't like that people use religion as an excuse to judge and condemn others.  It's just stupid! Knowing God is simply working on a personal relationship.  Like with any other person it's a very intimate and one-on-one thing.  If I am loving God in my way , and you are loving God in your way, then we are both happy and have no reason to judge, condemn, or hate one another.  So we don't need to argue over who's doing it better or more right.

Man I go so back and forth all the time about life.  

I have so many things to be grateful for.  So many wonderful blessings in my life that it is amazing to me that I find things to complain about.  Really if you've got to go on living, it's nice to have people that you love around, and it's a beautiful planet.  I love the ocean, lakes, trees.  I love the wind, especially when it's not too hot or too cold. I love to go driving with my favorite music blasting.  I love coffee.  I like how it smells in the morning and how good it tastes and feels when I first wake up.  I love to sleep in! I love to watch people.  They are all so unique and beautiful in their own way.  I love to sit and talk with a good trusted friend.  I love to watch my daughter growing up.  I love it when my husband is telling jokes.  I am so grateful that I have a home to live in and quiet neighbors.  So many things in life are good.  So, why do I sometimes feel so bad?

Life is a challenge for me because it often feels without purpose.  I've never had a dream of a lifelong career that will motivate me to do great things.   I'm really good at being a mom and a wife.  I'm a good friend and I love to laugh and have fun.  But I don't love working.  Usually I am happy at any given job for about 6 months tops.  Then I get bored and want to move on to something different.  Most days I resent having to get up and do more. 

I get depressed and I don't know why I have to continue with this life.  I resent it.  People say that life is a gift, but I don't see it that way.  It's a curse as far as I can tell.  I don't know why people want to live to be old.   I don't know why people say they are glad to be here.  I usually resent it.   Why do people think life is such a good thing?  It's mostly work with a little bit of fun thrown in every once in a while, if you're lucky.  Sometimes it's such an effort to wake up and start yet another day. 
BR>I know that for the most part I have no reason to complain or feel bad about what life has handed me.  I know that I am blessed and I am grateful as I said for the many things that I do have.  I am glad that I have God.  He gives me the reason and motivation to go on.  Still it's a struggle. 

Hey, Imagine me hanging with the Brady Bunch!!!!

"I think I'll go for a walk outside now, the summer sun's callin' my name. I hear it now, I just can't stay inside all day.  I gotta get out get me some of those raaaayyyys! 

Everybody's smilin' - Sunshine Day-ay!"

Our trip to Florida was really a long drive. Nothing special. Driving, talking, trying to find some music we could all agree on. Like that.

Here is a picture of one of our potty stops.

Well, finally we are here in our new home in Panama City, Florida.

I'm still surrounded by wall to wall boxes, but at least I've managed to get the kitchen unpacked and the computer set up! Priorities right?

Over the next few days I'll post some of the pictures I took along the way. 

Moving is so de-stablizing. Is that even a word?  I mean that everything you own is on a truck somewhere and all you have are the few things in your suitcase.  I guess if it was a vacation it would be about the same except that the hubby had to go to work the day after we arrived. And I've been spending all my time trying to get the phone hooked up, water turned on, electricity and etc. 

They delivered the furniture and stuff yesterday, so I started unpacking immediately. Less time in hotel is good.  I like to sleep in my own bed.

Anyhow, today everything hurts!  It's just so much work this moving business.

Monday was my 13th Wedding Anniversary. Hubby took the day off to spend with me.  Which would have been great except that we spent most of the day working on the moving thing.  That's keeping us very busy!

We did go out to lunch. Went to a Thai food buffet.  Ate way too much again.  That's what buffets are like though.

We are a very mushy couple.  We kiss a lot, hold hands when we walk, stop and hug in the grocery store.  I'm very lucky  to have my husband who is also my best friend.  With him I can share everything.  It's been 16 years since we first met, and still I love to be around him and we have fun together.  So, I guess for us marriage is a good thing.  I've heard of people not liking the idea of being married.  I think that if you have a good marriage, it's fantastic, but I can imagine that if you don't it would be like hell on earth. I've had bad relationships, they suck the life out of you. But good ones, are a great blessing, and they give you so much to look forward to. 

So, that's my mush.

So, this has been a difficult year for my family.  We had moved across the country about a year and a half ago because my husband had been laid off from his old job and took a new job here in Louisiana. About eight months later we find out the owner of the company he works for has been committing "financial irregularities" and so the company is filing for bankruptcy and Mr. Owner is going to jail! 

Needless to say, this was not the happy news we wanted to hear.  We had expected to move here and stay put for a while.  At least until the daughter has graduated high school (she's in 4th grade).  But alas, that was not meant to be. Finding work in this area is only easy if you have a lot of connections and are securely hooked into the good-ole-boy network.  Of course, us being outsiders, we don't fit into that category.  So, my ever persistent and responsible hubby set to work on finding a new position.  Anywhere!

So, here we are almost 10 months later and finally he has accepted an offer out of state and we will be moving, again.  Moving sucks! I'm not big into moving. However, it's both exciting and kinda scary.  It's good, and it's not so good.  Here we moved and it took us some time to meet new people, find a new home, make new friends. Get into the groove at a new school for the daughter, figure out where to find the best shops in town, etc.  Now, it's going to start all over again.  

In a way it's very exciting! We're moving to Florida! Anybody been to Florida?  It's beautiful there! How cool is that? I'm looking forward to just going to the beach as often as possible. I know that this new company will be good for hubby, and I know that things always work out for the best and I believe that God is in control and wouldn't send us elsewhere if it were not a good thing.  So, I am very optimistic about the future (mostly).  Then I get to thinking about how it takes so much time to build new friendships, and the daughter needs good friends. Heck, I need good friends! Maybe some that will call me once in a while! What about all the unknowns? Where to live, finding the right school, will I be able to find a decent job there too? So much I just don't know. Oh, and the packing and unpacking, yuck! So, I am finding that although I am sure it will all work out, I'm still feeling a bit daunted.  It's just moving so fast now.  We'll be gone in two weeks. Need to say goodbye.