Perspective

I read this this morning... funny how emails like this turn up when I need them most. I've been in a funk and after reading this I realize that I need to stop complaining and feeling so sorry for myself.


If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won't survive the week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people around the world.

If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death,you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare, especially in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand, hug them, even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch.

If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read anything at all.

You are so blessed in ways you may never even know.

Dragonfly, Dragonfly

'Tis visible silence, still as the hour-glass,
Deep in the sun-searched growths, the dragonfly
Hangs like a blue thread loosened from the sky -
So this winged hour is dropped to us from above.

-Dante Gabriel Rosetti

My New Friend

This is my dragonfly. I don't know why, but it has attached itself to me and claimed me for it's own. For several days now, when I'm in my backyard, which is often, it is always right there beside me. It lets me touch it but not catch it - it let me take this pic of it, my camera not zoomed. It is beautiful.

My favorite insect has always been the dragonfly - because, like me, they love water and despise mosquitoes (they eat them) and are so peaceful. After researching a little, I found out that Native Americans view dragonflies are a symbol of renewal after a time of great hardship. In Japan, they are symbols of courage and strength.

*Added later: I was taking a nap Friday afternoon and Ryan went outside to check something. He saw this dragonfly perched on my bedroom window. Hmmm...

In a nutshell

So, it's been a while since I really updated. We've been really busy lately with local summer activities. And I've been working at the hospital more than usual. We've had Girl Scout Camp, Theater Camp, Cub Camp, Summer Sonshine (church camp), Vacation Bible School, Swim Team, Swimming Lessons, and 3 birthdays... and the summer isn't even half over! We still have another Theater Camp, finishing out Swim Team and swim lessons and Summer Sonshine, Kids Camp (church), Music Camp, another VBS where I'll be Craft Master again this year. Ryan has been playing church league softball every Tuesday and Thursday night. The kids and I have a blast going to watch the games. Last week they won Division Champions! It was great! Sometime this summer we really want to go on a family vacation to the beach somewhere and Ryan and I want to get away for a couple days ALONE if possible. I guess it's easier to grieve when you are so busy you don't have time to stop and think.

Madelyn still talks about Pops every day. Delaney writes him letters. I don't know if it's really hit me yet or not. I stand in a frozen panic when I think about the fact that I have no parents left in this world. It's an odd thing and I can't yet grasp it. I leave him messages on his cell phone. Do you think he gets them? I'd like to think so. I picked up the phone to call him today because my brakes are grinding and I needed his advice. I put the phone down and cried. I have a hole in my heart. Okay, so I'm not totally an orphan... Dixie said she'd adopt me (and my siblings, too). I know from experience working in foster care/adoption that it takes a really special person to adopt a whole sibling set;) We just love her, love her, love her. She is the absolute best.

Ryan started his 2nd new job Monday. He wasn't really happy at the last one - L3 Communications. He was pretty much doing the same thing he was doing in the Navy at SBT-22 and he was totally bored of it. Did I mention we're no longer military? Weird. I've never known adult, married life not under that bubble of security. It sucks being a civilian! Anyway, he is and Industrial Engineer/Project Manager with Lockheed Martin now. Don't ask me how he qualified for that. They build stuff for NASA. He's doing well and they obviously like him because he already has security clearance (probably because he was 'top secret' already) and access to stuff others have been waiting 6 months for. The pay is much better, too. At least that will help make up for the ridiculous cost of healthcare you civilians are forced to pay;) What is up with that?!? His hours are 5:30a-2:30p and he has every other Friday off.

Anyway, that's what's going on in our lives - in a nutshell. Below is a Beth-marathon of pictures from all the way back to early May. So much happened during that time it is a blur. It seems like yesterday and years ago. Enjoy - because it may be quite a while before you hear from me again...

Love to all
XOXO

Sunshine Face

Sophia Grace - 15 months

Madelyn's Preschool Graduation

She sang the danced the best and sang the loudest (no surprise there;)
She's really going to miss 2 of her favorite people, Ms. April and Ms. Cyndia.

Me and Ryan - out to eat for my birthday
*Camera phone pic*

My 2 best friends... and a looneytune in the back;)
*Camera phone pic*

Celebrating

At Outback for Keri's 35th birthday

One lucky lady

Poker Party at the Dicks

We sent this pic to Ricky after he sent one to me of him in San Diego at a taco stand. I was just a bit jealous - so was Ryan so don't mind his finger;)

*Camera phone pic*

Madelyn painting her birdhouse she got for Easter. She spend 3 hours (seriously) making it perfect.
I never knew she had that much of an attention span!

Cinderella, get back to work!

Maddy being Maddy

The kids released balloons at the cemetary on the 1st. They wrote notes to Pops and Grandma Angel and attached them to the balloons . It was very good for them, and us, and Dixie.

Pops and Mimi got Delaney ladybug larva for her birthday. After they hatched she wanted to release them at the cemetary, so we brought them and let them fly away that day, too.

Geaux Gators!

The little fish had her 2nd swim meet. She placed 3rd in freestyle and 5th in backstroke. She's doing SO well and loves it!
All I know is she sleeps really well at night and eats a lot!

Birthday Boy

Ryan turned 34 on the 10th. His parents, Jennifer, Marcus, Hannah and Ava came to celebrate. We had a yummy, yummy crawfish boil, lots of dranky-drank, and tons of laughs! It just sorta happened, but I couldn't have planned a better party/weekend for him;)

Ryan and his Daddy and Mommy

What does it mean when a child always has their toungue out?

Love this pic of Hannah

Delaney loves holding baby Ava

Let me just say, for the record, that it is NO easy task getting a photo of 5 squirrely girls. I'm not sure what we were thinking. These were the best 4. Delaney and Ava were great, it was the other 3 that needed sedatives! I guess the bottom right is the best. So funny.

I love this one. Their faces say it all.

3 Rainbows

Here sit 3 amazingly beautiful and different little girls. They are my sunshine. I love them so much my heart could just burst... every, single day... burst.

Maddy and Sophie wearing Laney's dragonfly eyes. Delaney spent the previous week at theater camp and had her performance of "Billy No Buzz" on the 9th. She was a fabulous green dancing dragonfly! I took video but forgot to take pics of her in costume:(