Needles, timing & support in so many ways {Thankful Thursday #150}

This week I am Thankful For:

{Number go with my One Thousand Gifts journal - just ignore}

744 / Clarity.
Having the 2 different jobs to choose from, I was praying so hard on which job to take... & then something happened that made it PERFECTLY clear to me which one to take, & as soon as I accepted that position, I've had the best sense of peace about it.  Thank you Lord.

747 / Best support.
I've had the most supportive words & prayers from so many.  Ricky, my parents, my Joysters, & my sweet friend Nathalie, who would send texts about updates about the whole process & helping me figure things out. & all the comments & messages sent yesterday as well just made my heart swell!!! It has made the whole idea of transition so much better knowing people are lifting you up in prayer & supporting you however they can.

751 / BARGAIN!!!
So I just bought some knitting needles for a hat that I cant find around the house. I had to buy them online for like $13.99 a piece.  & then when I went to Hobby Lobby this past week, I found these in the clearance section. $1.99!!!!!! Are you kidding me?  The exact same needles in the package were there for $12.99. I was digging through for any other needles.  Didnt find any, but glad to have these for my stash!

752 / Blood work OK.
So it's been a nightmare with - guess it - health insurance. My doctor wanted to run some scans on me back at the beginning of October.  My wonderful, delightful insurance denied it. Like they know what's best for my health?  They said, "It looks like she's healthy - she doesnt need it".... so do healthy people not have troubles or get sick ever?  Geez... it's been a fight - the doctor called & ordered ANOTHER test - which the insurance company DENIED AGAIN! .... (& you wonder why I'm leaving my job for another one for health insurance?  There you go).... but the insurance finally settled on a blood test - which actually was a battle on where I could go to get the one little vile of blood taken. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!??!!?!?!?!??!??? ....
all of that to say, the blood tests came back fine & clear...

753 / Support for Ricky.
I am so thankful that my dad went to the funeral home to sit with Ricky for awhile & that Ricky's sister Sherry came & stayed for the funeral to support him.  It's never easy to go through hard stuff alone & poor Ricky's heart was just BROKEN & needed that back up in his life.

756 / Bruno OK.
Just so thankful that he didnt cut his leg right when we left Saturday for the funeral home & he was home by himself for 6 hours - but it was only less than a half hour before we got home to stop the bleeding for him.

757 / Celebration Sunday.
Celebrating another bible study accomplished & done & getting to chat & catch up. So thankful to see our Joyster Elaine who had to miss the last few get togethers & realllllly excited for our new Joyster that will be starting with us!

Missing about 10 people here - WOW!!! We've grown!

760 / CANCELING INSURANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got my employee packet that shows my health insurance starts December 1... so I was one happy camper calling my provider & telling them to take my insurance & TRASH IT!!! YAHOOOO!!!!!!!!

762 / Happy & Yummy Mail!!!
My adorable friend Meranda did a post not too long ago about these whoopie pies she gets locally. I had never had one before & mentioned it to her... so what does she do?  She buys some & sends to us!!!!! HOW CUTE IS THAT? & how YUMMY is that? Well, I can attest that it is VERY Yummy!!!!!.... I am glad I dont have these near me. I'd want a pumpkin whoopie pie every day!! THE BEST!!!!

What are you thankful For this week?

My morning view this past week... just so hopeful to me seeing the sun rise - pushing the darkness out of the way.
I just felt such happiness seeing this....
Grateful for sunrises in all areas of life!!!

When you just gotta go.....

So... this Friday, at my job, it will be my 25th anniversary.
Unbelievable.  Where did the time go?

Also... this Friday, it will be my last day on the job with this company.

So yeah... all the secret talk that's been around the blog for the past few weeks.... here we go.

My last day is in just 2 more days.

I can't believe it.  It truly doesnt feel like its real life.  But oh, how much it really is real life.

I wish I could say I was quitting my job to go explore the world (or at least Disney World) or I was opening a knitting store, or opening up a dog rescue center... something fun & exciting.  But alas - it's just real life pushing me to make a move.

You've all heard me here talk about health insurance for years.... well, at least for the past 10 years when our health insurance was taken away from us at work.  It's just been a nightmare - that only has become scarier & more frightening then ever as each year has passed.  & when I got my letter from my current insurance provider that they would no longer even be offering insurance in 2018, I knew I had to make a change.  Nothing was going to improve sitting in the same stagnant place.

I prayed about it & put my resume out there.  & I have to say, I truly feel like God has moved me into a new & exciting place.

I had two prospectives that both were trying to entice me to come to their companies & its so funny because coming out of both meetings with each, I was sure I was going with one & not the other... & God just worked in the smallest - & biggest - ways to totally switch that idea in my head & now, I'm going to the one I truly feel like God is pushing me to.

I'll be working in a law firm - hello, that's new... in their finance department.  I'm really excited about it because there's so much opportunity there - for me & for them.  When I interviewed, their first words to me were, "You are so over qualified for this position, we dont even know why you're here" - my answer was "Health insurance" #truth... I'm nothing but honest.  But after talking with them, they were excited to use my 25 years of experience in the office & accounting department to use me in a whole new way for this position.  I think we're excited on both sides about the possibilites.

Change doesn't come easy for me. It never has.

I am the person that cried for a week leaving my 5th grade teacher because I knew I'd be going to middle school & never would see her again.  (I could still get choked up about missing Mrs. Miller)

& let me tell you, its tough.... so tough... to think that I have truly grown up at my current job.

I started at this company it when I was 20 years old.  I wasn't even dating Ricky at the time.  I lived at home with my parents. I was a mere baby....

& I think of all the things that have happened to me during the past 25 years....marriage, family & friends lost, pets lost, new pets gained, becoming an aunt, becoming a Nanny, all the health issues through the years - Lord knows all the dental issues through them too.  A lifetime of things that I have shared with the same people.  Yeah... I'm just not good with goodbyes.

It's also just scary to start over again.  I'm 45... & I'm feeling like a kid starting high school or college for the first day.  Will I fit in?  Will I catch on?  Will I be able to handle a whole new way of daily life? .. it's going to be an adventure.

As for my blog? I'm not even sure how its going to effect it, but I honestly know my daily routine is getting ready to get tossed on its head.  I'm not going to ever give up my blog - that's for sure - but I'm not sure of the regularity of it all.  We'll figure it out... I hope you stick with me as I settle in & find my footing in my new path.

So yeah.... my last day is Friday... & luckily, I'm taking next week off.  I actually had it off for vacation anyways &with  my new employer, my new manager is off so they just told me to start the Monday after.... which I'm excited to get that week off to breath, adjust, meet with some friends for lunch, get my tree up... just learn to slowly adjust to my new life.

I've been taking boxes down to my car slowly... it's been boxes of memories going through old papers & pictures & notes & all the small things you collect in 25 years time.

While scared, I'm excited & hopeful to see what the next 25 years holds....

I just know it holds an ease of mind now that I'll have health insurance.  As someone who has struggled for 10 years to find insurance, it feels like I've hit the lottery.... truly!!!

Lift a prayer for me if you dont mind - on the transition, on the new job, on all the change....

& Ricky would say for him too ;)

ONWARD & UPWARD!!!!!

So I've gotten wrapped up in the fairy tale.... {Show Us Your Books}

Another month of reading...

This month, I totally got swept up in the series I've heard so many of you talk about....

so sorry if this one looks repetitive to you - or WAY out of date or late since I think everyone else has read a lot of these books - but I'm always feeling a step behind in life.

I'm OK with that....

So here's my books I've read the past month

_________________________________

Rating off the Goodreads Rating system

In the Unlikely Event / Judy Blume

* / 1 star

Quick Summary: How it effects everyone in a small town in the 50's, when there are 3 plane crashes within 6 months times.

No... just no.
I was on the road of good books for awhile & this one just hit the brakes for me.
First, it seemed like forever long... second, the cast of characters in one book should be limited.  It was ridiculous when I literally had to have a chart that looked like a FBI witness chart in front of me to keep things straight.

Even more?  Every chapter changes POV of all these characters, so there's that as well.

& in the end, I just didnt care for the story.  It didnt seem to have a REAL point to it.
I'm just super bummed & let down with my childhood hero of an author.

I am all about giving up a book if its not good, but I was about 60% done & I just knew there had to be something more happen... some point to all the planes crashing - SOMETHING to make it better.... nope... just a stupid book with a ending that I was literally shaking my head & feeling like I just wasted a bunch of time.

This is seriously all the characters
... plus there's some more that pop up that are side characters
#TOOMUCH

The Selection by Kiera Cass
***** / 5 Stars

Quick Summary: 35 girls, the Selection, have the opportunity to live in a palace & compete for the heart of the Prince.

Well, all I have to know is a "Prince" is involved & I'm already loving this book.
I actually wanted to read it for the longest time but HATE reading a book in a series & having to wait forever for the next one, so I waited until these were all out. I'm glad - because I ZOOMED through the first one in a few days & I know I'll just truck through the whole series. I would be mad if I had to wait for the other books.

Someone asked me how I'd describe this series & to me, its a mix of The Hunger Games + The Bachelor + Divergent.  Weird, huh?  But I'm loving it - the fairy tale story, the love triangle, the angst of it all... I'm so wrapped up in it. I may have sighed at points ... such a girl swooning. But again, I'm a sucker for it.

I mean, I know where this is all going, in thanks to the covers of the future books - the down fall of waiting to read a series...but it hasnt taken away any of my fun & enjoyment of it. I'm in this series completely now.

Fun side note - my youth girls have told me while they read it, they always thought of me when they talked about America because she has red hair.

"I hope you find someone you can't live without. I really do. And I hope you never have to know what its like to have to try & live without them"

The Elite by Kiera Cass
**** / 4 Stars

Quick Summary:  America has made it to the top 6 in the Selection

I went straight from the last book into this one & still 100% wrapped up in it.

This one totally held my attention but it just got a little frustrating at America's wishy-washy attitude on what she wants. Maybe if I read it a year apart like they came out, it wouldnt be as bothersome to me - but by the end, I was like, "MAKE UP YOUR MIND"... but saying that, I didnt dislike it or it didnt take anything away from the story for me.  I literally went ahead & purchased the whole book series so I could just continue to read on because my library has a wait list for the other 3 books. I wont be able to wait.

I am interested to see where the rest of this story goes with Maxon as he makes his choices & Aspen as he sits around & watches the girl he loves constantly push him to the side... & also to see where this country is going with attacks on the royal family a constant occurrence... & I'm hoping the King gets punched in the face.

Yep, I'm still sucked into this series...

".... I want it to be as easy as breathing for you to say yes"

The Prince by Kiera Cass
**** / 4 Stars

Quick Summary:  A novella of what happens before The Selection through Maxon's eyes.

I was waiting for my order of the rest of the books in The Selection & found that there's a whole set of "novellas' - quick reads telling you another side of the story.

This first one was seeing life through Prince Maxon's eyes before The Selection begins.  I really liked that there's even the first scenes of his & America's meeting but seeing it through his eyes.

& just 64 pages long, I read it in less than an hour....

A fun way to just get a little bit more of the story.
I'm excited to read the other 3 now.

"All I knew was, even if she wasn't mine, I wanted to leave her with a smile"

The One by Kiera Cass
*****/5 stars

Quick Summary:  Who will finally win Maxon's heart in the final round of the Selection with rebellion happening all around the royal family.

Yep... still going in this series.

This is the 3rd one continuing one & we're down to the final 4 girls in this one.
But this book, I enjoyed a little more because it really dug into some deeper relationships & losses & family issues.  It held some shock & surprises to me & I loved the emotion was a little more intense in this with everyone - with family, with love, with friendship.  I think this was a great one - better than the 2nd.

I think the end was a little rushed for me after a 3 book build up, but I still appreciated the ending & didnt hate it.

I think the next one in the series is kind of a step away from the first 3 books - the first 2 had like cliff hanger endings - this one is a definite ending. So I may take a Selection break for a book or two... but cant wait to finish reading them all.

"Break my heart. Break it a thousand times if you like. It was only ever yours to break anyway"

So have you read The Selection series?

What book series is your favorite?

Best book you've read this month?

The weekend that we said goodbye to a friend.....

Emotion.

The weekend was full of it... completely & fully.

Friday was the slowest day for us so I made sure to just relax. I dont even think I knit, which is a crazy thing for me....

But I just parked myself in front of the TV & ended up watching a movie I'd never thought I'd watch... & REALLY ended up loving.

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Seriously... it was REALLY good.

Saturday, I knew it was going to be a tough day.
It was Ernie's funeral & I just knew Ricky's heart was going to be torn apart all over again.

It's always so hard to say those final goodbyes.

The service for Ernie was so hard... to see all his kid lined up in that front row, clinging to one another. It tore me apart.  & Ernie's oldest daughter went up to speak about her dad & she mentioned the friendship that Ernie & Ricky had & that just pushed Ricky over the edge.

So sad to see all of these kids loose their father.
& poor Ricky.... as we were walking out, he said, "There's no one I can talk about the memories of my childhood with that remembers themselves & can laugh & remind me of things that happened".  For Ricky, it really is like loosing another brother.  Just devastating.

After the funeral, Ricky & I went to get something to eat & we just sat & talked & talked & talked about memories of Ernie. I think it was great for Ricky to talk about some of these things... & I just loved hearing about their antics of growing up together.

It wasn't like it was a tough enough or heavy enough day.... but we got home & I walked in the door & saw this....

Blood everywhere!!!!

I about freaked out.  I ran around the house screaming for Bruno because I knew it had to be his blood... & couldnt find him....
but then saw him standing in a corner with a pile of blood under him  &his face covered in blood.

I picked him up & took off running down the drive way screaming for Ricky to help.
I had no idea where Bruno was bleeding - his face, his leg, anywhere on his body??? ....

This is why I love our security cameras.... we looked back & what happened was Bruno walked on top of the air vent in the floor & I guess it caught just right on his finger nail that it pulled the vent up....  & low & behind, he kept walking around, as blind as he is  - & fell in the hole in the ground, cutting his leg on the edge of the vent.

Poor baby.

His face was covered in blood where he was licking it to try & get it to stop. & luckily, it had only happened about a half hour before we got home.

We washed it & was able to get the bleeding to stop - we thought we were going to have to go to the vet's office on an ER run... but it did stop & we were able to clean it up & Ricky bandaged it up.  It's already looking better ... but geez... our poor little boy. He's just going through the ringer lately.

In the kennel after getting cleaned & bandaged up

The rest of the night, I was done for... I couldnt handle anything else... so I just sat & knit & got on a Project Runway marathon.  It's the extent my brain could go.

Sunday, I headed to MSM & then headed out to meet my Joysters.

We always take the meet up after we finish a study & just hang out.  We had plans on eating & then going to paint pottery... except we ate & then got to the pottery place to find out there wasn't one open seat in the entire place. WHAT!?!?!?.... apparently they were having some sort of birthday party group in there.... so we just went to the coffee shop next door & was able to just chat & enjoy some yummy coffee & just enjoy the little break in the day.

My day was just made though because one of my past brides, who Chasity & I have stayed in touch with, we've been praying for her to join us for the longest time... well, she's finally gave in & is starting to join us. I'M SO EXCITED!!!!! I just love her so much.  & she has a new little baby - & our group is ALL ABOUT THE BABIES!!!!!

I had enough time to go home & take Ricky some dinner I picked up for him & sit & watch an episode of Stranger Things 2 (Ricky is behind & I'm enjoying watching it again with him)...

& then it was time to head out for our girls bible study....

We are nearing the end of the study they are doing.  I'm praying the girls have gotten something out of it. I have loved watching them just continue to show up every week - that's a blessing in of itself.

Next week with them is going to be so fun - we are doing a "Friendsgiving" & they are inviting BOYS!!!  You should hear all the squealing.  The amazing lady who opens her home for this & leads the discussion every week - she's just incredible. I'm so amazed she's going to let all these girls (there's about 20-25 of them) each invite a boy over - it's going to be full of moments that I'm going to go AHHHH about - I guarantee.  It's really cool though because the Student Connection Pastor is going to come & give a devotion & just sort of be the balance for the boys.... which is nice.  & plus, every middle school girl has the biggest crush on him so they'll be all dreamy eyed listening to him. haha... You should have heard the GROANS when they were told he'll be bringing his girlfriend. OHHH... the infatuations of a middle school girl.  It's going to be super fun though & a great way to end our bible study for the holidays.

So got home around 8:30 & was pretty much beat. ... & barely even made it through The Walking Dead...

whew... what a weekend.

How was yours?

Tell me something good about it!

Friday Favorites

Favorite Christmas Craft



SOOOO CUTE!!
& simple!!!

Favorite Kitchen Item

Isnt this a cute berry bowl
or any kind of collander really.
But its hand made... & beautiful! I'd leave this on my counter all the time.

Favorite Beauty & the Beast



Steve Thompson is just my favorite Disney artist
I honestly want nothing but a wall of his prints.
He's designed a lot of the Disney Christmas ornaments this year too.
He's the best

Favorite Motivation

Favorite Peencha

Favorite Funnies

.... me after day light savings time sucks all the sunlight out of life & I feel winter coming

.... when someone goes to extreme talking about how young I looked in my wedding pictures

... every morning on my drive to work because I'm running late

... me at 4:00pm today

Happy Weekend Y'all!!!

Thankful Thursday #149

727 / Saying Goodbye.
Ricky's friend Ernie got flown down to Lexington in the hopes of getting his lung transplant.... & then things took an awful turn for the worse. I was so thankful Ricky was able to make it down to Lexington to say goodbye to his friend. Especially after spending virtually every evening with him in the hospital here locally. I know Ricky would have felt awful not seeing him one last time.

731 / Support.
So thankful & grateful for all the words given to Ricky & all the prayers lifted for him & Ernie's family after his passing last week.  Words matter.  Caring & supporting words REALLY matter.

734 / Warmer weather.
When we get an 80 degree day in November, I'll always be thankful.

737 / Pics all caught up.
I got all my editing done Friday night so I was so thankful that I didnt have to sit behind a computer on the weekend!!!

738 / A walk in fall.
Walking during the fall & just taking in the scenery, the colors, the smells, the crisp air... why cant fall be year round? Maybe we wouldnt love it as much if that happened.  Its so special when it does arrive.

739 / NO PLANS!!!!
It is SOOOO rare that I dont have plans on a Sunday after church.  But this was one day that Ricky was able to meet me after MSM & we got to go to lunch, go shopping, lounge on the back porch with Harvey & Bruno (Zoe is forever hiding & a loner).  It was wonderful.

740 / Christmas Music.
I dont know why, but I'm listening to Christmas music at work & really enjoying it. It's making me want to put up my Christmas tree now.  I put it up Thanksgiving week anyways so its just days away.... but I'm loving the Christmas music right now. It's good for my soul.

... I have a lot of other things I'm thankful for... for again, all the secret-y stuff I'll be talking about soon... some of you already guessed it & I give you props!

So tell me what things you're thankful for this week!

Hodpodge Time

1.  In a rut, in a jam, in the groove, out of sync, off balance, out of touch...which saying best fits some area of your life currently (or recently)? Explain.

Off Balance.
I have some BIG things up in the air right now on where life is headed for me - all good stuff - no worries... & I'll be talking about it soon enough, but yeah. Life is totally off balance right now for me.
When I'm up at 4AM bright eyed because of wondering & worry & decision making? That's off balance. Dont mess with my sleep.


2. What is it about somebody else's style of work (coworker/employee/shared volunteer project/household chore) that makes you crazy? Why?

I am someone that needs sound around me.  Music, or a TV - just background noise. I dont really have to have it super loud. I keep my radio on at my desk so low that if i walk 5 steps away from my desk, you cant hear it - but when I'm sitting there, I can hear it.  I just hate total silence. I'm the only one in the office that uses a radio & I dont understand how everyone does it.

Yep... this is probably me

3. What's a tradition that always makes you feel at home?

I think I'm way over thinking this question.... because I'm like, "Tradition? Like something that always happens?"... & "Feel at home? Like comfortable - or you mean, like a kid feeling at home again?" Or it is talking about is there something you do when you move that is a tradition that makes it feel like home?  But people dont move that often.... Or is it talking about if you're traveling & do you do something while you're away from home to feel like home.... or is it talking about what i do every day when I get home that makes me feel finally relaxed?  I'M SO CONFUSED!!!!

See answer #1 - I'm just off balance right now


4. A favorite song with a girl's name in the title or lyrics? Any reason why this is a particular favorite?

The first thing that came to mind - a song by KISS... my husband would be so proud.
But Ricky let me know - the original song was supposed to be called BECK - because it was written about a guitarist wife named Becky & he & Peter Criss wrote that song... but they thought Beth sounded better in song so they changed it.... but Ricky will still sing it to me as BECK ;)

The more you know ..... insert flying rainbow.....


5. Share a favorite quote, verse, or saying relating to gratitude or thanksgiving.

6. Insert your own random thought here

I'm starting to give up on some shows.
I've stopped watching How to get Away with Murder... & I gave up Designated Survivor... & I'm teetering on the edge of not caring about Scandal either (I reallllly dont like evil Olivia Pope)... my DVR is thankful.

But I'm not giving up on my Survivor, The Walking Dead, This is Us & of course, Dancing with the Stars!

What TV show is a MUST WATCH for you right now/