Busy, Busy Busy

Life it goes on with or with out you doesn’t it? It’s a 24 hour merry go round, up and down rides of sports with the kids, stay still horses for the job and what about those stand alone sleds would you call those the house chores ride? I would because it’s always going to be there and it’s boring as all get out!! Nobody wants to ride on that one sled and if you get stuck on that thing oh gees do you have the look of dread on your face to the crowd or what! ;o(

Yes, the weekends can be a big adventure to the amusement park called life! Most weeks go by so fast that by the time Thursday gets here you feel like you just got off the Texas Giant. Friday has finally arrived and you would be so happy but you are stuck in traffic and you are playing Bumper Cars on 183 Hwy. Not to fret though it is date night and my hubby has promised a nice quite Dinner. Date night reminds you of kissing in The Cave.

Saturday morning we woke up as if we rode the Splash Water and hopped into the Titan because it was go, go, go after that all day long. Soccer game, Soccer party, Baseball game, Baseball party, run to the store buy present for birthday party, pick up things for trip, wrap gift, type power point notes, go to birthday party in Fort Worth, come home run some laundry for trip and PASS OUT!! Saturday felt like the Shock Wave and the Flashback all at once!!

Sunday – I was dropped off for nursery duty, which I felt bad that the kids were there before I was – so, sorry! Puppet duty right before big church so, let’s just say morning duty for me felt a little like I was in Looney Tunes land – which I LOVE! However, it felt like the Wile E. Coyote & the Acme Co. kept me at bay and held me up causing me to be late for nursery duty and didn’t let my puppet work right either, at least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! ;o)

After church I had a great lunch with my family and great friend Kelly Russo and her kids. Mom took off work just to come have lunch with me what an honor that was, Michael even joined us!! Dan let me borrow Josh, so I really felt very special, thus the Carousel story.

Why do I say Carousel? That is the grandest ride in the park, with its beautiful brass bars holding the horses to ride. It’s a staple to the amusement park industry. You will always find a Carousel in any amusement park, each one may be different, each one plays music, it’s a ride within a ride like life.

Everywhere you go, you can meet the neatest families, like Kelly’s and invite them into your own. Life is going to have its ups and downs you have to go with the flow. Sometimes you just want to ride the free standing horse but need a friend, a spouse, a parent, a grandparent or maybe Jesus to stand there with you. When you are on that horse you will notice that you feel all the bumps of the carousel, those are the rocky times when you need someone the most, and some one will be there even if it’s Jesus. Later in life you may not be able to get on the horse and that’s ok that is what the sled is for. The carousel is the best it is big enough for the whole family, young and old, for every generation. Never forget TO RIDE the RIDES of YOUR LIFE!

Love,
Allie

Friends...

Great Ideas!

Do you hate to read? Are you reading my blog just because you are my friend? Thank you, I appreciate it. The other day a friend told me “Allie, that is a great idea, you always come up with the greatest ideas.” Well, friends I wish I could take credit for coming up with 100% of the ideas, but I can’t. The majority of my “GREAT IDEAS” come from all kinds of sources INTERNET, magazines, books and other GREAT friends! (Let’s see how many times can I use the word GREAT!) Can reading be a hobby? If reading can be a hobby – I do it abundantly!

I read a great idea today I want to share with my friends only reading this because you LOVE ME! ;o) The article was about creating family rituals and celebrating unusual traditions or adopting new one, because Thanksgiving is on the way. (It’s in November’s Better Homes and Garden) The one I thought was cool was:

“Have a “YES” Day Once a Month
Next time your kids can’t do what they’d like, whether it’s wearing a tutu all day or playing a game at dinner, have them write it down on a slip of paper and put it into a “yes” jar. Then once a month on a Saturday, empty the “Yes” jar and use those slips of paper to construct a perfect day when “No” is a no-no.
‘They might start off with chocolate doughnuts for breakfast and then have a pillow fight or go to the zoo’ says Cox. ‘It keeps the kids from getting grumpy and takes the sting out of ‘no,’ because it’s not forever.’ “

A couple of other ideas for rituals in the article were, having a Pet Birthday Party it teaches your children how important your pets are to the family including bone shaped cookies and inviting the other family members dogs or friends dogs. Celebrate Sibling day like Mother’s Day or Father’s day type of deal. You could go on and on…

Does your family have any special traditions? Once blended families start traditions are hard, because I thought of this question myself and I can’t think of a tradition for my own family. Growing up I can think of plenty I remember with my grandma and my cousins, fun distant memories makes me realize it’s not to late to start a tradition of my own with my kids!! ;o)

Have a GREAT IDEA to share? Leave a comment I’d love to hear about it??
Love,
Allie

Pride

Take the “I” out of pride and you’ll be able to see beyond the color of skin.
Take the “I” out of pride and you’ll be able to see past the type of clothes I wear, car I drive or the neighborhood I live.
Take the “I” out of pride long enough to not hear what language I speak, if I have a degree or not, or what religion I practice.

What matters is - if I believe in a God or not so, don’t compare?

He came so we didn’t have to compete, yet we do, why?
Oh, Yeah! SIN!
Don’t forget HE – paid that price for you.
So, don’t compete, tear down your pride don’t compare.

Do you want to be a stat report?
Don’t you want to be thought of as equal?
Then think of each other as equal the sooner you think of someone else as equal, the easier it is to tear down the walls of pride.

We all mess up. We are in the same earth boat. Are we all in the same Christ following boat? Only if we are “Loving God and Loving People” are we in the same boat otherwise we can join each other later in the Heavenly Cruise.

Until then,
Allie Long

A Day in a Life of a Soldier

From My Pastor's Blogger site came this...

Take a look at this Blog Site called “They Call Us, “Doc”; Ronnie E. Long fills the pages with “REAL” heart warming stories STRAIGHT from Iraq. A few weeks ago President Bush spoke with some of his men and the media/America had a field day with the interview. They called it “STAGED”. Read his responses to the almost 300 e-mails some supporter and not for the war and about the interview.

I believe Americans are so caught up into their “own” world that maybe it frightens them to think outside the box. Going beyond their home, neighborhood, city, state, religion much less the country and it brings on a real fear. For someone to have enough nerve and write an e-mail to an American solider who is on the other side our “safe zone”, an e-mail even asking was that staged? One of the questions he was asked “...In the absence of a specific threat to the US did we have a right to invade Iraq”. His is a great POST/BLOG, you will enjoy reading it. What we once thought was a “safe zone”? I mean do these people remember why we are even there? To protect our freedom and give freedom to the Iraqi people, it is not a vacation.

Americans need to pull their heads out of the sand we also need to be able to watch the news responsible. What I mean by that is; if you are going to watch the news be able to tell what is “STAGED” and what is real, especially if you are going to use your “FREEDOM OF SPEECH”. Make sure you scroll down where he shows you a news footage that is “staged”.

My Freedom of Speech is being used to pray for Sgt. Long’s safe return home to his family, may God continue to work through him as he helps save lives. I also pray for the Iraqi families may they learn from our soldiers the understanding of freedom that they want and deserve. Most of all my prayers are for God’s protection, peace and presence may all be a witness of God’s love, grace and mercy while we are on their soil.

God’s Blessings,
Allie

P.S. I haven’t learned to Link – yet – Just go at the top where it says Search this Blog and type either: 278medic.blogspot or They Call Us, “Doc”

New Way to Communicate!

Have you ever BLOGGED?

It’s the latest craze! Keep in touch with the times! Say what you want to say without getting in trouble at work. Your comments can even remain anonymous! Just stay connected by my BLOGGER site, add it to your favorites, read any of my posts! Create your own BLOGGER, it’s free!
Find other Bloggers – on all kinds of information, get into conversations about dogs, hotels, travels, and crafts or just about anything!
My "Fresh Starts" were meant to connect with co-workers on a personal level, on my own time and this is the best way I can do it without worry of offending anyone or jeopardizing my job by breaking company policies. I can also reach out and invite my family and friends easier, instead trying to copy and pasting those e-mails.
I hope you will enjoy using BLOG, I will try to post something everyday. I will be adding some cool links and pictures soon. I need to figure out all the ins and outs to BLOGGER!

Take Care,
Allie