My Miracle Is 17 Today!

My Emily is gonna be 17 today! A day for me that I never thought I would see. Just getting pregnant was an ordeal. The hormones and the fertility drugs, what a pain! But, finally I did get pregnant, but it was not to be. I lost the first baby at 8 weeks. Of course it was just the end of my world! So back to the drawing board. More hormone, more fertility drugs.....you get the picture. Finally I was pregnant again, It was a year later. Emily was 6 days overdue and I was scheduled to be induced on the 26th. The night before, right after I had my supper I began to have pain and throwing up. Emily was finally ready! So, I entered the hospital a day early. I had been laboring for 19 hours and I was sitting in a rocking chair in my room when I had the worst pain of my life. The bottom part of my body was experiencing such a force of pain like I had never known before. Emily had made a bowel movement and then took a breath before she should have! She was basically drowning! Then it all became one big emergency. I was put on a table with abot 30 people in and out of my room. Hooking me up to this and to that. I remember telling one of the nurses :i don't wanna do this anymore." And she said "Honey, I think it's too late to change your mind!" After that I would remember a feeling of floating over top of myself on that table and watching what everyone was doing to me. The next thing I remember is how when the doctor pulled Emily out I didn't hear a thing except for people running here and running there, but no crying from Emily. Later I would find out that she was a 0 on her APGAR score. Yes, the running around that I heard, was all the people that were trying to resuscitate her. And finally, finally I heard that precious sound! The biggest cry you would ever want to hear!

And here is the moment I waited 30 yes thirty, years of my life to have.......

I can honestly say it was worth every scary, painful moment I endured that day! She was wonderful to look at!


And here she is at 2 months old visiting with grandma Mary who passed away 3 months later from cancer.


Here she is dressing up as Madeline. Madeline was her very favorite story book character. She still has her Madeline doll......but you didn't hear that from me...


Emily used to wear glasses when she was little but she doesn't need them anymore. Just recently she realized how much her glasses were like Harry Potter and she really thought that was cool! She can not wait for the new Harry Potter movie to come out.


My baby then..........


And my baby now..........

She is just as beautiful today......inside and out! I love you Emily. Happy Birthday!

An Award And A Great Goodwill Buy!

Just one more thing, among many, to be thankful for this week! I got this award from Janene at Primitive Lifestyle because, as she and I have discovered, we have such a large amount of things in common. And when she writes her life story she is going to dedicate it to me! LOL! Thank you so much Janene, I really do appreciate it! I'm supposed to pass it on to 7 more gals but it seems like most of you have it! So if you don't have it, come on over and get it and put it on your blog! There are just so many of you that I love reading about everyday! It is my most favorite part of the day!



I also wanted to show you this. My niece Ellen and I went shopping Friday and we decided to stop at the Goodwill Store. As we were looking around, Ellen said "Did you see that?" She was looking down at the very bottom shelf on the end. I looked down and gasped! Of course being the good aunt that I am, I said "Do you want it?" And the very second she said "No, you go ahead." I grabbed it! Can you believe it? What kind of a human being donates such a beautiful thing? Not that I am ungrateful, but I find it amazing and unbelievable! Oh yes, I headed straight for the cash register. It was mine and I just wanted to make it official! LOL! As I waited by the door for Ellen to pay for her purchase, you would not have believed the gasps and the "oh my's" that I heard! I totally understood their shock and disbelief at what they were seeing me holding, very tightly, in my arms! I paid 14.99 for it, which at a Goodwill store would be the biggest amount I have ever paid for anything. But, when I went home, of course, the first thing I did was check Ebay. The cheapest one I found was 89.99 and the next one was 109.99......yeah, I'd say I got a great deal....wouldn't you?




I hope everyone is having a great weekend. We are still fighting off the stomach bug thingy that is going around. This weekend is my Emily's turn. Hope you feel better soon Em! Hugs everybody and take care!

Whatcha Working On Wednesday

Good morning everybody! Well, at least it was morning when I started this post! Lol! Lauren is home sick today and my mom has gout in her ankle so between feeling bad for the two of them and doing laundry, dishes and the like, I'm having a hard time getting this done. But here goes.....


This is an unfinished shelf I got at the craft store. I really needed a little shelf for this corner to display all my little laundry collectables. I think the black looks good because to the right of it is a little cupboard that is red.


These are some little icicle snowmen that I made along with a simple fabric covered box that has potpourri and tart melts inside. I simply added some greenery to the cute little stocking and the sweet little candleholder. None of these projects were hard, but they all look so cute!

Remember these little stockings from my trip to the flea market? I grubbied them up with some coffee and vanilla and they look so much more prim than they did.

This is the stitchery I started about 2 weeks ago. I got the pattern from Chestnut Junction. I love how he turned out. Now to find the perfect spot for him when I decorate!

Now, I have saved the best for last! This is my Lauren's first stitchery! Can you believe it? She did an excellent job. She will be 8 years old next month and I think she did surprisingly well. When I was working on my Santa, she asked me if she could try it. I was shocked that she would find it the least bit interesting. Living in this technological world that we live in, I really didn't think it would appeal to her. Boy, was I wrong! She is as addicted to it as I am! Now she is going to be working on some Christmas gift stitcheries......I love it! Gee, I don't sound like a proud mommy, do I?

Well, that's about all I got for today. Go on over and visit Leslie at My Country Home and see what everyone else has been up to! And have a great day while you're at it!
~Beth~

Secret Santa Goodies!

My goodies are here! Yes, I love to get goodies in the mail! A few weeks ago, Jenn, over at Bittersweet Prims posted a blog for anyone that wanted to join in. So, I thought, yes I can do this and it will be so much fun! And it has been! I have been crafting away on my things for the person that was picked for me. The send out date was to be November 21st. But some people, I have read, sent their's out early! I feel so behind! But seriously, mine is ready to go out. I hope she likes her things as much as I love mine!

My things, as you can see in the pic, are from Juanita over at It's Harvest Time. I just love every single thing! The little stitchery is my favorite! I love stitcheries! This one will find a home for sure when I do my decorating. And the little faux rock with the John 14:6 passage on it will be put on my Dad's headstone at the cemetary. It is just perfect for that. The little grubby stars and the potpourri smell so good! And the little girl in the red dress has already been claimed by Lauren! Lol! Oh gee, I just love it all! Thanks again, Juanita!

The Tears Will Flow and The Snow Will Fall

I think this picture tells the story.........

Yes, we lost. It was a heartbreaker. But as Coach Kosiorek said "The pain will last for a few weeks, but the memories will never fade." I couldn't possibly be any prouder of my little school! We are "The Best Small School In Ohio"!


And this is what we woke up to this morning......Life does go on......doesn't it?

VETERAN'S DAY

I just wanted to take a moment to say Thank You! Thank You to every person that has ever served this great country of ours! Past, present and future. I am grateful everyday of my life for the fact that I am free. I am forever indebted to those who fought for our freedom. I am thankful for the right to vote.....even when my choice did not win. I am thankful I live in a country where my girls are not denied an education simply because they are girls. I understand the sacrifices that were made for me to be able to freely sit here and express my opinions on this blog. I am an AMERICAN. I am the daughter of a WWII VETERAN.........and for that I am thankful!!



WOODROW WILSON ZIMMER...MY AMERICAN HERO...MY DAD

We're Movin On!

Well, we won again! I am so proud of our little school! We are just making things happen around here! Go Burg!

I also wanted to mention that the unthinkable has happened......My Emily got a job! Can you believe it? She will be 17 on the 26th, like that's not hard enough to believe, she went and got herself a job! She is working at the local grocery store. Our little village has been without a store for a while now, so having it back is a big deal in a little town like ours. I stopped by yesterday, which was opening day, to see 2 things: 1.Yes we actually have a grocery store and 2.Yes Emily actually had a real job! She was great! I am so proud of her! Why all the fuss? And why did I call this the unthinkable? Because my Emily is the kind of girl that just automatically thought she would grow up and marry a prince and the she would be waited on hand and foot! Let me give you an example....when I first tried to teach her how to wash dishes, she wouldn't stick her hands in the water. Why? Beacause she said "Those dishes are dirty and I will get that stuff on my hands!" This is the girl that had to run around the track one time to pass gym class and the school nurse called me to pick her up because she threw up! Yea. This is the girl that wouldn't play sports. "I can't play soccer, it makes you sweaty!" Now, you would think to yourself...I bet she is a chubby little thing, oh no she's a size 6. Why is this such a big deal you say? Because, all this time my husband and I kept saying to each other, "She better find herself a rich husband, because she's never gonna cut it in the working world!" But, do you wanna know what I saw yesterday? I saw her working circles around alot of the other girls. The other girls were pecking the cash register with one finger and flipping their little blinking light on to have someone fix their mistakes and reset their registers. And who do you think that person was? Yep, it was Emily! She went from cash register to cash register fixing and resetting. All that time on the computer and all of those thousands of text messages later, yes Emily had become some sort of technological wizard! Yes,I am really proud of my Emily! Great job girl! Now, if only I could get her to put her clothes in the hamper instead of on the floor beside the hamper. Oh well, all in due time.

God's Promise

I just wanted to share this picture of what I saw out my backdoor this evening.



"Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." GENESIS 9:16

Whatcha Workin On Wednesday

Just wanted to show a couple of pics of my stitcheries I have just started. The Santa is from Chestnut Junction. I really like their patterns, they are so user friendly. Especially if you are new at it! I wish the pic was a little clearer. Sorry! The other pattern is from Country Stitches. It is a cute wreath with gingerbread men that I will use in my kitchen.


I also found this fabric at Walmart to cover some more boxes. I love covering those boxes! It is easy and it is quick satisfaction! I like that in a craft project! LOL!



On a different note, I just wanted to say....I voted yesterday for John McCain and we all know how it turned out. I believe that to everything there is a reason and I also believe that God is good and he is never without complete control. I may not agree with President elect Obama......but I am an American and he will be my President and therefore it is my duty as such to support my President and show a force of solidarity to the other countries! I must share this little story with you. When Lauren woke up this morning I told her Obama was our President and she began to cry. I asked her why she was crying and she said "I just feel sorry for John McCain." I told her he will be fine. And she said "Did he cry?" And I said maybe he will later at home but he didn't on t.v. last night. And then she said "Did Obama stick his tongue out at him?" Oh! The innocence of youth! I continued to tell her that grown ups don't do that. And she said "Mom, I don't care if he is a Democrat as long as he is a good President." I agree with Lauren. Please join me in praying for him to have the strength to protect our country and to make choices that don't bring harm to our United States. God Bless America and God Bless my wonderful new "blogging friends"!

Fleamarket Finds

Just wanted to share a few finds with everybody. My niece, Ellen and I went to our local fleamarket and we picked up a few goodies here and there. I got these really cute little quilted stockings. I picked out 11 of them and got them for 10.00. I also got the reproduction berry basket holder for 15.00. It was 17.00. Her husband made these out of old wood, it is so cute. I have some old berry baskets but I'm not sure how I want to use it yet. I got a couple of little frames for .50 to do some small stitcheries. A mason jar lamp that I think I'm gonna put on the computer desk. It has one of those flickering lights in it....really pretty. The wall lamp is made of wood, gonna paint it and add a shade. It was 1.00. The little molds were six for 2.00, which I split with Ellen, so a buck for those, pretty good. All of the kitchen utensil type items you see there were bought for 3.50. I collect old cookie cutters, especially the ones with wood handles and the gingerbread men. Well, that's about it. I just wanted to share my goodies and I hope each and everyone of you have had a wonderful weekend!

We Won!

Oh yes, we won the first round of our journey to becoming state champions! Please don't think I'm just being a bragging kinda person. You have to understand the circumstances surrounding our win. We are a small town of approx. 1750 people. Our town is contained in an area of 1 square mile. We have one traffic light at the crossroads of State Route 29 and State Route 4. Officially we are described as a village.....not a town, not a city. A village. We are a village of rich tradition when it comes to our football team. We have been in the playoffs for 9 of the last ten years. But, don't think that it is all about the sports. We received an Excellent on the last State Report Card. I just thought I would share this little video that was in one of the local papers. It is quite nice. Oh, and if you see a cute little girl playing clarinet....that's my Emily. Although, not so little, she will be 17 on the 26th.:( GO BURG!!