Adriana’s blog

Another great video found thanks to Mararia. Thanks Mararia!

So often, we don't appreciate life.  We don't remember on an every day basis, our blessings and what a gift from God our children are.  When I receieved this email prayer from a friend, I new I had to post it on my blog for two reasons.  So that I could remember and apply his prayer to my own life with my daughter and so that anyone that read it would go hug their child. 

Here is the poem:It is a prayer written by a father to his 10 month old child who has brain cancer that has spread all over his little body.  

TO MY CHILD

Just for this morning, I am going to

smile when I see your face and laugh

when I feel like crying.

Just for this morning, I will let you

choose what you want to wear,

and smile and say how perfect it is.

Just for this morning, I am going to step

over the laundry and pick you up and take you to

the park to play.

Just for this morning, I will leave the

dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put

that puzzle of yours together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug

the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with

you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell

once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and

whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one

if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I won't worry

about what you are going to be when you grow up, or

second guess every decision I have made where you are

concern ed.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you

help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you

trying to fix them.

Just for this afternoon, I will take us

to McDonald's and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can

have both toys.

Just for this evening, I will hold you in

my arms and tell you a story about how you were

born and how much I love you.

Just for this evening, I will let you

splash in the tub and not get angry.

Just for this evening, I will let you

stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.

Just for this evening, I will snuggle

beside you for hours, and miss my favourite TV shows.

Just for this evening when I run my

finger through your hair as you pray, I will simply be

grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given.

I will think about the mothers and

fathers who are searching for their missing children, the

mothers and fathers who are visiting their children's

graves instead of their bedrooms. The mothers

and fathers who are in hospital rooms

watching their children suffer senselessly and screaming

inside that little body

And when I kiss you goodnight I will hold

you a little tighter, a little longer. It is then,

that I will thank God for you, and ask him for

nothing, except one more day.............

No hables de tu vejez ni te quejes de tus achaques.  Acabaras por creerte mas viejo y mas enfermo de lo que en realidad estas.  Y te haran el vacio.  Nadie quiere estar oyendo historias de hospital.  Deja de autollamarte viejo y considerarte enfermo.

Cultiva el optimismo sobre todas las cosas.  Al mal teimpo, buena cara.  Se positivo en los juicios, de buen humor en las palabras, alegre de rostro, amable de los ademanes.  Se tiene la edad que se ejerce.  La vejez no es una cuestion de anos sino de estado de animo.

Trata de ser util a ti mismo y a los demas.  No eres un parasito ni una rama desgajada voluntariamente del arbol de la vida.  Bastate hasta donde sea posible y ayuda.  Ayuda con una sonrisa, con un consejo. 

Trabaja con tus manos y tu mente.  El trabajo es la terapia infalible.  Cualquier actitude laboral, intelectural, artistica, medicina para todos los males es la bendicion de trabajo. 

Integra a todos lo miembros de tu familia.  Ahi tienes la oportunidad de convivir con todas las edades, ninos, jovenes, y espirito.  Huye del bazar de antiguedades.

No pienses que todo tiempo pasado fue mejor.  Deja de estar condenado a tu mundo y maldiciendo a cada momento.  Alegrate de que entre las espinas florecen las rosas.  Se positivo siempre, negativo jamas.  El anciano debiera ser como la luna: un cuerpo opaco destinado a dar luz.

Juaquin a Penaloza

Please Stop using Plastic Bags

Lets help out the environment a bit. I found this article in WikiHow (I just LOVE that website). Someone apparently wrote up an article on how to Recycle Plastic bags. Something we probably don't give much thought to but should because it is one of the simplest of things we can all do to help the environment.

With wiki, we the readers of the articles, can edit them. Add our own rendition if you will. Maybe correct something or add your own two cents worth. It's a great site. I am going to see if I can edit this particular article by adding a few ideas of my own. I mean...the more options we have on how to recycle the better right? ; )

I found that some of the ideas are very simplistic and things I already do. Probably things you do as well, but others were pretty creative. Things I hadn't thought about. I hope you get something out of this. And remember...the best move is to NOT use plastic bags in the first place!

EVER WONDER WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR PLASTIC BAGS?

1)Take them with you to the grocery store to be reused when bagging your groceries, instead of taking new ones.

2)Return your bags back to the grocery store for recycling. Most stores have a container to take these bags back and recycle them for you.

3)Keep plastic bags around the house to replace trash can liners in the bathrooms, office and bedrooms... anywhere you have a small trashcan.

4) Keep some in the laundry room to throw out pocket trash found in clothes and empty the lint filter in the dryer.

5) Use plastic bags in the kitchen to store perishable trash in the refrigerator. This is especially good to do in the summer. If you have a long wait between trash pick-ups, it will keep flies out of your trash can.

6)Keep a stash of bags in each vehicle to help keep the car tidy. Hang one over a seat, arm rest, or simply keep it under a seat.

7)If you have pets, use plastic bags to clean out the litter box or scoop the poop in the yard. When you take your dog for a walk, tie a couple of bags to the leash handle so you will always have a bag available to scoop the poop.

8)Donate them to animal shelters who often need plastic bags for cleaning and to use when walking dogs, they'll appreciate having a few extra around.

9)Donate the bags to your local charity shop or thrift store library, so that people who borrow books can use them to bring the books home.

10)Plastic bags can be used for packing material for packages to be mailed or stored. Wad them up and stuff around the items.

11)When removing old vacuum cleaner bags put the bag in a plastic bag and tie. If the pets or kids get into the trash (or you press down instead of taking out) you won't end up with a fine dust cloud.

12)Shove them inside of shoes to help keep their shape while air drying.

13)Cut into strips and knit/crochet into a stronger reusable shopping bag. You can find a crochet pattern here. These work well because strips of plastic bag have a lot of tensile strength and the knit/crochet stitch makes this even stronger. For instructions go to this site: Take them with you to the grocery store to be reused when bagging your groceries, instead of taking new ones. (I think these were put together by a woman by the name of Marla.)

14)You can store them in fabric bag tubes at local craft or kitchen stores. These tubes have small elastic holes at the top and bottom and a loop for hanging it on the back of a door or on a hook. You may be able to find one in a color scheme for your decor. You could also use an empty baby wipe container or empty tissue box - this keeps them tidy and you'll always know where to find them.

15)The best strategy is to avoid getting plastic bags in the first place. Get a couple of canvas bags and take them with you to the store. They're stronger and hold more than the flimsy plastic bags that most stores use -- this means fewer trips from the car once you're home, and no risk of a bag breaking and spilling your groceries all over the ground.

16)Some stores give a small discount for bringing your own bags, but the real benefit is not consuming or accumulating plastic bags.

17)Use one of the bags to stuff the rest in just for storage. Hang the bag in the garage, pantry, under the kitchen sink or in the laundry room. Alternatively, wad up the first bag, and put it into the next. Wad this up, and put it into the next, and so on. This way, you can always just remove the outermost bag-layer.

18)Find a specific place to keep your extra bags. Once this area is full of bags you should take them to the store for recycling and not try to find more places
If you do art paint or ceramic painting on top of the kitchen table, spread out a bag on top of the table to keep the paint off the table. When you are finished, toss in any mess you made and toss the bags away.

19)Don't reuse plastic bags that were used to transport meat or poultry. They may contain bacteria that can be harmful.

Ok where do I start?  I am so frustrated!  I had to take my Real Estate Continuing Education course and it's long enough as it is, to then get booted from my computer and have to start it over THREE TIMES!!!!!!!!!!  Arghhhhhhhh!  And it wasn't like I could log back on and take the test over again.  I had to contact their 1-800 number and have them reset the test for me, which took a while I might add.  The only good news seems to be that I was getting all the answers right.  But I am off again.  To see if I can beat my computer to the punch!  Wish me luck!

GARDEN LIST

I finally moved into a home with a nice yard.  (A hard feat here in Florida).  I am planning on my life long dream of having a garden.

1) Decide what kind of garden I want

2) Find out what plants are for my zone

3) Figure out how feasible it is to add a pond

4) Join some Florida gardening groups to learn more

5) Join some seed trading groups so I can start my own seeds and cut my prices down to almost nothing! 

7) Set up the architectural aspect of the garden

8) Cut out some pictures of gardens you like to see if you can make something similar

Wish me luck.  It's a lot of work but I think it will be great fun and productive!