French Toast

Coming home from work,

I stopped for a large diet pepsi,

turned the radio up

and rolled the windows down.

With the wind blowing delightfully,

I sang to the radio.

This is my normal routine,

though sometimes I get a coffee instead of the soda.

Since I get out earlier in the summer,

I had time to run a few errands

before I got my youngest daughter

from her grandparents' house.

I picked up some registration information from the high school for my oldest and traded last week's books for some new ones.

Heading home,

I smiled.

It was french toast night.

With fruit and whipped topping,

it is one of my favorite dinners.

Easy and quick...

and I've recently discovered a new added indulgence.

I love to spread peanut butter and jelly on top of the french toast before adding the fresh berries and whipped topping.

Sigh...

trust me...

it is like I imagine heaven to be....

The only thing left is a cup of coffee

and later

when all the kids are asleep,

a trip out to the swing to watch the stars.

Tonight I hope for you,

a peaceful evening,

the knowledge that you are loved by those who matter most.

May you be blessed this week and always...

Have I mentioned lately that I love my parents?

With coffee and dessert in hand,

my father came on a mission of mercy last night.

We talked over life,

situations that were problematic and not remotely amusing.

In the end,

two heads were better than one.

Even the problems we couldn't "fix" weren't quite so heavy.

Before he left,

my father said a blessing.

Though I offer one everyday as I blog,

I must admit it felt wonderful,

if a little odd,

to have one offered for myself and my family.

Tonight and always,

I hope that you find yourself surrounded by those who love you.

That no matter what you face,

there is a hand outstretched toward yours.

And,

if it's helpful to you,

May it contain coffee and a yummy treat along with love!

May you feel the love of God in your life,

May you know that you are loved,

May you be blessed!

Cozy and Warm

According to one legend, it was not a human who first discovered the joy of coffee, it was a goat!

I'm not kidding.
Check out http://www.coffeeresearch.org/coffee/history.htm

for the whole story!

Whether or not ancient history is telling us a tall tale, doesn't matter in my book. Coffee is one of those things that inspires strong emotion.
If you are like me and love the stuff, go find yourself a cup and take a sip.

Close your eyes.... sigh and imagine the world as you would like it to be....
Anything is possible if you dare to dream and are willing to work hard.
(I know it may sound simplistic, but I really do believe it is true.)
For those of you who cringe at my suggestion for a cup of Joe,
I suppose you could find something else to inspire you....

Though I am just teasing about the magical power of coffee,
I am not kidding about my firm belief in goal setting and hard consistent effort.
I am realistic about life's obstacles.

No amount of hard work will ever turn me into a professional ballerina.

(...This is the part where as an adult I must admit some dreams aren't meant to be...)

Fairy Tales are so appealing because they all end happily.
The girl gets the guy, the bad person is punished.

There are no such guarantees in life.

However, in the day to day walk of life,
if you try your best and are kind to those around you,
in the end your heart will be happy regardless of which dreams become reality and which ones remain just out of reach.

Dream, Live, Never Give Up!