Fridays Friends - My Twins

The day of their birth was the most amazing day of my life.
Nearly 2 months premature, they struggled in the first month of their lives.

We haven't always gotten along.
The road has been a long and hard one -
The life of a single parent is never easy.
I've made so many mistakes.

Now that my beautiful daughters are 18, our relationships are changing.
We're becoming friends.
They are turning into delightful young ladies, with their lives ahead of them.

My prayers go with them every minute of every day.
Being young today is hard in ways that I cannot understand.

But I like the adults they are becoming.
Well worth the friendships we are trying to build.

Thank you Darlene over at A Dancing Mango for giving me the inspiration to post Fridays Friends. It helps me turn my attention closer to home - to the people who have helped shape my life - some in ways they will never know.

My Car, The Lemon

We got lemons at Gleaners the other day.
As we were unloading the car, one fell out and lodged above the bumper.

I thought it was funny.
I don't anymore.
Because ... the lemon had the last laugh -
My car died.

Yep, click.
That's all I heard.
Click. No vroom vroom.

Three guys all under the hood - poking, prodding.
Much shaking of heads.
"Dead".

Final diagnosis? The starter 'seized'. Apparently.
We hope. Because that can be fixed.
Expensive, but replaceable.

We go to rescue the beast today.
From where it was abandoned next to the road.

And the first thing I am going to do is GET RID OF THAT LEMON.

I Ain't Touching That Thing! - Shadow Shot Sunday

None of the kids would actually touch the poor little millipede - but they were worried about it being out in the sun.
They tried to pick it up with their shadow hands, but it kept getting away!

(We finally picked it up with a piece of paper and put it into the shade).

To see shadows from around the world, please visit Hey Harriet and join us for Shadow Shot Sunday!

My Friend Mika - Friday Friends

Friday Friends ...

My Friday Friend for this week is -- Mika

My friend, my companion.

My comic relief, my foot warmer.

My love-bug, my cuddle-monster.

My blood pressure lowerer!!!

Mika-Mia is my best furry-face friend!

Reflections of Beth ...

We have been friends our entire lives.
Life has done it's best to keep us apart ...
Near death did it's best to separate us.

But love and faith prevailed,
The connection will not be broken!!!

My sister.
My best friend.

Fridays Friends

Weekend Reflections

Still Life of Shovels ...

Rain ...

We had a monsoon rain this morning ...
I ran outside to record the torrents cascading from the roof ...

Somehow I had changed the camera's settings,
and only caught a blur.

I was upset, until I looked closely.
These shots are cool!
Almost surreal.

Sort of like the rainstorm itself,
Now that the sun has come back out.

No Trespassing - Weekend Mailbox

I found this poor lonely mailbox at a "destruction" site in Tualatin - an old school is being dismantled piece by piece.

I had to laugh at all the signs - especially the "Mole Hole" one!

To see more mailboxes and mail related posts, please visit Gemma's Greyscale Territory - and join us for Weekend Mailbox!

Fridays Friends

Darlene over at A Dancing Mango is hosting Fridays Friends ... where we introduce the friends who have helped to shape our lives ... what a wonderful idea!!!

Where to start? There have been so many people over the years who have meant so much to me. And I have met so many wonderful friends through blogging!

I will start with my friend Nadine. I first met Nadine in the 2nd grade. She was always surrounded by friends, while I was the shy one. She helped me come out of my shell a bit, with her bubbly personality.

Through grade school where we hung out at recess looking for rocks in the sand box ... to high school where we hung out looking for boys ... we remained friends.

Then graduation, and life. I didn't see her for over a year, then out of the blue she called me and invited me to a Tupperware party (remember those?). We both decided to go to Hawaii, and bought our tickets. We enjoyed a week there, then again, life intervened. I got married to a soldier, and moved all over the world. 17 years passed in a blur ... we saw each other only rarely ... then we lost touch.

When I had to move back home after being separated from my husband, I called Nadine. It was like the intervening years disappeared! We were older, and she had gotten married to Wally.

It sounds boring, but this is our friendship. We hang out, we lose touch, we live life, we find each other, we hang out. How many friendships could stand this? Nadine is an amazing person, and I treasure her. There is a rare tie between us - I can tell when she's thinking about me, and she ALWAYS calls within a few hours - even when we haven't talked in weeks.

Thank you, Nadine, for all of these years of friendship. You have helped shape my life, and showed me what a true friend is.

Here's to the NEXT 34 years of friendship!

I've Been Framed!!! - Weekend Reflections

This one is for you, Deann!!!

Because I don't usually show my face in photos.
(when I say 'don't usually', I mean NEVER).

But I kind of like the way this one is framed - with Himalayan blackberry vines and English Ivy, the overgrown grounds of the abandoned church reflected in the background ...

To see reflections from around the world, please visit James at Newton Area Photo - and participate in Weekend Reflections!

Some Messes are Just Worth It!!!

My niece Jenna spent last weekend at our house.
We had a wonderful time!

She even helped cook dinner!
And seasoned the pork chops all by herself.

Love you, Jenna.
I hope you had as much fun as WE did!