You Should Rule Jupiter

Huge and hot, Jupiter is a quickly turning planet with short days and intense gravity. You are perfect to rule Jupiter, because you are both dominant and kind. You have great strength and confidence, but you never abuse your power. You are always right. Even if you make mistakes, you compensate for them... before anyone knows it. Headstrong and ambitious, you always have a goal in mind. You are optimistic and believe thing things will always work out.

What Planet Should You Rule?

August already

I can't believe that it's August already.

That's just crazy. The days and months fly by so quickly & each and every one of them become more and more precious. I look at the girls that I keep and just kinda shake my head at the way they want to hurry up life... knowing how much they'll want to slow it down in just a few short years. They have no clue of how it flies by. But then, neither did I when I was their age. I guess that's one of the milestones of growing up- knowing how fast it goes & how precious every single second is.

For those doing the Happy Vegas Countdown with me: (drumroll, please) 5 MORE DAYS!!!!!! Whoo-hooo!!!!! Yes, gentle readers, in only 5 more days yours truly will once more be in the happiest city on earth! I can't wait! I am soooo excited! (I know, you can't tell can you?) There is a little fairy inside my head doing the 'Running Man' and 'The Moonwalk' as we speak.... I can't wait to show my sweet husband the city that I love so much...... and, of course, to geek out at the Star Trek Con.!

I got most of the laundry done (it never seems to end... just multiplies like bunnies on meth) yesterday. I want to be all packed by this weekend.... or as close to all packed as I can get. I work 8am-6pm Monday and Tuesday & we leave on Wed. I do not want to be running around like a crazy person Tuesday night trying to get everything packed. No way.

So, with that in mind, I'm hard at work on my beloved lists. Those faithful readers out there will remember my great love of list making and how I owe what little organization there is to my life to my excellent list making skills. I have lists for EVERYTHING. Not kidding. I am the List Making Queen... and, interestingly enough, I married the List Making King.... we just don't make lists for each other...... yet... very often. :-)

Hello everyone out there in bloggie land.

It looks like surgery is in the Flowerchild's near future... again. I found out on Sat. that I have another ovarian cyst... oy... A 5cm complex septiated cyst. Since there is no way on this green earth that I am going to miss my long awaited Vegas trip, I'm going to wait until I get back and then go back to the doctor, most likely for another ultra-sound and we'll see what's going on with it... if it's grown, shunk, whatever.... Then, we'll make the decision.... But, my gut feeling is that I'll be checking in to the hospital at either the end of August or the beginning of September. ::sigh:: Oh, well, I've been down this road before and I'm making a list (I do love my lists) of all the things I need to remember for this surgery.... and I'm looking on the bright side. Bright side? Yes, there's a bright side. I get to play with the morphine clicky thingy! :-)

Bubble, Bubble, Toil & Trouble...

Sometimes I REALLY hate writing!

GRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, breath.... I'll explain. There is something gut-wrenching about the entire process. It's painful. You carve out this little world with little people whom you grow so attached to. You love them. Completly. They really do become people to you. You know them inside and out. They are like old friends... and sometimes you paint yourself into the make-believe world & that only adds to the.... craziness of it.

I am writing a little world of my own at the moment &, let me tell you, I love these people. They are wonderfully flawed, nutty people. And I want so badly to tell everyone their story. I want others to know them like I know them.

And I have spent the past 6 hours or so (give or take) staring at the blank, white screen of death that is WORD. Driving me crazy. That's what it is doing. I find that I have fallen into the trap of over thinking EVERYTHING that I am writing. And over thinking leads to second guessing & that is death for my poor Muse.

Speaking of my Muse, she seems to have run away. I keep trying to bribe her back with promises of Dr. Pepper and Skittles... but, alas, to no avail.

::sigh::

Okay, back to work. Just wanted to blow off some steam.
Thanks for listening.

The Vaughan Family at Rest

You didn't see anything........

Southern Living

Well, the Southern Living is up and running. For those who are just tuning in, I am an independent consultant for Southern Living at Home. I really, really love this company. I grew up in the "south" and, as every good southern lady does, I always have a Southern Living magazine on my coffee table. :-) I love, love, love the products.

For those who are not familiar, we sell home decorating products. I think just about everyone in my family has Southern Living decorative items in their home.... I know I do.

For anyone who is interested, please follow the link to the right on this page. It will take you to my personal Southern Living website.

Moving on to other news, 13 days till Vegas! Whooo-hooooo! I am so excited.

Some Family Photos....

Katie

Uncle Butch & Michael in our back yard.

Me, Aunt Charlotte & my Grandmother

My Dad

Grandmother & Uncle Phillip

The only time any of us are quiet..... FOOD!

And it's still not all that quiet! :-)

Jenn, Kennedy, Me & Katie

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You Are a Visionary Soul

You are a curious person, always in a state of awareness. Connected to all things spiritual, you are very connected to your soul. You are wise and bright: able to reason and be reasonable. Occasionally, you get quite depressed and have dark feelings. You have great vision and can be very insightful. In fact, you are often profound in a way that surprises yourself. Visionary souls like you can be the best type of friend. You are intuitive, understanding, sympathetic, and a good healer. Souls you are most compatible with: Old Soul and Peacemaker Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

You Are Big Bird

Talented, smart, and friendly... you're also one of the sanest people around. You are usually feeling: Happy. From riding a unicycle to writing poetry, you have plenty of hobbies to keep you busy. You are famous for: Being a friend to everyone. Even the grumpiest person gets along with you. How you life your life: Joyfully. "Super. Duper. Flooper."

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

You Are Jean Grey

Although your fate is often unknown, you always seem to survive (even after death). Your mind is your greatest weapon, literally! Powers: telepathy and telekinesis, the ability to project thoughts into the mind of others, communication with animals

Which of the X-Men Are You?

You Are a Cappuccino

You're fun, outgoing, and you love to try anything new. However, you tend to have strong opinions on what you like. You are a total girly girly at heart - and prefer your coffee with good conversation. You're the type that seems complex to outsiders, but in reality, you are easy to please

What Kind of Coffee Girl Are You?

What Your Latte Says About You

You don't treat yourself very often. You find that indulging doesn't jibe with your very disciplined life. You can be quite silly at times, but you know when to buckle down and be serious. Intense and energetic, you aren't completely happy unless you are bouncing off the walls. You're addicted to caffeine. There's no denying it. You are a child at heart, and you don't ever miss the opportunity to do something playful. You are expressive and friendly, but you are never pushy.

What Does Your Latte Say About You?

Your Score: Katharine Hepburn

You scored 21% grit, 33% wit, 38% flair, and 14% class!

You are the fabulously quirky and independent woman of character. You go your own way, follow your own drummer, take your own lead. You stand head and shoulders next to your partner, but you are perfectly willing and able to stand alone. Others might be more classically beautiful or conventionally woman-like, but you possess a more fundamental common sense and off-kilter charm, making interesting men fall at your feet. You can pick them up or leave them there as you see fit. You share the screen with the likes of Spencer Tracy and Cary Grant, thinking men who like strong women.

Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the Classic Leading Man Test.

Link: The Classic Dames Test written by gidgetgoes on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Viva Las Vegas!

Yes, Loyal Readers! I'm going to Vegas!

Whooo-hoooo!!!!!

My dear sweet & (at times) long suffering mother and my wonderful husband are coming with me. It will be the first (of many) trips to the fab-o Sin City for my Darcy. We're thrilled!

I love Las Vegas. It is my all time fav place to vacation. And I don't even gamble!

The reason for the journey, you ask....

The Official Star Trek Convention!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yippee!
And I am so excited. I only have one autograph left of my Next Generation photo.... yes, that's right 1.

Viva Las Vegas!
Viva Las Vegas!

Greatest Quote Ever...

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Lola Belle

Introducing the newest member of our household........

Lola Belle

'Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl...'

Yes, we got a cat over the weekend. And yes, I named her after a Barry Manilow song!

I'm thrilled! She's a doll. She LOVES to play and to love on/be loved on... and she didn't seem to mind Braden and Bailey too much today either! :-)

My little corner of the world...

So, long time, so post.... lot's going on in my little corner of the world.

First- exciting news. I'm going back to school! Yea!!! I (should) start June 1st if all goes according to plan. Which, let's pray it does. I have to get my community college transcript (frightening thing that it is) to my brand new university & finish filling out financial aide info & talk to my dad about tuition. ::sigh:: lot's to do within the next week or so. Yikes! But I am so excited!

Next up- I'm stepping in as a Bride's Maid (though kinda not a main anymore.... mere technicality) for my dear Beth & the Cap'n. Unfortunatly her original Matron of Honor had to bow out because her little boy had a rather serious injury. Now, Beth's friend Connie is stepping in as Matron and I'm stepping in as Bride's Maid. The wedding is June 2nd, by the way. I'm thrilled, not only to stand up with Beth (whom I love dearly) but also for my Cap'n too. So that makes 3 Browncoats in this wedding shindig... :-)

My job situation is nuts right now. ::BIG SIGH:: I don't know if I'm going to still have a job when the girls get out of school. There's just so much going on. The oldest is battling an eating disorder... I think she needs to be hospitalized & one of her parents needs to quit working and stay home with these girls... I know that puts me out of a job with them, but, you know, these girls emotional well-being is more important to me. I was talking with the girls' mom and I still don't think she gets it. She doesn't see how and why the eldest has an eating disorder. It's horiibly apparent to me & to others who know of the details... but it's just not yet to this family. I worry about the girls... especially the youngest of the 3... she's only 11 and she's watching her oldest sister with an eating disorder & the middle one... well, let's put it this way... the mom said to me that they were putting her (the middle one) on a diet and exercise program b/c she didn't want 'a fat, smart daughter.' I couldn't even form a response to that.

Oy, kinda went on there. I'm just very frustrated.

Anyway- I think my dad may have me come work for him at his company. I'm actually kinda excited about that. I really love my dad, but I don't really get to see and interact with him a whole lot. So, I hope this would be good for us... I just need to make a certain amount of money! The coffers get bare.... and I don't make squat at my current job... and I'd really love to pay off my credit cards & get a new (to me) car. And I'm kinda tired of raising other people's children right now.

Oh, sad news.... as many of you know, Gilmore girls is no more.... There was much sadness around my world when that news came down. But, we had a send off for our favorite girls that, I think, was worthy of the Gilmore girls title. We ate junk food and watched the pilot & then the series finale with several Stars Hollow wannabees!:-) It was fun.

Okay, gotta run!
Till later!
Taylor

So, my shadow, Bailey just came running into the computer room to tell me that her chicken nuggets were in her tummy. That may not sound like a big deal, but my neice and nephew are VERY picky eaters & meal time can become nightmare time for the grown-ups around them. (And, for the record, Braden and Bailey are both under 5.)

I'm watching them a couple of days a week for their mom and dad right now. So, my days consist of running around with them, feeding them, 'potty' breaks (and, btw, I hate the word "potty"), unpacking the boxes that NEVER seem to go away, and other household chores.

Right now, they are watching Blues Clues... so I get a break to eat my lunch and get on the computer. Whoo-hooo...

And this morning, we had the fun of a very dirty pull-up on Miss Bailey... She hasn't quite got the whole bathroom thing down yet. Oh, she will come up to you and say, "I gotta go potty." The problem is that she tells you... AFTER she's gone 'potty.' Yeah... that's right after. So, she came running up to me and told me she needed to go to the bathroom... and I knew. So, I checked & yep, sure enough. So, we had to call in the hazmat team, but after that- all is well.

Though we had an amusing moment, Braden came running in to see what we were doing. He took one look and smell & said, "Eww. I don't want to see that." To which his Auntie Taylor replied, "Then go back and watch the rest of Cinderella." He promptly turned and ran the other way.

Ahh, kids.

And it looks like we have another "poo-poo" problem. So, I'm off.

Watch this....

This is Eliot's video... you should watch it. The voice you hear is Eliot's father.

http://www.ignitermedia.com/products/iv/singles/570/99-Balloons

I'm Back...

Well, I'm back!

As anyone who's gotten married can atest, it's been a crazy couple of weeks. I never realized how hard melding two lives and two houses can be... yikes! I had a little bit of an idea, but I've been pretty unprepared. The good news; it's getting better & my sweet Darcy and I are getting it together.

By the way- anyone interested in the Orlando trip should skip on over to his blog. My Darcy is doing a wonderful job of giving a little playback.

Considering starting an eBay business with my Mummy... we'll see.

We moved PoD into the home that he and Babs will share after their wedding. They are just about 5 streets away from us & all four of us are thrilled by this! There is a bike trail that starts by PoD's estate & brand new bikes are next on the shopping list.

Played a card game for the first time this past Friday night with the Elfin Princess and the Lord of War... it's called Apples to Apples. Great game! I highly recommend it. Tons of fun for hours!

I'm currently reading 'Lord, Change Me.' by Evelyn Christenson. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to grow more and more, little by little into the person that our GOD wants us to be. I'm looking forward to starting 'What Happens When Women Pray' when I finish with this one.

Oh, really exciting news! We found our Sunday School class!!!!! And, let me tell you, it's like a homecoming! Many of the couples that we knew several years ago (and have since married and moved on) are in that class. I knew all but, like, 4 people. It was wonderful. The only down side, is that we had to switch worship services.... that means we no longer get to see the Princess and LoW in church. That stinks, but I suppose it's all part of moving on. And it just means that we must work harder to keep our friendships stronger. I think PoD and Babs might be joining us when they get back from their honeymoon.

Well, the dryer just kicked off... I better get busy!
Thanks for reading!
Taylor

New Link

Arabs for Israel

Some Holiday Pictures

Me and my Grandpa. My Grandpa is 86 years old and still drives! He walks down every morning to get a cup of coffee and read the newspaper at a place a couple of blocks from his house.

I am proud to present Mr. and Mrs. Norman Pentino at their 65th anniversary party. Yes folks, that's right, my grandparents have been married 65 years. They have 7 children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

For more pictures, head on over to my Flickr site. It's been updated. Just follow the link to your right!

Request

Hello Bloggies!

Long time, no post...

Today's post will be a short one. Actually, it's more of a prayer request than an actual post. I am currently on a quest, of sorts in my relationship with GOD. I feel that my Father is leading me in new and challenging ideas and deepening my walk with HIM. I'd like to ask those who read this blog to keep me in their prayers. With a wedding, a move, an unwell Grandmother and being as much of a help to my mom as I can right now (along with my job, my friends, my fiance!... and a writing partnership with POD that is still in it's infancy)... I am under the gun.

But I am very excited to see what the LORD has in store for me. I can't quite explain the sense of wonder and urgency I feel. Please pray that I can and will make the time to spend with GOD and for the wisdom that only HE can provide.

Thanks!
Taylor

Question

Okay, I just read a news report on one of the internet news sites and the reporter referred to a person as being "half Jewish" and "half Christian."

I have a question?

How is that possible? How can someone be 2 different religions? To my understanding, you are either one, or the other... How can someone be half?

Anyway.... just something to file under the "Huh?" File.

Book Recommendations

Hello, Faithful Readers!

Your friendly, neighborhood bookworm has a couple of book recommendations for you!

First- The Jesus I Never Knew, by Phillip Yancy.
Love, love, loved reading this book. It reminded me, once again, that we worship and follow a Jesus who is nothing short of breathtakingly offensive and amazingly controversial. This book will drive home the point that Jesus was a REAL man. He got angry; he wept. He loved! But, most of all, Jesus set forth black and white laws that have not changed through the centuries. And they are just as hard now and they were then. If you want to get to know Jesus a little bit better, then I would strongly recommend that you pick up a copy of this book!

Second- Know Why You Believe, by Paul E. Little
Ah, a classic apologetic manual. First published in the late 1960's, this is a wonderful book for anyone to read. Correction, I think EVERYONE should read this book. Every Christian needs to be equipped with information to defend their faith. This book is an absolute must. To quote Billy Graham, "Scholarly, Articulate, Simple." I recently picked up the newest edition, published about 6 years ago by Little's widow, Marie.


Yeah, I know I should put some of these reviews on another site and link it to this one... ::sigh:: Maybe soon I'll get around to that. But, not in the next couple of weeks. Christmas (my birthday!) is just a week and a half away... the day after Christmas, Darcy and I are flying (way to early in the morning, if you ask me) to south Texas to spend a several days with his vacationing parents... We fly home on Sat. the 30th, only to turn right around the next day and fly out with my parents to see my dad's family in West Virginia. It's my grandparent's 65th (how awesome is that) wedding aniversary on Jan. the 3rd. We're spending about a week there!

But, on the upside... this semester is finished!!!!!!!!!!!
No more class for a month!!! WHOO-HOO!!

Interesting sidenote: Hoping to meet Rachael Ray tonight! Those of you who know me well, know I love to cook... you also know my collection of RR's cookbooks and the monthly mag I get!She is signing copies of her newest cookbook tonight and I'm gonna try and get me one! Though it's taken a game plan with military precision to pull this off!!!!

I'll let you know how it goes!
Until next time, see you around the garden!

As with my Captain... no big shock here.....

Your results:
You are Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command)

And I really don't think anyone was surprised.... How about you, Cap? Kinda a fun little test.

Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command) 80% Malcolm Reynolds (Captain) 60% Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic) 60% Derrial Book (Shepherd) 60% Wash (Ship Pilot) 55% Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic) 55% Jayne Cobb (Mercenary) 55% River (Stowaway) 45% Alliance 40% Inara Serra (Companion) 20% A Reaver (Cannibal) 20%

Dependable and trustworthy. You love your significant other and you are a tough cookie when in a conflict.

Click here to take the "Which Serenity character am I?" quiz...

A Quiet Moment....

My cat Chester & my parents' dog, Gizmo.

This is Gizmo's (the doggie) bed in his cage. Chester (my kitty) likes to remind him every once in a while that he (Chester) is the ruler over this castle....

Usually, they are running around like wild ones. But my mother caught them in a quiet moment and snapped these pictures.

Spoiled rotten... that's what both of them are. But they are loved....... and they both have a special place inour family that's just for them.

Lila Gail

Well, my niece Lila Gail made her long awaited debut this past Monday, November 6th! Michael and I trekked out to Balch Springs to see her last night! She's such a little doll!

A Boy Named Eliot

Hey everyone,

In recent months I have been humbled and amazed by our wonderful Lord. You see, I have been following the life of a very special little boy named Eliot. He was a very sick little baby, but he fought an amazing fight... and in doing so, I think his life has some incredible lessons for us all.

I learned Monday that sweet Eliot went on to be with our Lord and Savior this past Friday. I ask everyone who sees this blog to say a prayer of thanks for Eliot's short (just over 3 month) life & for his parents, Matt and Ginny. Please pray for them as they grieve for their little boy... but also as they celebrate his presence in their lives.

I would encourage you to go and read about Eliot's life for yourself.

Taylor

Costume Contest

Well, the Browncoats participated in a costume contest over the weekend. It was the end (or maybe the beginning) of a lot of work & lots of fun. We (and, by we, I mean our fearless Captain, mainly, with his crews help) worked right up until it was time to go. We didn't get Vera finished... well, she's finished but not put together. I expect that in the next couple of week she will be.

Anyway, here are some pictures from the event. And, by the way, we won in our category!


Yes, it's me as the mighty Zoe!



Can I just say how much I love this picture?! :-) My poor 'Wash' puts up with a lot with me.














L-R= Jayne, Mal, and Zoe

Hello Bloggies

Hola folks!

I'm back after a small break. By the by, sorry for that rather long last post... Like I said before, I had had just about enough of that mess and had to sound off for my own sanity. :-)

Anyway- on to more happier things.

I have been to the Great State Fair of Texas!!!!! Whoohooo! I love the Fair. I start looking forward to it in April.... We went with our Sunday School class and had a wonderful time. And Darcy and I are going again this coming Sunday with our parents. Double Whooohooo!!!!

Fall has officially come at last to the great state of Texas. Well... kinda. The skin on my face is getting dry and my nose is running.... a sure sign that Old Man Winter is just around the corner. I never thought I would hear myself saying this, but I am looking forward to winter. (And that's not just because it's getting closer to March!) We had such a hot summer this past year and I, for one, am ready for a break from that for a while... And rain... I would like lots of rain. I'm a rainy day kinda girl, so this no rain thing has been bumming me.

As far as wedding info goes, I signed my life away on the reception site contract this afternoon. So, that is all taken care of now. Yea! The invitations have been picked out and I'm so crazy about them. They are just what I was looking for. Simple, but elegant and romantic. So Perfect. The parents of my WeeOnes have the info for the dresses I want them to wear. (Yes, the WeeOnes are in the wedding too.... I thought I'd see how many kids I could cram into this ceremony.) Now, I have to get my MOH and Attendents to David's Bridal to get their dresses. Fun little side note- they need to be ordered no later than like the first of November.... and it's the middle of October now.... I think I'm in trouble...

It's been super busy around the garden lately. I've barely had time to breath, it seems like. And there's a ton more of stuff coming up here soon.... Horror Movie Marathon... Sunday School class retreat...Costume Contest (drat, I still need a couple more things for that. Doh!).... birthdays... planning a trip to the happiest city on earth with my mummy.... Thanksgiving.... going camping the following day.... getting Darcy's parent's settled into their new estate in Sherman.... Christmas (which means I should start shopping now, Double Doh!).... my birthday.... leaving for South Texas the following day after Christmas.....

But, far from dreading the coming activities, I am looking forward to them with great anticipation! This really is my favorite time of the year. And, at the very end of it, I get married in March! Is that a cool away to top it all off or what?

Till Later!
See you around the garden!
Taylor

I have had enough...

Disclaimer: to those who are going to send me all kinds of nasty emails about the following post, save your time and your fingers. I don't care. I've had enough. To those who wish for honest and constructive debate, feel free to contact.

I have had enough.

First: I am sick to death of actors and musicians who think its fun and hip and cool to pop off every time a reporter and a camera is in front of them. Case in point, Sean Penn. I have yet to hear ANYTHING constructive come out of his mouth. All he can seem to offer is MEAN-SPIRITED rancor about President Bush. His newest tidbit of wisdom is that the President is a dumb Satan. (He was being his usual charming self at a press junket for his new movie, All The Kings Men) Enough, already! We know that you don't like Republicans, Sean. We get the point. Move on and try to make better movies!

Natalie Maines.... this gal is so completely full of herself. Actually, I think the whole trio is. I have been, time and again, offended by these three. They seem to think that they can say anything they want and not have to face any kind of repercussions. And that's insane. I heard Ms. Maines say in an interview that she didn't get why people made such a big deal about where she made her pre-war comments. And you know, I believe her. I don't think she does get it. I don't think she understands how dangerous her words were. I really don't think she gets the point that it's backstabbing to go out of this country and talk dirty about the President on the eve of war. (And it was a cheap pop in a country where she knew she could get one.) Those girls have refused to take responsibilty for their words and I have about had enough of them opening their mouths and just demanding that I deal with whatever comes out. Sorry girls, but I'm with President Bush on this one. Freedom of speech is a two-way street. Suck it up. (And watch your language! Be a lady!)

The idea of tolerance at all costs. You know what? Bite me. I am a pretty tolerant person. I will put up with a lot. But when you start plotting my death and destruction.... you know, my tolerance pretty much dries up at this point. Yes, folks, you heard it here first. I am EXTREMLY intolerant of people who wish to see me dead.

To those who put political correctness and the feelings of those who are OUTSIDE of this country before the safety and well-being of the citizens of America.... there is no insult that I could ever come up with that would truly convey the disgust you fill me with. I am sick to death of watching you jockey for positions of power while you try and build your own twisted legacy. You are on notice, ladies and gentlemen.

(For the record, I am NOT speaking of President Bush. While I have not always agreed with everything that he has said and done, I think he is a good man who cares about this country. He is busting his ass to keep us safe. And there are people who are willfully trying to block his every move every chance they get. They knowingly put us in danger just to line their own pockets and stroke their own egos.)

I have had enough of those people who cater and pander to the worst that humanity has to offer.... just to get their names in lights. I have had enough of those scumbags who push down good people and put the USA in danger.... while they offer aid and comfort to our enemies.

I love this country. I am so proud to say that I am an American. I feel that I was blessed by God (and when I say God, I mean the God of the Bible) to have been born here. And I am ready to do what I can to protect and defend my country. America (with all her warts and all her issues) is still the greatest country on earth.

Look, we have got to get our heads in the game here people. It's time to hold those in power responsible and accountable. It's time to make the hard choices. It's time to fix that which is broken and throw away that which cannot be fixed. It's time to get real.

I have had enough.

How about you?

Round a Bouts

Well, it's been a week since I first went to the chiropractor.

And let me tell you, I feel about 90% better. How cool is that?! Doctor Keith said that I was like 90% better. He was very happy with where I am and so am I. I'm sleeping better- that's huge to me. The last couple of nights, I've been falling asleep at a normal time and have slept THE ENTIRE NIGHT! That hasn't happened in years. I usually wake up several times in the night and have to shift around because something hurts. That hasn't happened for a couple nights. I am (as with anything) cautiously optimistic.

In other news, the new Superman movie comes out tomorrow. Anyone else excited? YIPPPEE! PoD went to a sneak peak last night I believe. Still waiting on his opinion!

I did see XMen 3 a couple of weeks ago. I liked it. I was quite surprised how much I liked it. It's a good movie, not a great movie, but a good one. It was just too short to tell the 2 stories that it was trying to tell. It really needed another 30 minutes or so. There's one particular moment that would have benifited from the additional time- The XMEN have to make a terrible choice... it's something that must be done, but it goes against everything they have stood for. I wish there had been more build-up to that moment... My one complaint was that my all-time fav character (even before the actor was cast... that just made that character more whoohoo to me) seemingly takes a dirt nap. In that regard... the Elfin Princess is right. You must stay throught the end credits!

Also, saw Cars with my little WeeOnes. I highly recomend this Pixar movie. It's hilarious! Loved it! There's enough "big people humor" for adults, but that stuff flies right over the heads of your WeeOnes, to keep the adults laughing right along with the kids. Particularly great is the legendary Paul Newman. He's just the height of cool.

Not too long ago, I saw MI 3.... Now... those of you who know me well, know what a fan I am of the tv series. I HATED the first Mission Impossible movie with a firey passion in my heart. The reason... they turned the all-time good guy into the bad guy. A gross miscaraige of movie justice if I have ever seen one! AWFUL! AWFUL! AWFUL! Also, I'm not Tom Cruise's biggest fan, never have been and never will be. I didn't (and won't see) MI2. But, I broke down and went to see MI3 with the Browncoats. And... I kinda liked it. It wasn't the Tom Cruise show, which I liked. All the players got excellent pops & it was more of a team show... which is what it should be. As with anything with the Mission Impossible moniker on it, one must be willing to suspend their disbelief to watch... and the movie had me.... UNTIL.... Oy vey.... until the very end. Let's just say it had to do with Tommy Boy and reanimation.... it was one of the most startling moments of unintentional funny that I have ever seen. Half of the audience joined me in laughing out loud.

Movies that are on my To Be Seen list:
The DaVinci Code (waiting on Darcy to finish the book)
Over the Hedge
A Praire Home Companion
Superman Returns
The Devil Wears Prada

Until next time!
Taylor

I Am Not A Klutz!

Okay.... well, maybe not the hopeless klutz that everyone (myself included) thought me to be.

Let me start at the very beginning (a very good place to start... :-)

I have had chronic pain in my back, shoulders, neck... knees, feet, etc for years.... YEARS.... as in at least 10.

My knees pop in and out of their sockets causing intense pain. Bad. Bad. Bad. I'm also very prone to twist and sprain my ankle for no apparent reason, ie: not doing anything excessive that might cause the injury, just walking. (Anyone remember what I did during a performance of Horseshoe?!) I tend to trip a lot, my feet just kinda roll out from under me.

Last week I was having some back pain and, for the 2nd time in a few months, I couldn't even breath without intense pain... the kind of pain that would give an aspirin a heachache. I was in tears- and as most know, I've lived with chronic pain for so many years that I have developed a fairly high pain tolerance in that regard... had to or spend my life doped up on pain killers every day of my life. And that's not an acceptable way of life for me.

Anywhoo- Mom and Auntie Charlotte decided that I needed to go see Auntie's chiropractor. I originally went in for my back, but he took on look at my feet and the way I was walking and standing and asked me if I had had foot problems as a child... Why, yes... yes I did. My mother has often told the story about how I couldn't even make it across the parking lot at 6 Flags to the gate without crying that my feet were hurting. (I should mention that I am extremely flat-footed... as in no arch) He asked if I was prone to foot related accidents... ie: twists and sprains on my ankles.... again, my answer was yes.

At this point I was wondering if he'd met me before....

Dr. Keith diagnosed me with feet pronation. He said it was fairly common. But he said that I have an extreme case of- excessive feet pronation. This has caused tibeal torsion in both of my legs.... which has led to condro-malicia patela in both of my knees.... Yes, kids, that's right I have a bad case of runner's knee in both my knees (and I'm not even a runner)!

Eesh.

What this boils down to is that he's having me wear a certain knee brace on my right knee for 2 weeks... then the left for 2 weeks... and then the right for 2 weeks... and then the left for 2 weeks. This is to help with the pain by giving the knee support and to help retrain the patela to go over the joint properly.

Then, of course, there's the issue of my feet. He wants me to be fitted with orthopedic shoes to retrain my feet to walk and stand properly. Fun, huh? But, as he said, I can take care of it now... or I can continue to damage my knees and pay for it later. And to help my knees with any long term care, the foot problem has to be addressed and corrected. ::sigh::

Also- he said that a couple of ribs had become dislocated and displaced... yes, that should hurt just reading it... And it hurts living with it. I believe he called it rib segment disfunction... or something like that. I'm really bad with terms. Anyway, he's working on fixing that.

The good news (after reading through this laundry list) is that all of this is fixable! I can't tell you how excited I am at the prospect of not having chronic pain as my daily companion. I have lived with this mess for years and its come close to disrupting my life many times. But I am so thankful that the Lord has answered my prayers and provided a way for this to be corrected. I have learned how to "gut through" many things because of the crucibles that my Heavenly Father has allowed.

And I think that probably sounded really bad... It's not meant to. I think that God lets us go through suffering to grow us... because it's the only way we will learn to go to Him with our struggles...

It's a daily struggle that I have to renew my commitment every single day to rely on Him. He holds time in His hands... There is nothing that surprises Him and everything fits into His plan in some shape, form or fashion.

But I must confess that sometimes.... waiting for relief is soooo hard. Heartbreaking, really. It makes you take a second look at things in your life. It makes you take a second look at your character... the aspects about you that, once held up in a mirror, make you cringe.

I guess you could say that I am going through a season of introspection right now... and stretching.... oh the stretching... its' making me sore! :-) But there's something to being brought to what you think it the absolute limit of yourself... and then finding that you've past that limit without your notice... and that you're still here... you're still relying on God because He has given you the strength and patience to... not just survive or weather the storm... but blossom in the aftermath.

Our Father requires our obedience... and that obedience is sometimes hard to give. But He is so faithful to us. And He loves us SO MUCH!

He proved that 2,000 years or so ago by sending his son to be a sacrifice on a cross... to reconcile us to Him.

And speaking of Jesus... He loved us so much that He couldn't stand the thought of spending eternity without us... so He died for us.

Amazing Love, huh?

This and That...

Hello to all out in the great big 'verse!

I have a ton of pictures from the recent Galveston Trip to post! And I'll post them very soon. For those who are wondering, we had a wonderful time... though I did get car sick in the mule on the way... ::sigh:: fortunately, I remembered to buy the happy Dramamine before we left. NOTE: Just because something says on the label that it won't cause you to get as drowsy doesn't really mean that you won't get sleepy in the vehicle & sleep almost the entire drive!

I'm hoping to get the book review site up and running before the weekend ends... we shall see. The categories thus far:
Christian fiction
Women's studies
General Christian writings
Christian biographies
Christian classics

Not all these categories will have immediate listings, but I'll work up to it! :-) We shall see how much I can get done before my summer school session starts back in July. Oh, for those who didn't know- I decided that my mother and Mr. Darcy are right... I was born to be involved in the live theater. I am going to get my B.A. in theater from Texas Women's University- there is a catch, though. I can't start there until Jan 2007. ::BIG sigh:: Oh, well. I'm excited!

Anyway- that's all for now. Hope everyone had a wonderful week! It's Friday! Party!!!!!!!
Until next time!

The Rough Riders Game

So, Darcy and I went to the Rough Riders game with a couple of our friends. Thought I would post a picture. Hope all had a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Catching Up

Well, the show has come to an end... and I must admit that I'm conflicted! I LOVED being a part of a show once more, but I'm happy to be done! Horseshoe (as it has come to be known by the participants) was wonderfully fun & I admit that it has rekindled the love I have for live theater.

But trust me when I say that I'm happy to have a life again... and I'm quite sure my nearest and dearest are too! I must say that I was very pleased to be performing along side some amazingly talented thespians. Some of us have been acting for a long time. However, there were some newbies to the stage and it was a privilege to share the stage with them all. By the by, my friend, Ross Hughes (Sheriff Slidell) will next be appearing at the Richardson Theater Center in an show. If you get a chance, go see him. He is such a brilliant actor & a great guy... He introduced me to the wonders of Indian cuisine and Bollywood Video!

Now that school is over for a month or so, I have the time to catch up on some reading that has been on the backburner for a while.

I'm reading:
'Job; A Man of Heroic Endurance' by Charles Swindoll. This is from his series of book, Profiles in Character. I strongly encourage reading this whole series. They are truly incredible! I have been so blessed by them over the past year. My favorite, hands down, was Esther. But, that's my favorite book of the Bible!

'Tortured For Christ' by the late Pastor Richard Wurmbrand. Because of his passion for sharing the Gospel with lost Russians, he spent 14 years in Communist prisons. I recently got the 30th Anniversary Edition from VOM. I'm just 20 pages or so into it, but I strongly recommend this book and the VOM website for those whose hearts are bent to those who suffer for the Cross.

'Angels and Demons' by Dan Brown... Oy, okay, so I read the DaVinci Code about a month ago. Eesh, and while I enjoyed it.... it's one of the biggest works of fiction I ever read... You know, I just might blog about it soon. Anyway, I'm reading the prequel to the DaVinci Code. It's a lot harder to get through because of two reasons... 1) It's very science oriented. It leans heavily on scientific thought and jargon & 2) Mr. Brown's blazing hatred for the Catholic Church leaps from every single page. I mean, this book is dripping with it.

I think trying to read 3 books at a time is more than enough! Ahh... how I love to read! I'm thinking of creating a sister site to this one and have it strictly be books that I recommend... I have read so many books and would love to see more people read them too. Hmmm....

Anyway, hope all are doing well! The next 2 weeks are going to be busy.... again. Anyone sensing a theme here?!

Until next time!

A long time in posting.....

Oy vey!

That's all I have to say about the past 2 weeks or so!

I guess I had forgotten how much work goes into being in a play! I am exhausted! Last week was Tech Week.... or Hell Week as it is more commonly known in the theater world. That was in the midst of finals (which I think I did pretty well on those, btw)... and all of that was followed by 4 performances.

On a side note- I seem to be incapable of being in a WOM show without hurting myself in some shape form or fashion. At the 2:30 show on Saturday, I was waiting for my cue when I turned to one of my fellow performers and made the comment that something was wrong with my shoes. Then I (for some reason) made my entrance at roughly MACH 10. I bounced right off one of my poor fellow actors as my ankle turned right from under me. Fortunately, David caught me or I would have been on the floor. When I got off stage, I untied my shoes and started to take them off, but quickly put them back on when my ankle started to swell. By the the time the show was over, I was hurting.... badly. I didn't even make it all the way back to the dressing rooms after curtain call. Happily, one of my white knights, Ross helped me the rest of the way & went and got lunch for me and sat with me, PoD and Stacie for a while.

I iced my ankle for a couple of hours because we had another show at 8pm.... My ankle got wrapped and I went on because the show must go on....yeah..... crazy. When I got home Saturday night, I undid the wrapping and took a look at my ankle. I was very fortunate to have put ice on it when I did, so it wasn't very swollen, HOWEVER, there was a cut on the back of my ankle.

Yes, that's right, my shoe cut me. That's why it was hurting like it was.

Anyway, Sunday, my family and Darcy's parents came to the show. It was so exciting to have everyone there. Also, the family whose kids I watch came too- the girls brought me flowers & I took them on tour of the backstage area. They were thrilled.

After the show was over, my parents, his parents, Darcy and I went out to dinner. It was very cool & the food was wonderful. It was the first time our parents had met, so it was a big event! See below for pics!

Anyway- 4 more performances to go!

Me and Mr. Darcy... I'm still looking awake and okay.....

Mr. Darcy and me with his parents... This is after dinner and I'm starting to look little worn around the edges.

And here we are with my parents... And I think I was ready to fall over at this point...

I still need a day to sleep- however, that's not very realistic. Oh well, I better get back to my laundry. It was overflowing the basket! I was running out of clothes!!!!

How cool it is....

Today, the Lord of War and myself met for breakfast before undertaking a rather wonderful quest.

The Dallas Comic Con.

Now, hold on to your socks because that's not the really exciting news. As most of you know, I am an avid autograph collector... especially of Star Trek. I have Majel Barret Roddenberry's, Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Kate Mulgrew... and a very special picture with the late James Doohan. Jimmy was one of the coolest guys ever to walk the earth. There are so many cool stories about him. (God Bless Scotty.)

But!

The picture that I have been working dillegently for the last few years and several hundred $$$ is a cast picture of Star Trek the Next Generation. (Can we say $100 for Patrick Stewart's autograph??? But well worth it! Last August was the first time Patrick has ever signed autographs in the U.S. And I got one in person!!) As of last fall, I all needed 2 autographs to complete it.

Well, not anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today, I got my absolute favorite.... that person who was my childhood favorite and hero... The coolest, classiest, and genuinly sweetest lady I have ever had the pleasure of meeting-

Ms. Gates McFadden.

She was so sweet! And personable!

Hugo and I got to the Con at about 10:30am ish... but we didn't get in to see Gates until almost 3 pm... Yeah... took that long. But boy was it ever worth the wait and the $$!. It wasn't a very big convention, but since PoD was there working, when we got tired of walking around, we strolled over to his booth several times and people mock-... I mean, watched. :-)

Here's some of what we saw... (Please note... this is only a very small representation of who and what was present.)




The Storm Troopers guarded the entrance to the autograph room. There were some "Marines" from Alien, something or other. (Fans of course) I kept expecting to see them inside the building. There were several little kids who were dressed up. And they were too cute!! Any child I have is in so much trouble! They are so getting dressed up!




Does it get any better than this??? Jar-Jar's head on a spear! I think LoW spotted this before I did, but we both knew that I HAD to get a picture. I think there are many... no scratch that... I know there are many, many people out there who wanted to see Jar-Jar strapped to something that would go BOOM! Well, this is pretty good here!

Something every house should have.... A rack of swords! Pretty groovy, huh? This is the same booth that had Jar-Jar on a spear... teehee... I just like saying that! They had tons of shiny knives of various sizes and levels of 'that will ruin your day if someone sticks you with that.'

And now, for the moment you have all been waiting for... well, the moment I have been waiting for! The reason for the season... or, something like that! Well, she's the reason that I got my happy back end up at 8:30am on a Sat!

Check back later for the details on my meeting Gates! It really was one of the coolest moments for me! I'll try and update that as soon as I can! Thanks for stopping by!

Hopping on the Blogthings Bandwagon

You Have a Melancholic Temperament

Introspective and reflective, you think about everything and anything.You are a soft-hearted daydreamer. You long for your ideal life.You love silence and solitude. Everyday life is usually too chaotic for you. Given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace.You tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life.Wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times. At your worst, you brood and sulk. Your negative thoughts can trap you.You are reserved and withdrawn. This makes it hard to connect to others.You tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult.

What Temperment Are You?

You Are Miss Piggy

A total princess and diva, you're totally in charge - even if people don't know it.You want to be loved, adored, and worshiped. And you won't settle for anything less.You're going to be a total star, and you won't let any of the "little people" get in your way.Just remember, piggy, never eat more than you can lift!

The Muppet Personality Test

You Are Marge Simpson

You're a devoted family member who loves unconditionally. Sometimes, though, you dream about living a wild secret life! You will be remembered for: your good cooking and evading the police Your life philosophy: "You should listen to your heart, and not the voices in your head."

The Simpsons Personality Test

You Are Lightning

Beautiful yet dangerousPeople will stop and watch you when you appearEven though you're capable of random violence You are best known for: your power Your dominant state: performing

What Type of Weather Are You?

Early A.M. test taking

Okay- so I went back and retook the personality tests & the spiritual gifts test.... Taking tests at 1 or 2 in the morning can really throw the results!!! Well, actually, not that bad. The Spiritual gift test stayed the same... Not a big surprise there.

But the personality test changed a wee bit. When I took it seriously, it came out as Melancholy/Sanguine...

Huh.... guess I should have taken the test the right way the first time! :-)

General Musing....

So, I followed my curiosity and the links on the Elvin Princess' blog & took the personality and spiritual gift tests.

I have been floundering as of late in regards to my purpose on this big round ball we call earth. Well, that's not entirely true- I have a couple of avenues of purpose mapped out, but they are ... well, let's just say that I'm not quite at the right place for those roles.

I am talking about my contribution to my little eco-sphere. What can I do for humanity.

I'm not entirely sure why, but as of late, my thoughts have been on my future and my legacy. That is to say, what people will remember about the dash that goes in between the two big dates on my life. I've been thinking quite a lot about what I want my little dash to say.

What do I most want people to remember when I'm gone?

As dark as that sounds, in actuality, the preparation for that starts now.

Anyway, not sure where I was going with that... Here's the results of my tests!

Personality:
I am Sanguine/Choleric. Go here to read the results or take it yourself!

Spiritual Gifts:
My highest score was 18- Teaching
The next 3 tied at 17- Faith, Mercy, and Hospitality

Don't Have a Title for This One...

Darcy and I ventured up to his parents' estate this past weekend for Easter. Had a wonderful time. But I am highly allergic to something up there & woke up Saturday with a stuffed up head and an awful sore throat. Hurt to swallow all weekend long. As you may well imagine, I spent the weekend in a medicine induced haze. Ahh... the power of drugs.

I looked at my calendar this past weekend & it hit me that it is already April... and we're on the downhill slide towards May.

But, I have been thinking more and more of of the future and what the future holds. The things that I want... some things that are out of my hands, even if I don't think they should be. Things that hang on others. That's the price we, mere mortals, pay for interacting with others... those others don't always do what we want them to do when we want them to. And it can make you crazy.

As everyone can testify, one of the hardest things to master is learning to respect another enough to accept that person's decision... even when you disagree... even when it involves you.

But- there are those other things that I can do something about. Stuff that I have control of. I'm thinking more and more on those things... About making my life my own.... Making sure that it falls under the headship of God and not necessarily other people.

Anyway- just something I was thinking about...

Small Update

Well, I don't have any big huge news at the moment. I will say that I have added some more links & encourage all to go and check them out. I am still so excited that I learned that little trick!

By the way, thanks to all who commented on my 'Low ' post. Especially, those who called or texted.

Hmm.... anything else.... the STARS are in the hunt for Lord Stanley's cup & my boy, Bill Guerin is back on the ice after a very painful injury. Life is good! And they won their game this evening!

Rehearsal for 'The Saga of the Golden Horseshoe' (also know, simply, as Horseshoe) is going very well. But may I just say how much I HATE improv work? Hate it, hate it, hate it. I developed a sincere distaste for it in high school theater and its only grown with time. I think it relates somehow with how much I detest curtain call... and that's something that my mother just cannot understand.

On a side note: It's funny how, at times like this, I miss those who have passed on more than ever. I would have loved to have had my great-grandparents at some of my performances... But especially, my D-Daddy. But, he saw quite a few 'performances' on the fireplace stage of our home when I was a little girl. But still... I think it's times like this that I miss him the most.

Any Toby Keith fans out there? You gotta get T.K.'s new album, White Trash with Money. It's great! The first single, Get Drunk and Be Somebody, is great.... Wrong! So very wrong! But great! I'm really diggin' the whole record~ It's sooo Toby Keith & those who have heard his music know what I'm talking about.

Saturday night I had a bit of an epiphany... I am, without a doubt, one of the biggest dorks on the planet. Yes, I know, not a big news flash there... but just humor me, please. My little group of vagabonds and myself were playing a role-playing/card type game thing. I don't remember the name of it. Ask PoD. But it's got the Knights of the Round Table of Camelot. Anyway, the moment when all became clear was when Jared, in a moment of triumph, threw his arms out and yelled, "I'm King of the Dorks!!!" Yeah, we're all dorks... but, we're dorks together.

It's safer in numbers and we like to travel in packs....

Anyway, gentle readers, I hope all are having a good week. But, if you aren't... just remember this wise old saying.... When life hands you a lemon... throw it at somebody!

Until next time!

Maria

I want to tell you about my friend, Maria. I should start by saying that Maria has, without a doubt, one of the most tender hearts I have ever seen. She's bright and funny. She also has a soft heart for those who aren't well; human or not. I've seen this girl care for and nurse a sickly bird back to health.

Almost a year ago, Maria and her boyfriend found out that they would be parents. Although they were unmarried and the baby was a surprise, Maria was very excited. She was a little worried, but felt that she'd be okay.

In December, Maria gave birth to a sweet little angel from God. A little boy. But that sweet boy was ill. Part of his brain was missing. He was blind and deaf. For quite some time, he was on a respirator because they couldn't get him to breath on his own. Maria's response to all that was, "It's just one more battle we're going to fight." She loved that little boy of hers. She was so proud of him... so proud to be his mama. Maria knew that she was meant to be that boy's mom.

For the first three months of his life, Maria's little boy had test after test. It seemed that the doctors were always finding something else wrong with him. But Maria was determined to find a way to help her son.

Then came Tuesday, March 7th. The day before, the baby had had some testing done to determine why he wasn't able to swallow. That night, Maria noticed he seemed swollen. After a time, the swelling went down. Maria decided that, since he had was going to see the doctor again the next day, she would wait until then.

Tuesday, the baby's father dropped Maria and their son off at the doctor. The doctor took one look at the boy and knew something was very wrong. Before they ambulance got there, the baby's feet were blue. Before the ambulance could get them to the hospital, the boy's lips had also turned blue.

I am saddened to say that the boy was not to make it through the night. He passed on that night with his mama by his side. Unfortunately, it was just not meant to be. He was too sick. His lungs had turned to stone inside his little body. As the doctors said, it was inevitable.

My heart breaks for Maria. Though the child was not planned, he was LOVED. It seems so unfair, I admit. And this is one of those times when it seems impossible to find God anywhere. Indeed, at this moment, Maria simply cannot find God... And for the moment, she's not trying. She has lost her son & that's all she knows.

Pray for Maria. Pray for all those parents who bury their children. Pray that they find a way to make their child's life count. Because every life, no matter how short or how disabled counts... and it counts completely. Pray that they feel God's arms around them.

Deep Down Low

Have you ever sunk low? I mean, a deep down low that you can feel all the way down to your toes. When everything in you: every atom in your body, every thought in your mind, and every beat of your heart seems to sob without care of anything else?

Have you ever been so heartsick that your spirit feels nauseous? Have you ever felt that, though you wanted to help, that you have injured one that you care for? And have you ever felt the numbing certainty of that person pull away from you?

Have you ever felt that you're just lost in the wild? That there's no more path for you to take... that your lot in life is to be stranded in the forest of uncertainty and fear? That you have no purpose...

Today is one of those days... one of those deep, down low days when all I feel is fear and anguish. When nothing makes sense and everyone I love seems so far away. When I feel so alone and unprotected. When it feels as if I'll never feel safe again. That I have no path. When nothing I do seems to be good enough... and will never be. When I feel so helpless and hopeless.

Today was one of those days when I just want to cry in someone's arms all night long. When I want someone to tell me that it's okay and that, no matter what, I am loved... That I will never be left alone. That I am lovely and special. It's the kind of day when all my insecurities come out to play... because I feel none of those things.

Someone to tell me that, as with the ebbing of the tide, this will not last forever.

I know that it will pass... that those feelings will float away in the current of my mind. But... for today... passionate people feel things deeply. And I've never claimed to be a calm, blue sea. I have always been a storm. I am passionate and I am dramatic. And whatever I feel, I feel with all that I am. I cannot live halfway...

But, as the song says, a deep down low makes level feel so high.