A different Thanksgiving

Well, after not reporting on the last 3 weeks, I don't know where to start, but I was thinking that Thanksgiving would be a great place.... Thanksgiving really starts for me the Sunday before, when we have our Thanksgiving service at church. We have a "blessing box" that we put answered prayer requests, or anything we want to praise God for, into all during the year, and then the Sunday before Thanksgiving, we distribute them out to the congregation, and we spend time reading them off together. It's nice to remember things you'd prayed for back in Jan or Feb - things that blessed others that you weren't even really aware of. Then of course it's the first Thanksgiving meal after church. I love all the scrumptious food! I make the usual - devilled eggs and my dads creamy mashed potatoes, and usually take along some dessert - this year it was my dad's "pink stuff". A yummy treat - give it a try:

1 can crushed pineapple REALLY drained

1 tub cool whip

1 small box strawberry jello

1/2 bag mini marshmallows

large container small curd cottage cheese.

Mix it all together and chill for a few hours. It's very easy and tasty!

So then comes Thanksgiving day, which was different for me this year. There was no meal with Mom and Dad before going to Andy's families. Instead there was a graveyard visit.

I just wanted to be there, within feet of my dad. But I have found that 6 feet is a pretty big separation. I just wanted to be close but it didn't help. He'd been gone for 52 days. It just makes me think about the next 52 years without him. So, this Thanksgiving, I cannot express my thankfulness that my dad accepted Jesus Christ as his savior. That I have the certain assurance that he is well and living, more alive than ever, with God in Heaven. I don't know how I could handle it if I thought he had died and been lost. No matter what hard and bad memories are etched into me forever of those last days, I know my Dad was freed from that into something wonderful. Whatever guilt I have over not doing enough, not being there enough, not being able to make it right for him - he is in perfect happiness now, and at least he isn't burdened by those same things. I know, that means I shouldn't be either, but it's hard on this end.

I look back at October 2nd, and it is SO plain to see that he was dying all day long, yet I left at noon and was gone an hour to go take a shower. I didn't know that he'd be dead 4 hours later. He'd asked me to stay the night that night before, and I'd told him I couldn't (he'd been asking for 2 weeks and I had been, off and on, I just didn't that night.) So he fell asleep holding my hand and I carefully pryed my hand out slowly, and left. I didn't wake him up to hug him, or tell him I loved him. I didn't know at 5:00 the next morning I'd get a call because they were afraid I wouldn't make it in time before he died (2 minutes away). I would give anything just to have that stupid hour back that I went home! I would not have let go of my Dad's hand for anything in the world that night if I'd known it was the last one. I just cling to the hope that maybe God tells the people we love the things he knows our hearts long to pour out to them. It's amazing to know that Jesus, who intercedes for us, is there with Dad. He could - he could tell him the things I wish I could. I don't know if He does that or not, but I wish He did. I can pray, and know that God is can look at my Dad - I'm just so thankful. And, some people don't get to be close to the people they love at the end - and I had that. I guess I just wanted to do everything perfectly, according to my ideals, and some of those things didn't happen, but there is still so much to be thankful for.

So, anyway, I spent the whole drive out to Ravenden Springs crying after the graveyard visit, because somehow a visit with a heap of dirt wasn't enough for me. My first year without dad's dressing - a special pan with no onions just for me. The next morning mom left for Arizona till the middle of January. So this is my first holiday season without my parents. Dad loved Christmas. Which is probably why Mom left.

Gosh! Aren't we glad I started blogging again? Where was this the whole time Dad was sick? So, anyway, God did give me a treat for thanksgiving - the night before, He let me dream of Dad - he called me on the phone and then I got to see him. I had hoped that maybe, just maybe, God let that really happen, but put it in a dream - so that I really did get to hug dad and tell him to his face again how much I love and miss him, so that Dad really knows. Now, I know that kind of thing sounds dumb, and unrealistic, but let me tell you - you start taking anything you can get, even the weird ideas! I remember after Dad died, one night I was laying in bed, and Andy wanted to watch t.v. and I just wanted to tell him, "but if I go to sleep, I might get to see Dad." I still listen to his messages on the answering machine.

OKAY!!!!! I have sat here and bawled myself into a snubbing mess. Dad's in Heaven!!! Wonderful, Awesome, Amazing, Glorious, not-cancerous Heaven. That is Joyous! I do know that. Besides, I have my mom - my hubby and kids - my friends - my church - and Dr. Pepper. I just added a couple of pictures - the first is of me and Dad when I was 9 months old - I believe Dad was 39 or 40 there. The last one is of a family get together we had a month after dad found out he was sick - that was taken about 10 weeks before he died. Happens fast. He told me later that he was hurting bad the whole time he was there - he was only able to stay about an hour. But you couldn't tell he was hurting by the way he was acting. He knew that was the last time he'd see some of the family. Anyway, just wanted to share those with you.

So, I need to go, but in the coming days, I want to post about my first Chiropractic visit, dance fever, a little schin-dig I had at my place, our awesome interpretive movement, and life in general, but for now laundry is calling my name. But hey, I have the dishes done! Where is my award! Blessings! More later!

Back from the dead..

Well finally, I have just a minute. Miss Melissa informed me that she was ready to read something new.... Well, the week before Thanksgiving I had 4 shows, then of course the week of Thanksgiving was busy, and over the weekend there was that stomach flu (no detailes needed!)... so, I did not forget I had a blog, I've just been too pooped (funny, huh?) to blog! So, my plans are to add some more over the next day or so when I have a little time to breathe. Hi to all who've been checking and seeing nothing new, thanks, don't forget me! I'm still alive!

End of the week already?

How does it go? TGIF? I actually do NOT have a single thing written on my calendar for today and tomorrow! Are any of you so busy that that statement is considered a miracle for you too? Between jewelry shows, church things, and the rest of life - my calendar usually is covered up! I left this weekend free in case I got a chance to go camping this year - may I also add that I am not going camping this year? The boys went last weekend while I was in Branson. That was their first time camping without momma. And the camera. I bet that was different! I just couldn't pass up Branson this year though. I had decided all summer I wouldn't be able to go, - 1. because I thought I'd need to be here to take care of Dad, (turns out he chose Heaven earlier than we'd thought he might) and 2. our church anniversary day was that weekend. Once I worked out coming home early it was all good. Branson was a ton of fun. I think there were around 15 of us. The highlights of the trip were getting to go to the Golden Corrall for dinner, and getting to go on the Showboat Branson Belle.

Here we are! The most fabulous ladies on board! What a fun bunch of girls! The show was great - it was their christmas show, and the food - yummy! I've never had roast beef that good in my life!

And here is the boat - it held 700 guests. Of course we couldn't wait to figure out how much $$ that was - we estimated around $35,000 per trip @ 3 trips per day . . . I bet it didn't take long to pay off the 13 million it cost to build. Maybe I'll add showboating to my business - the Premier Showboat - with ACTUAL shows!!! You know, I have the best ideas.... why, just yesterday Melissa and I were forming our own company - maybe I'll save that for later!

Okay - it is getting about time to wake Dakota up for school.... one of my good friends said this was a "time waster". . . :). Normally I'd still be in bed, so this one doesn't even count! And, it's not like me to waste time...

If any of you create an account here (blogger.com) I think you will be able to leave comments - even if you don't create a blog for yourself..... but please do - I'd love to read about what is going on..... especially you Aimee (miss you). Leann and Melissa, Rhonda - you're not off the hook! Okay - gotta go!

Been Busy

Since I started this yesterday, I find that I'm thinking about this a lot! It seems kind of fun. My week has gotten off to a pretty busy start. After being in Branson for the weekend with the Premier girls, I made it home just in time for our churches (Koinonia Christian Fellowship) 20th anniversary celebration. That was a ton of fun. We saw some people that had attended in the past, watched a great slideshow of the last 20 years that my friend Adrian put together. Nothing like all the embarassing photos of you at church activities showing up on the big screen..... Well, there weren't any embarassing ones of me because that was the punishment for the people that didn't help get the scrapbook ready of the past 20 years! We'd come across a bad picture and put it in the pile to give to Adrian and say "That's what they get for not helping scrapbook!"

Did I mention what a loving church we are??? :)
Especially me and Rhonda.....

It was wonderful, and we had a huge meal afterwards. What a great day!
For those of you that don't know - our church is awesome. Our pastor is a great bible teacher, and I just love the fellowship we have. One of my favorite things is being in the drama ministry. I love interpretive movement.

Check out the bottom of my page and you can watch a movement I saw on youtube that I'd like to work on for my church. It is really awesome, just about the things that lead you away from God and overwhelm you..... it can happen to all of us, and at the end of the song when he covers her..... I have chillbumps!!!! Click on the first one on the left - that version is really good. My friend Leann had this great idea that we could do it for our friend Melissa's youth group in a nearby town. I can't wait to get started working on it.

From this weekend on to Monday..... I had a show Monday night, and Tuesday night. For any of you who don't know me.... I am a jewelry lady for Premier Designs. I've been doing that over two years and I just love it. I go to peoples houses and set out my jewelry - we play games - they have fun - they buy jewelry - my hostess gets $$$ in free jewelry - I make money - the world is a better place!

My show Monday night was at my friend Gingers house, and we had a really good time visiting together, and the show was fun. Last night I ws at my friend Mary Beth's house and we had a great time there, too. I love the way that I get close with my hostesses - people that were formerly strangers or just acquaintances become good friends and I love having more people to talk with and laugh with. I love to laugh. Mary Beth and I got to talking about some of my most embarassing or strange show moments (I've done about 175 shows) last night and boy, did we ever laugh. Any other jewelry ladies out there - when they start smelling the jewelry, try to keep your composure!!! THAT is a whole other story! But I had a great time last night, too. Well, company is here - gotta run!

Me, on a blog! Who would've thought?

Well, It's me, Misty. This is my first experience with a blog - I saw one last night at a friends house and she suggested I do it, so here we go! (Thanks Ginger! - another reason my house isn't clean!) I can't help but wonder who all will happen upon a small slice of my life in here.... what should I talk about? Maybe I'll take a break and see what the others look like.