Hallmark Holiday Series

So I thought I was giving my husband an easy idea for me for Christmas from my kids.  Turns out neither of us could find a list of even one of these elements.  I was surprised that Hallmark doesn't have it published anywhere but if they do, it's under lock and key.  Anyway, since I have all the plushes, all the books, and am working on the ornaments, I figured I'd publish the list and help out others who may be looking for it like we were.

The plush dancing snowmen started in 2003 as did the ornaments.  The books did not start until 2004 and while the illustrator remains the same, there are several different authors.  Below is the comprehensive list (with pics) in order of year. The plush and book pics are mine so feel free to use them if you'd like.  The ornament pics are NOT MINE.  They are just screenshots of where I can purchase them so please do not use them.

If you can think of another way of organizing it or if I missed anything please, by all means, let me know.  I want to make this as accurate and helpful as possible.

2003

Plush Dancer - 2 Snowmen caroling

Plush Ornament - 2 snowmen caroling

Book - n/a

2004

Plush Dancer - Snowman with white dog on leash

Plush Ornament - Snowman and white dog

Book - Snow What Fun! When Snowmen Come to Life on Christmas Eve

Author: Cheryl Hawkinson 

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

2005

Plush Dancer - Snowman playing piano

Plush Ornament - Snowman playing piano

Book - The Snowbelly Family of Chillyville Inn

Author: Cheryl Hawkinson 

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

2006

Plush Dancer - Snowman, tree, and two penguins

Musical Ornament - Snowman, tree, and two penguins

Book - The Snow Must Go On! A way, way off-broadway adventure

Author: Molly Wigand

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

2007 

Plush Dancer - Snowman sledding with penguin and dog

Musical Ornament - Snowman sledding with penguin and dog

Book - Snow Happy to be Here! The Slightly Silly Story of the Snowblatt Family

Author: Cheryl Hawkinson

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

2008

Plush Dancer - two snowmen with sweets

Plush Ornament - 2 snowmen with sweets

Book - Snow Place Like Home! The Incredible Snowkids of Marshmallow Mountain

Author: Diana Manning

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

2009

Plush Dancer - Snoopy playing piano

(I do not own this one as it wasn't a snowman)

Ornament

(There may be a matching Snoopy ornament but I do not know)

Book - Snow Wonder We're Friends!

Author: Molly Wigand 

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

2010 

Plush Dancer - Snowman decorating tree with penguin

Musical Ornament - snowman decorating tree with penguin

Book - The Snowman Band of Snowboggle Bend

Author: Cheryl Hawkinson

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

2011

Plush Dancer - Snowman with dog in doghouse

 

Plush Ornament - Snowman and dog in doghouse

Book - What's Shakin in Snowflake City?

Author: Cheryl Hawkinson

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

2012 

Plush Dancer - Snowman skiing with penguin (dated)

Ornament - snowman skiing with penguin

Book - There's Snow Stopping Us Now!

Author: Cheryl Hawkinson

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

2013

Plush Dancer - Snowman with dog and lamp post (dated)

Ornament - snowman with dog and lamp post

Book - Snow Time to Lose The Shiverdale Snowbuddies Save the Day

Author: Diana Manning

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

2014

Plush Dancer - Snowman at Tree Farm with Snow child

Ornament - snowman at tree farm with snow child

Book - There's Snowbody Like You!

Author: Barbara Loots

Illustrator: Mike Esburg

2015

Plush Dancer - snowman with snow child, dog and cookies

Musical Ornament - snowman with snow child, dog, and cookies

Book - There's Snow Time Like Cookie Time!

Author: Suzanne Heins and Andrew Blackburn

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

2016

Plush Dancer - snowman and snow child in sleigh (dated)

Ornament - snowman and snow child in sleigh

Book - Magical Sleigh? Snow Way!

Author: Diana Mannding

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

2017 

Plush Dancer - Snowman with dog and candy canes

Ornament - snowman and dog with candy canes

Book - Rex Snows the Way to Grandma's

Author: Diana Manning

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

2018

Plush Dancer - snow mailman with snow child and mailbox

Ornament - snow mailman with snow child and mailbox

Book - Snow Letter Left Behind

Author: Keely Chace 

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

This was published in 2017 but it corresponds with the 2018 series

2019

Plush Dancer - Snowman with dog reading to snow child

Musical Ornament - snowman with dog reading to snow child

Book - This is Snow Time for Sleeping 

Author: Andrew Blackburn

Illustrator: Mike Esberg

Be careful what you post

I had a friend fill out the following survey and post it as a bulletin figuring it was just harmless fun. But if you look closely, you are giving out a lot of personal information including your name (first middle and last) names of family members, pets, your address and a list of your favorites. These are common things people use as passwords or password change alert questions. Survey's like this are dangerous because they give someone the info they need to snoop on you. If you see a friend post it please let them know to delete it for their safety.


YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet and current street name)
First pet may not be a big deal but the second part is part of your current address

YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your middle name)
harmless

YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
favorites, common things used when you make your password

YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born):
your middle name and where you were born, common password alert questions/answer when you try to change your access to bank accounts

YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name, first 2 letters of mom's maiden)
harmless

SUPERHERO NAME: ("The", your favorite color, favorite drink)
more favorites, bad

NASCAR NAME: (the first name of both your grandfathers)
family member names

FUTURISTIC NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne and the name of your favorite kind of shoes) 

more favorites

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother & father's middle name)
parents names 
big bad

It's Not My Baby

Every day I wake up and I curse my disease for making my body hurt so bad. But then I see the sleeping angelic faces of my daughters and I thank my lucky stars it's me and not them. I don't know a mother who wouldn't switch places with her kid who is in terrible pain and cancer moms are no different.

Every time I wonder "why me?" I remember it's because "it's not my baby".

Every time I'm put in a machine or poked with a needle or hospitalized I remember that there are little kids going thru the same thing so I suck it up. I'm an adult, I understand what's going on. And it's me, not my baby.

Every time I walk into the cancer center I walk past the children's wing and I thank my lucky stars I don't have to go in that door. I'm thankful it's me, not my baby.

Every time someone comments on finding a cure for breast cancer I agree that it's important but not as important as childhood cancers. I don't want to die at 40. I'm not done yet. But at least I've had 40 years. I've completed school, worked, vacationed, traveled, married the love of my life, surrounded myself with the most amazing and supportive friends and family, and given birth to two beautiful healthy girls. And I'd gladly go at 40 if it meant my daughters will live a long and healthy and happy life. I don't like it at all but it would be 1000% worse if it were my baby.

How can I be so sure? Because I have 3, yes THREE, childhood cancer moms in my circle of friends. I've seen the fear, the determination, the love, the sheer will that it takes to care for a child, your baby, battling cancer. And I know all 3 of those moms would have taken the suffering on themselves in an instant if it spared their child.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
If you have the means, please donate to a reputable childhood cancer charity.
If you know nothing about this please educate yourself on the topic.
If you aren't sure what else you can do, spread the word, share my post, change your profile photo, wear gold or a gold ribbon.

These kids need us. These parents need us. And 4% funding is NOT enough.

Childhood Cancer isn't just a smiling bald kid on TV, it's my friends.

It's Luke, a stage 3 Wilms tumor survivor who started playing football this year.

It's Mackenzie, a leukemia survivor who started kindergarten with her twin sister last week.

It's Ben, a 2 time cancer survivor (kidney and lung) who after 2 long years of being only at home and in the hospital, got to take a vacation this summer and experience the beach for the first time.

Originally Posted by me on FB back on September 1, 2018

I went for a ride today,,,

I went for a ride today...

I went for a ride today... To practice.
I have a breast cancer fundraiser coming up called BIKERS FOR BOOBS PA hosted by Mama Mare Breast Cancer Foundation and I haven't ridden in forever. Took me a few turns to get the hang of it but all in all no issues. I'm now much more confident and excited for Sunday.

I went for a ride today... Because I can.
A year and nine months ago I couldn't even drive a car because I was in so much pain. A year ago I was strictly forbidden to even put on a helmet due to a fracture in my spine. But today I feel good. Today I feel strong. Today I could do it.

I went for a ride today... To decide.
I agreed to sell my bike after I got my diagnosis. I barely get time to ride anyway and now add on physical ailments, it was a smart choice. However I wasn't 100% sure. I LOVE my bike and I love riding it but after just half an hour my body is letting me know that this is not something I should keep doing. I can but I shouldn't. I'm sad but it's time to let her go.

I went for a ride today...

Patience

Yesterday I was talking to the woman who works at the front office of my work.  I have a one year old and she has an elderly father with dementia and their care is surprisingly similar.  You cannot just leave them home and go to work.  If you cannot stay home with them you must hire someone to take care of them for you (and just hope and pray they do it even half as well and half as lovingly as you do it).  You must do everything for them, bathe them, make sure they eat, dress them, etc.  And then there are the questions… O.M.G. the questions.  You never realize how little you know about the world until you have a little one.  Sometimes you look it up, sometimes you make it up, and sometimes the answer is just “I don’t know”.  And sometimes it’s the same question over, and over, and over again.  We are only human and it’s annoying.  (If you say it’s not you are a far more patient person than I).  But losing your cool is a terribly debilitating thing to do to someone.

Imagine you are a little kid and you ask “what’s that?” and mommy says a word you’ve never heard before.  You can’t say it yourself because you aren’t sure what she said so you ask “what’s that?” again and this time you watch her lips move but she isn’t looking at you.  “What’s that” and this time you saw the way her lips curled but you aren’t sure how to pronounce it.  “What’s That?”.  And it goes on, and on, until you finally grasp it.  It’s a Sparrow!  Is that bird a sparrow?  No, a finch, huh, ok.  How about this one?  No, a cardinal, weird.   And it goes on and on like that.  Mom is awesome because she always answers my questions.  She’s so smart!!

On the other side of this is the poor mommy – “What’s that?” “A sparrow” “What’s that?” “A sparrow” “What’s that?” “A sparrow” “What’s that?” “A sparrow” “What’s that?” “A sparrow” and then on the way home “Sparrow?” as she points to ever bird we see.  Annoying right?  Yep.  But imagine another scenario.

“What’s that?” “A sparrow”  “What’s that?”  “I already told you, it’s a sparrow”. “What’s that?”  “It’s an effing sparrow”  “What’s that?”  “A SPARROW!!” “What’s that?”  “Go away”.  Wow, mommy is mad at me and I don’t know what I did.  I just wanted to know what that was.  I guess it’s not ok to ask questions.  And mommy is really scary sometimes.

Imagine a world where if you didn’t know something  you went on not knowing it because you were too ashamed to ask.  Now in a world with google you can easily and privately find your answer (usually) but 2 year olds don’t have google.  They have mommy.  And do you want your kid to think you are smart and nice?  Do you want your kids to ask when they don’t  understand something?  Do you want your kids to come to you when they have a question/problem?  Then answer their questions.   Every time.

Fast forward to the 80 year old man with Alzheimer’s.  Computers didn’t come around until the end of his working years so sure he may use it for e-mails and the like but it’s not really part of his daily routine.  As his mind slips away, names forgotten, places forgotten, use of that awesome google function fades away too.  Imagine knowing that you once knew the answer to something but now you can’t for the life of you figure it out.  How scary when you know you are literally losing your mind?   And now all you can remember is your daughters face, her kind sweet face and ask her, for the umpteenth time, where is your room again?  Imagine if she yelled at you.  Imagine how scary if the only familiar thing in your world was mad at you.  So you stop asking.

This is the video I was talking about with my co-worker that even describing it to her made me cry.  It's short but it's powerful. 

What people don’t realize (until they themselves are in the situation) is that care givers of young children and elderly relatives need help.  And they need a break.  They need alone time.  They need girls/guys nights out.  They need a hug and someone to tell them they are doing a good job.  Because they are not in it for the pay. 

I’m not saying patience is easy but I am saying patience is essential.

Here we go again

I have started and restarted this blog with several different intentions and today is no different. Except that today I vow to post what I want, when I want, and about what I want. First I wanted to be inspirational. Then I wanted to follow the same structure as another one of my favorite bloggers. And whenever I set myself up with "rules" is when I set myself up to fail. I'm not a structured person. I get to work on or around 11 every day. Sometimes 9, sometimes 11:30. I'm am so very thankful that my work is ok with this. I guess if you show up, do a good job, and get your work done, they really couldn't care less when I do it. So telling myself that I'll post "every day" was a goal very quickly unrealized. Trying to keep things sequential was another goal that I was unable to obtain. And does it really matter in anyone's world if what I post is about something from years ago and then something I post tomorrow is about current events? Nope. So here I go again, starting over. Isn't that the beauty of life, unending chances to start over?

 To anyone who does read this and happens to recognize my true identity, please don't connect the dots for others. Please don't post my real name here or share these posts with people in my real life. I plan to post some things here because they are on my mind. Or because I think they would help others with something they are going thru. And while I may not use real names, if you are close to me, people will be easy to recognize and the last thing I ever want to do is hurt or embarrass anyone in my life. So I ask that you honor my request of anonymity.

 As for who is writing this blog, I started writing a long "life history" and realized that's what these blog posts will be, little glimpses of my life. So instead I'll just give you the basics. Today I am a woman in her mid thirties, a mom, a wife, and a resident of the state of Pennsylvania. The rest will unfold in my posts but I'm always open to questions.

Wise People Wednesday

"I'm selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control, and at times hard to handle, but if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best."
- Marilyn Monroe

Wise People Wednesday

"The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself."
- Benjamin Franklin

Truisms

Truisms -

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this - ever.

15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of any importance the entire day. What a waste.

17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

18. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

19. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay.

20. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option

21. Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it.

22. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

23. Even when opportunity knocks, you still have to get up off your seat and open the door.

24. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

25. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?

26. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

27. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

28. Is it just me or do high school kids get dumber & dumber every year?

29. There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

30. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

31. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

32. Even under ideal conditions, people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet my all that everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.

Wise People Wednesday

"Maybe some women weren't meant to be tamed, maybe they're suppose to run wild until they find someone just as wild to run with."
Carrie Bradshaw - Sex in the City

Wise People Wednesday

Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.
~RENT

(I actually love this quote so much that I want to incorporate it into my next tattoo, however I'm not creative at all so if you have any suggestions, please, by all means, share!)

Wise People Wednesday

"The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want."
- Ben Stein

Wise Words Wednesday

"THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE UNSEEN...THAT'S WHY WE CLOSE OUR EYES WHEN WE KISS...CRY...AND DREAM...!"

Author: unknown

Wise Words Wednesday

Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way.

Al Franken, "Oh, the Things I Know", 200

Wise People Wednesday

"The trick in life isn't getting what you want, it's wanting it after you get it."
- Katherine Hepburn

Wise People Wednesday

You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams
~Dr. Seuss

Wise Words Wednesday

“Sometimes we need to stop analyzing the past, stop planning the future, stop figuring out precisely how we feel, stop deciding exactly what we want, and just see what happens.”
~Sex and the City~

How do you meet new people?

It's a question a lot of people ask and tonight i think i may have stumbled upon your answer. People always say "where do you go to meet people" and "you won't meet someone sitting home on your couch". The answer is accept invitations, all of them, unless you really do have something else you should be doing or the invitation isn't something that's safe or healthy.

For example today after work i was going to a friends to pack up a lot of my stuff to move tomorrow (putting some of my stuff in a storage unit) and it didn't sound like a great Friday night but at least I'd be productive. Well our department was dismissed early from work and some co-workers wanted to go for a drink and i happened to stumble into the conversation. I was asked to go and at first i started to say no and then changed my mind. Yes my stuff needed to get done but i could go for an hour right? Well one hour turned into two and then three and well let's just say it's five hours later. But the best part is i did something i hadn't planned on doing tonight, i made a friend. Another co-worker had stumbled into the same "let's go for drinks" conversation and even tho (like me) it wasn't her crowd she decided what the heck and joined us. Well long after everyone poops out and goes home we sit and talk, then walk around and shop and then go for coffee. She's a truly awesome person, someone i have a lot in common with. And even tho I'm starting to pack at 11:15 on a Friday night (and am going to hate my life in the early AM) it was so worth it.

My point? Go! When you are asked, GO! Even if it sounds boring. If you show up and it is, then you've only wasted what, a half hour of your life? But if you're invited and you truly have no where else you NEED to be then go. Cause who knows, one person may bring their friends who runs into their friend and maybe you'll hit it off. It could be a romance or just a new person you have a lot in common with. But it's totally worth it to meet new people, and at least this way it's not like the bar or internet where you start from nothing, at least this person has some conversation starter (when did you start in this dept, how long have you known so and so, etc). It beats sitting home and hoping mr/mrs right is gonna walk into your living room looking for you. Or sitting at a bar seeing someone attractive only to watch their other half come back from the bathroom and put their arms around your cutie. At least this way you're not there looking for anything more than drinks w/ friends (or whatever the invite may be) and won't be disappointed if that's all it turns out to be (instead of being at a bar looking for someone to go home w/ and having no luck). So go ahead, put yourself out there, if you do you're sure to meet some awesome new people...

(another one from the achieves that stands true today, originally posted to MySpace in 2006)

My Proposal Story

Written a few days after my husband proposed back in June 2009...

"To tell the whole story I have to rewind a little here....

Two weeks ago I was running a bit late to work (as usual) and about jumped out of my skin when I heard a man say "hello" in my driveway. Who the heck is in my driveway at 8am!? It was the mail man and he needed me to sign for a package. He said he wanted to make sure he came by early so he wouldn't miss us. The day before we had gotten one of those "sorry we missed you, come to the post office to get your package" tags for our tax documents so I figured that's what i was signing for. I remember thinking it was sweet of him to go out of his way figuring that we'd be off to work soon (how would he know Lee is unemployed and home every day). But it wasn't the tax docs and as i walked in the house i turned it over and stopped dead in my tracks... i had just signed for my engagement ring!!! I had no idea what to do. Should i run after the mail man, give it back, make him bring it back later and pretend it never happened... nah, I'm a lousy liar, i could never pull that off. Do i put it in my car and make no mention of it, yeah no, Mike would flip if he got the e-mail that it was delivered and he didn't have it. So I left it on the kitchen counter and went to work. I figured I'd get some kind of text or call but nothing came. Around 1 pm i texted him "did you see the kitchen counter?" "yup, did you?" "yup" "well that sucks". That was it, i knew, he knew i knew, and there was nothing we could do about it, you can't unlearn something like that.

Now we've been talking and planning a wedding for months now so I've had to fight the urge that every night when i get home to think "is it tonight?". But now, knowing that the ring was in the house, it was very, very, very hard not to look for it around every corner. But i know my man, and i know he's a planner so i figured it would come on Memorial Day weekend. When it didn't i figured it would be our anniversary so i convinced myself of that and reminded myself of that when i felt as "is this it" coming on. This past Friday I stayed a bit late at work and he texted me that he was hungry and to meet him at the diner half way from work and home. My first thought "here it comes, this is where we had our first kiss" but then i told myself to stop being stupid. He's a planner, he wouldn't do it on a whim at a diner on a random Friday night. Besides, he was waiting for our anniversary. So i get there and get a table. When he comes in he walks up to the table w/ his hands behind his back. I think, well it's not a ring, you put that in your pocket, not hide it behind your back. He kneels down next to the table and hands me a box with a GPS! I was surprised and asked him what this was for. He said ever since i got lost (two weeks prior i wasted 2 hours and half a tank of gas because i missed my exit on the turnpike) he wanted to get me one and it came in today. I thanked him but told him to stop kneeling on the floor and to come sit next to me (I thought it looked too much like he was gonna propose and it was distracting me). I was looking at the GPS when i noticed he was sitting funny so i asked him what was in his hand. He said "nothing" and pulled his hand out from under the table to show me he wasn't holding anything. He told me to turn on the GPS, that he'd spent the whole day loading stuff on it and he wanted to show me how it worked. I hit the on button and the first thing i saw was the words "Will You Marry Me????" I turned to look at him and he pulled his other hand out from under the table and there was my ring. Now I've known this was coming, I've even rehearsed my response. But he got me, he actually surprised me and i just took the ring, put it on my finger and kissed him. Somewhere in there I said of course but he figured me putting it on meant i accepted.

When he went to the bathroom later in the evening i snuck a pic so i could text it to everyone in my phone (if you didn't get a text don't be insulted, it's a new phone and i only have a small portion of my numbers programmed in it).

As for knowing my man, i was right, he had it in his bag all memorial day weekend but the moment never struck him. First I ruined his plan when i declared i had no interest on going on a bike ride and then he decided not to bring it out on the lake for fear of dropping it in the water. I then figured it would be at the Rascal Flatts concert we're going to in two weeks and he said that was the original plan but there is no guarantee that your request nor your message will make it up to the screen. He had thought of our anniversary but our plans kept changing with his drill schedule. So he said when the GPS came in he got the idea and just realized he didn't want to wait anymore. I think he's just proud that he surprised the unsurprisable.

And for those who have asked about the ring. Below is the professional/website pic of it.


He searched for a long time to find the perfect ring. He had his heart set on tension setting and even though many people tried to change his mind he had it set on what he wanted. He found www.titaniumera.com and fell in love w/ this setting. He showed it to me around Christmastime and I loved it as much as he did. What I didn't know is that soon after, his mother offered him the diamond that his father had given her when they got engaged. The trick was getting the jeweler on the phone to figure out how to get them the diamond so they could put it in the setting he wanted. (Tension settings have to be hard metals, if it's a soft metal like gold it will bend and the diamond will pop out. Can't have that w/ a family heirloom stone. So he had to be 100% that this setting would work and keep the diamond safe.) And this is why i knew what was in the package, I'd been to the website so i recognized the return address.

So ends the "is this it, will it be tonight" and so starts the nights of "wedding this, wedding that". I just told him that no matter what happens between now and our wedding night, as long as i go to bed that night married to the man I love, it will have been the perfect day.

You Are

You are strong...
when you take your grief and teach it to smile.

You are brave...
when you overcome your fear and help others to do the same.

You are happy...
when you see a flower and are thankful for the blessing.

You are loving ...
when your own pain does not blind you to the pain of others.

You are wise...
when you know the limits of your wisdom.

You are true...
when you admit there are times you fool yourself.

You are alive...
when tomorrow's hope means more to you than yesterday's mistake.

You are growing...
when you know what you are but not what you will become.

You are free...
when you are in control of yourself and do not wish to control others.

You are honorable...
when you find your honor is to honor others.

You are generous...
when you can take as sweetly as you can give.

You are humble...
when you do not know how humble you are.

You are thoughtful...
when you see me just as I am and treat me just as you are.

You are merciful...
when you forgive in others the faults you condemn in yourself.

You are beautiful...
when you don't need a mirror to tell you.

You are rich...
when you never need more than what you have.

You are you...
When you are at peace with who you are not.

Author: unknown