What I Think Is AMAZING!

These roses are still blooming after several hard frosts and some very wet snow. 

I don't know how they survived, but it was a welcome sight today.

These roses give me

Hope.

Even when times are bad and trying, 

even the roses can survive.

The Amazing Walk!!!

Even though the sun was shining, it was a cool morning and there was enough of a wind for a wind chill.

Brrrrrrr!  That was cold.  Yet, our Amazing Walk went on as scheduled.

We began in the Narthex of the Church.

We gathered for our opening prayer.

We began the Way of the Cross in front of the church.

Yes, throughout our walk, people knelt down on the cold ground to pray.

Our walk began.  There were at least 50 of us there today.

We stopped to pray the Stations of the Cross 14 times along the way.

Since our church has a large Hispanic population, 5 of the Stations were prayed in Spanish.

As we walked, we prayed the Rosary and sang hymns until we reached our next stop.

People took turns carrying the cross.

The day was soft and beautiful as we walked.

The children joined in carrying the cross.

The teens also joined in carrying the cross.

Another church where we stopped to pray.

We walked through a wooded area in town.

We walked across the bridge.

We walked over the Minnesota River.

Father Joseph led us in prayer at the end of the bridge.

We walked under the bridge as we headed towards our last stop.

More joined in carrying the cross as we ended our walk and our prayer at another Catholic Church.

Our prayer was over.

Even though my feet ached and my legs hurt, this walk was grace filled and Amazing.

As long as I am mobile, I hope to walk this Amazing Walk!

I am so Incredibly Proud of My Children!

Normally, I restrict the amount of personal information I give out on this blog. I will, on occasion, mention my children. I also intend to keep this blog as upbeat as I can. However, today, I am going to reveal a bit more than I normally would about my life and the life of my children, Jenny and Nick. They are both so incredibly AMAZING! I am so proud of both of them!

Last week, I received a call from my daughter that she was in the ER and that she was being admitted to the hospital because she had a broken rib. (When she was home for the 4th of July, she had slipped on the stairs and fallen very hard.) She also told me that two masses had been found in her body and that they were most likely, cancer. The next morning, I drove frantically up to the hospital to join her. When her oncologist/hematologist came in, he talked to her about having myeloma. The always say "suspected," but I think they are very sure. Jenny is very young for this disease. It is also a cancer of exposure. It is also the same type of cancer that took my husband's life 6 years ago.

The walk through this fire was terrible, but I am so proud of both of my children! While Nick and I were flat on our backs emotionally, Jenny was the strong one. She kept us going. I think that both Nick and I have managed to stand up again, and now, we are both ready for Jenny to lean on us when she has to do so.

Now, this blog will not become a cancer blog. Yes, there will be a few updates on Jenny and her progress. We are still hoping that this is just a glitch in the road for her rather than a journey. We will know more this week. I can only pray the news is good. I can also only ask that you join us in prayer for her complete recovery.

No matter what, I could not be more proud of my children than I am at this moment! Thank you, God, for giving me the perfect set of kids!

Where would we be without the blessing of our Animals?

How Many People Have a Rainbow in Their Bedroom

Today, I slept in a bit. When I woke up, I looked at the wall to my left. Look what I found--a rainbow! How many people wake up and find a rainbow in their bedroom? That's the first time it happened to me. How about you? If you were making a bead or another type of art, what would this inspire you to make?

Sometimes Insomnia Has a Purpose

Isn't this amazing?
No need to say another word.

The Fish That Didn't Get Away

This photo doesn't do this fish justice! It's really one of my favorite fish ever! It's a base of white encased in transparent green accented with teal, sky blue, and medium transparent purple.

I was getting ready to list this fish. I had wire wrapped it, added pearls, and a bit of sparkly glass crystal. A steel choker turned the pendant into a necklace.










Then I saw it! The reason why this fish is the one that didn't get away.
















See the crack that runs from his lips to his tail?

I know, he just didn't want to leave home! When you're pooping pearls, you have to be happy!

Look what was in my backyard today!

For one brief moment I thought it was spring.