Fab-ruary 27th

Another day to link up with Helen at:

iwillbloom.wordpress.com

And to be challenged to "find the fab" in my life!

Today, the challenge is to share -

I am an adult.

I have been married for almost 32 years.

I have been "in love" a few times in my lifetime.

But, I am just now learning what LOVE is!

Then, I met him...and it was LOVE!

In the beginning - it was love!

Or, at least what I thought love was

as a 30-year old almost-divorced single mom

with two small children who depended on me.

So, a second marriage;

another child to take care of;

work routines; life routines...

and the love disappeared - 

or diminished in the every-dayness of our lives.

Then, the dementia along with hearing loss and...

Well, let's just say we (or I) diminished

from the romantic couple that first met,

to the middle aged couple

who couldn't find the romance anymore.

But, real love

is not the romantic type portrayed in the movies.

Yes, romance can happen in a loving marriage... 

but not all marriages or romance looks the same.

During Valentine's Day, 

with all the posts on Facebook

about receiving flowers or candy or whatever

from their spouses or significant others,

I posted my own thoughts:

"So, everyone is posting their Valentine's Day pictures; no pictures here...but let me tell you about mine:  My hubby of almost 32 years did not shower me with gifts; typical!  But, what he did do...he showered me with LOVE!  A peck on the forhead, for no reason; a small box of chocolates (days before V-Day); a bottle of red gatorage (because I was sick); helping me to take down and wash the shower curtain; and loading my car so I could go scrapbooking... these are the things of love that I am beginning to see more as love, and cherish!"  (This was shared under "One of My Fave Things from the Week" on the Simple Woman's Daybook posted on February 16th; read the entire post here.)

So, what am I finally learning about love?  A friend put it this way:

Love is in the little things!

And now, when I look into the old but still-blue eyes that attracted me so many years ago, I know this to be true; and I know that, as 1 Corinthians 13:7 says:

 "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."  I Corinthians 13:7

And with God's help, I will do this!

Fab-ruary 26th

Another day to link up with Helen at:

iwillbloom.wordpress.com

And to be challenged to "find the fab" in my life!

Today, the challenge is to share -

I'D LIKE TO SPEND THE DAY

WITH/DOING...

During the 21 Days of Journaling in January, I wrote about a couple of posts similar to this post.  "Our Last Goodbye" (read it here) was about saying goodbye to my mother; and "My Perfect Day" listed out what my perfect day would look like (read it here).

So, I have been pondering this prompt for the past few days...

What more can I say abut spending a day with or doing?

Then, I read the post by Melanie at Musings and Meanderings for Five Minute Friday...

The word prompt for FMF was "Visit"; and her post opened my eyes to a visit we don't normally think about doing...

A Visit with Ourselves - as Melanie put it, "Just me, checking in with myself and God."

So, my day would look somewhat like hers!

Starting with sleeping until I was completely rested and ready to get up; then I would make myself presentable - for me or whomever I may encounter...

Because, I would be somewhere alone!  Maybe a B&B in the hills of North Carolina!  Or by the beach?!

But, I would be alone...

Why along?  Because I need to just be with myself so I could prepare to check in with myself and God!  (Thanks Melanie!  I needed that!)

So to prepare for this "checking in":

Order breakfast and stay in - well, not really in bed, but relaxing in the cozy room where I had just slept.

Then, a walk by the mountain stream, or along the ocean - depending where I was, of course!

And then...this is where it all comes together...

I would find a quiet place to sit, and let my surroundings just be around me!

With my journal and a pen, or perhaps an art journal, or even one of those really nice journaling Bibles...

I would sit quietly taking in the wonders of God's World and God's Word;

And wait for Him to reveal to me what He wanted me to know - about myself, about my life, about His plans for my future...

Whatever He had to reveal to me - in that place, at that time.

Just...

Being quiet before God and all that was surrounds me.

That is what I would do...

Five Minute Friday - VISIT

The weekend is here...today is Friday!  I am linking up with Kate for Five Minute Friday at http://katemotaung.com/ to write for only five minutes on a single word prompt!

Tonight's word is:  VISIT

SO, here goes...

Most of the images I found on Pinterest reflected "visit" more as a travel commercial or brochure:

Visit Paris and the Eiffel Tower!

11 Small towns to Visit in Florida!

Make your Visit to the Mountains count...

But my mind didn't go in that direction;

I want to go back to the days when we would have a nice visit with a friend, over a cup of coffee or a glass of tea...sharing our lives with each other; always a good time for everyone involved.

Somebody sat and listened, to YOU; and you, in turn, listened to them.  Whatever was on our mind was an open subject...

The children; our husbands; our deep, dark secrets -

Yes, we all have those!

What I would give for a visit with my mom in the nursing home; actually, a visit with her and my dad at their home would be awesome.  But...those times are gone!

Yet, those are the times I miss...

Dropping by and eating dinner with the family; sharing our lives and the seasons and the holidays...

My visits now are still with family in their homes; and sometimes they visit us and we go to the community pool for a swim (in the summer, of course!)...

Visit...

I'd like to go back to that time again when friends would just drop by unexpectedly...

and I pray anyone who did stop by for a visit -

found themselves blessed!!

Fab-ruary 25th

Another day to link up with Helen at:

iwillbloom.wordpress.com

And to be challenged to "find the fab" in my life!

Today, the challenge is to share -

FUN...

Many times I have shared FUN outings we have as family;

during those outings, I am mother and grandmother.

I have also talked about FUN events with my scrapbooking friends.

Whenever I get with my girlfriends to work on our crafts,

I am Me...

I am Barbara!

And whatever the event,

I have FUN!

My friends are surprised that I come out of my shell;

I open up and enjoy the moments that we share together!

Such as...

Playing the role of "Molly Ringworm, Drama Queen" for

a Murder Mystery Class Reunion themed scrapbook retreat;

Totally shocking my friends at how I played that role...

and finding out I was the murderer!

What FUN I had at that event!!

Whenever we have our monthly themed scrapbook all-day crops,

I always try to "dress the part", as I did for Molly:

"Tacky Tourist"

complete with my bag holding all the necessities

including a roll of toilet paper!

"Flower Power"

or flower child!

hippy or what?!

"Zombie"

not sure if I portrayed a proper zombie;

but I sure had FUN!

"Super Bowl"

Let the guys enjoy their super bowl on TV;

we had our FUN at the crop!

And, being the scrapbooker that I am,

I love the weekend retreats!

Most of them don't necessarily have a theme;

but I enjoy spending time with my friends

and creating multiple pages or other crafts.

The one that has my heart and my support are the Puppy Crops,

those that support Patriot Service Dogs

(check out their website at patriotservicedogs.org.

Not only are we having FUN, but we are also supporting a great non-profit organization that supports our disabled veterans by raising puppies to become service dogs...

My new BFF Jerry

(Best Furry Friend -

but don't tell my cat!)

Yes, I DO have FUN!!!

I am enjoying life and having fun

doing the things that I enjoy doing...

It makes me happy!

And, happy is a good place to be...

Fab-ruary 24th

Another day to link up with Helen at:

iwillbloom.wordpress.com

And to be challenged to "find the fab" in my life!

Today, the challenge is to share your -

GUILTY PLEASURES...

My pleasures are not really anything that I have to feel "guilty" about!

Things like...

Chocolate!

Almost anything chocolate!

Having my hair done;

shampoo, conditioner,

cut, color

and blow dried!

Watching back-to-back

"chick flicks"

on

Hallmark or Lifetime!

Reading a good book

all the way through

at one sitting!

Eating a bowl of

ice cream!

My favorites are

"plain" vanilla,

mint chocolate chip,

peppermint,

butter pecan;

and I also love

sherbet!

Staying up late...

just to have quiet time

all by myself!

Taking a long soak

in a bubble bath!

This is one of those prompts that I could add to as I think of more things.  I'm a pretty simple person and it doesn't take much to make me happy!

These are just a few things that really do make me happy!