Sunday, December 31, 2006

On the Verge of New Dreams

A new year is on the horizon.  May we each enter it with hopes and dreams of a healthy, happy, and prosperous year.  Waving goodbye to 2006; hello to 2007...May all be blessed!

                    

        

                

            

 

                        Chris

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Winding Down 2006/SNAGS~TAGS

                

2006 is quickly closing and 2007 is approaching.  Maintaining my two journals was never much of a problem because I kept the two separate.  Decisions, decisions...never an easy task for me.  Today I will update my personal life in this journal as my worries traveling into 2007 are worries which would compromise my children.

I'm ending 2006 much the same as 2005; ill.  Becky was very sick on Christmas Day.  I started feeling yucky on Wed. when she called and said she had a positive strep test.  It was a given that I would end up with strep, and I did.  I went yesterday for a throat culture.  I should be up and running to bring in the New Year; last year I was flat on my back.

My meltdown before Christmas was due to my deep concern with Megan.  My BF had gone to eat at the restaurant Megan is a waitress at.  He called me as soon as he got home and said he thought Megan was deeply concerned about her grades at college.  It has been a growing concern of mine.  Her university is an old, prestigious university in Pittsburgh.  The cost of tuition is totally outrageous. It's extremely difficult to be accepted into it but her high school grades were excellent.  Her grades are lacking now.  She did screw up the first semester last year because of too much party time and not enough studying.  After a discussion and my enforcing the fact that I would not co-sign any more huge loans, she buckled down but did no better the second semester.  She was crushed and spoke with her advisor and professors.  Starting the junior year semester this fall, she attacked it with total concentration....then in the midst of midterms came the cervical cancer diagnosis. She blew them, which I can readily understand.  She request a tutor and was being tutored by her intermediate accounting professor; yet, still, she got a "D" in that course.  Decisions need to be made by Jan. 8th.  Megan is so upset by all of this and won't discuss options.  Her advisor is arrogant.  I've spokenwith him before as Megan signed a full waiver when she started her schooling.

She thinks I want her to drop out of school.  That is not my intention.  She needs to take Int. Acct. 1 over again.  Loans will not pay for a course failed.  The course will be $3,000 out of pocket.  Megan's grades on tests and quizzes are A's and B's.  Megan test scores on midterms and finals are awful.  I'm questioning the fact that she got a "D" in a course while being tutored by the professor.

At this point in time, I am dropping on my knees and passing this onto God.  I plan to make some phone calls and appts. with some folks at the university on Jan 2 when they reopen.

Sorry, this is so long...last year Megan did the accounting for both the professional honors business fraternity she was accepted into despite her grades and also for her regular sorority.  She has since given up the accounting duties as it was spreading her time too thin.  My point is I drove her to Pittsburgh to an accounting firm which handles the overall accounting for these fraternities last spring.  She was only supposed to keep a running tally of all the transactions.  In actuality, she had completely done all the accounting on numerous Excel spreadsheets.  The accountants were in awe so the child understands the ins and outs of accounting but can't apply it to course work.  Somehow, she is missing the professors' expectations.

So, this is my deep concern as we enter 2007.  Far too much time and funding has been invested in this university.  Somehow, someway, Megan has to find the magic link to make this all click.  She still has three semesters in which she could bring her GPA up.  Will she?  I simply have no clue.  She is confused and frustrated beyond belief right now.  Mama wants to make it all better.  I would like her to switch majors but she is taking that the wrong way.  So, it's one week later and everything is still up in the air...not a situation that I care for but nothing can be done until the school reopens.

Sorry I rambled on so long.  Thisis just eating away at me.  I've never had to encounter anything like this.  My BF has provided enormous support with this as that was his major.  Megan will listen to him.  It's hard for me to discuss anything about this with her as she feels I'm being judgmental.

On the shelf this goes for a few more days until steps can be taken.  Thanks for putting up with my venting!!

HUGS & LOVE to all.......CHRIS

(A couple of snags or tags.  The same background but, of course, I've been playing with it.  I found some older things on my hard drive that I will put up later.)

                     

                     

 

                

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Goofing Off on the Eve of Christmas...lol

LOL...nope, you aren't suffering from triple vision.  This old lady has no life.  Donna sent me two tuts.  Of course, I absolutely hate tutorials and need to have my hand held to do them.  Thank you, Donna!  Of course, D, I had to add the extra bow thingy.  The other one is at the bottom because it didn't turn out quite as well as this one.  Now, when you see my pictures from Christmas tomorrow, please ignore the bald spots where I literally pulled my hair out of.

I have a few snags which I did all by myself with no help from anyone else, which is obvious.  I'm off to do some last minute shopping.  I best get moving as I'm not sure how long the stores are open.

Have a joyous and wonderful Christmas Eve! 

         

              

 

        

         

ROFL...I had this done when I remembered I did have bubbles...oh well, Santa is resting with twinkles...told you I'm dorky.

So, the hard drive is cleared out and getting ready for a new year of tags.

Be safe!!!!!

Last of the tutorials for me for a long while...way too much work for this lazy creature.  Blessings!

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Merry Christmas to All

         

I want to wish each and every one of you a blessed and Merry Christmas.  May we all find the peace that surrounds this holiday no matter what our circumstances may be at this time.  Find time for some love and laughter.

This journal was started December 29, 2005.  A few of you have been here from the beginning and encouraged me along my way.  I want to thank each and every one of you for being here for me.  I hope I have brought some joy and color to your journals.

Now, being the dork I am, I'm putting up a link and hoping that it works.  Well, maybe I should hope it doesn't....lol.  Thank you, dear Carlene, for sending me this elf link from Office Max.  You have brought more laughter into this household than you will know.  I've cut and pasted Megan's head, Joey's head, their dad's head (big crack up) onto this elf.  Mine is the worst because it was the first.  But we've been absolutely howling at this for two days now.

Anyway, it may take time to load; sometimes it won't.  I think it depends on how busy the website is but here goes....my Christmas present to all of you...rolfmao.....here is Chris, making an "elf" of herself.    Elf Yourself: A Gift from OfficeMaxchris

Merry Christmas and may God Bless!

(LOL....guess I'm really being dorky tonight.  Love this siggy!  If you want one, let me know...hehehe)

Saturday, December 16, 2006

The Reason for the Season SNAG

                  

 

                            Blessings one and all..........

Naughty New Year

        

 

                

LOL...I guess it's time for a new year again.  So, the slightly naughties are celebrating.  Actually, I only have a couple of New Year tags.  You don't really need that many anyway.  I'd tag these but honestly I don't think there's any room on them for anything else.

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Snags

LOL...I'm sure everyone has enough Christmas tags until 2010...and, yep, Penny, I'm up before the birds......

         

                             

                  

 

                                

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Slightly Naughty/Snag or Tag

         

 

               

             

Some Snags

Time to clean up the hard drive again so I'm throwing a bunch of snags out.

         

 

        

              

                 

Off to work I go....Have a good one!  Blessings to all!  CHRIS

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Snag or Tag and Disbelief

              

I know many of you have been almost as anxious for Megan's results as I was.  I'm sitting here in disbelief; yet not.  Megan does not have cervical cancer!  Not at all.  She has moderate dysplasia which will be taken care of in January with cryosurgery. 

It took so long to get the results because they sent her biopsies and original smears to an independent lab.  They were sure the biopsy results were an error.  Megan had biopsies done from her Pap smear which were more than one smear.  She most definitely had Stage 1A squamous cell carcinoma.  Now, she doesn't.  The first smears still show it.  The biopsied tissue looked cancerous but there is no cancer at all in them....none.  They are only moderate abnormal cells.  The independent lab results were identical to the hospital's lab and the tissue and DNA in all the samples were Megan's.  Now, they have no explanation but I do.....my child was healed.  I consider this to be a total miracle as a result of prayer.  Megan still doesn't believe it.  I called after they called her.  She called me back and still wasn't convinced.  She still will need Pap smears every three months for a year and then every six months if they stay clean.  She does carry the HPV virus which will not go away but thanks be to the Lord and to all of your prayers, she does not have cervical cancer. 

Bless all of you from the bottom of my heart!

HUGS!!!!!!   Chris

Sunday, December 10, 2006

            

Christmas is about the light and joy that surrounds us knowing that a Saviour was born to bring the light into the world and save us from our sins.  In reality, many at Christmas go through some darkness before they see the Light that was bestowed upon us. 

My outlet of expression has become tags which, at times, are outlets of my emotions.  As many of you may or may not know, I suffered from chronic depression for many years.  Thankfully, the extent and severity has lessened enormously but the blackness remains buried deep inside to emerge at times.  I will be just fine.  I've started taking my "vitamin P" again....my word for Prozac.  I will once again focus on the reason for the season and the Lord will once again bring me back to my chipper self.

The tags are snaggable, although I'm not sure who would want them, but the offer stands.

Right now, I'm feeling overwhelmed and almost petrified like a deer in the headlights of a car.  This, too, shall pass.

Blessings to all.....I still have not lost sight of my hopes and dreams nor my faith.

       

Saturday, December 9, 2006

A Mixture of Snags

            

This has turned into my sort of private journal or sorts.  I love Native American tubes.  This one reminded me of Megan and how I just want to swoop her up and swaddle her in my arms.  We will know the results Monday.  I'm sure this is one of the major reasons I'm at a standstill at this point as far as my motivation to accomplish the Christmas decorating.

I'm finding to so much easier to retreat into the Paint Shop and hide away.  All in all, though, I do have the faith that everything will work out.  Hugs to all of you for your continuing prayers.

             

      

 

               

 

     

 

         

Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Tink & some elf SNAGS

     

        

  

 

            

No news yet.  The wind is howling, and we're expecting a few inches of snow overnight.  I'm taking some Nyquil and heading to bed.  There's some bug going around work so I'm going to load up on some Vitamin C and head off to bed.  Nite...CHRIS

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Christmas bunny & horses SNAGS

                

 

        

I'm not going to have time tonight to update in my regular journal.  Still no word on Megan's biopsies yet so the waiting continues. 

I've spent the past two nights cleaning out the basement.  I mentioned to my BF on Sunday that I would like to have him help me tackle it.  LOL...he jumped on it because there is nothing more he loves than throwing things out and organizing.  I wasn't exactly planning on starting it now but actually it has kept my mind occupied.  Tomorrow is trash day.  I'm sure my garbagemen are going to be thrilled.  There was absolutely no sign of any critters at all so I have to assume that the one escaped and left.

The car that needed the brakeline was my old Cutlass not my new one.  Since Joey helped, it only cost $375 instead of close to $600.  He left at 8 this morning.  They didn't get done with it until 4:30 in the afternoon so it would have cost me a small fortune in labor.  So..whoo hoo...I will still have some bonus money left.

I'm going to take a nice warm bath...brrr...it is super cold in Pa.  We did have snow here north of Pittsburgh but not in the city.  I'll be back to read some journals when I'm nice and clean.

I'll be finishing the siggy tags tonight and probably tomorrow night because I am whooped.

HUGS  Chris

Monday, December 4, 2006

Betty Boop Snag/a little cleavage

       

               

      

 

Background/no background...I couldn't decide so I put them both up.  Hope the cleavage doesn't offend.  I just love Betty Boop.

Sunday, December 3, 2006

Angel in the Woods/Snag or Tag

 

  

         

I'm taking a little break tonight from Christmas stuff although I suppose it is a winter scene.  I love and collect angels.

Nothing is cooperating with me tonight.  I spent an hour on a tag and both Photobucket and Image Shack screwed up the snow and animation.  Grrrrr.... So this angel has blings instead of snow. 

Time to close up shop and get ready for another week.

Hugs to all...CHRIS

Saturday, December 2, 2006

Snags and one more siggy

            

 

 

 

            

This is the last of the snags for the day.  I have been working on these ones but don't have time to tackle more for a day or so.   The first and third were PIA's for sure.

LOL..I have a basement to tackle and sort.  I start and then avoidance sets in.  Time to be a big girl and get to it, although I will have my work gloves on.  Wish me luck.

One more siggy offered for now.  I still need to do a few more and don't want to get backed up right now.

Hugs to all.....