Green Blogger Confused!

Ok, so this is going to be a short post as I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off all day. Shoot... head, feet, arms. I have run myself into the ground today. But anyways...



I am very new (I call it GREEN) to the blog world as you can probably tell. Well I am wondering how everyone gets their layouts to look so nice. Like the top where the blog name is. I want to personalize my blog a little better but haven't been able to figure it out! Can anyone help?



Excited to be blogging...



I'm hitting the bed hard tonight! Up and at 'em again tomorrow.



**Note to self: Check out Tip Junkie to see if there is anything there about this**

Today's Thoughts... I just can't shake 'em

I’m missing my best friend! I miss the man I married. Some of the things I really miss everyday since alcohol ripped the man of my dreams away from me:

• Laying in bed watching movies on Sundays
• Grilling out enough food fit for a King (he was my King)
• Being parents together
• Walks on the beach
• Watching every episode of The Crocodile Hunter (OHH KRIKEY, May he RIP)
• Cleaning house together
• Gazing at how beautiful our daughter is
• Showers – they are lonely these days
• Speaking of lonely – the bed is lonely these days as well
• Storms with him
• Sitting on the back porch talking until all hours of the night
• Swinging on our daughter’s swing set long after she went to bed
• Having someone kiss me every morning and every night
• Reminiscing about the past
• Looking towards the future
  

I could go on forever… I’m just really missing my best friend and feel lost without him. I pray for strength!

Xo,
Tina

Hopelessly In Love with a Bad Situation

November 3, 2001 I was married to the love of my life. We were so incredibly happy. We built a nice house in a family neighborhood and we were living the good life. A year later we found out we were pregnant. I absolutely loved being pregnant. It was the best feeling in the world knowing that this life was growing inside me. If I could be pregnant for the rest of my life, I think I would! Isabella was born June 23, 2003. She was perfect and from there we started our family. About a year later, I became very ill to later be diagnosed with Endometriosis. After two surgeries and a chemo like treatment we chose to have a hysterectomy. At 26 years old I was stripped of my ability to have any more children! It was very hard on me but I knew it was in the best interest of everyone involved. Since Isabella was born I was not the mother I should have been because I was in so much pain all the time and my body was attacking itself. While all of this was going on, my husband began drinking like never before. In the time I needed him most, the man of my dreams was becoming a monster! Due to his drinking he lost his job of 10 years. This is not the man I married at all. I dealt with it the best I could. I had surgery in March of 2007 and began healing. I was out of work for 8 weeks and was wrongfully terminated during that time. So, here we were, both without jobs, me still recovering from surgery and him not wanting to find work, just drink. There would be times when Isabella and I would come home and find him passed out on the garage floor with a puddle of blood from his head where he had hit his head on a table, or he would fall over the furniture. He was not a husband or a father. I decided I could not raise my daughter in this type of situation. It was the hardest decision I have ever made but I asked him to leave. I still loved (and do love) this man but have to do what is best for Isabella and I. So, May 23, 2007 (his 30th birthday), enough was enough and he left for good never to return. Now here was this man who used to adore me and his little girl that doesn’t care about anything else but drinking. Honestly, I really hoped that he would realize he needed to quit drinking and do what he needed to do and come back. It didn’t happen like that. Let me add that he went to rehab while I was sick and was sober for 60 days. I supported him 100% even going to most of his AA meetings with him. I did everything I knew to do to help him. But realized I can’t help him until he wants to help himself. Anyways, here I am over a year later and I’m still holding on to hope. Hope that he will change, hope that the man I married will come back to me. I am fooling myself and it hurts worse than anything I have ever experienced. He is a total different person. He claims to love me but I can’t help thinking “actions speak louder than words!” I can say a year and a half after my last surgery, I feel physically great. I am now the type of mother I should have been all along as far as physically being able. I know I’m all over the board here but I guess I’m writing this because last night my daughter laid in bed crying because she misses her daddy. She knows why we can’t be with him but she loves him. It breaks my heart and I’m terrified that she is going to hate me for this later on because she doesn’t know the extent of the situation. It is heartbreaking. I have fought tooth and nail for my marriage but I can’t fight it alone. I’m sure I will write more on the all of this I’m sure but my nerves are torn all to pieces and just needed to get some of this out there. I'm now thinking I need to go ahead and file for divorce and start moving on. This is so hard! Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated.

Hopelessly in Love with a Bad situation,
Xo,
Tina

Ginny O's Cheeserings and Cheesecakes

These cheeserings and cheesecakes will have friends and family saying Thank You for a great TASTY gift!

About Ginny O's: Our family recipe dates back to the 1850's, having been handed down from Ginny's great-grandmother, who built and resided at Historic Oak View in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Oak View is where we get the "O" from in Ginny O's. Ginny O's Cheese Rings are homemade and hand-bakedfresh to your order; our wholesome ingredients include flour, cheddar cheese,margarine and spices.

THE BIRTHPLACE OF GINNY O'S: THE OAKVIEW ESTATE:

This antebellum farmstead features an 1855 Greek Revival house, detached plank kitchen, cotton gin museum, an herb garden, picnic facilities, a barn and a new 3000 square ft. museum called the Farm History Center. On the 17 acre grounds remains the oldest pecan grove in the state.

Featured:

~The Food Network: Road Tasted with the Neely's~An Oprah Favorite (see clip from O magazine)~Disney World~The First Lady’s Luncheons~Served on Air Force One~North Carolina Inaugural Ball~Governor's Ball of NC~Served at the Governor's Mansion in Raleigh, NC~Harris Teeter stores~Gift Shop Magazine~in many gourmet stores around the U.S.~

"I hope that you will enjoy every last one of my delicious cheese rings. They make a great gift for all occasions throughout the year, and are especially good for cocktail parties, ballgames and as corporate gifts. I find that children of all ages love them as well!" - Ginny O

We now have cheesecakes at $25 each for retailers/wholesale clients (overnight shipping is required and not included)

Call for Shipping Price which will is based on order and location.

Sample Kit of our cheese rings includes: (2) 3 oz. boxes and shipping for only $15.00

For Questions or Orders Call 919-782-5302

Phone Hours: M-F 8:30AM-8:30PM, Sat. 9:00AM-5:00PM (Mastercard and VISA accepted)

Ginny O's Cheese Rings, Inc.

P. O. Box 6475

Raleigh, North Carolina 27608

Phone: 919-782-5302

Fax: 919-787-1074

Email: cheeserings@bellsouth.net

visit our website at: http://www.ginnyo.com/default.htm

Dance Like No One is Watching!

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.

We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire. The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges.
It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D Souza. He said, "For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have. And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time... and remember that time waits for no one...
So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up, until you die, until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy...

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
Thought for the day:Work like you don't need money, Love like you've never been hurt, And dance like no one's watching.

Let Go and Live It

Sometimes people come into your lifeand you know right away that they weremeant to be there... to serve somesort of purpose, teach you a lesson orhelp figure out who you are or who youwant to become. You never know whothese people may be but when you lookeyes with them, you know that everymoment that you are with them, theywill affect your life in some profoundway. And sometimes things happen toyou at the time that may seem horrible,painful and unfair, but in reflectionyou realize that without overcomingthose obstacles you would have neverrealized your potential, strength,will power or heart.Everything happens for a reason!Nothing happens by chance or by meansof good luck. Illness, injury, love,lost moments of true greatness and sheerstupidity all occur to test the limitsof your soul. Without these smalltests, life would be like a smoothlypaved, straight, flat road to nowhere,safe and comfortable but dull andutterly pointless.The people you meet affect your life.The successes and downfalls that youexperience can create who you are, andthe bad experiences can be learnedfrom.... In fact, they are probably themost poignant and important ones.If someone hurts you, betrays you orbreaks your heart, forgive them becausethey have helped you learn about trustand the importance of being cautiousto whom you open your heart. If someoneloves you, love them back unconditionallynot only because they love you, butalso because they are teaching you tolove and open your heart and eyes tolittle things.MAKE EVERYDAY COUNT! Appreciate every moment and take from it everythingthat you possibly can, for you may neverbe able to experience it again. Talk to people who you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, even if it doesn't seem right because you are too young or too far, just follow your heart. Surround yourself with those who make you smile, laugh, and make you happy.Break free and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you. Create your own life then LET GO and LIVE IT!

Love According to God

1 Corinthians 13:1-8

If I speak in the tongues [1] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, [2] but have not love, I gain nothing.Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.