Saddam is Dead

I don't know if I should be as content and relieved as I am with the thought of a human being purposely being hanged. I was actually relieved that his sentence was carried thru when we got the news Special Report at 10:18 last night. I was worried about the violence and catastrophes that could happen if it were a long drawn out process. But I am old enough to remember the news reports and pictures of people laying dead in the street where they fell while trying to run from the gas that he ordered for the villages. The pictures of babies laying dead in thier beds and children just dropping where they were playing. Maybe after 3 or 4 years of warning by the UN - they didn't find any wmd's - but he USED wmd's - so you can't tell me he didn't HAVE them.

I trust that the Lord had done as was meant to be done. To the very end Saddam showed no remorse, no humility, and actually requested to be executed by firing squad as "would be the honorable way for a soldier to be executed". I'm glad he hanged. I hope this shows that NO man is above the law of humanity and mankind. Only for the rest of the rising "Hitler" style leader to follow the same path. The one to the gallows.

So here you have my "thoughts for today".

Change over

Well, I've spent my evening updating to the new version of IE and switching over (I hope) to the new version of Blogger. If this didn't work - I'll just start a new one. It's not like I really had anything important to say.

We had a pretty good Christmas. The kids did. Keith and I were both a bit melancholy - thank the Lord that we had so many activities on Sunday at church. It kinda kept our minds off of the fact that we were again famliless.

The kids were fun to watch. We visited ggm today and Pelik has has a real hard week. She even commented on his lack of social skills. Lori stopped by and helped her out. From what I hear - it was rather a free-for-all. Pelik is having a real problem with the "bully - type" stage and I'm not liking it a bit. He took off over the parking lot on Keith - so he just put on the backpack and then had to carry a screeching kid across the lot to the building - it was something for the parenting class to watch. Quite a sight lol!!!

Baby is trying real hard to walk - he is standing alone while he claps his hands, reaches for things and his favorite - going in circles around his new activity table. I couldn't find another toy like I sent to Tetee - so he got a different one - and he loves it too!!

Pelik keeps asking when we are going back to Kiah's house on 4 planes. I keep telling him he has to ask Papa - I'm ready anytime - Keith just rolls his eyes at me. Last time we went we hadn;t been having so many behavior issues. I can't imagine traveling across country with him at this point/ . .

I'll have nightmares tonight!!! That's all the real news in my life - and I never hear from anyone else, nor do they update thier sites hint hint!!

Christmas Day

Merry Christmas to all. As I wait for the pasta for the tuna cassarold to cook - thought I would add a little humor for ya'll to read.

We spent two nights - until after midnight - putting together, wrapping, and sorting through all the crap that the kids got. I have 2 full bags of items that will not be appropriate or fit for another year - possibly 2. I don't understand why - someone asks for a size and you tell them "if it's small" a 3 will work - open the package and it is a size 5. Now, tell me this, how many children go from a 3 to a 5 in 6 weeks? That's how long it has been since I put down the ages and sizes of these guys.

Here is where Boo got her picture in the paper for the Legion Children's Party. She was just soooo cute!!! And the next pic was of Pelik and I doing the hokey pokey. I was roasting!! And it looks that way too. Boy - you just can't dress cool enough around here. And the a/c there was on. Santa and Mrs Claus arrived on the fire engine - siren's and all!! The kids were soooo excited. And Pelik made it almost all the way thru the party before we had to "backpak" him. So we did really will.

Casserole is done. Kids need to be fed. Broken pieces of toys to be picked up and put away!! Stuff that we thought would be ok but we were wrong on need to be picked up and out so they can be "stored".

So we've had a nice calm Christmas Day, tem about 85, several little rainstorms, and some sun. But hot and humid - isn't that what Florida is????

Merry Christmas everyone.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Tetee!! I'm so glad you LOVED your blanket. I tried to call and sing for you - but it didn't happen - don't know why. But I want you to know I LOVE YOU!!! My youngest grandbaby is now a toddler!! Next year a Pre-schooler. It makes you sound so old!!!

Next Rant!!! They closed the Curves that they transferred me to when they closed the Curves closest to me. Now it would take me longer to get there than the workout!! So now I have to get motivated to do it myself. Doesn't this ship look just wonderful!! I have about 80 pounds to lose before February and we go on our cruise. It will be a test run for the BIG ONE. Actually, I got so seasick when we went fishing, we wanted to know that I can handle it before we try planning my Dream Cruise~~~

Hope everyone is as ready for Christmas as I am - like as in - NOT. I've got nothing put together, can't think of anything Keith needs or wants - other than a larger print Bible - and haven't been shopping enough to even find one of those!!

My therapy is almost done and I will be returning to the Dr. soon so we will maybe get an idea of when I will be able to do a whole Blog entry without "resting".

Pray for my friend Liz as she has just undergone serious surgery and I can't get my head around in time to call her. This time difference thing keeps me either to early or to late> > > >

Thanks for reading another of my rambles. Merry Christmas all - and especially to my family whom I miss terribly.

Christmas 06

Here is our Annual "Update". I'd love to hear from each of you on what's been happening with you!! Love to all - The Beatty's

---

December, 2006

To All Our Friends and Family,

We hope this finds you all happy and healthy and ready to celebrate this Birthday of Christ Jesus. As always, I’ve written a little book to go with my cards. So here goes. . .

We were in SD for Easter and I knew there were an Easter Egg Hunt, Action Presentations and all kinds of other activities scheduled – So I took my pic early. Aren’t they growing?? I was sooo happy to be able to spend so much time out there this summer. It was almost like being at home!

We left home again in June for the West Coast. We managed a Short trip to The Oregon Coast and packed in so many activities. Over to Coos Bay for Clint’s Birthday. Sorry to say, we missed his “Official Retirement Party”!! We went on to Powers for White Cedar Days, to Canyonville for July 4^th with Sharen and my Dad, and to Portland for the Duncan Family Reunion!! Here is the majority of the Duncan Family. We saw members of the family that I haven’t seen in several years and Keith got to meet a large part of my extended family. It was great and we all had a wonderful time. I’m so glad that we were invited. On the way back to Canyonville we stopped and looked at several of the new triple wide mobiles. We played with the idea of finding a place to “summer” in Oregon – but so far things haven’t worked out in that direction. Here is a picture that was taken at S’te’s house right after Rod returned from his sea duty. S’te doctored up the background and she really did a wonderful job with it. We also managed a trip for two to Rosarito Beach while we were doing our “summer travels”. We looked at some condos down there too. Didn’t find anything to fall in love with!

We headed back to Florida in August after several visits with the kids and we picked up our newest houseguests. They are a sibling group and we have much in common. Felix has the same birthday as Keith, Mary is a Valentines girl, Boo’s birthday is our Anniversary, and last but not least is Baby Bastion who is a total delight. He never stops smiling. He is up and walking around tables but won’t need them for long. They are a joy to have – knots and all – they keep us hopping and life stays busy with them around. We have been so blessed. We have our families and each other. We are blessed to be able to share a little.

And here they are in their Halloween Finery. The Village had a party and then we trick or treated until the mosquitoes sent us running for cover. Then we just handed out the treats for the hardiest. Keith went up to see April in August and didn’t bring back any pictures but says he had a great visit and that Elizabeth and Brennan are growing up just “way to fast”. And his “Little April” is doing really well and is as beautiful as ever. We were hoping to see them again but with their busy lives, it just didn’t work out.

The Color Guard put on a great presentation for Veteran’s Day. It was really hot so we really didn’t spend much time outside at all but went inside and celebrated our Country’s Servicemen in the air conditioned comfort. Wimpy – huh!!

Right after Veteran’s Day I finally had my carpal tunnel surgery done. It looks really good and is healing really well – or so they say. I started this a week ago – so I’m not really believing them. It probably gets better all the time – just not quick enough for me~~

With the fall came some cooler weather but with so many small kids – I found it really hard to get out – so Keith bought me a “buggy. It has a seat on the back for the kids – complete with seat belts – and a special seat for Baby. We just love it. Since it uses no gas – we just cruise all over. It is really neat to look at Christmas lights in!!

As I was putting up lights I looked over at this plant that I gave up on and stuck in the ground. I’ve been trying for 20 years to get one of those little pink flowers!! Isn’t it amazing??

We’ve enjoyed the fellowship of Faith Baptist Church here in Vero and became members during the Spring. It has been a great experience for both of us to renew our Faith. We’ve been to many functions and are slowly finding our niche. We’ve also attended several of the services in Spring Valley and we enjoy both styles of worship. And believe me – there are differences J Rod gave his first sermon that we only got to see on DVD because they changed the date – we were there for the original date ~~ He did such a great job!! It is wonderful that their faith has grown to such heights.

Now that I’ve written our whole Christmas Book – I have to get them mailed off – maybe someone will get it before Christmas actually arrives. I am also going to post it on my Blog – so everyone won’t get a “hard copy. So for this year – Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Love to all,

The Beattys

Sorry that the pictures didn't upload the right way. If I can get back to it - I will try again to upload them again. Merry Christmas.

Party, Party, Party

We've partied all week!! And we have another one tomorrow. Sure wish people would spread this out thru the year some!!! It was 10 pm before we put the kids to bed tonight!!! Pelik didn't even complain - he was soooo tired!!
Here is the reason you don't want to get in front of a bunch of Hungry Baptists at the Christmas Dinner!! We had a great turnout - the line was clear around the room. I decided I'd just take pictures and wait for awhile. I figured that the food would be there just the same whether I took pics or stood in line. Of course, Grammy and Zoey were there to hold babies. They even brought friends to help out LOL It makes it sooo nice. Baby actually took a really short nap - and my White Elephant was~~~~ guess which I picked and which Keith did!!
Anyhow, we all had lots and lots of fun and I don't feel quite so lonesome. It is so hard being so far from anyone that we could even remotely call family. Now with Tom gone - we have less than ever before. I'm slowly finding a way - but ever so slowly. Lives are set with families and friends - and believe it or not - we do lead quite a different lifestyle than most couple our age. LOL
Just wanted to touch bases - off to get ready for the Legion Party for tomorrow afternoon.

Laptop

As would go with the rest of my luck. My laptop with all of my email addresses, Christmas Card List, PHONE numbers, and calendar - went to the shop to be cleaned. Turn around time 1.5 days. Results: it had an internal problem and they sent it to the "shop". I MAY have it back by the first of the year. So, if you aren't on speed-dial and if you haven't sent me an email in the last day or so - I don't have your phone number, address, and you definately won't be getting a Christmas Card from me. Or you could call me, email me, send me your address . . . Any of the prior would be terribly helpful. LOL

Oh well, HO HO HO. Merry Christmas to All!!

My Prayer

This Collage of Angie was created by
'Just Taken Pics"

S'te, my heart and prayers are with you as you face this very, very difficult day. I wish I could be there for you. It seems as I am always so far away, especially when I would like to be able to comfort you. I thank the Lord for your relationship with Him. I also am grateful to Rod for being the kind and loving husband that he is for I know he is always there for you also. I also pray that the power that be realize that your home is the place for Ellie to heal from the trauma that she has been through.





Dear Lord,


Thank you for the Blessings that You have heaped on us and thank you for Always being there to hold us up. Please Lord, take this young child under your special wings to care for her in Heaven as she was not cared for here on Earth. Thank you Lord for holding on to my own Baby Daughter as she goes thru the continued trials that the people here on Earth are purpetrating. I know that you will give her the stregnth and the will that she needs to carry on in doing Your Work. Amen

My Bromiliad???

Here it is!!! My testament to may truly great gardening skills!! I've been trying to get one of these to bloom for about 20 years now. S'te was buying them for me for holidays and they were dying almost as fast as the stores could keep them in stock!! So, last spring when Rod was deployed and we went to irritate the Grandkids for so long - I stuck it outside under the Loquat Tree. I figured that the sprinklers wouldn't get it to much but it wouldn't die from lack of water either. So - anyhow, it was a single little plant and it now has 4 "babies" AND A BLOOM. That brown thing in the middle is a Loquat leaf - I guess I could've cleaned up my background a little - but I am soooooo excited!!

For S'te: I've been telling you that I got a "new" toy. Well - after the surgery and the heat and the next surgery and the stroller pushing hand is still sensitive (big time) and now Bastion is getting so big - I seldom got out of the house that we weren't all closed in the van. So Keith bought this for me!!! Isn't it adorable!!! Bastion loves his special seat and just grins and laughs the whole time. He really hates for it to stop. The other kids love it too. Keith and a neighbor designed and built the little seat for them. I don't know that it would hold ME but I'm not going to attempt it anyway. So I strap the kids in and we can stop and chat with whoever happens to be outside. It's a "snap" to load and unload them, it has headlights that work, and according to one of the other "gals" around her - we are quite the talk of the Village. We go over to the Compound every day and "change the moobies", stop at the playground. It is soooo much fun. And it doesn't use any gas at all. We've had to charge it once in the 3 weeks we've had it . .

Nativity

It's been a full week. Not that anything unusual happened - or even anything different - with my hand being so sore - it just takes longer for me to do the same things. Keith was gone the first part of the week for 3 days. He left Monday afternoon and went up to St. Augustine for business but he was back Wednesday afternoon. The kids and I had fun while he was gone. We went shopping every day!!! They are now able to go into a store and keep thier voices down and their hands to themselves!! Horray.

We spent the majority of our "shopping time" looking for an outside Nativity Scene. Why have we let the stores completely forget that "Jesus is the Reason for the Season?" I looked online, in stores, in thrift shops, in newspapers - I looked and asked all over the place where I could get one. No one knew. Oh, they had those big plastic ones that fall over every night at Walmart - but that was it!!!! I finally left the kids home with Keith and went looking some more. It was getting dark and I knew I needed to get home to start dinner and I drove by a tent where they were selling Christmas Trees. And there was tons of yard art out there!! So I stopped - asked if any of it was for sale - and PRAISE THE LORD - yes. And they had the Nativity Scene that I wanted. Next year when we have the power situation straightened out - you will be able to see it better. But this is the results of about 2 weeks of research. And it all fit in the van to get it home!! The next question will be storage - but hey - the Lord provided the scene -He'll help me figure out what to do with it!! So - anyway I've got the Nativity Scene (part of it this one will have to be added to a bit at a time!!) that I've wanted for over 30 years. Thank you!!

We even had an evening out for dinner - and an evening Christmas Party!! We watched the Space Shuttle Discovery launch last night. It is so amazing that we could see it as plainly as we did. There was very little cloud cover - so we saw it for a lot longer than I thought we would. It was kind of like watching the circling planes from S'te's porch - only closer and plainer. AMAZING!!! I can't think of another word for it. I wish I had taken pictures - but of course - the camera was on the table - and - I was outside!!

If all goes as planned - Keith is taking me on a Belated 50th Birthday Cruise. In fact we are taking this Cruise only as a test cruise:) LOL because I would still like to see my whole immediate family (mine and Keiths) all together where they can at least meet each other face to face - at least once. So I still have my family reunion cruise dream going - so we are going to get Respite and do a short "test". It's given me a goal - 80#'s in 2 months ????? But I am going to try!!

Tomorrow is the Memorial Services for Angie and she will be heavily on my heart and mind. Although she is in a much better place - the way she went bodes ill for humanity. Pray for her and for S'te as she is feeling the horror firsthand. Pray that the Lord gives her the stregnth to get thru the next few weeks and please pray for the outcome with little Ellie to be a positive outcome.

So here is my update and some of what is going on. Nou I've updated, someone else can too.

Lost a Post??

My hands are really doing great ;( I hate Keith's puter. I didn't hear what they are doing with mine and if I don't get it back soon I'm.going.to.crack!! I sure hope it is fixable. I NEED my calendar if nothing else. :It didn't even dawn on me that I hav eno idea where I am supposed to be for the next month!! They have to at least send me the calendar. . . .

I'm having a real tough time typing so it really sucks when I lose a post that I got all the way thru. Anyone seen it!! It must be traveling along thru cyberspace looking for it's proper link so it can find it's way home (sniff sniff)

Fixing breakfast for Sunday School in the morning. I'm trying Chris's Crockpot Oatmeal and if it works - I'll try it on the grandkids if I ever get to see them again.

Had 2 visits this week so the kids are really having a time getting back into the "groove". I told Pelik not to shove and Mom said "he's doing fine" and GGM said thanks for taking such good care of them. And the CW has a problem with GGM? ? ? I don't understand.

A reporter from the Coos Bay newspaper has contacted me about doing a story about Jeremy's disappearance - 20 years later. I've been to depressed over all the other stuff that has been going on to contact him. I did the real wimpy thing and forwarded it to S'te. As if she doesn't have enough to deal with. . . what a champ I am :( I hope to get my wits gathered enough to contact him first part of the week. I feel really bad about putting this off as I KNOW how important it is to keep any publicity possible going - and I didn't grab the ball. I have GOT.TO.GET.WITH.IT before I regret everything I haven't done more than I already do. My endless circles. Can't do enough and enough can't be done. Lord help me with the courage and stregnth that I need to do this again.

Started pt on Wed so fingers are feeling stiffer than ever - but they promise they will get better!!! Typing is my therapy. I can sit and make all the motions with nothing to show for it - or I can type. Slow and agonizing but therapy. Now if I only had my own puter - I would be doing really well.

I'm feeling somewhat better than I was. I have gotten thru most of the gloom and am back to seeing some sunshine - I have the Lord and lots of praying people to thank for it. It's getting better all the time. Thank you all. Therapy time must be over, I have currents running from my fingers to my ears!!!

just an update. . .

My laptop is in the shop. 'Cause it's broke. The Geek Squad Agent came to our house and he couldn't fix it - so I took it down to the shop and stood in line for 30 minutes to sign it in for them to send it off into cyberspace for the nex tfew weeks. I am on
Keith's puter right now - and it isn't fiendly for me ! It has keys in the wierdest places and is missing a key that I use all the time - so no one will hear much at all from me for the next while. Pray that it comes back soon - "writing " sems to be my catharsis. I purge all my blues, ill thoughts, want's, and needs into one of the several blogs that I ahve going. Since i have no one to talk to - I write - so It is going to be hard not having my syste.

Also for all of you out there - all of my phone numbers and calendar are on it - so - it will be terribly hard for me to call or e-mail anyone until the blasted thing comes back. Its as bad as losing an address book - oh.wait. - that is what I did . . . .

Not only that, but my hand seriously hurts - so it takes forever to get a legible post out of me. Like this 1/2 hour for this little bit!!

Keep in touch!!