Oh the game of football...

Okay so we have arrived into football season. Let me just start by saying that it doesn't really please me....my husband on the other hand is thrilled...he gets his kicks from yelling at the tv (although not quite sure he knows that they can't hear him). When I was growing up my father must have not thought it valuable to teach me the importance of understanding the game of football. Then I met and fell in love with Mr. Jo...who is a sports fanatic. Especially I think of the game of football. This has a caused a problem for me....because I am so football stupid...and I am not kidding...I know what a touchdown is ....and that I am pretty sure is the extent of my knowledge. I even tried a few years ago to have him try and sit with me and watch games so i could try and understand (not sure why I would want to)....but let's just say it was unsuccessful and not only at that point was he yelling at the tv but at me! I thought I would look up the definition of this "football"....and see if it helped at all....so here it is....

foot·ball (fo̵ot′bôl′)

noun

1. 1. BRIT. soccer
   2. BRIT. Rugby (sense )
   3. in the U.S., a game played on a field that is 100 yards long, with 2 teams of 11 players and a goal at each end: the players may attempt to score a touchdown by running or passing the ball, kick a field goal, etc.
   4. Canadian football
2. the oval, inflated, leather or rubber ball used in playing football in the U.S. or Canada
3. any issue, problem, etc. that is passed about or shunted from one group to another a political football

Alright first off....1a and 1b ...whatever different country...don't care. Now onto 1c...that is what I am looking for. Now they make it sound sooo easy....you have a bunch of burly men running in tight uniforms on a long field...."attempting" to make scores ...by doing things with the ball. Well now that sounds pretty easy doesn't it. I have realized that however you start throwing words like "1st and 10", "sacks", "downs", "fumbles", "half backs", "defensive end"....and I am pretty much lost. Not to mention when I think I have an idea of what is going on ...the rules somehow get so much more complicated. Ugh and boy is that annoying! So now I just watch and sit quite...not really paying any attention but looking like I really know what is going on. If someone on my team...drops the ball...I say "oh man" at the tv every once and a while so it seems like I have a clue! I even sometimes will catch a few sports news on ESPN and pay attention. I will ride the coattails of one little piece of news for weeks if it makes me look like I know anything about the sport. Until Mr. Jo finally catches on and outs me! Guess I am just not one of those woman that loves to sit down with the boys and watch a good football game and don't think I am going to be anytime soon! I guess for my marriages sake I will no longer ask football questions...and leave all the game watching in this house to my husband! For future thought however...I am thinking it's going to have to be a necessity for my daughters to be taught by there daddy how this game works....so one day maybe just maybe they can teach their mommy!

Happy Football Season :)

Enjoy your coffee!

Honoring 9/11

UNITED WE'LL STAND

We arose from the ashes of the towers in the sky,
We're a proud, mighty nation and we hold our heads high!

Back from Ground Zero where we all shed a tear,
We'll show to the world that we won't live in fear.

They tried to destroy us on that fateful day,
September eleventh in our memory will stay.

With flags full unfurled, we'll fight night and day,
To protect and defend our American way!

So united we'll stand for the whole world to see
We're the home of the brave and we all will agree,
United we'll stand in the land of the free!

They burned down a landmark but our hearts did not sway,
And we're makin' our come-back the American way!

We're children of freedom, and that's how we'll stay,
No terrorist cowards can take that away!

So united we'll stand for the whole world to see
We're the home of the brave and we all will agree,
United we'll stand in the land of the free!

A new brand of hero emerged from the crowd,
Brave Firemen, Policemen, you sure made us proud!

No terror can daunt us, we'll fight to the end,
Unwavering, unfaltering that's the message we send.

We're children of freedom, and that's how we'll stay,
No terrorist cowards can take that away!

America, you're beautiful, honest and true,
America we love you, Our Red, White and Blue!

So united we'll stand for the whole world to see
We're the home of the brave and we all will agree,
United we'll stand in the land of the free!

Home

© A. P. DuBarry, Jr. 2001

Blessings

Everyday on this earth is such a blessing. Somedays I think that thought nearly slips from my mind as I get caught up in this "world." God has granted me a wonderful ...blessing filled life and somedays I think I really take it for granted. I could never wake up tomorrow...or the next day..or next. So why is it that people seem to live each day without the thought that there could never be a tomorrow. We need to love the ones around us...make the most of the days we have been given...and Praise the Lord for all the goodness we have! I love seeing God work in my life everyday and renewing my spirit with wonderfully magical things :) Recently in a bible study that Mr. Jo and I are part of we talked about how we can let the thumps (crappy things) in everyday life get us down...and boy in a days hours there sure are alot of thumps! Instead of letting the "thumps" get the best of us...we need to sing God's praises. Praise Him for all the good. Those little thumps...can change our mood...and our spirit ever so quickly...and frankly life is just to short for that! I want to get up each and every morning...knowning that God has granted me a new day...another breath...and smile! Smiling...loving...living....doing God's work. Even when this world wants to get me down I can turn to Him....and He will show me that this is only the world we are living in....there is something so much better that we are looking towards. I should be and want to be singing God's praises everyday! What a awesome thing that He would give his own son's life for ME....I mean really come on people....should we take advantage of

that?! If I gave my own son's life for the good of others I sure hope that it would not be taken lightly. Let's live each day with our whole selves....loving...smiling...and praising GOD! :)

Enjoy your coffee! :)

Help Honor the Jahn Family

Greetings....

Recently I had one of my best friends,Mandy Jahn, and her two kids, Ryan and Kaitlyn, killed in a car accident. Mandy was on her way home from teaching violin lessons and was hit by a drunk driver. This tragic event has made many of us start to see that life is to be cherished and we need to do whatever we can to live everyday to the fullest! I keep thinking that some good needs to come out of this horrible thing that has affected so many lives. It seems that the Christmas season is the best time if any to bless someones life in honor of Many, Ryan and Kaitlyn. Another one of Mandy's close friends has brought to my attention a story of a legally blind little girl that badly needs a new violin. She currently plays but had her violin broken in her home by the kids that her mom babysits for..and her family is not in the position to buy her a new one...as violins are very costly. We are trying to get together some donations to help give this little girl a great Christmas and present her with a new violin. Fortunately we have so far had a great response with people willing to donate. We think we might be getting a violin for free! How amazing is that...God definitely is working here! This violin might not be a good fit we have been told..because if she is a good player she might need another one. However we have realized there are many others that need help this year. We would like to continue to bless others and need your help to do it. There has been a fund set up at Grundy Bank in Morris IL we are putting all donations in there and are going to start giving to less fortunate families in memory of Mandy , Ryan and Kaitlyn. The first $1000 will go to get a new violin for the little girl and we hope that we will be able to get much more and bless many other families this year! There are always people out there that are way worse off than us..and we need to find it in our hearts to bless them any way that we can. I hope that you are able to help in anyway possible. Thank you in advance..and God Bless!
Sara Beland
(Please pass this on to everyone in your address book ....we would love to reach as many people as possible)

For information on how you can donate please email me back.....or you can send donations to me at
147 N Main St
Seneca, IL 61360

Keep the kids out of Arkansas!

Oh my ...I started to check my email and this article on Yahoo! caught my eye. The Arkansas government made a big oops! They made it legal for all ages (all including infants) to marry with a parents permission. Can you believe this...what idiot had the pen on that bill?! The government is debating on calling a special session to fix this law (debating...who is running this state!). Take a look at the article...too funny:

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A law passed this year allows Arkansans of any age — even
infants — to marry if their parents agree, and the governor may have to call a
special session to fix the mistake, lawmakers said Friday. The legislation was
intended to establish 18 as the minimum age to marry but also allow pregnant
teenagers to marry with parental consent, bill sponsor Rep. Will Bond said. An
extraneous "not" in the bill, however, allows anyone who is not pregnant to
marry at any age if the parents allow it.
"It's clearly not the intent to
allow 10-year-olds or 11-year-olds to get married," Bond said. "The legislation
was screwed up."
The bill reads: "In order for a person who is younger than
eighteen (18) years of age and who is not pregnant to obtain a marriage license,
the person must provide the county clerk with evidence of parental consent to
the marriage."
A code revision commission — which fixes typographical and
technical errors in laws — had tried to correct the mistake, but a group of
legislators said Friday the commission went beyond its powers.
"You're either
pregnant or you're not pregnant," Sen. Dave Bisbee said. "Rarely will that be a
typographical error."
The Arkansas Legislative Council asked the independent
commission to reverse its correction. Several lawmakers said a special session
may be necessary.
"We need a special session to fix this," Sen. Sue Madison
said. "I am concerned about pedophiles coming to Arkansas to find parents who
are willing to sign a very young child's consent."
Before the new law took
effect July 31, girls could get married with parental consent at 16 and boys at
17.
The Legislature formally adjourned its session in May and is not
scheduled to meet again until January 2009, unless Gov. Mike Beebe calls a
special session. Beebe said he wanted to look at all options for correcting the
error before deciding whether to call a special session.

So what's your take?...Have an unruly eenager...send them to Arkansas and pawn them off while you still can...!

Enjoy your coffee!