tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11584706955004812572024-03-14T01:39:22.543-05:00my life on the lanedanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.comBlogger569125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-26988828785807308412018-05-20T08:23:00.002-05:002018-05-20T08:23:15.052-05:00#OurLeslie, She's All of Ours!<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This is #OurLeslie, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>loved, respected, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>treasured...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMb6IBn2YDuyQBpIy2a1Aj-En88S72ux5cCW-1xBK9zEkr9WkKh9UA1Pi6Tu6lJsveaaUpSZhODCX3aRJUR87kHbVk_K1srerFJzZ_xZlmrD-vzLjEOcn-1oifYkK5OV0A3_9WJ390F4sL/s1600/our+leslie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMb6IBn2YDuyQBpIy2a1Aj-En88S72ux5cCW-1xBK9zEkr9WkKh9UA1Pi6Tu6lJsveaaUpSZhODCX3aRJUR87kHbVk_K1srerFJzZ_xZlmrD-vzLjEOcn-1oifYkK5OV0A3_9WJ390F4sL/s320/our+leslie.jpg" width="240" /></b></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b>
<b>As I sit here gathering my thoughts, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>I don't recall ever not knowing </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>who Leslie Newman was.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>How is that?</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>We weren't family friends.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>part of the same church family,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>or even classmates.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: yellow;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>I find myself smiling </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>as the answer dawns on me </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>right here,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>right now,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>in real time.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Over my nearly 49 years </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>of being a part of this community,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>I don't recall ever being at a local event</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>where Leslie was not present </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and very few</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>if any </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>where Leslie was not working, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>contributing, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>serving.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>SHE.HAS.ALWAYS.BEEN.THERE.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: yellow;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Many candidates </b><b>come out </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>during election season</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to introduce themselves,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>shake hands,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>work,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>be seen.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>But, do you know what?</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Whether you realize it</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>or not,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>#OurLeslie has been there all along-</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>talking, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>listening, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and </b><b>humbly blending in...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>serving, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Serving,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>SERVING.US.ALL.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>because that is who she is...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>#OurLeslie</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>She's </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>ALL of OURS!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: yellow;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This is why we should </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>ALL</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>get out on Tuesday </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>VOTE </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>FOR<br />LESLIE NEWMAN<br />HENDERSON DISTRICT JUDGE</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>because </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>#WeAreHenderson</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>We </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> proudly support</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>OUR</i> own!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Love and God's blessings,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Dani xxx</b></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-71619486168791298312017-05-14T09:07:00.001-05:002017-05-14T09:07:22.338-05:00eh, energy and peeing alone is over-rated<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Image may contain: text" height="320" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18446600_10213047558208157_2363111626533614820_n.jpg?oh=274e2b8552eec35a652554174e1df00c&oe=59BA10DC" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>this was on my facebook feed this morning.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i read it, thought about it, and smiled.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>you know, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>other than the sacrifices </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>of</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>peeing alone</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>energy </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>have never really <i>sacrificed</i> myself </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>for my katherine, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>but i have made every attempt </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to be a good mom.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i know the blessing of my girl!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>~ i got my girlish figure back </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>after she was born...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>kept it until i decided </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to eat, pray, love,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and enjoy life.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>~ she slept in her own bed (always)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>through the night </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>from the time she was 2 weeks old</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to this very day.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>~ she was well-behaved </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>an addition to </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>(not a distraction from) </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>my social life.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>~ john will be the first to say </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>we spent a fortune on her...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>but</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>we <i>never</i> did without.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>~ i never missed a hot meal. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>~ making memories</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>(not losing memory) </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>is an on-going theme </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>of our relationship.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>last.but.not.least.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>~ i never had a whole lot </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>of sanity</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to sacrifice</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>in the first place!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>so, on this day,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>instead of being celebrated,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i chose to celebrate </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>my blessing... </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i love you, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>katherine elizabeth berrong!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>mom xoxoxo</b></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-21570000405119324792017-04-07T08:04:00.001-05:002017-04-07T12:13:04.101-05:00a return to "beautiful"...<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>today's date is very bittersweet...</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b> it was the day our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">gary</span> left us.</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>he went to heaven.</b><br /><br /><center>
<a href="http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m34/purlple/?action=view&current=mg.jpg" style="color: black; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="<span class=" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" src="https://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m34/purlple/mg.jpg" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></center>
<br /><b>(<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">gary</span> and i)</b><br /><br /><b>sixteen years ago, today, i awoke early. i still remember the light coming into the bedroom from the den at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">gary's</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">linda's</span> house on lake misty. i don't even have to try very hard to conjure up the scent of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">plumeria,</span> which was the fragrance of the body lotion <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">i'd</span> applied the night before - nor imagine the way the soft yellow, cotton pajamas trimmed with pink gingham ribbon i was wearing felt on my body.</b><br /><br /><b>i awoke excited,</b><br /><br /><em>(the night before, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">linda</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">gary's</span> wife/my beloved sister-in-law, and i had watched 20/20 where there was talk of a new miracle drug for certain types of cancer. as soon as the episode had ended, we,</em><em> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">linda</span> right behind me, </em><em>climbed the stairs to the second floor of the house to tell <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">gary</span> about the drug. we were so confident this was going to be the "it" drug, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">gary's</span> miracle!</em></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<em>however, when we reached the top landing we found john watching <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">tv</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">gary</span> sound asleep in his hospital bed. john said he'd just fallen asleep. </em></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<em>i gave <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">linda</span> a hug and john a kiss on the forehead and headed off to bed. i knew the next day was going to be a big one... for, all john's and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">gary's</span> brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and cousins were coming. the day was forecast to be the first warm, sunny, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">saturday</span> of the spring. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">gary</span> was looking forward to boating on the lake for the first time of the season.)</em><br /><br /><b>i was elated...</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">gary</span> was going to have a wonderful day! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">linda</span> and i had good news to share with him when he awoke, and there was strong feeling of GOD in the air! i walked into the den, and john looked over at me from the recliner he'd slept in the night prior. </b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>i grinned at him.</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b> </b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>he told me </b><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" style="font-weight: bold;">gary</span><b> had slept through the night </b><i>(unusual given the amount of pain he'd been experiencing)</i><b>. i turned around and looked at his chest to see if he was still breathing.</b><br /><br /><i>he was... </i></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<i>i caught my breath.</i></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<i><br /></i></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<i><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></i><br /><b style="color: #333333;">although i thought <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">linda</span> was still in bed asleep, she was not. she came up the stairs and said she'd started the coffee. then she looked at me and commented she couldn't believe <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">gary</span> had slept so well</b><i style="color: #333333;"> (he'd not slept through the night in months) </i><b style="color: #333333;">and she was really happy he had slept well given the big day he was going to have.</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<br /><b>since </b><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" style="font-weight: bold;">gary</span><b> was still asleep, i told </b><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25" style="font-weight: bold;">linda</span><b> i would drive into town and pick up the groceries we needed.</b><i> (we'd made a list the night prior and had placed it on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">gary's</span> night stand.)</i></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<br /><b>as i walked over to pick up the piece of paper, </b><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27" style="font-weight: bold;">gary</span><b> started stirring. the chain of events which happened next happened quickly </b><i>(</i><i>yet, at the same time, in slow motion)</i><b>. i remember it all as though it were yesterday... </b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>even after all these years. </b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.456px;">in hindsight, </b><b>i supp</b><span style="font-size: 15.456px;"><b>ose </b><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28" style="font-weight: bold;">gary</span><b> was experiencing a seizure of some sort </b><i>(though no one ever said so)</i><b>, for, with clinched teeth and eyes tightly shut, he started violently flailing his body.</b></span></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<br /><b>initially the three of us stood frozen- </b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>panicked!</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<br /><b>then, all of the sudden, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">gary</span> opened his eyes. bugging them, he looked like he was riding on a very frightening roller coaster ride</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>-holding on for dear life!</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br />immediately, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">linda</span> grabbed her phone to call hospice,</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>john and i rushed to him, and</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>we tried to settle him.</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>in tandem, we called his name</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>and touched him.</b><br /><b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>finally, </b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>there was calm.</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>i stood beside his bed and patted his shoulder, john rubbed his foot, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">linda</span> did-around... preparing for hospice to arrive. </b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>all of the sudden, </b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>i recall time seemed to stand still.</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>i looked up...</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<i><br /></i></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<i>God, what am i supposed to do?</i></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>HE answered, </b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>"don't just do something, sit there!"</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br />obediently, i climbed into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">gary's</span> hospital bed next to him and rubbed his head noticing a little of his hair had begun to regrow.</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>with the calm, came <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">gary</span>. he started mumbling, talking, and then, after gathering his thoughts, asked what had happened. <i>i</i> told him it was just a bad dream. john, not holding back, told him he'd scared the shit out of us!</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<i>LAUGHTER!</i></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>thank GOD there was laughter!</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b> in actuality, we were all still very scared, but, hope had returned. </b><br /><br /><b>as time passed <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">linda</span> tended to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">gary's</span> needs, john nervously chitchatted with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">gary</span>,</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b> </b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>and, i... </b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>i remained in the bed next to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">gary</span></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>-just as God had instructed. </b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<i style="color: black; font-size: 15.456px;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></i></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>then a blessing happened. </b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">gary</span> reached over and laid his hand atop mine. </b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>he patted it gently.</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>"look, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">dani</span>," </b><b style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.456px;">he said to me.</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b style="font-size: 15.456px;">"look through the roof."</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>IT'S.SO.BEAUTIFUL!"</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>"do you see it?" he asked me.</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<i>there was silence.</i></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>the three of us turned our undivided attention to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">gary</span>.</b><br /><br /><b>i asked, "what did you say, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">gary</span>?"</b><br /><br /><b>he repeated, "look through the roof,</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>isn't it beautiful?"</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<i>again...</i></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<i>silence.</i><br /><br /><b>and with that he looked over at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">linda</span>,</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>he told her he loved her,</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>and smiled...</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">gary</span> shut his eyes and never opened them again.</b><br /><br /><i>at least not on this earth...</i></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<i><br /></i></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<i style="color: black; font-size: 15.456px;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></i><i><br /></i><br /><b>when he shut them here, i believe he continued to see the beautiful place he tried to share with me... that beauty-filled place free from pain, the place where his heavenly FATHER was waiting to welcome him home.</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b style="color: #333333;">later that afternoon, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">gary</span> took his last earthly breath and, as willie nelson's "stardust" played sweetly in the background, he took his first heavenly breath as he crossed the threshold of heaven's pearly gates.</b><br /><br /><b style="font-size: 15.456px;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br />i love God with all i am</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>and thank Him for the blessing he bestowed</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>upon us that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">saturday</span> morning</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>sixteen years ago today.</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><br /></b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b>love and God's blessings,</b></center>
<center style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">
<b><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">dani</span> xxx</b></center>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-1348362179188029042016-12-12T08:28:00.001-06:002016-12-12T08:31:49.670-06:00mosses monday: LII...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNJmnsW5arEqwuboSy-dOXPDjqNaSWdgDCzLO9VSM2H3sjQfT91m1VbzbLpGqcyTnaBSFq0umCcxChX2E606TeGdnHkGQgM4bVdaTNUtddfNYG7ovA2fHZ8QfqoZqMWEbsHnUdy3DmvLi/s1600/15451348_10211624264750450_1627971963_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNJmnsW5arEqwuboSy-dOXPDjqNaSWdgDCzLO9VSM2H3sjQfT91m1VbzbLpGqcyTnaBSFq0umCcxChX2E606TeGdnHkGQgM4bVdaTNUtddfNYG7ovA2fHZ8QfqoZqMWEbsHnUdy3DmvLi/s320/15451348_10211624264750450_1627971963_n.jpg" width="179" /></b></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>this past friday morning</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i was driving through</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>eastgate's parking lot </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>toward the stoplight-controlled exit. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>as i was doing so, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i noticed a 1980's model, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>burgundy, cadillac </b><b>fleetwood </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>across from and facing me.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>there was a small-framed,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>white-haired gentleman</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>sitting behind the steering wheel</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>barely tall enough </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to see over the car's dashboard.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>my heart stopped.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>it totally skipped a beat...</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>or two.</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>my head knew it wasn't mosses.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>however,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>my heart,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>which had started beating again,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> SO wished it were.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>as i approached the exit, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i looked up </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to see the street light was changing </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>from yellow to red.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i looked across the through street </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to see the big, old car turning right.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"i'll never catch up to him,"</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i thought to myself.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i sat there for what seemed an eternity.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>finally, my light turned green.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>my heart urged me to speed to catch </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>up with the car, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>but, i knew i'd surely get a ticket...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>as there is always a police officer </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>sitting in his squad car</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>waiting to ticket speeders</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>on the other side </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>the overpass,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>which separated the two of us.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>and, that was assuming </i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>he had not already </i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>turned off onto one of the side streets </i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>ahead of me.</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>when i reached the peak</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>of the overpass,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i spotted the car.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>again, i fought the urge to speed</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>before quickly realizing</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>there was no need.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>for, in no time at all,</b></div>
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<b>i found myself right behind the gentleman.</b></div>
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<b>i slowed my jeep to just under 15mph,</b></div>
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<b>the rate at which he was traveling.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>mosses!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><i>i smiled as my heart danced a jig.</i></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>looking in my rear-view mirror </b></div>
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<b>and seeing no one behind me, </b></div>
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<b>i pulled over, stopped, </b></div>
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<b>took out my phone, </b></div>
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<b>and snapped a picture.</b></div>
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<b>i don't know why...</b></div>
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<b>i guess i just wanted to capture</b></div>
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<b>the moment</b></div>
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<b>and</b></div>
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<b>the joy i was feeling inside my heart.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>of course, it wasn't mosses driving the car, </b></div>
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<b>but, it felt like a gift from above </b></div>
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<b>all the same.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>love and God's blessings,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>dani xxx</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<strong style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.456px;">ps you will find earlier entries in ascending order on my side bar entitled, "our love story".</strong></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-55049685436394696542016-12-05T08:56:00.001-06:002016-12-05T08:56:44.420-06:00a Christmas memory (mosses monday: VI) revisited...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJaxVvLe48DEK9qdb1v4pnGRuG85kxWSwOV1rPg16Mj2bnxb-_Xz0GqOqVgysAQMVQ9bIushYLnLxnQIiD6K-lY143kZ-YI7KG6LMA1EonXbcFbqf3yRdip-5InykSWgjDn8wxk65bI75/s1600/fire-450px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJaxVvLe48DEK9qdb1v4pnGRuG85kxWSwOV1rPg16Mj2bnxb-_Xz0GqOqVgysAQMVQ9bIushYLnLxnQIiD6K-lY143kZ-YI7KG6LMA1EonXbcFbqf3yRdip-5InykSWgjDn8wxk65bI75/s320/fire-450px.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><br />i pulled my little, green datsun into the circular drive, which ran alongside mr. and mrs. moss' home, recognizing only a couple of the cars. i parked and reached for their Christmas gift, a book of poetry i had written for them.</b><br /><br /><em>"a pearl untouched...<br />a jewel of the sea.<br />a heart touched by many...<br />a jewel of me."</em></center>
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<em><span style="font-size: 12.48px;">(dani 1988 excerpt)</span></em><br /><br /><strong>i opened my car door, got out, and made a mad dash toward their door. it was so cold that day, and the wind coming off the ohio river was brisk and cutting.<br />it didn't help i was wearing my pink corduroy walking shorts...<br />BRRR!<br /><br />before i could even ring the bell, mr. moss opened the door.<br /><br />"bless your heart, dani, come in here," he greeted me with a big, warm embrace.<br /><br />"merry Christmas!" i exclaimed as i pulled away and began making my way into their den and over to their Christmas tree where i knelt to place my gift among the others.<br /><br />after doing so, i stood and turned around to see mrs. moss arms wide open offering a hug.<br /><br />"i'm so glad you could join us," she said in her gravelly sophisticated voice, "here, let george take your coat."<br /><br />as soon as i removed my coat, mrs. moss took my cold hand into her warm, soft hand and began to introduce me to their family. of course, i already knew mrs. moss' sister, nellie, and mr. moss' sister, "buzz", from many, many sunday lunches; but it was so nice to finally put faces with the names of their niece and nephews, their spouses and children, respectively. i had heard so many wonderful things about these people. i was not disappointed!</strong></center>
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<strong>they were all so warm and welcoming.<br /><br />"dani, do you like country ham?" mr. moss asked.<br /><br />"i love ALL food!" i answered with a giggle and a big smile.</strong></center>
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<strong>i was smiling because i was happy.</strong></center>
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<strong>i was happy to have been included in the moss' holiday, family celebration.</strong></center>
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<strong>i was so thrilled and content to be there.<br /><br />watching as mr. moss sliced the country ham, as mrs. moss carefully removed the cheesy grits from the oven, and as nellie spooned the turnip greens from a pot into a bowl,<br />i asked if i could help.<br /><br />mrs. moss gave marlene </strong><i>(nellie's daughter-in-law)</i><strong> and me</strong></center>
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<strong>the task of filling the tea glasses with ice.<br /><br />after the table was set, </strong></center>
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<strong>we held hands in a circle,</strong></center>
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<strong>and mr. moss blessed the food.<br />while we dined we talked, laughed, </strong></center>
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<strong>and enjoyed a delicious, authentic, kentucky meal.<br /><br />after our bellies were filled, we all sat in the den listening to the wind blow outside, watching the fire roar in the fire place, and chatting. everyone, i suppose, was a little curious about me. so, i obliged them by answering their questions...<br /><br />it was the first of many merry little Christmases</strong></center>
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<strong>i would be blessed </strong></center>
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<strong>to spend with my mosses...</strong></center>
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<strong></strong></center>
<strong><br /></strong>
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span> </strong></center>
<strong><br /></strong>
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<strong></strong></center>
<strong></strong><br />
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<strong>(to be continued...)</strong></center>
<strong></strong><br />
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<strong>love and blessings, dani xx</strong></center>
<strong></strong><br />
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<strong></strong></center>
<strong></strong><br />
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<strong>ps you will find earlier entries in ascending order on my side bar entitled, "our love story":)</strong></center>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-55296581886797137362016-07-30T09:03:00.001-05:002016-07-30T09:03:08.636-05:0047 years - 47 things...<div style="background-color: white;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQCS-oMwMpC-0VX47m7uTgGAD87RTwEftzrbqa_JY4wnIY0lHN99qHfhS7hpo3mUX7NneDuzEgAtB113gQ1A4yxi5JoSDyjF0KSXCT3zlgJ0HBozT9B1b0Mas_lkXdO0Vg0_mmf-AXhYL/s1600/13091585_10209451780359698_2021396357_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQCS-oMwMpC-0VX47m7uTgGAD87RTwEftzrbqa_JY4wnIY0lHN99qHfhS7hpo3mUX7NneDuzEgAtB113gQ1A4yxi5JoSDyjF0KSXCT3zlgJ0HBozT9B1b0Mas_lkXdO0Vg0_mmf-AXhYL/s320/13091585_10209451780359698_2021396357_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.94px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.94px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.94px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. Are you a proud American? yes</span></b></span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; line-height: 17.94px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="line-height: 17.94px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. Do you vote? yes</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="color: #1d2129; line-height: 17.94px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div style="display: inline !important;">
<span style="line-height: 17.94px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. Do you own a gun? maybe</span></span></div>
</b></div>
<span style="color: #1d2129; line-height: 17.94px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 17.94px;">4. What is your favorite flavor? chocolate</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 17.94px;">5. Do you get nervous before doctor visits? no</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 17.94px;">6. What do you think of hot dogs? america</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 17.94px;">7. Favorite movie?<i> terms of endearment </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="line-height: 17.94px;">8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? coffee</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="line-height: 17.94px;">9. Do you do push ups? nah, but i can</b></div>
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<b style="line-height: 17.94px;">10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? engagement ring</b></div>
</span></b></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 17.94px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">11. Favorite hobby? writing </span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 17.94px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">12. Do you have A.D.D.? yes</span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 17.94px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">13. What’s the one thing you dislike about yourself? health</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">14. What is your middle name? denise</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">15. Name three thoughts at this moment? </span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 17.94px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">what am i going to do today? </span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 17.94px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">i need to make mae </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">a grooming appointment. </span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 17.94px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">i need another cup of coffee.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">16. Name 4 drinks you drink regularly: coffee, tea, water, and milk</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">17. Current worry? i'm not really a worrier.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">18. Current annoyance: humidity</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">19. Favorite place to be? home </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">20. How do you ring in the new year? with my boy </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">21. Where would you like to go? puerto aventuras </span></b></div>
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</div>
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<span style="line-height: 17.94px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">22. Name three people you would like to take with you: john, theresa, and bobby</span></b></span></div>
<b><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">23. Softest thing in your house? mae</span></b></div>
</b><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 17.94px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? no</span></b></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>24. What color shirt are you wearing right now? white </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>26. Can you whistle? yes</b></div>
</span></b><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 17.94px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">29. What songs do you sing in the shower? whatever is stuck in my head.</span></b></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>27. What are your favorite colors? pink and green</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> 28. Would you be a pirate? <strike>argh</strike> ugh, no</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> 30. Favorite girl name? katherine</b></div>
</span></b><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 17.94px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">33. Last thing that made you laugh? mae</span></b></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>31. Favorite boy name? john</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> 32. What’s in your pocket right now? no pockets</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> 34. Best toy as a child? barbie</b></div>
</span></b><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 17.94px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">37. How many TV’s do you have? 5 </span></b></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>35. Worst injury you have ever had? never had a bad injury</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> 36. Where would you love to live? if not the lane... the beach</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="display: inline !important;">
<b>38. Who is your loudest friend? amy </b></div>
</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>39. How many dogs do you have? 2 </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>40. Does someone trust you? yes </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> 41. What book are you reading at the moment?<i> bible</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> 42. What’s your favorite candy? snickers</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> 43. What’s your favorite sports team? uk basketball</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> 44. Favorite month? december</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>45. Ever been in love? yes, ever since i met john.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>46. Have a bucket list? no</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>47. What is number 1 on your bucket list?</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> i don't have one, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>so i guess it would be to make one. </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>love and God's blessings,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>danixxx</b></div>
</span></b>danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-49395665113053335352015-11-12T08:39:00.001-06:002015-11-12T08:39:38.378-06:00seems like old times...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWg9Wpo6RnwlvVSDAk0eT1UA7apQ9PjVzFtyE4mlHzDO3bmdcE49I6XfBuQW7uvLHyiUf_QXRkFYuy9Fy4fe2Qp73aV2DCiooDoyDaCdT_AFDzzawR-NoPF4GpammfTEcBy2H_XM5EWjVO/s1600/12212026_10208071073002877_14727624_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWg9Wpo6RnwlvVSDAk0eT1UA7apQ9PjVzFtyE4mlHzDO3bmdcE49I6XfBuQW7uvLHyiUf_QXRkFYuy9Fy4fe2Qp73aV2DCiooDoyDaCdT_AFDzzawR-NoPF4GpammfTEcBy2H_XM5EWjVO/s320/12212026_10208071073002877_14727624_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i have now, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>officially been <i>a</i> room mother</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>ever since kath</b></span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">erine </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>was in kindergarten. </b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">blessed </b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">with being able to be </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>a stay-at-home-mom, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i was oft</b></span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">en times </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><i>the</i> room mother. </b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i can remember </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>loading holiday lights, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>decorations, paper plates, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>matching napkins, games, movies, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>candy, cookies, cupcakes, etc.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>into a our big red wagon, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>filling our igloo on wheels </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>full of ice and drinks, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>packing all that </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>into our van </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and stopping </b></span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">for pizzas </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>before heading </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>to katherine's classroom </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>to throw the best holiday party </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i could. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>it sounds like a lot of work, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>but, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i loved every minute of it!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> </b></span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>when katherine graduated </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>from elementary school, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i thought </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>the days of being a room mom</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>were over for me. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>however, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>a few weeks ago, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>when katherine mentioned </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>she didn't think </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>she would have </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>any parent volunteers </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>for her 5th grade class'</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>fall party, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>i jumped at the opportunity </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>to help her!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>she was grateful, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>and i was excited.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>these days, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>instead of having </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>halloween and Christmas parties, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>schools opt </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>for the more politically correct </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>fall and winter soirees. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>so, instead of jack-o-lantern, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>witch, and </b></span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">black cat </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">themed party supplies, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">i chose </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">pumpkin, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">leaf, and scarecrow </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">items.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">the rest of the </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">party planning and execution </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">was </b><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">like getting back </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">on the proverbial <i>bike</i>... </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">it was very familiar.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">at the designated time, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">i arrived </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">at katherine's room. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">her students gave me </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">a very warm welcome. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">being on a bit of a time constraint, </b><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"> </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">katherine and i immediately </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">began passing out plates, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">napkins, pizza, cupcakes, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">cookies, drinks, and candy. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>22 of her 23 students, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>thanked me </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>every time i came around </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>to pass out something new...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>EVERY TIME! </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>the only child </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>who didn't verbally </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>thank me was autistic, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>but even he smiled </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>and told me how much </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>he liked what i brought </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>to his class and to him.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>EVERY ONE of those kids </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>were gracious </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>and </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>mannerly...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>EVERY ONE of them!</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>katherine's kids were </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>a breath of fresh air:)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>after eating, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>many of the kids </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>came over to me </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>and talked to me. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>they wanted to know </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>about me, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>and they wanted me to know</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>about them.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>they made me feel </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>honored and privileged.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>without even being asked, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>katherine</b></span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;"> will say she is blessed, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif;">and </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>her first year of teaching </b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>has been a dream.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>without even being asked, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>i will say her class has blessed me, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>and i look forward </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>to getting to be their room mother </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>again at Christmas.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>it seems like old times.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>love and God's blessings,</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>dani xxx</b></span></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-87857910923201593322015-11-11T08:30:00.001-06:002015-11-12T07:54:12.654-06:00heaven smiles softly...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ttWHO2uiKWU6cdLTjgbUxaY1m2AAhnYz7jm0ydWzuOD5zJOrQRAf3SGeNgWqofAekRA3-fx4yNJyVffE3DFaEXj7phIoUUNSP20eYMfxW1cCzYmbZmz3G63p_paEii4hUgD3fJTCaCFn/s1600/311735_2606194762409_1062445407_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ttWHO2uiKWU6cdLTjgbUxaY1m2AAhnYz7jm0ydWzuOD5zJOrQRAf3SGeNgWqofAekRA3-fx4yNJyVffE3DFaEXj7phIoUUNSP20eYMfxW1cCzYmbZmz3G63p_paEii4hUgD3fJTCaCFn/s320/311735_2606194762409_1062445407_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>last year </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>when we celebrated </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>maggie's 9th birthday </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i never dreamed </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>it would be the last one.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>she loved every birthday, </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>she loved every day,</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>she loved everything, </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>she loved everyone. </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>maggie loved, </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>maggie was loved!</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SYmT23XGxhY" width="420"></iframe></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>love and God's blessings, </b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia";">dani xxx</span></b></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-42629542447091445242015-10-25T08:40:00.003-05:002015-10-28T07:56:54.302-05:00the human spirit...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCVrng0Ben77mI4eAgPxmOm8bsRUeEiWgTw-ON9xokFmEOCPpYgzOiaurelJZ-2866kB8iJtCbDFuTSroYQ-5O1B_zATDzlSnr_vCNJBfmNr6jlYyWRr6LvX4GqBoKVqObIbVGnAjD1Az/s1600/12170641_10208007308928815_2091843739_n+%25281%2529a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCVrng0Ben77mI4eAgPxmOm8bsRUeEiWgTw-ON9xokFmEOCPpYgzOiaurelJZ-2866kB8iJtCbDFuTSroYQ-5O1B_zATDzlSnr_vCNJBfmNr6jlYyWRr6LvX4GqBoKVqObIbVGnAjD1Az/s320/12170641_10208007308928815_2091843739_n+%25281%2529a.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>when i shared my last <i><span style="color: #e06666;"><a href="http://purple11d.blogspot.com/2015/10/sweet-baby-mae.html" target="_blank">post</a> </span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>(about adding mae to our family)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>to facebook, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>a dear friend responded, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>"<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;">We can't help ourselves,</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;">Lol, </span></i></b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;">it's the amazing human spirit : ) </span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;">If </span></i></b></span><b style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><i>we harden our heart to love, </i></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><i>who will take care of little "maemae" </i></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><i><span style="color: #e06666;">💕</span><span style="color: #141823;">Happiness</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><b><i>~Marlene Brown</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>do you know </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>what the proverbial </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>"human spirit"</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>is?</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>biblically, </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>it is the breath of life </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>God breathed </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>into man </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>at the time of creation, </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>which gave us all </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>God-like qualities </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>such as: </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>intelligence,</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>creativity,</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>the ability to emote,</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>and </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b>passion.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 16.08px;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>after the loss </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>of my life-long neighbor, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>stella </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>her house going on the market, </b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </b><br />
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">katherine's breakup </b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>with zack, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>the loss of our dear maggie, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>remodel blunder </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>after remodel blunder, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i found myself- </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>depleted</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>at God's feet </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>asking Him </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>to fill me back up, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>to revitalize me...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>for His Holy Spirit </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>to help me </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>make the right decisions, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>to help me </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>know the right words, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>to help me </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>mend my broken heart. </b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>He wasted no time </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>in answering my prayers. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>He reminded me </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>john had retired </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and is with me, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>He gave me </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>words of grace </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>to share </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>with katherine and zack, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>He led me directly </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>to mae.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>this is how i know </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>the apostle john was speaking </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>words of truth </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>when he said, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>"this is how we know</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>that we live in Him</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>He in us:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>He has given us </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>of His Spirit."</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(1 john 4:13)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>where there is </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>the blessed gift </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>of </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>the Holy Spirit, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>there is no place</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>for a hardened heart.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>we need this soft, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>warm, </b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">loving, </b><br />
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spirit-filled heart </b><br />
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to keep us passionate, </b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>to keep us calm, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>to keep us rolling on...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i <i>know</i> this is truth! </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>if you don't believe me, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>ask, seek, knock, </b></span><br />
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and </b><br />
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">just see what happens next;) </b><br />
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">love and God's blessings, </b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dani xxx</b></span></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-89120398890267066892015-10-21T08:44:00.003-05:002015-10-28T08:10:49.738-05:00our sweet baby mae...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcyv4Lgmiw1-Tkbqsdx5HDzPE2xnL4T1th_f7IBsMRwjo2e7PAfNhCJjcVUWBz7IBuAS-aljIVTZ0lsJfv1biCJwjEcHnsf9xKCDeBRcJRGOkqqQVU7Pe4gS1lkPITfo13Wz6-10F00Xcg/s1600/12179008_10207990962200157_1834821829_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcyv4Lgmiw1-Tkbqsdx5HDzPE2xnL4T1th_f7IBsMRwjo2e7PAfNhCJjcVUWBz7IBuAS-aljIVTZ0lsJfv1biCJwjEcHnsf9xKCDeBRcJRGOkqqQVU7Pe4gS1lkPITfo13Wz6-10F00Xcg/s320/12179008_10207990962200157_1834821829_n.jpg" width="293" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>"imitation is the sincerest form </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>of flattery."</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>-charles caleb colton</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e69138;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>when maggie was growing up, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i often said </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i would never be without </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>a cavalier in my life.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>however, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>as she grew older </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and i started to realize </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>how hard it was going to be </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>to lose her and not have her </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>in my life, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i often said </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i didn't think i could ever have </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>another...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>it would just be </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>too</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>hard.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e69138;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>on friday, the day </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>after maggie went to heaven, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>john and i talked </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>through our grief.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>john: i just don't know </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>how people go out </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and get another dog </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>after losing one. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>me: i know. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i think if we got one now </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i would feel guilty...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>like i was replacing maggie. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>john: i don't think that. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i just don't think </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i could go through </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>this again.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>we agreed.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e69138;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>then, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>late saturday night </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>as i lay in bed, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>the thought occurred to me...</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>maggie </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>would not want us </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>to be unhappy </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>like this</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>she spent her whole, </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>precious life </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>making us happy!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>reactively, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i reached over </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and grabbed my phone </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>from my nightstand. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i laid my phone </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>on my chest, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>paused, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and took in a deep breath.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i held it </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>released it.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>me: God, give me a sign </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>if i'm supposed to do this.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>picking up my phone, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i pressed the home key, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b> touched the safari icon, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>typed, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>"cavalier puppies for sale </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>in kentucky."</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i touched on the site </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>that popped up first.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>the interactive site </b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">asked </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>if i were a buyer or a seller, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>the breed </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>in which i was interested, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and, finally,</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b> for my location.</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e69138;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>at a glance, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i noticed there were only </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>a couple of pages of </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>cavies in our area. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i also noticed</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>most of the puppies </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>were blenheim </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(tan and white). </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i knew i wanted </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>either a mostly black tri-color </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(black, tan, and white)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>or </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>another black and tan</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(with a little white) </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>like maggie. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>as i scrolled down the page, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i saw her,</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>"blaze"!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>my eyes filled with tears.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>me: should i do this, God?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i knew there would be </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>no turning back!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i noticed her birthdate...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>9/2.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>maggie was an "11" </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>baby too.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i touched her picture </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>on my screen to enlarge it </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and </b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">read more about her.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">she had the same marks </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">as my darling maggie, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">she was a "cuddler".</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <i>ALL.</i>the.signs.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">were.there!</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in my heart, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">she was already mine.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">God just reinforced </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">what i already knew.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">after getting </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">meester berrong </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">on board, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i called the breeder,</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">we will pick up</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">our sweet baby mae~</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">formally known as </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Princess Margaret Mae</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of the Lane".</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">-in just eleven days.</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>love and God's blessings, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dani xxx</b></span></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-64130019163563943592015-10-18T09:19:00.000-05:002016-10-17T09:02:16.356-05:00so maggie...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-dNNvJSWt_rxa9jIp5LE41yltMmKHRdybko1V88RZuWoLonc7KuJecAXdGSlnmifd-yA_cp002KM83Yz0yLMz958uEG4E0MKoBAjSk-eXEb4qSDTXDoe8d8XAqgPsFexQLjvDuEhrd71/s1600/12170206_10207975553614952_466059763_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-dNNvJSWt_rxa9jIp5LE41yltMmKHRdybko1V88RZuWoLonc7KuJecAXdGSlnmifd-yA_cp002KM83Yz0yLMz958uEG4E0MKoBAjSk-eXEb4qSDTXDoe8d8XAqgPsFexQLjvDuEhrd71/s320/12170206_10207975553614952_466059763_n.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>as i lay in bed last night, </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>i silently cried. </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>i missed my baby,</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>my love... </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>you know, </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>the one i've often written about </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>over the years- </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>my precious maggiepie. </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>from the second </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>i took her </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>from the breeder's arms </b></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">until the second </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>she took her last breath, </b></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">she was love.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">she was </span></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the epitome </span></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">of joy. </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>what i am about </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>to share is very emotional </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>and raw. </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>i'm sharing because </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>what happened on the day </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>maggie </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>went to heaven </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>was so sweet- </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>so perfectly perfect- </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>so </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>maggie. </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>on thursday morning, </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>john, mag, and i got </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>out of bed. </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>john took her outside </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>while i prepared </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>her breakfast. </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>when she came inside, </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>she ate her breakfast, </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>and john gave </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>her a cow ear chewy </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b>just like every morning. </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5poz71U2DYN1EbpmTSiWi44dQJfdxfkfPs5864w9tkDEFkANZ_maKyQ8hXzDB2G9v65PYvY6xdlYdYjaCSb4EhxxJ6255GQ7Ihk5aQEAZ4ZVBUt31FCpwGw5mWU4XLgXE2ZCaxRVPDTIy/s1600/12166005_10207975779820607_2071714448_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5poz71U2DYN1EbpmTSiWi44dQJfdxfkfPs5864w9tkDEFkANZ_maKyQ8hXzDB2G9v65PYvY6xdlYdYjaCSb4EhxxJ6255GQ7Ihk5aQEAZ4ZVBUt31FCpwGw5mWU4XLgXE2ZCaxRVPDTIy/s320/12166005_10207975779820607_2071714448_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">she brought it back to bed </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and chewed on it </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">for a few minutes </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">then stopped, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">which was not normal, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">but maggie was ill,</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a totally </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>new normal </i></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">for us all.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>since, she hadn't been </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>feeling well, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i had put off giving her </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>a much needed bath.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>so, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>the night prior </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i had asked john </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>if he thought it would be okay </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>to bathe her.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>he said sure, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>it would probably </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>make her feel better. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>she LOVED being clean!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>in hopes of perking her up, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i called for her </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>to come into my bathroom. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>she did, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and i gave her a bath.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>after towel drying her, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i opened the door. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>she tore out of the bathroom</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> to the den</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>to find her <i>daddo, </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>who had gone </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>to run errands. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>while maggie was </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>in the other room</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>looking for john, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i grabbed mossi, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>bathed,</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and towel dried </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>her </b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">as well. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">she, too, raced </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to join maggie. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">while they were running</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">through the house, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i jumped in the shower </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to wash <i>the dog</i> off me. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i was in the shower </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">just long enough </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to shower. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">when i was finished, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i towel dried,</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">threw on some clothes,</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i slicked my hair back</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in a ponytail</b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i opened the bathroom door </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to find the two, wet monkeys </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in the middle </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">of my bed</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">-my freshly laundered bed-</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">staring up at me...</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWSF-o677HVZ7qPDO_NhVzblwQQgMaK2sWmPvpaxeMcNCAdo1lw8f3hGxL_uVYbySLPxxvxtsq9qUMGMZ5hmD6oY8TQ14w6JUBBaldv3GYN0yKGR9ZgiQ7J_GeJOZ34Pu5ep3JJFy3qgJ/s1600/12166936_10207975778500574_186704495_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWSF-o677HVZ7qPDO_NhVzblwQQgMaK2sWmPvpaxeMcNCAdo1lw8f3hGxL_uVYbySLPxxvxtsq9qUMGMZ5hmD6oY8TQ14w6JUBBaldv3GYN0yKGR9ZgiQ7J_GeJOZ34Pu5ep3JJFy3qgJ/s320/12166936_10207975778500574_186704495_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">after cracking up </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">at the sight, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">i took a picture </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and texted their <i>daddo,</i></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"i might should have </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">bathed them-</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>then</i></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">washed the bed clothes;)"</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">i stuck my phone </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in my front pocket, and </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">i told the <i>monkeys</i> </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to get out of my bed. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">i grabbed a couple of dry towels, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and led them into the den. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">after situating the towels, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">i picked up a couple of throws </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and lay down on the couch </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to snuggle with my girls, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">which i always did.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">mossi immediately </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">got under the covers, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">maggie got next to me.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">me: do you feel better, maggo?</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>she looked up at me, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and i kissed her cold, wet nose. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>when i did she got excited </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and jumped up on top of me. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>she started giving me kisses.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i blindly reached </b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">for my phone </b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and videoed her. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>oh.my.God.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>she.was.so.cute!</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pEo1T6oZnM0" width="420"></iframe></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">after getting a little footage, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">i placed my phone </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">on the coffee table. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">as i moved to do so, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">maggie got really excited </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and started really kissing me.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">then it happened-</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">it happened </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in an instant... </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">she went limp, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">her pupils blew. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">my baby, my angel </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">was still breathing, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">but she was gone...</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">i sat up; </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">again, i grabbed my phone,</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">then called john. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>me </b><i>(through tears)</i><b>: maggie collapsed! </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>john: i'll be right there. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i'm almost home.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>me </b><i>(to maggie)</i><b>: it'll be okay, baby.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>mama's here, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and daddo will be here </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>in just a minute. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i rocked her gently,</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>held her tightly, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i prayed boldly, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>"please, God, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>please, don't let her suffer!"</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>john came in and sat with us.</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>john </b><i>(to maggie)</i><b>: it's okay, girl. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>we are here. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>you're a good girl...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>you've been </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>the best girl.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>we cried.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>john and i </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and continued </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>to talk to her and love on her </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>until long after </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>she took her last breath. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>when the time came, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>john went out </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>to his truck.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>he returned </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>with a small, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>maggie-sized casket. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>he'd had a friend make it </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>for her. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0283WrFzzQ5wvV-jz-0Oyv8NoPB0dCZqJCI7-1QsubUSBJqhtZwRZ5_Z1XIEKe5eCXtpMzpuNuAFsBCk5LD_MlreHJpxDrDhckfKOCC_3c9eXtpPcmpnTWFEzR49cjkO1KaEjvF4fV6c/s1600/12168030_10207975776420522_505352714_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0283WrFzzQ5wvV-jz-0Oyv8NoPB0dCZqJCI7-1QsubUSBJqhtZwRZ5_Z1XIEKe5eCXtpMzpuNuAFsBCk5LD_MlreHJpxDrDhckfKOCC_3c9eXtpPcmpnTWFEzR49cjkO1KaEjvF4fV6c/s320/12168030_10207975776420522_505352714_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">it was so simple- </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">so beautiful...</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">it was </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">so </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">maggie.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>me: do you want </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>to hold her for a while? </b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>john nodded <i>he did</i>.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i took her to him.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>me: i will go get her things.</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>he nodded <i>okay.</i></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> tears came again.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>john had already </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>brought me <i>their</i> favorite toy, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>rangaboom</i>.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i went into my closet </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and pulled out <i>our</i> favorite toy, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>five little monkeys</i>.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i picked up </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>her pink chenille pillow </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>to put under her.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">then, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i went to my hope chest </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>and opened it. </b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>there it was...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>the.blanket.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>~the blanket </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i wrapped </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>a new-born katherine in</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>to bring her home</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>from the hospital,</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>~the blanket </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i took to the hospital </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>to keep mosses warm </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>on the nights before he died, </b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>~the blanket </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>i took with me </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>to bring maggie home </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>from the breeder </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>on that cold, december day </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>nearly ten years ago.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0EkbdrnGj71SQh5qWNyrH7LlcCucqFi2_M1V3Thck-cZ5_3U511YDZaWOIo6yTv5LGf7bGnQ32ScdICjAkYT-9BLXxk9RoTqmPO1_z3yKlY_43brK9iK8xcFGwfT2DKOiFU9_S-P6HQH/s1600/12167051_10207975775780506_1021230994_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0EkbdrnGj71SQh5qWNyrH7LlcCucqFi2_M1V3Thck-cZ5_3U511YDZaWOIo6yTv5LGf7bGnQ32ScdICjAkYT-9BLXxk9RoTqmPO1_z3yKlY_43brK9iK8xcFGwfT2DKOiFU9_S-P6HQH/s320/12167051_10207975775780506_1021230994_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">i placed her </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">along with her things </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in her casket. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">i covered her up </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">with the blanket.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">finally, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">i took off the tee </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">i was wearing, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">folded it, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and placed it </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">under her beautiful face.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">later that afternoon </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">after katherine arrived </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">from work, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">we said our final </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">goodbyes,</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">her daddo buried her </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>in the flower garden </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>next to the rock wall.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>it was </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>ALL </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>so perfectly perfect- </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>so maggie.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>love and God's blessings,</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>dani xxx</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-60337651191310993612015-10-16T07:10:00.001-05:002015-10-28T08:14:15.853-05:00an angel...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhex-NXH0bKnZdoXwc2Vc9TkIbHcassJs5OPaRkwZWEJfGqKxQAkCMXA0Q23hFvB1KVTwqEgVwJv2kIWUf7RoVpHqFNWHiYqtJwPJo18II7n182vmB_R4pKwSVWmck3IvT9wTHLWU_XvouZ/s1600/12087465_10207886782555731_2122454567_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhex-NXH0bKnZdoXwc2Vc9TkIbHcassJs5OPaRkwZWEJfGqKxQAkCMXA0Q23hFvB1KVTwqEgVwJv2kIWUf7RoVpHqFNWHiYqtJwPJo18II7n182vmB_R4pKwSVWmck3IvT9wTHLWU_XvouZ/s320/12087465_10207886782555731_2122454567_n.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>my baby girl </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>went to heaven yesterday, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and </b></div>
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<b>she took a great big piece </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>of my heart with her. </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>love and God's blessings, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>dani xxx</b></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-2509300251359692472015-10-13T10:03:00.002-05:002015-10-28T08:16:58.448-05:00fixing it the only way i know how...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8RlXOFgWOs2ecfpznXa8hIG_pbWAPY5LdPNLfRekhYOGzewkfSknGFbqntu4OSbpSkLq6h56HhqHPS18bBwcrC9VY6Krw8ka9opBogishDIeC6pcVUEKnFPMT4F-I6yecLQ6sSt-3846/s1600/12166418_10207947043742223_562437957_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8RlXOFgWOs2ecfpznXa8hIG_pbWAPY5LdPNLfRekhYOGzewkfSknGFbqntu4OSbpSkLq6h56HhqHPS18bBwcrC9VY6Krw8ka9opBogishDIeC6pcVUEKnFPMT4F-I6yecLQ6sSt-3846/s320/12166418_10207947043742223_562437957_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>she looked </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>right into my eyes.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>fix it, mama.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i looked right back into hers.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>i'm going to fix it, baby.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>when we returned </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>to the vet </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>to pick up maggie, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dr. nichols motioned</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>for us to come back </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>to the examining room. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>once we were </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>inside the room, dr. nichols</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>closed the door </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and turned off the lights. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>the only light in the room </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>was coming from </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>the light board, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>which was holding </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>maggie's chest x-ray images. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>without delay,</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b> dr. nichols explained the image...</b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">pointing out </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the important features: </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">maggie's front leg, </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>her ribcage, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>her heart, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and her lungs. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dr. nichols: ok, we have a couple </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>of things going on here.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>he pointed to maggie's heart. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dr. nichols: a normal heart </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>is about three ribs in diameter.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(he pointed to maggie's heart </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>then directed us to her rib-cage,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>which was protecting it.)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>maggie's, as you can see, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ribs wide; </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>it is enlarged.</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i took in a deep breath.</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dr. nichols: that's not great, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>but we can live with it.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i exhaled.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dr. nichols: what i'm concerned about </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>is this. this is her bronchial tube. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>(he traced a line</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">running along </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">her spine </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>from her neck to her lungs.) </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>see how it runs smoothly </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>then arches up and back down </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>before it gets to her lungs?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i looked at john </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>then back at dr. nichols.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>we both nodded,</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>we saw it.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dr. nichols went on to explain </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>there were tumors </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and inflammation </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>around the base of maggie's heart,</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>which were compromising </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>more than half </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>of her breathing capacity </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>causing her rapid breathing. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dr. nichols: i have given her </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>an anti-inflammatory. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>hopefully that will help... </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>me</b><i> (interrupting)</i><b>: is she in pain?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dr. nichols: no, she is not. </b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">she isn't suffering at all, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and, hopefully, </b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">the anti inflammatory will help. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">we should know if it's going to </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by the weekend. </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>shutting down, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i didn't really want to hear </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>anything else. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i just wanted </b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to get my girl </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and take her home.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dr. nichols: </b><i>(aware i was fading) </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>how about i go get her? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i smiled and nodded. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>me: thank you.</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>when he brought her to us, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>she looked like my maggie... </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>she was definitely feeling better.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i grabbed her up into </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>my arms.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>we exchanged kisses.</b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">we brought her home. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i fed her, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and she ate!</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>afterwards, </b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i made her comfortable </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in our bed. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i lay down next to her </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and cuddled her.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">she kissed me.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i told her how much </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i love her </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and her kisses. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">then she looked at me...</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">right in my eyes.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>fix it, mama.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i kissed her nose, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>hugged her tightly, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and began to sob...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>i'm fixing it</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>the only way </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>i know how, my little lovie.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>love and God's blessings, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dani xxx</b></span></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-9743945208452712322015-10-10T09:34:00.003-05:002015-10-12T06:58:15.579-05:00fix it, mama...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNEIdbpEeiBTF_g8j5jaBt8Cqn-ePeZb-DcxNv2PEIYW3013TdLMv_50f7cY_Q-N7z53nAlrNCa4XbodIyRohS2tIr1RJsTuOFACygai5kU1IR14OyqStSFt7dgIfjoJj_ZckrytQxnMS/s1600/12086795_10207930228041841_47036140_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNEIdbpEeiBTF_g8j5jaBt8Cqn-ePeZb-DcxNv2PEIYW3013TdLMv_50f7cY_Q-N7z53nAlrNCa4XbodIyRohS2tIr1RJsTuOFACygai5kU1IR14OyqStSFt7dgIfjoJj_ZckrytQxnMS/s320/12086795_10207930228041841_47036140_n.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>a couple of weeks ago yesterday, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i noticed maggie breathing rapidly. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>concerned, i went online to see </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>what could be causing it. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>the first article i found </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>simply stated that </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>rapid breathing was not uncommon </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>in aging cavalier king charles spaniels </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>due to the design of their </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>snout and pallet. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>relieved, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i went about doing </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>whatever it was </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i was doing.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>over the weekend </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>the oddity of her respiration </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>became more and more apparent.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i asked john if he had noticed it. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>he said he had </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and wondered aloud </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>what could be causing it.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i told him what i had read. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>he, like i, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>was relieved... </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>it was <i>normal</i>.</b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>however, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>what happened </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>the following monday morning </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>was not normal.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>john: dani, what time does the vet open?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>me: 7 or 8, why?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>john: we need to get maggie </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>in to see dr. nichols!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>she's breathing really hard and fast, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>her nose is warm, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>she won't eat her breakfast.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i think my heart stopped beating </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>as it made a b-line to my throat.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>she won't eat her breakfast??!?!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>maggie has NEVER </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>turned down food...</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>EVER!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>as quickly </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>as i could </b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">unhook my phone </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and put on my glasses, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i called dr. nichols' office.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">kim, his assistant, answered.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">she told me he could see her </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">at 11:15.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by the time our conversation ended</b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i had made my way </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">from our bedroom to the den. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">there, i found maggie </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">lying on the couch- limp.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>the tears came.</i></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i hurried over to her.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">me: what's wrong, baby?</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">do you feel bad?</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">without moving a muscle, </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">she cut her eyes up </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and looked directly </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">into my eyes.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>fix it, mama.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>i lay down next to her </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>on the couch. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>i kissed her cheek, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>i petted her, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>i told her everything </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>was going to be okay, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>and </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>i promised her </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>no matter how hard it would be </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>to let her go, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>i would not let her suffer. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>her eyes were still fixed </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>on mine.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>fix it, mama.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dr. nichols: mrs. berrong, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>put her up here </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>on the table, and let me </b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">take a look at her. </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i was sitting in the chair </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>holding her. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i stood and sat her on the examining table </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>just as he had asked.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>dr. nichols: so, what's been </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>going on with her?</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i told him how her condition </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">had progressed over the weekend. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">i told him i had counted </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and her respiration rate </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was about forty breaths per minute.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">dr. nichols: i saw that </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">on kim's report. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">she is definitely breathing </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">too fast.</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">he began his examination.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">first he felt her </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>for node enlargement. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>then he listened to her heart </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and body sounds.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>me: is it her heart? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>is she going into heart failure? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(heart issues are also common </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>with the ckcs breed.)</i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">dr. nichols: her heart sounds fine...</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">great in fact.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>her.heart.sounds.fine.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>GREAT.IN.FACT.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>relief...</i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">dr. nichols turned to grab </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">his thermometer. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">john: her nose was </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">really warm earlier, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and she was coughing. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">dr. nichols inserted </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">the thermometer, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">waited for the beep, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">then removed it, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and looked at the flashing </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">temperature.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dr. nichols: no real temp...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>101.5 is average-normal. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>hers is 101.9.</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">me: so, she's okay?</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">dr. nichols: well, she's not </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">exactly "okay". something </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">is causing these </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">respiratory issues. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">would you mind if i keep her </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and run some x-rays </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">to see what's going on inside her?</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">me: for how long?</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>in 10 years, </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>the only time i'd left maggie</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>anywhere was with dr. nichols </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>when she was six months old...</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>to have her spayed.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dr. nichols: could you leave her </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>for a couple of hours?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>me</b></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">: </i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(not overnight:) </i><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">absolutely!</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dr. nichols: perfect.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>hopefully a chest x-ray </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>will give us some answers.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">~</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i leaned over </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and kissed maggie's nose.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>me: i won't be gone long;)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>she cocked her head back </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and returned the favor...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>a big, wet, maggie kiss,</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>which began </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>at the tip of my nose,</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>traveled up between </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>my eyebrows </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and ended on my forehead.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i smiled and pulled away from her.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>again, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>she looked </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>right into my eyes.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>fix it, mama.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>i looked right back into hers.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>i'm going to fix it, baby!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>(to be continued...)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>love and God's blessings, </b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>dani xxx</b></span></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-43289989966076176182015-06-03T09:34:00.002-05:002015-06-03T09:38:28.959-05:0046...<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>46 is not a big deal </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>for most.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>however, for me it is.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>it is double 23.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>when i was 23,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i gave birth to katherine;</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>it is also when i began</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to experience undiagnosed stroking.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i was sure </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i would not</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>live to see 24 -</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>much less </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>46.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>however,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">by.the.grace.of.GOD.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i.have.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>46 </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>is a</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>REALLY BIG DEAL!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>in these past 23 years,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>my life has come</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>full circle...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>for my one and only,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>katherine elizabeth, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>will</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>turn 23 this year </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and will wed </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>the love of her life.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>my 46</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>her 23</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>is shaping up</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to look something like this,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>you see...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QERscEXnMFI0wpOrrL0yg5bi5NtOrZd9SM3bwMRkeUoZeGwxHv1pvDlq3H3UHd6Uvh9s_vpV_o0bdIJGDY4SZwRbCyXpuCxjcXxKJe15xWkQTyRz-3R4SwUA3bbwW6N53xvPQP2Z6BPH/s1600/IMG_9962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QERscEXnMFI0wpOrrL0yg5bi5NtOrZd9SM3bwMRkeUoZeGwxHv1pvDlq3H3UHd6Uvh9s_vpV_o0bdIJGDY4SZwRbCyXpuCxjcXxKJe15xWkQTyRz-3R4SwUA3bbwW6N53xvPQP2Z6BPH/s320/IMG_9962.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>GOD.willing.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(the.river.don't.rise;),</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i will still be here</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to see it as well.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>46 </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>is a</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>REALLY BIG DEAL!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>#blessed</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>love and God's blessings,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>dani xxx</b></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-8341043522893031052015-05-26T08:49:00.001-05:002015-05-29T08:20:14.171-05:00soft and loving, warm and kind...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjnD1qs0dBlzwNg6cutXLdv652zpWfDqUUeXRb_dyUSLDuDEq5ysuk6iJiubwfY-D25h0Rcfms2vMU9wkFkIEuofeXaX9EHWBsCLtD9220kI62vTz7LOfdJ6_hjp9IT2jpERZAR5bp011A/s1600/IMG_8493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjnD1qs0dBlzwNg6cutXLdv652zpWfDqUUeXRb_dyUSLDuDEq5ysuk6iJiubwfY-D25h0Rcfms2vMU9wkFkIEuofeXaX9EHWBsCLtD9220kI62vTz7LOfdJ6_hjp9IT2jpERZAR5bp011A/s320/IMG_8493.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>(march 20, 2015)</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>me: hey, stella, it's dani. </b></div>
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<b>how are you?</b></div>
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<b>stella: oh, dani, i'm just terrible!</b></div>
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<b>me: you're not supposed to be terrible!!!</b></div>
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<b>it's your birthday!</b></div>
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<b>what's the matter?</b></div>
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<b>stella: someone just shattered </b></div>
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<b>the window out of my front door.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>stella spread her arms</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>and lowered her face</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>as if looking at the floor</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>(stella was blind).</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>stella: just look at this mess!</b></div>
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<b>me: don't worry,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>let me get a broom and dustpan,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>and i'll clean it up.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>stella: oh, thank you...</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">i had obviously awakened</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">stella from a bad dream.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">i paused for a moment </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">then patted her knee.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>me: see, all cleaned up!</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>stella: oh, thank you!</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i didn't know </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>what i was going to do.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>me: it was no problem at all.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>"now,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>happy birthday!"</b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">i said.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">stella smiled.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>stella: why, thank you!</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i looked around stella's </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>rest home</b><b> room</b><b>.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>there were flowers and cards</b></div>
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<b>everywhere</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>and a great big birthday cake</b></div>
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<b>sitting on her eating tray.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>stella.jean.melton.davis.was.loved.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">i.loved.stella.</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>stella was 90 years old</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>on march the twentieth,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>two thousand and fifteen,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">and i was the one receiving a gift.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i was sitting right there </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>next to her </b></div>
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<b>feeling blessed to have had her</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>in my life </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>for nearly 40 of her years.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i sat there looking </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>at her,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>remembering...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>when i was a little girl,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>stella treated me </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>like i was one of hers.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i spent most afternoons,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>after school,</b></div>
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<b>with her and her husband, </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>jack <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(my best friend)</span></i>...</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>playing with jack,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>cooking with </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>and learning from stella.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>she played the piano with me </b></div>
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<b>and taught me to crochet.</b></div>
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<b>she took me to </b></div>
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<b>seasonal choir concerts </b></div>
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<b>and </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>every year</b></div>
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<b>invited me over to see </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>their Christmas tree </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>when they had finished</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>decorating it.</b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">it was the most beautiful</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">i had ever seen...</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">red lights,</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">red, Christmas-plaid bows,</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">white doves,</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">and</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">strands of pearls.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>when i was a teenager, </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>my friends and i stopped</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>before prom to show her and jack our dresses,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>jack and stella were </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>at our wedding,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>at the hospital the night katherine was born,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>at her birthday parties, </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>and,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>when katherine went to her first prom,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>things came full circle.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>john went to get stella</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(jack had died) </span></i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>to come over and see</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(though stella's sight had already begun to fail her)</i></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b> katherine</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>dressed in her ball gown.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>a couple of weeks ago</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>before we were to leave </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>for the dominican,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i called jeda, </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>one of my dearest friends, </i></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>jack's and stella's oldest daughter, </i></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>to check on stella. </b></div>
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<b>.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>jeda told me </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>they had called in hospice, </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>but the step was to just allow</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>for stella to receive </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>a higher standard of care.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>she assured me </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>stella was still "stella".</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>jeda: mother's been worrying</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>all morning about getting</b></div>
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<b>katherine elizabeth's graduation card to her!</b></div>
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<b>me: oh, my goodness, </b></div>
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<b>how sweet is that!</b></div>
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<b>jeda: i know...</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i asked her </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>if she wanted to sign </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>the card</b></div>
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<b>or if she wanted me </b></div>
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<b>to sign it.</b></div>
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<b> she said </b></div>
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<b><i>she</i> wanted to sign it.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>we both giggled;)</i></span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>while we were on vacation,</b></div>
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<b>i texted jeda</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>to check on stella.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>me: how's our girl?</b></div>
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<b>jeda: mother is comfortable.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>hospice has made such a huge difference </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>in her care,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>but she and her functions </b></div>
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<b>are slowing down.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>the fact stella's care had improved...</b></div>
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<b>that she was comfortable,</b></div>
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<b>made my heart sing.</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>after receiving the text from jeda,</b></div>
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<b>i smiled.</b></div>
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<b>stella always had made me feel <i>comfortable</i>.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>she was always <i>soft and loving,</i></b></div>
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<b><i>warm and kind</i>.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i thought about it and realized </b></div>
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<b>i had, perhaps, subconsciously </b></div>
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<b>endeavored over the years</b></div>
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<b>to return those blessings</b></div>
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<b>to her.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>when shopping for her,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i always looked and felt</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>for the softest, warmest, and fuzziest</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>pajamas,</b></div>
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<b>scarfs,</b></div>
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<b>and blankets </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>to comfort her </b></div>
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<b>in love and kindness.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i remember taking maggie </b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>when she was a tiny puppy</i></span></b></div>
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<b>over at night</b></div>
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<b>to curl up in stella's lap.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>maggie loved going to stella's.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>stella talked baby-talk to her</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>and petted her to sleep.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>stella would go on-and-on</b></div>
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<b>about how soft and sweet</b></div>
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<b>maggie was.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>on sunday morning,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i received a call from jeda.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>when i answered </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>maggie and mossi began to bark.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i only heard bits and pieces </b></div>
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<b>at first, </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>but i heard enough to know </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>our stella was gone.</b></div>
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<b>jeda told me </b></div>
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<b>she, her sister, janie, and janie's boys</b></div>
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<b>were going to spend some time with her </b></div>
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<b>before the funeral director </b></div>
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<b>came to get her.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i sat there stunned.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>honestly, </b></div>
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<b>two days later...</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>in my heart</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i'm still in disbelief.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>in my head, </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>however,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i know...</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i know </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i>my soft and loving,</i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i>warm and kind </i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>stella </b></div>
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<b>has joined my funny, entertaining jack</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>and her beloved mother and daddy </b></div>
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<b>in heaven.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>i know she's in that place </b></div>
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<b>with her</b></div>
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<b>Heavenly Father</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>where she can breathe...</b></div>
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<b>where she can </b><b>see again</b></div>
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<b>and </b></div>
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<b>where she can</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>enjoy all that is good </b></div>
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<b>forever and ever.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>love and God's blessings,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>dani xxx</b></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-52965446382004378372015-04-13T07:23:00.000-05:002015-05-19T07:23:31.694-05:00perfectly imperfect...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJfpg9wLzJdtQ4Lc_ZiQR95GMlxjpkD3wmO33nP0h69oxHOJjLB2LFNiUeDIMMRsU11UbkUAe8UKTBCBBydgTjUrnLNbYQY4X0tzyhi7Bqbg6bZsG5ZO9uyhhYrGXOAr3OQmxjKlNh3f3/s1600/barbara+monsen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJfpg9wLzJdtQ4Lc_ZiQR95GMlxjpkD3wmO33nP0h69oxHOJjLB2LFNiUeDIMMRsU11UbkUAe8UKTBCBBydgTjUrnLNbYQY4X0tzyhi7Bqbg6bZsG5ZO9uyhhYrGXOAr3OQmxjKlNh3f3/s1600/barbara+monsen.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>when i saw this </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>precious photograph of charly's </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> grandmother's tiny, imperfect </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>hand </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>in hers,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i smiled.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i knew a little of this</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>most perfect gift </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>she was holding...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>my parents divorced </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>in the spring</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>before my freshman year.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>mom wanted to lease a condo </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>on the river, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>but the new complex was full.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>so, she put her name on a waiting list </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and began looking for a place </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>for us to live.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>her company's physician </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>heard she was looking and </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>offered to let her rent </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>a house he owned </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>on hi-y drive.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>when i heard, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i was thrilled...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>as i was friends with wendy,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>who lived right next-door</b><br />
<b>to the house.</b><br />
<b>we moved in the week </b><br />
<b>before school was to start.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>always thoughtful and kind, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>wendy offered to let me </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>ride to school with her.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>again,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i was thrilled...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>as i hadn't ridden a school bus </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>since second grade </b><br />
<b>and was nervous </b><br />
<b>about having to do so.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"are you sure your mom </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>won't mind?" i asked.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"not at all," wendy assured.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>so, for the next three months,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>every morning,</b><br />
<b>mrs. monsen took us to school</b><br />
<b>stopping </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>at the bakery </b><b>or hardees </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>making sure </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>we had breakfast. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>every morning </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>for those three months</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> i sat </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>in the back passenger seat, </b><br />
<b>talking to </b><br />
<b>and laughing with wendy</b><br />
<b>and her mom... </b><br />
<b>all the while</b><br />
<b> secretly, in awe</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>paying close attention</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to mrs. monsen's hands</b><br />
<b>as she drove us.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>i remember the first time</i><br />
<i>i noticed something different</i><br />
<i>about her hands...</i><br />
<i>it was the morning </i><br />
<i>of our first day of school.</i><br />
<i>mrs. monsen started her car.</i><br />
<i>on the radio, </i><br />
<i>kenny rogers' and dolly pardon's</i><br />
<i>"islands in the stream" </i><br />
<i>was playing.</i><br />
<i>wendy asked her mom </i><br />
<i>to turn up the volume.</i><br />
<i>it was</i><br />
<i>when she did so,</i><br />
<i>i noticed</i><br />
<i>arthritis had attacked </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>and mangled her hands.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>they were so tiny and so deformed.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>i didn't know how she was able </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>to do anything with them.</i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>however, she did.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>over time i learned </b><br />
<b>she continued to do it all;</b><br />
<b>she</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>worked, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>cleaned,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>cooked, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and, yes, drove her car... </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>like there was nothing wrong</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>at all.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b>
<b>and.i.never. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>once.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>heard.her.complain.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b><b> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>one of the condominiums</b><br />
<b>came available</b><br />
<b>in november of that year.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>before we moved,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i wanted to do something </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>special for dear mrs. monsen.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>(she probably didn't realize it,</i><br />
<i>but she had made </i><br />
<i>my transitioning</i><br />
<i>after my parents' divorce</i><br />
<i>so much easier. </i><br />
<i>she had been such a blessing</i><br />
<i>to me.)</i><br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>so, mom and i went </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to o'daniel's flower shop,</b><br />
<b>which was completely stocked</b><br />
<b>for the holidays.</b><br />
<b>after looking at most everything</b><br />
<b>in the shop,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i picked out</b><br />
<b>what i thought was</b><br />
<b>the perfect </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Christmas candle arrangement</b><br />
<b>and asked them to deliver it </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to mrs. monsen </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to thank her,</b><br />
<b>for her kindness.</b><br />
<br />
<i>she loved it...</i><br />
<i>i loved that she loved it!</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>that was the last, real</b><br />
<b>contact i had with</b><br />
<b>mrs. monsen-</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>until memorial weekend</b><br />
<b>last year</b><br />
<b>when</b><br />
<b>i learned from wendy</b><br />
<b>her dad had died</b><br />
<b>unexpectedly.</b><br />
<b>my first thoughts </b><br />
<b>turned to dear mrs. monsen. </b><br />
<b>having kept in contact </b><br />
<b>with wendy,</b><br />
<b>i knew time and disease</b><br />
<b>had continued </b><br />
<b>to take </b><br />
<b>their toll on her mom;</b><br />
<b>i knew her dad</b><br />
<b>was her mom's caregiver,</b><br />
<b>her rock...</b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>i made sure to go</b><br />
<b> to mr. monsen's funeral</b><br />
<b>to pay my respects</b><br />
<b>and</b><br />
<b>offer my condolences,</b><br />
<b> love, and support</b><br />
<b>to wendy and her family.</b><br />
<b>when the service ended,</b><br />
<b>i made my way </b><br />
<b>to the front of the sanctuary </b><br />
<b>to speak to the family.</b><br />
<br />
<b>mrs. monsen was sitting </b><br />
<b>in her wheelchair.</b><br />
<b>so, i knelt in front of her.</b><br />
<b>taking one of her </b><br />
<b>fragile hands in mine</b><br />
<b>and began to introduce myself to her... </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>me: hello, mrs. monsen.</b><br />
<b>i don't know if you remember me </b><br />
<b>or not.</b><br />
<b>i'm dani dr..</b><br />
<b>mrs. monsen: dani! </b><br />
<b>of course i remember you.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>mrs. monsen began to tell </b><br />
<b>me she was so happy to see me, </b><br />
<b>she told me the importance </b><br />
<b>of old friends, </b><br />
<b>and </b><br />
<b>she thanked me for coming.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>when i looked back down,</b><br />
<b>i noticed i was no longer </b><br />
<b>holding her hand.</b><br />
<b>instead,</b><br />
<b>she was holding mine </b><br />
<b>with both of hers.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>her hold was one of the softest, </b><br />
<b>kindest, most loving,</b><br />
<b>i had ever known. </b><br />
<b>i realized </b><br />
<b>she was the one comforting</b><br />
<b><i>me.</i></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>it was sweet. </b><br />
<b>it was simple.</b><br />
<b>it was a gift.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>in that moment </b><br />
<b>i was receiving another </b><br />
<b>blessing </b><br />
<b>from this great lady. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>had there not been </b><br />
<b>a line of people behind me,</b><br />
<b>i could have sat there with her </b><br />
<b>all afternoon...</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>my hand in her </b><br />
<b>perfectly imperfect hands.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>love and God's blessings,</b><br />
<b>dani xxx</b></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-28670734725918894002015-01-05T08:48:00.004-06:002015-04-24T08:22:32.824-05:00that smile...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i want to thank all </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>my customers </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>for a </b></div>
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<b>GREAT 2014,</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>which ended on this </b></div>
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<b>very high note:</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgK39hQTHD9iRsfnVwpm1CPOzpSIq9KhqL8g92MWoqPgdygMp2qcSImQtbiAYc6Cafh3byM7OoYnSKJOmkT-B0c5L7OYQqQG8EIpAtSu6f8ijwMqsAUFh0JPeZ4pI9BCMOW2qxSBm0Z8Ck/s1600/0averie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgK39hQTHD9iRsfnVwpm1CPOzpSIq9KhqL8g92MWoqPgdygMp2qcSImQtbiAYc6Cafh3byM7OoYnSKJOmkT-B0c5L7OYQqQG8EIpAtSu6f8ijwMqsAUFh0JPeZ4pI9BCMOW2qxSBm0Z8Ck/s1600/0averie.jpg" height="292" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b> averie's</b></div>
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<b>great big </b></div>
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<b>beautiful smile</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b> carried lane originals</b></div>
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<b>over to the new year...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">HAPPY 2015!</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b>the bernina</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>has an appointment</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>to be dropped off </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>for a tuneup</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>later this week.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>however,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>in just a couple </b></div>
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<b>of weeks,</b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">LANE ORIGINALS</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>will be back...</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>showcasing </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>new </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>uk, valentine,</b></div>
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<b>and monogramming</b></div>
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<b>designs and items.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">i cannot wait!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">can you?</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>love and God's blessings,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>danixxx</b></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-52509982448420418822014-11-27T09:35:00.001-06:002015-04-24T08:34:42.688-05:00in a GREAT.BIG.SEA.OF.BIG.THINGS...<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPFRLMrBvB6yUZ3TC9hs2XFAgH9x00T6ADFx7ZooHbPZtQltpBd1zRUcGNsNsQJoDoLqKgVap9BKXl__Bri8cfy38Beo3S7m7DOnjcRnE1s7njJMVsQ-VD_dhUPU3aAo8UiMUjWw_aw8l/s1600/IMG_6401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPFRLMrBvB6yUZ3TC9hs2XFAgH9x00T6ADFx7ZooHbPZtQltpBd1zRUcGNsNsQJoDoLqKgVap9BKXl__Bri8cfy38Beo3S7m7DOnjcRnE1s7njJMVsQ-VD_dhUPU3aAo8UiMUjWw_aw8l/s1600/IMG_6401.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>it feels kind of </b></div>
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<b>strange</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>kind of</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>sad...</b></div>
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<b>that there isn't </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>a sydney project</b></div>
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<b>lying around</b></div>
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<b>or</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>waiting in the wings.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>however,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>after pressing,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>folding,</b></div>
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<b>packaging,</b></div>
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<b>and </b></div>
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<b>boxing</b></div>
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<b>dresses, bows, </b></div>
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<b>onesies, bloomers,</b></div>
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<b>legwarmers,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>bibs, tops,</b></div>
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<b>leggings</b></div>
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<b>and </b></div>
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<b>a tutu,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>and sending that big box</b></div>
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<b>of love on its way,</b></div>
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<b>the #sydneycollection for 2014 </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>was complete.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>what a sweet </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>distraction </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>(to a crazy year)</i></div>
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<b>God sent my way!</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>just one of the little things</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>in a </b></div>
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<b>GREAT.BIG.SEA.OF.BIG.THINGS</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i'm thankful for...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<center>
<b>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="252" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DpzKych6BTQ?list=UUFpaX6Xd___kAI7E0EZzDjA" width="448"></iframe></b></center>
<b>
</b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>Happy Thanksgiving!</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>love and God's blessings,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>dani xxx</b></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-73268400491655023042014-10-31T08:23:00.001-05:002015-04-24T08:35:35.366-05:00she can't reach...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyo46cFTTIczWy3OP9uBbBGI9EuUelOu5FOlclAROhQmwMekjYkwLyssOZHnSfakuB_xpaGw3WpPd6nNxcLoJJ8I_bMSwdg_9VFM6YJ8l-dIlgcNZsnEQv2xebtog7wPvhz8102BGJW4l9/s1600/hallokat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyo46cFTTIczWy3OP9uBbBGI9EuUelOu5FOlclAROhQmwMekjYkwLyssOZHnSfakuB_xpaGw3WpPd6nNxcLoJJ8I_bMSwdg_9VFM6YJ8l-dIlgcNZsnEQv2xebtog7wPvhz8102BGJW4l9/s1600/hallokat.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></b></a></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>after giving katherine a bath</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>and washing her hair,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>she insisted on wearing her</b></div>
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<b>"boy clothes"</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>(cutoffs and a tee shirt)</i><b>.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i had just started combing</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>her hair</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>when my aunt knocked</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>on the door.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>sue came in with a halloween</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>gift for katherine,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>a darling, halloween sweatshirt.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>katherine couldn't wait </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>for me to take off the tags</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>and put it on her.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>she was giddy!</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>after putting the sweatshirt</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>on her,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i finished combing her hair,</b></div>
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<b>parted it,</b></div>
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<b>pulled the top part </b></div>
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<b>over to the side,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>and put a band in it.</b></div>
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<b>like clockwork, </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>katherine immediately</b></div>
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<b>ran her hand up to where</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i'd banded her hair.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>katherine: mama, i need a bow,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>one that matches!</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i looked at sue</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>and just shook my head...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>me: well, let me go get </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>you one!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>sue laughed.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>katherine always wore</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>a bow...</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>boy clothes or girl clothes</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>and it had to match!</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>i returned and</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>clipped her bow through</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>the holder and katherine</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>twirled around</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>modeling for us.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>abruptly, though,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>she stopped twirling</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>and looked over at me</b></div>
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<b>wide-eyed,</b></div>
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<b>arching her eyebrows.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>katherine: i'm going to go </b></div>
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<b>get mabel to show aunt sue.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>we had just brought</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>our sweet, stripey </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>"mabel kitty" home</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>to live with us. </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>katherine was chomping</i></div>
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<i>at the bit to show her </i></div>
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<i>off!</i></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>katherine was gone</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>for a few minutes. </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>me: katherine, what are you doing?</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>katherine: i'm coming...</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>me: what's taking you so long?</b></div>
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<b>katherine: i had to do something first!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>in an instant,</b></div>
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<b>there stood katherine</b></div>
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<b>with mabel in tow.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>sue: awwwweee, she's so cute,</b></div>
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<b>katherine.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>katherine grinned,</b></div>
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<b>a big, proud, cheese-eating</b></div>
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<b>grin.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<i>i noticed the fur on mabel's</i></div>
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<i>head was wet.</i></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>me: katherine, why is mabel's</b></div>
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<b>hair wet?</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>katherine handed mabel to sue,</b></div>
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<b>came over to me,</b></div>
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<b> cupped her hand</b></div>
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<b>around my ear,</b></div>
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<b>leaned into me,</b></div>
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<b>and whispered in my ear...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>katherine: i washed her hair.</b></div>
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<b>me: </b></div>
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<i>(thinking for a second, </i></div>
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<i>i knew katherine couldn't</i></div>
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<i>reach any of the </i></div>
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<i>water faucets in the house.)</i></div>
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<b>with what?</b></div>
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<b>katherine: ummm...</b></div>
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<b>me: with what, katherine?</b></div>
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<b>she leaned back into me</b></div>
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<b>and whispered.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>katherine: with my tongue...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>i pulled my head away</b></div>
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<b>and looked at katherine</b></div>
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<b>like, <i>WHAAAT???</i></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>katherine: she can't reach.</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">HAPPY HALLOWEEN!</span></b></div>
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<b>love and God's blessings,</b></div>
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<b>dani xxx</b></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-76931353944341487672014-09-17T11:39:00.001-05:002015-04-24T08:36:48.944-05:00perspective<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>the way i have maintained what little sanity i have left?</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b> i put all of what you're about to glean into perspective: </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>on the lane, </b></div>
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<b>we have clean paper plates, plastic flatware, and </b></div>
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<b>running water</b><i> (just not in the kitchen)</i><b>, </b></div>
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<b> we are neither at war with isis nor ebola</b><i> (yet)</i><b>, </b></div>
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<b>and we have a LOT for which to be thankful!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>after having gone through </b></div>
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<b>nearly 6 months</b></div>
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<b>of a remodel from hell...</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>(it.had.seriously.</i></div>
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<i>been.a.nightmare.)</i></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>-from having to nearly</b></div>
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<b>beg our contractor </b></div>
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<b>to do what we wanted</b></div>
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<b>him to do...</b></div>
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<b>-to him doing some </b></div>
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<b>of what we wanted </b></div>
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<b>him to do</b></div>
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<b> but only half-assed...</b></div>
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<b>-to him</b><i> (admittedly so) </i></div>
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<b>spending </b></div>
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<b>our replacement-window money</b></div>
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<b>leaving us </b></div>
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<b>to pay for our windows </b></div>
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<b>twice</b></div>
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<i>(in lieu of having a lien </i></div>
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<i>placed on our house)</i><b>,</b></div>
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<b>-to my and my grandmother's</b></div>
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<b>engagement rings, </b></div>
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<b>my and john's wedding bands,</b></div>
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<b>my silver punch bowl,</b></div>
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<b>and katherine's watch </b></div>
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<b>all being stolen...</b></div>
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<b>-to my suffering through</b></div>
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<b>7 weeks of </b></div>
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<b>"the worst case </b></div>
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<b>of shingles"</b></div>
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<b>anyone had ever seen,</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>we were</b></div>
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<b>more.than.ready</b></div>
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<b>for</b></div>
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<b>a bright spot!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-lvSiKce2emO-0s3qSY02gzOpWkLd8J5zdKPz8J46G-LEGD1mFHFM4USayCdA2XwWgKnZKhxtYE6npNE22QmfHHYq-EzhAw6sa0zxyHiAn2-RjXeRnFJ-wv87-c9oHfcdyVwzhyphenhyphenL74-X/s1600/photo+(55).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b></b></a></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>a week ago yesterday</b></div>
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<b>our quartz installers arrived</b></div>
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<b>with our kitchen and vanity</b></div>
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<b>counter tops.</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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i.was.SO.excited... </div>
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<i> not only to be getting</i></div>
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<i>the beautiful new tops</i></div>
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<i>but, more importantly,</i></div>
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<i>to </i><i>finally have </i></div>
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<i>running water</i></div>
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<i>in the kitchen </i></div>
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<i>after nearly 5 weeks</i></div>
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<i>of not!</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<b>although</b></div>
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<b>they were unable to install</b></div>
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<b>the vanity top</b></div>
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<b>because my bathroom </b></div>
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<b>sink needed</b></div>
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<b>new shutoff valves,</b></div>
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<b>they skipped the bathroom </b></div>
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<b>and installed the kitchen</b></div>
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<b>counter tops.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tc8xn_UfU_SPXpGEX07dkAj8dycYlGZ4qnLEV2pzp4-MZnKELUeBHwgoz-aZ9DDDGAD418c4AlRpFFig3ompUsEmnIeBEOXq_xN4ybuHS6wuJX5WeOR1GUGwvO9Ue2_0vPDcU7rIy2yu/s1600/photo+(50).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tc8xn_UfU_SPXpGEX07dkAj8dycYlGZ4qnLEV2pzp4-MZnKELUeBHwgoz-aZ9DDDGAD418c4AlRpFFig3ompUsEmnIeBEOXq_xN4ybuHS6wuJX5WeOR1GUGwvO9Ue2_0vPDcU7rIy2yu/s1600/photo+(50).JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>installer: well, do you like it?</b></div>
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<b>me: <i>like it?</i> i LOVE it;</b></div>
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<b>it's BEAUTIFUL!</b></div>
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<b>installer: great! </b></div>
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<b>so, all we have left to do</b></div>
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<b>is drop in your sink.</b></div>
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<b>where is it?</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>awkward silence...</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>me: uh, it was supposed</b></div>
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<b>to come with the counter top?</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>he looked through his paperwork. </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>installer: no, only your vanity top </b></div>
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<b>comes with a sink.</b></div>
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<b>me: hmm, lowes told me </b></div>
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<b>this one was supposed </b></div>
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<b>to come with an under-mount?</b></div>
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<b>installer: ma'am, that hole will</b></div>
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<b>not support an under-mount;</b></div>
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<b>it was cut for a drop-in sink.</b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>later that afternoon,</b></div>
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<b>after a discussion with lowes,</b></div>
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<b>i told them we would be willing </b></div>
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<b>to settle for a drop-in...</b></div>
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<i>as we were past ready</i></div>
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<i>to have running water</i></div>
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<i>in our kitchen, right!!?!?</i></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>that evening</b></div>
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<b>john and i went to lowes</b></div>
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<b>to retrieve our sink</b></div>
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<b>and purchase supplies </b></div>
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<b>for the plumber.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>bright and early,</b></div>
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<b>last wednesday morning,</b></div>
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<b>mr. butts </b><i>(our plumber) </i></div>
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<b>arrived.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>he asked me to show him </b></div>
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<b>all we needed him to do.</b></div>
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<b>i obliged.</b></div>
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<b>after showing him </b></div>
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<b>the bathroom and </b></div>
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<b>he reassured me</b></div>
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<b>that was going to be</b></div>
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<b>no problem,</b></div>
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<b>i lead him </b></div>
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<b>into our kitchen.</b></div>
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<b>upon seeing </b></div>
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<b>the sink hole,</b></div>
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<b>he told me the sink</b></div>
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<b>was not going to fit.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-lvSiKce2emO-0s3qSY02gzOpWkLd8J5zdKPz8J46G-LEGD1mFHFM4USayCdA2XwWgKnZKhxtYE6npNE22QmfHHYq-EzhAw6sa0zxyHiAn2-RjXeRnFJ-wv87-c9oHfcdyVwzhyphenhyphenL74-X/s1600/photo+(55).jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-lvSiKce2emO-0s3qSY02gzOpWkLd8J5zdKPz8J46G-LEGD1mFHFM4USayCdA2XwWgKnZKhxtYE6npNE22QmfHHYq-EzhAw6sa0zxyHiAn2-RjXeRnFJ-wv87-c9oHfcdyVwzhyphenhyphenL74-X/s1600/photo+(55).jpg" height="149" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>me: are you sure?</b></div>
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<b>mr. butts: i don't think it will,</b></div>
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<b>but i'll try it.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>when he dropped the sink </b></div>
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<b>into the hole and it looked</b></div>
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<b>like it fit,</b></div>
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<b>i breathed a sigh of relief.</b></div>
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<b>however,</b></div>
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<b>my relief was short-lived;</b></div>
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<b>as the two of us lay</b></div>
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<b>with our heads resting</b></div>
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<b>respectively</b></div>
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<b>on the cabinet base</b></div>
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<b>looking up at the sink.</b></div>
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<b>with his flashlight,</b></div>
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<b>mr. butts directed</b></div>
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<b>me to look at the </b></div>
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<b>three sides of the sink</b></div>
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<b>which could be secured</b></div>
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<b>to the counter top</b></div>
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<b>and then </b></div>
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<b>to the fourth...</b></div>
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<b>which could not.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><i>boo.hiss.i.wanted.to.cry</i></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>30 minutes later, </b></div>
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<b>lowes' manager and staff,</b></div>
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<b>mr. butts, and i stood</b></div>
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<b>staring at the hole</b></div>
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<b>in our new,</b></div>
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<b>beautiful counter top.</b></div>
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<b>the best solution</b></div>
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<b>was to reorder the quartz,</b></div>
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<b>which meant...</b></div>
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<b>3 more weeks without </b></div>
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<b>kitchen plumbing.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>after the lowes' folks</b></div>
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<b>left, i walked into</b></div>
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<b>the bathroom where mr. butts</b></div>
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<b>lay with his head inside </b></div>
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<b>my vanity.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>i sat down on the side</b></div>
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<b>of the bathtub</b></div>
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<b>at mr. butts' feet.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>me: mr. butts, meester berrong</b></div>
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<b>may be thinking,</b></div>
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<b>"no news is good news,"</b></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>right about now,</b></div>
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<b>but he'd <i>be wrong</i></b></div>
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<i>(no pun intended)</i><b>."</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>i giggled...</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: lime;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b>a week later,</b></div>
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<b>i don't know how this install</b></div>
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<b>is going to go</b></div>
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<i>(hopefully well)</i><b>.</b></div>
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<b>however,</b></div>
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<b>what i do know is...</b></div>
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<b> instead of the new tops</b></div>
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<b>arriving in 2 weeks</b></div>
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<i>(we are already</i></div>
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<i>a week out from </i></div>
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<i>last week's debacle)</i><b>,</b></div>
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<b>it's going to be at least</b></div>
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<b>3 more</b></div>
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<b>because as of monday</b></div>
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<b>when the quartz company</b></div>
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<b>called about the vanity</b></div>
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<b>top,</b></div>
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<b>the kitchen counter had</b></div>
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<b>not yet been reordered...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>ugh!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>in case you were wondering...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>we </b><b>fired our contractor, </b></div>
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<b>have received no</b></div>
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<b>compensation for our windows.</b><b> </b></div>
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<b>filed a police report-</b></div>
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<b>though </b><b>none of our stolen items </b></div>
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<b>have been </b><b>recovered, </b></div>
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<b>and</b></div>
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<b>are still eating on paper plates</b></div>
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<b>with plastic flatware.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>stay tuned...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>love and God's blessings,</b></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>dani xxx</b></div>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-obu9y6jkKFA%2FVBm5BvoYr3I%2FAAAAAAAADnw%2FDyJ4Xvk2cN4%2Fs1600%2Fphoto%252B" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-lvSiKce2emO-0s3qSY02gzOpWkLd8J5zdKPz8J46G-LEGD1mFHFM4USayCdA2XwWgKnZKhxtYE6npNE22QmfHHYq-EzhAw6sa0zxyHiAn2-RjXeRnFJ-wv87-c9oHfcdyVwzhyphenhyphenL74-X/s1600/photo+" -->danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-87904974194025201032014-07-31T06:36:00.004-05:002015-04-24T08:37:39.851-05:00time capsule...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDL9uGvngY_D-t7UDGckDmnomyfC8lOLnXdIylVCNyClF1QBtCWROk6QO32JB-67lh0HByHF_jhuZyjak5-rDKvIE6YXglYMxpLLCJ0ViXCjmErQXLrJ0wa4BKmqGt-odR6Ne6J73KRp2A/s1600/photo+(42).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDL9uGvngY_D-t7UDGckDmnomyfC8lOLnXdIylVCNyClF1QBtCWROk6QO32JB-67lh0HByHF_jhuZyjak5-rDKvIE6YXglYMxpLLCJ0ViXCjmErQXLrJ0wa4BKmqGt-odR6Ne6J73KRp2A/s1600/photo+(42).JPG" height="320" width="179" /></b></a></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>there is currently</b></div>
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<b>a corner, pantry cabinet</b></div>
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<b>occupying our kitchen.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>on the inside,</b></div>
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<b>it stretches from our countertop </b></div>
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<b>all the way up to above</b></div>
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<b>our 8ft. ceiling.</b></div>
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<b>it is 3ft. wide</b></div>
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<b>and 3ft. deep.</b></div>
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<b>it's always held</b></div>
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<b>holiday, paper</b></div>
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<b>napkins and plates</b></div>
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<b>(on the 5th/top shelf),</b></div>
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<b>a case or two</b></div>
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<b>of sterno canisters</b></div>
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<b>and plastic </b></div>
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<b>cups and dinnerware</b></div>
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<b>(on the 4th shelf),</b></div>
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<b>boxes of</b></div>
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<b>pasta, rice, cereal,</b></div>
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<b>and cake/brownie mixes</b></div>
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<b>(on the 3rd shelf),</b></div>
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<b>can goods</b></div>
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<b>and jars of </b></div>
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<b>peanut butter, jellies,</b></div>
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<b>relishes, chutney,</b></div>
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<b>and </b></div>
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<b>special sauces</b></div>
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<b>(on the 2nd shelf),</b></div>
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<b>and</b></div>
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<b>large containers of</b></div>
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<b>sugars, flour, nuts,</b></div>
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<b>oils, cooking sprays,</b></div>
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<b>etc...</b></div>
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<b>(on the 1st/bottom shelf).</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<i>(this cabinet,</i></div>
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<i>though large,</i></div>
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<i>has never been</i></div>
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<i>very convenient...</i></div>
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<i>as a matter of fact,</i></div>
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<i>we have needed</i></div>
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<i>to use a stepstool</i></div>
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<i>in order </i></div>
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<i>to reach anything above</i></div>
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<i>the third shelf.)</i></div>
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<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
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<i><b>#ididntknowthatwasupthere</b></i></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>today...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>it is empty.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>today...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>dale is going to take off</b></div>
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<b>the door and frame,</b></div>
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<b>replace them</b></div>
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<b>with a large piece</b></div>
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<b>of </b></div>
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<b>drywall,</b></div>
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<b>and mud it closed.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>today...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>before dale performs</b></div>
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<b>his magic,</b></div>
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<b>we are going to place</b></div>
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<b>items inside the cabinet</b></div>
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<b>in order to create</b></div>
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<b>a sort of time capsule.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>in this time capsule,</b></div>
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<b>we will place </b></div>
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<b>things</b></div>
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<b>indicative of </b></div>
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<b>our life on the lane:</b></div>
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<b>today's newspaper,</b></div>
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<b>pictures,</b></div>
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<b>low end currency (;-),</b></div>
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<b>a can of die coke,</b></div>
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<b>a bottle of wine,</b></div>
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<b>one of katherine's baby blankets,</b></div>
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<b>an old ball cap of johns,</b></div>
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<b>a pair of my pajamas,</b></div>
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<b>one of maggie's old collars,</b></div>
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<b>a copy of this month's</b></div>
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<b><i>kentucky monthly</i>,</b></div>
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<b>and</b></div>
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<b>maybe a few other</b></div>
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<b>odds and ends...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>do you have any</b></div>
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<b>ideas?</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>love and God's blessings,</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>dani xxx</b></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-73994742779817362372014-07-06T10:01:00.002-05:002014-07-06T10:01:34.215-05:00chronic shingles...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzYMf5EkOshcDzTwEtnpl897xNczUIa4IeO8KDf0_tITlNelDHE8wWWvJrl2hW8YEAxo7w7aEYOIRpo-bq9cikAgBg14dG1e-7OAjWW2hcz-FV1Higz_Oz9yCxrb1d7Qi8xlBwftyfX0h/s1600/photo+(38).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzYMf5EkOshcDzTwEtnpl897xNczUIa4IeO8KDf0_tITlNelDHE8wWWvJrl2hW8YEAxo7w7aEYOIRpo-bq9cikAgBg14dG1e-7OAjWW2hcz-FV1Higz_Oz9yCxrb1d7Qi8xlBwftyfX0h/s1600/photo+(38).JPG" height="278" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">shingles<i> (herpes zoster)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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<b>two weeks ago yesterday </b></div>
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<b>i noticed i was getting </b></div>
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<b>a new case of shingles</b> </div>
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<i>(4th case since the first of the year)</i></div>
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<b>on my chin.</b></div>
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<b>as you know </b></div>
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<b>if you follow me,</b></div>
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<b>i have chronic shingles </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>(and have had since i was 14)</i><b>,</b></div>
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<b>which occur more </b></div>
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<b>and more often </b></div>
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<b>the older i get.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>at first </b></div>
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<b>this case was no different...</b></div>
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<b>itchy, burny, fevery,</b></div>
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<b>achy.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>THEN</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>a few days later,</b></div>
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<b>i noticed i had several </b></div>
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<b>shingle blisters on my belly!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>ON.BOTH.SIDES.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>i had already started taking </b></div>
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<b>valtrex,</b></div>
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<b>which was drying up the ones</b></div>
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<b>on my face.</b></div>
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<b>however,</b></div>
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<b>it was not touching the ones</b></div>
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<b>spreading all over my stomach.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>i called my doctor's office </b></div>
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<b>but could not get an appointment.</b><b> </b></div>
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<b>then i called my dermatologist's office. </b></div>
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<b>unable to get in for nearly week,</b></div>
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<b>i went ahead </b></div>
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<b>and made an appointment.</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>frustrated and miserable, </b></div>
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<b>i called a local naturopathic physician.</b></div>
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<b>he squeezed me in that afternoon.</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>when i arrived,</b></div>
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<b>he took me right back </b></div>
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<b>to an examining room.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>doctor: </b><i>(looking at my chin)</i><b> </b></div>
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<b>what have you done </b></div>
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<b>to get so stressed?</b></div>
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<b>me: i'm not here about the </b></div>
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<b>shingles on my face.</b></div>
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<b>i'm here about these.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>i raised my shirt.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>doctor: oh, my God!</b></div>
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<i>(he stared at my rash.)</i></div>
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<b>i need to get my </b></div>
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<b>magnifying glasses.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<i>(i got a little nervous.)</i></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>the doctor returned</b></div>
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<b>wearing said <i>glasses</i>.</b></div>
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<b>he put on a pair of </b></div>
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<b>latex gloves,</b></div>
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<b>turned on the glasses'</b></div>
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<b>light,</b></div>
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<b>and studied </b></div>
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<b>my blisters.</b></div>
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<b>as he backed away,</b></div>
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<b>he took off his gloves</b></div>
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<b>and </b></div>
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<b>removed his glasses.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>doctor: well,</b></div>
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<b>i have bad news...</b></div>
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<b>you're too late;</b></div>
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<b>i cannot do anything for you.</b></div>
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<b>you have blisters,</b></div>
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<b>which have already popped.</b></div>
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<b>me: but they ARE shingles?</b></div>
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<b>doctor: yes, they are definitely</b></div>
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<b>shingles.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<i>(i breathed a sigh of relief.)</i></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>the naturopath took </b></div>
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<b>time to talk to me </b></div>
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<b>about my general health.</b></div>
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<b>he gave me pointers about</b></div>
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<b>a vitamin regiment </b></div>
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<b>i should try to</b></div>
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<b>so i might be able to keep</b></div>
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<b>the shingles at bay.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>vitamin.b.</b></div>
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<b>and</b></div>
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<b>chicken.liver.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>for days</b></div>
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<b>my shingles continued</b></div>
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<b>to divide and multiply;</b></div>
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<b>they spread up to just below</b></div>
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<b>my neck</b></div>
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<b>and down</b></div>
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<b>to just above my belly button.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>i shared the above picture</b></div>
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<b>with the 2 d's</b></div>
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<b>to see what they thought.</b></div>
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<b>dana, the nurse,</b></div>
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<b>asked if i was sure they were</b></div>
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<b>shingles</b></div>
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<b>as they had crossed </b></div>
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<b>my center line.</b></div>
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<i>(honestly, i was still wondering </i></div>
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<i>the same thing.)</i></div>
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<b>i told her my naturopath </b></div>
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<b>said they were. </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>i thought my derm appointment</b></div>
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<b>time would never get here.</b></div>
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<b>but, finally,</b></div>
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<b>it did.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>the nurse called my name,</b></div>
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<b>and i followed her back </b></div>
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<b>to an examining room.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>nurse: how are you today,</b></div>
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<b>dani.</b></div>
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<b>me: actually, i feel terrible;</b></div>
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<b>i'm miserable!</b></div>
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<b>nurse: oh, no what's the matter?</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>i proceeded to tell her.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>after i told her,</b></div>
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<b>she handed me a gown</b></div>
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<b>and told me she'd get my derm</b></div>
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<b>and would soon return.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>when the two came in,</b></div>
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<b>i was gowned and waiting</b></div>
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<b>in the examining chair.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>derm: hi, dani, i hear you have a rash...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>i.told.her.THE.story.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>derm: let's raise your gown </b></div>
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<b>and have a look at it.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>as i started raising my gown,</b></div>
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<b>i heard my derm gasp</b></div>
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<i>(oh, yes, she did)</i><b>,</b></div>
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<b>which caused the nurse</b></div>
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<b>to turn around and take notice.</b></div>
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<b>she gasped too</b></div>
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<i>(oh, yes, she did)</i><b>.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>i looked quickly at the derm </b></div>
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<b>and turned toward her nurse.</b></div>
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<b>me: i told you.</b></div>
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<b>i wasn't kidding.</b></div>
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<b>nurse: </b><i>(still staring at my torso)</i></div>
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<b>no, you weren't.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>the derm asked me to tell</b></div>
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<b>her the whole story again.</b></div>
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<b>she asked the nurse to get her</b></div>
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<b>what she needed to do</b></div>
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<b> viral and bacterial </b></div>
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<b>cultures.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>after taking the cultures,</b></div>
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<b>the derm asked her nurse </b></div>
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<b>to take pictures.</b></div>
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<b>when she'd gotten all</b></div>
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<b>the images she needed,</b></div>
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<b>my derm left the room</b></div>
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<b>and was gone for some time.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>when she returned,</b></div>
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<b>she told me she'd never</b></div>
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<b>personally seen what i had</b></div>
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<b>on my trunk.</b></div>
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<b>she went on to tell me</b></div>
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<b>the shingles virus</b></div>
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<b>i had on my chin</b></div>
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<b>had apparently settled in</b></div>
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<b>a small heat rash i had</b></div>
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<b>on my stomach...</b></div>
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<b>and spread</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>in.ALL.directions</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>and</b></div>
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<b>was still spreading!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>she prescribed a very</b></div>
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<b>aggressive treatment of</b></div>
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<b>valacyclovir</b></div>
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<b>and a topical antiviral</b></div>
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<i>(which, thankfully, my dear pharmacist </i></div>
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<i>was able to compound for me!)</i><b>.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>three days in,</b></div>
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<b>i think i'm finally getting this</b></div>
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<b>thing under control!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>thank.You.GOD!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>hopefully,</b></div>
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<b>THIS will NEVER happen again!</b></div>
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<b>hopefully,</b></div>
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<b>the vitamin b complex</b></div>
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<b>and weekly chicken liver meal</b><b> </b></div>
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<b>will keep my shingles </b></div>
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<b>at bay.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>hopefully,</b></div>
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<b>if you are reading this</b></div>
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<b>because you've happened</b></div>
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<b>onto my blog because </b></div>
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<b>you, too, have chronic shingles</b></div>
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<b>the vitamin b and chicken liver</b></div>
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<b>thing will help</b></div>
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<b>you too!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>if it does,</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>SHARE!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>love and God's blessings,</b></div>
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<b>dani xxx</b></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-46754127469206317232014-04-29T06:50:00.000-05:002014-09-07T08:44:18.170-05:00remodel: chapter III; slowly but surely...<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>slowly but surely</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>our lane transformation</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>is taking place!!!</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLYKBkQ9jXzEgRXTSGHgiqy3-PXk_ZaKNYRM8bROCc4fR8pH4_hk1Zgw_4YoiIm1GOa35rFSL24U1W9BKCxdSiu0zUaTF3TVegsfUd85KEwEJo3SICtXPwdzrD8ijAzun1GkHqkfp1Ofz/s1600/floor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLYKBkQ9jXzEgRXTSGHgiqy3-PXk_ZaKNYRM8bROCc4fR8pH4_hk1Zgw_4YoiIm1GOa35rFSL24U1W9BKCxdSiu0zUaTF3TVegsfUd85KEwEJo3SICtXPwdzrD8ijAzun1GkHqkfp1Ofz/s1600/floor.jpg" height="320" width="312" /></a></div>
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<b>(a sneak peak;)</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>come friday,</b></div>
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<b>phase I of our remodel</b></div>
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<b>should be completed.</b></div>
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<b>phase I has involved</b></div>
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<b>the building</b></div>
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<b>of two new closets</b></div>
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<b>in our master bedroom,</b></div>
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<b>an update of our master bath,</b></div>
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<b>and a conversion</b></div>
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<b>of our master walk-in closet</b></div>
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<b>to a new laundry room.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>all this phase</b></div>
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<b>lacks at this point</b></div>
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<b>is another day</b></div>
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<b>of laying floor tile</b></div>
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<b>in our bedroom</b></div>
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<b>and the utility room</b></div>
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<b>and the installation of</b></div>
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<b>shoe molding,</b></div>
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<b>washer/dryer,</b></div>
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<b>shower hardware,</b></div>
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<b>and </b></div>
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<b>new shower doors.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>i'm starting to get really </b></div>
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<b>excited about phase II!</b></div>
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<b>phase II will entail a complete </b></div>
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<b>remodel of our den.</b></div>
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<b>currently, our utility room</b></div>
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<b>is right off our den.</b></div>
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<b>however,</b></div>
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<b>once our washer/dryer</b></div>
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<b>are moved to the new</b></div>
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<b>laundry room</b></div>
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<b>(off our master suite),</b></div>
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<b>we will tear out those two walls</b></div>
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<b>increasing the size</b></div>
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<b>of our existing den.</b></div>
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<b>we are</b></div>
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<b>not only going to tear</b></div>
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<b>out those two walls;</b></div>
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<b>we are also</b></div>
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<b>going to tear out </b></div>
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<b>an exterior wall where</b></div>
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<b>a french door unit</b></div>
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<b>currently exists.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>further, </b></div>
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<b>we will replace the french door unit</b></div>
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<b>with a new fireplace</b></div>
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<b>and</b></div>
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<b>ceiling-to-floor windows</b></div>
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<b>on each side of it.</b></div>
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<b>after</b></div>
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<b>a new paint job,</b></div>
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<b>flooring,</b></div>
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<b>and</b></div>
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<b>furniture,</b></div>
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<b>it will be time to move</b></div>
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<b>to phase III...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>the.kitchen...</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>stay tuned!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>love and God's blessings,</b></div>
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<b>dani xxx</b></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158470695500481257.post-49850163642775203722014-03-31T07:20:00.000-05:002014-09-07T08:48:58.376-05:00remodel: chapter II; shorty...<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i heard dale's, </b></div>
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<b>big, old, red truck</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>as he pulled it into our driveway.</b></div>
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<b>i was excited to get our</b></div>
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<b>lane remodel started!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b><i>when john and i first met</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>with dale to discuss our plans,</i></div>
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<i>dale indicated he would be</i></div>
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<i>working alone.</i></div>
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<i>however,</i></div>
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<i>as i sat at my dining room</i></div>
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<i>table sewing that first morning,</i></div>
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<i>i heard dale talking to someone</i></div>
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<i>as he made his way up to </i></div>
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<i>our house.</i></div>
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<i>i walked out onto the front porch</i></div>
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<i>and greeted them.</i></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>me: good morning!</b></div>
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<b>dale: mornin'!</b></div>
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<b>me: how are y'all?</b></div>
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<b>dale: awe, we're good.</b></div>
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<b>me: </b><i>(looking past dale)</i><b> who've </b><br />
<b>you got with you?</b></div>
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<b>dale: awe, this is...</b></div>
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<b>shorty: <i>shorty</i>, they call me <i>shorty</i>.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(shorty talked so fast i only caught</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>part of what he said.)</i></div>
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<b>me: your name is <i>shorty</i>?</b></div>
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<b>shorty: well, everybody calls me <i>shorty</i>,</b></div>
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<b>but i don't like it much.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(he laughed.)</i></div>
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<b>me: what's your real name then?</b></div>
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<b>shorty: it's <i>terry</i>.</b></div>
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<b>dale: </b><i>(under his breath)</i><b> it's </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">shorty</i><b>;</b></div>
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<b>just call him <i>shorty</i>.</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>i offered terry my hand </b></div>
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<b>to shake.</b></div>
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<b>he reciprocated.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>me: it's nice to meet you,</b></div>
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<b>terry:)</b></div>
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<b>shorty: uh, you can call me <i>shorty</i>.</b></div>
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<b>me: okay, it's nice to meet you,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>shorty</i>.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(i giggled.)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: lime;">~</span><span style="color: #e06666;">@</span><span style="color: lime;">~</span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>there,</b></div>
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<b>on my front porch...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> stood a skinny burt reynolds </b><br />
<b>and a straight michael jeter.</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>think </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>evening shade</i>:</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCtUKMQ1JVSVTayB_XpjmP2CTKuxcUnlFqpo1yqBs_Mcw1reunTJht10RGG5GNAUBwWzEPDcTmCL_0qlEfKK6mytiqC2MzZeWu-Za269r8PDr0tGcYYtjiMxNC7frCwyqdtBzwdZj5DhJ/s1600/evening+shade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCtUKMQ1JVSVTayB_XpjmP2CTKuxcUnlFqpo1yqBs_Mcw1reunTJht10RGG5GNAUBwWzEPDcTmCL_0qlEfKK6mytiqC2MzZeWu-Za269r8PDr0tGcYYtjiMxNC7frCwyqdtBzwdZj5DhJ/s1600/evening+shade.jpg" height="237" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>dale standing no less than 6"</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>weighing no more than 150 lbs.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>shorty standing no more than 4"10'</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>weighing no more than 105 lbs...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"tall and lanky"</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>and</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"shorty"</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>would quickly become </b><br />
<b>my new best friends</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>for the summer;)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>love and God's blessings,</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>dani xxx</b></div>
danihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238327752920852333noreply@blogger.com1