Counting our blessings this Christmas morning...

We woke up to a fire this morning.


At 5am Christmas morning our fire alarms were BLAZING, in the panic of what was going on the minute I heard the fire alarm I could smell the fire.

I shook the husband and we jumped into action, the lights were still out when I got into the hall and saw the flames the fire was coming from the heating unit.

We quickly turned on the lights, switched the breaker and took down the filters (that were about to go up in flames but only had a little burning on them) I had also instinctively closed the bedroom door to make sure Daisy was safe only to notice that I had done it after...

We both wandered around a bit in panic about what to do next. We did not want to call the fire dept because the fire was out. And it was 5am Christmas morning.

We called building management and left a message on the emergency machine about the fire and got a call right back....

At the request of the building management we called the non-emergency fire dept number and they came... lights and sirens BLARING at 5am on Christmas morning with 2 fire trucks FULL of firefighters.

They came in to access the damage and make sure the fire was out. They used infrared to make sure there was no fire still in the ceiling (who knew) I am not going to lie I was scared out of my wits. They said fire can be a scary beast.

Also that our smoke detector was worth its weight in gold.

We had already aired the house out pretty good, but the smell of burning was pretty thick, after everything had settled I had a very good cry.

Yep the hubby and I sat on the couch and I cried. I cried and I was so THANKFUL that it happened the way it did.

I was so thankful our smoke alarm works.

I felt so blessed we were both home.

I was so thankful that it happened so quick and we both reacted as quickly as we did.







We are blessed and so thankful this Christmas in more ways than I could ever explain.

Its amazing how people come into your life...

So for the last 3 years I have randomly posted my wedding dress on Craigslist. I was posting it in the hopes that someone would see it and love it as much as I did, and it would be worn again.

Now do not get me wrong. I LOVED my dress. It was everything I was looking for and it took me forever to find it. I toyed with the idea of selling it for a while.

After the first 2 years of random postings and about 5 failed attempts of "meetings" and "fittings" I started to think of other ways to give my dress a second life.

I have been so blessed in my own life, and marriage that I hoped it would bring someone else as many blessings.

We are not having children, so passing it down to a daughter is not going to happen. I asked my sister YEARS ago if she would want to wear it and she wants a BIG dress. A big poofy dress and my dress was certainly not.

One of the blogs I read is Jimmy Choos and Tennis Shoes talked about a program called The Glass Slipper Project its a non profit based out of Chicago that takes donated formal dresses and sets up under privileged girls for prom with dresses, shoes, accessories, hair and makeup. Its a pretty amazing organization check it out*

So I was talking to one of the girls I work with at the restaurant about donating my dress (Lets call her L). L to me is a really good person. Have you ever met someone that you just get a really good vibe from. That seems like a really genuine soul? She is that kind of person to me.

I told her I did not want to send it to Goodwill or The Salvation Army because it would get trashed. If I was giving it away I REALLY wanted it to go to a great home. I mentioned to her I was thinking of shipping it to The Glass Slipper Project.

Well me and L have been talking about her up coming wedding, she was engaged just this past weekend!!! I am SOOO excited for her!

She is 23 and she is getting married to her soul mate. They are really a great couple. They have been together 6 years, they both have bachelors degrees and they start grad school in August. They are also waiting till they are married to have sex!!! (which is almost unheard of these days) They are looking to get married before they start school again and they are both ready, they are also attempting to do a wedding on a budget. Which is funny because 5 years ago I was in the same boat!

Well the day after talking about donating my dress L came to me and asked "Are you really thinking of giving away your wedding dress?"

Right away I almost cried. Serious. I was so flattered that such a good person would even entertain wearing my dress and we made a date for her to look at it.

That night. We left straight from work and she asked me before I left if I would be offended if she did not like it. We laughed and I told her it would take a lot more than that. If she liked it she like it and if not. It was no big deal.

My beautiful dress on my wedding day...






And now it will be L's dress on her wedding day.... I feel so blessed to be able to give away my dress... She has been looking for dresses and has not found anything that compares to mine!!


We both cried a little and talked about how when you least expect it, life throws you little blessings? I am SOO excited for her!!

Its amazing how people come into your life.... And what effect they have with you?




* on a side note I also noted that there is not "yet" and organization in Kansas and my wheels are turning and I am looking into what it would take to start a non profit offering the same services here in my state! : )....***

Resolutions for 2008

I have decided that I am not going to do resolutions this year but more a list of things I have learned, and things I am thankful for 2007 was a great year and 2008 feels like it will be even better.

Things I learned from Daisy: (shes my 6 pound Chihuahua that we found in a dumpster with 2 broken legs and 2 broken ribs for those just tuning in)

1. Snuggle in close every chance you get.
2. Take pleasure in the small things, even if she is just driving around the block because you love the car so much.
3. Give kisses freely and for no reason at all.
4. Perk up at the sound of their voice. And let them know you love them by a gaze or a paw pat.
5. Get so excited that you pee... just a little.
6. Listen closely
7. Always wake them up with kisses and put them to bed with kisses too.
8. Its always nice to share....

I am excited about what this year with bring. Looking back we have much to be thankful for, going into 2008 the hubby and I will celebrate 5 years of marriage. WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?? 5 years? I mean that would mean that in February we have been dating for 9 years?? 9 Years is FOREVER!! But I feel blessed. I would not have it any other way.
Daisy will turn 1 year old. Well, we are going to celebrate her 1 year birthday on the day we found her seeing how we will never know her real birthday. And I can not believe its been almost a year since I found her, stinky and broken in the dumpster.

This year has been a year of changes. New jobs for both the hubby and I. New city, new State, who knows what 2008 holds for us but having had just had such a great year I look forward to what 2008 will be.

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE, From our family to yours!!!!