Meow=Goodbye?

Today I say goodbye to my little friend Lucky the Cat. I have been cat sitting Lucky for the past 5 months, for someone very special. On January 17, her owner Geri was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. At that time the prognosis looked very grim, and we weren't quite sure what was going to happen. I volunteered to take Lucky and have had her since February. Now 6 months later from Geri's initial diagnosis, she is doing wonderfully. She was quite the trooper through surgery and chemo. God has been good to Geri and I thank and praise him for his kindness and healing.
So it is bittersweet to say goodbye to Lucky. I am so happy that Geri is well enough to take her back, and I always knew that if someday Lucky could go back then Geri was going to be ok.
But at the same time I have grown quite attached to this cat. Lucky has been there with me through a lot of changes in my life. She was always there to greet me at the door, or come sit by my side when I was sad & crying. You don't really realize just how comforting something as simple as a pet can be, but in small ways it makes all the difference. So this is my goodbye to Lucky, may you be a sweet presence in Geri's life as you were to mine...

Beginnings and Endings...

I have a lot on my mind tonight. My purpose in doing this blog was primarily to write about my silly little life. Though not meaningless, my life is important in this world, although I am not famous nor have a done any acts of greatness or saved any ones life. I am just me, plain and simple, silly and all... So I've just been thinking about life in general. People, places, things... to everything there is a beginning and an end. And to everything there is a season. Good things happen in life, great things happen in life, but so do bad things and difficult things. There are immense joys and deep sorrows. People live, people even die, even though no one likes to think about that, let alone really talk about death, it still happens. So what is my purpose here? Is my life just one more life in the multitudes that have gone on before me, or will proceed me? I guess the question to ask myself is: Does my life matter? I really hope in some small way my life does matter, that i am here for a reason and a purpose. I may never do anything super great, and doubtfully will I ever be famous... but if I make a difference in even one person's life, is it worth it? I answer with a resounding, YES!

Emily Dickinson has this little poem that I think says it best:

"If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain: If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again,I shall not live in vain."

Do the little things make a difference, I think so! I just hope I can be the woman who can say at the end of my life, that I did not live in vain, even if it was to make a difference in one person's life.
So I end my deep thoughts with one from Dietrich Bonhoeffer:

"There remains for us only the narrow way, often extremely difficult to find, of living every day as though it were our last, and yet living in faith and responsibility as though there were to be a great future."

Here's to a great future of a life less ordinary in small ways! :)

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Tonight I hung out with my friend Shannon aka Tweaker. I'm so glad that after all these years we have remained friends and have many good good memories between us! And it's awesome that time and distance has not diminished our silliness!

B-3 Organs are amazing!

Last night I went to the Artists' Quarter in Downtown St. Paul. I hadn't been there in years so it was great to get back there. An old boyfriend of mine used to take me there on Tuesday nights for the B-3 Organ Night and we'd sit in the corner and drink martinis. I guess we thought we were pretty chic. Then afterwards we would walk over to Mickey's Diner for fries. Those were some fun and carefree days of my life. Everything was about staying out late and running around town. I'm sure I had things going on in my life that were stressful, but I don't really remember anything... I just remember good times with a cool boy. So anyway, it was nice to get back to the Artists' Quarter and listen to some great music. It's so nice and chill there, and an organ never sounded cooler. Sarah and I then walked over to Mickey's Diner for burgers and fries. I love being out late in the city on a Tuesday night and I really don't want this vacation to end!

Swoosie Kurds & Silly Selma

Kelly, Erin and I went to Cafe Barbette to celebrate Bastille day. I loved watching all the fun people and revelers enjoying such a fun celebration. It's so nice to be with my cousins and laugh and be silly. I also ran into a few people I haven't seen in a long time. Including my friend Kristy from my Northwestern and Trinidad days! She even called me Silly Selma, which is my nickname they gave me when we were in Trinidad. Most likely because we quoted the movie "Dancer in the Dark" every chance we had and I got the moniker of "Silly Selma", and it stuck!

Oh what a beautiful night for a French street celebration!

Toochis ofn tish!!!

Yesterday was a day like any other day. Though it was Bastille Day in France, and I would love to go there sometime for the festivities. I loved being in France so much! And I think about going back quite often. I was there for a bit of time 4 summers ago, I can't believe it has been that long now! I spent time in the French Riviera and then Paris, which was by far my favorite city in France. But when I was there I vowed to go back and experience it with someone I really loved a lot. Maybe someday... ooh la la! Today we will celebrate Bastille day and I will write all about it tomorrow. So back to yesterday. I spent a big chunk of the day with my mom and my brother at Walmart shopping for much needed necessities. We let Buddy pick out some movies and my mom said that I could get whatever I wanted. But I settled on a shirt, underwear, batteries and a magazine... nothing too exciting, but now i think I should've asked for a new Ipod!!! I think it was good to get my mom away from all the house worries. For dinner we were invited to our friends Vanessa & Brett's home. They have a beautiful home in the country. It's so idyllic because it has a river running through it and an apple orchard, something I have always wanted in a home. Vanessa has the 3 most adorable children. Which in a way is kinda funny, because she has only been married 4 years and now there are 3 kids! How fun! and yes I said Fun! I can't wait to have a whole tangle of kids running around. After dinner I met up with my friends Cindy and Jaime down in Belle Plain. Cindy has this group that she works with and they were some crazy guys! Or I guess more obnoxious than anything. So I spent my night there and had some laughs and Herrgie's Pizza. Oh and funny thing about Jaime. Her mom and my mom were good friends in high school and on. So I have known Jaime a long time. But just started more recently hanging out with her. Funny how life comes full circle.

A Dome, A Dog, and an Ex-Patriot

Well it's the end of one long week... Tonight I went to see my Beloved Twins at the not so loved Dome! Speaking of the Dome, what are they going to call Dome Dogs when they move to the new stadium? Hmmmm? So Kelly, Kyle, Erin, Lori and I went to see the Twins play and share some laughs. Afterwards was probably the goofiest part and only because I have insane cousins who are as demented as me and like to say and do crazy things! Kyle, Erin and I went to Byerlys for a treat, that was fun too. Everything is more fun with people who know how to be silly without fear of others judgement. Who really cares what other people think anyway? But then this goes back to my blog posting, "Known vs. Alone"... people want to be known, but they are too afraid to put themselves out there... so they end up alone. Sad.

Oh and i had one of my favorite sandwiches for lunch. For $2.50 you can get a lovely Pork Rind Banh Mi sandwich at Saigon Restaurant on Dale & University. Their Pho isn't bad either! Meow! Yummy French Bread, pork rind, cilantro, jalapenos, carrots, cucumbers and head cheese. And yes I said head cheese!

Speaking of French... tomorrow is Bastille Day! And I will be celebrating on Sunday at Barbette http://barbette.com/events.html.

The Irish have St. Patrick's Day but we French have our Bastille Day!

Je suis beau et français !

Er makht mir a shvartzeh khasseneh

So my Yiddish phrase for the day is the title for this posting which means "He's making a lot of trouble for me", or literally: "He's making me a black wedding"

Now I don't know who "He" is, but yeah there is a lot of trouble for me... So I have come to terms that this isn't going to be the July of my dreams, but at the same time, does that even matter? Life is so short and people are so precious. One minute they can be there, and the next they are gone. I know I take for granted even the smallest of moments. So I am learning to find contentment in the small things, and in the everyday moments and conversations with those that I love. Even in this time, I am blessed with friends who want to make sure I am happy and having fun... I was talking with Sarah tonight and I was really touched by what she said. She said that she would be praying for my family, but even more so that i would be immensely blessed! I do feel blessed as it is, so I don't know what i would do with more blessings... hopefully I would turn around and bless others. In the mean time, I am blessed by family and friends and those simple moments i cherish. There is a sign above my parent's door, and it's funny because it's the one thing that wasn't removed but it says, "Making Memories" and that we are!

My aunts and uncle and cousins came out to my parent's house tonight to hang with us. We had laughs aplenty, and it's awesome to see families come together in time of need.

My cousins Chris & Kelly took turns with the "phantom" horse. And I hope they had fun! :)

Tomorrow my cousins Kelly, Erin, Kyle and my aunt Lori and myself are going to a Twins game! Ah Yeah!