It won't be long...

... til my laptop dies.

It's making some very sad sounds.  It groans and moans and I swear sometimes it has trouble breathing.  I've had this one for at least 5 years now and it was refurbished when I got it.  So it's only a matter of time until I have to say good-bye and hope to say "Hello iPad"

Most of the time it's good...

I consider myself a pretty good cook.  I can whip up a meal when there appears to be 'nothing to eat' and we all enjoy it.  I can follow a recipe and even tweek things to my liking and 'make it my own.'  There are some things that I have never attempted to make because, well, for lack of a better excuse, it requires too many dishes.  Like... fried chicken.  It takes 4 plates/dishes for prepping and it's just too messy to cook.

A couple of nights ago, Q expressed that he liked having me home more and it made me feel warm and appreciated so I thought I'd make a meal that was not on the usual menu rotation.  Yup... fried chicken.  The prep work was easy, and yes it was messy but I was feeling pretty good about what was to come.  The end result - 'blackened fried chicken.'  The oil was way too hot - Eke!... however, it did have flavor potential.  Q ate it and said 'it's not bad' but he didn't have seconds and this morning he said I didn't have to pack lunch for him, he normally takes leftovers.  Vicki tasted it and opted for sloppy jo leftovers from Sunday - she thanked me for the effort.  Little Q ate it with lots of ketchup - thank god for ketchup.

Tonight, I'm sticking to a rotation meal - take out.  All the dishes are in the dishwasher.

A good morning...

Lord prepare me
To be a sanctuary
Pure and holy
Tried and true

With thanksgiving
I'll be a living
Sanctuary for you

... My cousin Allie sings this hymn so beautifully and I have come to love humming it before I journal.
<>< gina

I will miss you...

Here is the video we played at my grandma's funeral.  I will miss so many things about her. 

Like...
* her smile
* her laughter
* you could get her to do almost anything, taste almost anything, and wear almost anything
* she liked playing jokes
* I don't think she ever told me "no"
* she didn't drive, so if you invited her somewhere, you had to pick her up, I guess that's why she didn't say no
* she liked playing bingo, going to las vegas, and playing cards
* she loved football, Cowboys of course
* she loved basketball, Go Spurs Go
* tortillas, tamales & arroz
* capirutara - I think that's how you spell it
* pretty much everything about her

Grandma was a strong, God loving woman and I hope that my life will be as filled as hers.  She touched so many people and through those relationships came bountiful blessings.

Everyone contributed pictures and Allie (Cindy's daughter) & I pulled an all-nighter to put the video together.