If Coffee be the Drink of Love...

Whoever discovered coffee should be canonized, at least in my book. I've dubbed the coffee plant "the miracle plant", and I know there are millions of people the same way.  I even wrote a blog post dedicated to coffee.

That being said, coffee has a special place in my love life, and as this past Friday marked three years since I told my Knight that I would love to be his girlfriend, I thought it only fitting that I share the story of us and coffee.

It all started out one week back in June of 2011, at the Minnesota Regina-Con aka Fairy Tale Novels Fan Gathering.  I'd headed there with hopes and dreams... I knew beyond a doubt that liked my not yet Knight very much, and I was almost even certain that he would be the one for me.  Someday.  It was exciting, and nerve wracking, heading up there but once we both got there, it felt so natural, and it was so easy to be normal, and be friends like we had been for the past three years.  

We connected on so many levels on that trip... we accidentally sat next to each other for every meal (no really, that was not planned!), we planned a murder mystery together, we navigated ourselves and two other friends out of St. Paul at 1am, but one of the most memorable things that we connected over that week was coffee.

It was nearly one in the morning by the time we actually got out of St. Paul, and then it was nearly an hour drive back home.  We managed to stay awake (well, my Kinght and I did. The other two slept in the back seat.) by listening to the radio and praying the rosary.  Naturally, the next morning we were exhauuuuusssteedddd.  The family hosting the gathering were not coffee drinkers, but the had borrowed a coffee maker and purchased some coffee to accommodate those who were. No body else wanted coffee that morning (they all slept), but My Knight and I were wiped and ended up drinking a whole pot of coffee between us.  I can still remember the moment when a thought struck me and I looked at the can of grounds and whispered to him in horror "That was DECAF".

A few days later, we were in town (and by that I mean a town with three blocks, a gas station, and if you blink you'll miss it), at the town hall to enjoy a talent show and swing dance party.  Again, we were very tired, and again as coffee drinkers were in the minority somehow, there was no coffee.  As we sat at one of the tables, waiting for dinner to be ready, My Knight, Sister T and I bemoaned the lack of caffeinated beverages. Then someone, I don't recall who, had the brilliant idea of scouring the little town for coffee. There had to be something somewhere.  Thus began the great coffee adventures of 2011.

As it turned out, the only place in the little eight block town that had any kind of life, or coffee, was the gas station about half a mile away (3/4 of a mile if you count the quarter we walked in the opposite direction).  After wander about for a bit and not find anything, remembering the gas station and trying to recall where it was, then walking down the state highway to get to said gas station, we finally made it to there and the glorious coffee machine.  I'd love to tell you it was the best coffee we'd ever tasted, but I honestly don't recall and it was probably your typical gas station brew. Nevertheless, it helped keep us alert and gave us another memory to smile and cherish.

Since that memorable start, coffee has continued to be a fixture in our relationship. Long distance coffee dates are one way in which we stay connected despite the miles in between.  He's given me several coffee mugs as gifts, this past Christmas I gave him a mug with his name written in Elvish on it.  Going out for coffee is something we do every time we are together.  Beating him to the coffee maker so I can make him a cup of coffee in the morning is one of my favorite things to do on our visits.  Someday, when we have a home of our own, I'm sure the coffee maker will have a central and grand location in the midst of our hourly existence.  Or at least, you know, a nice spot on the kitchen counter.

Celebrating Life, Long Distance

Three years ago today, I was single.  I would be single for a few more days... nine, to be exact.  Well, eight, depending on how you look at it.  There was some timey wimey wibbly wobblyness in there.  You see, eight/nine days from now, three years ago, I answered a letter from a certain young man living on the East Coast with the reply that, yes, I did want to be his girlfriend.

Being in a long distance relationship certainly has it's challenges... one of which is the difficulty in celebrating things together like birthdays, holidays and sometimes even anniversaries.  We've never spent an actual holiday together (apart from the Fourth of July last year, but that marginally counts), we've never spent our birthdays together, and last year we weren't together for our actual anniversary.  That's really, really hard.

Despite the difficulties that separation brings, however, we've managed to find ways to celebrate the milestones and events in life together.  Necessity is the mother of invention, if I'm remembering the phrase correctly, and I have to say, I think we've come up with some pretty good ones.

Technology is a wonderful miracle, without which long distance dating would be much harder.  One of our favorite ways to celebrate birthdays, Valentines Day or just dating is to go on what we've termed a "long distance movie date".  We decide what film we want to see, look up to see what the closest corresponding showing times are (the past few times we've gotten luck with the time difference and found shows starting at the same time!) and then follow up the film with a Skype session at a nearby coffee place to talk about the movie.

Birthdays are always celebrated with several phone calls, a movie date if there isn't an in-person visit in a close timeframe, and we always open our gifts from each other while Skyping (if not opened at an in-person visit).  Christmas being the busy day that it is, we don't get a chance to Skype, but we do make sure to call each other and there is always a visit not long after during which we can properly exchange gifts and enjoy the mistletoe.  Valentine's Day is celebrated in a similar fashion... we've made a tradition of going out for coffee, Skyping and opening cards and little gifts to each other.  

(As an aside, coffee has a memorable place in our relationship, so the choice of a coffee shop is not simply because they are nice places to video chat.  Actually, the WiFi can be quite frustrating most of the time.  But coffee as a means of bringing us together and making me fall in love with him is a story for another day...)

My favorite way of spending time together when we are apart is something that was inspired by a song my Fairy Godmother shared with me last year, a little bit before our second anniversary.  He had flown out to go on vacation with my family and I about a week before and wasn't able to be here for the actual day.  We went out for a lovely dinner to celebrate while he was here, but we wanted to do something on that day as well.  

My Fairy Godmother shared a quote with me along the lines of "there is no distance between two tabernacles", and then shared the song "See You in the Eucharist".  And that is what gave me the idea for a long distance Holy Hour together.  We did it together for our anniversary last year, and for Valentine's Day this year before going out for coffee, and both times it was a truly beautiful hour.  It really does feel as if he is there, right on the other side of the Tabernacle that I am kneeling in front of.  Prayer played an very important role in our love story, and is an important part of our lives, and growing closer together in prayer is the best thing any couple can do.

And we have, of course, found ways of celebrating the little events in life too.  We call, we text, we text a lot, we send each other pictures - such as, if I'm wearing a cute outfit and want him to see it, or he catches a nice size fish - we share things on Facebook and chat and update each other on what we are doing and experiencing and feeling.  

Celebrating life together is a challenge, but it's an exciting challenge.  And it helps when you have the most awesome guy in the world to figure it all out with.

Welcome to Anne's Garden

When I started dating my Knight, just a little over two and a half years ago the plethora of relationship advice books and websites out there suddenly took on a new relevance.  I've picked up a few over the years, particularly in the early days of figuring out how being in a relationship was supposed to work, but I quickly noticed one thing.

There was a definite lack of any sort of advice or support when it came to long distance relationships.  Advice and suggestions for ways to grow your relationship even while you were 1,000 miles apart was hard to come by and so I had to take regular relationship advice and modify it to fit our needs.  It was somewhere back then, maybe about a year ago around the time that I wrote my blog post Long Distance Love, that I thought "Gosh... wouldn't it be great if there was a Facebook group for people in long distance relationships?"

I didn't do it then, but I thought of the idea from time to time.  I did a quick Google search the other day, and there is certainly more out there now in the way of resources for long distance couples than there were two and a half years ago.  I started thinking about a Facebook group more seriously, a Facebook group for women in long distance relationships in particular.  I've been blessed to come across a few girls who are in long distance relationships as well... and sometimes it is so nice to talk to someone who really gets it and knows exactly what it is like to be so far away from the guy you love.

And that, dear readers, is why I have started Anne's Garden. (Credit for inspiring me with the title goes to my Knight.  He's a genius.)

To quote from the little "about us" blurb I wrote up:

Anne's Garden a place for women in long distance relationships to gather. It's a place for us to sip a cup of tea and share stories about our men, find a shoulder to cry on, excitedly wave around photos of our latest visit and ask for advice. The garden is named for Anne Shirley, of Green Gables fame, who was in her own long distance relationship with Gilbert for three years (in Anne of Windy Poplars).

I'm still new to the ways of running a group, but I believe that the link should lead you right to it and allow you to request permission to join. It is a closed group so all content is private, the name and who is a member being the only information visible.  There is no stipulation on how long of a distance it has to be, or how long you've been in one.  The only thing we respectfully ask that only women who are in or have been in (we love women who were in long distance and are now married!) long distance relationships join this group.

So please, if you are in a long distance relationship or know someone who is and would love the support and companionship from other girls - by all means join us! The more the merrier and you all are welcome.  Hope to see you for tea!

Some Thoughts of Love

But not mine.  Rather, in honor of Valentines' Day here is a small sampling of some of my favorite thoughts and quotes about love... enjoy!

 "Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one's life with pomp and blare... perhaps, perhaps love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath." ~ Anne of Avonlea 

"I fell in love with him. But I don't stay with him by default as if there's no one else available to me. I stay with him because I choose to, every day that I wake up, every day that we fight or lie to each other or disappoint each other. I choose him over and over again, and he chooses me." 

 - Triss, "Allegiant" 

Amy Pond, "The Girl Who Waited"

"Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own." 

 — Robert A. Heinlein 

Gilbert: It'll be three years before I finish medical school. Even then there won't be any diamond sunbursts or marble halls. 

Anne: I don't want diamond sunbursts, or marble halls. I just want you.

Happy Valentine's Day!  

Do you have a favorite love quote/saying/song lyric? Feel free to share in the comments!

I am so Blessed...

to have a Knight who loves me far more than I deserve.

Who is so patient with me when I am irrational and moody and selfish and decidedly not the best me.

Who makes me laugh and smile with his silliness and teasing.

Who makes me melt every time he smiles at me and gives me a kiss and my heart skip a beat each time he says my name.

Who gives me new reasons to fall deeper in love with him every day.

Who is willing to undergo the struggles and painfulness of a long distance relationship, who does so much to care for and support me and is there for me even when 1,000 miles lie in between.

Who is the best Knight a Lady could ever ask for and more than she had ever dared to hope might come riding into her life.

Who makes each and every day that we are apart worth the wait until I can see him again.

How the years fly by

It's amazing to think how fast the time can fly by.  A little over two years ago my Knight and I were simply good friends...

And then he wrote me a letter, asking me to be his girlfriend. Two years ago today... I wrote him a letter back, sent it to him via scan and an e-mail at midnight because I couldn't wait for the postal service, and I said yes.

The days sped by, and before we knew it we were celebrating one year of dating.  One year ago today... we were in Chicago, happy and relieved that he'd finally arrived after some flight difficulties and at the start of a beautiful visit.

And now it's a year later and I'm trying to figure out how the time went by so quickly.  A year has passed in what seems like a blink of an eye.  Today... we are separated by  986 miles (or 1,013, depending on which driving route you take), but being apart doesn't make this day any less special.  We were blessed to have another beautiful visit last week, and celebrate together a little early with a wonderful dinner date.

I have been blessed with the most amazing man in the world for my boyfriend.  I can't imagine there be anyone else out there who is as perfect for me, and who completes me as well as he does, and I thank God every day for giving me my Knight.

I love you dear.  Happy Anniversary!

Carrying on

"Sometimes I feel my heart is breaking 
But I stay strong and I hold on 
Cause I know... 
I will see you again, 
This is not where it ends.
I will carry you with me,

Till I see you again."

He's gone again... and now my world is a little less bright, a bit sadder, and life is harder.  It hurts and everything feels empty without him here.  It hits me most in the moments when I want to rest against him, or when I pray the rosary on the way home from the airport and find myself pausing to let him continue on with the response, or when I half expect him to come walking into the room.

It's hard not to cry, and I do sometimes, but then I comfort myself be replaying every minute of our visit.  I look through the pictures we took together and smile at the memories that they bring back.  I remember how his arms felt around me and how his kiss felt on my forehead.  I'm not going to deny that if I need to, I'm going to wrap myself in one of the scarves that he gave me, no matter how hot and humid it is.  And it helps.

We will see each other again soon, I know that.  We have done this before, and we can do it again.  It will be two years this week... it is so hard to believe that it has been this long already.  Time has flown by, and that is a comfort as well.  Because I know then that even when it feels like forever, time is still passing by and each day is one day closer to when I can see him again.   "It's only a passing thing, this shadow.  A new day will come, and when it does the sun will shine out all the clearer."

It is hard, so very hard... but he is worth it. And I will see him again soon.

Three more days

In three more days, he will be here.  We'll be together again and life will at last be as it should be.  He and I, together.

The months apart are hard.  There are times when it is easier to bear than others, but it is always hard.  The shortest time we were apart was a little over a month... and that was still difficult.  We were lucky that time, usually the months in between number closer to four.

In just three days he'll be getting off the plane and walking out to the curb, and I'll be pulling up and jumping out of the car to meet him.  It's starting to sink in, but I know it won't fully hit me until I see him standing there, with that gorgeous smile of his.

I'm excited and eager, and you would think that that would make this week a little easier.  It doesn't though.  As hard as it gets the rest of the time, that last, final week before we are reunited at last is one of the hardest. Every single time.  We are so close... but we aren't there yet.  We still have to wait.  We still have to be patient.  Just those few... last... long.... days....

But then we'll be together again, and the heartache of waiting will be over and forgotten, lost in the joy of being with each other again.  We just have to get through three more days.

Make them feel loved, or, the five love languages - Part 2

Generally speaking, each person has one primary love language, one way that really lets you know that people value you and love you and care about you.  In addition to your primary language, there is often a secondary language.  How close in your first and second languages are in "fluency" varies from person to person.  Typically, this is also the way that you show love to the people around you, and that is where the challenge lies.  James' primary language could be words of affirmation, but if Mary Margaret's is acts of service, compliments and positive reinforcement and encouraging words will be nice, but they won't mean as much as if James were to voluntarily clean the house for her. Learning the love languages cannot only help us communicate what we need to feel loved and fulfilled  but can also help us to learn how to best love the people around us.  

That being said, let's take a brief moment to look at each of them, shall we?

Quality Time

My sister #1's primary love language is quality time.  To feel loved, she enjoys having people spend time with her and do things together.  There doesn't have to be any talking involved, though that is nice too.  Simply taking the time to spend some one on one time is enough.  For someone who speaks the language of Quality Time, it is essential that one on one time really does mean one on one.  Going out together and still texting friends doesn't cut it.  Cuddling while watching a movie, but then checking Facebook or your e-mail on the phone, won't fulfill the Quality Time need either.  Spend time with that person, give them your undivided attention, and they will feel loved.

Physical Touch

Physical touch is definitely my youngest brother's primary love language.  I don't think the kid goes more than ten minutes without running up to my mom, myself or one of my other siblings and giving them a hug or a kiss on the cheek.  When he's talking to you, he usually has to be touching your arm.  Of course, he absolutely loves it when he gets a hug, or you cuddle with him.  Speaking Physical Touch doesn't mean you have to be constantly hugged, but it does mean that any touch speaks volumes.  Just a simple touch on the shoulder as you walk by, a light kiss on the cheek, touching or rubbing the back while you are talking can go a long way. And of course, deeper expressions of physical touch will go even further.

Words of Affirmation

Sister #2 speaks the love language of Words of Affirmation.  For a while we didn't realize this, because she can tend to be one of the more sharp tongued people in the family.  Once she told us that though, and we read more about the love languages, it made sense that she would lash out verbally when she didn't feel enough love.  It's not that she wasn't getting any, but generally speaking verbal affirmation just isn't a big thing with us, and that is the language she responds to the most strongly.  To make a Words of Affirmation feel that they are loved, try to get into the habit of praising them.  Share compliments on their appearance, their talents, their accomplishments.  Encourage them in a positive way.  Want bonus points?  Affirm them in front of their friends or co-workers or anyone else.

Acts of Service

This is the language that my mom speaks, and we found that out the hard way because... as far as we've figured out she is the only one in our family who speaks that language.  When someone you love speaks a different primary language than you, it is so important to try and learn to speak that language as well.  The key to Acts of Service is that they have to be completely voluntary.  If someone who speaks Acts of Service asks you to please wash the dishes, and you cheerfully respond "Of course honey!" and go do it, yes that will mean a lot to them.  Yet it will mean even more if you were to see that the dishes needed to be washed, it's time for the dinner to start getting prepared and you do those things without having to be asked.  Voluntarily doing a chore for that person will make them feel loved as well.  Actions speak louder than words.

Gift Giving

My primary love language is Gift Giving.  Nothing is more sure to bring a smile to my face than an unexpected gift, or tangible token of affection.  With this language, it can be easy to feel like you are materialistic.  The gift has to be something you can touch, that you can hold and keep, and feeling guilt over my love language is something that I have struggled with.  Gift Giving as your primary love language is nothing to be ashamed of though.  A gift can be so many different things.... to show love to a Gift Giver, a surprise little "hey, I saw this and knew you would love it so I just had to get it for you", or a handmade object created during a craft session can mean worlds.  A gift can also be something like a handwritten letter, picking a flower off of a bush, an extra copy of a book that you had that you thought they might like.  The possibilities are endless... because it's not the actual gift, it's the fact that you took the time to buy or create something, and you thought of the Gift Giver when you did that will make a Gift Giver feel love.

I am by no means an expert on the love languages (though I did read The Five Love Languages, The Five Love Languages for Children, The Five Love Languages for Teens and The Five Love Languages for Singles).  I find them absolutely fascinating, and I've found that they really help in my own relationships.  If I've piqued your interest and you want to learn more... well, as you can see there are four books you can read.  Possibly even a fifth, but I can't remember what demographic that love language book was for.  In the mean time while you are getting your hands on a book, the 5 Love Languages website does give you a little quest to help you figure out what language you speak.

I hope this post was of interest and some help to anyone who has been struggling to come up with the perfect idea for a Valentine's Day gift for their sweetheart.  Now go out there and share the love!

The Young Victoria

 Today I went to the library and finally found a copy of "The Young Victoria".  I'd been looking for it every time I went to the library for several months, but it was always checked out and for some reason I never ordered it online.  I finally was able to borrow it today, and even though I can only have it for three days, and had to pay a dollar since it is a "hot" video, it was worth it.  It was so worth it.

"The Young Victoria" tells in part the story of Queen Victoria and her struggle to be the Ruler of England.  But more importantly, it tells the story of how Victoria, the sole ruler of England, found the sole ruler of her heart - Prince Albert.

Before I go further, a note to any parents or careful older siblings: there are some marriage scenes, but anything is implied, rather than explicit. All are clothed and on the whole, they are very tastefully and beautifully done.  I personally would have no problem with my younger siblings viewing this film with me.  As far as swearing, there was only one word in the entire film.

The characters are very well cast, featuring Emily Blunt, whom I have not seen before, as Victoria, Rupert Friend, whom I have seen as Mr. Wikham in "Pride and Prejudice" (2005) as Prince Albert.  There was also appearances by Miranda Richardson (Madame Giry, "The Phantom of the Opera"), Jim Broadbent (Professor Kirke, "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe") and Harriet Walter (Fanny Dashwood, "Sense and Sensibility" and - Yavi, you'll like this - Mrs. Gowan, "Little Dorrit.")  The costumes were absolutely beautiful... and the musical score was just gorgeous.


And of course, the story.  A lovely young woman, a terribly handsome young man, a wonderful romance, a happy marriage - and best of all, it's real.

I Could Have Danced All Night

Finally, it was Saturday, the day of the Annual Daddy-Daughter Ball, a night that Rose and all of the other girls in the homeschooling group had been looking forward to for weeks now.  It was the night when they all dressed up in their very best, did their hair in elegant twists, braids and curls and went out for a special night with their fathers and friends.  A night of dancing, food, friends and fun.

That morning was spent in a flurry of preparations.  As soon as Rose awoke, she went to the kitchen and began to make the dessert, munching on various bagels and handfuls of cereal for breakfast in between.  That finished, Rose proceeded to do her usual Saturday cleaning chores, which her mother strangely insisted must be done.  About noon, Rose began to curl her two of her sister's hair while the rest donned their ball gowns.  Hair curling finished, Rose put on her gold 'Cinderella' gown, brushed on her makeup, selected some jewelry and rushed out the door.

This year her mother was the official photographer, and as Rose's father had gone earlier to fix the lighting and backdrop, the girls rode with their mother to the ball.  They were also going early, so the other two girls and Rose could have their hair done and so Rose could assist with doing the hair.  They arrived, parking next to a car with a license plate from MI.  Rose briefly wondered who could be here from MI, but shrugged it off as someone's relative who happened to be visiting.

The girls secured their purses and dishes, wondering why their mother insisted on them all walking in together.  Yaviel had not heard this instruction and had gone in ahead, resulting in frustrated sighs from Mother and questions from Rose that went unanswered.  Yet they did not suspect a thing.

As they walked in, Rose and her sisters were greeted by friends who were there doing hair and having their hair done.

"Oh, where is Kathleen?" friend Sarah, inquired.

"Ummm, right there," Rose said, slightly puzzled as Kathleen walked in behind her.

"Oh, I'll take your coats!" another friend offered, grabbing Yaviel's coat.  Rose thought this a little odd, and went to hang up her own coat.  She had nearly reached the coat rack when seemingly out of no where, a vision of her dear friend Vicki stepped out and said "Hi guys!"

Rose stopped and stared.  What on earth?  That wasn't Vicki... Vicki lived up in MI... that was Vicki!  Then Vicki's sister Hannah stepped smiling from the Lady's 'Power Room'.  Half dropping, half throwing her purse and coat (and in the process breaking her fan) Rose shrieked Vicki's name and threw herself on her friend, as Yaviel and Kathleen yelled and threw themselves at Hannah.

For several minutes, all Rose could do was just hug her friend and cry and stammer out "How?" You're" "Vicki!"  Eventually the story of Hannah and Vicki's miraculous appearance came out.  Two weeks prior to the ball, Claire - the main hairdresser for the ball - had been wishing for a helper who really knew how to do hair.  Someone like... Vicki.

"Well, why not invite her to the ball?" was Claire's mother's reply.  So off an e-mail was sent, and a reply came back saying that the girls and their dad would be happy to come down for the ball.  At that point, some brilliant angel had the wonderful idea of having the visit be a surprise for Rose, Kathleen and Yaviel.

And indeed, a surprise it was.  For hours the initial surprise, Rose continued to look over at her friends, still marveling at how this all came about.  Yaviel periodically giggled while she had her hair done.  It was all too wonderful to be true!

Rose also had the pleasure of surprising someone that night.  Several months ago, Rose realized how much her friends Vicki and Jo March had in common and decided that even if they couldn't meet in real life, they should at least get to know each other via e-mail and promptly ordered them to become pen pals.  (She was successful).

Jo came in a while later and went over to give Rose a hug as she was holding a container of bobby pins for Vicki.  Jo semi-glanced at Vicki on her way over, but it was not until  Jo was in the middle of starting to give Rose a hug when she stopped, did a double take, and said "Wait... you're Vicki!"  And so at last, the two were able to meet.

The rest of the night was a glorious blur of dancing and bliss.  Rose danced nearly every dance, enjoying especially the dances with her father.  This was Rose's first time dancing in her first pair of high heels, and she was very pleased to discover that she could indeed dance polkas, the Cotton Eyed Joe and just dance safely with heels three inches high.  Vicki, Hannah, Rose, Yaviel, Kathleen, Mystica, His Little Butterfly and Jo all took a 'forum family' photo. 

At one point that night, "Love Story meets Viva la Vida" was played and the girls stood in the middle of the dance floor, singing along at the tops of their lungs and making up dance moves to the rest of the song.  Later, Rose and her fellow seventeen-year-olsd took their annual group photo shoot.

At last, the clock struck nine thirty - or something like that - and the ball drew to a close.  The final dance was played and heads bowed for the final prayer.  Then the hall burst out again in noise as everyone participated in taking down the decorations and cleaning up the room.  Little by little, farewells were given and the families departed.

For Rose, Yaviel, Kathleen, Vicki and Hannah though, the party still went on.  When they arrived at the house, the girls were promptly given a tour of the house - the bedrooms, the upstairs, the finished basement and...

"You guys have a BAR!" Hannah couldn't believe her eyes.  "Oh man, I need pictures of this!"

Once the excitement of discovering the bar had died down, the girls played around with the video effects on Hannah's FBI laptop and eventually fell asleep. 

As Rose lay on the floor, trying to ignore Yaviel, who was talking to herself, she thanked God for the wonderful blessings she had been given that day.  It hadn't started out so well, her knees and ankles had hurt before she even got to the dance and she had been feeling a little down because she didn't think she looked that good at all.  The dress looked weird... her face looked blotchy... her hair looked blah... the typical nonsensical woes of any teenage girl, silly but potentially harmful to a good evening.  Yet she had been saved by the love of her parents and her friends.  She fell asleep happy, and thankful and she could have danced all night.

I am Thankful For...

My Faith
God's love
The Catholic Church
The Blessed Mother
The saints
My guardian angel
My Family
My Dad
My Mom
Kathleen
Yaviel
Limwen
Frodo
Rosebud
Pippin
My grandparents
My cousins, aunts and uncles
My Friends
Fishy
Josie
Ballerina
Mandy
Rose #2
The twins
My fairy godmum
Sarah
David
Cynthia
Anne Marie
Clare
Hannah
Holly
Liz
Mary
Lauren
Bridget
Havilah
Megan
Theresa
Audrey
Lanta
Ella
Elena
Catalina
Lilia
Therese
Blanche Rose
Katheryn
Cor Mariae & Christina
Hannah M.
Vicki
Cecilia
Saerwen
Addie
Delaney
Ranya
Meg
Paul
Matthew
Maddy
Carmie
Annette
Trissy
Trina
Grace
Purity
Gwen
Ana
Emmy
Eliza
Auntie Q
My Blog Followers
Kenia Chan
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Jo
***Emily***
Emma
rmshadow98
Olive Tree
Maggie
Yaviel
Animal Lover
Philosopher
Dixi
kmeche1992
Elraina Undomiel
Lady Blanche Rose
Bracie
Janet
Ardhoniel
Lady Brigid
Jare and Lib
SAHMinIL
AK
Molly
Lady Celia
Rachelle Danielle
Rosary Girl
Earwen
Adonnenniel
Lisa Marie
Jessiegirl97
Clare Marie-Therese Duroc
Catholic Chick
Lady Milisande Awina Grim
The Editrix
Emma
Kathleen Pevensie
Victoria Rose
Delaney
Kaila
Paul Xavier
Elizabeth
The Real Katie
Handmaid for the Lord
Emmy Cecilia
Ancient Greek Philosopher
Hannah
Angel_Horses
Kitty Cat
Olivia
Trina
Mr. Miller
My mom
Autumn Rose
paints33
Elenatintil
Carmela
Everyone I know!


I thank God for the gift of YOU!

Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!

Love,
Rose