THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN EVENTS...

Dear Friends,

After a sudden tradgedy that occured on Monday night, I have stopped all of my plans on leaving for the Summer. My daughter Gina Marie's best friend was killed last Monday night while she was at work. She was going to school to become a Social Worker, a lifelong dream of hers, and took a job at a group home for troubled youth. Her name was Renee. Renee worked there for over 2 years and was very loved by the residents and staff. About a month ago one of the boys stole her keys and robbed the cash box of $160.00. After fingerprints and an investigation was done they found out what boy had stolen the money. Appearantly on Monday morning the group Supervisor announced that they knew who had taken it and that this person would be dealt with privately. Well, the boy(s) didn't wait to see if they had been caught and that day devised a plan for escape. They knew Renee was an easy target because she was such a sweet and unsuspecting type of person. She had taken the group of 6 to the Community Center after dinner, and at approximately 9:00pm was sitting at the dining room table playing cards with one of the other residents. These two boys snuck up behind her and put a blanket over her head. They bludgeoned her to death, then stole the group home van keys, her purse with her money and took off. They then ditched the van at a Walmart halfway to the bus station in the city of Buffalo, about an hour drive away. They took a cab from there to the station. They could not get a bus out until 2:25am. When the news hit the radio and tv, the cab driver realized that the boys he drove to the Bus Station were the murder suspects he called 911. They had to use a helicopter with those special search lights to find them, and they did. They had been hiding in the bushes. They located them just 55 minutes before they would have been on the bus. They have been arrested and charged with murder and robbery.

This has been a true nightmare for my daughter, myself, Renee's family, and many other friends and relatives she had. She was a very special young woman that was a true light that shined so brightly. I will never forget the twinlke in her eyes and her beautiful smile. My daughter and Renee started Kindergarten together and remained friends throughout all these years right up till the day of her death. When my Gina text messaged her on Monday night she didn't understand why she didn't answer, but figured she may have gone out after her 3:00pm - 11:00pm shift. We didn't find out until early the following morning.
She had been telling my daughter how much she wanted to leave the job but needed the health insurance. Her mother, stepfather and brother just moved to Texas three weeks ago and begged Renee to move with them, but she wanted to finish her studies here in Buffalo.

So, all of that being told...I felt as if God spoke to me the other day. I was drying my hair getting ready for the wake. I walked out of the bath and told my daughter that I could not leave. For some reason I feel that I cannot do so at this time, or maybe never. All I do know is the message came to me loud and clear and I will not argue with that. I love my children with all of my heart, and my grandson also. I believe this is where I belong. Maybe God wants me to witness my daughter's entire pregnancy with her, I can't honestly say. It was one thing that was bothering me tremendously. I did not want to leave her and miss out on all of it. I think the biggest thing that really shook both my daughter and myself was on Wednesday morning Gina and I were sitting at the table having coffee and she felt the baby move...it was her first movement. She burst out in tears of joy and I followed right after her. This is where I belong my friends...as much as I had looked forward to visiting Seattle and South Carolina, there is plenty of time to do that in the future. Right now I want to stay here with my children. My daughter needs me and honestly, I need her also. We will be going in 9 days for her next sonogram and we will find out if she is having a boy or girl. I am sooooo excited! I won't lie, we are hoping it is a girl, but we will be happy with whatever God gives us. (((Smile)))

So, if you would say a prayer for Renee Greco and her family I am sure it will make God smile. They so need them right now.

I will be around much more in the coming weeks. Things like this have a way of putting our lives into perspective. I have missed you all so much. I am ready to come back.

Much Love,

Kimmie xxoo

P.S. I am going to try to post the links to the articles from the Buffalo Evening News a little bit later on today in case anyone is interested in reading about it.

GONE FOR THE SUMMER

~*~HELLO MY DEAR FRIENDS~*~

I HAVE MUCH TO DO IN THE MONTHS COMING UP. I WILL BE PACKING UP MY APARTMENT AND PUTTING MY THINGS IN STORAGE. GOING TO SEATTLE, WASHINGTON FOR A FEW MONTHS TO VISIT WITH MY OLDEST SISTER. THEN I WILL BE HEADING DOWN TO HILTON HEAD, SOUTH CAROLINA FOR A MONTH OR SO BEFORE I HEAD HOME AND AWAIT THE BIRTH OF MY SECOND GRANDCHILD IN MID NOVEMBER.

THIS IS ALL VERY NEW AND I MUST SAY A BIT STRESSFUL FOR I AM ONE TO FRET OVER THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN. BUT...MY FRIENDS, IT IS TIME FOR ME TO START LIVING INSTEAD OF EXISTING. I HAVE COME TO A VERY HAPPY PLACE INSIDE AND NOW I AM GOING TO EXPLORE WHAT LIFE HAS TO OFFER ME.

I THINK I AM IN FOR A GREAT ADVENTURE!!!

I DON'T USUALLY ASK FOR ANYTHING FROM ANYONE, BUT IF YOU COULD KEEP ME IN YOUR PRAYERS I WOULD BE VERY THANKFUL.

MUCH LOVE,

KIMMIE

XOXO

"AWWW MONDAYS #17

HELLO FRIENDS!

I am late, but happy I made it in for my own meme! Oh goodness, I have been a slacker. Spending to much time playing on Facebook! But it is "oh so fun!"

I hope you all are having a beautiful Spring and remember...Summer is just about here! Yeay!!!

I hope you enjoy my Awww Photo this week. I thought it was adorable!

Big Hugs,

Kimmie

"AWWW MONDAYS" #15

Hi Friends!

What a good momma, taking her babies for a ride. :-)

~*~Happy Awww Monday~*~

Hugs,

Kimmie

"AWWW MONDAYS" #13

Hello Friends!

I thought this was such an "Awww" when I saw it.

~*~Happy Awww Monday~*~

Hugs,

Kimmie

COFFEE

~*~COFFEE~*~

You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things seemed to be so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as soon as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil...without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

Then she laddled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see."

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. The did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.

The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, Mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently...

The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile.

Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however.

After they were in the boiling water, they had CHAGED the water.

"Which are you?" She asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks On your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee Bean?

THINK OF THIS:

Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my Strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat?

I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean?

The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain..

When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean,
when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation
around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level?

How do you handle adversity?

Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials t
make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to...

MAKE YOU HAPPY!

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of
everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along
their way.

The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten
past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and
heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was
SMILING.

Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling
and everyone around you is crying.

FRIENDS....today I received this in an email from a woman who is a dear friend of mine. We have had many of the same struggles in life thus far. This touched me beyound words. It has truly changed the way I look at my life. :-)

I am leaving the rest of the email on it (BELOW) just in case you may want to copy it and send it to someone who you may care about.

You might want to send this message to those people who mean
Something to you (I JUST DID);

to those who have touched your life in
one way or another;

to those who make you smile when you really need it;

to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are
really down; to those whose friendship you appreciate; to those who are
so meaningful in your life.

If you don't send it, you will just miss out on the opportunity to
brighten someone's day with this message!

~*~WE ALL BE....COFFEE~*~

Much Love and A Happy Easter!

Kimmie

xoxo

TAKING SOME TIME OFF FRIENDS

~*~Hello Dear Friends~*~

Just a note to let you all know that I will be taking some time off blogging. Possibly the entire Spring and Summer.

I have gotten busy with my primitive designing again for it will help to pay the bills. My income alone is just not enough. Plus, I have also become very active in Facebook with the different games and such they offer. That tends to take up all the computer time I allot myself daily.

I am not going to close because I do believe I will come back to my blog. I have had a difficult time coming up with ideas on what to post and feel I have lost my inspiration as far as a blogger goes. Hopefully that will come back to me over time.

Right now I feel I have to concentrate more on my Primitive Folk Art Group...~The Kindred Sisters Gathering Post~ and the new Website we have. That in itself will take up most of my days. Between creating and being active in the Group, plus posting on my Primitive Blog ~Whispering*Prims~*~ (you can see it by clicking on the Avatar on the top left side) I will be one busy woman.

Folk Art is my passion, when I started blogging I lost that passion. I spent way to many hours blogging and not enough creating. I have needed to change that for a very long time. Now is the time.

I will still post "Awww Mondays" every week. I am sorry I missed this week, but I forgot again and didn't remember till Wednesday, how embarassing is that?

I will also be spending much time caring for my daughter Gina Marie. She is here living with me now. My new grandchild will be arriving in mid November. :-) I can't wait!

I want you to all know just because I am not here doesn't mean I am not thinking about you all.

~*~Have a Blessed and Happy Easter~*~

Much Love & Hugs,

Kimmie