Meli Monday - No Justice for Trayvon Martin

Myself, as well as many of you, I assume ~ are heartbroken, sad, disgusted over the Trayvon Martin trial outcome.  It hurts my soul so deeply to see this country in the shape it is in.  The Justice System....is flawed, to say the least. 

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And we now know, it wasn't an alleged murdered....but a murderer, who was aquitted.

So what comes next?

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Because this is NOT gonna work. 

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As AMERICANS we should ALL STAND and see to it that JUSTICE is served and that Trayvon Martin did not die in vain.  With skittles and juice in his pockets.  CIVIL RIGHTS ARE CIVIL RIGHTS!!!

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I, too, am tired.  And this time...I AM NOT GIVING UP!!!!! 

Where did I leave off last time?  Ahhh, yes, NEW BEGINNINGS.   Up next....

Manic Monday - 06.10.13

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This week has a theme.  Stay tuned.  It's prime time for NEW BEGINNINGS!!!!

duckin' and divin' and still livin'

Well hellllllooooo lil neglected blog o mine!  Oh, how I have missed you!?! 

There have been many happenings going on since I last touched base.  Life continues to throw blows my way, so I just keep duckin' and divin'.....and of course, I keep on jivin'!  hehe.

Sit back, relax and grab a cup o da good stuff.  I am playing catch up on my life via pictures.

Granted.  Lots of stuff happened between each of the next few pictures, but these are the highlights.

{Annual Bluebonnet Picture ~ 2013}

 

{like mentioned above, lots of silly stuff in between!}

 

What stands out the most is how quickly my baby is turning into a little girl.  A very sweet, lovable, and funny little girl.  Life is a continuous beautiful cycle...though not always easy to understand.  She helps me stay focused on the positive, not feed into the negative.

 

Speaking of this continuous beautiful cycle of life...I recently met my most precious nephew, Brylan.

 

{nothing beats a newborn's feet}



 

And my spunky niece is thrilled to be a big sister now.  Something Layla still keeps asking to be...

{silly and smart!! she's got it all.}

 

As most of you know, Texas gets hot quick, we rarely have a "winter."  So we have already found the time to sneak in a beach visit and say a friendly hello to the Galveston Pleasure Pier, which is ahhh-ma-zing!  Love it, ready to go back. 

 

 

 

{Mother's Day 2013 ~ both decked out in Matilda Jane}

 

And if the proof isn't in the pudding, aka my pictures, to prove how fast Layla is growing up....I present to you....

 

 

Layla ~ the Kindergarten Graduate

 

Yeah, crazy!!!!  I have a first grader on my hands. 

 

I hope you all have a wonderful beginning to your summer.  I am planning to be 'round more often.  So, stop on by.

 

A child educated only at school is an uneducated child. 

 

~ George Santayana

Your Spirit Remains

Your spirit remains 

though we had to bid you adieu.

Your spirit remains 

I still feel so very close to you. 

Your spirit remains

though your sweet soul left this Earth. 

Your spirit remains 

though your body rests beneath sacred dirt. 

Your spirit remains 

in our hearts, in our tears and in the raindrops aplenty.

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Your spirit remains 

through the colors of the rainbows He has sent thee. 

Your spirit remains 

in the blue sky, the misty air and the rolling hills. 

Your spirit remains

as it always will. 

By Melissa Faifer 

For Johnnie "Honey" Lockhart 

10/31/1920 ~ 10/12/2012

my Honey...my warrior

Warrior: Honey

I see a true warrior as someone who strives to be the best they can be at all things.  A warrior is someone who lives to a strict code of honor and lives life to the fullest in full awareness and without fear of the unpredictable nature of life and of the constant presence of death.  Death is not to be seen as something to be feared but only another part of the journey and therefore as with all things it is to be faced with honor. 

May You Rest In Peace 

Sunrise: 10~31~1920

Sunset: 10~11~2012

To be a warrior is not a simple matter of wishing to be one.  It is rather an endless struggle that will go on to the very last moment of our lives.  Nobody is born a warrior, in exactly the same way that nobody is born an average man.  We make ourselves into one or the other. 

~ Carlos Castaneda

young and old, happy and sad

Young:  Layla celebrating her 5th birthday in T minus 8 days.

Old:  Helping my mom celebrate her 63rd birthday tomorrow.  And my older sisters a day before Layla's. 

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Young:  Layla's spunky spirit, personality and body.

Old:  What my body feels like.

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Young:  Layla

Old: Honey, my grandma.  Layla's great grandma. 

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Happy:  Layla growing into a beautiful young lady.

Sad:  Layla starting Kindergarten in exactly one month and me having to say good bye to our commute rides together Monday - Friday.

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Happy:  Honey living a long and happy life. 

Sad:  Knowing that I will have to say good bye to that life soon.  

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Happy:  hello!

Sad: good bye!

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Man's feelings are always purest and most glowing in the hour of meeting {young and happy} and of farewell. {old and sad}

~ Jean Paul Richter

Manic Monday - 07.23.12

The quality of life is more important

than life itself.

~ Alexis Carrel

*an ode to my wonderful Honey.  I have now changed her nickname from Honey Bunny to Honey Energizer Bunny.  Because she just keeps going and going and going.  She's a fighter.  While I envy her fighting nature.  I want her to be a peace.  I love you so....

slacking and lacking....but now it's time for super DOOPER sunshine!!!

Yes, yes I know....if anyone is still reading here, I am honestly amazed.  To say that I have been slacking in the blogging arena, is a pretty gross understatement.  And lacking in visting my favorite blogs and leaving comments like I usually do.  No good excuse there.  I, myself, am just lacking. 

But, Super Sunshine Summer has kicked me in the arse and got me back to writing.  Even if it isn't anything that interests you much....I am back!

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Me!?!  I feel okay.  I still struggle daily with physical pain.  But, I push through and try to enjoy life as much as I can.  No one is promised tomorrow.  And Summer helps me remember, we are in charge of our own attitude in life.  We can sulk.  Or we can SHINE!  I CHOOSE TO SHINE!!!!

Summer shines in an unbelievable way.  The disease she is fighting would bring most to their knees.  Make most stop a lot of things they do.  Not her, she pushes through.  And through it all, she comes up with the SUNSHINE PROJECT, which I am taking part in for the first time.  Summer....this one is for you! 

Join in and link up!  Basically, you post a picture, a story, anything that brings SUNSHINE to your world.  I can do that. 

And I will start with a silly little word and phrase that my almost FIVE year old said to me the other night right before bed.  Ya'll will most definitely not thinking it is as funny as we did...but it is something I never want to forget and since my Lindsay said, "you need to blog that, for real!" I will!!! 

Layla:  "Mommy?"

Mommy:  "Yes, baby girl...."

Layla:  "WHEN I WAS TWO, I POOPED IN MY DOOPER!"

Us:  *Bust.Out.Laughing!!!!!*

{we giggle alot!}

{Naturally Beautiful shirt via Cotton Laundry which also brings the sunshine!}

Girlfriend, meant to say diaper, but got tongue tied and DOOPER came out!  One of our favorite sayings now.  SUNSHINE!!!

We recently returned from a week long trip to Oklahoma for Layla to visit her SEVEN cousins and for Richard to see his brother and sister.  SUNSHINE!!!

I will post in more detail about that later, because BOY! there is alot to say...and lots of kids, so I will space that one out.  But I did snag a few heart warming pictures that scream SUNSHINE!!

On our way back to Houston I needed to stop and visit with my Honey in San Antonio.  Life is precious, and this sweet soul is slowly withering away.  It breaks my heart. I wish life wasn't cruel like that, but I can always count on her to....bring the SUNSHINE!!!!!

Have a sunshine-y weekend.  Hope to see you 'round these here parts a lil more often.  Cheers!

Manic Monday - 04.23.12

Only if we understand can we care.

Only if we care will we help.

Only if we help shall they be saved.

~ Jane Goodall

*Yes we saw Chimpanzee on Sunday, Earth Day.  Yes, it was a very moving and fantastic movie.  Yes, I did want to cry.  Yes, Layla cried.  Yes, we wanted to take Baby Oscar home with us.  Yes, you most definitely should go see it!

Today I Remember....

...my friend, Juny!  Because today he would be turning 34!  Instead, he will always be FOREVER 31. 

I miss you friend....

And I still pray the person or people that cut short your precious life are brought to justice.  I will never give up hope for that.  I love you.

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When you were born you cried and the world rejoiced. 

Live your life in a manner so that when you die the world cries and you rejoice!

*We are crying, and I know you are rejoicing with your Lord and Savior!

Quotography - Trees

Manic Monday - 02.13.12 - for Whitney

I believe the children are our future.

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Teach them well and let them lead the way.

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Show them all the beauty they possess inside.

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Give them a sense of pride to make it easier.

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Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be.

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~ Whitney Houston

The Greatest Love of All
{my favorite Whitney song}

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Rest In Peace