Losing is the Hardest Part

No one likes to lose. Whether it's a bet, a board game, a college/pro football game or whatever, losing sucks. What sucks even more than any one of those things is the loss of someone too soon. On Sunday, Hubby got a message from his mom that a dear friend was in the hospital and the outlook wasn't good. We went to the hospital to be with her husband, neighbors and friends to see if we could do anything. Unfortunately, no one was able to do anything except offer love & support when the doctors gave us the bad news that she was gone.


Ana Todd was an amazing woman. I'd only known her for a few years, but she treated everyone like they were a lifelong friend. She loved reading Danielle Steele novels, camping with her husband and Bischon baby, shopping at JC Penney, anything chocolate and feeding everyone. She was a phenomenal cook and made chicken salad that was like a bit of Heaven on Earth. She was a caretaker. She was always looking out for guests and was a world-class hostess. No one could throw a party like Ana & AW. If you left their house hungry, it was your own fault.
We had dinner with them a week before she died. As we drove home from the hospital in shock, Hubby said, "Who would have thought that last Sunday would be our last supper together?" We certainly didn't think it then and can hardly believe it now. It's been more than 24 hours, and I still can't believe that she is gone from us. It's hard to comprehend & even more difficult to understand.
Yet, it is not for us to question God's will. I guess He needed Ana with Him more than we needed her. Whatever the reason, it hurts a lot, and I'll miss her. She had a heart of gold that few people in this day & age possess. What I do know is that this world is a better place for having had Ana in it, and we are better people for having known her-no matter how brief a period of time.


We'll miss you, Ana. Godspeed!

I'm Back (for a select few)!

Since I've apparently causes chaos & drama with a recent blog post, I've decided to limit access to my blog as much as possible. However, I recognize that some "anonymous" followers may have slipped through the cracks and may still be watching. So if any of them decide to take offense to what I post, I'd suggest you follow someone else who will write about sunshine & lollipops all the time. This isn't that kind of blog.

For the record, I have accomplished a lot in my life, and I've made mistakes along the way. Who hasn't? There has only been one perfect individual, and He alone can cast judgement on me. I don't need anyone to remind me of my past and use it to cause heartache for anyone, including those who have already been hurt. All you have succeeded in doing is opening old wounds and bringing up a flood of very unpleasant memories for all parties involved. Here's some advice- grow up and stop causing drama! This isn't middle school.

Do I regret my past decisions? No because all those experiences have made me the person I am today. Is that a person that everyone loves? Not likely but I can't control that. I can only control how I treat others and how I respond to life situations. I haven't always treated people the way they deserved to be treated, and I can own up to that. I've done my best to apologize to those individuals and make amends as best I can. I even respect those who don't wish to accept my apology.

So with that being said, please note- if I offend you, have the guts to tell me. Don't feel the need to tell everyone but me. Or just stop reading my blog and move on with your life. Heaven knows the rest of us have!

An Apology

It has been brought to my attention that some people were upset by my most recent post. I've since removed the "offensive" material. I would like to remind those following me- publicly or anonymously- what a blog is. It is a person's thoughts and feelings at any given point in time. Sometimes I may use examples from my past to make a point. In using a specific example, that does not automatically mean that I continue to spend hours upon hours reflecting on that experience from my past. We live, we learn, we move on. Sometimes we even learn a lesson.
Since I apparently have some anonymous followers who like to stir the pot, I'll make sure to watch my Ps and Qs in the future. For those who were truly upset by what I posted, I am sorry.
Peace Out!

I've created a monster!

Happy New Year! 2010 has come and gone. 2011 is here in all its glory. Here's to a great year for all of us!

I've been quite open about own personal addiction to books. I've said it before and I'll say it again- books are my version of crack. I love browsing through bookstores and libraries. While I only got one book among my Christmas presents, I made up for that by buying several books after the holidays. Thank you, Christmas money; and kudos to Anne Rule & Stephen King for publishing new books before the holidays!!

I've also been open about Hubby's feelings about my addiction. He is tired of me bringing more books into the house. He would sign me up for a 12-step program if one existed for book obsessed people like myself. He also makes a running joke that he can't read. Anytime someone suggests that he read a book about a subject that might interest him (can you say Bigfoot?), he says that he can't read. I think he does this more or less to annoy his mom because she is annoying in her own varied ways and is a retired teacher.

So imagine my surprise at what has transpired in our home since Christmas. Being the wonderful wife that I am, I decided to give Hubby a gift that he has been eyeing for months- an iPad. Hubby is a computer person and loves his technical gadgets. I just assumed that he would surf the web and what-not on the iPad. Little did I know that you can download and read books on his gift. I just buy these things- I don't get closely acquainted with them.

One evening, I notice that he appears to be staring at something intently on the screen. When I ask what he's looking at, he says that he is reading a book he downloaded. Reading? My husband? Same sentence? Really???????????????? Several nights in a row, he gets off the couch about an hour before our usual bedtime and says that he is going to bed to read. I can hardly believe it! Hubby can actually read!!! When I ask him why the change, he says that it must be the iPad b/c he sure couldn't read before. Smart ass!! But then again, so am I so that's one reason we work so well together.

It seems that my addiction may be rubbing off onto Hubby. He just has the electronic variety which he loves to remind me doesn't take up an entire room of our house. Again- sarcasm is a keystone in our marriage and the name of this blog. Now, will his new love of e-reading rub off on me?? I'm not 100% in love with the thought, but I am considering it. Stay tuned!

Merry Christmas!!

Tis the season to celebrate all the gifts that I've been given. In addition to a job, a home, food and all the material things that I could ever want, the best gift I've ever received is my family. And we are a handsome bunch if I do say so myself.

So from the Sanders home to your home- have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Stay tuned for more mis-adventures and random musings in 2011!

My Brother, My Hero

I've never really considered anyone my hero. I admire lots of people and aspire to emulate them in various ways. However, I'd never classify any of them as a hero. Then sometimes various life situations really show you what people are made of and a hero is born.
As a member of the SC Army National Guard since 2001, my brother Brian has readily given a weekend every month and 2 weeks a year to perform his job as a citizen soldier. Often times, he was giving much more time than that for various trainings. In 2004 just as Brian was announcing his engagement and the impending birth of his first child, he also announced that his unit was being deployed. He was off to Kuwait for a year. While he was away, his son (my nephew) Keith was born. Brian came home when Keith was 9 months old and went back to his job. He continued to stay in the Guard because he truly loves it.
Fast forward to 2009. Brian informs us that his unit is again being deployed in January 2010. Destination- Afghanistan. This pill was hard to swallow. His time in Kuwait was fairly uneventful- always a good thing in a war zone. Afghanistan is a different setting entirely. All I could think was that my brother would be hunting Bin Laden in the mountains and trying to avoid suicide bombers. Not something one wants to ponder as they hug their loved one goodbye. Oh, did I mention that his second child was going to be born while he was halfway around the world? Grace Kay arrived in March.
Fast forward to November 12, 2010. I woke up at 4:40AM to make sure I was at the Columbia Airport at 5:30 to welcome my brother home. I'm not a morning person at all! But I jumped out of bed when the alarm went off! I couldn't wait to see Brian with my own 2 eyes and give him a big hug. You see, he was coming home. This tour was officially over. The mission had been carried out.
Why do I consider Brian my hero? He willingly chose to serve his country both at home and abroad. He could have gotten out after his first deployment, but he felt a calling. He considers himself nothing more than an American doing his job. Yet he has sacrificed personal experiences (like being present at the births of his 2 children) to do his job. He put himself in harm's way so that I can sit in my home and type whatever I want on my blog and not worry about being arrested. He carries a gun in dessert heat and looks out for potential bombers so that we can complain about our elected officials and have an opportunity to vote them out of office.
Nothing I ever do will be that awe inspiring. I'll never wear a uniform and put myself in between a bullet and my battle buddy. I'll never have to respond to enemy fire at the end of a seemingly peaceful day. But people like my brother and the men & women in his unit make those decisions every day, and they ask for nothing in return. Because of these men and women, we live in freedom. Now that is what I call the actions of a hero. You can bet that this Thanksgiving and Christmas season will be celebrated like never before in our family. Our soldier came home. For that, I will be forever grateful!

Pugfest + Fry's = Happiness

As I write this, I'm relaxing after a very eventful day at Pugfest 2010 and watching a very exhausted Pug catch some ZZZZ's. For those who don't know, Pugfest is an annual fundraising event for Southeast Pug Rescue & Adoption, Inc. (SEPRA). They are a non-profit organization that rescues and fosters abandoned and surrendered Pugs while trying to place them in their forever homes. For more information, check them out at http://www.rescuepug.com

Today was our 4th Pugfest trip. I can honestly say that this was the best one by far. To hit the highlights: We spent the day with awesome dogs & their owners. I got some awesome items in the silent auction, and Sophie won 3rd place in the Homemade Costume category dressed as a nun. Pictures will be included in a future blog post. She was adorable (and yes- I am totally biased!). People loved her and kept taking her picture. She was a fan favorite. Now she is completely worn out and enjoying sleeping in the hotel bed. Not sure why, but Sophie loves hotel beds. Maybe it's because it's bigger than our bed at home and she can have more room. Maybe its because there is no kitty to share the space with. Who knows. All I do know is that she is sleeping like a champ.

In addition to Pugfest fun, this trip also marks our annual shopping excursion to Fry's Electronics. If you are not familiar with Fry's (which I wasn't until I began attending Pugfest 4 years ago), it is like a gigantic Best Buy. Jamie loves all the computers and electronic gadgets. I love the amazing selection of DVDs at wonderfully low prices. (This is not a paid advertisement for Fry's Electronics. Although they should pay me to spread the word about their greatness.) If you've ever been to our house, you understand why I appreciate a bargain on DVDs. We have almost 300 DVDs in our collection plus many of our favorite TV shows on DVD. Our collection continues to grow (thanks to me and the great deals I find) so we are never without entertainment in our house. Not to be completely selfish, most of what I purchased today was gifts for other people. I can't turn down a bargain and Christmas is just around the corner.

I'll close this post now and try to catch some ZZZZs with Sophie. She has the right idea.
Pug out!