Anniversary Memories

Steve made reservations for our anniversary next month on the Queen Mary, moored in Long Beach and converted into a luxury hotel. I'm so excited - both for the trip and for the time with the adorable man that I married!

http://www.queenmary.com

Other fun anniversary memories: 

The Empress Hotel in Victoria when we put on our luxury robes and acted all sophisticated on our way to the spa and accidently exited into the lobby instead. We turned around and madly punched the elevator button but it had already taken off - it was hard to maintain the sophisticated air after that, especially when we started giggling. 

Another favorite one is at Semiahmoo Resort - Steve ordered room service for breakfast. When the young man arrived with the tray, Steve said just put it there on the table. Turns out there was a pair of plastic hand cuffs with a note from me, something about being my love slave for the weekend that the poor fellow tried to scoot over with the tray. Turns out it was his first day on the job. I'm sure he is a seasoned veteran by now. We laughed about that one a lot! Fun times!

Quotes

"Love is being vulnerable"  C.S. Lewis

"Dying to self means that we are willing to give up our entitlement to be comfortable. It means that we are willing to be uncomfortable for the good of others and the purposes of God."  Stephen Arterburn

"I know God won't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much!  Mother Teresa

"Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the book widens and opens with our years."  Charles H. Spurgeon

"God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he'll be there!"  Billy Graham

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose."  Jim Elliot

2010 Red Cross Heroes Breakfast, San Mateo County - Donna - Picasa Web Albums

Just got through photographing a truly inspirational event - the annual Heroes Breakfast for the San Mateo County Red Cross. In fact, sat at the same table as a five month old baby who was saved by a good samaritan who did CPR after the baby had stopped breathing.

Good reminder to take Red Cross First Aid and CPR training and be prepared with a disaster survival kit. I carry one in the car and also keep one in the garage with fresh supplies of water to last for three days.

Pictures of the event can be seen here:

2010 Red Cross Heroes Breakfast, San Mateo County - Donna - Picasa Web Albums

The guest speaker was Congresswoman Jackie Spears, who has an inspirational life story in her own right. All around great event!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day with my Mother and Father!

Mom and Dad

I'm really excited about Mom and Dad coming for a visit next week. When we moved from Seattle to San Francisco a couple of years ago, we moved away from my parents. We pretty much always got together for all the holidays and birthdays and family barbeques and games in between all of the above, so I miss them a lot sometimes.

It will be fun to show them around our new place and have them exclaim their approval on everything we have done with our remodel. Mom and Dad are nice that way!

Raining Cats and Dogs

Speaking of dogs, Blackjack is naughty about not going out to do his business when it is raining. I usually find a mess somewhere. How could such an innocent face be so sneaky?

Sophie

My sweet little Sophie had doggie breast cancer. At least I hope that it is past tense. The vet said the "margins" on the sample that he sent to the lab were clear, so hopefully he got all of it.

I love Sophie so very much! She is 13 years old now and I sometimes wonder how much time we have left together and then I can't bear to think about that. She is getting hard of hearing and can't see very well anymore, but she is just as cuddly and sweet and precious and devoted as ever.

There is a profound poem for anyone who has ever dealt with pet grief or just want to treasure the short time they know is a reality when a pets' life-span is shorter than our own.

"We who choose to surround ourselves

with lives even more fragile than our own,

live within a fragile circle,

 easily and often breached.

 Unable to accept its awful gaps

 We still would live no other way."

Irving Townsend

In the meantime, Sophie is sleeping softly on my lap and I am enjoying every moment that I am blessed to have this special little gift. I think it might be mutual!

Donna and Sophie