Surprise! Surprise!

As was posted yesterday, my birthday started out with a "pity party" as I had been told my kids would not be able to go out with the hubby and me to celebrate.  Late in the afternoon, I had a funny feeling things were just not up to par as my son says he's going to a 6:00 pm movie and I knew there were no movies starting at that time that he wanted to see.  As it turns out, my daughter threw me a surprise birthday party last night.  I was truly blown away by the number of people there because I had believed the only people who would show up for a party for me would be my mother and two sisters.  I was truly touched by the fact that both my nieces were among the attendees.  The gifts I received from my family were so awesome. 

I believe the only down side to the event was the speed of the service.  I was told everyone got there around 6:00 and immediately placed their orders; the hubby & I arrived around 6:30.  The food didn't arrive until sometime after 8:00.  That was WAY too long to have to wait on your order.  It seems there was a dance going on in another part of the restaurant, as well as several smaller parties, and the chef was apparently overwhelmed by the amount of people last night.  People all around us who came in later than we did were getting their orders with no problems; therefore, I have no idea why it took so long for ours to arrive.  I am of the thought that some type of compensation should have been given to us.

I am truly honored by the love and thoughtfulness my daughter showed me last night. When she was still living at home, she and I clashed alot over even the smallest of things, which I am sure all mothers and daughters do.  "Too many hens in the chicken coop."  She is also very much "Daddy's girl."  However, since she has moved out, and especially since she is a mother herself, we have gotten closer over the last 5+ years.  She has always had a kind heart, and has truly blossomed into a wonderful woman and mother.  I am exceedingly proud of her.

Thank you, Bethany, for my special night!  I am so proud of you, and am privileged to be your mother.

The Big 6-0...

Today is my 60th birthday, and I'm not very happy about that fact.  My age has never really bothered me until this year.  I have absolutely no idea why I'm having such a hard time accepting the fact that I am 60,  especially since I didn't have any problems with turning 40 and 50.  If truth be told, I've been really depressed about turning 60 and have shed more than a few tears over it.  I like to think I'm the type of person who takes things in stride, so the fact that I'm celebrating such a milestone with such angst is confusing.  In my mind's eye I don't see myself as being old (as opposed to getting older).  Though my family loves me, I sometimes have feelings of insecurity thinking I'm not as special as I thought I was to any of them.  Guess I just need to get over it.

Someone told me recently that age is just a number, and they're right.  Life has dealt me some blows over the years, but the amount of blessings I've received has been far greater.  I have the Lord, my health, my family, a beautiful grandson, just to name a few.  Life has been good to me over all.  Would I change anything if I could do it all over again? Maybe, maybe not.  

Anyway, I'm 60...so be it.

It's 2013, now what?

Happy belated new year everyone!  I hope the Christmas holidays were all you hoped they would be.  As for me, my holidays were fabulous.  This was the first Christmas for my grandson, Gunner.  The fun of Christmas should set in next year as he will be old enough to know something special is going on.  It is hilarious to watch my kids open gifts that they aren't expecting.  This year my youngest opened one particular gift and thought it was something completely different.  When it dawned on her what she was holding, she let out a squeal and nearly dropped the gift due to her excitement.  Those are the kind of surprises that really make my day.

Have you made resolutions for 2013?  We both know that resolutions are rarely ever kept.  Instead of resolutions, this year I am making plans for what I'd like to do.  I don't have to make plans to start a weight loss program as I started that last summer, which will continue throughout this year.  Other things I'd like to work on in 2013 include:

Getting more into photography.  My son and I have plans on attending 3 conventions this year where we meeting celebrities, and taking lots of pictures.  These conventions include the Lexington ComicCon (March), Fright Night Film Fest & Fandom Fest (July), and ScareFest (September).  The husband and I hope to attend the 2013 Shades of the Past Rally in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in September.  If you would like to see photos from 2012, you can visit the Photo Gallery at SharrysPlace.com.

Learning Adobe PhotoShop Elements.  I purchased this software a few months ago and haven't had a chance to work with it.  It unfortunately did not come with a manual but there are several tutorials online I can learn from.  I need to learn how to use it so that I can incorporate it into my photography.

Finish Web Page Designer classes.  I started taking classes last year on Web Page Designs from Penn Foster.  These classes are at a stand-still at the present time.  Penn Foster requires a third of my tuition before they can send me the Dreamweaver software I need to continue with my lessons.  As soon as this happens, I will be a happy camper.  :-)

Possible make-over of my website.  I am thinking about giving my website, SharrysPlace.com, a complete make-over.  I want to the site to reflect my photography and web page creations more professionally.

Buy an embroidery machine.  For some time now I have wanted to get into embroidery and monogramming.  The desire for an embroidery machine has really been strong since the birth of my grandson.  There are several of my daughter's friends who are either pregnant or trying to start a family, and monogrammed baby items would make great gifts.

Set up my sewing room.  Though I'm not that good at it, I love to sew.  We are in the process of putting the finishing touches on a garage, which includes 2 extra rooms. One of these rooms will be my sewing room.  I'll have more room there than I have now, which is just a small corner of my bedroom.  I'll be able to also set up my quilting frame, which has a baby quilt on it I need to finish.

Make greeting cards.  My church has a "post office" each year at Christmas which helps in collecting money for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.  For several years I printed my own Christmas cards, and I would get several compliments on the cards I made.  These were just simple cards, and I got out of the habit of making them.  A Cricut machine has joined my other "toys" and will be put to use making cards for all occasions.  There are several cartridges I don't have yet, but will be purchased over the next few months.

Save money for my wish list.  Besides the embroidery machine, I have a few other items on my wish list.  A new, more up-to-date digital camera would be great.  A camcorder would also be great not only for taking videos of my grandson, but also taking videos of the conventions I will be attending.  The convention videos would be uploaded to my youtube channel, as well as posted on my website.  As mentioned before, I would like to get some holiday cartridges for my Cricut.

If you have things you would like to achieve during 2013, why not do as I have just done - write them down, and then go make them happen.  I hope this year will be a great one for you, and may the Lord truly bless you and yours.

It was a very good year....

It's the last day of 2012.  For some it may have been a good year, while for others it may have been a bad year. For my family, it's been a remarkable year.  The highlight of 2012 was the birth of my first grandchild, a boy, on October 26.  He has truly been a blessing to all of us.  My son, Matt, was able to return to work after being off for 4 months due to injuries he received in an automobile accident the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend.

There were more firsts this year for us.  Matt and I attended our first comic con in March and our first FandomFest - Fright Night Film Fest in July.  Some of the celebrities we got to meet at the FandomFest - Fright Night Film Fest included Bruce Campbell, Corey Feldman, and Luke Perry.  It was also the first year Matt and I attended all three days of the ScareFest Convention, where I had books autographed by Nick Groff of Ghost Adventures and Josh Gates of Destination Truth.

My husband and I attended our first Shades of the Past Rally in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.  We had such a blast we've got rooms reserved for the 2013 rally.

What will 2013 hold for us?

After having such a blast covering the ScareFest Convention for my website, Sharry's Place, it was decided we would make reservations at the Hyatt Regency for the 2013 convention to cut back on the amount of driving we had to do.  We live almost an hour from the Lexington Convention Center, and I have found that the older I get the less I like driving at night.

Other "road trips" Matt and I are also planning include attending the 2013 Lexington ComicCon in March where we hope to meet stars such as Billy Dee Williams (Star Wars & Batman) and Margot Kidder (Lois Lane of Superman).  In July, Stan Lee and William Shatner are scheduled to be guests at the FandomFest and Fright Night Film Fest.  Yes, William Shatner, aka Captain James T. Kirk.  :-)  I am really hoping I can get my picture taken with him.  Matt is a big fan of Stan Lee.

I'm sure there will be other things coming up in 2013 that will be unexpected.  Some will be good and/or great, while others will range from bad to devastating.  Only the Lord knows what is in store for each of us; therefore, I will leave my future up to Him.

It is my hope and wish that you have a great 2013.  May the Lord richly bless you and your family!

Being Thankful...

With this past Thursday being Thanksgiving Day, I have seen and heard people making comments and/or lists about what they are thankful for.  The turkeys were not the only thing to get stuffed as families and friends got together to enjoy meals, football games, and a day off from work for those who lucky enough to be off.  There were those who were looking forward to Black Friday so they could get a head start on their Christmas shopping.

If you stop and think about it, there were so many people who for one reason or another were not able to celebrate with family and friends.  Some, like my son, had to work on Thanksgiving Day.  Others may be homeless, sick, in nursing homes and hospitals, mourning the loss of loved ones, or in the military serving our country far from home.

I am thankful and appreciative of all that I have.  First and foremost, I am so thankful for Jesus Christ being a part of my life and loving me enough that He suffered on the cross for me.  Even though this great country I live in isn't perfect, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else!  I have so many freedoms that are not allowed in other countries, such as freedom of speech and religion, and not being treated as property because I'm female.  My husband loves me despite my many flaws, my kids are great, and I have an absolutely gorgeous grandson.

As we leave Thanksgiving behind, and look forward to the Christmas season, remember all that you have in your life that you are thankful for.

The Miracle of Birth...

Just 16 days ago I became a grandmother for the very first time to one of God's precious angels.  My daughter gave me the greatest of honors by asking me to be in the delivery room with her and her husband during Gunner's delivery.  Even though I have two children of my own, I was too busy trying to push to pay any attention to their actual delivery; therefore, my grandson's birth was the first I had witnessed.  I will be forever grateful to my daughter and son-in-law for sharing such an intimate moment with me.

It is hard to put into words how miraculous the creation of life truly is.  My daughter and I agreed that it's mind-boggling how another human being could develop in and come forth from a woman's body.  I have always treasured the experience of giving birth to my son and daughter; even after 30 years I still remember everything from my pregnancy, from the joy of knowing I was going to be a mother to the pain of my son's delivery.  I wouldn't change one iota of anything.  But becoming a grandparent is an entirely different experience and I love it.

It is my belief that children are a gift from God, and as such it is our duty to protect them and love them to the best of our ability.  They should be raised in the ways of the Lord, to respect others, and to have self-esteem. They are definitely NOT to be abused sexually or physically.  It absolutely angers me to no end that some insane person would harm an innocent baby, child, elderly person, or a handicapped person.  But that's a whole different subject.

Gunner will be raised with more love than he will know what to do with.  He will also grow up knowing that Jesus is Lord, that he was wanted very much, and that he has a family that will be there for him through thick and thin.  I look forward to watching him grow up and knowing that I was literally there from the first second!

Never too old to learn something new!

For several years now I've had my own dotcom, www.sharrysplace.com, and over the years both the look and what I have had on my site have changed several times.  The changes were in part due to what was going on in my own life at the time, and in part to my getting "a wild hair" occasionally to change the looks of my site.  As a result, I recently decided to take classes on how to design a website.  Besides taking classes from an online school, I found a website with loads of great information on html, css, and other pertinent tutorials.  The website, w3schools.com, has a wealth of information and helps me keep up-to-date on the latest standards.

FYI:  

• html - HyperText Markup Language, the main markup language for displaying web pages and other information that can be displayed in a web browser.
• css - Cascading Style Sheets, a style sheet language used for describing the the look and formatting of a document written in html.

You have to realize that I am not exactly a "spring chicken" having been out of high school for 40+ years.  However, I find that I'm really enjoying learning about how websites are put together.  There are lots of designers and developers out there that are so much more knowledgeable than I will ever be when it comes to designing a website.  They know how to use javascript, jquery, xml, and other "languages" used on the internet.  Knowing I'll never learn as much as they know, what I have learned is so much more than what I knew 10 years ago. 

I have to admit to getting somewhat excited each time I learn something new in either html or css.  This results in my playing around with my site to see what I can do with this new knowledge.  It can be frustrating at times trying to figure out why my work won't pass validation, then I feel good when I have that "a-ha" moment after realizing what I did wrong. 

After I am finished with my online classes in web designing, I would like to learn more about graphic designs.  At this point in time, I'm not sure if I will take an online class or just surf the web for information.  Either way, I would love to learn more about how to manipulate and create graphics and photos.  Though I use Paint Shop Pro to work with my photos and other graphics, I am interested in learning Adobe Photoshop.

Photography is another subject I'd love to learn more about.  Since receiving my first camera (a Kodak Instamatic X-15)  in 1966, photography has been a hobby I've always loved.  In 1981 my husband bought me a Canon T70 slr camera and several lenses to go with it.  Now I use a Kodak EasyShare Z740 digital camera.  I hope to one day get a more updated digital camera to use, especially when I attend conventions such as ScareFest and Lexington ComicCon. 

No matter what your age, you are never to old to pursue knowledge.  If you have a hobby or craft, there is nothing wrong with learning all you can about it.  You may just learn something you didn't know before.  You don't necessarily have to take classes online.  There are lots of tutorials online for practically everything.  You can also contact your local community action center to see if they know of places you can check into for more information.