Over the past week we have had the opportunity to enjoy a fair amount of the Olympic coverage. It was a nice way to spend the evenings. We cheered on our athletes wishing we could have been there but happy that there was excellent coverage that we could follow along with the events. We couldn't have been prouder as they represented Canada while earning medals. What a wonderful event to be part of even if we couldn't be there in person.
Garden Gnome
©2006-2010
Most of my television choices consist of food, DIY, documentary and science types of shows sprinkled with Coronation Street, Law & Order and NCIS. I really don't watch much in the way of sit coms and when I do it's usually because my husband stopped to watch one while flicking channels since he refuses to watch commercials. Well one night during the normal channel flicking he came across a sit com called The Big Bang Theory. The title of the show is an actual theory as to how the universe began. We watched for a couple of minutes thinking the show was a bit goofy before the channel was flicked but then for some reason he flicked it back to watch a bit more. The following week he again flicked to the show so now we watch it most weeks. It is rather humorous! I love the catchy theme song for the show as shown in the video. Enjoy.
Have you ever had one of those weeks full of uncertainty, doubt, excitement, and an emotional roller coaster? If you are like most people of course you have. It can be extremely stress in both positive and negative ways. Last week was exactly like that for us. One thing we have learned as a couple is this is the very time we need to draw together and stand as one. This is one thing that marks the difference between couples with a strong relationship verses those that will fall apart at the hint of any disruption or discourse. I think this realization that a couple needs to present a united front has been one of our biggest blessings. It has been one of the influencing factors that has resulted in a long term marriage in a day and age where marriages are lucky to last more than a few years. This concept has served us well through good times and bad, through parenthood and continues to serve us well. What a wonderful blessing it is to be able to draw closer together than further apart!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2010
[from my email files and so fitting for Blog Your Blessings Sunday, your love and time are blessings meant to share with others]
In Calgary, Alberta a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6 year old son, who was dying of terminal leukemia.
Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up & fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible.. the leukemia would see to that. But she still wanted her son's dream to come true. She took her son' s hand and asked, 'Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?' Mommy, 'I always wanted to be a fireman
when I grew up..' Mom smiled back and said, 'Let's see if we can make your wish come true.'
Later that day she went to her local fire Department in Calgary , where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Alberta. She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her 6 year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine. Fireman Bob said, 'Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary Fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And if you'll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat - not a toy - one-with the emblem of the Calgary Fire Department on it, and a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots.''They're all manufactured right here in Calgary , so we can get them fast.' Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck.
Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Calgary that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire engines, the Paramedic's' van, and even the fire chief's car. He was also videotaped for the local news program. Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Billy, that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible.
One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept - that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital. Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a Fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition. The chief replied, 'We can do better than that. We'll be there in five minutes.. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system that there is not a fire?' 'It's the department coming to see one of its finest members one more time. And will
you open the window to his room?'
About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital and extended its ladder up to Billy's third floor open window--------16 fire-fighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room. With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they LOVED him. With
his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said, 'Chief, am I really a fireman now?' 'Billy, you are, and the Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand,' the chief said. With those words, Billy smiled and said, 'I know, He's been holding my hand all day, and the angels have been singing..'
He closed his eyes one last time.
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Garden Gnome
©2006-2010
It is so nice to see Prime Minister Stephen Harper out there enjoying a hockey game while Parliament is prorogued. That basically means Stephen Harper gets a 3 month salary for doing nothing as opposed to the normal nothing he does on a regular basis. Either way he gets paid for it. Anyway it is so nice of Stephen Harper to share with the Canadian populus his generosity. Given there is nothing on Canadian television we are certainly waited with baited breath to the start of the Olympics that is of course if we can afford the tv tax, additional HST and have some type of device to see it in digital form. What a wonder the internet is. Yep we now have to pay an additional 8% in HST for internet but YouTube is cheaper than buying a decoder box and saves me 8% in the process. Thank-you Stephen Harper for providing blogfodder for this blog :)
