What I've Been Listening To..

My all time favorite artist is Johnny Cash, the man in black. I have always loved his songs, his style, and OH MAN his voice! There is just something about his deep bass-baritone voice that is so beautiful and comforting. With everything that's been going on in my life in the last few weeks though, I have found myself listening to his cover of this Paul Simon song over and over.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

When you're weary, feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all

I'm on your side

Oh when times get rough
And friends just can't be found

Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard, I will comfort you

I'll take your part
Oh, when darkness comes
And pain is all around

Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

Sail on silver girl, sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way

See how they shine

Oh, if you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind

Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind

~Paul Simon

Book of the Week: The Mountain of Marvels

This week's book was more of a short story: "The Mountain of Marvels" from The Mabinogion, a collection of old Celtic stories.

It was a fun little read for a quick break! :)

My friend, T.

T died this past week. He was a friend to me, and to many others, of all ages. Magoo loved him. I loved him. All of our friends loved him. The farmers at church loved him. Kids loved him. Musicians loved him. His coworkers loved him. Everyone loved T. I don't believe a person exists on this earth that knew T and didn't love him.

He was kind and ever thoughtful. He would do anything for anyone, no matter how big or small. He genuinely cared about his friends, telling them point blank, or showing them through his actions. T was sensitive. He was hilarious!! I have so many memories of absolutely goofy things he said and did. He was so smart. He knew just about everything there was to know about a lot of really strange, different things. The first time I saw T, he spent 1.5 hours educating my boss on the ins and outs and pros and cons of two way radios. In the days and weeks that followed, we became such great friends that it felt like I had known him forever.

He helped me through a very bad time in my life, encouraging and uplifting me when I was discouraged and felt like giving up. He gave so much of himself to the people around him that it is hard to fully grasp that he really gone, especially when I see so many little reminders of him everywhere. It feels like someone is playing a sick joke, and that he's going to pop out from behind a door when I come into a building- "Hey, guys, just kidding! I've been here this whole time!" It's so unreal.

I truly love my friends. They became my family in the last two years, and T was one of them. He was ripped out of my life without me expressing to him exactly how much I valued him as a human, how much I cared about him as my friend, and how greatly he has influenced me and changed who I am as a mother, sister, friend, and human being.

T's death has rocked my life. I hope that I can have as much impact and meaning in others' lives as T had on mine and Magoo's this last year. Thank you, T, for helping me see that I am strong and capable, and a wonderful mom. You are loved, and you will always be missed.

Book of the Week: The Struggle

Today I read a children's chapter book, The Struggle, by Nancy Rue.

Books help me forget about what's going on in real life, which is sometimes a good thing and at other times, it's not so great. While the story, which was about choosing your battles and turning the other cheek (aka do you catch the cattle rustlers by yourself or tell the grownups), wasn't really applicable to what was going on in my real life, the title was very fitting for what is going on within my personal community. Some really hard stuff happened this week, and I've put a lot of energy and emotions into just trying to process and understand that it really did happen and what to do and how to feel. 

I have had these verses on my mind all day, and they have cropped up in several different places, so I want to end this post with them:

"I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? 

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. " --Psalms 121:1-2

Book of the Week: The Princess and Curdie

The Princess and Curdie, by George MacDonald, was a classic from my childhood! I am pretty positive that I was twelve the last time I read it, and to those of you out there who are wondering, I would highly recommend it! Great book, great author, great use of time spent!

Semester Two: MSU

"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all." --Sam Ewing

Grad school is really taking it out of me again this semester! It is getting a little bit unmanageable, BUT I've got one full semester down and only a few left. This is going to be so worth it!

Before I know it, I'll be graduating with a guaranteed career. I'll have my abominable student loans paid off, a decent car, a HOUSE of my own for Magoo and I, and I'll be able to watch Mama Mia! every night if my heart so desires. The best part? I'll have done it all on my own! The even better part? My special guy and I are the perfect family, and we'll never again have to deal with anyone or anything we don't want to put up with. :)

All I have to do to accomplish that is roll up my sleeves! Pretty simple, if you ask me!

Just call me Candace the Riveter!!!

J. Howard Miller's 'We Can Do It!', Westinghouse, February 1942.

Book of the Week: Whispers of the Bayou

This week's read was a Louisiana mystery, by Mindy Starns Clark, Whispers of the Bayou. I enjoyed it, although it wasn't written particularly well. The main character returns to her deceased grandparents' estate when the elderly, dying estate caretaker requests her presence. He dies before he is able to tell her why he summoned her, which sets off a chain of events leading to her eventually finding out quite a bit of truths about her family, and her past. It was definitely a lady book, but I had fun reading it!