Stephen Carr - "Grateful" by John Bucchino

Grateful.......  by John Bucchino, sung by Stephen Carr  (please enjoy)

I've got a roof over my head
I've got a warm place to sleep
Some nights I lie awake counting gifts
Instead of counting sheep

I've got a heart that can hold love
I've got a mind that can think
There may be times when I lose the light
And let my spirits sink
But I can't stay depressed
When I remeber how I'm blessed

Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful

In a city of strangers
I've got a family of friends
No matter what rocks and brambles fill the way
I know that they will stay until the end

I feel a hand holding my hand
It's not a hand you can see
But on the road to the promised land
This hand will shepherd me
Through delight and despair
Holding tight and always there

Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful

It's not that I don't want a lot
Or hope for more, or dream of more
But giving thanks for what I've got
Makes me so much happier than keeping score

In a world that can bring pain
I will still take each chance
For I believe that whatever the terrain
Our feet can learn to dance
Whatever stone life may sling
We can moan or we can sing

Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful 

Thanks for  the indulgence, friends...  I couldn't help it after such a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Thanks to all of those I.... married, gave birth to, married in, serve with, read to, quilt with, laugh with, sang with, shared ideas with..... for you , I am simply,  Grateful. Sigh

Uh yes, we are going.... don't be jealous - join us!

So a friend told me about this Tour. 

 I am so jazzed,......cause #1.  I am in love with this group since Rob introduced us to them last year. 

Now Holy Cow my playlists are full of purchases from these 10 wonderful voices 

who speak/ nay sing to my soul. Oh yea that is Barry Manilow and he does sing One Voice 

with them on the "With a Twist" Album. Dig It!  And #2.  They are coming the weekend of our Anniversary.  Not the actual day mind you, but close.

So...what am I to do but take this guy - 

AKA My Boyfriend( and by Boyfriend, I mean husband right?) for our Anniversary Weekend.  I might even dress up a little - you know a little White Linen behind each ear and some dingle ball earings.  Oh don't worry, I am also attending this at Mesa High School on the same weekend.

Scroll down for a Joseph Medley Preview that is very cool. 4:46 min but worth it!

... I have to support my friends and neighbors and young folks that I love on stage in a great musical. 

Hey I have an idea.... why don't you come too?  

Call me and we'll make it a double date, triple, date, o.k. go stag, but come. 

 It will be fun and we can celebrate the entire weekend of our anniversary.  

Won't Parker love it?  Sh... don't tell him yet, it's supposed to be a surprise.  

Not that we haven't talked about it.  It's more that he wont remember that we did and will be impressed that I purchased the tickets already(smugly shaking my head yes)and he doesn't have to.  Right now I'm listening to this and am getting giddy fingers in anticipation... uh goose bumps!

Ahh the joy of music/musical theater.  Feeds my soul.

The closet Ben Banks built

So lay down a beat now.......... and continue...

This is the Closet That Ben Banks Built  here after to be called CTBBB....

(finally finished and installed just today, and by today I mean last Thurs. when I started writing this
'lil thang, Yay!)

This is the hamper that stores all our nasties 

that were on the floor,  but now have a place in the CTBBB.

This is the bedroom attached to the closet that now has cool shutters 

 and a whole lot more room, sleeps two weary people in comfort, 

just on this side of the CTBBB.

This is the shower that cleans up our act here

 that has a great window and is closely attached to the CTBBB.

And........This is the one (yea, Jacob for sure) that caused all the ruckus,

that hired the "Craftys" then loaned me his cutie for my lovely assistant, 

who was a blessing un-measured and whom I love forever as I look at the CTBBB.

These are the cookies (like 64 dozen)

that all my friends made 

(that still haven't been thanked properly) that got eaten by stars
and raved about daily

(watch for the BB Cookie and Salad Book in progress) and won the hearts of the crew
and made it pleasant to finish the job that is called the CTBBB.

Here is the "room mate" who helped get things started, 

 (made it do-able more like) , Drove with me to Utah and was capable and pleasant and had such a presence that made everyone better, and 

This is the spouse that surprised me @ Birthday, 

supported and encouraged, got hooked on Doc Martin

 that was introduced to it by these two(Chris and Kent)

who were angels on earth to me,
  making August possible and home-y and giving the CTBBB  more sweetness.

This is the T-Shirt that was issued quite carefully

that is strangely consoling and worn with great pleasure that will hang in the CTBBB.

This is the smile that is silly or placid

( now you be the judge) and nowI'll be working on the slow and deliberate decorating phase of the "new" Bedroom/Bath/Closet.
Updates will follow and thanks for the indulgence!  (sigh)

 Not mentioned above, but equally important were the helpers from California,
you know, Rob and Megan.

  and the Big people

(Rich and Loretta)who brought little people(Jacie, Cameron and 'lil Parker  to visit....

and the ones who held down the fort(Mac and Cammy) and sent love notes(McKenna) from Mesa.

August, now that was a ride folks!

You Should Go.......I'm just saying

Sometime I will blog about what I have been up to for the last month.  It was a very big deal for me, but till I get there I want to tell you all that you should buy tickets and go to this...........

Fri. Sept 10th and Sat. Sept 11
I know a few of the great folks involved and I have heard just a few snippets of the music.  I think you will be blessed for the going and participating in a wonderful evening.  I am going both nights and of course this handsome guy is singing in the program.

Not bragging, just sharing.  You might be sorry to miss this one, so get 'er done folks.  There I said it!  
Heart, Peg

Surprise!

Made three of these for myself today!

So some of you know that it's my Birthday and, some of you also know that I am also up to my eyeball sockets in "crafts services" for several more days and didn't plan on seeing my "Boyfriend" for those same several more days. Well, Parker showed  up yesterday to surprise me for my B-Day and I was "got", as my Mom would say, like big time!  Adding photos later! So happy to see him. I have been on auto pilot for so many days and he was a great surprise. turns out he and Maddi et al had planned the whole thing.  Now he is making Homemade Ice Cream for me to serve at the big Birthday Bash that I'm throwing for myself at the Film Shoot.  Side Note: It's going well and I am amazed at what happens to make a movie.  Jacob rocks!

Who might this be?

Glenna just sent me this for you to look at for fun.

Do You Remember When?.......

Today (July 13th)is the 9th anniversary of Mom's passing.  We, (Glenna and I)have some of her things that we wanted to share with other family members because they brought back memories.  We think they might have meaning to you as well.  Comment here if you think you know the story about any of these articles of clothing.  All comments are welcome and we would love hear about your memories of Mom/Granny. Now have a "Dandy Day" and "Love and Best Wishes."  Can't you just see Mom/Granny waving goodbye from the carport?

Tradition!!!!! (Sing it like Tevye, eh?)

It's tradition..... 

So the family, such as it is, with Meg and Chris off to the beach on a service mission(yes really), and G-Ma visiting the California faction, headed off to the annual Headstone Cleaning and Photo op. 

Here's Maddi teaching McKenna what the headstones were. Good lesson on "The Plan"

We were told in church yesterday to remember those who have gone before.  So here is me remembering those who have gone before.

 I still miss my sweet Mom and my fun Dad, and my wonderful Father In Law who has been gone 15 years.  Hard to believe.  Thanks for the memories.  We will try to live up to the legacy. 

Thanks Marti and Fred for the ebelskivers, etc..... should be the new tradition...Sing it! 

Next year, we'll add Meg's pan and I will get one k? 

Now let's go watch

 "Baby Boomerang" 

 - My cousin Mark's award winning documentary of his father(my Uncle - Charles Arnett)Check it out here!