This is me....learning from a tattoo artist.....

This guy tonight was talking to a girl who was getting a tattoo.  He asked her whose name should come first, hers or his, and she said his.  When her "he" came in, Mr. Tattoo asked "he" whose name should go first...and he said hers, of course.  Mr. Tattoo then imparted some wisdom on the couple...he said, "You two will make it, you know."  And they asked how he knew that, and his response:  "It's simple.  I asked you both whose name should come first, and you both answered the other person should be first.  If you are willing to put the other person first, and instinctively like you just did, then your relationship has a really good chance of lasting.  There is no hope for a relationship where either or both of the people put themselves before the other."

It seems like such a simple thing, doesn't it, but when you think about it, I think Mr. Tattoo is a pretty smart guy.  I love hearing the insight that others have and learning from them.  Thank you, Mr. Tattoo, for a lesson learned tonight.

Who do you put first?  I'm going to try to be more conscious of who I choose to be first.  I don't want to be a selfish person, and I'm sure you don't, either.

Happy LOOOONG weekend, Friends!!!

(For picture's sake....he is the 'tween stage of the removal of she who must not be named....she is all gone now, but I'll have to post that photo at a later date as I did not get one tonight.  I will say this:  Emerald is a really cool dragon.....)

This is me...quoting the Nanna.

Anna and I had a conversation the other night.  Kids see things so simply sometimes, and most of the time, this kid astounds me with her vocabulary and insight.  We were talking about Adam and how he is a good friend and he plays with her and how she loves him.  I told her that I loved him also, and she said, "I know, Mom.  It's because you and him have sort of the same brain.  You think alike."  Wow.  Couldn't have said it better myself.

This is me...being thankful.

I'm tired tonight.  I have a lot to say, a lot I've been thinking about, but not the energy to fool with trying to write those thoughts tonight, but I wanted to make a blog post, so I've decided there's no better way to end the day than to think about the things that I am grateful for. 

I'm going to list the things that specifically happened today that I'm grateful for.

*The nice customers at work who are "putting up with" the new, slow girl that wants very much to please them.

*The fact that the people I work with are encouraging and loving and helpful, because they want to be...not because they "have" to be.

*My haircut...no more bushy hair everywhere in this humidity!

*Friends.  Friends who are REALLY friends.

*My home. 

*The fact that I am able to spend the time I do with the one I love.

*For a heart that cares for and loves people.

*Tomorrow is "Almost-Friday".

*My comfy bed....g'night, peeps!

This is me...discussing acceptance.

You've noticed that I have been silent for a long time, at least a long time compared to the normal every day-ish posts I normally would make, no?  There is a reason for that.  Actually, there is more than one reason for that.  I'll see what I can do to list those reasons for you:

1.  It's better to say nothing than it is to regret words you can't suck back in after they are said.
2.  I feel no need to explain or justify my actions and choices to anyone.  ANYONE. 
3.  I believe that if I am to be judged, it should be God's job to judge me...no one else's. 
4.  Real, unconditional love accepts, even if it doesn't agree. 
5.  If you don't talk to me more than once every couple of weeks, IF that, don't pretend to know me, and don't fool yourself into thinking I care what you think. 
6.  I realize that no matter what I say or how it comes out, it will be "discounted" because of past choices that I've made. 

That being said, I will share with you the words of a dear friend of mine, who has been around for Volumes I, II, and now III of the Life and Times of Abby, and loves and accepts me whether she agrees with my decisions or not.  Thanks, Ginou.

I could tell you that this is awfully soon. I could ask you how long you have known him. I could explain to you relationships on the rebound. I could suggest you take some time for just Abby. But you wouldn't listen, right? Nah, didn't think you would, neither would I. So, for the moment, just tell him, if he hurts my friend, I am turning my dog loose on him. 

 See?  She knows me well.  And I appreciate her and love her for that.

 I believe that I am going to pick back up with blogging again.  I believe I'm not going to address questions and I know that I am not going to explain myself, but I am going to write again, because writing is what I do.  My life is worth documenting, if only in my eyes, and so document I will.