Introducing: Thankful Thursday

"Thankful Thursday" posts are something I've wanted to do for awhile, but as with other ideas, they got pushed down my "blog to-do list."

However, being thankful daily is a personal goal I've set for myself, and I refuse to delay sharing what I'm thankful for any longer. Frankly, it's just not right. Because as Bob, the Tomato, says, "A thankful heart, is a happy heart." So here goes...

Today, I am thankful for my parents.

From the moment I was born, I knew I was loved. There's absolutely no greater gift my parents could have given me.

They've been there to teach, guide, listen and help whenever I've needed them to. Often, they knew what I needed even when I didn't.

If my girls end up loving me as much as I love my parents, I will consider myself truly blessed.

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for all that you have given me. I love you.

It is definitely a thankful Thursday.

Remembering Patty (1960-2009)

My cousin Patty lost her battle with cancer on Saturday. She was 48.

Most of my memories of her are from events that took place before I was 11, when we lived closer to each other.

The fondest memory I have of her is the weekend she spent with my family in Hawthrone, Nevada. She was 21, and to my 11-year-old eyes, she was blonde, beautiful and totally cool.

Patty played dolls with me (I had just gotten Golden Dream Barbie) and taught me how to crack and eat sunflower seeds. She was a great teacher because I continue to eat sunflower seeds to this day. In fact, The Man used to call me Sunflower Girl because I'd eat them every other day.

To many, those may seem like small things considering all of the other wonderful and more significant things Patty did throughout her life. But to me, they are cherished memories and meant the world to a girl with mostly boy cousins (0 girls on Mom's side / 3 on Dad's side -- Debbie, Patty and Susan, who are all 10+ years older than me).

My dad sent me the picture in this post and it immediately took me back to the days we lived closer to his side of the family. As you can see from my face, it looks like I was enjoying my "girl time" with Patty.

Patty will be missed by so many in my family. Although I can't be there to hug them in person, I want each to know that I am there in spirit. My thoughts, prayers and best wishes are with each during this difficult time.

"Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in Heaven
where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down
upon us to let us know they are happy." ~Author Unknown

I need a night out with Edward Cullen. I mean, my husband!

I have a thousand other things I could be posting today, but I just can't resist commenting on Twilight, now that I've watched it on DVD a time or two (*or three or more*).

I'm seriously loving this movie more and more. Rather, I'm loving the whole world of Twilight even more. And for the sake of my sanity since no one but me reads this blog, I won't dive into the thousands of reasons I LOVE the relationship between Edward and Bella, but I will say this much:

I've heard some of the feminist comments about Bella being too dependent on Edward and blah, blah, blah. But seriously...

IT'S FICTION PEOPLE!

You can call me a girly girl, but I love chivalrous men. Especially the ones who act strong and in charge, but choke up when they talk about their family and the woman they love.

And for the record, just because it's on my mind, I'd like to announce that I'm now officially 100% on board with Robert Pattinson playing Edward. I was never totally against him, I just didn't know who he was. Had Edward been somewhere farther along in life (like CLOSER TO MY AGE!) I'd have said Hugh Jackman is the only actor for the part. But I digress... I'll see him soon enough in Wolverine (if The Man will take me on a date, that is).

And speaking of "The Man" in my life. He FINALLY agreed to read the Twilight books. He goes through multiple books in a week so you'd think it would've been easy for him, but he can be a little stubborn when it comes to doing something I really want him to do. It started with a mustache when we were dating, and it's just gone on from there...

ANYWAY -- He's on Book 4 (Breaking Dawn) so he can't give me his full review yet, but here's what he's said so far... AND I QUOTE:

"Men like Edward don't exist."

My reply?

"I know they don't, Honey.
And Edward isn't 'a man,' he's a vampire."

At least we have the antagonistic part of Edward and Bella's relationship down. Now if I could only get him to throw himself in front of a car for me (*that's a scene in the book/movie, so don't freak out people*)...

I guess I'll have to settle for a bite on my neck...

I sooooo need a date night.

I never posted my review of the movie Twilight, but the brief synopsis went something like this:

The movie didn't live up to the book.

Total shocker, I know.

Thankfully, I knew this information going in and was prepared. So when the Cullen's make-up and the not-so-impressive special effects made it difficult for me to get into the movie (at first), I reminded myself that no movie about this incredible series could ever meet my expectations. Then, I sat back and enjoyed it. I relished the feeling I get whenever I think about anything Twilight-related.

Perhaps fellow "Twilighters" can relate...

Now that the anticipation of new books in the series is over, I live for any and every kind of Twilight-related news. I've even found myself on the MTV Twilight Blog site searching for news about the next movie, New Moon. Seriously, I'm 37-years-old and I'm surfing through the MTV Web site?

That's crazy.

Or is it?

As it is with vampires, once you're bitten (by this series) you are forever changed.

You begin devouring whatever information is already out there about the series - blogs, Stephenie Meyer interviews, movie clips, etc., etc. And then you long for new updates so you can stay in this make-believe world (a.k.a. Forks, Washington) that seems pretty darn close to perfection...

Okay, maybe you can't relate and I'm just crazy.

Either way, I'm excited about the release on Saturday and will probably fix a Twilight-themed dinner to celebrate...

And then? I'll focus my anticipation toward the release of New Moon on 11.20.2009.

What?

You think that's crazy?

I don't think I'm the only one... SEE!