open forum and the kindness of strangers

hello all! i just wanted to share a little. i think we see so much of the negative about the hurricane with the looters, killings ect that i wanted to share how people truly can be kind. my little sister lost everything in new orleans and her and her best friend have decided to make Mobile, Alabama their home. they went there yesterday and immediately upon arriving were offered a place to stay be a couple who had the extra room. they found them a house that needs a little work so the people are letting them stay there rent free. the utility companys turned and hooked all their utilities up for free. no deposit. my sister walked in a shop looking for a job and was immediately given one. so it looks like they are going to settle.for all of you that can only see what they show on news i want you to know there is alot of love here in the deep south and miracles happening every day ! and for those of you living in Alabama........thanks for taking my little sissy in!

[mgi]

thanks for the positive post
What a terrific way to go into the weekemd
hope your sister thrives in her new environment!

[Wisegirl]

I know 2 people that are taking families in. 1 lives in IL and the other in VA.

[married_newfie_mommy]

hello everyone...I found this poem on a website, thought it was beautiful and copied it...here it is for everyone to read

An angel once lay beneath my heart,
a promise of life to come;
My little babe was resting there,
yet, would not follow me home.

My tiny precious angel,
had plans unknown to all,
for my Angel heard the voice of God,
and hastened to His call.

My Angel flew on fragile wings,
into the Father's arms,
to slumber there in peaceful rest,
untouched by earthly harms.

So, slumber there my precious child,
till I can come to you;
I'll keep you here, deep in my heart,
till my journey on earth is through.
~Anne Geddes~

for any of you wishing to visit the website I got this from, here that is too:
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/o/ourangelsavannah/

[nanakay]

and that is why i love the south....i used to live in Oklahoma...i went back when my sister got married, i was trying to braid her hair but didn't have any rubber bands...so i ran down the street to a little convenience store, asked the clerk if they sold rubber bands...the guy says no but how many do you need i said i'm not sure i'm trying to do my sisters hair for her wedding....he pulls open a drawer and hands me a big handfull of rubber bands then his girlfriend starts pulling the bands out of her own hair!
shoot where i live now they would just look at you and say it sucks to be you.
I LOVE THE SOUTH...always willing to help
~nanci

[cinnamonheart]

Hey all survived day number 2 at work!!
Off camping for the weekend  time is running out they close the camp Oct 16 so better make use of it
And now that im back to work i work every other weekend --that sucks

Here's to all the good people left in this world!! CHEERS
there are still a few!

Hope everyone has a great weekend the weather is suppose to be wonderful

LUV ya all!!

[shubunkin]

there was hotel in detroit willing to pay for travel expenses and put them up in rooms. Its amazing how we all come together in such a tragedy.

[blondie72]

OK that poem was beautiful and made me cry and made me think about my miscarriage that happened almost 2 yrs ago exactly.


Question for you - My sister is getting married Oct 8th and the reception is in a place where you can freakin' smoke.  My other sister made a comment to the one getting married that I may not stay.  Well the (bride) sister told my mom she would NEVER talk to me again if I left early.  Well if it is very smokey in there I am NOT going to keep my 2 children in it.  Am I in the wrong for wanting to (possibly) leave my sisters wedding in order to keep my kids healthy???  I don't want to hurt my sister but I will NOT hurt my kids.  Now I am not saying it will be bad in there and if it is not we will stay they do have smoke eater things.  Also me and both my kids are in the wedding.  I am starting to regret this whole thing.  Over half her guests are freakin' smokers.  Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[gonza]

Maybe the guests wont know that it is a smoking place.  It is so common now for most places indoors to be non smoking, maybe they will automatically go outside to smoke.  (trying to look on the brite side.....)

[msklar2005]

Or perhaps, you could see if your sister will ask the guests to only smoke outside. I am sure that you will not be the only one objecting to the smoke.

[gonza]

Mobile is a wonderful place.  She is lucky. Mobile has alot of "Old South" traditions.  DH has a good friend whose family is from Mobile and you would never meet kinder more generous people.  I wish your sister and her friend all the luck.....and also tell her now she can start saying "WAR EAGLE" with the rest of us.....

[gonza]

WOW, I am suprised to hear you smoke.  I quit the entire time I was pregnant, then started back.  I have now been quit again for 5 weeks and 3 days.

[Still_AndiJ]

I quit and start up all the time,lol. Consider it a hobby, a destructive hobby. After pregnancy and such I find a reason to start again. My goal is to quit for good by Christmas, my Grandmother would be so proud! Let me tell you though, the return trip from Spokane was a nightmare without a cigarette! Thank goodness for committ lozenges!


Andrea

[mslkpage]

Andi- I'm like you- I quit both times I found out I was preggo, but after losing both, I started right back up...blamed it on the stress. It wasn't too hard to stop once I knew I was pg, but the times I've tried to stop (when I wasn't pg), it has been hard. I'm a great quitter, but I know I shouldn't blame my bad luck for starting again.

blondie- At my wedding reception, I had the manager put the smoking tables at the end of the room away from the doors. The non-smoking tables were at the end where the doors were. People seem to know that if an ashtray is available, then lighting up is ok, and vice-versa. Now, if there is alcohol there, then eventually a few of the non-smokers will light up, but by then you can make your exit without offending anyone. Maybe you could suggest that to your sis??

[mslkpage]

Part of my post above was for you. Don't know why your name didn't show up in the 'to' space. If you're in the wedding, then I think you have a say about this issue- I made my decision for my reception knowing there would be kids and preggo women there.

[nanakay]

you crack me up....a quitting hobby huh?
my dh has smoked for many years and has a horible time trying to quit....he tried those commit lozenges and they made him throw up so that was out.

i too have quit every time i got pg....this time i swore i wasn't going to start again...but then we went to vagas and well i'm hoping to quit again soon. but i too have problems quitting when i am not pg.

i applaud anyone that thinks about their kids lungs first!!!
~nanci

[blondie72]

Thank you all for the smoking advice.  I will see how bad the smoke gets.  I don't remember it being bad in that place before but then I was around smoke all the time so it didn't phase me.  

Well anyway - A friend of mine just found out she is finally PREGNANT.  She had to have invitro I think.  Her and her hubby had a really hard time getting to this point and she is at high risk for m/c so I am asking everyone say a prayer that this baby stays with her.  I am so happy for her I could just cry.  

To all of you TTC let her be a story for all of you.  No matter how hard of a time you are having getting pg it can happen for you.  Just hang in there and NEVER give up.  When God finds the right time he will let you know with that BFP.   Good Luck to you all.

[BabyJrsMom]

How wonderful!!!  I guess alot of people in that area are offering a place to stay and a helping hand.  
It gives me hope for this world and raising a family in it.

[Still_AndiJ]

I don't think that you are being unreasonable at all. I won't take my kids anywhere if it isn't non-smoking. Dh and I are both smokers, yet we have NEVER smoked near our kids, not inside not in the cars, not anywhere near them. If we are out and about, we avoid anywhere that allows smoking. I have also passed on opportunities to go to social gatherings if there will be smoking inside or even outside near the children's play area. We loved KIds Day in Spokane, the entire park was non-smoking! I just popped a piece of gum and had a blast with the kids.

Andrea

[mejoje]

blondie72
I am a nonsmoker always have been, so I hear you. Maybe you can talk to your DS about, if she doesn't want ask poeple to go outside, if ther is a door or window ask the smokers to sit near there and have a fan or two blowing out. Other than that personaly if the smoke gets too bad I would leave, I can take it myself (headache,stomache ache) so I could only imagine what it is doing to a child. Good Luck

shubunkin
Here in Pittsburgh PA that is happening as well. On the news they have poeple that have come here to stay with family and the father was given a prof. position at Pitt University and the mom somewhere I don't remember and the kids went right into school without any school papers, vaccines the whole bit. They princaple actually set up a play date for all of the children the day or so before school started so they had a friend in the school. It is so nice to see how poeple are able to pull together at times like these. Your DS and her friend are in my prayers.