Well My Friends...Thank you once again for coming to spend some time with me..
I have been praying for all who read this... That somehow, the Holy Spirit will touch your life.
The way that he has touched mine.
That as you look back through the rear-view mirror of your life you will come to realize
That nothing is by chance
All we have been through ,
The Good ,The Bad, and The Ugly as they say
Have brought you to where you are now.
How God has worked through others
to bring us closer to him.
I am humbled every day knowing that every single day of my life he loves me.
No Matter what.
He fills that space in your soul, you know... that emptiness... that feeling of loneliness.... of hopelessness...
I can tell you... from experience that there is only one answer to the Pain you are feeling.

There is something that I am guilty of that I must confess. I have had many friends whose husbands have lost their jobs over the past year. I have not been there for them like I should have. Funny how when something happens to someone other than yourself you have a hard time putting yourself in their shoes.
I am in your shoes now.
Will you please forgive me for not being there for you as I should have?
Really had no idea how devastating losing a job is for a man... Even as a wife who knows that her Husband will find a job worthy of him, I am still reeling from the shock.
Watching your husband worrying every single day is not a fun thing to go through...
As I have stated in the Past... I have tried to invoke my Faith that God will provide into him... but this is his lesson.
Who knows what this will do to our lives...what lessons will be learned..
How you should never never underestimate the importance of a job to a man...
How you should always be there in times of need.

This is one tough Valley we are trudging through...filled with all kinds of thorny bushes and rocky paths. But God is on our side. Of this I am sure. I feel him in my heart . I am sure a year from now... wherever where we may be...(hopefully still right here!) We will look back ..or down ... really... because I plan on keeping on trudging.... over the rocky paths... and up the mountain... Until we can look down and say...Look how far we have come... and feel the Beauty of all that is around us.
Life is Beautiful...Really. The craziness of it, The running all over taking care of kids, animals or whatever it is you do everyday. That, my friend is LIVING! Would you really have it any other way?
Really?
Look at your day today and make a collage in your mind of your favorite moments... Every day has them.
Focus on those... those special times... and Thank God for giving us this Life... For all the Joy, for all the Heartaches... The struggles... The bad times don't compare with the Good... Focus on the Good things...

We have had a couple of leads for Mark.... I am praying that he has a dozen offers and has to choose between them.Or just one job that he feels in his heart is the right one...

We had a Great time in Orlando...It was a nice break for us all and allowed us some time away ... It did wonders for Mark.... as I knew it would...
Laughter... The best medicine.
Well friends.. it is late... and I am tired...
Please continue to pray for Mark, as he makes his way through this time.

Defining Moment:The day you accept Gods Grace... without feeling you don't deserve it.

Love you all! Night Night...

Come sit with me... Tell me your story... I know you have one.... We ALL have a story to tell... Tell me of your trials and triumphs, your heartaches, your joys!
I wish I could sit with you all.... hear your stories.. How God has changed your life... How when you finally just gave up and handed it over what amazing things started happening in your lives! I want to hear them all! I want to share in your glorious transformations! Your stories give me hope, strength, inspiration!
Is it not amazing how God loves us!
Oh Friends... My poor husband is still struggling! How I hate to see him broken like this! How can I stay strong? I am praying and praying and trying so hard ! What more shall I do? I fear he will lose his mind if he does not have a job offer soon... and it has only been a week. He spends hours every day, (And night!) searching, calling everyone he knows ....I try not to get caught up in his worry but I am HUMAN!
Please God! Send him some Peace of mind and Heart!
I am comforted by our Lord, I am sure that all will be okay in the end.. But I cannot portray this to him.
I fear that this is between He and God and that I cannot push this upon him any more... That it is a Peace he must come to on his own as he struggles through....
I have to break in this for a moment and laugh... my two teenage daughters, Carli (17) and Sydnee (15) are doing P90X behind me in Sydnees room for the first time... Carli,( the cheerleader..). coaching poor Sydnee ( the writer...) It is quite entertaining... Lets see if they make it through!
I,myself,am taking a break from the lo carb diet in favor of the stress diet( not really by choice!)My mind and my Body seem to be on different playing fields... although in my mind I am calm my body sometimes is a churning mass of nerves! If I find myself with any idle time at all... I start over-thinking... I guess God put me back to work full time just in time... Funny how things work out that way... I don't really have time to worry between working, running the store and trying to keep these kiddos entertained.
We are all taking a short trip to Mall of America this week.. just a short overnight-er... but as I have stated in the past... I prefer the overnight trips... too many days away from home does me no good!
So we will take a little breather...have some fun away from home and hopefully get Mark some stress relief! (my ultimate goal!!! Have him forget for a minute!)
I love my life. I love where I am right now.. and I know it is only going to get better.. I have faith.. Whatever lessons we need to learn,we will learn...As long as we have faith and keep our focus on God... He will never let us down...That is awesome... I am so happy to be able to share with you... and I hope you can share with me... I want to hear... I want to know what Jesus has placed in your heart...
As we walk through life, looking around us, and maybe maybe just wanting to feel sorry for ourselves... take a deeper look... look at the homeless man on the corner... look at your neighbor who is hurting... think of the struggles of those all around us... I can tell you, as I have before,, we all have them.... all of us...... Someone may be going through something you never even will know about.. and those kind of struggles... those kind of things where someone feels as if they can't share their burden... those are the ones we need to become more sensitive too...
I promise...as you help others... take the focus off yourself... and put that energy into someone else... you will feel a different kind of satisfaction. Of Happiness....
But first... you must fill yourself up with Jesus... For without him... you are of no good to anyone.

Thank you friends.. for once again sharing this time with me... It has been nice talking to you once again...Thank you for sharing some of MY burden... for listening to me ... for taking the time to care...

Defining Moment.....having your kids help out with everything that needs to be done... with love in their hearts..and thankfulness on their lips...... Is there anything more you could possibly ask for?
Jesus...Thank you for changing MY LIFE!

There you go changing my plans again
There you go shifting my sands again
For reasons I don't understand again
Lately I don't have a clue

Just when I start liking what I see
There you go changing my scenery
I never know where you are taking me
But I'm trying just to follow you

Wow... What a week I have had... WE have had... It has been a rough week.. But you know what.. We survived and will continue to LIVE, and to LOVE in spite of the heartache, in spite of the attacks, in spite of all that life may throw in our way...

It is as we feared... Marks Program with Hills has been cut.,.. which means his job will be eliminated.
The Vice President(of his Company) flew in on Tuesday personally to deliver the news to Mark. They have great respect for Mark...(of course.. he IS the best we all know!) The news is bad but at least Mark knows how much they respected him and loved him for all he did. They were forced to lay he and Dennis off(poor Dennis...) ! But as bad as it is... and it is really bad, they are keeping him on for three months, will pay him three more after that, keep us insured for over a year, paying him his bonus, vesting his pension and they also hired a Professional Recruiter to find him a new job.
I am so proud of my husband. He shows such grace and such strength in times such as these. He is my rock... He is OUR rock.
So... our lives will be changing... But I can not fret .. I have faith that our God has his hand in this and that Mark is meant for bigger and better things.... Honestly he is the most brilliant person I have ever met, other than my Grandfather...(they are the same level of brilliance!!)I KNOW he will be placed in a job , a job that was meant for him to flourish and use his talents.
We do need prayers.. It is very hard to see him broken like this... I know he is trying to be strong for us and he is so worried about letting us all down... He could never let us down... no matter what... not possible... !
It is so sweet as he cradles me in his arms and tells me I don't need to worry ... That he will always take care of us... that he will do whatever he needs to in order to do so... I LOVE HIM!!!!!I cherish him.... Thank you GOD for sending him to me!
Do you know how nice it is to be able to count on someone... ? To know that if he says something he means it... I could go on and on... I am sure I will...
I will keep you all updated...Pray for his peace of heart...

I have been working ...and working...and working... I had to work out of the office today... for the first time in over a year... I got to see my friend Beth... I didn't realize how much I miss her! She is my little Hawaii girl...she travels there a couple (or more) times a year... She brought me much comfort today by just being there and listening to me...Thank you Beth... I am so glad that we are friends... that we have each other... even if we don't see each other much...!
I have found as I grow closer and closer to God that my heart softens towards the loved ones in my life... I feel as if I need to tell them all how much they mean to me... what a difference they have made in my life... I have been so blessed with the relationships that God has sent me...

Liz,oh..I need to tell you about Liz.... The strongest woman I know... I don't even know if I have words to express how she has changed me... I just realized it... TODAY!
Her and Kevin have been struggling with their seven year old son Joe, having Cancer. The heartbreak, the constant trips to the hospital for treatment, the not knowing.... every day... Yet she has time to be there for ME! Liz... I love you... Your example of staying strong in times of need, your faith, your love of God.... all have taught me by example...Instead of worrying and fretting I am having faith... Instead of feeling sorrow.. I am finding Peace... knowing God has a plan. You are so special... I hope you know this.. I know how you have suffered in the past... I am so sorry... so so sorry... You are in my thoughts daily, my prayers constantly... You have shown me that you can heal ... that you can go on living....and LOVING!!!!!
I need to tell you about all of them... Ginger, Jennifer, Jenn,Julie, just to name a few... the ones that really have made a DIFFERENCE in my life...
and of course.. Rochelle... thank you Liz..... and Carla...
I want to share them all with you.. Tell you and them how much I love them... People that take time out of their lives when they are hurting and down, and struggling.... to take time to lift you up...REALLY take time... Who stop what they are doing to help you.
God has a plan for our family... I know that... I know I should never grow content... for if I shall I shall need to be shaken by his mighty hand lest I forget who is really in charge...
Well Guys... I am really tired... and it is my BABY GIRLS SIXTH BIRTHDAY TOMORROW:
Her lists of demands are that of a true Princess and of course we must fill every one..
Hide her presents... at least ten... in the kitchen and living room only
Take her to Bearcat Park... then Sonic to Ice Cream...
Childrens Museum on Friday.. then the Omni and Olive Garden,
and MARBLE CAKE with a green candle on top...
Oh... that child is something else... Through all of this she is bringing joy to our hearts...
I love my kids... they are awesome...!
They are all doing all they can to help us get through this difficult time..
Thank ALL of you for your prayers...Please add Dennis Nixon to your prayer lists as well...He is a very good friend of ours...(Our SANTA!) He will need strength as well...
They have helped....
God is GOOD...
Goodnight! (:

Lord:
You are all I need.... take all that's in me... I give it to you.. For your Glory...
My flesh may fail me
My heart may fail me
Everything I have may fail me
My only hope is waiting at your feet..

I have been singing this song all day today... Yesterday ...today... very stressful days here in the Damato household...
Life changes in an instant... I am sure there are several of you out there that can agree.. How you can just be living your life... then a minute later everything changes.
I am telling you all this against my husbands wishes... But I feel I need to ... for we need the prayer... (s)!!!!
I wish I could tell you the specifics but quite frankly we don't have any yet...
All we know is that there will be some major changes happening around here starting probably next week... Something is going to happen with Marks job...There is alot of realignment going on in his company, and he will be affected...That is all we know...
If he loses his job...Well that is something I really can't think about right now... I have faith that he will be put into a new position.... That God will provide. He has always taken care of me. Always... I am just so scared right now... I really don't know what to think... or what we will do... I know there are so many who have gone through this in the past year... I have several friends in fact who are still suffering the after effects of our bad economy.Please God... give us the strength to get through whatever it is you have in store for us... If it means Mark has to travel back and forth to Kansas... we will do it... Please put your hands over our family and protect us! It could be a number of things, and as I stated no matter what, things have to change... Mark loves working from home....and I fear that is going to change.
But his having to commute over not having a job...We will take the commuting part!
Please pray for him... his heart and his pride are broken.... Although it is no fault of his...He is the best at what he does....always... so that is why I am keeping faith that they will keep him and just reassign him to new duties...
If you would have asked me a few days ago if I was okay with him traveling back and forth and only being home on weekends I would have emphatically responded "NO!" But... as I stated in the beginning... life throws these curveballs at us when we least expect them... It is our job to keep our faith strong... Just believing that as a family, with God on our side we can get through anything... I feel strong right now.. Ask me in a couple of hours as I am tossing and turning unable to sleep....
I really want Mark to have faith... to have Peace in his heart no matter what happens. It is hard for him, as the provider... especially as he is such a Perfectionist!
It is going to be a tough weekend, Did I say that already?? The NOT knowing is the worst... of course coupled with the fact that jobs at his level aren't really a dime a dozen... ...
See... Here I go... losing my strength and resolve to stay strong... Help me!!
They say that when you start bringing people to God get ready for the attacks.... I don't know if I am strong enough for any attacks right now!
There are so many suffering, Good people... I feel guilty even saying these things... I am just so very worried about my sweet husband... I don't think he has eaten for two days... So.. again... I ask you to lift him up in prayers...(Mark)... to help him find peace and give him strength... If he ends up having to commute back and fort to Kansas that he finds it bearable... That Jesus will reside in his heart to keep him company...
I will let you all know what happens... As you know.. I am back to work full time with American... so it may be a couple of days...


Defining Moment... realizing that what you have, can swiftly be taken away.
I am giving it to God... He is almighty and does not make mistakes.

There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.
Nelson Mandela