It is late... and here I am... once again...! Another interesting day with American... It seems as if Obama decided to take a trip to Chicago thereby shutting down the airport for a number of hours on one of the busiest travel days of the year... Interesting...It is funny to me how people react to things they have no control over... Very Very few are just "okay " with it..Most are angry, frustrated,and all those emotions that go along with losing control of our situation.
I have learned to just sit back and let them vent for the most part... I have learned it does no good to tell them that it is beyond my control... That the snow is not my fault, the mechanical prolems not my doing..I now just sit quietly as they rant and rave...not saying a word until they finally say" Are you there"? At which point I quietly tell them I am here to help them if they indeed need my help..But if they want to continue to complain and yell then I will have to release the call so that I can help others...
This tactic of mine is fairly new.. It is hard not to take it personally when people are yelling , screaming, name calling etc...I use to actually break out in hives on my arms I was so upset by these people..
Now,although some of them can still get under my skin, I have an easier time not taking it personally and putting myself in their shoes...
The other day I was talking of this with one of the Supervisors... How I could not understand how some people no matter how hard you try to explain things they just did not get it.....How you could tell them something five times at least and they still are angry at not understanding...He, The Supervisor then told me I was judgmental...
"Judgmental !?" I said How is it being judgmental when I am explaining this time and time again and they are not UNDERSTANDING ME? He quietly told me that some people really just don't get it...That they don't understand things like we do ...and for me to get frustrated with them was being judgmental...
Wow...what a slap to the face that was to me... But he was so right!
So... that is my goal...add that to my list of daily sins... I am judgmental... I don't want to be!
Lord help me!!!
My friend Beth that works with me tells me I am mean on the phone... She laughs at me, and I at her.. for I like to get my conversations done , and stay at business at hand for the most part and she knows all the kids names and birthdays when she gets off the phone...(sorry Beth if you are reading this... but you know it is true..!) Ilove Beth... she is awesome... Don't get to see her much at all since we both work from home, and we don't have to go into the office often.. But I enjoy sitting next to her when we are there... She has such a calming spirit about her.(she is LDS...funny out of all the people there we gravitated to each other!)
I never thought of myself as judgmental...before...But he ...some stranger for the most part...(I only have talked to him on the phone a handful of times in the almost four years I have been at home) was quick to point it out in a hurry....!
But as I thought about it... it has become clear to me...I am not judgmental in the way that I think a person should look or dress a certain way but I am, I suppose, because I think people should react to things the way that I would...
I need alot of prayer...! Please God...go to work inside me and open me up to understand all that I cannot...!!!!!
I wonder... Do we ever get it right...? Life, I mean... Is there ever a day when you don't look back at a moment you wish you could change... a word you wish you could take back...
an opportunity missed...We really do need to realize that we,as Christs followers are setting the stage... that others look to us, that call ourselves Christians...that we have a GREAT big role to fill...It is scary to me to think that the example that I set will be the wrong one.
So...my goal at work now is to treat people that don't understand me, how a NASA scientist would treat me if I didn't understand how a rocket booster operates...I am sure it would be completely foreign to me...
Sorry all you people I have talked to in my bordering on mean voice when you didn't understand me..I truly am.. It is my issue...not yours...I feel horrible!

I have had several people , in my life,ask me how I have overcome so much , and just seem to be at peace with it all..I have to tell you...it has not been easy...as I have told you before.....But, you see... the sorrow in my life I have overcome is the same sorrow that has brought me into my relationship with my one and only Father.. Jesus Christ... the savior of us all...Isn't that amazing? That the bad things actually led me to the most Wonderful...That, my friend is how it works...!It is awesome! The peace I feel in my soul is truly something I wish I could explain in words... But I am afraid I cannot... it is something you must experience yourself. My special time with God, my alone time with him ...those times when I feel him with me, encouraging me when I am down or sharing my Joy at special moments....He wants us to be joyous... If we only knew what he had in store for all of our lives.....
When I was young, an early teen..I was so unhappy... miserable.. I hated my homelife.. I use to run away every chance I got.. The only place I ever felt safe was with my Grandparents... I would just run as fast and hard as I could..wanting to run from the pain.
I remember those times of helplessness...those times of being so alone...
My friend... I have been through it all.. I know what it is to lose faith in your family. I know what it is to be single Mommie trying to make ends meet... I know how it feels to have your heart aching.. knowing that there has to be something more......
I have been there... If you are reading this and feel as if you have no purpose in life, no direction...like you are not good enough.... Please pray ...right now for Jesus to give you direction...Your life will change...I promise...
God is GOOD!!!!!! Life is oh so GOOD! Life is for living!
I was talking to a 92 year old very special lady this eve as she was planning her yearly vacation dates... She is sharper than I... When she volunteered her age as we were talking about dates of travel I think I choked...She is a very special spirit...I asked her how she did it,how she kept her mind sharp and her attitude bright.
She told me two things...
Be Thankful for every day.Live life with a positive attitude... the negative will kill you.
Truer words could not be said..
If we live every day feeling sorry for ourselves, if we allow the ugliness of the world to seep into our lives, we will feel the effects physically, and mentally....it will bring us down.
Of course we all have our good and bad days... But let us all strive to live to be 92 and still traveling the world with a smile on our faces blessing all around us...!
Can we just take the bad,knowing it is for the better good? I know it is hard, especially in the middle of it.. but there is alight at the end of the tunnel... it is our choice...! we can let it bring us down, but what good does that do...really? There is alot we have no control over... ALOT!!! MOST things! But we can control how we react to those situations... And that is what will change your life...
I am going to change the way i\I react to those people on the phone that dont GET IT! I think of God and how probably thinks the same of us everyday... How many times do I have to tell them? Will they never understand? They just DONT GET IT!! But he , in his infinite wisdom does not judge us.
Everyday is a struggle of some sort.. some have it worse than others... but we all have our struggles...believe me... That is God working in our lives.. Can we make him proud?

Defining Moment...Having your kids pitch in to take care of little ones, cook dinner AND clean up because Mommie is back to work...all without being asked... My heart is full.

Okay.. So my first day back at work wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.. I met some really interesting people.. The gentleman who helped create Twitter being one of them... I asked him how to pronounce his name so that I made sure I pronounced it right .. It was very complicated .. three very long names and I couldn't even begin to say any of them correctly...... and he says.......
"Kevin."
It was HILARIOUS!!!!..he told me about the new app he is creating for the iphone.. I will post more on that later... I was suppose to work until 9 but got off at 6 ...phones were slow.. so we were all VERY happy.. We have a Wonderful child staying with us... She is actually Bonners cousin ...Her name is Allegra and she is so sweet.. We met her at dinner the other eve when Bonners Parents were here..Found out they actually live in Tanglewood.. So she wanted to come and spend the weekend with us.. She is a character.. She has been bugging the boys all day ...She fits right in.. I love her to death... I have a feeling she will be spending alot of time in the Damato household.. and you know me... the more the merrier...
My sweet son Jordan brought me home a surprise last night.. a smoker! He slaved away smoking his first brisket today while I was working... it was AWESOME!!!!That boy can cook! He and Tyler my oldest are both chefs... I love it..When Tyler comes to visit they both spend all day in the kitchen cooking up the yummiest creations... I too love to cook... Well more bake really... I love cookies and brownies and all those things I cant have right now... Still five more pounds!!!!
Spent alot of time creating the past couple of days.. I am going to post some pics... I needed a floral arrangement so I made it.. My first one.. So Proud! We have also been busy making jewelry...
Sydnee made her first necklace this evening and I taught sweet Allegra how to make Tutus ...She is in the kitchen now attempting her first necklace... I love when these girls make something and are so proud.. It makes me happy!!!!


The sky is so clear, the starts so bright..
As I sit on the outside
looking in
All is right with the World
My Baby Girl climbing into Bed
Arms reaching out one more time
For one more hug from Daddy
The breeze is blowing, it is perfect.
Kids gathering up suits to go out for the night
to a block party they go
I laugh as I remember those days
of my youth.
Lights flashing in the dark
from the Video game upstairs..
But all is quiet out here.
Two girls painting toenails
Tying Tutus, beading necklaces
I watch it all through the Windows.
Stealing this moment of quiet
I quickly pray
God Thank you
My house is full of love and laughter
A place where all are Welcome.
and safe.
Where little girls dance and sing
and puppies beg for food
My place of bliss
My Heaven on Earth.
If I don't tell you enough
My Lord
My savior
I love you. I believe in you.
I thank you and I will praise you.
Today, Tomorrow and for the rest of my life.



Defining Moment..The moment you realize that no matter how tired you become, raising our Children is a privilege..not a chore.

Good Evening !! This is my last eve of freedom! Tomorrow is the day I have to start working full time again for American....Oh... it has been nice... The time off... You see they allow us to take Voluntary time off in advance if they predict the phone volume will be down... One of the perks of working for American Airlines...I detest my job and love it at the same time... I love talking to people on the phone, hearing their stories and having the ability, most of the time, to help them out.. But I detest the ugliness that oozes out of others..!. I often wonder what gives people the right to be rude to others ..?..I have to admit, although I was never downright rude, I did not give the people in Customer Service, when calling the respect they deserve... It is a tough job... Especially for us in the Airline business... I answer phone calls for Elite Members, people calling who want to use their miles to travel...(whole other story..) People whose baggage didn't arrive on the same airplane that they did...(Least favorite... every one is angry!)...I also answer overflow for just the regular joe wanting to know if he can bring his guitar on board, how much it costs to bring his pet.. or if he is allowed to check his blowtorch ...Seriously...No...you cannot bring your blowtorch.. Or your lighter fluid, or any other flammable liquid...!
People are funny...I could write a book just about the phone calls I get on any given night.. I will add a few after work tomorrow..... It can be your daily entertainment....
Luckily for me, the kids will be out of school so will be able to help out at the store...I am grateful for my job and the opportunities that it provides my family and I.. We would never be able to fly to California to watch American Idol or take that quick trip to Disney World because Savanna just wants to go...Oh her future husband is in all kinds of trouble... She thinks it is normal to just jump on an airplane and go to Disney...!
Do you remember as a child dreaming of what life would be when you grew up..? Is the life you lead what you dreamed? Most of my young adult life was spent feeling sorry for myself and I wasted so much time... !We all have plenty of things that have happened to us believe me... Zachary gets so upset sometimes when kids stare at him or make a remark... I have to remind him that his disability is on the outside ... and sometimes that kind is the easiest to bear... He really does understand this as he gets older. He tells me stories of how kids in his school are having all kinds of trouble at home, or have recently lost a parent, etc.. He has become really sensitive to things going on around him... Last week a little boy that is six passed away due to a heart condition he was been born with.
.Zachary woke up in the middle of the night and tapped me on the shoulder..."Mommie, he whispered... I can't sleep.. I am too worried I will never see my friend in Heaven.. What if I do something in my life that prevents me from going there?"
He just turned ten....What if we do something in our life that prevents us from going there.. Prevents us from seeing our loved ones.. Prevents us from spending ETERNITY in Gods Presence... In PARADISE!
I assured him that Jesus was the way to Heaven and as long as he believed in Jesus and followed in his footsteps he would meet all his loved ones in Heaven... "What if I am mean to someone?' Then you repent and don't be mean to them again....We stayed up for about an hour running through all kinds of scenarios that in a child's mind I guess would prevent them from going to Heaven.
Children have such insight into things... Their minds aren't cluttered with all the things that we as adults have to plunder through each day...Most things are black and white with them... then as we become older everything becomes a shade of gray.(or grey)..(.that is for you Anna.).... the right and the wrong kind of blending in the middle so it is kind of right, and kind of wrong...We make excuses for everything... Boy our kids pick up on that quick too... How to make excuses for things.. .It is funny how we say our kids are naughty.. While we are born in sin... the naughtiness is something learned...usually from us..!
Oh how I wish I could start over with Parenting.. Now that I am middle aged I think I finally get it.. (well kind of...) but most assuredly better than I did when I was young.. These children need so much guidance.. and discipline.. ! Although I am sort of an enabler.. I am able to hold strong to the values that I want instilled in them... Rules too....Lots of rules...
When we are young we have these grandiose dreams of our future selves... I just remember saying "When I have kids I will never let them .....""They will all have......""I will marry Prince Charming and live in a castle.."
I woke up one day to a harsh sense of reality.. Actually it was God giving me a stern talking too... Telling me in a still small voice that it was time to stop feeling sorry for myself... to take the things of the Past and let them go.. The People that had hurt me, let that go too.. Why was I wasting MY life carrying around THEIR burdens? God has never said to Forget about it.. Just to stop carrying it around with you.
I gave it all to him... all of it.. all of the crazy mixed up feelings I had for certain family members... all of the resentment I had for never having a stable home life... ...etc... etc...(If I tell you everything YOU would be the one in the fetal position!) !! It is true that our circumstances can shape our future if we LET it... It is so easy to feel like we were entitled to that Perfect childhood.. or whatever it was we feel we were missing...But.. at some point it is up to us to get down on our knees and cry out to God to take it all ..... ALL of it! Stop drowning in your pities and start dreaming of your life again... Start thinking what it is you want.. for you... for your children... then start DOING it...When you let go of those bad feelings...(it takes a while...!)and pray pray pray every day for Peace in your heart.. When you ask for direction... and then LISTEN to God... Your life will CHANGE!!!!!
I have my Prince Charming..
All I have ever wanted to do for my Children I can...
I live in my Castle...(it is a castle to me..!)
I have prayed and worked really hard to get to where I am in life right now.. I did not do it alone.. God gave me a path to follow and it was a hard path ... I had to humble myself.. I had to realize that in order to be blessed you have to be a Blessing...(Thanks Ed Young !)You really have to stop being selfish and self serving.. and put the needs of others first.. Truly.And you have to realize that whatever you are Given by God you do DESERVE it.. no matter what others say and especially no matter what the Devil says.. For he never ever EVER stops trying to convince you otherwise...
Go back to your childhood list.. what on that list can you achieve? What if we do something in our lives that prevents us from going to Heaven?( Thank you Zachary... )This life is only to fulfill one purpose really.. to serve God.. to try to be like him and to have a relationship with him that we can continue in our everlasting life after our earthly death.. What if we wasted our whole purpose?(In this process you will find your dreams and goals coming true...... If you take his direction..!)..
Our salvation lies in Christ.. Please Please Please take him into your lives and into your hearts..Start living your dream.
Defining Moment.. After spending half of your life thinking you were NOONE finally realizing you are SOMEONE.
Thank you Jesus..

Hello again.. ..Sorry I missed you yesterday.. It was one of those rare occasions where we decided to throw all caution to the Wind and go see a movie on a school night! We took Savanna to see Shrek .. it was awesome...I love Mike Myers... (Shrek) If you ever want to watch a really funny move rent So I Married An Axe Murderer... one of my favorite movies... It may have been his first... I don't know but I have watched it about nine million and one half times and have every line in it memorized and still laugh every time...But.. you have to be a Mike Myers fan...
I have to share a secret with you.. I am kind of scared right now... When I started writing this blog in my mind it was just going to be about our crazy life.. inside our crazy house with our Welcome to the Zoo sign on the front door...How we get through every day with all the kids and the animals... How we plan our schedules to make sure everyone is where they are supposed to be.... and now with the store keeping that manned at all times, etc etc...
How I fit in time to make candles, and now jewelry for the store...My favorite recipes, the best restaurants in town... (for we do love to eat out...) ...(just got back from Joe Ts!)
But the words just started spilling out of me, and before I knew it I was telling you all my life story... Which is fine... there is alot to tell... But I never ever meant for it to be what is has seemed to turn into...
I have gotten so many messages from people telling me that my stories have inspired them into maybe giving their lives back to God... who have gotten off track...
I am scared...and humbled... I am just a person who has made a ton of mistakes... has taken the wrong path alot of times and just happened to realize one day that Jesus is the only way.
Thank you for taking time out of your precious day to meet with me, here...to listen to me tell you my story.. If it helps you .. then it is God talking to you.. not me...That little voice inside you is the Holy Spirit giving you the conviction that you need to get you back on track.....I will share with you some more of how God through Jesus can fix anything.
Why did Eve have to go and eat that apple...seriously... would not our lives be so much easier if there were no sin...? Oh.. sin HURTS!!! Sure it may feel good in the moment.. but the kickbacks? Oh I can tell you they are not worth it! We can never shed our human nature.. I love it when people tell me , usually people who are far away from God.. that"that is not very Christianlike"...Well I can tell you right now that as long as I am HUMAN and on this earth... I will never be PERFECT! I finally came to the realization many years ago that being happy with yourself through Jesus is being at peace with the world.
If someone wants to judge you... so be it... if someone chooses not to like you ... so be it...Honestly it is usually someone who cant look at themselves in the mirror due to their own sins, that is causing them to judge you...Making everyone you know happy is impossible.....
Be true to yourself... Pray that Jesus can give you the compassion you need to get through each day... stay away from sin... or try to.. a harsh word with a child...maybe a word spoken out the window in a moment of road rage...(who.. me?) a struggle with your husband over who is the boss....(it is very hard for me.. I struggle with this daily)..Mark and I are always struggling over authority... I think I am right.. but think is the key word.. for I am usually NEVER right.. and even if I am.. I need to be in his service ... It is so hard !!!!!That is my daily sin... oh how I pray !!! But then my human flesh takes over and here we go again...It is a good thing that I can admit that I am wrong in the end or there would really be trouble...!He is the smartest man I know.. I am completely right brained... he is completely left brained so we make a good team... Our closet... I should take a picture and post it... His side is perfectly arranged by color and sleevelength...My side..Well....my side stretches out into the middle of the closet onto the stepstool which is covered in clothes so I can't even reach the clothes on the top rack... Who knows what is even up there? ...stretches all the way into my laundry room which is also used as my closet.. No my clothes are NOT sorted by sleeve length.. or color..! Oh he gets mad at me...When are you going to clean the closet... straighten out the kitchen drawers..What...?? You mean its not normal to have five junk drawers? People actually USE those things that you sort out the silverware in inside the drawers?
Oh just ask my friend Ginger if you ever meet her.. She will tell you some stories... we use to work together... I would be out on sales calls and would call her back at the office to find me a quote or something... "where is it?" she would say...(of course her pantry is organized in alphabetical order...!)On my desk I would reply to her horror! Although she loved it when I was not in the office...she would spend all her time trying to clean up my desk to get things filed... I love her so much... even now she tries to teach me and always threatens she is going to do it (the organizing)when she comes to visit.. but she knows better...
anyway... where was I?
All I am saying to you.. is this... We are not perfect... Not one person walking on this earth is.. and you know what? God loves us all the same...We all sin every day. No getting around it.Just try not to make the same mistakes.. Dont judge others like you are judged or you are just like them.As I was talking to God one night..I asked him... what is Heaven like....I love just talking to God.. I talk to him every night.. For as you know.. he is my Father... He told me so...
When I asked him that question there was a rush of euphoria that passed through me.. I can't explain it...it was like your best moment in life times 100 million...It only lasted a moment and was gone.. But I get it.. I GET IT! I want to go there!
I want to be in a place where all my earthly worries are gone.....Where every day is the most Wonderful Day you have ever had...
Dont waste your life.
Dont let others take you down... Sometimes the people you love the most are the ones you have to break free from.....
The thing that helps me the most is just knowing that I am loved by God... even if no one else on this earth loved me... I am loved by him.
Defining Moment...realizing that you can do more than you ever thought you could.
Love to all... Good night!

I love how every time I tell someone I am from Utah (without fail!) they say to me.. so Are you Mormon? I know all my Utah people feel the pain! How everyone looks at you like you are from a third world country until they hear your answer... Then the questions begin..
Well to answer your question... the only people that call them Mormons are people who aren't Mormon! In Utah we call ourselves Latter Day Saints or LDS for short.. So... if someone asks me if I am Mormon I know they aren't one... If they ask me if I am Latter Day Saint... then I know I am speaking with one or someone who is familiar with the religion... Funny how people are so fascinated by it... I never understood it... still don't... I am not a Practicing "Mormon" ... I guess I am still one just because I haven't had my name taken out of the Books ... yes... the keep track of you....They always seem to find you.. no matter where you go one day someone from the Relief Society will come knocking on your door....
My whole family is LDS..I grew up going to church with my Grandmother and even as a young wife continued to go...The church is not filled with monsters and men with twelve wives...It is funny the impression that others have of the people in Salt Lake City... although I have often said that if you aren't LDS... you won't fit in... I am sure alot has changed since I lived there... I left in 1996...But I am sure alot is still the same...Although I grew up in the religion, and my whole family is very religious... I never really felt the connection there... I remember asking a couple of family members if while bearing their testimony they really felt it or were just saying some automated response... Because to me it all sounded the same... Month after month ... Every first Sunday you would fast before church and then bear your testimony... But everyone said the same thing.... I didn't get it... I tried really hard to.. believe me.. !
Oh my whole family is convinced I am going to hell I am sure... thinking that those Christians bite off snakes heads and drink poison and talk in different tongues...
Well I should not say that ... My Grandparents actually visited church with me when they came here to Texas and enjoyed it... My Grandma commented that it wasn't really church... but she went along anyway and despite herself I am sure she learned something... That is the Wonderful thing about them both... They love me no matter what... Even If I do attend a church that sings rock music and the Pastor wears Levis...
I do not discuss religion with any of them when I see them.. It is a topic I will not even try to bring up.. There is already too much friction and they will know the truth in the end... I send my grandma messages on DVD from Ed Young Jr... I don't know if she ever watches them or not, but that is not my job... I just want her to hear the message that I hear.... That is all....
Growing up Mormon in Utah is what every other child does.. There really is no separation between school and state there..... It is all intertwined and if you are an outsider and don't go to Church you will find that your children are ostracized by others... This is not done in a malicious manner... but in the same manner that if you or I found out there was a child predator down the street.....we most certainly would keep our children away...They keep to their own...
Latter Day Saints are awesome people ... always there to help in times of need and family always comes first... There are so many complicated things to try to explain, like the rest ... a little at a time.'
I was just a rebel I suppose.. Or a lost and troubled soul searching for Love and Happiness and that feeling in my heart that I knew I should feel and didn't..
So in 1996 I packed up my Van, and headed to Vegas... and never turned back... Oh... the Vegas stories... for a little girl that was pretty much naive in the way of the world Vegas was a very bad place for me... I only lived there for one year.. But that was one Wild and Crazy Year let me tell you...No I didn't stay up all night doing drugs and gambling... but i hung around plenty who did.. No.. I spent my time working at Smiths as a freight clerk most nights... and others as a Miller Girl in different casinos... yes.. I know.. I really don't like to admit that to anyone.. but .. we are laying it all out here.. right? I didn't do any drugs... Thank God for I have the kind of personality that if I had tried them and liked them, I probably would have a whole new story to tell.. one that didn't have a Happy Ending... But with the little bit of common sense I have...(not much ! My sister got all of it...!) I have always stayed away from drugs and cigarettes.. I actually have a hatred for cigarettes that goes beyond explanation... My Mothers third husband smoked like a chimney.. in the house.. in the car... and I hated... HATED the way everything smelled...SO....although I stayed away from the drug use I did plenty of drinking... After all I worked for Miller and could have all I wanted... and it did take some of the Pain away... I pretty much hated myself that year... So the drinking helped until I realized that I was tired of puking every day.. I could never tolerate alcohol... again lucky me... the kids really suffered through this time... I am so sorry kids... I was a terrible Mommie that year... But I really didn't understand... I was selfish and hurting.
Thank God your had your Dad! You can't believe the guilt I carried with me even after moving to Texas about that time of my life... But I realized that guilt doesn't get you anywhere.. It is the Devil telling you that you aren't good enough...He is always telling you that you aren't good enough... that you don't deserve anything good and that you are worthless.. Don't believe him...
We are all Gods Children and we do deserve all the Blessings and the Good things that God has in store for us.. We just have to believe in him enough to let him show us the way... He is not just going to rain blessings upon us.. We have to earn them...We have to follow his example, and don't believe the Devil.. he is a liar!!!!!!
My kids are amazing ... each and every one... They are all brilliant and so talented... and they each have such a story of their own...No matter what we have stuck together... through thick and thin... and they know they are loved no matter what.. unconditionally... now that does not mean that they can do things without consequences but it does mean that I will never Judge them, not turn my back on them..I will love them through anything. I don't always agree ... But I always love...
Tyler and Jordan are amazing Chefs... Tyler is hard headed and won't listen to anyone but is brilliant and is the kindest young man.... He loves his little Lex my three year old grandbaby so very much.... He raises her now with his fiance Amber... She.. was an answer to my prayer... Wow.. Sometimes I am blown away by what God does for me.
Jordan... my helper.. I will come home from working the store and he will be mowing the lawn, cooking dinner , mopping the floor or just whatever he can do help without being asked.. he is always eager to help and never has to be asked twice... every day I come home to some new flower or vegetable he has planted...
Brookie... my sweet sweet girl..My Super Model... She is my little protege...(LOVE IT!).. ! She always spends tons of special time with her baby Sis Savanna and she could never ever mutter an evil word about anyone... She really is filled with a spirit of giving... always wanting to help others...So full of compassion... and Love.
Carli... My little cheerleader and sassy girl..My Beauty Queen and Personality to the moon...! Oh wow.. she has done the complete turnaround this past year... We have been through some tough times with her but she always makes the right decision on her own and after resenting me, comes back to tell me That I was right... very hard for a beautiful and sassy 17 year old girl to do.. She just made Varsity Cheerleader for her Senior Year and I am so proud of her.. She is Savannas Best Friend... When Carli is not here Savanna is in counting down days mode... no matter how long...!There is no separating those two... that is for sure.. they are two peas in a pod...(I am so blessed.. !)
Sydnee.. Talk about sassy...My little creative genius.. she could publish her stories and poetry now.. She is extremely intelligent and gorgeous... (as all of them are...!) She is learning right now what it is like to be a freshman in High School and how hard it is to make right choices. I am proud of her for the choices she has made.No matter how hard...! Drivers Ed this summer... maybe? Can you say scary? Watch out neighborhood....!
Zach,,Me miracle boy. who was supposed to be a vegetable and now just got to be rid of his braces... I know god has placed Doctors in our lives to help and guide us.... but there is never any thing wrong with second or third opinions... because of these second and third opinions our son who was supposed to be a vegetable now doesn't need his glasses , nor his braces... he still has to walk with a walker and is still a little delayed emotionally and developmentally, but is a miracle none the less...he was born at 31 wks...
Savanna... our other little 31 weeker... our princess and the sweetest and most spoiled girl EVER! Everyone dotes on her... Brooke Sydnee and Carli think she hung the moon and she thinks the same of them.. Every Night she screams Brookes name over and over until they have their little snuggle time in bed...(unless Carli is here of course...noone comes between her and her Carli!) She is a sweet sweet girl though... I just fear for her husband someday when he can't live up to her demands! It is hard being beautiful and having the whole family dote on you! But even with all the spoiling she still stays sweet.. it is her nature.. She gets in trouble at school for singing too much.. all the time in fact...
Ok.. I have written enough tonight... i will fill in all the gaps... the cracks and the missing pieces... Just wanted to give you a glimpse of all of them... Like I have said before... each and everyone has their own story.
Defining Moment.. The day your daughter writes you a letter telling you how much she loves you .. How much she appreciates all you have done for her and her desire to learn and to be closer to Our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.. Thank you Carli... The most precious letter I have ever gotten.. I still have it... Will treasure it forever...
Remember...Life is never easy... It is full of mountains ... of rivers and oceans...some we can just drive through or take a bridge over... But others... we must climb no matter how tall the mountian.. or swim no matter how deep the water.. for how else could we possibly appreciate what is waiting for us on the other side?
Strive to follow Jesus... Work hard towards your dreams.... Pray.... Pray... and Pray some more...
Good night... see you tomorrow!

r

I suppose I should introduce myself if you don't know me.My name is Kimberly. Spelled Kimberley to the shock of me as I filled out my form in order to get my Texas Drivers license one afternoon. I had lived my whole life, had two other Drivers Licenses in other states and never even noticed the spelling of my name on my Birth Certificate..!. You spelled my name wrong I exclaimed to the poor Clerk working that afternoon... No I didn't she said as she pushed my Birth certificate back towards me. I looked down at it I couldn't believe what I saw! What? I had lived my whole life spelling my name wrong? Not one other person noticing all this time? Not even my own mother to notice the misspelling? Well add that to my list of defining moments! Actually I have gone by Kim most of my life... until one day as I was starting a new Sales Job in Midland TX when someone asked me if I went by Kim or Kimberly.... I quickly announced Kimberly....hey I was done being Kim anyway... and Kimberly sounded so much more sophisticated and grown up... !Only old friends and family know me as Kim now... it sounds weird when I hear someone call me that now...like that name doesn't fit me anymore,...
My friend Jennifer still reserves the right to call me that... She is my friend to the end as they say.. I love you Jen! Boy she has seen me through some tough times... After watching me Birth Sydnee she quickly exclaimed she was never having children... But she has her part in my story too.. I promise you will hear it all... There is just so much to tell... I don't know where to start...
My Grandma and Grandpa were married when they were 17... my Grandpa asking my Grandma to marry him quickly when he joined the service... knowing that he better hurry should he want to secure the prettiest girl in the State... Oh she is a beauty... With her head full of fiery red hear and her attitude to match.. I worry about her.. She is missing my Grandpa so much...
My Grandfather was the most giving and brilliant man I have ever known... When he graduated from college he quickly ventured out into the world purchasing some Prime real estate in the middle of Salt Lake City Utah and there he had what we always called "The Station" his oil stained hands and smell of gasoline being one of the things I loved about him so much...He worked so very hard all of his life... I cannot even begin to understand the ledgers he kept on his stocks.. How he would hand graph everything waiting for a specific spike before he would buy or sell.. It was and still is truly amazing...
My grandmother... Wow.. Every Sunday she would drag me to church and pop me down in the front pew while she played the organ.... She is extremely talented and poetic... There is nothing she can't play on the piano or organ..(her living room always full of instruments!)....Saturdays though... those were our Shopping Days... I suppose I got my love of shopping from her... We would spend hours and hours trying clothes on ... until we found the Perfect fit... She taught me about fashion, and style.. and how important it is to always look your best... Even to this day she takes great pride in her appearance. She is a sweet spirit. Loving, kind, forgiving... all those things that a Grandma should be and then some. Their home was my refuge... I had my own room there and it was the one place I always felt safe... We would sit every Friday night and watch Dallas eating our green apples and popcorn ... washing it all down with a great big mug of Root Beer... Now these t hings... these things I remember....
Pruning Roses in the Spring
Early morning walks
The smell of Roast every Sunday
Bongo... the cat
Isn't it funny how we look back on things in our life and remember what may seem like the most inconsequential things that have the most memories for us now.
I often tell my husband as we drag the children on yet another day trip...(The reason I work for American!) of the memories we are creating... Boy we have had our share of mishaps on our little trips... But in the end they end up being so miserable they are funny, or the greatest time of our lives.! Either way we are together and we have Memories... Carli(my 17 year old) is always proclaiming her hate of our trips.. Too must hassle.. I hate sitting at the airport.. It is too hard with the little ones, etc etc... But then it is always the question of where we are going next.... So although they all complain I know in the end they love it as much as I do... no matter how tiring it is...
I hate and love my job at the same time... I am going to try to be Christian in my statements through out my blog but some people..!!!.. Just be nice whenever you call the airline.. Little piece of advice...! We can either help you or keep you stuck for five days...(!HAHA!) And don't don't don't check your prescribed medication ! There,.. I have given you two good pieces of info.. I will also share my recipe for the all time best Chocolate chip cookies....!
Can I tell you to embrace whatever circumstance you happen to find yourself in right now? Knowing that whatever it is there will be something good that comes out of it in the end? I can tell you this from experience... There was a time in my life when I felt as if I had noone... as if I was alone ... just me and the kids on a deserted island where noone cared... But you see... that was really my choice... I hadn't reached out to God... I was looking elsewhere for happiness... trying other things to fill my life with the things I thought I deserved... I know.. I know... you have heard it all before.. But I tell you I am a living testament of what God can do if you just let him... How all your dreams can come true.... It is never too late... Unless of course you are given opportunity time and time again... If you are invited to church with someone and feel the Holy Spirit talking to you but choose to ignore it... If you turn your back on Jesus and you die.. it is TOO late!
I am not perfect... I am not a bible scholar... I am human and still have alot of things I need to do differently in my life.. But I am work in progress.... I am putting God first and watching what he, in turn does for me... My children are witness to this and even Bonner.. who has only been with us a short while has thrown his heart to our Lord and Savior... I am so proud of all of them... Of Jordan who use to grumble and groan about going to church and now I see him rapt with attention as our pastor speaks...Our Pastor truly is amazing...(Ed Young Jr... Fellowship Church)...My children all are making good choices in their lives... Oh they are not perfect either... and teens will always fall into that trap but they make it through the other side knowing that God is the only true way. Thank you Jesus for putting that conviction in their hearts... Thank you Ed Young for speaking to us all in a way we can understand.
As I am writing this my Cat Penelope is hitting me with her paw about every third stroke of the keyboard... i suppose I am not paying enough attention to her... Cats are funny... Alot of the time they want to be left alone but when they are ready for some lovin... they won't let you alone...
Well friend.. thank you for stopping by... I have so enjoyed your company... But Mommie is tired and tomorrow is a very busy day... I flew to San Antonio and back today after church... resisting my favorite pizza place there!!! And of course...what gate do I land back home at but Dunkin Donuts gate!!!!!!
Oh the temptation was great I tell you!!!!!!!! I am on a diet you see... 5 more pounds to go!! I have to be strong... I have found that if you picture yourself in a swimming suit when you are tempted you are likely not to eat it...! Oh and just for future reference? If you are on a low carb diet and you Really want some chocolate...? The 90% cocoa bars are pretty darn disgusting... Might as well go in the pantry and eat a spoonful of Hershey's Baking cocoa... actually that would probably taste better....(right Liz?)
Night Night..

Good Afternoon my friends.. I have some exciting news to share with you all..My sweet 10 year old son Zachary no longer has to wear his orthotics...(braces) for a while... Not sure how long , but for now they are off! I don't have much time to visit today...it is another special day at the crazy Damato household..! Shopping to do to get ready for the big Party this evening celebrating Bonners graduating top of his class from the fire Academy! Bonner is My daughter Brookes future husband... They have lived here with us for about a year now ... It has been so much fun having them here... I am sort of a crazy person that loves a full house... something satisfying about sitting down to dinner every night with a houseful...Lots of love...
But, as everything else... Bonner and Brookies story will come later... There are a lot of little rivers in my life.. people and circumstances that just kind of flow together... sometimes you think they are flowing without any direction... but then you quickly realize that these rivers although sometimes rough and filled with rocks... most flow smoothly towards the destination that they were meant to be.
Back to Zachary... as I said I don't have much time today... But I had to share the news... It will be so nice for him to be able to wear a pair of sandals this summer... His poor little feet are always blistered and sore from his braces rubbing on them... It breaks my heart when he is crying that his feet hurt and there is really nothing I could do because I know he needed them....
He has worn braces since he was about a year old ... Zachary was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at five days old.. The doctors rushed in saying we needed to life flight him to Childrens Medical center that day to receive a shunt or he would not survive the night...Well we didn't believe the Doctors... called a couple of specialists in Dallas.. faxed them his MRI's and needless to say.. although he did receive his shunt... it was a year later.. minimizing any complications.. To this day there has not been one complication with his shunt... It is nothing short of one of many miracles in Zachary's life... I will fill you in on all the rest at a later time... He has been a blessing and has served a purpose in this world.
Oh... he is a challenging child...don't get me wrong.. but it is not due to his physical limitations.. it is due to his hardheadedness... why are all my children so hard-headed? Surely it does not come from their mother!
Well.. I must go for now.. thank you for spending some time with me today....Look forward to seeing you again soon...