I waited days, I anticipated the glorious moment, I was more thrilled than you will know, I was even blessed with being sick today to wait patiently on the couch waiting...

AND IT CAME...FINALLY! My Treo 650 graced it's presence at my front door with a nice "brown truck man" asking me to sign for it..Excitement was mine! I called my best friend to tell her to "come now, it's here, help me set it up!" She was here in the blink of an eye...

THEN...we opened it! I expected lights, something amazing...I got nothing, I got pure disappointment, I was letdown, I wanted to cry, I wanted to explode in anger, so we laughed and then we laughed harder (this is one of the many things I love about my friend Lisa, we can laugh at anything and it makes life better)!

See, I believed the stupid "refurbished" comment and "light" use comment on the Ebay site that I bought the phone from. Instead I got a phone that was not working, has water damage, needs repair, and probably needs to go to "cell phone heaven" or "h*ll" if you ask me! Stupid let down me!

So, I have sent numerous emails and sit waiting for a response while I stare at the stupid Treo 650 box sitting on the coffee table while I lay still with sickness! I am sad...I am the Ebay queen, who has been dethroned by a stupid Ebay lying seller!

Tears....

One of my favorite teens in the whole wide world is Jesse Ruiz! He asked me to "blog" about him so here goes...

This is why I love this kid:

His heart for God is huge and searching always!
He loves people and loves to pray for people!
He loves our family and loves to hang with us...he fit's right in!
He and Holly fight like siblings...literally, today there was a knife involved (no one got hurt...all in fun)!
He is a HARD worker!
He is a protector, this young man stepped up in New York and was ALWAYS the last one on the subway, opened doors, carried luggage, and protected our "girls!"
He is amazing to watch when you watch his growth in God!
He gathers information before he talks, ministers, and shares his faith!
He is always trying to "do better" "learn more" and "try harder!"
He loves to read!

These are just a few reasons...most of all this young man is just so great! He deserves a life full of God and people who love him and WE DO! Our family is so incredibly blessed to know Jesse Ruiz!

Ok, usually I LOVE THIS MAN, I ADORE THIS MAN, I can't wait for a visit from this man! NO, he is not my husband or Santa but he brings great stuff so I love him. My husband knows about this great adoration for this man and finds it humorous.

Today there is no adoration, no love, no excitement in my waiting...he didn't show! According to HIS website my new phone was supposed to arrive TODAY...well, it's after 7pm my hopes are dashed and drained! No new phone today!

Here is the kicker...patience will be an endurance race for me this time...MONDAY IS A HOLIDAY....that means my man BETTER PRODUCE THE GOODS on Tuesday! This is a horrible stretch for me, I wanted my phone today...looked forward to having it TODAY! Waited patiently today for the "big arrival" and now it's nothing but pure let-down!

Oh brown truck man...how could YOU of all people let me down? You have always come through before with the most amazing stuff...where are you now? I hope you are enjoying your relaxing 3 day weekend parked in a hot parking place, lonely and dirty while I wait in the comfy-ness of my home! At least I have TONS of stuff to look forward to this weekend...YOU?

I received this email the last couple of days...you know one of "those" forwarded kind. I am NOT a forwarder and will never be! But...this is one email I read because I got it 7 times. After reading it, I decided that it had tons of great things to say about friendship, but I felt that I also had some of my own thoughts to add, so I journaled about it and decided to "blog" about it.

Here is what the just of the email says that made me wonder:

Am I a "reason" friend? Meaning, I am only around because of a "reason" meaning I need something from someone, or they need something from me? That could be something emotional or spiritual, or whatever you define as a "reason" someone is in my life.

Am I a "Season" friend?" Meaning this is short term, it is either a fun, deep or challenging friendship but it only has the capacity to last a "season?" Remember summer friendships that we swear we will keep in contact forever and ever and we never see that friend again?

Am I a "Lifetime" friend? This is that deep, great, difficult, challenging at times, fun, full of laughter, understanding, always there, tears, and chosen friendship. This is that friendship that builds a strong emotional friendship, it is the one that NO MATTER WHAT will always be there. This is that one that picks up a conversation right where you left off even though you haven't talked in a while. This is that one that is NEVER uncomfortable with each other. This is the one that is worth going over the mountain for.

Here is my thought, we are all a little of all of these to so many people. I think God designed us that way. He knows the people that are going to cross our paths at each point in our lives and for what reason they will cross. All I can say is that no matter which one I am at each moment, I want to be the best at each one! I have some absolutely amazing "lifetime" friends, these are friends that have known me FOREVER and ever and will always be a part of me, I am super grateful for this! I would love to tell you something about each one of these people in my life but we would be here forever and only God and I understand the depth of each of these people.

Here is my question to some of you: Out of each of these kinds of friendship which one do you put the most effort into and why?

I can answer that by saying my "lifetime" friends are so incredibly amazing..for example Lisa has been my best friend since one of us was 12 (no, I am not telling which one). She is the most AMAZING WONDERFUL WOMAN I know, I can trust her and she can trust me with anything, we finish each others sentences, we laugh at the same stuff, we understand venting versus reality, we just need each other in each others lives...this is my lifetime friend!

I wanted this phone...and I kept getting outbid on Ebay! I decided not to buy one when my mood was bad the other day so I could be a good steward of our money BUT the urge NEVER went away to have a TREO! I played with my best friends, found that it was AMAZING! My time was not up to have a new phone with my server SO I THANK GOD for EBAY...because HERE IT IS AND IT WILL BE MINE MINE MINE THIS WEEK!

Tonight was so fun, we took Kelly to her school carnival! She loved it and she loved that we were her family and had so much to show us and be proud of. Her teenage siblings even graced her with their presence without pouty faces! To top off her night, her little friend Sarah came she was super excited! It was nice to have a night that was for her. I appreciate this little girl so much, she goes where we go, when we go,she goes to work with me for endless hours, and for the most part is great about it because she doesn't know any better! Tonight was Kelly's night!

Lisa and I had a great night, tons of laughs, tons of old memories, tons of talking, talking, talking.....

Tonight I am going out with one of my favorite people in the world and I can't wait! I will TRY to take some pics of the two of us doing our usual....TALKING, TALKING, TALKING and driving so we can talk some more! We will drive by all our old stomping grounds, laugh about the past, worry about the future and share and try to catch up with each other's lives in one quick evening!

Let me tell you about my amazing friend! Lisa and I have been friends since one of us was 12, I am not telling which one but you will probably be able to tell once I post pics after tonight! Lisa has been my friend forever and I hers, she knows ALL about my life and I hers, we know things that no one else will EVER know, we will ALWAYS have each other to share life stories with. She is probably one of the most wonderful people I have ever met. She is the mother of 4 children, and I have 3, this makes it difficult to find as much time to spend together so when we do it is cherished! We will talk until our mouths are dry and we still will have so much to say. We share stories of our husbands (every woman needs someone like this to talk to about their husband) and we share stories about our children. We leave feeling there is much more to say but so refreshed because if anyone understands what we are going through, it's each other!

Lisa has given so much to my life, and I will always be eternally grateful for our friendship. She can make a bad day better, she is one of the funniest people I know, and we both know that NO MATTER WHAT this life has we will have each other to count on! I love this person for who she has grown up to be and for the time given to our wonderful, amazing friendship! I am so lucky to have her and so many other close long time friends! I wish that for everyone I know...cherish your friendships and keep those long time friends that really know you! It has added so many amazing moments to my life that will be cherished memories forever!

Pics to come later........

This was just too funny to pass up...is this a plumber in training or a redneck in training?

I am seriously stressed! I am seriously freaking out! I am seriously going to end up at the St. Regis Hotel in shorts,tee shirt and flip flops to a formal affair!

Ok, here goes...I bought 4 dresses, count them 1, 2, 3, 4 and not one of them are "the right one!" My husbands company party is in l8 days and I don't like any of the dresses nor do they fit me well! I have been doing weight watchers for the last almost 3 months, I lost 18lbs (that is not what this is about trust me) when I bought the dresses I hadn't lost that much AND I plan on losing a few more between now and then! SO...how do I find a dress that will adjust if I do, how do I find a dress that fits and where do I go now at this late notice with almost NO free time between now and then!??? I do this every year for this formal affair and every year I freek! I want something pretty, something that isn't the usual "black dress!"

This is where all the woman can help...so please help!! ANY suggestions, anyone see really nice dresses anywhere that could be purchased off the rack with the hope and pray that it just fits????? Remember then there is the whole shoes, jewelry and purse issue!

HELP HELP HELP...someone throw me a life line before I drive my husband insane while he grabs his suit out of the closet 20 minutes before we have to leave!

Mother's Day offered highs and lows...all of which I am very thankful for!

I love that my daughter Holly who works with me wore a shirt all day that said "I love my mom!' It was so great!
I love that she gave me a movie about Mother/Daughter relationships..."Because I Said So." I can't wait to watch it with her!
I love that my son Matt wanted to be with his family so bad today that maybe he learned a lesson about doing his school work so he won't have to be grounded to the house without us again!
I love that he called me all day to tell me that he wanted to share this day even though he was grounded.
I love that my little daughter Kelly came bounding into my work area to bring me her handmade book about "Me and My Mom" and give me a pineapple plant...she was so thrilled to share all her treasures she has hid for days with her mommy! She hugged me so hard and didn't want to let go, because she wanted to be near her mommy!
I love that my husband told me over and over that he cherished and honored me today and all days! I love that he would do anything for me and I him!
I love that we went to a comedy show tonight and found laughter when I was feeling a little sad. I love that we shared this funny night with a great friend!
I love that we had great conversation over tea and coffee tonight.
I love that we came home to the kids sleeping soundly in their beds, ready to kiss foreheads and be even more thankful for this day!

Sounds like the day was perfect....

It was pretty darn close! It had a few bumps but I wouldn't trade one minute of this day with another person on this entire planet! I feel BLESSED!

How was your Mother's Day?

Today I was listening to my 7 year old daughter Kelly "pretend" play in the backseat of the car with her little friend Sarah. It made me realize:

1. I AM OLD
2. She is YOUNG!
3. She is a "cell-phone" baby and born in the year 2000! That makes her born after so many great inventions that she will only know as part of her world!

Here is how the conversation went between her and Sarah (keeping in mind that she is role playing a phone conversation).

Kelly (mommy)- "Hi, Mrs. Voltin, Sarah won't be at school today, she is sick."

Kelly (mommy)-"Yes, you can text me when you get her school work."

Sarah (daughter)- "mom, can I text you too?"

Kelly (mommy)- "yes, you can but you have to do your dinosaur report" (real life- it is due tomorrow and we just started at 4:00pm)

Sarah (daughter) "I will text you when I am done to take it to my teacher"

Kelly (mommy)- "Text me or call me on my cell phone" (reading off MY real number to Sarah)

Sarah (daughter)- "ok mommy!"

So, thinking back to the day when I had my first child to today...what a change of role play! Holly and Matt would have NEVER roled played cell phone play...wow the world has changed! Wonder if she will ever believe that I was born BEFORE the microwave!

How many Facilies Monkey's does it take to put up a tarp? I know it doesn't look like it but there are actually 8 guys doing this with my great friend Gene sitting on his forklift directing them! Jerred is actually stuck underneath at the top! I ran across this great scene this morning and couldn't help but laugh? Don't get me wrong...I love these guys, they are my "kids" and I love working with them...but they crack me up at times and this was one of them. HA HA HA...still laughing!

ENOUGH SAID!

I ran into a Pastor friend today who asked about one of my favorite places in the world! Then, I was telling a friend about the discussion and the topic of the hot weather came up because I was complaining purfusely about how hot it is today! My mind goes to one place and the reminising sends me into pure happiness and sadness because I can't be where I want to be.
So, let me explain my perfect day and place! It's a wonderful place called Huntington Harbor! Where the weather is ALWAYS perfect because I am sure that this is what heaven is like! We have a family home there that we share with all of my husband's extended family. It's right on the water, it's so relaxing with nothing but wonderful bliss!

My perfect day starts:

Waking to the sound of the water crashing on the dock as the boats slowly head to the ocean next to my husband (who is dreaming of the BIG FISH he will catch that day)!
Looking out my bedroom window to see my son and/or friends sitting on the dock, fishing poll in hand, knowing that they are in quiet with God! Water is crystal clear and peaceful.
Walking onto the dock and looking at the quiet of the water, people sleeping on the deck and/or boat.
Walking in the living room to see kids sleeping everywhere, finding my youngest daughter Kelly laying in a sleeping bag pretending to be asleep, eating a donut she is not supposed to be eating!
The the noise starts, usually with my husband singing off key to "What a beautiful Day!"
Slow moving kids, breakfast being made and everyone yelling about who gets what boat, kayak, canoe, etc.
The the water balloons,people being thrown into the water right out of their sleeping bags(usually a payback for something)fellowshipping, eating, relaxing, boating, fishing, bridge jumping, and total interaction with all the people we welcome to our home. The weather is perfect...not a degree over 80 yet perfect for tanning!
The days ends with me making a HUGE meal at what is now called "Camp McTaggart" and because I am old I think I am the "camp mom!"
Then the nighttime fun can consist of cards, music, talking, lathering up our sunburned bodies with Aloe Vera because some kids didn't listen to the "camp mom" and use enough sunscreen!
The last noise of the day is heard with "GO TO SLEEP" by the "camp dad" or "camp mom!"

THIS IS THE PERFECT DAY...Summer Harbor House trips are not coming soon enough!

Ok, so I was thinking that there was a day back in the day when I thought cell phones were completely ridiculous! I remember having this discussion with my best friend Lisa. She had to have a cell phone, I thought "why?" Lisa and I grew up using pay phones. Keep in mind, these were the same pay phones that we would give out numbers to so boys wouldn't call our homes or parents wouldn't know what we were really up to.
Then we grew up...we used pay phones to call our husbands to say we wouldn't be home on time. See we OWNED South Coast Plaza, Main Place Mall, or any baby store in the South County area, and we could stay out all day and all night shopping, pushing babies in strollers, eating out, hanging out with the babies. Even knowing where the closest pay phone was to call the hubby's!
So, why the need for a cell phone? Lisa had this heavy big phone to start off with, you could definitely find it in the diaper bag, it was the biggest thing in there! It was almost silly but fun to have. We used it to call her husband or mine, usually to say we were going to be late and only if we could find service. It was the challenge.
So, then I decided I needed a cell phone, probably 2 years after her. I hated my first phone, again never having service, paying the bill for lost connections, and the list went on. I resorted to not having one again and just giving into the pay phone life again.
10 years later I have a cell phone, probably my 10th one. I love my phone, it's pink and I usually have service (unless Brian is calling from that horrendous Nextel thing), I usually can find it, I love the way it rings for different people, I love that it connects me to my husband (unless he is in the high Sierra's like right now), it connects me to my children, it connects me to my friends, it has text messaging (which by the way...I love and have unlimited service to), it makes me feel safe, it is one of my best friends!
My cell phone is attached to me at most times. I left the house without it last Monday and seriously thought I was naked. If I wasn't late for an appointment I would have gone back and got it. I wanted to apologize to it for leaving it when I got back. I swear I had to wipe a tear when we were reunited hours later. I had all these thoughts, "what if my kids need me?" "what if I needed to get to my sick friend and they couldn't get me?"
Is this sane? Why do I need this thing? I think I will start leaving it in the car, at home, or giving it a break! NOT! I am sickly attached to this thing! Why could I survive all those years (for you youngsters, there was a day when there was no such thing as cell phones)without this thing attached?
Gotta go, daughter is calling my cell phone FROM HER ROOM at 6:11am!!!!

All I want to ask is that everyone who reads this can say a quick prayer for one of my greatest friends who is very ill in the hospital! It's been a trying week and knowing we have a tough one ahead just makes my heart cry out for her! No need for names, God knows who we are all praying for...just do it! Pray for the family as a whole, they need strength. Her husband said it well today "we have prayed so much and now we need to ask everyone to pray with us!" So, knowing how great your bloggers are...send your prayers up!

Just STOP right now and send one prayer up, then when you think about it again...send another! I will keep you posted!

I love this day but here is what the media does to us that makes this day also fun or a day of oops God...

I love the moment in Bruce Almighty when he is attacked by Post-its. This makes me think of this day when I take more time than I usually do (shame on me) to pray. I think God is up there just being attacked by Post-its today? Does he wish we would remember this scene and give him more time daily and not just on a day like today? I know he does. So confession time...I wish I would not use today as a day to pray more than usual and pray this much everyday. I wish there would not be one National Day of Prayer to remind us (and ME) that we need to give God more time. I wish that it didn't take my co-workers and Pastors a day like today to remind me to get to my knees and talk to God more often. Don't get me wrong, I pray and I pray A LOT but is there ever TOO much?

Thank you for reminding me to pray today more than I usually do!

This morning while I was getting ready for school and work my 7 year old daughter Kelly and I started talking about friends. She said some people don't think she is a christian. I asked her if she was ready for Jesus to come live in her heart. She said "what does that mean?" So, we sat down (the one morning we are running early..funny how God works) and talked about what it means to have Jesus live in her heart. I asked her if she wanted Jesus to come live in her heart and she said "yes mommy, but how do I do that?" So, we talked some more and then I asked her if we could pray, she said "yes mommy, I really want him to come live in my heart, can you pray quick?" We prayed and hugged and talked about how Jesus will change her life. Then my husband came home from his Men's Bible Study and she yelled down stairs "daddy, I am a christian girl, mommy and I prayed!"

Mommy and Daddy are so proud!

YES KELLY YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN GIRL!

Heather McTaggart
The wife of an amazing, funny, incredible man! The mother of 3 God loving amazing young persons!

- -

• Guess where I am....
• Did I disappear...honestly YES!
• Because she is......
• Favorite part of my day...
• Sad, mad, frustrated...it's all in the bag for today!
• HOME SWEET HOME!
• Moving has begun...
• Mother's Day...is a beautiful thing!
• Cassandra made me do it...
• HELP...is needed!

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