WOW - I've got so much to catch you up on! Seriously - there are so many things I want to talk about and tell you about.
I really want to tell you about the benefit auction we went to Saturday night. It was for a friend of ours who has cancer of the spine. He is a 39 year old chiropractor (that's not a 'rich doctor' business out here in farming country - trust me) with a wife and three children. It is unexpected (I guess it's never 'expected', is it???) and absolutely heartbreaking. He basically had a choice from the doctors... we try to remove all of the cancer, and you will be a paraplegic. Or, we'll take out as much as we can, and you'll be able to walk, but we can't guarantee it won't spread and you won't die from it. How do you make a decision like that? Seriously? I'm crying for him and his family right now just thinking about it. I just can't imagine. I wish I could take it away and make it better, but all I could do was donate a few photos for the auction, donate what money we could spare, and pray, and pray, and pray. He chose option two. He couldn't bear the burden he would have on his family if he spent his remaining time as a paraplegic. He came to the benefit. When he walked in the door, everyone cheered, everyone clapped, everyone rejoiced, and many of us, including me, cried. Even more, I want to talk about the people of this community that I am now a part of - the way they join together for a fellow person, the way they show their love, the way they will go completely out of their way just to see if they can help you - It's priceless - It's inspiring - It's a true gift for which I am grateful to be able to experience and be a part of.
I want to tell you about something really exciting that happened today... along with another 'Misty stupid moment'.
I want to tell you about my husband possibly going out to help my in-laws drive back from Arizona. This would make me feel really good, because I worry about them making the trip by themselves, especially with my father-in-law's Parkinson's Disease, and it would also give Hubs a chance to see where his parents stay all Winter, because once we have cattle, Hubs probably will not be able to go anywhere in the Winter. Then again, if my in-laws truck doesn't get repaired, including the bed liner and the hitch and light hook-ups for the camper, they may just be staying in Arizona. When I tease my father-in-law about this, he says "Oh no, it gets too hot here!" I then promptly tell him to be quiet and quit talking to me about being hot.
I want to tell you about a weekly meme I've been thinking about starting and ask if you would participate. (It's a weekly animal-photo meme)
I want to update you and tell you about many things. However, I have been extremely tired and unusually busy lately. So, I haven't been visiting my friends' blogs like I usually do. Therefore, everything I want to update you on will have to wait... I'm headed off to your blogs so I can catch up on YOUR lives!
I love ya, I miss ya, and I'll talk to ya soon!
Read More...
Summary only...
So Much to Say - Too Little Time
http://www.mistysmusings.com/2008/03/so-much-to-say-too-little-time.html
Last night, my mother-in-law's cousin was hosting a dinner for many of the cousins in the family. So, my husband and I attended. I was dreading it all day and kind of trying to think up excuses to use so I wouldn't have to attend (I'm a homebody, ya know).
Anyway, I didn't get out of it and we attended. I have to admit that I had a good time. When you get all of them together, and they sit around telling their stories, you can't help but laugh. They each have his/her own opinions, which each is more than happy to share. They each have his/her own stories, which are still hilarious even though I've heard them before.
We had just finished eating, and I heard whispering going on at one end of the table. Finally, one of the older cousins calls my husband by name (actually she called him by a name that he was called as a little kid, which he absolutely hates). She then informs my husband that they are all wondering about the ticket that he got. Ohhh boy. I immediately started telling him that I didn't say a word... it was NOT me who said anything to anyone. They all looked at me like I was a complete moron and said "Well Misty, it was in the newspaper." Geesh, my husband's little bitty ticket that he received from a game warden in June makes top news. After the ticket was explained, it was discovered that many people sitting around the table, those who had lived there most of their lives, didn't even know about the law, and, therefore, you couldn't blame my husband for not knowing since we had just moved there. My husband's aunt then proceeded to lean over (she was sitting next to me), look me in the eyes, and say "Nothing is secret in this county." Oh yes, small town life... ya gotta love it.
Read More...
Summary only...
Small Town Laughs, News, & Gossip
http://www.mistysmusings.com/2007/10/small-town-laughs-news-gossip.html
In my many years of working for attorneys, I've prepared the documentation for many bankruptcies. I've also been involved in trying to keep clients' homes from being foreclosed upon. Some people judge those who file bankruptcy. I'm living proof that sometimes things beyond your control can happen, and you end up in a bad situation, and you just need some help.
One thing that I have seen too often is clients who are desperately trying to keep a home, when they never should have been able to purchase that home in the first place. It's all about money, and sometimes I believe that mortgage companies don't really care if you can afford that home and all the expenses that go with it. They see interest dollar signs and are more than willing to sign you up.
I'm not pretending that I know how it all works or claiming that I have a high level of mortgage intelligence. However, I know that if I responded to one of those offers that I get all the time, because I was put on a direct marketing mailing list, they would be more than happy to let me sign my name to a big, monthly mortgage, even though there's no way I could afford to pay it right now.
But, here's what also gets me. The buyers for our farm were pre-approved for a mortgage loan. Yet, it turned into an absolute nightmare, because the approving bank was a big name franchise type bank and their appraiser knew absolutely nothing about farms. Therefore, the appraiser said that our farm land was basically worthless! I finally called one of my husband's friends, who was in real estate back home. He told me to send our buyer to one of the small local banks, because they understood the community and were always looking for farm mortgage leads. Once we contacted the smaller, community-based bank, the property appraised for more than what we were asking and the loan was approved.
I just wish that companies and lenders would learn about the community, the property they are lending on, and the people to whom they are lending money. Call me crazy, but I would rather have a smaller company working for me. You know, those companies where the employees know your name when you walk in the door. With the bigger franchises, I feel like they are only focused on money, and not what is best for the customer.
Read More...
Summary only...
What's Best For The Borrower
http://www.mistysmusings.com/2007/10/whats-best-for-borrower.html
