Lucky the Elephant

If you read my blog yesterday, I told you I would post something about why I wanted Lucky the Elephant to go to a Elephant sanctuary and why it's sooo upsetting that this poor Elephant is still, to this day, sitting at the San Antonio Zoo (SA ZOO).



If you know me at all you should know that I have an everlasting love for Elephants. I do not remember when I decided to love Elephants or why they would be my favorite animal, ever. I just know that in my heart I love them and I only want is best for them.

Let me say that I'm not the biggest fan of Peta, I think that they can do great things and open peoples eyes to how badly animals are being treated in situations. I do think they go over bored on A LOT of things (um, like killing an innocent fly). They have though, in a positive way, opened my eyes to how badly places treat Elephants. Zoos and circus a like lock these huge animals in cages WAY to small for their needs, most places don't offer running water, friends for them to socialize with (Elephants are some of the most social animals around), and not enough room for them to rome around like they like to do (most Elephants, free ones, walk up to 10 miles a day) causing them to get arthritis in their legs and this causes a premature death.



Lucky in the Elephant that lives at the SA Zoo. She has been in the SA Zoo since she was 4 years old, she was caught while with her mother and put promptly back into captivity. She did have two other Elephants living with her but both have passed away (supposedly from old age for one - died at 50 but Elephants in the wild live to be past 60 and the other they will not release cause of death). the SA Zoo has been rated (by agencies) as the worst zoo in the country due to small, concrete living areas, no fresh water, not enough room to walk around, and less then 3 Elephants. It's not a good situation to be living in for Lucky, I know if I was put in these same conditions I would be miserable all the time. I can't imagine that just because Lucky is an Elephant that she isn't sad, she just doesn't have a voice to state it out loud.



On a happy note, there are two Elephant Sanctuaries in the United States that take circus and zoo Elephants, bring them to their land and let them be free. They are give as close to a "normal" life as they can have... fresh running water, miles and miles for them to walk around, many friends to make a heard with. The sanctuary in Tennessee has offered to take Lucky, bring here to their sanctuary and let her live the rest of her life as she should as NO PRICE to the SA Zoo or the tax payers. They are going to pay for EVERYTHING! The SA Zoo won't let Lucky go, they won't even listen to anyone or have any part of her leaving. They say that they are going to start to redo her part of the zoo in stage 3 of the Africa Live exhibit. Even if they do "redo" her living space they still won't have the room for her to be free like she should, they also want to bring in 2 more Elephants so she can have friends. I'm not sure why they think this will solve the problem, it will only take away from the already to small of exhibit that is there. It's pretty sad when people mistreat animals and even worse when they can fix the problem and choose not too.



The SA Zoo isn't the only one around that has Elephants in bad living conditions but this is the one that is the closest to me. I truly believe that Elephants shouldn't be in Zoos at all, they should be free and living life to the fullest. I know zoos can be a great thing. It teaches kids and adults about things that many would never get to see if it wasn't for the zoo but they need to make sure they are providing this great service not at the expense of an animal. They need to research into giving them the best life they can and this isn't for just zoo's but anywhere that has animals in captivity.

I know this is a crazy rant but before my eyes were opened to it, I didn't realize everything and I really just want people to be aware. I want people to see that these places that are supposed to be taking care of animals are sometimes (not always, I've been to some amazing zoo's who take great care of their animals) not doing the job that they should and people need to speak up about it.

There is a petition going around, that if you would please sign that would be great, to try to help get Lucky to the sanctuary in Tennessee. It's a big deal and I'm afraid that if she is left here much longer, she is going to pass away... sooner then she should if she would have been left in the wild, where she belongs.


If you want some more information on Lucky I've included a link that you can go too (click on Luck's name). Also included are some pictures for the "Free Lucky Rally" that I went to this past weekend with my friend Louise. It was nice, no one yelled at anyone, it really it just to bring awareness and to give Lucky a chance at some freedom. Thanks for reading this today and understanding it holds a very special place in my heart!




Love,
KJ

Wish List Wednesday!

If you want to join in on the fun head over to The Foster's Family blog!

This week I'm going to wish for some things that I couldn't buy even if I had all the money in the world, it's just things I wish would happen to make everyone (or at least a lot of people ) happier these days!

RAIN!!! - I know a lot of you have gotten more rain this year then you could ever wish for but here in Texas it's needed, big time! We haven't had a good rain shower in longer then I can remember. And we need more then one, we need about a week's worth of rain right now! Cross your fingers God will bring the rain!!


(Picture taken from the Internet from RocBike.com )


That the SA Zoo would let Lucky the Elephant go and live in a Elephant Sanctuary. This is a very close issue at hand, I love elephants... they are just amazing creatures. While I think Zoo's are a great thing and they provide education to children (and Adults) who would never, ever get to see some of these animals in person I've come to realize that Zoo's are not equipped to handle most of the animals that they have in captivity. - I will blog about this tomorrow if you're more interested come back and see what I have to say (this is not to stir up bad feeling or try to get you on "my side" but I didn't realize this until it was pointed out to me... I just want to show you the "other side"



Peace! There are so many bad things going on our World right now and some that are just waiting to be set in motion. I just wish that we could all come to understand each other, respect each other and, like the old saying goes, love one another... I know that's a lot to wish for BUT I can have hope





I know that is just 3 things I wish for this week but to me those are 3 HUGE things that I wish would happen! Have a happy Wednesday and see you back tomorrow and Friday!!

Love,
KJ

Fingerprint Fridays...

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.


As many of you know I do not like (major, major understatement) thunderstorms BUT I do love the rain... as long as it's Texas rain. In Texas (especially South Central Texas) we do not believe in rain during the summer (except 2 years ago when I was threatening to build an ark, it seriously rained for 3 months, every single day), we live with drought conditions, water restrictions, and the blazing hot sun! So, when that occasional summer shower decides it wants to share it's self with us it's a welcomed surprise! Now, the rain might be welcomed but the humidity and heat that comes next is not fun, at all! I know, I know... I grew up in Kansas, how can I complain about 40% humidity when up there it's more like 80%?!?! Well, after many, many years here it's still bad and we are usually fighting about the same temperatures, we are just drier. ANYWAY!

I see God's fingerprints in the rain, the rain that everyone just stops and looks at because it's been soooo long since we have had any. I see His fingerprints in the trees, grass and flowers after this rain. Everything just seems to pop back up, get some color again and not look so sad! This usually only last for a little while, but for that little amount of time it's amazing to see His creations, His rain again and remember that He will provide us with that "drink of water" when we need it the most, just like He does for this other creations, even if it's just a little drink, so to remind us that He is here, watching after us and He will always take care of us, we just need to keep our faith in Him!




(Picture taken from the Internet from RocBike.com *someday I will finally get my camera battery charged and pictures uploaded from these past couple of months and I will take my own pictures as well!!!)

I ♥ Etsy...

So, I follow a lot of Blogs, some you can see that I follow and some I bookmark so I don't look like some crazy person following all these people blogs! On Mondays I do "Not Me! Mondays" from MckMamma's Blog, Fridays are "Fingerpring Fridays!" From PamperingBeki and as of yesterday I've started doing "Wish List Wednesdays" from The Foster Families Blog... So, after thinking for awhile and all the sad things that seem to be going on I want to pick one day a week... not a specific day, just once a week, where I put down something that I ♥. While these blogs that I read everyday help me see God, show me that the things I DON'T do can be funny, and I can wish for everything in the world I want to show the things that make me happy everyday (or when it comes to my mind and I realize I ♥ it). This week it's Etsy but next week who knows whats going to pop into my head (it could be ice cream or just a friend that wanted to say hi... I won't know until then I guess). So... onto my I ♥ post for the week...

I ♥ *Etsy*. Almost everything I find on the website I fall in love with, I will confess most of my shopping usually falls under "Baby Girl Clothing" or something to do with a small little girl that has my heart. For St. Patrick's Day I ordered her this shirt...



*The cute shirt was made from Potatopatch and she has soooo many more cute things posted now!*


Isn't it the cutest thing you've ever seen? I feel in love right away... Clare said it was cute also (the bad thing is I never get to see them in person, I always ask the maker to ship directly to Fiona so I don't have to pay for shipping twice. Also, I've gotten bad at mailing things these days... Don't ask about Easter, it's a sore subject for me these days) and from the pictures, she looked stinkin' cute! Thankfully the Kansas weather allowed her to wear a long sleeved shirt for part of the morning and she got to show it off! YAY!!


I also got her this cute thing...


*This tutu was made by Simplychicbebe and she also has some awesome thing posted now!*

I loved it also the moment I saw it, I didn't have to look any farther! The colors were awesome and it's so girlie! Again, Clare loved it and Fiona looked awesome in it (again from the pictures I saw). There was a reason why I ordered this, it's a sad one. A little girl named Cora Paige passed away and to keep her memory alive her Mom and Dad decided to build a playground at their Church in her name. They needed help raising money, they didn't even have to ask. Many follower's of their Blog were Etsy sellers (some where not and opened a shop just to help raise money for this play ground), everything you bought the money went right into Cora's playground fund... I wanted to donate money. So, when looking through things that were being sold for this playground, I found the tutu! So, Fiona got her first tutu, I was able to donate money in Cora's name, and her playground raised enough and beyond the funds needed!!

SO... today, instead of doing my work like I should, I was looking around on Etsy for things (a little girl named Fiona's birthday is coming up and what better to get her then personalized awesome gifts that are handmade) and found the cutest things ever!! I already ordered something (I had to email Clare for Fiona's size, as soon as I got that I pushed buy) but I'm not going to share today, I want it to be a sup rise for everyone! My problem is that I never want to tell Clare that I have something being shipped to Fiona (I always address it to Fiona, even though it's not a big deal now I want in the habit so when she gets older and is getting gifts it will be that much more fun due to it being send to HER) because I want her to be surprised BUT I can't help it and I always tell (like this post soooo told on me today) BUT I do manage to keep what I have bought a secret... all she know is something is on it's way! I love buying things for Fiona, if I can't be there to give her my love all the time the least I can do is send her love, in the form of presents (yep, I plan on single handily spoiling this child as much as I can from 600 miles away)!!

Anyway, this is the end of my I ♥ post for today! I hope you enjoyed it and see why I ♥ Etsy so much, it really is a great place!! Have a great Thursday!!

Love,
KJ

*In case you don't know... Etsy is an awesome website where people can open "stores" with things they have made and wish to sell to the public. They have everything and anything you could think of and soooo much to pick from once you figure out what you want. If you've never been there... GO and LOOK ASAP! It's a great place to buy presents for people at a great price, plus, it's hand made and I LOVE things that are hand made!!*

Wish List Wednesday!

I've seen a lot of blogs out there for people who do Wordless Wednesday but I found this, Wish list Wednesday (from this blog that I follow), and it just sounds like fun!




So... Here is my wish list for today in random order!


A very pretty pink Coach purse... in a large size!



Plane tickets to where ever I want, when ever I want (I know a HUGE wish... right?)


A pretty house so I can have more room and Bailey can have a yard to run in


This awesome Stella and Dot necklace that I have been drooling over!


A nice vacation to the Beach... paid for by someone else of course ;)




It's fun to think of the things I would want if money wasn't an issue! Thanks Foster Family for a fun post today!

Not Me, Monday!!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.




My boss is not out of town this week... so of course I'm not just sitting here, taking my time on what work I have to do. Nope, not me, I'm always on top of doing my work, getting it down right away of course!!

I did not answer the phone at work wrong, on more then on occasion. Then having to tell the person calling sorry and telling them the right name of the company I work for. Nope, I'm good at answering phones and do not let things I'm listening to interfere with what I'm saying! That would be silly!!

I did not watch/listen to Lost when he was not here. NO WAY because then I wouldn't be doing my work... that I'm NOT taking my time doing!

I did not mess up someones check this past week only putting a small amount of hours instead of a big amount of hours. Nope, I'm good at double checking everything, a million times and CATCHING what is wrong!!

While attempting to eat dinner Monday night, I didn't try to cut my food while the plate was on the edge of the table. Therefore, I did not manage to spill every bit of my dinner on the floor (including salad dressing)!! Nope, not me... I know better then to set things on the edge of the table.

Of course after not cleaning up the mess, not making a new plate, and sitting down to not eat it... I did not manage to miss my mouth every time I took a bite, not spilling dinner number two on the ground. I didn't just stop and forget about dinner!!

I did not find out that Jess has been sick for over a week and had to cancel on me for the night.

I was not upset to learn that I wasn't going to get to see the kids this week.

It for sure didn't break my heart, I don't look forward to my time with them what so ever!

I was not happy to learn that they might call me last this week to make up that time, nope.. I'm not happy at all!!


I did not get up first thing to make throw a roast into the crock pot for dinner. Nope, I'm not a planner at all. I hate to plan things out like that, so I would not do something, anything like that!!

The roast that I didn't cook wasn't amazing! I couldn't smell it outside the door before even going into the house! I didn't feel sorry for the dog and cat who had to be home alllll day long and not smell it while it was cooking.

Friday was not the craziest day ever at work... the Sheriff's department did not come by looking for one of the guys that works for us! Nope, no one ever gets in trouble around these parts... not one bit!

The bosses and I didn't have to set it up so the Sheriff could find the guy he was looking for. I didn't have one part of this so it didn't scare me half to death knowing crazy things were going to go down! I was not relieved that when the Sheriff showed up, the guy was taken and that was all. Nope, not around my work... everything is always CALM!!!

I did not get to see WICKED with my friend Louise this past weekend... nope, not me. I'm not into going to the theater! It was not amazing, the singing did not have me in awe the whole entire time!

We did not dress up what so ever. We might have not been the nicest dressed people at the show. I definitely don't understand how people wear jeans to the theater!!

We did not decide that to sit out traffic we would go down to the river to have some drinks... we did not stay until close. We did not get hit on by 21 year old Army boys!! It was not a lot of fun and I did not laugh one bit. I do not think it's fun to have drinks with my friend and have a great night out!

What a week I didn't have... I'm not glad to move on to another one. I'm not ready to go home to Kansas next month and I'm for sure not ready for some time away from Texas... even it's just a fast weekend get away to Kansas.

I didn't order my tickets today (finally) for said trip to Kansas... it's so not official that I will be there!!

I think that's all I DIDN'T do this past week. I hope you have a great Monday!!

Love,
KJ

Finger Print Fridays....

On a random note before I get going... I started this post on May 19th but with everything that has happened with friends it got put on hold. Not because my family doesn't mean so much to be but because I felt that my friends need some prayers... and seeing the kind of support I have received I know they got these prayers. I wanted to thank each one of you for doing this for me, it means so much to me and I'm sure if the people who you are praying for knew the kind of prayers they are getting they would be overwhelmed... Thank You Blogging Friends, you are amazing people!

Finger Print Fridays, I would have to say is at a very close first with my Not Me! Mondays! I look forward to finding God's finger print in my life, it makes me stop and look around and reexamine my life, in a good way of course. So far, I have seen God in my Church, my friends, a 4th of July rainbow, Owen, and the March of Dimes... this week I have seen the Finger Print of God in my family.

If I didn't have them I wouldn't be in the world, I would have never been made, I wouldn't be me. I wouldn't have my dad's patience or work ethic, I wouldn't have my ever changing blue eyes, and light hair! I wouldn't be getting ready to celebrate another year of my life, happily. I love my family, sometimes they let me down and they aren't always as close as I wish they were but truthfully, I wouldn't trade them for anything... I love them more then anything, I would give my life for my family.

I did choose to live over 700 miles away from them (those are the closest ones to me) because I'm not a fan of the cold weather (yes, my main trip home is at Christmas when it's snowing and ever so cold) and I just needed to get away. I was 18, I didn't realize what I was giving up. I didn't know how much it would hurt every time I had to get back onto that plane and leave them once again... I was 18, I knew better then anyone, I wanted a life away from Kansas and no one was going to stop me from that. Don't get me wrong, I do not regret moving to Texas... I love it here, I have made great friends, I have a wonderful boyfriend, and I have my friends families that have taken me in over holidays when it was just to far to go home. BUT, that is NOT my family, my hugs and kisses from my nephew, my dad taking care of me if I'm sick. I have gotten better at calling, saying I miss them, trying to visit at least twice a year, and trying to convince everyone to come visit me. I have grown up and realized a lot of things that I did wrong over the years and how I have hurt my family, but the best part about it... is they are my family, not matter what I do, say, or how much I hurt them they will always be there for me. They will not ever turn their back on me in a time of need, they will hold my hand when they can, and listen to me cry over the phone instead of in person... I love them and I am truly blessed to have them, no matter how close or how far away we are from each other!

I love you guys, I hope you know how much you mean to me (not because I have to love you but because I choose to love you, unconditionally)!!

Love,
Your Daughter, Your Sister, Your Aunt - Kari

PS- Included in the pictures are the Lonergan's (and Snyder's)... they took care of me when there were some very hard things going on for a very long time in my life, they are my "second parents" but were more like first parents most of the time... I call them Mom and Dad... Clare is my sister, not my friend. Fiona is my niece not my friends daughter... I love them like they are family and to me that is just as true as the blood that runs through your veins! Just in case you were wondering. :)

I've also come to realize that I do not have very many pictures of my family (even at home)... I did steal some from people so if they are blurry, I'm sorry.




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From Beci's Blog:
There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know it’s true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in - Go to Becki's Blog!
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