How Firm A Foundation

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, 
Is laid up for faith in God's excellent word! 
What more can He say, than to you He has said --- 
You who to the Saviour for refuge have fled? 

In every condition, in sickness, in health; 
In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth; 
At home, or abroad; on the land, on the sea; 
As need may demand shall our strength ever be. 

If through the deep waters He cause us to go, 
The rivers of grief shall not overflow; 
And He will be with us in troubles to bless, 
And sanctify to us our deepest distress. 

If through fiery trials our pathway should lie, 
His grace all-sufficient shall be our supply; 
The flame shall not hurt us; His only design 
Is the dross to consume and the gold to refine. 

Fear not, He is with us; oh, be not dismayed! 
For He is our God, and will still be our aid; 
He'll strengthen us, help us, and cause us to stand, 
Upheld by His gracious omnipotent hand. 

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, 
He will not (He's said it) give up to its foes; 
That soul, though all hell should endeavour to shake, 
He'll never --- no, never --- no, never forsake. 

Marisa (or Jessica)'s House of Dreams

Last night I went to Mom and Dad's after work to say hi... it turned out that Dad and Eric had to go to meeting at church so Mom, Jess, Joanna and the kids and I went to Noodles and Co for dinner.  Then in hopes that some cranky children (ie Ava) would go to sleep we took the long way home.  We pulled into a new little neighborhood.  Beautiful custom homes... I was in love.  I saw through the trees a red house and asked Joanna to go towards it.  It was a new house with a for sales sign in front.  As we were getting ready to pull away I saw their were some fliers in the front of the house.  I asked Joanna to back up so I could get one of the fliers.  As Joanna got out to get one for me (since I was wedge in between two car seats in the middle seat of the van) a white truck pulled in front of the van.  A man rolled down the window and asked if we wanted to see the inside of the house.  We said yes (Joanna did explain we were just looking but he seemed happy to let us see it).  Mom, Jess and I got out while Joanna waited in the car with the kids.  After being in the house for about 5 minutes the builder asked if we would be willing to lock up for him.  Ummmm... yes... of course.  So he left us in the house with the key in my hot little hands.  Heaven, I'm in heaven.  Of course when he left, we figured it was safe to let the kids run loose.  We all had a great time and loved this house.  My only regret was no pictures.  The Pink Crackberry was being moody.  

There was a little debate who this dream house really belonged to...Marisa?  Jessica?  Only time will tell which Garofalo sister wins this one. Let's be honest, probably neither of us. Sigh!!!! Maybe you?  Well, if anyone wants to spend $539,247  on a Single Family Home in Midlothian, VA.  I know of a great 3051 sq ft home with living room, dining room, family room, awesome kitchen with marble counters and chrome appliances, 

mud room, full laundry room,  vaulted ceiling, hardwood floors downstairs, wall to wall carpeting upstairs,  4 bedrooms,  3 1 ½Bathrooms and 2 car garage. MLS#: 2909

448.  I deserve a finders fee if any one settled into this great community b/c of my long overdue blogging. 

(I found this picture online... this is unfinished. It has a porch and a yard now.  So cute!)

 http://www.homesandland.com/Real_Estate/VA/City/Midlothian/ListingId/13101063.html 

Awesome

This is just so dumb... but you all know I act like a 15 year old girl... so I love it.  

Deep Thoughts From Brandon Walsh

It should be no surprise that I am a fan of some old school 90210.  Today I was watching some circa 1996 episodes and I got some well needed words of wisdom:

Every lifetime has it's rainy season.  This is your rainy season... your sunny days are right around he corner.  

I liked it.  While I have tried to deceive you in my title... this was not uttered by Brandon Walsh.  He woulda.  He shoulda.  I am going to give him the credit for it since he directed the episode.  

My Latest Addiction

Check out my new Pink Blackberry!

  I had PLANNED to get a regular ol' phone but how do you 

  go back to a plain phone after having a TREO?!  Silly Risa!  

25 Reasons Why I Am Not Married

Tonight my roommate Claire and I were talking about a "note" entitled "25 Things About Me" that was circulating through all of our friends on Facebook.  Some of you know what I am talking about.  Anyway, I told Claire I was pretty sure I could come up with my own list "25 Reasons Why I Am Not Married"... Yes, Claire, I came up with 25 reasons and here they are (and these are in no specific order- at least not on purpose)

1. LOST

2. One Tree Hill

3. Bromance

4. American Idol

5. The Office

6.  The Hills

7. Samantha Who

8. Grey's Anatomy

9. Private Practice

10. That 70's Show

11. Run's House

12.Keeping Up With The Kardashians

13. Everybody Loves Raymond

14. Alias

15. Diners, Drive-In's and Dives

16. What Not To Wear

17. The City

18. 30 Minute Meals

19. Scrubs

20. Charmed

21. The Castle

22. Fringe

23. People's Court

24. Every Day Italian

25.My Name Is Earl

So these are 25 TV shows that I watch on either a regular or semi-regular basis... oh and there is one that I am excited to start watching.  REALLY?!?!  SERIOUSLY?!?!  Yup.  It's true.  I have two words for you... NO WONDER.  I am going to be honest, I am sure this is not all.  There are other TV show I watch but these are the ones I thought of pretty easily.  We're not even talking about scandalous number of DVD's I own. Now is the icing... I just don't think I care. I love TV.  I am not sure this revelation with make me shun my couch potato tendencies. 

Dad: Our Favorite Reluctant Patient

I am probably gonna get in trouble for this but it's my blog and I can write whatever I want, right?!!?!

For those who haven't heard, my Dad has been in the hospital since Wednesday afternoon.  While at work he started to feel a bit weak and faint.  He tried to call his cousin Stephen who also works at the Prison, but he couldn't dial the extension.  He told his inmate clerk that he wasn't feeling well and shortly after began vomiting blood and passed out.  He also, possibly suffered a small seizure.  Dad's clerk took his radio and shop keys from him and called for the institutions medic on the radio and then dialed 911 to call the ambulance.  Fortunately, Stephen was close by and was able to get over to the shop quickly and found Dad's students trying to help him and praying for him.   When the ambulance came Dad was rushed to St Francis hospital located about 2 minutes from Mom and Dad's house.  

The doctor's did a test on Wednesday night (we'll see if I can get this all right) where they used a laparscopic scope through his throat into his stomach to see where the bleeding was originating.  The belief was he was suffering from a bleeding ulcer.  They had some trouble determining exactly what was going on b/c there was a clot found at the base of his esophagus but they were unsure what the clot was covering.  Then plan was to go in again Thursday or Friday to get a better look.  

Last night around 5pm they were able to go back and look at the clot and Dad's stomach.  This time they found varicose type veins on the outside of his stomach... a place where they shouldn't normally be.  It can be the symptoms of some pretty serious things but we won't dwell on those now.  The doctors have looked at his heart, his liver and are continuing to do test so they can find out how best to help Dad. 

Dad is not the most cooperative patient.  When he was 1st admitted he was trying to convince them to let him go home that night... right Dad! He tried flirting with one of the nurses... no luck.  After his procedure on Wednesday night he got a little combative with the hospital staff.  We are sure this was a side effect of the medication they gave him.  Mom was able to go in and get him a bit calmer and stayed with him through the night.  He slept a lot yesterday and I am not sure how much of the day he really remembers.  Today he seems a bit more like himself.   He said, maybe I'll go home tomorrow.  Ahhh... baby steps.  

We are all very thankful to the wonderful friends and family who have kept Mark in their prayers and we ask for you to continue to do so.  Hopefully we will get some idea of what the causes of Mark's condition soon.