Things to look forward to in the month of February. The birth of a new grandchild on Feb. 14th. We don't know if it is a girl or boy, but we all hoping and praying for a healthy baby.
Jamie's birthday on the very same day, as her baby is to be born. Happy Birthday, Jamie!
Valentine's Day is Feb. 14th, so let's wish all the lovebirds a Very Happy Valentine's Day
We have President George Washington (22nd) and President Abraham Lincoln's (12th) Birthdays to look forward to going to President's Sales.
And last, we have Ash Wednesday to celebrate the beginning of Lent. Which is Feb. 25th.
Here is the meaning of what Lent is all about:
Ash Wednesday is the first day of the season of Lent. Ash Wednesday is one of the principal holy days for the Western Church. Most commonly observed by Catholics, Anglicans, Episcopalians, and Lutherans, Ash Wednesday falls on the seventh Wednesday before Easter (usually around February 9). Ash Wednesday begins a season of fasting and repentance (commonly known as Lent) in preparation for the Easter celebration.
The Origins of Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday's origins are tied to its history and the time of year during which it occurs. It follows the season of Epiphany, which culminates with Shrove Tuesday, which is also known as Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday). The solemn proceedings that occur on Ash Wednesday bring the focus back to the sacrifice of Christ and the mission of the Church. The observance most likely comes from the biblical Day of Atonement. In Leviticus 16, the Lord establishes an annual day of repentance for the Israelites as a lasting ordinance for all their generations. Since the blood of Jesus represents atonement, the heart of Ash Wednesday is a humbling of oneself through fasting and prayer.
On this day, Christians come before a priest to receive the sign of the cross, marked in ashes on their foreheads. Over the next month, they are encouraged to fast, pray, and seek repentance for their sins. Reflection upon one's life during the previous year receives extra attention, and a greater commitment to God and the Church is offered.
This ceremony originated around the eighth century and extends back to the custom during biblical times of people humbling themselves with sackcloth and ashes. The prophet Daniel speaks of seeking the Lord for the release of his people from Babylonian exile with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes (Daniel 9:3). Jonah 3:6 states: "When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust."
These are all the things that I am looking forward to in February.
I'm such a bad mommy, because I forgot it was Patches' birthday yesterday. So, I'm wishing my baby a Happy Birthday, now. She was two years old yesterday. Can't believe she was two all ready.
Jamie's birthday on the very same day, as her baby is to be born. Happy Birthday, Jamie!
We had a small crowd, but they were a very responsive crowd. The food was awesome. I had the best whiskey flank steak I ever tasted. It was to die for! There was chicken in a creamy sauce, salmon and lobster in a creamy sauce, filet mignon, and ham. Plus, cut up potatoes that were so yummy, with different veggies, some mixed with pasta and some not. The desserts were scrumptious. All different kinds from cream pies to yummy cakes, with even a chocolate fountain for dipping your fresh fruits in.
Patches is just so darn cute, that I love taking pictures of her with her teeth sticking out. 
Every time Chuck wants to lay back and take a nap, our Dutchess wants to bother him. I really love to see her interrupt him doing his favorite thing, because she is so darn funny. I really believe if she was small like, Patches, she would lie on his lap, like she does at times. If you look closely, Dutchess, has a stuffed animal in her mouth. She always has to have something in her mouth, when she interrupts Chuck. When we come home or get up from sleeping, the first thing Dutchess does is grab something and run around with it in her mouth. She even takes it with her when she goes out to relieve herself. Sometimes she forgets to bring it back in with her.
Sassy and Chuck are enjoying the heat from the portable heaters. Chuck hates to be cold and always has the heater blowing on him. I, too, think Sassy hates being cold, because she is always laying on something that is warm, i.e. Chucks Macintosh tower under his desk, on the heat register in the kitchen, or a nice warm lap. Sassy has become very attached to Chuck. He calls her, Nanny, like he did with our, Taffy and Misty, they were our older cats that just loved mothering the other younger cats.
This is Chuck favorite pass-time. My mom's cat, Sassy, loves to lay on his lap when he is sleeping and I couldn't resist taking a picture. Sassy, is finally, after 2 years, since my mom's death has come around, to enjoy her new home with us. She is around 10-12 years old now. My mom got her after, my grandfather, passed away in 1997 from the SPCA. She loves laying in the upstairs wardrobe that I keep the towels in, but she lays on the bottom on a blanket that's in there. 
Here is Patches on the back of the sofa. She is just some amazing dog. She is the first dog I have ever seen climb the sofa and lay on top of it. She just thinks she can do anything she wants, and most of the time she does. Patches will be 2 on March 3rd, Cody will be 12 on May 13th, and Dutchess will be 2 on May 22nd. Doesn't Cody remind you of Marley, in the movie, Marley & Me. Cody is such a good doggie. If, any of you see the movie, our Dutchess is Marley. I call her our doggie from hell. She gets into so much trouble when left alone, that is why she is created, when we leave the house, or go to bed.
