Life Lesson Number...

Lesson #16: Never Judge a Book by its Cover

2010-07-15T11:54:00.000-05:00

My friend and I have been walking sporadically as of late. The reason: pesky, irritating, breeding, biting mosquitoes. They are everywhere at every time of the day! We have attempted walking at different hours of the morning. But no matter how hard we try to conduct ourselves in a normal manner... we can not help but begin flailing our arms about as we hike our legs high trying to deter the beasts that pursue us. (This does not bode well for our reputations of being normal female adults to passerby's on the road.)

Therefore, in an attempt to continue trying to live a healthy lifestyle, we chose to abandon post on the outside track and head to the comfort of the indoor retail superstore.

I left the parking lot first and turned left. My friend turned right (as my rear view mirror revealed to me.) My heart began to pulsate in my chest as my competitive nature ached to come forth and reveal to my mind that I was taking the long way and she would arrive in the parking lot before me. In an effort to ease my pain I acknowledged my defeat immediately and sent a text to my friend stating this fact. Her reply sent no comfort, but ignited the flame. She stated, "I'm gonna win!"

My mind raced to all of the obstacles that laid ahead. Numerous stoplights. Cops patrolling the streets. And the worst fate of all... grey-haired little old ladies out for an early morning cruise.

As fate would have it, I pulled up behind such a car. There she sat behind the drivers seat barely able to see over the steering wheel. White Lincoln Towncar without a speck of dirt on it. No tint on the windows so she can catch every ray of sunshine while she is out. Hair freshly curled and teased to create that perfectly hair-sprayed poof on top of her head.

A silent Ahhhhhhhhhhh escaped my lips. My shoulders slumped and I knew that the line of cars next to me would never let me by. I was going to have to embrace second place.

As the seconds ticked down until the light would turn green I began to perceive this was no ordinary grandma. She placed her finished cigarette in her ashtray and proceeded to lay both hands on the wheel. Like a flash of lightning the light turned green and she 'flew out of the gate' as if the bell had just rung at the Kentucky Derby. I was behind 'Lead-Foot Granny!'

(With a bit of imagination you can see the ring of flowers around my neck as I took my victory lap at the superstore while my friend laughed hysterically at my competitive nature. )

Lesson #44: Alarms (are the devil)

2010-07-02T16:19:00.000-05:00

I am NOT a morning person. To accuse me of such is slander in the worst possible form. I will rise early when occasion calls for it, but I prefer a late night and a late sunup. I will confess, I seem to get more accomplished when I allow my eyelids to break formation and wedge open enough to allow sunlight to weave its way into my consciousness 'prematurely'.

As of late, I have been setting an alarm to rip me from peaceful slumber and announce that I have made a commitment to my very dear friend to walk with her at the '---- crack' of dawn. (I admit there are people who leap out of bed a lot earlier than me to do far more noble deeds. I salute you.) But this has caused me a dilemma.

When I wake my first thought is..."Is she crazy?! She wants me to do what?! I am perfectly happy with my fifteen extra pounds and continually decreasing lack of muscle tone. Do I really have to slither off my bed and into the bathroom to 'freshen' up to walk 3 miles?" The answer is invariably yes!

Do not misunderstand me. I love working out and striving for a healthier lifestyle. I do not, however,
enjoy beeping, blurting, song-playing, gentle nudging or any other form of tactic used to pry me from my pillow. I prefer sleep.

So my dilemma is this... Do I throw the cell phone at the wall or out the window? Because as brave as I think I am, I do not dare attempt throwing my friend!

Lesson #22: Time Well Spent

2010-06-15T13:42:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we experienced a warm summer rain all day long. The skies were gray and the intensity of the rain varied by the hour. It was the perfect occasion to curl up on the couch and watch a favorite movie, or dive into a book that had been left to gather dust, until such a day.

I chose to do the first.

I had borrowed a couple Jane Austin movies from my dear friend and decided to take a trip back in time.

My kids were anxious to snuggle under blankets and engage in the seldom practiced art of 'a lazy day'. But after one very long hour (for them) they became restless and needed to move about. I did not allow their lack of endurance to sway me, and I continued to persevere.

Baby girl took to listening to her Ipod on the front porch while sticking her toes under the waterfall of rain pouring down from our roof. Studly decided to engage his mind in a battle of Kingdom Hearts on his game system.

Every few minutes Baby girl would try and convince me that a game of cards or coloring would suit the day much more adequately. I tried not to let her pleas distract me from the task at hand. And I was very successful for several hours.

Soon the movies ended and the abundance of energy that had been pooling while I lay on the couch suddenly needed to be expended. About the same time the rain decided to take a break and allowed me enough of a stretch to fire up the grill and cook some mouth-watering cheeseburgers. We sat around the kitchen table savoring every bite as the sound of the rain began to patter against the windows once more.

Bellies full and taste buds satisfied, we chose to break out the UNO cards. Hubs, kids and I sat around the table for two hours more during this grueling crusade. The stars were somehow tossed out of alignment though (due to all of the rain and wind I am assuming) because, oddly enough, my husband won the match.

These are a few of my favorite pictures taken recently...

2010-06-10T10:58:00.000-05:00

This Is 'My Today'

2010-06-02T11:25:00.001-05:00

I am reading a very short but profound book called School of Christ by T. Austin Sparks. This passage from chapter 3 sums up a lot of my day today:

God always keeps the revelation of Himself in Christ bound up with practical situations. I want you to get that. God always keeps the revelation of Himself in Christ bound up with practical situations. You and I can never get revelation other than in connection with some necessity. We cannot get it simply as a matter of information. That is information, that is not revelation. We cannot get it by studying. When the Lord gave the manna in the wilderness (type of Christ as the bread from heaven) He stipulated very strongly that not one fragment more than the day's need was to be gathered, and that if they went beyond the measure of immediate need, disease and death would break out and overtake them. The principle, the law, of the manna, is that God keeps revelation of Himself in Christ bound up with practical situations of necessity, and we are not going to have revelation as mere teaching, doctrine, interpretation, theory, or anything as a thing, which means that God is going to put you and me into situations where only the revelation of Christ can help us and save us. ...

Do not ask for light as some thing; ask for a fuller knowledge of the Lord Jesus. That is the way, for that is the only living way to know Him: and remember God always keeps the knowledge of Himself in Christ bound up with practical situations. That cuts both ways. We have to be in the situation. The Holy Spirit will bring us, if we are in His hand, into the situation which will make necessary a new knowledge of the Lord. That is one side. The other side is that, if we are in a situation which is a very hard and a very difficult one, we are in the very position to ask for a revelation of the Lord.

Last Day of School

2010-05-21T11:05:00.000-05:00

Hallelujah! It's finally here! The last day of school! We have survived!

Lesson #119: Learning to Rest

2010-05-19T23:32:00.002-05:00

I am a planner and a doer (with a dab of O.C.D. on top.) This has been manifested over and over through testimony of friends and family (along with the occasional personality test... just for fun.) When a chore needs to be completed, I will 'spearhead' the task unless someone else takes lead. I do not see the point in wasting time. This has proven useful on many occasion. It has also annoyed my husband countless times.

But...

At this season in my life, I am having to lay down my 'do or get out of my way' attitude and allow God to teach me that His work is perfect.

I have heard the scripture quoted from many a pulpit, for many a year, but for the first time in my life I am beginning to understand what Jesus meant when He said, "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son, except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light." Matt 11:27-30

My desire is to solve all the riddles in my families life that are unknown to me right now. But Christ keeps whispering to me, "Why are you trying to take on tomorrow when you have enough tasks to complete today? Rest dear child. Rest in Me. Allow Me to do the heavy lifting. Tomorrow will be full of its own struggles and tasks, and when the time comes, I will provide what you need. But I will provide when the time comes."

How gracious God is! I complain because I want my complete 'to-do' list, and God is mercifully handing me a few at a time. He doesn't want to overwhelm me with all of them at once. I am very slow to learn... sometimes.

Lesson #63: Waiting

2010-05-17T15:09:00.002-05:00

This picture sums up my life right now.

Sitting and waiting.

There is no power within me to cause the light change any quicker. Beating on my horn, stomping my feet on the floorboard or screaming at the top of my lungs won't help. It might make me feel better for a moment, but most likely I would wind up injuring myself during the tantrum. (Yes, I speak from past experience.) So I wait. I trust that the One who created this waiting time for me knows what is best.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to
His purpose.

Romans 8:28

Lesson #98: Humility in Cards

2010-05-12T14:44:00.001-05:00

Our dear friends taught us a new card game a few weeks back. Unfortunately for them, we love the game and want to play ALL of the time! To keep things from heating up between couples, we diffused the situation by having the wives pair up and the husbands pair up.

Poor husbands! Since the inception of the competition the husbands have never taken the lead. We have tied a few times, but the wives have always prevailed. (Webster says, to prevail means to prove more powerful than opposing forces; be victorious) I think that about sums it up.

We decided to take our game on the road. We were flying to another state for a four day get-away and passed the time playing a friendly game of Skipbo in the airport lounge.

(I'm the one with the camera.)

The husbands tied things up 15 - 15 with a win that morning.

But the wives have since taken the lead (AGAIN.)

Lesson #38: Curiosity... Meet Big Mike

2010-05-06T15:14:00.000-05:00

Fifteen

2010-04-28T15:31:00.001-05:00

Fifteen is my magic number today.

We only have fifteen days of school remaining!

I am counting down, as are my kids, until the final day. We have enjoyed this oasis of time together, but I finally understand how every school teacher in America feels right about now. Summer can't come quick enough. Will I embark on the home-schooling journey again next year? Still in prayer for now. But I would do this year over and over again to have the relationship I now have with my kids.

"Fifteen, fifteen you're our man... If you can't do it fourteen can!"

(And so on and so forth until we reach none!)

(The look I receive when I sing 'my' version of a song.)

Home-Schooling 101

2010-04-14T18:50:00.001-05:00

We are entering another milestone in our venture at home-schooling this year. The kids will be taking their state tests on Friday. Yes, I did say state tests for home-schooling. The program I chose to use is K12, but it is not the private purchase program, it is the public school program at home through the state you reside in.

The curriculum is sent to us and we are required to follow all state laws concerning time spent in the classroom (i.e. dinner table), with some flexibility on what time of day and what days you take off. Naturally, we can not take off whenever we want, but we do have the freedom to make the work up on a weekend or double up on a particular subject for a few days.

To make a long story short, we have to travel six hours to the mandated testing site. Therefore, we are leaving the night before and staying in a hotel. The kids are delighted by this due to the hotel having an indoor swimming pool. My children are part 'tadpole' and consequently need large amounts of swimming opportunities.

I am grateful for the pool, since my kids will undoubtedly sleep better after wearing off a few hours of nervous energy. I, of course, will sleep fitfully worrying about getting to the school testing site on time the following morning. I'm typically not a 'morning person'. My preference is to sleep in and stay up late. This is probably the reason we start school at 8:45am (me still in my pj's most days) instead of the standard 8:00am.

So, another chapter will close in this venture Friday. We will then (im)patiently wait for the final day of school (May 21st). When the bell will ring (momma shouting hallelujah) and the kids will sigh with relief. For we will have survived 'home-schooling 101'.

What Matters

2010-04-01T12:13:00.001-05:00

Our doorbell rang unexpectedly again on Sunday morning. Baby Girl came running into our bedroom crying out, "Dad your friend is here!" Hubs and I exchanged puzzled looks. We were unsure what 'friend' would be on our doorstep so early in the morning. Then Studly chimed in, "Dad, it's Jerry."

I have to admit I was kind of surprised. I did not know what to expect from him, but my hope was that he would return if he was in need.

Hubs met him at the front door with sleep still in his eyes. He smiled and greeted him warmly. Jerry asked if there was any work he could do? Hubs told him we needed to hold off mowing the lawn for a few more days, but that we would gladly pay him to mow it on Wednesday. He then asked Jerry if he needed anything to eat? I made him a sack lunch and he walked away.

As I laid in bed Tuesday night mulling over different ideas, my agenda of things to do this week and next, my hopes for the summer, and the loads of laundry I had completed the day before (I was still patting myself on the back for having completed that monumental task) I wondered for a moment if Jerry would be at our door the next morning. I then mentally scanned my cupboards wondering what meal I could provide for him.

Nine a.m. the next morning our doorbell rang. Jerry was here to mow our lawn and was curious if we had any extra gas because the lawnmower he had borrowed was almost empty. (Our lawnmower is broken and hubs has been unable to repair it.) Our gas can was in dire need of filling.

I hopped in the car to remedy the gas situation while Jerry got started.

As I was leaving the gas station my stomach growled. Luckily my favorite fast food breakfast restaurant was in view. I ordered sausage egg and cheese biscuits for Jerry and I and headed toward home.

My husband took the sandwich and a RC Cola I had purchased to Jerry. When Hubs came in he commented that he got the impression that Jerry wasn't sure how to mow a lawn 'properly'. We shared a smile that meant it didn't matter to us. What mattered was Jerry.

When the work was complete Jerry rang the doorbell again. I stepped out on the front porch to hand Jerry a fresh bottle of water, a snack for the road and the agreed upon payment for his work. He smiled at me and proudly stated that he thought the backyard looked 'worlds better' than it had before he set to work on it. I have to agree.

His Name is Jerry

2010-03-25T16:49:00.000-05:00

My yard is a wreck. I still have tree limbs dangling from the Ice Storm of 2010 along with hundreds of pecans littering my backyard. My little dog has to hurdle the patches of weeds to find a suitable location to do his 'business' outside. Birds fly past my yard, wince at the sight, and continue on. I received a notice from the squirrel union this past week, that unless I make suitable working conditions for them, they will be boycotting my yard. I am surprised the grill has not left me for a garden paradise yet, since I have neglected cleaning and using him as of late.

I share all of this with you to tell you another story.

Today my doorbell rang unexpectedly. Standing on my porch was a man dressed in dirty ragged clothes holding a garden hoe and rake in one hand and a battered thermos in the other. He asked my husband if we had any yard work he could do to earn some money? He needed to eat and was trying to find some work to provide for himself. He was missing four of his top front teeth and smelled as if he had missed a few shower dates.

I stood in the background listening to my husband relay to this man that we did not have anything for him to do. We had just had the yard sprayed two days prior and were waiting for the chemicals to take effect on the weeds before we mowed. The man asked if there was anything else he could do, and my husband politely declined him. He turned and walked away. My husband closed the door and turned to look at me.

I asked him what the man had wanted. He said, "Some work so he could buy himself a sandwich." I looked at my husband and we both knew at that moment there was no way he was walking away without a meal.

My husband walked outside and invited the man back to our porch. He then drove him to Subway and bought them both a sandwich, chips and drink. They sat on our front porch and ate their meal while my husband tried to find out a little about this man.

He had a place to stay but no formal education. He was scared of our dog because they had been used to torment him as a child. He was willing to do work, but his blood-shot eyes revealed that the money was probably used for alcohol. They chit-chatted a while and then Jerry asked if there was any work he could do for us. Anything at all for twenty dollars?

My husband came inside to throw the trash from their lunch away and relayed the information and request to me. I looked at my backyard and then at my entertainment center. On top of my dvd player sat the movie we had watched the night before; Blindside. My mind replayed a conversation I had with my children three days prior. We had discussed being a blessing to others and helping them in times of need. We talked of loving Jesus and wanting to be like Him. Would we be that now in Jerry's time of need?

I told my husband that Jerry could rake the front and back yard. He could gather the small limbs that still remained on our lawn and coral as many of the pecans as possible. I also asked my husband to extend an invitation to Jerry to eat lunch with us each day.

He immediately went to work humming all the while. I watched him as he raked the backyard and was surprised when I realized God had answered a prayer I had uttered just the day before. It was not so much a request as it was me sharing in conversation with God what I desired. I wanted to get my yard work done, but felt guilty spending a beautiful day outside working instead of spending it with my children. I have missed so many gorgeous days with them in the past, because of work, and I could not bring myself to use that time for my own ambitions. But I knew the work needed to be done; soon.

God knew my hearts desire and He answered my prayer. His name is Jerry. He sent a hungry man in need of a meal to my door step. He knew of Jerry's hunger (he had not eaten in several days) and of my need for assistance and He blessed us both.

I sent a loaf of bread, four cans of tuna (with a can opener) and an unopened box of chocolate chip bars home with him, along with the twenty dollars we had agreed upon. I do not know if Jerry will return for another meal, but I am grateful for the blessing he was to my family today.

Thank you Heavenly Father for your provisions and your grace upon our lives.

For Pet Owners Everywhere

2010-03-24T14:12:00.000-05:00

This post is from an email that has been passed around many times, but I just had to post it here with pictures of my cat and dog. Hope you enjoy!

DOG DIARY
8:00 AM - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 AM - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 AM - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 AM - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 PM - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 PM - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 PM - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 PM - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 PM - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 PM - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 PM - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

CAT DIARY
Day 983 of my captivity.

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.

In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am.

Bast!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies." I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded. The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe.

For now...

Perception

2010-03-09T16:46:00.003-06:00

I have been latent in getting news to you all, as to how the basketball team is doing, since my last post. I have set down several times and began posting, but have erased them before being completed.

Many things have been going on in and around my life in the past week and my mind has been cluttered with numerous thoughts. I have been unable, til now, to sort through them in a comprehensible way to allow myself to express them to you.

My journey with the basketball team has been a great learning experience for me. I hope the boys have learned as much from me as I have learned from being around them.

Our team has a record of 1 - 10. Yes, it is a losing record; from one perspective. I am going to tell you about two of our most recent games. The first took place the day I posted Repeat??? Please!!! The second took place one week later. (We had a total of five games during that week.)

The first game was the game of a 'lifetime'. We were playing a very tough and successful opponent. Our team took the court and in the first half we were down by 14 points. There are four quarters in a game. Each quarter is five minutes long.

At half-time I took our boys aside and stared into the eyes of defeat. Each boys' head was hung low and tears were quietly hiding waiting for a chance to escape. Frustration oozed from their pores along with the sweat of battle. I was amazed that they saw defeat with so much time left to play. I quickly realized that for them to succeed they had to see themselves as I saw them. As their parents in the stands saw them. They had to see the victory that could be theirs and they had to want it. They had to be desperate for it! They had to have a do or die attitude.

I let my passion for the game spill forth from my lips. I told the boys that they had a choice to make. To give the other team the game, or make them earn it. Up until that moment, every point the other team had scored was from our mistakes they had capitalized upon; our bad passes, our poor rebounding, our lack of hussle. They had not earned one point. We had not made them play to their best potential, because we had not played to ours.

I told the team that according to city league regulations I did not have to play subs in the fourth quarter. I could play whoever I wanted for as long as I wanted. I set the ultimatum before them, "You play hard and show me you want to win and I will play you in the fourth quarter. You act like you don't care and give minimal effort; you will sit the bench. I don't have to sub anyone. If you want to play in the fourth quarter, then you better show me in the third. We can shut this team down and win this game. But you have to want it."

Every face changed at that exact moment. There was only one word to describe it; Determination! Desire was burning in their hearts. They took the court in the third quarter as a team, and they shut the other team down!

There was a passion burning within them that could no longer be contained. The other team was stunned. We took the lead. We did not allow them to score one point until the final minutes of the game.

It was an epic battle. Comments were being made by the score keepers and refs that this was the best game they had ever seen. Emotions ran high in the stands and emanated from every person in the gym.

I wish I could say that we won that game. But we did not.

This brings me to the second game I wanted to tell you about. This game took place a week later with three games between the 'epic battle' and this game.

We were playing the only undefeated team in our league. We had met them once before on the court and lost by 11 points. We had not played our best against them, and I was hoping for our team to show up ready to play. To be the team they had been during the 'epic battle'.

But no matter how hard I tried, no matter how many heartfelt and spurring speeches I gave, that team was nowhere to be found. We lost the game 51 - 4. Yes, we only scored four points. It was disheartening to say the least. I had watched our team play their best and then watched them give up on themselves.

I believe my team lost heart when they lost the 'epic battle'. They had given it all and still came up short; in their eyes. You see... I left the 'epic battle' game stoked at what I had seen. I saw that we could be amazing! We could shut down any team we wanted to... if we worked together... if we wanted it bad enough. But they left the game with defeat clearly visible upon their shoulders. Instead of laying it down, they have carried it into every game we have played since.

I also saw something within myself that I have to lay down. I have known for many years that I have a 'people - pleaser' personality. I want to make everyone happy, and will go to great lengths to make it happen. At times, I have tread on dangerous ground.

I wanted desperately to make my team happy. I wanted to make their parents happy. But I have to realize that they determine their own happiness by how they handle and view a situation. No matter how hard I try, I can not make them change.

We have one regular season game left and then a tournament. I still believe that we have an amazing team. I have not lost heart! And I hope that the boys will remember it before the end. But no matter the outcome, I am glad I coached this team and that I met these boys. They are an amazing bunch, whether they see it in themselves or not.

Repeat???? Please!!!!

2010-02-26T18:31:00.003-06:00

We had our first victory Monday night on the city-league basketball team that I am coaching. My son, Studly, and his 8 teammates finally pulled out a win! They had lost their previous five games, not because they are terrible ball players, but because they had not learned how to function corporately; to succeed self must first die.

Several of the boys on the team were good (not NBA good, 11 year old good), but they were lacking in the 'know-how' or development of the concept of team.

I had shared with my husband and friends that all I hoped to accomplish this season (my first coaching season) was to teach the boys to play as a team and have fun doing it. Lie! Lie! Lie! Lie! Lie!

It sounded really good, but I must confess I am way too competitive to go an entire season without a single 'W'. In noncompetitive sport talk... that means a WIN! I am sincere when I say that I want the boys to have fun, but who wants to lose all of the time? Not me!

After A LOT of coaching, teaching, stressing and hair pulling (my own, not the boys) they are finally grasping the concept of team rather than individualism. They are beginning to cheer each other on and celebrate each other's victories. They are joking with each other prior to the games and high-fiving each other after. I am blessed to be on this journey with them. They are an amazing group of boys!

Tonight, we seek our second victory. (Did you really think I would be ok with just one?)

Dinner and a Memory

2010-02-22T14:27:00.000-06:00

My daughter was begging me to spend some time with her yesterday. Just the two of us. Sounds simple enough and sad. I am home with my kids everyday now, since quitting work and home-schooling this year, but my daughter is still having to ask for time with me. We spend 8 or 9 hours a day together doing school work, but that is me being teacher not mom. We spend time relaxing with family and friends, but it's not the same as having me all to herself.

She had worked hard on a list of things we could do, ranging from going out of town to a mall all the way to just going out for ice cream. I would have gone for the ice cream bit, but it was cold, cloudy and wet outside and it sucked all desire for ice cream right out of me. We had dinner plans already, so going out of town was out of the question.

We (truth be told, I) decided we would go to the store and get the items we needed for dinner and then she and I would prepare it together. All other persons would be banned from the kitchen with penalty of no dinner if they entered. She was not fond of this plan of action, and felt dejected that I had not chosen one of her ideas.

On the drive home from the store I explained the reasons why we were not doing the other stuff and tried to help her to see how much fun we could have making dinner together. I thought she understood until I looked over and saw her quietly wiping tears away from her sad eyes. I asked her what was wrong and she told me that she wanted to be away from the house. I did not understand why being home made a difference to her until she explained that at home she would have to share me with dad, Studly and any household chores I decided to become distracted with. Talk about a gut punch!

I lost my mom five years ago in a car accident. I still have moments where I break down because I can't call her to let her know what progress her grandchildren are making. I tear up at holidays and birthdays because she isn't here to watch the kids grow and me become a more developed mom. I have moments where I want to ask her what she would do or did do in certain situations with us kids when we were young, but I no longer have the opportunity. I miss dinners at home. I miss the feeling of being taken care of by my mom. I miss laying my head on her lap and letting her comb her fingers through my hair. Here I am struggling with these thoughts and my own daughter feels the need to beg me to spend time with her. Another gut punch.

We arrived at the house and unloaded the groceries. We were making meatloaf, homemade mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. She and I sat down at the kitchen table and, for the first time ever, peeled potatoes together. We talked some and I praised her for her hard work. She was able to get two potatoes peeled, chopped up and placed in the pan with the others. Not bad for a first timer. When she finished the potatoes she moved on to the green bean casserole and successfully assembled it with only verbal directions from me.

It was a wonderful evening! I was able to spend time with my daughter making memories that she and I will cherish always. She also placed her request to be my new 'expert' potato peeler. I enthusiastically accepted her offer and trumped her offer with one of my own: I requested that she be my new assistant in the kitchen. She answered me with a smile and a big bear hug (as wide as her nine year old arms could reach).

Sleepless in the Midwest

2010-02-19T15:21:00.000-06:00

Have you ever been so desperate for something that your body would literally ache? You would wake in the middle of the night unable to sleep, unable to clear your mind, unable to focus on anything but the object of your desperation.

I am entering this 'area'. I (along with my husband) have a desire for something more in our lives and it is becoming a constant ache in my bones, a tightness in my chest, a thought that never goes away. (No, I do not want another child. : ) Not that the idea is taboo to me; it's just something I never think about. )

I am curious as to what would cause you to become desperate? There is no right or wrong answer that I am searching for here... just curiosity as to what others think. Take a moment and comment. I would love to hear from you!

From Twilight to Breaking Dawn

2010-02-16T17:50:00.000-06:00

I have to brag on myself for just a minute. I accomplished something in the last 5 days that was not an easy task. I read all four books in the Twilight series in five days! The first book has 498 pages and the last book has 754 pages. The other two books have page amounts between that margin. (A grand total of 2,444 pages altogether.)

I understand that I am way behind on the wholeTwilight hysteria that has been sweeping our nation. Let me just clarify that I am not on that bandwagon, which is precisely the reason it has taken me so long to even want to read the books. I enjoy a well written story, so much so, that I can become immersed in the characters and drama and lose all desire for food, sleep or human interaction (my husband will agree wholeheartedly with me on that statement). That is, until I know the final outcome for the characters in the story.

I decided to read the books when my sister-in-law generously offered to let me borrow hers and mail them back to her. She enjoys the books and movies immensely and has even read the books to my brother. To my complete surprise, he enjoyed the books and has even gone to see the first two movies with her.

I had seen the first two movies as well (prior to reading the books) and enjoyed the story line enough to know that the books would be far better (books always are). My sister-in-law felt in her opinion that the third book, Eclipse, was the most fascinating. I agreed, until I read the fourth book, Breaking Dawn, yesterday and was mesmerized by a few key things.

Part of my hesitation to read the books, besides the obvious of not wanting to be a bandwagon member, was the focus that I knew it would require of me. You may laugh at that statement, but I did mention a moment ago that if a story is written well enough I will become immersed in it. If the hype surrounding these books lived up to half the stories I had heard, I knew that it would consume me until the final outcome was revealed. (This had already taken place with books such as Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and The Silmarillion. Not to mention, many many others.)

I have many other things going on in my life right now that require so much of my attention, and I was unwilling to share any of it with fictional characters that did not depend upon my point of view of them to survive. But with the generosity of my sister-in-law, I gave in and spent five days pouring over page after page after page until the satisfaction of knowing what was to be for them was revealed. I did not want to merely be entertained, but desired to learn something from what I had read (as I do with all books).

I was surprised when the moment finally came. It hit me 3/4 of the way through the fourth book. What I had been searching for. What made these books make sense for me. Why I had given up precious time to gain something from them.

I have posted my revelation on my blog Being A Bride. This is not a cheap ploy to get you to visit my other blog (or is it), I just felt the explanation was better deserved upon those pages then upon these.

We're Coming Home

2010-02-08T19:03:00.000-06:00

We are heading home!!! All is fixed and in working order at the homestead! I have enjoyed the time with family in the north, but I am greatly anticipating being reunited with my husband!!! I miss you dearly and will be home soon!

Thank you so much to my brother and sister-in-law for their hospitality and kindness. You opened up the doors to your home without hesitation and made the kids and I feel welcomed. You are loved so very much! I just wish we didn't live so far apart.

Thank you to my sister-in-law's parents as well! You fed us and made the kids and I feel 'at home' in your home! Thank you for supporting my 'football habit' and allowing me to watch the Super Bowl with you. I consider you family and love and admire you both!

This has been a great adventure and one we will remember with fond memories always, because of the love and support of family and friends!

Escape from the 2010 Ice Age

2010-02-05T13:04:00.000-06:00

In light of our circumstances (no electricity, no heat except for what a gas stove provided, no internet to do school work, and not knowing when things would be getting better) the kids and I departed from our home and ironically headed north to escape the effects of the winter ice storm. My dear husband stayed behind to keep an eye on the home-front and make sure all needed repairs and 'fixes' were accomplished.

We set up 'homeschooling camp' in my brother's dining room and enjoyed the luxury of electricity once more.

Baby Girl started catching up on her reading...

...and helping her cousin play with toys.

My brother was able to prove that he is still taller and wiser than his nephew of 12.

Studly felt he needed to educate his 'old' uncle on the current happenings in the music industry...

...and spend a little time hanging out with his cool and 'with it' aunt.

My niece had just spent a long hard day at school and swimming lessons and was re-energizing with some dinner I had prepared.

My nephew and I spent some quality time bonding (he was playing with my zipper, NOT the other that you were thinking.)

And of course, we round out the night with some high quality sword fighting (just for good measure.)

All in all, the ice has been somewhat of a blessing. We have spent more time with family and writing our own stories instead of watching them on tv. Our adventure up north will continue until we resolve all ice storm issues back at the homestead.

Ice Age 2010

2010-02-03T13:59:00.000-06:00

We traveled back in time this past week to a place where electricity ceases, heat is but a flame away and electronics are unheard of. A winter storm blew into town, literally, and left a covering of ice on everything it touched. Thankfully, we had a roof over our heads, a gas stove and a gas water heater. Generators have been a blessing to many in these parts. Slowly technology is making its way back into our town and into our homes. Many are still without power and will continue to be for some time. For the most part people have kept their spirits high, but there have been moments when they reached as low as the temperatures we have been experiencing.

As the saying goes, 'A picture is worth a thousand words.'

We made a campground out of our living room and huddled together.

A dry erase board to replace the tv.

Our fierce leader 'under cover' of course.

In his own words: "Daddy made fire!" and mom was able to make tacos. (Dad was checking the progress of lunch in this pic.)

Making rounds and checking on family.

Chandler's thoughts: "I ain't getting blamed for this one!"

Queen Jazz's thoughts: "I'm not sharing any of my food with the dog or new kitten."

Big Mike: "I'm doing whatever it takes to stay warm."

Putting aside differences.

The weight of the ice was extreme.

One way to thaw meat in an ice storm.

I got bundled up and braved the cold-er air outside to snap a few pics.

Stay tuned for more pictures of the 2010 Ice Age.

Sticks and Stones

2010-01-25T22:06:00.000-06:00

Last week my daughter had to read a short story in her literature class. It was titled The Stone in the Road. It was a fictional story about a small country where many business men and farmers traveled along the same road. One day a large stone was inconveniently located in the middle of this road. As each person passed, they grumbled about the stone and criticized the king and their neighbors for not having a clear road safe for passage.

This continued for three weeks, until finally the king called a meeting of all his countrymen. He had everyone gather on the road surrounding the quarrelsome stone. He proceeded to chide each individual for complaining about the stone but doing nothing concerning it. The king confessed to having placed the stone in the road himself; to see if his countrymen would act nobly and responsibly, or if they would behave like children fussing and complaining but doing nothing.

Sadly, the king had been disappointed. For no one in his kingdom removed the stone. He walked over to the monstrosity, lifted it up, placed it on the side of the road and knelt down where the burden to all had once been. Under the stone had been placed a small tin box. On top of the tin was a note. It read, "For him who lifts the stone." Inside the box was a shimmering gold ring and twenty bright gold coins. The king then said, "These were waiting for the man who would move the stone instead of finding fault with his neighbors."

When we finished reading the story I talked with Baby Girl to see if she understood what was meant by this. We had a very in-depth conversation concerning responsibility (as in-depth as you can get with a 9 yr old girl who has a 2 minute attention span.) Of course, I walked away from the conversation feeling a bit of pride knowing that I would have removed the stone given the opportunity. (Oh how naive I can be. How foolish; how I open myself up and just beg to be taught humility.)

A few days later I was taking Studly to his friend's house to spend the afternoon hanging out. (F.Y. I. Twelve year olds hang out, they don't play anymore. Lesson learned.) We were driving along the road and then it happened... Knock Knock Knock (That would be the sound of the opportunity I was looking for.) Low and behold my O.C.D. eyes saw 'my stone' in the road; except it looked more like a large piece of wood.

And what did I do you ask? What every other person traveling along the road did, I complained and kept on driving. I saw the piece of wood and the thought that skipped through my mind was, "Now why doesn't somebody pick that thing up. It is going to damage a vehicle or cause an accident."

Wow. How humbling that was for me. Just a few short days ago, I sat arrogantly in my dining room speaking confidently about responsibility and when faced with 'my stone' I did exactly the opposite. I became the foolish irresponsible townsperson. I chided myself for having been so proud.

On my way back, I pulled over to the side of the road and braved the oncoming traffic to remove the large piece of wood. There was no tin box full of gold and beautiful rings under 'my stone' (unfortunately), but I was able to go home and look my daughter in the eye.

Home Court Advantage

2010-01-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

My husband complained (after reading my new post about Big Mike and resting) that I am no longer talking about our family; except in the context of being pet owners. I assured him that I saw our family as much more than that. But with home-schooling, taking care of the house, making dinner and supper, (supper is a southern term for a northerners 'dinner') running errands and now coaching my son's basketball team, I was posting rather simple texts and saving the more in depth ones for when I had a few "extra" moments to spare.

(Although, I will note that I have posted on my other blog a couple of times.)

As I mentioned, I am coaching my son's basketball team this year. It is my first expedition into this realm of his world. I've had a desire to coach his team for many years, but never the time. With our new family 'lifestyle' I am able to fulfill this dream (not quite sure he would label it as a dream fulfilled.)

The decision to coach his team was not one I took lightly. Since becoming home schooled this year, it would mean that I was not only his mother and his teacher, but I would be his coach as well. In trying to be the mother I have not had the opportunity to be for many years (due to work and school) I did not want to overwhelm or smother him with my presence in every aspect of his life. He is 12 and well... if you are a parent of a child entering this age, you understand that they are beginning to stretch their wings in search of their independence.

After several weeks of prayer and talking with family, friends and Studly, I decided to step into the adventure of coaching a 10 - 11 year old boys city league basketball team. (Yes I did type 10 - 11 yr olds. Studly's birthday is after the cut off date of Sept 1st so he had to remain with this age group.) But all of the hurdles were not "crossed" as of yet. Although I had the support of my son and family, I still had yet to meet 'the rest of the boys'.

I begged and pleaded and petitioned God not to administer any additional "tests" of my maximum level of patience with this team. If He could just find a way to give me a group of mild mannered young boys who would follow instructions (the first time) and work together as a team I would be ever so grateful! (And trust me...the boys would too. My red hair may be getting a bit lighter, but the attitude is still in full swing.)

Hallelujah! And Praise be to Jesus! He answered my prayer! I have held six practices to date and what a wonderful group of young men I have on my team. Perfect ball players, no. Perfect attitudes the whole time, almost! These young men are making my first coaching experience delightful and extremely entertaining.

My husband has pitched in during the practices and this has been a huge blessing as well. We are shaping up to have a good team; with definite potential of having a great team on the horizon.

Much Needed Rest (I suppose)

2010-01-17T23:47:00.002-06:00

It seems as if my family has decided to support the growth and development of the newest member of our household fully and completely. If he needs rest, they will rest. By golly, they will give this cat their all in all; no matter how many hours they must endure in slumber.

Day or night they will hold slumbering vigil over this young life. No spot too dangerous, (cept for the cat in this one) no couch left without drool.

Even grandma has taken up the call of duty. Of course, grandma remained alert. For she was not only "cat napping", but teaching pre-algebra as well.

Ahhhh, the hardships of raising such a precious new creation. I am so proud of my children for not relenting on their share of the duties. They have stood up to the task of making sure Big Mike gets peaceful sleep.

He is guarded well. He is kept safe from all awake and alert persons (mom) and sheltered in loving arms. What a tiresome duty it must be for them.

Sleep well my precious family! For I love you all dearly!

Update on Big Mike... (from the dog's perspective)

2010-01-11T11:07:00.005-06:00

Don't let those "innocent" eyes fool you. There is rascal in him yet. He will sit soaking in the sun, daydreaming and gazing ever so sweetly at the owners. I personally think the time spent in the sun is just to recharge his battery. I lay in the sun for warmth and comfort, but he has ulterior motives; pouncing, chasing and stalking.

He snuggles up next to 'my girl' while I am outside keeping the yard free from pesky squirrels. I swore an oath to protect my family from all predators, foreign and domestic, and I will not fail them. But, he just sleeps and eats and eats and sleeps in the comfort of the home that I help protect.
I, the faithful dog, who sits at attention when called. Who obeys commands and dutifully watches over my family.
It's one thing to have to put up with squirrels who mock me and try to invade my property, but it is quite another to be 'attacked' from within. This infant of a cat who does not understand the meaning of loyalty and duty. He runs all over the house chasing the Queen Jazz and I. One day he will have to grow up and learn to take on some responsibility around the house.
But in the mean time... I guess I can't be too hard on the little guy. He does have some endearing qualities about him. He reminds me of the joys of wrestling and playing chase. How much fun it can be to just let loose and enjoy life. In the end, the little fella is kinda growing on me. (In my defense, I was not aware that Big Mike had laid down next to me and that the owners would take this opportunity to snap a picture.)

P.S. Queen Jazz will have to give you her own opinion on him, as no one can speak for the Queen but the Queen herself.

'Jeri Ward' Cake Recipe (as promised)

2010-01-09T07:00:00.002-06:00

Here is the delicious recipe for 'Jeri Ward' cake that I promise will have your family begging for more!!!

Ingredients: For cake

2 cups flour

2 cups granulated sugar

4 tbsp cocoa

2 sticks margarin

1 cup water

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Then bring to a boil 4 tbsp of cocoa, 2 sticks of butter and 1 cup of water in a medium size sauce pan. Pour the boiled sauce over the flour and sugar mixture and stir together until completely blended. In a separate small bowl, mix 2 lightly beaten eggs, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp vanilla and dash of salt. Combine the mixture in the small bowl with the mixture in the large bowl and beat together well. Pour mixture into a greased 13 x 9 baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes.

Ingredients: For icing

2 tbsp cocoa

3 tbsp milk

1/2 stick margarine

1/2 box powdered sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

Five minutes before the cake is done begin combining the icing as follows: Bring to a boil in a large sauce pan 2 tbsp cocoa, 3 tbsp milk and 1/2 stick of margarine. Remove from stove immediately after being brought to a boil and add 1/2 box of powdered sugar and 1 tbsp vanilla. Beat until creamy. You need to ice the cake as soon as you remove it from the oven.

Please exercise caution after icing the cake! The smell can travel long distances and you may be attacked by starving family and friends.

A Big Thank You

2010-01-07T07:00:00.001-06:00

I feel as if I need to take a moment to say thank you to my grandparents. It wasn't until I was 18 years of age that I truly began to know and appreciate them. We lived in separate states during my youth, and since money was not overflowing for us, we only saw them every 3-4 years.

They always made sure to call each holiday and send birthday cards and gifts each year, but it's somehow not the same as having them around to attend ball games, graduations and see each other in the market place (known as Wal-Mart in my metropolis.) Thirteen years ago they made a decision to move into the same town as my parents and I. (My brother was still at home and my sister had already started her new life adventure in another sate.) That decision was difficult for them, but I believe extremely rewarding.

The rewards extend well beyond the borders of their home though. Where I grew up wondering what life would be like with extended family around, my children have been able to experience that blessing.

They are at every ball-game the kids play, every party celebrating another year, every dinner planned, every holiday activity, every school play and awards ceremony, plenty of phone calls to say hello and I still get the cards to go with each celebration throughout the year. And might I add, (if you hadn't already come to this conclusion yourself) that these are my kids Great Grandparents! What a treat it is for my kids and for me as well.

I take my hat off to you, GG and GPa (my Steelers hat of course) and say thank you from the bottom of my heart for being the grandparents I have always needed and for truly being GREAT Grandparents to my children! You are loved and very much appreciated!

P.S. Might I add that my grandmother makes THE BEST 'Jerri Ward' cake anyone would ever have the privilege of letting their mouth water over. It is moist an oh so tasty! And she left the extra little bit at my house the last time she was here! Thank you, GG, for spoiling my family with that treat!

P.S.S. If you try to google the recipe for 'Jerri Ward' cake, I'm afraid your efforts will be in vain. The origin of the cake name comes from a neighbor my grandmother had years ago that gave her the recipe for this fine, delicious, sweet treat. I extend to you my sincerest apologies and promise to post the recipe at a later date.

Farewell to 2009

2010-01-05T21:46:00.005-06:00

2009 brought numerous changes to our household and the way we have always viewed and orchestrated our family. I sat in my master suite this morning (which just underwent yet another re-arranging) looking back on the past year and how totally flabbergasted I am at how different my world looks. (No, my sky is not purple and yes, the grass is still green.) You might ask, "Why do you think the changes are so drastic that it 'flabbergasts' you?" Well, I shall walk you down a quick, yet very eventful journey, of the last 12 months in my life.

It all began many many moons ago (okay just a lil over one year) but it feels as if eons have passed since this morphing began. If you would have told me at the time all of the changes that my life would hold, I would have laughed quite loudly and thought you a fool.

Let me list all of the major changes in the last 12 months for you: 1. We left institutional church (this is quite a big thing for us since my husband has been extremely involved in "ministry" ever since he was a teenager) 2. I am homeschooling my kids for the first time 3. I quit my job/career in health care 5 months after achieving another registry in my field (which had given us a substantial increase in income) 4. We made a decision to pick up our family, sell our home and move out of state (we have not moved as of yet, but it is in the works) 5. My husband just quit his job of 6 years to begin a new career with New York Life Insurance (and so therefore is working from home.)

To some of you, this may not seem extremely drastic, but for us it is substantially different. For starters, we are all at home together (ladies can I get a yikes). This is quite the opposite of what we used to endure. We used to see each other in passing, and though I thought I knew my children, I was very naive (try spending all day everyday with a 12 and 9 year old.) I have to say, I LOVE THE CHANGES!!!

Yes, I know I was just shouting at you through the computer, but let me shout it again... I LOVE THE CHANGES!!! Let my voice be heard throughout the far reaches of the internet and around the world that I love being home with my family and being wrapped up in every atom of their world!

I love that I crave a few minutes of alone time away from my kids, rather than aching just to see their faces. I love that my husband and I are becoming the best of friends where before we had just been business partners raising future adults. I love that I know every detail of what is going on in my kids lives rather than reading about it through texts or hearing about it from other parents and friends. I love that I have to be creative with recipes for dinner and supper because I AM making their meals for them each day. I love that we sometimes run out of things to say, so we start quoting favorite movie lines trying to make each other laugh.

I could go on for hours about all of the positive things that are developing from these changes. Are there difficult days? Of course. Are there days that we all wish we had separate houses and not just separate rooms? Yes. But I would not trade a moment of it to return to what once was.

Our God is truly good and I give Him all of the praise and glory for what is developing in our family! He knew, better than we, what we needed. And when we finally started truly listening to Him and making Him the head of our hearts and our home, that is when the blessings began flowing in. As a parent I want what is best for my children, (as I have stated in this blog many times) so how much more does our heavenly father want what is best for us?

Back at It

2010-01-03T20:45:00.003-06:00

If you read my blog regularly, then I'm sure you've noticed that I took a bit of a 'vacation' per say from posting. I needed my Christmas break just as much as my kids needed theirs. I am well rested now and ready to get back to the daily grind. I have so many things to share with you! So please, stop back by and find out what has been going on in my household!

J. J. Challenge: Week Two

2009-12-13T20:12:00.002-06:00

Made it another week... barely! I did 200 jumping jacks each day (if you read the comments from week one you will know why.) I made it to 65 - 70 J. J. this week before feeling as if my legs were softened macaroni (which I ate too much of tonight; feeling full and ugh.)

I am ready to face week three of this challenge and I am eager to hear from each of you and how your weeks have been. I hope that you are continuing on, even if it has been difficult.

Remember, 'One small jump for fun, one GIANT leap for our health!'

Journal Blessings

2009-12-10T09:54:00.004-06:00

Over a year ago, I felt in my heart that I needed to purchase journals for my son, Studly, and my daughter, Baby Girl. Not for them to write their thoughts in, but for me to share memories, hopes and dreams for them and their future.

This idea was born from my past and I wanted to share a small (I know I probably won't keep it short, but please bear with me) piece of it with you.

I remember as a child, sitting in the kitchen, at the dinner table, or in the living room listening to my mother tell stories of my past. Things that were unique to me; who I was and who I was becoming. The intricate things that only a mother knows.

Like how I was (still am) a "night owl." My father would be on one of his many missions, (he served his country in the Air Force for 26 years) and because I would not go to sleep early, I would stay up with my mom and be her company. Sometimes I would sleep with her at night and she would have to shake me from my slumber and send me lovingly but earnestly back to my own room. (Turns out she didn't like having feet in her face while sleeping; who knew?)

Stories of mannerisms that I had (have) of talking fast and too much! Hearing her tell me how I could fall asleep anywhere, while my sister had to be in her bed at bedtime, or she would let her disapproval be known to all.

Feeling her kisses on my cheek during the middle of the night, because she had gotten up to check on my brother who has asthma. I remember mom saying, "That once her son was born, she never got a full nights sleep again for many years." Her mother's intuition had woken her during the black of the night, on several occasions, where my brother would have been knocking on death's door if mom had not been there.

Waking each morning to mom making coffee and all sorts of breakfast for her children. Cream of wheat on the first day of school each year; I think it was by chance at first, but then a tradition was born.

She had a gift for being able to "tune her children out" until she heard a blood curdling scream that signified a line had been crossed and someone was about to get beat. (I envy that gift at times.)

She let us create and use our imaginations in the house and outside. We built forts in the dining room that could be left up for a week. The backyard and surrounding fields were our battlegrounds, circus rings, zoos and whatever else our eager minds could dream.

As a child I took for granted that I would always have mom there to share my life with me and to help me create some of those same memories for my children. But as fate would have it, this will be our 5th Christmas without her. She is home in heaven rejoicing with our heavenly Father and celebrating eternity with Him.

My kids love to sit and pour over photo albums for hours. They giggle at stories from their small pasts and beg to hear more. They crave knowledge of who they were such a short time ago, and dream of who they will become in the following years.

The memories that I have from my past seem to fade a little each year with so many precious new memories being lived. So I write in their journals. I record who they are today, so they can share their yesterdays with their tomorrows.

J. J. Challenge: Week One

2009-12-06T21:32:00.004-06:00

It is Sunday night, the end of the first week of the Jumping Jack Challenge. Were you able to get the 100 J. J. (jumping jacks) done each day?

I was able too, but oh my goodness (I know that today it is acceptable to write omg, but what the heck, why not go "old school".) I am amazed at how difficult it is to get 100 J. J. done without feeling like my legs are limp noodles and my chest is going into convulsions! Not to mention the fact, that after 50 or so J. J., it feels as if the floor is sucking me down and gravity is working extra hard to keep me on the ground. (It's a conspiracy I'm sure; gravity has it in for us ladies.)

I am a fighter though! I would take a look in the mirror (ouch) and say, "Not today you don't! Today, you are NOT a quitter!"

My hope is that, if this has been hard for you to do, that you will not give up. Keep at it!!! Do 4 sets of 25, or 50 in the morning and 50 in the evening. Send text messages to friends to encourage one another. Set the alarm on your phone to remind you. Place a note on your fridge, refrigerator, icebox (whatever term suites your dialect.) Do what is necessary to help yourself!

If you are substituting the J. J. with another more flexible exercise for yourself, then let us know. Let's whip this gravity thing in the butt (literally) ladies; and any men taking this challenge.

Natural Heat Source

2009-12-05T14:08:00.003-06:00

Ahhhh winter months! I love a good, cold, chilly winter! Warm blankets, good books, snuggling on the couch, hot chocolate, thick coats (no; not my husbands unshaven face) and gloomy days (to make me appreciate the sunshine) orchestrate a spectacular winter wonderland.

I am extremely warm blooded, to say the least. I was the child found curled up in the snow by my mother, simply because I had worn myself out playing in the frosty air and needed a nap. Instead of going inside (like any sane child) I chose to make my bed on the frozen ground with the sun shining down on my rose colored cheeks.

Last winter I kept the air conditioner on full blast at work, to a coworkers dismay, due to overheating from constantly moving about. I have been asked numerous times to get my thyroid checked by many "concerned and frozen" peers. Unfortunately for them, I am perfectly "normal." (According to my husband, "normal" is still open for debate.)

Each night, as we prepare for slumber, my husband is so very thankful for my overabundance of natural heat. As he shivers in the icy night air with smoke billowing from his mouth and icicles hanging from his nose, he looks over at me (picture a child gazing at his parent with begging eyes for just one more cookie) and then smiles. For I am already lying on his side of the bed taking the chill off his sheets and warming them to a cozy 98 F.

Big Mike

2009-12-01T09:47:00.006-06:00

If you have seen the new movie Blind Side then you have truly seen a treasure of a movie! It is so, only because it is based on real life. The inspiration or emotions evoked from the natural are so much more powerful than those of fairy tales.

Therefore, I must tell you about our Big Mike. Saturday afternoon, before heading to a matinee showing of Blind Side, my husband and 9 year old daughter trekked out into the world for some good ole greasy fast food. Shortly before reaching their destination, fate stepped in front of our vehicle. A tiny, frail abandoned kitten was in the middle of the road and would not budge.

My husband is not known amongst family and friends as an "animal lover". He enjoys watching other people with their pets, but does not want a relationship with them or a share in the responsibility that follows (probably due to the lack of having a pet growing up.) But at this juncture, he was faced not only with the frail life standing in front of his powerful mechanical force, but also with the compassionate, sensitive, impressionable, tear-filled eyes of his 9 year old Baby Girl. What was he to do? Exactly what any good father would do. He picked the tiny kitten up and handed him to his his Baby Girl and brought him home.

The little kitten was in dire need of food, medicine and love. All of which he has received in abundance under the watchful eye of my husband and daughter. Both have taken up the cross of sacrifice and shared their hearts with this young precious life.

Some of you may think this simple and easy... but do not be fooled. My husband has hand-fed, cleaned a mucous nose and eyes, washed the floor of urine, taken up vigil when the kitten has needed watchful care and has worried about this life that stood in his path. We speak often of compassion and are amazed when we see others share it. But too often, when given the opportunity to practice it, we have a million reasons as to why we can not. We have a destination we must be at, bills that are piling up, our own kids needs and wants, a new job to focus on, Christmas and birthdays, ball games, parties and no time... this time; but NEXT time will be different.

I was told once by a coach, "That practice does not make perfect; it makes permanent." If we practice compassion in small ways and "insignificant" times, it will come naturally to us when it is a dire time for someone else. We can truly take up our cross and follow Him!

Who is this Big Mike I spoke of earlier? He is now the newest member of our family. Sometimes big things come in small packages... and that is why he is our Big Mike!

The Challenge Has Been Issued

2009-11-29T17:00:00.002-06:00

Alright folks (faithful few that you are)! I am issuing a challenge to myself and to you. For the next 30 days I am going to do 100 jumping jacks each day prior to getting in the shower. What is the significance of doing this prior to showering? Absolutely nothing. Most people shower everyday (hopefully), and it is an easy time to remember to do this.

Why only 100 jumping jacks? I am keeping it simple on purpose. Too many times I set lofty goals for myself and wind up giving up after a few weeks. Sometimes because it's too hard, but most of the time, it's because life throws a curve ball, and the time I thought I could allow for working out, has been sucked up by more urgent matters. One hundred jumping jacks only takes 2 - 5 minutes and can be done everyday without excuse!

I am going to be checking in with you each Sunday night; posting my progress and hoping to hear from you about yours.

So, the challenge has been issued! Will you accept? Yes, it is the holidays. But what better time to be concerned about your health then when you are the most prone to forget about it.

My Studly and Me

2009-11-27T06:57:00.002-06:00

It would seem that I have only one child, because I have only mentioned my son, "Studly", a time or two. But it is quite the contrary. There have been many occasion for me to dote on him and his accomplishments; I just have to share computer time with my dear husband as well, and so I haven't made the time to dwell on my son. But I am now!

I have actually set down several times and started typing this out... but for whatever reason (kids complaining, food needing to be prepared, floors needing to be vacuumed or clothes getting up and walking out asking that I please wash them) I have not been able to complete my thoughts.

I need to share something near to my heart concerning Studly. He has recently entered the time of young adulthood. (I do not believe in teenager years. That is a term engineered to allow a child to be excused from responsibility for several years, and I do not agree with it. But I will save that ranting for another day.) Studly is beginning to find his place in the world of responsibility and freedom. He is learning that hard work and giving your best, not meer half-effort, are necessary building blocks in a young man; qualities he can develop throughout his life.

He is not always eager to learn such lessons. But who is? It requires sacrifice and willingness to admit 'you' don't always have the answer. It requires placing trust in others to accomplish tasks so they can learn to better themselves. It requires patience (ugh, a dirty word, I know) and lots and lots of practice. But he is giving a good effort, none the less, and we are proud of him!

He demonstrated this a few weeks ago. One of his friends invited him over to 'hang out'. Now you have to remember that we are home schooling this year. It is with the K12 program, so it is 'public school' at home. (If that just sounds weird to you, the website is K12.com and you can look into it more.) We have the same guidelines for time spent in the "classroom" each day as do public schools, but with home schooling freedoms.

Studly's friend was to be at home, and not at school the next day, in celebration of Veteran's Day. He begged and pleaded with me to allow him to skip school for this adventure. His reasoning was that he was making sufficient effort in his classes and that he should be allowed this freedom. I, on the other hand, completely disagreed. He was doing what was required of him. I asked him, "If I show up to work each day, as I am supposed to, does that obligate my boss to reward me for doing what was expected?" Absolutely NOT! My reward was the satisfaction of knowing I had fulfilled my obligation. Now, if I had made the effort to go above and beyond what was required, then a reward would not be out-of-line. But, I would not expect to receive an award; that would be at the discretion of my employer.

He was not too fond of this; as none of us are. We all want to give little and expect a lot. What fun is there in expending a large amount of effort when we can do meager and satisfy status quo? Again, I want more than just enough for my kids. I want them to give their best in all they do and not let status quo be their standard.

So Studly reluctantly agreed to MY conditions. (Seriously? Did he really think a 12 year old would set the terms?) He was to complete all of his lessons for that day and the day of the 'hang out', and do so with a positive attitude. If he accomplished this, then he would be allowed to spend the next day with his friend. And so he did.

He left the next morning at 8 AM and arrived back that evening a little after 6 PM. I was on the computer completing some tasks when he entered the office. He wrapped his arms around my neck and laid his head on my shoulders. He stayed there for about 3 to 4 minutes before I finally asked if everything was okay? He kept his head on my shoulder and replied, "I'm fine; I just missed you mom." My heart melted into his hug and I sighed a sigh of relief. I had not been too harsh. I was what he needed me to be, and he was better for it.

Heart of Courage

2009-11-25T17:00:00.006-06:00

Babygirls's basketball team played their 10th game last night. Their record is 2 - 8. Not that they are a terrible team; they've just lost some very close games.

Last night they only had 5 girls to "fight the battle" on the court. This meant that no one on the team got a chance to rest; except for typical timeouts and time between quarters. The girls stepped out bravely and faced their opponent with courage and strength.

We took the lead in the first few minutes of the game and all of the girls were giving their best. (You have to remember... this is the first season these girls have played together, and for some of them, it is their first time playing basketball period!) It has been quite enjoyable watching these girls morph from lanky, scared, apprehensive players into brave, strong, courageous warriors. They are learning the meaning of team effort; to celebrate one another's successes and to share defeat.

Babygirl has been one of those shy apprehensive players. She has given her all on defense, but has been timid on offense. Many times, in games past, she has been given the ball and has immediately passed it to another player or has tried to move around without dribbling. Each time she has received encouraging instruction from her coaches, teammates and mom and dad of course. In each of those games we have prodded her to shoot the ball and try to make a shot. She has always smiled that innocent grin, shrugged her shoulders and carried on.

Last night was different. I think it had something to do with only having 5 girls and knowing that each one of them had to "step up their game" for the betterment of the team.

The stage was set and all the pieces in place. Babygirl was in her position at the top right of the key, while on offense, and opportunity came knocking. She was given the ball. She dribbled a little closer toward her goal and then it happened... she shot the ball! It hit the rim, bounced off and the rebound was picked up by the other team, but a milestone had taken place. Babygirl realized that even though she is one of the smallest girls on that court, she too can make a difference.

The next time our team took possession of the ball the girls came barreling down the court. The ball was again passed to Babygirl and this time, with determination on her face, she dribbled in and shot the ball. It made no sound except for the "swish" of the net!!! Cheers rang out throughout the gym from her family, coaches and teammates! You would have thought we had won the championship game with the sound of triumph being sung by those cheering her on! Her teammates rushed over and hugged her, before quickly heading back down the court to set up their defense and continue on in their battle for victory.

The score at the end of the game did not reflect what had happened there last night. A team had come together and small victories were won in hearts and in minds. Size does not matter! It's the determination in your heart and the support of those around you that matters at the end of the day. We left that gym with smiles from ear to ear! Proud of who our daughter is becoming, and proud of the team standing beside her!

CAUTION: Patience in Progress

2009-11-19T20:25:00.004-06:00

Home schooling woes have been held to a minimum in the past week or so. All of the crying, complaining and fussing has just about withered away; and my children are doing much better as well! I had become convinced that I had made a terrible mistake (having children period) and that I needed to allow someone with more wisdom, patience and bravery to teach my offspring.

What, might you ask, has made a difference?

Ear plugs and muzzles! JUST KIDDING!!! (well... maybe)

Honestly, I had come to my wits end. My dear daughter was/is struggling with reading and comprehension. She was a straight A student in 2nd grade, but was recommended for summer school due to her reading deficiency. ( I know, weird huh? Straight A student going to summer school? Sounds like we are having some issues in the public school system... but that is another blog story.) Understand, that I am not blaming the public school system for my daughters challenges in reading. As her parent, that is my responsibility and I accept it fully. But starting this year, 3rd grade, we have had some "catching up" to do.

We have worked and worked and worked at critical thinking in reading, and it just seems as if the day is never going to come when the light bulb will turn on and she will grasp it. Her favorite words, when the going gets tough, are, "I don't know." Nothing boils my blood more than to say, "I don't know." There is always an answer... you may just have to work to get it, but it is there. I have a competitive nature within me that pushes me beyond normal limits. Don't tell me no, or that I can't, because then I will.

I want more for my children then just okay. I want them to reach their full potential; to be who they were created to be. That is not to say that I am choosing their destiny for them, but I am not going to sit by and let minimum effort be enough. My son has told me numerous times that the effort he has put forth on his work is comparable to other kids his age and grade. Not good enough! If comparable is all we want in life, then we will have to be content with giving up the status of being the greatest country in the world and settle for a 3rd world country, because that is where we will wind up. Competition drives you to be your best, to give better, to try harder, and to not set limits for yourself. Saying, "I at least made an effort" is weak and futile.

Back to my daughter. I had tried numerous things to help her grasp comprehension and critical thinking. I talked with other home schooling parents and public school teachers. I complained to friends and family on countless occasions, and was always met with the same thing each day; the words "I don't know." In frustration and despair I went into my room, and through tears, turned to the One I knew would have the answer for me. I cried out to God. I pleaded my case before Him, and in utter frustration was about to give up and send her back to public school. And then I said it; "God, I just don't know what to do anymore."

We have a gracious heavenly father who puts up with a lot from us! In the true spirit of a father who loves His child, I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder and heard a whisper in my ear saying, "You are using the exact same words that you have told your daughter not to use. You are telling her that she can solve and push through this, but you are about to give up on her. I am trying to teach you the same lesson. You do know the answer! It's just that it is hard. You have to keep on keeping on. She will get it! Don't give up on her, because I'm not giving up on you."

I left my room a few minutes later not fully aware of the impact that little revelation from our heavenly father would have on me. But in the 2 weeks following, I have had a change of heart. I have never asked for patience that I am aware of (unless having children is an automatic request, which i fear it might be) but, I am receiving a renewed abundance of it each morning. I look forward to the challenge each new day brings; and my daughter... lets just say she has had some shining moments!

It was something... then it was nothing

2009-11-17T20:38:00.004-06:00

I have decided to devote this post to something new. I have spent most, if not all, of my past postings trying to bring a little bit of humor to some of the things I deal with in my daily life. I enjoy laughing at these little things, and I have tried to share some of that with you (my faithful few.)

But today, there is a different stirring in my heart; one that I can not ignore. It is born out of the journey I am walking (just because running takes a lot of energy) and I felt a need to share some of it with the wide open spaces of the internet (meaning you.) : ) (Is it weird that I put a smiley face on a blog post?) (Ok, now I'm talking to myself in a post.) (See... this is the whole reason I refused to start interneting in the first place! It's bad enough when you talk to yourself at home alone... but taking it online... that's a whole new dimension of weirdness.) (Enough of that... back to my stirring in the heart thing.)

Well, I got interrupted in the middle of writing this post to allow my daughter to do some school work online, and now I have lost my train of thought. I'm sure I will find the train again when it comes around. Until then, this will just be a very random post about nothing.

You are all now privy to a little bit more of what makes me uniquely me!

One Proud Momma

2009-11-12T22:59:00.003-06:00

Bless my daughter's dear heart. She is playing basketball on a city league team for the first time. They played their fifth game tonight and lost by one point in the last seconds of the game. They have not won a game yet, although they have come close a few times.

Tonight, Baby girl, gave an amazing effort! She is one of the smallest girls on the court each game. She is not aggressive by nature and has a hard time practicing that on the court. But tonight she really played hard and was an affective player on the team. The very last quarter was extremely aggressive with fouls and free throws being given left and right. The last 5 minute quarter lasted 30 minutes!!! But in the end we lost the battle by one point.

Baby girl listened to the speech the coach gave them and then headed towards us. The closer she got the less she could control her emotions, and the tears began to flow. She and her team had fought a valiant fight and in the end the scoreboard said they had lost.

I quickly grabbed her and scooped her up in my arms. I hadn't expected this kind of reaction from her. She is compassionate about family and animals, but I just hadn't expected that compassion to leak over into the competitive realm as well. I did not realize how much this meant to her. It broke my heart to see her so torn up over this. I also felt a little bit (ok a lot) of pride in her. She gave everything she had out on that court... her blood, sweat and tears. She had given it all and left nothing to regret. I'm proud of her and wanted the world to know! (or at least those of you reading this)

Manly Men

2009-11-11T18:01:00.004-06:00

It is no secret among my family and friends that I am a huge football fan!!! I can't wait for the season to get here. I am the type of person that has to watch the pre-game, post-game, interviews and commentary throughout the week. I enjoy going to games and watching them on tv. I will watch by myself or with friends (just so long as you do not interrupt my game). Hehe (no seriously)

This past Monday my team, The One and Only Pittsburgh Steelers, were playing against a good Denver Broncos team (this year). We had friends and family over to join us in the celebration of Monday Night Football! I made sure that we had dinner prepared in time for us to be able to eat and then sit in front of the tv to watch not only the game, but pre-game as well.

Kick off comes and goes and my friend Sophie and I (dressed in my jersey, team hat, and terrible towel) are in the living room cheering on the Steelers! A few minutes goes by and suddenly we both notice that our husbands are still in the kitchen talking, while the women are in the living room watching and cheering on the sport of football. It must have donned on them as well, because a few minutes after our realization, they came strolling into the living room ready to reclaim their rightful place as "men."

Patience... Ugh

2009-11-11T17:43:00.004-06:00

The definition of patience (according to Webster) is the quality, state, or fact of being patient; the ability to be patient.

Since that definition didn't really clear things up for me, I had to take it a step further and practice patience (which I know nothing about at this point) and look up the word patient.

The definition of patient (again, according to Webster) is demonstrating uncomplaining endurance under distress.

WOW and then WOW again!!! Uncomplaining endurance under distress?

Uncomplaining: to NOT express grief, pain, uneasiness, or discontent.

Distress: to cause suffering of mind or body; pain or suffering; severe physical or mental strain

So I am to understand that exercising patience means that I will not complain when I am suffering either physically or mentally due to grief, pain or discontent?

You ever hear the old saying, "Be careful what you ask for. You just might get it." I don't ever remember asking for patience, yet I am finding myself having to "practice" it on a daily basis. And I use the word practice on purpose! I assure you that I am no where near being an expert at patience and so I will have to continue practicing for quite a while.

One Week Later...

2009-11-04T13:48:00.007-06:00

For whatever reason, unbeknownst to me, my family seems to think that they need to wear a different set of clothes EVERYDAY and that dirty ones should be washed. Dishes that were clean before they used them have to be cleaned AGAIN. Dust seems to never stop gathering on my furniture, and the cat doesn't follow the rules: NO SHEDDING FUR and CLEAN YOUR OWN LITTER. The floor doesn't vacuum itself, although I have asked it to numerous times. Soap scum still builds up in my bathroom and simply walking in there and saying "be clean" doesn't seem to make it disappear. Halloween candy keeps jumping into my mouth even after I put up the No Trespassing sign. My children (including my husband child) seem to think that asking for 3 meals a day is a reasonable request, leading again, to the dirty dishes problem. Home schooling my kids means I actually have to participate daily in their learning process and I can't slack off one bit. And gosh darn it, simply thinking about exercising doesn't have quite the same results as actually doing the exercises!

What am I learning about myself? That I have a "unique" situation that no other person on earth has ever had to deal with before, and I need a reality tv show to come in and make my life better!

Run child Run!

2009-10-27T16:56:00.003-05:00

You ever have one of those days where if you don't get a few personal minutes of freedom (for me it would be running 5 miles or doing something to where I sweat) you feel like your chest is going to burst open, your arms are going to start flailing about and heads are going to roll? And that's the G-rated version!

Well that is me today! As of Friday last week I became a stay-at-home mom until we move (in a couple of months). And did i mention that I also took up home-schooling my children this year? Bless my dear children's hearts, they just don't know what they have gotten themselves into!!!

I am by nature naturally stubborn, red-headed, Irish, outgoing, stubborn, adventurous, constantly moving, stubborn, OCD, competitive and stubborn. I don't like to sit all day and I certainly do not like to have to repeat myself. (Go ahead and laugh at that one.)

I am going to be learning a lot about myself over the next few months and I fear my children are as well! Oh dear...

Opportunity Knocking

2009-09-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

Weekend projects are fun! You have your list in front of you, full of the things you have wanted to get done for a few weeks (be honest... years and years) and you have finally found (set aside) the time to get them done. Nothing feels better than check marking those boxes as complete. It gives you great pleasure to sit back and look at your masterpiece (at least for your sake I hope it is) and say, "I did it!!! And it wasn't that bad. It wasn't the teeth yanking, hair pulling, mind boggling project I thought it was going to be."

Well my husband and I had that adventure this last weekend. We woke early in the morning (early in my house is 9 am on a Saturday) and set out for the day ahead. I went after a few needed items to complete some of the work and my wonderful friend Sophie accompanied me. (She loves a good project day just as much as I do.)

We are getting our home ready to put on the market and so we have to get a few things done to it. My husband got up and headed out the door, after I left, to begin his part of the adventure.

When Sophie and I returned to the fun station (my home) she left to go get some lunch and return with 2 little helpers; aka her 2 oldest children. My children were of course thrilled at this! Not only were their friends there with them, but they were sharing the workload. This makes for happy parents (since the whining is then held to a minimum).

My husband was busy trimming bushes that were as tall of the Empire State Building. (It was either trim them, or start charging a fee to view the city from the top of them. Although earning extra income would be exciting we figured it would all be lost in insurance and personnel so we decided it was best to go with trimming them.)

I began power-washing our front porch. If you have never power-washed anything, let me just say, WOW! This is an amazing experience! I had to control my urge to power-wash the entire house. I had to focus on the list and get those things accomplished first. (But the power-washer will return, hehe.)

Sophie took a closet door off it's hinges and took it to the backyard to begin the transformation. We are painting it white to match the trim ( we should be getting a medal of honor for this or something because we are getting rid of the orange tinted stain that it had been for many years). My husband brought her our brand-new (bought 2 years prior to sand and paint the doors then) electric sander. He then proceeded to the front of the house where I was still blasting away at the dirt invading my front porch and sidewalk and made this statement... "You women are always taking the mens' pride moments." I did not understand what he meant so I asked him to elaborate for me.

He then began a long and pitiful story of how I had taken both of our vehicles over the 100,000 mile mark and that he didn't get to watch the dial role over on either one of them and so on. He ended by pouting about how Sophie was getting to use his sander before he was. She was breaking it in and he had not had the opportunity to do so! She, a woman, had stripped him of this vital right as a man, just as I had done with the vehicles and other such things.

Now let me remind you... said electric sander had been purchased 2 years prior to this day and 104 weekends had passed when there had been opportunity to advance himself in the "man kingdom" and break in this tool. But is was, of course, the fault of the one who had "heard opportunity knocking" and had answered the call.

Women vs Men

2009-09-23T21:21:00.003-05:00

I hesitate on the title of this post, but only for a moment. This is not about women being better then men, or more insightful then men, or even more logical (my husband will laugh out loud at that one) then men. It is simply about the communication women share amongst one another that men can not follow. It bears note that men have their own version of this; it's called grunting. (I know you're all picturing Tim Allen.)

Women simply do not have to complete our sentences when we are having a conversation. There are many versions of this (as there are dialects in the english language).

Example One... My sister and I can be talking about our kids and I will be sharing my abundance of wisdom in child rearing with her and she will complete all of my sentences for me... out loud... with enthusiasm... to my dear husbands dismay. (Not that he doesn't enjoy her company, it's just that she speaks very loudly.) I will of course let her do this as it makes the conversation proceed much quicker. Quicker in the sense that we have more opportunity to repeat ourselves as we women love to do! Repetition, it's good for... (annoying men) memorization, getting your point across, (annoying men) applying what you've learned .

Example Two... My dear friend Sophie and I will be sitting at the dinner table with our blessed husbands sharing what has been going on in our lives. I will be telling a story, or making a point about something, and will simply not complete my sentence/thought. (Picture 2 woman continuing on with their meal and 2 men holding their next bite in their hand, wide-eyed, mouth agape waiting for the climatic conclusion.) At this my husband will break the silence with a question, "Could you please finish what you were saying?" I will simply look at him as if he just asked me what color the sky was (duh) and say, "Sophie knows what I meant/was saying." That is because we women tend to repeat ourselves, so we can just recall a previous conversation similar to this one and complete the thought. Therefore, we can finish each others' sentences! Brilliant of us! (My husband and Sophie's husband don't think so.)

Example Three... If you are a woman reading this, you have already thought of your own. If you are a man, my apologies...

Random Blurting

2009-09-01T07:25:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been in a room or a car enjoying some peace and quiet and then had someone blurt out the randomest (yes that's a word or at least for me it is) of words or comments? If you answer yes to this question, then you have most likely been in a room with me. Along with my D & D condition, I also tend to randomly blurt stuff. What does that look like you might ask? Well let me take you on a journey into my mind (buckle up cause there is no telling where this will lead).

Picture four young adults driving in a car heading for a weekend outing. The sky was clear blue, the air outside as thick as marshmallow cream and hotter than microwaved steamed veggies. But the air inside the vehicle was a pleasant 63 degrees and conversation had just come to a lull. Each passenger was in there own deep thoughts (or shallow, whatever the case may be) about the weekend ahead of them. The quiet settled in and the the outside landscape had become the entertainment of the individual mind.

We were headed south through the great state of Texas, and had just entered some heavy traffic. Out my passenger window I saw a blue truck with a load of randomly thrown bricks in the bed of said truck. Now my mind immediately went to my backyard project where I had laid bricks for a fire pit, and before I knew it my mouth spoke the word "Bricks!" Yes, just that single, excited, all by itself little word spoken into the silent void of the car. This, of course, broke the silence and caused laughter to belt out of the other 3 weekenders who were wanting to know where and why this random word flew out of my mouth. Of course no explanation offered by me would suffice to explain why I felt that word needed to be blurted out for all to hear. But it has since led to many moments of reflection and laughter.

It is not my only moment of random blurting but I believe you have an idea of what I am trying to convey. What am I trying to convey? Good question...?

D & D Diagnosiss

2009-08-29T23:03:00.007-05:00

I have a health condition. There I said it! I call it D & D for short, but the actual diagnosis is termed Deepth and Depth. The condition can be quite debilitating at times and interrupt my normal life pattern and schedule, but I am trying to cope with the symptoms as best as I can. At this time there is no known cure, but there are studies being conducted to see what causes it and if there is any remedy.

It has affected my family and friends and at times my condition is so bad that they can't help but be brought to tears by it. I do all I can in and of myself to not have them bear this burden with me, but at times I have outbursts and there is nothing I can do for them or for me. They are very patient with me during these times and the bonds that we are forming because of it are indescribable!

It wasn't as noticeable in my youth, but as I mature it has taken a more frequent role in my daily life. It seems to be accentuated by lack of sleep, hectic schedules and my darling children. (Bless their hearts! They are not only witnesses to this, but are part of the cause.)

What is it exactly? It is more commonly known as blunders in speech or tongue twists. Yes, I am a language blunderer. I say things like deepth and depth when I mean to say deep and depth. I say parking spices and I mean parking spaces. I read signs as Belt-One when it is written as Beltone Hearing Aids and is pronounced Bell-Tone. I ask my husband if our cat Jazz is petting him, when I truly mean to ask if he is petting her. I have slip ups more often then I care to remember or be reminded of.

But I do have a good support group of friends and family that are there for me during these times to console and cry with me. (Although the tears are usually from laughter at my condition, I still choose to accept it as support.) It is also comforting to know that I am not in this alone. At times the condition can be contagious and it affects others around me. And when it does, I return the same love, compassion and support that I receive from them ten-fold! After all, what are friends for?!

Death on a disc

2009-07-17T10:25:00.002-05:00

My dear husband and I started a new fitness program on Wednesday to better ourselves. I have always been extremely motivated when it comes to working out while my husband takes a more relaxed approach (meaning he watches people work out while sitting on the couch eating chips and salsa). We purchased the P90X fitness program (which we found out about while watching an infomercial in our hotel room on a weekend vacation) and read up on it and decided to make the commitment to do this.

We wanted to do this together to help keep each other motivated. My husband works the day shift while I work evenings, so we have been encouraging each other through text messages. I was extremely pumped about starting this because I love challenges and setting and reaching goals, especially when you get to see and experience the results.

Because of our different body make-ups, I am doing the lean program and he is doing the classic (which means he will soon be speaking with an Arnold Schwarskahoochie accent) while I will just be doing a lot of toning. So on today, day 3 of this blessed fitness journey, I did arms and shoulders and the ab ripper x. My chips and salsa husband had already done the ab ripper x on a previous day, and had commented/complained on the difficulty of this workout.

Let me give you a brief description of what this entails. Pain, lots and lots of pain!!! I text my husband/partner in this adventure and explained briefly what I thought of this particular exercise today. I summed it all up in one brief sentence, "The ab ripper x is the devil!" He responded with an I told you so comment of support for me and asked how did you do? Wanting to remain the motivated and encouraging partner I responded truthfully but positively. I text back that I simply curled up in a ball, rocking on the floor, sucking my thumb.

Quotas

2009-07-12T19:11:00.000-05:00

I have the very "annoying" habit, or so I assume it is based upon family and friends responses to me, of repeating myself over and over. Now I personally do not understand how commenting briefly every once in awhile upon a subject matter can be so annoying, but apparently I am misinformed or uneducated or lack proper social skills. Whatever the case may be, it has come to the forefront of my mind due to my husbands newly acquired habit.

I will give you a brief example... My husband and I will be sitting in his office looking at some riveting article online (that I must read immediately or I will be placed upon the "you are not an informed person" list permanently) and I will casually comment that his trash needs to be emptied. He will acknowledge the comment and we will continue in the present matter of educating me for the outside world. After what seems like an eternity, I will notice the trash once more and offer a reminder that when we are done, it would be an ample opportunity for him to empty his trash. He will continue on with the conversation without acknowledgment.

Now at this point I am faced with the utmost of conflicts. Did my husband hear me and choose to ignore me, or did he not hear because he was enthralled with what he was doing online and I need to offer the bit of helpful advice once more. I will toil with this matter for quite some time. Mind you, I am not only having to pay attention to life matters that we are discussing, but I also have to make a decision on wether or not I need to help remind him about the trash (because all women know that men are completely incapable of remembering the simplest of task when they are busy solving world issues). So before too much time passes, I will make the decision that my husbands welfare is more important than my need to listen to him, and I will politely wait for a break in the conversation where I can gently remind him once more about the full trash can that is sitting next to his desk about to explode onto the floor.

This is where my husbands new habit kicks in. He then tells me that I have only reminded him about the trash 3 times in the last 25 minutes and I will have to wait until my daily quota of 10 has been met before he can empty said trash. Now this is clearly an overreaction on his part as I was only looking out for him and the welfare of his office.

But I am trying to be the bigger person in all of this and extend some grace to my husband with his newly formed sarcasm. For he will inevitably thank me one day for consistently reminding him about simple tasks that must be completed for life in this universe to continue as we know it.

Rotating Brains

2009-07-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

My husband and I were having a conversation one afternoon and being the good wife that I am (I seem to have the How To Annoy Your Husband manual memorized) I interrupted his thoughts with my own life altering, world changing, can't wait another second words of wisdom. My husband graciously extended me the floor (which needed to be mopped) and allowed me to spew out a few sentences. I began to feel guilty for doing this to him AGAIN so I felt the need to explain why I had done so. I looked him squarely in the eye and was just as honest with him as I could be. I explained that if I had not grabbed the thought as it was going by in my head (picture a scrolling marque) that my brain would rotate and I would lose the thought probably forever. Understanding the urgency of the situation for me, my husband just smiled the bless your heart smile that I seem to receive often from him and continued on in the conversation. Only now he looked at me with a little more love in his eyes. For he was now privy to a little bit more of what makes me uniquely me... Not quite sure what that is but is seems to make him smile.