Presents wrapped and under the tree. Most of them anyway. Cards all mailed. I think. Candies made and goodies baked. Well, for the most part. Christmas concerts have been enjoyed. Goodies delivered to neighbors and friends. Family dinner planned. Travel arrangements made. The house has been decorated for a while and the lights are beautiful! Christmas movie after Christmas movie on TV. (What's up with everyone being named Noel, Joy, Chris, Nick or Buddy? And almost every movie is about a single parent or orphaned child, family with no money or baby about to be born. For some reason I seem to need to see them all!)
While some would argue that Christmas is commercialized, I'm starting to see it differently. Shopping is not even close to one of my favorite chores. This year however, shopping has been less of a chore and more of an adventure. I've approached it with more of a smile than a scowl. And that's because I've come to love and appreciate those I shop for more than I ever did before.
All these years I've been the one allowing stress and worry to creep into the mix. Every child had to have the same number of gifts. Not only that but every child had to have the same amount of money spent on them as the other children. New pictures needed to be made for grandparents. More stress as we tried to get smiles out of all the kids at the same time!
For a few years we tried to hide Christmas gifts until Christmas. But with a rather large family, that became a very difficult task. So we started putting them under the tree in the days and weeks leading up to Christmas. In order to keep the children from figuring out which gifts belonged to whom, I would come up with a mathematical equation involving birth weights, dates, school grade plus any other thing I could come up with. The answer for each child's equation would go on their gifts instead of their names. This was done in an effort to keep the kids from guessing what was in their gifts....if they didn't know who the gifts were for it would surely be harder for them to guess the contents. Of course we have very bright children and many years they would guess the answers before time to do their math and get their gifts. (Yes, they had to do the math before they could open their gifts!) They've also admitted to opening gifts well before Christmas when we weren't looking!
Gifts had to be wrapped perfectly. If at all possible, each person's gifts had to be wrapped with different types of paper. After all, as the gifts were being handed out, wouldn't it look bad if one person had 10 gifts, all wrapped with the same snowman paper? They would think I didn't care! And how about wrapping grandparent gifts in kiddie paper? No way! Bows had to match paper. Name tags had to match paper and bows. Corners had to be folded perfectly. Tape had to disappear when applied to the paper.
And then there were all the candies and goodies to make. For many years I have made divinity. Some years it turns out great. Some years I can't make it to save my life. This year I tried to contribute my success of 3 near perfect batches to just the right amount of humidity in the air. Then I made two more batches on a rainy day. I realized my success was more from my new attitude than it was from the weather.
Christmas is about giving. God definitely gave the greatest gift when
He gave us Jesus. Of course there is no way we can out give God. Even
if we gave our very lives, we couldn't even come close. But He put the
desire in us to give. I've come to realize that shopping for gifts for
my family is actually an act of love. Wrapping those gifts is an act
of love. Giving is an act of love. No more micro managing for me. Just loving and enjoying my family and friends. They too, are God's gift to me. Because He loves me.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Snow on the Willow
About 12 years ago our family purchased a weeping willow tree and planted it in the front yard. It grew quickly and has drawn lots of attention over the years. People who had no idea where we lived knew exactly where our house was when we told them about the willow on the corner. It has been used for the backdrop of the annual Mother's Day pictures, graduation pictures, as well as prom and formal dance pictures. Passers by have stopped to ask if they could take small parts of the tree for art projects. One man stopped, after driving by many times, and left a poem he had written about a willow. And at Christmastime, lights go on the willow while the leaves are still green and come off after the leaves have fallen. That's the way it was this year as well. But winter came a little early.
The saying goes "if you don't like the weather in Arkansas, wait until tomorrow, it will change". This was one of those weeks. Too warm to feel very Christmasy at first. But about mid week things changed. Rain. Then frozen rain and sleet. Temperatures dropped and dropped some more. Generator purchased just in case power was lost. We waited and watched. By evening everything was covered in a beautiful layer of ice. And it was still falling. Unfortunately our outside Christmas decorations hadn't been completed so our youngest son and I decorated as more ice fell. Yes, we're crazy. :)
The willow was absolutely breathtaking! The ice had fallen while the wind blew and the willow had frozen in designs more beautiful than ever before. I am always in awe of it's beauty but this was particularly breathtaking. Until I realized the heavy weight the ice was putting on the tree. I asked my husband if perhaps the fire department would bring their ladder truck over and let us clear off the ice at the top of the tree. The answer was no of course but he suggested I pray for my tree. (I've said that if we ever move the only thing I would really want to take would be that tree. My family all knows it's my favorite part of our yard.) I did what I could to shake some of the ice off the tree and I prayed.
The next morning we woke to frozen vehicles. Well everyone's except mine because it was in the garage. The roads were frozen. Everything in our yard was frozen. But we didn't loose power this time! After working only a couple of hours, our office was closed as snow was piling on top of the thick sheet of ice covering absolutely everything. So when I arrived home, I moved a broken willow limb out of the street and prayed some more. By early evening I was finding out that we still weren't finished decorating the yard so we started in again with testing and putting out lights. Eventually we were all outside, looking at our lights in the snow and having a great time!
But the willow still concerned me. On top of the twisted ice covered limbs had fallen several inches of snow. Limbs had broken. Others were weighted down to the ground under the ice and snow. It was completely breathtaking and heartbreaking all at the same time. I began shaking off the ice and snow. Soon we were all hitting the limbs with tennis rackets, a rake and a broom, breaking off the ice and shaking off the snow. The limbs slowly lifted. We took a break under the tree and truly felt like we were in a winter wonderland! Several times I was asked if we were hurting the tree. My answer was always 'no' and that the tree was breathing a sigh of relief as it was able to stand up with the weight being lifted.
That started me thinking. The tree was beautiful covered in snow and ice. But it wasn't made for that kind of weight and needed help. The help we gave it seemed more like we were hurting the tree but it would have hurt even more had we not beaten off the ice and snow. Such is life. Sometimes we pray. Sometimes the answers to our prayers come thru situations that seem to be more difficult than the original problem. We 'lose limbs' and have scars. But we grow. Roots grow deeper. We are strengthened. And one day we bloom again. God can and will use those difficult times of our lives but only if we submit to Him. Let Him.
Now of course we couldn't be outside in the snow without snow being thrown around and everyone having fun. And it's just not a snow day without snow ice cream! And more snow ice cream. Three days of snow ice cream so far and winter hasn't even started yet! Of course we are in Arkansas. Just hang around if you don't like the weather. It will change in day or so and the snow and ice will just be a beautiful memory.
The saying goes "if you don't like the weather in Arkansas, wait until tomorrow, it will change". This was one of those weeks. Too warm to feel very Christmasy at first. But about mid week things changed. Rain. Then frozen rain and sleet. Temperatures dropped and dropped some more. Generator purchased just in case power was lost. We waited and watched. By evening everything was covered in a beautiful layer of ice. And it was still falling. Unfortunately our outside Christmas decorations hadn't been completed so our youngest son and I decorated as more ice fell. Yes, we're crazy. :)
The willow was absolutely breathtaking! The ice had fallen while the wind blew and the willow had frozen in designs more beautiful than ever before. I am always in awe of it's beauty but this was particularly breathtaking. Until I realized the heavy weight the ice was putting on the tree. I asked my husband if perhaps the fire department would bring their ladder truck over and let us clear off the ice at the top of the tree. The answer was no of course but he suggested I pray for my tree. (I've said that if we ever move the only thing I would really want to take would be that tree. My family all knows it's my favorite part of our yard.) I did what I could to shake some of the ice off the tree and I prayed.
The next morning we woke to frozen vehicles. Well everyone's except mine because it was in the garage. The roads were frozen. Everything in our yard was frozen. But we didn't loose power this time! After working only a couple of hours, our office was closed as snow was piling on top of the thick sheet of ice covering absolutely everything. So when I arrived home, I moved a broken willow limb out of the street and prayed some more. By early evening I was finding out that we still weren't finished decorating the yard so we started in again with testing and putting out lights. Eventually we were all outside, looking at our lights in the snow and having a great time!
But the willow still concerned me. On top of the twisted ice covered limbs had fallen several inches of snow. Limbs had broken. Others were weighted down to the ground under the ice and snow. It was completely breathtaking and heartbreaking all at the same time. I began shaking off the ice and snow. Soon we were all hitting the limbs with tennis rackets, a rake and a broom, breaking off the ice and shaking off the snow. The limbs slowly lifted. We took a break under the tree and truly felt like we were in a winter wonderland! Several times I was asked if we were hurting the tree. My answer was always 'no' and that the tree was breathing a sigh of relief as it was able to stand up with the weight being lifted.
That started me thinking. The tree was beautiful covered in snow and ice. But it wasn't made for that kind of weight and needed help. The help we gave it seemed more like we were hurting the tree but it would have hurt even more had we not beaten off the ice and snow. Such is life. Sometimes we pray. Sometimes the answers to our prayers come thru situations that seem to be more difficult than the original problem. We 'lose limbs' and have scars. But we grow. Roots grow deeper. We are strengthened. And one day we bloom again. God can and will use those difficult times of our lives but only if we submit to Him. Let Him.
Now of course we couldn't be outside in the snow without snow being thrown around and everyone having fun. And it's just not a snow day without snow ice cream! And more snow ice cream. Three days of snow ice cream so far and winter hasn't even started yet! Of course we are in Arkansas. Just hang around if you don't like the weather. It will change in day or so and the snow and ice will just be a beautiful memory.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Donny & Marie & Me (How I went from having a crush on Donny to having a crush on Marie's shoes!)
I am NOT a groupie! I was. Many years ago. Being an extremely shy teenage girl, I would spend hours dreaming about one day becoming Mrs. Osmond. Every possible teen magazine was searched from cover to cover for pictures and info about Donny. That was before the internet and teen magazines were my primary source of information about the man of my dreams. I knew the birthdates of all all the brothers and Marie, their favorite colors and foods and even their hobbies. (According to 16 Magazine Donny was a budding electrician who rewired their doorbell to play his music. Oh if I could have just had one of those doorbells!)
Growing up way out in the country, I knew it wouldn't happen, but when I dreamed one night that the Osmonds were on a tour bus that broke down on our rural country road and all of them started climbing out of the bus in my front yard, well I just about made myself sick wondering if that dream just might come true! I imagined what it would be like and how Donny would fall head over heels for me at first sight. How could he not? I had my entire side of the room I shared with my sister covered in Donny pictures and posters. I knew all the words to every song he sang. I even had my hair cut like his! (His hair was much longer then so I didn't really look like a boy.) Every haircut, I would get out my favorite Donny picture as the guide and the scissors would go to work. And one of my grandmas, being a seamstress, made a cap for me just like Donny wore. I wore it every at opportunity!
Not only did I listen to the Osmonds, I performed Marie's "Paper Roses" along with a few other girls at our Spring Choir Concert when I was in 7th grade. I had planned to sing a solo but back then I was very shy and just couldn't get my voice to be loud enough. (My family would gladly testify that I outgrew that shyness and now everybody can hear me, no amplification needed!)
Then came the day I found out The Donny & Marie Show was coming on TV! I was walking on a cloud! Donny singing to me once a week, every week! Looking into those beautiful brown eyes every week while he sang to me and only me! I couldn't have been any happier....then I realized our TV didn't get the channel the show was on. Ah! But my grandparents' TV DID get that channel! So every Friday evening I would call my grandma and say "Mamaw can I come watch your TV?" She loved it! According to her I would sit "Indian style" in the floor in front of the TV, bouncing up and down for an hour! One year, on Valentine's Day, there was a special valentine waiting for me when I got home from school. Mamaw had enlisted my aunt to help her make a valentine from Donny to me. They worked really hard to make it look authentic. I knew she was behind it, but oh my heart wanted so badly to believe it was really from my beloved Donny!
When it was announced that Donny was getting married, I hoped and hoped it wasn't so. Even when the news showed Donny and Debbie after their wedding I just didn't want to believe it. Alas, it was true. And I must begin to grow up too. Several years later I also got married and had my own houseful of boys and one girl. (4 and 1 so not quite as many as the Osmond family. I couldn't help but compare my brood to theirs though.) And so was my life. Until last night........
My husband was actually the one who found out that Donny & Marie were coming to Tulsa, OK, which is about and hour and 45 minutes from our home. It was actually his idea to get tickets. (What a sweetie!) So we bought our tickets and I started counting down the days. I couldn't wait! Time to leave for Tulsa yesterday just couldn't come soon enough! But I tried to be grown up. After all I am now a 52 year old wife and mother. I needed to be mature. But it was so hard!!!!!!! Just driving into Tulsa I got a little giddy thinking that I was breathing air in the same city as Donny Osmond!!!!!!!!
We stopped for dinner before going to the venue. I was very glad the restaurant wasn't busy as we could get to the BOK quicker. My husband can find any address anywhere (I call him the human GPS) so we headed toward the BOK as I began to plan how to enter the twitter contest Marie had just tweeted about. He quickly found a parking area that he didn't consider too expensive but decided to drive around in it a while just to get on my nerves! I was about ready to hop out of the car and take off on my own when he finally settled on a parking space.
Once we got inside the venue, I quickly spotted the cutout of Marie where her tweet had instructed us to get our pictures made. Hubby and I took our places by the cut out, took our pictures, found our seats and composed our tweets. There was no way we would win, but it was fun to think about just like when I was a kid and dreamed their bus broke down in front of my house.
Then it happened. Suddenly, right there in front of me, Donny and Marie Osmond! My dream come true! A chance of a lifetime! I screamed. I sang along. I applauded. I bounced up and down in my seat! Then someone handed Marie a piece of paper. She told about the twitter contest and started reading "k m h parks", "Mrs. Parks". It was me! It was ME!!!!!!!!!!!! I jumped up and announced "That's me!!!!!!" My husband and I were ushered to the front row, best seats in the house, that we had just won! Marie asked for my first name and then asked for my husband's name and announced "he's cute!" PLEASE DON'T WAKE ME! THIS DREAM IS TOO FUN!!!!!!!!
The smile never left my face the rest of the night. I sang along with practically every song. My heartthrob Donny was right there just a few feet from me. And singing to me and only me! But sitting so close gave me another view as well. A view of Marie's beautiful wardrobe! And even more......her shoes! I've never seen so many beautiful shoes and boots! Sparkling green shoes! White boots that look like lace! Every costume brought a new pair of shoes or boots. I wondered if we wore the same size or if she would let me try them on. I was mesmerized by Marie's shoes! She danced in them. She even ran in them and didn't seem to have one bit of trouble doing so. Never once did she appear to have aching feet even! Then came the most beautiful shoes I had ever seen. Marie was dressed in a beautiful black dress with long shiny black tassels. It was beautiful and I wanted one just like it! I wanted to dance around like she did while the dress sparkled in the lights! Ahhhh.....but then I looked at her feet. Her shoes sparkled like diamonds. I couldn't take my eyes off them! She sang and danced around the stage and I watched her shoes, only occasionally looking up from them. I wanted a closer look so badly! Then it happened. She sat down on the top step of the stage right there in front of me! She was so close I could almost touch her! And those beautiful shoes! Oh those beautiful shoes!
Last night was a night I will never forget. I'm still smiling! And while I absolutely loved Donny singing "Puppy Love" (and I sang right along and screamed when appropriate) I just can't stop thinking about Marie's shoes. Guess I have grown up. And Marie, should you ever get tired of your beautiful shoes, I know where you can retire them. Hint hint!
Growing up way out in the country, I knew it wouldn't happen, but when I dreamed one night that the Osmonds were on a tour bus that broke down on our rural country road and all of them started climbing out of the bus in my front yard, well I just about made myself sick wondering if that dream just might come true! I imagined what it would be like and how Donny would fall head over heels for me at first sight. How could he not? I had my entire side of the room I shared with my sister covered in Donny pictures and posters. I knew all the words to every song he sang. I even had my hair cut like his! (His hair was much longer then so I didn't really look like a boy.) Every haircut, I would get out my favorite Donny picture as the guide and the scissors would go to work. And one of my grandmas, being a seamstress, made a cap for me just like Donny wore. I wore it every at opportunity!
Not only did I listen to the Osmonds, I performed Marie's "Paper Roses" along with a few other girls at our Spring Choir Concert when I was in 7th grade. I had planned to sing a solo but back then I was very shy and just couldn't get my voice to be loud enough. (My family would gladly testify that I outgrew that shyness and now everybody can hear me, no amplification needed!)
Then came the day I found out The Donny & Marie Show was coming on TV! I was walking on a cloud! Donny singing to me once a week, every week! Looking into those beautiful brown eyes every week while he sang to me and only me! I couldn't have been any happier....then I realized our TV didn't get the channel the show was on. Ah! But my grandparents' TV DID get that channel! So every Friday evening I would call my grandma and say "Mamaw can I come watch your TV?" She loved it! According to her I would sit "Indian style" in the floor in front of the TV, bouncing up and down for an hour! One year, on Valentine's Day, there was a special valentine waiting for me when I got home from school. Mamaw had enlisted my aunt to help her make a valentine from Donny to me. They worked really hard to make it look authentic. I knew she was behind it, but oh my heart wanted so badly to believe it was really from my beloved Donny!
When it was announced that Donny was getting married, I hoped and hoped it wasn't so. Even when the news showed Donny and Debbie after their wedding I just didn't want to believe it. Alas, it was true. And I must begin to grow up too. Several years later I also got married and had my own houseful of boys and one girl. (4 and 1 so not quite as many as the Osmond family. I couldn't help but compare my brood to theirs though.) And so was my life. Until last night........
My husband was actually the one who found out that Donny & Marie were coming to Tulsa, OK, which is about and hour and 45 minutes from our home. It was actually his idea to get tickets. (What a sweetie!) So we bought our tickets and I started counting down the days. I couldn't wait! Time to leave for Tulsa yesterday just couldn't come soon enough! But I tried to be grown up. After all I am now a 52 year old wife and mother. I needed to be mature. But it was so hard!!!!!!! Just driving into Tulsa I got a little giddy thinking that I was breathing air in the same city as Donny Osmond!!!!!!!!
We stopped for dinner before going to the venue. I was very glad the restaurant wasn't busy as we could get to the BOK quicker. My husband can find any address anywhere (I call him the human GPS) so we headed toward the BOK as I began to plan how to enter the twitter contest Marie had just tweeted about. He quickly found a parking area that he didn't consider too expensive but decided to drive around in it a while just to get on my nerves! I was about ready to hop out of the car and take off on my own when he finally settled on a parking space.
Once we got inside the venue, I quickly spotted the cutout of Marie where her tweet had instructed us to get our pictures made. Hubby and I took our places by the cut out, took our pictures, found our seats and composed our tweets. There was no way we would win, but it was fun to think about just like when I was a kid and dreamed their bus broke down in front of my house.
Then it happened. Suddenly, right there in front of me, Donny and Marie Osmond! My dream come true! A chance of a lifetime! I screamed. I sang along. I applauded. I bounced up and down in my seat! Then someone handed Marie a piece of paper. She told about the twitter contest and started reading "k m h parks", "Mrs. Parks". It was me! It was ME!!!!!!!!!!!! I jumped up and announced "That's me!!!!!!" My husband and I were ushered to the front row, best seats in the house, that we had just won! Marie asked for my first name and then asked for my husband's name and announced "he's cute!" PLEASE DON'T WAKE ME! THIS DREAM IS TOO FUN!!!!!!!!
The smile never left my face the rest of the night. I sang along with practically every song. My heartthrob Donny was right there just a few feet from me. And singing to me and only me! But sitting so close gave me another view as well. A view of Marie's beautiful wardrobe! And even more......her shoes! I've never seen so many beautiful shoes and boots! Sparkling green shoes! White boots that look like lace! Every costume brought a new pair of shoes or boots. I wondered if we wore the same size or if she would let me try them on. I was mesmerized by Marie's shoes! She danced in them. She even ran in them and didn't seem to have one bit of trouble doing so. Never once did she appear to have aching feet even! Then came the most beautiful shoes I had ever seen. Marie was dressed in a beautiful black dress with long shiny black tassels. It was beautiful and I wanted one just like it! I wanted to dance around like she did while the dress sparkled in the lights! Ahhhh.....but then I looked at her feet. Her shoes sparkled like diamonds. I couldn't take my eyes off them! She sang and danced around the stage and I watched her shoes, only occasionally looking up from them. I wanted a closer look so badly! Then it happened. She sat down on the top step of the stage right there in front of me! She was so close I could almost touch her! And those beautiful shoes! Oh those beautiful shoes!
Last night was a night I will never forget. I'm still smiling! And while I absolutely loved Donny singing "Puppy Love" (and I sang right along and screamed when appropriate) I just can't stop thinking about Marie's shoes. Guess I have grown up. And Marie, should you ever get tired of your beautiful shoes, I know where you can retire them. Hint hint!
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Christmas Around the World...Well Mostly the USA
Last night was tree decorating time. Because we have a ton of ornaments, I seldom get much help. Well that's probably not the real reason, but that's ok. I absolutely love decorating the tree! And this year I shaved 2 hours off my time from last year with having the tree complete in just 5 hours, lights to tree topper. (Guess this exercising and eating right helps in tree decorating too!)
I know some people have 'themed' trees. Some have white lights, some colored lights, stay on lights or blinking lights. We have white lights that stay on and colored lights that slowly alternate on and off with other white lights. It's covered in gold ribbons, bows and icicles. But my favorite--the ornaments.
Each year I take out the special ornaments and think about the first year I hung them or the occasion that brought them into our home. This year one of the first ornaments I placed on the tree was an angel frame with a picture of our precious dog Mercy in it. Tears started flowing immediately....which made the lights look pretty but my heart sad. It has been 7 months and we still miss her terribly. The ornament took a prominent place on the tree and started me thinking even more about each ornament that followed.
There's the ornament from our first married Christmas. A couple caroling. Appropriate since we both loved to sing. And each child has a special ornament. The one that was created especially for that first Christmas but somehow found it's way into the baby's teething mouth before it ever got hung on the tree 22 years ago. It still has those teeth marks. The fire department themed ones for baby boys' first Christmases. And finally a beautiful little pink Precious Moments one when we completed our family with a baby girl. Oh! And we can't leave out the Elvis ornament of course! Could any tree be complete without one???? The Peanuts gang and I Love Lucy can't be left out either. Plus many Nativities of varies shapes and sizes.
Our tree also has ornaments that I made my first Christmas away from home 31 years ago. I can't believe they have survived this long! We have ornaments made by kids in Sunday School. There's the ornament made by the wife of a special employee years ago. And the one my husband was given not long after we married. It's a white snowflake. He told me the night he brought it home how the lady who made it asked him about my favorite color. Since he couldn't remember, she gave him the white snowflake. The funny thing....at that time my favorite color was peach and everything from the wallpaper to the comforter in that room was peach but when I covered his eyes and asked him what color the room was, his guess was blue! Oh well......
Some of the most interesting ornaments are ones we have collected while on vacation. Any time someone in our family goes on a trip they either bring me sea shells or a Christmas ornament. As I hang the ornaments, I get to remember trips to Washington DC, San Antonio, Gettysburg, Chocolate World, Harpers Ferry and Philadelphia. My kids have brought me ornaments from the Empire State Building and Boston. This year we have lots of new ornaments on our tree. Ones from a Colorado ski trip and a choir trip to St Louis now have their places on our tree. We also have a cute little Coke bottle ornament from Coke World in Atlanta and a sea shell angel from the Bahamas. The winner of the farthest traveled ornament is a cute little Buckingham Palace Guard our son brought back from London. So our tree now represents Christmas Around the World. Well kinda.
I absolutely love my ornament collection. I love the memories each one brings. I think that mostly though I love the fact that my family thinks of me while away from home and spends time looking for just the right ornament to bring me. Yep. The love of my family. That's the best part.
I know some people have 'themed' trees. Some have white lights, some colored lights, stay on lights or blinking lights. We have white lights that stay on and colored lights that slowly alternate on and off with other white lights. It's covered in gold ribbons, bows and icicles. But my favorite--the ornaments.
Each year I take out the special ornaments and think about the first year I hung them or the occasion that brought them into our home. This year one of the first ornaments I placed on the tree was an angel frame with a picture of our precious dog Mercy in it. Tears started flowing immediately....which made the lights look pretty but my heart sad. It has been 7 months and we still miss her terribly. The ornament took a prominent place on the tree and started me thinking even more about each ornament that followed.
There's the ornament from our first married Christmas. A couple caroling. Appropriate since we both loved to sing. And each child has a special ornament. The one that was created especially for that first Christmas but somehow found it's way into the baby's teething mouth before it ever got hung on the tree 22 years ago. It still has those teeth marks. The fire department themed ones for baby boys' first Christmases. And finally a beautiful little pink Precious Moments one when we completed our family with a baby girl. Oh! And we can't leave out the Elvis ornament of course! Could any tree be complete without one???? The Peanuts gang and I Love Lucy can't be left out either. Plus many Nativities of varies shapes and sizes.
Our tree also has ornaments that I made my first Christmas away from home 31 years ago. I can't believe they have survived this long! We have ornaments made by kids in Sunday School. There's the ornament made by the wife of a special employee years ago. And the one my husband was given not long after we married. It's a white snowflake. He told me the night he brought it home how the lady who made it asked him about my favorite color. Since he couldn't remember, she gave him the white snowflake. The funny thing....at that time my favorite color was peach and everything from the wallpaper to the comforter in that room was peach but when I covered his eyes and asked him what color the room was, his guess was blue! Oh well......
Some of the most interesting ornaments are ones we have collected while on vacation. Any time someone in our family goes on a trip they either bring me sea shells or a Christmas ornament. As I hang the ornaments, I get to remember trips to Washington DC, San Antonio, Gettysburg, Chocolate World, Harpers Ferry and Philadelphia. My kids have brought me ornaments from the Empire State Building and Boston. This year we have lots of new ornaments on our tree. Ones from a Colorado ski trip and a choir trip to St Louis now have their places on our tree. We also have a cute little Coke bottle ornament from Coke World in Atlanta and a sea shell angel from the Bahamas. The winner of the farthest traveled ornament is a cute little Buckingham Palace Guard our son brought back from London. So our tree now represents Christmas Around the World. Well kinda.
I absolutely love my ornament collection. I love the memories each one brings. I think that mostly though I love the fact that my family thinks of me while away from home and spends time looking for just the right ornament to bring me. Yep. The love of my family. That's the best part.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Intentionally Naturally Blonde
9 1/2 NB (Natural Blonde). That's what it says on the box. So yes. In that respect I am a natural blonde. And over the last few years, more and more people have come to describe me as a blonde....for more than just my hair color I'm afraid.
Over the years my hair has been just about every possible color that I could get by with and still be considered a soccer mom and banker. And the lady with short red hair on my drivers license, well I'm not sure I even know her anymore! When I announced a few years ago that I was going to just let it go gray, my youngest son told me I had to go blonde first to make the transition to gray easier. So becoming blonde was originally the avenue I was going to take to become a gray haired middle aged woman.
Like many women in their 40s, I had concluded that my best years were behind me. That I would always be a bit overweight and it was time to dress the part of a grandmother, even though I am still not even today a grandmother at 52. I had also bought into the idea that women past a certain age must always keep their hair short because having long hair made them look older. So when I began my transformation into blonde-hood, my new look got lots of attention.
Because my desk is in an area that is seen by pretty much everyone who enters our office, a good number of our customers know me. Actually, I love my customers! We tease, we talk, we pray for each other. I guess our familiarity is why they felt comfortable commenting on the new me. A co-worker, who started to work after my transformation began, asked one day "What is it about your hair? Someone mentions it at least once a day!" I showed her my drivers license. "OOHHH!!!!"
I still laugh when I hear someone refer to me as "that blonde at the desk" or "that hot blonde". Now that one is REALLY funny!!!!!!! While I have lost weight and gotten into shape, I can't help but wonder, if I didn't have long blonde hair would I be referred to as "hot"? I kinda doubt it.
Being blonde has it's advantages in many ways though. I really do have more fun! Maybe it's party my age. Maybe it's my stage in life. Maybe when I color my hair every 4 to 6 weeks the chemicals soak thru to my brain. Or maybe there really is just something about being blonde. Whatever the reason, I highly recommend it.
Over the years my hair has been just about every possible color that I could get by with and still be considered a soccer mom and banker. And the lady with short red hair on my drivers license, well I'm not sure I even know her anymore! When I announced a few years ago that I was going to just let it go gray, my youngest son told me I had to go blonde first to make the transition to gray easier. So becoming blonde was originally the avenue I was going to take to become a gray haired middle aged woman.
Like many women in their 40s, I had concluded that my best years were behind me. That I would always be a bit overweight and it was time to dress the part of a grandmother, even though I am still not even today a grandmother at 52. I had also bought into the idea that women past a certain age must always keep their hair short because having long hair made them look older. So when I began my transformation into blonde-hood, my new look got lots of attention.
Because my desk is in an area that is seen by pretty much everyone who enters our office, a good number of our customers know me. Actually, I love my customers! We tease, we talk, we pray for each other. I guess our familiarity is why they felt comfortable commenting on the new me. A co-worker, who started to work after my transformation began, asked one day "What is it about your hair? Someone mentions it at least once a day!" I showed her my drivers license. "OOHHH!!!!"
I still laugh when I hear someone refer to me as "that blonde at the desk" or "that hot blonde". Now that one is REALLY funny!!!!!!! While I have lost weight and gotten into shape, I can't help but wonder, if I didn't have long blonde hair would I be referred to as "hot"? I kinda doubt it.
Being blonde has it's advantages in many ways though. I really do have more fun! Maybe it's party my age. Maybe it's my stage in life. Maybe when I color my hair every 4 to 6 weeks the chemicals soak thru to my brain. Or maybe there really is just something about being blonde. Whatever the reason, I highly recommend it.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Elvis........
Ok. Seriously. I am not now, nor have I ever been, an Elvis fanatic. But with the purchase of our new car a month ago came a 90 day free subscription to SiriusXM Radio. While trying to figure out how it worked I came across the Elvis channel. I soon found myself singing "Jailhouse Rock" at the top of my lungs and waving my arms around like an idiot while driving down the street. (I could behave that way in my previous car because it had very dark tint on the windows and I couldn't be seen. Not so with this one. Everyone around gets to experience my joy along with me!)
So in the last few weeks I've learned that Elvis' jet had 50 speakers, that the gates of Graceland open at around 8am, that people everywhere have Elvis stories. Which reminds me of something that happened almost 30 years ago. I had just moved to the town where I currently live and was attending Sunday morning services at a recommended church for the first time. The speaker walked up and said "Everywhere I go I meet experts on the life of Elvis Presley". What on earth was this guy talking about!!!!!! My mind ran in several directions trying to figure out where he was going with this. I looked in the church bulletin and saw that the speaker's name was Rick Stanley. Meant nothing to me. But he began to talk.....about his big brother. Rick Stanley was Elvis Presley's step-brother. And what an amazing testimony he had! God had protected him thru extreme situations and placed people in his life who told him about Jesus. Rick's book, "A Touch of Two Kings" tells about his life before, during and after Elvis.
A few years later, Rick Stanley came back to our church for another revival. This time a special night was planned for a group of us at a local restaurant after the service. I had taken a neighbor to church that night and we headed straight to the restaurant right after the service so we could get a good seat. Strangely, no one else in the group showed up, just Rick Stanley and his father-in-law. We felt badly that no one else was there but we had a very interesting time learning things like how Priscilla would drive around Memphis with the top open on her car while her great danes where sticking there heads out the roof. We later found out the rest of our group went to a different restaurant. Their loss! :)
Not sure why, but one of our son's chose Elvis (or Elbus as he would say) as his hero at an early age. We have such a cute video of him in his footie pajamas in front of the Christmas tree, grinning from ear to ear and singing along with 'Elbus'. He even got an Elvis action figure for Christmas one year! I believe he has outgrown his 'Elbus' phase and I know he's outgrown the pjs!
At dinner this week one of the kids mentioned the Gates. Of course the Bill Gates family was the intent. But suddenly it reminded me and I started off on a 'did you know' session about my favorite Elvis movie "Blue Hawaii". Did you know that Elvis' last name in "Blue Hawaii" was Gates? Did you know his girlfriend's name was Maile? (To which I was challenged. The question...what was her last name? Duval of course!) Did you know that his dad ran a pineapple plantation? Did you know that Elvis wanted to open a tour guide business and name it "Gates of Hawaii" and that when he announced it he also proposed to Maile? Did you know that Elvis' name in the movie was Chad and that's where I got the name for (the son seated to my right). Well, actually I didn't. Not consciously anyway.
This summer we took a vacation that began with driving across several states. We stopped by Graceland in Memphis and Elvis' birthplace in Tupelo. Our youngest son insisted on taking pictures of me at various Elvis sights. Was a blast! Wish we had had Elvis Radio back then!
When I was a kid, I remember my mom wanting to watch an Elvis movie. (I believe the movie was "Jailhouse Rock" and was on TV.) My dad made the statement that Elvis had a hole in his head. I was so worried about Elvis! I looked and looked for that hole! Of course I later realized my dad, like many men, was a bit jealous and was just trying to find a way to put down Elvis. He tried to make amends several years later when he 'borrowed' my cassette recorder to record the audio portion of an Elvis concert on TV. It was a sweet gesture even if he did record over Donny Osmond!
When one of our sons was due to be born in January 19 years ago, I was hoping he would be born on Elvis' birthday. We missed it by 8 days. Oh well.
Seriously. I'm NOT an Elvis fanatic. I do believe his birthday should be a national holiday though. And, at this very minute, I am watching "Blue Hawaii". :)
So in the last few weeks I've learned that Elvis' jet had 50 speakers, that the gates of Graceland open at around 8am, that people everywhere have Elvis stories. Which reminds me of something that happened almost 30 years ago. I had just moved to the town where I currently live and was attending Sunday morning services at a recommended church for the first time. The speaker walked up and said "Everywhere I go I meet experts on the life of Elvis Presley". What on earth was this guy talking about!!!!!! My mind ran in several directions trying to figure out where he was going with this. I looked in the church bulletin and saw that the speaker's name was Rick Stanley. Meant nothing to me. But he began to talk.....about his big brother. Rick Stanley was Elvis Presley's step-brother. And what an amazing testimony he had! God had protected him thru extreme situations and placed people in his life who told him about Jesus. Rick's book, "A Touch of Two Kings" tells about his life before, during and after Elvis.
A few years later, Rick Stanley came back to our church for another revival. This time a special night was planned for a group of us at a local restaurant after the service. I had taken a neighbor to church that night and we headed straight to the restaurant right after the service so we could get a good seat. Strangely, no one else in the group showed up, just Rick Stanley and his father-in-law. We felt badly that no one else was there but we had a very interesting time learning things like how Priscilla would drive around Memphis with the top open on her car while her great danes where sticking there heads out the roof. We later found out the rest of our group went to a different restaurant. Their loss! :)
Not sure why, but one of our son's chose Elvis (or Elbus as he would say) as his hero at an early age. We have such a cute video of him in his footie pajamas in front of the Christmas tree, grinning from ear to ear and singing along with 'Elbus'. He even got an Elvis action figure for Christmas one year! I believe he has outgrown his 'Elbus' phase and I know he's outgrown the pjs!
At dinner this week one of the kids mentioned the Gates. Of course the Bill Gates family was the intent. But suddenly it reminded me and I started off on a 'did you know' session about my favorite Elvis movie "Blue Hawaii". Did you know that Elvis' last name in "Blue Hawaii" was Gates? Did you know his girlfriend's name was Maile? (To which I was challenged. The question...what was her last name? Duval of course!) Did you know that his dad ran a pineapple plantation? Did you know that Elvis wanted to open a tour guide business and name it "Gates of Hawaii" and that when he announced it he also proposed to Maile? Did you know that Elvis' name in the movie was Chad and that's where I got the name for (the son seated to my right). Well, actually I didn't. Not consciously anyway.
This summer we took a vacation that began with driving across several states. We stopped by Graceland in Memphis and Elvis' birthplace in Tupelo. Our youngest son insisted on taking pictures of me at various Elvis sights. Was a blast! Wish we had had Elvis Radio back then!
When I was a kid, I remember my mom wanting to watch an Elvis movie. (I believe the movie was "Jailhouse Rock" and was on TV.) My dad made the statement that Elvis had a hole in his head. I was so worried about Elvis! I looked and looked for that hole! Of course I later realized my dad, like many men, was a bit jealous and was just trying to find a way to put down Elvis. He tried to make amends several years later when he 'borrowed' my cassette recorder to record the audio portion of an Elvis concert on TV. It was a sweet gesture even if he did record over Donny Osmond!
When one of our sons was due to be born in January 19 years ago, I was hoping he would be born on Elvis' birthday. We missed it by 8 days. Oh well.
Seriously. I'm NOT an Elvis fanatic. I do believe his birthday should be a national holiday though. And, at this very minute, I am watching "Blue Hawaii". :)
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Fashion Diva.....me???????? Hmmm.....
A few days ago I was called something I had never been called before. A fashion diva. At first I laughed. Thought about it a second time and laughed again. In fact I laughed about it every time I thought about it for the next day or so.
As the week progressed I started to realize something.....being called a fashion diva had somehow snuck into my brain and subconsiously I was matching boots with leggings with dresses and skirts. Each sweater or jacket had to compliment the rest of the ensemble. Earrings had to work with necklaces which had to match bracelets and rings. What was I becoming!!!!!!
New combinations of eye shadow colors were applied every morning and touched up at noon. Mascara was put on layer by layer. Lips were not without lipstick for very long. Oh my....was this really me?!?!
Each morning I speed to work. Too much mirror time before I leave. Should I maybe get up a little earlier? I doubt that would help as I would probably spend even more time primping, matching, accessorizing.
I wasn't always this way. When I was a kid my grandmother made almost everything I wore and most outfits were identical to ones worn by my sister. I never even had a pair of store bought jeans until I was 14 or 15 years old. To this day I still don't understand sizes because everything was made to fit, not taken from a rack. As a teenager I would pick something out of a catalog or draw a picture and within a week I had that exact outfit, made to fit only me, one of a kind and made with love. Hmmm....was that the beginning of diva-hood?
As a young mom, I spent most days in t-shirts or sweatshirts and stretchy pants. Because money was so tight, there were times I went more than a year without buying new clothes for myself. Could that have caused a craving inside of me for new, fashionable clothes?
Whatever the reason, I am enjoying my diva status. It's really fun! Don't know how long it will last, but I'm thinking it may be getting on my kids' nerves a little bit. Awwwwww......and that is a bonus! :)
As the week progressed I started to realize something.....being called a fashion diva had somehow snuck into my brain and subconsiously I was matching boots with leggings with dresses and skirts. Each sweater or jacket had to compliment the rest of the ensemble. Earrings had to work with necklaces which had to match bracelets and rings. What was I becoming!!!!!!
New combinations of eye shadow colors were applied every morning and touched up at noon. Mascara was put on layer by layer. Lips were not without lipstick for very long. Oh my....was this really me?!?!
Each morning I speed to work. Too much mirror time before I leave. Should I maybe get up a little earlier? I doubt that would help as I would probably spend even more time primping, matching, accessorizing.
I wasn't always this way. When I was a kid my grandmother made almost everything I wore and most outfits were identical to ones worn by my sister. I never even had a pair of store bought jeans until I was 14 or 15 years old. To this day I still don't understand sizes because everything was made to fit, not taken from a rack. As a teenager I would pick something out of a catalog or draw a picture and within a week I had that exact outfit, made to fit only me, one of a kind and made with love. Hmmm....was that the beginning of diva-hood?
As a young mom, I spent most days in t-shirts or sweatshirts and stretchy pants. Because money was so tight, there were times I went more than a year without buying new clothes for myself. Could that have caused a craving inside of me for new, fashionable clothes?
Whatever the reason, I am enjoying my diva status. It's really fun! Don't know how long it will last, but I'm thinking it may be getting on my kids' nerves a little bit. Awwwwww......and that is a bonus! :)
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Newfangled Gadgets I Love!!!!!! (And Sometimes Think I Can't Live Without....)
Ok so maybe I didn't grow up with an outhouse for a bathroom. And we did have running water. We even eventually had an ice maker! But we did survive several years without a phone. When we did get a phone, it was on a line shared with several other households and called a 'party line'. We made coffee in a percolator on the stove; relied on road maps to get us where we were going and actually had to get up and walk to the TV to change between the 3 and sometimes 4 channels we got. It was a more simple time in some ways. And my kids consider those times the dark ages. Sometimes I kinda agree with them!
Last night a text came in that started me thinking about all the newfangled gadgets that I absolutely love. Sometimes I am amazed (and even embarrassed) at my reliance on my cell phone. It does everything from keeping me connected to my family to giving me directions to reminding me of appointments to keeping my grocery list to timing my 5ks.
That text last night, though, was something special. It was started by one of our sons who is at a conference almost 9 hours away. He was eating at Rainforest Cafe' and wanted to share a picture of it with us all. That got the ball rolling. It was almost like enjoying a meal around the family table as we each voiced our opinions and attempted to make the others laugh. Six people. Four different locations. Family conversation. Newfangled. Priceless.
As I type this on my laptop computer, not my manual typewriter, I drink delicious coffee made in a matter of seconds in our Keurig. And by the time I finish this one cup of coffee, I will be ready to post this blog on the internet instead of placing it in paper form in a large manilla envelope and mailing it to a publisher hoping it will be published.
Another amazing newfangled gadget that I love is the DVR. As I have said before, I have a very short attention span most of the time. My family can attest to the fact that I regularly walk out while a movie is being watched on TV and go take care of some urgent task that has popped up in my mind. Many times they have stopped the movie and waited for me to return because they know that, when I get back, I will be asking them what I missed. But I also use the DVR to record and watch shows that my family thinks are goofy. I must admit, I've come to understand their frustrations with me though. While watching those recordings (usually 30 minute sitcoms with the commercials cut out) I find my mind wondering and I have to replay what I've daydreamed thru!
I know there are drawbacks to some of these gadgets. Like phones that can't get signal or the price of Keurig K-cups. And I guess the biggest drawback to the DVR is when a certain someone watches a football game and replays the instant replays, in slow motion, frame by frame, analyzing every move of every player. But I wouldn't trade last night's family text for anything right now.
Just finished my cup of coffee. Perfect timing.
Last night a text came in that started me thinking about all the newfangled gadgets that I absolutely love. Sometimes I am amazed (and even embarrassed) at my reliance on my cell phone. It does everything from keeping me connected to my family to giving me directions to reminding me of appointments to keeping my grocery list to timing my 5ks.
That text last night, though, was something special. It was started by one of our sons who is at a conference almost 9 hours away. He was eating at Rainforest Cafe' and wanted to share a picture of it with us all. That got the ball rolling. It was almost like enjoying a meal around the family table as we each voiced our opinions and attempted to make the others laugh. Six people. Four different locations. Family conversation. Newfangled. Priceless.
As I type this on my laptop computer, not my manual typewriter, I drink delicious coffee made in a matter of seconds in our Keurig. And by the time I finish this one cup of coffee, I will be ready to post this blog on the internet instead of placing it in paper form in a large manilla envelope and mailing it to a publisher hoping it will be published.
Another amazing newfangled gadget that I love is the DVR. As I have said before, I have a very short attention span most of the time. My family can attest to the fact that I regularly walk out while a movie is being watched on TV and go take care of some urgent task that has popped up in my mind. Many times they have stopped the movie and waited for me to return because they know that, when I get back, I will be asking them what I missed. But I also use the DVR to record and watch shows that my family thinks are goofy. I must admit, I've come to understand their frustrations with me though. While watching those recordings (usually 30 minute sitcoms with the commercials cut out) I find my mind wondering and I have to replay what I've daydreamed thru!
I know there are drawbacks to some of these gadgets. Like phones that can't get signal or the price of Keurig K-cups. And I guess the biggest drawback to the DVR is when a certain someone watches a football game and replays the instant replays, in slow motion, frame by frame, analyzing every move of every player. But I wouldn't trade last night's family text for anything right now.
Just finished my cup of coffee. Perfect timing.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Mercy Bertha
After blogging last night about grace, it has been on my mind a lot today. We have a sign in our kitchen that reads "Grace is when God gives us what we don't deserve. Mercy is when God doesn't give us what we do deserve."
While I was running this evening I thought of that sign. I thought about God's grace. Then my thoughts naturally progressed to Mercy.
Mercy. Quite a few years ago Veggie Tales released a movie about Jonah. Some of our kids were still young enough to want to go see it. (Now I'm almost to the point of hiring kids to go to movies like that with me! While our kids' tastes in movies have changed, they tease me by saying I only go to movies that are animated or have talking animals!) During the Jonah movie, one of the characters stated "God is a God of second chances and that's mercy!" That started me thinking.....
Prior to going to the movie, our family had been discussing getting a new dog. We knew it had to be a small dog, one we could keep in the house and one we would love. The kids were so ready for a dog. It had been a couple of years since our last dog but we had a gold fish named Snoopy! As we watched the Jonah movie and I thought about God being a God of second chances, mercy, I leaned over to the kids and told them that would be a good name for our next dog, Mercy. So we prayed about that dog and waited for an answer.
One day a co-worker told me about a shih tzu named Bertha who needed a home. I met Bertha. We had a family meeting and voted Survivor Tribal Council style. Yes! We had a new dog! And we changed her name...to Mercy!
Mercy stole our hearts. What we didn't know was that she was already 7 years old when we got her. But that didn't really matter. She was our little sweetheart. No one could turn her away when she begged at the dinner table. She was included in family pictures and Christmas news letters. The boys called her their second sister! And she loved us no matter what.
While we didn't leave her very often, there were a few times over the 10 years and 3 months she was with us that we had to have others stay with her or we had to board her for a few days. Every time we returned home, she just loved us like crazy and was so happy to see us. She never held a grudge. She was never upset with us. She just loved us. But unfortunately at about the age of 15 doggie dementia began to set in. She began to lose her hearing and vision. She was still our dog. No matter what, we loved her.
God taught us so much thru our little Mercy. She lived to be 17 years and 4 months old. It's been 6 months since we lost her and we still miss her so much. One of the boys said he never wants another dog. He asked why he would ever want another when he had already had the best. I have sweet kids. :) And I think they will all want another dog eventually.
Luke 6:36 instructs us to be merciful, just as our Father is merciful. Our God is not only a god of second chances, He's THE GOD of second chances. He forgives us when we don't deserve it. All we have to do is come to Him and ask. Can we forgive that way? When God forgives, it's just like what we did never happened at all. His forgiveness includes His forgetting our sins. Wow........Mercy.
While I was running this evening I thought of that sign. I thought about God's grace. Then my thoughts naturally progressed to Mercy.
Mercy. Quite a few years ago Veggie Tales released a movie about Jonah. Some of our kids were still young enough to want to go see it. (Now I'm almost to the point of hiring kids to go to movies like that with me! While our kids' tastes in movies have changed, they tease me by saying I only go to movies that are animated or have talking animals!) During the Jonah movie, one of the characters stated "God is a God of second chances and that's mercy!" That started me thinking.....
Prior to going to the movie, our family had been discussing getting a new dog. We knew it had to be a small dog, one we could keep in the house and one we would love. The kids were so ready for a dog. It had been a couple of years since our last dog but we had a gold fish named Snoopy! As we watched the Jonah movie and I thought about God being a God of second chances, mercy, I leaned over to the kids and told them that would be a good name for our next dog, Mercy. So we prayed about that dog and waited for an answer.
One day a co-worker told me about a shih tzu named Bertha who needed a home. I met Bertha. We had a family meeting and voted Survivor Tribal Council style. Yes! We had a new dog! And we changed her name...to Mercy!
Mercy stole our hearts. What we didn't know was that she was already 7 years old when we got her. But that didn't really matter. She was our little sweetheart. No one could turn her away when she begged at the dinner table. She was included in family pictures and Christmas news letters. The boys called her their second sister! And she loved us no matter what.
While we didn't leave her very often, there were a few times over the 10 years and 3 months she was with us that we had to have others stay with her or we had to board her for a few days. Every time we returned home, she just loved us like crazy and was so happy to see us. She never held a grudge. She was never upset with us. She just loved us. But unfortunately at about the age of 15 doggie dementia began to set in. She began to lose her hearing and vision. She was still our dog. No matter what, we loved her.
God taught us so much thru our little Mercy. She lived to be 17 years and 4 months old. It's been 6 months since we lost her and we still miss her so much. One of the boys said he never wants another dog. He asked why he would ever want another when he had already had the best. I have sweet kids. :) And I think they will all want another dog eventually.
Luke 6:36 instructs us to be merciful, just as our Father is merciful. Our God is not only a god of second chances, He's THE GOD of second chances. He forgives us when we don't deserve it. All we have to do is come to Him and ask. Can we forgive that way? When God forgives, it's just like what we did never happened at all. His forgiveness includes His forgetting our sins. Wow........Mercy.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Grace and a Fall Afternoon
It is officially fall although the weather hasn't fully decided that's what it wants to be just yet. However, this past Sunday we got a little sample of what a cool autumn day can be. It was beautiful!
Late that afternoon I started off on my first run in fall weather, donned in my yoga pants to protect me from the 'cold'. I hadn't gone far before I realized I had a bit of a problem. Although I had purchased these new yoga pants on clearance and in a smaller size than I had previously worn, it soon became clear that they might not have been such a great buy after all.
While I am getting used to being watched when I run, I haven't figured out for sure why people watch me. Is it because I'm older and people are shocked? Or is it maybe that I just run really funny and people don't know what to think? Usually I don't know the answer. But this time I figured out pretty quickly why I was being watched. My pants kept falling down!!!!
Do they make suspenders for yoga pants?????? Every few steps I was pulling my pants back up! There was quite a bit of traffic that afternoon and I'm surprised I didn't cause an accident or two! No one was actually bold enough to point and laugh....although I would have understood!
Deciding it wasn't worth getting arrested for indecent exposure or causing an accident, after the first mile I chose to walk the rest of the way in hopes of having better wardrobe control. Not quite the workout I had planned, but it was much easier to keep my pants up!
There must have been something else floating around in the cool air that day. For some reason every dog in every back yard decided to let me know he was there and protecting his territory. I was growled at, barked at and even chased from the other side of fences. Yet I persevered!
That afternoon reminded me that 1. I need to test out my running wardrobe before actually running. 2. That I like dogs but loud barking dogs are not something I enjoy or even want to be near. 3. That when life throws things at us like pants that won't stay up and dogs that won't stop barking, we might as well laugh and enjoy. Giving up is not an option.
These little things may drive us crazy at times. But we are so fortunate to serve the only God who provides lessons in such occurrences. His grace is there to regenerate, to sanctify, to endure. It isn't a matter of cause and effect. We do nothing to deserve it. It's right there. It's free. All we need to do is believe.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
Late that afternoon I started off on my first run in fall weather, donned in my yoga pants to protect me from the 'cold'. I hadn't gone far before I realized I had a bit of a problem. Although I had purchased these new yoga pants on clearance and in a smaller size than I had previously worn, it soon became clear that they might not have been such a great buy after all.
While I am getting used to being watched when I run, I haven't figured out for sure why people watch me. Is it because I'm older and people are shocked? Or is it maybe that I just run really funny and people don't know what to think? Usually I don't know the answer. But this time I figured out pretty quickly why I was being watched. My pants kept falling down!!!!
Do they make suspenders for yoga pants?????? Every few steps I was pulling my pants back up! There was quite a bit of traffic that afternoon and I'm surprised I didn't cause an accident or two! No one was actually bold enough to point and laugh....although I would have understood!
Deciding it wasn't worth getting arrested for indecent exposure or causing an accident, after the first mile I chose to walk the rest of the way in hopes of having better wardrobe control. Not quite the workout I had planned, but it was much easier to keep my pants up!
There must have been something else floating around in the cool air that day. For some reason every dog in every back yard decided to let me know he was there and protecting his territory. I was growled at, barked at and even chased from the other side of fences. Yet I persevered!
That afternoon reminded me that 1. I need to test out my running wardrobe before actually running. 2. That I like dogs but loud barking dogs are not something I enjoy or even want to be near. 3. That when life throws things at us like pants that won't stay up and dogs that won't stop barking, we might as well laugh and enjoy. Giving up is not an option.
These little things may drive us crazy at times. But we are so fortunate to serve the only God who provides lessons in such occurrences. His grace is there to regenerate, to sanctify, to endure. It isn't a matter of cause and effect. We do nothing to deserve it. It's right there. It's free. All we need to do is believe.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Mice and Spiders and Wasps OH MY!
Recently we began sharing our home, not by choice, with two types of wasps, a variety of spiders and a mouse. While we've had each of these at some point in the past, this is the first time they've all arrived at nearly the same time.
The wasps showed up first and for some reason were segregated. I have no idea if that is usual wasp behavior. Nevertheless, we had normal everyday wasps making their nest in the front of our house and some skinny kinda yellow looking wasps in the back yard. We saw where the normal everyday wasps had nested. As yet we haven't seen the actual home of the backyard wasps but first discovered them while covering the pool for the winter. Suddenly three groups of about 100 each were RIGHT THERE!!!! Never saw the King of the Castle move quite so fast! As soon as we discovered that the wasps appeared to be sleeping, he began taking pictures so he could brag about his adventure.
The spiders are something that usually appear every fall. Personally I enjoy watching them as long as they don't get too close. But when our middle son summoned me to the garage to show me a black widow spider, I wasn't so thrilled. He began explaining the markings and identifications and I squished it.
A second spider built a beautiful web right outside our kitchen window. That spider was huge! I enjoyed watching, in safety, from inside of the kitchen while washing dishes. But our two youngest kids insisted it go away and they weren't going to be the ones to accomplish this. So, the King of the Castle stepped in and saved the day.
Now those pesky skinny yellow looking wasps were a different story. The King and our fourth in line to the thrown devised a plan. The King brought home two cans of wasp and hornet spray that had a jet stream of 27 feet. His heir set up a bright light to shine where the wasps were known to be hanging out. A second back door was unlocked so that the King/pest conqueror could run around to the other side of the house and quickly escape into our yellow garage should the wasps decide to fight back. And yes, he did use that door! The remainder of the great wasp hunt was carried out thru window screens and an occasional opened and quickly closed door.
That mouse. Oh boy that mouse. Unlike most mice, there were no little 'signs' left lying around. Just an occasional glimpse of a quick little gray creature running from under one appliance to another. The kids and I had tried sticky traps but the mouse was too smart for that. So, again the King of the Castle came to the rescue. After he baited the snapping traps with peanut butter, we waited. Expecting to hear a snap and a scream any moment, we waited some more....until this morning. As the King was getting ready to leave for work, he woke me to tell me he had sent me something on my phone. Two pictures of the trapped mouse and the caption "I'm stuck!"
Spiders gone. Mouse gone. And while there are still a few wasps to conquer, I am confident that our great wasp hunter and wasp hunter junior will make short work of those soon.
The wasps showed up first and for some reason were segregated. I have no idea if that is usual wasp behavior. Nevertheless, we had normal everyday wasps making their nest in the front of our house and some skinny kinda yellow looking wasps in the back yard. We saw where the normal everyday wasps had nested. As yet we haven't seen the actual home of the backyard wasps but first discovered them while covering the pool for the winter. Suddenly three groups of about 100 each were RIGHT THERE!!!! Never saw the King of the Castle move quite so fast! As soon as we discovered that the wasps appeared to be sleeping, he began taking pictures so he could brag about his adventure.
The spiders are something that usually appear every fall. Personally I enjoy watching them as long as they don't get too close. But when our middle son summoned me to the garage to show me a black widow spider, I wasn't so thrilled. He began explaining the markings and identifications and I squished it.
A second spider built a beautiful web right outside our kitchen window. That spider was huge! I enjoyed watching, in safety, from inside of the kitchen while washing dishes. But our two youngest kids insisted it go away and they weren't going to be the ones to accomplish this. So, the King of the Castle stepped in and saved the day.
Now those pesky skinny yellow looking wasps were a different story. The King and our fourth in line to the thrown devised a plan. The King brought home two cans of wasp and hornet spray that had a jet stream of 27 feet. His heir set up a bright light to shine where the wasps were known to be hanging out. A second back door was unlocked so that the King/pest conqueror could run around to the other side of the house and quickly escape into our yellow garage should the wasps decide to fight back. And yes, he did use that door! The remainder of the great wasp hunt was carried out thru window screens and an occasional opened and quickly closed door.
That mouse. Oh boy that mouse. Unlike most mice, there were no little 'signs' left lying around. Just an occasional glimpse of a quick little gray creature running from under one appliance to another. The kids and I had tried sticky traps but the mouse was too smart for that. So, again the King of the Castle came to the rescue. After he baited the snapping traps with peanut butter, we waited. Expecting to hear a snap and a scream any moment, we waited some more....until this morning. As the King was getting ready to leave for work, he woke me to tell me he had sent me something on my phone. Two pictures of the trapped mouse and the caption "I'm stuck!"
Spiders gone. Mouse gone. And while there are still a few wasps to conquer, I am confident that our great wasp hunter and wasp hunter junior will make short work of those soon.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Think on These Things
Seems like I always write about happy things. And I'm sure some of my readers (all 2 or 3 of you) wonder why. While my life is far from perfect, I've learned that dwelling on the not-so-great things doesn't do me any good. The Word tells us in Philippians 4:8 to think on whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely or admirable. It says that if there is any excellence and if anything is worthy of praise, we are to dwell on these things. Verse 9 goes on to say that if we dwell on these things, the peace of God will be with us. Peace isn't the absence of conflict but it is the presence of God. We can all use more of God's peace so I choose to 'think on these things' whenever possible.
That being said, I have a new car!!!!!!!!! It has just about every bell and whistle I could ever imagine on a car! I ask it to make a call and it makes a call. Unfortunately it doesn't always call who I ask it to call. But still. A car that talks to me and makes phone calls! So cool! Also it has a backup camera that displays on a screen on the dash when I back up. So I sit in the driveway with the car in reverse just so I can use the camera! Just how cool is that! (Ok, so maybe I'm just easily entertained!)
Yesterday I needed to make a short trip out of town. I was traveling alone so I didn't have my human GPS with me like I normally do when I go out of town. I set the car GPS and also my phone GPS just in case. They gave me directions....different directions! Between the two of them I got close to my destination but finally had my car call for better directions and my car and I arrived safely.
The radio on this car is also a new experience for me. One of the first things I learned was setting up the Bluetooth where my music plays from my phone. If anyone has read my tweets, you know I LOVE the song "Overcomer" by Mandisa. Somehow I got my phone set to repeat the song and my new car played "Overcomer" non-stop for quite some time! Then I discovered Satellite radio. While I'm sure the drivers behind me have become quite distraught at times as I slowed down to figure out my radio, I was thrilled to find I can listen to Elvis all day every day! Well at least until the 90 day free trial is over.
Whatsoever things are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely or admirable. I could get discouraged thinking my car has too much for me to learn. Or I can look at it as something fun and a challenge. But since I had my last car for 3 years and still wasn't sure how to turn on the headlights, you might not want to follow me too closely. Just smile and think on these things.
That being said, I have a new car!!!!!!!!! It has just about every bell and whistle I could ever imagine on a car! I ask it to make a call and it makes a call. Unfortunately it doesn't always call who I ask it to call. But still. A car that talks to me and makes phone calls! So cool! Also it has a backup camera that displays on a screen on the dash when I back up. So I sit in the driveway with the car in reverse just so I can use the camera! Just how cool is that! (Ok, so maybe I'm just easily entertained!)
Yesterday I needed to make a short trip out of town. I was traveling alone so I didn't have my human GPS with me like I normally do when I go out of town. I set the car GPS and also my phone GPS just in case. They gave me directions....different directions! Between the two of them I got close to my destination but finally had my car call for better directions and my car and I arrived safely.
The radio on this car is also a new experience for me. One of the first things I learned was setting up the Bluetooth where my music plays from my phone. If anyone has read my tweets, you know I LOVE the song "Overcomer" by Mandisa. Somehow I got my phone set to repeat the song and my new car played "Overcomer" non-stop for quite some time! Then I discovered Satellite radio. While I'm sure the drivers behind me have become quite distraught at times as I slowed down to figure out my radio, I was thrilled to find I can listen to Elvis all day every day! Well at least until the 90 day free trial is over.
Whatsoever things are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely or admirable. I could get discouraged thinking my car has too much for me to learn. Or I can look at it as something fun and a challenge. But since I had my last car for 3 years and still wasn't sure how to turn on the headlights, you might not want to follow me too closely. Just smile and think on these things.
Monday, September 16, 2013
'Grown' Kids
Seventeen. That's the age our youngest child and only daughter turned last week. And tonight she came to me for help with an experiment for her psychology class. She didn't seem very pleased with the results. I kinda got the feeling I might now become a case study for the whole class!
With her turning 17 that means that in just one year all of our kids will be considered adults. With three in college, you'd think I would get used to that idea. But somehow it still catches me off guard. Like yesterday when our middle son was sick and I took him to the doctor. I was sitting in the doctor's office looking at my 21 year old, 6 feet tall son and realizing I'm looking at a grown man. The nurse asked the usual questions....like if he was allergic to any medications. Somehow remembering all that was a lot easier when I was remembering it for five young children. And I was never going to be one of those moms who forgot important things like that!
While I may not remember anymore who is allergic to what (so we just all stay away from certain meds...it's easier that way) I do remember their birth dates, weights, lengths, time of day they were born and what the weather was like. I can tell you the personalities of each child from before they were born. Now why couldn't this information be a part of that psychology experiment? I would have aced that test for sure!
I also remember those little cherub faces. Awwww....those sweet little faces. Round little cheeks. Happy, sometimes toothless, smiles. Snot running down from their cute little noses, almost dripping into those heart melting little smiles.....Well that's the way it really was!
As a parent you try to do what's best for your kids. You try to teach them right from wrong, protecting them from tv shows etc that you feel inappropriate. Then, when they do grow up, they confess that they took turns being the lookout for mom to come down the hallway while their siblings watched that forbidden show!
Just yesterday our driveway was filled bikes and trikes. Today, we own a fleet of vehicles that spill over the driveway onto the yard and into the street! Kissing a scraped knee from a bicycle accident was easy although it broke mom's heart that one of those little ones was hurt. Now it's new tires, dented fenders, and even a couple of totaled cars.
Grown kids. Well.....we're almost there. Sad. Glad. Proud. Thankful.
With her turning 17 that means that in just one year all of our kids will be considered adults. With three in college, you'd think I would get used to that idea. But somehow it still catches me off guard. Like yesterday when our middle son was sick and I took him to the doctor. I was sitting in the doctor's office looking at my 21 year old, 6 feet tall son and realizing I'm looking at a grown man. The nurse asked the usual questions....like if he was allergic to any medications. Somehow remembering all that was a lot easier when I was remembering it for five young children. And I was never going to be one of those moms who forgot important things like that!
While I may not remember anymore who is allergic to what (so we just all stay away from certain meds...it's easier that way) I do remember their birth dates, weights, lengths, time of day they were born and what the weather was like. I can tell you the personalities of each child from before they were born. Now why couldn't this information be a part of that psychology experiment? I would have aced that test for sure!
I also remember those little cherub faces. Awwww....those sweet little faces. Round little cheeks. Happy, sometimes toothless, smiles. Snot running down from their cute little noses, almost dripping into those heart melting little smiles.....Well that's the way it really was!
As a parent you try to do what's best for your kids. You try to teach them right from wrong, protecting them from tv shows etc that you feel inappropriate. Then, when they do grow up, they confess that they took turns being the lookout for mom to come down the hallway while their siblings watched that forbidden show!
Just yesterday our driveway was filled bikes and trikes. Today, we own a fleet of vehicles that spill over the driveway onto the yard and into the street! Kissing a scraped knee from a bicycle accident was easy although it broke mom's heart that one of those little ones was hurt. Now it's new tires, dented fenders, and even a couple of totaled cars.
Grown kids. Well.....we're almost there. Sad. Glad. Proud. Thankful.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
My First 5k YEA!!!!
Never thought I would ever be saying that I just ran in my first 5k but that's exactly what I did last night. This time last year I had declared myself a sweat hater and said swimming was the only exercise I would do. But because I was diagnosed as pre diabetic and pre hypertensive in January, I knew I had to make some changes and make them fast.
After my diagnosis, I called my oldest son, Kyle, who was in his senior year in college, majoring in nutrition. He advised me on what to eat and suggested I start walking at least. Now I not only hated sweating (and I don't even like using the word 'hate' so using it here shows just how much I disliked exercise etc) I also hated wearing tennis shoes. Because Kyle had been a runner since junior high and had sold athletic shoes for several years, he took me shoe shopping. He was very patient as I tried on pair after pair. Kyle listened to each issue I had with each pair until he found the perfect pair. And quite the shoes they are! Lime green with hot pink shoe strings!
Now I absolutely love those shoes except for the fact that my pedicure doesn't show. Of course I have my open toed 5 inch heel platform shoes for that! And yes, I do enjoy wearing my high heels best. But when I put on those lime green and hot pink running shoes I'm revived, refreshed and sweating like crazy!
So anyway, a couple of months ago I decided to prepare to run a 5k but wasn't going to tell Kyle. My plan was to run and then text him a picture to show him what I had done. Somehow he caught on to my little scheme. He texted me and told me he was running with me in my first 5k. About a month later I got an email just as I finished running in my neighborhood. It was from Christian Women's Job Corp (CWJC). Since I had mentored with CWJC and felt like it was an organization very much worth supporting, their Rock and Glow run seemed the perfect 5k for me. And Kyle was all set to run right by mom, encouraging.....like a drill sergeant!
Race day finally arrived! As we talked about the race yesterday and I asked what to expect etc, Kyle began to feel that competitive urge and decided he might just race instead of running along with me. As I didn't want to hold him back, I encouraged him to do just that. So we showed up at the Rock and Glow 5k, he in his lime green shirt and shoes and me in my hot pink top and lime green and pink shoes, and ran! It was SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!
At the end of the first mile I was surprised to have a time of 9:07! Of course Kyle was way ahead of me and that was good. When I looked at my running app at around 22 minutes I figured he had completed the course. He had and finished with a time of 22:30, which he thought was terrible. He came in 3rd over all (sorry I tweeted that he came in 2nd but that's what I get for tweeting right at the end of the race and before oxygen had starting reaching my brain again) and he started back to encourage mom. With about 3/4 of a mile to go, I started hearing Kyle's voice. He was cheering other runners on, encouraging them, telling them they were doing a good job. As I rounded the curve I saw my son waiting for me. When he saw me he started cheering for mom! I got to where he was standing and he started running with me. That drill sergeant in him kicked in! Every few steps Kyle would tell me I could do better and "faster mom, you can do this." "Don't let these people beat you!" "Look! I'm walking faster than you are running!". I thought I was going to throw up and told him so. Kyle's response....if you don't throw up while running, you aren't running hard enough! He pointed out the big clock at the end of the race and told me to watch it. My fastest time while practicing had been 33:49. And yes, I know that's not 'burning it up' but when you are 52 years old and only started running that distance 2 months prior, I was pleased with that time. Not Kyle though. He wanted me to do even better. So in 90+ degree weather and humidity heavy enough to choke somebody, I did my best to beat my fastest time and not throw up in the process. And I did it thanks to Kyle! My time was 32:45! I didn't throw up. I didn't fall. I didn't get lost. And I finished the race with more people behind me than in front of me!
Let me now encourage everyone to exercise! Sweating is still not my favorite thing. But after changing my diet and starting to get real exercise, I am no longer pre diabetic and no longer pre hypertensive. I have lost a bunch of weight....new clothes yea!!!!! I feel better than I have in years. And while I believe I look a little younger too, being mistaken as my 22 year old son's wife instead of his mother last night, was a bit much but a real hoot! :)
After my diagnosis, I called my oldest son, Kyle, who was in his senior year in college, majoring in nutrition. He advised me on what to eat and suggested I start walking at least. Now I not only hated sweating (and I don't even like using the word 'hate' so using it here shows just how much I disliked exercise etc) I also hated wearing tennis shoes. Because Kyle had been a runner since junior high and had sold athletic shoes for several years, he took me shoe shopping. He was very patient as I tried on pair after pair. Kyle listened to each issue I had with each pair until he found the perfect pair. And quite the shoes they are! Lime green with hot pink shoe strings!
Now I absolutely love those shoes except for the fact that my pedicure doesn't show. Of course I have my open toed 5 inch heel platform shoes for that! And yes, I do enjoy wearing my high heels best. But when I put on those lime green and hot pink running shoes I'm revived, refreshed and sweating like crazy!
So anyway, a couple of months ago I decided to prepare to run a 5k but wasn't going to tell Kyle. My plan was to run and then text him a picture to show him what I had done. Somehow he caught on to my little scheme. He texted me and told me he was running with me in my first 5k. About a month later I got an email just as I finished running in my neighborhood. It was from Christian Women's Job Corp (CWJC). Since I had mentored with CWJC and felt like it was an organization very much worth supporting, their Rock and Glow run seemed the perfect 5k for me. And Kyle was all set to run right by mom, encouraging.....like a drill sergeant!
Race day finally arrived! As we talked about the race yesterday and I asked what to expect etc, Kyle began to feel that competitive urge and decided he might just race instead of running along with me. As I didn't want to hold him back, I encouraged him to do just that. So we showed up at the Rock and Glow 5k, he in his lime green shirt and shoes and me in my hot pink top and lime green and pink shoes, and ran! It was SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!
At the end of the first mile I was surprised to have a time of 9:07! Of course Kyle was way ahead of me and that was good. When I looked at my running app at around 22 minutes I figured he had completed the course. He had and finished with a time of 22:30, which he thought was terrible. He came in 3rd over all (sorry I tweeted that he came in 2nd but that's what I get for tweeting right at the end of the race and before oxygen had starting reaching my brain again) and he started back to encourage mom. With about 3/4 of a mile to go, I started hearing Kyle's voice. He was cheering other runners on, encouraging them, telling them they were doing a good job. As I rounded the curve I saw my son waiting for me. When he saw me he started cheering for mom! I got to where he was standing and he started running with me. That drill sergeant in him kicked in! Every few steps Kyle would tell me I could do better and "faster mom, you can do this." "Don't let these people beat you!" "Look! I'm walking faster than you are running!". I thought I was going to throw up and told him so. Kyle's response....if you don't throw up while running, you aren't running hard enough! He pointed out the big clock at the end of the race and told me to watch it. My fastest time while practicing had been 33:49. And yes, I know that's not 'burning it up' but when you are 52 years old and only started running that distance 2 months prior, I was pleased with that time. Not Kyle though. He wanted me to do even better. So in 90+ degree weather and humidity heavy enough to choke somebody, I did my best to beat my fastest time and not throw up in the process. And I did it thanks to Kyle! My time was 32:45! I didn't throw up. I didn't fall. I didn't get lost. And I finished the race with more people behind me than in front of me!
Let me now encourage everyone to exercise! Sweating is still not my favorite thing. But after changing my diet and starting to get real exercise, I am no longer pre diabetic and no longer pre hypertensive. I have lost a bunch of weight....new clothes yea!!!!! I feel better than I have in years. And while I believe I look a little younger too, being mistaken as my 22 year old son's wife instead of his mother last night, was a bit much but a real hoot! :)
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