Evening

Another lazy hazy

summer day

stretches and yawns

and prepares to sleep

Her sun peeking out

as if to say,
"don't worry, come morning,

we'll be together again..."

Memes, Memes Everywhere

To be honest, I didn't know what a "meme" was in the land of bloggedyville. Now, I'm guessing it's something that tells about oneself ...hence the name "me...me". Anyhoo, I've been tagged twice this week. Once by Laura at My Quotidian Mysteries and also by Beth at I Should Be Folding Laundry.

Here goes:

"My Personal Policies"
This one cracked me up because, the more you get to know me the more you'll understand, I'm not really a personal-policy-kinda gal. Sure I have things that are important to me so maybe I'll hit it from that angle. Things that are important to me:

Courtesy. In any shape or form. Consideration of others is one of the "rules" which I live by. If walking by someone and it's just the two of us...I'm gonna say hello. Why act like there is not another human being there? Saying hello, thank you, please...all of these are tied into being courteous....which leads me into something which could be mentioned here but deserves its own bullet...

"Ma'am/Sir". Yes, I'm one of those old-fashioned mamas who actually makes my son say "yes or no ma'am/sir" to grown ups. It is how I was raised and I feel pretty strongly about it. Now, if you don't do this with your kids I don't think there's anything wrong with it. It's simply how I was raised (you know us Southerners) and I want Daniel to grow accustomed to saying it...which he has for the most part.

Capitalizing words referring to God. This has stuck with me through the years and I guess you could say it's become a "policy" of sorts. When referring to God as "Him" or "He"...I always capitalize it. Always. I just feel it's important.

Not rewarding whining. OOooh, this one is a biggie for me. I guess it took us so long to have kids, I got a chance to witness a lot of parenting do's and don'ts through the years. Of course, there are times when there could possibly be an exception to this (dire circumstances require dire measures) BUT...if Daniel is told "no" about something and begins to cry/pitch a fit/temper tantrum because of being told "no" and so I give in to him to get him to stop whining...he has been taught the way to get what he wants. I witness this so much in public that it makes me cringe. It would be a definite "policy" of mine!

Tapping the plane three times. I cannot believe I am divulging this superstitious policy of mine publically. Growing up, Mom taught me to tap the side of the plane three times for good luck while boarding. I have NEVER not tapped the plane. In fact, this is ridiculous (I know, believe me), one time I got scooted into the plane and I couldn't tap the side. I pretended to go to the front restroom and I stuck my hand out the door before it was closed to get my tap in. Superstition run amuck. Yes, I know. You don't have to remind me I'm a freak.

And the next meme was...

My Five Favorite Restaurants -- in no particular order
(focusing on food during a weight loss challenge...thanks, Beth!)

1. Maggiano's (Atlanta) Italian restuarant with the BEST chicken florentine I have ever had. Swathed in bubbling, toasty cheese...oh my. Family style is the way to go so take friends!

2. Brookwood Grill (Roswell, GA) To die for croissants drizzled in honey butter and french onion soup so good you'll slap yo' mama.

3. J. Alexanders (Duluth, GA and Birmingham, AL)-- yummy. yummy. yummy. Cold orzo wild rice salad and an unbelieveable carrot cake that makes me like carrot cake. Trust me, I can't stand carrot cake.

4. The Varsity (Atlanta) my folks met here and I've grown up going here. BEST chili dogs, onion rings and frosted orange in the world. It's a tradition. My hubby says we have to go there when his cholesterol drops to "a dangerously low level." ;-)

5. Old Bay Steamer (Ft. Walton, FL and Point Clear, AL) Seafood...snow crab legs dipped in a delectable drawn butter and the BEST salad I've ever had.

Ok, that's enough. Can't talk about food anymore. It's lunch time and I'm starving!

F.I.N.A.L.L.Y

I'm back on track! Even after a vacation of not being so good. . .
I lost 2.5 pounds!!! Walking in the sand was a good way to burn off the junk we ate. I've been swimming every day and walked yesterday as well as this morning.

I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.

As opposed to my attitude a couple weeks ago, I really feel encouraged and optimistic about the rest of this challenge. We'll see!

Total weight loss............ 4.0 pounds since start of the May Day Weight Loss Challenge. (14 lbs. lost since February!!!)

Home Sweet Home

I'm back from our brief vacation to Florida-- a trip that I neglected to tell you about prior to (probably from the combination of my packing whirlwind and yucky stomach bug). Also, I'm simply not used to the fact that more than one or two folks stop by here every day. To those of you nice enough to care a little about what I have to say...I'm back!

I did get to feeling better last Wednesday after recuperating from a 24-hour period of what I was sure was my certain demise. I had caught the stomach bug from my sweet boy who made a scene at Johnny Rocket's by, um...upheaving...tossing his cookies...all OVER the place. I was dining with my sis-in-law and nephew at the time and, let's just say, it wasn't pretty. That poor child became a "puke uzi" as I carried him face forward to the restroom. Yes, in hindsight, it would have been more sacrificial and courteous to face him toward my person...but...in a selfish moment of non-thinking...I only added to the spectacle as I carried him the (thankfully) short distance to the bathroom. An hour later, we are putting on the new clothes my sis-in-law had to go purchase and are heading home. Less than 24 hours later, I am suffering the same fate. Ahh, a joy of mommyhood--shared illness. :-)

Anyway, I digress!

We went to Navarre Beach, Florida and the weather was wonderful as was our time with our friends Billy and Deborah and their two kiddos. The first day out on the beach, Deb and I got a little crispy so the next day was spent inside recuperating and playing Phase 10-- a surefire candidate for my "Katie's Little Addictions" list. We walked along the beach, searched for shells, ate great seafood and generally relaxed. All in all, it was great to get away!

I hope to have some pictures posted tomorrow...

Thanks for checking in and I'm glad to be back!

Weight Loss Update

Well, folks. I said yesterday morning that I had gained a half a pound. Since I made that post, I have actually lost FIVE pounds.

But, a stomach virus is not going to be high on my list of weight loss recommendations. Somewhere around 3am, I was pretty sure that was the end of me.

I'm here, but fragile.

How Much Do Contact Lenses Weigh?

I gained a half a pound.

And here is why I'm discouraged. I did so much better this week. I swam almost every day. Lap after lap. I drank water.... gulp. gulp. gulp. I ate grilled fish and went to the movies and ate a Special K bar instead of popcorn! I skipped Cinnabon and ate an apple at the mall. All week, I did so well.

Until yesterday. The weight I gained is probably ice cream cake sitting on my right hip. Pool party dessert that I brought because I couldn't think of anything else. Well, I certainly wasn't thinking of my lack of willpower when I made it! I ate some at the party and then I ate some when I brought it home.

BUT... surely that one lapse in will power wouldn't have caused me to gain weight? And, to the person whose blog I commented on that their gain must have been muscle weight? I apologize! :-) My husband told me that this morning and I wanted to bite his head off. It might very well be since I've been exercising...but that is certainly not going to motivate me to exercise on a hot summer day in Georgia.

OK, this week I will journal faithfully-- even though we are going on vacation and my diet will be tested beyond limits.

But I will keep going.

**by the way, if there is anyone else out there who has seriously considered how much contact lenses weigh... get in touch with me and I'll send you your "Welcome to the Freak Club" kit. I'm President and I would welcome the company. :-)

Reassurance

Yowwwwwwwwwww! I shivered frantically as the icy water splashed around me. Half of my body now immersed into our neighbborhood swimming pool, my son stood at the top of the steps--not quite as brave as, and probably much smarter than, me.

"Is it cold, Mommy?"

"Um, yes...brrrr...but, c'mon in...it'll warm up, I promise." Of course, I sounded confident but had still had not mustered the courage to dip below the water's frigid surface.

"OK," he stammered... lip quivering in anticipation..."1---2---3!" He lept into my arms and squealed in delight as the water splashed on his already tanned little body.

"Hold me, Mommy. Hold me tight!" I still love hearing him say those words. There are times when his fierce independence makes him seem much older than his five years. So, when he shows even a tad of vunerability and "clinginess" I secretly eat it up.

We waded through the water letting ourselves aclimate our bodies to the cold temperature. His chin rested squarely on my shoulder and his arms were wrapped tightly around my neck as we glided along.

Finally, I urged him to swim on his own with me close behind. "Ok, Mommy...but will you hold my hand for a little while?" he asked. "Of course I will. I won't leave you...I'll be right here," I reassured him.

"You'll always be here for me, won't you Mommy?"

You'd better believe it, my sweet boy.

I Walked On By...

There it was. Starbuck's and the sign advertising my newest temptation--the Iced Orange Mocha. I wanted one so badly that I could taste it on my lips. I could imagine its icy, smooth, orangey sweetness quenching the thirst I had built up during my whirlwind shopping excursion.

Then it hit me. I have to weigh in Tuesday morning. And the cookout with our church group is tomorrow night with a bounty of yummy food guaranteed. How bad do I want that drink?

Pretty bad.

What's one little iced orange mocha gonna matter? Alot, I concluded.

So, I walked on by. A small victory...but a victory indeed.

Friday's Feast: May 25, 2007

(click the logo above to check out the Friday's Feast website.
If you'd like to visit other feasts, click on the comments
section and follow their name link!)


Appetizer: Name a sound you like to hear.
Thunder! It means a storm is approaching...

Soup: What is your favorite kind of cheese?
It's a tie between cheddar and cream cheese. They are both equally yummy!

Salad: Do you sleep late on Saturday mornings? Why or why not?
Not usually. I wish I could, but my body clock seems to think it's still a week day.

Main Course: When was the last time you forgot something?
What was it, and how long did it take to remember it?
MMmmmm, my purse. It was still under the chair at the church where Daniel had his preschool graduation Tuesday night. My hubby didn't remember me bringing it in and, I knew I didn't take it to the restaurant. When we go thome, it was too late to go to the school/church so I waited until I took him the next morning. Thankfully, my keys were at the house and yes, it was there under my chair in the auditorium. (ok, Brady--feel free to chastise me profusely now. :-)

Dessert: I notice ____________ when _____________.
I notice that I feel more relaxed when summertime rolls around.

Fluffy things.

Puppies. Cottonballs. Dandelions blowing in the breeze.... Cotton candy on a stick... the tail of a rabbit sticking out of the front of my favorite children's book....

OK, I'm just trying to lighten the mood here....

I knew I shoulda just posted an American Idol recap! :-)

Whoa Nelly.

I do feel I need to clarify something lest there be any misunderstanding. The opinion I posted yesterday was written based on the interview that I heard as I was cleaning my house. I stopped to watch because it was about fertility and that is something I have struggled with.

The mother that I saw (and AGAIN--it was simply MY interpretation) spoke only about women's rights and not about any other reason for having those babies. If I go re-read any parts I missed on a transcript then I might feel differently; however, I was making a comment-- not so much about her age --as I was her motive. I ended by simply stating that I pray, for the sake of those kids, that her intentions were well-meaning.

I did not judge her appearance or health--because I myself am not in much of a position to do so. To me, she looked great and I applaud her for taking care of herself. Do I think that she consciously made a decision that will result in those twins going through the loss of a parent at an earlier-than-necessary age? Yes, I do. And yes, it hurts any time you lose a mother... but, the main point of my post was that this woman seemed to be, in her own words, "going through all this" to prove a point. If there are parts about siblings, etc. that I missed, I might have had a different opinion. I was not trying to play God by sharing my feelings on the subject--I'm only human (and very much so at that).

Trying to be a mother at 35, 40, 45 and even 50 is (to me) different than at 60 years old. If it weren't, then she wouldn't have made headlines.

On My Soapbox

OK, it's not often that I hop up on my soapbox (at least not on my blog). But a clip I just watched on the Today Show all but pushed me up here.

A woman who is making headlines for being a 60-year-old mother of twins was just interviewed. She was sitting in the hospital (looking "fabbbbbbulous" according to Meredith Viera) and it was apparent that she felt the need to defend her decision. But, instead of arguing that her strong desire to nurture or mother another child--or in this case, two children--led her to want to do this....she jumped up on her own soapbox ranting about women's rights. But, it was one comment that really got me: "I just want women to know they can do this, too. That's the reason I went through with this." Huh? So, was this pregnancy born out of love and a maternal desire to nurture or was it simply a campaign to get attention for a cause?

Yes, I have never been able to get pregnant...but that does not color my opinion here in the least. I just felt sorry for those babies...knowing their mother will be 70 years old before they hit middle school... high school graduation? She'll be nearing 80. She could live to 90 and they'd still only be 30 years old. I lost my Mom at 33 and I can tell you it hurts.

I guess it's really none of my business. I just pray she did it for the right reasons and those kiddos will grow up with a mother that is actively involved in their lives. 'Nuff said.

Works for Me Wednesday!

This one is pretty simple...but, that's the point of Works for Me Wednesdays, right? Giving return address labels as a gift. HUH? It's very easy and makes for a wonderful, personalized addition to any gift (or, it could even serve as a small gift itself).

Last year, I included 6 or 7 pages of customized labels for my friend Cindy as part of her Christmas gift. It really was an afterthought...but she LOVED them. On each page (usually there are 30 labels per sheet) I did their name and address with a different piece of clip art and a different font. It was fun getting to design new ones for different purposes. Some pages were just plain cute (a house with a more casual font) while others were seasonal (Christmas, snowflakes, etc...) And then, I actually used a small picture of she and her husband to do a page of labels as well.

They really were a hit and are a practical gift that shows how much thought you put into customizing labels for their taste/needs. (I even did some for myself, too!)

Works for me! Also, if you would like to check out other WFMW ideas, head on over to Shannon's place...

*note: if you would like a copy of the template I used to get started, I would be happy to send it by email... I have a generic one done so that I can customize it for other families. Just send an email to ktbodiford@bellsouth.net If you will, just put "Return Label Request" in the subject line.

I Oughta' Own Stock...

I have one five year old boy. How many bandages could we possibly need?

LOTS.

Check out Five Minutes for Mom if you'd like to win a year's supply of bandages. Summer is almost here. I'd better stock up. :-)

It's Miraculous...

(click icon above to visit
Tales from the Scales)

...that I did not gain 5 pounds this week. Ab.so.lute.ly miraculous. Whoda' thunk I'd have to sneak back-to-back funeral and weddings in during my weight loss challenge?

I'll set the scene: Mother-in-law's house. Thursday - Saturday. A platter of fresh, warm, chewy brownies sitting under a glass dome....mocking me. All but shouting "Katie! Katie! What's one, little brownie gonna hurt?" So, I had one little brownie. Then, a little while later...another. Then a couple more after dinner. Yep, you see where I'm going with this, don't you?

Oh, but it didn't stop with the brownies...some sort of apple thingie made by my sister-in-law that was a rectangular pan of dough-y goodness. (I had to try a little bit lest she get offended. Good try, huh?) Then there was the punch bowl fruity, cake concoction that contained every kind of fruit under the sun. Fruit? It's good for me. Must. eat. fruit. Nevermind the layer upon layer of moist, dense pound cake and cool whip tucked in between. Sigh....

Lunch was a buffet of dressing, casseroles...then, the wedding cake that afternoon. I should have to say no more.

Of course, I'm disappointed I didn't lose at least a pound. BUT--I did not gain, either. Now, many of you taking the challenge are probably celebrating will power from having abstained from this type of temptation. Well, I'm not there yet.

I did, however, walk this week. Once. But, hey, I got out there and did it. Oh, and I drank a good bit of water this week, too. Celebrate small victories in life, right?

Bottom line: 0 pounds lost.... o pounds gained! A miracle indeed.

Cousins

(above) Daniel, Anna and Walker ~ Rocky Hill, AL

(above) Daniel and "Baby Alden" ~ Dahlonega, GA

(above) Cousins Nathan, Noah and Jonathan of Knoxville, TN


Though our families may live many miles apart
You will never be too far away from my heart . . .

Photo Contest

I'm entering a photo contest sponsored by An Island Life. We're submitting photos taken by us at our favorite vacation spot. Voting begins tomorrow! Now, there are many other bloggers with a much bigger readership contending for the vote so I really have no hopes of winning. But it's still fun to participate! Here's my pic:

"Paradise Found" ~ St. George Island, Florida
October 2005


Paradise for me
Is anywhere I can survey
The wonder of God's creation

Camera in hand
I sat in a beach chair
One breezy October afternoon

As I looked out over the water
I shook my head in awe
A perfect end...to a perfect day.

Voting will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday here. Take a look and, if you get a chance, vote! Thanks so much!

W-O-W

I just read this (on Beth Moore's blog) and it felt like God smacked me up side the head (in a loving way, of course!) Click HERE to read it. Wow.

Works for Me Wednesday!

OK, this this is my first venture into the realm of "Works for Me Wednesday!" Basically, this idea forum is hosted by the wonderful Shannon of Rocks in My Dryer. Everyone shares something simple that "works for them" in their life...the topics are endless!

Here's mine (it's pretty basic):

Whenever I'm cleaning/straightening the house, I get very frustrated trying to pick-up things that don't belong in a certain room and get them to their right place. We happen to have a lot of stairs in our house, too which makes multiple trips up and down precarious.To save time (and the little precious energy I have), I go into each room and compile everything that belongs somewhere else. I place it in a basket that has two handles on it that I call the "Stuff Bus." Each room I enter, I drop off the things that go in there and pick up what doesn't. It has become a pretty efficient way of transporting objects through the house and, if I get sidetracked, I have a basket of things to distribute at a later time (instead of still having them strown about the house).

"Next stop...Master Bedroom!" Hey, it may sound silly, but it sure works for me on Wednesdays-- and every other day!

Katie Needs...

OK, so this has been going around the blog world, so I thought I'd give it a try... (of course, I'm never one to cave to peer pressure or anything!)

So, all you do is type your first name followed by the word "needs" into Google and see what you come back with. For example, I typed in "Katie needs" and this...um...is apparently what I need:

• Katie needs to use the litter pan more on her own (hey--I'm trying...a girl has to work up to these things)
• Katie needs to rest, recover from having her baby (hmm?)
• Katie needs a family that is familiar with big dogs
• Katie needs a running partner (hey-- this Katie needs a WALKING partner first!)
• Katie needs to be isolated (you have no idea...)
• Katie needs help with set-up/representing ASA at 3pm. (not sure what it is...but I'll be there)
• Katie needs to be Katie again (I couldn't agree more)
• Katie needs an escape plan (yup. Italy and a massage therapist named Marcello)
• Katie needs a blood transfusion (I thought it was just a cold...)
• Katie needs to use her disposable income wisely (OK, someone has been paying attention)
• Katie needs a blog (finally! one I can check off the list...)

OK, your turn...give it a try.

The Tale from My Scale

Well, I knew it would happen. Tuesday would roll around again. And, with this being the first weigh-in for our May Day Weight Loss Challenge, I dreaded it. BECAUSE, my dear friends, I did a bad thing. I jumped on the scales frequently this week. Slap my hand, please. Thank you. And, what frustrates me is at one point duirng the week, I had lost 6 pounds. SIX. As I am sitting here today, I watched that darn scale bounce up and down like someone was jumping on it. Sigh................

The bottom line is, as of this morning, I'm two pounds lighter than I was last Tuesday...but I've lost four pounds since April 30-- which was before the challenge so I can't really count it but I secretly do. :-) But, I shall only calculate from day 1 of the challenge, so here's my week's recap:

• Did not get out and purposefully exercise (other than yardwork)


• Started drinking water YESTERDAY (not good enough)


• Got on the scales too much


• Didn't plan out my meals
  
  Goal for this week:


• Walk EVERY day!


• Drink (5) of my big cups of water every day


• STAY OFF THE SCALE (putting it up in my closet!)


• Stock fridge with healthy snacks

So, that's it, ya'll. Not too bad...but coulda' done better. Thanks for caring enough to get to the end of this post. Maybe I'll have some more exciting progress next week!

Motherhood

Although I know she meant well, a friend of mine in church was telling our group of fourth grade girls (as they worked on a homemade Mother's day gift) that "Ms. Katie doesn't have a mother. Her Mom died a few years ago."

You know, the comment really didn't sink in until a little while later. Doesn't have a mother? I guess she's right. But, not really.

I do have a mother. Of course she's in heaven right now pain-free and having the time of her life...or, well, her eternal life. Anyway, you know what I mean. Then there's my stepmother. Different than my Mom in so many ways, but possessing her own special qualities...great cook, friend to many, horse-lover, sharp business skills... And, I can't forget about my mother-in-law. Again, vastly different than my own mother but her life experience has made her into a unique and wonderful person. Having lost her own mother as a teenager, she struggled to help raise her brothers and sisters--acting as a surrogate mother to them. She is a humble and simple woman who's greatest accomplishment to me was raising the fine young man that I eventually married. His faith and strength are something that I thank her for in my heart every day. One last woman whom I consider to be a role model in my life is my own sister. Yes, I'm the "older" sister to her...but she is the closest thing to my Mom on this earth. Her mannerisms, emotions, humor...they so closely resemble Mom that, even four years after her death, I have yet to feel like I am completely without that woman in my life.

I am also blessed with a number of friends who serve to fill the gap in my "motherless" world. There are friends that keep me on the straight and narrow, who challenge my decisions, who listen, empathize and laugh with me. Both local and long distance, these women provide companionship and confidence, comfort and compassion...

Happy Mother's Day to all the "mothers" in my life.

Alive

If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in a field has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand... rejoice, for your soul is alive.

~Eleonora Duse

Almondy goodness

Well, temptation had to happen sooner or later.

Three days into my weight loss challenge and I have to contend with almond creme cake. I opened the pantry...completely forgetting the almond cake that I had bought for company a few nights before sat on the shelf beckoning me...taunting me with it's luscious layers of almondy goodness.

Temporarily relieved thinking it would probably be stale, I soon discovered (by holding it ever so closely to my nose) that it had only gotten more moist. The flavor wafting out nearly drove me insane and the aroma of nutty, sugar glazed sweetness nearly got the best of me as I quickly strolled (more like sprinted) to the garbage can.

Open lid. Dump cake in. Close lid.

Whew. Crisis averted.

7 Weird Things About Me

OK, so I was tagged to list seven things that are weird about me. Only seven? Good grief, I could fill a month's worth of blogs...wait, not a bad idea. Anyway, here you go:

1] I can't be pinned down. That's right, any dreams of a wrestling career are wasted on me. When I was a young tot, I pulled a heavy deacon's bench over onto myself and severed my face from one side of my mouth to the other just above my lipline. My Mom rushed me to the hospital where they had no time to sedate me before stitching me up. So....they had to strap me to this "papoose" board to do it. To this day, I FREAK if you try to hold me down.

2] I have an irrational fear of lightning. and balloons. OK, the lightning is pretty normal but I do notice that most people don't react the same way I do in open spaces if a bolt of lightning pops. I'm talkin' some serious freaking on my part. I'll be walking through a parking lot and, if lightning occurs, I startle like a wild horse and break out into a full-on run. Marathon-speed, folks. It's got to be a pretty funny sight. Now, the balloon thing is because I am just plain afraid of anything that booms, pops, explodes. Makes me shutter just thinkin about it.

3] Dirty Dish Stacking Game. I can have a sink load of dirty dishes but, to me, it's OK as long as they are stacked neatly with the utensils all standing up in a glass. I'm all about compartmentalization, you know. As long as it's organized, I can cope with pretty much anything. To my dear hubby, though...not so much. Dirty dishes are still dirty dishes. Talk about taking all the fun out of it!

4] I'm a Tupperware-a-holic. Really just containers, in general. I use the term "Tupperware" like folks use "coke" for any carbonated beverage. I once (what is this? therapy?) even numbered my tupperware pieces to match the numbers on the lids so I could always pair them up. Fortunately, I did seek counseling and have worked through that unfortunate incident.

5] Doodling. I can't NOT doodle. It's what keeps me sane. Most frequently doodled objects: pens, flowerpots, coke bottles and lamps. I've got this cylindrical issue we'll discuss later.

6]"Sing me a song, you're the piano man..." I know almost every word to every song ever written. Well, maybe that's a SLIGHT exaggeration. But, once I was riding in a car and my friends kept turning the station just to test me and I didn't even notice. I just kept on singing...and knew every word to all the songs that kept coming on. Fortunately, I have passed this trait on to my child so I'm not the only music freak in the family.

7] I love cleaning other people's houses. Just not my own.

On Your Mark...Get Set...

Today is the official start of the Weight Loss Challenge sponsored by a fellow blogger at Tales From the Scales.net! I got a little excited and posted my goals early...they can be found here.

My hubby is doing this with me along with a couple of friends and my sis-in-law. Anyone else wanting to jump in can find more info by clicking on the icon below. Here we go!!!!

(click here to learn more)

Run Fern, Run!

I should never be allowed near plants.

I love them. I love having a house filled with living, growing plants and flowers.

But I kill 'em.

There should be a law--or, maybe they could have a green thumb license where you have to submit pictures of you watering your plants. Or, maybe do like we have to do with adoption...fill out a 25-page profile with tons of pictures with you and plants you've kept alive.

As for me, I buy 'em, I have the best of intentions...but they die.

I'm a horticultural Hindenburg.

Gotcha Day

Today is the 3-year anniversary of the day we adopted our son. And, as is custom, our Gotcha Day would not be complete without our pilgrimage to Chuck E. Cheese. We had a great time...

It was quite funny, though. All day today has been "Daniel Day" and he has taken full advantage. Quite the little salesman, we would be in a store and everything he picked up would be necessary for our Gotcha Day celebration. "Mommy, Daddy...." I would hear his little voice say. "These gummy worms would be great for GOTCHA DAY." We'd just grin and tell him to put them back. Next it was a certain kind of "Gotcha Day" cereal... or popsicles... we finally did give in on the cupcakes...two blue and one pink (for our familial gender breakdown, of course)

We try really hard to balance the marking of this important day without making a HUGE deal that it makes him "special" or "different" from many of his friends. It is simply our way of letting him know that the day he officially came into our family is VERY important to us.

Boy, is it ever. It's a day that changed our lives forever.

It's the day when a young male Russian judge sat high atop his post and grilled us on everything from our childcare plans to our affinity for college football. Translated conversations bounced around the room like a lost pinball as Keith and I stood at full attention-- afraid to move a muscle lest we appear to have something to hide. After approximately 30 minutes, we were asked to step outside and await the judge's verdict. It was grueling.

Here was a child that had been abandoned at 4 months of age and we were willing to give him a good home--yet we had to defend ourselves as if we had been caught committing a crime. In retrospect, I feel like they were simply making sure we were all that we said we were on paper...but, nonetheless, it was a pretty scary encounter. We waited in the dimly lit hallway for what seemed like an eternity stairing at the tall, weathered wooden doors... wondering what they were discussing that could prevent us from becoming this child's parents.

Finally, the doors were opened and we were brought back in the courtroom. After quite a few back-and-forth exchanges in Russian between the judge and our facilitator, the gavel went down and Daniel became our son forever.

Although it had happened in my heart many years before, that was the moment I officially became a Mom. Daniel's Mom. The best job in the world.

(click image to enlarge)

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Friday's Feast: May 4, 2007

(click the logo above to check out the Friday's Feast website.
If you'd like to visit other feasts, click on the comments
section and follow their name link!)

Appetizer ~ Name something you would not want to own?
I don't think that I would like to own a bowling alley. Dealing with all those smelly shoes and the incessant sound of pins being knocked down. Nope, not a dream of mine.

Soup ~ Describe your hair...(texture,color,length...)?
Medium-to-short blonde hair...straight. layered. never been colored but would love to try something exotic. :-)

Salad ~ Finish this sentence: "I'll never forget ____________."
The sound of my son's cry as they brought him down the hall in the orphanage...I had watched his video so many times that I instantly recognized it. I think my heart lept out of my chest.

Main Course ~ Which famous person would you like to be for one day and why?
President of the United States...but only for one day. One of the days when I'd fly into town on Air Force One...they'd shut down all the roads within a 400-mile radius with one of those rolling roadblocks...I'd do a ribbon cutting at a kid's library, meet the latest American Idol cast-off, find out if there really are UFO parts that the government is hiding in the White House basement, call Kentucky Fried chicken to find out what exactly ARE the 11 herbs and spices...then I'd have a big state dinner with Tina Turner entertaining. Good thing I haven't thought this through.

Dessert ~ Write one sentence that includes one thing that is true about you and one thing that is not: I have an irrational fear of balloons and my first job out of college was as a delivery driver for a florist shop.

"Bicycle, Bicycle..."

Such were the lyrics by Queen that my son sang as he reached a pretty big milestone this evening...riding a bike without training wheels.

Decked out in his Cars (Lightning McQueen) bicycle helmet, Daniel jumped on his bike just as daylight began to fade away...dying to give it one last try before nightfall. His little legs wobbled to and fro--desperately trying to stabilize himself as he roared down the incline in the middle of our driveway.

"Bicycle! Bicycle!, I want to ride my bicycle..." he sang at the top of his lungs as he tried over and over to get the peddles spinning while keeping himself upright. The last drops of sunlight were illuminating the road as it happened. Our son, asking only for a "little push power, Mommy" took off toward his father...shirt tail flapping in the wind and his tiny legs peddling as fast as they could. Wobbly--yes. Irratic--yes. But, upright and all by himself. He did it.

My boy. My little man whose marks on the primitive growth chart on our utility room wall get higher and higher with each passing month. The boy who, a few years ago had never heard a drop of English...or had never seen a bicycle... this boy is writing his name and singing all the words to the Grease 2 soundtrack and, yes, just managed to ride a 2-wheeled bicycle around the full perimeter of our cul-de-sac.

Where does it go? Time, that is. It's only been three years since we've had him but now he's about to start kindergarten and...before we know it...one day we'll look beside us to find a grown young man standing there. His slightly darker hair and trademark brown eyes will be the only recognizable features of the scared young child we first saw that day... and, instead of a shiny red bicycle, it will be a car that he drives away in... hair blowing in the breeze... hand waving out the window, "Goodbye..."

OK. I have made myself cry.

Going to bed now.

It was a good day.

Gonna Give it a Go.....

OK... so another writer whose space I often visit in blogdom has issued a challenge!The May Day Weight Loss Challenge officially begins this coming Tuesday, May 8 and runs through September 18. You know me...I'm always up for a challenge. So, every Tuesday, I'll be reporting the losses (yay!) or gains (boo!) for the week. I'm so ready to FEEL better. If I think about it as soley a way to look better, then that won't be enough to motivate me. If it will give me more energy so that I won't be so out of breath every time I'm running behind my son as he learns to ride his bike... now THAT'S motivating!

My goals are as follows:

• Lose 25 pounds during the challenge
• Drink more H2O!
• Exercise at LEAST 3 days per week
• Bigger breakfasts/smaller dinners (sigh...don't. like. breakfast.)
• Fit into the green and black dress that has been hanging in my closet for the past 2 or 3 years with a tag on it cause I can't zip it up

OK...so there it is. I've put it out there on the beautiful world wide web for everyone to see. If that's not accountability, I don't know what is.

Also, I know there are several sites that I visit but never leave comments...feel free to leave comments on my Weight Loss Challenge (WLC) posts...I need all the encouragement I can get!
Go Katie Go! (OK, I think I need to go lie down for a minute. All this posting has really taken it outta me.) [grin]

This is a "scrapbook" of sorts of my recent trip to Banff
for our Mid-Year Conference... all the photos were taken with
a Panasonic Lumix digital camera.

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Scenes from Banff

Each morning, the sunrise at 6:15 was a sight to behold~~
muted tones of pinks and oranges peeking out
over the snowy caps of the Canadian Rockies...

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The hotel was majestic...a castle full of nooks and crannies
and mysterious marble staircases tucked here and there...

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What a way to greet a new day...

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Scenery, Snowflakes, Slingshots & Sunshine

View from our room... Room 861 (click image to enlarge)

Such is the synopsis of this last week of my life...a week in which I was much too tired to blog even though internet access would have allowed me to do so. I spent the last week at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada and it was a BEAUTIFUL place to be sequestered for six days.

The scenery was straight out of a marketing brochure...the window of my room providing a view so magnificent that I could have easily mistaken it for a painting hanging on the wall. The Canadian Rockies laid out before me...their snowy peaks beckoning me to ditch all event planning responsibilities and run to the hills...two large granite mountain faces framing the Rockies and protecting the scenic Bow River that snaked its way through the valley...

Each day that we were there was a glorious spring-like concoction with cool breezes and Spruce pines dancing in the warm afternoon glow. Then, Sunday morning we awoke to find no trace of mountains on the horizon. The fog had rolled in and we soon discovered what looked to be a solitary snowflake swimming in the air outside our window. Then, another. And another. Within 20 minutes time, a full-fledged snow storm had blown in and I was deliriously happy. I considered this to be the pinnacle of an already fantastic week. We southerners took delight in photographing each other as the quarter-sized flaked camped out on our eyelashes. Mule deer and elk grazed on the patches of grass behind the hotel as they turned from a brownish-green to snow-laden white.

All too soon, we boarded a passenger bus that carried us to the city of Calgary and onto the flights that would take us back to our homes. For me, it was a complete climate change as I read the weather forecast for an 85 degree day today. Armed with a hand-carved slingshot in my suitcase (which I found out was an approved "weapon" in the airline carry-on manual), I made my way home to my hubby and son. Upon arrival (at midnight last night) my son shouted "where's my surprise???" (Glad to see you, too) and I produced the slingshot which, as of today, he (thankfully) has not mastered yet.

Today was a day of glorious sunshine and summer-like activities. We practiced riding a bike sans training wheels and we played and worked in the flowerbeds. It is a day like today that reminds me what I love most about life... that familiar comfort of a little boy's laughter and the feeling that I am back where I belong this day.

There's nothing better.

Adoption of a Different Sort

I have another thing in common with my son. It just took a sermon to make me realize it.

Yesterday, after we took our seat in church, the title of the sermon flashed across the screen..."A Child Adopted." Oh my, I thought. Being adoptive parents, Keith and I automatically perked up and wondered how adoption would be woven in to the message.

The guest pastor was a young guy and, toward the end of his message, he spoke about orphans and how their lives are void of hope and a sense of belonging...how they must know that they belong to someone but the desire to be chosen is a constant emotion. He went on to to mention the conditions in most orphanages--a topic we're all too familiar with-- and I suddenly felt a lump appearing in my throat.

Having visited several orphanages during two separate trips to Russia in 2004, my heart still aches for the children "left behind." Keith and I both agree that if we were financially able, we would have adopted all 120-or so kids in that facility. There was the dark haired little boy with big brown eyes that sat next to Daniel and quietly sipped his soup...not quite sure what to make of the digital camera in our hands. Then there was "Vo-Vo," a friend of Daniel's that sat meekly on my lap...the caring touch of my hand seeming so foreign to him. Remembering the desperation of many of the kids with whom we came in contact, I had an urge to jump out of my chair and race to Daniel's Sunday school room and hold him.

The tie in was so apparent-- but yet, had been lost on me until that point:

Romans 8: 15......."You have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father."

Before Daniel knew we had chosen him, he knew not the unconditional love that comes from having a parent. In his heart, I'm sure he knew he belonged to someone...all the while living life the best he knew how. In fact, I would venture to say that he really knew no different...never knew that there could be love without limits, boundaries created out of care and compassion and acceptance that knows no end.

My relationship with my God is much the same. Before I knew Him, I never knew that my mistakes were forgiven simply because I have faith in Him. In my heart, I knew there was something missing...something more...someone more... but I continued living my life the best way I knew how. And yes, I really never knew any different.

But, I now know that anyone who believes in God, and desires to have a relationship with Him, will experience that same limitless love, and Biblical boundaries and, of course, an acceptance that knows no end.

Yes, Daniel and I have a very special thing in common. I, too, am an adopted child... a very thankful one indeed.

Sing...Sing a Song....

OK, so I guess I'm really enjoying the challenge of these blog surveys I have come across; only, this one is a great deal harder than the last time I bought a pillow. According to Big Mama, I am supposed to identify my favorite seven songs of all time. ONLY SEVEN? Seven hundred, perhaps. How in the dickens am I supposed to chop my favorite songs list down like that? I have at least 50 songs in every genre imaginable that I have tagged as "favorites."

Oh well, I'll at least take a stab at it for humor's sake. These are not going to be in any sort of order:

1) Fields of Gold as sung by Eva Cassidy... soothing, melodic and stirs in me emotions I didn't know I had.

2) Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol...my current favorite. Don't know what it is about this song, but I could listen to it over...and over....and over.... and I do.

3) Annie's Song by John Denver...yes, I said John Denver. Love him. Grew up listening to him. Who in the heck writes like him anymore? "You fill up my senses, like a night in the forest...like the mountains in springtime, like a walk in the rain..." sigh...............

4) The Water is Wide by Sarah McLachlan, Indigo Girls & Jewel.... was my Mom's favorite song and, consequently became mine. The harmonies and the words...love. it.

5) Into the Mystic by Van Morrison... the soaring chorus of this song is one I must belt out no matter where I am. It's one I should not plan on listening to on my iPod in public. It could get ugly.

there's only two more.....? Nooooooooooo...I need more!

6) Chiquitita by Abba...risking all sorts of ridicule I decided to post this one. Yes, I am a nerd. But I adore this song. My friend Cindy and I can be seen riding down the road singing this at the top of our lungs...harmonies soaring and coolness quotient dropping by the second.

7) Tie: (see, I knew I could fit more in...) Amazing Grace (Chris Tomlin's version, especially) and How Great is Our God

whew! I may have to amend the list as new ones pop in my head... I didn't really even slip into my love of 80's music (Whoop, There It Is almost made the cut!)...there are simply too many to name. What are your favorites???

Friday's Feast: April 20, 2007

Another site in blogdom I've run across is Friday's Feast. It's just a list of five little questions offered up each week...thought it would be fun to join in. Here goes:

Appetizer ~ What is your favorite kind of bread?
It would be a tie between a doughy garlic knot dripping in butter and the yummy homemade Amish Cinnamon bread that my friend Deb brought me. Mmmmmm...I'm hungry.

Soup ~ When was the last time you bought a new pillow?
This one's easy. Last Saturday at the Dollar General in Hiawassee, Georgia. I forgot our pillows when we went camping and the first night "roughin' it" without them was not so good. Mind you, I remembered to bring everything else we could ever need (smores supplies being the #1 priority) But no pillows!

Salad ~ Approximately how many hours per week do you spend surfing the ‘net?
Between blogging here, writing a blog with a faraway friend, looking up meeting space capacity charts, pulling up directions, weather.com, CNN and reading numerous other blogs by people much wittier than I... too much time. I ain't proud.

Main Course ~ What’s the highest you remember your temperature being?
I dunno really. Maybe 102-point-something?

Dessert ~ Fill in the blanks: When I ____________, I _____________.
When I get mad, I cry.
It's really not something I like about myself. Can't a girl show a little moxy without boohooing?

Happy Dance

Happy Dance, Happy Dance, Katie's doing the Happy Dance.
Finally...the real competition can begin!

It Just Gets Harder

Taps is playing in the background as I write this. The sound is coming from the TV in my bedroom as images of the Virginia Tech massacre are rehashed.

This is when the parenting stuff gets "sticky."

My son is 5 years old and is ALL boy. He loves running around the yard in pretend battles and is very imaginative when it comes to playtime. He can take any inanimate object and turn it into a weapon..sticks, shoes, etc...

Anal mommy that I am, I have always been uncomfortable with this because of the type of tragedies we experienced this week. Trying my best to balance letting him be a boy with an imagination with not wanting him to think it's OK to pretend to be shooting people...it's really a tough spot to be in.

On one hand, if I spend too much time harping on it, I know it will only make it seem that much more appealing. "Ooohhh, I'm not supposed to be doing this...." The perceived "wrongness" of it makes him only want to do it more.

I myself am a real dichotomy... while I am an artsy, creative "free" spirit who wants to let my child express himself and be uninhibited, there is another more guarded, apprehensive side of me that seems to always be looking down the road. Is everything he does now a glimpse of what he will be like as a teenager? Or, are these actions just the actions of a little boy pretending to be a soldier or a pirate or any other harmless figure?

I know I may be taking this all too seriously. But I struggle with how to raise my son to be a gentle, compassionate human being without squelching the wonderful "rough and tumble" kid that he is.

By the way, I am STILL waiting on that parenthood manual to arrive...you know, the one that tells you exactly how to handle issues like this.

Anybody got one I can borrow?

Katie's Little Addictions: #3

I love, love, LOVEEEEEE this song. Ab-so-lute-ly love it.

Things that Make Me Happy...

Hearing the word "Mommy"--whiny or not, a newly opened box of crayons, enough paper in the printer, a husband who still loves me 14 years later, binder clips with magnets on the back, good guacamole, red balloons, acoustic guitar, smell of fresh cut grass, roller coasters, refolding a map the right way, being called "Aunt KK", laminating sheets, my son in overalls, chocolate brown eyes with long eyelashes, apples in a bowl, gerber daisies, mountain streams, clip art, post-it notes, strawberries with Splenda, spreadsheets with formulas that work, keeping green plants alive, campfires, John Denver music, the line from Pride and Prejudice "you have bewitched me body and soul...", getting personal mail, October, my automatic shower cleaner, the sound of the ocean, golden retrievers and tennis balls, singing Amazing Grace, Mongolian chicken, the window seat, highlighters, the word "serendipity," playing Phase 10, stars, old love letters, solving a Sudoko puzzle, grande white chocolate mocha add almond, smores, doodling while on the phone, the first notes of the Alabama fight song, Tom Hanks, Psalm 51, hot buttered popcorn, poetry and rain.

Dancing with God

~ a friend sent this email to me and it really
spoke to me...so, I decided to share it here... ~

* * *

When I meditated on the word Guidance,
I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music,
and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.
When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,
both bodies begin to flow with the music.

One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back
or by pressing lightly in one direction or another.
Two become one body, moving beautifully.
Dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from
one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.

When I saw "G,” I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i". ;
"God, "u" and "i" dance." God, you, and I dance.

As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust
that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

My prayer for you today is that God's blessings
and mercies be upon you on this day and everyday.
May you abide in God as God abides in you.

Dance together with God, trusting God to lead
and to guide you through each season of your life.

It Doesn't Matter...

Yesterday I sobbed.

I know, for those of you that know me pretty well, this is nothing out of the ordinary. But this was different.

I turned on my trusty Tivo to catch the Grey's Anatomy episode that I missed last Thursday. But, much to my dismay, it was from a year ago. I then remembered I had not been watching it back then so it really was "new" to me.

One of the character stories was a woman dying of cancer only she hadn't told her teenage daughter. The daughter weaves herself in and out of the scene--beligerant and impatient--never knowing that her Mom will only be a live for a short while. Of course having lost my own Mom to cancer, this was particularly poignant for me...but it went beyond that.

One of the "hot shot" doctors was dismayed to discover that the daughter had not been clued in to the extent of her mother's illness. Without going into too many details, he pretty much chastised her for not being truthful. After the mother defended herself for "protecting her child," the surgeon quickly retaliated with "if you do not tell her and you die, then she'll hate you for the rest of her life." It was a gritty scene which contrasted the difference between "white" lies and brutal honesty. Finally, the doctor came in to discover the daughter in tears sitting at the edge of her mother's bed engrossed in what she soon realized was a deathbed conversation.

This is when I began tearing up. The mother was giving the girl all the pointers that she wouldn't be able to give her after she was gone. Topics of personal hygiene and dating were tossed about before she got to the one that really got to me.

You see, I have been struggling with motherhood and walking this most challenging of paths without my own Mom there to guide me. Granted, I have my mother-in-law and my stepmother but I'm pretty sure even they would acknowledge that somehow it's not quite the same. I need to know what I was like at my son's age and how she handled my own temper tantrums and stubborness, etc. Sometimes, I feel like the biggest failure in the world and long to hear that she went through the exact same thing with ME.

So, hence my reaction to the next scene. The mother reveals the seriousness of her illness and proceeds to tell her daughter, "now here's the important one...the one you really need to pay attention to... someday you're going to have a baby. And you'll worry about what to feed him, and you'll obsess about what school to send him to and whether or not he should take piano or violin lessons...but I'm going to let you in on a little secret...it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if your child is a concert pianist or a math genius...because all that really matters is that your child is happy........"

My sobs shattered the silence of the room and suddenly I could not contain my emotions. In recent weeks, we have struggled with some behavior issues and which school to send Daniel to...and her words could not have touched me more. It was as if my own mother was speaking to me with her hand resting on my shoulder. "It's OK, " I heard her whisper.

And suddenly, I felt that she was right.

A Boy's Thoughts: April 8, 2007

"Mommy, will there be wooly mammoths in Heaven since they're all "a-stinked?" (extinct)

Easter Memories

Easter is one of my favorite times of the year. The meaning has changed drastically for me through the years, but it will always serve as a time for renewal, hope and celebration.

Although I had a Christian upbringing, I never was exposed to a depth of knowledge that my five year old has been privy to just since coming to this country. His grasp of so many Bible stories--coupled with an insatiable desire to ask questions--has put him years ahead of where I was spiritually at that age.

For me, many memories come flooding back when this holiday rolls around:

• Shopping for white shoes and purses at Payless Shoe Source.
  
• Dying Easter eggs with the little Paas dye kit using a tiny bent wire with a loop on it.
  
• Dye-stained fingers and hands from dipping the eggs into a variety of containers filled with the dark pools of different colors....
  
• Mom playing "Because He Lives" on the piano before church.
  
• Digging for jellybeans (pink ones--my favorite!) in the bottom of my Easter basket.
  
• Chloe perfume in my Easter basket every year
  
• Ham, Mom's potato salad, green beans, deviled eggs...

The meaning of Easter continues to deepen as I grow older. I am grateful for Jesus and how He died on the cross to save me from my sins. I am such an imperfect person but realize that I am perfect in God's eyes because of my faith in His son. I am also thankful for blue skies and blooming lilies and azaleas and for little girls in brightly-colored Easter dresses. I delight in the eager "gotta-find-my easter-basket" anticipation of my five-year old son as we tucked him in tonight...I rejoice in the fact that I am alive today to revel in the wonder of His creation... jellybeans, egg dye, Bible stories and all............

Refuge

At 2:30 this morning, a wide-eyed 5-year old stumbled into our bedroom--jarred out of his own slumber by a loud clap of thunder accompanied by a "light up every room of your house" kind of lightning bolt.

"Can I sleep with you and Daddy?" he asked quietly.

"Sure, climb on in, " I reply with a raspy, still-sleepy voice.

Don't you miss the days when all it took to feel safe in this world was climbing in between your Mommy and Daddy in bed?

I sure do.

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior
Has ransomed me
And like a flood
His mercy reigns
Unending love.......

Amazing Grace

At the Movies: Premonition

I wish I had good things to say about this film...because I was so eager to see it. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

It was O.K.
It jumped around too much.
I was confused.
And then.....came the ending.

The only thing I can tell you is...in a quiet theater of bewildered moviegoers...I (not realizing the volume of my comment) shouted "You have GOT to be kidding me!?"

Save your moolah and make this one a rental. You know, when you can keep pen and pad handy to take notes, draw charts and try to figure out what in the heck is going on.

Farewell........

Just wanted to bid you all a kind farewell. I am most certainly not going to survive this allergy attack and wanted to let you know how nice it has been meeting you here in this lovely forum. Good night and good luck.................

OK, so I just wouldn't be me without a little melodrama but, the truth is, I am DYING here. Here at my desk in my home office where I mistakenly had the windows open earlier this week...enjoying the spring weather never knowing that pollen death particles were floating in unannounced. Never having dealt with allergies before, I'm sure I'm just not used to this feeling. But, my eyes are burning and tearing up, my head feels like someone has shoved a volleyball up my nostrils and I'm certain there is some sort of brick item sitting on top of my lungs.

As my friend Cindy commented, "you should never have to use your windshield wipers to get pollen off your car." But I have. This is ridiculous.

Here are the stats I found this morning (see, checking this blog can be educational):

POLLEN COUNT
0-30 Low
31-60 Moderate
61-120 High
Over 120+ Extremely High

Last Wednesday, it was 918...
A couple days ago, it was in the 2000 range...

Today's Count: 5,208!

The all time high is just over 6,000. Drug store allergy aisle, here I come!

Perplexed

Please tell me how in the WORLD three people can accumulate as much laundry as we do?

It's just not natural.

What's Going On...

right now: finished putting load of sheets and towels in dryer

supper tonight: beef brisket, broccoli casserole

good thing today: 4th grade girls engaging in Bible lesson

not-so-good thing today: sister Jenny crying as I left her at airport

listening to: NOTHING! My sound is broken on my computer! :-(

current addiction: (besides Ruby Red) ...Grey's Anatomy

Katie's Little Addictions: #2

yum.

Searching..........

Martha Stewart's show is on in the background as I work and she just made a shocking revelation. She is on an exhaustive search for the perfect scone.

The perfect scone?

There are many things in my world that I could do an exhaustive search for and the perfect scone is nowhere on my list. Topping my list would be a mate for the 237 socks in "sock heaven"--that basket in my closet which serves as a temporary (and sometimes permanent) home for socks with no match. I'd also search for the lid to the bottle of children's ibuprofen sitting in my cabinet as well as every nice black gel pen I've bought in the last year.

Let's see...as long as I'm searching, I could try and find my driver's license that has been missing since our Orlando trip. I'm sure it's in a pocket but, for the life of me, I haven't come across it yet. I carry my passport with me for identification but I'm sure a police officer would not accept that as proof that I am allowed to drive in the state of Georgia. Yes, I can go to Russia if I'd like but driving to Wal-Mart could get me into trouble.

See, Martha...you search for scones and I search for pens, socks and my driver's license. We're kindred souls you and I.

Night Owl

I've always been the one to fall asleep just about anywhere. As a child, it was face down in my mashed potatoes at the dinner table. Then there's the famous pic of me at age 3 sound asleep, standing up, with my head resting on the closed toilet lid. I sleep in the car the minute it is cranked (um, well, except when I'm actually the one driving...) and I can never make it through a movie at home without catching some ZZzzzz's.

So, what is it that has me in a pattern of complete and utter lucidity at 2:42 in the morning?! I could go downstairs and turn on a movie, read, organize something... I am completely awake. This has been a trend of late and it's an odd one for me. I'm not sure if working from home has something to do with it...knowing that I can stay up later but be able to work in complete peace and quiet...I'm not sure. But, whatever it is has my entire schedule and body clock going haywire.

What have I been doing since 11pm when the fellas turned it in? Well, my computer has been acting crazy and, upon further investigation I noticed the most aggravating jumble of twisted cords and cables I have ever seen. So, I have meticulously disassembled my entire computer, cleaned it, straightened out the wires, labeled them (yes, I am OCD and proud) and plugged everything back in. Obviously, it seems to be working fine so now at least I am going to bed with organized computer connections. It's the American Dream. OK, so not really. But it feels better nonetheless.

A Boy's Thoughts: March 14, 2007

As I was bathing Daniel yesterday, he commented (quite seriously, I might add):

"So, Mom, I'm guessing penquins only use cold water in their bathtubs, huh?"

March 13

Thirteen is one of those high-profile numbers. For some, it is considered unlucky. Ooooh, thirteeeennnnnnnnn...even hotels don't have a thirteenth floor because of the superstition tied to the number. For others, it's quite the opposite. Thirteen is a lucky number for them...a number to bet on, if you're so inclined.

For me, the number has never had much meaning. That is, until four years ago when it became the day my mother died.

Let me tell you, the significance of this day is not lost on me. But, I must say it is no harder than any of the other 364 days out of the year that I don't have Mom in my life. A random Tuesday in January might showcase her absence as much, if not more. You know, a day when I've had it up to my eyeballs with my son's incessant whining because I made him take a bath before breakfast instead of after...or when I hear a song that I know she would have loved...those are my March 13th's. The problem is, I never know when they'll be appearing on the calendar. I can't plan ahead to prepare to be sad or particularly melancholy. Instead, those days hit me out of the blue--with no warning or preparation.

If I had my way, I think I'd rather have this one day to grieve each year. One day to stay in my PJ's, watch sappy movies, look through pictures, listen to all of her favorite music...just taking time to wallow in my sadness. Then, March 14th would come along and I'd go back to my carefree existence without the daily reminders of how much I miss her.

But, it doesn't work that way and, to tell you the truth, I'm OK with that. It's the little remembrances that keep her memory alive through the years. It's tasting a lime popsicle and knowing how much she enjoyed them. It's looking at my hands and seeing the same lines appearing that I remember seeing on hers when I was a child. It's seeing a pattern in the sewing section of Wal-mart, the conglomeration of paint colors on my palette as I paint a mural in my son's room and, most of all, it's knowing how much she would adore him and the witty banter which has become his trademark.

March 13 is here once again. Yes, it's been four years. Yes, another spring is upon us and, sadly, she won't be here to revel in it. I get sad to think that the daffodils are sprouting up everywhere and the azalea buds are about to burst open and she isn't here to enjoy it.

But, she is here.

She is alive in the smell of the soup simmering on my stove and the neatly folded stack of dish towels on the counter. She's here when re-runs of Designing Women play in the background while I cook dinner or when I put yet another load of laundry in the dryer. She's alive in the words that I write and the songs that I sing and the sparkle in my son's eyes. Believe me, she's very much here.

Just curious...

Do you think male ladybugs get a complex about their name?

Hangin It Up

There's an old saying "hangin up your sword" which translates to giving up the fight or taking a good long break from something. Well, our little pirate did just that earlier today.

Keith was in the yard burning some branches, etc...when he glanced over to find Daniel in an interesting nap spot. It was only 11:30am but he hadn't been feeling good so I guess he settled into the first spot he could find:

(click pictue to enlarge)

The sword hanging neatly through a slot in the back of the chair cracks me up... how fitting for a tired pirate on a sunny Saturday morn.

Blog Fog

A friend of mine called the other day asking "why haven't you blogged lately?? what's going on???" While that made me feel good that someone besides myself is interested in the minutae of my life, I realized that I'm in a bit of a blog fog of late. Things have been a little crazy with me working two full time jobs and trying to be a Mom and a wife...and a daughter...and a sister...as well as a friend...and community group leader...yikes...

Everyone in life wears many hats, but I realized that I was so busy trying to juggle which hat I was wearing at any given moment that I was letting important stuff fall to the backburner. Maybe in the scheme of things a blog doesn't seem that important, but it is to me. It is an outlet that I look forward to...a way to vent, share, create... and let others know what's going on in my ordinary everyday world. Sometimes I get bogged down and don't have anything really enlightening to share so I don't want to write down the boring stuff. But, what I've realized, is that life is made up of boring stuff and that it's the cumulative boring moments that make life...well, not so boring. Have I lost you yet?

Anyway, I let go one of my jobs the other day and am trying to regain some semblance of order in my life. I am vowing (for myself if not anyone else) to record the little everyday stuff. As I look back on my days over the past year, it's fun to recall the pesky bird pecking on my door or a conversation that I had with my son that I might not otherwise remember.

So, hopefully, I'll be more consistent in my posting. I'm sure some day down the road I'll be glad I did.

What's Going On...

right now: 9:30pm typing a quick blog before watching American Idol that I tivoed (tivo'd?) earlier. Not too fired up. Just the guys. And they have given me nothing to get too jazzed about.

supper tonight: asian salad from indigo joe's. competed in trivia with my hubby (I narrowly lost--of course)

good thing today: buying a new crock pot (good grief that sounds lame)

not-so-good thing today: discovering the highway-robbery cost of replacing our carpeted areas with hardwood. Yikkkkkeeeeeeeeessssssssss.....

listening to: Grey's Anatomy mix on iTunes -- love me some Grey's Anatomy

current addiction: Ruby Red Sunrise Crystal Light

80's Music Quiz

Click on the pic below to take an 80's Music Quiz...

(note: my score was 128.5 --
I have no idea whether that is bad or good?)

(click on pic to begin quiz)