There it is, a sampling of my five year old girl's photography skills. So sweet:)
Do you have a Memorable Moment to share on this wonderful Monday morning?!!
Monday, January 14, 2008
Memorable Moments Monday
Soph got a camera for Christmas. A cheap, digital camera that has fueled her love of photography. Some may wonder what pictures a five-year-old might take, so here it is!
There it is, a sampling of my five year old girl's photography skills. So sweet:)
There it is, a sampling of my five year old girl's photography skills. So sweet:)
Thursday, January 10, 2008
The Road That Led Me To My Man... Part 3
That night I met up with Lisa and some of her friends to head over to the local hangout. It was a bar/Laundromat. I figured some college student came up with that gold mine of an idea. I couldn't help but be excited about possibly seeing Wrangler boy. I had convinced myself I was interested in him on an intellectual level only. Yes, I practiced that phrase in front of my mirror many times as I took great pains in getting ready for the evening. As it turned out, one of Lisa's friends had a huge crush on Wrangler boy. She just happened to also be petite and blond, I was beginning to see a pattern here. So it was a good thing I was only interested in him intellectually because I lived in strict accordance to the Girl Handbook and clearly rule number 37 states "whoever sees him first has first dibs". I breathed a sigh of relief because obviously someone from high above was making sure my path was free and clear of distractions. Full speed ahead.
An hour later I suffered whiplash. Seems my full speed ahead hit a roadblock when blondie realized that Wrangler boy had no interest in her. She unfortunately had a bad evening. She was a really sweet girl, trying very hard to get WB's attention. But when you are at a bar with alcohol and well meaning friends are involved and the boy you have a crush on things can get ugly. You do things you normally wouldn't do. I think we've all been there! I tell this part of the story because this is when I realized WB was really just a good guy. He knew she had a thing for him and although he was polite and friendly tried to separate himself from her all evening. Later, he never talked about what happened that evening. In fact, he did whatever he could to keep people from talking about it. He just said things like , "There is a better guy out there for her than me." It was sweet and endearing.
All evening I talked and he listened. He talked and I fell a little more under his spell. He was like no other guy I knew. His voice was quiet and strong. His humor was subtle, his faith strong, and he was really smart in a non-boring way. So by the time he deftly folded the bar napkin sitting in front of me into a rose and handed it to me I was a goner. Whiplash, on my road to no distractions.
To make a long story short it took a couple more group meetings before we had our first date. I could go on and on about all the fun we had. Our first plane ride with him at the wheel, driving in his jeep, football games, the list goes on and on. But this is what I soon discovered. He was not a roadblock for me. He was along for the ride. He never kept me from my studies, never discouraged me from doing my own thing. We went to church together, prayed together, staffed retreats together and learned to be better people together. We were on the same path.
A year and a half later he slipped an almost perfect heart- shaped diamond on my left hand. We've experienced some bumps along the way, who doesn't, but in the end we're always right there hand and hand as God leads as down this road of life.
(Love you honey, and yes, I know other people are going to read this!)
An hour later I suffered whiplash. Seems my full speed ahead hit a roadblock when blondie realized that Wrangler boy had no interest in her. She unfortunately had a bad evening. She was a really sweet girl, trying very hard to get WB's attention. But when you are at a bar with alcohol and well meaning friends are involved and the boy you have a crush on things can get ugly. You do things you normally wouldn't do. I think we've all been there! I tell this part of the story because this is when I realized WB was really just a good guy. He knew she had a thing for him and although he was polite and friendly tried to separate himself from her all evening. Later, he never talked about what happened that evening. In fact, he did whatever he could to keep people from talking about it. He just said things like , "There is a better guy out there for her than me." It was sweet and endearing.
All evening I talked and he listened. He talked and I fell a little more under his spell. He was like no other guy I knew. His voice was quiet and strong. His humor was subtle, his faith strong, and he was really smart in a non-boring way. So by the time he deftly folded the bar napkin sitting in front of me into a rose and handed it to me I was a goner. Whiplash, on my road to no distractions.
To make a long story short it took a couple more group meetings before we had our first date. I could go on and on about all the fun we had. Our first plane ride with him at the wheel, driving in his jeep, football games, the list goes on and on. But this is what I soon discovered. He was not a roadblock for me. He was along for the ride. He never kept me from my studies, never discouraged me from doing my own thing. We went to church together, prayed together, staffed retreats together and learned to be better people together. We were on the same path.
A year and a half later he slipped an almost perfect heart- shaped diamond on my left hand. We've experienced some bumps along the way, who doesn't, but in the end we're always right there hand and hand as God leads as down this road of life.
(Love you honey, and yes, I know other people are going to read this!)
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Works For Me Wednesday Backwards Addition
I'm taking another little break from posting my Love Story Part 3 to join in WFMW Backwards Edition. This is where we ask the question and all you helpful bloggers get to chime in with your answers.
So here's my question ...How do you tell your kids to deal with bullies? They are not always the big, scary kids, sometimes they are the petite, my mom curls my hair every morning and irons my designer dress, and I'm just five variety. We know both kinds around here.
I can't wait to hear your tips!
For more go to Rocks In My Dryer.
So here's my question ...How do you tell your kids to deal with bullies? They are not always the big, scary kids, sometimes they are the petite, my mom curls my hair every morning and irons my designer dress, and I'm just five variety. We know both kinds around here.
I can't wait to hear your tips!
For more go to Rocks In My Dryer.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
The Road That Led Me To My Man - Part 2
Okay, here is my second installment of my love story. You know this is stretching into a longer story than I thought. I promise though that I will finish it this week, really, pinkie swear!
I was so happy. I was so excited to have finally "found" my place. Since the semester was winding down the Catholic Student Association planned a picnic at the Recreation field on campus. As I put on my jean shorts, the ones with the Dirty Dancing inspired rolled up cuffs, I thought about all the new friendships I had made since the retreat. I looked forward to seeing my new friends and meeting even more as I drove to campus. I scanned the field looking for someone I knew and instantly spotted Lisa. She was tall and lanky with long curly hair and the sweetest Texas twang. She was the daughter of a cotton farmer and had grown up near Tech. Her cousin, Russell, (well, actually they were second cousins or something like that) I had also met on the retreat and he and I had become fast friends. Laughing, we gathered up food on our paper plates and found a place to sit. It always amazed me how you can meet some people and just instantly be able to talk about anything. It's just comfortable and easy. I was so thankful that Lisa and Russell were that way, I believed God was smiling down on me. And probably saying something like "it's about time you wayward child!"
After we stuffed our faces with hot dogs and potato chips I wandered out onto the playground to visit with some other people I recognized. A group of girls were standing around chatting and there in the middle of the fray was Wrangler boy, but he was wearing shorts and tennis shoes that day. Even though I still found him attractive I knew his type and therefore felt no pressure to impress him in any way. The conversation veered off toward military planes. Really, I have no idea how. One minute we were talking about our favorite flavor of potato chips and the next minute we were discussing the cruising altitude of the B-1 bomber. Thanks to my Dad and his love of military air shows, I was well versed on the abilities and names of various fighter jets and helicopters. I had even believed when I was young that I would one day fly an F-15 . I totally overlooked the fact that at that time women were not allowed to fly these aircraft and that because of bad ears my equilibrium was shot and I would probably spend my entire time in the air sicker than a dog. This of course never registered on my pre-pubescent mind. But it came in handy in this conversation. Slowly, the others drifted off and Wrangler boy and I were alone discussing the advantages of the Apache helicopter.
As we talked I couldn't help but notice his big, brown eyes. I shook my head and squinted, trying to blur his face out of focus so I wouldn't become distracted. I am a sucker for big, brown eyes. Like those you find on the face of a Jersey cow. Not that he resembled a cow, it's just those eyes. Let's just say they are a distraction for me. I'm sure by the end of our conversation he thought I either had a tick or needed glasses with all the squinting I was doing. But as I left he followed me to my car and asked if I would be going to the local hangout that night and I said yes and he said he'd see me there. My heart did a little flutter, which I accounted to my long walk to the car and not to Wrangler boy and his big brown eyes.
I was so happy. I was so excited to have finally "found" my place. Since the semester was winding down the Catholic Student Association planned a picnic at the Recreation field on campus. As I put on my jean shorts, the ones with the Dirty Dancing inspired rolled up cuffs, I thought about all the new friendships I had made since the retreat. I looked forward to seeing my new friends and meeting even more as I drove to campus. I scanned the field looking for someone I knew and instantly spotted Lisa. She was tall and lanky with long curly hair and the sweetest Texas twang. She was the daughter of a cotton farmer and had grown up near Tech. Her cousin, Russell, (well, actually they were second cousins or something like that) I had also met on the retreat and he and I had become fast friends. Laughing, we gathered up food on our paper plates and found a place to sit. It always amazed me how you can meet some people and just instantly be able to talk about anything. It's just comfortable and easy. I was so thankful that Lisa and Russell were that way, I believed God was smiling down on me. And probably saying something like "it's about time you wayward child!"
After we stuffed our faces with hot dogs and potato chips I wandered out onto the playground to visit with some other people I recognized. A group of girls were standing around chatting and there in the middle of the fray was Wrangler boy, but he was wearing shorts and tennis shoes that day. Even though I still found him attractive I knew his type and therefore felt no pressure to impress him in any way. The conversation veered off toward military planes. Really, I have no idea how. One minute we were talking about our favorite flavor of potato chips and the next minute we were discussing the cruising altitude of the B-1 bomber. Thanks to my Dad and his love of military air shows, I was well versed on the abilities and names of various fighter jets and helicopters. I had even believed when I was young that I would one day fly an F-15 . I totally overlooked the fact that at that time women were not allowed to fly these aircraft and that because of bad ears my equilibrium was shot and I would probably spend my entire time in the air sicker than a dog. This of course never registered on my pre-pubescent mind. But it came in handy in this conversation. Slowly, the others drifted off and Wrangler boy and I were alone discussing the advantages of the Apache helicopter.
As we talked I couldn't help but notice his big, brown eyes. I shook my head and squinted, trying to blur his face out of focus so I wouldn't become distracted. I am a sucker for big, brown eyes. Like those you find on the face of a Jersey cow. Not that he resembled a cow, it's just those eyes. Let's just say they are a distraction for me. I'm sure by the end of our conversation he thought I either had a tick or needed glasses with all the squinting I was doing. But as I left he followed me to my car and asked if I would be going to the local hangout that night and I said yes and he said he'd see me there. My heart did a little flutter, which I accounted to my long walk to the car and not to Wrangler boy and his big brown eyes.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Memorable Moments Monday
I am interrupting the continuation of my love story for my weekly MMM. Not to worry, I know you're hanging on the edge of your seats, I will continue Part 2 of The Road That Led Me To My Man tomorrow.
Last Monday when Soph had her tonsils out she woke up from surgery having a histamine release. When we walked in the room her face was all red and splotchy and her eyes were red. She was in pain and upset. As a parent I felt helpless and hated watching her in agony. This went on for a good hour. The nurse wanted her to take pain meds, drink fluids etc., Soph didn't want anyone to touch her or look at her. She cried for her little sister, then she cried for her Gram. Each one came in and gave her a little comfort before she went back to being miserable. Her IV bothered her, her oxygen monitor on her toe annoyed her and she was mad! Slowly, she came around. She ate Popsicles and even drank a little. The splotches on her face began to fade and she didn't look so angry. While eating a Popsicle I heard a tiny squeak come from her mouth.
"Mom" she whispered looking worried, "my burps are gone."
"Did they take your burps out with your tonsils?" I questioned looking concerned.
She nodded yes.
"Uh oh." I turned to her Dad and told him our dilemma.
"What they took your burps? We've got to go get them back!"
A small smile quivered on Soph's lips and I took my first deep sigh of relief. There's my girl, she's coming back.
Hubby promptly told the nurse that Soph's burps must have been taken with her tonsils and she was worried. Smiling the nurse left and a while later came back with a little plastic tub and on the lid in black ink was written Soph's Burps. She held onto that tub and after a little Sprite she found her burps were back!
Last Monday when Soph had her tonsils out she woke up from surgery having a histamine release. When we walked in the room her face was all red and splotchy and her eyes were red. She was in pain and upset. As a parent I felt helpless and hated watching her in agony. This went on for a good hour. The nurse wanted her to take pain meds, drink fluids etc., Soph didn't want anyone to touch her or look at her. She cried for her little sister, then she cried for her Gram. Each one came in and gave her a little comfort before she went back to being miserable. Her IV bothered her, her oxygen monitor on her toe annoyed her and she was mad! Slowly, she came around. She ate Popsicles and even drank a little. The splotches on her face began to fade and she didn't look so angry. While eating a Popsicle I heard a tiny squeak come from her mouth.
"Mom" she whispered looking worried, "my burps are gone."
"Did they take your burps out with your tonsils?" I questioned looking concerned.
She nodded yes.
"Uh oh." I turned to her Dad and told him our dilemma.
"What they took your burps? We've got to go get them back!"
A small smile quivered on Soph's lips and I took my first deep sigh of relief. There's my girl, she's coming back.
Hubby promptly told the nurse that Soph's burps must have been taken with her tonsils and she was worried. Smiling the nurse left and a while later came back with a little plastic tub and on the lid in black ink was written Soph's Burps. She held onto that tub and after a little Sprite she found her burps were back!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
The Road That Led Me To My Man...Part 1
Okay folks, here it is, my love story. Even though Pioneer Woman had the same idea for her blog and has entertained some 25,000 readers for nearly a year, I have no such plans. I would hate to put my half a dozen readers to sleep. But I do believe that what she feels for her Marlboro Man is much like what I feel for my man. So in honor of our eleven years together here it goes. I'm sure I'll embarrass my hubby with this, yes it will be torture for him to read...yet he's used to it! Plus, it helps that probably only six people will actually read this post, that should help keep the horror at a minimum:)
So this love story began when I eyed his cute little rear in a pair of snug fitting Wranglers across the room. I thought to myself, "what a cute tushy attached to such a nice looking guy". Then my mind immediately drifted back to the group around me and the letters I held in my lap from many people known and unknown to myself that had been praying for me all weekend. It was the last day of the weekend long retreat I had attended while at college. And to be perfectly honest I had sworn off men and all things that distracted me from my college education, this retreat was a cleansing of sorts. It was what I call "my come to Jesus" moment.
Somewhere along the line, probably somewhere between the sleeping in instead of going to my 8:00 classes to the late night parties at frat houses, I had taken a detour on my road to higher education. It was a detour that yanked me back home for a year of going to community college and getting what my parents affectionately termed "a break to get it together". Well, I was back on the big campus ten hours from home and I knew that if I didn't get "it" together this time I would end up living with my parents and working at the grocery deli for the rest of my life. So after a semester of floundering I knew where I had to go to get "it" together... church. And going to church wasn't going to cut it, I needed to get involved in church again, I needed to surround myself with like minded individuals with my same values. Anyway, this retreat was a step in that direction and I knew it would put me in contact not only with God, but students who were searching for some of the same answers I was.
I had to tell you all that for you to understand that while I appreciated my hubby's cute tushy and how sexy he looked in his cowboy boots, I didn't give it more than a seconds thought. I was on a mission, I had given everything up to God and was allowing him to guide me from this point forward. I was letting go, giving up control, and that was going to take every ounce of strength I had. No DISTRACTIONS on this path to being whole. I'm happy to report that lasted one whole week!
As we gathered at the Catholic Student Center for Fourth Day, after the retreat everyone meet for a night of fellowship once a week symbolizing the "fourth" day of the retreat, I recognized Wrangler boy. And I have to be honest, I was distracted for a good 60 seconds. But 60 seconds was all it took for me to realize he was not the one for me. I knew this because he was flirting with a very petite blond, who just happened to be a, gasp, cheerleader for Tech. I immediately knew that I was not his type nor was he mine. Why? Because a. I was more likely to put on a jersey and play the game than jump up and down on the sidelines looking pretty, b. I am not blond, c. I was a good eight inches taller than the object of his affection, and d. I am not blond (that stands repeating)! I smiled, glad to know that Wrangler boy would not be a distraction, and enjoyed my night of fun and fellowship. I was staying on my intended track, without distractions.
That is until two weeks later when our paths collided and my knowledge of military aircraft gained his attention...
To be continued
So this love story began when I eyed his cute little rear in a pair of snug fitting Wranglers across the room. I thought to myself, "what a cute tushy attached to such a nice looking guy". Then my mind immediately drifted back to the group around me and the letters I held in my lap from many people known and unknown to myself that had been praying for me all weekend. It was the last day of the weekend long retreat I had attended while at college. And to be perfectly honest I had sworn off men and all things that distracted me from my college education, this retreat was a cleansing of sorts. It was what I call "my come to Jesus" moment.
Somewhere along the line, probably somewhere between the sleeping in instead of going to my 8:00 classes to the late night parties at frat houses, I had taken a detour on my road to higher education. It was a detour that yanked me back home for a year of going to community college and getting what my parents affectionately termed "a break to get it together". Well, I was back on the big campus ten hours from home and I knew that if I didn't get "it" together this time I would end up living with my parents and working at the grocery deli for the rest of my life. So after a semester of floundering I knew where I had to go to get "it" together... church. And going to church wasn't going to cut it, I needed to get involved in church again, I needed to surround myself with like minded individuals with my same values. Anyway, this retreat was a step in that direction and I knew it would put me in contact not only with God, but students who were searching for some of the same answers I was.
I had to tell you all that for you to understand that while I appreciated my hubby's cute tushy and how sexy he looked in his cowboy boots, I didn't give it more than a seconds thought. I was on a mission, I had given everything up to God and was allowing him to guide me from this point forward. I was letting go, giving up control, and that was going to take every ounce of strength I had. No DISTRACTIONS on this path to being whole. I'm happy to report that lasted one whole week!
As we gathered at the Catholic Student Center for Fourth Day, after the retreat everyone meet for a night of fellowship once a week symbolizing the "fourth" day of the retreat, I recognized Wrangler boy. And I have to be honest, I was distracted for a good 60 seconds. But 60 seconds was all it took for me to realize he was not the one for me. I knew this because he was flirting with a very petite blond, who just happened to be a, gasp, cheerleader for Tech. I immediately knew that I was not his type nor was he mine. Why? Because a. I was more likely to put on a jersey and play the game than jump up and down on the sidelines looking pretty, b. I am not blond, c. I was a good eight inches taller than the object of his affection, and d. I am not blond (that stands repeating)! I smiled, glad to know that Wrangler boy would not be a distraction, and enjoyed my night of fun and fellowship. I was staying on my intended track, without distractions.
That is until two weeks later when our paths collided and my knowledge of military aircraft gained his attention...
To be continued
Friday, January 4, 2008
11 Years And Counting...
Today hubby and I are celebrating our eleven year anniversary. Look at those two very young kids! We thought we knew it all, boy how wrong we were. I'm working on an anniversary tribute to my hubby, but with all the craziness around here might not get it posted today. But I just wanted to say Happy Anniversary to my hubby - I love you!
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