What I've Got Isn't Part Of This Week's Mega Millions Jackpot

Today I cried.
In front of my kids.
Shamelessly.

This morning started off with such hope. I got a call to substitute teach, flew into high gear, and was headed out the door about the same time as the kids. The middle joked about how maybe we should have a group prayer. I said, "Go for it."

And go for it he did.

I don't know if many out there know the experience of having your almost sixteen-year old son place his hand on your shoulder and pray, but I am here to tell you, money can't buy that. He didn't quote scripture or use fancy words. He just spoke from his heart and about had my make-up ruined by the time he was done.

God only knows what would've happened if he hadn't said that prayer.

I'm not going to go into a lot of detail because that wouldn't do anybody any good, but all I could hear in my head the entire day were the words of a very wise preacher, "When the kids are out of control, they are in control," and out of control they were.

Enough said.

Except for one thing.

I came home and told the kids about my day. We reminisced about my early years of teaching and how things use to be. They told me some of their own stories from their public school experiences (only a few years into it) and gave me some solid, sound advice. I don't always listen, but I recognize wisdom when I hear it. And somewhere in the middle of all that, I cried.

They offered kleenex.
They sat silent.
They understood.

The rich can keep their riches.

I've got plenty.

Blessed are those who fear the LORD,

   who find great delight in his commands.

 Their children will be mighty in the land; 

   the generation of the upright will be blessed.

 Wealth and riches are in their houses, 

   and their righteousness endures forever.

 Psalm 112:1-3

Just Do What I Say And Nobody Has To Hear Me Sing

My girl left for school upset this morning and it took everything in me NOT to say, "Hey, who needs school anyway?  Stay home. Rest a little. Take a break." I knew, however, that her condition did not warrant such a dramatic statement, but if there's anything I hate more, it's seeing a distressed kid leave the house. I've sent her two text messages containing song lyrics to try to make her smile, but the silence of my phone indicates her refusal to smile at this point (or at least respond). Oh well. I'm sure a couple of her BFF's will do the trick for me.

The problem? Contacts. As in new contacts for the eyes. Yesterday I took two out of three kids to the eye doctor for the grand step into the world of clear vision without glasses. Needless to say, it was not as painless as I'm sure they both imagined it would be. If there's one thing about this instant world we live in, it's that when things don't happen instantly, we (the kids, me, people in general) tend to get frustrated easily. The art of patience is becoming a virtuous characteristic of the past.

They'll catch on, though, to the whole foreign concept of sticking something in the eye. I have no doubt about that. I remember my first go-round with the entire thing... I think I was my daughter's age, as a matter of fact. I wonder what my mom remembers about the ordeal. I remember frustration, frustration, and more frustration. If there's one thing I'm looking forward to about heaven (after a little baby and a little grandma, of course) it's being able to see clearly. No more bad eyesight for me.

Lasik? (you're thinking). Nope. I'm not really a candidate. Yes, my eyes are that bad. I've been advised that even with corrective eye surgery, I would still most likely need corrective lenses of some sort. I'll stick with what I've got. Jesus will come soon enough. Patience is a virtue, remember? Not to mention that the entire concept of a laser in the eye freaks me out a little. Besides, I can use that money on other fun stuff like books and coffee and the electric bill.

Speaking of books, I'm currently reading American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History. It's not for the easily offended, I can tell you that. I think the middle would enjoy the book, but I'm leery of suggesting it to him based on the language and the sheer fact that he is already infatuated enough with that type of career choice. If there's any kid of mine that I could easily hear saying, "Mom, you know I can't tell you anything about my job," that would be him.

And that's another path that my mind quickly shuts down on.

I think I'll get back to the tasks at hand:
Thinking about my girl, making another cup of coffee, and writing.

I've got a whole lot of writing to do today and it has nothing to do with this rambling blog or eye contacts or military authors. It does, however, have everything to do with a grade. One thing at a time, right? I sure hope she comes home smiling. though. I would hate to greet her at the door singing.

That would really make her cry.

Don't Mind Me... My Mind Is Just Scrambled.

Many plans are in a man's mind,

 but it is the Lord's purpose for him

that will stand.

 (Proverbs 19:21)

If I've said it once to myself today, I've said it at least a hundred times.
Soooooo many things running through my head. Soooooo many different directions.

Two weeks away from finishing school. TWO WEEKS, people.

what

What

WHAT

AM I GOING TO DO?

I interned at a museum last week. LOVED IT.
I think I still want to teach. I THINK.

Currently I've got two master's programs laid out in front of me.

Master's in History- American History
Master's in Museum Studies

Both are expensive.
Both would take more time.
Both would be done in two years.

And both wear me out just thinking about it.

That's why I can't write complete paragraphs today. My mind just won't go there.

I AM SO EXCITED.
AND SO NERVOUS.

What comes next?

Anyone?

The Shark Navigator

I typically don't do reviews because I find very little to review about (with the exception of my beloved Keurig and Nook, of course), but in case you're in need of a new vacuum cleaner and it's your wedding anniversary and you're lucky enough to have a husband as practical as mine... well, this one's for you.

I gotta admit I was a little disappointed when he unveiled the box last night minutes after returning from Walmart (and this is by no means a plug for Walmart; that's just always his main shopping place... that and Lowes anyway). So there I was, looking at this tall, skinny box thinking, What? No Dyson? Nonetheless, I stood there with a big, stupid grin on my face while he told his tale of carefully researching each vacuum and going as far as to take a few out of the box and put them together right there in the aisle- he rarely trusts a display model. He put it together rather quickly, just a few snapping-into-places spots like the canister, and fired it up. I was proudly given a demonstration before he handed it over to me and while I took it for a test drive around the living room, I was thinking, Why did I ask for a vacuum? But vacuum I did and when he asked if I liked it, I said yes. He gave me that look of doubt and said, You know, if you don't like it I'll take it back and swap it for a Dyson.

That man knows me all too well.

So today while the house was just full of me and the cats, I decided I would put that little Navigator through the paces. After vacuuming the carpet and using the attachments on a few curtains, the couch, the recliner, and the outdoor furniture (told you I was gonna test that thing out), I am a Shark Navigator convert. I thought about calling the man of the house to tell him so, but instead I took our old vacuum and set it outside smackdab in the middle of the front porch. He'll get the message when he comes home.

Here are some reasons why I liked it:

It's small, light, and easy to maneuver. It's got a brush on/off switch that took me from carpet to hardwood. The canister is a no-brainer to empty. Low-noise. This particular model came with a pet attachment that I am in LOVE with... glided over the couch and such with ease. And most importantly, the price was right. He paid around $130 at our local Walmart whereas the Dyson would have been minimum $399 and on a charge card. Thank goodness he didn't automatically give into my whim (and don't get me wrong... I've heard FANTASTIC things about the Dyson, that's why I've had my eye on one).

When it comes down to it, though, a vacuum is just a vacuum and I am more than pleased with what this one has to offer. My only complaint is that the cord is not as long as my old one, but after grumbling to the cats about it, I just plugged it into the outlet on the opposite wall of my usual spot and it worked out fine. There are some blessings to a small house.

So there you have it and here's a link:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Shark-Navigator-Upright-Bagless-Vacuum-with-Premium-Pet-Accessories-NV22LWM/14895651#ProductDetail

And remember, I'm not plugging Walmart and I didn't read the reviews.
If I'm still blogging this time next year, maybe I'll look back and give an update.

Yeah. Like I don't have enough to keep track of.

Happy Vacuuming!

My Daughter Has Lost Her Mind

I told her I was going give this entry that title.
She said, "Fine by me. I'll like it."
So here you go, girl. This one's for you.

She said she wanted to spend time with me so I suggested the front porch swing. My first question? What do you want? Her response was the rolling of the eyes and the sweet assurance that she wanted nothing, only my company. So I asked her what his name was.

Quentin.
Quentin?
Quentin.

He's got blonde hair and blue eyes and lives in Sweden. He likes to play football or soccer or something. At this point I had already zoned her out because obviously, there is no Quentin. Then she started singing and texting and tossing ice cubes off the porch. I challenged her with landing one in the bird bath to which she quickly accepted. She went through a couple of ziplocks full of ice before she proclaimed her arm too tired to continue. Now she's back inside anxiously awaiting tonight's new season of Dancing With The Stars. Lord, I hope those girls have some clothes on.

Tomorrow is my wedding anniversary. Earlier today I thought I would break out the wedding album. Would you believe I couldn't find it? I'm not sure if that's a sign or what. Ha! The husband just left with cash in hand to buy me a gift, I presume. He asked me what I wanted and it only took me a minute to think. No jewelry. No clothes. No techno gadgets.

A vacuum.
Because I need a new vacuum.
Is that lame or what?

Hey, it is what it is. If he's in the spending mood, then I'm gonna jump on what I need and a vacuum cleaner it would be. Now I don't know if he'll actually get one or not, but it doesn't really matter to me. Each year we make it through is celebration enough. Nineteen years. Pretty good considering we only dated a month before the blessed proposal.

Now if I could only find that album.
And my daughter could find her mind.
Things would be just about perfect.  =)

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*He did return later with a new vacuum cleaner, just so you know. He proudly fixed it up and plugged it in, passing the baton (handle) to me to give it a whirl. At some point in my newfound suction-ing glory, the thought did pass through my head... I should've asked for diamonds.


Ha! Just kidding.
Diamonds can't pick up cat hair.

A Proverbs A Day

Proverbs 16:6:  By mercy and love, truth and fidelity (to God and man- not by sacrificial offerings), inquity is purged out of the heart, and by the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord men depart from and avoid evil. 

Sometimes I think I can get away with something or it's not that big of deal or the Lord won't mind. I go through with whatever it is thinking that way and go to bed still thinking that way. In other words, I lie to myself and/or listen to the author of lies and do a pretty darn good job convincing myself that I know what I'm doing. Then I wake up and He is there.

Gentle.
Caring.
Questioning.

Do you really think this is gonna work?

Now we're not talking anything major here, at least not by the world's standards. No murder. No adultery. No thievery taking place. Just a mind game of sorts. Things I want to read. Things I'd like to watch. Things that will choke His presence out if I give it half a chance. Things that bother me and yet tempt me all at the same time.

I sat down to read my Bible this morning even though I didn't want to, and I didn't want to because I knew as soon as I did I would have to give up something I just paid ten bucks for. Look, we all have our convictions, right? No matter who agrees with whom or who thinks the other person is a little over the top, we all have things that bother us on a sub-conscious level... within our spirit, I guess you could say. My convictions won't necessarily agree with yours. I suppose it all depends on who we are and where we are and how we got there.

Anyway, I read a few verses and even as I was reading, the Lord was dealing with me. I laughed to myself as I made a mental decision and I'm certain He was laughing along with me. I got up to put a physical action to that decision and felt a weight lifted from within me. That was that. Sometimes you just know you have to act quickly because if you don't, that weight can become harder and harder to cast off. At least that's how it is with me, but then again, I am anything but normal.

I am me.

And He's good with that.



All About Me

Well, before I throw on my comfy clothes and put another load in the washer, let me tell you about my morning. Not a mom morning or a wife morning, but a me morning. And yes, this is going to be painfully self-centered and selfish and all about me. You have been forewarned. Although I am well aware that my previous post mentioned our mortgage and prayers and all that, rest assured that the following did not come out of the mortgage fund. Every now and then I get a little something-something with my name on it that I tuck it back for a rainy day (mama didn't raise no fool). The rain might not have been falling today, but I broke it out nonetheless.

And boy, did I have fun.

First, I went by our local elementary school for the nice nurse to read my TB results as my final step into the public school system. Once she gave me the all clear, we talked for a little while, I made sure to drop my name and experience a few times, and she complimented me on my hair. In cases like this, red hair is a good thing. People remember you.

After a quick trip to the bank to cash in my rainy day fund, I dropped by my favorite book store and walked out with five books, one t-shirt, and one CD for all under twenty bucks which, by the way, is the only thing I will admit to what I spent (once again, my mom taught me well). After that, a new pair of shoes and some outdoor goodies for the screened-in porch. I topped off the day with a trip to the mall where I wandered aimlessly for over an hour looking at stuff I couldn't afford, but enjoying it anyway. For lunch, I bought a gyro stuffed with seasoned lamb and feta cheese and promptly texted my husband to rub it in.

I'm telling you, it doesn't get much better than that.

So now I'm back home.
The laundry awaits.
I need to plan supper.

And the husband just walked in asking me if I had a good lunch.

Why, yes. Yes, I did. =)

Things That Make Me Nervous...

Standing in a line of exactly thirty-eight people waiting to have a TB test done as a requirement of substitute teaching and having the petite, young girl in front of me say, "Sure is a lot of people willing to work for little pay." Her statement caused me to look around. In fact, there were a lot of young people clinging to their college transcripts and paperwork and smart phones waiting to pay their ten bucks for a shot in the arm.

But hey, I've got experience... right?
And a (practically there) college degree.

And God. Yeah. He's on my side.
And probably their side, too.
Just please be on the side of my mortgage.

Okay?

My (Two) Favorite Roles In Life

Some days I take a trip down memory lane for no particular reason, and some days I walk that path intentionally. This morning I have been sorting through pictures as I think about the birthday of my oldest niece- which, by the way, is not the best idea when you are already behind schedule due to the inconvenience of a time change. If there are two girls in this world that I think the most of (not counting my own, of course), it would be these two pictured here.

This photo was taken long before these two became the mothers of their own little baby daughters, but it just so happens to my favorite one of the two of them together. While I was wishing the oldest a happy birthday this morning, I thought about that day I was sitting in a junior high algebra class when I was given a yellow post-it note announcing that I was a new aunt. From that moment on, I was hooked. I know that I know that my brother had to be sick of seeing me at his place, but come on... how do you resist a sweet baby girl who shares your middle name? Then the second one came along some four years later and I was in love all over again. My claim to fame with her is the time I rescued her from the Great Flood of 1990.

Okay... a slight exaggeration on my part, but my sister-in-law was there.
She can back up my story even if nobody else believed us at the time.

I really do love being an aunt.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And because I am who I am, I just can't fight the urge to not share these pictures as well. It's been quite a few years since the kids were this little, but some photos just make you smile.

I love being a mom, too.

My Day Does Not Include Falling Asteroids

This morning the middle and I head to the doctor for a quick check of his hand. He had yet another longboarding incident last Friday (my mom knows this now so I'm free to talk) and what should have been a minor fall landed him in the ER for an unsightly wound on his right hand. Three hours and five stitches later, we went home with the question, "Are you gonna tell Granny about this?" Doesn't a granny always find out, though? There is very little I don't tell my mom and when it comes to my kids... well, there isn't anything I don't tell her (as my kids think, WHAT?!). At any rate, his hand is pretty swollen at the moment and feels warm to the touch, so off to the doctor we will go. I'm expecting a prescribed round of antibiotics and a morning drop-off at school. It's going to be too nice of a day to sit around in a doctor's office.

And a nice day it will be, indeed. Temps back up to the mid-70s have me planning on opening every window in the house and doing some serious cleaning. I'm not proud to say that I have let this house go in the last week or so, but an afternoon of me staying focused ought to change that. I've been spending most afternoons sitting outside reading my literature homework which, for the most part, I have really enjoyed. The house (and the fridge) have suffered, though. I haven't been grocery shopping since last week and today we are officially out of sugar. What Sweet Italian Creme is for my coffee, a cup and three-quarters worth of sugar is necessary for our tea. The family will slip into a slow meltdown if I don't have a pitcher of the state drink of the south on hand for them to sip.

On a random note, the youngest was informing me this morning of solar flares while the husband was telling me yesterday about asteroid insurance. We stood under the stars for the longest time last night talking a universe that is too big for us to know everything about.

And I can't even venture down that road right now.
I've got too much to get done today that leaves no room for philosophy.
Besides, I'd rather enjoy the world than analyze it.

Happy Cleaning!

Losing Track Of Time

I looked at the date of my last entry and have been trying to figure out what I have been doing in the past week. I'm thinking a whole lot of nothing... and a whole lot of everything. Know what I mean?

I've been watching what started out as just a few blooms on this tree literally explode with flowers in just a matter of a couple of days. Beauty can be deceiving, however, as we all know. This tree, as pretty as it may seem, stinks horribly when in bloom. The oldest compares the stench to that of wet cement... not pleasant at all. Speaking of the oldest, he is still job searching and watching his savings account dwindle and worrying about his friend, the one we had as a surprise guest not long ago. Her situation has only deteriorated since she last stayed with us and it's hard to look your child in the eye and admit that you don't know what to do about the whole thing.

I've spent a lot of time of the front porch reading schoolwork (see next picture), listening to kids talk, and occasionally letting the cat out. Although we had a lot of rain over the weekend, we thankfully dodged all the rough weather that seemed to envelope most of the nation, the Midwest and eastern half, anyway. The husband is currently in the midst of digging and planning a storm shelter and is bewildered by my insistence that I am more afraid of being underground than I am in the wide open. Personally, I don't know why we have these discussions anyway because I can assure you, I am no fool. I've watched the footage on the news. I've looked at the pictures online. I have no doubt that if our home or neighborhood or county was under an imminent threat of a tornado, my petty fears would vanish and I would be knocking someone out of the way to get underground (sorry, kids).

Here is all that reading I was talking about (ignore the obvious dusting that needs to take place). My nook is buried under everything that must come before it; for that reason it hasn't seen the light of day for at least a week. I am in the middle of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, or maybe the title is the other way around, and I must say that I am not impressed. This is one of those rare occasions when I hope the movie is better than the book. Snore. As far as my schoolwork goes, though, SIX (and a half) weeks left. I received great news last week in the form of a job doing substitute teaching work. I am excited and nervous and scared about the whole college thing coming to an end, but the day I hold that degree in my  hand will be a happy day indeed.

And not to leave out the other cat (you're welcome, daughter), this is where she spends much of her time. Sometimes it's there by choice... that cat loves watching the birds, and sometimes it's there due to a cat-imposed time-out... yes, having this cat is like having a small child in the house. Looking at this picture reminds of something that I devoted an entire day to last week and that was cleaning the screened-in porch. I was reluctant to do so because I noticed the pine trees have the tell-tale signs of what I call baby pine cones. All that means is that in a matter of weeks everything will be covered in a fine, yellow pollen to the extent that even twice-a-day sweepings will not control it.  I never experienced anything like it until I moved south. It's one of my least favorite things of spring.

So I've been busy with cleaning and reading intermingled with lounging on the front porch and just generally dealing with life as it comes. I look at the calendar and find it impossible that we are already five days into the third month of the year. It seems like February was just getting started.

Time flies when you're having fun.