What Was I Thinking?

Sweeping And Cleaning

2010-04-21T07:30:00.004-05:00

I "saw" two old bloggy friends yesterday and one promised to come and visit my bloggy home!

OH MY!!!!!

I'D BETTER WASH THE WINDOWS AND CLEAN OUT THE COBWEBS!

With Facebook being where I spend most social time, I forgot just how much I missed my dear bloggy friends!

There's so much that I want to talk about, but it's a little jumbled right now, so I'll just leave that one pretty cobweb for Cheryl!

Have a great day everyone!

Women (for my friends)

2009-11-07T12:16:00.000-06:00

One Flaw In Women

Women have strengths that amaze men....

They bear hardships and they carry burdens,

but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.

They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy

and laugh when they are nervous.

They fight for what they believe in..

They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer

when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel

and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about

a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member,

yet they are strong when they

think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss

can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you

to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what

makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.

They have compassion and ideas.

They give moral support to their

family and friends.

Women have vital things to say

and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,

IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

THEY'RE IN!

2009-10-04T13:32:00.002-05:00

And they did better than anyone expected!

Ashley and the FWBHS Chorus will be singing at Epcot Center in the Candlelight Processional on NEW YEARS EVE!

Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance will be narrating.

I won't be able to be there, but her Grandmother will be (if she has to move Heaven and Earth).

They were so AWESOME they got one of the top slots.

Pray that they do well, this trip means so much to them all.

GO VIKINGS!

Voices Exultant

2009-09-14T19:55:00.003-05:00

FWBHS Chorus is going to Disney this December!!!

They will participate in The Candlelight Processional at Epcot Center Dec 15-17.

They auditioned for the privilege just last week.

This is their audition tape:

PRESENTING THE FWBHS 2009 CHORUS!

You will have to click the link, but these kids are worth it.

If you are looking to eye-spy Ashley, she's the ultimate blond on the upper right tier!

These kids had 2 weeks of practice you guys!

PAM (special note to you), make it to Disney in December baby!

Smooches!

Sometimes...

2009-08-25T21:59:00.003-05:00

In this world of utter chaos, the simplest thing happens that just puts everything right.

Ashley went to the Choctaw Scrimmage game tonight.

While she was there she ran into some old friends. Some from middle school, some from Elementary school and one very special someone. Not to her yet.......

ALRIGHT STOP REWIND,........

It's Valentines. Ash who is now a sophomore in HS was a 7th grader and wanted to date this boy Ryan OVER MY DEAD BODY.

But she asked me.....she said "Mom, he says he has a gift for me and his mom is driving him and if he meets you and Allen, can he PLEASE??????"

I told her it would be ok as long as he acted like a gentleman and met her parents.

He was sweet. He brought her a dozen roses that he had saved for, a stuffed monkey that still resides in the house and the poor boy's knees were knocking so hard you could have heard them in Canada!

But he was such a good kid! There were endless discussions between his (divorced) parents and I, Is this right? Should we allow this at their age........

They ended up breaking up over the phone. Ash had too much on her plate, Ryan played football, Both at different schools.

And yet this very sweet kid keeps appearing in her life.

Tonight, he didn't think she should walk home from the game by herself.

Ash opened the door and said "Mom, I have a surprise for you" Poor kid was hiding to see if it was ok! I couldn't wait to get this poor boy in the house. He had grown so TALL! He'd cut the surfer hair and ..........damn was he cute (not for me you pervs...for HER). All Advanced placement classes, HS Football....just as cute as can be.

I told him how proud I was of him, hugged him about to death and let them have the living room for just a few minutes.

I talked to Ash after and she said........"he's cute, but Mom, I just have too much going on in my life for a B/F"

I am so proud of my daughter but I will tell you my bloggy friends..........MARK MY WORDS..........

Some day Mr Ryan is going to be my son-in law! It will just have to wait until after college.

Thank YOU Carly for reminding me

2009-08-23T00:17:00.000-05:00

THE Post.

2009-08-21T17:58:00.004-05:00

Where to start............

My bloggy friends have been asking where I've been, what I've been up to and I haven't had the heart to talk about it, but I think it might be cathartic if I do. So here goes.

When most of you think about India, you think Taj Mahal or even Slumdog Millionaire. I think something entirely different.

I think DAMN.

I work in an industry that is outsourcing. I also work for a company that is a small part of a much larger corporation.

When I started working for this company, I thought HOW COOL IS THIS! I work in an industry that I LOVE AND ADORE. I had finally landed the corporate job in a business that I followed so closely.

The people were so great! You walked into the building and there was almost a feeling of vitality and expectancy! We made a difference, in our community, in the nation and occasionally even on Fark. When we put our thoughts out there, we were respected and followed.

Then jut a few months later, 6 people were laid off, a few months after that 20 more. We went from a company of 200 local employees to a company of 60 in less than a year. Our entire corporation was shrinking. Not because we weren't making money, we just weren't making enough to keep going the way we were and still keep our heads above water in this shrinking economy.

Being ever the optimist, I kept my nose to the grindstone, did my job, and prayed for the people who I would not see every day again.

Then one morning, we were told to go into a teleconference. The hit was finally in my department. From five bookkeepers, we would now be two. The company had made the decision to outsource it's accounting reporting to India. The bookkeepers that were there would all stay through the transition or they would forfeit their severance. They couldn't tell us back in April who would be the ones to stay, we would be told in June, the whole change would be complete by September.

We were on pins and needles. Would I go since I was the most expensive out of the five? Would one go because she was the last hired, would the other go because she had almost 25 years? No one knew, and no one could tell us. They had to have meetings and they would get back to us.

I will say this, I have worked with some of the most professional women in the world. Knowing this, and fearing for ourselves and each other, we kept our morale up, never let our performance slip and plugged on. Our pride in what we did came first.

June came and went and no word. Many sleepless nights for all of us later, they finally told us. I would stay, the new hire would stay because we were the most adaptable. We were the two.

You would think I would have breathed a sigh of relief and for just 5 minutes, I did. After all, I was the supervisor with the largest skill set, they needed me!

Then, I took my head out of my smug butt and looked around at the women I had spent so much time with. We weren't social friends (in accounting you are rarely social with others in the company, it's ethically frowned upon), but we had shared laughs, irritations, sadness, stress.

We had suffered through the last months together, as a team. Each one worked at her strengths and we each helped with each others weaknesses.

The women who had been laid off, couldn't leave, they had to work thru the remaining time, with the two of us that were left and we ALL had to learn the new processes together and share our selective knowledge with each other. The stress level rose.

A few weeks later, we were told, company wide, that we would all take a 5% paycut AFTER being forced to take a week of furlough (vacation without pay and MANDATORY).

The company foisted the interlopers on us, and we had to remain professional and courteous.

I can't begin to tell you dear bloggy friends how hard that is.

How do you train someone overseas to do your job KNOWING they are putting you out of work.

I hear a lot of sighs, and I have found I sigh more than I ever have. I haven't slept between 2 AM and 5 AM (my thinking time) in so long!

You can't show pity, these are strong women and would resent it. You can just do one thing, plug on and move forward.

The latest blow? The ladies have been told they have to work thru the end of the year because the company poorly planned and they will not be ready to go live yet. More waiting, more stress.

We have endless meetings, e-mails and conference calls with people who we have a hard time understanding. The resentment is palpable and they (the Indians) just take it in stride.

And then.............

Our new President refuses to even aknowledge the many people who are out of work and the hundreds of thousands that are losing their jobs every single day. Passing his pet project is more important. It makes me so very ANGRY!

And that brings us to the point my friends. I haven't written or shared because I am PISSED OFF.

I am so tired of watching my friends and family suffer. I am so tired of worrying if I may be next. I am so WORRIED!

I am so tired of watching our jobs going overseas because our president REFUSES to not only fix the problem of American joblessness, he won't even discuss it.

I am a single mom, raising two children. I am one paycheck short of abject poverty. And HE thinks I should either pay taxes on the medical benefits I receive, or he wants to tax me some more to FORCE me to buy into this plan of his and MAKE me pay for it.

There is seriously a problem in this country and it isn't healthcare.

Fix it AFTER you put American people back to work!

Why am the only one who gets that?

The Pastor's Wife

2009-07-26T11:30:00.001-05:00

Pastor's wife's letter: how’s this for apocalyptic literature. This was written by a pastor's wife in biblical prose as a commentary of current events. It is Brilliant.

And it came to pass in the Age of Insanity that the people of the land called America, having lost their morals, their initiative, and their will to defend their liberties, chose as their Supreme Leader that person known as "The One".

He emerged from the vapors with a message that had no meaning; but He hypnotized the people telling them, "I am sent to save you. My lack of experience, my questionable ethics, my monstrous ego, and my association with evil doers are of no consequence. For I shall save you with Hope and Change.

Go, therefore, and proclaim throughout the land that he who preceded me is evil, that he has defiled the nation, and that all he has built must be destroyed." And the people rejoiced, for even though they knew not what "The One" would do, he had promised that it was good; and they believed.

And "The One" said "We live in the greatest country in the world. Help me change everything about it!" And the people said, "Hallelujah! Change is good!"

Then He said, "We are going to tax the rich fat-cats." And the people said "Sock it to them!" "And redistribute their wealth." And the people said, "Show us the money!" And then He said, "Redistribution of wealth is good for everybody"

And Joe the plumber asked, "Are you kidding me? You're going to steal my money and give it to the deadbeats??" And "The One" ridiculed and taunted him, and Joe's personal records were hacked and publicized.

One lone reporter asked, "Isn't that Marxist policy?" And she was banished from the kingdom!

Then a citizen asked, "With no foreign relations experience and having zero military experience or knowledge, how will you deal with radical terrorists?"

And "The One" said, "Simple. I shall sit with them and talk with them and show them how nice we really are; and they will forget that they ever wanted to kill us all!"

And the people said, "Hallelujah!! We are safe at last, and we can beat our weapons into free cars for the people!"

Then "The One" said, "I shall give 95% of you lower taxes."

And one, lone voice said, "But 40% of us don't pay ANY taxes."

So "The One" said, "Then I shall give you some of the taxes the fat-cats pay!"

And the people said, "Hallelujah!! Show us the money!"

Then "The One" said, "I shall tax your Capital Gains when you sell your homes!"

And the people yawned and the slumping housing market collapsed.

And He said, "I shall mandate employer-funded health care for EVERY worker and raise the minimum wage. And I shall give every person unlimited health care and medicine and transportation to the clinics."

And the people said, "Give me some of that!"

Then he said, "I shall penalize employers who ship jobs overseas."

And the people said, "Where's my rebate check?"

Then "The One" said, "I shall bankrupt the coal industry and electricity rates will skyrocket!"

And the people said, "Coal is dirty, coal is evil, no more coal! But we don't care for that part about higher electric rates."

So "The One" said, "Not to worry. If your rebate isn't enough to cover your expenses, we shall bail you out. Just sign up with ACORN and your troubles are over!"

Then He said, "Illegal immigrants feel scorned and slighted. Let's grant them amnesty, Social Security, free education, free lunches, free medical care, bilingual signs and guaranteed housing..."

And the people said, "Hallelujah!!" And they made him King!

And so it came to pass that employers, facing spiraling costs and ever-higher taxes, raised their prices and laid off workers. Others simply gave up and went out of business and the economy sank like unto a rock dropped from a cliff. The banking industry was destroyed. Manufacturing slowed to a crawl. And more of the people were without a means of support.

Then "The One" said, "I am the "The One" - The Messiah - and I'm here to save you! We shall just print more money so everyone will have enough!"

But our foreign trading partners said unto Him, "Wait a minute. Your dollar is not worth a pile of camel dung! You will have to pay more..."

And the people said, "Wait a minute. That is unfair!!"

And the world said, "Neither are these other idiotic programs you have embraced. Lo, you have become a Socialist state and a second-rate power. Now you shall play by our rules!"

And the people cried out, "Alas, alas!! What have we done?"

But yea verily, it was too late. The people set upon "The One" and spat upon him and stoned him, and his name was dung. And the once mighty nation was no more; and the once proud people were without sustenance or shelter or hope. And the Change "The One" had given them was as like unto a poison that had destroyed them and like a whirlwind that consumed all that they had built.

And the people beat their chests in despair and cried out in anguish, “Give us back our nation and our pride and our hope!!" But it was too late, and their homeland was no more.

You may think this is a fairy tale, but it's not. It's happening RIGHT NOW!!!

Sometimes!

2009-07-23T21:46:00.002-05:00

Kids say, or feel, the damnedest truths.

Taylor fell in love with this little tune and decided to share it with me.

Now I share it with you.

Sometimes little ones, they just KNOW.

I am DOOMED!

2009-07-15T20:45:00.012-05:00

I used to think addictions were just to drugs, or to smoking, or to overeating! I was so wrong.

I have a new addiction.

It is so bad that sometimes I wake up in the morning dreaming about having it. It interferes with my thought processes at work until I get it. I even know that I can't even call my supplier before 11:00 AM! They absolutely REFUSE to answer the phone until 11:05, and they VACATION in the summer (OH THE NERVE!)!

I watch the clock!

What time do they open! I start going through DT's at EXACTLY ten! An hour too early.

I (hangs head in utter shame) am addicted to this:

YES! (weeping) Thai !

Specifically Panang Chicken........... (Weeping in sorrow at my utter fall from Steak and French Fries).............

UGH (the shame)

THAI HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, how it tantalizes the taste buds, how it livens the senses. The scent of Thai Basil and Kaffir lime mixed with fragrant coconut milk.

The pea pods...........I LONG! I DESIRE!

The tender chicken. I am DOOMED!

Looking for recipes is hopeless, everyone is different and I cannot find ONE that has ingredients I recognize or even know where to buy, or how to ask for (some, I can't even pronounce). Is it Red Curry, or yellow or green, and then HOW MUCH to get it just right?

I am doomed. For the rest of my life I will be a slave to the Thai Hut. Or the Thai House (don't care for them much, expensive and no veggies) or Pad Thai.........(NEVER open when they are supposed to be!). Then there is a new one opening up the street.......Thai CHEF!

There is my secret place, Thai Orchid, the do a LUNCH BUFFET! But..........It's delicious, not HOT!

Oh, woe is me!

The Monkey on my back (hey, are there monkeys in Thailand?)

Anyone know a 12 step for Panang Chicken rehab?

What Was Your First Job?

2009-06-24T18:44:00.007-05:00

It's official. Ashley-Anne has landed her first job!

She's a summer counselor and office helper. She was given a choice. Use scholarship money that she'd earned to pay for her Elite Chorus trip to Disney this year, or work for the Boys and Girls Club and earn it.

She chose the job.

My BABY! Has her first job. We spent this afternoon filling out applications, W-4's and I-9s! MY BABY FILLED OUT AN I-9!

She is officially employed.

Going to cry now!

Seriously.

I lied on a job application (about my age) so that I could work at her age......for Mrs Fields Cookies.

What was YOUR first job?

Makeup, Hair and Little Girls

2009-06-20T14:29:00.002-05:00

My heart stopper this week:

Ok, that's it! I am so over this whole "growing up" thing.

STOP IT NOW! Both of you!

Love,

Mom.

A Red Head, a Blonde and a Brunette

2009-06-13T07:16:00.005-05:00

I get no! Respect. LOL

Isn't She beautiful?

2009-05-25T14:52:00.009-05:00

Never thought We'd make it here. FIFTEEN!

And such a beautiful young lady you have become. Inside, outside and upside down

HAPPY Quinceañera MY ANGEL!

"Ghetto" Tour Guides

2009-05-21T21:14:00.008-05:00

This is just too funny not to share. My girls giving you a tour of where they live. (and, NO, we do NOT live in the ghetto, Ash is just a wanna-be snob)

When she is more interested in the mailbox than what her VERY SERIOUS (read cute) Sister is saying.........HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

Anyone else see a TV star in the making?

BTW, Yes, there is a foster home in the neighborhood, that isn't it. And the white building is NOT their school, it's someone else's house.

Wait! THIS is the one of Tay telling her sister.....YOU'RE the cameraman, YOU don't talk unless I TELL YOU TO!

Cut, cut................CUT!

Hah............what can I say? HAMS!

2009-05-20T20:38:00.012-05:00

The Kitty Hawk Air Society (KHAS) is the Honor Society for the AFJROTC program. The purpose of the KHAS is to further instill cadet Leadership and Teamwork qualities. In a manner similar to other Honor Societies, "Kitty Hawkers" are required to maintain a 3.2 weighted GPA. Specific KHAS objectives are: to promote higher academic standards; be of service to the school and community; promote excellence, integrity, and initiative; develop leadership ability; encourage academic excellence, and further educational development in post high school years.

Guess Who???????????

I will be posting pictures this weekend, but YES! It's Ashley-Anne!

(for those that don't know what a "weighted GPA" is, it means that they take Honors, or Advanced Placement classes, and have received an "A" in that class, versus an "A" in a regular HS class. Hence ..."weighted")

How this child went from the 8th grade drama queen to this very self-possessed, responsible, hard working, etc etc etc ......kid, is beyond me.

But tonight she was inducted into the Kitty Hawk Air Society. She has a 3.8 WEIGHTED GPA. Made it through "basic training" and is ready to start her SOPHOMORE year as one of the best of the best.

and ........

YES I CRIED!

See you this weekend with pictures!

Oh, and PS....She has a "meeting" tomorrow with her Chief to discuss her future. Where she wants to go to school, and what it's going to take for her to get there. Anyone know the Air Force Academy's Fight Song?

That Flying Thing

2009-04-18T11:10:00.007-05:00

The military presence here in NW Fla is HUGE. We have Eglin AFB, Duke Field, Hurlburt Field, Wright Field, Tyndall AFB and Pensacola Naval Air Station. I don't have many neighbors that don't work for the Air Force in one way or another.

That influence spills into every facet of our live, including the kids schools. Ashley is deeply involved with AFJROTC and Taylor..........well, Taylor just loves airplanes. She is in a special program at her school that is Math/Science intensive. Their Focus..........YUP, you guessed it......Aeronautics.

Taylor in one of the Blue Angels

She has visited every aviation museum within 200 miles, and lives to see our glorious fighters in the sky.

We have a new dilemma, and of course, Ms Taylor is following the news like never before.

Have you ever seen one of these?

This is an F-35 and a whole multi-national training wing is coming to Eglin AFB this year.

It would be a huge boost to our flailing economy here on the coast.

Maybe.

Right at the end of the North Runway, there is a sleepy little town called Valparaiso. And they are SUING (yes you heard me right) the Air Force because they are afraid this plane will make too much noise. You can read about it here, and here. And now.............The County is suing the City of Valparaiso because the City of Val-P is suing the Airforce!

What a mess! And Taylor is not happy at all. Her fear? They won't come and she won't get to be able to watch them fly, see them in person on the ground, and maybe even some day be part of their training force.

OH THE HORROR!

The economic boon to our area just is not all that interesting to her. Her comment: "Tell Val-P to sit down and shut up".

She wants to get her little grubby hands on that plane!

Lucky for her, they will be here next week and her class has been invited to see them, up close and personal! And maybe, just maybe, we can convince the City of Valparaiso that they are not any noisier than the F-16's and F-18's that fly in our beautiful blue skies already. They built their homes at the end of an Air Force runaway, what did they expect, no airplanes?

Maybe.

Have a great day everyone!

All Grown Up

2009-02-28T21:56:00.008-06:00

And we FINALLY get the picture!

Oh how hard is it to be a mom and watch your baby grow up? Just yesterday, Ashley was my little chubby tow-headed angel and today........she is all grown up.
My Ashley's first ball!

Tonight is the Military Ball. For those that don't know, Ashley is a flight commander in the Air Force JROTC program. Tonight is her big night. She is also, just for tonight, her Flight's (sort of like an Army Platoon) Sweetheart. Her Delta Flight Sweetheart sash and her escort in Full Air Force Blues were amazing.
I was speaking to her JROTC leader Chief Chambers today and after a whirlwind day, of Ashley serving pancakes for the Lions Club at 7 Am and then all the prep for the Ball, he gave her THE PERFECT compliment. He told me that she is "Very well respected among her peers". It may seem like a simple compliment. But in this day and age where respect, specially in High School, is such a rare word, it was.......the PERFECT compliment.

The Ball is held on Base, and has all the pomp and circumstance that is the ceremonial Military.

So, we had to do this right. Including the $80.00 "up-do".
Do you have any idea..........how long that took? And the hairdresser was a PSYCHO! After making us wait for an hour, she finally got her seated, then took off to wander the parking lot and chat with friends. When she was working on her hair, it took twice as long because she would not stop talking! I was STEAMED.

But all that aside, isn't she just a vision? (weeping into my iced tea).

I want my baby back!

But this vision, I can live with it. Not bad my angel. 4.0 Grade average, Flight Commander, Sweetheart, Girl of the Year, and still the sweetest kid I know. You are headed to a great future. May all your dreams come true!

Surgery for Taylor

2009-02-21T12:45:00.005-06:00

It's time for an update. Yes, Taylor has to have eye surgery. BUT, I want to tell you about what your prayers have done.

Our last visit to the eye doctor was disheartening. We thought we would be able to get around the cataract in her eye with glasses, at least for a bit of time. That isn't going to happen. The best that her eye is correctable is to 20/200 WITH glasses. The cataract is too much of an obstruction. Added to that, Miss Invincible, who thinks she can do anything, is damaging her left eye due to the strain that she is placing on it.

Something had to be done.....NOW.

The hope was a new lens. A MANMADE lens. And a surgery that will cost upwards of $5000.00.

I have been a single mom for ever and I do not have medical insurance. The eye doctor has been kind enough to allow me to make payments but this was daunting.

And then...........A miracle................YOUR miracle. The one that so many of you praying out there made happen.

I got a call yesterday from the office manager at the eye doctor's office and she was elated!

The news:

The eye surgeon will be donating his time.

The Children's Volunteer Health Network (for those of you looking for a good charity) will be paying the surgery center .

And the Manufacturer of the lens:
Will be donating the lens.

And it's not any lens! It's a brand spanking new type of lens!

In the past, when people had lens replacement surgery, they still had to wear glasses for seeing things near to them. The lens didn't expand and retract with the eye. This one does.

Tay will have approximately 48 hrs of discomfort and when that is over, she will have 20/20 vision again! There aren't even any sutures!

The only possible downfall is, that maybe by the time Taylor is 50 or 60, she may develop glaucoma. That is a chance we are very willing to take. She will have most of her life that she will be able to see, and possibly by then, they will have a cure for that too!

All this....................from prayers.

Isn't God just amazing???????

And so are all of you!

And the Winner Is........

2009-02-06T20:31:00.004-06:00

Congratulations Ashley!!!!!!!!!!!

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF THE EMERALD COAST

2008 GIRL OF THE YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You ROCK Ashley!

What a beautiful young woman you have become. I am so very proud of you.

All of your accomplishments, your grades, your desire to be the best you can be. And all of your hard work.

You will always be my baby, but I look at you now and I see the the amazing woman you will be.

I love you with all my heart!

Amazing Weekends

2009-02-01T21:41:00.012-06:00

How many things change in a weekend.

Not many of you know, that I am a DIE HARD Steelers fan.

SIX RECORD BREAKING SUPER BOWLS BABY!

I also love spending the weekend at the beach............In FEBRUARY!

And watching my babies get chased by seagulls on the beach:

That'll teach them to keep Cheez-its in their pockets!

And this great weekend (sorry to all of you buried in snow) took place here:

It was still a bit chilly, but I just don't think any of us felt it.

There are so many facets of beauty. The laughter of children, Making Bob uncomfortable(inside joke) , the color that our worlds are, the genuine smile of true affection. The OYSTERS!~

There is one picture I missed, and it would have been perfect. Yesterday, we went to Seaside (Truman Show was filmed there).............

The day was beautiful. The skies were blue, the water was Emerald and the girls were rolling all over the kelly green grass.

There is a whole lot of stuff to get through in the world, and then one day.............you just "get it"..........and move on. Just because the beauty of it gives you the strength to go another day or week or month or year. Sometimes all it takes is that one memory.

And you savor the memory. You smell it, taste it and feel it.

Pam's Meme

2009-01-22T19:33:00.006-06:00

I actually loved this Meme......and no, I won't tag anyone this time. If you choose to play...just let me know.

Pam's Meme:

Go to your pictures. Go to the sixth folder. Go to the sixth picture. Post that picture and the story that goes with it. This is fun.

Oh Boy.......Sixth folder, sixth picture:

This picture was Mother's day. The guy....is Allen, my ex (ugh)........ and I had a whole lot of girls for the day........it was HEAVEN!

The girls had so much fun!

Blasting each other with water cannons.......and here are the lovely ladies that made that day so very special!

Aren't they precious?

Thank you Pam for reminding me of this wonderful memory..

Oh alright, one more of those beautiful girls:

Alright, just one more:

IT'S GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-01-06T17:27:00.007-06:00

Oh My LORD, I can't tell you the emotions of today. None of us slept last night, and this morning was nerve wracking.

Taylor went to see a specialist today, that specializes in the retina of the eye. There was a possibility that either the retina had become detached from her eye or that it was torn. Her eye doctor saw something there, but couldn't be sure, so he sent her to this Dr Myers (a TRULY amazing and caring man).

After checking Tay out with some very cool new technology (when this is all over, I want to go play with some of them), he declared>>>>>>>>>>>

Taylor will be fine. There is no retinal damage. She will have to wear glasses for a few years, and she will have to have surgery on the cataract, but not now.

The glasses will bypass the effects of the cataract, until she is a little older.

Her eyesight has also recovered tremendously since her last visit with the other doctor. Where before, she couldn't make it past the backwards E at the top, she can now read down 4-5 lines on the eye chart.

I cried ..yes, like a baby.

I know, with every fiber in my being, dear friends, that had it not been for all of your thoughts and prayers, she would not have advanced so quickly. YOU made her better. I will be forever grateful.

And truly humbled.

God Bless Every Single Last One Of YOU!

Taylor Update.

2009-01-04T18:08:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone,

a real quick update on Tay. She seems to be doing much better. She starts school again tomorrow and will have all the help she needs.

On Tuesday we go to the Retina Specialist. One more doctor who will tell us exactly what is wrong with her eye, what impact that has on her future.

I will let you all know what he says. He is an excellent dr, so we will see.

Thank you all for your prayers, love and support. I don't think I would have made it thru the last few weeks without the outpouring of prayers.

It has shaken me to my very core.

God Bless and I will keep everyone updated.

Most Difficult Post of My Life

2008-12-29T17:58:00.005-06:00

They look like real guns, don't they? They aren't. They are part of a new trend in toys.

These are "Airsoft" guns. They are marketed as safe because they shoot plastic pellets, or BB's.

Three days before Christmas, and just a few days after her 10th Birthday, My Taylor was shot, at close range, in the right eye with one of those.

It was a complete accident, no one was to blame. The gun accidentally went off.

After a trip to the Emergency Room, we were sent to the best ophthalmologist in town, actually out of town (because of the Holiday), the prognosis was a tough one.

If Taylor stayed on complete bed rest for five days, she may ..as in might, maybe.....be ok. She had severe Corneal damage. There was bleeding behind her eye, and the permanence of the damage couldn't be seen because of the trauma.

Christmas was.....horrible for her. She got a scooter she couldn't ride, video games she couldn't play with and art supplies she couldn't use. Through it all...she was a trooper. She kept telling ME it was ok, that she would rather save her eye, that the toys would still be there when she got better. My own little Tiny Tim.

Her Christmas Dinner was ......right here:

The chair where she spent 5 days. The only time she left it was to go to bed with me. Her Zoe close by. She wasn't allowed to lay flat, so I kept monitoring her at night to make sure she stayed semi upright.

Today, we went back to the Doctor. The news isn't great, but it's not bad.

Tay has a traumatic cataract. The blood is gone, she is showing improvement, but still cannot see. Her Dr gave her a referral to see a Retina Specialist next Monday. Dr sees some shadows on her retina that concern him.

Over the next few weeks, Taylor can resume activities. Slowly. She is not expected to resume normal activity for a couple of months. They will fit her for glasses to see if her vision can be corrected with them, rather than surgery.

The support from family and friends has been astounding. Nancy over at Nancy's Nonsense posted my plea for prayers. Putting her own health concerns aside for my baby.

Taylor's Grandmother is out of the country, so she doesn't know. I hope that when I do speak to her, that I have only the good news to tell her.

This is about to be a New Year...and quite frankly folks...........we need those prayers for a miracle.

Along with those prayers, we need a real good look at these "toys" and the damages they can do. If any of you know someone that knows someone, that can help either for more awareness, or education, or other parents that are going thru similar situations........let me know.

Double Digits!

2008-12-22T18:57:00.008-06:00

Wow, time does fly! Taylor is in the Double Digits this past week!

Yes, little, sweet, opinionated, stubborn Taylor. And she had a HORRIBLE time (can't you tell?)

That would be (from Left to Right) Taylor, Eddie, Megan and Tristin. Her best friends.

Eddie only stayed for the pizza and cake, but the girls spent the night.

And had a fashion show:

And Taylor took the prize:

I am in SOOOOOOO much trouble!

I wonder what she was wishing for?

HAPPY TENTH BIRTHDAY MY BABY!

I love you more every day and I didn't ever think that was even possible since you filled my heart the day you were born, and every day since.

Morality or Censorship

2008-11-16T10:21:00.002-06:00

This will be controversial, but I want honest thoughts from my friends here.

From my paper, the Northwest Florida Daily News, comes a controversy that as a parent of a High Schooler, is vitally important to me.

"FORT WALTON BEACH - A book about struggle, redemption and coming of age in Afghanistan is under fire in the Okaloosa County School District by a parent concerned about the novel's "mature content."

Laura Stovall submitted a Request for Reconsideration of Educational Materials to the school district after learning that "Kite Runner," written by Khaled Hosseini, would be used in Choctawhatchee High School's International Baccalaureate program. She also read the book before asking for reconsideration."

We have two High Schools here in Ft Walton Beach. BOTH of them are listed in the top 1000 High Schools in the country. We have a huge military presence here and most kids come from families that deal with the realities in the Middle East on a daily basis.

Added to that, this is a baccalaureate program.

That means, these kids are getting college credits for this HS class.

That's the history, now the point:

My freshman in college Lit 101 reading list included:

The Canterbury Tales. My English Lit professor referred to the Lady of Bath in the story. His comment: "Listen People, you are just not getting it! What Chaucer is saying is that he picked her up like a BOWLING BALL!"

The Decameron: By Giovanni Boccaccio. Ribald tales that included gardeners pretending to be mute, deaf and dumb to get it on with the nuns in a nunnery. A priest who ravages his confessionals.

HOW HORRID!

Or not.

How many of you remember The Catcher in the Rye"? That was commanded reading in my VERY Catholic ALL GIRLS boarding school!

What did my lit professor and the School Sisters of Notre Dame know, that this parent just doesn't get?

There is graphic text in literature. Even in revered literature. And understanding it, and applying it to life is why it's taught.

Ashely doesn't attend Choctaw HS, she is at it's rival, Fort Walton Beach High School ( GO VIKINGS) . At her school, this book; Kite Runner, is required reading for the SOPHOMORE class.

It's a beautiful book. It has some very difficult chapters, some more graphic than I would like, but it is a true depiction of life in the Middle East. It is well written, truly enthralling, and has been compared to To Kill a Mockingbird........one of my personal favorites of all time.

Life lessons are not easy. Sometimes they involve graphic, harsh words. Sometimes they are flowery, like Shakespeare's or Chaucer's. Sometimes they are in your face like J.D Salinger's.

Sometimes harsh life is romanticized like in the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, or even Le Miserable, by Victor Hugo.

I believe that this parent's argument is a pure and unadulterated attempt at censorship. Her child has the option to opt out of the class, or to read other material. But that isn't really the point, is it?

These days, High Schools are treacherous ground. Our kids know more, and talk about subjects, that would make us cringe. BUT......

If we speak openly and honestly with our children, tell them that what they see IS out there, but we EXPECT them to rise above it...........

Make clear what we believe, what we live, what we choose to achieve.....they will not be swayed by the harsh rap lyrics, or even by this beautifully written book.

What do you guys think?

Our New President Elect

2008-11-09T17:52:00.002-06:00

Sorry guys.

I know I have to post about Obama, but I have to think this one out for a while.

Bear with me.

You know, I didn't vote for him. And I know that if he royally messes things up, we have the interim elections.

I don't care if he is black, or yellow, or purple.

His socialistic views bother me.

I am a true conservative and a true capitalist.

The good news is............As a single mother of two....with no child support..MAYBE Obama will make my life perfect................

BUT.........

Somehow I think I can do that better on my own.

Thanks Obama, but no thanks.

We'll see how it goes.

And for all of you out there that tell me I have to respect the office? When you quit calling Bush a monkey, and stupid.........THEN talk to me.

Election Night

2008-11-04T17:42:00.015-06:00

Someone please explain THIS to me:

What is it, why did Obama choose it? Is our Old Glory not good enough? Is our flag, which I have looked on with pride for my entire life, just not enough of a symbol of who we are as a country?

Is there some reason why this:
Just isn't good enough anymore?

Some of you know me well, some of you know me a little, but My Flag......OUR Flag, will be the only one that matters to me EVER. I can see it this way:
I can even love it like this, when our country was still young yet:

What I won't tolerate is this:

Or that OBAMANATION (pun(and poor spelling) intended) of what is in front of Obama every time he speaks.

THIS IS MY FLAG: And I will serve no other:

Even when it looks like this:

And SPECIALLY when it looks like this:

I have always believed that THESE COLORS DON'T RUN! They are mine, and yours.....

Not that milquetoast of a sad attempt that Obama wears so proudly.

Today, Election day, I am here to tell you as an immigrant (legal) in this country......I only have one flag, and OBAMA, Your's AIN'T IT.

What Taylor Wants to Be When She Grows Up

2008-10-22T18:21:00.016-05:00

Remember Taylor?

She's the PUNK??

She is very definite about what she wants to do when she grows up. She either wants to be a scientist, or a pilot. She also thinks of going nowhere else to college but MIT? THAT Taylor?

She visited one of our museums today.

yes.......that is The Mother Of All Bombs(aka MOAB). They have been tested here twice. Once on land, once over water.

Back to Taylor.......

Being the experienced flyer that she is (simulator that is)........this was her FAVORITE field trip.

She got to see a B52 Bomber (up close and personal)

A Stealth Bomber (my personal Fav)

And some really HUGE Helicopters........
With HUGE rotors:

Some really old planes too!

All in all a day in hog heaven for Taylor.

Credit must be given to the photographers, Taylor and her classmates. Maybe when they bring the F-35's here to Elgin AFB, they will get a special invite to see them!

Also... A Special Thanks to a great school system that encourages these young minds to be proactive in the pursuit of math and science education. Taylor and her classmates are in an accelerated science program, that allows them to fly flight simulators, learn about the universe and basically experiment with some really KOOL things!

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

The HUGE hint that I dropped to one of my dearest friends may have gotten the job done. It may be, that when the first F-35 lands here in January, Taylor's class may be one of the ones who get to see them. IF that happens, I will keep you all updated, but pictures may not be immediately available.

The End of An Era

2008-09-23T21:54:00.016-05:00

Many of you get your newspaper delivered every morning. Most of you never really give it much thought.

I work for one of those newspapers, and ours is being "regionalized". It's not a big city paper, it's certainly not the "Times" or the "Washington Post", but.......to the people who live here on the our little bit of sand, this has been their newspaper for as long as they remember, or as long as even their grandparents remember.

I want to give you all a glimpse into what this is. I will do this in two parts. The first part, I will show you the mechanics, the second half..........I will let you know how this effects YOUR community. That paper that you get on your stoop every morning starts here:

Thousands upon thousands of pounds of paper (click on the pictures and you can enlarge them). Rolls so big that the awe you just to look at them. Different sized, some for the daily paper, some for the inserts that you get, or your weekly entertainment section. But they are huge!

Moving on, the ink.

These are the small vats of ink. The colored ones. Blue, Red and Yellow (all your primary colors). these vats are so big that tankers have to refill them by hose. I didn't get a pic of the "black" ink tank because it's HUGE and in a corner that is very dark.

Onto pre-press. Pre-press is what happens when the creative services department of the paper does their thing, and they send it to this GINORMOUS machine to make the plates that go on the press, that actually prints the paper. These plates are laser scanned. Let me show you.
All the way to your right is where the metal plates are stored. Immediately to it's left, is the laser. It finely etches the plates. As it comes down the line, ultimately it end up to your far left, where the metal plate (the size of a full unfolded newspaper page) is notched on the ends to fit on the tumblers of the press.

This would lead us to the press.

It's a truly ugly machine. Sometimes, walking around it, it reminds me of a Stephen King novel. I swear that the thing breathes and has thrived on it's share of human blood.

But, before you look at it just as an ugly machine, I have a small tale to tell:

One day, because the machine always made me nervous, I was walking thru this very long room....all alone. Hearing the noise of my heels on the concrete, I decided this GREEN MACHINE was not going to freak me out. Thinking there was no one around, and listening to the rhythm of my heels on the floor, I started to sing..........IN THE JUNGLE THE MIGHTY JUNGLE, THE LION SLEEPS AT NIGHT.............before I knew it, (they are actually two presses) out of the belly of the beast, I saw three pressman's heads peek out. They got a good laugh out of it, I was embarrassed, but it was all good.

Back to the beast.
Yes, that long strip of white in the front, is the newspaper about to be printed.

Cool, huh?

You know those inserts that you get in your paper? Coupons, Entertainment issues? Those are processed here:

This is a machine that inserts all those things into the paper. An attendant stands at every station. What looks like scales to you, is actually a shaker. It makes sure that all the inserts are aligned so that when you get your paper, it's all nice and neat.

Here's how those inserts get into your paper:

Yes, it's another machine! But it takes a lot of personal labor to make this work right.

For those of you that read your comics on Sunday.......I read your Sunday comics on Tuesday.....almost a whole week before you do. Here's what they look like while they are awaiting insertion into your Sunday paper!
When you are awaiting your horoscope, I've already read it! Just kidding, I don't peek.

You know those grocery coupons that you get in your Wednesday paper, and those coupon books you wait for on Sunday? Here is how they come..........and we can't even peek at those before the date that they get into the paper (yes, not even employees get to see them). But this is what they look like on days before they find themselves in your paper:
The reason I am telling you all of this, and showing you this, is twofold.

First, my paper is closing. The press will be gone by December. We are regionalizing our press operations to a "hub" location with a new digital press. It is more efficient.
And second, because if people continue to get their news on line, all the people that work these fabulous machines, are out of work.

There will be no more local news, we will all eventually turn into a "USAToday" forum.

It just isn't practical for us to produce newspapers anymore.

In a era, and an election year, where we blame our government for loss of jobs, we never do look to ourselves.

Something as simple as buying a newspaper can keep the people that live in your community employed. Some of those people have been working hard to bring you your news for most of their lives.

When we talk about economy, how do we see ourselves? Canceling our newspaper subscription may be our own personal revolt against the editorial staff. Little do we ever think about the ramifications of our actions. That our very own neighbors might work on the press, or be a carrier.

Do we ever think about how this mass exodus from the printed word affects our neighborhood? Our neighbors?

It's simple things like this that we miss, when we all live in a "global community"

If we continue to look to our "government" to save jobs, maybe we ought to look to ourselves and how our daily purchases influence the jobs in our neighborhood.

***Disclaimer*** All of our waste paper and metal plates are recycled. We also donate $500,000.00 a year to Newspapers in Education

Participants in NIE donate their newspapers to the students in local schools. Through special features like Kids Scoop (a half a page of activities for kids), to special stories, and an online curriculum for kids, parents and teachers, children learn to use the newspaper as a learning tool.

Please check with your school system to see if they subscribe to NIE.

2008 START! Heart Walk

2008-09-23T12:46:00.000-05:00

I am keeping this on top for awhile, because it's an important cause. Donate if you feel the urge, but please do not feel obligated.

This year, the girls and I will be raising money and walking in the START! Heart Walk.

Our goal is to reduce coronary heart disease, stroke and risk by 25% by 2010.

If you would like to donate to our efforts, please use the link to the right of this page. If you would like to participate, start your own team, please click HERE to go to the American Heart Association's Heart Walk Page

Disclaimer: All donations go directly to the American Heart Association's official Site.

2008-09-22T19:36:00.004-05:00

My dear friend (and most beautiful soul I know) Nancy, Meme'd me.

As much as I love her, these always require so much thought. Only, because it's Nancy, will I comply dutifully.

1. What were you doing ten years ago:

Ten years ago, I was caring for a four year old, and was pregnant with Taylor. My life wasn't perfect, but it was pretty close. My dearest friend and I were excited about the new baby. We had no clue that my friend was dying of cancer yet and were doing well. I just settled a lawsuit for $10,000 against the employer who fired me for having the nerve to get pregnant and we had gone out and bought all new appliances.

2. Five things on my to do list for today: (tomorrow, today is over)

1) Get ready for the end of the month (accounting at newspapers is always deadline driven)

2) Finally get on the spreadsheets that are going to force a major nationals client to pay their bill

3) Take Ashley to school before sunup and come home to take Taylor an hour later.

4) Pay my water bill

5) Take that hot batch I keep telling my friends to take, that I never do.

3. What is your favorite snack?

You don't really want to know. I eat strange foods. I love Herring with onions in sour cream, baked brie on a cracker, or spicy chorizzo with melted cheese and a little cayenne pepper!

4. If I were a millionaire, I would:

Buy A HOUSE with all the windows and light I want, on the water! Put money in trusts for the girls, prepay their college...

Donate the first million I ever get to Hospice care.

5. Places I have lived:

1) Bremen, Germany

2) Margarita, Panama Canal Zone

3) Ft Lauderdale, Florida

4) Niles, Ohio

5) York, Pennsylvania

And on and on and on.

6. Five people I'm tagging:

Heh Heh Heh......

This is where it gets fun.

1) Pam @ Pam's Ponderings ( I love ya Pam and all your hugs just got you pegged!)

2) Bronie @ Team Victory, because she needs a giggle

3) Didi @ Meyers on the Hood....just because she is the most inspirational person I have ever met.

4) Megan @ Fried Okra, because I don't ever get to her blog enough

And Finally:

5) Diane @ The Do Drop In, because she needs to get off her duff and post already!

Have fun All!

Smooches!

Shameless Critters

2008-09-21T14:04:00.006-05:00

It never ceases to amaze me that animals are so shameless.

I mean, take Oliver for instance. He is the most shameless creature I know.

He spends all night terrorizing us in our sleep. Then he does his due diligence every morning, sunning himself on the window ledge, or by the storm door. God forbid that another cat should enter his haven, he bristles and raises his fur, growls, like the ferocious beast that he is. Only to get back to the work at hand. SLEEPING.

He does that so well!

He does have his good qualities though. He guards the laundry that needs to be folded, OH SO WELL!

Look at the look...aren't YOU scared?

I wouldn't mess with that laundry.

He makes sure that there are no dust bunnies under the furniture.

DEATH TO DUST BUNNIES!

But, at the end of the day, he's shameless.

He doesn't much care who watches, or what he's doing.......

But at least he's sweet, and we love him. Antics and all.

Life In Hurricane Alley

2008-09-13T18:14:00.006-05:00

They are truly a force of nature, a beautiful, potent reminder that there are forces stronger than any man.

This is our busiest time of the year. When you live in Hurricane Alley, you learn to be part meteorologist. You learn to read trends in the High and Low Pressure systems. The Weather Channel is one of your favorites.

There is nothing more frightening that having one of these monsters set his sights on where you live.

Ike was one of those.

I have lived in Florida my whole life, but until Ivan, I had conveniently always been somewhere else when the big ones hit. I only saw the aftermath of Andrew. I had been at a convention in Orlando that weekend, and drove home to a 180 sq mile ghost town. It wasn't until weeks after that I saw, first hand, what destruction one of these suckers can do.

Ivan was a different story. I had never actually had one bearing down on me and I was frightened. Allen and I were together than, and I was safe, but proceeded to hide in my bed. I did peek outside once in a while and saw some of the oddest things. Rain, moving sideways, trees completely bent in half.

I still wouldn't live anywhere else in the country. Crazy? Perhaps.

You really get a feel of what kind of community you live in after a disaster strikes. The bond, the neighbors that you rarely see other than waving hello occasionally....rolling up their sleeves to rebuild. Sometimes time and time again. People with generators, who have power, sharing those with people who don't. Meals shared on grills on a cul-de-sac, because it's cooler outside the house than in it.

Today, in the aftermath of Ike, we see that spirit. That great, All American spirit.
The spirit that moves mountains (or very large trees). The churches fill up, because as awed as we are, we know that without spiritual guidance, some things are just too hard to bear. And then......comes the donations.

The church hallways that absolutely fill to the brim with any thing anyone can give, to those who lost, sometimes everything. People who have so little sometimes, that they give until they can't give anymore. People who dedicate time. If a family needs a mother to go help clean up, another neighbor, who may not be able to do physical labor will take all the kids..feed them, play with them. People who offer everything from vehicles to transport what needs to go, to those who need it, to people who take time off of work when they cannot afford to, because someone needs their help more.

The storms are horrible, but never as tough as the human spirit.

Today, as Galveston and Houston dig out, those same people are already ready with aid. just waiting for the notice that it is safe to bring all these things to the people who need them

Is there a greater expression of how God works in all of us?

I don't think so....What do you, my bloggy friends think.

I love you all and think of you often.

Changes and New Additions

2008-08-18T19:29:00.005-05:00

I know you all remember Harley.

In my breakup with Allen, he and his father used power, fear and intimidation to take him away from us. The girls were devastated.

The girls were so upset and I didn't know what to do to make them feel better. One day at the copier at work, I noticed a poster someone in advertising put up. An ad rep and his wife were having a baby and needed to get rid of their cat. I kept looking at it, and shaking my head. I didn't want another pet. The loss of Harley hit us all very hard.

Yet the more I looked at it, and the more I thought about it, I started to think "why not?" We had a cat before, but had to get rid of him because Allen was allergic. Since he isn't a part of our lives anymore....why not. I asked the ad rep if we could take him for the weekend and see how it went and he readily agreed.

Meet Oliver:

He's a little haughty, a little crazy, and downright lovable.

The girls are happier and the house feels like a home again.

They were very upset that they had to leave him for their first day of school today, but Oliver managed just fine. I came home for lunch and our new little man DEMANDED attention that I was all too happy to give him.

Life moves on sometimes, even if we are reluctant.

In other news, I had a blind date on Saturday. Surprisingly, it went very well. He dressed well, spoke well, and was very charming. Maybe it was time for us all to move on.

I miss all of you my bloggy friends, but know I am back now. And stronger than ever. I can't wait to get back in the habit of chatting with all of you. The storm has passed. God does answer prayers ya'll. There are still changes that need to be made, but everything is looking forward, not back.

Life Moves On

2008-07-26T10:32:00.010-05:00

Wow, it's been an eventful week. The summer is coming to a close and I would like to tell you what the girls have been up to.

Ashley has joined ROTC.
She did a week of orientation and she is loving it. Today Ashley is volunteering with her unit at an Italian Festival at the Convention Center. She may have just found her niche. I really hope she does well, because this could mean so much to her future.

Taylor, like always, is the All Star. Just this week, she has received congratulatory letters from Alexis Tibbetts, our Superintendent of Schools
And our State Senator Don Gaetz, who is our previous Superintendent of Schools.
In recognition for her being one of the top mathematic FCAT scores in the state. her score was almost perfect.
I am so proud of both of their achievements. They are such great kids, and they teach me so much.

These past few weeks haven't been easy for them either, but somehow they remain so positive and keep their smiles firmly on their faces.

ROCK ON LADIES! You are the best there are!

Friendship

2008-07-19T12:10:00.006-05:00

If I could catch a rainbow I would do it just for you

And share with you it's beauty on the days you're feeling blue

If I could build a mountain you could call your very own

A place to find serenity A place to be alone...........

If I could take your troubles I would toss them in the sea

But all these things I'm finding are impossible for me

I cannot build a mountain or catch a rainbow fair

But let me be what I know best A friend that's always there.

Given to me by my friend Gill.

You all have been so sweet, checking on me and those Hippo Hugs were the best!

It's not ok yet, but with friends like you, who try so hard to make me smile..........How long can I be blue!

I love each and every one of you.

New things good and bad

2008-07-13T11:42:00.003-05:00

Meet Loki. He's kind of cool, huh?

He was a gift, to "ward off evil". Kind of reminds me of the stone thing in "Night At The Museum" that says

"Me not Dum Dum, You Dum Dum, Me want Gum Gum"

I haven't posted lately, because life has been just too hard, and there are too many things to say and not say. Allen and I broke up after 5 years. So Loki is my new man and he's keeping my front door safe.

I will try to be better about posting. Theres a lot of thoughts in my mind that need to find a way out, but I need to put them in order first.

Birthdays, Home and Family

2008-06-30T19:02:00.009-05:00

One Wednesday, I will be 42 years old. Harley will be 1 on Thursday and Allen will also be celebrating his birthday on Saturday!

We will be celebrating by going to Fort Lauderdale.

For those of you haven't been on my blog for long, Ft Lauderdale is where I come from.

It is an utterly grueling drive. 11.5 hours in the truck, no matter how you cut it.

YES Florida is that big! We have to go all the way across the panhandle before we go down.

There are things about this city that I absolutely love:

And things I detest.

Traffic, crime, just the general hustle and bustle of millions of people squished into urban communities are a few. But there is something so charming about this city that you see only through a tourist's eyes.

BUT, it is where my mom is:

Where some of my oldest friends are:

In a way it is still home.

I am so happy to be going home.

The girls will be staying at Mother's. Allen and I will be at a hotel. There are many reasons for that, the least of all being my mother's condo does not accommodate all of us. The other being, my mother and I are totally different people. I love her with all my heart, but distance allows us to have a better relationship.

The last reason is that Allen and I get to only steal a few minutes to ourselves. This will be a vacation for us. We know that the girls will be with someone who loves them as much as we do, and we can go off and have a romantic weekend knowing we don't have to worry about them.

I'll let you all know how it goes!

Be safe and happy on the 4th ya'll!

Sesame-Garlic Chicken Wings

2008-06-26T18:20:00.012-05:00

Mama @ Big Mama's House is having a summer cooking post.

Since I had the BEST WINGS I ever had today, I decided to share the recipe:

Glaze:
1/4 cup Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
2 tbsp tonkatsu (asian stores)
2 tbsp pure sesame oil
2 tbsp sagogi powder (asian stores) or beef bullion
1 tsp coriander powder
3 tbsp Teriyaki glaze
4 cloves garlic - lightly crushed
Hot peppers to taste......mild, use none, hot use habaneros

Mix glaze items in large bowl and adjust sweetness or saltiness as needed. If the mix is too salty, add some Coke to sweeten. Stir and set aside for at least 15 minutes to meld flavors.

Wings:

1 family pack chicken wings (30-35 count)
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch

Depending on what type of fryer you are using, heat oil. We prefer to use a turkey fryer outside with peanut oil.

Heat oil on high.

Cut chicken wings in two pieces. Combine flour/cornstarch mixture in a paper grocery bag. Dredge wings thru mixture and shake off excess. Turn down temp on oil to Med High and fry wings in small batches until golden brown. Drain wings and toss into glaze immediately.

EAT!

PS: If I could sit down and drink the glaze, I would. It is THAT good!

Pss, this recipe is not my own. However, I am still awaiting permission to tell you whose it is.

UPDATE UPDATE

Noel who is our IT Techie told me it would be ok to tell you the recipe is his. Ladies....the man CAN COOK YA'LL!

Trust!

2008-06-24T21:34:00.004-05:00

Just out of curiosity, I would like to throw this out to you bloggie friends.

Other than our families, and God.....who do you trust?

WHY?

Have you ever trusted someone and found out you were just stupid? Did your desire to do the right thing override your brain?

Were you burned? Did you trust again?

How long did it take?

Did anyone suffer, that needed your help, because someone else caused you not to trust?

Think hard, dig deep.

I am not asking for details, generalities will do just fine. Also your thoughts on the questions would be a good place to start. If you don't feel comfortable leaving those comments here. My e-mail is open to anyone.

The Greatest Show on Earth!

2008-06-22T17:53:00.011-05:00

Last night we took all of our 6 little girls (and all the adults) to the Ringling Bros, Barnum & Bailey Circus. And we just had an absolute BLAST!

Working for the Newspaper has very few perks, specially with the economy and the Internet they way they are. But one of the perks we still do have, is being invited to attend special events. They send us complimentary tickets. Myself and three other employees scarfed ALL 28 tickets!

If you have never been to Ringling Bros, and they come to an arena close to you, make every effort to attend. It is the single most entertaining experience.

From The Tigers: (click to enlarge)

To the Elephants:
And the Acrobats:

And a never ending stream of Clowns:

It was amazing. All the kids were on the edges of their seats and the parents enjoyed it even more.

Afterward we invaded McGuire's Pub for Dinner:

BTW, Happy Birthday Joe!

It was just way too much fun! You can tell, we all just hated it.
Even Harley enjoyed his souvenir!

I hope you all had a great weekend too!

Ooops, correction: There were 6.5 Little girls! Monica is preggers and we just found out she's having (BIG SURPRISE) a.........GIRL!

Thouthful Thursday: Little Girls

2008-06-19T20:39:00.017-05:00

Taylor's all time favorite movie is Annie. I am sure all of you ladies out there remember (a very drunk) Miss Hannigan singing about those Little Girls:

(Please press play before you view pictures)

Little girls
Little girls
Everywhere I turn I can see them

Little girls
Little girls
Night and day
I eat, sleep and breathe them

I'm an ordinary woman
With feelings
I'd like a man to nibble on my ear
But I'll admit no man has bit
So how come I'm the mother of the year?

How I hate
Little shoes
Little socks
And each little bloomer
I'd have cracked
Years ago
If it weren't for my
Sense of humor

Some women are dripping with diamonds
Some women are dripping with pearls
Lucky me! Lucky me!
Look at what I'm dripping with
LITTLE GIRLS

Little cheeks
Little teeth
Everything around me is little
If I wring
Little necks
Surely I will get an acquittal
Some day
I'll step on their freckles
Some night
I'll straighten their curls
Send a flood
Send the flu
Anything that You can do
To LITTLE GIRLS!

Some day I'll land in the nut house
With all the nuts and the squirrels
There I'll stay, tucked away
til the prohibition of
LITTLE GIRLS!

Girls Day Out

2008-06-16T17:30:00.015-05:00

Most normal women think of something resembling "Sex in the City" when they hear "Girls Day Out".

I said normal!

This was MY girls day out:

These lovely young ladies are: Ashley, Mia, Alyssa, Taylor and little Haley.

They are a great date. I even got to torture them with these!

These are the greatest little girl torture devices ever invented! They work by sucking up water, from the Gulf, from a bathtub, or even from melted ice in a cooler, then squirting your tortuee (is that a word?).

Looks fun, huh!

This is such a cool place to hang out. There is this water slide in the middle of the bay that is about 50 ft high:

Even the Ice Cream Man is on the water:

The best part is the little girls hanging out with their Daddy's on Father's Day.

It's those sweet little girls, fresh from the shower, after a really hard day of playing, that give us the most joy:

No worries Ladies..........I have ALOE!

We had one downfall to our day, it was this group:

They were drunk. And despite hanging out all day next to a boat with 5 little girls on it, they decided it would be fun to rip the bald guy in front's pants off.........and he decided it was cool to show his (not really all that much) everything to the world.

It really is a shame that the whole fun day ended with us pulling up anchor because some dumb jerks just cannot control themselves. Fortunately, the girls saw nothing, they were too busy playing.

Allen's Update, he is doing much much better. The antibiotic is working and he goes back to the eye doctor tomorrow.

Again, thank you for your concern and prayers. He is ok because of all of you.

Birthdays and Food

2008-06-11T22:07:00.008-05:00

Tomorrow, we will be having a lunch for two of my "girls" in accounting who are celebrating birthdays.

If you follow the news, you know that newspapers are a fading fad. Thus, our budgets shrink each year.

How do you deal with a shrinking budget and still celebrate birthdays of staff members? You bring ingenuity and recipes!

Our menu tomorrow is Italian. There are 5 of us in the department and with two celebrating birthdays, it takes three to cook. Here is what we decided to do.

We decided on fresh Italian. We are serving:

Tomato and Gorgonzola Salad (yes, we checked, our tomatoes are salmonella free)

Italian chicken casserole

Capellini Pomodoro (angel hair pasta with fresh tomatoes, basil and garlic)
Sauteed Mushrooms:

And Apple Crisp with Vanilla Bean Ice cream.

I have been cooking since I got home.

You see, I do have a hidden talent. I made the apple crisp, the mushrooms and the Capellini (the pictures are off the web, I am not brave enough to take pics of my own food)

I do hope it goes over well, and the girls are not disappointed in not having a store bought cake with candles.

I'll let you know how lunch goes. I put my heart in it as did the two other ladies, but you never know how people will react.

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

The lunch was FABULOUS!

First a correction, it wasn't a chicken casserole, it was chicken medallions in a balsamic glaze with mushrooms and it was the best! I have the recipe so sometime, I will post it!

We started eating almost as soon as we got in this morning, and we never stopped. There were no leftovers.

All of us are going to be spending time at the Y on the stairmaster!

Aye Matey, Dem Pirates are Here

2008-06-08T20:42:00.017-05:00

The Pirate Billy Bowlegs has arrived and declared a week of frivolity and merriment in our small town. Maybe the mayor can throw him and his Krewe out in a weeks time, but for now.....the town parties!

The single largest party on the Emerald Coast is in it's 53rd year. We do love our parties, and our Pirates!

We decided this year, since we were attending the party with people we work with, and on the boat with lots of nutty drunks out on the water, the girls should stay home. They will likely go to the Torchlight Parade with us, but the party on the water was just not an appropriate place for them to be.

There was much Merriment aboard the Roach Approach! Just look at the Hotties I got to spend the day with!

YUM!

No matter where you looked, people were having a big time:

I had one moment with a twinge of "I want that", "Why can't I have that"? when I saw this:

Oh Baby!

The waters were seriously patrolled by our Sheriff's Dept, Fish and Wildlife the Marine Patrol AND the Coast Guard.

They did a Wonderful job protecting us (and themselves) from the idiots who don't know when enough is enough. It's a great party, but some will always overdo it.

If you want to see a video, go HERE.

Also, this last week, Ashley graduated from Middle School. She is now officially (ugh) a High Schooler,
Boy did I cry. I remembered her first day of school. She was so little and so cute, and now she's grown up.

Talk about stupid, the middle school she went to has it's own theater, but for some reason the powers that be decided their graduation should be in the library. They crammed all of us in there, the kids couldn't even sit down and there was NO A/C!

Our next big party will be at Crab Island for the 4th.
Imagine that with ..................oh about 4000 more boats.

Remember I showed all of you that ugly building at the Destin Harbor? Here are pictures of the Harbor and the East Pass:
(Click to enlarge)

I love love love where I live.

There is a reason they call this the Emerald Coast.

I hope all of you had a lovely weekend.

Billy Bowlegs and The Imminent Loss of our Town

2008-06-05T20:47:00.010-05:00

Wikipedia tells us that Billy Bowlegs is this guy:

William Augustus Bowles (1763-1805), also known as Estajoca, was a Maryland-born English adventurer and organizer of Native American attempts to create their own state outside of Euro-American control.

Some sources give his date of birth as 1764.^[1] Bowles was born in Frederick County, Maryland. He joined the British Army as a foot solider at 13 and served with the Maryland Loyalists Battalion as an ensign during the American Revolution. After the Battle of Monmouth he went to Jamaica. He was officer in Royal Navy by age 15, but was cashiered for dereliction of duty for returning too late to his ship. This occurred at Pensacola, Florida.

Here in Fort Walton, Billy Bowlegs is this guy:

The year is 1779. Adventurer, wanderer, scoundrel, pirate extraordinaire, and notorious bad boy, William Augustus Bowles, affectionately known as Billy Bowlegs, bursts on the scene. A charismatic leader of men uses his egotistical ambition and superior strength of will for self gain.

Bowles originally came to Pensacola with British forces to hold Pensacola from the Spanish. When the effort failed, he developed an undying hatred for the Spanish visitors. At this time, three countries were vying with the new Americans for control of the sea lanes and trade with Europe. Pursuing his idea of an American Indian state after the end of the American Revolution, Bowles managed to get himself received by King George III as 'Chief of the Embassy for Creek and Cherokee Nations' and it was with British backing that he returned to the Bahamas to train Creek Braves as pirates to attack Spanish ships.

Motley crews in the area were a force to be reckoned with and pirating became a very lucrative business on the high seas. As Bowles' popularity rose, his opponents became more distrustful and vowed to stop at nothing to get him under their control. Resistance came form all sides: the English became afraid Bowles was an agent for the Spanish, the Spanish offered him a Maj. General commission to “change sides” (and later offered $6000 and 1500 kegs of rum for his capture when he refused) and the Americans considered murder to be rid of his devilish activities.

He was briefly captured by the Spaniards. He managed to escape, commandeering a ship and returning to the Gulf of Mexico. In 1795, along with the Seminoles, he formed a short-lived state in northern Florida known as the "State of Muskogee", with himself as its president, and in 1800 declared war on Spain.

In 1803, not long after having declared himself 'Chief of all Indians’ at a trial council, he was betrayed by disenchanted Indians. They led him into a trap and turned him over to the Spanish authorities. He was imprisoned in Havana where he would neither speak to his captors nor eat their food and subsequently starved to death at the age of 42. This obscure episode in American history has given rise to a festival which is now an integral part of the Fort Walton Beach Community, the Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival.

..........the year is 2008. Very soon local residents will batten down the hatches in preparation for the invasion of the infamous yet ever popular, Captain Billy Bowlegs. Captain Billy Bowlegs, along with his Queen, has been spotted at several local schools trying to persuade local youngsters to join his Motley Krewe. Captain Billy and his Krewe plan to invade Fort Walton Beach at the 53rd Annual Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival in June at Fort Walton Landing. Although Captain Billy's record stands at 52 wins and 0 losses, nothing is a sure thing when it comes to the city militia. The Fort Walton Beach Mayor and his brave Militia are not about to give up control of the city without a fight. Reports also say the militia has a secret weapon in store for those spineless thieves."

THIS is a mighty Pirate Bounty Ye Mateys!

This weekend we will be welcoming Billy Bowlegs to our town. He will arrive by ship, fight the Mayor and his minions for control of our town. His Krewe will make merry all week. There is a ball and a parade (all events raise money for different charities) and who can forget his imminent arrival!

I will regale you all with pictures as he arrives (or I will try through the throngs of people).

Pray for our small town as we are invaded!

Iraq from an Iraqi.

2008-06-02T20:00:00.002-05:00

For those of you that do not check out my blogroll, you may never have met Sunshine or read her blog.

Mosul, Iraq is the last bastion of violence in Iraq and Sunshine tells it best when she talks about her hometown. I encorage you to visit her blog, for 15, she is very savvy!

Today I read her blog and almost cried with relief. Things are so much better.

From Sunshine's Blog:

"In these nights I sleep comfortably, at least I can’t hear my heart beat ! time I hopefully night bruxism will stop, I still suffer from killing cramp in my jaw, now I spend more time in my room and even change my clothes there !!
There are a lot of things I want to do in the coming days, not now, but within a month or so to make sure the situation will remain good, I want to fix my room, and hide the places that were damaged because of the fights I am excited.
May god bless Iraq, and National guards ,and save everyone"

If the news tells you one thing, question it, remember......they get paid to sell! Read!

We are in a flux right now, we are electing another president. Compare what the candidates tell you is happening in Iraq, with what Iraqi's tell you.

I DARE YOU.

Sea Bugs and Friends!

2008-06-02T19:14:00.006-05:00

You wouldn't think these very ugly sea bugs would eat well, but you have no idea.

When cooked, these scrumptious creatures make for a fun evening.

This past Friday, my girlfriends daddy and her husband went crabbing and fishing. Then.......INVITED US TO DINNER!

Those pesky little suckers are a mess to eat.......a lot of work for just a little meat, but OH SO MUCH FUN when everyone is just having a good time (did I mention yummy?)

So, for those of you that have never eaten steamed blue crab, a recipe!

For each dozen crabs use:

2 1/2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning

Cayenne pepper to taste

3 tablespoon salt

water and vinegar

Use a large pot (we use a turkey fryer, outside), such as a canner, with a raised rack in the bottom at least 2 inches above bottom of the pot (a round barbecue grill sitting on bricks or stones works well). Fill pot with equal quantities of vinegar and water to just below the level of the rack. Add craps to pot in layers, sprinkling each layer of live crabs^*** with the mixture of Old Bay Seasoning and salt. Cover and steam until crabs or red, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve crabs immediately. Because seafood spoils quickly, keep crabs warm in steamer or promptly refrigerate.

Serve steamed crab on a table covered with paper for easy cleanup and with plenty of cold beer. Melted butter seasoned with a little Old Bay Seasoning is often served on the side. Have plenty of paper towels handy.

^***When adding crabs to pot, make sure the crab is alive. Crabs spoil quickly and any dead crabs should be discarded

The rest is easy....make sure you have claw crackers on hand for everyone and MUNCH!

For those of you that heard the myth that crabs scream, it is just steam that builds up under the shell. It isn't really a scream, it's more of a pppphhhhhhhhhhhhhtttttttt.

Serve with corn on the cob (leave the husk on, butter them inside the husk and throw them on the grill), fried zucchini and yellow squash (sliced and battered in corn meal).

Invite your friends and pass out the bibs!

Thoughtful Thursday: Mistakes

2008-05-29T18:02:00.005-05:00

Some rocket scientist thought this horrid looking monstrosity would be gorgeous if it was built at the entrance of beautiful Destin Harbor (where no other building is tall).

It isn't.

I guess some mistakes you just cannot fix.....but living in Hurricane Alley, maybe a Higher Power will think it's as ugly as I do.

That's mean....people have homes there. I am sorry.

Memorial Day and Exhalted Voices

2008-05-27T20:25:00.020-05:00

Nancy over at Nancy's Nonsense is already posting to me as to my Memorial Day Post. Ok Nancy.....only because you asked so sweetly:

If you want to know how the Redneck Riviera, and home to our finest Air Force fleet, celebrates Memorial Day.......let me show you:

Click to Enlarge

If you can see this picture, it is only a small segment of the two THOUSAND boats that gather on our local sand bar (Crab Island) for the ULTIMATE summer holiday party.

The boats range from this size:

To this size:

And EVERYTHING in between.

Our Ever present F-16's performed the Missing Man Formation in honor of our fallen troops:

If you have never been directly under 4 F16's when they perform this, you are missing something. It truly stirs your soul.

Of course, there is TONS of Fun, Sun and play time.

Mommy's favorite place during the summer is right here:

A good time was had by all, even Harley.

But, since all good things need to be continued........Ashley had her Spring Concert tonight. It is her last concert as a middle schooler. But, as you all know, my Ashley has to have the last word...........or last song if you will.

Her solo this year was Danny Boy, in honor of Memorial Day, and it was truly an experience. The girl's got PIPES ya'll!

It was a happy goodbye to all those friends she has made in the last three years as she moves to High School:

My Daughter From Another Mother isn't complaining:

And, quite frankly........this weekend wore us ALL out!

Oh. I almost forgot to mention: Allen's sister and BIL joined us for a bit, as did our (almost) 5 year old nephew Ethan:

When it comes right down to it, no matter how beautiful the day is, you have to thank God for our glorious sunsets to end the days:

Have I told you all how much I love living where I do?

UPDATE UPDATE

I got an e-mail asking me how Harley goes potty if he is on the boat......by jet ski of course!

He's not afraid of the boat, the water or the ski:

Thoughtful Thursday: Envy

2008-05-22T18:55:00.002-05:00

I don't envy, surprisingly.

But......

I sure would love to have this view every day!

Weekend Pictography

2008-05-19T18:10:00.017-05:00

For all of you who live where it is still a bit chilly, I am sorry from the bottom of my heart for showing these to you.

This was our fantabulous weekend!
(click on photos to enlarge)

A client of Allen's let us borrow his beautiful boat:

Most Handsome had it all planned out. We were going to spend the night on the boat in Panama City (about 65 miles from home). He called in a favor, got us a great slip and off we went. Of course that made me so..........

And what did the kids think? I'll let you see for yourself.

Ashley had this to say:

Taylor, she felt this way:

And Harley.....he was First Mate!

We saw some beautiful vistas:

We found these:

We put them back after the pictures.

We had neighbors like these:

And a beautiful sunset:

We relaxed the whole weekend, some more than others:

And loved every single minute of it!

I hope your weekends were just exactly what you wanted to do!

Red?????????

2008-05-12T18:12:00.004-05:00

I have changed hair color so many times, I don't even remember what my natural hair color is.

So, for the first time EVAH!

I am a RED HEAD!

Go on, be cruel, be kind, but let me know what you think!

Life: New Beginnings and Closure.

2008-05-08T20:46:00.005-05:00

Dear Bloggy friends, I am going to share something very personal.

Many years ago, when I wasn't old enough to know better, I fell in love. I fell in love with a deeply flawed man who I thought I could save, simply by loving him enough. It wasn't to be.

Jimmy was a victim of childhood diabetes. He suffered with it all his life.

I married Jimmy when I was 19 and to say it was an idyllic relationship would be the worst of lies. Jimmy suffered. Every day of his life. To compliment his life, or to end it, Jimmy self medicated. Alcohol and drugs were his medication.

But, let me tell you about this man: He was so charming. He had the most beautiful green eyes and black, straight hair. He always knew what he wanted life to be, but he could never quite achieve it. He had a heart of gold and a body that refused to cooperate.

He couldn't will his life to be normal. He couldn't self medicate his life to be normal and his diabetes was resistant to most synthetic insulin. Jimmy had a very hard life.

But, he did have a way.

Jimmy died on October 19th 2004.

I just recently found out.

You see, Jimmy was a horrible abuser. Physically and emotionally. I lived with him for less than three years before I ran.

I ran (and hid) for over 20 years. I never divorced him.

Hence, I am a widow. (I will explain why I have children out of wedlock later......one thing at a time please).

Last Thursday, I got a call, out of the blue.........after 20 years, from my sister in law. She was just 8 years old when we got married. It was the worst, and best, phone call I have ever gotten in my life.

At first I was so scared..........I had hidden for years, had he found me? What about my children........I was panicked.

I demanded to know why she called me, why after all these years, why couldn't I just stay gone from that families life.

I was told that Jimmy had died four years ago, that he died from complications of diabetes. Diane (my SIL) just wanted to reconnect with me. Still incredulous, I questioned (rather aggressively) her to death.

I wasn't happy. It was a part of my life that I fought for years to escape and forget.

One week later, and many phone calls (including speaking to my mother in law) I am ok with it.

I still can't find the tears for Jimmy, but I have Diane, Eric and the twins.

I always have made my own decisions about life, this one was out of my hands. It overwhelmed me, but............something good is coming out of something really bad.

I spoke with my mother in law (after 20 years) and she forgives me for leaving. I spoke with my Sister in Law after 20 years, and she wants me as part of her children's life..........

I have a nephew and a niece..........one of each, one year old.

It is time to put the past behind us.

Jimmy suffered with diabetes every single minute of his entire life, he lost an eye and a foot. I can forgive him anything if it means I get to be an aunt to Evan and Laura, A sister to Diane.

Almost like the Phoenix, out of the ashes of failed lives comes a golden creature.

That is worth celebrating and embracing.

So, all of you that have a sip of wine this week, toast to pasts being put behind and new beginnings!

Introducing Evan and Laura

2008-05-02T17:34:00.003-05:00

I would like all of you, my bloggy friends, to meet my newest family members Evan and Laura.

It will take a while to explain how I just came to know my 1 year old Niece and Nephew, but suffice it to say, I am very proud to be their aunt.

I am actually tickled pink!

Aren't they ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL?

I HATE this house!

2008-04-28T18:08:00.004-05:00

May I have the above please? Only make it be on the water, With lots of windows.

When I moved to this part of Fla, I rented a townhouse. I was so excited! A whole townhouse? Not a duplex or an apartment? In S Fla a townhouse was out of my pay grade.

Now 5 years later, I confess: I HATE THIS HOUSE!

One teenager, one tween, two bedrooms, no storage.................and mustard colored walls.

Ok, not really mustard, maybe a dark beige, a light tan.......(I'd take a picture, but my camera is away being fixed).

No, they are mustard. A cross between Grey Poupon and Frenches, but MUSTARD!

So, I've started looking for another rental.

It used to be so simple! You find a place you like, you move in.

Now it's different. You know what makes it different? KIDS! ARGH!

One is at one school, the other at another. Then there is soccer practice and friends and clubs and and and and and!

So I keep looking, and wondering if my landlord would kill me if I painted the darned walls WHITE!

Sick Little Ones

2008-04-21T19:15:00.004-05:00

What is a mother's worst nightmare? A sick child.

Sleeping in on Saturday morning, the house was so quiet, I was loving it. The usual bickering wasn't going on. I wondered about that for a moment as I lounged in bed enjoying the feel of peace. Then it was shattered.

Ashley came upstairs and said those dreaded words: "Mom, Taylor's sick". "How sick" I asked....

"She's burning up Mom".

It's been a nightmare since then.

I took her temperature and it was over 102 degrees. AGH!!!!!!!!!!! Panic mode.

Starting with the Tylenol and the Motrin alternating to a quick stint in a tepid bath and she was..........better. She was ok for most of the day and even felt well enough to go out to dinner.

Flash forward to Sunday at 5:30 AM. I opened my eyes to see Tay standing next to my bed. "Mom, I don't feel so good. I feel dizzy". I leapt out of bed to fumble for the thermometer.

The verdict? 104 Degrees.

Off to the hospital we went.

Now there are two types of doctors. The useless ones and the good ones. Our first stint in the emergency room was utterly useless. He barely looked at her, didn't listen to me, ordered a chest X-ray and sent us on our way with as very strong antibiotic prescription. It was so strong, she couldn't keep it down. So early this morning, off we went again.

By this time, she had quit speaking and barely moved. I saw a doctor there we had seen before, I remembered he was great. "Can we see him please?

Five minutes later, there was my poor baby. In a hospital bed with an IV of fluids, a dose of phenergan in her for the nausea, blood work being drawn and a nurse and doctor who listened.

This time, we got an antibiotic her little 54 lb body could handle, some Tylenol and codeine for the pain in her throat, some phenergan for her nausea and a bundled child back home in bed.

She has made a little progress today. She's eaten some broth, managed to keep her head up for a few minutes and some color back in her face. She still won't speak and hates to drink because her throat hurts, but all in all a great improvement over earlier today.

As mothers, do we ever feel more impotent or powerless than when one of our little ones is sick?

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

Taylor is better today. She is sitting up, drinking fluids and even had a light sandwich.

I saw her smile today for the first time in three days.

She's getting well

HURRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now that I have been "meme'ed"

2008-04-14T22:03:00.007-05:00

Ok Ladies (and Dad), this one is not a true Meme. It is a question.

If you could pick three people, either fictional or real, dead or alive..... that you could invite to dinner and have a conversation with........

A) Who would you want to have dinner with?

B) What would you discuss?

C) What would you serve?

Oh Man......I've been tagged!

2008-04-14T18:46:00.002-05:00

I knew it was inevitable. I even knew it was probable. I knew eventually, it would happen to me.

My friend from the opposite side of the US (all the way on the opposite side, as far away on the opposite side as you can get), Diane...from Meyers On The Hood has tagged me.

OH THE HORROR!!!!!!!!!

Worse yet, she wants to know weird things about me. I am the most non weird person I know.

Oh well, it's all in good fun right? I have to say seven things about me that are either random or weird.

Ok, here goes:

1) I am an immigrant, but I don't speak the language of the country I immigrated from. I was born in Germany and my parents are German. I came to the US when I was 6.

2) I have a brother and a sister that I have never met and a mother I only met once. I've thought about contacting them, even found out their address. And I never have....after all, what would I say, I don't even speak the same language.

3) I am a single mother that doesn't collect child support (trust me, it's better for my kids), and I like it that way. Only recently have I thought that I wanted to get married again, because I truly have found the greatest man. I have dated him for four years, just to make sure.

4) I am smart. Not a little smart, but geekishly smart. I hide that from most people. My interests are politics and numbers. I also do crosswords in ink and solve them. Reason for hiding.....all those years of wanting to just fit in.

5) I have lived in four countries. Growing up in one of those countries made me a "CZ Brat" (ok Didi, YOU figure out what that means....after all, this is your fault!). No, I didn't grow up military. I speak Spanish fluently.

6) I love reading. It's always been an escape for me and I enjoy it tremendously. I read just about everything, but I absolutely love murder mysteries.

7) FINALLY! I read cookbooks and cooking magazines for fun. Sitting right here on my desk are the latest issues of Cooking with Paula Dean, Rachel Ray's Everyday (check out the orange beef and broccoli in the middle section), and Taste of Home.

Ok, the seven I have tagged:

Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee (who doesn't love that?)

Beth at A Mom's life....who is a paragon of everything I envy.

Andrea at Sgt and Mrs Hub...she's moving and needs MORE things to do, lol

Cheryl at Life with Cheryl....because her writing makes me peaceful.

Bronie at Team Victory........my rock!

Megan at Fried Okra...because she just ROCKS!!!! And since she's preggers can always find the time for more to do.

And Lainey at Blog in My Eye....just because. I am not sure she even knows I read her blog faithfully.

The Rules:

1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.

2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

HAVE FUN LADIES!

What kind of Shoe are You?

2008-04-13T21:24:00.002-05:00

Hilarious........Since I do live near the beach.,....and I dearly love my sandals!

You Are Flip Flops

You are laid back and very friendly.

Cheery and sunny in disposition, you usually have something to smile about.

Style is important to you, as long as you can stay casual.

It takes a lot to get you to dress up!

You are a loyal and true person, though you can be a bit of a flake.

You tend to "play hooky" and blow off responsibilities a lot more than most people.

You should live: By the beach

You should work: At a casual up and coming company

What Kind of Shoe Are You?

Corporations, Red Tape and Peons.

2008-04-09T17:47:00.004-05:00

This is what my life looks like (at least I imagine it this way in my nightmares:

I....manage a companies accounting. I know, I know..........ME? Yes, me.

I don't do taxes (anymore), I just make sure that things flow smoothly. We get paid, and we pay others. I used to be ruler of my domain, Princess of the realm....the one person every business owner has, that he likes, but can tell him NO, and he doesn't bat an eye. I used to work in the small business world. I liked it, I was comfortable....I was GOOD AT IT!

So, what happened you ask? I (brilliantly) decided I needed to "grow up" go to work for a corporation, seek the ever elusive benefits, and 401k, and regular hours!

I did that.

I got the job.

And somewhere along the way, the free spirit that I was has become a "person in a management position".

And, much to my surprise...I LOVE it.

I don't love the excess paperwork, I don't love the red tape, I don't love the constant interruptions when all I want to do is finish one thing.

I love that I never knew I would still be good at what I do in that structure. I was afraid to do it for so many years. I always thought that I would just get lost in the shuffle. I didn't. I love it that I learned that I was far more organized than I thought I was. I love it, that I can actually manage a small staff and that I can motivate them.

I love it that, much to my surprise, I love doing it......ALL of it.

I have a great Boss. She is at a remote office from mine and I hardly ever see her, but we speak the same language. We think alike, we make very similar decisions and choices. She allows me room to show my skill, and is always supportive. That's cool!

I manage three employees that are uniquely different, but bring such amazing dedication and hard work.....we are in sync.

I thought I was too old for a career change, that I wouldn't like it very much. Now I know that my false bravado was nothing more than a fear of trying something new.

Now, how to translate that into a lesson to a 14 yr old. What was I thinking???????????

My Car is FIXED!!!

2008-03-28T18:12:00.002-05:00

I know it's not much, and it's a little old.....But it's mine and I love it.

And now it is FINALLY Fixed.

I would love to sit here and write a post, but like a junkie needing a fix, I think I need to go toodle around town in my FIXED car for a bit.

Have a great day all!

Cars and other things Guys are supposed to fix

2008-03-25T21:22:00.007-05:00

This is what broke in my car.

One week ago, I was coming back from taking Ashley to school and in the middle of a major road, this stupid thing broke.

What happened you ask? The car died. It wasn't a horrible death, it was a very quiet, everything just was working then it wasn't, kind of death.

And then came THE MECHANIC.

You would think, that since this is a guy thing, it would be a quick fix. It wasn't. A week later, I still don't have my car.

The Belt led to the oil leak that caused the belt to break, which was a seal that had to be replaced. Which led to the discovery that the pulleys are bad and they may not need to be replaced now, but they may not last long, to a family emergency which prevented the mechanic from working on the car....ENOUGH!

I WANT MY CAR BACK!

You'd think the problem was this:

IT ISN'T.

I think this may be who is working on my car:

You all pray and maybe I'll get my car back this year sometime!

Auntie AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-03-19T21:34:00.004-05:00

Allen and I are proud to announce that we are going to be Auntie and Uncle AGAIN!

For those of you that don't know, this is my best friend and my first "niece"

Isn't she GORGEOUS?????????

(yes I mean the baby not the beautiful 6 ft blond (who is now a red head).

Alexia (Lexi) is walking and talking up the storm. The new Baby is due in November and I say it's a boy.........what say you?

I am taking bets!

Allen and I are so thrilled for our friends. It appears that Kyle is done with going to Iraq for awhile, and Monica is working very hard towards her accounting degree (God help us all, another one of me in the world).

In your prayers, please include them, so this pregnancy goes well and we have a healthy, happy........boy or girl!

Oh Yea, I PROMISED....Collards everyone loves.

2008-03-06T20:59:00.010-06:00

I promised Fried Okra a few weeks back that I would post my Collard greens recipe.

I have been so busy, but I always keep a promise.

Ingredients:

Two large healthy heads of Collard Greens

5 slices of thick sliced bacon. (slab bacon is best...don't worry, I took out the calories and cholesterol)

1-2 smoked ham hocks (if they're big use one, small, use two)...you may substitute a large smoked turkey leg.

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons butter

Fresh grated nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a very large pot, lay the bacon slices so that they will cook evenly. Cook over medium heat until browned. Once the bacon is browned, remove from pot but to not discard the bacon fat.

Tackle the collards.

As an aside, collards are a HUGE veggie, they can be intimidating. You will have to touch every leaf. NO SHORTCUTS! Cut the bottom stem off the collards and wash the leaves, lay them in between paper towels to dry. Discard yellow or rotten leaves.

Fold each leaf in half along the stem. With a very sharp knife, cut the complete stem away from the leaf (stems are bitter and shortcutting this step will ruin it). Put the leaves in a colander. There will be a HUGE amount.

In the pot that you fried the bacon in, start putting in the greens. You will think there is no way that you will fit all those greens in one pot, but you will just have to trust me.

in between, add the butter and maybe a 1/4 cup water. Work the greens so that as they sautée, you are pressing them down into the pot.

Once you have all the greens in the pot, add the hot pepper sauce, vinegar, fresh grated nutmeg (not more than one or two passes over the grater), garlic and ham hocks.

Cover.

Cook on low for 1-2 hrs stirring frequently.

When the greens are wilted and the aroma tickles your nostrils they are almost done. Crumble the bacon and stir in. You will also need to extract the meat from the ham hocks (or turkey leg) and add it to the collards.

Taste them, add more pepper sauce to taste, and THEN..........................

Use your best storage, I prefer pyrex with tops. Put them in the fridge and let them sit overnight.

Reheat in microwave or over low heat when you are ready to serve.

Serve with cornbread (or jalapeno cornbread) and enjoy.

IT'S A SOUTHERN THANG (but huge in vitamins an iron)

Thoughtful Thursday: Pride

2008-03-06T20:11:00.009-06:00

When I see these birds in my blue skies every day, I feel such pride.

When you come across military personnel, Take the time to stop, thank them for their service. If you can, buy them lunch. Talk to them.

They give so much, their families give so much. Express your gratitude.

ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, MARINES (and yes COAST GUARD)

For every member serving there is a father, a son, a mother, a daughter, a nephew, a niece...............

Thank them when you see them.

Mundane Monday.....Or Not!

2008-02-25T18:51:00.004-06:00

I knew there was something I disliked about working for a national corporation......DEADLINES!

The end of the month is fast approaching and with the little training I got, my head is spinning.

Not just the deadlines, but due to some unforeseen circumstances, I have to make sure everything gets done, and I also have to hire someone new. My boss was going to do it with me, but due to a family tragedy, she will be unavailable.

And this is my dilemma.

Do you ever wonder just what God's plan is? Why mean, nasty people: thieves, wife abusers, murderers, child abusers live and innocents die? Why does God decide that one can survive to torment others here on Earth and the other, who's life is so valued by many, he takes from us?

My boss has a 19 year old son, who's girlfriend (18) died in a horrific car accident this weekend. She got a call late Friday night that her boyfriend was involved in a fender bender in Tallahassee while he was going to see her. He was not hurt, but the car was, and he was stranded. Being the person that she was, she immediately got in the car for the 7 hour drive to go rescue him. She was just below Gainesville when she encountered some very bad weather, lost control of her car and hit a tree. She was a talented, beautiful and caring young lady. I never had the pleasure of meeting her, but reading about her today made me so sad. Sadder yet (she didn't suffer), for my boss's son who is losing himself in the guilt, thinking this was somehow his fault.

We see so many horrible people in the news and some even in our daily lives. God's way makes so little sense some days.

I will never be so pompous to think that I deserve an explanation, but to see so many people suffer because she was so loved, hardly seems fair.

What think you?

What a Valentines Day!

2008-02-14T21:00:00.005-06:00

Have you ever had a day that, at the end of it, you are not sure if it was good or bad?

Wow.

Today I had one of those days. I had to reign someone in and let someone go. I had to allow something new and disallow something old. I had to get decisive and unpopular, and I got to feel empathy and demonstrate all the qualities I hold dear.

I have very few pecadillos. I know I get pissy about 10 pieces of paper being held together with 8 staples, each one of which cut my fingers.............I digress.

I believe the only thing you can believe in is your own integrity.

I believe that a work ethic is something that is either in you, or it's not.

I believe that everyone has "issues" but if you are conscientious, there should be no conflict.

I believe that you should finish the work. Deadlines should never be an issue if you work smart instead of fast..

(Aside, I had an Eight Grade Home-EC teacher who told me something: I am a lazy person, therefore I strive to do things right the first time, because I am just too lazy to do it over again")

I believe that you work as a team. No man is an island, right?

I believe that if you like what you do, and who you work with, life is just easier. It is up to you, however, to be approachable.

I am so optimistic, and surely know that I have so much to learn. I think as long as my head and heart are in the right place. The "corporate" structure is no different.

Will it make me a better accountant/problem solver/supervisor? Not sure yet.

But you, will be the first to know!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(alright, right after "the other half" has the whole diatribe, in three part harmony).

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!

Change at 40! (alright 42)

2008-02-02T16:09:00.000-06:00

As many of you know, I started a new job last week, and since it is the Internet, I obviously cannot tell you exactly where I work. I am an employee in the vast media company known as Freedom Communications.

It's been an adventure, and a time of huge change for me.

I have always been a small business accountant. I never had an ambition to work for a HUGE company like this one, because I always thought that I would get lost in the shuffle, my talents wasted.

Yet, as of last week, here I am.

Getting here was an adventure in itself. I felt like my whole life was under a microscope. I had to have a background check done, a credit check, and a drug screening, just to see if I was even remotely worthy of working for this conglomerate.

Then the interviews, the signing of contracts, the endless manuals I had to read, the policies I had to review, and that was before I even STARTED my first day of work!

I was so nervous. How much was I really sure of myself and my abilities and my knowledge. How could I go from managing finances for a small business to manage a department in a network of thousands of people?

I will tell you, it is much easier to tell the owner of a small business that he just doesn't have the funds for his overinflated ambition, than it is telling countless department managers, Veeps and the like, that I need what they have NOW!

I was thrown to the wolves!

Not really, my boss is patient. Being at a remote office from mine, she has tried desperately to get a handle on things. She is my new lifeline and will probably end up being a good ally.

Intimidation aside (all those "really important people"), I have managed one week. I feel good about it. My talents, my knowledge and my sheer skill seems to be what they really were looking for (they didn't just appeal to my ego).

I will continue to ask you my friends and family to pray. At 42, this has been such a change, and sometimes I think I am just feeling my way instinctively. When my instinct fails, and my ability to "speak"accounting falters, I will count on God to show me the way. I have a talent, after all, only on loan from Him (sorry Rush).

I hope all of you have had an amazing New Year so far. May you have new adventures, and people who love an support you as I do.

The *@#&% Flu!

2008-01-24T12:37:00.000-06:00

Ok, earlier this year, I had the opportunity to have a flu shot. I didn't take it. My thinking?

"What me? A FLU SHOT? Heck NO! I never get the FLU! I haven't been sick in years!"

Smartie that I was! Aside from my psychotic fear of needles, I don't much care for Doctors either, they HAVE the needles!

I took a nap last Saturday and woke up all out of sorts. I even snapped at Most Handsome! We went to dinner and the steak I was craving tasted like sawdust.

Most Handsome thought it might be a good idea to take my temp. What does he know? He's a (gasp) MAN!!!

Sure enough, Low grade temp (for someone who has a normal temp of 96.8, that is a big deal!). He promptly shuffled me off to bed with two extra strength Tylenol.

I will be starting my new job next week, and since I will be working for a National Corporation, I had a drug test on that Monday. Meaning, I could take NOTHING but Tylenol. Ugh the misery!

I spent Sunday in bed, and Monday morning, first thing, I managed to make it to my drug screening. I told the young lady doing the test that I had the flu. Needless to say (do people our age still use recreational drugs?) my tests were negative except for an abnormal (read higher than normal) glucose level. She eyed me suspiciously over her glasses and asked me if I had been drinking. My eyes misted over, as I sputtered out, OK OK, I CHEATED, I COULDN'T STAND IT ANYMORE I TOOK A NYQUIL.........OK OK, I TOOK TWO!

She took my temp, and for some reason found this very very funny. She gave me the all clear with the very stupid comment, "Drink lots of fluid, take plenty of Advil or Tylenol as you need it, even Nyquil if it helps you feel better, get plenty of rest and come back here if you don't feel better in about three days."

Like I was EVER going back there!

Today I can actually manage to sit up in bed for longer than ten minutes! YAY!!!!!!!!!

Moral of the story: TAKE THE DARNED FLU SHOT!

Julian's Battle

2008-01-22T17:56:00.000-06:00

In your prayers today, please include Julian Michael Avery and his parents and siblings.

His little 4 year old body gave up the fight against brain cancer this week. He was with his parents.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Julian's name to:

Cook Children's Medical Center, 801 7th Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104

Make A Wish Foundation, 1407 Texas St., Fort Worth, TX 76102

Julian's World future foundation, in care of Fellowship Baptist Church, 1600 N. Old Decatur Road, Saginaw, TX 76179.

Please go visit his guest book here.

If you would like to make a personal statement, please wear yellow on Wednesday, January 23, 2008. It was his favorite color.

Mimi, please know all of us out here in the blogging world's hearts are with you today.

New Beginnings ROCK!

2008-01-18T22:45:00.001-06:00

For the love of my life Allen, and My Mother, and Mom and Dad, and Shari and Jim and Diana, and Jo, and my new friend Bronie, and John and Diana, and and and.......

I borrowed the headline from Bronie who inspired me this week with this:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

You..... All of you...........are my inspiration, my friends, my family and my love.

Thank you all for your support. It was a rough time, but it ended well.

I forgot that God's ways are subtle, that He decides what He wants to remind you of, when you need reminding.

It truly is a New Year now. And for all of you, my family and friends, I hope it will be a great New Year, full of promise.

NEW BEGINNINGS...............ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From Childhood to Adulthood via PUBERTY!

2008-01-17T21:20:00.001-06:00

Of all of the great events in my life, there are a few that I knew would come, but I wish I could put off like.............FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Feast your eyes on my darling daughter:

She was cute, wasn't she?

Well, as of two days ago, she is now grown. Well, biologically anyway.

I have always been open in speaking with my girls, but I didn't realize I would actually have to give them up to WOMANHOOD (ugh, shudder).

I did all the parental things, I have been open and honest, she is so beautiful, so self possessed, so AMAZING..........

Why couldn't I get to keep her little? Just for a little while longer? I am not ready to give her to this big bad world!

Ah well, like my Super Star would say: "Suck it up Mom, I had to grow up sometime. But I love you, and I will always be your baby".

She's DA BOMB!

Making Peace with the Past

2008-01-02T21:28:00.000-06:00

Like most of you know, I went "home" this weekend.

And since this is a New Year, I will be the first to tell you, you may go home again, but don't expect to feel "at home". Let us qualify "home".

You have heard the sayings.....you know the ones.....Home is where the heart is! This is so true. My heart is no longer where I thought my home was. This weekend allowed me to realize that.

This is where my home is:

This is where I grew up:

It's beautiful, isn't it?

It's not home anymore. Let me show you what home means to me.

Home, to me is my Mother:

And My Aunt and Uncle:

And my dearest friend Shari:

And it's about My Most Handsome's Mom and Dad:

And it's about my Babies:

It was so fun to ride in this:

And acting like a tourist (yes, I got up out of the sunroof to take this) like this:

And you know we HAD to do this:

Because we left Harley at home....

But he missed us, so we had to come home and love him and shave him, and love him some more:

You will never know what life brings you, what great thing is just around the corner. Sometimes it kicks you in the teeth, sometimes it sneaks up on you.

In three short days, I made peace with a world I left. A world that was so beautiful, as long as you were either on the water or 6 stories above it. Street level, it just sucked.

I am who I am because of whom I have just shown you, I will always be who I am because I listened to them, instead of the allure of the city I love so much.

I am a tourist in my own home town, because I no longer understand it. I have made peace with my past.

All of you, My friends and my family.
You are my and my children's future.

As beautiful as the past is, it is a past that can only be viewed from 6 stories up.

Happy New Year!~!!!!!!!

Holy Cow!!!!!!!!

2007-12-29T00:51:00.000-06:00

For those of you that know me, you know I never pretend, never hide and never shut my mouth.

What a day today.

I ended my job, had to get ready for a new one, worried about my Mother having not seen my babies in years, worried about my friend Sharon, dealt with Christmas, dealt with the kids, etc etc etc.........

Oh what a crock.

Tonight, I drove home in the worst rain storm ever. It was a sad day, and I so do not do sad (what a lie, I cry like a baby).

I had to say goodbye today to good friends, a job I loved, and then when I left work, .....

YUP, you guessed it...........a torrential rain storm. Just what I needed.

All the way home, I prayed. My Prayer:

Dear Jesus, just get me home to my babies safely please.

I finally got home, thanking God, and was about to back into my driveway when my phone rang.

My Most handsome Other half decided I needed a surprise (he is the most awesome). His line:

HONEY! Can you and the girls throw some clothes in a bag? I have to pick up a trailer (boat) from Ft Lauderdale, and I thought you all would like to visit your family for the weekend!!!!!!

Has the man learned ANYTHING in four years?????????

Me, female extraordinaire, Oldest Daughter ...female extraordinaire in the making???? And the Taters.......with Zoe?????????

Ugh, Hilarity at My house........

I am pleased to report that we all are ready to leave at 7:00 Am.

The rest,

My mother has miraculously , managed a whole 1/3rd of our very extenuated family to change their schedule to be there for exactly two hours on Sunday (oh, we are so not going to get done by Monday morning),

Poor HIM! He, being the great son of a great man, brought up in the south where manners reign supreme, is about to clash with my VERY Southern family.................OH TO SAVE THE DAY!

By MY VERY SOUTHERN FAMILY, I mean VERY southern, not just south of the border, I mean almost south of the Equator!

Now, the time line. it is an 11 hour drive from here, we will be lucky (remember we have two daughters) to leave here by 10:00 Am. We will get there by dinnertime. Mother will have the kids (she hasn't seen them in a few years).

I will not bother you all with the time line,Suffice it to say, we are squeezing in a whole three weeks into two days.

Therefore, I will be taking my camera with TONS of batteries!

What man dares to say "can you guys just throw some clothes in a bag (at 6:00 pm), we are leaving at 7:00 AM, and live with it!!!!!!!

The greatest man in the world!

I don't care that the reason we are going home is to pick up a piece for work, I don't care that it was last minute...........

The girls and I haven't been home in years. SuperStar is taller than her grandmother. My best friend who is so inviting into her home (and godmother to my daughters), has had a really hard year and I can't wait to put my arms around her. Tater Tott, well.......none of my family has seen her since she was a baby........

And we have all of that to do in 72 hours!!!!!!! NOW tell me I am not Super Michelle!!!!!!!

I will post pictures, there will be many.

All my friends, pray that this is safe trip, a joyous one is undeniable!!!!!!!!!

Love to you all

M

Harley in desperate need of a shave.

2007-12-20T22:11:00.000-06:00

Mom and Dad, this is for you.

Allen wanted to wait until we actually groomed him this weekend (so he can wear his Christmas sweater with pride), but I think we can do "before" shots now and an "after" shots when he decides that we are not horrible parents and we shave his face for his own good.

What a face.

Here you go Mom and Dad:

Here is our most handsome little man

I am not sure who is more active, Harley or the kids.

So, Mom and Dad, Here is our boy. He is super smart, in love with the girls, and in bad need of grooming (although this is the second time he has been groomed), he hates his face being done.....(.too bad toots, Mom and Dad want to see your face dagnabit). He will get his this weekend (he has to look handsome in his new cardigan and Polo shirt!!!!)

We love you and wish you were here with us for Christmas!!!!

M & A

Wordless Wednesday

2007-12-18T23:17:00.001-06:00

Let us never forget the MIRACLES!

Such a busy weekend, so many pictures!!!

2007-12-16T23:00:00.001-06:00

So, I am not writing, am just going to post pictures:

And away we go.........

Taylor's Tremendous B'Day party,

Peyton, Ashley, Taylor, Mia and Taylor

Taylor, Eddie, Cameron, Sanjay, Peyton, Ashley, Jazmine, Mia, Taylor and Megan

The Best Man EVER IN THE WORLD making a gingerbread house!!!!

what I want from Santa..........

I can't actually have it, not at $197,000.00 (I can think of better ways to spend that kind of money), but it sure is nice to dream!

Wow, what a weekend!!!!!!!!!!!

Life in this house is always an adventure. Christmas is THE BEST TIME of the year.......

Taylor had THE BEST B-Day, The Gingerbread house was a kit, but Allen was so intent and made it beautiful, and I didn't get to keep the Benz!!!!!!

It sure was fun though!!!!!!!!!!

We love all of you who come here to see us.

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Taylor!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-12-15T10:30:00.000-06:00

Taylor is 9 today.

I woke up this morning and all I could think about was the day she was born.

I was having induced labor, so Cathy and I packed up Ashley, picked up my mother and headed to the hospital. It was a beautiful cool night (rare in Ft Lauderdale) and we were enjoying being together. Cathy and my mom were teasing me, that I didn't LOOK like I was 9 months pregnant, I hadn't gained much weight (Taylor gave me morning sickness for all 9 months, and it wasn't just morning, it was afternoon and evening too!).

About a mile from the hospital, we turned towards the hospital and found a police roadblock. We turned around, and tried another approach and found another roadblock.

I pulled up next to a Broward Sheriff and told him that I had to get to the hospital, His response was :

"Lady, we have an escaped prisoner from the jail in this area somewhere. Whomever you want to visit, you will have to visit tomorrow".

Ummmm.....WHAT??????????????????

Me: Officer, I know it's hard to tell, but I am having a baby!!!!!!!!!

I don't think that poor officer could have been more shocked if I had slapped him.

He asked us to wait a minute, went back to his car and spoke with his partner, his Sgt, not really sure who else.

After about 10 minutes he came back to the car and told us that he had arranged an escort for us to the hospital. And, true to his word, three police cars surrounded us, and (at about 10 mph) we drove the last mile to the hospital.

Once at the hospital, I was made comfortable, all the monitors hooked up, and we were well on our way. After about an hour, the anesthesiologist came in. He was a terribly grumpy and brusque man. He promptly informed me that he was going to give me my epidural early because he was tired and wanted to go home! Of all the NERVE!!!!!!

Funny part about is was, after making me horrible sick for 9 months, Taylor's delivery was a breeze. I pushed a couple of times, while reading a book, and OUT SHE CAME!!!!

All pink and beautiful and PERFECT! All 6 lbs, 9 ounces and 21 inches of her.

I got to take a nap for a few hours while the doctors poked, prodded and cleaned her up. About midmorning, they brought her back to me. I was amazed at those huge brown eyes, they looked so ...Intense!

It hadn't been ten minutes that I got to enjoy my new baby before the nurse told me that I had visitors. I expected my family, but I was surprised.

The door opened and the first thing I saw was this HUGE teddy bear, followed by about 15 uniformed Broward Sheriffs officers. They were all of the officers on duty during our escorted entrance to the hospital. They held her, cooed over her and were so very special.

Taylor had an eventful entrance into this world, and every day is an event with her.

Taylor, you are the most beautiful, funny, sweet, charming, bright, loving child. You have a heart made of gold and a twinkle in your eye that Santa must envy.

Happy Birthday my baby!!!!!!!!!!!

This is how I feel today.

2007-12-14T15:05:00.000-06:00

Oooohhhhhhhh I am in TROUBLE now!

2007-12-12T11:15:00.000-06:00

I am such a bad mommy/other half for doing this, but I just couldn't help myself!

Turn up the volume and ELF along!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1330517200

Christmas Concerts and Joyful Noise

2007-12-11T21:48:00.000-06:00

Tonight was Ashley's annual Christmas Concert.

As Dawn (Ashley's best friend Jazmine's mom) and I sat there we realized that we are old hat at this. Our daughters are soon headed off to High School. We had done these concerts a hundred times. We try to keep the kids in line, critique, praise, make funny faces from the pews......

Doesn't Ashley just look like she wants to say Fu**...I MEAN FaLa La La La

Heads up, Ashley and Jazmine have been friends since fourth grade, they are inseparable. For better or worse, they are attached at the hip.

I want you all to be very proud of me! I actually have learned to not sit in the pew with a tissue, I can cry when I am proud (and yes, I am DAMNED PROUD that my daughter singing makes me cry with joy) and still not let the kids see it!

The kids were great! Ashley had her complaints.....the 7th grade sang with the select chorus and ruined their performance, etc......But, they worked hard and the noise emanating from all those throats was truly JOYFUL!

The cutest picture of the night is one Ashley isn't even in (she had to run an errand for her Chorus director). Think Logan will ever forget this moment??????

If you enlarge this picture, and look in the upper right, there is Ashley coming out of the Choir room!

Wow!

This is my favorite concert every year, and YES MOM .....I cried!

The Whole Crew

Baby It's Cold Outside!

2007-12-08T08:38:00.000-06:00

It's cold outside (yes even here in Florida, it gets cold in the winter), so SOUP'S ON!

Over at BooMama's House She is having a Soup Off!

If you have a great recipe, SHARE BABY!

My humble addition is so easy, and SO yummy!

My Favorite Seafood Chowder

1 Can Cream of Celery Soup
1 Can Cream of Potato Soup
1 Soup Can Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 Soup Can of Water
CrushedGarlic
Olive Oil
1 Bag of peeled, deveined, tails on Shrimp
1 Fillet of your favorite Fish ( I love Grouper for this, but you can use anything you like)
Dill
Red Pepper Sauce (either Louisiana Hot Sauce or Tabasco)

In a small pot, cover the bottom with olive oil and add the garlic. Use as much or as little as you like. I LOVE garlic, so I tend to add more.

Once garlic is cooking, add the soups, the heavy whipping cream and the water. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

Once soup has boiled, lower temp to simmer, add the shrimp, the chunked fish and about 1 tsp of dill, and a couple splashes of Either Louisiana hot sauce or Tabasco. Simmer for 10 minutes and serve with fresh crunchy French bread.

Oh, PS.....this recipe can be doubled or tripled. The kids don't like to eat seafood as much as I do, so I usually just make this for ME!

Pss.....As a Christmas Wish, I wished all the calories out!

Stinky Sweat and the BEST Christmas

2007-12-07T21:08:00.000-06:00

Oooooooh Boy!!!!!!!!!!

I won't mince words.

Kyle is home. His baby who hasn't seen him since she was just an infant, has her daddy home. Monica, who loves her husband has him home.

Tonight, we were all on pins and needles.....Kyle was coming home. If you know anyone in the military, it is really short notice, they cannot tell you exact, date time........all they can do is an approx.
Monica went to the base, waited all day. Tonight she brought him home! HE STUNK!!!!!!!!!!!

Still in his desert BDU's (do they still call them that?), dirty, STANKY!!!!!!!, and so happy .

Not just him, all of us. I hugged him, for dear life.

Our families are so close. We celebrate every holiday together (except for that New Years that he pissed me off on the 7th by lighting fireworks off in front of the girls bedroom ON A SCHOOL NIGHT!!!!!!!)

I can't do this now. I have to just stop, thank God that Kyle is home. I can blog about this another day.

I am way too emotional.

KYLE IS HOME....safe, all parts intact (and looks like he's been lifting weights (he's going to need that weight training, his baby is a SWEET bundle of about 15 lbs!!!!!!!!!!)

Good night,

Tomato Pie

2007-12-07T08:38:00.000-06:00

Since this is a Paula Dean recipe, I will start off by saying:

HEY YA'LL!!!!!!!!!

I made this recipe at Thanksgiving, because (yes again) I was into COLOR! I needed a veggie dish that was yummy AND pretty!

It was sooooooooooo good!

The keys to this recipe are:

Make sure the tomatoes are peeled (for those of you that don't know how to peel a tomato, I'll tell you at the end of this post).

Make sure the Basil is fresh, not dried.

And use green onions, not regular onions.

Ok, the recipe:

Tomato Pie

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Show:	Paula's Home Cooking
Episode:	Farmer's Market

4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 (9-inch) prebaked deep dish pie shell (pre baked)
1 cup grated mozzarella
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes.

Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in pie shell. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the grated cheeses and mayonnaise together. Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

To serve, cut into slices and serve warm.

Now, how to peel a tomato:

Get nice big fat tomatoes. Lightly cut a cross on the bottom. Drop them in boiling water for a few seconds, until you see the skin starting to curl up. Take them out of the water, let them cool a bit and then peel peel away! Make sure you drain the tomatoes in a colander. Recipe says 10 minutes, but I let them sit for at least an hour. It drains a lot of the water out of the tomatoes and makes it so the pie isn't runny.

Have a great day everyone! I have a really busy day today, so I won't be around much. Love to All!

Moving North to Find South

2007-12-05T21:00:00.000-06:00

My writing tonight is a serious Hat Tip to FriedOkra .

Reading her posts makes me laugh, but also evokes serious thought for me.

I grew up in the BIG BAD CITY. Actually many cities: Miami, Medellin, Panama City (in Panama, not in Florida), Bremen, Munich, Gothenburg, Birmingham, Cleveland, Nashville and a whole lot of others along the way.

It was something I never thought about. It was where I was from. A little bit of everyone of those cities had an impact on me and I will never forget what I learned.

In Bremen, I learned where I was born. I learned that a city can be beautiful and old, and smell like coffee and hops brewing. A city doesn't have to mean smog and dirt.

In Medellin, Colombia, I learned that a city can be beautiful, and culturally diverse, and GROW, and that family still has a place. It is ok to be proud of your country and your culture, and still have closely knit families.

In Panama, I learned (as a CZ Brat) that cultures can mesh. The old can coexists with the new without fading into oblivion.

In Nashville I learned that centers of education are not solely for European cultures.

In Munich, I learned ancient family history.

In Gothenburg, I learned that you can watch a sunset at 2 AM, that swimming in freezing water is fun, that you won't die of hypothermia and you can support Greenpeace without losing your morality.

In Miami, I learned that you can have street smarts and not bow to a victim mentality.

In Cleveland, I learned the opposite: Victim mentality works (Not my favorite city, but since I was there, it seems to have gotten better).

In Birmingham, I learned what the South was.

All of those cities taught me valuable lessons, but no lesson was harder to learn than the one I learned in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. That is where my daughters were born, and where I learned that there are easier places to raise your children than the BIG BAD CITY.

Five years ago, I made a decision to pack up my babies and move 800 miles from home, to a small town in the Panhandle of Florida where I knew no one. My friends and family thought I had lost my mind. In my mind, I was doing the right thing.......I was moving SOUTH!~

I wanted so much for my daughters, but more than anything, I wanted them to have a chance. A chance to grow up at a normal pace. Not a pace that demanded they make decisions on morality, or sexuality, before they were ready. This is still not heaven, but it is several steps closer.

In this town, if you don't belong to a church, ANY church, people wonder why. In this town, if you do not volunteer at your child's school for SOMETHING, people wonder why. In this town, if you are not involved in the community somehow, people wonder why. It is the SOUTH I longed for.

The fact that I moved my kids from a failing school system to the best school system in the state, should give them a clue, but my BIG CITY friends, just don't get it.

They ask why, I would leave a cultural mecca to live here. To live among the military (egads!!!!!!) they support, but in the abstract only. To live in a town of 65,000 people VOLUNTARILY?????? Unheard of.

The fact that the area where I live is called the "Redneck Riviera" is enough of a deterrent, Their comments are usually along the lines of: "most beautiful beaches in the world, great vacation spot, but WHY would you want to live there, It's not even on the I-95 corridor!".

My answer is simple:

I FOUND THE SOUTH!

And my babies, although not immune to the real world, have a better chance! They show it every day.

Itinerary for “Honoring Heroes at the Holidays Tour”

2007-12-04T21:59:00.000-06:00

Move America Forward is hosting a Christmas/Holiday/Hanukkah gift drive for our troops stationed over seas.

Here is their itinerary. If they come to your town, SUPPORT SUPPORT SUPPORT!

Lexi (pictured above with my daughter Ashley) Had her first Thanksgiving while her father is stationed in Iraq.

If these people are near you during this time, please donate as many cards as you can. Our troops, one of my dearest friends included, would be so grateful!

If you cannot go to a rally, here is where you can donate:

Give from your hearts! So many of our loved ones are stationed overseas this year.

Holiday Recipes

2007-12-04T20:15:00.000-06:00

Hi Guys.

I am not a gourmet. Mostly I try to find simple recipes that are easy, healthy and fun.

Today I am going to post two recipes. One is my very favorite fish recipe. I know it is not traditionally a Holiday recipe, but with people coming all the time, it is simple and DELICIOUS! I use grouper because I have an over abundance of fresh caught grouper at my disposal, but I also love it's sweet buttery flavor. If you cannot get fresh grouper, try red snapper. I will tell you, if it smells like fish, DON'T BUY IT!

Here you go!

My Favorite Grouper!

Several nice fillets of grouper (depending on how many you are serving)

One Onion, sliced paper thin
One of each (I choose for color) Orange, red and green pepper sliced thin
One tomato (adjust if cooking for a larger group) also sliced as thin as possible.

Olive oil
One and a half cup mayonnaise
Dash of red pepper sauce, m ore if you like it spicier (I prefer Louisianna hot sauce, but tabasco works very well)
One tablespoon of either Dijon or creole mustard.

On a cookie sheet (tin foil covered for easy cleanup)coat with enough olive oil so that fish won't burn

Lay fish on sheet and season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Carefully layer the vegetables on the fish, This is more about appearance than technique. You want to show off the pretty colors.

Cook fish at 325 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, until fish is opaque.

In a bowl combine the mayonnaise, mustard and hot sauce. Pour over fish and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve with risotto or white rice.

My Take on an Old Favorite!

Sometimes you need a quick dessert that is easy and delicious. This one is my take on American Apple Pie. It only has five ingredients (aside from the spices and apples) and there are two of each! You can remember this one even if you can't find the recipe!

It comes with a disclaimer: If you want a perfect presentation, you might not like this. It looks more like a cobbler when served, but it is so yummy, if you serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, no one will ever notice:

My Apple Something-or-Other

INGREDIENTS:

5-6 Large Granny Smith Apples, peeled and cored
2 sticks of butter
2 Cups of all purpose flour
2 Cups sugar
2 Eggs
2 Tsp Baking powder
Nutmeg and Cinnamon sugar
A few pats of extra butter

MIX: In a large bowl, mix eggs, flour, softened butter, baking powder, and sugar. Set aside

Slice apples into a large deep dish pie pan (ceramic works best). Sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar, and nutmeg. Put a few pats of butter on top of apples. Cover this with the flour/sugar mixture. It will be very gooey, so grease your hands and put spoon it around before you try to spread.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately ½ hour or until golden brown.

Serve with Vanilla Ice cream

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIVES! These are yummy AND easy!

Have a great week!

Catherine Rose

2007-12-01T13:29:00.000-06:00

Oh My! It's the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The house isn't cleaned, the decorations aren't up and I am STRESSING.

Christmas time is such an emotionally variant time.

The kids with their gifts, more than they ever really need, the thoughts of family and friends, both past and present. Wow. Let's see if I can share a bit:

Growing up was easy and hard. I, like my children, grew up with every thing I ever needed and 9/10ths of what I could ever want. Somehow at Christmas, my parents forgot what the holiday meant. They fought constantly. They fought about the silliest things. My father the atheist was all about showing off wealth, my mother, the devout Catholic, was all about tradition and ceremony. The only thing they ever really agreed on what that the "Joneses" were not as well off, and couldn't afford the luxury of fighting over the wealth or the ceremony. I learned to hate Christmas.

Several years later, I met a woman. I was just out of college, had been briefly married, and was not about to go home. I never did like living alone, so I found a roommate. I came back to South Florida with ideas of being free. I wanted to work hard and party hard. I had absolutely no intention of being told when I came home or what I did with my money or my time. This woman, Cathy, needed a roommate and she and I were a perfect match. She worked nights, I worked days, she was neat and quiet, I was never home. It was perfect until that first Christmas. Cathy finally had company and wanted to have a traditional Christmas, I wanted no part of it. Christmas was about the party for me, the tradition for her.

Fearing that she would ask me to leave a perfect situation if I didn't comply, I dragged out her silly little bow making machine, and promptly set about making those sill homemade bows that she wanted to decorate the tree with (ugh, ugly AND homemade). I bought her a token gift and on Christmas Eve, me being impatient to get this over with, I wrapped presents. BIG MISTAKE...........HUGE.......I knew how to wrap, and make things pretty, and she wanted my help because her wrapping skills were sorely lacking.

She had presents for EVERYONE, and asked me to wrap them all. There was a gorgeous purse for her co-worker, the simple gold chain and cross for someone she had met at the hospital where she worked. There were silly trinkets for the girls in the computer room, the gag gifts for her bosses. I wrapped them all.

I finally did get to go out that night, but something struck me........being out, in a group of strangers, wasn't nearly as much fun as hanging out with her and wrapping presents. I went home and crawled into bed feeling miserable and sorry for myself.

The next morning, I woke to Christmas carols (can you GET anymore annoying?)and went out in the living room to see what in God's name all the racket was. Cathy handed me a cup of coffee and all smiles, showed me the tree. Every single gift that I so meticulously wrapped was under it, with tags....my name on the tags.

Cathy passed away 7 years ago last September. She died of a cancer that she never knew she had until it was too late. She died at home, with me and my daughters. I wanted to make sure that she knew, at the very last minute of her life, that she was loved. Loved, not for what she did, but for who she was. A beautiful woman, full of disdain for the stupid and ordinary, and full of admiration for life. A life she saw in my babies, babies that she had never been able to have, but was such an integral part of raising. I had become her daughter, my daughters were her granddaughters.

This Christmas will be dedicated to her memory.

Catherine Rose, so aptly named. We love you and miss you every day. Rest in Peace my dearest of friends.

IT'S CALLED CHRISTMAS!

2007-12-01T01:44:00.000-06:00

WITH A CAPITAL "C"

Hat tip to Diana M.

Your faith and strength these last few months will never be forgotten, but I agree. It is CHRISTMAS! With a capital "C"

Listen here! Copy and paste this in your browser!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAckfn8yiAQ

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Santa Meets a Soldier

2007-11-29T23:35:00.000-06:00

"'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

Lt Col. Bruce Lovely, USAF
Dec. 1993

If You Are a Mother: This is Wonderful!

2007-11-29T15:37:00.000-06:00

I'm sitting in a cozy blue room appointed with trains and toy mice in tutus. I'm on a too-small bed, but I do have this bit of quilt cover, so I'm, ouch, good.

The rest of the bed is taken up by my daughter, a three-year-old with the heaviest, hottest head imaginable. Her head, with a 102-degree fever, is on my belly, somewhere by my spleen, I'd guess. I don't really know where my spleen is, but at 4AM you think about these things.

Anna is going to wake up any moment. She'll lift her head and say "Where are you, Mommy?" I'll stroke her cheek and say, "I'm here, sweetie. Me and my spleen are right here." And she'll drop her head, thunk, on my belly, and sleep.

Ordinarily I don't sleep in Anna's room. But when a kid is sick, there are no rules. I remember milk shakes when I was sick, and my mom wheeling the TV into my room. Mostly I remember her hand on my cheek. Her worried hand. The hand that said, "Oh, no! You're sick!" It's all about the hand on the cheek.

I had Anna's virus a few days ago. My fever shot to 103, and I called my mother. She did what she could. She said, "Oh no!, You're sick!" My husband tried to help. But a husband is handicapped at a time like this: He is not your mother. He needs instructions. "Here, like this," I said, placing his hand on my forehead. "Just come by and do this every hour and I think I may survive." I was too weak to tell him about the milk shakes, the TV.

A sick child and a mother, there's an electricity. The sick child needs what the mother has, what the mother is. The child needs worry and sorrow and tender loving care. And the sick child makes the mother whole.

All night long Anna had been calling. So, eventually I climbed into her bed. The truth is, I'm about as comfortable as an old lady flying coach on a transatlantic flight. And yet I'm so comfortable I could cry. Anna lifts her head. "Where are you, Mommy?" she says. "I'm right here, sweetie," I say, placing my hand on her cheek. "Me and my spleen are right here."

Thunk. Ugh. What strange joy.

Written by Jeanne Marie Laskas
Ms Laskas is an advise columnist and published author.

Thursday Ramblings

2007-11-29T10:29:00.001-06:00

I am not a student of Middle Eastern culture, nor do I pretend that I am anything other than what I am, a parent, an American, an outside observer.

But the situation in Iraq and most of the Middle East troubles me.

I say that I am a parent first, because it is the most prevalent reason for my need to peek at a part of the world, and a culture I have no part of, and will never visit. It is my children’s world that will be affected throughout their lifetime by what happens the next few years in this ancient region.

Second, I am an American. With a gullible pride and wide eyed optimism that is so ingrained in our culture. I simply cannot comprehend a way of life that is lethal to itself and its own people. Golda Meir once wrote “Peace will come to the Middle East when the Arabs love their children more than they hate us..” As a mother, I simply do not understand familial pride in knowing that my child will go blow himself, and others, up for a “cause”.

I have, during the past two to three years; glimpsed into a world so foreign to me at times it is difficult for me to comprehend. I have read blogs from Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia in a search for understanding. I feel I have still come up empty handed. I encourage my daughter to correspond with children of these countries. Maybe there is something that I am missing, that they, through her, can teach me. I haven’t had much luck.

You will see on my favorite blogs list, Sunshine’s Days of My Life blog. Let me tell you about my contact with her.

Sunshine is a 15 year old that lives in Mosul, Iraq. Mosul is (more so since the peacefulness that has spread in Baghdad) a very violent city. Sunshine has seen the windows in her house blown out many times, dead men in the streets and her town ravaged by this war. She has watched helplessly while her mother, a well educated woman, suffered crippling depression. Through all of this, Sunshine has steadfastly maintained her excellent grades and a grace that is so rarely seen in young women today. I encouraged my eldest daughter to correspond with her and watched in dread as the first e-mail went out. Ashley had filled the posting with slang and typical teenage-speak. Thinking that I couldn’t decipher much of what she was saying, I swiftly dispatched my own e-mail to Sunshine apologizing for my daughter and promised to explain to her that when speaking to kids in other countries, it is best to use basic, simple English.

Within hours, I was castigated by a very indignant Sunshine. She haughtily told me that she understood every word that Ashley had written her and that she was not different from my daughter. She explained that she wore modern clothes and spoke with many kids in the “outside” world. HA! Needless to say, I firmly tucked my tail between my legs and left the two of them to their own devices, vowing never to butt my nose into the inner workings of two teenagers chatting again.

I digress.

I found a statement in Faud Ajami’s book “The Foreigners Gift” that rocked me to my core.

“It would have been heady and right had Iraqis brought about their own liberty, had they demolished the prisons and the statues on their own. And it would have been easier and more comforting had America not redeemed their liberty with such heartbreaking American losses. There might have been greater American support for the war had the Iraqis not been too proud to admit that they needed the stranger’s gift and had the United States come to a decent relationship with them.”

Do not get me wrong, Mr Ajami doesn’t condemn the US, or the Iraqis, he is merely explaining the mindsets, that this is the thinking that is predominant today: “What would have, could have, should have, been?” . Mr. Ajami states that the “disaster” in Iraq came when the Muslim imams, Arab leadership and even Western thinking intellectuals refused the gift that we Americans were offering.

Isn’t it funny, that we view personal freedoms and liberty from tyranny a “gift” that is ours to give? It must be our silly, gullible pride and wide eyed optimism.

'Operation Joy to the Troops'

2007-11-28T11:22:00.000-06:00

Operation America Rising will be collecting Holiday Cards for our Troops stationed overseas. We welcome you to be a part of this noble cause. Get your local schools, churches, businesses, and civic organizations involved. All you have to do is collect holiday messages of Joy for the Troops and mail them to:

Operation Joy to the Troops
P.O. Box 2345
Franklin, NC 28744.

This will be a nationwide tour starting November 26th and ending on December 16th. The goal is to collect 100,000 holiday cards. OAR will deliver the messages of Joy on Wednesday December 12, 2007. It is time to send holiday joy and praise to the men and women that defend our freedom.

If you would like more detailed information email me at robert@operationamericarisingnc.com.

Thanks and God Bless our Troops!

Robert Nelson,
Operation America Rising
http://www.OperationAmericaRising.com
www.AmericaRising.org