She's Back

Just got word our girl is back!

Whew!

Thanks for your prayers!!!!!!!

Still Waiting....

She was supposed to be back sometime around midnight our time.

We are still waiting.

No news is good news...

Right?

Soldier Mommy

As you may know, our niece, Soldier Mommy, is in parts hot and sandy. In just a few hours, if she hasn't left already, she'll be heading out on a very dangerous mission.

While I'd love to blather on about details and locations, I don't think I will. Unlike the liberal media I don't think it's necessary to give all the details to missions where our soldiers lives may be in jeopardy. Funny that.

Anyway, Soldier Mommy will be driving the lead vehicle in the convoy and they are headed to a pretty nasty neighborhood.

Our family would greatly appreciate your prayers for her and the other soldiers heading out.




For another great post about American heroes, please visit HERE.

Ten Things

I found this, I don't remember where, writers prompt about "ten things I never knew until I became a mom". Since my "official" mommy days are drawing to a close, this some how seems fitting.

1. I had no idea that I could love so much. Truly. I would, without hesitation, die/kill for them. Yeah, I know that last one isn't a very "Christian" attitude, but you do NOT want to hurt one of my babies. I will take you down.

2. I did not know that when Boy got his first grades from college that I would feel as if I had accomplished something. I suppose this is vindication for all those years of homeschooling. I didn't mess him up! Hurray!

3. That I was so opinionated when it came to raising children. Esssh....

4. I didn't realize that there would be days that I felt like I was bashing my head into a brick wall.

5. I had no idea that the words of my psycho mother would indeed escape my mouth regardless of how hard I tried to not sound just like her. I cannot begin to tell you how much I hate that part of me.

6. I did not know that by becoming a parent that I would be humbled by little beings who were far wiser than their years. The two of them have shown a maturity and an understanding of the world around them that has often left me astonished and a little embarrassed at my own ignorance.

7. Becoming a parent change the way I looked at my husband. Oh sure, I thought he was the bee knee's and all that, I just didn't realize that he would become a most excellent father. He was the type of father who took his boy to men's breakfasts and prayer meetings so that his boy would know how to be a man of God. He was the man who built and then sat at a tiny tea table to have tea parties with his little girl. Not that he was perfect, not that he didn't have to grow into his role, but I have to say that I was surprised and delighted to find myself married to such a man.

8. I didn't know that I would never get my pre-baby body back. Sigh...

9. I did not realize that I would forever put someone else's needs/wants/desires before me own...and really not mind. This would explain the state of my underwear and socks.

10. Mostly, I didn't know that by becoming a parent that there would be two people who would influence my life/my thoughts/my values in so short a time.

How has becoming a parent changed you? If you are not a parent, how do you think your life will change if you do become one?

Yes

Yes, it is indeed 1:18 in the morning.

I am not sleeping.

I have no idea why.

Yes, I did my taxes today and learned that the State of Oregon will indeed be taking a gallon of my blood. Greedy!

Yes, I am off dog duty, so there will be no stories of Chloe and her exploits. Let me just say for the record that she was a perfect house guest and charmed the ladies at the gym. My friend is back from the funeral and she brought back sage advice:

Do not wait to do the things you would, because life is short.

Which made me think about my motherless/fatherless/brotherless state.

Yes, it is annoying and I wonder when the next big o' family drama will dribble in to torture me further. I wish I could move out of state. Disappear. Bandage up the wounds and move on. Yet, I know those demons don't stay gone forever. Someone once told me that I am a great, big, walking sore.

Some days I feel exactly that way.

Yes, my friends down south are still fighting for their children. This is perhaps the largest travesty of justice that I have ever witnessed. The only bright spot in the entire thing is the way in which their oldest daughter has shown her metal. She's fighting the state, calling a spade a spade, and otherwise being a thorn in someones side. She's feisty that way and I am so proud of her strength. She must have gotten that from her mama.

Yes, three-year-olds make you feel young and old at the same time.

And speaking of old, my Beloved turns forty-three today. He's such an old man. So much older than his young bride. Snicker. He's a whopping five months older than myself. Tomorrow there will be cake...lemon cake...instead of the annual banana cream cake.

Yes, it is true that I am rambling, because I am not sleeping.

Yes, this has been a complete waste of your time.

The Protectors of the Princess

We have a new member at the gym. She's has fire-red hair and the sky blue eyes. She's a young thing, just a teenager really and when she smiles, well gosh, you just have to smile back.

She's also autistic.

Her mother wanted her in a gym, because she's gaining weight, it happens when you are autistic. Heck, it happens when you're forty-two and look at a cookie!

For the most part, Princess is doing pretty well. In fact, last night she complete the entire circuit. I was so proud of her. She was overcome with pride, her face turned red and she hung her head, hiding beneath her fiery-red hair. You could just make out the hint of a smile underneath those locks.

Her mommy asked if she felt good and she replied with a soft yes.

What a great feeling.

When she first came in my co-workers and I worried about how she'd do. Would she be able to keep up and understand our directions? Would she listen to us? Would she slow the circuit down?

For the most part, we have amazing (amazing!) gym members. They are supportive, kind, and friendly. Yet, there are a handful that need a swift kick in the hind quarter.

These were the ones we were worried about.

And although we didn't share our concerns with the other members, two ladies came forward to voice their support for Princess.

One said she wanted to know when Princess would be in, so that she could workout beside her, keeping a buffer between her and others on the circuit. This darling did just that last night and she cheered right along with me, my co-worker, and mommy when Princess completed her workout.

The other lady made a point of telling me that she was glad Princess joined and she wanted to know if anyone gave her a hard time.

"I was watching to see if anyone was annoyed, because I WILL take care of it!" She stated.

She wasn't joking either. She made it abundantly clear that if anyone gave Princess so much as a dirty look while she was there, that she was gonna open up a can.

These two ladies have taken it upon themselves to be the protectors of the princess. Isn't that great?!

Princess is special in many ways and I'm beginning to think that one of her many special talents is bringing out the best in people.

Don't you wish we all had that gift?

Mean Yellow Eyed Dog

I am sitting at the Giver's house with a small, tiny, miniature, fuzzy, black poodle on my lap. Her name is Chloe, but everyone calls her Doodle. She really about the size of doodle if you think about it.

She's a yippy little thing who doesn't really like men. She likes to yip at Beloved whenever he's around. I think she has little dog syndrome because she rules the roost around here. The cats steer clear of her, which cracks me up because she's about as big as a load of bread. A small loaf of bread.

As I sit in this silent house, with the Doodle warming my lap, I think about my dog at home. My BIG dog.

My Dog is a shepherd-chow mix. He weighs in somewhere around 80lbs. He has yellow eyes. Yellow like a lion. Yellow like a killer.

Down boy, down!

He's really not much of a killer. Not really. My dog is getting up in age and not much excites him these days. Oh, he can run...if he has to...but he'd really rather find a warm spot and lie in the sun.

I once introduced my BIG dog to Doodle. He wasn't impressed. Doodle, on the other hand was totally into checking him out. He just walked away.

Doodle has also spent time at our home with our bipolar kitty, Dingo.

Dingo is even less impressed with Doodle than our dog was.

He hisses.

He gives Doodle the, "I'm going rip your head off and make you care it around in a bag," look.

She doesn't care.

She tries to eat his cat food.

She hogs every ones attention.

She sleeps in Dingo's spot.

Theirs is not exactly a love born in heaven. Maybe hell, but certainly not heaven.

The Giver is out of town this week, attending the funeral for her brother. Girl and I will be hanging out in town, watching television (remember, we don't have a television), and listening to the neighbors. How do you townies do it?

Anyway, we'll be hanging out with the Doodle. She makes a great little lap warmer, but just between us, I prefer a dog I can't kick across the room. I like a dog that can rip the face off of an intruder and live to tell about it.

Yeah, give me a big dog, with mean yellow eyes.

Only, make sure and wake up him up, cause that dog loves to nap.

The Exception

On the wall by my desk sits a picture of me and my Beloved on his brother's wedding day. I love it. I love the dress that I was wearing and the pink shirt my honey was wearing. Blonde's look great in pink. I'm just sayin.

I vividly remember that late summer day and how my usually snarky sister-in-law to be, was so nervous that she almost didn't make it down the aisle. Weird that. They were married right here on the farm and I think it kind of irked my dear, sweet mother-in-law that we didn't have a double wedding.

But that was years before SIL and I were truly friends, you know, like we are now.

Those were the days of one upping each other.

Idiot girls

As I sit here, gazing at the photo, I realize that our son is the same age that we were in that photo. Only, he's smarter and single.

When I look at the pictures of my children, that stand nearby, I see people who amaze me. They are both so much more than either me or my husband were at their age.

More focused

Sober... Ahem....

Serious

I've been told by people that we married too young. We did. Maybe, but I guess it's working out.

Others have told me that our marriage is the exception, not the rule.

Does that mean that we've let our children down? We don't yell and scream and throw things. We did, once upon a time, but we outgrew that silliness.

Our marriage isn't perfect, but we're committed, or maybe we should be committed...

I hope that our children have learned to fight through the hard times and that they realize that sometimes, frankly, you are not going to love that person you wake up with (and that's okay as long as you remember that you still like them). I wonder if they'll remember to do kind things for their spouse, especially when they don't feel like it. I hope they remember that there are so many things that are far more important than money.

I hope they smooch in front of their children until their children scream with disgust.

And that they'll leave the kiddies home and go out on a date.

I hope my children will look back at our marriage, long after we are gone, and tell their grandchildren the love story of their great-grandparents.

This squishy blog post is brought to you by three failed marriages that I learned of this week. These shipwrecks burst upon me suddenly and I am saddened.

It hurts my heart, it truly does.

The picture hanging on my wall shows me two very young adults who were crazy about each other. I think I'll hang a more current picture next to it. Just another picture of two middle aged (gulp) adults who are slightly nuts, but are in it for the long haul.