The Power Of Four

I love technology. I'm a gadget junkie and I love electronics. But today, I am extremely thankful for one in particular phone addition that we have in this age; the ability to conference call.

Back in Reno, myself and 3 of my closest friends decided that we needed to meet a couple of times a month for the purpose of prayer. It was nothing for us to sit for hours on end and fellowship and pray for one another. And I believe that my prayer life grew stronger than ever during that time. I saw many many answered prayers...but what's more, I developed a deeper relationship with each of these women than I ever thought possible. There is something about praying with another person that allows you to see deep into who they are. I don't know why I was chosen for this privilege, but I do not take it for granted.

When our family moved to Texas, I was taken out of that foursome and have missed the time that was spent together immensely. Over the months, the three of them continued to meet...often lifting me up during their prayer time knowing full well how much I was struggling to adapt to our new life here.

Recently, another member of our foursome moved to Wisconsin. Yet she had the idea to four-way call a couple of times a month...and that's just what we did today, minus one who is attending a funeral. Anyway, I can't put into words just how powerful our time together is, even over the phone separated by thousands of miles. Just getting to hear all of our voices on the same line is so filling. We cry and laugh together and share an intimacy with one another that I have never experienced outside of my marriage.

As we filled each other in on what is happening with our lives today, I found myself crying. Two of my dear sisters are experiencing the same pains that myself and the third sister in my group experienced when I moved to Texas. Having been down that road, it was all I could do to pray and cry in sympathy at the knowledge that their journey was just beginning.

I don't know why God separated our little foursome, but I know that He is sovereign and I trust that He works all things for His purpose...and His purpose is ALWAYS good. Even when it brings tears to our eyes that can't be contained, He is always good and I will forever praise His name and serve Him.

I am so thankful for these women and the time that we share together in prayer. I often thank God for placing them in my life and I sincerely look forward to the day when we are in our King's presence, praising Him for all of eternity. I just know that in Heaven, we will be neighbors and won't have to burden the pain of separation anymore. I so very much look forward to that day!

Shopping Cart Safety

Having more than one child is such a strange phenomenon. When Jason was born, Kenny and I did everything by the book. Any first time parent would probably see themselves in us. The car seats were professionally inspected for proper installation. Diapers were changed every hour on the hour whether needed or not. And if Jason even coughed suspiciously, we were at the doctor's office.

Then came Dallas, and we loosened up a little. We felt more comfortable in our parenting skin and knew that every time that he cried, it was not the end of the world. We were still cautious parents, but not as crazy as we were with Jason.

Now that Keegan is almost 2 and a half, we are practically pros. In fact, we could probably partner up and write a parenting book. However.....

You'd think that common sense would override parenting confidence when it comes to the most common faux pas. For example: shopping cart safety.

We all know the importance of keeping our little ones strapped in their proper seat. Oh, did I mention that I'm a parenting pro? Those strict shopping cart rules are for newbies! So...Keegan wants to hang out in the larger area of the cart....Keegan gets to hang out in the larger area of the cart. Hey, he's child number 3 and all I care about now is silence....not safety. Besides, like I said, I'm a parenting pro and can certainly manage my son in a shopping cart.

Well, as much as I'd like to claim that protecting him was just what I was able to do yesterday during our afternoon run to Wal-Mart, I just couldn't overcome the law of physics. Those laws would indicate that when child is standing in a movable object, and the object moves without the child prepared to move with it....said child will stay in place while object moves from under him. Translation: When I pull a shopping cart backward while Keegan is standing in it, chances are he is going to fall forward out of the basket and land directly on his head. Low and behold, that's just what happened. Right there in lane #12 in front of security cameras (I'm expecting CPS to knock on the front door any day now), customers, workers and other mothers shooting me their glares of disapproval.

I fully expected him to vomit in response to such a violent strike to the head. I was sure that he would have at the least, a concussion. However, he actually turned out fine. Just a small lump on the corner of his forehead. It sounded and looked much worse than what it was. That didn't stop the Wal-Mart manager from asking me to fill out an incident report. (Gotta protect themselves...completely understandable.) But on the flip side, Keegan did get a free bag of M&M's out of the ordeal. Once again, I suspect that the majority of the scarring will be taken on by my emotional state. The guilt kept me awake last night. If I said, "I know better than that." once, I said it a million times.

I guess I'm just grateful that God made children so pliable. I realized early on that Keegan would take full advantage of that fact. We are talking about the same child who snapped off the tip of his finger earlier this year, remember?

I now fully understand why my parents always said that it hurt them more than it hurt me. If I could have taken the fall for Keegan yesterday, I would have done it a thousand times just to keep the tears from rolling down his face. The sad fact is that I could have prevented it. But the basket seat was wet and rather than ask for a towel to dry it off, I let Keegan have his way and ride where I knew he wasn't the safest.

Was the lesson learned? I'd say so. I just wish for my children's sake that I didn't always have to learn things the hard way.

Insomnia Gone

Finally...FINALLY....my insomnia seems to have subsided. I'm sure that fact is in direct relation to the amount of stress that has been reduced over the last week. The two major things, that I believe have put me back into slumber mode, are our housing future and Christmas.

I'd say that 90% of our Christmas shopping is done. I knocked out most of it on Thursday via Amazon.com. On Friday, Kenny and I handled the rest by spending the majority of the day at the Grapevine Mills Mall.

Like I said, I've still got a few things to pick up. But most of our shopping is done. We've gone a little over budget, but I'm ok with that considering that a handful of gifts are well worth the money spent. They have the power to change peoples lives and you just can't tie a dollar amount to a gift like that.

As mentioned in my previous post, we put an offer in on a house last Sunday night. By Monday evening, we got the call from our realtor letting us know that our offer was accepted. As a family, we immediately dropped to our knees and thanked God for this blessing. The offer we submitted was only 75% of the property's value. It is a near perfect fit for our family. The only thing that I would change would be the backyard's size....or lack thereof. It's a bit small. But the deal we got makes the size tolerable....at least temporarily.

So now, we are waiting for the final purchase agreement so that we can get the inspection done and the loan processed. Once we have possession, we'll go in and do a little bit of drywall work/alterations. We'll also be putting in new floors and counter tops in the kitchen. Once all those things are done, I'll probably paint and then we'll move in. We should be in by the end of January. I think once everything is said and done, I'll post the before and after pictures of the house.

On today's agenda: I need to put the Christmas tree up, do a little more shopping, and then get behind my camera to take the boys' portrait. I imagine after this full day, I won't have a problem falling asleep tonight. Ohhhh, how wonderful it feels to easily fall asleep again.

Random Thoughts

For the last week or so, I've had insomnia. A few times this week, I've taken a sleep pill to help out. Normally, one good night of sleep reboots my system and I'm back on track. But not this week. I'm sure it is stress/anxiety related. Note to self: up medication dosage. In the meantime, I figured that I'd better get back to my blogging and purge out some of the random thoughts that I've had over the last few weeks....

Thanksgiving has come and gone. I'm sure that I gained at least 2 pounds. Guess I'd better hit the gym a little harder this week. Anyway, I did reflect on the many blessings that are in my life throughout that day and the days since. I, like most, count my family, friends and health as a blessing and am extremely thankful to have each.

And with the passing of Thanksgiving comes the Christmas season. I could post on how consumer oriented it has become, and probably will do so in the near future. For now, I just want to vent my bitterness toward the Salvation Army for sending out those bell ringers 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. Now, I don't mean to sound bah-humbug....but Thanksgiving, the holiday, gets more and more lost every year. The one day that we can just count our blessings and be thankful is getting snuffed out between Halloween and Christmas. I just want a little separation. Can we please enjoy Thanksgiving without big business shoving their agenda down our throats? I'm all for supporting charity, but PLEASE....keep the bell ringers at bay until we've eaten our turkey! Is that so much to ask?!?

Ok....onto other things that are chapping my backside right now. Umm...I just watched "Sicko" and gave it 2 thumbs up. Very thought provoking and worth checking out. The part the chaps my backside is the greed of HMOs and the lack of dedication that our government has in the matter of taking care of the least of these in our country.

On another note, Kenny and I are shopping for a house. We actually put a bid in this evening on a house in our neighborhood. It's a foreclosed house...bank owned...and about $35k under market value. For that price, we're willing to sacrifice the big yard and spend 2 years living in it. After 2 years, we'll see about selling it along with the Reno house and then buying something a little more suitable...mostly, something with a larger yard. Well, I guess I shouldn't get too ahead of myself. The bank has to accept our offer first. If they do, I'll post progress pictures on the house. Right now, it needs a major clean job and new carpets. We'll probably add new counter tops in the kitchen as well. But like I said, I need not put the carriage before the horse.

I guess that's it for now. Just sitting here bored and AWAKE. I think I'll add some more songs to my myspace play list/jukebox. Either that, or maybe I'll go rearrange the pots and pans in the kitchen cabinets. Good Lord...please let me get drowsy soon!

Dialogues with Dallas

Over his PB&Honey sandwich w/ apples, Dallas inquisitively asked me, "Mommy, in old times...when you were the controller for the TV...did you have to karate chop your apples in half cause they didn't have knives?".

No son...we simply found the sharpest rock we could find and muddled our way through such endeavors in that fashion.

Blessed

The last couple of weeks have been pretty eventful around our house. In my previous post, I mentioned that my dear friend, Erin had come into town for a visit. As expected, the time went by way too fast. We really didn't do too much as far as tourist attractions. Mostly, we just enjoyed each other's company through the everyday life events like grocery shopping, baseball games, family time and girlfriend conversation. We did visit the Dallas Arboretum, which was nice. It would have been much more fun had the weather cooperated, but it was still nice nonetheless. Anyway, the time spent together was much needed. Even though I hated to see her head back home, I was so grateful that she came.

A couple of days after Erin boarded a plane home, I was back at the airport picking up our next house guests. Kenny's younger brother, Justin and his wife Jessica decided that they would come out for a visit. When Jessica told me that they were thinking about taking vacation out this way, I was a bit surprised. I honestly thought that Texas was the LAST place they'd want to come...especially considering that for the same airfare, they could have gone to Costa Rica. Hmmm...Texas? Costa Rica? I don't get it, but hey...I was very excited that they did decide to come and hang out.

We definitely did more of the tourist type of thing with them. We visited the JFK 6th Floor Museum, Six Flags over Texas, The Fort Worth Stockyards and even spent an afternoon horseback riding along Grapevine Lake. The horseback riding was a blast. It was their idea....and I'm glad that they had it. We were able to take Jason and Dallas both. (Jason got his own horse and Dallas rode with the trail guide.) And had Jason not been yelling at his horse the whole time for snacking, I'm sure we would have seen some white tail deer, coyotes and bobcats. Turns out the only other animal we saw aside from the horses were a couple of dogs and a few goats that hung around the stables.

Considering that Justin and Jessica were here during Halloween, we also took in a Pumpkin Patch and enjoyed our first Trick or Treating adventure around the neighborhood.

Aside from a nasty bug that worked its way around the boys and Jessica, the time spent together was really nice. We were able to show them around town and take them to some of our favorite places to eat. Jessica even told me that Texas wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Yeah, that's what I think too. Once you get use to it, it starts to grow on you. Mind you, you'll never hear me say that Texas is my dream location....but it's turning out to be alright.

On one final note, we have taken our house in Reno off the market and rented it out. We're still not able to charge enough rent to cover our payment, but it's a lot easier to fork out an additional $150 bucks a month vs $1500. I just hope that these tenants work out better than our last set. And in another year or two, maybe the market will have rebounded. In the meantime, we'll rent out the house in Reno and then try to find something for us to buy around here. In fact, we've already got our eyes on a house around the corner from us that is bank owned. Let's just hope that they bank is willing to get it off their books for the price we want to pay.

Well, I must say that it feels great to finally have the house off of our back and to have been filled up with the love that our house guests brought. It makes the upcoming Thanksgiving season more meaningful. We certainly are a blessed family.

Home Here In Texas

Following a long overdue date with my husband, I headed to the airport to pick up one of my best friends who has extended a leg of her business trip to come over here to Texas for a visit. I can't describe how great it feels just to be in her presence again. As she sleeps in, I decided to snag a few moments and blog on how much better my heart feels just to have her here.

It's a wonderful thing; friendship. It can be medicine for the heart. The pain and stress that I have been feeling due to our housing situation has seemed to vanish for the moment. Instead, I am thinking about the time that we'll have to spend together instead of worrying about who will come to either rent or purchase our house in Reno.

Just having her here to share in my daily life is a blessing that I can't measure or thank her for enough. I look forward to the simple activities that she will join me in over the next few days....grocery shopping, little league baseball games, dinner out. We really don't have much planned that includes "Texas". She's just here to see my family and to reconnect.

I wonder if she knows how much I needed her here.

What Qualifies?

Yesterday, I attended a luncheon/baby shower for a lovely friend who is due in December. Her and her husband are adding a baby girl to the two boys that they already have. She is incredibly small for the month that she is in and looks absolutely fabulous.

The shower was a small affair; only about 7 ladies attended. For the most part, the common denominator is baseball and our sons. With only an exception or two, most of our sons have at one time or another played on the same baseball team. Through those games, we have established a friendship of sorts and have on occasion gone out for drinks and dinner after a game.

Over the course of the shower was the expected casual talk. During one exchange, I mentioned that I stay at home. Two of the ladies showed a level of surprise accompanied by the response that I didn't strike them as the "stay at home" type. And that got me to wondering.... what exactly IS the "stay at home" type?

Thinking back on my treasured days with my fellow stay-at-home moms in Reno, I reviewed who they were and where they came from. Several had post-graduate degrees, most had at least a 4 year degree, and every single one of us left a promising career. Speaking for myself, there have been countless occasions where I have wondered how in the world I could be programming one day and wiping butt the next.

I then moved on to appearance. I wondered if maybe "stay at home moms" stereotypically let themselves go. Do we look unkept? Are we constantly frazzled? I guess I can understand that stereotype. There are only so many times you can get barfed on before your wardrobe starts to look a little drab. However, once again I thought back to the ladies I know and can very vividly recall physical and inward beauty beyond measure. They showered and put make up on daily and even ironed their clothes when needed.

Then the realization kicked in that maybe stay at home moms are more loving and prepared for their children. Do they have chilled sippy cups at any given moment? Are they constantly stocked with healthy snacks? Suddenly, flashbacks of the previous day hit me and I wonder how I must look to those around me.

You see, I could tell right away that Saturday was going to be "one of those days" with my youngest son, Keegan. Alone and at wits end, I still had to manage a 2 hour volunteer shift at the baseball concession stand with kids in tow. The only reinforcements that I had were the bribed eyes of Jason and the trusted enforcer of all that is good....my wooden spoon.

Yes, I admit it....I have a wooden spoon and I use it on my children's backside when needed. Believe me, I don't have to use it often. The mere sight of it causes their pucker reflex to kick in and miraculously, they change whatever behavior has prompted me to pull out the spoon in the first place. Anyway, I brought it to the baseball field as a visual reminder for Keegan. It sat in my side cargo pant pocket and caught the fearful eye of many children and the chuckle of many mothers. Mostly though, I preoccupied Keegan with about 7 slushies. Only a couple of times did I pull out the spoon to remind him that it was only a grab away.

So back to my curiosity....what qualifies me to not strike someone as a stay at home mom? I didn't take their comment as an insult, nor do I believe that they meant it as such. But as I sit here and try to break down the meaning of it, I admit that I am curious. Is it my appearance, my verbiage, my attitude, my lack of preparedness....I can only sit here and wonder.

Turn Back Time

In trying to get a bit more organized and decorative around the house, I stumbled upon a box labeled "Pictures". Thinking that it would hold a few pictures worth framing, I opened it hoping to find some snapshots of the boys that I hadn't seen in a while. Instead, I found a few hidden gems from my childhood and recent past. After a little color correction help via Photoshop, I thought it would be fun to share.

Thankful For The Little Things

Now that the weather has cooled down a few degrees here in Texas, I decided to slip on a pair of jeans this morning. I haven't worn them in a while...maybe a couple of months. Anyway, to my surprise, I didn't have to spray cooking oil on my legs to get them on! Hey, this working out stuff must be paying off. Whoo-hoo!!

The scale tells me that I've actually gained two pounds, but I'm telling myself that those 32 ounces must be muscle. Either that or I'm bloated and about to see Auntie Rose. I'll take either as long as my jeans continue to fit a little looser each time I slide my legs into them. Yes, I'm thankful for the little things.



Jason has returned to school and the chaos in the house has settled down a bit. He also started fall-ball and is very excited to be running the bases with his friends once again. And, about a week ago, he lost a second front tooth in his tiny, but loud, little mouth. You would think that having a less than fully-functioning mouth would keep him from talking as much or bossing around his brothers or eating or screaming...yet that hasn't happened. It's a mystery to me.

Anyway, when I was his age and lost my two front teeth, I remember my dad taking me outside for a portrait with his old-school 110 film camera with the rotating flash cube. He hoisted me up onto his beloved Pinto and captured the same toothless grin seen here. Come to think of it, there really aren't many differences between Jason and I at 7 with the exception of Jason's hair. (His is much nicer.) We both wanted to wear boys clothes and play sports all day. However, unlike myself at his age, kids don't come up to Jason and ask him if he's a boy or a girl. Thank the good Lord above that I don't get asked that question anymore. Yes, I'm thankful for the little things.



As for Dallas, he has started karate at our local Little Gym. I'm secretly hoping that he will learn enough moves to humble his cocky older brother. I know that he's not suppose to use his moves outside of where he learns them unless it is an emergency. But I know my child...and I can guarantee that Jason will become his favorite practice punching bag. And I'm ok with that. Dallas gets lost in the mix being the middle child. I want him to have self confidence and a sense of identity seperate from Jason. I think that enrolling him in something like karate will allow him to do just that. Plus, it gives me 1 hour a week of alone time. Yes, I am thankful for the little things.




As for Keegan, he continues to explore the world around him. As you can imagine, he constantly follows his two older brothers and tries to mimick their every move. Considering that their every move usually consists of wrestling, yelling, fighting, farting and calling out my name every 7 seconds, I'm overwhelmed quite often. I'm outnumbered with these boys and the day they truly figure that out, I'm up the creek.

At the end of the day when I lay my head on my pillow and thank God for the blessings that these boys are, I also thank Him that He gave me enough common sense to stop reproducing. Yes, I am thankful for the little things.



On that note, I sign off. I have this urgent need to phone my therapist in regard to the "Are you a boy or a girl?" question that I received so often as a child.

Jr. High All Over Again

After a fun exchange of messages with a friend of mine, I jokingly promoted his placement in my "Top Friends" myspace area. And that got me to thinking and analyzing and wondering about this "Top Friends" myspace option and how many friendships have been effected by it.

Think about it, Myspace gives you the option to rank your friends; to put them in a placement of importance based on what your criteria is. That could be how close you are with them, how long you've known them, family relationship, age, the date that they were added to your friends list....the criteria options really are endless.

What's disturbing about this is that you can watch your own placement move around based on the new friends that are added to someone else's friends list. Yes, I am speaking from experience...I notice these things; not only with my placement but with others as well. Sometimes you're moved up...sometimes your moved down. Sometimes, you're moved entirely off the "Top Friends" page.

Now, as an adult...I can shrug these things off. Good gracious, there are sooo many more important things to worry about than where you are on your buddy's Myspace page. In fact, even typing that sentence makes me feel like I'm 13 again. Which is where I'm going with this. Seeing that Myspace is huge with the younger kids, I wonder how many relationships have been altered or effected by this public display of "I like you more than her, but not more than him." Talk about a self-esteem crusher! I remember what it was like to be young and to worry about nonsense like this. And that was back when your pecking order wasn't on display for the world to see!

I can't imagine being a young 13 year old girl today. For as cool as Myspace is as a tool to keep people connected, it's also just another way to proclaim whose click you belong to and the pecking order therein. I don't think I ever realized this until I moved my friend around and got to thinking about it all. And that really got me to realizing how damaging it could be to the self esteem of so many young ladies in this superficial country that we live in today.

Not that this theme of favoritism should be surprising, really. We live in country filled with people who cast their weekly vote for their favorite singer/dancer/comedian. We even have cell phones with a top 5 friends list. It just seems like more and more things are falling into the realm of rankings....and most of those for the public to see.

I admit, my top friends are there and ranked accordingly for a reason. I guess that makes me just as guilty as the next person for putting them in any order at all. And even though I based my top friends on who I check in with/on most often, it's still a very strange concept to embrace. I guess I just find it all a bit funny and sad and thought provoking at the same time.

So, for the record, I gathered my "top friends" and thought that I'd share a little about each of them....

• Planedoctor: That very ugly woman would happen to be my very handsome husband. He is the love of my life...even if he never logs in to his Myspace account. At the end of the day, he is all that I ever dreamed of in a husband and father.


• Raquel: This is my best friend of 22 years. She is so awesome. She has a contagious laugh and smile and a heart of gold. We have shared a lot through life...births, deaths and everything in between. And even though we don't get to see each other as often as we'd like to, I know that we'll be friends to the grave.


• Krissy: She is another friend that I will have for life. One of my very best buds. She has witnessed the birth of two of my boys and I love her dearly...probably more than she knows. Mostly, I miss her and all the fun stuff we use to do together, like painting and crafts and conversation over coffee and visiting new house models and watching our kids play and grow together.


• Alfredo: He's my hot online sancho. ;-) We match wits quite well.


• Justin: My dear brother in law whom I love deeply. He reminds me of a big teddy bear. He can look intimidating and put up a good front, but I know his heart...and it's a very sweet one.


• Dave: My other brother-in-law whom I also love to pieces. He is very outgoing and personable and very fun to hang out with. It's always a good time when we're together. Gotta love family.


• Caryn: This is my workout buddy....my Pflugerville friend...my margarita matey. She kicks my ass at the gym and keeps me laughing with her personality. Our boys are rock stars on the baseball diamond and get along really well together. I'm sure that they will be buds throughout their school years....and she'll still be kicking my ass at the gym.

Anyway, I was just pondering this subject and thought that it was interesting food for thought.

What Matters Most?

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.

Pushing the Limits

After attending last night's church service, we decided to stick around for the pot luck. I thought for sure that after consuming what I put on my plate that I would experience my first "treatment". However, so far I've been safe. Not that what I ate was all that bad. I ate mostly meats and cheeses since I'm trying this no-carbs-during-the-last-meal recommendation from my friend Fred. (On that note...Freddy: this is killing me. You do remember where we grew up? Home of great mexican food, including your mamma's tortillas?) But the meats were kinda fatty and the cheeses were, duh...fatty. And of course I couldn't pass the brownies without snagging a couple of small squares.....yes, they are my downfall. Anyway, so far...so good. No "treatments" or anything unusual. I've eased into this program and hopefully will see some results within the next couple of months. I've got to believe that eventually, my body will kick in and start to shed those extra pounds that are stubbornly holding residence around my mid-section.

On another note, I just finished watching a great documentary on Wal-Mart. It is titled, "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price". The film outlines many areas of Wal-Mart's business practices ranging from the 1.5 billion dollars it costs taxpayers because the most profitable retail business in the world is too cheap to offer its employees affordable health coverage...to their lack of concern for their patrons safety while in their parking lots. (Local case in point added 08/27 here .)

It also looks into the corporations intimidation tactics used to assure that potential labor unions never gain traction with their associates. Heaven forbid that their employees have labor representation which might get them a decent wage and benefit package.

Environmental issues, sex discrimination, oversea factory working environments, tax subsidies....even the generosity (or lack thereof) of the Walton family comes under scrutiny in this film.

After watching this film, I just don't know how I will ever be able to spend another dollar in one of their stores. Every time I give them a single cent, I am sending the message that the way they practice business and the way that they treat people all over the world is ok with me. I know that one family won't put a dent in their bottom line, but the lesson that I can teach my children about characteristics like generosity, accountability, truthfulness and integrity will be worth the sacrifice that will need to be made for us financially. I just wish that everyone who supports this company by shopping there would watch this film as well.

I signed up for WHAT?

About a week ago, I was on the phone with my brother who was telling me that he and his wife had both lost about 20 lbs in the last month. I cringed when he told me how, some new diet pill called Alli. Admittedly, I live under a rock; I had never heard of it the pill or the plan. I just don't pay attention to what the latest fad diet is. I think most diets and diet plans are a bunch of hooey. Common sense and hard work should get anyone to their weight loss goals....that's my opinion at least. However, he ranted on about how it's the only FDA approved item out there and then continued to explain to me how it works.


In addition to the normal dieting that you would submit to, adding this pill apparently blocks your body from digesting about 25% of the fat that you intake which in turn does not allow those extra calories and fat to get absorbed into your body. Instead, the undigested fat is eliminated through your bowels.


My brother then went on to warn me about the only side effect....they're called "treatments". Apparently, if you go over your allotted grams of fat per meal, you may experience the immediate need to rush to the commode. He said that Alli calls them "treatments", but he refers to them as ass explosions. I got a good chuckle out of his stories and in the end thought that the true power behind this plan was the motivation it creates to not experience these "treatments" in public. Well, to make a long story short, he convinced me that the pills were worth a try...so I bought a bottle.


I asked Kenny if he wanted to join me....to which he quickly responded "No thank you, I'd like to keep my dignity in tact." He said that he would see how my body responded to any possible "treatments" and then would think about it. Well to me...that sounded like a challenge, so I told him I'd do it and prove him wrong. I am destined for my size 8's.....and have been for a long time.


OK...fast forward to today. The pills came and I've been reading up on my customized eating plan and such. I skim through the literature regarding how the pills work and the exercise that will be needed. I note to myself that I'm already working out pretty regularly so I don't see the exercise really being a hurdle to overcome. And then I come across the notes on the "treatments" and how to manage them. As you can imagine, my eyebrows shot straight up when I read their suggestion to wear dark pants while getting use to the plan. I'm guessing that's so that when you crap yourself, people won't notice right away? I'm also urged to stay home and close to the bathroom for the first few days on this plan as the urgency and immediate need for a commode may be relevant.


Great....what have I gotten myself into? I certainly am not going to give up on something that I haven't even tried...yet I'm suddenly wondering how absorbent the astronaut diapers were that Lisa Nowak wore. Hmmm.....


I guess the one good thing that will come of this is the fact that I should have gluts of steal in another month. I guarantee that they will be puckered and constricted the entire time that I'm participating in my latest weight loss attempt. If that doesn't tone them up...nothing will.

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Three summers ago, I was experiencing recurring dreams. There were two of them actually; one of which I still experience regularly. But the other one hasn't interrupted my slumbers since that summer.

In the dream, I played a purple acoustic guitar. That's pretty much the summary of the dream. I never pulled anything out of it except the fact that I was playing an acoustic guitar and it was purple. End of dream. The part that bothered me was the fact that the dream continued to visit me. What did it mean? I didn't know and didn't bother to make any attempts at deep interpretation.

But then one day, we were up in Medford visiting my parents and happened to drive by a Guitar Center. I mentioned my dream to Kenny and he quickly offered to pull into the parking lot. Next thing you know, we are inside and I am explaining my dream to a sales rep. I wondered out loud if my creativity need was not being satisfied and that this was my subconscious begging me to do something about it. He gladly scoured the stock room and resurfaced with none other than a beautiful Ibanez purple acoustic guitar. He noted the slim neck for my small hands and pretty much worked every angle that he knew how to in hopes of a sale.

About 2 hours later we left the store, not with a guitar mind you, but with an electronic drum set which is an instrument that I already know how to play. I figured that my creativity cravings would be satisfied by banging on that a little each day. Still, weeks later I couldn't shake the remembrance of that guitar. So with a coy grin, I confessed my obsession to Kenny. About a week later, I was strumming out my first chords.

In character with my ADD/OCD personality, the guitar only captured my attention for a few months. A pregnancy and everything that follows took priority and I began storing it in the closet; out of sight-out of mind. Not even my "actually-played-Purple-Rain-with-Prince's-own-hands" pick motivated me to strum out a song.

Well, I finally pulled it back out about 2 weeks ago and started practicing again. My fingertips are numb and beginning to callous and I beat myself up with my desire for excellence. But I'm stubborn and persistent and really do want to learn how to play. So, last night I played for about an hour and even though the songs were not anywhere near perfectly timed, it was very therapeutic. My fans think I'm better than what I actually am. The dogs tilt their heads to the side and stare at me in wonderment and my boys dance around in mosh pit style. I'm a far cry from Hendrix, but to my boys I'm the coolest mom on the block. And, I guess that's reason enough to continue strumming along.

I Suck

So, one of my very best friend's birthday was July 17th...and I have yet to call or even send a belated birthday card. Man, I suck. And I can't shake the guilt that I feel for letting her birthday pass without even a phone call just to wish her well. As if that weren't bad enough, I have missed two of her three kid's birthdays as well. Man, I suck. What sort of friend does that? I don't know what my problem is....whether it be the travels that have kept me busy this summer or the house not selling that has kept me in a foul mood...or whatever. I just keep kicking myself for being such a crappy friend and letting longer lapses of time pass before I talk to her.

It's funny, we've been friends since right around the 8th grade. And our friendship has gone through many changes. We've shared broken hearts, marriages, births and deaths together. And even though I haven't physically seen her in a couple of years, I know that if I ever needed something, she would be there for me. I have always counted it a blessing to know that I have a small handful of friends that I can count on no matter what. And she is at the top of that list. However, I don't feel like I could say the same thing about myself regarding her needs...and I guess that's what really bothers me. I've always prided myself on being loyal and true. And it just seems like this last year, we have talked less and less....and that really scares me cause I love her like a sister. She is one of the nicest, purest-hearted people that I know. Many times, I have aspired to take on many of her characteristics because I do so admire her. And the thought of where our friendship could end up if I continue to be such a slacker...well, it scares me.

Anyway, I'm just sitting her feeling pretty bad about missing her birthday cause I guess it's forces me to face the fact that I haven't been so great at keeping in touch. I've already emailed her tonight to see how pissed off she is....and I'm sure I'll muster up the courage to call her this weekend. But in the meantime, I'm feeling pretty guilty about letting this much time go by without calling her to let her know how much she really does mean to me.

Stages of fear

Seeing that this is the first time we have lived so close to a theme park, we thought it would be a decent idea to buy season passes to Six Flags as summer entertainment. The theme park is only about a 40 minute drive...and yesterday, we decided to take the boys for a day of fun.

Jason is finally tall enough to start riding some of the more extreme roller coasters. He's gone on a few that I would never have attempted at his age. However, he does so with a bit of hesitation and fear. Not that either ever stops him...he's a trooper and doesn't mind testing his limits...or mine for that matter. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to sit across from him on the Conquistador huge pendulum swing and snap a few pictures. These were posted in the order taken. And then at the end is a few more pictures from our day.



"Not that I'll need this, but rules are rules....time to strap in."

"I can handle this...piece of cake...."

As the ride swings higher and more aggressively, notice his hands come down from above his head to beside his cheeks...."just in case."

And just before the ride really starts to kick in, Jason thinks he is big man on campus.

Bravery is at its peak, the hands go up again. "No Biggie.".....until...

"Whoa...this rides getting pretty intense. Let me just hold on for a second. I'll get my hands up again...I just need to catch my grip."

"Ok....we're getting a little too high and I'm not so sure about this anymore."

What HAVE I gotten myself into?!?

OK... this is not FUN ANYMOOORE!

I'M SERIOUS!!!! STOP THIS RIDE AND LET...ME...OFF...BEFORE...I...CRAP...MYSELF!!!!!
The worst part is over you say? Ok then, I think I can handle it from here.
Hey...this isn't so bad after all.

I SURVIVED! Yeah, let's do this again....right after I change my drawers, that is.

I'm back

I can't tell you how good I feel right now. I've been traveling for the last three weeks and am finally back at home. My first day back, I slept until 4:00 pm, if that is any indication of how exhausted I was. But now I feel recharged. I've had a couple of days to recoup and am getting back into the everyday life tasks around here. One of which includes my blogging. So, allow me to rejoin you. Right now, I am sitting on my overstuffed couch and tapping away at the keys on my laptop while I sip on my 2nd concoction of Starbucks Liqueur and 2%. And just to top off this nice atmosphere, let me tell you that Prince's new joints are currently tickling my eardrums (not his best work). Even so, I tell you; life is good right about now.

When I last posted here on my blog, I was off to Cincinnati to help some friends do a show. To make a long story short, one show turned into two which turned into an added trip to Phoenix to help out with reprinting most of their gear. Anyway, the second show was on the outskirts of Minneapolis, so you know I was on the verge of a major orgasm the whole time. For those of you who don't know, Prince lives in a small town outside of Minneapolis. Yeah, when we drove through his hometown, it took every ounce of self restriction to not drive straight to Paisley Park and plant myself there until my little obsession showed up. Had the family not been with me, I'm sure I would have at least driven by to take some pictures. Next year, for sure!

Anyway, I'm glad to be back home...but am a bit bummed that my work with them (GTWO) is over for now. My friends, the Jacksons, who I do all these shows with...they are good people. We share the same sense of humor, values and interests. They are just fun people to hang with and every time we get together, it's a blast. No matter if we're just hanging out to have some fun or if we're busting our tails working...it's all good. Needless to say, I wish that we could get together more often.

While I was away during these three weeks, my youngest son Keegan turned two. I honestly can't believe that he's two already. It just seems like yesterday when I was holding him in my arms in amazement that we had a 3rd boy. And while I enjoyed hanging out with my friends during these last three weeks, I honestly think the best part about being away was the fact that during one of those weeks, I slept with Keegan in my bed every night. Normally, he puts himself to sleep in his crib. But while we were in Phoenix, I laid down with him every night until he dozed off to sleep.

I don't know exactly how to explain the feelings that I got as I watched him fall asleep. He would inevitably fight it with all his strength until his eyes could no longer stay open. They would close and then re-open once he realized that they were closed....then they would close again for a longer lapse of time. Then followed the body twitches and his eyes would again re-open. Usually, the whole time he was falling asleep, he would say, "Mommy.......what doin?" And in time, that question would cease and he would slip off into his night's slumber.

I don't know...I think most parents who watch their children fall off to sleep know what I'm talking about. It's just a beautiful sight to see....not because you are exhausted or wanting them to get their much needed rest. There is just something about watching your child sleep that reaches inside of you and calls for your attention to their innocence and your responsibility as their parent. And I guess it's been a while since I've seen Keegan fall asleep like that. Now that he's two, I know that the opportunities to watch him doze off are getting fewer and fewer, which is why it really was the highlight of my time away. But that shouldn't be of any surprise. My boys are usually the highlight of my days whether I'm here at home or traveling across the country.

I am glad to be back home though. It feels good to sleep in my own bed once again.

Happenings

Since I don't want to let too much more time pass before I enter another post, here goes....

The boys (Jason & Dallas) and I will be boarding a flight tomorrow for Cincinnatti. We're meeting up with Robb & Marie to do a show. I have been promising them for about a year now that this summer, they could come to another one of the shows that they do. I'm not sure what other shows we will be able to make before the school year starts again, so this is really their only chance. Anyway, it should be a great way to spend 4th of July. It's a 3 day Christian Concert festival at Kings Island. We did this show last year and had a blast. It's always hard work, but a fun time. So that is how I will spend this year's 4th. Unfortunately, Kenny couldn't get the time off from work. So he'll stay back with Keegan and hang out here.

Baseball for Jason is finally over, at least until the Fall. They lost their last tournament game Saturday. It would be a stretch to say that it was a close game, but it really wasn't. Their team barely showed up to play. I think that they lost interest since the games were constantly being postponed due to rain. That combined with a lack of practice was just enough rust to put them on the losing end. So be it...I'm actually glad to have the rest of the summer free so that we can travel around for some much needed friend & family time. I just feel bad for the kids who really do love playing baseball. They very much wanted to win so that they could continue on in tournament play. I guess there is always next year.

Let's see...what else.....oh, I'm proud to say that I'm back in the gym and once again on my quest to lose the extra 25 pounds that I've been carrying around for about 3 years now. I've actually talked a friend and her husband into leaving their gym and joining the gym that Kenny and I go to so that I have a workout partner. It has seemed to help. Knowing that I am being held accountable for showing up does motivate me to get out of bed on time and get down there. Anyway, we've been at it for about 3 weeks now. Of course I haven't seen the scale move any. However, my body fat is down 1%. (I started at 33%, yes...33%.) So that's a good thing I suppose. And the fact that I can keep up for the most part makes me feel somewhat decent considering that I've got 9 years on my workout buddy. I actually appreciate the fact that she is in much better shape than I am. It gives me something to strive for. I don't like working out with people who don't push themselves at the gym...so it's a good thing that she's always a step ahead of me. I like the motivation to catch up to her and I imagine that with that attitude, eventually I will start to lose some weight and more body fat.

I guess that's about it. I think I'll check out for now and head off to watch one of my Netflix selections.

Happy Birthday To Me

Yesterday, I celebrated my 29th birthday for the 7th time. I don't know why I just said that. I really don't have issues with my age. Let me start again...Yesterday, I celebrated my 35th birthday. Seeing that I promised to be transparent in this blog, let me just say, IT SUCKED! Not because I turned 35....like I said, I don't have issues with my age. It sucked because my husband, who has known me for 13 years, STILL doesn't know that when I say I don't want a gift, I don't mean it!!!

As you can guess, I didn't receive anything from him for my birthday. And I guess I am at fault, at least partly. I tell him every year that I don't want anything. And when the words leave my mouth, I really do mean them. I'm not trying to trick him or set him up for failure. However, when my birthday rolls around and "nothing" is exactly what I get from him....I GET PISSED!!! And you would think that after 13 years with the man, he would have caught on to my pattern. BUT NOOOOOO. So instead of blogging yesterday on how wonderful it was to celebrate another year on this earth, I pouted like a 4 year old. I'm not above poutting....and I can admit it.

It wasn't like I didn't give him plenty of ideas. I've been asking for a pressure washer for a couple of months now. I've show interest in golf clubs. I have mentioned that a carpet cleaner would be a helpful tool in keeping the house looking nice. I even let him know that I needed some work out clothes since I'm hitting the gym again. Nevermind the fact that we can't afford much of anything because the house in Reno is still for sale which means we're forking out an additional $1550 a month that we never know from where it will come. And yes, he is completely right in pointing that fact out and telling me that he holds off on gifts because he knows that I'm stressed about the house. But that didn't make me feel any better. I was acting like a four year old...I knew it...and I was not going to let up. I wanted a stinking gift to open on my birthday. Waa...

I don't know why I get this way. I really don't care about the actual gift. I think I just want to know that he is paying attention to the things that I tell him. Producing a gift proves that he has been paying attention. I guess I'd be fine with a note from him detailing out everything that he wanted to do, but didn't because of the house. At least I would know that he had something planned. And he did say exactly that. He had plans, but didn't execute them because of the financial strain we're under. My first thought was, "Bullsh*t....if it were a baseball game, we'd have tickets in hand." But I didn't say that. And I'm sure that I'll get the cold shoulder once he reads this...but hey, I promised to be transparent and I'm writting from the heart.

Ok, enough about how disappointed/hurt/angry I was yesterday. After I took a nice long nap, I spent the rest of my day with the boys and that was fun. We really didn't do much. Just hung out and spent time together. In the evening, we headed out to the front yard to play a little catch. However, that didn't last too long before ANOTHER rainstorm hit us. But instead of going inside, the boys asked if they could play in the rain. My kneejerk reaction was to say no, but then I thought, "Why not?" So play in the rain they did. They had a blast too, as I'm sure you can see from the pictures. It wasn't until Keegan slipped twice on some sort of gooey slippery fungus thing in the gutter did the fun stop. After that incident, we headed inside and dried off.

I capped off the evening by watching a bad movie (Stomp the Yard) while sipping on a nice mixture of iced Starbucks liquer and milk. I guess it made the movie a little more tolerable. After that, I turned in and read for a while. The boys decided that they "needed" to sleep with me, so I let them. And I guess all in all, they are the best gifts that I could ever receive. They give me life and inspire me to be a better person. Yeah, they are definitely the best gifts ever....although a pressure washer would have been nice.

Dialogues with Dallas

Last night as we were saying night time prayers (it's been a while for the boys), Dallas mustered up the courage to say his prayers out loud. I didn't think he would do it. Night time prayers usually consist of me praying over them. But I'm trying to encourage that personal relationship, so I nudged him. He claimed that he didn't know what to say and I told him to just talk to God like he was talking to a friend. That seemed to work for him, so he began to speak from his heart. I would like to believe that God was most pleased to hear his unjaded words. They were so precious to this mother, I bolted to the laptop to type in what he said just after "Amen" came out of his mouth.

Dear Heavenwee Father,

Fank you for this nice pwanet that you made for we can wive on.
Fank you for the woof over our head.
Fank you for the food we get to eat.
Amen.
Oh yeah, one more thing...fank you that I get to watch Sponge Bob every day.

Dallas really does have the cutest things to say quite often. Especially during prayer time. On another occasion when it was his time to bless the food, his prayer went exactly like this....

Dear God...fank you for this food......except for these yucky vegetables. Amen.

I guess this is a prime example of why I started blogging. It's moments like these that I never want to forget. I find myself so often half-listening to what he is saying. Other tasks scream for my attention while the truly important ones whisper. He is definitely a whisperer. He is my gentle soul...my court jester and my quiet thinker. I love watching his personality continue to unfold and develop. And after moments like last night's prayer, I am reminded once again to slow down and enjoy the blessings that my children truly are.

Summer Travels

Father's day weekend for the last three years has been pretty special. Three years ago, our small group in Reno decided to venture out for a father-son camping trip. To keep that tradition going, last Friday we packed up some clothes and the boys, boarded another flight back to Reno, and set off for the weekend.

Not long after we landed, Kenny gathered up the boys and wisked them off to the wilderness along with his closest friends and their sons. As much as I'd love to detail out what happened in their 48 hours, I can't. They never seem to come back with many details. The most I get out of my boys is that their favorite part is roasting marshmellows and eating s'mores.

However, marshmellows and s'mores barely scratch the surface of what is really happening out there. The purpose of these camping trips is to let each child know that the men have pledged to stand as father figures for them and will assist when needed in raising them up according to Christ's teachings. In fact, during one camping trip, each of the fathers gave their son(s) a compass with Proverbs 3:6 written atop it; "In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight".

What a blessing that my husband participates in something of such magnitude. He has bonded in friendship and brotherhood with a group of men who value their roles as fathers and are active participants in parenthood. In todays society, we see fathers portrayed as bumbling idiots, hen-pecked and inadequate. This is a far cry from what the truth is when describing the group of men who Kenny camps with every year. They are men of integrity and character. They are loving, intelligent and family supportive. Most importantly, they are God-honoring and God-fearing men intent on raising their boys up to walk in their footsteps.

So, even though I know that my three sons are out in the woods with not enough hand sanitizer and are most likely attempting to see who can burp the loudest, I trust that this is all part of raising boys. And that is just what Kenny is doing...actively raising our boys to be God-seeking men. What a blessing that is.

Happy Anniversary

Yesterday, June the 8th, my mom and dad celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary. In between a baseball scrimmage and dinner, I managed to call them on my cell to wish them well. I didn't really get to talk to them for long due to poor reception and lots of background noise. Anyway, they were doing the usual....relaxing and unwinding after a full week of work. They told me of their intention to celebrate 36 years of marriage by going out to lunch today and catching a matinee showing of "Ocean's 13". And of course, Dad, as always, sent Mom a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

Although I didn't get to talk with them much, I've been thinking about them all day and pondering what it takes to make it through 36 years of marriage.

Kenny and I have been married 11 years. At times, it has been storybook bliss. At times, it has mirrored "War of the Roses". Graveyard shifts, children, personal struggles & unhappiness, financial stress, the busyness of life....all of these reasons and more have grabbed at Kenny and I both in an attempt to separate our oneness as husband and wife. And to be truthful, there have been times when our marriage has come close to dissolving. We have been through marriage counseling, we have been spiteful and neglectful with each other....we have entertained the idea of throwing in the towel and living a life apart.

But neither of us come from divorced parents. And I guess we're just to stubborn to give up when the going gets rough. When I took Kenny's hands and looked into his eyes on our wedding day.....when I said my vows.....I distinctly remember the emotion that overcame me. I knew that every word that I was saying, I meant with every fiber of my being. I wasn't going through the motions. I....meant....every....single....word. And I guess for that reason, I have never given up on us.

A very dear friend of mine, my mentor mom in MOPS, Reno, told me and a group of women that no one else will fight for your marriage. Having been there herself, she encouraged us to fight for what was ours and to not let the world succeed in its separating endeavors. At times, she said, it will seem like the world is against your marriage...and YOU will have to fight for it. No one else will engage that battle for you....YOU must fight for your marriage. She fought for hers and reaps the benefits of a Godly marriage today. I do so admire my mentor mom, Christy Turner.

A couple of years ago, I called my parents to admit to them the difficulties that Kenny and I were having in our marriage. As I cried and asked my mom if there were ever times when she wanted to leave my dad, she told me, "HELL YES!!! Almost every year!". And then before she was overcome with emotion, she said that had she left my dad, she wouldn't be enjoying the fruits of their labor today. I'll never forget that.

I guess those two examples stand out in my mind the most when the going gets rough between Kenny and I. I've always been stubborn and determined....and I suppose those are good traits to have when it comes to the longevity of marriage. Plus, the bottom line is that Kenny and I have always had something worth saving. He is a good man; no...he is great man. A loving and involved father, a wonderful provider, always willing to work on problems as they arise, sacrificial, selfless, and handsome to boot. I do love my husband dearly. Even when he picks his feet. And I look forward to celebrating every anniversary that our lives allow with him and him alone.

My grandmother (who tried to run off my dad when he was courting my mom, Dallas at two months old, my mom, my dad and Jason at 2 years old.

Happenings

As the summer comes, so does the chaos. And it's my intention to not let these added distractions take me away from my blogging. I desperately do not want this to be another venture that gets abandoned due to less important tasks calling for action...such things as housecleaning, groceries, etc. Hey, who needs to eat when you've got blogging to do? Besides, I've still got those extra pounds to lose, so I guess it's a win-win.

There has been so much going on in the last few weeks. I've been to Reno twice to work on the house and to hire a new realtor. After having renters in our house even for the short amount of time that we did, it was in need of some paint and a good scrubbing. And based on the recommendation of our new realtor, I laid down some playground bark in the backyard around the playset. Hopefully, this in conjunction with yet ANOTHER price reduction will get it sold.

Spring baseball has ended for Jason and Dallas. They had their team party this last Saturday to celebrate their all-defeated record. Poor little guys...they tried so hard and came close to a win on soooo many occassions. They just couldn't pull it off in the end. Their hitting was always phenomenal; their fielding...umm, not so much. Anyway, the good news is that Jason made the 1st team in his league's All-Stars. However, he wanted to play with his Red Sox teammates who also made All-Stars (Carter, Boston & Jonas), so he asked to be moved down to the 2nd team. I think over the next month, he'll have a few tournaments to play and based on Coach Bobby's opinion, this 2nd team is pretty decent. Should be exciting!

Sandwiched in between my Reno trips and the Red Sox team party, we spent a few days hanging out with Dave and Emily & Zachary. He is on leave right now and decided to make a road trip out here. That was especially nice. It's always great to get the boys together with their Uncle Dave, his tickle bugs, and their cousins. Anyway, I enjoyed watching Emily, Zachary and the boys all play together knowing that they were creating memories. We even managed to squeez in a trip to Six Flags. Not that that should be a surprise...I don't know of many occassions where Dave and I get together near a theme park and not take in a roller coaster or ten. All in all, it was a nice visit....a bit short, but there will be more opportunities for summer visits in the years to come.

I think that about covers what has been going on over the past few weeks. I know that this post just glosses over the details, and I'm going to try to get back to posting at least once a week so that I can better record this crazy life of mine. Until then, bring on the summer.

The Turning Of A Page

But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31


I feel like the winds have finally changed. I feel as though we are getting over the hump of our hardships. Thanks to some encouraging words and nudging (thanks Fred), I finally stopped participating in my own pity party.


The first thing that I did was look up another MOPS group. At this time of year, MOPS is coming to an end, but I figured that I could still register for next fall and have something to look forward to. Most importantly, I wanted to find a church that hosted it where my family could worship and fellowship again. Up until a couple of weeks ago, our family continued to feel as though we had not yet found our home church. We had visited many in our area, but had yet to find that one.


Once I found Cross Timbers Church via the MOPS web locator, I knew I found a place worth trying. And one after one visit, I knew we were finally home. Everyone was casual, welcoming, and most importantly, real. There was no stuffiness or rehearsed feeling about anyone or anything. So, I signed us up for a small group knowing full well that we needed to jump right in and begin to finding our place.


Our first small group meeting was this last Sunday and to say the least, it was awesome. In fact, I know that we are exactly where God intends us to be. Our conversations went something like this.... (note that this church is about a 15 minute drive from our house.)


Gail (Small Group Leader): So, where do you guys live?
Me: We're in the Villages of Woodland Springs community.
Gail: Oh, we are too! We're around the food streets...we're off of Macaroon.
Me: You're kidding me?!? We live on Macaroon!
Gail: Oh my gosh...we're on the corner of Macaroon and Rum! Where do you live?
Me: On the corner of Macaroon and Angel Food.
Gail: You're the house with the big blue truck. I see you all the time. Your boys are constantly outside playing baseball. I drive the red Sunfire convertible.
Me: Oh my...I'm constantly pulling out in front of you as I take Jason to school.
Gail: Yes, that's right....I see you too and think, "Oh good, at least I'm not the only one running late!" [insert laughter]. Well, most of our small group actually lives on Macaroon too. In fact, here are Don and Terry-Jo.
Me, upon recognizing Terry Jo's face: I know you! I met you at the pool last summer. You were pregnant with your third child...you have two girls and I think one of them shares the same birthday with my oldest son. I remember being so excited to meet a potential friend, but then we never saw each other at the pool again. I was so bummed.
Terry Jo: You live by us?!? Oh how weird is that?
Gail: These are the big blue truck people on the corner.
Terry Jo: Ok...you're the ones with the boys who are always outside playing baseball.
Don (Terry Jo's Husband): Oh yeah, you guys are the ones with the two dogs. They got out one time and I called you but you were out of town. I talked with your husband about how they got out and how I was going to fix the fence for you cause you were in Arizona or someplace like that.
Kenny: That was you? Oh man, I've been wanting to personally thank you for that but never knew where you lived....how weird is this.
Me: This is a bit beyond coincidental, don't you think?
Don, to Kenny: So what do you do, man?
Kenny: I work over for American Airlines...I'm a mechanic.
Don: Ok, so you know (forgot his name) across the street from you?
Kenny: Yeah, I do...but he works out of DFW and I'm at AFW.
Don: Alright....yeah, I know someone who works out of AFW, but they work back in the corner by the test cells. (AFW base area is similar to 20 city blocks.)
Kenny: Yeah, that's where I work. [insert more boring conversation about aviation]
Don: I'm actually in the Navy with about 2 years left before retirement. I'm almost done with my degree in Professional Aeronautics from Embry Riddle.
Kenny: I was in the Navy for 8 years, but got out when Heather and I got married. I went to Embry Riddle too...in fact I have the same degree that you're going for...but mine is an Associates.
Gail: Hey Chris (another Macaroon resident), this is Kenny and Heather. They live on Macaroon too. They're the big blue truck house. They're joining our small group.
Chris: Oh yeah, you guys are the ones with the boys who play baseball outside all the time and they're always running around in their underwear.
Me: Yes, that would be us. (Make mental note to check for clothes before children run outside in the future.)


And so went the evening. More puzzle pieces were connected and all in all, the evening was too perfectly orchestrated to be chalked up as coincidence.


As we left, I felt as though an elephant had finally been lifted off of my chest. All I can do is praise God for a crystal clear answer to my many heart-cried prayers.

Dressing Room Reflections

A handful of days ago, I was almost done with a post when my stinkin' laptop crashed and I lost it all. So, let's see if this goes any better. Same subject, just more material....

I don't know which flaw is more detrimental to my well being: the fact that I am a horrible procrastinator or the fact that I am completely OCD with a dash of ADD. Today, I'd like to ponder my OCD/ADD tendencies and how they came into play with my weight loss goals.

A few months ago, I had unwavering determination to lose 25 pounds by this month. I knew that this was the month that I'd most likely be shopping for a new swimsuit and did not want to purchase the same size suit that I purposely threw away three months ago. So I set out with knowledge, determination and a fool-proof plan that would deliver me to my goal. And had I stuck with that plan, I probably wouldn't have had to experience the self-loathing that I did as I purchased my swimsuit last night. I don't think I need to tell you that I haven't lost any of the weight that I set out to.


I was actually doing quite well for the first month. I was exercising regularly, had toned up quite a bit and really felt great physically. Then my parents came into town for a visit. Next thing I know, one day of missed exercise and healthy eating turned into two which turned into seven which turned into sixty-plus.

This is where the OCD/ADD comes into play. You see, I will obsess over any one thing for days...even months, as long as nothing else comes along to detract me from that one thing. This is a mixed blessing. It makes me good at anything that I set out to do....that is, if I complete it. You see, that dash of ADD usually kicks in and sets me on a detour. So, if I'm on an exercise regime, I'm usually good up until something else comes along that captures my attention and obsession.

I'm hoping that the horrific dressing room reflections that have been burned into my memory will be enough motivation to get my obsessive tendencies focused on my health once again. I know this is something that I can accomplish and that I need to do for my own sanity's sake. I just hope that the small ADD tendencies that I have don't kick in and............oh look, a chicken!