Saturday, February 9, 2008

Saturday

Today was pretty uneventful, although relaxing. I took T to the dentist today and then we went and ran errands for the remainder of the afternoon. It is a really beautiful day, another 60 plus degree day. Bear is out on the deck and he is enjoying the sunshine beaming down! Today I am thankful for three things: 1.the beautiful weather 2. that I got to sleep in because T got up before me and took the dog out this am, and she let me sleep in, and 3.that I got my much needed coffee this am with an extra shot of kick to it!! Now, I am off to do chores that have been piling up here this week! I am waiting for someone to invent a robot to do the laundry and clean the bathrooms....hopefully, it won't be much longer because I would rather be out on the deck with Bear enjoying this wonderful day instead of chained to the chores!!!!!!! Oh well, until tomorrow!!! Have a great weekend and I hope that the sun is shining on you too!!!

Friday, February 8, 2008

Nice Weather and Hannah Montana!!

It is 60 degrees here today and I am sitting on my front porch watching the kids in the neighborhood riding their bikes. My daughter is there on her bike with her "Hannah Montana" wig on, and all is well with the world! It is a comical site to see, as she is very comfortable in her wig and her bike helmet. It looks rather strange to me, but hey, I am just a mom, right? The neighborhood kids are begging for a chance to try the wig on, but my daughter refuses to let anyone take her wig..she tells them that "her parents don't allow them to try it on because
they may have bugs in their heads!" Hey, now that is an original! Finally, I see that my years of trying to teach her about lice have paid off...ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kids do sometimes listen, huh? Now that is a new concept!! We had a huge disagreement last weekend when she took her a portion of her savings and paid 18.00 for a Hannah Montana wig at Clare's. She did have her own money, but my point was that she could have had so much more. I figured that the wig would end up in her closet in a tangled mess, but so far, she has proven me wrong. She is treating the wig like she does her favorite stuffed animal..she is actually taking care of it. I have never been one to control her gift money, but I have tried to teach her to be responsible with her money. I have taught her to save half of it and then she is allowed to spend the rest if it is something that she has to have...I guess the wig was something that she had to have! Who am I to say? It is all about priorities, and right now at this stage in her life, Hannah is the priority. Last year it was High School Musical, this year it is Hannah..I wonder what Disney has in store for next year! Maybe I should videotape her in that wig..now that would be a funny show!!!!!!!!! Whoops, bad mommy!! Have a great day! too bad I can't find the camera..you all would be howling about now!!!

Life Lesson

Today is Friday..whoohooo!! I can sleep in tomorrow! Well, that won't happen because the dog is on the weekly schedule, so he still thinks he has to go out at 7!!! And if I am not downstairs to let him out, he will bark until he hears me getting my coffee!!! No rest for me!! Today, T missed her 7:30 group meeting because the clock did not go off to wake us up! We both overslept, which is not like me. Even though I don't get into bed until late, I am always awake on time. I did wake up at 6:30, but after calling T to wake her, I decided to close my eyes for a few more minutes, and when I woke, it was already 7, so even if she rushed, with the traffic, we would have been late. No big deal. It is just a club and she is always there, so a one time miss is no big deal. I figured that her body needed the rest because she has had a bad cold this week. When we got to her school, it appeared we weren't the only ones that missed today, so I did not feel so bad.
Next week will be a very busy week as I have dr. appts and she has a banquet, field trip, and Valentine's Day, and then the weekend is my birthday. She also has a project due on Monday! It never ends!! What I need is a day off to relax and read my book!!! HA! But as all mothers know, it won't happen!! Even though I get tired and overwhelmed most of the time, I know that oneday when it is all over and she is all grown up and out on her own, I will be lost! We were talking the other day and she said that she was going to go to college and live with us forever..ha! I told her that when she was 18, I would have her bags packed and my foot on her rear..with my checkbook in hand ready to buy my new red convertible and book my vacation to another country for a year...ha! We all know that the checkbook will be out to finance her red convertible and her six years of college...I will more than likely be driving my 1995 Nissian van with 350000 miles on the odometer, or one of my other clunkers! It is amazing how your priorites change when you have a child! You give up so much, but then you get to see them grow up and see how those material things are really not that important anymore..it is that child's life that is the main priority and when it all comes together, that is the real reward. I have been fortunate to be able to give her a Christian education and even though it has not been easy to afford, somehow, I have been blessed and I have managed to have enough. .God always provides a way. Sometimes it takes a slap in the face to make you wake up and realize that what you had thought was important, really isn't. I had a great job, my health, money in the bank and a wonderful child and family life, but I was not at home and I was missing what was really important...And then, I had an accident and lost all of the above and I learned that sometimes God does things to slow us down..he shows us what is really important. I think that by having a near death experience kind of wakes you up to the fact that things can always be worse. It would have been way worse if I would have died and I did not have a chance to see my daughter grow up, or that she managed to realize that I had put my career before her...I thought that by working to provide her with those extra activites that I was giving her what she needed, but I was wrong. What a child needs is love and for the parents to be there. We have enough. We have been so blessed. God provides and anyone that thinks he is not there, well, take a look at me..if it weren't for him, I would not have had a second chance. I worked all the time, nights,weekends, holidays, etc., and I was missing out on so much. Don't get me wrong, I lived and breathed my job. It was exciting and rewarding, but once I had my child, I was so strung out and I was so stressed out, and then one morning at 5:30am, I was driving as usual to work and an old man ran me off the road into some trees..I never knew what hit me, and when I woke up, I was not the same person that I once was...in an instance, everything changed..even though I have recovered mostly..my life has changed so much. I think one has to ponder what their purpose in life really is when that happens..that is when you realize that there is a God and there is always a plan and everyone's life does have a purpose, even though at the moment you might not know what that is, God will show you what it is...sometimes a knock in the head is all you need!! In my case, it worked! Life is about what you make it..whatever you think it may be can be changed in an instance, so the real lesson is to leave your heart and mind open to God..let him show you your purpose. It may not always be what you think it should be, but it will always be what your creator has in place for you. That is the beauty..everyone has a purpose. Life is not about money, cars, houses, etc. While those things are always bonuses,the real things that are important in life are your family, friends, and the love that you feel from all of it..it is also the person that you become in life. And all of it you owe to God..after all, he is the one who gave it all to you! So, when you are down your lowest, look up for the answer..it might take awhile to find the answer, but it is there! I have finally learned my life lesson!

Thursday, February 7, 2008

50 Things About Me

50 things about me:
1. I was born in a small rural town in GA.
2. I have a sister and two brothers, all are older than me!
3. I love animals and currently have 1 dog and 2 birds.
4. I am opinionated and stubborn (I have been told?), and I fight for anything that I believe in.
5. My favorite foods are mac and cheese, fried soft shell crabs, red velvet cake, pasta(of any kind), peanut butter and banana sandwiches , utz crab chips, tootsie rolls, salads(of any kind), butterbeans, banana pudding, corned beef, steamed cabbage with squash and zuchinni.
6. My favorite drink is coffee..any flavor at anytime of the day!
7. I have two favorite colors: purple and green.
8. I like to read.
9. I like old cars..but my dream car is an Aston Martin, or a BMW X5.(.probably won't have either one in this lifetime, but hey, I can dream)!
10. I don't like loud or rude people, or people w/o manners, or drunks.
11. I don't like liars or fake people.
12. I like to fish.
13. I have personally met 3 US Presidents.
14. I like to watch hockey and baseball.
15. I did exactly what I wanted to do/be as a child..an Investigator.
16. I am a good public speaker, but shy around people I don't know.
17. I believe in God and pray every day.
18. I brag on my child !
19. I hate diets and usually eat what I want, even if it is bad for me because I know I will only live once and I want to experience everything!!
20. I bite my nails.
21. I love shoes and probably have 100 pairs or more, but wear only a third of them...(sick/compulsive behavior)!!
22. My favorite designer is Ralph Lauren (if I could afford it, I would do my whole house in his things, but I can't so it is off to Walmart I go!!!!!!).
23. I color my hair and it has been over 50 colors in my lifetime..because it makes me happy and I don't care who knows!
24. I talk to my mom every day, sometimes more.
25. I still miss my dad..he died in 2002.
26. I like to sing in the shower.
27. I like to dance with my daughter and shake my butt like those big bootie black women on tv!
28. I eat cocca krispies with coke on top instead of milk..(not usually around people though)!
29. I like action movies.
30. I brush my teeth four times a day because I hate bad breath.
31. I have been robbed two times..
32. I like bubble baths.
33. I know how to shoot a gun, pistol,rifle, and have shot a machine gun three times(for pleasure and I loved it).
34. When I was little I had a doll named "John the Baptist".
35. I don't talk to people that I can't look in the eye.
36. I am not a jealous person, but I will pop a cap in your ass if you flirt with my man!
37. The smell of raw meat makes me hurl!
38. I hate complainers and negative people! Life is just to short!
39. I am afraid of snakes and spiders.
40. I stay up late so that I can watch the news.
41. I am a terrible cook.
42. I like cheese, but hate milk.
43. I like to draw and won 3rd place in a contest in 3rd grade!(is that really worth mentioning?)
44. I don't like to swim, but I love the water!
45. I like to watch boxing and used to do kick boxing for exercise.
46. I look silly when I run!
47. I like to write short stories and poems that rhyme.
48. I pick up strays of any kind ..
49. I am a loyal friend and still keep in touch with my childhood friends.
50. I am a deep thinker..I don't usually do things on impulse unless I'm buying shoes !!

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

A New Friend

Today I went to Kroger to get my prescriptions filled for the month. As I was waiting at the counter, I walked over to look in the book section. An elderly gentleman approached the book section and began talking to me about a new store down the street. He was very engaging and had a very sweet smile. What started out as a exchange of greetings turned into a very long conversation about his life. It seemed that he lost his wife to cancer and had been coming to the grocery store as a outlet to get out of the house. He appeared to be very lonely as he told me exciting stories about how he and his wife had travelled the world and raised their children..all of which had grown up and moved away to start their own families, and about his grandchildren that lived too far to see more than twice a year. My heart went out to him as I saw the loneliness in his eyes... He invited my family to go to his church and told me about his plans to go to a retreat for widows in a few weeks. I tried to be supportive and suggested that he start a blog...while I listened to the words leaving my lips, I quickly realized that I had lost my mind! He is 82 years old!!! HA!!! To my surprise, he was very interested in the blog as he was once a photographer for the AJC in their earlier years..and he asked me all the details of how to do a blog. I told him that I was no computer person(my husband is though), but did know the site that would give him a template. After we finished our conversation, he took my email and the blog address and told me that he was going to call his son and get a blog started. As I walked away, I realized that maybe I did him a great service..maybe I helped a lonely man get a new outlet on his life! I told him that most people would be so interested in hearing the stories he had told me about his wife. They were beautiful stories and she seemed to be a wonderful person. He agreed to email me his blog address which I will post ..maybe his memories will be a great comfort to him and possibly help him to work through his grief, and maybe even bring his family closer to him. If he writes as well as he talks, I am sure I will not be the only one that reads his daily blog..stay tuned...especially you widowers out there.

Talent Show

Today T tried out for the talent show at her school. She is going to be singing a song from High School Musical. I think the song is called You and Me, but I could be wrong. She rehearsed for days ...and then had a sore throat today! I was shocked when she went to school this a.m.!! Somehow she managed to hit all the notes and she got chosen. Not bad for a sixth grader!!
This will be her 4th year performing in the show and she has done exceptionally well. I remember when she was in the 1st grade and sang "Maybe" from Annie. She was so scared that she just sang it perfectly in the sweetest voice. I'm not sure if she was even breathing!! I was so proud of her!! You could have heard a pin drop! I think everyone was so shocked that she got up on the stage in front of so many people at age 6!! She has a great singing voice and like most every other kid in America, wants to go on American Idol oneday!! I won't be surprised if she does because she loves to sing . She sings all the time and usually has her Zune plugged into one ear if she is breathing! I can not think of a time when she has been shy on a stage. I am glad that she has this confidence and I seriously don't know where she gets it from!! She had to do a reading at her school for Thanksgiving this past year and I was amazed that she wrote her own speech ,and said it without notes in front of 500 people at the Thanksgiving program. The speech was very heartfelt and very "academy award" as I told you before, she is a drama queen!! She never ceases to amaze me with her talents. I would have never done that as a child!! I did put her in a little night class at the local school for an acting class a few years back . She enjoyed it so much. I would really like to take her to a few auditions for plays(mainly musicals) because I think she would be good at this..she is a natural. With her schedule though, it has not happened yet. Maybe this summer when we have more time! When there is a musical at the Fox or close to home, I always try to get tickets because she always gets all of the Cd's, DVD's, etc. and learns all the words, etc...I am so lucky that her school supports the musical side of her education. They provide such a great program for their students. They are required to learn a different instrument each year(i.e. recorder, guitar, etc.) She also plays the Alto Saxophone and the flute very well in the band at school. I think that she has an ear for music . I have never played an instrument, so there is obviously a talent hidden somewhere in the gene pool. I think it might have skipped my generation!
Other than that, my day was pretty uneventful, well we were under a tornado watch for a few hours this a.m., so I just went in the basement and did a little reading. It has been so long since I have read..totally unlike me because I usually read a book or two a week. I love to read and find it very relaxing, even if my book of choice is usually a James Patterson book. His books are full of suspense... and he is one author that keeps me interested long enough to finish the book. He always writes good books, and I am never disappointed. He even writes children's books now and T has a few. I think she feels grown up when she has a book by the same author as her mom. She always saves her money for Christmas, birthdays, etc. to get me a book...I just wish I could twitch my nose and do all the housework, unpacking, etc. so that I could have more time to read. I miss it and have gotten three books behind..totally not me. I usually read his books in a day and am anxiously awaiting the next! Well, until tomorrow...this is really hard trying to find something interesting to write about each day, but I think it is a good thing for me..I had no idea that I could do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Prank Call

Today after I voted, I got a call from school to pick T up because she was sick and running a fever. I got her and came home. Later in the afternoon, the phone rang. I recognized the number and name on the caller ID, so I answered. The caller was none other than "Miley Cyrus" calling from Hollywood to speak with my daughter. So, I handed the phone to T and she immediately knew the call was a prank, so she handed me the phone. I played along for a few minutes and then "Billy Ray" came on the phone to talk about the weather. I was laughing at the "grown up" voice and after having about a ten minute conversation, I decided to teach the children a lesson. I said oh it was great talking with you Miley and Billy Ray..I am so glad that you are not only calling our house, but that you are also visiting "so and so's" (the real caller)house. The phone went silent and then click, my conversation with my daughter's friends was over...no more prank calls from kids! Or so I thought, about ten minutes later, T got a call again, this time from her friend. The friend was afraid that I was going to call her mother and get her into trouble for placing a prank call..she asked my daughter how her mom had recognized her voice..I realized that the prank was really on this young girl when I heard T say..my mom is Ex Fed Agency that I used to work for.., she used the criss- cross and found your number, then she found your address and she is on her way over to meet Miley and Billy Ray....I hope your mom won't be too upset that she is showing up unannounced..again, the phone went dead..the next call was from the real mom. Apparently the mother had a scared daughter on her hands. The caller's mom and I got a big laugh and decided to play along a little longer when the mom told her daughter that I had already left my house to come to her's and that she would have to explain to me what she had done...I actually got another call an hour later with an apology. I was not offended at all, neither was T. Her friend is a real friend that comes to our house often and was only trying to make T feel better because she knew how much T likes Hannah Montana. It is a sad world when you can't even make a prank call because of caller ID! HA!! I can remember calling several church ladies when I was a kid asking " Is your refrigerator running, they would answer yes, and then we would scream into the receiver..you better go catch it!" And my all time favorite was calling a local grocery store and asking in a male voice..do you have Prince Albert in a can..well you know the rest! Too funny!! I was also proud of my daughter because she can think fast on her feet and she also has a wonderful sense of humor! So, we are actually going to see this young girl over this weekend at her birthday, so I have decided to call her Miley..that should be alot of fun!!

Super Tuesday

Today is gorgeous..supposed to be in the 70's! I am loving it, although I am sure that I will spend most of the day in line waiting to cast my vote in the Super Tuesday primary. I have no idea who I am going to vote for in this primary. I vote conservative, but I am not thrilled with any of the candidates.I am a Bush fan, although I may be the only one left at this time. I believe that he is a good President and I have voted for him both times. It is true that our economy has gotten to a low point, but I believe that it was bound to happen because of the war and 9/11. I do believe that we were right in fighting the war because if we had not, our country would end up in a very bad place. Terrorism is real and why it is often downplayed in the media and the conservatives are often blamed for trying to get a grip on things and for all the financial crisis, the leader before Bush did very little to manage the problem. I can remember working in DC for the gov't and having furloughs. Of course, I was one of the unlucky"essential' employees, so I never got furloughed, we just had to work for nothing while the burecrats got the budget under control..I think this is where the blame should be...the bleeding heart liberals. They are the ones who give our money to programs that do not need it..for example, President Clinton actually cut the Bureau's terrorism fund around 1994-95. And then to boot, he had Bin Laden and refused to go and get him..he was told what this would lead too...he had reports from Intelligence! After the first attack on the World Trade Center, we were warned that they would come back..only stronger! For a president that had only been in office for less than a year when one of he largest attacks on America happened, I think President Bush has remained focused and done whatever it has taken to keep us safe..regardless of the popularity. He has been unconcerned with the popularity issue..as well he should. Who wants a popular leader? I would rather have someone that could make decisions based on what the military is telling him ..the ones that are really getting the real story??He has taken enough flack..it is time to give it to the real culprits..the liberals. They want to pull troops and end the war, well if that is done, we will be giving up our freedom because they(the terrorist) will come here and when they do, who is going to protect you?? Hillary? I doubt it. Do you really want a repeat of Bill Clinton? I.e. I did not have sex with that woman??Hello...not to mention, what happened to Vince Foster????It doesn't take a brain scientist to figure out that these two lie their way out of anything!! Oprah says Obama is for change, but he has no experience in changing anything. He has only been in the senate for a short period of time..can somebody tell me how this qualifies him to be a President to lead our country in one of the most critical fights that we will ever face??? McCain is an older man, but at least he has the experience to do what needs to be done. He does have military ties..The other two might fly on the conservative side, but do they have what it takes to handle the real tough stuff??To be honest, I think they should make a change in the Constitution to keep our current president in because I don't think we have another candidate that is electable at this point. If we do, then I must be watching the wrong debates! I have seen nothing promising on any debate, just riff raft amongst them and empty promises. To boot, which ones are taking on the real issues? At this point, I think that maybe I should just vote for Ron Paul..he is a nut, but at least he spouts facts (mostly distorted, but none the less)and brings up more than just character issues, and faulting people for their religion..who cares about religion in this fight? Look at Obama's upbringing?? None of these candidates have it all...I want someone who can handle it all..can you please tell me which one of these can handle it all???? I don't want the liberals to take over, so I will vote conservative, but which candidate should I vote for...if I voted for looks, Romney will be the man...but as mama says, "looks aren't everything", so now I am back to square one!!! And Huckabee has only had a little say in the debates, so I am unclear on what it is he plans to do, although, he does seem to have some convictions? Maybe he's the man?I guess today will be a game of any minnie mighty moe.....I will hold my breath for the results..let's just hope that we don't have four years of "I didn't have sex with that woman"..where will this leave our children on the moral issues??? And their safety??Hello, why don't you just invite Bin laden to dinner and let your children try to convience him not to blow them up????Wake up!!!

Monday, February 4, 2008

Cleaning the house and eating good food!!!

I have found a great cleaning product to use to get just about anything clean. It is called Bam. I love this product as we have used it to clean many things. I like the degreaser kind because it is the best product on the market. There is no scrubbing, just spray it on and it goes to work! I use it to clean everything!! It does a great job on the shower and it is amazing on stains, etc. I even clean the deck furniture and it does great! D uses it on everything, and won't use anything else. If you need something cleaned well, try it out.
Also, as some of you know, I love homemade bread. My sister-in-law sells Tastefully Simple..if you like good beer bread, then please try this..also delicious with fruit juice, coke, etc. I also like to put a can of creamed corn in the mix instead of a beverage. It is delicious cornbread. The website is online and it has alot of good stuff. I love the apple cake, almond pound cake and my favorite is the potato cheddar soup. Check it out if you want a simple meal that is very good!!!! My family likes just about everything we have tried, which is pretty much all of it!!
Just wanted to pass the info..

My daughter is a grave robber!!

I was driving my daughter to school today and passed thru the cemetary at the school/church on my way to carpool. I recalled a really funny story that happened when my daughter was in the first grade. I told her about my memorable experience and we both almost fell out of the car laughing! So, I thought that you all as mothers, might also get a chuckle out of the story. Please try to put yourself in my place for the real effect!

When T was in first grade, her class used to get flower arrangements out of a pile of thrown away flowers from the cemetary. Unknown to me, so that is why this is so hilarous! One February afternoon, two days after my birthday, T got in the car smiling from ear to ear..I quickly noticed her good mood and asked her about her day. She said that she had a great day and that she had a "big' surprise for me when we got home. She informed me that she had it in her bookbag. Well, like every other mother, I was expecting a drawing, or something of that sort. So, we drive home and she is beaming the whole ride home. I begin to think that I am the luckiest mother in the world to have such a loving child....

Fast forward 20 minutes, we arrive home and she quickly takes her bookbag and tells me to come inside and close my eyes. I do as she instructs and hold out my hands to gather the 'big" surprise..I feel something plastic and wet and then I begin to realize that the "musk" smell is evident in whatever the surprise is, so I open my eyes and see a bunch of flowers, plastic arranged in a nice big red bow. Not to sound to harsh, I tell her that the flowers are so pretty, and ask her where in the world did she manage to get her hands on such lovely flowers...Grinning from ear to ear, she proceeds to tell me that she got the flowers from alot of graves!! Not wanting to sound ungrateful, I say thank you and try to dig deeper for more information on how she pulled this over on her teachers to get the flowers in her bookbag, etc. she just simply said that the flowers were so nice and that she just had to get me some. In my mind, I pictured a little girl taking flowers from the graves, etc. and hiding them in her bag. As innocent as it may sound, I did not want my daughter to think that this was ok..to rob flowers from a grave is so disrespectful! Well, I put the flowers in a large vase and displayed them in the dining room, musk smell and all, and vowed to get to the bottom of the flowers the next day.

After I dropped her off at school the next day, I parked and entered the school to investigate how this came to be...I went to the office and told the lady there that I needed to speak to T's teacher. Mrs. H arrived looking surprised that I was there and having no idea of what was going to transpire. I told her she might want to sit down that my daughter had done something that we needed to discuss. I proceeded to tell her the story, even offered to replace the flowers on the graves if that is what it took to correct the problem..she could hardly contain her laughter and told me that indeed, my daughter had taken flowers from a grave, however,the flowers were going to be trashed, so it was ok'd by her. She said that my child wanted so badly for me to have the flowers, especially the purple ones, since purple is my favorite color! I was so relieved to find that my daughter was not a grave robber after all, but a sweet and thoughtful little girl who was only trying to make her mom's day by bringing her some flowers. I still have the flowers in a plastic bag, of course..they are not much to look at these days, but I could not bare to part with them because the memories are just too good for me to dispose of them! Maybe oneday, she will have her own child to tell the story too...I still tease her every now and then when we go to the cemetary to visit my dad..I tell her to not to forget to take the flowers for her mom, especially if they are purple!!! It always cracks her up!!

Three things to be thankful for each day!

Everyone has something to be thankful for at least once a day. Maybe on some days, it is hard to find three things, but an article I read a few years ago really helped me to follow this practice: When I wake each morning, I try to think of three new things to be thankful for..maybe it is that my body doesn't hurt, or my child is in a good mood, or that I get my daughter to school on time, etc. This is something that makes me stay positive and it helps my day to go faster! I started a few years ago telling my daughter that this practice is a simple way to appreciate what is given to you free of charge..a gift from God. I told her that if she did this each day, she would be able to face any crisis with a clear head, and that it could make her realize all that she has been afforded. So, now when we are in the car each morning, I ask her to tell me what she is thankful for and I think that she has learned that life is a little less stressful when you find things that are positive instead of dwelling on negative things. She has come up with some really funny things..sometimes it is that she is thankful for Hannah Montana, or for her new stuffed animal, or even that the dog did not eat her bird when he got out of his cage, or that it is flooding rain and she won't have to run at Cross Country practice, or that she managed to pass a test that she did not study for, etc. By doing this at least once a day, a negative attitude slips away in a hurry. It also is a way for us to communicate.

So, today I would like to share three things that I am thankful for..1. that we have rain again today..although rain can be dreary, it is helping to get rid of the drought..2. that I have money to buy a Starbucks coffee to wake me up..it is rare to have extra cash when you have a Diva for a daughter, and 3. my entire family is healthy and happy.

Please try this with your children or your spouse, or yourself..not only does it give you something to look forward to each day, but it changes your perspective on many things that can make your life seem boring and meaningless..If you can't think of anything, then try looking at a newspaper, or take a ride to a children's cancer ward..we are all so blessed just to be alive and healthy!!!! So many people are suffering today with all kinds of things...maybe this will make a problem of yours seem much smaller!! Have a great day!!!!!!!!

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Grandma Smith


Today I decided to write about my Grandma Smith. I have so many wonderful stories that I could tell, but since I only have so much room, I will try to get my message in a short posting. . My Grandma is 97 years old now, and she is now confined to her bed due to her health. It happened a few years ago when her heart began to fail her, and since that time, her mind has began to slip somewhat. Don't get me wrong, she still knows us all and she still is able to converse, etc., and to me, she is still the same Grandma that she was before her health started to wax and wane, she just can't get up and do all the things she used to enjoy. It is really hard for me to see her in a bed, but I am just so thankful that she is still here with us. Most people never have the opportunity to experience this at my age. I have already lost all of my other grandparents, so she has been the "hero" of my life. She always told me she was going to make it to 100..she was obsessed with getting on Willard Scott's jam jar. I am sure that she will, and maybe even make it past that age.
I guess what got me to this post was today when I was in the grocery store, I can across a coconut cake. This got me to thinking about my upcoming birthday and how I really miss spending the day with my Grandma. When I was a child I loved coconut cake. I actually called it "hair cake". My Grandma made me a "hair cake" every year, complete with red hots that were shaped like hearts. My birthday is the day after Valentine's day, so this was my special treat that only my Grandma could make me. It was the best cake! Three huge fluffy layers of white cake with white icing and loads of coconut, and then the yummy red hots..just thinking of it makes me hungry. Anyway, as I got older and moved up north, she would always make the cake when I came home for me. She also made these yummy tea cakes. She would send me big shoe boxes of these tea cakes and people at work would beg for them. I quickly learned to hide them from my roommates and my co workers. Now when I eat other people's, for some reason, it is not the same! Anyway, my grandmother has always been the backbone of our family. She cared so much for every grandchild and made each one feel special. I am sure of that. I have always enjoyed her company so much. She has always been very strong willed, and has never been one to hold back her thoughts. If you did wrong, she would let you know what you did. Although, always gentle to her grandchildren. I can remember getting advice from her on being married, and child rearing, etc. I remember when my daughter was born, she got a ride to Maryland to be with me. Even though she went home because it took awhile for my daughter to arrive, she came back and was one of the first ones to see T. I am so thankful that my T has had her in her life since birth. She adores her and has been very fortunate to have her . T's favorite story is about Grandma beating her at checkers. You see, my grandma is a champ at checkers. I have not come across anyone who has been able to beat her. She beat T so many times that she cried and said that she would not play with grandma again! My mom told grandma that she should let her win, and grandma said no..she has to learn to win. While that was a hard pill for t to swallow, it was a lesson, and that was a good thing. It is sometimes hard to go to her home in the spring because she always had a garden, or flower garden. She can no longer walk to do that, so each time I go home, I try to take her some pretty flowers. I think that she might just dream about being in her garden. At least that is what I like to think. Growing older is never easy, but my grandma did it with grace. She was determined to live her life the way she wanted too..which is why I admire her so much. Even now when I go to her house, she is glad to see me. I enjoy hearing her tell me things about her life. I also enjoy hearing her disipline my mom..ha! She is still able to tell people what she likes or doesn't like..sometimes it is her condition, but other times, she can still argue with mom and even though it gets to mom, I laugh under my breath because she is still the grandma and the one who has managed to hold everyone together..even bedridden, she is still a very strong presence with us all. I just think God for giving me such a wonderful person in my life and I know that whatever age she lives too, she will leave a mark on everyone that knows or knew her.
Now, about that game last night..it was so GREAT!!!! 35 seconds and the NY Giants came back and won!! I knew they could do it !! Talk about suspense, I don't think I have anymore fingernails left now!! Not that I have any to begin with, but now, I have no cuticles either!!!!!!!!!Amazing is all I can say....that was a great Superbowl!!!

Superbowl Sunday

Superbowl Sunday is here and I want the Giants to win! Okay, I know they are the underdogs, but I am still pulling for them to win! GO Giants!!!! I hope I can stay awake long enough to watch the game.
It is raining here today, but warm! Finally, some warm weather!! 63 today! Bear is in heaven as he has been able to stay outside on the deck today. It is covered in the front, so he doesn't mind the rain, as long as it is not stormy, just light rain. He does not like to get wet. If it sprinkles and he is outside, he is howling to come into the garage! Strange dog!
The birds have been quiet today, amazing. I put a radio in their room, so it helps. I think they just like noise and if there is none, they make as much noise as possible. That makes for an uncomfortable day for me. Paulie(the parrot) is way too talkative. He calls T as soon as he hears her voice and asks to be uncovered, and then it begins..he calls the dog and harasses him, calls Gumdrop too and talks constantly as long as he can and then by that time, he has gotten Gumdrop annoyed and he is yelling !! It never ends! I have thought about sending all of them up for adoption, but then what would I do?? I don't think I could take the peace and quiet for long periods of time. I am just too used to the noise. I have another strange story...my sister-in-law passed away a few years ago. She had lung cancer and I called her everyday to chat and to see how she was doing. She always asked to talk to Paulie. I would hold the phone up to the cage and he would repeat her name and everything she said. She would say hey to him and call him a crazy bid, etc. Last week it was really strange, I was in the kitchen and Paulie started yelling, hey, good morning crazy bird, and then it sounded like he said Debra, which was her name. I stopped dead in my tracks and waited to hear it again, it didn't happen. The reason for it being strange is that I, that very a.m. was talking to mom about Debra. It was the anniversary of her death(2 years)..maybe she was just trying to let me know that she was ok?? or maybe the bird just remembered that it was time to talk to her?? I don't know, but it sure got me thru the day thinking about how the crazy bird could remember something that happened two years ago!! Weird!! I do believe that we all go to a better place when we die, but it is still a mystery to me that there are times when we lose people we love and we have strange feelings that they are with us at certain times ..I have felt this, I have even had vivid dreams about my dad, etc. and woke up convienced that he had been there with me. Call me crazy if you'd like, but who knows..we come into this world alone, and we leave alone. Who knows what happens when it ends?? I guess that is why they call it death, we will never be here to tell what happens in the afterlife..it is too bad that we can't leave an object for our love ones and then tell them to watch it for movement if we are able to communicate when we go..ha! Spooky! Maybe I have been reading too many Sylvia Brown books, you think??Anyways, I will close today because I am just too deep in thought to continue this!! Have a nice day! Go Giants!!! Win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
12:20:00 PM
by Walking Shadow
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