Black Oak block party!

April 19, 2008 at 8:48 pm (Uncategorized)
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Our neighborhood had a block party this evening and what a great time we all had. We had about half the block show up and a few neighbors from surrounding streets as well. The kids had a great time and everyone was glad to come out and say hello. We had lots of getting to know you going on and I think we’re going to make it something we do at least once a month. Before tonight there were several of us that didn’t even know each others names. One afternoon a few neighbors and I were talking and thought it was a shame that we all didn’t hang out more, and the block party idea was born. It’s good to get to know your neighbors:-) We even had 89 year old Carlos come by for some food and fellowship. As I was tucking Emerie into bed tonight and she was saying her prayers she said, “And God, please help us to have another block party again.” I’m not sure if it was the playing with friends or all the yummy treats that she liked more. Either way, I can’t wait to do it again!

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Happy Birthday little bro…

April 15, 2008 at 9:31 pm (Uncategorized)
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You were the cutest little baby my 13 year old eyes had seen. You were always so cute and tan, Kim and I thought you were going to be so handsome, and we were right.

I can’t believe you are turning 21 today, be good, I know you will, because that is how you roll…

You are all grown up now, a loving son, a caring brother, an awesome uncle. You have always been and will continue to be a great role model for those around you. I feel a certain privilege to call you brother.

We love you, have a great birthday Matt.

Psalms 138: 13, 14

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

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Dad

April 15, 2008 at 9:08 pm (Uncategorized)
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Here are a few pics of Dad on the saddled saw-horse at Texas Roadhouse. He was in Liberty so a few of us got together and took him out for his birthday. Unfortunately we forgot the camera so the motorola pics will have to do. Good to see you Dad, hope you had a great birthday:-) We love you!06-04-08_2003.jpg06-04-08_2002.jpg

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Old-school MD vs. Bad bedside manner?

April 15, 2008 at 8:59 pm (Uncategorized)
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I took Mesha to the doctor for a common teenage problem the other day. Nothing big, I won’t tell you the speciality because it may be giving too much information with regard to his privacy, but it was a little disturbing.

First of all, as soon as we walked in, I got a weird vibe. The office was unusually small, and the decor was no kidding, circa 1978, 1980 at best. It wasn’t traditional 1980’s either, it was trendy 1980’s. Very worn, very interesting. All the patient charts were located on a wall behind the receptionist, all of them. Some of the charts were leaning against the bookshelf kinda like wilted flowers, no organization system seemed apparent other than alphabetical, again, interesting. As I was filling out paper work, I asked Mesha to read the kids a book and suddenly we were distracted by a loud clicking noise. For a moment I tried to assess the sound to discern it, that is when my ever so discreet daughter exclaims, “Is that a type-writer?” It was painfully obvious they were running things old-school up in there :-)

When we were taken back to the exam room I was eager with anticipation. After all, I love antiques and was sure to see some vintage medical equipment. What I didn’t expect was to see bloody instruments. bloody cotton balls in a basin, open medication bottles, and a used syringe and gloves. Yuck! And the blood from the cotton balls looked old and dark brown.

Have you ever had an experience like this? If so tell me about it. I will close by saying that the doctor was very nice, very cordial, and didn’t seem to notice the mess on the table. He gave Mesha a huge bag full of samples that will last her a very long time. I am still undecided about returning. Check the Magnum PI pics I took in the office below. What do you think???

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More

April 14, 2008 at 9:56 am (Uncategorized)
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Why are we here, what have we to be grateful for? IS this life more than an alarm going off at 7am, more than the daily grind, more than we have come to find it to be at the end of the day?

Who cares for us when we feel alone, when the tasks of daily life have weighed us down, when we lack the desire to reach out? Is there anyone who loves us when we are unloveable, when the monotony has left us empty on the inside?

I am sure that there is more.

I can feel more in the night, I can feel Him running through my dreams.

I can feel more in the day, when I am driving in the car and my heart beats another second.

More wakes me in the morning, and gives me reason to live.

He is more, He is the salt that seasons the already beautiful scenery around me, making it magnificent.

He is closer than a brother, begging me to be open…

to more.

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She made nationals!

April 8, 2008 at 12:10 pm (Uncategorized)
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She made it and we are so proud of her. Special thanks to all her coaches and Grandpa for the video footage. She goes on to MU for 2008 USA Diving Spring Junior West Championships on April the 26Th. Keep her in your prayers!

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The pseudo-gas that scared me!

April 6, 2008 at 8:31 am (Uncategorized)
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I never met a fart I didn’t like, no wait, let me rephrase that, I never met a fart that scared me, I mean really creeped me out. My husband’s gas can clear a room in a nanosecond, I wouldn’t say I like them, but they don’t scare me, per say.

Last night I took my step mom out for dinner and a pedicure, it was a late birthday outing that was way over due. After the pedicure we stopped by my place of employment, an emergency room in the downtown area. We took them egg salad sandwiches and chips, something I do every now and then. Usually they are slammed and hungry and since I was going that way I decided it would a good way to use up all of those extra eggs left over from Easter.

After delivering the food and saying goodbye to my co-workers we decided to head out to the Country Club Plaza for dinner. As we were leaving the parking lot it was quiet in the van as I navigated my way out of the construction-riddled streets and back onto the main road. It was then that I encountered what would be later be deemed, the scariest fart of my life.

All of the sudden from the back of the vehicle roared the sounds of flatulence from an unknown source. The sound was unmistakable, and yes, it was definitely coming from the back of my van. I stopped the car, we stared at each other holding our breath, half expecting some bean eating vagrant to pop up and demand our money while yelling, “There’s more where that came from lady!” But nothing, silence, and then it came again, “Braaaapppp.” So it was at this point that I physically removed myself from the van to inspect the trunk area. Nothing. I was seriously expecting to find a co-worker playing a prank, but no, just a bag of junk filled with odds and ends. As I looked more closely at the bag and its contents, relieved that we weren’t going to be killed by the gassy bandit after all, I see the culprit.

It was a gag gift I had purchased last year at Spencer’s gifts, The Fart Machine. The malfunctioning fart machine had taken my breath away, as many farts in my past had done, but for an entirely different reason. Later, as my mom and I laughed she said something to the effect of how it would have been a funny way to be caught in a crime had it actually been the boisterous bandit we thought it was. I agreed and made sure to turn the switch to off and stow the machine in the glove compartment. I don’t know where the remote is, and after that hair-raising experience, I am not sure I want to:-)

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Sigh…

April 4, 2008 at 12:34 pm (Family, humor, life, motherhood, random)
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Mesha is on her way to Nebraska for a regional dive competition as I type. We were 12 minutes late to meet her ride and other team members, and then when we got there she informed me that she forgot her suit and diving bag. Wow. Ok, thank goodness her coach had an extra suit and towel.

It seems like we are running late more and more often. I thought I had escaped that genetic hand-me-down from my Dad. Guess not:-) No offense Dad, if you’re reading this. Growing up we were always late for things. As an adult, I have vowed to be on time or early but lately that has become wishful thinking. The main reason we were late this morning was because I forgot to put her bag in the van before I picked her up from school. I also forgot my debit card to get some money out of the ATM for her supper. When we got home I loaded her big bag, and she forgot to load her dive bag. Aye! I’d loose my head if it weren’t attached and that is no joke, I would. Thank you God for attaching my head, seriously. And even with my head attached sometimes I feel disconnected.

I am beginning to calm now, and hour and a half later, but I am using Paul McKenna’s crave buster technique to ward off this feeling I have regarding m&m’s. I feel like recreating a “Scooby moment,” remember those? It is a technique used for eating that was invented by Scooby doo and shaggy. Basically it looks like this; me going into the pantry, opening a big bag of m&m’s left over from Easter, opening my mouth, leaning my head back and down the hatch they pour, there is no tasting or chewing involved. Just good old’ comfort eating. Thanks to Paul McKenna I am blogging instead and can hardly stand the thought of the hair and crap covered m&m’s in my mouth. I won’t go into details but it works, goggle him.

So, I was going to make this great dinner for my parents before I left for work tonight. They are coming up from Bolivar, Dad is going with Steph to the meet, Mom is hanging with us. I think the dinner may be out, but I have some great taco soup in the freezer and just bought sour cream. Stephan if you read this, could you bring home a bag of Santita’s?

Have a great weekend everybody, and go MESHA let’s make National’s in Columbia!

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The Gratitudes…

April 2, 2008 at 3:33 pm (Family, Friends, God stuff, life, motherhood, random)
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Here is my top five for today.

5. My hairstylist at Salon Oasis.

4. Mom’s club.

3. My mom.

2. Owen got the memo.

1. Jesus.

I went to the salon last night and modified my hair by getting it cut a tad shorter. It has been a really long time since I have had a stylist that I trust will always do a great job. I feel excited, and sassy, and hip all rolled into one. I am soooooo glad to have gotten rid of my long hair, in retrospect it seems so boring. Michelle can almost read my mind and every time she does my hair it comes out awesome. I give her a little freedom and she never lets me down. Here’s a shout out to you my friend!

The mom’s club is a growing group of mom’s that get together and drag their kids along with. We meet at various places and have a great time getting to know one another and sharing in the journey called motherhood. A few years ago I felt so alone and just wanted a place to find friendship and get my kids out of the house. I am so thankful for the mom’s club and all the women I have met there. God has blessed me with that group.

My mom came down from Bethany with her sidekick, Manny the german shepherd, yesterday so that I could go to a 7:30 am meeting. She is so awesome and I am so blessed to have her in my life. I enjoying talking to her on the phone and seeing her happy face so often. The kids love her and cry when she leaves, Owen calls her Grandma-mama. We like hearing her stories about how marshmallows tickle her face, and she has a neat way of bringing me back to earth when I get frustrated by sharing a story about when she was growing up. It’s nice to be close to her again, both geographically and emotionally.

We gave Owen some milk last night, before bed, we told him there would be no more rations until 0700. He got the memo and we didn’t see the whites of his eyes until this am. Hallelujah!

I have found that recently I cannot live on bread alone. I mean I can, but not as heartily, not as full. I have discovered that I really feel less alive when I don’t read the bible, and lately I go to it daily. It has become a sincere desire rather than a chore. I know we all go through seasons on this journey, but I am grateful for an emotional springtime.

Amazing Love (lyrics)- Chris Tomlin

I’m forgiven because You were forsaken,
I’m accepted, You were condemned.
I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me,
Because You died and rose again.

Amazing love,
How can it be
That You, my King, would die for me?
Amazing love,
I know it’s true.
It’s my joy to honor You,
In all I do, I honor You.

I’m forgiven because You were forsaken,
I’m accepted, You were condemned.
I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me,
Because You died and rose again.

You are my King
Jesus You are my King
You are my King.
-Chris Tomlin

I can’t wait until Sunday morning, but I thank you Lord for this moment, and every moment I have left, to live and love and worship you.

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