Not Me!

How could I have forgotten it is Monday already! I have been saving up my "not me's" all week so I could share them especially with you!

- I did not keep my best friend's kids so she could accompany her husband to Hilton Head Island on a business trip.
- I did not help organize a 4th of July "block party" in my neighborhood. It just happened to include two dear, sweet neighbors who never get to visit with the neighbors.
- I did not keep avoiding my dogs' scratching; if I avoid the scratching, they don't have fleas. Right???
- I did not go on Friday and buy a new dryer because the other one had officially bit the dust. It wasn't the timer - it was the motor. They don't make dryers like they used to.
- I did not go out to dinner tonight at the Japanese restaurant.
- I did not continuously use my girl friend's laundry room the whole time I was at her house (hey, what can I say - it's the Get What You Pay For Babysitter!
- I did not leave her children with Oldest Child one evening while I went to get my hair done (on top of what it cost to get my hair done, I had to add in babysitting fees!)
- I did not almost forget about "Not Me!" Monday!

Proud to be an American

I wasn't going to post today; after all, what could I say that hasn't already been said before. How could I possibly expound on what freedom is or why we have it. But then I read this, and couldn't stop myself. This happens to be my across-the-street neighbor, and no, I haven't checked it against any of the "scam" web sites. It really doesn't matter if it's true or just a good story, now does it?

From someone who has been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, and who is trying vainly to figure out how to give back, it's just good to read how some people still show how proud they are to be American. When we go anywhere with The Dude dressed in his uniform, he is treated with utmost respect. We have been shown appreciation, had our meals bought at restaurants, and saluted, just to name a few. I have been to the airport with The Dude and had people clap and salute him. Unfortunately, it was when he was going to and coming from Iraq. I have also been to the airport when it was my turn to do the clapping and saluting. One of the things I want to do when I retire is volunteer with the USO at the airport. Hopefully by then, there won't be any servicemen and women going to war. Hopefully by then, all the servicemen and women will be shipping off to train, or to keep peace somewhere. Hopefully by the time I retire, the wars will be over and parents won't have to send their sons and daughters in harms way so that we can stay free.

So however you celebrate Independence Day, remember to say an extra special prayer for those who are in harms way and for those they left behind to carry on while they're gone. But for the grace of God go I. Happy Independence Day.

Not Me!

For those of you who haven't read about dear, sweet Stellan, you may not know about Not Me! Monday. Since I have been so lack in blogging lately, I decided it would be a great way to get back into the blogging mode. And as I sit here trying to think of what I didn't do this week, quite a bit comes to mind...

- I did not secretly wish DH couldn't fix the dryer so I could go get another one. (But I must confess, I won that one - he gave in this afternoon when the new timer came it and it still didn't work. I asked him if he couldn't fix it because it couldn't be fixed or because he was too tired to deal with it. When he confessed it was lack of sleep, I agreed to wait until this weekend to see if it, too, needs to go to dryer heaven. That will make THREE dryers we have gone through in 17 years...not sure I like those odds.)
- I did not go pick up Chinese for dinner because when DH works doubles, we have to eat dinner at 3:30 in order to eat as a family. It's not too hot to cook dinner at 3:30 in June in Atlanta.
- I did not hold off cleaning up the camper from the beach (too hot to cook, too hot to clean the camper...)
- I did not sort through the laundry and see what could be hung on the deck to dry, what could wait until the dryer got fixed, and what we had to have for the week
- I certainly did not sit and read blogs instead of doing what needed to be done around the house
- I also did not leave OC at the skating rink after it closed last Monday. We thought it closed at 11 so I was going to pick her up at 10:30. I get a phone call at 9:58 from OC telling me that the rink closes at 10. Guess she forgot the fact that we live, oh, hmmm, 20 minutes from the rink! I send The Dune running out the door to go pick her up and I stayed on the phone with her until he got there. Glad there was a lot of other parents slow in picking up their kids, too.
- and last but certainly not least, I absolutely, beyond the shadow of a doubt did not spend too much time watching TV last week.

Long Summer

It's been a long summer already at our house. I know I haven't been posting regularly lately; I've been too busy living. But I am taking time now to sit back, ponder, relax, regroup, turn over some new leaves and forge ahead. What on earth am I talking about, you ask?

I live in the country. Not the country like Ree. But the country where you can still call your neighbor and borrow a cup of sugar. The country where you see your neighbor out planting flowers and you go over and help. The country where you see lots of cars parked in the driveway nextdoor and you call to see (a) if there is a party or (b) who died. When we bought our house seven years ago, God told us from the beginning that we were where we were supposed to be. Too many chips had to fall in place for us to be in this particular house. And once I got to know our neighbors, I am so glad we followed His lead.

We don't live in a subdivision; we have a small circle of houses of retired couples living around us so I never have to worry about our house being burglarized (Hear that, Mr. Big Bad Robber - our neighbors are always watching you...). And then H World Adventures lives across the street. I wouldn't take anything for my neighbors.

Our comfy little circle 'o friends was rocked to its core this week. Our dear, sweet Fibo went to her reward with the angels. She was diagnosed back in November with a very rare form of cancer. She had radiation throughout the winter, and was declared cancer free in February. We celebrated with her. Our celebration was short-lived when it returned in March. This time, the doctors decided it would be best to attack it with chemotherapy. We did what we knew to do. We cooked for her, threw her a "hat party" so she would have plenty of hats to wear with her various outfits. We went and sat with her and kept her company. We rallied when we needed to rally.

Being a teacher, I was extremely anxious for summer to get here. Not because I didn't have to go to work, but because I could go over and sit with Fibo. She was going to help me make another quilt because that's who she was...always quilting or painting. Since she was too weak to quilt, she was going to help me. It was going to be green and we already had the pattern picked out. Then when we finished that, we were going to make my Christmas tree skirt I've been going to make for three years. She was going to sit in the bed and tell me what I needed to do. I couldn't wait to get started.

Those plans have been put indefinitely on hold. I was able to spend some quality days with her at the beginning of June, then the girls and I had to go to West Virginia to attend my cousin's funeral. The cousin who was more like a grandmother than a cousin (another post for another day). Then we went on vacation. While we were on vacation, Fibo went into the hospital. She never came home.

Our neighborhood is sad. Our road is sad. I am sad. I know she's in a better place; I know she's not in pain anymore; I know everything happens for a reason. The rational side of me knows all of that. But the human side is broken. The picture is of Fibo and Oldest Child before the prom. This summer I am learning to do for others, to not put off tomorrow what I can do today, to take life by the horns. RIP, Fibo; you will be sorely missed.

Goals

Before I had kids, if anyone had told me how totally different each sibling would be, I would have thought they were exaggerating. Being the parent of two girls and a boy who are as different as night and day...and night again...I can totally stand behind that statement. Enter Oldest Child.

Oldest Child is very much her mother's child. I can see so much of myself in her. Only instead of squelching her creativity/individuality, we encourage it. She decides what she wants, what it will take to achieve it, and goes for it. The day she walked through the doors as a freshman at High School, she wanted to go to the prom as a freshman. She started talking about it in AUGUST people! I let her talk...and dream...and scheme...until oh about late February/early March. Then she started getting serious, and so did we.

She is involved in a church with a very active youth group. A guy from the youth group is a senior and needed a prom date. Oldest Child is a freshman and needed a date. We know him, we know his parents, we know Who and what he stands for...perfect match. DH and I felt safe with him, knew he would show OC a good time, and we, as her parents, wouldn't have to worry about letting our baby go to the prom. There comes a time when you have to sit back, pray, and trust that everything you have spent the past fifteen years telling her has sunk in.

It was a perfect night. The day went very smoothly. Youngest Child was occupied with a friend all day, out having fun. The day was totally devoted to OC...the way she wishes every day would be. Her wish was my command. M, OC's best friend, spent the day with us keeping us both calm. And from the time she woke up yesterday morning until sometime yesterday afternoon, my baby, my firstborn, my goal-oriented child turned into a princess.

Happy Anniversary, DH

Today is a special day. This time seventeen years ago, I walked down the isle of a church dressed in a long, flowing white dress. I didn't take my eyes off of his the entire walk down the isle. The love I saw then is the same love I see when I look into his eyes today. It was a beautiful spring day, sunny and hot (especially in a long sleeved dress!). The church was simply decorated; it was Easter weekend so we used the Easter lilies with a few bows strategically placed throughout. The ceremony was simple. We are, after all, pretty simple people.

We even held off leaving for our honeymoon (a week at the beach) until Monday. After all, DH's mother had Easter dinner and everyone was expected to be there. Nevermindthefact that you just got married yesterday. So we went to church Easter Sunday, then to the family lunch. Then bright and early Monday morning, set off for our first trip as a married couple.

There have been many trips to the beach since. There have been many happy days since. There have been many more lunches at DH's mothers since. We have shared with our girls our love for the beach, family time, and dinner at Mawmaw's (including last Sunday!).

Seventeen years encompasses a vast amount of territory. Three moves. At least seven new vehicles. Two campers. Three dogs. Three cats. A son who decided to join the Army and spent a year in Iraq. Thank God he is now safely home and living in our playroom. Nine job changes. Two births. Four churches. Three meals DH asked me to please not make again.

Here's hoping for another seventeen happy years. Happy Anniversary, DH. I remember all the details of our special day like it was only yesterday. I'd say "yes" all over again! Thank you for making me happy.

I Love Donna

Donna has been in our life for the past seven years...and I love her. She shows up every Monday morning like clockwork while OC, YC and I are getting ready for school. DH has already left for work and The Dude is either getting ready to leave for work or in the bed. She is as much a part of our family as the dogs or the cats. The girls love Donna almost as much as I do. Yes, Donna shows up every Monday morning, and when Donna leaves, I have a clean house.

I was a SAHM while YC and OC were at home; I quit my job when YC was six months old. And I stayed home with the girls until YC started pre-K. Then I signed my first contract and have been teaching ever since. But one of the negotiating points of my going back to work was getting someone to clean our house. I don't want to be gone all week and then spend all weekend cleaning the house. And Dear, Sweet Donna has been worth every penny we have paid for her.

No matter how many times we refigure or recalculate the budget, Donna is always right under the mortgage payment. I will miss groceries but I won't miss Donna. Call me spoiled, call it my way of stimulating the economy.

Case in point, we are on Spring Break this week. We went camping in the Castle that is our new camper. The dogs and The Dude stayed home. The dogs are going through a "mourning stage" with Midnight - they are doing crazy things they rarely ever do. This week, they decided to open the pantry with their nose and take out (1) peanut butter, (2) Crisco, and (3) Bisquick. Thankfully, the only one of the three they got opened was the Bisquick. They ate the whole box under the kitchen table. I have never ever been so thankful for tile floors. But I also had to do something I haven't done in forever...I had to mop my own floor. I have the biggest kitchen in the history of the world; gourmet cooks would kill for a kitchen this big. I just call it a lot of wasted space. But it is only Thursday and Donna won't be back until Monday and I couldn't leave Bisquick under my kitchen table for four more days. So I spent the morning cleaning up Bisquick and appreciating Donna.

And when I finished mopping my floor, I realized we don't pay Donna nearly enough money for what she does!