UM...WHAT ABOUT OUR CARPOOL?

Well, Kayla made the basketball team. She is sore and tired but very excited. Honestly their practice schedule is more intense than the football players.
Anyway, one of the girls in our carpool didn't make the team, but has decided to be manager. It seems to have worked out for her because she had said if she played basketball she wouldn't be able to see her Dad until November (her parents are divorced) So she is trying to see the positive in this. Her mom admitted she was probably more disappointed than the daughter. I told her I was sorry for her disappointment, and I am but I'll be honest. In my head I was thinking "ok, that's one less person in our carpool. This rotation is not going to be easy." I have been given the task of setting up a carpool schedule. We are down to 3 girls in our carpool for an average of 7 trips a week (5 after school pick-ups, a Saturday drop off, and a Saturday pick-up). I even called a couple other moms today to see if they'd like to join our carpool. "Well, thanks, but I'm already in one," was the standard response. One mom is not going to be happy. She is one that was pushing for 7 or 8 girls in the car just so we'd have fewer trips each week. So I've decided my options are:
1. buy a 15-passenger van by Saturday
2. Move to Maora by Saturday
3. offer to drive every trip myself to avoid making somebody mad
4. do my best to come up with a reasonable schedule and hope that the other parents catch on to our mantra..."this is the phase of life we're in...it goes all too quickly anyway so just relax and make the best of it."

On another note. My daughter commented today about how stinky the van was when the football players piled in after practice. I just had to let her know that these young ladies were not exactly smelling like a trip through Bath-n-Body Works when they get in the car after practice now. I started to feel panic moving in this evening as I thought "what if the smell is permanent in my van? What if it smells like sweaty locker room mixed with cucumber melon mixed with gatorade...FOREVER? What if it really smells like this ALWAYS but I only NOTICE it when I'm driving 17 kids around?"OK 3 or 4 kids but it sounds...and smells like 17. The other night I had an almost uncontrollable urge, as I was driving 65 mph on the highway, with 4 smelly kids in the van, to roll my window down and stick my head out and inhale sweet, fresh, midwest farm air. Oh sweet relief when we finally make it home and the kids trudge in the house, drop their bags on the floor and utter the sweetest words of the day..."I'll be in the shower."

FOR LADIES ONLY......

DISCLAIMER - This was NOT my experience, but an e-mail my mother received from a co-worker.....read on and laugh
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Too Funny!
This was too funny not to share...
All hair removal methods have tricked women with their promises of
easy, painless removal - The epilady, scissors, razors, Nair and now...the wax.
My night began as any other normal weeknight. Come home, fix dinner,
play with the kids. I then had the thought that would ring painfully
in my mind for the next few hours: "Maybe I should pull the waxing kit
out of the medicine cabinet." So I headed to the site of my
demise: the bathroom.
It was one of those "cold wax" kits. No melting a clump of hot wax,
you just rub the strips together in your hand, they get warm and you
peel them apart and press them to your leg (or wherever else) and you
pull the hair right off. No muss, no fuss. How hard can it be? I mean,
I'm not a genius, but I am mechanically inclined enough to figure this out.
(YA THINK!?!)
So I pull one of the thin strips out. Its two strips facing each other
stuck together. Instead of rubbing them together, my genius kicks in
so I get out the hair dryer and heat it to 1000 degrees. ("Cold wax,"
yeah...right!) I lay the strip across my thigh. Hold the skin around
it tight and pull. It works! OK, so it wasn't the best feeling, but it
wasn't too bad. I can do this! Hair removal no longer eludes me! I am
She-rah, fighter of all wayward body hair and maker of smooth skin
extraordinaire.
With my next wax strip I move north. After checking on the kids, I
sneak back into the bathroom, for the ultimate hair fighting championship. I drop my panties and place one foot on the toilet. Using the same procedure, I apply the one strip across the right side of my bikini line, covering the right half of my *hoo-hoo* and stretching down to the inside of my butt cheek (Yes, it
was along strip) I inhale deeply and brace myself....RRRRIIIPPP!!!!
I'm blind!!! Blinded from pain!!!!....OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!! Vision
returning, I notice that I've only managed to pull off half the strip.
CRAP!!! Another deep breath and RRIIPP!! Everything is swirly and
spotted. I think I may pass out...must stay conscious...Do I hear
crashing drums??? Breathe, breathe...OK, back to normal.
I want to see my trophy - a wax covered strip, the one that has caused me so
much pain, with my hairy pelt sticking to it. I want to revel in the glory
that is my triumph over body hair. I hold up the strip!
There's no hair on it. Where is the hair??? WHERE IS THE WAX???
Slowly I ease my head down, foot still perched on the toilet. I see the
hair. The hair that should be on the strip. I touch. I am touching wax.
CRAP! I run my fingers over the most sensitive part of my body, which is now
covered in cold wax and matted hair.
Then I make the next BIG mistake...remember my foot is still propped up on
the toilet? I know I need to do something. So I put My foot down.
DANG!!!!!!!! I hear the slamming of a cell door. *hoo-hoo*? Sealed shut! Butt?? Sealed shut!
I penguin walk around the bathroom trying to figure out what to do and think
to myself "Please don't let me get the urge to poop. My head may pop off!"
What can I do to melt the wax? Hot water!! Hot water melts wax!!!
I'll run the hottest water I can stand into the bathtub, get in, immerse the
wax-covered bits and the wax should melt and I can gently wipe it off,
right???
WRONG!!!!!!!
I get in the tub - the water is slightly hotter than that used to torture
prisoners of war or sterilize surgical equipment - I sit.
Now, the only thing worse than having your nether regions glued together is
having them glued together and then glued to the bottom of the tub...in
scalding hot water. Which, by the way, doesn't melt cold wax.
So, now I'm stuck to the bottom of the tub as though I had cement-epoxied
myself to the porcelain!!
God bless the man who had convinced me a few months ago to have a phone put
in the bathroom!!!!!
I call my friend, thinking surely she has waxed before and has some secret
of how to get me undone. It's a very good conversation starter - "So, my
butt and who-ha are glued together to the bottom of the tub!"
There is a slight pause. She doesn't know any secret tricks for removal but
she does try to hide her laughter from me. She wants to know exactly where
the wax is located, "Are we talking cheeks Or who-ha?"
She's laughing out loud by now...I can hear her. I give her the rundown and
she suggests I call the number on the side of the box. YEAH!!!!! Right!!
I should be the joke of someone else's night.
While we go through various solutions. I resort to scraping the wax off with
a razor. Nothing feels better then to have your girlie goodies covered in
hot wax, glued shut, stuck to the tub in super hot water and then
dry-shaving the sticky wax off!!
By now the brain is not working, dignity has taken a major hike and I'm
pretty sure I'm going to need Post-Traumatic Stress counseling for
this event.
My friend is still talking with me when I finally see my saving grace....the
lotion they give you to remove the excess wax. What
do I really have to lose at this point? I rub some on and OH MY GOD!!!!!!!

The scream probably woke the kids and scared the dickens out of my friend.

It's sooo painful, but I really don't care. "IT WORKS!! It works!!"
I get a hearty congratulation from my friend and she hangs up.
I successfully remove the remainder of the wax and then notice to my grief
and despair....THE HAIR IS STILL THERE.......ALL OF IT!!!!!!!!!!

So I recklessly shave it off. Heck, I'm numb by now.
Nothing hurts.
I could have amputated my own leg at this point.

Next week I'm going to try hair color...... Now that's funny ........
Notttttttttt Send this on to other ladies who need a good laugh


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THAT'S ONE FOR MY SIDE....

Since most, I mean both, of you who read this have probably given up on Paul's blog since he so rarely posts, I wanted to give you a nudge to go read his post today. If you are a crumpled-receipt-in-the-bottom-of-your-purse type girl, this is a victory for our side. That's at
woolard66.blogspot.com.

PILED IN LIKE SARDINES

I will be praying for Kayla over the next few days. She has try-outs for Jr High basketball.

I will also be praying for myself. The carpool we have been invited to join has 8 (eight) girls in it. Now that is all good - it should mean fewer trips than normal. But. Most of the ladies have 7 passenger vans and a couple have 5 passenger SUV's. We happen to have an 8 passenger van so it will work out fine for us. IF I AM PLANNING ON LETTING MY SEVENTH GRADE DAUGHTER DRIVE while I stay at home. Also the carpool is made up of 2 or 3 neighborhoods and I think it would be more logical to break it down. So I am deciding whether to rock the boat (or van?) and suggest breaking this thing down into 2 carpools. To be honest piling kids into a car like so many sardines doesn't really bother me. I've only done it once, we took 7 kids somewhere and one of Blake's friends had to ride in the "grocery section" of our van. But that was one time. And of course, I was raised sitting wherever there was room in our wood-panelled station wagon. When we drove my dad's mustang, I would sit between my mom's knees in the front and the other 3 kids fought over who had to sit on the hump in the back seat.
And of course we probably wouldn't have known what a seat belt strap was after we dug it out from between the seats. I'm sure we thought it was a built in weapon of some kind to be used against a sibling who was on our side or who was looking at us.
But now things are a little different and we know the safety issues and we could get a ticket and blah, blah, blah....
So after this evening I have to decide whether to take a stand for safety and...well, common sense, or pile Kayla into one of those vehicles and tell her if she's gonna swing that seat belt strap, keep the buckle part down......

FOUR YEARS PLUS ONE GAME

Blake's first high school football game ended in a victory for us - 35 to 6. That makes 4 years plus one game that these boys have gone undefeated. They did not lose a game in their four years of JFL and so there are high expectations for them. But also, pressure, I guess. As Blake says "we all have targets on our backs." It was a beautiful day...if you are a tree frog from the rain forest and love sauna like conditions. Also, I am sure my hair looked beautiful by the end of the game. The two brief down pours we had were actually a relief, though.
Here's the thing. Injuries happen in football and I have been told by my son "Never come onto the field if I am lying there hurt." And I have accepted that. But today, when our best player took a helmet in the groin, and the other team's crowd cheered at his injury and continued to cheer as he struggled to get up; and then remained silent when he finally walked off the field....well, that is just plain wrong. What is matter with these ADULTS? I suppose they were out to get this kid all day. He played on the varsity team last night and actually scored (against their varsity team) yes he's a freshman. He is a phenomenal athlete - at everything he does. And I suppose that is what happens when you have made a name for yourself. But come on!! Is there no sportsmanship left? No compassion? I expect that behavior from kids sometimes, but from adults? Well, I will just say some victories are sweeter than others.
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Now, for my one of the sweetest people in the world - second only to Aunt Rena. We just saw Miss Judy at Sam's.
When Blake was a toddler, Paul traveled A LOT. There was a time he was gone 7 out of 9 weeks. Like to Pakistan. Or Columbia. Or Peru. Or Brazil. He was not in Chicago, or any place where he could get home in a couple of hours. When I got pregnant with Kayla, I needed a person with whom I could leave Blake for my doctor's appts, etc. So a friend introduced me to Miss Judy. The biggest blessing of my life at the time. When Kayla came along and I first introduced her to Miss Judy she said "oh, she's just no bigger than a minute." And I soon left both kids there occasionally. When Kayla was a toddler, I went through a very difficult time with what was eventually diagnosed as depression (another post, someday). I was raising two preschoolers practially alone with a husband that spent more time across the world than at home and I had very few outlets or contact with other adults. So one of the things we decided to do was take Kayla to Judy's two days a week. It was basically her pre-school. Blake was not thrilled with it so he didn't go most of the time. So from the age of 2 to age 5, Kayla spent two days a week at Judy's and it was such a blessing to our whole family. Judy ran her daycare like a preschool but with lots more personal touches. She fed the kids a home cooked meal every day - usually leftovers from her family's suppers. That is where Kayla learned to eat broccoli. They were allowed 30 minutes of tv each day and the kids voted on what show it would be. She taught them how to use the phone. She ordered butterfly larvae and she and the kids watched them mature and one day had a "butterfly party to release them into the sunshine of the backyard." On hot summer days, she would dress the kids from her "emergency clothing bag" and let them go crazy with water in the back yard. She kept my kids after hours during emergencies and "never charged for after hour visits." She had a birthday party for each child, and Christmas parties and Halloween parties with toddler relays. We invited her to Kayla's birthday parties. When she retired (right when Kayla was entering kindergarten) she had a mini carnival in her backyard and I helped paint faces and hand out prizes. One day she told me "Kayla is very good at letting me know what the other kids are up to." Basically she was telling me that Kayla was a tattle tale; but what a sweet way to let me know. And she called Kayla "Lady Jane" because she said she had the best table manners and was quite prissy. And since she has retired, she has had 2 reunions for "her kids" where they got together to eat pizza and play games and "memory trivia." Some days I would pick Kayla up and she would not want to leave with me. Thankfully I was smart enough to know that was a good thing. It meant there was just one more person in this world who loved my child and whom my child loved. Kayla still asks about Judy and hopes for another reunion. Now Judy works at a special school for at- risk children - in the birth- to- 3- year- old class. I cannot imagine a better person for that job. For one of Judy's birthdays, after she had retired, all the parents got together and gave her a charm bracelet with a little silouhette of each child that had their names engraved on each charm. What a blessing Judy was to us. And what a thrill to see her. Kayla will be so disappointed to hear that she missed her. I bet in the next couple of weeks, Kayla will convince me to drive across town to drop in on her to visit. And I bet Miss Judy will be one of the people I will see in Heaven.

HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN...?

Did you hear? They've closed Pluto. Yep, it's no longer a planet. I don't know how this happened, or what committe gets to make these decsions, but the latest news is that Pluto is out of the lineup. Did Pluto fail to meet a quota of some kind? All I know is Grade school teachers everywhere are scrambling to come up with new jingles to teach their students the solar system. Let me know if you can come up with anything. And what do they think we're supposed to do with all the Plutos hanging around on solar systems made by millions of children over the years all across the world. Do they think because Pluto just hung out at the end of the song, we can just pluck it off and nobody will notice? If we do that we are just going to have millions of little Plutos lying around NOT being Pluto.
How does a planet suddenly become NOT a planet? I'm pretty sure it's been there a LONG time. Pluto has paid it's dues. It's spent its share of eons spinning in the solar system, efficiently keeping scientist busy wondering and studying. And now suddenly, someone just decides it does not qualify as a planet anymore. This is dangerous, folks. I mean, what's next?
Is the sun not the sun? Is the wind not the wind?
And another thing to think about: I do not think this bodes well for that dog that hangs out with Mickey Mouse.

GIVE ME A C...GIVE ME AN H...GIVE ME AN E-E-R

I was a cheerleader in 5th grade. We wore hand sewn jumper things with a big L(for Lovington) on the front and we followed the 5th and 6th grade boys to their games and cheered them on and felt like big stuff doing it.
I moved to a new school in 6th grade and they didn't have cheerleaders. In Jr. High I didn't try out because I didn't have the confidence. In High school I had come into my own, as they say, and realized cheerleading wasn't for me. I made my mark in school by having a lead part in the school play all four years (and by getting good grades and just being plain nice) In my high school the cheerleaders weren't the most popular girls - the jocks (jockettes?) were. Especially the ones in the class above us. Now that I look back, though, I wonder if they were popular or just feared; because some of them were just down right mean. Anyway.
Kayla has decided she will not be a cheerleader because they are "too perky." To cheer or not to cheer. Whatever.
I WILL say I am impressed with our high school cheerleaders and what they have so far done for the football players - even the freshmen. During the "3-a-day" practices the cheerleaders came during break and handed out fruit, gatorade, cookies, crackers-n-cheese. And all 80-ish players - including freshman, have big decorations on their lockers. Now, I am impressed by this because one of my fellow football moms, who is in the midst of raising 9 (yes, NINE) children said "wow, they've never done anything for the freshmen before. " And I know my son was very impressed. He commented several times on the snacks and the way the cheerleaders hung out to talk to them(well, of course) He asked me several times how I think they got the money to do all that. We have been thrilled with the football program overall because it is very inclusive - even of freshmen. The varsity players invite the freshmen to join them for lunch, give them matching specialty t-shirts, include them in just about everything. Yes, the freshmen have to "pay their dues" but their seems to be a genuine team spirit there and a desire to help these young ones do their best. So, Kudos to the cheerleaders and to the football jocks.

Now, being the non-jock that I am I have to say I do wish that the debate team, the FHA members, the chorus and band, and all other non-sports students could get the same kind of recognition. There are so many ways to shine, and however a young person decides to stand out - everybody needs a cheerleader.

IF IT IS NOT AN EMERGENCY, PLEASE STAY OUT OF WAL-MART FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

I just made a quick trip to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things for Kayla's party tonight. I pushed my cart through the store with a mental scream going through my head the entire time. I simply am not used to shopping on Saturday when everybody else is out shopping. And I do mean EVERYBODY else.
When my kids were babies, I stuck to a routine most of the time. Since they were early risers - usually up by 6 in the morning - I would have them fed and dressed by 8 and that is when I ran my errands. Because the babies were full and rested and we'd be home in time for a 10:00 nap. I somehow never got out of that habit. Even as they have reached the teen and preteen years and they sleep late and can be left home alone, I have still felt compelled to get my errands done first thing each day.
Well, I can't do that now that I'm working. Yes, I go in at 10:00 but I can't get groceries on my way to work because they'd have to sit in the car for 4 hours. And I can't always get them after work because there is usually a car pool to drive or some pick-up or drop-off to tend to. I usually hit the ground running when I get home at 2:15. Before I started working, if the kids asked to go to Wal-Mart on a Saturday, I'd say "We do not go to Wal-Mart on Saturday because I can go through the day during the week and avoid the crowd." Now, I am thinking I may have to join the Saturday Wal-Mart madness. I did it today and I did not handle it well. I just kept thinking one thing - "AAAAAAAARGGHHHH!!!"
Judging by our son's schedule for football ( and his academic load), and our daughter's jr. high schedule, I am not going to have many free evenings. So I am going to adjust my attitude and get used to the Saturday Wal-Mart madness. Perhaps if I go earlier from now on. But until I get used to it, I would be very appreciative if the rest of you would just stay out of Wal-Mart on Saturday. I'll let you know when you can come back.
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I have felt the last couple weeks as though I am just preparing for something to happen, but I didn't know what it was. I wonder if this is how a sky diver feels before leaping the first time. I have now realized what I'm bracing myself for - my son growing up and moving on. I know, I know. It sounds melodramatic. But I feel as though I am getting ready to leap out of a plane, and once my feet leave the solid floor boards, there is no turning back. I have four years left with him at home. FOUR YEARS. You parents know how quickly that will go. He told Paul today that this would really be his last time to have to drive carpool because for baseball in the spring he can walk to the field. And next year he will have his license before football starts. Yes. Next year he will have his license before football starts. How did this happen? How did our lives suddenly become stuck in fast forward? AND, the other night on our walk Paul said "Six years, Heidi...six years until Kayla leaves for college." OH. MY. GOSH. As she sits in the kitchen now making a sign for her party tonight (7TH GRADERS, THIS WAY) I am hearing the same refrain in my head. How Did This Happen? How did our lives suddenly become stuck in fast forward?

THERE'S ROYALTY IN OUR HOUSE....

How many moms can honestly say they have heard their daughter ask this question: "Mom can you try to fix my tiara?" Well I just heard it today.
Kayla went to a purity retreat several weeks ago and she received a tiara to remind her that she is the daughter of The King. Her request has made me pull out the "letters" she received there. I have been meaning to share them so now is a good time to post one.

MY PRINCESS....You Are My Masterpiece
I love what I've created. I am delighted in you. Don't ever feel insecure about what you think you are not. Because I made you in My image and your uniqueness is a gift from Me. I did not give you a life, My love, for you to squeeze into a man-made mold. You are royalty, but you won't discover that truth by gazing into a mirror. Let Me be your mirror and I will reflect back to you your true beauty. The more you gaze at Me, the more you will see My workmanship in you. The sooner you see yourself for who you really are, the sooner you can begin your reign as My priceless princess with a purpose.
Love,
Your King and Creator

A DAY IN THE LIFE....

Blake started football practice 2 days ago. "Three-a-Days". Since I have been fortunate to have the last 3 days off work, I got to do the early morning drop off and the noon pick-up.
Here was yesterday's "Three-a-day" for this football mom:

6:30 - wake up, get dressed, feed pets, eat breakfast.
6:45 - wake Blake
6:57 - wake Blake
7:00 - tell Blake "you REALLY need to get up."
7:15 - greet 3 boys at the door who have been dropped off for carpool. Hear Kayla complain from her bed that the boys shouldn't ring the doorbell.
7:20- drive 4 boys to practice.

11:00 - drive Kayla to jr. high to pick up school supplies and look around the building.
11:10 - tell Kayla "I am NOT staying here all day so you can socialize with your friends."
11:27 - drive to high school to buy spirit wear.
11:40 - write check for ridiculous amount so we can all look "spirited" in the bleachers. Feel guilty.
11:45-12:10 - sit in high school lobby and watch blinding rain come down, wishing they were selling spirit umbrellas.
12:10 - dash to van in sideways rain, wishing they were selling spirit umbrellas. Had to leave the highscool so the secretaries could go eat lunch.
12:10-12:30 sit in van, wet and grumpy, watching the clock until the boys get in.
12:30 - greet 3 boys as they drip into the van. One is staying in Maroa. Listen to Blake complain about something at home - finally blow up and raise voice at Blake in front of his friends. Tell him I am tired of his complaining as soon as he gets in the van.
12:47 - accept Blake's apology. Tell him not to call people "freak."
1:00 - arrive home - fix Blake 5 scrambled eggs with ham and cheese. Marvel at how much he eats and that he had better table manners when he was 3.
4:30 - wake Blake
4:45 - wake Blake
5:00 - tell Blake "you REALLY need to get up, you don't want your ride to have to wait." Get griped at by Blake for waking him.
6:00 - order pizza for self and Kayla and her friend. Paul is traveling, why cook?
8:30 - greet Blake and notice the mud on him from head to toe. Remember when he was a toddler and loved the mud. Some things never change.
8:45 - watch Blake eat a WHOLE 14 inch pepperoni pizza. Marvel at how much he eats and that he had better table manners when he was 3.
9:15 - hear Blake get out of the shower, yell "good night Mom, I love you."

That was yesterday. Today is pretty much the same. EXCEPT. Add a trip to the hospital for a urinalysis and a trip to the store to buy eggs (see above note about his appetite) and soap and shampoo (3 showers a day for Blake alone.) And a trip at 1:30 to pick up Kayla's friend to take them to the pool. Show up at pool and notice sign on door: POOL CLOSED. Do mental head slap and say "phone first." Oh and since practice is early tonight (4-6:30 instead of 6-8:30) realize I will be driving carpool tonight too since everybody else is still working. What's this about being a STAY AT HOME MOM?

WHO'S HERE...?

Have you stepped outside. It feels wonderful. It is only 81 degrees here at 4:51 pm. That is much better than the 97 it was about 10 days ago. It is a little overcast and breezy. It gives me hope for fall. I LOVE FALL.

And speaking of fall...Paul went to the "all sports parents meeting" at the high school last night. He came home and said "It's going to be an expensive week." Meaning: we register the kids tomorrow and we all know how painful that is. Plus he was wearing a new ballcap sold by the football boosters. It is really unlike Paul to buy something like that so I was impressed. He said he didn't know what to pick out for me but that there would be stuff at registration. I think that was a suggestion to buy myself some spiritwear. Afterall, it is our son's first highschool sport.

And speaking of our son....I was sleeping - yes sleeping just a while ago. Because I had a sinus headache AND my stomach was bothering me, that's why.
Anyway, he came in and said "we're home." Meaning him and Taylor and Ryan. And then he said "Oh, Sarah's here too." "Wait a minute, Blake, who is Sarah?" I ask, hoping he means Ryan's sister. "She's Taylor's girlfriend." Well, nothing gets a mom out of bed quicker than hearing that a teenage boy has a girlfriend in the house. So I change out of my ratty shorts and t-shirt and stumble into my favorite capris, comb my hair and trudge downstairs. I hear 3 teenage males and one female in the basement. And the ping-pong, ping-pong of....the ping pong table. So I think things are safe for the moment. I am fairly confident leaving Blake and his buddies unattended in the house. Well, there was the time that the other parents in the bleachers at the softball game heard me yell into my cell phone "DON'T YOU DARE LIGHT A FIRE IN THAT FIREPLACE!" But usually things are pretty safe. But I am NOT fairly confident leaving Blake and his buddies and one or more girls in the house, even if I am just 2 floors away.

And speaking of girls. In a moment of insanity, I agreed to let Kayla have a back-to-school cookout. She addressed her invitations today. 26 invitations. That means 27 potential guests because one is going to twin boys so they are a "two-fer". Paul was silly enough to suggest he might be out of the country that evening. I didn't say a thing. The look I gave him said it all.

JUICY TIDBITS

I just ate my first fresh tomato of the season. Paul brought it home from a lady at work. I LOVE tomatoes. Each time I eat one I think of my grandpa. I used to stand in his garden and pick a fresh tomato with him. We'd wipe the dirt on our pants and eat them like apples. Then later in the fall, when our apple tree was full of fruit, he'd hold me up to pick the one I wanted. Then he'd pull his pocket knife out and slice the apple right there and hand me slices right off the blade. We'd share an apple right under the tree. This was all back in the day when it didn't bother me a bit to have juice running down my chin onto my neck.
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Yesterday we were at Six Flags. It was 99 degrees. With a heat index of 106. It was MISERABLE. Paul and I spent the day going into shows and sitting in restaurants reading the paper. This was a day for the kids following a big youth rally so it was not like we just got it into our heads to be at a theme park on the hottest day of the year. The kids had fun. Anyway, we had spent the night at the Holiday Inn right by the park and we took their shuttle bus over so we wouldn't have to pay to park. Then at the end of the day, we caught the shuttle bus back to the hotel. We waited about 10-15 minutes for the bus and were with several other people. Just waiting for those few minutes was very hot, especially at the end of such a hot day. When we started getting onto the bus, the driver reached down and opened a cooler and offered each of us an ice-cold bottle of water. We were all thrilled. As each person grabbed his water and said thanks, I was thinking "it's just a bottle of water but look how much it means to all of us." I put an extra tip in his jar. I just thought it was really thoughtful of him to provide that simple gesture that brought so many of us relief from the heat. Now we don't know if it was hotel policy or if he went out and did that on his own; but it was a welcome sight for all of us. I'm going to remind myself of that when I think there is nothing I can do for somebody who needs, well, something. I'm going to remind myself that sometimes the simplest of gestures makes a lasting impression. I'm going to remind myself that "it's just a bottle of water....."

LET ME EXPLAIN

In my previous post I expressed a great deal of anger toward the man who walked out on his wife of 7 months - a dear friend of ours. My anger is not so much at the adultery, although I know that is bad. I know marriages and individuals can heal from adultery and I find those couples and individuals very courageous. My anger is at the verbal and emotional abuse this man was heaping upon his wife. Without an end in sight, that kind of abuse can leave permanent scars. Without any sign of remorse this man, I'm afraid, has forever changed the spirit of his young bride. That's what makes me so angry - angry enough to want to smack him. A couple can move on from a mistake and perhaps come out the other side better and stronger. I've seen it happen. But continual emotional and verbal abuse is an attack that wears away the spirit and leaves the victim nothing but a shell of what she once was. That is what I am praying will NOT happen to my friend.
So there it is. I just felt the need to soften my words a bit.

YEP, THERE'S A HOLE IN MY STOMACH

I have an ulcer. When seeing my family doctor about it, after hearing my symptoms, he asked if I had been taking those anti-inflammatories he had prescribed earlier for something else. Yes, I have. "Yep, I've put a hole in your stomach," he said. I told him I'd forgive him if he could correct this VERY PAINFUL condition.
It's been about 6 weeks since he put me on Nexium and I was seeing some improvement but I seem to have had a relapse. I'm sure vacation didn't help. I wasn't as careful of what I ate, and I took pain relievers for my headaches, and a sleep aid to help me sleep in the hotel. So I am starting all over with trying to heal my stomach. NO chocolate. My doctor said I didn't have to give it up, but it does seem to irritate it. NO soda. NO milk. And probably no caffeine. I had been drinking iced tea in place of soda but I might see if it will help to give that up too. Oh, and I can't take pain relievers for a couple of weeks. Now that is hard because I get migraines and the last couple of days I have had horrible sinus headaches.
Anyway, I ask for your prayers. The burning in my stomach is excruciating at times and I am praying that I can continue healing with medication and won't have to go in for invasive tests. So I ask for your prayers that I can find a helpful diet and that I can be disciplined in following that diet. Also, I just ask for prayers that I can be free of this pain.

Tomorrow my baby boy turns 15. I will probably do a "boo-hoo" type post for that. My mother warned me not to blink after he was born.....

OPRAH STOLE MY MATERIAL

True Confession Time. I read O magazine. Sometimes. I bought a copy to take on our trip to Boston - airplane reading.
Anyway, this month's issue has an article in it about how married couples are more respectful and courteous to others than they are to their spouses.
I've been saying this for years. I've said to Paul several times "the problem with lots of marriages is the lack of common courtesy." What got me thinking about this? You ask.
Well, years ago at a gathering of my family, I was getting up to go get something - probably more dessert - and I asked Paul if he would like something while I was up. He requested a Coke. When I brought it to him, he said "Thank you honey." My cousin's husband said "Paul is THANKING Heidi for bringing him a Coke!!" Like it was the strangest thing he'd ever heard. This was and is just normal behavior for Paul and me but evidently it was not normal for those around us. So I started listening to couples. And sure enough, in some couples there is just no common courtesy. No pleases, or thank-you's. No excuse me's. No "what can I get for you?"

Now, Paul and I ARE NOT the marriage experts. There are many times where the clod in him rears its ugly head. And there are many times when the shrew in me rears its ugly head. I have a hard time keeping my opinion to myself sometimes about something he has done. I sometimes forget that silence is golden and I just have to let him know....And Paul has a hard time thinking before he speaks (it's ok, he knows this about himself.) Someday I'll let ya'll in on some of his best.....
But. At some point in our relationship we decided that we were not going to treat the cashier at Kroger or the waiter at Applebee's with more respect than we show each other. As a side note: we do try to treat service people VERY kindly because we both grew up with a parent who does not; and it was very embarrassing. Anyway, it's really hard NOT to be courteous to your spouse when he asks if he can get you anything while he's up or when she thanks you for the little things you do. Paul always thanks me when the house has been cleaned and I always thank him for mowing the yard. He is better at all this than I am, though. When I ask him to do anything for me, his standard response is "I'd be happy to." Now how can I top that?

IT'S GOOD TO BE HOME

We returned from Boston on Sunday. It was a good week. Very tiring, though. There is so much to see there and in the surrounding cities that we could have used a few more days.
We were able to catch a Red Sox game, which made the boys quite happy. We also went on a whale watching trip - a 3 hour trip into the ocean to spot whales. We spotted several (hope to post pictures soon) and a mother and her calf made several appearances for us. I can now cross "see the whales" off my life list.
We sat through a witch trial in Salem and our audience voted against history. It was the trial of the first woman to be hanged as a witch. Our audience, however decided (not unanimously) that there was not enough evidence to keep her over for the actual trial.
We also sat in the Old North Church and ate at a great little Italian restaurant reccommended by our first cab driver.
The subway system was fairly easy to navigate and we used it daily. And everyone was extremely friendly. Well, everyone but our 15-year-old son, who basically decided that if we weren't doing exactly what he wanted to do all week, he was going to be downright mean and nasty. The only thing that made him civil was cell phone time with his buddies back home. After talking with some friends who experienced the same thing from their teenagers on vacation we felt a little better; it must be somewhat normal. We only had 2 days left on our trip before I finally ripped into him about his attitude. I thought I held out pretty good.
But all in all it was a great trip.
But I'm glad to be home. I'm glad to be able to cross the street without dodging dozens of cars. I'm glad to walk on our bike path and pass 2 or 3 people instead of 200. I'm glad to be able to run my errands without spending 30 minutes on a train. I'm just a small town girl - Cities are nice places to visit.....
Next year, we have decided it will be a "lay on the beach and do nothing" vacation. It's a big year for our family. I will turn 40, Blake will turn 16, Kayla will turn 13, and Paul and I will celebrate 20 years of marriage. So we are seriously thinking of laying on one of those beaches in Hawaii.

GOIN' TO BEANTOWN

We are all leaving for Boston today for our week of family vacation.
Things we hope to do: Red Sox game, whale watching, the Freedom Trail, Old North Church, Paul Revere's house, Salem, JFK library and museum, Sam Adams Brewery, and all the other great history stuff.
Please pray for our safe travel.

Yesterday three men were severely injured in the plant at the company where my husband works. They all received severe steam burns.
One of the men died last night.
He was not a soldier. Or a firefighter. Or a police officer. And yet sometime yesterday his wife got The Call. It's a call I've feared getting. Not because my husband has a dangerous job. He works behind a desk. But he travels a lot. And every time he gets on a plane I know I face the possibility of getting The Call. Especially since he travels overseas. Like to Peru and Columbia and Pakistan and Brazil and Singapore. And even Great Britain and France and Belgium. Seems no place is safe any more.
But this man had not boarded a plane. He had simply driven to work to do his job in a plant that maufactures sweeteners and other food products. A factory located in central Illinois, surrounded by corn fields and soy beans. And now his wife and the rest of his family are facing a life without him.
And the families of the other men are sitting beside their bedsides waiting and wondering and watching their loved ones suffer.
Please pray for all of these families. Pray for the recovery of the two men who have survived. Pray for the wife and family of the man who lost his life.
And please treasure Today.

IT'S A BLOOMIN' MESS....

THUD. THUD. THUD.
That's me banging my head against the computer screen.
I am trying to create a floral arrangment for my mantle.
When we built our house five years ago, I was lucky enough to find cabinet builders who would also build my mantle (to match my kitchen cupboards). The mantle (or fireplace surround) goes to the ceiling and the designer (a woman) did a beautiful job.
Anyway, I have struggled to find just the right things to set on it. I want something that is beautiful but fairly simple so as not to detract from the beauty of the wood of the mantle piece. I have tried pottery, candlesticks, framed prints (propped, not hung) and they all looked fine, but nothing has taken my breath away. Then I decided what I needed was a floral arrangment. That's it. Just a floral arrangment in the middle with nothing on either side.
I wanted one just like the one I saw in Nashville, Indiana. For 299 dollars. And 99 cents. Didn't get that one.
So happens, Hobby Lobby had floral stems 1/2 off today. So I bought some beautfiul reds and golds (not much green cause I have green walls) I've done arrangements before but never one in so prominent a place so I had put off starting this one.

My mind is picturing exactly what it needs to look like. My hands are not getting the picture. At one point I decided it looked like "Floral designs by Helen Keller."
I have at last decided what the problem is. There's too much. And what was making it "too much?" My favorite of all the flowers I bought today. So when I took out the favorites, the big puffy hydrangea-like ones, it started looking better. I am not ready for the state fair, but I now have hope. It is a work in progress.
Could it be that some of my favorite little things in life are ok by themselves but when put with the rest of it, are just "too much?" Could it be that if I take away just a few favorites, I might find that things will start to look just right?
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It's just a flowery day. Today Kayla received flowers. From her Daddy. Just wishing her good luck in her upcoming softball tournament. Blue carnations and yellow daisies. Team colors.
What woman doesn't love to get flowers???

JUST BITS AND PIECES

We now have two baby robins in our tree that we are keepin an eye on. They should be trying to fly soon - their feathers are getting nice and full.
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Kyle and Mandy are home from Russia with their new son. He is ADORABLE. Very personable and social.
We seem to have lots of little ones close to us now. Our friends with a 0ne-year-old, Kyle and Mandy, and our neighbors with VERY friendly children, ages 5,4, and 18 months. We're kind of in a "been there, done that" phase. They sometimes ask advice about the kids, tell us the different stages they are going through, handle tantrums while we just sit and watch, feeling relieved we are past it all. And I like it. I LOVE being around all these little ones. And I like having a LITTLE bit of knowledge and experience in this area where these families are just getting started. And I miss it. Most of the time.
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I hate seeing my kids hurt. Not only the physical hurt, like a broken bone, or sickness, but especially the kind of hurt that attacks their hearts.
Actually I don't remember Blake hurting in his heart in a way that was brought on by his "friends." Boys just don't do that. They poke and jab - verbally and physically - and then they laugh and move on.
Girls are different. Girls can be nasty. Girls can really hurt with words. And girls remember.
My daughter is hurting in her heart. And the pain is being caused by other girls. All because of a math class. Seems a certain group of girls continues to make a huge deal over the fact that they got into pre-algebra and one in particular asks Kayla every time they see each other if she "made it in." She didn't. Which surprised us, because she's always made A's in math, but that's not the point. She will be in basic math.
So when this happens, I almost turn twelve myself and I just want to ....well, pinch the little snots or something. But I try to think of words to make Kayla feel better. Like, "well, maybe some of them won't be so excited after a couple weeks of the class." Or, "you know, isn't it sad that these girls are choosing to judge others based on ONE CLASS in jr. high. I mean if that's all they have, let them have it." But it doesn't work. Because really, she isn't going to feel better until she gets into the routine of school and realizes that there or lots of great kids in basic math. And when it's not the math issue, it will be another issue with these girls because that's the way they are. That's the way their parents have allowed them or taught them to be. Yeah, I hate to see my children hurt.