My favorite posts

We all write things that we like but then they disappear into our archive. This post, which I will add to occasionally, will be linked to my sidebar.

Where I am from

Some views around our neck of the woods

More views from our neck of the woods

You don't have to have a lump to have breast cancer

Mom's Turn

Mail Mom came up with a wonderful idea -- a blog to which you can post anonymously those things you can't post on your own. Having issues with friends, relatives, co-workers and need to get it off your chest but can't because they are regular visitors to your site? Visit Mom's Turn.

"For most of us, we began our blogging experience with one, two or both of the following goals in mind:

1. As an outlet to vent our frustrations of motherhood, womanhood, and adulthood.
2. To chronicle the everyday life, as well as the milestones and special memories, of our children as so we never forget.

As our blogs grow in popularity, not only strangers (now our "blogger" buddies), but our family and close friends have begun reading and commenting. It is no longer possible to really vent about the things we want and need to in order to maintain some balance of sanity.

We don't want to offend a friend, insult a teacher, embarrass our children or start a family feud ... so we don't write about some of the things we are feeling. We just sit and wonder why we don't feel we have the freedom to write and say what we want on our own blog. Well, guess what? It's our turn. MOM'S TURN ... to let it all out."

Read the rest here.

Remember -- and go forward

September 11, 2001

And some music videos about this day six short years ago:
Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) - Alan Jackson

Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American) - Toby Keith

Have You Forgotten - Daryl Worley

Scripture for children

A devotional I received in my E-mail today told about a mom, Kim Norton, whose daughter had Cerebral Palsy and a form of autism. She also had a new baby and didn't know how she was going to tell her children about Jesus. She prayed about it and the answer was to sing scripture.

Kim Norton's website, The Kingdom Kidz Club, explains it well:

The Kingdom Kidz Club is, in part, the answer to the dilemma of how to spiritually nourish stressed-out, time-challenged families.

We all remember songs -- including some that we don't want to -- after we hear them enough. Take time to explore Kim's site and make sure you watch the video and listen to the audioclips. You will be singing along before you know it. And these songs are worth remembering.

There are days when only an online test will do

You're The Hobbit!

by J.R.R. Tolkien

All you wanted was a nice cup of tea when some haggard crazy old man came into your life and told you it was time to do something with yourself. Now you're all conflicted about whether to stick with your stay-at-home lifestyle or follow this crazy person into the wild. While you're very short and a little furry, you seem to be surrounded by an even greater quantity of short folks lately. Try not to lose your ring, but keep its value in perspective!


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

H/T Entropy (who took it a few times).

All things considered, I think I can live with The Hobbit. My sixth grade teacher had us read this as a class. I couldn't stand the pace the class was reading at and finished before the week was over. One of the Best.Books.Ever. And a pretty great sixth grade teacher, too. Thank you, Mrs. Hayes.

Happy birthday . . .

. . . to me!

I was the last of my mother's miracles. That is what she always called us because as a young woman she had been injured to the point that one of her ovaries was totally destroyed. The doctor had told her she would probably never have any children. She and my father were married five years before my oldest sister was born and then two years later my other sister was born. Five years -- and I don't know how many miscarriages later (Mama doesn't remember anymore) -- I was born prematurely. Soon after I was born, I started to develop jaundice and was lucky enough to get the last incubator available at the hospital. I have heard different stories over the years about just how sick I was and just how long I was kept at the hospital -- I think the last version was that I stayed in the hospital for about a month and had at least one complete blood transfusion.

In a warped tradition that has developed, Lawrence will not wish me happy birthday first thing in the morning. One year (1997) he didn't wish me happy birthday until the morning of the 30th. He had been so overworked he was a day behind and thought he was being the first to remember my day. Unfortunately he was the last. Now it has become standard for him to not wish me happy birthday until the last possible minute he thinks he can get away with before missing it totally. Most years that means 11:45 p.m. We'll see how late it is today -- last year was 1997 all over again with him not remembering at all until I told him the next day I had lost a bet with a friend who thought he wouldn't wish me happy birthday until 11:58 p.m.

I'll add a comment tomorrow to let you know when he remembers this year. :)

Seen today

Isn't he cute? He was caught in a humane trap which was left outside a friend's house by accident. They were a little shocked to see him this morning.

Now I just have to make William understand it is not meant to be a pet.

Relatives are great

My darling husband's Aunt Tara E-mailed me last week to ask what size shoes the kids wear. I let her know and today the mailman left a package on our deck:


The kids are thrilled to finally have some Crocs. And they are pleased with the colors and the Jibbitz Aunt Tara picked out. She is incredible. We love her very much.

Posts for 24 August 2007

More from the musical dad

Pachelbel's Canon in D(ad)

We (sort of) made it

More from the musical dad

I couldn't help it. When I was listening to Pachelbel Bedtime for the nth time, I decided to see if he had any other videos posted. Thankfully, he did. Again, make sure you pause/stop the Project Playlist in the sidebar before starting to play these.

Sneetches



Spoiled Bumblebee

Pachelbel's Canon in D(ad)

Almost three months ago, I shared Momsense with you. Today it is time to hear a dad's point of view.

Make sure you hit the pause button on the Project Playlist in the sidebar before you hit play on this. I hope you like it as much as I did!



H/T: Kerry

We (sort of) made it

Wednesday was the first day of school for the (three) big kids. Olivia had been one of the littles up to that point. Now I am down to just one little. Just don't call him that, though. :)

As sad as I thought I would be, William was more upset. I had to go to Lawrence's office that day so William had to go to a sitter. He and I left the house before the others went to school. To say he was not happy with the whole situation would be an understatement. He cried most of the way there and attached himself to me when I tried to drop him off. At some point after he had begun to settle down, he told one of the workers to leave him alone because he was not a baby and didn’t need to be there, he should be in school. When naptime was over, he looked at the other children there and, since they weren't his family, he went over to a corner and went back to sleep, waking up a few minutes before I picked him up. Let me tell you, that five hour nap made for an interesting evening.

Lawrence took the older three to school -- even though we are on the bus route, he enjoys those few minutes of drive time with the children -- and called me to say that even though she said she was excited, Olivia had a deer-in-the-headlights look about her. We went out for dinner that evening to celebrate her first day and heard about some of the friends she made and a little bit about what she had done. She seems to be following in Allan’s footsteps because we can never get details from him either. Marie, as usual, was very forthcoming about what she had done and told us she was happy to see some old friends and to start a new writing journal.

As we did good night hugs and kisses that night, I asked each one what was the best part of the day. Olivia said it was playing. Marie said it was her journal. Allan said it was coming home. If I had asked him, I'm sure William would have agreed with his brother.

One word, no explanations

Courtesy of Angela, the One Word, NO Explanation meme:

1. Yourself: tired
2. Your spouse: workaholic
3. Your hair: brown
4. Your mother: lonely
5. Your father: deceased
6. Your favorite item: books
7. Your dream last night: caterpillars
8. Your favorite drink: tea
9. Your dream car: Mustang
10. The room you are in: family
11. Your ex: uncaring
12. Your fear: failure
13. What you want to be in 10 years: healthy
14. Who you hung out with last night: family
15. What you're not: wealthy
16. Muffins: blueberry
17: One of your wish list items: books
18: Time: morning
19. The last thing you did: breakfasted
20. What you are wearing: casual
21. Your favorite weather: autumnal
22. Your favorite book: AAAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH
23. The last thing you ate: Poptart
24. Your life: changing
25. Your mood: depressed
26. Your best friend: Dana
27. What you're thinking about right now: school
28. Your car: minivan
29. What you are doing at the moment: thinking
30. Your summer: over
31. Your relationship status: committed
32. What is on your TV: Disney
33. What is the weather like: dreary
34. When was the last time you laughed: today

I tag Dana, Christi, and Christine. I'd tag new blogger Nate, but I don't know if he wants to do memes.

sad

I've been quiet lately because we have been very busy getting ready for school: meeting the teachers, buying the supplies (why must we be so specific as to require a particular size of Post-it notes, a size which turns out to be Not In Stock?), getting a physical, and today's errand will be driving to Richmond to get a copy of a birth certificate we can't find.

But first this morning Olivia and I stood on the deck together waving goodbye to Daddy when he left for work.

And that is why I am sad. The physical, complete with getting shots updated, and the birth certificate are for Olivia.

Tomorrow she starts Kindergarten.

Tomorrow she will be in Daddy's truck with Allan and Marie.

Tomorrow -- since William will still be asleep -- I will stand alone on the deck waving goodbye to those I love, waiting for them to return home.

You don’t have to have a lump to have breast cancer

If you read nothing else today, read Whymommy's post. She has recently been diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer, a very aggressive cancer that can be deadly.

I discovered my lump after a bout of mastitis. Thankfully, mine was simply scar tissue from an injury caused by my seatbelt in a car accident. I hadn't been doing monthly BSEs. It's something we all need to do. BUT...

There is more than one kind of breast cancer. Learn about the symptoms and, please, take care of yourselves.