Its too early and I can't sleep!

Why must I succumb to the quirks of aging? Where did all my youthful energy go? It seems that my thinker wants to work overtime in the wee hours of the morning when my body is awakened by other calls of nature. I used to be able to sleep through those calls without difficulty. I used to be able to turn the mind on and off at will. I used to be able to let things go easier. Now, it seems, all of these issues are a challenge. I know I shall regret having given in to such folly. I should have forced myself to stay in bed and at least snuggle next to my husband. But he is snoring...a good sign that he is breathing and resting. But not a good way for me to return to sleeping.

I could have gone into the spare room. (Sounds like an adventure to Narnia or something!) Ha! I could have worked on my novel. (Too engaging, in case I want to return to the bed...) I could be reading...(ditto)...only things to get the mind swirling again and not things to bring slumber to my eyes.

WE plan to go to the zoo today. Not the one that is close to the house, but the one on the other side of town. They have elephants and bears and lions. The other does not, although they have a new aquarium we have yet to see. And then Saturday, Handsome and Jomo, and possibly TDH and Hunky, and my son and myself will be out on a fishing adventure at 6:00 AM. Promises must be kept!

I sometimes think I am getting too old for this traipsing around town with a minimum of two children in tow...sometimes as many as five...or six. Walking the zoo will be challenging with the bone spur on my heel. And I will be very tired, I predict. But we will see lions and tigers and bears...and elephants. And Baby Girl will be very tired as well. And the boys will have a good time, which is the main idea.

Sometimes I miss the "good old days" when I went to a specific place day in and day out to do a routine job with a twist of surprises, given I was working with people. I had days off and vacation time. I had lunch breaks! I could blame things on other staff once in a while! I felt professional. I felt challenged and yet comfortable in my knowledge and experience. I should have known that teaching children again would exceed any challenge I felt a need to have. And caring for children, even with lots of experience, creates its own twists of surprises and challenges. There are no two children alike. Even though "the apple does not fall far from the tree", as the saying goes, each child is unique and special, with their own set of needs and personalities. Having reared one of their parents does not make them easier to figure out! And that is the delight and joy of it all. Discovering the future in each of them on a daily basis.

Give me a sharper mind, O Lord, so at least, I can stay one step ahead of them...even with a bone spur...

Mr. Boo is Walking! And Everyone is Well!

I saw Mr. Boo walking last night...all the way across his house! Thanks to Skypes I can enjoy his antics even though he is not living as near me as I would like. He is still infactuated with his airplane we got him for his birthday. I am glad I did not wait until Christmas to give it to him...he got an extra month of enjoyment. He makes all sorts of noises now as well. Some words can even be understood! He is a very active and intelligent child...but of course, given his genetics, what else would he be? I do wish, however, that I could hold him and love on him in person more often. Oh well. At least we have Skypes and so far, my computer is working...

Baby Girl is into the "antics" as well. She is about ready to be potty-trained. She will now report when she has done a certain "duty" and yesterday, I found her sitting on the potty chair while accomplishing this. Her diaper and clothing were still on, but at least she knew where to "go". She is understanding a lot now. Time out. Waiting for her cuppy. (sometimes not too patiently, however) a little bit about being safe...and sharing...sort of.

TDH has decided that he no longer wishes to pursue playing in the school band, where he was an accomplished trumpter. He was in the District Honor Band and had his last performance last Saturday. The band did a great job! He looked so handsome in his dress clothes, although he quickly changed to jeans and tshirt as soon as he got out. Good job, TDH! We all got to enjoy, not only the concert, but treats afterwards at the new Westgate Center, next to the Cardinal's Stadium...GO CARDS!!!

Jomo has a go-cart, compliments of his dad. He took his cousins for a ride last week. Hunky, the daredevil who seems to have little fear and little safety-awareness, managed to fall out, even with a seat bar aross his lap. Fortunately, he was wearing a helmet and only got some "road burn" (on dirt) and scratches. Although I am sure it hurt badly for several days, he seemed to be satisfied with the attention it created. He is now okay. He is going out once in awhile to our church's new preschool. He is not enrolled, but is going as a companion/friend/helper for the children who are, since there are not yet many. So far, he has only gone twice, but looks forward to it. Some day, he may enrolled for a day or two. We will see. Right now, he is doing very well in his homeschool setting.

Handsome is excelling in his schooling right now. He is reading sentences more like sentences and not so much as individual words now. He still is not overly fond of reading, but finds it helpful in searching the Internet for items of interest. He is starting to attempt to spell words in the search engines on his own. He is doing well in math also, especially the hands-on things like measuring and cutting things into fractions. He has started subraction now as well. He can do three-number addition and double-digits addition also. We are working on time (clocks) and money (coins) also, which is of great interest to him.

Well, I have to decide whether or not to get ready to attend a wedding. It conflicts time-wise with TDH's soccer game, which we rarely miss. Hmmm....a wedding or a soccer game....????

more lights

My How Time Flies When You Are Having Fun!

I stated in an earlier blog that I think daily of things I want to say on this site. I seem, however, to put those things on the back burner of my mind when it comes to actually getting them out on the computer. Perhaps it is partially due to the fact that my computer has decided lately, that it has a mind of its own and has been resistant to my timing in using it. Perhaps I get distracted by the duties of life and forget at times to take some time our for myself...

Anyway, I have been having fun...mostly...I mentioned before that our city, Glendale, has a Holiday affair in the park downtown. They call it "Glendale Glitters". The final evening has bands and entertainment, alsong with hot air balloons tettered to the ground, and LOTS of food and booths spouting wares and contests. I managed to get a free massage in the deal. That event is called "Glendale Glitter and Glow Block Party". Anyway, the massage was worth it. That was this last Saturday night...Jan 17. Then the Phoenix Zoo has millions of lights scattered throughout called "Zoolights". Sunday night was its last evening and offered free admission with some food donations for local shelters. It was a beautiful sight!

HOWEVER...along with the serenity of the evenings of lights and lots of people...there were a few kooks out there. We encountered one on the way to the zoo. At first, we thought perhaps he was someone we knew...someone my husband worked with, perhaps, who was just being silly. He started flashing his lights at us on the freeway. He had plenty of room to go around us and we were in the right lane. He continued as we took our off-ramp, even though it was only one lane with nowhere to get over. The he zoomed around us like a crazy person, only to be stopped at red light. We had to pull in behind him to make our turn, but thought now that he was around us and in front, there would be no further issue. WRONG! When the light changed, he just sat there, refusing to go. We pulled into the next land swerved around him. He jumped on our tail and started the flashing again. Then he backed way off as I called 911. He then came at us about 90MPH and possibly would have hit us if we had not moved to the next lane. Then he pulled up next to our window and glared. I was afraid he might have a gun, but since I was on with a 911 operator, I tried to remain calm. He glared at us, so my husband took a quick right turn (although that was not in the direction of the zoo) and the other car was forced to go straight. I was able to get a discription of him and the car and the full license plate for 911. He saw we had turned and flipped around in the middle of the road to chase us once again. We pulled into an empty parking lot behind a big building with lights off and hid for awhile. When the 911 operator thought it might be safe, she suggested we pull out cautiously, since the police now had the plate number and location. We had lost him! The zoo lot was full by then and we had to go to a shuttle area. In the end, we had a nice evening.

But it makes one realize just how quickly and stupidly life could come to an end here on earth! I made the most of my evening and enjoyed every minute. I could well have had no more minutes. I am not sure what he wanted, or how we lost him, but thank God we did. And I am here to enjoy and teach my grandchildren once again.

Enjoy every minute of your life!

The Weed Saga continues...observations from Friday!

"Will the defendent please rise...How do you plead? Are you, or are you not a "weed"?" The plant looked a little downcast in the shot glass vase.

Prosecuter AKA Handsome: "Of course it's s stinky weed and it does not belong in that cup!"

Defense Attorney AKA Hunky: "It is NOT a stinky weed! It is a BEAUTIFUL flower for my mommy!"

I admit, I would have to vote with both sides. In hard core evidence, I would have to say it is a weed, given that I plucked several of its kin from the ground earlier in the day. On the other hand, it is still a flowering plant...

The defendent stays the same, with head slightly bowed toward the countertop.

I rest my case. It is all in the perception of the beholder. In this particular case, Handsome removed the said "weed" to let it die on the counter. But Hunky picked it up and placed it back in the cup, where it still lives today.

It will completely wither shortly I am sure. Just like the sisters I plucked from the ground earlier. They died because I deemed them weeds. At least THIS one will surrender its last ounce of life in a cup proclaimed a beautiful flower for a special mom. How much better can life get?

A Weed Is Not What it May Appear to Be.

Today Hunky came rushing in holding tightly to a weed. The truth is, it WAS a weed. To him, it was a special flower he picked just for his mom. Indeed, it was flowering. It even had a pleasant, faint scent to it. So, it remains in a "shot glass" type of container on the counter awaiting mom's arrival home.

It got me to thinking...I have somewhat of a weed fetish. I pluck those suckers out of the ground every chance I get...whether they are on my property or someone else's. BY THE ROOTS! I have been accused of being, at least nearly being, obessive/compulsive about them. (Hey, I CAN walk away from them...it is hard to do...but I CAN!)

Anyway, I thought about the perspective of a child. He saw a beauty in a simple weed. Something I would have plucked out or mowed down and thrown away. Hunky has that special quality. It isn't just for weeds. He has a kind heart and a positive perspective on people in general. It was he who held the gate open for others at the zoo, just because it needed to be held open. He is a great helper. He can see something that needs to be done, and he does it. Well, he at least offers and tries. He comes up with fantastic stories, often with heroes of simple people doing something less than fantastic, but with great spirit. I think I used to be that way. When I was a child...

I considered the questions "Do I see more weeds in life than flowers?" "Has life dealt me enough weeds that the flowers get lost in the landscape?" "Do I spend more time pulling weeds, both literally and figuratively, than I do planting and cultivating flowers in my life?" "Do I see the struggles in those around me and interpret them as weeds instead of seeing the potential of a least a temporary flower?" Wow! I think I know the answer to all of those questions. I think I shall let some weeds grow...at least until they have blossomed out all their potential and have become obvious weeds. I shall ask God to help me pull out my own weeds in the garden of my heart, and perceive those of others as flowers with potential. I shall try to look upon the struggles as having at least the potential value of bringing a smile to someone's face, sometimes.

My daughter will chuckle and thank Hunky for the flower. She will hug him and tell him what a wonderful thing he did to bring her the flower. And he will feel special. Because he is.

And so are all of us...whether we are experiencing the weeds or flowers of our lives.

M

The Dismantling of the Season!

It is time to take down all the pomp and glitter of the Holidays. Even the City of Glendale is taking down the lights. Our candy cane lane in the front yard has already succumbed to rainy soil and several canes have tipped over. The lights on the house are assisting us in their rremoval as well. The trees inside are undecorated and the village people have returned to their boxes. The angels and nativity sets will be neatly tucked away this afternoon. The special Christmas dolls are saying their goodbyes and the teddy bears will join them in the steamer trunk TODAY!

I will not bake any more cookies. At least not for a while. I will, however, make more lemon meriange pies (I never can spell that right...have to look it up each time!) Anyway, our lemon tree is still in celebratory mode! It is laden with fruit even after several days of picking and giving away. Lemon bars sound good too. My husband made a fantastic lemonade for a dinner we had with my son and family on Friday. They also have a lemon tree. The neighbors all have recieved lemons as well.

We have Baby Girl since Thursday as Handsome and Hunky got to go to Disneyland with their parents. They are having a blast. I might as well just plan on Monday being a show and tell day, along with some reading of library books that Baby Girl and I picked out on Friday. We will resume normal school routine on Tuesday.

Yesterday was TDH's 14th birthday! No Way! We celebrated by having him and his bro, Jomo, overnight on Thursday and all day Friday. Then we all went out to Mary Coyle's Ice Cream on Saturday as well. It was fun. There was a big parade downtown by the ice cream parlor...perhaps just for him! (Actually, it was for the Fiesta Bowl!) The Cardinals gave him a present of winning the first play off game in many many years! So. over all, it has been a great week!

The taking down of the decorations is a lot of work. It also has its melancholy moments...the Season is over! But, hey! We have a whole new season to give, and share, and love...a whole new year! The Season and its glitter may have come to an end, but the Gift goes on...and the memories linger forever. The extra "weight" of the Season will linger a while too, I'm afraid. Oh well.

May 2009 bring all of us incredible joy, peace, love, and true prosperity! Happy new year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope ALL of you have a happy new year...not just a happy new year's day, but truly a good year! I am going to. I think a lot of my happiness comes from my own perspectives and choices. Therefore, I plan ahead to have a good, even great year!

I know there is an ecomonic "repression" going on in our nation right now. I know there is political unrest, still, to some point.
There are wars going on in the world. There is still a lot of crime, pain, and anguish daily in every culture of this world.

BUT I STILL WISH YOU A HAPPY YEAR! Why? Because I still believe...
I believe in humanity. I believe that we can make better choices. I believe we can forgive each other. I believe we can hope and act in faith from positive perspectives. I believe we can help each other. I believe we can spread more love than hate no matter if the man who sits in the White House is of our liking or not. We can overcome! We can focus on things other than our individuals comforts and success.

But some of us may need a little help! That is why I believe in more than just humanity. We have proven together, that we can go either way...into the pits of distruction or to the heights of success and caring.

I also believe in God. I believe there is Someone out there who cares and loves ALL of us! Someone who thinks of each of us, individually, fondly and proudly... in spite of our mistakes and poor choices. Someone who does care about our individual successes but sees a bigger picture, and has placed in each of us abilities to rise above obstacles and errors. Together. Each of us has a tiny part in the whole, bigger picture. Each of us is important and special.

I believe that if each of us, individually, believed that we were loved unconditionally, and empowered with abilities to be more than we dared to dream of, that we WOULD make better choices...we would have a better world.

YOU ARE SPECIAL! YOU ARE LOVED! HAPPY NEW YEAR!