the perfect gift...

Gift (gift) n - Something given voluntarily with no expectation of payment in return.

I agree. A black Hummer would be the perfect gift but I couldn't help but think about a friend who years ago received a fabulous car as a gift for her birthday and ... it also came with a payment book. I hope the reason she had that particular vanity plate made was that it came without strings.

Gifts - we all have very diverse ideas of what constitutes a gift. Sometimes there are expectations and that makes it a bit difficult when the gift doesn't live up to those exps. Sometimes, a gift is completely unexpected. This week I received a $ 20 gift certificate to a wonderful digi designer's shop. I had emailed her several weeks ago and asked about doing some word art kits and she thanked me with this wonderful gift. I am so excited to go shopping!

Not all gifts are material in nature. Some of the best gifts I have ever received were this week in the form of unsolicited kisses and hugs from the most wonderful little people in the world. An I love you so much, can keep me going for days and I have had more than my fair share of nana love this week.

DH has hard a tough week. The heat and no days off has taken its toll yet I got a unexpected hug, just because. After 36 years, that certainly qualifies as a gift.

The pastor's sermon was a gift this week. Part of my prayer life was made clear. I didn't know that I had something in common with Mary who loved Jesus, but it all makes sense now. Blew me away when the pieces all fit together. What a gift that was.

The other thing we need to understand is that all gifts are not created equal. Some will last a few moments and some a lifetime. If you give someone something of a material nature, perhaps the best part of the gift is to let them decide where the gift falls. I have seen so many of these gifts given with inappropriate strings attached. We all need to understand that when a gift is given so is our right to define the gift's value. It is the same thing with a non-material gift - whatever we pass on as a gift is just that. Done expecting nothing in return. It is a good way to live. It makes givng the perfect gift...doable.

Beijing

8.08.08. I read today that the number 8 is considered a lucky number in China. With 9days to go before hosting the games of their lifetime, ready or not China - here they come. I have followed the Geswein family journey for over a year now as they are teaching in the city. Very interesting posts as Kimberly talks about getting the Chinese people culturally and environmentally prepared for this Bigger Than Life event. Tonight's news brought word that the Powers That Be are trying to clear out the pollution by not allowing the masses to drive their autos hoping that the skies will clear when company starts showing up.

Anthony Bourdain, of No Reservations fame had some very interesting non-food facts tonight that explained alot about what is going on in my world. The default mode of transportation in China has always been the bicycle. In the last 5 years, the amount of cars has increased 10 fold hence a clue into our current gas crisis. Today was the first time in a long time that I paid less than 4 dollars for gas. What a thrill!

I am not much of a Olympic games fan nor does the thought of going to China thrill me. I had a chance once to work there for a couple of years but could not say no fast enough. DH, on the other hand, was hoping against hope that I would change my mind but in his heart, he knew., Nothing personal against China - would have lived in a hotel, would never have had to cook or do laundry but there was absolutely no value to me.

I don't know that you can ever been totally ready for company. As China has been westernized over the last 10 years, I hope they don't get overwhelmed and can enjoy themselves every once in a while. Having guests can be exhausting and even the best of hosts can feel like they haven't done enough. So many expectations in so little time. I wish everyone well...

wedding season...

Welcome to StillMotion - the Demo from Patrick Moreau on Vimeo.

It is more likely than not that you have been invited to or been a part of a wedding this summer. We have one later in August that we are so looking forward to. An evening reception in a gorgeous location. Our bride and groom are perfectly matched and are going to throw a great party.

Speaking of great, Still Motion are the cream of the crop when it comes to wedding videos. They really are more like happy productions of the first of fabulous times in one's life. If you are not personally involved in a wedding this year, find one to observe. We humans are at our best when we celebrate and there is no greater celebration than a wedding. Whenever I attend one it takes me back to my own wedding and my favorite wedding of all, my girl's. Boy, we had a great time.

If I could do it all over again, it would be a bit different. There would have to be a surprise dance that would rock the house and Still Motion would be there to get it all. If not me, thank goodness that these couples will have a lifetime of memories to remember.

nothing quite screams summer...

like swim lessons. With less than a month to go until school starts, it is time to get down to business. The honeymoon phase of summer is gone. Is it going to rain or be hot? You can pretty well bet that everyday for the next 30 days is going to be hovering around 100 with no spring-like conditions in sight. It is a marvelous time of being hot and knowing that you are headed for fall. It is almost time for school clothes and backpack shopping...but not quite. It is just perfect.

Right now it is about goggles ( or googles as Miss M calls them, swim rings and is anybody going to go down the slide? Everyday last week, Miss M told me she would be headed down that slide. On Friday which is Slide Day, she looked at me and said, I am not going down the slide. End of conversation.

Not unlike real Life, we all get cold feet everyonce in a while. We try to put on a brave face and at the time, we truly do believe we will be able to carry out said task but in the end, not so much. I have been in Miss M's shoes many times and would love to report that I never backed out but that is not the case. Sometimes I wonder how much I have missed because I backed down the high dive of life and wouldn't take the chance.

How many times do we find our courage, go through with it and find out our fears were a waste of time?

How many times should we have been fearful and weren't?

How are we to know which way to go?

I guess that is one of the mysteries of life that we will never fully understand. All we can do is our best, in the Moment. It will be interesting to see if anyone slides down the Big Slide or jumps off the High Dive this week. Swim lessons will be over for another year on Friday and the kids will pick up next year where they left off this summer. The summer of 2008 has been very good to us and whatever we learn this week, will only add to our life experiences which is what we use when we make those choices about facing our next set of fears. So, I guess I will grab my googles and dive right in...

fonts - so this is what they look like...

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

I love fonts. In the world of digital scrapbooking, they would have to be considered adjectives but dang, sometimes - it is all about them. Now I can put a face to the name. My familiar friends - those I hang out with most days.

I most closely resemble Wingdings but may be Broadway at heart. So glad to meet you...

Is it difficult to be a photographer?

This blog post made me smile. While I haven't been in these same positions, I recognize the pose. We photographers will do just about anything to get the picture that we see in our minds. I have been flat on my back and stomach, trying to get that shot. Sometimes it is there and sometimes you miss the mark but just anticipating what you will see when you go home and download your memory chip, give you that Photographer High.

But, back to the question - is it difficult to be a photographer? For me, it is a great lesson in learning to live in the moment. You many not get to take every shot you want, there may be people/places/things in your way and people do blink, at the worse times but you also learn patience and that is the stuff that builds character. Shooting kids is so fun, always on the go and never sure how they are going to react or what they are going to do. Keaton was fooling around one day and pretended to pick his nose then a week later, Gage wanted me to take the same picture of him. Go figure.

Finally, I found something that makes me so happy. Post editing is as much fun as shooting and you add digital scrapbooking on top of that and it just doesn't get any better. Tomorrow we are going back to the Big City to take some more urban shots and I am downright giddy about it. Difficult, maybe on the body but it is a good burn - wouldn't trade it for the world...

husband training...

Even though DH misses lots of parties because of his work, there is still a part of him that always makes it. I have taught him to sign cards - birthday, anniversary and whatever else that is coming from the two of us. I just feel strongly that he should participate and this was something that he could do - if properly trained.

There have been many, many husband lessons over the last almost 37 years.
Many
Many
Many.

I think I have a deep desire to know that if I am gone, he will be able to continue on and be, well...me. It dawned on me this week, that what I have been trying to do all these years is clone him. I have been in training mode for as long as I can remember and you know what, it's not fair - to him or me. Neither of us can be replaced by the other - on so many levels.

We are polar opposites.
He is from Mars, I am from Venus.
I am warm fuzzies, he is robo cop.

I have spent all these years trying to do something that is none of my business. He belongs to God and if something should happen to me, they are on their own. Whatever his life would look like would probably make me crazy but it's not about me, then. If I am honest, either is it now. He belongs to God and is on loan to me. Hard to remember when he doesn't respond the way I think he should but at least, I am fairly confident that if left to take of cards, he has learned his lesson...I sure hope so.

wordle

Came across Wordle.net last night and pretty sure this find is going to be creative and therapudic. Just type in words, songs, quotes - anything you want. Read the FAQ to find out how to size your text. Cruise the Gallery for some fabulous word art. Put your Wordle on t-shirts on in a frame. My mind is just going crazy and must have more. The possiblities are mind-boggling.

FYI - to download to your computer, download the Cute-Writer app in the FAQ section. When you finish your Wordle art, pick the Print button and then choose Cute writer as your printer option and save it to your desktop. You can then pick it up in PS Elements and if you need it for DIP, save it as a png or jpeg and then use it from there.

Off for more, hope you have a creative day!

Staycation...

Staycation is all the rage and will be the icon for the summer of 2008. With the rising cost of everything, more and more people are finding themselves staying close to home and rediscovering their hometown delights. Picnics are back in style - for us, they always have been. They say the average picnic cost is $3.50 each. Seems a little steep but a good picnic basket would be way worth it. We carry a cooler most everywhere we go and since kids are always hungry, we must be prepared.

Staycation may be a great thing for our nation. We never would have voluntered to do it but as we Americans always do - make it popular and it will become second nature. Why does a turkey and cranberry sandwich taste so much better under a tree while sitting on a blanket? It is truly one of the delights of life. Staycation is my default and I could not be happier to see everybody starting to see the benefits and discoveries that come with it.

Summer is in full swing. We start swim lessons today and have already started school shopping. Not ready to even think about school but the reality is, we must... but not today. Today we are going to try to listen to our hair grow and enjoy ourselves. NOw, this is the life...

plans...

Do our lives look anything like we imagined they would? As strange as it sounds, I don't remember much about the future as a kid or even as a teen. No goals - not sure if it was the times or me. I can remember thinking it would be dreamy to be married and have 10 kids and I still think the white picket fence is the epitome of dreamy.
If you want some fascinating reading, check out PW's Change of Plan post and the comments that follow.

“I’m married with two kids, but I’m a stay-at-home-mom…It’s definitely not what I intended for my life, but it turns out, it’s everything I never knew I always wanted.”

“My daughter’s angst now is that she doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life; she’s a year out of college…I keep telling her that…fate will take her in many different directions, regardless of her plans…”

“Fourteen months ago, my life was more than I ever thought it could be. And then we lost our baby. And my oldest daughter was diagnosed with cancer.”

“When I was little, I was planning on Donny Osmond coming to my house on a motorcycle and taking me away. We would then become a duet and be famous…”

“I can’t say I’m unhappy but I wish I would have been a little smarter and not gotten pregnant when I did. I think I’ve made life harder for myself and my children…

“I was too busy getting high and chasing boys. But 26 1/2 years of sobriety later, I wouldn’t trade all of the experiences I’ve had and lessons I’ve learned for that lifestyle again. God it was fun, though…”


It is a sobering, reality that we humans are experience a wide range of expectations and experiences but what we have in common is that life doesn't always turn out the way we thought it would. We all get blindsided and don't know what to do. It can happen in an instant. Your life, your plans - everything can be gone in an instant.

Last night in our little town, A young couple were about to give birth to their first baby in two weeks. A tragic motorcycle accident and now a young woman will become a mommy by herself. All their plans and dreams as a couple are gone and she will have to find her way. I pray she will reach out to God because there is no where else to go. It is a reminder to me to go ahead and make plans but remember who really is in charge and that not only do we need to embrace every moment but be ready to embrace the One who made us when those plans turn out to be nothing like we planned...

the green, green grass of home...

We have all heard it all our lives, our perception is that the grass appears to be always greener on the other side.

These days, most of us are finding ourselves stretched to the limit. Financially, we are making different choices, literally changing the way we do life on a daily basis. Do we fill our cars with gas or buy groceries for the week? Where to make cuts and what can we do without. It is times like this that it is easy to think that the other guy has it better than we do.

I have never been one to keep up with the Jones. I might have coveted the Jones loving family life but I have lived long enough to know that the life I have is the life I was meant to have. If one is always looking at someone else's green pastures, they miss their own. The green, green grass of home is where we will flourish. It is what is ours, good and bad.

Sometimes. that other grass may appear to be greener but you may not be able to see why and maybe if you did, it wouldn't look so appealing. So, my suggestion for me and you is to enjoy your own grass. Be content in it and honor what you have been given. Let your bad self be allowed to flourish...

the fisherman...

He works hard.
Mostly 7 days a week.
He is on call 24/7 when the plant is running.
December 23, 2008 - he will have 42 years at this job
and a minimum of 2 more to go.

He is a man from a different era.
Being available for the job is all he knows.
He has missed birthday parties and Thanksgiving dinners
and now it is starting to bother even him.

He is kind of like a kid,
you never know when he may be paying attention.
He doesn't say much, but today after being laid off for 2 weeks,
the thought of going back, makes him physically ill.

They called today and he was on call to go if they couldn't figure it out,
but he didn't tell me and said, let's go fishing... so we did.

We also hit the Mall and had dinner at PF Chang's.
Someday, we will get to choose what we do,
Everyday.

The first day back is always about putting out fires that have been allowed to burn,
and the rest of the week will be a logistical nightmare.
There will be long days and little sleep.
The phone will ring in the middle of the night,
that annoying Caribbean music that is really loud so we can hear it.

So I take this photo and will get it out for him when the going gets rough,
and remind him that Someday, it will be all about the fishing...

let your light shine...

We all have a natural disposition toward being comfortable turning inward or breaking out in outward song. Whatever our natural inclination is, letting our light shine everyday is something I perceive, that we need to consider.

I live with Mr Grumpy. I know it, he knows it and last week as we talked about it, we were in agreement that it was unlikely to change, ever. I wasn't thinking about the light shining thing then but as I am now, I don't know that you have to have a non-grumpy persona to let that light thru.

My definition of LYLS is more of a word picture. Light shining thru an old wooden fence, for those of us further Down The Road. Children come with much light and somehow, we seem to lose it as we grow older. Somewhere we got the message that it must look silly, that we must grow up or our or worse, that it is no longer a valued adult trait.

Whatever LYLS looks like for you, think about if it is something that we should do because it is the right thing to do while we are living our lives.

Do we owe that to each other?
Is it part of our spirtual journey?
How would it look if alot of us saw potential value in pursuing it?

This little light of mine
I'm going to let it shine
This little light of mine
I'm going to let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shing
Let it shine.

seeing the world...

I saw this while blog cruising but I can't remember where. I do remember that she lives in Australia and those high heeled feet belong to her. Global- minded being nowhere near my mental default, I tend not to think about these differences on a daily basis but when confronted with this kind of imagery, I am floored.

My need to know rarely goes outside of the borders of the USA. I probably learned the most I have ever known outside of my country when we had exchange students and their families to share their worlds with us but even then, I still had very little true interest. It was like watching someone's home movies of their trip to Yellowstone - pass the popcorn, PLEASE.

These days, a photo like this will make me want to know a bit more. If God ever calls me to the mission field, He is going to have to send put it in a really BIG envelope. However I believe in miracles and it is not beyond what is possible. It is still not to late for a burning desire in me, to want to go but certainly not with today's attitude. The whole Dive thing is still in my head and I think God is the coach and if it needs to happen it will - really never spend much time thinking about the What's If's when it comes to spiritual gifts. Living in the Moment is about all I can do.

I am going to keep these photos around for me to see. To remind me that God is in charge of a big world with lots of people living lots of different lives. There is more to see, if I am only willing and with these photos, I am willing...

friday night...

July 11... Jim Houser, Steven Curtis Chapman's manager announced in early June that the family decided to Save the Date for returning to the concert stage. As I prayed for them, I couldn't help but think how it would feel when they walked out on stage for the first time since they lost Maria. The Chapman boys would hit the stage together - can't imagine they didn't feel the crowd's Love.

Jim updated his blog 13 times that night with pictures and Stories from Wisconsin that let all of us in on what it might be like to be there. As I read each entry, over and over the theme was the same. They believed what they have been singing and playing. How difficult for Will Franklin, I worried about him the most. The next night, in Michigan seemed to be a bit more difficult - SCC had a hard time making it through Cinderella. Tonight they are in Nebraska, playing to a full house.

One of Jim's entries Friday night was the set list of songs for the night. They decided to end the concert with Dive which seemed so appropriate if all is well. To come back from where this family has been living for the last month and a half seemed impossible but you couldn't do it if it wasn't true.

Blessings tonight guys - blow the socks off those Nebraskans. Preach it from the stage, give Him the glory and may we find that same strength for our own lives. Thanks for leading the way...

Downtown.

Sometimes all a person needs is a little walking around time to clear their head. It was Keaton's request that we head for the Big City and walk around. We had a wonderful time. Much to see - lots and lots of energy. People strolling, business people working and we were just talking it all in.

The downtown hot dog vendors were gone. I missed that memo. There used to be no less than a 1/2 dozen of them making the best hot dogs in the world. No one seemed disappointed to eat at PF Chang's so our great day continued on. We dropped off mommy, Gage and Miss M and took Keaton to see Prince Casptian at the movies. We returned home to have the dinner that the Birthday Boy requested, complete with a yummy, if I must say so myself, Peanut Butter Cup chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling and PB frosting. He also had a friend over for a sleep-over. Today, we are taking 5 kids to see the new Veggie Tale movie. We know how to throw a party and sometimes, they flow into the next day.

So, I am off for Day 2. This is the part of summer that I love the most. Carefree days, so childlike and fun. Just have to throw my hair in pigtails and off we go...

nine years ago today...

We will be out early today. It is all about the Birthday Boy and he has a full day ahead of him. A walk around Downtown and lunch with the fabulous hot dog vendor, TJ's. Then we will split up and papa and I will take him to see Wall-e. No longer wanting pizza for his birth day dinner, the boy asked for steak, mashed potatoes/gravy and corn on the cob. The day will end with a homemade Reece's Pieces cake complete with chocolate mousse and PB frosting. All in all, he will want for nothing.

Indiana Jones is his thing right now. Good thing he will be getting a ITunes gift card to download the theme song. It will fit nicely on his new IPod shuffle. Nine doesn't look like it did when I was a kid. Nine seems so much older but it is all relative and besides, you need a nine year old to help you play DS Guitar Hero. He is certainly earning his keep.

Happy Birthday, buddy. We could not be more proud of you. You are a wonderful boy. We will always think, you hung the moon. Get ready - we are on our way. Time to party!!!

Ca$h Cab...

If you haven't seen it, it is a great little game show that takes place in a taxi cab in NYC. You simply answer Ben's questions and win money. If you make it to your destination, you get to keep the money and get a free cab ride. Simple...

But just as Ben is ready to hand off your dough and you are ready to go spend it, he offers you a last deal. Double or nothing, he offers you a video bonus question only requiring one answer and you walk away with double your money or nothing.

This last part has taught me more about human nature than anything in the last few months. It has broadened my people understanding skills and reinforced that very little about human behavior is predictable. There are those who make up their minds immediately - before Ben is even able to finish giving them the FYI. Both ways - some talk about a bird in the hand - those to whom risk is a four letter word. In others, you can see their eyes light up, like they are in Las Vegas and nothing but going the distance is even a option. The tricky part is if there is a difference in opinion which usually leads to going with the safe option. The risk-takers seem to sense and respect the Code Red response of the non-risk takers. Risk-takers must be secure in knowing that they will get another chance to go with their natural instincts while the non-risk taker hopes to never have to been in that position, ever again.

This is what I have learned. We are all extremely different, more different than I could ever imagine. They may be millions and millions of thought processes instead of the less than 5 that I have imagined there to be. Meeting someone is an adventure, I want to remember that and be in their moment. Thans Ben and Ca$h Cab. Who knew???

the devil you know...

She said, I am afraid to go forward because the devil I know is safer than the devil I don't. Interesting words from a young one talking about self esteem issues. Got to thinking about how we perceive different things in our life.

Growing up, my perspective of the devil was a guy in a red suit, long tail, mustache - smoking a cigar with a face that looked like every male relative I have ever had. I had absolutely no concept of a devil who could and would mess up your life. I did not understand the concept of Flip Wilson's, the devil made me do it bit, even though I said it most frequently.

So later on, Down The Road, when I discovered that first, there was a devil, a real devil and second, that he had been an angel - I was confused. No red suit, no cigar, no way to explain those male relatives...or maybe the actions of the relatives made all the sense in this world.

I have seen bits and pieces of evil that have brought me to some kind of understanding about our world. One of the most poignant was watching a older couple literally run out of church while we sang about the blood of Christ. That memory will stay with me forever. It is an icon that has been substituted for the red-suited pitch-forked devil, just waiting.

While we it maybe true that we feel comfortable with the devil's that we know in our lives, we need to remember it is not an either/or. The is only one and will be for the duration of his allotted time. We have seen much and I dare say, we will see more. Hang on, this is not all there is...

start all over again ...

Went out to get my mail and Neighbor was sitting on his front porch and we started we chatting. He got hurt working on his car, now is is unable to to work. It will be along time, close to a year before he can fully return to work. He doesn't know how he is going to feed his family and is feeling a little low.

There have been a few times I have been able to share part of my Story with him and today, he got the chapter on unemployment. DD was eleven months old and the plant we both worked at was going on strike. We thought DH would have a job but a few minutes before shift change, he lost his job. We had nothing and did eventually, lose our home. We had to start all over again. It would be six years before we would buy our a home. It took us a long time to recoup financial and emotionally.

I finished telling him our Story and he looked at me and said, Thanks - I needed to hear that today. . We went on to talk about gratitude - this tattooed Harley guy taking it all in. Soon, we went back to our respective lives, both a bit wiser I think.

Life really is about starting over, again and again. In all areas of our lives, there are times, we have no choice. We have the ability to learn Something each time or we can dwell in the What Ifs. Dwelling there for any real length of time can lead to no good. The What Ifs will kill you. Neighbor has been hanging around there for a bit, hopefully he is ready to move on.

I hadn't thought about those days in a while. Those memories never go away and I walked away today with a sense that we may be stronger than we imagine. I love hindsight even after 34 years. We learn and then we start all over again. Not such a bad thing, when you really think about. Room for great potential...

proud...

Proud (proud) adj, the eighth definition reads like this, full of vigor and spirit. Ok, the first seven are all about self-esteem, honorable and magnificence. The point is, proud is highly subjective and what we deem to be proud of - maybe, we are off base more often then we think.

We all have a mental list of what makes us proud of each other. There are different lists for different people - we don't all start from the same vantage point but there is a common theme in all the lists. The thing is expectations get mixed up in the whole proud thing and the whole things gets a little blurry. If you are one who grades on a rather lofty curve and I think we all do, at one time or another - do you need to reset that bar? It is not unlike being in the moment, proud can be very simple.

You might think that I am being less than honest about being proud of this boy and you would be wrong. I am proud of his creativity, ability to take advantage of the moment and mostly, of his quickness. Being proud may mean to reset a focus or look beyond the obvious. I am also proud of this layout. It is honest and has almost-nine year old boy, written all over it.

Keaton, I am so proud of you. You have my wit, my sense of humor and my lightning fast speed. Don't ever change...

unphotographable...

This is the photo I didn’t take of the woman who was just ahead of me, waiting in line at the bank. Since I was behind her, I got to see the back first. She was approximately 65ish, slim build and worn khakis Capri’s with a muted orange, pink and green tropical type shirt. I admit all these details came AFTER because I couldn’t get past her hair. She was completely grey. Her hair was in a long, thin braid that hit just the middle of her back, suggesting she hadn’t had a haircut in a long time but the sides and top of her hair were short and curly, suggesting a little hairdresser action, perhaps even done at home.

The part I couldn’t help staring at and I really, really tried… was her decorative touch. At the top of her head where there must have been some kind of ponytail holder but you couldn’t tell because she had two bows, a larger one on top and the smaller one directly underneath it. The thing so fascinating about these bows was their size. The smaller of the two, in bright pink, was about 6 inches long and had several folds of material that formed this huge bow. Which only would have seemed huge had it not been for the 8 inch florescent orange bow on top of the pink one. This one seemed to have a 3D effect but may only have appeared that way because of its giant size.

I tell you the truth, I could not stop staring. I kept finding myself Somewhere in the 70’s. Although I would not have gone in that direction during any era, I remember seeing these bows, usually in kids. I was completely captivated. There was an unusually long wait to do your banking that day so I was able to then, see the rest of her outfit.

She had confidence, I daresay she liked her look. She seemed in good health and appeared to be enjoying her day. I wanted to ask her how she got those bows in her hair and maybe the Story behind her look but even more, her confidence. There is a Story behind her look – would loved have asked her about it. Probably should have asked her about her confidence instead – would have done me the most good in the long run.

creative...

The more art you make, the more you notice. The more you exercise your creativity, the more art you make. For those of you who are naturally creative, you already know this, probably instinctively but for those of us who have learned to find the creativity in ourselves - this must be learned.

I am still amazed everyday at what comes out of me but I am truly understanding Sally Jean's phrase, if I don't make art, I'm going to have a hissy fit. There is Something so therapeutic about the creative process. After an hour of processing a set of photos, there is a surge of serotonin that floods over me and I am as happy as a clam.

Summer certainly makes it easier to find the creativity within for me. The sights, sounds and smells of summer bring back childhood memories of happy, carefree days. The sound of sprinklers going off and the smell of suntan lotion - the coolness of a sweet drink and the taste of a cold popsicle.

Creativity may take some day dreaming, that has been my experience. It doesn't matter what form your own takes. There is a whole section of YouTube devoted to latte art - how fabulous is that? and I don't even like coffee. I hope you each have a place to be creative and that if you don't - please do yourself a favor and find one. You will not be sorry and it just may make all the difference...

FYI...

Just in case you missed it - there is a turn off button on the music player that you can hit to watch videos. May come in handy, it sure does for me when I am blog hopping...

what do you see?

DD's pastor has gotten around, quite a bit. He knew Corrie Ten Boom. He said they called her Tanta Corrie - I immediately knew they called her aunt. Speaking 90% German until first grade will do that to you. I use to dream in German. Now days, I understand words and partial sentences but no longer paragraphs. I digress.

The pastor said this was during his intellectual times. The crowd he hung around with seemed to think her ways were too simple...for them. They needed thinking of a higher calling. I think he gets it now.

She always carried around a large, heavy bag, filled with props she would be using. One particular time, she pulls out a large tapestry. It a a beautiful piece depicting Da Vinci's, The Last Supper. Beautiful colors and rich detail, she takes it around the room so that each person can see. He hinted that they rolled their eyes, thinking this wasn't what they signed up for. Then she turned the tapestry around. The backside was like all tapestries - loose strings, not so great looking and took it back thru the crowd again, showing each one. She stood up in front of them and said, This side, the beautiful side is how God see you...The backside is how you see you.

His sermon was Why so much bad if God is so good. Romans was his reference. He said that is the biggest concern of believers and non-believers alike. Someday we will understand but for now, all we have to remember is God is good, all powerful and in charge, the rest will come later, I can live with that.

You just need Jesus...

David Letterman asked Eric Clapton who the greatest guitar player in the world was and he answered, Caleb Quaye.

I had the opportunity to hear him this morning at DD's church. The pastor had met him years ago and was invited to a little jam session at a church. He said he thought he was a pretty good until he heard Mr Quaye music, then he decided he couldn't play at all. After he heard EC comment, he felt a little better about himself.

Looking alot like a stocky Eric Clapton, he played with the worship team and just blew me away. In much the same style as Clapton, I closed my eyes and let the music wash over me. Whatever heaven looks like, I am putting it out there right now, this guitar corner is where I am going to hang my hat, for eternity.

He has a great testimony. As a kid, he sang in the choir with Elton John. Traveled with him and is still friends with him today. When asked what is it like to talk Jesus to Sir Elton, he said it was tough. Like a rich man trying to get to heaven. He said it was Only God situation - God will have to directly intervene with Mr John. Imagine that.

While touring with Hall and Oates, he was in a hotel room and heard a Voice. He didn't know who or what it was but wanted to pursue it, someday. He started hanging around with Chester Thompson who played for Genesis and Phil Collins. Having dinner with Chester's family, they would ask him his philosophy of life. Stumbling over his words mixing cultures and creeds, not making much sense, he would ramble for 40 minutes about not much. Chester's standard answer would be four words - that;s it.

You just need Jesus.

He said that same scene - dinner, question and answer played over and over in his head - like the movie, Groundhog Day. It was Easter 1982 and Chester invited him to church and he went. He also heard the Voice again and gave his life to Christ.

You just need Jesus

So simple.
No muss
No fuss.

He is coming back in December and is going to play his entire Christmas album. I am going to pray for Elton John for the next 6 months. That God will go after him, and much like Caleb Quaye, you and me - drive home the simple thought that one just needs Jesus...

class of 2008

It was a day of celebration... and much entertainment. His Batman dance is legendary and you never know when it is going to appear. The graduation ceremonies were just not moving fast enough for him so we were treated to more than a few special moves. There are 337 pictures to prove it. Not all of graduation. There are memories of the luau after the ceremony and then we continued the festivities at Boondocks with miniature golf, go karts and bumper boats.

We don't need much encouragement to celebrate. We celebrate just about everything. The whole day was certainly a big hit. Everyone went home, tired and one had too much fun and she had a hard time letting nana go. Someday, the kids will remember doing fun, family days and I hope it will bring them great joy.

We close out the week on a high note. It has been a good week. Summer is now in full swing. DH will turn 60 on July 3 and the 4 of July is just around the corner. We have both boys' birthdays to celebrate. More cake in our future! More to celebrate. More to be very thankful for...Have a great weekend.

feet...

I take lots of pictures of feet. Although I take them all year, I must admit I love summer feet the most. There is just something about bare toes interacting with nature whether in grass or sidewalk or even sitting in a garage during a yard sale.

I'm not sure that we appreciate feet enough. Everyday and multiple times of each of these days, we expect our feet to take us wherever we decide to go. Sometimes planned and sometimes, on the spur of the Moment - we decide and just expect our feet to be on call 24/7.

I realize that you may not like the look of your feet but I have come to love mine. Some days I even consider them - cute. Have always been a flip flop girl and this year I discovered the Crocs brand flip flop and am in little piggy girl footwear heaven. In fact, I need to grab a few more pairs - they have a bit more support than your runofthemill flip flop. They are to die for.

So I have a healthy respect for feet. A photo with feet can be very telling about a person. I love that you don't always need a face to tell a Story. Cute little toes - some with nail polish, some with blades of grass, some with the cutest of shoes, some with dirt, smeared all thru the toes. Standing in a wading pool or in a field of corn. On a playground or in the cereal aisle at Albertson ( this is my next one on my list).

The next best thing after taking us on our neverending journeys is the ability to dance. This would not be possible without these wonderful little creatures. Give it up for feet!

the glass is 1/2 full...

While this is not me, Miss D makes quite the metaphor for what I have discovered about myself. BTW, prayers are with you tomorrow Ms D - Go get em...

A while back I had was talking obout trying to change my ways and see the glass as 1/2 full instead of 1/2 empty in my life. It hit me late last week that I had a distorted idea of what 1/2 full must look like to be there. I had a whole list of things that I thought had to be changed in my personality to acheive this near nirvana state. I found out last week I was wrong, again.

I thought it meant that I loved everybody I met instantly.
I thought it meant I had to stop being sarcastic and cynical.
I thought that if you were prone to depression, you could never, ever see 1/2 full.

I have since learned that my gratitude makes me see the 1/2 full.
It allows me the chance to be joyful.
I have been given much, even if it all ended today.

I will always have my moments - I am human and that won't change this side of heaven but I understand that 1/2 full is my default. Wow, I am truly walking on Sonshine...

Saint Theresa's prayer...

After going thru all the Tim Russert memories with the NBC family last week, I have never wanted to be an Irish/Catholic more. They turned all the things I thought about parochial school on its ear and gave me a wide-eyed view of what it is to be in an Big Catholic family and I was so ready to sign up.

During the memorial service last Wednesday, Maria Kennedy talked about this prayer that she starts each day with. I googled it after the service so I could get it in its entirety. It seemed to me a great prayer to start the day with so I decided that starting this week I would incorporate it into my daily routine as well.

It was a tough weekend and all I can say is that I wish I had started it on Thursday. It might have made all the difference. I got it out last night and read it and re-reread it.This layout is now the wallpaper on my computer. This morning, I read it again and let it slowly sink it. Really sink in. Soon it will be a part of me and it will come from the inside out. Until then, I will soak in all the God is and marvel from from He comes. I truly believe we have no idea of His comings and goings, we are merely to be ready when He shows up.

May Today there be peace within
May you trust God that you are exactly
where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities
that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God
let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul
the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of you.

Amen...

the Real you...

This is what women from all seasons of life - fight everyday. I think most of us don't even realize it but the burden to look a certain way is what we should be striving for and if we just buy Products X,Y and Z - we can attain it.

Deep down, we all want to look nice. We spend billions of dollars every year in all possible markets to prove that. Women have always been and will always be - about how we look. It is in our DNA and it is part of being a girl and with a healthy sense about it, we can have the best of both worlds. It's only when we step over the line of being unreal, that we get in trouble.

When we want to achieve what is unreal, we start to get in trouble. I love this video because it shows the Big Picture. When we start to value the inside more than the outside, now we have got Something. Have you ever been around someone who just makes your day? Most likely, it is because of Something you can't see. An inner beauty that comes from a place that Max Factor couldn't go even if he wanted to.

Go ahead and look your best but spend your time shining elsewhere. In the long run, it will make you a much happier camper and thanks Dove, for helping us to keep it real - we need all the help we can get.

liminal space...

Psychologists call \"liminal space,\" a place where boundaries dissolve a little and we stand there, on the threshold, getting ourselves ready to move across the limits of what we were into what we are to be...

Ever feel like you have been riding a wave? It seems like you have little control and are quite aware of it. Not sure where you are going or which direction you are headed. That has been my week. A lot of it has had to do with the passing of Tim Russert.

About 20 minutes before MSNBC was about to televise his funeral, I was cruising the digi gallery that I frequent often through out the day. There was a simple layout, one that featured a doorway. It caught my eye so I clicked on it to read it's Story. It was about liminal space and the digi girl was a psychologist. What an interesting mix but then again, truly, we are each a psychologist of sorts in our own worlds. I am going to have to research liminal space a bit more but it was exactly what I needed to take with me to Tim's funeral.

It was a perfect funeral, I know, I think all funerals are fabulous. It is the one time, we as humans - stop for just a moment to just be. People of faith sometimes act like we are not. This funeral was not the case. It was a time of tears and laughter. It was 2 1/2 hours of people loving in the most honest possible manner. I am so grateful that I could be a part of it. I can put my finger on it but what I am feeling is something like this liminal space thing.

If you can make time to watch the memorial service in its entirety, it will be well worth your time. Each speaker brings a dichotomy of emotions in their remembrances of their dear friend. It made me want to be a better person. It made me want to live my faith, out loud and most of all, it made me want to live out loud, every day.

It has been quite a week. I am spent after shedding tears for most of yesterday's service. I feel like I have been to church, in a good way. It's not just about one person's life but about each of us. What we are, not even deep down but how we treat each other, day after day. How our faith really plays out in our lives, what we really believe and how it manifests itself. God's puts the wave together and Sometimes all we have to do is hold on and ride it out. Today is a new day and I am ready to get back up on that life boadr and start hanging 10. What a ride!

post secret...

is a odd, little web site... PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. There is an sense that we are a people of very different thinking and feeling. Some are funny, touching and some, just hit too close to home.

The Obama PS rings true on some many levels and I can certainly relate as to parental expectations. It will always amaze me what people will chose to throw themselves on their swords for. This will become less as the older generation dies off. It is a reality that we know is coming - homemade is going to have a whole different meaning in the next 10 years.

I saw the camera PS posted on a photography board. Boy, were those ladies up in arms that they had taken the time to learn how to use their cameras and this person was making a living by not paying the acceptable dues. It just made me laugh - not quite like a 4 year old doing brain surgery but you would not have known that by their outrage.

The last one, makes me smile. This person has captured the essence of Jesus yet I dare say - it would the one least appreciated. Like it or not, I perceive that Jesus would be open to way more people that I am. We each have a predisposition to the kind of people that He would be open too and I dare say, we would all be wrong. This person has more faith than I do. I say that because I don't believe that in that situation, I would be able to believe that about myself. That I would be able to accept the Love of Jesus which is what I believe Mr PS is really saying. It really gives me hope for myself.

I heard an interesting observation today. A political person was talking about Hillary Clinton's former Chief of Staff now going to be the COS for Obama's soon-to-be VP. It was said that obviously, Hillary would be out of the running now because of the breakdown of the friendship between these two ladies and this reporter went on to say, Not so fast - relationships with long histories can be healing in an instant. I like that kind of hope. Hope... isn't that what gets us through each day? Jesus sees all our Post Secrets, knows all our pitfalls and loves us anyway. That is hope enough for me...

hyperspeed...

My family always, always tells me I go to fast. I have, on occasion, agreed with them and yesterday - was one of those days.

Picked up the mail and received 2 offers of Visa debit cards. One had an actual card the other, just a letter to Call Me. I got my scissors out and started cutting up the card in what I would have considered an artistic manner. When I got finish, I picked up all the little pieces an started to put them in the offender's envelope when Something caught my eye, then my heart sunk.

Thank you for your recent purchase. Here is your Visa debit card equal to your delivery cost. Valid everywhere Visa is accepted... I had just cut up a $59 gift card.

All those warm artistic fuzzies were gone in a flash. I grabbed the nice people's paperwork and called the customer service number. I started off explaining to the CS agent that I would be the dumbest customer that she would encounter today. She listened very politely to me...then transferred me where I would tell my Story, one more time.

The next CS agent was very nice and tried to make me feel better but you just know, you would be the fodder around their dinner table that night and I could live with that, I would have done the same thing.

There is another card on the way and this time, I will pay better attention. Hyperspeed is my default, not sure I see value in putting in the time it would take to see if it is possible to change. It has gotten me into trouble, I will admit but it has also been a wonderful thing. There is an invisible cape and goggles that complete the outfit and we have grown strong, over the years.

Ah, I forgot to tell you that they are asking for the last four numbers of the card and because I intensely dislike ( boarding on hate) puzzles and due to my artistic flair, had a horrible time trying to put this card back together. I was so proud when I could recite those four numbers - almost like I had won the lottery...

RIP Tim Russert...

I don't remember when I became a little curious about politics but I do remember who it was that stirred that little fire and it was Tim Russert. He had an infectious smile and made me think maybe, just maybe, I was wrong about thinking that one had to sell their soul to the devil to get to be president of the United States of America. Maybe.

I feel like I have been part of a Big Family this weekend as first the news came that Tim has collapsed and died Friday afternoon and then the Love... and there is no other word to describe it...that people from every way of life have lavished on Tim and his family. He had flown back from Italy after a celebatory trip with his wife Maureen and son Luke. Luke had just graduated from Boston College and Tim was so proud and looking forward to so much more.

This is a guy who was loved and knew how to love. He loved kids and when asking someone how they were doing, he always asked about their families. He was a Story teller and the Stories that have been told in the last few days need to be bound and made into a book.

Tim so dearly loved his hometown of Buffalo, New York. He sponsored a kids team and they went clear to state. They came home in a blinding snowstorm and because Tim was in town, visiting his dad for the weekend, he met them down at that bus station, in that terrible weather, to congratulate them. So many Stories and in each of them a glimpse into a man's love of faith, family and fellow man. His son Luke told Matt Lauer this morning, There's not a day that goes by that I have not known my father's love...

Luke says that his dad's Meet The Press chair now belongs to him and he will keep it forever. It's my chair now. He has come a long way. Sunday, I saw a clip of Tim talking about his famous white board and how the night after, Luke gave him a call and asked if he could have it. Tim was so touched that his son would want something seemingly so insignificant but laughed out loud when he found out that Luke saw the financial potential of the whiteboard on Ebay.

Bruce Springsteen said that Tim was a lovely presence.. Tom Brokaw and Matt Lauer have broken down in tears. The emotions have been running high at MSNBC. This photo was taken yesterday after the MTP tribute show. There can be more greater tribute to one, who had loved deep and was loved deep. Pal, Go get em ...

wet and wild 2008...

What a difference a year makes! Last year Gage was afraid of the water and stood back 50 ft with his mom and little sister. This year, he couldn't get enough. When our water supply ran out, he was visibly bummed. Of course when They have the fire power of an endless supply of water with huge hoses, we don't stand much of a change but you sure couldn't tell that by the hundreds of kids who showed up with water pistols, ready to take on the numerous water trucks that were coming our way.

The Wet and Wild parade comes at the end of the Real parade. While everyone is dutifully appreciative of all the entrants, they are there for the WW part of the parade. You get plenty of warning - mommies need to get little kids out of the way and then there is still no guarantee that you won't get wet. They all have these massive hoses that spray deep into the crowd. It is like watching all these little David's fighting the Big Goliath. It is great fun to be a part of. Might be the closest thing to childhood summer fun that some of us can remember.

I still can't believe how Gage went from hiding in the bushes to full, blown out - joining in the fight. He went to being a David in an instant. It gives me hope for the rest of us. So technically, in theory - any of us could become a David in some area of our lives, in an instant. We could be totally unaware...until we show up. No matter how old we are, there will always be Goliaths' in our lives to slay and now I know, that I may just have more in me than I think. Understanding that puts a smile on my face and hope in my heart. For now, these photos will remind me again and again of this fine day. What else could anyone ask for?

sorry...

Randy Pausch is a 47 year old college professor, writer, husband and dad.

He also has terminal pancreatic cancer. You might have seen his Last Lecture speech on YouTube or read his book about going for your childhood dreams. He has taken his disease on this Road Trip, trying to leave a legacy for his three small children who are going to lose their dad very soon.

He is a matter of fact kind of guy. Not terribly charismatic - but with terminal cancer, lets face it, the cancer is pretty much the Star.

The one thing that really struck me about his speech was his three-stage description of an apology. I never thought of an apology has having more than one step. It is tough enough these days for most people to even utter the words, I'm sorry. Some people never learn the fine skill of the apology. It is a shame, there is the potential for so much healing if it was used more.

Professor Pausch's, The Apology.

1. I'm sorry.
2. It was my fault.
3. What can I do to make it right?

Lots of us do the first and stop right there. Sometimes, even if we say we are sorry, it doesn't quite ring sincere. Those forced TELLYOURBROTHERYOUARESORRYRIGHTNOW! times don't inspire much enthusiasm on either side.

It is a Big Thing disguised as a little thing. It might change a relationship - a marriage or a friendship. It may, make a new friend. We don't all have the luxury of knowing our days are numbered. I don't mean to sound crass but there are lots of people who wished they could have said goodbye to someone they loved. Randy Pausch is being able to leave a legacy for his kids, on his terms and we...have been forunate enough to share with them, Thank you Pausch family...

aunt Theresa...

did you realize that it was 35 years and a few hours ago today that you and I were laying on our backs, looking up to the sky and whining about how we had eaten too much. We were at Grandma and Growlers for dinner. I don't remember the meal that she made but certainly do remember the cake. Oh that cake.

Chocolate cake with Mountain Blackberry frosting draped in a melted Hershey bar. You and I have searched for the recipe for years and with little success. I wished I had of thought to ask Aunt Jackie if she knew how that woman made that frosting. I remember thinking, Eat as much as you want - that baby is not due until the Fourth of July. There will be plenty of time to restrain myself, later.

Well, most of that was wrong. I went into labor early the following morning. To this day I still say, it was the meal that made that baby want to be born 3 weeks early. We had the You are having triplets scare but went home with our little bundle of joy. Everyone was very excited. We named her Brandi Theresa, after you instead of Sunshine Theresa. I remember it was close but her daddy liked Brandi and Grandma did not. Shouldn't name a child after liquor, she said. We did it anyway. She learned to get over it. I remember her and Growler coming to see her at Robert and Annie's and watching Growler paying real attention to her. I don't remember him ever caring about kids but old age may have brought him some soften along with the Jesus thing.

She has grow up to be a wonderful girl and now has her hands full. You would enjoy her quick Daniels wit and that sarcastic way about her. She is a chip off the old block and I couldn't be prouder. Yes, Stevie has had his hands full thru the years with both of us but truly, he is a lucky man. Chad and the kids love her to death. She is a lucky woman.

So even though you are in Connecticut and we are here, you get to keep up where we all are. The cool thing is you were here for the beginning and know how it all started. Our little girl is all grown up and living the life we both remember. She requested Mixed Berry Cheesecake for dinner and that is what she will have but I hope Someday we find that frosting recipe and I can let her taste it for herself.

Happy Birthday Brandi Theresa Dille Smith...I so love you to infinity and beyond, love your madre...

precious...

Precious (presh'es)
1. of high price or great value.
2. highly esteemed for nonmaterial quality.
3. dear, beloved.

I would dare say and admit that I have used this word incorrectly on more than one occasion. I would also say that I have used it in a reckless manner. I don't think it is a huge Big deal but like most things if I am not paying attention, it doesn't tend to make its own correction.

All I am going to do is watch how I use the word so when I do use it, it means Something. Might even expand my use of other words that I may be using in a reckless manner. There is enough of my life that is lived recklessly, my words - I do have control over.

Something like boundaries. The bounderies we have with each other. Where you stop and I start. I have lived with bad boundaries for many years of my life. Whether words or people, using the wrong skills equals wrong results. To love is not wrong, to love too much...is. Just as is the use of the wrong words used at the wrong times. Not only will your point not make sense but could have disasterous results.

After all that, I can say with complete certainly that Miss D is totally and completely precious...especially in His Sight.

not summer yet...

Gage and I had this conversation the other day. After trying to explain the calendar thing to him, he looks at me with complete shock and utter despair that he would have to explain it to me. He said, Look outside...it is warm...it is summer. He almost had me convinced.

When my good sense came back to me, I check the calendar and we still have 12 days until summer but I got to tell you, the warm weather, the kids riding their bikes around the neighborhood and The Beach Boys singing in the background - made me long for the summers of my imagination.

Those summers you read about it books and see in movies, where families go to a beach house for a month, spending their days and nights doing what everyone should be doing in the summer - next to nothing. Summer should be a season of perpetual nothingness.

We Americans live in a world where we barely notice the change of seasons. Classes, clubs and groups are starting to continue meeting all thru the summer. No break - no rest - no fun. We have lost our summer innocence and we need to reclaim it.

Gage is right, the calendar should not be our point of reference for summer or a few other things. It also reminds me to be more spontaneous which it a bit tough for me. Being spontaneous is reminiscent of being a kid and fighting for moments of life sobriety. Not summer yet, maybe not but in my heart, we have already arrived...

crying wolf...

My engine light and I have been going round and round for a few weeks now. It is not our first time, butting heads. It let me know very soon after we got together that it did not do Albertson's gas and would light up every time I fueled up. To make sure I was understanding correctly, we did the Alberston's Dance 4 times - I am now, convinced.

The last couple weeks, it started again and this time I was pretty sure, it wasn't fuel-related. After several fill ups, the light was still staying on so I bit the bullet and took it in to get plugged into the Big Car Machine and the diagnosis was, it was still a fuel issue. The Car Man reset the engine light and we have been doing fine since then. The thing is the next time the light cries wolf, I will assume that it is none issue and ignore it and perhaps, it may be the Real Thing.

I tend to cry wolf more than I should in my everyday life. It is the first moment of panic that sets me off running and screaming, The Sky Is Falling - The Sky Is Falling. My internal engine light will come on and stay on, until I get a grip on reality again. It is Something that I will probably always fight. The good news is that help is never far.

If I fell in love with You
Would you promise to be true?
And help me, understand.
Because I've been in love before
and I found that Love was more,
than just holding hands...

I heard this old familiar song a few weeks ago and it has turned into my daily prayer. You just never know where help is going to come from and that crying wolf isn't the end but could be, just the beginning of real understanding...

16 months...

Barack Obama reminded me in his speech the other night that it has been 16 months since he threw his hat into the ring. Who could have seen that either a black man or a white woman would emerge as the sole two Democratic candidates for President of the United States of America - surely not me.

The last 16 months have not been a contest as much as a lifestyle. For those of us who are mildly interested and by that I mean, watching from the comfort of my home - it seems like forever and often, with no end in sight. The historians will tell you that this is longest campaign ever - I will tell you, I am afraid it will set the stage for a 2 years run in 2012. I so hope I am wrong or at least, less interested.

Yesterday, Keaton got the Citizenship of the Year award. It was a surprise and he sure was. We were all there to cheer him on and shower him with lots of citizenship Love. There were many different awards given out during the assembly. Computer and library helpers, some kind of history club kids and perfect attendance awards. The academic awards were last.

If you didn't know the back story, you would not have known that Keaton's teacher choice for the academic awards were anything but what they appeared to be but her criteria for academics had a little different spin. She chose two students in the class who were closer to the bottom than the top of the list. Maybe they had made the most progress during the year, I don't know but what I do know is that Mrs G.
gave these two Something they may never have again and might just change their lives.

Our world is changing - it is becoming more and more obvious. In my world, I would much rather have Keaton win the citizenship award that the academic one. You can teach anyone almost anything but being kind and respectful to all, I am not so sure about. I am trying to learn a bit more about that myself and finding it quite a challenge. I am following the lead of a 8 year old - imagine that.

We live in a country where freedom is the front runner. The politics of our country will follow the calendar and will be over by fall. No more 16 month contest for us. As for truth and kindness, they have no expiration date...Praise God.

Looking back...

This week, the firemen set up their Fill The Boot event right by DD house. Gage has a love-love relationship with all things firemen-related. He proudly showed me the sticker the fireman had given him after his donation and later expressed that he wished he had $1000 to give. Quite generous of him. In clearer thinking times, if given $1000 dollars, he would be headed as quickly as possible to ToysRUs.

The boys and I have been talking about inventions lately. What would they like to invent? How do you invent Something? They are interested in the same type of things I was interested in at their age - except at this very minute, most of theirs are Indiana Jones-related. Sometimes they get inventing something mixed up with wanting something. I know what they mean.

The thoughts that go thru your mind at 5 and 8 are childlike and over the top. They talk about stuff that could never happen. It is also too bad we couldn't stay there longer. Wheh you get Big, you have lost this wonderful ability and getting it back - takes work. Lots of work.

So. if I was going to invent anything now, it would be the ability to Look Back now. How cool would that be? Imagine how our lives would change and I could take all that money from my invention and split it between firemen and ToysRUs...

tug of war...

Yesterday was Fun Day at Keaton's school and we had a blast. Gage jumped in like he was part of the 3rd grade. The tug of war event seemed to be mighty popular and everyone gave it their all. There was a girls against boys war, a girl/boy mix and everyone's favorite - kids against parents. We parents went in a little bit too cocky and got our heinies kicked. One of the dad's who makes his living in sports, was dumbfounded at the strength of these third graders.

I haven't been on the end of a tug of war rope in years but in Real Life, I have been fighting the TOW battle all my life. We all have. In so many areas, not just holding on but actively pulling The Rope, my way. My Way, which when you are an anal, Type A personality - basically is always the Right Way. If it wasn't, we wouldn't be involved. Pulling with all my might in every area of my life. Holding on, giving up nothing. Sometimes I have done it when it has nothing to do with me. And if I am really truthful, I will jump in because I like pulling the rope.

Something I never thought about in TOW is that is a team sport. I have never seen a mono on mono TOW. It is always a group sport. There are also so many areas in our lives where we do the team thing. Pulling as a team until the other side fall flat on their faces. You can see examples of that in our everyday lives. The results are not as same as the game.

Maybe it would be better to actually play the game of tug of war more and do it less in our Real Lives. That might be just the thing. Better go to the store and buy a rope - summer and life are here...

refresh...

There can be no greater way to refresh one's spirit than to have your so-to-be-graduating daughter WANT you to take her senior pictures. There are all kinds of ways to rest and refresh each of us, all applicable at different times.

I have heard people say they wish they had no hours in a day, wish they needed less sleep so they could be more productive. I know exactly why God made us so we would be forced to take daily downtime - because most of us, at one time or another, are not smart enough to do it. What we don't understand is that the more we push it, the less we really get done at a diminished pace with a less than desired result.

When we see that sleep, rest and refreshing oneself's are essential to our everyday, the quality of all we are and do, goes up dramatically. It took me many years to learn that - it is a tough view to get your head around when you are up to your elbows in REAL LIFE with work and family life. Wish I had of learned it sooner.

Other countries have learned what we smart Americans, have not. Whether a daily time of rest or mandatory vacations with pay, we have a long way to go so for now, it is up to us. Whatever works for you, do it everyday. Don't worry about how long or hard you do it, just do it. Refresh yourself daily, it will do you a world of good...

get smart...

As I headed to DD's on Friday - getting ready to turn left, my light is green for 3 to 4 seconds and two cars decide to obviously run the red light from their side. Have a hard time believing that the City, in its infinite wisdom does not have at least a 1 second delay, meaning these two just decided, they were going to go, no matter what.

In my younger years, my driving motto was, if it's green - I'm gone but have mellowed a bit. Let the others who apparently have many life emergencies and very little brain activity, go first. That kind of thinking will save both of our lives.

Speaking of thinking, can you remember anytime in life when you are smarter than when you are a teen? It is that age when you know it all and base all said decisions upon all. They say, that a teenager's brain has not fully developed. Maybe that is why all that wisdom seems like a shame to waste so we have to share with all we know. I come from a family who developmentally, never left their teenage years and those of us born to them - have lived a life of trying to catch up.

We all do dumb things at every stage of life. The trick is to do them at a minimum and not consider it a way of life. There is Something about a teen. They are young, flexible, able to learn and think they can change the world. That is not a bad thing. If they continue on, they will mature and go on to great things. That is what we wish for all of them. If they grow up no further and run every red light in their path, stay clear and try not to get hurt. Don't assume everyone leaves teen hood behind. It is clearly a myth...