Friday, May 30, 2008

Little Girl Gone


Nineteen. My baby girl will be nineteen on Sunday, June 1, at 2:22 pm. I am struggling with this birthday, like I know she is. She has hit a hard place in her life, where things do not seem so easy and the path is not as clear as it once was. She is really searching for a direction...and I can not come to her rescue like I have been able to do her whole entire life. She has to be the one to forge on and create her very own path...This hurts me because I do not know where she will end up. I want so much to protect and shield her from the sorrows and frustrations in life. I do know that this is not possible. I also realize that these are the things in my own life that make me just who I am...the things that help me to be strong and capable. I believe there is something wonderful in store for her life...she will make her way in this world!


Just when I thought every trace of that baby girl I once loved was gone, she springs on me that she wants a Jasmine birthday...you know, the Disney princess, Jasmine. We are having my parents and a few of the daughter's friends over for baked ziti, salad, tea, ice cream and cake...not just any baked ziti though, baked ziti made with princess pasta! I found this in our local grocery store, and the daughter begged for it like a two-year old! I gave in, and jokingly said, "This is what we should have for your birthday dinner." That started the Jasmine adventure...I will let you know how things turn out, and post pictures.
Hope your weekend includes family fun as well. Have a nice one!

Monday, May 26, 2008

BSM: Memorial Day Moments

The pool is officially open. The flower pots and flower beds are planted; the fountains are flowing again. The deck is swept clean, and the tables don new umbrellas dressed in this season's finery...For years, we have gathered our belongings and headed to this place, an oasis for the world weary, the pool at my parent's home...this is THE place where we vacationed when I was young. Who needed Florida, when you could simply walk out to the back deck and take the most refreshing plunge into the crystal clear waters of this lovely pool? This is the place where I feel most comfortable in the least flattering of clothing, my bathing suit. This is where my child (now almost 19) took her first naps when she was only days old...where she first learned to swim, to dive, and sunbathe...where countless children have learned to love the water without fear. This is where sunscreen, floats, snuggly beach towels, pool toys, flip flops, books of every genre, and sometimes tropical drinks are to be found each and every day of the summer. This day marks our first swim of the season...we have all emerged like flowers reaching for and following the sun. We have gathered together once again, with the hopes of more family fun and wonderful moments in this, our sacred place. The scent of the nearby grill effortlessly searing the tender morsels of meat is always making our mouths water for what wonders will soon come...while we wait, we float, we dive; we enter beneath the surface of the water, hoping to escape the troubles of what lies above us...letting it all slip away for just a moment...aaahhhh, the first day of our official summer. Hope your holiday brought you wonderful times with family and friends. For more wonderment and lovely places, check out everyone elses' Best Shot Monday.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

From Inside the Coma

While our school year is officially over, my work is yet to be done...still Monday is a holiday in the US, so I will be spending the day doing just what I want to do! Then, Tuesday, back to the grind...
I can not fully express the exhaustion I feel...there are no words. This year was honestly a lovely one, with many, many accomplishments by our school, my students, and my department (language arts). All in all though, I feel as though I have been hit by a truck...this truck must have backed up only to run over me again! I am sort of in a mild comatose state where all I want to do is rest lazily, sleep, snuggle, dream...all involving my luscious bed. Soon, I will emerge ready to live the summer days as they were meant to be spent...beside the pool. LOL! (Just kidding, although I do plan on spending many of my days at my parent's beautiful pool.)

Monday, May 19, 2008

BSM: Honoring Girl Power

This is MEB again, my niece, the girliest girl you will ever meet...at 5 years old, she gets her nails done at the salon with her mom...she LOVES baby dolls...she dresses up like a princess whenever she gets the chance...she takes dance every Tuesday evening...her favorite color is PINK...she sings along with Hannah Montana just as loud as all of the other girls...BUT she totally rocks the T-ball field! She swings a bat as powerful as any boy; she takes the bases as fast as she can, and she gets down and dirty with the rest of the team!
This evening, I had the honor of attending MEB's last game of the season. Her team completely nailed it with a score of 28-11. I was so proud and touched to see this sweaty, serious side of her. Then, I thought...that is the mystery of GIRLS! We CAN have it both ways! We can do ANYTHING! Today, I am honoring the girly tomboy in ALL of us. Hope you have a GREAT week doing something that you love.
To check out what everyone else is honoring, take a look at other lovely shots at Mother May I?!

P.S. Like Tracey's my shot is borrowed. A team dad / photographer took it, and I am borrowing it since all of the photos that I took this evening were so awful. Maybe one day, I will have a decent camera!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

All About My Man

My friend, Natalie, tagged me for this fun meme...here is the scoop all about MY man!

1. Who is your man? the husband
2. How long have you been together? Together- 19 and 1/2 years; Married- 18 years
(I have known and loved this man since I was 16 years old!)
3. How long dated? 1 and 1/2 years
4. How old is your man? Nine years older than me...(not as scandalous now, as it was when I was 16...) I am 36; he is 45.
5. Who eats more? This is not a nice question...I would love to say he does, and I should be ashamed that I can eat alot...I think it depends on the food and the time. I eat way less up until dinner. He eats larger meals for breakfast and lunch. We eat similar amounts at dinner.
6. Who said "I love you" first? I have no idea....sadly. It was most likely me. We would probably argue about this though...
7. Who is taller? This is an area of sensitivity for my husband (at times). I am short, but he is a tad bit shorter than me. What he lacks in height, he makes up in eaverything else!
8. Who sings better? No contest- the husband sings so beautifully...he is a musician, and I have always LOVED to listen to him sing and play...
9. Who is smarter? This is also an area of difficulty for us; we tend to be competitive at times. I would gladly tell you all that he is smarter, but I would NEVER tell him that.
10. Whose temper is worse? Mine. It's not pretty, and I can not stop it when it is happening...I have a fit, and then all is better. I used to get in the car, and drive to the nearest grocery store, sit in the parking lot, and FUME! I am so much better these days...not had a fit in a while!
11. Who does the laundry? The husband does....all of it, ironing too. He also cleans more than I do. (I am the envy of all of the ladies with whom I work!)
12. Wh0 takes out the garbage? Neither of us; the daughter does that. It is one of her chores. Although both of us have been known to help her out when she is busy or away from home.
13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do.
14. Who pays the bills? The husband. (Gosh, he does it all! I should be more helpful!)
15. Who is beter with the computer? We are about the same with this one...we both manage fairly well.
16. Who mows the lawn? Our yard man, Franklin...(The husband has a rare heart disorder, and since he has a defibrilator, he can not use any kind of yard tool that vibrates.)
17. Who cooks dinner? I do! I do everything related to food- preparing, cooking, baking, grilling, even heating it up!
18. Who drives when you are together? The husband. I hate to drive, so I am always looking for someone else to do that for me.
19. Who pays when you go out? He does. (But all of our money goes into the same account, so it really makes no difference.)
20. Who is most stubborn? The husband. (Although he would certainly disagree. Perhaps, the daughter might win this one!)
21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? I ALWAYS give in, even when I know I am right...I cool off, and just want the disagreement to be over, so I say that I was wrong, or that I am sorry, or that it was all my fault...whatever it takes.
22. Whose parents do you see the most? Mine (The husband's parents have both passed away.)
23. Who kissed who first? I think I remember that we both had a part in that...(really I have no clue. That was YEARS ago!)
24. Who asked who out? We did not "officially" date, like most people do. The husband was supposed to teach me how to play the guitar that I got for my 17th birthday, but that was all a ruse...when we actually went "out", he suggested that we go.
25. Who proposed? Well, I did. But, he asked and aksed and asked...you might remember that I have told the story of being pregnant at 17, and getting married at 19. Well, we did not get married right way...but not because he did not ask. He did (again and again); I just was not ready to be a wife. Suddenly, one summer day, I was and I asked him if he would still marry me. Later at midnight on Christmas Eve, he officially proposed and gave me a ring.
26. Who is more sensitive? Oh, no question, I am!
27. Who has more friends? Hard to say...we both have many.
28. Who has more siblings? I do.
29. Who wears the pants in the family? The husband.
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Is that it?
You missed the most important question!!

30. How did you meet? Oh, no. This is a most embarrassing story. When people hear it, they LOVE it, so I have to tell it often.
I was a junior in high school, dating a boy named Mark. Mark had a friend named Eddie. Mark and I were always having some problem, and when my phone rang one evening, I answered it. The caller said, "May I speak to Angela?" I said, "This is she." (Note: My name is NOT Angela. I just though this voice sounded like Eddie. I imagined Mark asked him to call me and break up with me, and people ALWAYS get my name wrong, so I answer to just about anything...) About 10 minutes into the conversation, I realized (to my horror!) that this was a wrong number. I had NO CLUE who this person was. Finally, I worked up the courage to confess that I thought he had the wrong number. Well, it was not nice-oh, how the caller made fun of me! "Do you always talk people who call wrong numbers? Don't you have anything better to do?...(insert serious sarcasm where appropriate!)" Quickly, I hung up, and was just mortified! I continued with my art history homework, and thought I would have a funny story to tell my friends the next day, once I recovered from the embarrassment!
Well, a few minutes later, the phone rang again. I answered again. It was the same caller- the wrong number! He recognized my voice from before, and explained that he felt bad for making fun of me, and he just wanted to call back to apologize. THAT is how I met my husband. By the way, I mentioned that he was a musician. He was calling Angela, some girl he met at band practice, who gave him her number, but he lost it. He was calling every person in the phone book with her last name...(she and I just happened to share the same last names...) I owe a great deal to Angela Ballard. I have never met her, or seen her, but I am certainly happy that I answered the phone that day! Needless to day, we continued talking for days and weeks, and eventually he came over to my house to be my guitar teacher. My father LOVES to point out to people that I STILL do not know how to play the guitar. :)

So, thanks for reading all about my man! I would like to tag my very best friend in the whole wide world, Sallee! She's got a great man too...let's hear all about him!!

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Lost and Found

Just a note to say that I have been lost for awhile...in the hectic thing I call my life.
The past two weeks have been ridiculously busy, and I am hoping that things will settle down soon! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...the school year is so close to an end, and I am longing for some SERIOUS rest. I have many photos to share and things to tell...for another day.
I am off to dream and snuggle my sweet husband...and a few cats.