All in a days work

I've only been up for two hours, and in no particular order I have:

made breakfast
packed a lunch
saw people saved by Action Guy
sent off two of my guys for the day
raced a boat
met a rock star
doctored a local "circus guy" after a fall
put away dishes
started the last bit of my final paper


I need a nap already.

My dark secret.

I cheated. It started off so innocent. A little look here or there, or a little stare as I went by. Then one day, I paid to experience how it would be. Oh, yes, I not only cheated, but I dabbled in prostitution. Before I knew it, it consumed my every thought. I even started looking up things online.

I would say I am sorry, but we all really benefited from it. I mean, seriously...we all did. Well, everyone except for my Subaru. I just couldn't help but be tempted. Stow and go seats, better miles per gallon, the Johnny Rottens are farther in the back which means we get to talk without interruptions - which by the way, as much as I love The Weasel doing so well in school, it really s-u-c-k-s that I can't spell things out to J anymore.

Wait a minute! You know I was talking about our new van, right?!? I mean seriously, who could ever cheat on a man like J? Especially because I dislike cheaters - unless you are cheating on your car, then I'll help - I mean...encourage...ah crap. Seriously, people the man wears Carhartt. Need I say more?

Let me clarify that I do feel guilt. Mostly when J parked my Subuie behind the van and made it stare at the new mistress all night. But, oh sweet, baby...*sigh* I'll never go back to a car again..unless J gets me a sweet little BMW Z4 when I get my masters. We'll talk then. ;)

It's Earth Day

Our Earth is a gift to us from God. Take care of it. Please educate yourself about Global Warming. It is not a fad. It is not a political agenda. DO SOMETHING to improve what is given to us, so we can give something even better to the future generations.

Reduce, reuse, recycle. It really is that simple.

Mmmmmm Crow! Yummy!

I have found 5 gray hairs on the right side of my head, and I do believe that if I look closer that I'll find a couple more. So continue to read if you want to see me grovel.


Dear people with gray hair that I know,

You know who you are. I don't have to out you. I'm sorry. I mean I am really, super duper, from the bottom of my cotton pickin, cruel, ignorant, heart - sorry. I've told you that it doesn't matter. I've told you that gray hair doesn't mean you are old. Oh, the shame I feel now for being so inconsiderate of your feelings. It really doesn't mean you...er...we are old. J, it does look inexplicably sexy (sorry folks, but he is) on you. You see, you are a man and it just looks good. On women...well I'm finding not all of us can pull it off.

The madness is actually making me want to scratch down hair dye on my shopping list this morning. To think of all those years in High school and beyond that I spent dying my gray free hair! Precious natural hair color time wasted on vanity...oh crap. I'm getting set in my old ways apparently. Vanity you cruel beast, you.

Please forgive me friends. Please! If it makes you feel any better, in a quest to prove that I am not getting old, I tried to ride J's skateboard last night after he put new trucks and wheels on. Karma did not just bite me in the butt, it bit me all down my right side when I fell. I was standing on the board and then the next thing I knew I was on the ground watching the board sail away. Thankfully, Motrin keeps Karma's claws at bay. Kinda.

xoxo,

Crow lover.

Song time with The Ferret

"Hush little baby don't say a wurd.
Momma's going to buy you a mockinburd
If that mockinburd don't sparkle
Momma's going to buy you a camuuulle.

Is dat how the song goes, Momma? Or somethin' close?"

Need --- Want

Weasel came home with a paper with two wagons on it. On one side under the wagon, was the word want. On the other side, the word need was under the wagon. The teacher had the kids cut out pictures of food, a house, water, toys, candy, and games. The kids then had to place the pictures in the appropriate wagon.



I thought of that picture today as I looked around me. I'm sitting in a house that is warm, has clean water, is safe, and has food in it. I don't have to fear that my children will be shot or find an IED while playing outside. I don't have to pray that we might find the money to bring our child to the doctor if they are sick. I get to sit here and watch the trees blow back and forth with their delicate leaves without worrying if a wave will come with the storm and wash everything we have away. I don't have to worry about a hill coming down and wiping out everything that we have. We take so much for granted. Can we possibly wrap our minds around how it would feel to not have clean air, clean water, or to have extreme danger around us?

I'm so thankful to believe in a loving God. I'm so thankful that we have been blessed with what we have, and that we have the ability to enjoy what is around us.


Are you aware of the blessings? Have you ever thought about what would happen if you were in any of the situations I mentioned? What are your blessings? What are you thankful for?

Story Time with The Ferret

"Once upon a time, a long, long, time ago... There was a bull and a bad guy. The bull wanted the bad guy to ride him. The bad guy didn't want to. Then a wolf came by...well (big breath)...he huffed and puffeded and the brick house didn't fall down. The end."


"Once upon a time, a long, long time ago...There was a bad guy and a good guy. The bad guy hurted the good guy and the good guy slic... (mom raises her eyebrows)...well...the good guy screameded and the bad guy never was seen again. The end."

Family

I have been blessed with a large family on my Father's side. My father comes from a family of 11; he has four sisters and two brothers who are still living. He has lost three brothers. Which means, I have four Aunts and two Uncles who are living and they have been a strong influence on me. All of them have been married for many years and have spouses that I love so much. Their spouses bring my total of Aunts and Uncles to 5 Aunts and 6 Uncles. These 11 people are my living history. They are who I look forward to seeing every summer. They are who held me as a baby, watched with love as I grew, and who hold my children now. I love them more than words could ever explain.

This Saturday, I learned that one of my Uncles is very sick. He is in ICU and is hardly breathing. Grief has begun to hit me in waves. I know that I've come to the age where I have to watch my family leave us. That is a hard, painful thought to wrap my mind and heart around - my soul understands. Uncle Bobby was not a believer for many years. My Aunt Francis went to church regardless and then one day, not too long ago, Uncle Bobby started going with her. So, my soul understands that he'll be okay...actually a lot better than okay. It is just so hard to think though, that I'll most likely never see my Uncle until Heaven.

What a tease.

Shame on you Spring. SHAME. Why must you give us beautiful weather in which we got to wear shorts, and then freeze us out. You are a fickle, mean season. Don't get me wrong, you are beautiful, but seriously, did you *have* to let small hail fall this morning? You made my Johnny Rottens very sad.

Oh, and do you know what happens to my household when two small boys are forced to stay inside? If you did, you would never have made it so cold and dreary. So please, please, please, let there be sunshine on Sunday for J's day. I am begging of you. I even planted flowers to help you look better around here. I'm trying here, lady.

Breaking the cycle.

J and I both came from broken homes. They were broken in many senses. We both dealt with things that no child should have. We both had things to deal with as we got older, yet through it all, we were watched over.

In high school, we did an exercise in which we made a list of what we wanted our future spouses to be like. Years later, God showed me that person. We both were and still are not perfect, but our broken selves fit together. We are breaking the cycle. I am so thankful knowing that our babies are being raised in a home of love, comfort, and safety. I am so thankful that they have a chance to be children. I am so thankful that the boys have J to teach them. I am humbled by God's work in our lives.


As a mother I know that I can only do so much. I know that right now we are setting the foundation for how our boys will be as men. There is a large part of me that is excited to see who they will be and where they will go. There is another part of me that is scared to let my babies go. I know they will feel pain. I know they will feel scared. I know they will feel confused. There is nothing I can do to keep them from those things. All my mommy powers in the world cannot protect them from everything, but God will always be by their side. He will always hold them in the hollow of his hand.

God let his son come to our world knowing that people would hate him. He knew that people would mock and spit on his son. He knew that his son would be put through unimaginable pain for people who refuse to even acknowledge him. People who rather live a life now just as they want instead of living a live forever more beautiful than we can imagine. He knew all of this and let him come to us because of love. He let Jesus come to us because while temporarily losing his one son, he gained all of us. I could not do it. I could not watch my child suffer pain while people mocked him and ignored him for fleeting pleasures. I do know that God understands what my heart feels for our children because He went through so much worse than we ever will as parents. So, as I watch our boys grow in a house that is a home I am forever indebted to God for breaking the cycle.

Pigs

They are deceptively small when laying down in their house.



Then they come out at feeding time and...oh my.

Powerful

The rebirth that the Earth goes through each year never ceases to amaze me. I love finding little flower buds peaking out of the ground, and seeing the animals wake up.

We have a little pond down the road from the house, and the every year Mr. and Mrs. Goose come to have their babies. The Johnny Rottens and I stopped the other day and got to see her sitting on her nest. All of a sudden, two geese landed in the pond and Mrs. Goose started honking like crazy. Mr.Goose came flying over the trees, landed in the pond, chased the intruders off, and then swam right over to her as they honked to each other. It was so sweet to see their love. After the babies are born and ready to move, they will parade them down our road and walk them into our neighbor's backyard.


I'm so glad that they boys are at the age they are at. This summer is going to be great. :D

My estrogen is showing...

I
DO
NOT
KNOW
HOW
TO
PEE
ON
A
TREE.
HELP.



Seriously. How does one teach something like that?