World Peace

I'm a lover of all things hypothetical.

Especially a good plan.  A hypothetical plan that is; one that would probably never come to fruition, but the more you talk about it, the more it becomes somewhat believable and turns into a real notion of action.

So, sometimes I have ADD.  I like to blame my son's lack of focus on his dad (aren't all things perfect from me?) ... however the reality is ... i get bored really easily.

Even a 2 hour flight is just too much for me to handle.  I need to be on the move.

So, on the way to our honeymoon, I spent the entire boring flight coming up with a hypothetical plan that I'm pretty sure made Joseph want to run away marry me all over again.

I decided that I have a plan for world peace.

Yes, world peace.

And i'm pretty sure, i can put this into action.  At least that's what I believed during our flight that day.

Grab a drink, maybe a snack, put your work email away and find some rubber rain boots; it's about to get deep.

So, the Middle East struggles financially in some countries; and after being in constant turmoil with other countries, I can undersatnd why.

..But can't we all get along?

So, I'm going to travel (yes me, because i am of the highest authority and education to do so) over to the Middle East and hold a conference about how to get to the "world peace" spot. 

Many of them may not believe in Jesus, and that's fine... but I'm going to have a little "come to Jesus Allah" talk with them nonetheless.

I think we can promote world peace by increasing historical awareness in the middle east and promoting tourism.

Yes tourism.

Aren't you all itching to go tour the middle east, specifically Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, etc? 
 
Well, you should be.

I mean, you can visit ancient cities that have biblical connection, see the hole where Saddam was found, take a tour of Osama bin Laden's compound, enjoy the heat without fear of a shark attack in the ocean.

Yes, I just said that.

The opportunities are endless.

All of the palaces and castles or homes or whatever that rich leaders lived in can be converted into hotels.

I know you want to stay at the Hotel D'Hussein.

And seriously, aren't you dying to have your passport stamped "baghdad"?!

admit it.

So, here's where the plan really comes close to home, literally.

Indy has a nice new airport with a customs area downstairs.  We are fully equipped to maximize the title of Indianapolis International Airport.

(Yes, I'm about to 'go there')...

With maximization comes jobs.  I mean, I could hire about 5 people to 'man' the customs counter starting out.  Granted, after my plan takes off, i'd be hiring hundreds of TSA officials to handle the influx of travelers through IND, however for now, this will create some jobs. 

We will offer a direct flight from Indy to Baghdad.

I know you are all extremely excited to hop on this flight to Baghdad.   Doesn't that flight just literally sound "badass".

Kinda like, "oh, i'll be landing in LAX".  I just love the sound of that. 

..now you can say "I should land in Baghdad around 1pm local time".

On the returning flight from Baghdad to Indy, you'll be given a free shirt that simply says "Baghdaddy".

Why?  I don't know, i just think we need a group of people walking around our country wearing shirts that say 'baghdaddy'. 

Maybe not.

So, anyway - how will this promote world peace?

Well, all these anxious travelers will pass through Indy and connect for their flight to Baghdad and be prepared to spend money, sport happy faces the entire time they are touring this area and spend money in the Middle East. 

And because I know my come to allah/Jesus talk will be effective, there will be no more anger/angst/hate toward the US and they will use all of our money from tourism to line the streets with flowers and trees.

Ok, maybe those things won't grow in the desert, but still.

Long story short, this is my plan. 

Although I know you want to steal the plan, you cannot.  You can only join in and help me promote world peace.

...kinda.

Security Detail

When I was younger, I dreamed of a huge wedding with 8 bridesmaids and all the tiny details that would make my special day absolutely perfect.

Fast forward a couple of decades and I found myself wanting something very simple but elegant, personal  but not over-the-top.  Funny how time changes people.  I wanted to be surrounded by our closest friends and family and make the day memorable  but not so crazy that I couldn't remember anything.


I had to make the hard decision early on that we would not have a wedding party.  And honestly, I don't regret that decision.

There's no way I could've chosen between all of my dearest friends, who I would want standing up with me on my big day.  And luckily, everyone understood.  Despite the fact that I didn't have an official wedding party, the 80's Ladies most certainly jumped in and made my day so special, that I am beyond the resources to adequately thank them.

The night before the wedding, several of the ladies came to rehearsal and helped me decorate and get everything in order.  After we left the country club, we headed to eat at Olive Garden and then to Kohls because Allison and Lindsey decided that, since they had been given the extremely important job of opening the doors for the bride... they should coordinate and wear black dresses.

Thank Goodness for the small details.

So, we walked around kohls with Bekah, like the role models she doesn't need in her life at 32 years old acting like teenagers...

Lindsey and Allison obtained matching black dresses and we were on our way to my house for our sleep over.

The next morning, we ate breakfast and arrived to the country club at about 9:30 am to begin the festivities.   Lindsey, Allison and my wife knew that I was NOT wanting anyone to see me prior to the wedding, so they quickly became my "security detail". 

...and what a marvelous job they did :)

Jenny came with lunch sandwiches and her daughter to play with Bekah while we all got ready, which was so nice. 

As the day quickly progressed, I got dressed, took some pictures and got ready to walk down the aisle and make it official!

We laughed throughout the day that, "Security Detail" will be the new 'bridesmaids" at weddings because honestly, it's awesome and a lot less stress for the entire wedding party. 

Well, at least I think so.

Many times throughout the morning and early afternoon, in the locker room of the country club, I looked around, overwhelmed by the amount of support my friends were showing me.   My goodness, what did I do to deserve such great people?

There was a time in my life when my high school friends were off doing their own thing, finishing school, moving on with their lives, while I was busy being a mother.  At some point, we all reconnected and I am BEYOND thankful that they were all there for my wedding day.  Had I gotten married years earlier, the experience I shared with these dear ladies would've have happened, and so, for all the years i waited impatiently... I am humbled.  And honored to have had the opportunity to share my day with the 80's Ladies.


*****
 
I heard Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me"  from the kitchen, where I was waiting for my queue to enter the holding room.  I knew our Mothers were on their way down the aisle when that began to play. 

Shortly after, Canon in D started to play, and our children, one by one, walked to their seats in the front row of the room.

The doors shut behind Bekah and there I stood....
...on the other side of a set of mirrored glass doors, staring at a woman with curled brown hair, a cream dress, diamond headband and veil.

It was the day she'd dreamed of since she was a little girl.  The day that, for many years she thought would never come.

... the music began to escalate tempo, the high point of the song came...

... the doors opened ...

and there at the end of the aisle, stood my 'dream come true'.

Everything I'd ever wanted my entire life was for someone to love me forever; and there he was. 

My world stopped spinning. 

Or maybe it was spinning faster.

All I know is that, in that moment, it was he and I ... until the end of time.


...and finally, my prayers were answered.

The Best Gift

It's been 9 months since I had a chance to sit and talk with my Grandma.  And although I've gotten better about dealing with it, it still isn't easy.

My birthday was hard.  The week leading up to it, I was really struggling, anticipating my birthday and thinking back on how my mom, just 32 years prior spent that week at home with her mom, my grandma, preparing for my birth.

I can only imagine how my Grandma felt that week, "being there" for my young mom waiting for her to give birth to a child that wasn't planned and didn't really "have" a dad.

Then, I guess a big storm came, trees were down everywhere, lightening, thunder, and my mom and Grandma driving to the hospital in the wee-hours of the morning on August 12th as I made my way into this world.  If you would've heard my Grandma tell the story, you'd realize how much she loved me even before I was born, and despite the circumstances.  I am so thankful that she was there for my mom during that time; and supported her no matter what.

Through that situation, my Grandma's first grandchild was born, and what would turn out to be her only granddaughter.  A little girl that inherited her olive skin tone, green eyes, sometimes crazy attitude and love of all things creative.

So, realizing that I wouldn't get a birthday card from her this year was really hard.

And I hadn't said anything to anyone about it, because quite frankly let's be honest... it's been almost a year, I should probably be over it by now.

***

Rewind to just after Spring Break.

I like  to keep my Grandma's grave "decorated" because I know that's what she would love.  She'd tell me that I don't have to do it, I have a family to take care of ,etc etc.  But then, when I show up with something new she'd say "oh Ginnnn-nnny... that's purrrrdy!"

So, I do it.

I'd taken some flowers out there for Mother's Day, and found a nice little blue (her birthstone) solar ball to hang from the Shepherd's hook and a nice solar cardinal bird to stick in the ground.  She loved birds, so on her funeral stuff, we had cardinals.  Sometimes, I see a cardinal in the backyard and i swear it's her.

About 2 weeks after I took the solar stuff out there, someone stole it. 

I was so upset.

I decided I wasn't going to take another one out there because it was kinda pricey, and ... judging by the fact that my Grandma KNEW who did it... I'm pretty sure she'll take care of getting even.

Although on second thought, everything is roses and rainbows in heaven, so maybe she won't.

But either way, Grandma knew who did that.

So, I just let it go.  I drove around the houses nearby where the cemetary is and didn't see it, so that was the end of the solar ball.

Fast forward to my birthday gift from Joe.

Apparently, he'd been struggling with what to get me, despite my direction for him to not purchase me anything.  We'd driven separately to dinner, so when I got back home, on the fireplace was a blue gazing solar ball and a little red cardinal.

Fighting back the tears was impossible.  I tried, and gave up.

What a thoughtful thing for him to get me.  He told me we could find a special place in the yard to put the stuff that would remind me of my Grandma, and I wouldn't have to worry about it getting stolen.

Despite the fact that we had a rough week last week... and will undoubtedly have rough weeks in the future, that simple birthday gesture made me realize how much he does care about me.  Although he didn't know how much i was struggling with not having my Grandma for my birthday this year, he knows how much I miss her and was so thankful for his gift. 

What a special first birthday without her here.

My Birthday Weekend

I had a fantastic birthday weekend... complete with some really creative gifts, relaxation and fun.

Friday night, Joseph took me out to dinner at Benihana, which was super yummy!  They sang me a birthday song and then required me to stand up and dance while they sang the Japanese Happy Song.    After that, they took a fun picture of us and brought it back framed for us to take home!  It was actually a decent picture, so that was great!

After dinner, we walked around Keystone mall to burn off some of the calories from the plethora of food we had consumed prior.

Saturday, my mom wanted to take me out for a few hours, which was a really nice opportunity to hang out with my mom, just the two of us.  We got a manicure, pedicure then went to lunch.  We had a really nice time together.  I should probably make a mental note to do that more often.

Saturday afternoon, Joe and I decided to run around to some more Goodwill's looking for some last minute candle stick holders.  We scored a total of 6 from 2 local Goodwill's.  We also bought some spray paint so I could see what they would look like.  

Other than the fact that all of my candleholders look similar to that of a shrine in the garage, I'm getting super excited about it!  They look great, and I think they will be a really nice piece of decor at the wedding.  

As we were driving around shopping, we decided to stop at this random store called Garden Ridge in Noblesville.  If you're my friend on facebook, you will already know that I have no idea how i lived without that store.  

No idea.

I don't like the "unknown" so i had a really hard time processing what this store was.  But the deeper I got within the store, the more excited I became.  It was just the coolest place!

And... as a HUGE win, i found the metal birdcage decoration I'd been searching for over the last month or so!  And it was only $15!  SCORE!!!

Sunday, we got up early and headed to church.  After church, we came home, did some house/yard work and then went to pick up the kids.  It was a really, really nice birthday weekend.

The Consultant... The Lawyer... The Mom... The Lost Girl

I've reached a point in my educational "career" where I have to decide what I want to be when I grow up.  


When I went back to school, i started with a General Studies program so I could get most of my core classes out of the way and not have to commit to anything.  


Then, I finished that.


So, I decided to get a Business Foundations Certificate (another piece of wallpaper).  And this December, I will have finished that too.


I seriously need to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.


I've tossed around all kinds of ideas for my future career.  I've asked myself the standard questions:


What do I enjoy?


Well, I enjoy working independently, I enjoy leading projects to completion, I enjoy seeing results. 

I enjoy working with people, Lean Six Sigma concepts applied to anything as well as the ever changing medical field.


I enjoy criminal law, marketing and helping others.


I don't want a business degree, because i feel like everyone has one.


I'd love to be a lawyer, but i don't want to take another 120 ish credit hours and then lose a case.  oh, that would kill my pride.


I'd love to be an OB/GYN as I love the medical field and helping people, however.. again - I'm not interested in being in school for the next 40 years either.


Seriously, I have to decide!!!


I have another blog I'm going to write sometime about the JCPenney pricing structure and why I think they should've consulted me.


Which makes me think... maybe I should be an independent consultant.


But how do you do that?



Bah humbug.  Any suggestions?

100 Days

In 100 days, I will marry the man that changed the scope of my life.


...opened up my heart.
...gave me hope.
...and happiness.
...and made my dreams come true.


And for that, I will forever be grateful.


As a Project Manager in my day-job, I deal with alot of 'scoping'.  Asking people, "what's in scope for this project?"  "What is out of scope?"


If you would've asked me what was "in scope" for my life 18 months ago, I would've told you that I just wanted to be happy.  Just raise my kids, keep my job, finish my degree, live in the house I bought and just generally do the day-to-day stuff to keep going.


While I'd always dreamed of being married one day, at that time, it was completely 'out of scope'.




Time sure changes everything.


Here I am, 100 days from one of the best things that will happen in my life and I can barely believe it.


The closer it gets, the more planning I do, and the more real it seems.


I often think back to the first time I re-connected with Joe.  The first time I stepped out of my little Chevy Cobalt last summer to meet him for dinner at B-dubbs.  


I had spent a decade dating different people here and there but just knowing in the bottom of my heart that it wasn't meant to be.  That was not the "last stop" for me.  I wasn't sure what or whom I was searching for, but I knew the search was not over.


Until that night.  The minute I got out of the car and saw him I just knew.


...he is the reason I've spent a decade alone.


We needed a decade to go on with our lives, have our children, grow up, get established...


...and then reconnect.  


Time sure changes everything.


Here we are, months later, preparing for a day that I thought would never come; sharing it with a man that I never dreamed I'd ever have back in my life; and having the honor of some of the greatest friends in the world supporting me on this journey.


I look around at this house we have together; and it's more than just neutral colored walls with a combination of furniture from each of our past lives.


It's home.


It's a place where children laugh.
...and cry.


It's a place where we make memories as a new family.


It's a place where I take on a new role that I've never had before... a wife.
...and getting that title soon, means the world to me.


It's the place where our children will be picked up for their first dates.
... and park their first cars.


It's the place where we share secrets...
...and hopes.
...and fears.


It's home.


and I am so, so thankful to be here.

The Color Yellow

When we first bought our house, it was perfect for us, but it was "dated".  And by "dated" i mean it looked like many of our parents houses, probably could use some decorating love and updates. 

So, we began to peel more wallpaper than I ever want to admit to, hired a painter who FINALLY this past weekend got it all done, and I couldn't be more thrilled.  I need to take before and after pictures to post together sometime bceause I think it has really changed since we first made the purchase. 

It's "ours" and i'm extremely happy for that.

In the meantime, since I had chosen all of the other colors for the house, Joe suggested that we do a contrast color on the peak walls in the kitchen.  I agreed, and we decided on a golden yellow.

After the painter left last weekend, I was very unsure about it.

Unsure to the point where, I was deciding whether i wanted to have it repainted a different more neutral color.  I went shopping for some above-the-cabinet decorations and hung them all up there the minute I got home.

Slowly but surely it's growing on me.   The decorations make it look better, but i'm still not 100% sold on it.

However, I'm exercising compromise and deciding that... if Joe likes the kitchen the color it is... then that's how it shall be! 

Oh, and if someone else comments on how crazy it looks ...

... i can blame him :)

Fern Shirt

I think we all have some things in our lives that are our beloved "favorite". 

Perhaps that extends to favorite towel, favorite socks, favorite curling iron, etc.   For this future husband of mine, he has a favorite shirt.

Well, he has a few of them.

Some are tolerable and others are ... well... downright pathetic.

He has a PHHS Cross Country t-shirt that is literally hanging on by a thread.  I tolerate this shirt because it's mostly worn as an undershirt, and for the most part, is considered a lounging t-shirt. 

Not a bad shirt, but it has definitely seen its better days.

Then,

...there's Fern Shirt.

Yes, you read it  right.

Fern Shirt.

This shirt is so "special", it has its own name.

If you saw him on the street wearing "Fern Shirt", you probably wouldn't think much about it.  However..

Fern Shirt is about a decade old.  Give me a break.  Go buy some new clothes (more on this later).

He wears Fern Shirt (which is maroon with green and khaki ferns) like it's his best friend.

It's always hanging in the bathroom...

...ready to wear!  I'm not even sure the last time i even pretended to wash the nasty thing. 

But he still wears it.

And normally, he'll wear it with these obnoxious bright NON-MATCHING shorts that just further substantiate the reason that Fern Shirt MUST GO!


So, the other night, we had a coupon to Kohls for 30% off... we decided to use it as an opportunity to get his suit that he will wear in our wedding.   While we were there, he decided to hit the clearance racks.

And i don't blame him.

...i was SO excited that he was buying new shirts.  This would mean that perhaps if Fern Shirt "disappeared" he wouldn't miss it so much.

So, i pick out his suit and he comes walking back to the cart with 3 or 4 new shirts in tow. 

He proudly shows me what he found...

much to my chagrin, he had searched through the discounted items and found not one, not two but THREE new Fern Shirts.

WHO NEEDS THREE FERN SHIRTS?!

One of them, in a size XXL (which he is NOT)... just because he liked it SO MUCH.

Now, lady readers... I do not care how much i like a shirt (or in this case a pattern of fabric on a shirt) ... i will never purchase a 24W in the Women's department because i like it so much.

So, now we are the owners of a total of FOUR Fern Shirts. 

Chances are, if you see us out in public, you'll recognize me with the man wearing (one of)the Fern Shirts.

Mother's Day

I just celebrated what was technically my 12th Mother's Day - counting the one when Chas was in utero.


Aside from just generally being thankful that I am a Mother to my children each and every year, this was by far, the best Mother's Day I've had.  It wasn't anything overly special, it was just that Joe put a great deal of effort into making sure I had a good day.


Sunday morning, I had to teach at church all morning, so I packed up all 3 kids and went to church while Joe ran to the other house to get the lawn mower loaded and spent all morning while I was at church mowing my yard.


I was so thankful.


Keeping up with two yards has been very challenging; and the yard was looking terrible.  I feel horrible when my old yard looks bad because the neighbors were already upset that I'm moving, let alone leaving the yard in disarray.


So, I was beyond thankful when I got back to the "old house" and saw how absolutely beautiful the yard was.


We had been test driving a bigger car that weekend, so after we got back from church he returned the car to the dealership in Indianapolis while I cleaned up the 'new' house before we hosted a family gathering that evening for Mother's Day.


Joe went to the store and got Filet steaks for the 3 moms and chicken for the guys.  It was so nice.  Our moms brought other food and it was very nice to get together and enjoy dinner with eachother.  My Grandpa was able to come too - which is always a treat.


...but I sure missed my Grandma this year.


We took flowers to the cemetery earlier in the day and stood there and cried.  At times, it still doesn't seem real that she's not here.  I know time will help the memories make up for the loss that I feel, but the holidays are so, so hard.


I was able to keep the tears hidden for much of the rest of the day and by night, was ready for bed.


I am so thankful for a guy that reminds my kids that it's Mother's Day and they should treat me well, all day (and every day).

Directions

My grandpa was a semi-truck driver for his entire life.  Even after he retired, he drove a little delivery truck around for a small company "just to keep busy."


My mom was determined to raise me with the same directional wisdom that her father had passed down to her, often taking me on drives in the country, telling me to watch the country road signs and guess where we'd end up.  We spent a lot of time "cruising", as she would call it, around different areas, traveling via Atlas and CB radio to out of state destinations and teaching me everything she knew about the roads.  She never wanted me to end up stranded and lost.  Ever.


With the exception of getting 'pseudo-lost' in a few suburban neighborhoods that all look alike, I've never really gotten lost anywhere that it "counts".  I've never been scared of how I was going to get home from a certain location nor anxious about driving anywhere.  I just typically get in the car...


..and go.


But this weekend, proved to be not only amusing, but also humbling and slightly embarrassing.


It was like any other Friday night without kids, Joe and I were hanging out, when at about 11:00 pm, I decided that I was hungry for "Stinney's Pizza".  I'd had it a couple of times before and remembered that it was a bit different than "the norm" and knew of a few people that absolutely love it.


So, I looked up the number via Google search and called.


I still haven't decided if my life changed for the better or worse after that initial call, but it provided many "omg-i'm about to pee my pants-kind of laughs".






....


"Stinney's Pizza... this is Stinney"


-Are you guys still open?


"Well, it depends on how much money you're going to spend."


-Well, I just want like, a small or medium pizza. 


"Ok, well I can open back up and make it for ya!"






(While I should've taken it as some sort of divine intervention... the phone lost signal and I had to call back.  After 2 attempts at calling back and having a conversation about this pizza, I made Joe go get the home phone so I could call from a land line.)


This time a young girl answered.


"Hello"


- I just called about the pizza and I was wondering how much a small sausage pizza is.


(Hearing "stinney" in the background...) "A small is $13.95"


-ok, how many pieces are in a small?


(Again, hearing the slurred speech of "Stinney" in the background) - "well, how many pieces do you want?  I can make 2 pieces, 10 pieces, I'll cut it however you want it!"


-Alright, I'll take a medium sausage pizza.


"Ok, we'll have that ready in about 20 minutes"






.....


Perfect!  We jump in the truck and head to Markleville.  The beautiful Metropolis of Markle-tucky as some would call it.


Once we arrive on the "stip" in Markleville, I realize... I have no idea where Stinney's Pizza is.


So, we "drive around" Markleville for about 20 seconds, get to just past Vail's parents house and realize that it's probably not "This far out" in the country.


What am I to do, but call "Stinney" back and ask him where the pizza place is located.


i'm pretty sure they were dying laughing at this point, because it's about 11:25 and we're LOST in MARKLEVILLE.  


They tell me it's on Cottage avenue, in a little while garagte.  So we drive around looking for Cottage Ave.  I'll spare you the details, but let me just tell you that we finally found the "white garage" on Cottage Ave and Joe was a bit scared to walk in.


I don't even remember what kind of awesome outfit I was wearing, but I will go ahead and tell you that he was wearing "Fern Shirt" and plaid shorts.  It's not a pretty sight.  In fact, "Fern Shirt" deserves its own blog entry. 


But for now, understand, that we looked like people that would...


...get lost in Markleville.


As we were leaving with our pizza, laughing with the obviously intoxicated and infamous "stinney", he hands Joe a beer to drink.  I told JOe he was NOT taking the beer in the truck, as there are open container laws and I am SURE not getting arrested in Markleville.


"STinney authoritatively told us that he is the "ex-mayor" of Markleville and taking the open beer in the truck was not a problem.


We drove away laughing, and quickly looking for a trash can to ditch the can of beer before we were thrown in the slammer without tasting the pizza that we were longing for.


We ended up really liking the pizza, and will definitely be back - and this time we'll know how to get there.

Coaching

As you may know, my dear daughter asked me repeatedly until I said yes to coach her softball team.  I obliged, because there was another coach that would be helping me and I figured between the other coach, Joe and myself, we could inspire a team of little girls to hit a softball, right?


Admittedly, I was a bit nervous.  I knew I could handle the  business aspect (ordering shirts, cute socks, coordinating practices, etc) - but it was the skill I was a bit nervous about. Thankfully, none of us really "knew what we were doing" so to speak, so the pressure hasn't been so bad.  ...and I'm actually enjoying it!  Not sure that I'm enjoying it enough to coach for the next 10 years of her life, however.. it hasn't been too bad.  


Last night at practice, I was determined to learn how to pitch.  It can't be that hard, right?  


Wrong.


It was nerve wracking, and i'm not sure who was more excited when the girls hit the ball I pitched; me or them!  I was excited that I pitched a ball good enough for them to hit and they were excited to hit the ball.


Admittedly, there were a couple of balls that were hit low.  


Low as in... "Is this softball or golf?" 


But hey - they hit it, right :)


Either way, I just love little kids.  Whether it's leading a girl scout troop, or...


...coaching a softball game...


I love being involved with my kids activities and hopefully being a faint part of some little girls memories some day.


I am equally as thankful that Joe is willing to help me coach my girl's team.  It's fun to do that together and it makes me feel good that he loves me enough to help with my kids.


Although when he showed up at practice last night wearing a black mullet wig and his Cross Country T-Shirt from 1995... I was questioning his sanity.


But at least Mullet Man showed up to help, right!?

Girlfriends

There is no doubt about it... I have some of the best girlfriends ever.


This isn't anything necessarily 'new', but I was looking at some pictures posted yesterday of all of us "80's Ladies" on facebook and it just reminded me how thankful I am for these ladies.


Here is a list of the top ___ reasons why I love being an 80's Lady:


1.) With a name like "80's Ladies" who wouldn't want to be one?


2.) No matter where we are in our lives, there is no judgement, no negative talks about eachother, just pure friendship.  And I appreciate that.


3.) We are so resourceful; with each person in a different segment of the world (both professionally and personally), I could reach out to virtually any of them for any kind of help I need.


4.) We know where we stand.  We don't need to get on facebook every other day and proclaim how much we love eachother.  We just know.


5.) Creating a "stupid" picture every time we are together is both disturbing and amusing.  I used to think being in your "30's" was old.  Now I realize, it's a matter of perspective.  At times, I'm mature... but get a group of 80's Ladies together and start posing for pictures... it quickly goes downhill.




I love getting together with the ladies when our schedules work out, eating some yummy food, laughing about things that probably aren't very funny and making new memories.  


How many people in this world can say that they still have good relationships with their girlfriends from high school?

Finish What You Start

Seasoned Parent [noun, perhaps a proper noun (?): having been through many years of parenting trials and tribulations causing, at times, hair pulling and graying effects.]


Before I became a more "seasoned" parent, I used to think that a child's achievements and behavior were a clear indication of a parent's due diligence.


When Chas was a baby, although he didn't walk until his very first birthday, I was just sure he was going to be the smartest kid in the world.  He was very interactive, knew a lot at an early age, held full conversations, etc etc.  He went to Kindergarten at the top of the class, did a great job at everything he tried - excelled in sports, earned awards at school for his academic achievements, spouted off random facts about anything, asked for his "dream" vacation to our Nation's Capital, etc.  He was my first child, and i'm pretty sure he was almost perfect.

Bek however, walked at 9 months old, fully potty trained by the time she was 2, had to attend speech therapy because she wouldn't talk; only grunt... and within 6 months, talked so much I couldn't get her to stop!  Now she whines like it's her job, is scared of her own shadow and can't do much without me by her side.  She does well in school, enjoys hanging out with friends and is overall, pretty normal.


But then they started growing up and developing their personalities.  Bekah is a people-pleaser.  And that scares me to DEATH.  Always trying to make people happy.


Chaston is a leader.  Knows everything, has a comment for everything, tries to be funny and always finishes what he starts.


Well, except for picking up after himself.  Although, in his defense, he never 'tries' to pick up after himself, so he never really starts the process either.  HA.


Last week, he certainly finished what he started and it almost lead me to start calling around to see if they offer adoption for pre-teens, because he might need a different set of parents.  (JK, i love him).


I got a call from the school that started with, "Hi, this is Mr. So-and-So and I want to start off by saying that Chas is ok".


My first thought was... "I can tell by the tone of this conversation that he may be "ok" right now.. but after school... I"m gonna kill him!"


The assistant principal went on to tell me that Chas was involved in a fight in school and suspension was involved.


&^*#$&*@(!&#*@(&$*@(  


MY KID!?


Suspended?!!?


What will people think?
What the HELL was he thinking?
I'm going to beat him!
What have I done wrong!?


After I took a few deep breaths and calmed down, he told me the story.  Which didn't make it any better, but did make me at least feel like he wasn't walking around bullying people.


So, apparently this other student called Chas a name.  So, in a normal almost 12 year old boy fashion, he went ahead and called the kid a name back.


So it was over.


Then, they all started to play football at recess and the same kid tripped Chas.


So, Chas had it at that point, he got up and ran over and pushed the kid down.  Apparently there wasn't any punching, but a teacher had to break the two boys up and they went to the office.  


Chas received 1 day of in-school suspension and the other kid got 2 days for starting the fight, both times.


But seriously.


My son is lucky that I had time to cool down between the phone call and him coming home.  And because I"m not exactly a parenting pro, I wasn't quite sure how to handle it.  I decided I was not going to lay into him screaming like a fool.


He knew he messed up.
He was getting punished at school.


...and solving his violent act with my own violence probably woudln't set a very good example.


So, we handled it the best we could at home; Joe and I tried talking to him about self-control and being the bigger person.  Not always having to get people back and make them "pay".  I also touched on the long-term affects of quick-thinking decisions that cause bodily harm... it can take you down a road you don't want to go.


...and i might have mentioned that if he's in prison for battery, i"m not putting money on his commissary.


Probably a little harsh, but seriously.


SO, the next morning, I dropped him off at school and told him (cheerily) to have a GREAT day!!!!!


...sitting in the office next to the kid that he got in trouble with.


Ugh.


Parenting is tough.


Our kids start out as these perfect little babies.  Then they grow into independent toddlers.  Then cute elementary school kiddos with a slight attitude and innocence that is beyond charming.


...and then...


puberty begins.


They start to smell.


They know more than you.


They make immature decisions and you can only get through their heads on a good day.


And they smell.... even more than the first time I told you.




I fell in love with that boy almost 12 years ago.  And, if I weren't his mother, loving him would be difficult, but somehow through the messes that he leaves in his path, the smart mouth, the friggen in-school suspension, the weird actions and large furry head of hair.... I still love that boy.  Those brown eyes and cute grin still melts my heart... 


... on a good day.

Associates

I know that an Associates Degree from IUPUI is nothing fancy, but to me, it's a milestone that I am SO thankful to say that I"ve finally earned.  Finally.


Last night I completed my last exam for the grueling 12 credit hours I've been working on this semester.  


And it felt so good.


So, now I just have to wait for my degree/piece of paper to be "certified" and I can go pick it up.  I've scheduled my summer session(s) classes and fall - and by December I will have my Business Foundations Certificate as well.


Since i'm not 100% sure what I want to major in, I wanted to at least complete those two milestones so I can have some sort of "completed education" listed on my resume in the future, should I ever need it.


In other news, this weekend my girl had her first Softball game, and looked SO CUTE!  I just love little softball girl uniforms!  She talked me into coaching her team this year, thankfully there's another dad that is coaching and then Joe is also helping me, so it's been pretty fun!  It's a lot of time commitment, but I do really like little kids, so I am enjoying it.  And I know it makes Bek feel good that I"m involved.


I've been doing more and more work at the new house.  Waiting to finish up all the painting and get my stuff moved in.  At first, the thought of moving/selling my house made me really sad, but now that I am getting a taste of life with my 'new' blended family - I have no second thoughts.  I am ready.


Today, I"m working from my little office in the upstairs of the new house, which is really nice.  I can shut the door, get away from the rest of the house and not go back in the room until I am ready to work again.


Taking care of a family of 5 isn't so bad.  The kids are playing together really well and I think overall, the transition is going smoothly.  I've tried to be overly cognizant of the effect this type of blending will have on my kids, so i'm taking it one step at a time.  There's a lot of laundry, and a lot of dishes and picking up and quite a few capri suns that we are going through, but things are going well.  And I am so thankful.


I'm going to Las Vegas for a few days later this month to photograph one of my childhood friend's weddings.  I"m super excited for the time away for a few days, but also eager to get back and get serious about moving this crazy house!  


Once I get moved... it's back to wedding planning!

Not A Second to Lose

I'm not sure what I was thinking when I set out in December and registered for 12 credit hours at school. 


Well, I know what i was thinking... my Associates Degree is literally within reach, so why not just finish it up right now?


I won't say it was a 'bad' idea, because I'm extremely thankful that I did, however... it was certainly a challenging decision to say the least.  I had no idea when I registered for classes that I would be getting engaged, buying a new home and everything else.  I think I'll save my current commitments for another blog post.  It should be a doosie.


Anyway - I know that an Associates Degree is just a piece of paper, and I'm really excited about finishing my Bachelors, however... it feels really good to meet one of my milestones that I created.


I always said that, when my kids are both in school, I'll go back to finish my degree.  And I did.  At the time, I set my major to a program that offered an Associates Degree because i was worried if I didn't set a some-what tangible goal, I'd get burnt out really quickly.  So, here I am... getting ready to complete my 78th credit hour toward my Bachelor's Degree and meeting all the requirements of the Associates that I pushed myself to get a couple of years ago.  


These last 2 weeks of school are absolutely killing me.  Mainly because I know that it's almost over... the last 14 weeks of my life have been nothing but juggling my day-to-day stuff along with 4 classes of homework, lectures that put me to sleep, sitting in bed at night with the computer overheating on my lap and analyzing philosophical works using different types of logic and argument forms.  It's enough to send me over the edge!


However... I'm almost there.  That's what I keep telling myself.  And i'm sure, after taking 12 credit hours this semester (which I have promised myself I will never do again) anything else I take will be no biggie, right?  If I am able to keep up the momentum I have now on staying enrolled in 6-9 credits each semester (including summer) - i should finish this Bachelor's up in about a year and a half.  


I'm hopeful.


I can assure you though, after this semester I will:


-Not care one bit more about Indiana Geology or caves.  I will never think twice about bedrock, sedimentary rock, caves, sinkholes, limestone, coal, etc.  Indiana Geology has killed me this semester and I fully intend on NEVER practicing ANY of what I have "learned".


-I will be able to effectively pose arguments using antecedents and forming hypothesis and theories in valid form.  I will also try not to commit formal fallacies when structuring any type of argument or deduction in my future.  Taking a logic class this semester was awesome - it challenged my brain in a different way, and I am going to be amazing at arguing.  HA!


-I will NEVER apply for a job where using HTML is a requirement.  I really thought I would enjoy the web design class - and it is possible that I have not gotten what I wanted to out of it because of the commitments required for some of my other classes, but I am so frustrated with HTML, that it disappoints me.  I really wanted to learn that.


-I will view people and societies differently as a result of taking Anthropology.  I have thoroughly enjoyed this class as it has taught me a great deal about other cultural norms and how many, many people are extremely ethnocentric.  It's opened my eyes to trying to help my kids understand other places in the world and how, just because we do it one way, doesn't mean we do it the RIGHT way.


Is it April 28th yet?

Spring Break

This year for Spring Break, I was really looking forward to taking the kids back to Panama City Beach, as the last time we went, it was absolutely gorgeous, there's a ton of things to do, the beaches are just powder perfect and the water is a nice shade of emerald.  


Exactly what I'd expect out of a March getaway.


This year, it was extra awesome because The Joey and his little boy traveled with us.


Admittedly, I was a bit nervous to spend a whole week, uninterrupted together as a family.  I knew it was necessary as we will be blending families soon, but I was still just a tad anxious about it overall.


We went with 2 other families with children, so it was nice that our kids weren't cooped up on top of each other the whole time, and i think Joe and I did a good job of making sure all of the kids had individual time with us and so on.  Overall, the 3 of our kids did a really good job of  getting along.


We arrived early Saturday morning after driving all night Friday night.  Joe and the kids headed to the beach to check it out while I got us checked in.  We spent the day playing it low-key as the adults were tired and the kids were ready to go from sleeping all night!!


Sunday, we had another low-key day, exploring the area (as Joe and Dylan had never been) via Limo Golf-Cart, which unlike last time, did not break a wheel off during our drive.  Thank goodness!!


Monday, we headed to Ripley's Believe it or Not and Wonder Works, which are really cool buildings at the end of the strip in PCB.   Ripley's looks like the Titanic crashed in the middle of the street, and then across from it, the Wonder Works building is build literally upside down like the White House!  It's really a sight to see!  The kids declared that those two places were their favorite part of the trip until...


Tuesday when we headed out on the Pirate Ship.  Despite the fact that it's pretty pricey, it is a ton of fun.  The kids are fully occupied for nearly 2 hours, while the parents watch and enjoy the music and a nice 2 hour Gulf Cruise!


After the pirate ship, the kids declared that THAT was the best part of the trip.


Wednesday, I believe we took it easy and played by the beach and pool most of the day so we could prepare for a fun day on Shell Island the next day.


So, we got up and ready and headed to St. Andrews State Park where we boarded the little shuttle that took us to Shell Island.  We took a cooler bag with sandwiches and drinks and enjoyed a fun picnic on the beach!  On the way there, we passed about 4 dolphins swimming beside the boat.  One kept flapping its tail and splashing water on us! It was the cutest thing!  The kids really enjoyed exploring shell island and thanks to Joe and another friend that went, we were able to get real sand dollars out of the ocean for the kids.  They were THRILLED.


Wednesday night, the kids met some friends in our hotel and proceeded to hang out and "party" with them every night.  I remember being that age and thinking i was SO COOL... so it was really funny to watch the kids, especially my pre-teen son ... think he was cool.  I mean, he KNOWS he is cool, but to watch him, was a totally separate thing. 


So, each night the kids would all take chairs down to the laundry room area of the hotel (just about 6 doors down from our room, so we could hear them and easily check on them)  and just "hang out" listening to music from ipods, chatting, etc.  It was really, the cutest thing.


All i could think about was the memories they were all making of an evening, thinking they were super cool and independent without parents.


And I felt so thankful to be sharing in that experience/memory making with them.  Joe would take some popcorn down, drinks, cookies, and they'd just hang out until curfew!  


...and that...


...is where my son's first crush was developed.


(wiping tear from 'ol mom's eyes). 


Reaghan.


Sweet Reaghan.


A little girl who was just months older than him, but at least 6 inches taller and ... well... more developed.


Wow.


Although he'd never admit to the crush, a picture of the two of them resides as the "wallpaper" on his ipod. 


I think it's serious, guys.


I wonder if i should tell her that he still sleeps with "blankie and blue bear".


BHAHAH!  


Anyway - the forecast was calling for rain on Friday, so we were trying to get the kids packed and ready to leave Friday during the day.  The kids were NOT having it.  They begged and begged to stay one more night so they could "party".


...we gave in.


So, we started the long trek home on Saturday morning and ... after about 237489237942 bathroom stops, i was ready to pull over, cash out all of my life insurance and pension and invest in an RV with a bathroom on board.  Aside from all of the bathroom breaks, almost crashing somewhere in Alabama or Tennessee and miles and miles of road ahead of us to drive, we had a great time.


I consider Spring Break 2012 a success.