The Good Things!

It was sometime about midnight when the phone rang.   Those who know me don't even bother to call anywhere near that late.  I was in bed.  I was not asleep yet.  The late ringing wasn't a disturbance, I almost smiled as I reached for the phone.  Hoping.

"Hello"
A far-away sounding voice replied, "F-L-O-R-I-D-A-S-T-A-T-E.  Florida State, Florida State, Florida State, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

It seems that I miss her more on game nights, it's not nearly as much fun for me without her laughing and crying and screaming and dancing and pacing.  She'll never know just how much that midnight phone call meant to her momma.  The fact that we beat UM 45 to 17 was just the icing on the cake, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Day that Uncle Chad Found "Papers" in Angela's Make-Up Bag...

And what was he doing in her make-up bag anyways???!!!


(just in case you're wondering, they are Sephora brand blotting papers and her make up bag is exactly where they should be!)

Fifteen....

is beautiful!

Spring Break 2010

This is a single mom's version of a "VACATION" day:
take Jhinel to dentist; while she is getting her cleaning/check-up, Starbucks run - cause I know this one's gonna be "a doozy"; fill up car and check air in the tires; pick up girl from dentist; auto parts store for new windshield wiper blades; Walgreens for passport photos; Dad's for a kiss; county government office so Nel can submit her passport application. THEN wash car; lunch; Jhinel to doctor; post office; me to oncologist; county animal care and control for cat licenses; home to pick up Angela and Alana; Dad and Nancy's for dinner; grocery store so that Nel and Alana can bake a pink cake before Jhinel heads back to college. I can ONLY take so many of these "days off" - LOL!!!


Hoping that you see the blessings in THIS day!

Datenight 01/31/2010

NFL Probowl...... and yes, her man, "Peyton" was there!

Miami - this Sunday!!

I won't need a TV for the NFL Pro-bowl and Angela can wear her Christmas gift as well......

AVKD

Ang and I had the most interesting discussion about the literature of William Shakespeare and evolution of the English language.  Actually she did most of the talking.  The conversation was wonderful.  The fact that it was with MY baaaaaaaabeeeeeeeeeeeee is kinda freaky!

God is Good. 

Happy January!

Yeah, I did something really bizarre for me last week. REALLY. The kinda thing that makes my girls shake their head in bewilderment and say, "who's taken over mom's body cause she would never ever do that!".

I bought a television.

This is unusual on several accounts.
First, I dont particularly care for or watch TV. Yes, I love my news shows, Marlin's baseball and Seminoles football, but even so, I can become a poor steward of time ---fancy way of saying "couch potato".
Secondly, this is the type of purchase that I'm inclined to spend months researching and budgeting in advance. I almost never impulse buy, except at the grocery store.
Finally, I've never, ever, ever bought a television. I actually have a TV that I acquired during a divorce, I wanted the grill, I got the TV (ha!) - We use this for "movie night" to play CD's and DVD's and for the wii system.

So, I still had not found a suitable place to watch the gator bowl. I was considering some local sports bar/restaurants but would rather not take my girls into that environment. So, yesterday I finally decided that I would pick up one of those HD converter boxes for my TV. I ended up walking out with an actual new television. I totally messed up my budget but I can watch Bobby's last game from the comfort of my own living room. It will be so nice to watch a game with Jhinel again, obviously she's home on winter break. This afternoon there will be loud laughter, pacing, lots of screaming and jumping, hopefully not too much nail biting. There will probably be tears as we watch the end of an era.  We will teach a three year old the proper way to scream at at football game and the 'nole chant.

Yeah, I messed up the budget with this purchase because I didn't account for a new TV this month. I can "justify this purchase" because the SALE price really made it doable, also I save money by staying home today and I didn't have to buy the box, etc., etc. (see how that works?!)
Instead of "buyer's remorse" I'm filled with excitement, THE TRUTH IS THIS..............I've saved the amount of MORE than two TV's by not smoking for over three months!!!  How cool is THAT!?

T.V. will come in handy during baseball season too.

Smile. Smile. Smile!

It's 10:30 p.m. on my coast. In my living room are four college girls, a kid sister and a wii. They are all in PJ's, I hear their laughter. I am whelmed over with joy, peace, happy.

The last time that they were all together was their high school graduation and "little krupa" was considered a nuisance. In just a matter of weeks, she's grown taller than two and has physically matured in a way that none of the others were prepared for (yet). Tonight she is invited to be part of their group. I am glad to have them home, even though the visits are brief these days.

THIS is the bucket list.

They Call it "Hump Day"?!

At 8:00 a.m. this morning I was quite thoroughly enjoying one poached egg with a toasted slice of fresh rye bread (seeded, of course) accompanied by Susan Boyle's beautiful voice (don't even ask, just go buy the CD).  The perfect way to start a day.
Except that my day had actually started at 5:00 a.m. when I threw on sweats and sneakers and walked 4 miles to the beach and back with Wally.  Life is good.  God is good!!!

P.S.  Michael G. from my hometown noted that at 6:00 a.m. this morning he was putting oil in the snowblower!  hehe

"Totally Random"

• Glad that I got to attend a game that Bobby coached
• Proud of my girls
• Procrastinating writing an updated version of my testimony
• Hoping that I don't have an accident today and have to go to the hospital (cause i really really really need to go underwear shopping)
• Waiting for myNel to get home and decorate the Christmas tree (she asked)
• God is good
  
  
  

Why God Created Aunts!

ummmmmm hmmmmmmmmmm

I had the opportunity to hit the "snooze button" a couple of times this morning.

I finally awakened with the realization that my spirit was singing.
Now, it wasn't my voice, and it wasn't that "gotta song stuck in my head" but an actual singing in my spirit.
I knew a sublime joy, then heard the lyrics to the song and outright laughed.
"Hallelujah! What a savior!
I owe everything to Him
Hallelujah what a savior
Hallelujah to my king"
over and over and over again.

(Oh what peace the spirit of Jesus brings
through the trials He will carry me
One day in Heaven our eyes will meet
Filled with wonder, all the saints will sing
Hallelujah! What a savior..........)

Gramma's Acting Like a Two Year Old???!!!

Mammo #1
Mammo #2
Ultra Sound. 
Call from the Pat..................re do in three to six months.

I am sooooooooo not in the mood for THIS!
Perhaps if I stomp my foot or whine God will let me have things MY way????

God is GOOD......

mY lIFE sEEMS wEIRDER aLL tHE tIME

Sunday I cooked. (Those of you who are familiar with my lifestyle or have read my blog are laughing, I know!) Home made lentil soup and chicken salad.
Monday I MADE my lunch and actually remembered to bring it to work with me.
Today, I COOKED breakfast AND made my lunch AND actually remembered to bring it to work with me AND I was at the office by 8:15.
Dang........next thing ya know I'll be working out again.

GOD IS GOOD...................

Thanks for Letting Me Go

Tonight a surprise visit from Jhinel and Emilio.
"aren't you supposed to be in Tallahassee?!"
Pizza.  "catching up"
"I'm glad you let me go, mom"
She was a momma's girl, overprotected perhaps and overprotective definitely!  She remembers things her kid sister doesn't; she helped to raise an infant niece for a time, she worried as she saw her older sister make dangerous choices.  My interferon treatments and Cancer made her too responsible, these things are compounded when your mom is a single.

I knew that she needed to go away to college, I wanted her to have the opportunity to "act her age" and learn life on her own terms.  As I hear these words, "I'm glad you let me go"  I remind her that I MADE her go away to college.

that's not what she meant. 
and then I'm glad too.  It's hard letting go of one whom  you love so very much.  I won't alway's approve of her choices in life, sometimes I'll know better ways.  I think the best that I do now is to trust her to make her own choices and to let her know that she is loved - no matter what. 

And to pray mother prayers.

First Weekend Home

(finally) this week is done.


after a thirteen hour day today, and a much too busy and long week, tonight I came home and crashed..........

on the couch,

in my jammies....



a very aggressive and persistent knock on the door...WHAT??!!!



I open it to find my Nel!

she decided to surprise us
a seven hour trip on a bus for her first weekend home from college.

I am truly blessed. Thank you, Father.

October 10, 2009

Tallahassee

Friday Night

AT 12:21 a.m. southbound on I-95, me with wet pants and Angii half dressed, she noted the numerical palindrome. I tellya!!! I'm BLESSED!!

That was the ending of an unusual and wonderful day.

Plan A was that I would be out of town attending an Emmaus Walk.

Plan B was that we would be enroute to a camping trip with our church family.

There was no Plan C. But I had already scheduled the day off from work, so I fiqured I might as well schedule that mammogram. After that I went over to the lab for my "annual" blood/urine. filled up the tank then "swung by" the nail place where i used to go to......no line. got a pedi. Ran over to the optometrist to schedule an eye exam and they had an opening then. ALL this before NOON. wow!

Home for lunch and a nap.

I'd gotten an email from a texas girlfriend that she was going to be in town for a couple of days.......was going to a favorite dive in the old town.........We met for wings and a beer. a dozen or so of us, some we hadnt seen in a couple of years, others became new acquaintances. And of course, we "ran into" several others along the way. I asked Angii if she wanted to take a ride over to the beach.......as we were saying our good-byes, others decided to join us on that favorite beach. It ended up being a "best friday night", it was amazing how almost perfect strangers felt like friends. And that is how I ended up with wet pants, and Angii half dressed driving down the interstate at 12:21 a.m.

NOTE to self: next time you go out to dinner with susan, bring bathing suit, towel and bug spray.