A Simple Woman's Daybook

This is a fun weekly meme I've seen around for a long time.  Thought I'd join in.

The meme is hosted here

FOR TODAY

I am finishing up my work so that I can go to a dentist appointment here in a little bit.  Then I shall do so fun stuff for Made by Mightymom, such as open a bank account and establish shipping rates.  I must admit I'll be REALLY glad when all the setup stuff is DONE.  But I am getting there.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW

Hubby is weed eating and mowing the backyard.  Hooray!  This is the last thing he hasn't been able to do since his knee replacement March 6th.  So very glad to see him back to normal activities!

I AM THINKING

It's almost 9:00AM....when I finish working.

I AM THANKFUL

For everything.  Truthfully, everything!! 

IN THE KITCHEN

my daughter is enjoying a late breakfast after sleeping in on her first day of summer.

I AM WEARING

My work clothes....aka...jammies!   Gotta go put on real clothes soon, don't think the dentist would be impressed with my pink polka dots......

I AM CREATING

A business!  Wow!  Who would have thought????   Tedious and exciting.

I AM GOING

to the dentist....very very soon now.

I AM WONDERING

If anyone will actually pay money for these things I make....

I AM READING

Postern of Fate by Agatha Christie.  A good one!  Of course I say that about all her books!

I AM HOPING

I can teach Gatorboy to read this summer....all prayers gratefully accepted!

I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO

Too many things.  Need to live more in the moment.

I AM LEARNING

All about etsy and sales tax and craft fairs OH MY!

A FAVORITE QUOTE FOR TODAY

"If you want to become a millionare, don't ask an average person how to do it, ask a millionare"

Came across it on facebook a week or so ago, can't remember who it was attributed to, but it's stuck in my head.

  A PICTURE I'M SHARING

I missed her graduation ceremony but I have it on very good authority (aka Hubby and Grannie) that it was very cute!  Auditorium lighting makes for odd looking pics.  :-) 

Photo Meme's

There's been several of these floating around facebook lately. I picked the ones I've seen that best described me.....

I found another one!! But I'm dedicating it to my hubby as it seems to fit him well too!!!

Prepare Yourself

My bloging hiatus is about to end!!!

Last night was the LAST of my Tuesday night women's meetings at church. while they were wonderful I am ready to be done with the weekly commitment. However, I've made friendships that I know will last a lifetime.

Tonight, after my boss tried to sideswipe me, is my last night at the hospital. It's been real, but not at all fun. And I'm glad to put this particular job in my rearview mirror! Again I leave here with many good friends.

So, I'm off on a brand new adventure!
It's exciting and fun, but I am a dedicated creature of habit. It will take me some time to create new habits and get my routine down.

For now, I'll leave you with a movie quote, who can name that movie??

"Beginnings are scary. Endings are usually sad, but it's what's in the middle that counts. So, when you find yourself at the beginning, just give hope a chance to float up. And it will!"

The Simplicity of Gratitude

I love love my new job! I really do.

Flip side of that coin is that I really don't care for my hospital job. I've dreaded work nights for over a year now.

So, what's the difference?

There are a lot of little differences, like being home and talking on the phone vs being at the hospital and cleaning up poop. But I really don't mind being at the hospital or cleaning up poop. There's the whole "work in your pajamas" thing....but honestly; I wear SCRUBS and tennis shoes to work so how much difference is there??

I realized one night last week that the real difference in the jobs is simple gratitude.
When I am doing phone triage the vast majority of callers (like 98%) are honestly grateful for my time and advice. And they TELL ME SO.

The simple thing of hearing "okay. Thank you, I appreciate your call." makes a huge difference!

Especially when it is contrasted with the "When can I have more medicine and what took you so long?" that is repeated 98% of the time at the hospital. Sometimes a family member or a patient does show gratitude, but it's rare. Every once in awhile someone will send food, but honestly, I've known several nurses who won't eat food given by family members, we live in a scary world.

It's amazing to me to experience the real difference that being appreciated on a regular basis can make.

So, I hope you'll join me in making a point to say thank you more often. Even when someone tells you something you don't want to hear.

Thank you for your comments, I really DO appreciate them!

A Passion that Never Leaves

Waaay back in 1983 I was given the opportunity to join the 3rd grade band and learn to play an instrument.

I already knew how to play the piano and told my mom I'd like to join the band. She strongly suggested I play the flute. So I did.

I have played the flute ever since, although not on a regular basis since 1993 when I graduated High School.

During the years between 93 and 08 I played about 3 or 4 times a year for church. When I abruptly left the Methodist Church in May of 08 my flute was left in my piano bench as I moved to a new church where no one knew I could play.

And there it was to stay....until Lent of this year. Out of the blue I mentioned to my current choir director that the piece we were working on would sound really pretty with a flute descant.

And now, the cat's out of the bag!!

You would have thought all my years as "The Choir Director's Daughter" would have taught me NEVER to let the choir director know that I play the flute......

HA.

My director likes the flute so much that my ORDERS are, "I know you can't be here every week because of work, but everytime you come, bring the flute!!"

I have to say that picking it back up after 3 years has been harder than I anticipated. It has required that nasty P word.

(practice)

And yet, I have found myself looking forward to that P word every week. Planning my time around the need for it and losing myself in the joy of the passion that I've always had for making music.

A passion that, no matter how long neglected, will never leave.

And that passion gets extra boosts when my choir friend tells me 27 (yes, I counted) times one Saturday how much she "LOVES the flute!" And the guitarist states how much fun it is "having the Jethro Tull thing going here".

Welcome back to my weekly (if not daily) life, my old friend.

Do You Remember Me?

Waaay back in June 2007 when I started this blog I made a promise to myself.

I would not use it as a place to whine about my life. I promised that I would only talk about my life as seen from a humorous or inspiring viewpoint.

Sometimes that's been easy, Other times it's been hard.

Here lately it's been hard. Which is a part of why I really haven't written much for the ol' blog in awhile.

Now, as a part of giving the next women's retreat that I went on in January, I am to write up the story of my life. I've procrastinated this to the maximum extent. I'm scheduled to read it for my group next Tuesday!! So I finally sat down to start writing. Now I realize just why I didn't want to do this! It's a long, sad, story. There's nothing to laugh about there. Really, there isn't. I don't wanna write it or read it and I can't imagine why anyone in their right mind would want to listen to it!!

I keep thinking if I just find the right approach the humor will show through. It's GOT to be in there somewhere, right?

I can't find it. And believe me I've looked. I looked with a candle, I looked with a flashlight, I looked with a spotlight and a fine toothed comb. I tried setting it to music, I tried to make it rhyme, I tried to put it in the rhythm of a banging drum. I read it upside down and backwards and sideways too. It just doesn't make me laugh no matter WHAT I do!

So now what?

Well, the one thing that I find when I look over the story is perseverance.
Matter of fact I always have been kinda stubborn!

Therefore I shall keep on writing, till my story is told. Reliving the trail that has long since gone cold.

And when it is finished, the last line written. Then I shall laugh for sheer joy that it's done!

in the mail today...

Hubby walks in from the mailbox and says...

Here's the yin and yang of your life



I call this a good mail day!!

YeeHaw!

Perspective.

The following is an article I first wrote for my church newsletter for the December 2006 issue.


Over the last month I've been working my way through The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes, I've finished Vol. I and I can now tell you the plot to every Sherlock Holmes story ever written. Here you go... Someone comes to good old 221-B Baker Street with a set of events/facts. These all add up to person A being guilty of something, ol’ Sherl sees the facts from some off the wall viewpoint and puts them together to show that in actuality person B is really the guilty party. He then employs various ways of proving himself right.



I'm not a big fan of Halloween, it's seemed to me that it just encourages greed and gluttony...things we try to teach our kids to avoid. However, wanting to allow my 3 year old some fun and not be known as "that mother" -- you know, the mean one who doesn't allow anything "unwholesome" (read enjoyable) in the house -- I tried to find some way to celebrate this non-holiday with a good message. So, instead of going out and collecting a bunch of candy (no I wouldn't let him eat it anyway) we stayed on our front porch and gave candy away. He had a blast!! He loved seeing all the costumes and got a big kick out of putting candy in the various containers....or throwing it at the folks when too excited. Since we had approx 100 folks come through our neighborhood in the 2 hours we were out there he saw many fun costumes and had many folks exclaim over him. He actually looked a LOT happier than the kids (and adults) that were busy filling up their pillowcases. As we sat there refilling our bowl to be sure we didn't run out of candy ("Need more candy for kids mom!!") It went through my head that it truly is better to give than to receive. Sonshine learned all about giving and I enjoyed a very nice greed and gluttony free Halloween.



OK, we've all heard the glass half full or half empty bit before. But, truly, something as simple as a change in the perspective you're viewing a set of facts/events from could change the way the whole picture looks. My Grandma used to say that we decide each morning if we're going to be happy that day. Also known as "You can get glad in the same shoes you got mad in." As we spend the end of this year reviewing the events that have passed, let's try to look at them from a different perspective. Maybe it isn't so much the event itself that is bothersome as much as how we are viewing it.

I challenge each of us to start the new year off deciding to be happy with whatever comes our way. And keep looking for just how to make lemonade out of that great big lemon you've been handed.



Love you

Sarah



"When someone gives you free fertilizer for your garden, you don't complain about the smell." Earlene Fowler

Devotions and Prayers and Memes Oh My!

So, twice in two weeks I've been tagged.

I haven't been tagged in I think a year. And these two memes are unlike any I've seen floating around the internet before.





Lisa tagged me for a 3 favorite prayers meme and then Sherry tagged me for a 5 favorite devotions meme.

Now, the difference between a prayer and a devotion is beyond my understanding.
But I thought I'd show you a couple of prayers I really like and the books that I found them in...


Enlarge all the pics so you can read the prayers!!!

First off is this little prayer book that I got at church when I was in RCIA (conversion classes)





The prayers I like most in this book are this prayer for Peace in the Family



And the Prayer of St Francis.


Next there's the first prayer book written by my Favorite Friar, Fr Philip Powell




Which he was kind enough to sign for us when he was over to dinner a couple weeks ago!

Inside is this beauty which I find very comforting.

Don't we all have the occasional "Dark Night of the Soul"?

You can get a copy of this prayer book here.
And Fr Philip's second prayer book is also available, here.


Then, there's what seems to be every Catholic's favorite standby....

Praying the Rosary.






Because I know most of my readers are Protestant I thought I'd explain a little of what's said when a person prays the Rosary.

First there are 4 basic prayers. Which are shown here from the first prayer book:



There's also another prayer not listed here that is "optional". But my church says it at our group rosaries and I happen to just love it.

"Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins and save us from the fires of Hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen"

kinda says it all, huh?

Each bead, along with the crucifix and medal on a rosary is a reminder of what order to pray the prayers in and where you are. To pray an entire rosary usually takes about 20 minutes....depending on how fast you speak/think/pray.

Each rosary is divided into 5 parts (known as decades). During each decade you focus on one portion of the Gospel. These portions are called "mysteries" and are divided into 4 types of Mysteries, The Joyful, the Luminous, the Sorrowful and the Glorious Mysteries.

You can see the mysteries and their accompanying scriptures here:






It is recommended that you pray a rosary each day and rotate which "type" of Mystery you're focusing on. If you actually follow this schedule, you will go through Jesus' birth, miracles, death, and resurrection every week.


Just a note. You will see in the Hail Mary that it says "pray for us, sinners...." To say a Hail Mary isn't so much a prayer TO Mary, as a way to ask Mary, the woman who bore Jesus our Savior, to pray FOR us. My husband refers to this as the Heavenly Buddy System. Just as I will ask you, my friends, to join me in lifting a prayer request to Jesus; Catholics also ask Mary (and the Saints) to join in lifting their prayer requests. And the words of the Hail Mary are scriptural, Luke 1:28,42,&45.


Then there are the prayers that I pray most often. These are a group of specific prayer requests for our family and each member's needs. And the prayer that I started putting my oldest to sleep with when he was a newborn that now each kid says every night.

"Dear God, please send Angels to watch over my (mommy's) babies and keep them safe tonight. Amen"

But what is probably my favorite devotion is simply basking in God's beautiful handwork.

"Be still, and know that I am God."
Psalm 46:10.


I'm tagging ALL of YOU!!!
If you have read this post, then YOU are tagged and I would love to read about your favorite prayers and devotions!

WOW!!

As I was going to the gym on Monday night I stopped for a coffee to drink during the night. Sitting in the drivethrough this was the view out my passenger window.

After I got my coffee I parked and tried to get a shot of the whole thing.....but it was hard to do.

left end.....

middle....


right end.....

here's another attempt to catch the double.

Can you see it? Can you tell? It was a COMPLETE DOUBLE RAINBOW!! and it was RIGHT OVER MY HEAD!!

This was my first attempt at taking pictures with my phone. I think the phone did alright, but I like my digital camera better. That said, it sure was easy to email the pics immediately.

answering questions

I'm not sure why...but I haven't answered your comment questions in awhile...so, let me try and catch up.

If you have any more questions you'd like answered then leave them in the comments and I'll do another Q&A post.


Diane, yes, I bought the trains because I've always wanted one and thought the kids were just the right age to let me play with them! However, Subvet got hooked after I started setting them up...and now he can't seem to stop buying more coolness to add to the track. Honestly, the man's having way too much fun trying to see what crazy things he can do with this track! In his defense I will say that the kids L.O.V.E. when they wake up to find a new and exciting track all ready to be played on. And it is only by watching us "fix" the places where the track breaks that the kids have started to build their own tracks. So, I say, let the man build!


Diana, we don't get much snow....but they call a "snow day" for the slightest sign of ice....hubby says it has something to do with crazy Texas drivers not being smart enough to slow down in bad weather...I'd argue...but we ARE the ones who have to tell people over and over "do not drive into the water running across the roads...you will be washed away" and yet a couple times every year some fool's on the news trying to steer his car-boat.

diana said...
what's up with forgetting the camera!? you need to have that in your possession at all times - for times such as a party and beads =)

I know! I know! and the kids at the party were soooo cute with more beads than they had neck to hold em! sigh.


Lori in South Dakota said...
I promise not to mail you any c*******e!

You'd beter not! We're still working our way through the bag you sent last time!


In regards to my Lenten sacrifices, diana said...
it's got to get easier... right?

(haha... the security word i have to type in is... buttspit)


Since it has NOT gotten any easier a week in I'm saying buttspit it accurate! I like that word. buttspit. I may have to incorporate it into my personal jargon. buttspit. almost bullshit but nicer. buttspit. Then you have to think....WHAT IS buttspit??? teeheehee.. (yes, I'm a nurse and we're weird.)

Linda said...
That is one humongous bit of track you've got going on there! Looks like your living room has been converted over to Grand Central Station!

can you even imagine how hard it is to dance in my living room now? I tell you, it's a good thing I've joined the gym!!

diana said...
i've been meaning to mention how much i think sugars has grown. your recent pics of her shows her looking older and different in her appearance.

is that your track or subvet's?

it's his and it lasted over 48 hours!! We think the extra switch track package he bought really made a difference! You gotta stay on your toes with our 3 engines or there'll be a big ol trainwreck! (he's talking about getting more engines now....) And her 3rd birthday is NEXT WEEK.....yikes.

in regards to my birthday being during Lent and my giving up sweets for Lent, ellen b. said...
Don't you get Sundays off? You could celebrate your birthday on a Sunday...Am I helping or hindering?

although SOME folks (ahem, like Subvet) call it "cheating" you can call a truce on the Lenten sacrifices on Sundays. Since I realized my birthday issue I decided that I would join the heathens smart people and take Sundays off. And I certainly plan on celebrating not only MY birthday...but also Sugars and Gators birthdays (all of whom are in March) on Sundays! I may celebrate St Patrick's Day on a Sunday too and then we have a party for every Sunday in March A-HA-HA-HAAAAA!!! ;-)

Harry said...
Wait a minute? What's with that silly mechanical contraption? Get back to the sweets! More cake pictures!

hear! hear! I agree.


Mary Ellen said....
Not sure what that machine is. It's not your typical elliptical, it looks like a fancy version of the HealthRider...sorta.

it's a recumbent bicycle. and it gets my heartrate up without threatening the tachycardia that I have. Which is what happened when I tried the elliptical. But it's MORE boring than watching the grass grow. Which is how it got named Blasted Boring Beastly Bike. From now on I will only refer to it as BBBB.


Okay folks. Anything else you'd like to know?? burning questions you've been afraid to ask??

random dozen

Okay, it's Monday night and I'm at work with not much to talk about tonight. So what's one to do??? Why, pull out a drafted meme and fill in the blanks! Enjoy folks!

1. On an average, how often do you splurge and buy something for yourself? Well, the one thing I "splurge" on is fast food. About once a week I get a hankering for something *anything* that is handed out a window!! Now I don't actually buy fast food every week. I'd say on average a couple times a month.

2. Are you more like Hall or Oates? Just kidding. Real question: What is the last creative project you began/finished? I made a topiary garden on facebook's Farmville! haha. No, really I'd say the last one I finished was Sugars' apron. The last one I started was embroidering my hooligan's newborn footprints on squares for my Mommy Quilt.

.3. OK, Goldie Locks, do you consider your house too big, too little or juuuust right? TOO SMALL!!! We are positively busting at the seams with 5 people and 2 cats in 1300 square feet! On a "zero-lot" to boot. I want to buy me some 10 acres of LAND and build me a big old house where every person gets their own WING!!

4. What is your favorite outdoor chore? reading by the pool. (I'm not big on outdoor chores....)

5. If you knew that cigarette smoking was not bad for your health but would be a weight loss tool, would you use it? Why or why not? Nope. I can't stand the smell!!

.6. On a road trip, would you rather drive or ride? either, so long as we GO!! I love road trips no matter if they take 2 hours or 2 weeks -- I get it from my Dad.

7. What do you consider a trivial pursuit? That stupid game that I can't play worth beans. Honestly, I don't know that anything is truly trivial. Even the little things can make a difference to someone.

8. This weekend, we downloaded the movie "Duplicity" with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. Within 5 minutes, I was bored and annoyed, but I kept watching 5-10 minutes at a time hoping it would get better between small chores. I finally gave up and Jorge watched it alone, and then regretted wasting that time because he disliked it intensely, too. So ... how long do you watch a movie or read a book before giving up on it? Well, we turned off Disturbia after about 20 min. Not because it was boring, but because it was looking to be a scary movie and I've lost all desire to see scary movies. Books it takes me a long time to give up on. Matter of fact, there are only 2 that I've ever not finished: Where the Red Fern Grows and The Good Earth. although Don Quixote is making it's way onto that list too.

.9. Is there a song that you really love but are embarrassed to admit because it's not cool or it's racy or because it's by Hall and Oates? not really although I've always like the "rolling like thunder--under the covers" phrase in Elton John's "I guess that's why they call it the blues"

.10. On a scale of 1-10 (10 = extremely) how spontaneous are you? 3...not terribly.

11. Are you a food and/or beverage snob? only when it comes to Dr Pepper, Blue Bell, Le Seur Peas, milk that ISN'T past the date stamp, Bubba Burgers, Del Monte Light fruit, hubby's spaghetti sauce, Digiorno Pizza, and a few others ;-)

12. Who/What are you trying to control in your life? (I hear people gulping and see them sweating in anticipation of how to answer this one.) my weight.

Diane's Liver Quivering Meme.

Okay, so that's not what she called it. She called it something boring like the 10 things meme or something....but I'm gonna call it her Liver Quivering Meme...you'll see why as you read her rules. Here they be:


No requirement to tag anyone, or to link to me or anyone else. Just copy and paste the questions to your blog, erase my answers and do whatever makes your liver quiver.

Yup, that's what she said...no rules or tags necessary...just do whatever makes your liver quiver. I'm gonna see if she'll make a new little pic for it too, as it's now been renamed and all!!

:-)


So let's get started then:

1.] How come I can never find: a pretty dress that will fit me?
2.] I wish I'd never started: this latch hook rug. it takes FOREVER to do ONE row on it and I may never get around to finishing the thing!!
3.] I wonder why: some farts are noisy and others aren't...but I have a whole post about that for later....
4.] Mama always told me: "I'm gonna knock you into the middle of next week." personally I thought that was a cool idea...then I'd be able to just chill out till everyone else caught up to me!!
5.] There's this one thing in my closet that I just can't seem to get rid of: my wedding dress. now I will NEVER wear it again. It's a size 3 and I'm a size 16. So why am I keeping it??
6.] My favorite guilty pleasure is: Chocolate and Dr Pepper. preferably together!
7.] I always forget to: make the bed. poor hubby has fussed and fussed at me over it too.....
8.] I have never: had any desire to jump off of or out of anything!!
9.] I'm obsessed with: beating Father Dismas at Typing Maniac!! My current high score is 213,951...his is 214,889. Get on facebook and cheer me on!!!
10.] One of my favorite memories is: blackberries in milk and sugar at Mom Baker's house....this is recently brought on by Stephanie's bragging over her fresh blackberries!!

meme for a good cause.

Apparently a blogfriend of a blogfriend (y'all know how that goes) is doing some kind of bloggity research for her PHD. Being as how I haven't answered these particular questions in awhile...and I deemed them more suited to a post rather than a commet I am answering her research questions here.

So, this is from Carie at reflectionsofasheepishlion which took me 3 tries to figure out that it said "reflections of a sheepish lion"!!


I am researching mommy blogs and would be SO grateful if you would help me by commenting and answering these questions! (If you would rather, you can email me at carie.lambert@ttu.edu and submit your answers there.)

1. What is the address of your mommy blog?
2. How long have you been blogging?
3. How often do you blog?
4. Why did you begin to blog?
5. What do you blog about?
6. How many mommy blogs do you read on a weekly basis?
7. If you advertise on your mommy blog, what do you advertise (products, services, organizations—please be specific)?
8. If you have a blog other than your mommy blog, what is the subject of that blog?

Thank you for your time! I will visit your blog soon and appreciate your helping me research!

Also, (I'm adding this) How do you feel about the term MommyBlog? And did you have issues with my posting on your comment page? (I struggled with that, but I wanted to be genuine and transparent....)

I loved visiting your blogs and hope to visit again soon. So many of you have great ideas about how to enjoy life and family! :-) Thank you for sharing that with me!


1) www.texassiren.blogspot.com my husband picked it. Actually he picked my name Mightymom as well,(he also calls me NinjaNurse when the situation warrants it). When all URL versions of "My Wonderful Life" were taken he plugged in "texas siren" and here we are. This is funny to us because in 1998 he moved from Conn to Tx so pursue a relationship with me. We'd met online and I was in nursing school you see. Apparently my prowess as siren worked out pretty good!

2)Since June 16, 2007. :-) just over 2 years now.

3) whenever time and lifestyle permit. usually I spend some time on the computer either reading or writing blogposts every day. But there are times when I'll go all week without doing more than checking email and reading my comments. I use the prescheduled posts to my advantage and will often sit and write out 4 or 5 posts at a time scheduled to post once a day over the course of a week. Then all I need to do for the rest of the week is read. Since blogger is having issues with this function I have not been particularly happy.

4) 2 years ago hubby worked nights. I suffer from chronic insomnia and as a stay at home mom with a hubby who worked nights I found myself getting more and more lonely. He started blogging first....then told me about his blog...a couple months later he said "you should start a blog...I'll get you set up." and he did. I told him at the time it was great because "I felt like I had a lot to say and no one to say it to." Diana, my blogfriend, and I have often discussed how because I ask and answer questions here on a regualr basis we've gotten to know each other and relationships have been formed. Honest friendships. Those relationships were what I was lonely for and what I have gained through blogging. I don't care to have 100 hits a day or build a business or be a fabulous writer. I need friends. And I cherish each of the friendships I've made.

5) the first answer is whatever comes to mind. However, I made a goal that I would only post aspects of my life that were uplifting or funny. Raising 3 special needs kids gets rough. And I am prewired to be a complainer. I hate being around complainers though, so I chose to work on finding a funny perspective to every situation that I could. Over the 2 years this has become easier...to where, for example, when I see Sugars calmly emptying my lunchbag just moments before I need to grab it and run out the door...instead of getting angry I get my camera and wonder how I'm going to caption THAT! See yesterday's Friday Fragments post! There's enough whining in our world and precious little humor. :-) by the way...this decision to focus on the wonderful and silly aspects of my life is where the title "My Wonderful Life" came from. My life really is wonderful and I want to always show excatly how wonderful it is. I really don't care much for that Christmas movie folks keep referring to.

6) Let's see here, my reader has 27 blogs. I'm not sure what you need to be called a "mommy blog" 16 of them are written by women with children. But they don't always write about their children...and for several, their children are grown, some have grandchildren. Like me, we write about our lives. Because we are mothers parenting comes in there somewhere, but because we are women so do other things.

7) I don't advertise. I thought for awhile about doing paid posts...but they felt too fake to write and I want this to stay fun, not be a job. I AM however, in the process of doing a product review for a GREAT educational game and website that Moms and their schoolaged kids are going to love...and I'm excited that there's gonna be a GIVEAWAY attached...
STAY TUNED!!

8) with 3 kids, 2 cats, 1 husband and a full time nights job to keep track of...there's no way I need more than one blog. thank you very much!

8+) the term Mommyblog doesn't really make me feel anything. you could call my blog a mommyblog...a sewing/quiltingblog...a funnyblog....a militarysupportblog...or any other label you want. Just like sticking a label on my kids doesn't change who they are or what their potential will be, sticking one on my blog doesn't make any difference either.

8++) issues with you posting on my comment page???? HUH?? GEEZ, I work hard to GET people to comment! as the old lady at the top says "would it kill you to comment?"

Carie, thanks for your interview...I was happy to answer your questions. I hope that your research is fruitful. Feel free to quote me on anything...so long as you site my blog as reference...and let me know so I can go and see my name in lights. :-)

to my friends, if you feel so inclined...I hereby tag you with this MommyBlogResearchMeme. Eh, grad school is tough...help a gal out!

ANSWERS!!

First, I've decided that the giveaway contest will end on Tuesday! So go on and add a few comments so you can win!

To the Pop Quiz, yes, I did ask for help getting my socks on occasionally, but then I found a way to do it myself. WITHOUT sitting or bending over.....and I did it by laying on my back on the bed and sticking my feet up in the air to put on my socks!


Now I will answer the questions I've been left recently. For some reason I got many more questions/comments to the BUG POST than I did for the question meme....go figure!



Pam, my "hero" in Miami is Gloria Estefan. I've followed her career for many many years. And I would love to one day sit with her and chat. And I have lived in 10 different cities...all less than an hour from Downtown Dallas. So officially it's a Texas accent. However, I will tell you that growing up it was common for me to be asked where I was from and the asker be surprised when I said "here". I guess even to other Dallas natives my accent sounds different.

Ellen, not being computer saavy I went looking up "leopard bug" thinking you knew. Joke's on me hahahaha!!

Stephanie, that's not nearly the biggest bug we have here....you should look up Palmetto bugs!

Adrienne, I thought ALL cockroaches/"waterbugs" looked like that!! I bet you DO still remember that, must have thought your water was spiked!

Diana, YOU'RE RIGHT!! that's exactly what it was!! a Cottonwood Borer. As it likes willows in addition to Cottonwoods and we have a willow in our backyard I guess that's where this guy came from! We run into these fellows periodically, usually in the grass...but to have him inspecting the doorknob my friend was REACHING for was a bit too much, ya know? And as to what I did with it?....YELLED FOR HUBBY TO COME KILL IT, of course! (isn't that what men are for??)

Harry, apparently it only bites if mishandled...whatever that means and lives off of Cottonwood tree leaves so I guess you could keep him if you like....I'd rather not myself!

Jen aka Pinky, I'm glad he didn't scare you off!! and yes, I do know that the universe has 4 corners! Sugars can make them ECHO if you tickle her!!!

Lisa, we're not yet to the Save the Bugs phase....I'm sure it's coming though. My kids do love them. Matter of fact they spent the rest of that evening standing on tiptoe peering out the front door's window to see Mr. Bug on the doorstep. We thought Dad'd killed him knocking him off the doorknob...but apparently he was playing opposum as after awhile he walked off the porch.

Nancy, this guy was soooo big I'd be afraid to step on it! I mean he'd probably just get mad and carry me off!!

Humble Wife, you want him dead or alive? Is it legal to send live bugs through the mail?? I don't want to be investigated for terrorism ya know.


Diana, you mentioned that I always answer questions here and how it seems like we get to know each other better with this give and take. This is what I blog for. It is a sense of community that is important to me. Not number of hits a day or comments per post....but rather the relationships that have been formed. I share my life with you, you share yours with me. And I love this little group of bloggers that come by regularly. I'm always happy to make new friends.

Please Stand By.....

Am busy sewing that girl's dress....will return shortly

In the meantime here's a better pic of us Sat night.

Pam, no that was a video I found on youtube. I don't know who they are but they did a great job with that song. Subvet, is 6'3 and I am 5'5...so the answer to your questions about our height is yes. I don't remember what we were laughing at...probably trying to keep the kids OUT of the picture while Sister was climbing on the sofa trying to get in front of Mimi saying "Cheese...Cheese!....CHEEEESE!!"

Stephanie, I'm glad you liked the fabric. It is actually inspired by the fat quarter you sent with the eyelet lace. I thought those two would make a great dress for Sister...but the fat quarter wasn't enough. You'll see what I had in mind once I get her dress finished.

Lori, nope, not a last min idea. We keep our doors locked at all times and had left the keys in the lock after letting Mimi in the door as we would be leaving shortly. The Olive Garden was wonderful....but we had to keep telling the waiter to SLOW DOWN!! We had an hour and a half to kill and enjoyed every minute to it's full 60 seconds' worth.

Harry, I sew and blog at night. I work 3 nights a week and my schedule has been so scattered lately that I just stay on nights when I'm off....gotta do something QUIET while everyone sleeps don't ya know. I've changed my schedule to have my 3 work nights in a row after surgery so I'll spend more daytime with the kids/hubby...which will probably impact my blogging and productivity....we'll see.

Steph, can't go wrong with horsey themes! I loved those poems you wrote.

Diane, we talked about home schooling but in order to really give the kids the socialization they need we'd then have to enroll them in a socialization therapy for autistic kids....which is kinda like group therapy. Wouldn't be any cheaper or easier.

Harry, there is an advocacy group that is specifically designed just to go with parents of autistic kids to the ARDS and help the parents get just what they need for their kids. Always good to have someone there who's ONLY in your corner and who knows the ropes and what's available. Sometimes you have to ask just the right questions to get the needed answers.

Lisa, we hadn't thought of those two specifically thanks. I pray to St Gianna, my confirmation saint, St Joseph and St Monica and BM Mary. When I have specific needs for the family. As well as my Grandma and the whole Host (I throw em all in for good measure frequently!) I'll add the Thomases to the list. More folk yelling in God's ear for us the better!

The answer was "Hope Floats" a sweet little movie about taking life as it comes at you. If you get a chance to see it I recommend not letting it pass you by.

Thanks to all of you for your continued prayers. As is my way with things, I sat and had a good cry for a day or so after that meeting at their current school....then got busy taking care of business and looking for the humor in the situation, I'm still looking for it, which is why I seem matter of fact (Pam) but I know the humor is there and it'll shine through here after awhile.

One of the things I learned from my Grandma: "Life is a grindstone and whether it grinds you up or polishes you up depends on what you're made of."


As we used to say in Marching Band.

Heels TOGETHER
Stomach IN
Chest OUT
Shoulders BACK
Chin UP
Eyes TO THE SKY!
Forward MARCH!!!!!


:-)

and yet another meme.

Susan at Penless Writer put up this interview meme. I answered some questions from Lisa a little while ago. (You can find those answered questions here.) Since Susan has been reading my blog almost from its very beginning I couldn't imagine that there'd be anything about me she doesn't already know...but I told her I'd be willing to play. Here are her questions and my answers.....


1. How did you meet your husband?
in an AOL chat room, more than 11 years ago.

2. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Grey haired! Working with babies, still herding my 3 hooligans.

3. If money were no object where would you live and what would you do?


4. If you could go back and re-do one thing in your life, what would it be?
As I believe that we are formed by the things we live through --both good and bad-- I really wouldn't change anything, however there are things I have said that I wish I hadn't...most especially to my husband during our early years.

5. What is the hardest part of raising an autistic child?

Truthfully, there are a lot of hard things about raising my kids. There are a lot of things relating to my kids and their places in this world that just frankly hurt. Like watching my oldest want so badly to join in a game of catch with 2 older boys yet not know how to be included. So that he just stood in front of one of the boys and jumped up and down waving his hands in excitement...totally unable to verbalize anything but grunts. Or getting an update in the mail from Gator's speech therapist and seeing "presents with severe expressive and receptive speech disorder". Or excitedly telling folks at work that Sugars started walking today! To hear "that's great, how old is she now?" ..."22 months".... **awkward silence** ...

I don't talk about these things much except with my husband. Not that I wouldn't gain comfort or support from others but rather just because I choose to focus on the good, the funny, the wonderful things about these kids. I talk a lot about my kids to my patients, my co-workers, family, friends, the guy in line behind me, the carhop at Sonic...(ok, not quite that much). I talk about my kids and the fact that they all have Special Needs because I want people to see how wonderful SNKs really are. It's like the mother of my mid-20s patient with Down's said when I mentioned that babys with Down's aren't being allowed to be born. "They (those who chose to abort) don't know WHAT they're missing!!"

Each child born in the world is a blessing. And a special needs child is a special blessing. I feel especially blessed to have these kiddos and I choose to **cue the music** accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative...don't mess with Mr inbetween.

Now, all that being said, I will answer your question, Susan. The hardest thing about raising my children is also one of the biggest blessings of raising my children and can be found in my 10 blessings of raising SNKs post.

7) They bring me closer to God, daily. One of the blessings of parenting SNKs (Special Needs Kids) is that you slowly learn that you have no control over their development. You have no control over their potential, we don’t even know what their potential is! I have no plans for my children’s future, as I have no idea what that future may look like. But see, this is how it’s SUPPOSED to be. We’re told NOT to plan for the future, just to trust that God will supply our needs. Learning to let that go is a painful but wonderful blessing.

The thing we pray for the hardest is that our children will be able to live independently after we're gone. That we won't find ourselves in the situation of picking out what facility we're going to trust to watch over them because they are unable to take care of themselves. We don't know what their future will look like and that's scary. But we are learning, day by day to trust that God knows His plan for each child even though we don't. And that my friend is a blessing~~even if it's hard to swallow some days.

Now, anyone else wanna take part in this meme?? If you would like to ask me questions...or would like me to ask you questions...just let me know and we'll roll this meme along.

Thanks Susan!

Mightymom Interviewed.

I'd like all of you to meet Lisa at Are We There Yet?....Now, this is a different person from Linda of Are We There Yet? --two moms, same blog name, go figure--

Anyway, Lisa has 10 kids. And you really should go and read this post where she gives us a bit of insight into each of her amazing kiddos.

At any rate, Lisa sent me 5 interview questions for a meme going around. Here they are...with my answers.


Lisa said...
Here are your five interview questions, as requested:

1. Who is the saint that you think is the best model for your temperament and station in life? I haven't studied the saints enough to really say. But I did pick St Monica awhile back as one I wanted to emulate because of her following her wayward son praying for him....which after 17 years of prayer led to his being baptised.

2. What are three adjectives you would be most pleased to hear used to describe you? patient, encouraging, funny

3. What is the hardest day you ever lived through? The first day we heard there was something wrong with the sonogram on our oldest, and we were to show up at the PeriNatologist's office first thing the next morning....then there was every day after that over the next 4 months up till 2 weeks after his birth, when we realized that he was okay.

4. Describe your "signature" outfit.
jammies with a sweatshirt over the top and a blanket on my lap.

5. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be and who would you like to find waiting for you there? a cruise ship in warm waters with my hubby

Clutter Meme

Pam has started this Clutter Meme and I agreed to join in!

For starters, this is our family organization. Each person is color coded, this is how we know what to do each day. January wasn't too busy actually, wish I'd had a pic of December!


Next up, as requested is our computer desk. On top of the printer is a collection of papers that is too important to throw away, but not important enough to file. On the shelf under the desk is all that usual computer related stuff that is needed on occasion. I could make it look neater, I suppose, but everything that's there belongs there.


This is my sewing area. In the chair resides my purse, by flag bag and my lunch bag, along with my coat. In otherwords, everything I take to work with me. On the sewing machine we have a plastic bag with the 3 Christmas gifts I still need to hand out, Sugars' quilt and material to finish it, and a cloth book in need of repair. When I have more projects in the "being worked on" stage this gets messier. I should say that before New Year's all those books on that little shelf were piled on the lamptable or next to the computer. On New Year's I cleaned off that shelf to have a handy place for these books that we read regularly. Also in that shelf is a bag that I use to carry the white notebook, the 2 copies of This is our Faith, Bible, and the Catholic Catecism back and forth to RCIA classes every Tuesday night. See my dictionary that I use each week for Thesaurus Thursday??


Now we move into the kitchen where the real mess begins.
Here is our "catch all, clutter central" I didn't know Subvet was gonna straighten this a bit while I slept tonight. You can see our cell phone (we only have the one) his belt and asst pocket items. My name tag, alcohol swabs, pens and asst pocket itmes for work. Our jar of change, a couple prayer books we grab when we have a minute. Some Christmas cards that were returned to sender...our latest Netflix movies...and I don't know what all else. Yes, those are two bottles of sunblock and two calculators there. You can also see the yummy chocolate cake he made tonight while I slept...what a NICE thing to wake up to!!


This is major clutter area number 2, but we've been working on keeping it cleared off. Here we have the foam airplanes and their launchers that are for outside play but can't be stored outside, the playdoh toy that is for table play only. I have a delimma with this toy. Once it is assembled it no longer fits in its box. Which makes it difficult to store. ALL TOY COMPANIES NEED TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. You can also see our bill-box (oh yeah, today was payday, need to get to that) and today's mail that hubby has left for me on the table in my "spot". There's a couple Southern Living magazines hanging out there as well as a flyer from church for things we're deciding on going to....ya know, clutter.


I took a picture of this cause I think it's funny. Along with Subby's apron, bags of nuts, spices, chopping board and cookbooks we have a bubble maker. I think it got put there when it needed cleaning...I'm not sure. I probably should put it away but I don't know where it belongs....maybe on top of the frige??


And here's the other corner of the kitchen and the reason I've only lost 1 pound this month!
Here you can see the 2 pie keepers, both currently empty (after all, there's the cake!), tub of homemade bread, tub of chocolate chip cookies, and tub of chocolate chip muffins--breakfast of champions! In front is my lunch for tonight, homemade chicken&rice soup and Dr Pepper.


So now I'm gonna tag some of my favorite photographers with this meme, Pinky, Linda and Ellen! Take a pic of your clutter areas/desk WITHOUT STRAIGHTENING THEM and let us know what you have hanging around......

meme

Subvet tagged me for the 7 things about me meme.
I changed it up a bit and now I give you
da da da duuuun:

7 things that drive me crazy at work

1) when I walk up to you and say "I'm going to listen to your lungs" then proceed to place my stethoscope in my ears and on your chest. PLEASE BREATHE. deeply if possible. I cannot tell what your lungs sound like when you are holding your breath.

2) when you hit the call light and the voice comes in the room saying "can I help you?" TELL THEM WHAT YOU NEED. If you need pain meds then say so, if you want food or drink say what you'd like. The reason that speaker was invented is to save the nurse the time and trouble of going to your room, finding out you want a sandwhich, going to get your sandwich and then returning to your room with it. Consider this your very own personal drive through. Do you go up to the speaker at McDonald's and say "I'd like something to eat please." ?????

3) if you tell me you're hurting, and I offer you pain meds that you then refuse, you are not allowed to whine about being in pain. BE QUIET OR TAKE YOUR MEDS.

4) I realize that it gets lonely and boring sitting in a hospital room, but please remember. I am a nurse...not your new best friend...I have 5 other patients to see before midnight, meds to pass out and butts to wipe. If you just need to talk, PLEASE CALL SOMEONE

5) For goodness' sake, DON'T APOLOGIZE FOR TAKING A DUMP. wiping your butt is part of the job and we have the best air freshener known to mankind. I'm just glad that your intestines are working properly.

6) I cannot read minds. Please do not lay there hurting quietly all night just to tell me at 4AM "I've haven't slept a wink" If pain is keeping you awake TELL ME! Doctors are paid a LOT of money just so that I can call them in the middle of the night and get you medicine.

7) If I have just given you medicine to help with the nausea and vomiting that you've been complaining about, DO NOT ASK ME FOR CHOCOLATE PUDDING. The answer will be no, hunger and nausea do not happen at the same time.

Now, please be nice to your nurses and remember these the next time you go into the hospital.

We all will thank you.
:-)