"Paul and Sherry Sittin' In A Tree..."

It’s a bright and beautiful morning in the Ozarks. I don’t have much on the calendar for today. Except homeschool and laundry and menial housekeeping duties. But, hey. If anyone comes over right now they won't  trip over anything so we’re good. I have been trying to do a little bit of clutter control and you will be pleased to know that I finally found Jesus. No. It’s not what you think. Jesus found me ages ago. Back at Christmas time I had misplaced my nativity scene (you can read about it here) and we spent the Christmas season without it. I found it! It was in a chest in my bedroom (along with homeschool books, an old quilt, a moldy poptart somebody was trying to safe for later and a few mismatched socks). I remember now that I had put the nativity set there instead of packing it up with the Christmas decorations because I didn’t want it broken. I also didn't want it used as part of some sort of battle between the evil hordes and Indiana Jones. Joseph might have wound up as an officer in Hitler's army (circa Raiders of the Lost Ark). And I  didn’t want to forget where I had put it. Such is life. Maybe I can work the Nativity Set into my Fourth of July tablescape. Jesus is the Reason for every season, after all.
Later on this week we are going to have supper with some family in Joplin. I am going to get to see a cousin who I haven’t seen in ages. So it’s going to be a good time. This weekend also marks my Mom and Dad’s 41st Anniversary. And then the Studly Muffin will be celebrating his birthday on Monday. I intend on giving The Studly Muffin a little more attention on my blog another time, but I wanted to share this picture of my parents. It was taken in California just before they went to Nicaragua as missionaries. Aren’t they cute? They are also kind of freaky…with that height difference and all. Of all the advice my mother gave to me as a child the advice to “marry somebody tall” sticks in my memory. My mom is 4’11. My dad is 6’3. Yeah. I could comment about their stylin' threads, but I can't talk. I would have to explain the pictures of me sporting my parachute pants. And I'm not ready to go there.




This picture was shamelessly pirated from my Aunt Susie's Facebook photos. Aunt Susie is the keeper of Family History.



Despite some unfortunate fashion choices in the '70's I couldn’t have asked for better parents. They did a lot of things right. You couldn’t ask for a more humble and generous pair. I can say that. I’m their daughter. I’m sure my brother and sister agree. They have to ‘cause I’m the oldest. But not necessarily the bossiest.

Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad!

An Afternoon With Handel

Our little Ozarks city is sophisticated enough to have a Symphony Orchestra. And because we are all about sophistication Josiah and I loaded up picnic of PB&J and headed to a free concert in the park. Some of the string section performed for us today. A variety of people came out. Business men on their lunch breaks (still in suits and ties), Moms and babies and strollers and the ever faithful senior population.  I was in heaven. I love music of all sorts and I'm particularly fond of some of the classical stuff. Josiah doesn't have the same appreciation. He was really disappointed to find out that the park didn't have a swing set.


Founders Park in Springfield is made up of concrete blocks. You can read about some pretty neat Springfield history all over the park...Josiah wasn't too interested in Springfield history. He was still looking for that swing set.

We did take a minute to enjoy the water. Which is almost as good as swing set.

It's hot out hare! Later, Josiah could be seen pouring the water from the water bottle over his head. 'Cause we are sophisticated like that.  

You know what he is thinking. "If only I could jump down in that water." Hey..that's what I was thinking!

But not now! We've got a concert to go to.  The group is warming up. You can see (if you look close enough) the very sophisticated clothes pin on the side of the cellist's music stand. It was windy! He joked and told us the clothes pin was made by Stradivarius. Those crazy musicians!

The next group of pictures were taken by one Josiah Bevan. This one is a nice view of the sky.

And a peek at my feet. I'm sure glad I touched up my pedicure.

And a close-up of the random action figure we just had to bring with us. At one point, random action figure was hanging for dear life from a crack in the block behind us. 

Alrighty then. Pictures of statue people. Guy is pointing towards Chestnut Expressway...at least I think. He could be reaching towards Jefferson.. Little girl is standing on a ball. Don't know why she is standing on a ball or what that signifies. Anybody have a clue? She also has her 'hands in the air like you don't give a care." Didn't her momma tell her she could lose her balance doing that?

Here he aims the camera back at himself. This is pretty funny. He giggled at this picture for quite some time. 

Ah. Back to the concert. Everytime they would finish a movement we would all clap and Josiah would say (a little to loudly for mom's sake) "Is that the last one?"

Mom has control of the camera again. And there is just reward for a patience boy. Look who gets to get in the water!

The signs say "No Swimming." Which cracks me up. Dipping and dangling and wading is encouraged, however. I don't believe the water is deep enough to do much swimming in. Though you never know. Give a Hillbilly a chance to strip down and take a dip and he/she will go for it. One cement pond is like another. 

What bliss! Beautiful music, PB & J & a cement pond. In one afternoon!

Next week the Ballet is going to perform. I plan on showing up in a tutu. Not really. But maybe I can talk Josiah into wearing one.

In the summertime...

In the summertime, when all the trees and leaves are green

And the redbird sings, I’ll be blue

’cause you don’t want my love ...

Okay. So this classic Roger Miller ditty doesn't necessarily speak to the anticpation of a lazy and carefree summer...but I can't get it out of my head today. Andy Williams also sang this, but I prefer the folksy Roger Miller version. I do believe that my mom and The Studly Muffin know every lyric to every song Roger Miller ever cranked out. That particular bit of information is free. Won't cost you a thing. So the next time you see Troy (perhaps at Smillies picking up his favorite brand of buttermilk) ask him to belt out his favorite Roger Miller tune.
 
It's official. Pools across the Ozarks are open for business. So it must be Summer. Yesterday (Memorial Day) I was doing some shopping at Dillons. As I moved past the big boxes of watermelons and the stacks of marked down strawberries I thought about how surreal this past week as been. Here I was, gathering supplies for sloppy joes and corn on the cob, while an about an hour away there were so many people who had lost so much. I've stood in the middle of the devastation in Joplin. It is like something from one of those apocalyptic movies I hate so much. But far worse because it's real. And while our Memorial Day celebration was small and modest, we have so much.
 
What I have learned throughout my own struggles and sufferings is that you can do what you can do. We must love our neighbor as ourselves and trust that God has a plan. Sometimes that involves action on our part. Saturday morning on westbound I-44 was a sight to see. It was bumper-to-bumper traffic. Church groups, restaurants, businesses and (my favorite) pick-up after pick-up of good 'ole boys with wheelbarrows and chainsaws...all heading to Joplin. We travel that particular bit of highway every Saturday morning. I have never seen the like. There was a certain anticipation on the highway that morning. It was like the calvary was coming. Not all of us can pick up our shovel and head to Joplin. Not all of us can donate to the charitable organization of our choice. I know plenty of people who are helping organize supplies and gathering donated items to send. What I can tell you is that if you can't help today or tomorrow don't despair. This is going to be a long recovery. We need to remember that the need is great and will continue to be great for quite some time.
 
So I am one of those unreasonably craaazzy homeschool moms who school throughout the year. It works for us. I seem to function better in the summertime than I do in the winter and early spring. In full disclosure, however, I must tell you that this was the first year that I came into the summer 'break' thinking..."I really wish we could take the next 3 months off!" But, just so you know that I am not subjecting my 9-year-old to hours of scholastic endeavors each day we do have somewhat of a lighter schedule in the summer. I am not completely evil. Not Completely.
 
I love literature. I love words. And while Josiah doesn't like reading to himself he loves books and loves stories. We do a lot of reading. We are currently doing a unit on the poem and song "America the Beautiful." I found the most beautiful book and felt like I needed to share.
 

It is illustrated by Wendell Minor (who is one of my favorite illustrators). Each page was a unique stand alone art piece. And he captured the words so well in his artwork...originally penned by Katherine Lee Bates.

Isn't it gorgeous? Josiah and I were so inspired we had to share our favorite pictures with Troy. You can find the book at Amazon here. I love Amazon.
 
I also found the most adorable dessert idea. I believe in making things a little extra special when you can. And circumstances and my natural inclinations urge me to those special things as 'frugally' as possible. I'm not sure where I got my 'more is more' tendencies...but I have been known to take things a little over the top. Unfortunately, poverty does not lend itself to 'over the top' very often. That is why I love this idea.
 

 
These are Rootbeer Float Cupcakes in shot glasses (not that I am in possession of that many shot glasses), but I have some other kinds of dishware that will substitute. You can find the instructions to this cute dessert at Gourmet Mom on the Go. What a cute way to start the summer off!
 
There are plenty of things I am looking forward to doing this summer. A vacation won't be one them. Sigh. I am trying not to think too hard about it. So I am going to try and making the little moments special for my guys. Sometimes it doesn't take much. Today after our library trip we went to the park. Josiah loves to swing. Forget the monkey bars & slides. The boy is a swinging maniac.
 

 He had the best expression on his face.

You can tell he's having the pretty good time. And this kind of fun is free! You can't beat it!

 This is cute. Just his legs. He asked me if he was swinging on a vine in this picture. What a boy!

Such swinging requires refreshment. Good moms take bottles of healthy water and fruit to the park. I took Tacos from Taco Bell and root beer. Next time I'll take fruit. Maybe.

Lights. Camera. Action!

My Josiah is an artist. His medium isn't paint or chalk or clay. Instead he spends his time creating stories with his ready & able army of action figures, etc. etc. Nothing in my house is safe...a necklace might be turned into a rope, bits of toilet paper (clean, of course) become billowing smoke, and a hanger becomes a hanging bridge. We indulge him, mostly.As long as he doesn't use food for special effects (it's happened) we're good. Just a little note: Josiah is no longer allowed to use mustard without adult supervision.

Here is the scene of the day.

He's also decided to go into business for himself. After pricing some of his favorite Indiana Jones toys online, he's decided that there is money to be made in the action figure/archaeologist market and is going to reproduce his creations. He offered to sell this one to me for 1000 bucks this afternoon and wondered if he might get a million out of it if he posted it online. Any takers? We'll throw in the hanger :<)

At the Farm: Big Black Dogs & More

I thought I would post some happy pictures. After so much destruction this week it is comforting to know that there are still places that are peaceful and lovely....and we are not talking about the handbag department at Macy's...though if I had the money right now I could do some pretty impressive stress shopping. Nothing says comfort like a new Fossil purse. And so none of you leave my little blog with the impression that I am this marvel of a photographer, let me give credit where credit is do. These pictures were taken by my Mom at their farm in Stella a few weeks ago. Everything has bloomed up since then.  But the landscape was still absolutely beautiful.

I love this picture. This is Papa and Josiah on a nature walk. It was also during this nature walk that Josiah was attacked by the Great Thorn and maimed for life. He talked about it for daaayys. He's an only child. We take adventure where we can find it.

There isn't a Saturday that goes by that somebody doesn't pick up a fishing pole (conveniently stationed by the back door) and heads to the pond. It's a great pond. There is always something biting. The tall guy in the plaid shirt is my nephew, Christopher. He and his twin, Kalynn are turning 14 next month.. I am too young to be an aunt to teenagers. I just turned 16 myself :<)

Papa is showing off again!

 Now would be a good time to introduce Solomon. He is a Rottweiler. He is Big. He is Black. He also thinks he's a lap dog. Solomon has decided that everyone is really fishing for him.

This is a great picture. Notice the reflection on the pond. Gorgeous.

Solomon is hoping that the next fish is his. Who needs a Fish Finder when you have a BBD (Big Black Dog)?

Come on! Give a Big Black Dog a break! 

Here are some more great reflection pictures. The pond looks like a mirror!

My Dad found Solomon when he was just a puppy in the church parking lot. He brought him home. We were living with them at the time (it was just after my second episode of congestive heart failure). Solomon grew and grew noticeably every week. When he was little he would sit on my lap and lay his head and paws on my shoulder. He still tries. He doesn't know he's a Big Dog now.  Josiah and the cousins ride him like a pony.

The real boss on the farm is Nim...She is a ferocious mouser and highly intelligent (according to Papa). 

Every farm needs a tractor. Notice the fancy dancy pipe cover. I think it's a Big Laundry Detergent Bucket. There are dozens of Big Laundry Detergent Buckets all over the farm. We here in Southwest Missouri are resourceful. You can find Big Laundry Detergent Buckets in use in a variety of ways on the farm. It has been privy, dishwasher, chair and coffee table. 

 How can you not love this Big Black Dog? 

All he wants is just a fish! (I think he actually grabbed one off the pole and swallowed it whole a few days after this picture was taken)

So tonight, as we prepare for another round of nasty weather, I am thinking about lazy, sunny afternoons. There is always a jug of sweet tea nearby and I can always find a good book to sweep me away. Sigh.

Random Thoughts: Joplin

Today I wanted to write something poignant and timely. The tragedy in Joplin hits close to home. But I can't seem to put those poignant and timely thoughts together. I have so much going through my head..and I felt like I needed to write something down. So I did it in my usual random way.

1. It’s hard to put into words what I’m feeling this morning. And really to be honest this isn’t even my story. Joplin isn’t “my town.” We live about 60 miles east. But it is a town I am well acquainted with. I have been visiting since I was a baby. I have tons of family there. It has always been the 'big city' to my Dad's side of the family. Many of them migrated up from their farms and little houses located in Anderson, MO.  My great-grandma Leona LeMasters lived in a little white house in Joplin.  The house was simple and old-fashioned. It had one of those big floor radiators between the kitchen and the living room. It would occasionally grumble and growl. I would peer down into the grate and imagine that thousands of tiny people were being kept prisoners by the evil floor monster. In Grandma Leona’s living room stood a bookshelf filled with books of all shapes and sizes. Those books always comforted me in some ways. I practically inhale books…Even as a little girl I would rather read than do most anything. Grandma LeMasters was an avid reader and writer and she would sit in her corner chair and bestow nuggets of wisdom with her distinct wavering voice (I have a cousin who can do a pretty great Grandma LeMasters impression). It’s not ironic that the one thing I have left from Grandma Leona is a book. I thought about that little house yesterday.


2. For a few months now Troy and I have been assisting my parents at their church in Diamond. Diamond is a little town just miles away from Joplin. My parents live a little farther out than that on a farm outside of Stella. Every Saturday morning we load up the car, take the Kansas Expressway exit out of Springfield on I-44 and head to Diamond. The church is undergoing some remodeling so Troy, my dad and a few others gather every Saturday and work. I spend the day wandering around with my mom. We usually find our way to the Dollar Tree and occasionally hit Hobby Lobby in Joplin.  Saturday was windy, but gorgeous. Almost a perfect temperature for a May Day. My guys fished in the pond that afternoon and then Josiah helped Papa plant pumpkins and sunflowers in the garden after supper. The evening was spectacular. I sat reading an old book by Gene Stratton-Porter and was treated to the frogs and birds singing in an evening concert.

3. If you live in this part of the country for very long you can tell those days that might hold severe weather. The air gets thick and soupy. Not the oppressive heat of a hot, summer day. But on stormy days the atmosphere almost seems electric. Sunday was that kind of day. The morning found us at church. We went back to the farm for the afternoon. We did laundry, watched tv, napped…occasionally the weather guy would pop in on the TV and talk about a nasty looking cell that was heading into the area. You have to understand that in this part of the country we are not unaccustomed to severe weather. While certainly unwelcome, severe weather can be common. What is not common, however, are giant tornadoes touching down in such a populated area. Dad had already gone back to church for our Sunday evening service and Mom had gotten off work and went right to the church. She works at a nursing home just off Rangeline Rd. in Joplin. Troy, Josiah and I loaded up the car and headed to the church. Mom called me  and I could hear the tornado sirens in the background. “Where are you?” she said. “Where is the tornado? The sirens are going off.” By the time we got to the church we knew that a tornado had touched down in Joplin and was heading east. We made the decision to go try and beat the storm back to Springfield (which is east!). I can tell you that it was an intense hour. Almost immediately we found a radio station broadcasting nonstop storm coverage and the report was heartbreaking. At some point a caller had called in with his eyewitness account of the destruction. He called out familiar businesses and locations. All gone or heavily damaged. He described cars overturned, people wandering aimlessly, power lines down. He remained remarkably calm. However, eventually the reality of it all must have hit him. He became frantic. Worried about his family. He lived near St. John’s. We found out later that the hospital and surrounding community looked like a war zone. At one point I can remember thinking. “This must be a prank caller. There is no way this can be happening.” Occasionally, the radio announcer would break in and talk about another exit on I-44 that had been closed. Cars flipped, semi’s twisted. Troy and I would look at each other. We had passed that exit minutes before. The storm was right behind us.

Eventually, we made enough time that we put enough distance between us and the storm and we drove back to a relatively calm Springfield. The storm sagged south and we in Springfield were treated to a beautiful double rainbow.  As I write this, the deathtoll has risen to 116. I know it could have been much, much worse. But how heartbreaking.

4. My aunt and uncle have a house on Texas Street in Joplin. It was there we took Josiah for his first overnight visit to see family when he was just a few weeks old. And in fact, I believe we are going for Sunday dinner in just a few weeks. My aunt is the glue that holds the extended family together. I have enjoyed many Sunday dinners at her house. She and my uncle rode the storm out in their little basement. It is so little I wasn’t even aware it existed. I am sure that today she and my uncle are assisting those who have been affected by this tragedy. They have been ‘assisting’ others for so many years…I don’t imagine today to be any different.

5. This afternoon I went grocery shopping and turned the station to the same one we had listened to while outrunning the storm. Caller after caller were offering their services. A muffler repair shop owner called in and told folks to bring in their cars…they would air up tires and even sharpen up chainsaws. A pet groomer called and told everybody to bring their pets to her to keep safe. A grandpa from Kentucky called worried about his granddaughter. He hadn’t heard from her. “Call Grandpa as soon as you can,” he said. You know, our part of the country has somewhat of a reputation. We are all right-wing bigots. We wear our pajamas to Wal-mart (you know who you are… I’ve seen you) and marry our cousins. We are unsophisticated, uneducated hicks. Some of us might be all of those things. Some of us might be a few of those things. But I dare you to find a part of the country where you will find such warm and generous people. Hey, my pajama pants are your pajama pants. And I am not going to say I have never seen certain plumbing fixtures in a yard or two...but in a pinch...you call on us. We will help you down to our last bean in the pot.

5. My mom went to work this morning. To be honest, I would have rather her stay home. At the little farm in Stella, with her Rottweiler, in the little rock farmhouse with my Dad’s shotgun. But those little old people in the nursing home need her. They need familiar faces and routine. We all need each other. Last night I received calls, FB posts and emails from family and friends…they had heard of the storm and wanted to be sure we were all okay. Saturday the media was talking about “The End of the World.” We never know when our world is going to change in a blink of an eye. We must never take for granted for what God has blessed us with. My aches and pains don't seem to matter today.

If you are able and want to do something, but don't know what...I would suggest donating to Convoy of Hope. They are a terrific relief organization based out of Springfield. They do excellent work and help people all over the world. They have a team in Joplin right now. You won't have to worry about where your money is going. They are good folks. You can get to their website from Here.

Much love,
Rebekah

Slug Bug

Unmotivated. Thy name is Beke. A slug can't get any sluggier than me. Blame it on the heat! Blame it on our unconventional schedule and life!  I would blame it on the alcohol, but I don't drink! If I did, now would be a good time for something strong. I started off the week on a roll. I should have listened to my gut and stayed in bed. Instead I ventured out into the world. And let me tell ya...It wasn't a great experience. I cried. It wasn't attractive. At all.

 Today started on a high note. I went into my morning with a plan. Then promptly talked myself out of the plan. I have been plan less all day. I'm sure at some point this week I will suddenly wake up and say "what happened to my week..and why in the world didn't I get anything done?"

Anyhoo. Tomorrow is another day. And hopefully it will involve spelling and toilet cleaning (not necessarily in that order). I did make some iced tea and put ham in the crockpot. At least my family will receive nourishment.

And because I feel sorry for myself and am desperate need of comfort food, I thought of Girl Scout Cookies. Which led me to take this Girl Scout Cookie Personality Test. Who knew that Girl Scout Cookies could reveal so much about the innermost me? My fav's are Thin Mints (followed by the Peanut Butter kind). Here are the Thin Mint observations,

Thin Mints: You’re easygoing. Those who favor bold flavors like mint are easygoing types. You’re the one at home who doesn’t feel the need to make waves, and the one your co-workers find the most agreeable.



Nailed-it! Now if they would have added that Thin Mint lovers appreciate sushi, adore flip flops, can sing every number in The Sound of Music and has a sophomoric habit of daydreaming I would have suspected somebody over that at Personality Test central was related to me!

For A Mother

I have all sorts of wonderful things I could say about Mother’s Day. Being a mom is pretty great.  And I have the blessing of having an absolutely fabulous Mom. And a pretty terrific Mother-in-law. Mother’s Day used to be a bittersweet holiday for me. For me, becoming a mom turned out to be quite a challenge. My body didn’t work the way it was supposed to. And so…after a long 10 years (which included a miscarriage and a failed adoption attempt)...eventually Mother’s Day turned out to be one of my favorite holidays. Not because it is the day when the world celebrates my incredible mothering skills and my “all around awesomeness”. There is one other mom in my life….without her I wouldn’t be the mother I am today. You see, about 9 ½ years ago she made a difficult choice. She gave her sweet brown-eyed baby boy to me…to call my own. I haven’t seen her since that day. She has grown up. Every year I send her pictures and a letter full of all of Josiah’s accomplishments and stories. I don’t know if we will ever meet again. One day Josiah might want to meet her. But every day I ask God to bless her and I thank Him for sending her into our lives. It wasn’t an easy decision for her. And though I know she doesn’t regret her decision there has been heartache for her through the years. So on this Mother’s Day I not only honor the women in my life who have been “Mother” to me…I honor the young woman who made a selfless choice so that I might be called “Mommy.”

Easter Treats!

So it's Easter. The time of the year that has the most significance in a Christian's life. At least it does in mine. I have in my bag of tricks certain Easter projects I like to pull out year after year. Here are a few links that might give you inspiration to add a little meaning to your Easter Celebration.(be sure to click on the pinkish/reddish link and not the picture. I didn't set them up right)

  The  Jelly Bean Prayer Box  is a perfect craft for a Sunday School Class. You can also print off the poem and just attach it to  little bags of Jelly Beans. This would be a great little treat to give to the special kiddos in your life (or slightly older fluffy friends). Provided you don't eat all the Jelly Beans first. That is a hazard of giving out edible treats.

Resurrection Rolls are an old standby I have used for years. Not only do they teach a story, but they are a great Easter Morning treat as well. They basically just call for those Pillsbury Crescent rolls, marshmallows and either brown sugar or cinnamon sugar. And an oven. So plan wisely before carting all your ingredients off to Sunday School This particular recipe is found at All Recipes.

 I have used purchased sets of Resurrection Eggs over the  years (and in fact still have one or two sets in the homeschool cabinet. Minus a part or two. The communion cup (from the Last Supper) keeps disappearing. Josiah likes to use it has the Holy Grail while playing "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." Here is a craft you can do at home. I plan on making them with our group of kids during Children's Church this Easter Sunday. Here is the link for Resurrection Eggs.

 This treat doesn't have any Religious significance.But it is pretty cute. Do you have any extra ice cream cones in the pantry? I have been known to stick some Easter grass and a Marshmallow Peep in the cone as well.  Easter Basket Ice Cream Cones

Somewhere in a box in the abyss that is our Storage Unit, I have some of the cutest lettuce leaf plates. I am trying really hard to be bitter. They have missed quite a few Easters. But I digress. I love setting a pretty table for special days. And what is more special than Easter Dinner. I think you will agree that a beautiful table makes even the driest ham seem juicer. One of my favorite little Table Scape Sites "Between Naps on the Porch" has some beautiful ideas for every occasion. You can find this table here. Easter Tablescape

Here is another Easter Tablescape at Between Naps. I think I have just the bunny rabbit that will make our Easter Table something special. That is if he isn't being used as some sort of Villainous Mastermind plotting to overtake the Universe. You never know at my house. I found the tiny eggs off of the miniature Easter Tree being used as precious artifacts that Indiana Jones had unearthed. Sigh.

Have a Lovely Easter!

My Apologies

I am so ashamed. My cousin just informed me (via FB) that she couldn't become a follower on my blog. So I did a little investigation and realized that I had disabled the "follow" feature on my blog. I just now remember doing that. Undoubtedly I had a good excuse. So after my 'let me make you feel extremely guilty" tirade yesterday about having no followers I accept full responsibility.

In other news...It is chilly in the Ozarks this morning. That is one of the hazards of living in Southwest Missouri. One never knows what season you might wake up in during certain parts of the year. In January we had a tornado one weekend and the next a full force Blizzard. And I don't mean the kind they sell at Dairy Queen. Well, I must go and do other things. Josiah just came in and asked me how to bake a potato. I guess he's hungry. I was kind of hoping he'd forget about breakfast ;<)

My Two Cents (more random thoughts)

Okay. I realize that I haven’t been a faithful blogger. And while all 2 of you who actually read this post (Hi, Mom!) will be glad to see me back …I do have a good excuse. It’s called …wait for it…Life! Life is kicking my hiney.  Between illness, homeschool, housework, new challenges and just plain “can’tputagoodbookdownitis, “ these past few months have been a bit overwhelming.  Trust me, I’ve had plenty to say. It’s just been floating somewhere around in my brain. Which could be a good thing. Not everything I have  to say is particularly edifying.  So here they are. Ready or not.  A few random thoughts. (hey! I rhymed!)

1.     1.   Back in March we started a new adventure. We are now assisting my Mom and Dad at their church in Diamond, Missouri. They had been asking us to come for quite some time. But the commute and just plain being comfortable where we were at kept us from committing. God has a strange way of working things out. Josiah and I are still going to our beloved King’s Chapel on Wednesday nights (and whenever they will let us hang out).  There is nothing like great friends. And we certainly have them. Anyhoo, our assignment will no doubt lead to some great things and some new challenges. It’s been harder getting “back in the saddle” than we thought it would be.

2.      2.  As we are now at Mom and Dad’s most of the weekend Josiah is able to wander about their farm with freedom. Every little boy’s dream. A big dog. A fishing pole. And no neighbors around to keep up at night with the endless Just Dance face offs (oh..sorry…this is not about me). He and Papa took an adventure walk in the woods on Saturday. Josiah was viciously attacked by a thorn and barely made it out alive. Well. At least that’s the version I got from our resident story teller.  Poor city kid. Somebody get us a back yard. Quick.

3.      3.  I hate spring. Maybe I should rephrase that…I love Spring, but I hate the allergies that come with it. Yesterday I was driving and it seemed like every business had some sort of lawn care truck in front of it. The lawn mowing and weed eating was completely out of control. I drove down Jefferson Street with one eye shut. My left eye swelled so much I almost lost a contact. As I type this I am squinting at the screen. My contacts are so irritated I am surprised that they haven’t just popped out in protest.

4.       4. Our nice apartment fix-it guys came into to change our air filters today. And to check the smoke alarms. Ooopsie. If I had known they needed in our bedroom I would have picked up a little. Instead it looked like a tornado had taken a nap in my room. I mumbled something about cleaning out closets and hoped he didn’t notice the stack of cereal bowls on the printer. Yep. I tried to tell myself that at least the rest of my house was clean, but the man will probably have nightmares about being chased by large stacks of laundry.

5.    5.    I had an opportunity for a writing job the other day. This was not a paying job, but a steady one in which people would actually read my stuff. And do you know why I couldn’t apply? Because I have not one follower on my blog. Not one. (and If you are a follower and my blog has not told me so I apologize) You had to have at least 25. Not even my own mother will admit she follows my blog. This is sad, my friends. I know I seldom post things of spiritual significance. I don’t have life changing recipes or all those free things real bloggers like to give away…but where else will you get an honest to goodness tirades and a variety of frivolous fluff.  So dear friends.  Stoke my slighted ego. Become a follower.

6.      6.  Yesterday, after Josiah had is class at the Y, we headed off to buy a pizza at a place which shall remain nameless (but it rhymes with Mapa Purphey’s). They were busy, because like me there were a lot of folks who just needed a ready to put in the oven pizza” on Monday night. Unfortunately, the young woman behind the counter was having trouble with her Customer Service skills as well as her “playing well with other” skills in general. She was nice enough to me, but snipped at the lady in front of me and spent the rest of the time snipping at a fellow co-worker. Hello! We can hear you out here! Do your snipping in the breakroom! A big pet peeve of mine are those who have chosen to work amongst the general public, but have trouble just being nice to anybody. As a former(we are talking decades ago now) counter worker for a large fast food burger joint (that rhymes with DaMonald’s) I can speak to the frustrations that a busy counter can bring. Just deal with it! Put on a smile. You can punch something later. Maybe she was having a bad day. But come on. A lot of us have bad days. Just play nice with others. And that is my two cents.

7.      7.   I have suffered a major catastrophe. My laptop has been infected by a nasty bug. I am currently pounding away on The Studly Muffin’s much inferior computer. He only uses it to keep up with his fantasy Nascar team, golf scores and buddies on Facebook. I am really insulted. I also just found out that it is going to cost more money than we have right now to let the boys at Best Buy debug it. It’s always something. Woe.

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