Today my daughter reaches double digits. Someone mentioned to me the other day that she’ll never be single digits again. She will forever have two numbers on her cake now. I had a very short pregnancy with her… she wasn’t born early… I just found out about my pregnancy a bit late. Let’s just say Oprah would love to talk to me! To this day I don’t even remember being pregnant. Its like Kayla just fell from heaven right into my arms! Thank you so much God for my little angel.

She’s at such an in between stage right now. She loves Pokemon as much as she loves lip gloss. I know in a few weeks we’re going to have to sit down and have some talks about birds and bees stuff and I’m just so not ready for that. Her friend M is already wearing a bra! In some ways I’m sad to see her growing up so fast but in others I’m excited about her teenage years… the school dances, the boy crushes, the chick flicks and mother/daughter shopping days. My mother has already warned me about the teenage angst she’ll probably deal with. My mom knows because Kayla’s personality is so much like my sister’s (love you M-E!). That’s not a bad thing mind you… they are just very “high spirited” which I’ve realized only means that Kayla will grow into a very strong woman one day just like my sister. She absolutely has a huge heart for animals and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her as a vet or a zookeeper one day. She loves to sing and the songs I like best are the ones she comes up with herself. She’s a great Mama Duck to her baby sister and only occassionally yells at her for messing with her stuff. She’s a voracious reader and reads on an 8th grade level even though I can’t let her read 8th grade level books yet due to subject matter. She’s one of the smallest in her class but is obviously growing because her shirts have suddenly all become belly shirts. She has hair as thick as mine that she hates to brush but I know one day it will be one of her greatest assets.

Happy Birthday my sweet spunky little lady! Mama loves you “high as the sky”!

Why?

Gracie is in the why stage.  Its hilarious but tiring.  Last night she slept with me on the couch and the conversation went something like this... 

"Gracie, lay your head down and go to sleep"

"Why Mommy?"

"Because its nighttime"

"why is it nighttime?"

"because the moon is out"

"why is the moon out?'

"because its nighttime"

"why is it nighttime?"

"because the sun went to sleep"

"why did the sun go to sleep?"

"lay your head down Gracie"

I realize no one is even reading this at this point seeing as how its been almost a year since I’ve posted. And what a wild and crazy year its been. I didn’t mean to disappear but life had other plans for me. I’ll get around to posting about it all but for now I have a musical confession to make. I’m already listening to Christmas music. Yes, you all knew I was a little but nutty and I guess I’ve just confirmed that for you. I was having a bad week last week and needed something to perk me up so I bought the $5.99 Target CD they always put out and Olivia Newton John’s new Christmas CD. I *heart* Olivia and the sound of her voice. Its so very smooth and soothing. I’ve moved my other CD’s out of the car (with exception to kid music cd’s because I do not dare drive without Sesame Street’s Greatest Hits ready and available!) and put my folder with all my Christmas tunes on the front seat. Out of all the Christmas CD’s I own I have to say the one I look forward to listening to the most every year is my Harry Connick, Jr. one. I used to have all (both?) of his Christmas CD’s but the oldest one got lost in the shuffle somehow. However, Harry for the Holidays, has an awesome rendition of Frosty the Snowman that the girls and I all enjoy. We turn the radio up and sing along… Thumpity Thump Thump Thumpity Thump, Look at Frosty Go… Thumpity Thump Thump Thumpity Thump, Over the hills of Snoooowww! I had the pleasure of going to Harry’s (we’re on a first name basis) Christmas show a few years ago and had sixth row seats. They were off to the side so not as wonderful as they may sound but Harry worked the stage so that even us poor souls on the side got great enjoyment for two hours straight. It was such a fun and exciting night. After the concert I ran into a co-worker who happened to be there with Harry’s cousin and I begged and pleaded for them to get my Christmas ornament autographed. He promised they’d try and Monday AM walked into my office with one autographed HCJ Christmas ornament that now hangs at the top of my tree every year. It is one of my most prized possessions.

So, yeah, those of you who think I’m totally off my rocker, Thanksgiving really IS only a week from today! I’m not that far ahead of the game if you think about it. Happy Holidays to you!

Gracie:  Is Waggles hungry?

Me: yep, but we're out of kitty food so we'll have to go to the store and get some.

G: Kitty food and bananas?

Me:  you want bananas?

G: Yeah, kids need to eat bananas.

Me:  You're right, bananas are very good for you.

G: Yeah, and they're yummy too!

She makes me smile.  Just what I needed today.     :0) 

Love Me Tender

Tomorrow marks the 30th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death.  I was planning to spend the evening at Graceland but that was before the heat wave set in.  There is no way I would sit out in this heat in that crowd of people tonight.   However, you can watch the vigil online and there is plenty of Elvis info out there to check out if you just feel like learning more about the King.

Our newspaper has a special online section  www.goelvis.com.

Then there is the official Elvis Presley Enterprises website www.elvis.com.   which leads you to www.elvisweek.com.

Those of us who live here in Memphis know about Graceland Too.   If you ever come to visit me here, I'll take you.   This article describes the experience perfectly.   I've been there twice and only need one more visit to get my lifetime membership card.  Seriously. 

ETA my friend Ted's website - www.epexpress.net.   He does the jumpsuit, the scarves, the whole deal.   Its a hoot. 

Larry King is here to interview Priscilla tonight at Graceland.   I think its on right now but will repeat again later this evening if you just feel lthe need to TIVO it.   I admire her grace and her genuineness.  She knows she will always be the wife of Elvis (even though they weren't married anymore) and she welcomes the public with open arms. 

Truthfully, I'm an Elvis fan.  I loved him as a child and I love him now.   I often wonder what music would have been like had he lived... if gansta rap would even be in existence.   Lisa Marie and Priscilla do a lot for the city and especially St. Jude and I know Elvis would be proud of them.   I'm just sorry drugs cut his life so short.   Such a waste.

Emergency!

It was a dark and stormy night .... ok, it was dark but not stormy... we're in the middle of a drought.  After several days of having to think to breathe, I finally convinced myself it was not the ozone layer making me feel that way.  I finally spoke up and told my mom about it as well as my friend B who is a nurse.  Both of them agreed that it was most likely anxiety and Mom mentioned I should probably get my blood pressure checked.  I had plans to see B that night and she promised to bring her medical gear.  Meanwhile, I had to make a quick trip to Target where I happened by one of those do it yourself blood pressure machines.   I sat down and put my arm in the cuff and pressed the button.    My blood pressure was fine and I made a mental note of my heart rate - 139.    I called Mom and spouted the numbers off and she didn't flinch so I thought I was probably ok.   I headed off to my friend J's house for the jewelry party and as promised B had her gear with her.  Immediately after the party she listened to my heart and I told her about my results from Target.  Her eyes got big when I said 139 and she said "well that's why you're having trouble breathing!  Your heart rate is too high!"   It was 120 when she took it which is still high.   She said I needed to keep an eye on it over the weekend and call the doc on Monday or else go to the ER if it bothered me too much.  The more I sat there and thought about it the more my mind race which I'm certain did not help my heart rate.   After a while I was doing the ugly cry and knew that I had to go to the ER or I'd be in a straightjacket by Monday.

I called Don and let him know that B was driving me home and would sit with the girls until J could come and relieve her.  We knew it might be a long wait at the ER, especially on a Friday night so I gathered up some reading material, took out my contacts, and Don and I headed on our not so merry way to Methodist North.   I signed in and told the front desk person what the trouble was and then sat to wait.   Not five minutes later my name was called.  I told Don to stay put since I'm sure they were just going to take my vitals and then send me back out to sit.   My blood pressure was a bit higher than when B took it but not anything dangerous.   My heart rate was still high though and next thing I knew I was getting set up for an EKG.   They put stickers all over my arms, legs, and chest and hooked up wires for literally 30 seconds.  At the push of a button the computer spit out the report and all the wires came off.   I had no idea an EKG was that quick.   The next step was to take blood.  The nurse tried my right arm but didn't have much luck so a guy named Tommy took over for her.  He's a firefighter that only works at the hospital 24 hours a month and let me tell you, he turned out to be my angel in disguise.   He explained everything he was doing while making small talk along the way.  His smile was so comforting and his bedside manner exceptional.  He took the blood and then loaded me into a wheelchair for a quick ride to the xray department for a chest xray.   After that we rolled back through the waiting room to pick up Don and as we were headed to a room, a guy fell out in the parking lot and there was lots of screaming and running and Tommy parked me in a corner and told me to wait there.  It was sort of a scary moment and I kept expecting to see blood and gore but all I ended up seeing was a guy being carried by several men through the doors.  It turned out to be a guy Don had just been talking to whose wife was sick.  We thought for sure he had just received bad news about his wife.  

Tommy was back in a matter of minutes and rolled me back to the "Chest Pain Center".   He gave me a lovely gown to put on "backwards" and told me to crawl into bed.   Then a guy named Barrett came in to hook me up to a heart monitor.  More stickers, more wires.   He told me Ed would be my nurse (what is it with all the guys that night?) and would be in to check on me soon.   When Ed swung through the door, Don says he was like a soap opera doctor.   He did have good hair but I don't think he was all that cute.  Tommy was cuter.  And had a better personality.   Anyway, Ed swung the door open, smiled, and said, "Hi, I'm Ed.  Haven't I treated you before?  You sure do look familiar".   Don is convinced he was hitting on me.  I beg to differ.   That gown didn't do a whole lot for me.   Ed said my gown was on backwards, I told him I was instructed to wear it that way, he laughed an arrogant laugh (I could tell he was thinking "stupid fireman") and said "well, you can put it on the other way... I'll close the door and let you do that"   That was the most adventurous part of the night.  We had to figure out how to get the wires through the sleeve of the gown and found it impossible without disconnecting something.   Don held his breath as he unplugged the monitor fully expecting bells and whistles to go off but nothing happened.  We got the gown switched, plugged in the monitor and settled in for a really long night of bad tv.    We made a game of trying to get my heart rate down and then I'd look up to see what the number was and watch it jump.   Somewhere in the middle of all of this, we heard the guy next door screaming in agony and once again we thought for sure he got bad news. 

Ed came in and took more blood and Barrett came in to take my blood pressure but I was missing Tommy.   I was trying to rest and relax and so was Don but he was stuck in an awful wooden chair and I was stuck in an awful hospital bed with a bar pressing on my rear end.  Everytime I sat up to readjust myself my heart rate jumped so I was trying to stay as still as possible.   After a while, the doctor finally came by to check on me.  He asked how I was feeling and told me so far everything looked good.  EKG and chest x ray were fine.  He just had to figure out why my heart was racing.  He said he was waiting on one more test and hoped to have answers soon.   Tommy came by to check on me in the meantime and said if they thought something was serious they would have called a cardiologist and I'd have all sorts of activity in my room.  He said "just remember, no news is good news".   Meanwhile, Barrett came in to take yet more blood as I thought "how can I have any left to give??"   We watched the time tick away .... 1am, 1:30am, 2:45am.  Finally at 3, Dr. Burch reappeared and said he was glad we waited for that last test.  Drumroll please.... I have hyperthyroidism.    He told me it was a good thing I came in because the racing heart could have turned into something called Thyroid Storm which is an emergency.  He said the good news is I'd probably lose a "bunch of weight".    He wrote me two prescriptions for a beta blocker and thyroid medicine and told me I could get dressed and go home.  I don't think Don has ever heard sweeter words.   He had yet to have dinner and when Don doesn't eat, its not pretty.  Of course we were both relieved it was as simple a diagnosis as that. 

So, I got dressed and we paid our deductable and zipped off to Walgreens at 3:15am.  It was a long night but it turned out ok and I have to say I've learned two lessons from all of this.  Ok, three.    The first is to always listen to your instincts.    My friends didn't think I needed to make an ER run but I just knew better.   The second, listen to your doctor.   I was told by my OB last year that I needed to come back in three months for blood work due to a low thyroid.   I never went back and now my thyroid is in overdrive.   If I'd just listened to her this whole event could have been avoided and I would have been monitored for the last 9 months and probably would have felt a whole lot better in general.  The third is you never know when you may come across one of God's angels.  Tommy didn't have wings and he didn't have a glow surrounding his head but I know my ER experience might have gone differently without him there.  He's only there three nights a month, if that.  When I think about that I'm overwhelmed.   I was lucky to have him take care of me and calm my nerves.   He may not have wings, but he's getting cookies.

Moral of the story:  Being hooked up to a heart monitor puts life into perspective pretty fast.  Make the most of every day.  Live life to the fullest and don't ever be afraid to say "I love you".    I love you.

Under the Big Top

We went to the circus this weekend and it turned out to be a very emotional experience for me.  Um, its the circus, Bets... what's so freakin emotional about a circus you might ask?  Ok, are you ready for this?   When I was 20, I became an honorary member of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.  No, I don't know how to fly on a trapeeze and I certainly don't know how to tame a lion.  I'd always thought about Clown College but that's not it either.

This is a confession of a Circus Bride.  Yes, I got married in a three ring ceremony.  I entered an essay contest on Why I Wanted my Wedding to be the Greatest Show on Earth and to my amazement, I won!   Brian and I got married right before a performance at the Mid South Coliseum.  He and his best man rode in on elephants and I had a horse drawn carriage.   We had 15 clown and 15 showgirls as our attendants.  Little did I know the marriage would be more of a circus than the ceremony was.  Oh, and for the record, we were the second non-circus couple to be married under the Big Top.  Unfortunately most of the pictures aren't great but you'll get the idea. 

Brian and his best man at the rehearsal... Brian is on the left.

The real deal...

The Bride

Hamming it up on the carriage...

This clown had the right idea!!

Don't you love the bridesmaids dresses?  LOL!!

Hard to keep a straight face when you're surrounded by clowns!

Off to Happily Ever for a year or two... if even that.... but the wedding sure as hell was fun!!!!!

So, that's my deep dark confession.  And yes, being at the circus on Saturday brought all of those memories flooding back.  The clowns, the showgirls, the elephants.... what a day that was!  The marriage ended after 10 years but I got a beautiful daughter from the experience and therefore wouldn't change a thing.

The Power of Oxyclean

Ok, I'd be the first to talk up the Power of OXYCLEAN! LOVE the stuff! I even have the Baby stain version. After a year of first grade, Kayla's school shirts are still white... the marker, the Kool-aid, the dirt and grass stains... all gone! Having said that, the commercials absolutely crack me up!

Random Lady: I have three teenage boys and when they come home from mudding down in the Wolf River I just don't know what to do!

Billy the Oxyclean Guy: YOU NEED THE POWER OF OXYCLEAN!

RL: But will it get out these greasy stains on white t-shirts?

Billy: OXYCLEAN CAN DO IT ALL! JUST DROP A SCOOPFULL IN WITH EVERY LOAD AND YOUR WHITES WILL NEVER BE BRIGHTER!!!

I mean the dude really YELLS... he sounds like his voice hurts too. And then there is the KABOOM! commercial. I've started imitating him around the house and Don laughs every time. I actually bought some KABOOM to try the other day and pulled it out of the Target Bag...
Me: LOOK HONEY, I GOT SOME KABOOM!!

Crack Me UP!

You know what amazes me?  That in two short years my sweet newborn baby who was totally helpless and relied on us for every single need now has full conversations, opinions, and demands.   I'm thinking about the process in general.    That we all start out so small but it takes almost no time for us to be relational and conversational.   Gracie is about to go get her first haircut at 11.  I told her about it yesterday and all night last night she thought it was time to go.   I explained that we'd go after breakfast in the morning.   This morning she woke up and said "we go take Sissy to school and then eat breakfast?"  I said yes to which she replied, "and then we get my haircut!"     We decided a bath would be good in between breakfast and the haircut so after she was done eating she said "i'm ready for a bath now".    I asked her to go get a towel (just the fact that she's old enough at two to know where the towels are and how to go get one amazes me.)   She brought one to me and said "is this one fine?"    She requests specific songs and knows if I sing them wrong.   She knows exactly what she wants for breakfast and exactly what she doesn't want.  I love to watch her stand at the refrigerator and say "hmmmmm"  as she ponders what she's hungry for.   She knows the difference between hot and cold, in and out, open and closed.   She knows her colors, shapes, numbers, & letters.   She knows how to name the members of our family... and that all four people go together - Mommy, Daddy, Sissy, Gracie.   I think about a two week old and remember how small and sweet and literally helpless they are.  Two years isn't that long to a 35 year old like me.   So to think of all that a human learns in those first two years is just shocking.  I can't think of a better word for it.  I wish we kept learning at that pace through life.  We'd all be geniuses by now!

This morning Don and I both woke up at 5am with a leg cramp.  He was saying "leg cramp leg cramp" and I thought he was asking me if I had one because I was crying out in pain.  He told me to straighten out my leg and then asked me where the cramp was and I said my calf... he said which leg.  I said my left... he said me too.  At the *exact* same freaking time.   So at first I laid there just thinking "how strange" and then Don said, "maybe we're supposed to go check on the girls".   We laid there about another 30 seconds and then did just that.   Both girls were sound asleep, perfectly fine.  Don went back to sleep but I couldn't get my brain to settle down so now I'm just plain tired (and my calf is sore).

What on earth do ya'll make of that??  Anyone have a theory??  We've been considering changing churches and Don said this morning, "maybe He's trying to tell us not to walk away".   Do you think God speaks through leg cramps???

Dinner with Friends

We had friends over for dinner last night and had a great time.  We don't do that often enough.  Our house is way to small to entertain a whole lot of people at one time but last night was tons of fun and Don and I both agreed we should do it more frequently.    Anyway, it made me want to tell ya'll about an idea for a restaurant I have (that I'll never have enough $$ to start but it would be cool if someone else did).   I'd call it The Chat Room and in the spirit of a Japanese restaurant, you'd sit with strangers (I'd probably serve Italian food).  The tables would have to be smaller though... they would only seat 6 so that its easy to talk.  In the middle of the table would be a fishbowl or some kind of container with questions in it.   Each seat is numbered and the #1 spot picks a question first.  Religion & politics would be taboo... the questions would be more along the lines of "if you won the lottery, what's the first thing you would buy".    Each person at the table would answer and you would see where the discussion leads.  When the drinks come, the #2 seat picks a new question and no matter where you are in the conversation you have to switch gears, appetizer #3 picks and so on and so on.   I think I'm gonna test it out next time we have a dinner party.   Wanna come?

Go Tigers Go!

I just wanted to give a shout out to my University of Memphis Tigers!!!!!!!!!  Elite Eight here we come!  You should have heard all the screaming around here about an hour ago... i thought I was going to have to call an ambulance for my mom after the stress of that game!  But we did it!  We won and we're on to the next round.   We all wore Tiger Blue to work today, including all the kids.  Then Gracie and I went to Target to get diapers and the whole store was a sea of blue.  We're supposed to wear black and gold tomorrow to support Vanderbilt but I'm wearing my Tiger Blue again.  Its ok, I've already talked to my boss and she's planning to do exactly the same thing.  We're so proud of you boys!!!

GO TIGERS GO!!!!!

* What is it with the one shoe in the middle of the road?  Are there people out there just randomly throwing shoes out their car windows??

* Kermit just made a rare appearance on Sesame Street.  Why isn't he a main character anymore???  Was there some sort of controversy I don't know about??

* Someone stole our trash can.  Its been gone for a week now.  We have a back up but its not half as big as out city trash can so for now I have two garbage bags sitting in my kitchen.  Thankfully, tomorrow is trash day.   I called the city and they said the trash guys would look for our can tomorrow but if they can't find it they will bring out a replacement.

* I hate litter boxes.

Dear Gracie

My Dear Sweet Gracie,  

I can't believe you are not a baby anymore.  When you turn two you have to be called a "toddler" even though you certainly don't toddle... you run, jump, wiggle, dance, and run some more.  In fact, your favorite game right now is "I'm going to get you!"   But I digress... I want to write about your birthday party before I forget all the fun detail.s... its already sort of a blur.      We had such a fun time and I can't wait to see the pictures that your Uncle Dan took.   The party was sort of chaotic but that just makes it more fun in my opinion.  Aunt Wendy and your cousin Anna came first and it was nice to see them... Anna is 6 now but she still won't speak to me when she comes over.   She clams right up and won't say a word.... until she goes to Kayla's room to play and then she and Kayla chatter nonstop!   Nana walked in next and she loved you new Elmo outfit!  It looked so cute on you even if it was a 3T and the pants  hung halfway off your bootie making you look like a rap star. 

A few minutes later the rest of the crowd swarmed in and we had a party!   We ate cheese and crackers and watched the video from the day you were born laughing as we watched Daddy practice his labor pain breathing like Bill Cosby.   Remind me to show you that Bill Cosby routine when you get older.   Next we cleared off the coffee table and turned on TMX Elmo.  The kids all gathered around and giggled for about 30 seconds and then went back to the play corner to play with your other toys.  The adults however thought Elmo was a riot and couldn't get enough!  I was entertained watching all of them be entertained.   After Elmo settled down, we opened all your presents.   Well, Kayla and Allison opened all of your presents.  You were way more interested in playing with the Sesame Street stickers I put in your birthday card.   Who knew?   I would have bought you a hundred sheets of stickers if I had known how happy they made you.   Kayla and Allison did a great job reading all the birthday cards in unison and ooohed and ahhed appropriately over every gift as if they were all for them.   You got some really fun toys and three very pretty dresses.    And what came after presents?  Cake of course!   It was chocolate with white icing and a photo of you, Ernie, and Bert on the fire truck at Wal-Mart.    We couldn't bear to cut the part of the cake with your face on it so we've just cut around it and there you are still in a little square.   I think you were a bit overwhelmed at cake time although you did enjoy the singing and even tried to blow out your candles.   I don't want to fast forward life but I can't wait for next year when you'll really understand all the hype!    Everyone left shortly after cake so that you could have a much needed nap and we spent the rest of the day opening all your toys and playing with each one.   You love the Weebles, the Elmo Water Baby doll, and your Elmo Knows your Name Elmo doll.    But what did you play with most of all last night before bed?  Yep, those stickers.  And what did you ask for first thing this morning?   Yep, the stickers!   Oh Gracie you make my laugh, you make me smile, you make my heart swell up from all the love I have for you.   I can't believe you are two...it all went by so fast and you've learned so much.   Maybe in your third year I'll be better about writing it all down.   Happy Happy Birthday my beautiful redheaded wonder.   Daddy, Sissy, and I love you high as the sky.   

Love 
Mommy

Hooray for Hollywood!

My sister has been here since Friday...  but tonight is what we've all been waiting for.

This is me at my mom's Oscar party:


This is me and my sister at Mom's Oscar party


This is our Mom.


Any Questions??

Say Goodnight Gracie

Gracie helped me unload the dishwasher before lunch.  She knows where everything goes and its her favorite chore to help with.  Right now she's in her crib "taking a nap" but what I'm hearing over the monitor is this:

Rockabye Elmo on the tree top!  Ellie!?  Where are you Ellie?  Lellow, Geen, that's Red!   George (as in Curious), lets' change your diaper George.   Go see Mommy?  Go see Daddy?  One Two Free Four FIVE!  Rock a bye baby on the treetooooop    Cookie Monster, you go nite nite?  we found him we found him lalalalala   its nigh night time  ....humming rockabye baby now.... piggy toooooeeeee.   Where's Noopy?  Oh goodness!  Uuuuuuuuuuuppp  uuuuuuppppp     uuuuuuuuuuuuuup   Change your diaper George.  New banket?  yes you did  Nigh Night blankie  Night Elmo.  Hi Cookie... Oscar   Zoe no no.    Now she's just banging her books around.   10 minutes later and she's still talking.... say goodnight Gracie!!!!!

Spaghetti

She did it!  She did it!  Kayla finally tried spaghetti again for the first time in almost three years!!!!!!  We just happened to catch her in the right mood and didn't give her an alternate meal to eat.  She took a bite and said "YUM!"  and devoured every last bit!!   Yay Kayla!!  This opens up a whole new list of dinner choices... raviolli, lasagna, PIZZA!!!!    In honor of this I give you one of my favorite all time poems by the late great Shel Silverstein.   If you child does not have Where the Sidewalk Ends, it is a must have IMHO! 

Spaghetti

Spaghetti, spaghetti, all over the place,
Up to my elbows--up to my face,
Over the carpet and under the chairs,
Into the hammock and wound round the stairs,
Filling the bathtub and covering the desk,
Making the sofa a mad mushy mess. The party is ruined, I'm terribly worried,
The guests have all left (unless they're all buried).
I told them, "Bring presents." I said, "Throw confettii."
I guess they heard wrong
'Cause they all threw spaghetti!
Shel Silverstein

Wanted to write down some Gracie-isms.   She has finally learned to say "yes" correctly but before a day or two ago it came out "nes".  It made Don laugh every time to the point where he would ask her questions just to make her say it.   On Friday we brought my mom a balloon to sign and kiss and send up to Papa Joe in heaven.  I purposely bought Gracie her own little balloon so that she would be ok when we released Papa Joe's.  Instead she fell apart and cried and wailed "where Mommy's balloon go?????"  over and over and over again.  We brought her inside to try and calm her down but the entire night she kept bursting into tears and  bringing up that doggone balloon.  Yesterday (four days later) as I was buckling her up in the carseat, she asked me again "where Mommy's balloon go?"    After dropping off Sissy at school yesterday we saw lots of school buses in a row and she started waving frantically and yelling "bye school bus!!! Have a good day school bus!!!"    She randomly breaks into song all day long and I love listening to her sing the big finish just like Kayla used to do.  "That's Elmo's Wooooorrrrrllllldddd!!!!!"   When she watches Sesame Street she counts along when they are showing the numbers.  Oh and she gets soooo mad at Ernie for messing with Bert!

A Most Embarrasing Moment

I have a weird habit of reading the obituaries.  I figure if I read them every day I won't miss an important passing of someone I know.  My mom's friend Maxine passed away on Monday.  So, I was paying particular attention to the obits over the last few days and was surprised to see a familiar name this morning.   I scanned the obit for the names of family members to confirm he was who I thought he was and then decided to go to the visitation tonight to give my condolances.  The deceased was the father in law of a friend of mine that I haven't seen in a while but worked daily with for almost 10 years.    Don got home and I changed into my dress clothes, hopped in the car and went to the funeral home.  Have you figured out how the story ends yet?  I poked my head into the room where the family and friends were gathered and looked for my friend Lisa who was nowhere to be found.  I thought well maybe she's stepped out for a breath of fresh air or something so I walked over to the tv and watched the video montage of this man's great life.  There were photos of him in his travels, with his dear wife of many many years, of him with his children and grandchildren... and the more I looked at the pictures the more I started to question whether I was in the right place.   I took a closer look at some family photos that were displayed on a collage board.... not a single picture of Lisa and her kids anywhere.  Yep, wrong guy.  Turns out Lisa's father in law is alive and well and I went to pay my respects to a man I never even knew.  In an odd way I'm glad I went... Mom decided not to go to Maxine's visitation because it was in another town plus she was feeling extra emotional because tomorrow is the 3rd anniversary of Gramps' death.   So in a way I felt like I was paying my respects to both Maxine and Gramps as well as the dear-departed- not Lisa's father-in-law- Mr. Anderson.     Some of the family members saw me and some of them must have wondered who this oddly silent visitor was but maybe they will just smile thinking he had touched my life in some way even though I didn't speak to them.  The two rooms were full of people so I have the feeling he must have touched a lot of lives.  

Rest in Peace Jerry Anderson.  May God hold your family in the palm of His hand.

And by the way, my husband has yet to stop laughing at me.

Random thoughts

* What is it with the one shoe in the middle of the road?  Are there people out there just randomly throwing shoes out their car windows??

* Kermit just made a rare appearance on Sesame Street.  Why isn't he a main character anymore???  Was there some sort of controversy I don't know about??

* Someone stole our trash can.  Its been gone for a week now.  We have a back up but its not half as big as out city trash can so for now I have two garbage bags sitting in my kitchen.  Thankfully, tomorrow is trash day.   I called the city and they said the trash guys would look for our can tomorrow but if they can't find it they will bring out a replacement.

* I hate litter boxes.

Gracie's question of the day is "what color is dis?"   I'm not trying to brag when I say she speaks really really well for a not even 2 year old.  I'm sure there will be lots of things in her life she won't be so advanced on... like math if she takes after me and Kayla.  I totally give Sesame Street all the credit for her verbal smarts.  She can count to 20  (skipping one or two numbers in the middle of course), sings lots of songs including Elmo's World, Twinkle Twinkle, and her ABC's, and knows some of her colors.   She can also name all the Sesame Street characters including the humans.  Totally random fact here... did you know that the original Mr. Noodle (the short balding one) was from Memphis?  Sadly, he died a few years ago but I always smile when they play an episode with him.   I can't believe my kid is about to turn two!

Dream Big

For Christmas my husband got me an XM Radio. I was very excited to find a station called Highway 16 which plays country but not necessarily Top 40 country. It plays the new bands before the mainstream radio stations do. Two bands I’m in love with that are now topping the country charts are Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband (isn’t that a GREAT name??) and a band called Hot Apple Pie (more about them in a later post). Ryan Shupe has a wonderful song called “Dream Big” and the lyrics spoke to me loud and clear at a time when I was looking for direction in life. The world needs more songs with a positive message and this one rocks in my humble opinion. Thank you Ryan Shupe and your Rubberband! (www.shupe.net)

DREAM BIG

(Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband)

When you cry, be sure to dry your eyes,
‘Cause better days are sure to come.
And when you smile, be sure to smile wide,
And don’t let them know that they have won.
And when you walk, walk with pride,
And don’t show the hurt inside,
Because the pain sill soon be gone.

(Chorus)
And when you dream, dream big,
As big as the ocean, blue.
‘Cause when you dream it might come true.
But when you dream, dream big.

And when you laugh, be sure to laugh out loud,
‘Cause it will carry all your cares away.
And when you see, see the beauty all around and in yourself,
And it will help you feel okay.
And when you pray, pray for strength to help to carry on,
But when the troubles come your way.

(Chorus)
And when you dream, dream big,
As big as the ocean, blue.
‘Cause when you dream it might come true.
But when you dream, dream big.

(Dream big.)
(Dream big.)

When you cry be sure to dry your eyes,
cause better days are sure to come.
And when you smile be sure to smile wide, and
don’t let them know that they have one.
And when you laugh be sure to laugh out loud,
‘Cause it will carry all your cares away.
And when you see, see the beauty all
around and in yourself, and it will help you feel okay.
And when you pray, pray for strength to
help to carry on when the troubles come your way.

We Are Marshall

Yesterday was a normal kind of Sunday and I'd been missing my hubby lately because he's been working ... a lot!  So, my mom took Kayla and Gracie for a while and we went to see We Are Marshall.  First of all any movie with Matthew Fox or Matthew McC immediately gets high marks but to have both in one film?  Wow!  What's funny though is that they both played middle aged men in the early 1970's complete with ugly plaid pants.  The story of Marshall University is an inspiring one.   We had to see it simply because its a football movie but even if you're not a football / sports fan, this movie is worth the price of admission.  Its a movie about the human spirit.  I'm not good at writing movie reviews but I can say I laughed and I cried and I'm pretty sure DH got a bit teary eyed at times too.   Chad Pennington, QB of the New York Jets went to Marshall.   If you want to learn more about the story I suggest you get your info from the official website...  http://wearemarshall-themovie.warnerbros.com/        Or just go see the movie.  You won't regret it.