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.