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.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Monday, January 8, 2007
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.c
Monday, December 18, 2006
Friends Near and Far
There I go disappearing again. In and out of the blogworld sort of like a long lost friend. I just got a couple of comments that inspired me to write again and I wanted to thank my friend for the nudge. I wasn’t sure anyone was even out there. To see that there is gives me the warm fuzzies. Do you remember warm fuzzies? We used to make them in school and give them to our friends to make them feel good. They were furry little creatures and you would write something nice on the paper part to make someone’s day a little brighter.
I spent last night at a Christmas party with some of my dearest friends. This particular group of people fits my lifestyle right now, married with children ranging from toddlerhood to high school age. We laugh, we sing (we’re all members of the church praise team), and we come together when someone in the group needs 12 shoulders to lean on. In a couple of weeks we will bring 2007 in together just as we have brought in the previous three years. These are people I can see myself growing old with. I can see us going to the weddings of our children, comparing pictures of our grandchildren 20 years from now. They will forever be on my Christmas card list.
Spending time with these friends makes me sad in a way though. It makes me think about other friends I have had who now are too busy or live too far away for a spur of the moment get together.
There is my friend Hilary, literally my oldest friend. Her mom and my mom were best friends in high school and Hilary and I have known each other since birth. We spent our childhood summers at her house singing the songs of Crystal Gayle and the Statler Brothers at the tops of our lungs. We did karaoke before karaoke was even invented! She lives right here in the same city but now has three children that keep her on the move so we rarely get to see one another. I’m going to do my best in 2007 to change that.
My friend Jenn lives in California. I spent my teenage years visiting my aunt in CA during the summer. Not just for a week, the whole summer. Jenn was one of the neighborhood kids and we would spend our days at my aunt’s pool, laying out in the sun listening to the Go-Go’s , the Violent Femmes, and other random music of the 80’s. I think I heard “Tainted Love” and “Kiss Me Deadly” by Lita Ford at least a thousand times during those summer trips. In between summers we would write 18 page letters to each other and I always smiled when I would open my mailbox and see an envelope with “Yeeeee-Haaaaaaaawww” and “OHmyGosh!!!” written all over the back. Jenn and I lost touch for a long while but reunited several years ago and she has always given me a safe haven when I return to CA to bring my oldest daughter to see my ex husband’s family. It was with Jenn that I saw “The Notebook”, the quintessential chick flick. We email and call often but not nearly often enough. I think I’ll call her tonight.
My friend Gaylin lives in Colorado. I met her during the short six months that I lived in California way back in 1990. I applied for a job and it just so happened it was her job I was taking over. So, after I was hired, she trained me and on that very first day all of our coworkers were coming up and asking us how we knew each other. They thought for sure we were long lost friends or somehow related. We were joined at the hip for those six months and then kept in touch by phone but slowly lost contact. I was in NYC visiting my brother in 1995 when I remembered that Gaylin had an aunt who lived in Manhattan. She had an unusual last name so I took my chances and called all five of them in the NYC phone book and left messages. When I returned to the hotel after a long day of sight seeing I had a message waiting for me from Gaylin’s aunt. She gave me Gaylin’s contact info and also reminded me that it just so happened to be February 17th, Gaylin’s birthday. Within five minutes I was on the phone with my long lost friend chatting like we had just seen each other the day before. A few months later she and I took a very memorable 24 hour whirlwind trip to Seattle, WA. I documented our vacation on videotape and it makes me laugh until my stomach hurts every time I see it. Thankfully we’ve kept in contact ever since and every time I see her its as if no time has passed. Like Jenn, we email and we call but not nearly enough. Life gets in the way and days fly past.
There is my friend Terry, who lives in Nashville. He and I met right after I graduated from high school, at the U of M Catholic student center. I didn’t go to college but I went to church on campus. Terry and his brother Tim were known to be the quiet ones in the group. I found both of them to be anything but. They were a great comedy team and have pictures of both of them that bring back floods of memories of those days. Terry and I used to talk on the phone every night for hours and would take 10 minutes to say goodbye, literally. We’d start with goodbye, then adios, then aloha and so on and so on. When Terry graduated and moved back to his hometown he would send me cassette tapes of heavy metal music with himself acting as the WAKY Radio DJ. I hate heavy metal music and he knew this but it was his way of tourturing me and of course making contact so I never complained. A tape from Terry in the mail always brought a smile to my face. My husband and I now visit Nashville several times a year to see my in-laws but we rarely get to stop and visit Terry and his family. I call him when we pass by his exit and “wave” but its been almost two years since I’ve seen him face to face.
My friend Mike lives on the East Coast. He’s a private kind of guy so I won’t mention what state he lives in but I’ve been there to visit and its truly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. I felt such peace and contentment when I was there. Mike and I met on New Year’s Eve of 1985 at the Memphis Ice Arena. We dated for a short time and he was the first boy I ever truly loved. After high school he got married and joined the service and I only kept up with him through occassional news updates from a mutual friend. And then one day my phone rang. It was Mike and he was in town for a few weeks to visit family. And to my surprise he wanted to see me too. I could write about those weeks and the years that have followed for hours but I won’t because as I said, Mike is a private guy and I respect that. I also respect him, more than a lot of other people who have ever come into my life. Some of the most enlightening conversations I’ve ever had have been with him. We’ve talked about everything and we’ve talked about nothing. I miss talking to him on a more regular basis. Our chats now are few and far between and way too short for my taste. I look forward to the day when we can talk face to face again.
There are others I could mention and may do just that in another post but I have to get children out of bed and ready for school. I’ll close this with my thoughts about my friend Heather who resides in North Carolina. I’m most excited because at the end of this week, Heather will be here with her newborn son and we’ll get to spend several days together during my most favorite time of the year. Heather and I met online while planning our weddings. At first we were just two brides getting ready for a huge event in our lives. But within days we discovered that we have a long list of things in common starting with our love for ice skating. Come to find out she was born right here in Memphis, spent her summers here, and her grandmother still lived here. We’re pretty sure we were both at the Mall of Memphis ice rink at the same time when we were young and just never knew it. We were both divorced and had daughters around the same age. She came to Memphis, we met in person and the rest as they say is history. She is my soul sister. We have laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve laughed until we’ve cried. I have piles of emails that we have exchanged that I will one day turn into a book. I’ve promised her that and although it may have to wait until my children are grown, a promise is a promise.
To all of my friends near and far, you mean more to me than a few words in a blog could ever express. Each one of you has carved out a special place in my heart that can never be replaced by another. You have given me memories that I will share with my grandchildren and God willing, my great grandchildren. To each one of you, I wish you as much love and laughter and contentment as you have brought into my world. I love you all.
I spent last night at a Christmas party with some of my dearest friends. This particular group of people fits my lifestyle right now, married with children ranging from toddlerhood to high school age. We laugh, we sing (we’re all members of the church praise team), and we come together when someone in the group needs 12 shoulders to lean on. In a couple of weeks we will bring 2007 in together just as we have brought in the previous three years. These are people I can see myself growing old with. I can see us going to the weddings of our children, comparing pictures of our grandchildren 20 years from now. They will forever be on my Christmas card list.
Spending time with these friends makes me sad in a way though. It makes me think about other friends I have had who now are too busy or live too far away for a spur of the moment get together.
There is my friend Hilary, literally my oldest friend. Her mom and my mom were best friends in high school and Hilary and I have known each other since birth. We spent our childhood summers at her house singing the songs of Crystal Gayle and the Statler Brothers at the tops of our lungs. We did karaoke before karaoke was even invented! She lives right here in the same city but now has three children that keep her on the move so we rarely get to see one another. I’m going to do my best in 2007 to change that.
My friend Jenn lives in California. I spent my teenage years visiting my aunt in CA during the summer. Not just for a week, the whole summer. Jenn was one of the neighborhood kids and we would spend our days at my aunt’s pool, laying out in the sun listening to the Go-Go’s , the Violent Femmes, and other random music of the 80’s. I think I heard “Tainted Love” and “Kiss Me Deadly” by Lita Ford at least a thousand times during those summer trips. In between summers we would write 18 page letters to each other and I always smiled when I would open my mailbox and see an envelope with “Yeeeee-Haaaaaaaawww” and “OHmyGosh!!!” written all over the back. Jenn and I lost touch for a long while but reunited several years ago and she has always given me a safe haven when I return to CA to bring my oldest daughter to see my ex husband’s family. It was with Jenn that I saw “The Notebook”, the quintessential chick flick. We email and call often but not nearly often enough. I think I’ll call her tonight.
My friend Gaylin lives in Colorado. I met her during the short six months that I lived in California way back in 1990. I applied for a job and it just so happened it was her job I was taking over. So, after I was hired, she trained me and on that very first day all of our coworkers were coming up and asking us how we knew each other. They thought for sure we were long lost friends or somehow related. We were joined at the hip for those six months and then kept in touch by phone but slowly lost contact. I was in NYC visiting my brother in 1995 when I remembered that Gaylin had an aunt who lived in Manhattan. She had an unusual last name so I took my chances and called all five of them in the NYC phone book and left messages. When I returned to the hotel after a long day of sight seeing I had a message waiting for me from Gaylin’s aunt. She gave me Gaylin’s contact info and also reminded me that it just so happened to be February 17th, Gaylin’s birthday. Within five minutes I was on the phone with my long lost friend chatting like we had just seen each other the day before. A few months later she and I took a very memorable 24 hour whirlwind trip to Seattle, WA. I documented our vacation on videotape and it makes me laugh until my stomach hurts every time I see it. Thankfully we’ve kept in contact ever since and every time I see her its as if no time has passed. Like Jenn, we email and we call but not nearly enough. Life gets in the way and days fly past.
There is my friend Terry, who lives in Nashville. He and I met right after I graduated from high school, at the U of M Catholic student center. I didn’t go to college but I went to church on campus. Terry and his brother Tim were known to be the quiet ones in the group. I found both of them to be anything but. They were a great comedy team and have pictures of both of them that bring back floods of memories of those days. Terry and I used to talk on the phone every night for hours and would take 10 minutes to say goodbye, literally. We’d start with goodbye, then adios, then aloha and so on and so on. When Terry graduated and moved back to his hometown he would send me cassette tapes of heavy metal music with himself acting as the WAKY Radio DJ. I hate heavy metal music and he knew this but it was his way of tourturing me and of course making contact so I never complained. A tape from Terry in the mail always brought a smile to my face. My husband and I now visit Nashville several times a year to see my in-laws but we rarely get to stop and visit Terry and his family. I call him when we pass by his exit and “wave” but its been almost two years since I’ve seen him face to face.
My friend Mike lives on the East Coast. He’s a private kind of guy so I won’t mention what state he lives in but I’ve been there to visit and its truly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. I felt such peace and contentment when I was there. Mike and I met on New Year’s Eve of 1985 at the Memphis Ice Arena. We dated for a short time and he was the first boy I ever truly loved. After high school he got married and joined the service and I only kept up with him through occassional news updates from a mutual friend. And then one day my phone rang. It was Mike and he was in town for a few weeks to visit family. And to my surprise he wanted to see me too. I could write about those weeks and the years that have followed for hours but I won’t because as I said, Mike is a private guy and I respect that. I also respect him, more than a lot of other people who have ever come into my life. Some of the most enlightening conversations I’ve ever had have been with him. We’ve talked about everything and we’ve talked about nothing. I miss talking to him on a more regular basis. Our chats now are few and far between and way too short for my taste. I look forward to the day when we can talk face to face again.
There are others I could mention and may do just that in another post but I have to get children out of bed and ready for school. I’ll close this with my thoughts about my friend Heather who resides in North Carolina. I’m most excited because at the end of this week, Heather will be here with her newborn son and we’ll get to spend several days together during my most favorite time of the year. Heather and I met online while planning our weddings. At first we were just two brides getting ready for a huge event in our lives. But within days we discovered that we have a long list of things in common starting with our love for ice skating. Come to find out she was born right here in Memphis, spent her summers here, and her grandmother still lived here. We’re pretty sure we were both at the Mall of Memphis ice rink at the same time when we were young and just never knew it. We were both divorced and had daughters around the same age. She came to Memphis, we met in person and the rest as they say is history. She is my soul sister. We have laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve laughed until we’ve cried. I have piles of emails that we have exchanged that I will one day turn into a book. I’ve promised her that and although it may have to wait until my children are grown, a promise is a promise.
To all of my friends near and far, you mean more to me than a few words in a blog could ever express. Each one of you has carved out a special place in my heart that can never be replaced by another. You have given me memories that I will share with my grandchildren and God willing, my great grandchildren. To each one of you, I wish you as much love and laughter and contentment as you have brought into my world. I love you all.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Tomorrow
Last weekend I took my daughter, Kayla, to go see ANNIE. As soon as we sat down the Overture started and I just got chills down my spine. ANNIE was the first show I ever saw at the theatre and I’ve been dying to take Kayla but she’s always been too young. We’ve watched the movie together but there’s nothing like seeing a live show. It was so hard for me not to sing out loud on every single song. Its truly my favorite musical of all time with A Chorus Line running a very close second. The little girl who played Annie has her own website… www.marissa-odonnell.com. She did a wonderful job!! If the show comes your way, its worth your time.
So when you’re stuck with a day, that’s gray, and lonely, just stick up your chin and grin and say ohhhhhhh
TOMORROW TOMORROW, I love ya, TOMORROW, you’re always a day away!
So when you’re stuck with a day, that’s gray, and lonely, just stick up your chin and grin and say ohhhhhhh
TOMORROW TOMORROW, I love ya, TOMORROW, you’re always a day away!
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Give Thanks
Today I am thankful for the little things as well as the not so little things...
First and foremost of course, for Don, Kayla, & Gracie
For my two beautiful daughters sharing a chair and apple slices on Thanksgiving morning
That I can co-exist with my ex husband for Thanksgiving dinner.
That said Thanksgiving dinner will include toasted ravioli and pasta!
That Macy's decided to fly the balloons after all
For Broccoli Cheese Casserole
For my dear husband's willingness to run to the grocery store for Brown N Serve rolls and a newspaper with all the Black Friday ads in it.
For cinnamon rolls which will be baking soon
For the Shopping List feature on Kohl's.com
For all of my students and for a job that gives me a purpose and daily satisfaction
For a beautiful sunshiny day
For health
For family and friend that I hold close to my heart
Count your blessings not just today but everyday!!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!
ETA ... for Gracie bringing me her drawings and saying "Look Mommy, I did it!" The full sentence!! I'm just amazed by her language lately!
First and foremost of course, for Don, Kayla, & Gracie
For my two beautiful daughters sharing a chair and apple slices on Thanksgiving morning
That I can co-exist with my ex husband for Thanksgiving dinner.
That said Thanksgiving dinner will include toasted ravioli and pasta!
That Macy's decided to fly the balloons after all
For Broccoli Cheese Casserole
For my dear husband's willingness to run to the grocery store for Brown N Serve rolls and a newspaper with all the Black Friday ads in it.
For cinnamon rolls which will be baking soon
For the Shopping List feature on Kohl's.com
For all of my students and for a job that gives me a purpose and daily satisfaction
For a beautiful sunshiny day
For health
For family and friend that I hold close to my heart
Count your blessings not just today but everyday!!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!
ETA ... for Gracie bringing me her drawings and saying "Look Mommy, I did it!" The full sentence!! I'm just amazed by her language lately!
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Where have I been?
I know I know… I’m asking myself the same thing! How did Thankgiving get here already?? Does that really mean its a month until Christmas? And then it will be 2007???? Say it isn’t so! Do you remember New Year’s Eve 1999? Do you remember the big panic over what might happen when the clock strikes midnight? Of course I can’t even remember what the name of the hubbub was right now. What I remember is how the world changed so drastically just the next year. I’m in a bit of a funk today I think. I have a friend in town for the funeral of his brother in law who passed away after a very valiant battle with cancer. The same friend was just here two months ago for the funeral of his brother who died of a sudden heart attack.
Life is fleeting. Don’t let it pass you by. Say the I Love You’s. Every day. Hug a lot. Laugh a lot. Make that phone call today to catch up with an old friend. Mend fences. As the Sesame Street song says, “Sing out loud, sing out strong”! They say “life is short” and the older I get (I’m all of 35 and a half), the more I realize how much truth that saying holds.
I’m going to try and get back to blogging on a more regular basis starting with the lyrics of some of my favorite songs. Today this one comes to mind. Its the song I want my daughters to hold close to their hearts their whole life long. Dance my friends, dance!
I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you’ll give fate the fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances but they’re worth taking
Lovin’ might be a mistake but it’s worth making
Don’t let some hell bent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)
I hope you still feel small when you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you’ll give faith the fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)
Life is fleeting. Don’t let it pass you by. Say the I Love You’s. Every day. Hug a lot. Laugh a lot. Make that phone call today to catch up with an old friend. Mend fences. As the Sesame Street song says, “Sing out loud, sing out strong”! They say “life is short” and the older I get (I’m all of 35 and a half), the more I realize how much truth that saying holds.
I’m going to try and get back to blogging on a more regular basis starting with the lyrics of some of my favorite songs. Today this one comes to mind. Its the song I want my daughters to hold close to their hearts their whole life long. Dance my friends, dance!
I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you’ll give fate the fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances but they’re worth taking
Lovin’ might be a mistake but it’s worth making
Don’t let some hell bent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)
I hope you still feel small when you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you’ll give faith the fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Frosty
Gracie is obsessed with the lighted snowman on display at Target. Obsessed! We go to the food aisles and she starts crying for him... snooowman.... snoooooowwwwwman!!! So, we go and stand in front of him and she smiles and giggles and waves and blows kisses. Her attention starts to drift to something else so I start to move the shopping cart and she falls apart... snooowwwwman! SNOWMAN!!!!! All the way through the rest of the store. This has been a routine since before Halloween. Its heartbreaking. I shudder to think what trips to Target will be like when Snowman disappears after Christmas.
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