Choices

This little story was sent to me in my email. I've heard variations of it before, but that "John" was used as the guy's name made me think of my brother John. This story his of him. Exchange "Super-Duper" for every "If I felt any better I'd be twins." and it's pretty much my John to a 'T'.

John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, 'If I were any better, I would be twins!'
He was a natural motivator.
If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, 'I don't get it!
You can't be a positive person all of the time How do you do it?'
He replied, 'Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or ... you can choose to be in a bad mood
I choose to be in a good mood.'
Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.
Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or... I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.
'Yeah, right, it's not that easy,' I protested.
'Yes, it is,' he said. 'Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood.
You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life.'

I reflected on what he said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.
After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.
I saw him about six months after the accident.
When I asked him how he was, he replied, 'If I were any better, I'd be twins..Wanna see my scars?'
I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.

'The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter,' he replied. 'Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or...I could choose to die. I chose to live.'
'Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?' I asked
He continued, '..the paramedics were great.
They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action.'
'What did you do?' I asked.
'Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,' said John. 'She asked if I was allergic to anything 'Yes, I replied.' The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity''
Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.'
He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude... I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything .

After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

I'm scrapping again today. But I know today will be harder than others because I'm working on May-August 2007. John's death and funeral will be included in there. With the World Series going on, I keep looking for the commentary by John on each team and their respective play.

Who's In Control?

Get a cup of coffee and sit back and listen.



Have a God-filled day.
As hard as it is, I'm gonna let God chisel at me today.

"Only Losers Get All A's"

Something happened the other day that has me thinking. After dinner, the Imp brought Hubby a certificate she'd gotten at school that day for earning Principal's Honors. But as she gave Hubby the paper, she was downplaying the whole thing verbally (I'm really to old to care much about certificates, I do what I do, and so on) while begging for affirmation by the mere act of mentioning it at all. While she said she didn't care, Hubby (and I from the other room) her heard screaming "TELL ME I DID GOOD!" Kind of interesting. Of course, Hubby being the great guy he is, told her he was proud of her hard work, etc, etc. Then the Imp came to find me and went through the same spiel. And as she's telling me she really didn't like the honors assembly and being called out in front of everyone for grades, I wondered why intelligence and hard work are scoffed at by teens. The Imp shared with me that as they were passing out awards, (starting with honors and moving up)the Imp's friend stated that only real losers get straight A's. (Not realizing that the Imp was one of those "losers.") Yes, there is some jealousy in the statement, but there is also a truth that teens tend to view their high achieving, well-behaved peers with a sort of contempt. I guess the underlying idea is that if you're achieving and not getting into trouble you are some how 'selling out to the establishment' or some such nonsense. The Imp is far removed from the stereo-typical goody-too-shoes. First and foremost because she is simply not a "yes man" kind of person. She follows rules and works hard because she's calculated the cost/benefits of such. Hubby and I work to tip the scales in favor of hard work and good behavior, but I can see her calculating how much work is required to achieve the desired result and she has decided on more that one occasion that doing what she wants now is worth it, even knowing there are negative consequences she'll have to endure. The comment by her friend really hurt her. And while I don't think it will change her behavior, the memory will weigh in when she's assessing the cost/benefit of future decisions.

Hubby has been on a Men's Retreat all weekend. So Friday night I had some girl friends come over to scrap. We scrapped until midnight. It was so much fun. The camaraderie was a real mood booster and we had chocolate in many forms, which is always a plus.

The Singer, wanting to leave a relationship drama developing between two of her friends and a boy, came home for the weekend. The Imp is enjoying having time with her sister. I've enjoyed some alone time, but am looking forward to Hubby coming home this afternoon.

Massage Therapy

Spent yesterday "spring cleaning" my bedroom. I always get a burst of energy when it cools down. I love when the high temps are in the high 70s or low 80s. Not to mention the air has been very dry. To go outside and breathe in the crisp air, puts a in my step. So yesterday, after transplanting the last set of my onions to my garden, I wiped down the walls of my room, vacuumed the curtains, cleaned off the ceiling fan, and just gave my room a good once-over. I also dealt with that stack of "stuff" that had accumulated in the corner. So last night going back to my room felt good. That Hubby noticed my efforts, made it all the better.

I attribute my energy-burst to the weather, but the fact that I had my first-ever, professional massage on Tuesday, probably didn't hurt. It feels decadent to get a professional massage.


But my neck and shoulders have been tight and painful for some time. Hubby will rub out the knots when it gets so bad I have a hard time turning my head all the way. In the past his rubs would get me feeling A-one. Recently, however, it seems I was simply 'holding on' between back rubs. So when I got a coupon for a lower cost first visit to a massage place, I finally decided to go. The masseuse kept asking, during my 50 minute massage, if she were rubbing too hard or too deep? NO! It felt wonderful, in the same way stretching out a tight muscle feels good. It hurt, but it felt therapeutic. Yesterday morning I woke up to a very sore back. It felt as if my back were bruised. But I much prefer that feeling to the tightness. I signed up for once a month massage sessions for a year. By purchasing them this way, I save about 25% per session. It's a luxury, for sure. But I think I'll be getting great bang for my buck.

Alls Well and World Youth Day

The Imp is better and the flu has left our house. At the risk of tempting fate, I'll state that Hubby and I were spared. It's been over 5 days since the Imp got the flu, so I'm hoping we're in the clear...at least for now.

Last week seemed to go on forever. With the Imp being sick, it seemed even longer. It's not like she was really much extra work, it was the emotional tax of keeping a close watch on her. 'Worried that with her asthma, the flu would really knock her out. She's gotten the flu shot for years and I'm not sure she's ever had the flu before. I made her take nebulizer treatments when I heard the slightest of wheezing. She said they always made her feel better. She slept... a lot. But it was obviously what her body needed to fight off the virus. She was back to normal by Sunday.



The Imp has been invited to go with the Salesians group to World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain in 2011. I'm pretty excited for her, and somehow we'll manage the finances. It always seems to work out for us when it's for a good cause.

The Singer wants to go to WYD in Madrid, too, and is trying to get a group from USF to go. It's pretty gratifying and heart-warming to see your children get excited about attending a religious conference. The Singer went to a Respect Life conference over the weekend and is still 'high' on the good feelings like when you come off a retreat.

The Imp's former grade school has been making the news for various reasons.
Strong women keep the faith: Under the eye of Rome, American nuns soldier on - St. Petersburg Times
Women of Faith
Student Raises Fund for Fallen Officer
It only reaffirms that it was a good decision to send her to Villa Madonna when we did. The eighth grader sponsoring the car wash is not an unheard of thing from Villa students. Students have gathered goods for our military overseas, raised funds for children with illnesses and even the Imp sold wristbands "Strike Out ALS" to raise money for John's SMDF. There is a spirit of giving and watching out for others that is pervasive at the school. Needless to say I have no qualms sending the Imp across the ocean with these kind of people in charge.

H1N1

Well, the flu has arrived at our house. Is it H1N1? Don't know. And according to our pediatrician's website FAQs about the flu I don't need to know...just treat the symptoms.

6) If I think I have the flu, don’t I need to have a flu test?

The flu is now wide-spread, and there is no need to test. The testing was initially done to determine if the flu was spreading and where.

I got home from my Tuesday night Bible Study (where everyone was talking about the Swine flu vaccination, because it just arrived here and the public schools are dispensing it) to find the Imp feeling 'yukky'. Slight fever: 100.2. She started to panic about missing school Wednesday...not because of schoolwork (it was a half day and they were taking the PSAT....as she's already taken the SAT it wasn't overly important) but because coach was planning on training new coxswains at practice.
Yesterday, she was coughing and had a runny nose all day, but didn't really run a fever until last night. 100.6. Again she started to stress about missing school. This time it WAS about school work. Group project due next week and planning was to take place during class. And missing academic work is the pits. So much easier to stay up on things if you're there. But she had a fever this morning: 100.0, so she's in bed sleeping still. She slept quite a bit yesterday, too. So I'm the dispenser of TLC. I let her get in my bed yesterday (changed the sheets before Hubby and I went to bed), we'll have to see how today goes.
I'm trying hard to stay well. I can't afford to get sick. Hubby and I have a presentation at our marriage ministry to give tomorrow night and our TEAMS meeting Saturday night. In fact, we're suppose to host our TEAMS meeting, but I'm about to send out notice. People might not want to gather at the 'sick house.'
Planted garlic yesterday. My cucumbers, beans and lettuce are looking good. My cucumbers and beans have flowers on them. Can't wait for the real thing.

Mark Gungor is hosting "Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage" next weekend here in St. Pete. Oh, how I wish I could go. I've seen some snippets of his videos and he really is quite funny. I am a firm believer that laughter is essential to a good marriage. And I mean being about to laugh at yourself...not just the other person. You've got to go the the link above and see the little video. It is sooo funny. Everyone deserves a good laugh. But Hubby is already signed up for a men's retreat, so we can't go. Maybe next time.

Read Sarah's blog about de-mystifying things by teaching her kids how things are made/where they come from. I'm jealous that her son is so interested in knitting. I've tried to teach my girls how to knit and to crochet. They were interested for about 15 minutes. They have shown a little more interest in sewing, and at least know some basics about these topics. When I told the Imp she needed to learn these things so she could teach her children, she told me that was going to be my job! Both girls have shown interest in my gardening (well, appreciation for the fresh food, more than interest in gardening themselves) and have developed decent cooking and baking skills. At least I've exposed them to these things. And with youtube and other internet information, it's getting easier to 'teach yourself' how to do these things. Isn't ironic, that the internet will help people get back to basics?

Critter Free

Our house is officially critter free and all the holes have been covered. I think I can rest easier now. The squirrels scampering across the roof will still have me stopping to listen, making sure it's from outside the house, for a while.

I've spent lots of time at the computer the last few days. I'm creating the display signs for a silent auction. Being persnickety, or obsessive, it takes me quite some time to get it all right. I'll try the title with 20 or more different fonts and different colors, striving for the most eye-catching combination. Hubby just rolls his eyes and tells me he'd have them all done in 1/2 hour. Yep, I'm sure he would...no pics, no colors, no pizazz. We're trying to get people to bid on these things. The pizazz factor is very important.

The Singer has officially changed her college major to Religious Studies, with the idea of going straight on to get her masters and PhD. I hate to be a pessimist, but job/career do you get with this major? Besides teaching Religious Studies at the college level. I think it's a very interesting area of study and she's planning on taking New Testament Hebrew and Latin. But as the mom, I'm a little concerned with her marketability. Hubby even more so. I hear my dad's voice when he exclaims over the very uncertain financial future with this major. And he adds, "I don't want her coming back home at age 27." She's pretty resourceful. I think she'll do alright. Not sure USF is the best place, even at the undergraduate level for this major, but it's her life, not mine.

The weather is still hot. Of course, going into the 60's had Hubby getting out sweaters and jackets. Really! He's under 2 layers of covers, while I've got the fan on. It's suppose to be 92 today. But it does make for good gardening weather. I'm off to transplant some more bean plants. Onions will be ready to transplant in a couple of weeks.

I've got a busy couple of weeks ahead. Am looking forward to Thanksgiving week when Hubby is taking a few days off.

What's That Noise?

Once you know what's roaming around in your attic, every little noise makes you stop, and wonder if it's a little rat. Rats are nocturnal, so it's 10 at night and I'm sitting in our front room (computer room, sewing room, storage room) typing away and suddenly I here rustling. Now 3 days ago, I'd assume it was a lizard. They get in and then you hear them moving around. They're not my favorite, but I'd prefer them to rodents! So last night I hear the rustling, and I flew out of my chair and out of the room. Somehow I managed not to scream, which is actually quite the feat, as when startled, I've been known to produce a loud, high-pitched screech. Hubby and I have not told the Imp we have rats. She thinks it's squirrels. We're thinking we're gonna leave it at that. So I'm trying hard to not to totally freak, as I imagine the rats moving into our living space from the attic. Hubby, ever my white knight, starts moving boxes filled with material, etc., looking for...well whatever made the noise. I'm in the kitchen on the counter. The Imp comes wandering in and wants to know what's up. When I tell her, she informs me she was digging around in the material earlier and the noise was probably everything settling. As Hubby could find no critter, lizard or larger, I'm hoping that's what it was. But I'm sitting crossed-leg with my feet up off the floor as I type right now.

Scrapping today. It really is such an outlet for me. I have a desire to create, embellish, decorate. Scrap booking allows me to that and I have something concrete and worthy of keeping (as opposed to making doo-dads). I'm working on my 6th book (each book is about 45 pages). Right now I fit a little over a year in a book, but already I'm finding I've less pictures per year as the girls are older. When they were younger I'd have all the school functions (Halloween Party, Thanksgiving Parade, etc) that don't exist in high school. Now I have to get a bookshelf to keep them on.

Critters and Cold Front

I wrote a few weeks ago about the possibility of squirrels in our house. I thought I'd heard them in our attic (a useless space with terrible access and way too hot for storing anything that long term extreme heat will harm). Hubby p-shawed me, probably just wishing it were an anomaly, and not the sound of resident critters. Unfortunately, this past weekend I heard scratching right above me. I was pretty freaked about it as it was midnight. I had a hard time sleeping, kept imagining the critter gnawing right through the drywall and falling on top of us as we slept. I was brave and did not disturb Hubby's sleep (well, I did try to wake him, but when he slept on after me nudging him and calling his name, I figured he really needed his sleep). But the next morning I told him we HAD to call someone to come investigate. After doing some research on the web (which advised that ridding a house of critters and sealing possible entrance points can easily cost over $1000) we picked a company that was given an "A" rating by the BBB. The fellow who came out to our house yesterday (no one could come sooner as they were working on a house with serious squirrel infestation) was very pleasant. He climbed in our attic and said "Yep, you've got some critters, but not squirrels..."

Roof rats! Yek!
After 'walking' the roof and then around our house he found 6 possible entry points. Swell. So he set some traps and returns today to close up the entry points and check the traps. And while it's not costing us $1000, it certainly is coming close. Oh the joys of home-ownership.
I'm sure this story has my older sister remembering the rat issue we dealt with when I lived with her in South Tampa 20+ years ago. We thought she had mice. An empty lot next door was being developed and we were certain some field mice where simply re-locating. So we set mouse traps. The first night we heard the trap snap and then heard the darn rat dragging the trap around for a while. We called a male friend to dispose of the thing. Incidentally, she was trying to sell her house at the time. A few days later I heard another trap snap in the laundry room. I wasn't going to do anything with that thing. But a few minutes later the real estate agent called saying she was bringing a couple by to see the house. Now what was I to do? I called our friend who was unavailable to come to my rescue. At 21 years old, I couldn't bring myself to going too near that thing (especially since it was still moving) so I put a shoe box over the whole contraption in the laundry room and prayed it didn't move while the people were at the house. It was a harrowing experience. One I don't want to relive. I'm not real keen on sharing my house with wildlife.

Yesterday morning was our first taste of fall temperatures. It went down to 68 degrees Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. The Imp claimed she was freezing as she left the house yesterday morning. We hadn't seen 60's since last May. The air was dry and the day absolutely beautiful. I went out and transplanted my cukes, beans and lettuce into my garden. It was great. Today promises to be more of the same. THIS is why I live in Florida. I saw lots of convertible tops down yesterday. It is days like these that make me wish I had one. Highs are still in the upper 80's so life is very good.

Rain, rain and more rain

We have been have torential rains. Not the flooding of Georgia, but a good inch or more each day for the last few days. The lawn is mushy and in no condition to be mowed other than the grass is so high. This morning I'll be spending time in my front garden bed, weeding and trimming. I've a hibiscus that's growing over my driveway, causing me to hit it when I pull into the garage. I'm actually glad the lawn can't be mowed, because Hubby will spend the time in the gardens with me instead of us working in different parts of the yard. Our weeks are jammed packed and I feel like I never see him anymore. He obviously felt the same, as he called me yesterday afternoon, asking me to go out with him last night. With the rains, a walk along Bayshore was out, so we hit the mall (forgetting that it's teenage hangout on Friday nights). We managed a brisk lap around the mall and then headed to Walmart for a new toaster oven as ours died this week. Doesn't sound overly romantic, but I don't need romance, just time together. Of course the best part was getting a good back massage when we got home.

I got a call from my niece yesterday afternoon. I felt really special that she called me just to share some good news. I can't believe she's already a junior in college. She's got so much going for her...poise, beauty (inner and outer), common sense (usually), and a great heart. It hard not to still see her as a little 10 year old. I'm glad I'll get to see her over Thanksgiving weekend.

The Singer is coming by today to get help with her computer programming class and to discuss her plans for a new major. The Imp is off to the movies and shopping with a girlfriend. They love to go and try on clothes. She'll buy nothing but loves trying them on anyway.

Krispy Kreme, and John's Birthday

Hot Krispy Kreme donuts are just about the best tasting way to consume copious amounts of simple sugar. Hot is key to this pleasure. We are lucky enough to have a Krispy Kreme store in town. It's not so close to us that we can easily visit, but it's not a day trip either. This past summer the Imp and I were driving around doing errands and we were passing by our Krispy Kreme store. The "HOT NOW" sign was lit. I turned to her and asked if she wanted a hot donut. She said, "Sure, I've never had a hot one before." I was stunned. How had I let my child get to be 15 years old without experiencing the HOT DONUT experience? I felt like a bad mom. So I turned into the drive thru and bought 2 hot glazed donuts (I know, I was very restrained...buying a dozen was tempting, but I knew none would make it home no matter how many I bought). After the first taste, the Imp simply devoured the rest of the donut in the blink of an eye. She turned to me and lamented that I had kept this pleasure from her for so long. Then asked why I only got her one. Each week when we drive home from her voice class, we pass the Krispy Kreme store (on the right side of the road...so very easy access). I don't think the Imp had noticed, although every week I had to control myself and not drive thru to get donuts. Two weeks ago, as we were driving home, I exclaimed how terrible it was for Krispy Kreme to torture me by having their "HOT NOW" sign lit. The Imp looked around and only then became aware that we passed this exquisit eatery each week. When I drove by, she was heart-broken and aghast that I would point out the store to her and then NOT go in. So last night, driving home, the Imp in the middle of telling me the saga of Tina and Tim at school, and I interrupt her and ask if she wants a hot donut. Her eyes got very wide, as she yelled "YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" So I got us each a donut. She thanked me again this morning.



The Imp is enjoying crew. She got blood blisters on her hands from having to row on the erg for 20 minutes straight. Her goal is to be the coxswain, wherein she would not have to row, especially in competition.

Today John (also known as John-Boy or Jabes) would have been 44 years old. The week between Chris' and John's birthdays has me thinking of both of them alot. Combined with football season, September has me missing John often.

Me and John 1966



Me and John Great Fall Park, VA 1968 or 1969




Celebrating my college graduation 1985




John carrying Brian downtown DC 1986




Me and John at Elaine's 1987




My dad and 5 brothers




John and Gwyn 1996




My dad and 5 brothers 1999

John accepting the TSA Alumni Award 2004

John 2006

Chris' Birthday

John and Chris in McLean Va late 1960's or early 1970's



John and Chris Falls Church VA 1980s


Chris with the Singer Spring 1992




Chris showing his dog, Jack, to the Singer early 1994



Chris with his family, Carolyn, Cameron, and Camille.



My brother, Chris, would have turned 50 today. That sounds so old, even to my 46 year-old ears. Come November, it will have been 8 years since he died in a car accident. Monday marked 2 years since the Imp's best friend lost her mom to breast cancer. Lots of thoughts about time and mortality. No real answers except that time is such a variable entity. 8 years sounds like a long time yet it seems only yesterday Chris was playing "What's that on your shirt?" with my kids and boppin' their noses as they looked down.

Disappointment

We spent the day at Universal Studios yesterday, primarily to see the Singer compete in Voice of An Angel (the idol with soul). The day was filled with disappointments.

1) The Imp spent the first 10 hours sulking. We bought more expensive tickets so we could go to the park (both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios) before Rock the Universe started, so she could do some fun stuff. We were led to believe friends of hers were spending the whole day there as well. Plans fell through for friends and she was left alone with her parents (horrors!). We arrived at the park about 11 am, she finally came out of her funk while listening to Toby Mac about 9:00pm! Thank you Toby! She actually apologized without any solicitation from us! The Spirit was working, there is no other explanation.

2) We had never been to Rock the Universe, so really weren't sure how it was all set up. Heck, we'd never been to Universal Studios. There are 2 open bandstands and one small enclosed "revue." There were bands playing at each of the bandstands throughout the night from 5 until 11:30. Voice of an Angel competition was off in the enclosed stage area. It was definitely 'off the beaten' path. Only people who knew about the competition ahead of time (i.e. knew a contestant) were in attendance. I was hoping for a larger audience.

3) It rained off and on all day. We were soggy.

4) The contestants were divided into 8 groups (about 5-6 per group) to compete at different times. Some groups were as small as 4 others as large as 8. So the audience size was definitely dependent on the number of contestants.

5) A number of people who said they would come to support Megan did not come to her session. (They were at Universal).

6) I charged my camcorder battery the night before. Remembered to bring it. Carried it around ALL day. Got it out and taped a little intro with the Singer right before her session started, then got so caught up in listening to her actually sing, I didn't tape her! UGH!

***POSITIVE NOTE****

Megan sang very well. She sang "When I Call on Jesus" and was great! The 2 judges praised her and gave her no areas to improve upon. They commented on her presence in the sense that she convinced them she believed what she was singing and on her vocal ability especially her ability to use and control vibrato. I was thrilled and sooo proud.

7) As you probably guessed, the Singer did not make it as a semi-finalist. We were pretty stunned. Not because we thought she was the absolute best, but because of some of the people who did make it into the semi-finals. Hubby was perplexed and waited until the Singer had left the arena and went up to ask the producer what the criteria was for picking the semi-finalists. Hubby said he wanted to know what the Singer could do to improve her chances of advancing if she chose to participate next year. The response: the number of votes from the audience was the only factor in picking the winners. The 'judges' really were not judges. They were simply commentators. So the singers with their entire youth groups with them, obviously moved up. This left a bad taste in my mouth. If more of the 'general' public knew about and attended the sessions, that would be one thing, but it was very obvious that those in attendance were there routing for someone in particular. Most of the audiences were 80-130 people. Somehow it doesn't seem right. I'll get over it...eventually.

And yes the disappointment goes on
8) The signs leaving Universal were almost non-existent and we had no idea where we were when we were dumped out of the parking area. It took us 25 minutes (there was also an accident that was blocking one of the intersections) to get to our hotel a mere 2 miles from Universal.


In addition to the Singer performing so well, we did enjoy Toby Mac and Casting Crowns, even if we had to stand in the rain to hear them.

And of course we can't dismiss the impact Toby had on the Imp. So at the end of the day God is still God and God is still good. My kids are still wonderful. The Singer publicly praised God with the voice He gave her. I guess I'll have to get over my minor disappointments since in the realm of the universe they mean nothing.

Mom, There Are A Lot of Stupid People Out There

I had the privilege of driving the Imp home yesterday. With her involvement in crew, Hubby picks her up. I really miss hearing about her day on our drive home. By 7pm after crew, she's not near as talkative as at 3, right after school. It was fun to hear her ramble about all her classes and such.

As she's describing her day she blurts out, "Mom, there are just a lot of stupid people out there...Either that or a lot of people who don't use their brains." The Imp is blessed with above average intelligence. Additionally, her strength is her ability to connect information. She easily transfer knowledge from one area/event to another. She sees the bigger picture. So the first thing I told her was that she needed to be careful about looking down on others. People aren't stupid just because they don't pick things up as easily or as quickly as you do. But she was talking more about common sense. She has friends that keep repeating the same behavior and expecting better results. She is NOT athletic and so I used that as a good comparison. Just like she CAN run, that is she's a competent runner, she's not in the top tier and avoids running if at all possible. She doesn't enjoy it because she doesn't excel at it {or does she not excel because she doesn't enjoy it?}. But I think many of the actions she's referring to are more often people not using the brains God gave them, or taking the easy way out. Ever since my girls were little (I mean little, little...like 3) when they got in a bind (i.e. trouble) I'd say, "Can you think of a different way of handling this situation?" or "How can you fix it now?" And by the time they were 8 or 9, when they would get into binds, they knew when they discussed it with me, inevitably, they hear, "Problem Solving 101...How could you have avoided this? How can you make sure it doesn't happen again?" So yesterday, I reminded the Imp and she started laughing, agreeing and marvelling that she hadn't heard it lately (a very good sign). Then I pointed out, not every parent does that. Many parents solve the problems for their children, so the kids never have a chance to practice problem solving so they really aren't very good at it. Her reply was that she learned to think things through to avoid getting into trouble with Hubby and me. "So our strict rules/expectations encouraged you to grow up?" The light bulb lit up above her head. She ended the conversation with "Yea, but there are still a lot of stupid people out there and I'm tired of dealing with them." [Sigh]
The Singer was in our local paper about her upcoming performance/competition at Rock the Universe. I think I'm more nervous than she is. Pray that her allergies clear up. Ragweed's out and she sounded all congested yesterday.

BEFORE




AFTER

Locks of Love

Today the Imp is going to get her hair cut off. It's quite long and even with taking 12 inches off for Locks of Love, her hair will be below the nape of her neck. I'll try to get some pictures of the whole event. This is the second time the Imp has donated to Locks of Love. I'm so glad that my kids have learned to look for ways to help others. This is really not a sacrifice on her part. She wants her hair short and is tired of how long it is...she's just using something she would have done anyway to help someone else. There are lots of ways to help others that require little from ourselves. It should be a fun trip to the salon. I can't wait to see how she looks with short hair.

Changes

Interesting things happening at my church. A new pastor after 20 years with the old one makes for drama now matter who's involved. Personally, I like our new pastor. I don't know him real well and reserve the right to change my opinion, but from what I see, he's a straight shooter and by that I mean that he says what he means and calls 'em like he sees 'em. I like people who don't require me to work hard at just figuring out what they really mean or really want. The pastor is shaking things up by merely being different than the old one, who was dearly loved, even though he also drove people a little crazy. The status quo is changing and since the new pastor has only been here 2 months, the dust hasn't settled yet so everyone has a sense that things are unsettled. As I wasn't part of the 'inner circle' with the old pastor, I am less emotionally involved in these changes than others. I find it interesting to watch the dynamics of people dealing with change. I was discussing all this with a friend and was reminded of 1 Corinthians 1, where Paul admonishes the people of Corinth that they are not followers of personalities (some of you say you are disciples of Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or Christ) but we must be united as followers of Christ. I think some of the people at my church need to be reminded of this. It isn't about them! Who cares if Jane does this and Joe does that. The point being it needs to be done and let's do it. People have become to invested in their 'jobs' at church, closed off to the possibility of change or improvement. I don't envy our new pastor, because in addition to all the expected problems of coming in after someone who's been there so long, he is also inheriting facilities that are old and in need of repair. He had the air-conditioning people out and they wondered how our units (for the church, the hall and the school) were still operating at all! Our church is also facing financial difficulties as collections are down due to the economy and we tended to just squeak by before. Alas, I pray for our new pastor and our church community.

My favorite brother-in-law on my side of the family (and I guess it's safe to say that since I only have one sister who is married) is coming by for lunch today. He's got family across the bay and is here visiting them. I've know him as long as I've know Hubby (they were friends before my sister or I met either of them) and he's just a good-guy. I always feel better from having spent time with him. So today will be a good day, I'm sure.

Happy Birthday Mom

September doesn't start until tomorrow, but my calendar is already full. Most of the things on my calendar are wonderful, in and of themselves, but all together can make life a little hectic.
The Imp being on the crew team has made her days really long. She goes to school until 3, then stays at school (supposedly getting some homework done) until 4 when crew practice starts. Fortunately, the school is on the Hillsborough River and they have a dock, so she doesn't have to go anywhere for practice. Hubby picks her up at 6. They're home between 6:30 and 7, then she showers, we eat, then homework, then bed. She's sleeping well.
The Swine Flu hoopla is dying down, even though the absentee rate is still very high. The Imp's theology teacher is back. The Singer's college has plans in place for video broadcasting classes, should the flu break out there. I wash my hands even more than I did.

I planted most of my Fall garden yesterday: cucumbers, more peppers, onions, lettuce, and beans. I've ordered garlic and potatoes for planting. With just my peppers from my summer crop still producing, I haven't been out in my garden much lately. It felt good to go out and play in the dirt for a while.

I've been thinking about our 25th wedding anniversary that is fast approaching in December. I'd really like to make it special, but am not sure exactly what I'm going to do. For the last 5 years or so, we'd be saying we'd take a cruise. With the economy and return to Catholic school, that's been put on hold...maybe our 30th. So whatever I plan needs to be reasonably priced.

My evening Bible study goes until November 3 and it's a comprehensive look at the totality of the Bible and the story of salvation. My morning Bible study starts next Tuesday and is a more in-depth look at 1 and 2 Corinthians. I'm not sure how this is all going to pan out. But I'll give it a whirl.

My mom's birthday is tomorrow. I really wish people I know would have been more considerate and have birthdays mid to late month. I never get cards out on time for those with birthdays at the beginning of the month. Truth be told, I haven't gotten a birthday card to anyone on time for about 2 years! But I keep trying. Failed again with my mom. Fortunately she likes me and will forgive me.

My husband is the best guy in the whole world. To list all his positive attributes would take too long. But this week, the thing I'm most thankful for is his ability and willingness to give me a back rub. I'm not sure what I did last week, but my neck/shoulders are killing me. He rubbed my back last night, but I'm still in pain. You know the tension in your shoulders is bad when it hurts just sitting still. I've been stretching all day, had heat on it, and sat on my massaging pad, but still need a massage. Fortunately, I don't have to pay for one.

It's less than 2 weeks until Rock the Universe at Universal Studios where the Singer will compete for Voice of an Angel. I'm so exctied and nervous. We got our tickets and are staying overnight in Orlando Saturday night. I can't wait to hear her, and to hear all the great Christian bands playing.

Swine Flu

Swine Flu has arrived at the Imp's school. The Imp's theology teacher is one of the people with a confirmed case. About 20% of the school has been absent, most with flu-like symptoms. It's a little disconcerning, but I'm not panicing. If the Imp gets ill, I will certainly be taking her to the doctor sooner, rather than later, especially with her asthma. It was predicted that 2 weeks would allow time for the virus to spread through a school....TC has been in session for 2 weeks. Public schools just started Tuesday, so we'll wait and see how it progresses there. But I'm actually more concerned about the Singer at USF and the swine flu. I'm not there to evaluate her situation. If her roommate gets sick, I know I'll want the Singer to come home and commute for a few days, but I don't think she will. She is at the stage where she is making decisions concerning her life because she's "on her own" but really, she's still 'under my care.' Her permanent address is still my house. She's still under our health insurance. We feel, and I think she does too, that we're still ultimately responsible for her. It's in the transition stage, as demonstrated with the flat tire. She had to pay for it and take her car in, etc., but she called us and was pleased that Hubby went with her to get the tire. A vaccine is suppose to be ready in October for the Swine Flu. My girls will be among the first to sign up. I'll make sure of it. They already get the yearly flu vaccine due to their asthma. While their asthma is well-controlled, their lungs still seem to take the brunt of any illness they get. Anyone with their own nebulizer should be getting the flu vaccine. With 50% of the population predicted to get the swine flu, I'm sure one of the girls will get it. Possibly both, considering their situations. The Imp because she's on the crew team (practice settings and close contact allow easy spreading of any disease) and the Singer because she doesn't always take care of herself with regards to her eating and sleeping habits, so her defenses will be low. I won't say that I'm worried, just trying to be vigilant. Hubby says he's found the positive in working in a "deserted" building [so many of the jobs have been outsourced, the cubicles on his floor at work are primarily empty] ...less chance to get the swine flu.

Two friends coming over today to scrap book, gotta go get breakfast dishes done and put some clothes on.

Scrapbooking

I got to spend all day (9AM - 8PM) at a crop. There were about 700 women at the state fairgrounds, all working on their scrapbooks. I managed to put together 14 pages. Definitely a lot for me. At 6PM there was a door-prize drawing, available to all who had completed 25 pages! That will never be me. When I put a page together, I spend lots of time reminiscing, and then time thinking about a layout, then what colors to use, then searching my supplies for those colors and matching stickers. Then I have to 'journal' which requires some thought. I often hand draw embellishments. Companies make packets with papers that have spaces marked to show where you are to put your pictures and come with all the stickers and extras you need. I have a hard time using those pages. Inevitably, there is something about the packet that doesn't seem like me. I feel compelled to change it. I do the same thing cooking; rarely following a recipe exactly as written. I guess, if I'm making it, I want it to reflect me. And back to scrapping, I also spend time talking. No surprise there. But that is part of the appeal of getting together to crop: the community aspect. I really think crops provide a social outlet similar to quilting bees of old. I got to see a friend I hadn't seen for over a year. We spent a good 40 minutes just catching up. And I'm so glad we had that chance. The whole day was great. The only negative, and it's true of most crops, was the chairs. They were old, bent folding chairs. I'm short and am often too low when sitting in a folding chair at a table. Throw in some bent legs and I'm really too low. If I sit on a pillow to put me higher, my feet don't touch the ground (my toes may, but not my whole foot). All this puts great strain on my back, and my lower back is still recovering.
The Imp came home from crew practice last night with blisters on her hands from rowing. I innocently asked if she'd like me to get her some workout gloves. I was quickly told that was a huge negative. The blisters/callouses are badges of honor and gloves are not 'cool'. Silly me. She seems to be settling into a routine with school and crew.

I've been trying to get myself on the same sleep schedule as Hubby and the Imp. I've been getting up with them in the morning and have avoided naps so I could go to sleep at night. But I'm still having a hard time falling asleep as early as they do. I feel like my internal clock is hard-wired for late-to-bed, late-to-rise. I lay in bed with thoughts swirling around. And they are indeed swirling with no real productivity in my thoughts at night. I've been waking up slowly with my alarm set to the local Christian radio station. Today, I must've snoozed a little too much because Hubby came to kiss me good-bye and I was still in bed. And the conversations the DJs were having on the radio had been woven into my dreams. I'll keep trying and hopefully within another week, I'll have reset my internal clock. To my defense, Hubby did leave 10 minutes early today. It's the first day of public school, so the roads will be packed with all those parents who drive their kids to school on the first day, plus the hundreds of school buses. Hubby loves the summer when driving to work takes him 15 minutes less than during the school year.
Last year, the public school system had quite the fiasco with bus routes and schedules. Supposedly, that is all fixed. I'm waiting to hear. When you're the 8th largest school district in the country, everything is big and logistics involving the whole county are nightmarish. Hillsborough County school district doesn't just have a lot of students (right around 120,000) but also is a large land area (1,266 square miles) with lots of schools (243 schools grades K-12).