Our Family.......

The most amazing man.....

Please........take just a minute to view this.  He is the most amazing person.  He never meant to have all the fame that he has acquired in the last six months, though in my opinion he's worth every bit of it. 

The end is spectacular.

Until I can format the HTML and put it HERE, you'll have to click on one of these.   Be patient, it might take a minute to load.

abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=4883908

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/pausch-inspires-class-of-08/220289718://

My family.....

I love them so. 

After the last couple of weeks, all I can think of is the verse:

"They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone. "(Numbers 11:17) NIV

Because that's EXACTLY the way that I feel.  My load has definitely been lightened because of my family.  And I am so grateful.

I mean, what's not to love here??!!

You have to admit, you either smile or die of embarassment with this crowd. 

They're pretty comfortable wherever they go.  And I'm glad.

And, even though I understand it's pretty rare, I actually LIKE my in-laws.  They have been very, VERY good to me.  To us.  And we include them in everything.  We just like to be around them.

Mom is getting better by the day and supposed to be released next Monday.  Hooray!!  I'll still have to take care of her some, but her house is much, much closer!

It's a pretty depressing place, and after this many weeks, I'm quite certain that I NEVER want to be in here. 

I took a really little birthday cake so mom could share in Shell's birthday.  Maybe she won't feel so left out of everything.  After all, I wouldn't want to miss my granddaughter's birthday.  Or spend my Mother's Day in this place. 

It was a good day.

Hooray for Birthdays and Mother's Day and God's healing!

  Now...this picture will take a little 'splaining. 

See...Ray was trying to entertain the kids (only plausible explanation) and he tried putting a birthday candle in his nose.

So, being his daughter and not one to pass up on an idiot stunt, Shell lit it. 

Then he  spent the next 10 minutes begging her to pick the hot wax out of his beard.

Birthday candles.....99 cents.

Cake ............$3.00

Husband that will put a lit candle in his nose to cheer me up...... priceless.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

From the minute this child was born, she has brought light into my life.

And today is her birthday!  What a wonderful day....what seems like a long time ago, and then again just yesterday. 

I spent all day in labor, then you were born at exactly 7:04 p.m.  7 lbs., 7 oz., of pink, perfect baby girl.

Worth every last minute.  I LOVED being pregnant.  Heartburn and all.  I carried you so high, I had heartburn for four straight weeks.  I think this was taken the week that I had you. 

(Shell - quit making fun of the glasses)

What a privilege it's been to be your Mom and Dad. 

This is a pic of you and Michael at Grandma's in Okeene.  I remember how disappointed you were when you guys could no longer take a bath together.  But the boys are 2 and 4 years older and they outgrew it long before you did. 

You guys had so much fun.  When you were 2 you could tell the difference in cattle.  "Shar-ways" and "Ho-steens" and a "wong-horns" or two.  You loved the farm, and one of your favorite things was to ride the lawn mower or 4-wheeler with one of the boys.  Grandpa would always tell you "you're going to run the cattle into anemia!!".  (They recognized the sound of the four wheeler and would try to chase it because that's how they got special food).

You were such a good kid.  Even the teen years, though sometimes difficult, were really pretty easy.  I have been amazed and in awe of all you have accomplished.  Self-motivated and responsible, we could always trust your judgment.

And I'm so proud of the amazing young woman you've become.  And I thank God for every day of your life. 

"you are my  magic moment tied in a pink bow".

Happy Birthday Shell!!

p.s.  I know this picture is a little old, but I like it and it's my blog.  Besides...wait til you see tomorrow's post.  THOSE pictures aren't so flattering.....

Gratitude.....

Have you ever wanted a really simple way to thank a soldier?  One you do or don't know.....sometimes when you just pass in a public place or in a restaurant?  This is short and totally worth your time.....

http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/shortmovie.php

My week so far......

I got this call on my cell phone yesterday that was a wrong number.  I tell her so and hang up on her. Then the idiot starts texting me.  She’s “Kim from the line”.  Whatever THAT means.  Shell and I are on our way home from Wal-Mart and very tired and getting a little goofy, so we text her back. 

For the "text challenged" this might be hard to read....(inlaws who shall remain nameless) but just sound it out.  And "po-po" is police. 

Hey, I figure if you have the guts to mess with me during the last two weeks of the school year, you get what you deserve. 

She starts up with "This is Kim from the line".  (no kidding, I just hung up on you.)

I reply “what up”

She sends something about “not me, lol, what about you?”

So I send back – “U no.  Keepin way from da po-po”

At this point Michelle is ready to lay an egg.  So she texts me back – “I’m not in trouble because I don’t have time”

So I say “ Do you like bad boyz?”

She says “of course”

Then today the idiot texts me again, so I told her “when I git da welfare check we’re goin out on da town!”

She texts:  “I don’t get a welfare check”

I said “sweet!  U can sprt me then!”

She texts “I don’t think so”

I text:  “how old are u  N.E. way?”

She says “33.  and you?”

I said “56.  Is that a problem?”

She quit texting me.

The End is Near......

The end of school that is.  And I cannot wait.  If you work or ever have worked in a school (the actual position does NOT matter) then you know what I am talking about.  Each one of us has a different and unique perspective on how our job is difficult at the end of the school year.  Some of us are taking 26 wild 6 & 7 year olds to a zoo with approximately 2789 other kids, expecting them to be "nice" and "behave" and "stay together".  A teacher knows better.  Herding cats would be a WHOLE lot easier.  A teacher's best hope is to divide them up in small groups, with a responsible adult, and pray that person (or parent who is discovering exactly how bad their kid REALLY is) doesn't completely lose their cool and "lose" a problem child in the monkey exhibit.  That's the reason older kids don't go.  Half of them never are heard from again.

In the high school, happy hour is almost required EVERY night for the first two weeks of May, or until the graduating seniors leave.  For some reason, a teen that has not paid one bit of attention all year, turned in exactly 2.5 papers and slept in all his classes, suddenly realizes that he is NOT GOING TO GRADUATE and has failed the classes he slept in!!  Surprise! Oh no!  It's a tragedy.  I LOVE the parents that call and want to know if their child could do some "extra credit" and make up 8 1/2 months of the little darling's school year.  I think for this reason alone, a Prozac salt lick in the staff lounge should be financed by taxpayer money. 

The kids act like they have no sense.  One of our little darlings drove his car, well, actually fish-tailed his car about 100 feet and then drove it over a median, completely breaking off the axle and leaving it high centered on the median.  IN THE PARKING LOT. 

If you work here and are female, you know that you have time to shave only one leg a day.  Or week.  You start a petition for a coffee I.V drip for each teacher. That your family can actually get sick of eating out.  Drive through, that is.  No one actually sits down.  And when you pull through McDonald's, they greet you by name like Norm! on Cheers.  Your yard is 3 feet tall because you're going to every "senior breakfast, senior awards dinner and senior banquet" and field day, field trip, working track meets and musicals.  Yep.  No time. 

But the end is near...... it's near people.  And whether you're a student or teacher or custodian, you are waiting with baited breath for summer.... I know I am!

Wow.....

Since I don't have anything new of late.......still spending a lot of my time with my mom and doing stuff NO ONE needs to see... here is a video that simply amazed me.  Keep in mind, he's probably the very same age my daughter teaches.  First grade.

My Grandma wouldn't have beaten me, but my mom would have beat me so hard Grandma would have bruises.  Yeah...the cops should have said "go for it, we don't see a THING!".  This kid will be in the news again.

The waiting room...

What ever happened to waiting room decorum?  I mean, NOBODY wants to be there.  If you are having to sit in the germ infested room  on rock hard chairs, I'm pretty sure you'd rather be somewhere else.  It can be boring, long, uncomfortable.  The news is rarely good.  I find myself in a rather small, stuffy waiting room with some kind of dark rubber liquid that was once coffee.  Just me and a very genteel man I'll call "Merle".  All three of us sitting in silence, waiting our turn.  Me for my mom to have a proceedure done, and him waiting for his own proceedure.  His lovely wife I'll call "Mildred" is by his side.

But once in a while......some blog material comes walking in the door.  I don't have one single clue who this family circus was, but they were definately one of a kind.  There was the loud head of the family, or "mama".  Bubba and his brother Durl.  And apparently their wives, Lurlene and IdaJean.  "Daddy" was the one having some unknown proceedure done.  By the time I spent 7 minutes in the same room with these people, I bet "Daddy" had begged to have a colonoscopy or exploratory surgery to have five minutes peace and quiet.   "Mama" was a really whiny older woman who clearly controlled the bunch with loudly SUGGESTING what she needed. 

And if there is one thing I can't stand, it's an adult who won't come out and ask for something.  And if you do it in baby talk, I'll give you a five second head start before gunning my engine.

"Now if I just had a drink of water to take my pill with.  But I don't." Lady, you are certainly old enough to ask one of your kids if they might get you a drink of water if you can't get your own.  So one of her kids takes the "hint" and offers her a drink of their bottle of Coke. 

"I don't like Coke but I'll take one little sip just to get my pill down!" (Oh, super.  I'll definately sleep better tonight knowing you got your pill). 

"THERE!  I took my pill!!"  (Hallelujah!!)

But bringing the traveling family circus to town, wouldn't you think ONE of the group would realize that not everyone wants to know that you think these nabisco crackers are "purdy good" for the 25th *&^%$ time.

At least 17 times IdaJean kept prompting in a loud nasally whine "now I promised Daddy I'd make you eeeeaat....." .  Get over it chicka.  Your mother is over 65 and she's going to do what she damn well pleases whether or not you promised Daaaa-dy or not.  But I must say when the nurse came and called his name, Merle bolted out of there like greased lightening, leaving Mildred with a deer in the headlights look on her face.  Whatever the test was he was in for couldn't begin to be worse than spending one more minute in that waiting room.  Just me and Mildred and the freaks.

Bubba and Durl must have been sons-in-law, because they seemed a bit disgusted at the whole thing. 

Then Mama states very loudly:  "Now.  We need to get yer brother offa them cigarettes.  We need ta talk ta him. "

At this point Lurlene and Durl jump up, "now you just need to settle down, mama!" (did I miss something??)  "You're gettin' all riled up.  Just settle down!"

At this point my mom's nurse pops her head in the door and calls my name.  I bolt just like Merle.  Sorry Mildred!!

If I'm not returning your call or email it's because...

This has been my view for the last five days...

My mom is sick again.  And I feel really good about the care she is getting (her nurse is an angel), and I feel really bad for the situation.

 

If you don't know the situation before this....you probably won't understand.  If you know my mom as one of her current friends or patients, you won't understand.  If you're related by blood at ALL or have known her in the past....you probably understand exactly where I'm coming from.  She is a very complex person.  There have been times in my life that I was pretty sure if you lifted her hair there would be a "666" tatooed on the back of her neck.  Many times. 

But she is sick now, very, very sick.  And when she is sick, she is vulnerable and childlike.  And this leaves me in a struggle that at times seems to suck the very life away from me. 

I am dealing with this pretty much alone.  My family is there for me, and God love them, I am grateful beyond comprehension.  My daughter was a lifeline this weekend.  I feel so much better after spending time with her and with Chad and Ray.  And bless his little bald head, my husband has been wonderful.  Really. 

But the reality is....they are there for me.  I realized when I was standing in mom's ICU room that my sweet daughter's support is my lifeline.  And if it was my mother in law, she would be there with or without me, moving heaven and earth for her Grandma that she loves dearly.  Grandma (and grandpa) that attended ball games, concerts, that let her bake every time she visited, that rescued her from shopping trips when she was tired, that have made her feel loved from the moment she was born.  She has a totally different relationship with his mom than with mine.                                  

And I am sad for the choices, albeit HER choices, that have left my mom virtually alone.  The only phone calls to anyone that might notice she dropped off the map for a week or more....were two.  One sister and one phone acquaintance.  I have told a couple other family members, but that was mostly for my own benefit. 

Now, I am completely aware that these are choices that she has made.  And she is aware that she has made bad choices.  Is she sorry?  Probably not.  But it does leave me in a very hard position.  I know what the past is.  And I know there is a lot of hurt there, for many people.  She's not been honest in family dealings, creating hurt and conflict.  She stops speaking to friends or family and the person never knows why.  Spent her life savings and any money my Dad left us for attorneys to defend someone who DESERVED to go to prison.

  Hateful letters in the mail?  We've all received at least one.  And, for the LIFE of me, I cannot understand why you would ever even THINK of ruining your only grandchild's wedding because of an error on the address of your invitation.  Yeah, I understand. 

And reconciling the sweet mother that I remember as a small child and the person that has divided her children and chosen the current man was in her life over us, presents a real conflict for me.  At least when she is sick.  It's hard.  And I feel alone.  And overwhelmed.  And while I understand, God do I understand, it's hard.  But I can't walk away.  Not for the person she is, but because of who I am.   I don't expect her to change.  I'm not new here.  I know that she might not be speaking to me in a couple of weeks.  I have my eyes wide open.  Stupid?  Maybe.  But I do it because God told me to honor my parents.  He didn't tell me to like it, or to only do as much as I felt like, or decide what she deserved.  So for ME, and what I think God is telling me, I have to.  And I am really okay with that.  Really. 

But I will also take all the hugs I can get right now.

Warning: Ranting......

Normally, I like to write about things that are positive and upbeat.  But I have to get something off my chest. 

What the HECK is up with these FLDS women ???!?!

Okay....at first I had some really great jokes about the hair.  I mean, seriously, what is up with choosing hair like that.  It reminds me of a satellite dish that my father in law had in his backyard that picked up 982 channels. 

Then I read that it signifies that she is more "spiritual" than her sister wives.  (Or puts her 6" closer to God.)

Hmmm.  In the 80's the super glued bangs must have sprouted some Arch Bishops or Pope's.   

And my personal opinion is that any man stupid enough to have fifteen wives DESERVES the fifteen rounds of PMS that are bound to cycle through that place.  (Can I get an AMEN, Chad??) It's a miracle that no one has strangled one of those creeps.  Or perhaps the reason they are so tightly controlled.  To keep them from killing the men.

But what I really want to know is why aren't these women in orange jumpsuits and shackles instead of prairie garb for giving their 12, 13, 14 year old daughters to men old enough to be their grandfathers?  I remember when my own daughter was that age and starting to date.  We did everything but an FBI background check on anyone who dared call the house.  My husband actually had 8 shotgun shells lined up on the mantel with names on them at one point (part of a story for another time), and one young man probably will never be the same after Daddy Dear stepped out of the shadows as he was leaving our porch for a little "chat".  Just keeping them on their toes.  We watched.  We protected. 

But these CHILDREN are given to pedophiles under the name of "god" as something "holy".  (capital "g" left out intentionally.)  I cannot fathom why a mother would think it is okay to give her daughter's innocence to someone neither one of them know.  And I feel SORRY for them that they think that to get to God and to find favor with Him that you must follow so many rules and rituals.  It is sad to think that if you cut your hair, they believe you receive a lesser position in heaven.  That showing skin other than your hands or face, or telling a pervert no will result in you burning in hell.

What I do know is this:  The God that I believe in, the God that I love and serve, who loved me so much he sent his only Son, who died for my sins, who cares about the next breath that I take and about yours, too.  That the same God that is the Source for all things wonderful and beautiful and good and holy, is stronger than all of that.  He would NEVER ask that we take from our children their choice, their life, their spirit and give it to men they do not know or care about for the strangers pleasure.  Look at the vacant stare and the overly rehearsed answers. I don't care how you paint the picture, how you dress that pig up and parade it through town, the FACTS are that the Bible says we are to "let our light shine" and to be examples and to "go to all the earth preaching the Good news". 

Not holed up in some commune and allow the very life to be sucked out of our children. Not hide and keep ourselves away, judging and looking down our noses and teaching our kids that they will lose their eternal soul for showing an ankle.  Or the girl that made the call that started the whole thing asking "if you get me out of here will the black people hurt me?".  The same God that made you, made them.  He just doesn't make them pay for tanning.  What these people have done, and I realize it goes back generations for some, is terrible.  These nut jobs from Dumbbutt Texas make anyone who claims to be a Christian look bad. 

But God does love them.  Not the sin, but the sinner. 

And for that kind of care and passion from a loving and just God.....I am eternally grateful.