Saturday, January 5, 2013

Things I want to do to my house

On August the 15th, we will have been in our house for eight years.  WOW!  I can't believe that we will have been here that long- But in those eight years, we have done NOTHING to the place but lived in it.  We have not painted a single wall, changed the curtains....nothing has been done to it and I am REALLY itching for some changes.  Would you believe that I have never painted a wall in my life?  I have never, not once, ever, painted a room...It's time for me to learn- The house needs some sprucing up- Some decluttering, some painting and a small facelift.  It's a great, comfortable house that we are blessed to have, but here is a list of things I would love to do to it!

Kitchen- New countertops and new curtains.  I want to paint the room too- Maybe a dark color like red or orange. 

Living room- I want plantation shutters and paint.  I like the furniture that we have, but the walls are a beige, (as is every wall in the house,) but finding a paint color to complement the furniture will be a challenge.  What goes with hunter green?  Marc would love to add hardwood floors, but that is labor and cost extensive.  I could live with a good carpet cleaning.

Outside- Marc wants to totally redo the entire porch, but I would be happy to replace the railing or paint it.  The shutters were once a bright hunter green, but they are now a faded, sad color.  

I would also like to replace the knobs and fixtures throughout the entire house.  When we bought the house, everything matched throughout...and the brass knobs aren't lovely to me anymore.  Changing the knobs on the cabinets is an inexpensive way to give a nice face lift.

Who knows when I'll find the time (or the money) to do all of these projects, but every once in awhile you need to do things to keep your house in good shape...Anybody wanna come teach me to paint???

To Whom it Concerns

This is one of my favorite scenes from "Roseanne."  Darlene is your typical, smart mouthed teenager- and her sarcasm is hilarious, but under her tough exterior is a real person...with feelings...

Watch the scene in the link below, and think about the geeky band kid, the tomboy, the kid with no friends and remember that they have feelings too.

Just thought I'd mention it...to whom it concerns....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueJF2FUKV84


Monday, December 31, 2012

Looking back on 2012

Reflecting on 2012, I've realized this morning that God is better than I give Him credit for.  I am constantly amazed at how well we are taken care of.  You'd think I'd be used to all the little "God things" that happened through the year, but I never am.  I'm sure I'll forget several things in this post, so if you're reading this and remember something that I forgot, be sure to remind me!!!  Here are some highlights of 2012:

January:  We started the year off at my sister Lynn's house.  We had just left Marc's sister, Karyn's house in Wisconsin and stopped in Tennessee on the way home.  Emma and Addison rode their first horses and Addison got licked in the face by a cow when he tried to feed it loaf bread.  Hilarious.  We had Region Band auditions and I had more kids make the band than the year before, but ironically, only one student was a repeat qualifier.  The kids that made it before didn't, and the kids that hadn't made it before, did.

February:  We received Marc's first monthly disability payment and rejoiced to put 19 months of financial struggle behind us.  We stayed busy almost every weekend.  Both of us traveled to the Marriage Retreat with the church in Pigeon Forge, and the state Music Convention in Charleston.  Charleston is ALWAYS fun and this year was no exception.  I talked with people about 6th grade percussion and tried some new ideas...but none of them worked.  The music was incredible and the food was even better.  While at the marriage retreat we got to see a side of some of our husbands that I could live with never seeing again, but boy was it hilarious!  I love being in a church that doesn't think religion has to be stuffy.   I took the students to Region Band in Lexington and that was a lot of fun.  We took them to eat at a Japanese Steakhouse and David Vickery and Joey Bagwell convinced them to try Wasabi.   While we were unloading the fruit truck this past November, they were still laughing about that dinner.  It was one of those moments that you don't realize at the time, but makes your whole teaching career.  Marc's parents lived with our kids alot so that we were able to take the trips...and they took them back and forth to school, signed agendas and did homework with them, even while they were in the middle of a move to a new house.  Karyn came down to help them move and up the mountain they climbed!  We were so grateful for their help!

In March, the band went to Concert Festival for the first time ever.  We spent most of this month with guest clinicians and after school rehearsals.  The kids played VERY WELL and even though they received and "Excellent" rating, everyone that listened to their recording was genuinely very impressed with their growth.  David Vickery said to me, "I think you did a great job and you should be proud of your students."  Having the validation of your colleagues often means more than the rating from the judges...especially when one judge, during the part that we worked the HARDEST to get right, (And boy did they play it well,) said that she would "like to talk to me about the hangey downy things on my shirt sleeves."  She went on to say that my outfit was a distraction to the band, (even though I wear that outfit to most every concert- so much that the kids tease me about it) and she missed the really great moment in the music.  Ooh well...

April arrived and spring break came with it.  Marc and Emma traveled to Florida to visit family there and Addison and I stayed home.  We visited with my grandfather and played at the park.  I bought Emma a pair of shoes over spring break and when Easter arrived, the shoes were too small.  She was growing and growing and GROWING!  I started the process of seriously looking at surgery for reflux because my singing voice had all but disappeared.

I had the surgery in May and that took up about the whole month.  BEST. SLEEP. EVER!!!  I took most of the last month off of school, but returned the last few days to wrap up the end of the school year.  I learned that Loratab gives me nightmares and had some of the best people take care of me- It was a big adjustment to be taken care OF instead of caring FOR people, so I didn't stay down for long.  The surgery was an easy recovery and I'm happy to say that I've pretty much recovered most of  my voice.  I really hated being out of school, and people thought I was stupid for coming back so soon, but I could not let the end of the school year pass without wrapping up all of the loose ends.  Every band director reading this agrees with me.  :-)

The summer came and we started it with a wonderful trip to Disney World.  I was three weeks post op and really couldn't eat much.  My sugar dropped quickly for awhile after the surgery until my stomach learned to regulate the food it could hold...so there were times on the trip when I had a little demon inside me and the family thought I had turned into the wicked witch...but I couldn't help it...Lol!  We had a GREAT time at Disney.  We visited Hollywood Studios where Marc got to meet some of his favorite Star Wars actors, and we also went to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot.  Emma and all of the girls had an afternoon tea at the Grand Floridian where Emma ate the head off of a cream filled swan and declared to us that she was "not fancy."  The tea was one of the highlights of  the trip for me, but I think Emma would prefer to play in the mud.  Lol!  Nana was right, though, when she said that an afternoon tea is something that "every little girl should be able to do once in their lives."  I LOVED it!  At Epcot, Addison and I got stuck in a terrible thunderstorm and I got turned around in the park and couldn't find my way out.  He was terrified and it was the first time we really saw a LOT of anxiety in him.  On the way home, we visited Marc's granny in her nursing home and again, Addie flipped out.  We tried to take what turned out to be the last pictures we would ever take with granny, but Addison did not feel comfortable in the nursing home with all of the older people and he went into a full meltdown.  Off to the pediatrician we went.

We discussed with the pediatrician that several school teachers had expressed that Addison would need Occupational Therapy to work with his hands because he was left handed and wrote his letters wrong.  He didn't like to cut with scissors, wouldn't cross the mid line on paper, etc...and we discussed the meltdowns on vacation.  He broke my heart when he looked at the doctor and said, "I'm a bad kid.  I ruined my daddy's last trip to see his granny."  The doctor teared up a bit and said, "I have a great friend who helps kids figure out why they feel like they do.  He is a really good doctor.  Would you like to go see him?"  Then she said, "You're not a bad guy.  You're just a little confused about how to handle your feelings."  And all three of us cried just a little.  If you need a pediatrician, I can recommend a great one.

The rest of the summer was spent going to the child psychologist and OT sessions.  Addison made GREAT progress and met all of his goals.  Marc's grandmother passed away, so while he and his sisters traveled to Florida, we were able to have Katelyn over for a few days.  That was good for Emma because I felt like she was sort of getting left out as we had to focus so much attention on Addison.  Emma and Katelyn are more like sisters than cousins and they LOVE spending time together!

Band camp started and Marc decided that he would like to try and work with the band.  I was hesitant because I knew that it would be very hard on his back, but I also knew that it would be a great thing to get him out of the house and give him a goal to work towards.  He ended up becoming my literal right arm during marching season.  In August, school started and Emma went to the Elementary school for the first time.  Addie started first grade.  Both of the kids have incredible teachers this year and both of them are making all A's.  Addison was quickly able to test out of both OT and speech at school, but we still give him little OT activities for him to do without him knowing about it.  Silly putty, Weave a Loom, Mousetrap and Jenga are just a few ways that Santa and others keep him practicing!  His anxiety is much better, though we still see its ugly head occasionally.  Emma was in the marching band show, starring as the narrator of the show.  I never once worried about her forgetting a line, being in the wrong place or messing up in any way.  She was an absolute natural.  Several times the judges said, "I know that I should be watching the band right now, but this little girl is so cute I can't stop watching her."  That was the point, Mr. Judge.  :-)

September and October were a flurry of band contests.  After an initial run of second place, the band never lost another prelim contest.  Each week it was guard, percussion and music trophy after trophy and winning became something we got used to.  The band qualified for State Finals and ended up finishing 7th in the state, a tenth of a point away from 6th.  I was very proud.  Marc spent the month of November in the bed.  :-)

In October, my beloved car Frogger passed away.  I know I talk about that stupid car like it was a person, but jeepers I loved that thing.  I've never been so tied to a "thing," a "possession" as I was that car.  We bought one car that turned out to be a lemon and spent a Saturday in December buying a second car.  I just didn't feel like you should have to have a car towed when you've only made one payment on it.  Luckily, we were able to get into a really great, brand new car that I absolutely love and plan to drive for another 14 or so years.  It's difficult getting financing when you're recovering from the 19 months of Marc not working, but we were able to pull ourselves out of the hole enough for God to come through AGAIN.  

November was spent playing a lot of football on Friday nights and with a great visit from Marc's sister at Thanksgiving.  After a few days in the hospital for what turned out to be the craziest thing ever, a hemorrhagic ovulation, I was able to go black Friday eve shopping with both of my sister in laws and that was a lot of fun.  I spent November and part of December in alot of pain, recovering from the ovarian problem, but I also had two concerts to prepare the band and chorus for.  The chorus decided to do "Christmas with the Phantom" and learned the music from Phantom of the Opera.  It turned out to be a GREAT idea and we may choose to do something like that again next year.  Truly, you can only sing the same arrangement of  "Jingle Bells" so many times before you're ready for something else.  Unless I wanted to blow the budget on all new Christmas music, we were going to have to come up with something new, and Phantom provided the perfect music.  My friend Joyce was able to get the tracks off of iTunes and the concert ended up costing me nothing to perform.  The best concerts are FREE concerts, right???  

December started with parades and concerts and ended with a great visit to my sister Lynn's house.  Funny how the year started and ended there, huh?  Before Facebook, Lynn and I went maybe 10 years without seeing or speaking to each other...but we found each other on FB and now talk quite regularly.  We joke about how sane we ended up in the midst of chaos and are both pretty determined to raise decent families without alot of drama.  Horses provide her sanity the same way that music does for me.  We're so much alike that it's scary...but at least if she is like me, I know she's a keeper!  :-)

January is almost here again and it's going to be much more of the same...I'm going to start with Region auditions, the Convention, Concert Festival and many more of the exact same things I did in 2012.  Maybe this year the band will get that Superior rating that has eluded us...Maybe Marc's back will be better.  Maybe I'll be perfectly content if we just rest in the fact of knowing that whatever happens, God will take care of us.  Here's looking forward to a wonderful, peaceful, 2013!

Sunday, December 30, 2012

New Year's Resolutions

New Year's resolutions baffle me.  Seriously.  Baffle.  "This year, I'm going to lose weight."  Or "This year, I'm going to do better with my finances."  Or my favorite- "This year, I'm going to work on ME- I'm going to be better, stronger, happier than I've ever been before."  Give. Me. A . Break.

Seriously- Here I am sitting on my couch thinking, "I am very much overweight.  My family is in debt up to our eyeballs and I am so sad.  I make horrible choices with men because my self esteem is so low that I can't see straight ahead...where there are consequences."  BUT- I'm going to wait until the new year and then I am going to get right on track where I should be.  My question to you is, "WHY WAIT?"  If it happens to be, I don't know...November, and you find yourself in this situation, why not decide then to make a change?  Why do we eat and eat and eat over the holidays and then say, "Come the first of the year, I'm going to do better."  I realize that I'm typing this as a 115 lb skinny person and you're thinking that I am judging the heck out of you.  I'm not.  Each of us has things that we could make a New Year's resolution about.  TRUST me- I have LOTS of things about myself that I work on daily.  I am not a perfect person...But could you imagine if I stood in front of my band and said, "Hey Clarinets, you're playing that note wrong, but let's fix that after Christmas."  No.  If we find a mistake, we fix it immediately.  "This note is horribly out of tune, but let's live with it until after the concert."  Makes no sense, does it?


Check out this text from Mark chapter 1:


 21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God." 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.


Now, I'm not a preacher and I don't know the original Greek, or whatever language this was, but to me, as a layperson with no training reading this, I don't see Jesus waiting.  I don't see Him saying, "Let me finish this sermon and then I'll help you."  Basically, Jesus said to the unclean spirit, "RIGHT NOW, be quiet and leave this man."  And then the demon left IMMEDIATELY.  Maybe I'm wrong, and you preachers forgive me, but I don't see that  demon waiting a few weeks to leave the man's body.  At the risk of sounding like Beth Moore, (And God knows I don't want to sound like her,) I don't think God intends for us to stay in the bad place where we are.  God wants only what is good for us- He doesn't desire insecurity and addictions and all those other things we make resolutions about.  And He doesn't want us to live with those things ONE MINUTE LONGER than we are willing to.


I am not a "wait and see" kind of person and this often bites me in the tail.  (Anyone remember a vehicle I bought a few months ago???)  Most of the time, though, when I see that there is a problem, I tackle it head on and don't stop until it's solved.  Again, I am FAR from having all the answers and I don't pretend to...but my advice, though unsolicited, about New Year's resolutions, is, If you see that there is an area of your life that needs to be improved, don't wait.  Don't wait until the first of the year to settle a disagreement.  Don't wait until the first of the year to treat your body the way that God intends for you to.  Don't wait until the first of the year to make your part of the world a better place.  


You see, 95% of the people who join a gym in January are not still going to the gym in December.  These people annoy the people who DO work out because the gym is flooded every first of the year.  Their machines are taken and they can't get to the equipment in the gym.  We see the new year as a time to start over, a new beginning, a rebirth of commitment...but, if something is important enough for you to do it "At the beginning of the year," and REALLY DO it and STICK WITH IT- then isn't it important enough to do NOW?


Clarinets, let's go ahead and fix that note...And for goodness sake let's tune the band.  Otherwise the concert stinks and everyone dreads sitting through it.  Don't wait.  Do it.  NOW.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Life in Disney Quotes

My family loves Disney- ALOT.  I really don't know anything that Disney doesn't do well- And life lessons are one of the things they teach best.  Who can't agree that Disney lessons make some of the most sense?  Here are some of my favorite quotes from their best characters:

*Here together, friends forever, Some things were just meant to be.  That's you and me- Winnie the Pooh
*If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme- Jiminy Cricket
*Think of all the joy you'll find, when you leave the world behind and bid your cares goodbye.- Peter Pan
*I'm like a shooting star, I've come so far.  I can't go back to where I used to be.- Jasmine
*Don't think.  And Don't worry.  If the time comes, you'll know what to do.- Mrs. Incredible
*People think I'm odd, so I know how it feels to be different, and I know how lonely that can be.- Belle
*You can get it if you really want it, but you must try, try and try.  You will succeed at last.- Sebastian
*The very things that held you down are gonna lift you up- Timothy Mouse from Dumbo
*The colder the winter, the warmer the spring.  The deeper the sorry, the more our hearts sing.- Bambi
*No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true.- Cinderella
*Remember, you are the one who can fill the world with sunshine.- Snow White
*You'd be surprised what you can live through. - Iago
*Any day spent with you is my favorite day, so today is my new favorite day!- Winnie the Pooh
*You think you can just show up and tell me how to live my life?  You don't even know what I've been through!- Simba
*You're at peace because you know it is okay to be afraid.- Mulan
*You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.- Christopher Robin
*Ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind...or forgotten- Lilo



Friday, December 28, 2012

Couponing 101

I know you guys on Facebook are tired of constantly seeing my posts about coupons....so here's another one!  Ha!

I guess if you know me, you know that I tend to have a bit of an obsessive personality.  I don't do things "halfway."  Couponing is one of those things...I don't see the point of saving SOME money when I could save MORE money.  Really, I don't see the point for paying much for groceries at all.  The prices for things have risen so much over the past year or so- Mostly due to fuel costs to transport the goods to the stores...But coupons can give you a great break from those high prices.

Here are a few coupons MYTHS about coupons that are absolutely not true:
* Prices for groceries are high because people use so many coupons and that raises the price for everyone else.
* You will need to spend hours clipping, snipping, organizing, sorting and smelling coupons every single Sunday afternoon.
* I don't have a baby, but I will buy diapers just because I have a coupon.
* If I coupon, I will be a hindrance to everyone in line behind me because coupons take ALOT of time at the register.

First of all, I am a wife and a mom, AND I work about eighty hours a week.  I have better things to do with my small amount of free time than sit and clip coupons.  I'd much rather be breaking up the fight between my kids than cutting small pieces of paper....While none of the myths above are true, there are people who sort of add to the "coupon reputation" by doing it WRONG.  If you're gonna coupon, please do it the right way, so that the rest of us don't look like idiots.  Here are some tips for that.

*Do NOT clip every single, stinkin' coupon out of the Sunday paper.  Keep them all together in the booklet that they come in.  Write the date on the outside of the circular and put in in a tupperware container, accordion file, etc.
* There are two main circulars of coupons- Red Plum and Smart Source, but there are also inserts by Proctor and Gamble, Pepsi, and many others.
*Websites like southernsavers and couponingtodisney will tell you which coupons to pair with your store sales.  For example, if I want to shop at Bilo, I would go to that website and click on "Bilo."  (Duh.) Then, I will see what is on sale.  Let's say that Peter Pan peanut butter is normally $3.30 but this week it is on sale buy one, get one free, making the price $1.65.  The website will tell you, for example, that there is a 55 cent Peter Pan coupon in the Red Plum circular on 11/4. Go find the coupons from November 4th,  (They are in your tupperware container, remember?) and cut the ONE coupon that you need out of it.  (Now, if you happen to have 5-6, 10 copies of that coupon, then cut them all.  Haha!)  You are now getting the $3.30 peanut butter for $1.10- BUT if you happen to shop at Bilo and can double that coupon, you will get the $3.30 jar for 55 cents. Stock up.  :-)  Bilo doubles every coupon up to 60 cents and all of the stores accept printable coupons.  (On the websites, just click the word "printable" and there are your savings!)
*Stack a manufacturer coupon (Red Plum, Smart Source, etc) with a STORE coupon (Dollar General, Walgreens, any competitor in your area) and you can REALLY rack up!  Yes- You can use Dollar General coupons at Bilo...or Walmart...Or Walgreens...Put a competing store coupon WITH a manufacturer coupon and you can REALLY do well.

Now- Here is the MOST important part.  Are you paying attention???  This is the key!

WHEN YOU FIND SOMETHING ON SALE THAT YOU HAVE A COUPON FOR, BUY ENOUGH FOR SIX-EIGHT WEEKS.  ONLY BUY WHAT IS ON SALE.  If something is not on sale, and you MUST have it, only buy enough for ONE week.  Shop every week because new stuff is coming next week and you don't want to miss that sale.  In about six weeks you will have completely stocked your cabinets with more food than you've ever had and will have spent a fraction of the cost.  If you MUST have tea, buy ONE WEEK's worth of tea.  Then in a few weeks, when it goes on sale and you have a coupon, buy alot of it.  Then you should NEVER AGAIN have to buy tea one week at a time- Because you bought enough to last until it goes on sale again.  Make sense?

Today as I was checking out, the lady at the register said, "I just love to see people come in with coupons.  It's fun to watch their bill just drop and drop and drop." And then she looked at my receipt and said, "Wow, you saved...WAY more than 50%!"  Yes, yes I did.  I got Ramen Noodles and crab meat for FREE.  I got collard greens, pinto beans and black eyed peas for 4 cents a can.  I purchased pasta and the store paid me 10 cents to take it out of the store.

I'm not the "Crazy coupon lady, " (though it may appear that I am from all of my FB posts,) but I love saving money for my family.  I don't shop like Honey Boo-Boo's mom and we don't have 17 packages of toilet paper...There are others who save more than me and there are those who teach classes about it better than me...But it works for our family.  If you have questions or would like for me to help you get started, just ask.  I've even gone grocery shopping with people before.  I love helping other people save money!!!!  Why pay full price when you don't have to?

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Childhood- the Good AND the Bad

Growing up, life for me was less than stellar.  I'm not one to whine and complain, and I feel like my life is an open book- If you want to know something, just ask, but let's just say that I was one of  "those kids" in school that everyone picked on, I wasn't the richest, in fact, sometimes, not always, but sometimes, we had very little money.  I wasn't the smartest, maybe a C student if I'm being lenient. Heck...I probably wasn't even one of the cleanest kids...and I was in the band.  Pin a target on my chest.  We lived in a trailer.  And raised huntin' dogs.  And drank a lot of beer....Well, not the kids, but you get the idea.  :-)

As an adult, I have the life that I always dreamed of.  I have a beautiful home that is nicer than many and it is full of love and laughter.  I have a great job that I love going to every day and definitely makes all those "band nerd" jokes in school worth it. My friends can be counted on more than one hand (and my grandfather always told me that people who have more than five very close friends are lucky.) I have a wonderful husband who loves me even when I don't deserve it, but most of all, I have two amazing children.  My kids are my whole world.  I get up in the morning and they are my first thought.  I go to bed at night thinking about them.  I dream about them...FOR them...nothing on this earth matters more to me than those two babies sleeping upstairs...

I often think, "Ya know, those two don't know how good they have it."  Do they get picked on in school?  No.  Do their parents argue?  No.  Have they ever seen a bar room brawl?  No.  Do they know what it is like to have a home filled with anger and hate?  No...and God willing, they never will. My kids would be lost as a ball in high grass if they saw some of the things that kids in their own classes live with.  I want my children to NEVER know that there are homes in America like what I know.  I want them to live oblivious to screaming matches.  Have they seen me and their daddy argue?  Yep- but it isn't the "norm" for us.  We aren't perfect people by any stretch of the imagination, but we are trying so hard to shield them from all the bad in the world.  I know that I can't protect them from everything, and I am probably wrong to even try....But I've seen the bad...I've SEEN the evil...and it is some place that I never want my children to go.   I want so badly for them to feel loved and wanted...but more than that, I want them to feel secure- Comfortable in their own skin, because I think more than anything, that was the hardest for me to obtain.  I was a happy, loved adult, long before I was a secure and confident one.  It took me a LONG time to look at someone and tell them that if they didn't like it they could lump it.  It took me a LONG time to realize that I didn't have to act like a whipped dog.  THAT is a feeling I hope they NEVER have.  Those feelings of inadequacy aren't what God wants for us- God doesn't desire a defeated attitude from us.  He doesn't want us to look in the mirror and wish we could do better.  He doesn't want us to cry and feel lonely and unloved. Instead, he wants to instill joy and a longing for peace.  He desires that we look to HIM in worship and praise.  Happiness is based on circumstances.  Joy is based on Jesus.

I am so proud of the person that God has shaped me into.  Boy, howdy, does He still have MUCH work to do...But I think that those of you who knew me 10, 15, 20 years ago would say, "Yeah, we don't EVER want to see you in that place again."  It's something that I want to protect my children from.  I am thankful for the journey, for if I didn't have the story, I would take what I have now for granted...Which is why I say that my kids don't know how good they have it.  Yes, if they don't get their hearts broken, they won't know real love...I've heard the cliches...But I will do everything in my power to make sure that their childhood is good. I am okay with them not knowing how good they have it...because if they didn't have it good, they'd have it bad and that will NOT happen...Not on my watch, anyway.

Some people think that I come across as "holier than thou" or that I live on my high horse, but I really don't.  It's just that it took me so long to conquer so many demons and I am not willing to go even remotely close to that ever again.  I am the exact opposite of the person I was.  I am the product of years of screaming, shouting, loneliness, depression and defeat and what has blossomed out of that is confidence...a strong will....stubbornness...I can finally look in the mirror and say, "Hey. I like you," and I'm not intending on anyone taking that away from me.  As you read this, understand that I am not better than you, I am just better at being ME than I have ever been.  Thank God that He saw fit to raise me up from where I was and bless me with the life that I have now.  I can only pray that it continues to roll as wonderfully as it has...Yes, we've had our difficulties, but they have only made us stronger and more confident that we will ALWAYS be taken care of.  If I have a fear, it is that all of "this,-" my kids, my husband, my life- will be taken away from me somehow.  It often seems like it is too good to be true and that it can't last forever, but for so many people it does.  Could I be that 90 year old lady who passes away peacefully in her bed with her family gathered around her, singing hymns and remembering fondly the life she built?  I hope so...It doesn't seem probable, but I hope so.

This amazing thing happened tonight.  We went to see Christmas lights at a park in Williamston and it was lit up prettier than I've ever seen it.  There was a playground and all of the trees were lit up to allow you to play under a canopy of color.  There were nutcrackers and snowmen, crosses and Santa Claus.  Lights were literally everywhere.  I sat on a swing and started to pump the chain just a little bit.  Before I knew it, I was swinging high up towards the trees and it was as if I was soaring through the colors all around me.  It was as happy and childlike as I've ever felt, actually.  Around me, there were kids squealing everywhere, everyone was laughing and running and playing and I thought, "Thank you God for this child-like night where I can be as young as I want and make a really good memory with my family.  Thank you God, that my children are so unbelievably happy and so far removed from anything that isn't this wonderful...and Thank you God for showing me that this was Your plan all along...

It's late- VERY late and they are all upstairs asleep.  The Christmas tree is lit and it's quiet, except for the hum of the fish tank.  The cat is curled up beside me and the dog is asleep in with my daughter in her bed.  Peace, and on earth, goodwill to men.