Pass the Blessings

It was a quiet Thanksgiving. The only small bit of 'noise' was Friday night when Ms. Divine had a friend come to visit. They went in her room and played 'Dance, Dance, Revolution'. For those of you that don't know, it is a number mat with sensors in it that you hook up to your Playstation. It plays music and you have to follow the dance moves on the screen. If noise level is an indicator of 'fun', I'd say they had plenty!

Jr. went to his friend's to play video games. Hubby played video games. I watched movies. It was my time to be 'blah'. Thursday's dinner and clean up was my thing to do. I let them know ahead of time that they would have to get out plates and fill them and nuke them for the next couple of days. I told them I wasn't cooking again until Monday.

I lied. I'm cooking today. A pork roast. I simply cannot eat turkey for a fourth day.

I got the Mr. outside yesterday to put the icicle lights along the front of the house. I put net lights on the front bushes. This week we will add the angel. It isn't a lot but it is enough for us.

Troy also finished putting the insulation around the plate of the house in the basement yesterday. Now we don't feel a continual draft through the house. As time and money permits we will have to continue to find and fix those places in the house that don't seem to be 'quite right'.

This week will start the decorating and list of cookies...what we will make...what we will keep...who we will give to...and there is the giving of toys, etc. to the church for the needy. The homeless shelters always need blankets, gloves, etc. It is not difficult to find decent blankets for little money. Actually, one of the shelters had a better idea...any backpacks you have that you want to be rid of, put hygiene items and hats, gloves, socks, etc. in those and drop off at the shelter...after all, most of those ppl carry everything they own with them. It was also suggested to include thermal underwear. But what size? If we could fill just TWO back packs, there is two ppl that would be helped. Right?

Not just holidays are tough, but life is tough, for a lot of ppl. When God blesses you, He expects you to pass on that blessing. As the movie says, Pay it Forward.

I hope everyone is blessed and continues to have a wonderful holiday season.

All The Answers From Above

Some ppl call it 'coincidence'. I call it answers to prayer, and, in some cases, real miracles.

I was reading a story in our paper about one of the local school principles...and how he used to be homeless as a kid. His parents divorced when he was 3...his mom was always under the influence of something. Social services took him away and after being bounced around in foster homes and group homes, at the age of nine (after witnessing a teenager in the group home he was in hang himself) this kid ran away. All he had was the clothes on his back...he slept under bushes. The kids would taunt him and call him Stinky (and worse I'm sure). Once in a while another kid would let him sneak into their house and they would give him food and let him sleep out of sight. He would get out in the mornings before the parents found him. There WAS one family that had wanted to take him in...they had been neighbors of this boy's mother. They had 8 kids of their own but they really wanted to help him. The mother wouldn't let them...so he got taken away by social services.

One night, while sleeping under a bush in the cold and rain, he prayed to God to just let him die. He just got tired of it all. He said he prayed along time then fell asleep. When he awoke in the morning he saw a rainbow and thought he had died and went to Heaven. Then he realized he hadn't but said he was feeling better.

As he walked down the street, it just so happened one of those 8 kids from that family that had wanted to take him in saw him. He ran over and said, "Hey! We have wondered where you went! Come home with me. We would love to have you!" And the rest was history. He lived with them for the rest of his school years. He finally had a family and food and clothes and ppl who cared.

He wound up in some branch of the military after high school but attended college to become a teacher. Now he marvels at being able to afford his own house, two cars, and have a family of his own.

God did not answer his prayers the way he wanted...but God answered.

Stories like that always bring streams of tears to my eyes.

I look around at where my family is compared to just 6 years ago. We are ALL in a whole different place...and I'm not talking about the town or the house.

I do, however, marvel at us sitting in a home we can call our own, again. AND God even supplied us with a lovable goofy pup!

God has been there and answered our prayers. He might not have answered them in a way we had at first wanted, but we left our hearts and our minds open and had faith. Becuz of that, the answer led us to such a better place.

On this Thanksgiving Holiday, I hope that we can all have faith that our prayers will be answered and the open hearts to follow where we are led.

Blessings for everyone!

M. I. Dunyet

First impressions are not always the wrong ones. My first impression of data bases was that they are just very tedious to set up. Then I started taking this class and decided that maybe I was wrong. My first impression was right. Once these things are set up it makes life so much easier...but it is the setting up that bites.


This has been a weekend and a half! It started with the Friday night invasion of Ms. Divine's two friends. The only good thing about Friday night sleepovers is that they are tired from a day at school so they tend to pass out by midnight.

Then Saturday afternoon Jr. comes loping home (he stayed at a friend's becuz there was a bunch of them getting together for an all night online video game session) dragging his tail and a friend with him. Ms. Divine's friends were just leaving. It was sorta quiet for a couple of hours...they all fell asleep...then we were descended upon by more giggling girls. They got dumped off here by their parents. I get to ferry all their butts to the local church youth Saturday night hangout.

In the meantime, I have been cleaning my house...sweeper, duster, mop. I had JUST cleaned my kitchen top to bottom. Hubby had decided to do wings and fries...which requires the deep fryer. BBQ, Parmesan-Garlic, and Teriyaki wings. Ms. Divine opted to eat a veggie burger with cheese before her friends showed up. I was trying to keep the laundry going. I herded them all to the van and dropped them off with the assurance that her friend M's dad was picking them ALL up and taking them to their respective homes.

I took a break to eat a few wings with the guys. Then, I went off to the other end of the house to continue cleaning. When I went back out into the kitchen I kinda lost it. SOMEONE feels that cooking is the end of it all. I had a FIT becuz I had JUST cleaned the place and washed, dried dishes and put everything away and here it all sat...grease and all. So I had to start ALL OVER again. I went downstairs to fold more laundry when Ms. Divine calls and asks if another friend could spend the night. It seems that said friend lives with her dad and really doesn't want anymore 'dad time' for the night. So, of course, I say 'yes' which means that now I have to go pick her and the friend up. AND I have to make up an extra bed for the friend.

In the meantime...Pete the hamster found the evening very 'disturbing'. I cleaned his cage(I have to do it myself once a month so it gets scrubbed with Lysol cuz Ms. Divine won't do it)...but first I swept the room his cage was in and he doesn't like the noise of the vacuum cleaner. He has a two story cage but likes to sleep in the box on top called the 'petting area'. When the vacuum cleaner is running he sticks his head in the tube that he would normally slip through to get down to the rest of the cage. I wanted to clean his cage, thus put him in his hamster ball. I opened the petting area but everytime I grabbed his butt to pull him out he hissed at me. SO, I just pulled the whole box off the cage...with his head hanging out. Then I grasped him behind his front paws and slid his butt out of the box. He was stiff and unyielding...and I plopped him in his hamster ball. If he thought THAT was not fun...he certainly didn't like the bath that followed! LOL But he DID seem to like getting back into a clean cage with clean bedding and fresh water and food. He immediately began to fill it full of...um...hamster droppings. LOL And since he was clean and all, when my daughter got back with her friend, they took him out of the cage and proceeded to fluff his fur and coo over him.

So...I pick them up...return home and continue with the clean up only my vacuum hose has become clogged...so I have to take that apart and get it unclogged (it apparently is not fond of having to sweep up dirt from the potted palm that Max had so nicely tipped over).

I FINALLY settle down to have something to drink and watch a show...I got to bed around 2 a.m. Max has been TRYING to sleep and just gives the various inhabitants of the house a rolling eyed look every now and then as if to say, "Don't you ppl EVER sleep?!?!" The rest of the ppl's in the house do not settle down and get quiet for at least another half hour...perhaps longer.

This morning, I get up and make sure to let Max out and feed him...Hubby decides to do one of those 'big breakfasts' for everyone. Biscuits, eggs, gravy, sausage, toast, hash browns. I gather them all around the table. And then I, of course, have yet another large mess to clean up. I told Hubby that I appreciate the efforts but from here on in he is responsible for cleaning it all up.

I no sooner get it cleaned up, the kids through the showers (and me sneaking one inbetween), sit down with a cup of coffee, the football game and the newspaper but there is a ringing of the doorbell. It is my sister, her hubby and 3 daughters. It is the middle girl's b-day and I had a present all ready. They had not been to our new abode yet so I gave them the tour. The girls seemed to like playing with Max. They stayed awhile and cleared out.

Our guests from the night before, however, were still here. It was almost 4 p.m. I offered them something to eat but they declined. So, I settled in front of the computer to do some homework. Steven finally leaves and Ms. Divine informs me that I need to give HER friend a ride home...apparently Daddy don't do that sort of thing. So, I take her home.

I am going to put up banners around the house so EVERYONE knows that I am decreeing Thanksgiving Day as a 'no over nighters/no mom taxi' free day.

And Max is pooped.

Observations while taking other ppl's kids home:

*While taking the Ms. Divine's overnight guest home (who lived on the other side of the park) a deer jumped out in front of my van. Luckily I was only traveling about 20 mph and could stop quickly enough.

*While taking her friend home after the movies (who lived on the other side of town) I saw a billboard on the corner of her street and read it outloud...it said, "More bars in more places" and then I announced, "That sounds like a lovely ad for moving to town...we have more bars in more places. Move in and drink up." They laughed until they saw the sign and said, "It's a cell phone ad!" I said, "I know that, but I saw the words first and it just sounds funny."

I Have NO Idea!

I have a live furry blanket. Max likes to lay on my lap. Whenever I sit down, he wants to climb up in the chair and lay on me. I don't mind most of the time. It keeps us both warm.

Today is cold. Just barely 20 degrees. Tomorrow is supposed to be colder. We got some snow yesterday but only a dusting. I have to make my 'run' to the grocery stores today and buy the last few items on my list for Thanksgiving dinner. I'm not even into it right now. I'm not into the whole shopping thing, period...Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. I am hoping that pulling out the Christmas tree next weekend and getting out some decorations will help. AND I am going to start planning a gingerbread house.

This is the weekend for finishing touches on sealing off the big draft problems in the house. We are still working on where the cold air is all coming from in the family room addition. We discovered one of the heat vents has more cold air coming through it that the actual heat. The cover is going to be removed and it will be checked out today. We may end up just closing it off and filling the opening with insulation. There are two other heat vents leading into that room. I think we can do without one...especially a defective one!

I am NOT going near the stores on the Friday after Thanksgiving. I know that the stores are supposed to have some of their best sales on that day but I can forego some of the sale prices. A lot of the stores will be having sales throughout the shopping season due to the bad economy. I will just have to keep watch for deals on what I need to buy...which at this point I'm not really sure what that is! yikes.

A Case for NOT Cleaning

Too many household cleaning chemicals are just that...a bunch of chemicals. And those chemicals are not necessarily safe. When it comes to cleaning, the simpler the better.

'Fancy' antibacterial soaps and sprays are not actually the best things to use. And when buying products, just because it says it is 'natural', 'green', 'eco-friendly' does not mean it is really safe.

Look online for REAL natural ways of cleaning. One site that will give you safe cleaning methods and ways of 'debugging' a house and garden is The Children's Health Environmental Coalition (http://www.checnet.org).

I have tried many types of cleaners that were supposed to make cleaning quicker, easier and kill more bacteria. Most of them ended up making me choke! In reality, when it comes to cleaning all you really need is baking soda, lemon juice, white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and elbow grease. Also, a mixture of lemon juice, coffee grounds and hot pepper will get rid of most pests...bug and vermine alike. It will also keep your pets from digging in your gardens and around your plants.

Making It Harder in Our Own Minds

It is that time of year...where you find the 'leaks' in the home that need to be battened down to stave off the incrouchment of the outdoor freeze into the snug family abode. Since we are relatively new to this house, we are learning. There isn't anything major...just need a little silicone rebeading around a few windows, a new gasket around the front door...you know, normal stuff. Our first significant gas bill wasn't too bad. So far our utility bills for this house, compared to the last house we lived in for a wee bit over 4 years, are cheaper and not so shocking.

The leaf pickup came by this morning and cleared out the lightly snow covered piles along the curb. Our two different maple trees produced veritable mountains of them! While many of our neighbors used leaf blowers we did our leaf clearing the old fashioned way with rakes. It wasn't too bad, actually. I raked them twice on my own, the third time I raked the leaves up from one tree while TJ raked them up from the other tree. Troy went out and raked up after both trees once on his own and the second time with some help from TJ. The leaves have all fallen and there is a wee bit of snow on the ground...no more yard work for a bit.

We had talked about buying a snow blower but then, I am hesitant. We have never had long extended periods of snow build up. We USUALLY get one significant snow in the winter. Our driveway is not extensively long, although we DO have a LOT of sidewalk to keep clear since we now live on a corner and our lot is wide on both sides. We have as much sidewalk to keep clear as about 3 of our neighbors combined. However, I am thinking that with the four of us and two decent shovels, we should be able to keep it cleared. Next year, if, Lord willing, I am working outside the home, THEN we can get a snowblower. Troy isn't gone all the much in the winter but he has become less proactive as far as manual labor. LOL

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Last night our son shocked us with talk of MAYBE considering signing up for some sort of military service. His friend Mark will be leaving in a few weeks for the Navy and his friend Steven is talking with Army recruiters and is seriously considering going in after graduation. His cousin Kevin has been talking joining up with the Air Force and getting training as an airplane mechanic. TJ said he wasn't sure even if he DID join a branch of the service which one would be best for him to consider. His dad told him that it would be better for him to sign up with the Air Force and he could get training in the computer/video field. His dad was a Marine but he said that the Air Force would be the lesser of the evils as far as TJ is concerned.

I actually am impressed that TJ would even think about the service at all. To me it shows more of a maturity on his part. He also understands the economic climate and is thinking more ahead about his education.

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Today I continue my struggle with my database homework. I am slowly getting it but there is still one piece of code that is eluding me. I am determined, however, to figure it out! I may have to go back farther in my book to see if there is something I missed. My instructor seems to be none too forth coming with any help. I have always been rather stubborn about things, though, in that I have always wanted to do it on my own. Bethany, unfortunately, has that streak running through her. There are times when it is good BUT right now it is a hinderance. She is struggling with some Social Studies work (mostly becuz she hates social studies...another thing she inherited from me) and I cannot get her to produce the work she needs help with so I can sit down and give her some clarification and study tips. She has never wrapped her mind around the fact that I used to be a teacher since the only thing she has known me to do is some substitute teaching work when she was really young. I only taught regularly for a year right after she was born and then I quit and we moved to another state. She does know, however, that I am really good at being able to help her with her math homework. I can quickly and easily explain something to her that she isn't quite getting. Once I explain it, she goes "OOOOHHHHH!" and then she is off and running. TJ was always the same with math. After I sit and explain it to them they just sit there and blink and then there is "OOOOHHHH!" followed by "are you sure that's all there is to it cuz it seemed like it was a lot harder than that when the teacher explained it". I keep telling them that they are just making it seem harder in their own minds.

And now...speaking of making it seem harder in the mind...time for me to seek out my own homework solutions. I KNOW it isn't that difficult...it is JUST a database for pete's sake! It isn't like trying to unlock the 'secrets' of cancer cures.

Sharing An Old Post

(the following is a post I made on another blog I have. I wrote this at the beginning of October and it got quite a few giggles)

It is early morning and I am not feeling well AT ALL...have you ever been so nauseous that your mind kinda 'imagines' things or it twists things it hears and sees together in a weird design...sort of what I would think going on some hallucinegenic 'trip' would be. I wonder if Taco Bell is putting something 'secret' into their refried beans.

I did something very UN-nice yesterday but I am getting kinda tired of sales ppl knocking on my door. This neighborhood seems to get more than its fair share of them! But there was yet another one knocking on my front door yesterday. I opened the door and he looked groomed rather well...considering his 'partner' was in the back of a pick-up truck with a freezer in it and they apparently were selling meat (I kid you not).

He started with his schpeil and I just cut him off and said, "I don't want any" and as I'm closing the door he says, "I just thot you'd know someone that wants to save some money..." I said very loudly, "Nope...don't know any of those people." and finished closing the door.

I know I should not laugh but...if you read the first paragraph you will understand....maybe.

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Troy wants to build a back porch onto the house. He smokes and won't smoke in the house. Right now he puts the garage door up and steps out there. He complains that he feels like everyone is watching him and that most of the time he ends up having to talk to Derek or Corkey. He said, "I have to wave at ppl and talk to them."

I reminded him that they ARE watching but it CAN come in handy sometimes like if you need an alibi for something, say, a murder....then they can tell the cops that they saw you at home at that time smoking your cigarette in the garage or with the end of the hose shoved into the chipmunk hole trying to drown them.

**again...read the first paragraph of this post**

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The drive to school to drop my daughter off was also interesting. I had the radio on to local radio station, of course, and they were bantering back and forth. The stuff that follows that is in parenthesis is what they were saying on the radio.

(He just put the microphone down and said something to me...do you know what he said? He said,'hey idiot, you're on' I had a headache yesterday and he text messaged me with 'how's your dumb head?' and he called me a 'face head'! )

Ms. Divine...cracking up and looking at me, "What the heck is THAT? FACEhead?"

Me, looking at the SUV speeding up behind me as I get in the turn lane at the light to turn into the school parking lot, "Hey, buddy...you can go as fast as you want but it will not negate the fact that there is a line of cars in front of me that we have to wait for...AND a red light!" I look at Ms. Divine, "I don't know. Isn't that like calling someone a Cheekbutt?"

"A what?" laughing harder.

('now how about the nasty things you have been saying to ME all morning?' "Like what?" 'oh...I don't know, like hating every move I make? Bob can back me up.' "Okay Bob, tell me one thing you heard me say mean to him this morning." 'ummmm...I got nothing.' 'OH COME ON!')

Me:"We have a turn light now, let's all move becuz the front of this guy's SUV is interested in getting into the back of my van."

Ms. Divine: "EW!"

Me:"How about Fingerhand or Toefoot?"

Ms. Divine: "That sounds like Tofu. Is that an insult to call someone Tofu?"

Me: "If you mated an SUV and a van...it wouldn't really look a whole lot different than it does now. What IS the difference?"

('Tell them the text message I sent to you AFTER I asked you about your dumb head! I said seriously, how are you feeling? I did that so you would know I really do care.')

Ms. Divine: "But why would you call someone Facehead?"

Me, as she is exiting the van: "Have a nice day! Swim with the dolphins!"

At that point my daughter froze in mid-door close and gave me this look like I had just called her 'Facehead'.

WHAT? No one is concerned with how MY dumb head is? I think I will just be a Facehead today.

Have a nice day and frolick with the squirrels BUT don't go visit the chipmunks today as I plan on sticking the end of the hose down the chipmunk hole later and turning on the water.

>
Max and Pete checkin' each other out


Curious Max


Max over the shoulder sexy pose [[EMOTICON:LOL1]]

SURPRISE!

I have a secret...I do not deal very well with surprises...good, bad or indifferent. I have a well ordered world in my head which includes a calendar and a time table. I guess I am kinda OCD to a certain extent. Anything that knocks the schedule in my head out of whack gives me anxiety (most ppl don't see that because I have become pretty good at concealing it on the outside but in my head I am screaming). That is why I ask my husband ahead of time about his travel schedule...if he plans on being at home or if he has places to be...there are times when he has a last minute trip he has to make. I can deal with those for the most part unless we had something planned and it is 'written' on my 'mind calendar'...then I have to rearrange things in my head. This does cause a small spike in my anxiety until I get it all settled. It is also why I make out weekly homework plans for my kids from their teachers' web pages...so I know what is going on when and what is due and what they might need some help with.

TJ has gotten better about arranging things with me as far in advance as he can. Bethany, on the other hand, is one big anxiety for me. She does not keep track of things. She doesn't pay attention. And I am really beginning to believe that her doctor was right and she does have a significant case of ADHD and should be on meds for it.

One thing I did for myself a long time ago to help be prepared for situations and stave off 'surprise' anxiety was to keep a box of school project supplies. I learned that from being a teacher because there was always a kid or two that didn't have what they needed. This box has saved me MANY times from bouts of anxiety. This morning was one such time.

Ms. Divine's science teacher had in her lesson plans that they had rocket supplies due today. I asked her about it on Monday. She was vague and acted like she had no idea. On Tuesday I asked her again...she just shrugged. On Wednesday she said she would find the paper...she didn't. So, this morning, while she was eating breakfast I asked her AGAIN, since it was supposed to be DUE today. She produced a paper from her backpack for me with a list of supplies: paper towel tube, piece of strong cardboard, hot glue sticks (and glue gun if possible), 3-5 rubber bands, plastic easter egg, straw, and plastic grocery bag. I just gave her a dirty look then put all this stuff into a bag...plus a few extras for other kids that didn't have any of their supplies of the day. The only thing I didn't have extra of was the paper towel tube and I told Bethany if she had given me the list even LAST NIGHT I would have had extras of those but I had put them in the garbage and the garbage men had picked it up already.

She did the same thing with me about information concerning a field trip they took to a play on Thursday. Actually, if it hadn't been for her friend Amy coming over after newspaper on Wednesday night and staying for dinner, I probably wouldn't have gotten ANY information.

I have always tried to be prepared. When I am not, it causes the anxiety (which is bad enough) but then the anxiety is always followed by depression. The anxiety I can work through...the depression is like trying to swim through congealed gelatin. I hate it.

I have taken the time to get to know how my kids are and anticipating things. When they were small I would carry things with me at all times that I know they would like and anticipate hunger or boredom (the hunger made them cranky and the boredom made them hyper...both of which would make ME anxious). While Troy always told me I was being pessimistic by thinking through everything and even being prepared for the worst case scenarios I just told him I wanted to be prepared. He wanted to argue with me about it. One day I sat him down and explained to him that surprises gave me anxiety...anxiety led to depression and I was just anticipating as many situations as I could in my head so that I could deal with it without the anxiety...it was my own type of survival. Once I explained that to him, he quit arguing with me about it.

Trying to avoid anxiety is why whenever we moved to a new place I studied road maps and got out and explored. Having some of the same rituals for me and the kids always made things seem a little more settled...such as finding the town library and getting library cards...and when I unpacked things I always place certain appliances on the counters and then certain things just naturally got put into cupboards near those appliances. Troy and the kids then would know which cupboard to open to find certain things and did not have to 'explore'.

And that is PART of what makes me tick in a nutshell. If I don't get my daughter's ADHD under control...she is going to continually amp up my anxiety!

Getting the Communication All In

Don't you get frustrated when someone tells you something important but THE REST of the story comes in later? There seems to be lots of times that the communication is lacking.

For instance...my daughter is going on a field trip tomorrow with her Social Studies team to see a play. You know how I FIRST found out about it? I read something about a Thursday field trip on the MATH teacher's lesson plan site. Thursday's plans said, "No plans because of the field trip". So, I happened to ask Ms. Divine about it that evening at dinner. At first she told me it was LAST WEEK'S field trip then I told her it was on this week's lesson plans. She blinked and stared for a moment then said, "OH! Yeah!" then she told me about it. I asked for a permission slip. She said she would get one. I asked for it last night...she said she would get it out of her backpack...she didn't. I forgot...which means SHE forgot. So, tonight I asked her at the dinner table about it AGAIN. Her friend Amy was with us for dinner. She said there was no permission slip unless you were not packing your own lunch but buying theirs and if that was the case, it was too late already. I looked at Ms. Divine and said, "So, I am supposed to pack you a lunch. And just when were you planning on informing me of THAT? In the morning when you rush upstairs to down your breakfast in 5 minutes or less?" She just looked at me and blinked. So I told her I would make her a chicken sandwich. She said, "Tomato" I said, "But I have no tomatoes. Perhaps if you had let me know YESTERDAY I could have picked one up at the store." She said, "Something veggie then." I said, "Something chicken then." "Fine."

Troy got a call from a customer about navigation equipment not working properly on a company jet and they wanted him to be in Cleveland in the morning. The jet manufacturer (Bombardier) had sent a rep and he was enroute. When he got there he called Troy and told him he was emailing him the diagnostics. Troy looked it over and was ready to pack to go...when he got a call from ANOTHER company avionics guy that told him that they had swapped out some computer equipment a few days ago, the navigation wasn't working quite right then but they flew the jet to California ANYWAY!!!! I saw the look on Troy's face. They are supposed to call him when they mess with the computer. It was a reset problem. He told them what to do. They did it...then called him back and said it seemed to be working fine. So...Bombardier footed the bill for sending a rep there for nothing. At least Troy didn't have to go.

Also...from a few weeks back...I had gotten upset becuz Ms. Divine had a few friends here before a football game. I made a large dinner and fed them all...then had to go pick another one up...and I dropped them off at the game. Normally they would all walk becuz it is not that far. I took the time to see how each one was getting home after the game becuz I needed to know if I had to take them or if they were coming back to our house for the moms' to get them (as they do most of the time) or what. I said I didn't want anyone to get left by themselves and I didn't want (Ms. Divine) to walk home alone. They all assured me they were walking back to the house and Meggan's mom was picking them all up. Well, Meggan's mom went to the game and they all went home from there...leaving Ms. Divine on her own. I was NOT happy. Meggan's mom knew I wasn't. BUT, today, as I picked Ms. Divine and Amy up from school newspaper and I said something about Meggan's mom must be ticked becuz I got upset about Ms. Divine being left behind becuz she picked Meggan up and didn't let her come over. Amy said, "Well...it MIGHT be my fault. Katie had told me that (Ms. Divine) was walking to the coffee shop with her after the game so I told Meggan's mom that." I then asked Bethany where she was when they left. She said, "I was with them, I turned to say something to someone and they were GONE!" Amy just looked at me funny. All I said was, "You guys are responsible for each other. You ALL have to communicate. Amy, you know how Katie is and you should have asked Bethany. You ALL have to check with each other. When one gets left behind, things can happen that aren't too pleasant. I am not saying Meggan's mom was wrong, but if it had been me and I knew that everyone had come together, I would have asked the girl herself. Even then, I am on the phone calling the parents to make sure it is okay becuz I would not want something happening to any of you guys. I would never forgive myself." Slowly but surely I am hoping these girls get it! The High School band will be making a trip to Disney World when Ms Divine is in HS. There will be no trip if they can't keep better track of each other!

Maybe I Can Breathe Easier for a Bit Longer

Yep...hang on for that long bumpy ride. Our country has weathered bad times before. Economic down turn and wars...think of the Carter administration and what Reagan inherited. However, with the technology we have now, the global community is closer...harder to keep secrets and stay at arms length. I don't remember EVER hearing about other countries reacting to our elections. I'm sure there were reactions before but this election has many different things thrown in...besides the changing of the guard.

Don't tell me it had nothing to do with race. That is basically all that is being talked about now. But, as my son pointed out...Obama is not our first BLACK president...after all, his mother and her family are white. So, that would make Obama our first Malado president.

There has been a rise in gun sales. Ppl are hoarding their firearms in anticipation of a change in gun laws.

There also has been a lot of talk about 'taking Obama out'...it is advertised out in the open, of course. It is an under current. You can find plenty of things on the internet. All I can say is this...I pray nothing happens to our President Elect or there are going to be a whole lot of ppl wishing they had bomb shelters to barricade themselves in. The rioting would be out of control and beyond belief. Our economy is teetering on the brink as it is...major rioting and the damage it would do would be the final push to send all the precarious brinks of our economy tumbling over the edge.

Christians need to pray each day for the safety of our country...for wisdom. Pray that there will be a nationwide Christian revival. God is the only one that can put things right.

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My husband's company had a teleconference today with all the departments. So far, the company seems to be holding its own. There will be holiday bonuses this year but raises will be delayed for a few months. Hopefully there will be no layoffs if they can do a big enough retirement buyout. Troy's territory is being expanded. And I am just glad he still will have a job and that the company is still going strong.

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Max the pup is still living. LOL He is doing better about things. Some things. He gets picky about HOW he wants to go outside sometimes...he prefers to be taken out on a leash and walked around the house rather than be hooked up on the cable. Too bad. I had to get Troy to quit taking him out on the leash every time he went outside to smoke. Max has to get used to going out on the cable.

Max has also gotten picky about what he wants to eat. Troy has wanted to give him some ppl food sometimes and I stopped him. TJ put his leftover eggs in with Max's dog food yesterday and then Max didn't want to eat just dog food after that. He gets hungry enough I guess he will.

Troy bought Max one of those really large rawhide bones. When he first got it Max gnawed on it for 4 hours!!! He still gnaws on it but not as much since he gnawed one of the knots off the one end.

He has grown quite a bit already in the few weeks we've had him...at least Troy says he has. I'm not sure.

Oh well...back to my homework. I didn't get it all done and handed in last week becuz my school blackboard site wouldn't let me on! I finally got it fixed so now I HAVE to do my work!

Robot Pet

Today as I look over the headlines and stories on my internet home page I see a few things that caught my eye.

1) Kathryn Heigl (of Grey's Anatomy fame) was being 'written up' by the fashion police for her 'middle aged wardrobe'. It said her hairdo was out of date and she was wearing 'mommy jeans'. wow. The fashion police would sure not like me. My hair do is similar to the one she was shown sporting and 'here here' to 'mommy jeans'! Kathryn...in MY world you rock! You just keep on dressing for us middle aged outdate mommies!

2) There is a story that says that migraines cut the risk of breast cancer. If that is true then I shouldn't have to worry about EVER having breast cancer. I guess migraines are good for something after all! I would so much rather have the migraine! Sure it can be debilitating BUT the longest I have had one last is 3 days. Then, guess what...I get to live after that and don't have to have chemo or radiation therapy!



Bethany went off to school today armed with all of her make-up homework (she has been home sick for 3 days...severe headache and nausea...and I had it before her) and a picture retake package. The first pictures they took of her, she was not sitting up straight, not smiling, eyes half open and hair in the way. There was a place on the retake order form to put 'special comments' to the photographer. So I put, "Make sure she is sitting up straight, hair is out of her eyes, and SMILING!" I stopped short of 'be a professional like you are getting paid for!' It just really grinds my coffee beans that you pay out so much money for those crappy school pictures and they can't be bothered to actually take a GOOD picture! The kid sitting in the chair does not know what they look like! You have to trust the photographer! And these ppl are supposed to be professionals!

I don't know why I should expect better out of a professional photographer. After all, so called professional sports figures get paid MILLIONS of dollars and can't do their job, either!

It is raining and the temps are supposed to go down by tomorrow. yay.

Still having trouble training the dog. Just when he seems to be getting better, then he gets WORSE. I got rid of the last dog for less. I am thinking this one just might be finding himself in a crate after all. I thought my son kept me running when he was a toddler! This dog beats him...paws down.

I think from now on I'll stick to hamsters. or better yet...a robot dog!

Billy Graham's Prayer for Our Nation

'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!'

The Shock Factor

Today I, as well as so many of my Christian friends, am in shock. There is a thread of fear running through all of us. Some of them have expressed to me their lack of comprehension of what just happened...or why...concerning the elections yesterday.

But I told them I remembered something my mother told me that Rev. Hagee said...that God would not let anyone be in power that He did not want to be in power. Troy said (with a large sigh) that God let Obama become president for a reason that we cannot comprehend. And then he said something else, "I cannot believe that this country would embrace a man such as Barack Hussein Obama so shortly after 9/11, especially. How quickly they all forget." A light went on...

I thought back to the Jewish nation...when God had Moses lead them out of Egyptian captivity...only to find, when Moses descended from the mount where God gave him the 10 commandments, that they had made idols and were worshipping them. How quickly they forget.

Perhaps Obama is there to remind ppl...to force the Christians, and others that cried out to God after 9/11, to look at who/what they are putting their faith in...instead of God. How far this nation has strayed from its Christian beginnings...how in times of turmoil this nation has chose to put its faith in a godless human instead of God Himself.

Christians need to pray and follow God...at ALL times...not just when they find it convenient.

As I prayed for understanding, this is what God gave me. Our country is so full of those that spit on the Bible and scoff at those that worship God and have faith in Him and call them stupid. This country has become so very godless...perhaps Obama will unknowingly point the way back to what is really important...putting our faith and beliefs back with God.

God...I pray...be merciful.

Max(imum) the Bold

Max didn't like the little goblins that stopped by for their candy. He peeked at them then backed up out of view.

He seems to be 'housebroke' already. He made it through the night last night without relieving himself anywhere in the house. He did a good job of it yesterday too. He has gotten used to the yard anchor and cable. He gets his walks around on the leash too. By the time 9 p.m. rolls around he is all done in and ready to snore through the night. Troy took him over to visit with the people behind us. And Troy made it clearer what it is about those ppl that makes me NOT want to get too close to them. They are 'know it alls' and take it upon themselves to tell you everything and act like there is something wrong with you if you don't see things their way. They were insistant about Max needed to be crate trained. WHY? We are here and he is being house trained. I don't see any reason to train him to be in a crate. If he is trained to know what to leave alone and NOT go in the house, then we shouldn't need a crate, should we? If they want to put their dogs in crates, then that is their problem. To each their own but they give me 'advice' I didn't ask for and act as if we had no lives before we moved in beside them. I'm 48 years old and I do know a FEW things! If I don't know, I will ask.

My two teenagers went out begging for candy Thursday night. While Bethany put together her own outfit (we went to Salvation Army and JoAnn Fabrics) TJ's outfit needed some cutting and sewing together. We found the jacket at Salvation Army but I had to make the vest and tie. He got his own makeup and did it.



TJ is The Joker from Batman Returns (ala Heath Ledger) and Bethany is some character named Eva from a music video. She had wiped off most of the dark red lipstick by the time I took this picture.

The weather is gorgeous today and is supposed to be really great for the next 5 days at least. That will give me time to work in the yard. I still have tulip bulbs and iris bulbs to put in for spring plus flower beds to clear out. I am going to try transplanting a few things to different spots.

Hope everyone has a good week!