It Happens to Be

In the Blink of an Eye

From this.....

to this...

in the blink of an eye. Happy Birthday dear Stuart. Today I celebrate 16 years of motherhood. Thank you for making me a momma first. I love you son, you are a fine young man.  

With all my love,

~Momma

Weather 101 (taught by my six year old)

A road trip for our family is an education. Last week we headed down to the coast to pick up Stuart from ECU. We’d been in the car for several hours, all of which were a mish mash of conversation and a lot of which I can’t readily recall. The one thing that stands out in my mind is this; our six year old is a whole lot more observant and creative than I sometimes give her credit for. 

It was about 95 degrees and sunny with a few scattered clouds; average weather for Eastern North Carolina, when Anslie says to me “Momma, it’s going to rain”.

 (I glanced out the windshield and with the exception of a few clouds it didn’t look at all like rain, but in my most believing motherly voice I said)

 “Really honey, why do you say that?”  

Emphatically and without hesitation, “Because the trees are arguing”.

“Anslie, what do you mean, arguing?”

“You know, look at the trees. Watch their leaves and branches, they’re arguing”.

 

I was amazed; the trees did look like they were arguing with each other. Within minutes the drops began to fall and emphatically and without hesitation from the back seat I heard “See momma, I told you it was going to rain".

I love my six year old and I love to learn. This was a good lesson, my teacher has a degree in childhood.

~ R

Where oh where...

...does the time go? Yes, I just lost an entire year (at least a year’s worth of blogging anyway). No, nothing was wrong with me. At least not any major sickness or catastrophes to deal with ~ just life happening.

Seems I am one of those people with great plans and ideas but somehow everyday life gets in my way. Now, I use to pride myself on my superb organizational skills, my efficiency and my resourcefulness. Well, as you can clearly see from my absence, those traits have begun to atrophy.

July is my month off from work and I’ve had some time to investigate where I am in life AND what is important to me. In the process I have come to some conclusions that spur me to embark on some new interests and revive some old interests. Many of them I hope to share here. 

Have you found yourself in the same lost time situation? It’s not easy to get back on track, interests change, life interferes and we put our interests aside to deal with the day to day happenings. Take a few moments (hours or days) to focus on YOU. We can’t truly be of value and inspiration to others if we are not happy and fulfilled ourselves.

I’m anxious to get started on my journey, but I will be back soon…very soon!

In the meantime, here is a peek at some of Life’s Happenings that have kept me busy over the past year.

Looking forward to my journey ~ Renee

What do these numbers have in common? (You don't have to be Rain Man to figure it out!)

480 months

2,087 weeks

14,610 days

350,646 hours

21,038,742 minutes

 

Give Up??  They are all equal to 40 years. Not just any 40 years, but the last forty years (including 10 leap years) which happens to be exactly the same number of years that I have been alive – TODAY! Now we all know the stereotype that surrounds turning 40. It’s the Big 4-0, everything falling apart, mid-life crisis, all downhill from here. Honey Hush!

 

40 is Nothing but a number.  Born in the throes of Generation X, growing up at the height of the Cold War, thrust into the working world of high inflation, unemployment and Reagonomics, YES! turning 40 is going to be e-a-s-y!  I shun the stereotypical 40. I have lived through wars, hurricanes, economic crisis, big hair, Black Monday, global warming, 8 presidents, childbirth (x3) and many other obstacles, I shall not be daunted by two simple digits.

 

Today I celebrate my birthday, not necessarily turning 40; but living another day.  Grateful to God for His grace, guidance and forgiveness that has kept me on this earth for 40 years. I celebrate my family, friends and brief acquaintances who have delicately woven themselves into my life; those who have mentored me unknowingly, those who have forgiven me, those who accept me for who I am and for those who love me unconditionally. 

 

For me, 40 is a catalyst – an opportunity to make a difference, to share knowledge, love unselfishly, motivate frequently, make improvements, grow friendships, learn daily and give back for all that I have been given.

 

I am independent, resourceful and ingenious. I am loving life and celebrating another day. Won’t you join me?

Really! It does!

It’s my tagline, it’s my motto, and I say it all the time, even to the extent that I know my friends secretly making gagging motions behind my back – EVERYTHING happens for a reason. Yes! Yes, I do truly believe that.  It’s not just my way of writing things off or making light of a situation, I believe that everything is connected and intertwined and perfectly planned out by God.

 

 I often have people challenge me on that. “If it is all part of God’s plan then why do bad things happen”, they say.  That is a pretty deep question for the not so educated, struggling Christian (that’s me). What I know for sure though is that I am here today – not by any of my own doing, not by luck or coincidence, but purely by the love and grace of God.  He has yet to present me with a problem that I could not work through, although I would not have believed it at the time. Some of them very mountainous problems, but what I found is the closer I got to God and the more I relied on the fact that the problem fit perfectly into His plan, the easier it actually became.  Don’t misunderstand me, I really have dealt with AND overcome some pretty daunting situations, some that I actually didn’t know if I would physically survive. Still yet, with all of my doubts and fears, here I am to tell about them.  My point is this, regardless of what we are presented with, no matter how difficult a situation it may seem to be, God has intended it for good.  Not “my” good or “your” good, but God’s good. It is easy to forget that we were created for God’s glory – created to reflect His image. In His infinite wisdom He has woven together His glory and our good. When we honor God above all other things, we glorify Him and our longing for joy and comfort will be satisfied.

 

Yesterday I received some news about someone that I dearly love; news that made me sad and angry.  I immediately began to question “why”? Why do things happen the way they do? It only took a few minutes though for me to remember that everything happens for a reason.  My anger turned to questions. How does this fit into God’s plan? What can I do to help this person? How can I use this situation to glorify God? Today, I awoke with a heavy heart and concern for how to help this person or make a positive impact on this situation.  I had to ask God to prop me up today. I composed a quick email to the person, trying desperately to choose just the right words to soothe her pain. By lunch time I was sharing a sandwich with her and this afternoon I noted a lighter tone in her voice when she called.  No, everything is not better, everything is not resolved, it is still a terrible situation but I have comfort in knowing it is part of God’s perfect plan.

 

If you’ve recently had a day like this or even a week like this, rest assured “Everything happens for a reason”.

 

Really, it does.

Tissue Tearin Tiger

This morning I sleepily shuffled to the other end of the house to wake the boys, so snoozy that my eyes were mere slits, open just enough to keep me from breaking my neck in the dark.    I flipped on the hall light and announced a new day was beginning – Wake Up; it’s time to get ready.  Announcement complete, I turn to make my way to the soggy sleep snuffer (a.k.a. the shower). As I pass the linen closet it occurs to me that I need a clean towel.  Eyes slightly ajar now, I turn the door knob and what happens next could be defined as Eye-Opening.  Out of the closet leaps a ferocious and vocal tiger, ah hem – cat. The clambering and meowing and fluff that accompanied her exit was enough to let me know that she had spent the night in there. Like most cats, Katie has a personality that rivals some of the strongest Type A people I know. She had to express her displeasure in a manner that would make the greatest impact – thus the “Tissue Confetti Fit” ensued.  (Note: This is not the first time a 12 pack of tissue has succumbed to the wrath of Katie Bird claws.)

  

Despite this escapade, Katie is the coolest cat.  She has been hanging out at our house for about three years now but prior to that she lived with my sister for the first six or seven years of her life.  We have come to love her high strung kittyness and actually argue over who her favorite family member is – we all want to be the one she loves on.  She is quirky in the sweetest sense. With her bob tail and affinity for down comforter sleeping, we wouldn’t know what to do without her.

 

When I get home tonight, I have a mess to clean up.  Katie’s precision and accuracy in her shredding technique do make this tissue confetti a great additive to the compost barrel – albeit expensive!!! Now that I think of it, I trimmed her nails last night – maybe she didn’t like her manicure and locked herself in the linen closet??? 

Meow!

Sugar Buns to Shoulders

I’m really not sure how we made it five years and two weeks without this incident but I venture that is probably longer than most parents.  It wasn’t immediately obvious since Anslie’s hair is really long and very curly but it only took one really close look and I KNEW!! Mischief was afoot.

 

The conversation went something like this...

 

Me:       Anslie, did you cut your hair?

Anslie:  No mommy (sweet, heart melting smile)

Me:       Are you sure? Were you playing with scissors at daycare?

Anslie:  No mommy. No, I didn’t. (HUGE, sweet, heart melting smile)

 

(This called for a closer inspection.)

Me:       Anslie!! Elizabeth!! Ollis!! Don’t tell mommy a lie. Did you cut your hair? Where is the hair? Where are the scissors? Did you hide it? Show me right this minute!

Anslie:  (Stepping down off the bathroom stool and heading down the hallway, with me in HOT pursuit – She turns to face me)

              “Wait here mommy”.

Me:       (Insert Exorcist Head Spin Here) Oh no I won’t! You will show me right now. (The nerve of my five year old to order me to wait here so I won’t see her hiding spot!)

 

As I round the corner of her bed and look down to see my scrapbook scissors amid piles of beautiful red curls, I can feel the tears.  I don’t know if I’m mad or sad.

 

 

Me:       Oh Anslie, why? Why did you cut your hair?

Anslie:  Silence – Goliath couldn’t drag an answer out of this mouth.

 

I gently scoop up the precious tendrils of her baby years and turn to leave; a wave of nausea sweeping over me. As I try to sort out this flood of emotions I hear the sweetest voice say “Wait mommy”! I turn around just in time to see her pull a second handful of curls from another hiding place. “Here’s the rest”.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggghhhhhhhhh!!

I snatch the hair from her small hand and break into a run.  Russss…..ell, I scream. She DID cut her hair, Lots of it. Anslie and I arrive at my husband’s side at exactly the same time.  My face filled with horror and hers sporting, yes you guessed it – a sweet heart melting smile.

 

{Side Note: We see a good bit of these smiles when someone has been up to no good at our house.}

 

In a voice of indignance, Anslie proclaims “Look what mommy found under my bed”, as if she were being blackmailed or something.  At this point, I can’t even rationalize how this is getting turned around. 

 

How are we going to put it back with the rest mommy?

We can’t! You should have thought about that before you started cutting.

Remember when my hair was down to my sugar buns mommy?

Yes, now it’s up to your shoulders!!!

I don’t know about you, but if I were in Anslie’s shoes, I would be nervous – not her though.  She knows dad all too well. Pinky wrapped WELL! He is having a hard time discerning who to address, me or her. I can tell he is finding humor in her ability to own this conversation. In his sweetest dad voice – “Anslie Honey, why did you cut your hair?”

 

Shoulder Shrug

I absolutely MUST remove myself from this conversation before I cave into a heap of tears and laughter. I am in awe at her ability to make light of something I perceive as nothing short of life altering trauma.  In the end, Anslie gets a spanking (administered by dad) for telling a lie and I have to get an appointment for 911 Hair Repair. Thank goodness my salon not only has wonderful stylists but WONDERFUL friends.

Anslie now sports shoulder length hair that she is perfectly happy with.  She is oblivious to her mother’s pain of losing those precious locks of spiraling, bouncing curls.

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Do you remember?

…where you were five years ago today?  Probably not, unless you are like me and are celebrating the birth of your 5 year old today. Yes, this has definitely been the fastest five years of my life.  Filled with excitement, worry, laughter, tears, sweet kisses and learning experiences.

 

It wasn’t suppose to be Anslie’s fifth birthday yet (she was not due until April) but just like everything else she does, she was in a hurry to get here.  A HUGE hurry. As a matter of fact, I think she is stuck in fast forward – she runs, leaps, bounds, skips, talks, runs, runs, runs. Well, you get the picture; she does everything fast and fast makes me t-i-r-e-d.  If you’ve ever read the Olivia books, you could just pretend it says Anslie instead of Olivia.

 

Tired has its rewards though – I’ll share a few of them with you – In the voice of Anslie:

 

“Mommy, when will I be 39 like you?” (This is only said shouted in very crowded public places.)

“God doesn’t like it when you yell at me.”

“Is there anymore Spegarus?” (That’s Asparagus for all of you who don’t have 5 yr olds)

 “Can you give me some of daddy’s money”?

 “God gave us these wonderful bodies, didn’t he?”

 

Makes you smile doesn’t it?  It makes me smile too.

 

Happy 5^th Birthday Anslie!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then........

 

 

 

 

......and Now

 

 

Lord, we thank you for our many blessings.   ~Amen

Things that make me smile...

  Just a few of the things that make me smile……

• mommy (whispered softly)
• a cold pillow

                                              

• my man in his blue jeans & beige sweater
• prayer
• forsythia blooms

                                            

• having the right answer
• memories of my mom
• strawberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream
• innocence

I’m really very easy to please. Such simple things that bring happiness to my life, how about you – what makes you smile?