It Happens to Be

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?

I’ve got “Glitter” in my hair!

Just the other day, I was washing my hands in the ladies room at work when I glanced up in the mirror.  The light was just right and as I turned my head, a shimmer of light caught my eye. I’m thinking “how in the world did I get glitter in my hair??”  A quick replay of everything I had worked on this morning…email..copying…purchase orders – nope, not a trace of glitter in any of those jobs – Curious?

Now my vanity is 100 percent sure I have managed to pick up a speck of glitter and maneuver it to my head somehow but my realistic side says “Girlfriend!! You’ve got some gray in that mop of yours!!” Hmmpf!  Aren’t I too young to have gray? Surely gray is for “old” people and I’m not old am I?

 AM I? AM I?

A closer look and instantly my heartbeat picks up the pace. If I can see the gray in the mirror then so can everyone else!  “HARSH” reality.  Funny how gray on everyone else is either distinguished or sophisticated BUT on me it is plain old Ugly.  Now I’m not just saying that because I don’t want my hair to turn gray. My gray hairs are ugly, the course wiry kind (similar to those on a schnauzer – REALLY, just like that). You can bet, if you wind up with a whole head full of those you are in for some serious “Bad Hair Days”!! Could I get a little break here? If my hair has to turn gray couldn’t I get the beautiful silky silver hair that looks positively elegant when cut short at the nape of the neck – Oh Yeah!! That is the kind of gray I want.

I have spent the past twenty two years with some sort of artificial color on my hair. Maybe from a bottle or tube, applied with foil, pulled through a cap or artistically painted on with a brush. Whatever the method that I used to achieve a (perceived) prettier hair color, the fact of the matter is that it involved a lot of work, was relatively costly in the scheme of my beauty regimen and potentially unhealthy. So! This past year, I decided to go au natural and return to the mousy brown of my younger days. Herein lies the problem, after twenty-two years the mousy brown is being replaced by schnauzer gray.

Now all of this is distressing in more ways than one – first off, I don’t really want my hair to turn gray, second of all I often pray that God will give me the strength to age gracefully.  Gracefully I said – did you hear that Grace – ful – ly. No mid-life crisis for me. Whining over gray hair is far from graceful so I will take the high road and be grateful that they are turning gray and not turning loose!  I want to be strong enough to appreciate that each of those gray hairs was earned and that they are part of what defines who I am.  For now, I will label those “you know what’s” as strands of glitter – Shine On!!!

# 26 - Favorite Christmas Tradition?

Our family tree decorating with lots of snacks, cider, music and arguing (about who gets to hang which ornament)!

Oh yeah! I’m stopping by the grocery store – tonight is tree decorating night and we are having a Snack Dinner. Those are the best, we don’t just have them at Christmas time but they are certainly more elaborate on this particular night.

 

I wheel my shopping cart around humming the Little Drummer Boy with a bit of spring in my step. Some tangerines, a chunk of havarti…sharp white cheddar, summer sausage bites, wine, jumbo shrimp, cocktail sauce…pa rum pum pum pum…Isn’t it amazing how much more pleasurable grocery shopping is when your only getting the “fun stuff”?...Pepperidge Farm entertaining collection, Rocher chocolates, melon.  A new born King to see…..pa rum pum pum pum

5:40 p.m – I need to hurry. Rounding the corner to the register I note that there is not a shard of nutrition in this shopping cart – that’s okay though because we’re having a great time at the Ollis home tonight.

I call home to let them know I’m on my way – you guys be ready to help with the groceries and preheat the oven to 350 – make a pot of coffee too.

 

Finally inside, I have the Christmas cheer going, I’m building pigs in a blanket, slicing cheese and arranging crackers.

 

 

The boys have turned on the Christmas music and I have this nostalgic warmth enrobing me.  This is my favorite holiday tradition...pa rum pum pum pum..The kids are opening the ornament boxes, excited to get started - WAIT guys! We have to eat first then decorate. Help me set the table.

 

    

 Ready! Come to the table!!

Anslie and Dad ask the most beautiful blessing, I almost cry. Within a matter of minutes we have gobbled up our snack dinner and moved on to the tree.

 

 

We have some dancing.....

 some ornament history....

some decorating....

 

 

and last but not least……….we have some arguing….

 

What's your favorite Holiday Tradition? If its making memories like these, I know it must be wonderful! ...pa rum pum pum pum..

One of THOSE emails

I got one of those emails this morning…. the kind that has FW: at the beginning of the subject line. An email someone has forwarded on to you, the kind that 99% of the time (okay, maybe only 95% of the time) is spam or junk mail. BUT, this morning it was from my friend Terri. Now Ter and I have been friends a looong time, upwards of 25 years and she is like me – BUSY! What this means is this email surely has some significance so I better take a look. As I get my coffee cup situated and throw my purse under my desk I grab up my tailless mouse for a double click.

Ah Ha! It is one of those emails!! Oh, but it contains personal info so I shall read on! I just love insight on family and friends and what better way to learn their likes and dislikes, pleasures and pain than to read their answers to one of those junk questionnaire type emails. I think this is the first time I’ve gotten one relevant to a holiday and I found it of great interest – I felt closer to Terri (especially since we are 250 miles apart). As if I knew something special about her, stuff only a close friend would know. In light of how I felt after reading it, I thought it would only be fair to share my answers with a few friends. I forwarded it on to a couple of folks that I knew wouldn’t chew me out for sending junk mail, a couple that I knew would not respond but would at least know that they had crossed my mind today and I sent it back to Terri so she could feel equally educated on my ways of Christmas. Last but not least, I’m sharing it with you. You are probably wondering why………read #26 and I will elaborate tomorrow.

Oh, and I bet you will never guess what we did at my house tonight!!  I’ll tell you tomorrow!

(Keep in mind these are MY answers)

Ready or not, the Christmas holidays are fast approaching!  Enjoy!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?   Wrapping paper

 2. Real tree or Artificial?    Artificial

3. When do you put up the tree?  This year it is already up but normally around the 2^nd week of December.

4. When do you take the tree down?  Usually a day or two after Christmas but definitely before New Years.

5. Do you like eggnog? NO – I don’t think people really drink that stuff.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?  Drowsy Doll.

7. Hardest person to buy for?  Russ
8. Easiest person to buy for?  ME J
9. Do you have a nativity scene? No

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?  Mail

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? One at a “Dirty Santa” exchange – I wound up with something like men’s wool socks. UGH!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Home Alone

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?   November

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?   Probably

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Buckeyes (Peanut Butter Balls)

16. Lights on the tree? White

17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?  Stay Home

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?  A Bow
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? You Know Our Family – it depends on where the boys are. 
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?   Black Friday

23. Favorite thing about this time of year?  Being fortunate enough to give to others.

24. Favorite ornament, theme or color?  I love antique ornaments that remind me of the kind my mom had when we were little.   

25. Favorite for Christmas dinner?  I don’t really like a formal Christmas dinner – snacks and nibbles are my choice.
26. Favorite Christmas Tradition?  Our family tree decorating with lots of snacks, cider, music and arguing (about who gets to hang which ornament)!

27. What do you want for Christmas this year?  Simplicity 

28. Who is most likely to respond to this?  ???
Merry Christmas!!!

 

Pretty plain I know, but don’t you feel like you know a little something “more” about me than before? I think that is neat – diversity is what makes the world so interesting.  If you want to know more interesting stuff you should come back tomorrow – I’ll share the details of #26.

 

And don't be scroogie (yes, I know that is not a real word) like me, take a minute to open up those emails and share some interesting stuff with your friends, they will be glad you did.  Take the time to remember what is important, Christ, family, giving, sharing and being close to the people you care about.  If you have not been fortunate enough to receive the Christmas Questionnaire feel free to copy it from my blog and send it to your own friends. (But please don't tell my husband, he is one of those IT guys and there would be some serious reprimand if he finds out I am propagating spam across the Information Superhighway!!! - No! Really!! I am serious - Big Trouble!! J)