Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Flyers

We've had a few flying adventures over the past few weeks.  Mike and his band played at the Memphis Airshow two weekends ago.  The boys and I went out to hear Daddy and to see the sights.  It was hot and bright out there, as you can see by the squinty face that Alec is wearing in this picture.
My awesome guys.

Look how huge that plane is.

Boys inside of that big ol' plane.

Freedom

My amazing rock star of a husband.
 We also created a flyer of our own for Alec's first task as a new Cub Scout.  He has really been excited about joining a scouting group.  I don't know much about Scouts, so I've got a pretty steep learning curve.  Thankfully, Mike has some experience, and Alec is LOVING the whole thing.    On Saturday, Alec participated in the Space Derby.  He and Mike made a wooden plane that was propelled by a rubberband propeller.  Alec choose to make it look like a Green Lantern plane.
Painting the plane.


Alec with his pack.

Alec with his spaceship prize.

Alec with the Green Lantern plane.

The finished product.  Alec painted it himself.  Pretty good!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Frenzy

I'm feeling frenzied today.  I've been in a cleaning frenzy all morning.  I've been in a writing frenzy, but the kind of frenzy where I have the ideas but can't seem to get them into the RIGHT words onto the page.  I've got a frenzy of activity in my life with work and children and church-related things.  I'm also in a frenzy of worry over my dad, whose health is just not at all what I want it to be. 

Dad has to begin dialysis treatments in the near future.  He has a couple of tests to complete first, and then the dialysis will begin.  I am torn over this news.  I absolutely hate the finality of dialysis.  Once he begins, he'll never be able to stop.  It will be a constant part of his life as long as he's living.  This is pretty depressing for him, but it also depresses me because it really means he'll be pretty much stuck in Oklahoma.  There will be no trips here to Tennessee to see us.  That makes me so sad.  He has never seen this home that we've made in Bartlett.  When we moved here in July 2009, Mom was already too sick to travel.  Now she is gone, but Dad is too ill to travel.  I would like to show off my home to my family.  It's really not much, but it's ours and we love it.  It only makes sense that I want to share it with the people I love. 

So the finality of dialysis is the downside, but the upside is that Dad will most likely feel much better when the procedures begin.  He will most likely gain some of the strength he has lost.  I have to admit that having my dad as weak as he is now scares me.  He has always been so strong and healthy.  This change in him has thrown me.

We spent Labor Day weekend with Dad.  The boys enjoyed their time with Poppa Jim even though he can't do many of the things he used to do with them.  They still think he's the best Pop in the world.  I'd have to agree. 

We also visited the cemetary and got our first look at Mom's headstone.  It looks nice.  Classy and pretty, just like she was. If you can see on the headstone, their wedding anniversary was Sept. 2nd.  They would have celebrated 44 years.

Sometimes Mike complains about the busy-ness of our life with two active boys.  His upbringing was a bit different from mine.  My childhood was spent with kids in and out of our home.  Mom always  had enough supper to feed at least one or two more at the table.  We spent as much time at football or basketball games as we did at home.  I did more than half of my homework sitting in the bleachers before a game.  I loved it.  I also had no idea that many mothers would NOT have welcomed so many urchins to their supper tables or have been so willing to be at every single activity.  I want to be that kind of mom.  So even though I sometimes feel FRENZIED with everything going on in our lives, I welcome the crazy.  Sometimes crazy is pretty darn good.


Thursday, September 1, 2011

Fabulous 37

Today is my 37th birthday. This seems somewhat surreal since I still think of myself as a 20-something. I wonder if when I turn 57 that I'll still be surprised by the fact that my body is so much older than my spirit. I hope so!
Today is my 37th birthday. It is also my first birthday on this earth without my mom here with me. I'm thinking about her today. I'm taking my boys to Oklahoma this afternoon for the Labor Day weekend so that we can spend some time with Dad.
Today is my 37th birthday. My children sang to me at breakfast. My husband hugged and kissed me and presented me with perfume and chocolate. I've already received texts and facebook messages and it's only 7:15 a.m. I am truly and completely blessed.
Today is my 37th birthday. God is good and faithful. I'm a full year older. I love my family desperately.
I miss my mom. It's my birthday.

Good F words

Hey! Not all F words are bad. The best words in the world are family, fun, food, and fabulous! I'm challenging myself to expand my own appreciation of the fabulous F words out there. I'm starting a list of words that I'll eventually write about. Let me know if you think of another fun one.



Family ~ Father ~ Fast ~ Fanatic ~ Fanciest ~ Festive ~ Fanciful ~ Freedom ~ Friday ~ Flower ~ Flagrant ~ Fixable ~ Forceful ~ Forbidden ~ Foray ~ Foppish ~ Fledgling ~ Frappacino ... hmmm... maybe ?