High Hopes

I awoke today and sneaked away before anyone else was awake. I even slipped out without the a dog to walk on my trail. Even she slept soundly tucked next the "the law".

Yes, I zipped, freshly showered, away to the grocery store. Before bewildered, slow-pokey cart wielders had a chance to fill the aisles. I planned my day--minus the double tall skim caramel latte. I had no time for struggling to push my cart with one hand. I had things to do today.

High hopes. Lists to be made. Lists to be completed.

Once home the urge to have a filling breakfast overtook me and then next thing I knew I was short order cooking for the future pilot. Assisting my favorite little girl with her Easy Bake oven. Crisping bacon in the oven for future use in BLTs over the course of the week. Yes, between laundry cycles, and list making I stopped to read to the future pilot or make drinks for the kids or walk the dog. Load songs on my daughter's i-Pod. Send replies to the family for Thanksgiving preparations.

Did one thing on my list get accomplished? No. Not one. The grocery shopping is done for the week--I hope. But that was completed before I started making my lists therefore I have not one thing to cross off my list.

I could choose to be frustrated or grumpy but you know what? I'm not. Life doesn't have to fit my plan. And even if I tried like heck to plan every detail, or just an outline, my life is never going to go in my direction. Oh the plotted course may at times seem similar but the plan is not mine.

I've been following Gavin Owen's blog for several months. My kids and I have been praying for him and his family. Hoping he would some day be well. That his sister would see him grow up to live and laugh and love. Yesterday his parents made the hard decision to let him go. It has been over 24 hours and he is still hanging on. There is nothing left to be done that his earthly parents can do. They certainly did not choose this to be a slow and heartwrenching process but that is what it is nonetheless. My heart is aching for them--though I've never met them. I'm sure none of this was in their plan.

So, incomplete lists are not going to make me grumpy today. They are going to remind me that life comes at me and when it does I should thank God that I have life. The small interuptions are reminders that the patters of small feet exist completely healthy around me. Lists can wait. The todays with my kids can not.

Phobic

Earlier this week I mentioned my fear of throwing things away-disposaphobia. I wasn't sure if there was a name for the actual feeling I get when I let certain items fall from my fingers into the abyss of my trashcan but I looked it up. And someone thinks there is. Apparently there are a few other phobias I have. I'm maybe like a superphobe or something.

• Acarophobia- fear of itching. Hmm I'm not too keen on sitting outside for long periods of time at dusk for fear mosquitos will gnaw my skin to red welts. Check on this one.
• Aerophobia- fear of airbourne noxious substances. Well, not too keen of skunk smell or Uncle Fred after he's had a bowl too many of chili. Check here too.
• Agateophobia- fear of insanity. Ugh. I certainly do NOT want to be insane and I feel my kids may drive me that way every day. Dang check another one.
• Aichmophobia- fear of needles or pointed objects. HELLO!!!! Refer to post two days back. NOT FOND OF BEING PRICKED. Check.
• Algophobia- fear of pain. Goodness. I certainly do not CHOOSE pain. "Hey, Jimmy smack me would you? ??? Seriously? Check.
• Amathophobia- fear of dust. Heheh GOTCHA. I think I'm pretty cool with it. Just white glove my house and you will see that. No fear no fear here!
• Barophobia- fear of gravity. Hmm. Well, I'm not exactly crazy about what it has done to my body but I can accept it.
• Botanophobia- fear of plants! HAH! PLANTS fear ME!
• Cleptophobia- fear of stealing. I CERTAINLY have this one. Really. We all should. Stealing=crime which =punishable offense.
  
• Clinophobia- fear of going to bed. Hmmph! NOT I! My kids on the other hand. I think they do.
• Obesophobia- fear of gaining weight. Uh yeah! (And I know I'm not alone here)
• Pediculophobia- fear of lice. Actually I have to say if I ever EVER see one of these again I may just shave the entire family and skip town.

and lastly...

• Polyphobia- really good they invented this one. "fear of many things" pretty much sums me up I think.

For the rest of the list check here.

Thankful Thursday

Falling Leaves
Twirling swiftly to the ground.
Last bursts of color
Bright hues all around.
Drinking in deeply
A Father's love.
All for His children
As He watches, delighted,from above.

Thank you Jesus...

1. for bursting colors of Fall
2. for reminding me that my children are precious and here, and in good health
3. for favor when I need it most
4. for faraway friends who pop into my life at just the right time. Bringing smiles to my face and encouragement to my heart
5. for a warm cuddly dog who keeps my feet warm at night
6. for books, an escape from reality and sometimes a check back into God's type of planning
7. for patience
8. that I've been forgiven. When it mattered. Always. Not just sometimes.
9. for a growing sense that I have much and for a gnawing push that I can give more
10. lists. May I complete mine. On Your time.

Thank You for pressing me in the direction You wish me to go. May I heed Your words. May I find them as delightfully pleasing as I think I will.

I Need An I-Touch

Why? Because...there's an app for that.

Is there any OTHER reason to have one? To me it sounds like the pharmacy of the techno world. I mostly am wondering if it could help me with the biggest phobia I have. Disposaphobia. The fear of throwing things away.

Because I need blog topics I thought maybe I'd go through a memory box or two or seven. I went down to the basement and got this teeny tiny box. Downright small I tell ya. But the contents. Oh my.

Take for instance this guy.
He's what I call a "Harold suspect". When I was about 11 or 12 years old I was entertaining my neighbors. I was goofy kid. I liked to make people laugh. So as I was roaming the neighborhood on my bike I happened upon this smooth round crisp white rock. I picked it up and began to tell the kids around me all about him. His name was Harold. Harold had a life. Yes. Harold was cream of the crop. I was adopting Harold. So I finished an elaborate tale about him and promptly put him into the handkerchief that was tied to the "boy's bar" of my ten-speed bike. Harold was indeed riding in style as I usually reserved the handkerchief for this guy...
(my pet Guinea Pig, Penwick)

But somewhere along the way home I lost Harold. So from that day on I collected Harold suspects. Rocks that MIGHT in fact BE Harold. My long lost rock.

Just a few of the suspects. They are leaving town tonight. In a drove. I am letting go. Goodbye my suspect rock friends.

I'm also getting rid of this thing...
I mean I've only had it since the SIXTH grade!!! Care of Children's Hospital when I was diagnosed with Mastoiditis. It did a fine job of posititioning my arm for IVs but it's time to let it go. I thought maybe I needed a momento but I am still doing a fine job of remembering that event.

I was positive I got Mastoiditis because I let a "cool" high-schooler talk me into taking a puff of her cigarette. God was punishing me I thought. Or maybe somehow the closeness of cigarette smoke was infecting my ear. I'm partially deaf in my left ear now. So if I make it a point to position my left ear to you take the hint and be quiet. JUST KIDDING. Whatever the cause I was there. Hospitalized. And forced to endure way too many IVs. NOT COOL. The last night I was there I threw a terrible tantrum in my hospital bed. I screamed and kicked and pounded because they were going to draw yet another line. I had had enough and told them so. I was not a happy camper. Honestly looking back? Somebody should have spanked my bratty behind. Especially since I also remember visiting a little boy in the next room, a few years younger, who was having far worse issues than me.

I remember my dad taking me to the grocery store after we left the hospital. He told me to pick out anything I wanted. I picked a pack of spearmint Freshen Up gum and a coconut. Unlike a few of my other hospital stays I was NOT happy to return home to a full house of siblings. I had come to enjoy my parental visits where they belonged ONLY to ME for an hour or two a night. I cried like a spoiled brat more than once. Sorry sis, bro, sis and bro. I do love you. But it was "me" time. My inner middle child relishing in parental attention. Even if it did mean enduring needle weilding nurses.

The Library

We have a lot of books at my house. Each kid has their own bookcase. No less than one hundred on each. I love the smell of books, the feel of books, the taste--no no I haven't really tasted a book. Really I haven't. I do love to read though.

As I sit here I am typing and retyping my lines because I promised to post ONLY delightful posts this month. Oh my but how I'd like to spin this tale the other way. My favorite little girl and I spent over an hour in the library this evening while she asked me if they had books on this or that. I'd show her said books on this or that and she'd say, "Oh." or "Mmm." As I said this post could go a different way so instead I'm going to keep my promise and ask for suggestions.

Does anyone have reading suggestions for an eight year old girl? Not Junie B. Jones. Not American Girl. That won't cut it for her. She did end up with a few books but we have many more trips to make and I want her to experience the joy of reading.

I did get to pick some fabulous books for the future pilot. Click Clack Moo among them. Oh and I put this one on order. I had the delightful opportunity of being dragged into the library after a field trip last year by my daughter where I was invited to finish out the day with her. We arrived back to school just in time for story time and let me tell you I LOVED this book. I can't wait to hold it in my hands. Heh heh. La cucharachita es muy inteligente.

Cut Me With a some...

Does this happen to other people? I was cleaning out the pantry my all time favorite past time and found these. TWO bags of JUST knives! Plastic cutlery. I didn't buy them in bulk. These are leftovers. Doesn't anyone ever use plastic knives anymore? I'm guessing not since this is probably 8 years worth of leftover knives (and no I do NOT rewash them after each use). Odd. Hmm. Anyone having a bagel party? I can bring the spreaders!!!

I walked into the house earlier today, after picking up the future pilot from pre-school, and smelled something that didn't smell too good. For the past hour I have been trying to figure out what in the heck my beloved husband cooked in the mere 20 minutes I was gone.

Then I discovered these.

Maybe I should add that "I" am responsible for the pungent smell. Chicken breasts simmering in a vinegar/rub concoction for pulled chicken sandwiches later this evening. Yea, yea, I know. I'm a bonehead. (Really glad I didn't grumble to "the Law" about the "smell")


My counters today. Not even one week after they were clear and pristine for overnight company. Nice huh? Oh but get this. I asked "the Law" if we could have Thanksgiving at our house this year and he said "Sure YOU can".

My goodness what a nice man he is. I wonder if it's because he'll be working all day. What do you think?

And We Begin...Again

It's the first day of November and I haven't yet seen a NoBloPoMoFoGoEvDa challenge. Instead I'm just going to try it. All on my own. NovemberBlogPostMonthForGoodEveryDay. Whatcha think? Can I do it? I'm going to try. Not because someone told me to but because I need a goal. And sugar is ruining my thinner me race.

My rules? Uplifting. Delights. No dilemmas. For one month. Seriously. Who wants bad news? Certainly not me. So here goes my first uplifting post of the month.

Fall.
Leaves in bright color. Rich and breathtaking. I pass just about every time I return home. Every time I drive a little slower and remark to myself, "I have GOT to capture this moment." Today I did. I DID! With my lookouts (the kids) cheering me on. You see I had to stop in the middle of the road to take these pictures. I even, very illegally backed up to try and take it (before I put the kids on "lookout patrol").

I turned around to see two cars passing me going in the opposite direction wondering what in the heck I was doing. Sheesh. If they had JUST looked around them they would have known instantly right? Am I right? Please say I'm right. I don't look good in white and my arms don't need to be locked in front of me. I have way too much laundry to fold.

So then. With the kids on patrol I went to the end of the road and did a U-ee and turned around.
I love Fall. I love the Creator of Fall. God is amazing.