Hit the beach

We are going to visit friends tomorrow at the beach. It's always a treat to see friends, they are truly wonderful people! And it gives us an opportunity to get some Thrashers and Candy Kitchen (I'm addicted to their fudge!) It's supposed to be really nice, with temps hitting 85 there. I've been truly antsy to go all week. Can't wait for the boys to have a blast. This will of course be the baby's 1st time to put his feet in the sand, and Day's 3rd time for being there ever (the 2nd was Winterfest of Lights, a quite different type of beach trip.)

Out of the mouth of a 17 year old....

Day and I were talking tonight about his dad. I had made a comment "when your kids ask about their grandfather....." And he said he will tell him their grandfather is John.

What a way to bring tears to my eyes!

I don't ever want him to close the door to his family, but it's nice that we are his family too!

Why always the weekend?

How come Monday through Friday we have to drag the kids out of bed, but on the weekends they wake up on their own accord, even earlier?

Spring weekends

Anyone remember, way back when we were in school, the week would be gorgeous, then the weekend rolled around.... cold or rainy.

It's happening again.

Least now I have the foresight to know it WILL get and stay warmer. (Just wish it was sooner!)

And maybe, it's natures way of saying rest up from a hectic week.

I find myself asking....

Are you proud of me? I try my best, sometimes I stumble, many times it's because my foot is in my mouth. But with everything I do, I always ask, mom, are you proud of me? I wish I could personally share good news, like today's phone call and mailed invitation that we were chosen as Foster Parents of the Year for Somerset County, but I know you are here with us for each and every moment, and I hope, with every breath, I'm all you wanted for me to become.

Silly rabbit...

Anyone else feel bad for the rabbit, being told for decades that Trix are just for kids? It's CEREAL, give the bunny a break and let him have some! Really now, what about equality? The bunny has the bowl, but because he's not like you, you snatch it right out of his hands? Lovely message for our kids. (Sorry, I'm just in a weird mood.)

ask and you shall receive.....

I remember a couple times, when times must've been tough, something came up to change the situation, and my mom would say that when you live right God always provides. I'm taking the offer I got today as I'm doing something right. Maybe it's ego-centric to think that way, but I really appreciate the opportunity, one that came to me by no initiation of my own, as a sign that something is being done right in our household (since it came at a time when things are going right for John as well.)

Memory attachments

Have you ever noticed how some things just have memories attached to them? How you will hold or smell something and think of someone?

I can't open a can of peaches or chew Juicy fruit gum without thinking of my "Popeye." Someone mentions asparagus and I automatically recall my mom retelling the story of me saying how I wanted to have "those funny green beans" more often. Strawberries make me think of all the times we'd go picking for my birthday, and how I'd normally get so sick from eating more than I put in the basket. I sit and color with JJ and think about the books upon books that my grandmother kept for ALL of us grandkids to color in (and since I was the last, those books were quite old, and quite colored in, by the time I got to use them.) I look at checkers or eat the white of sunny-side up eggs and think of my grandpop.

I think of all the little, mundane things we touch daily in life and how we unconsciously attach people to those things in our brains.

It makes me wonder all of the inconsequential things in our lives that will leave an impression on my boys and make them think of me.

The things you can't plan our are the things that make the biggest, lasting impact.

Spoiled?

This seems to have come up a lot lately....

Day told me today he's been told at school that he's spoiled. I remember what my mom told me, it's just jealousy, and yeah, that's probably what he's facing. We do live in a poorer (high taxed) area, so what he has is more than a lot. But it's not more than he deserves. It's just a shame because all those other kids deserve it just the same, all kids do.

Now myself, I was told this week by a coworker I was spoiled. Not in a bad conversation, someone else asked where I got a necklace, told her John got it at Friedman's for Valentine's Day for me. She said she got 1 on Canal Street (NY) for her daughter, a Tiffany knock-off. That's where I saw the style myself and asked for 1. That same night I came home later than normal, John asked me what I was eating, then offered to go get me Chinese. Yeah, I guess I am. And I thank God for John every day! After being the center of my Mom's world, I would be lost now if I didn't have him to dote on me. My Mom used to tell me all the time growing up that I was spoiled, just not rotten (she said I appreciated what I was given.)

It's a shame that the word has to have such a bad meaning behind it. Being given things in life does not come with the price tag of having a bad personality. Being self-centered or having a sense of entitlement is taught, and unfortunately, and those attitudes are across all economic brackets!

So, ok, I'm spoiled, and I see nothing wrong with any of my boys being the same!