This is not really a post, but just a drive by. To tell you I'm not resolving at the moment, but I am. I'm not reading at the moment, but I have. I've got tons to do for the household guests descending in hours, but I felt that before I could do that for others, I needed to fill my soul. So I caught up on my blogs. And then I drove over here to give you some direction.
Looking for a great laugh? Go here:
http://momastery.com/blog/2013/05/16/still-got-it/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=still-got-it
Looking for a place to give? Go here:
http://momastery.com/blog/2013/05/12/the-power-of-a-circle-of-women/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-power-of-a-circle-of-women
or here:
http://www.kateleong.com/2013/05/gavins-trust-project_13.html
About me... my Teen boy is done with high school and with swimming. Both bring a boatload of emotions to me that I will hopefully explore in the future.
In the meantime, I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day! I did, and more on that later.
Happy Friday!
Friday, May 17, 2013
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Surviving the Band Trip
I did survive the band trip. Part 1 - 15 hour bus trip: With a little help with my Motrin Nighttime, I was able to sleep on the bus. Probably to the dismay of my co-chaperons. I slept through one whole stop on the way down; a stop I didn't know we were making. Actually, I think I slept through one on the way back too.
Part 2 - Tour Day was fabulous! The trip to the 6th Floor Museum was interesting and informative. For those of you like me that have NO IDEA what this museum is, it is about the assassination of JFK. We got those headsets to wear and walked through the exhibits. It was very cool. But the most cool thing was our tour of Dallas Stadium. Now, I am not a fan of the Cowboys. In fact, I root for their arch enemy the Redskins. And I wore my Redskins shirt there as did Teen Boy - such fun! But that place is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.! I took a bunch of pictures to share and learned so much stuff. Like the Jonas Brothers played some video game on the BIG SCREEN. And it is the largest this and that and the lockers are made of some special wood imported from Africa and cost about 10K a piece. Dinner that night was at a Mall Food Court. I ate soup and a sandwich from the SoupMan (apparently he's only called the Soup Nazi by Jerry and his friends). This mall had some VERY upscale shops and then some places I would be able to afford. It also had a pond with turtles so I took a picture for the LRHB.
Part 3 - The performance. They played the absolute best I have EVER heard them. And my boy rocked his solo. They deserved this trip, this chance to play in a beautiful concert hall. The performance was followed by another pizza buffet. UGH. And then fun at the Go-Kart place. Now, I got my kicks on a motorcycle racing video game inside and even came in FIRST. A fun time was had by all in spite of a too early departure to hang at the hotel and then have a family style meal at Buca Di Beppo (I miss that place!). Crazy times rocked the hotel that evening but I was super proud of our teens and how they handled being in a hotel with another band that had slightly different rules (like NO rules!!).
Part 4 - Six Flags over Texas. The kids had a ball riding the roller coasters and I enjoyed the train and the antique cars and hanging with my girl Momma R. I got the horrid news from home while in the park. I hoped, oh how I hoped that the kiddos would be protected from the news. D*MN that social media. Lesson of the day - it is okay to have fun when sad things happen. Teen Boy lost his 1 week old phone on a roller coaster. Perspective - it is only a phone. I think it ruined his day. Add lack of sleep (his room missed bus roll call! Too funny!!) and poor diet and he discovered that those things do not make for a happy boy. I finished the day with a funnel cake. Just so much goodness in that funnel cake!
Part 5 - Ride home. Those bus drivers rocked that ride home! We came back in just over 13 hours - such joy! Yes, I am recalling sleeping through another later night stop. I do still have a crick in my shoulder from bus sleeping. But breakfast was Sonic. Everyone else lined up at McDonald's or headed to Denny's where I thought the waitress was quite rude so I convinced Teen Boy to walk farther down the road with me to Sonic. YUM! A good time was had by all, I think. Just gotta figure out how to get the pictures off of my phone!
Part 2 - Tour Day was fabulous! The trip to the 6th Floor Museum was interesting and informative. For those of you like me that have NO IDEA what this museum is, it is about the assassination of JFK. We got those headsets to wear and walked through the exhibits. It was very cool. But the most cool thing was our tour of Dallas Stadium. Now, I am not a fan of the Cowboys. In fact, I root for their arch enemy the Redskins. And I wore my Redskins shirt there as did Teen Boy - such fun! But that place is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.! I took a bunch of pictures to share and learned so much stuff. Like the Jonas Brothers played some video game on the BIG SCREEN. And it is the largest this and that and the lockers are made of some special wood imported from Africa and cost about 10K a piece. Dinner that night was at a Mall Food Court. I ate soup and a sandwich from the SoupMan (apparently he's only called the Soup Nazi by Jerry and his friends). This mall had some VERY upscale shops and then some places I would be able to afford. It also had a pond with turtles so I took a picture for the LRHB.
Part 3 - The performance. They played the absolute best I have EVER heard them. And my boy rocked his solo. They deserved this trip, this chance to play in a beautiful concert hall. The performance was followed by another pizza buffet. UGH. And then fun at the Go-Kart place. Now, I got my kicks on a motorcycle racing video game inside and even came in FIRST. A fun time was had by all in spite of a too early departure to hang at the hotel and then have a family style meal at Buca Di Beppo (I miss that place!). Crazy times rocked the hotel that evening but I was super proud of our teens and how they handled being in a hotel with another band that had slightly different rules (like NO rules!!).
Part 4 - Six Flags over Texas. The kids had a ball riding the roller coasters and I enjoyed the train and the antique cars and hanging with my girl Momma R. I got the horrid news from home while in the park. I hoped, oh how I hoped that the kiddos would be protected from the news. D*MN that social media. Lesson of the day - it is okay to have fun when sad things happen. Teen Boy lost his 1 week old phone on a roller coaster. Perspective - it is only a phone. I think it ruined his day. Add lack of sleep (his room missed bus roll call! Too funny!!) and poor diet and he discovered that those things do not make for a happy boy. I finished the day with a funnel cake. Just so much goodness in that funnel cake!
Part 5 - Ride home. Those bus drivers rocked that ride home! We came back in just over 13 hours - such joy! Yes, I am recalling sleeping through another later night stop. I do still have a crick in my shoulder from bus sleeping. But breakfast was Sonic. Everyone else lined up at McDonald's or headed to Denny's where I thought the waitress was quite rude so I convinced Teen Boy to walk farther down the road with me to Sonic. YUM! A good time was had by all, I think. Just gotta figure out how to get the pictures off of my phone!
Monday, April 29, 2013
My Heart is BREAKING...
For a mom. And her baby. Just 14 years old. Just one bad choice. A happy boy. A helping boy. He showed up. To help with school events. To help at the animal shelter. To adopt a kitty. To be a friend from everything I've read. With a smile, no sullen teenager look.
My heart is breaking... for a mom. She showed up living a life of example. She sought help when she needed it, even when the answers were already present in her heart. School is important, so she went back to school. Helping others is important, so she helped others. Being present in her kids lives was important so she eliminated those things that took her away from them. Talking to kids is important, so she talked the hard talks. She took the time to know her kids and their friends. She made an everyday momma choice and she feels responsible for the one bad choice her baby made. Love didn't win.
My heart is breaking for the daddy, and the sisters and the brother and the aunties and cousins and grandparents and the friends that lost a bit of sunshine.
A split second. A bad choice. Only one that cannot be taken back. One that cannot be repaid. One that is permanent. "I left my baby at the hospital, who does that?" A momma with a broken heart.
Monday.
My heart is breaking... for a mom. She showed up living a life of example. She sought help when she needed it, even when the answers were already present in her heart. School is important, so she went back to school. Helping others is important, so she helped others. Being present in her kids lives was important so she eliminated those things that took her away from them. Talking to kids is important, so she talked the hard talks. She took the time to know her kids and their friends. She made an everyday momma choice and she feels responsible for the one bad choice her baby made. Love didn't win.
My heart is breaking for the daddy, and the sisters and the brother and the aunties and cousins and grandparents and the friends that lost a bit of sunshine.
A split second. A bad choice. Only one that cannot be taken back. One that cannot be repaid. One that is permanent. "I left my baby at the hospital, who does that?" A momma with a broken heart.
Monday.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
I have a lot to say today...
And actually, a lot more I am supposed to be doing. However, I have been running crazy the last week or so and will continue that sprint for the next month or so. Consequently, I am taking time to be here with you, people of my heart. I've been catching up on my reading this morning and thought you might enjoy reading this by the daughter of a friend of mine.
http://ourveryowncircus.blogspot.com/2013/04/boston-youre-my-home-ode-to-my-adopted.html
How have I been helping my LRHB get through the yucky news? A quote by Mr. Rogers, of course.
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'" — Fred Rogers
Interestingly enough, when I went looking for this quote, I found it on an Urban Legands site. It is authentic. Just last night, the bombing came up in dinner conversation and LRHB made a comment and I said back, but remember when bad things happen... he cut me off. "Look for the helpers. Look for the good people." To which someone at the table replied, "So that's where you get your optimistic attitude from," about College Boy. BIGGEST. COMPLIMENT. EVER.
Also in my reading this morning I found this: http://www.kellehampton.com/2013/04/free-hugs-enjoying-small-things.html which I appreciated for bringing the sun into a gloomy time. I especially loved this quote at the end:
Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it. ~Helen Keller
I really like that. In fact, I'd like that on my wall. Someday.
I read some sad stuff. I had recently been called to pray for a small boy with whom I quickly fell in love. Here is the eulogy his mom gave:
http://www.kateleong.com/2013/04/mommys-eulogy-to-her-superhero.html#.UXgDTLXk98E
And finally, I watched this:
http://vimeo.com/64613503
As it finished, I found myself saying aloud to no one at all, "I was a part of that." It made me feel POWERFUL. And so I will face my day with this power in my heart that "We Can Do Hard Things, Love Wins, and Just Show Up." Stepping into being the best person I can be. Join me on my walk. Can I get an AMEN?! AMEN! Enjoy your weekend. Mine starts in just 4.5 hours!
http://ourveryowncircus.blogspot.com/2013/04/boston-youre-my-home-ode-to-my-adopted.html
How have I been helping my LRHB get through the yucky news? A quote by Mr. Rogers, of course.
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'" — Fred Rogers
Interestingly enough, when I went looking for this quote, I found it on an Urban Legands site. It is authentic. Just last night, the bombing came up in dinner conversation and LRHB made a comment and I said back, but remember when bad things happen... he cut me off. "Look for the helpers. Look for the good people." To which someone at the table replied, "So that's where you get your optimistic attitude from," about College Boy. BIGGEST. COMPLIMENT. EVER.
Also in my reading this morning I found this: http://www.kellehampton.com/2013/04/free-hugs-enjoying-small-things.html which I appreciated for bringing the sun into a gloomy time. I especially loved this quote at the end:
Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it. ~Helen Keller
I really like that. In fact, I'd like that on my wall. Someday.
I read some sad stuff. I had recently been called to pray for a small boy with whom I quickly fell in love. Here is the eulogy his mom gave:
http://www.kateleong.com/2013/04/mommys-eulogy-to-her-superhero.html#.UXgDTLXk98E
And finally, I watched this:
http://vimeo.com/64613503
As it finished, I found myself saying aloud to no one at all, "I was a part of that." It made me feel POWERFUL. And so I will face my day with this power in my heart that "We Can Do Hard Things, Love Wins, and Just Show Up." Stepping into being the best person I can be. Join me on my walk. Can I get an AMEN?! AMEN! Enjoy your weekend. Mine starts in just 4.5 hours!
Count down is on...
Packed? NO. Kid Packed? NO. House ready? NO. Laundry done? YES! Super excited that in less than 12 hours I'll be on a very-few-times-in-a-lifetime trip with my kiddo and a couple of the best friends a girl could have... Super Band Director and Super Mom L. I.CANT.WAIT!
If it is April it is time to work out...
I need to be getting ready for work, but since I've got no time, I thought I'd post that I've been back in the gym. Contrary to popular belief, the guy at the front did not faint over dead. I've been biking with Sweet LM at o'dark o'clock. But it FEELS GOOD!
Resolution ?? work out!
Resolution ?? work out!
Book club post part 2
http://sinkingspringsreadingpromises.blogspot.com/2013/04/april-book-club.html
I love that we're apart of something MORE.
I love that we're apart of something MORE.
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