Slurping Life

We Wish You A Merry Halloween

"We wish you a Merry Christmas.  We wish you a Merry Christmas.  We wish you a..."

I wriggle in bed, wrinkling my face and grunting.  Somewhere between unconscious and conscious.

"Rudolph the red nose reindeer had a very shiny nose.  And if..."

I roll over, stretching, inhaling deeply and lingering in sleep.

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the..."

I sit upright in bed, look to my left and see the red digital numerals 6:41...as in AM.  Huh?  What?  Am I dreaming?  No. Those sounds are too close, too real.

"...way.  Oh what fun it is to ride..."

Uh uh.  What?  It's October 31.  I'm certain.  Wait, those are Christmas songs.  Shaking my head I ask myself, "Am I awake?"

"Moooommmmmmm, I am hungry!"

I am so awake.

Slowly my feet hit the floor and I begin the trek downstairs...groggy and giggly.  The boys are playing Christmas music.

"Guys, what are you doing?"  I ask mid-yawn.

"We're listening to Christmas music"  replies Lee.

"Why?"  I ask.

"Because", answers Mac, "We don't know any Halloween carols."

"Oh.  Who wants pancakes for breakfast?"  I inquire.

"Me, I am very hungry" Wil answers.

From our family to yours, have a fun and merry Halloween.

~~~

Halloween Traditions ~ Wordless Wednesday

   

More photo fun can be found at Wordless Wednesday.

Our Halloween fun began early today.  I'll catch up with my BSM and WW friends tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Just Rip My Heart Out

So I am not really over the fact that last year the boys dumped me as their Halloween costume consultant-designer. It seemed some licking of wounds was in order via digging through the 35mm photos of Halloweens past and scanning them into the computer.  The photo scans have not been well-edited yet, so they are not the best quality, but *sniff sniff* humor me in my self-pity...

1998...

Mac age one year as Snoopy.  Although the photo is in need of edit and repair, it's my Best Shot Monday because I love that little face and I'm all sappy right now.  It brings back memories of Mac at just under two months old the previous Halloween, hospitalized and near death.  That's how I first saw my son...so tiny and fragile.

There's more from the past...if you want to look.

Rear view of Mac Snoopy and Pumpkin Lee at age 3 1/2.  I originally made the Snoopy costume for my now 26 year old son.  Through the years all the boys have worn the costume...

1981...

A, age 8 months and the original wearer of the Snoopy costume.

1996...

A, age 15 (yes, formerly the cute 8 month old) and Lee age 21 months as Snoopy.  I can't find the photo of Wil in the Snoopy costume.

1999...

Dalmatian Wil age 1-3/4, Mac age 2, Lee age 4-1/2 and...

Wil, Mac and Lee, same year, with their alter ego pumpkin kids.

2000...

The boys next to their ghost images.

2001...

The Clown Trio...could they be any cuter?

2003...

Lee the mummy age 8-1/2 (notice how small), Wil the firefighter age 5 (ok, that one was store bought), and Mac the bat age 6.  FYI, Lee is wrapped in gauze.  Doesn't it say 'love' when you take the time, per his request, to wrap a wiggly little boy in gauze despite his noisy complaints during the process?

*sniff sniff* Again this year there will be no costumes made with mom love.  We have el cheapo boring store-bought costumes.  I might take some photos and post them.  *sniff*

My wounded heart is somewhat nurtured by baking Halloween cookies, making caramel apples and carving jack-o-lanterns with the boys.  When they stop doing those things with me...well, I can't bring myself to think about it.

How's Halloween shaping up at your house?

Relinquishing It All

Peace...

The night surrounds me with quiet...dark, still, quiet...except for the sound of my children breathing.  In reverence I slip into each boy's room...kneel softly beside each bed...gently kiss and stroke each head.  Tears caress my cheeks...flutters fill my heart...hope lives within my soul.  I pray for each of my sons...

God, please give my child peace.  Hold him within your arms...protect him...guide him...and please, please give him peace which leads to happiness. 

As I exit the third room I stop, kneel in the hallway and pray the same blessings upon my son who is in the world...all grown up...on his own...and still my child.

Then I quietly slip into our bed...pull the covers over my body.

The night surrounds me with quiet...dark, still, quiet...except for the sound of my love's breathing.  He turns, his arms embrace me as he sleeps.  Tears caress my cheeks...flutters fill my heart...hope lives within my soul...I pray for us...

God, please give us peace.  Hold us within your arms...protect us...and please, please give us peace which leads to happiness.

And I sleep...relinquishing it all.

Each of us has fears...prayers...hopes.  If given one prayer answered, one wish fulfulled...what would yours be?

Blooming Beauty

Sunday is my day of sharing a little beauty.  Beauty is found in that which is created from the heart...

Bonnie of Simple Beauty has begun a new blog...Flowers In My Pocket.  It's a beautiful virtual garden obviously created from her heart...her love of flowers and photography.

Go, visit, and be sure to let Bonnie know you dropped by.

Where's The Contest

Well, you see, I mentioned a contest to be posted today.  I typed up the contest premise, the entry rules, and the prizes.  Then I hit the "save" button and it didn't.  For reasons known only to online gremlins, I was arbitrarily logged out of my Typepad account and VOOM, the post vanished.  You know, VOOM...like the stuff The Cat In The Hat used to remove that annoying pink spot gone wild.

Stay tuned...the contest will go up on Saturday or Sunday or Monday.  Promise. 

Right now I have to chase boys back to bed.  It seems one of them is channeling strange voices, one is starving and the other one heard all the fun and joined us. 

Having fun...back later.

Please Don't Torture Us Anymore

Originally posted October, 2006.

Well, it finally happened and I have pouted about it for weeks.

"Oh mom, look!  Look at this one and that one!" they exclaim with ooohing and aaahinhg emphasizing their delight.

"I wanna be Obi Wan Kenobi."

"I wanna be a glow-in-the-dark skeleton."

"I wanna be a police officer."

All of these excited exclamations over flimsy-cheap-store-bought Halloween costumes?  The boys no longer wanted me to design and put together the costumes of their dreams?  Huh?  Why?  Not even my sad, disappointed mom face ploy could sway them.

I quickly gathered my wits and spoke up, "Lee, remember the year I spent hours wrapping you in gauze while you had to stand as still as the Statue of Liberty?  What a frightfully realistic mummy you were."

"Mac, what about the year I sprayed your light blond hair with that horrid smelling black hair paint that took weeks to wash out?  You were such a believable vampire  and no one recognized you."

"And Wil, remember the year you were a clown?  That makeup job was so authentic.  Man, it took some elbow grease to get that junk off your face.  You had a rash for days afterward."

"Oh, and the year I put one of you in an orange trash bag, stuffed it with paper and painted your face green.  Such a cute pumpkin."

"Uh, yeah, that pumpkin was me," Lee moans in recollection.

"Boy, you were really sweating inside that plastic trash bag, weren't you?" I say with a smile.

"And then there was the year..." and I stop mid-sentence.  The faces of my boys said it all...I can read body language and the message was coming through loud and clear...

"Mom, this Halloween could we please not be tortured like abused creatures of some rabid human race?  May we pleeeeeease buy the ready-made costumes.  Pretty puhleeze?"

So  uttering the word "fine!" from my tightly clenched jaw, the deal was done.  I tossed the costumes of choice, those cheap flimsy sweatshop made store bought unimaginative costumes, into the cart and wheeled to checkout.

That scene was about three weeks ago and I have remained less than thrilled about the costumes.  But wait...this morning, Halloween morning, as I sat sipping my morning cup of tea an aura of light surrounded me...heavenly voices sang in perfect harmony...the dang light bulb lit over my head.  Tonight I DO NOT have to rush around like a demon possessed idiot woman attempting to apply makeup and pull costumes together to get out of the house in time to get the good candy.  There will be no cries of "You're hurting me.  That itches. Stop!  You got that junk in my eyes."

Oh...my...goodness...I smile with a new found peace.  Tonight while mothers everywhere play the "demon possessed idiot woman" role, I can sit on my butt.  I can simply say "Boys, put on your costumes.  It's time to trick or treat."

I  sit back, prop up my feet, take another sip of tea and suddenly I am pounced upon by a trio of not-so-small-anymore boys shrieking "Mom, mom, read It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown to us!"

They still want me.

~~~

Since life is running me ragged at the moment, I've pulled a post from the days when no one read my blog.  This post was originally published October, 2006.  I'm sharing it today while I prepare a post for a Halloween contest which will be up and running Friday afternoon, October 26.  HP has provided a couple of fun prizes for this and an upcoming contest.  Check back.

Someplace Else

Right now...at this moment...I cannot possibly respond to each comment or email personally. (Wow, the emails.)  Please accept my sincere "thank you" for your words of support, prayer, understanding and "I'm there, too."  You are in my prayers, also.  So many of you deal with much more than I...you are amazing and inspirational.

My family is currently faced with issues and decisions that I never could have imagined.  We are dealing with those.  I'm someplace else.

Bottom line...thank you for caring.

comments are closed...go hug your family

Snuggled In Bed

There was Saturday's post.  Then Saturday night as the boys and I snuggled in bed for a bedtime story...

"Mom, he is biting my toes."

"Am not.  I'm licking them."

"Make him move over.  He's hogging all the covers."

insert lots of tussling

"Hey, don't do that again."

"Oooooo!  He ate a booger!"

"Next time I'll fling it at you."

"Wait!  I gotta pee.  Be right back."

long pause while we wait

"I'm thirsty."

"Who farted?"

"Don't push me again!"

thud

"OW!!"

"Mom?  Mom?"

~

Just wanted you all to know, we're good.  Thanks for your comments and emails.

At Which Point The Seams Unravel

In one moment
the togetherness
that was me
has come undone.
No longer loosening
one stitch at a time.
Rather,
every seam
has unraveled.
The garment that once
clothed my composure
has come undone.
My soul lies naked.
There is no cover
to
warm
me.

The phone call came Thursday afternoon.  We now have a new doctor on our roster...a Pediatric Cardiologist.  I literally came unraveled.  It was as though someone pulled loose that last dangling thread that was holding me together.

I had not planned on a phone call revealing my Wrapped Emotions project this week.  When Phyllis, our guest blogger, posted her intriguing project, I knew what I would do. 

But I don't care what you use (the ideas above, or paper or fabric is fine or even cookies if you'd like - the sky's the limit)...break something or cut something or separate something and then put it all back together into a new and beautiful whole. Breaking something changes it, perhaps irreparably, but it gives us a new opportunity, a new chance, a new beginning, to create something different and something whole.

(You should read the entire post.)

But then literally, I became unraveled by the one more thing, the one more diagnosis, the one more problem placed in our family's life.  One more issue with which my child must deal. One more issue with which our family must deal.  I never try to explain here how truly difficult it is navigating and nurturing the needs of my sons.  It is so tiring to live it, emotionally and physically, that I can't even think about delving deeply into words of explanation.  Plus I do not like to whine...yet, here I am, whining.

I took my favorite t-shirt and cut it up.  I sloppily brushed gesso across a page of my art journal.  I pressed the irregular squares of pink fabric into the gesso, leaving my fingerprints on each one.  When I finished I noticed that down the center was the seam of the T-shirt...cut, broken, but almost together...almost together.  This was unintentional, done without thought.  Seeing it made we wonder.  Will our life always be "almost together"?

I honestly don't know how to feel right now.  I can't even cry.  I want to disappear.  Is this how it feels to lose one's mind?

How To Cuss Like An Aspie

Warning:  Almost profanity used in post.

Before the story begins, some background.  There are a few younger teens in our neighborhood that sometimes wander down our circle, and I've heard a bit of unsavory language as they meander.  Of course, if kids are playing in the front yard or riding bikes, they hear what is said.  Mac, having Asperger Syndrome, is a parrot.  A parrot with excellent hearing.

The Opie Taylor, angelic face boy.

Additionally, explaining things to Mac can keep you talking in circles forever.  Implied meanings are no good when dealing with him.  Sometimes I fail to be very specific...fail to  explain things in detail.  For example, I am in the kitchen and from upstairs I hear...

"Bad 'S' word!  Bad 'S' word!  Bad 'S' word!"

So I march up the stairs to speak with the potty mouth boy.  "Mac, that is not acceptable language.  Talking that way is the same as actually saying the ugly word."

"Lee kicked me in the b*lls, and it hurts like bad 'H' word" he says while rolling on the floor.

"Mac! Stop saying THOSE words."

"Which words?  My b*lls hurt like bad 'H' word."

(A bit of sympathy for the pain is given.)

So I have to resort to using the actual words, sh*t and h*ll, in context in order for Mac to understand what he is saying that is not acceptable language.  (I don't broach the use of b*alls.  I'm leaving that for Dad.)  We discuss that clearly he knows those words are inappropriate.  Then I explain to him that saying 'bad S word' is the same as saying sh*t and saying 'bad H word' is the same as saying h*ll.   I end our talk.  "Mac, do you understand which words you may not use?"

His reply, "Yes."

Then I ask, "Mac do you understand that saying 'bad S word' is the same as saying sh*t and that saying 'bad H word' is he same as saying h*ll?"

Again he replies, "Yes."

"Mac, you know not to use any of those words, right?"

"Right."

As I sigh "OK" and turn to walk out of his room, I hear...

"Bad 'D' word, it still hurts."

Sometimes I forget that as an Aspie, Mac doesn't apply a lesson learned in one context (in this case, with regard to specific words) to similar scenarios. 

I smiled and kept walking.  We'll save the bad 'D' word lesson for another day.

A Tiny Red Star ~ Thursday's Theme

As I walked around my yard one afternoon tiny dots of red caught my eye.  A bunch of the tiniest flowers I have ever seen were creeping, sneaking underneath the wooden fence from my neighbor's yard into mine.  I noticed that each flower was only a little larger than a nail hole in the fence, and of course, I grabbed my camera and snapped photos using a macro lens.  Only then was the star shape revealed to me...through the lens of my camera.

I love my camera...the beauty it reveals to me...like tiny red star flowers.

Enjoy star gazing at Thursday's Theme.

October Past ~ Wordless Wednesday

 

scan of 1998 photo...Mac, age one year...Lee age three and one-half years...taken by Melody

Join the photo fun of Wordless Wednesday.

A Greek Fisherman and Romeo In One

 

We attended a Greek festival over the weekend and the Greek fisherman's hat was Wil's souvenir of choice.  I think it suits him.  After purchasing the hat, Wil was rather anxious to get home.  I assumed it was the usual scenario of 'got what I want let's go home'.  Later it became evident that there was a bit more to Wil's desire to rush home.

Once we were home friends began ringing the doorbell and asking if the boys could come out and play.  Lee and Mac went outside.  A moment later Lee ran into the house, up to Wil's room and quickly back down.

"Whoa!" I said.  "What was that all about?"

"I had to deliver a message to Wil," Lee panted, never slowing down.

As I turned from that whirlwind I faced another.  Wil came charging through the kitchen with his usual elephant-like grace chanting "Out of my way, out of my way, coming through.  I should NOT keep Janelle waiting." (emphasis his)

Oh yeah, Wil has a girlfriend.  She's a cute little six year old sporting pink cowgirl boots, a killer smile, unlimited spunk and, apparently, the ability to lead my youngest son around by the nose.

I'm certain there's a kiddie soap opera in this...stay tuned.

Plenty of Heart

The Wrapped Emotions project last week was a prompt to "feel the world"...textures...and bring a bit of it home in crayon rubbings and share the experience.  Like many WE participants, I did several rubbings away from home, but those done at home were the ones I chose to share.

I gently tossed down an assortment of things the boys, including my now 26 year old, have made for me over the years...beaded bracelet, beaded heart token, paper clip bracelet with charms, charms from two other bracelets and a plastic art craft heart made of little plastic circles.  I also included an angel wing from one of the pairs the boys and I found on the beach.  Angels wings are shells from the beach found in  matching pairs and are shaped like angel wings.  When the boys and I walk the beach during summer vacations, we always find a pair.  Never when I walk alone, only when I walk with them.

I stared at the rubbing.  I looked through my little chest of precious jewels and trinkets that my sons have made for me since preschool age...every single item contained a heart-shaped bead, trinket or had a heart drawn on it.  If there was no heart in the actual design of their creation, it was signed with the drawing of a lopsided little heart and then their name. 

I felt a tingle pass through my body...the realization that with everything they have made for me, my sons have given me hearts...their hearts.  My heart danced and smiled.

~~~~

I am late posting my creation this week.  The deadline is midnight EST each Sunday, but since Wrapped Emotions is my blog I took special privilege and posted anyway.

Each week's project is posted on Tuesday mornings.  This week the first guest blogger at Wrapped Emotions has a project for us, and it holds promise of releasing quite a bit of emotion.  I hope you'll find a moment to drop by and perhaps join us.

Step Away, Look Around, Appreciate Your Planet

Today is Blog Action Day.

The best way to participate is to post on your blog something that relates to the environment. Your post can be about anything to do with the environment. So you could write a post which is offtopic for your blog OR relate the environment back to your topic in some way.

I had planned a post listing all of the little ways our family was moving toward becoming more green.  Then I spent the weekend away from my computer...away from blogging...away from any electronic screens...and I fell in love with the world around me all over again.  I connected with people, with objects.  I touched so many things...trees, dirt, dogs, stained glass windows, the breeze against my skin, my children's heads.

My tip for helping to improve our planet's environment is to begin by reconnecting yourself with the earth from which you are made...the people who share your world.  I encourage you to get away from your computer and experience the amazing gift of life all around you...there's no better inspiration for going green.

 

An Answer and A Winner

You've all been very patient with me and my contest, and I appreciate your fun participation.

When I posted the contest on Tuesday, the answer was not definite.  I had done a home pregnancy test on Sunday, October 7, and the result was not pregnant.  But I called my doctor Monday morning and told her the situation, described my symptoms and told her the test was negative.  She suggested that because she had just seen me in July and I have had no signs of onset of menopause, pregnancy was a strong possibility  She said to wait until the weekend and test again.  (Thus the week in waiting to give my answer here.) 

The doctor said if the second test was negative, I should schedule an exam to make sure everything was fine.  Tuesday while I was in a state of wondering am I or am I not pregnant, I decided to ask readers to ponder the thought with me.  Aha! a contest.

So we have waited.

Well Saturday morning, October 13, I peed on another stick.  Below is the result.

The final answer, not pregnant.  I truly feel sad in disappointing so many of you that genuinely wanted me to be pregnant.  Really, someone wished twins for me, most wished a girl for me and each of you sent your prayers and best wishes whatever the outcome.  A couple of you cracked me up over your congratulations that, whether pregnant or not, I was "getting some". A few even kissed up by commenting I did not look old and that they had never thought of me as anything but youthful...wish I had a million bucks for you.

The truth is I truly thought I was pregnant, and I truly did not want to be.  I am on medications that would prove harmful to an unborn child.  From the first moment the possibility of my pregnancy entered my mind, my prayer was "God, please, no.  Give a child to a woman who has been waiting and longing, but please not to me."  I am so happy God and I were on the same page with this one!  Making me happier still is the thought that maybe it's menopause, and I'm one of the lucky ones who just woke up one day and it had happened.  Woo hoo!  Menopause at age 30. ;)

Back to business.  Of 90 comments (2 comments were mine) only 29 guessed correctly - not pregnant.  I printed out the comments; highlighted the comments guessing no; numbered them in the order they were received one through twenty-nine; and using random.org, chose one winning number.  The eleventh "no" comment, Avery of Avery Gray, is the winner of the $10 Target gift card.  Avery, email me with your mailing address, and this fun little card will be on its way to you.

Thanks again for hanging with me this week.  By the way, should we decide to adopt another child, you'll be the first to know.

Beauty of Latchiko

Sunday is my day of sharing a little beauty.  Beauty is found in that which is created from the heart...

The photography here is definitely from the heart.  Take  few moments and browse the gallery of Latchiko.  I love that not only are the processed images shown, but the original photos as well.

Stuff of Which You Have No Interest

I've been tagged.

The beautiful Piper of Love has tagged me for the 8 Random Things About Me Meme.  The wild and lovable Carrie of Chocolate The Other White Meat has tagged me with the 7 Random Things About Me Meme.  The organized and inspiring Aurelia of Real Life Solutions has tagged me with the 7 Things You May Not Know About Me Meme.

Sit back.  You have to read a list of *counts and recounts on her fingers and toes* twenty-two...22...things about me.  Unless, of course, you sensibly click away.  Let me think of stuff you should know...

1.  While in college C and I (we were already married) were party animals.  Often I was the only female at the party.  The guys were, however, incredible gentlemen and made certain my drink was always fresh while I won all of their money playing poker. 

2.  I'm still an awesome poker player.  I have a poker face you cannot read.

3.  I single-handedly took on my State in a legal battle acting as my own attorney and won against their high-priced attorneys.  (Poker face came in handy.)  It was on behalf of one of my sons...don't mess with my boys.

4.  I have to pee really bad...be right back.

5.  I was a high school cheerleader.  I can still do cartwheels, human pyramids and splits.  And that's a big deal cuz I am now old.

6.  I can eat a pound of chocolate in under two minutes...I've been timed...and I wasn't in any particular rush.

7.  I dislike the process of waking up, therefore, I prolong going to sleep at night. 

8.  I collect white pottery.  I love the cold feel of each piece.  When I find a new piece I relish running my fingers along the edges, the lines, the curves. 

9.  White is my favorite (non)color.  I embrace all that white represents...purity, honesty, cleanliness, a blank canvas, a chameleon quality of coordinating with any other color.  I describe my personality as "white".

10. I do not have a college degree.  I opted to withdraw to give birth.  No regrets.

11. I really, really dislike fishing.  I love the outdoors.  I love to get dirty outside.  I'll do anything in the beautiful outdoors...except fish.

12. I do not eat red meat or pork.  Only chicken and fish.  I think I want to go vegan...thank goodness for soy ice cream.

13. I am eating chocolate animal crackers as I type this list.  Probably nixes going vegan.

14. I may be pregnant at a ripe old age.  See contest here.

15. I am as sincere as I appear.  I could never bear the thought of my Grandmother looking down from heaven and seeing otherwise. 

16. Wearing shoes stifles me.

17. I  love spinach...raw, cooked...I love spinach.

18. I cry when watching the TV show "Extreme Makeover Home Edition"...every time.

19. For reasons unexplained, I find Ty Pennington attractive.

20. I've had s*x on the beach (with my husband).  We were caught.  Figures.

21. I just plunged a toilet.

22. I can't think to tag people and apologize for breaking the spirit of the memes.  I promise to return to "tag" another day.

Win A Dragon, My Contest, Buzz With Me and More

It's Friday and my thoughts are fragmented and my body is on the run.  Here's a contest and a few snippets.

In celebration of Vegetarian Awareness Month Amy, the Crunchy Domestic Goddess, is giving away a copy of “Herb, The Vegetarian Dragon”, a story about diversity, acceptance and living together in harmony.  It's a beautiful children's book, but certainly a lesson we adults frequently need to hear.  Entering is simple.  Simply pop over there and leave a comment.
~
I still have invitations to share if you are interested in joining cre8Buzz.  It's a fun new community to connect with bloggers and get your blog noticed.  You can visit the site to see what the buzz is about, and you can find me at cre8Buzz by clicking here.  Joining is currently by invitation, so just drop me a comment if you are interested.
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Do me a favor and please read about Chelsea, and visit the link. 
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Beware.  I have been tagged, and Saturday my post will combine three memes into one.
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Remember to post on Monday for Blog Action Day.
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Christina, I have not forgotten your tag...from how long ago?...and the photos are coming.  I just found them and now need to scan them.
~
Got paper?  Got a crayon?  Come and play.
~
My contest is open until noon EST Sunday.  Monday morning I'll post the answer and winner of the gift card.
~
Our family has a football game, Greek Festival, Renaissance Festival and a trip to the library on the weekend calendar, and I want to catch up on visiting my bloggy friends of Wordless Wednesday and Thursday's Theme.

Wishing you an autumn weekend full of moments that make you smile. 

Dream Big and Get Artsy

Dream Big is the name of Chelsea's Blog written by her mother, Carey.  Chelsea is a beautiful toddler girl with Down Syndrome, but that's not an issue...that's not why she needs your prayers.  Chelsea is battling Acute Myelogenous Leukemia.

*This request is also posted on Chelsea's blog:

Calling All Artists....

Artists big and small, we need you to put that talent to work and help us decorate Chelsea's hospital room! Help us add some color to her temporary home here at Children's Mercy. Email Carey to get the hospital address, then get those pictures in the mail! (enseno153@aol.com)

In honor of Chelsea spend a little time around the kitchen table creating a few masterpieces with your children.  While you relish the precious moments at home with your child, you will help to brighten the hospital stay of a beautiful little girl.

Please pray for Chelsea and stop by Dream Big to offer words of support.  If this were you're precious child, wouldn't you need to hear caring voices?

*Edit:  I think some people have mistakenly thought this "calling all artists" is my idea.  It is not.  I shared it from the sidebar of Chelsea's blog in hopes of getting people to participate.

 

He Can Walk

Walk...Thursday's Theme...

It's not a graceful walk. 
It's not a pretty gait to the detached observer. 
It's not easily accomplished.

The falls are as numerous as the fall-nots. 
The painful steps are as frequent as the painless. 
The therapies are as permanent as the scars.

And every day,
together,
Wil and I
smile and
thank God
that
He can
walk.

The Am I or Am I Not Pregnant? contest is here.

Scroll down for recent posts. Thanks for reading.

Blog Action Day ~ How To Help

What is Blog Action Day?

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From the site:

On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future.

Blog Action Day is about MASS participation.  That means we need you!  Here are 3 ways to participate:

Post on your blog relating to the environment on Blog Action Day

Donate your day’s earnings to an environmental charity

Promote Blog Action Day around the web

*

Visit Blog Action Day for more ideas and to register your participating blog.  Then take a moment to visit The Action Blog.

We strive to be a green family, but do not reach our goal as we should.  Becoming more environmentally aware and frugal is a goal for our family, and one that I'm ready to kick up a notch.  Posting on Monday, October 15 would be a good start.

I'll be posting.  Will you?

How Boys Fold Towels ~ Wordless Wednesday

For the Am I Or Am I Not Pregnant? contest click here.

Visit neat photos at the home of Wordless Wednesday.

Is She Or Isn't She, A Contest (edited)

Is she or isn't she what, you ask.  Here's the story...

Saturday night I did the unthinkable for a woman of "a certain age".  The task had been put off for a couple of weeks*.  Alas, there needed to be an answer to a question hovering within myself...not shared with anyone...not even my husband.  So off to T*rget I went.

I was actually embarrassed to go through the checkout lane. Really. I could just imagine the snickers of the teens, the comments of 'at her age?' by the young mothers and the call of 'price check for blankety-blank-blank item' booming through the store speakers like God's voice announcing folly.  Do you know how old I am?  Surely everyone would be looking at me. Worse still, I had to explain to my husband why it was excruciatingly urgent that I go to T*rget NOW....he'd never believe it was for mascara. Maybe he'd believe toilet paper?  I feared that if he knew the true reason, he might have a stroke or, even more frightening, get in the car and drive...away...as in not come back.  But most unsettling was the thought running through my mind that this could be for real.  Good grief...

I only have so much energy remaining...very few active brain cells...four sons ages 26, 12, 10, 9...

... and I had to purchase a home pregnancy test...

Yeah, uh-huh, you read that right.  I.Purchased.A.Home.Pregnancy.Test.

 

So here's the contest.  Is She Or Isn't She Pregnant?

To enter simply leave a comment by noon EST Sunday, October 14 with your guess and, of course, any smart alec comment you would like to make (go ahead, I'm fair game).  From comments with the correct answer I will choose by random draw one winner for a $10 Target gift card.  That's where I purchased the home pregnancy test so they get a little love.  The winner will be announced Monday, October 15.

Never ever ever ever thought these words would be coming from my mouth, but from today forward the contest shall be called...Am I Or Am I Not pregnant?

*Edit:  I realized two weeks ago that LMP was two months ago...that's why the mention of two weeks above. (Oh, the things a woman will reveal on a blog in the jest of a contest.)

And in the 'thrill' don't forget my other post today.

Got A Crayon?