See? I'm not the only one questioning...

NPR Article: Is it Wrong to Celebrate bin Laden's Death?

I'll probably stick my foot in my mouth...

I got in the car this morning, and turned on News Talk like I always do.  (It's either that or NPR, depending on my mood.  Sometimes I prefer silence - so the radio stays off and I can then focus on the rattles of my car; or my brain.)  Almost immediately after turning the radio on, I heard the fill-in voice behind the microphone tell me that Osama bin Laden is dead.  Cause for celebration.  People gathering all over the country to say "Yay, America!"  Still others gathered to protest, of course, because what would we be if we weren't allowed to speak our minds, right?

I don't know much about anything - but I'm getting ready to speak my mind.  I don't expect anyone to agree with me.  What follows is not the product of a highly-educated brain, nor one that follows politics closely, and is often guilty of being woefully behind-the-times on current World events.  I'll probably stick my foot in my mouth quite often, and quite well.  But maybe not well enough to shut me up.

So back to Osama bin Laden.  A Seal Team went in to an area and raided a bunker, executing bin Laden while they were at it.  I don't know if there was anyone else there, but I'd be willing to bet more than bin Laden's life was lost during that raid.  Then there were documents and other things that need to be sifted through and maybe brought back for analysis by keen military minds to determine if who, if anyone, needs to follow bin Laden to wherever his black soul went.  I think I even heard "them" say that "they" brought bin Laden's body with them as they exited, stage-left.

Now that you have my very uneducated and unprofessional synopsis of this major World event...

Why is it cause to celebrate someone's death - even someone like bin Laden?  Yes.  OK.  Yay!  They got him.  Woo!  The War on Terror actually accomplished something and all of our military men and women are not and have not sacrificed themselves for our country for nothing.  Isn't that what this has been all about?

I'm not military.  But I understand what sacrifice is.  People sacrifice themselves for the greater good - whatever that "good" may be - on a daily basis.  Mother's make sacrifices for their children and their families.  I can attest to this on a first-hand basis.  Father's make sacrifices so their families can have a roof over their heads and food on the table.  And it's not gender-specific anymore - but you get the picture.  Many extraordinary men and women of this country - YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN - sacrifice themselves for this country you live in every single day.  God sacrificed his only son for us!

And still, within all that, we celebrate death?  These people who sacrifice themselves are celebrating a death?  I'll say it again - I'm not that smart about these things.  It makes me think of a line from Forrest Gump: "I'm not a smart man, Jenny - but I know what love is."  So I am not a smart woman, folks, but I know how I feel when I hear about a celebration when someone dies.  Even a bad someone like bin Laden.  And for that matter, who am I to judge?

I attended a memorial service this weekend for a friend.  A good man.  A young man.  A father of 3 beautiful little girls; 10 years old and 5 year old twins.  It was a sudden, and unfortunate death and his family is going to have a lot of pieces to pick up.  A lot of healing to do.  And, I'm sure, may questions to ask.  I haven't electively gone to a funeral - ever.  I have been to too many out of obligation, or familial relations.  Entirely too many.  More than I ever would want to count.  And some that I SHOULD have gone to I couldn't due to distance or some other obligation.  The plain truth is I really dislike funerals.  I want to remember the person whose LIFE we're celebrating or memorializing the way I want to remember that person.

I guess my point is that, though bin Laden's life was not necessarily one to celebrate, neither do I think that his death should be celebrated.  Yes - we've made some progress and this may be exactly what we need to be able to move forward, end this war, and get out of Dodge...  But still, bin Laden was one of God's creatures.  He's got a lot of explaining to do, don't you think?

****

I'm sorry - I've read back over this and I know it's disjointed and probably doesn't really make any sense - but I'm not going to change it.  Think of it as Jen's Train of Thought.  It's probably not a good idea to try to make any sense out of what comes out of my head anyway - it will just confuse you.  But thanks for reading it.  And thanks for not raking me over the coals.

TTFN
JMS

Whether there's weather

We have had an interesting week, weather-wise. And I am here to describe it in verse, giving credit where credit is due.

Today it is sunny, cool, and breezy, but not cold. A totally gorgeous day.  A day that, should Mother Nature decide to make one like today every day, many would rejoice.  Today makes me think of this poem, by Frank Asch:

SUNFLAKES
If sunlight fell like snowflakes,
gleaming yellow and so bright,
we could build a sunman,
we could have a sunball fight,
we could watch the sunflakes
drifting in the sky.
We could go sleighing
in the middle of July
through sundrifts and sunbanks,
we could ride a sunmobile,
and we could touch sunflakes —
I wonder how they'd feel.

Wednesday was volatile with many tornadoes and terrible wind and rain and hail and fatalities, damages, accidents and lots of devastation. I hadn't a poem in mind, but Emily Dickinson is always good, and this one seems to apply:

THE STORM
There came wind like a bugle;
It quivered through the grass,
And a green chill upon the heat
So ominous did pass
We barred the windows and the doors
As from an emerald ghost;
The doom's electric moccason
That very instant passed.
On a strange mob of panting trees,
And fences fled away,
And rivers where the houses ran
The living looked that day.
The bell within the steeple wild
The flying tidings whirled.
How much can come
And much can go,
And yet abide the world!

TTFN
JMS

Thoughts on TMI in the World of Blogging

My good friend LN was questioning putting too much "out there" on her blog. She used phrases like "pray about privacy needs"and "devoid of self-preservation instincts" and "how much self-disclosure is good?" Then she asked for my thoughts.

I responded to her via email, but I went back and re-read what I'd written and thought that it might be worth posting here. So below is my response to her. Here's hoping it may be useful to others, should they stumble across it.

Hey [Friend],

I totally understand. The unfortunate thing is, it really doesn't matter anymore. If someone wants the information, they'll get it. However, that being said, you can see that I have no filters on my blog, either. I do, though, try not to disclose major pieces of information - such as the exact names of people I talk about or places I go or if I am at home or on vacation; what have you. Those who know me, who know who and where I am and what I am up to most of the time will already know these things, and those who don't already know you - don't need to know. But they may just be interested in the story or whatever you've decided to talk about that day. I think that while it is important to be as careful as you can, there is a point that it can get ridiculous and become more of a pain than it's worth. At that point, then YOU don't want to do it anymore either. And I think, why put so much of yourself into something if you can let someone else ruin it for you.

I think if you want to be open, and talk about things as they come to you, then you need to make sure you feel comfortable with it. You can make it where only your friends or your followers can see what you write - and therefore you know those who read your blog are actually interested. You can also make it so that no one can read anything unless you invite them or unless they have a specific password - but at that point are you hindering your readers to such an extent that they'll just stop coming to "visit" you?

I personally like to be able to say what I think when I think it. To construct my sentences to my liking and use words that please me. To have that little bit of open and free expression and hope that I can brighten someones day if they stumble across it. I've had visitors all across the globe, either on purpose or by accident or at random. So at this point, after having the blog for longer than [Kiddo] has been alive, it doesn't matter anymore. I have nearly 600 posts now. My life, thoughts, words, deeds, writings, stories - whatever - are already out there. I'm careful, but I'm not obsessive about it.

Ultimately I think it's a choice. If you want it to be searched and found and read by "the masses" security settings will stop that cold. If you want to be more selective with your readers and followers, security settings are there for that. The beauty of this is that you can customize your blog to fit your needs. It needs to be what YOU want it to be, not what someone else thinks it should be.

Just my 7 cents.

Love you!

♥J

"Yep...we're going home now! Bye!"

Yesterday evening, I took Little Bit down to the marina so we could go for a walk and then maybe play on the playground for a while. Sadly, none of this took place.

While we did go down there, we saw my friend RM who I hadn't seen in about a year and stood there talking for a few minutes. A very few minutes. All too brief, because I miss my friend. But that's not the point of this post. As we were standing there chatting, the dark and foreboding sky that hovered over the city to our Southeast loomed and was, quite honestly, a bit concerning. Then the wind started picking up. It got stronger and stronger, whipping this way and that, shooting debris at us that stung and caused us to shield our eyes.

My friend and I looked at each other and, with little preamble or sentiment, essentially came to the same decision: "Yep...we're going home now! Bye!" And we got in our respective cars, out of the violent wind, and went home.

Little Bit was none too pleased about the prospect of going back to the house after such a brief outing - and it was difficult to explain to her why Mommy turned right around and went home. I'm quite sure that she would have played happily, even with the wind. The water on the lake churned up so quickly that there were white caps on the crests of the waves. I've never seen the water on that lake get so choppy. The drive home was interesting, watching leaves, branches, dust and other detritus* fly through the air. See the trees bending far beyond what seemed natural; in most cases without breaking. Watch the cars on the road ahead of us swerve this way and that; guided by the wind.

When we drove up our street (we live about 5 minutes away from the marina where we were) the little house across the street had some activity that was curious. A large branch had fallen in their front yard, nearly touching and blocking their side door, and rendering their on-a-pole-in-the-yard-installed satellite dish completely unusable. It must have just happened, because by the time Little Bit and I got out of the car, the folks across the street were coming out of their house to survey the damage. I'd bet they were watching something on television and went outside to investigate only when their satellite signal vanished. No one was hurt.

So I had to explain to Little Bit why we went home so quickly - and she didn't really understand the concept of what strong storms, and especially strong winds, can do. So we watched a couple of videos on YouTube with tornadoes and other strong wind-related storms. She got it. Then she decided that she was afraid a tornado would come to our house, and by this time I was absolutely certain that would not happen, so I assured her that she was fine and that we, and the house, and the dog, and all her toys, were completely safe.

Her response? She shrugged, went into her room to play with a game and then 15 minutes later was sound asleep - all on her own. It was about 7:00 p.m.

Where were Kiddo and Hubby during all this? At a local church for a Cub Scout meeting.

This morning, all seems well with the world, however there is storm damage all over the place, and people still dealing with power outages. There are even a couple elementary schools that have had to delay opening by a couple of hours due to clean up of storm damage.

And guess what? We get to do it all over again today!

I'm SO glad I work right by a large bank of windows!

TTFN JMS

* Yes, I had to look it up. I thought it was "detrius" but apparently it's not.

The Secret Life of Socks

The story below is one I wrote for the now-defunct "Knox Writing Club" blog that I started with my friend RK back in 2008. I don't know that I ever posted it on my blog - and frankly I'm too lazy to go back and hunt for it through the nearly-600 old posts!

Will this change the way you feel about your socks?

TTFN
JMS

*****
The Secret Life of Socks
We never know what the day will hold. Is today going to be quiet and uneventful, conversing with our fellow drawer-mates in the dark silence, or will it involve any number of tortures? That all depends on what the human decides when she wakes up.

Right now, all we can hear are muffled sounds from Outside; the world outside our small, dark existence. This is the time of day when we all panic. Everyone here is quiet; not even breathing; wondering. “Who will it be today?” There are some lucky ones here, though; those few who rarely get chosen because they are the wrong color or the wrong season – but it changes.

We’ve all be holding our breath now for hours. Outside, all is quiet. It seems like the water has quit running and the human must be dressing. The hairdryer hasn’t started yet. That is our cue - when the hairdryer stops. We can only guess where she is in her daily ablutions.

At length, the muffled sound of the hairdryer begins and simultaneously, every heartbeat in the drawer speeds up. Panic sets in. How much pain do we have to go through? When will it be enough? We cannot help but fervently wish that another of us will be chosen, leaving the rest of us to live another day in blissful peace.

This life is not one that any of us has chosen. It was chosen for us. We are but socks. How, then, can we have our revenge on the ones who made us? The one who purchased us? Or, the one who tortures us regularly? We have all made plans. We have all fantasized about turning the tables on our captors and inflicting horrendous pain upon them. We were made soft. Revenge is a thing of dreams.

Presently, we hear the silent footsteps of our captor bearing down upon our dark prison. The drawer opens, and the human reaches in to select one or two of us for further inspection in the glaring light of the bathroom. Shortly after inspection, one of us is sent back, happy at being rejected, while the other is violently separated from their sole mate and shoved onto a waiting human appendage.

This is the least of the pain. The worst of the pain begins once our fellow captors, the shoes, are secured in place on this same human appendage. The day begins in panic, and ends in pain.

Later, being within an inch of losing our lives, we are ripped off the human appendage, and tossed uncaringly into a waiting, smelly pile. Some of us have been bloodied. Some have been ripped, torn, cut. Some have been stretched to something totally unlike our former selves. But we all begin the waiting process for the finale.

After recovering somewhat during our one or two day stay in the smelly pile, we are hauled away in a basket, deposited into a swirling horror of water, nearly drowned, spun violently, and then heated until we nearly melt. Then, if we are lucky, we are reunited with our sole mate, and put back into our prison, only to begin again.

If we are unlucky, we lose our sole mate permanently to the Unknown. The Outside world is a cruel, cruel place. If you are ever unlucky enough to be granted a wish, do not wish for this life. Only the strong survive.

~(C) JMS, November 2008

K-Mart with an attitude problem?

I was trying to be so good; really making an attempt to keep up with my blog on a more consistent basis. I guess THAT didn't work, considering that it's been 22 days since my last post. (I feel like I've just confessed an unpardonable sin...and no, I'm not Catholic; not that it matters.)

Either that or I've gone to some kind of "Bloggers Anonymous" meeting. BA. "Hello, my name is Jennifer and it's been 22 days since my last post."

Sheesh.

So what have I been up to for the last 22 days? Frankly I'm not sure where to begin, because though I'm sure something interesting and blog-worthy has happened, I'm drawing a blank on what it could be. Although (and I don't know if I've already posted this way back when) I did give up all forms of soda for Lent. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, which was March 9th - and I haven't had any soda at all. Which quite honestly is saying something because for me it is almost a nectar of the gods. It wasn't quite as bad as giving up smoking (which I STILL crave to this day nearly 12 years later) but it was pretty bad.

Kiddo and Little Bit, as I said to my friend LN last night, constantly amaze and inspire me. They lead me to be a better person - though sometimes it is, admittedly, difficult. Last night was difficult, for example. What started out as an attempt to do something fun with the kids wound up being a struggle not to strangle one of them (specifically my older male offspring) in the middle of K-Mart. But God told me, in his way, that murdering my child, in front of so many witnesses no less, is probably not the best way to deal with the behavior issues being displayed by my beloved son and that I should probably just go home, get him settled in for bed early, and let him sleep off the attitude. (Wow! What a badly-constructed sentence...I should be ashamed.) Which is exactly what we did.

Little Bit was tired, too - so she went to bed and fell asleep almost right away.

Then I read a bit and then it was lights-out for me as well.

TTFN JMS

Ambrosia and Advice

The most beautiful ambrosia on a cold, rainy, early morning in late March is the hot coffee I hold in my hand. OK - so I guess I'm not holding it right this second, because I can't do that and type, too - but you get the picture.

****

Today is my sister, HB's, birthday - so I wanted to take a minute to wish her a happy happy, wonderful wonderful and hope that she has the best birthday ever. And to give her a little bit of sisterly advice: Don't let anyone stress you out, beat you down, or otherwise dampen what should be a joyful day. Rise above it, smile, and know you are loved by so many.

I love you, sweet sister.

TTFN

JMS

Is it? Isn't it?

Well, that's for them to find out, 'cause we certainly don't know.

What we originally thought might be Hashimoto's Disease, may not be. So we're back to the drawing board - and the drawing board looks like an appointment with the Endocrinologist on April 7.

Yay.

I hope he sticks another needle, or five, in my neck.

However, as much as I'm looking forward to going through this...again...I am looking forward to finally finding out the true answer to the problem.

I won't go into detail as to why it may not be Hashimoto's Disease - but suffice it to say that there was a "failure to communicate" - and not on my part.

'Nuff said.

TTFN JMS

It really was strange. And it was SO REAL!

I had a very strange dream last night:

We (whoever "we" were) were at this big fancy hotel somewhere in a city I didn't know. But there were cobblestone streets out front. No main front doors, but somehow we were inside this hotel. I tried to leave, and had to go to this counter, where one would think the front door should be - but it was this massive glass display case-type counter in a "frame" around two teeny tiny Alice-in-Wonderland-esque doors.

I asked the guy behind the counter how to get out and he pushed some button which opened a trap door at the base of this glass cabinet and said, "Through here."

I thought he was joking, but he was dead serious.

So I hauled my butt (and for whatever reason, I was in this long broomstick hippie-type skirt) through this little trap door and behind the counter. There were other people back there suddenly, also trying to get out. Lots of pushing and shoving ensued - but eventually the little Alice-in-Wonderland doors opened and we all were able to squeeze through onto the cobblestone street.

Just as I got outside, and stood up long enough to consider brushing myself off - I noticed a large white Volvo station wagon careening around the corner to my left with a bunch of people I didn't know inside of it. They looked like there were taking the car for a joy-ride! The top of the wagon had been cut off, so it became a very odd-looking convertible.

It suddenly occurred to me that that Volvo was my husband's car! Those people were stealing my husband's car!!! I saw the Princess sticker that our daughter had stuck on the back of the seat and the car seats thrown in the back of the wagon, which only served to reinforce my original thought. Yep. They were stealing my husband's car!

Uh uh. No way. Not gonna happen.

Immediately I was like a ninja (it was pretty cool, actually!) and I leaped into the moving car and started hauling these guys out of the car and tossing them out on the street one-by-one. Finally I came to the driver, who swung the car sharply left and off the road, where we came to a stop. I think he was hoping he'd throw me off, but I was Spider man! I was Superman! (Well...woman, but you get the picture.) I held on and threatened to pop his head off if he didn't exit the car immediately, which he did.

So there I am, standing next to the semi-crashed, newly convertible-ized, great white beast of a Volvo, watching all these guys I didn't know try to peel themselves off the pavement after being tossed bodily from a moving vehicle - wondering how all this had happened? Suddenly, hubby is next to me wondering the same thing.

That's about all I remember.... It really was strange. And it was SO REAL! I'll have to remember to tell hubby about it!

TTFN

JMS

A Long Drive

I followed Bumblebee almost all the way to work today. I wonder what he's in town for? ***** I had about 25 minutes of "Me" time this morning - and it was great! I had the radio on while I was driving to work: Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, Goo Goo Dolls - just to name a few. It was a good thing...and I feel mostly ready to face the day. It's amazing how several minutes, a long drive, and a few really excellent songs is so good for the soul. TTFN JMS

Something's a-brewin'

It's Wednesday - and it's unusually quiet at my office. Aside from the "white noise" that comes from the ceiling, I don't even hear any phones ringing! The usually verbose and volume-challenged manager who sits on the other side of my cube wall is so quiet I hardly knew he was even in the office today! :-) I hear occasional typing. Occasional conversations. But everything seems muffled. Am I getting an ear infection that is making the sounds of the world around me fade away? It feels like something is brewing - and I don't mean the storms outside my window. TTFN JMS

Hire Me!

OK - so even though I'm not actively looking for a job - I would very much like to work in the town in which I live. Please, those of you who know me and know where I live, if you want to hire me in an Executive and/or Administrative Assistant capacity, please please please let me know! I'll send you my full resume to peruse at your leisure. But in the meantime - here's a tidbit: Summary of Qualifications & Related Skills Over ten years of experience in the administrative field * Extensive customer service and client relations experience * Proven track-record of time-management, meeting deadlines and completing projects * Proficient in many standard computer applications including MS Outlook, MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Publisher, MS Access as well as a working knowledge of other applications such as SharePoint, FS Pro (Formatting Solutions, Information Mapping Software), and iGreenTree Hiring Manager * Ability to win in a team-driven or self-driven environment * Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal skills * Typing speed up to 90 wpm So...do you want me yet? TTFN JMS

Auntie Jen

Guess what? Today is Monday. Oh - wait! That's not news, is it? **** Actually I have absolutely nothing new and interesting to report. Nope - that's not really true, either. Wow - am I off my game today or what? My little sister is pregnant!!!!!! I was so excited about my younger brother and his wife when they found out they were pregnant, and then when my new, sweet, niece came this past December - just bliss. And now my little sister!? I'm going to be an Auntie again! How awesome is that? She and her hubby are pretty much beside themselves right now! And so am I. Now I just have to wait until they found out what gender the new little one is - so I can begin baby blanket making in earnest! TTFN JMS

Happy St. Patrick's Day

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind blow at your back,

May the sun shine warmly on your face;

May the rain fall softly on your field;

And until we meet again,

Until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Amen

A whole lot of nuthin'

I just realized that this post will be my 560th post! Woo hoo! Par-tay! Or...not. I have absolutely nothing fabulous to say.................................................. Truly, I have been sitting here since the above overabundance of little dots all in a row, for about 5 minutes now. My mind is blank. Well, more accurately, there are things I want to say but can't say - especially in "public." So to err on the side of caution, I wont's say anything. What is that saying? "If you can't say nothin' nice, don't say nothin' at all?" (I'm quoting Thumper, not Mom.) Except it isn't that I can't say nothin' nice - it's just that I can't say nothin', you know? So, I guess that's my totally useless 560th post. TTFN JMS

CrochetCrochetCrochetCrochet (obsession? me? never!)

I've found a new love and it's called Crochet. I like to crochet every day. (Oh, my head...nothing like bad poetry first thing in the morning, eh?) But it's true. I'm stitching just to stitch and loving every minute of it. My friend MG turned me on to Ravelry.com and I've also found some new blogs that I'm going to get obsessed with, too! If you're a crocheter, you need to check out Scotty's Place & Would You Like Yarn With That? If you're a knitter (which I'm not, yet - but if MG will teach me I'll gladly learn) you might want to check out Hugs For Your Head and KnitGeekery. (Of course, there's always For the Love of Chester - but that one has nothing whatsoever to do with crocheting or knitting - it's just a guilty pleasure! I ♥ me some Chester. :-) ) So if you want to visit me on Ravelry.com you can go to http://www.ravelry.com/people/jshell73 and see all the fabulous things I've created! LOL! I'm joking, people - joke! OK? Really the things I make are not fabulous - but I sure have fun with them! Right now I'm working on a blanket for (well...I really shouldn't say who it's for because she may be reading this!) - birthday in April. I have plenty of time. It's so soft and I really love the way it's turning out. I just finished a little shamrock "fashion" scarf thing that was just fun. I just finished a little purse that was a pain in the rear, but still fun. Oh - and I still have my Etsy site - which is http://jshell73.etsy.com. So you can always visit me there, too! I'm just full of web-presence today, aren't I? So I guess I need to quit while I'm ahead. TTFN JMS

Nostalgia for the baby that she was and anticipation for the girl she will become

Happy Birthday, Little Bit! You are my 4-year old sweetheart! I love you! Love, Mommy

Prince Medley, Kiddo Update, Diagnosis

The most random assortment of things are going through my head right now - the most prominent of them is a 1980's Prince song medley. I'm really not sure where it came from, but it's there and it's actually making me bounce a little in my chair! I have a Dove Chocolate wrapper stuck with a pink magnet to the overhead cabinet of my desk at work that says, "Dance to music, even if it is only in your head." That seems to be a common occurrence with me. I have music with me always, but I'm usually the only one who can hear it, and I'm not listening to my iPod! **** Kiddo seems to be feeling better. He got antibiotics (FINALLY) on Friday and within 24 hours his fever was gone. KAPUT! Thank goodness. By Sunday afternoon he was his usually sweet, goofy self again...and then some. Then last night he had some pretty strong ear pain; it made him cry. So...my official I'm-not-a-doctor-but-I-play-one-on-TV (or, I'm-a-mom-so-don't-tell-me-there's-nothing-wrong-with-my-child) diagnosis is that he had an ear infection. He had a couple days of antibiotics and POP! Whatever was going on in his ear finally "broke" and that's what caused him pain. He was fine again within 2 or 3 hours, but he had a rough night. He did go to school today and his teacher emailed me to say he was having a great day. This is good news, because he was out all last week. **** Speaking of doctors and health issues, there is a health thing my doctor and I are investigating. The short version is that she believes I have Hashimoto's Disease. The longer version is that this is the result of testing done over the last couple of years and I haven't actually gotten the chance to talk to her about this diagnosis yet. The "diagnosis" came to me in an off-hand sentence in a recent letter from her regarding my blood work. So while it's news to me, it's not really surprising. I have done some research and have almost all the symptoms as well as an abnormally-shaped thyroid with nodules that they're keeping an eye on. NO CANCER!!! OK? Really. (OH, and btw, my recent mammogram was completely clear! Yay! So those of you who know my family history should be relieved to hear that.) So while we're still in the early stages of discovery, it seems that we're on the right track and this "disease" can be treated with medication. I'll keep you all posted! TTFN JMS

Sick Kiddo

Kiddo has been sick since Sunday. This makes 5 days now. Yesterday we thought he was getting better because his temperature was hovering around normal. Not so much. He coughed (that deep, scary, bronchial cough) practically all night and then woke up with a 101.6 fever...again. It's gotten as high as 102.6. He's been to the doctor twice. He'll be going a 3rd time this morning, most likely. Per the doc, it's not strep, flu, walking pneumonia, mono or any of the other terrible things kids get. Doc says its "that virus" that everyone has been getting and it usually runs its course in 4 days. Day 5, still going strong. I hate hate hate that he's so sick! It's awful to see my normally active, verbal and goofy child be still, silent and serious. He's pale. He has purple under his eyes that make it look like someone punched him. He's bored to tears because he misses school. Little Bit (who's not so little anymore) seems stuffy and runny - but otherwise fine. I guess this is the battle we all (as parents) fight now and again. But it sure isn't fun; for us or our kids. TTFN JMS

A Letter to McDonald's

Dear McDonald's on the Turnpike in Oak Ridge: I am done with you. 1) You always forget the straws. And the 12 that I asked for the last time I had to go all the way through the drive through again to get one, are gone. 2) That little 6" concrete bumper...thing...you have by your drive-through lane that is supposed to deter drivers from swinging in from the Administration Drive entrance? It doesn't work. You don't seem to understand how frustrating it is to follow the rules and drive all the way around the restaurant to get to the drive-through - like one is supposed to - only to have been cheated out of your place in line by two drivers who think it's OK to take the "shortcut." Can't you put out tack strips? I'd just once like to see one of those sneaky drivers bust all four of their tires at once...just from coming in the wrong way. It would make me feel better. 3) You have GOT to get friendlier people in your drive-through window. At least someone who knows how to use the words, "Please," and "Thank you." One tries to be polite to the order-board speaker-voices, but the order-board speaker-voices are not polite back. It's upsetting and it's rude. 4) I'm not supposed to eat your stuff anyway - so really I only get coffee and/or diet coke when I come through there. This is just an opportunity to vent. You do have really good coffee, though! (I felt it was necessary to end this rant on a positive note.) Sincerely, JMS

Lovely Visual

I walked through the break room at the office this morning and only the warm, amber-colored ceiling lights were on. It was dim and felt cozy - and as I walked through the room I took a deep breath and sighed. It was almost a stress-reliever, that room, which is odd. It almost made me think of a warm, fire-lighted living room on a cold winter's night. But maybe that's my stress-level talking, and anything that is calming (for whatever reason) is a relief. Right now I would very much like to close my eyes and sleep for the next six hours. With my head on the desk and drool pooling around my face. Lovely visual, yes - but there you have it. TTFN JMS

My heart is sad.

It's funny - when I don't write for a long period of time - when that blank "sheet" of paper is in front of me, I have writer's block. There are so many things I could write about that it would fill up a novel - just from the first of December, which I think is the last time I posted anything. I didn't talk about it at the time, but I lost two family members in close succession: my Uncle David passed on October 10th, 2010 and then shortly thereafter, my Aunt Cathy passed on November 1st. Even though they were not a part of my every-day life, I loved them and do miss them terribly. Then last Sunday (1/23), my friend and co-worker lost her husband. It was so sad. He passed after a very long and probably painful illness, so the blessing here is that he no longer suffers. But my friend, as tough as she is, has a very long road ahead of her in the grief & recovery department. My heart is sad. But I'm trying to fill up my heart with good things, like trying to get back into crafting a little bit. My most recent love is crochet. I have made 4 scarves, 1 baby blanket, 1 newborn beanie hat (for the teeny tinys at the local hospital's birthing center...and will make more), a coffee mug warmer-thingy and am currently working on an ambitious project of a full-size blanket to put on my Etsy site. I've made a few flowers. I've made a ring. I'm experimenting with patterns and such - and just generally enjoying this new-found....uh...I hate to use the word "talent" because it isn't, really. My kids are awesome. My husband is awesome. I am gainfully employed, twice - meaning I have one full-time and one part-time job. So things should be pretty good, eh? But still, my heart is sad. And I really, really, REALLY do not want to go back on medication! I guess that's it for now. TTFN JMS

Today, I woke up

It's funny how sometimes you know you should be excited about stuff - at least anticipatory - and you can barely muster the energy required to keep your head on your shoulders? Yesterday, even with the excitement of learning about the "new job" was still an afghan day and I was really "blah" all day long. Today, I woke up. Nothing special about that, is there? Really? But I'm alive. God has seen fit to allow me to throw the covers off again, swing my feet out into the cold air of the morning-quiet house, have enough presence of mind to know I need a shower and to have the balance and marginal coordination needed to take that shower, and also to have been able to get dressed without having two different colored shoes or an inside-out shirt! He saw me safely to work. And now I am here, cup of coffee in hand, ready to face another day. Because it was His will that I do so. Definitely something to blog about, I think! Have a fantastic day - if only because you got up this morning! TTFN JMS

Ah...Sunday. (Day of rest?)

I had grand plans for yesterday, and didn't achieve them. OK - some of the cleaning thing got done, but really, Hubby did that...I did not. To be quite honest - I'm having trouble remembering....OH! Right!! Silly me - how soon I forget! My short-term memory is for the birds these days! LOL!. OK - so at church yesterday "my" kids (remember, this includes not only my biological children, but also the children I teach and others whom I love!) sang "Jesus Loves Me" to the entire 11:00AM congregation! They did an awesome job and I am very, very proud of them! Thanks, too, to Mr. Miller - without whom, none of this awesome-ness would be possible! Good form...I say, yes...good form! (wow! where did that come from?) After church we went out to eat and then tried Hobby Lobby (whaddaya know? It's closed on Sundays!) and JoAnn's and A.C. Moore - but to no avail. I have a suspicion we'll find more of the same at Hobby Lobby when we eventually get there...but it's still worth a try. Then we came home and rested some. Got up and ate some. Watched America's Funniest Home Videos and then, after the kids went to bed, I went out to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1!!! It was AWESOME! Tired today, because I didn't get home until after midnight - but it was SO worth it! I guess that's it... TTFN JMS

(Chanting) Hobby! Lobby! Hobby! Lobby! Hobby! Lobby!

So today, here I sit thinking about my Project 365 Thanks and how after church today, I have to go to Hobby Lobby and possibly A.C. Moore to try to find a red or green PLAIN sweat suit for Kiddo to wear in the school play. (He's an elf and hats and ears are provided by the school!) Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a plain sweat suit? One without graffiti or graphics on it at all? Yesterday, while spending some much-needed quality time with Little Bit (we really had a great time, but it was still a frustrating day), we went to 2 different Wal-Marts, Old Navy, Target, Ross, Belk, some athletic store the name of which escapes me at the moment, Marshall's, J.C. Penny's, Kohl's, and Dick's Sporting Goods...all in search of the elusive red or green PLAIN sweat suit. I posted on FaceBook last night about this, and was given the tips about Hobby Lobby and A.C. Moore, so I will make the foray to those places today. I have a sneaking suspicion that's exactly where I'll find them! It's a little frustrating that yesterday, in my out-and-about travels with Little Bit, I was all around the Hobby Lobby but never...went...in! Grumble, grumble, groan! Anyway - I want to get that done pretty much as soon as Church is over today so that I can go home and clean some. The bathroom really needs it and the kitchen is...well...a nightmare! That's not to mention that the rest of the house really should just get bulldozed...LOL! So, have a wonderful day! Today it's sunny, cold, and gorgeously frosty outside! I'm loving it! I'm not much into being cold, and winter means, for me, dry, itchy skin, and sinus issues - but you know what? I don't care! I've managed to get in some very good sleep the last couple of days and I'm beginning to feel like myself again! It's amazing what a good rest can do for a body! LOL! TTFN JMS

Another year older, but not necessarily wiser

So this past Saturday, I turned another year older. Someone asked me, "Is this a milestone birthday?" Aren't all birthdays milestones? I mean, I know she was asking me if I was turning 30 or 40 or 50 - (I guess I'm good at hiding my true age...which is now 37. To be honest, I don't care who knows it.) - but I think that any time anyone celebrates a birthday, it is a milestone. When babies turn 1, it's a milestone. When babies turn 2, it's a milestone. When babies turn 10 (double-digits!), 13 (official bratty teenager), 16 (drivers beware), 18 (legal), 20 (well...20 years! wow!), 21 (legal drinking age)...and so on and so forth. I am blessed to have friends of all ages, from infants and children to 90-year-old men who still drive every day, and almost every age in between. Not a single time do I say about them, "ah...it's just another day." But, I say that about my birthday: "Ah...it's just another day." Why is that? On my birthday we went to the Methodist Men's Pancake Breakfast at our church where our friend and choir director KM made the attendees sing to me. Slightly embarrassing, but still sweet and kind of fun! Plus...good pancakes and excellent coffee! We went to the Fall Festival at Little Bit's school. We went to Home Depot and found some mums for the front porch. We rested. We brought a bunch of cleaning supplies over to SM's new apartment. Oh - and we went to dinner at Litton's in Fountain City with my sister-in-law and her family, which was very, very nice. Then we went home, settled in, and went to bed! It was just another day, but a very nice one with little birthday touches throughout. And - everyone was nice to me, so that was a plus! ;) TTFN, JMS

Shoot First - Ask Later

I cannot believe that I haven't written ANYTHING since July! That's just CRAZY! Crazy, I tell you! Crazy like my life. OK - so it's crazy in a good way, but crazy none-the-less. (Hm...I wonder if I can use the word "crazy" again somewhere?) *** Some things never change, eh? *** I'm just not even sure where to start - so I guess I'll just bullet-point a few key things and let you ask me questions later. (Hey...bring's a new meaning to, "Shoot first, ask questions later..." eh?) KIDDO:

• ...is now an official Tiger Cub Scout. He's been in for 4 weeks as of today. He is loving every second of it.
• ...is in 2nd Grade! He's having some behavioral issues with not listening and playing during teaching times and just being silly - but he's a 6 year old boy. His teacher and Hubby and I have been in constant contact and we know that we will eventually get this worked out. Otherwise he's doing quite well!
• ...can read very well. He can write very well, too - though his spelling needs work. But that, like everything else, will come with time and practice. He can write his first and last name in cursive and is practicing his other letters.
• ...loves to bring a doodle pad or his "Competition" book (should be "composition") with him wherever he goes and it gives both Mom and Dad some quiet time because he'll just sit back there (wherever we are) and write, or draw, to his heart's content. The kid's actually got talent! Truly. I'm not just sayin' that 'cause I'm his mom.
• ...still needs a bunk bed.

LITTLE BIT:

• ...is back at Nursery School. She's in the same classroom she was in last year because she's not quite old enough for the "big kids'" class. She doesn't care, though...her friends are there.
• ...finally has a big-girl bed! She still occasionally runs up to me and says, "Thank you for my big-girl bed, mommy!"
• ...wants to do everything her big brother does. Usually they play really well together, but every now and then Kiddo gets a case of the, "Get-away-from-me's" and then there is screaming involved.
• ...is 3 going on 13, with all the attitude to match.
• ...has a great big heart and loves hugs and kisses from her mommy. She hasn't gotten to the squirmy, "Kisses are gross" stage yet, thank goodness!

HUBBY:

• ...is still practicing massage and trying to figure out ways in which he can grow his business.
• ...is the best Stay At Home Dad any kid could ever ask for.
• ...is still tinkering with The Beast. (a.k.a. the white 1990 Volvo station wagon)
• ...just celebrated his 10 year anniversary with his wife...ME!

I:

• ...am really loving the Children's Ministry Assistant thing. It's a lot of work, but I really do love it. I love the kids. I feel like if I cannot do this for at least my children, I cannot expect someone else do do it for me.
• ...am still teaching Sunday School...see above bullet-point for more info. It's the same.
• ...just found an apartment for SM to move into here. She will be moving from Florida in about 2 weeks. I am so excited to have her here I can hardly stand it!
• ...am still working for United HealthCare. 'Nuff said.
• ...just celebrated my 10 year anniversary with Hubby!
• ...am really super busy. Thursday's are my self-imposed "evening's off" and Saturdays I spend with my kids.

So that's it for now. I'm sure there's A TON of other stuff I've missed or left out inadvertently....but who cares! I finally posted something for the first time in FOREVER!

TTFN JMS

I'm a bad person

I kill things. Living things! Green, living things. Light and water loving things. Hubby gave me a Shamrock plant for St. Patrick's day and I've had it on the shelf in my cube ever since then. I have been very proud of myself that I've been able to keep it alive and happy this long. Yesterday - the plant was a little droopy so I gave it some water. Not a lot, just a little - so it wouldn't get too drenched and drown. My thought was that once it was semi-happy again, I'd give it a bit more water and then it would be all-happy. Today, I came in and it was yellow, completely limp and lifeless and just dead. I can't understand how in 24 hours it could do that - but it did. No amount of water or sunlight, or lack of water and sunlight, would have fixed the situation. I'm sad. It was given a proper burial - in the trash can. I have shed tears. I will miss my little Shamrock plant. May it rest in peace. Amen. TTFN JMS

Did I mention that I am TOTALLY THRILLED!!! ???

Recently, a friend and fellow church-goer, announced that she would be stepping down from her 3-year role as the Children's Ministry Assistant. (She coordinates ministries for children such as Sunday school and making sure teachers are available, and Vacation Bible School and activities such as Dance and Drama and others...) In any case, when she announced this, I had an "AH HA" moment and quickly discussed this "AH HA" moment with another friend and fellow church-goer who is the Program Coordinator at church. I said that once Current CMA relinquished her role, that I would like to step into it, even if it is just in the interim until someone better comes along or until the Staff Parish Committee decides to change the way the position is handled. (Currently it is a paid, 10-hour per week position, but they've been discussing making it a volunteer position. I have issues with that, but that's not for now.) Anyway - Program Director friend seemed very pleased I was willing to do this and said that she would mention it to the Staff Parish Committee. Long story short (too late, right?) I got the job! At least until the end of the year when they may possibly change its direction. But I'm TOTALLY THRILLED! I know it's an extra 10 hours a week, but I really want this. I believe it's a God-led decision, not only on my part, but on the part of the Staff Parish Committee and that there is a bigger purpose here. Don't know what it is yet, but I will eventually (I hope) figure it out. I've been praying for a way to give more of myself in service...and I think this is a fantastic way to start! I'm currently in training, as I don't officially begin my position until August 1st. I say again, I'm TOTALLY THRILLED!!! Some day I'll have to get on my soap box and explain why this is so important to me, and to others. But today is not the day. TTFN JMS

Kiddo's Bunk Bed Fund

I don't ask for much. Not really. Right now I'm asking for help in trying to get a bunk bed for Kiddo's room. We're getting to a point where it's really and truly necessary to do something about the sleeping arrangements for the kids. Little Bit is just too long for her toddler bed and Kiddo really needs a better bed. I've got Little Bit's room under control - but it's kind of a big secret as to what I'm doing with it. I've managed to spend very little and get quite a bit - though I still need a decent white bookshelf. None of it is at home right now as I am waiting on Hubby to take the kids to see his mom for a week before I begin the transformation. Don't ask me any questions, 'cause I'm not gonna tell ya! But Kiddo's room is another ball of wax. He really needs so much more than she does - but the main thing is he needs a bunk bed. The bunk bed is kind of essential because then when we have visitors, he and Little Bit can share the bunks and our visitor can sleep in Little Bit's room. I don't really know what else to say to explain my reasoning - I'm not really trying to redecorate so much as make sure the kids both have what they need. Little Bit isn't comfortable anymore and Kiddo's current bed is definitely past its prime and should be put out of its misery. So here's what I'm asking. If you feel you can help me with a dollar or two, I've added a "Donate" button on the right side of my blog called "Kiddo's Bunk Bed Fund." I know it's really out of the ordinary to ask for $$ though my blog, but I don't know another way right now. CraigsList has turned up nothing in the 3 months I've been searching, eBay is scary, I don't want a piece of junk from a yard sale - but there IS a bed at BigLots that seems nice and sturdy and it's $229.00. The only other thing is, if I get the bunk bed, I'll need to get mattresses, too...but I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Anyway - just think it over. Thank you, in advance, for any way you think you might be able to help. TTFN JMS

VBS, Power Outage, Found Friend

Today is Thursday, right? It should be Friday. I'm just sayin'. **** Tonight is the last night of VBS and we're havin' a Hero party. The theme (curriculum?) is Hero Headquarters: Where Kids Join Forces With God. It's been a blast. So last night we passed out little invitations to each of the kids and told them to give them to someone who is a hero to them and invite them to the Hero party tonight. There will be a closing assembly at 5:30, then we'll eat (dogs and burgers etc) and then we'll have a party. Our Youth Director rented 4 huge inflatables, a bounce house, a slide, a Velcro wall...and something else I can't remember at the moment...and a cotton candy machine, a popcorn machine (which actually belongs to the church, I believe) and a Sno-Cone machine. It should be a great, carnival-type atmosphere and I hope it doesn't rain. It has been clear and hot and beautiful every night so far and of course, the one night we really need it NOT to rain, it's forecasting scattered thunderstorms. So we'll see. **** There was a power outage last night at my office. About 3:57 PM the air conditioner thumped and shut off and about 10 seconds after that all the lights and power followed. The power went out and 5 minutes later the phones died, too. (I am reminded of something from Robert Fulgum's All I Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten. To paraphrase: "The washer got all lumped up on one side and did this herky-jerky lurching dance across the floor and blew itself up. It was frothing around mouth because I guess I must have fed it too much soap, too. Five minutes later, the dryer expired. Like two old people who follow each other closely in death, so closely are they entwined.") So we set up in one of our windowed small conference rooms and dialed in to the Command Center (where anyone effected by an incident calls in to determine what to do) and proceeded to beat the situation to death. In my mind it was simple: No power. No phones. No network or Internet or email. No Light. No air-conditioning. 103 outside. 80 inside. Send. People. Home. It's already after 4PM for goodness sake! But of course we didn't have a hard-copy of our Business Continuity Plan to refer to. And our Emergency Response Plan was in electronic copy, too. So we had a mad rush to find someone, via cell phone, who had access to that information and tell us what to do. About the time the decision was made to send anyone home who had the ability to telecommute, the power came back on at 4:47 PM. Needless to say, I have several copies to print and bind today. **** I was upset on Monday because I was thinking about a friend I thought I lost...and couldn't figure out why. I was even about to write a little blurb about it on my blog here. But I decided against it because I couldn't come up with the right words. And I'd worked myself into feeling a bit hurt. Anyway - about 11:30-ish that morning, I get a text from her. BAM! Outta the blue! She texted (that's a hard word to say, but not so tough to type) me a picture of the cover of a book in a series she and I have been following. I couldn't really see it so I asked her which one it was and she told me. I said, "Oh, I've already read that one! It's been out for about 2 months!" She'd gotten me all excited thinking ANOTHER one had come out already and I was going to have to make good use of the Barnes & Noble gift card that is burning a hole in my wallet. I called her a bit later on my way back to the office just to say hello and make sure everything was OK with her. She's busy and she said she's kind of fallen off the grid, so-to-speak, and hasn't really talked with ANYONE in months. Sad to say it made me feel a lot better to know that, because I really that I'd lost my friend. I'm glad to know she still thinks about me, even if we don't see each other at all any more! Hey G? You know Eclipse is coming out next week, right? I'm headed to the theater on Saturday night - wanna come? TTFN JMS

What's kicking MY rear this year?

VBS is kicking my rear this year. VBS - as in Vacation Bible School. Actually - it's really not VBS that has me all goofy and exhausted all the time, but it is most definitely a contributing factor. Not that I'm complaining. Ok, see, my very good friends K&NM and family went on vacation and asked me to water their outside plants while they were gone. She had a green-thumb, most definitely, and has some very beautiful plants in front of and behind her house. So sometime between 6AM & 6:30AM every day I am over there watering their plants. Then I head to work to arrive around 7AM - so I can organize my day, get some coffee, use the restroom, and whatever else I need to do before my day actually starts at 7:30AM. Work all day - like a maniac, if I may say so - to get off at 4:30PM. Then I'm heading directly to the church to arrive at 5PM to get changed into my khakis and white shirt (VBS Staff Outfit) and take my place at the registration desk to help check in the kids as they arrive. Then, around 6PM I have to fly over to the library on the other side of the church and do a quick transformation into Super Cooper - the 6.5' tall black and white dog who is the mascot of this VBS curriculum. (I did this last year, too - and had a blast!) It's sweaty and stinky inside that costume, but it's LOADS of fun and I can be a complete goofball in front of who-knows-how-many people. (Side Note: We're raising $$ for kids in India to go to VBS there, and right now we've raised enough money to send 80 children! It's a competition between the teams. Last night we were told that if one of the teams' total reached $150.00 then someone would eat a bug! [That someone, of course, anticipating this, ordered gourmet salt and vinegar crickets!] ICK!) VBS goes until 8:30 and at some point Super Cooper has to shed his super fur and become well..me again. I'm in that costume from 6:00PM until ALMOST 8:30PM and I sweat like the dickens the whole time. Like I said, it's definitely uncomfortable, but I have a ball! I'll do it again next year, too, if Super Cooper comes back! (Side Note: If wearing Super Cooper for 2.5 hours each night for 5 nights doesn't help me lose weight ON TOP OF the weight I'm losing with Weight Watchers, well...then...I think I might just crawl into a hole and hide.) So when I get home with the kids they get into their jammies and get in bed and I get a much-needed shower to de-Cooper-ify. And then I'm doing laundry so my stuff can be ready for the next day. And then I'm laying out my work clothes. AND THEN...it's finally time to crawl in bed. Though as exhausted as I am, I'm totally wound up and can't sleep so I read for a bit and finally, around 11PM, I can turn the light off and be reasonably certain of rest. Just to pick up and start all over the next day. Worth it? Absolutely! I LOVE VBS and I LOVE this time of year! PS: Did I tell you that I'm permanently taking over teaching the 1st and 2nd grade Sunday School class? Just one more thing to be excited about! TTFN JMS

Insight

I've purposefully avoided talking too much about my new job. I honestly just don't want to jinx it. It's a good job, with good people and good pay. I tend to be a little bit superstitious about things and what if...just what if...I say too much? Silly? Yep. But there it is. I'm not the "if-a-black-cat-crosses-my-path" kind of superstitious, though. (And for the record? If a black cat does, indeed, cross my path, my first instinct would be to find out if it has a mommy or needs a home! Come here, kitty kitty kitty!) But seriously, I guess I am just a bit gun shy right now when it comes to my job. I'm coming up on the 1 year anniversary of when I was laid off last July; a time that marked the beginning of some serious depression and self-worth issues. I think I've managed to come out on the other side OK, but I'm a different person; driven. And here's another thing. I don't know what it is about this particular job, but everyone here seems to think I'm wonderful. I feel very strange saying that out loud, to be quite honest, but it's the truth. I'm busy from the second I set foot in the door in the morning until the second I leave at night. I'm constantly directing folks toward things they need, troubleshooting technical issues, ordering equipment, returning assets that are no longer needed, submitting mounds of paperwork to process HR-type requests, onboarding new employees, terminating old employees, submitting for in-office moves, submitting for Work at Home transfers, coordinating employee activities and events and, of course, the usual simple administrative stuff I've always done including setting up conference calls, watching multiple calendars, meeting set up etc.... And paperwork, paperwork, paperwork. (GASP!) I am, in a word, busy. All. The. Time. So back to the "...seems to think I'm wonderful," statement. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out what I am doing differently here than what I was doing at my other jobs. Why is this job different? Why do so many people, on a regular basis, send me thank you notes, or words of praise or even make a point to stop my manager to tell her what a great job I'm doing? How come this is the first place I've ever worked where these types of things happen? Have I come out on the other side of the last year that vastly different? My hubby, and SM, seem to think that it's been a personality issue all along. When I first heard that I got a little bristled because I've always tried very hard to maintain a very professional attitude and be pleasant to everyone as much as humanly possible. But what they meant by saying that was the fact that I have a very STRONG personality; a personality that doesn't sit back and take whatever gets thrown in my direction by sitting down and keeping quiet. I'm a doer. A take-charger. I don't do well in menial (forgive the word, please) positions that don't require some actual thought on a daily basis. On an hourly basis. I seem to be more focused when I'm busy than when I'm bored. So are people afraid of me? Is that what this is all about? The first place I worked when I came to Tennessee...were they afraid of me? Is that why I felt like I was constantly treated as if I were dog-poop on the bottom of the manager's shoe? Why she made a point (and said out loud in my hearing range that she made it her mission in life) to make me cry. I was there for 2.5 years. The second place I worked, in an attempt to escape the first, was really no better. My new manager treated me just the same way my old manager did, except she pretended to be sweetness and light whereas the old manager didn't even pretend. I lasted 3.5 years there...and when I'd finally had enough I was able to secure a job at the place I was laid off from last year. That was my 3rd job after moving to Tennessee. It was a great job, I loved the people, I loved the location, I loved what I did. I was there for 3.5 years until... The 4th job I'm not even going to talk about because it was a nightmare from beginning to end. However what I will say about this job was that the personality clashes were blatantly obvious here. They wanted someone who would sit down, shut up, and never ever question anything. I am most definitely not that person. So, what I'm saying here is that I don't feel like I've changed my work ethic or my personality or my drive. I think maybe, just maybe, I've found a place where I can be my own, special, assertive, and not-quiet self, and STILL do a great job. But, finally, in a place where those attributes are appreciated and encouraged. I wonder if the quote, "I will not go quietly into that good night..." applies here?

Updates

I have an official 1st Grader! Kiddo got excellent marks and comments on his end-of-year report card; he's done so well and Hubby and I are thrilled! The little notation at the bottom next to "Grade recommended for Fall:" was 1st! I don't know why - but that makes me feel good. He is such a smart, loving and wonderful kid and I'm just so proud of him. I can't wait to see how he excels next year. Now if I could only teach him to pick up his room. **** Little Bit is an incredible 3 year old. She has an attitude a mile wide, and a smile to go with it. I suppose she makes up for in attitude, though, what she lacks in size. She may be little, but she's tough, that one. She don't take no crap from no one! (Ugh...that sentence was as hard for me to type as it will be for you grammar nerds to read!) She heads into the "Big Kids" class at Pre-School in the Fall, but she still has 2 years before she can start Kindergarten. I almost wonder if it is worth trying to get her into Kindergarten at 4? Has anyone had any experience with that? She, too, is super smart - and I want to encourage her learning and education, not hold her back and make her bored. I think at 5 years old, Kindergarten might be boring for her, and not a challenge...kind of like it was for Kiddo. **** I'm still working - thank God! The job is a very good one and I'm really enjoying it. I'm busy from the second I set foot in the office until the second I leave at night; they really do keep me hopping. Yes, sometimes it's overwhelming and/or stressful, but I really am loving it. I come home exhausted and nearly dead on my feet most nights - but then the shrieks of, "Mommy's HOME!!!" make all the stress and aches melt away. (SIDE STORY: We had a busy Sunday. When we came home from church, Kiddo, Little Bit and I took a big nap - in my bed. I had one on each side of me, their heads tucked into my shoulders, and we just crashed. It was wonderful.) Anyway, I'm still plugging along. **** Hubby is doing great! He's still doing Massage, and is the best Stay at Home Dad there ever was! He's still tinkering with his 1990 Volvo 240 Wagon; the most recent addition being tri-color tail lights. He replaced Little Bit's baby swing with a big-girl swing; she'll swing forever if given the opportunity. He's lawn-guy extraordinaire. He's just awesome. So I guess that's it for updates. I'll probably have more sometime soon. TTFN JMS

Mary Pam

I've had several false starts lately on this blogging thing. I don't know what's up with me, but I'm really struggling to keep up! I heard someone once say: "I can't get outta my own way!" That's kind of how I'm feeling right now. There isn't anything really wrong, just....I don't know. Actually - I do know what's wrong. Today is the 21st anniversary of an event that drastically changed the course of my life: I miss you Mary Pamela Nolton Greening. Mother. Sister. Friend. Wife. Daughter. She was a lot of things to a lot of people - and everything to others. It's just a "blah" day. I wasn't going to talk about it or call attention to it, but I need to remember her. And I know others that need and/or want to remember her, as well. So here's to you, Mom. I know you're lookin' down on us and I hope you're pleased with what you see. Love, Jenny

The Holiday Inn Bathrobe & an Au Pair from Wales

A long long time ago, I used to have this bathrobe...

wait.

hang on.

let me start over.

A long long time ago, when I was very young, we had an Au Pair living with us by the name of Anna J.  She was from Wales and she was petite and blonde and I absolutely worshiped the ground she walked on. SHE had this bathrobe that was, at one point in its existence, from the Holiday Inn.  It was white and blue and had the words "Holiday Inn" written all over it.  It was just a thin, cotton cover, but I coveted it.  (I'm a Christian, I shouldn't be coveting anything - but...well...I did.  I was maybe 11 years old, so get over it.)  Anyway - when Anna left us, she bestowed the Holiday Inn bathrobe upon me.

I loved that robe!  I loved it because it was something Anna had given me - a reminder of my friend who'd gone back to Wales - and because I'd wanted it anyway and suddenly my wish had come true!  I literally wore that thing all the time.  Not out of the house, mind you, but almost always whenever I was inside, I had it on.  I wore it down to threads and holes and kept right on wearing it.

I really really want another one.

I'm just sayin'.

TTFN
JMS

PS: I know it's been eons since my last post and that this one has absolutely nothing of value in it, but I will post again soon.  I promise.  There is much to tell.

PPS: Anna also introduced me to World Party and UB40 and U2 and...  Needless to say, Anna had a large influence on my taste in music, then and now.  I wonder where Anna is...?

Wildly Random

This last week has been...um...well, let's just say: "Thank God it's Friday!" I fell off the wagon with the cleaning kick - but I intend to get back on real soon. I've been absolutely slammed at work - but it's good to be busy and needed. I'm just trying to decide if it's too much. I'm trying to complete (fulfill) my contract with NRCAT getting Tennessee congregations to watch and discuss the documentary Ending U.S.-Sponsored Torture Forever. Our deadline is May 30 and I'm still 3 congregations short... I'm planning to work some on the storage shed in the back yard tonight while the kids play... I think there might be another yard sale in the not-too-distant future. Um...Oh...there's 100 other things.... TTFN JMS

Shameless Plug

Check out http://www.youravon.com/jennifershell

 

It will tell you I'm "Serving the Oak Ridge Area" but if you order online, you can have your items direct-shipped to you - ANYWHERE!

 

Isn't that cool?

 

TTFN
JMS

Heard Around The House

Well, in this case, we were at a restaurant. Little Bit said something to me, and I answered her. It was a simple, brief conversation and we both got what we needed and/or wanted out of it and were satisfied that the conversation was over. Hubby looked at us and said, "Huh?" - meaning he wanted to know what we were talking about. Without skipping a beat, Little Bit (who is just 3 y/o) said, "Nothing you need to worry about, Dad." Of course, Hubby and I looked at each other and broke into laughter 'cause it was just that perfect. Little Bit smiled knowingly, as if she intuitively understood that she'd said something just right and that we were laughing at her. She was very pleased with herself. Ok - so maybe you had to be there - but it really was funny. Wow - the first edition of "Heard Around The House" of 2010! Can you believe it? TTFN JMS PS: Uncle Dave - hope all goes well today! I'll be thinking about you and praying for you! Love you!

Quick Update

Little Bit has goop in her eye, and though it has not definitely been diagnosed as pink eye, she is on an antibiotic drop. Kiddo is obsessed with his hair. I cannot figure it out - but if his hair doesn't sit EXACTLY FLAT on his head - he literally flips out. Whining and tears and shaking - the whole bit. When I towel-dry his hair after bath-time, he can barely stand it if I don't immediately brush it flat. Is this some kind of OCD thing? Do I ignore it? Do I try to make him understand that it is just hair, and at some point, some day it will stick up in odd ways no matter how hard he tries? I'm kind of at a loss with this. He's constantly running his hand over his head to make sure it's all where it is supposed to be... Hubby is good...though he seems quite preoccupied. It's getting quite close to a date I know he tries not to think about, yet here it is again. I wish he'd talk to me. I might not be able to fix it, but I can always listen. I've got the beginnings of Bronchitis...again. This is the 3rd time since November. Luckily, though - I didn't wait until I was really really sick to go to the doctor. I was proactive (mostly) and went only after I realized that my voice wasn't coming back on its own and this wasn't just a tickle... Now I'm on a good, strong antibiotic and have instructions from "Doc" to take it easy. Take it easy. Yeah. Right. As if that's going to happen? I've got entirely too much to do between now and Saturday when my Mother-in-Law comes for a visit. I'm very excited to see her, but I don't want her getting to my house and deciding she needs to clean. I want her to relax and have fun with her grandchildren. (Oh, and the grand-dog, too. Nalla loves Nani!) TTFN JMS

Thought I'd share

We had Take Your Child To Work Day at my office yesterday.

 

Here's me and Kiddo.

 

TTFN
JMS

Monday Randomness

Hi! It's Monday. As if you didn't know! ***** Have you tried those Pepperidge Farm Baked Naturals Cheese Crisps? So awesome! Have you see the new Clash of the Titans? So awesome! ***** I'm back on my FlyLady kick. If you don't know about FlyLady - got to http://www.flylady.com and check her out. Also, I've started my FlyLady Journal - and if you want to follow my "Reclaiming My House" escapades - you can read the journal at http://ladyonafly.blogspot.com. ***** Well...I guess that's it for today. I really don't have much to say at the moment. I guess that could change in about 15 minutes... Love you all! Thanks for sticking with me even when my posting frequency sucks! TTFN JMS

Major Milestone & Budding Artist

So, we've had a major (well, in my eyes, anyway) milestone happen at our house overnight. Little Bit - who, as I've mentioned at least twice now that I know of, is potty training - slept the entire night in "big girl underwear" and woke up this morning completely dry! The very first thing she did when she woke up was to get on the potty and do her business...and she was SO excited! We're very proud of her! And something else noteworthy (again, in my eyes, anyway) is the fact that Kiddo is making his own thank you cards for the folks who came to his birthday party. He's drawn landscape scenes, dinosaurs, flowers, sunshine and is only about 1/3 of the way finished with them. I can't wait to send them out! Hm...that's got me wondering. What do you think about Kiddo's cards being on my Etsy site? Do you think anyone would want them? He really is pretty amazing for a 6 year old artist. Of course, that might be a biased opinion. And, of course, I would give him any and all of the "proceeds"... TTFN JMS

in just spring... (my little nod to ee himself)

I'm off to see the wizard... (Hmmm...where did that come from, I wonder? And why oh why is it the very first part of this post? Maybe we'll never know.) You know what I do know, though? I haven't posted since March 16th! I now Little Bit is now 3 years old, Kiddo is officially 6 years old, I have a good full-time job that is solid and time consuming, a part-time job (Avon) that is fun and makes me feel good, I haven't crafted anything in weeks and weeks which depresses me slightly, my house is a mess as usual, my kids are perfect, hubby us awesome, and things are basically good. This is good news. I'm sitting here somewhat in awe of the fact that even though I'm tired and there are definitely things weighing on my mind right now, I feel pretty darn good. Some things I'm thinking about that I want to mention; in no particular order:

• K&NM & family have finally found a little house to rent and will be moving in May. This is awesome, fantastic and exciting news and will hopefully be the beginning of a new and more prosperous chapter of their lives. Prayers for them, however, are always still welcome.
• HB is now a year older, having had her 28th birthday on March 31st. Happy Birthday HB! You'll always be my bean!
• CG is also now a year older - but I think she'd probably kill me if I mentioned her age so I'll just say Happy Birthday big sister! You are always in my heart!
• My friend EB and I will be hosting a Premiere Jewelry / Avon Party sometime in June... Those interested need to contact me for an invitation - otherwise, keep your eyes open for details!
• Spring is here and along with it, hopefully, warmer weather.

Anyway - I guess that's it for now. I'm going to leave you with a picture of Kiddo & Little Bit (who is potty trained, now - btw) on Easter Sunday.

TTFN JMS

...Sigh...

...SIGH...

 

Yes - I'm a tad melancholy today.  My family is leaving me for almost a week, going up to my mother-in-law's house in Virginia.  Though they haven't actually left yet, I'm at work and they were all sleeping when I left.  Well, for the most part, anyway.  Hubby was up and helped me get our cars switched out.  He's taking mine because the Great White Beast (1990 Volvo 240 wagon) has an oil leak.  Anyway - I didn't get to hug my children goodbye, and that makes me sad.

 

So I'll try to focus on the things that make me happy today...right?  Isn't that what you would do?

 

Little Bit is potty training...and doing a most excellent job!  She's been in "big girl underwear" for 2 weeks now and has only had 2 accidents!  She still wears a diaper at night - but it's nearly always dry in the morning.  If she has to go, no longer does she go and then say, "I have to go potty!" after it's already too late.  She high-tails it into the bathroom doing this cute little dance and says, "MOMMY!  I've gotta go potty!"  Of course, the nearest parent (and even Kiddo has been known to run to her aid) comes running to help her out.  She does her business, we clean her up and get her dressed again and then repeat the process about 2 hours later.

 

This no diaper thing is GREAT!  We went out after Church on Sunday - all the way to Knoxville - for lunch.  WITHOUT THE DIAPER BAG!  We visited the bathroom twice, but I'd much rather do that than lug that silly backpack everywhere we go!

 

Plus - if all goes well, by the time the box of diapers we have is completely gone, she'll be ready to be without them totally.

 

It's like her little body turned 3 (did I mention she just turned 3 years old on March 5th!?) and all of the sudden BAM! she was done with diapers. 

 

Huh.  It's amazing the things one finds newsworthy or noteworthy as a parent.  I never suspected I'd ever be one to discuss, much less be pleased to discuss, my child's potty training trials and successes.  Again I say..."Huh!"

 

Kiddo is still excelling in school - and specifically reading.  I caught him sitting on the floor with Little Bit the other day and he was reading her "Green Eggs & Ham."  Last night, the two of them, led by Kiddo, were playing Chutes & Ladders together on the floor of her room.  It lasted for about 10 minutes and then he had a meltdown because I told him it was bedtime.  It was instant breakdown, too.  One second happy child playing Chutes & Ladders with his little sister.  The next second screaming almost-6-year old (did I mention he will be 6 on March 26th?) in total meltdown mode.

 

Me thinks this time change thing really has them messed up.  They're not tired at 8:00 right now.  But if I don't try to maintain the routine, even if it seems different, then they will be all confused and tired.

 

Anyway - I guess that's it for now.

 

I'm still working.  I'm still happy here.  I'm learning things quickly and all is well.  I'm also now selling Avon.  I decided to do that because I'm not busy enough.  (You hear the sarcasm there, right?)  No, really.  I decided to do it because I really like the products and it's something I can do in my spare time that I enjoy.  If you are interested in a catalog, let me know.  If you'd rather visit my website, go to http://www.youravon.com/jennifershell.

 

TTFN
JMS

"So...whaddaya think about your new job?"

This morning, I figured out where the mail room is at my new office.  Yeah - I know...seems silly, right?  But really it is a very good thing for me to know were the out-going mail goes; part of my job, after all, is sending letters and such.

 

Someone asked me just a few minutes ago, "Is it too early to tell, or do you think you're going to like it here?"

 

Well, so far everyone has been really great.  The office is beautiful.  The work is pretty self-explanitory.  I like my boss.  These are all very good points.  The gold stars on the chart, so-to-speak, are stacking up relatively quickly.

 

The hardest part of my job so far has been learning all about the health care stuff.  This information will be intregal to my success here, not to mention that there are so many little nuances that I need to know.  But I know I can do it.

 

*****

 

One quick thing and then I've got to WORK!  :)

 

I got a voice mail message at my office just before I left work yesterday.  It said, "Hi mom!  It's [Kiddo].  I just wanted to tell you I love you.  Um...  Bye!"  and then you hear, "Can I tell her?"  and then "I love you, too, mommy!"

 

Made my heart glad.

 

TTFN
JMS

RSOA & Work & Kiddo & Little Bit

I spent 6 hours (Ok...so I thought it was 5, but math has never been my strong suit and it was really 6) yesterday in a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSOA) class learning all about alcohol, its effects on people based on body type/size/gender/medications/illicit drugs/mental health/emotional state etc...  How to card people effectively.  How to cut people off if they've had too much.  How to make sure folks get home safely once you have cut them off.  And on and on.

 

It was actually quite interesting.

 

I got a 96 on my test.

 

That means I get my Server's License from the TABC (or wherever).

 

That means I can continue working at Applebees for the foreseeable future.

 

That also means, because I've made a commitment to them, that I'll be working there every Sunday until Mid-June.  I'm going to have to make arrangements with them to come in at noon on Sundays in May, though, because I have to teach Sunday School in May.

 

I'm not a big fan of this whole Applebees arrangement, if truth be told.  But I did what I thought was the best thing to do when I was unemployed and seeking.  I needed to make sure I had something - anything - coming in so we didn't wind up completely destitute.

 

Now that I've spent an entire week at my new, full-time job, I'm feeling better about the future.  I've got a lot of learning to do about the industry I'm involved in now (Health Care) but I feel surrounded by folks who actually seem to know what they are doing, and are friendly and helpful, too.  This feels like a good start to a positive, long-term future.

 

I'm busier than I've ever been.  I'm definitely having trouble juggling everything.  But I think once the routine settles in, I'll be better than I've been in a very, very long time.

 

****

 

Quick change of subject and then I'll let you, my beloved readers, get back to your lives.  I haven't mentioned anything significant about my kids in a while, so I thought I'd do a quick update.

 

Kiddo is nearing his 6th birthday (March 26th).  I'm stunned.  I'm flabbergasted.  I cannot believe it's been nearly 6 years since he made his way into this world...6 weeks early and raring to go.  He's in the home stretch of Kindergarten and his teacher is very pleased with him, says he's very smart and that he'll be more than ready for 1st grade.  He's reading at nearly a 2nd grade level.  He's drawing pictures I never dreamed any Kindergartner could draw.  (I'll have to scan a couple and post them for your viewing pleasure.)  He amazes me daily.

 

Little Bit is nearing her 3rd birthday (March 8th).  I'm overwhelmed.  I'm a bit sad.  My baby is no longer a baby, she's a big girl.  And a princess, too.  At least, that's what she tells me.  She knows she's beautiful and blond and blue-eyed because I tell her every day.  I may be doing her an injustice by saying those things to her, but they're true.  She is beautiful.  She's also extremely smart.  Her nursery teacher at church has decided (though she's not 3 yet, which meets the minimum age requirement to do so) to move her into the Pre-K/K Sunday School class with the "big" kids...including Kiddo.  The teacher says, "She's just too smart.  She likes to play, but ultimately I think she's bored.  She get more out of class than some of the bigger kids!"

 

My children amaze me.  I feel like the luckiest mother in the entire world.

 

Just thought you should know.

 

TTFN
JMS

WOAH! Is this really my first post of 2010?

I've been out of commission for a LONG time.  Mentally out of commission, I suppose.  After the blow of losing my job back in July due to lay offs, I was able to find another administrative position with a local manufacturing company. This job, too, was pulled out from under me early in January.  There are many reasons, but I believe 2 things:  1) They were looking for someone with heavy accounting skills, which I do not have and 2) There was an unknown-to-me personality conflict with my manager.  That's the simple explanation and frankly, I don't feel like going into too much detail about it.

 

Suffice it to say, losing 2 jobs in a row really hit me hard emotionally and I lapsed into a major depression, for which I am now sufficiently medicated.  I took a job at Applebee's waiting tables to make ends meet, I've kept busy doing some contract work for the National Religious Campaign Against Torture as well as trying to help where I can with a friend and pastor's effort with The New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good.  This on top of trying to find a new full-time administrative position has kept me away from my computer for the most part, and especially from my blog.

 

I miss my blog.

 

This post is an effort to 1) catch my readers and, hopefully, still loyal followers, up on what I've been doing and 2) to reinsert myself into the blogging world.

 

I just started a new job on February 15th.  President's Day.  I've been immersed in orientation and training ever since then and, while it's A TON of information to assimilate, it's been great so far.  Very comprehensive.  Everyone seems very nice and I really like my new boss.

 

Anyway - that's the VERY SHORT version of the story of the last few months.  It's been a roller coaster ride, and definitely not a fun one.  But things are, finally, looking up again. 

 

I'll try to post again sometime in the next few days.

 

TTFN
JMS

Christmas Gifts, Baby Cousin's Birthday, Ralph S. Mouse

You know, I've decided that I'm further along with my Christmas gifts than I thought I was! This is exciting to me. I've still got a few other folks to get something for, but it's nowhere near as awful a prospect as I expected it to be! I guess I plan ahead better than I thought I do! There's one thing I ordered, and I'm hoping against hope that it arrives in time to be gifted for Christmas. If not, then I'm not sure what I'll do...although I suppose it's not a huge deal. I've got a TON of stuff to do this weekend because I promised Kiddo that we'd work on decorating the house. I think we're supposed to go get icicle lights for our house...? I've got to get Kiddo to clarify that for me. I'll leave getting the antique Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus lighted plastic lawn ornaments out to my very capable and creative Hubby. But, though I'm scared of heights, I want to do the lights on the house myself. Or, at least be there to direct Hubby while he's doing it. Inside there is quite a bit of picking up and rearranging we need to do in order to accommodate our Christmas Tree. That is going to get done this weekend come H*** or high water. This Christmas is going to be me making it a good, fun, exciting and memorable time for the kids, which means I need to get off my duff and do it. Does anyone remember the Beverly Cleary Ralph S. Mouse series? Mouse and the Motorcycle etc...? I got the three books for Kiddo for Christmas. I know they're still a bit too advanced for his actual stage of reading ability, but I think he'll really enjoy them. I plan to read these to him a little bit as often as I can. His reading ability, though, is skyrocketing! I'm SO extremely proud of him. He actually was able to check a book out of the library at school this week and when he got home, he read the entire thing to me - with no help. When I asked him if he'd read it before he said, "No. It just looked interesting so I got it." It was about bears. He amazes me. Little Bit, ever the Diva, woke up from a nap yesterday hungry. But, rather than say, "I'm hungry!" or "I want a snack!" (which she is perfectly capable of doing) she simply stood there and cried. Big, fat, wet tears. Snot. The whole shebang. Finally, after Hubby and I got her ready, she, Kiddo and I went out to eat. After food she was much more cooperative and happy. Then we went to Wally-World to get a few things. They wanted to pick out a gift for their baby cousin (Who turns 1 today, by the way! Happy Birthday Baby Cousin! We love you!) for Christmas. So we went up and down all the toy aisles and the kids were SO good! They didn't once ask for something for themselves. They kept saying things like, "No - she's too little for that." or "No, that's a toy for a boy!" They finally decided on one of those wooden puzzles with animal cut outs on the front and a fat knob for babies to grasp? Kind of a match the piece to the picture thing. They were very proud of their decision and I was very proud that they worked together and agreed on something for someone else without arguments. Anyway - I guess that's about it! Have a great weekend! TTFN JMS

Oh...just stuff today. Nothin' special.

Do you know those people who do all the funky things with keyboard characters? Example (albeit a really super bad one) ...**^**...**^**... Ayup...that was really bad. Anyway - some people make these really exotic swirls and complicated loops, tall hills and deep valleys - all using just keyboard characters!!! AND I CANNOT FIGURE OUT HOW THEY DO IT! Who in the world has that much time!? Phew. Ok. Now I've gotten that outta my system. What's new in your world today? I'm really looking for some interaction here, folks! Does anyone even read my blog anymore? Sigh. Feelin' cyber-lonely! TTFN JMS

Small Joys

♥ the first sip of an ice cold Coke ♥ a fluffy bathrobe, warm, right out of the dryer ♥ a freshly made bed with no wrinkles ♥ "Mommy's home!" said with as much excitement and happiness that a 5 and a 2 year old can muster. ♥ a small space heater on cold toes under the desk ♥ finding $$ in a pocket of a pair of pants you haven't worn in a while ♥ getting on the scale thinking you'll be depressed again, only to find that you've lost a couple of pounds ♥ brownies ♥ an Etsy sale (Ha! - had to throw that one in, because it IS a joy...) ♥ Light & Writing's Blog: http://lightandwriting.blogspot.com ♥ watching my children sleep ♥ a hot bath and a good book These are just a few of mine. What are your small joys? TTFN JMS

Thankgiving to Christmas: Call me a Non-Depressed Mommy!

You know what I'm going to do tonight? I'm going to eat wonderful turkey dinner leftovers from last night (Hubby fried a turkey last night because he didn't get to do it on Thursday for Thanksgiving...), cranberry salad, sweet potato casserole etc... YUM! Then know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna clean up and rearrange the living room so we can accommodate our Christmas Tree! I want to find a fresh, real wreath for the front door... Hmmm...I can almost smell those spruce cuttings now! (Speaking of smelling stuff...I keep getting a whiff of wintergreen mint in the hallway at my office. It's driving me nuts because I cannot figure out where it's coming from!) Hubby is working late tonight, so I thought that the kids and I could put on some loud and jazzy Christmas music and go to town. They'll probably dance and run around while I do the work, but I'm sure they'll want to help some... Anyway - I'm actually looking forward to Christmas this year. Usually it's a very difficult time for me and I get horribly depressed. But Hubby said something the other day that was like the proverbial slap in the face (he did NOT, repeat NOT actually slap me). He said, "Just remember, it's for the kids." And he's right. So this year, I will be all about the kids, making sure Christmas is fun for them and that they have a happy, non-depressed mommy. I guess I just need to start thinking about some gifts so there's something under the tree on Christmas morning, eh? TTFN JMS PS: WOW! I just re-read that post. Boy, was it random or what?