2011

2011.  Sayonara!  Arrivederci!  So Long!  Farewell!  In my opinion, 2011 was a bust- awful, horrible, sad, disappointing.  But I will not end this year with the same poor attitude that it showed up with.  I will find the positives within the year of negatives.

New job.
Lots of time spent with family.
Clemson Football... ACC Champions.
Passed all my classes in grad school.  Only 1 semester left!
Our best friends married in March and moved back to town.
I learned a new hobby- knitting.
July 4th fireworks show was best ever.
New babies arrived on both sides of our families.

Happy New Year y'all!  See you in 2012!

Something to Admire

The Husband and I just recently spent the night with two of the most incredible people to ever walk this earth.  They don't know it, but their every move and every word is watched and heard.  They are just that important to other people.  These two folks are loved so ridiculously by others.  Even more, they love each other wholeheartedly and when you are with them, you realize that their love for each other is contagious.  You see it and you immediately know what you want or rather, what you need.

After 64 years, she still cooks his breakfast and he still tells her it is the best he's ever had.  She still tells him that he makes her happy and he still jokes with her that it's because he's perfect.  She still worries about him and he still tells her that she needs to chill out.  She still occasionally tells stories wrong and he still reminds her of that.  He still teases her about growing old and she reminds him about how young he really is.  And after all this time, they continue to keep their promises to each other.

They can still tell about how they met, moved 7 different times, raised 3 hell-raising boys, and created the most amazing family of teachers, leaders, builders, protectors, mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters .  They can tell you stories upon stories about their journey together.   Each story's significance is echoed in how their life has unfolded and how their values live on through their children, grand-children, and great grand-children.  I am as thankful for each event as I am for the two of them. I admire their love for each other, their family, and for their life together- as it all comes from the deepest and purest parts of their hearts.

Sunday Scaries

I have a friend that refers to his as the "Sunday Scaries."  It's the most perfect term to describe that painful feeling on Sunday afternoon when you realize that Mondays are oh so near.  I feel terrible about the creamy, cheesy, greasy, chocolaty, fried deliciousness I have consumed for 2 days.  And I have to have "The Talk" with myself which scares me just as much as Monday does.  "Okay, after today, starting Monday, I am going to eat better.  I'm gonna exercise.  I'm gonna to be nicer to my body.  I promise!  After today, I'm really gonna go to bed on time and get up early.  I'm not gonna watch so much TV or eat so much junk.  After today." 
I get so worked up about "The Talk" and about Monday, that I'll generally have to relax on Monday afternoon.  I can't cook because I'm still recovering from the Sunday Scaries.  That's about the time that I forget about "The Talk" and order some creamy, cheesy, greasy, chocolaty, fried deliciousness to make me feel better.

Good Morning

Aaahem?  Uh.  Hi.  Yes.  Over here.  I'm Mrs. Ummmm. Boys and girls?  Okay.  Hello?  'Scuse me, FOLKS?!  

there. thank. you.

Let the fun begin... 

Where I Have Been

I have been so excited about this post.  I could hardly wait until I got home to share where I have been, because I can promise you- there's nothing, absolutely nothing quite like it.

The last few days I have been digging my bare feet in the sand and smelling whiffs of old tobacco barns.  I have been covered in cat hair and dog hair and loving every minute of it.  I have been eating field peas with snaps and drinking Mountain Dews.  I have been hearing chickens, donkeys, tractors, and the hum window ac units mixed with Grandma's big band 1930s music.  I have been to a place where time is a lot s..l..o..w..e..r.  And let me tell you- it feels so good to slow down.  There's truly no way of explaining where I have been, so I'll just have to show you.

 

 

 

This is where my mama's from and this is where a lot of the parts of my siblings and I come from.  I see glimpses of us from time to time whether it may be in the swimming hole, in the barn, on the other end of a fishing line, or inside a giant magnolia tree.  Now, I even see it in these little faces...

Yep, this is where I have been.

little things

It's raining today.  It's a perfect day for staying in my pajamas, watching Kathy Lee and Hoda, and ignoring all the things I "need" to do.  While clicking link after link and trying to discover if the Internet really ever ends, I stumbled upon this little blog.  It's a good read- a list of all the simple things in life that we should appreciate (like these rainy days that I don't have to shower for)...little things.  Check it out.

Pioneer Woman's Simple Sesame Noodles

I am fairly certain that I must have been Asian in another life.  I betcha that I could take shots of soy sauce straight up and not even make a face.  Soy, rice, ginger, noodles, sushi, sake- you name it- I love it and if it didn't make me swell up to the size of a pool raft, I'd eat it every day.  This simple and inexpensive recipe is delicious and helps me to get my "Asian fix" from time to time.  It is so simple that She (yes, She's that good that I even capitalize her pronouns) put "simple" in the name- Simple Sesame Noodles.

Enjoy!

The Secret to a Long and Happy Marriage // Take 2

The Husband and I have a pretty fun life and we crack up at each other a lot.  So far, I think that is The Secret to a Long and Happy Marriage.  I actually am sure that one friend gave us that as wedding advice- "Laugh at each other all the time!  We sure do!"  Great advice.
We also have some pretty funny friends.  We laugh with them and at them constantly.  This weekend we celebrated Jen and Clayton's upcoming Hawaiian wedding with some our very funny friends.

Oh yes, there were worms.

There were LOTS of worms.

As you can see Very.Funny.People.  Can I proclaim them as The Secret to a Long and Happy Marriage?  Well, that may be just a bit much, right?  But this cast of characters is sure to always get us laughing with them, at them, and fortunately, at each other.

Edislow...

An afternoon at the beach does a mind, body, and spirit good.  Just wear sunscreen.

P.i.e.c.e.s of Me

Growing up Mama always was on me about my room.  Now that I am older and married, The Husband has been on me about the garage.  Apparently, it bothers some folks how I will keep things.  I keep everything from old Tshirts and ticket stubs to old notebooks.  Every time I go to throw something away I think about how it reminds me of some moment in my life.  I fear that if I throw it away, then something as significant as a piece of me will be gone forever.  Since my childhood Sunday afternoons consisted of cleaning my room for Mom, I decided to tackle the garage this Sunday for The Husband.  Pictures from prom, college notebooks, and my students' drawings lay scattered in the garage as I went through each scrap and examined it for importance.

In my college freshman Geology 101 notebook I found a page that if I had thrown it away I would have lost a piece of me.  And no, it has nothing to do with rocks.  (For the record, Geology was the the one class in college of which I received a D.  Who knew you actually had to know more than "This is hard and ugly.  This is a rock.")  Among these old dusty pages of rock names and drawings of rocks with smiley faces I found a letter that I wrote during class (may have something to do with that D).  It was addressed to my "little Luke" and while reading it I remembered my 18 year old version of myself.  I am so glad that I didn't throw away this part of me.

dear little luke,
i had no idea that i was going to love you this much.  i keep dreaming about what type of person you are going to grow up to be and all of the events that are going to fill up your life.  God has an amazing plan for you.  i just cannot get over how cute and perfect your little features are.  when you smile or make noises i could just eat you up.  always know that i love you more than you can imagine and i will forever be here whenever you need me.
"do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
-Isaiah 41:10

It seems like back then I knew more about my true Rock than the clumps of mud and clay I was studying.  And so that sweet little find is exactly why I cannot throw things away and why my room and my garage are forever going to be a mess.  A whole mess of important pieces of me.

Happy Anniversary!

 Well, I suppose it is my anniversary.  It was this week, a year ago, that I was laid up in bed with a broken foot and trying to start a new hobby- writing a blog.  In celebration of my anniversary I'd like to reflect on the things that I have learned in this past year about life and myself.

1. I can follow a recipe.  But if all else fails, butter makes just about everything taste better.

2.  The love my family has for each other is strong and endless- no matter what.

3. I am a great teacher and I love what I do.

 4. I have absolutely nothing figured out, but I can learn from anyone.

5. In 2001, this wasn't exactly where I planned my life to be in 10 years.  This is even better.

To me, #5 really says it all.  Yeah, I have also learned some tough lessons this year.  Growing up is full of tough lessons, but regardless of the lesson- I have learned that I am truly, most definitely, without a doubt, so very happy.

All Love

This mother's day my mom gave me a card.  Very strange, I thought, considering that I have not had the privilege of producing her any grandchildren to date.  But when I read the card and what she wrote, I realized that I do come as close as I can to being a mother 5 days a week- even if it is to someone else's child.  When I stop to think about all those emotions that I have day in and day out with these children, I do see that I tend to regard them as my own.  They bring me laughter, tears, and sometimes disappointment.  But tonight, my boys made me proud.

At their orchestra concert, I watched with a smile the size of Texas plastered on my face as they stroked their instruments perfectly to create music- really beautiful music (in a somewhat off-key sort of way).  Like a crazy mama, I clapped the loudest and the longest.  I even yelled out a "Bravo" at the end when I gave a standing ovation.  They were naturals!  After they finished, they all ran up to give me a hug.  Then I hugged their parents who introduced me to every auntie, cousin, granny, sister, and friend that had come to be as proud of my boys as I was.  It was a great feeling- another emotion- and it made me think of mom's card.  With all of the emotions these kids bring on me, I know the only reason any of it matters is because of love.  And I really do love my children- all of them- just like any crazy mama would.

Worth It

Ahhh.  It finally rained today.  There was a time when I didn't look forward to rain so much- like when it rained out my soccer games or kept me cooped up inside too long.  But now, rain is welcomed. Rain is even celebrated.  Rain reminds you what is underneath all of the muck and that if you hold out through the storm...it'll be worth it.

Her Dainty, Old, Snotty Rags

Inside of this guy...

...there is this girl.  And inside of her...

...there are these.

And these are old. 

 Soooo old. 

And I love them.

 You see, I love old things.  I love my oldest silk pillow cases.  I love our old dog, Bailey.  I love my oldest t-shirts.  I love old jewelry.  I love old black and white movies.  I love older men.  (The Husband is almost 30...well, almost.)  But I really do love these old "rags."  I take them out from time to time and carefully go through and inspect their every square centimeter.

I look at their dainty details and sweet stitches.

  I laugh at the lacy-ruffly ones.

  The floral one always seems to catch me off guard.  And so does this one, but for a whole different reason.  This one melts my heart.

 They don't hold my memories, but looking at them brings me such a comfort.  I will always wonder "When she was wiping her mouth or blowing her nose, did she ever think that one day some crazy relative was going to be fingering through them, admiring them and smelling them?"  I doubt it, but I don't care either.  I love her dainty, old, snotty rags. 

Prooverty

As a teacher I continue to be completely caught off guard by the comments my precious darlings say sometimes.  Today was one of those times.  At recess my girls crowd around me and talk like I am not even there.  Most of the time I'm only half listening because I am also having to watch out for the violence and trash-talking brewing in two-hand touch football.  They can be so competitive.  But anyway, today in my half listening, the girls got my attention when I heard Mikkia say, "Yeah, she got them polka dots on her face.  She got 'em all over her face."  When the other girls asked her what polka dots were she simply said, "You know.  You get them when you are in prooverty."  By the looks on the girls faces, Mikkia realized they had no idea what she was talking about so she began to explain.  I watched as the looks on their faces turned to fear as she went into detail about growing beards and their voice changing.  My girls all quickly decided that they wanted nothing to do with "prooverty."  And after hearing what all Mikkia had to say, I don't blame them.  I don't think I want anything to do with it either.

Anyway...

The Paradoxical Commandments
by Dr. Kent M. Keith

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.

Give the world the best you have anyway.

Bloom

I'm still here.  I've been hiding because of the cold and gray weather.  But I peaked out today just to see the sun and show it that I am still here.