Growning Pains

Remember the old TV show, Growing Pains? I used to love watching that show. It was funny. True growing pains are anything but funny. They hurt. Whether they be the ones in your legs which kept you awake at night when you were a kid or the ones in your heart as you watch your own kids growing up.

It's hard to watch as each stage goes away never to be seen again. When the baby is no longer a baby. When the toddler is no longer a toddler. When the child is slowly approaching those teen years. Running toward them as fast as they can as you do your utmost best to pull them back and hang on just awhile longer. But it doesn't work that way, does it?

Lots of things seem to not work the way I would prefer them to work.

Why is it too, that we never seem to be able to appreciate things as they are happening? It always seems to be when they are over that we realize how great we had it or how we could do it so much better if given the chance.

I remember always being so aggravated at my oldest daughter. She would always, always leave her clothes either in the washer or the dryer. It drove me crazy. Until of course the day after her wedding. When I went to put a load of laundry in the washing machine and there was a load of her laundry. But I wasn't aggravated. I was sad. I started crying. This would be the last time I would find her laundry in my washer. A milestone. A growing pain.

I remember that first year of homeschooling. It was a little daunting. I really didn't know what I was doing. Every morning as the day stretched before me I would meet it with dread. And now as I look to the last few weeks of homeschooling with that same child I'm so sad. How can it be almost over? And why didn't I just enjoy it more in the beginning?

And it hit me like a ton of bricks this past summer. Time with my kids at home is coming to a close. My youngest is almost 15! How did that happen?

Gone are the days of all those simple family outings. Things like collecting fall leaves. Trips to the pumpkin patch. Afternoons in the park. Hunting for rocks. Bird watching. Feeding the ducks. Crafting around the dining room table. Silly science experiments. Museum trips. Gardening. Made-up backyard games.

These are things that defined me for a lot of years. And now I need to find a new definition.

Is this the day I looked forward to when babies were crying and toddlers were whining? Is this the day I looked forward to when sleepless nights stacked up like pancakes? Is this the day I looked forward to when siblings argued and drove me crazy? Is this the day I looked forward to when the house was always cluttered with toys? Is this the day I looked forward to when teenagers where moody?

I think it must be, but I'm not so sure I want it anymore.

Sunday Afternoon Musings...

I'm very blessed, very blessed indeed. Sometimes it's all too easy to play the whoa as me game. That happens when we focus in too much on ourselves. Sometimes we have to stop and look out a bit further to remember how well we're doing.

I don't want to be nor do I ever think I have been the type of person who focuses on what's wrong. I usually always try to find wants right.

But sometimes it's all too easy to have that pity party. I think especially when you're getting older and you realize that there isn't as much time to make things right anymore. Maybe, just maybe, perhaps...this is it! Maybe, just maybe, perhaps this will be all there is.

I won't own a house, I don't have money put away, I won't be taking any fancy vacations...

But what I do have is so valuable. I have been married to a wonderful and loving man for over 30 years. I have 4 children who are doing well and who love me and like to spend time with me. I have a terrific father who is a part of our lives and who adds so much. I have three amazing grandchildren who love to visit. And I have a great son-in-law whom I am so proud of. We are all healthy. And when we get together we have such a good time full of laughter. I love to laugh and I love it when we are all laughing together. I wouldn't trade any of the previous paragraph for what I have just written. I value so very much all of these precious people in my life and I value so very much all that we share together!!

The Adventures of Amy and Alley...(part five)

Amy and Allie have a definite routine they like to follow. Like children they are most comfortable when they know what is coming next.

Mornings are always the same. The heater goes on at 6:45 and it's time for Amy to wake up her peeps. On the bed she jumps with many meows. Alley hangs in the hall, waiting patiently. Amy pesters until her demands are met. When Amy and I come out into the hall Alley is most excited. She may be 77 in people years and her body definitely is, but her spirit is around... oh, I'd say 4 years old. She is happy and excited that the day is about to begin. Me, myself, well I'm not quite there yet.

Amy and Alley greet with sniffs on the noses and down the stairs we all head and into the garage. We collect the can of dog food and off to the kitchen we go, single file. Alley is such the lady, her patience is to be admired. Amy does not like to wait even two seconds. So while Alley lays low on the floor Amy is meowing on the sink as I open the dog food. Half a can for Alley at breakfast, into the dish, and onto the floor. And then Amy finally gets what she has been clamoring for, she gets to stick her head into the can and lick the top of the other half. She can do this because I have a can opener that does not leave a sharp edge and because I am easy. She enjoys her licks while I make coffee. Allie goes outside, comes back in, coffee is made, dog food can is put away, and Amy's chows are poured.

Now it is time to make hubby's breakfast and to pack his lunch, drink coffee, and read the paper. Pretty much in that order. Allie has headed back upstairs and Amy waits for Gramps. She loves to sit on his lap every morning and waits anxiously for his arrival. Finally he comes in and he his greeted with many loud, demanding meows. In people speak I think she is saying..."well it's about time you woke up, now hurry, get your coffee and sit down, I've been looking forward to a lap to sit on and quite frankly I'm pretty tired of waiting". And Gramps is usually happy to oblige, although I think sometimes he'd rather just sit and read his paper in peace.

Yes, those are the mornings around here with Amy and Allie. It's a good thing I'm as into routine as they are...

The Mellow Sound

In a previous post I mentioned the launching of my husband's new radio station. The Mellow Sound...truly a labor of love and truly a laborious process.

My husband's passion is music. Not his own music, but the music of others. And he loves all different kinds of it. He remembers what it's called, who did it, and what he was doing the first time he heard it. That's definitely not me. I have vague recollections of the music I've listened to. I can never remember the titles, the artists, or even much of the lyrics. But I like it when I hear it.

My husband has an extensive music collection. We have cases of actual records in the garage, several racks of CD's in the house, and full music files on the computer. After we were married we spent many a weekend in used record stores collecting ALL of the hits of the 70's. Those finds make up the garage collection. The CD collection has lots of smooth jazz. We are always teasing him about his "no-word" music collection. Especially the Christmas CD's. You'd be hard pressed to find a Christmas CD with words on it in our house. And then there is his mellow sound music, that makes up much of what is in the computer files.

And that leads us to The Mellow Sound. His very own radio station. His very own creation. A dream come true! Any words that I could use to describe The Mellow Sound would certainly not do it justice. But please click on the links and find out from his own words what it is all about.

What I can speak to is the passion he feels for this project and the hurdles he's had to jump to get it off the ground. The learning curve for this as been at times most overwhelming. If not for the help of our very computer literate son I don't think this would be happening. And it's not come easy for him either. There has really been one glitch after another. Every step has been a mountain to climb. But he keeps pressing on. His desire for this is that great. This is a project full of love. He loves to find really good music that few people have heard of and then share it with them. He is at his best when he is able to share.

And I am so proud of what he has accomplished. And so excited for what is to come. And I so hope that you will all give it a listen.

Saturday

This past Saturday was a day of highs and lows. A day of laughs and tears. Not really a day to remember, but a day to consider.

We were going to spend the morning in El Cajon, picking up trash. This was to be our Give A Day, Get A Day volunteer assignment. Give a day of service and get a day at Disneyland. But that was not to be. Our event was re-scheduled due to rain.

So a gloomy, rainy Saturday lay ahead. I don't mind those kind of days...as long as I don't have to go out in them. So a rainy day at home sounded just fine. Coffee in hand, newspaper in lap, morning news on, and the only one awake ( besides, of course, Amy and Alley)...I'm content.

But that didn't last long. The news was not good. Earthquake in Chile, young girl missing from jogging trail, impending tsunami because of the earthquake in Chile...suddenly the contentment of the stormy morning turned into a very unsettled feeling. My world was now eerie and unfriendly.

And reading e-mails later did not make it any better. I learned that an acquaintance of mine lives right next to where the young runner went missing. And I learned that Christian missionaries were under attack in India. I'm telling you it was beginning to feel like the end of the world as we Christians know it. I'm thinking that Jesus will be here any minute to collect us all. It was time for prayer and time to turn the whole mess over and to lay it in God's hands. It was time to remember; "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". Philippians 4:6-7 It was time to feel God's peace.

And I did. And the day wore on. And all of those things were on my mind, but I had turned them over. And I was feeling more at peace with it all.

And then we made cookies. And we all played Monopoly. And we laughed and we had fun. And my teenage daughter texted her friend saying, "I love rainy days, I love hanging out with my family"...priceless!

Oh and I should tell you the funny part. My daughter must think that I am certifiably crazy. My husband and my father were in the driveway replacing the battery in my car. I was in the kitchen making cookies when a downpour hit. I said, "oh, I'd better take an umbrella out there and hold it over them". And my daughter responded with, "oh Mom, don't worry about them, they'll be all right, they're under that big bush you know..." "Ummm, huh?", I asked. "The bunnies", she answered, "they won't get wet under that bush". Bunnies?? I was talking about my husband and my father. My daughter seems to think that I would actually run out into the rain and hold an umbrella over bunnies!! Really??

So now you can see the range of emotions that covered that day. Not really a day to remember, but a day to consider...

Catching Up

It's been awhile since I've visited with you all. Sometimes life is just too busy, not with anything big, but with lots of little stuff. I have been thinking of you though and I'm anxious to play catch up.

I'm sure that you are all wondering how Amy and Allie are doing. Well they seem to be over the whole tortoise/water turtle incident. Now we are on to bunnies. Last spring we had baby bunnies all over the neighborhood. They would dart through the yard when we would walk outside. They would hop in front of the car when we were driving. They were everywhere! Now we have at least two who have taken residence in our yard. One lives in the bush in the front and another appears to live behind the retaining wall in the back. It has become a common occurrence to see them hopping about. They have, in fact, become a regular part of the morning routine. Amy and Allie and I will make our way into the kitchen and Amy will spot the bunny first. She sits by the window watching with longing in her eyes. I have no idea what she thinks she might do with that bunny if she ever caught up to him, but she longs. Alley is too busy eating at this point. But after she finishes she always asks to go outside. And she doesn't see the bunny so I open the door a crack, thus giving said bunny a running head start and then I open the door the rest of the way. Allie sees the bunny and runs! But Mr. Bunny always manages to hop over the wall before Allie gets to him, thanks in part to that little head start I give. I can't wait until spring. I'm anticipating many babies.

You might be wondering why I talk so much about animals. Well I love them, not in a PETA sort of way, but I love to watch them and to interact with them. I do realize that humans are more important, but I also believe that animals can and do bring joy into our lives. That's why God gave them to us. Lots of other blogs I read are by young mothers' talking about their kids and I love to read them. And I would do that too except that I am an older mother with two teenage daughters who have placed a gag order on me. I know better that to tell you all stories about them. And before I offend my other two...I do have an older daughter and a son who are on there own. And I am so proud of both of them. And I have three wonderful grandchildren, but I'll leave it up to them to decide if they want to tell their stories. As for me, I'll talk about my animals. And any strays that might cross my path.

I mentioned my busyness and one of the things that is keeping me busy is my Avon business. I've been working on it for almost a year now and it's stating to take off. It's exciting! I spent all of this past Tuesday afternoon sorting through products, packing orders, and printing invoices. And I'm learning through my mistakes how to be more efficient and that's a good thing. So if you're ever interested in ordering Avon or you would like to check out all of the many new products we have coming out (such as the new Mega Color Rich Mega Impact Lipstick) then please just let me know.

Another thing that has been keeping us busy is the launching of my husband's new radio station! But that story I will save as it is worthy of it's very own post.

Well, enough for now. See you next time.

The Adventures of Amy and Alley...(part four,continued)

I know you are probably anxiously awaiting news on Mr. Tortoise. Well in turns out that Mr. Tortoise is not a desert tortoise after all. He is a water turtle!

He was on is way to join 10 other desert tortoises who are hibernating in the tortoise lady's bathroom. But when he arrived it was determined that he was a water turtle and so he will be joining the other water turtles in the pond in the backyard of the tortoise lady's house.

Amy and Alley and I both miss Mr. Tortoise, who is not a tortoise but a water turtle. But we are glad he has found an accommodating new home. He was a handful that is for sure. He did not like to be in the box they told us to keep him in. He was always escaping. It's no wonder that he probably meandered away from someone's backyard pond. He did not like to stay put. I only hope that he does not wander from where he is now.

Amy and Alley are still perplexed by the whole event. While they were never comfortable with him being here, they were sad to see him leave. And they are still trying to figure out what or for that matter who that was...