Quick Test

I am testing the new-to-me app I downloaded from Google Play. The app is called blogger. This app is supposed to allow me to blog on the go from my android phone.

Also, we could use this test post to test any feeds that are linked to the blog. If you received notification of a new post, please comment below and let me know that the feed was successful.

On this new blogging forum that I am using, it is hard for me to know who receives notification of a new blog post. 

To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure that I am satisfied with Blogger at this point or if I should keep the WordPress blog as the primary forum.

If you have any opinions, comments, or suggestions for me - please let me know. You can contact me through the contact form on the right side bar or by leaving a comment below.

I can assure you that no comments will hurt my feelings or upset me, because I am looking for honest feedback.

Thank you for reading!

Southern Prospective - Soapbox Time

This article was originally published on June 7, 2012 on my old blog

Recently, I've been engaged in conversations about the "north & south".  I'm not talking about the Civil War either! I don't like this subject, but will politely answer & comment. Well...it starts off politely anyway.  What makes these conversations intense is usually the opinions that are thrown into the mix. Very few people can carry on a conversation on the subject of differences of northern and southern people and produce only facts.

I'm from Tennessee - born & bred. I (like other people) am proud to be from the south. I would never say the south is the best, the end all-be all, or even the most preferred place to live, but it's home. I love it here, even though I can't breathe through my nose for the mass amounts of pollen and my car is constantly covered in a yellow film. Even though we have high taxes and very few people who correctly pronounce most of the English language. I still love it!!

East TN has become a melting pot of people from all over. Many folks from the western and northern states have moved here as well as people from other countries.  I'd venture to guess that the population is half native and half  "visitors". Many native folks here have never been too far from home and are not able to travel or are afraid to leave these mountains. I personally haven't traveled much, but I've been out of the state a few times. I've been very blessed to have met, worked with, and made friends a great deal of folks from all over the world while right here in Knoxville.

So, back to the "north & south" conversations...I commonly hear that:

• Southern people are backwards.           Hmm, I try to visualize this so I don't take offense.

I can honestly reply that I've never seen a southerner with their head screwed on backwards. They usually walk in a forward moving motion and many have not only been successful in life, but have led this country as presidents, congressmen, and senators. (Okay, you may think I'm being too literal here, but really, I'm being persnickety.

• Southern people are close minded.        Really? ...all southerners?? I am open to discovering why we are close minded. My rebuttal is that there are closed minded people everywhere, not just in the south. Some people here are incorrectly labeled as close minded because they are hesitant to repeat mistakes. What just happened there? Did I just present an open mind?

• Southern people speak funny.           People from all over the world speak with different dialects and there are places where you will hear a very think southern drawl. Southern drawls vary also. The southern drawl of a Texan will vary from a Tennessean, just as a Georgia draw will vary from a Carolina draw.  Don't 'at make us special?

• Southern people are uneducated.         This may be true with a passing generation of miners, farmers, and people that physically worked their fingers to the bone from youth through adulthood many years past, but school is not an option in the South. Somehow, we have several of the best schools in the country according to the president of the US. Besides, if we are so uneducated, why did you move your whole family here? You must be a bad parent if you truly thought that and enrolled your children in our schools!!

• Southern people are racist/prejudice.        There are racist people everywhere, not just in the south. Not everyone in the south is a racist.  I'm not!! Racism is not just white against black or black against white. People are prejudice in all forms everywhere on this planet! People that claim to be above reproach on the subject, accepting all people are prejudice in some form. Okay...I'll admit...I have one prejudice: People from Ohio driving their RV through TN, changing lanes on the main Interstates right on top of other drivers, without looking or signally burn me up! But that's pretty much it :-) I don't dislike people from Ohio and actually have Ohio on my bucket list. One day, I'm going there with MY RV and I dare any of them to say anything or blow their horns, hee hee...not!

Rich against Poor

Sinners against Saints

Poor against Rich

Saints against Sinners

Baptist against Methodist 

Methodist against Baptist

Women against Men

Men against Women

Believer against Believer

Geeks against Goth

Skaters against Nerds

White against Mexicans

Mexicans against Whites

Black against Whites

White against Black

 Republican against Democrats

Democrats against Republicans

Non Alcoholics against Alcoholics

Drug addicts against the World

Lower Management against Upper Management

Upper Management against Lower Management

Customer Service against the Customers

Customers against the Stock Clerks

People against Mosquitoes - They just want to suck your blood :-(

Northern drivers against Southern Roadways

Southern drivers against more than 5 lanes of traffic

There are so many prejudices that they cannot all be listed. People harbor prejudices against one another for countless reasons and because a prejudice is chalked up to "opinion" it's acceptable in some circles to have those opinions. That doesn't make it right though. Let's move on now.

• People from the South are Hillbillies.       Well, we do live in the mountains and hills. I don't care anymore, call us hillbilly if it makes your life better :-)

 

• Southerners are stubborn.        Isn't that true everywhere you go? Surely this does not only apply to southerners.

 

• People in the South walk around shirtless and barefoot.         Try to walk on asphalt barefoot and tell me how your feet feel. Kind of hot huh? Now, take off your shoes and walk on grass. Nice and cool huh? If you don't leave your yard, why do you need shoes? Men do work with their shirts off, but don't men in warmer climates do this? I saw people at the beach that were barefoot and shirtless. I even saw women that were topless and barefoot!  A person must wear shirt and shoes when in public though :-)

 

• Southern men spit.        Northern men do too!

 

• Southern women need to be rescued.          Really? You've watched waaaay too many daytime talk shows. There are women everywhere that dream of  being "rescued in life", not just in the South. There are also a great deal of women everywhere, not just in the south, that are hard-working and  independent, raising their family! They wouldn't dream of being rescued. I wasn't and am not looking to be rescued!!

 

• Southern people are rude.          This one blows me away, seriously.  Why do people come from all over to be in the heart of our "southern hospitality" if we are so rude? Why did people in the northern and western states label us with "southern hospitality"? Why did they start saying that?  Who coined that phrase? IT WAS A NORTHERNER!

 

• Southern women lie.         I'm pretty sure women and men every where lie. Not all women lie. I am sorry that you have that opinion. It's sad.

 

• Southern men don't take responsibility for their children, stick around to raise them, or pay child support.              I searched on-line and discovered the 9 states that have the largest percentages of deadbeat dads with the largest arrears are: Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Out of these 9 states, only 1 of these is a southern state. Click here for the case study analysis.

There are more statements about southern people I have heard lately.  I've not spoken to just one westerner or northerner.  Sadly, I have spoken to many. I don't bring the subject up, but somehow, it always ends up being brought into a conversation.

My thoughts are: People will always judge others by their own standards. If their opinions are that low of others, their opinions of themselves must be pretty low also.  It's sad :-(

No matter where you are from, have you had a short positive or negative experience you can share about people from the northern, western, or southern states? Personally, I have had wonderful experiences in every state I've ventured into :-) People have great hearts everywhere I've been and I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people :-)

Brother's Love - PTSD Check-In

This article was originally published on June 2, 2012 on my old blog

A brother's love is a strong, sensitive, and unfailing.

While we were on vacation earlier this week, I saw so much evidence of my boys' healing.  I noticed some changes in their interactions with one another over the last few weeks as we took in a new family addition. It is nice to see them bonding once more instead of being arch enemies with each other :-)

On vacation, we went to a small non-commercialized island where we had the beach practically to ourselves. This of course meant we also had the ocean to ourselves for the most part as well. Before the trip, both boys had concerns about safety. Neither could swim and were worried that I may not be able to save them.  They worried about the heat, the sand, the frogs,...practically everything. I think they were afraid of a new experience, but knew I was not going to leave them home - they were going to see the ocean, like it or not!

On day 1 we drove all day and each of us crashed on our prospective beds at the hotel late at night.
On day 2 we drove the short distance to the beach and they faced their fears. Nick coaxed them out into the water as he laid down a few ocean rules. He showed them how to get past the breaks, not to worry about the sand, what brushed against their feet, and showed them the tranquility of body surfing the gentle waves. I was truly amazed. They did it - with no reservations. They went straight into the water, conquered that fear. Later that day, I watched my oldest son write in the sand to his daddy. I guess he was showing dad that he hadn't forgotten him. Then, he wrote to his girlfriend (his name and hers in a heart) multiple times! It was sweet. I had a few minor concerns about their PTSD flaring up on this trip and wondered if they would reach out to my deceased husband. My concerns were confirmed, but not anything to worry about yet.
On day 3 they experienced the beach again, this time with stronger waves. We drove about an hour and 45 minutes to Ocean City Maryland. We went to the beach and the boys were awarded the opportunity to witness commercialization. They experienced mass traffic, city culture, saw what they thought were hot bodies (very little bathing suits and a lot of skin), odd people, live musicians, men and women flirting among the masses, and much more turbulent waters of the ocean.  We spent about three hours on the beach and in the ocean before we toured the boardwalk. The waves were crashing into the beach, the wind was stronger and people were elbow to elbow. The boys approached the water apprehensively. Nick went with them, but warned them about the undertow currents and told them how to make it back to shore if sucked out to sea.
I could see the fear written on their faces and I knew that I would run out there and save them if I could. They feared losing each other as much as they had feared losing their daddy. They feared losing me and were relieved that I stayed on the shore line this day. I stayed with the towels and our belongings. The honesty factor flew out the window when we left our favorite island on Chincoteague. This was wild, crazy, and chaotic.
 
I didn't interfere as they bonded together, encouraged each other "they could do it" and reassured each other that they'd be okay. I can't express how hard it was as a mother to watch and not jump in there and erase all of their fears.

They went into the ocean. Holding hands. Forming a chain of protection as they had vowed to save each other if the need arose. They stayed close to Nick in the water for comfort. Before long, my oldest was waaaaay out in the ocean on his boogie board. He was a natural. He took to the waves like a dolphin. My youngest was not far out though as he stood aside and watched his big brother adventure out into the deep.
They had learned to swim and hadn't realized it!! They had conquered a fear and were not aware. They were out there swimming with fish, crabs, jelly fish, sting rays, sand sharks, and lord only knows what else :-)
From the side lines, I watched. From the side lines I was proud of them and couldn't tell them. They've told me that they are fine if I just help them and not actually say "PTSD" or "Are you okay". My Momdar (mom radar) is supposed to go off at just the right time in their minds to save them from their own thoughts.
On day 4  we were back on Chincoteague Island and we went to the beach at Assateague Island. They were beginning to wear thin, tire down - like a tire going flat.  The hot sun, wind, and ocean water was beginning to take a toll of them. Irritable and grumpy, we promised them a break on day 5.  I saw more sand writing on day 4 to their daddy and they brought him up a time or two in conversation. No one cried, no one withdrew. They were healing nicely.
 
On day 5  Nick rented a bike for my youngest son and Josh to ride around town. My youngest conquered another fear. He learned how to ride a bike! He rode that bike all over the town while Nick and I went to the beach. He conquered a fear of independence and being alone also. He was rather happy with himself that he rode as long and as far as he did on the Island. By car, the entire island can be crossed in less than 10 mins if you obey the speed limit of 25mph. It was very small. My oldest also conquered a fear of being alone in a new place. He didn't tell me he was afraid with words, I read it on his face. He talked to his girlfriend all day (I'm guessing) as he walked around the island.  Both boys are still healing and growing on day 5 :-)

On day 6 the boys didn't want to go to the beach, they wanted bikes again. Nick rented bikes for them and they rode all day through the town. It was day 2 of a new-found freedom and they loved it! On this day all three boys had an argument blow out and they resolved it mostly on their own. Nick and I only had to intervene slightly. They were growing, bonding, learning each other and developing a new brotherly love (whether they realized it or not).
 
On day 7 we went back to the beach one last time for shell collecting. They had all formed a new bond and were unaware of it. Each of them I saw talk to each other, interact with each other, and show concern in a new way.
 
This vacation was a healing experience for them. Therapy could not have provided what this trip did.

Praise you Jesus for your Love, Grace, Peace, and Healing!!  :-)

Island Bliss

This article was originally published on May 31, 2012 on my old blog

We began our vacation travel by crossing over the Tennessee Valley, up the Appalachian Mountains, down & across the Chesapeake Bay, arriving on the most beautiful, non-commercialized, friendly, and natural Island.
This vacation was a learning experience for many reasons & I praise God for It.

This is where we crossed several items off our bucket list, including:

 1. See a beach on the east coast of the US
2. Walk on sand barefoot
4. See a sun set at a beach on the east coast
74. Swim in the ocean.
81. Drive underwater while having lunch in a car
83. Have a picnic on a grassy green medium in the middle of 2 roads.
88. Travel to & spend the night on an island
117. See a lighthouse up close, touch it, climb it
118. Wear a bathing suit in public

As on any island or shore line, Assateague Island has a Lighthouse. It's the pretty red spiral one I kept pictures of for many years. I never would've dreamed that I would travel & really see it :-) Seeing wasn't enough, I touched it too. :-) On the climb up, there are wide spaces made passable for 2-way traffic. Windows adorned those platform areas, each holding a piece of history & an independently gorgeous view. We paid a very small fee & climbed 198 steps to reach the top. Nick & Josh conquered a nervous fear of heights on that day as they made it to the top proudly. We received a sticker for our bravery & were awarded a lovely view of both islands. Wild ponies prance in the marsh pastures below and the birds shared their air space with us in the sky. Peace-tranquility-faith-honor-happiness flooded my being.

90% of the people we met were "back home" friendly. It was as though our southern hospitality followed us, yet the people were much nicer than back home in Tennessee. Every islander had a smile to share & was genuinely happy to see the new visitors in their home town (even on a holiday weekend). Amazing!!

The ocean was gentle and the beach was clean. Even the vast array of crabs were friendly, each one politely moving aside to allow sun seekers a place to lay their towel or step their foot where they trod. I had been warned about the sea gulls & how they would swoop down and borrow any sandwich in sight. But, even they were gentle & polite. They flew overhead & landed several feet away, watching for dropped food or discarded leftovers. From time to time they would get tired of food staring and take flight again, proclaiming "mine, mine, mine"! I was experiencing heaven on earth :-)

It seemed as though everyone had an Attitude of Gratitude for the serene setting on these two islands and I was very impressed by the honesty all over. Families of all sizes, back grounds, and states were present. Even though the beach seemed to fill up, there was still at least 25ft of space per family available each day & some days even more!

I absolutely loved Chincoteague & Assateague Islands!

The Sport of Motherhood

This article was originally published on May 13, 2012 on the old blog

The Sport of Motherhood!







The definition of a Mother in my mind is a selfless, patient, observant, willful woman whom loves children; not just the fruit of her womb, but all. I get my definition of Mother from my mom's example in life.
There are no classes to enroll in that prepares a woman for motherhood. There's no fancy degree awarded once this position has been granted. There are levels that can be achieved, but there is no Final Exam, EOC, or ECA.

Here's my version of motherhood:

• LEVEL 1 (Preparation): mental roller coaster. Begins with conception. Part 1 First Trimester - either begins in absolute bliss & gratitude or anger & frustration with the male involved in the act.

Part 2 Second Trimester - acceptance and love. Love being pregnant. Loves the baby. Accepted the "baby shape" her body took on.
Part 3 Third Trimester - ends in absolute bliss & gratitude or anger & frustration with the male involved in the act.

• LEVEL 2 (Trial Run, warm-up, Beta phase)

This level is inevitable. All new mom's know everything, yet know nothing. Receiving unsolicited advice not acceptable, yet asking questions is. During this test run, babies are accidentally scratched, bumped, diapered too loosely or tightly, baby poops on the last clean outfit & is destined to hang out in the buff cutely, formula is mixed wrong, the blanket is forgotten in Spring/Autumn/Winter, and the bottle runs out before mom makes it back home for more. (Not everyone breastfeeds.) During all events, mom looks around to determine if anyone saw her & is deeply embarrassed even though each oops is private & unnoticed! She learns from each mistake and grows.

• LEVEL 3 (Dentistry & Theater)

During this level, use of recently acquired cry decoding skills are tested. Mom may think she's failing. Baby needs mom - clingy yet squirms when held. Many new acts & scenes are created to satisfy baby. New voices, faces, dancing & twirling, musicals are performed. Accents are developed & mom begins to speak baby to adults unknowingly. Once the culprit is discovered (evidence of tooth or fever, unsolicited advice is given, or grandma steps in) mom is determined to help the teeth make an entrance! Many dental therapies are attempted (gels, ice, rags, toys, massage, pacifier, etc). After 1st & 3rd tooth arrive, mom's an expert!

• LEVEL 4 (Case Study/Analytics)

Testing commences on food studies. New cereals/foods are introduced. Gag reflexes are studied and results are documented and shared. During Pediatric check-up results are proudly delivered. Poop Analytics begin. More unsolicited advice is administered.

• LEVEL 5 (Olympic Training)

Several new sports are mastered.
A. One hand hip hoist - picking up baby from floor with one hand free
B. Hurdels - running & jumping from one side of the house to the other while jumping gates, toys, or sippy cups to reach baby just in time before certain disaster.
C. Diaper Dash - changing diaper quickly in public before anyone notices...or smells it.
D. Clean Sweep - leaping, running, crouching, and reaching quickly to tidy the house when unexpected company or guests arrive
E. Spelunking - skill of saving baby from heights (cabinets, refrigerator, tables, stairs, or banisters at incredible speeds
F. CrossCountry Running - Running at gravity defying speeds to catching baby across a yard, field, park, or grocery/retail store.
G. Geocaching - locating a sippy cup/pacifier when dropped or thrown into a field, thicket of brush, driveway, park landscape, or retail store dump bin of merchandise.

• LEVEL 6 (Literature and Audiology)

Reading to toddler. Teaching new words & phrases. Baby learns to mock & repeat...everything. Embarrassing and unsolicited phrases acquired from other children & family members. Baby repeats said phrases in public or church. Mom buffers impact, apologizes & corrects baby.

• LEVEL 7 (Electrical Engineering)

Learns how to revive electrical devices after food, slobber, water, or impact damage. Items include VCR, DVR, DVD player, MP3, IPOD, cell phone, remote controls, PDA, etc)

• LEVEL 8 (Gymnastic Floor Exercise)

Lego high stepping, lil green army men dodge, baby gate hopping, toy reach, baby swing, and toy ducking.

• LEVEL 9 (Acceptance, Accolades & Admission)

This level occurs multiple times: Daycare, Preschool, Kindergarten, Middle School, High School, Driving, Graduation of any form, College, Engagement, Marraige, Grandchild announcement.


To sum it all up, mothers are a special breed of people. Any woman can morph into this status, if she is selfless.

Happy Mother's Day Mommy! I love you :-) 
*Photography by KD Photography 

Silence

This article was originally published on May 9, 2012 on the old blog


Without a word, you spoke to me.

Without a gesture, I understood.


You tried so hard, yet I was blind.


Every breath carries an explanation.


Do you hear?                     Silence caresses your ears and delivers a gift.


Peace, Love, and Grace.

What do you want for Christmas?

You gave it to me.

What do you want for Valentine’s day?

I have enough already.

What do you want for your birthday?

I already have it.

What would you like for Mother’s day?

I’ve had it all along. You’re love will do just fine

Peaks and Valleys - part 2

This article was originally published on February 18, 2012 on the old blog


Week Eight of home repairs ends in many huge Thanks. The Lord has blessed us once more with progress and much needed hardware :)

Last week & this week I spent much time at the swamp tearing out more walls and dividing salvageable items from ruined. Being able to borrow my dad's truck to haul off demolition material & trashed possessions was a huge blessing. The gratitude I have for my health increased greatly when I realized how much was getting accomplished :-)

With the largest majority of the walls stripped to studs, the guys working can get to the additional areas that need repair and the electrician can continue to rewire the house.

On Monday, I was blessed to meet some kind-hearted people at my son's school. On Wednesday, I found a cute little bathroom vanities at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Maryville. For under $70 we have vanities, Praise God!


When I left that location, I stopped by another location on the chance there may be affordable kitchen cabinets. I had never realized how expensive kitchen cabinets were until I attempted to locate some that would fit our tiny budget. God blessed us again though :-)

At the other location, I found a set in decent shape for a more than reasonable price. I walked out of there a happily blessed owner of cabinets for less than $340 (tax included)!! Overcome with thanks and praise to God, I happily drove to pick the kids up :-)




After acquiring my oldest son, I drove to pick up my youngest. He had an envelope for me. When I opened it, my oldest son began to cry & I teared up also...there was a gift card from a local grocery store inside the envelope with $100 loaded onto it!! Yet again I was praising God for loving us so sweetly. My hope increases!

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My Amazing Stranger

This article was originally published on January 28, 2012 on the old blog


Occasionally through life, we are granted the gift of meeting extraordinary people.

Smokey's Baseball Game 2010

As we sail through life, it's easy to forget some of those people who made an impression on our lives in a small way. Like an amazing stranger that you never see again. Life gets busy, booked up, full of working hours, too many things on our "to-do" lists, people go home (busy) each evening and watch TV for several hours...until they retire for the night. We simply just do not have the time to think about someone we met briefly many years ago that made a tiny impression on our day. I am guilty of this as well as others are. So, this morning I have thanked God for several chance encounters I've had with people over the years. (I've been working on my memory since July of last year and recovering those lost memories has been progressing as I sift through pictures. I take pictures so often, there are many to remind me about specific days. Especially if there was an emotion attached to a photograph...and, I'm a chick...so their's ALWAYS an emotion.) 

In the "Fan" section directly above the players.

I remember the first baseball game we attended. I didn't know the real rules of the game, so I kept asking a friend (who sat 4 seats away with 2 empty seats in-between us) why different things were happening. He was frustrated, frowned a lot, and finally said, "Look, I came here to WATCH a game. Okay"? I smirked and thought to myself, "Fine, I'll ask someone else :-P ".   I looked around, observed most of the women were melting in multiple layers of make up, stumbling up and down the stadium steps in high heels, and only talking to other women. The men that sat near or next to them were holding a beer, hot dog, or pop and staring straight ahead at the game. The men were focused and the ladies were socializing in the sweltering heat. The men occasionally gave a head nod or fake smile to the women. This seemed to make those women very happy (or at least they smiled big and chuckled loudly).

So, I turned to my oldest son & told him I'd be back in a few minutes, stay put. He nodded. You see, both of my boys had asked me questions about the game, trying to learn it as well & I couldn't answer their questions!  :-(  My dad never really watched sports or played any, so my brother wasn't into any sports either. My mom... Are you kidding?  I had to learn them on my own. I squeezed out of the row of seats and went up the steps to the vending areas. I walked around for a few minutes, watching people interact with each other. Most of the men were in their own world's. As they walked, went in & out-of-doors, ordered food, or were going up & down the steps... their minds were on the game - I mean like total game zombies.

That's not a bad thing either, but I needed to find someone who was into the game enough that they could answer some simple questions, yet, I wouldn't be dangerously snapping them out of another reality into mine so sudden it resulted in brain damage or a scream at me!  :-)   From observation, I could already tell the other women had already scarred the men's mindset: "Will she ever shut up? I just wanna watch this game. Why does she come with me? I'm not flirting with any one. Geez!!"

I found one!! A very slender older man wearing a green shirt was standing in the 2ft X 3ft smoking section. He was staring at the field, but there was nothing going on down there. The game had like, paused. I lit a cigarette and stirred up the courage to say, "Hi, would you mind if I asked you some really dumb questions before the game gets started back?" He looked at me oddly and answered, "I guess."  I said, "Great! Thank you. Can you keep up with me if I go really fast- so you can watch the game?" He looked at his shoes, took a deep breath & said "Sure."

So, off I went:
Me: "Why is that guy on the mound throwing the balls away from the guy with the bat? Doesn't he want the guy to hit the ball?"
My Amazing Stranger: "Strikeout. Pitcher wants to only barely stay within boundries...wants batter to swing & miss."
Me: "Oh... Why Are the guys waaay out in the field running so far & hard to catch balls that going to land near their own players closer up the field? Why doesn't the other player just get or catch it?"
My Amazing Stranger: "guard the base. don't leave it" ...taps finger on chin... "Or lazy player and over compensating player."
Me: "hmm, okay...why so many intermissions?
My Amazing Stranger: "Drink Beer, gotta pee"
Me: "Thank you! Am I bothering you?"
My Amazing Stranger: "No"
Me: 'Why are there so many people over on that bank past the outfield?"
My Amazing Stranger: "It's free. You can't see the game."
Me: "What's an inning?"
My Amazing Stranger: "the # of times a team is in the field/at bat"
Me: "How many are there?"
My Amazing Stranger: "9"
Me: "Tired of the questions yet?"
My Amazing Stranger: "No, but the game will start soon."
Me: "Okay, Who are the good guys?"
My Amazing Stranger: a got a chuckle out of him.."There are no good or bad guys. The Smokies are in white shirts and pants."
Me: "hm, yeah that's what I meant to say."
***Queue the Awkward silence***
Me: "Will you be back to smoke soon?"
My Amazing Stranger: "In 2 more Innings."
Me: "Could I come ask you more questions as my kids ask me?"
My Amazing Stranger: "Yes"

And with that, he put out his cigarette and went away. We met two more times and I asked probably 30 more questions about the game, players, and things they did on the field. Each time he didn't seem aggravated or bothered by my questions. I think that he understood that I really wanted to learn the game we were watching and that the questions he answered, I told my boys when we parted.  That was when I added the Reds to my bucket list. My Amazing Stranger was from Cincinnati  :-)

Christmas Eve...eve

This post was originally published on December 24, 2011 on the old blog

"Good Morning. Merry Christmas Eve...eve", I hear as I open my eyes. With a huge smile I reply, "Silly!"

I am as happy as a school girl. The boys are happy and smile now more than I have seen them smile in 2 years.  The last 3 weeks have been sweet, loving, honest, and pure. I feel again. I am alive. The world has color and fragrance.
Hours later, I hear.....

"The problem is we spend so much time talking each morning, it throws our plans off for the day."

But why? Why is this a problem? Isn't life sweet? Aren't you happy? Don't you smile now more than you have in a long time?

Stop. Think. Laugh. Love. 
Then you could Hug :-)
Life is so much more  :-)


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Back to the List!

This article was originally published on December 15, 2011 on the old blog


This past weekend, the boys & I were blessed to mark another item off our bucket list! #25 was to take the boys to Gatlinburg, TN around Christmas time. I wanted them to see the lights & have a good time & they sure did!

The boys experienced many firsts. They rode go carts, played in a huge arcade, walked the streets in Gatlinburg, admired the lights, stayed in a hotel, swam in a pool in the middle of winter, & got in a whirlpool. Cole gassed us after eating BBQ(shew!) and Nicky bought at least 10 new tiny bouncy balls (we won't go there).  We met celebrities (cardboard), acted out scenes with Droids, posed in silly hats, & discovered Santa carries a double barrel sawed off shotgun! Cole & I got henna tattoos. The boys spent $5 to get me a toy outta various claw machines.

What a great adventure :-) I'm so glad we got back to the list! And I am thankful that God has blessed our lil family again :-)























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PTSD & Deception = Backwards Progress

This article was originally published December 1, 2011 on the old blog


The mind is a precious, tender, and special thing. When dealing with PTSD & Deception it can = backward progress. On Thanksgiving day, just before midnight, I received some devastating news. This news would affect more than just me personally, it would affect my boys, their sisters, and aggravate their PTSD.
I will not share the details of this news, as the news itself is not important. The type of news is the key point.
Deception, deceit, lies...

When a person is healing from PTSD, their mind is rerouting thought patterns, memories, perception of people, places, and things. This healing time is fragile and if lies, deceit, or deception enters...it could completely reverse the healing process.

If you are personally healing from PTSD you understand how important reality & the truth are. If you are standing along side someone healing through PTSD, you should NOT allow, implant, or produce deception, lies, or deceit in any situation.

The truth is always the best medicine. Sometimes, good people make bad decisions. Sometimes, bad people make good decisions. Sometimes, people good or bad assume that someone healing can't handle the truth. This is completely false. The truth will help heal and benefit someone struggling with PTSD. The truth is not always pretty, fun, or joyously delivered. But, the truth is always the best choice!

If you choose to be that solid foundation, that rock for the healing person to lean on, you must do it truthfully.  If you do not... PTSD & Deception = backward progress :-(

God has held my boys & I in his gentle loving hands and protected us for many years. The day I received the news of a year & half of deception...My God was there to catch us when we were weak kneed and almost fell backwards.

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What Legacy Will You Leave?

What Legacy Will You Leave?

This article was originally published on September 2, 2011 here.

Last night my boys & I attended a funeral service for my Aunt Patsy. The minister spoke of how she was always smiling, the love she spread, protective nature, & her deep seated faith in our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ (the Legacy she Left).

I wondered how the funeral service would affect the boys. This was their first funeral service since losing their dad in October of 2009. It was difficult for them.

Aunt Patsy's funeral was totally different than their daddy's for many reasons though. The biggest reason being everyone in the family, distant or close, knew the status of Aunt Patsy's relationship with God. Her funeral really was a celebration of her life!! What Legacy Will You Leave? The boys' father very rarely spoke of faith or of any personal convictions for Salvation. When he passed, there was no celebration, only great sorrow. All hoped he went to a better place, but there was great doubt.

Aunt Patsy was full of life and the fruits of her faith were & are so very obvious!! Her Legacy was strong and prevailed.

When it is your time to part from this life, how will your obituary read? What will others stand around & remember about you? What words will they use to describe you?  

It all suddenly clicked for my boys!!

What Legacy Will You Leave?


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Fake Women?

Originally published on July 24, 2011 on Chrissy Adventures

I keep trying to remember and fill in the black holes of my life that I have lost. I don't know why I'm so obsessed with figuring out who I am, what made me who I am, and how I came to this place in life. It's not a bad place to be, so why does it trouble me so much to remember?

Maybe what I've lost are bad memories and I shouldn't pursue them. Maybe I'll be happier not knowing. Maybe, who I am right now is more important than who I was? Maybe all of these maybes are driving me mad!

I instant messaged a friend last night because her smile was so engaging. I thought I must know her well because I was drawn to her like a magnet. She couldn't believe that I didn't remember much about her. I told her I read about hitting my head, so that may be why I couldn't remember much. She must have fallen asleep at her keyboard, because she was typing and just stopped. I got my pictures down & my high school yearbooks to find her. There she was, flaunting that same engaging smile. As I flipped through the book, a note fell out. It was her handwriting. Studying the bubbly circles and loops, I began to remember a little.
I remember she was always smiling. She was outgoing, witty, and great at conversation, but terrible at writing, so I wrote her English papers. She befriended everyone and anyone. She could strike up a conversation with a random stranger. I remember she was the first female friend I had ever trusted. She was genuine and it never occurred to her to be fake. I remember this is why I liked her. She was truly the first female best friend I had ever made.  

Evidently being raised around mostly men, I'm assuming I had trust issues with women. Maybe I still do? Women are fake by nature. I've noticed this just since hitting my head. Perhaps I've always felt this way?
What causes a woman to lie about little things that are not necessary to lie about? They lie to each other & SMILE while they do it.

Just the other day, I heard a woman tell another that she looked great in her outfit. The complimented lady was embarrassed by such an unexpected comment, face reddened a little, then she graciously thanked her, turned and left. Once the other woman was gone, the compliment giving woman turned on the lady while speaking to another woman. "Oh my God, can you believe she's wearing that dress? Her butt looks huge. People like that should dress in their size, not their children's." The other woman replied, "I know! Did you see her hair? Her face is too fat for that haircut. Her double chin is, like, huge now!"

At first, I had a flash back of high school, then it occurred to me that these women were bred this way. Will a tiger never change its stripes?

From what I can remember, a lot of the women I have met were "nice" to each others' faces, but ripped each other to shreds once their backs were turned. Why?

I've witnessed this a lot recently. It's not only confined to appearances. This mindset is wide spread, covering discounting someone's accomplishments, clothing, make up-- to when another woman speaks. It festers, bleeds, and spreads like a virus among women.

Could this primal rage instinct come from the constant comparisons that are made of little girls to Barbies, models, or each others accomplishments? Are girls taught that to be worthy of something great in life, they must stomp out the competition? Do parents realize the consequences of the learned behaviors their children adapt from observation?

I'm a parent & by no means am I perfect. I'm sure my boys are as twisted as the next. My intentions are not to come across as hypocritical. These are just thoughts flowing through my mind as I strive to recover my memories and remember why I am who I am.

I have to say, it does sadden me.

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Only a Mother Could Handle This!

This post was originally published on my primary Blog at Chrissy Adventures at WordPress.
 Join me on my primary blog!


******Warning******This post may induce vomiting

Some people are born with an iron stomach. They can eat anything, smell anything, touch anything and seemingly nothing grosses them out. Others have a very touchy queasy tummy and just can't handle disgusting smells, tastes, or consistencies. These people have what we call a weak stomach. Around here, we have a combination of both kinds ;-)

A few nights ago, my husband and I were watching television in the bedroom. The kids were off doing their own things (playing video games, doing homework, and watching television in the living room).  In the bedroom we were watching Click. It's such a touching comedic movie about how much family and time with loved ones means more than time spent at work making a living.  Here's how the last 2 minutes played out...
Just as Adam Sandler falls to the ground outside the hospital trying to get his son's attention we hear a tiny knock on the door. We ignored it, both thinking once the kids don't hear us answer, they'll wait till the movie has finished. Afterall, this is the touching part. I'm crying and my husband is tearing up too.

Adam Sandler's son runs to him and the rest of the family is surrounding him on the pavement, covering him with umbrellas to keep the rain off him. We hear another tiny knock on the door. " Surely, they can wait till the movie ends", we both think. Several more tiny timid knocks on the door in a row...My husband jumps up, cracks the door and says very quickly, "we're watching a movie. It's almost finished. We'll be out in a minute, Okay?" He shuts the door and sits back down. We finish the movie and Nick says, "Well, let's go see what the boys wanted. XXX had a sad bewildered look on his face."

My husband beats me to it. He's standing in the hallway talking to XXX (my oldest son). "What's going on?"  My oldest answers, "I got sick." My husband cautiously walks to the other end of the hallway as if he's scouting out new territory and peeps around the corner. "C H R I S S Y!!!" He calls to me. About this time I'm in the Hallway on the other end. There's about 15ft between he and I and I hesitate..."What?"
"OH my GOSH, It's horrible. Come here. Oh my...what happened again?" he replies.

"Great, I guess I'd better go", I think to myself. I made my way to the end of the hallway and I see XXX standing there with the most pitiful look on his face. He's pale, sad, and dismayed. I also see a mop bucket and smell the problem. It's nasty...it's vomit...with nasty chunks in it and it's EVERYWHERE. I could tell he attempted to make it to the restroom, but only made it to the door about 7ft shy of his target (the toilet). It dawned on me that we put off answering the door to finish that awesome movie about how important family is and in the process neglected some family right here. How ironic!

"Why are you using a mop to clean up chunks son?" I ask.  Suddenly I hear the other two boys as they peeked out the door of their bedrooms. From the distance I hear, "Hey, yeah...we tried to help him. We gave him the mop and the bucket."

"What?", I exclaim, "you gave him the bucket and mop, then abandoned him? This has been here for at least 10 minutes. This is not fresh. You can't mop up something chunky!!"
"Yeah, well, we don't want to get sick," another son replies as he speaks through his hand covering his mouth. The bedroom door shuts and they disappear. I hear gagging from their room.

My husband just stands there, mesmerized by the puke. Mouth gaping open, trying to figure out how one person could vomit so much in only one event. He even begins to scratch his head and mumble out loud about it. "It looks like there's a dead chopped up body in the floor. What did you eat XXX? How can one person do this much? Oh yuck, it's on the walls all the way in here too. It stinks. Gross. What did you say you ate?" He went on and on...

Rubbing XXX's shoulder, I say "XXX, if you feel better now, please go to your room and lay down. I'll finish cleaning this up." XXX goes to his room saying, "I'm sorry" over and over again. "Don't be sorry honey", I answered his mumbles.

I began gathering the supplies I would need to clean up the nasty mess and my husband is still mumbling trying to figure out what XXX ate. At this point I wanted to burst into laughter, but I was still upset with the other 2 boys that knew very well the mop and bucket would just make a bigger mess. Just as I had almost gathered everything I would need and had removed the bucket and mop, I hear my husband begin to gag.
In my head I'm thinking, "Who wants Chowder?"

He ran to the kitchen sink. He gagged over and over again, but didn't vomit (Thank God! If he had, I would be cleaning the kitchen sink too.) I began to remove the chunks and dispose of them.

About 1/2 way through the chunk removal, my husband says, "Oh yuck, it's in the cat's bowls. Just throw them away." I just kept on cleaning. "It's on the walls Chrissy!" he says. I kept on cleaning. "Honey, LOOK! It's all the way over here too! Just throw that rug away."  I kept cleaning.

In my head, I'm thinking "Who cares what he ate? Thanks for showing me it's in other rooms though. Why are you freaking out?" He gagged a few more times, but I must give him props, he stayed right with me until I was completely finished cleaning the hard wood, the tiles, the base boards, the walls, the toilet, the sink, the hallway, and parts of the living room. He gagged, all three of the boys gagged, but we all survived and no one else got sick!

All this I found comedic because of the irony of the movie vs what my son was trying to tell us, the younger boys hiding in their rooms and abandoning their older brother, XXX gagging as he was trying to clean up his own mess, my husband's odd chatter and wanting to throw everything away, and the cat's reaction was funny too. He paced the floor for over an hour meowing loudly because his precious food bowl and water dish were contaminated!  Between these boy, my husband, and this event - it's a real wonder that I didn't go ape crazy! 

I guess God gives mother's an iron stomach to deal with their families daily. I just never appreciated before how iron my stomach is.

Do's and Don'ts of Cooking

Originally published at Chrissy Adventures at WordPress

Anyone that knows me knows that I am not a fabulous cook. I have never claimed to be. I try though and somehow the boys all seem to be very healthy. Once upon a blue moon, my favorite hang out place was the kitchen. I stayed in there practically all day. If I wasn't cooking, I was cleaning, or sitting at the table reading or paying bills.
Over the years, I have had some serious fiascoes in the kitchen.  In the past, I would deny my bloopers, but the more I think about them - I think hey why not share? After all, I may not be the only under-achieving cook out there.

Do: Make sure you have all the ingredients before you begin cooking.

Don't: neglect this small yet very important 1st step, you may be running out to a close by local small store to buy important items like (cheese, milk, bread, the main ingredient)

Do: Announce to everyone in the house that you need the kitchen all to yourself if you have a small space.
Don't: Attempt to do the tango with a blazing hot cast iron skillet, a cat underfoot, and kids ducking & weaving in and out of the kitchen. Someone, probably you, will get burnt.
Do: Mix all dry ingredients first
Don't: Throw all ingredients into a bowl and mix on high-speed. (Egg is difficult to remove from the ceiling and dries quickly.)
Do: Clean as you go. Wash your cookware and utensils as you dirty them up.
Don't: Hope the kids will appreciate the meal so much that they will help with the dishes afterwards. Instead they will have a cut on their hand and therefore be disabled for the evening, have a belly too full to help, start their nap early at the kitchen table, have a game that has been on "pause" too long and just have to go, need an hour-long shower, or some other random excuse.

Do: Only make portions small enough to fit into your left-over storage containers.
Don't: Cook a 25lb turkey or ham without enough storage space for left overs!! You'll end up with the left over meat in every type of container in the refrigerator - Ex: Tupperware, Ziploc bags, Rubbermaid containers, left over butter bowls, Jelly containers, cheese cellophane, Drinking cups with lids, plastic shoe boxes (cleaned of course), sour cream containers, and anything else that has a lid!!  The day after said feast will result in frustration as you cannot find the REAL butter, jelly, sour cream, cottage cheese, etc.
Do: Wear an apron or keep a hand towel handy.
Don't: Forget you are cooking and wipe your hands on your pants.  If you do, you may stick to your chair when you attempt to stand at the end of the meal.
Do: Ensure that any frozen ingredient is not freezer burnt before using.

Don't: Attempt to convince the kids that it's suppose to taste that way!
Do: Check all dates on canned or dry goods that you bought on sale and found in the very back of  your cabinet before using.

Don't: Try to convince the kids it's suppose to taste that way.  (If they've fallen for this once, they will be wise to you the 2nd time around!)
Do: Dispose of food packaging in a safe way.
Don't: Leave a can lid standing erect on a can after opening. Gently push the lid down inside the can. Those things will cut you as you take out the trash.
Do: Remove all decorative stove burner (eye) covers before turning the stove on.
Don't: Turn on the wrong stove burner element before you remove decorative covers. Those things are totally flammable!
Do: Keep tongs in the kitchen at all times. They prove to be most handy to remove burning element (eye) covers if you should forget to remove them.
Don't: Make microwavable macaroni and cheese without adding water. It is flammable without water.
Do: Watch boiling noodles on stove top and stir regularly.
Don't: Walk away from boiling noodles on stove top. Again, those noodles are totally flammable!
Do:  Stay in the kitchen when you cook.
Don't:  Lay on the couch to take a nap when cooking.
These are just a few helpful do's and don'ts that may help someone new to cooking. You'd think all these things are common sense, but they aren't. Some of these were my mistakes when I was very young and others have been made by my kids.

We have a great deal more of these I could share. Let me know if you want to read more :-)