Dog update

Because I know you have all been sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for news about our newest family member, here it goes.  We passed the home inspection- YIPPIE!  (Which also means they did NOT see this blog- can I get another- YIPPIE?!?!.)  Unfortunately, Ladybug is already being adopted by another family. Tear.  We then went on to Missy who was a little bit older than Ladybug, but still seemed (on our end) a good fit.  Received a call from Missy's foster "human" dad tonight, and they have chosen another home for her due to some health issues.  Explaining that to the kids was no fun- ugh!  So, we will wait, but  knowing that our dog is out there somewhere just waiting for us too.

So, I used to go to Waffle House to study in college....

Ok, so maybe college libraries are overrated.  I spent a large part of my college studying time at one of the two busiest Waffle Houses in the country.  One on either side of the I-26 in Clinton, SC.  But let's be honest, there was not a lot of studying going on there.  I mean who can study in a place with that many interesting (and often disturbing at that time at night) people to look at- constantly.  And I'm not just talking about the customers people.  Once the library closed, if we knew it would be a long night, we'd pack it up and head on over to WaHo for a little patty melt and hash browns.  Or for those nights when I was "pretending" to eat "healthy", I would order a salad.  (I don't think I need to tell you how not healthy that was.)  We would sit there for about two hours trying to memorize as much information as we could before heading back to the dorms to crash.  Why am I thinking about all of this now, you ask?  This morning, I was back at a WaHo with my two youngest kids and my little ole' mind just started wandering back down that path.  One thing that I have found at the "Great House" is that the people who work there (missing teeth and all) are genuinely the nicest people you will ever come across.  And, furthermore, I would go as far as saying that you get some of the best customer service there than you could get anywhere else.  Now, granted the amount of space between my waitresses teeth today was enough for me to do a double take, and one of the other waitresses was sporting a face paint job she got at the fair last Tuesday- BUT, they were kind to me and my kids.  They were happy, all of them.  Now, I am sure they all have their moments, but I would guess what I witnessed today was pretty much the norm.  A good friend and mentor once told my husband and I that you should always tip big at Waffle House, because they need it the most- but they deserve it the most too.  Three Cheers for Waffle House!

A ten year old's birthday party.

So, here I sit at 7:10 on a cool fall night at Baby Girl 1's birthday party.  So far, it seems to be a hit.  We are having a little pizza and a movie...Diary of a Wimpy Kid....this is a pretty funny movie.  Sweet girls and sweet treats!

On the tip of my tongue...

I have a great deal of admiration for people who can really articulate what is on their mind.  Me, not really one of those- well, except for here.  I tend to stumble on my words and end up saying some of the DUMBEST things EVER!!  Do you know how many times I am trying to talk to my kids about something somewhat important that I end up thinking- did those words actually just come out of my mouth?  And let's just say alcohol does not help my disorder AT ALL!  I stumble, fall, and then FORGET what dumb things I have said.   I think things would go a lot more smoothly if I could just sit down and type out my thoughts before I say them----really taking the whole "think before you speak" to a new level. I can either email my commentary or just text it to whomever it concerns? It's amazing that I managed to teach classrooms full of kids!
No, nothing has happened recently to spur on this train of thought...just thinking about it and trying really hard to take my time and think, before I speak.

Where does the time go?

Baby Girl 1 is turning 10 in one week and I have to say this is hitting me pretty hard.  I still see her as I do above in the yellow outfit going to her first day of school (ages 4 and 3).  Now, ages (9 and 8, almost 10 and 9- switched sides for that pic) they are just growing up way to fast.  But they are growing into beautiful and smart young ladies.  I am one proud mama!

Oh, and Baby Boy ain't too shabby either:)

"She Don't Like Roses"

I love to drown my thoughts in the music I listen to.  I can apply any given emotion to whatever song is coming through my ipod when I'm out running/walking- which seems to be the one time I am really quiet.  This morning, in the mist of last night's rain, I took off on what would only end up being a 20 minute jog around the neighborhood (but hey, it was better than staying in bed- am I right?).  My recent artist of choice (because I get stuck on one and play them to death) is Christine Cane.  She is actually an artist I came across a few years ago while training for a hike in Yosemite National Park.  I haven't really listened to her in a while, but was drawn back to her a few weeks ago after someone I have a great admiration for said she was actually a friend and mentor.  Interested in this, I went back to visit Christine.  Her music is really calming and thought provoking- just my kind of music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtfFq-YV_pw

Check her out.

Home Visit Today

At approximately 2 o'clock the lady from Boykin Rescue Society will be coming for the "home visit" portion of the adoption process.  Wish me luck...yep, ME!  LOML is out of town, so it's just me, the kids, and our pet frogs (that are hanging on by a thread) to prove to this chick that we are Boykin worthy.  On a sad note, Ladybug is under pending adoption-tear.  You can go to their website to see pics of the dogs available.  
boykinrescue.org

On a funnier note, Baby Boy has started calling me by my given name, Loy.  He just spent five minutes walking around the house calling for me.

Family Reunions

Family reunions....let's discuss.  I have two that I go to every year-my mom's and my dad's families.  My favorite (and most humorous) part about both of these events is that we go all year  between seeing most of these people, we get there only to socialize with those in our immediate family that we see all of the time and then proceed to sit with said relatives.  Really.  Last week, we headed out to my dad's family reunion.  When it comes to my Dad's side, you can't throw a rock in my town and not hit a relative.  We show empty handed because I have an Aunt who loves to cook and was pretty much providing enough for all of us...so I let her:).  After LOML and I take turns chasing Baby Boy around for a while, I finally decide to pull rank and grab a roll off the buffet for the little guy to snack on while we wait for someone to bless the spread for the LOVE OF GOD!!!  LOML is determined not to be the last in line, so he and the girls start lingering around the stack of plates on the table hoping to jump on that at "Amen", but something goes wrong and they make their way back to where are immediate family has gathered in the back corner neat the "Exit" sign.  FINALLY, the 123rd relative shows up with their fried chicken and congealed salad and we can get this eat fest on it's way.  (You should know that by this time, I have made my way to the stack of plates....I wouldn't say I was first, but I was definitely a close second.)  It was like a war a tell you, there were people coming at the table from all sides...chicken, ham, no...roast beef...it was all just TOO MUCH! At this point no one is talking about anything accept what all they can fit on their plates and will they need a clean plate for round 2.  It was crazy I tell you.  I got back to the table with a plate for Baby Boy and myself and honest to God, I am not even sure what was on it.  I had no plan.  I just grabbed what I could and got out of there!  LOML was stuck talking severe right wing politics with a cousin and I was doing my very best to get him back in the game, but it was a struggle.  This cousin, I kid you not, goes to a church where they sit around and talk about the different political candidates that are running in the next election and discuss their platforms so they can decide who to vote for----AS THEIR SUNDAY SCHOOL!!!  WHAT??  Ok, to each his own.   Obviously things get much quieter as people start to eat.   My aunt and her son(with his family) are sitting with us- like I said, we don't stray from our pack.  EVER.  Since I was first (or second) to get my plate of "real" food, I was first or second to hit the infamous buffet of desserts....ahhhhhhhh!
Then the ring leader gets up with the microphone...go around, introduce your family that's there, make excuses for the slackers that didn't come, and tell us all of your news.
"Jimmy and Suzy had a baby, Mary and Jeff are getting married, little Timmy is finally graduating and I've had an off and on again bought with gas that should be kicking in here any minute----"
I promise, you never know what's coming next.
But, all in all, it's not a bad time if you think about it.  I have had the honor of knowing all of my grandparents and three of my great grandparents.  My girls knew them too.  A few years back "the other shoe dropped" as my sister and I liked to say.  I had it pretty damn good for about 30 years with having all of these people in my life.  Unfortunately when they went, it was fast and all around the same time.  That really sucked. (Sorry, I know my great grandmothers and one grandmother are looking down not pleased with my choice of wording.  The one here wouldn't approve, but would understand.)  So, now that they aren't all here anymore, I kinda like going to these little get togethers because it let's me hold on to them a little bit more.   They are the constants and the comfortable.

New Pet

So, we are thinking of adding to the chaos and getting a dog.  I just feel like we don't have enough going on with the kids doing ballet, gymnastics, art, choir, homework, me being an incredible wife, mom, taxi driver....the list goes on.  Anyway, back to the dog.  We are are thinking about, well heck, we've already sent the paper work in to the Boykin Rescue Society in the hopes to adopt a sweet little Boykin named Lady Bug.  I had no idea what a process this would be!  We had to put a "reference" down, so we put down a good friend and lover of dogs.  Check- they called him today and all he can say is we may want to look into getting a fish.  The next step is a house visit.  I assume they come and check to see that we have a loving and stable home in which to raise the young pup.  Really??  This may not turn out as well as I would hope and I am working on what I will tell the girls.  I hope they don't so "sneak" attacks and catch me in one of my not so finest parenting moments-aka yelling...

Many years ago, well about three, we lost our family pet.  Well, you might actually say we had joint custody with my in-laws.  When we lived closer to them , he would escape our yard, cross a major road and dig his way in to their dog pen.  (It's a good thing he can't give a reference.)  Hap was a sweet Britney Spaniel that LOML got in Law School (I think) and I am sure was his sole companion until I came along and swept him off his feet.  Towards the end, we had several trips to the vet trying to do everything we could to keep the old guy with us including once a week $25 horse shots for his hips.  Anything for Hap and quite honestly, the other alternative was one we were not ready to face, and in all seriousness, no one wants to face with their family pet.
In trying to keep all of this light and hoping not to offend, I do have to tell you about our "almost" trip to the vet when we just knew it was the end and he really was really just suffering too much.  LOML, after a long couple of days where Hap would just barely get up and not really eating decided it was time.  I felt so sorry for him.  He called his dad to ride with him to our vet with Hap.  When LOML pulled into the driveway of his parents' house, his Dad was already digging a hole. Sad.  LOML got out to help his dad, leaving the truck door open.  For the first time in days, Hap leapt out of the car and took off running around the yard nearly falling into what was going to be his eternal resting place.  LOML's mom came running out and graciously offered to keep Hap and care for him at her house.  Kinda like Dog Hospice really.  I think Hap knew he would get better care there for sure.  Either that or he just knew this was going to make a funny story one day- he had a good sense of humor too.   So, from that day for the next almost year, Hap remained with his grandparents.  ( Ok, I'm thinking I won't publish this until after the adoption goes through?)
So, back to the present.  The Rescue Society was very quick to check our reference and talk to our vet, but things have seemed to slow down a bit.  Starting to worry that someone will come snatch ole' Lady up if something doesn't happen soon!  Keep your fingers crossed!

All Tied up and No Where to Go

As the mom of two busy daughters and one active almost two year old, I find myself loosing essential parts of my brain from time to time.  Is this a common occurrence among us moms? Dads even?  I have a rather large "island" in the middle of my kitchen that stays rather, well full of s!#* most of the time as LOML says.  There are many days where I start on one side of my kitchen and head to the other side to get, let's say the milk out of the fridge, and in the four steps it takes me to get to the fridge I can't remember what the hell I was going to get!  Did you catch the "four step" part---this is not a big kitchen people and the "island" takes up most of it.  The fact that I am putting this out there on the Internet just goes to show what an incredible sense of humor I have, but I would really like to know if this is an illness I should search WebMD about or just chalk it up to Mom-itis?  Discuss amongst yourselves and get back to me- peace out!