The Temptations of Life!

My sweet little man (aka son #3) came to me last night crying. He had a wash cloth on his lip. "What happened". "I scatched myself" #3 said. I quickly checked his nails. Then I really looked at the upper lip area with a trickle of blood running across. As #3 and myself gazed into each others eyes, he quickly said "don't say it because its not that!!!". I just burst out laughing. It had finally happened, he had figured out how to read my mind!! Usually they are perplexed as to "how" I know when they have been into something or broke something or whatever having 3 boys in the home can do. But this time, he knew what I was thinking....maybe it means he realizes how smart mommies can really be! Poor little man had decided to SHAVE. His irresponsible and careless mommy had left a razor in the bathroom (silly me for thinking I should shave for the first time all winter since I was going to the indoor pool). Silly me for thinking that no matter where I left something, if it was out of the ordinary, they would get into it. Its like a homing signal....if its "somewhere"...they will find it! Thankfully, it was a minor cut and it's already healing. I think his pride was hurt most of all. Son #1 actually did the same thing a year or so ago, but he actually cut his lip and it was swollen for a couple days. Funny thing, according to many of my friends on facebook, it seems this is a rite of passage. The infamous razor...it must have mystical powers if it can make hair disappear on your body. How could you not be tempted?? I too fell for this trick as I took my mothers razor and scraped it down my arm from the shoulder to the elbow. I still remember the horror of the stinging pain and then the blood. Those were the days! I have a feeling though, that son #2 will have learned his lesson by his 2 brothers but you never know. The temptation could eventually get too great.

Heroes fight the beast

Two words. Cancer sucks. Doesn't matter what kind you have or how bad, it totally disrupts your life, shifts your mental being...it just sucks. I struggle with those that I know who are far too young to have encountered such an ugy beast like cancer. But those that battle the beast are true heroes.

Today I'm thinking of one special mom, fellow blogger who is fighting her own battle. My prayers stay focus on this special and amazing mom who is struggling with the beast but for all the women and mothers out there who try to keep life going not only for themselves, but for their homes, husbands and as much a normal life for their children as possible. This struggle is near to my heart as I think of my beloved childhood friend Bob, who was such an amazing man, who lost his battle with a rare kidney tumor at age 40 and of my friend Lori, we shared the journey of pregnancy and twins with me, left this world at age 42 from a rare soft tissue sarcoma and Colin, the funniest Brit you would ever want to know, who shared many fabulous travel adventures with me. The loss of these heroes truely rocked my world. But I push forward and keep close to my faith as I know that I will never walk alone. I do believe prayer is most powerful and important. Prayer is strong, wise, guiding, faithful, and focused. So keep those fighting the beast close in prayer and thought.

But if you really need to find strength, look to those who are still fighting the beast with all that they have. They are the examples we need to follow. They are amazing individuals who reach way down and charge forward every day. Keeping it all going not just for the themselves but for the sake of others they love. They are the heroes. I am thankful for all the heroes in this world who teach us how to find strength, encouragement, bravery, and compassion. Thank you.

The Golden Rule

I’m no weeny, but enough is enough. We live in an aging neighborhood. When it was built in 1951, the streets were lined with lovely little trees, much like any new development you drive through. But beware. What does those lovely little tree lined streets mean? They mean in 50 years (you may not care if you buy when brand new)…yes in 50 plus years, those trees won’t be those tiny, lovely, little decorative trees that line your street…NO! They will be branch falling, branch cracking, overgrown, creaky, falling on power lines so you don’t have POWER trees! When we moved into our 1951 built home just a mere 8 years ago, we rarely had a problem. But in the last few years, if the wind blows, it’s too sunny out, the rain came down too hard or sudden, someone sneezed too loud – OUT GOES THE POWER! Granted, 2010, we were hit with 3 blizzards back to back…it’s understandable. We did only go 2 days without power but believe me, 2 days is enough. The boys think it’s an adventure, yes I will agree. They love dragging their bunk bed mattresses out to the living room, where the only possible heat is the fireplace. Not only are their mattresses out there but every stuffed animal, every blanket, pillow and piece of crap you can imagine all piled up in the living room! Glad I cleaned house…..WHY? The latest forecast was 3-5 inches of snow. Okay, sounds reasonable. Of course the last 3 times weather predictions they have made, we got nothing. This time however, they completely missed the boat! So at the last hour, they changed the forecast to 6-8 inches. Considering the previous storms had been way under par and not worth the time to grocery shop….who’s worried?! But before the snow could even finish its journey, we were once again without power. The branches began to freeze, the creaking and bending began (as I walked to my car, one branch almost removed an eye – I was totally unaware that the branches had bent all the way down). Then the snapping, falling and destruction started. I really think there MUST be a funny song in all this – don’t you think? I have a friend who writes hilarious Haikus to post on facebook during outages. Her love hate HATE relationship with PEPCO runs deep. Ever since our blizzards of 2010, the newscasters have had fun giving play-on-words names to these events. Now of course, they think it’s funny because we KNOW they have heat and could afford a hotel room if needed. But us poor folk, who would not only have to dish out a lot of cash to survive days on end of this bitter house but also, what would be involved to pack up 3 boys and all their crap that they MUST HAVE in order to make a journey to a place of civilization! So we try to hang in there and tell ourselves that it’s just a few more hours, maybe just until morning and then the power will be back. No internet, no TV, no phones (thank goodness for cell phones), no heat, very little hot water, very little comfort. Though I will say, there is a lot to be thankful for this go round of power outages….we are not trapped by mile high walls of snow – we can get out! All roads out are also clear! We don’t have to use an outhouse (as my sister so kindly pointed out) even though our bathroom temps seem below zero and I fear every time I put my tush on the seat it will stick! Did I mention again that we can just drive away? So tomorrow dear friends, I will be making a break for civilization. I’m not weak. I’m no weeny. I’m definitely not Wonder mom! Amenities like TV, internet, warm beds, lights…all those were invented for a reason – to be USED! I am not a camping queen and I am proud. I know some of you find great pride in camping for a week with your kids or living off the land (or no heat). Believe me, I AM proud of you. But I’m proud of myself too – for being able to admit defeat, admit that I need the amenities set before me, admit that a warm bed is exactly what I need to have a decent night’s sleep, admit that camping is for boy/girl scouts and they were invented to help children with moms like me who say NEVER. I forever stand by my golden rule…”Camping is staying somewhere without room service”. Hello PEPCO? Are you out there?

The Outlaws

Today, on Thanksgiving, after 6 years, I had to encounter my Out-laws. Out-laws you question? Yes, those would be the in-laws that I don't like or care for. My husbands parents and sister are definitely on the "10 most wanted list" when it comes to being an outlaw. For reasons too difficult to explain nor do I really understand them because my mind does not think in this manner....these people are selfish, self-centered, self-serving...self everything. Truly, I know I have never met such people - all in one family - with such a deep degree of all those things. A tiny bit of background....the sister-out-law is just bad. I could think of worse words but because its Thanksgiving....I won't use them. Her jealously over what others have and she thinks she deserves is her driving force. I will say, there is a small part of me that finds great sadness for her. Their parents divorced when she was just 3....her mother leaving her to go "enjoy life" again. Leaving 2 small children 3 and 8 to be raised by various babysitters while their dad worked long hours at his new business of being self-employed. I guess in today's terms, you would say she has a "detached personality disorder". After dating a boy all their her school years - over 10 years and figuring "he was the one", he dumps her and marries another within just a couple of years. Lucky me for walking into my husband's life shortly before all this happens. Hence, why she hates me and her brothers life. She had done MANY horrible things towards us - simply because she probably had nothing better to do. Fast forward....she had a falling out with her brother 8 years ago and stopped all contact. For that I am forever grateful. Though we have made small attempts to reach out, she has rejected them. SO she hasn't seen my son #1 since he was 3.5 yrs old and never has seen #2 or #3. But because of this arguement, the backlash that occurred also took away both parents. Both parents who are afraid of upsetting said "out-law". Parents who would rather cutoff any contact with their son and grandchilden, just to please the wicked daughter. Doesn't it sound like it should be a "Made-for-TV" movie???

Its now Thanksgiving and we decide after many years to attend a meal at my husbands aunts house. Its quite a distance away and we figured there is no way, the out-laws will show up. But it wasn't too be. But that was good. They did show up. Probably to get a "free" peek at the boys without ever having to make any effort. I call those "freebies". In the past, prior to the split in the family, every family function or possible encounter would twist my stomach into knots, my heart would race and my anxiety level would shoot through the roof. Not good for ones health. You never knew what to expect from them. But today I was assured that it all didn't matter to me anymore. That they couldn't effect me anymore. When saw them walk in...nothing. No nausea, no heart racing....nothing. I decided that if they came to me to speak - fine. But I would make no attempt on my part. Sounds petty I know but I would have to write a novel for your to know the whole story. I knew the sister-out-law would come looking....wanting to make her presence...wanting to provoke me. She walked in attempted to make eye-contact with me (I kept ignoring it)...she finally said "Hi, how's it going". I responded "Hi, just fine". That was the end of our interaction. Whew. She then attempted, stupid that she is, to come over to son #2, and touch him saying "hey you, hey you". Little did she know...I couldn't have asked for a more perfect moment...that son #2 does NOT LIKE to talk or have any interaction with anyone he does not know. If she had tried that with sons #1 or #3...they would have responded or engaged in converation willinging. But not son #2, who was already in a foul mood because he was there and didn't know anyone and was not at his Auntie's house with his cousins. He was stuck like glue to me (even at age 7) and refused to detached his body. So when the out-law chose to poke him and talk to him...there was no response. THEN she had the nerve to say to me "what he doesn't talk"....okay she has never laid eyes on her 2 youngest nephews since they were born, what do you expect? My moment had come. The moment...the very moment I had waited for all these 8 years...the perfect moment and the perfect thing to say. My response was "he doesn't talk to people he doesn't know". She walked away. The moment was over. Done. I thought I would have had more to say after all these years....but this okay. I knew that at that very moment, she didn't matter any more to me.

But my favorite moment was when we were standing in the food line, son #1 was standing in front of the sister-out-law and step-mother-out-law...while they were discussing how they saw sons #2 and #3 but WHERE was son #1? I heard the conversation but said nothing. Shaking my head in disbelief because he was standing right in front of them. Finally they spoke up and asked my husband where son #1 was today....it was a beautiful moment when he said "he is standing righ here". That said it all.

We left the dinner satisfied that we had braved the unknown. Made an appearace despite the unknown. Glad we went to show we had no fear of seeing the out-laws if they were there. Pleased that we realized we had moved on. The out-laws will never change, they will never make any attempts to be in our sons lives - and that is okay. There are so many other people in our sons lives to give them support, love and encouragement. They don't deserve negative energy and complications that these people bring with them. Its sad, yes, but not for our children but for the out-laws. Sad to be so overcome with themselves that being part of such amazing and wonderful little boys lives....isn't worth it to them. But that is how they are - its who they are - we have to repsect and accept that. So onward we march in life. Happy Holidays - we pray that 2011 will be a good new year for us all.

Sorry, Bathroom Closed!

I'm trying to figure this one out. As we continue, what seems to be a never ending cycle, the backlash of this horrible economy....I can't quite figure out who or how they actually come up with the things that are being cut from budgets. Money for new sidewalks and new condos and offices (which will have a large vacancy)....yet, they do not hesitate to cut spending in schools, county programs and libraries! As our elementary school is now double its size and way WAY over capacity, we still wait for 2 more years until another school is built in the neighborhood to relieve the overcrowding. The overcrowding which has gone on for 5 or 6 years, overcrowding that existed even when the school was renovated, overcrowding that the county knew about long before now....but hey, the new school kept being moved to the back burner while other schools got built and renovated! So how does a school district allow a school with a limit of like 525, reach a capacity of 1,000?? Boggles your mind, doesn't it. What boggles my mind even more is NOW they are trying to close many of our beloved libraries. Who ever heard of such a thing - close a library? It isn't due to a shortage of people or use. Fortunately, there has been a lot of resistance and the closings seem to be on hold for the "moment". However, every summer since son #1 was tiny, I have spent summers at the various libraries in our area attending all the amazing events they offer. In the summer they always have movies based on books, science programs, storytelling....and the list goes on. This summer - well, each library was lucky if they had 5 events going on. Sad. Just sad. AND if that wasn't bad enough - the summer reading program was CANCELED!! How do you cancel a summer reading program? I just thought that was so crazy. No money for extras. Then today, I saw an article that really just said it all in budget cuts....the county rec department is considering REMOVING ALL porta-potties from their parks! Okay, do not I use them, no. Do I let my kids use them....well no. But they must have served a purpose or they never would have put them there in the first place. Most of these parks serve the soccer teams and other events taking place - you need your porta-potties!! So riddle me this Batman...we live in Montgomery County which is rated as one of the best school systems, wealthiest, and top dog in many areas.....yet, we are denied libraries, reading programs, schools and bathrooms? If the economy doesn't take a turn for the better by next summer....I can't imagine what they will take away from us then!

Christmas Corgi Art and Dailiness

Just came across this lovely blog with one of my favorite things, Corgis of course! See all these pics of these adorable animals makes me miss my sweet fuzzy creatures. There are many lovely animals to be had, but until you've had a corgi...there is nothing like it! www.christmascorgi.blogspot.com.

Black Mountain Jewelry

I posted about this wonderful jewelry a year ago but here I go again. Go to www.blackmountainjewelry.com and see the beautiful pieces that can be made to represent a loved one, family - something personal in your life. You can also learn about other wonderful products like this one at www.techsavvymama.com.