Giving Thanks

To be in your children's memories tomorrow you have to be in their lives today. ~ Beverly Sills

I had quite the surreal Thanksgiving weekend. I was in and out of body quite a few times and even hovered above on occasion. I had flashback after flashback of times gone by and then before I could reel my mind back in I would be down the road in the future trying to scheme ways of working my legacy/personality into future families.

I want life to slow down. I remember when the kids were small I would forever be wishing away their lives. I anticipated every aspect of the timetable we call childhood. I think I saw a little smile. I wish that tooth would pop through. Oh, I think they just said mama! I can't wait till they start school. And then, when it all started to snowball I wanted to put bricks on their heads.

Change is good, I keep telling myself. You can't grow without change. Because of my quiet revelry of past memories, and with piqued anticipation of the future I have come to the conclusion that you can't slow life down.

This doesn't mean I have to live life in the fast lane, and so once again, I determine to: travel light (dump the baggage), enjoy the ride, (the joy is the journey) concentrate on the road (don't be stupid), check the rearview mirror occasionally (always aware of places I've been) follow the map (read the instruction Book) and stop and ask directions (pray).

Then and only then will I be fulfilling my purpose in life. And what is that, you ask? I have decided on a title for the book I will write and it just so happens to be my purpose in life: "Live" (with a short i). Subtitle: Four-letter Words To Teach Your Children. Ohh...you didn't ask? Sorry.

Giving Thanks

To be in your children's memories tomorrow you have to be in their lives today. ~ Beverly Sills

I had quite the surreal Thanksgiving weekend. I was in and out of body quite a few times and even hovered above on occasion.

I had flashback after flashback of times gone by and then before I could reel my mind back in I would be down the road in the future trying to scheme ways of working my legacy/personality into future families.

I want life to slow down.

I remember when the kids were small I would forever be wishing away their lives. I anticipated every aspect of the timetable we call childhood. I think I saw a little smile. I wish that tooth would pop through. Oh, I think they just said mama! I can't wait till they start school. And then, when it all started to snowball I wanted to put bricks on their heads.

Change is good, I keep telling myself. You can't grow without change. Because of my quiet revelry of past memories, and with piqued anticipation of the future I have come to the conclusion that you can't slow life down.

This doesn't mean I have to live life in the fast lane, and so once again, I determine to: travel light (dump the baggage), enjoy the ride, (the joy is the journey) concentrate on the road (don't be stupid), check the rearview mirror occasionally (always aware of places I've been) follow the map (read the instruction Book) and stop and ask directions (pray). Then and only then will I be fulfilling my purpose in life.

And what is that, you ask? I have decided on a title for the book I will write and it just so happens to be my purpose in life: "Live" (with a short i). Subtitle: Four-letter Words To Teach Your Children. Ohh...you didn't ask? Sorry.

Into The West

What looks like a loss may be the very event, which is subsequently responsible for helping to produce a major achievement in your life? ~ Scrully Brotnick

California, here she comes!

O, Holy Night!

Congratulations Melissa, looks like you're having a good week!

Divine Secrets

One out of every four people in this country is mentally imbalanced. Think of your three closest friends and if they seem o.k....?" ~ Ann Landers
"I buried a lot of my ironing in the backyard." ~ Phyllis Diller
"Lead me not into temptation; I can find the way myself." ~ Rita Mae Brown
"The best way to mend a broken heart is time and girlfriends." ~ Gwyneth Paltrow
"Hearts that never lean must fall." ~ Emily Dickinson
Someone forwarded this to me a long time ago and I didn't save the author, but thought you all might like a copy.

I sat under an oak tree in Wyoming on a summer day, drinking iced tea and visiting with my mother.  "Don't forget your girlfriends", Mother advised, clinking the ice cubes in her glass. No matter how much you love your husband, you are still going to need girlfriends.  Remember to go places with them now and and do things with them, even when you don't necessarily want to,  And remember that girlfriends are not only friends, but sisters, daughters, mothers, grandmothers and other relatives too.  Women supporting and relating to other women is our responsibility and our gift.  What a funny piece of advice," I thought.  "Hadn't I just gotten married? Hadn't I just joined the couple-world?  I was now a married woman, for goodness sake, not some young girl who needed friends!" But I listened to my Mom.  I kept in contact with my girlfriends and even found some new ones along the way.  As the years tumbled by, one after another, I gradually came to understand that Mom really knew what she was talking about!
Here is what I know about girlfriends:
***girlfriends bring casseroles and scrub your bathroom when you need help
***girlfriends keep your children and your secrets.
***girlfriends give advice when you ask, sometimes you take it and sometimes you don't
***girlfriends don't always tell you you're right, but they usually tell the truth.
***girlfriends still love you, even when they disagree with your choices.
***girlfriends laugh with you and don't need canned jokes to start the laughter.
***girlfriends pull you out of jams
***girlfriends don't keep a calendar of who hosted the other's last big party
***girlfriends will celebrate for your son or daughter when they get married or have a baby, in whichever order that happens.
***girlfriends are there for you in an instant, and when the hard  times come
***girlfriends listen when you lose a job or a friend.
***girlfriends listen when your children break your heart
***girlfriends listen when your parents' minds and bodies fail.

Hey, me again...if you are reading this know that you mean the world to me. I know a mass e-mail, or a journal entry is not very personal so I decided to list all my sister friends so you KNOW I'm thinking about ya! Lucy, Ethel, Thelma and Louise have nothing on us: Thelma, Joy, Ruth, Angela, Chelsea, Deanna, Ardy, Teresa, Marti, Kate, Nancy, Sue, my two best girlfriends, Jennifer, and Melissa, and my new friend, Annie. Let's do lunch......more often!!
BGFF,
Julee

P.S. Congratulations to my sister-friend's daughter Laura and the Muskegon Catholic Central's girl’s basketball champs! You go girls!

Comin' Down With Somethin'

I ain't no high class broad
I'm just a product of my raising
I say "hey y'all" and "yee-haw"
And I keep my Christmas lights on
On my front porch all year long...

Projects I started today...
1) Walking the dog (down Porter)
2) Cleaning out kitchen cupboards
3) Melissa's ad for yearbook
4) Christmas card list and letter
5) A diet for Christmas card photo
6) Updating computer address book
7) Cleaning out dining room cupboards
8) 4 loads of laundry
9) Changing the Brita filter
10) Sketching out a family room addition
11) Paying October's bills
12) What-will-I-do-with-my-life-counseling session with Melissa
13) Planning limousine service for the Holidays
14) Menu for Thanksgiving
15) Christmas shopping
16) Alphabetizing my Christmas music
17) Updating and cleaning out personal computer folder

Projects I finished today:
1) Changing the Brita filter
2) Walking the dog

For the love of all that's Holy, 'night

Back In The Day

The reviews are in for the CMA awards.
What were they thinking? Brooks and Dunn replacing Vince Gill as host, big mistake.
Other mistakes:
Shania Twain
Toby Keith (and his daughter who couldn't sing) singing a remake of Daddy's Gonna Buy Me A Mockingbird. Why?
Josh Turner (newcomer who CAN sing) sang one line of Long Black Train. C'mon!
Shania Twain
OK, I realize that country western lyrical writers have not studied rocket science but for heaven's sake:
~ He put the bottle to his head and pulled the trigger?
~ Save a horse, ride a cowboy. What does that mean?
There should have been an award for lip-syncing-no-talent-sell-out category...and the winner is....
Shania Twain
Except for Gretchen Wilson, I'm not only leavin' the suds in the bucket AND the wash hangin' out on the line....I'm putting country music out to pasture.
Anybody looking to break into the music industry should think about country cuz the field is wide open.

Happiness Is A Choice

Good morning, and in case I don't see you, good afternoon, good evening, and good night. ~ The Truman Show

Remember the thrill of anticipation? When Christmas came and went and even though you got what you wanted, you still ached a little for that feeling of expectation. Hmmmmmm. Might have a touch of postpartum election. And I cannot stop thinking of losing Melissa to sunny southern California.

I know I'm jumping the gun, but as per our conversation last night, if she gets accepted, she's going. The YA concert was incredible! Melissa got an Elvis solo and belted out "Hound Dog." To combat my blues, I started decorating for Christmas.

I keep putting off walking at the high school, unfortunately for me; I keep putting off walking down Porter also. Dang it, anyhow, must I wait for my 50th B-day to get my _ _ _ _together. In my defense, I've been reading, studying, praying and attending church services at Kainay for 8 Sunday's...in a row! They are starting a new series on the storms of life. I will eagerly await any help on this hurricane called mid-life and I chose to stop worrying about things that haven't even transpired yet, although I'm confident we'll soon need to start some type of frequent flyer program. Que sera sera.

Everywhere You Look

My hope for President Bush is that he will spend the remainder of his presidency doing the most important job of any president---keeping the United States, well, united. ~ Nathan Erickson

Oh yeah! The Snow Village is bustling, the piano trees are lit, and the manager scene is in its prominent place (on top of the TV) to remind us all season long of the true meaning of Christmas. 

The singing tree tickets are in rows G, and H. It was bittersweet to take my last pilgrimage to the 4:30am 10-limit parental tree ticket Mecca. Depending on the weather and relatives I might have a couple extra. And now, I will do all I can to keep from putting up the tree until Thanksgiving weekend. 

Melissa is participating in a 3-day workshop. After the performance tonight she will audition to join the YA's in Southern California early next fall. WHOA! Anybody feel free to jump in and stop that train at any time now. 

In my humble opinion, I think George W. is going to change a lot of minds when the history books are finally written. 

Let it snow!