"MOMMY"

I have to admit when I found out the kids could text for free on their iTouch's by using some free app, I was a little apprehensive.

As I soon discovered, it's their dad and I who receive the texts (although Ben texts his friends and I have full access to those...thankfully...as they all get emailed to me). Good news is he doesn't know this and I'm happy to report the texts are completely harmless.

Shelby had to have the app because big brother did.

And today it provided the perfect, little break in my day I needed.

Heart. Breaking.

Easy to do with this little girl. One minute she's a fireball I can't contain. The next...well, just look above.

SOME PART 2'S REALLY ARE BETTER

Why oh why can't this be my job?

"Terri...today we need you to make up a rap song with Justin Timberlake."

Ummmmm...gee. Okay!

See, if you are doing something you love, it's not work at all. Right? Which brings me to the next point.

I know people say money doesn't buy happiness, but I'm here to tell you I can't think of a dang thing in my life it wouldn't improve. SERIOUSLY.

In the meantime, if you so choose, enjoy the stylings of Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake and their "History of Rap Part 2". I did.

WE ARRRRRRRE!

I couldn't let the day go by without wishing a Happy Birthday to a wonderful person.

I actually met this person about (oh boy does this age both of us) 27 years ago. In high school, he dated a friend of mine and to be honest, I didn't actually "know-know" him. Really just knew of him. However, what I did know of him is that he smiled a lot. In fact, I vividly remember his smile. He always seemed to have it on. I remember associating his name with being a nice guy. But for the most part, we ran around with different crowds.

Or so I thought.

Fast-forward this year. One night while visiting with his mom, she brought me a photo album. Now, if my parents had pulled out of photo album of me, I would have intercepted it immediately and spiked it under the bed of the nearest room.

But he didn't. And I'm thankful that didn't happen.

I start looking through it. Elementary school photos. Pee-wee football. Middle school. Family Christmas's. Then high school. Yep, that's the smile I remembered.

I turned a page to see a black and white picture of him sitting on a bench. I looked at it and must have gotten a grin on my face that wasn't the normal, "Oh, what a good picture" because he looked at me and asked, "What?".

Then came over to see what I was looking at. Embarrassed, he said, "Oh. Yeah. That was my picture for 'Most Handsome'.".

"Yeah. I know."

"You do? You remember that?"

"Ummmmmm...yeah. Mainly because I took it."

He looked at me, then said, "Oh my gosh...you're right. That was you!"

Since then, we've gone over various high school highlights and discovered how often we were in the same place at the same time. It took Megan Fox (don't ask) to bring our paths back to a crossing point.

I have to admit, the first few month of getting to know him, I wanted to slap him silly. We reacquainted through a sarcastic remark (I know...shocking) on Facebook, then discovered we were going through similar circumstances. Therefore, we tried to lift each other up, as friends do. Encourage each other. Even give relationship advice to the other person.

But now, I'm very happy to be getting to know this man. I've discovered a strong, both physical and mental, person. One who would give the shirt off his back to help anyone. Relentlessly loyal and honest. Generous, sometimes to a fault. :-) And I actually mean that as a compliment. A person who has put a smile on my face more times than I can count and has literally put me in physical pain from laughing so hard. Many times. I have never met someone who likes to joke around and have fun...any kind of fun...more than him. In many ways, he's still just a big kid. In fact, there's been a couple of times I've had to talk him out of pretending he's the guy in that AT&T commercial who doesn't get the message about the flash mob changing time, and he embarrassingly starts dancing. One day, I *know* this will actually happen and somehow, I will have been talked into video taping it.

He's a father who loves his children more than life and brags on them constantly. A very proud Devil Dog, aka Marine. One of the most respectful people I know. A gentlemen beyond measure...if you are a female, you will never see him let you open your own door. He still says, "Yes ma'am" and "Yes Sir" to those older than him. If he doesn't want someone to pick up the check, he won't argue about it...he will simply do something let the waitress know on his way to the restroom and will have paid for it before you even realize what just occurred. Extremely supportive in anything I do, while still being 'protective' when appropriate. Puts up with a certain 8 year-old little girl referring to him as "Crispy Peanut Butter and Jelly" and endless questions about his life as a Marine from an 11 year-old young man. A professional clean freak (it's okay if the sink has water droplets in it! I promise!). But most importantly, a man who is not just comfortable talking about what Christ has done in his life, but enthusiastic about it.

So Chad...I hope you have a wonderful birthday. You deserve it. Thank you for being such a supportive person in my life. I know you didn't pack all the baggage I tend to carry around, but you've done an amazing job of helping me slowly unpack it and try and figure out where it goes.

Here's to you on your day :-)... enjoy! But please don't take this as a form of encouragement to live this out...especially when I'm around.

I'VE HAD ALL I CAN STANDS AND I CAN'T STANDS NO MORE!

 

 

"In a boxing match, the fighters absorb some vicious blows because they're ready for them. And usually, the knockout punch is the one they didn't see coming."
Todd Burpo, Heaven is For Real.

 

 

As I read that line last night, I couldn't help but agree. And not just agree, but adamantly agree!

 

I feel like I have tied an endless series of knots in this rope I've been struggling to keep ahold of for some time now. And either the knots keep slipping or I'm not tying them correctly. Or both.

 

Whenever something bad happens I keep saying, "It could be worse!". And it absolutely could.

 

But now I'm ready to say...It could also be better! I'm ready for the better. I've put in my time and effort for the better. So where in the heck is the better?!

 

Saturday afternoon as the kids and I started on our 30 minute drive, my car's air conditioning went out.

 

Long-story/short...my awesome mechanic (no sarcasm here...he really is fabulous) told me it could be a $60 fix or a $600 fix.

 

Judging from all I've said leading up to this point, I'm sure you can guess which it is.

I have absolutely no idea how I'm going to make this work financially. All I can think of is every bad thing that has happened, I've managed to get through. This will be no different.

However...

 

I am so tired of hearing people complain about:

• Having to pick up the house before the maid gets there.
• Or better yet, that their maid is on vacation this week.
• That they need a vacation after their vacation.
• That they have soooo much laundry to do after their vacation.
• That their flight to California/Florida/wherever is late.
• Their kid's summer camps is only 1/2 days vs full days ... really?!

People: Step into the real world...

 

And on the way home, God reminded me that out there somewhere is a single mom of three, trying to hold down several jobs with no car and a child in the hospital whom she has no health insurance to help with the overwhelming expenses and a one bedroom place they call home with no food in the pantry.

 

So I know...it could be worse. And like Popeye, I can be kind until pushed over the line. The line is now officially a dot to me.

 

And yes... I will settle down and not act so put-out and like this is the end of the world, but I gotta tell you...I do believe I'm officially at the end of this rope. Thankfully, I'm convinced He always provides us with back-up ropes. I've just got to do some extra stretches or something so I can reach it when it swings my way.

 

Always remember and never forget: The only sure thing about luck is, it will change.

'SOUTHERN LIVING' PHOTO SHOOT POSTPONED

Here's a new definition...what is acceptable 'decorating'.

Case in point:

Allow me to explain the picture.

That's my wonderful, awesome, beautiful 60" Samsung television in the background. That's Shelby's old (and I believe may have even belonged to her Nana before she had it) television in the bottom right.

One works. One doesn't. You can guess which.

About two months ago, my Samsung went out. Thought it was the lamp. Got a new lamp and it still didn't work. Now it could be the color wheel. In order to fix that it's over $1,000. CRAZY!

So, until I sell it or determine what exactly the problem is, it's here. In my bedroom. Every day.

As for the itty-bitty television to the bottom right?

It's at the top of my list as far as I'm concerned. Plain and simply because it works and allows me to have my nightly, decompress routine back of watching television until it's too blurry to see anymore.

Decor is now what is necessary versus what is pretty.

NEW NORMAL...YEAH, I'LL TAKE IT

So, yes...my blog name has changed. Again. But this time it wasn't by choice.

No worries. Too many other things going on that actually are worth using brain power.

As I'm talking to the rep at GoDaddy.com, who is the one who informs me my URL has expired (long story, short: they sent renewal notice to my old email) but they are happy to sell it back to me at the slightly elevated price of...well, let's just say, it was WAY more than I purchased it for as others have already expressed interest in it...whatever. Anyway, he asks me what kind of blog I have. I tell him it basically just chronicles mine and my kids life so they have something to look back on and read in case I don't remember the little every day stories.

I go on to tell him that I started it during a rough time of my life and we now have a "new kind of normal", to say the least. I heard no response from the other end. I hadn't told him what made this time of my life "rough" but went ahead and added..."you know, everyone has their new normals when life takes turns you aren't expecting" thinking, who knows? I could be talking to a guy who's thinking, "Yeah right lady...".

Finally he says, "Yep! There it is!" and I ask, "There what is?". He replies, "Newkindofnormal.com. It's available. You should get it. That's a perfect name for what you said you are writing about. And you're right. Everyone has their new kind of normals on various levels."

Hmmmmm. Okay. I took it for a year thinking I might come up with something better, but it's kind of grown on me.

As I thought about it, I realized just how many 'new' kinds of normal I have these days. So many things I define differently than I used to. Family. Friends. Loyalty. Home. Unconditional. Love. Happiness.

Yeah...I think I made a good choice.

And am ready to start writing about how definitions have changed. And oh boy have they!

KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE ROAD AHEAD

I don't know if it's the triple degree heat, a ton of work, things that keep breaking down and requiring money plus the extra-attention that comes with having two kiddos home for the summer and trying desperately to keep them entertained between all of it...but I'm exhausted. I know, I know...not that I'm the only one. Many of us have schedules that overflow.

And as exhausted as I am, and as 'uneventful' as it's been for two kids, I've been having a great summer with them.

We live in an area where vacations are the norm. And not just vacations, but destinations around the world. And not just during the summer, but every chance possible. Three day weekends turn into extravagant get-aways for some families.

I'm unable to take them anywhere this summer, but we are almost daily visitors to the pool in our apartment complex. And we make the most out of it.

I was talking to a friend today who I used to work with in a 'previous life'. She was calling to let me know a company was interested in me interviewing for a position and was I interested. While I was a little surprised my name is still floating around the industry, I guess I shouldn't be. The reason I shouldn't be is the quality of friends I made while working in that industry. We always referred to it as an "incestuous" business! And they keep trying to pull me back in. Because they know one day, I'll take them up on it.

It's one of the reasons this world has been somewhat of a small world in my life. We all know someone who knows someone.

I'm thankful I still have these friends and hope I always will. I've said it before and I'll say it again...true friends are sometimes hard to come by. I'm talking the ones who stick around when your life heads off in a different direction and you are hanging on to the bumper wishing it would slow down.

They are the ones who speed up along beside you and keep the dust out of your eyes then help you into the drivers seat. Over and over again. Because you do the same for them.

I told someone today that there's a reason the rear view mirror is so much smaller than the front windshield. What happened behind us is meant to be a memory. We aren't to keep looking back at it. Instead we should look forward to the times flying of us and enjoy them. Relish in them.

There's also a reason for only one steering wheel. And I'm not talking about THE steering wheel. We all know Who is in control of it. I'm talking about the decisions we make in our lives. Where we decide to turn. When we decide to slow down or stop. And when we decide it's okay to step on the gas.

So while I'm sad to report my path right now doesn't include this job...which would have been fabulous...my GPS is on lock on to a course I wasn't expecting, but learning to embrace. I have landmarks to hit on this road and two adorable passengers who are helping me navigate through my travels. And I'm perfectly fine with that.

A huge thank you to those who have helped me back up into the drivers seat...once again. You know you have my support whenever called upon. I'm good at keeping the dust out of others eyes even though it always seems to get caked on my face!

"BUT EVERYONE ELSE IS FACEBOOKING!"

Like any mom (well, almost any mom)...I feel like time flies regarding my kiddos. Ben is now 11 and Shelby is 8 and the days pass so quickly.

I remember the day each was born...vividly.

Ben told me the other night that I need to start treating him a little older. "I'm the man of the house now, after all". Of course, that statement broke a few extra pieces of my heart. Not just because I don't want him to get older so quickly, but also that he thinks he needs to have responsibilities he shouldn't be expected to carry at his age.

And mind you, I'd never ask him to carry these things. Ben has always been a kind, generous soul. He is sensitive to others and has always been a people-pleaser. He wants everyone to be happy. Always has. As such, he wants to help and since I'm "supposed" to treat him older...I have started looking at what I allow him to do.

When I was growing up, the "apartment kids" were always the wild ones. I'm assuming this was the case because their parents were working all the time and not home to watch over them. So, being that we are in an apartment at this point, I haven't been too open to letting the roam around. Yes, it's gated, but that doesn't mean it's "freak-free".

There are just certain things I feel I should control while I can, which brings me to this...

A lot of Ben's friends are getting Facebook pages. Now, I'm no June Cleaver but WHAAAAAAAT? I haven't seen anything inappropriate on the pages, but as Kelley said...just give it time.

Please tell me ... and maybe I'm in the minority on this .,.. but WHY are parents so eager for their kids to grow up so fast? Is it really that 11-12 year olds ARE old enough to have Facebook pages? Is it really that big of a deal to say 'okay' to this one? Or, is it asking for issues he isn't equipped to handle right now?

I think Kelley is probably right. While Ben has a very great group of friends, they are getting at that age where they're changing. Personalities. Interests. Many things. Ben is *great* about ignoring the idiots of this world. I've told him before that I want to be like him when I grow up, when it comes to dealing with others who are mean. If someone is ugly to him, he simply doesn't tolerate it. He isn't ugly back to them. He just doesn't associate with them until they 'act right', as he puts it. Brilliant.

Thankfully, he isn't hounding me about it or anything like that. He asked me last year if he could get on Facebook and I told him he could if he could tell me exactly what it was. The conversation ended there.

But, I'm seeing so many of his friends on it, I'm anticipating it coming up in the near future and I want to have my answer planned. I need to find out a lot of information before then. Are the ads that come up on the kids walls age-appropriate? I already know it would be mandatory for me and his dad to have access to it. For it and everything on it to be private. That he could only add friends and family. In fact, family would be mandatory so everyone could keep an eye on him!

So the research begins...

I'll let you know. Of course, **I** won't be bringing it up to him! I'm just going to try and be prepared, for once!

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW

Fourth of July has come and gone, and this is one happy momma to have her kiddos back home.

Ben enters with an immediate "Ben-like" comment, "Mmmmmmmmmmm....it's sooooooo good to be home. Smells just like chicken. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh."

No, I hadn't been cooking chicken, but hey...guess that's better than it smelling 'bad', right?!

Shelby comes in, hugs me, pushes me out of the way to go see the new terrace decorations and then off to her room to view her new room decorations. And honestly, not so much 'new', but finally got things hung up on the wall as I promised I would many, many months ago.

Awhile later I tell her if she wants to watch the new Tinkerbell movie that is premiering tonight on the Disney channel, she needs to make sure to take her bath early. "I'll do it now. Bubble bath, please! And momma please come in there with me and keep me company." (as if I don't **always* accompany her!).

She puts the bubbles on her chin to do the obligatory Santa impersonation and then it began.........

"You know what, Momma? Some kids think it's actually their parents who are Santa and that there is no Santa."

"Hmmmmmmmm...really? What do you think."

"I think YOU are Santa."

"Are you saying I look like a very large man with gray hair and a beard? Is there something I don't see when I look at myself?!"

"Noooooooo...YOU know what I mean. Are you Santa? Are YOU the one who buys the Santa presents?"

"Why are you asking me this?" ... trying desperately not to lie or give a direct answer! :-)

"Because I want to know. If you aren't Santa, then where is he? Why haven't I ever seen him?"

"Because you aren't supposed to see him. That's the deal."

"So, you're telling me he can never be seen by people? That's horrible! So what do you think him and the elves are doing right now?"

"I guess taking a little time off and getting geared up for Christmas all over again."

"Poor guy...I bet they can't even go on vacation because everyone would bother him."

"Well, if he's not in his red suit, hat, black boots...I guess he just looks like any other large gentleman with gray hair and a beard."

"Nooooooo...he's special. I'd know him anywhere. Suit or no suit."

"I guess you've just answered your own question then, huh?"

"Maybe. But where do you think he is? Do you think he'd go somewhere like the beach since he lives at the North Pole? I bet he has to have body guards. Do you think he has body guards? I wonder what they usually do for summer. Have you ever seen him?"

"Shelby...I don't even know which to answer first, so I'll just say 'I really don't know' to all the questions you just asked."



Take a breather girl...it's July 5th after all.