Flashback Friday-The Jetson car edition

January 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I know, I know it’s been a while since I last wrote a Flashback Friday post.

Excuses? I have none.

But rejoice here is another segment of my crazy childhood so that you can laugh along with me.

My dad knew a guy that sold used cars. Used cars that you purchase on lay-a-way.

I know, crazy.

I paid $400 for this car over the course of a few months. I was so proud of that little red Chevette.

No that isn’t the song that Prince sang, although would have my car so much cooler

I had the car for about six months when my thought it would be a good idea to sell it and get a better car.

My dad put it in the paper for $200 or best offer.

A woman came to look at the car and offered my dad $250 for it.

He was shocked and told the woman how it was $200 or best offer.

She offered him $275.

He told her of the balding tires, the heat that wouldn’t shut off, and the driver’s side door that didn’t always stay shut.

She offered him $300.

He opened the hood and told the lady how he could stick his head in the shock towers.

She counted up her money and told my dad that the most she could pay was $425.

she still had groceries to buy, you know

Months later I saw my car driving through downtown and I swear it sounded just like the car from The Jetson’s.

Filed Under: flashback friday
January 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Lunch.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Writing Prompts from the Wisdom Workshop at Blissdom 2011

January 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Yesterday I attended a writing prompts workshop hosted by a lovely group of ladies (please click the link to get their info). One of the prompts was living a day in your life free of your greatest fear & since today I am in the midst of a major flare up this feels fitting.
*******

I can’t remember what it is to not feel pain.

I try to not let it consume.

I fail lots.

If I could just wake up one day and be without pain.

To not worry about what side of the bed I woke up on. To not worry about if I remembered to decaf. I just don’t know what I would do with that kind of freedom.

The pain shackles me most days.

As I have gotten more used to my life being this way it has gotten easier.

What was once an 8 might be a 4 now.

It isn’t fair.

They say that fibromyalgia isn’t hereditary. Can I believe them?

What if tomorrow one of my girls woke up and couldn’t walk or lift her hand above her head.

The guilt would consume me.

Some days I look at them and their freedom to move around and not have this intense pain in their lives and I get jealous.

For a brief flash of a second I wish that they could feel my pain. They could just soak it all in and understand the depth of it all.

I want them to understand that I am not lazy or out of shape. I know that they know but what if they look back and just wonder if it was real.

Do they feel cheated?

There are so many things that I have given them that are annoyances and sometimes life threatening.

hello asthma

But those things can be fixed.

While I wouldn’t wish for them to have my mental health issues, with the proper care and medication….those hurdles can be overcome as well.

But this pain……there is nothing for it.

It’s here. It radiates. it consumes.

What would I do if I gave this to them.

that would cause a whole new pain that I would have to carry.

This burden around my neck weighs me down. It leaves me breathless carrying it around.

I am tired of being breathless.

I am tired of this burden, but it is one I carry.

always.

Filed Under: a day in my life, blissdom 2011, fibromyalgia

Thirteen

January 26, 2011 By 1 Comment

Dear Chicken,

Do you know how much the mommy guilt is consuming me because I wasn’t there this morning to push the hair out of your face and just stare at your sleeping eyes for a few moments before I started to rub your back to wake you up.

In those moments in the morning when the light from the hallway is streaming through the slats on the top bunk I see glimpses of the small child you once were and the woman that you are rapidly becoming.

You would grumble and roll over and I would remind you that it was your thirteenth birthday. You may have asked for a few more minutes or you may have shot right up excited to start your day.

I will never know.

I can’t believe that you are thirteen.

13.

I just can’t wrap my head around it.

I can’t wait for next week when we can start planning your birthday bash. I remember the excitement on your face when you figured out what theme you wanted to do.

I think it will be sweet.

And soon I will be home & I will let your rifle through my bag of stuff. You will show me what new things your puppy can do and tell me all about your concert and your game and all the fun things that you did with your dad to make your day oh so special.

Thank you for understanding. Thank you for letting me follow my dreams. Thank you for just being you.

I love you my Chicken.

Mom
Laughing

Filed Under: birthdays, blissdom rocks but it is keeping me away from my girl on her special day, life with The Chicken

Top Ten Ramblings on a Tuesday morning

January 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

1. I have been up for seven hours and it is 9:45 AM CST.

2. No I am not crazy

3. I am here as an official photographer for the conference.

4. I am super excited about that & representing them while I am here.

5. Last year I missed my 15th wedding anniversary to be here.

6. This year I will miss The Chicken’s 13th birthday because I am here.

7. If I am not there for her birthday, does that mean she can’t turn into a teenager?

8. My family think that Alli & Barbara have it in for them since out of the 365 days in a year they have picked 2 out of the 5 significant days in a year to my family.

9. The Mommy guilt is something fierce because I am missing this day, but thankfully my husband randomly has the day off.

10. But I am sure I won’t be missed much because she will spend her time playing with this.

Barney 7 weeks

Please come back tomorrow & bring your friends to wish The Chicken a very happy 13th birthday, although I totally think that if I am not there that she shouldn’t be able to get older. Kind of like if I wasn’t there she couldn’t be born. I know….it doesn’t work that way

To check out other Top Ten Tuesday posts check out this sweet lady’s place (who is going to be here & I am super excited to see her again)

Filed Under: Uncategorized

You Capture-Doorways

January 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

This week over at Beth’s place the challenge word was Doorways.

About Tuesday I realized that I hadn’t really given any thought to the challenge and so I went around my house looking at the doorways.

We live in a turn of the century house and I love that we have the original doors and the beautiful glass knobs. I never thought to take a photo of the doorknob before, but I am glad that I did because this shot makes me so happy.

365-11

I took many photos of the glass door knobs from different angles, but that one right there was my favorite.

Then just by happen chance I was at my best friend’s the next morning keeping an eye on her younger kiddos for her when I looked out the backdoor to see the most glorious puffy snowflakes falling from the sky. I immediately grabbed my camera.

When shooting snowflakes you have to have your focus on manual so you can focus on the snowflakes and not the tree behind them. Catching snowflakes falling while focusing on manual can be a bit tricky, but I am so in love with this shot.

365-12

This shot is also straight out of the camera (SOOC)

By thinking outside of the box a little bit I know have two beautiful shots that I love and are now part of my Project 365 in 2011.

So how about you? Did you capture any great things from doorways this week?

Filed Under: 50mm 1.8, Canon Xsi, doorways, photographry, you capture

Beauty comes from the Heart

January 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Every morning I get up, I wake the girls, I brew some coffee & I turn on the news.

I remember last year when they were talking about the devastation that was in Haiti.

I remember my heart sinking when I knew that there was so little I could do from here.

I remember my husband telling me that the places that they were showing on the news were the nicer places there. That most people would love to live in those shacks that they filming the news reports in front of.

He has been to Haiti, to build houses; though not houses of American standards, but houses that the people there were so grateful to have.

In a flash it was all gone. I can’t even begin to imagine.

A few weeks ago I found out about the Heart of Haiti campaign at Macy’s.

Haitian artisans making beautiful things out of unlikely resources.

I love this video from the site showing the artisans at work, it’s less than a minute so please check it out.
Brandaid Video

I think my favorite pieces are the ones that are made from recycled metal, whether it be from scraps or oil drums, it is just amazing what they can create.



From the website;

Purchasing one of these handcrafted masterpieces directly benefits Haitian artisans by allowing them to support their families with dignity and purpose. Artisans receive 22 percent of the retail price for each item in the collection.
This initiative offers the first sustainable income since the earthquake, enabling artisans to repair homes, pay school fees and feed and clothe their families. With steady income comes better nutrition, improved education and access to health care.
Heart of Haiti also offers new opportunities for artists to collaborate with US designers, strengthening artisan associations and inspiring and energizing their communities. Men and women are working together, gaining confidence and hope for the future. Master artisans who planned to leave the country are now staying behind to train the next generation. The tradition of rich and unique Haitian art lives on…through the generosity of many like you.

Not only are they beautiful, but they are getting back so much in return. So if you are thinking of adding a little something to your home, why not make it something that was hand made and will do so much in return? I know I will.

I was selected for this very special “CleverHaiti” opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: clevergirl collective, heart of haiti, memories

Embracing myself

January 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

As I sit here at the dining room table, still in my pajamas with unbrushed hair, I ponder.

I don’t know if ponder is the right word, but I know that struggle isn’t the right word either.

This time of year sort of sucker punches me in the gut and in the heart. It stinks.

I take my pills and I put little x’s on the calendar to remind me of this fact.

I think that maybe if I take my pills every.single.day that I can learn to dodge the feelings creeping up inside of me.

I can’t.

I lean to the right or to the left to get around them, but then I lose my balance and I fall to the ground.

Sometimes the falling feels worse than the sucker punching.

sometimes

******************************

Because of a friend or two I decided to chose a word of the year for my life.

I struggled and thought and struggled some more.

Embrace.

I need to embrace myself.

I struggle. I will always struggle. It is who I am.

I know that embracing myself won’t fix me, but it surely can’t hurt.

And when I embrace my bright days and my dark ones perhaps my life will seem more uniform, woven together.

Because sometimes when you weave together brights and darks you come up with the most beautiful things.

365-10

Filed Under: a day in my life, life with depression, photos taken with my iPhone

Death and Taxes

January 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

They say that there are only two things that are for certain, death and taxes.

I just wish that my girls had to deal with taxes first and long, long before they had to deal with death.

I can count on one hand how many weddings my girls have been to in their lifetimes. Well, maybe two.

As for funerals or memorial services; well, there have been too many.

We have buried grandparents, great grandparents, and friends.

Children shouldn’t have to die, at least not before they pay taxes.

Death and Taxes is the only thing certain in life.

It keeps ringing in my ears.

It just isn’t fair.

My daughter shouldn’t be so accepting of death because she has seen it so many times before.

She shouldn’t tell her friends that even though it is sad that we should celebrate Marissa’s life.

She shouldn’t feel the need to want to support her past teacher whose only daughter passed away this past weekend.

She should be distraught & upset, not speaking rationally about how life goes on.

Death and Taxes

A mother shouldn’t be grieving the loss of her teenage daughter tonight.

A school shouldn’t be planning silent vigil.

A basketball team shouldn’t be playing their games for a girl that is no longer with us.

Stupid death, doesn’t it realize that she never got a chance to pay her taxes.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Filed Under: cherishing each and every day with my family and children, death and taxes, death is stupid