Vacation with Friends and Family

This week we went to a little beach house with my in-laws near Ft. Morgan.  Our dear friends, the W's were there with their family.  They reserve their family beach house for Thanksgiving every year.  My friend's family, her mom and dad, and brother and his family all went down in the brother's coach.  We were staying about 3 miles away, so we easily went back and fortha nd even had one of her boys over the spend the night.  J's brother and his wife are very fun and we love spending time with them, too.  They have four little blond-headed girls who are the epitome of cute, sassy, and fun.  Their "least-un" (2 years old) shares my name, so we had to have a picture together.  

When we left, we hugged and I felt that I wished I could live near people who loved me like these friends.  Not that I don't have friends here, but these people know me better than most people here and they love me and are real with me.  They are fun, personable, and frank.  They are one of a kind!  My friend's SIL was there when I broke my foot in 2003, so we have a special bond, as well.  She is a Godly, encouraging person.  She prayed for me when I fell that July 4th and stayed with me until someone else showed up to help me.  I will never forget that!

The kids were sweet, but the ride home was, as usual, a trial.  For a good portion of the trip, I sat with two boys in the middle seat so #2 could sit in the front with Dad and #3 could have the back seat to herself.  Needless to say, as good as the trip is, the homecoming is very good as well.  My sweet, happy doggie (happy because she had her special friend visit her instead of being boarded) was waiting for us.  She is curled up next to me right now.  

Here are some pictures that I wanted to share.....

The ride home:

R and R posing for a picture:

This is a fine-feathered friend that I met on the "bayside" up in a tree.  He let me know he was there and let me take some shots.

We (hubby, FIL, #2, and #4 and I) went catching crabs on the beach late the last night.  It was SO much fun, but I wish I had video.  It was too dark.  The kids were so funny running to catch them and then dancing (to get away from them) when they let them go.  YIKES!  They do pinch, not that I got close enough!
Hubby and #1 doing what they love even though they didn't catch anything except a pelican (long story - don't worry, they got the bait out of its mouth so Mom (I) wouldn't start crying).

My sweetie and me (this is my favorite picture in a LONG time - maybe 20 years).  
This is my beautiful, sweet, unique little girl!

Day 1

The kids survived!!!  The first day is always a little rough.  Yesterday was no exception.  My garage door broke and my car was inside, so my kids had to all ride the bus.  That was fine except that the high school doesn't send a bus to our neighborhood.  We live within walking distance to the back of campus.  Anyway, his teacher offered to drive him home, saving me from borrowing a neighbor's car to go get him.  Also, the two in middle school came home a little "bruised".  They didn't find friends, yet.  #3 had a hard time getting her locker open, but amazingly, ASKED FOR HELP several times!!!  For her, this was major.  And when she didn't know where her bus was, her one male teacher helped her find it and walked her to it!!!  I was very proud of her.  That was a good first day.  #2, who had such a hard time last year came home and seemed okay, but was crying last night and this morning not wanting to go back.  My heart was breaking as I sent him off.  But, I walked them to the bus stop and his male hormones kicked in.  Not wanting the other middle school kids to see him teary-eyed, he perked up and acted fine.  So, I prayed and sent them on.  That was all I could do.  God will be with them.  I know that!!  And they have to learn to stand on their own two feet.  Besides, school does teach them responsibility and independence and all kids need that.  So, as much as I wanted to keep them home and hug them a little more I put them on the bus and felt relieved that they were, at least, putting on a good front for their friends.  

Friends from Asia

This weekend, the day we got home from Yellowstone, some friends came into town.  We were longing to see them and despite the laundry, the unpacking, the lack of food in the house, we were so excited that they were here.  They live in Asia, you see.  We met them at the University where we attended - never mind how many years ago.  We traveled with them, celebrated holidays together, enjoyed getting to know another culture.  They are now leading lives very different from our own on the other side of the world, but the definite connection is still there.  In my heart, there is a place for H. and C. and even their kids that can never be filled.  They are like family in a lot of ways.  We had a wonderful weekend with them and their beautiful daughters.  We shared memories, shopped, talked, ate, and attended church together.  The weekend went all too fast and they were gone to their next stop before flying home.  I figured that it was at least 12 years since we had seen them.  That was way too long!!  There were long years where we lost touch, not knowing exactly where they were.  I searched the internet, e-mailed anyone I thought might have contact, but to no avail.  Katrina (the storm) brought us together as H. began searching for news of my family to see how everyone was after the storm. Hopefully, we will see them regularly from now on.  They plan to visit the U.S. more often and we plan to visit their country.  We pray blessings on them and their family as they carry on with their lives.  We send them away again, hoping for time later.  If not here, then in heaven!!!

Cobb Lane

Okay, I admit it....the world of Birmingham has indeed passed me by.  In the three years that we have lived here, I had never been to Cobb Lane until today.  It was charming.  There is a lot of other words that I could use, but not many that fit it so well.  My friend M. has been wanting to take me there for a while and since this is my birthday month, now is as good a time as any.  The lane itself is very quaint, cobblestone.  The courtyard is very shaded, restful, and overhanging with greenery.  The food was "fairy"-fare with a little rustic, southern charm mixed in.  The waiter was from the "west coast" (which doesn't mean California) and was maybe a little too talkative, but very full of dry humor and fun.  And being the naive person I am, I never quite knew when he was kidding and when he wasn't.  I must say, the company was great as well....

Thanks, M. for a perfectly lovely luncheon (can I call it that?) in a magical setting.  

Memories from Band Concert

Last night was my middle-schooler's band concert.  At the last minute I invited my brother to come.  It was very fun.  He commented about getting up and dancing when the jazz band played "Twist and Shout".  I told him if he did, I would have to blog it because he would embarrass

me.  He said, "You are threatening me with publicity?" I laughed.  

What you might not know about my brother is that he likes publicity, but enjoys sometimes "flying low".  It is a strange combination.  

I find we are all a little like that.  We don't want to seem like we like attention and don't want to crave it, but we enjoy a little bit being "known".  The awesome thing for me right now -(I don't always remember this - but right now it is so clear) I am remembering who knows us the best, loves us the most and HE is the most important "being" in the universe.  It is great to be known by HIM.  It is great to be loved by HIM.  This kind of "knowing", though, makes you feel incredibly small... and that is a great feeling, too!!!  He knows us inside, outside, upside down!!! He loves us more than anyone else ever could!!!  Just ask HIM to reveal himself to you and reveal yourself to you.  That's right, HE knows you better than you know yourself......

Other memories from last night- having all the kids together enjoying one child's moment (no one detracting by bad behavior or being bratty), going out to eat at 9:00 at night and having no ice and my husband having to order over and over as what he ordered was always out (so many times that it got very funny), the kids enjoying each other and us, tiny middle-schooler in a tux with a "too-big" jacket (very cute!!), the drumline from the high school (black lights and all), the music - how fun!!!

You get the picture.  Yesterday was a VERY full day.  I got the kids off for school (harder than normal), met some friends, drove to "small town" 100 miles away and back by 3:00,  Did homework, got the oil changed in the car, got everyone ready for the concert (alone), got to the school 45 minutes early, waited, enjoyed the concert, went to eat, rushed home to fall into bed at 10:00.  Exhausted!!!  And there was a lot in the middle there, like listening to one of my favorite people speak (my friend and "sage"), connecting with God deeply (emotionally), driving and talking to my friends in the car - LONG DAY.....

OOF!!

There is this thing that my friends in our church youth group would say.  Generally, it meant "That is too sweet for words" or "I am with you on that so totally I can't put it into words".  It is something we said when we made a connection with each other.  We would touch fingertips and say "OOF".  I was just remembering this little saying and how it says what you want to when you can't put it into words.  Anyway, in my life, I am constantly looking for "OOF" moments with my children, my spouse and my friends.  I also feel that God gives me "OOF" moments quite often.  Today, my friend M. who is a very busy doctor and mommy to four beautiful, but active children called me out of the blue.  My biggest complaint about our relationship is that she has no time for her friends (namely me).  So, she had a couple of hours and not a lot to do other than drive back to work early, so she called me to see if I could get together with her.  I was ecstatic!!  So on the way to meet her, I was thinking, "Thanks, God, for another lagniappe!!"  I wasn't expecting it, and we haven't been together a lot lately. We could have talked for hours, but we made good use of the time we did have.  She is very special and getting to visit with her today was an "OOF" for me.  She wrote me an e-mail and said that I am like a sister to her.  I don't know how to describe how that makes me feel except "OOF"!!!!!  

A Place In-Between

So here I am between home-schoolers and public schoolers...I have been a home-schooler for 11 years but my kids are now in public schools. I feel like I don't belong in a way. I have a home-schooler's heart and love the lifestyle but became tired of the teaching and really tired having no one to share the awesome responsibility of educating my four children.

So when I am with home-schoolers, I feel a bit left out, a bit overlooked. "You are not one of us anymore" - although no one says that, that is what I feel. I also feel compelled to defend my rights to place my children in school and tell people how well they are doing.

On the other hand, when I am with public school parents, they don't "get" me. They always want to know first why I quit home-schooling, and then why I started home-schooling in the first place. I truly don't mind talking through all of this with them and love to explain myself, but we just don't "fit". At least not yet. I am moving on, though and trying to get over my "past". I say that as if I have some kind of skeletons in my closet. My skelelton is that I home-educated my children!! Ok, so that makes me not your "run of the mill" person, but those who know me knew that already.

To my really great friends - those who accept me for who I am, they know my past and present, and will be with me in my future as well. To those friends, I salute you!!! You know who you are.