Perspective

I had planned on blogging about the crappy morning I was having.....it just wasn't going well.

Once I got to work I did a quick check on Melody Sherman who was Davis' baseball coach's wife from a couple years ago. I was so sad to learn that this wonderful mom had won her battle with cervical cancer yesterday. Her funeral was this morning and close to work. I was able to go for at least some of it....I got to hug Danny and watch her 18 year old daughter give her eulogy with the poise of a grown woman.

Melody leaves behind 3 children....Megan, Sophie and Drew...and a husband that adores her. Melody has an identical twin sister and as Megan put it "she will get to see what her mom would have looked like when she was 80".

Melody left a mark on this world and I know she will do whatever is necessary to make sure her family is okay without her here.

She told me in May that she would go out fighting....and she did!!!

Fly High Melody.....Job well done!!

A little nervous.

Tonight Pete and I are going to my 20 year high school reunion. Pete and I are high school sweethearts.

I know that I have a great life and have accomplished what I have wanted to accomplish....got married to my soul mate, have 3 children, earned my CPA, and survived cancer (I didn't really "want" that one).

But......

My mind goes back to what I was like in high school.....mostly shy (everyone can stop laughing because it is true) and with big hair. I graduated with honors and there were few in the school that knew that until I received my gold tassel and rope at the practice. I just didn't want people to know.

I am not one that have lots of friends.....usually just a couple really good friends (I married my best friend - so I don't need much more than that). I also graduated with a class of over 800 students.....too big to know everybody. I also did not move to Georgia until my 10th grade year - so no friends from middle school.

I have connected with one of my good friends a couple years ago through Classmates.com and my other good friend passed away over 10 years ago. There isn't anyone that I am just dying to see, but hopefully I will remember more people once we get there.

I am hoping to just be my normal self - not someone I am not!! Hopefully I will leave excited to have been reacquainted with some classmates and to meet new ones.

And for $85 per person, I better leave FULL!!!

What a quarter buys you.

Kids that wake up without problems (Matt did not earn his quarter today)

The dishwasher unloaded

The dishes done by someone other than me or Pete (who am I kidding - I don't do dishes)

Getting to sit on the couch playing George of the Jungle while Hannah brings the boys in.

Clean Rooms

Kids that go to bed when asked

The ability to take a quarter away for NOT doing what we say - although this would be easier if Pete didn't glue the lids to the jars.

**I am so glad I have kids that take after their dad....they will do just about anything for money**

What?

Oh that's right...today is my birthday!!

Anyone that knows me knows I have been reminding people about my birthday the day September started!!!

We all have only one day that is ours alone and I say take full advantage!!!

I am grateful for another year to spend with my family and to enjoy what this world has to offer!!

I took a vacation day today - I got to sleep until after 9, didn't have to take anyone to the bus or school, and I plan on completely enjoying myself today!!

"Not Me!" Monday

As a new "blogger" I have not participated in a "blog carnival" before, but I really liked this idea. It is somewhat of a "cleansing" exercise (click on the box above to see the blogger who started it). You have to blog about things you "didn't do". I had several "Not Me" moments over the weekend....so allow me to "cleanse".

• I did not promise my kids gum if they allowed me to go to the store by myself and then "forget" to actually buy the gum - that would be mean.
  
  
• I did not secretly pray that my son won his oil inject class no matter what it took - it is really all about "doing your best"...right?
  
  
• I did not justify not taking Matt to church school because we were on fall break and "if" we had gone out of town we would have missed it anyway.
  
  
• I did not tell my son that Daddy was helping me with my stomachache while behind closed doors.
  
  
• There is no way we called someone a crazy loon or wish harmful things to them - really that would be completely wrong.
  
  
• It certainly wasn't me that sat around all day yesterday and pretty much did nothing because I "deserved" it.
  
  

Ahhhhhh....I feel so much better now.

A reason to clean

A couple of weeks ago I needed to pick my parents up from the airport. I would not want my parents to know that I don't keep my car spotless all the time....so I cleaned out my car.

I found the following card from my sister that I think I got last year. It still makes me laugh out loud!!

In case you don't know what it is referencing - I found the below video with a short version. My sister has always known all the words and to my dismay, so do my kids!!

A place to belong

A year ago we ventured up to Calhoun for Davis' 1st motocross race. We didn't know anybody there, but it really didn't matter that day. We had no idea that we would find a place to belong.

This was "our spot" last night.

With "our people"...

"Roughing it" in our friend's new MX trailer.

The best part of our "place" is that it is all about family.....we don't have to get a babysitter or worry that our kids will be a bother to anyone. We all just take care of each other - whether it is a chain that needs fixed, a bike that needs started, a picture that needs taken, a hot dog is needed for a "starving" kid, spiced rum needs to be shared, or a child's dinner needs to be spoiled by too much candy (I really am sorry Joey) - someone just takes care of it.

It is amazing what can happen in a year!!