Water Aerobics

Can you find me in the picture??? I didn't think so. So, it's a million plus degrees outside, as summer has started, and the thought of doing anything physical just about makes me want to gag. I have two friends insane enough to work out at an UNAIRCONDITIONED gym in Lufkin. Those girls need to take a trip to Rusk . . . permanently. But I digress . . .

A local gym in town is offering water aerobics classes at a pool that is, oh, roughly four blocks from my house or so. So I went to the demo class on Saturday. It was wonderful! I was sore all over, yet managed to never sweat (maybe being in water up to my chin and blowing bubbles during many of the moves helped with that). At the end of the "demo class," I eagerly signed up for class Tuesday-Friday (it's not offered any other days).

I had to work on Tuesday, so I missed my first official day of class. I woke up all gung-ho yesterday morning, eager to go and get a great workout. I get to the pool, and . . . well, it was a scene similar to the one above, except these ladies look more active than we ever did. Our instructor is a girl who used to be an accountant for my husband's office and has had no training in fitness instruction at all, except that she's now an accountant for this gym's office. Ummmm . . .don't think I'll be doing the Wednesday-Friday class after all. I am going to try the class today and see if there's a different clientele (I've been promised it's a different instructor).

Then I guess I'm going to call the gym and sign up for their booty-kicking, fat-burning, sweat-inducing Fitness Fusion classes at 9:15 MWF. What's another hour out of my day?? Wait a minute--I hate sweating! And I'm going to sweat! Oh, sigh . . . guess I'll go eat some leftover birthday cake while I ponder this through . . . .

Letting Go

Okay. So one of my closest and best friends in the world is leaving town tomorrow. With her husband. And her two precious babies. And the dog they adopted four years ago. And I have been bawling inappropriately and unexpectedly on and off for a couple of weeks now (as I did when I learned they were moving late in December). And they're only moving three hours away. That's all. But still. . . she won't be across the street for me to run to. Her house won't be open for my babies to intrude into at all hours of the day and night. Her wisdom, guidance, calm, cool nature and authenticity won't be directly across the street from me anymore and doggone it, I'm pretty devastated about that.

This friend, Alison, is an absolute GEM. I have met very few people like her in my lifetime and know there won't be many more. She is a rock, a cornerstone, and so many of us lean on her all the time. She has introduced my children to crafts, cheese balls, beading projects, shrinky dinks, and so much more.

Alison has been such a role model to me about how to be as a mother, what really matters in life, how important it is to be accessible and loving to all and I'm just going to miss her more than I can even imagine. When she came, her oldest was 3 and my oldest was almost 2. Her youngest daughter turned 2 three months after my little guy did. These girls served as his sisters long before the arrival of my daughter and Alison served as his surrogate momma on the days I thought I would lose my mind. They ran around in diapers together and now run around all over together.

So, this song I LOVED in college has been running through my mind all day, after an, oh, fifteen or so year hiatus--here it is: "Letting Go" by Suzy Bogguss--now I just have to figure out how to let them go tomorrow without throwing down on the driveway!

She'll take the painting in the hallway,
The one she did in jr. high
And that old lamp up in the attic,
She'll need some light to study by.

She's had 18 years to get ready for this day
She should be past the tears, she cries some anyway
Oh oh letting go
There's nothing in the way now,
Oh letting go, there's room enough to fly
And even though, she's spent her whole life waiting,
It's never easy letting go.

Mother sits down at the table
So many things she'd like to do
Spend more time out in the garden
Now she can get those books read too.

She's had 18 years to get ready for this day
She should be past the tears, she cries some anyway.
Oh oh letting go
There's nothing in the way now,
Oh letting go, there's room enough to fly
And even though, she's spent her whole life waiting,
It's never easy letting go.

Oh oh letting go
There's nothing in the way now,
Oh letting go, there's room enough to fly
And even though, she's spent her whole life waiting,
It's never easy letting go.

Yikes!

Has it really been so long between posts? AGGGHHH!! Sorry to have been away for so long. We are having some fun in survival mode until the end of school. Four more school days after today and we are officially off for summer! Imagine it . . . an entire summer to . . . go to VBS, Zoo Camp, Art Camp, Kids College, Golf, Tennis and Swim Camp. . .wait a minute--is it really summer? I got a call last night from a friend of mine who works full time. She wanted for us to synchronize our children's schedules for the summer so we could trade off driving to and from events. After reminding her three. . no, four. . . times that I don't work full time, I finally convinced her that my little one was going to have a few days that he didn't HAVE to be somehwere--but just a few.

Tonight is our last t-ball game--woo hoo! We are ready to celebrate the end of the Cubs season and possibly the end of our ball career (keeping fingers crossed) . . .

Registration materials are out for Art Camp at the Museum, which is a really good thing. Now we just need 400 or so babies to come and fill the slots and we'll be good to go.

Encountered a "Hmmmmm" situation yesterday. Our cleaning lady, who is always reliable, didn't show up on Wednesday, which was alarming. We planned to entertain this Sunday night, of course. . . .SO, I asked my mom if we could borrow her cleaning peeps on Thursday. They came to our house (two of them) and--Kevin and I seriously think they summoned the fairies to come in. Our house is cleaner than it has been since we moved in--they even organized DRAWERS, people! I don't know how they accomplished so very much in six short hours, but I am blown away. So now, we love the way they clean. We love the way Old Faithful irons. What to do?? What to do??

The puppy is officially a part of the family. She is just precious and such fun. The kids adore her, of course. And we also got through rodeo! Here are a few pictures of the little ones in their gear--they had a blast! I'll be better about writing--promise!

Smart Dog, Good Dog

So we met our new puppy today to make sure she was a "fit" with our family, and is she ever! Please look at how this puppy responded (and realize these were taken in rapid succession)--First, she has to give hubby dear a little kiss:

Then a follow up wink to the camera (I've got him right where I want him!)

Then a snuggle in, just for good measure . . . .

She got the seal of approval from brother:

And sister, too, of course . . .

We can't wait to officially bring her home in two weeks--we love you, Izzy Belle!

I have been coloring!

"Mommy, I have been coloring!" . . .you think??

And I'm so happy and I know how cute I am because you're taking my pictures!

Look--I didn't miss even one finger!

Or my toes!

Thank you, Jesus, for washable markers AND the fact that I keep only washable markers in my home . . . oh, what a Sharpie could have done . . .it gives me chills

Emerson Quote

Thank you, Ralph Waldo Emerson: "To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intellingent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one's self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - this is to have succeeded."
LOVE THIS!

ewwwww

Yuk! Just got a fun little email from reunion.com that I receive every few months--"someone is searching for you! To see who, click here!" Then you click on the link (if you're me and you really, really want to know who from your past is seeking you out) and voila--for just $59.99, you can see who! But today, for the first time, I was given a "clue" about who was searching for me--and. . . .oh. . . joy! A 46 year old man in Amsterdam and a 45 year old man in Nebraska! Rock on! Old, foreign (Nebraska's like a foreign country, right???) men are checking out my chili. And I'm scared. Very, very scared. First of all, because I don't know any 45 to 46 year old men. Secondly, because I don't know anyone in Amsterdam or Nebraska. Thirdly, because I've never created a profile. Too creepy.

On a lighter note, I learned that I once again deserve the title of "Mother of the Year" today. You see, my little girl woke up yesterday with a rash on her arm. It looks like this:

So, when she woke up with the rash, I asked her 1) Does it hurt? No. 2) Does it itch? No. 3) Do you still want to go to school? Yes. SOOOO, she went. After all, she was fever free, had been eating like a horse, sleeping great, sweet mood--all appeared to be fine. She went to school and had a great day. I woke up this morning--that pesky rash was still there. I took her to exercise (I do spin class--have I mentioned that?) with me and left her in the nursery, as always, with other children. Before I left spin, three people had stopped me and asked what was on her arm. It was THEN that I decided maybe we should visit doc. Of course, the official diagnoses from my fellow exercises included: poison ivy; hand, foot, and mouth disease (i don't want to go there--it's nasty--we'll leave it at that); an allergic reaction to deet; an allergic reaction to some new food that I hadn't fed her. We went to visit doc and our precious nurse said, "Oh, that's strep." HUH??? WHAT???? HOW??? No fever? No sore throat? No decreased appetite? No vomiting? No diarrhea? No grumpines? How do you figure? Easy. She has the rash. And guess what--after a throat culture (which I was certain was only done to take more money from us), we learned that she has strep. Woo hoo, Momma! Way to expose her to every little creature in the world! Now we'll just wait for our brother to get it . . . .I. . . can't. . . wait!