I'd love to share some photos...but I don't know how?

So recently I was told I don't blog enough.

"The only way you'll get better at writing, is to write. It's just like speaking, the only way your kids learned to speak, is by speaking. Practice Hope, practice alot!"

With that being said, I'm just not sure if you want to read my rambles everyday? I've got quite a few thoughts rattling around in my brain. It's just getting them to you that worries me. I'm usually not at my computer when the best epiphanies happen; it's why it's called life. I'm out experiencing it, that's when the magic happens.

Let's start with shorter blogs and more frequently, then maybe you'll read me more often and just MAYBE, you'll subscribe to my words of insanity (gosh that would be so cool!) To my one follower, I love you dearly! To my future followers, you'll be my next favorites.
Now, how to get photos loaded to this blog? They keep breaking (whatever that means). I'll keep at it and maybe someday soon, you'll get to see inside my world. They tend to be humorous pictures of friends, family and then there's that one really terrible photo of stranger at the store; and it wasn't even Walmart!

It's Time for a Little ME!

If you ever find yourself with not enough "me time" and too much "family chores and errands", take a few moments and get yourself back. Yes, it is extremely important and very rewarding to be a Mom, it's a job that is created especially for us.

I've yet to meet a man that can multi-task as well as a woman. We just seem to understand that life is not a "one thing at a time" scenario. We don't get to finish a job before starting another. Dinner can't wait until the laundry is clean. The kids can't wait for us to drive them to school until our hair and make up is "just perfect". No, we don't get to wait until the glue dries on one project in the garage before we start another in the backyard. Our world is a world of constant movement, duties and jobs. It's an honor I hold in high esteem, one that gives me pride to say I can do, even when I don't do it well all the time. Sometimes it's just about me!

I don't feel guilty when the laundry sits for an extra day or two; they have enough underwear for just such selfish occasions. I don't feel remorse when I steal an extra minute or two of sleep in the morning...sometimes cereal is just the right way for your kids to start the day!

So, in all the hustle and bustle of your day, stop for a few minutes (oh heck, take sixty minutes) and just enjoy being YOU. It might be an amazing cup of hot tea (Teavana is incredible, just got it for my birthday); perhaps it's a ten minute cat nap or meditation; or maybe it's sitting down at a computer and getting it all out in a blog.

Whatever your "You" time is, do it and do it often. The kids won't care, your husband probably won't even notice, but you'll know you are important, special and worth every second you give to yourself, so you can be you...which most of the time, is being a great Mom!

What Else Happened on September 11th?

Did you know on September 11th:

1999 Serena William won the U.S. Open
1962 The Beatles made the recording of "Love Me Do"
1906 Gandhi began his non-violent protest movement in South America
1792 The Hope Diamond was stolen
2001 Over 10,000 babies were born; they will all be 10 years old in a few days. Let's take a few moments to wish them a Happy Birthday.

Let us never forget the horror of September 11, 2001 in New York City; an assault on our Country, our People and our Pride. But we should also take time out of the day to remember the good things that happened, things that happen every day in our great nation.

The joys, the successes; the caring and kind things we all do for one another, sometimes in spite of what happened in 2001; sometimes because of it.
 
This  is the mentality that will keep us strong and alert, so that we will look back in another ten years and be able to say, "God Blessed Our Country" in a time of tragedy and He gave us the ability to see through it and to see forward into a better and safer nation. We are Americans after all!

Yes, School Started, But I Want to Tell You About My Massage!

As the long Summer days closed on our children today, we all breathed a sigh of joy and tears for another milestone of the ages. BUT, I want to tell you about my massage this weekend. It will surely cheer you up if you're having a sad day and if you're day is going well, this is just a cherry on top!

I should have known, that seems to be the way all good stories start. But I should have; when you get a Groupon Now email for a last minute massage; you should know! I didn't.

I buy the 60 Minute massage at a massage parlor and by parlor; I'm pretty sure it was. I had to use it before they closed at 10:00pm, and yes, that should have been another clue. But I was feeling pretty happy with my recent purchase and called to schedule an appointment.
"No problem, you have Groupon? Come on in, we have 3:00 time for you." It was a Vietnamese parlor; some of you may already see where this is going.

I walk in and am I bit skeptical; two recliners are in the waiting room with a jumbo TV screen to watch 'video'. I didn't ask, but they did have plastic coated pictures of feet and all the pressure points on them...it's gotta be legit!

After waiting an hour and ten minutes, I am escorted to my room. Only the room doesn't have a door, just a curtain. The massage therapist, lays a sheet on the table and tells me to lay face down and then leaves. If these sheets were any thinner, you could see right through them. Do they even make 20 thread count sheets? If they do, that's what I had!

So I'm getting undressed and lay down on the table and drape the sheet over me. Did I tell you I only had a curtain? Well you can hear all kinds of things through curtains, but I'd waited this long and by golly I was gonna get a Shiatsu massage!

My therapist comes in and starts working me over like a prisoner on a chain gang hammering rocks. No explanation as to why I had to wait, do I ask or just roll with it? Before I can answer my own question, the curtain is pulled back and another lady walks in (she's the young one with the leather shorts, only 50 years old), and begins talking about something. I'm naked on a table with a 20 count sheet and they want to talk about lunch! They banter back and forth for about three minutes (five minutes might be an exaggeration) and then she closes the curtain and the massage starts back.

Do I flee or just stay and make the best of it..."at least you'll have a story."


About twenty minutes into the massage, I feel a heavy weight on the right side of the table, like someone is crawling up on the table...OH MY GOODNESS, she's crawling on to the table!!! Rub, rub, rub and then the unimaginable; yes, she straddles me on the table. A little 80 pound Asian woman that is 65 years old if she's a day, is sitting on my thighs with only 20 counts of thread between me and her. I don't know whether to scream or bust out laughing. At this point I think to myself (to keep from laughing or crying), "how much worse can this be?" Never ask yourself that question, you just might find out.

Two little knees balance themselves directly under my buttock as she lifts her entire body weight onto my back and thighs. Little bony knees, digging into my tail with only a sparse sheet in between us. She never stopped rubbing and working on my muscles. I wasn't relaxing and she wasn't stopping until I did. BREATHE, relax!

She climbed down after what seemed like an eternity and for a moment I thought she might do a somersault and start walking on my back. Luck was on my side, if for only a moment.


"Roll over, face up" was my next order; really? What's gonna happen next, this is just too much, how can I not laugh?

The sheet was crumpled up, barely covering the really private parts,and at this point I hardly even cared. I can only say I completely understand how these places get their nickname of "Happy Ending". If I would have been a guy, I don't think I would have had a choice; she tried to work out kinks and knots on my legs that I didn't even know hurt.

After what seems hours, she told me she was finished and then she left the room through the curtain. I just laid there for a few moments, trying to collect my thoughts and maybe a little of my dignity.

My back was less tense, my shoulders were less knotted and I did feel pretty good. "Helen" invited me back for another massage, apologized for the wait time and told me next time would be better.

I can check off Massage Parlor on my list of things to experience in life. I encourage you to go too; there's nothing naughty about it, just older ladies giving great massages. Just be ready for someone to climbed on your back; and you might want to bring your own sheet!

Whose Lesson Was it to Learn?

Some of you have known since it started, some found out later and even more are just now hearing about it. I had big scare with Breast Cancer; it is not Cancer, but we just weren't sure for a couple of months.

Lots of mammograms, sonograms, Breast MRI's, biopsies and finally last week the removal of some tumors and a duct, but like I said, it's not Cancer. I am blessed and lucky and humbled and grateful and any number of other words of gratitude; but this musing isn't about "what it may have been" but about what really happened to me, my family and my friends.

I believe that God does things and works miracles to teach us all a Lesson, I just couldn't see what Lesson I was supposed to learn, Stacy, Lisa and Michelle all individually told me, "maybe this isn't YOUR Lesson."

I'll let you decide and you let me know.

Like most things in my life, there's usually some sort of drama involved in it; admittedly most by my own design, but sometimes it is out of my control. This one was out of my control and straight into God's hand and God's plan. Everyone handles "news" differently, good news or bad news. I equate it to death, people grieve differently, there's no right or wrong way to do it; you start on a path and you have to hold on and be ready.

At the forefront of my path, I had to let it sink in; marinate; figure out next steps; but I did not try  to bargain with God. I made a conscience effort to take this "thing, what ever it might be" like a soldier. If the orders said Cancer, then Cancer it would be. Again, I had to let God go to work the idea of illness and on my Lesson.


It took awhile for me to realize that if it was Cancer, then there would be chemo or radiation afterwards. Lisa and I were swimming when that little nugget of wisdom hit me. She just smiled at me and said, "I was wondering when you'd think of that. We weren't going to bring it up, but yeah, there will be treatments. Don't worry, we're all here for ya." Lisa was on the path of strength for me, she's always fine.

Then there was Scott, who would not give me ANY sympathy throughout the whole ordeal. He just kept telling me, "there's people out there with REAL Cancer, Hope. We don't even know what yours is!" Very frustrating, but that was his way of navigating the path. He was right, I was fine.

The most humbling experience was at Stacy's salon. She has client/friend, young (early 30's), married, two children, both under three. She came in while I there, to have her head shaved because chemo was making her hair fall out and her head hurt. She had a double mastectomy when I first started on my path and this was the first time I'd seen her. SHE has REAL Cancer. I was humbled by her courage. This is her path, I pray she'll be fine. 

And finally, after it is all over but the healing, Michelle tells me she was afraid to pray for me, because if it was Cancer, then her prayers didn't work. Her prayers always work, she seems to have a direct line to God's Express Lane. While some of us pray and pray and don't get the answer we want so we give up; she prays and things happen. I really believe she prays for the right things for the right reasons. Her path was to strengthen her Faith and she walked it just fine.

So whose Lesson was it? I still don't know, maybe I never will and perhaps it was a Lesson for all of us.

I'm fine!

The Sounds You Might Be Missing, Could Be Just What You Need

Stop and take a few minutes to listen to your morning routine. Really listen to what your environment tells you; so many times we get up and "get on" with our day, we can miss the beautiful and small things; so often I fear we all do, I'm guilty.

So ,for the past week I've made it a point to listen.

I've listened to the sounds I make as I crawl out of bed; usually about ten minutes after Scott pops up and hits the floor. My bones crack and my ankles ache, I growl, stretch and then shuffle off.

I've listened to the same creak for a week as I walk out of the bedroom and shuffle across the hardwood floors. I never noticed that before; something new to fix on my to-do list.

I've listened as I click off the lamp in the living room that gives us all enough light at night to make our midnight snack run, and guide my Peanut Butter thief back to his room safely.

I've made note of the dishwasher door as it rolls open and groans, as it releases yet another load of clean dishes from last night. My son will be up shortly to clank the glasses together as they make their way back to the cabinet.

The slurping noise the coffee maker makes, as it drains hot water through the filter, reminds me that I have someone in my life that enjoys brewed Morning Mojo. I'm blessed to have the opportunity to set it up for him the night before; complete with cup and hazelnut syrup. My dear friend and sister-in-law, taught me this Language of Love; she would do this each night for her incredible husband. He is terribly missed; I think of him (and Nancy) everyday as the coffee brews.

I've listened to the rhythm of my "Espresso Creation"; every step from pouring the water into the machine, the cracking noise the beans make as I measure out just the right amount of espresso, to the soft crunch of the raw sugar being spooned out of the canister into the cup, and finally the screech of the last drops of the caramel brown nectar hitting the shot glass. It's all a very melodic song to wake me up and stir my senses. I've never noticed it before last week, because I wasn't listening.

And then it's so quiet and I listen for Peace.

I hear it outside in the rustle of the leaves on our willow trees; in the groan of the magnolia trunk as it gives in to the wind, blowing it North. I hear it as the our little friend Rabbit scurries across the yard boldly crossing our dog's path; and Sun Tzu not caring in the least about Rabbit, but being more interested in chewing the dirt from his paws. As the corn whispers from the farm next door, letting me know God's out there working for all the good of His people.

I hear the constant clang of the metal clasps on our flag pole out front, reminding me that we are indeed free and how lucky we are to enjoy those freedoms.

And finally, the best sound of all, "Mom!" as he stirs from his slumber in a big stretch and yawn.

Take a some time and listen to the sounds around you; I think you'll see love and joy where maybe you didn't. And I hope you find a few moments of Peace.

Vacuum Cleaners...Not Just for Your Rugs Anymore!

Who knew that there are so many other uses for vacuuming than just cleaning your carpets?! Maybe I was just having an "off day" or maybe my brain turned itself off and tuned into the calming whir of the vacuum, or maybe (and this is probably the case) I was just being lazy.

After sweeping my kitchen debris into neat little piles on the floor, I grabbed the vacuum from the game room closet where my son was playing with his LEGO's. I began as I normally do; plugging the rubbery hose to the vacuum so I have a "focused" suction and the crumbs (remember them from an earlier post?) don't blow across my floor. So I go rolling by the stove top I noticed a few dried penne pasta shells that had escaped the pot a few days earlier, yeah, you see it coming don't you? I reached that little hose thing in between the stove burners and VIOLA, it sucked those shells right up. Needless to say I was thoroughly impressed with my new found cleaning tool! It sucked up all manner of stuff on my stove top and flat top grill; it got the melted hard cheese from the quesadillas a few days earlier, it even got a morsel of egg from Sunday Brunch! I've never claimed to be a great house keeper.

I was so happy I wanted to try out more new time saving efforts, but first I emptied the whirly bin of trash and then started hunting! I made a sad attempt at vacu-dusting, but think I'll need a softer attachment, I tried to vacuum our dog, but he had no part of my Master Clean plan. As I retired the vacuum for the day and begin to put it back in the game closet, I looked around the game room; LEGOs everywhere!

I'm telling you I sucked up about twenty of them in no time flat, it was AWESOME! Little Luke Skywalker mini-figures whirling around in the bin, green bricks zipping past me in a fury of wind and then my son caught sight of what I was doing and ran to unplug my new cleaning device.

I'm still in trouble with him and he's not talking to me. But I retrieved all the LEGOs from the LEGO "torture device"; Luke has a few bumps and nicks, but I think secretly my son thought I was cool too! Or at least that's what I'm telling myself; that, and enjoying a few hours of silence!