Picket Fences

“Monday, Monday” by the Mama’s and the Papa’s.  "...Every other day, every other day Every other day of the week is fine, yeah But whenever Monday comes, but whenever Monday comes A you can find me cryin' all of the time Monday, Monday, can't trust that day Monday, Monday, it just turns out that way Oh Monday, Monday, won't go away Monday, Monday, it's here to stay Oh Monday, Monday Oh Monday, Monday..." I am singing that song TODAY! Monday started at 1:00 this morning when I got woke up out of a deep sleep, and well…it went from there. One thing after another. I’ve had tears…I’ve said "the words.” Yep, it’s a Monday. Not just for me, but my husband and sister are having a Monday too. One negative thing after another. How can Sunday be so sweet…and then Monday happens? And then I think about my sister in law’s aunt whose last day was today. It makes me appreciate even the Monday’s that wear a pers...

Moving. Packing...packing...packing. Sick child. Exhausted Mom. Video game break with sick child. Screams of panic fill the room. Screams of frustration fill my mind. Spilled smoothie all over couch. Heavy sigh. Words of frustration push against my closed lips. Words of apology rush from her lips. A post from Facebook goes through my mind. A child's sad face...it takes a minute to clean up a spilled mess...it takes a lifetime to heal from angry words. I keep my mouth shut and get busy taking the covers off the couch cushions with the hopes it didn't seep through the foam. I throw the covers and towels into the already overflowing laundry pile and push against overwhelming feelings that make me feel...very tired. Back over at the couch. I scrub the back side of it. When her words hit me like a piercing knife through my heart. "I am so ashamed of myself. I..." I stand. "Shame will get you absolutely no where. Learn from what happen...

"We won't have to buy you a back-pack this year. Last years is still in good shape." I said to my daughter when we were talking about getting school supplies. "But I want a new one. I get a new one every year." She answered. "Most people don't get a new one every year and yours is still really nice." A few nights later we were coming home from the club when my daughter asked if we could go to Target. "What do you want at Target?" "I found some gift cards that Wanda gave me and I want to buy something." It was kind of late, I would have had to shower and change before we went so, I said we could go in the morning. However, we didn't make it to the store until the following evening. Sarrah went to the customer service desk when we arrived at the store to see what amount of money was left on the gift cards. It wasn't quite the amount she had been hoping it would be. "It's not to bad. What is it ...

My daughter is a member of The American Heritage Girl troop. At one meeting, their assignment was to write a skit as a group and then perform it at the end of the meeting. When I watched the skit unfold I stood amazed at how well the young girls had articulated a persons struggle with change. The play begins with a young girl sitting on a park bench. She really loved that park bench and wanted to sit on the bench again some other day. However, the girl was moving and wouldn't be back in the area for another year. The girl returned a year later. With eagerness, she went over to the spot where her park bench had been and sat down. Instead of landing on the bench, she landed on the ground. Confused, she stood up, the bench was gone. "What happened to my park bench?" She asked a nearby person. "What park bench? There's no park bench." The person walked on. Again the girl went to sit down on her beloved park bench and fell to the ground. Again, sh...

I love my freedom! I love being able to choose whatever career I want. To be able to go to the store, choose friends, go from State to State without papers. I love that I can go to church to worship, and nobody can try to force me to do it their way. I love to be able to vote for whoever I want, even though the person I vote for doesn't always win. I love it! And I value it. I know the freedom we experience in America doesn't come for FREE. There is a huge price that is paid by many people. Many have given their lives, lost their lives, and had to live their lives with the horrors of the atrocities that they have seen protecting this country and many other countries. I am very grateful. I thank God for the military our country has to protect us. My family suffered two losses, first my Uncle Ronnie, who died the year before I was born. He didn't die while in combat, but while serving his country in the military. And then my Uncle Bobby, my dad's youngest brothe...

I let out a sigh of relief. Finally, a few moments of peace, to take a breath during a chaotic time in our lives. I'm sitting at my desk with the window open enjoying the sounds of the birds singing intermittently between the sounds of the cars driving by, and the yard guy’s leaf blower from the senior living place across the street. I love the sounds of the morning and I’m taking it all in as I pour out my heart on my blog. Where to start is the big question, since the year 2015 has been quite a year for my family, and extended family. I am seriously considering making money off of 2015 and doing a reality show.  This year has been like a waiter trying to balance too many plates on a tray as he walks to the kitchen through a crowded, loud restaurant.  To name a few things we are balancing on our wobbly tray; more than wanted visits to the hospital, unnecessary car issues, relationship adjustments, relationship issues, and quite a few changes to our lives. ...