Sometimes a nudge is all it takes...

After Black Friday, we vegged.  OK I did at least.  Sometime Friday afternoon or evening, DS 3 announced that his "luncheon date" had been moved on Saturday.  I am really bad at keeping up with everyone's comings and goings...so it took a minute, but I finally figured it out.  DS 3 was hoping to attend the NeedtoBreathe concert two hours from here with some friends on Saturday night.  Initially I was quite reluctant to let him do this.  I know he's a good driver, but it scares me when I know it's a major city and it would have been late (the concert started at 9:00pm).  

Not long after the initial request he told me he would not be able to go because he had to go to a friend's birthday dinner.  I have to admit, I was relieved.  Friday, that changed.  Suddenly, he realized that he could do BOTH!  I was tired when he asked.  I told him it bothered me.  He gave me all the "right promises".  Anyway, for whatever reason I gave in.  I was still quite unsettled about it, however.  DH bought the tickets for he and three friends to attend.  

In the meantime, the mother of one of his friends messaged me on Facebook and asked if I was letting him drive.  I felt a strange guilt come over me...told her I'd said "yes"... but I wasn't happy about it.  She basically said she wasn't going to let her son go unless there was an adult with them.  I told her I was happy to drive them up there...although they were resistant.  

Anyway, to make a long story, just a bit longer...we decided that we could go together...drive the kids and then let them have their time at the concert while we watched the concert together.  And, although the kids weren't thrilled with it, they complied and "allowed us" to come!  

I have to say I had a great time!  I haven't known this other Mom very well.  Their family has just started attending our church and our paths haven't crossed that much.  It was fun talking and getting to know her and a bit more about their family while sharing with her some of our story.  

I know DS 3 would have preferred to drive himself, but he was gracious and none of the kids seemed to mind too much.  The concert started at 9:00pm and was over by 11:30...then we drove the two hours back and I was in bed by 2:00am.  I've got to tell you, I am not as young as I used to be.  Who am I kidding?  I never COULD handle late nights!  So, today I'm tired.  But it was so worth it on many levels.  

Maybe someday when DS 3 is a parent, he'll understand. I was at peace knowing that DS 3 and his friends were safe and having a good time, rather than worrying every moment about what was going on with them..   Several times during the night I found myself thanking God not only for the opportunity to get to know someone else, but for the "mother" nudge to do what my gut told me to begin with!  And the music was just a great big added bonus for me!  

One of my favorite things this band does is the "acoustic set". I took video last night, but can't figure out how to upload it! In the meantime, here's a good one that I've heard them do acoustically before.

Thanksgiving Reflections

I'm so thankful for my amazing family!  We had a fabulous day yesterday celebrating one another and Thanksgiving together.  My family came down from Tampa and DH's Mom and Dad joined us as well.  It was a lovely day...even though it was kind of hot!

Then, today, we carried out what is becoming a Black Friday tradition.  DSs 3 and 4 and I loaded up the car and left the house at 2:10am to go to Starbucks to get 500 cups of coffee to hand out at Best Buy and the Mall. Our church starting doing this as part of its outreach program three years ago.  It is absolutely an amazing event!

My job is to shuttle between the three locations and make sure everyone has coffee, creamer, and the fixins they need.  I told DS 4 that I think I did the "Mall 200" today!  After we finished (around 7am) I came home and took a nap.

Every Light Counts

 Our church is launching a project called "Every Light Counts" as the Thanksgiving and Christmas season is upon us.  It's got me thinking a lot about just how powerful each one of us can be in our world.  We can send out a ripple of kindness that helps people see God's love in action.  For our church, we are asking each person to consider getting involved in one of the many servant events that we have happening over the next 5 or 6 weeks:

Serving meals at our local elementary school to families attending school events
Giving shoppers free coffee in the wee hours of black Friday shopping
Helping buy Christmas gifts for children who might not otherwise have them
Heading out to our neighborhood Christmas parade to hand out fun packs and glow sticks to kids
Taking snack packs to more than 400 mall employees after church

Today, while reflecting on the impact a little light can make, I was reminded of the song we used to sing in Sunday School..."This little light of mine...I'm going to let it shine."  And I realized that every person in the world has opportunity to be a light in someone else's life regardless of faith background or beliefs.  I wonder what would happen if we all started looking out for our neighbors?  What if we found ways to be kind when no one expected it?  For our church, we see it as an opportunity to help people know that God loves them right where they are.

I believe it's this type of kindness that could change the world because "Every LIGHT Counts"--yours and mine!  Why not try and be a light this holiday season?

Maybe Sidewalk Rolling Isn't So Bad...

There's no question that life is so very different for our kids than it was for us.  Heck, I'd say it's different for my middle schooler than it was for my oldest boys.  This weekend, though, I have been reminded just how different life really is...it's busier.  Way busier!

DS 3 has become quite the "social character" in the past few months.  He is very involved in our Youth Group at church.  He takes part in Bible Studies, Discipleship with a friend, not to mention all the extra "fun stuff" they do. He's busy at school too.  He's the Junior Class President and the Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper.  He doesn't miss a chance to dress up and show school spirit. He is in clubs and organizations aplenty! If you could peel back the layers of years I have on him, you might see glimpses of similar time fillers from my own teen years...sans class officer and newspaper. I think, for the early eighties, I would have been considered busy too. Yet they are busier!

Friday night he drove almost two hours to a concert in a sleepy little central Florida town.  In his words, "Mom, it was like the minute the concert in the park ended, the town shut down.  There was only us and one other car on the streets!"  I think he might have thrown the word "po-dunk" in there somewhere.

Saturday morning he was up early and ready to go flying.  He's learning to fly the airplane to the left that he and DH own in a co-op of sorts.  The guy teaching him is the editor of some big aviation magazine and has asked DS 3 to write a piece for it.  They literally spent HOURS together on Saturday as DS 3 flew them to a city north of here and they watched a national skydiving competition.

He wasn't home 30 minutes before he headed out to "movie night" with his friends and ended up spending the night with one of them.  This morning we found out they spent the night "tarp surfing" (which I can find no pictures to properly explain).   If you want to see it, you can go to tarpsurfing.com and get a glimpse.  Anyway, I guess they didn't sleep much at all but had a great time.

Sunday he was at church to run the sound and then he went to lunch with his friends.  He arrived home around 4:30 or 5:00 and announced that he was "tapping out" to catch up on sleep.

Here's my observation.  We were busy.  They are busier.  I think part of the reason is because there's not enough "po-dunk" in most cities today.  We live 24 hour lives.  We are connected 24 hours. We can shop 24 hours.  We can talk, text, and chat 24/7.  Shoot when I was growing up we couldn't even watch TV 24 hours!  And forget talking on the phone...it was connected to the wall and anyone in the house could pick up the another extension and listen in!  Remember when the Star Spangled Banner shut down a TV network?  I think the convenience has created a monster.

Don't get me wrong, I love busy too.  I enjoy being out and about and visiting with friends and family.  I love exploring and finding new and exciting things to do and places to go.  Shoot, I think in many ways it's in his blood!

While I am thankful for living in a city that has a lot to offer...there's a part of me that thinks it'd be OK to, at least occasionally, roll up the sidewalks at a reasonable hour and tell everyone to just VEG!  Yep, DS 3, some days I'd take po-dunk!

Sunday Seven

Sunday Seven is a meme that I participated in a while back.  It's a time to think back on the past week and write seven things for which you are thankful...or seven of anything.  It was pretty wide open.  I admit, I kind of miss all the memes that were floating around the blogosphere for so long.  It was an easy way to link up and find other bloggers that you didn't know about before.  Yet I am just as guilty for stopping as the next blogger.  This one, though, is a good one that I intend to use occasionally.  So...without any further explanation, here's my Sunday Seven for this week:

1.  Had some great interactions at work this week!  I have to say that it's been hard for me to change leaders. I have worked for a lot of people (12 principals in my career).  And I've gotten along well with all.  I think it's just making changes after being "settled" for so long that has been a bit hard.  Anyway, I had some positive interactions and conversations both with my new boss and with some of my wonderful colleagues.  These conversations help me know that kids are still at the center of all we do.  And that's a GREAT thing!

2.  I am so thankful for my sweet friends!  I love it that I can call on them whenever I need to talk stuff out.  I am blessed by this and I don't take it for granted.  I am also thankful for new friends.  I love it that I feel like doors are opening for new conversations and new relationships.  It's special to "Make New Friends and Keep the Old..."

3.  I love working with my kiddos at school.  They constantly teach me about teaching and learning and laughing and living!  I honestly think I work in one of the best professions on the planet!

4.  LG got a new caseworker this week.  This is frustrating because we really ARE at the "end" of the very long adoption process for her.  Unfortunately, social workers come and go and it impacts kids.  I am thankful for a new caseworker who seems with it.  Although the process is now going to take a bit longer, I believe LG's been in pretty good hands all along.

5.  Seeing glimpses of maturity in DS 4 makes me smile!  He's in those often tumultuous middle school years. I love those moments of "hope" that God gives you when they are in these years that help you know that they will come out on the other side as productive citizens and young men.

6.  Last week at church the pastor preached on keeping God in the "right seat" of our lives.  We tend to move him to another spot or replace him with other people, things, events, or ideas.  This week, I cannot tell you how many times I've said, "Help me remember YOUR chair, Lord..."  and "I won't give your chair to anyone...you are center."  It makes a difference.

7.  I'm thankful for a somewhat lazy Saturday this week.  It's been a long time since I've just been able to relax and not really be on someone's time schedule.  I watched two movies with the kids and just generally vegged on Saturday.  It was a GIFT that I do not take for granted.

So, there you have it a somewhat random Sunday Seven.  I love recounting my blessings and thinking of the points of light that glimmer in each and every setting of my life.  Happy Sunday!

Selling the Garage...

Kids are so funny sometimes.  Our neighborhood is having the annual community garage sale today.  Now I have to tell you, I love GOING to other people's sales...but I HATE sitting in my yard selling my own JUNK!  It's a lot of work for very little return.

LG and I were out and about this morning looking at other people's garage sales and the farmer's market when I received a call from DS 4 asking if it was OK for him to set up a table in our front yard for him to sell HIS stuff.today.  Since I'd like to burn  donate half of his stuff to some other home, I said "sure!"

Five minutes later (while paying at the Farmer's Market) I received another call from him.  "Mom, a lady made an offer on your Halloween Wreaths."  "WHAT!?!?!?  NO, you may NOT sell my stuff..."  He said "OK."  I told him I'd be home reminded him again NOT to sell my stuff and hung up.

When I arrived home, I realized just WHY the lady made an offer on my stuff.  DS 4 is happily selling HIS stuff in the driveway with the garage door up and the junk inside FULLY exposed.  It looks like a salvage yard in there right now since we've been remodeling and I was MORTIFIED as I drove down the road.

I promptly parked...ok, it wasn't promptly cause the street is FILLED with cars.  Once I parked, I put the garage down, ran through the house and added about 27 things to his little store and shut the garage.  I could add more.  But I'm done.

During the creation of this blog, he came to get me to tell me a lady wants to try my bike out (which I gave him to sell) and she can't cause the tires are flat.  I went outside and resisted the urge to tell her this is not a full service station, it's a GARAGE sale...you take a chance.  I was honest.  It rides fine.  Still, she's determined to go home get an air pump and come back and try it out.  Whatever!

Once again, I am reminded why I DO. NOT. PARTICIPATE.  in the annual community garage sale.  At 1:00, I'm packing the stuff up that DS 4's dragged out and not sold and donating it to the church where someone else can worry about selling it.

To Blog or Not??

I journaled in college.  I wrote for almost two years nightly as I dated DH and finished my education degree.  It was therapeutic and a very good thing.  But then it stopped.

Before that, I wrote in a poetry journal off and on for years during my preteen and teenage years.

I've blogged longer than I wrote poetry or recorded my journey into adulthood.  It's been a really good thing.  I have to say it's also been great to know that some of my family have followed my writing.  Still, it's hit the point where it goes undone and then I feel guilty.  It's not quite an albatross...but there are days when it feels close.  I WANT to record what's happening in my life.  I WANT to leave a record for my family to share and be able to pass along.  Yet I don't write like I should.

Honestly, one of my issues of late has been that I know the audience could be wide open.  Anyone can read what I write here.  So sometimes I filter.  A lot.  It's not that I want to say anything wrong or bad...but some things are simply not for me to share with just anyone.  Still they are my feelings.  My opinions.  My experiences.  And, in some ways, they deserve figuring out despite the audience.

So I find myself at a place where I am torn.  One way or another I have to make a decision.  And this indecisiveness simply won't do.  I'm hoping to be back in some format soon.  Really I am.  I just have to work out what that's going to look like first.