Real Time Travel- Really

I am having a very good day! I have been time traveling with songs on the radio, I’ve been back in high school flipping a flag during a half-time show ("Owner of a Lonely Heart"). I’ve been to the day where my first-love and future husband first talked to me ("Centerfold"). I’ve been back into those carefree days of my early 20’s where it was dancing every night and helping out at the Spring City Café in Huntsville, Alabama ("The Joker"-not that I was in my 20's when that song came out ). I also went to a Kiss concert where I rocked and rolled all night to...can you guess..."I Want to Rock and Roll All Night".  I've been proposed to by the aforementioned first love ("Faithfully") and gone to my "Sweet Home Alabama", where the skies are so blue.

Not all my time traveling is so happy, happy, joy, joy.  There are those songs that make me cry and fall  apart too. Not today though, whoever was in charge of programming did an awesome job of picking only the ones that were sure to leave me positively peppy. I have no doubt I've given more than a couple folks cause to wonder what I am smiling about.

What is it about music that can so immediately evoke emotions and put me in a completely different place? I have not a clue but I do know there's not one iota of musical talent in these pipes of mine. The saying “can’t carry a tune in a bucket”, well that doesn’t even begin to cover my lack of ability. I still sing though. I sing out at church (sometimes), I sing loudly at home(when no one is around), I sing while driving (even when other people are in the car) and I’ve even caught myself or been caught by someone else singing out with the Muzak in stores. Usually, I don’t realize that the singing is not just in my head until someone looks at me a bit oddly, then I smile, shrug, and quickly leave the aisle.

If you remember the Carpenter's song "Sing", you know I really take those lyrics to heart. If you don't here it is.

I hope you get to journey to a happy place today.

Ewwww....Mom I Hate It

My girls are 12 and 14 or rather, ALMOST 13 and ALMOST 15.  Their clothing, music, and food choices are quite different than my own. In fact, I might venture to say RADICALLY different than my own.

Just as it did in my day, (back when there were no cell phones and dinosaurs ruled the earth) school picture day calls for something new to wear, as does a Friday night football game. Both of these events were scheduled this week. I know better than to pick anything out without a little input from at least one of the girls.  I've learned this the hard way, through a series of returns and unworn items. It was with some serious trepidation that I ventured out into the wonderful world of shopping with a teen yesterday. I really did think I had a workable plan and that the end result would be smiles, hugs, and thank you's.  First, I went to a trendy store where ALL the kids shop. Second, Allison was with  me and had been given the okay by Leah to do her choosing (she had to head over to soccer practice). Leah trusts Allison's fashion advice-even though they fight like cats and dogs over everything else.  A couple of weeks ago while shopping for shoes with Leah, she wouldn't choose sandals without sending a picture to Allison for her thumbs up.

Merrily, merrily,  with no doubts our purchases would please the younger girl, Allison and I left the store. Leah loves Elmo so a really cute Elmo shirt was a no-brainer.  Honestly, the girl tells me at least a couple of times weekly "I love Elmo".  Allison also found an orange shirt and a cute little patterned tank to wear underneath it.  The combination worked beautifully.

Well,  as you might imagine her reception of the shirts was not what I had expected.  With the  passionate displeasure only a preteen can identify and express so succinctly she let it be known we had failed her....miserably.  There was stomping of the feet, humphing sounds, and tears.

Only  adding to my confusion is how my choices for the girls can be so repulsive and yet somehow my own clothing, jewelry and shoes find a way to their rooms. Hmmmmmmmm.... it's a mystery.

How Friendly Is Too Friendly?

What's the politically correct response to finding out a spouse has "friended" (Facebook)  someone they used to go out with?  I have no answer to that question although, I can tell you my response was not Hallmark card pretty and it was pretty irrational.

 Now here's the thing, I know that I can trust my husband.  His actions don't show that he is planning to cheat, but they are an indication (to me) of a general lack of consideration.  In his defense, he accepts anyone who puts forth a friend request. Now for the prosecution's side, he seems to rarely consider how his words or deeds might affect me.


His efforts at consideration are a different story when it comes to other things.
For instance, when we stay at a hotel, he picks up his socks and towels. He also straightens the bed and room for housekeeping. Here his socks go straight to the floor beside the bed for me to pick up. He uses the same thinking at a restaurant putting the remnants of the meal on one plate and stacking all the dishes for the wait staff.  At home,  I stand alone in the kitchen cleaning up after each meal (unless we have guests-then he helps).  In all fairness, if I ask he is willing to help.



This certain "friend" of his commented on a family photo which is how I became aware of the situation. I ,with great poise and dignity, politely asked, "Isn't this the girl you went out with just before me?" (in my mind that's how it happened). In reality, it was more of an indignant barking of the question as my head spun round exorcist style.
Now,  I confess to searching for blasts from my past but never, never, would I ask to befriend one.  I am curious but not to the point of opening a window of communication.  Am I wrong to be upset?  Sparta sure thinks so. What do you think?

Hello World-I'm An Adult Now!!

My oldest son is 18 years old today.  Yes, it's a time of celebration and Ben is certainly thrilled. He couldn't stop talking about all the ways his life is changed by this magic number. He can register and then vote. (Fox's O'Reilly and Glen Beck are helping to shape his political views.) He can sign contracts, work past 10p.m., check himself out of school, work at a gas station, get a tattoo, buy tobacco products and purchase lottery tickets. Oh, and once he gets his class CP driver's license he can be out after midnight. The preceding is a list provided by Ben to help us grasp just how much his life will be altered.  He assured us that just because he can do any of these things doesn't mean he will do them. WHEW!! My hand immediately flew to my forehead,as I sighed with great relief.

So, now that we've determined what he can do the question becomes, what will he do? First we sat him down to have the talk; the "you still live under our roof, do you know what that means?" talk.  It was during that conversation we learned that to him 18 means since he is now considered by the government to be an adult, we(parents) are no longer required to provide for him and can kick him out.    Well,  alrighty then.  To Ben this just might cause him to abide by our rules because he fears the consequence of doing otherwise. To me it implies he has something motivating him to consider his choices  more carefully.  His realization struck me more as proof of his blossoming adulthood than any of the freedoms he now legally has.

This morning when I went to make sure my "adult" son had gotten out of bed, I realized that this very well could be the last birthday morning he gets out of his own bed here, in our home.  He is a senior in high school and has plans to join the Marines and leave out soon after graduation.  For all my blustering about  looking forward to losing the teen angst and drama  of the past few years, I've spent this morning boo-hooing over the "lasts" we're bound to go through in this season of our lives: last first day of school, last chances, last high school dances, last year of being a tax deduction.

 I remember the first time I let him cross a street without me, he looked back to where I stood and said "See,  I made it". The time  is soon coming when he won't be able to look back and find me there watching. When Ben steps out into the world, he'll be doing it with the love and support of his parents who hope and pray that he will be a God loving, productive and responsible member of society. I look at my 6 foot hairy man of a son and can still see the little-bitty wrinkled newborn he once was.   I guess it's okay to glance back as long as my eyes don't get stuck that way.