Nacwolin

I haven't been receiving email notifications for comments, private messages, etc.  This has been the case for a day or two, maybe longer.

Has this been happening to anyone else?

I sent a note to feedback, but it is the weekend, so...

Anyway, just wondering if anyone else was experiencing this.

Things I am not liking:

~ Walking out to the car two mornings in a row and finding pterodactyl-sized feces on my car.  Might I add that said car resides under a car port.

~ Having an itch on my big toe that won't go away.  Grrrrr.

~ Gas prices.  Double grrrr.

Things I am liking:

~ Freshly painted nails.

~ Freshly painted toenails.

~ Warm enough weather to skip the panty hose (yet another reason to like freshly painted toenails)

~ Salad with dinner - especially when 2/3rds of the veggies were free!

~ Reading a favorite book.

~ Cinnamon coffee cake

~ Appletinis

The kids made me cards this year.  I don't have a scanner that works with this laptop, so I can only type in what they wrote.  I am including the spelling and punctuation they used.

The Youngest, in his ten-year-old penmanship stuck with a simple greeting:  "Happy Mother's Day" on the front with a huge smiley face and "Happy Mother's Day Mom" inside, with a tiny drawing of me beneath and then "Love [his name].  On the other side, he drew a huge mom smiley face.  And there is yet another smiley on the very back.

At school he made a drawing on black construction paper and colored chalk with my first name on the front.  His teacher told the kids to write two words that describe their mom on the back; he wrote "forgiving" and "encouraging".

Makes me believe I am perhaps doing something right!

The Middle's card begins with "Dear Mom" sprawled across the front.  Inside is inscribed:

Its mothers day.
Sit back.
relax,
enjoy yourself.

After all, today and your birthday are really the only days we acknowledge what you do for us.

On any other day, we don't ever think twice about how much you do for us.

All I am trying to say is, thank you for what you do for us.
Thank you for putting up with our crap.

And most of all,
thank you for loving us!

Love, [his name]

Because without you, we wouldn't be here.

The Daughter wrote me a note:

Dear Mommy,
    HAPPY MOMMY'S DAY!  I know how much you like cards, but I decided to write you a letter.  I never was much good at following directions :-).  I just want to say, I love you and I truly am greatful for everything you do for me.  You really should be paid for what you do.  Thank you for putting up with me year round and still having me even thought (she meant though) I didn't wanna come out.  Show's my personality, eh?  I love you.
       Happy Mothers Day,
                [her name]

Sure, they drive me crazy some most days, but I wouldn't change being their mom for anything.

I am blessed.

What fictional character do you relate to most and why?

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Betty Smith

I love Saturday mornings with nothing to do.  They seem to be fewer and farther between now that the kids have sports and youth group and the like.  But today was just that kind of morning.

Sleeping in, then stumbling upstairs to grind coffee beans (which I've been too lazy busy to do for over a week now).  I whipped up some pancakes (with pecan for me) and served them up with some crisp turkey bacon.

What a lovely way to start the day.

Last night was similar - the first Friday in a long time that we had absolutely nothing planned.  We watched the news of all things!  Then we pondered whether or not we should go somewhere or do something, but instead we just sat on the couch and talked with The Middle, our only child still home for the evening.  I sipped a nice glass of pinot grigio and read a few blogs.  Eventually, we popped in Juno and were treated to a delightfully poignant little film (if you haven't seen it, you should, especially if you have teens - lots of great conversation starters throughout).

In a bit, I will force my relaxed self to get ready so we can pick up The Youngest.  I'd like to pop by the mall and Bath and Body Works - they have their anti-bacterial soaps 5-fer-10.  Too good to pass up!  Rob wants to go by Lowe's to get more deck stain.  And I need to bake something for a pizza party we will attend tonight - this is a yearly event we always look forward to, hosted by a couple from our church.  She was born in Italy and she makes pizza upon pizza with homemade tomato sauce; they are incredible.  She always brews a wicked espresso too, and with the chill in the air today and their lovely porch overlooking the water, it promises to be a great evening.

But I think I will just savor a few more moments of this slow start Saturday.  Sip what remains of my coffee.  Read a bit. 

And Relish the contentment of having absolutely nothing I have to do.

That is, until about noon...

Man, have I missed blogging!

There is something cathartic about writing - at least that is how it is for me.  And I just haven't had the time or the energy to do it.  Between the new job (which I am still loving), getting that gawd-awful flu, or virus, or whatever it was that knocked me on my butt with high fever for five days, and trying to get the kiddos through this final month of school - oh, and driver's ed - did I mention driver's ed? - well, let's just say that life happens and blogging hasn't.

And I need this place!

Perhaps that sounds silly.  But it's true.  I've been keeping an online journal/blog for going on seven years now.  Chronicling my life, writing about my thoughts, feeling, impressions, the things I am learning - even sharing my frustrations at times (hopefully I don't do that too much) - has helped me become a healthier person emotionally.

And I didn't expect the friendships.  But they came, and they have enriched my life in ways I can't adequately express.  When one is going through something - good, bad, or indifferent - that comment that says "I've been there too" or "I know exactly how you feel" makes one feel - I don't know - validated, perhaps? 

Yes, that's it.  Validated. 

I guess not everyone understands blogging or what it means to someone like me.  I think sometimes it frustrates Rob a bit.  On some level, I believe he knows writing here is good for me.  But I am sure there is a sense of "why would you want to have that hanging out there for anyone to read?"

When I first started writing, the posts were short and silly and trite.  And I am sure I still have my share of that type.  But overall, I want my posts here to mean something.  This sounds a bit self-centered, but I want to leave my mark, even it it's just on some teensy tiny bit of space out here.

The challenge for me at this time in my life is finding the time to continue cultivating this part of me.  Lately I've been wondering if I am outgrowing blogging, as there are days that I have had a bit of time and could come here and I don't.  I choose to sit on my deck or read a book or just simply be.

I don't think it is that I don't need to be here.  I think I am realizing that this place is here for me whenever I need it, whether that be several times a day or once or twice a week.  It doesn't define me, but it helps me stay in touch with "me", giving me moments to regroup and simply be Nicole with no other roles defining me.

So I will continue to come here  - sometimes often, sometimes not so much.  Sometimes my posts will be mundane, some will be silly, and some will touch on something deep within myself, and perhaps even in you.

What I will try to remember is that no matter when or why I happen along, beyond anything else, this place is here to help me be me.

And that is [very good].

The Daughter was invited to the Junior/Senior Banquet by The Boy We Really Like, and she said yes.  The big event was Friday night.  I'd been looking forward to helping her get ready that afternoon, but The Flu That Keeps on Giving was kicking me in the ass in a most splendiforous fashion with continued temps in the 101 range all the live-long day.

Thankfully, my mom had already made plans to come up and help her with her hair, so she stepped in where I could not, and did a magnificent job, I might add.

And since said flu is still not quite done with me yet, I will now allow the photos taken that evening speak for themselves...

Boutonniere

Candid

Pretty flowers

The couple

So sweet

1 comment

Shes so cute

Enough already

The gown

Daddy and his girl

1 comment

With grammie

Pretty as a picture

Last one