cowboy boot roller skates

The Olympic ice dancing competition was on tv. Brother, Sister-in-Law, Darling Niece, and I were watching the skaters spinning so gracefully around and around on the ice, when Darling Niece broke into her own ice dancing competition right there in the living room. She was spinning and spinning, round and around, then a bit wobbly, losing her balance she would tumble over giggling out of control. We all three joined in the fun. Three adults and one eighteen-month old spinning around wildly in the living room! It was our own Olympic figure skating competition. I believe we all scored perfect 10’s.

See pic of Darling Niece below.

Doesn’t that sound nice?  Love Mom and Dad.

I was recently forwarded an email sent from my stepfather to my half sister who is studying in Germany for the summer.  The email was signed Love Mom and Dad.  Not sure I had ever seen those words in writing before.  I read them again and again and again.

Love Mom and Dad.  Love Mom and Dad.

My parents divorced before I learned to read.  In my memories, I never had a “Mom and Dad”.  I have an amazing, very involved, Dad.  And I have a loving Mom.  And a very reliable and caring stepfather.

Mom and Dad.  Mom and Dad.  It sounds so comforting and encouraging.  The two words just sound like they are meant to be together, side by side.  Mom and Dad.  I can’t wait to sign birthday cards “Love, Mom and Dad”.  To be Mom and Dad.  To call up the kids on the phone and shout, “It’s Mom and Dad!”  I can’t imagine anything making us happier.

Boyfriend is going to be the most amazing father.  I am certain that being Dad will make him the happiest he can be.  Potential he didn’t even realize he had, will be reached and maxed.  He is going to be the proudest dad.  Taking more photos and video of our little ones than he knows what to do with.  Love Mom and Dad.

Boyfriend insists that our children will be water skiing and snow skiing as soon as they learn to walk one foot in front of the other!  I will fill the chairs around my new dining room table with happy, smiling, hungry faces.  I am going to be the mom who always fixes a sandwich for my kids, even if they are not hungry.  The kitchen will be our comfortable-always-welcome-anytime space…I will sit at the table with them, sandwich on plate, and I will always be there to talk, or listen, or just be there.  Love Mom and Dad.

We will take the most amazing family vacations.  And have simply amazing times exploring our own home, yard, neighborhood, and city.  Our kids will grow up camping, swimming, boating, riding the train through the Colorado Rockies, climbing mountains, helping in the yard, learning to cook, gardening, singing, playing musical instruments, dancing, giggling, laughing, listening to old country music, learning, roller skating (of course), and no doubt we will continue our semi-annual “unplugged/no power weekends”.

And they will so very often find comfort in the words… Love Mom and Dad.

My grandmother turns ninety years old in two months and three days.  She was born in 1919.  She lived through the Roaring Twenties.  She lived through the Great Depression.  But her family lived on a farm in Missouri and she says they didn’t experience the depression because they were self-sustaining, providing their dinners straight from the farm.  They were a very large family and they always had food.  When she was just five years old, she told her mom that she would stay home from school to help care for her little newborn baby brother. Five years old! Amazing.

Grandma finished college and became a high school English teacher at the young age of twenty-one years old.  She wore fashionable eye glasses simply to appear older to her students who were in some cases just three years younger than she!  She went on to become a principal of a high school and then she was a meteorologist with the U.S. Weather Bureau.  To this day she is terrified of tornadoes!

Grandma has lived in the same three bedroom one bath home for over fifty years.   My mother was born when Grandma was 31 years old…just a few months older than I am now.  She says that after Grandpa returned from serving in WWII, they had to start all over with jobs, house, each other.  I love this pic of them!

I enjoy visiting my grandmother and hearing all the stories of her past…and she loves to tell them!  I find myself thinking that I am a lot like her.

Go to Mel’s here to see what the others brought to Show and Tell!

I have been troubled the last couple of weeks. 

1.     My boyfriend has not quit smoking.

2.     A majority of my boyfriend’s time is consumed by his band.

3.     My freakin’ sunburn from two weeks ago continues to hurt like hell and has prevented me from working out regularly.

4.     Our dog’s arthritis has gotten worse and it breaks my heart to watch her in pain.

5.     I still hate my job and cannot find another one.

6.     I am broke.

This list seemed so much longer when caught up in moments of fury. 

Sitting here at home on Saturday morning, enjoying my time off…I am reviewing each stressor. 

I asked Boyfriend why he doesn’t quit smoking.  I told him that it will make his heart healthier and his world happier.   He said, “I know.”  That’s all I can do.  Wait for him to be ready to quit.  Gosh, I hope it happens soon.  I hate watching him commit suicide.  It’s not fair to love someone so much and to have to watch him hurting himself.  And to feel like there is absolutely nothing I can do about it.

Nearly every other weekend he goes away with the band to perform.  I stay home to take care of the dog.  He may miss my niece’s first birthday party.  He will be away for the Fourth of July weekend.  I hate that he may miss these times and more.  But, there is nothing I can do.  He is committed to his band and must play these shows.  I remind myself that everything changes.  Nothing remains the same.  He’s committed to the band now.  Although music will always be an important part of his life, one day the band may not be such a commitment. 

I am still angry with myself for allowing the damn sun to destroy my leg.  

I visited the doctor.  And it is slowly getting better.  My mother had melanoma when she was just a few years older than I.  I am so angry with myself for allowing this to happen. Never again.  Sunscreen, sunscreen, and more sunscreen for me!  I am cancelling my gym membership to save money.  But soon my leg will be healed and I’ll be running on the open road…training for a 5k!

We got more meds from the vet for the dog’s arthritis.  She is just over eleven years old and I don’t want to see her suffering so much in her later years.  I think the meds are helping more now.  She made it up the stairs on her own yesterday. 

For nine months I have been searching for a new job.  Three promising interviews, but no offers.  Bad timing.  Soon after I finished my masters’s degree, the economy went to hell.  Come on economy, pull through!!!  I deserve a rewarding career, GOSH!!! 

Even though my salary is crap, I am managing to pay off my debt.  Slowly but surely.  I have very little spending money and often order water when going out for drinks with friends.  But my car will be paid off by February 2010.  And my credit card debt by September 2010.  Snowball effect.  I learned that from David Ramsey.  Then I will start to accumulate savings.  Although it seems like I am the poorest person I know right now…I will be in much better shape in the long term.

So maybe my life is not so bad.  I like to think that I am doing everything I can to make it the best it can be.  And to be the happiest and healthiest I can.  

Some things that make me happy:

Boyfriend.  He loves me and shows me.  He may not tell me as much as I’d like.  But, even with his busy schedule, I know he’s there for me when I really need him.

Bestest BFF ever!  Even with a new baby at home, a husband, house, job, dissertation, family, friends, church…she has time for me when I need her.  And let me tell you…I need her!  She is the best!

My sister is a doll.  I am so proud of her.  On Monday she left for a study abroad program in Germany.  She is going to be an environmental scientist and help U.S. companies keep up and stay Green!  She makes good decisions, thinks of her future, and enjoys her life.  Sometimes, I wish I could be more like my little sister!  :)  She is twenty years old.  She and her boyfriend have been dating since they were sixteen.  Cute pic of them!

And how darn cute is my niece!  Just looking at her smiling face makes me happy!

And homemade chocolate chip cookies make me happy…and hungry!

And the roses outside my front door!

We went to the lake for the long Memorial Day weekend.  Took Friday and Tuesday off work for an extra long, relaxing weekend.  First full day I was unfortunate to receive the worst flippin’ sunburn ever!  Stupid!  Painful!   I used the Neutrogena SPF 45 spray sunscreen, but due to a windy day and my carelessness, I would say 75% of SPF blew twelve inches to the left of my skin.  After four hours of zip sledding, swimming, and boat riding I suspected sunburn.  Later that night my legs were on fire!  My right lower leg was severely burned.  The next day I felt a shooting pain straight up my leg when I stood or when I put any weight on my right leg at all.  I made it out of bed eventually and continued on with my day…with a not-so-slight limp and grunts to accompany.  Five days later my right ankle was still swollen to where I couldn’t find my ankle bone to save my life.  It’s finally getting better.  I think I will stay away from those new spray sunscreens in the future and stick to the old fashion lotion.  The pain, unsightliness, and risk of cancer is not worth the convenience.

swollen right ankle

Other than the sunburn…weekend was great!  Took the two nephews zip sledding behind the boat.  They had a blast!  They were like the Energizer Bunny on that thing…we could have pulled them all day!

And then there was cliff jumping for the older boys…

Like uncle, like nephew.

I fixed homemade waffles for Boyfriend’s birthday breakfast.  They were delish!  

After breakfast, Boyfriend made his way to the couch where he enjoyed a lazy rainy afternoon.

Right next to our little girl.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable weekend.  I blame no one but myself for the stupid sunburn.  I haven’t been able to work out for a week now and I am sure feeling it.

My family went to a baseball game to celebrate my dad’s birthday.  The stadium was newly remodeled for this season and it is WAY BETTER!!!  

My beautiful rosy-cheeked niece and goddaughter enjoyed her very first baseball game! 

I love this pic of me and my niece!

We were down by four points until a HUGE comeback in the 9th inning: one homerun, two homeruns, a triple, then another run to win the game!  The crowd really was going wild!  I still think my favorite part of the game though is the pink lighty fountains.

Ahhhh…summer has arrived.

So I have finally created the blog that I’ve been thinking about for months!  I am truly proud of myself for building it all on my own…with help from Wordpress and Go Daddy of course. 

This weekend I enjoyed an evening of bluegrass with Boyfriend’s band.  Dancing, singing, and laughing into the early morning hours.  Enjoying the music, friends, and beautiful spring night.  Really was some of the most fun I have had in a while!  

Dinner with Family was eventful.  Cousin S made two exciting announcements: she is getting married AND she is pregnant!  Baby is due in October and wedding will be next spring.  Congratulations Cousin S!

Boyfriend said that because I am Pooch’s mom and sometimes his mom, he wanted to take me out to dinner for Mother’s Day!  We enjoyed yummy veggie burgers, french fries, and red wine!

Also recently discovered this week was Pooch’s arthritis.  Vet gave us an anti-inflammatory, pain med, and glucosamine.  I hope she gets better soon with the meds!  Poor Poochie!