Wow!!
Topic: Weirdness
I know that I've recently done a list of favs, but HOLY MOLY!! You've so got to try this!!!

The ladies on my May board were talking about how to get crayon off of wood etc., and one of them recommended Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I kept thinking, nah, who needs that?!?! Then Cale wrote on the coffee table in pen. NOTHING could get it off! So I had Chris pick up a pack at the store. I never got around to using it and today I decided. . .why not try??

OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS!!! This thing worked miracles!! It got the pen off the coffee table, it got scuff marks off the door frames (you know the ones. . .where you've tried to lightly and gracefully go over the safety gates and ended up jamming your foot, catching yourself as you knocked over everything on the table inside the kitchen and mumbling awful things under your breath?!?! LOL), it got scuff marks off the backdoor where we've kicked it closed, the "yellowing" around the light switches GONE!! :) Seriously. . .this thing rocks!! So go get one!! Or. . .the link that I put above. . .they'll send you a sample!! :) WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now won't Chris be happy that I actually DID something today!! LOL

Where I've been
Topic: Me!
Boy oh boy. . .when it rains it pours ya know??? After the awful week after losing Chris' grandmother, we thought, hey. . .it's Labor Day Weekend and we are going to ENJOY!!! Well we did enjoy until Labor Day. Yep, another early morning phone call. I once again saw it was Chris' parents and made sure that I picked up the phone this time. She had called to inform us that Chris' great-aunt had passed away. After getting the pertinent details, I roll over to tell the wide eyed Chris. He was not happy that we hadn't escaped the weekend without bad news so now we have forbid his mother from calling our house!! LOL

After appointments and a funeral on Wed, I came crashing down. Sore throat started Tuesday, stuffy/runny nose, fever, ears hurting, cough, but luckily Cale only had a cough! So I am trying to do everything that needs to be done (mainly laundry so Chris will get off my back LOL) and am feeling like utter poo poo. I got to the doctor yesterday and they shot me. Yep, right in my big fat handful of hip, gave me a nice little shot, plus 3 medications!! So I should be as good as new.

Now, this leads me to last night. OU played Houston and to get me out of the house, we watched it at my mom and dad's. Cale and mom played hard and then did their ritual of bath time. This concretes the reason we aren't so great as parents! LOL After bath time, my dad wrapped Cale up in a towel and tucked it in the back. . .you know. . .so he couldn't "escape" from it. As he struggled and grunted and groaned, his parents sat and looked on while muffling laughter. Hey! Even Oma and Odie laughed too!!! So once he breaks free and he gets dressed, Cale wanted to play with the towel. It started out as hide-n-seek, but was that good enough entertainment for us??? Well of course not!! The bad parents kicked in again and Chris covers Cale's head with the towel and just decides to give him a few spins before setting him free. I almost bust a gut laughing (which I got reprimanded for because if you're laughing, how can it be any fun because Cale can find you automatically. PARDON ME YOUR ROYAL FARTNESS!!!) So after establishing rules, we do it again and Cale is rolling! He is laughing so hard that he takes two steps towards me and falls. I somehow catch the towel and lead him gently to the ground, and this time it's uncontrolable laughter from the entire room. Chris and I always knew we'd be the type to put the bucket on the kids' heads and let them whack away at the wall!! LOL Guess we do know ourselves. But don't jump me. . .we protected the corners of everything and besides, that child has an amazing ability to find us with his head covered. . .it was like he could see right through the towel. . .so maybe we're not so bad after all!!

And I'll close with a conversation that ensued between my husband and I as Oma and Odie are playing with Witty.
Me ~ *cough cough sputter*
Chris ~ You alright back there?
Me ~ Yep, just tired and feeling gross.
Chris ~ Hey, if you're needing to go home, we can call it a night and go.
Me ~ Nah, I'll be alright for a little bit longer.
Chris ~ Alright then, shut up and quit your belly achin'!

Yep, aren't we just like Leave It To Beaver???? ;)

Let's talk favs
Topic: Weirdness
I'm sure you all are as tired of the sappy down depressing entries as I am. . .so let's talk favorites! If Oprah can do it, why can't I?? (just don't expect to get one of everything I put here after I'm done!! LOL)

First off, gotta' love Pottery Barn! We bought some of these for Cale and also for us during the games (since we're notorious for snack foods instead of full blown lunches/dinners!)They are trays that reminded me and Chris of our cafeteria days. Non microwavable but top-rach dishwasher safe. It also helps keep my food from touching!! LOL And gives Cale all his different compartments for ketchup, syrup, all dippables :)

My second favorite right now is my nail polish. Pre-Cale, I would change nailpolish colors every Saturday. Once he was born it's been a fight to get nail polish to stay on let alone get it on to begin with! So I had read in my magazine that one woman just uses clear. Ok great, I can do clear, but I also enjoy funky (even the ped commented on my blue/green toe nails!!). So here's my product. Color change nailpolish. What is it? This one that I use goes on clear, but in UV light it changes to this brilliant red/pink. It gives me the illusion of having nailpolish on, but still allows for the time I don't have to touch it up. PRETTY FREAKING COOL HUH!?!?!?

The third product(s) was given to me at Christmas and I am hooked!! It's not just shower gel, it's aroma is so incredibly intoxicating, there are no words!! It's White Chocolate Hazelnut by Philosophy. AWESOME!!!! It's such a major must have that it's ridiculous!!!

The last product I bought back in June (now they're on sale of course!!! LOL) but LOVE THEM!! I am a shoe fanatic and have a collection of Dr. Martens that can go in the vaults! LOL But they have now changed their sandals and they freaking rock!! Look at these. They are so incredibly comfortable and so cute!!! I just had to share!!

So there you have it, 4 of my favorites things. . .as of today. Tune in next time ;)

The circle
Today we said goodbye to MaMa, Chris' grandmother. It's been a very strenuous and tiring 5 days, and I know there are more to come. But the wild thing about life is how it continues on. As we mourned the loss of MaMa and grieved in our own individual ways, last night at 8:23, a new life was born and their family was joyous. Although cliche, it was the circle of life. And what a hard time to be so incredibly sad and heartbroken over the sudden death, but so deeply happy for the birth of Miss Emma. I received pictures today. . .absolutely the picture of preciousness and innocence. A new life to be moulded and a new life of growth. Just like that song Two Teardrops (again I turn to music!)

Last night I sat in the waiting room
The nurse walked in and gave me the news
It's a baby girl and they're both fine
An old man sittin' not 10 feet away
Just lost his wife and he said to me
You've got a brand new angel and I've lost mine
I guess the good Lord giveth and the good Lord taketh away
And we both wiped a teardrop from our face

Oh the ocean's a little bit bigger tonight
Two more teardrops somebody cried
One of them happy and one of them bluer than blue
The tide goes out and the tide comes in
A whole new circle of life begins
Where tears are a part of the pleasure and part of the pain
'Til they drift on down and ride to the sea again

Although tomorrow is another day, I know that it's tough to understand why the world continues while you're hurting so deeply. Why can't everyone else hurt with you?? I just never GOT it ya know?? But I am now old enough to understand that when I am having the best of days, someone somewhere is suffering. I just wish I could help them all. But my main focus right now is helping Bubba. The biggest and toughest man I know is hurting, he's hurting in a way that I so totally understand and I wish I could take that pain from him so he didn't have to know it. To know that deep ache in the depths of your stomach and that scream that is hiding inside. I always give off the persona that I'm so strong and at this very moment I feel so helpless and so weak. Maybe it's my time to grieve. . .for my loved ones that have gone on. . .for the loved ones that will go when God calls them.

I hate that it takes the loss of someone close to you to make you tell people what they mean to you, your grandparents, your aunts, your uncles, shoot, some people need to tell their children! But do it, and for those that know me, you know I don't get "preachy" but tell them. Don't let it go unsaid, no matter what kind of people you are. It took so long for Chris to understand that "I love you" isn't a scary saying, it's three words that have the power to heal, comfort and they are a necessity. I love the fact that he's not scared to tell Cale that he loves him. Anyway, just had to write this all out. I'm so tired. . .it's time to go to bed. Good night cyber buddies. . .I love ya!!!! And know that if you need me, I'm right here in the great plains, where no, we aren't surrounded by cattle and we don't ride horses to the store ;) I'm always with you in thoughts and prayers.

Prayers and positive thoughts please
It's weird the way life works. We were talking about that Friday night. You hit a major hurdle and then things smooth out. Once you think you're in control again, life throws another speed bump in your path. Well, we are now working our way over another bump/hurdle right now.

It's also amazing how your body works. . .I think my subconscious knew something wasn't right. We went to dinner Friday night and had a great time, but on the way to Chris' grandparents' house, my stomach went into hyper gear. I'd had a stressful day and was beat so we decided that was the problem. By the time we headed home, I was shaking from chills and very hungry :) I went to bed late with my stomach still hurting and just didn't sleep well. Storms moved in and out during the night and right as I fell asleep. . .the phone rings. I'm a person that can be woken up from a dead sleep and be WIDE AWAKE. This is the case at 6:30 Saturday morning. The caller id said it was Chris' parents. I automatically handed the phone to him, knowing I shouldn't. If it is bad news, I knew he didn't want to hear it on the phone, so the news coming from me would be less painful. But I handed it over and heard him say hello. . .then, as he sat up, he yelled WHAT?!? WHAT?!? NO!! A million thoughts rolled through my mind. . .Mike. . .Ma. . .Pa. . .Amanda? Then it hit me that he wasn't handling it well so I took it from him as he said, "It's my mom. MaMa died." I proceed to talk to his mom who is understandably upset. I find out the info that I need and hang up . . .to find Chris wandering the house trying to process the information.

Saturday morning around 5, PaPa found MaMa on the couch. They had spoken less than 3 hours before. We never suspected anything, she was incredibly healthy for a 71 year old woman. Having been through the sudden loss of a grandparent, I knew what he was going through. I tried my best to help him get dressed and out the door so he could go say goodbye. He called me periodically and sounded amazingly strong. As we talked about it he told me that he was happy for her, she was no longer tired. :) I told him that he was a bigger man than I because even 8 years after my Pa died I'm still ticked off! ;) This not only broke my heart to lose her and to know she was gone, but it rekindled the pain of losing my own grandfather in Feb of 1995.

MaMa took care of Chris from 6 weeks until he was in 5th grade. Every morning, every afternoon and some weekends. He thought she was so great!! It's been very hard for him to handle, along with the rest of his family. It was incredibly heartbreaking when Cale, after leaving PaPa's house, said, "PaPa. . .Ma. . .Pa. . .Tata. . .MaMa???" I lost it. . .how do you explain to a 2 year old that she's gone. . .I burst into tears and told him that she was in heaven and we'd see her later. That pacified him and he went about his routine of trucks and garage doors.

Although I wasn't born into her family, I'd spent over 6 years of dinners, holidays and birthdays with her. And as I always do in hard times and good, I turned to music and writing. Two songs came to mind: Farther Along and It Is Well.

Farther Along. . .Farther along we'll know all about it, farther along we'll understand why. Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine. We'll understand it all by and by.

It Is Well. . .When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot thou has taught me to say it is well, it is well, with my soul.

And then this came to me and I'll end with it. May God bless Peggy's soul and I pray for strength for everyone touched by her presence on this earth.

You had a way about you,
We call it MaMa's Way
The way you made your loaves of bread,
For anyone any day.

The things you held dear to heart
Like Tarzan, Caddies and Kismet.
You always had open arms for any
babies that you could get.

Your cooking surpassed everyone else
We think that's the reason we're fat,
And you never sat down to feed yourself,
Instead you'd sit just to chat.

Your passion for the slot machines,
Oh how you loved to win!
Your way of toying with PaPa
And your mischievous ornery grin.

But Saturday came and in the silence
You headed down a new road
Where there are no worries, there are no tears
You have no heavy load.

So now we have to say goodbye
We have to let you go
But we'll always have the memories
Of the time we spent, I know.

Our selfishness wants you back on Earth
But the thought that brings us peace,
Is picturing you with your loved ones
And Little Michael on your knees.

Posted by piperdanaiok at 10:52 PM CDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Rules. . .good or bad?
I was raised believing that there were rules and you were to follow those rules specifically. Apparently not everyone in the world was raised by my mom and dad so they don't exactly know this!

I just don't get why people think the rules don't apply to them?!?!? First example: You're eating at a buffet. It boldly says "NO SHARING TOLERATED" yet these IDIOTS try to "sneak" stuff to the other non-paying customers then want to get all up in someone's face because they think that sign doesn't apply!! Like I said, IDIOT!!

Second example: Driving. Now listen, you really shouldn't get me started on people driving. I really kind of have a sort of phobia in regards to cars and driving and can stand on my soap box for hours on end. But I pulled out of mom and dad's driveway today and slowly (so Cale and Oma can have their round of hide-n-seek) pulled away from the house. Next thing I know, a truck comes TEARRRRRRING around the corner and although I'm moving, he tries to go AROUND me!! Ummmm. . .what?!?! Then slams on his breaks and rides my butt like a dog in heat. We are in the middle of a freaking neighborhood hello!!!! The ironic thing is this isn't all that uncommon in their neighborhood. It's filled with stay-at-home-moms with too much money and too many plastic surgery/botox/yoga appointments to attend so they are ALWAYS flying down the road in their spiffy SUVs that they shouldn't be given a license for. (wow, that was an awful long sentence!!)

Third example: You're at a restaurant and it clearly states "WE DO NOT ACCEPT CHECKS" and the MORONS beside you go to pay with a check. The conversation that ensues:
Waiter: I'm sorry ma'am, we don't accept checks.

Moron: WHAT!?!? What do you mean you don't take checks.

Waiter: I'm sorry, we accept cash and credit cards.

Moron: I don't keep cash on hand and credit cards are BAD for you! Why didn't you tell me you didn't take checks?

Waiter: Well ma'am, it states on the entryways and the menus that we don't accept checks.

Moron: *as she pulls out wads of cash that she supposedly doesn't carry and mumbling* I don't see why you can't take my check. It's a good check. You should have told me that you wouldn't accept my check. I didn't know that the signs meant you don't accept MY checks.

Waiter: (or probably what he's thinking) Yeah you're right you fat broad, we should have had a sign posted that said "HEY STUPID MORON LADY IN THE PURPLE PLAID PANTS FROM 1973 THAT FIT YOU WHEN YOU WERE 9, WE DON'T TAKE YOUR FREAKING CHECKS SO COME BACK WHEN YOU APPLY FOR A CREDIT CARD AND PREFERABLY ALSO AFTER YOU SHOWER!"

Stupid people. . .one of my pet peeves. I am so going to make a blinkie that says I HATE STUPID PEOPLE!!

Hmmmm. . . . .
I endured a very interesting moment in my life last night. I was sitting here at the computer and read Miss Doxie's blog (read at your own risk!!!). Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm not funny!!! There I was sitting in the glow of the computer screen at 11 o'clock at night trying to muffle laughter. Shoot. . .I thought I was funny until I read her encounter of Chao Camp!! I'd always thought I was funny. I cracked myself up so why wouldn't everyone else laugh along with me??

So after I have this epiphany, I walk into the kitchen, fix a glass of water and in walks Chris. I just turn around and say, "Hey! I'm not funny!!" He's all, "Huh?" And I'm like, "Dude! I thought I was funny!! I think I'm pretty freaking funny but I'm not!!" And then he's like, "Huh? Who says you're not funny?" To which I tell him, "I SAY I'M NOT FUNNY!! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME I WASN'T AS FUNNY AS I THOUGHT!!!!?????" Then I stomped my fat butt down the hall to bed.

As I got ready for bed I started contemplating my lacking humor. Here's what played out in my head (try to stay with me): I think I'm funny. . .Cale thinks I'm funny but he's 2 so he doesn't count. . .mom and dad think I'm funny. . .Carly thinks I'm funny and her friends and Jason think I'm funny. . .yeah, I'm funny. . .but I'm just not as funny Miss Doxie. . .my friends on the board think I'm funny. . .they are my friends aren't they?. . .I mean, you only tell your real friends about when and how you bd. . .yeah, they're my friends. . .but do you know their last names??. . .ummm. . .mostly NO. . .weird. . .I have a ton of friends that have no last names and in my mind no homes. . .they all live mysteriously in my computer screen. . .good thing I don't have a flat panel screen. . .not much living space there. . .hmmmm. . .I'm a freak

See. . .I should just be labeled "SPECIAL" and go on with my life and leave you all in peace.

Ahhhhh. . .heck, dudes! I'm as funny as I think I am! ;)

Please accept my apologies. . .
WHAT was I thinking not updating you all on the tv situation?? I must have had a lapse in judgment and am on bended knee begging for your forgiveness ;) STOP THE HATE MAIL WILL YA!??!? LOL

Everyone can breathe now, the tv is here and in place!!!!

Here's how it all went down.He did sleep Sat night (it's amazing what codeine, a six pack and a hammer to the temple will do ;) LOL) We got up and both got dressed for church but Cale decided not to cooperate and didn't wake until 10:20. Chris made the executive decision that it would be smart to leave me here to start cooking so off he went to church. (Aren't ya proud of him?!?!?) By 11:30, everyone (Chris, mom, dad, Carly & Jason) were all sitting in the living room waiting on me. Chris paced back and forth and couldn't sit still to save his life. His "leg shaking" behavior was that to rival mom's!! LOL (You have to know my mom and her rocking). At 12:30 the phone rings. One look at Chris and you can see the underlying "I'M GOING TO JUMP OUT OF MY SKIN BUT STAY CALM" glaze across his face. He answered the phone to find it was his boss, Joe, calling to check on the status. After Chris told him he was still waiting, Joe said, "Oh man! I was worried! I saw an Ultimate Electronics truck turned over on the road earlier." To which Chris told him how much he appreciated the comment and now kiss his butt ;)

It's 1:30 and no tv. . .Chris is living on edge LOL We're all sitting around the living room and the phone rings. Chris about knocked EVERYTHING off the table again (poor Jason endured 2 table clearings by Cale, including his cup of water both times! LOL) to get to the phone. He hangs up and dies laughing. Lovely irony. . .the truck had been involved in an accident and they were running late!! (Joe gets his piece later!!) So, with the waiting over, mom and dad pack up and get Cale so they can just take him to their house for nap and we can deal with the tv.

2:45 and we hear the truck. Within 20 minutes, the men had the tv in place and 99% hooked up. They showed Chris how to work the remote and made sure everything was great. We ran to RadioShack to get another fiber optic cable something and came back. We watched 5 minutes of The Hulk and had to leave!!!! Chris called it heartbreaking to leave his new toy. ;)

We then attended our first Jewish wedding. WOW!!! They know how to party!! LOL That was an experience!! Even Alex, the groom, asked Chris about the tv and if he was doing ok knowing it's at home ;)

Aren't you all so glad that the tv is here and Chris is happy!?!? AND I even know how to use the sucker :) LOL Now. . .if he were only as excited about another baby!!!! ;)

T Minus 18 hours and 10 minutes and counting
Ladies and gentlemen. . .we are one day away from TV DAY at our house. Chris is seriously beside himself. He's running around on edge, doing everything at an AMAZING speed as if it will make the day go faster. It reminds me of waiting for Christmas day as a kid :) Carly & I thought that if we went to bed at 4 in the afternoon, Christmas morning would arrive earlier and we could have our toys. That's how Chris is. . .I'm not sure how he's going to sleep tonight, he may just get to try his first ever Ambien ;) LOL

He chose the first available delivery time tomorrow morning: 11-2. Nice little window huh?? He had told me prior to this morning that he was NOT attending church and would be standing in the street with signs that said, "BRING IT HERE!!!!" I totally believed him. . .he's so neurotic! But as of this morning, he'd had a change of heart (could it have been the 2 Cinnamonster cinnamon rolls he ate????). He decided he could leave church early! LOL Watch, he'll get there at 10:00 and leave at 10:20 LOL (shoot, we live 2 minutes from church!!) My mom had told him in that motherly voice, "Now Chris, what would Jesus do if he was having his tv delivered? Would he really skip services?" I guess she thought she'd get through to him, but instead he says, "Of course!!! He'd kill for a tv like this!" Can we say BACKFIRE?!?!? ;)

So we wait in eager anticipation. . .alright. . .I could really care less but I'm trying to be excited :) The living room was lovingly cleared of Cale's "BIG" toys (which were then drug back in by Mr. Goober himself), the entertainment center has been emptied, surround sound speakers re-wired and mounted, and the new AV cabinet put together and standing ghost-like next to the empty entertainment center.

Tomorrow is August 15, 2004 (in case you've forgotten) and Oklahoma will be the state of happy fat men. Just for the blessed event, lunch is at our house and we are having what we refer to as Carb Fest. Spaghetti (made by myself!), 2 loaves of garlic bread and a "vat" of fried potatoes (again, another of my specialties). They don't all flow gingerly together, but they are things Chris has not allowed himself for 9 months now.

So please beaware and do not be alarmed if at 11:00 CST the Earth moves and you hear a great howling moan from the middle of the US, it's just Chris, jumping up and down and screaming THANK YOU GOD as the truck pulls into the driveway. May God be with us all during this time ;)

T Minus 17 hours and 59 minutes and still counting.

Cell phones. . .Love 'em or hate 'em??
I remember when my dad got his first "car phone." It was mounted in the middle floorboard of his Oldsmobile and I thought we were so cool!!

In this day and age, 5 year olds have cell phones. Cale was perplexed by a corded phone at my grandma's house during the holidays! He works a cell phone better than my mom! LOL And if you don't have a cell phone, well gosh, you're living in the ice ages! EVERYONE has a cell phone!! At our house we actually have 5!! Only 2 are turned on, but we have the others just in case ;)

But the newest thing with cell phones that drive me absolutely insane. . .people that insist on sitting at a restaurant table and going through EACH AND EVERY RINGTONE at the loudest volume imaginable. WHY!?!? FOR THE LOVE OF GEORGE!!! I don't want to listen to that!! I don't understand why you can't do it in your car or at your house! And come on, we all know every ring that a cell phone has because most have the same stupid rings! It never fails when we go to eat that some idiot at the next table wants to pick a new ring!

Now I do understand that your phone ringtone is very important. It took me 2 days to pick out my ringtone for my new phone. Cale now expects every phone to play a song when and where he wants it!! :) And every phone should play what his Daddy's phone plays, "Sweet Home Alabama". I personally didn't pick that song. I don't care much for AL. . .never been there but still. . .Sooners Rule, there's no room for Crimson Tide ;) SO momma picked her old favorite show. . .Fraggle Rock. Everytime my phone rings I get transported back to elementary school days, down at Fraggle Rock, with the dog that knows there's Fraggles but can't tell, and those little bitty working "things" that work the mines, and that one CrAzY Fraggle that doesn't have eyes. If I watched it now it would probably rank up there with The Wiggles (they are so spooky!!), so I'll just keep that fun bopping tune in my head and remember my childhood. . .ahhhhh ;)