Shotgun Blessings!

Have you ever had something great happen, but it happens so fast that, at the time, you feel like you're just trying to keep up? A sudden vacation that's planned, but leaves you scrambling to pack in one day? that new car you weren't expecting to get yet, but goes on sale? a house that you've been looking at that suddenly comes on the market? that business venture you had been pondering that all of a sudden takes off?

Okay, my thing isn't quite as big as those, but still left me spinning. Our pastor and his wife were getting rid of their four-year-old fridge, stove and microwave and I was needing new ones. Well, just the stove really. In the space of 2 minutes I was scrambling to empty my fridge and stove, pull them both out and vacuum and scrub the floors behind each. (I hadn't cleaned behind there since we moved in). At the time, I felt rushed to get things done with three kids who needed supper. I had no table (my fridge stuff was spread out on it) and hungry babes. I couldn't fully appreciate what a blessing this was turning out to be.

But now, I'm sitting back and looking at my "new" white stove, fridge and microwave and I'm thinking, "wow, this is great." And the best part is, the oven is self-cleaning! That is HUGE for me. I have a habit of boiling things over, both on the stove and in the oven! I call this a "Shotgun Blessing"!

Annoying Habits

I have these annoying habits that drive my husband crazy. I'm sure all of us have certain things we do that make our loved ones roll their eyes, or sigh in exasperation. Here's a few of mine:

• 1. I tell him to turn off the headlights on the van when we reach our destination. This may not seem like a big deal except for the fact that the van beeps to remind you. I always wait until the dinging starts and then say, "honey, headlights." Drives him nuts!
• 2. I am a night person. I get most of my ambition during the late hours; 10:00 hits and I start thinking it's time to clean out the spare bedroom and re-organize our closet! My dear hubby, a confirmed morning person, is stuck vacuuming, scrubbing floors and rearranging furniture until the late, or very early hours!
• 3. I'm an obsessive planner. If I have a job to do, I like to plan it down to the very minutest detail. I know the best route to the grocery store, friends' houses, parent's, church etc. It's either my way or, quite literally, the highway! LOL!
• 4. I like to think I'm adventurous when it comes to trying new things. In reality, I'm not. We'll go to a restaurant and I'll order some exotic sounding dish...then switch with my hubby after I take the first bite.
• 5. I'm a klutz. I walk around in my own world, oblivious to others around me. I've been known to walk into the broadside of a wall...in my own house! Hubby says he comes shopping with me just to protect the unsuspecting, innocent bystanders.

So fess up. What are some of your weird habits?

Excuse for not Blogging #3

I haven't the time today. I'm getting my nails done! And I'm cooking a big meal for friends.

What can I say? It's called priorities! LOL!

Guy Sight

Guy Sight - a condition that periodically affects the male gender when asked to retrieve, find or look for an item.

We've all heard of hindsight and the popular saying, "hindsight is 20/20," but I've found there to be this other phenomenon - guy sight. It's a condition in which a man or boy with perfect vision can temporarily be struck blind in certain situations - situations that may sound something like this....

"Sweetheart," hubby calls, "where's the cheese?"

"It's in the fridge," she answers.

"I don't see it."

"It's right inside the door on the top shelf."

Silence. "I can't find it," he calls.

She walks into the kitchen to find him standing in front of the open fridge door, staring blankly inside. She gently, or not so gently, moves him aside, slides open the little compartment on the fridge door marked "cheese" and calmly hands him the cheddar.

Hubby smiles. "Do we have any mayo?"

Sound familiar? And it's not only my hubby. I'm finding that my young sons are affected with this peculiar affliction as well. Like the other day, I asked my oldest son to go into his brother's room and bring me the brown boots.

"They're on the dresser," I say.

He walks down the hall and into the room. A few minutes later he returns. "Here, mom," he says and hands me the baby's slippers.

"No, honey, those aren't the boots. The boots are brown and they're on the dresser."

He looks at the slippers he's holding. "Oh." He disappears back down the hall. "I can't find them," he shouts.

From my vantage point I can see he's gone too far into the room. "Honey, that's the change table. I said they're on the dresser."

"Is this the dresser?"

"No, that's the floor. I said the dresser. Dresser!"

"Is this them?"

"No, that's a blue envelope. I said the brown boots!"

"These?" comes the innocent reply.

"Yes, those. Please bring them here....no, I need both of them!"

Anyone else have something like this happen?

Mommy the Grouch!

I have a bit of a confession. I'm a grouch. I don't do mornings. But it hit me today just how often I tend to let my grouchiness invade my life. It just kind of spills over on to my children who, bless their hearts, are the sweetest, most forgiving, totally adoring boys.

I often feel like Oscar from Sesame Street when someone bangs on his garbage can. He shouts out, "who's there?" in that grumpy voice of his. Me, I hear the not-so-soft padding of little feet approaching my bedroom at the ungodly hour of...uh...7:00 a.m., and I crack one eyelid and growl, "waddayawant."

I was gently shown today by my five-year-old that I was being Mommy the Grouch. He so sweetly looked at me and said, "Mom, I still love you even when I bother you." Huh? I was shocked! When I asked what he meant he said, "I still love you when you're grouchy."

God overflowed my cup when he gave me my three children. No matter how often I grump or growl, those big eyes (all six of them) stare up at me in total adoration. They forgive in the blink of an eye my sour behaviour. Those little hearts are willing to overlook all my faults and they wrap their little arms around me and proclaim, "I love you even when you grouch."

Is there any greater blessing than that?

Shake It, Baby!

This past weekend my in-laws took myself, hubby, brother-in-law and his wife to Jubilations to collectively celebrate our birthdays. This was my first time attending a dinner theatre and I was unsure of what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised at the party-like atmosphere and settled in to enjoy a night of food, fun and laughter! I had no idea that my chicken was going to be served with a side of humiliation!

One of the serving cast members stopped by our table and asked for volunteers during the show - two ladies, one man. My hubby, being the thoughtful, considerate man that he is (cough, cough), adamantly insisted that the rest of us were it. After much cajoling, we gave in and agreed. Through the beginning of the performance my stomach was in knots wondering when, and exactly what, we would be required to do. And then came the dreaded pat on the shoulder and the whispered, "we're ready for you," in my ear. I got up on shaky legs and followed the staff member, the butterflies tap-dancing in my belly.

We were led off to the side where we were given instructions on what to do. "When it's time, you're going to dance with the cast members."

Oh no, I'm thinking, not dancing! Anything but dancing! This is exactly what I had been fearing. For those of you who don't know me, I was raised in a conservative Baptist Christian home. Did you catch the word "Baptist"? As in we-don't-dance-we-keep-our-feet-planted Baptist! I can count on one hand the number of times I've danced. It's not that I don't think dancing is great, it's just that I've never been taught how to dance. To make matters worse, the fairy (that was his costume) tells me that I'm going to dance with the Samurai Knight. As I look towards the stage, I conclude that he's talking about the man who's singing and dancing right up front. No off to the side, minor role for me. We're talking CENTER STAGE!

"Him," I gulp, "me?" The man nods and seals my fate. Deep breaths, take deep breaths, I remind myself.

Finally we are shuffled towards the stage and I look up to see this hand reaching down to pull me up the steps. The Samurai Knight whispers for me to do what he does, and before I know it, I find myself on stage, spotlights on me. I fixed my eyes on that knight (or rather, mostly his feet) and found myself shimmying and shaking to the Beatles's "Twist and Shout". The great thing was, the spotlights were so bright I could barely make out the audience. And the whole time I was "dancing" (I use that term lightly) the actor's eyes were encouraging and friendly. That made it easier and surprisingly, I found myself letting go of the worries (other than tripping and falling on my face) and actually having fun!

We had an awesome night, and I did get to see my husband up on stage. He had to go up and dance with the "birthday group". My birthday is a ways off and I managed to dodge that one!

What a wonderful memory!

Excuse for not Blogging #2

Gone Fishin'!

Well, technically we're not fishing, but we are on a holiday of sorts. We've headed to my in-laws. We're going to relax there for a few days and enjoy being together. I'm also going to take in my first dinner theatre. My in-laws are taking my hubby and I, as well as my brother-in-law and his wife, to a dinner theatre on Sunday. Just the six of us and NO KIDS! Now, that's a holiday! LOL!

I'll be back on Wednesday. Have a great weekend, y'all!