Thursday, September 29, 2011

Kidisms

I love these...they make my world go 'round!

Me:  "Hey Guys!  Come look at the rainbow out here!"
Sidney:  "Wow!  That's cool!  Think there is a pot of gold at the end of that rainbow?"
Me:  "I don't know...I'm going for a run see you in a bit."
...after I return from my run
Ashton:  "Mommy, did you find the pot of gold while you were running?"
Ah, the innocence of a five year old...

Sidney:  "Mommy is your life frustrating?"
Me:  "Not my home life, Sidney...you guys are easy.  Work is frustrating."
Sidney:  "Well Daddy's work and home life is hard.  He needs to go to anger management."
Fun dinner conversation that you can never truly anticipate...

Me:  "Ashton what did you have for lunch today?
Ashton:  "Nothing."
Me:  "Really?  Nothing?"
Ashton:  "Nothing."
Me:  "Okay, then, I am going to call your teacher and yell at her for not feeding you.  Then I am going to call the principal and yell at her for not giving you lunch.  I am going to tell them that is what you said.  Do you still think you had nothing for lunch?"
Ashton:  "I had a hamburger, noodles and bread."
Who says Mommies don't double as detectives?

Sponge Bob, The Final Chapter

The title says it all.  Sponge Bob is no more.  I can't even pretend to be sad that this little creepy, pellet-eating, lurking pile of gills is gone.  I took great pleasure flushing the fish down the toilet.  The final fish bowl cleaning was not nearly as painful as it was when Sponge Bob was still swimming. 

Mark my words...this is THE LAST fish that will enter this house!  ...on to the next little life sucker!

Monday, September 19, 2011

The Fish

If you remember my fish posts, you'll recall that I was less than thrill to add "fish" to the role call in this house. 

Well, I'm here to tell you (confession style if you will) that I would like to take a page out of Ashton's book.  No, I'm not interested in sporking the Beta fish to death, but I am interested in flushing it down the toilet.  This creepy little food stalker has not regained the color in it's body.  Quite the opposite, actually.  It's actually draining moreso than it was when we acquired this "used fish" (to use Sidney's terminology).  But, that's not all!  (spoken with an infomercial voice!)  Sponge Bob's scales are also falling off it's body.  This can only mean one thing - one step closer to being flushed.

Honestly, I'm tired of cleaning the fish bowl.  Sick of hounding Sidney to feed the fish daily.  Looking at it's molting body every day.  It's gotta be time to give it a water burial, right? 

The question is - do I wait until it's belly up or do I put us both out of our misery and consider the next fish bowl cleaning the final one!?

Overcommitters Anonymous, Anyone?

"I'm not only a member, I'm the president." 

It's been 13 days since I last blogged... Oh, wait!  This isn't AA...it's OA.  Overcommitters Anonymous.  I'm certain that there probably should be a 12 step process, but that would require me to committing to create them.  No can do. 

Seriously, though.  I love my volunteer work.  I love it more than my "real job."  I just wish I could cut the hours in the day job and do more on the volunteer side.  ...well, until I become independently wealthy, I suppose I will continue to strive for the balance.  Keep the plates spinning.  Resign myself to the fact that there may be 13 day gaps between my blog posts. 

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

The Race

This original blog draft was something to the effect of, "I came, I saw, I conquered..."  ...all of this based on my race training tactics and ultimately the results of my efforts.  However, this approach has been kyboshed based on some recent experiences.  Realizations if you will.

Tonight I put on my Labor of Love Race shirt that was distributed with the race packets yesterday.  I looked in the mirror and became fixated on the verse that resides on the front of the shirt.  "...run with endurance the race that is set before you."  (Hebrews 12:1)  Let that one simmer for a while while I dive into a few real life applications that have bubbled up here in the past couple of days. 

Sunday evening I suited up in my apron and hair net at the Haven as I do on a regular basis.  Every time I go I always walk away feeling like I have received more than I gave, but it is not always a result of a particular experience.  Or, in this case person.  His name is Joel.  Joel was the team leader on Sunday evening.  Accepted to the program at the Haven - the program which will help guide him to (once again) become a positive contributor to society through rehabilitation programs, housing, in-house work and meals which are provided to him - Joel's race is a bit different than mine.  Sporting some pretty spectacular ink may at first glance give you some preconceived notions about who this person is.  What he is about.  What he aspires to be.  I had the great privilege to spend the evening working along side of him, talking with him and learning from him.  What an incredibly intelligent person whose life steered off course for a while.  He's back on track.  He's training.  He's running his race with endurance and I will add, with grace.  It is my hope that he continues to endure, to press toward the finish and does so with the encouragement of those around him.

As a few of us were standing on the sidelines waiting for the one mile racers (the kids) to come in to the finish my friend Jill's sister, Becky, was cheering on every single person who was making the approach to the final stretch.  With each passing runner, she was clapping and cheering them on to keep going.  "You're doing great!"  "Keep going!"  "You're almost there!"  I looked at my friend Scott and said, "It is the people like Becky who stand along the race course cheering you on that keeps you running when you feel like you cannot go any further."  It is those people who carry you to the next mile marker when you doubt your physical and mental stamina to carry you to the finish.  Course cheerleaders prove to be an invaluable resource when you are running a race and enduring the course.

This evening I called my friend, Rose, on the way home from work.  She asked me to give her a ring, so I did.  The last time we saw each other was in California in June.  We had a splendid time together - as we always do when we meet up.  Tonight her tone was different.  It was sober.  The exchange of pleasantries was short-lived and she cut to the chase.  "Lisa, I have breast cancer.  There are some people you just really don't want to tell this news to and you are one of them."  My heart sank.  Rose is undergoing chemo, has endured surgery and will continue to undergo treatment through the end of the year.  Her race is one of life or death.  Her life depends upon her endurance.  She's an incredibly strong woman.  Terribly fun.  Full of life.  I will take a page from Becky's book and cheer her on to the next mile marker for as long as she can put up with me. 

It's ironic how life is constantly put into perspective.  Funny how all of the little nuances of a Labor Day race and a Bible verse can change the message of what "racing" really means.  Run your race with endurance.  Be a race supporter.  Train like your life depends on it - because it does.