Ten Things Tuesday

I am shamelessly stealing this idea from Ruth. I’ve been feeling a bit down in the dumps lately so I need to think on things that bring happiness to me: 

1 – Number one on any list like this has to be the joy of my salvation in Jesus Christ. I may not always “feel” the joy but I know He never changes. 

2 – Being a grandmother is a big happiness producer. Being Isabella’s grandmother might just double that. 

3 – Hearing from an old friend out of the blue. It’s so nice to be thought of. 

4 – Knowing that my son and I can watch superhero movies together, something he doesn’t share with his dad – only me. 

5 – When my daughter calls me to chat. There was a time when we didn’t speak to one another. 

6 – Being able to talk with my mom. I am so glad that she is still around. There was a time when we didn’t speak either. 

7 – Crisp, autumn days are a delight to me. You can keep the tropics; give me the Atlantic northeast in autumn! I even like the word “autumn.” 

8 – Dark chocolate can bring me some happiness. Finding out it is healthy for me near to brought a tear to my eye! 

9 – That Himself and I are healthy enough to work out and maintain a pretty healthy lifestyle. It will be interesting to live alone together if The Boy ever moves out. We have never lived alone as a couple. 

10 – I am happy that we have a roof over our heads, food in our bellies and clothing on our backs.

There is more but I will stop here. There is a lot I can be happy about. It is my choice whether or not I take advantage of it. Sometimes I don’t. Shame on me. I have so much to be thankful for.

Team Isabella Walks Again

This Sunday, for the third year, Team Isabella will walk for Autism Speaks, an organization which helps families affected by autism.
We walk because:

…Isabella is Boo and I am Booboo, team captain.

…although Isabella can speak, she still can not express herself in a “typical” way.

…every 11 minutes, another family receives the devastating news that their child has a form of autism.

…at least 1 in 88 children are on the spectrum.

…parents and families and people on the spectrum need a place to go for resources.

…money is needed for research. Yes, we want to know what causes autism. Yes, we want the option to cure and prevent it.

…because we want to at least FEEL like we are doing something, anything to make a difference.

…because, when I spend time with my friend’s neuro-typical four year old, I mourn a little bit despite loving Isabella just as she is.

…because we love. If you would like to make a donation to Autism Speaks through Team Isabella, you can contact me at bonhomie7@msn.com.

Many blessings, g

Falderal Friday

Ah, Friday. It has been a longish week but not bad. My car still needs repairs but I am thankful for how much is within walking distance of my home.
After the A to Z Challenge, I am back to my old habit of slacking off but will try to keep up with the falderal.

What do you think of Mother’s Day? (heavy sigh) I don’t like being told when to appreciate people. Each time I speak with my mom I end the call with, “I love you.” We don’t give Christmas and birthday presents but we give I love you presents throughout the year. Not expensive, fancy things but things we really think the other will like. I give chocolate and biscotti and I have received a water filtering system (Brita). As for Mother’s Day around here, I appreciate it when Himself makes dinner for me. However, I feel obligated to go to his Mother’s place.

Do you have a bedtime routine? I have to confess that I watch way too much tv and stay on the computer too late into the night. I don’t sit all evening…well, I do but I don’t. I’ll get up and floss. Then I’ll get up and brush my teeth. Then I’ll take my evening meds. I try to read a bit and then I’ll pray. Hopefully, I sleep. It hasn’t been very easy to fall asleep lately.

Is there a personal behavior you are trying to change? In the last ten years or so, I have been seriously trying to curb my tongue. Last night, I asked a friend if she had noticed a change and she said yes. She also said she can see when I am straining to say something and holding back! The biggest thing I want to work on now is my tone of voice. I can say something kindly and the same things can be said with a sting. I want to be kind.

Early morning or late night? Believe it or not, when I was in high school, I woke up way earlier than I needed to. Now, I would stay up until two or three AM if I could. Those mellow hours are lovely to me.

Have to go so that is it for now. Please let me know your answers. It is great to get to know you better! blessings, g

An Award

Oh, Nikki, what would I do without you? I have had brain freeze about blogging since the A to Z Challenge and now you honor me with this award!

Here are the required 10 random facts about me:

1. Although I list my hometown as Brooklyn, NY, but I lived there for only a week after I was born. My folks moved out of Brooklyn when Mom was five months pregnant with me but wanted to stay with her doctor and so went back to give birth to me.

2. When I order coffee in a restaurant (decaf because caffeine gets me VERY sick), I feel cheated if I don’t drink at least two cups full. Free refills are required.

3. Nikki, I was taught to not visit others empty handed so I would probably bring cake, too, if we got together!

4. To me, camping is to be avoided at all costs. Even when I went to Girl Scout Camp, we had flush toilets, running hot and cold water and “tents” that were up on wooden platforms with bed frames for our sleeping bags. Most of our meals were in a mess hall.

5. Even before the grilling season starts, I am sick of hot dogs and hamburgers. I am quite content to cook in the house and leave the grilling to others (the grill scares me).

6. I really, really, really want to have long hair. Alas, my hair is not thick enough and just looks shabby if it is longer than the bottom of my neck.

7. I ask a lot of questions because this is how I learn and I love to learn! This drives big picture people insane and I have learned to tone down my question asking around these people.

8. When I was four years old, I really wanted to ride a two wheel bike. My dad helped for a while but soon got tired of it. He promised me a new two wheeler if I learned on my own. We had a parking lot next door to us and I tried and I tried and I tried and, that Christmas, there was a turquoise colored two wheel bike by the tree for me!

9. If you tell me something, I will believe you for I am quiet literal. If I found out you lied or exaggerated, I will never, ever completely believe you again.

10. If you are hungry, I will feed you. And you will enjoy it.

Now I have to choose six people to enjoy this award with me. How about Marie, Amy, Angie, Martha, Kaycee, and Nita.

I would love to ask more….Have a blessed week!

ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz

Anyone who knows me knows that I think Sunday afternoon naps are delicious. Actually, most naps are delicious; even the, “I’m so sick I don’t have a choice but to sleep,” naps are delightful.

I don’t know why “z” is a symbol for sleeping – maybe it is what people think snoring sounds like? (Yes, I have woken myself up with a little snort of a snore – I admit it. Himself says he doesn’t remember the last time he heard me snore – good answer, Himself, good answer.)

Getting back to sleeping, I never anticipated having a chronic condition that would cause me to have constant fatigue. Maybe God’s sense of humor gave me a way to be able to nap without having guilt about it? I have tried to fight it but it fights back. If I don’t nap when I need to, I wind up flat on my back with pain. Blessedly, my hubby is kind about this. Others, like my children, don’t get it unless they are reminded (conditions that are invisible sometimes make people think you exaggerate or fake it).

Anyhoodle, by the grace of God, I am able to cope and I get to nap! ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…..

The A to Z Challenge has been a hoot. I’m so glad to have had this experience and to have met new people. Maybe I will be more regular in my blogging….let’s hope so!

Yielding

As a human being, I have choices.
Some choices are trivial: chocolate vs. vanilla (anyone who has been around for a while knows that I consider dark chocolate to be a food group), Rangers or Islanders.

Some will affect the rest of your life: marriage partner, whether or not to have children.

As a professing Christian, it is my choice whether or not I am going to yield to God’s will. I have found that, when I do, life goes ever so much more smoothly.

Most of the time, doing things my way, without using God’s perspective, I fail miserably. Not only do I fail myself but I fail everyone around me. When I use God’s perspective in my decision making, I am not guaranteed an easy ride but I am ever so much successful and content.

This evening I was bummed out by a loved one’s stinkin’ attitude. Not only was I bummed out, I was angered and ready to lash out. Not trusting my tongue, I held it and got away from this person as fast as possible. I then snapped at someone else and needed to apologize. It was then that I realized I hadn’t yielded my attitude to God. Now, I am writing this and watching Captain America with The Boy. (The Boy and I are both into super hero movies and the original Star Wars.)

I had a choice: wallow in anger and resentment or yield to God’s desire for me to pray for the offending loved one and praise God for His blessings. I won’t lie to you. It took my the senseless snapping at my boy to make me realize my selfish spirit.

At one time, it wouldn’t have mattered and I would have continued in my folly. Thankfully, I am finally learning.

Posted by gail at 9:35 PM
Labels: a to z challenge, Anger, Choices, Resentment, Yielding

X Marks the Spot…

I lost my whole post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will try to redo later…..ugh.

Deep breath…X Marks the Spot for the Friday Falderal, a meme made up by moi! Please join in…

Have you ever participated in a blog challenge where you blog daily with topics starting with each letter of the alphabet with only most Sundays off? This is my third to last post in the A to Z Challenge and it has been a mind stretching ride!

Bloggers, have you ever met a blogging buddy? I started blogging on Windows Live Spaces which no longer exists. It was a great community. I have been blessed to meet four fellow bloggers in person and several on the phone and via Skype. I have never been disappointed!

You can vacation anywhere in the world without having to actually travel there and back (yes, I am a fan of the original Star Trek) – where would you like to go. I’ve had a yen to go to Scotland! I love the green of nature and their accents are delightful.

Do you do animal prints? Anyone who knows me that I dig zebra and have since I was a small child when my grandmother made fake fur coats for us. I have a zebra jacket, purse (not to be worn with said jacket) and a friend gave me a furry zebra lap blanket.

Who would you rather have for president, Yoda or Obi Wan Kenobi? It’s a toss up. They both have presidential characteristics. Yoda would show that we are a diverse nation but Obi Wan would be easier to understand. Oh, the choices we have to make!

Join the Company Girl blog hop if you like!  

When, oh When Will I Learn…

…to make sure my nails are COMPLETELY dry before I leave my manicure appointment (don’t judge – every two weeks my daughter pays for my manicure for all the time I watch Isabella – my idea not hers!)…

…to make a meal plan for the week…

…to stick with a plan that will get me to sleep earlier each night…

…to not take that first bite of something that I know I can’t stop eating until it is gone…

…how to keep a neat home…

…how to let go of things that need letting go of…

…how to become more disciplined in every area of my life…

…how to let go and let God be in control…

Overall, though, I have learned that God’s mercies are new every morning and He is always, ALWAYS with me; to comfort, to guide and to heal.

Victuals

Victuals, vittles it all comes down to food that is edible. My cooking is better than the average. Haven’t lost anyone yet and people come back for more!

Tonight, my pot luck dish is Acini di Pepe with Spinach and Feta (acini di pepe is little pastas shaped like peppercorns). It is a fan favorite! Recipe supplied upon demand.

There’s something about sharing a meal that brings people together. Maybe it is the endorphins eating releases into the brain. Whatever it is, community is built.

Off to my dinner!

Unacceptable

When a person becomes a teacher, it ought to be because they love, I mean LOVE children and desire making a positive difference in the lives of their students.

When a person becomes a special needs teacher, this love and desire to make a difference in childrens’ lives needs to be multiplied several times over.

There is no greater trust that a parent can give than for a person to spend hours of time with their child. When a child doesn’t have the ability to communicate clearly, the trust factor has to be even greater.

It is with a heavy heart that I share this:

This is unacceptable. I believe it is time to have cameras in all special needs classrooms first and then in every classroom across the country. When I was in fourth, fifth and sixth grade, I had teachers who were abusive. This was in an academically talented situation. That is why I say cameras need to be in EVERY classroom.

Who will speak out for our precious, precious children?