My Brother

My brother can be a lot of things:

LOUD
mean
Cruel
Impatient
Funny - but not really

He is also very:

handy - he can fix anything
determined
consistent
tender hearted - though you wouldnt know if you didnt know to look for the lip quiver

But tonight, we were in Mazzios eating . Keith had driven in straight from work in Tulsa at the air base. He had on his uniform still. I have often wondered why he tends to keep his uniform on. He will wear it to the barber shop. He showed up at Danielle's wedding in it.

Tonight an older lady walked by the table this conversation took place.
" I see you have an honored guest here tonight. Thank you sir for all you do for us. I appreciate you."

Then she progressed to tell us a story about her husband and Thanked my brother again before she left.

He has been to Afghanistan , Iraq and Saudi Arabia. He has 7 more years and he will retire from active duty and civilian service.

During that conversation my brother was quieter than usual and quite humble. I realized how good he probably felt when people approach him like this. He doesn't get a lot of pats on the back..... but these makes up for many.

I think he was proud to be a solider.
I know he was.


I am proud to be his sister.

I cant sleep,,,

Tomorrow is our day off. We are in Mountain Home Arkansas for two days. We have a concert on Saturday morning so, it was just too far to drive all the way back to Siloam and back again. I had planned to sleep in. I was so excited about that fact that I fell asleep really early. Now, here I am up at 3 am and cant go back to sleep. Not to mention the hotel Smoke alarm is dinging. Randy is sleeping like a baby so I decided to grab a little quiet reflection time.

The mall concert was a lot of fun. Many of my friends from ASU came to watch . They had the concert in a store front. I wasnt concerned at all that I have gained so much weight and was doing the TWIST on a huge stage and so "out there". I think when you are round - as Beth says_ you have to twist a little harder so the kids can actually see you go around...So, by the time I get all that done I am exhausted. Then I have to sing a solo of " This little light of mine" and I am so out of breath I feel like I am going to pass out. I am too OLD and out of shape to be a childrens rockstar!

I wish the hotel smoke alarm would stop dinging.

I had a little boy heckle me today. Well, not really heckle. He was very funny. When I sang " can you point your finger at your nose" he put his finger IN his nose. Next was point at your mouth. Well, you know where this is going.... Sometimes when you have done the concert 50 times already, it can get a little routine. So, I actually appreciated this little boy for making me smile today. As I entertained him, he entertained me.

I wish the hotel smoke alarm would stop dinging....

Why do men think it is ok to pass gas in small places? And exactly how do they do that in their sleep? I mean , what would the world be like if women went around - Oh , ok we will say it- farting at leisure? Can you imagine? Randy and I are cooped up in the truck sometimes for hours. You would think he could hold it or roll down the window to warn me or something , but no. Loud as Gabriels horn it rips and the smell is horrid. Sometimes I have one of those little Cracker Barrel car deodorizers and I smell it.... sometimes I just pout. Why do they do that? I know, you wondered what Randy and I did while we spend some much time in the car. He farts and I play with my IPHONE.

I wish the hotel smoke alarm would stop dinging.. and that Randy would stop farting.

I am going to try to go back to bed.

The Motel 6 and my New Phone

So..here I sit in Barnes and Noble syncing my new IPhone to my MAC. After a huge turn of events, I was forced to purchase a new phone today. Let 's start from the beginning.

Yesterday I worked in the preschool for a while. Randy had a doctors appt and Beth needed to go to the doctor also , so I volunteered to hang out with my best buds until everyone was back. The day was wonderful. We talked about all the things that they have been doing while I was gone. We read books and did circle time. The kids told me all about the fun they were having with Mrs. Beth. MANY MANY times, they called me Mrs. Beth. At first I felt a little betrayed but then I thought you know.....I want them to love her. This is a good sign. So, I just answered to whatever they wanted to call me.

FInally TWO HOURS later than we planned to leave - We were all packed. I am an organizer. Randy is not. If we want to leave by 10 you should plan for 8. No matter what time he gets started he will be late. Mark that down somewhere.. he will be late. So , we get in seat belt all buckled and RWRR.. RWRR.. The truck would not start. We had to move the cars around so we could jump it. We went to Walmart and sat..... and sat... only to find out they did not have a battery to fit. We drive to Harrison. We sat.. and sat.. and YES!!! THEY HAVE ONE! So, finally about 7 pm we are headed to Jonesboro.

We stopped somewhere near Bortia to eat a very late supper. It was ok but the surrounding conversations were wonderful. There was a table of traditional pentecostals there. She was on the phone explaining who her friend is.. " You know, she has long hair." mmmm kkk... Think about that one. They are at a tent revival ( her words) and the long hair is supposed to make her stand out. I mean at that table there were three people that had hair to their waist. ( OK, maybe I have had a bad day and my recollections are really mean.....)

Randy finally pulls in to a motel 6. We have not stayed in one all summer. It has been a good summer. We walk in and there are two queen beds. The room is so small the beds are pushed against the wall. I quickly decided to claim one bed and let Randy have the other. I mean.... He deserves a little punishment for such crappy taste right?

After checking my email ( SURPRISE THEY DID HAVE WIFI YOU COULD BUY) I plugged in my phone to charge. Randy went to get ice in the container. We wont call it a ice bucket , we will call it a butter tub. I fell asleep . I tossed and turned all night. I dont remember the dreams but I am sure they were just a preview of my morning.

I woke up and started getting around.... I am generally a morning person and happy. I picked up my phone and felt the water drip from it.... NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOO I am sure in slow motion this exploded from my mouth. Thankfully I am not a cusser or I am totally sure it would have been an expletive morning. Randy had no compassion for my poor dead phone at all. Did he understand this was my friend? Did he understand this is how I have kept sane this month? Obviously not, or he would have had his kid gloves on. Let's just say, it was a quiet drive. I am thinking I have three concerts with cheerful kids today and all I want to do is kill Randy and get a new phone.

As I sang... I did it myself.. it makes me happy.... in the back of my mind i was adding up the hours until I get to deliver Randy to the hotel and find an AT &T.

And that I did..

But first.

I did see on Facebook that everyone said my phone my dry out. I put it on the front of the truck during our last concert.

I forgot until I was halfway to Jonesboro to get a new phone. Randy didnt even complain about my forgetfullness. I think he knew better.

He is alseep. I am happy.

The Jonesboro Library called today and said they would love to put us up in a bed and breakfast tomorrow night. I gratefully accepted. I am trying to decide if I will tell Randy or not.... maybe... not.

I will close now and get to know my new traveling friend a little better.

Upon returning home if my bon voyage friends would like to have an intervention and try to break my addiction to my phone you may try... but i doubt you would be successful.