Mommy and Me Tea

Tonight was the perfect ending to a crazy week.  Instead of a Valentines party today we had a " Mommy and Me Tea" tonight. The children came in with moms, or grandmas and made cake in a mug.  I found this on this site . 

It was a lot of fun.  They came in and we had a cooking station set up in the kitchen and they made it together. It was fun to watch the children interact with their parents.

These kids love their moms so much.  The cool thing about family child care is that we are a real extension of that.  When it is nap time all 16 kids lay down and you hear " I love you all over the house".  I think that is they way most moms would want it. 

I can't tell you how much I love my job and how much I pray that I can be used in it to make a difference.  These little opportunities like this are a ministry to me.  I want these parents to be able to look at me and see something different.  I think God set me on this journey for a reason. I am blessed.

Crete, Frescoes and My Past Life

Today I am stuck in the house with an eye infection. It looks pretty nasty but honestly doesnt hurt too much. I decided if I have to stay inside , I might as well catch up on some school work. Well, actually I am working ahead on a research paper for Art. I decided to do my paper on something that I have a connection with. I chose to to the Art of the ancient Minoan period. No, I am not Minoan but I did live in Crete, Greece for a period of my life. I was 22 and had two children and loving life. Moving to a foreign country didn't really scare me, I love new adventures.

The art works that I am writing about are mainly the frescoes that were painted on the palace walls, such as Knossos and small iconic sculptures. As I am researching pictures of places that we visited as a family are there just as they are in my photo albums. As I look at the works of art the memories are as vibrant as the colors on the walls.

Knossos Palace - The main thing I remember is the frescoe of the dolphins on the wall and Allen.

Gounnira was a great place to explore , the low walls made it easy to see the structure of the city. Allen had Danielle is a little blue and red carrier and carried her all over. I had on a blue skirt and a white sweater.

We visited the beach where Paul ship wrecked . We had a picnic there and a family came over to take our picture.

There was a beach that was topless that we went to. We didnt know it until we had unloaded everything and headed through the beach with all our paraphanela . I remember Addam who was 3 at the time kept saying " daddy that lady doesnt have a top on,.." We left fairly quickly. I think Allen might have enjoyed that stop. I also remember the outdoor restroom there. It was a wood shack with a HOLE IN THE GROUND. You straddled the whole ... ummm. No.

I remember Allen and I standing in the Aegean Sea and pushing Danielle underwater for her to swim to us. She was 6 months old.

Blue doors... everybody had them.

Hersonisos is where we lived. Our landlord was Greek. He spoke no english, which is why one day when my water heater went out I ended up with a chicken egg.

I was in a play called " God's favorite" and I got to wear a full length mink coat.

There were a lot of gypsies and the children stole flowers from graves at night and would come into town to sell them.

So many memories of my life starting out with Allen. We were so happy. Good times.

I want to go back one day. Although, I am not sure I can handle the memories. They were good. It hurts to think that he is no longer alive. He always said he wanted to go back to Greece. I hope one day in his honor I can take the kids back there.

For today, I will finish this paper ( maybe it wasnt a good idea to pick Greek Art) and maybe get the movie Mama Mia!

αντίο - good bye!

Stupid Art Test

Today I had my first on-campus exam.   I studied all week. I took the little review sheet she gave us and diligently filled it in.   I was scheduled to be there at 5:00 p.m..  I left home a little early knowing that the area I had to wait in for my appointed time would SURELY be less distracting than home.  As I drove over there I recited the elements of art and the five reasons  I feel art exist. I ran pictures of the Mona Lisa through my head and the American Gothic and said the artist names over and over.  I am ready!

As I find a place to park that is in the boonies of parking areas, I take out my purse and realize as I start to walk to the building that my coach purse is cute but looks a little out of place along side  the  backpacks I see.   When I finally reach the door I am huffing ( reminder to get BACK ON THAT DIET!) and a little disoriented.  Where am I supposed to go?   I finally found a map on a wall and realized that I had to go to another building.  Here I go.... huffing again....

When I finally reach the testing center I have about 35 minutes before it is time for me to go in.   I make a quick stop in the restroom . That is when it all fell into place.  In the mirror, I see an old me looking back. I never have felt I looked so old.  As my eyes drift from my wrinkled face down I am horrified to remember that I have on a winnie the pooh shirt. SERIOUSLY! I put it on today because it is warm and the kids like it.  WHY did I not change before I left?  So, now I picture my fat huffing self carrying an expensive coach purse to class with a bright red walmart winnie the pooh shirt on.  Lovely.

The test itself wasn't too hard.

I am not sure how I did.

Do you think it was bad to use tattoos as an example of how culture has affected art?

I guess not, unless the instructor ( who I have not seen) is a tattoo queen.

If she is, then I am sure she is laughing right now as she makes red marks on my perfect paper.

I learned a lot today.

I was happy to get back home. 

I always feel young here.

Geneviette came over and we baked Valentines cookies.

She loved my shirt.

Going back to college is not necessarily as hard on the brain as it is on the ego...

Stupid Art Test !

Dominos

There are a few positive sides to being without power for several days.  The first one is that my mom and dad never lost power , so we stayed over there.  The second...is that I got to spend a LOT of time with my mom.   We talked, watched TV and played dominos.  I think they really enjoyed us being there.  

Thank you Lord for slowing down my life a little so I could enjoy the good things.

The Blazer

This week my moms tumor markers went up higher than they were when  she was diagnosed.   She has had to take chemo every day this week and get shots  for her bone marrow.  I guess getting so much chemo kills whatever is there, and this shot is supposed to help.   She looks really good though.  On days she looks so good and is up moving around it is easy to just remember her the way she has always been and overlook the fact that we might lose her one day.  

When I got up and called her to see what time she wanted me to pick her up to head to her appointment she told me she had an errand to run. She had bought Keith ( my brother) a blazer and wanted to exchange it.   " Mom, why did you buy Keith a blazer?"  ( He is NOT a blazer wearing type of guy.)  Mom's reply was " just in case he needs it for a special occasion."  Well, I know my mom well enough to know, she is planning for her funeral.  She wants to make sure that is one less thing that my brother has to do and she also - wants him to look nice.  I bawled and I bawled.  

Why was I so upset?

Mom says I cant sit still.   I am so much like her.  I mean, here she is planning people's wardrobe for her own funeral when she should just be enjoying life and taking care of herself.  There has to be a lesson in that somewhere for me.

Is she really THAT sick?   Does she sense something that we  don't know? Is she really about to go see the Lord?

When she did this.... I had to face the fact once again, that I might lose my mom and it might be sooner than I think. No matter how good she looks and how much she is getting around she is still very  sick. If it wasn't for that darn blazer I could continue to think and say " She is doing SO good " and avoid that possibility that she really isn't.

I wondered how my brother handled all of this. Did he realize what she was doing as he tried it on.  I called Pam. She said he came home and cried and cried.  He would stop and then start back again. It broke his heart.  

I can't imagine.

I am sure mom was right there making sure it fit just right and asking him did it feel ok.   All the while- he was choking back tears in his new blazer.  

A few more good reasons

I could throw a hat on and not comb my hair.

I could mindlessly change channels as I sleep.

I could pass gas in front of family.

I could have the laundry fairy deliver my clothes.

I could have hot meals cooked for me and all the dishes done.

I could scratch like it is common.

I could only answer the phone when I think it is for me.

I could wake up at the crack of dawn to prove I am a man, then cat nap all day.

Oh... I think that is enough.

I hate to take out the garbage and fill the car up with gas.

I guess I will stay a woman.

I wanna come back as a man!

Ok, I dont believe in reincarnation, but IF I DID- I want to come back as a man.  Well, a husband to be exact!   

This was my day today:

Get up , get dressed ( make up and all incase you run into friends...) 

Go out to Addam's ( a man's ) condo to make sure it is clean before turning in the keys.

Run a few errands.

Got my hair cut.

Visited with mom and dad an hour and a half.

Then:

3 loads of laundry

Mid Year expenditure Report

Put about 30 Important deadlines type dates on my calendar

Finish up a grant Report

Do USDA Food Program Forms

Cook a weeks worth of chicken and fish ( new diet )

Make out next weeks menu

Make out Grocery List

Worked on Art Homework

Replied to a couple emails

Facebooked for relaxation.... for 5 minute increments

Went through QRS again to see what I still needed

Logged into Tapp and signed up for First Aid and CPR

Signed up for Arkansas Childrens Week Training

Made my to-do list for tomorrow

Talked to two friends on the phone but it was business talk !

I am TOTALLY SURE  I am forgetting something....

At 9:30 I sat down to watch part of the " SisterHood of the Traveling Pants".  As it went off, I decided I better get up and do the dishes that had accumulated all day.  As I stepped past Randy in the livingroom he said " I love you Honey..."

Well, I bet you do.

Randy's list today:

That was bunch of nothing.... then

Put a safety latch on the shower door for quality so the kids wont drink the shampoo. ( I know, stupid, that is a whole 'nother blog.) It took about 2 minutes. 

I would trade my list any day for his....

Oh.. to be the husband.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a few other reasons I want to be the man!