Addam - the daddy

Addam left this morning to go back to Hawaii. I know he was dreading it.  As I watched him with Geneviette these last six weeks , I realized what a great daddy he is.   He loves her with all his heart and she loves her daddy.  I taught her to put her little hands on his face and say " PPLLLLEASSEEEEE daddy, I love you."

  It may just be me, but it seems she has grown this month while he was here.  It make me really said to think how much she will grow before he sees her again in May.

This morning as he woke her up so we could drive him to the airport I heard him explaining to her again that he was leaving on a plane to go back to his house in Hawaii.   She would say " me too, me too ! "  I was headed in the room but had to turn and go out as the tears flowed  down my face.   

Geneviette and I didnt go in the airport with Addam . We said our goodbyes at the curb.  As we watched Addam walk through the doors Geneviette was saying " Bye Daddy, I love you."  Tears were streaming down my face.  Addam didnt look back.  I bet he was teary eyed too but from the back all I could see was my son, a wonderful daddy walking away.

Day 2 re-do

I made it through day two without saying one negative thing to my hubby.   I really didnt have to think a lot about it. Today was a good day.

FYI----  I seriously think whoever wrote this book makes the assumption that husband and wife are not together ( and working together) 24 / 7.   It really makes me nervous about the rest of the dares.  Can I be successful?  With a face like this... it shouldnt be hard!

New Beginnings - take TWO

So, I usually have those New Years resolutions that include losing weight , yadda yadda, yadda.

This year is no different.  Here is how I am doing so far.

I am a member of  Curves. I paid for a full year up front to make sure I dont back out.  I used to go faithfully but the last two months has been awful.   I decided with the excuses of weddings and the holidays over that I really needed to get back in the groove.  To commit to do anything extra like that means that I have to do it VERY early.  There is no time as the day goes on.  I went to bed last night at 9 pm, knowing I have to hit the floor early.  I set the alarm for 5:30. I woke up this morning at 4:00 am!  4..... A  ..... M.......   When the alarm went off I was wide awake and turned it off.  I was a little chilled so I laid there before I threw the warm covers off ... and promptly fell asleep and woke up at 5:55 and had to RUN out of bed, since Cindy was waiting on me.  I did go.... a small accomplishment , I guess.

I also have two self help type books I am reading . I started one on January 1.   

The book is called Letting Go by Melody Beattie. Todays reading was about accepting help and realizing that I can trust people and that I dont have to do everything by myself.  Hm.m... that one will take a while. Sometimes, it is just easier to do it myself.  

The other book I am reading is " Love Dare' from the movie Fire Proof.  As I read, I thought yes.. I can make a commitment to do this .  This will be easy.  Randy and I dont have problems, but everyone can use some fine tuning.  The first dare is about not making one single negative comment for a day.   Oh... about 10 minutes after closing the book Randy said something and I said... " Randy, I wish you could always expect good from people and not bad. I think you over look the good when you ......"  I took a breath. In ten short minutes I had failed.  FAILURE..... I didnt realize I was being negative  but I was.  

So, needless to say, I need a take TWO. I need a re- do.  I think tomorrow I will work out on time. I  will re read Dare one and pretend that I never read it the first time ( that's not cheating is it?)  I will NOT eat that left over double chocolate trifle that I made over the weekend.  Opps. I didnt mention that before  did I?

Maybe I am taking on too much.  

Maybe I should just to the diet.

Maybe I should just do the love dare.

Maybe I should just focus on my co-dependency.

Maybe..... all of these are connected.

Maybe......

Coffee with cream

I am sitting here in the livingroom trying to decide what I want and / or need to do today. I picked up the house, I STILL have a few wedding things to put away. I have some paperwork that I could catch up on.   I have thought I might re-work my lesson plans for the next few weeks .  So much to do and so little motivation to really do any of it.   I WILL get the will to do these thing before school starts . I am taking 9 hours next semester ( crazy, I know) and I dont want start already trying to play catch up!

While the house is still quiet , I want to reflect on a few of my favorite Christmas memories.

1.  Watching Addam walk Danielle down the aisle at her wedding.

2.  Watching Geneviette be a flower girl.. one petal at a time!

3.   Listening to Danielle laugh when she realized I had given her SPANISH monopoly .

4.  Watching Addams face as he opened the black and white picture of him and his dad.

5.  Realizing Geneviette is a shoeaholic.

6.  Playing " Cheap Santa" at my moms and dads.

7.  Taking a 3 hour nap with Randy on Christmas Day. 

8.  The Christmas eve service at church.

Raindrop on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens....

These are a few of my favorite things

The Wedding

I am sitting here trying to sit still... really still. I have a tummy ache. I have taken medicine and so far it hasnt helped. A couple people have suggested that it might be all the junk I ate at the wedding. That would be a great theory if I got to eat anything except a yummy piece of cake. owwwieee.....

The wedding was wonderful. I think it is everything that Danielle wanted and that is the point right.. to please the daughter. I would have loved to heard at least one live song or maybe a little prayer ... Actually, I would have given anything to have a prayer said for their marriage. There was one planned but it got vetoed by my son in law. Not sure why, he just said he had no preference so he preferred to leave it out. Yeah.. that bothers me. The funny thing is , I had secret prayers. Danielle and Justin weren't aware but there were prayers offered all over the building for their marriage. Exactly how does a person say " I prefer that no one pray for me?" At this point all I can do is continue to pray each day that my daughter who I love very much has made the right decision and God is already working to fulfill his plan.


Then there were the kids. The children that were having a hard time were Danielle and Addams little brother and sister. I couldnt help but think of Allen each time I heard them scream. Allen was a wonderful dad when Addam and Danielle were little. I wish he could have been here to see Danielle and hold his two new children that you could tell were confused and hurt.

I was so glad my mom and dad were there to see Danielle get married. There were times this year I wasnt sure if mom would still be here or not. Thank you Lord, for another blessing.

The house is still filled with boxes of stuff. I am not going to be in a hurry to get it all put away. As a matter of fact, I wont be in a hurry to do anything for a few days.

Except - run to the restroom..........

I actually could have done without this little complication today!

Miles put a picture of Danielle on his home page. www.mileswittboyer.com
I am sure they will all be beautiful!

All Aboard the Wedding Train

Today is Polar Express Day at Preschool. This is Randy punching each child's ticket as we board the train. The kids LOVE this day. I do too ! Once a year, I get the opportunity to wear my PJ's all day at work and this is it. Everyone wears their PJ's and we watch the movie and do activities all day that go along with it. Like making reindeer ornaments when the train finds the carabou or ice skating on wax paper when the train hits the ice. And of course, their favorite activity is when Randy delivers their hot chocolate singing HOT HOT HOT HOT chocolate.




While we were having all this fun today....I was pressed back into the present
chaos of my life.








35 Calla Lilies and over 100 roses were delivered to the front door for the wedding. ... They are beautiful. It is hard to believe that the wedding is only 2 days away. 2 days. I better get busy.

Oh The Weather Outside is Frightful

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful but the fire is so delightful

And since we have so much to do....

Let it snow , let it snow, let it snow!

Ok, I was one of those people that prayed for snow last night.  Danielle's wedding is Thursday and I need another day to get ready.  Just one extra day that I can spend doing little things that need to be done.    The phone rang at 5:30. It was my dad calling to say school was out.   I went back to bed and had the coolest dream.  You know those little exercise things that have wheels and you kneel and put your hands on the handles and go in and out to exercise your tummy?  I dreamed that I went upstairs and woke up Danielle and she and I got on that thing and rode down the alley saying " Wow...  I can't believe we have the day off ! Look, there's ice. Look Cindy's car  is gone,  Look...." I am not sure what the dream means but I am sure there is a significance!  

So today, I will make sure the house is spotless so I can put that stress to rest.

I will pick up the monogrammed robes for the bridesmaids. I will go through my list and check it twice of the small things that still need to be done.  I will get the foyer ready for the dozens of calla lilly's and roses that HOPEFULLY will still slide into town.  

Sometime today, I want to just sit down with Addam and Danielle at the table and play a game and drink hot cocoa.

Thank you Lord for my extra day.  I know somehow you knew I was about to be the mom sitting in the corner thumbing my lips and humming a song that no one knows...