I Love You This Big...

When my kids were little, they used to ask all the time one of two questions: Who do you love more? and How much do you love me?

I answered the first question the same by giving each one a special thing I especially loved that child for. I loved the way Robert went to bed, the way Lauren wanted to "cuddlebug" after her bath, and the way Josh was such a sweet personality who didn't argue or fight.

They've grown up now, and more have come into the family. They don't ask anymore how much I love them. I guess that's one of the things that fades as they grow. I'm thinking they are moving into that phase of having to answer those questions for their own kids!

 Last night I was doing some things around the house, trying to find things, putting things in order, and just thinking. So I decided to put my thoughts down about my love for them~the kids, their loves, and their kids. Some are current and some are from times gone past. There are stories behind some of these that the kids will get even if other readers don't. And they're the ones that matter :)

                                                         I Love You This Big

How big do I love you?

I love you big enough to give you all my house chargers for my phone.

I love you big enough that Santa still comes to see you, even though my oldest is 28.

I love you big enough to board Christmas presents you forgot to take home.

I love you big enough to add another job description to my titles...gymnastics coach.

I love you big enough to make our yard look like a home daycare.

I love you big enough to have a baby bed in a house of grown-ups.

I love you big enough to drive to Florida for a grown-up play date.

I love you big enough to shop regularly in the baby/toddler section.

I love you big enough to quit a really good job because you missed me :)

I love you big enough to travel for one million miles to ballgames and see you play or cheer.

I love you big enough to teach for almost nothing so that we could be together at a great school.

I love you big enough to make baby-friendly foods a part of grocery buying.

I love you big enough to listen all year for ideas for Santa to bring, even if you might forget what you say.

I love you big enough to pray for you as you travel, as you work, and as you sleep.

I love you big enough to share you with the love of your life.

I love you big enough to spend the grocery money on cheer shoes or football cleats or basketball shoes.

I love you big enough to drive a vehicle big enough that all the babies can ride with us.

I love you big enough to give up Saturdays to wash your clothes for your next week of work.

I love you big enough play tee ball in the yard even though the temperature is 117 in the shade.

I love you big enough to come to college and take you clothes shopping because you got cold.

I love you big enough to get your baby to sleep and then put her in the bed with you.

I love you big enough to help with school papers/resumes/job applications/emails/etc.

I love you big enough to want you to have more and better than we have.

I love you big enough to help you get more and better than we have.

I love you big enough to wish I could take your place in hard situations.

I love you big enough  to buy chewable Tylenol to keep on my desk at school.

I love you big enough to go on grasshopper hunts and nature walks.

I love you big enough to be jumped on and dragged under in the pool.

I love you big enough to go on 1000 golf cart rides a day.

I love you big enough to drop the in-law at the end of son and daughter.

I love you big enough to dip your chicken and french fries in ketchup (I shiver just thinking of it!).

I love you big enough to make sure we have A1 even if we don't eat it.

I love you big enough support your attempts to become invisible to Bambi and his family.

I love you big enough to buy extra coffee/ketchup/ranch/rice/chicken so we can help if you run out.

I love you BIG BIG BIG...bigger than I know how to say.

One Item Checked Off the Bucket List!!!

We have new floors!!! Yeah!!! Happy dance happening now! Oh, wait... maybe not now. Too sore for that.
Maybe tomorrow...

So anyway, if you've read my blog before, you know that new flooring has been an important issue. Actually, it was an issue that we had stopped talking about because it never got done. NEVER.

And then, a few days ago, a sale at Home Depot! Yeah we went! Yes we got flooring! And it's down!!!

I'm so excited. Even though I hurt all over. My hair even hurts.

This epic event did not happen easily, let me tell you. In addition to the LOOOOOOOOOOONG wait for it to happen, some meanies tried to get in the way of our adventure of DIY flooring. There's one I just HAVE to tell you about.

Ok, so Sunday we went to church, ate after church, and went to Jonathan's birthday party. We left the party to hurry to Montgomery and buy the laminate flooring. We got up Monday, I went to gymnastics, and Robbie started preparing everything. Monday night we went to Marvin's.

This is where the meanies come in.

FYI: If you put down laminate flooring, you are supposed to put a foam underlayment on the existing floor. We didn't have enough. Hence the trip to Marvin's.

So we go into Marvin's. Flooring section found--check. Underlayment found--check. Price on underlayment choices--no check.

At Robbie's request, I went to the counter at the front to ask if she could help or call someone to come give some assistance.

And THIS is the answer I got:
"I can call someone, but they are all REALLY REALLY busy. It'll probably be a long time before they come."

Did I forget to mention here that ours was the only car in the parking lot and they were only open 35 more minutes?

After I picked my jaw up from the floor, I asked if SHE could help me.

And THIS is what I got:
"I can help if you bring it HERE, but I can't leave my post."

Ok.Fine. So off I go to get the rolls of underlayment so she can give me prices. On my way, a very nice man who did not appear to be busy at all (in fact, he sort of looked like he was wandering around) asked if he could help me. He did. I took three rolls to the counter.

**Just remember that the prices were not posted...got it? You can see what's coming, right?

So Miss I Cannot Leave My Post does the thing I asked for. SHE CALLS FOR HELP!!!! I kid you not. Because of course she could not leave her "post" to find the prices.

Here comes her help (same kind man who wandered aimlessly into helping me). Robbie and I had made ourselves comfortable at the patio tables for sale.

Words cannot describe the look on her face when she was told that all the information--prices, length, everything we wanted to know--was highlighted in a notebook chained to the counter AT HER POST!! She never had to leave or call in the first place!!

Thank goodness the help we got from Daddy and Mr. Greg was much, much better! One thing checked off my bucket list...now to choose another item. Hmmm...

Hilarity Times 12

Perhaps I should begin by telling you a little about my family. We are highly emotional. Normally when I say that people think I mean we cry a lot. And we do. But the flip side of that is that we also laugh. A LOT. And...how can I put this delicately?...boisterously! We get so tickled, and we just can't hold it back!

(Please Note: The previous comment refers to the girls in our family only. The boys do a lot of grunting and smiling...not much giggling and cackling laughing.)

So, all the girls -- Mama, Pam, Kecia, Casey, Kelly, Karissa, Kathy, Leigh, Ashley, Lauren, Vicki, and I -- got all dolled up yesterday and went to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival to see the musical Menopause. Our tickets were on two rows. Vicki said it was the pre-menopausal and post-menopausal rows. Kathy gave her mean eyes and I'm considering cutting her out of the will. I'll probably get over it :)

On to the performance OH MY GOODNESS!!!

I know the people around us had to wonder what in the world was wrong with us. We were screaming! When I looked back at the younger girls, they were laughing as hard as we were! It was amazing!! There were so many surprises, cute songs that had been changed around, and amazing actresses (Well, yeah, they were all women--look at the title of the musical!)

So, it's showing for one more week.

Go. You know you want to :)

After the performance, all of us (remember that's 12) went to Texas Roadhouse to eat. We had a blast there and were safe from stormy weather. When we left, we stopped a couple of places for school and birthday shopping, and then headed home. When we got out to unload, another surprise!

(Disclaimer: I did not personally see this, but I heard Lauren and Vicki SCREAMING laughing...so I know it did.)

Mama (aka Nannie) started dancing!!!

If you've been to see Menopause, think woman in the purple suit dancing in the first song.

If you haven't been, go. You know you want to. Especially now :)

Perfect...Just Perfect

So after an AMAZING weekend with the kids (all of 'em), and a life mystery being solved right in front of me (click here for that), this morning took a down turn. Robbie got everything together last night for his week at work. Remember, he stays here all week...

Anyway, I got up this morning to go stay with Carsyn until Cindy could get there (I needed to go with Mama and Daddy). Out to the golf cart I went. I even remembered to take a towel with me for the dew-laden seat. Being in an incredibly sweet frame of mind, I was even willing to walk home and let Cindy keep said golf cart for the girls (she sweetly offered to keep Grace also). In what seemed an amazing moment of solidarity, Chiclet (the 5-pound guard dog) ran to get on the golf cart even before I finished saying, "You wanna ride?" She usually waits and makes us stop the cart. No worries today. No key. No problem. Yeah right.

Over to the truck I go (no Chiclet this time). No key.

Into the house I go. No keys in sight.

At the risk of running late for my sweet little charges, I called Robbie. HE has keys. All of 'em. In Montgomery. No problem. Yeah, right.

Guess it's a good thing we got the car out of the shop.

Guess it's a good thing others in the family work in Montgomery.

Guess it's a good thing I don't get stressed out.

Yeah, right.

Drive Through Mystery Solved!!

One of the greatest mysteries of life was solved tonight--before my very eyes, I tell you.

How many times have we gone through a drive-through lane at...well, almost ANYWHERE, and gotten the most ridiculous responses to our order? Ummm, let's see...well over 1,000,000! I used to think that maybe it was Robbie's voice. He is soft spoken and doesn't talk much at all (maybe doesn't have much of a chance??). Anyway, the order would go something like this:

Mysterious Voice from Speaker: Would you like to try one of our _______ today? Can I take your order?
Robbie: I need a double quarter pounder combo with a coke.
MVFS: (after loooooooong pause) Ok, sir, that was an apple pie and a strawberry milkshake?
Robbie: (deep breathing exercise beginning) I NEED A DOUBLE QUARTER POUNDER COMBO WITH A COKE.
MVFS: I'm sorry about that. That's a large fry and an orange drink?

At this point, I have been known to climb OVER Robbie to get to the window...not because of MY frustration, but for the safety of the person behind the Mysterious Voice from Speaker.

It's not only Robbie, though. I think I speak rather clearly, and I'm certain of what I'm ordering before I ever begin the order. Still, ridiculous responses from MVFS. Sometimes I have said, "Just let me know when you're ready to listen, and I'll order." One time I pulled around to the window and ordered there. Sooooooo frustrating!!

On to tonight's story:
We have had Robert's children since Saturday. Kandace had a medical procedure scheduled today, so that's how we could help out. We met at Burger King because, according to Daniel, they have "weally, weally good food and a supah cool  playgwound." But Burger King is not our favorite place to eat (sorry, Whopper lovers). So Robbie and I were just going to wait and eat afterwards. We decided to go right across the road to Captain D's. We love it there, but almost never go.

Anyway, we went in, placed our order, got our sweet tea, and went to sit and wait on our order to be delivered. Just after we got our food, the guy who took our order passed by our table on the way to the restroom.

** What you are about to read is not a dramatization. It is an actual, true-life event.**

Just as he got to the door of the restroom, a soft beep sounded, and, in front of my very eyes, he reached up to his headphone, pressed a button, and said (I swear I'm not kidding) "Welcome to Captain D's. Can I take your order?"

I stopped chewing. I almost stopped breathing. I looked across the table at Robbie and we both burst out laughing! Robbie said that all those missed orders made so much more sense now. We had always thought they were just not really paying attention. We had no idea our order taker might be in the RESTROOM with NO access to a way to record our order!!

Mystery solved!!

My Take on Random Things

Do you ever just get to wondering why people do certain things? Or what people are thinking when they do/say/wear/sing/whatever? This blog is about my musings...
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WHAT IS THE PURPOSE of people (especially teenage girls who are otherwise beautiful) taking vast numbers of pictures of themselves making the most awful faces with tongues hanging out, eyes crossed, etc. What are future mates/employers/children/grandchildren going to think? And if they DO (for some odd, completely unfathomable reason) still want to take the pictures, why do they post them for God and everyone else to see? I don't get it.
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WHY IS IT that when someone is sick, people will call the sick person or someone in the family and ask very specific, very personal questions? Is it really necessary to have the patient have to relive by retelling the entire ordeal? Is that even humane? Several words come to mind that people who know a sick one should work toward making a part of their lives: compassion, empathy, gentleness, discretion, kindness...You get the picture. Sometimes I want to say, "Come ON, people!!" Do you really think they want to call 78 people in a row and recite the entire thing all over again? No way.
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I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND what makes people want to come up to a person (namely ME) who has lost a loved one and discuss it in a crowd. Or right before I go to class. Or church. Or bed. Or anywhere!! It is my opinion that some people just have to see if there are still tears. How I wish they could know that there always will be-- that they are right at the top-- that the least thing can bring them on-- that there is a time and a place!!!

I have had people (well-meaning ones, I'm sure) come up to me at my school's homecoming reception, where I'm trying to dip punch and refill trays and serve 125 people and take care of the seniors and say, "So, I'm sure you think about Robert a lot." Oh? You think? Really? You think I might occasionally think about my baby son, dead at 21 in a car crash, father of 3 babies, brother to Josh and Lauren, a student of mine, the darling boy who "smiled seetly" and called me "pwetty mama" when he wanted something? Know what I want to say? "HERE'S YOUR SIGN!"
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NOW ON TO FACEBOOK STATUS postings. Can we be honest here? How wonderful is the person you are eating/riding/singing/vacationing/whatever with if you stop in the middle of it and tell everyone what you are doing? I mean REALLY. Friday night Robbie and I went out to eat. He had stayed at the river all week to save money on gas, and I had missed him. We picked up the boys' birthday cake, brought it home, and went to eat. We talked and talked. I filled him in on all that was going on. He told me all about his week. We had a great supper. I had popcorn shrimp. He had a hamburger steak. The restaurant was very nice, the service was good, the price was affordable, and the food was good. None of it was as good as my company. But you know what? It never crossed my mind to take the time to post it on facebook. My  company was too good to take that time away from him. Often I have told my children (biological and school) that if you have to wear your soulmate's name on your shirt/car/truck/bookbag/notebook for people to know you love him/her, maybe you should rethink your actions. That's kind of what I think about those kinds of facebook statuses. Just sayin'...
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GRAMMATICALLY SPEAKING, some things just DRIVE ME CRAZY! Now don't get all "I'm not going to talk around her because she'll correct everything I say" on me. I don't. Well, not in public, anyway. But I do believe there are some fairly basic things that everyone should know.
1. Commas go BEFORE the conjunction (,but  NOT  but, )
2. Alright is NOT a word! Neither is SNUCK or THEIRSELF/THEIRSELVES.
3. All punctuation has a purpose. Use it. It helps your reader understand what you want to say. Consider it a random act of kindness.
4. Word processors and web searches can help with spelling and usage. How cool is that?
5. DONE is used only with a helping verb (have done, has done, had done, is done, are done, am done).
6. Apostrophes were never meant to be dropped in wherever you want to drop them. They are meant to shorten words (contractions) or show possession. An apostrophe does not make a word plural. It amazes me at the businesses and educated public that believe Smith's means more that one Smith. Nope. Ask yourself~~ the Smith's WHAT? Car? House? Dog? Rocking chair? And just because a name ends in -s doesn't change the rule. Williamses is correct for the plural. Williams's is correct for ownership by one Williams. Williamses' means a bunch of Williamses own something.
7. It is not ok to use text messaging symbols in normal writing. Do you really want to read a letter or email or card like this:
aisi, u r my bff. bion, idk what i wud do w/o ur friendship. bta im gud for u 2, dyt? LOL
(As I see it, you are my best friend forever. Believe it or not, I don't know what I would do without your friendship. But then again, I'm good for you too, don't you think? Laughing out loud.)

See the difference?

By the way, neither does it make one bit of sense to add meaningless letters to words (I'm going to the beach todayyyyyyyyy-- does NOT make sense)

I swear I'm going to be a reader/editor one day.
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The End
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At least for now :)