MMMMMMMMMMMMMMoustache

This morning was one of those mornings you want to somehow keep frozen in time. One of those moments you want to remember forever, one that changes the rest of time and eternity. Today my son shaved his moustache. Yes, I said his moustache.
He has been growing this dark line of facial hair for the past few months and today he came to me and asked to shave it for the first time! So off we went to the bathroom mirror and he took care of it like a pro...like he was a moustache specialist.....then he ran his finger over the top of his lip and said, "that feels so weird."
This is a day that a mom starts thinking about when her 5 year old son puts shaving cream on his face for the first time and then scrapes it off with a popsicle stick. He wants to be a man....and wow my son is really becoming a man...faster than he wants I am sure...but he is handling it with amazing strength.

So "Moustache Joe" here's to you and your future...and everytime you shave may you remember what an amazing young man you are!

Eeyore

"It's snowing still," said Eeyore gloomily.
"So it is."
"And freezing."
"Is it?"
"Yes," said Eeyore. "However," he said, brightening up a little, "we haven't had an earthquake lately."

Ohhhhhh I love Eeyore. He is real, he is honest, and he is a survivor. And he is right.....sometimes you find yourself in a position where the only thing you feel thankful for is that you haven't had a earthquake lately. It's true, there really are days like that.

So why do we have days like that? Why are there times when it seems like we are wearing a target on our back...and our front for that matter...and all things physical and emotional and financial and spiritual seem like they are just shooting at us? I think, and granted I have had a lot of radiation to my head, but I think we are allowed these "times" to learn life is not ours to control, and also to be grateful for what we have....for hot water for a shower and gas for the car and for the car for pity sake... and covers on our bed and food in the fridge...for neighbors who help, for health if we have it.

So I think Eeyore ROCKS! I think on the non-earthquake days we can at least think "I am so glad we haven't had an earthquake today"...maybe that will lead to bigger things and that may eventually lead you to Target to buy something fun instead of being the target...at least for one day... I'll try it if you will.

Change the atmosphere

In this cancer experience I am doing things I have never done before. Lots of those things are rather unpleasant. It seemed that after an unpleasant experience, I had an unpleasant attitude...and I felt crummy the rest of the day. Now, in my defense, if after 12 tries the nurse can't get an IV started,it would be natural for me to feel crummy...crummy to the point of crabby...which everyone knows leads to grumpy at the very least....then grumpy to teary and teary to the shower and the shower to pajamas and so on.

I don't like that. I don't like crummy or crabby or grumpy...I do like pajamas but who doesn't? So I have implemented a new plan....well it's not all that new....it's new-ish.... it's called being really really nice.
I find that when you walk in a room, and you start with the whole really really nice thing...the atmosphere in the room begins to change....things become less crummy and by the time it is over, crummy has turned to tolerable and maybe even doable or even semi-pleasant.
So next time you are facing an undesirable task be nice to everyone around you and you may be surprised by the outcome.
( disclaimer )This includes being nice to even those who are not nice to you.

It is a Wonderful Life

It's that time....do you feel it? I started Christmas shopping yesterday. The weather is officially changing, the clocks change tomorrow and our life seems to change with each day.

My son is all about family traditions during the holidays. That makes it tough on my "mommy" heart. We are making a few changes that seem like they will help. Joe has asked to take responsibility for the Christmas Tree so I have turned all things "tree" over to him. My daughter isn't quite as vocal about the traditions but she did make out her Christmas list...it just said "Pit bull"....hmmmm

As for me, I have been thinking about the movie "It's a Wonderful Life." It speaks to me this year more than ever before.

Laurie's movie review blog: This movie is about someone who is unhappy about the trials in his life. He is given the opportunity to see it from another perspective and he comes to realize that it was those very trials that made his life what it was.... a "Wonderful Life".

I see that happening all around me....I see that happening with me. Life doesn't always turn out the way we plan it....but in the trials our perspective changes. We begin to see what is really important in life...what makes our life a "Wonderful Life" despite our circumstances.

My heart and my perspective have changed a great deal. I am like George Bailey. I know now what I wish I had known all along..... It really is a "Wonderful Life".

Piles of leaves

I love the leaves this time of year. Our backyard is full of Alder trees and Maple trees. The leaves are beautiful.
I love the change of seasons, and because of that thought my mind went immediately to how life has seasons too.

If I were to describe my season, it would be some time in February....dark and blustery. You wonder if the rain will ever end. Then I thought a little more about it and realized that February prepares everything for March, April and May....when the sun comes out and the flowers grow and bloom.

So I guess that is how I will think as the days now get dark and stormy....we will talk about the weeds later so as not to ruin the mood.

Writers Block

Sorry............writer's block today.....among other things.

Thinking

WOW! Today's blog could go lots of directions....What do you think?... What do I think about it?... What were you thinking?!... What was I thinking?!... What made you think that?... What did you think was going to happen?

I'll tell you what I think...I think there is a lot to think about. Right now there are even things I don't want to think about. Not thinking about something is not always a good thing....It usually ends up with someone saying," You know, you really should have thought that through a little more."

Often times we think we are doing the right thing which is then followed by,"What in the world was I thinking?"

So now what do we do? I think.....we pray.