Bathing Buddies!

My two tatted boys bathing. Yes, that's the Virgin Mary on Buddy's stomach. This one's for you, Treehouse!

New Moon Update!

I have the tickets in hand! If you have yours reserved come see me in the afternoons or early evenings at The Treehouse, and we can make the exchange. If you are interested in getting in on the action give me a call, email, or respond to this post. They are going fast, so do not hesitate!

Edna and I are considering reserving The Treehouse just for New Mooners Thursday night (7:00pm-11:30pm)and welcoming kids at a discounted rate. If you are interested please let me know. Since the center would be reserved for a special occasion the age requirement would not apply. We will have our fully licensed staff here, and we will allow up to 25 kids. I'm telling you now, Edna and I make up six of those kids, so you better act quick!

Remember!

I'm so glad I chose to write my thoughts and post them on the blog last year on this very day. I revisited the post today, and I feel the same today as I did then, but I feel very different than I did six years ago. Six years ago on this very day life was moving without me. I couldn't concentrate. I couldn't eat. I felt dizzy. I felt physical pain all over. I now know the true meaning of a "heartache." When I allow it, the ache returns, and I always allow it on September 5th at least. My goal for this September 5th was to photograph our sweetest boy's headstone. I don't know if it will happen today due to several factors (called life), but I will get one and place it with this post. I have no pictures of the actual funeral, and I have none of his grave. We have a roll of film from the funeral, but I am still not ready to share those pictures with the one hour photo lady at Target (pre-digital). The images on there are so sacred and special. I wonder when I will be ready to share, print, and view them?

I do have to say today came just in time for me. So many things are coming and going in my life. I have been bogged down with all of the wrong things lately. I have been feeling bad about things I have said. I have felt bad about things people think about me. I have felt bad about things people say about me, and things people say to others. Today has brought me back to what is important and what matters. Spencer W. Kimble said the most important word in the English language is the word "remember." I couldn't agree more. Today is a day of remembrance for me, my family, and some friends.

Here are just 20 of the things I want to always REMEMBER:
1. No one is perfect (especially me).
2. Always forgive.
3. Don't believe everything you hear.
4. The final kiss I gave my son
5. Things of the world are just silly.
6. Always give service, but especially when you are at your lowest.
7. You are being watched, but no one watches you quite like you see yourself.
8. You are loved.
9. Many people have it worse than you do.
10. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
11. Ten Commandments
12. Everyone is busy don't take it personally!
13. Perspective, you never know where someone else is coming from. Just Try.
14. Appreciate each moment as if it were your last. It very well could be (hardest to remember).
15. It's just not worth getting worked up over.
16. Most things are out of your control. Accept it along with remember it.
17. You aren't always right.
18. Smile! Just because your day stinks doesn't mean everyone's day has to.
19. The swirly cowlicks on Thomas's head
20. Love one another!

You all know I could go on and on.

Take It Back!

I wish I could take so many things I've said back. I've said silly things, dumb things, hurtful things, and possibly shameful things. What's crazy is at the time you say it you think it's okay. Then you reflect on it later and wish you could take it back. Sometimes I even weigh what I want to say heavily before I say it, and I still regret it. Sometimes, I even feel like I HAVE to say something, I do, and I hate myself for saying it. I will ask myself, "What good came out of what you just said?" Well, I know all of us have come to Earth with one or two shortcomings. I know I have many, but this is the one on my mind tonight. Words are so precious. I tell my students this all of the time. We must not take them forgranted. We must not waste them. I must heed my own advice. I would hope that among my friends, my kind words have outnumbered my nasty words.

Sidenote: Don't mix this up with gossip. I am not a gossip. I am gifted in the area of secret keeping. If I have said something dumb or out of place to you, you may rest assured it went no farther than between us.