May 31, Face Of May

I wasn’t going to play this week but I love iHeartfaces so much that I just couldn’t resist.

This is Camille-girl with Delilah. Girl and horse, I just don’t think it gets any better.

See more faces at iHeartfaces.com.

What Could Possibly Happen?

I thought long and hard before I decided to share with you the events surrounding my anniversary trip with my husband. Of course it would be with my husband. It would be weird to have our anniversary trip with anyone other than my husband.

Anyway…

I was afraid to appear irresponsible and lacking in judgement if I shared the story. All parents in the entire world would question my decision and therefore come to the conclusion that I was a bad mother. After much reflection, I decided to share the story as a lesson for other parents and since no permanent affliction was brought to bear on any party involved in the situation – it would be alright to put it out there in the world wide web.

I think -

The husband and I took a short trip to Orlando for our anniversary. We were to be gone exactly 48 hours. What could happen in two days?

We lined up the following people for care of our children and pets, Neighbor Carrie, Neighbor Yvonne, and Neighbor Robin. Alicia-girl was to stay over night with the kids one of the two nights. I would have preferred both nights but she couldn’t work it out due to her schedule. We then asked Jackie-girl and Matt, our other favorite boy who-could-be-our son but doesn’t live with us. Neither could do it. But we figured, what could happen in one night? The Neighbors were literally across the street.

I fretted a little bit but the kids insisted they can handle being home one night by themselves. After all, our plane left at 3 pm and all they had to do was go to bed and get up for school the next day – piece of cake. “Go mom and dad,” they said, “Don’t worry about us, we’ll be fine.”

So we flew to Orlando with confidence.

I was so happy when we landed. I love a change of scenery and a change of pace. My temperament dictates that I change my surroundings often in order to not feel stress – and I find that to be true. In any case, we called the kids when we landed. So far so good.

We checked into our room and it was beautiful. We checked out the pool and I pictured myself lounging all day on the beach chairs. We checked out the menu at the restaurants and I was looking forward to a dinner of sushi – and plenty of it. I was definitely in vacation mode.

We spoke to the kids again and I asked if the Neighbors have been over yet. He said it was like Halloween, the door bell kept ringing every five minutes.

We kept receiving weird texts from the boy – it is how we know all is well.

“Me and (the girl) are taking the van out for a joyride is that ok?”

We said no.

“OK well can we have a bonfire in the house?”

We said to go to bed. Love you.

“Ok fine. . . but where’s the booze and the shotgun? All the guests want to know where the liquor is.”

The husband, “This is the last time we leave you alone.”

The boy, “Ok, going to bed, love you! You kids have fun down there.”

It may sound odd but getting texts of this nature from the boy was comforting. It’s how we know everything is fine. Silence would be worse.

Then the girl calls the husband. He listens and hands the phone to me.

“Mommeeeee  . . . I’m sick.”

Oh snap.

I stared at my sushi. I resisted the urge to say, “No you’re not.”

How could this be possible? We just left that very afternoon. After a summary of symptoms we told her to take two Motrin and go immediately to bed.

At 6 am the next morning my phone rings. “Mommeeee, I’m still sick, I want to stay home from school.”

I admit I was in a fog – a 6 am haze. I tried to gather my thoughts and get a grip on the situation. They were at home alone. I was in Florida, 1000 miles away and my girl was sick with no one there to take care of her.

I repeated everything she said to me, “I’m sick.” “You’re sick.”

“I want to stay home.” “You want to say home.”

“I have a fever.” “You have a fever.”

The husband heard me and called from across the room. “She has to go to school, she’s missed too many days already.”

I wanted her to stay home because I was afraid that she would go to school and there would be no one to pick her up. Well – there was. But I didn’t plan for this contingency so really – there wasn’t.

The fog got the best of me and I handed the phone over to the husband, “Here, talk to your daughter.”

He spent some time on the line with her but the bottom line is – she went to school.

Three hours later, I get a call. It was the school nurse.

Oh snap.

I didn’t say it – but we are all thinking it right now aren’t we? I TOLD YOU SO!

In the event of a parent’s life, the one person who can get all of us in a lot of hot water is the school nurse. She was the last person I wanted to know that we were gone. She’s a part of the “authorities” the ones who will put you into the clinker as fast as they can look at you.

I started shaking in my slippers. Nurse Ratched said, “She’s not feeling well and she has a low grade fever. I understand you are away, is there someone who can pick her up?”

No there’s not – this was not supposed to happen.

“Of course. Someone will come by – but they may not be on the list (the authorized list for pickup.)” I couldn’t even remember who was on the list.

Nurse Ratched, “As long as I know you authorized it, it will be fine.”

“Ok, Nurse Ratched.”

“Ok, Mrs. Miller.”

I called Neighbor Robin. I explained the situation. She said she was at work (I didn’t know she was working) but she could leave. I said no, it was alright. I called Alicia-girl. She was a part of my church family so I knew that – well, I hoped anyway. She went to pick up the girl and assured me she was fine, not to worry, she can handle it, she would make sure the girl was fine.

I still worried.

Then I called Miss Shannon. Miss Shannon said she would come check on her, she would bring her soup if she needed it, she would be fine.

I still worried.

I called Neighbor Yvonne and asked her to come later on that night and take the girl’s temperature. She said she would, don’t worry, have the girl call them if she needed anything.

I still worried.

Then we started looking for flights to come home. We had been gone a little more than 12 hours at this point.

This is very long and I know that you have better things to do but listen to (read) my cathartic story, but it really does make me feel better writing it. In retrospect, I can see that it really was alright, just a the moment everything seemed quite emergency-like.

So this is the ending -

- The girl’s fever went away that evening. 24 hours after it started.
- In spite of all the nurse’s questions, when did your parents leave? when will they be back? who is watching you? are you staying at their house?, the husband and I are still in custody of our own children.
- We couldn’t get a flight out and came home the next day exactly 48 hours from when we left.
- I had a stiff Bloody Mary and was able to get some sun in my new bathing suit at the pool.

So as you can see, it all turned out well but it was still a failed experiment. We didn’t want to burdened my parents with the job since they were just down to visit a couple of weeks before – as it turned out, it was a wrong decision.

That evening the husband and I prayed in gratitude for all of the friends and neighbors who stepped up to help. In spite of it all, it was truly a blessing.

The end – finally.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

First Driving Lesson: By Mom

I hope your Memorial Day weekend was filled with fun and hot dogs. One of our activities this weekend was a short drive in the country.

Watch out lady – just sayin’.

You too lady – I wouldn’t cross the street right now.

I admit I was only slightly nervous about our little country ride. After all, the driver is 16 years old and keeps turning on the windshield wipers rather than the turn signal.

So then we put him behind the wheel of our boat. Less traffic on the water. The little blonde is just a passenger – don’t assume anything please.

All kidding aside, the boy did a great job this weekend. In truth, I did not have to yell at him one time. Not once. It’s more of a victory for me than for him. I say in about 9 months, the color to my knuckles will go back to their normal color.

May 29, Sunshine Horse

Enjoy the sunshine today! I’m sure all of you are in the midst of your Memorial Day weekend celebration – have some hot dogs on me!

What will I be doing? We can’t have a Memorial Day weekend without a horse show. I will be boring you with more stories and more photos next week – unless of course it’s uneventful. A part of me wishes that will be true – no bucking horses, no run-away horses, no mud, no throwing up, no drama. But wait – what would I write about?

Only joshing. Trust me, I have been greatly restrained in my horse stories to protect the innocent and the under-aged. Besides, the girl would kill me. So on that note – enjoy your Sunday!

May 28, Standing Out

I really feel for my boy. It’s hard to stand out and get noticed in the college process when there there are so many stand outs. I just pray that he finds his way, hopefully with God as his guide.

In the meantime, we are going to relax and have as much fun this weekend as possible.

What’s For Dinner Tonight

Baked chicken, carrots, and dog food, yum yum yum.

All topped with a garnish of cilantro. Want a bib? What a messy eater.

It’s nice to have a cook who will make you such a gourmet meal. She must really be talented.

What? Don’t like cilantro? You’ll eat cat poop but not cilantro? I suppose there is no explaining tastes…

This porch floor carpeting is horrendous. I’m going to have to change it to stone and when it’s all done, I’ll look at this photo to remind myself of the horror.

It’s Friday and it’s really take out pizza night – not dog food night – at least for some of us in the family. Yes, it’s Friday…

May 27, The Best Part Of Waking up

I love coffee in the morning but morning light wakes me up as well.

Wake up! It’s Friday!

The Voracious Vacationing Periodical Reader

There is literally no silence at home. The television is always on – sometimes quite loudly – and the computer is always humming. My mind is filled with computer issues to resolve and wondering what the kids are planning next. Throw in meal planning and there is scant room for any other thought – coherent or otherwise.

All I want to do on vacation is fill my mind with sun, water, sand (if there is any) and silence. It’s only then that I can pick up a good book.

This was my “read” of choice. I started it a couple of months ago and just couldn’t get through it. Not because it’s a boring book – quite the opposite. I loved the book, I just never found time to read it. When I started planning our little anniversary get away, I saved this book to bring with me. And it was the perfect choice.

I was literally laughing out loud at the pool. Book review to follow!

When at the airport,  I always make it a point to stop at my favorite store -  Hudson News.

It’s filled with periodicals that beckon to me with bright colors and titles that promises that I will be smarter after I’ve read them cover to cover.

I admit – I do feel more knowledgeable about English royalty. I don’t always read the periodical version of War and Peace. I almost never purchase magazines like this when I’m at home. I pass by them at the check out stand with mild curiosity – unless the Bachelor is on the cover. When on vacation, I inhale tidbits on celebrities I don’t know. It’s a strange phenomena.

I also purchase magazines like Forbes, Money, Discover and anything that will tickle my intellectual fantasy in a two page article or less. I just gave this one to a co-worker today. It was quite fun to read. I’m not familiar with the lady on the cover but there is a great article about the biggest “givers” or philanthropists of our time. I always like to read about the networth of  millionaires. It’s slightly voyeuristic.

By the way, I wrote all over this book, Crazy U by Andrew Ferguson. I brought a pen with me an underlined and asterisked certain lines in the book I thought were particularly compelling or funny. I read the acknowledgement and found that colleague of Mr. Ferguson’s has a wife who is an acquaintance of mine. We attend the same church and she once sold me some eye cream, she’s a make up distributor.

It’s a small coincidence but somehow it makes me feel like I’ve had a brush with fame though I didn’t know anyone in the People magazine. It’s all a part of the vacation mentality and it’s obvious that I wasn’t thinking of very much while I was gone.

May 26, I See Green

Lovely shades of green makes me feel like new beginnings! And the morning light makes me smile.

I hope your day is filled with newness and light . .  .

May 25, Day Closing

Weather phenomena have not always filled me with fear but I’ve never been in the midst of a true natural disaster. I watched a few videos today of tornadoes ravaging the middle of this great country of ours in recent days and I can’t help but feel for those who lie in their path – directly or indirectly.

It’s made me slightly unsettled even as the sun is shining brilliantly outside my window right now.

So I’m sending out prayers to all of those whose lives are affected by the flooding, the tornadoes and all of nature’s chaos. I pray they find strength even in the questions that will be asked in the aftermath.

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