Back in the swing

I so need to be in bed. I think I'm coming down with the stomach flu. Good times.

It's been a mad dash of a week. Coming off a vacation, even it's just a two-day one, is always hard. It's like the whole routine has been thrown off kilter, so apparently I
a) have a routine
and
b) it's off kilter.

We are getting a new floor in the study, so tommorrow there will be alot of putting things in boxes to be done. And just when you thought my space was jam-packed:

you should see Bill's. It's gonna be a challenge.

Did a bit o' scrapping. One of the kids.



and a swap with Sarah (the hodgees)

I'm pretty sick of my scanner and it's bleach streak. It's a rebel scanner. I photo shopped and photo shopped. Sometimes it does fine, and then sometimes- you get that streak. But, I'm obviously less a fan of "re-scanning", than I am of "bleach streak."

And one of my favorite pictures ever. I think I may print it big and frame it. I just love love it. I took it today at Bo's game.


My boys at the end of season party. Bill's the coach but he has the parents present the trophy, and tell their kids how well they've done, and how proud they are of their children. It's pretty amazing, actually. For the child to be in front of his/her peers and have their parents publicly say that they love them and are proud of them. Not alot of opportunities for that sort of thing, when you think about it.
Aren't they handsome?

My Nephew Mark is a graduate of Orange Park High School Class of 2006!

and as the valdevictorian said in her stirring speech, I hope his summer is "fricken sweet"

The illustrious Squillen AKA Suzanne Quillen. We met up at Scrapbooks in Jax to meet, exchange gang signs and cookies. Which were fabulous, by the way. FAB-U-LOUS.

TuScrap and SayFiddy rockin the hizouse. We're down.

Enjoying cookies and gradution presents in green. Making the usual jokes about sharing and "how much do you really love your family"

answer: not that much.

pre-ceremony getting ready and sitting around and doing some hair ironing. We do enjoy this period of time in our family.

No really. Hair ironing. I meant that literally.

My adorable Mother and my adorable niece Sarah

All he needs is some bling, a cutlass sierra, and a trucker hat, and he's off the chain.

Luke graces us with his presence for the pre ceremony getting ready and cookie eating. His arms are bigger than they look in this picture. It's a bad angle.

Surprising what a little hair ironing can do.

Quit toying with our emotions, David.

I'm really sorry that I cut Mark's head off and that Luke is on the cell, although I know he can't help being so popular.

Lily gets the most love in the family. It's like she's a cute doggie or something.

Mark playing something guitarish and soulful. Don't let the businessman attire fool you. He's all bohemian. Fishing and picking. That's what he's about. But then there's that whole full basketball scholarship thing.

"Hey! Maybe I are a genius!"

The Fam. Minus three sibs, three cousins, and two sib in laws.

The gorgeous Marlars

The boyz.

Sarah Missy and Mary. I think this may be my favorite.

Scott treated us to the wine tasting at Amelia Island, and we practiced our wine tasting skills at his table. Missy said we should just walk up to him and say "My, you look handsome in that fish shirt." We thought that was really funny.

Mom especially.


She is laughing at Missy still. We do alot of laughing when Missy is around. She is the funniest person I know.

I believe this is the part where my camera got the nickname "The Menace." Inspite of it's ubiquitous presence, we had such fun staying downtown at the omni

where my shoes mached the decor

and Missy made us laugh until we cried.

She's so sensitive to things. Like bad movies that make you cry only because they are trying to make you cry so that you leave thinking you were touched.

And she's such a good eater! ;)


It was a wonderful, wonderful weekend. Unforgettable.

Hang on Missy....

Photos are loading way to slow tonight....gotta a pile of crapola on my desk to sort through....want to photo shop some pictures before posting them where the thousands of people you think flock to my blog can see them.

Let's test the waters, and hopefully provide a teaser for the weekend update. The waters do not bode well for posting tonight. Probably for the best. After all, I am the "funny" one, aren't I, Miss "Stunning"

ahem.

This picture is worth six words.

I had a GREAT Mother's Day.

Yes, folks, that's an iPod Nano. Nano-Nano. I'm cool like Mork. Love it. Defying Gravity blasting in my ears. Now if I could just get my compy to read my discs, then I'll be spending my evenings scrapping away in my own little happy music party brain in the evenings.

This picture proves something. I should have gotten my sisters a card for mother's day. Missy and Jenny BOTH got me this one. I am absolutely certain that had I picked one out for each of them, it would have been this one. Be sufficiently amazed, please. Missy is in Florida, and Jenny is in Texas. I think it's in our wiring.

I'm currently at the point I usually get to two days before I go away where I feel like I have gobs of things to do, and can't figure out what any of it is. Laundry is rolling, kids are in bed, bag is out to be packed (I have to work all day before I get on a plane, so I'll need to pack tommorrow.) Next thing on my list? Make a list. Don't leave home without them. At this point I also feel extreme remorse for leaving my kids, while at the same time extremely ready to get out of town. I have to get on an airplane every so often, or I become antsy. And I'll have Nano on the airplane. That's good stuff.

Leave Memories is closing. I've been very happy to be on the team, and wish Holli all the best.

So bring it, all you manufacturers. I've got time. You know you want me. ;)

It was a bad day today...glad it's ending. I'm always glad when evening comes. Time to myself at my desk to putz, create, type, connect. I used to feel so depressed when the sun went down. Now I'm charged and ready to hit the pen, ink, keyboard, whatever. So that's another reason I'm grateful for this hobby. It beat the "9 o'clock Blues" I've suffered from since childhood.

Bo did a "Top 10 Reasons I Love My Mom" at school. Number 5 was "I love my Mom because she finds time to scrapbook." What a great kid. He also loves me because I work so hard at work. My favorite one was "I love to hear my mom sing You are the Light of the World." It was a song I started singing to him while I was pregnant, wanting to test the theory that he would retain it after birth, and into his infancy. I chose it because I think it covers most of the essentials for life, and because it is such a sweet lullaby. I mean, if the theory proved true for him, I wanted it to be a song that would ring in his spirit later in his adulthood when he would need it.

"You are the light of the world O Lord, and you make your servants shine

so how could there be any darkness in me, if you are the light of the world?

You are the bread of life O Lord, broken to set us free,

so how could there be any hunger in me, if you are the bread of life?

You've overcome the world O Lord, and given us victory

So why should I fear when trouble is near, when You've overcome the world?

'Cause You've overcome the world."

Did this page for the Dare #27. It tells me a story. It tells me of a deep love, and of a hope, and of a life that is His.

It will remind me that my experience is true. And when I cannot see, I will remember Him.

And if you've managed to get through to the end of this post, then you deserve a prize that I, unfortunately don't have for you. But you deserve it nonetheless. Unless you consider me getting to meet TuScrap , the pub cookie pusher this weekend a prize for you. I know it is for me!!!!

Recess

So there's been some scrappage. Heidi Swapp stuff hit the local shelves. It's a problem.

Bo is all about the monkey bars these days. He was telling us that he has to wait in line for them. Two weeks ago, the huge ant pile was a major draw.

I recall elementary school and the playground fads. You know, the week long "hot" items that you all raced out to get to. One week, you are bribing people with your Oreos at lunch if they will give you a turn on the swings, and the next week, they blow empty and abandoned as the whole gang gathers around the slide. The trapeze bar, playing frogger in the swings, kick ball, flipping on the monkey bars. Playing "Star Wars" with four Princess Leas, two Han Solo's and three Luke Skywalkers.

In the recollection of these things, I felt like I had once again been let out of the burden of a hard desk seat, the dreary monotony of spelling tests, seat work, sharpening pencils and the odor of sweaty kids and sandwiches slowly warming up to room temperature. The blissful liberation of sun and wind, and freedom to move the arms and legs, if only for 20 minutes, was water to a thirsty school girl. That Freedom is inside me now. Fresh air. Sunshine. It's inside you too.

What playground trends do you remember?

Random

It is hot as blue flugeons. Soccer practice got cancelled cause of the heat index (107).

I have some things I need to make tonight, like Nurses Day cards, but I am fairly certain that the girls in the office will not be getting cards from me this year.

Lunch tommorrow at work, and do I go, do I not go, if I go, do I take Emma, or do I go and ask Mom to babysit, yadda yadda yadda.

She rocks. She sent me a post card on her vacation. I love her for that.

Cole got a job on her first interview on her first day here, and has been working like a dog ever since. Just wanted to show some love for our working girl.

In honor of Nurses Week, I will throw down some old school narrative charting on my current state.

Pt is alert, somewhat lethargic, oriented times three. Complains of pain to lower back level 2 on scale of 1-10, but states that is relieved by ibuprofen and heat. Pt has multiple raised macules to bilateral lower extremities all pea sized or smaller, with a pink circumference and a raised center. Pt reports severe itching at times to these areas. Pt instructed to avoid scratching these areas, at it will only exacerbate the itching, but to apply a cortisone cream. Pt continues to scratch during skilled nurse assessment. Pt unable to state the origin of the lesions, but states that she noticed the first one this morning. Pt states that she was out in the woods on Sunday, but did not experience any itching until today. Neuro checks intact, pt has flat affect, but denies depression. States "I'm just sleepy tonight, ok? Gosh!" Lungs clear to auscultation, heart rate regular, BS auscultated to all four quadrants. Capillary refill <3>

Which, being interpreted, means:
She's OK, but she's got like a million mosquito bites on her legs.

Emma is becoming more and more interested in Learning. It's very encouraging.

Bo needs a haircut in a very bad way. He had some girlfriend problems, but we got it all sorted out. One thing I learned from my parents is that the phrase "I'm not allowed to" comes in very handy for getting out of undesirable situations.

Thanks Mom and Dad for "not allowing" me to do so much. Like play Twister at Jackie's boy girl party in the fifth grade. Even when the entire room busted out laughing when Kari said "Yeah! Her mom said 'Others may, you may not.'" I still grateful today. Sort of. Well, mostly grateful. :)

9 more days and I'm off to Florida to see my second oldest nephew graduate! Yay for weekends with the Thieven Mob!!

An Extraordinary Dog, and Some Layouts.

I was out working today, and I went in to admit a patient who lived in a personal care home. I have been at this house before, and was really impressed with the way it was run. It smells great, looks pristine, and the caregivers look happy and energetic. It's truly a delight to discover something like this these days. I was seated next to my patients bed, when a black streak tore across the room straight at me. I could almost hear the brakes as she stopped- crammed up against my legs. A dog. She leaned hard against me, and looked at me. I was scratching her ears, and calling her "pooch" and telling the caregiver how sweet she was, and how she was like a cat--she just leaned her head against me. Hard.

The caregiver started to tell me that this dog had been with her since she opened the home 10 years ago. She said that if someone were sick, the dog would sleep by their bed. She said they had a patient die last week, and the dog had not left her bed side except to eat and do it's business for 2 weeks. Stayed by her bed.

I looked down at this creature, and she was looking at me. Leaning on me. I thought at the time, "I wonder if I need comforting?" but then the lady said "Come on!" and the dog ran out of the room. A strange sort of black lab mix, not the cutest dog I've ever seen, nothing extraordinary to look at.

I'm trying to work this out. I am utterly amazed by this dog and her actions for so many reasons. Number one: there's an inate sense in her that either humans don't have, or we are so drowned in everyday cares and occupations that most have not plumbed the depths and found it. Number two: God cares so much about us, and provides us with comfort. Number three: It really matters that someone is with you when you are sick. Someone who just sits and is a living presence in the room. Number four: That dog (I wish I had caught her name) isn't worried about what she needs to DO for these people. She just gives everything she is. Effortlessly, and with complete abandonment. And with Joy.

So I wonder about her leaning and her looking. I don't speak dog. Perhaps some of you dog- people know what these dog-signals mean. There's a small part of me that thinks she recognized a fellow care giver. Our interaction was give and take. I petted and sweet-talked her and she leaned on me. Maybe she did sense a need in me. Or perhaps she does this to everyone who enters the house. All of these options are viable ones. But the end of it is that I am amazed, once again, utterly amazed at a Lord who can be so huge, and yet so present in the small things that are easily passed over. A gracious and kind Friend.

I came home from work, and had a private talk with Bo at his request. He's so grown up, so articulate. We worked it out, and although I'm DYING to replay the conversation here, I will keep it between he and I.

I missed the meeting Wednesday night, but here's what I was planning to bring:






And here's another layout I did in the same vein:




In other exciting news: amberskolnick has a blog! Yippee Hooray!!