Historical

"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." Abraham Lincoln, March 4, 1865.

Today is a very significant day in the history of our country. Despite obvious situational differences, Lincoln's words from his 2nd Inaugural Address seem very fitting for today and the promise it holds. Our nation is poised on the threshold of opportunity and optimism. Let's walk through that doorway together as citizens and neighbors.

Good Luck, America, as we do what our new President has asked of us:

"The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness. ..We understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom...Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America...All this we can do. And all this we will do." President Barack Obama, January 20, 2009.

Now, let's go and be the doers, the risk-takers and the makers of things. We all have a stake in this chapter of our nation.

pennies on the sidewalk

4 days in a row....4 miles :)

We all need to appreciate the small things in life...like small steps being taken to reach larger goals, or a penny on the sidewalk. I know my four days of exercise are not really impressive to many, but I am pleased with them. I have begun my shift, and haven't stumbled...yet. In the meantime, I will continue to smile at small accomplishments...like my daily mile.

In her book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Annie Dillard speaks about simplicity in life, and finding pleasure and wonder in the small, unexpected corners of life. She tells of hiding pennies when she was a child, just to see if anyone would stop to pick them up. Her childhood imagination presumed that all who picked up the "lost" pennies would be stumbling upon a windfall treasure, a golden fortune. She then comments on those who did not take the opportunity to pick up the pennies, "It is dire poverty indeed when a man is so malnurished and fatigued that he won't stoop to pick up a penny. But if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted in pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. It is that simple. What you see is what you get."

My penny today? - - a continuation of my quest for a healthier me.

What is your metaphorical penny?

Resolutions

Day 1 - 1 mile

OK - - I need help sticking to my routine. The last time I was diligent about exercise, it took the force of hurricane winds to knock me from my habit ( literally, IKE came and went, and the workout went with him and I have been idle since then). So, new year, new resolutions...I've been back in the school routine for a week now, so I think I have been generous enough in giving myself time to ease into the new year. I am going to start slow, but slow and steady wins the race, right?

So, here I am turtling into my resolution - a habit of exercise. But, if I do happen to stop and put my head in the shell, hopefully it isn't because another storm is brewing in the gulf!!

Yep, Its Official

I guess when you live in the south, it is only inevitable. It is bound to happen sooner or later. It is part of our worldly personna, our identity to the rest of the human race. I'm sorta impressed I have lived,umm, 37 years in the deep south and never experienced it before. Intrigued yet?

Well, Saturday night we went to the Monster Truck Rally - one of the most redneck occasions I can think of attending. Today is P's 12th birthday, so to celebrate we took him, his brothers, and 3 friends to the Truck show to see GraveDigger, Maximum Destruction, El Toro Loco and the rest of the monster truck superstars. (Aren't you impressed that I can rattle off their names like I am talking about Hollywood who's who?). I was pretty skeptical, and the only reason I decided to go (silly me, thinking big trucks were only for boys) was that it was kind of P's birthday party.

Anyway - was I surprised. I wasn't engulfed in ta'bacy spittin', no teeth smilin', mullet combin', dropped out of the third grade, low-rider '83 Camaro drivin' crowd. In fact, we sat next to several families...most of whom looked a whole lot like us. The boys - all 6 of them - had a great time. They loved when the trucks smashed into old cars or jumped over ramps. And, I have to admit, I thought it was pretty cool, too. Most impotrantly, P had a great birthday celebration, the last one before he hits teenager-dom....that's a whole new post topic, I'm sure.

So, I guess it is now official - I have embraced my inner red-neck...do you think I can surpress it again for the next 37 years?
Before the big event...eating pizza.
GraveDigger - the star of the show (that's 3 cars underneath there).
Texas' own, El Toro Loco -check out the long horns!
Maximum Destruction flying through the air (no pun intended).

Continuity

Yesterday I had lunch with my Phi Mu little sis - it had been over 12 years since we had seen each other, and only a few weeks since we had reconnected. So much has happened with each of us during those lost years, but we sat and talked and ate like it was only yesterday we were hanging out together at State. True friendships last lifetimes, and stretch to fit whatever changes life gives us. It was great to be able to reminisce and laugh, and then leave knowing that the next time we see each other, it will be just as comfortable. Like the motto on the Phi Mu crest suggests, we really are faithful sisters and our bond will keep us together for ever.

I feel so fortunate to have so many true friends - all my HS friends (whom I think of as more like family, because our lives are interwoven with school memories and growing up together), my Phi Mu & college friends ( many of whom I am beginning to find again after so many years), and now my current set of girlfriends (another set of family, because our children are growing up together and sharing so much). I hope that as my boys grow older, they too can experience the many layers of friendship, and each of them finds the stretchy, comfortable friendships that will span their lives.

I know this is sentimental and cheesey - But I really do feel blessed by all these wonderful people in my life, and I hope you realize how much each of you means to me.

The new 40?

So, today is my birthday, and I am 1 year closer to the big 4-0. Nowadays people are saying that 50 is the new 40 and 40 is the new 30...is this good or bad? If 40 is the new 30, then I wonder what else will be "new" as I near another mile marker in my life...

Will the cell phone for my soon-to-be teenager be the new baby monitor that chirped at me for the first half of my 30's?..sounds scary, I think the baby monitor is more comfortable.

Will Jr High dances replace toddler play dates? ...I bet there is some similarity between these, though. All the boy babies would play on one side of the room, while the girl babies played on the other - - now, girls on one side of the dance floor, boys on the other....(or maybe I just hope how this is how it will work, at first).

Will picking up dirty socks (in various sizes) replace the changing of dirty diapers?...can't escape this one, no matter my age, or the age of the sock wearers!

Exercise routines replace afternoon naps?...can I somehow work both into my schedule?

Nickleback replace Nursery rhymes?...Nickleback, for now.

Global cooling replace global warming?...It was pretty cool already this winter, but lets see how high the mercury rises this summer before we decide one way or the other.

Monster truck rallies replace Barney birthday parties?...we are going to try the Monster truck rally this weekend -- but for either one, I think ear plugs are a must.

Stitches replace bandaids? been there, done that....for both...I am a firm believer in the power of paper stitches, and can easily remove genuine ones myself.

Coke zero replace diet coke ? - never!!

Hmmm - looks like there is a balance in there somewhere. If 40 is the new 30, I am glad that most of my 30s were spent finishing what I started in my 20s. (finished having babies, finished moving - at least for now). Now, in the dawn of my "new 30s", I think I will spend some time making sure that my 20-self and my 30-self are synchronized and recognizable, so that together we can welcome in my new 40 self on the appropriate date in the next few years. It seems that there must be some give and take for us to move happily through life. I am glad, though, that I still have a few years before I hit 40, to decide what I should give and what I should take!

In the meantime, though, feel free to follow along as I ramble and meander throughout our journey. And, thanks for keeping us company.

Happy Holidays

Well, what a whirlwind of a holiday season we have had so far.

W played the Nutcracker in the third grade Christmas program, and did a great job in his sword fight against the mouse king. He was so excited the day he found out he was given that part. He was a great nutcracker.

Last Friday after G's first district b-ball game (we won, btw!!) we loaded in the car, me, G, P, W,M and Grandmama, and headed to the state HS football state championship. We played in the Alamodome Saturday afternoon, and lost in a nailbiter(first half, at least) and record setting high scoring football championship game 48-69.It was a great game, and an even greater season. Our boys did a great job and always represented out community with dignity and pride. We were able to do a little sight-seeing before the game - we visited the Alamo and cruised the Riverwalk. San Antonio is a great city - if you have never been there, it should be on your list! It is one of our favorite places to visit.

This week has seen us busily last-minute shopping and prepapring for the big day. Yesterday morning, we opened our presents - -it was an electronic Christmas for the boys - and enjoyed a leisurely morning of playing with all the new stuff. Grandmama came over about 11, and we had round 2 of presents and fun. Grammie and Poppie arrived not long after that, and we had round 3. Thankfully, G's sister was doing all the cooking at her house, so we didn't have to worry about pushing the boys into thier rooms to play, and we all could lounge and play and just have fun spening the day together. In the afternoon,we headed to Aunt J's house, and ate Christmas dinner ( which was wonderful) and had our 4th and final round of gift-giving. By the time we got home and put in one of the new movies unwrapped earlier in the day, I think we were all exhausted. I know that G and P were the only ones to watch the entiree movie - M, W and I were asleep within 20 minutes!

Oh well, WallE is still in the DVD player...

Now - for many of you, the holidays begin winding down. But not for us. G is at the gym today, getting ready for tomorrow's practice. Then, its a week full of basketball for us Mon- Wed - and hopefully a win on my birthday!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful and blessed Christmas Day, and I hope your plans for the remainder of the holiday include family and fun. Happy New Year!