Monday Musings (+ 1)

Sorry I did it again.  But I have a valid reason this time for failing on a Monday to Muse.  There was a birthday and at an early hour I needed to pick up doughnuts for the birthday boy.  Then it was a frantic and mostly busy pace until dark o'clock last night.  I won't lie.  I thought of you as I was drifting off to sleep.  I hope that helps ease your burden.

I just saw a van in a parking lot and it said 'Feed my Sheep' catering.  The small print said they were a Christian-based catering service.  I'm guessing they never run out of loaves or fishes if the crowds swell.  Or definitely not.

I wish giving chores to teenagers was easier.  Or maybe I'm completely ineffective in making it fun enough.  Life is busy and dirty and can become completely disorganized if you don't stay on top of it.  Somehow my criteria for 'clean your room' isn't the same as theirs.  And probably in one week or month or year it won't matter.  Well anyway, the tasks were completed before they went off for fun in the sun.  Any tips from experienced parents of teenagers is most welcome.  Promising two M&M's doesn't cut it anymore.

We celebrated Father's Day just like we celebrated Mother's Day.  At my in-laws.  They were kind enough to invite us over.  While we were dating, I never really saw the Chairman show a huge interest in kids.  I don't remember seeing him hold a baby.  I had no idea what kind of father he would be.  He showed a deep concern and became almost possessive of holding our little Amara the night she died in our arms.  I remember thinking I was able to carry her inside, so now it was his turn.  When we went to China and our dear daughter was placed in my arms, he quickly took her when he heard it was time to give her a bottle.  I was kind of jealous, but she learned immediately that daddy provides comfort just like mommy.  When our son was just born he was ready for his first bottle.  Yes, you probably guessed.  Daddy got the privilege of giving the first bottle.  And he's been that kind of dad ever since.  Super responsible.  Super caring.  Super involved.  I'm thankful.

June birthdays!

Doing dishes just like they did on Mother's Day!  

Be still my heart...

Adding Grandpa!

So yes, there was a birthday yesterday.  Son #1 turned 16.  I don't mean to belabor the fact that a couple of our MYP are adopted, but I always find myself reminiscing a bit more for their birthdays.  It is so incredibly hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that this young person and lovely soul may not have been here with us.  We do have a birth child and are thankful for that one just as much.  But with a birth child being born, you never have to wonder about the future.  Will this go through?  Will it all work out ok?  Will this child we have grown to love already before he or she came to be not be able to be part of our family?  It adds such a complexity to the experience.

So the night before his birthday I reminisced.  And I gave thanks.  For the choices others made.  For the choice we made.  And I gave thanks for him.  For the little baby.  For the little boy.  For the young man that towers over his dad and me.  This tall teenager has grown to be super ambitious, energetic, loving all things fishing and hunting, and people and richer things even more than that.  He is just what we needed.  Just.

It would be so much fun to have a day with that little fella again!

Add caption 

out on the boat 

pretty much all his gifts had to do with fishing some way or another

So a friend asked if I could cater a lasagna meal for 40 ladies.  Of course!  It sounded just delightful to be able to do it.  So here are the empty pans that needed filling.  And fill I did today!  The garlic bread and salad will be done in a couple days.  Did I ever tell you I love cooking?

This is enough for today.  Happy summertime days!  Next week Monday, daughter number 1 goes under the knife for surgery on her feet.  Yes I said plural.  Feet.  It will be scary and interesting and horrible and nice all at the same time.  Wish us well.  I'll keep you posted!

A doggone good day in the city

She finally let me have a voice again.  Finally.  That Big Lady that yells but loves me anyway can really talk or blog a lot.  It's my turn.

Hello from your good friend Lisi!  It's been a very long while since I was able to share a bit about my life!  I would have a visit with you more often, but really, my life is pretty much the same every day.  I wait by the bedroom door of the Big Lady that yells but loves me anyway.  She comes out very early and lets me outside to eat and do my business.  Then I come inside and lie on a spot on the wood floor for ten minutes or hours or whatever it is.  I'm a dog so I don't have much sense of time.  Then it's breakfast time!  I always get a bit of freshly-made kefir because the nice Big Guy thinks my ears don't smell as bad when I have it.  Then I hope for a bit of toast and then it is time for a big sleep.  I pretty much sleep or wander around the yard and hopefully get a nice walk or two each day.  And that's my day for ya.  Pretty boring but wonderful if you ask me.  

Today was a different kind of day!  I got to go to the big city!  I rode in the back of the big truck with the window open and could see miles and miles of cars.  People like to wave and make faces at me.  I know they do this because they love me.  Who wouldn't with a face like mine?

We got into the city and we walked to the lakefront.  The Big Lady that yells but loves me anyway knew I would want a swim and a big drink from Lake Michigan so that's the first place we went.  Thank goodness Big Lady is nice.  It was a hot day! 

Hey!  I'm not in this next picture!  Did they think they were on a date or something?

The sights were pretty but I really didn't see them.  I like to sniff more than look around.  I think that's because my nose works much better than my eyes since I'm an old lady now.

We walked a long time and then finally we stopped at this place that serves food.  I heard the nice Big Guy tell a lady since there was a dog we should eat out on the deck.  Imagine that!  I have good manners don't I?  The good thing is as soon as this man came over to our table he asked, 'should I get the dog some water?'  And soon he came with a nice dog dish full of ice water for me!  That's five-bone treatment right there!  So I laid there and waited for morsels to fall from my master's table.  Thankfully I got a taste of some pizza.  They're so good to me.

Soon we hit the hot pavement again.  It was delightful to sniff all these new places and have complete strangers come up to me to tell me I was pretty.  They don't need to say that because I hear that all the time from the Big Lady that yells but loves me anyway.  She does call me 'Grandma' some days too.  I'd be more upset but she says it in such a sweet way I can't help but love her.  Here we are under a huge bridge with cars roaring over us.  I don't get nervous because I know the Big Guy always has my back.

 The Big Lady wanted to stop for a picture by a really tall building.  If people live there I wonder where their dogs go potty?  I'm sure glad I live where the green grass grows.

Soon our fun night was over.  I overheard the Big Lady that yells but loves me anyway that she and the Big Guy were going on this date because the other people that live here were all going somewhere tonight.  I'm sure glad they let me join them on their outing.  I think they had a better time because I was along with them.  Wouldn't you?  

Until next time!  Now it is time for me to hit the dog bed and call it a day!  Goodnight!

Tuesday Musing

Well happy Musing to you!  It's close to Monday still, right?  Don't answer that.  I'm currently trying to blog a bit on my phone while two of the MYP argue on a tennis court about who is better or worse on the tennis court.  It's kind of labor intensive but you're worth it. 

So it's summertime!  It's amazing what a change a week brings!  One week ago today I was relishing in the quietness of the house.  Today I had four teenagers in the house and a frantic amount of work to do.  They help of course.  With a lot of urging on my part.  

So our baby graduated from middle school. Last week was pretty special as she won the "athlete of the year" for her school.  Then she got all gussied up and graduated.  For the other two I didn't get too emotional as I knew we still had a couple years in the school.  This year?  Well I got out tissues and the Chairman reassured me with an offered hand that it'll all be alright. Or maybe he was trying to keep me from blowing my nose at a quiet time in the program.  

We've had good days now with school out.  I love not making lunches.  I love their company most of the time. And we are getting lots done and enjoying these early days of summertime too.  

In less than two weeks I will be playing nurse to our daughter who is having surgery.  We will have lots and lots of time together and I'm honestly looking forward to it.  

So without further ado, here's something to look at from my camera roll.  

Strawberry season!

Kitty cat hoping for fish

The Chairman as Captain

My sweet little one all graduated

Three high schoolers this year:  senior, junior, and freshman

Son kayaking... This lake is so pretty.  I just ordered a big canvas of a cell phone shot.  

This what I had printed.  Swoon.

Love her.  She needed a break from finals so we went on a hike.

Let's not forget Lisi.  She always stops and waits for a picture so what do I do?

Here's some things I saw that made me smile:

Monday Musings

You didn't think I could do it did you?  Hmmmm?  You know.  Actually Muse on a Monday.  Well we are T-2 until my bedtime and I still need to get out to the garden and cut lettuce.  But first!  A bit of Muse.

Weather is such a funny and fickle thing.  So is the human body in how it acclimates so quickly.  It currently is 64 degrees and I'm shivering.  If it were 64 in mid-January, I would be in a t-shirt basking in the sunshine.

We've been eating out a lot lately.  No, we aren't in the middle of a kitchen remodel.  And no, it hasn't cost us a penny more than if we ate inside.  Lots of meals are being served in the screen porch or on the deck.  In a few months we will be settling into fall again so might as well eat out while we can!

I was at the massage place today to redeem a birthday coupon.  It all was painfully wonderful and horrible at the same time as it's more therapeutic massage than relaxation.  When she was finishing up she said, 'you might not want to hear this (I'm gasping inside that she's found a tumor and my days are numbered) but you have really tight armpits'.  Um what?  She suggested some stretches that I should do until I see her again.  I was hoping she would say I have tight glutes.  But whatever...

The other night we had some extra guys that came over.  I suggested they stay for supper.  They said they'd be a bother and it was too much and I said, 'oh no!  That's fine you stay!'.  Then I wondered if I needed to bless the six little sausages I had out for us.  I wasn't sure that would work so I dug deep into the freezer and found just what would help add to the meal.  I always think of my mom when I have that happen.  I couldn't tell you how many times (back in the day of no cell phones) that a carload of special people would pull up to the house and mom would go dig around in the basement freezer and within a very short amount of time a lovely warm meal was waiting for the travelers.  I love that example.

Our cat has a lame paw.  I took him to the vet on Saturday.  The vet didn't want to x-ray and suggested it might just be a cat equivalent of a sprained paw.  Well today it looks like there's a bone sticking up where it shouldn't so I think Mr. Bojangles (his nickname) has a broken bone.  It seems like there's little to do for him but let him hold it up until it fuses together.  He came home with three pain pills and the Chairman was concerned he might become an addict.  I doubt we see him robbing Walgreen's anytime soon.

So we got a mattress today!  An impromptu purchase on-line.  It's called a "Tuft and Needle" mattress.  It's vacuum packed in a box and Mr. UPS man comes and drops it off and you unroll it and it expands and then you are resting in heavenly comfort for the next ten years at a nominal price.  Or something like that.  I'm terribly nervous we won't like it.  I will let you know by the next Muse how it is going for the Chairman and I sleeping on a bed from a box.

So the 2015-16 school year is really winding down.  It's all quiet in the house as the two high schoolers are cramming for finals.  The young one was awarded "School Athlete of the Year" today with a nice-sized trophy.  The Chairman and I are incredibly talented and coordinated in all sports and so it comes at no surprise that she's so athletic.  Or not....

The girls had a sweet friend over and she insisted on giving me a foot spa experience...  it was super-ticklish.  

getting better at this.  but leftovers are good, no?

true.  just ask the people around here.

Celebrated this Kool Kat's birthday and his sweet cousin's

Lettuce wraps.  One of the MYP thought this was a meal you would see on a "survivalist show"

getting closer to his license... my white knuckles are nearly gone for two more years until the last one starts

This post got very long!  Anyone still here?  Anyone???  

Tuesday Musings

Well I'm back in the car dealership waiting room listening to two tvs blaring.  One has CNN news and the other is some talk show lady with a skimpy dress on. I'm not sure which to watch so blogging seems better.  

What's new? Not much.  We had a nice Memorial Day weekend but nothing terribly memorable except a bridal shower, perfect weather, and good family time together.  Now with a couple of the MYP employed, it makes it more special when all five of us are glummed together in a car or around the dinner table.  

I got new glasses.  They are progressives because I'm forward thinking.  Heh.  I like them and hate them at the same time.  I was told to wear them constantly for a week to get used to them.  Blech.  It is handy to see though in various situations.  

Lisi made some people laugh yesterday including me.  She had a grooming appointment and got out of the vehicle and walked through the automatic doors and headed directly to the grooming area with me way behind her.  She likes to go to the groomers for some reason.  Maybe it's a doggy version of a massage.  

Well I need to use the restroom and hope to do it quickly in case AJ comes to tell me my car is ready.  I have an irrational fear if he doesn't see me in the waiting room I'll be here until closing time.  

Tuesday Musings

Ha!  Only one day late.  And maybe a dollar short.  It has been so beautiful outside that I hate to come into the house to sit in a slightly-dark office and blog.  There's weeds to pull and flowers to admire and a garden to watch grow.  Not to mention windows and screens to wash and trimming that needs to be done on some shrubs.  Life gets in the way of recording life.

We've had some good days.  Our older two have been out of school a couple days due to testing.  It's nice to have more one-on-one time with the MYP.  This Friday, the "baby" is off and the other two are in school.

A robin came and built a nest right outside of my kitchen window.  I was intrigued watching the building process.  Then they left and never returned.  I questioned this to the Chairman.  And his reply, 'don't you think they saw the cat?'.  Um.  Probably.  There are two fledged robins in our yard so the rotten cat hasn't killed all the birdies.

Nurture vs. nature.  I always find that subject interesting.  Recently, daughter #1 was with an Asian family that uses chopsticks as a normal part of their dining.  She came home and said she wants to use them too.  And she uses them with ease nearly every time she makes a snack for herself.  Me on the other hand stabs pieces of food and jams them in my mouth and the other chop stick falls down in the process.

There's a surgery in our future here at the Chairman and Co.  Daughter #1 inherited some bunions. Yes, I said plural.  Both feet give her pain and she will have them removed later next month.  It will be a difficult experience.  It will test the abilities of patience.  It will be a long and difficult road.  And I'm sure it will be for daughter #1 too.  heh.

Thankfully, my "funk" is gone that I mentioned last week.  Yes, life can be challenging and hard, but when I step back and look at the whole picture it is utterly beautiful.  I love the "Life is Good" t-shirts because it is... good!

I won't type more words because I don't have more to say.  I'll check my camera roll and see if there's anything there.  Happy week ahead!

Simba brought home breakfast a few mornings ago instead of the usual mouse.

feels familiar...

I'm not sure what this is but it sure is pretty in the garden

where I go for therapy...

tee-hee