Memorial Day

I hope your Memorial Day Weekend was good. I certainly needed the break from work! I got to do something exciting this weekend...pick out new living room furniture! We went to Ikea and here is what we picked out:

The Sofa

The Loveseat

The Storage Thingy/Footstool/Coffee Table

I know...it's all beige. But it will look nice on the sage green walls in our living room, and I plan to accessorize (pillows, blankies, etc.) in denim and cranberry red...I think. I'm excited to see how it will all look together. I'll post pics when it's done.

I wish I were 9 again...

Happy Mother's Day, all you moms! And all of you who have moms! I hope you had a fabulous day. I know I did.

At the end of the fabulous day, I was talking with Julia, my 9-year-old daughter. As you may know, I'm in school, and we were talking about my school. She asked if I would ever graduate. I told her that yes, next year I will. I asked her if she would feel better if I were not in school, and she said, "well, yeah...kind of." She asked me if I wanted to quit, and I said that sometimes I do, but if I do, I will have a harder time getting a good job.

She said, "You could always make lemonade. And sell it, in the park, on hot sunny days. And when it's cold, you could make hot chocolate."

Sounds good to me, kiddo...if only! :)

Sunday Dinner

So, what do you do for Sunday Dinner? Do you cook a big meal?

I knew a family who, on Sundays, had leftovers. It was kind of a clean-out-the-fridge meal, first come, first served. My mother-in-law's family did a variation of this, where they would have leftovers and popcorn. My mom made dinner every night, most of the time. We've been known to have cereal and toast, or some other form of breakfast like pancakes or french toast. Sometimes I'll do something yummy in the crock pot, but I usually do that stuff during the week (in the winter, 'cause I live in Arizona!)

What about breakfast? Any special Sunday breakfast traditions?

Reevaluating

I should tell you first that I tend to be kind of a flake. For instance, I haven't made it to church in several weeks. I'm in the choir, so I have a definite reason to go, but I haven't gone. I went today, and I'm so glad. Because...

a) it always makes me feel better
b) I saw people I hadn't seen at church in awhile, and that felt good
c) the sermon was great

I've had migraines for about 10 years. They just showed up one day, uninvited and certainly unwelcome, but there they were. I used to get them pretty infrequently, but lately I've had one about 3-4 times a month. Not good.

The one I had last week began on Tuesday mid-day, and didn't quit until sometime Friday. I missed some work on Thursday, because the pain had gotten so bad that all I could do was pace. I couldn't sit at my desk, couldn't think of looking at a computer, etc. I left about 2:00 that day, and took a nap. The nap helped, but the pain was still there when I had to go get two teeth filled (I know...I'm a dentist's dream!) . But I went, and had a different dentist, who was fabulous. I didn't even feel the novocaine shot (they numb me before the shot with that gel, so I can't feel the needle going in, but can always feel the novocaine leaving the needle and entering my mouth). He did a great job. I came home and for the first time since all this pain started Tuesday, I felt like being awake and with the family. So I was. Like I said, during the night Friday most of the pain left, and I woke up okay on Friday.

I told you that story to tell you this one...during the time I was in pain, I came to a realization. I need to refocus my attitude and my way of living and even my way of being. That kind of pain is a wake-up call, and I need to fix it. So when I got to church today, I noticed the topic was reevaluating. And I began to think...if I would just STOP worrying! If I would just leave the worrying to God, who really is the only one who can handle it, I would be better. I am seriously neglecting the creative part of my life. I have been going to choir practice only when I can comfortably fit it in, and as I mentioned, I haven't been to church in weeks. That stifles the singing part of my creativity (as well as worship and learning about God-also not good). I haven't played my clarinet in years. I want to learn to sew and haven't even tried that (since 4th grade, when I was in 4-H). I want to make a painting, and haven't done that, either.

What have I been doing? Well, I always say homework, but I don't think that's true. I do some homework, but not enough to completely stifle the rest of my life. I have been sleeping a lot (when I have migraines), so maybe that's some of it. I watch too much TV. I work a lot, and worry about work. And I do stuff with the kids, which I'm not giving up! :)

But, if I reevaluate. What if I reevaluate my level of stress about work. Hmm...can worrying do anything? No. Can worrying change anything? No. I know this in my head, but it's hard to get my heart to buy into it. What if I reevaluate my commitment to church and to choir? That seems like a good place for me to be. What if I reevaluate my homework, and do a little every night instead of a bunch on the weekend? If I can get myself to actually do these things, it may help. It may also alleviate a bunch of my stress and help keep me from getting migraines.

And that would be good. I think I'll give it a try. I'll let you know how I am doing.

Campaigns

I was going to tell you a story about my boss, but with all the lawsuits nowadays I'd better not, for fear I'll be sued and they'll take my 2005 Chevy Malibu. With power windows.

So, at this place where my friend works (I'm not telling you which friend), there's a need for a project to be done. At first it needed to be done by Wednesday afternoon. Then suddenly, yesterday at 3:30, my friend (the random one) tells me that she heard it was due TODAY at noon. Well, by golly, she didn't have enough time to finish the huge project (23 single-spaced pages put into a spreadsheet) by noon TODAY, so my friend, who is not a morning person, got up at 5:00 this morning (if you knew my friend, you would know how early that really is, and how s/he doesn't normally get up anywhere near this time), and she was at work at 6:00. A. Stinkin' M. After being at school until 10:30 last night. And she's old! And she was working her heart out on this spreadsheet.

About 9:00 this morning, she heard that the project wouldn't be due until SOMETIME NEXT WEEK. That's right, sports fans...not noon today, but NEXT STINKIN' WEEK!!

Her boss is campaigning for boss of the year 2008. For sure. Totally.


I am once again campaigning for mother-of-the-year 2008. I brought my kids home from school today because their grandma, who usually picks them up, forgot to. I know...I don't know. So I leave work at 3:00 and race to the school. Meanwhile, school let out at 2 STINKIN': 30! 2:30! I'd write that in capital letters for emphasis if I could, but then it would look like @:#)! and you might not understand. So anyway, I get them, and they're okay, and we head home, because at this point I'm not going back to work. And we get home and I said to my darling kiddos, "let's have a little free time until 5:00, and then I'll make dinner and you guys can pick up your rooms.

I took my shoes off, and sat down on my bed to watch HGTV for a second, and then I woke up and it was 6:00! Again, I'd emphasize with capital letters, but, you know the drill, ^:))! and then you're confused. Nobody wants that. We had cereal for dinner. I am not worthy to even watch Carol Brady on TV. I shouldn't even be in the same room if Carol is on the T.V.

So for the minute and a half that I was conscious after I sat on my bed, I noticed a commercial for Playtex bras. Have you ever noticed that Playtex sells both bras and baby bottles? I had not noticed that consciously until tonight. Anywhoo, I'm watching this woman in her underwear, and she actually describes herself as "stacked." Whaa??? Seriously????? SEEERRIOUSLY???????? We can say "stacked" on T. V. at 4:00 in the afternoon? If even my husband mentioned my stacked-ness I probably couldn't be held responsible for my actions...

In other news, I've had 2 full cups of coffee, a large Mountain Dew, and a large Coke (full-strength) today. And I'm still tired.

But I missed you, and wanted to write and share my joy and rapture at the world. So, Hi!

:)

Toothy Tuesday

Ow. Remember when I told you I broke my tooth eating ice cream (I'm specially talented!)? I got the crown on today. Ow. Did I mention, ow?

See, I don't know what the dentist was doing in my mouth for an hour and a half last Tuesday, but it took for-stinkin'-ever and I was so sick of the little sucky machine that gets the slobber (saliva, for you technical types) out of the way, and the drilling, and I even saw smoke (I am not making this up). But the point is, he was in there for A LONG, LONG TIME and the bill was over $500, so I figured he had done a root canal before putting the temporary thingy on.

Nope.

So I get there today, and as I'm driving there (again, NOT making this up) my tooth starts to get "sensitive." Not any rip-roaring pain (though I have given birth so I may not be the best judge of rip-roaring pain for all reading this), but kind of a nagging, little, uh-oh pain. But I get into the "chair of magic and wonder" and Heidi the assistant lady, takes off the temporary thing with the little metal hook-looking thing, and although not the same as childbirth, the result was definitely an "OW." Kind of like metal-on-tooth-nerve pain. Really, not crippling, but very uncomfortable, and, like I said, OW. Which I said. So she apologizes as she proceeds to "just clean up around the tooth a little," which prompts more OW.

I was uncomfortable with her messing around in my mouth for a couple of reasons...OW, of course, and also because I told the following joke and she didn't get it:

Me: Knock, knock.
Heidi: Who's there?
Me: Control Freak-Now you say "Control freak who?"

Please tell me that at least one person gets that joke. But Heidi didn't. And she was all giggly that she didn't get it. And that bothered me, a little. Not that I'm all brilliant; I'm not. But I did get this one. Anyway...

So, Heidi tries on the crown and takes it off about seven times, and each time there is that little shock of nerve pain. And then she gets nervous and calls in the dentist (who was going to put it on anyway). To be fair, they did offer me novocaine several times, but they also said they typically don't need it to put a crown on. I should have taken it. I didn't. I'm not crazy about the shot. But it would have been a better choice. See, last time I had this done it didn't hurt. It was a little tender, but nothing like today. But last time, they did a root canal. This time, apparently, they didn't.

So what the heck was he doing in there for an hour and a half?? It should have been some drilling (of course, I did have the novocaine last week...I'm not crazy!) to smooth out the broken tooth and put the cap on so I can get out of the chair. Not 90 minutes of drilling, water, sucky machine, air-blower-thingy-machine, etc. I still had nerves in my tooth! No wonder it hurt!

So, I drove home after a long process of trying the crown on seventeen more times and drilling it down (outside my mouth) in between, and flossing until he could get the floss through...which he finally did, and the nerve pain stopped. I drove home in rush-hour traffic (and boy, was I in a good mood!) and took 3 Excedrin to deal with the "hey, everyone! Let's play with Penny's teeth!" pain, and it went away shortly thereafter. I had ramen for dinner-not much chewing involved. Now the tooth feels almost normal; a little odd perhaps, but it's not fully cemented for six hours, so...about 12:45 this morning I should be all set! Too bad I'll be asleep and will miss it!

Lesson learned: When they offer you novocaine, say Yes!

Note to pop (soda, Coke, fizzy water) Companies

Hi, there. It's me. One of your not-so-big fans. I like pop (soda, Coke, fizzy water) fine, and, by the way, it's pop. Soda is something you bake with. Fizzy water sounds like something gone wrong in a bad lab experiment. Pop. It's the name. But I digress...

In case you haven't noticed, Pop companies...you stopped selling pop in glass bottles. In, like, 1989! Why, then, must you advertise people drinking from glass pop bottles? They're gone. Well, they're still here in a very limited, very small, very expensive way. But a six-pack of pop in a carton? With 16.9 oz bottles? Not happening.

If you were still cool, pop companies, we could still buy glass bottles. See, glass recycles, just like plastic. Of course, we don't need oil to make glass, or at least not as much oil as we need to make plastic. I know it's not a totally "green" option because the weight of the glass requires more energy to transport, and glass is breakable, yadda, yadda. I still like my pop out of a glass bottle better. Mountain Dew doesn't smell the same in plastic. It's not as citrus-y. Cherry Coke doesn't smell as good, either.

So, that's my request. Bring back glass bottles! Or at least stop making us wish for them with your commercials. Please. Thanks.

I'm still alive!

Yes, I am still alive...thanks for asking! What? You didn't ask? Oh, well. Too bad. You know now, anyway.

I haven't much time, because it's late and I'm old and tired. And allergic, and sneezing constantly. It's a blast, really.

In news of late:

-My new shoes I bought via mail-order arrived today. They're actual Birkenstocks, and they're actually almost cute, somehow. They are currently on my feet, even with me being in my nightie, and they are comfy right out of the box!

-I took my kids and a friend of theirs to see Disney On Ice: Finding Nemo, or whatever the actual name was. It was a lot of fun! We were in the 10th row, because my husband worked the show and got some sort of discount pass. I figured we'd be in the nosebleeds up near the roof, but we weren't.

-I forgot to buy a ticket for myself when I took the kids to see DOI: FN, so the nice man with the flashlight let the dotty old lady (me) and her kids sit two rows up, where there were actually 4 seats together. They let me wait until intermission to buy the fourth ticket, and actually said I didn't have to pay, but I felt guilty (it's what I do) and paid anyway.

-Do you know how much it costs for 4 ice creams and 4 water bottles at DOI: FN? $40. Yes, $40. Holy Tad Award!!

-I somehow managed to break my tooth on a soggy almond that was in the ice cream at DOI: FN. I have no idea how, but tomorrow I will be having this repaired to the tune of $500. Holy Tad Award again!!

-My 9 year old daughter lost two teeth recently...what is up with teeth in our house??

-I have now officially worked at my current job for two years. My anniversary was April 10. I have not spazzed out and smacked anyone in all that time! Yay, me!!

-I actually have a decent teacher for my current class at school. I like him very much. This is what the last 2 classes have been missing: actual teachers who are not morons!

-I have stopped pushing myself to get A's in school. If I pass, I'm happy. It is much less stressful.

-I am currently craving Beef-A-Roni...either that, or "Mini-mini-mini-ravi-oli-oli-oli-oli (for those of you who grew up in the 80's, and remember the kids sitting around the table singing that). Not the healthiest option, but certainly tasty, and something one can eat with a broken tooth (It's a molar, so I don't look like a refugee from Deliverance).

-My husband wants to go camping this weekend. I'm not so into it now, but I never am when I'm in school. I always love it once we get there. We'll see. If I go, I'll try to remember the camera and take pics!

-Have a good night, all! I'm off to watch Keanu Reeves in Parenthood (yes, he is much more awesome in other movies, but that's what's currently in my DVD playah!

Shamelessly Stolen from Nancy's Blog...

You're not bored. Nope. It's just that you haven't thought of this to do yet:

1. Pick up the nearest book with at least 123 pages

2. Turn to page 123

3. Find the 5th sentence

4. Post the 5th sentence on your blog

5. Tag 5 people (I'm going to ignore this rule, haha!)

"The route description does not require you to walk in private driveways or close to houses."

From: Hiker's Guide to the Superstition Wilderness by Jack Carlson and Elizabeth Stewart

If you are reading this, you be tagged! Feel free to pilfer it (I'm sure Nancy won't mind) and have fun!

Good Mail!!

I got the most wonderfulest, greenest, happiest package today from Lauren Face and Nancy Face!!

I so, SO needed a happy thing...and there it was! Did you ever have one of those days? I did. Today. But then I came home and looked in my mailbox, and there was a package, and inside was all this wonderful stuff! Did you get a good look at the Kermit the Frog card? It's homemade. And so cute! And I love Junior Mints. I used to eat them with my daddy when we went to the movies when I was a kid. Good times. I haven't had them in years.

Oh, and I got my camera working, as you can see above! How fun is that? I'm going to be having so much fun with pictures now! It helps if you have the right cord to plug it in, I learned. :)

So to all you wonderful people who sent me good mail before I got my camera working, thank you! I'm sorry I couldn't put a picture with it. But I do appreciate all of it. You're wonderful!

Okay, so I guess I'd better really get going on my homework. Does anyone know what kind of corporate structure Starbucks has? I'm about to chuck it all and follow Lauren in a successful interior design career. Color is more fun! :)

April 27, 1918 - February 25, 2008

Hi, all-

I haven't posted all week, because grandpa died on Monday, and it's been a week of viewings, funerals, family in town, planning, etc.

He died (he didn't want to "pass away," he said; he wanted to "die") at home, where he wanted to be. It was peaceful, everyone else was in another room at the time and didn't hear him. There was no gasping or choking. He hadn't woken up since the afternoon before. My sister-in-law, the RN, was taking care of him and gave him his doses of morphine with a little dropper, so she could do that while he slept.

His daughter, my mother-in-law, made a quilt for him with everyone's picture on it--all the kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. He would sit up at night with a flashlight, looking at all the pictures of the kids on the quilt.

It seems like, when someone dies, everyone says how great the mortician made them look. But this was the first time I actually thought that they did a good job. He looked so much better after they did their thing. The man was still handsome, even in a casket! We sent the quilt with him.

It's odd not to have him at the other end of the block any more. At the same time, though, he was so exhausted from living with this cancer. I couldn't ask him to stay. But I'll miss him.

Yet another late night!

I just finished my portion of my team's paper for class Monday night. It's 2:54 a.m. What is it with this late-night thing I've got going on? Anyway, tomorrow I can REST. :) Our lovely kids are at a friend's house for the night. I don't have to pick them up until 11:00 (but probably will sooner), so I can sleep in. Which is fortunate, because, did I mention...it's 2:56 a.m.! Like I'm some college student or something, keeping hours like that.

Grandpa is still with us, though he is declining quickly. I so hope for his sake that it's over soon. He is ready. He's not doing chemo, so he still has his hair, which is still dark. It's hard to see him so emaciated. The left side of his face droops, so he's probably had a stroke (or more than 1). He doesn't want to go to hospice, he wants to stay at his house. My sis-in-law is an RN, so she's a big help to that situation.

I think that I'll go to bed now (oddly enough!). Have a good evening/morning/afternoon, everyone!

All better!

Happily, the migraine is gone! I was able to stay a whole, entire day at work and go to choir practice as well. It was good.

I'm watching Ghost Hunters now, which is totally easy to get addicted to. It's also thunderstorming outside, which makes it more fun.

I got caught up at work today, and so I don't dread going so much.

My dog is completely upset that it's storming. She keeps going to the door and whining, like I should be able to make the storm stop. Oops. Can't. Poor thing...I made her a bed out of one of my favorite comforters in our bedroom, but she's too worked up to rest.

I think I'm going to concentrate on GH now. 'Cause I'm dopey like that.

Migraine

I hate migraines. I have one today. This past weekend, we had a lovely birthday party for our daughter. I'd post pictures, but my head would explode.

The migraines I get start in my neck, then radiate down to my left shoulder and up to my left eye and across my forehead. It's not a heart thing...they've checked. My doctor actually said it sounds like I need a massage, and he was serious. I've never had one before. This Saturday, I'm having one.

But now, I'm off to (or back to, really) bed.

I ripped this off from Tori's Blog. It is a meme where you try to name something that no one else would have. Welcome to my messed-up, crazy world. Bwahahahahahahaaaaaa!!

CD I Own
Da Yoopers-Yoopy Do Wah

Book I Own
Ice Castles-the book that went with the late 1970's movie about an ice skater who becomes blind.

DVD/VHS/whatever I Own
Somewhere in Time VHS-with the fabulous, gorgeous, sadly late Christopher Reeve.

Place visited
Alden, Michigan. I visited there for my 20 year high school reunion, but since I did grow up there (well, I never really "grew up." I was raised there...yeeeeeaaaaahh...that's the ticket!"), I will also list Leon, Iowa, a very small town near Lamoni, IA, where I went to college for one year.

Piece of technology or any sort of tool I own.
Uhhh...ummm...well...

I do have a Tupperware citrus peeler (two actually; one orange and one yellow).

Just FYI

I am SICK TO DEATH of economics.
I am tired.
It's 1:20 a.m.
If I don't understand it by now, I never will.
My homework is 99% done (Ugh! another number!)
I am off duty.
I am headed to laa laa land, aka sleep.
Because I'm tired.
My head is spinning.
I went into Business Management to get AWAY from numbers.
Economics is about numbers.
And I've learned far more than I ever thought I would by this point.
So...
I'm DONE with it.
So there!
Pfffffffffffffffffft!

:)

Yummy

Superbowl is tomorrow, and if you live where I do, you can't miss that fact-it's being held here. Well, here-ish. In Glendale, not far from Phoenix. Nonetheless, it's coming up fast, and if you don't want to go to a superbowl party, but instead want to watch the new commercials and knit and relax, here are two wonderful recipes that can last all day and make everyone happy.

Penny's Peerless Pizza
1 cup warm water
1 pkg yeast
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 can diced tomatoes (preferably the ones with italian seasoning)
1/2 bag fresh spinach (the washed kind in the bagged salad section)
5 cloves garlic (or more or less to taste, or you may omit if you're boring)
Additional toppings, if desired
2 cups mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese, if desired

Dissolve the yeast in the water, let stand for 5 minutes. Add oil, sugar, salt & flour, mix until just combined (this is where a Kitchen Aid mixer with a dough hook comes in handy). Let stand, covered, in a warm place for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel garlic cloves by laying them on a cutting board, covering each with the flat blade of a chef's knife (the blade should be pointing toward a wall, not the ceiling or floor), and smacking the knife blade with your hand (now you see why the blade is sideways!). Pick up the clove, remove the skin that has come off in one piece now, and repeat until all are peeled. Roughly chop the garlic (I love garlic and use a lot).

Remove the dough from the bowl and spread onto two baking sheets. Add 1/2 the can of diced tomatoes to each crust, spread evenly. Spread 1/2 the spinach (or as much as desired) onto each crust. Divide garlic in half, and sprinkle on each pizza. If you're adding other toppings, hey, this would be a good time to put them on. Top each pizza with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese (or, if you live in my house, until it looks like it'll turn out really gooey). Sprinkle parmesan on top of the mozzarella.

Bake each pizza at 375 for 20 minutes or so, depending on how thick your pizzas are. Cheese will be happy and bubbly, maybe a little golden or brown at the edges, when the pizza is done.

Cut pizzas, serve, and nap. :)


Penny's Weird Midwestern Chili and Scrumptions Southwestern Cornbread

2 Tbs Olive oil
1 small (or 1/2 regular) yellow onion, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt (optional)
Pepper
1 can great northern beans (the white ones)
1 can black beans (a twist I learned after I moved to Phoenix)
1 can kidney beans
1 can whole kernel sweet corn (frozen corn is excellent, too)
1 can Campbell's Cream of Potato Soup (told ya it was weird)
3 Tbs Cumin
1 large can tomato juice (the big one that we used to get Hi-C in, that you open with the pointy church-key thingy)
2 Beef bullion cubes, if you're in the mood for beefy goodness
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese
Chopped Onions

Add the oil to a skillet, and cook onion in it until a little brown. Add the ground turkey, seasoning it with garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper to taste. Add just a little salt, if using. Brown the mixture.

Put the ground turkey mixture into a crock pot. I always rinse off bean goop, so I put the beans and corn into a colander and rinse the whole works. Drain, add to crock pot. Add the potato soup, undiluted. Add the cumin, the can (or as much as will fit) of tomato juice, and the bullion cubes, if using. Cook on low 4-6 hours, or until you feel like eating. You can't really hurt chili. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped onion, and Scrumtious Southwest Corn Bread (see recipe below).

Scrumptious Southwest Cornbread

Cooking spray
1 Batch cornbread batter
1 cup plus a handful shredded low-fat cheese (your favorite)
1 can cream-style corn
1 small (pretty tiny) can of chopped green chiles
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Make a batch of cornbread batter however you like to-use a mix, buy the cornmeal and follow the directions-whatever you like to do.

Add to the batter the shredded cheese, can of cream-style corn, the can of chiles, and the cayenne pepper.

Spray a 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan with cooking spray. Scrape the batter into the sprayed baking dish. Sprinkle the handful of shredded cheese on top. Bake at 375 until sides pull away and the top is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Cut into squares, serve with chili.

Hopefully these yummy dishes will add some fun, and some spice, to your life. Enjoy!

John Wolf

I tell ya, I have no idea what I did without the thingy on my computer's home page that tells me about things that happened On This Day.

Today's OTD entry is about Eddie Slovic. Eddie had a much-too-interesting life of crime, but he's remembered more for his death. Eddie was drafted into World War II in 1944, and allegedly deserted his platoon (or whatever you call "group of soldiers who work together") several times, often getting "lost" and sometimes managing to be reassigned to another platoon, especially when going into battle was imminent.

One day, the military had had enough of Mr. Slovic, when he actually deserted, admitted to it, wrote a letter stating what he'd done, and said he'd do it again if given the chance. He was given several opportunities to recant his testimony and rip up the letter with no consequences, but he refused, saying he'd made his choice and that he'd take his court martial. He was court-martialed, sentenced to death, and executed on this day in 1945.

Tonight, Thursday, I made dinner for Tony's (my husband's) grandpa. Grandpa is sick; he has mesothelioma, which is a kind of lung cancer caused by asbestos. Grandpa was an electrician and spent most of his working career in Phoenix, building it. Back then, asbestos hadn't been identified as being as harmful as it actually is, and he certainly breathed in his share of it.

Grandpa is quite a man. He had cancer in the 1980s and fought that off. I met him in 1986, when I moved to Phoenix from a tiny town in Michigan after meeting Tony my first year of college. He met me at Tony's house, opened his arms, and said "I'm grandpa!" To this day, I'm his granddaughter, not just Tony's wife. His wife, Grandma, died in 1988, just before Tony and I were married.

But Grandpa put on a burgundy suit (our colors were burgundy and dusty rose--yeah, yeah...it was the 80s!) and had a huge smile on his face when he performed our wedding ceremony. After that, he traveled. He went to Disneyland with us and rode all the rides-even the roller coasters. He drove from Phoenix to Michigan, and to Missouri, and once up to western Canada, across Canada, over to Cape Cod, down to Florida and then back across to Phoenix. He made room for a cat who needed a home, Noel, and he loved her until she died, too.

He welcomed his great-grandchildren when they came, first those of Tony's cousins, driving his camper van back to Missouri, then Michigan, to see them when they were born. Then his sisters children, then ours. He grieved for and with me the best way he knew how when I lost our first baby, a daughter named Emily Claire whose body formed with many massive heart defects and who was stillborn at 28 weeks. He rejoiced when I gave birth to two healthy children, and blessed our son Ben, then our daughter Julie, when they were born. He's been at all the great-grandkids' birthday parties in Phoenix, because as he's gotten older it's harder for him to drive so far. He did fly back, for awhile, for as many trips as he could. He's lived at the other end of our block for the past 14 years, always being a big part of our kids' lives.

But now, he's sick. He's going home to be with Jesus. He's 89 years old, and he has lived every one of his years to its fullest extent. He even fought in World War II. And tonight, when I took spaghetti and veggies and garlic bread to him, I told him that I'd read that today in history was the day that the only man sentenced to death for desertion from WWII was executed. Grandpa said, "I was there."

He proceeded to tell me the whole story, how this man had led a life of crime before the military, was drafted, and kept deserting his platoon. The men that were the firing squad bunked with Grandpa's company the night before the execution, having come from another place and needing a place to stay. All the men in the firing squad were happy to accomodate the government's wishes, he said; they were ready to get rid of this man who caused them so many problems. The day of the execution, Grandpa was on guard duty outside the place where he was executed. He remembers this man being marched into the place, surrounded by armed soldiers. He heard the shots of the firing squad, saw the other troops march out, and saw the ambulance with the man's body inside parade by. He went back to the barracks, he said, and the firing squad soldiers were there. They had been all ready to get rid of this guy, but when he got back, they were all ill and shaking. They'd never had to shoot someone in their own uniform before. They hadn't expected to feel that way, but they did.

"Slovic," said Grandpa. "His name was Slovic." And he was right. Eddie Slovic died in 1945, and Grandpa was there to see it.

I will miss grandpa, when he dies. I know it will be better for him...he's ready to go. He's tired out. He's tired of fighting. He's tired of cancer, and tubes draining his lung, and oxygen prongs. He's tired of catheters, and not being able to drive, and people having to come and make him dinner. I will miss hearing about WWII, about his Dorothy, and about his travels. He has given so much of himself to everyone, and even though he misses his independence, it is truly a blessing to me to be able to give something, even some small pot of spaghetti, or homemade cookies, to him. The world won't be the same without him in it. It will be harder, a little less happy, a little less historic. His house will probably be sold; no one in the family needs it. New people will move in, change the paint, maybe put up a fence. Who knows? It will be different. It will be hard. But this man, who remembers the name of a man he saw executed over 50 years ago, has earned his rest.

I love you, Grandpa.

Is it just me?

My, how times have changed. I know...what an original opening line, eh? Spiffy, isn't it. NOT! :) But I digress...

So tonight is Wednesday, and we were coming back from church, where we have dinner (if we get there on time, which we did not tonight), choir practice for me and Pioneer clubs for the kids (kind of like the Baptist's AWANA, but not AWANA). So I'm driving home, listening to Chumbawamba's Tubthumper CD, which my kids love, and my son Ben was talking about drums. He wants to play drums more than anything...this week. He "practices" at school, sometimes causing him to get in trouble if he keeps at it too long. And Chumbawamba uses PLENTY of drums...there's no question where the beat is in their music. Ben was telling me about his band teacher talking about practicing drums, maybe getting a book and reading ahead for next year (they aren't allowed to play drums in 5th grade, much to the huge relief of the neighborhood!). At one point I asked him when his band class was.

Now I don't know about when you were in school, but when I was in school, we had classes from, say, 8:30 until 9:25, then 9:30 until 10:25, and on and on until afternoon, when we switched to 1:15 until 2:10, and 2:15 until 3:10. Sort of round, easy-to-work-with numbers. When I asked Ben when his band class was, you know what he said? He said, without stopping even a moment to think, "12:03 to 12:49." HUH??????? 12:03 until 12:49?? Could they be a little more exact? What's next- 12:03:15 until 12:49:57? I just thought it was a little odd, and then I though...hey...Blogging Material!!! :)

My "This Day in History" thingy says that today, in 1933, was the day that Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. Boy, I keep looking on the days that are really uplifting, don't I? On the upside, the Bart Simpson quote of the day is "Global warming did not eat my homework!" Not that Bart could ever counteract Hitler, I'm just sayin...

And, I just had a thought...whatever happened to Geritol? Remember that vitamin for those more full of life experience? I haven't heard a good Geritol commercial in years.

TTFN. Have a pleasant tomorrow. And a fairly happy evening, as well.

Today in History

I have a new thingie on my home page that tells me things that happened on "this day in history." Now, I'm writing this on Sunday where I live, but on the east coast it is already Monday morning (sorry, folks in the east). This day in 1986 marks the day that the space shuttle Challenger broke apart and exploded after launch.

That was my first "big world-scale crisis," and I was in my first year of college. I had gone back to my dorm room either after or between classes (couldn't tell ya really, too long ago), and I turned on my little brown, wood-grain-like, square radio. The announcement came on and, like they do, told us what had happened. I remember my first thought was "No! Things like that don't happen!"

It was a very sad day. Christa MacAuliffe was on board; she was an elementary school teacher (which I had aspired to be until just a few weeks ago). The kids in her classroom were watching the launch on TV. Her parents, husband and children were there, not to mention the families of all the other astronauts. It was horrible.

But afterward was worse. That was the first launch ever made with a civilian. Afterward, NASA stopped all launches for two or three years, until they could fix the problem (O rings, I think), and there was no possibility of a civilian flying again.

In 1988 or 1989 (I was married by then), the tried a launch again. I remember sitting on our bed with my husband, watching the 19-inch black & white TV, watching the space shuttle climb higher and higher, crying and praying it would all be OK. It flew higher and higher, did its little 1/4 turn, kept going...

It all worked okay.

Which reminds me of the Ron Howard movie, Apollo 13. In that movie, of course, three astronauts are aboard a spacecraft that explosively malfunctions, requiring superhuman feats to get the astronauts back to Earth safely. There are problems upon problems in this situation, yet we (or more specifically, Gene Kranz) did not give up. He pushed his fellow NASA workers and pushed and pushed them, not accepting any "we can't do that" answer. He didn't permit anyone to give up. He refused to acknowledge defeat. He would not even consider defeat. At times it seemed that his will alone got those men back to Earth safely. It was amazing to see, that kind of drive, that kind of will, even that kind of power.

Why do I walk with Jesus? Because if you take that kind of tenacity, that will that would only allow success, that would not let go of the idea of success, if you take that and substitute love, then you can begin to understand how much Jesus loves his creation, you and me. He won't let go. He won't give up. No matter what I have done wrong (and there has been plenty), no matter what tragedy I have gone through, He is there with me. Always. He won't give up. He won't leave.

Even more tenacious than Gene Kranz. Just thought I'd share.