Think Before You Speak

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

SHUT UP and Other Words of Wisdom From My Mother

I know, I know, I know, never say shut up when something else more polite will do.....but no one told my mother that!

Yesterday, Tuesday January 5, 2010, a day that will live in infamy I was sitting in the Doctors office with my mom. We were waiting for Dr. Wallentine, her oncologist, to enter when we were trying to remember the name of one of the Moody children, (to explain why we were recalling the names is a subject for another post). We could recall, Michelle, Milo, David and Jenny.....but just couldn't quite fetch the final name from the recess of our collective minds. I called Anne, she certainly would remember but, no answer, so I started naming names as they came to my mind, this is when my mother uttered her daily doses of wisdom,

"shut up, I'm trying to think".

I quickly obeyed her demand sat there chuckling inside when all of a sudden the name came to both of us, Steven, his name is Steven, he was her favorite! Whew! what a relief, we could relax and get on with life....

I must report that these were not the only "suggestions" I received from my mother that day.

When I first arrived to the house to collect my patient, I made a trip to the ladies room, while there, I heard a demand coming through the closed door, I thought she said " come here". I yelled back after I opened the door, "what?", again a muffled utterance of what I thought was "come here" once I re-entered the kitchen, I asked for clarification,

Me: "did you say come here"?

Mom: "No I said comb your hair"

Me: "This is how it is supposed look"

Mom: "I like your hair a little more formal"

Me: "I know you do"

She likes my hair more formal, shorter, its natural color....When I was younger, like last week, I knew the quickest way to make my mother happy was to cut my hair, "You look 10 pounds thinner with short hair". Unfortunately the 10 lb drop never showed up on the scales!!!

Some of you might be shocked at the interaction with my mother, but I knew that there were at least 5 other people who would appreciate the humor in my day, so I quickly text my sisters and we all shared a laugh!!!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Dirty Laundry

As I am writing this post several strangers are roaming my home, taking it for a test drive. I actually invited them into my private life, with signs at each end of the street guiding them into my secret hide away on Harvard.

We bought this house 7 years ago, it was like a junior high school crush with the class hunk. I practically threw myself through the windshield as I braked at the "For Sale" sign. Something in my head said "I MUST HAVE THIS HOUSE!!!"

When Cheryl came home I took her over, I knew she couldn't resist leaded glass windows, we put in a full price offer and 35 days later it was ours.

We bought the house from a single mother of 2 who had raised her children and was now alone, she owned the home for 29 years. I was highly critical of the condition of the home, not realizing what I know now that her neglect of the home was not from a lack of love but from the overwhelming task of caring for a 80 year old home.

Over the 7 years we have; remolded the basement, added a family room, gutted the kitchen, completely re-landscaped the back and front yards, painted every wall, stripped molding, corrected hideous decorating era's and moved from infatuation to complete fulfillment.

I began to see that it was time to move on when one day I realized I had not gone into the basement, with the exception of laundry for 3 months. I hadn't sat in my living room all winter, nor had I entered any of the guest bedrooms for 2 months. I dreaded walking our stairs and dreamed of a one level home. We were rattling around in a home that deserved a family!

As we prepared for the sale of our love we were reminded of several left over projects; painting a table leg, staining the kitchen island, replacing molding, touching up every paint chip in sight, adding top soil, and removing old tar. Little things you overlook as the years pass on.

Its just Deb and I roaming around in 4 our of 15 rooms, once in a while when the grand kids and family come I can 0nce again hear Dana and Nate, arguing, laughing, talking and playing, they left too soon!

This house deserves to have children, and family, parties, holidays and love. That is what I hope for; someone who will love this house as much as I do.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Lucky Day

"Mamma this is my lucky day, I got a cookie, and Panda Express and I got to be with you and Mommy" Warren

Dana and I decided to do a little late maternity shopping, I believe all pregnant woman should have new cloths for the home stretch. Soooo....I called Dana and asked her to meet me at Fashion Place Mall, she decided to pull Warren out of school early to spend some quality time with Grandma and Mommy. It was an AWESOME afternoon, Warren got what he asked for...Mrs. Fields chocolate dipped cookie, orange chicken from from Panda Express, new "vampire" shoes for Halloween (they also double as school shoes) and a ride on the kiddie roller coaster, what more could a 6 year old want!!!!

Dana has some new outfits to make it through the "I feel so big" months and I got to spend time with two of few of my favorite people!!

Wyatt is next on my list of quality time, which he reminds me of in his daily phone calls...."Momma I want you pick me up and get lurpy".....so I guess I'm off to the 7-11 for a "lurpy".

I love this quality time stuff.....1 down 3 more to go!!!!!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Wyatt, Poop and Mother's Day!

Momma, I poop!!

This was Wyatt's greeting to me as I picked up he and Warren for their monthly sleepover with Momma Mates (the name Warren gave me when he started to talk). I should say that the sleep over is for the boys to sleep and for me to lay awake making sure they are breathing, comfortable and not peeing the bed!!! Needless to say I am ready for bed at 3:15 p.m.!!!!

Its hard for me to put into words my love for Dana and Nathan and for the grand kids. As many of you know my children did not come to me in the normal fashion, Cheryl, their mother allowed me to become their mother and to claim them as my own. All of them have brought such joy and love into my life. I have come to understand my own mother's struggle with my decision more clearly while I watch them forge ahead with their own lives (in spite of what I may want them to do). I now get to cherish loving my grand children, spoiling them with ice cream for breakfast, 4 trips to the hot tub, 3 "tubby" times, beating grandma at Mariocart and me loving cleaning up after them!! I get to do the things I wish I would have done as a mother more often while Dana and Nate were still at home!! So on this Mother's Day, once again I want to thank Cheryl and Tad for making me a mother!!!!

P.S.
Whahoo, congrats to Dana who now instead of changing diapers only has to wipe a darling little boys bottom!!!

Monday, April 20, 2009

"Swarm" Ball

Ever since Kendall started playing soccer at age 3 I have thought that the more appropriate name should be SWARM ball......Really its like watching a beehive! Saturday Deb and I went to the kids soccer game, Deb entertained Wyatt and I took pictures, these are just a few of the many I could choose from, I won't bore you with all of them!!!