We've Gone and Come Back

We left on vacation Thanksgiving Day. While most of you were eating turkey we were flying on a plane with great anticipation. We flew into Birmingham, Al., rented a car and drove to Calhoun, Ga.

Michael's brother lives in Calhoun and everyone else lives close enough to get there. There were

just a few of us. ;)

The only one missing is Gabrielle; she's on top of a car setting the timer on her camera for the picture that includes her. A friend took this shot with my camera for me. We had lots of good food. The next day we all watched the Georgia Bulldawgs play. Not good--one of Michael's brothers is a die hard fan, he was not a happy camper on this sad day.

Then on Monday we drove back to Birmingham to see my sister and her family. That was also a great visit. We went to the Birmingham Museum of Art. The kids came to the motel and swam in the indoor pool. I really wish I had gotten in as well. We ate excellent suppers that my sister and her husband prepared for us. We made Gingerbread houses and just had a great time visiting. Then on Thursday we got back on the plane and flew home.

It was wonderful to step off that plane and be in the warm 70 degree sunshine. It was COLD on the East Coast and the cold weather is really just beginning. As long as I have family there the East Coast will always be my home, but I can't deny the fact that the West Coast has some wonderful qualities.

Do you all have your Christmas tree and decorations up yet?!

Automatic Sinks, Toilets, Dispensers and Doors

I remember as a young girl going on trips with my mom, and stopping to use the public restrooms. Do you remember the ritual of lining the toilet seat with paper until you could learn the hover method? Don't forget the frequently repeated phrases of, "Don't touch, DIRTY!" and "wash your Hands!" Then came the opportunity to pass the same things on to your own kids. Modern day technology has attempted to help us in this quest.

For example, we now have automatic flushing toilets. Nice, right? Not if you still practice the hover method. So then I relented and decided to use the new paper liners for the seat. That in and of itself proved to be a ritual for me. Being able to sit for that second allowed me to forget that the toilet flushes automatically. So for a while there when I would stand up I would startle and squeal because the toilet would flush.

Then, it's time to wash your hands. I'm not sure what causes the sensors to activate in the dispensers and sinks, but I'm sure I don't have it. Eventually, I'm able to tap out the code or move my hands in the right rhythm to obtain soap and water. One time I was with my family at a fast food restaurant and went to the restroom. When it came time to wash my hands I soaped up and then could NOT get the water to come on. I did all the tapping and waving I knew how to do. Finally I left the bathroom and went to get my daughter. She came in, gave me THE look, reached over and pushed the handle up and the water came on. I didn't know if I should laugh hysterically at myself of hide in embarrassment. It was quite awkward. Do you remember the first no touch way of drying our hands? The air dryer? Yeah, right, that just translated to me: jeans are faster and more efficient,so I always left the restroom with a slightly damp seat. Now they have the sensor ones. They never dispense to me unless I'm walking away from them!

Finally, the automatic door. Now when you think about it the automatic door has been around for a long time, much longer than the other automatic things. These I've never had a problem with--until THE door. This door was installed at work for security reasons. When it first went in I could still just use the handle. Then the next day it wouldn't open and there was a key pad off to the side. So I'm thinking I just didn't get the code, use my cell phone to call my dept and get in. As I'm waiting for someone to answer another employee walks by, the door opens and in he walks. "Hey, wait," I holler, "how did you do that?" If you could have seen the look.
"I know it's automatic, but I couldn't get it to open. Where is the sensor?" He politely showed me where the sensor was located.

On the third day I show up for work and come to THE door. No response. So the ritual begins, I walk right to left,forwards and backwards and I'm just beginning to dance when it opens. Now you may be wondering why I don't just use another door? Let's just say I'm a creature of habit and a little stubborn. Besides, if I went to another door who would be the morning security's entertainment?

New Growth

Michael gave this plant to me a while back. At the time of purchase it was a pot of blooming Calla Lilies. I re potted them in hopes of saving them. I thought it was a lost cause and was on the way to the trash with it when Michael asked me not to throw it out. So I took the scissors to the dead stuff and found a new spot for it to sit. My husband took over the care of it from there and here it is. The picture isn't as good as it could be, but if you look really close you'll see new tender sprouts growing out of the center of the pot.

This is my Elephant Ear that I was so excited about. It has been moved a few times. It seems to like it here. That's a new leaf uncurling.

This is actually my pride and joy. I can't explain why but I have always like the Christmas Cactus. Usually I buy them small during the season and then they get pitched because they didn't survive. This one is a survivor! It has traveled with us from Coast to Coast. While we were in Pensacola, Fl. we pitched it under a bush out side thinking that it was a goner. Then about a year later when it came time to move again, we were cleaning up the yard and found it. It look better than it ever had! So I loaded it into the car and back to Ca it came. Even though it lived it didn't want to bloom any more for me. Look at it now. I am so excited!! It is full of blooms. I'm not sure the picture shows it to well, but they are there and it is going to be gorgeous.

I'm sure there is a Biblical truth that can be found in the lives and new growth of these plants, esp the one that was thrown to the way side and refused to die. I think that God could use each plant to speak to each of us in a different way. The thought that is nibbling my brain right now is how we threw that cactus plant out to be ignored. It remained at my house but I was no longer in control of it's growth. One would focus on the fact that it was thrown to the elements unprotected, or one could focus on the fact that I had removed my hands from the situation and allowed God to deal with it. How many times are we actually in the way of the Holy Spirit's ability to move in a person's life?

Thursday Thought

This didn't make Wordless Wednesday for two reasons. Wednesday has come and gone and wordless just doesn't happen in my world.

I'm thinking that someone has this same picture of my husband as a boy. Apparently, Johnny Quest was a childhood favorite, now he has Kevin and I hooked as well. I don't know which network, but the shows are being run in their original format and the Mr is recording every one. When I suggested we just go buy the DVD he stated that they have all been reformatted to fit our present day politically correct culture.

Frustration!!

I sat here for 30 minutes writing a post that I was quite pleased with! Hit the publish post button and it disappeared! It is gone. It looked like the computer was auto saving it, but nope, it dumped it! Maybe I'll try again later, but for now the creative juices are dry and my time is gone. Talk about a waste of time. I wonder what lesson I'm to learn form this?!

Marine Corps Ball

November 1987-The first Marine Corps Ball I ever attended. Michael picked out my dress.

November 2008-Our most recent Ball together.

Thinking of the many Marine Corps Balls we've been to over the past 20 years makes me reflect

and remember many a story. I think, this time I will let the pictures talk for themselves.

I wish I had a picture of the sea of Marines in uniform locked at attention. My chest always swells with pride and I fight tears when I see all those Marines of all ages, on the first note of The National Anthem become statues. It matters not what they are doing or saying, when that first note plays-boom, they lock it in. What a sight!

Happy Birthday Marines! My friend is right YOU are THE Corps.

Funny Story

Tuesday morning I was headed out the door for work. My husband was in the shower and my kids were snuggled in their beds. My hands were kind of full as I headed out to the car in the garage. The car door was locked, bu the window was down so I reached in and unlocked the door. As I opened the door to get in the car alarm went off. I instinctively screamed! I remember trying to deactivate the alarm and thinking, 'I need to get back in the house and let Michael know I'm O.K.' So I head back to the door that leads from the garage into the house, still trying to deactivate the alarm. I open the door and there is my husband, my knight in shining armor, naked as a jay bird! He was coming to my rescue. I came in the house, explained what happened, because by this time I had figured out what caused the alarm to go off in the first place. He deactivated the alarm and we both started laughing hysterically. We had the whits scared out of us and there he was in all his glory in the kitchen. I will never forget the look on his face. He said he had never heard me scream like that; I startle easily and scream every time, so this scream must have been a real winner.
As we are laughing we hear a knock on the front door. I answer it to a man asking me if I was OK. He stated that he was my neighbor from up the street, driving to work and heard me scream. He wanted to make sure I was OK. Brave man! It was still dark outside.
It was really reassuring to know he was willing to stop and check on me, wonder what he'd done if he had seen my naked husband? :)
I chuckled all day. I'm not sure the retelling in writing captures the moment, but I had to retell it.
Oh-the kids. Gab did wake up, but didn't get up which was most likely a good thing. She said she was so frightened she couldn't move. Kevin said later that he remembers the car alarm but it just morphed into his dream.