Plans

Today my mind was just running rampant with ideas. I have two things that my mind bounces back and forth between.

The first, is a trip I'm planning with my mom. My mom has visited us often in the ~20 years that we have lived here in California. However, we have never managed to take her to any of the National Parks. We have taken other family members that have visited, but not her. So, after talking to Michael we have invited mom to come visit. This visit she and I will be seeing the Grand Circle. There are National Parks in 4 states that make a circle, which makes it easy to travel and see. I am so excited I can hardly see straight. We have invited my sister to join us, but at this point she has declined. She has 4 children that she home schools and she works part time as a Labor and delivery nurse, plus she and her husband bought a home this past Dec. I can see how taking off for 2 weeks could be a bit over whelming, but I'm still hoping she'll change her mind and join us.

Next, is the missions dinner that the Women's Missionary Fellowship group from my church is planning. Usually we have several ideas for a theme that we vote on and then spend most of the meeting brain storming ideas for decorating according to that theme. I really enjoy the whole brainstorming and planning process. Unfortunately we didn't get to do that today. A theme was decided on, but no real discussion on how to decorate. There was a real reason, but I don't see the need to try to explain that. The theme is: Bearing Precious Seed.

The verse is Psalms 126:6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.


After the meeting a few of us talked a little bit. The idea of making center pieces out of miniature hay bales, mini pumpkins and garden tools was tossed out there. I like the idea actually but I keep thinking about it. The theme is bearing precious seed and the decorations need to reflect that, but what is the precious seed that is being talked about. In our case it is the Word of God being sown by missionaries that we support. You guys are always very creative, so I thought I'd toss this out there and see what ideas you came up with. The dinner is a covered dish dinner. The WMF provides the decoration and music. My only thought towards decoration was to have little treat cups with different seeds in them. Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds. Then at Wally world I saw a cute idea. Instead of putting the seeds in just a plastic mini cup on the table, place them in a mini glass and enclose them in netting, tied with a ribbon and the verse printed on a piece of paper attached. Any how, that's what is playing in my mind tonight.

I suppose I should quit rattling away here and get ready for bed. Let me know your thoughts.

Life

Wow! It's been a long time since I've written a post!

Michael came home for good June 15. YEA! He was home for about a week and then he and Kevin took off for a 'dude trip'. They went to Lake Powell and rented jet skis and then into Moab to ride ATV's. They had a great time! It was so good to hear about all the fun there were having. Yes, I wish I had been with them, yet at the same time I was so thankful that they had the opportunity to go off and spend time together.

My plants in the back yard are all alive except two. Michael placed a drip system for me and I put it on a timer. Amazing how well plants do with water. ;)

Last week end Michael and Kevin took me to Lake Powell. This time we rented a boat and rode to Rainbow Bridge National Park. The only way to get to it was by boat. If was a lot of fun to be on the water with my guys. Gab couldn't be with us because of already made plans.

Then this past Tuesday Michael and I spent the evening in the ER with Kevin. Every now and then food just doesn't like to go down Kevin's food pipe. Monday a bite of chicken became lodged. You know it is stuck good and not budging when he tries to drink water and it comes right back up. He couldn't even swallow his spit. He refused to go to the ER. On his promise that he'd come wake me if need be, Michael and I went to bed. He had a rough night but still didn't want to go to the doctor. By 1pm he was calling me at work, ready to go. We started in the ER at the Naval Hospital and ended in the ER 'down the hill'. They put a camera down his throat and pulled the chicken out after several attempts. My son's 'food pipe' (I am intentionally not using proper medical terms) is a mess. He has one spot that is a real concern. The Doctor didn't want to biopsy it because every thing was so inflamed. So we left with one very drugged young man and a Rx for medication. His chest and throat are still sore from the ordeal, but he is well. Um, well but in sever need of some diet changes and food pipe monitoring. After a couple weeks, when the inflammation has calmed down, we will add another medication and then in a few months take another look. The doctor says that medication is the answer for the rest of his life. I am so hoping, praying and believing that some good common sense diet changes will be made and adhered to. Unfortunately that has been my song and dance since Kevin was 10 years old. He has gone on line and read and educated himself on the condition that he most likely has and seems to be more than willing to make some changes.

Well, my daughter just entered the room and announced that I need to start telling family that she will be getting married. Her young man is in the process of joining the service and they want to get married when he gets out of boot camp. I told her that we would begin the process after said young man speaks with her Dad. The young man has not yet signed the dotted line and therefore no one can really make any for sure plans, because he doesn't know what his are going to be as of yet. Life is interesting isn't it?! I remember telling my mom that Michael and I were going to get married. She said when she saw the ring she would take me seriously, or she would begin to talk about it seriously with me. When Michael came home that Christmas we placed the engagement announcement in the local paper. Then the plans began! I'm glad mom didn't wait until I got my diamond because that didn't happen until we'd been married over 5 years. I had a choice: diamond ring or honeymoon in Hawaii. I took Hawaii, thinking I'd never get the chance again. We've been twice. :) Isn't life fun. If this crazy long blog comes to mind in the future your prayers would be appreciated.

I guess that pretty much brings you up to date with my little piece of life. I still enjoy reading all of your blogs and sharing the journey with you.

The Day Begins

0700 the phone rings, it is my husband, who is on vacation with my son. He needs me to go to the computer to look something up. So, I roll out of bed and go to the computer room. As our conversation ends I hear, none other than the garbage truck! Oh MAN, the garbage! In total disregard to my fresh out of the bed, pajama clad self I dash out the door. As I wheel the can down the driveway I look to my right and see the truck coming down the hill. I look front and see a car stopping at the curb, right where I park the can. I stop dead in my tracks. What do I do? Should I take the can to a place in front of his car? No, that would be awkward. Looking to the left of his car I see mailboxes, a driveway, my neighbors cans and another driveway. I am not dragging this can half way up the street. So, I did what any sane pajama clad woman would do. I hauled my can across the street and knocked on his window. Then I said, "I don't want to be rude, but could you pull forward? I have to put my garbage can out." Though a bit startled he gladly obliged. As I walked back to my house I couldn't help but wonder what this small snapshot of time said about my character and the pajama clad woman I have become. :)

There have been many times in the past that I have been in certain stores and observed people bringing in their dead plants. I was amazed that the store would actually give them their money back for these dead things. I would be thinking in my head, "Don't you know you're supposed to water the things?! "

Well, yesterday I joined the ranks of weirdos that return dead plants. Oh yes, I did. I loaded up those 8 dead plants and got my money back. Then I went straight to the plant dept. and loaded up with 8 new ones.

Now that I've confessed my evil thinking and weird actions, I'm going to go plant those plants in the ground so I don't have to eat crow a second time!

Plant-a-holic

Hello. My name is Robin. I am addicted to plants. If I am in a store that sells plants I can't leave with out buying at least one. That would OK, except for 2 things. One, if it's an inside plant I need a pot to plant it in. Pots cost a huge, unreasonable amount of $! Second, if it's an outside plant I have to make sure I actually get it in the ground before it dies.

I will not post a picture of the plants that I bought for my back yard. At this time they still aren't planted in the ground but they do have a soaker hose running across the top of the pots that will water them at a regular time each day. I'm really hoping that they are truly drought resistant and will revive with much water. I just can't seem to find any plants that declare themselves Robin resistant. While I'm not happy with the potential dead state of said plants I can't help but look forward to buying new ones! Yep, addicted.

I enclosed pictures of my indoor plants. They all ended up in my bathroom. I referred to my tub at work one day as a garden tub. Several people laughed at me. Apparently they'd never heard that term in regards to a tub. My pictures are an example of why we folks originally from the South call such things garden tubs. Now you guys that still live in the South tell me if I'm obsolete in my thinking! I'm real happy with they way it turned out. But being true to that plant addicted nature I could make changes every day and always see something in my head that would look better. Don't worry Michael, I have put the MasterCard away and am choosing to be happy with what I've done. :) It was a lot of fun, hard work. On the one hand I'm a little embarrassed at the $ I've spent. I just couldn't do it a little at a time. On the other hand, this is something I've always wanted to do. I've always wanted a tub like this one. It wasn't until I started buying plants that I realized I don't really long to soak in a bubble bath, as much as I want to decorate the thing. It still needs candles. I'll save that for Michael's in put. He has definite ideas about some things and he'll want to tweak what I've done and add his own touches.

Enjoy the pictures. Feel free to give feed back. Any suggestions are also welcome. :)

Answered Prayer!

If I remember correctly I have used this blog as a means to vent about some frustrations. Unfortunately, I don't remember what all I've said about what. Quite scary if you ask me!
I do know that I have spent some time talking about my kids! In fact I often wonder if I've caused some eye rolling and walking in the other direction when you see me coming; because you just KNOW I'm going to be whining about the same kid issues.
So, on that note I want to take a few minutes to update you on some positives and answers to prayers. If you're not quite sure what I'm talking about count your blessings and rejoice in the answered prayer with me any way.

First, Gabrielle spends more time at home now than she does away. The nights she spends away are planned over nights out of town. I know where she is and who she is with. We still have our conflicts but life has been very enjoyable and nice with my Gabrielle. It's hard to watch her growing pains, but I have been able to learn that growing pains are indeed what they are and all I have to do is be available.

Next, Kevin will be returning to Calvary Baptist Church School next year. I have shed many a tear over Kevin's school situations and spend lots of energy talking and fretting. Kevin decided on his own that he wanted to return to Calvary and get his diploma. About the time he decided this the school felt the need to put him on academic probation. They set a goal for him and told us that if that goal was not completed by a certain date he could not return. I agreed to the terms and did see the need to hold his feet to the fire. He on the other hand could not for the life of him understand why this was happening. I mean he had finally given in, quit fighting and decided to return. Now he has to fight to stay--that's how he viewed the situation. About half way to the dead line, I realized that due to a certain subject Kevin wasn't going to make it. His attitude was great; he had accepted the situation and was putting forth an honest sincere effort to get the work done. So, I went and ask for an adjustment in the goal. I asked that a certain subject be removed from the expectation and replaced with something else. He would still be completing the amount of work required of him, just in a different subject. I was initially told no. I accepted the decision none to gracefully and left. Back at home, Kevin never knew, and I continued to hold his feet to the fire. In the past, Kevin has shut down in the last 2 weeks of school; nothing would get accomplished. This year he had to work consistently up until the last minute. On the last day of school he took 2 test. Up until this point I really had no idea if he would be allowed back. He passed the test and the administrator assured me he could return next year. WHOO-HOO!!! The subject that I asked to be dropped until next year? The one that they wouldn't change? He finished all but one of the paces. However, he finished extra in other subjects so he met the required amount that would allow him to return.

I told Kevin that I was so very proud of him! Not only did he overcome the academic challenge, but he also conquered the attitude and emotional aspect of the expectation place on him.

Advice requested

I posted pictures of my bathroom plain, then one of the ridiculously tall palm tree and now these. I'm really happy with the plants I have and I seem to have this vision in my head, but I can't get it to transpire into reality. The pot in the corner is not pretty. It is one I already had on hand and was thinking that if I planted something in it that would grow over the side, then the pot would be hidden. I have found some pots that I like but they aren't the right shape for what I want. The other pots are the right shape, but I don't like the color. At this time all the plants are actually down in the tub so I'll remember to water them. Any suggestions? What color pots should I use. I tend to like a variety. However, my husband tends to like uniformity. I thought it'd be fun to see what ideas you guys came up with.