HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID!!!

We love you Uncle David!!! And hope that you have a wonderful day, knowing that you are being thought of warmly. BIG HUG!!!

Strength and Tenacity

Two of the reasons that this country even exists in the first place. The first most important reason, I think, is that the Lord guided those settlers here, who then established this country as a God-fearing nation. He has blessed us for a long time. Most of the time it has been in spite of ourselves. Or, as I've heard our preacher rightfully say, maybe the Lord has blessed us for the sake of those first men and women who led this country into organized existence.

At any rate, this wonderful story about the USS New York is a quick and interesting read on Snopes. It can give you the tingles!

Prayer Request and Observation

My folks, along with a good sized group of fellow travelers, are on their way "across the pond" to take an EF "In Mozart's Footsteps" tour of Prague, Austria, and Hungary. If you feel so led, please pray for their safe travel and for their safe visit while in that part of the world. I know they enjoy these trips, but it's hard not to worry a bit until they return home safely.

My observation:
Please know that I do realize this will be interesting to practically no one but me. Having said that, however, I give myself absolution to share. Today, as I was listening to a message that my youngest brother left for me last week on my voice mail, (I had saved it to hear it a few more times - I'm a dork), there was something in his voice that reminded me of our dad's voice. David doesn't sound like Dad in general, but right at first, his voice resembled Dad's voice. It was kinda cool.

See. I told you it really wasn't that interesting of an observation. :-)

Not from the mouth of Charles Schulz......

....despite what a popular email forward likes to claim. BUT, I still like the sentiment of it, and thought I'd post it. Without attributing it to Mr. Schulz. Even though I'm sure he would agree with it.
Btw - thank you so much to all my wonderful family who made me feel so special last week. (see #4 of the 2nd quiz). Y'all made it a wonderful birthday. Even if I did turn 30 for the umpteenth time. ha!!!


1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America title.
4. Name ten people who have won either the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.


How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners .

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with .



Easier?


The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care .


"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It 's already tomorrow in Australia " (Charles Schulz - he *did* sort of say this via a "Peanuts" comic.)

What to say........

We're busy right now. We've had a lot going on at church lately, lots at home, busy busy busy. And we have a busy weekend up ahead with Robert and Megan's wedding. (Poodle is the flower girl, and Jmk is a groomsman). The kids are noticeably tired and I'm pooped. I don't feel like doing anything, but EVERYthing needs doing.

Know the feeling?

So, I think about the blog - and even though there is lots and lots to say and share, I can't think of a SINGLE thing to post on! Isn't it crazy? I'm sure I think of things during the day..... stuff that, at the very least, the grandparents would want to see and hear. But if I do, it's when I can't get to the computer. And by the time I CAN get to the computer, I have absolutely nothing to say.

So, today, I thought I'd just say that. I have nothing to say! :-) Now. Aren't you glad you checked in with the Zoo today?

::ahem::

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

To MooMoo and GaGa - if my math is correct, Happy 43 years together!!! We love you!!!

Random Pictures

From Jimbo's wonderful wedding. We're at Singing School at church this week, so I just wanted to update the blog a bit, since I'm gone all day this week. And I've been blog-absent lately. Thus, a quick post.

GaGa, MooMoo, and their grandbabies.

As demure as this picture looks, David and I actually had a pretty good swing going. Well, as good as two people who haven't danced together in forEVER can possibly be. We may not have been dancing with the stars material, but I know I had a blast! I can assure you, my kiddos will learn the basics of waltz, foxtrot, swing, rumba, and maybe a teeny bit of tango. When they get older, of course. They don't need to be experts - just comfortable on the floor. Makes weddings fun, anyway. :-)
More kids should know proper social dancing. It would help to abolish the vulgar mess you see some young people attempting these days. I guarantee it.

Poodle doing her "dance" with her favorite bridesmaid of the evening. This girl was SO sweet to our little one!!!

Then Life Goes On

I haven't disappeared - just had the wind knocked out of me first thing this week. Miss Jozia was so full of life and passion and joy, that to think about that life and passion and joy not being in the world anymore was a difficult thing to comprehend.

To know that this firecracker isn't stealing the show any more down in St. Petersburg is simply taking time to process.

Yesterday, it made me think of Jesus' disciples. (Of course, I'm in no way comparing the two people - just the situation in a VERY loose sense). One day, they are watching their Master and their Lord being celebrated as palm branches are thrown down before Him. A week later, He has been crucified. And they had no idea it was coming. Now THAT is truly seeing life and passion and joy being taken out of the world. Can you imagine the heartache and the shock and the overwhelming despair that those men and women felt? They didn't truly understand what was happening, and couldn't understand yet that their Lord and Master was truly to be alive forever. But for those 3 days and nights, they were hardly able to eat or sleep, I daresay. Couldn't think of or talk of anything else, I can imagine. And the absolute loss of spirit in their heart had to be so painful. Truly, physically painful. And, still, nothing like the despair and pain that Jesus Christ had to suffer in order to finish His work on earth.

But, back to Miss Jozia - I was able to talk to one of her long time friends last night, on my way to church. (KD - I'll call you with those details as soon as I get things "under control" at the house this morning). Oh, it was SO nice to talk to someone with that Pennsylvania accent. It was so nice to hear someone get bossy with me, even though she didn't know me from Adam's cat - but because I loved Jozia too, she knew it was okay to be "normal".

It was so nice to hear "and" pronounced that way again. Aahnd. I was right back in that huge ballet studio up at the W, having her poke her finger into my po-po, and then right into my stomach. Because of neither of them were tucked in appropriately for Miss Jozia!

Oh, and if any of you are wondering how to say her name - it's "you-sha". Well, technically, it's "you-zha", but she let all us southern folks say "you-sha".

Anyway, life has continued here - the master bedroom has been painted. The kitchen has been primed. And kitchen painting will resume after our church meeting this weekend and Singing School next week. Swimming lessons continue, and, well, life continues. I have a blog I need to do about Jim and Brittany's wonderful wedding last weekend. Pictures to post. But, for now, I need to leave my thoughts about Miss Jozia a little while longer. Her passing was too unexpected, and this helps. For some odd reason.

Sweet Jozia - there are so many who yearn to see her just one last time. But her life was well lived, and she was well loved.

Back to our regularly scheduled blogging in the near future.

Rest in Peace, Miss Jozia Mieszkowski

Thank you for summer ballet camp in 7th (?) grade. Thank you for Governor's School. Thank you for Dew Drop and Graduation Ball and Snow Queen and Coppelia. Thank you for New York choreographers and professional dancers. Thank you for your own works. Thank you for mentoring our own choreography.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for Aurora.

Thank you for untold hours of laughter, instruction, friendship, sweat, tears, motivation, and training. Thank you for always being ready to make it happen. Thank you for working a ridiculous amount of unpaid hours so that some college kids and kids from a little town like Columbus, MS could perform in world class ballets. With real sets and real costumes and real music and real staging.

Thank you for loving ballet the way you did. Thank you for never letting me get away with anything in the rehearsal hall.

Thank you for telling Kadie that you didn't think I was strong enough for Aurora. (And thank you, Boo, for telling me that she said that!)

Thank you for the opportunity to show myself just how hard I'm willing to work to reach a goal.

Thank you for pushing me to my limit, and then expecting more.

Thank you for having more energy and passion than most of us combined.

I'll be talking of you for the rest of my life - you will never be forgotten. And you will always, always be loved. By me, and the huge numbers of dancers whose lives you touched in so many wonderful ways throughout your blessed life.

Thank you, Miss Jozia. Thank you.

Belated Memorial Day Offering

Just a note that I'm neither supporting nor denying support of CitizensUnited.org - I really don't know anything about them, and haven't had time to look at their site for more than a few seconds. Mostly, I like the way this was presented and who is presenting it. I've seen this in an email forward before, and I'm glad it was "done up" nicely. Because it's true. And I'm grateful that God has given us the BRAVE so we could be the land of the FREE!

aMAYzing options

With apologies to my dear husband. I thought I had gotten this out of my system the other night, but apparently not-so-much.

It's not as annoying to me as mispronouncing voila, but it's getting close.

As I'm sure you know, Hollywood's latest crutch phrase is "amazing". Pronounced ah-MAY-zing. With much emphasis on that poor little second syllable. And you must say it with wide-eyed breathlessness. Everything is amazing. Clothes, wall colors, movies, hair styles, dog carriers. Amazing has replaced the "fabulous" crutch phrase from a couple of years back. It has so invaded lexicon, that I'm guilty of over-using it these days, despite my annoyance with hearing it all the time.

So!

Here are some options, you amazing Hollywood types. (with the understanding, of course, that you really don't need too many syllables to deal with):

spectacular (okay - I know, 4 syllables. but it's okay! you can do it!)
impressive
wondrous
stunning
magnificent
incredible
glorious

Okay, now, I know stunning isn't nearly as dramatic as wondrous or glorious. And, let's face it, when you need to describe someone's highlights, you really do need to use a word that is commensurate with the importance of the subject. ::cough::
But, come on, all you entertainment industry follow-the-leader types. You can add some new stupendously descriptive words to describe the heart-stirring wonderment of a bedside table. Truly, you can. Poor little "amazing" needs some new friends. ::rolling eyes::

Rant over. We can return to our regularly scheduled program.

Compliments of the 80's

Back in the 80's, we tight-rolled pants. Man, did we tight-roll pants. For some unknown reason, we thought it was a good look. I have NO idea why, now. But at the time, it was a fabulous idea. (These last 3 sentences really could apply to most of the way we looked back then. Hair, shoulder pads, makeup...... I shan't go on).

Now, due to my above average leg length, and the fact that pants just were not made as long as they are now, I didn't have as much of an opportunity to tight-roll my OWN pants. When I tight-rolled *my* pants, they ended up about 3 inches above my ankles. (Steve Erkel, anyone?) But, despite this inability to follow a fascinating fashion trend, I still learned the skill. And learned it well.

So, a couple of weekends ago, we watched as the Chaser was let into the water, and while mast and sails were being put in their proper place, the kids were getting their feet wet at the edge of the boat ramp. Because it was chilly that morning, they had on long pants, so I tight-rolled Poodle's little sweatpants to get them out of the way.

Well. I just put a load of her clothes into the washer. And those sweatpants were still neatly, and firmly, tight-rolled right up the the knee area!!!
Thank you 1980's. ha!

Nice Weekend

We had a wonderful weekend here at the Zoo. Jmk took off Friday, and had Monday off already, and it was soooooo nice to have that much time with him. He got a backyard project finished (tilling and seeding some bare spots), we got some home decorating shopping done, took the kids to the park one morning, played a lot in the backyard, went to "chick-fil-a-and-play" one day for lunch, grilled hamburgers, etc. Went out to "the EE Park" and let Tooter see GaGa's big green tractor. We ate watermelon for lunch. Kids ate popsicles after supper. We didn't have any big events planned, and didn't have any schedule to keep, and it was so great. Jmk went back to the work this morning, and I didn't have that "I'm completely exhausted" feeling that I sometimes get after a holiday weekend.

That's our best kind of vacation these days. One that lets us have our own time to ourselves!!!

Of course, I'm missing Jmk this morning. ::awwwww:: :-) But, it was really, really nice to have this long weekend all together. We need it with the crazy June that is coming up!

Thank You

To our veterans, to their families, to those who are currently serving. To everyone who has ever been involved in securing and insuring peace for this country. Our military and their families are one of God's amazing blessings to this great U.S.A.

From a grateful heart, with true appreciation for all the sacrifices. So many of which the rest of us will never know or understand.

You are loved!

Bathroom. Done.

Yay!!!!

Shot before starting to peel the paper off. See, it really wasn't that bad. Just wasn't something we picked, you know?

After the paper has come down and Jmk has finished spackling all the inevitable sheetrock ooopsies.

And, finished with paint! The color is actually called "opaque cocoa". yum!
One of the ways we kept Poodle interested in "helping" and in allowing us to work was by promising to get her some "new pink towels" when it was all finished. Of course, then Tooter needed "new blue towels", according to her. I sort of altered the shade of the blue, but we still complied with our promises.

Shot with bunny on the counter that currently holds bows. GaGa made this bunny for Poodle the easter before Tooter was born.
I've given up on having any other chotskies in there. Chotskies and climbing wee ones don't combine. There's time enough for all that.

'Nother shot. I can't get a good picture of the real color of the paint, but I'm sure you still get the idea.

Next room on the list is the master bedroom!!! It's actually going this same color. We picked this color for our room first, and then later decided to do the bathroom the same color. But, since I hate peeling wallpaper, I wanted to finish the bathroom first and get it out of the way.

We have a LOT more builders beige to colorfy (like that word? lol...), but we'll get to it. Slowly.

For Our Parents

I have to admit that this slideshow had me in absolute multi-kleenex tears. My parents have my maternal grandmother (who is 99 years old) living with them. They are doing everything they can to keep her in their home for as long as they can. But it requires a lot of sacrifice on their part.

It is almost as time consuming (at times) as parenting small children, but without the promise and joy that watching a child develop brings to the parent. There is love there - lots of love. But helping an elderly parent take care of daily living is a completely different emotional burden than helping a young child do the same.

I watched this video with my parents and Granny in mind. Which I think explains the strength of my response. But, I think we all need to keep this in mind as we deal with those we love and those we simply encounter. Including the lovely older person who is holding up progress in the canned vegetable aisle at the grocery store. I know I could certainly stand to develop more patience and more respect for our seniors.

I hope you find a blessing in this too!

Well. Now this is fantastic.

I have discovered a new weapon for my arsenal of sanity promoting devices.

Her name is Lacey.

She is a sister at my church, and she came over today to play with the kids while I got some work done at the house. In the few hours that she was here, I was able to get the newly painted bathroom cleaned up and "reassembled". (you know - switch plates, towel bars, all that stuff that you have to take down in order to paint. Oh, and I'll post pictures asap!) AND, I was able to fold some laundry and wash some dishes.

And I was able to do all of it without little ones asking me a million questions or wanting snacks or tugging on my legs or crying because I wasn't playing with them. AND, I didn't feel guilty that I was doing housework inSTEAD of playing with and talking to said little ones.

And she was wonderful and didn't even mind that my house was in its normal crazy messy state! lol.... always important for someone who steps over my threshold. ::grin::
At one point during the morning, she and the kids were alternately chasing each other thru the house. It was absolutely fabulous. To hear my children laughing and squealing is a gooood thing!


And, here is a little picture of Poodle "helping" me paint in the bathroom. She did a fine job, and even got some of the paint ON the wall! heehee!

Don't But First God

Poodle's latest way of avoiding obeying directions immediately is, after being told to do something, to say to us "But first, I have to.... [fill in the blank]". Obviously, this is something that we are working on..... it's a process, to say the least.

So, the other night, I was discussing with Jmk the fact that Amy and Jay had gotten an offer on their house so quickly. Of course, I am very glad for them, and quite frankly, they really do have the luck of the Irish when it comes to selling homes. (And, it helps that their home is so beautiful to begin with). But, from a very selfish standpoint, I was disappointed, because I don't want them to move.

I told Jmk that Stephini reminded me on Saturday night that this quick offer that they received on their house could very well be a gentle reminder from God that their move is in His plan, and that He is blessing the process accordingly.

And, Jmk agreed with that thought. Then he put it in terms that made a LOT of sense to us as parents of a 3 year old. "Don't 'But First' God!"

Big Weekend

The Zoo just finished a long, busy, but very good weekend. First, Leslie came in on Thursday evening, and David came in Friday afternoon. And we were all able to go out to eat together Friday night at the Elite!

I can only suppose that the dear waitress that took the picture for us was under the impression that baby Audrey is in the baby witness protection program. Both pictures have her almost completely cut out! You can see her cute legs in MooMoo's arms. That's about it.

Then, on Saturday, Captain Robert and Captain GaGa got their new project into the water. They have bought a 1970'something Santana 21 sailboat! She has been named Chaser, but I'm not sure if she was properly christened on Saturday or not. The Zoo folks came by Saturday morning and watched her go into the water, watched the mast go up and watched Robert get the sails on, but we had to leave before they all did any real sailing. Lunch and naps trump most things!

Mast going up in this picture.

Wee Poodle hanging out on the dock.

Robert, David, and Leslie chatting while Robert rigged up the new lady.

Captain BopBop!

GaGa and his grandboy - thick as THIEVES, these two are. Seriously, they're going to be trouble when Tooter gets older.

Then, later Saturday night, we had a wonderful "gadget and grill" shower for Robert and Megan at the clubhouse. It was so much fun, and the "kids" got a lot of great stuff. The next day, Sunday, had us at church with lunch afterwards. And, then, communion after that. I had to leave immediately to hit another wedding shower in Clinton for Megan, which was a miscellaneous shower. They got some great stuff there too. SueSue took me around to see everything (since I was sooo late getting there), and she and I both wanted to take most of it home with us!

Aunt Julie, SueSue, Tooter, and Amy. Tooter surrounded by beautiful women - you know he was having a great time!

Poodle and Jacob - flower girl and ring bearer for Robert and Megan's wedding. Jacob is SUCH a sweetheart. We just love him!

And, of course, Amy and Poodle. Isn't she gorgeous? Poodle isn't too bad either. ::grin:: Poodle had commandeered Amy's camera and was "taking pictures". I'm sure Amy had to delete at least 40 something shots of feet and chairs and torsos!

Over all, it was a great weekend, but the kids are beat today. Poodle was asleep last night by 6:30! They are currently napping, and I'm doing the blog so I have an excuse to sit in Jmk's chair and watch my HGTV shows. Woohoo! :-)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LESLIE!!!

And I am SO glad that we're going to get to see you in just a few hours!

Be safe driving and we love you!