When I Grow Up ...

As kids, we all talked about what we wanted to be when we grew up.  A doctor, a lawyer, a rocket scientist, a mom/dad, a spider (God love my son!) ...  how many of us became what we wanted to be back then?

My posts of late have been about change - Lord knows there's been a lot of it in my life over the last couple of years, and there is more to come, I know.  A small one recently is I'm now a year older.  Oh, the joy ...  They say every day above ground is a good day, and while that's true, the idea of getting older sure isn't sitting well with me lately, for some reason.  I mentioned earlier that The Marine is trying to figure out what he wants to be now that he's been "redeployed to the civilian sector", and The Princess has finally made the decision to go to college and pursue her dream, too.  Well, count me among those who are pursuing their 'grown-up' dreams -- I'm going back to college!  I have quite a few hours already under my belt, so I'm not a true freshman (Sophomore and A Third <gg>), but I sure feel like one!  I started college back in 19<mumble mumble) with the goal of going into what was at the time called Criminology.  Of course, as will happen nearly 100% of the time, Life interfered with my plan and I didn't finish my degree.  Now that I can once again think about what I want to be when I grow up, I'm going back to my original goal.  I will be attending a local university in Spring 2014 to pursue a Criminal Justice degree with a dual in Forensics.  Even though Life interrupted me the last time around, it's turned out to be a blessing, because where I am now puts me in a much better position to move forward at a better pace than I would have back then.  My job is directly across the street from my soon-to-be school, and that school happens to be one of the top 2 or 3 in the US for Forensics.  The university has partnered with my employer for several years now to teach and train students in all aspects of criminal justice and forensics, and the program is top-notch.  I told my boss this week (after my acceptance letter arrived) what my plans were and she is very excited for me.  She's already got me doing my practicum there and is giving me pointers on how to get through the entire program a little faster (intersession courses, etc.). :)  Like I said, I'm in a GREAT position to move forward on this now.  God sure does know what he's doing, doesn't he?

I have to admit, though, one thing I have to question God on is the purpose behind my having to take a math class.  I can do accounting all day long, but if you give me "A+B=?", I'll give you the blankest, most-dumbfounded look you've ever seen.  I absolutely STINK at algebra, etc., but I *have* to have this math class!  ARRRGGHHH!  I'm checking out all my preparatory options - study guides, practice tests, The Princess' brain (she's brilliant at math), Khan Academy ... - and PRAYING LIKE CRAZY that I will pass this course!!  Just one semester, just one class - please, God, get me through it with a passing grade (the higher, the better).  I promise I'll work my butt off, but I'd appreciate it if you'd meet me there in the middle somewhere ...

I've had a LOT of support in my decision - my family is thrilled and my friends are so excited for me.  My coworkers have also been very encouraging -- as long as I'm not leaving my job. ;)  One even put his head in his hands and said "oh, thank goodness!" when I confirmed that I was staying at the Bureau while I go to school!  Affirmation is a wonderful thing, isn't it??  I've been quite surprised at the outpouring of support.  There are some that I knew would be behind me 100%, no question, but the encouragement from so many others has been quite a pleasant surprise.  I think I talked myself out of reaching just a little further, going for the dream that seemed like its time had passed.  But a lot of soul-searching has given me back that "go for it" attitude.  Have you talked yourself back from the edge of a dream?  If so, maybe it's time to revisit that dream, see if you can make it real.  I wouldn't have thought I'd be a 46 year old sophomore in college, and yet ....  The idea of change, especially major change, scares a lot of people, I know.  But big rewards come from taking big chances.  Could I fail?  Absolutely.  Will I just sit back and let it happen without doing everything in my power to stop it?  Absolutely NOT.  It's time for me to take that big chance and see what I can really do.  Who's with me?

Until next time, y'all, be blessed ...

The Wild, Wild West ... ?

I mentioned earlier that there were more new things in my life to talk about.  One of those things is guns.  There's a LOOOO-OOOOO-OOOOO-TTT of talk about guns these days, more specifically gun control.  <Here begins my personal opinion regarding guns and gun control - you don't have to agree with me, but I'm not trying to start a big, fat, hairy argument about it, so if you truly don't agree, don't feel the need to post your rant here - I'll only delete it; we'll just have to agree to disagree on the subject, and hopefully remain friends - I'm game if you are> :)
I have no problem with doing background checks for gun purchases.  However, registering your properly and legally purchased firearm is something I do NOT agree with.  No one, especially the government, needs to know how many or what kinds of weapon(s) I own.  They didn't earn the money to buy them, they didn't go through the background check to make the purchase, and they didn't spend that hard-earned money on the firearm(s) of their choice - so why should they know anything at all about MY business?  Registration is the precursor to confiscation, and my gun(s) will be mine unless and until I choose to let them go.  They will not be subject to seizure because some pencil-necked bureaucrat or power-hungry psycho decided I shouldn't have them. (Hitler, anyone??)  Like most common-sense people, I don't want a gun, or a weapon of any kind, in the hands of the wrong person.  And while background checks can't and won't weed out every one of those folks, it will sure cut the number drastically.  So, background checks for gun purchases?  Sure.  Registration of those guns?  Not a chance.  As they say, "when guns are outlawed, I'll be an outlaw".

Now, on to the FUN part - my new baby!  Several months ago, I finally got into a 'carry' class - a requirement to obtain your Concealed Carry permit (or in Oklahoma, simply a 'carry' permit, since we are now an 'open carry' state).  I've been pondering for months what I'd like to carry, and finally decided that I wanted to go old-school with a 'wheelgun', aka, revolver.  Something small enough to conceal but big enough to do the job should, God forbid, I need to do the job.  I figured fewer moving parts was a good thing, considering my carry method of choice.  It was a long search, because what I wanted got harder to find.  But at last, at a gun show last week, I FOUND HIM!  Oh, boy, am I smitten with this baby!  He's a suh-WEET Smith & Wesson "Wyatt Deep Cover" .38 Special (anyone besides me singing "Hold On Loosely" in their heads right now??).  Then, his name.  Hmmm, that would take careful consideration.  People name their cars and boats, their GPS units - ours is Joan, their shoes (yes, I know a woman who has named her shoes ...), and even body parts, so of course I needed to name my protector.  After a little more inspection, it hit me, and it was so perfect I couldn't believe I didn't figure it out sooner.  Dillon!  Now, can you figure out why??  It should be pretty obvious to anyone over a certain age. ;)

I took Dillon out for his first 'walk' this week at my favorite shootin' spot, where we had a wonderful time.  While we were there, I showed him off to The Guys. (yes, I have "Guys" - they come in very handy!)  They were very impressed, and that made me happy happy happy.  Sometimes, it's hard to tell if you're getting a good deal or getting rooked, and while I wasn't particularly worried even though this was my first solo gun purchase, I was hoping for some confirmation that I came out on the good side.  Turns out I did, and in a big way.  Dillon's a "Perf Center" gun - meaning he's been through S&W's Performance Center.  It's like taking AP Chemistry versus basic chemistry - Dillon's an "honor student". :)  So I was thrilled to know that not only had I gotten what I thought was a really good deal, acccording to The Guys, I hit the Lotto.  They sure enjoy it when I bring him in to play! <haha>

I know some people who say guns scare them.  I get it - things we aren't familiar with or we don't understand tend to be a little scary.  But rather than ignore those things and pretend they aren't there, why not learn a little more about them so we can take the fear factor out of the equation?  If someone doesn't want to carry a gun, or even own one, that is still their right in America.  But my right to keep and bear arms is guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution and I choose to exercise that right.  I mentioned my new (to me) car in my last post.  Well, now that I have that car (still need a name for him - yes, HIM - any suggestions?  it has to be perfect), I have been road-tripping a lot more, usually alone.  I refuse to allow my personal safety to be left up to law enforcement who, although well-intentioned and well-trained, are most likely too far away to help me should I need it.  My safety is MY responsibility and I take it seriously.  Different states have different gun laws, and I respect that.  However, I will protect myself to the extent that I feel necessary, whatever that requires.  As they say, better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.  Guns are not evil in and of themselves - they are simply tools, just like hammers and cars.  The evil comes from the person using the tool, nothing more, nothing less.  Keep that in mind the next time you hear gun-control advocates talking about stricter laws.

Until next time, be blessed.

The dry spell ...

Well, it's been more than a year and a half since I posted anything here.  Yeah, I'm a slug ... what's new? <ggg>  Hmmm, well, what *is* new?  Let's see ...
I've lost a few more pounds since my last post -  I'll call that a BIG win!  Three more pounds and I'll be satisfied.
My son is home safe (praise God!!).  He's living nearby and trying to decide what a former Marine should be when he grows up. ;)  He's got plenty of time, but I can't wait to see where Life leads him!
My daughter has decided she's ready to tackle college, and she starts next week!  She's always been so freakin' smart, so I knew she would go eventually.  But along with smart (which she gets from her dad), she's also strong-willed.  For those who are as un-PC as I, read that as "stubborn as a mule" - we have NO IDEA where she gets that from!  So of COURSE, college had to be on her timetable! :)  Well, at the moment she's planning to major in astronautical engineering (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronautics).  She's smart enough to do it, but we all know how our minds change a bazillion time when figuring out what we want to do with the rest of our lives.  We'll see if something pulls her in another direction.  In the meantime, she is on a road trip with her best friend Kinsey, final destination New Orleans.  BUT ... a quick stop along the way in Houston, to see the Space Shuttle.  She just texted me a picture of it and she is completely over the moon! (no pun intended)  I'm so thrilled for her - what better way to start her exciting new journey than an exciting journey!
I have also started a new, albeit small, journey of my own - a new job.  I didn't intend to go back to work, really, but in the course of trying to volunteer, I ended up with a paycheck instead.  I now work for the OSBI FSC - the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Forensic Science Center.  The building is so close I literally can't listen to one whole song on Sirius before I'm there.  However, that assumes I don't drive the extra mile *past* work to hit up the nearest Sonic Drive-In for my daily "Rt. 44 iced tea with extra extra ice" fix -- one should NEVER assume that I will skip this step.  My job is nothing glamorous - I'm not the latest, greatest CSI in town - but I REALLY enjoy what I'm doing, and I work with some terrific people.  Those things count for a LOT, you know?  Big money is great, but if you're miserable at a place where you spend about a third of your life, money won't really fix that, will it??  My job gives me lots of 'projects', and that's where I excel - I'm a 'project girl', according to my family -  so this fits me like a glove.
Some fun things in my life that are new ... I've been on some great road trips in my new (to me) car, my dream car (I drive my baby anywhere I can!).  South Texas to meet up with a Marine friend; Colorado to spend a long weekend with Marine moms from Nick's old unit; Rt. 66 from home to the Santa Monica Pier (my husband came along on this one - we still have to do the eastward leg of the Mother Road); and I have a couple more trips planned.  I'm going to Colorado again in a couple of months (this is an annual thing now), and heading out to Cal-i-for-nye-ay next June for a long weekend with a DIFFERENT group of Marine moms (and assorted others).  I'm looking for more opportunities for RTs - needlework shops, quaint B&Bs, even nothing at all except some sounds of nature, and some time to be by myself and explore.  Now that hubby and I are empty-nesters, I ponder - a lot more than I used to.  Maybe I have more time for that now ....  maybe I just realize the need for it more than I did before .... who knows?  Something else to ponder, I guess.
So the dry spell seems to be broken, at least for the moment.  I have more new things to tell, but I'll save those for a new day.
Until next time, be blessed.

Kids say the darnedest things!

Anyone remember this show?  I believe it began with Art Linkletter, and was revived many years later by Bill Cosby.  Man, some of those kids were hysterical! (and let's face it - some were just really annoying)
Several months ago, my sister-in-law posted a couple of cute stories on Facebook.  She and my brother have 3 children, the youngest of which (their only girl) is Emma, who was 3 years old at the time, and she had created a new word - "lasterday".  I bet you can figure it out, but if you're having trouble, let me help you - it's a combination of 'last night' and 'yesterday' - LASTERDAY.  Perfect, right?!  So right before Emma gave us "lasterday", she came up with a new concept - no shoes.  Okay, I know that 'no shoes' isn't really a new concept, but Emma's version is, at least to me!  It went like this:  Mommy:  "Emma, get some shoes on."  Emma:  "I'm just gonna wear my feets."  Now I can't wait till spring/summer, so I can just 'wear my feets'!
My kids said things like that all the time when they were small, and of course you think you'll remember those moments forever, but it doesn't happen that way.  Sure wish I'd written them all down, but here are a couple that I DO remember.
Nick was about 4 and we were at a fast-food restaurant.  He just thought he was getting so big!  After all, he was a big brother now, and that is such an important job!  As we dumped our trash, he said "Momma, look, I can read!"  Then he pointed at the letters on the small trash door and said "P - U - S - H -- trash can!"  He was SO proud of himself, and I was proud of him, too.  After all, he had named the letters correctly - what more can you ask of a 4 year old??
When my daughter Alexandra was around 3 years old, we were at my in-laws' house for a visit.  Grandad was teasing her (as grandads do), and he asked her if she was a goof ball.  She stood up as tall as a 3 year old can, indignant as could be, planted her little fists on her hips and looked straight at Grandad and said "I not a golf ball - I ALIX golf ball!"
<sigh>  I love my grown children, but I sure do miss my babies.  Those of you who have small children, take note - you will NOT remember all the cute and wonderful and amusing and exasperating things your children do and say as they're growing, so jot them down.  It's hard to have wonderful memories when you've forgotten the moments.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Boy, I've sure fallen down on the job the last 9 months or so, haven't I?  A few things have changed since my last post, mostly things have stayed the same, but I guess I got so wrapped up in living my life that I just forgot to blog about it.  Well, I'm back now.  Hopefully I can make the two play nice with each other again.
The first change - I'm no longer working at the job I mentioned before (that turned my brain to mush some days).  I'm disappointed at how all that worked out, but I'm thankful I took the leap!  I mean, you hear it all the time - people at the end of life don't generally regret the things they did, they regret the things they *didn't* do.  So I'm glad I took the chance, even if it didn't turn out the way I hoped it would.  I still have some good Facebook friends (and even face to face friends!) from that experience, so I'll call it a win.
The second change - I *am* working again, part-time at a great place called Under The Sun, a wonderful garden center.  My friend Marissa manages the store where I work, and we have such a great time!  I enjoy everyone I work with, it's fun meeting new customers and running into old friends, and I'm again learning something new.  Since it's seasonal, I'm not currently working any shifts, but Spring's coming!  Looking forward to seeing one of my favorite seasons from the other side of the flower bed. :)
The third change (and the most important) - in October, my son Nick made it home safely from his deployment to Afghanistan.  Oh, I've never prayed so hard in my life!  In the time he was gone, he was only able to get one letter home to us, but in it he said he knew we were praying for him, and he could FEEL it.  Boy, what a blessing that was! (I'll write more about his homecoming in another post)
So there it is, in a nutshell, the big things that have happened in my life since the last time I posted here.  Hopefully, regular posts here will be one of the ch-ch-ch-changes that happen.
Until next time, be blessed.

Just a Cup o' Joe

Now, isn't this an incredibly handsome young Marine?!

As you can imagine, I've become a strong advocate of supporting our troops.  Whether they serve stateside or overseas, in a combat zone or an office, these are OUR people.  They depend on us to support them emotionally, mentally and spiritually while they defend us and others.  For anyone who thinks they don't have what it takes to start "a movement" to accomplish this, let me tell you - it doesn't have to be anything on a herculean scale!  It can be prayer quilts, care packages, or writing letters - almost anything you can think of to remind these brave men and women that they are NOT serving alone.  And you don't have to be the one to start it - just join in with someone else's effort, if you're looking for a way to help.

A group of ladies at my mom's church (thank you, Seward Road Baptist!) made a patriotic quilt for Nick.  They assembled it, tied it (which my mom helped with), and prayed over it.  He took it with him on his deployment - exactly what those sweet ladies intended for him to do!  This wonderful group of women has been making quilts for everyone in their community, from accident victims to troops deploying to those with debilitating illnesses, so while my mom didn't start the project, she was able to participate with them in their efforts.

Now, let me tell you about my favorite way to show our troops that I'm thinking of them and praying for them daily - the Cup of Joe for a Joe program through Green Beans Coffee Company.  (their motto - "Honor First, Coffee Second" - says it all, doesn't it?)  For just $2 per Cup of Joe, aka COJ, you can send a cup of coffee (or smoothie, or iced tea, or iced coffee) to troops serving overseas.  You can pick the amount you want to give, include a note of thanks to the troops if you like, and add your email so they can thank you personally.  You wouldn't BELIEVE how much a simple cup of coffee means to these men and women!  It's something we take so much for granted here in the States, with a Starbucks on every corner and hundreds of other ways to get our daily caffeine fix.  The gratitude I see in the thank you notes our servicemembers send is remarkable.  It's certainly a small sacrifice for me, but such a big boost for them!  I've heard several times that the cup of joe I provided was what turned a yucky day into a GREAT day. 

So, if you're looking for a way to connect with our troops, and provide something you know they'll appreciate and enjoy, check out the Cup of Joe for a Joe program here http://www.greenbeanscoffee.com/coj/.  It's super-easy, and I promise, you'll never regret it!

So blessed!

My Marine deploys tomorrow.  I'm concerned, as any mother would be, but I'm trusting the Lord to take care of my boy.  HIS boy.  The hardest thing I've ever done is place my son in the Lord's hands.  We moms are supposed to take care of everything, right?  Make the cupcakes for tomorrow's school party that we just found out about tonight at 8:30, kiss away the boo-boos, soothe the broken hearts, scare away the monsters, protect our kids from the bad things in the world.  But when your son is going halfway around the world, heading right to where the bad things are, you just can't protect them from that.  Only the Father can do that, but trusting Him with your baby while your Mother's Heart is still beating is the most wrenching thing ever!

Folks, I have to tell you, I'm more blessed than I could ever possibly deserve.  My neighbors (Upper AND Lower 4th Street!) have been around for a long time, since before this whole Marine Corps journey started, and tonight they have once again stepped up to support my son and our family.  My husband took me to dinner tonight after work.  Nothing unusual about that - we eat out pretty regularly.  On our way home, we slowed down and came to a stop at the stop sign at the end of our block.

And suddenly I saw it - a yellow ribbon on a tree.  Then, another yellow ribbon on another tree.  And I swear, it was just like the movies, when the whole scene just slowly comes into focus.  EVERY TREE on my block had a yellow ribbon tied around it!  I just sat there at the stop sign, stunned and sobbing.  I'm so thankful I only had one more block to drive, because I'm telling you, I couldn't see a thing through the tears!

My sweet, wonderful, precious neighbors had been planning this for days.  Bruce's job was to get me out of the house - they took care of the rest!  I couldn't have been more surprised, and they couldn't have done anything that meant more to me than this.  Just a hint: if you know someone who is deployed, or who has a loved one deployed, ribbon-up your tree.  They will appreciate it more than you will ever know!

Thank you Jackie, Neil, Sophie, Marissa and Aaron - you have blessed me beyond what words can express!