Getting to know you...

This time of year, there is a great emphasis on getting to know the folks around you, the folks you come in contact with daily, the grocer, the mail guy, your neighbors you talk to once or twice a year...
Today something funny happened to me.
I am not a voyeur...but...
I took my shower late this afternoon while my husband took my daughter to the grocery store. Ahh some peace and quiet. I wrapped up in my hearty old robe, grabbed some caramel popcorn and snuggled on the couch to watch Divine Design, my favorite HGTV show.
Our couch faces a large picture window, perfect for watching the western sunset, the trees change color, and actually yes, right into our neighbors front room.
I glanced outside because the dad was tossing a football around with his son, and the toddler was inside pressing his nose against their picture window. All of a sudden, the mama came in, caught her husbands eye, AND FLASHED HIM!!! Aghhh!!! My Eyes!!
It was like a car accident, I couldn't move!
Who does this?!?!
I couldn't stop laughing, and moved away to avoid any further ....ummm... glimpses...

The dad stopped playing football and headed right inside.
Mission Accomplished!

(It should be duly noted for all MOPS readers, that Yes, Becca is my neighbor, and NO she is not the exhibitionist.)

Ok, Nutball

I had good reasons to delete facebook. I had comprehensive, complete ideals where I wanted privacy, time back from the computer, and authenticity in my relationships. The way I was using facebook did not jive with these values.
I joined facebook again.
I cut over half of my friends out of my list, I revamped all my info pages, leaving out detailed information, being truly authentic in who I am as revealed by the profile. The decision to be moderate in my use of facebook is one I think I can handle...

In other news, I found a quote that essentially sums up who I want to be:
The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him his own. -Benjamin Disraeli

I don't take the opportunity to help those I don't know very often, but this quote inspires me to truly attempt to impact those I meet and work with on a daily basis. And it forced me to recognize that I am blessed beyond measure with all that I have and all I can give.

Have you ever found a quote that inspired you in this way?

Facebook Frenzy

I am not an addictive person. I drink in moderation, I quit smoking one day just because I needed to, and I can stop eating after 2 cookies.
I deactivated my facebook account. I was being careless with the people I was letting on and in. This is hard to admit, I was truly enjoying all the attention and details about other people I was gleaning. I was happy to let people in, talk to folks I never thought I would talk to again, and I was completely letting everything else be neglected. I friended everyone, and I was checking my email 7 or 8 times a day- which is a lot for me!
I figure this is a week for turkey, so I just quit cold turkey.
No More.
Those who are truly my friends will seek me out, they will find me, or be content to know I am well, even off of facebook.
I need to be a private person. I need to keep my thoughts contained in my head, or on this blog read by all 3 of you.

The list:

Ok- here is is, Christina! I am not as boring as I thought... The things listed in blue are what I have actually done.
01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said "I love you" and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a rollercoaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and didn't care who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44 . Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Taken a midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDS
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theatre
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on a television news program as an "expert"
83. Gotten flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Passed out cold
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a TV game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone to Africa
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for 30 hours in a 48 hour period
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. States
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132.Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (I claim the moose butchering from Alaska)
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone's life

It's the last rose of summer...

My husband made sure to bring it inside when I was sick. He's the guy who won't normally bring flowers, but will buy a whole rose bush... Sweet!

November Blahs, literally.

No Discontentment discussion today, just illness at our home. I have children tired of being tired and sick, I have a husband desperately trying to help me catch up around the house, (God Bless that man) and I am a mama with a stuffy nose and short fuse. This too will pass, but the snuggles, the movies, the slow pace reminds me it should not take a huge bout of illness to rest and relax as a family. Hopefully, this is the last of the sickness for us for a while, but not the attitude of rest... I think it is a new holiday goal. Let's see how I do.

Disappointments

Do you remember the show MAD TV? They had a little blurb called 'Lowered Expectations' (I'm singing it in my head right now)
How many of you have heard that to be happy, you must dash your expectations, lower them to avoid disappointment? It works, but then you are left with no excitement, no anticipation of something great. It is what it is. No Hope.
Here's another way. Experience disappointment. Seek it out. Feel it, get used to it, recognize it, and then find your boundaries. What remains? Contentment. You have no complaints, you have realistic expectations. Leave room for evaluation, leave room for reflection.
After that, be thankful.
To me, being content means my family and I are fed, warm, healthy, and loved. It is being free to respond to other people's behaviors with grace and respect. It forces me to see the beauty in what is really around me, the gifts of nature and love. It gives me hope for others who are searching for contentment, and allows for gracious giving.
You are now watching MAD TV. (really, I can't turn off the music in my head.)

Contentment & Thankfulness Part 1

When I was nursing my second daughter, I used the 3AM feeding time to pray. I prayed for my baby, her health, her life, and gave thanks for the blessings of being a mom. My mind would usually wander (imagine that) and I would start to think of other things that were pressing on my mind. At that time, I was looking at a house in a neighborhood that is nicer than the one we live in, the house was bigger, well appointed, and we could afford it. We would just have to sell, move, re-budget, etc. I prayed over this for a while and one night, clear in my mind was one word. Contentment. Be content.
We did not sell our house or move, we did not upgrade, we stayed.
Over the past 18 months, I have reflected on contentment, and what it means to me, what boundaries and constraints I have placed on it, and what it actually means to me.
Hang on, because this week I will be exploring those angles and want your input and ideas, your ideals and truths on the matter...
And how much thankfulness has to do with it all.

Sleepyhead

My child continues to get up in the night an come to my bed. I send her gently and firmly back to her bed, where she cries that she is lonely. I tend to not be able to fall asleep after such episodes, and end up getting up. This morning it was 3:30, so I came downstairs, finished my recital notes, started the MOPS newsletter, answered email and paid bills all before 5 AM.
I just woke up from a 2 hour nap.
This is not the ideal way to spend my life. I am a person who must have 8-9 hours of sleep a night. I don't know how Martha Stewart and other super productive people can get by with 4-5 hours. Today is my only full day off and I had planned on doing so many things that did not involve a 2 hour nap.
But the refreshment of waking up in my bed with the western window letting the sun stream on my face was delicious. I couldn't get up. So my 2 hour nap turned into another hour of lollygagging.
Mmmm....Lollygagging....