Yes, Fudge!

1. I am so glad that only two days after Annie's eye surgery, she's back at school. Hmm. That could be interpreted as being happy she's out of the house - which is not what I'm saying (although, yes, there is that!). I simply mean that it is good to see Annie feeling like Annie.
2. I am so luck to have a daughter with Emi's thoughtfulness and incredible creativity. Last night, her room briefly turned into an elfin workshop - she is so enthusiastic about making gifts for each of us. And it's not just that Emi loves to throw herself into projects reflecting artistic expression - more than that, Emi creates objects that have applicable (as opposed to just sentimental) value to the recipient. (i.e. a filing system she made for Ryan, a cardboard car engineered for Annie's bitty twins, a coupon book for me). I can't wait for Christmas morning!
3. I am thankful for fudge. For breakfast.

It Really Isn't So Bad, After All...

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know I'm supposed to post three things that I'm thankful for each day. And I know it's been a week or so since my one entry. So, hmmm....maybe one thing I'm really thankful for is:

1. Knowing that sometimes, even if something isn't done the way it's expected, it doesn't have to mean its value is diminished. Sometimes, just doing what you can, even if it isn't what you initially intended, is enough. Now, on to number two. 
2.  I'm really thankful for Emi's sense of humor. Or maybe what I mean is that I'm thankful that she gets my sense of humor (or it could simply be that I'm thankful she plays along with me, so I think she thinks I'm funny!). I love it that we can share a look and know that we're both trying not to laugh out loud. It's nice to share laughter with your kids. 
3. Lastly, I've been reminded that as  hard as it can be having a kid who struggles with disabilities (and hence, a family who also struggles occasionally), we're incredibly blessed with the things Annie can do, with amazingly supportive family and friends who cheer us on and cheer us up, we have access to very talented doctors and dedicated teachers and therapists, and perhaps, most of all, that our religious faith comforts us with the belief that we have a loving heavenly Father who is intimately aware of us and won't ignore us, that we can all get through this - and all the heartache felt and tears shed will always be more than compensated innumerable blessings and with love and smiles and laughter. I say this because today at Children's Mercy Hospital (as with every time I'm there), I saw all around me familiar faces: adults who looked anxious or scared, some disappointed or angry, others sad and overwhelmed and yet other expressions filled with hope and strength and courage.I also saw brave children hooked to IVs, some with balding heads, others sitting in wheelchairs or using using walkers. I saw children who looked well-cared for, and children who weren't. I saw twisted limbs and obvious facial deformities. I heard young voices express clearly articulated words, and I heard kids communicating with grunts, others slack-jawed and drooling.I could be any one of those parents, and Annie could be any one of those kids. But we're not. 

Wow. It's been almost two months since I last posted. However, it's not been that long since I've thought about things to post. Rather, the lag is in the process of getting my thoughts tidily typed and published.

While starting my Saturday morning with oatmeal - mixed with sugar. And peanut butter. And chocolate. And everything else that goes into no-bake cookies (Tiffany makes the best no-bake cookies!) and sneaking bites of tasty muffins - which I think were actually cupcakes parading around under a healthier-sounding name (kudos to my friend Laurenda!), and dipping strawberries in a divinely mixed concoction of marshmallow creme and cream cheese (you can bring that to any gathering, Daisie!), talk turned to the annual Attitude of Gratitude challenge issued by my friend Jennifer. Which I have neglected so far this year. Can I be frank, friends? Some things that have happened this year have left me feeling....uh....not so thankful. And yet, so many good things happen every day for which I am immensely grateful - not the least being that I have friends who make me laugh along with them as they chide, "So, Allison, I've noticed you haven't done the gratitude challenge this year. Not much to be thankful for, huh?" I want to assure you that I do know that the good far outweighs the bad:

1. Ryan - Ignorance is bliss. But more blissful is knowing that when strong storms rip through and carelessly toss up nicely laid plans, you stick with me. Thank-you.
2. Emi and Annie - I'm just so thankful for my two princesses.
3. All of you dear friends who love me and listen to me, who laugh with me and even cry with me - you are one my thankful list everyday.

Oops!

Yesterday was a beautiful day: sunshine happily dancing across a late summer sky, the wind blowing a gentle breeze - so nice that Ryan put the top down on his car as he ran errands. Last night was stormy: angry lightening, roaring thunder and heavy drops pouring from the sky - so wet that by the time Ryan realized the top was still down*, there were probably 15 gallons of rain flooding the floorboards! 

*This morning, when I returned home from dropping the girls off at school, I noticed that when Ryan dashed  into the storm (at 11pm) to put the top back up, he somehow missed closing a window completely!

We're Glad It's Your Birthday, Dear Emi....

Happy Birthday

 Happy Birthday 

to You!

We gave you a bike

for your birthday.

Go and ride it,

and dream of chocolate cake, too. 

 We hope for a year

full of good things

May your wishes

and your daydreams come true!

It's this kid's birthday today:

Good-by 10, Hello 11!

And she's off, on her way to another great year!

Come on Eileen....It's Your Birthday!

It's my mother's birthday today. I think of her whenever I hear this song, so I decided is would be a fitting tribute for an amazing woman

• who was born during a bombing raid in WWII London sailed a ship to Canada when she was 21 (and during this voyage, she and her best friend had to take over some housekeeping duties due to a virulent bout of seasickness that struck much of the crew!)
  
• dated a man she thought had a horse, but it turned out to be his car (what's a young Brit to think when she hears other girls chatting about Stan and his mustang?) - and married him anyway, despite (or was it because of?) his farming, not, cowboy, stock
  
• is a true citizen of the world, having been recognized as a passport holding denizen of three countries
  
• has worked in industries spreading from Texas oil to the middle of the block, at the sign of the clock and all parts in between
  
• who, most of all, is just who she is. And I'm pretty happy about that.
  

I love ya, mom! Happy Birthday!

I Can Stop Any Time I Want.....

I have an addiction to weather.com. I just can't seem to stop myself from checking the weather report for my area. A couple of times a day. (Sometimes, I even check the conjectures for other locations across the globe, too!) I always look at the feature forecasting the next ten days, while only trusting it's accuracy for the immediate day and giving the next day the benefit of the doubt (usually). Obviously, I have a trust issue with the latest radar technology developed for weather prediction, exhibited by my tendency to check in 3 or 4 (even5?) times a day - usually scanning the current day's presage of temperature, rain, sun, humidity, etc..

See, if today's not panning out like weather.com publishes, then how can I trust any hunches for tomorrow? However, since the atmospheric activity determined for the next ten days, as shown on the climate projection site, is in the ballpark often enough (even if the game's already had tip-off), I still regard that data enough to gauge what laundry must be done so my girls will be appropriately clothed for potential weather conditions materializing in the next week-and-a-half. (It's all about motherhood, the compulsive need to ride the web to my weather website of choice. Just like my enslavement to chocolate. Dark chocolate.....'cause how can you be a mom without daily imbibing of chocolate? Seriously!)

So last night, armed with an insider's recognition of my weather neurosis, and perhaps in an attempt to to spin my mind into a maelstrom, Emi purposefully asked, regarding the weather, "Will yesterday be like today?" Perhaps instead of wearing my confusion all over my face, I should have given the obvious answer, "Why of course, as long as the-day-after-tomorrow's rain is like next Tuesday's wind speed."