Happy Halloween!

Keith worked all afternoon yesterday carving our pumpkin (with a little help from a template).  I think it turned out great!  Best one we’ve ever had!

Darius Goes West

Wait until you have some time (an hour to an hour-and-a-half maybe??) and watch this documentary about a 15-year-old boy with Muscular Dystrophy and the eleven friends who take him from his hometown of Athens, Georgia to California in hopes that MTV will fix / equip his wheelchair on the show Pimp My Ride. I’m not much of a cry-er, but I definitely had to make an exception in this case.  You can watch the whole movie free online at http://www.dariusgoeswest.org/playitforward/

Etch-a-Sketch

Yeah, I liked Etch-a-Sketch when I was a kid too, but apparently not as much as George Vlosich.  This guy, astonishingly, has created many, many pieces of artwork with a child’s simple toy AND sells them all over the world for thousands of dollars.  Incredible.  Check out his site here.

The Fat Lady Sings

OK, so a few weeks ago Dionne and I went shopping at Gordmans.  While Ms. Skinny-Butt picked out all kinds of cute things (size: medium), let’s just say that I, well, I didn’t find anything I liked.  Yeeeaaaahhhhh.  Let’s just say that.  Because we SURE wouldn’t want to admit that we couldn’t get our fat behind into anything decent.

Between my chiropractor and my regular doctor, I am on a new program of eating & exercise.  Grand total lost so far since the beginning of September: 16 pounds.  There are many more to go, but I already feel better.  It’s not like I could have felt worse.

But now for the BIG NEWS:  The sun was out today!!!!!  We’ve barely seen it all month.  In fact as I was leaving church today somebody peered around me and asked in wonder: “What is that shiny thing out there?!”  Unfortunately I can’t upload songs to this site right now unless I upgrade my account, but if I could, I’d post Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles.  Here are a few lyrics though:

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it’s all right…

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it’s all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…

Say Cheese!

Adam turned 22 today.  Last night Vicki, Don, Keith, and I took him and his girlfriend Allie out to eat at the Bayou Bar and Grill.  He started a new job this week, so he now has income again.  That’s good.  He’s also growing his hair out.  He says he’s going to cut it when it’s long enough and donate it to Locks of Love.  Maybe he will, but I think he just likes it long.  Whatever.

I spent last weekend and much of today shooting photos.  I really want to get better at this, and practice is the only way.  I love seeing how the pictures turn out — that kind of creative work energizes me.  Considering all the overcast skies and rainfall we’ve had in Memphis this month, it’s a good thing there’s SOMEthing to energize and cheer me.  I like rain and the plants are flourishing, but I’m ready for some clear fall days.

Who Knew?

This evening I was in the den working on my computer when Keith wandered through.  “Every room I go in smells like a fart,” he said, then continued with a puzzled expression on his face: “But I didn’t fart in every room.”

Well, buster, just how many rooms do you estimate you did fart in??  I shudder to imagine.

Sad Day

One of Keith’s teammates died this afternoon.  He got sick last week beginning with a sore throat.  A news story says a Shelby County child died this afternoon from H1N1 and doesn’t name him or the school, but it has to be the same child.

Administrators, coaches and kids were really upset when we met at the gym for what was supposed to be 5:00 practice today.  Lots of crying. The coach said this child’s family has a strong faith, so I know they will get through it, but what anguish they must be experiencing.  The coach was having a really hard time conveying the news to the team.  He was crying, but trying to hold himself together.  A pastor (parent) asked for (and was granted permission to) pray.

God, what a sad, sad thing.  8th grade little boy.  Just gone.  Many, if not most, of the students will be hearing about it for the first time tomorrow morning.  Grief counselors will be on site.  God be with them.

Summing It Up

This past year has been, well, pretty awful.  Mom died a year ago next month, Keith turned 13 in December, I had to take 5 graduate courses between January and July just to keep my job, I’ve been working full time, my back and legs have been in extreme pain since June, three major work projects have somehow fallen into my lap, and I had a terrible bout with anxiety / depression this summer.  So yeah, on the whole, things have not gone all that well.  On the positive side: I finished my coursework and passed the Praxis (wooo-hooo!!!!), two of the projects are over for now, I found a chiropractor who has helped my physical pain tremendously, and I survived the roller coaster ride down with the help of some lovely anti-anxiety meds.  Plus, Keith made the football team, which means he has an outlet for all that adolescent energy and crankiness.    And did I mention that I have a sweet brother who called me last night just to talk?

Along with the not-so-great stuff, there is always good.

Image credit: http://blog.pennlive.com/asktony/2008/01/large_Kitten%20on%20Laptop%20Keyboard.gif

Dog Days of Summer

I cannot imagine how hot the kids get on that diamond!  It’s June, and in the South that means temps are in the upper 90’s.   I’m sitting in the shade drinking water bottle after water bottle, and sweat is running down my entire body, soaking my clothes.  Keith had two games yesterday, a 1:00 and a 2:30.  He was the pitcher some of the time, the catcher (above) other times, and a 2nd baseman.  He is such a natural out there.  Anyway, back to the temp: on the way home we saw a bank sign proclaiming 99 degrees.  Yikes.

A Dangerous Drive

OK, so I’m stopped at a traffic light today and the car in front of me has this bumper sticker:  “I’ll keep my religion, my guns, my liberty, and my money, and you can KEEP YOUR CHANGE.”  People who sport that kind of stuff are waaayyyyyyy scary, in my opinion.  Maybe I’m wrong, but I just can’t picture Jesus holed up somewhere guarding his “religion” and threatening to blow somebody’s head off.