Schools Closed

When I was a kid, during inclement weather conditions, my brother and I would sit in front of the television hoping, well, begging to see our schools name flash across the screen.

Now, I get an automated phone call usually between 5:30 - 6:00 a.m. from the superintendent of our schools stating that school is closed for the day. Less time consuming than watching hundreds of school district names cross the screen by county.

The phone call came yesterday morning at 5:30 a.m.  While I appreciate the early notice, does it have to be so early? Now I am awake for the day.

I let Brooke sleep in. She walks out of her room after 7:00 a.m. and looks sleepy, confused, hopeful.

"Do we have school today?" She asked excitedly. "SCHOOLS CLOSED!" I confirm her anticipation.

She throws her arms in the air, looks up and says, "Thank you, Jesus!"

I smile at her display and am happy she knows who first to thank.

Hurricane Sandy Hits the East Coast

The news warned us for days that Hurricane Sandy was on it's way and they call her the "perfect storm."

This storm is a tropical hurricane, that will combine with the first winter storm in decades, all on top of a full moon which will increase ocean activity on it's own.

Her impact is up east coast of the Atlantic Ocean, hitting the mainland in New Jersey last night with storm effects, power outages, school and business closings throughout northeast Ohio already this morning.

I am prepared.

I am ready if we lose power in our home for a couple of days.

My dad came over yesterday and we hauled all my patio furniture and outdoor items into the shed.

I'm stocked with cases of bottled water to drink.

I've filled the tub, my washing machine and two 5 gallon water containers with water to use to flush toilets for days. That's important!

My car has a full tank of gas with back-up gas cans filled in case we would need to drive west for electricity.

Our home is stocked with food that doesn't need cooked. Although my gas grill will provide a hot meal.

Plenty of unscented candles are on hand.  I learned years ago during a power outage that having too many scented candles burning will give me a raging sinus headache.

A trip to the library provides me with books for days of reading entertainment.

Laundry is washed.

Showers were taken last night as the storm started to pick up. I feel last minute showers are important too feel clean as long as possible. "Brush your teeth," I tell Brooke.

Our fireplace will provide necessary heat.

All cell phones and necessary electronics are charged.

Schools are closed. Cleveland, Ohio is under a major power outage and power outages are reflected in counties and our county on the news around us.

For now, we still have power, thank you Jesus!

Peak Autumn In The Mountains

We waited for peak autumn in the mountains and I hopped in my car and drove to my grandma's in Virginia.

Timing was perfect! The mountains looked as if they were covered in a blanket of rust, reds, orange and yellows. The weather was 76 degrees and sunny. Grandma and I rolled the windows down on this absolute perfect autumn day and went for our ride through the mountains and the countryside.

 

 

Humpback Bridge is one of the few remaining humpback bridges left in America and a always a favorite destination of mine.

 

In any season, Humpback Bridge is picturesque! 

 

I love my trips to grandma's house. I love the time we spend laughing, talking and hearing endless stories of her life growing up on a farm back when they made their own soap, churned their own butter, and farming was a way of life. 

 

The majestic mountains, the crystal clear rivers, the countryside homestead called Rich Patch where my grandmother grew up and my dad's life began.

 

My grandmother is 87 years old and I am really seeing age take its toll on her.

 

Saying goodbye to her was different this time. She isn't feeling well and was in bed all morning when I left. I went into her room to say goodbye when she hugged me, kissed me, and said, "I love you, Dawn. I want you to always remember how much I love you and I want you to know that you have been my favorite (me and the twins, Shey & Josh) and my most compassionate grandchild. You are beautiful. Never forget that. Enjoy your parents. Enjoy your girls. I love you so much. Please come back soon and don't take too long."

 

I'm always brave and keep my emotions under control, but I understand what she is telling me. She knows her time is limited and I can see it in her, too.

 

I sat down on her bed, held her hand and cried. It was time for a very honest conversation and I need to tell her how much I love her and how much someday I am going to deeply miss her.  

 

I had my opportunity and we said what we needed to each other. Grandmother to granddaughter. Granddaughter to grandmother. Dear friends.

 

Someday I will long for my trips to the beautiful mountains of Virginia to grandma's house.

 

I will miss the beauty of the country, the memories of Humpback Bridge, Rich Patch, the hot springs where my grandmother and I went in together naked.

 

I will miss the scent of the papermill at Clifton Forge, the olfactory sense that takes me back to the familiar smells of my childhood.

 

I will miss rides through the country and my grandmothers stories a life so long ago, one that I cannot imagine.

 

I will miss my grandmothers sharp mind and her ability tell story after story all day long.

 

I will miss her honesty with me about life and us laughing together over the craziest of topics.

 

I will miss my grandmother, but for now I still have her, and I do need to get back there sooner rather than later.

 

 

 

 

 

 



How Am I Like My Dad?

Once in a while Brooke will ask, "How am I like my dad?"

Today she wanted to talk about him. She wanted to know the story of how I met her daddy and what parts of her are so much like him.

This blog is for my girls, for someday if and when I cannot remember or be there to tell them ...

It was a warm Saturday night, May 16, 1997, two days after my divorce. I was at Pelican's Cove on Portage Lakes in a dark blue with little white polka dot sundress on (the very dress that is in Brooke's legacy box) when I saw her daddy walk through the door for the first time. He was with a date. He took my breath away looking so Hollywood, muscle bound, and dressed GQ and I was so aware of his presence throughout the night.

At the end of the evening I was near the dance floor when he turned around and asked me, "What is your story? Why are you here alone?" I explained I was very recently divorced. He asked me out for the next afternoon and we met back at the Cove and went riding on his motorcycle. When our afternoon was done, he kissed me on the cheek and asked me out for diner.

I remember very vividly feeling as if I would die if I never had a chance to kiss him again and that is how we met.

Besides this last summer, the summer of '97 was the best in my life.

"How are you like your daddy?"

"Your blond hair, your body shape with the dimples on the small of your back. Your mouth is your daddy's and when you yawn I see him. When you sing I see him. You are so funny just like he was. He had a passion for music and dancing, you definitely got your natural rhythm from him."

Everything else is me.

An Invisible Wall

I am very aware in life when an invisible wall goes up that I cannot penetrate.

Typically, I ram the wall from every approach. Go over, under or through it with all my might. I am an obstacle overcomer. 

Now that I am older, I recognize much quicker when something isn't going to happen, no matter what it may be. Instead of being frustrated, I accept it and know it is my Magical Highlighter, and allow the peace of "it's not going to happen" wrap around me comfortably. This has been in many different instances in life.

Today it was much simpler, but I got the message.  There were only three things I needed at the store today. An end table for my living room I just saw on clearance that would be *perfect* in my living room, but I passed it up thinking I really don't need it. Well, I changed my mind and it was gone. Second on my list was the perfect lamp shade that was going to go on my new table and decided it was still needed even if the table wasn't going to happen. WalMart has had this lamp shade for years and today they didn't. Then, I needed Uncle Ben's Long Grain Wild Rice that I get at WalMart. Not available.

Are you kidding?!

There was an invisible wall that wasn't in my favor. My natural tendency would have been to allow aggravation to take over, but today I laughed and thought to myself, "okay, I get it." 

I walked outside to a breathtaking and beautiful autumn day. The trees are in full autumn color, the sun is shining and the air is warm. Suddenly, my list of three things didn't matter. Look at this perfect autumn day!

I really wanted that table, but I am comfortably confident it wasn't meant to happen. Nothing was in my favor this morning.

When things don't go my way, I'm sensitive to the invisible wall. It means give up and there is a peace with that. It's out of my hands and it's not going to happen, what ever it may be.

When my spiritual side seeks to be in tune, I am much more sensitive to things around me. I am more aware of those walls I am not meant to get through and there is peace and comfort with that.

Mitt Romney Victory Rally!

Last night I shook hands with the future President of the United States, Mitt Romney!

As a volunteer at the GOP office in my community, I received a phone call several days ago thanking me for my volunteer work and asked if I would be interested in a VIP pass to the Mitt Romney Victory Rally.

Absolutley!

Okay, here's the funny part ... I wore a professional black dress, pearls and killer high heels. I didn't know this rally was outside and standing up. OUCH!

As an eternal optomist, at least I looked like a VIP when I spoke with Congressman Renacci and shook hands with Mitt Romney after his speech!

As the welcoming music became loud and Mitt walked off the bus onto the stage my heart was racing, my breathing becoming rapid, and I could feel tears in my eyes. Excitement that I was there and history was being made.

After his speech, Mitt Romney walked around greeting the front line of us in VIP. He shook my hand, looked into my eyes, smiled, and said, "Thank you for coming out." I warmly replied, "It's so nice to meet you. Thank you for coming here."

What a night! I will always remember it. Hopeful hearts embracing and celebrating needed change in America ...

 

Mitt Romney ...

 

 



View from where I was standing in VIP ...

 

Shakin' my Victory Rally pom-pom and my VIP pass ...

Four weeks until Election Day!

I Said You Are Going!

Somewhere between the movies, "Because I Said So" and "Georgia's Rule" lies my outburst, "I said you are going!"

Not said in a gentle tone; rather, shouting in a tone that translated into this mom means business.

Brooke would never ever leave the house if I didn't make her. All summer I asked her to go on a bike ride, go to the park with me, to go swimming, and in desperate measures I would bribe her with taking her out for ice cream. Brooke simply doesn't care for any of it.

She loves being home. She doesn't want bothered and happily encourages my running around as long as I don't ask her to participate.

The good news is I don't have to worry about her safety out and about. 

Mariah has been wanting to go see the movie Pitch Perfect and yesterday they enjoyed Columbus Day off of school.

The movie Pitch Perfect is very musical, right up Brooke's area of interest with singing. Normally, I take these moments to have my one-on-one time with Mariah, but I knew this movie would be fun for the three of us. I was thinking the movie, out for ice cream, then hiking in the Bog. A fun day off of school with my girls.

I gave Brooke a 30 minute heads up that we are leaving for the movies. For 30 minutes she followed me around the house looking miserable and begging to stay home, she volunteered to clean the whole house while we are gone (really, do you loathe leaving home that badly?), she encouraged a "date" day with me and Mariah, and the persuasive arguments went on and on and on.

Never do I have to raise my voice, but I snapped after 25 minutes! "I SAID YOU ARE GOING!"

The three of us sat in the movie theatre laughing through the whole movie. Walking out Brooke said, "That was the best movie I have seen in forever, I would like that dvd for my birthday."

This mom knows a thing or two.

Forget ice cream and the walk in the Bog afterwards, both girls wanted to go straight home.

I wonder if either of them plan on moving out someday.

Is Confirmation Really Needed?

I'm thinking out loud here. Well, blogging out loud as I am in search of my own person quest of knowing versus is confirmation really needed.

Let me back up first. I was watching a talk show one day and three women were on stage laughing when the one mentioned she was dating three men. Scandalous laughter from her friends exploded. It hit me in an odd way.

I dated 13 men at the same time this summer. Is it possible? Yes.

Before judgement falls on me, let me remind you, I am single. At times I too questioned if it was even ethical to have so much going on. Confusing, absolutely. There are no rules though when you are single.

Standing on singledom, I was honest and had no desire for an exclusive relationship. I was honest when asked, "Yes" I am dating others.

Dating in itself was a full-time job and every time I walked out the door going anywhere I would meet another. After a month or so, it was too much and I cut it down to six. Everyone under 38 years old, gone. Emotional clingers, gone. I had to cut back.

I had the time of my life this summer.

All this to say, now there is one.

One.

One who has my undivided attention, my admiration, my respect. One who I enjoy incredibly, is mentally stimulating, funny, silly, sexy, smart, healthy minded, healthy lifestyle, own hobbies/interests (which is a turn on when they can remain an indivdual), a good man, communicates on the level I am comfortable with, confident, full of character & integrity, hard working, tons of healthy male/female friendships (guys who don't have friends or decent friendships are a reflection of themselves, a quality I pay close attention to), and I'm rambling here.

I'm glad there is only one in my life.

All day communications and dating for (my gosh) a couple of months now and I am in a weird and unfamiliar place.

I find I wonder and worry are there others for him?  Caution and Patti Stanger says, keep a handful of "others" around for distraction so one doesn't put their head & heart into one person.

I asked a friend yesterday, how did this happen to me? How did a relationship sneak up unexpectedly on me, dissolve everyone else, and make me feel emotionally like a girl. A girl who tries to keep her feathers from being ruffled. A girl who wonders and questions if there are others.

My quest is ... is confirmation really needed?  Is it necessary to put into words, "what are we?"  If it is friendship, I know what I am dealing with. Safeguards are established and heart-protection knows its boundaries. If it is more ... does drawing a line in the sand in needed confirmation really make the relationship any more that what it already is? Or does it simply establish rules in black & white that are now laws to live by?

Some days, I like the quest of the unknown. The uncertainty of hope for the future and challenge.

Some days, I want to know there are no others but me.

I more than like this one.

Autumn

I am a seasons girl.

I love winter, spring, summer and autumn, embracing each for it's unique beauty, and enjoying them in different activities and ways.

Dawn, one of my best girlfriends, gets a day off during the week. Yesterday we went hiking with our cameras ...

Walking down to the waterfalls ...

Dawn has a passion for photography ...

In the middle of the park where everything is green, brown, and gold, the sun found its way through the trees onto the the only splash of red leaves. From a distance it was stunning ...

Everywhere you look there are picturesque scenes you are missing if you don't slow down and take the time to look ...

The leaves are changing and trees are vivid in color. The cool autumn air, trees that look as if they are on fire, means hiking season.

Autumn to me is hiking, cool days with crisp & fresh air, all beverages hot & spiced cider, art shows, warm clothes, white pumpkins when the world appreciates orange, homemade soup, taking my girls in tradition to a pumpkin patch where we stomp through the dirt to pick our perfect pumpkins.

Autumn welcomes the holiday season of Sweetest Day, Halloween, Brooke's birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Forget going out to eat or the movies.

Pack a picnic. Strap on your walking shoes. Start hiking!

Lesson Of Love

As a mom who loves her daughters, I will presevere and remain strong & steadfast with each and every obstacle that comes our way. May I have grace and purpose in spite of difficulty to turn each situation into a learning lesson of love.

Yes, I was stunned to see the words "love you" received in my 12 year olds text message from her new boyfriend. She was playing XBOX live with the boy when I told her it was time to get off for the night.

Listening from upstairs (something I never ever do!), I want to see if it is said verbally and *voila* there it is, "I love you, too."

WOW. Unprepared. How am I going to deal with this.

Honestly, I didn't see this coming. Statistically, I do know that inappropriate behavior early on leads to really inappropriate behavior in just a few years. She is 12 years old and such a good girl. This boy is crazy about her and is free with his emotions, but this mom is establishing healthy boundaries for them both.

Two weeks off of electronics should cool things off a bit. Lengthy conversations with Brooke regarding appropriate behavior at 12 years old as well as the importance of saving "I love you" for the right time were discussed thoroughly.

So thoroughly that she had to write an essay in her words on:

  - What are acceptable communications with a boy at 12 years old?
  - Why saying "I love you" is special and not to be thrown around carelessly.
  - Healthy boundaries w/electronics (texting/XBOX) and social media (Facebook).

I can prattle off "rules to live by" to her, but I want her to think deeply about appropriate behavior at 12 years old and explain it to me.

Every obstacle is a learning opportunity. As my daughters get older, their risks get bigger.

I have an arsenal of "what's going to happen next" for whatever comes their way and I will not be worn down by each battle.

I love them more than I punish them and what happens with every obstacle that we cross, their hearts are broken and their spirits crushed.

May they find comfort in knowing that this mom means business and I will out last them in every challenge on earth and will wage war against spiritual warfare as an intercessor on their behalf in the heavenly realms.

I am more than capable and ready to run to the battle line any day for them.

I am their personal prayer warrior.

I am their mom.