~This and That~

Saturday, November 26, 2011

~This and That~                 102. Can you imaging being 102 years old? ...The things she has seen... Born in 1909.  The roaring 20's.  The Great Depression. WWI. WWII. Korean War. Vietnam War.  She's lived through 19 Presidents.  She's awakened more than 37,254 mornings.  She delivered five children. Lost one. Baby June died before she was two.  She has outlived all her siblings, cousins, three son-in-laws, and nearly all her friends.  She is a precious lady. I'm grateful to have such a Grandmother.  Thanksgiving 2011 was a good one.                             The whole crew minus Emma. (Baby's got to nap.)                        And last but not least, a few Christmas card outtakes.       We're almost done decorating, Christmas cards are ordered, the bulk of my gift buying is done. My goal is to finish that up this week when the kids are at school. The shopping part is not my favorite but I love stuffing cards and wrapping gifts at night. Saving the best for last. I think we found a home for the dog. He's at his new family's house for a trial period and things are going well. So, with fingers crossed and hopes that it CONTINUES to go well, Brad is headed to the basement to rid the unfinished part of Easy hair and get things straight down there. Emma is sleeping, the big girls are at a birthday party, Jake is in his favorite place. Home. He's a man after my own heart. A home body.  I am going to my closet. For whatever reason, that is THE area. Everything but the kitchen sink gets shoved in there and about four times a year, I have to make a path and re-organize.   Have a marvelous week! ~stacey

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~My View At 4:52~

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

	~My View At 4:52~ ~stacey
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~Grateful~

Friday, November 18, 2011

~Grateful~ Grateful. Yes I am.  So very grateful........              For big things and for small things. For some things temporal and some things eternal. Grateful for all of it. I have a husband who, the other day, completely humbled me. Does that ever happen to you? Where you are in awe, even just for a minute, of the person you married? He felt convicted about something and went to the people involved and apologized. The "something" wasn't that big a deal, but he said he thought about it all day and wanted to set it straight. What a man. He is upright, humble, honest, loyal, hilarious, affectionate, tender-hearted, and top on my list. He's the guy you would want in your foxhole. -you know what I mean?   Won't let you down. Will stick it out no matter what.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm grateful for little feet in little shoes who snag my newly embroidered pillow. *sigh*           I'm grateful for Legos littering my floor. I bet I'll miss them when they're gone.      I'm GRATEFUL for no school for a week!!!                                                                    ~Reese writes a paper and I doodle~ ~We ALL need this week off. Really~                          I'm grateful that I can go buy groceries without having to carry a calculator. I've been there and could do it again if I had to, but...... yeah, thankful. (Besides, four kids in a grocery store require both my hands and occasionally a foot. How could I possibly punch numbers durning all that?) I'm grateful for these four little chickens. They forgive me when I mess up. They tell me when I don't make my bed. They hug me spontaneously. Avery and I cried watching Kit Kittredge yesterday in the car line at school. Then we both got tickled at how ridiculous it was that we were crying over that movie.         How about you? I would love to know one big thing and one little thing you are grateful for. ~stacey (officially in  holiday, Thanksgiving, eat good food mode. let the feasting and fellowship begin.)

~Residency Reminiscing~

Monday, November 07, 2011

~Residency Reminiscing~ These nights where kids are in bed and it's just me and a movie, with Brad still at the hospital, I'm taken back to the days of residency. We left for the midwest immediately after Brad graduated from medical school. The MIDWEST. I'm a southern girl. I had never lived more than four hours away from home. But there we went. 20 hours away. Jake was a little more than two and I was just pregnant. Crazy five years. Brad worked A LOT. A LOT. Really A LOT. By the end of our third year there, I had a four year old, almost two year old, and an infant. Still, Brad working A LOT. I had adjusted though. Life was simple. No where we HAD to be. Our schedule was whatever I decided it to be. I loved that. I knew then, I had it good. All my little chickens right under my wing. As worn out as I was, life was not complicated. I was physically drained most of the time. It was all diapers, Baby Einstein, high chairs, more diapers, blowing bubbles in the back yard, trips to Wal-Mart to pass the time, still more diapers, driving through Taco Bueno when I knew Brad wouldn't be home, and yes.....more diapers. "Baby Soup" as I've heard it called.  And I was in that crazy season without my parents' immediate support. I missed them so much and will always wish they had been closer in proximity then. But having no one to bail me out, coddle me when I was tired, or count on every second of the day to be there if I winced, meant I grew as a mother. I got tougher in a good way. I learned to dig down deep. I learned I can do what has to be done. I learned that I can care for sick children even when I myself am sick. I learned how to take one day at a time. Today is ALL I have. Appreciate the small things. I remember hurting my back so badly once, that I had to actually crawl to be able to get around. It was just a little bit before I really connected and formed some close friendships. There was no one yet that I felt like I could call. Thankfully Reese could semi climb out of her crib. I remember being on the floor with my babies, crawling from one of their rooms to the den, frustrated to the point of tears. I'm sure I had a little pity party right there on my den floor. Partially deserved, though. What was I supposed to do? Grandparents were states away, and Brad didn't have the luxury of calling in sick very often. I do remember one time he called in. He was on a rotation with a really nice attending physician. I was so ill. Body aches, fever, vomiting, and at least two kids to take care of. I'll never forget that morning, Brad had gotten dressed and looked at me in the bed, shook his head and said, "I can't leave you like this. I'm calling Dr. ______"  I'm sure I was a pitiful sight. I was s.i.c.k. It's almost funny now. Almost. But not. My life is definitely a little more "cush" now.  A husband who's home a lot more. Three of four kids can go to the bathroom without my help. Most nights, I get a full night's sleep. Med school debt is starting to go away. (WOOHOO for that) Parents and siblings are just a few hours from here. If I hurt my back today, I could call one of 10 people to throw me a rope. Most of my early residency pictures are good old fashion 35 mm. ~~You know, film?~~ These were taken just before we moved back to the southeast. It was a trip to Wyoming that will probably always rank as one of my top favorite trips. Lots of good memories......     ~stacey

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~Reviewing Wednesday~

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

~Reviewing Wednesday~ Just felt like reviewing my Wednesday...... Pried myself out of bed at a little too late 7:45.  Got school going by 8:30. ~Impressive, I think. My sweet friend, Lisa called. The first thing out of her mouth, after we said our hellos was, "How can I help you today? Come get Emma while you do school? Keep them all while you buy groceries?"  Wow. And she was the second friend to do that to me this week! Talk about a blessing. I had to resist my Icanhandleitdontneedanyhelp syndrome and replied, "Yes" and "Thank you"! Maybe I'm the only one who never knew this, but the Taj Mahal was built by a cruel Indian emporer. He constructed it as a burial place for his beloved wife. Supposedly, he grieved so severely that his hair turned white, and he cried so much, his vision was ruined.  It seems strange that a vicious, power hungry man could mourn two years for his deceased wife, doesn't it?  Thanks to "The Story of the World" history books, I'm learning all kind of random historical tidbits! I'm sure to rock the next game of trivia I play so watch out.  School was done in record time today. 12:45 and we were done. Don't know how. It may have been a small miracle from heaven. Just God smiling down on me maybe.  The big kids dressed Emma in Jake's Auburn jersey, hat, and had her parading around holding a stuffed Aubie....the greatest mascot in the SEC. She was a cutie and knew it.   A couple months ago, while grocery shopping, I saw a man stealing food. I followed him around because I was trying to figure out how to either give him some money or buy what he needed. He had picked up a small pack of bologna and a box of crackers. I then saw a lady give him a few dollars. I followed him around the corner, saw him dart down an aisle for no more than 7 seconds, crackers and meat in hand, and watched him reappear with neither item in his hand. He then, of course, quickly left the store. I just stood there dumbfounded.  Anyway, same guy was in the store today. This time, he came in with a bag and went to the service desk for something. I don't know....it's just sad and intriguing. As my friend, Philip, would say, "It gives me pause". Makes you stop and think. Here's a guy stealing bologna and crackers. Not beer. Not a magazine. Not cigarettes. Meat and crackers. Brad says stealing is stealing. He could have used the nine dollars that lady gave him and paid for his crackers. But he chose to walk out of the store with his crackers, meat, and a little cash. Like I said. It gives me pause.  I fried pork chop, and made turnips and corn on the cob for supper. Avery calls it, "cornabacob". She has no idea it's four separate words. Kuddos to her, though. She gobbled up the turnips! I couldn't believe it.  She was the only one who did besides her Daddy and me. I paid bills today, which makes me sweat.  Spontaneously, Jake said, "Mom, I'm thankful we have a nice house. It looks neat. You know, like our counter tops. I like them how they look." LOL! Oh that boy is sweet and funny. I just hugged him and whole-heartedly agreed, "Yes, baby, it is so nice to have a great house. It's a good thing." Still makes me laugh. Gotta love granite, I guess. I am about ready to pitch every piece of candy we collected Monday night. Emma only wants Smarties and I'm just about sick of being asked, "Can I have just onetiny piece of candy?".  Besides, I don't need one more Three Musketeers in my body. Not one.  Tomorrow is THURSDAY, which is about as good as Friday!    Can you imagine?!!! ~stacey

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