Every Day Woman Hall of Fame

One of our neighbors to the north has set up a blog called "Every Day Woman Hall of Fame." She is inviting each of us to send her a list of the women in our lives that we believe deserve a place in SOME hall of fame--even if it's just in our own hearts and minds.

My list has already been posted as I was the first one to reply. . .but Sandy would love to have your lists as well. See link below. . .haven't learned how to do the fancy underlined "here" thing yet--still workin' on that.


http://edwhof.blogspot.com/

I am from. . .

I am from attic fans, from fresh mown hay and fresh tilled earth and fresh shucked corn, from shelling peas and cutting weeds off the hotwire and dirt clod fights.

I am from an acre of land in Grandaddy’s pasture, from Nanny’s plum trees, from “I’ll be riiiiiiiiiight back” and goin’ to town.

I am from the woods beside the house, sycamores and sweet gums, from persimmons and figs and pecans, from Black-Eyed Susans on the side of the road, from jonquils picked in bare feet and wild onions eaten dirty.

I am from the paper mill and a fillin’ station, from Daddy’s boat, from duck feathers, fish scales, deer hides, and squirrel clothes, from gardens and horse sweat and cows.

I am from Johnson and Watts, Bawcom and Williamson, from Ashley County and Trafalgar, from Morehouse Parish and 3rd Ward.

From “be sweet” and “hug your neck.”

I am from Rock of Ages and This Little Light of Mine, from gospel meetings and dinner on the grounds, from deviled eggs dressed up with paprika and lemon cake on Granny’s white plate.

I am from cornbread and crowder peas for supper, canned peaches and Coca Cola when you're sick, from MerRouge icecream after church and Momma’s soup.

I am from HeeHaw and Gunsmoke on Saturday afternoon, from Dippity Do and pink sponge rollers on Saturday night.

I am from Rose Milk and Oil of Olay, from coffee grounds and yellow rice, from Redman tobacco and gasoline on PaPaw’s shirt.

I am from footballs games in the Louisiana autumn, from cicada songs and moonlight coming in my window while I dreamed of somewhere else.

I am from dragonflies over the pond and hot tar on a gravel road, from belonging and home, no matter what.



Evidently this is a craze that is sweeping the blogger world. . .just found that out through investicagation. . .

but here's the template

http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/archives/2005_02.html#003144

and the original

http://www.carts.org/staff_poem2.html

should you care to do your own. . .and please share them with me if you do.

Whoddahthunkit

According to this website http://www.blogthings.com/ I:

have a Sanguine personality
am a gooey caramel crunch donut
am 70% average American (lost 30% because I don't drink)
should live in Dublin
was an All American kid in high school
was a giraffe in a former life
should be a member of a rock band called The Republican Bunnies
have a heart that is pink (this is the MAIN one I find to be correct)
should have violet eyes (they're green--that explains it. . .)
should strip to a Depeche Mode song (should I decide to strip for someone)

AND. . .

my sexy Brazilian name is Joelma Pires (very sexy)
my French name is Jossette Lois (I could handle Jossette)
my 1920's name is Lurline Bonita (even worse than Joelma)
my Japanese name is Nayoko Susaki (the Japanese wouldn't have me)

Who knew. . .

Minute

That's "my-noot". . .not "mi-net." We have been laid low. . .atleast Tony and the boy have been. Thad got sick very early Thursday morning. . .2:30 to be exact. Tummy bug--I'll spare you the details. . .he's still not quite himself. And low and behold if his Daddy didn't get hit by the same minute bacteria this afternoon about 3:00. It's not food poisoning. . .and it's also not righting itself within 24 hours. It is some teeny, weeny, tiny, microscopic assailant, and it has done it's job well. . .

How the mighty and energetic have fallen. . .I'm sprayin' the Lysol, washin' my hands, and hopin' I'm not next. If I am, it's every man, woman, and child for themselves. Say a little prayer for Victoria too.

Double Talk

*WARNING. . .THIS IS A POST ABOUT A POLITICAL ISSUE THAT IS ABOUT TO BE VOTED ON IN CONGRESS. . .IF YOU DON'T DO POLITICS--GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE KIDS ONE MORE TIME. IF YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF NEEDING HEALTH INSURANCE A LOT, READ ON.*

I'm really not an ultra-political person. . .I'd much rather the lawmakers, congressmen, senators, and elected officials do their jobs and let me do mine, but the politicians are at it again. And pardon me if you either are a politician or are related to one in any way, shape, or form. My sister is a doctor--a chiropractor-- and just got home from a meeting in Lousiana that was chock full of medical and chiropractic physicians alike regarding the following:

There is a federal bill effecting every state (so for my two Arkansas readers, this goes for you too) in congress that is about small business insurance benefits. It looks nice and fluffy from the outside, but as always, on the inside there's a little rotten core. They just keep on hiding those GREAT BIG issues behind good looking outsides. It will be voted on as soon as the immigration bill is decided. . .which could be as soon as next week.

The bill is S1955, and it looks really good. . .allowing small business owners to provide benefits for their employees at reasonable prices, etc. until you find out that it will do away with any control the state has over requiring insurance companies to pay for anything. What that means is--your rates can go up because you're over 55 or because you're of child bearing age or because you need to lose 20 pounds or because you have a family history of high blood pressure even though you are perfectly healthy 35 year old. . .it could do away with paying for maintenance things like mammograms, colorecetal exams, pap smears, well baby visits, vaccines, diabetic supplies, and the like. If this sounds a little like the stone age--welcome to it. Right now, as bad as your insurance costs may be, the state still requires them to pay for certain things we consider necessities--like small pox vaccines--but this would give all control to the federal government and make it against the law for any state to require anything of any insurance company.

So--just like our ridiculous education bills here in Texas (don't even get me started) they are hiding a pill in the pudding.

If you feel the necessity to do so, contact your congressman and tell him to vote AGAINST S1955. . .From our own congressmen in Texas, they have said they really don't read e-mails--they do answer their phones. . .and I've heard they HATE faxes--so I'd fax 'em just to be on the safe side.

*HOPEFULLY THIS IS THE BEGINNING and END OF POLITICAL TOPICS ON THIS BLOG. WHEW!!!*

This is a test. . .this is only a test.

Well, here is my first attempt at putting photos on the blog. . .the photo option on our video camera is a little grainy, so what you see is what you get. . .we don't own a digital camera yet.

I am getting ready to post photos of the Mommy/Daughter soiree, so I thought I'd practice with some we already have. . .

Behold--the kiddos in their wedding finery back in January.

The boy. . .this is his Jekyl and Hyde picture--he's trying to look angelic, but he's failing miserably. . .
Okay--so she's not failing miserably--she's pretty much ALWAYS an angel except for when she isn't.

And this is Ninja family. . .those are Victoria's tights wrapped around everyone's heads. . .Tony didn't have much choice--he was shanghied by the children. This was Victoria's idea (see comment above about when she isn't. . .)

Medical clearance needed

You may need to get medical clearance to read the following link. . .Sarah sent it to me. I'd seen it before but had forgotten about it. I'm not quite sure how.

I think I bruised a rib I laughed so hard. . . again. You will truly need to lie down after you read it, so clear a path to the couch before hand.

http://parents.berkeley.edu/jokes/lamentations.html

And while skimming the website, I found another all time favorite containing the most accurate description of dressing and feeding small children I've ever read. I also enjoyed the grocery store test, and having read this before children, vowed to only take one at a time to the grocery store if at all possible--at that time there were no mini van-grocery carts--just the one-seater types. See below. I was thrilled to find it again. The people who have collected these incredibly insightful writings on parenting have made my day. As Sarah would say, "Bless 'em."

http://parents.berkeley.edu/jokes/parentingtest.html

Addictive

Okay. We caved and got DSL. . .big mistake. This is the same exact reason I am so incredibly glad we don't have cable. We would CONSTANTLY be watching the Discovery Channel or A&E or in find ourselves in search or Northern exposure re-runs in syndication. It is amazingly easy to frollick from blog to blog. . .that being said. . .

If you know, are the parent of, or can remember being a young girl, go to
http://howitfits.blogspot.com/
and read the post entitled "Goldilocks."

It's worth the trip.
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I bought an entire package of full-sized Milky Ways today. It finally made more sense to me to spend $2.50 on a package of 6 than $.70 on one at school when the craving strikes. Now if I can only keep from eating all 6 at one time.

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It is hot--hot, hot, hot. We just barged straight into summer the past two days.

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If you like shrimp, and you cook the shrimp in crab boil, and you like potatoes also cooked in the crab boil, and you like mushrooms, then the next time you cook shrimp, throw some mushrooms in about three minutes before you put the shrimp in. I cannot even describe the amazing taste sensation that is in store for you. As my Daddy would say, "It'll hurt ya." That was dinner tonight: shrimp, potatoes, mushrooms, bread, and coleslaw. The Milky Ways are safe for a little while.

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It is Tony's turn to play with the new toy. I may not see him again tonight.

The pot calling the kettle black

I will spend a lot of the next five weeks reminding my students that "school is not over yet." This is the mantra droned incessantly by teachers the world over. I'm quite sure of this even though I don't personally know teachers the world over.

That being said, my mind is already on summer break. It has to do with the time change. All of that lovely daylight still left at 6:40. . .breezes blowing. . .no misquitos just yet. . . Curses to Benjamin Franklin. . .couldn't he have waited until the end of May??? Of course, during his time, the children who were the same age as the ones I teach (11 and 12) were in the fields right now--or out of school altogether.

So I will have to be conscientious over the next few weeks. . .I am already amazed that the year is over. I am planning to read two really fun novels after our HUGEMONGOUS standardized test this week. Hopefully that will pull in even the hold-outs and we will end the year on a positive note. In case you are interested they are House on Hackman's Hill (Joan Lowery Nixon) and The Cay (Theodore Taylor). The former is a good book for kids who don't like to read. . .a mystery about a mummy with every chapter ending in a cliff hanger. The other is something I would dearly LOVE to see made into a movie--a must for any middle school aged kid and a completely enjoyable quick read for an adult.

Now to the supper dishes. . .after all, "School is not over yet," and there will be no time to do them tomorrow. Just a dirty kitchen to clean before I can cook dinner.

That Ben and his big ideas.

Comic Relief

Pensive day today. . .thoughts overwhelming mixed with joy mixed with more "reality". . .then there is comic relief right at the end. As I was laboring over getting the kitchen clean while pondering some very serious and weighty matters , my kids were playing with something their dear aunt and uncle gave them for Easter. It is touted as "styrofoam putty" and is, quite frankly, the most vile "toy" I've ever run across. If you've not had the pleasure, allow me to describe it for you.

It is sort of like silly putty in liquid-ish form--very brightly colored--with tiny styrofoam balls in in it. It gets on EVERYTHING, and can only be removed by, essentially, "washing" your hands or the item with more of the goo.

Ewww. . .ewww. . .double ewww.

Ickadoo.

Blech.

Thankfully I had the foresight to send them outside to play with it, and I think even the kids lost their infatuation with it VERY quickly. If you are given any of this, sneak it into the trash as fast as you possibly can.

If you either ARE or are related TO the inventor of it, or if you have a personal love of this substance, would you like some hot pink and aqua blue styrofoam putty to go with your collection???

I saw it coming.

A few weeks back I wrote about how I had hit the "perfect" time of year to be a teacher. And I predicted that I had a few good weeks left. Well, I saw the end in sight. . .I'd sent two kids to the office before 9:30 this morning. I wanted to go back to Saturday. Yikes.

Spring has sprung, along with attitudes, hormones, and people staying up way too late because of the time change.

My friend Sarah wrote on her blog about spending time with God and finding just the right Psalm to speak to her today. She also mentioned a banner--we have a banner to wave--the banner of Christ.

So I will try to smile and be kind even when I send 'em down to the a.p. Waving my banner. . .

Beautiful

Well, yesterday was the Mother & Daughter luncheon. We could not have ordered a more beautiful day. . .perfect temperature, breezy, gorgeous blue sky with clouds floating through. It was just wonderful. We ended up with 35 women and girls here. . .and a good time was had by all. I haven't gotten everything put away yet. I'll take another crack at it tomorrow. And since I don't have another soiree to plan for awhile, my next goal is to learn how to put photos on this blog so our wonderful day can be viewed by you. Fun, fun, fun.

Melinda

I have a friend named Melinda. . .about 39. . .mother of Evan and Caroline. About 3 years ago, Melinda found out that her husband no longer wanted to be her husband OR a father. Two days later, she found out she had breast cancer. Over the course of the next couple of weeks, her husband changed his mind, and Melinda began her treatment which included surgery. About a year ago, her husband changed his mind back AGAIN, and they got a divorce. Melinda went back to work as a teacher after 11 years at home, and tried to get on with her life. Today I received a call from another friend telling me that Melinda's breast cancer has returned and has metastasized in her lungs. Please, pray for Melinda and her kids. She really needs it.

Easter Basket Brigade

I love getting things for Easter baskets. . .I loved getting things IN Easter baskets as a kid. Now I'm the one providing the haul, and it is so fun to find the unusual. Last year it was self-retracting measuring tapes and mini flashlights. They were a hit! This year along with the chocolate--and the Smarties--I also found Easter eggs with the Superman logo on them. Thad will be so thrilled. Victoria is getting a Bunny Stacking game--she will love the fact that it has bunnies in every color of the rainbow.

I know that Easter isn't all about bunnies and eggs and baskets. . .but that part sure is a lot of fun.

Weighing in

Well, I have tried to avoid it, but just feel the need for some catharsis regarding the Winkler case in Tennessee. I have been going to a news website located in the area to get the latest info on a daily basis as mainline media interest has slipped--and we don't have cable. This morning I found a couple of good blogs regarding the case--basically two men just writing their thoughts--which are also my thoughts--and probably everyone's thoughts. . .especially if you are a member of the church of Christ. On one blog, a man--a Baptist I believe--had expressed that probably church members had a hard time believing this had happened because we don't believe in the power of Satan or the power of the Holy Spirit. I know that to be true in some of our brotherhood--it's still pretty true of the church where I grew up, but here is the comment I left:

"I am a member of the church of Christ, and Adam was correct in stating that some members of the church don't recognize the power of the Holy Spirit or of Satan. It's a knee-jerk reaction to doctrine of some denominations. . .

Satan is powerful--and very, very happy right now. He has managed to end the life of a servant of God and ruin the life of his wife, kids, and family. HOWEVER, Satan DOES NOT get the last word here. The response of the members of the church in Selmer (from what I've read) as well as Matthew Winkler's family and the community at Freed has been one of love and forgiveness.

As a woman 'born and raised' in the church, I cannot fathom picking up a shot gun and killing my husband. I cannot fathom my mom doing it or my grandmother doing it. . .that is not how we live. But the Bible is full of stories like this--times and places and situations when things got out of hand and horrible things were done--either planned or at a moment's notice. I think God included those stories for a reason.

The apostle Paul stated that you should 'be careful that you think you're standing lest you fall.' In other words--we are all on a precipice--the choice between right and wrong. It takes but a nudge to send us plummeting over the edge--no matter how 'good' we are. I think that is why there is such intense curiosity in this case. If SHE could do something so outlandish--something that NO ONE saw coming, then so could I. So could you. So could anyone. Or maybe we are missing signs that we should be paying attention to. It causes us all to wonder about our own stability.

I, like your wife, have thought that no 'good' can come from this. And that is a defeatest attitude. My conscious mind knows the statement is true--but the Spirit of God cries that it is untrue. We do not yet know the good that will arise since 'God works all things together for good for them that love the Lord.' Even death. Even tragedy. Even when all hope is lost."

I DO know one thing--a lot of the people close to the case certainly believe in the power of forgiveness. . .and I'm pretty confident they believe in the power of God to sort out this terrible mess.

I do not know Mary Winkler personally. But I have known thousands of Mary Winklers in my life-time. They are you and me and every woman I've ever encountered at any church I've ever visited--at Harding--at camp. She's a young Christian wife and mother who believes what I believe--attended a Christian university--was "raised in the church." I am still naive in a lot of ways, and that is why I cannot fathom how this all transpired. It is very, very sad. That is an understatement. I do know that God will use this tragedy as a lesson--though we don't yet know exactly how far reaching that lesson might be.