Game Night at Grandpa's

Dodger, Dancer, the boys and I went to my dad's yesterday afternoon for some food and game time. Dancer dressed Zavi in one of her old shirts from when she was that age. So cute!

Zavi got sucked into the TV a time or two.

Zavi got his own 'playing cards' and tried to shuffle like we were doing. 

Both boys did a wonderful job regulating. 

Aunt Di & Zavi

 Aunt Diana sent us another video of Zavi. She watches him every Friday.

Zavi w/ Aunt Diana

 Aunt Diana sent us a few she took of Zavi.

Echoes of Pompeii - The Definitive Pink Floyd Experience

 

Experiencing what it was like when Pink Floyd played the Roman Amphitheater in Pompeii, Italy.

Dodger and I went with mom this evening to the Lincoln Square Theater downtown to see the Pink Floyd show. We've always been a fan of Pink Floyd. Sometimes it's just the vibe we need. The light show was pretty impressive, too.

I can stay in-touch with my family and friends by...

I can stay in-touch with my family and friends by...

reaching out when I think about them. Technology allows me multiple ways to stay in-touch with those I love. Sending a little text, sending an email, leaving a voicemail, just to let them know I'm thinking about them. It's important to let them know I'm interested in getting together, and making efforts to set-a-date for this to happen. Life moves so fast, and it's too easy to get caught up in the daily grind. Having boundaries between work and play is important for me to maintain connections with my family and friends. I love my career, however, when shit hits the fan, it's not going to be my career that's there to support me. I have a few trusted people in my life that I make the biggest efforts to stay in-touch with, and the rest I do my best to reach out once a month or so to connect with. Friends in my past are in my past for a reason. It is my hope that as I move along in building an active and big life for myself that I'll meet new friends along the way. I'd like to know a few couples from our dance class better, so that maybe we can all go social dancing sometime. Due to my social anxiety, it takes a lot of me to reach out to new people. Yet, here I am, talking myself into having a conversation with at least one of the regular couples in class...or even one of the new couples. And, I'll reach out to my mom today to talk about scheduling a crafting day with her soon, as this was something I suggested a few weeks ago, and she thought that was a good idea.

Baby's First Christmas

Grandpa Stan's Birthday Party

We had a nice fire and games to celebrate grandpa's birthday 🎂 

A Wedding & Jerry Garcia

Yesterday, my best friend, Sarah, got married to the love of her life, Brad. They both shared their testimony at the reception. She prayed and cried and delighted in her faith in God for 22 years. And yesterday she became one with her God-ordained husband.

This morning, we had church. God's moving in awesome ways in our church right now. I have no doubt that God's the reason that my old church was one of the first to pop up when I Googled churches in my area just a few months ago. Just last year, they were at about 14 people attending weekly and thinking they should sell the building, to now on the cusps of significant growth. I'm very excited for what's coming and grateful to be back. It feels like home.

Dodger with our 1st grandbaby, X.

We stopped at the Lowe Reunion for about an hour before heading over to a free music festival in our state capital. Sunshine Daydream, my favorite local band, is headlining.

Also seen, Colin Helton Band...

and Silverweed...

Also seen, a yoga teacher in the making...

The stick guy (who was also at the Rumbledown Festival)...

And a bubble guy...

Here's Sunshine Daydream (w/o Olivia today)...

Live Like Laura

Laura Bowman, my younger cousin, lost her battle with colon cancer. She fought for years. The world lost a beautiful soul. Rest easy, Laura.

Hey Kiddo

I miss my uncle terribly.

And I didn't call that Friday. I didn't get to talk to him again before he died!

One is the Loneliest Number

Only one family member has reached out to me to ask me how I'm doing since finding out my marriage went to shit. ONE. Yet, many of my own family members have reached out to him to ask him how he's doing and to talk behind my back.

Let me just say, I don't need people like that in my life.

BritBeat: A Tribute to the Beatles @ The Devon 2021

 This was a fun night. I drank a little too much.

I Won Alice Cooper!

Winner winner tofu dinner. Look what I won today! Looks like I'm getting the Alice Cooper experience tomorrow evening. It will be a Happening. ☠

Dodger can't go... too much work. Dancer can't go... she has to work, too. So, I asked my mom. She loves Alice Cooper. So, we're leaving work a little early tomorrow and heading south to watch the legend rock out.

Dancer is 23

We celebrated Dancer's 23rd birthday today. We gathered most of the extended family at Sports Zone for dinner, then went back to mom's for cake, ice cream, and games.

Her actual birthday is just a few days away... it will be her Golden Birthday.

Walking to End Alzheimer's

Cabbage Patch Doll

Who knew that thinking about a homemade Cabbage Patch Doll could have me in tears.  This project for Family Dynamics has really ripped open a lot of old wounds for me.  I learned things about what led to my parents divorce that I didn't know before.  Knowing that my dad let me believe that it was all my mom's fault ("your mom wanted the divorce"... I can't tell you how many times I've heard that over the years) for 20+ years was devastating.  But some good did come out of it.  The air is now clear around my mom.  I no longer blame her, because it wasn't her fault.  And I'm at the place now where I can just let my dad be about what I know.  I don't think it's necessary to bring it up at this point.  I think it would cause more harm than good by causing him pain.  I believe he's suffered enough pain over the years due to his poor choices.  I don't need to add to it by confronting him about this.  Maybe one day it will come up organically.  If so, I'll be able to talk about it.

Family History, Family Memories

Looking through my Google Drive files today and found an old Q&A with my great-grandma Lotus that someone in my family did.  It's so special to have her own words answering questions like where she met my great grandpa (who I never knew because he died before I was born) and her favorite trips, etc.  <3

I think I should go through each question and answer them for myself. This way, one day my great-grandchildren will have this information about me.

Watching 90s Daughter

Mom called and asked if I wanted to go check out 90s Daughter, a pretty popular local "wedding band." So, instead of holing myself up in my house, thinking I'm going to study, I decided to go.

The band was really good. They played a range of 80s, 90, and 2000s hits, from pop to hard rock. 

January 1 2014

It is step-dad's birthday. Dancer and I went to their new place to celebrate. Joyce, Bob, Jon, and Veronica also came. Dinner was chicken, green beans, and fresh cut veggies. After gifts we watched a little TV and played a few Wii games. By the time we left, at about 8pm, there was about an inch of snow on the ground. I filled the rest of my night watching Arrested Development with Dodger.

To Everything, There is a Season

I have a lot of big changes coming in 2014.  I will share them as the time seems right.  One at a time.  See, I keep secrets... I keep secrets in a sacred place.  It is important to not have people piss all over your dreams.  It may surprise you, or not, who will be your biggest supporters and who will question why you even bother.

I was reminded, once again, of this at Xmas time this year as I let one of my secrets out to my family and got lukewarm to cold responses.  It was a mistake to tell.  It's a mistake that I'll never, ever, make again!

I was warned by a mentor and by my husband to keep it quiet but I went ahead with it anyway.  I think sometimes we just need to see one last time who's on our side.

Check out this post on The Proper Care and Feeding of Dreams.

I have HUGE dreams.  Big huge dreams that scare the living shit out of me!  The season of raising a family is coming to an end and my focus can shift elsewhere now.  Dancer is nearly 18, will be driving soon, and will be starting her drive towards her dreams soon.  I finally got clarity on my path.

I shared this on Facebook a few days ago, "And so, she finally recognized herself and where her passions want to take her. There are seasons in life. Sometimes we have to be focused elsewhere for a time... watering and caring for the roots that need to grow deep... before we are able to reach for the sun and bloom. - LJM"

I waited, sometimes very impatiently, for my path to get clear enough to start down it.  I needed time to change.  I needed time to raise my daughter and do right by her.  I needed time to grow my marriage.  I needed time to bloom where I was planted.  I came to, dare I say, enjoy domestic duties and taking care of my family.  But I knew there was more waiting for me, I just had to wait for the right time, the right season, and now that season begins.