I did it for my daughter

This weekend was Abby's overnight camp out for Girl Scouts. I had to be there, too, which was fine. It was nice to get to have some time with just her (and a bunch of other Girl Scouts and their moms ...). But, sleeping was a challenge. I decided to write something up in the notepad on my iPod Touch in the midst of my insomnia last night. This was written at 1:56 a.m. today.

Longest night EVER!!!!! Can't sleep to save my life! :-( gaaaaahhhhh! I hate, hate, hate this. I don't usually have trouble sleeping like this. What is the problem?

1. The bed sucks.
2. Others snore.
3. Beds are noisy.
4. Abby occasionally makes noise (once even shouting her BFF's name while still asleep), causing mommy senses to kick in.
5. Lots of lightning.
6. Thunder is beginning - finally.
7. No fan.
8. No Dan (known around here as Mr. Ham).
9. Stupid wrist brace.
10. Sleeping bag sucks.
11. Tiny, hard bed - more of a slab, really.
12. Can't get comfy. Possibly related to a few previous items. Who am I kidding? Definitely ...
13. Thunder is getting LOUD.
14. Mystery "soundtrack" music on my iPod - songs not conducive to SLEEPING!!!!!!!!

I didn't get to sleep, sleep – you know, truly asleep – until after 3 a.m. But, Abby had a blast, and that's what makes me not mind. And for me, this is HUGE. Normally, I am GROUCHY (making Oscar look like a saint) and do NOT function well on so little sleep.

And on that note, I have some reading to finish up. And some sleep to catch up on! ;-)

Tiny Update

Here I go again, ignoring this blog. I'm sorry. I have really, really overdone it with Proud Book Nerd. Too much to read in too little time. Then I added Blogmania to the mix, which I stupidly forgot to mention here. Sorry, friends! :-( On top of all of that, I've had sick kids, who decided to share their germs with me. I was VERY ill for a couple of days this week. And, the icing on the cake, I somehow (don't ask how, as I don't know how) managed to injure my right wrist. (Thank God I'm a lefty!) I've seen my chiro, who has found one of the little bones out of place. It has been popped back into place, and is healing. It feels MUCH better, but is still sore. I wear a brace on my wrist most of the time. I'm doing much better, but this situation makes typing a bit tough.

That's my excuse ...

Anyway, I'm hoping to get this blog in on a holiday giveaway (similar to Blogmania) in December. Something fun. I haven't heard back yet, though, as to my status. If not this, then the book blog, but I'd rather here. Share the love! ;-)

Me, personally, I'm overall OK, despite what I mentioned above. While sick, I missed two days of the Zoloft, then briefly considered never looking back. But I'm not ready for that yet. I have decided that I need therapy. Now I am overwhelmed by the task of trying to find a therapist. It is IMPERATIVE that this person is also a Christian. I have to have someone with similar beliefs to my own. That's not negotiable. Otherwise, I dunno. I think I'd prefer a woman, but I'm not entirely sure. Anyone with advice on finding a good therapist? I think I'm gonna call or e-mail my church and ask for referrals or recommendations, and go from there. Anyone with a better idea?

Why do I want therapy? Well, there's a lot on my mind. A lot more stress than I think I even let myself realize on a conscious level, if that makes any sense. Add to that, I have past stuff that just needs to get worked through. I don't remember a vast majority of my childhood, and what little I do remember is fuzzy. There has to be a reason for it. Based on what I do remember, I think I spent a large part of my childhood depressed. There was a lot of loss, much more than most kids have to deal with, and I took it hard. Perhaps there's more to the memory loss than I know, but that's the reason for therapy. It's like an infection under the skin. It's going to fester and affect me, whether I can see it or not. While the process is painful, it's best I get to the source of the issues I have in my life. Once I get to the junk beneath the surface, then true healing can occur. How can I give it all to God if I don't even know what it is I'm carrying? How can I forgive others, if the need is there, if I don't know what needs to be forgiven? I think this might also help with the whole weight-loss issue. And my self-esteem – or lack thereof.

And now my injured wrist is starting to ache. Better stop typing. Love to you all! I have some plans for this blog – the direction I want it to take. I just have to heal (the aforementioned wrist) and make time (the aforementioned book blog). While I have little control over the former, I'll do what I can about the latter!

It SHRUNK, and now I'm STUCK!

I'm in a pickle! It's not a major issue, rather more of an annoyance. Last weekend, I finally washed the hamper covers we have for our kids. They have the folding wood-framed hampers. Well, the girls' hampers might have shrunk a little, but the boy's hamper. Well, it shrunk so much I can't really get the cover back on there! :-( So, now I need a new hamper cover for him. But, I can't find one. I did a Google search, looked on eBay, and even checked esty. No luck. Plenty of hampers, no covers without the frames. Anyone know where I can get just a cover? Or, anyone crafty and able to make one? I managed to find the hamper for sale on Babies R Us, but I don't think I want this hamper/cover again! :-/

What it looks like:

The "specs" (click on it to read it):

The link:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3762925

Random Dozen 9/1

1. What insect are you most afraid of? Feel free to post a picture. Insect? I dunno. I guess maybe bees, wasps, things like that.

2. What is the greenest/most organic thing about you or that you do? Umm ... we buy organic milk for the kids.

3. Tell me about a recurring dream that haunts you. Gosh, it's been a LONG time since I've had the dream. But, it's always in a big white house that has a huge lawn. My family – meaning my mom and my sisters – is always there with me, and there's always some evil spirit in the house. Last I remember it we were on the second floor, and there was a stairwell in the back corner of the house that led down below the house, where the evil spirit was dwelling. I remember us trying to pray against the spirit, but ending up trying to flee the house. We were in a small white car, trying to get as far away as possible, but traffic was horrible and we couldn't move very quickly! That was the latest installment. I've had that house in my dreams, with my mom and sisters, and some sort of evil presence, many times throughout the years. The circumstances, the "resolution" or whatever isn't always the same, though.

4. Have you ever missed a flight? What were the circumstances? Nope.

5. What do you consider your best feature? If we mean physical feature, I'd guess my eyes.

6. What was the last concert you went to? Umm ... I think it was Skillet in November. Or Winter Jam earlier this year. Yeah, that was it. Third Day, Tenth Avenue North, Fireflight, and a bunch of other groups were there.

7. Describe the most embarrassing church moment you ever experienced. Can't think of one, sorry.

8. Are you a whistler, hummer or singer? Singer.

9. George Washington Carver said, "I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in." What is God saying to you through nature today, or this very minute? Umm ... I dunno. I'm sitting at my computer desk in the corner of my living room. The sky is full of clouds, and we're expecting more storms.

10. On September, 1, 1752, the Liberty Bell arrived in Philadelphia. What memorable event will take place in your life on September 1, 2010? Today? I don't know. I have nothing particularly memorable planned. But, the day's not quite half over, so perhaps something exciting (in a good way) will happen.

11. Taco Bell or the Liberty Bell? (You must choose.) I'm hungry, so right now Taco Bell! ;-)

12. Do you believe men and women can have purely platonic friendships? Maybe. I don't think all male-female relationships are sexual, but I think the potential is ALWAYS there. Always. So, as a married woman, I try to make sure my husband is friends with my male friends. And he tries not to cultivate friendships with women I'm not familiar with.

Friend Makin' Monday: Back to the Basics

Friend Makin' Monday is back! YAY! I've missed this one. It's always been a lot of fun. This week it is hosted at All the Weigh. To participate, just copy and paste, then insert your own answers. Don't forget to add yourself to the linky in this week's post!

I like...so many things. The first thing that comes to mind won't shock any of you: reading. ;-)

I don't like...Mondays, even when Makin' Friends. Getting back into the routine can be brutal. If only I had the discipline to maintain the schedule even on the weekends ...

I love...my family, God and Jesus, music, reading, etc.

I dream of...Genie ... hee hee! ;-) I dunno. Of my children coming to Christ, that's for sure.

I wonder...when (or should I say if?) I will ever feel rested again!

I know...that God placed me on this earth for a reason. I just wish I knew what that reason was ...

I went...to Europe when I was 10 weeks pregnant with my son. Early in pregnancy is not the time to travel to new places. I was miserable, unable to enjoy the food (Germany and France), and too tired to do much!

I have...a wonderful husband. God has really blessed me.

I think...that I need to get off my arse and get myself – and the kids – out of PJs and into our clothes for the day. :oops:

I plan...on the number of books I read for review so I can enjoy books I wanna read just because.

I regret...too much. I need to learn to let go of the past, to forgive myself for mistakes I've made. Regret doesn't get me anywhere but depressed.

I do...not know if I should blog about life issues here or on an anonymous blog. I want to work through some things, and I want to be able to talk about whomever/whatever I choose without worrying about repercussions. I suppose that means it should be anonymous – or not at all ...

I drink...too much Dr Pepper. If I stopped drinking it, I'd lose a lot of this weight ... but, I don't drink coffee, and often need the caffeine.

I wish...I was a better person.

I am...struggling.

I am not...happy with myself lately. I'm still fat. I'm almost constantly tired. I'm just sick of this.

I need...to go outside and cover the sandbox before it starts raining.

I graduated...from college a few months after getting married. Mr. Ham and I spent the first few months of our marriage apart. (He was working in Chicago, and I was in school 3 hours away.)

I hope...to bring all of my children to Christ. Abby has accepted Christ into her heart, so I have one down and two left to go.

I want...a bigger house. I want a playroom, so the toys aren't all over the place. I want a second bathroom and a master suite.

I sometimes...wonder if I'm bipolar like my grandmother was.

I always...trust God and know that He will guide and protect me.

I can...read quite fast. I've already read over 60 books this year.

I work...around the house, as a SAHM.

I cannot...control everything I wish I could. I need to accept this, and learn to give it to God.

I avoid...conflict like the plague. It's pathetic, really.

I will...not give up. I will give things to God and allow Him to work.

Five Question Friday

1. How many pets do you have? Three: Two cats (Huckleberry and Zeus) and one dog (a beagle named Sawyer)


2. If you could switch places with anyone in the world for one day, who would it be? I honestly can't think of anyone. I like my life.


3. What is your favorite money saving tip? Using coupons can make a big difference.


4. What do you want your kids to be when they grow up? Something they enjoy – not enjoy but are passionate about. It makes a difference to love what you do. In addition to that, it's gotta pay the bills and keep them fed. ;-)


5. What is your favorite quote? I have a lot of them, really. One of my current favorites:

"One must always be careful of books," said Tessa, "and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us."
— Cassandra Clare (Clockwork Angel)

Wanna play? You can find Mama M.'s post and linky HERE.

Friday Fill-Ins

And...here we go!

1. You do your thing; I do mine and sometimes we can work together.

2. The book I'm about to start reading is what's been on my mind on and off all day.

3. Remember when life was a lot simpler.

4. Dr Pepper, reading, and music are three of my favorite obsessions :-)

5. During the last year I have learned a lot about myself.

6.My family puts a smile on my face.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching Disc 1 of Season 4 of Grey's, tomorrow my plans include laundry (fun stuff), reading, and possibly more Grey's and Sunday, I want to finish laundry, and read some more!

Thursday Thunks: Giving away Money

1. To whom did you last give the finger? Um, I don't know. I don't generally do that, so it's been quite a long time.

2. If you had 1,000 dollars and HAD to spend it, what would you buy? Clothes for the kids, lots of books for me, clothes for the hubby, a new bike for me, some things for the house.

3. What was the last beverage you spilled on yourself? On myself? I dunno. It's been a long time!

4. When was the last photograph you took? What was it of? Gosh, over the last couple of weeks, of the kids, of course! ;-)

5. Who was the last person to smoke a cigarette in your presence? I'm not sure. Probably my sister.

6. What animal did you last pet or hold? Our cat.

7. What was the last superstitious thing you did? Probably knock on wood. I do that a lot.

8. What was the last text message you received? DH telling me the text I sent him before that was funny.

9. Berleen has decided to buy twelve goats. If she trades three for some awesome pot, loses one while she was stoned, what do you think she did with the rest? Milked them and made cheese.

10. What was the last musical instrument played in your presence? I don't know.

11. What was the last note that you wrote on your hand? I don't write notes on my hand.

12. Kimber announced that she was born on another planet. Which one do you think it was and why? Mars. Because it sounds neat.

13. What are you wearing as you answer these ridiculously stupid TT questions? PJ pants and a tank top. Time to go get dressed ...

That was fun. If you wanna play, check out the Thursday Thunks blog! :-)

Friday Fill-Ins

And...here we go!

1. Laughter is the best medicine – or so "they" say.

2. Hey, I got ... are the three words that started off the last email I sent.

3. What I'm most looking forward to today is just that it's Friday night. The weekend begins.

4. Being with my kids (when they're not misbehaving) puts a smile on my face.

5. Where in the world is Carmen SanDiego? ;-)

6. This peace and quiet is just what I needed!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching Grey's Anatomy and finishing my read, tomorrow my plans include posting a review of previously mentioned novel, more reading, more Grey's Anatomy, and possibly ordering new tires for the van and Sunday, I want to read some more, finish Grey's (if not already done), not sure what else!

If you want to play along, go HERE.

Tuesday Tunes #9

I almost forgot Tuesday Tunes this week! Today was my daughter's first day of school, and it's totally messed up my concept of time! LOL Anyway, let's listen to some MUSIC!

For the newbies, here’s the scoop: Tuesday Tunes is a hopefully weekly meme hosted here at Rambings & More. What’s the point? Sharing music. I LOVE music. LOVE it. In fact, I would say it’s very reasonable to say that music is my passion. It’s one of few, very few, things that I couldn’t imagine living without. As such, I’m always looking for new music, and I’m more than happy to share my favorite music! Well, not just my favorites. I also share whatever’s in my head at the moment, and sometimes that’s determined by what my KIDS are into at the moment. Anyway, please share your music with me! For now, just leave me a comment with your link. (And please link back to me.) When we get some more participation, I’ll make a button and get us a Linky to make sharing easier! Note: Sometimes (likely more often than not) I will share Christian music. That does NOT mean only Christian music is welcome. I wanna know what YOU’RE listening to, whatever genre it is!

This week’s picks:

Once again, I set my iPod Touch on shuffle, and this is what came up! (Click the links to listen.)

1. In The Blink Of An Eye by MercyMe ~ This is off their 10 album, and I'm not sure which album it was on originally. But, it's a great sing-along song!

2. More Than Fine by Switchfoot ~ This is on their The Beautiful Letdown album. I bought this on a whim, when I saw it on BIG-time markdown at Family Christian Stores. Their name sounded familiar, and a couple of the song titles rang tiny bells in the back of my mind, but I wasn't quite sure who they were. Until I listened to the CD. LOVE it. And, so far, it's my favorite of theirs. Switchfoot is an awesome band.

Play along! Put your iPod, MP3 player, iTunes, CD player, or whatever on random/shuffle and share the first couple of songs with me!

Friday Fill-Ins

It's been awhile, but I am making the point of taking more time for this blog. And now on with the show ...

1. Music is my passion.

2. More sleep is what I like first thing in the morning.

3. The first thing I said this morning was:"Don't wake up Grandma" .

4. Pizza?; it's what's for dinner tonight.

5. It's all been fun

6. Nothing is what I feel like doing right now.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to reading and hopefully watching more Grey's Anatomy, tomorrow my plans include laundry, more reading, vet appointment for the cat, and more Grey's Anatomy and Sunday, I want to read some more, watch more Grey's (I have two discs on hand right now), finish laundry!

If you want to play along, you can find this week's thread HERE.

Random Dozen 8/11

1. When was the last time you laughed until you cried? Gosh. Somewhat recently. I think laughing at/with the kids.

2. If you found $10 today, what would you do with it? Pocket it and save it until I need some cash.

3. Do you volunteer anywhere? No. I should.

4. What is your favorite summertime veggie or fruit, and how do you eat it? Fresh sweetcorn. YUM! We boil it, then smother it in butter, salt, and a tiny bit of pepper! YUM! I LOVE living in the Midwest!

5. Is your social sphere (circle of friends) small, medium or large? Depends on how you define my "sphere of friends" – all friends, or just people I know IRL? All friends (including those I only know through online interactions), I would actually say it's medium-to-large. Just IRL people, miniscule.

6. When was the last time you attended a family or school reunion? How did that go? Our 10-year school reunion was 5 years ago. I was VERY pregnant with my son, and my husband (who was in my same graduating class at the same school) was gone for a 30-day civilian deployment to New Orleans. (It was his first time helping out with post-Katrina stuff.) It was neat to see people, but I kinda felt like an odd-woman-out.

7. When you're feeling blue, what is the best way someone can cheer you up? Hugs, making me laugh, and relieving me from kid duty for a few hours.

8. Have you taken a vacation this summer? No. I wish we had, but it didn't work out. Maybe next year.

9. What is the most unnecessary item you carry with you all the time? A book. About 90% of the time I have a book in my purse. It goes everywhere with me, because I just never know when I'll wish I had it. It's great for waiting on the doctor at appointments, stuck in a traffic jam (I'm talking stand-still for 30 minutes, which I've experienced), waiting for the bell to ring when picking up the kids after school, etc.

10. What is the best summer flick you have seen so far? Eclipse.

11. Describe a perfect summer day. Hmm ... I could go one of two ways with this. Day 1: AWESOME, powerful thunderstorms. It's not too hot, so I can sit comfortably on the front porch and enjoy the smell of the rain, the feel of the wind, and the sound of the thunder. It's also not too cool, so the rain doesn't make me chilled. It's also not too windy, so I can read a book while enjoying the storm. Day 2: About 75-80ºF, no humidity, a perfect light breeze.

12. Please a share a favorite photo from the summer so far! Umm....all of the pics are on my hubby's laptop, which is going to St. Louis with him today. So, I can't get those right now. Sorry!

Tuesday Tunes #8

For the newbies, here’s the scoop: Tuesday Tunes is a hopefully weekly meme hosted here at Rambings & More. What’s the point? Sharing music. I LOVE music. LOVE it. In fact, I would say it’s very reasonable to say that music is my passion. It’s one of few, very few, things that I couldn’t imagine living without. As such, I’m always looking for new music, and I’m more than happy to share my favorite music! Well, not just my favorites. I also share whatever’s in my head at the moment, and sometimes that’s determined by what my KIDS are into at the moment. Anyway, please share your music with me! For now, just leave me a comment with your link. (And please link back to me.) When we get some more participation, I’ll make a button and get us a Linky to make sharing easier! Note: Sometimes (likely more often than not) I will share Christian music. That does NOT mean only Christian music is welcome. I wanna know what YOU’RE listening to, whatever genre it is!

This week’s picks:

Once again, I set my iPod Touch on shuffle, and this is what came up! (Click the links to listen.)

1. Amazed by Building 429 ~ Great song.

2. Everlasting God by Chris Tomlin ~ Chris Tomlin is one of the best Christian songwriters out there right now. He writes some of the best, most worshipful, songs I've heard in a while. I don't think this is one he actually penned, but that's beside the point! ;-) This is a great song nonetheless!

Enjoy!

Blogger Appreciation Day: July 2010

It's hard to believe it's already August! Where is this year going?

As such, it is time once again to say thanks to you, my readers. So, thank you for your support! It means a lot to me!

This is also time to thank those who share this blog with others.

This was started by Kelli at 3 Boys & a Dog.

Here’s how it works:

1. Go into your tracking service (I use Google Analytics) and set the time period for July 1st – July 31st.


2. Find the sites that have referred readers to you and put them in order from most sends to lowest.


3. Write a post (like this one) listing your top 10 referrers.


4. Link that post up in Kelli’s MckLinky, which is HERE.

It would be appreciated if you could link back to this post, you know – return the favor! ;-)

Without further ado …

Thank you to my top 10 referrers for July!

1. 3 Boys & a Dog ~ 17


2. Proud Book Nerd ~ 16 (yes, it's mine, but there were slim pickings in July :oops: )


3. Sunday Stealing ~ 13


4. The Undomestic Momma ~ 8 <– first time on the list! ***TIED with #4 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


5. The Girl Creative ~ 8 <– first time on the list! ***TIED with #3 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


6. BlogUpp! ~ 4<– first time on the list!


7. MomDot ~ 3 ***TIED with #6-7 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


8. There's A Book ~ 3 ***TIED with #5, 7 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


9. Trendy Treehouse ~ 3 ***TIED with #5-6 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


10. Busy Moms Who Love to Read ~ 2 <– first time on the list!

(I do not list engines, Twitter, FaceBook, etc.!)

Tuesday Tunes #7

You know what would be really cool? If anyone played along with this! I'm lonely! :-( You know I love you all! ;-)

For the newbies, here’s the scoop: Tuesday Tunes is a hopefully weekly meme hosted here at Rambings & More. What’s the point? Sharing music. I LOVE music. LOVE it. In fact, I would say it’s very reasonable to say that music is my passion. It’s one of few, very few, things that I couldn’t imagine living without. As such, I’m always looking for new music, and I’m more than happy to share my favorite music! Well, not just my favorites. I also share whatever’s in my head at the moment, and sometimes that’s determined by what my KIDS are into at the moment. Anyway, please share your music with me! For now, just leave me a comment with your link. (And please link back to me.) When we get some more participation, I’ll make a button and get us a Linky to make sharing easier! Note: Sometimes (likely more often than not) I will share Christian music. That does NOT mean only Christian music is welcome. I wanna know what YOU’RE listening to, whatever genre it is!

So, as I recently mentioned, I've finally started watching Grey's Anatomy. (If you haven't read about it, you can find the post HERE. Go ahead, I'll wait ...)

And now that you're back ... As I said on the post linked above, one of my favorite things about Grey's is the music! I like it so much I actually went out and bought a 3-disc boxed set of Grey's Anatomy soundtrack music! And, it only seems fitting that I share one or two songs from that! So, here we go (click the links to listen)!

1. Cosy In The Rocket by PSAPP ~ This is the full song from which the title song for the show is taken. I love it!

2. Song Beneath The Song by Maria Taylor ~ Another one I love.

I'm gonna stop now. Both of these are on the first CD. Maybe, if I can't think of anything else next week, I'll share more favorites then!

So, how about you? What are you listening to lately?

It Really Is True ~~~ And I'm Late to the Party

Odd title, huh? I know, I know. That's because you're in for a treat: TWO posts in ONE! How cool is that? (LOL I'm in a weird mood.)

Post 1: It Really Is True

What's true? You had to ask. Well, they say that when you become a mother, things really, really change. And, well, that's a DUH statement, huh? But, I've also heard that when you have children, it's like your heart is running around. Like they ARE your heart. And, before this weekend, I thought I knew what it meant. But I didn't. Not really. I had an idea, but now I get it better than I had before.

What's changed? Well, the wonderful Mr. Ham kindly gave me the weekend home ALONE! He took our three wonderful children downstate to see his family. Just so I could get a break! (This was originally planned because we thought he was going to be away for the fall semester, but that's another story.) Don't I have the best hubby ever? Isn't that the SWEETEST thing? I have been away from my kids before, and even for about the same amount of time. The difference is that I'm home and they aren't. I haven't been home alone for more than a few hours at a time since before they were born. This is S-T-R-A-N-G-E. Quite different from what I'd expected.Don't get me wrong. I'm enjoying my much-needed ME time. But, it's weird. Everything is empty, quiet, still. I don't mind, really I don't.

Back to the original point – about the hearts running around. It dawned on me yesterday – even Friday night. It is HARD for me to not worry with them so far away. I don't worry about them nearly as much when I'm the one away from home. But, my three little hearts – four, if you count Mr. Ham – are running around four hours away from me. They have to travel for four hours on the Interstate tomorrow to come home to me. A path that very well could be wrought with danger. A path that could lead to my losing them! :-( Yes, I trust God for their safety. I'm praying for traveling mercies, that they each come home in one – very much alive and healthy – piece.

How is this like I have little hearts out there running around? Well, because my heart aches – and not with worry. But like a piece – or a few pieces, I suppose – of me is missing. Little portions of my heart are running around with their cousins downstate, and I'm a bit fragmented. I won't be whole until they return – safely. God forbid – and I mean it, God, FORBID anything happen to them – I don't know how I would move on. But, thinking like that only leads to unhappiness. So, I'm writing this out to help get such things off my mind, and get myself back into enjoying what few hours left of freedom that I have to enjoy.

I feel like this half of the post is rambling. Sorry. But, hey, I'm true to form, right? This blog is, after all, Ramblings & More! I would be a liar if I didn't ramble! ;-) Anyway, summary: My kiddos (and wonderful hubby) are away for a weekend. And FINALLY understand what is meant when they say motherhood means you have your heart outside your body!

Post 2: Late to the Party

What party? Oh, just hold on there. I'll get to it, I promise. Just brace yourself: more rambling is on the way ...

When I was in high school, I was busy. Not only did I have school work and Treble Choir, but I had a boyfriend and Falconettes (poms). Well, this is specifically my senior year – and the boyfriend in question is none other than Mr. Ham. Yes, he's my high school sweetheart. God has been good to me. I digress ...

Anyway, as such, I missed the boat on the popular TV shows of the day. Friends, ER, and other goodies. I started watching them my freshman year in college, when I finally had time – sorta. I got hooked. When Mr. Ham and I were done with college, married, and moved to our current locale, I watched all of the old ER episode reruns on TNT. I had to see what had already happened. I wasn't having trouble understanding anything, but I wanted to know what I'd missed. I picked up the show the first year WITHOUT George Clooney. Yep, I missed Dr. Ross! But, I was a faithful watcher from then on out. Even through the last few, less-than-stellar (in my opinion) seasons. I had watched them ALL and HAD to see how they ended the show. I was satisfied with the way ER was wrapped up, but also happy to see it go. Talk about beating a dead horse ...

Anyway, because of my loyalty to ER, I missed out on many other good shows, one of which was Grey's Anatomy. And I regretted that once I heard about how good it was. But, I'm loyal – often to a fault – and I wasn't ditching a floundering ER for an "ER wannabe" show.

Cue NETFLIX!

Netflix, how I love thee ... let me count the ways ...

1. Grey's Anatomy


2. Grey's Anatomy


3. Grey's Anatomy

You get the idea. I'm FINALLY watching that show. I've only got a few episodes left in Season 2 – Netflix says the last disc is coming tomorrow. (The last episode I saw was when Dr. Burke got shot and Dr. Bailey finds him in the ambulance bay. And Izzy decides to cause a patient's heart to fail so he can get a transplant.) I gotta tell ya, I LOVED the show from the pilot! So fresh, offbeat, and fun! I love that there's drama, but the show also cracks me up at times. And I love, love, LOVE the music! What an excellent show!

Although, I must complain. The whole Addison-Derek-Meredith thing. Um, hello! He's married. Meredith, back off. Of course, now I should mention that I've been watching Private Practice since its pilot, so maybe that's why I really love Addison so much. But, ya know, she's Derek's WIFE. Anyway, I must say that I cannot stand Izzy. I liked her in the first season, but this inappropriate relationship with a patient (Denny) just PISSES ME OFF! Of course, my distaste for her in general might have something to do with the way the actress (whose name eludes me at the moment) became such a diva by the end of her run on the show ... But, the Denny thing. The whole time I'm thinking "Someone stop her!" Ugh, and waiting one more day for the conclusion to that ... TORTURE!

All of that to say that, while I've got some issues with it, I'm loving Grey's Anatomy. Never thought I would be, but I'm glad I gave into my curiosity. This show makes me laugh, makes me cry, makes me angry. Excellent, excellent show. I'm glad I finally joined in this party!

That said, I won't be able to watch this season as it airs. Mr. Ham likes NBC's lineup during the time slot of Grey's. But, Netflix has been good to me, and I'll just keep going that route. Plus, then there's very little waiting between episodes. Gotta love that! ;-)

Tuesday Tunes #6

Still thinking about a button ...

Anyway, I'm a little late today. Sorry. Life's busy. Today is registration for school for two of my kids. (How is that even possible? :shock: ) And I have too many books to read in too little time for my blog. Note to self: say no sometimes ...

For the newbies, here’s the scoop: Tuesday Tunes is a hopefully weekly meme hosted here at Rambings & More. What’s the point? Sharing music. I LOVE music. LOVE it. In fact, I would say it’s very reasonable to say that music is my passion. It’s one of few, very few, things that I couldn’t imagine living without. As such, I’m always looking for new music, and I’m more than happy to share my favorite music! Well, not just my favorites. I also share whatever’s in my head at the moment, and sometimes that’s determined by what my KIDS are into at the moment. Anyway, please share your music with me! For now, just leave me a comment with your link. (And please link back to me.) When we get some more participation, I’ll make a button and get us a Linky to make sharing easier! Note: Sometimes (likely more often than not) I will share Christian music. That does NOT mean only Christian music is welcome. I wanna know what YOU’RE listening to, whatever genre it is!

Today I'm just sharing one song. It's one of my absolute favorites. (Click the link to listen.)

Hold Fast by MercyMe ~ AWESOME song. It reaches me when I really need encouragement. I hope it ministers to you, too.

To everyone who's hurting
To those who've had enough
To all the undeserving
That should cover all of us
Please do not let go
I promise there is hope

Hold fast
Help is on the way
Hold fast
He's come to save the day
What I've learned in my life
One thing greater than my strife
Is His grasp
So hold fast

Will this season ever pass?
Can we stop this ride?
Will we see the sun at last?
Or could this be our lot in life?
Please do not let go
I promise you there's hope

You may think you're all alone
And there's no way that anyone could know
What you're going through
But if you only hear one thing
Just understand that we are all the same
Searching for the truth
The truth of what we're soon to face
Unless someone comes to take our place
Is there anyone?
All we want is to be free
Free from our captivity, Lord
Here He comes

Sunday Stealing: Meme of Many Odd Questions, Part 3

Taken from the-blog-that-encourages-stealing, also known as Sunday Stealing!

45. Favorite color? Purple

46. Have you ever slapped someone? Probably.

47. Is your hair curly? Yep, naturally.

48. What was the last CD you bought? Umm...I'm not entirely sure. I've bought a few from MusiChristian.com this summer, and it's hard to remember what I purchased last. Especially because I usually purchase several at one time! LOL

49. Do looks matter? To some extent, yes.

50. Could you ever forgive a cheater? My gut reaction is a firm NO. But, well, Jesus tells us to forgive. I don't think that necessarily means forgive and stay together, though. Would I want to forgive? Heck no! Given that forgiveness is something I should do, I would try to. It would probably be the hardest thing I ever did!

51. Is your phone bill sky high? I don't think so. What's considered "sky high" nowadays?

52. Do you like your life right now? Yes and no.

53. Do you sleep with the TV on? No way!

54. Can you handle the truth? Yes.

55. Do you have good vision? Only when I have my contacts in ... ;-)

56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people? Hate? No. Dislike? Of course!

57. How often do you talk on the phone? As infrequently as possible!

58. The last person you held hands with? Either Mr. Ham or one of the kiddos.

59. What are you wearing? White socks, brown yoga pants, and an olive green T-shirt.

60. What is your favourite animal? Can't say I have a favorite. I love animals in general.

61. Where was your favorite picture taken at? Either J.C. Penney or at home. Not sure which is my favorite at the moment.

62. Can you hula hoop? Gosh, I don't know. I used to be able to, but it's literally probably been 2+ decades since I last tried ... :oops:

63. Do you have a job? You bet I do! I don't work outside the home, but being a stay-at-home mom isn't easy! Overworked and underpaid, I tell ya!

64. What was the most recent thing you bought? Um ... a book for a giveaway winner on Proud Book Nerd.

65. Have you ever crawled through a window? Not that I remember.

Flashback Friday #2

Again, this is from Larissa’s Bookish Life, and this week she's gone back 27 months. Once again, my book blog hasn’t been around long enough to do it there right now, but I thought I’d find something here. No book reviews this time. I think that might have been before I started writing book reviews. Anyway, I was a sparodic blogger at that time, so the closest thing to 27 months is from April 26, 2008.

I hadn’t intended to be away this long. Sorry. Although, I don’t think anyone’s even reading this so perhaps I’m only letting myself down! LOL Still, this can be therapeutic, so I really should do it more. Now to explain my absence.

It’s been a helluva couple of weeks. This past week I’ve been spending most of my time (when the kids allow, of course) helping a dear friend of mine launch a new Web site. It’s phpBB based like mine is, so I’ve done most of the modifications and stuff. That has been fun – I like doing stuff like that. (Yes, I know, I’m a nerd! LOL) I’ve even taken a bit of a hiatus from my own site in my efforts to help her get things up and running. I let my Staff know, as I felt they should be aware of my whereabouts. The good thing is I have good people on my site, and me being gone (or in much less than usual) for a while isn’t going to cause it to fall apart. I tried to get on a minimum of once per day. I must’ve done pretty well, as no one seemed to notice my absence.

I have since been made one of four Admin on my friend’s site. I haven’t let anyone on my site know that yet. Do I have to? I don’t think it’s a conflict of interests. My site is for Christian women; the new site is for moms. We aren’t what some would call “competitors” or anything. Plus, I’m one of FOUR Admin there, all of which can do techie stuff. I might say something at least to my staff. But, I don’t want to cause any drama. I know one of my staff members is on the new site, and so far she hasn’t said anything about it to me. (If anyone DOES read this and you happen to be on my site, please comment here to let me know your thoughts.)

Well, laundry beckons. So, I must go for now.

I gotta say it's interesting looking back. It's both fun and a little humbling. :oops:

To add your post to the linky list, see this week's POST.

Friday Fill-Ins

And...here we go!

1. I feel tired and mildly annoyed.

2. I really need to catch up on my reading.

3. Do what works for you.

4.I am completely unique.

5. It's hard to know how much of what I think I need is actually something I want.

6. Not sure what, but something follows suit.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to reading – or watching a movie with Mr. Ham, tomorrow my plans include catching up on reading – and laundry – and Sunday, I want to continue reading and finish laundry!