Scott and I decided before Gracie was born that we would try to never tell her she couldn't do things. Don't worry. We would never let her touch something hot or let her play in traffic. We wanted her to feel like she could be and do anything her heart desired. We wanted to be encouraging parents.
It started when she was small. Newly verbal, she began by saying, "I do it." Like when she was just over a year old. She said this over and over. And she did do it. She walked. She ran. She jumped. And she flipped. And then, at seven, she broke her arm. And even that didn't stop her. She got her black belt in karate. She became a strong swimmer. She jumped off the high dive.
She has gone to camps and on trips all over the country (courtesy of Grandma and Papa). She has met new people. She has volunteered. She tries new crafts. This she gets from her artistic Grandma. She googled a recipe on the night of our anniversary and prepared a four star restaurant-worthy meal for us. She snaps photos. Like her dad. And she has a great eye. It's genetic.
She loves people. And she loves to talk and laugh. And make other people laugh. Like her mom. And her aunt. She is supportive and takes risks. She has a can do attitude that I wish I could bottle. She has been supportive beyond her thirteen years. She has helped me in difficult times. She was sunshine to her dad through his battle with cancer. She is her Papa's favorite nurse.
She is athletic. She plays hard. She runs. She lifts weights. She takes good care of her body. Especially her back. She has scoliosis and has been paying special attention to strengthening muscles around her spine.
Last year she made me a bookmark. I think that it sums up how simple her motto in life is. It says, "she dreamed she could, so she did." Definitely words to live and dream by.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
I've Been Away...
Not literally. Figuratively. It's been a busy time. Nothing earth shattering. No tragedy. Thank goodness. Just very busy. In mostly good ways. Starting in early May I started checking things, commitments, off my list. Confirmation ended. My Wednesdays are now completely mine. Yeah.
Gracie's commitments at school and outside of school are coming to an end. That means Ann's taxi service catches a break.
I am counting down the days until school is done. This is my summer to get things done. I have a basement that needs attention and organization. In fact the whole house needs a once over. If you were to walk in the door right now, you would probably see that my house is pretty orderly. But deep inside there is work to be done. Things that need to be recycled, reused and reduced.
I've been on auto pilot for a while now and it's time to make life simple and prioritize what is most important. So this summer I will sleep more, eat better, exercise and take time to READ. At least a book a week, if not more. I remember the days when I could read two or three books a week. Good times.
Spending time with family and friends is a definite. Lots of time for that. And campfires and pontoon boat rides. This is what I am looking forward to this summer. I want to feel a sense of accomplishment. A sense of order brings peace to everything. Body, soul and mind. And this is what I strive for. Now that I'm back.
Gracie's commitments at school and outside of school are coming to an end. That means Ann's taxi service catches a break.
I am counting down the days until school is done. This is my summer to get things done. I have a basement that needs attention and organization. In fact the whole house needs a once over. If you were to walk in the door right now, you would probably see that my house is pretty orderly. But deep inside there is work to be done. Things that need to be recycled, reused and reduced.
I've been on auto pilot for a while now and it's time to make life simple and prioritize what is most important. So this summer I will sleep more, eat better, exercise and take time to READ. At least a book a week, if not more. I remember the days when I could read two or three books a week. Good times.
Spending time with family and friends is a definite. Lots of time for that. And campfires and pontoon boat rides. This is what I am looking forward to this summer. I want to feel a sense of accomplishment. A sense of order brings peace to everything. Body, soul and mind. And this is what I strive for. Now that I'm back.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
A Story That Should Be Told
I love stories. They are something that cannot be replaced by technology. They live the test of time. Even if they are passed down in history via technology.
I love times when people sit down face to face and share stories that we can laugh at, cry at and have the permission to share. I have one of these sharable moments. Gracie and many other students at her middle school have been training for races. One of these races was yesterday. It was a kids triathlon. The kids swam laps in the pool. They then ran outside to a transition area, put clothes on, jumped on their bikes and rode five miles. At the end of the bike ride they ran a mile around the high school track to the finish line.
Months of training had gone into this event. All with the guidance of a fantastic coach. He tirelessly worked with these kids. He taught many how to pace themselves. He taught them how to efficiently set up their transition areas. They ran and they swam. He gave them positive words of encouragement and told them he was proud of them. And they were ready.
One last thing, is what the email said on Friday. The coach asked if all of the families involved would take the time to help cheer on a student who has been training for his triathlon. This young man has cerebral palsy. He had been riding his bike in the hallways of the school to train. He swam, biked and used his walker to walk the final leg of his race. All the way through his race he was with his coach, my daughter's coach, every child's coach. And this man encouraged him along the way.
And the rest of the families and students cheered, too. All along the course. People who didn't even know this young man started chanting his name. There was screaming and hollering in the most respectful way. It was one of the most moving events I have ever been part of. I was so proud of this young man, this coach and of course the kids that the coach has been involved with. And I would venture a bet that this story will be told. Even by complete strangers.
And it should be.
I love times when people sit down face to face and share stories that we can laugh at, cry at and have the permission to share. I have one of these sharable moments. Gracie and many other students at her middle school have been training for races. One of these races was yesterday. It was a kids triathlon. The kids swam laps in the pool. They then ran outside to a transition area, put clothes on, jumped on their bikes and rode five miles. At the end of the bike ride they ran a mile around the high school track to the finish line.
Months of training had gone into this event. All with the guidance of a fantastic coach. He tirelessly worked with these kids. He taught many how to pace themselves. He taught them how to efficiently set up their transition areas. They ran and they swam. He gave them positive words of encouragement and told them he was proud of them. And they were ready.
One last thing, is what the email said on Friday. The coach asked if all of the families involved would take the time to help cheer on a student who has been training for his triathlon. This young man has cerebral palsy. He had been riding his bike in the hallways of the school to train. He swam, biked and used his walker to walk the final leg of his race. All the way through his race he was with his coach, my daughter's coach, every child's coach. And this man encouraged him along the way.
And the rest of the families and students cheered, too. All along the course. People who didn't even know this young man started chanting his name. There was screaming and hollering in the most respectful way. It was one of the most moving events I have ever been part of. I was so proud of this young man, this coach and of course the kids that the coach has been involved with. And I would venture a bet that this story will be told. Even by complete strangers.
And it should be.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Almost Perfect
It's been a while. I've missed writing. Life, as it does, got in the way. Scott had shoulder surgery. Nothing major. But it was enough to upset our normal routine. He's healing beautifully and right on time. We're thankful.
Isn't it crazy how a small change in routine can seem to mess everything up? We had been in a groove for a while. I liked it. On a perfect day, I would get up, make coffee, feed the dogs and go for a walk. I would shower and enjoy a leisurely cup of joe. Scott and I would discuss what our day had in store for us. And off we'd go. Into our routines.
And on a perfect day the traffic would be manageable. I would hear songs on that radio that make me happy. The trip to work would be uneventful and no longer than 25 minutes. I will find parking right on the street in front of the building I work at. And my day would begin.
Over the past couple of weeks I've been getting up at night with Scott. Man, interrupted sleep can sure make an impression on a person. I was almost a zombie at the end of the week. So today I returned to my normal routine after a night of uninterrupted sleep. I woke up refreshed. I made coffee, dogs were taken care of and I showered. Off to work I went. The radio did not disappoint. My drive time was 30 minutes. Not quite the usual, but close. It really is the small stuff that makes my day.
Little things make me happy. My qualifiers for a perfect day are small. That's true. I like it that way. It keeps things simple for me. And perfect. Almost perfect.
Isn't it crazy how a small change in routine can seem to mess everything up? We had been in a groove for a while. I liked it. On a perfect day, I would get up, make coffee, feed the dogs and go for a walk. I would shower and enjoy a leisurely cup of joe. Scott and I would discuss what our day had in store for us. And off we'd go. Into our routines.
And on a perfect day the traffic would be manageable. I would hear songs on that radio that make me happy. The trip to work would be uneventful and no longer than 25 minutes. I will find parking right on the street in front of the building I work at. And my day would begin.
Over the past couple of weeks I've been getting up at night with Scott. Man, interrupted sleep can sure make an impression on a person. I was almost a zombie at the end of the week. So today I returned to my normal routine after a night of uninterrupted sleep. I woke up refreshed. I made coffee, dogs were taken care of and I showered. Off to work I went. The radio did not disappoint. My drive time was 30 minutes. Not quite the usual, but close. It really is the small stuff that makes my day.
Little things make me happy. My qualifiers for a perfect day are small. That's true. I like it that way. It keeps things simple for me. And perfect. Almost perfect.
Monday, April 1, 2013
I'm That Age
This past week was spring break at my house. I initially had made grand plans of simplifying my house. Like to the extreme. But then the time actually arrived. And I wanted to sleep. And eat. And read. Without pressure. So I did.
I wasn't completely lazy. I was middle-lazy. And that's not all I am. Apparently I'm middle-aged, too. Ok, so it's not like I didn't really know that 46 is in the mid range of my time on earth. But you know how it goes. You feel like you are in your mid twenties on the inside. That is until you go to the doctor and start answering questions. Honestly. A little trouble sleeping? Yes. Hot at night? Yes. And the list went on. I won't bore you with the details. Well Ann, you are about that age.
And my reflexes were checked. Excellent for a person my age. That pain in my knee? No, we won't fix it for a while. Maybe some arthritis. Come on. And then the good news. Now that I have reached the age that I am without incident, I don't have to have certain tests done every year.
So I left the office relieved and having some mixed feelings. I'm entering a new age for sure. Two days later I had the every six week appointment I need to cover the plethora of grays emerging from my scalp. And then the event that hit me square between the eyes. I walked into a fine department store to find the miracle moisturizer. The one that will give me sun protection and make me look 20 years younger.
When I walked up to the counter a saleswoman approached me. I said I need a moisturizer. She said to address the fine lines in the corners of my eyes? No, I said. Oh, something to take care of the dark circles under your eyes. Not exactly, I said. Man, kick a girl when she's down. And along came another saleslady. Who is now my new best friend. Mostly because she was kinder and gentler. She did indeed find me the miracle moisturizer that will address all of my issues. And included in the package was some concealer. And we all have things to conceal. Especially me with my dark circles.
Tomorrow I go back to work. Rested? Check. Medically cleared? Check. Hair appropriately colored? Check. And wrinkles and dark circles diminishing? Check. At least I hope so. And if not, what do you expect? I am that age.
I wasn't completely lazy. I was middle-lazy. And that's not all I am. Apparently I'm middle-aged, too. Ok, so it's not like I didn't really know that 46 is in the mid range of my time on earth. But you know how it goes. You feel like you are in your mid twenties on the inside. That is until you go to the doctor and start answering questions. Honestly. A little trouble sleeping? Yes. Hot at night? Yes. And the list went on. I won't bore you with the details. Well Ann, you are about that age.
And my reflexes were checked. Excellent for a person my age. That pain in my knee? No, we won't fix it for a while. Maybe some arthritis. Come on. And then the good news. Now that I have reached the age that I am without incident, I don't have to have certain tests done every year.
So I left the office relieved and having some mixed feelings. I'm entering a new age for sure. Two days later I had the every six week appointment I need to cover the plethora of grays emerging from my scalp. And then the event that hit me square between the eyes. I walked into a fine department store to find the miracle moisturizer. The one that will give me sun protection and make me look 20 years younger.
When I walked up to the counter a saleswoman approached me. I said I need a moisturizer. She said to address the fine lines in the corners of my eyes? No, I said. Oh, something to take care of the dark circles under your eyes. Not exactly, I said. Man, kick a girl when she's down. And along came another saleslady. Who is now my new best friend. Mostly because she was kinder and gentler. She did indeed find me the miracle moisturizer that will address all of my issues. And included in the package was some concealer. And we all have things to conceal. Especially me with my dark circles.
Tomorrow I go back to work. Rested? Check. Medically cleared? Check. Hair appropriately colored? Check. And wrinkles and dark circles diminishing? Check. At least I hope so. And if not, what do you expect? I am that age.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Snakes
Isn't it crazy how something as simple as a picture can take you back in time? That's what happened for me this week. I was skimming through posts on Facebook. A friend had posted a picture of the snake that had taken shelter under the top of their grill. It was by all accounts not a big snake. The colors were pretty. And in that exact second that I looked at that picture, I shuddered.
I shuddered because I was transported from my current age of 46 back to a time when I was six. My grandparents had taken me to the zoo in Des Moines. I loved this place. There was a water fountain that was shaped like the head of a rhino. There were big and small animals. And best of all there were opportunities to interact with some of the smaller animals. One particular day I had the chance to get to know snakes. I was excited. This I remember clearly. There were probably twenty of us taking part in this hands on experience.
The zoo people told us what to expect. They asked us to leave some distance between us. And one by one we all got our very own small snake to hold. We were instructed as to the best and most respectful way to hold the snakes. They were smooth and wiggly. We were having a great time. And that's when it happened. A little girl in the row behind me was startled by the snake flicking it's tongue at her. She dropped her snake and screamed. And from then on it was like a nasty chain reaction. Her snake started skimming across the floor. Up over the sandaled feet of the kid next to her. Yep, he dropped his snake and screamed, too.
And it went from bad to worse. In seconds there was pandemonium. Lots of kids screaming. Lots of parents and grandparents yanking their kids to safety. Many little snakes probably looking for a safe place to hide. The zoo workers were frantically using these grabber devices to catch the terrified snakes. I was saved by my grandparents and the fear of snakes was instilled in me.
Fast forward to the library when Gracie was about five. This wonderful veterinarian who rescues injured animals gave a presentation. He brought with him several of these hurt and healed animals. One of the animals was a 14 foot python. Maybe longer. The vet slowly would weave his way through the aisles of children and parents to let them touch and love these animals. And here came my chance to show my fearless little woman child that her mama was strong. I thought about leaving to use the restroom. Or maybe he would just pass me by. And then Gracie reached out and touched this enormous snake. Mama, it's beautiful. Smooth, too. As this point I'm hyperventilating inside for sure. And at the same time trying to appear calm on the outside. Nodding my head like a fool. Trying not to open my mouth because we have been told to keep quiet out of respect for the animals. And if I open my mouth a scream will for sure escape.
And then the vet says in a calm and soothing voice, mom, she did it and so can you. He continues, I see you are afraid. The snake is more afraid of you than you are of it. Not possible, is what I say. And then he encourages me once again and I touch the snake. I'm not sure what happened after that. I think I blacked out. No I didn't. It was smooth. The vet said good job, mom. You made a good impression on your daughter today. I said, actually, she made a great impression on me.
Am I over this snake business? No. As evidenced by my reaction to the post this week. But this experience reminded me to take risks and face fears. As the saying goes, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.
I shuddered because I was transported from my current age of 46 back to a time when I was six. My grandparents had taken me to the zoo in Des Moines. I loved this place. There was a water fountain that was shaped like the head of a rhino. There were big and small animals. And best of all there were opportunities to interact with some of the smaller animals. One particular day I had the chance to get to know snakes. I was excited. This I remember clearly. There were probably twenty of us taking part in this hands on experience.
The zoo people told us what to expect. They asked us to leave some distance between us. And one by one we all got our very own small snake to hold. We were instructed as to the best and most respectful way to hold the snakes. They were smooth and wiggly. We were having a great time. And that's when it happened. A little girl in the row behind me was startled by the snake flicking it's tongue at her. She dropped her snake and screamed. And from then on it was like a nasty chain reaction. Her snake started skimming across the floor. Up over the sandaled feet of the kid next to her. Yep, he dropped his snake and screamed, too.
And it went from bad to worse. In seconds there was pandemonium. Lots of kids screaming. Lots of parents and grandparents yanking their kids to safety. Many little snakes probably looking for a safe place to hide. The zoo workers were frantically using these grabber devices to catch the terrified snakes. I was saved by my grandparents and the fear of snakes was instilled in me.
Fast forward to the library when Gracie was about five. This wonderful veterinarian who rescues injured animals gave a presentation. He brought with him several of these hurt and healed animals. One of the animals was a 14 foot python. Maybe longer. The vet slowly would weave his way through the aisles of children and parents to let them touch and love these animals. And here came my chance to show my fearless little woman child that her mama was strong. I thought about leaving to use the restroom. Or maybe he would just pass me by. And then Gracie reached out and touched this enormous snake. Mama, it's beautiful. Smooth, too. As this point I'm hyperventilating inside for sure. And at the same time trying to appear calm on the outside. Nodding my head like a fool. Trying not to open my mouth because we have been told to keep quiet out of respect for the animals. And if I open my mouth a scream will for sure escape.
And then the vet says in a calm and soothing voice, mom, she did it and so can you. He continues, I see you are afraid. The snake is more afraid of you than you are of it. Not possible, is what I say. And then he encourages me once again and I touch the snake. I'm not sure what happened after that. I think I blacked out. No I didn't. It was smooth. The vet said good job, mom. You made a good impression on your daughter today. I said, actually, she made a great impression on me.
Am I over this snake business? No. As evidenced by my reaction to the post this week. But this experience reminded me to take risks and face fears. As the saying goes, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Ya Big Tease
Really? One day it's sunny and smells like spring and the next it's snowing and ten below. I'm no stranger to weather changes. It's everywhere. I am in it every day. I can't help it. I have to get from point A to point B. There's no way around it. I do not live in some eco-dome that would let me enjoy the 60-70 degree temperatures every day. Nope. Not me.
I live right here in the midwest. The place that has season changes four times a year. The place where the weather predictors have a lot of wiggle room if you ask me. I once heard a prediction that went something like this, "today we will have highs in the 50s and lows in the teens. With winds from the southwest to the northeast ranging from ten to fifty miles an hour. Seriously? What a nice job. Pretty much guaranteed to hit and not miss on that one.
And yet I'll hang on every word spoken by these weather channelers when I wish the weather they are predicting to be true. Like right now. When I am so desperately wishing to throw open my windows and smell fresh air. I cannot wait to sleep with the windows open. Time to get that winter dust out of my lungs. Tomorrow is the first day of spring. Ha. With highs predicted to be in the upper teens to low twenties. Yuck. Spring? Ya big tease.
I live right here in the midwest. The place that has season changes four times a year. The place where the weather predictors have a lot of wiggle room if you ask me. I once heard a prediction that went something like this, "today we will have highs in the 50s and lows in the teens. With winds from the southwest to the northeast ranging from ten to fifty miles an hour. Seriously? What a nice job. Pretty much guaranteed to hit and not miss on that one.
And yet I'll hang on every word spoken by these weather channelers when I wish the weather they are predicting to be true. Like right now. When I am so desperately wishing to throw open my windows and smell fresh air. I cannot wait to sleep with the windows open. Time to get that winter dust out of my lungs. Tomorrow is the first day of spring. Ha. With highs predicted to be in the upper teens to low twenties. Yuck. Spring? Ya big tease.
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