11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Ownership
Wally's
Wally's is an oasis in the middle of pretty much nowhere. As a young adult, I remember being so grateful that it was there. It felt like my only lifeline to civilization amidst tractor crossings, open desert, and a severe lack of traffic lights and good shopping. Coming down the road, I knew I had nearly reached my destination once I saw Wally's which got me excited after a long drive, and I knew I was embarking on the most tiresome trip home once I had passed the place (not to mention I usually cried half the way home too). In essence, Wally's was the giver of joy and sadness--if a gas station can do so much. Some members of that family still live live in Logandale, so Wally's is definitely still on my places to go list.
To commemorate my love of freedom, especially the freedom to take roadies where ever I might go, I present Crush at Wally's.
For more information on the PTGS:
The Personhood of the Traveling Grape Soda
Boy Turns Man
I sent Mr. [C] Middle Schooler off to camp this morning and I am astonished at my reaction.The boy will be gone to camp for a week. That's not really the biggest problem. He was gone for a week up in the big woods last year. The ginormous deal about this drop off is that I dropped him off and will not be picking him up this time. Due to divorce and vacation schedules, he will go with his father for a week directly after camp is over which turns his week long camp into a two-week long catalyst for crying jags for me.
I sure kicked it off right too.
Just picture it-- there are 10-12 guys (boys and leaders) standing around in a near empty parking lot with the first light of dawn peaking out over the horizon, ready to go on an adventure in their tough looking troop shirts and cargo pants and hiking boots. Really, all the boys seemed to seamlessly fit in amongst the men even though a day before it wasn't so. As we pull into a parking spot, I look over at my son and he looks like a boy to me. He does. He looks like my little boy who needs me. But then, the transformation occurs as he steps out of the vehicle, heads over to the group, and evolves into a young version of the self-sufficient man he will become. Right there. In front of my eyes. This mother's heart could hardly contain itself, but it did it because what little man wants his mother crying like a blubbering idiot in front of all his friends and leaders? (I felt like I was experiencing that First Day of Kindergarten Moment I never had when it should have happened. I really do wish I could be more normal sometimes. This nonsense of saving things up for later is ridiculous.)
The thing that sent me over the edge: I had to get out of the car.
I had this most brilliant idea of writing him a surprise letter for his birthday which will be celebrated while at camp. The problematic part of the idea was in having to walk it over to his leader after the aforementioned unforeseen transformation. The walk in itself was fine, but then I had to communicate out loud--yet secretively--the reason for the letter and it was just too much. I barely got out of there alive. I sucked the tears from my heart up into my head and could hardly keep the flood gates up. I was fairly successful until I got back into the vehicle and had driven past eye shot of the group, but then the battle was over. Surrender to hot tears and self-pity overcame the fortress. For as long as he has been alive, we have never been apart for this length of time. I guess it's good practice for when he is grown.
What I'd like to know is how does a mother ever get used to this feeling of disconnection? While I astonished myself by getting so emotional today, I think I will astonish myself beyond description if I ever get used to my children being away from me for extended periods of time. I believe I see what I'm setting myself up for--I will love and teach them and send them out into the world like everyone else, but will always have a hole where they took a piece of my heart with them for their journey.
Needless to say, I don't know if I will ever survive these summer camps.
Afterword
Two beautiful things occurred in the midst of this moment.
First, I was shown great compassion by his leader as we spoke about the letter and pick up arrangements. The man isn't even a parent yet and cannot fully appreciate a mother perspective either, but I could feel his knowingness. This stands as a great consolation to me.
Second, as I was walking to the car to leave, Mr. [C] Middle Schooler somehow was not amongst his friends but was standing between me and the car. And he actually gave me a hug goodbye without being asked.
Sawyer's Big Day( 8 years in the making!!)
So I need to get back in the swing of things and start posting again. We have had a lot of big changes in our family and it's about time I share them with you all. The first of big events in our family happened back in October of 2009.I think we started the process in January and through lawyers and the courts everything just takes FOREVER!Rob officially adopted Sawyer!!! I remember sitting at the dinner table just a short time after Rob and I got married and Sawyer said, "Rob should I call you Rob or Dad?"Rob replied,"Whatever you want to Sawyer."From that day Sawyer called him both or Rob I mean Dad.If you ask Sawyer he knows no different Rob has been like a Dad to him since they have met.Sawyer will also tell you that they are exactly alike and then proceed to list everything the both like and have in common... hair is the samesame glassesboth like to eat-Ice creamSteakcold cerealcrabNascarFootballTransformers.And the list could go on!The night before the big day our family got together at Brick Oven and had dinner. We knew not everyone could make it the next morning. Grandpa and Grandma Adams couldn't make it they were taking cows to Colorado for the winter. We tried to reschedule but once again the courts are impossible and it would have 2 more months.
Sawyer with his Grandpa and Grandma Bushman and his Great Grandma Fisher.
Grandma Fischer and Sawyer
Most of Sawyer's cousins on my side of the family.Jaxon, Boston, Sawyer, Cy, Kelson, Bently, Taytem, Brielle,Gerhig, Quincey, Cassie and Gus.
We had Judge Hansen, and he was great. He asked Sawyer if he wanted Rob to adopted him and if he wanted his last name changed to Adams. Sawyer said yes but was very nervous. The Judge also told Sawyer how lucky he was to be adopted by such a great guy! Next the Judge went on to ask Rob a lot of questions. He then went on to say what a great guy Rob must be and is to adopt Sawyer. But we all know Rob is anyways don't we!!! Then we were able to shake his hand and take some pictures with him. Judge Hansen told Rob again that he was very proud of him for "stepping up the plate" as he put it. He said that it was one of his favorite days because most days are negative as where ours was such a positive.
Maddux, Sawyer, and Trail
All of our wonderful family that could come to support us on such a big day!!I don't have any pictures but Sawyer was able to go spend the rest of the day with his Grandpa at work. Grandpa's work if you don't already know consists of BYU sports. Sawyer first went to basketball practice and hung out with the team. He was able to go on the court and shot around with all the big guys. Next it was off to football practice where Coach Mendenhall shook his hand and congratulated him on being adopted and signed a helmet for him. He was also congratulated by Coach Doman who told him all of his kids were adoptive and he knew just how special the day was for Sawyer. But I think the highlight was when Coach asked him what position he played in football and then sent Sawyer off with those guys to run drill and practice the rest of the time with.I sure think it was one day Sawyer will never forget!!
Taytem's Circus/Carnival Party!!( Feburary 21, 2010)
For Taytem's 2nd Birthday we had a Circus/Carnival theme party!I got these cute custom invitations online at http://www.blogger.com/www.etsy.com each one of thekids got their own ticket to the party.
Taytem with her favorite gift- a doll and stroller from her aunt and uncle and cousins.
We stared out with a "Photo Booth" photo op when you first came in the house. We had balloons to hold and clown noses to wear! I had a Polaroid camera we started using until it jammed and we couldn't get it to work. Oh well!
We had LARGE ENORMOUS balloons and this cute flag banner I made.
Sawyer and Taytem opening her presents. (Sorry it's blurry)
Sawyer was so excited to wear his clown nose can you tell!!
For party favors we had a candy buffet table and everyone got a bag to load up on the candy!!
Candy buffet table
We had so much candy leftover I was passing it out to the neighbors.
Taytem and her flower made by Dot the Clown!! She was great and also painted faces.Taytem was not into the face painting.
Taytem's birthday cake, I tried to make. We didn't eat it, it was just for looks.
Brielle getting her face paint by Dot the Clown. We also had carnival games for the kids to play, hot dogs, hamburgers, and fresh made popcorn!
Marcus and Jake (Taytem's hot cousins!)
Maycee and Brooke(Taytem's half sister and cousin)
Side note: We had just moved in the night before to our new house. We were up all night trying to get the house ready for the party. Slightly crazy but it was fun.
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Seeking to Become - July 2012
All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
Job 27:3-5
Lately, I have been thinking a great deal on integrity and what this looks like as a daily practice. When we care for others enough that we will be honest with them especially when the cost to ourselves is great, that is integrity. When we keep negative news about others to ourselves even when everyone else might be gossiping, that is integrity. When we work to eradicate bad habits that are even fractionally dishonest, we are building our integrity. When we give credit where credit is due in collaboration, we build our integrity.
These are only a few examples of integrity to get us started. This month's challenge is to look to Job's example in order to seek where we can fortify our integrity and celebrate the integrity we already have cultivated within ourselves.
As the month goes on, I hope you might add to the list of examples either in the comments section here, send me a tweet if you can't comment on the blog, comment on The Purple Lady Facebook Page, or simply write it down somewhere you can see it. My hope is that we can help each other recognize where we can improve by sharing our different perspectives on real life situations.
Vision Blurred
the breeze softly brushing across my face,
along with every message I received.
But you were not there, even though a vision occurred
and wishes on stars should have sealed our fate.
I was left longing for a word from you, more.
You were caught up in staring at a closed door,
Yes, a closed and locked up tight door
to which you could not truly want the key.
Floating past the last opportunity to finally have the best of me,
the song within our melody takes me to a place of mixed up tears--
glad, grateful, grieving-- all intertwined.
Take my hand in yours. See me standing across your line.
Reach the stars together is the last I'll ask you to do
because in all of life's landscapes, you are part of my view.
The Fire Hydrant
In the midst of endless blistering hot summer days, the fire hydrant is the keeper of the key to an entirely magical and wonderfully fantastical world where once irritatingly bothersome and bored little children morph into dazzlingly delightsome and animated munchkins whose laughs are just the right volume, wet clothes somehow are the best sort to have on (even though in the normal world one spot of wet would demand a complete change of outfit), and no sibling could ever be imagined to be inclined to bite, hit, call a foul name or kick another, which of course inclines every mother who ever lived for even one beautiful moment of time in the land of The Fire Hydrant to yearn for and always have a treasured place in her heart for when they all dwelt together in peace, love, and harmony while the roar of the blasting water drowned out the momentarily eternal giggles of running, splashing, lovely, happy darlings who are now firmly planted in the land of dry, hot, miserable, you're a stupid head meanie and I hate you until the day arrives when the water authority needs to run another water test.
Source: twowritingteachers.wordpress.com via The Purple on PinterestWally's
Wally's is an oasis in the middle of pretty much nowhere. As a young adult, I remember being so grateful that it was there. It felt like my only lifeline to civilization amidst tractor crossings, open desert, and a severe lack of traffic lights and good shopping. Coming down the road, I knew I had nearly reached my destination once I saw Wally's which got me excited after a long drive, and I knew I was embarking on the most tiresome trip home once I had passed the place (not to mention I usually cried half the way home too). In essence, Wally's was the giver of joy and sadness--if a gas station can do so much. Some members of that family still live live in Logandale, so Wally's is definitely still on my places to go list.
To commemorate my love of freedom, especially the freedom to take roadies where ever I might go, I present Crush at Wally's.
For more information on the PTGS:
The Personhood of the Traveling Grape Soda
Found Words
Words come out all tangled--quite the little gems.
Conversations gone so very wrong and wild.
Roughly lovely intrigue upon which was smiled.
Confusing contradictions have this way of attracting
A flurry of fierce interjections that are perplexing.
How does one comprehend incomprehensible
imaginations of an impossible love?
Gifted kindness casts out every thought of judgment,
creating piqued infatuation that's enough.
Enough to drive all lovers clear out of their heads.
Enough to force any cougar out of the den.
Thinking along lines of lunacy,
sweet threats in friendship found
a way into those words you see.
There is neither rhyme nor a reason
when I pause to think on all of it,
lost in deficits of cohesion.
7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
The COMPOSERS' SHOWCASE (The Smith Center)
The COMPOSERS' SHOWCASEis presented this eveningMay 16at 10:30PM(doors open at 9:30Cabaret JazzThe Boman PavilionatThe Smith Center351 Symphony Park Ave.Las Vegas, NV 89106
featuring the songs of:Angela ChanKelly Clinton-HomesAmos GlickChristine HudmanE.J and Michael LackeyAaron MacKenzieMichael ManleyAaron RamseyKeith ThompsonMark Wherryand special guestClint Homes
more information:www.thecomposersshowcase.com
BONNIE'S OLD WEST MUSICAL REVUE
BONNIE'SOLD WEST MUSICAL REVUE
Bonnie’s OLD WEST MUSICAL REVUEreaches back to the golden age of“Vaudeville” theater to bring you a showpacked with side-splitting humor andgood old-fashioned fun.
Bring your appetite! A chuck wagondinner and full bar are availablethroughout the evening (sold separately).
Every Saturday and SundayMay 26 - Aug. 26Doors open at 6:15PMRagtime Sing-Along starts at 6:30PMMain Show stars shortly after
In the saloon at Bonnie Springs Ranch16395 Bonnie Springs RoadBlus Diamond, NV 89004
more information:http://oldwestmusical.com/BOWMR/Home.html
Taytem's Teeth
Taytem finally has gotten her teeth(yea!) After many miserable days and night the first tooth broke through. Last Monday I was holding her and she put my finger in her mouth and starting chewing. I was shocked to feel that she had #2 tooth, hopefully they all come that way when we can't tell they are coming. It makes it so much easier on all of us! She loves to chew on anything she can get a hold of especially someones finger (watch out she can chomp hard)
Taytem's Circus/Carnival Party!!( Feburary 21, 2010)
For Taytem's 2nd Birthday we had a Circus/Carnival theme party!I got these cute custom invitations online at http://www.blogger.com/www.etsy.com each one of thekids got their own ticket to the party. Taytem with her favorite gift- a doll and stroller from her aunt and uncle and cousins.
We stared out with a "Photo Booth" photo op when you first came in the house. We had balloons to hold and clown noses to wear! I had a Polaroid camera we started using until it jammed and we couldn't get it to work. Oh well! We had LARGE ENORMOUS balloons and this cute flag banner I made.
Sawyer and Taytem opening her presents. (Sorry it's blurry)
Sawyer was so excited to wear his clown nose can you tell!! For party favors we had a candy buffet table and everyone got a bag to load up on the candy!!
Candy buffet table
We had so much candy leftover I was passing it out to the neighbors. Taytem and her flower made by Dot the Clown!! She was great and also painted faces.Taytem was not into the face painting.
Taytem's birthday cake, I tried to make. We didn't eat it, it was just for looks.
Brielle getting her face paint by Dot the Clown. We also had carnival games for the kids to play, hot dogs, hamburgers, and fresh made popcorn!
Marcus and Jake (Taytem's hot cousins!)
Maycee and Brooke(Taytem's half sister and cousin) Side note: We had just moved in the night before to our new house. We were up all night trying to get the house ready for the party. Slightly crazy but it was fun.