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She begged me to take her outside this morning because she wanted to "get a wish!"

Monday, Monday

Yeah, it's one of those kind of days. So much to do...that freezing time super power would really come in handy right now. Although, I would probably just use it to take a nap.

With Son #1's birthday over the weekend, I really fell behind.  Plus, he needed Zimbabwean sweet potato cookies for school today (hence the mixing bowl in the foreground with remnants of orange goo everywhere...yes, I grated one pound of yams by hand).  My other grandma has been in the hospital for 9 days.  She's having exploratory surgery in a few minutes.  A dear cousin of mine is in ICU after suffering an extreme heart attack.  They almost lost him.  We've had two deaths in the church family this week, so this sink full of dishes is the least of my concerns.

To keep up the complaining rhythm, I got pretty frustrated at the grocery store this morning.  All the good cashiers were either off or on break so I had to get in Pat's line.  There's a reason I avoid Pat.  Today, she looked at and analyzed each coupon I used.  I'm not sure if my coupon usage was putting her out or if she simply didn't trust that I actually bought the items I had coupons for.  Either way, it really began to frustrate me. Plus, I had two people in line behind me who were growing impatient.  I almost turned around to apologize, but then realized I wasn't doing anything wrong.  It was the cashier who was being a feminine cleansing product.  (Sorry, still can't quite use that word.)  When one of my coupons didn't scan, she started digging through my bags, looking for the item.  She found it, then put it back.  Then, she went to her monitor and scrolled up and down the list for at least a full minute.  I couldn't quite understand the problem and I was feeling like I was being  put on trial.  I'm someone who shops at that store every week and have for years.  I'm not trying to misuse coupons for things I didn't purchase.  If I did try that, the coupons wouldn't scan.  Just scan them and move on, Pat!

Finally, I left the store, steam escaping my ears over one coupon that they wouldn't let me use.  But when I stepped outside to breathe the fresh, flower-scented, springtime air, I was immediately refreshed.  So, Monday can just bite my booty.  I'm moving on!  :)

What has defined your Monday so far today?

Ode to a Son

I feel like I am at the end of an era.  Today is my last day ever to have four little children.  You see, tomorrow, my oldest becomes a teenager.  Just saying that makes me feel so incredibly old.  I feel like I should still be in my 20s, should still have brown hair, and should be carrying around little babies.  Son #1 was a smart, adorable, and funny little guy.  He was bald til he was two and made the funniest faces.  Now, he text girls, "hangs out" instead of playing with toys, and only wants to shop at American Eagle.  He would not be very happy if I called him by his childhood nickname, Bubba, in front of his friends.  Baby Girl still calls him Bubby, which secretly thrills me.

So, as I say goodbye to his childhood, I feel like I'm saying goodbye to my youth too.  But it's really not the end of an era, it's the beginning of a new one.  I no longer have to change his diapers or wipe his rear end; I don't have to pick him up to put him in a car seat.  I don't have to cut up his food at mealtimes and I don't have to comfort him in the middle of the night when he has a bad dream.  Those are happy milestones as well as pleasant remembrances of the past.  I wouldn't trade my memories for anything but I'm going to happily embark on a new phase in life.

Next weekend, he's having a group of boys over to play basketball and corn hole while cooking campfire pizzas and hot dogs outside.  His best friend is 16 and as tall as my husband.  His name is David, but I call him Goliath.  He towers over my kid, who has not yet had his adolescent growth spurt.  He's a good boy who told me he would always take care of my son.  I'm thankful for him.

I made a fancy invitation for his party.  No, he hasn't been lucky enough to participate in the NBA's Slam Dunk Contest.  This is just as good though, right?

I need a tremendous bout of wisdom to keep up with this gray hair and aging children.  I need to stop and smell the roses because I'll be blogging about being a grandmother before I know it.  OK, now I'm seriously depressed!  :)

Sleep-deprived parents of babies and toddlers, enjoy them as much as you possibly can today!  Tomorrow will be here soon enough!

WWTK

I know I haven't been a good blogger lately.  As I say every year in the Spring, this is my busy time.  Please bear with me and I will be a better poster when all of my crazy commitments are over!  WWTK makes posting so easy because the topic is already decided for me.  So, I'll participate today, even though my house is a total wreck!  (Dear OCD friends, if you have nothing to do, come on over here...there's plenty to be found at my house!)

And yes, I know I really need to change my snowy background.  But who has the time???  Actually, it's snowing here today anyway, so I feel rather justified in my procrastination.

In the middle of LIFE is one big IF...so this weeks questions are all about the IF...

{one} If you had to be trapped in a TV show for a month, which show would you choose?

I would have to say 30 Rock.  I would really enjoy hanging out on the set of a television show.  And being in New York for a month- things could be a lot worse!  My second choice was The Office.  I could totally hang out with Jim and Pam for a month. 

{two} If you could be guaranteed one thing in life besides money, what would you ask for?

That's an easy one for me.  I would ask for all of my kids to turn out to be successful, happy in marriage, and living moral lives.  It's my greatest hope in the world....so much more important than money.

{three} If you had to name the most terrifying event in your life thus far, what would it be?

Terrifying?  I've had some bad moments in life, but I don't know if I would describe any of them as terrifying.  I guess I was pretty terrified when I was 17 and my mom had some major health problems.  I didn't know if she was going to make it.  That was pretty scary.

{four} If you could possess one supernatural ability, what would it be?

I would definitely choose the ability to freeze time.  There are so many days that I just need a lot more of it.  

{five} If you could "uninvent" one thing in the world, so that it would no longer exist, what would you choose?

Pornography.  Is that an invention?  Probably not, since it's been around forever.  But I would wipe it totally out if I could.  I would also like to un-invent computer viruses.  Wow, how annoying are those?

Fun questions today!  If you'd like to link up with Mamarazzi and Crazymama, they'd love to have you as part of We Want to Know Wednesdays.  

WWTK

I'm trying this from my phone so I don't have all my links handy. If you want to link up, please visit an old WWTK post for the details.

{1} What is your favorite easter tradition?
With my grandma recently passing away, I'm reminded of the Easter gift hunt she did every year. She purchased the same number of presents for each grand kid and wrapped them all in different papers Sometimes my wrapping was comic paper, sometimes tissue paper. She hid the gifts around the house or yard and we all hunted for them. We knew that every year, one of our gifts would be a can of Pringles. That was the ultimate in Easter gifts!

{2} Tell us about your easter meal.
My aunt's ham, mom's noodles, grandpa's corn, my sweet potatoes, salad, bread, and my aunt's pies. All with sweet tea, of course.

{3} Do you decorate for easter?
I barely decorated for Christmas last year! Once upon a time, when I only had a couple kids...

{4} Your easter basket is not complete without....
Cadbury Eggs. There is no other Easter candy. Leave the jelly beans and Peeps at home, please.

{5} Are you getting an easter dress?
I bought a black jacket with white polka-dots from Forever 21. I will wear it with a skinny, red belt. I actually wore it to the wedding a couple weeks ago. That's cheating, I know!

Relaxing, Enjoying Life

This is where I ate breakfast this morning. I'm resting in a beautiful cabin for a much-needed vacation. Feeling renewed...