I Wish My Eyes Could Take Photos.....

I really haven’t wanted to write a Christmas Blog this year. I haven’t wanted to send Christmas cards. I didn’t take a Family Christmas Picture. My basic thoughts have been….just get through it ! Then my friend said he had been checking my blog and noticed there hadn’t been any new posts. I thought about that a while and this is what I came up with….

I recently acquired a new camera. A camera that I can’t seem to work. A camera that is waaayyy beyond my expertise. Then I saw a quote the other day that said, “I wish my eyes could take photos”. If they could...this is what you would see……

It’s late. We’ve been traveling for hours and we’ve finally arrived. We come stumbling in, greeted by mom, no makeup, two pink sponge rollers on either side of her face, nightgown with some sort of big shirt thrown over it. She’s in the kitchen before we barely get in the door. Food adorns the countertops. Snacks, desserts, bags of food are everywhere. She’s immediately asking the boys if they are hungry, ready to whip up a feast at the drop of a hat. Dad comes stumbling in (he’s been in bed since 9:00). We start to visit as if we aren’t going to be there for the next few days. The hours creep on before we all head to bed.

We awake to the smell of whatever mom has on her menu: homemade cinnamon rolls, gravy & biscuits, egg casserole….you never know what but it’s always good. Boys are everywhere...their bodies seem to sprawl across every open space (there are so many of them). The ladies clean up then take over all the bathrooms in the house. Good luck if you take a shower and the water is actually hot.

Everyone heads to the mall to do last minute shopping, it’s Christmas Eve & we’re almost out of time. Hours tick away & we rush home to get dressed and we’re off to our tradition of eating out on Christmas Eve (yes...we get a break from cooking). Christmas Eve Service follows, we sing about the Christ child, we take communion, & we are once again reminded of what this Season is all about.

Family pics are taken after...we are the last ones to leave the church. This seems to be a lifelong thing for our family. We have to be the last ones out. Lol We arrive at home to mom’s homemade eggnog. There is ABSOLUTELY nothing better. Like drinking homemade ice cream. Mom also makes the BEST grilled cheese. I still can’t do it like her.

After everyone invades the kitchen and is filled to the brim we are suppose to head downstairs to the basement. We are a loud, opinionated, loud, hard to carouse, loud, fun, loud, talkative, LOUD family. This adventure to the basement seems to take hours before everyone is on the same page and downstairs. Mom is armed with the camera & is busy snapping any & every memory making moment.

Dad & mom have typically prepared games, or contests, or riddles & rhymes, for this part of the evening which involves gift giving. It’s fun and crazy...oh and did I mention LOUD ? Pictures are taken...memories made. After kisses and hugs and thank you’s we finally make our way to bed.

Christmas Day involves a lot of cooking, cleaning up and washing of the fine china ! The table is beautiful, everyone is dressed better than normal, and the food is worth the wait. This day is typically low key. Guys play pool, throw a football outside, a puzzle is put together (a yearly tradition), ads are read, talking is plentiful, and it’s a great day of family.

I started this blog with, “I wish my eyes could take photo’s”. Apparently, they already have and it’s been engraved on my heart forever. Beautiful memories…..life long treasures !

Wishing You and Your Family The Same...
Merry Christmas from Me to You =)

Snapshots !

Surprise. Tears. Engagement. Excitement. Shopping. Planning. Teamwork. Decisions. Stress. Coordinating. Expenses. Anticipating. Reflecting. Love. Joy. Forever.

What a journey. If you survive this process, you feel like you can survive anything. LoL Little do you realize at the time, it’s just the beginning of going through this same process over and over and over again. Life.

It’s hard as a mom not to reflect. To think of your son as that same little boy who use to sway back and forth to the beat of the music coming out of a ghetto box. (age 12 months) Time flies as you watch your kids growing up right before your very eyes.

I’m sure my parents felt the same way….although I really don’t remember it that way. I vividly remember the day of my wedding my mom blowing my eyes (telling me not to cry or it would mess up my makeup) and my dad asking me at the top of the aisle (right as we were getting ready to make our entrance) if I wanted to back out ? Not because he was unsure, he just wanted to make sure I was. NOT the time for a daddy/daughter moment to say the least….haha

This has been a year we won’t likely forget any time soon. Memories…. some good, some bad, some sad….. The wedding will be no different. We will take mental snapshots throughout the entire process and it will be filed away in our hearts forever. I’ll share just a few with you.

In light of those special people (grandparents) who can’t be with us for this special day…..my sisters will enter, escorted by my dad, carrying a single rose to represent my mom. The same will happen with Doug’s sisters representing their mom, and the same for Aubrey’s side of the family. The roses will be placed on the front pew, set aside to honor those we love who cannot be with us. Snapshot.

Aubrey opted to use the wedding cake topper from my parents wedding, over 51 years old. We also used this topper on our wedding cake. It’s now being passed to the third generation (mom would be beaming). There are no magical powers in that topper…..but just a representation of the foundation these marriages were built on and hopefully are being passed along. They will also be using the goblets from our wedding, 27 years old. CHEERS kids. Snapshot.

There are several articles being used that were my moms. When we were going through her things we found a brand new “serving set” for a wedding cake along with 4 sets of brand new silverware. We weren’t sure if she had started putting back gifts for the grandkids or not. (they are being put to good use, mom). There are several brand new picture frames, doily table coverings, old small lanterns, a face duster that was given to her on her graduation day…still in the box with a card. We are using all of these items. While she may not physically be with us, her presence will be felt everywhere. Snapshot.

I’m sure there will be many more snapshots……when Jordan first see’s Aubrey…when I see Jordan standing there like the adult man he is….when they are announced as husband and wife……their first dance……the daughter/dad and mother/son dance…..family……..

Memories. Laughter. Tears. Reflecting. Relaxing. Welcoming. Peace. Joy. Love. Forever.

Snapshots !

Things That Really Matter......

I've been teased by my family for qutie some time about not saving stuff. If it isn't nailed down, you just might find it in the trash. That doesn't mean I don't save anything...that just means I don't save everything. I'm sure alot of that has come from not having alot of room, no basement, and having to climb in attics or storage units where rats just wait for my arrival. LOL

I tend to keep things of significance. I thought it might be fun to open up my little "trunk of treasures" and share a few with you.

A Disney Bracelet: a friend brought this back to me in fifth grade. When you open the book that's a charm, a tri-fold piece of paper with Disney Characters pops out. Sjignificance: besides our friendship, the night she gave this to me my entire famiy nearly died. Unbeknownst to us, the water heater in our house had a pipe that rusted off and we had been breathing carbon monoxide for quite some time. The doctor told us if it had been even a few more hours, we all would have died. I will never forget that night. The bracelet reminds me of friendship and life.

A Pearl Heart Pendant: My Grandma Woods gave all us girls a pearl, heart broche from my great grandmother. Significance: not only a family heirloom but since Grandma only had boys, the first experience for her passing on something to "daughters"...even if it was granddaughters.

Tiara: Jr. High Homecoming Queen. Significance: The first time I realized I just might be able to break out of my "shell of shyness" and be the out going, friend loving, person I wanted to be. A huge confidence booster for me at age 14.

Promise Ring: Given to me by my first boyfriend, first love. A very special person who practically raised me. I started dating him when I was 14 and dated him off and on for about 3 1/2 years. Significance: I kept it tucked away to give to my daughter when she turned 13 (a teenager) to talk about dating, love, purity, etc... About two years ago (when I finally decided I wouldn't be able to give it away) I pulled it out of it's ring box and wear it on my pinkie. Fond memories of fun times in my life.

Nugget Necklace: Given to me by my dad. My first year in college, me & my older sister were going at the same time and dad said Christmas might be a little "light". He always gave us a gift just from him. That Christmas he had all his rings melted down and had nuggets made for all the ladies in the family and had one of his stones put in each one. Significance: Always reminding me of sacrificial love. At times when I lived far away, I would have that necklace on, and when I was feeling homesick, I would just reach up and hold onto that nugget. Amazing the comfort a gift can bring.

Smile File: When we started ministry at 22, we went to a conference and heard this lady speak. Ministry isn't easy...EVER. She was encouraging us and she told us to make a "smile file". Every time someone sent us a note of something good we did, put it in the file. On the days when people were just being a pain in the butt (my paraphrase of course) pull out the cards and read them. We've had one ever since. I still put cards in there even though we left ministry a while ago. Significance: Everyone needs to be reminded of the good things they do every once in a while.

Cross Bracelet: My moms cross bracelet. I really don't know how much she wore it but when we were going through her stuff, I found it in her jewelry box. Significance: Besides it just being hers, the crosses remind me of how she lived her life. Such a symbol of her. I wear it every day....somehow it makes me feel I take a part of her with me wherever I go.

These are just a few of my treasures. I don't know about you but daily life and all the pettiness that comes with it, sometimes makes me lose focus of the important things, things that really matter. Treasures that have helped me grow and become the person I am today. People who have occupied or just passed through my life, all contributing some sort of significance thats made me.....me ! If nothing else, I hope this blog makes you stop, take a moment, and think about all the things that matter most in your life. You won't regret it =) Love ya !!

The Boycott

I live in a very suburban area. The houses are built close together with barely enough yard space between them to have grass to sink your toes into. In fact, I’m fairly certain if I opened my window, I could reach out and wash the windows of my neighbor, if I felt so inclined to do so. We aren’t talking “Little House On The Prairie” here…where animals would have miles of land to roam free. With that scenario, you would expect varmints.

So WHY, OH WHY am I living in Animal Kingdom ? I dealt with a rat in my attic for close to 6 months before anyone would believe me and do something about it. Over a week now I’ve been dodging HUMAN SIZED lizards who won’t leave my tiny suburban yard, camping out on my patio furniture (so I won’t go outside and read) and NOW, I was awakened at 4:00 this morning to some sort of plastic wrap chewing, hopping around, moving animal, either in my vent, under my bed or outside of my window. It started to sound like “surround sound” so it’s hard to tell.

Typical routine ensued…I listened…and listened some more (just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming or wasn’t crazy..lol) Then I punched Doug, said “ssshhhh”….then NOTHING. “Wait…wait………..THERE it is, did you hear ?” Doug “No”. We repeat this routine. Me…hearing it VERY loudly. Deaf man…hearing nothing. (you would think after our last rat adventure he would just accept “I’m right”…there’s something there and at this point even pretend to hear it….cause LORD KNOWS we aren’t going back to sleep until HE HEARS IT !!!!) He storms off to the bathroom (because I woke him up for nothing) and I’m left alone in the room, glued to my bed, being tormented by this animal that is hopping, dragging plastic, chewing….to the point I’m literally breaking out in a sweat.

Let’s stop for a second here and discuss, “why do some animals only come out at night”. BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY AREN’T INVITED AND SHOULD NOT BE HERE ! When we lived in Arizona…animals just owned the place. I arrived home one day to wild hogs crossing the street, came around and they were hanging out at the fence in my back yard (these were big enough to ride). Coyotes often frequented the flower beds and they weren’t intimidated by you. Tarantula’s glued themselves to the walls outside..no inhibition…no hiding. Jack Rabbits….not cute little bunnies…invading your flowers…they didn’t care if you saw them. Oh well. Javelina’s out and about. You expected that these kids owned the place and were just allowing you to live there. Don’t bother them and they will not torment you and let you live.

HERE…things are creeeeepy ! Always in the dark, or lurking around. Hiding in your ceiling, or walls. Waking up innocent women who just want to sleep in peace.

After an “animated exchange of words” I grabbed my pillow and left to sleep in the den. The boycott has begun. Envision picket signs being made, “heck no, I won’t stay, make the animals go away” ! Negotiations will be on the table….some haggling will take place….but I will not sleep in that bedroom another day until we’ve reached a “peace treaty” (meaning….FIND THE VARMINTS AND GET RID OF THEM) !!

If I wanted to live at a zoo, I would. End of story! =)

"I'll Love You Forever......."

“I’ll love you forever….I’ll like you for always….as long as I’m living….my baby you’ll be.” I remember the first time I ever heard this quote (from the book “I’ll Love You Forever”)…I cried like a baby. What a way to rip a mom’s heart out. Especially a mom of boys.

What is it about the last one leaving home that just seems to put you in a tail spin? In just a few short days my baby is leaving the nest, flying the coop, heading north, leaving the cave…well, you get it. Tan is special…not just because he’s the baby, but he’s also the child who has lived with me the longest completely by himself. Four years…no one to share the daily attention with. All eyes focused on him.

We’ve also had to become a “team”. Right after Tyler left…Doug started traveling. A LOT ! That left me & Tan at home alone…A LOT ! He went from a dominant male house to just me & him. In the beginning, we had a lot of “quiet & painful” dinners out…just the two of us. Weird for two people who are use to a lot of noise, sarcasm, talking, and sharing at the table. But somehow, through it all, we’ve become buds.

Instead of writing a weepy and whiney blog about how sad I am, I decided I would share a few things I love about Tanner.

~I love that in 8th grade he got signed up for long distance track (had never ran track before) & instead of giving up as he got lapped by all the runners, he trotted by the stands, waved to the crowd, & flashed his pearly whites. The stands loved it.
~I love that he is so competitive. (I also hate that he’s so competitive..haha)
~I love that he took a negative “obsessive compulsive disorder” and turned it into a positive. He decided if he was going to be compulsive it might as well be about something healthy. He exercises religiously and has the biceps to prove it =)
~I love that whatever he puts his mind to; he finds success by doing his best.
~I love that he takes pride in his work.
~I love that he’s never missed curfew, I’ve never had to monitor his grades, nor his money.
~I love that when I was told I was losing my job in the school district and came home crying uncontrollably, he never asked a word, but walked over and put his arm around me while I cried.
~I love that whenever I showed up at school, for any event, he would come over and hang out, chat, and acknowledge my presence.
~I love that he could care less what others think about his relationship with his parents.
~I love that he loves hanging out with his brothers more than anybody else in his life.
~I love that you never have to guess what he’s thinking. Just wait 45 seconds and he will tell you. =)
~I love that after the boys arrived at my parent’s house, after mom died, he was the first son to walk over and put his arm around me. He also does this quite often in church on Sundays (one of my hardest days).
~I love that he’s not ashamed of what he believes and “walks the walk” to prove it.
~I love that he loves God and understands the importance He is in his life.
~I love that right after mom’s death, just a week later, he had to pull off being the lead in the school musical…and he did it.
~I love that every night, at curtain call; he would take his bow then throw a kiss to heaven. (I hope Sanma got a glimpse…just once)
~I love that 18+ years ago God decided I needed just one more boy
~I love that he told us (in so many words) that he’s going to miss us
~I love YOU….Tanner Austin Brodess and will miss you very much <3

Kids bring us joy. They change us. They challenge us. They turn our lives upside down and we often don’t remember life before them. They are the greatest blessing I’ve ever been given. I am one blessed momma.

The Journey To "I Do"....Part 2

I've rarely witnessed this sight in all the years I've raised my boys. Maybe if we were visiting the grandparents, we would take a family outing to the mall, just to "do something". Walk the mall, spend the money the grandparents had given them, then go home. My boys aren't much on shopping. Jordan and Tanner ONLY like to go if they have money and are looking for something in particular. Ty could care less if he has money and quite frankly, rarely is looking for something. He hates to shop, could care less about trends or if he's in style...haha (I'm not sure "how" they are related to me =)

Today, we had several tasks at hand: shopping for Groomsmen pants (a daunting task by now), Ty shopping for dress clothes for work, and Tan was there to try stuff on and look for some college attire. This really should have been 3 separate trips...but I had to take what I could get.

Ty found a few things,purchased & immediately began complaining that "this is 'why' he doesn't buy clothes. They are too much money" ..haha I tried to tell him if he bought a little "here & there" he wouldn't have to drop a wad all at once. In other words, don't wait 4 yrs. to update your closet...haha He REALLY needs to catch a low-maintenance kind of girl =)

Tan didn't fall in love with anything and was relatively finished after the first store =) OH BOY !! This is going to be fun.

And then we have Jordan...who has been shopping for Groomsmen pants for a while now. It's alot of work when you don't want to go "traditional" at your wedding and just rent tuxes. The process went like this: the brothers would try on pants, Jord would take a pic, text the pic to Aubrey..then wait for approval. This is where it gets interesting...haha

(The men in my house have pretty much ruled my home. It's a dominate testosterone driven house. I either make a fuss...everyone begrudges me my wishes...hates it & shows it...then I find it really wasn't worth it after all.)Now a new female is going to be entering the ranks. Not just a girlfriend...but a permanent fixture. Whatever are they going to do ? haha

They tried on several pairs of pants but nothing seemed to work. Jord is frustrated, but not talking about it, and Tyler, in all the tact that he can muster, blurts out, "don't you get a say about your own guys clothes? I mean, isn't that YOUR ONE thing?" aaahahahahaha Holding back outlandish laughing was the hardest thing I've ever done. I believe Jord's response was something like, "just wait Tyler until you are in a REAL relationship, and you have to make someone else happy besides yourself." hahaha Me & Tyler just snicker behind his back =)

This is when you realize your "boy" has grown into a "man"....when he realizes that getting married will mean compromise, pleasing, bending, changing your mind, not always getting your way, and keeping what's important....important.

And as for me...I begin to realize that "the odds, may soon be in my favor." =) LOL
BOO-YAH !!!!

In The Moment......

How many times have you done something "in the moment" and then later looked back and thought, "what the heck was I doing?" I know I've done it far too many times to count.

Today, my friend at work was sharing about a lady who has two brain tumors. Of course this brought up a discussion about my mom. There's very little I can tell you about those traumatic days that has any humor to it....but today I shared a humorous "moment" with her and thought you might get a kick out of it too.

Let me back up first. I don't know how many of you who read my blogs knew my mom. She was a refined lady. I don't mean "snooty" if that's what you're thinking. More like...classic. She never left the house without being "put together". Right before I got married I remember her telling me to "get up every day, get yourself dressed, makeup, hair, the works. If you don't make yourself worth coming home to, Doug will find somebody else who will". I've never forgotten that ! LOL In my lifetime, I can count maybe 15 times I didn't see my mom get up and get herself made for the day. And most of those times she was sick or recovering from surgery.

She would come up to the hospital shortly after I had given birth and after visiting, hugging and cooing over the baby for a while, she would look at me and say, "do you want to put on a little makeup?" haha Somehow I would appease her with at least putting on ome lipstick. =) She seemed to think that makeup makes you feel better..or at the least...makes you look better =)

Over the years our family has talked alot aobut funerals, deaths, etc..Probably because we attended so many with dad being a Pastor. We talked about what we did and didn't like. Since mom's death happened so quickly, we basically walked around in a blur the first 48 hours, trying to put her funeral together. Mom had said for years "I don't want an open casket". I don't think in her wildest dreams did she ever think she would die young. In fact, my grandma (her mom) is still alive. She always said, "I don't want people coming to look at me after I've been sick. I won't even look like myself and everyone will come by and just gawk". We took this into consieration but because of the suddenness of her death, dad decided on the night we went to the viewing that he was going to have an open casket. He felt this would help bring closure for people. Besides, she looked just like herself. They did an amazing job. The grandkids kept saying, "it just looks like she's asleep". There had been no suffering..no long endured sickness.

After coming into the funeral home, crying and consoling one another, we all began to relax a little. When I realized dad was going to have an open casket, I stepped closer to get a good look at mom. They did a great job...but it looked like there was just a little something missing. I kept staring at her and finally said, "I think she needs more mascara." Before I knew it, I was standing at the head of her casket (I wanted to get a good angle) and I bent over and started applying mascara. Now even though mom was a good teacher, and I've had alot of practice, THIS was a little different. I soooo didn't want to get any on her cheeks. What if I did...how would I get it off ? I am applying it VERY "gingerly" to say the least. As I'm fixated on my job, my younger sis' walks over and says, "I think she needs some eye liner. She doesn't have any on." Sooo...she joins me. I'm applying mascara, she's applying eyeliner. And you guessed it, older sis' came over and said, "She needs more lipstick" and whipped out a tube and started applying. Three girls, leaned over our moms casket, diligently applying makeup to her face. We were "In the Moment"....oblivious to the rest of the world. It was only as my cousin came up, laughing and crying and said, "you guys are cracking me up...I can't believe you are putting makeup on your mom" that we snapped back to reality and realized we must look like we have lost our mind.

My first thought & response was, "do you KNOW my mom ? If we let her go to her funeral without her makeup being right and looking her best....we will be haunted from heaven the rest of our lives." =) I truly believe that ! haha We were trained right !! lol

I've had alot of "In The Moments" over my lifetime. They've come and gone....but I will always remember "this moment"...when humor came up and grabbed me by the collar when I least expected it and for just a moment, made me smile. =)