Day two in Florida and this is what I've decided:
1) I like it here. Everyone is super friendly and calls me Ma'am.
2) They don't use toilet seat covers.
3) The weather makes my hair look frizzy no matter how much hot iron I put to it.
4) They must have different regulations than us Californians, because they're eating, drinking and having a good old time all over the ER.
5) The weather is hot and humid, but the big bLack storm clouds on the horizon sure paint a pretty picture.
6) Before coming here, I said this was one of the last States I'd want to come to....and now it would be one of my firsts.
'Today was good, today was fun, tomorrow is another one!'
Dr. Seuss
~J
Monday, August 22, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
I Dare You to Run
I had a realization while at the gym today..... I hate the treadmill (i.e. running or exercise of any kind). Okay, really that's my realization every time I'm on the treadmill. I'm not an athlete, never have been and probably never will be. As far back as I can remember I was pretty weak, wimpy and otherwise out of shape. I hated P.E., which was always a little traumatizing, as I was last to be called for teams, and always out first in games like dodge ball, where the boys would throw the ball so hard my legs would sting for hours. Who makes little girls play dodge ball anyways?
I remember a brief childhood moment where someone (definitely not me) had the idea I should play softball. I never got a hit, and as I would stroll up to the batters box I would pray to God desperately for a walk. I can only remember playing the outfield which was fine with me. The less action the better. I remember the shear terror one day as a fly ball finally came my direction...actually right to me, only for me to drop it. Talk about embarrassing. I felt like I'd let everyone down, my team, my parents, my brother, and myself. Really? I thought afterwards, if I can't catch a ball hit right to me what can I do? Needlessly to say from that day forward I had even less interest in sports, exercise or athletics of any kind....if that was even possible. (I'll spare you the gruesome details of cheerleading tryouts, just another one of my 'I can't' moments).
That's me during my brief stint as a softball player
Now I'm sure we all have our share of embarrassing moments, our moments where we consciously or subconsciously decide we can't, we won't, we never will be. These moments can be our driving force to give up on on ourselves, give up on life, and give up on our dreams. I've had a lot of these give up moments, moments where I give in and settle for less than I am and less than I want to be. Being healthy, athletic and in shape is just one part of me I'd given up many, many years ago.
Until now.
Running....I hate it, but I just figured out I can do it. I don't go fast and I don't go far, but I do it. And each time it gets a little easier, and a little more endurable. And now instead of staring painfully at the seconds click by, sweat dripping down my face, I feel good and I feel powerful. I think about the many 'I cant's' of my life, and decide from here on out there are only going to be 'I cans.' If I can run and feel this way, what other things can I do that I never thought possible? So from now on I'm going to dare myself. Dare myself to go after the dreams in my heart, the things I never thought I could do, the things God created me to do, and right now I want to run.
~ J
I remember a brief childhood moment where someone (definitely not me) had the idea I should play softball. I never got a hit, and as I would stroll up to the batters box I would pray to God desperately for a walk. I can only remember playing the outfield which was fine with me. The less action the better. I remember the shear terror one day as a fly ball finally came my direction...actually right to me, only for me to drop it. Talk about embarrassing. I felt like I'd let everyone down, my team, my parents, my brother, and myself. Really? I thought afterwards, if I can't catch a ball hit right to me what can I do? Needlessly to say from that day forward I had even less interest in sports, exercise or athletics of any kind....if that was even possible. (I'll spare you the gruesome details of cheerleading tryouts, just another one of my 'I can't' moments).
That's me during my brief stint as a softball player
Now I'm sure we all have our share of embarrassing moments, our moments where we consciously or subconsciously decide we can't, we won't, we never will be. These moments can be our driving force to give up on on ourselves, give up on life, and give up on our dreams. I've had a lot of these give up moments, moments where I give in and settle for less than I am and less than I want to be. Being healthy, athletic and in shape is just one part of me I'd given up many, many years ago.
Until now.
Running....I hate it, but I just figured out I can do it. I don't go fast and I don't go far, but I do it. And each time it gets a little easier, and a little more endurable. And now instead of staring painfully at the seconds click by, sweat dripping down my face, I feel good and I feel powerful. I think about the many 'I cant's' of my life, and decide from here on out there are only going to be 'I cans.' If I can run and feel this way, what other things can I do that I never thought possible? So from now on I'm going to dare myself. Dare myself to go after the dreams in my heart, the things I never thought I could do, the things God created me to do, and right now I want to run.
~ J
Friday, August 5, 2011
What do you see?
You often hear people talk about kids sayings, their honesty, their bluntness, their statements of obvious fact. I love kids sayings and wish I had kept better track of them over the past thirteen years. Charlie comes up with some pretty good ones; he's a thinker, a wonderer, and his mind is in constant motion.
Today was another early morning for us, seems like they all are recently, and with Eric out the door for work at quarter to five, and Jacob still away at camp, it was Charlie and me left to our own early morning routine. I love waking up next to that child. Maybe in ten years when he's sixteen I'll be sick of it, but I doubt it. When he's asleep next to me, I get to stare at him without interruption, and kiss his soft little cheeks without him knowing.
Mornings with Charlie can be a challenge to say the least. It could be a seamless, bird chirping, music playing morning. Or, the beginnings of world war three. After six years, I've learned to be prepared for the latter. Today, I have to drop him off at the babysitters before seven so I can make it to work on time, and lucky for me, it's a bird chirping morning. As we drive it's quiet, the radio playing in the background, and me deep in thought, when I hear from the back seat that sweet little six year old voice.
'Mom' says Charlie
'Yes' I say.
'Why do you love Jesus so much?' he asks.
Humm, I think of all the many reasons I love Jesus and start to ramble them off to him one by one. I love that he asks me questions like this. He challenges me....daily. After I drop him off I continue to think. Not so much the reasons why I love Jesus, those are easy. I think about Charlie and how he looks at me - his mother. My heart is happy and I wonder....
Does he not see the fatigue in my face from hours of work? Or the grey in my hair, inching their way into my once golden brown locks? Does he not see the worry I feel of our Earthly future unknown?
I realize he sees none of that, he's my child and he sees me just as I am. He sees the good, the bad, my worst and my best. And what he sees, what he knows, and what I hope he remembers all of his life is.....
His mommy loves Jesus.
What do you see?
~J
Today was another early morning for us, seems like they all are recently, and with Eric out the door for work at quarter to five, and Jacob still away at camp, it was Charlie and me left to our own early morning routine. I love waking up next to that child. Maybe in ten years when he's sixteen I'll be sick of it, but I doubt it. When he's asleep next to me, I get to stare at him without interruption, and kiss his soft little cheeks without him knowing.
Mornings with Charlie can be a challenge to say the least. It could be a seamless, bird chirping, music playing morning. Or, the beginnings of world war three. After six years, I've learned to be prepared for the latter. Today, I have to drop him off at the babysitters before seven so I can make it to work on time, and lucky for me, it's a bird chirping morning. As we drive it's quiet, the radio playing in the background, and me deep in thought, when I hear from the back seat that sweet little six year old voice.
'Mom' says Charlie
'Yes' I say.
'Why do you love Jesus so much?' he asks.
Humm, I think of all the many reasons I love Jesus and start to ramble them off to him one by one. I love that he asks me questions like this. He challenges me....daily. After I drop him off I continue to think. Not so much the reasons why I love Jesus, those are easy. I think about Charlie and how he looks at me - his mother. My heart is happy and I wonder....
Does he not see the fatigue in my face from hours of work? Or the grey in my hair, inching their way into my once golden brown locks? Does he not see the worry I feel of our Earthly future unknown?
I realize he sees none of that, he's my child and he sees me just as I am. He sees the good, the bad, my worst and my best. And what he sees, what he knows, and what I hope he remembers all of his life is.....
His mommy loves Jesus.
What do you see?
~J
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Grandpa Ralph and Grandma Gloria
One year ago today, August 4, 2010, Grandpa Ralph went to Heaven to be reunited with Grandma. Life was never the same for him after her passing, or for any of us. Grandma was our family rock, our constant provider and our go to for just about everything. Their deep love and devotion for each other and their family was transparent to all who knew them.
Things I want to remember about my Grandma (and really the list is endless, but I'll try and keep it brief)
Here he is July 4, 2010 - One month before his passing.
Things I want to remember about my Grandma (and really the list is endless, but I'll try and keep it brief)
Her cooking.....Creamy rich dinners, freshly baked bread, melt in your mouth desserts. - Her favorite afternoon snack...crackers and boxed wine.
- The hours she spent making all my clothes as a child. I found it quite annoying back then, but now I love that she did that for me.
- Her ongoing advice on love, marriage, and raising children.
- Her arguments with Grandpa that would make us all laugh (or sometimes just Grandma and me laugh)
- Her confidence, drive and her push to make me a better person.
- Her love for my children.
- Because of her I am who I am.
Things I want to remember about my Grandpa (again an endless list)
- Swimming in the backyard and picking berries from the vine.
- The smell of double mint gum...the kind he always chewed.
- Hearing him yell 'Julie' in his grandpa voice from a far away room.
- Watching him play games with Jacob.
- Eating his banana bread.
- His stubbornness and determination.
- His love for Grandma, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Here he is July 4, 2010 - One month before his passing.
Miss you Grandpa
My Boys
My first post about me and my family! These are my boys Jake and Charlie. Everything my handsome husband and I do in life is for these boys. We work hard for our boys, Eric in law enforcement and me as an ER nurse. We cook and clean for our boys, actually I cook and hubby cleans (including laundry, don't be jealous). We love Jesus and we love each other for our boys. We take vacations, sing silly songs, and run around being goofy for our boys. We go the gym for our boys, hey we need to stay healthy and energized for all the running around we do. And we can't forget to mention we have animals for our boys, that smell up our house and tear up our furniture. But when it's all said and done we love our crazy, smelly (have to have that with boys) busy, fun filled, rich lives. We are grateful for what God has given us, thankful for his Son, and blessed to be His servants.
~ J
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