Gotta Win

So, I'm working through a twelve step program to manage my addiction to playing games.

I've really only made it through step one - Recognizing My Addicition

I Recognized my addiction when I kept playing BeJeweled until I beat my friend's score.

I Recognized my addicition when I had to go back through Burger Shop to get all Gold Stars.

I Recognized my addicition when I stopped playing Typing Mania because I'll never beat Melanie's score.

But then I remembered this story from KSL a few weeks ago . .

ksl.com - 2 men arrested following separate game incidents

Perhaps I better move along to step two in addiction recovery before I hurt someone and end up in jail.

Shoot!

Went photo shooting practice last week.

Lisa introduced me to the joy of Thanksgiving Point.

WOW!

I wish my photos had turned out a little better ~

Or my photo editing was better ~

But the boys are adorable!

Back To School

Back To School Means:

- I have to do the housecleaning now without the slave's boy's help

- I get breakfast at Kneader's with friends

- I get lunch at McDonald's to entertain Emma without her brother's help

- I have homework monitoring to begin again

- I have picking up and dropping off at school duty

- I have PTA stuff to think about

- I have no game playing buddy

- I don't have to watch Zack & Cody at 10am (well, after Memorial Day when little kid programming starts again)

-I have no money . . . why does free public school cost so much!

Target

Went shopping for school clothes on Saturday.

I didn't really need to, but felt I should.

I found Converse shoes that were ADORABLE, but pricey.

Found underwear and socks for a good price.

Emma found a shirt and skirt combo that's very nice.

And Josh found his birthmom.


Yeah! Crazy!

Josh's adoption is technically a 'closed' adoption.

That just meant it was a challenge to overcome for me.

I took the few clues I had and googled it - and found her blog a year ago.

So when I was waiting for Mel to check out, and glanced at the next cashier-

I was able to spot Josh's birthmom right off.

My heart skipped many, many beats and then raced off.

I pointed her out to Josh, and asked if he would like to meet her.

Gathering all my courage, I walked over, put my hand on her arm

And said, "Hi, My name is Wendy . . . "

She looked up, looked at Josh and just 'knew' who he was.

She said it was his eyes.

We talked, I cried, Josh memorized, I thanked.

She's still one of the coolest women I've ever met!

I hope we see her sooner than another 14 years.

I love Target!

Running - Oh My Gosh!

I was looking for some more upbeat songs to add to my ipod yesterday,

And moaning about my 1 mile uphill-ish run with a strong headwind,

And icing and massaging my poor knees that carry 200 pounds (yeah, I weigh that much!)

When I stumbled upon this video.

I don't really know who he is,

But he's FREAKIN' amazing.

Keep watching till the end, and you'll appreciate the runner that he is even more.




Incredible!

My run will never look like his, but for me, and maybe some of my Ragnar friends, we will achieve a level of transcendency. A point where we have achevied more than we ever thought we could.

I'm inspired to at least try!

Cowboy Poetry

I love a good Cowboy Poem!

Here's one I'd like to share with you from Wallace McRae. Check him out for more good stuff!

Reincarnation

"What does Reincarnation mean?"
A cowpoke asked his friend.
His pal replied, "It happens when
Yer life has reached its end.
They comb yer hair, and warsh yer neck,
And clean yer fingernails,
And lay you in a padded box
Away from life's travails."

"The box and you goes in a hole,
That's been dug into the ground.
Reincarnation starts in when
Yore planted 'neath a mound.
Them clods melt down, just like yer box,
And you who is inside.
And then yore just beginnin' on
Yer transformation ride."

"In a while, the grass'll grow
Upon yer rendered mound.
Till some day on yer moldered grave
A lonely flower is found.
And say a hoss should wander by
And graze upon this flower
That once wuz you, but now's become
Yer vegetative bower."

"The posy that the hoss done ate
Up, with his other feed,
Makes bone, and fat, and muscle
Essential to the steed,
But some is left that he can't use
And so it passes through,
And finally lays upon the ground
This thing, that once wuz you."

"Then say, by chance, I wanders by
And sees this upon the ground,
And I ponders, and I wonders at,
This object that I found.
I thinks of reincarnation,
Of life and death, and such,
And come away concludin': 'Slim,
You ain't changed, all that much.'"

Picture This!

So . . . . I'm suppose to present something at homemaking in September.

The theme has something to do with digital photos and what to do with them.

Here's my dilemma:

1. We are meeting at my house next Friday to discuss it -- and my house looks like CRAP and I think it will still look like CRAP next Friday.

2. What would someone want to know about digital photos?

If you can help with either of these two problems, I'd appreciate it!

Air

Sunday morning, on the way to church, I rolled down my car window.

I stuck my arm out

And I felt it . . . . .

Air!

Not just normal, summer air.

But football season air . . .

Back to school air . . .

Cool, crisp, pencils, BYU, pick your Halloween costume air!

It didn't last long, but I felt it!

Blogimony

I can't believe it's been a week since I last blogged!

But today, I just can't let blogging go.

I need to tell you two stories.

1st Story

The day Ethan was born:

Jeff and I were called around 4am to let us know that Ethan's birthmom was headed to the hospital. Jeff and I were invited to come and be at the hospital. We arrived as quickly as possible and began pacing the floor. We watched nurses file in and out of the delivery room. But when the birthmom's dad was 'kicked' out of the delivery room, we knew it was time. The door was shut, we huddled around the door with grandpa and waited. . . . and then I heard it. My baby's cry!


In that moment I had the most profound and primal desire to run to my child. It was as if I knew Ethan already. That feeling I had, in that moment, has never been similar to any other 'crying' baby I've heard. I know that my reaction to Ethan's cry was a remembrance - a remembrance that I knew him before now. It was a testament to me that there was a time before this, a time when I knew and loved him.



2nd Story



My friend, Kim, died a year ago:

After Kim passed away, and before her funeral, I began to feel very strongly that I should speak at her funeral. I avoid most public gatherings and to feel that I should speak at one, was very unusual for me. Plus, I didn't know her family that well and I didn't think they knew me. It was not like I could approach them and let them know I was to speak at the funeral.



One evening, the feeling was completely overwhelming and undeniable. I didn't know what to do. I thought I was going to burst apart! It wasn't but 2 hours later that the call came for me to speak at Kim's funeral. The relief was immediate. The thoughts came clearly to me that Kim was directing what she wanted to have happen at her funeral. It was a testament to me that after the time we have here, there is another time/place. Kim was participating from that place in making her plans happen.



Today, as I visited Kim's grave I remembered these two stories. They are the basic and yet most forceful examples I have that I existed before I came here and that I will continue even when I leave this life.



It's not everyday that I get all 'testimony' - in fact, I typically avoid it.
But today, I feel it strongly.
I miss my friend - but I'll see her again.

Summer is Swimming By

We have spent our summer -

SLEEPING:

FLYING:

WATCHING THE TIME GO BY:

DRAWING:

ENJOYING THE ARTS:

AND HAVING A "FREESTYLE" KINDA TIME:

Hope your summer is going 'swimmingly' too!