Sitting this one out

Today is Not Me Monday, but I am sitting this one...ok, the last few...out.

However, here are a few things going on right now...or that happened in the past week.

My mom and I were enjoying some great "early shopping" at a consignment sale because we were both consigning. This meant we go to look for the deals and steals before the general public. While I was shopping, Ep was at home with Kale and keeping me up to date on the weather. We were just about ready to leave when a voice came over the loudspeaker and said, "We don't want you to panic, but we need to evacuate the building. Nobody needs to run, but we do need to move quickly. There is a CONFIRMED tornado coming this way and we might be in its path." Now, I had just spent 2+ hours finding my deals...and I have to abandon them? OK, we were in a concrete building with a metal roof. Yep, we had to leave. We went to the old colosseum. On the way over there, I called to tell Ep what was happening. His exact words: "Thats just great! I hope you know that if the roof blows off of that thing, ya'll are dead." There was just a mild level of panic in his voice. I waited until I hung up the phone to laugh. My options were to run to the car to try to outrun the storm, stay in a tin box building, or take refuge in an old concrete/steel support building under the concrete bleachers next to sturdy beams. We chose the entrance to the men's bathroom as our spot. I called Ep to tell him all was well. His words: "Now I know how you felt all those times when you were worried about me being out on the water when it was storming. But that was a thunderstorm, not a TORNADO!" I kept my mouth shut, but my mind was saying: really, what exactly is the big difference between me blowing away and you getting struck by lighting??? We all lived...and so it goes.

Ep and I then proceeded to run away for the weekend. Thank you Mema! Two things we learned while we were away: we are old and our son is increasingly telling lies. Mema took him to get a haircut on Friday, but if you ask him...nope, he did NOT get a haircut. However, he truly understand yes/no and having an opinion and its pretty darn cute when he tells you how he really feels about things!

Kale can stick his bottom lip out about half a mile when pouting or trying not to get upset. Seriously, half a mile folks! It will melt you and break you all at once!

Today, Kale got allergy tested again. The bad news is that he is still allergic to egg. We really didn't expect that to have changed. However, we saw a new doctor and I really like his style. I am glad we took the plunge and changed (even though it meant retesting). The good news is that this doctor doesn't think it does any good for Kale to not eat the other main allergens such as nuts, honey, shellfish, and such because he did not react to any of them on the test. He even tested him specifically for catfish! No reaction! YEA!!!! Tonight, we introduced Kale to salmon. In a few nights, he will get his first try of peanut butter. Funny how the small things can make a momma happy!

Hug them tight

Got kids? Hug them tight. Tell them how much you love them. Tell them thier strengths and what you admire about them. Don't wait. Tell them now. Even if you don't think they are listening, tell them you love them and lift them with compliments.

Tonight, my heart breaks for a family. Today, their two year old daughter (www.laylagrace.org) went to Heaven. I have a two year old. I can not fathom what they have gone through or what they are now experiencing. Tonight, there is a grieving mom, dad, and two sisters who don't understand but have no choice in accepting this hard cold reality of loss. It breaks me.

Kale has been going to bed really well lately. Most nights, he doesn't even cry out anymore when the music/light machine quits. He just zonks out. For some reason, tonight was different. He cried out and kept crying. He called and called for daddy. He called and called for me. I resisted, but then thought of Layla Grace and her family...and I went to him. God gave me an extra excuse to spend 10 more minutes holding my child and comforting him. Tears rolled down my face as I realized that there are mom's everywhere that would give anything to be able to do this with a child who now resides in Heaven.

So...don't forget to give your kids an extra hug. Don't forget to tell them you love them. Don't forget to remind them that they are a blessing. And even if you think they aren't listening or aren't old enough to understand, tell them why they are a blessing and remind them of the traits that make them so special.

Clearing my head

If you don't like random or a long post, you might as well stop reading now. This one will probably jump around and go in a few circles. Sorry for that. I just have a lot of thoughts that need to stop just swimming in my head.

I have been following a blog now for a while. I also follow the blogger on twitter. I like to see what people tweet back to her, so I aslo have a search that updates in twitter. This means that I not only see the positive replies and remarks to/about her, but also the negative ones as well. In essence, what is unraveling within her blog/twitter world is quite possibly one of the the biggest flaws with a gaggle of women. I won't go into great detail, but its suffice to say that there are people who are in upmost support of her and there area also people who not only don't support her, but who are making every effort to bring this woman down. In the meantime, I just want to scream. Seriously, why are we women so freaking judgemental and competitive and non-supportive of one another? Ugh. It makes me sick. I will admit that some of thier judgemental comments about her have made me stop and think about how I come across to other people and also where I lay my priorities. Still. There is a better way folks. Really, we are all capable of bringing our own selves down enough...we don't need to help push anyone else down too. We should be lifting each other up. Stepping off THAT soapbox now.

I am currently caught in limbo. I don't know which side of the pasture to land in from my perch on this fence. I can't really talk about this decision here. Sorry. I know, thats mean. There are just some topics that I don't bring up here...and this is one of them. However, a decision will have to be made. When the decision is made...either I will be frustrated with myself or I will be seen as someone who doesn't "get in line". Ok, it would definitely not be the first time that I didn't get in line...but I just don't know if its worth it to fight getting in this line. I will figure it out.

My husband sold his boat. There has been a huge financial weight lifted off our shoulders by this act. It was a huge sacrifice by my husband. One that is not overlooked or appreciated. I will be happy to have him around more or for us to be able to sometimes join him in whatever activity he replaces "boat time" with...read: golf. However, I will miss watching my husband and son tool around in the boat together. I will miss our first trip out on the water in the boat...never happened. Well, we did float for about 3 minutes by the boat ramp...but that doesn't fully count in my book. Regardless, my husband made a sacrifice. Its not the first, nor will it probably be the last, that he has made for our family. I just hope he knows that its not overlooked.

I am flabergasted that my brother is getting married in a few months. Moreso, I am floored that he will be a daddy by the end of summer. Its way crazy that the little boy I watched grow up is about to start raising a child of his own. He is capable and will be a great dad (and husband). Still, it just floors me...my brother is getting married and becoming a dad. Whoa.

Out in front of me, there lies a 22 day period where I will be at home for all of 3 days. That is going to be one fast and furious month.

Ok, brain dump over. Sorry if this was boring or not my usual...but I just needed to stop having so many thought swimming in my head!