Schedules

So school started a week ago on August 18th. My thought was "Great we now have a schedule." The girls started a new school this year so I was a tiny bit apprehensive about how it would go. The first day I pick them up and ask Bridgette "How was your first day of school?" She immediately answered "It was the most amazing experience of my life." Wow I think. The second day of school I ask again "How was school?" Bridgette's answer "Marvelous!" Wow what happens at school when the superlatives run out.

School started on a Wednesday. For the first 3 days things are great. The first Monday of school we also have a Girl Scout meeting. Okay I think I can handle one day a week of not getting home until 8:30. No big deal. The first Tuesday of school Sydnie starts volleyball. Okay I think I can handle two days a week of not getting home until 8:30. I am home on Wednesday (if only I had gotten to rest) but still had to run for Girl Scouts. Thursday we have volleyball again. Did I forget to mention that starting next Thursday Sydnie will also have Children's Choir prior to volleyball? Volleyball games will be on Saturday and the Children's Choir will sing on Sundays.

Suddenly what turned into "Great we now have a schedule." has turned into "Oh shit we now have a schedule!" I will never understand why when a schedule is introduced it is mom that gets to run. I love my husband I really really love him but he doesn't get why I am now running around like a chicken with my head cut off. He doesn't understand why the dishes aren't done or the laundry is piling up, why the kids are crying at some very random times or why I am the tiniest bit cranky. I know I am only a tiny bit cranky. I cannot be a cry baby or PMSing or any of those things. Okay maybe, it's possible, yeah I have probably turned from June Cleaver on "Leave it to Beaver" and now resemble the smart ass Brett Butler on "Grace Under Fire".

6 Truths of Life

6 TRUTHS OF LIFE...

1. You cannot stick your tongue out and look up at the ceiling at the same time.

2. All idiots, after reading #1 will try it.

3. And discover #1 is a lie.

4. You are smiling now because you are an idiot.

5. You soon will forward this to another idiot.

6. There is still a stupid smile on your face.

I apologize about this, but I'm an idiot and I needed company.

Some days we just need to smile!!

Stage Fright

"Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, fear, or persistent phobia which may be aroused in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience, whether actually or potentially (for example, when performing before a camera). Such anxiety may precede or accompany participation in any activity involving public self-presentation. Quite often, stage fright arises in a mere anticipation of a performance, often a long time ahead. It has numerous manifestations: fluttering or pounding heart, tremor in the hands and legs, diarrhea, facial nerve tics, dry mouth." as defined by Wikipedia.

I realize as I write this blog there are very few that even are aware that it exists. Thanks Melissa for being my first and my only follower of "BabblebyLorene". I'll let you know when I figure out where we are headed. I was on Facebook last night and I seen that a friend has started to blog and she put it out in cyber world for everyone to read. I thought what a brilliant idea. To actually share the fact that you blog and possibly have someone read your thoughts.

eeekkkkkkk.....stop......wait......that's right as the coolness of idea set in so did the stage fright. In this instance it was the fluttering and pounding of my heart. I realize that I am not going to be standing in front of millions but what if they read my blog and don't like it? What if they think I am a terrible bore and don't care what I have to say? What if I get terrible comments and hate mail? Okay I realize in this moment I am self absorbed but what if??

To ease myself into this situation I shared some of my favorite blogs today with a co-worker. I shared both Dawn and Spuds. Sorry guys but Dawn and Spud's blog are my own secret pleasure. I generally start my day with them and always get a good chuckle. Anyway I went out on a limb and shared not just Dawn and Spuds but I shared my blog too. I know you are sitting on the edge of your seat wanting to know what happened....well....well...okay nothing happened. I shared and I got no feed back. That's right...BabblebyLorene didn't turn her world around. She didn't chuckle, offer good advice, comment, nothing.

So where does this leave me?!? Maybe I should go out on a limb. Maybe I should share. Maybe by sharing I'll help offer just one person a good laugh today. Maybe I'll offer hope because Lord knows I need all the hope and help I can get. We'll see. As long as my stage fright doesn't manifest as diarrhea, dry mouth of facial tics we may be okay.

21 Years

How many people can remember what they were doing a year ago? Five years ago? Ten years ago? I can't remember any of those times but I do remember exactly what I was doing 21 years ago.

I was a scared kid, 15 years old, and in labor having my oldest son. I wasn't alone in the truest sense of the word but I was quickly becoming a single parent. Quickly is a matter of opinion. 18 hours is quick but not so quickly when you are in labor!! I had no idea what was in store for his baby and me. I didn't know what the years would bring. I wasn't even sure what tomorrow would bring.

18 hours after labor started I was the proud mom to Robert John Madden, 7 pounds 8 ounces. He was beautiful. He was mine and I had no idea what we were going to do. As time progressed we learned together. We had sleepless nights, we had dirty diapers, we had scream fests late into the night. We also had endless supplies of laughing and cooing. Beautiful smiles and lots of cuddles.

As the years progressed we welcomed his little brother into the world, we got married and welcomed 2 sisters into the world. We all changed our names to become a "family". We also had mother / son fights, we had butt spankings, groundings, yelling and many a threats. Through the good and the bad we had each other and we had love.

It has been one heck of a wild ride but sitting here today I look back and am amazed at our journey. Today I sit here and can say my baby is a man. He is serving our country in Africa. Who knew 21 years ago my baby would grow up. At times I'm not sure if I raised him or if he raised me but here we are. So 21 years ago my life took a turn and as it turns out it was a turn for the best. I love you Robert John Madden Martins as only your momma can.

The Boys of Fall

At work every morning we get "Today's Video" to kick start our mornings. Some are funny, some are sad, some are goofy. Toady's was emotional.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlXDo5WhQXI

It is Kenny Chesney and the "Boys of Fall". My oldest son, Robby, was one hell of a football player. He played from the time he was in fifth grade. All we heard while he was growing up was that he was going to be a professional football player and that he would always take care of his Momma.

Everything went according to plan. He played Varsity football all through high school and landed a full scholarship to play college ball. Throughout this time he also enlisted in the Kansas National Guard. It never dawned on us or him that the two would not work well together. The summer before college he went through basic training in South Carolina. While his team mates were summer training he was training to be a Soldier. He graduated basic training on a Friday and reported to summer training on Sunday. He turned 18 later that same week. Due to lack of summer training he was red shirted. This means you maintain your scholarship but you don't get to actually play. You still practice but not at the level you would if you were a true member of the team. Whether it was to many changes at once, homesickness, lack of discipline, disappointment, etc we will never know.

The first semester was also the last semester. I still remember the phone call. "Mom I am going to quit school." "Are you asking me or telling me?" "I am telling you." There was no further conversation. He quit at semester.

As I watched the video they talked about football being an emotional game. They talked about playing like this was your last football game ever. That's when the emotions welled up. They talked about that feeling every Friday night. We all know that feeling it's not just the players that feel it. But you never know when it is the last game ever. You never know when the dream dies. This doesn't just apply to football it applies to life.

Right now Robby isn't thinking about football. He is thinking about survival. He is currently in the Horn of Africa with the Kansas National Guard. He will be there until next year. So as the tears well up at the loss of his football dream they also well up because I am one proud Momma. I love him dearly and I admire the sacrifices he has made for our country. May God Bless the Boys of Fall and all our Soldiers that will pursue their dreams and for those that have lost them.

Can you sleep already?

I live in Kansas and it is hot. Hot I tell you hot! Not just hot but humid. The temperature is 101 and the heat index is 115. Hot as hell I do believe. I live in a 2 story 100 year old house that has only one air vent upstairs so the house is hot. Not as hot as hell but still hot.

Last night I send the girls to bed at 8:00. I figure they'll be asleep soon enough. Tim and I snuggle on the couch and watch "Rescue Me". All those cute firefighters. Ohhh. Sorry I digress. After the show finishes I head upstairs to go to bed. It is now 9:30 and lo and behold they are not asleep. They are giggling and laying on the floor. Who needs beds right? I figure whatever they'll be asleep soon enough. 10:00 rolls around and Tim heads to bed. Sydnie and Bridgette are still in their room giggling up a storm. Okay maybe I was wrong and they won't go to sleep soon enough.

As Tim crawls in bed I feel him start rubbing my side and back. Did I mention it was hot and the girls are still giggling? I didn't want him touching me but I know if I pursue this avenue I can probably even get a back massage out of him. But again the girls are still giggling and not sleeping. I figure why not throw caution to the wind and let the back rub begin. The back rub turned into a front rub and that turned into.....okay I'll keep it PG but it was good!! hehe It was even good enough to forget that it was the tempature was hot!!

I love me girls. I love them lots but as I fell into that slumber that only sex can bring I have decided there will be no more babies in my house. Why? Because by the time they are 9 and 7 they no longer require sleep and that impeeds my life greatly. I love them dearly but sex slumber is the best and their giggles were still being heard at 12:00.

Shopping With the Girls

Yesterday we did some girl shopping. What does this mean? It means we went shopping for bras, panties and socks. Who knew there could be so many choices in undergarments. Who knew that buying items that no one would ever see could be so expensive.

It started out with Bridgette who is 7 only wanting bikini panties. Not just any bikini panties but the leopard print bikini panties. Remember, no one is going to see these things. I had to laugh because she was grown up enough to need leopard print bikini panties but as we went through the store she was still little enough to need to ride in the cart. I digress.

After getting Bridgette settled and all undergarments bought we moved onto Sydnie who is 9. Sydnie was adamant that the only panties she can wear are boy shorts. When I was 9 that wasn't even an option. She did that shopping while I was helping get Bridgette settled. We then moved onto bras. I realized that my baby was growing up but I wasn't ready for her to move into actual bras with actual padding. YIKES!! She is only 9. We even had to try them on. Suddenly she was growing up before my eyes.

We ended up with a padded bra and a sports bra. Once we got home she had to try them both on to compare. She came down stairs horrified!! She kept saying "Mom look!". I wasn't sure what I was "looking" at. She finally said "Mom they are sticking out and I don't like it!" Honestly I couldn't tell much of a difference but it truly is about how she feels. She then rushed upstairs to try on her sports bra. Again she came downstairs and said "Mom this feels much better!".

This final part was the part that Tim overheard. Tim is a great Dad and can take most of this in stride but when he only heard part of the conversation she started all over. "Dad I don't like them sticking out and I prefer my sports bra." Tim being the person he is started in on all the virtues of not wearing a sports bra; they don't support you, you'll have stretch marks, they should only be worn during sports. ugh Really? Does my 9 year old need to already worry about stretch marks?!?

The joys of shopping with the girls!

Wow!!

Wow! I realized today that the last time I blogged was September of 2008. Almost 2 years ago! Holy Moly. When I blogged then it was that I wasn't making enough time for it and look what I did. I went 2 years. It amazes me when I look back at my old post. Something never change.

The things I wrote could still be true today. When it rains it still rains in my closet. Bridgette still thinks she is Tinker Bell. The girls are still scared of storms but love to play in the rain.

Then again some things are always changing. In the last year both my boys got married. Robby is now in Africa on deployment with the Kansas National Guard. Dennis is going through Marine bootcamp. I now have 2 daughter in laws. Although I do not allow them to call me their "Mother-In-Law". Somehow that makes me sound old (which I am not). My husband assured me on my birthday that even when I am old and wrinkly I will still be his 29 year old wife. Man do I love that man.

Here is a post to hoping I will be on here more often. If nothing else I can log on to follow Dawn & Spuds! hehe Life is good.