Poignant...

I was literally standing in the exact same spot where I watched that plane burst into the tower. This time, nearly 10 years later, I read that the creator (I simply CANNOT use the term 'mastermind') of that tragic madness that seemed beyond any reality I could have ever known was dead. Finally.
Admittedly, I am not all that comfortable with the idea to 'celebrate' someone's death in the sense of being GLAD they are no longer on this Earth...but at the same time, this man equals destruction, hurt, pain, fear, anguish and so much more...just evil. I pray for those he terrorized. I pray for those lost on 9/11/01. I pray for every single family member who has been victimized by his actions - around the world.
I am not here to judge, only to say that it is honestly a triumph for humankind.
Humankind.

He certainly lacked Human Kindness.

Praying for Peace,
Lynn

Lemonade & Luck...or the lack of

Earlier in the month I posted about what happened to our home during the ice storm. Good times. Well, full of more good news (sense the sarcasm), as the installers (sub-contractors) were preparing the facia to hang the new guttering they informed me - on the way out the door to pick up McKinley from school - that the facia in the front needed to be replaced completely. They don't do that. Okay, call us when it's done. See ya!

Ummmmkay..........

So I began the process of getting estimates for new facia in the front because our contractor was covered up with jobs (due to the ice) and could not help. The estimates I received were for WAY more money that either of us wanted to shell out and having been long-time DIY'ers we thought we could tackle the task ourselves and save well over 75% of what was quoted. So, we set out to paint and hang the facia on our own. That Sunday, while McKinley was napping, I painted the new facia boards as Cary pulled off the old and prepped for the new boards. Once the new boards were dry Cary began hanging them while I served as scrub nurse, co-pilot, gofer, etc. We made quick work of the project and I'm so very proud of what we accomplished. It may not be perfect but it's sturdy, secure and looks good.

Life has been handing out an awful lot of lemons lately but we make a MEAN lemonade. I am so glad we can show our son how rewarding it can be to stand on your feet when there is no help to be found. Knowing this, and some basic home repair tasks will take him far in his adult life.

I hope we are nearing the end of this job...looking forward to testing out the new gutters, taking down the ladder, and resuming the redecoration of the mudroom and dining room.

Lynn

In the Trenches

Break out the camoflage and war paint...it's ON!
We.Are.Potty.Training!
T-minus 14 days until McKinley starts preschool - THE date he MUST be potty trained.
I'm pleased to report that things are going swimmingly! Awesome, in fact!! I am so proud of McKinley - we all knew he could do it. Within three days he begun telling us when he has to use the bathroom and has been accident free almost that entire time. I'm sure we'll have a set back or two, and of course the occasional accidents - it IS a learning process. But McKinley makes us so very proud and has taught US a thing or two as well about patience, learning and how far a little encouragement really goes. I could think of a 'few' people who could use that lesson for themselves!

Yay McKinley! You rock!
Lynn

Life Lessons & Sound Advice II

This Life Lesson is inspired by the recent poor behavior of two prominent American Celebrities - one a very well known tennis player, the other a well known r&b/hip hop/rap artist (whom I've not been able to stand since his first outburst after Hurricane Katrina...I digress). I hope that it doesn't take my children as long to figure this one out as it did me...for a long time I thought good role models were all celebrities...was I wrong. Sometimes the best role models are right under your nose, someone that might quietly sneak up on you when you realize you've been turning to them for love, advice, support and general shoulder-to-lean-on moments through life. As a teen, and maybe even a good amount of my twenties I thought I knew it all (like most teenagers...) and I thought all those celebs did too. Nope. As it turns out, I did NOT know everything and many of those beloved celebrities are no longer on the map - though I still say Jennifer Aniston IS a strong female role model for her perseverance in the face of today's all-too-harsh media.
This week, the two celebrities I mentioned above proved that being famous most certainly does not make a person humble, nor gracious in any sense of the word. The tennis player, given a foot fault, told the line judge she was going to stick the tennis ball in her hands in a place where there are MANY explitive 'four letter words'...all this while being filmed on live television for the world to see, youtube and google to their hearts' content.
The 'musician' (using this term VERY loosely here) was announcing the winner of a particular award at the Mtv VMA's. When he announced the winner, he then informed the world on live television that this person did not deserve the win, that in fact it was another person. It was appalling that he did this, especially since he totally caught the ACTUAL winner off guard. It wasn't what this young woman dreamed of, I'm sure.
So, to my son and any other children we will have I ask you this: please take the time to look up the definitions of the words HUMBLE and GRACIOUS. They are two words to live by. It may take some time to become humble and gracious, but it is a goal and a journey worth making. When a person is truly humble they can appreciate that we are all God's children, one in the same yet each unique. And when a person is truly gracious, they do not see it as being difficult to be kind to anyone. Kindness goes a long way...that'll come in another post however.
I'm not perfect, FAAAAAARRRRRR from it. Each day I have to remind myself that I am human and must work to be the humble and gracious person God wants me to be.
Those two words will take you far in life!

Life Lessons and Sound Advice I

Ever since my days of impending motherhood I've long thought of all the important life lessons I need to teach McKinley...because I am CERTAIN he will be considerably less hard-headed than his Mommy.
Yep, I'm SURE.
Well, all along I've been trying to figure out where I can put these little life lessons for easy access...then it hit me the other day...DUH, Lynn...THE BLOG. He loves (LOVES!) to look at the blog and see all the pictures. Sometimes I read the posts to him or sometimes we just talk about who we see in a particular slide show I've created or we just talk about what fun we had that day. Regardless, we all enjoy this time. So, why wouldn't I add these lessons?
My new found theories in life, established over the last 3 or 4 years, are based on true life experiences of my own or of Cary's and mine, collectively. Sometimes I screw up, sometimes I'm not the one who screws up, sometimes we're talking about a no-win situation. Bottom line is that these are life lessons, collected over the years and meant to be gone over, thoroughly, and to be learned from. I hope McKinley and any other child/children of ours will truly learn from these observances, mistakes, episodes, what-have-you...if not, hey...maybe they'll find them funny!

Life Lesson #1: Be nice to your peers, you never know when you're going to have to ask to borrow their Kroger card. This being nice thing starts early, so pay attention.
I speak from my own experiences here...junior high was...um...NOT.FUN.AT.ALL. Awkward, to say the least, hormonal and walking that fine line of that time when you're just really sure that the opposite sex totally still has cooties, even though he/she is pretty cute - this time isn't easy for anyone. It's so important to be nice, even if you don't want to be, because that person you're making fun of, tormenting, or just giving crap may very well be:
A. A future President
B. A future Boss
C. Someone you're forced to stand in line with at the check out
C. Your own spouse!
D. All of the above!

You never, ever know.
Now, I'm not suggesting you kiss every one's you-know-what - stand up for yourselves by all means, but just be a gentleman/woman and don't be a butt head.
It happened to me this week, a guy who used to torment me in junior high - albeit mildly - was forced to humble himself (whilst totally picturing all those times he tapped my shoulder and acted like he wasn't there) by asking if he may borrow my Kroger card.
Yes, we chatted it up for a bit, caught up on each other, so to speak...but we both remembered. You could just tell.
So, my child/children...be nice to people, you just never know.
Lynn