advice for my daughters... *source unknown*

I'm not sure where this came from but I wish I wrote it... it is exactly what every mother should tell her daughter...for now I dedicate this to my single daughter Stefanie who is currently @ college ~

Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot,

who calls you back

when you hang up on him,

who will lie under the stars and listen to
your heartbeat,
or will stay awake just to watch you sleep...

Wait for
the boy who kisses your forehead,
who wants to show you off to the world when you are in sweats,
who holds your hand in front of his friends,
& thinks you' re just as pretty without makeup on.

Love the one

who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares

and tells you how lucky he is to have YOU...

The one who turns to his friends and says, " thats her... "

Anonymous...BITE.ME

A few days ago I made a comment on a friend’s blog about teaching... my opinion...in relation to my job situation. Then someone made a comment about my comment... funny how the person made the comment anonymously...
Anonymous stated that "I remember all my teachers and hope that I have had the impact on my students that my teachers had on me. I enjoy every day of my profession and try to stay positive for my students."

You know I am truly happy for her that the school/district that she works in is obviously doing something right in that she loves her job.... but unfortunately she then felt compelled to take a potshot at me by saying ”Perhaps Life in Mom Lane needs to do a little reflecting about herself."

I decided out of respect for my friend’s blog to not make another comment there, but the more I thought about it the more annoyed I became.

So "Anonymous" here is my response to your comment ... BITE.ME.

Do not PRESUME to know anything about my job or to infer that it is in some way shape or form my fault. I showed my comment and your response to three other teachers I work with and all three felt I showed great restraint in my original comment. That I really could have ranted about the crap that goes on in our district.
I also remember that part of my comment said "the kids are awesome... if all I had to do is work with the kids then I would LOVE my job." Even though I am unhappy with many things our district does I do not carry that over to my students-my students are great- they keep me going, but I am also not going to lie and say everything is wonderful when it is not.

I wish my district made me feel the way yours does, but unfortunately that is not the case. Our district (at least at the secondary level where I am) is not so much about education the past few years as much as it is being run as a business. I could list multiple problems but am not going to do so here.

So Anonymous, the next time you decide to pass judgment on another- take a moment and think. Until you have walked in another's shoes you are in no position to imply that they have a problem. My suggestion is to rather thank God that you DO have a wonderful job/district that you love. And if you can't do that, then perhaps it is YOU who ultimately has the problem- at least I don't bash someone else with a holier than thou attitude or hide behind an "Anonymous" name without knowing anything about that person's situation.

Blast from the past- found this one ... Stefanie (on left) is now 18 & a freshman @ JMU  & JJ (on right) is a 6'1 16 y/o and a sophomore in high school.....

precious pups

Some of the blogs I read have had blogs about their pets recently... so I decided to do the same...I have two yellow labs...

 Cali (on left) 9 mos. & Buffy(on right)  5 y/o

  cute aren't they?!    

Buffy is not your typical lab... since we got her when she was 7 weeks old she has always been very calm and laid back. My vet actually told me he has NEVER seen a lab as calm as she was/is in all his years as a vet.  Buffy is just an old soul... she is the very loving and is a pleaser. She became the princess in our house to my "queen". It was our 20th anniversary and hubby said he would get me (within reason) anything I wanted- *he thought I was going to ask for jewelry*... I had been hinting @ diamond stud earrings. But I surprised him and said "I want a puppy" to which he responded "man I walked right into that one". :)

Ever since then...she has become the traitor "daddy's girl"- she can do no wrong in her father's eyes.



Well... our 25th anniversary was coming up last summer and instead of waiting for hubby to ask what I wanted (he by this time had learned not to offer an open ended kind of gift) I decided to take the bull by the horns and tell him it was time... I wanted another dog...hence...

 

Cali a.k.a the "wild child"

Cali is more your typical lab... she isn't as bad as Marley from the movie, but she has her moments... Cali is definitely the alpha at our house, but her disposition is so sweet that you don't really think of her as an alpha.  She is a snuggler.. and doesn't understand that she is really too big to lay on you anymore.

Jenny/#1 child & Cali laying on her- 

their "serious shot" :) 

I know hubby gets frustrated with her, she is demanding... she still has occasional "accidents" but all in all I feel much safer with her around, especially since we are living apart right now ... She barks when she hears something (which Buffy NEVER would do) and she growls when she is in the car with me and someone gets too close to our car. And most importantly Cali ADORES me *which is vitally important* and unlike the traitor Buffy - I am HER favorite... She is still learning and we will both benefit from obedience training later this spring. 

Both of my "girls" have the same coloring- which is somewhat unusual for yellow labs- their eyes are greenish hazel and they have light brown noses unlike the usual dark brown eye/nose of most yellow labs. To me they are perfect... they have added such joy to my life I can't imagine not having them...It was a transition because Buffy was very jealous of Cali @ first but now they play and wrestle and Buffy has been spotted actually kissing Cali *when she thinks no one is looking* I know they both are anxiously awaiting summer (as am I) because they both love swimming in our pool.

Now if I could only get my kids to listen as well as they do....

a pregnant pause

I just watched a video of a Fox news story about a woman in the UK who got in vitro and is pregnant at age 59- she will be 60 when she gives birth.

Is this woman out of her f***ing mind?

Don't give me that bullshit about how she's always wanted to be a mom.... she couldn't have felt that way sooner? What about adoption? This woman has a two year old daughter from an in vitro procedure done when she was 57. She states that she wants a sibling for her daughter. Just because she can do this... should she? 

Personally I believe it is unbelievably irresponsible and selfish for this woman to do this at age 60.

Even if she is in "great health" as she says, is she going to be around by the time her kid(s) graduate high school? This woman comments "Perhaps 65 is too old, but I'm still so healthy I don't see why I shouldn't be treated." The only bright spot in this whole situation is that her boyfriend is 11 years younger than her. I hope for the kids sake that he is in good health.

And what about the doctors who are doing this? Everyone ranted about the Octomom and the irresponsibility of the medical community - how is this any different? At what point are these doctors going to be held responsible? Will they be around for the next 18 -20 years to support these children should one or both of these parents die?

Finally what about the children of these geriatric moms... it seems there are many of them in the UK- it's hard enough losing your mom when you are an adult- what kind of psychological implications are there for these kids in the future? One mommy to be who is going to turn 67 after her child is born states "I don't have to defend what I've done."It's between me, my baby and no-one else."

Seems these women talk about their rights- what about the rights of these children?

poem

I get this poem every winter & every winter I love re-reading it.

It's a beautiful poem and very well written.

Thought it might be a comfort to you, it is to me.

' WINTER '

SHIT...

It's cold!

The end.

Be careful for what you wish for

Today my daughter Stefanie went back to college- hubby & son went back to Delaware- where they are living due to a situation out of our control and my oldest Jen is @ work till like 10:30 PM.

So here I sit... all alone...except for my dog Cali-we already took our walk (Buffy went to DE with the guys for this week)

To many women this would sound like Nirvana... I remember the days when all 3 kids were driving me crazy and I would've killed to have a few hours to myself... Be careful for what you wish for- it's not all it's cracked up to be... being alone that is.

I find myself watching tv. playing games on facebook, doing laundry... and being bored. I seriously need to find a hobby. On the upside I have a new book to read... but after having my whole family home over Christmas- this alone most evenings is going to get old... FAST.

Somehow way back when when I was wishing for some time to myself- I didn't actually think it through, because an occasional few hours is nice- night after night is not. Last month when I went for my check up with my dr. he told me I seemed depressed. He wants me to get out around people and suggests I join an exercise class or something. I wish I actually liked exercising and was in shape enough to actually do this, but the idea of trying to do an exercise class is really intimidating. I looked in the adult education flyer that came home and they are offering a pottery class beginning in March- that actually sounds like fun to me.

So what do I do in the meantime?

January sucks

OK so Christmas vacation is over *sigh* and it is back to school... if that is not bad enough- I went back on Monday and got to school and mid morning I had to go to a different school to work with kids... guess what... my #!%&*! car wouldn't start again... what a pain in the patoot!

Luckily my daughter is still home from college and was off so she came & helped me jump start the car. So I took it back to the place that put the new battery in and of course after I left it it started right up for them. *sigh* So I called the dealership and they told me that the next time (next time...it shouldn't have happen THIS time) instead of jump starting it- I need to have it towed up to them so then they can do a diagnostic test on it.

Well that offers me so much comfort and confidence...

Later that day I picked up our 9 mo. old puppy from the vets- she was spayed yesterday.. Poor baby- all she did last night was whine & cry- I felt so bad :( My daughter said she has perked up today- so once I get home it will be lots of TLC for her...

Sleeping off the anesthesia

Tonight it is cleaning up around the house then early to bed- didn't get much sleep last night.