list – Page 24

rainydayinalmostmay…

Published on April 30, 2012 by Mae @ Rainydayinmay3 Comments

So yeah, it’s been a ROUGH while at our house… What better than a bullet post to count the highlights?

– I started having these completely debilitating cluster migraines. It seems to have subsided now, which professionals oddly call “the remission period”, which freaks me out a bit more than the clustery ice-pick-stabbing head spasms do.

– Yes, I did read the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. I did like them. Sorry if that’s offensive, as it has apparently been to some.

– In relation to the last point, I would like to point out that as a result my husband and I had a “hard limits/soft limits” discussion- and I listed my #1 hard limit to be his family. Oh. Yes. I. Did.

– I also went and saw Blue Like Jazz, which was amazing. I think the hype it has gotten from the Sherwood pastor is EXACTLY what is wrong with the Christian church mentality, and why so many people are turned off by the idea of Christianity or being a Christian, or believing that Christians can be cool people who understand things and could be potential friends.

– Judgement is ridiculous.

– Genny had a raging 104 fever for two days, ended up being thrown out of one urgent care clinic (no, I’m not kidding. Cuz apparently that’s what the medical industry deems appropriate for kids with delusions and raging fevers.) and was diagnosed with Strep/Scarlet fever at another.

– Her throat never hurt.

– In the second ER, she sat crying in my lap begging for my hand to be against her forehead. Her head was so hot that it literally HURT to keep my palm there, and there was a red welt on my palm (which felt very much like a burn) which stayed for 3 days and still burns occasionally. Have NEVER had that happen and still it seems absurd.

– Our beautiful Amanda graduated from Basic Training on Thursday. We couldn’t be there due to the expensive of silly things like attorneys, court fees, etc. It killed me to miss it for reasons I’ll some day talk about… It hurt us all I think. Genny the most, as she feels like she’s ruining everything… Which she isn’t. It sucks to be her, these days.

– that being said, we are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO proud of Amanda, and will not miss her AIT graduation in San Antonio! Somehow we’ll be there.

– I am at the end of my rope with homeschool. It just isn’t a great fit for us. But schooling at an actual school isn’t a great fit for Gen. Next step? We’ve applied at an online school and will find out if we get in within the next couple of weeks I guess.

– Finally got the nearly $1000 bill for my husband to get those three stitches in his leg that day he accidentally stabbed himself. I just don’t understand the medical industry at all… Until then, living in actual fear over what the scarlet fever one will be…

– I bought my husband tickets for he and a friend to go to this ridiculous MARVEL movie Marathon this Thursday. He is so excited that last night he drempt he was the Hulk.

– Tomorrow is May. Maybe it’s the spring all around us, (finally), or maybe it’s something else. All I know is, we’re almost done with school and I feel somewhat encouraged by life. Optimistic that we’re better for what this year has been like so far and good is yet to come…

– My son deploys to Afghanistan soon. It was supposed to be tomorrow, but it’s now moved to Mother’s Day.

– I got out of the house for a lovely lunch, with a girl friend, on Saturday. Got to also see a couple of movies. The Lucky One and The Five Year Engagement… Being a BIG Segel, Blunt and Apatow fan i LOVED the second one. LOVED LOVED LOVED it… As for the first one, it was good. It was kind of an ill-timed film to see, for a mom whose kid is going off to war. I totally want to say “that aside, I loved it”, but I can’t really “that aside”.

– While Gen was down with SF, and I was clustering here and there- i got completely sucked into the world of Downton Abbey. *SWOON*

What’s going on with you????

Two…

Published on February 1, 2012January 17, 2013 by Mae @ Rainydayinmay1 Comment

Me–

– new schedule. Making sure I survive my days by making my life NOT all Genny centric. it’s tough…

– Read two books for me. i did it January, but January also had 2 extra days AND didn’t have any visits from Lucas… Maybe i’ll choose 2 short books. :)

– Friendships. i need to work on this. My three closest friends live nowhere near here… I miss them. I need to focus on building closer friendships.

– Small Academy awards get together… I’m excited.

– personal writing… this has got to improve. since it’s a matter of days before Lucas arrives, i figure i’m going to exhibit grace on myself for this… I once heard that if you truly want to be writing, you will be. While I believe it, i also know i TRULY want/need to be- and I’m not.

– smash book…

– start working through the Writer’s Book of Days again… I need the diving board.

Capture–

-Valentines

– Sweet

– Date Night Dinner

– hello

– See You Later

– Focus Tree

– Roses

– wine (glass or bottle)

– footballish

– love

Us–

– Lucas is coming home for leave. CAN NOT WAIT…

– GREAT movies coming out this month. {!!!}

– good conversations, with friends… good conversations with our family…

– celebrating the twelfth birthday of my beautiful niece.

– board games. Our lives need more board games.

– Electronicless evenings.

– cell phone less dinners.

Heart–

– I’ve found I am getting easily frustrated with my mom and my sister. i really need to work on that without tearing down the vitally constructed boundaries that are there for my sanity.

– Getting more involved in our church.

– continuing to volunteer in our community.

– patience… it’s good for my heart, I hear. And though my physical heart is fine, my soul-heart needs more patience… and a slower acceleration rate to anger.

Home–

– there is a bad sort of stressful, hurtful unrest that settled down over our home. For a few reasons the past week has seen a release in that but i am going to work towards making sure that this pattern continues.

– we have a cool entry way project that i’m hoping we’ll get done this month. SUPER excited about it!

– entertain once or twice.

Health–

– our quest to eat whole has been a good one. It’s amazing how much better we feel, in various ways. Less headaches, more consistent energy. The one thing that is really interesting is that we hungry a lot more… I’m guessing that’s a good thing.

– water. loving water being a part of our time together. Swimming, play… It’s been great.

– more tea.

– yoga. Not just talking about yoga.

– dancing… the Ellen kind. Whenever possible.

– speaking of dancing- learn the shuffle…

Love–

– we don’t do the romantic Valentines thing. i think it’s ridiculous actually. But, we will have a date night in February and i’m excited for that.

– we’re currently reading through the Sacred Marriage devotional, and I love it.

– In January life circumstances led us to a lot of quality conversations… I’m grateful to see this pattern continuing.

– truly kiss, daily.

– continue finding ways to respect him.

One…

Published on January 1, 2012January 17, 2013 by Mae @ Rainydayinmay1 Comment

I can’t even believe it, and yet- I absolutely can…

Another month, another year. Fresh start. Fresh breath.

Beginning…

While I feel content, mostly… Perhaps not as much as i would hope but far more than i was before- i find fingers crossed and hopes high at this thing known as january one.

first… first of something.

first of everything.

one. number one month, number one day to this newness that is not really anything very new at all- except for a clean calendar slate and well- let’s face it- we all know what the Mayans said about that…

Leave it to me to get my junk figured out right before the timer dings…

Oh well.

I don’t really subscribe to that anyway…

Me–

– I want, no scratch that… i NEED to read at least two books for me. Work aside… for me. I am a better me, a better woman and a far better writer when I read.

– I need to create. i have a list of paper projects, gift projects and a few slightly more daring furniture projects to work towards. Wish me luck?

– I plan to see. See the world through the lens of my canon. See films. See people. See life.

– live life.

– breathe. Through affirmations. through prayer. through yoga. through calming. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. {Please remind me, should I need it.}

– and of course- the obvious: WRITE. I must write. there is no “like to” or option here.

Capture–

– bowls of soup

– new drink and the year’s first book

– icicles

– winter bundled children

– Kaileigh’s bday

– the tree

– Chw’s smooth newness

– our first meal, this year, as a family

– first snow of the year. (one way, or another)

– snuggles

Us–

– back to educating… Bittersweet. I’ll look to sweet. I am blessed. I choose cherish.

– We’ll think on Ecology and Conservation.

– We’ll strive to manage. Manage time. Manage Money. Manage Goals and possessions.

– We are starting a new allowance system. I’m excited. Gen’s excited. We’re all excited really.

– Weekend away.

– Family dinners. Conversing. Love. Support.

– We delve into classic literature, again, together.

– We step out and make friends. We try new things. We journey. We cherish. We breathe. {Must continue remembering…}

– focus locally. local shops. local restaurants. businesses owned by people, who work in love for real people.

– community. outreach. volunteer. serve.

Heart–

– i forgive. Me. Others. Life. 2011. Me. Me. Me… Always me, me who damages the most.

– breathe.

– pray.

– read.

– love.

– community. outreach. volunteer. serve. {rinse and repeat…}

– sleep.

Home–

– organize for schooling. Creative, practical and simple spaces.

– stock up our tea supply. We’ve dwindled it down.

– discard the excessive.

– restock and organize pantry for better feeding of loved family.

– dance in the kitchen, laugh at the table. We need this, everyday.

– cook together.

– loosen the kitchen reins.

Health–

– no soda. none. I’ve done it before. I’m doing this again.

– cut back on wheat. a lot.

– swim.

– move. move in ways which help me love myself, not in ways in which I dread.

– sleep.

– breathe. {this is feeling repetitive.}

Love–

– hold hands.

– respect him. Consciously. Authentically.

– kiss.

– cook for him.

– fold his socks. {which i hate to do.}

– date him, and when we are dating- see him genuinely.

– listen to him.

– listen to him breathe.

– recognize, remember and respect that he needs him time too. not for work, not with us in tow.

the back up plan…

Published on October 6, 2011January 17, 2013 by Mae @ Rainydayinmay8 Comments

Recently my husband was asked to sit in a meeting where he walked away with some very grim insight into the future of his current job. That being said, I realize most men are hardwired to worry about things like job security and to obsess over things like work. It took me awhile to get this, but now I do. Over the years, upon coming to this place I have learned to be a bit more aware of Chw’s sensitivity to this, therefore encouraging him.

So, when he fumbled through our evening acting a little funny, I simply waited. At eleven when he sat me down and said we needed to talk, I sat down to listen.

He’s worried.

He’s worried to the point of coming up with crazy suggestions like selling all of our worldly possessions and moving to New Mexico. Or joining the circus…

From what I gather, he (along with other managers) has been given the task of finding ways to cut extreme costs or they are looking at time served in the unemployment line.

“We need a back up plan.” He flatly stated.

A back up plan.

For, you know, if our lives (as we know them) fall apart.

This really got me thinking…

Unfortunately my daily fantasy of living pool side in Phoenix, with my spanish tiled roof and rock front yard (just minutes from BOTH IKEA and Trader Joe’s) doesn’t really fit into the idea of an emergency back up plan. So, pretty much I had nothing to offer him. (suffice it to say I am NOT really a huge fan of the NM part of this plan. The circus thing I could work with because the circus has elephants, and giraffes. But also clowns, so it’s still a scary option, but doable.) So, instead I took the other side of the spectrum. Why did i have to wrack my brain over a back up plan, if I was able to single handedly revolutionize things at his company, therefore saving them loads of cash.

Genius right?

Brainstorming, at nearly midnight, here’s what i came up with…

{and personally, if you ask me, it’s an awesome first draft!}

First off, the company spends roughly $30,000 per month in electricity. I immediately suggested applying for a grant that would cover a huge chunk of transitioning to partial solar energy. Then i chided myself, pointing out that wasn’t extreme enough. We are talking CPR extreme changes needed, SO I suggested: why not have their employees work in the dark? They can wear the little miner head lamps so they can work more efficiently, of course…
Second, periodically there will be safety luncheons, or training lunches that are catered. As far as i am concerned this is a HUGE waste of money. I remember many a school day field trips where my mom was asked to provide a few dollars to cover my sack lunch consisting of a PB & J, an apple and a string cheese. There is no reason that these luncheons can’t function the same. Let’s face it, if these grown men feel like they would need more food- they can bring it themselves. Or what about a safety potluck? SEE! The possibilities are endless!
Third, I feel that on occasion some of the employees can behave a tad on the need-to-be-babysat-6 year old scale of things. Being one who actually grew up and became an adult roughly twenty some years ago, I feel this is a little sad. I suggested letting a person from each shift go and hiring a drill sergeant to take their place. My prediction was that within 90 days things would be running far smoother than they ever have before, and with A LOT less screw ups.
Lastly, was my extreme motivator. Earlier this week one of my husband’s employees was injured. Suffice it to say a VERY large metal drill (think radius of a tire) came fiercely into contact with his head. Not pretty… The good news though is, after an ambulence ride to the hospital, a ton of lost blood and a few days of R & R, he is doing awesome and itching to come back to work. I say, let’s slap a label on this thing (thus birthing the Head Gong) and throw it into the mix.

It would work like this:

Employee A gets in trouble for constantly ruining parts due to his inability to stop day dreaming about ALSO living poolside in Phoenix. HEAD GONG.
Employee B clocks in late 40 days in a row, actually rolling his eyes at my husband’s pleas for him to be on time and care about his job. HEAD GONG.

I mean we’ve already proven it to be safe and obviously highly effective… (read: itching to come back to work.)

Suffice it to say, my husband wasn’t really on board with any of my suggestions. He’s such a party pooper.

My new back up plan suggestion: Worst case scenario, i can be hired out by companies to revolutionize the way they do things, streamline their methods and save them money. I think it’s obviously a real hidden skill I have.