Along my travels in the last 36 hours or so I had a moment of sheer panic...did I forget to pack my overnight bag in the car? 8 hours into the drive and then only then does it dawn on me that I have forgotten it. I remember to get the movies back to Blockbuster, the cookies to the cool teachers at the church kids activities, the books to the library, the Avon catalogs out, snacks and juiceboxes packed, the pool bag packed, clothes packed, blankets and pillows packed...and I forget my own bag?
Ladies can relate more to my panic...it had all my hair stuff, my make-up, my vitamins and all my smell good bath stuff! How did I forget that? I don't go out of the house without make-up on and I forget the whole damn bag? UGH.
It rained for over 8 straight hours before I finally decided to pull off the interstate in defeat, I had been conquered by the spray of trucker's hauling-A at 75 in standing water and pouring rain. I had been beaten by rain cloud of all rain clouds...so I get off the interstate. Only to be diverted right back on, thank you very much. What? you ask. Apparently the tornadoes decided to take a trip from OK to TN with me and followed me right into Memphis...how very nice of them to put in an appearance, right?:) I passed exit after exit trying to find a hotel to sleep off the rain storm and as I passed truck stop hotels and the like I opted for one that did not make me feel like I was starring in a horror film where the unsuspecting victim falls prey in the cheap motel. I settled on an over-priced hotel that probably wasn't much better than the ones I have just mentioned, but I felt better knowing there were no truck stops nearby or faulty street lights in the parking lot.
The boys love hotels...they jump on the beds, run around playing pirates, etc. It's like a free-f0r-all, which most times I tend to indulge them a little, but at 10 pm and after over 8 hours in the car I was just ready to get my tush into bed. They had other plans much to my dismay. Around the time that we all finally went to sleep is when it stopped raining...ahh, life, right?
We made the rest of the way today and drove into what we've called home for so long with tired and relieved smiles on our faces. But, its not home anymore. Someone is renting our house, Chris is in OK and while our families are here and seeing them is WONDERFUL, its not home like it was just 2 short months ago. Interesting how quickly things can change! I am utterly and thouroughly exhausted beyond all imagination and will slide into the sheets tonight at peace with the world knowing we got here safe and I don't have to get back in the car to drive back for almost two weeks-LOL!
I'm out, I hope this finds you all doing well!
Blessings and Love to All!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Off we go into the wild blue yonder
Here's what we've done today: up at dawn (much to my chagrin) to eat a fairly unbalanced breakfast of cereal bar and apple juice (at least I tried) and then began the daily battle of getting out of our jammies and into clothes, out the door to register A for school. Let me pause here for reflection: (insert pause here)
HOW DO I HAVE A SON THAT IS STARTING SCHOOL THIS YEAR?????
Oh my, I must be getting old. So there we sit in the 5 year old sized cafeteria and as I sit I can vaguely recall the smells of the cafeteria growing up and I barely contain a my gag reflex as I think about the stop where you drop off all your cast off foods and trays...still makes me shiver to think about it. God love the lunch ladies that worked back there cause I would have more likely chosen starvation than ever eat again after that smell...but, I digress. So, we sit there and find ourselves rather unprepared for this process, and I am the only person in the room who doesn't have an "indian card" now, I really don't know what that means but I guess that means that I am the only one in the room who's son doesn't get to list under Race: Native American. The woman helping me tells me that if we're just a "pinch" Indian we'd quailify...uhm, a pinch huh? What exactly does that mean, I ask. She replies, "you know, just a teeny-weeny pinch" Well, since I'm pretty sure that Scotch-Irish or German lineage doesn't qualify as a tribe then I am pretty sure we won't get that "indian card." At some point during the gratuitous paperwork I find myself getting just a tad bit weepy and slightly overwhelmed and as my eye begins to twitch under the stress I feel myself start to decompensate and sense the impending doom of the "loony Mom" hovering somewhere underneath my calm exterior.
I mentally start adding up all the chaos and change we've under gone as a family over the last year and I give myself an "atta-girl" for making it this far...I would never have had picked here to land, but since God's plans are HIS plans and not mine, this is where we are. It truly is a God thing...though I never would have picked here, I cannot remember a time in my married/parenthood life where I have been this satisfied and content with the moment. I never knew that before McAlester, so God did know what he was doing. I don't mean to sound like I'm surprised at that, but truth is, sometimes I do get caught up in thinking that I do know more about what is good for me than God.
We've found this amazing church family that has welcomed us in with such love, it feels like home to me and that is such a blessing. I find that most people here do admit to a lack of "things to do" but also don't seem to be all together fazed by that fact. Its refreshing to see small business prosper, old farmers selling their veggies out in the farmer's market, a main street that is really a main street that houses unique one of a kind shops that furnish the town with almost any need (almost:-) Even being a new girl in town, it never fails that I run into someone I have met at the Walmart (the only game in town) and it seems that almost everyone I know knows everyone else too! It's no Mayberry, but it's a start at a new way of living for us Beatty's. And ya know, I think we kinda like it!?! :-)
I'm out, gotta get that dinner going...
Blessings and Love to all
HOW DO I HAVE A SON THAT IS STARTING SCHOOL THIS YEAR?????
Oh my, I must be getting old. So there we sit in the 5 year old sized cafeteria and as I sit I can vaguely recall the smells of the cafeteria growing up and I barely contain a my gag reflex as I think about the stop where you drop off all your cast off foods and trays...still makes me shiver to think about it. God love the lunch ladies that worked back there cause I would have more likely chosen starvation than ever eat again after that smell...but, I digress. So, we sit there and find ourselves rather unprepared for this process, and I am the only person in the room who doesn't have an "indian card" now, I really don't know what that means but I guess that means that I am the only one in the room who's son doesn't get to list under Race: Native American. The woman helping me tells me that if we're just a "pinch" Indian we'd quailify...uhm, a pinch huh? What exactly does that mean, I ask. She replies, "you know, just a teeny-weeny pinch" Well, since I'm pretty sure that Scotch-Irish or German lineage doesn't qualify as a tribe then I am pretty sure we won't get that "indian card." At some point during the gratuitous paperwork I find myself getting just a tad bit weepy and slightly overwhelmed and as my eye begins to twitch under the stress I feel myself start to decompensate and sense the impending doom of the "loony Mom" hovering somewhere underneath my calm exterior.
I mentally start adding up all the chaos and change we've under gone as a family over the last year and I give myself an "atta-girl" for making it this far...I would never have had picked here to land, but since God's plans are HIS plans and not mine, this is where we are. It truly is a God thing...though I never would have picked here, I cannot remember a time in my married/parenthood life where I have been this satisfied and content with the moment. I never knew that before McAlester, so God did know what he was doing. I don't mean to sound like I'm surprised at that, but truth is, sometimes I do get caught up in thinking that I do know more about what is good for me than God.
We've found this amazing church family that has welcomed us in with such love, it feels like home to me and that is such a blessing. I find that most people here do admit to a lack of "things to do" but also don't seem to be all together fazed by that fact. Its refreshing to see small business prosper, old farmers selling their veggies out in the farmer's market, a main street that is really a main street that houses unique one of a kind shops that furnish the town with almost any need (almost:-) Even being a new girl in town, it never fails that I run into someone I have met at the Walmart (the only game in town) and it seems that almost everyone I know knows everyone else too! It's no Mayberry, but it's a start at a new way of living for us Beatty's. And ya know, I think we kinda like it!?! :-)
I'm out, gotta get that dinner going...
Blessings and Love to all
Monday, July 27, 2009
Christmas in July
Well, it sure doesn't feel like Christmas in July here...if it were Christmas I could cajole my children into believing that their behavior might have some influence on what dear ol' Santa might plop down under the tree, but to no avail...cause, it is July and it's not Christmas. SO, I am forced to put everyone on lock-down in separate corners as to not incite some sort of hysteria on my part. Did I mention its also raining, has been all day, so we can't just go outside and play...
School starts soon here, in fact, it starts when we're going to be traveling back to OK from home, sweet, home TN...A is starting kindergarden and I know that will be a tearful transition. Ohhh, but not for him...Mommy will have to say her first set of good-byes to her baby that will be the first in a long line, of this I am sure. I have heard that once your first goes to K, you start wanting to have a baby in the house again...if anyone hears me say that, please remind me of today. LOL!
I look forward to our soujourn home to TN, despite the work that must go into packing, car check-ups and such. I feel like I'm bringing about 4 days worth of food in snacks, but at this point, its just about keeping the kids calm enough to make it through as much of the trip as we can without screaming, whining, hissy-fits, melt-downs and whatever other sort of euphemism one could use to describe what happens after 12 hours in the car. I have downloaded books to my iPod and hope to listen to them as they watch various and asundry episodes of Scooby Doo and Batman, thank goodness for technology...all I ever had for car trips was MadLib books and playing cards. We survived nonetheless, didn't we?
Well, off to break up yet another quarrel, someone is crying. Ahhhh, life.
I'm out. Blessings and love to all.
School starts soon here, in fact, it starts when we're going to be traveling back to OK from home, sweet, home TN...A is starting kindergarden and I know that will be a tearful transition. Ohhh, but not for him...Mommy will have to say her first set of good-byes to her baby that will be the first in a long line, of this I am sure. I have heard that once your first goes to K, you start wanting to have a baby in the house again...if anyone hears me say that, please remind me of today. LOL!
I look forward to our soujourn home to TN, despite the work that must go into packing, car check-ups and such. I feel like I'm bringing about 4 days worth of food in snacks, but at this point, its just about keeping the kids calm enough to make it through as much of the trip as we can without screaming, whining, hissy-fits, melt-downs and whatever other sort of euphemism one could use to describe what happens after 12 hours in the car. I have downloaded books to my iPod and hope to listen to them as they watch various and asundry episodes of Scooby Doo and Batman, thank goodness for technology...all I ever had for car trips was MadLib books and playing cards. We survived nonetheless, didn't we?
Well, off to break up yet another quarrel, someone is crying. Ahhhh, life.
I'm out. Blessings and love to all.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
This week has been a great week for the Beatty family. We are finally starting to feel at home here, mostly in part to the church we've been attending...its amazing how great you start to feel about a place when you know God's hand is leading you to the right place and the right people. Ironically enough, just as we are starting to adjust we are also leading up to the exodus home to TN...which if plans had stayed the way they originally were, was when we were going back to TN to tough it out again. Tough it out meaning, single-parenting the boys while the hub chases his dreams of conquering the fortune 500 corporate jungle, rat-race, etc.
I am slowly learning that there is always more at work in God's plan than in my own. Sometimes I just look up at this Oklahoma sky and throw my hands up in a "why me" posture and feel really damn sorry for myself and then something happens. Might be something small, might be something really profound...but its always something that makes me know that God is still there. I have a friend who is a champion and a hero for her family that is struggling to keep the faith as her husband fights cancer...and she doesn't lose hope...so how can I? Its all perspective. The reality is that we live in the most free country in the world where I can worship my God, where I can do and say what I feel is right without fear of persecution, we have a roof over our heads, food in the fridge, two nice cars to drive, nice clothes to wear, air conditioning when its 105 degrees....and all that adds up to a life I shouldn't gripe about.
I meet people here everyday that have sooooo much less and yet I feel sorry for myself? Well, its something I'm working on and when God taps me on the shoulder to remind me every once in a while just how good I've got it, I am so humbled, down to my knees humbled. So, like I said, I am slowly learning to trust that God does have control, even when I don't see the Oklahoma trees through the Oklahoma forest, I do see it.
I hope anyone reading this decides to share how they feel about God's plan in their life...
I'm out, see you later.
Blessings and Love to all!
I am slowly learning that there is always more at work in God's plan than in my own. Sometimes I just look up at this Oklahoma sky and throw my hands up in a "why me" posture and feel really damn sorry for myself and then something happens. Might be something small, might be something really profound...but its always something that makes me know that God is still there. I have a friend who is a champion and a hero for her family that is struggling to keep the faith as her husband fights cancer...and she doesn't lose hope...so how can I? Its all perspective. The reality is that we live in the most free country in the world where I can worship my God, where I can do and say what I feel is right without fear of persecution, we have a roof over our heads, food in the fridge, two nice cars to drive, nice clothes to wear, air conditioning when its 105 degrees....and all that adds up to a life I shouldn't gripe about.
I meet people here everyday that have sooooo much less and yet I feel sorry for myself? Well, its something I'm working on and when God taps me on the shoulder to remind me every once in a while just how good I've got it, I am so humbled, down to my knees humbled. So, like I said, I am slowly learning to trust that God does have control, even when I don't see the Oklahoma trees through the Oklahoma forest, I do see it.
I hope anyone reading this decides to share how they feel about God's plan in their life...
I'm out, see you later.
Blessings and Love to all!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Back to work he goes...
We thoroughly enjoyed a day off yesterday as a family, but it was a busy day! I am working my way to becoming a successful Avon Rep and training to be a CASA volunteer which has made life a little hectic but its exhilirating to have things to do again. I have spent some time here stewing away and wishing we could be home again but there was a sink or swim moment in life here where I had to decide to SWIM!
Speaking of swimming, the boys have spent the entire summer in the pool and while J is becoming more and more comfortable in the water, A has become quite a swimmer in short time. I am hopeful by next summer he'll be able to join a swim team and follow in his Mommy's footsteps as a swimmer-extraordinaire! Okay, I wasn't great, but I was good...I have the ribbons and medals to prove it, I swear!
We are planning (trying to plan) a vaca to go back to TN to visit and then make a trip to IL to see my grandparents. It has been a little stressful to say the least, trying to coordinate three schedules to plan a vaca is not as easy as I would like! But, the idea of a vacation is so alluring that whatever stress I must undergo will be worth it! AND, we're going to Disney this year too! WOOHOO, thanks to our bestie and Godmother, Aunt Stephanie! Our last trip to Disney was the honeymoon...we got to get bumped up on all the rides cause I was wearing the Minnie Mouse Bridal cap...would it be tacky to break that out and wear it again...with our two kids in tow? Hahaha!!
I'm out for now...have a wonderful day! Blessings and love to all!
Speaking of swimming, the boys have spent the entire summer in the pool and while J is becoming more and more comfortable in the water, A has become quite a swimmer in short time. I am hopeful by next summer he'll be able to join a swim team and follow in his Mommy's footsteps as a swimmer-extraordinaire! Okay, I wasn't great, but I was good...I have the ribbons and medals to prove it, I swear!
We are planning (trying to plan) a vaca to go back to TN to visit and then make a trip to IL to see my grandparents. It has been a little stressful to say the least, trying to coordinate three schedules to plan a vaca is not as easy as I would like! But, the idea of a vacation is so alluring that whatever stress I must undergo will be worth it! AND, we're going to Disney this year too! WOOHOO, thanks to our bestie and Godmother, Aunt Stephanie! Our last trip to Disney was the honeymoon...we got to get bumped up on all the rides cause I was wearing the Minnie Mouse Bridal cap...would it be tacky to break that out and wear it again...with our two kids in tow? Hahaha!!
I'm out for now...have a wonderful day! Blessings and love to all!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
One the first day...
I'd like to say I got the idea of blogging on my own, as if somehow I had one of those "light bulb/A Ha!" moments, but I did not. After reading the blogs of friends, family, etc. I decided that this would be a good way to get out what was trapped inside my head while I linger here in OK wondering where the hub's job will take us next. Its a tad bit narcissistic, I'd say, to assume anyone out there really gives a darn what I have to say...Realistically, I don't really think anyone but the people that love me give a poo, but here I am. So, does this mean that I too join the ranks of the hoards of people so desperate for attention and edification that they resort to blogging anonimously? Do you see the irony there? Wanting attention but leaving it all anonimous? Hmmmm....
As I sit here typing away my two year old has climbed atop the arm of our sofa...hands on hips, Batman cape gently flapping in the breeze of the ceiling fan proclaiming loudly, " I am BATMAN!" I relish the creativity and imagination that still exists in my boys. I am hopeful that I will be able to somehow safeguard that sweetness, naivete and wonderment as long as I can.
I also sit here cooped up in the house, its over 100 degrees and today is the day they sound the tornado sirens...you know, just to make sure they still work.?! Try explaining that to a petrified child. Adding insult to injury we are daily forced to watch the windows rattle as the Army Ammunition plant miles away is exploding bombs underground, yes, we over 8 miles away can feel the rattle of the bomb go boom! So as the sirens ring, the bombs go off and J runs around being Batman I sometimes get lost in the menagerie of noises that is my life and long for some peace and quiet. That being said, I wouldn't trade this crazy house for anything!
Time to start another homeschool lesson: learning about money. If I teach him about money I do run the risk of him realizing that a quarter won't buy him squat! LOL, but its worth it to see him light up when he "gets" it.
I'm out...see ya! Blessings and Love to All!
As I sit here typing away my two year old has climbed atop the arm of our sofa...hands on hips, Batman cape gently flapping in the breeze of the ceiling fan proclaiming loudly, " I am BATMAN!" I relish the creativity and imagination that still exists in my boys. I am hopeful that I will be able to somehow safeguard that sweetness, naivete and wonderment as long as I can.
I also sit here cooped up in the house, its over 100 degrees and today is the day they sound the tornado sirens...you know, just to make sure they still work.?! Try explaining that to a petrified child. Adding insult to injury we are daily forced to watch the windows rattle as the Army Ammunition plant miles away is exploding bombs underground, yes, we over 8 miles away can feel the rattle of the bomb go boom! So as the sirens ring, the bombs go off and J runs around being Batman I sometimes get lost in the menagerie of noises that is my life and long for some peace and quiet. That being said, I wouldn't trade this crazy house for anything!
Time to start another homeschool lesson: learning about money. If I teach him about money I do run the risk of him realizing that a quarter won't buy him squat! LOL, but its worth it to see him light up when he "gets" it.
I'm out...see ya! Blessings and Love to All!
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