Thankful #2

Since I am a couple of days behind, here is #2!

I am thankful that I am pregnant, but more thankful that this morning sickness is starting to ease!! I have been pathetic the last couple weeks. If you don't believe me, just ask Steve, Mimi and Buzzy! Buzzy will cuddle with me on the couch. I'll take a little nap and when I wake, he'll ask if I'm feeling better. He will bring me a glass of ice water or a "cold" hot water bottle. He is the sweetest little fella!

Starting, I think Friday, I started feeling better. Not 100 %, but better. Each day has been a little better. Yesterday was the only day that I have been really "sick" you know, talking to the porcelain king! But today, I feel almost fine. Tired, I can handle tired, just not feeling like my skin is glowing green!

Thankful #1

I have been avoiding this challenge from Brandy. As most of you know, I am not good with seriousness. As a matter of fact, when I'm uncomfortable, I will try to make a joke or say something funny. Serious matters make me a little nervous sometimes.

Mimi asked me this morning if I was going to participate, and I commented that the others were doing "deep" subjects. She reminded me that there are so many simple things in life to be thankful for and after I hung up the phone things just started coming to me. So here is numero uno. (Number one for those non-spanish understanding individuals.)

I am thankful for the life that I have been born into. Steve and I like to watch the Discovery channel. A couple of weekends ago, I think it was a Sunday that I was feeling extra green and we didn't go to church, we were watching a special on a river. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the Amazon, I think it was the Nile. It showed the wet season and the dry season and all the different stages that the environment goes through. Anyway, there was a tribe of people that were constantly moving to follow the water. I have watched these specials before and never really thought much about it. On this episode, they showed a little boy, probably close to Buzzy's age, in line with the rest of the people, carrying his little goat. These people herded their goats everywhere they went. You could tell that this little boy LOVED this little goat. You could tell he was uncomfortable with the camera following him. He was walking fast and avoiding looking at the camera. The whole time, he had a death grip on that little goat. I told Steve right then, that we have been so blessed to have been born into this life. We don't have to move to find water. We don't have to live in a tent. We don't have to uproot our entire life each season.

I watched 20/20 last week. It was on Camden, NJ. Camden is, I think they said, the next to the poorest city in the US. Drugs, gangs, and crime rule the little city. It followed two children that week and one family. It was so sad the things that a four-year-old has to live through. He had been homeless with his mother and older brother. And all he wanted was to know how to read. He thought that if he could read, he could do anything. Another little girl, who had an alcoholic father, just wanted a clean park to play in. The park that she went to was nicknamed Needle Park, because of all the drug needles that littered the ground. The family that was on 20/20 was featured on Extreme Makeover Home on Sunday. To see the conditions that these people live in, was absolutely heart breaking.

God places each person with each family and life. And I am so thankful that he placed me right where I am. So yes, I may live in KY, just off Cleaton Road, but let me tell you, I am so THANKFUL to live where I live. Yes, the drug problem is bad, but we can go to the park and not have to worry about Buzzy getting stuck by a dirty needle. No, there isn't much to DO here, but we can go out of our house at night and not worry about getting shot in a gang dispute. And our home is permanent. I am so glad that God placed me in this life, where I live, how I live, and with whom I live with!

Leslie-Stevie/Ricky-Bobby

I nearly died one day last week. It had to be Tuesday or Wednesday, not sure of the day. As most of you know we live just off of Cleaton Road, which is a little crooked, no line road. I am now driving the Accord which is quite a bit smaller than the Tahoe and, at times, I don't feel as safe as I did in my big vehicle. So....I was on my way to work, applying my lip gloss(because all us girls know that this is one of the MOST important parts of the makeup system). So popped over a little hill, that is blind, to a GIANT Chevy SIlverado, jacked up, four wheel drive, IN MY LANE!!!! He was passing a little car in the size range of mine, ON A Blind hill!!!! Luckily, he had just enough time to jerk his vehicle back in behind the other car, although by nearly taking them out also, because he was passing!!! So......

This morning he just happened to get behind me on my way home from dropping Buzzy off. He goes by the office several times a day, because I have kept an eye out for him. Big Redneck truck with a big ol' deer sticker on the back window. Can't be missed. Anyway.. I was zipping along Cleaton road at about 60 until I realized it was HIM behind me. Slowed to 50, which is a reasonable speed for most sane humans. Not me, the grouchy, moody, revenge seeking pregnant woman. So as we approach the spot where he can pass, I move over into the center of the road. He nicely speeds up and moves over to pass me. Only no, he won't be passing the slow little silver car this morning. As I move into the opposite lane, it hits him, he's getting blocked. He tries again, I go farther over. Only took two times for this smart feller (or as Stevie would call him, fart smeller). He fell back from my bumper and road along. I slowed to turn into my drive, he rolls down his window, to show me his middle finger, so I show him mine!! Yes, I know my CHristian friends, this was not very Christian like, but he nearly killed me a few days ago, and I will ask forgiveness for my behavior. I am so thankful that I watched Talladega Nights and closely watch my husband week in and week out at the race track to learn true blocking skills!! Just call me Leslie-Stevie, instead of Ricky-Bobby! Steve better watch out. I might just fix his new car for myself. Show those boys how to really drive.

Weekend review.

Brandy came over on Saturday and took our pictures. We did them at Mimi's in her field and front porch and then a few at the mill. Most people wouldn't be caught dead in a log yard, but not us! While we were photographed at Mimi's, Mimi came down to distract her kitty. He kept trying to get in the pictures; standing on the log beside us, crawling up between me and Steve, you know kitty antics. Anyway, Mimi spied a deer stand back a little piece in the woods a couple of years ago, but didn't think anyone used it anymore. Which was wrong. Saturday was opening day of deer season here in Ky and the poor guy was perched up in his stand being all quiet and here we all were in the field being loud and giggly. I bet he would have shot us if he could have gotten away with it!!

ANyway, can't wait to get my proofs, hint, hint, B.!! They are going to be so good. Buzzy was great at cheesing for the camera!! We had a good time and anytime Brandy was out of earshot, Steve would ask if we were done yet!! I told him it would only last a couple hours! He responded with a rather spirited "Uh, uhhhh." He'll be glad he did it! I know I will!

Shorty is missing

Shorty was my first baby. I adopted him before Steve and I were married. Steve and his roommate at the time, Stewart, watched - and laughed- as a dog attacked this poor kitten. I was irrate to say the least. I took him to the vet and got him checked out, medicated, and named him Shorty. He moved to Mockingbird Lane with us. The three of us would cuddle on the couch before Buzzy was born. I would ask Steve who would hold Shorty when the baby was born. Shorty moved outside when the baby came.

He moved to our current home and barely made it past the dog that was left behind. She tried to eat him and I loaded the doggy up and delivered her to her owner. She had just lived here like two months after they moved out. She messed with my Shorty. She was out of here.

I took this picture of him last Tuesday and I haven't seen him since. Steve has been feeding the critters at night for me and he hasn't seen him since about the same time I did. He always showed up when it was time to eat. I know he's gone because he's never been gone this long...ever. So if anybody runs into Shorty, tell him to come home. His momma misses him.

Halloween

I know, I know. I am behind on the blogging. Just a week! Anyway...I did not realize that Buzzy prayed before his snack at school. MiMi told me that he did and so that's when I became educated. I have not personally experienced anything sweeter than 12 preschoolers bowing their heads and saying their prayer before they eat. I experienced it on the field trip and again at the Halloween party. It brings tears to my eyes. I love it! Buzzy has learned so much at school. Any doubts that I had about sending him have disappeared.

**I know-his hat is on, but it's a start!**

Jeff Gordon came to the mill before he went on his trick-or-treating jaunt. MiMi had him a bucket of goodies and a book. He was into the book!

I'm really not comfortable with this situation that I caught on film. Look at that expression on his face! Chandra and I took the kiddos to town again this year. I don't know who has more fun; them or us? They were tuckered out when we made it back to where we parked. They had to rest on the grass while Chandra and I planned the rest of the afternoon. MaSandy fixed us supper again this year. I really like this Halloween tradition that we have going! Trick or Treating and then free food at the Herman's!!

News

Guess what!! It's true! Most of you know by now. It's very early and we haven't told Buzzy yet. I want to go to the Dr. first and make sure everything is ok before I tell the little man. It's going to be hard to explain and if there was a problem, it would be harder to explain why there was a baby and for some reason, there isn't one now..... So that's the news!! We gonna have a baby about Julyish. Like I said, VERY early, but we are so darn excited, couldn't keep it a secret!!