Yo aprendo hablar Español

Yo tomo un clase de español por mi trabajo. Me gusta :)

proud

Astronomy funny

First, I read this article where I found this picture of a smiley face in the sky in Australia:

From My Pictures

THEN, I went outside, and saw THIS:

From 12 01 08

I guess the man in the moon is sad here in the US.

One thing I've learned

This morning it was drizzling before I left work. Some of my coworkers were complaining. "People don't know how to drive in the rain." "It's so gloomy out there" (coming from people who live in a state that averages 300 days of sun!) "It's cold..." I was very tired so it was easy to nod along with the whining. But as I was driving home, I saw the most amazing sunrise - one of those that I was kicking myself for not having my camera with me. The sun was this crazy shade of orange-yellow, peeking through the clouds. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. And then a little further on there was a HUGE rainbow in the sky. (I tried to take a picture with my cell phone, which is the picture above.) I immediately repented of the grumbling and thanked God. It's cliche, but it was such a strong reminder to me - there can't be rainbows without rain. And then I remembered where I was 4 years ago at this time, and what we had been through that year. I had just gotten my job after 8 months of not having one, after suddenly becoming a single parent, after the worst betrayal I've ever experienced. I have nothing to complain about. I had plenty of rain, and I'm so thankful for the rainbows.

Without tough times, good times don't seem as good, they're just normal, we take them for granted, like people in Phoenix take sunshine for granted. I know this Thanksgiving finds many people struggling, especially financially. It's so hard to be thankful for hard times, I know, but there is blessing and grace then too, there are things to be learned, and they make the good times all that much more good.

Romans 5:3 and 4: Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Happy Thanksgiving :D

Is my kid the only one who does stuff like this?

Tonight was really one of the worst nights I've had in a while. We went out to dinner with my sister who was in town. She lives 2000 miles away. She asked my opinion on the election and we clearly had differing viewpoints. After it was obvious we weren't going to agree, I said "I'm not going to change your mind and you aren't going to change mine, I really don't feel the need to debate these things, so let's talk about something else." She ranted on for several more minutes and finally when nobody responded to her, she changed the subject. Our dinner party consisted of her, me and 3 of my kids. Even we had wanted to debate, an 8 year old wouldn't have much fun at a dinner like that. So maybe that's why...

My 8 year old nearly hung himself on the middle seat belt in the back seat of my car. We were most of the way home when he said "Mom, the seat belt is caught around my neck." I was on the freeway, and he was in the seat directly behind me. I tried to have the other kids help him, but they couldn't figure out where or why it was caught like that. It was truly wrapped around his neck and there was no give in either direction. If I would have been in even a minor fender bender, it could have killed him. I'm not sure how he did it, but he did. He told me later that he was playing with the middle seat belt. I ended up having to cut the seat belt to get it off his neck. We then had a nice discussion about how seat belts are absolutely not toys and he is to never ever do anything like that again. Ok, maybe it was more of a lecture.

So really, is my kid the only one who does stuff like that? And, how did I get so, umm, fortunate... to have such a...unique... child?!

Yearly inventory #3

Guess what today is?! It's the 20th anniversary of my 21st birthday!! I don't know if that sounds better or worse than saying I turned 41 today! Or if having a sister that is turning 50 in ten days makes me feel better that I'm still younger than her, or worse that I have a sister who is 50!! (But she does look DARN good for being a half century!) So for the past two years, I've done these yearly inventory things (here and here,) so I figured, why not keep it up?

What is your favorite color? Still green. Can't see that changing.
What is your favorite food? These days, bacon. Bacon and Chocolate. But not chocolate covered bacon, because that's just gross.
What is your favorite song? Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath and To Bring You Back, by Paul Allen (I left the 99 to find the one/And you're the one/I walked a thousand miles in this desert sun/only to bring you back -- Good stuff.)
What is your most valued possession? Bible, cameras, pictures, a diamond pendant my mom gave me and a birthstone ring my sister gave me. It's the only bling I wear.
What is your greatest strength? Simple faith, ability to recognize my own responsibility for the drama in my life.
What is your greatest weakness? Food, laziness, I can be harsh and judgmental with people, even if I don't say it out loud, I think it sometimes.
What is your best skill? Does flaring my nostrils count?
What was your greatest mistake? This year? Failure to provide preventive maintenance. For several things.
What is your greatest fear? Dying while my children are young and leaving them orphans is always there at the top of the list.
What is your greatest accomplishment? At this stage, besides my kids, I'd say providing for them for the past 4 years. I know it's been because of God, but before I seriously doubted I'd ever be able to.
What is the one task you are least fond of doing? Yard work. Oh, and cleaning dog poo.
If your life ended today, what is the one thing everybody who knows you would say about you? Not sure I really wanna know!
What would you want them to say? She was a servant for the Lord.
Why wouldn't or couldn't they say what you want them to say? I'm sometimes not convinced I'm doing all I should be doing in the way of serving.

Where am I? Still a single mom in Arizona, doesn't look like that will be changing soon, and I'm not sure I'd want it to.
How did I get here? 99 Ford Escort. With 3 kids in tow. I'll never do that again. Seriously, I got here by making some bad choices, then accepting responsibility for them, then figuring out what about me caused me to make those choices in the first place, then working on that.
What was I trying to accomplish by making that decision? Security.
What do I really want? To move forward from where I am now.
How can I get to where I want to be from here? Keep trusting God, it's the key to everything. That never changes.

Things I don't like about me: I'm lazy, I hate housework, mess does not bother me, I can be pretty selfish, I am impatient, I am not outgoing and friendly enough, and I'm terrible about keeping in touch with people, and I'm not nearly as trusting as I used to be. These answers are the same as last year, I see no reason to change them. I'm also not the best at managing money. Yeah, those apply for this year too.

Things I like about me: I am giving and helpful, and I like to help others learn.

Our house, in the middle of our street

Where do you live?

*ahem*

If anybody is even still out there, hi :) I know I haven't posted anything since May. I didn't mean to fall off the face of the earth or anything, I just didn't feel like I had anything worth saying. For the most part, life is calm and steady, which doesn't usually make for exciting blog fodder. Let's see... in the past 3 months... SB the 8 year old wonderboy lost a tooth. DQ the 16 year old Drama Queen went and came back from a visit to family in Ohio. SB finished 2nd grade, Sassy finished 5th grade, DQ finished 10th grade. SB started 3rd grade, Sassy started 6th grade, DQ started 10th grade. Sam turned 19, and theoretically is supposed to move out tomorrow. Oh, and we got a puppy! Yes, I am crazy, thanks for asking. Sam was in another car accident, which just happened yesterday. He's ok, sore, car is not. The last time we thought his car was totaled but our neighbor who is a mechanic worked a miracle and fixed it. This time, I think it's just toast. This is bad because, well, he's supposed to move out tomorrow. He depends on his vehicle to perform his job. No car, no job. No job, no way to pay the rent. He's kinda stressed. Ok, I guess stuff has happened! Maybe it's not same ole' stuff, different day (I kinda like SOSDD really, I get enough drama at work!)

I had a new experience at work - I tried to train someone who didn't catch on. She tried her best, and I tried my best to help her, but after she was done on my shift, she moved on to 2nd shift where it's just busy busy busy all day everyday, and she couldn't keep up. Deep down I know it wasn't me, but now I kind of doubt myself just a little. I'll be getting another trainee on Monday.

A while ago, I asked for prayer for something that I didn't want to specify what it was. I finally got an answer. Took a few months, but it was a very clear, unmistakable answer. The answer was "Thanks for being willing, but it's not what I'm using you for right now." I'm kind of relieved, I admit! So if you did, thanks for praying.

So, allow me to introduce you to the newest member of our family - Benny!

He's a mutt we got from the pound, mostly chihuahua, I guess. They say he's part shih tzu, but I just don't see it. What he is is cute, and really sweet. He's about 5 months old by now, and mostly housebroken. He's very good natured, and I'm happy I let the kids talk me into it. They didn't have to put forth all that much effort, but don't tell them that.

Wordless Wednesday a little late

Edited to add: This is a Vietnamese church that is under construction very near to my house. I don't usually go that way and saw it a couple days ago for the first time. It looks like it's going to be very beautiful when it's completed, and quite large too!

laughing at myself

I got home from work/taking the kids to school, got myself an English muffin, then sat down at my laptop which is at the kitchen table. Putzed around for a little while, you know. A few minutes ago I got up to go run to the store for a few quick things, and I couldn't find my keys. Huh. I always put them on the counter by the door. Nope, not there. I know they have to be somewhere here because I got home and got in the house. But just to make sure, I checked the car. Nope, not there. I checked the counter again. Not there. Not on the table. Not in my room. Not in in the pocket of my work pants. So where are they?! Not in the bathroom...WTHeck? Check the counter again, because truthfully, there's a lot of crap on it... nope, not there. Not under the dish towel. Not by the toaster where I made the English muffin. Seemingly, not anywhere. Not in my backpack, not on the floor... Check the counter again, this time, I just happened to look... in the kitchen sink. And there they were. I think I'll blame the cat. Yeah, the cat did it.

In a car without breaks going down a really steep hill

Most of what I deal with at work is routine even though it's 911. Even the stuff that is really and truly an emergency is routine most of the time. Oh, you've been shot? Where are you? It happens frequently enough that it really doesn't rattle me. So most of the time I don't even bother telling people about what I hear because it's really not all that interesting. Last night though, I had a call that made me say "WHAT?!" We answer 911 and the non-emergency police line. If a call is medical, we transfer it to the fire department and are done with it, so I don't deal with the people who break their ankles jumping off buildings when they are drunk or stuff like that. The calls I deal with are the police related stuff only. So last night, the woman called our non-emergency line, and had some police related questions. The gist of her story was that she had been to court earlier in the day and got a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend. They had been sharing a house, but she was staying at a friend's. During the course of the call she revealed to me that she had been in the emergency room several times over the course of the past few days primarily for migraines, and she had taken medication before she called. Her concern was for her dog. She had had this dog for 6 years and apparently slept with it every night and was very upset because it was still at the house where the ex-boyfriend on whom she took out a court order making him stay away from her. She told me that he was not feeding the dog, making it stay outside in the almost 100 degree heat, and that he told her he was going to open the gate so the dog would run away. She wanted to know what she could do to get her dog after I let her know that no, officers would not go to pick up the dog and bring it to her. I let her know about the procedures we have in place to pick up property with police there to keep the peace and otherwise if she was that concerned she should call the animal abuse hotline, and I provided their contact information. She thanked me for the phone number, and then asked what the phone number was to set it up for the officers to assist her to go pick up her dog, and I told her "that's the same number you called to speak to me," and gave her the non-emergency police number. This is where it got weird. It went kind of like this:
Caller: Ok, let me ask you one more question.
Me: Go ahead.
Caller: Who are you?
Me: My name is Connie, with the police department.
Caller: THE POLICE?!
Me: Yes...
Caller: WHO CALLED THE POLICE?!
Me: Umm, you did...
This made her FURIOUS!
Caller: I most certainly did NOT CALL the POLICE! I called my ex-boyfriend! Ohhh, I get it.... now he's having the police call me to harass me!!
Me: No, I promise you, I did not call you...
Caller: Are you calling me a liar?!
Me: Ma'am, you called to ask about your dog... you did tell me earlier that you took some medication for your migraines, maybe you don't remember...
Caller: OH SO NOW YOU ARE SUGGESTING THAT I'M ON DRUGS?!
It just went down hill from there.

Wordless Wednesday - Achoo!!!

Rotten Brats

The last picture I'll be able to take of my kids all together any time soon. Rotten brats going and growing up behind my back.

Gotta have a cake... because after all Allison's birthday is next month, so I gave her her presents last night and baked a cake. Happy birthday didn't seem quite right though....

Sad

The hardest thing about being a parent so far is letting go. It wasn't so bad when Allison moved out, but now she's moving away and I'm not all that fond of the idea. But, she's almost 23, and has to make her own decisions. So I've been avoiding thinking about it since she mentioned it at the end of last year. But she's leaving tomorrow, so I can't avoid it any longer. She's going back to Ohio, where we both grew up. She honestly has more family there than she does here, so I can understand, I guess. But I'm still sad.

Wordless Wednesday