eleven

Martina McBride released her newest album, "Eleven", today. 
She has eleven songs on the album.
This is her eleventh year to be the #1 female country artist.
This is her eleventh album.
Today is the 11th day of the month.
Do you see a theme here?

Martina is doing this very cool cross country tour on Amtrak this week. 
She started in Los Angeles yesterday and will end up in New York City at the end of the week where they will light the Empire State Building pink.
All of this to highlight her new album and raise breast cancer awareness.
If there is anything that gets me excited, it's breast cancer awareness.
I became a huge supporter of breast cancer research seven years ago when I had a lump removed and a major breast cancer scare.

News got out early today that Martina would be stopping in Newton this evening.
That's pretty big news for a little town like ours.
She's only making 11 stops on this tour, you know.
My girls and I walked down to meet Martina as she passed through Newton.
We were wearing our matching pink "Fight Like a Girl" t-shirts.
I don't think Hannah is very impressed with matching t-shirts.
Especially with mom.  :)

We got to the train depot early and began the long process of waiting.
And waiting.
And waiting.
Lucky for me, my fun friend, Beki, was there to wait too.  (I might have been frustrated if I hadn't had someone with whom to make fun of all the crazy people.  Only crazy people go out for something like this.  Just sayin.)

Beki and I aren't tall people.  Hannah volunteered to stand on a park bench with my camera.  We got great pictures of the backs of lots of heads.

Martina came out and spoke for just a couple of minutes.
That's it.
That's all.
No singing.
(Abi's words - "that was SO not worth it!")

Well, we didn't walk from our house all the way to the train depot and stand in a crowd of sweaty, cranky people for nothin.
We got some great shots of Martina's fun pink train.
I do have to say, I LOVE this train.

Well, we hung out at the train for quite a while hoping to catch a glimpse of Martina.
She was gracious enough to work her way through the crowd and sign a few autographs.
We may or may not have shoved worked our way through the crowd, trying to get close enough for a good photo or autograph.

At one point, I told Abi to stay close to Beki and follow her through the crowd since I wasn't getting anywhere.  It's a good thing I have friends I can trust.

We didn't get any autographs.
We really didn't get any great photos.

My two favorite shots from the evening were of Martina signing Michelle Janzen's survivor t-shirt.
Michelle is one of my breast cancer survivor heroes.
If I recall correctly, she was diagnosed before she was 40 years old.
She had a full masectomy and reconstructive surgery.
She's one of the most beautiful and funny ladies I know.
If I couldn't get pics of my girls with Martina, Michelle would definitely be my next choice.

Well, I learned a few things tonight:
1.  I'm not very good at meeting famous people.  I need to be pushier or more creative to catch someone's attention. 
2.  I'm older than Amtrak.  It's celebrating it's 40th year this year.  Ugh.
3.  Apparently, 11 is NOT a lucky number for me.

soggy football

So we just set records for the hottest and driest summer on record in Kansas.
It was so hot and so dry.
I know this isn't a popular opinion, but I loved the heat.
I really, really loved the heat.  Some may say it's because I don't work outside.  Probably true.

Well, our drought just came to a screaching halt this weekend.
It's been raining since late Saturday morning.
And it's cold.











We really, really need the rain and I'm so thankful for it.
But it would have been nice to have the rain after dark on Saturday.
We endured enjoyed Eli's football game in a downpour.
The boys loved it!  They played so good and won 38-0.  That's right, a shut out.

I realized this weekend I need a bigger umbrella. 

Even though I had an umbrella, I was soaked from head to toe when the game was over. 

Maybe I'm wider than the average umbrella :)  (Funny when I say it; hurtful when you say it.)

Something like this ought to cover me.

A serious football mom should have a REAL umbrella, don't you think?

I'm pretty sure this football was floating when the game was over.

I know this rain is a wonderful blessing from God.  It truly is refreshing. 
More refreshing when I'm inside looking out than when I'm sitting outside in puddles, however.

surfin' USA

I try to get out and walk most everyday.
I LOVE to be outside, especially when it's warm.
I've seen some interesting things on my walks but this may be the most interesting.

Yep, that's a surf board.
Yep, we're a land locked town in a land locked state.
Not quite sure what he was doing with his surf board and 2 newspaper carrier bags.
I followed this guy about 6-8 blocks from our house to the homeless shelter.
He's probably wondering about me too.
He never threw a newspaper so I'm not sure what's in the bags.
Not sure what he's going to do with the surf board.
Beach party at the homeless shelter tonight?
A fun twist on ironing?
I might enjoy ironing with a board like that :)

Things that make you go hmmmm....

love notes

My sweet Abi loves to leave love notes on my pillow.
She's just sweet like that.
She's very thoughtful and really thinks about her recipient.
This weekend, she left a love note each for me.


Bright.  Colorful.  Fun.  Caring.  Loving.  Buttful.

Great.  My daughter thinks I'm buttful.  I'm sure that's the 3 pumpkin chocolate chip muffins I enjoyed last night.  They settled in my backside.
Oh well, I'm pretty happy with bright, colorful, fun, caring and loving.
And buttful :)

escort service

Disclaimer - If you're a woman over 40 or who has had at least 3 children, go take a quick bathroom break.  You'll thank me later.  If you're over 40 AND given birth to at least 3 kids, you'll really, really thank me.  I promise
I'll wait...

True story.
I just finished my evening walk.  I saw the strangest thing.
A bright purple pick-up with a big sign on it's side "ESCORT SERVICE".
Now imagine all these thoughts rapidly screaming through my head -
"WHAT?! 
THIS IS SMALL TOWN AMERICA!
IN THE BIBLE BELT, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.
SERVICES LIKE THAT ARE ILLEGAL HERE!!"
I sure hope all those thoughts stayed inside my head.
I was so thankful my kids weren't with me.  I wouldn't want to explain what an escort service is.

I always imagined an escort service would be a 1970ish black, low riding Cadillac with shiny silver rims. 
And loud bass beats. 
Lots of silver chains and a black hat on the driver. 
I thought they came out only after dark.  This was broad daylight.
This sure didn't look like what I imagined an escort service to look like.

As the pick-up went by, I noticed this sign on the tailgate - "OVERSIZE LOAD".
Wow!
I've been known to hit a man for a kinder comment about his date's size.
That's simply rude and inappropriate.
I couldn't decide if I was more appalled or offended. 
Speechless, really.

But then I noticed the yellow lights on top of the pick-up.

Oh, THAT kind of escort service.
(This is not an actual photo of the pick-up.  I didn't have my wits about me to take a picture.)

In my defense, there was no oversized load in front of or behind the pick-up.
His lights weren't flashing.
He was obviously off duty.

You're laughing with me, not at me, right?  Promise?!
True story.  I couldn't make up something that good.  :)

hannah's miracle

If you're looking for a laugh, you might want to move on.  That's my disclaimer and I'm sticking to it!
I was very careful not to blog about or post anything on fb during my step daddy's illness that could be interpreted as sad or depressing.  He insisted that we keep our spirits up and I didn't want to whine.

But, I'm real and I have real emotions.  My goal with my blog is to remember and highlight what's important in our life.  Somedays, it's not a lot of fun or very pretty.  But it's real. 

This post is for my Hannah.  God became very real to her on September 2, 2011.  Hannah has been raised in a Christian home and made her own decision to follow Christ at a young age.  She's a teenage girl who doesn't always wear her faith on her sleeve.  Matter of fact, she's a pretty private person who just wants to blend in.

Here's a note she posted on fb on September 2, 2001 at 2:09 pm.  I've copied it exactly as she wrote it.  I recognize the spelling and grammar may not be perfect.  But's it's her perfect cry from her sweet 13 year old heart and I want to preserve it exactly the way she wrote it:

I'm crying out to God and asking for a miracle. Things aren't going too well, in fact there not doing well at all. I'm on my knees by my bed praying and looking for an answer. Nothings happening. I'm angry. I'm frustrated. And most of all, I'm sick and tired of the devil. I don't know what to do. I'm overwelmed in frustration.

God, just help him. Give him a new body. Take away his pain. But Lord, if it's your will, take him up into your arms. Just please take good care of him as he did for all of us. But if it is your will to take him, do it quickly and peacefully. Don't let him linger on in pain. It's hurting everyone, but I can't imagine how bad it's hurting my Grandma.

I didn't cherish all the moments I had with him, and now it's possibly the end of the line. I'm trying to accept it but it's not happening. I don't want things to go on this way. I try to think: it always gets worse before it gets better. But right now, it seems like nothing good will ever happen again, without him.

God, it's your call. I know you'll make the best choice for him. Just take good care of him whether he's here on Earth, or with you in Heaven.

Amen.

Hannah had already said her good-byes to Ken 48 hours before this post.  Ken was in a terrible amount of pain and it was a traumatic experience for my kids to say good-bye.  However, after they said their good-byes, we moved Ken to the hospice unit at St Francis.  He was so much more comfortable and at peace there.  I really wanted  my kids to experience this peace so their final memory of Papa Ken would be a good memory.  So, our friends brought Hannah and Abi up to spend a couple more hours with Ken, my mom, my sister and her girls.

My girls were so timid about seeing Ken this final time.  But once they stepped into the room, they were at total peace.  They were able to spend some time talking to Ken, holding his hands and stroking his hair.  They could hug him one more time and say a peaceful good-bye.  My girls and my young nieces were at such peace with Ken these last couple of hours.  It was such a sweet family time for Ken and all his girls.  He passed so quietly and peacefully while Hannah was in the room.  This was her miracle!  She got to experience the most amazing, beautiful passing of her Papa Ken to his eternity with Jesus.  All of her fears vanished.

We would have all chosen to spend more hours, days, weeks and months with Ken.  But it wasn't our choice to make.  As Hannah so eloquently said - God, it's your call. I know you'll make the best choice for him. Just take good care of him whether he's here on Earth, or with you in Heaven.

Hannah had a special connection with her Papa Ken.  They shared a very ornery sense of humor.  He made her promise to always give him a hug each time she would see him during his last 4 weeks of life.  She has never been a hugger and Ken knew it!  She went beyond his request and made sure she hugged him at least twice every time she saw him.  Her heart was softened through this journey.  Her Papa Ken loved her in life and in death.

(This isn't a perfect photo but it shows how much fun Hannah has with her Grandma Susan and Papa Ken.  This was Hannah's 13th birthday.  She is as passionate about WSU basketball as her grandparents are.)

.

mother of the year

Once again, I'm in the running for Mother of the Year. 
I'm pretty sure my tiara and sash are on their way. 
Probably just lost in the mail right now.

School hasn't been in session for a month yet.
We were assigned to provide treats for Abi's class all of last week.  I remembered...last night.  Just a week late - ugh!  I sure hope none of the kids starved.

Abi's teacher handed me a note this morning.  Yep, she was already $2.00 in the hole in her lunch account.  Jeesh!

And then the deal maker.
I have another daughter who shall remain nameless.  She is an oldest, responsible kid like her mom.
She's also a little on the emotional, hormonal side.  Not at all like her mom :)
She came home from school sick yesterday afternoon.  She was miserable.  I totally get it.

She has been struggling with her math homework the last couple of weeks.
I have tried to help her but she oftentimes ends up frustrated or in tears. 
This may or may not have happened to her mom, almost every night of her growing up years. 
Fortunately for both my nameless daughter and me, my dad taught high school math for more than 30 years and is a pretty patient guy.

Last night was an especially rough night for the math homework and a sick kiddo. 
My sweet, super-mom friend, Amy, happened to be with me when I took a call from said sick kiddo.  She was exceptionally whiney.  Amy will totally vouch for me - I wasn't TOO mean.
Since I was so patient and caring with my sick daughter, she decided to run away.  She packed her backpack and off she went...to the library.  That's how we rock at our house.  We live on the edge.

I may or may not have tried to run away once when I was growing up.  My mother stood on the porch and hollered at me to come home to clean my room before running away.  True story - I turned around and went back home to clean my room.  And then changed my mind about running away.

Hannah decided to come back home after she returned her library book last night.
I knew she would be back.
I didn't really worry about her (too much).

So, there you have it.
I'm totally organized and very patient and caring.
I may not make Mother of the Year but I do have a daughter who still prefers sleepovers with Grandma or her favorite auntie over sleepovers with her friends.  She still confides in me.  And she'll still pose for a picture with me once in a while.