First day of School...

Comes dash around the corner...

"mom it's 7:11 I think were doing real good on time"
:)
Oh the joy of confident kids...
This morning the security and sense of self were so apparent in my two darlings.
They went off very easily to the new school year.
The sandwich center is a morning dream...LOVE IT!
Dash kept grabbing the lunch bag before I had it done.
He was READY! to go baby...
It was cool! No attachment issues no fears just lets do this thing!

My hens are not keeping up so I made some muffin to amend the breakfast.
Some cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on the tops

Last night Dove came in and said she was a little scared.
We spoke of how it was cool that yer last year teacher knew this years teach...I said "they must be friends"...you know if they are friends then the new one must be OK.
Her little face eased and she said that's cool that they know each other and she was off to bed happy.

I LOVE her little out fit choice.
She used her saved allowance to get the top and vest (good old WalMart)
I got the jeans and shoes. It is really wonderful when they use their own efforts to acquire. In our culture the advertising mecca has made it very difficult I think for parents to require a little shall we say buyers remorse out of the child as to help in their adulthood. It is at first hard to not just give them the moon but it is wisdom not too. They were so happy yet Dove still had a bit of a tummy.

She is so funny she puts her hand on her hip when she poses. I think she must of gotten that somewhere. One hip up.

Off they went.
With Joy the bus driver was last years driver!
I love this woman she is awesome.
Tell ya' when my babies even your babies for that matter are in someone else' care I worry about the driving abilities and character of them.
With her I have ease!

I went to the neurologist this morning.
He thinks that the stress disorder and the PTSD are the main issues causing the memory blank outs and the migraines are getting intensified from it.
He wants me to get into a therapy called
Rapid Eye something something...?????
Also he and I both think having the medication on hand to control the stress response at first sign might be a better way to address the migraine. He feel confident that I do not have Alzheimer at this time. No promises for tomorrow except for Gods now that is a good one, promise that is...:)
I gave him a few muffins at the end of the visit and he teared up a little.
It was dear to see the heart of a man touched by a simple kindness.


So I got some chicken feed on the way back home dropped it off and went to the home store for some potting mix for the starters. The window tenting for the heat control on west window. Last year we added it to the patio door and saw a huge difference of the electric bill. It will work out to be about $15. a window to do our self. We have the duel pane window and the shade screen too. Lets keep the heat out the rest of the way. It is 72% heat out rated.

I made Doves bed and looked in on Dash's room to feel compassion for the little dude.
He needed some help.
So I changed his bed and made it like The Beaver's.
He only uses a quilt loosely never really made.
He was ready to try it this way again.
With his sensory stuff this is a big step folks a big step!
He learned to tie hes shoes too!
He is 8 now and really thriving!

Oh he was touched and humbly thanked me.
Got out the army guys and if you were a butterfly on the wall you would just grin. There is a intense battle over here with mass casualties.
See them on the floor this not 10 minutes after walking in the room!

Another day
:)

See the bottom shelf...
need I say more.
they are all nice now.

Well the day was fabulous for them and quiet for me.
I love these two.

Mr Man is doing overtime and supper is not even imagined yet
So I better go.
Good life to you all.

Tackle it tuesday...a sucky sort a day...not what you might think

A wonderful day with the kids home. An unexpected extra day before school starts in the morning. Not a sucky day in the way you might think...

Nope today I suck air...asthma! Arg!


I had a wonderful visit with a dear old friend we go a way back like 18 years or so. We sat and visited and it was really nice to be with her. She has many beautiful candles just pretty, and these cute little oil burners...Two adorable cotton biting friendly purring babies...I love cats....they do not do my asthma well however.

I awoke to the choke...ARG! I went out to garden a little and to do the waters for the birds and the dogs...I got so dizzy I had to hold the swing set...HELLO!!!! said the bones time to chill and take a real easy day. So I have.

Years ago I was poisoned by stripping kitchen cabinets, smoking from 9-17 years of age and just a lot of bad cases of bronchitis....and get me in perfume and cats well I just had not been around it and forgot. That is what happens when your enjoying a friend. I had just ignored the moment. Today it caught up with me. Well it slowed me down anyhow...LOL

My chest is a hurting like a big stone is on my chest. arg arg and dubble arg!
So I will take it easy. I go to see the neoroligist after the kids leave to the bus stop.
Wonder what he might do? The stress of the interactive new school year is annoying. I know I am in for the usual dose of embracing my dignity when my mind fails me.
Well God will never fail me :) My Darling beloved husband is doing some work on a job that he does at home for a few extra extentions to the budget Ha!

I do hope your all well. I will rest no choice and study the phases of the moon as pertains to gardening some life plan stuff and loving on the kids after a while to make sure they are set for the morrow and the new path before them.

Thrusday on I will till the last bed in the main plot to get ready for the tomato and root crops. The lament for the south bed and the build up and filling in of it. Then to plant the week of the 20th the other crops. Homework will begin soon so the study table and center job needs to get done. The dogs need the shots this week for licencing too.
Full days this week will slow some and tomorro will be the first day I have had alone well the last time the kids we in school was at the second week of May. It will take a little getting used to. That trial I was called to testify at has been postponed another month. After the gardens are established I will look into the yearly injections for my knees. All the IEP individual education plans ... and such to get the kids special needs tended too. Hearing aid services up and running for we lost the bennefets at the clinic. I need to line up services private sector and find out the costs and proceedures and such. The puplic school may still have the temporary loaner set up if I have to get any repairs. Dash will also need the amplifyer and micraphone set up. His teacher has him front of the class. I do so love this teacher and I will be able to give dash a lot of time in service this year with field trips. Not sure if much time will be there for Dove her being in 5th grade now she has asked to have space and I will respect that. Yet here I am if she shows desire for me to do so.

I am week a bit so I will close and rest. I think it is time to pull out the big guns and do a breathing treatment.

"Before I was a mom . . I was a Mother of Many...

Before I was a mom...

Before I was a mom was a long life ago...a life of

HOPE DEFERRED

Month after month I was deferred to hope for the next cycle...
Year after year longing...
Imagining a child in my arms.
Dreaming of toys I could make
Quilts I could sew...
Things I would teach...tenderness I would share.

Hope Deferred makes the heart sick...
After a blur of months turned years a decade had passed.
Proficiency at every endeavor became my child.
Keeping my life full and never giving up or giving in...
Before I was a Mom I was a child in a safe haven adored by my man.
Life was about those goals based in becoming the best of who I could become and supporting my husband in the same.

Year after year after year.... drawn out 16 years gave way to
a hope so long deferred that all time had stopped.

Dream like a rainbow in the sky that had become overpowered with a lack of humidity diminished. All I could do was not to let bitterness or hardness inter.

Him do I see...it was long a wait.
Never holding or having the privilege that all around me parents were squandering and abusing.


Before I was a Mom...
I was
The Mother of Many.

Children from all around found way to my yard as I gardened and tended the earth. They would come and find a place to rest. To chatter and look into the eyes of a tender another.

Before I was a mom I was the 8th of siblings who had but become strangers to me of my own necessity.
An Aunt and then a great Aunt many times over.
Most strangers even now.
Their lives I missed out on to gain recovery of my own.

Before I was a Mom in our first home the two children from next door who are now grown women would come and rest at my house the sweet child the younger girl I even named my daughter after. She really was my favorite and drove her momma nuts so she could come and color at my table and let her big sister have a lone time at home.

Before I was a mom a held a Navajo boy in a Sunday school class who refused to look into my eye...only to learn later that it was his cultures greatest show of respect toward me.

Before I was a Mom I was a
Mother of Many...

Two doors down a sweet child named Heather came to find a safe haven as her mother (a neighbor) lay helpless intoxicated in her shower stall after her own mothers death. This child who came and never ceased to chatter had kittens in her upturned t shirt. She sang to me and showed me her talent...no one else was able to take time for her. This child was driven off of a cliff and I mourned her death and the loss of her sweet life.

Before I was a Mom
I was the mother of many.

As a Mother of Many being a Mom of my own two is a great honor and a responsibility. It is in this my role to balance those hats. Those children who circle my own have my compassion. Those children who circle my own have often soaked as would a dry sponge all that they thirst for that I might have at the ready.
In field trips and art presentations all for no pay of dollar I stand rich at the ready.

It is strange to support so many friends of my children...
But before I was a mom ...I was who I still am only now...busy busy busy...

Before I was a mom I watched with great desire to gain understanding and to hope to learn how to equip the children (others) and my own... with all they have need of to be dependent first, independent then that they would be able one day to gain interdependence throughout all their lives.

I am a Mother
16 year hope deferred taught me to not squander...
at 20 year hope showed me healing and a step into surrender...

Yet Still It is that I am a Mother of Many
A woman of a barren womb.

Becomes one of a open full heart availability to all children.
I am as my sweet sister calls me
the pied piper of children (not the bad guy piper but the one who is beloved)
Children are drawn to me like a magical magnetic field...
It is my balm for those many years wanting.
It gave me an infinity to care more about them than many others.

Before I was a mom I was available
now as the new school year starts...
it is still that the children are the priory...
that is the service work of my lifetime.

What is so totally awesome a wonder is the joy of the role I call
Being ...
My own Childrens' Mother.

Even still
I am
The Mother of Many

The theme this time around will be (drum roll please!): "Before I was a mom . . ." As always, feel free to take this in any direction that strikes you.

The submission form (not yet updated) will still be at http://www.mamablogga.com/contact/group-writing-project/

Also, just FYI, I'm going to allow entries to be submitted through next Friday, I think.

Thank you again for participating and I hope to see your entry soon!
--
Jordan McCollum
MamaBlogga: mom's search for meaning
http://www.MamaBlogga.com

Pass it forward

Oh Girls I just can't get this done the way I wish I could but I did not want to neglect it either. All of you dear readers gift with the kindness of just knowing your out there. You all make a difference. I began this list and see I can never end it and need to do so to go to bed. :)

This award is given to those who LOVE blogging, and who also encourage friendships through blogging and who help others seek the reasons why we all love blogging.

Bren
Denise
Care' oh Lynn
Amrita
Peggy at The Simple Woman
Mrs Keeling
Iris at Grace alone Thankfulness is a wonderful
Lynn at Unequal Marriage
Denise at Samaritan Women
Organizing Junkie
Susie of Susie's homemade

The lives you live bring the lives of others together in a sense of affilication that inate need to belong. Community is established.
Your all heros in my heart for this. I will try to step out and tell you as soon as I can.
I must get to bed now.
Fondly
your friend...
For you and with you I stand.

12 bandana days...

Wow I started this post at 10 a.m.!


Hello
It has been a full week long /week end Landscaping Gardening
spending time with the kids before they are back to school kinda time.

Trimmings from the big tree out front re-cycle into perfect pea poles.
just need to defoliate them.

We moved the coop over into the shade of the play structure.
I could not stand them on this beautiful porch.

We worked hard Sunday cleaning it off and also doing a big project that has really left me inspired and thrilled!

Now you need to look with the eyes of completion.
The black fence once posted will be the only thing there along the line of the corner of the house.
The shed is now within better reach of the garden plots for ease of tool use.

The lab loves pool!

ya my porch is back

The front of the house got a little attention. The old spent plants taken up and the soil tilled. The folks gave us a cable dish and we were able to sell it mid morning. That was good too for the battery in the car died this morning. My Love he took to changing it out at lunch and then took the car back to his job site.
full day

We strung a new clothes line over the weekend

I did some beading

So this morning was a 12 bandannas on the line each time in the garden I use one on my hair and one around my neck to dry the sweat off my face. Oh yes it is hot!
I went on a free list run and came away empty then thought that the kids might like a choice about spending their allowance on a happy meal. Indeed they choose to do so so I took the kids for a happy meal drive through they came a way with >50 cents change. Then we came home and finished up the laundry and shut the house down for the heat of the day.
I gave them a huge treat and took them to the mall to spend the saved allowance they had on the toys they wanted and was so fortunate to fine one each for a low price. Bennie Baby 2.0. They knew a candy store that had them at $5. but when we got there...another store closing the doors...we found two at a book store.
We stopped at a Walgreen for the candy was real cheep compared and they are catching on...:) My kids were sorta stunned that a weeks earnings bought a happy meal with a lousy toy...oh such good lessons. Would that I could spare them now the difficulty but to spare them later is much more a gain to them. To see a small suffer of lesson that will give them skill...oh that is the gem.
Met Steve at the school to do the meet the teacher and had a really nice time. Oh so funny in a way...well I just have to laugh at myself...
I thought school began tomorrow...it is Wednesday it begins...could you just see me standing at the bus stop in the morning for the first day of school and the bus never coming.!
Well I had to just kid about myself and keep dignity.
I let the kids go with the daddy man and took off to go see a dear friend and to wish her happy birthday

Her now grown daughter was there and the three of us went out for a burger some good talk and then I stayed and hung out with my friend.
It was the first time I have been with her all summer our schedules just never met and it was to happen in Gods time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAYE!!!!!


Now ya know it is 10 p.m.


The kids are asleep after a long time conversing with each independently when I got home. Daddy man let them watch the Choice awards...It was really exciting evidently to them of course the fact that the JONAS BROTHERS were on was the thrill!

I best go rest ....another wonderful day awaits.
I missed out on a few posts I had to do but it is the living that is a priority at the moment.

Life is very full right now.

I do hope all of you are well.
I have had little to no time to come visit.
I care about you all and fondly say a prayer for your good hearts to sty soft and the peace to come overtake you and make you praise God for your life.

Sunday Evening

Hello all
This is a nice evening here.
Coming in from the yard and gardens only a few moments ago and really need a shower.
I thought I should let you know "It's all good".
With the kids starting school and the gardens being planted time is a valued commodity and just been sorta enjoying some other avenues of interest.
I got the pumpkin and the acorn squash planted.
Cleaned the yard up adn the porch.
Saturday during the heat of the day I rested and beaded. Making a necklace and earring set and bracelet just for me to match the top I had on...how's that for taking it easy.
We went over to Steve's folks and I took stuff for a meal and a loaf of bread I had rising, made a supper for all of us.
Steve worked on MILoves computer for her.

We finished the porch adn the yard clean up and extended the Bee Bliss Garden into a really beautiful concept garden that will have a simple old school outdoor kitchen set up under the gazebo in time. This to can out doors at harvest.

Today Christmas gifts were on my mind and so I was able to accomplish a layout for a gift.
Im the shade of evening we went back out there to do a rearange on the garden and switched the shed out with the gazebo . We will be moving the gate to the edge of the house, there by increasing the gardens thrice.

It will not all be gardens but a secreate garden little oasis.
I am very happy about it.

So it's all good just sorta quiet and refeltive on life a bit.
Pleasantly so.
Yard work has created a marvel that I am so excited about

bread, gardening and the BLT

Good Day to you all...
After the kneading of a loaf of daily bread for the kids lunch I headed out to the garden.

Began I this morning..
Three hours later...

corn, spaghetti squash and cosmos in.
The soil ready for the rest and the compost added , soil feed and hoed ...
9a.m. hot tired and ready to go in the house.

peas, bean, butternut and pumpkin seed soaking for tomorrow....

This almost the last day that the kids and I are home together before school starts

called for a fancy family lunch of Bacon lettuce and tomato on fresh baked bread.
I added 1/3 c of rice protein to the loaf and it was very tender and light.

Got some laundry done and the kitchen...just tired out for the afternoon...It calls for a siesta. Hope everyone is having a great day!

Neno's Award from Charlotte

Good Evening...
A gift sent my way found a perch on my front page tonight




Charlotte's
She wrote...

This award is given to those who LOVE blogging, and who also encourage friendships through blogging and who help others seek the reasons why we all love blogging. These awards are so hard to choose because we all LOVE blogging and everyone is so encouraging! Since I couldn’t seem to decide who to pass the award on to, I decided to pass it to all those dear Arizona bloggers that I recently met and had lunch with. Here they are.

Debbie of Heart Choices

Mary at Piles of Smiles

Michele of Beelieve You Can

Sherry of Country Wings in Phoenix

Marty of A Stroll Thru Life

Charlotte of Charlotte's Weblog

If you are not familiar with these dear ladies and their blogs, I hope you will go and visit each one of them and say “hi” for me while you’re there.

Thank You Charlotte


WELL....I will need to ponder this so as to pass it on girls...

Thankful Thrusday~JOY

join us here

With a rake and hoe and a piece of fertile ground I am impressed that it is He who will bless the seeds I sew

See BEE BLISS GARDENS BLOG for posting of the process


After a two and a half hour morn of chore and prayer
The North bed is planted on time.

Even the stench of the dung has life within it.
That stench that is a fertile lesson.
We all have it .
We just gotta dig it in and loosed those hearts to it
:)

A light thunder took me out of my solitude to remind me of the presence even in the midst of the task
That He is there...
Waiting to bless this soil with the kindness that makes all things living flourish.

The thunder was a prelude to the most tender reminder that all ...
this that we set (I set) my hand to is blessed.
It is God who makes it (us) grow

All those hardened lumps to chop up and soften with the efforts set forth
it will till the tender soil that will bring forth all that good "fruit".
Now I speak poetically that of the heart and of the soil it differs little.

How wonderful it is to learn from our children that even the obstacles set up around us are but to strengthen us to stratagem

strat·a·gem (strt-jm)n.

1. A military maneuver designed to deceive or surprise an enemy.

2. A clever, often underhanded scheme for achieving an objective.

that we would be foresighted in those battles meant to harm us.
How wonderful a day began for me.

(after this) Dash got his hair cut at my hand and is very happy! YA!!!!!!!!!
not that he needed it hahah

~ JOY ~
As I stepped onto the patio it began to rain.
That was all the rain there was.
Just enough to give me hope and promise.
An encouragement to trust.

This is a good thing too for the soils that have yet to get planted
must not become saturated as of yet.