Last Fall I was asked if I would serve on K-State's Classified Senate. This is something that I had wanted to do so I jumped at the chance to serve. We serve as a governing body who advocate and lobby on behalf of the Classified employees or the support staff on campus. As a result I have been exposed to networking opportunities I know I would not have experienced otherwise. As part of this group I was asked to serve on the KSU Governmental Issues Committee which is a larger campus wide group comprised largely by student Senate and faculty Senate as well.

In January the Governmental Issues committee went to Topeka and presented each legislator who is a KSU alum with a hand painted limestone desk name plate and a certificate. This was simply a gesture of appreciation for supporting the University and we did not go with any other message which pleasantly surprised most of them. As we were speaking I could tell they were waiting for the other shoe to drop but we had no ulterior motive. The result was actually some fun casual conversation which mostly consisted of "Hey! Did you see that game last night? Now we just have to beat KU!" because we went the day after the big K-State/Texas game. I did a lot of smiling and nodding, "Yes, it was a good game. Yep, sure was. No, I didn't get to watch it in person..."  while thinking, "nor would I want to but I'm not going to let anyone HERE know that!" Overall I think I did an excellent job of biting my tongue and no one can accuse me of not being a team player. (This time).

Shoes = Love!

If you have to spend Valentines day alone one option is to feel sorry for yourself, eat ice cream and watch Lifetime all day long. A better alternative is to compensate by getting your hair done or by going shopping. Since moping around was not even a remote option in my book and I just got my hair done, I chose shopping! I actually needed to go find something purple to wear for tomorrow but that is a story for another post. Shoes are my weakness. I use to be a lot worse about buying the funkiest shoes I could find but not so much anymore mainly because I don't feel like I have any place to wear them.

I didn't buy either one of these but we did have fun trying on all the "hooker heels." Who needs love when you can have a closet full of fun shoes! To quote the J. Geils Band... "Love stinks."

If only she had been wearing a sweat band...

We went to watch the dodge ball league Bon and Jon are in yesterday. Talk about a flashback to fourth grade! I wanted to play so bad and I told Bon next year I'm totally doing that! I kept thinking what a great way to relieve tension; a game where the object is to beam a total stranger as hard as you can with a rubber ball! Now that is awesome.

My sister got the two of us tickets to the KU/Iowa State game so we had an incredible night out in Allen Fieldhouse. I got a little worried when right before we left her house she said, "Dude! We have GOT to play Dominoes later!" Her enthusiasm was hilarious. Here it was Saturday night, we didn't have to worry about who was watching the kids and she was excited to get home and play Dominoes....sober even! Wow. Now which one of us is the older sister? (Just kidding Bon).

This basketball game was momentous because it was Bill Self's 400th win. Allen Fieldhouse gives me chills anyway but it was very cool that we were there to see him awarded the game ball live and in person.

Before we left we took a few minutes to look around the Booth Hall of Athletics...

We actually did go home and I played Dominoes against my will until well after midnight. I think Bon was 

rethinking the whole thing when I got on a streak and kicked all their butts. That part was loads of fun!

Sporty Spice Gangsta style

Syd's hip-hop dance class performed during half-time last night at the girls high school basketball game. We were calling her Sporty Spice and then she would throw up a gang sign. (Good grief).  She says her teacher named her as one of the "Funky Chickens" of the night. They apparently were told they would get this title if they showed enthusiasm when it was time to free-style. She's my funky chicken alright!

"PEACE!"

New do = Happiness!

I met some very happy girlies at the door last night sporting new "wigs." I know Dani was nervous about giving Gen bangs without me there but that's what she wanted so... And she looks so pretty.

Syd kept jumping up and down shouting, "look how bouncy my hair is!" As difficult as it was for me to keep my mouth shut and let her exercise some freedom, seeing her so pleased is well worth it. Now if I can just figure out how to get it all out of her face for her dance performance tonight. *Ugh.*

Sleepy Excitement

Every since I told my youngest I made her a hair appointment with Dani at Salon 417 she has been so excited. She decided she wanted to do something different and has been looking at hairstyles online almost every night trying to find just the right "look." Last night she finally decided on what she wants and we came to an agreement.

She is my child that has trouble shutting off her brain when she goes to bed and last night was no different. She came downstairs about an hour after I tucked her in and scared the beezus of me! She went back upstairs but then an hour and a half later I heard her upstairs walking around so I went to investigate. Not only was she up walking around but all the lights were on, she had taken a shower and was completely dressed for school! Wow. Now that is a girlie that takes getting her wig done very serious! Um... no pressure Dani. (ha ha.)

My Lucky Day

Some people start their day with a run or some means of exercise. I start my day with spiritual exercise. This is something new I started this year and I look forward to it every morning.. almost as much as that first cup of piping hot coffee. Mmmmmm... almost. First thing this morning I had a little insight that today had excellent potential to be lucky so of course I had to test this theory. Yep, first thing I pulled into work and noticed I didn't have my parking permit. Crap! So, I pulled my old one out of the glove box and hung it on my mirror. I mean, it's the same color. Maybe it would allow me to slide by just for today. Maybe it was too cold for anyone to check but no one noticed and I left work without getting a ticket. I felt lucky.

Every Monday night I bowl with my besties. We aren't serious about it at all and we usually just end up drinking a couple beers and making each other laugh. Tonight I was full of positive energy and I am not sure if I even shut up the whole night, for which I apologized for later. Tonight I had my friends and I was able to share my heart with them and they totally "got me." I felt extremely lucky.

After bowling badly for eight years I FINALLY bowled my first 200 game with a 211! That's pretty pathetic seeing as we own a freaking bowling center and I spend all my free time in it! You would think I would have accomplished this sooner but the fact is I spend a lot of time in Pinsetter's, but I never make the time to bowl. I totally feel like this was the universe telling me the business will sell soon.So, eight years later I am crossing off another personal goal and chalking it all up to my lucky day.

Giggy Bug and Sydie Bitty

One of my plans for this year is to get my old pictures more organized. I realized how desperately I needed to do this while my sister and I were going through album after album putting pictures together for dad's memorial. I love the pictures of the kiddos when they were wee laddies. These are just a few of my favorites.

"Jesus replied, 'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." John 13:7

I had to borrow this great verse from a friend today because it hit me like a brick.. and made me smile all at the same time. Some days we all feel like the world is crashing down around us and we can't help but wonder what our Creator is thinking. "Why, why why?" That's when our faith has to kick in. Everything happens for a reason. It just might not be the path we were hoping for but in the end, it all makes sense, we learn from it, and we are better because of the journey.

2009 Youth Academy

I know I am waaaay behind posting this but I did not have this picture until recently. For the past four years the City of Clay Center has sponsored a Youth Academy. Students from the middle school have to apply and if chosen they spend the day with city personnel touring the various departments and basically learning about city and county government. This was my third and final year to help so it was extra special because I got to spend the day with one of my daughters and she got to see her mom in a different role.

There are two aspects of this day that the kids seem to enjoy the most. One is crawling around on the street equipment and honking the horns. The other is putting on the fireman's gear and having races with the fire hose to see who can knock over an orange cone first.

As we are standing here she is saying, "Hey mom... this could be our Christmas card!"

Dumptruck Yumminess!

We braved Wildcat country Saturday night to watch the KU game at a local bar with about a hundred of our closest purple friends. Yikes! I'm not a fan of watching KU play K-State while sitting in Manhattan. In the past it has not been pretty and I have a tendency to be superstitious and maybe even a little moody if we happen to lose. So we ventured out with the understanding that if KU was down at the half, I would have to leave the bar. Luckily, we were up by 1pt at the half so I got to stay the entire time. Gen had on a shirt that said "I had a nightmare I was a Wildcat" on the back but she had the adorable factor working for her. She had all kinds of people talking to her, asking her who her favorite player is to which she simply replied, "Cole." She didn't even glance away from the video game she and her friend were playing.

After the game the two girls decided they deserved dessert. This is what the waitress delivered to the table and their eyes got H U G E!

It was a toy dumptruck filled with brownies, oreos, ice cream, whipped topping, and strawberries. After three Cokes each, a plate of hot wings, a basket of fries, and all this sugar... they bounced to the truck, sang all the way home and then stayed up until 1:30 giggling and playing the Wii.

My sleep schedule must be the first thing to get back to "normal" because I'm starting to wake up between 3:22 and 3:45am again. This morning as I tried to shut my brain off I drifted back to where I was a week ago. All of my dad's sisters, my mom, my grandma and my sister were all congregated in my dad's hospital room. He was unresponsive but I'm sure he could hear us. Much like any other time we all get together, we were picking on each other and cracking jokes. It turns out that our uncle who we don't see very often thought the short sister (me) was also the youngest. Needless to say that went over with my younger sister like a turd in a punchbowl and I milked it the rest of the day! (And I may have mentioned it off and on since). We had some moments when we were all in tears laughing instead of tears of sadness... and it was nice.

My oldest daughter had a school dance that next night and I insisted that she go. The last dance I chaperoned so she was so incredibly happy at the thought that I wouldn't be at this one. So I decided to give her the good news Friday morning that instead of her mom going, her Aunt Bonnie would be there instead! She was pretty sure we were just playing but she wasn't sure. That night my brother-in-law drove the three of us to the middle school and the whole way my sister was giddy with excitement and even demonstrated some of the dance moves she was going to break out in front of all of Gen's friends. Jon stopped in front of the school and Bon jumped out, jumping up and down waiting for Gen to get out of the Jeep. It was at that point Gen saw her and looked at me with pleading eyes and said, "Seriously. She isn't going is she?" Bon grabbed her excitedly and said, "Just kidding. Have fun!" The look of relief on that kid's face was P R I C E L E S S!

We weren't even out of the parking lot yet and I told my sister. Someday when Gen is our age she is going to tell the story about the time her Aunt Bonnie made her think she was going to her school dance and how mortified she was! Ah, good times!

FRANKLIN RAY DODD died January 22, 2010 at Clay County Medical Center, Clay Center, KS at the age of 67. FRANKLIN RAY DODD was born on October 22, 1942 in Wichita Kansas, the son of Lawrence Dodd and Betty (Dankenbring) Dodd. 

Franklin was raised in the Fact Community and attended the Diamond Center School. He also lived in Detroit Kansas. He graduated from CCCHS in 1960. He married Barbara Dieffenbaugh on August 1, 1965 and she survives of the home. He worked for Hutchinson Manufacturing as a welder and farmed in the Clay County Community most of his life. He was a member of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Clay Center. He is preceded by his father, Lawrence and sister Debra.

Survivors include:

Wife: Barbara Dodd of Clay Center, KS

Daughter: Connie Jordan and husband Jamie of Clay Center, KS

Daughter: Bonnie Wohler and husband Jon of Lawrence, KS

Mother: Betty Jones of Clay Center, KS

Sister: Opal Clark of Staunton, IL

Sister: Sandra Moffatt of Osage City, KS

Sister: Cathy Britt and husband David of Patoka, IL

Sister: Sharon Dodd of Overland Park, KS

And three grandchildren: Gentry and Sydney Jordan, and Blake Wohler  

One of the most generous, understanding men I have ever known is my Dad. He has always been a big jokster and I can remember lots of pranks he pulled over the years, mostly on his sisters. Sometimes it was frustrating for me because I would want him to be serious and he would keep cracking jokes. That was part of his charm and why so many people loved him. He had a playful spirit that brought a smile to many.

Last night with my Sister, my Aunts and Grandma we reminisced and laughed at some of the crazy things my Dad did when he was younger. Once he stole his sister Opal's new bicycle. As he was going down a hill the handle bars came out and he ended up crashing it into a bridge. He also crashed his go-kart into his car when the steering wheel came undone. (Yes, we were sensing a theme). This was the accident that messed up his knee and later in life made it extremely hard for him to get around. Another time on a big family camping trip in Wakefield, my Dad along with my other uncles were in a boat that was suddenly caught by a cross-wind and capsized out in the middle of the lake. My Dad was a bit of dare-devil and I'm convinced he knew no fear up until he was diagnosed with cancer. He didn't fear for himself, he feared that he would not get to watch his grandchildren grow up.

My Dad's biggest joy was his three grandchildren. He lived for them and would do whatever he could to spend time with them. He never missed a school event or even one of their ballgames. I hope this is something they will always remember.

My Dad has not been able to walk on his own for nearly ten years. This morning he is walking with Jesus.

I love you Daddy...

Today started and ended on a sad note (except for the fact that KU beat Baylor, Rock Chalk!). For starters I helped celebrate the life of a wonderful classmate who was tragically taken from us much too soon. As soon as I got home from the cemetery I had a message that Dad was being transported from Salina to the Clay Center hospital. There is nothing else that can be done now and his organs are starting to fail. So we wait.

Tonight the four of us had some real good alone time in his room. Mom has finally accepted that he is not going to recover so we were able to talk about all the things nobody has wanted to mention. Dad was able to tell us what kind of final arrangements he wants so now there are no questions. We were all in tears but at the same time I felt a huge wave of relief wash over me.

He had several people from the church stop by which was really nice. They said prayers for him and read from the book of Psalms. More tears.. but it was all good. You could feel the love in the room and it was an incredibly peaceful feeling. 

All of our family and friends have been so wonderful and almost all have asked "What can I do to help?" Tonight a good friend gave me the biggest hug and asked that very question. I could only reply with, "You just did it."

Today's repetitive moral was, "Life is short so hug the neck of those you care about while you can."

Sometimes you don't need words

My Dad is awesome is so many ways. Even now I'm sure he is experiencing pain but he won't say he is. I think it's because he is trying so hard not to upset any of us. Today was a really hard day for my mom and me. I can only remember one other situation where I felt so completely alone while surrounded by people and that was 13years ago and 1,000 miles away. I know in my heart that my Dad doesn't have much time left. I want so desperately to tell him how much I love him and how badly I wish this wasn't happening to him, but I can't. I'm not strong enough to get those words out. Instead I lightly joke with him and give him quick pecks on the forehead as I leave and whisper, "I love ya Daddy" as if I'm eight years old again and I'm simply heading out for school. Tonight I got choked up telling one of my best friends about the "look" my Daddy gave me today. The doctor had uncovered him to listen to his lungs and while he was talking I could see that Dad was shivering. I quietly walked over and just simply tucked him back in without saying a word and went back to my chair. As I looked up I saw his eyes and a look that I will never, ever forget because it was so powerful. This frail mountain of a man was thanking me so I forced a small smile to acknowledge and then tried my best not to burst into tears. His eyes were full of gratitude, love, and I'm sorry all at the same time.

Sometimes the words won't come no matter how much you want them to. It sure doesn't hurt to pray for strength and have faith that you will be strong enough to eventually get them out while you have time. But other times don't sweat it because sometimes you don't need words.

Today is the first solar eclipse of 2010. I have been anticipating today all month for a variety of reasons that are not important. What is important is recognizing and trusting the new beginnings signified by events such as this eclipse and the emergence of a new moon.

The literal and figurative seeds we plant, projects we begin, contacts we make, and intentions we set between the eclipse and the next Full Moon (about 2 weeks), will take on lasting significance 6 months down the road. I am so excited for this new moon and at the opportunities that have already presented themselves just in the first hour of being at work today! For the first time in a long time wheels are moving and not just spinning. 

 

Please don't waste your new moon.

We were lucky enough to be able to bring Dad home this week. It wasn't a smooth process but what else is new. We knew he was going to need to have a hospital room type of situation at the house so we had to get all of that in place before he got home. By noon I was calling my sister venting and basically pleading with her to come up early... which she did. Unfortunately my oldest heard a few words that day she could have done without but rather than scold me for cursing (like she usually does).. she was full of empathy and hugs for her over-whelmed mama. That kid has always been a sound, logical, level-headed voice of reason and this day was no different. Sometimes she amazes me with her maturity and I am so blessed that she mysteriously acquired those qualities.

Dad's future treatment is going to be lower doses of chemo and lots of prayer. His biggest obstacle is that he does not want to drink as much as he needs to. Unfortunately that is something only he can control and as his family we can only nag him so much.

Christmas Morning 2009

This year we enjoyed a nice, quiet Christmas morning. The girls were happy that Santa brought them what they wanted and soon we were need deep in paper! (Which I quickly gathered up to be recycled because according to my kids I am the "recycling nazi.")

Positive move

Dad was moved to a private room today. His BP is up well within normal range and no sign of dehydration. They started giving him insulin today though because his blood sugar was way too high. The girls and I went to see him for a few hours and he was much more alert and even ate some real food! I think it has finally set in that he HAS to start making more of an effort to eat and drink as much as possible. As I was leaving he even asked me to sneak him in a couple of beers tomorrow. Yeah, not gonna happen bud!

I had a flashback today. His room was very stuffy and I suddenly thought about the ice cream treats I saw in a vending machine on first floor the other day. I told the girls to come with me and we went down to scope it out. There were 10-12 different items to chose from and the girls took their time to insure a wise choice. Gentry chose a drumstick and as I was pushing the buttons on the vending machine, a memory from my childhood came over me like a wave...

I was only four years old when my Grandpa Dodd died of cancer.  I can only remember going to the hospital to see him one time and on that visit I distinctly remember someone taking me to the vending machines where they bought me a drumstick ice cream cone. I remember that because it was the first time I had ever had one and it was AWESOME!

As Gentry reached in and grabbed that drumstick I instantly thought, "Oh my.. now she going to have the same memory of her Grandpa fighting cancer in the hospital."

Thank you to Julie for taking his picture of my Dad at Thanksgiving.

Not an ideal Christmas

Last Wednesday my Dad was transported to Mercy Hospital in Manhattan. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer back in October and also has tumors in his liver and lungs. They predicted he would only live six months. Wednesday he was unresponsive due to severe dehydration. As a result, his kidneys had shut down and his blood pressure was barely existent. We were told his heart could shut down at any time. We honestly didn't know if he would survive the 30 minute ambulance ride.

We spent all Christmas Eve day as well as Christmas Day with him in ICU. With the help of IV fluids, a blood transfusion, and several different blood pressure meds, he has regained function of his kidneys. Over the past two days they have been weening him off the other meds but his blood pressure is still too low to be moved out of ICU. We are still hopeful that his body will correct this eventually on its own.

The doctors are not giving us any false hope. They have said that the low blood pressure may just be a side effect of the cancer and he may not leave the hospital. Dad is insistent that he not be rescessitated if his heart stops. He wants to die naturally.

I want to sincerely say Thank you to all of my loving, supportive friends who understand what a difficult time this is for my family and have done nothing but send messages of encouragement and prayers...  you all are my rocks and you mean the world to me.

Early Morning Coyote Messenger

I am in my car an hour and a half each day as I drive to work so I am constantly scanning the fields and powerlines to see what types of animals I may encounter. This morning I saw something I have never seen before. Right along the side of the highway standing on top of a big round hay bale (yes.. ON TOP of the hay bale) was a coyote. He didn't flinch as I drove by & I even slowed down to get a better look at this straggly creature.

Of course my curiousity was peaked. Why would this animal make such a bold appearance? He was obviously trying to make a statement.

Native Americans believe that animals are here to teach us and give us messages sent from the Creator. According to different online sites, the coyote is known as the clever one and the foolish one. He is sometimes referred to as a trickster. He mirrors our human capacity for cleverness as well as our stupidity. He is the mirror for the lessons we need to learn to walk the right path and he will continue to hold up that mirror until we take the hint. I read that we should call on the coyote when we are in the middle of negotiating a difficult situation or perhaps thank him for showing us a trap we are in or a situation in which we are fooling ourselves.

The coyote is a powerful teacher when it comes to relationships but it is when we are in a relationship that we have a tendency to fool ourselves the most. More than anything, the coyote is a survivor. He shows us that life is unpredictable and that we can not control everything that happens around us. His wisdom teaches us to live in the moment and view unexpected occurrences as opportunities rather than misfortune.

Another site says that coyote can also teach us how to balance work and play, to have more fun in our lives.  When coyote appears to us we can re-create our lives in ways that we might never have dreamed if we are willing to lighten up and follow our instincts.  We all have something we would like to let go of.  If you feel a sense of relief, even if it is accompanied by a feeling of fear, then you know you are right in your wanting to move on.  Often what we really wants in life may seem very far away or impossible to achieve. Coyote can actually trick us into going for what we really want!

Was this early morning messenger trying to motivate me or get me to lighten up? I'm thinking the answer is "both." I think he was standing on that hay bale saying, "Hey.. life is awful sometimes but learn from it, laugh and have fun as much as you can, figure out what you want most in life and move on."

Snow Memories

My girls and I went Christmas shopping this past weekend. Being alone with them in the car opened up some interesting conversations to say the least but somehow we started talking about snow forts. I suddenly got really excited to tell them about the incredible snow forts that my dad provided every year after a big snow storm. Wow! I had nearly forgotten how much fun and how many hours my sister and I would dedicate to these ice castles!

After a big snow, dad would take the tractor with the skid loader on it and create two gynormous mounds of snow; one to the south and another to the north. My sister and I would lay claim to one of them and commence the creation of the most awesome fortress' imaginable (or at least in our minds). It was always a contest to see which one of us could be the most innovative.

I remember building steps up the front and hollowing out the center to create a wall to dodge snowballs from the "enemy." It was also a necessity to have an exit in case of emergency which was usually a slide down the back for a quick escape. We use to spend hours out there playing and being ornery. We would plot sneak attacks and bomb each other with a barrage of snowballs that we would stock pile. Eventually we would lose feeling in our toes and hands and have to go inside to thaw out with hot cocoa.

I know lots of kids build snow forts and what we did wasn't rocket science by any means. It was just something special that our dad did for us every year without saying a word.

This is my favorite picture of my Dad. (Thank you Aunt Sharon). The funny thing is that for as long as I can remember he has always worn overalls. Always.

My Dad...

All little girls idolize their Daddy. I am no different. If you are lucky you get a daddy who is patient, kind, spoils you, and doesn't pitch a fit when you put every barrette and pony-tail holder you own in their hair while sporting some very bright blue eye shadow and pink blush.

My Dad is awesome. Of all the things I remember as a child I remember him teaching me how to play softball. I remember the countless hours he spent out in the yard playing catch and practicing pitching with me. I was not the most athletic or graceful child but I tried and I loved to play sports. He supported me through volleyball, basketball, softball, and track. Those things were very important to him.. more so than I, and he always had advice for the "next time." Now I wish I would have paid more attention.

The thing about daddy's is that you always think they will be around to give that advice. Not so.

People come in and out of our lives so quickly; some more quickly than others. Some go because we have made a choice to let them go. Others are taken from us against our will.

I almost deleted this blog today. I felt it had served its purpose and I was ready to 'let it go' so to speak. Now, for at least a while I am going to use it as my outlet to tell my friends about my Daddy and what a wonderful man and father he is. He would be so embarrassed if he knew so let's don't mention it, okay?

The Iowa Sweat of Summer 2009

Last weekend I made the 4.5 hour trek up to West Des Moines where my favorite control freak of a friend organized an awesome spiritual retreat. She and I have one significant common characteristic and that is we like to have everything planned out, scheduled, and don't you dare change anything! Unfortunately for us and our O.C.D the Iowa weather made arrangements that we could not control. These pictures are the result of Plan B as far as location and it turned out to be the perfect spot.

This was my first experience getting to actually construct the sweat lodge. It is amazing to me how simple willow branches can be transformed into such a thing of beauty.

The willow branches are thin but they are very flexible and incredibly strong. We secured them together with simple twine and then added the red ribbons to attract the spirits.

Once the frame was constructed we covered it with a plethora of blankets and tarps. This is to insure that the inside of the lodge is pitch dark even if the sweat is held in the middle of the day.

Aaaaah.... the finished product.

Butterfly girls

We took the girls to Omaha's Henry Doorly zoo this past weekend. Both of the kids said it was by far the best zoo they had ever been to and there was still more we didn't see. They are already talking about "next year when we go back.... "

One of my favorite spots was the Garden of the Senses. They had these cool butterfly benches and of course I made them stop for a photo.

As I was uploading these pictures last night these two in particular stood out. My littlest is such a ham when it comes to getting her picture taken. She is not lacking in the self confidence department and truly enjoys being her own little creative individual. I love that about her because she doesn't get those characteristics from me.

My oldest on the other hand is a very thoughtful and reflective child. This picture speaks volumes to me as her mother because I see her changing so much both mentally and physically. She is like the tiny caterpillar who is in the process of morphing into a beautiful butterfly. Seeing her on this bench symbolizes to me the cycle of life. Our children change so quickly. We as parents help them to grow as individuals as much as they will let us and soon they take all that we have taught them and fly away to begin their own lives. While I know I have a few years before I have to deal with that reality it still makes me stop and be thankful for all the special moments we get now.

The Symbolism of the Bat

We discovered late last summer that there were bats living in the neighbor's tree to the North of us. It was a little freaky at first as they dive bombed the pool at dusk to grab a quick drink, especially if we happened to be in the pool at the time. This year they come visit every night and are really active when we have the pool lights on. My close friends know how into animal significance I am. I strongly believe that animals speak to us with their presence and it is our responsibility to not only respect them but to listen. So naturally I had to research what these little creatures may be trying to tell me.

I own a great book by Ted Andrews called "Animal Speak." According to the book if a bat has made it's presence known in your life it is telling you to prepare for a change and to face your fears. Often a bat comes into our lives when things seem to have gone from bad to worse and we need to let go of what is not working. So in a nutshell, the bat symbolizes change and transformation.

I don't claim to understand animal symbolism. I just find it extremely fascinating and often times it is right on. For now, I will keep "listening" to my bat and do some soul searching.

4:47am

At 4:47 this morning I had so many thoughts racing through my mind. I woke up thinking about how I need to start writing again and using this blog as an outlet. Someone told me once that we are the most creative around the 3am hour and I believe that is true. Most mornings I wake up, if only for a few minutes around 3:22. I am a constant thinker; a curse that also plagues my 8yr old. During the school year she sleep walks every night except Friday and Saturday. I think this is because there is no school the next day. She can't seem to shut her little mind off and I am probably to blame for that somehow.

So my randomness this morning at 4:47am included but was not limited to; 1. football, 2. school starting, but not for me this time (high five!), 3. my upcoming trip to Iowa, and 4. what to wear to work. Number 4 is a regular early morning thought. I like to have this planned out before I even crawl out of bed. Often times I drift back off and dream that I'm in the midst of a HUGE sale of some kind and all the clothes have designer labels but are dirt cheap! (I don't need Freud to interpret that one for me.) Anyway, I am going to try to harness some of my randomness and quit neglecting my blog and hopefully get the mental release I am craving right now.

Stay tuned.

Squirrley Girlies at Chuck-E-Cheese

My baby turned 8 on the 10th of July. Every year it seems we have some type of pool party since her birthday falls during the hottest time of the year. This year she decided on a party at Chuck-E-Cheese with a couple of her friends. The ride to Topeka was complete with intermittent Taylor Swift jam sessions, rockin' out to Lady Gaga, a serious discussion about Michael Jackson's death and a consensous was reached that he should have kept his old nose. One child professed her love for Elvis and then proceeded to announce, "You know he died on the pot, right?" There were tons of giggles and not all of them were coming from the back seat.
I think "Badass" sums up this picture.

The three little girls spent a lot of time in the sketch machine taking various goofy pictures and getting just the right ones for each to take home. Gentry could not resist and had to get in on the action as well.
The girls played Skee-ball almost non-stop accumulating as many tickets as possible. In true Sydie style she decided to sport hers in the form of a ticket boa.
I never expected to spend three hours in Chuck-E-Cheese and normally I would choose sticking pins in my eye over this kind of trip. However, the girls had a blast and I have to admit we had a ball watching them be silly.
Happy Birthday baby girl.