Thursday, August 27, 2009

One year ago Mamma mia ...



One year ago, August 28, 2008, we lost our Mother. We miss her so much, but we know she has been trying to tell us through so many signs that she is happy now. Last year, on the night before we brought Mother home from the hospital to spend her last days with us, our dear friends, Nancy and Charlie took me to the movies to see the movie, Mamma Mia. The same day this year Dave and I went to the Decatur Celebration where the featured bad just happened to be ABBA, whose songs the film Mamma Mia is based on. No coincidence I think. I took some video but it was too big to download, so here is a link to the song on Youtube, a picture from the celebration, and some of the song lyrics. I think Mother would like this.






"Mamma mia, here I go again. My, my, how can I resist you? Mamma mia, does it show again? My, my, just how much I missed you. Yes, I've been brokenhearted. Blue since the day we parted. Why, why did I ever let you go? Mamma mia, now I really know. My, my, I could never let you go... Good-bye doesn't mean forever"


We'll love you forever.




Saturday, February 21, 2009

Parkland Cobras Rah Rah Rah!



This was our first Parkland basketball game this year. Mikayla LOVES the dancers, who are award winners this year! We always sit with the dancers when we go to games. Sweet Rachel that you see in the video took Mikayla under her wing. Mik was drooling over the pompoms whispering to me "I just want to touch one" reaching out one little finger to gently touch one strip of pompom. Then Rachel let her HOLD both of them and actually taught her how to use them. She was sooooo excited. The dancers' coach brought Mik a 2009 poster of them and Rachel had all the girls autograph it for her. The next day I framed the picture and gave it to Mik for her room. She kissed Rachel's picture and said "I love her". Awwwwwwwww...

She did actually watch a little of the basketball game and loved yelling when our team made a basket. One of the players is a CHD student and is doing a practicum in one of the classes at the Child Development Center (not in Mik's room, so she didn't know her). I don't feel bad going to the game for just the dancers and cheerleaders. Those sports are just as important and as athletic as basketball, just not so appreciated.

Friday, February 13, 2009

So long tooth, hello tooth fairy!




Today Mikayla lost her first tooth. She was laying on the couch resting with Grandpa and all of a sudden yelled "Here's my tooth!" She was so excited. I think the most fun was being able to suck on a straw without even opening her teeth. So funny. I forgot what fun something as simple as that can be!

Lincoln's Valentine Birthday!


Yesterday we made heart-shaped brownies with pink icing to celebrate Lincoln's Birthday! And you know how much we love our guy. Happy 200th Abe!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

New Verse

This verse was given to me by my friend Donna:

2 Thessalonians 1:11 (NLT)

"So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call."

You know why I chose it. Thank you Donna.

Guiding Light (daily drama that's not mine!)

There has been something that has been with me for my entire life, maybe even before my little sisters, and I've let it slip in the past 15 years or so. It left two other times, but came back with tv rooms in the Illini Union and then the invention of the VCR. I tried bringing it back into my life several years ago, but a cloning issue with Reva just made it too ridiculous to consider. But now, Phillip Spaulding is back from the dead after five years away, and I may come back too. Yes, I'm talking about my soap, the Guiding Light. How have I lived without the Bauers and the Lewises and the Spauldings for so long? I showed a copied video to one of my classes last week and at the beginning of the tape was a little piece of a GL from the 80's, one of the golden ages of the show, oh the memories. Oh how I looked forward to the love between Beth and Phillip (did you know he saved her from the terrible sexual abuse of her stepfather?). Times have changed. You can even watch episodes of the show right on your computer even if you don't have DVR, which I don't. To celebrate Phillip's return, the show's website has clips available of all the past segments of Phillip's life-very fun stuff for us old people. Gosh I forgot about Dr. Marler and Jackie and Elizabeth (Phillip's real mother and the namesake of Lizzie). There was even a clip of the fight between Phillip and Beth's stepfather, the evil Bradley Raines. Yesterday, Phillip returned to the show. And I saw it. I was lucky enough to be home sick-I'm always sick now, I think I have gall bladder problems. Of course, in typical soap style, they waited until the final seconds of the show for his return. They had advertised that "the return of Phillip Spaulding" would be February 9, so all of us soap fanatics were sitting on the edges of our seats (or our bedpans) to see it. Yes, he's back, and maybe I am too. I need a little more drama in my life (yeah right).
Regarding that gall bladder thing...I went to the doc yesterday, had some tests, more today and more Friday. Until then, no milk products, no fat, and only small amounts of food at a time. In other words, don't eat anything I like. The good news is I've lost ten pounds in three weeks. I may need to stay sick for another twenty pounds worth. I may have to. It's really not fun.
Okay, one more thing, or two. Who can forget the evil Roger???? That was the best storyline of all. And do you remember that Kevin Bacon used to play TJ Werner? Just had to get that in. Sometimes it's just fun to realize that my life really isn't as bad as a soap opera!

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Sometimes

Sometimes, not often enough, we reflect upon the good things. And those thoughts always center around those we love. And I think about those people who mean so much to me, and for so many years have made me so very happy. And I count the times I have forgotten to say, Thank You. And just how much I love them.

We played this song for our mothers to walk in during our wedding. Mikayla and I were looking for music videos and this came up. I remembered how much we loved our mothers and wanted them to know just how much we loved them.

Listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHokKI-_fao&NR=1

Friday, January 23, 2009

Memory verse

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

If you see me, ask me to recite it for you. I need some accountability and a little encouragement!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Baby, the three-legged dog


"Until man extends his circle of compassion to all living things, man himself will not find peace." Dr. Albert Schweitzer

O-BA-MA

What an inspiring day! I couldn't believe that some of my students didn't seem to GET the significance of the event. And all those people at the National Mall and not one arrest. I loved Chris Matthews' (MSNBC's Hardball) comment that he had never seen so many teeth (from smiling).
Bad ending to a wonderful day-I caught the virus that Dave and Mikayla had. I haven't been so sick since I had appendicitis. It's easing off, but I still feel crummy. So glad I didn't feel like this all day yesterday. I would have missed history.