Long day

It has been a very long day.... It started really early. I had a very busy day at work even though I was convinced that it wasn't going to be. I left there a little late with an empty gas tank. I debated if I was going to pick up my 4 year old from daycare first or get gas in my car. I was already late picking him up so I went there first. The daycare was ready to close and go home for the day so I am glad that I got him first, then I put in a whole $5 in gas. In case you are wondering that was 1.5 gallons of gas, which barely got me above the E in my car. By now it is 10 minutes to 6 which is also the time that I am supposed to be in a town that is still 30 minutes away. So I call my husband and ask him and our oldest to be ready to go. I pulled in the drive and they jumped in. I didn't even change my clothes like I usually do. So we stop on the way to put in some more gas, because 5 bucks doesn't do what it used to, and headed on our way. We get done at the auction house and my husband wants to look about a repo he's working on so he go to look for an address. It is now 9:15, we find the house which is now vacant, big surprise in the repo business. Then we get lost trying to take a shortcut home. We finally get home an hour later and it is now 10:25 and everyone is in bed sound asleep, except me. I am going to do a load of dishes, some more laundry and get stuff ready for tomorrow. I will go to bed soon and start all over tomorrow.

New writing assignment

    I read our new lesson plan for this week and very excited to discover a new essay about a special place to each of us. I have so many good ideas for this. I think that I am going to write about the river that we go to every year. I have a special spot there, besides I think I need to be out there to get a full appreciation for it and to write a wonderful essay about it. I could write about my mom's house in Idaho, or my back porch. I could write about the spot where my husband proposed to me. I could write about the little breakfast spot that my husband and I go to on special days. I could write about the front passenger seat of my car while taking a long road trip. I could write about department stores that we walk around to do Christmas shopping. I could write about the train ride we took in Eureka Springs for our tenth anniversary, that was very memorable. I could go back in time and write about the little creek I used to escape to when I was a kid, or the secret hideout we had. There was an old tree house in the neighbor's woods we would play in. I could write about hunting mushrooms in Washington state with my mom, fighting the underbrush, the smell of the wet dirt and moss that usually fills the Northwest forests. There are so many places that I could write about, it will be hard to chose. I am very excited to write this paper though. My last essay was a little depressing so I think that I want to write something that is going to be a little more upbeat.

Drinking alcohol and acting like a fool

So, here I am minding my own business looking at books on Amazon when all of a sudden my husband runs in through the front door and says "honey you need to see this". So up I get and walk to the front door. "I don't see anything" I tell him. It is about 10:30pm and the only light outside is the street lamp and the front porch light. "Just wait, he'll be back" to that I ask him who and he says he doesn't know just that he left the neighbors house on a 4 wheeler. I start to go back inside and resume my search when I hear the neighbor's motorcycle fire up. He comes tearing out of his driveway wearing nothing but a pair of jean shorts and I know from his previous track record that by this time of night he is completely wasted. I am unimpressed by this and ask my husband what the deal was to which he replies that the first man that left was obviously drunk and riding the ATV stark naked. This is not something that I wish to see so I head back inside. None to soon either, as soon as I sat down at the table I hear both vehicles coming back. I am not a man but I could not imagine driving any kind of vehicle down our bumpy dirt road with nothing cushioning me between my boy parts and the machine itself. I imagine he will be very sore tomorrow. I just can't imagine what he was thinking, although it could have been some kind of bet. Alcohol makes people do incredibly dumb things. I wish I could record people and then play it back when they are sober. I bet that would change a lot of perspectives about yourself. I bet a lot of people would realize that they are just not as cool as they want you to believe. Well, I am off to bed without the luxury of an alcoholic beverage but I believe that I will sleep just fine without it.

Quality family time

   Today was a beautiful day. My husband and I took my boys out geo-caching. We had so much fun! Sunscreen, bottles of water and a handheld GPS, it was quite a day. We found all kinds of stuff and had a blast doing it. I love spending time with my husband and kids, days like this when I can forget about work and school and bills. I am ready to go again, in fact there is a place that has a lot of hiking trails and caches to find that I think we are going to do next. We have plans to go camping next weekend and I am also very excited to do this. We are going with some family that we just recently got back in touch with. I am happy that we are doing this. We will be spending time on the river and cooking over an open fire, sleeping under the stars. I am a lover of nature and of the outdoors. It is very peaceful and relaxing out there. Even in my own home and yard or out on the river, it is really very therapeutic for me. A warm soft breeze, a good book in my hand floating down the river in a john boat, my kids fishing off the front, my husband guiding us from the back, ah peace. Cooking on the river is just enjoyable. I love my dutch oven and cook everything in it. Potatoes with peppered bacon, a coke cake, eggs and sausage in the morning, and fish caught from the river. I am hungry now though.....

Independence Day

Today we celebrate our Independence and our right to be free. I am proud to be an American even if I don't agree with everything our country and government do. I am proud of our men and women in the armed forces. Without their strength, courage, and sacrifices we would not have the freedoms we have today. I sat down with my children today and asked them if they knew why we celebrated the 4th of July. My 9 year old new that it had to do with the Declaration of Independence and my 4 year old said it was to pop fireworks. So we discussed why we celebrate this day. They both seemed to understand and my 9 year old said, " you know a lot of these holidays are based on something important" he was correct. I just wonder how many kids know this. It saddens me to think that their might be quite a few. I was at a parade a few years ago for Christmas and a man next to me held up a sign saying something about soldiers going to hell for what they had done and I thought to myself, if it wasn't for that soldier and his brethren you might not have that right to stand their and hold up your ridiculous signs. I will say this in closing, thank you all for what you have done for us all and I am proud to be an American.

My Credo

I believe that everything happens for a reason. You may call it karma, fate, or God's plan but I have faith it exists. I have focused my life and have covered some pretty rough terrain with this belief system. Instead of living life wondering "why me?" I sit back and say "okay this has happened what am I going to do next". You can wake up each day and decide to be happy and have a great day or wake up depressed and fight for a reason to get through the day. I hope that I can pass this credo down to my children. Life is short and can be hard, knowing that it was meant to be. Everything from a death of a loved one to wrecking a car while under the influence of some illegal substance. As I said before, whether it is God's plan, Fate or Karma. I believe everything happens for a reason.

Brand New Day

 It is a bright and beautiful day today. It is not too hot or humid. I stood on the back porch this am and took in a deep breath of clean fresh air. I wonder if people in over crowded cities and say the same? I love my life here in the country. It is so peaceful. I could not imagine living anywhere else. This day is so bright and seems so full of hope. It puts a smile on my face and I know that all will be well. I pray that my patient's today get the care they need and that their health will be improved. A new day, a new fresh start. I work in a clinic, don't get me wrong. My patient's aren't all dying or suffering from incurable diseases, but we do have some newly diagnosed with cancer, some coughs and colds, and others that need treatment for blood pressure or blood sugar problems. It's a regular day but will be a happy one. Often times I feel very stressed and that there is not enough time in my day. I like days like today where I can just take a moment to breathe and enjoy the peace and tranquility around me. It is a blessed day.