Making Home a Haven

Good Thursday morning!

I used to watch The Cosby Show ALL the time. I loved that show. And one of my favorite episodes was the "Older Than..." show. Bill Cosby's character was having a milestone birthday, and the kids made a presentation of "Things Older Than Dad." I thought it was hilarious then... and it's a little comforting now.

I'm adding some "Older Than..." pics to the Gallery today and tomorrow.

RANDOMNESS #1 - Our first high school volleyball game is tonight, and boy, are we nervous. In fact, we've been nervous all week.

It would be a BIG confidence booster if we were able to win our game tonight. BIG.

I'll let you know.

RANDOMNESS #2 - Since I'm quickly coming to the end of Belinda's Project Life, I'll be having a contest the week of August 29.

I will pick my TEN favorite pics from that blog. All you will have to do is pick your TEN favorite pics. If one of your favorites matches one of my favorites, your name will be put in a bowl for a drawing.

When I draw a winner, that person will receive a $10 YOLO's Gift Certificate! That's right, Baby! You could win CUPCAKES!

I'll remind you about the contest during the next two weeks, because I know you want that Gift Certificate, don't you?

RANDOMNESS #3 - Ahhh, Elvis. I was so excited about going to his concert, I couldn't sleep two or three nights before the big event. Let me just say, I've been to a lot of concerts in my day, and I never looked forward to any of them like I did that one. (Believe it or not, that includes Mr. Manilow... and I've seen him five times... and I plan on seeing him a few more times before he retires, too.)

Keep in mind, this concert was 35 years ago. But in my memory, it was just like yesterday.

We arrived at the Civic Center an hour before the show. Our seats were not in the nosebleed section, but we were nowhere near the floor. We sat down and waited.

The anticipation and estrogen level in that arena was palpable. There were men here and there, but the majority of the audience was female. Very "hair fixed and accessorized" women.

Thirty minutes before the show, the band started playing C. C. Rider. Everyone stood up and started screaming... and that was the last time I sat in my seat for the next three hours. Fun fact for you... No one sat down during an Elvis concert. Another fun fact for you... No one ever stopped screaming during an Elvis concert. It was madness, I tell you. Pure madness.

When Elvis finally did appear (45 minutes later), it was impossible to hear the first three songs over the roar of the crowd... myself included. The frenzy had begun.

All during the show, women threw bras onto the stage. Even women behind me were heaving weighted down bras toward Elvis... and hitting defenseless women several rows below me in the head.

Elvis had dozens of colorful scarves around his neck, and during the concert, he would take one off and fling it out into the audience. The scarves had weights on the ends, so they flew a pretty good distance. But not to where we were sitting.

Elvis sang. Elvis talked. Elvis played with the audience. Elvis played the piano. Elvis threw scarves. Elvis sang my favorite song. Elvis was wonderful.

And then Elvis left the stage.

Amazingly, the roar escalated. I wouldn't have thought anyone would be able to scream any more, but we did. And five minutes later, Elvis hopped back on the stage and sang ONE MORE SONG. And then he left again.

More screaming. Minutes ticked by. Elvis appeared again. And again.

We, the audience, were powerful. As long as we screamed, Elvis would continue to come back on stage... over and over and over again.

Or not.

After the third encore, we screamed for five more minutes. Then seven minutes. Then ten minutes. We were not stopping. We were not letting up. He would come back. Elvis always came back.

But then we heard the words which ended every Elvis concert. Words that dashed our encore-hoping hearts to the ground. "Elvis has left the building." (They really did say that!)

And when those words were spoken, it was as if the thousands of Elvis fans deflated. The screaming suddenly stopped. People quietly began leaving the arena. We were spent. We had no voices. We had no energy.

And many of us had no bras.

I had never seen anything like it before, and I've never experienced anything like it since.

A year later, Elvis died, and I was left with my collection of albums, an Elvis concert t-shirt and my memories from a night I'll never forget.

He was a "one and only."

Wednesday Wisdom... on Thursday - Two guesses who I'm quoting today. That's right. Elvis!

"Rhythm is something you either have or don't have, but when you have it, you have it all over." (I may be related to Elvis because of the rhythm thing. I'm not sure.)

"I'll never make it, it will never happen, because they're never going to hear me 'cause they're screaming all the time." (Been there... done that!)

"Just because I managed to do a little something, I don't want anyone back home to think I got the big head."

"More than anything else, I want the folks back at home to think right of me."

"My movements, ma'am, are all leg movements. I don't do nothing with my body."

"The image is one thing and the human being is another. It's very hard to live up to an image, put it that way." (I have that trouble, too.)

Making Home a Haven

This is something I WISH I had done when the kids were little. Here are some simple ideas to make coming home more than just walking through the front door of a house. Make it a place where the kids feel loved. Make it a stress-free zone whenever possible. Make it a haven.

1. If nothing else, make sure the entryway to your home is picked up and clutter-free as the kids arrive home.

2. Have scented candles burning throughout the house.

3. Have music playing in the background. (Praise music, big band music, kid music... whatever strikes your fancy.)

4. Have the table already set for the kids to sit down for an afternoon snack. (It doesn't have to be homemade. It just has to be READY TO SERVE!)

5. Keep the questions to a minimum. Other than the obvious question (How was your day?), listen more than you talk. (And if the kids are quiet, that's okay, too.)

Of course, you can't do this everyday. Extracurricular activities, church activities, family obligations, etc. are also in the mix. But on the days when one or more of the kids are "just coming home," make sure you transform your house into a haven... "A place of refuge or rest."

Like I said, I WISH I had done this. But you still have time! You can do it today! (And so can I for that matter. Well, maybe not today, but definitely tomorrow!)

Have a grand Thursday. I can honestly say I am looking forward to today very, very much. Stop by tomorrow for Weekend Happenings AND Blog Linkage AND a Date!

Take care, and I'll talk to you in the morning.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda