Let's start the week with a smile, shall we?
Roxie's last official day of school is TOMORROW... which means the first official day of Summer (around here) is WEDNESDAY!
I've heard it's going to be epic.
RANDOMNESS #1 - As you might recall, Mike and I were supposed to go on a Pepper Place Farmer's Market Date Saturday morning.
It's been a semi-rainy weekend here in Central Alabama, and when we woke up Saturday morning it wasn't exactly the rain making everything wet. It was the steam rising up from the ground causing the problem.
I exaggerate, but not much.
I believe the only thing worse than walking around in the rain is walking around trying to keep your hair from kinking up so tight it looks like it is trying to climb back into your scalp because of... HUMIDITY!
That's right, Folks. It was humid Saturday morning, and Mikie knowing my disdain and contempt for said HUMIDITY suggested we go to Pepper Place on a different Saturday.
So he took me to Niki's West for breakfast... and he parked by the front door... and Niki's turned the air conditioner on very high... and my hair and my heart were happy.
In other words, there are no pictures of peppers or flowers or squash in today's post, but that doesn't mean I won't try another time.
Chin up, Peeps!
RANDOMNESS #2 - I didn't mention it last week because it was too embarrassing and fresh. However, from time to time, I still have people ask me how I keep it "all together," and I shudder to think there are still humans out there who are under the misconception The Enchanting Belinda has it "all together."
Because I do not.
Not even a little bit.
For example, after Roxie and I picked up Copper from his "adventure" Monday morning at 7:30, I drove The Big Gold Van into our driveway. Roxie, Copper and I hopped out of The Big Gold Van and ran to meet Mike and Austin who were waiting for us on the sidewalk.
Somewhere between The Big Gold Van and my front door (a very, very short distance), I lost my car keys.
I looked and looked, but to no avail.
I couldn't even find the spare key in the spare key drawer of our desk.
So guess what?
Except for two "I have to complete this errand because other people are counting on me" type outings, I didn't drive until Saturday morning.
My two errands were completed using Austin's truck for short bursts of time.
When I finally admitted to Mikie I had lost my keys (again), he did his customary search of the premises, and while he usually finds my keys quickly and efficiently, this time it continued to be a mystery.
He had better luck finding the spare key in the desk drawer, but he made me sign a few papers before he handed the keys over to me. I didn't mind signing the papers which list in very specific order what will happen to me if I lose the one and only spare key, but it was a little embarrassing having them notarized.
At 51 years of age, I am happy to report my embarrassment level no longer hits a "10" on the Embarrassment Scale for lost keys... or forgetting to put on all the necessary foundational garments... or wearing only one shoe... or laughing/crying/talking at inappropriate times in a movie theater... or being chased into the parking lot of a store by an employee holding the items I had bought only seconds before.
Those are "little" things on the grand scale of life.
Now if I could only teach The Chick the difference between what IS and IS NOT embarrassing, I could call myself an "all together" kind of Mom.
But it ain't gonna happen today.
And probably not tomorrow either.
In other words, don't hold your breath!
RANDOMNESS #3 - Austin's College Graduation Recognition Service was held at our church during the 11:00 a.m. service yesterday.
There were over 60 high school graduates in the 9:15 a.m. service and 12 college graduates in Austin's service.
It was the last time Austin will be wearing this particular robe, so I was happy for one more chance to photograph The Boy/The Man, and it was a privilege to join with the congregation praying blessings over the graduates and the future God has planned for them.
This is Jamin. He's our Youth Minister and he's been with Austin, Josh AND Roxie throughout their teenage years. I could not have hand-picked a better Youth Minister for my guys.
I know what you're thinking. "Why did The Enchanting Belinda wear a multi-colored top when she KNEW she would want a family picture after Senior Recognition? And she also knew the church's foyer carpet has a pattern which also throws a kink in the "take a perfect picture in the church foyer" plan."
Since I have blamed menopause for most of my mistakes over the past decade, I see no reason to change anything now.
I'm in menopause so I wore a patterned shirt.
There. I said it... and I'm sticking to it.
Roxie had wanted a picture taken of her and Austin on the football field at his graduation. However, when we planned for everyone to gather on the field for pics, we didn't take into account more than half of our party would be waiting for us at the restaurant... or Josh jumping the railing onto the field... or Roxie wearing a really fluttery dress that didn't really go with jumping the railing.
Anyway, it was important for her to have her picture taken with Austin in his robe... and it just so happened she had new white linen pants which looked marvelous... even with the church's foyer carpet pattern.
RANDOMNESS #4 - After church, before we headed off for my Mother's Day Celebration, Roxie and I drove to Taylor's house to take a pic of Roxie (and her new pants) beside Sweet Taylor in her graduation robe.
How pretty are these chicks?
RANDOMNESS #5 - I'm running incredibly long today, so I'm going to talk about the majority of my Mother's Day Celebration on Friday. It's going to include a Restaurant Review!
But today, I just wanted you to see my giant card.
All of my kids think I have a favorite.
Josh thinks I prefer Austin.
Roxie thinks I prefer Josh.
Austin thinks I prefer Josh AND Roxie.
Basically, I cannot win.
Truthfully, I do not have a favorite kid. I love them all an enormously, huge amount. However, if you asked me which kid understands me best (and vice versa), it would be Josh.
He knows if there are two gifts for me to choose from, and I am told the SMALL gift has a $500 bill enclosed and the LARGE gift is a purple stuffed elephant pillow, I will pick the LARGE gift.
I cannot help myself.
Something in my head screams, "BIGGER MUST BE BETTER!"
I told you all that because Josh picked out my card... and I love it!
RANDOMNESS #6 - The Story of Copper - Part Two - When I left you Friday in our story, The Faulkner Five had been rejected as "good" beagle parents by a rescue beagle advocate because we didn't plan on letting Copper and Sparkle live in the house 24/7.
May I remind you, they have a large fenced-in backyard, a lovely light blue doghouse AND an unfinished room (with heat and air and a bed) in the basement.
No matter what you may have heard from The Boy/The Man, MJ and The Chick, the dogs (AND THE KIDS) do NOT have a hard life here at Faulkner Farms.
However, I was a little insecure about trying to find another rescue beagle advocate because I do not like being rejected. I know that's hard to believe, but it is true.
A week or two later, I called another woman, and she listened to my story. She then asked me to send her pictures of my backyard, my doghouse, my unfinished basement room and Sparkle.
I was very, very nervous, but within two or three days, she contacted me.
"I think I have a match for you and your family," she said.
"Oh. Thank goodness. Sparkle cannot wait to have a sister," I said. (Did I mention I was requesting a female beagle because Sparkle is a female? Did I? It was one of the MOST important requests.)
"Well, it's not actually a sister. It's a male beagle named 'Geeves.' He came out of the woods with a pack of six or seven other beagles a month ago, and all of his companions have already been adopted."
Hmmm. Geeves. Geeves. What kind of name was Geeves? I almost agreed to adopt him because he needed a better name, and I knew we could give him one.
"I'm sorry. I thought you understood. I need a female beagle because we already have one. I want another female because she'll have a similar temperament as Sparkle. Laid back. Sweet. Prissy."
"No. No. No. You need a male beagle to bond with Sparkle. Male and female beagles get along so much better than two females. You know how girls are!"
I didn't say anything, but she arranged a meeting between me, Sparkle, Roxie, Josh and Geeves. (Austin and Mike had to work.)
I wish I could say the meeting went well, but Sparkle was very shy and intimidated around Geeves. Geeves was an EXTREMELY energetic beagle. I mean, CRAZY ENERGETIC.
Plus, he had a very crooked front leg.
"Is his leg okay? Does it hurt him?" I asked.
The woman told me when they found him it was already crooked and after examination, they decided the break was over a year old and it had never been set.
To be honest, it did NOT slow Geeves down.
I was still very hesitant. Geeves still needed to be "fixed," and the woman wanted us to take him to another vet for a second opinion about his leg.
Also, the kids were trying to bond with Geeves, but he was literally bouncing off the walls and "getting to know" him was not really possible.
"I think we're going to have to think about this," I told the woman as Geeves ran from one end of the room to the other, barking his head off and drooling enough to make puddles all over the floor.
"I'm afraid if you don't take him, we're going to have to put him down," she said with a heavy sigh. "The other beagles which were with him were adopted very quickly, but no one wanted Geeves because of his leg."
I wanted to say, "I don't think his leg is the problem. I think the fact the dog needs heavy sedation on a regular basis is the problem," but I refrained, because when it is all said and done, being rejected by a second rescue beagle advocate was more than I was going to be able to bear.
In the end, Roxie and Josh made the decision to take Geeves home for a week because the idea of a healthy four year-old pup being put down because he had a crooked leg was a little too much to handle in their minds... and I had to agree... and Austin agreed... and Mikie agreed.
If you don't mind, I'll finish up The story of Copper Friday. (You already know there is a happy ending, so it isn't really a cliffhanger, is it?)
Blog Linkage
1. Go to Six Sisters' Stuff under My Blog List and check out today's post entitled "Slow Cooker Mexican Haystacks." I'm about to throw this in the crock pot and try it tonight!
2. Go to www.kellehampton.com and read today's post entitled "Six Years: Secret Agent Party." This is one cute party, and she gives you all the details, plus, a ton of pictures.
Have a fabulous week. I'll be back Friday with pics from Katie's graduation and more. I actually have the ingredients for a new cake sitting on my counter top, and I hope I'll be able to share that with you Friday, also.
Take care, and I will talk to you the end of the week.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
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