Guess what?
I've been awake since 4:15 a.m.
Guess what else?
I've actually been UP since 5:15 a.m.
And now it is 10:00 a.m., and I am pooped!
RANDOMNESS #1 - Roxie's friend, Hunter, has a birthday today.
And because it is his birthday, Roxie woke me up at 5:15 a.m. and we drove to his house in the dark with 18 gifts tied to 18 orange balloons in the back of her little car.
And she had 18 gifts and 18 orange balloons because he is 18 years-old today.
I went along for moral support... and because I'm a huge calming influence during times like these.
Roxie's idea was to surround his car neatly with 18 inflated balloons attached to 18 various and sundry gifts.
Good idea.
Roxie's reality was the balloons got all tangled up in the backseat of her little car, and although we tried to untangle them in a dark driveway at 5:22 a.m., we were unable to do so.
Knowing The Chick as I do, I didn't say a word. I just worked diligently on my balloon. Calmly.
Finally, she did a little problem-solving, and said, "Forget it! Let's just bunch everything together and leave it beside the car in a cluster of balloons."
And she did.
And it looked great.
And it looked festive.
I sat in the passenger seat of the car (calmly) while she counted and re-counted the balloons and gifts.
I sat in the passenger seat of the car (calmly) while she ran to her side of the car and jumped in saying, "I cannot find Balloon No. 17! I'm missing a gift! I'm missing a balloon!"
We drove back to our house. I searched the driveway and she ran inside to make sure we hadn't left the balloon floating in the kitchen, dining room or den.
No orange balloon.
She jumped back into the driver's seat. "What are we going to do?"
"If the balloon isn't here, it is there. We need to go back and re-count," I said.
"And if it isn't there, I'll just leave a note saying the wind blew it away."
I quietly nodded and at 5:42 a.m., we drove into the black, black night to Hunter's house where she jumped out of the car, tiptoed to the cluster of balloons and gifts... and promptly found Balloon No. 17.
"I can't believe I didn't see that," she said as we started home... again.
And then, "Thanks for going with me and being so calm."
"It's what I do," I replied.
And she smiled and I smiled because we both know it is not something I have ever done before.
But as a 52 year-old Mom of a 17 year-old Chick, I'm learning when something doesn't go as planned, one of us needs to be the "calm one."
And according to Mikie, that would be me.
RANDOMNESS #2 - After the Balloon Delivery, Roxie and I got ready and went to an orthodontist appointment. She is more than able to go by herself, but we decided to make it an official Breakfast Date.
We stopped by Original Pancake House for Strawberry Pancakes and Strawberry Crepes...
You'll notice there isn't a picture of me this morning.
That would be because I look like I woke up at 4:15 a.m. and actually got out of bed at 5:15 a.m. to run around town for a little while before the sun came up.
It ain't pretty, Folks.
RANDOMNESS #3 - Basketball, basketball, basketball.
Roxie does not get her eye-hand coordination from her Mama.
She doesn't get her "quickness" from me either.
But skipping... I totally taught her how to do that!
A little Kesley...
A little Mallory...
And a little Kelci to finish off our basketball pics this Monday.
RANDOMNESS #4 - Pick a word!
Remember I told you last week I was going to pick my word for 2014?
Remember I told you I was writing an article about it for my Sunday School Newsletter, and I would share my word with you mid-February?
Remember?
Guess what the message was about yesterday morning?
It was about picking a word for 2014.
All I can imagine is that our Pastor has read my blog.
While I have eliminated over 22 words in the past few days, thankfully, he gave us some examples, and now I'm back in the "Pick a Word" ballgame.
It is now down to three really, really good words.
And I got rid of 22 really, really not-so-good words.
As I said before, I'll let you know my choice mid-February!
RANDOMNESS #5 - Austin/Josh Update (2/3 of an Empty Nest) - You would think since I announced I was going to have 2/3 of an Empty Nest in November, I would have an opinion about it by now.
However, I do not.
It seems when two out of three of your kids move out in November/December/January, it doesn't really count... until today.
You see, with the holidays, family gatherings, work gatherings, church gatherings, more family gatherings, etc., etc., no one really leaves.
They may spend the night away here and there, but for the most part, everyone is meeting "at the house" before heading to the next festivity.
Part of me said, "This isn't so bad. This is easy. Why, I'm seeing the guys as much now as I did when they lived at the house."
The other part of me (the part that understood the holidays would one day end) said, "Don't even think about it. If we don't speak of it, it will not come."
The other part of me was WRONG!
As of last Wednesday, the guys have been back at school and/or work.
They breezed through the house a bit Saturday and Sunday, but they are now gone for a six-day stretch... and I'm missing them.
I'm not moaning, crying and/or looking at their baby albums any longer, but I know where they are and I'm not afraid to get them!
It's going to be okay.
It's going to be different... but I'll survive.
And, of course, Roxie is lapping up the extra attention!
I mean, what Chick wouldn't want 100 percent of Enchanting Belinda time?
This is a picture of Roxie calling The Brothers begging them to come home!
Sorry. Not gonna happen.
Quotable Quote
"Our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone - except God." Billy Graham
Have a lovely Monday, if such a thing actually exists. I'll be back Friday with two new-to-me recipes (Old-Fashioned Apple Sauce Cake and Red Devil's Food Cookies). I've already made them, but I do not have time to post everything I've done over the weekend!
Take care, and I'll talk to you next week.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
P.S. Someone asked me why I didn't just use the word "enchanting" for 2014. While I love the word "enchanting," I have to say it has been my word for almost four years now.
I think it may be time to shake things up a little bit!
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