The Most Wonderful Wife and Mother Award...

Goes to none other than...

Charmen Johnson!

Congratulations, my love, you earned it.

Lee

And the Bad Mother and Wife of the Year Award goes to......

Yes, it's a select group of women that belong here with me. Oh sure, you don't think this would be you, but you would be wrong about that.

And to think you were going for Best Mother and Wife of the Year. You toiled long hours cleaning your home to spotless perfection only to have it messed up by your ungrateful kids. The nerve. You slaved over a hot meal only to hear, "I don't like that", or "I'm having cereal"!

You spend your day with your endless checklist in your mind's eye, giving yourself a tiny checkmark next to the things that you are able to accomplish as you work your full time paying job. To no avail, there is always something that you didn't do. Oh, you wanted to get it all done, there just isn't enough day and certainly not enough you.

There are no 'thank you's' that come with this award. Just a quick kick in the booty and a helping of 'why didn't you do this?'

Bad Mothers and Wives, unite! Our claim to glory will be "You never did anything and you were never there for me."

Adversity Part Deux

I've been thinking some more. Do you think that the choices we make for ourselves sometimes create adversity and trials for those around us? I've been thinking that some of the trials and adversity that I currently face are not of my own doing.

My wise mother-in-law posted a quote in my comments from my last post, from her sister's blog. "There is in every true woman's heart a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity; but which kindles up, and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity."-Washington Irving.

My thoughts are that that spark is what we commonly refer to as...........rage.

Adversity and Trials

I know. Sometimes I think too much. I have thought about my topic a great deal and this post is merely me trying to sort out my thoughts.

The talks this month in Sacrament meeting and other meetings has been adversity. I looked up adversity in my trusty dictionary; "adverse fortune or fate, misfortune, calamity." Under trial I found, "the act of trying, testing, or putting to the proof."

I have often wondered when considering the trials we all go through, are we comparing apples to apples? Or apples to oranges? Is there such a thing as one person's trial being "worse" than another's? Or is it a perception based on one's life experience?

Am I digging too deep? What is a greater trial? Loss of employment, death of a loved one, money problems, illness? Is there such thing as a greater trial or are they equal in that each has the purpose of refining and we all don't need the same refining?

These are real questions. I would love your input and insight. Feel free to comment now.

And this cannot go unmentioned.

Today is our beloved Beagle, Berkeley's birthday. Berkeley is 5 years old today and yes, he is named after the college. No, I did not go there. I just liked the name. Please don't mistake him for that floppy dog on Sesame Street, "Barkley".

Berkeley has a very befitting name. He is a very good dog, and he loves his Grandma Johnson. Berkeley and I have a very interesting relationship. He has learned to communicate to me what he wants. For instance, when his food dish is empty and he is hungry, he can't very well open the food container and scoop himself a helping. (Something about poseable thumbs?) He will come up to me, tail wagging, with an earnest and wanting look on his face, and give me the slightest "woof".

Now this "woof" could mean several things. First it's "Mom, I have a problem and I need you to help me." I will get up from my desk, and he will most certainly follow, and investigate the food and water situation. If the food dish is empty, I will fill it up. Sometimes though, the food is in the dish it's just that his dish is not in the proper place. A little high falootin' I know, but that's what he likes!

The other night he came and got me to tell me that his water was unacceptable. I went and investigated and there was a live cricket in the water dish. Well, I wouldn't want a cricket in my drink either and what the heck business did that cricket have IN my house? Problem solved and all was right again in the land of Berkeley.

So Berkeley, happy 5th birthday puppy. I know he is no longer a puppy, but we call him one anyway.

It's a boy!

Twenty one years ago, a baby boy was born. Every year I remind him that his birthday was supposed to be July 28th, but he showed up 9 days late for his party!

Andrew had big plans set for this day. He got up this morning and took a trek to the MVD to get his new driver's license. It's all about status, you know. Can't be seen driving around town with a red "under 21" box on the license. People will talk.

Andrew had big plans for the $60,000,000.00 he is sure he is going to win on his first lottery ticket. I told him I don't want him gambling, but, is it bad that he wants to give his father and I 5 mil each?

He has big plans to buy his first gun. Not just any gun. He'll need it someday when his dreams of being a police officer are realized. Now, the cities only need to get more money so that they can hire him. Andrew wants to get his CCW as well. Something about carrying a weapon in public............

It's ironic. All through my children's childhoods, I forbid them any toy guns. But, if you have ever had a boy, they will make a gun out of anything: Legos, clay, cardboard, you name it! So much for learning a healthy respect for guns under my tutelage.

"I'm an adult Dad, I can buy beer." This is what Andrew announced to his father. Followed by, "then I would open it and pour it on the ground!" Stinker.

So, amid all this gun toting, lottery winning, and beer buying and pouring it on the ground, I'm left with a 21 year old son. My how the time flies! I remember his birth as though it happened yesterday. When I see that baby now, I see the man he is becoming. Andrew you are a thoughtful and kind, most wonderful son. I'm so glad Heavenly Father sent you to your Dad and I. Happy Birthday!

Everyone has feelings.

Every year at this time, and days in between, I get melancholy. Refer to my previous post as to why.

I love this picture of Brittany and her baby girl. I call her "our baby girl" because we have shared her with a wonderful family who is raising her well and in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This picture takes me back to those days, 3 years ago, when our family literally had to cocoon ourselves together away from the pointing fingers and verbal assaults upon our daughter and our family. This picture reminds me of the special time we got to spend with a very special daughter of our Heavenly Father. She was brought here for a purpose, even if that purpose was to touch our lives for a time, and leave us.

This picture reminds me of the great and quiet sacrifice of a young mother.

This picture reminds me of the great love our Father in Heaven and our Savior, Jesus Christ has for all of his children.

My daughter, and her daughter, continue to bring much joy into my heart and into my life. I love the quiet moments I have with my daughter when we talk about "our baby girl".

This picture reminds me of a saying I know. I don't know who said it, "Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Others stay a while, make footprints on our hearts and we are never, ever the same."

I am forever changed.