friday's feast #149 (#18)

I've been away for a while. I needed a break. And I thought a perfect way to get back in the swing of things would be this handy-dandy meme. I'll be back soon to share pictures from my recent adventure in island living. Let me tell you - it's rough being back on the mainland!!

Here's this week's edition of Friday's Feast...

Appetizer
Name a funny habit you have.
Funny habit, not bad habit, so I won't tell you about that one, or that one or hmm...that one. Let's see, I have a funny habit of sleeping with the covers up to my chin but my one leg sticking out of the covers. Hey, that's the best I can think of...sorry. :)

Soup
If you could instantly know how to play a musical instrument, which one would you pick?
This one's easy. The piano. I love the piano and can play the right hand notes but my lessons ended before we got to the left hand.

Salad
How long is your hair?
It used to touch my shoulders but a couple of weeks ago, I got a perm. So now, it's really curly and falls to about my chin.

Main Course
When is the last time you forgave someone, and who was it?
Wow, that's a loaded question... Forgiving is something that you have to commit to do and then do it continually. Life sure would be easier if you could decide to forgive and the hurt and everything associated with it would just go away. But it doesn't. Unfortunately, it lingers. What? Oh, sorry, I got on my soapbox there and haven't answered the question yet. To protect those around me who are still living and could be implicated by this question, I will say that I forgive my dad regularly. It's a long story but he fell way short of what every little girl (namely, me) wanted in a dad. And he wasn't able to be there for me, emotionally or in person. When he died in 1998, I began peeling the layers back of his complicated life. I found out that he wasn't equipped with the social skills to show his love for someone. His heart had been scarred as a little boy and I don't think he ever recovered. Not that he tried to but forgiveness extends to that too. It's weird to continually have to forgive someone who is dead but I do. I guess at this point I'm doing it more for me than for anyone else. Otherwise, the bitterness of holding a grudge would crowd my life now. That wouldn't be good.

Dessert
What is your favorite kitchen appliance?
My KitchenAid mixer. Oh, never mind, I don't have one of those. I guess it would be the microwave. It makes things so much easier. What did people do before them??

Well, that's it for now, folks. If you'd like to join in, click here. Happy Weekend!

gone

exhausted
i sit here
watching her

she writes while
listening to her cd
over and over

humming unknown words
saying random sentences
about music
only she is hearing

forcing the tears back
i wonder
what all will change
this summer

something inside
tells me
it will be different
this time

i can almost see
the changes
before they even happen

maybe because
she is such a mix
of child and
teen

my heart breaks
knowing that when
she walks out that door
tomorrow

90 nights will pass

and my little girl
will be gone

***********

oh jesus
take her into your arms
hold her tightly
guide her
protect her
keep her as your own

help me be calm
knowing you are there
where i want to be
desperately
but you will never leave her

protect the bond we share
bring her home safe to me

amen.

friday's feast #146 (#17)

Appetizer

Name something you think is "the best".

My husband is the best husband in the whole world. He works hard so that I'm able to be home with our kids. And he knows me the best. Oh, and he's cute too. :)

Soup

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 highest), how stressed are you today?

And on cue, the baby I am watching starts screaming...Considering the fact that she's slept 45 minutes since 7:30 this morning, I'd say about an 8.

Salad

What kind of cleanser do you use to wash your face?

St. Ives Apricot Scrub. I LOVE St. Ives stuff. I wish they made shampoo too! :)

Main Course

Tonight is a blue moon! What is something that you believe only happens “once in a blue moon.”

Meeting your soulmate. My daughter cleaning her room. Winning the lottery.

Dessert

When was the last time it rained where you live?

I honestly don't remember. Maybe it's been a week. The grass is starting to turn brown.

That's all for this week. If you want to join in, click here. Have a great weekend!

school's out

last day of school
another door to childhood
closes

there you are
so tall and smart
so pretty and funny

it's hard to believe
that you came from me
God's miracle

i'm sad today
the clock begins to tick
soon you'll be gone

90 days isn't so long
but it feels like an eternity
every summer

for the first few days
i actually check on you
at night

it's always a shock
when you aren't in your bed
breathing in and out

i forget that you are sleeping
under a different roof
for 89 more nights

the fog threatens
when i think of you
knowing how you will change

through it all
stay true to you
and remember always

i love you