Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Mr. Bitner's Core Class


I first fell in love with "Government" in Mr. Bitner's seventh grade Core class which also consisted of the studies of English and History. I may have lived in the shadow of the great white buildings of Washington, DC; but until Mr. Bitner's class, they were little more than tourist attractions for visiting relatives.


It wasn't so much the learning of democratic functions, but the way in which Mr. Bitner strode between the rows of desks drawing each of our faces to meet the passion in his eyes. The very air of Mr. Bitner's class was charged with the electric current of minds wanting to know more.


Current Events Monday were filled with the metal ring opening of notebooks, the placement of pencils on the desk, folded clipped articles spread smooth, best posture presented in the hopes of being called. The chance to Let Freedom Ring.


In Mr. Bitner's class intelligence was the commodity of popularity. We strove to be our best, we strove for hard won praise. We glimpsed into our own adult futures for the very first time and set our childhood ways aside knowingly.



A love of learning to last a lifetime. A teacher I admire to this very day.



This trio just make me smile!




Thursday, March 24, 2011

Meeting in the Middle


Last Sunday was Joe and Kellye's three month anniversary. She asked him not to plan anything after work as she wanted to take him to the restaurant gone to on their first date. She presented him with the gift of slippers as she thought his feet looked cold in the evenings when they are home together. My heart rejoices in the sweetness of these early days when every small thing about the other is noticed and cared about.

Two halves of the same heart from the moment they met, Joe wants nothing more than to marry Kellye and take care of her all of his life. Meet the Parents dinner planned to move things along,  wedding discussions for September. Mother meeting mother worries, will she love my daughter as much as we love Joe?


What will they think of parents who have allowed their daughter to move in with Joe? Will they know the answer would have been "No" with anyone else? Will they know she wouldn't have asked for anyone other than Joe? Will they know we are honorable parents who raised their daughter as best we could?


This remarkable young man was raised by parents deeply devoted to God, but like our own daughter struggles to hear God's call. Apostolic Faith every day, Catholicism haphazard at best. Two young people with parents who prayed too much and parents who didn't pray enough finding each other right in the middle.


A mother who asks her son will she see him in church on Sunday, a mother who asks her daughter does she believe in God. Mothers who end their evenings praying for their children and not themselves.


Two mothers soon to be united by the love of their children knowing in their heart God's plan is greater than their prayers.

I can't wait to meet Joe's mother.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Brothers and Sisters


I imagine many brothers and sisters are very similar to each other, and this is what binds them together. My brother and I couldn't be more unalike than if our our parents went about choosing our characters from a list provided by God. "Outgoing and Boisterous" for him, "Serious and Quiet" for her. Noticing both children would be so unalike from each other, they looked at each other and said, "Well brothers and sisters love each other because they just do."


I spent most of my early youth trying to avoid my cute little brown eyed brother. It was just so much easier than trying to fathom why on earth my parents ever brought him into our house. He could always be counted on to do the unexpected such as trapping his head between stair railings, getting his mouth stuck around door knobs, and having to be rescued from the neighbors roof on a weekly basis because he overheard the father say he wished he had a rooster instead of an alarm clock to wake him in the morning. My brother was the rooster, and he was only two!


I pleaded with my mother to punish this naughty little brother of mine to no avail. "He can't be punished!" she would say, "He's much too clever." Sent to his room he would climb out the window and "play" on the roof. He would rearrange his bedroom furniture into make believe worlds. I think it was just easier on my mother's back to kiss him on his cheek and tell him to behave.


And then came came the darkest days of my sisterhood. The arrival of "the best friend". A perfect Partner in Crime. All admonitions to not go into the woods alone, or cross the street alone, or paddle across the Potomac River alone, could be ignored because there were now two.


Closed bedroom door tears falling on deaf ears, how would I ever survive these naughty, messy, smelly boys? How to even begin answering the mother question I knew would come, "Where are the boys?"


Overheard telephone commiserating between sips of coffee, waiting for my mother to realize a bus ticket to military school was our only salvation. "Yes, we now have a hole in the backyard the size of a swimming pool." ..... "Well,  I said he could dig to China."


Outgoing and Boisterous, Serious and Quiet. As different as can be. I would worry myself to sleep at night in prayer to God that I be allowed in Heaven even if I didn't love my brother.


And then we became adults, and the very characteristics chosen on God's list so long ago now fill every corner of our heart with images of our youth and love for our parents. And we love each other the way brothers and sisters always do.


Please do not pin on Pinterest

Monday, March 14, 2011

Babies on a ME Monday


My husband and I are in love with our children. We have been from the moment we brought them home and laid them in their cribs for the first time. Their youth and our youth spun from gossamer threads to be cared for knowing how precious and fleeting they would be.


I like to imagine so many of us have vintage nursery items displayed in our craft rooms as a reminder of our hearts capacity to love even more.


The quietness of my empty nest has settled around me once more. Waiting my companion for the sound of their voice, a glimpse of their face.


I have loved storks since he first came to visit me as a young military wife in a community of other Home Alone wives.


My Dear Friend Janet's husband and mine both flew in the same squadron. She surprised me with a baby shower having invited the Bobwhites and other of our friends. I loved that Janet had three sisters she absolutely adored, and one of them made a stork cake for me.


Just what my craft room shelf needed! A pink stork cute as can be and so very easy to make. I do think this will become an all time favorite. It could be because it reminds me of how truly blessed I am in this life of mine.




Please, for personal use only.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Eye of the Beholder


My husband returned home from Dr. Needlekor's office wearing his new glasses. He came into the kitchen to find me at the sink, back turned. Hearing his footsteps I turned expecting to find the familiar face of the man I know and love. Barely a connecting glance I burst into a belly laugh that would not end. Head bowed, arms around my midsection, each time I looked at him another round of giggles. I could not stop laughing.

"What?" my confused husband asked.
"Are those your new glasses?" barely audible between giggles. "They look like you got them at the Clown Store!"
"The lady who fitted me told me these are the trendiest style of the moment."
Legs crossed in the over 50 position, "What style? Clown College Style? I thought glasses were suppose to enhance your face, not obliterate it. All I can see are those glasses!  You have a little head. Your glasses go past the side of your face."
"Well I think they look great with my silver white hair." replied my husband becoming defensive.
"NO!" You aren't really going to serve people on the airplane wearing those, are you? Your eyes look huge! People will cough their food out of their mouths when they look up at you. You Have Got To Return Those!"
Indignant at this point, my husband exited the kitchen to the sound of my continued giggling. "Well I like them!"


All day and into the evening  my husband wore these glasses; and every time he turned his head to speak to me, I broke out into hysterical giggling. I just could not help myself! "You're not Drew Carey. He has a big head and can wear glasses like that. Your head is just too little!"

This morning my husband came into the kitchen as my back was turned to the sink. When I turned around he was wearing his REAL new glasses. Wire rimmed frames accentuating his handsome features.

MY FAMILY JUST LOVES TO TORTURE THEIR CLUELESS WIFE AND MOTHER.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Wearing of the Green!


In all of the holiday celebrations I have seen my Craft Room Creations preparing for, I don't think I have ever seen my Snornament blushing. Could it be he is happy to once again to be wearing his beloved belt?


Or could it be on this holiday above all others, he is hopeful a certain someone will notice his shy heart?


It seems there is quite a bit of discussion in my craft room about a certain Miss who also loves to dress for the holidays.


It seems on this holiday she has been seen blushing as well.


 I wondered myself if there has been matchmaking going on in the community,



but better heads than mine seem to prevail in thinking .....


True Love has found it's own way to these two hearts. Everyone is truly overjoyed for the happy couple.