Clean

There's just something about a good rainfall that makes everything seem whole and pure.  Kind of like the feeling after a good cry that was long coming.  A release to allow all that has been penned up to let loose and clear out.  The exhaustion that comes with it is both inevitable and welcome.  Some of the best slumber is that which takes place during a storm.  Laying with your eyes closed, listening to the thunder in the distance as the rain hits the window.  Whether napping on a couch, bed, floor, car seat, desk chair, or bench... it's destined to be calming.  If there's a chill in the air, even better.

I'm so thrilled for the rain we are enduring now and for the remainder of this week.  I only hope that everyone is safe that is out there driving in it.  It seems Californians never know how to handle this odd spectacle that is water falling from the sky and only happens about 3 times a year.

Here comes the rain again
Falling on my head like a memory
Falling on my head like a new
emotion
I want to walk in the open wind
I want to talk like lovers do
I want to dive into your ocean
Is it raining with you

So baby talk to me
Like lovers do
Walk with me
Like lovers do
Talk to me
Like lovers do

Here comes the rain again
Raining in my head like a tragedy
Tearing me apart like a new
emotion
Oooooh
I want to breathe in the open wind
I want to kiss like lovers do
I want to dive into your ocean
Is it raining with you

So baby talk to me
Like lovers do

Here comes the rain again
Falling on my head like a memory
Falling on my head like a new
emotion
(Here it comes again, here it comes
again)
I want to walk in the open wind
I want to talk like lovers do
I want dive into your ocean
Is it raining with you

Looks Like I've Done It Again..

I'm really lagging in the blog department lately, I know. Since I'm camped out on the couch with a cold, I thought I'd pause the DVR and put some of my thoughts out there as I haven't in a while...

Expect sporadic blogging to be taking place...

Thinking of Grandma & Grandpa...

Replace "tell" with "shout" and you'd have it about right. ;)



Now... what would they say if they knew my tree won't be up until next week. :GASP!: No tree until after the 10th of December? Say it isn't so!

I'm sure the celebration they are having is much better than the one we're having here though.

So There Was This ONE Time I Was Weird...

So, I'm sitting here eating some good ol' cheez-its and thinking of how wonderful of a salty snack they really are. I mean really. Think about it. What is better than cheez-its? Not a whole lot!

Cheez-its have probably been my favorite snack cracker my entire life. I loved them as a kid, as I did just about anything cheese related.

One night, my brother Jared and I were enjoying a box of tasty treats when the horrid realization that we were down to crumbs had come to our attention. Knowing it wasn't likely to happen, we asked the adults in our home to take us to the store to get some more. My Mom was tired from working all day, and our Grandparent's looked at us like we were pretty much insane. I asked if I could make a grilled cheese sandwich then. They granted permission and off to the kitchen I went...

Well, somewhere in the hall way the brilliant idea occurred to me that I could MAKE cheez-its. I mean, how hard could it be, right?

I got out the velveeta, cut it into tiny squares, and placed them on the griddle. Then I loaded on the salt. I was CERTAIN this was going to be fantastic. I had visions of my recipe being listed in the church potluck cook book. I mean, this was going to be the perfect snack, even better than the name brand, right?

Well, Jared was a little skeptical. He felt the need to feed a few pieces to our gold fish Jaws. (Jaws never ate fish food. He ate our left overs. I'm not lying. That fish lived over a year merely on our left overs! He was a carnival prize and lived on green beans, cheese, bread, etc.)

Jaws ate them up. We tried a few, were enjoying our delicacies, and in heaven. I'll never forget what happened next. Jared went to drop another piece in Jaws cereal canister (Like I said, carnival prize. He was one of 100's. My Grandma refused to invest money in a fish that could pass any day...) and it splashed. SPLASHED! Fish water ALL OVER the griddle and plate. I cried.

Naturally the grown ups thought I burned myself cooking, came running, and were horrified. I wasn't allowed to cook again for awhile. Apparently fried cheese is a greasy mess, and is FAR from a healthy cracker snack.

Just felt the need to share that story. Poor Jaws. Probably died of a heart attack due to clogged arteries after all the junk we fed him.

RIP Jaws, RIP.

Wow...

So, I guess it's been awhile since I've put my thoughts into word form on "the world wide web". A great number of things have taken place, that I don't know where to begin. Not only did I give birth to a beautiful baby boy, but thanks to God I survived one of the busiest most emotional times in my entire life.

I endured many sad and/or stressful moments along with many great ones. I welcomed my 2 oldest children home and then held back the tears as I sent them on their way once again. I met my newborn son, John Benjamin, just 2 1/2 weeks after my cousin Benjamin Paul went home to be with Jesus much too soon. I felt guilt for the fact that I was gaining a son as my Uncle lost his. I fought for weeks with prodromal labor before finally being induced and being lucky enough to win a dural puncture. We moved into a new home while I was recovering from childbirth & breastfeeding. At 35 weeks pregnant I somehow didn't have a nervous breakdown when a wild fire blazed behind our home & my 3 children cried in fear. (Didn't say I wasn't crying too...)

I could go on and on, but my point is that thanks to God I survived. Was it the hardest time of my life? Not even close. But that's what makes it that much more beautiful. God is there when things are good, bad, and also mixed up somewhere in between. He's just that awesome, and I'm so grateful for that.