Heartwarming Events « Girly Muse

Archive for the ‘Heartwarming Events’ Category

First Week

January 7, 2013

How has the first week of 2013 been for you?

Highlights for me:

I’ve had some sickies over here, one little guy this morning had a really sick night. And one big guy is just getting better. I’m chugging Emergen-C like it’s water. This isn’t as much a highlight, as just what is really happening. Blech.

A dear friend of ours was married last night. We’ve known him since he was a shy, little 14 year-old, coming over to play bass at church. Watched the transition that one summer when he came back from a trip and was so much taller and thinner. Next thing you know, you blink and 17 years have gone by. He’s since become a full-fledged man and professional bass player. We’re so proud of him. He’s one of our favorite people in the world. Aaron.

I’ve been working like a crazy woman. Got a job, y’all. It’s taking over — I’m still in shock about how it’s all transpired, but I’m loving it. Editing Indie books. I’ve been quiet about it, but have to start getting the word out about why I’m not able to do as much with friends and family, etc. My flexible musician life is still going on, but I’ve just taken on a huge addition. This is the fourth year of Girly Muse, and if you’ve been with me all this time, you know I breathe books, so this is my best possible job.

Maybe I’ll tell you about some of the books soon, if you want to, you know … read them.

I must cut this short. Taking my little guy to the doctor. He’s not well at all. Send up prayers, please. xo

Posted in Heartwarming Events, January 2013, Kids | 10 Comments »

Yes. It’s another…

October 26, 2012

…ramble. Because that’s all my brain seems capable of these days.

Today with my boy, I’m Mama Llama. Mama Hippo, Mama Sheep and now, Mama Llama. I’ll take it. Have you ever noticed the eyelashes on those things?

Since I seem to be popping up on here to do random thoughts, I’ll throw some more out there…

I’m SO SORE. I wish I could say I’ve gotten my act together and started working out again (I haven’t), but no…it’s from squatting down to tape the corners of tablecloths on 17 or 18 tables/4 sides. Do the math. And then doing the stairs of the Science Museum in speedy motion~ 8th graders can be quick, yet sporadic, so you wanna keep moving~ a dozen times/double massive staircases for each floor. I want to groan like a creaky rocker with every step I take, every stair I go up or down, every time I sit OR stand, and in general, every time I breathe.

I need to work out.

Another mouse made an appearance. I am moving out of the country.

I shouldn’t be saying anything mouse-related because I have friends from California coming next week~ hello, Stephanie and Vanessa~ I promise to get this taken care of before you get here. Ahem. Correction. I’ll get Nate right on that…

My daughter’s play started last night and I missed opening night for the Jonathan Thulin CD release concert. It was such a fun night. It’s always amazing to me how a large group of people who don’t all know each other can come together with no practice and make some magical music happen. I think we rehearsed an hour all together~ not the whole list of songs~ and still managed to pull it off. Miraculous, I’d say.

You can listen and purchase his entire CD HERE: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-white-room/id566780156

So tonight and tomorrow I will be able to enjoy Greyley’s show…can’t wait. Usually half the show is spent laughing at Indigo’s laughing. He gets such a kick out of these school productions.

I love nice people and making friends with people in unexpected places~ if you’re reading this Korey~ it made my day yesterday to meet you.

Have a fabulous weekend! I promise soon I’ll have less ramblings and more things of substance to say. Maybe.

Posted in Heartwarming Events, Lists of This and That, Music, Oct 2012 | 4 Comments »

School, Yay!

September 4, 2012

I’ve been known to do a school rant or two…or twelve.

But here we are~ the first day of 8th grade AND 2nd grade. Now, we go full-force into happy, supportive, peppy mode. No more gripes now. Nope, nope, nope.

6 AM came awfully early today for my teenager. She’s slept the summer mornings away, so it was a shock to her system to be up while it was still dark. She actually woke up around 5:30 because of the First Day of School jitters. Remember those? I came stumbling downstairs and she was already in the kitchen, dressed and ready to go…

My little girl.

Snurfle.

“This is what I look like at 6:40.“

Thanks for putting up with your photograph-obsessed mother.

Going where no 8th grader has gone before…

My little fashionista…red Snow White headband, Spiderman shirt, red skinny jeans and these FABULOUS boots…

Have the best day, love.

A little break and then it all starts over with my little man. Oh, how they would love to have their school times switched. He’s the early dude. She’s the late diva. But, alas, it is not to be.

Perky much?

And a little Perry the Platypus action going on the back side…

Yes, BEWARE…my little boy is about to bring sunshine into your classroom! Treat him with loving care, please.

Snurfle, take 2.

This picture is after a million and one faces…and me saying, “OKAY, I have plenty of face pictures now, can you do one normal?” And he wipes the grin off until his lips are teensy nubs, which is actually another face…but I’ll take it.

Have the best day, love.

I will just be here, wallowing ~~having a life~~ and whatnot, until you come home.

Snurfle. Take 3.

Posted in Heartwarming Events, Kids, School, Sept 2012 | 8 Comments »

I Heart Meredith

August 15, 2012

This little one has me wrapped.

It’s been that way from day one.

She loves me. Passionately. (It’s true.) And I love her. Just as passionately. (Also true.)

Ask her mom how Meredith kisses me and maybe you’ll believe it.

We just click. It’s weird how that happens with babies and kids just like adults. They’re people too, can you believe it?

Meredith turned one and the little peanut has all our hearts so full. She’s been a ray of sunshine in my life this past year.

OK, she loves other people too…

Like Courtney…

Almost as much as me.

I’m kidding.

Kind of.

No, no, really. I am.

And her mama…I think she might love her too.

Happy Birthday, dear Meredith. May you always have your sweet spirit, your magnetic smile, soulful eyes that go to the depths, your gentle determination to be heard, a good appetite for food and fun, and love for others that is so true it heals. May you always be this way, only a thousand times more as you grow.

Posted in August 2012, Birthdays, Family, Friends, Fun, Heartwarming Events | 2 Comments »

I’ll Take That Mansion Right There, Please. Next to Tarryn’s.

July 23, 2012

Besides seeing Jesus…and David, Joseph and Esther…Ruth too, she rocks…in heaven, I’m excited that I can see Tarryn every day. I love this girl so much. In heaven~ God, are you hearing this?~ I’d like my mansion to be close to hers, please. It will save on texting…

Tarryn’s mom, Cynthia, was married a week ago in a beautiful beach wedding. The hot, humid, rainy day cleared up and cooled off just in time for the sweetest ceremony. Jeff, the lucky man Cynthia married, is wonderful in his own right. No, we can’t say he’s a blond female Mary Poppins, but he is special too. For real special, not *wink* special…

Look at this little dream…

The food was spectacular. The candy bar was divine…

I’m so happy for this couple. They feel like family to me already~ it’s amazing how that can happen so quickly with some people, but it’s just the way it is with this whole family. For keeps.

Other very important things happened in my visit…just for one, I picked up my phone and found about 25 of these fabulous treasures:

Imagine every face possible and you will know what I’m talking about…

I think I might have met my face-making match.

She has my heart.

And this guy…oh, don’t even get me started on him. I can’t even take his cuteness. He makes my guts squeeze every time I look at him.

To new starts, adventures and chasing dreams…true wuv.

And now it’s back to missing…it’s hard to miss. Day after day, miss, miss, miss. So if we could hurry up on the heaven deal, God, that would be great.

Posted in Family, Friends, Fun, Grateful Heart, Heartwarming Events, July 2012, Travel | 4 Comments »

Ashley Love

December 20, 2011

We received the best gift ever~ our dear friend, Ashley Tiffany, surprised us all and was able to come HOME for the holidays! She’s been in the Peace Corps, serving in Africa, for the past year. Just a couple of weeks ago, we Skyped her and she was talking about how hard it was to be away during the holidays, knowing full well that she was coming HOME in just a couple weeks. Ha! Little Trickster, that’s what!

First, she surprised Courtney at work. Then she surprised her family in Wisconsin~ they thought they’d seen a ghost! Fortunately, she came back through the Twin Cities and we were able to see her too. We had such a wonderful time catching up. She is doing amazing things over there. It is one thing to say you want to make a difference; it is another to actually DO IT. She’s doing it and we could not be more proud to know this woman and call her our dear friend.

: Ashley, me, Nadine and Courtney

It’s hard to let her go~ it has been all along, but knowing she is really fulfilling her calling helps. She needs to write a book filled with all her experiences. I’m going to stay after her to do that…

: Courtney, Ashley, me & Nadine

Thanks for capturing our smiles, Nate.

We’re teasing Ashley about being The Hot Humanitarian. Nadine named her that and it has stuck…I think it fits her to a T.

Our prayers are with you, Ashley. And feel free to surprise us again WHENEVER possible. It was SO good to see you. XO

Posted in December 2011, Friends, Grateful Heart, Heartwarming Events | 6 Comments »

Fun, Flutes and Alvin

December 9, 2011

If you need something delightful and Christmas-y to do today, head on over to the Mall of America at 1:45 and hear my daughter play in a fantastic flute choir. Don’t I sound like a mother? It’s true, though, it will be fantastic. She is SO excited about it.

My girl will be the one in the red Alvin sweatshirt and stocking hat. Yes, any ABCYC members, THAT red Alvin sweatshirt~ if any of you have one you’d like to get rid of, we’ll take them! We sang there one year with Jesse McCartney for the opening of Alvin & the Chipmunks~ all the girls were thrilled and all the guys were cringing with embarrassment. I have fond memories of that, especially the cringing…good times/free movie.

I’ll be (one) of the proud mamas shooting pictures and video at the same time.

While I’m talking about how proud I am of my daughter~ I can do that once in a while, right? Ahem~ let me show you what she’s been working on at school…

Have I ever mentioned she is a true fan of Stevie Wonder? She knows every word to every song…every lick…it’s awesome.

Then she came home and whipped this one up…truly. She’s on a Stevie roll.

Fun, right? She gives us lots of reasons to work on our pride.

Posted in ABC Youth Choir, Christmas, Creativity, December 2011, Heartwarming Events, Kids, Music | 4 Comments »

For the Locals~ Clothes Swap

September 26, 2011

This Saturday, October 1st, from 2-7 PM, a great party will be taking place inside my barn. A major CLOTHES SWAP will be happenin’ and you don’t want to miss it. More details can be found if you click this link.

Last year, we practically found Greyley’s whole school wardrobe at the swap. I also filled a bag full of great finds. At that time, my daughter and I weren’t close to the same size, so we might have to arm wrestle over some items this year. There are many styles and sizes to choose from~ it’s going to be a blast.

It’s also a fun way to get rid of all the clothes you can’t wear anymore and see them recycled in clever ways on your friends. Or just to know they’re going to a good home.

There is a $10 Suggested Donation and unclaimed clothing will go to Dress for Success Twin Cities. I hear there are even going to be AWESOME raffle prizes!!! Hope to see you there, my friends!

Posted in Fashion, Heartwarming Events, Sept 2011 | 6 Comments »

Kissin’

July 21, 2011

This is what I wake up to almost every morning.

Oh, how I love this boy.

Posted in Heartwarming Events, July 2011, Kids | 9 Comments »

Sunny Monday

July 11, 2011

My beloved daughter just left for youth camp. Thanks again to all of you who bought her headbands and helped her get there! We’ve been apart too much this month~ more than we ever have been~ so it was an extra-sentimental parting. I think she might have been rethinking going last night before bed, but when she woke up this morning, she was READY.

This little man beside me is the one who’s REALLY going to have a hard time without his sister. He wouldn’t hug her last night…pretended to be sleeping…but when she went to bed, he started crying and ran upstairs and wouldn’t let go of her. Good-byes went better this morning…I tried to get us out of there in a hurry, for everyone’s sake.

We’ve been having beautiful days and stormy nights. The wind has been 60 miles an hour for the past two nights. It’s been quite exciting. Then, in the morning…gorgeous sunshine and HEAT. I blinked and thought I was back in Arkansas for a second…until I heard there was a heat advisory in Arkansas and that they had us beat by about 10 degrees…

Do you remember when I told you about my Aunt Virginia? Click that link and take a look at her lovely face…it is worth it. Well, she got MARRIED this past weekend!!! We have had more fun teasing her about it. She’s 86…and her new husband is 79. When she called to tell us, I put Nate on the phone because he kept cracking jokes…he told her she’s a cougar and I could hear her laughing through the phone. The jokes just kept coming and what’s so funny about Aunt Virginia is that she does not miss a beat. She gets it all and laughs until she cries. She married a Mr. Hickey…oh yes, you can see the good material with that one…and we wish them the very best.

Can you imagine starting a new life at 86? Doesn’t that just make you stop and ponder for a moment? Aunt Virginia had a beautiful marriage to my Uncle Charlie. They were a couple that were so loving, so sweet…ALWAYS. I never could have imagined either of them with anyone else. He’s been gone for 7 years now and she has suffered and grieved every single day. I am so happy that she’s found joy and that she still wants to find joy at 86. Pretty remarkable.

We introduced the kids to Jerry Lewis last night. Oh, it was fun. They fully appreciated his crazy faces, especially Indigo. We’re going to have to find Cinderfella…that’s one of my favorites. Netflix has a small selection of his films, but it’s a good start. Do you have a Jerry Lewis favorite?

Sorry…I’m all over the place today. My friend, Ashleigh, thinks I have adult ADD. I think she might be right.

Since I’ve covered a variety of topics, I may as well add one more…the crazy cardinal who has been here all spring, banging himself madly into the windows…is STILL WITH US. He bangs every single day, all day long…he starts around 5:50 AM and can go as late as 9:30 PM. If he’s banging in the kitchen and we go in there, he’ll at least move on to the windows in the lower area of the house, so that’s considerate of him. ha. Right now we’re downstairs and he’s banging into the kitchen patio doors. He’s beautiful and crazy, a dangerous combination. On any given day, he drives us a little over the edge. All of us at one time or another have been ready to chase him down and have vicious words…BUT…here we are…cohabiting this space. If I get arrested in the near future for murdering my children’s school mascot, The Cardinal, you’ll have the inside scoop.

I’ll go before I think of 6 other topics that don’t relate.

Posted in Family, Grateful Heart, Headbands, Heartwarming Events, July 2011, Kids, Movies | 8 Comments »