Unalarmed

I managed to get up on time this morning. It was still dark, my alarm went off, and I was not late. On my way to work my mind went back to the fiasco that was Sunday morning...

I had no plans for Saturday so when my sister Priscilla called and asked what I was doing, I answered her, "Nothing." She inquired as to whether we might do nothing together, and it sounded like a fabulous idea to me. After a little back and forth conversation, we agreed that I would take a ride out to her house and I set off that direction.

We did quite a bit of "nothing" while trying to decide what kind of "something" to do. We had a bit of lunch together, and then took a walk to Main Street and went in a couple of shops. First we wandered through True Lily which was absolutely fabulous! An entire shop full of whimsical do-dads and artistry! We looked and talked, and talked and looked. I found all kinds of wonderful things, but only came home with one gift for a small boy who will be five in just a couple of weeks. Before heading back to Priscilla's house, we crossed Main Street and went into a second shop where enjoyed looking, but didn't buy anything. Back at the house we decided to watch a movie, ate a little dinner, and then I headed home. It had been a very nice visit.

The house was empty when I arrived home in Webster, and quiet and still when I climbed the stairs and crawled into bed. It was late when I heard my people come home, and I drifted off to sleep only to awake in a panic next morning when I discovered I would be late for work for the second time in less than a week! Except that I wasn't.

I don't go out to Priscilla's house often, but when I do go, it is typically a Sunday afternoon. We usually visit for a while and have some dinner before I go home. When I returned home Saturday night, my mind imagined it was Sunday night instead of Saturday, leaving me in a state of panic and confusion when morning arrived. Ha ha! And here I thought I was losing my marbles...

Alarmed (Not to be confused with "Alarming" which was my last post.)

The room was still dark when I opened my eyes, and as I often do upon waking, I reached for my alarm clock and pressed the button to light the screen. "6:40."

"6:40?" I thought, "How can it be 6:40? How in the world did I oversleep again?" I checked my clock and found the alarm was turned off.My mind began to swim. Twenty minutes until I had to be at work. Once again there would be no shower... I slipped out of my pajama pants and into a pair of clean underwear. At least that would be different this time...

My mind was still spinning. "What will Beth say?" I wondered. She is the first Infant Teacher to arrive each morning. She would never let me hear the end of it. I grabbed my socks, shoes, and purse, and then realized I was still wearing my pajama shirt... That would be cute, going to work in my Minnie Mouse jammie top... especially with a chiropractor appointment after work. I looked about the room and my darting eyes caught sight of the top I'd hung across the end of my bed the night before, the one I'd planned to wear to church on Sunday morning...

I felt both silly and relieved. Silly because I'd actually been convinced today was Monday and I was late for work again, and relieved because I didn't actually get in my car and set out to find my workplace closed.

I put my pajama pants on and crawled back into bed.

Alarming

Silent and sleepy. Dark clouds vainly attempted to thwart the day's sure arrival. I opened my eyes and blinked. Morning struggled through the window. No bright sunshine flooded in, and yet the dark of night was dissipating...

"What time is it?!" I grabbed my little clock and pressed the button. "7:17."

I literally flew out of bed and made a grab for yesterday's blue jeans which were on the floor by my bed. I heard my flip phone fall out of the pocket and hit the floor. I blinked some more, trying to find the runaway phone. In the end I got down on my knees to peer under the bed before locating the digital device and making the dreaded phone call.

"Hello. Tot Spot. This is Heather." said the voice on the other end, and what could I do but tell her I had just woken up and was on my way. I wasn't just going to be late, I already was. By fifteen minutes. "We'll be fine," she said. In truth, they hadn't even yet missed me, but they would soon have been missing breakfast.

Waking up in a panic leaves one rather disoriented at a time when there isn't any extra time to be so. I opened one drawer to find a shirt, and another to locate a pair of socks. Both instances left me feeling blank and confused, like my brain hadn't completely turned on. I dragged a brush through my hair, turned a circle or two in the middle of the bedroom, and tried to clear the fog from my brain. There was no shower, no application of deodorant, and no changing of the undergarment. I tossed two waffles in the toaster and a cup of water in the microwave on the way to the bathroom where I relieved myself and washed my face.

I have no clue what time it was when I left the house, but I made it to work by about 7:50 am, less than an hour after I'd flown out of bed. In a stroke of luck, or Divine Intervention, our fifth baby had just arrived and an extra assistant teacher was taking my place as I came in. (I'd envisioned a room full of tiny tots and infants, at least six or seven of them, but God was way ahead of me.)

The Daycare owner thinks I get too much overtime. He'd wanted me to start taking a "long lunch," which means leaving for my break a half hour early when I am typically cleaning the kitchen and setting out afternoon snacks. (I end up staying an extra half hour to 45 minutes almost every day because we still have too many children in the center at 4 o'clock.)  I told our director I wasn't going to give him 2 1/2 hours of my time every week. She could try to send me home early once a week, but I wasn't going to bust my butt trying to give him back time I needed to do my job and have it wasted. Today I found a new way to save him from paying me overtime... I overslept. Oops.

Tonight the alarm is turned on, and I am turning in. I gained about 2 1/2 hours sleep last night by going to sleep an hour early, and oversleeping for another 90 minutes. Honestly, I think it was much needed. But I don't intend to do it again anytime soon.

Spiders

I could get in a lot of trouble with that little bag of spider confetti... This one is stuck on the driver's side window of my car. Every once in a while it catches me by surprise, but only when I see it out of the corner of my eye, and it never moves. It's been stuck there for a couple of weeks now, even with me rolling the window up and down. (Do we still "roll" windows up and down? Or do you need a handle to do that?)

I'm Fine. How Are you?

I've had some fabulous days the past few weeks. Even answered "Super!" when someone asked me how I was. (I am practicing not saying "okay" when someone says, "How are you?") I am still fabulous compared to where I was emotionally a few years ago, but last night and tonight I found myself feeling teary all over again.

My oldest son turned 38 today. (Yes, I did just post this picture last week.) He's closing in on 40 and even though we're less than 20 years apart, it still makes me feel... just slightly old, or at least racing that direction much too quickly. I am ever so grateful to have spent five days with him a week and a half ago, but I think a mom will always miss her kid on his birthday...

And then, Saturday will mark ten years since my dad's passing. I haven't been dwelling on it, haven't pulled up any of his music or pulled his old flannel shirt out of the closet (hadn't even thought of it til now), but ten years sounds so long. Can it really be possible that ten years have passed since I sat next to him and knew his time was near? He still feels so close...

Feeling emotional made me long to go home and sit on my couch... except I share this home and I don't have a couch of my own. And that made me emotional all over again, even though most days I don't even think about it.

How am I? I am growing. I am learning new things, and doing things that are hard. My heart is full when the toddlers at work surround me looking for hugs, kisses, and gentle words. I am smiling when I recall the coworker who said, "Martha, you just made my day!" because I left  a note in the break room that said, "Pumpkin Spice creamer in the kitchen fridge. Happy Fall!" I have my room, and my bed, and my daughter and her family downstairs, and I am more then blessed. And tonight I had the rare and wonderful opportunity to sit and listen to a free Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra concert following my small group meeting at church. Just like a cherry on top!

The Weekend

The weekend is over and it went by much too fast. I got my laundry washed and folded, but my room is an utter disaster (again). Ha ha! Story of my life.

I worked from 9 am til 6 pm on Friday, came home exhausted, and put myself to bed early. I found Sergio and Idris playing soccer in the backyard when I same inside and sneaked back out for my camera to snap a few pictures before they knew I was there. "I make a goal," he said as he ran through the grass with the ball. He is doing great for a little guy not quite three.

I had an appoint- ment Saturday morning and then met my sister at her house. It was too beautiful to be inside, so we took a walk by the Erie Canal in Pittsford, NY. So pretty. Maybe another time we'll take a boat ride.

Today, after church and Sunday School (I went to both!), I drove out to Williamson to find Number Nine at Abuela's house where he'd been for the morning, and took him home with me. We took a nap and then went out to the Fireman's Park to play for an hour or two. Hannah and Sergio had taken a day trip for their anniversary which is why the grandmas were watching the child.

Tomorrow it us back to the kitchen and all my little friends. I believe grilled cheese is on the menu, and that should make everyone happy.

The G.O.A.T.

I have been home from Minnesota since Monday night. I found my missing hairbrush, which wasn't actually missing at all, in the very last bag I unpacked (Yes, I unpacked all of them.), but not until after work on Tuesday. On Tuesday morning I had to borrow the hairbrush I keep in the car.

Today I was looking for a pen, but when I reached into my purse for the little bag I bought to keep them in, I found the bag was missing. I checked the cabinet where I'd stashed my purse during work. I checked my car. When I got home I checked my bedroom. I did not panic even though my checkbook is inside the pouch, but the longer I looked without success, the more uneasy I became.

I filed a missing item report with the airline. I wracked my brain. When was the last time I'd seen it? I knew I'd used a pen in Minnesota, but I couldn't remember anything past that. It's not anything fancy, just a plain white/gray canvas pencil bag with a goat on one side, and "The G.O.A.T." on the other. I bought it because the large pocket inside my purse has a hole, and I don't like things like pens and checkbooks floating around the liner of my handbag. It was doing a splendid job.

I prayed the Lord would help me find the bag, not because of the bag itself or the pens, but because of the checks. This evening I left a status update on Facebook. "Lost something. Maybe on the flight from MN to Rochester. Or maybe it's here somewhere and I just can't find it. Prayers for its recovery would be appreciated. Thanks."

My son answered, "What did you lose? Besides your hairbrush." Funny guy. Turns out I left it in the glove compartment of Michele's van. Tucked it in there when I lightened my load before we went into the Renaissance Festival, and then completely forgot about it. Ha ha! Good thing my son's memory is still working. In my defense, I was very sleepy on the way home from the festival Sunday afternoon... Maybe I was sleepy when I put it in there too.

No Pictures, Just a Story

She was at the wedding. I didn't take her picture, though I desperately wanted to.

I'd heard her story online last year, but had no reason to connect her to anyone I might know, other than the fact that she went to the church my son once attended. Jim had left a tag for his friend (in this case Saturday's groom), but the friend had never responded and I forgot all about the story until last Saturday when a thin, older woman showed up among the guests at the wedding.

The pastor looked up before the rehearsal, and said, "Isn't that -----? I didn't know she would be here." And there was talk of her connection to Dan between the pastor, his wife, and a couple others who I don't recall. As they spoke, her story came back to mind with the sudden realization of who the woman was. She was connected to the groom in the wedding because she had once been his mother in law. (There is something about this guy. He loves deeply and completely. I suppose that is why both his ex in laws were in attendance, seated in the front row between his parents and me. Honestly, I wondered what was going through their minds... But that is another story.)

Before the ceremony began or the guests were seated, this woman was sitting alone waiting. I decided to sit by her and introduce myself. "Hi," I said, "I'm Martha. I'm Jim's mom."

We sat and chatted about nothing, and then she looked at me and said, "Last summer I had something very interesting happen to me. I found out I was switched at birth." And then she told me her story, and it was just like the news story I'd read.

I wonder how many people have grown up in the "wrong" family. It's kind of a scary thought in a way. I'd left this comment under the FB link to the news story last year...

"One of the reasons my dad was born at home in 1932 was that my grandma was afraid of this kind of thing. It almost happened with my Uncle Art. She knew the baby they brought her one day was not the one she'd held previous. She complained to the nurse who assured her it was her baby, but there was another woman down the hall putting up a fuss about the baby they brought her too."

My daughter did an Ancestry DNA test a few weeks ago. She smiled when she told me she was going to find out if she was really adopted, and I'd asked if she sent any family tree information in along with her test. She said no. Well, I turned out to be her mother, just like I knew I would. She's mine.

Bits and Pieces (while I can still remember them)

Long post alert. Sorry.

* I flew out of Rochester at dinner time last Wednesday with a box of fried cakes (cider donuts) packed in my luggage. By the time I arrived in Minnesota I'd eaten only airline crackers and pretzels, so I ate a donut before crawling into bed.

* It rained all day Thursday. I had a headache. We did not go out. We ate eggs and donuts for breakfast, lazed around, took naps, and played with the baby while we waited for Austin to come home from school. At dinner time we went out to play miniature golf and eat pizza in the basement of the old American Can Company in Saint Paul. Pretty cool!

* On Friday the sun came out. Mid afternoon Jim and I rode out to Farmington for Dan and Rachel's rehearsal dinner. It was cold and damp. I had my jean jacket along, but the sleeveless shirt underneath added no second layer for warmth. (I should have asked to borrow a sweatshirt.) I stood by a smokey fire to keep warm. Ha ha! We had burgers and hots on the grill and I got a big hug from the bride to be as well as the groom.

* Saturday was wedding day. The little boys were dropped off with Michele's parents for the night. We arrived at the house well before the ceremony and enjoyed the preparations. It was a cowboy wedding with all the trimmings including a chuck wagon dinner.

* There was a baby dedication at church Sunday morning, a trip to the Ren Fest in the afternoon, and then, because it was my last night in Minnesota, I stayed up way too late chatting with my son. And I don't regret that for a second. It's one of the things this mom misses.

* Monday morning my friend Kristina came and took me out to breakfast. We ate on the patio of a little place called Day By Day Cafe. The food was good and the weather was even better. It was a perfect day to be outside and we were both disappointed to have it cut short by my impending departure.

* My bags were packed when my son took me for a ride in his old "farm truck." I should have left my cup of coffee on the counter because it sloshed all over the place on our short drive around the block. Ha ha! And in no time at all the trip I'd looked forward to for so many weeks was over and I was headed to the airport for the return flight home.

* This evening after work a small dark haired boy came to greet me in the driveway as I climbed out of my car. He was smiling. Love that Number Nine!

Minnesota Ren Fest Take 2

Yesterday morning at church I witnessed the dedication of my sweet little grandson Parker. Number Eleven. He didn't cry when the pastor took him his arms to pray and his big brother was well behaved too. It was the grandparents who had their eyes open, cameras in their hands...

Following church we headed to Shakopee, Minnesota and the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. We rode the shuttle bus from the parking lot, dodged mud puddles in the path, and dined on turkey legs. There was more to see than the eye could, or should ..., take in. Ha ha!

We left the festival tired and sun soaked, but not as dusty and dirty as six years ago. I mostly just took in the scenery and didn't spend much, but I couldn't resist buying a teapot from ASH Pottery.

I fly home in two and a half hours...

The Wedding

I came to Minnesota because my son lives here, but the gentle nudge to follow through and actually book a flight came from my son's childhood buddy Dan. He called me back in April or May and said, "I'm giving you a verbal invitation to my wedding." An actual wedding invitation followed a few months later, but by then I'd already made the decision to be here. Dan has called me "Mom" for years now, and as much as he loves me, I am also grateful for his parents who stepped in to be family for my son when he first moved here twelve years ago.

The wedding was incredibly beautiful, and fun. I put my camera down for the ceremony. Actually, I left it in the care of my beautiful daughter in law who was sitting several rows behind me. I did not want the temptation in my hands because I knew there would be moments I wanted to capture, and there was a photographer for that. Instead, I sat in the front row with Dan's parents and another couple close to his heart. What an honor bestowed on me! I am humbled and grateful, and I love that boy!  (I stole a photo online.)

No pictures of the horses that carried the groom and bride to the ceremony. No shots of the dogs who came in with the bridesmaids. And no photos of the pooch turned ring bearer either. I took it in without distractions. This wedding, like those of my own children, had my full attention.

Congratulations, Dan and Rachel! I wish you every happiness!

I Think It Might Be Friday

It was a day of sunshine mixed with clouds. I wasn't sure how to pack for five days in Minnesota, but when I was here five years ago it was warm and sunny, so I packed summer clothes and brought my jean jacket. I should have brought my sweatshirt too.

Tomorrow is Dan's wedding. I went to the rehearsal with Jim this afternoon. I had my jacket with me, but underneath I had no extra layer of sleeves. After yesterday's rain everything is damp, and the temperatures and wind were just enough to make me feel the chill. Thankfully the forecast calls for temperatures in the 70's tomorrow. I left my camera at the house when we headed out this afternoon, but I plan to take it along tomorrow.

I don't have many pictures of Number 6 (Austin). He was at school all day yesterday and today. Tomorrow he will be staying with his Grammy and Granddad while we attend the wedding, so I hope we have time for some pictures on Sunday. He's got a great head of hair!

It's been a relaxing time here so far. Now for a weekend of fun.

Here I Am in Minnesota

I did not pay attention to dates when making plans to fly, only to days of the week. The wedding is on Saturday (my son's best friend) and I wanted a couple days with my family as well. I considered flying out on Thursday morning, but that would have meant getting up at an ungodly hour to be at the airport for a 6 am flight. I opted to get out of work early and fly out at 5 pm on Wednesday instead. It wasn't until Tuesday that I realized I'd purchased a ticket for 9-11.

I arrived safely in Minneapolis at about 9 pm local time just as the storm clouds were rolling in. It's been a dark, dreary, rain-filled day and that is perfectly okay. This morning I sat on the floor and played with my little grandson. It comes so natural, just like I was made to snuggle little ones. Ha ha! We took it easy today, caught naps this afternoon, and went out to play indoor mini-golf and eat pizza this evening.

Sleep has been elusive and I am totally tuckered. Weirdness fills the dreams I can recall by morning. You know, the kind something akin to chasing a school bus from one stop to the next, never catching up to it, and finally arriving at school only to find you are not fully clothed... ? Except it wasn't that one this time around. And it wasn't the one where I am in desperate need of bathroom facilities that are all occupied, filthy, or nonexistent. This dream, which occurred a few days ago, had to do with me needing a shower and all kinds of complications in getting the task accomplished; falling shower hooks/curtains, a public shower facility, a man in the adjacent shower, people knocking on the door to get in... I don't recall ever being successful in acquiring a shower while still dreaming. I only know I'm still tired.

It is a strange thing to lose all track of time. Not only have I entered a different time zone, but I've almost completely lost track of what day it is. I knew what day it was when I got up yesterday morning, but lost it somewhere along the way. Maybe that's a good thing, huh?

On another note, I got this little bit from my sweet Hannah this evening, "We pulled onto our street tonight and Idris gasped for joy and said, 'Honey Gram is home!' 🙃 He’s going to be so excited when you get back!" He probably saw my car in the driveway and forgot that they took it home from the airport. Aw, I miss him too.
:0)

One More Vacation

My bags are pretty much packed and ready to go. Just a few more things to tuck inside; personal items and a box of "cider donuts." I'm working up until my lunch break tomorrow, then coming home and heading out to catch a 5:05 pm flight to Minnesota. I am looking forward to seeing my son and his family, and then a wedding on Saturday. My flight back is Monday evening and then I'll be back at work on Tuesday. Maybe I should sleep on the plane...

The Barn Collective

These are my barns. There isn't much inside, not much exciting anyway, just an old lawn mower, a few forgotten tools, and a bit firewood my dad stacked inside over ten years ago.

The "barns" my father built are, or were, woodsheds and tool sheds. I noticed they were looking raggedy this year, so I spruced them up with a coat of exterior paint. Maybe one day I will put them to good use once again.

 The Barn Collective

This Sweet Guy

He is short, dark, and handsome. This evening we went to the park together, and afterward stopped for a bite to eat. At Taco Bell. We took our bag of tacos home to eat. He bit the bottom of the taco and found himself frustrated when it no longer stayed together. "It happens," I told him. I should have bought more tacos. Two each was not enough. However, after a fruit cup of diced peaches and a whole banana, he was satisfied. We brushed our teeth, read some stories, said our prayers, and I kissed him goodnight. It was a very nice evening.

Grammy Daycare, Take Two

Two, Three, and Four are eight, nine, and ten. They're still full of energy and antics, but they don't run in three different directions anymore, and they don't bite each other. They came to play yesterday afternoon while Dave and Leta went to a wedding reception.

This afternoon Rachel and I went to visit our brother. It was our normal week to go, but last time Rachel had told him that we wouldn't be back for three weeks. She just returned from the Outer Banks last night. I did not take my camera today and I think that was good. Tim was emotional today. There was a lot of sniffling as he ate his snacks and I found myself hurting for my brother who struggles everyday to walk. A drug induced form of Parkinson's keeps him confined to a wheelchair for most of the day. We never know what makes him sad.

Tomorrow is a work holiday. A rare and unusual occurrence. I have no special plans. There is a gathering at Nate's tomorrow evening, but I have no clue what I'll be doing with my day. If it rains maybe I'll sleep in! Ha ha!