SURPRISE!

Remember that incredible Senior I was talking about last week? The one I said I was so darned proud of for graduating?

I got a call Friday night (the same night Steve came in), and Megan was on phone. She said I needed to go outside - and she was outside our door! She had flown in for a friends graduation and surprised us by showing up at 'home'. She wandered around and said it was weird - so nice to be home and know she was welcome. She has stayed 2 nights with us and helped make 4 pies and get ready for the crawfish boil. She is amazing - she dives right in to help without being asked. I was super excited and glad to have time with her. She leaves in the morning and I will be back to blogging again.

We have been crazy busy with the dance recital, bbq, then today's crawfish boil. We had over 20 people here today - and I am not going to guess how many over 20 - it is nice to be back to normal Sunday chaos - and it was great Megan was able to be here too.

Steve is snoozing on the recliner, Megan went to a friends house, and I am off to rest myself. I think that bowl of cereal might be calling me - then a nice snooze.

Thanks for being patient - I will be back to normal soon. Night folks :-)

Here He Comes...

He is on the way! Steve doesn't know pR is coming to get him, pR doesn't know she is going to get papa. I told her I left something at the airport and asked her if she could ride with me to get it. She immediately said, "WHO?" and thankfully her grandma came back with "Don't you mean what? Something like a suitcase silly!" pR was satisfied with that answer...

Whew :-)

I bet she will be surprised to see her papa. I know he will be surprised to see her. On our computer, when we accept a US appointment (like Steph sending us her appointments on Outlook), it shows up the day after Singapore time. So he thinks Raelee has recital rehearsal today. Sneaky like that, aren't I? Hey! I have told him time and time again that the dates are one day off - I can't help it if he doesn't remember.

*dancing* I can't wait to see him!

How can I still be this in love after 32 years?

How Can You Resist This Smile?

She was getting ready for her rehearsal for dance recital and I clicked this picture. A bit too much makeup for daily wear, but isn't she sweet? I LOVE those blue eyes.

Daddy and papa better get ready... someone is going to take a beating... lol...

Enjoying the Food Here...

Good grief! I am going to cook roast for supper. It is one of the things I miss most when in Singapore - and check out the price :-) I am enjoying the food here. Our son-in-law made burgers for supper last night - they were yummy :-)

I have been to Ten Taco's (Tampico's) twice already - thanks Peggy. Mexican food is my favorite -mmmm gooood! They don't make it as good in Asia as they do here in the states. However, you should try the Asian food there... lol...

My cereal and milk have kept me going since I have been home. That is probably my all time favorite meal. Quick easy fix and ohhhh soooo good.

I had another CAT scan done yesterday - I am not surprised that it did not show anything. I am beginning to think I just need to ignore this... however, my blood work was a bit whopped and I really do not feel well. Yes, I know; you are sick of hearing it. I am scheduled for a scope next Thursday - in a week. Maybe it will show something. Last night I slept from 8pm until 7 am. That is soooo not me. I cannot make myself do much at all except sleep.

Today I am off to get my sick car worked on. I have an excuse when the salesman walks in to try to sell me another one - I don't need it when I live in Singapore. 180,000 miles on it and I still love my Camry.

Tropical weather due in here on Thursday - Steve better be able to get home. I will drive to the ends of the earth to get him. I miss him so darned much.

Guess that is it for today. I am running late - need to get to Baton Rouge. Later gator.

This is Why We Call It Home

Fleas are on the way out... lol... Jude came in this morning and sprayed the house and over 100 gallons of treatment in the yard. I hope it kicks my guests last. My cat is up in the tree, a bit freaked at the sound of the truck sprayer. She will probably spend the day up there antagonizing the birds and squirrels. I hope all of this does the trick :-)

I was walking around our yard this morning. We had a cool front come through and it was a wonderful cool beginning to a day. I grabbed my camera while I was enjoying our yard. Here were a few of my sights and thoughts:

The BBQ pit, perhaps one of the most important things we own, waits on its master to put it to work. Mmmmm, I can smell the wood smoke, hear the children's laughter and the bantering of adults - all of us waiting on the juicy meats cooked to perfection to be served.




The picnic table has seen better days - but it patiently waits for the family bbq's and crawfish boils. No one seems to mind that it is as old as the hills - it has seen hundreds of people across its benches and mounds of food on its sagging back. It used to be Lady's favorite place to sleep - when she was still able to get up there.




The rock garden (or is it a leaf garden?) is waiting on its spring cleaning... kids have always loved to dig through Jeremy's pile of rocks:




The chiminea waits for the cozy fires (even in the summer) that toast the marshmallows for smores, burn hurricane wood from the oak tree and entertain granny and papa watching the flicker of the flames and glow of the embers for hours after the kids leave:




The garden has been weeded by precious angels and beautiful flowers were planted for our pleasure:








The magnolia tree is blooming in the front yard, its sweet aroma is wonderful and reminds us of the deep southern state we call home:




The bird feeders patiently wait for food to feed their feathered friends. That job is only for pR and papa.






Granny's swing frame sits idly by waiting for a new swing. Does anyone know where we can get a 6 foot cypress swing on a moment's notice?




The kid-sized reading swing is still while waiting for stories to be read, children's laughter and gentle pushes.




The most important swing of all sits idly by waiting on its kids and the swing motor, aka as papa. It has been a family friend for many years:




A couple of the frogs sway in the breeze and smile at me making me think they are happy I am finally home:




And the beast sits in the shop waiting for its daddy to take it for a ride.




All of these things are why we call this home. There is one thing missing - Papa.

War of the Fleas

I admit it. My house is infested with fleas.

Never in all my life have I seen this many fleas on a creature - much less my house. I have had fleas in the carpet before. Dilengently spraying and vacuuming over a couple weeks period, I got them under control. I have never had fleas in my bed before. They are in my towels, in my bathrooms, in my bathtub, in my carpet, in my scraproom, in my closets, in my curtains. They are hopping on the walls, Are you itching yet? NEVER have I seen this type of infestation in a home. Yes, I am embarrassed to tell you this; but I need help.

I bought 6 cans of foggers on day 2 here. I fogged on day 3. I bought carpet powder and vacuumed the same day. I washed all my sheets and bedding. I have put granuals down outside. It must have worked right?

NOT! I am starting the entire process again today. So far, I spent $132.00 again today on flea crud. I found the bed full of fleas - again. Washing linens again. Fogging again. Carpet powder is down. Starting fogger and going outside to regranulate the yard. I get to stay out of my house again for half a day. yay. I am sick, I want rest. I have no tv, my car doesn't work well and I have fleas. Am I a happy camper? Wanna come visit?

I have one little cat. I used Frontline on her. She hissed, scratched, snarled and bit me - then ran away from home. She almost liked me again.

My freaking neighbor has 6 dogs. I wonder where the fleas are coming from? If my house lookslike this - what the heck does HER houses look like? They are inside dogs who come out a dozen times a day to snarl at me. Do you know what 6 snauzers sound like? Do you know how many FLEAS they can feed?

Do they have flea farms? Heck, I can make some real money! I might even be able to recoup what I put out :-(

What can I do? I have no idea how to get this under control without going into the poor house. How about chickens - maybe I should just get a dozen chickens and unleash half in my house and the other half outside. I know they love fleas. Can you imagine me having chickens AND fleas?

I left home today to go get flea stuff. I got to the car and sprayed my legs to get the fleas off. When I got home, I got out of the car and you guessed it - sprayed my legs to get in my house; but it didn't mattter, when I came inside, I needed to spray again.

Off to start the task of once again trying to rid my place of fleas. I need sleep. I close my eyes and fleas hop on me. If they aren't there (trust me, they are) I would imagine them being there. As I write this - I look down at my legs and they are peppered. I look like a dalmation. Heck, I NEED a dalmation, then maybe I would not see them.

HELP! If you don't hear from me, my blood has been sucked away and I am lifeless somewhere around my house. Don't look for me over the next 6 hours though - I have to once again find a place to go while the magic spray/dust/granuals/mist do the work. Then I get to start the laundry process again. And the vacuuming.

Later gator. Hey, do THEY eat fleas?

Can I Brag (and vent) for Just a Minute?

Meet Megan. This picture was taken a few years ago - I don't have a recent one. She, along with her three siblings have been through hell and back. All of them were pulled from their family, put in foster homes, and finally put in our home to live for a few years - and then chose with guidance from the judge to live with a natural parent. We accepted that with the love for them to continue to grow and be nourished by their natural family.

Well, things did not turn out to be as easy as we hoped for them (do they ever?) and Megan ended up being put in a detention center. How they can possibly put a 17 year old girl that owns her own car, pays for her own insurance, works 35+ hours a week AND holds a 3.25+ GPA during all of this into a detention center is beyond my comprehension; but it happened.

She fought for, and won, emancipation. A family opened their home for Megan to move into, she haggled for her records from the detention center and finally recieved them. She transferred with just a few weeks left of school, finished the last month of HS in the only high school she had been in long enough to claim as her own, went back to work - and graduated tonight with a 3.25+ GPA.

Sadly, I had no idea she was graduating until yesterday, therefore I could not have gone. I just got in from the 24 hour flight and am too tired to fight that huge assed truck of my hubby's to get it to Arkansas. My Camry is too sick and frankly, I am too sick to drive anyway - but had I had an additional 24 hours, I would have made it.

Now comes the crappy part and I need to vent. Her family in Arkansas could not bother to go to her High School graduation. All had 'plans' that were too important to reschedule to go to a once in a lifetime event for Megan. Here are the reasons: Brother had to work. Sister had to pack for a paintball game for her hubby. Mom had to... heck... I don't even know... and frankly, I don't care. What matters is they were not there. Not. For. Megan's. High School. Graduation.

Jeremy and Cheyenne could not be there. I could not be there. Ruth was coming in, Steph and Todd could not be there. Frantic and broken hearted after Jeremy told me, I called Liz. My sister gets in the car, goes to the florist then drove to Arkansas on a last minute detail. She was the only person present at graduation for Megan - and she took the dozen roses we bought for her with a huge hug. They went out to eat and had a wonderful night - except for a phone call cussing her out for having the audacity to cry on Jeremy's shoulder.

HELLLOOOO??? HELL FREAKING HELLOOOO?? Where were YOU when SHE NEEDED YOU?? Too busy working? Messaging Jeremy? Or packing hubby for a paintball game? Who the heck IS she supposed to lean on?

I love them unconditionally; each and every one of those kids. No matter what they do today, I might be pi*#ed but I will still love them tomorrow. However, I am so broken hearted for Megan and disappointed in those that could not be bothered. How would they have felt if Megan had not gone to that wingding wedding? How would they have felt if she had done the same to them? She didn't graduate in Georgia folks, she graduated a mile or two from where they live!

It cannot be taken back. Tomorrow is not the next HS graduation. It was tonight. It is over and done.

I love you Megan. I am super proud of your perserverance, determination and grades. Jeremy, Cheyenne, Steph, Todd, Uncle Steve and I are sad we could not be there for you. I promise, if there was any way in hell we could have, we would have been. I hope we were, however, a happy voice on the other end of that phone line loving you today and embracing your success. I am sorry you were hurt. I was glad when we could put the giggle back in your night and at least try to nurse some of your wounds. Thank you, Liz, for being there for Megan tonight. The only 'family' that had the guts and could make the time to go make her night special.

And did I say I am proud of you Megan?? I love you so very much and I am so darned proud of you. Make your dreams come true; chin up, race into the future and make it happen and do it with pride. You have earned every ounce of success you earn. You can do anything and you have surely proved it to us.

Megan is working, trying to recover from the ordeal she has been through while deciding how she will make her culinary dreams come true. She has a temporary home, no car and a job at a fast food place. Until then, prayers for her are welcome - and if you would love to send M good wishes, please feel free to send them to just4youbyme@yahoo.com.

I will forward them on to one hell of a special girl.