Weeknight Concerts and Memorable Moments

About a year and a half ago I stumbled upon a musician that quickly became a favorite. Not many know of him, although songs like Sweet Pea and Skipping Stones are often heard on television and in movies. It only took one listen to the song  Careless, and I was an instant fan. I am not one to care about attending concerts, but I knew that if Mr. Lee ever toured through Atlanta I was going to attend. After receiving a tip from a fellow fan that Mr. Lee was coming to Atlanta, I had secured concert tickets in less than five minutes. It was risky: the concert took place at eight o’clock on a week night, and as much as I hate to admit it, this girl needs her beauty sleep. But I HAD to go, and I am so glad I did.

I am not sure what my favorite performance was. It may have been the impromptu song he sang about things I cannot discuss without blushing, it may have been Shout out Loud, it may have been Southern Girl, but what I know is this: Amos Lee was at least ten times better sounding (and looking)  in person! And according to concert goers of other musicians, this is not the norm. Thank you Amos for a great night; I was wide awake the entire performance. I cannot wait for you to come back and perform again. And if you’ve never heard of Amos Lee before, then I am proud to have introduced him to you.

Neighborhood Watch: Part ???

Last summer my husband and I tried to initiate a neighborhood watch program in our neighborhood. This was no easy task, and before I knew it summer was up and school had begun. Neighborhood watch efforts quickly screached to a halt. For a while, it seemed that most unethical behaviors did too. I guess drug dealers and drug buyers feel the need to hibernate as much as the rest of us. But then spring came. The sun came out, temperatures began to rise, flowers began to bloom, and business began to boom. Literally!

Due to a weakened economy, houses are beginning to empty, and they are just sitting. No for sale signs, no for rent signs, nothing. Just vacant homes with lawns for ill-intending teens and young adults to loiter on. Last week I let my emotions get the best of me and shooed away some young people from a nearby vacant lot. Later I prayed about the best way to handle future situations of this sort, and I realize that I must reach out with firmness and love.

A police search involving about twenty officers (several in bullet proof vests) around a nearby home has caused me to resurrect my neighborhood watch efforts. I am trying more aggressively than ever to solicit help in reaching the neighbors we haven’t been able to reach. At last count we had almost 50% of the neighborhood willing to participate in the COPS program. We must have 75%. This means we’re almost 2/3 of the way there. Some people who were on board last time have since moved, so that means we have a little back paddling to do, but I feel confident we can do it. Please remember my neighborhood in your prayers tonight. We need all the “intervention” we can get!

Change…

Change is an interesting thing. For some of us it can be really scary. For others it is a challenge, warmly embraced. And for some, it’s a combination of the two. It is interesting to watch how others react in moments of change.

I am an oddity when it comes to dealing with change. Some changes I am able to embrace, yet others send my heart to flying and my palms to sweating. Yet lately, I have begun to notice that I am learning to remain more calm in the midst of storms. Those that know me understand what a testimony this is.

It’s funny, I have been through a lot of changes in the last two years. I got married, left the town I grew up in, and moved to a much, much larger city. I started a new job, watched my husband change jobs, watched my children grow and change very quickly in many different ways, and yet I am still sitting amongst even more changes. The funny thing is, I am becoming conditioned. Palms aren’t so sweaty, heart palpitations aren’t so frequent, breathing isn’t so heavy. I’m actually able to rest, believe, and have faith.

And who says there’s not a God? Without him none of this “calmness” would be possible:)

Jer 29:11 (NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Sleepless Nights, Waffles, and Spring Break

This week is my spring break. It is more like a spring “catch up” break, but I’ll take it as it is. On my endless to do list are two very important tasks: sleeping in and staying up late. It’s funny, but doing both makes me feel like a rebel. I remember my husband and I having a discussion about this character trait in me when we were dating. I told him I hated alarm clocks because I felt like they were bossing me around. (And no, I do not have control issues, despite what others may tell you!).

Last night I could not sleep. I was tired and restless, but no matter how hard I tried, sleep wouldn’t come. And then my stomach began to growl. I’m sure you’ve all experienced this feeling. I mentally did a kitchen inventory, looked over at my husband, and he offered a simple solution: a visit to the Waffle House. My conscious wouldn’t let me leave Noah behind, so I went into his room and asked him if he was game. He rolled over and looked at his alarm clock. It was after 12:30. He rubbed his eyes, looked up at me, and asked, “NOW?”

“Yes.”

“You’re pulling my chain aren’t you?”

“No.”

It didn’t take much more convincing, and the three of us were in the car on our way to fresh waffles, eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns. It was yummy, and it was exactly what I needed. Once home, I climbed into bed and sleep quickly fell upon me.

Ahhh… The joys of spring break. Life should consist of more moments like this.

April is Autism Awareness Month

April 2 is National Autism Day, but the entire month of April is Autism Awareness month. How many of you know someone affected by this disorder?

According to Fraser, “Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the U.S., affecting 1 in 150 children. Every 20 minutes, a child is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Autism is more common than juvenile diabetes, childhood cancer and AIDS combined” (You can read the full article here.) In the last year and a half, I have been forced to conduct a lot of research on Autism, especially Asperger Syndrome. It is a fascinating condition, and if you know a child on the spectrum, you will most likely agree with me. Please become more informed this month. So many people do not understand autism and the effect it can have on people’s lives.  Most Aspies are misunderstood. Please join me and help me celebrate our differences.

Noah is 12!

Tomorrow Noah will be 12. It is so hard to believe. The past year has been rough for him (and the rest of us), but he has pulled out of it like a champ. He came home with a report card a few days ago containing all As and Bs!!! Conduct grades were all Es and Ss!! I could not be prouder of how hard he’s working.

Here’s to a wonderful new year. In one year my baby will be a teenager. Sigh.

Pillowina: My most creative gift of all time.

When my husband and I were dating, I had the tricky task of getting him the perfect birthday gift. I wanted to do something sentimental but fun. I was out and about and spotted a pillow shaped like a person. The pillow made me think of a story he had told me about a body pillow he had in college affectionately known as “Pillowina”. “Pillowina” had long hair, wide eyes and eyelashes, and full, luscious lips. At least that’s how I imagined her looking. I wouldn’t know. I didn’t get the chance to meet her.

“Pillowina” had a horrible fate. Chris’s roommate sought revenge on an issue I won’t discuss, and he turned “Pillowina” into a man. Not just any man. Calvin Coolidge to be exact. Calvin was apparently very bossy, crude, and spoke very loud ghetto. I had no idea the thirtieth President of the United States was anything like this, but Chris’s roommate confirms his story. Calvin was all of these things, and much more.

The sex change didn’t keep Chris from sleeping with this body pillow. By the time I had met Chris, President Coolidge was accidentally left behind in some hotel. I didn’t ask questions. However, anytime I heard stories about “Pillowina” or Calvin Coolidge, I detected a tone of sadness in Chris’s voice.

So, I got to work. I snatched up that pillow, went to the craft store, and before you knew it, I had made a new, improved Pillowina. Here is a picture of the box she came in:

Notice all the photographs of memorable events in Chris’ life.

This is a close-up of the poem on the box describing this “toy”:

Here is a sampling of “when” moments:

Inside the box was the new improved Pillowina:

She even plays Brahm’s lullaby when you press her hand. She’s perfect for those restless nights!

The gift didn’t get quite the reaction I had hoped for. In fact, I found Pillowina hidden in the basement. She was shoved behind a mountain of boxes underneath the stairwell. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought Chris was hiding her. In fact, he confessed that she would have been thrown away if he didn’t think it would hurt my feelings. I’m starting to believe he doesn’t like or appreciate Pillowina very much… Gasp!

A New Found Love…

I was invited to go Contra dancing last night with a couple of coworkers. I’m pretty sure I have found a new hobby (beingst that I have SO much free time and all)! I went without my husband, which was a HUGE mistake on his behalf. (It’s probably best he doesn’t know I had to sit a few dances out because I couldn’t find a partner…) It was an interesting lot of people: most were sober; some were not; most had minty breath; some did not; most wore deodorant; some did not; most were straight; some were not (this can become a bit awkward); most men wore pants; some did not (one wore a mini skirt-yikes!); most men wore belts; some did not (A few strutted suspenders. One even had flair all over his! And yes, I admit I had my eyes on him all night! My Facebook friends can relate.); most were monogamous; some were not. I would say it was a very eclectic group of folks!

The best part of the night? I asked Mr. Flair to dance the final dance with me, and he accepted! I’m pretty sure I ended up being the belle of the ball after all!

Life is Good!

I guess my mojo’s back, despite the haircut, which by the way is growing on me!

Yep, life is good!

Just something to ponder on…

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)