The Class of...

1989, Berryville High School, celebrated their 20th year reunion this past weekend. Now, if you know me at all, I was not truly a BHS graduate. I attended junior high in Berryville, then we moved to Fort Smith where I completed high school and graduated from Southside, which by the way was (the student population) about half of the size of the town of Berryville. That was a drastic change!

Oh, the drama. Junior high was tough anyway. Us girls are so hormonal as we enter our teen years. I cried...alot. But it was a time of discovering who I was, fitting in. I was a cheerleader. I had a "boyfriend". I was very involved in our church youth group, taking mission trips and attending church camp with many of my classmates. I wasn't really popular, never been the popular type, but in Berryville, we all knew each other. It was like family, sometimes dysfunctional like most families :), but family nonetheless.

When we moved to Ft. Smith, I was pretty sure life was over. It doesn't take much when you are 14 to think that. :) Rather than seeing what an honor it was for my daddy (a job promotion), I just knew I was being pulled away from everything comfortable and what I thought was vital for my life. Looking back, I see that God had a plan for me. I eventually found new friends, a new church, was able to take Spanish that I have used extensively since then...there was a reason for our move. At that time you couldn't have made me see that for anything. I am embarrassed when I think back about the drama, but I suppose that is part of growing up too.

Fast forward 20 years. I still have dear friends from Ft. Smith. I am able to keep up with some of them on Facebook, and one of my closest friends through e-mail and a once in a great while visit. As you know, I missed my high school reunion last weekend due to the College World Series. And it is not that I didn't have friends there, but most of my closest high school friends were not there, so I wasn't devastated (just bummed about the money I lost in the process :).

However, the class of '89 in Berryville still invites me to their reunions too, even though I moved away before my sophomore year. I had gone to the 10th reunion and really enjoyed it. I knew that I wanted to go to this one. Mark said I am the only person he knows who goes to their junior high reunion. :) I don't get to see many of my classmates in person in between reunions but through the magic of Facebook I have been able to "reunite" with many of them. As I posted yesterday on there, I am thankful for those friendships, because anybody who can experience the ups and downs of junior high and still call you a friend is a friend worth for life.

So last Saturday, after the babysitter arrived (thank you, Stacy), we headed over to Eureka Springs. By that time I had changed my mind three or four times on what to wear though it was a "casual" event. And in the hour before the reunion, I almost talked myself out of going. What if nobody remembered me? Recognized me? What if people thought it was weird for me to be there? What if I had nothing witty or fun to say? I am not exactly a social butterfly. In the end, I decided that since we had hired a sitter and had a night alone, we really should go. So we did.

When I walked in, I just felt...home. There were a few people who didn't recognize me nor I them, but overall, most people looked like they did in junior high, just a little older (though not many as old as I feel some days :). It was very casual, mainly just hanging and talking, though there was a slideshow and awards. (Do you know what award I received? The least changed! Can you believe that? I have all of these lines a.k.a. wrinkles across my face, and I got the least changed...oh, and I tied for the most kids) By the end of the night, my cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing. We had a really good turnout, and we even had some members of "other classes" like the class of '87 join us.

I wouldn't go back, in time that is. I am happy where I am in life, though I wish I could be a bit younger some days. But I am thankful for those times for helping build who I am today. And I am thankful for the friends, both new and "classic" who have loved me in spite of who I am. Thanks, BHS Class of '89 for letting me be part of the fun!

Some photos:

Me with my friend Jan...we were cheerleaders together and did a lot of church activities together. We have been able to reconnect via Facebook which has been such a blessing to me.
This is my friend Robin. I didn't get to talk to her much, but it was good to see her. She and I were cheerleaders together and spent alot of weekends at each other's house.

Robin, me, Jan...think we could still do a cheer stunt? :)
We lined up across the street for a picture together. I felt a little funny joining in since I didn't officially graduate there but someone talked me into it, saying I was an '89 grad...just not there. :)
Wesley and I were dear friends in junior high. His wife Crystal is beautiful, inside and out.

It is funny that I forget that EVERYONE grew up the last 20 years. When I left, Wesley's brother Sam, was just a kid. Now he is a grown up; he co-manages the place where we met for the reunion. I don't know why it was such a surprise for me to see him as a grown up; I guess that in my mind, he still is that little kid I waved goodbye to 23 years ago...
I am thankful for a husband who is comfortable in social situations, even unfamiliar ones...that is opposite of me. He just chatted with friends and spouses of friends. This is the spouse of our reunion organizer. They hung outside, mainly because it was REALLY hot inside.
Here is a group of us. I didn't take this picture; it was posted on Facebook by another classmate and I saved it. I took my camera but didn't take tons of pictures (which I realize is hard to believe with me); I was too busy chatting and catching up with friends. That is one thing I would change...more pictures. Anyway, we had a good time. Ahhh, the memories of my younger years...

Reba

PS I am behind on posting/blogging, but I have been a bit busy. More to come!

The Conspiracy Theory

Okay, let's review the evidence...

Three weeks ago, a Thursday I believe, I stepped down my one and only step at my house in the garage and fell on a little yellow bowl left out by one of my dear children.

For about a week, I had a very tender, very puffy ankle that turned a mustard yellow color. Finally, I started feeling a bit better, though certain steps would send pain through my foot.

Then I realized how very close my reunion and the beach were, so I stepped up the exercise. I tried to stop if it hurt my ankle too much, but as long as I could, I did...

Now, fast forward to last night. I am at my parents' house celebrating my niece's birthday. I am standing in the kitchen while our youngest hangs off of me, very normal for us. He is "climbing" up my legs, when his foot accidentally kicks my ankle...not hard but apparently my ankle is sensitive these days. For a short bit (which seemed REALLY long at the time), my whole foot went numb. It just felt tingly. Then I felt pain again and watched as my ankle puffed back up, just like a puffer fish. As soon as I got home, I dug out the ankle brace I was sure I was done with.

So then today, we get home. (I had a workshop today so kids got to play with Grams who must be VERY tired right now) I put some milk in the fridge, then went back for child 4. As I got him out of the car (which is not really a car but a minivan), I step back to shut the door. Unbeknownst to me (that is a fun word to say), the big kids had just moved a box behind me. Thankfully I didn't go down or anything, but unfortunately for me, the balancing act was a little painful.

Then tonight, Child 4 (again) was playing "baseball" (which means I throw a ball to him as he crouches down with his glove, he misses the ball, then laughs hysterically as he takes off running "around the bases" or wherever he can run). He came over to my chair and started to climb up. He bumped that darn ankle again. I feel like I have an exposed nerve or something...strange tingling. It is like a funny bone in my ankle, but not at all funny.

I know, I know, I am a baby. But you have to admit, I have enough evidence to yield a guilty plea...my kids are out to get me!

Reba
PS I am WAY behind on pictures and events. But for now, I must get some sleep. More tomorrow...

To My Daddy...

I think by now you know that I appreciate Mark as a Daddy. And since I did a post on him last weekend, I will just say Happy Father's Day to him. For today I am going to dedicate this post to my own dad, "Grampops" as he is called by all of us these days.

Daddy, you are my living example of the Heavenly Father's love. When I read about how God is our Father, you come to mind. All of my life, you have shown me unconditional love. You have loved me for who I am and in spite of who I am. Whether I was winning an award or confessing to making a mistake, I never doubted your love for me. Even when we moved from Berryville to Ft. Smith when I was a teenager, and I was absolutely positive my life was ruined, directing all my anger (unfairly) to you...you loved me.

You have always been a provider and an example of a strong work ethic for our family. I remember watching you study sitting on the floor of our house in Fayetteville. I remember doing cartwheels while waiting you to finish up your work so we could drive to our home "on the mountain". I also remember not hearing a word of complaint about your job. When you do a job, you do it to its fullest. Thank you for teaching me that.

I have always appreciated your quiet faith. I remember listening to gospel records years ago, the words soothing my soul even then. And it your faith in our God that has gotten me through some of the tougher times in my life like the losses of family members. Thank you for that foundation of faith.

Another thing I have always appreciated about you is your generosity. How many times did I drive back to college only to find a little cash tucked in my car? Or the times that you have come to help me when I called? Even now, I watch you give of not only your money (to buy special gifts) but your time to attend ballgames, provide fun things (like big swimming pools), and shower our kids with your love.

Finally (though the list could go on and on, I really need to sleep), I appreciate your sense of adventure. Even now I love to travel, and I really think that "bug" was planted by you! I remember planning and going to the World's Fair in Tennessee. And I have never forgotten that drive to Florida when the rains kept coming...thousands of frogs everywhere. Thank you for giving me the world as a child, the same world that I still love to explore.

Happy Father's Day, Grampops! We love you!
Reba (and family)

Catching Up...

Just catching up a bit...

The boys are home from the College World Series. I was afraid they might not come home since the Hogs are playing again today. But with Mark's new job and oldest son's sports camp, they didn't have much choice. That and the harried wife calling and asking, "When are you coming home???" :)

Speaking of harried, you know the saying, "Don't cry over spilled milk..." Well, I am not sure the same applies to strawberry shakes. Last night we had a popcorn, shake, and movie night, a favorite when Dad is gone. We had a gift card to a local custard place (thanks to a sweet former student), so we ran out for our shakes. When we came home, I put the youngest's shake on his high chair while I got the popcorn started. At some point, this child decided he couldn't wait. (He was not IN the chair yet) He picked it up and walked across the kitchen, unbeknownst to me. Suddenly I hear a cry (just as I am melting the butter)...he has tripped and the shake went down with him...everywhere. I wish I could say I immediately soothed him and reassured him I still loved him. Instead, I think my words were, "NO! What are you doing????" I have to say, I am grateful for Child 2. Without me having to ask, she was up on her feet, grabbing paper towels to clean it up. Sometimes her "take charge" attitude can be a bit overwhelming, but when the chips are down, she is not. She is always willing to jump in and help. I am truly learning to appreciate that about her!

I think my ankle is finally on the mend. On Saturday, I was beginning to wonder if it really would heal. It would feel okay then I would step just wrong and have to grit my teeth until the pain stopped. Then yesterday I didn't have to wrap it or anything...I even did aerobics last night! It was a little stiff but bearable. The one thing I cannot do is tuck my leg under me when I sit to eat which I apparently do a lot, or rather I USED to do. And no criss cross applesauce...

Oh, a quick Child 4 story...the other night I picked up Taco Bueno for the kids. I got him a cheese quesadilla and chips which I know he likes. We came home, and I put the food out. He immediately said, "French fry? French fry?" I didn't have ANY french fries. At first he had a minor tantrum but in the end he settled for chips and quesadilla. I guess next time I better make sure we come home with some fries...

It is going to be a busy week. The big kids have AAO camp in the afternoons and VBS at night. I THINK we are having our Panasonic installation this week, though I am waiting for confirmation on that. (I did find out the stuff is being delivered VERY soon) And I have a high school reunion (for the high school I didn't actually attend)...that means a night away with my sweet husband and reminiscing with friends from long ago. I have a feeling this week will fly by!

Comment Feedback:

I can get my e-mail by phone and that is how I hear a lot of the comments people leave on the blog...it is read to me by this computer voice. And lots of times I think a response in my head which does no good for the comment leaver. So here are just a few follow ups from recent comments...

The chores are going well. I have looked at several fun chore charts but the problem is that many of our chores are unique or not typical like taking out the recycles to the recycle bin...an all day chore. So for now I am having to type it up until I find another method. I will say the kids have done a good job and grumble very little (that could be the stern warning I gave about adding a chore if they did...) about it. Even more, I find them actually offering to help out more. And Valerie, I love the idea of Saturdays being a "Whatever I Ask" day. Child 2 thought that was so funny.

Yes, Catherine, we are heading to Swim Ranch at the end of July. I scheduled it during football/cheerleading week AGAIN. I don't know what I was thinking. Of course, signing up four kids already limited me. It is always fun to see who we will see out there. We usually know someone...

For the post "A Little Bit of L", yes, Katie O., the part that made me cry was the part about fearing thieves. Our daughter cried a lot the day we were robbed (probably because I did). However, she really doesn't talk about it much. I was worried she would have trouble sleeping but she hasn't. It may have helped that it was the middle of the day when it happened. However, once in a great while, these comments will slip into conversation and they hurt my heart. I hate for a second grader to have fears like that. They should be worrying about other things like whether their Webkinz has enough water or whether they will pass spelling. I do realize kids around the world that age fear much worse things. But as a mom, it just breaks my heart.

Angie, I would love to have another Guatemala group get together. I think it is so good for our little Guats to see there are others out there. :)

Oh, and I did finally see the True Life episode on MTV about adoption (or rather the whole thing rather than just segments)...cried through it all.

I think that is about it for now. If you ever want to leave a comment, it is easy to do. You just click on "leave comment" or whatever it says at the bottom, and leave a comment. You do not have to have a google account or anything; you can sign under "anonymous". It does help if you put your name at the end though or I will just sit and wonder all day long..."Who said that?" I don't even have you type in the funky words and letters. Thus far I haven't had any comment issues.

I better go. The little ones are down. I am trying REALLY hard to not take a nap so I can get some things done. It is hard when the house is this quiet...

Reba

37 and Counting...

Since it is my sweet husband's 37th birthday, I thought I would share 37 things about him that I love and appreciate (in no particular order)...

37. He has this thick, beautiful dark hair. I love to run my fingers through it. I see occasional gray streaks but they just look "distinguished".
36. His work ethic...Mark gives fully to his job (and oftentimes beyond).
35. His faith...he has this amazing faith in God and isn't afraid to share it. It is also unfaltering. During the adoptions, I was on a roller coaster ride. Not Mark. He never doubted God for a moment.
34. His commitment to marriage and family. We know that we are first place in his life (behind God of course).
33. His quick wit. We have a lot of fun "bantering"...keeps my mind young. :)
32. His playfulness. As soon as he comes home, the kids gather around to play, tumble, and wrestle. They love playing with Daddy; Mom is not nearly as fun :).
31. His strong arms, especially when they wrap around me.
30. The way he bursts into song. Oh, he is a terrible singer. Both of us are. But it is just fun to listen to (except when I am hearing "Silver and Gold" for the 50th time that day)
29. His flexibility...like when I have had a bad day and say "Let's have pizza tonight", he rarely argues that...
28. He can grill like nobody's business...love to have bacon wrapped shrimp and flank steak straight from the grill.
27. Though I know he loves snow skiing/Colorado, he willingly goes to the beach with us every year.
26. He can look at any building and tell you what kind of lights they need to have. How many guys can do that? :)
25. His romantic side...like the time he booked a bed and breakfast for our anniversary or the time he tried to read me a love letter on the intercom at school (he didn't get too far)
24. He is fun to be with. When we get away, just the two of us, we are like little kids. Our trip to San Francisco is still one of my favorite times we have had. I can think of nobody else I would like to ride a cable car with.
23. His domestic skills. I have mentioned before, Mark has a sink fettish. He wants it completely clean. He isn't afraid to empty the dishwasher or wash/fold clothes. He does them quite well.
22. His willingness to call. I don't like to call and order things, make reservations, etc. I will willingly do things online but I do NOT like to call. He doesn't question that (at least to my face); he just calls for me.
21. His servant's heart...he fills my car up almost all of the time, puts toothpaste on my toothbrush each night, etc.
20. He is an involved Dad. He shows up for conferences, watches sports and gymnastics practices, and takes the little ones to their "schools" in the mornings.
19. He is a great errand boy. He often stops by the store for little things we need so I don't have to brave it with the crew.
18. He gives perspective. When I am all in a tizzy about something, he can give me that calm, wait and see perspective that I sorely lack (at times).
17. His leadership...I appreciate his willingness to take charge whether with work or church or home.
16. He is a risk taker. Without his willingness to take risks, he would still be in his first job (from many years ago), we would still be living in a duplex, and I doubt we would have any children. :) He just didn't realize what a risk THAT was. :)
15. His humility. I appreciate that as wonderful as he is and how fortunate it is that he puts up with me, he can make it seem like HE is the lucky one!
14. His adventure...whether it is snorkeling with sharks, skiing down the slopes, or hopping in the car to head to the College World Series, he is ready for adventure. (Adoption being one of the biggest ones :)
13. His understanding. I do not like to watch movies that are scary or violent...pretty much limits my viewing to romantic comedies. But he saves those movies for times I am doing other things and isn't afraid to curl up and watch a chick flick with me. And without complaining I might add!
12. Keeping his hobbies in perspective. When we first met, Mark was an avid golfer and hunter. However, once we had kids, that slowed down. He doesn't get to do much hunting (more out of convenience where we live) but he does golf...usually for work during the week if he does. He doesn't want to sacrifice that time with family/kids. I appreciate that.
11. The way he smells (except maybe after his workout)
10. How he takes care of his "temple"...he is faithful about getting up to work out (well, most of the time) very early in the morning to start his day while I snooze away.
9. His commitment to prayer...he is not showy about it but he is faithful to pray.
8. He is my hero. Remember our house robbery that he came upon? His quick wit and patience kept him safe and stopped further damage/loss of belongings.
7. His deep belly laugh especially when we watch The Office together.
6. His tenderness with me (except for the recent Sprained Ankle Incident :).
5. His time. Often throughout the year he will pick up lunch and come dine with me at the school in the lounge (full of women) just so we can have some time together.
4. His care of of our house and our yard.
3. His understanding of boys...without his perpective, I would have sought therapy a long time ago over our sons! I do NOT understand them but am learning.
2. He is a good friend. (And he has a lot of them!) For me, he is my best friend.
1. After 12 1/2 years, he still makes my heart race when I catch a glimpse of him. I love you, Mark. Happy birthday!!!

Happy Birthday to My Main Man

I just want to wish a very happy birthday to my main man.

We love you!

(More to come...)
Reba and kids

An Eerie Glow

Today started off fairly sunny but as the day went on, the clouds grew darker and darker. Around 6, we were all out in the backyard when rain started to fall. We quickly picked up toys and headed inside. A big storm, thunder and lightning included, blew through. Then around 8:30, our son came running into my room (on his way to bed). He told me that the sky was orange. Our daughter (the older one) then came in and told me about the "sunset" that was pink and orange. So I had to take a look. This is what I found in front of the house:

Then in the back of the house (where it was truly more pink than orange), I found a full rainbow right over the trees that are beyond our fence.

I will admit, it was a bit freaky. I started wondering if we were in the midst of some nuclear disaster or if the rapture was happening. However, my sister later told me that the weatherman explained it...apparently when the sun was setting, they hit the low-lying clouds in just the right way. It really was something I had never seen before.

Anyway, as far as toddlerhood goes, it was a so so day...not the best of times, not the worst of times. :) I set up the pack and play for a time out spot (since he doesn't seem to like to stay put otherwise). Busy Toddler went there a few times, but overall, he was quite delightful. So I cannot complain. :) On the other hand, the girls were at it all day long. They couldn't agree on ANYTHING. I may find that the i-Touch becomes an escape for me...now I have added some songs from favorite CD's and I have figured out how to listen to our favorite radio station, so I can just tune everyone out, right?

Thank you for the offers from afar to babysit. It was tempting, but with the cost of airline tickets and all, it would have been a VERY expensive reunion. Thankfully, someone I had sent a plea out to on Facebook saved the day. One of our interns from last school year (whom our son adored) has accepted the job.

In other news, today the phone rang. It was a number I didn't recognize so I didn't answer it (I was in the midst of serving lunch). But when I heard the first part of the message, I quickly grabbed the phone. It was Greg from Panasonic. He was calling to see if one day next week (yes, NEXT WEEK) would be good for getting us set up! Thankfully I am free. Mark will be hit and miss since he just started his new job. But it works for us!

I don't remember if I mentioned the other day, but we started chore lists this week. I have asked kids to do things on occasion. And some things (like making beds) have been normal routine from the time of independence. However, we have never had regular chores. I decided it would be good for ALL of us to be invested in our house. So I started this week. I am still playing around with it, but for now, I am just making a list each day...four things for the two big kids, and then Child 3 has three. My hope is to get some magnetic printer labels to print common chores on and put on the fridge, changing them daily. That way I can save paper and do it quickly. The first day the kids were ecstatic. Today I started getting some grumbling (I won't say who but it was the one who was hounding me to type up the list the other day). I simply stated that complaining would result in an extra chore. The grumbling stopped. :) We are not paying for chores (I have yet to be paid for making my bed or emptying the dishwasher) unless it is something above and beyond which happens on occasion. We just think of it as being a part of this household. I have been pleased overall. The two big kids have emptied the dishwasher, and Child 3 helped me do that chore one day (she was thrilled). And other than a little grumbling today, they have been more than willing to do their "jobs". I am hoping by changing them daily they won't get bored with them. I will admit, when I am emptying the dishwasher for the third time in a day, I am a little bored with it. :) I am in no way under the false pretense that this is making life easier for me. I am having to train, supervise, inspect, etc. But hopefully we will have some children with a sense of responsibility and pride in their capabilities before the summer is over!

I want to share more but really ought to get to bed. My internal clock gets really confused in the summer.

Oh, and I did get on the elliptical. My ankle was still swollen today (and is a lovely shade of mustard yellow) and was pretty achy. I only made it 15 minutes but I figure it is a start!

Reba

Hobbling Along...

Really, I cannot say my ankle still just "hurts". However, I am not jumping up and down yet either. Certain positions make me cringe. But it is a lot better. However, if I am up for a few minutes, the swelling starts up again. I am wondering when my ankle will look like...an ankle. Wouldn't you know that I had just made a vow last week to get back into exercise mode? Maybe next week...

We had a good day. We made it to church on time (which I always consider a miracle in itself). Today we supervised Child 3's class during church. The time actually went very quickly; it is always fun to me to see her with her peers rather than just with siblings. After church, we headed to a local pizza place. Until the very end of the meal, Child 4 was very well behaved. Then he got really loud...not mad or even really naughty, just loud. Thankfully we were done eating so I could escort him to the car while Mark took care of the whole paying thing. The little ones and I took long naps while Mark took the big ones out to ride bikes. Child 1 had gotten a bike for his birthday (which due to winter he had not gotten to ride much), and then Child 2 just got one. So they have been itching to try them out.

After naps (I actually had to wake the youngest up), we headed to a birthday party for a friend at their neighborhood pool. I decided with my ankle to not get in the water this time around. I knew it would be full of children. My own kids have stepped on my sore feet enough times to know that it was an accident waiting to happen. So Mark sacrificed. He took Child 4 into the shallow end. I stayed at the "deep" end and supervised Child 3. She shocked me. She typically hangs out on the steps for an hour or so then slowly works her way in. Not today. I don't know if it is because she knew some of the kids there (from her preschool) or just because she was feeling extra brave. She just jumped right in. And she stayed in for a long time. I think swimming lessons will be a lot different this year. I have really enjoyed watching her the past few weeks. She is maturing. She is becoming more confident in herself. And she is becoming more affectionate. Today she gave me a hug, and it was a true, all out hug.

The other one I am seeing a big change in is Child 4. He is becoming more verbal. Right now, his favorite phrase is "Okay, Mommy". I really need to record how he says it because he emphasizes certain parts; it is almost sing song. He is beginning to answer questions. And he is starting to tell me how he is. When he got out of the pool, we were walking over to the chairs and he started shivering. He simply stated, "I'm cold." (or something similar) I asked him if he was cold and he affirmed it. Later I asked him if he had been swimming, he told me he had. He then told me he was eating (he sure was...he was a bottomless pit today). We have been referring to him as a magpie because he will repeat most words we say. I think the ability to acquire language will always be one of the most fascinating parts of human development to me. How does that happen?

I better go. Tomorrow we are going to try to put the house back together after the birthday celebrations. I have also been telling the kids that we are going to start chores this summer. We sometimes ask them to help but not consistently (though some things, like making beds and picking up after themselves is NOT optional). I hope to set up some sort of system. I am still trying to figure out how to do it. That is going to disappoint one child who will want it in place TOMORROW. The funny thing is they are excited. We will see how long that lasts. :)

Reba

Snap, Crackle, Pop

I had a couple of people ask about the i-Touch. It is an i-Pod for music, video, etc. It has Internet capability IF you can remember your wireless Internet's password. For a long time I turned up my nose at having an mp3 player or an ipod...why on earth would you need music with you at all times? Aren't they just glorified Walkmans? But then I started realizing that I would enjoy exercising on my elliptical much more if I could listen to a select bunch of songs. And on trips, I could have a video to watch. I did a quick poll via Facebook and the i-Touch (which I had never heard of prior to that) was the overwhelming suggestion. I am still learning to use it. You should have seen me trying to figure out how to scroll down my list of songs. I kept pushing this button on the side which apparently was the volume. Finally, it hit me that I should try TOUCHing the screen. Um, yeah. I am technologically challenged. :) Oh, with my i-Touch, I got an i-Tunes card which is a gift certificate for the i-Tunes store to download songs. I love being able to choose just one song from an artist to buy (usually around 99 cents). I don't have a lot of songs yet, but what I do is quite a mix. A little country, a little rock, some Christian contemporary. Very fun. I hope to try out the video rental when we head to the beach...

Anyway, back to the title. If only that were my breakfast cereal sounds for the day...

Let me back up a little. I made dinner for a friend tonight. I enjoy doing it. It is something I can do. I am not saying I am a fabulous cook. But I actually do enjoy cooking and try to make something that will taste good for everyone. Much of the time, I am fairly normal. For some reason, anytime I cook for others (whether meal or just for a potluck), I get a bit OCD. I wash my hands more than enough times. I worry about each and every ingredient. The funny thing is for my own family, I don't go to near the extremes I do for this. I figure my family will be fine. I just don't want to be responsible for making anyone else sick. Anyway, I was in a frenzy by the time I left the house. On top of that, we had a few places to be tonight. Child 2 had gymnastics. I was going to visit a friend. And Child 1 had his baseball team end of the season party. So Mark took the big kids and I took the little ones.

Child 4 gets antsy as soon as he realizes we might be going somewhere. So as soon as I could, I got him buckled in the car. I ran back into the house for some things. As I dashed out the door, I hopped down the step in our garage. I don't know if it was this little toy yellow bowl that our son had played with and left at the base or if was the pile of unread papers by the door. My foot caught on something. And the snap, crackle, and pop is what I heard as I hit the ground. I started calling out for Mark but was feeling a bit hysterical. It is rare for me to have any injuries. The last time I really remember is in junior high when I decided to slide down a friends' roof on a mattress (the house was built INTO the ground)...I bounced off the mattress and landed on my ankle. Anyway, I am thankful Child 3 was not buckled into her seat belt. I called to her and asked her to get her daddy. He came out and all I could do was moan.

After a couple minutes, he helped me up. It hurt, but wasn't unbearable. I was determined to visit my friend, so I hopped in the car. I didn't realize how much you use your right foot for driving. It took me a few minutes to find a comfortable position (like using my whole foot to apply pressure to the accelerator rather than my toes). And I ended up using my left foot some for braking. I did find out that when faced with a possible emergency, my adrenalin was stronger than the pain. For whatever reason, at one point, I looked up (5 o'clock traffic) and saw the vehicle right in front of me veer off the road onto the shoulder. The vehicle in front of it was almost at a stop. So I slammed on my breaks.

I had a good time with my visit, though with the two little ones, life is a bit interesting. Then we ran over to the gym to pick up Child 2. I unfortunately was starting to hurt and wanted to go home but I needed a few things for the girls' family get-together. So instead of dealing with it tomorrow, we all headed to Hobby Lobby. At least I had a cart to lean on there. :) I did make a decision to forgo a trip to the bookstore. (When I inventoried last night I realized that I had more books for everyone other than Child 2...I have decided she can handle an IOU). When we got home, I threw together easy dinners for the kids, then finally propped my foot up with ice.

I just want to say that I do NOT see a future in medicine for our youngest. He kept playing with and removing my ice pack. He kept trying to touch my foot and climb on top of me. Empathy doesn't seem to be a strong characteristic for him...

I do not think anything is broken. I can walk on it, I just try not to. My left leg will get really strong from hopping around. :) It is a tad swollen and hurts, but I do think it is just a sprain. I am just a total wimp. I am sure by tomorrow I will be running marathons. Oh, wait. I couldn't do that before. :)

Okay, I better go for now. Tomorrow is a special day for someone and I have a lot to do, sore ankle or not. :)

Reba