Shameless Plug and Linky Love

I started a new blog. "Why?" you ask. Yes, I already had two. It's because I have so much free time and nothing else to do! (yeah, right)

Actually, I'm going to make you go over there and see if for yourself... if it's doing it's job, you'll be able to see pretty easily what it's all about. Know that what I'm trying to accomplish over there is very important to me and I hope that you'll find meaning in it, too.

Big thanks to both Julie and Luanne for helping me "advertise" my new venture... your support means the world to me and I appreciate it more than you know!

So go now, click on this link, and let me know what you think!

~*~*~ Dancing With Ladybugs ~*~*~

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Scary Story

My good friend Julie over at The Surrendered Scribe tagged me a while back to write a scary story, as part of a blog tour meme. Please don't look at the date of her post / tag.... Julie is the kind of friend who loves me even though "time" and I don't always get along, and most days I advocate the "better late than never?!?!?" approach to blogging. (Thank you for that, Julie!)

Her post was in response to the Mike Dellosso The Hunted blog tour meme -- what's your scariest experience? Hers really was scary, but mine's going to be a little bit different. Here goes....

My (almost) 5 year old daughter, Rachel, has an on again / off again fear of the dark. Thanks to cartoons they watch at daycare, she's added "spooky" to her list of favorite words. From time to time, she'll resist going to bed because the closet is open or a shadow looks "spooky" or she wants the door open more or where is her flashlight? or what is that light I see outside?

To help make her more comfortable, we have 2 nightlights in her room at all times. One is the standard plug-in nightlight that is light sensitive, so it comes on in the dark and goes off when it's light. She also has a low-watt princess lamp on her nightstand which we let her keep on all night, plus several flashlights in strategic places around her room.

One of her favorite flashlights is a plastic pig-shaped one, that Aunt Brenda gave her as a gift a few years back. There's a handle on the back and when you squeeze it, the pig's mouth opens to reveal the light, which stays on for 2 minutes before shutting itself off.

A few weeks ago, I was sound asleep when I heard something bump into the door frame of my bedroom. I heard someone walking toward the bed. I rolled over and sleepily opened my eyes to see who was there, when BAM! I came face to face with the brightest light I had ever seen at 3am, shining directly into my face like I was about to be interrogated. Half asleep, my heart instinctively started to beat faster, my mind started to race. Someone was in my bedroom, ready to.... what? Rob me? Kill me? Steal my children? I was blinded, I couldn't see who it was. I was scared and I didn't know what to do.

"Who's there?!?" I demanded, at the same time trying to kick Husband so he'd wake up and protect me from this evil burglar who had invaded our home and was ready to destroy our family and steal all of our worldly possessions.

"Oink! Oink!" came the response.

**sigh**

True story....

The Best Accessory

The first time she asked me to wear the necklace to work, I hesitated. I'd watched her tiny hands concentrate for an hour on stringing those plastic beads patiently onto a piece of white yarn, grimacing each time one fell yet diligently persevering. My heart smiled when she announced at the end, "I made this for you, Mommy!"

Indeed, it was a beautiful work of art for a 3-year-old, just not quite the type of thing that went well with my much more "professional" work clothes. But the sad look on her face as my mind raced on how to tell her it was really better to save it for an "at home only necklace" had me saying, "of course I'll wear it!" before I knew it.

I placed the necklace on the passenger's seat before getting out of my car at the office. "Don't forget to put that back on when you get home!" I told myself.

Entering the house after work, I heard the eager pitter-patter of little footsteps running to greet me. In an instant, though, her sad eyes told me that I hadn't remembered to put it back on, and I'd been caught. I could hear her heart sinking as she sadly asked the questions. "Didn't you wear my necklace to work, Mommy? Where is it?"

My heart sank right along with hers. Afraid to look silly at the office, I'd made a promise that I never intended to keep. And in the process, I'd broken her heart. I made myself a new promise right then and there that looking silly didn't matter nearly as much as that beautiful little face, and the pride I knew her heart would feel when I could, with a clear conscience, tell her that yes, I wore her necklace to work, all day long.

My made-with-love-by-Rachel necklace collection is up to at least 1/2 dozen, with several bracelets, as well. I have jewelry made of macaroni, cut up straws, beads, lace, ribbons and plastic trim. She knows that the bead necklace matches the purple shirt, the straw necklace matches the red shirt, and the macaroni goes with most anything. When she sees me wearing one of those tops, she asks me to put on a necklace. I do it, every single time, and I wear it all day long.

I used to be one of those people who are now giving me odd glances, perhaps chuckling a bit, or asking why I'm wearing pasta around my neck. But then there are the other mothers in my office, who give me a smile and a nod, and who know exactly why I've got this on and why "beautiful and loving" and not "silly and inappropriate" is the proper way to describe my accessories.

I'm sure I'll continue to promise that "someday" we'll go to see the pyramids, even though I'm not sure if I mean it. I'll still tell her we're out of M&Ms when I think she's had enough, rather than explain why she just can't have any more. And yes, Rachel, there is a Tooth Fairy and an Easter Bunny and Dumbo can really fly.

But the necklaces? Such a small request to accommodate yet such an important promise to keep. Certainly not worth fibbing about, and I'll never, ever do it again.

Next time you see a parent with a silly hat or a necklace made of straws or Nemo stickers all over their shirt, don't laugh. Instead, smile and nod, and know that's a promise kept to a very proud child. Myself, I can't think of any accessory more beautiful than a child's smile, can you?

Happy Birthday, Boo Bear!

We named her Jessica Danielle, after Craig's Aunt Joann and Grandpa Dominic, but we just call her Boo Bear. She has my hair color, eye color, and stubborn determination. She has her father's body type, smile and fun-loving personality. She has her sister's love of tea parties and all things Disney. She has her own sense of adventure, twinkling eyes and aren't-I-cute-as-I-wreak-lots-of-havoc personality. She's our little baby girl, and today she turns two.

She was born on her own terms, her own timing, almost 3 full weeks early. She weighed in at 6 pounds, 6 ounces and was 19 1/4 inches long.

Her 6th and 7th week on this earth were the longest two weeks of my life. Her acid reflux left her in so much pain that she'd scream the moment you laid her down. I held her for two weeks straight, no exaggeration. We slept sitting up in the recliner, she showered with me, she never, ever left my arms. At 8 weeks I took her to the pediatrician (for the ump-teenth time), I was in tears. "Watch what happens when I lay her down," I told him. I put her on the exam table, expecting her to scream. She smiled at us both. From that day on, she was fine. Life is on Jessica's terms... always has been, probably always will be.

Beginning around her 15 month checkup, the pediatrician noticed that she was not gaining weight on average with other kids her age. We went through a long period of close monitoring, some tests, and fed her everything in sight. She remained happy, active and ate like a horse, she just didn't gain weight. Until she was ready. Once again, life on Jessica's terms... always has been, probably always will be.

Those excruciatingly long 2 weeks, and now I look back and can't believe it's been 2 years since the day she was born. Where does the time go? I'm afraid to blink, we'll be watching her graduate from college before I know it.

Life would certainly not be complete without our little ray of sunshine, who keeps us on our toes, exhausts us to no end, but fills our home with laughter, love and non-stop action. She and her sister are the loves our our lives, the meaning for our existence, and our constant reminder that you never need to look farther than the walls of your own home to see all that is good and right in this world. Perspective, love, adorableness and fun... those are just some of the gifts that she gives to us daily.

To my little Bessie Boo Boo Bear, may may your life be blessed with the same wonderful joys you give to us each and every day. Happy, Happy 2nd Birthday!

All my love,
Mommy

My Kent

Luanne had a great post the other day, I encourage you to take a minute to go over to her blog and read it before you finish reading this. It came at a perfect time for me and though at first it appears to be about a horse (Big Brown) and a jockey (Kent Desormeaux), there's so much more to it than that. It's about having someone in your life who knows that, no matter how much pressure there is and how much potential you might have to meet everyone's expectations, we all need someone who knows when today just isn't our day to win the race, and lets us off the hook.

My Kent is named Brenda. Her parents and my parents were friends from church before I was born, so I've known Brenda for, well, I don't remember not knowing Brenda. She's a little bit older than me and over the course of my life she's been my babysitter, my big sister, my other mother and the best kind of friend. We've been through pretty much everything there is to be through together. I've had the pleasure of watching her boys grow into amazing young men, and have had my own chance to be their babysitter and big sister, just like their mom was to me.

Brenda fed me extra fudgesicles and helped me learn to swim in her parent's pool. She did my hair (much to my dad's dismay sometimes!), painted my nails and did my makeup when I was still young enough that those things were a HUGE treat. She took me shopping for prom dresses and did my hair for the Big Night. She was my Matron of Honor when I married the love of my life. She's prayed and hugged and laughed and cried and supported me through my cancer scare, my career challenges, my Big Move to Florida, the birth of my children and everything in between. Her love and support and "making sure Kat puts herself first" are without fail, without condition, without question.

But what makes Brenda most remarkable is that even from 1360 miles away, she still knows when I need a hug. She still knows when I'm over-doing it, she still knows when I need a break. And she's not afraid to call me on it. She knows that even though my potential is there, the expectation is there, that every so often, I just can't do it all. She reminds me to ease up, to take a break, that it's OK to not win all the races all the time. And she means it. And when she says it, I believe it.

Luanne, thank you for your post and the great reminder and perspective.

And Brenda, my wonderful, amazing Brenda... thank you today, tomorrow and always for being there for me, for being my Kent.

Voice: Found!

Alas, I've been MIA for a while. May was a tough month for me, I didn't have the time or the energy to blog much. However, I'd promised Julie a post for her blog (see why here), and spent most of the month struggling with that. Just when I was about to give up, though, I found my voice. It was in a place I didn't even think to look and it snuck up on me. I'm so glad that it did, it gave me renewed perspective which apparently, had been a bit misplaced. You can read my story over on Julie's blog, The Surrendered Scribe.

Now that my voice has been found, though, I'm full speed ahead! Look for a new post on my 5Things blog, and more frequent activity right here. Oh, and Julie tagged me to write a scary story, so I'm working on that, too!

Happy June, everyone!