Summer

I have started my blog thinking I have lots to write about, but then the days start to go by and little things happen and I wonder if I should write about them or are they stupid. Like last night I was watching tv and one of my cats was playing with something. I thought it was a centipede, by the size of it and the way it was shaped (we had a couple at our old house). I yelled at Derek to bring his big skating shoe to kill it. Christopher comes running in to see it and starts laughing cause its actually string.

We really aren't doing much this summer. I take Derek to work, take the kids to the pool, take Hanna to Cheer Texas for tumbling, run around with friends having lunch or some shopping on occasion, sleeping in, trying to stay cool, and after about 4 weeks of having some different health issues going on and wondering if I am ever going to feel normal, that has been my life. I have read different friends blogs to see what I could be writing about. Still I come to a blank on what to write about other than the one thing I still feel I am missing in my life. I read a blog from another friends blog (Keri) and the person wrote about how she got to where she is with her relationship with God. I want more God. Now that may sound funny, but its true. It seems to be that the older I get, and the more stuff I see in the world going on, I find myself craving to have that kind of relationship with him. I guess I do keep him at arms length, so I won't feel let down by him, or not enough Faith. I know without a doubt I have been blessed. I have 3 kids that are great, I have a great husband who works hard to take care of us, we have a nice home that we were recently blessed with, we have cars, food, friends from our old church, slowly making new friendships at the new church, I'm sorry, didn't mean to rattle on, but you get the point. But I have kept him at arms length. Not quite knowing why I have done this. But we are a broken world and we are broken people. Including me. This world can be a scary place. I think that is why I am craving him more. I want that relationship with God that I see others having. They have a peace about them. Even though they have some of the most horrible things happen to them in this life, they get through it and can still be at peace and happy. I am now working on my new journey in this life and including God in all things. I no longer want him at arms length. I want him in my heart in everything.

The Big Texan Adventure

Derek works at the Big Texan, and during the summer its a big tourist attraction. He started working there two summers ago. He would come home and tell me about the people that came to eat there. There were some from different countries. And this year is no different. Yesterday, after I picked him up he started telling me about some Italian superheroes that came in. I was a little confused at first until he explained. These four people from Italy dressed in superhero costumes (Superman, Robin, Captain Planet, and Flash) came in to eat and also were filming the restaurant for a show in Italy. Two of the superheroes attempted to eat the 72 oz. steaks, but didn't make it in time. There were also two other men trying to eat the steak and one of the men finished with 4 seconds left and ran to the bathroom but didn't make it. Derek had to clean up his mess, and while he was doing this, he was interviewed by Captain Planet while Flash was filming it all. They also filmed the man in the bathroom throwing up. Then they went into the kitchen uninvited and tried to film in there but were kicked out. So my son will be a star in Italy and we won't even know it.

Scary Movies

I have to tell a funny about my oldest son Derek. I went to Hastings the other day to rent movies. We had seen all the good ones out already, so I ended up getting some cheesy funny ones and a couple of B scary movies. You may think I am a bad mom, but I let my kids watch the scary ones. I don't get the satanic ones or slaughter movies, but more along the lines of vampires, werewolves and some supernatural stuff. Well, the one I rented is called White Noise 2. Chris, Hanna and I watched it that evening, and Derek watched it later when he got home from work. It wasn't too bad, and didn't freak out Hanna or Chris. But if it did bother one of them it would have been Chris. The next morning I got up and saw the living room lamp on and the boys closet light on. I thought it was probably Chris. Later in the day I was talking to the kids about it and found out it was actually Derek. Now remember he is 16 and knows this stuff isn't real, and has grown up watching this stuff. But I found it really funny because he told me he walked through the house checking things out and even came into my room and checked on me and Sean. But that part also freaked me out because I didn't know he did that and would I sleep through someone breaking into my house and walking around it.

Mothers-in-law

I just wonder if there are other people that have strange mother-in-laws like I do. First, I have to give a little background. Sean's dad died about 16 years ago. His mother moved to Amarillo shortly after his death. She was later diagnosed with manic depression, which I think she had even before his dad died, because of some of the things I saw her do early in our marriage. She has been seeing a psychiatrist for about 14 to 15 years. Now, I may be wrong, but the main thing that she does for my mother-in-law is check her medicine and ask her a few questions to make sure its working for her. I have been told she is on at least 4 antidepressants. Now I am not against meds, because I have been on antidepressants in the past, and also saw a counselor to help me work out my problems. Which I think that's suppose to be how it works, take medicine, talk about your problems, get better. (I do realize that it isn't always that easy.) But I do realize that some people need to stay on medicine for longer or forever, also. My mother-in-law just hasn't gotten better, actually worse. Anyway, on to my story.

This weekend, Sean went to help his mother with sawing down limbs to a tree in her backyard that she is trying to get rid of, the hard way. When he came home he had a list of things on a post-it she had written out for us, and the title of the list was Mothers Day presents for Mom. The list was, 1. Cut down limbs on tree, 2. hook up new speakers to tv, 3. hook up old speakers to computer, 4. put up smoke alarm, and 5. LaJonna, make me a cake, a simple one. The list was for this year, because when we had lunch with her on mother's day, we didn't give her a present. Now, we were going to give her a gift card, but I was sick the day before and couldn't get it and Sean was working. She is just a hard person to buy for, and you really aren't getting the whole picture of her in my blog. It would take years to tell you, or have known our family for a while to hear us talk about it all. When I read the note, I was talking to my mom on the phone. I told my mom as I was laughing, this is one of those things in life you just have to laugh at or I would get mad about it. I have in the past gotten mad about the things she says or does, and they all (I mean all) include expecting us to do things for her. And she only calls when she wants something. I try to not get mad cause it eats at me. So Saturday I chose to laugh. Maybe it will make some of you laugh too. I feel for Sean, because I have a pretty close relationship with my mom. We have had our ups and downs, but we have over come them. I love my mom very much and probably don't show it enough. I can call and talk to her on the phone, (she lives in Dumas) and have what I feel is a normal conversation. If I want advice, I ask. Its just so different from Sean's mom. I hear from different friends about the relationships they have with their mother-in-laws and am a little jealous. I just will never have that kind of relationship with mine. "That's life".

Teenagers

As I was sitting at the pool today talking with a couple of my good friends, one of them (Shannon) asks me if I have seen the movie Ratatoullie. I have, and for those of you that have, remember the guy with the curly hair with the mouse? Well, that is the animated version of my oldest son Derek. He has the curly hair, the slightly larger nose, goofy, and clumsy. I love him to death! We have a very good relationship, and he is pretty open with me about teenage things. I ask a lot of questions, and he knows that, I may not approve of everything, and he may still get punished for what he has done, he still tells me a lot about his friends and things they do. He is 16 and does not yet have his license. He has taken the written part, but has not done the driving part. I can't teach him, because I grew up in Dumas, a small town, and you don't drive over 35 in town. I am too afraid for both of us if I try to teach him and Sean is too busy with work. So, he isn't bugging me to get him in Road Runner, and I haven't pushed much. He knows the ball is in his court. But we were going to get him enrolled one day about a month ago, but because he left his drivers permit in his pocket, it got washed and fell apart. So we had to go to the DMV to get a new one before he enrolled. Well, I drive us there and am ready to wait in the car for a while, when about a minute later he comes back to the car and says there is a long line, can we come back tomorrow? I of course start laughing. When is there ever not a line? He of course doesn't get it and gets mad. He is a teenager and thinks that he knows everything. Its hard not to think of him as an adult sometimes, because he is taller than me. But I heard or read that you don't really think as an adult until around the age of 22. I think back to when I was a teenager, and their way of thinking hasn't changed much from then. You think you know everything, and you think you know whats best for you.

I can't believe my son is 16. I just don't know where the time went. Although I miss the little Derek, I am happy with who he is becoming (for the most part, I wish he would make better grades, but that's another blog). He has a good heart, looks don't matter, he will be your friend if you let him, he has a good sense of humor, loves music, loves to help people and loves the Lord. I think Sean and I have done a pretty good job. But I know there will be more blogs to come that I will be gripping because he is driving me crazy, or did something stupid. You know its gonna happen.

I will post pictures as soon as I figure out how.

Its Summer

I decided to start a blog, like so many of my friends, because I enjoy reading about their lives and families, that you may not mention in a casual conversation. As well as I think it might be somewhat theraputic for me. I am a stress monkey. Even my closest friends my not know this. I know with all my heart God is in control of everything. Yet I stress. People tell me to give it to God. Well, when I pray and ask God to take it or tell him I am giving it to him, I still have it. I wonder if there is some special way to do this that I am missing. My wonderful husband tells me the same thing. Now I mean he is wonderful, because he lives with me and goes through this with me on a regular basis. I wonder if my faith is not strong enough. Is that why I can't let go? Maybe. Just like all Christians, I struggle.

Ok, onto my day. It wasn't very exciting. Me and the kids went to the pool for the first time this summer. It was nice to be in the sun and in the water again. I also taught Derek how to cook sloppy joes. He informed me that every time we have them, he will do the cooking. Now I just need to teach him so much more so I can get out of that job.