Witnessing a Love Story

Isn’t life such a wonderful journey?

(Okay, Sometimes. Sometimes it truly bites. But back to the wonderful)…

The people that surround us frequently change. There is that quote that goes something like people come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Really only few are the lifetimers. So many are the seasons.

What is neat about the lifetime folks, is that you get to go through stages of life with them. You get to grow from awkward, melodramatic teenagers into courageous, adventurous young adults. And then, you get to see people grow up into who they are, who they always were – but a more refined version. You go from splitting ramen to trying new recipes and new restaurants. From staying up until 1am talking, “studying,” IM’ing, and going to Denny’s to going to bed at a reasonable time and rising early for work.

I got to witness a really beautiful season this past weekend.

I got to watch two women that I met when I was 13, as mothers.

Tending to babies, toddlers, and young children. Giving cuddles, setting limits, answering multiple versions of “WHY MOMMY WHY?!”

What a privilege to see growth and change in an all new light. In person.

To witness what I can only refer to as one of the greatest love stories of all times …mother and child.

This love story isn’t mine to tell, but this weekend it was mine to see. 

There’s really nothing like it. And it’s pretty beautiful. Don’t you think?

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone.

Hope you feel love and show love all around you today and every day!

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All About Love

Today I am linking up with Stasha  Monday Listicles. 
We’re talking about love. Here are my favorite images of love for today
(I almost got it down to a top ten, but I’m indecisive by nature – so forgive me!).
Love is patient
love is kind
It does not envy

it does not boast,

it is not proud.

It is not rude

  it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4
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Come join the list fun!
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Stream of Consciousness – Delaware Style

#SOCsunday

In kind of a surreal turn of events, I am coming to you straight from Delaware this weekend! Where I have gotten to spend quality time with some amazing friends, and their stunning children. I’m feeling really lucky right now, that we made this happen.

It’s the power of the internet. It’s the power of friendships formed over a message board sixteen years ago! The power of sending your thoughts and sharing your feelings through a computer, e-mail, eventually snail mail and phone calls.

It’s cheering each other on during wonderful times, and cheering each other up during hard times. It’s sending poetry back and forth to be edited and improved, sending artwork that has hung on my bedroom walls for years, and letters that will forever be in my memory box.

It’s a wonderful husband that I can bring along to meet these folks and who always goes along with my crazy impulses “Hey honey! Instead of buying Christmas presents this year can we go visit Sarah and Loni?!”

 Merry Christmas to me.

So look out Kristen, Emily, Teresa, Lynda… I’m coming for you next šŸ˜‰

My five minutes are up, have a great Sunday everyone!

*****

This was my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…

  • Set a timer and write for 5 minutes.
  • Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spellchecking. This is writing in the raw.
  • Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
  • Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.
  • Link up your post below.
  • Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.
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12 More Things You Might Not Know About Me

Believe it or not, back when I wrote my original post there were more things I could’ve added but didn’t.  Since everyone seemed to enjoy that post so much, I decided to make a sequel post!  Enjoy!

1. When I was about 8 or so, I decided to don a backpack and fill it with thread.  One end of the thread was tied to a plastic pirate hook, which I threw up to our second story deck while standing on the ground in an attempt to scale it.  All of this was so I could be like the He-Man villian, Webstor.

2. When I was in fourth grade, I won a random drawing for a “Ducktales” themed prized, hosted by a local TV station and Burger King.  My name got announced on TV during my afternoon cartoons and everything!  I got a cool yo-yo and frisbee thing, but I also got a “one-size-fits-all” T-Shirt, which needles to say at 130 pounds, didn’t fit.

3. I have a favorite Teddy Bear, named Boo Bear, who I got when I was one day old (see the “groom” in the banner above).  When I was 4, I took him to a local pizza joint, because I took him everywhere.  When we got home, I realized he was gone, I had LEFT HIM THERE!!!  Thinking that he might be gone forever, and trying to deal with this new empty hole in my life, my Uncle Billy called and told my parents that he had Boo Bear.  It turns out that they went to the same pizza place as us, right after we left.  They got the SAME BOOTH and recognized the bear as mine.  It’s amazing to think how one tiny detail (or in this case a few) could have altered a good chunk of my childhood (and our banner and wedding invitations)!

4. Back when I was a kid, Trix cereal had only three colors and came in the form of little balls, not the fancy fruit shapes of today.  Occasionally I’d run into a piece that had a small hole in it, just a random imperfection.  I was afraid of these pieces, as I thought they were going to turn into little mouths and start talking to me.

5. Speaking of irrational fears, certain sitcoms of the 80s (probably late 70s, too), were produced by a certain company whose mascot was a small house cat.  I believe that they’re “title card” (or whatever its called) that used to appear at the end of the show was a spoof of the “MGM Lion”.  The cat would make a little meow noise, or sometimes say “Meow!” This cat scared the living Hell out of me to the point that I had to leave the room, go to my parents room, and hide under their bed while covering my ears and singing loudly.  Even as an adult, I’ve seen this cat and it’s freaked me out.  Offending sitcoms that I remember were “Newhart” and “WKRP In Cinncinnati”.

6.  I liked Crystal Pepsi.

7. When I was a kid, I had a “chemistry lab” in one of our bathrooms, which was basically a bunch of empty containers, food coloring, and sugar pills.  Sometimes I’d bring in grass and rocks and stuff to mix into my potions.  One day I mixed some grass pieces with water in a tupperware bowl, and called the mixture “Yum Yum Feast”. I brought one such mixture to the beach with my Mom and sister and spooned it into me right there in front of the other beach goers.  I think my Mom may have been a little embarrassed.

8. When I was 10 I was waiting in the car at the bank with my sister, while my parents went in.  A man got into a black pickup truck beside us with a german shepherd and drove off casually.  Another man ran out into the trees in front of our car holding a bag and looking behind him.  My parents came out a few minutes later to tell us that the bank had just been robbed.  The cops wanted to know if we had seen anything, and naturally I told them all about the guy in the truck and not the running man.

9. “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.  And to the republic, for which it stands, one nation, Underdog, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” –Me in kindergarten.

10. When I was very young, maybe 4 or 5, there was a show on prime time TV called ā€œVā€.  All I remember about it was these aliens that were living amongst us in human disguises (although wearing red spacesuits).  They’d rip off their faces and be this green alien ā€œlizardā€ (as I called them ) underneath.  My Mom got a red and black bathrobe, similar to the look of the space suits.  I spent an entire evening terrified that she was going to rip off her face, despite my parents’ efforts to convince me otherwise.  After pulling at her cheeks several times, I finally conceded that my Mom was in fact was not an alien lizard.

11. When I was 14, I spent a night over at my best friend Corey’s house.  His Mom bought us bagels for breakfast.  One week later, I spent the night again.  When we went looking for something for breakfast, Corey mentioned that they still had a bagel left, while casually picking up and dropping the bag.  The bag make a ā€œthunkā€ sound.  Thus was the birth of ā€œMr. Bagelā€ who we kept in a Ziploc bag for many years.  In fact, I just discovered his remains last fall while cleaning our garage…just an empty shredded Ziploc bag and mouse poop.

12. When I was about 12 or so, I decided I was smart enough to build my own working Proton Pack, like the ones the Ghostbusters used.  I had a dictionary with a ā€œstudentā€ handbook at the beginning of it, which contacted some very basic information on atoms and molecules, which I thought I was somehow going to break apart in order to get the protons.  I was to accomplish this with an FM radio and a metal sieve.  I wanted to use the cordless phone, but I wasn’t allowed.  Always the responsible scientist, I went way out into my parents’ old cow pasture so that if anything exploded, no one would get hurt (except me, I guess).  I didn’t succeed in my experiment, but I remember bragging to my friends that I got ā€œREALLY closeā€.
I also hope everyone got my comment responses for last week’s post via e-mail, all fancy-like, the same way Jenn responds to comments.  I’m wearing the big boy pants now!  Well, she had to help me get it started, but who doesn’t need a belt for their big boy pants?  Have a good week everyone!
–Casey, Ghostbuster Extrodonaire, aka Webstor, aka Slayer of the Cursed Trix
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Kid Quotes Friday!

Welcome to another Friday! Which means it’s time for some hilarious KID QUOTES!! If you’re new here, I am a social worker that works primarily with kids. I started posting kid quotes on Facebook, and they got rave reviews. So I’m bringing them to the blogosphere!

Please link up below if you so wish, I’d love to read your posts.

My edition of Kid Quotes today will be the “Therapy FAIL” edition (you win some, you lose some).

Enjoy!

*****
Me: “Do you know what the phrase ‘if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all’ means?” 
Kid: “Yup, it means I wouldn’t be able to talk much anymore. (10 y.o.)
*****
Me: So instead of telling her that her hair looked weird, what else could you have said or done? 
Kid: I could have asked her if her Mom could make her haircut prettier…PLEASE. (9 y.o.)
*****
Me: :Let’s try and think about something positive. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you today?
Kid: Who are you, Mary Poppins? (13 y.o.)
*****
Me: If I could wave a magic wand, and everything would be right in your world – what would that look like to you?
Kid: Well, I would DEFINITELY be living on Jersey Shore. My goal is pretty much to be more like them. (14 y.o.)
*****
Me: So where are you on the feelings thermometer you made?
Kid: Mrs. G? I think you say ‘feelings’ too much. (7 y.o.)
*****

Me: Great job working on this with me today!

Kid: I’m pretty much in it for the game of Sorry. (10 y.o.)

*****

And we’ll end with a cute one.

Kid (to another kid we see in the hallway): “Oh hey, this is Mrs. G. She’s my people-helper-outer.” (6 y.o.)

*****

Happy Friday, everyone! Don’t forget to link up!

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Welcome to the Award Show!

Back at Christmas time, my fellow Maine-ah, and fellow Jennifer, awarded me the awesome and most prestigious Versatile Blogger Award!

I’m a total dweeb for waiting this long to officially receive it, but at the time I was taking a break from the blogosphere. Now, back in the swing of things, I want to say thank you SO much, Jennifer!!!

Please go check out her blog here, she is awesome, informative, and has two adorable little guys.

So, The Versatile Blogger award comes with some rules. It’s a sort of pay it forward thing for bloggers.

The Rules for The Versatile Blogger Award
1. Thank the award-giver and link back to them in your post.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass this award along to 15 recently discovered blogs you enjoy reading.
4. Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know about the award.

Here are 7 fun facts about me. If you love fun facts, please also check out these additional 25 things about me you might not know!

  1. I recently asked an 8 year old girl I work with to kill a spider for me during session. I hate them. For the record, she wouldn’t kill it and instead hid under my desk. I had to throw a tissue box at it. Not my best moment as a therapist.
  2. Strangers talk to me. A lot. My best friend would often take bets on how much of a person’s life story I would obtain in the time it took her to go to the bathroom or something while we were at the mall. 
  3. I don’t like hotdogs.
  4. I have worked at least 2 jobs for the past 10+ years. I am having anxiety because as of March 8, I will only have one job. What is this “free time” people speak of?
  5. The extent of my art ability is drawing stick people.
  6. I don’t like jello…..or any gelatinous

Now, here are 9 blogs I’d like to recognize with The Versatile Blogger award. (Sorry, I am running low on time so I can’t do 15!)


******

Oh wait, you wanted to know MORE random things about me? Well, then today is your lucky day. Because Taylor over at the Goings on in Texas selected me to participate in Random fun! 

1. Post these rules.
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
3. Answer the questions set for you in their post.
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
5. Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them.
6. You legitimately have to tag 11 people.

11 Random Things About Me

1. Funshine is my favorite carebear.
2. I gave diagnoses to the smurfs. For the record, Vanity Smurf and Smurfette clearly have Narcissistic personality disorder.
3. I don’t wear high heels. Ever.
4. We eat turkey burgers for dinner nearly every night.
5. I have a secret dream to have a room in my house that is a ball pit.
6. I am addicted to Scramble with Friends, and Words with Friends…..
7. My favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle is Donatello. I go for the geeks šŸ˜‰
8. I am a really good kickball player.
9. I used to DREADWITHALLMYBEING the one mile run we used to have to do yearly in gym class. I don’t run, still, but I bet I could do it a whole lot faster these days.
10. I eat popcorn one kernel at a time. SAVOR IT, PEOPLE.
11. I am addicted to chex mix.

Here’s the burning questions Taylor has chosen for me!

1. What is your favorite nursery rhyme? Itsy, Bitsy Spider.
2. What is your favorite vacation spot? Europe
3. What is your favorite movie? Casablanca
4. What is your favorite candle smell? Lavender
5. What would be your ultimate dream job? Being a therapist for rock bands. Ahem. Or, community organizing around poverty. Whatever.
6. Do you have any hidden talents? Getting people to talk to me. 
7. What song would describe you best? 32 Flavors
8. What are you wanting to accomplish in 2012? Move to NC!
9. What is your favorite ice cream? Do you like toppings? Chocolate. with Chocolate Sprinkles.
10. If you could live any where in the world, where would you live? Right now, NC. But if money was no object, probably Italy.
11. If you could have dinner with anyone, past or present, who would it be and why? Probably my Grandparents. I really miss them, and would love to tell them about my life now.

Okay, now I get to choose 11 of my bloggy friends to participate in all this fun randomness. Participate if you want, it will not hurt my feelings if you don’t. But I’d oh so love it if you did. I want to read your randomness! šŸ™‚ 



Okay, that’s all I have time for, but if you want to participate please do! Here are my 11 questions to you all! 

1. What is your astrological sign? Does it describe you well?
2. What’s the farthest you’ve ever travelled?
3. Who is your favorite Care Bear?
4. What does your name mean? 
5. What celebrity do you admire?
6. What is your favorite book and why?
7.  What is your favorite thing to do to relax?
8.  What is the one thing you would do if you knew you could not fail?
9. Why aren’t you doing it?
10. What is a favorite quote of yours?
11. How are you today? 

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Thanks again to Jennifer and Taylor!
Have a great Thursday, everyone! 


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Old Soul

Ever since I was very young, people have told me that I’m an “old soul.”

I’ve taken this as a compliment most of the time. Surely it must mean I am wise, that I am mature, that I am somehow above all you young soul people.

And yet, some days I really think this cutesy phrase is code for JESUSKIDAWHOLELOTOFSHITHASHAPPENEDTOYOUANDTHATSUCKS.

Or maybe it’s code for,
HOLYHELLTHEUNIVERSEHASSOMETHINGAGAINSTYOUDOESN’TIT?!

Yup, it’s true.

Sometimes I get SO TIRED of the Universe kicking my ass teaching me lessons about life in a way that is usually life threatening to me, my family, or my friends.

I want to scream back at the Universe, HEY THANKS FOR THE LESSONS BUT I’M ALL SET NOW! YOU CAN LAY OFF THE SWELL TEACHING METHODS NOW!

Did you hear me Universe? I was internet screaming at you.

But no, the Universe is striking again. A friend. And I can’t look this friend in the eye and say “wow, you are so much stronger than this,” because I know I am full of it. They already know how strong they are. They don’t need me to wrap up a cliche and hand it to them, because it only serves to make me feel better – not them. And I know that it’s likely that this friend has also been told they are an “old soul” their whole life, too.

And what old soul really means sometimes, is that the Universe can dish it out, and you’ll take it. And you will kick butt and take names. You won’t crumble.

But that doesn’t make it easy. And it doesn’t make it okay.

But you? You know you are. You got this. And I’ll back you up all the way.

*****
Linked up with Shell at Things I Can’t Say
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a pocketful of sunshine

There are moments in my days when I struggle.

When I have to reach into my pockets and pull out pieces of sunshine. My memories.

I curl up in these patches of sunshine stretched out in my hand, much like my dogs do on Sunday afternoons when the sun streams through the kitchen window.

Suddenly I may be flying down the interstate singing loudly to a song, my husband, mother, or best friend sitting next to me. 

I roll around the memories in my hand, savoring them like a piece of dark chocolate. Stolen moments of time that I can access whenever I need to.

Now I might be walking down the aisle on a crisp September morning, my friends and family surrounding me as I marry my soul mate.

The memories roll like a wave through my brain until they are coursing through my blood, calming my body, slowing my breathing, lifting my spirit.

I’m suddenly young again, at my Grandmother’s house weeding the garden as she tells me tales of growing up during the Great Depression.

A smile begins to play at the corner of my mouth, a sparkle returns to my eye.

I am now dancing around my kitchen with Skeeter, singing made up songs as we play, and my husband laughs.

It becomes easier to breathe, as I pull out the pieces that make my world wonderful, the pieces of me that shine brightly in the corners of my mind.

My moments. My memories. My sunshine.

*****
Linked up with Heather at Extraordinary Ordinary

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the things they leave behind

I am with them only for a brief season of time.

We walk together, side by side as I lend an ear, strategy, or perhaps simply hope.

They share with me their energy, their laughter, their pain, their story.

Within what often seems like a brief moment, they are gone.

Their story continues on with me, and mine continues on without them.

But we will never be the same, because for that period of time together, our paths intersected and we grew and changed.

And they always leave something behind.

Often, they leave their words behind.

Sometimes they leave their artwork behind. 

Sometimes a lovingly crafted bracelet, a rock, piece of wood, a tissue paper ghost, or smiley face sand art.

Frequently they leave fond memories of laughter, games played, breakthroughs had.

Sometimes, if I am honest, they leave the empty air of relief behind – because this work, this life isn’t always easy.

But no matter what, they leave a piece of time behind. The moments that we were together, sharing a space, sharing a memory, experiencing a shared moment in separate journeys. 

Together, they make up pieces of the puzzle that has made me the social worker, and the person that is writing this.

Without them, I am not me. Without me, they are not them.

Be careful with your words, be gentle with your actions. They impact the journey of those are around you  – they are what you leave behind.

*****
Come Vote for Me over at Yeah Write! 
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Stream of Consciousness

Welcome, Sunday.

Today Casey and I are going on an adventure. As in we picked a random point on the map, and we’re driving to it, to explore, to be silly, to hopefully go snowshoeing if we can find a place that actually has snow around here.

Last night we went to see Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I cannot recommend this enough. The book was amazing too, and I feel that the movie did it justice. You will cry (even me, the Ice Queen, cried).

I also saw One For the Money with my friend Amy this week. We had a Girl’s Night and it was fun! The movie was good, though I still have trouble buying Katherine Heigl as the main character. I feel Sandra Bullock would have been a better choice. Still worth it, though. And read the books first! (Always my recommendation).

The blog lost it’s first follower this week. Punch to the gut. Suddenly the insecurities flow in. What did I say? Are my kid quotes offensive? And then I stopped and kind of laughed to myself. Who cares? It’s a blog, people. It doesn’t exactly define who I am. But I have this complex where I need everyone to like me. WHY DON’T YOU LIKE ME? Ahem. Working through it. Someone better follow me today to boost my self-esteem, mmmkay?

I joined February NaBloPoMo (wow, I really missed typing that!) so you’ll see a daily post from us this month! I’m trying to create a link up on Fridays of funny kid quotes, so if you have funny stories/quotes about your kids (or kids you know, kids you work with, etc) please join me on Friday!

In just a few days we’ll be flying out to Philadelphia to spend four days with Sarah and Loni, two fabulous ladies I’ve known since I was 13. Yup. We met online, and several years ago we met in person briefly. Since that they’ve had 5 kids between them! Cannot wait to meet them, their husbands, and enjoy some real time together. SO excited.

Okay, my five minutes are up (yes, I type fast, I know)- but would you humor me and go visit this post by my friend Kenya? It hit me hard this morning and it is so true. I wish I could forward it to all the people I know.

Also, Casey keeps telling me I should let y’all know that the book I helped author with my former professor about homelessness has a home on the web! Go check it out, but you can’t have your own copy until September šŸ˜‰

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone, go have an adventure!!

*****
Linked up with All.Things.Fadra for Stream of Consciousness Sunday

#SOCsunday

This was my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…

  • Set a timer and write for 5 minutes.
  • Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spellchecking. This is writing in the raw.
  • Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
  • Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.
  • Link up your post below.
  • Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.
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