I've Been Tagged

I was tagged by Kim Thompson.

The rules are as follows:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Wow, I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to be tagged. Shame on you Kim…LOL

I really had to think to come up with 7 things about myself. Here’s what I came up with.

1 – I see dead people. Okay, I just threw that in there to wake you all up. Fact is, I have a sensitive spirit. At least that is what I have been told. I have a talent for reading people. I can usually see what kind of person they are by their personalities and body language. I also have very vivid dreams when I sleep. I dream almost every night and sometimes several times a night. Some of them have even come true…OOOooooohhhh! I keep a “dream journal”.

2 – The first crush I ever had was on (brace yourself) Donny Osmond. I had his albums, watched their Saturday morning cartoon, and had posters of him all over my bedroom walls. (For those of you who are too young to know what an album is…don’t ask. I feel old enough just admitting I was in love with Donny)

3 – I started writing before I could recognize the alphabet. My dad had a bunch of old notebooks that had a few pages left in them and he would give them to me. I would spend hours just sitting there, scribbling on each line. I was very careful to make them look like cursive writing. I had books and books of the scribbling and thought I had the world’s best novel. I was probably 3 or 4.

4 – I love to take pictures. Along with writing, I would love to be a photographer. My favorite subjects are strange things, like the way a garden gate is hanging crooked or a pair of work boots sitting by the front door. I love black and white photos.

5 – I’m a crack shot. My father was a professional marksman in the military and taught me how to shoot. I was a member of both a state and international gun club until I had kids. Haven’t had the guns out for a very long time. I’m a believer that kids and guns don’t mix, especially since ours have disabilities and can’t tell the difference between a real one and a play one. We keep them in a safe. We also don’t allow any play weapons in our home.

6 – I like dragonflies and truly believe that they are little fairies. I have named my car “dragonfly” and have a decal on my back window. My license plate is DRGNFLI. I’ve always wanted to get a dragonfly tattoo, but know I shouldn’t, have been told not to and probably won’t. (Unless I can find a cute one that is temporary, out of a vending machine). What can I say? I’m a rebel.

7 – I know about cars. I helped my dad rebuild the engine on my brothers 1948 Chrysler when I was about 12. My husband went to Detroit to mechanics school and I have helped him rebuild a couple engines, too. Getting a little grease under my nails is good for the soul.

Well that’s all folks. Now you know a lot more than you probably wanted to.

Okay, what if I don’t know enough people with blogs that haven’t already been tagged? That stinks.

I Need a Vacation

When everything around me starts closing in and making me crazy, I dream about getting away. All my life I have wanted to travel. I guess part of that comes from being an Army Brat. My father moved us all over the United States and took us to Germany for three years. When I was younger, I thought I would hate traveling. It was so hard to make friends because I moved so much. Now that I have been in the same little town for 22 years, working at the same restaurant, my feet are beginning to itch. Unfortunately, with a business and a child with a disibility, it is nearly impossible to get away.

In the meantime, I get away in my dreams and in my writing. Someday, I will see the sun rise in the Bahamas, go to a Broadway Musical in New York City or even just spend a few days in a mountain cabin. Someday...

Starting Over

What a task! We are in the process of changing some of our prices at our restaurant and the program that I did the menus on won't work anymore. When I try to open the files I get a page that flashes images, but won't let me do anything to it. I've tried uninstalling the program and reinstalling it, but that didn't help. It is the only program I have that does this. Now I have to not only retype our main menu, but our lunch menu, PLU price lists, delivery price lists, charts, signs, posters, reminders, delivery fee rates and so much more. So much for my "writing" time. When I get finished, I may never what to see my computer again. UGH!!

I'm Such a Proud Momma

Being the mother of a child with Autism can be very difficult. Sometimes the hardships and struggles get to be so overwhelming that they cloud the little milestones that are met along the way. I took my son, Joshua, to see his doctor today. It was for his 6th month evaluation and medication checkup. She was so amazed at the progress he had made since his last appointment and it made me think about how, when we are so close to some situations, we fail to see what is right before our eyes. This time last year my 13 year old 7th grader was attending school in an old gym that was no longer used. He was locked up in an old boys locker room in the basement with two aids. I had been fighting with the school for 2 years to get him in the Middle School with all the other kids and was met with negativity and resistance. His behavior had caused them to completely isolate him. He had no contact with other students.

Last year I helped start a support group for parents of children with disabilities. I was soon put in as President and worked very hard with many parents to make the group something the community could be proud of. We invited many speakers and group educators to come teach us how to advocate for our children. A few months later I was asked to serve on the board of directors for IPUL (Idaho Parents Unlimited). They are a state and federally funded, non-profit advocacy group for adults and children with disabilties. I accepted. Last fall, I marched into the school, armed with my newly found information about the state and federal education laws and didn't back down.

A few days later, Joshua started the 8th grade in the Middle School and not only showed them all he was capable of being with his piers, but has made leaps and bounds. He attends the regular education Science, P.E., Art and Prime Time. He spends the rest of the time in the resource room with groups of other kids. He has gone from having melt downs that lasted over 45 minutes, 2-3 times a week, to rarely having 2 minute time outs. His teacher told us the other day that "time outs" aren't even an issue anymore.

Joshua has worked so hard to fit in and has done a GREAT JOB! I am so proud of him. So next time he is throwing rocks at my new car or flushing his toothbrush, I hope I can remember the progress that he has made. He has come a long way and we love him very much.

Reading, Reading, Reading!

I've spent a good deal of time since returning from LDStorymakers Conference, reading great books. Last week I finished one of Candace's books (below) and loved it. I emailed her that I was a little disappointed at the ending, but only because I want to read the next book NOW! Unfortunately, it isn't out yet. If anyone has a chance to pick this one up, it is GREAT!! I highly recommend it.



Now I am about half way through with another wonderful book..."Counting Stars" by Michele Paige Holmes. So far, so good. Can't put it down. In fact, as soon as I publish this blog, I'm back to reading it.




I know, I know....I need to WRITE! But how can I NOT read all these wonderful books I purchased at conference? UGH!

Count Your Blessings

Awesome Graphics and Myspace Layouts at pYzam.com

How much are you paying for gas? I'm driving a Pontiac Torrent which gets about 20 miles per gallon. I filled up today at my local Chevron station and as I was watching the dollar amounts flipping much faster than the amount of gas going into my vehicle, I cringed. When it got to the five gallon mark, I had put over $17.00 worth of gas into my car. OUCH! I actually remember when my father filled up the car on a trip to Rupert to visit my aunt and it was 53 cents a gallon. He called it "highway robbery". He used to brag about putting 25 cents worth of gas into his tank when he was dating my mother and it would last him all week. How would it be?

I realize that the cost of living is much higher and that we all make more money than my father did back then, but it doesn't make it hurt our pocket books any less. And it doesn't stop there. My nephew drives truck and the last time I talked to him, he said he was going to have to park it. He couldn't afford to drive it anymore. In our restaurant, we paid about $18.00 two months ago for a fifty pound bag of flour. Last week it was almost $50.00 and we were told by our salesman that it could reach as much as $75.00 by July. Tomato products are supposed to go up because they didn't get enough rain in California and to top it all off, minimum wage goes up again in July.

I know it sounds like I am complaining, but actually, I am grateful that we are still surviving (knock on wood). There are families out there that can't afford to feed their kids and don't even have a car to put gas in. So, I encourage all of you to take a moment to think about what you have. Be grateful that you still have a roof over your head and food to feed your kids. Be grateful that you have power enough to run the computer you are sitting at. Can you imagine the days before the computer? I am old enough to remember using a typewriter. My father used to let me borrow his old black Royal. I single handedly kept the "white out" company in business...LOL.

In a nut shell....Count Your Blessings!!

Twin Falls Temple

I'm so excited about the Twin Falls Temple being finished. It has been a long process and it is almost ready. The open house will be from July 11th - August 16th. It has been such a blessing to be able to watch it grow. We live about four miles from the temple and drive by it almost every day. I think about all the trips to Boise we have taken to attend the temple there and how it ends up being an all day process. Now we can go in the morning before work, or even go on a temple "date". We've never done that before. I'm also looking forward to taking our 14 year old son through during the open house. The only time he has seen the inside of a temple was when he was 9 months old and sealed to us. With his autism, I'm not sure he will be able to attend with the youth to do baptisms, so this will be exciting for him. Hallelujah!!
For more info: www.tftemple.com

Inspiration

As I sit here trying to come up with something profound to write as my first blog entry, I find myself thinking about all the friends I have made in the past few weeks. Last month I attended the LDStorymaker's Conference. I met the most wonderful group of people I have ever had the privilege to call friends. Their constant encouragement and support has given me the strength to keep writing. It is incredible how fast a stranger can become a friend.

Now I just have to write. I pray that the Lord will give me inspiration. I know the words will not always come easy, but with His help, they will be right.