Merry Christmas 2013

Random moments, black & white

kitten photos... 

His name is Sparra           [uh, think pirate - Captain Jack Sparrow Arrr!]

Right ...  well, this guy looks "adorable"

Much like the Captain ...

sometimes, he actually is adorable

and those are the moments when one might hear two teen boys say the word
"A D O R A B L E " (out loud even)

But truthfully, he's "annoying" ... still cute and cuddly {in those random moments} but ANNOYING.

Who knew??

Parenting techniques that worked so well with my boys are simply useless!! 

The thing about using love & logic is that kittens don't care if you love them or how logical it is to NOT bite or scratch or wound the person who feeds them.   Arrrgh!!

See how these eyes tell a story that looks much like curiosity … 

but quickly they turn into CRAZY-eyes and a holy terror kitten runs wildly around trying to bite and scratch anything in the vicinity of its claws.  

Case in point, bare legs ...  EEK!  

Legs which cannot go walking around bare as this might happen ... 

(yes, he's caught mid-air mid-attack, yes I have the marks to prove it!   Hmmmph.

But they love him, little terror Sparra ...

only adorable moments for me are when he sleeps!!

shh, don't wake him up!!

 

      Millie thinks he's annoying too...

then again she bops him in the head & takes a cat nap... 

Ooh, no ... I'm thinking he's plotting an attack of the toes ... 

Who says rescuing kittens is humane ... what about rescuing me?!!!   

I'm off to run some errands ... why is it he sleeps while I'm gone and is awake when I'm home... tell me they grow up quickly like my kids ~ a sophmore and 8th grader {way more mature than their grade or age}.

Livin' life happy ~ until my next 'rant'.

Congrats Lauren & Neil ...

the journey continues . . . 

    

Love you guys!   

the Four C's ...

Caffeine, Computer, Cell phone...  Cat?

It's a given ... I must have my coffee!!

... and while drinking such delightful liquid I stand at my computer and peruse (aka stalk) my friends' posts on Facebook -- well, I was going to suggest that I blog ... but we'd all know the frequency of that... is just not worth mentioning!!

I always try to keep my cell phone nearby ... as it seems to never buzz or ring or anything while I've got it in hand or next to my workstation - it typically waits til I'm far away and miss calls or texts. 

At least I know I can stalk ahem, read FB posts and friends' blogs :)  without interruption.

Then there's THE cat ... 

Millie, currently is displaying separation anxiety...
and feels as close as my fingerprints. 

Her favorite alpha male has been away 
- helping my bro' after surgery... home repairs,
roof tear off/install and a new storage building 

However, since I have become the most important person in Millie's (aka person with thumbs who can open the magic door get cat food & treats) ... she has taught me the language of cats.

hello?  ... dish  IS  empty!!  

there... that's the cat food

ok, put a scoop onto my dish

                  ... um, I'm a cat.  I eat. Mmm Mmm    

                  ... next, I sleep. 

end of story

Done before 11pm ...

Tigard High School 

* * BAKE SALE **

to support

Jazz Band, Concert & Marching Band

* * * * * 

Happy 4th of July...

Celebrating Freedom, Country, Life and many blessings here in the USA!!!

so this is a cat's life, eh?

Sleep much ...?

it's a workout in a bag...

exhausting workout ~ must nap

what was that? 

hmm, nothing...

what's a 'cat trap' again?

Mom was right, purple is way better!

Time for another workout

then again, must nap

shh, I'm resting ~ this has been a tough day.

Emotionally Compromised ...

We've waited a week to see Jet (singing bro) return from his first solo trip ... and we will wait yet another 12 hours ~as we returned empty-seated (sans brother) from the airport.

Here's our journey to enlightenment.  Earlier tonight I check flight info grab son #2 (aka lonely brother) taking along homemade cookies ...joyfully we began our journey to retrieve the singing bro.

We are spotted at the airport by one of the students and promptly reported to the Director, who apologizes quickly for my unnecessary trip looks around nervously while physically shielding me -- repeating "parents are not to interact with the kids until tomorrow when the concerts are over!!!"

We learned the scoop:   Students stay one more night at a hotel in Portland the last night of the trip (tonight) and parents are not permitted "access" until after the final concerts on Sunday.   Auugh, being a "newbie's" Mom, I was unaware of this small YET IMPORTANT factoid.

So, with empty seat, sad heart and the lonely brother, I began the drive home.  We discuss "what now?" Decide we will be fine with seeing him tomorrow -- agree to review the manual for hints that we should have known about this important factoid.

After a few miles, breaking the silence is a heavy sigh and Scout says, "I'm emotionally compromised..."

Well, that pretty much covers it for me too!  

So we stopped to get a DQ Blizzard ~ it didn't help much, but it didn't hurt either!

 Ok... so we tried staying sad but just got silly!!

Until tomorrow then...

we remain, emotionally compromised.

Moments of Mom anxiety ...

He's... leavin' on a jet plane

Excited to be leaving for Priority mission ~ on his way to Denver, to sing, work, sing, paint, sing ... and then more helping at food banks, senior centers, churches, homeless shelters ... and the list goes on.  

Saturday finally arrived... amazingly, he was the first one awake in the house (even before Millie).

I was proud, indeed ... and, uh also taken aback by such energy and non-stop conversation by this teen so early in the morning.  Off to the airport; turning back for “just one *wait... what?*  photo.”

        

At the airport he gathered with the group, checked his own baggage... (paid the $25 fee) which he was able to afford because of  the gracious gift of funds from thoughtful, generous (incredible) friends of ours who insisted on giving even after he met his goal for which -- thank you is not enough!  

Stealthily we followed the group of kids toward security ... where I was so grateful he wore his red jacket and was the tallest kid in the sea of bobbing heads walking through security.... I tip-toed and stared until I couldn't see anything but strangers ... then Sweet-T finally said "he's gone through the security gate and is already around the corner ~ we can go now."  Then we left. 

Going home it felt like I left part of me behind ... I miss that boy!  I know he's having fun, working hard, and being a blessing to many ... I'm excited that he will have new stories to share when he returns and I know he will be different from the kid I left at the airport.  

One of the first texts he sent was after he made his first purchase ... 

  it simply said            "I hate sales tax"

   

Another series of texts described his worry for a friend who didn't have enough money for meals for the whole week ...  then wrote that he and two other students agreed to share her food expenses to make sure she could eat.   [thanks again to the generosity of family and friends who gave so much support - he's able to pass along your kindness]

—   I love this kid!!!

He's been gone about a hundred hours now ... but who's counting?

Brother misses him too!