Brother, could you spare a dime??

Tonight as I climbed into my car at work…

“Oh no - I need gas.”

“Oh NO - I don’t have any cash... or my credit card... or my debit card.”

“I can’t make it home from work & back tomorrow morning on what I have in the tank.”

So I did what any other Nancy-Drew-wannabe would do. I scrounged through my ash tray (my change collector) and came up with $2.35! I then proudly walked into the gas station & putting all my quarters, dimes & nickels on the counter, proclaimed that I would like $2.35 in gas please. The clerk carefully counted the change to make sure I wasn’t going to cheat them into really giving me that much gas for only $2.30 & grunted her approval.

The guy behind me was waiting impatiently to purchase his gas. He pulled out the thickest wad of $20s that I have ever seen, threw two down on the counter & said, “I will fill up and will be back for the change” in a voice that reminded me of the man who buys the Banks’ house in “Father of the Bride Pt II.”

Three things happened inside me at that moment...

First, it made me want to yell out, “I do have a job!! And a car that’s been paid off for four years! And a credit card at home! And a bank account. And a cat named The Cuteness!!” (Just wanted to throw in that last one so he wouldn’t think I was poor AND lonely!)

Secondly, I thought, “If I ever have a gigantic wad of $20s in my pocket & some poor blonde is in front of me paying for a gallon & a half of gas in change, I will pay for both our gas.”

Lastly, it just made me laugh out loud!

When I drove out of the gas station I saw that he wasn’t driving a very nice car either. Maybe his thought process was, “If I pay for that poor little girl’s gas, I wont have enough to put the down payment on my Jaguar!”

What Goes Around, Comes Around

In NH, a person can start driving at 15 ½. That means that when Darren started driving, I was just 10. And it was exciting! I remember one trip to Fairwood, where Darren was trying out his new-found skills. Being a new driver, as well as a law abiding citizen, Darren was cautiously going under the speed limit. Evan & I were sitting in the way back of our family station wagon, laughingly counting the cars lining up behind Darren on the narrow NH road. “Sixteen faithful followers,” I’d gleefully howl toward the front seat, updating the count as new cars joined our caravan.

Last night my 10 year old self visited my car! We were driving home from Christmas in Nova Scotia, and about two hours from home, drove into the path of our first substantial snow storm of the season. For a while the conditions were almost white-out, and I saw one car slide off the road & another one do a 360 in front of me. The passing lane was not plowed, so we were down to one lane of traffic. Looking in my rearview mirror, I could see this line of traffic snaking behind me, and I could hear my 10 year old self chortling gleefully “Sixteen faithful followers!”

A Joyful Christmas

Christmas was wonderful! Evan, Jill, the kids & I left late Wednesday afternoon for Nova Scotia. In a daring attempt, we decided to drive through the night, and arrived home exhausted & happy at four o’clock Thursday morning. I’ve never driven that late or that long, and in the last two hours found myself wishing that I could just drive my car into the roadside ditch, because then I’d be able to close my eyes! It sure was worth it, though, when we woke up already home on Thursday!

On Friday we went in to see Grandpa & Grandma. The kids did really well, and I think that G & G really enjoyed watching the next generation of Joneses. Dad had the brilliant idea that after the kids went to on Christmas Eve, the adults should open their presents, and that Christmas morning would be filled with watching Jed & Chloe open gifts, and then opening stockings. The five of us adults had a fabulous time sitting around the living room, watching each other’s happiness as gifts were opened. Darren and Sara had sent up a video of their kids, so we all watched that, and it was like they were there as well.

Christmas morning was the traditional bedlam of wrapping paper and screams of delight. Jed is at such a fun age to watch, and he truly enjoyed everything that was going on. Chloe was gratifyingly one & a half, and her face would light up as each new thing was unwrapped. She’d then waddle off to find something else. Tucker happily sat on laps and bestowed smiles on all who took the time to look his way.

Each time I would check my email I would get notes from friends who were reveling in the joy of family and more than that, the realization of what an incredible gift God gave us in the form of His Son. Earlier this season I heard on the radio that at Christmas time we tend to focus too much on Jesus coming as a baby, and not enough on the reason that He came, to redeem us all. Throughout this season I’ve been trying to focus on my gratitude of all that Jesus did, not just in being willing to come as a child, but being willing to go through all that He did in order to bring me home with Him, in God’s perfect time. What a gift!

Today's Christmas Pageant

Jed made his acting debut this morning as Joseph in our church's Christmas pageant. He looked oh-so-cute in his little bathrobe as he sat next to "Mary", who is also four. Our church has so many young kids, the shepherds & angels were probably an average age of four. One shepherd, our cousin Tim's little Becca, was sitting nicely up on stage until Carrie came to give Tim the camcorder. When Becca saw Mama, she was all done acting! Another shepherd left shortly after Becca, walking down the aisle towards his dad, peeling off his bathrobe as he went.
When it was time for the Wise Men to follow the star to the manger, the little girl playing our "star" stayed comfortably sitting in her chair next to the front pew, so our Wise Men (who all happened to be little girls - Chloe also made her acting debut today - as one of the "Wise Guys" as her father so graciously put it) made their way to the manger with no help of a guiding star. Even if the star was MIA, Chloe had a guiding Mom!
It seems to me that God must get much pleasure out of seeing His precious little ones re-enacting the story of His Son coming as a child.

Ode to Lolo

(to be sung to the tune of "Ode to Joy")

Holy cow, I love you lolo,
You’re my favorite food of all.
When I’m hungry, when I’m cranky,
You’re the one whose name I call.
Best when hot,
Okay when lukewarm,
Not so good when its stone cold.
Holy cow, I love you lolo,
I’m so glad I grew up in the Jones household, where you were Dad’s favorite too!
(Yes, I'm well aware that the last line doesn't fit the song or rhyme... its the sentiment that counts!)

For those of you unfamiliar with Jones-speak, "lolo" is box macaroni & cheese... about my favorite food EVER!

An afternoon of dating...

Today Jed & I had a date. After church we started out to Pizza Hut. On the way Jed asked, "Why is it called Pizza Hut. I know the 'Pizza' but what's the 'Hut' for?" I tried to explain perhaps it was because hut is another word for house, and then he came back with, "Maybe it's because the pizza is hot." I didn't ask for an explanation, and he didn't give one.

Cuddled in the booth, he contently munched on a piece of pizza, laid his head up against me & said, "This is fun." I agreed whole-heartedly. And he even got a fabulous dessert of chocolate pudding & vanilla wafers because I had ordered the salad bar. Oh yes, that makes much sense!

Then we stopped at a party store & picked out a big helium balloon for Mrs Partin, a lady in our church who just had knee surgery. The it was off to Wal-Mart where we took a tour of their "play hah" department. For those of you not fluent in Jed-speak, "play hah" stands for toys. He then informed me that every time he goes to Wal Mart he gets a protein bar. Who can fight with tradition? So, he came home with a belly full of pizza, cookies, pudding, lemonade & a chocolate-almond protein bar. I do so love being an Aunt!

On the way home I said "Holy Toledo" (probably about some crazy driver... we're very close to the MA border!) and from the backseat I heard "Holy potato!"

We came back to my house to make a card for Mrs Partin. "Making a card" with Jed means, I drew the front, signed the inside & then corralled him (from running all over my apartment in his sugar-crazed state), thrust a red crayon into his hand & forced it onto the paper. He crazily drew some red scribbles, proclaimed them a "Robotic Airplane" and called it good.

We then met up with Uncle Wesley (my cousin & one of Jed's favorite people) and we all walked down to the Partin's house. It was cold, and about every five feet Jed declared that he needed someone to carry him. I finally asked him whether he planned on being this cranky when we got to Mrs Partin's house. He said, "No - only to you." As we came up the driveway their dogs started barking, and the little man to the right of me said, "Holy potato, those dogs are loud." Another thing to have to explain to the parents... Sigh

Of all the names that I answer to, Aunt Lindsay is definitely my favorite!

Unbiased views of Talk Radio

Heard this tonight on Conservative Talk Radio and it made me laugh...

Describing the Supreme Court Justices - “These are nine of the most intelli...hold that... Four of the most intelligent people in the US, and five liberals who went to law school.”

A Meteor Shower Just For Me

When I was in Texas I saw a shooting star!
This was a big deal.
I never see shooting stars.
I’ll be out with friends and they'll all see falling stars & I’m always too late.

Last year during the Christmas play at church one of the children was holding a big tin foil star. Part way through the program they dropped the star. I turned around and smiled triumphantly at Amy, because I had finally seen a falling star!

The other night I was driving around and saw several shooting stars in a row. My ecstasy was short-lived as I realized that my “falling stars” were really made from a streak across my windshield blended with street lights... Well, it was pretty while it lasted!

Overtime & the Holidays

Sorry its been a while since I posted - just remember what the first post said. No guarantees!
This past weekend was a wonderful time of spending time with lots of friends. There were eleven of us at one time & ten at most times, laughing, playing games, talking & praying together. What more can one ask for??
And now I've been offered the chance to take as much overtime at work as I want, so today I was gone from the house for over 13 hours. Its going to be offered for a while, so blogging may suffer. Fair warning has been given! :)
So, if I don't get a chance, Happy Thanksgiving to each one. May God bless you & your loved ones as we all have a day to focus on how much God has given & what we have to be thankful for

Perspective

Last night as I drove to meet my friend Sarah for dinner, I was talking on the phone with another friend who is married & has two children. As we said goodbye she, with envy in her voice, said, “Have fun eating a quiet meal that you don’t have to prepare.” I answered back with equal envy, “Enjoy your evening with your husband.”
And then I began to think about our conversation and it reminded me of a quote that I just read from Beverly LaHaye.

“Consider this - many times people
on the other side of the fence are admiring
how green your grass is.”

Hmmm... this little sheep needs to concentrate on how blessed I am, and how luscious my grass is in this stage of life!

Addie's Turn!

Last night Darren called and left a message on my phone. “Each of us want to say ‘Happy Birthday’ to you. Come here, Addie. Say ‘Happy Birthday’ to Aunt Lindsay.”

“I CAN’T,” came the horrified scream from the background.

“Addie, just come...”

“ I CAN’T - I CAN’T!!”

“Well,” said the father, “MOST of us would like to say ‘Happy Birthday’ to you.”

This message definitely made me laugh... a lot! I even saved it and have listened to it again this morning.

Jed-isms

When Jed found out that I was going away on an airplane last weekend he asked, “Which state are you going to?” After being informed it was Texas he excitedly said, “Then you can be a cowgirl!”

Last night I told Jed that the kittens eyes had opened. “What does that mean,” he asked. I said that it meant they were getting older. He then said, “So now they’re toddlers?”

After I arrived home from my trip to Canada this summer, I brought over magnets for each of the kids. I had picked out a star for Tucker, and Jed gave his approval for this choice by saying, “Its good that you got a star for Tucker, because stars come out at night & that’s when babies cry.”

Snakes & The Alamo... Oh yeah, and Will's wedding!

I just got back from a whirlwind trip to Texas for Will’s wedding. Mike, Rachelle, Ben, Jonathan, Nathan, Sarah & I all converged in San Antonio for the weekend. When we reached the guest house we were staying at for the weekend we were asked to sign a waiver stating that we wouldn’t sue if we were bitten by snakes, scorpions or fire ants. That was the end of my fun time. SNAKES?? Near enough to bite? That first night I woke up twice, having just had dreams where snakes were trying to get in my sliding glass door. Thankfully, I didn’t see any, and the trip was a high success...

A brief synopsis... We went to the River Walk, drove ALL over, went to IHOP at 1:30 in the morning for “dinner,” played with Ben, watched fascinating shows on a 4 ft screen TV, drove some more, had a wonderful time at Will’s wedding, saw & chatted with Sherri & Janice, drove some more, stayed up wicked late each night catching up, saw the Alamo (don’t even get me started! Have you SEEN it?? Its not all that big, and its in the middle of SKYSCRAPERS! Not at all how I pictured it... sigh) and went to breakfast at this fascinating little place called the MadHatter. It was so good to see Will again, to meet his beautiful bride, Christian, and to be a part of the most special day of their lives. Blessings on them as they start their new life!

Santa's getting an early start

On the way home from work tonight I needed to stop & pick up cat food & light bulbs. $120 later I came out of Target with a great headstart on my Christmas shopping! The story books may say that Santa has workshops, but if he were smart, he'd just shop at Target. Wow, I love that place!! And to make it even better, on the way home, guess what I saw in my headlights?? SNOW! It was just a few flakes, but they were there & I was thrilled. Bring on Christmas!
(Editor's note - Please take pity on this New Hampshire girl & do not remind her of her excitement about the first snow when its April of next year & still snowing on a regular basis!)

Hurray!

The Red Sox & Bush winning all within a week?? I can’t handle the joy! I was listening to conservative talk radio on the way home from work & this lady called in (having voted for Kerry & still smarting) to say that the reason we won is because Ohio is full of protestants who wouldn‘t vote for Kerry because he is Catholic. The host said that he hoped she and all her democratic friends continued to think that, and not focus on changing the things that will enable them to win elections in the future.
How incredible were the answers to prayer?? Not only prayers for God to have His will done & for the right man to be elected, but for people to put aside apathy & get out to vote. When I voted last night the lady at the polls said that when they opened at seven that morning over 600 people had been waiting to vote. I didn’t know that little tiny New Boston had that many people of votable age!
And as far as feeling famous, I think the people who were calling me are kind of fair weather friends. Maybe they think I was one of the people who made NH blue last night on the map. Well, I didn’t & I think it would be nice if Curt Schilling called to tell me thanks for voting! :)

You'd think I was famous!

Oh yes - you'll find that I get lots of messages on my voicemail. And not from just ordinary Joe Schmoes. No, I get calls from Laura Bush, Curt Schilling, Rudy Giuliani & the "W" himself. You'd think I'd be loving all this attention. Not so much! They're starting to call at obnoxious hours, and even I don't feel like talking to the President at nine o'clock Sunday morning. I'm so ready for this election to be over!

What Curse??

They did it! Lots of joy - lots of tears - lots of years of heartache put to rest. The Red Sox have pulled it off... This was for you, Andrew.

A birth announcement

I have officially become the grandmother of triplets for the second time in a row. Yes, its true! I got home from work today & the cat who met me at the door was skinny again, not fat. So I searched around & found three cute little kittens all various patterns or black, white & gray. So cute & so little.

Flying to VA

I made a quicker than quick trip to VA this weekend. I arrived at 9:30 Sat morning & left at 5:00 Sunday evening. It was roughly 30 hours, but it was a wonderful time, filled with love & happiness. Here are a few of the highlights:

*Long chats & lunch with Nathan & Audra (my angels who brought me there!)
*Going to the Lisk’s Fall Football party & seeing so many people in one fell swoop
*Hugging Darren, Sara & the kids
*Addie & Stuart sliding on their bellies down the fridge box in their living room - they looked like little blonde otters
*Watching the Red Sox game with Earl & Geni
*My catch-up chat with Geni - we turned in early this time, only staying up til ... 2:45 am
*Seeing loved ones at BRBC (too many to recount here) & getting a tour of the new church building
*My little silver Grand Am rental car with New York license plates. I loved the irony of driving around with my Red Sox sweatshirt on... I’m lucky I wasn’t shot for being disloyal!

Some friendships peter out when both parties are not geographically close. With those in VA I’m blessed that there are so many who are just as close whether I see them every week like I used to, or every eight months, like it is now.

Pinch me! Is this for real??

Victory is a very sweet thing! And as Red Sox fans know, its an elusive thing as well. But it was captured in fine form last night. Johnny Damon redeemed himself in spades. A man can be forgiven a lot when he gets a grand slam & a home run in consecutive innings.

You should have seen the smiles at work this morning - they were accompanied by droopy eyes, yawns & stretches, but they were bigger than they’ve been in 18 years! Let’s hope that those smiles continue to grow... getting bigger than they’ve been since 1918.

When you're a Red Sox fan...

... you are easily spotted by your baggy eyes & triumphant smile! Who would have thought it? The Red Sox have risen out of the ashes of 3 losses to win three straight games in a row. Everyone in New England is extremely sleep deprived, and I’m beginning to wonder if I’m getting an ulcer. (A constant wondering on my part every time I get stressed out!!) I want them in the World Series so badly I can taste it! Even my precious little Ben (http://bensmom.blogspot.com) is involved in the games. Sadly for him, his Dad is on the wrong side. (Its ok, Ben - I’ll be seeing you in a couple weeks & I’ll give you the real perspective then.) Tonight the waiting will be over, and I’ll be able to get some sleep... until the World Series begin, that is.

Enough love to live on

I picked Evan, Jill & the kids up at the airport on Sunday night. Jed saw me & came running through security, arms outstretched, yelling, “I missed you!” Then Chloe, our little wiggle worm, snuggled with me for over fifteen minutes, taking her head off my shoulder just long enough to give me a kiss. Tucker, his face all smiles, looked so different, and I was amazed at how quickly an infant can change in one week. I’m so grateful that they’re back safely on Chestnut Hill. I mean, yes its nice that they can have a vacation, but it was time for them to be back where they belong... right next door to me!

The Phantom Dishwasher

I got home from work today, exhausted in body & spirit, and as I came in the door I turned to tackle the mountain of dirty dishes that had been looming for far too long. My tired eyes took in a magical sight! The mountain of dishes had moved from one side of the sink to the other, and were all sparkling clean, happily drying in the drainboard.

After a call or two, I found my angel of mercy. Cherilyn had brought the kids down to get the mail & since it hadn't come, they all decided to wait in my house with The Cuteness. And while she waited, she washed my dishes. Bless the mailman's heart for being late, and bless Cherilyn's heart for making a tired heart sing. Have I mentioned lately how much I love living on Chestnut Hill??

Fill 'er Up!

Mom is like a human gas station. When I feel like I’m running on empty, I can talk to her & when we’re done & she’s prayed for me, I feel like my tank is full and I can go on again.

That’s just like the Holy Spirit as well. When we’re giving out, as long as we’re connected to His life-giving flow, we’ll never be empty.

Deja Vu

I wonder if spiritual warfare works in baseball... We here in New England have a curse to break, and we’ve been trying for how many years?? 83!!

Tonight is the start. The memories are flooding back from last year when we were also matched up against the Yankees. Here’s hoping that Pedro can control himself, and not take down any old men. The glory would be unending if we went to the Series over the Yankees.

It would be nice if I could just sleep until it was over. Oh, the agony & euphoria of being a Red Sox fan...

And the birthday awards go to...

Happy birthday, Darren. You are loved, appreciated & prayed for. May God bless you richly through this coming year. If The Cuteness has her kittens tonight, I’ll name one of them after you... No extra charge!

And Aunt Kath, too. Happy birthday to you as well. Thank you for being my surrogate Mom this past week. I’m so grateful that you’re one of “The Aunts” & that two of your kids live near by, so that we get to see you as well.

The Circle of Life

God’s cycle of life is incredible. Today I met the newest member of our family, born early Tues morning. God sent Eva Elizabeth to live with Tim & Carrie, and it just seems like it was His impeccable timing to bring the joy of birth during the sorrow of death.

Cinnamon Rolls & Sorrow

Two phone calls yesterday... Two drastically different emotions.

I was still in bed when the first one came. Evan was inviting me down for fresh cinnamon rolls before church. Mom had made me a batch a little while ago to put in the freezer, and I had pulled them out to have that morning, so I declined. Evan informed me that the ones he was talking about were fresh & that I should come down. So, with a sweatshirt on over my pj’s, I hopped in the car & drove down their driveway. As I came over the hill, I noticed another car parked in front of their house. When I pulled up closer I saw that it had Nova Scotia plates. What a wonderful surprise!! Mom & Dad had come down for Evan’s ordination service. It was with a full & joyful heart that I sat in church yesterday.

I was watching a movie with three close friends when the other phone call came. Andrew - friend, classmate & fellow believer in Jesus, had dropped suddenly in an after church game of football. He had finished life’s race at the young age of 22, and was standing with Jesus, while we were all left to mourn his departure in our separate ways. Evan, Mom, Dad, Amy, Matt & I piled into the mini van & headed to Fairwood. The evening was spent comforting & receiving comfort. Even though his death seemed (and still seems) senseless, there was a strong feeling of God’s presence. The peace was as real as the tears. The road will be long, the tears will be many, but I truly believe that God has a plan, and its not for me to doubt Him. I’ve done enough of that lately, and its time to trust.

Autumn in NH

Today was the epitome of Fall in New Hampshire. Lots of people (Derrick, Wesley, Bethany, Matt, Craig, Diane, Amy & Andrea) were coming over & we'd planned a picnic, but it was foggy/rainy, so we had the picnic in my living room. And we went to a huge pick-your-own-pumpkin patch & each got a pumpkin to bring home & carve. Between the nine of us, we had over 120 lbs of pumpkin!

When we got home, we spread newspaper all over my kitchen floor & sat in a big circle carving our pumpkins. After the masterpieces were completed we set them all on the dining room table, lit tea lights in them & turned off the lights. It was an amazing sight! Eight VERY different jack-o-lanterns glowed cheerily (or menacingly)back at us. They ranged from a dragon (Amy's) to the New York Yankees symbol (Bethany's) to ornate squiggly things (Craig's) to a cat (mine). Andrea carved a candle, & Wes made some sort of face on the front of his & a big "W" on the back. Derrick's had a weird face with lots of teeth & three eyes & Matt carved a menacing face, but added hair which softened the looks. Diane sat in the chair & read us trivia questions while her pumpkins waited to be taken back to her students for a Monday project.

Fall in New England is definitely the best time to be alive!

Saturday Morning Rituals

This Saturday started like most other Saturdays. Evan & I took Jed & Chloe to Dunkin Donuts for coffee & munchkins. Its become one of my most cherished events of the week. Today Jed made it extra special.
After leaving Dunkin Donuts we pulled into a gas station. Evan hopped out to fill up the van, and Jed unbuckled & crawled up to sit in the driver’s seat. After a minute he reached his hand over to grab mine & said, "Want to go on a date with me this day?" That little boy is one of the reasons I'm so content in the stage of life that I'm in.

An Ode to Friendship

I was reminded today of how grateful I am for the friends that God has blessed me with, when I saw a portrayal of what others may treasure in a friendship.

As I've been training the last couple weeks at Oxford, I've gotten to know the ten people in my class quite well. They're a lively bunch & all love to have a good time. On Wednesday, the liveliest of the bunch had a miscarraige. She, understandably, was devestated. While waiting to hear from the doctor's office whether what she feared had indeed happened, she announced to the class, "If I lose this baby I'm going out on Friday night to drink myself into oblivion and you're all invited." Amid cheers, though somewhat subdued due to the nature of the party, she was assured by most of the class that they'd be there.

Today she was back, and the entire day while I was training, the shout would go up, "Not much longer til 4:30!" They were all excited to watch & join in as this devestated woman literally drowned her sorrows, starting the minute they would all leave the building.

Having just gone through a difficult time, (though not nearly as traumatic as a miscarraige) I realize the importance of deep friendships. When I let some of my friends know what had just happened, I got the most supportive emails or phone calls. Most of them brought me to tears, but one in particular stands out in my mind. My precious friend, Geni, informed me that she'd woken up several nights in a row & layed awake praying for me. What a gift. What more can a friend ask for?

A Modern Day Medicine Woman

I would not make a good Christian Scientist. Medicine is way too important to me. It would not be too strong a statement to say that I love the meds I’m on right now. They are powerful! On Sunday, the doctor at the ER prescribed three. All three of said pills have five or more warnings on their respective bottles... Things like "Will make you dizzy" - "May cause drowsiness" - "Don’t take with alcohol" - "Don’t drive a car" - "May cause dry mouth" - "Do not exhale for 45 minutes after taking this."

So, my daily ritual is now:
*Get up & go to work
*Take meds as soon as I get there, because I’m done driving for 8 ½ hrs
*Careen through the day at Oxford, grabbing onto desks & tables for support
*Take meds fifteen minutes before leaving for the day, so that the drowsiness & dizziness don’t hit until I get onto Chestnut Hill Rd
*Stumble into my house & change into my pajamas
*Take a nap for 1-2 hrs
*Get up & attempt to get a few things done
*Go to bed between 9-10

But its ok, I’m not addicted. I could stop anytime... Honest...

An Aunt's Life For Me

I do love being an Aunt. This was brought to my attention once more tonight when I was over at Evan & Jill's & Chloe was the only child home. She was fresh from a bath & ultra snuggly, giving many hugs & kisses & pointing excitedly to all the important things in her life... the table, Jed's bed, Daddy in the rocking chair, etc.

Jed is the first nephew - only, he's not Jed very often. You have to catch him on the right day, when he's not "Job-site guy," "Firefighter guy," or on one special occasion, he was even Paul Newman!

Then comes Addie, with her endearing way of saying both "Aunt" & "Lindsay" in the same word, "Zahnzie." When said in her high pitched little voice, who can resist?? She was the first niece, and the one who at not many months old, got the polish on the toes bit, thanks to a doting aunt!

Stuart's next, with his incredible eyes, wonderfully round body & funny way of saying "Aunt" & "Lindsay" together as well, but his comes out "Minsy." It makes me think of someone tall & thin, who takes little mincing steps along life's path. May he forever think of me as his tall & thin Aunt... Oh wait, no - that's his Aunt Jill, or Aunt Rose, or Aunt La...

Chloe, the Princess comes next. She is convinced that she has the world by the tail, and I'm not too sure she doesn't!

And Tucker is the youngest - just going on 14 weeks (I think) and starting to become his own little person more & more each day.

How blessed am I?? I love each day of being an Aunt! There are more precious little ones in my life that refer to me as Aunt Lindsay, and I'll write about them at another time.

ER - a vast disappointment

It became very clear to me on Sunday night that Michael Crichton does not visit the Elliot hospital emergency room for fodder when writing intensely dramatic screenplays for his Emmy Award winning TV drama, ER! There were no incredibly handsome doctors running to heal me. There were no heart-rending pleas for me to come back to the land of the living. There were no medical professionals sitting by my bed with silent tears flowing down their cheeks.

All I got was a long wait, a five minute (if I’m being generous) consult with a doctor , (who did NOT look like Noah Wylie) a shot, a pill & three prescriptions! Definitely not enough to entice me back again... Sure, the medication did help my back (oh yes - the reason I went to the ER... spasms in my back that made it almost impossible to walk) and that’s all I should have been expecting, but would it have been so horrible to have George Clooney make a guest appearance?

The Voice of Truth

Doubt has been one of the loudest voices in my head lately. Thoughts like, "Perhaps God doesn’t really have my best in mind," and various other misguided (though I daresay human) thoughts. Jill & I were talking on Saturday and in answer to my "Why did God do this to me?" question, she said, "Maybe God didn’t do this to you. Maybe He just let it happen." I’ve been mulling that over throughout the week, and its given much peace. Then on the way to work this morning I heard a song by Casting Crowns about how doubt can take over our lives, but...

When I stop & listen to the sound of
Jesus singing over me…
The voice of Truth tells me a different story
The voice of Truth says “Do not be afraid.”
And the voice of Truth says “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen & believe
The Voice of Truth

"I'm From The Country & I Like It That Way"

In the car on my way to work today I thought, "You know you live in the country when you see porcupines by the side of the road on the way to work, and chickens pecking by the side of the road on the way home." What an awesome commute! No traffic for this one, and all the wildlife I want.

A little while ago I stopped by the side of the road on the way home from work to watch a huge turtle that hadstopped for a siesta just over the white line. The only two cars that passed while I was watching both stopped to make sure I was ok. I do love living on Chestnut Hill!

"Oops - I did it again"

So, after two nights of banishment due to the mice incident, I let The Cuteness back into the bedroom last night. I hadn’t heard any mice and she was being extra cuddly, so it seemed like a good idea. Well, it WASN’T!

I was almost asleep when she jumped up onto the bed, chasing something. As is seeming like a nightly occurrence I jumped out of bed, turned on the light & saw... my cat playing w/ a Christmas bow. Sigh... Poor Cuteness still had to sleep in the living room last night, just for giving me that fright.

"Rosie the Riveter" is felled

Parts of living by myself are awesome - parts are not!

Here’s one thing that falls into both categories - when something goes wrong, I have to fix it. That can be exhausting, but it can also give a strong sense of Girl Power. My toilet handle broke off, so away I went to Home Depot, where I found the part & came home & installed it. Talk about power trip. I did that SEVERAL months ago, and I’m still on a high! And then my front headlight went out. Now, I’m all about playing the game padiddle when I‘m on a long car trip, but I’m not into being the car that has one, so I went to VIP Auto, got the replacement bulb, and changed it myself.

I’ve also had to catch my share of mice, because I live in the country, and The Cuteness is much better at chasing them than at catching them. "Mom," she says, "Its much more exciting to careen all over the house, following a squeaking rodent, then to carry it around in one’s mouth." The gifts that she bestowed on me this weekend were in the form of rodents... IN MY BED! Early Saturday morning I woke up to The Cuteness running pell-mell through my bedroom. Then I heard the squeaking. I leapt out of bed, at the same time that she picked up the mouse & threw it onto my bed. Sadly, it escaped and made another appearance that night... 2:30 in the morning I woke up to The Cuteness standing next to my head. As I awoke, I heard the dreaded squeaking again. I’d been sleeping on my stomach, so I reared back, just as she released the horrific creature where my head had been. We finally caught that one and let it go outside.

Well, this last week I came across something that I just couldn’t handle. I got home work, and couldn’t get into my house. "Was it locked?" you might ask. "No," I would say. There was a giant spider guarding the door. It was glossy black with yellow spots & about five inches…. Ok, so it was only about an inch, but it was awful. I went next door to my neighbors (the senior pastor of our church & his family) and said, "I’m sorry. I try not to be girly, but I can’t get into my house because of a spider." The Pastor’s wife graciously came over with a snow shovel (see, we’re resourceful here in NH - we don’t just use shovels for our eighty feet of snow each winter) and killed the dreaded beast. If I were a pioneer woman, I’d want June on the homestead next to me!

The Beginning

Hi Guys! Its me. I have entered the world of blogging. Do I promise it will be updated hourly, daily or even weekly? No. There - the guidelines are posted, and now I can refer people back to the first post if (or when) they complain that its been a long time. Fair? Fair!

So - here’s what’s up with me. I’m happily living here in beautiful NH, where whether the calendar says it or not, Autumn has come. The leaves are starting to look beautiful, and should peak in about two weeks. I’m working at a health insurance company, and am currently training people on how to do the job I’ve been doing for almost two years. Today was the first day of class. How do you keep ten adults (with an extreme lack of maturity) from laughing hysterically about unrelated topics, while you’re trying to teach them how to handle extremely irate people on the phone?? This will be a great learning experience... For me at least!

I live in my own little apartment that I share with my psychotic (and currently pregnant) cat, The Cuteness. Sometimes she lives up to her name, but most often she lives up to names that I can’t (or shouldn’t) say! Her love language is gifts, and she brought me two this weekend. I’ll write more about that later.

My life, for the most part, is wonderfully full & blessed. I guess this blog is a way to share those blessings (whether seen as blessings at the time or not) with all of you. Its also a great way to, as everyone states in their own blog, keep in touch.